To 8Dwriter-in-training8D who left my 300th review. Thank you!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own "Naruto"
Chapter 38: Overprotective
Sasuke's thumb brushed over Sakura's cheek and the touch tingled against her skin. Her face was hot with the most furious blush she'd ever had. Her heart beat a hundred miles a second, filling her head with a rush of blood, making her dizzy. Her head told her it was impossible for her heart to beat so fast—she'd suffer a heart attack. Her heart told her to shut up. Her chest hurt and it felt as if she couldn't breathe fast enough to keep a sufficient supply of oxygen streaming through her blood. She was going to pass out. She was sure of it.
Sasuke was moving toward her again. Slow. Torturously slow. Or perhaps her body was working at such a heightened speed that everything else seemed sluggish. She reminded herself to continue breathing. She knew this was it—the moment that she'd been waiting for. This was it. Finally. He was finally letting her in. Finally trusting her. Finally telling her everything.
And then…his mouth parted and the words that rolled from his tongue fell like velvet on her ears. They were the words she'd longed to hear for more than half of her life. Words she'd always dreamed of, but never thought would exist. The words were the affirmation that her devotion hadn't been in vain. They were a reward for her loyalty.
"Sakura…I love you."
Her breath caught and her heart stopped. She closed her eyes for only a moment and let his whispered confession consume her. Longing made her limbs ache and her ribs shrink. Her skin tingled all over and the pain in her still heart felt…right. She was almost too scared to open her eyes again and find that he wasn't there. When Sakura did open her eyes, Sasuke was still there. He really said it! She wasn't dreaming. The soft glint in his eyes made Sakura's heart giggle, sending jolts of electricity throughout her body. It felt wonderful! She beamed at him.
"I know," she replied softly.
Sasuke's lips quirked nervously for a second before forming his signature smirk. His eyes glittered like so many stars in the night sky and she couldn't help but think that he was devastatingly beautiful. He blinked and when his eyes were visible a second later, they were focused on her mouth and her knees quaked. His hand shifted to rest against her jaw, tickling as he moved stray strands of hair away from her face. He pulled her gently to him. Sasuke's lips parted and her eyelids lowered. Sakura pushed up on her toes and their noses bumped. They were so close that his warm breath mixed with hers, smelling vaguely of blood and spearmint. And then…there was no space between them.
His lips were tender against hers, warm and untrained. He kissed her carefully, like someone trying something new for the very first time. She smiled at the thought, her lips awkward against his. The warmth in her body intensified and she sighed into him. He kissed her gently, moving to taste each curve of her mouth as if to memorize her. Her arms wrapped around his neck, fingers entangling in his raven hair. His hands settled firmly against the small of her back. She couldn't stop the sudden rush of elation that forced happy tears to her eyes. Nothing could compare to the joy she felt, wrapped in his arms, his lips on hers.
A tear slipped from her closed eyes and their kiss was broken. He leaned his forehead against hers.
"Don't cry," Sasuke whispered. "I hate it when you cry."
Sakura smiled. Reaching up to roughly wipe the tear-track from her cheek, she admitted, "I'm glad you waited for me."
Sasuke stiffened and pulled her away from him. Tilting her head to look at him, she was shocked to see his furrowed brow and questioning gaze.
"There you two are!" Naruto yelled.
Their gaze was broken and they looked over just as Naruto stumbled. He righted his footing and, grinning sheepishly, scratched the back of his head. Sakura offered a small smile.
"Thought you'd leave me to handle that riot?" he asked with a laugh. "I mean, it's cool and all…but, uh…" he trailed off and his grin faltered when his blue gaze focused on their linked hands.
Heat rose to Sakura's face. Sasuke's hand was still loosely wrapped around hers and the touch was impossible to ignore. Her shoulders rose as her body tensed up and she knew then that Naruto was not the only one staring at her.
"I, uh, didn't interrupt anything…did I?"
"Kind of, moron," Sasuke replied brazenly.
