Sakura sat beside the bed as Tsunade healed Sasuke with her chakra. She watched in fascination as Sasuke's ribs slowly set and the burns disappeared.
That's so cool.
His eyes fluttered open and she gasped with a smile.
"Sasuke-kun!"
Her arms threw themselves around his shoulders and she hugged him close, not noticing the Hokage step out. His body was frozen beneath her, but she started to cry anyways. As if sensing her tears he tensed up more, moving away from her slightly to look at her face.
But what she saw in his eyes was emptiness, like he was determined to do something he didn't want to.
"Sasuke-kun?"
"Sorry."
"Hm?"
His hand raised and wiped at her cheek before the silence was interrupted by a growl. Pink tinged Sasuke's cheek and Sakura giggled before pulling away.
"I'll go buy you something to eat."
He sat back, back hitting the mattress and turning away from her.
She sighed before heading down to the market below, buying a bag full of apples.
I know he doesn't like sweets, but apples can't be too bad.
As she walked back to his hospital room, she giggled to herself.
Maybe I should've bought tomatoes.
"Sasuke-kun, I'm back!"
She took her spot next to him and bringing the waist basket closer so she could peel the skin off the apple, knowing he hated that part of fruit.
But he was silent, seething almost. He was propped up again, hands digging into his sheets.
"Sakura-chan! Teme!"
Naruto barged in and stole an apple out of the bag before opening up Sasuke's hospital room window, letting the fall breeze filter in.
Finally done, she offered the apple to Sasuke as Naruto ranted on about talking to Tsunade about the mission.
But that's when things turned sour. Her breath hitched as his hand reached out and smacked the apple away, making the apple hit the wall with a resounding thud.
She didn't have time to feel angry, because Sasuke was glaring at her harshly before turning his glare to Naruto.
"What the hell Sasuke!"
"Hey, Naruto."
Sasuke threw back his covers, glaring at Sakura who tried to stop him.
"What?"
"Fight me. Now."
"You're crazy! You just got healed you idiot."
"Didn't you say you wanted to fight me?"
"Naruto, don't! Sasuke-kun-
"Are you scared?"
Sasuke blinked and activated his Sharingan.
"Not at all."
"Stop it you two!"
Sasuke walked past her and lead the way, Naruto following not far behind.
Her mind flashed to the moment where Sasuke tapped into the curse seal for the first time. She moved in a flash and looked out the window before jumping out of it, searching the streets for her sensei. Looking back and forth, she couldn't even sense him. That's when she felt the shift of the battle from above.
Her heart tightened as she ran through the hospital and threw open the door to the roof before releasing a strangled cry.
"Chidori!"
"Rasengan!"
"STOP IT!"
Running to them, she closed her eyes and felt the pull of the chakra become closer.
"S-Sakura!"
"I can't stop!"
She felt their chakra coming near and closed her eyes.
But the only sound beside their attacks was two smacks and shift before she barreled into a ninja vest. Looking up she saw Kakashi, and then turned her head so fast she got dizzy. Sasuke and Naruto collided into two water tanks.
"If you guys are fighting, that's a bit much, isn't it?"
She turned back to him only to see him reappear on the water tank Sasuke had damaged.
"What were you doing Sasuke, trying to kill Naruto?
Her breath hitched, waiting for the denial, but Sasuke just turned his head away.
"Why are you so angry?"
Sasuke just turned back to glare at him.
"You're acting like a child. That's not how a man deals with his problems."
Sasuke just left. Did a back flip off the building. A tear ran down her face as she stared up at Naruto instead, still trying to catch his breath. No, trying to figure out what just happened.
Jiraiya was talking with Itachi through the fence. They appeared to argue for a minute before analyzing the situation once more.
"Sakura."
She looked back up to Kakashi, another tear falling down her face.
"Everything will go back to normal soon. Cheer up okay?"
She just nodded.
"See you."
Naruto jumped off the platform to where she was and she embraced him tightly.
"Sakura-chan."
"Hm?"
"Next time, don't interfere."
Her body went still and she released a choked sob.
"What?"
With that Naruto left her on the roof too. So she stood, alone, with a chilly wind drying the tears on her face.
She went down the hospital stairs and found a nurse's station, revealing that Sasuke had left on Kakashi's orders, and that he was fine. It was a big lie, but it would stop Tsunade from getting involved. After all, she believed Kakashi when he said everything would be okay.
But when she started to walk home, she heard a conversation above her in a wide tree who's leaves were ready to fall any moment.
"Sasuke. Forget about Revenge."
"What?"
She masked her chakra, before sitting at the base of the tree in the large shadow.
"I've seen plenty of guys like you. The ones who speak of revenge are the worst kind. You will only hurt yourself more than ever, and you will only cause yourself suffering. Even if you succeed in revenge all that will remain is sorrow."
"Shut up! What do you know?"
"Your eyes only see Itachi, your traitor brother who advanced farther along than you. But do you think of your father? Your mother? How about Naruto and Sakura?"
"Don't talk about me as if you know me!"
"Hey, calm down. I know the pain of loss Sasuke, but no one simply walked out of my life. They died. My team mates, my sensei, and my parents. The only family I have is Sakura and her parents. It could be worse however."
"Tch."
"Chidori is a power I've given you. It mustn't be used against comrades nor for revenge. I think it's time you and me take another vacation, yeah? The end of this week, have a bag packed with a lot of clothes. We'll be gone for a while."
"Aa."
With that she felt Kakashi leave, leaving Sasuke by himself. She herself stood up and began to walk away, feeling her heart sink.
Kakashi's taking Sasuke out of the village.
xxXXxx
Sakura sat on her bedroom floor with scrolls and old text books around her, all rented form the library.
