Quotes:
Sakura: "Self-esteem is as important to our well-being as legs are to a table. It is essential for physical and mental health and for happiness". ~ Louise Hart
Hinata: "We each appear to hold within ourselves a range of divergent views as to our native qualities.. And amid such uncertainty, we typically turn to the wider world to settle the question of our significance.. we seem beholden to affections of others to endure ourselves." ― Alain de Botton, Status Anxiety
"Why do you have to drive me?" Sakura yelled, kicking at the kerb in frustration. She ignored the resulting sting, "My dad can do it, or I can get the bus!"
"And deny me your company?" Kabuto's eyes glittered in enjoyment. He seemed to genuinely find their arguments fun.
"I don't – I don't get you." Sakura's annoyance was diminished by Kabuto's strangely sincere smile, "I don't get what you want from me. I'm just some kid with a screwed up limp and head, I know exactly how tiny and insignificant my existence is in the universe, blah blah, so why the hell do you need me? I don't contribute anything to Orochimaru's fucked up empire. I don't have any specialised, rare skills. I'm not even blindly obedient anymore. So, why?"
Kabuto moved around the parked car as another came racing down the street. He stood, staring at the back of the vehicle with some distaste as it zoomed away. He brushed his trousers down unhurriedly, the sun reflecting off the lenses in his glasses as he did so. He straightened up and joined her on the pavement, resting his hand lightly on her shoulder. The movement did not appear to be intentional or calculated, but impulsive.
"Why don't you recognise your own value, Sakura?" Kabuto asked. An angry retort died in Sakura's throat at the earnestness of his gaze, "Why are you so quick to dismiss your worth? You made a stab in the dark that struck true in that hospital room. I have found myself awash with sentiment as of late. I find your quick wit charming, your defensive insults amusing. Everything from the bright look of anger in your eyes to the rare pleasure of your smile appeals to me. You have one of the keenest minds of any young person I have ever met. You have genuine potential in this field. Whilst it is true that I am perhaps biased by my affection for you, you should know that I do consider you intelligent and I do believe you would do well in Orochimaru-sama's company."
Sakura could feel herself blinking more rapidly throughout his speech, her mind growing blanker in shock. She felt almost timid in her surprise, the notion that someone considered her not just worthy of praise, but affection, sentiment, made her feel very strange.
She said quietly, "I'm not anything special."
His eyes narrowed, "I called you valuable, not special. Valuable is much better. It means you have worth."
"I'm not a purchase, Kabuto!" Sakura said bitterly.
"I never said you were."
"It doesn't matter anyway. You can call me all the sweet names you like, compliment me in every single way and it won't change the fact that you are blackmailing me! There's nothing – I don't know… romantic about what you're doing! I wouldn't be here right now if you weren't forcing me, so can you please quit the affable friend shtick you've got going on? I don't need to hear how valuable I am from you. There's no need to pretend to be nice anymore, I already get that you're a soulless bastard with assassins on speed dial, so just stop acting otherwise!"
"Sakura."
If it had simply been Kabuto's smooth, oily tones drawling her name, she wouldn't have snapped bolt upright and widened her eyes to the point of pain. Because, of course, the voice was Gaara, she freaked out.
"Shit!" She reflexively tried to move away from the noise, tripping over the kerb and into Kabuto's arms, which tightened upon contact.
Gaara stood, his arms crossed, his mildly irritated expression morphing into something far more severe and judging.
"Well, um, this is awkward," Sakura, who had no filter for her speech, said stupidly, "And inconveniently timed."
Kabuto's arms remained tightly secure around her, despite the fact that the normal length of time society dictated was suitable to continue to hold onto someone after catching them was certainly not well over a minute, for God's sake.
Tezuka and Hinata stood behind Gaara, as if the day could not get any weirder, both of them looking politely confused.
"Let go of her." Gaara said mildly, his voice very even and calm despite the thunderous look on his face.
"Boyfriend?" Kabuto murmured in her ear.
"None of your business," Sakura replied crisply, "Gaara, what are you doing here?"
"I was passing through, then I bumped into Hinata and then I saw you and Yakushi Kabuto together," Gaara said flatly, "I didn't think I should leave without informing you that he works for a psychopath."
