Title: The Holding Game
Genre: Angst/Suspense
Rating: T
Synopsis: While training in the forest one day, Sasuke and Naruto's pathological need to compete with one another causes them to commit a horrid act; after which their guilt and fear prompts them both to hold the biggest secret of their young lives.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
The Holding Game
by Yamichik
(:Chapter 7:) Your silence won't save me
The room was stark silent. Naruto and Sasuke were frozen dead in their tracks. Sakura's eyes shifted nervously from one boy to the other, shivering at the look of fear on Naruto's face, and cowering at the look of malice on Sasuke's.
"I'm so sorry!" she blurted, though she was covering her mouth and it came out garbled.
"How?" asked Sasuke sharply. He was clearly no-nonsense. Sakura hesitated for a second.
"Well, a few days ago, I called your cell phone Sasuke… but you didn't answer, so I called Naruto." She wrinkled her face in desperation, "I just wanted to know if training was scheduled for Saturday… Naruto answered, and thought he'd be ecstatic to get a call from me, so I was surprised when he yelled at me and told me to call later." She paused for a second before stealing a glance at Naruto. "You sounded so upset, and I could hear Sasuke in the background, so I knew you two were together. I was a little concerned, so that's probably why I didn't hang up right away… But God I wish I had…"
"Sakura, tell me exactly how you heard what we said." Said Naruto. He was worried. Sakura turned her face away.
"I heard a bunch of shuffling and noises after you stopped talking to me, so I stayed on the line. I guess, I thought you were going to come back or something… It wasn't long before I realized that I could hear you and Sasuke pretty clearly."
An icy shock shot through Naruto's body. 'Oh no!' he thought, 'when I thought I hung up on Sakura, I stuffed my cell phone in my jacket pocket… For her to have heard everything means I must have pressed the speakerphone button by accident!' His eyes darted to Sasuke, who was sitting silently, holding his forehead as if he had a killer headache. Then he spoke.
"It sounds like idiot Naruto neglected to hang up his phone completely." He stated. "How much did you hear Sakura?"
"Everything… up until the call cut after Naruto freaked out about having to cut the man's body."
The mood in the room went from tense, to depressing. Naruto hung his head silently as Sasuke stared angrily out the window.
"I guess... That's it." He said quietly, his eyes darting between Sasuke, Sakura, and his own cold hands.
"What are you talking about?" snapped Sasuke.
"It's all over… It's not even a secret anymore. Besides, come on Sasuke, we can't expect Sakura to hold something like this in; we can't expect her to suffer like we are." Her silence won't do anything to help us.
"Over my dead body." Said Sasuke from the window. "If she dares to open her mouth about this I'll..." He then turned to Sakura. "You'll shut up about this, right?" he asked. Sakura stayed silent for an uncomfortable amount of time. "Come on Sakura, you won't tell on me will you?" he asked again, this time approaching her slowly. She took a step back as tears began to form in her eyes at the frightening change in Sasuke's usual cool demeanor. "Answer me Sakura." He commanded, but she remained silent. "Sakura!!" he snapped fiercely as he rushed forward and grabbed the girl by the neck with both hands.
"Sasuke! What are you doing?!" yelled Naruto as he jumped out of bed as fast as his weakened body would allow him to. He ripped IV's and monitors from his body as he made his way to the disturbing scene across the room, grabbing Sasuke's arms and pulling him from the frightened girl.
"Sasuke are you crazy?!" he yelled as he pinned him to the floor.
"If I am, then you must be too! We can't let her tell!! Don't you see what's happening?!"
"Sasuke…" started Naruto, "We have to-"
"No." interrupted Sasuke as he fought his teammate to let him up. He released himself from Naruto roughly and approached the door. "I won't give up my life."
"You took someone else's!" shot back Naruto.
"Hey! Don't forget that you were there too!" said Sasuke. "In fact any witness would have to said that you were more at fault."
"You can't say that!" Spat Naruto.
"Oh yes I can loser. After all, who threw the first kunai?" He turned around and started to leave. "I won't go down for this alive Naruto." His eyes were stone cold. "And even if I do, I won't go alone." He then looked at Sakura. "And if you dare to open your mouth about this, I'll kill you too."
With that, he left.
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Hi hi, I know it's short, but it's totally not over, LoL. Stick around, review, and enjoy please!
Peace,
-Sabs