Author's Note: Well this is another one of my pieces that just never seem to end. I couldn't really find any spot to end this chapter, so I picked when Naruto falls in the river. Anywho, due to my recent change of emotions, there's going to be a ton of Anti-whichevercoupleichoose in here. A lot of crap's gone down, and it seems like the only way I can let it all go is through writing. So if this story seems to have an Anti-NaruSaku feel at the beginning, that was a result of my anger. And now, I have found another pairing to like in place of NaruSaku! xDDD SaiSaku is adorable, so expect some, not a lot, but some moments in here. This is SasuSaku, so Sai and Sakura are not going to end up together. Sai and Sakura are fresher as far as the pairing wars go, so, yeah. Anyway, I submitted something for SasuSaku Month, and the story's here on , it's called "Perish Song". Feel free to read it. Oh and just to clarify, Sasuke has his Mangekyo in this story. Thank you all for your reviews, I appreicate them, and enjoy! xD
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own anything.
How I had been teamed up with Uzumaki Naruto was a mystery even to me. One second I was basking in the warmth of Uchiha Sasuke's gaze, then I was walking down the dirt path toward God knew where. I had no clue what in the world I was doing, being paired up with him. As Naruto swung his arms at his sides like a giddy little girl, I slammed my palm into my face out of annoyance. I didn't understand how a raised hand could lead to me being partnered up with the biggest hyperactive knucklehead in the sophomore class, as well as the object of Hinata's affections, as I found out while our Gym teacher lectured us all on how to play Hide and Tag.
Hide and Tag was basically Hide and Go Seek crossed with Tag. And for some reason, that hybrid cross resulted in a lengthy speech about how ninjutsu is allowed if you are a qualified ninja, which I happened to be but decided to keep my mouth shut, and hushed whispers about her special someone from Hinata. I'd checked the Punnett Square over and over in my head, crossing the homozygous alleles of Hide and Go Seek and Tag, but the outcomes didn't add up to a lecture and gossip sessions. Genetics, human anatomy, and pretty much any life science involving humans was my forte, and yet, I couldn't figure out a simple cross? What was wrong with me? Was I thinking too much into it? I sighed, and shook my head into my palm. It had to be the idiot germs rubbing off on me.
And let's not forget the black haired boy that irritated the hell out of me. Every second I spent staring into those luminous onyx eyes, Ino and Karin would rage. Their frequent hisses and foot stomps would echo for miles. They would scream and throw a fight like a pair of bitches would in a cat fight, and it drove me absolutely insane. They had no clue how annoying they were, as well as how much I wanted to beat them down. I wished I could slam their faces into the dirt and hold their noses into the ground with my foot, but, that was too cruel. Even for them. It's not that they didn't deserve it, because they did, but with him around, it would be difficult to explain myself as the village burial services were being called to action.
But those haunting eyes, they wandered across my line of sight even when I wasn't talking to him. Even when I wasn't looking at him. Even when I wasn't thinking about him. His eyes were everywhere. Onyx black followed my every footstep, pressed down upon each breath I took. I wanted to be with him, I knew that. But I didn't want to say anything. I didn't want this connection to change. I didn't want anything to change; I loved everything the way it was. I loved arguing with him, I loved toying with him; I loved playing games with him. I didn't want anything to change. It was only the second day of school, after all. I wasn't in any rush. Besides, maybe I'd fall for another guy. Maybe I'd end up finding another boy who had the same boiling black eyes as Sasuke. The same enticingly sweet smelling lips that I longed to kiss to this very second. But the possibility of Sasuke and I's lips touching was fairly slim. He didn't like me very much, especially after that stunt I pulled before Gym.
But the very sight of him made my fingers curl up under my chin as a soft blush colored my cheeks. He made my rough and fiery exterior come crashing down into a flaming heap at my feet, the sweetness of his lips flowing through my veins in its place. The way his eyes whispered his smiles that filled my mouth with honey as I held my breath, my jade irises breathing my answer back to him in response to his smiles. I couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe. He'd intoxicated me. He broke me down to my fragile, feminine core. The core I guarded so carefully. I was afraid of showing weakness. I was afraid of being vulnerable. I'd made up my mind to become strong, and I'd never looked back after I'd realized that. But Sasuke…He made me forget all of that. He made me act like an actual girl. One that was extremely flirty and sensual, but I was still feminine in his presence. I sighed again. Uchiha Sasuke.