"What? Oh I know all of that," Sakura said dismissively, "You told me, he told me in somewhat more vague and patronising words, I got the big, murderous memo."
"Then why," Gaara paused delicately, his fingers twitching violently, "are you with him now?"
"Sakura, get in the car." Kabuto said quietly, "I don't think your friend would appreciate knowing you work for me."
Sakura imagined the explosion that would ensue and winced. There was still a part of her that rebelled at the idea of complying with his wishes, of getting into a car with a man she knew to be dangerous. Then there was the much larger part of her that thought of her mother, of the job she loved and the hard work she put in. How easily Kabuto could destroy it all.
She climbed onto the backseat, shutting the door behind her without watching for their reactions. She heard Gaara snapping her name with what sounded like genuine worry. She winced again.
Hinata watched the scene unfold with worry and a complete lack of comprehension. Gaara had seen Sakura with an older man and had clearly been very angry about something. Hinata had assumed it to be mere jealousy upon seeing Sakura embracing someone else, but the atmosphere had suddenly grown tense and, with a single quiet command from the unknown male, Sakura meekly got into the car.
Rin took a few strides forward, coming to stand next to Gaara. She glanced through the car window at Sakura, but she was staring down into her lap.
"Hello," Rin said pleasantly, "I was wondering what the situation was."
She gave Gaara a sideways look, glanced once more at Sakura, and something in her seemed to harden visibly, her shoulders tensing up at the sight.
"I'm Yakushi Kabuto," He gave a little bow, smiling, "I'm a friend of Sakura's."
"No you are not –" Gaara snarled, but Kabuto shook his head and began to back away.
"I assure you," He said calmly, crossing the back of the car. Gaara realised what he was doing and started to chase after him, but Kabuto simply opened the car door and smiled nonchalantly at him, "I am indeed her friend."
He got into the car and almost instantly, the engine roared to life.
Gaara smacked his hands off the car window, shouting for Sakura to get out. Her head did not turn his way, nor did she make any move to leave.
Rin looked more than alarmed now and Hinata's hand had fallen to her pocket, where she now clutched her phone, her forehead furrowed in worry.
"What's going on?" Rin shouted, peering through Sakura's window.
"We can't let him leave with her!" Gaara tried to open one of the back doors, his face red with frustration.
"Right." Rin said calmly as the car reversed slightly, bringing it into a better position to smoothly drive away.
She stood in front of the car just as it began to move forward, her face sternly disapproving as though daring the driver to keep going.
Sakura's eyes bugged out, she hit Kabuto's arm in panic and the car rolled to a halt, inches away from Rin's legs. The older woman glared at him through the window, unshaken and authoritative.
"Out." She said slowly so they could lip-read, "Get out now."
xxxxxxxx
"Well, we're doomed." Sakura said, staring at Tezuka with complete terror, "We had a good run though, wouldn't you agree?"
Kabuto rubbed his temples with his fingertips, looking very much not amused, "I take it you know this woman too?"
"Uh yeah, she's my psychiatrist."
"You see a psychiatrist?" Kabuto asked, suddenly interested, ignoring Tezuka's best bitch-face glaring at him.
"I did try to kill myself."
"Ah, but does she know that?"
"No – oh shit she's got her phone out, what if she calls my mum?" Sakura was already scrabbling at the door handle ("you have child locks, you asshole") as she fretted. She managed to get the door open after Kabuto sighed and pressed a button.
They both exited the car, Sakura shamefaced, Kabuto mildly annoyed.
Tezuka immediately made a beeline for Kabuto, pointing her finger at his chest like a weapon. Her face was alight with self-righteous anger.
"This child is under my supervision," She began, jabbing her finger into his chest. Sakura made a noise of vehement disagreement at the word child. Kabuto began to smile, "I want to know what's going on here."
"Tezuka-san, I'm afraid there has been a serious misunderstanding," Kabuto's smile turned apologetic. Sakura gave him a suspicious glare, not liking the sudden change in attitude. "I work with Sakura-san's mother. She has to work late at the hospital today so she asked me to drive Sakura-san home. Here is my ID." He took a plastic, laminated card. His photo and details were printed neatly along with the hospital's official stamp.
