:) Hello again!
Whoa, this is a long chapter. I know the main events were supposed to be SasuSaku reunion and the hunt, but the transitions are so long TT^TT I think I'll put off the hunt until next chapter.
I've noticed that people think of Sasuke mostly as a 'neko' and I noticed that I missed out one detail. I also noticed that many of you didn't catch the 'hunt' detail in the last chapter, so you guys may not expect this if you think of him mostly as a kitty-boy. Heheh, I probably should've been more specific.
Anyway, next chapter! Sasuke's hunt and his reunion with Sakura! I'm glad I met my goal of ten reviews:)
Now that I think about it, this story is more Supernatural than Suspense… I should go change that. xD
Started on: 5-1-11
Prompt: Crazy-Sasuke in SasuSaku is one of the things I can't find these days. Neko-Sasuke is cute in SasuSaku, and also hard for me to find. Put them both together…? X3.
Summary Attempt: The acute ears atop his head twitched, eyes glimmering and tail swishing. He needed her; he needed her now. He let out a piercing yowl and disappeared into a flurry of leaves; gone.
Disclaimer: I have said this many times, and I will say it once again. I DO NOT OWN NARUTO.
Author: CiiCiinREX.
Note/WARNING: GORE and DARK TOPICS are present in this chapter. Don't like, get out NOW. I'm warning you.
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Today feels like a new day,
the wind caressing my face
and the birds singing a little song that sounds like it's just for me.
However, I can't shake off this feeling
that I'm being watched.
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His Never-Ending Radiance
"You're too kind and foolish. Then again, that's what I love about you."
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Chapter 3
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"Sakura-chan!" Naruto hollered after her as soon as she opened her locker, and the pinkette tiredly lifted her head to meet the aqua gaze of her only friend. She smiled tiredly as she shoved everything in her locker into her backpack, even if she knew she probably didn't need it. Swinging the pack around her thin body, she slipped her other arm into the second loop and closed the door with a quick flick of her wrist.
"Hey," She nodded, yawning slightly.
"Today too much for you to handle?" He grinned foxily, leaning against the metal lockers.
"It was crazy," She nearly cried. "Five tests out of six classes in one day? My brain is fried, and I really need a nap."
Naruto rose a blonde eyebrow in an attempt to look cool, but in Sakura's opinion he looked more like he was trying to hard and that he seemed like a rapist, silently giggling at the thought. Naruto a rapist? Impossible; he would be smacked onto the floor before he even had the chance to approach the girl. Or guy. "What happened to going to the mall today?"
Sakura paused. That's right. I need some new outfits that aren't from a year ago, seeing as how all my clothes a somewhat worn out now. "I'll probably drink some diet coke and I'll be fine for the whole day. Anyway, I'll see you later." She took a few, small strides to the exiting doors of the school.
"Wait!" Naruto said, rushing up to her from the side. "I'll walk you home."
The pinkette sent him a strange look. "Isn't your home five miles in the other direction?"
"It's not that far," He insisted, already locked at her side as they pushed the school doors open, students flowing out behind them and in front of them, as if they were a small fragment of the running crowd. Few lingered in the school hallways as the teens burst out in joy and leapt into their friends car, loud music pulsing as they wildly skid away and literally burned rubber when they made their getaway. "Besides, I like walking. It's a great exercise!" He reassured her with a beam and a thumbs up.
Liar. It'll take you an hour to walk me home then walk back all the way to your house. And you hate exercising. Feeling a slight tension within her blonde friend, she fully turned to him and halted in the middle of the sidewalk, her emerald eyes burning right into him with unspoken demands. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm fine," Naruto said also stopping in his saunter, furrowing his eyebrows at her inquiry. "What's wrong with wanting to walk my best friend home? I just wanna make sure you don't get jumped or something."
Naruto, you once told me that I could hold my own against three buff guys, and you were right. "Nothing, I guess." The rosette smiled as they strolled down the white sidewalk in a comfortable silence that Sakura came to be familiar with. They quickly passed by a bus stop, made a sharp turn at the busy corner, and dashed down a steep hill as Naruto kept babbling warmly, making exaggerated gestures while the girl giggled and made a few comments here and there whenever she felt it was appropriate.