"Hey, Sakura?" I turned to the blond haired idiot that had called my name, my emerald eyes blood-shot just from looking at him. He wasn't Sasuke. Enough said.
"What?" I drawled lazily, sighing out of boredom. Naruto bored me. He always asked for my hand in marriage, and he never understood that I didn't like him that way. It was getting to the point that I didn't like him at all. His sapphire eyes flickered.
"Why do you think Hinata was acting so jumpy earlier?" he asked softly, turning away as we continued down the path. I blinked, and gazed back at him intently. He was nervous. I'd never thought I'd see that happen. What a shocker. "I mean, when I turned and waved to her, she turned tail and ran. Do you have any idea why that might be?"
I knotted my fingers behind my back, and leaned forward, smiling back at him. Naruto wasn't so bad, I guess. "Are you really that oblivious?"
"Huh?" I sighed, and smiled, shaking my head gently. He really was a knucklehead sometimes. When it came to girls, or anything other than ramen and ninjutsu, he was the dumbest man I'd ever met. You could read Uzumaki Naruto like a book.
"She's interested in you. Maybe you should, you know, make a move," I suggested, lifting my chin slightly, as my short pink hair bounced alongside my jawbones. Naruto glanced over at me, and shook his head.
"But I'm interested in her, Sakura. I'm interested in you," he answered, turning his full gaze upon me. I sighed, and huffed without hesitation, his sapphire eyes flickering again. When would he get the drift?
"Naruto, for the last time, I'm not interested in you. Go for someone else," I suggested one more time, turning around. Naruto's footsteps became frantic at my back, as he pleaded with me to reconsider. But I wasn't listening to him.
I could hear something approaching. Something deadly, lethal, and dangerous. It wasn't against the rules to hurt someone in this game of Hide and Tag. It was, however, against the rules to kill. But this thing, this presence was damp, thick, and heavy with bloodlust. The chakra on the air, it was dense with hunger and rage, hatred. I traced it back to the source as I closed my eyes, focusing hard on the feelings, but only ice and snow returned my concentration. My sight was fogged by the snowiness of the heart that peered back at me, the beating muscle frozen in a block of ice thicker than my head. The hairs at the back of my neck curled up on instinct, as I narrowed my jade eyes, turning my head from side to side, tightening my right hand at my side. I wasn't entirely defenseless. But there was only so much I could handle on my own.
Fortunately, Naruto noticed my apprehension. "Sakura? Is everything alright?"
"Something's coming," I murmured, as sounds of dredging footsteps echoed across the path from up ahead. I held my left arm across my body, my pink skirt rippling in the wind as I sank to my haunches slightly. No matter what came, I would be ready. Chakra brushed against my heart, the blood lusting chakra. "And they're intent on killing."
"Killing? That's against the rules," Naruto pointed out, pulling out a kunai from his shuriken holster. I tensed my right hand at my elbow, and watched the shifting leaves in front of me. Something was coming. Something strong, and bloodthirsty. Would I be able to fight it? Defeat it?
"We know that. But maybe they don't," I answered, turning and looking all around. Naruto nodded, and fell silent, as we watched the path in front of us.
The air trembled, as the wind blew across the sandy road at our feet. I scanned the expansion of the path, my feet sliding into place along the dirt, as the breeze ruffled my pink hair around my face. I had no chance if I dropped my guard now. I knew he was there. I knew the enemy was there. Only, I wasn't sure who he was. His energies didn't have the same fiery edge as Sasuke's did. And his chakra didn't feel warm and bright like Naruto's. I was encountering a whole new opponent, one that I'd never faced before. The ground twitched at that thought, my eyes flashing down toward the earth beneath my feet. A whole new opponent that used the ground his opponents stood on against them. This definitely wasn't Sasuke, or Naruto. This was someone stronger than the two of them.
"Just two of you, huh?" I widened my eyes, and turned my head, blazing mint green eyes meeting my gaze. Thick. Heavy. Dense. Bloodthirsty. My irises shook with fear. His expression remained the same. "I'll finish this quick."
"Sakura!" I had no time to waste. I took a deep breath, and reared backwards, pulling my elbow back as I shut my eyes. I could feel his chakra against my back, as if his beating heart had been beating against my spine. And because of that, I wouldn't miss.
"SHANNAROOOO!" My fist slammed into something, something hard, something that gave, allowing my fist to sink into its form. My eyes opened, and widened the instant I took in the sight in front of me.