Tezuka took it, frowning. She stared at it, though Sakura knew she wouldn't get much from it. She didn't know the hospital or its protocol for worker identification.
"Are you a doctor?" She asked, "It doesn't say what your profession is."
"As a matter of fact, I am," Kabuto said lightly, "Just qualified."
"You look too young to be a doctor! You do have that kind of air about you, though." Tezuka smiled.
Sakura felt her eye twitch under the pressure of her incredulous squint. Tezuka was supposed to be a super-intelligent, perceptive woman! She wasn't supposed to fall for Kabuto's crap!
"How do you know this young man?" Tezuka pointed at Gaara, still smiling pleasantly, "He called you by name back then."
Gaara smirked.
Kabuto glanced at Gaara, his head tilting in interest.
Gaara knew Kabuto? Sakura's face scrunched up in confusion, through Orochimaru, perhaps?
Gaara's smirk grew as Kabuto failed to answer. Ah. He was enjoying this.
Kabuto gave a theatrical sigh, "His name is Gaara," He replied. Gaara's smirk disappeared instantly, "He's a friend of Sakura-san's. I know him through her."
Tezuka nodded in understanding, "I see. However, I still want to know why Gaara-san said you were someone who Sakura should not get into a car with," Her smile became radiant, "could you explain why that was?"
Kabuto's lips pursed in annoyance.
He gave Sakura a sideways look. She understood. It was up to her now to keep up the masquerade. For whatever reason, Kabuto did not want them to know she worked for him. And her mother's job relied in them not finding out.
She glared violently at his face. He turned it, presumably to hide his amusement.
"Kabuto is a terrible driver," Sakura said, shaking her head, "Mum must have been desperate to ask him to drive me."
"You've recently been in a car crash," Tezuka said, narrowing her eyes. She truly did have a gift for stating the obvious, didn't she? "And you don't mind taking risks like this?"
Sakura returned Tezuka's suspicious look. How much of the truth about the 'accident' did Tezuka know? If so, was she worried Sakura was still suicidal?
Gaara opened his mouth finally, his pale eyes cutting. Sakura realised what he planned to do when he glanced at Kabuto.
"Tezuka!" Sakura said desperately. The older woman blinked, "I cannot keep this charade up any longer!"
Kabuto stiffened slightly.
Gaara mouth relaxed into a smile, clearly relieved.
"Kabuto and I are in a secret relationship!" Sakura declared.
Kabuto made a noise like a strangled cat, a cross between a screech and a protest.
Sakura beamed at him, linking his arm in hers, "We can't tell anyone because of the age difference. I'm sorry about lying about needing a lift, but Mum would never –"
"What the fuck." Gaara said, his tone completely flat. He was expressionless, "Just… what."
"I see," Tezuka looked contemplative, "and Gaara-san does not approve, I take it?"
Sakura affected a watery-eyed look of shame, "He only wants what's best for me. He doesn't understand that my love is just that!"
"My love?" Kabuto murmured, his arm tight in hers.
"Too much?" She whispered. His shoulders shook.
"Where were you really going, then?" Tezuka asked, "if he wasn't taking you home?"
"Oh, no, he was," Sakura felt herself blushing and cursed, "It's just, Mum didn't really ask because she doesn't know and I didn't want you to ask her…"
Tezuka stared hard at the two of them, at Sakura's blushing face and Kabuto's newly appropriated look of tortured love.
"Well, it's legal," She finally said, though she obviously didn't like it, "However, I don't think this is a healthy relationship at all. Age differences can be overcome if both parties are completely grown up, however, with Sakura being sixteen and of a slightly… well, her judgement is not that of an adults. There is, inevitably, a power imbalance. Therefore, I think her parents need to be informed, just to be safe."
Sakura's stomach lurched in panic, "No! Don't tell them, please!" If her parents thought she was seeing an older man, and her psychiatrist was concerned enough to come to them about it… it would be just another thing for them to worry about, and Kabuto might decide to cut his losses and get her mother sacked anyway!
"Come off it, Sakura!" Gaara suddenly exploded, "You can't really be seeing this bastard, just because he works with Orochimaru?"