"Sakura-chan?" The whiskered-boy suddenly cut her off in the middle of her talk and she, turning around, saw the unusually solemn shade of blue in his often twinkling eyes. Now they were at the bent stop sign where she could remember a driver carelessly made a sharp turn and drifted on the street, smacking right into the pole as it screeched, the car quickly speeding away as she stared on with wide, naive eyes. If she could recall correctly, she had seen the action taken place before her and her Neko-chan stopped seeing each other. At the thought of the dark-haired boy, she sucked in an acute breath, willing the burning sensation in her orbs to disappear.
He had been so kind when others had not, so willing to listen as all ignored her, so comforting with his subtle rubs and purrs while several laughed at her pathetic state, and so protective when others he did not know approached them out of nowhere. What happened to them? She might not have known him for his words as he did not speak at all (she even went as far to think that he may have a condition of muteness), but they did say "actions speak louder than words". His leaving probably happened for a good reason because Sakura knew - she knew - that he enjoyed her presence just as much as she did with his. At first, she used to think she was a nuisance because of his short fuse and non-speaking persona; he would just seem to stare straight through her with his piercing red eyes as though he were just a statue in the forest, meant to be looked at and touched but never to be alive. But then, as weeks went by, she observed him closely. His rigid shoulders would relax the moment she bumbled through the thickets of the forest in loud greetings, his red eyes would soften at times she never noticed, he would dip his chin so slightly as she continued her story to let her know he was listening, and he would slowly lay down on the forest floor comfortably.
They found a sense of freedom and trust with each other. But then, her visits became occasional as her mother grew more worried about how late she would come home from the park, and soon after he seemed to understand since his eyes would neither dull nor sharpen as she apologized and tried to explain. She graduated into first grade and more bullies surfaced as well as new acquaintances, and she would always come to the forest when she knew someone wasn't following her through the thick trees. Then, one day, she darted through the forest with a wide smile on her face only for it to dissipate when she didn't sense the familiar, protective aura of her dark-haired Neko-chan. She circled around the area shouting his name and demanding he show himself, but no one answered.
So she sat in the forest with nothing but the bird's song to greet her as she waited one day.
Two days.
A week.
Before she even knew it, a month passed by and yet no sign of his welcoming appearance was to be found. She could vaguely recall sobbing into her mother's shoulder, but how she moved on all became hazy as her life transitioned into a dull one, normality catching up with her.
"Sakura-chan!" Said girl jolted and fell backwards out of surprise, eyes widening when she saw a honking car speeding her way. Three seconds before the vehicle could even make contact with her, a large hand yanked her out of the way, the angry driver shouting out profanities at the dazed girl.
"Yeah? You can go fuck your mom!" The blonde snarled back, quickly looking back down at her. "Are you okay?"
"Y-yeah..." She muttered, rubbing her shoulders when she instantly dropped his hold on her wrist. "Just... trying to get over the shock."
Naruto stared at her in concern for a few seconds as she fidgeted uncomfortable when he sighed. "Try to save the daydreaming until I drop you off, alright? I don't want my friend to be flattened like a pancake in the middle of the road."
"Yeah, yeah..." She murmured, not in the mood to snap back something insulting or witty out of defense. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder worriedly and this time she didn't even try to fight it off.
That kitty-cosplayer is literally going to be the death of me.
"We're here." Naruto announced as he led her up the stairs. "You sure you're okay?"
"Alive and kickin'," She replied a little breathlessly as she opened the door, nodding to Naruto. "Thanks Naruto..."
"No problem," He grinned and waved as she mirrored his gestures, when she shut the door. The moment the resounding click met his ears, his smile faltered into a disappointed scowl and his raised hand's fingers curled slightly. Azure eyes hardening, he muttered with his lips in a tight line, "Dammit, he's not here."
Sighing, the blonde pivoted on his heal, sauntering in the direction of his house. "Maybe next time, then."
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Purple and black merged together as they swirled in the darkness, away from prying eyes as a figure slowly stepped out of the circular form of energy, eyes shut. A head first popped out with bristling hair, then one arm, then the other, one foot followed by another until a tail slipped out and the form was whole. The portal behind him shrank as he silently stood there, collecting his bearings and recovering from the shock of leaping into the cold, death-gripping water. Inhaling deeply, his eye-lids fluttered as a beautiful shade of crimson shined like rubies in the black abyss before they opened completely, widely and alertly. He was in enemy-territory now, and one small mistake could lead him in the wrong direction of where he wanted to be.
Quietly his clothed feet padded against the concrete, his eyes drinking in the sight of large tin cans cluttering in a corner with a dumpster off to the side. A rancid odor wafted to his sensitive nose and he resisted the urge to hiss in disgust. Perking up his ears at a familiar sound of agile steps, he lifted his gaze to meet sharp, yellow eyes. In greeting, the black cat purred, a grin seemingly stretching across its dark lips as sharp teeth were shown.