Flaming red hair. Flaming scarlet locks that blew out from behind pieces of luminous sand. The flat plank of sand that my fist had buried itself into hung in the air in front of his face, protecting his eyes and cheek from my wrath. I struggled, but the sand wouldn't let me go. It grasped my fist tightly, holding onto me for dear life. I couldn't break free, and he was enjoying it. His lip curled up into a callous and bitter smirk, one that I often wore whenever I was tormenting Sasuke. Only this time, I was the one seeing it. The desire to kill that blew off his smug smile was unbearable, as I looked Death in the face through his green irises as if they were a looking-glass and I was Alice. I knew in an instant that I was the prey, while he was the predator. Naruto was nonexistent, for he was no threat. Not to this guy at least. And neither was I.
"Is that all you've got, kunoichi? You were trained by Tsunade, weren't you?" I blinked in response, too afraid to speak. His lip curled up higher. "Prove it to me, Haruno Sakura."
Naruto took one step, and tapped his fingers together. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
"Kage Bunshin, huh?" Puffs of smoke dispersed to reveal multiple perfect copies of Naruto, all poised and ready for battle. The feeling of warmth that was his chakra brushed across my senses, and I smiled, sighing despite my current situation. I didn't care. I felt safe now. All I had to do was hold this red head in place. "Too easy."
I widened my eyes as puff of smoke erupted all around me, the ground shifting underneath my feet, my balance faltering as a result. I wobbled as the earth shook and trembled, Naruto flying across the length of the path. I swung my head toward him, and cried out, but I got no response from him. I was all alone. And I was currently trapped. How would I be able to fight this guy off? How would I be able to protect myself? I didn't have my back up plan. Ōkashō had failed, and I was without my kunai that I cherished. I reached for the shuriken holster at my right thigh with my left hand, but the tightened grip on my wrist rendered my arm immovable. I was truly trapped. I could hear sand threading through the air, intent on destroying Naruto next, now that I was immobilized.
"L-Let him go!" I ordered, lifting my head up, my pink hair hanging beside my head as I faced him with blazing eyes. I was desperate. "Leave Naruto alone!"
"You're suffering, aren't you?" I jerked my head back in surprise, the red haired boy smirking in response. The way his lip curled up, I didn't like it.
"Eh?" His grip tightened on both my left and right hands. I screeched, and dropped my head, but I remained firm. I wasn't moving from that spot, even if I were to die because of it.
It was clear that this person wasn't about to heed to the rules. But what could I do? My primary form of attack was immobilized, and I was trapped by a death grip on my left and right hands. A wall of sand obstructed my view of his face, except for the faint flicker of a smirk on the left side of his jawbone. The wind whipped my pink hair around my face, as tears gathered in the corners, awaiting the command to fall, to show weakness. I hated that. I hated being vulnerable. That's why I had trained to get stronger. And yet, here I was, about to break down and cry because I wasn't strong enough to protect not only myself, but Naruto as well. I was so pathetic.
"Go on, let it out. Let me see your face. One full of suffering. Your pain is potent, Haruno Sakura," he murmured, gripping my hands tighter with the sand at his control. I flinched, and tossed my head in pain, but held back the scream of agony that rose in my throat. At least…It was me taking the beating and not Naruto. But the cracking in my hands wasn't a good sign. His mint green eyes sparkled. "Cry."
"You filthy…" I spat, narrowing my blazing jade eyes, the tears at the corners of my eyes threatening to spill over at his comment. A soft whimper echoed from behind me, and I turned, only to gasp in horror. "Naruto!"
"Now will you cry? I'm squeezing the life out of him. I want to see your tears, Haruno Sakura." I tossed my head, the droplets flying from my face as my vision swam in my line of sight. I couldn't see anything. Everything was so blurry. A hand gripped my neck. "Now you're crying…"
I widened my eyes. "S-Stop! Let m-me go!"
"And if I think not?" I shut my eyes tightly as his hand gripped my throat harder, squeezing the breath out of my parted lips. I would die here if I didn't think of something. Both Naruto and I would die. I had to come up with something.
Then, something crackled. Something split the sky. A flicker of a voice I knew all too well, or at least what I thought to be a voice I knew well. I tightened my eyes as the boy in front of me tightened his grip, Naruto's whimpers escalating to high pitched screeches, all out of pain. Pain I was unable to stop. I couldn't do anything. I was still too weak to protect myself or anything at all. It was painfully obvious that I needed more training, and that I shouldn't of signed up for Gym in the first place, but there was nothing I could do about it now. At least, I could see Sasuke one last time before I died. My eyes flashed open. I heard his voice! I narrowed my eyes slowly as the enemy in front of me maintained his death grip on my neck, my nose taking in a small amount of air, the only amount I could. He's here, I know it!