"Sakura-chan?"
Naruto walked into her room and sat on her bed.
"Hey."
"What are you doing?"
"Research."
"On?"
Sakura bit her lip before sighing.
"Sasuke asked me to not to tell you, but-"
"Hey! We shouldn't keep secrets from each other! We're a team!"
"Sh!"
But Sakura laughed anyways.
"Do you remember when Orochimaru knocked you out?"
"I remember a little, yeah."
"He fought Sasuke, but when Sasuke thought he had the upper hand, he snuck up and bit him."
"Ew."
"It gets worse. What ever he injected in him acted up immediately. He was in such pain, he eventually passed out. When the sound ninja attacked me, he woke up , covered in dark marks across his skin. He had a look in his eyes, like he was excited for the surge in chakra it gave him."
"When we fought Gaara, that's why he collapsed?"
"He tapped out the chakra from the mark. But what I just found in the scroll on my bed is that the more he uses it, the less control he has of it. He can lose himself if he uses it too much."
She must've become deep in thought because Naruto was snapping his fingers in front of her face with a grin.
"Let's go get some ramen!"
"What?"
"I told your mom we were leaving for food anyways, so let's go!"
He pulled her hand and pulled her out of her house.
"Naruto! I can walk by myself you know!"
"Yeah, yeah!"
Sakura felt her sun dress sway around her knees as Naruto lead her around a couple of corners and onto a seat.
"Welcome!"
"I'll take my normal, Sakura-chan too!"
"Naruto, I didn't grab my purse-"
"It's okay! I've got it!"
Sakura looked at Naruto who was casually dressed as well and talking to the man making their ramen and his daughter.
That's when she caught the word that made Naruto go beet red.
"What! She's not my girlfriend! That is to say I wouldn't like her to be but no! We're just friends! She's my female friend! My team mate! Sakura-chan, help me out here!"
Naruto was almost finished with his whiny rant and it left her in giggles. The moon was high in the sky already, casting a bright natural light on the village.
"Here you are!"
"Idatakimasu!"
They chimed in unison before eating. Naturally Naruto finished his fast and ordered seconds. Sakura however stuck with her one bowl. She made a noise in her throat of contentment as she set her chopsticks down and thanked Naruto for the meal.
"Do you want me to walk you home? It's kind of dangerous, isn't it?"
She just smiled at him before shaking her head.
"I'm a chunin too you know! Besides, the moon is bright tonight, I'll be fine. Thanks again for dinner!"
Sakura kissed his cheek and waved at the ramen shop owner and his daughter before turning a corner. But before she was home, her footsteps stopped. A sinking feeling was in her stomach and she looked up back to the sky.
A chill swept behind her as a few orange, red, and yellow leaves swept into the sky.
Something's not right.
Her eyes caught the leaves travel towards the trail out of her village and her heart lurched. Her feet followed in the pace of a run. The sound of her sandals against the stone was quiet but echoing in her ears.
When she arrived to a the path, her breath hitched. Walking towards her was Sasuke, casual as ever. He even had his hands in his pockets. However, that wasn't what really caught her eye.
He had a backpack. More importantly, the backpack he took on missions.
Finally he stopped a few feet in front of her, finally opening his eyes. They weren't normal. They were cold. And calculated.
"What are you doing out this late?"
She felt tears well up in her eyes at the concern that he couldn't hide in his voice.
"This is the only path leading out of the village."
"Go home and sleep."
He moved around her and kept walking, their shoulders barely touching.
"Why?"
A tear slipped down her face as she turned around to see him finally stop.
"Where are you going? What are you not telling me? You're shutting me out!"
"Why do I have to tell you anything?"
She smiled bitterly and noticed that he wasn't turning around to face her. She choked down a sob realizing what he was going to do.
"You always act like you hate me Sasuke-kun."
Sakura looked down, not catching his shoulders tense at the affectionate suffix added to his name.
"Look at me!"
A sob let loose and she felt her body begin to shake.
He continued to stand still.
"Why do you think this is best? Why does it have to be you to bring your brother back!"
"You don't understand."
"You're right I don't! Damn it Sasuke, we're supposed to be a team! And a team doesn't keep secrets! Naruto and I, Kakashi-sensei too, we can help you train, get the power that you think you need! But please don't go to him!"
He continued to stay still, as if waiting for her to stop talking all together.
"You don't get it do you? Are you really that stupid!"
She took a step closer.
"Your mother will be heartbroken if you go! Kakashi will be disappointed, Naruto will be mad and I-"
"What about you Sakura?"
The cold breeze brush against her cheeks, as if attempting to dry her tears. However, they would not dry.
When she didn't respond, Sasuke surprisingly continued to talk.
"Our paths have changed. I was fooling myself to believe I would get stronger here. I chose to bring my brother back, forcefully. I chose to do it alone."
"Don't say that! You're abandoning us!"
"From now on, new paths will start."
"Your family, your friends!"
"They mean nothing."
"I love you more than anything!"
The confession made him falter, and he turned around so fast. Her own mind was numb from the confession, but she wasn't done trying.
"If you stay here I promise you won't regret it! I will make everyday more enjoyable than the last, and you'll be happy! I would do anything for you! That's why, I beg for you to please stay here! I will train with you, day and night, twenty four seven and I'll help you bring him back, I promise!"
She used her palms to wipe at her tears.
"Sakura, you're annoying."
Her breath hitched and she looked up, watching him walk away.
"If you go I'll scream and-"
He appeared behind her in that second.
"Thank you."
Before she had a chance to turn around, her vision went black.
xxXXxx
End!