flashbacks
someone's thoughts
someone's inner
(1)= there's a note at the bottom incase people have questions
Back to Catching Up
Sasuke was sitting on a couch in his apartment when a knock was heard at the front door. He slowly lifted himself of the piece of furniture beneath him and headed towards the noise. He cracked it open enough to see who was waiting (impatiently) outside.
"Uchiha-san, Hokage-sama wants you in her office right away." With that the masked ANBU member was gone in a flash.
The only response Sasuke could think of was, "Hn." and then opening and closing the door behind him. He headed off to the Hokage's office without another word.
(Hokage's Office)
Tsunade was in the middle of signing a document when the emotionless Uchiha barged his way into her office.
Without looking up she said, "You know, Sasuke, normal people knock before coming into someone's office unannounced. It's considered very rude."
Without any intonation in his voice (per usual), the Uchiha said, "Ah, but the ANBU ninja said right away. I assumed that meant no knocking was necessary since you were expecting me."
"Just as rude as I remember. But, I do have to tell you your punishment."
"..." Sasuke hadn't even so much as moved a muscle.
"Of course, if it's not that important to you then I can just ask them to reconsider your punishment. Maybe through in a year or two of no training..."
"Hn. Just tell me." Sasuke was starting to get a little annoyed.
Tsunade quirked an eyebrow, "Ah, so you do want to know. Well then, they've decided to give you one year without leaving the village and six months without missions."
"What about training?" That, after all, was all Sasuke really wanted to know in the first place.
"I guess there is nothing there that is stopping you from training while you're here. Of course, if you try to leave then we'll have no choice other than to lock you up for a while in complete isolation and throw away the key." Tsunade leaned back in her chair and observed the Uchiha in front of her. His arms were crossed against his chest and he was leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the room from her.
Just as cocky and confident as ever.
"I'm not planning on leaving, so that shouldn't be a problem. So long as I can train."
Tsunade sat up straight and proclaimed, "Alright Uchiha, dismissed."
Sasuke picked himself up and left the room.
As soon as he opened the door, Naruto stumbled through the entry way and then, quickly, (tried) to regain his composure.
"Ah, Naruto, how nice of you to join us." Tsunade had to struggle to keep the amusement out of her voice.
"Dobe, what are you doing here?" Sasuke was starting to let impatience ebb into his voice.
"TEME! I haven't seen you how long and you don't even say hi? That's just rude. I knew you had personality problems but this is way past an issue."
"Looks like you haven't changed at all, baka."
"Well, this is touching, but I have work to do so the both of you can just take this (she gestured at the both of them) somewhere else."
"Sure thing, granny. Let's go, Sasuke-teme." Naruto turned right around and Sasuke, for some unknown reason, followed after him.
(Outside in the Streets of Konoha)
"Dobe, where are you taking me?"
"Where do you think?"
Sasuke recalled on his memories and said, "Ramen, You really haven't changed at all."
"Why would I change when Ichiraku has the best ramen ever?"
By this time they were making their way across the village. Sasuke dragging just a little bit behind Naruto. Sasuke's hands were in his pockets and Naruto had his behind his head. The rest of their walk was continued in silence until they reached their desired destination. Naruto lifted the flaps back with his hand and ushered himself and Sasuke inside. They took two seats and ordered the usual (for Naruto, anyway.)
"Dobe, what do you want?"
"Just to fill you in on what you missed while you were away."
"Hn. What if I don't care."
"Well then, I guess you'll just have to listen to it anyway."
(Half an Hour Later)
"... and then I told Kiba that he was being stupid and foxes were WAY better than dogs because..." Naruto kept rambling on, completely oblivious to the auditory pain Sasuke was in. In fact, Sasuke was extremely close to the verge of strangulation. Not Naruto, himself. Listening to the dobe talk might be as bad a fate as the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"...and then do you KNOW what he said next?" Naruto reaching an octave that shouldn't be normal for a twenty year old male (1).
Scratch that, it is as bad a fate as the Mangekyo Sharingan. Sasuke raised his hands to his ears to check if they were bleeding yet.
"Dobe, shut up."
Naruto looked over and realized Sasuke was definitely not paying attention to anything he just said.
"Teme, you desperately need to work on your people skills. It's a serious issue that will cause you nothing but problems in the future."
Sasuke, for the first time since the blond's monologue started, looked to his right (where Naruto was sitting.)
"It's not really an issue in this case since I'm listening to an idiot, not a person."
"And there's my point. The only thing that comes out of your mouth in the form of a sentence is an insult."
"Hn."
Naruto raised his hand and pointed right at Sasuke's face, "And there's my point again! Not even a sentence!" Naruto made it sound like he was presenting a case to a jury. He was getting way to melodramatic for Sasuke.
"You're just like Sakura, rambling on about nothing important, pretending like I'll actually listen."
At this Naruto had fallen silent. All the expression on his face was just, wiped away. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and asked, "What?"
Naruto still didn't respond and it was starting to tick Sasuke off.
With more force he asked, "What, Naruto. What the hell did I say?"
At first, Naruto was hesitant to tell Sasuke anything, but he ruled that telling Sasuke was better than him finding out later.