Sakura's eyes widened and her head whipped around, hair flying, to look at Sasuke. "It's fine," she said softly. "We'll talk later."
His face gave no indication what he was thinking, but he nodded and Sakura returned her focus to Naruto, who looked out of place. Sakura sighed. Shifting her arm in Sasuke's grip until their fingers brushed, she entwined them. Taking a step toward Naruto, she reached her hand out for him. He smiled and joined them. The pressure in Sakura's chest released when Naruto's rough hand took hers. Perhaps things didn't have to become awkward for the team.
"All right…let's go," Sakura said.
As they made their way toward what remained of Konoha, Sakura could feel a distinct difference in emotion coming from the two men beside her. She could feel it in the hands she held. Naruto was happy…excited. His hand was firm and comfortable in hers. It was finally his turn. After so many years of being ridiculed and dubbed the outcast, he was finally getting a chance to be loved and respected. Sasuke, however, was nervous…despite the aloof air surrounding him. His hand was clammy and stiff, as if he was trying to hold her hand without actually touching her. It made Sakura's ribs shrink. Life was going to be hard for him, especially in the waiting. He had never been a patient person. Now, with the final stretch of the investigation under way, Sasuke's character was about to be tested in new ways. Sakura ached for him. Perhaps now that he had overcome his fear and revealed his feelings, he would allow her to help him. The thought, at least, gave her hope.
It took only moments to break through the forest and less time for the, still gathered, crowd to react. Shouts of jubilation and hip-hip-hoorahs filled the air. Just as before, bodies swarmed toward them and it was easy to see what their intention was. Hands reached out for them and the first to be lifted in the air was Naruto. As Sakura was being lifted, she could distinctly hear Sasuke's refusal as he growled "I'll walk." The people around him backed away without a second thought and Sakura giggled.
Being carried upon the shoulders of the villagers was not a comfortable experience, but it was exciting and filled her with warm feelings of gratitude. Part of her felt as though they didn't deserve such praise—they had merely done what any loyal shinobi would have. Another part screamed at her to stop being so modest; they'd fought tooth and nail against Pein and they were certainly the only ones who could've stopped him. SHANNARO! They deserved awards, medals, places of hono—
Yelping, Sakura was yanked from the top of the crowd by her wrist. She landed in someone's arms. Looking up, she was unsurprised to find Sasuke. He smirked and gently put her down on her feet, before continuing forward. She watched, slightly bewitched, as he moved with the crowd and away from her. After a mere few seconds, he stopped and glanced expectantly over his shoulder at her. Regaining her senses, she trotted up to walk beside him and tried to smother the blush on her cheeks.
When she was certain her face was no longer burning bright red, Sakura glanced up at Sasuke and noticed that the stress lines on his face were smoothing out. The tightness around his mouth was lifting and a general sense of contentment emanated from him.
"Sasuke-kun."
The look in his eyes when he turned to her was soft and Sakura paused. He seemed different…more at peace with himself. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but she thought that he looked happy. So she smiled. Slowly, she slid her hand into his and enjoyed the smirk he gave her.
~.~.~
Tsunade held her head in her hands. If she truly wanted to, she had the power to crush her skull between her own fingers. It would certainly save her the trouble of dealing with the mess she was facing. How she hated being Hokage some days. She couldn't believe that the world had literally come crashing down around her—it was all too much to take in. She still couldn't figure out how she'd been able to protect so many people. If she thought about it logically, she should have collapsed into a coma by now. She was fortunate. Or not, depending on how one looked at it. She felt so drained and would have preferred the rest a coma would have given…but she had work to do and there was no one more suited than her to do it.
Her hand fell away from her face and she instantly shoved it into one of the desk drawers. Yamato had been quick to build a temporary office for her, fully furnished. Tsunade thought it would have been more appropriate for her to be out among the people—that's where she wanted to be—but Shizune strongly disapproved. They didn't know if there were other enemies lurking around.
