title: love month
prompt: SASUSAKU MONTH ON LJ!
rating: T-M
summary: o19; They were both runaways from their homes. One for freedom, the other for the first. But they ran towards each other, and became fugitives from their own selves.
.o19.
Runaway
"If it means being free from everything, then yes, I'll run away."
Sasuke stared at Orochimaru with red eyes. He had finally come to his senses and knew what he was missing. Sasuke knew what was waiting for him and how he'd get it if he'd stop being in the clutches of this insane pedophile.
"You can't run away, Sasuke-kun. I won't let you."
"I'll kill you," he said angrily. "If it must come to it, I'll kill you for my freedom."
Sasuke was hard-eyed and gave him a scowl along with an icy-glare.
"Why do you want to leave me? Is it because you feel as if you'll get more power if I'm not around? Oh, dear, Sasuke-kun, I was the one who taught you everything. I gave you this power. You'll just be hurting yourself if you separate our ties. Besides, what about everything that I feel for you?" He felt Orochimaru's hot breath and tongue stick into his ear and shuddered. The snake man mistook this for delight.
"See, Sasuke-kun? Do you see the fun time we could have together? I want you. You know, that right? I want you so bad." He trailed a long finger down Sasuke's bare chest, and he shoved it away.
"Don't touch me, you freak."
"Sasuke-kun, I'm hurt."
"Get away!"
Sasuke held out his katana to Orochimaru's throat, and the snake man looked at it for a second, before laughing loudly, his head thrown back.
"You want to kill me now? Try it, Sasuke-kun. You can't. You can't kill me now. Not when you need me. As much as you hate to admit it, you still need me in order to get your revenge."
Sasuke didn't say anything, knowing that this was fully true.
"Come on, sweetheart. Put the blade down and let's get back to work. And don't you try to run away from me this time, or else…" he summoned one of his snakes to slither around Sasuke's throat, constricting him softly like a blood pressure cast.
"I'll kill you."
.
.
.
Sasuke knew that he had to get out of here. This man was fucking crazy, and he knew that even with his help, he would still be miles behind Itachi.
He could train by himself, even if it took longer to get to his brother. Orochimaru was sick, twisted, and perverted, and he hated every second he had to spend with him. Shuddering at the thought, he remembered how dirty he felt when he woke up to Orochimaru's tongue licking him clean.
"You dirty bastard!" he shouted, pushing him off.
Sasuke, knowing that Orochimaru would help him in exchange for his body, thought for a minute. Then, he decided to pack up whatever things he had and leave.
"I'm not going to take this shit anymore," he said. "I'm getting nowhere, anyway."
.
.
.
Sakura didn't want any more of this pain. She loved Naruto. She loved Sai. She loved Kakashi. But she loved Sasuke the most.
If the village couldn't find him quicker than she hoped, she would have to hunt him down herself. Knowing what pain she would cause to her friends, she sighed, praying quietly and promising to be back as soon as she could.
"I'm sorry, Naruto," she said as she stroked his blonde hair while he snored. "I'm so sorry." She kissed his forehead. "Thank you."
There was nobody to stop her as she left Konoha. No one to convince her not to leave while they were in tears as she knocked them out and put them on a bench. Nobody.
"You won't be able to find me," Sakura said. "Because by the time that you do, I probably won't exist."
Sakura knew what she was giving up. She would rather die trying to find Sasuke than having to wait while her friends did the dirty work. They were just wasting their time.
And she was wasting hers.
.
.
.
Sasuke decided to leave that night. He left the team. He left Orochimaru. He left his last chance to get closer to his brother for freedom.
Not wanting to admit it, Sasuke had nowhere to go. He didn't know where to go or what to do. He could always go back while he had the chance, but decided not to risk it after so much thinking.
Instead, he kept his head up and ran away to nowhere, hoping that nobody would follow him.
.
.
.
Sakura knew that there would be search teams waiting for her. That's why she picked up the pace and ran, ignoring the exhaustion in her legs as she kept going for hours and hours.
Sasuke, as he continued to run, saw what seemed to be a hallucination. Pink.
Pink hair.
And Sakura thought she saw Sasuke's beautiful face running at many miles per hour.
…Sasuke?
They both stopped for a second until they shook their heads and kept running. However, they both felt chakra around them and considered the other an enemy. Slowly, they watched their surroundings, before Sakura saw Sasuke approaching her.
It really is him.
"S-Sasuke-kun." Her mouth opened for a second, and then closed. She shook her head. "I—I came to find you."
"Sakura." His voice was still deep and masculine and absolutely beautiful, but she shook that thought away. "I'm not letting you take me back. I'm going to be free, and if you must be an obstacle in my way, then I'm sorry for whatever future I must give you."
"Sasuke-kun. I—I wanted to bring you back, but…" she dropped the kunai she held for self-protection. "I can't do it. I can't—I—"
She felt hot tears sting her eyes and wiped them away before he could see it. He just stood there, in front of her, his blade in his hand and the same stoic face.
"I'm sorry, I—"
"I'm running away."
"S-So am I," she said, realizing what her actions were exactly. "To find you."
"To escape."
Sakura, ignoring whatever troubles she would have, including an easy death, ran to Sasuke and held him tight. "I missed you so much," she sobbed in his chest. "Sasuke-kun…"
"We'll run away together," he said, pushing her away softly. "We'll be runaways and fugitives. And you'll be part of my team and heal me."
"L-Like what we used to be?"
Sasuke shook his head solemnly. "We can't ever go back to what we were, Sakura. But I'm giving you a choice. Come with me or stay."
"I—" Sakura realized what her choices were, and knew that she couldn't come back home. "I'm coming with you."
Sasuke didn't say anything. He gave her one of his signature smirks that she was so used to, and held out his hand for her to take.
"Right now, we're fugitives from the law."
She nodded as she picked up her things and followed him, tearing silently.
I love my home, but Sasuke-kun—
I love you more.
Slight changes 7.8.14!