"Sasuke, stuff happened to Sakura while you were out on your little power scavenger hunt."
"What kind of stuff, dobe?" Clearly, Sasuke was losing his temper. It was laced in his words and his disposition.
"It's not my story to tell... Hey teme! Where you going?"
Sasuke was already off the stool and lifting the flaps to leave.
It might have been a trick of the ear, but Naruto could have sworn he heard, "Sakura."
(Streets of Konoha)
Sasuke was now thoroughly frustrated. The conversation he just had with Naruto kept playing through his head.
"Sasuke, stuff happened to Sakura while you were out on your little power scavenger hunt."
What the hell kind of stuff happened to her?
Ah, and what exactly happened to, "she means nothing to me."
She doesn't.
Mean nothing or mean anything?
Mean anything, of course.
Then why are you out here going crazy over what the dobe said?
Where else would you expect me to be? I can't walk the streets of my village anymore?
And now it's your village, not just A village. Looks like a lot has changed. Before you said you'd be training and now you're here looking for a girl who means nothing to you. What a fickle little man you've turned out to be.
One, never call me little. Two, I can walk and be at peace with my thoughts if I feel like it.
Okay, okay. Sheesh, I didn't think you'd be so up tight about it.
Am. Not. Up. Tight.
I'll believe that as soon as you unclench your fist.
I am not clenching my...
Look down.
...Shut up. This is getting me nowhere.
And where exactly do you want to be?
I don't want to be anywhere.
Would that not anywhere happen to be Sakura's house?
No. That is the last place I would go.
Really? Because you're standing outside it.
A coincidence.
One damn convenient coincidence if you ask me.
Good thing I didn't ask you.
Ah, but you see, you didn't have to.
Lucky me.
Come on, Sasuke. You know you want to go knock and get this whole Sakura mysterious message off your mind.
And why do I want to do that, exactly?
Because, if it's off your mind than you don't have to be thinking about it. You can start training and stop being this whole nervous wreck Sasuke. Really, it's not a good persona for you to be portraying. I find it very misleading.
Whatever, lucky for you you make a good point. Let's just go get this whole Sakura mess straightened out.
Sasuke made his way over to the front door and knocked several times, very rapidly and very loudly. Much to his surprise, an old woman opened up the door.
Does Sakura live with her grandparents?
If you don't know, why would I know? Now say something idiot because right now you just look like a complete weirdo.
"Can I help you with something?" said mysterious and unidentified old lady asked.
"Does Sakura Haruno live here?" Short, direct, and to the point. Très Sasuke.
"Haruno? They haven't lived in this place for five years." The woman had a puzzled kind of expression on her face.
"Do you know where the Harunos live now?" Sasuke had to keep himself from tapping his foot out of impatience. This was ridiculous. How hard was it to find out where one family lived?
"Well, I can tell you where the girl lives."
"She doesn't live with her parents?" Sasuke was surprised, Sakura not living with her parents?
She is 21.
I know, but wouldn't she at least stay at home to take care of them? Why would the woman know where Sakura lives but not her folks?
Now the woman standing in the doorway was surprised.
"How could she?"
Sasuke was REALLY ticked off now. Idiotic questions were not his most favorite thing in the world.
"How could she not?"
Okay, the lady had decided this man was way out of the loop. Everyone knows about the Haruno incident.
"I don't know how to tell you this, but her parents are dead. Killed right outside the gates. It was terrible, poor thing. Now she lives on the opposite side of town, around the Hokage tower, apartment building 34 number 212 if I remember correctly. I use to have to forward her mail that was still delivered here."
Sasuke was dead in his tracks, his blood felt like it was freezing in his veins.
Dead? Her parents are dead?
Wow, that was something I did not see coming. When Naruto said she stuff happened I thought new attitude or wardrobe or something. Not her parents dying.
Not just dying, murdered. Her parents were murdered. And i didn't even know about it until now.
Sasuke, you can't say that.
I can! I could have...
What? Not left. You know you wouldn't have changed your mind.
But her parents were killed. She was suppose to be the normal one on the team, the sheltered one. That's why Naruto and I worked so hard to protect her, right?
Sasuke. You're not even sounding like yourself. There is nothing you can do about it.
Hn. Whatever.
Sasuke left the old woman without another word. Looks like he was back to strolling the streets with no intent purpose.
You know, you could always go to her apartment and get this whole mess straightened out like you planned to do in the first place.
But there was no need for that suggestion to even be thought. Sasuke was already on his way over as soon as he stepped away from that door.
______________________________________________________________________
(1): Naruto's birthday is in October and it's about August so both Sasuke and Sakura are twenty-one already]
Hey guys! Sorry, for some reason that thing took me a little longer to write than the others. There were too many directions I wanted to take it in that it took me extra long to rule them out. review? yes, no, maybe so?
THANKS =] musicXinXtheXdark
Next Chapter:
Back to Crying
"Sakura! Open the damn door!"
The next sound heard was the unlatching of the lock and a faint voice,
"Sasuke, what are you doing here?"
Sasuke could barely see through the opening in the doorway, but he knew this was not the same Sakura who acted so brave the previous morning.
Sasuke softened his voice slightly, "Sakura, let me in."