Tsunade cursed. Where was that sake bottle?
"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune entered the office timidly. "Is everything all right?"
Her honey eyes snapped up to glare viciously at the brunette. "Does everything look all right?" she growled. "Konoha is in ruins and you ask if everything is all right?"
Shizune winced at Tsunade's tone.
Tsunade jumped to her feet and pounded her fist against the desk, cracking it. "We're facing war, Shizune! Everything is not all right!"
She was left gasping and glaring at her cowering assistant for a moment before she sighed. She sank down into her chair, feeling defeated and so very old. She pressed her fingers against her temples and began massaging the tension away, barely noticing when Shizune neared.
A warm hand landed on her shoulder and for a brief moment, the familiar touch reminded her of someone dear to her. She almost smiled.
"Tsu-Tsunade-sama—" Shizune cut herself off awkwardly, as if she didn't know what to say.
Tsunade looked up and was disappointed to see Shizune's face instead of—the smile faded in an instant. She felt an incredible weight in her chest, an ache so deep it made her want to cry. She thought of all the times he'd been there to poke fun at her, to make perverse comments, to comfort her when she needed it. He'd somehow always managed to give her the fire to do her job. He should have been Hokage—he'd been more suited for the job. If he'd taken it, he wouldn't have…he wouldn't be—he'd still be with her. She missed him more than anything. She sometimes wondered what they might have become had he…
"What do I do?" she whispered nearly losing all composure.
Shizune looked shocked and then sympathy filled her brown eyes.
'What would Jiraiya do?' Tsunade asked herself. 'How would he handle this situation?' She knew he'd face it with determination and courage…just like his pupil had faced Pein. The thought sobered her. The change must have been visible because Shizune began to smile. Tsunade narrowed her eyes and stood.
"Shizune! Fetch me those wretched elders," she barked. "And where the hell is Danzou?"
"I'll make sure to find him, Tsunade-sama," Shizune said with the hint of a smile on her face.
Tsunade watched as her assistant rushed out of the room, determination to complete her orders clear in her step. The brunette's loyalty warmed Tsunade and she knew that she'd be lost without her help. Her eyes went to the stacks of paperwork on the desk and she let out an exasperated sigh. Just like Shizune to hide the sake when there were mountains of paperwork to be done. With all the destruction, Tsunade wondered how Shizune managed to find so much paperwork. She was just about to sit when a welcome distraction knocked on the door.
"Come."
Kotetsu walked in accompanying three strange shinobi. Tsuande thought they looked familiar, but given the current circumstances, couldn't name them. Kotetsu stepped forward without hesitation and began his report.
"These three are Uchiha Sasuke's teammates. They came to the village in search of him, but upon witnessing Pein's attack, they've offered their assistance and loyalty to Konoha."
"Is that so?" Tsunade's eyes narrowed.
"So they claim," Kotetsu replied.
Her eyebrow rose and she slowly sat and examined the three before her. She remembered their names now and what they specialized in. She knew that she should be wary of them, but she couldn't find it in herself to deal with them at the moment. She'd send word to Inoichi to have them examined and then, if there was no threat, they'd be allowed to stay under observation.
"Take them to Inoichi. I have more important issues to deal with right now."
"Yes, Ma'am."
~.~.~
The crowd grew silent as they came upon the outskirts of what used to be downtown Konohagakure. Sticking close to Sasuke, Sakura pushed her way through the crowd and came up to the edge of the crater. She closed her eyes and tried to banish the despair in her chest. What kind of future did they have?
Sasuke's hand tightened around hers and she opened her eyes.
"What do you think is going to happen now?" she asked. Her own voice sounded so meek and afraid to her ears.
Sasuke seemed reluctant to answer. When he did finally speak, Sakura wished he hadn't. "War."
She sucked in a harsh breath that left her teeth feeling chilled and her tongue parched. "I thought you might say that."
He stepped forward and Sakura couldn't help but allow herself to be dragged along behind him. They eventually caught up with Naruto who looked around grimly.