Ah, it's always a good thing to make friends with the locals when you're in an unfamiliar place.
Whipping his head around at the sound of obnoxious laughter and glass breaking, Sasuke stared at the opening of the alley where the dim light of the setting sun filtered in, his red eyes dilating to the point where his pupils turn into raptor-like slits. The feline behind him situated between two trash cans hissed in distaste when the unmistakable sound of a glass bottle being shattered against the wall echoed, the sound louder than the last time. The furry animal glanced at him, tail flicking as a sign of polite departure as it darted further into the alley. The Uchiha, on the other hand, watched the opening of the alley as one, two; three men stumbled into the dim light, chuckling as they leaned against each other and swayed in each step. All of them reeked of alcohol - sake, Sasuke could discern - as they strolled in further in the dark.
When they were about twenty feet away from his still form, the thin one's eyes glimmered in recognition as he elbowed the thickly built one, grinning maliciously. "Hey, man, look at this. Fresh meat in the alley. A little cliche, don't you think?"
They howled again, and the third one - a short yet muscled man - tossed another sake bottle on the floor, and Sasuke watch with pupil-slitted eyes as the shards flew against the concrete, a little leftover sake spilling over the remnants. The second man who was probably the tallest of them all stepped forward, gesturing with his hand, "Hey there, do you think you could spare us some money? We're broke and we need some... entertainment."
Sasuke said nothing as they snickered. Could they not see that he wasn't normal? That he had red eyes? That they should stay the fuck away from him? Were they really that drunk?
"Not talking, huh?" The three closed in on him, and Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously when he saw that they thought they had the upper-hand; that they were the predators, hunters. The dark-haired boy's thoughts raced instinctively at his situation. The short one was now behind his figure with his fists clenched, the tall one still in front with his arms crossed, three feet away as the lanky one pulled out something from his pocket at his right.
People like you disgust me.
Your pride will be your downfall.
"Well, by the time we're done with you, we'll have you..." The lanky one dashed over to him crazily, his pocket-knife drawn as his posture suddenly sharpened as if he weren't intoxicated in the least. Simultaneously, the tall one lunged with his meaty hands balled and the short one leapt up into the air, hurtling towards his unmoving form. "...screaming for mercy!"
Sasuke's body moved all on its own as if it were moving against a quick current; With speed so quick that the men couldn't even decipher his dark form, he spun around to the short one, leg outstretched as the rock-hard limb slammed into the man's gut. Hearing the musical sound of bones breaking against the wall and painful cries, Sasuke gripped the skinny man's arm inches away from the blade that didn't even skim his clothes the next second, yanking his form in front of him as they faced the tall man. Pulling back, the Uchiha twisted his hand, listening to the lanky man scream as a crack echoed and shoved the weapon into the leader. With the two still attached by the object, he yanked on both of their arms and pivoted his whole body, watching as they flailed and sputtered and rolled on the hard floor.
"Why you... bitch!" The short one spat out from his left on the ground, making a move to snatch Sasuke's leg when he found himself shrieking with a foot slammed into his chest, no doubt breaking his ribs. The shadowed boy observed the way the human at his feet struggled, panting out words he could not comprehend, and soon smashed his foot against his head and knocked him out, bored of him already. The muscled one coughed, blood splattering in his hands as he growled, throwing the bloodied knife in an angered attempt to at least see his victim-now-killer in pain. Sasuke merely let out a "hmph" at the sight of the sharp weapon heading straight for him and caught it gently between his two fingers. Uncaringly, he tossed it to the side and snatched the man's throat. The lanky one could only watch as his friend sputtered out panicked words.
"W-wait man, I was just joking! I didn't mean to rough you up like this! Please, let me go," The strongest one of them all ironically begged as Sasuke lifted him up one-handedly with strength the men never thought he possessed, blood dribbling down his thick body. However, Sasuke was not amused. With bleeding eyes, he smirked with his sharp canines showing at the sheer fear the man portrayed.
That's right, give into the fear. It's amusing to watch you squirm and beg for mercy.
Isn't this what you wanted from me in the first place? Why you tried to attack me?
Oh, how the tables have turned.