"SASUKE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, the grip on my neck tightening even tighter, struggling to cut off my voice before it could reach him. Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke.
A black and white flash surged from the trees, and with one of my heartbeats, broke the grip on my neck and had scooped me up as I'd fallen toward the ground, time slowing down as we slid across the dirt toward Naruto. I looked up at the black and white flash that cradled me in their arms gently, familiar raven-colored hair and scowling expression meeting my astonished eyes. He'd heard me. He'd come to save me. And Naruto, of course. But I'd summoned him, and he'd appeared. I could barely breathe, even though the grip on my nasal and throat passages had been broken. My jade eyes begged for contact, but he wasn't looking at me. His furious eyes were firmly fixed upon the one who'd hurt me, and Naruto. And they weren't onyx.
"Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke's knee hit the ground as he slid to a stop beside Naruto, gently setting me down, but maintaining his hold on me.
"Sabaku Gaara." His eyes were crimson. The points of stars bloomed out of his onyx pupils, three intersecting red ellipses blossomed in his onyx irises, giving off the allusion of strength and power. His arms tensed around me, and I could help but glance up at him.
"S-Sasuke, thank you," I murmured, lifting my right hand to the left side of his face. He pulled his cheek away from my fingertips, one, lone crimson eye flicking toward me.
"Are you hurt?" I widened my eyes, and waved my hands, smiling in an effort to calm the staggeringly furious chakra that boiled around me, the steel girders that secured me burning my skin at their touch.
"I-I'm fine, don't worry about-Ow!" I grabbed my right hand in my left, flinching. Sasuke's eyes flashed, and he turned back to Gaara, his hands tensing against my sides.
"You hurt her," he pointed out, stifling anger deep down inside of himself. Gaara laughed once.
"What of it? I've hurt countless others in front of you, and it's never mattered to you. Why does it matter now, since it's this girl?" Sasuke's eyes didn't move. Didn't flicker. Didn't break. His face showed no emotion either. His expression was devoid of all feeling, of all thought. His emotions were gone in the blink of an eye.
My hand slowly rose to cradle his cheek gently, as I began to breathe again, quiet, quivering breaths. "Sasuke…"
"Are you going to answer me, Uchiha?" Sasuke didn't pull away from my touch once my hand reached his cheek. But he didn't lean on it either. He turned his head toward me, and gave me a scowl.
"Take care of him," he ordered, lifting his arms from under me, my butt plopping to the ground harshly. I jerked my head up, my right hand slamming to the dirt unceremoniously.
"THAT'S WHAT I TRIED TO DO, IDIOT!" I retorted hotly, narrowing my jade eyes. Sasuke rested his hand on his sword case that I'd just noticed, and wrapped his fingers around the hilt, turning his head toward me. The wind ruffled his raven colored hair, his eyes spinning threateningly.
"Take care of Naruto," he answered firmly, ignoring my low hiss that snarled through my pursed lips. My eyes widened as I blinked in surprise. He hadn't been insulting me back. I crawled closer to Naruto, and lifted him up, gathering leaves and moss into a pile, before lying his head down on the pile gently.
I stood up, and took a few steps forward, gripping the hem of my right glove with my left hand, and cocking my hips as I stopped beside Sasuke. "I'm helping you, Sasuke."
"Stay back." His right hand lifted from the hilt of his sword to grab the back of my sleeveless red shirt, and toss me backwards without so much as a huff. "You'll only get in the way."
I somersaulted backwards before I crouched down on my feet, and slid back toward Naruto, holding my right arm out behind me, gritting my teeth as I faced Gaara. "Try me."
"Uchiha's right, Haruno Sakura. You don't interest me at the moment. Stay back," Gaara replied dully, focusing his attention on Sasuke, who's hand had returned to his sword's hilt, the screech of metal sliding against a hard surface echoing in my ears. I narrowed my emerald eyes, and tightened my right arm, my fist beginning to tremble.
"Well, you know something?" Sasuke swung his head around, narrowing his irises angrily.
"Sakura, I told you to-" I smirked, and jerked my head back, taking off.
"I don't care how strong you are," I started, my eyes narrowed and blazing. But my smirk was callous and cruel. "I'll beat you down as many times as I have to!"
