Shortly after the team had filed back out onto the now nearly-empty streets, the two ANBU the Hokage had mentioned previously appeared on either side of Kabuto. Nobody was surprised, but a shared look of suspense dawned on all their features, aside from Kabuto anyway.
"I guess this is it," Sakura said, willing her voice not to shake as she cast a look of determination towards Naruto. It was mainly him that she was worried about at the moment, knowing that while he had chosen to take her side back there in front of Tsunade, he hadn't exactly wanted to. With that in mind, she couldn't allow him to see the anxiety and uncertainty that gnawed at her now. The understanding of the risk she was about to place herself within was starting to sink in now, and it would only continue to worsen the closer they got to the abandoned building that would become Kabuto's temporary 'home'.
As the two agents wordlessly began to move forward, one of them shoved Kabuto's shoulder to spur him on. Sakura made to follow them, but not without a brief exchange of words with her teammates who were to stay behind.
"I know you will be alright, Sakura. Don't forget what I said that day we trained," Kakashi spoke lowly with concern evident in his exposed eye. "Also, be extra careful. He's been far too quiet this entire time… That's a bit uncharacteristic of him," He added, shooting a suspicious glance at Kabuto's back.
"Yeah, now that you mention it, that guy never knows when to shut up. Eh, It's not just that though, I feel like there's something more. Just be careful," Naruto said with a furrowed brow. He trusted that Sakura would be able to hold her own against the gray-haired ninja if she had to, but strangely enough, it didn't feel as though she would need to do that anytime soon. It was highly unusual for Tsunade to allow a criminal such as Kabuto to reside anywhere near the village, and it hit Sakura somewhat hard when she realized just how much trust and respect her mentor had for her based off that decision alone. Feeling just a bit better about the whole situation, she said her goodbyes to Kakashi and Naruto, and turned to follow the agents escorting Kabuto.
Sakura walked along through the forest on a small path surrounded by thick foliage, her mind swimming with questions she was now looking forward to asking the man who walked a few feet in front of her. The main point of her concern was how and why he killed his own master. Now that was truly a mystery, especially when she thought back to how obsessed he used to be with the snake-man, she never would have imagined this. And she looked forward to continuing that conversation that had been interrupted back in Sound country. It confused her that he had been so open about it all, and to her, of all people.
"This is where we leave you," Came the deep voice of the ANBU on the right of Kabuto. Sakura's attention was now upon the small building in the clearing ahead. It was a shabby looking place that looked as if nobody had inhabited it for quite some time, and if she was being completely honest, she wasn't excited to be alone with someone like Kabuto in this house. The two ANBU stilled as they reached the entryway to the home, one of them giving Sakura a nod before he spoke.
"If you require any assistance, you know the signal." And with that, they vanished into smoke, likely reappearing somewhere close by, but not close enough to be sensed. Kabuto turned to face her then, and it was at that moment she decided to ask the thing that had been gnawing at her ever since her teammates had brought it up.
"What's with you? You've been eerily quiet this entire time,"
He gave her a cryptic smile before reaching for the doorknob. "I'm just trying not to make a spectacle of myself. I don't need that kind of attention, and it's bad enough people saw me out there already."
That wasn't the kind of answer Sakura was looking for, but it definitely made sense. She decided to accept the answer although it disappointed her a bit. They went inside the small house, immediately hit with the odor of musty air and dirt. This place would need to be tidied up for sure, Sakura noted as she glanced around. She went to a small round table in the middle of the room they stood in, appearing to be the kitchen. There was an oil lamp set upon it which she wasted no time lighting, holding it up to get a better view of the house.
"How very hospitable," Kabuto remarked, slowly moving into the next room where a small couch filled in the space of the back wall.
"Well, I don't know what you expected — A five-star hotel?" Sakura scoffed, watching him by the flickering lamplight. "You aren't out of the woods yet, not even close."
He cast her a haughty look, adjusting his round glasses. "No thanks to you, by the way. Or have you already forgotten that it was you who got us both into this ordeal?"
Sakura's brows knit together in bewilderment. "Ordeal? You know, I could still have you thrown in prison," she began, taking a few steps toward him until they stood only a foot apart. Stark shadows danced around them from the lamp.
"In fact, I might just change my mind now that you've opened that snarky mouth of yours."
Kabuto raised his eyebrows as he looked at her, he did his best not to smile. "Oh, so that's what this is… Some kind of sick power play, huh?"
Here he goes, trying to mess with me already.
"I didn't know you were like that, Sakura-chan," He sneered, hoping to strike a nerve. To his disappointment, the rosette simply let out an irritated huff before turning to set the lamp back on the table. She had to turn her face away from his view to hide the vein she felt pulsing in her forehead, not even ten minutes into him opening his face and he'd already managed to piss her off. But he wouldn't win this kind of game, not this time anyway.
"You could at least be a little more, I dunno, grateful? I mean I did save your ass," She offered, trying not to sound so ruffled.
"I didn't need saving. Things would have worked out without your help," He said casually from behind her. She whirled around, this time the irritation was written all over her face.
"And just how did you plan on making that work?"
He blinked. "I have a brother who lives here. Well, not a brother by blood, but nonetheless. I know he is most likely wondering where I disappeared to all those years ago," his tone became softer when he spoke of this, it felt genuine. That was enough to stun Sakura into silence, and she realized she almost enjoyed this side of the man standing before her. He had always been a mystery to her and mostly everyone else, someone she never would've imagined even had a soft side. He always made it seem as if he had no heart at all, no true feelings. He really was human after all.
"A brother?" Sakura quirked a brow, watching him expectantly.
"His name is Urushi. He would likely still be living at the Orphanage, but I can't be totally sure of what path he chose to take. It was a long time ago," Kabuto explained evenly. He turned around to pick up a cushion from the dusty old couch, giving it a few smacks before he threw it back down. He let himself fall back onto it, turning his gaze back towards Sakura.
"I had no idea. Now that you mention it, his name does sound a little familiar," She pulled out a chair from under the kitchen table and dragged it into the living room, spilling herself into it. "I have another question though,"
Kabuto nodded once, and Sakura spoke again.
"Why are you telling me this? It's so… Unlike you to say these kinds of things,"
He regarded her for a moment before finally responding. "So you thought you knew me? And you think you know me now as well?" He sounded almost amused, putting Sakura slightly on edge once again.
"I'm not trying to be rude here, but we were never anything besides enemies. I only know you based off of the way you spoke and acted before,"
Kabuto chuckled, running a hand through his choppy gray hair. "It's just funny… The way you simply assume things," his glasses reflected the flame from the oil lamp as he continued.
"I'll give you all the answers you need, Sakura, as long as you won't assume anything about me ever again."
Sakura didn't know how to deal with this, it was all so strange and new. Sitting in a dark house out in the woods, having a conversation like this with someone who she had always seen as an enemy. Not what she had expected whatsoever.
"Okay, I won't." She replied softly, trying to think of something to change the subject. She suddenly stood, knowing just what to do to lighten the air.
"I'm going to start cleaning this shitheap, if you don't mind,"
Kabuto remained seated on the couch, his hands clasped behind his head as he watched her shuffle towards a small closet in the kitchen. As he closed his eyes, he heard her open the door, and then a loud clatter followed by a 'dammit'. He blinked just in time to see her re-emerge with a broom in hand.
"Don't worry, it won't take long." Sakura sighed as she began sweeping up piles of dirt from every corner. They could've at least sent someone in to do this earlier. Whatever, it was an excuse to have some quiet time and collect her thoughts