The lanky man paled as he watched the way his muscled friend screamed in agonizing pain, the sound of flesh ripping and blood squirting out from places they never thought of as a vulnerable spot. His thin lips parted as his leader ceased his flailing and fell limp in the red-eyed man's grasp, feeling himself sober quickly at the gruesome sight. "Hmph," The hidden boy scoffed and threw the massive body to the side in disinterest, as if he were expecting something more... challenging. The last man standing trembled when red eyes trailed up to him, a smile spreading across his crimson-stained lips and sharp teeth.
"Please, please," The last one pleaded breathlessly, tears pricking out of the corners of his eyes with his back pressed tightly against the wall. "I won't tell anyone, I swear!"
His only response was a crazed, Cheshire grin and the sound of knives retracting from their sheathes.
Years of training prepared me for this, while you were all just enjoying yourselves like the bumbling fools you are.
How does it feel; knowing that I don't feel any pity towards your disheveled state?
"Over here!" Both of the men - the prey and the predator - swerved their heads over to the source of the sound at the entrance of the alley, Sasuke's much more calm than the lanky man's snapping neck movement. The skinny man seemed to be feeling something in between fear and relief, staring at the boy who stared down at him with piercing, red eyes - waiting for the verdict of his fate.
The survivor let out a ragged sigh when the boy averted his gaze up to roofs of the buildings towering them from the alley. He jerked when he felt something warm brush against his arm and froze in fright, making sure not to move from his still state as he met the even gaze of a dark-furred cat who mewled in greeting. Relaxing slightly with wide eyes, he heard footsteps rush up to his side in a frenzy, immediately a group of people around him interrogating him about the dead men and his state. Slowly turning his gaze to where the boy who killed his friends was, he noticed that he had somehow disappeared in the small time of him looking away and the people crowding around him.
"Sir, are you alright?" One man stepped forward, gently pressing his palm on the skinny man's shoulder. The survivor attempted to speak, but his lips only soundlessly moved without rhythm as his eyes dilated unnaturally.
"He's in shock," Another muttered under their breath.
"The paramedics are coming," The other replied assuringly to him, but all he could do was shake slightly and avert his gaze down, dully noting the flashes of neon blue and red swirling around in the alley.
He swallowed as the world around him was tuned out, the only things he could register was the unmoving bodies of his friends smeared with a bloody path on the wall and floor in the night.
Their lives had been taken; taken by a boy who had the eyes of the devil and the grin of the Cheshire Cat.
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"What do you mean that he's missing?" Fugaku roared as he slammed his fists down on the wooden counter, fur popping out of his skin from the amount of anger and loss of concentration he had to suffer. The servant flinched and bowed lower, trembling at the foot of his ruler. Karin - who had arrived just a half an hour from hearing the news from her neighboring village - Ino, and Tenten - who was immediately summoned five minutes after the King's talk with his son - watched with mixed emotions.
"H-he can't have gone too far!" The servant encouraged as he shook, not daring to look up at his superior, ears laid back and tail tucked between his legs. "A few have said they witnessed him treading into the forest, and that led us to believe that he went to visit the pond like he always does, but he wasn't there!"
Fugaku suddenly paused, his red eyes peering down at the shivering inferior. "The pond, you say?"
"Y-yes!" He squeaked, his brown eyes looking everywhere but at his King. "The Realm Pond!"
The King was silent for a few seconds as the Ino and Karin sent each other a mutually perplexed glance as Tenten glared holes at the long banner near the window. "You are dismissed," Fugaku announced, waving the servant off as he dashed out quickly and made sure his exit was as quiet as possible.
"Realm Pond, Your Majesty?" Karin inquired professionally, red ears perked up in interest.
"Yes," Fugaku nodded, staring at his hands until he was sure that all of the fur had retracted within his skin. "The Realm Pond is the shortcut out of our realm into many others, and has other majestical powers to help you see where a certain person is, how things may look if you come to a decision, or survey the overall land you wish to see. Sasuke took an interest in the Realm Pond at a young age, but the reason he spends most of his time there is unknown, even to me, his own father and King." He sighed, anger dissipating as his slitted eyes reverted back to their dark, docile state. "It seems that Sasuke had travelled to another world, but why he would take the Realm Pond is beyond me. Most of our kind hate water as you know, and they usually take the way through the Leap of Faith if they want to travel. He must have been in a hurry to something..." The ruler mused, rubbing his clenched jaw. Just what was his son thinking?
"Helps you see where another person is?" Ino perked up excitedly and curiously.
"Look into the future?" Karin asked, furrowing her brows.