Sasuke's head turned and watched me go, his left hand about to grab my shoulder before I could pass him, but I was home free. I wasn't about to let Sasuke bear the burden of carrying my weight, as well as Naruto's. I knew that I was being reckless, but I had to put my faith in my abilities, and step up. I hadn't been able to protect myself before, but I sure as hell was going to protect myself now. But I wouldn't be able to fight and defend Naruto at the same time. But that was before…Before Gaara had shrugged me off like I was nothing. I was strong. I just needed the chance to prove it to him, and myself. I could feel the strength and power Ōkashō gave me flowing through my veins, Sasuke's voice echoing behind me, calling me back, but I couldn't care less. I would take care of this in a single blow. Now it's your turn…
I ran faster still, pulling my right hand back and tightening it into a fist, the blue fire of my chakra blossoming with hardly any of my focus. Sasuke eyes widened as I neared Gaara, my smirk fading as I concentrated. My eyebrows stretched taut over my wide forehead, my pink bangs rippled across my jade irises, as I ran faster and faster. Gaara took a few steps back, and desperately pulled at the ground as I approached him, my footfalls light and confident. I was strong. I knew it deep in my heart. Tsunade-sama's amber eyes flashed across my mind, narrowed in concentration as she aimed her heel downward at the ground in front of me that day when I'd mastered Ōkashō. I'd had to be confident in order to master the technique. Like her. She had no fear, she faced death with a poker face. And that's why I didn't care that I was being reckless now. Gaara lifted and hardened a shield of sand to protect himself as I tightened my right arm, pulling it backwards. Only three seconds before I'd hit him.
"SAKURA!" One…I swirled my fingers into an even tighter fist, Gaara's eyes widening.
"STAY BACK!" Two…Gaara took a few more steps back, as I took my last few steps, about to breach his shield. Time slowed down around me, even as I counted in my head.
"SHANNAROOO!" Three! My fist flew forward, enclosed in blue fire, the streaks of azure flames ripping across my jade irises with sharp, indigo claws.
The flat side of my knuckles met with the sand shield, Ōkashō's cloak of chakra causing the sand to give way. I narrowed my eyes, and smirked. My mistake the last time was that I didn't follow through. I wouldn't make that mistake twice. I forced more strength into my fist, and shoved forward, taking another step as I flung my arm forward with all the power I had locked in my one arm, the tips of my toes barely touching the ground as my fist broke through the sand shield, and slammed into the side of his face, a distinctive cracking noise pealing into my ears as I shoved my fist into the side of his face with all of my strength. Blood flew from his mouth as I followed through, his body spiraling as I sent him flying. I hunched over, lifting my head up to watch where he ended up, my pink hair sliding back across my temples. Blue fire streamed from my tightened right hand, as I smirked back at Gaara, who slid across the dirt about one or two hundred feet away from Sasuke, Naruto, and I. My smirk brightened, as his mint green eyes lifted to glare at my jade irises with absolute loathing as he struggled to heave himself into a sitting position. I twitched the fingers on my left hand, my left arm tense as I held it out for balance, the blue fire streaming from my right fist bright as the sun. …To watch my back!
"I'm not done yet!" Sasuke's eyes throbbed, as Gaara jerked himself to his feet, his eyes glowering with hatred. Hatred for me, my strength. I was stronger than him, and he knew it.
"S-Sakura…You…" I straightened my back as I stood up, and narrowed my eyes, grabbing at the hem of my right glove, and pulling it downwards. Sasuke stepped up beside me, pulling his sword out as he took the steps toward me. "You…Hit him…"
"But it's only the beginning. I can't get cocky and let my guard down," I answered calmly, as Sasuke stepped up beside me, holding his sword in one hand. I watched the sunlight shimmer along the blade, before turning back to Gaara.
"You're actually using your head this time," Sasuke pointed out dryly, but I ignored him, my cerise hair rolling upon itself in the wind as my skirt fluttered about my legs, my emerald eyes focused on one thing as I tightened my glove.
Sasuke's sword began chirping at my left, and I turned my head toward it. Luminous blue streaks of light, crackling like the thunder bolts that crackled in the sky a few days ago reached for my left side as they danced along the length of the blade. I watched his onyx eyes flicker in my direction, as he regarded my curiosity with nothing more than his signature scowl. I'd grown used to that scowl. I'd also grown to hate it. But the dancing lightning that roared up and down his blade like one thousand birds, it was so cool looking. I watched the shimmering lightning twirl around the sword, the bright fire of chakra blowing in the wind my movements created. He was channeling chakra through his sword? What kind of man could do that? I blinked, and looked over at him, his onyx eyes settling into mine. How strong, and powerful was he? I turned back to Gaara, and narrowed my eyes.
"Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura. You both wish to stand in my way?" Sasuke nodded without hesitation, as I punched my right fist into my left hand. Gaara lifted sand from the ground, and tensed up. "Then I'll eliminate you both right now!"
Sand swirled upward from the earth beneath Gaara's feet, and leapt toward us, Sasuke and I taking our stances. I watched the sand slither across the ground like a sidewinding snake in the desert, and carefully calculated the next move it would take, as Sasuke stood calm and cool, keeping those starry eyes of his on the sand as well. With the two of us on guard, nothing would go wrong. I had faith in Sasuke's abilities, and I hoped he had faith in mine. I wouldn't let him down, and I knew he wouldn't let me down either. I prayed to Kami-sama he wouldn't. I smiled as I crouched down, watching the sand slither toward me, and tightened my fist in anticipation. I could feel it coming. The chakra was burning with bloodlust, itching to kill. It wouldn't be long before the trap was sprung. Sasuke tightened his grip on his lightning blade, and blinked.
"Here he comes," he whispered to me. I looked up at him, and nodded.
"I'll charge, you back me up?" I suggested, giving him a hesitant expression. I'd never worked with someone like him on a team before, and to be honest, I wasn't all that sure if I could carry my own weight. But he didn't shrug me off.
"I'll charge, you back me up," he corrected, jumping forward. I sighed, and turned, following close behind. Gaara laughed out loud, as more sand flew toward us.
"A frontal assault? Are you mocking me?" Gaara cried as he molded sand into throwing stars with his bare hands. Sasuke lifted his sword, smirking. He'd have no problems. But I would.
I wove in between the throwing stars Gaara flung our way, struggling to cover ground and catch up to Sasuke as well as avoid taking damage. That was incredibly difficult, considering how he had a sword that could block shuriken without a hassle, while I had to jump and flip as I ran through them. But I did just that. I put my nose to the grindstone, and kept moving, cart wheeling through throwing stars as I evaded barrage after barrage, ever so slightly growing closer. Sasuke deflected a few with his lightning blade, and jumped up into the air as the sand Gaara had sent our way earlier circled around, snapping at his ankles. I watched, and jumped up into the air, spinning like a top with my feet up over my head as I dodged the snake of sand that sprouted from the earth where my feet had been. I landed daintily as Sasuke leaned over onto his side as he came down, smashing his right leg into the sand shield Gaara had lifted in an effort to protect himself.
I rose up on my haunches as I recovered from my jump, able to see Sasuke kick the sand shield Gaara had created. I back flipped twice as a sand snake chomped at my nose, my eyes locked on Sasuke's battle with Gaara. Sasuke touched his left hand to the ground and spun on his one hand, sword and all, before coming back up and swing the sword at the shield in a smooth uppercut. I started running again, weaving in between the leaping snakes in an effort to reach Sasuke to offer some assistance. But it didn't look like he needed it, despite the fact that his sword was stuck in the sand shield. He struggled to pull it out, but opted to slap the sand away with his left hand, the pieces of dirt and gravel falling back to the earth under him. I broke free of the snakes, and ran full speed, my pink hair flying out behind me, as I surged forward in an effort to help my teammate. Left fist pulled back, sword back in case, Sasuke made to punch Gaara across the face. My eyes widened.
"Sasuke, watch out!" A surge of sand flew upward from the ground, remains of the sand shield Gaara had previously used, a huge and thick sand plank hanging in the air in front of Gaara, protecting him. But Sasuke only smirked.
His foot slid to the side, and then, in the blink of an eye, he vanished. I slid to a stop, jerking my head up, my eyes flashing from side to side in an effort to find him. But Sasuke was gone. I couldn't even feel his presence. Gaara's eyes flashed toward me, hatred shimmering in their sea green depths, focusing on my panting breaths and laboriously rising and falling chest. I wasn't as fast as Sasuke, I had to give him that. Then, Gaara stiffened. As quickly as he'd disappeared, Sasuke flash-stepped about two strides behind Gaara, his onyx eyes glancing over at me as he regained his balance. When our eyes met, only one thing was undeniably certain. He didn't need me to finish this. He could do it on his own. His left hand crackled with the same lightning as his sword had a few seconds again before he'd sheathed it, his fingers tensing as he pulled his left arm back, not wasting a single second. Gaara swung around, only to be slammed with that lightning jutsu, and propelled toward me.
