Well this seems promising…
Heh. I thank really all of you for reviewing, what little it was still brought a smile to my face. I know the beginning wasn't very…how do you say, hopeful, but I swear I will do my best to get things moving and you all can see what direction I will be taking this fic in.
Trust in me, nothing is ever as it seems in my fan fictional works.
Disclaimer: Don't own but the idea, and also, this has some Shippuuden Spoilers, a bit AU, okay a lot AU, but what isn't in Fan fiction?
Without further adieu;
He spun her around at that moment, a gasp elicited from the girl within his grasps. The firm hold upon her form willed her subconscious form to retaliate, to respond…
But she didn't, she didn't bring up her hands, and she didn't return the hug like action, the firm grip he pressed upon her. She didn't respond to the all too obvious soaky feeling of crimson red running through them. Instead, she merely spoke to him for the first time that night. A mere whisper escaping her lips.
"Sasuke-kun…"
Somewhere down the line she stopped breathing.
The intoxicating scent of blood lingered in the air and it was all too quick as blonde clashed with dark blue. It wasn't a clash in its' significant sense, more of an upheaval-no, this was more of an innate response, a hurried run to catch that which was falling.
That which was falling so endlessly.
Her vision was obscured, she couldn't see past his face, his now slowly evaporating face. She wondered; was it the harsh winds dangling with the fluttering leaves that lost their way causing this obscurity? Or was it the tears that were threatening to fall, that she would try to pass off as the rain, rain that was not there, being the source of the clear liquid.
"Sakura!" It must have been the second or third time he had called out to her, looking upon her stilled form. Comprehension of the matter was at its lowest. She dared not move. The simple fact of the matter is that she couldn't.
The kyubbi vessel yearned to go near the pink haired kunoichi, a grave look upon his face. He would have, on any other occasion, but this was out of this hands, it was up to her.
She closed her eyes then, she thought I could just… but stopped, raised her hands, and sighed.
"…Why?"
"A test."
"Step back." Naruto did as he was told; giving the medic-nin of his dreams a chance to perform what she aimed to do. She slumped down to her knees, a lethargic motion, void of any urgency; she knew he could take the wait.
Amidst the glow of her healing chakra, she took not notice of the small smirk playing about his lips. He had to see if for himself, once again. See her healing abilities, her advanced level, and her strength now being displayed was, albeit expected due to their meeting one year prior, but the rapid growth was still something to look twice over.
He needed her.
"This is so ridiculous…" she muttered, more perturbed than she ever thought possible upon seeing the boy she has loved for so long.
Unbeknownst to her, she did not see the cynical look in his eyes, the concentrated glare upon her form and the abilities she was displaying. Unknown to her she did not see the wheels stirring in the brooding male's head as he was determined to have her, determined to use her and not for a very romantic like cause.
It took longer than expected to heal the Uchiha prodigy, the blood splashed upon the floor from when he impaled himself with his sword, his quick like actions not even seen by Sakura's eyes until it was too late, leaving an imprint upon his body. He did not fall upon his knees in pain, he did not beg for her help, merely responded to her curiously concerned question, why?
It was merely to draw her out.
He contemplated now, back then, was it simply to test her abilities, or was there more? She finds herself wondering too, was it a test within a test? A hidden layer beneath the oh so obvious? Was he trying to find, how deep her feelings ran for him, even after years of betrayal and separation...would she still come back to him? Each and Every time?
Was he, subconsciously at best, trying to see if he still had a place in her heart?
No, of course not. It was just a test. It was just to use her, manipulate her. All ties had been cut loose…it was just a test. It was just a test. It was just a test...Right?
Right.
"What are you doing here teme…" The fierce like growl brings all back to the past, for this is the past being displayed as the present, the future still wrapped in mystique.
"Mind your own business…dobe." No one wants to smile, even though the familiarity of the nicknames exchanged brings a sense of nostalgia. He turns to her, his glare ever so present. She turns to look at him in return, her scrapped and battered hands rubbing against one another; no longer does her gaze find the floor as interesting as his obsidian eyes.
"Sakura." She doesn't acknowledge the way he pronounces her name, how it softly and meticulously rolls of the tips of his tongue, ending in a statement more than anything else.