"My King," Tenten interrupted, bowing slightly at her superior. "We must go to the Realm Pond as soon as possible if we want to bring back Sasuke-san soon."
"Yes, of course," Fugaku stated, smiling at his son's only bodyguard and friend. He admired her greatly for her politeness, straight-forwardness and burning devotion of both protecting his son and cunning expertise as his friend. He only hoped that Sasuke would choose wisely between the three women. "I leave Ino and Karin in your hands, Tenten, seeing as you are a strong warrior in most areas. Please lead all of them to Sasuke. Do you all know why you were summoned here?"
"We are candidates to be Prince Sasuke's mates," Tenten pointed out with a grin.
"To be apart of the Uchiha clan and to prosper as royalty for many generations to come," Karin added in with a glint present in her eyes.
"And to love and take care of Sasuke-sama for the rest of his life!" Ino finished, heart pumping loudly in her chest.
The King nodded, folding his arms together. "Be safe girls, and good luck."
Tenten motioned for the blonde and the redhead to follow her, and they mimicked her as they fell from the large window and landed on their paws gracefully. As the brunette trekked through the forest, the redhead peered around curiously as she had never been out of her village since she had been born.
"What does the Prince look like?" Karin asked the blonde, and Ino's eyes lit up as Tenten sighed.
"Oh, he's the hottest guy in all of Konoha! He has the spikiest hair that stands up on end as if he were built to be a wild animal for a mistress to tame him, the reddest eyes that glint with danger that makes you melt whenever he even so glances your way and the most aloof personality that has him wiggling in your heart!" The blonde ranted with starry eyes as the redhead was taken aback.
"I'm picky with my men," Karin grinned with a dark luster. "But I heard the Prince of the Uchihas was looking for a princess, so how could I refuse such an invitation?"
"He's so tall and muscular and dreamy..." Ino continued, clasping her hands together.
Tenten scoffed in front of them, noting they were almost at their destination. The blonde veered over to the bun-haired girl, blue eyes ablaze. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You won't win over Sasuke if you act like he's just an object," Tenten explained, rolling her eyes exasperatedly. "This is why he doesn't acknowledge your presence or love you at all, Ino."
"Says the girl who can't even confess to her best friend about her feelings," Ino commented snidely, drinking in the sight of their leader stumble and glare angrily at her, teeth bared.
Tenten would've spat something out and dove in to fight, feeling very defensive, but she felt as if she were supposed to be the responsible one and resisted the urge to rip at the blonde who was now sticking her tongue at her, twitching.
"So this is the Realm Pond," Karin said inquisitively, observing the swaying fish in the pond hungrily. Tenten was about to step up when Ino jutted forward, slamming her hands onto the rock despite the brunette obvious protest, demanding, "Show me Sasuke-sama!"
Instantly, the clearness of the pond blurred, an array of colors blended together and eventually formed into the shadowed figure of Sasuke leaping from rooftop to rooftop, the night barely giving any light to make out his form.
"There he is, there he is!" Ino whispered under her breath, her baby blue eyes alight with affection.
I can't even see him, Karin thought with disappointment, curious about Ino's description. Mother encouraged me to participate in this because it was the Uchiha Prince, but based on the rumors and what the blonde girl said, he must be a heartbreaker that isn't even aware of the pain he's causing. It would be interesting to find a hot boy who wasn't like all the clingy ones back home.
"He's in the Human World," Tenten said aloud with disbelief, somewhat upset. "Weren't we supposed to hunt as a group?"
"Well, we should catch up with him right now before we miss the fun!" Ino said immediately jumping to her pawed feet.
"Wait... we're going to go through the pond? In the water?" Karin said, ruby eyes bugging out. "Can't we go through that... Leap of Faith?"
"The Leap of Faith is a three day trip if you make stops, two if you're constantly walking," Tenten said, shivering as she slipped a hind paw in the water fearfully. "If we want to hunt with him, we're going to have to go now." Without another word, she fell in all the way, resisted the urge to shriek and flail as her head dipped in all the way.
"I'm coming Sasuke-sama!" Ino said, hesitating a little at her lingering fear of liquid before she dived in like a shooting star, water droplets spraying everywhere. Karin flinched and stepped back a few steps to avoid the water before staring at the pond unsurely. Feeling it would be best to jump in head first, she bounded in the air and screamed as she hurtling down, disappearing in the depths.
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Sasuke followed the familiar scent of honey-vanilla and strawberries, dashing faster and faster on the rooftops each second he knew the location was coming closer.
She's close.
She's close.