"I can't believe it," he mumbled. "I can't believe this is what's left of our home."
Sakura lowered her gaze to the ground, unable to bring herself to look at her distraught friend.
"We were lucky."
Her head snapped up at the unexpected words. Her eyes hardened and her fists clenched. "What do you mean?" she asked, just barely managing to keep the edge from her voice.
He turned toward her, a small, sad smile upon his face. "We didn't lose anyone," he said. "Nagato brought everyone back."
Sakura released her breath and felt some of the tension in her muscles recede. She supposed Naruto was right…as he always was. Things could have been so much worse—had been so much worse. If Nagato hadn't experienced a change of heart, things would have been very different. They would have lost their sensei. Sakura wondered how she would have continued on without Kakashi. And what about all the others who died and were brought back? She didn't know how many there were, but she could imagine that the casualties had been many. She didn't even know who had fallen. What if it had been Ino, or Tsunade, or—or…her parents?
Yes. Naruto was right, they had gotten lucky. Perhaps good could prevail in a dark world. Perhaps evil could be persuaded by good.
She looked at Sasuke. Though she would've never considered him to be evil, there were some who did. But he had fought for the village—for the lives of those who detested him. She smiled a little. There was good in the world and there were second chances. She'd watched Sasuke come back to them—to her. She'd watched him fight to protect the innocent. She'd watched him put his vindictive ways behind him. If he was able to do all that, despite having chosen a darker path, why couldn't someone far more gone do the same?
Nagato gave their village a second chance…and, in doing so, he'd gotten one himself. Sakura didn't know if she could fully forgive him just yet, but she was on the path to doing so.
She let out a sigh as she looked out at the village. It was a sorrowful sight and she didn't know where to even begin. When Naruto began the treacherous descent into the village, Sakura found it difficult to follow. Sasuke was quick to follow and pulled her along behind him. They had to report to Tsunade, or that's what she figured they were off to do. As they treaded the dregs of Konoha, Sakura found it difficult to keep the discomfort from showing on her face. It felt so strange to walk the same streets she'd known her entire life and not recognize her surroundings. She felt displaced, as if the village wasn't really where she had grown up. Looking around, she could see that she wasn't alone in her despair. Villagers wandered around aimlessly, looking nearly as confused as she felt. Where was home? Where were their loved ones? The task of rebuilding seemed so big…so impossible. Where did one even begin?
"Hey," Naruto addressed a random civilian. "Can you tell me where Granny Tsunade's at?"
The civilian rubbed his chin for a second as he pondered, but then seemed to come to an answer and pointed northward. Naruto, thanking the man, smiled and continued on. As they came closer to their desired destination, Sakura caught sight of three people she never expected to see again. The team Sasuke chose was only a few yards away, being escorted by Kotestu.
Anger boiled in Sakura's veins. They had no right—
Sakura stopped herself. Why didn't they have a right to be in Konoha? It hurt to know that Sasuke had chosen another team—a team that wasn't Team Seven—but that only proved that her anger was misplaced. She shouldn't have been angry at Team Taka, but at Sasuke. However, now that he was with her and desired to stay in Konoha, she found it impossible to find any resentment toward him. Her eyes darted from his raven hair to Team Taka. She couldn't be bitter against them when they were doing the same thing she had done only a short time ago—searching for a lost teammate.
Sakura was surprised to find herself thinking about them in such a familiar way. They were the same as…as she and Naruto. They'd all shared Sasuke as a teammate and Taka certainly had as much claim to his friendship as Team Seven did. Yes, she'd known Sasuke longer, loved him longer, but…she wasn't the one who had helped him hunt down Itachi. She wasn't the one who had healed his mortal wound. She wasn't the one who had risked everything to give him the chance to run.
Taka.
Sakura chuckled mirthlessly.
Taka deserved to have Sasuke in their lives as well. She knew that she had no claim on his life…no one did.