"Don't insult him!" Sakura snapped, aware of Tezuka's heavy gaze, "And it's none of your business!"
"Of course not," Gaara said, breathing heavily, "I'm only your friend. None of my business at all."
"I won't tell your parents," Tezuka said, "There is a certain confidentiality between us, after all. But please remember, you can call me anytime if you ever need me."
"Sakura?" Hinata suddenly piped up, reddening when everyone looked at her, "If you still need a lift, I can call my driver."
Kabuto gave Sakura the tiniest of nods, so she smiled at Hinata, "I think that would be for the best. Just so none of you have to worry."
Gaara's eyes did not move from Sakura's face the whole time Hinata was on the phone. His eyes were strangely pleading.
"Oh, here's the bus!" Tezuka said, grabbing Hinata's wrist and tugging her on despite her sudden, obvious terror. Sakura watched Hinata through the window, seeing how she struggled to articulate to the driver what ticket she needed.
The bus pulled away, leaving only Gaara to deal with.
Sakura made to remove her arm from Kabuto's, but he stilled the movement with his hand. His smile was wicked, "I'll see you later then, Sakura-san."
Shit. Did he want her to work through the night?
She forced a smile, "OK."
Before she knew it, Kabuto's face was descending towards hers and she could see a flash of Gaara's outraged face and she barely had enough time to think shit he's gonna kiss me before his lips… gently brushed her forehead, a chaste kiss that seemed almost sweet in comparison to the clinch she had expected. She stared up at him, eyes wide, and he smiled at her, brushing aside some of the hair that had fallen into her face.
"You always think the worst of me, don't you?" He murmured.
"Tezuka never introduced herself," Sakura said quietly, "So how did you know her name, Stalker-kun?"
Kabuto gave a chuckle, "Orochimaru Corp. requires every member to have perfect health… physical and mental. Of course I checked yours out."
"Perfect health." Sakura tapped her cane against the floor, "Are you a moron?"
"Just willing to overlook certain things for special people."
Sakura's blush grew fiery. "Shut up!" She spat, covering her cheeks with her hands, "You and your stupid false flattery!"
"Why would his flattery be false?" Gaara asked suddenly, "He's your boyfriend, apparently."
"Er, well, he's –"
"Sakura-san is very bad at accepting compliments," Kabuto said pleasantly, "She really needs to work on that, I'm afraid."
"Cut the crap." Gaara seized Kabuto's collar, dragging him forward. Sakura rather thought he allowed himself to be pulled, considering the difference in sizes.
Gaara's pale green eyes bored into Kabuto's, "You clearly know who I am."
"Of course," Kabuto smiled, "The youngest son of the late – "
"And why is he late?" Gaara snarled.
"I'm sure there's a punchline to that if you give me a minute. No? Fine then. Your father was murdered."
"By your boss!"
"Most say it was you, actually."
"Gaara!" Sakura said warningly as his fist drew back for a punch. He lowered it, still seething in rage.
"Why are you protecting him?" He growled, "He works for a psychopath, I said it before!"
"And I said: I know." Sakura replied, widening her eyes meaningfully.
Gaara's anger faltered, "What, you know… and you don't care?"
"Orochimaru-sama is…" Sakura trailed off, struggling to find the words for the lie.
"Famous for ordering illegal experiments on humans," Gaara said flatly, "For hiring killers. Hurting anyone he can get his hands on. If you hang around him…"
"Sakura won't get hurt, I promise you." Kabuto said gravely.
"My father did. And your promises aren't worth much. Come on, Sakura," Gaara held out his hand, "Let's go."
Sakura couldn't help it, she looked at Kabuto for permission.
He tilted his head, looking between the two of them. His dark eyes narrowed, and he shook his head.
"You don't need his permission." Gaara said, his voice and low and insistent.
Do you think she'd find a job easily if she lost this one?
Yes I do, she thought sadly. I owe my mother some happiness; after all I've put her through. That can't start with her losing her job.
"I'm sorry, Gaara." She said honestly.
"I'll be even more sorry if you turn up dead in a ditch one day," Gaara threw his hands up, turning to walk away, "Honestly, I thought you were smarter than this."