Where are you, Sakura?
At the flash of pink in the corner of his eye, he held his breath as he spotted her at a bus sign underneath the bright streetlight. His tail flailing in excitement, he resisted the urge to pounce on her in greeting; she would probably fight him off from his immediately proximity, and her anger was the last thing he wanted to receive from her. Practically dashing over to the edge of the building, his acute ears lifted from his hair as they rotated in her direction, eyes wide as his full attention was directed towards her.
She seemed frustrated, tugging at her pink hair as she paced back and forth under the safe, artificial light. He frowned, wondering why she was out so late and what would make her so angry. Didn't she know she could be in peril right now? She could've gone through something similar that he had, and just the thought had him raging. Thoughtfully, he pondered what his next move should be.
Pounce on her? No, he went over that. Although, he might end up doing that if he lost all of his self control.
Slowly approach her? But then, she might get scared and run away before he has a chance to show himself, and then he'd end up pouncing on her.
He would have to gain her attention somehow and then approach her without giving any detail that would lead to misunderstanding circumstances. Content with his plan, he stepped onto the edge of the rooftop and shifted all of his weight onto his paw when a sudden footstep behind him had him in a frenzy, lashing out behind him instinctively. The figure gasped and spun around to avoid absorbing the full amount of power he sent into his kick. Growling with his hackles raised, his eyes wildly spun in anger at the realization he was being interrupted from reuniting with his Sakura.
Three people, all thin and agile-looking, he assessed. He would take on one and counter any attacks the others may use -
"Sasuke!" The boy furrowed his brows as his night-vision eyes flickered to their faces, and his eyes widen when he saw who it was. Tenten, in all her beaming glory, nearly mewled in greeting as she stepped forward towards him. Her smile, however, turned into an ugly scowl as she socked his arm, "Idiot! We were all supposed to hunt as a group! Don't go running off without us!"
The boy grunted, annoyed, which turned into burning irritation as a pair of thin arms latched onto his right one, eyebrow twitching. "Hello, Sasuke-sama!" Ino squealed in the night, rubbing herself on him as he slipped out of her grasp, growling.
Karin watched on with wide eyes; Ino's description didn't even match to how handsome the Prince was in front of her! The way his long, silky bangs caressed his high cheekbones smothered in crimson, red eyes glaring at everything in agitation that turned her on for some reason, and the way he towered over her by almost a head and his six pack showed through his black shirt when it shifted was enough to make her drool. She had expected him to be cute, but this was way beyond her expectation. The Prince will be mine!
Sasuke turned his attention to the redhead he never saw before only to see her giving him bedroom eyes. Almost roaring out of impatience, he glanced back to the street and panicked instantly when he saw that there wasn't a strand of pink in sight and that the sweet scent that reminded him of lazy summer days was retreating northwards. Staring at the blonde who ranted on and on at his side along with the brunette and the drooling redhead, he knew it was rude, but he just couldn't wait. One minute the girls saw him gazing at them all with wide, red eyes, and the next he was merely a speck in the distance, bouncing from rooftop to rooftop.
"Sasuke! Wait up!" Tenten hollered, not even bothering to mask her voice since she knew their speed would keep their true identities concealed. Ino and Karin quickly trailed behind after snapping out of their shock of his overwhelming speed and fell into a break-even pace.
The crimson-eyed boy ignored their shouts and skid his feet on the top of the building, speedily assessing his senses. She was closer and no one was around, so it was the perfect chance. They were all gaining on him, and even though he knew it was a slim to none chance that they would leave him alone or lose him, he couldn't wait anymore.
He was on his last strand of self-control.
"Sasuke, what the hell," The weapon master snarled, brown eyes burning alight with annoyance as she landed next to him. "I know you're eager and all, but that doesn't mean that we don't have a right to hunt with you! The King himself said that we would all hunt as a group for your sixteenth birthday - and what are you looking at?" She landed her eyes on a wandering pink-haired girl who seemed to be escalating in her fear and panic.
Tenten forgot all of her anger when the scent of the girl wafted to her nostrils, Karin and Ino falling in step behind her. "She smells so good," Her stomach grumbled lightly as she grinned. "You have good taste, Sasuke. Although, I didn't know you liked sweet meat."
Sasuke merely smirked at the sentence, thinking in a different way than she.
Karin and Ino smelled the scent and licked their lips in anticipation. Although they had smelled better humans, she wasn't so bad, and there was this linger after-scent that had an interesting tang in the air around her. Honey vanilla... and strawberries.