"GET OVER HERE!" I cried, grabbing onto the strap that held the gourd on his back, and slung him around for a few seconds as I charged up my Ōkashō with my left hand. Once I finished with that, I let go of the strap, and just before he flew back toward Sasuke, who was waiting just in case I screwed up, I pulled my fist back, and flung it forward. "SHANNAROOOOO!"
My knuckles dug into his lower abdomen, blood flying up through his mouth to splatter the earth underneath him. My fist held him up in the air, cradled by the chakra as he coughed up all of the air in his body at the time, as well as the blood from his now wounded abdomen. I flung my fist farther forward, following through, as I narrowed my eyes. I'd have to heal him afterwards. He wasn't breathing. I glance down to where my fist had landed, and sighed, realizing that he wasn't dead, just wounded. Not that I cared. I was the medic, so I'd have to heal everyone for a second go. The blue chakra fire around my fist faded as I flung him off of it, his body rolling across the ground as he coughed and hacked, gasping for air. Sasuke sheathed his sword again, and took a few steps toward me, as I pulled off my gloves and slid them into my waist pouch. I pulled out the ribbon that held my hair back, and retied it to hold my hair up, and away from my face as I crashed to my knees in front of Gaara.
Sasuke stopped in front of me, his feet blocking my path. "What're you doing?"
"I'm going to heal him. What does it look like?" Sasuke gave me a glare.
"You don't heal people who are your enemies on the battlefield, Sakura. That's the rule," he shot back. I held my fingers together, and focused my chakra. Gaara rolled his head over to me, and coughed.
"You're healing me? Why would you…?" I gritted my teeth, as Sasuke walked past me to retrieve Naruto, snarling under his breath. I opened my eyes, and smiled as the green healing fire enclosed my hands.
"This is Gym class. Not an actual battle. There's difference," I answered, Sasuke throwing me a snort from over his shoulder. Naruto blinked his eyes open groggily, as Sasuke lifted him to his feet, and slung his arm over his shoulder. "Now, let me heal you. Where does it hurt the most?"
"S-Sakura, are you alright?" Naruto asked, as Sasuke laid him down beside me none too gently. I ignored my foul-tempered teammate and turned to Naruto, as I rested my healing jutsu over Gaara's diaphragm at his direction.
"Yeah, of course. What makes you think that?" I asked, laughing softly. I could feel Sasuke's glare upon me soften. Just a touch. And then he snorted. Naruto reached upward with his fingers, and brushed at my cheeks.
"You've got scratches here, and tear streaks? Hand marks? What happened to you, Sakura?" Sasuke's expression softened a tad more. Okay, a lot more. I sighed, and smiled.
"I just got roughed up a little bit. That's all. Don't worry about it," I answered, giving Naruto a soft smile. He didn't seem convinced. Sasuke didn't either. But I didn't care what Sasuke though.
"A little bit? You're bleeding…From your face. How is that a little?" Gaara kept his eyes averted. I smiled at Naruto and lifted my index finger to the spot under my left eye, and smirked.
"A woman has to be tough in order to survive, Naruto. Do you honestly think a little wound like this is going to stop me?" He shook his head. I nodded in approval. "Good, now, do you need healed too?"
"Nah, I'm alright. What about Mr. Attitude?" Sasuke swung his head toward Naruto, and glowered.
"What the hell is your problem, you inept loser?" Naruto huffed, and crossed his arms over his chest. I sighed, and turned to Gaara.
"Are you alright now? I've got to heal Sasuke next," I asked kindly. Gaara nodded, and rolled over, sitting up. His mint green eyes bored into mine, hesitant.
"Thank you, Haruno Sakura. I owe you one," he replied. I shook my head, and waved my hand.
"It's just Gym class. If it were a real battle, I'd take you up on your offer." He nodded, and stood up, dusting himself off before waving and jumping away. Naruto crawled toward the stream, and busied himself with the fish while I turned to Sasuke.
"Are you going to stand there sulking the entire time, or are you going to walk over here and let me heal you?" Sasuke glared at me out of one eye. One ruby rimmed eye. I lifted myself to my feet, and took a few steps toward him, his silent and aloof demeanor unchanging despite my advance.