The warm hand in hers brought Sakura back to the present. She turned to Sasuke and smiled lightly. She might not have experienced all those things with him, but she had something far more precious, something that was solely hers, something that he gave her freely. She had his love.
Sasuke's love.
Taka could be a part of Konoha. Taka could be friends with Sasuke. But they could never have what she had. Sakura was special to Sasuke. If he chose to accept Taka back in his life, she could accept them as well.
A thin brow lifted quizzically on Sasuke's face. "What's that look about?" he asked regarding her smile.
Sakura attempted to school her features, but found it difficult given her rollercoaster of emotions. "I…just—finding the silver lining."
He seemed accepting of her answer and made no further comment.
"Sasuke-kun, your…team," she said as she tilted her head in their direction. "Perhaps we should—"
"We don't have to," he replied with shaded eyes.
Sakura gazed at him hard, trying to understand his suddenly introverted disposition. Her emerald eyes narrowed. "They care about you…and I know you care about them, too." She was silent for a moment to allow her words to sink in. "They've come all this way to find you."
Sasuke met her eyes, but there was no emotion on his pallid face. "You don't know that."
"But I do," she replied confidently.
"C'mon, guys!" Naruto urged. "I'm not gonna let you ditch me again. We're all reporting to Tsunade."
~.~.~
"Frankly, it doesn't matter what Danzou would say, he's not here and we have to act now!" Tsunade said.
"Don't be rash, Tsunade," Homura replied. "Danzou may have information needed to make a wise decision."
"We will need his opinion if Root is to be involved," Koharu interjected.
Tsunade crossed her arms. "Perhaps you can enlighten me as to where Root was during the attack," she said curtly.
Koharu and Homura exchanged worried glances.
"Perhaps you know where Danzou is. Perhaps this is just your way of stalling the inevitable," Tsunade accused.
Koharu gasped and Homura frowned.
"Are you accusing us of treason?" Homura asked.
Tsuande's eyes narrowed. "You tell me, Homura-sama," she dared, uncrossing her arms and planting her palms firmly against the desk. "Do you know where Danzou is?"
"Of course not," he replied.
Tsunade eyed him warily. There was something they didn't want her to know, something they were trying very hard to hide from her. Considering the state of the village, it seemed that the investigation was at a standstill. Any hope of finding more evidence seemed gone. Sighing, she stood and crossed the room to gaze out the window.
"We're at war, whether or not you like it," she said morosely. "Konoha is in critical condition and Danzou is nowhere to be found. I think we should determine where his loyalty lies."
"Surely you can't think he's abandoned us?" Koharu asked.
"I don't know," Tsunade mumbled.
"I've been telling you not to act rashly. Danzou would make a terrible adversary. We cannot hope to go against Root," Homura said as he stood. He adjusted the glasses on his nose and looked at Tsunade seriously.
Tsunade turned to him, eyes sharp. "It seems the leash he has around your neck is very tight. What does he have on you, Council members? What is it that makes you kiss his feet?"
Koharu stood indignant. "How dare you speak to us in such a way!"
Homura's glare darkened. "We cannot support the decisions of someone who won't see reason."
Tsunade chuckled. "What you call reason, I call insanity. Akatsuki has attacked and you want to do nothing about it! Do you think they won't attack again?"
Homura shook his head. "You cannot be allowed to act on a whim. I fear the only action—"
The door opened with a bang and all eyes went to the interruption. Tsunade felt a mix of relief and irritation when she saw Team Seven at her door. Naruto waltzed in without a second thought to the meeting he had just interrupted. When Sasuke sulked in after him, Tsunade didn't miss the way his expression darkened when he saw the elders. Sakura entered last and it was surprising when she, too, seemed to hold a certain animosity toward the Council members. Tsunade was curious now.
"What is that boy doing out of prison?" Koharu squawked.
"That boy helped fight Pein," Tsunade growled. Normally she wouldn't have stood up for Uchiha, but she was feeling rather generous toward him at the moment. "Judging by the fact that they are alive and standing in my office, I'd say they succeeded in defeating him."