Her eyes try and glare but fail, after years of hurt; she is still unable to completely and utterly hate him. Hate what he has done, yes, but hate him, no, never. When Naruto moves to place his hands on her shoulder, a comforting gesture that is…None. Too. Comforting. She sighs.
"Sasuke…What are you doing here." He needs a team, is what he would have said, what his eyes say. He needs a team consisting more of just Jugo, Suigetsu, and the annoying yet useful Karin. He needs her.
He doesn't want to admit this; He knows he could never admit this. Having Naruto along would prove most wise as well, if the Akatsuki wasn't after the nine tail fox within him…and once again, he doesn't want to admit this, couldn't bear to admit that he still has lingering feelings for his rival, his brother, his friend.
"We thought…we thought…after Orochimaru you'd come back to us, to Konoha…" To me. She whispered, but to no one but herself. He grunts a reply and Naruto's fists clench, too long has he stayed in the background of this all, too long has he watched Sakura's heart silently be crushed by the stoic man before them, too long has he and her both suffered upon his behalf.
"You bastard! If you don't start talking now I'll pound ya face in!!" As if trying to sell his threat he moves forward, fists bawled, feet spread about strained as they hold his body steady, his chakra becoming visible.
"Naruto…cut it out…" her voice is tired, possibly due to some depletion of her own chakra. Or maybe, weary from the run-arounds within the inconsistencies yet really consistency of it all amongst the three of them.
It doesn't take long for her to decide to turn on her heel and leave; she mutters her reply to their halting voices.
"Leave now and I won't let anyone know you were here." Naruto gawks at her and her decision to let the Uchiha bastard go free. Sasuke merely watches her walk away, a passive look upon his face. The blonde turns to him and his face grows grim.
"Don't look at me."
"You sonofa-" He stops when the dark boy starts to move forward, silently following the petal haired girl, alert Naruto follows just as well, calling out as annoying and obnoxious as ever for his ex-best friend to stop and respond to him.
Not one of them had paid attention to how the wind ceased to blow.
"Sasuke, you are a missing Ninja, you will be captured and held for…well," She turns to look at him acutely, her eyebrow quirked at his nonchalant expression as he leans against a night post, his arms crossed, taking comfort in the warmth of his robes.
"Well, no point in wasting my breath." She sits on a bench nearby, one that Naruto occupied the half of and sighs. "Tell me-" Naruto huffed. "-us, Why are you really here?" His expression was unreadable, for the most part, it didn't change. It was like a glower but by now, Sakura found she was unfazed.
"Orochimaru is dead."
Naruto laughed. "Well duh you-Owwwwiiie, Sakura-chaaan." Breathing in softly and then right back out in the same manner, a mantra she concocted herself, she regained composure and allowed Sasuke to continue.
"I have a team." It was funny how, they didn't think the word 'team', alone, could bring back such hurtful memories. The defection, the betrayal, the longing and want to reunite ever knowing that it was impossible at the current state... he continued, "To bring Itachi down…"
His voice held that malice, the one his ex-teammates have come to cringe upon hearing. Such hate, for a once beloved big brother, such hurt…from years of pain and loneliness. His voice consumed with all that, and so much more, riding with a heavy low tone, Sakura wanted to, she found, hold him all over again.
He looked pointedly at Sakura. And it was without a doubt, to Sakura's knowledge what he wanted from the beginning.
"I understand."
Sorry it's slow, but yeah you guessed it! Sasuke wants Sakura on his team to take Itachi down!
Now, you may be wondering why not Naruto too or possibly just hating the idea altogether, go ahead and flame…I honestly don't care. More reviews for this review whore hehe. But I stated within the chapter why he doesn't want Naruto to go, so if that wasn't clear enough, I'll say it now.
He doesn't want Naruto's demon to be extracted from him, thus killing him. Okay?
Okay.
Anyways, who else wishes Karin be replaced by Sakura? Cha!! Bastards…
Love ya Melly-chan! (Melissa…duh?)
I was at work and when posting this and I didn't Beta, sorry guys, I rushed home and did a little quick re-look did my best to correct random parts, I hope it suffice. I know this chapter was, well pointless but I wanted to get Sasuke's intentions out of the way so I can start the story, please Review with any suggestions or praise or flames too, whatever.