"I don't need to be healed." I stopped in front of him, and waited. His glare remained firm, unbending even though I had no intention of giving up.
The look in his eyes, his ruby rimmed eyes was one of loneliness, and sadness, and pain. The way he bit his teeth on his lower jaw, and averted his gaze as if he were a monster, he needed healing. I gently reached out with my hands, taking a deep breath as the green fire slowly burst to life, its soft glow dim enough to not frighten Sasuke, since he tended to be skittish when it came to this stuff. But that was my fault. I played with him too much. But now, I was being serious. My fingertips brushed against the sides of his jaw, slowly tracing the sides of his face as I took it into my palms softly, kindly, slowly. His onyx eyes remained averted, his heart remaining far from my sight as a result. I ignored the butterflies that rose in my stomach, as I gently turned his face to mine, looking him in the eyes. Blood threaded down his face from the bottom rim of his left eye, the faint outline of the star that had blooming in the depths of it softly pulsing behind the screen of pure ebony black, warning me to be careful, to watch my step. I took a deep breath, and put my one foot in front of my other one, taking a step toward him, our faces unbearably close, but that wasn't the purpose. I smoothed my hands over his temples, and blinked.
"Sasuke, can you close your eyes for me?" I asked sweetly, cocking my head. He jerked his head back in surprise, only to cause me to grip the sides of his face tightly to prevent him from pulling away. "Don't you pull away from me. I'm going to heal you, Sasuke."
His eyes shut, and I slowly slid my fingertips across his forehead, brushing his black side pieces away from his face gently, before resting my fingertips on his closed eyelids gently. I wasn't sure if it would work, but it seemed to me that his eyes were bleeding from the inside. None the less, I remained gentle, and soft with my movements, I didn't want to unintentionally hurt the poor guy. His tense posture and stature didn't help my half of the situation out any, and his eyes were screwed too tightly shut. I couldn't heal him if he kept closing himself off from me. But how to relax him? Was there any way I could help soothe him? Medical ninjutsu would be a good idea, if only he'd let me in. Sweetness blew across my nose, my eyes flashing toward the source in heartbeats. One way I could do it. Only one. And I didn't want to do it with every pore in my body. But, it wouldn't mean anything afterwards.
And so, I slid my hands down the sides of his face, and glanced back at Naruto to make sure he was occupied, and then turned back around to face Sasuke. He was so tense, his face was so jumpy under my hands. I wanted to calm him, to soothe those nerves, but the only way I could do that…Was transfer some of my chakra into him. And how would I be able to do that? A simple four letter word starting with the letter "k". Well, at least that's what I'd picked up in my books. But did I really want to give up my lip virginity now? I brushed his bangs from his forehead with my fingers, and gently pressed my lips to his forehead, his eyes and lips relaxing the instant I made contact. My chakra swirled through my fingertips as I traced his temples and corners of his eyes gently, healing whatever was bleeding. My heart swelled with warmth, and regardless of how I felt while doing this, I wasn't supposed to be focused on my feelings. It was about Sasuke right now.
I parted my lips against his forehead, and sighed. "Do you feel better?"
"Hn," he replied, his onyx eyes opening, free of all traces of pain as he looked up at me. I pulled back, and lifted my hands from the sides of his face. I blushed at the expectance of the glare he gave me.
"Sorry about that, you were just so tense, and I didn't know how to-" He narrowed his eyes.
"Why didn't you just ask?" I hung my head, and sighed.
"Sorry. I won't do it again," I replied, my eyes downcast. I heard a snort, before a hand slapped at the side of my face not so gently. I patted my hand up to my wounded cheek, and snarled. "What?"
"Sakura…" I could feel my hair beginning to slide out of the ribbon because of all the sudden movements, as Sasuke's voice drifted across the air between us, soft and gentle. "Thank you…"
"Eh?" I jerked my head up, my pink hair falling out of the ribbon to slide across my cheeks, my blush trembling under my eyes. Sasuke's eyes smiled, as his hand reached up, and brushed the pink strands back gently with his fingertips. Butterflies flew through my veins at his touch, my blush intensifying. "S-Sasuke…?"
"Let's round up the loser and head back," he suggested cheerfully, an emotion completely new for him. I sighed, and smiled, tying my hair back with my black ribbon again, and shaking my hair out.
"Sounds good! Where'd the idiot go?" A screech and a splash followed my question. Sasuke narrowed his eyes and shook his head as Naruto popped up from under the water, spitting out water and grass.
"Never again, am I trying morning dew!"