The Uchiha growled when the brunette took a step towards the oblivious human, and Tenten immediately took a step back. "What, can't I have a piece? Don't be selfish; I haven't hunted since a week ago!"
"It is Sasuke-kun's birthday," Ino hissed at the honorific Karin purred out after merely seeing his physical qualities. "I think that he should have this one for himself."
Ino agreed, although a bit begrudgingly as she saw the way the redhead stared at her crush shamelessly in the open. "It's a special day, Tenten-san! If Sasuke wants it, he should get it. After all, he is the Prince!"
"Prince or not, he should still share," Tenten grumbled under her breath and saw the way the Uchiha shifted his weight from leg to leg anxiously. "But... it's his birthday, so whatever."
Karin and Ino shot a look towards Sasuke to see if they caught his appreciation, but they merely pouted and sighed when they saw he kept his gaze on the pink-haired girl.
"So, birthday-guy," Tenten grinned. "We'll help you set the mood for your human, alright? After all, that's half the fun of hunts."
Sasuke sunk a little at the thought of his Sakura being tortured under the circumstances but nodded unwillingly to keep up appearances.
He definitely wasn't going to like this.
And, he knew, neither would Sakura.
.
"Fuck!" Sakura shouted out pathetically, feeling a burning sensation in her eyes.
She had been done shopping at the mall and boarded a bus that would lead her straight to her house, but she had been still out of it from all the tests earlier at school and eventually drifted off. Before she knew it, the driver was shaking her awake, telling her that she should get off soon for her stop when she noted that it was already dark outside. Panicking, she immediately gripped her bags and fled out the door, whipping around to drink in her surroundings. She couldn't recognize most of the streets, and before she could even turn around and board the bus again to wait for her to be around a familiar area, the bus doors closed and the vehicle was drifting away in hurry despite her loud protests.
Now, she was alone in the dark in the middle of nowhere with only a couple shopping bags to keep her company.
"My mom's going to kill me," The rosette nearly sobbed, rubbing her arms as a breeze swept by her. Wait, her mom! She patted her coat down and pulled out her phone, pressing three for her speed dial as she waited anxiously, the ringing echoing loudly in the quiet environment. Hearing a loud smash, she squeaked and ran into the nearest crease: a narrow alleyway that radiated a horrible odor.
"Sakura!" Her mom shrieked into her ear. "Do you know how late it is young lady? I've been waiting near the phone for two hours - two hours Sakura!"
"Mom," The pinkette shakily let out a sigh. "Mom, I'm so sorry."
"What's wrong baby?" Her parent dropped her anger when she heard the fearful tone in her daughter's voice.
"I -" She sucked in a breath, hoping some bystander didn't come and confront her for any crime-intented actions. "I was done shopping at the mall, and I was so tired I fell asleep on the bus, and the next thing I knew the bus driver woke me up and I panicked and ran out on the street and - and - now I don't know where I am!"
"What street are you at, Sakura? I'll come to pick you up," Sakura could hear shuffling and car keys clinking, signaling that her mom was already on her way.
Squinting her eyes from her spot, Sakura said, "Ishikawa."
"Okay, that's five miles away from here. Don't move. I'm on my way."
"Okay, bye mom," Sakura hung up, sliding down her back in relief. Don't worry; mom's coming and then you can go home and watch anime.
The pinkette held her breath when she heard a skittering sound across the concrete, passing by her quickly as the hairs on her arms stood on end. Gulping, she picked herself up cautiously as she let out a mild, "H-hello?"
Silence was her only reply.
Probably just a rat, She attempted to calm herself as she backed away slightly from the street, palm sliding across the bricked wall.
CRANG-CRANG!
"AH!" Sakura darted away from the loud noise behind her, turning sharply on her right down the alleyway. Once she was a ways away, she glanced back and laughed at herself when a dark cat leapt down from the top of the garbage cans, scratching its ear. "Just a cat, thank God." She sighed.
Nothing to be afriad of; you're Sakura! The girl who took on three guys at once! She tried to assure herself.
Yeah right, She sulked. That was in the second grade! Everything's different now.
Suddenly the cat yowled, dashing out of the alleyway in a hurry as it brought the whole garbage can down with it, the metal clanging resounding loudly off the alley walls as the pinkette covered her ears. She squeaked as tears pooled out of pure fear, darting down the path as she panted, adrenaline pumping through her blood.