"Well…I wouldn't say we defeated him," Naruto replied. "More like…he had a change of heart."
"Oh?"
It took Naruto all of five minutes to explain what happened and, when he finished, Tsunade didn't really know what to think. The twerps did good…really good. Despite the somewhat good news, the tension in the room was suffocating. She couldn't focus with all the hatred seeping from those around her.
"Sakura!"
"Hai, Tsunade-shishou?"
"Is there something else you want to tell me?"
Sakura's eyes darted between Sasuke and the Council members, her hands clenching in her lap. "Uh…"
Sasuke's jaw clenched and his shoulders became rigid.
"Sakura," Tsunade encouraged.
There was a tender look shared between Sasuke and Sakura which Tsunade found interesting. So, somehow, in the midst of all the chaos, these two adolescents found time to act on their obvious feelings for each other. She would have smiled if not for the sensitivity of their current setting.
After a moment, Sasuke seemed to concede Sakura's silent plea with a nod. The girl stood and slowly walked the distance from her chair to Tsunade's side. After a fleeting glance at the elders, she held her hand out to Tsunade. She took the envelope warily as Sakura returned to her seat. All eyes were on Tsunade. Quickly, she opened the envelope and began to read.
Sakura,
I've had a lot of time to think about how to tell you this. I decided on written testimony, just in case.
The Council is responsible for the massacre of my clan. My brother was being used by both the Uchiha and the Council to spy on each other. When he revealed the plot to betray Konoha, Danzou of Root, with backing from Homura and Koharu, ordered him to annihilate my clan. He carried out his orders…but he failed when he left me alive. Madara told me this when he healed me after my battle with Itachi. He was also with Itachi that night.
This is the reason the Council members want me dead. I know too much.
You deserve to know the truth.
Sasuke
Tsunade's hands were shaking. She looked up at Sasuke with wide eyes.
"Is this true?"
Sasuke looked up. "Yes."
Tsunade's eyes darted to stare daggers at the elders who looked about ready to squirm out of their seats. She folded her hands in front of her lips as she regarded them. So this was the big secret…the truth behind the Uchiha massacre. If she had less self-control, if she was as rash as Homura claimed, she would throttle them that very moment. This, however, was a delicate situation that needed to be handled properly.
"Honorable Council members, I must beg your forgiveness," she said softly. "I spoke out of turn earlier. Apparently, Pein was acting apart from the Akatsuki."
Homura's eyes narrowed. "Is that so?"
"Hmm," Tsunade replied as she looked back at the letter. "It seems…I was wrong."
Koharu eyed the letter curiously, but made no attempt to take it from the Hokage.
"I'll have the proper reports filed by the end of the day," Tsunade said. "For now, I think it'd be best if we focus our efforts on rebuilding and finding Danzou. For all we know, he may be trapped somewhere."
"Indeed." Homura turned his beady eyes away from Tsunade and he started for the door. "Come, Koharu-san."
Tsunade lifted her warning gaze to Sasuke, quelling his rising anger. When the Council members were gone, she let out a weary sigh.
"You let them go," Sasuke said through clenched teeth.
"As much as I didn't want to—and I really didn't want to—it was necessary."
"They murdered my family!" Sasuke yelled.
"If we're going to take them down, we have to do it the right way," Tsunade replied sternly. "Believe me, you little brat, they're going to pay for their crimes."
Sasuke snarled, but made no retort. Instead, he stood and stormed out of the office.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yelled starting after him.
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Sakura, talk to him. I need him to file a false report to get the elders off our scent."
"Hai, Tsunade-shishou," she replied quickly and ran after him.
Naruto stared at Tsunade with confusion evident on his open features. "What just happened?"
~.~.~
Sasuke didn't make it very far before he felt Sakura's familiar chakra closing in on him. He abruptly stopped and turned.
"Sasuke-kun!"
"What?" he snapped.
She stopped, wide-eyed, and stared at him. After a moment of silence, her features hardened and she walked the few paces between them. "You need to trust her."
"They were right there and she did nothing."
"I'm sure she has a plan."
Sasuke's frown deepened.
"With everything that's happened, it might take a while. Be patient."
"Be patient?" he asked incredulously. "I've been waiting for this since I was seven!"
Sakura closed her eyes.
"I promised I wouldn't leave, but it's not easy." He looked away from her and regretted being so cold. "I could have killed them just now, but I didn't…because I made you a promise."
Sakura opened her eyes and looked up at him. She looked sad.
"I'm proud of you," she said.
"Maybe one day, I'll be proud of myself," he murmured.
She wrapped her arms around his torso and buried her face in his chest. He stiffened from the impact, but then returned the embrace.
"You will be," she said.
He ran his fingers through her pink hair and hoped that day would be in the near future. He couldn't even imagine that day, but if Sakura had faith in him, why couldn't he? He'd been searching for power his whole life, but his definition of power had been so skewed. True power, true strength, was in honor and wisdom. He would honor his promises and honor his family by doing what was right. He owed it to them.
He'd always been proud of being the best, but he'd lost the title a long time ago to Naruto. It was time he regained it.
Sakura pulled out of his arms and placed her hand in his. "Tsunade needs you to file a report."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever."
As they were walking, hand in hand, he noticed a strange look on Sakura's face. He couldn't quite place the emotion, but it bothered him.
"What's wrong?" he asked flatly.
She looked up at him and smiled bashfully. "Um, I can call you my…boyfriend…right?"
Sasuke blinked and shook his head. Despite how smart Sakura was, sometimes he though she could be the stupidest girl in the world. "Tch. So annoying."
"Sasuke-kun," she whined.
"What else would you call me?" he asked.
"Then we are exclusive?"
"Don't be an idiot," he shot at her, brows furrowed.
She glared at him. "Don't be like that. When I thanked you for waiting for me, you looked at me weird."
So there was reason behind the madness. Sasuke turned to her and backed her against a wall, placing and hand on either side of her head—effectively trapping her. He leaned in, his face within centimeters of hers.
"Let's get one thing straight. I did not wait for you."
Sakura's widened eyes sparkled with hurt.
"Girls were not my priority. I had other things on my mind." Sasuke looked deep into her green eyes and saw understanding beginning to fill them. "I wasn't interested. But then you kept bugging me with your letters…"He paused for a moment to glance at her lips. "I didn't kiss you just to see what it was like. I didn't tell you I love you just for kicks. I don't mess around, you should know that by now." He leaned in and planted a soft kiss upon her lips, when he pulled away he stared into her eyes intently. "You are the only girl I've ever cared for. If I'm going to call you my girlfriend, then you better call me your boyfriend."
Sakura smiled.
Sasuke stood upright and began to walk again, leaving Sakura to ponder his words. And then he glanced over his shoulder. "And by the way, don't talk to Taka. I don't want to see them yet."
"Beacause?"
"Suigetsu's a pervert and I'm…overprotective. I don't want to have to kill him for flirting with my girlfriend."
Sakura laughed and the tinkling sound made him smile.
A/N: I'm back! Sorry it took me so long to get this up. I had over half of the chapter written when I realized that it was utter rubbish. I had to start completely from scratch. Yeah...that blows. And that's pretty much why it took longer than usual. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was fun to write, when it wasn't driving me nuts. As always, I couldn't do it without the ever amazing Sakura's Unicorn. You are the sparkle to my cider.
Short update on me: school is good. Learning Japanese is fun. My band is amazing. The Elite 14 are the most awesome people online and I love you all. My friends make my life beautiful. My husband is the love of my life more and more each day. And my readers, my wonderful, wonderful readers...I adore you. Thank you for your dedication to this story.
Leave me some love via the blue button below.
Until next time, peace.