The dark haired cat bounded back as it watched as the girl darted down the alleyway with a large grin. At the street, a blonde feline approached her as a blood-streaked one emerged from the garbage cans, all their eyes alight with anticipation.
We've built up the fear.
Now finish it, Prince.
Sakura breathed heavily, desperately wanting to be back home instantly. Danger, danger, the alarm bells in her mind rang as she continued down the narrow pathway as tears cascaded down her porcelain cheeks. She swore her legs were burning and about to give in the minute she stopped, so she didn't stop as she sped down the alley.
Just then, she stopped and leaned against the wall gratefully, gulping oxygen greedily. As she wiped the sweat off of her forehead, she groaned slightly as he legs protested at the sudden amount of exercise she exerted on them.
Safe, She thought. I'm safe.
Feeling another wisp of wind at the back of her neck, she brought her hand to her face when she froze. Another breeze wafted around her, but instead of the chilliness she had felt before, it was warm and moist as she slowly turned around.
When her she turned around all the way, she was greeted with close, red eyes staring down at her intensely. Shakily breathing out in surprise, she stumbled backwards, squeaking as she tripped onto her bottom and tried to crawl away. Her mouth opened and shut as she attempted to speak, but ultimately her voice failed her.
The eyes narrowed as they stepped forward, and Sakura only shook her head frantically as they approached closer and closer. Who was this person?
As if the heavens heard her inquiry, she saw as the person snapped their gaze to the street as the sound of tires rolling against the pavement; a car. She was about to call out for help, anything, when she spotted the headlights shining in the dim alleyway as it passed, literally shedding some light on the figure's identity.
Standing up, she parted her lips as she stood up and took a few hesitant steps forward.
High-collared shirt, red eyes, neko tail, paws, ears -
"Neko-chan?" She asked unsurely as the eyes flickered towards her and an unreadable emotion flittered within them.
She blinked, and the next thing she knew he was suspended in the air above her, hurtling towards her quickly. Squeaking, she brought her arms up in defense as he tackled her, their forms rolling on the smooth concrete.
The three nekos ran up about fifteen feet away anxiously as their Prince opened his mouth, canines showing as he dived himself near her shoulder as she screeched.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Feeling something warm rubbing against her cheek, the pinkette blinked as she felt vibrations emitting from the boy's chest. "Neko-chan?" She gasped when a warm muscle ran up the junction of her shoulder to the outer shell of her ear. Blushing, she realized that his arms were holding her close to his body and his legs were entangled with hers, and immediately she felt dizzy. Warmth ran up and down her body, but she tried to fight against the boy, uncomfortable with the proximity, but alas he was much to strong for her; she couldn't even pry his hands off of her!
"Sa-ku-ra!" He purred and she froze, peering up into his eyes. That was the first time he spoke!
"Sa-ku-ra!" Sasuke buried himself deeper into her shoulder, happily breathing in.
The pinkette lay frozen in shock as the neko-boy purred, licking her neck.
This can't be happening... right?
However, when she heard a choir of cats yowling as if in surprise, she jolted and stared into the warm red eyes she grew to love. "Sa-ku-ra!" He said again, the emotion so raw on his face in a way she never saw before. As she gazed at him, she found herself falling deeper and deeper into his crimson pools.
Sa-ku-ra...
.
Omg, that was a long chapter... LONGEST EVER! I'm so proud of myself TT^TT I wanna celebrate with ice cream!
I think this was a little long, but worth it. Kinda iffy, but what do you think? Good? Bad? Cute? Hot?
CrazyNeko-Sasuke is so cute! Fluffy ending! :)))
I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE HAPPY! You guys went beyond the expectation of reviews, so I decided to wing it and I was so happy that this chapter came up to 8,000 words! Give yourself a pat on the back! :D
By the way, I wanted to reveal this. Sasuke was originally supposed to be a Nekomata, or cat demon rather than just a neko, or a cat. But, I guess you can see it other way. But, it's sorta weird to see a neko going on hunts to eat humans. LOL. So, I guess nekomata is the better version? Or maybe just psychotic cat people :P
And also, I was thinking of changing the title to something like 'The Fourth Choice' or 'The Fourth Request' because Fugaku is expecting Sasuke to choose between three girls, but he already has a choice in mind, and that's Sakura! Or maybe something like... idk. XD It'll come to me. But what do you think?
I'm so happy x)
Review today!
Please, read and review!
Reviews make me write.
Without reviews, I forget to write.
And when I forget to write, I think back on it and sulk. (xD)
Til' next time guys!
~CiiCiinREX.