Sakura's jaw trembled.
Kabuto's hand squeezed her arm, not hard. Almost in comfort.
"How much would you actually do for your mother's job?" Kabuto asked, his tone not suggestive. He seemed curious.
"Not her job. I'd do anything for my mother. Even lose a friend, I guess." Sakura blinked back tears, feeling ridiculous. There was a lump in her throat that felt like a fist slowly pressing against her oesophagus.
Kabuto let her go, rolling his eyes.
"Lie to him," He said, "Tell him the truth. I don't care either way."
Sakura took a step, hardly daring to believe it, "Are you sure?"
"No," He said sullenly, "Do it anyway. And stop crying. You'll spoil your looks."
Sakura gave him a big, beaming smile. "Pervert." She teased, "See you later then!"
She limped after Gaara, her stride worsening in her haste. She looked comical in her wobbling retreat.
After she left, Kabuto leant against his car, his head in his hands.
"What is wrong with me?"
xxxxxxxx
"How's your tutoring going?" Ino asked, the pen in her mouth wiggling as she spoke. Her pale eyes swept the length of her desk, covering the vast number of books and papers that were strewn on its surface. She scribbled the answer to a sum, looking to Sakura for guidance.
Sakura glanced at the page at Ino's pleading look. Math was a strange subject for her. She had no passion for it, she never felt that surge of pleasure at learning something new with it. And yet, numbers seemed to flash through her brain like a computer's calculations. She was very rarely wrong when it came to mathematics.
She moved Ino's decimal point one space. Ino's eyebrows shot up and she stared, aghast, trying to work out her mistake.
"Learn the rule before you do the sum," Sakura said, tapping Ino's head with a pencil in chastisement. She slid the open textbook over and patted the right section, "And I'm not being tutored anymore."
"Oh?" Ino was barely listening, her attention focused on her homework, "How come?"
"My grades have improved." Sakura replied.
"So quickly? Well done! Heh, whenever I used to ask you about your grades in primary school, you would always say the same thing, 'Doing well in everything, I guess.' Then I'd find out you were getting perfect scores for every subject!" Ino chuckled to herself, scribbling notes in the margin.
Sakura shrugged, "It's nothing. When someone comes naturally to you, it's hardly admirable to do well in it, right? I didn't work hard for those grades."
"You don't apply yourself," Ino winked, "Everything is easy, so it's all boring. If something's boring, you can't bring yourself to care about it. I, however, am doing rather well for myself lately. My grades have shot up! And I do extracurricular activities!"
"Good for you," Sakura crossed out one of Ino's notes, shooting her a placatory smile when she pouted, "Don't forget to reverse that. You're in the Home Economics club, right? Is that taxing?"
"It's the fashion club, Sakura, jeez. What kind of best friend are you?"
"You're right, the difference is vast indeed. Will you ever forgive me?"
"If you do my maths homework for me."
"No."
"Damn it. One day that will work."
"But it is not this day."
"Nerd."
"Hmm."
"Anyway, for your information, looking this good takes time," Ino gestured at herself with a knowing smirk, "Do you know how many hearts I break every day?"
"Half as many as you deserve, surely." Sakura replied in tones of absolute disinterest.
"Huh?"
"Doesn't matter. Why did you write six there? It should be fourteen. In fact, you've written half of the answers under the wrong questions."
"What are you talking ab – oh shit!"
xxxxxxxx
"Chiyo." Gaara called, leaving his key on the hall table. Sakura followed, squinting into the darkness, trying to discern the shapes of the furniture surrounding them, not wanting to hurt her legs.
Gaara flipped a switch and the ceiling light turned on, revealing the crowded hallway Sakura remembered from her previous visit. Chiyo, the demented old bat, was clearly a hoarder. The hallway was stuffed with discarded tables.
Sakura gingerly skirted around them, her cane making a rhythmic knocking sound from all the times it was banged against something. Gaara followed her silently, expertly dodging the wooden fixtures.
"In here." An unfamiliar voice called, restrained and soft.
Gaara made a noise of realisation and pushed a door open that Sakura hadn't even noticed. It was a disused dining room. All the shelves held cracked, yellowing crockery and the long, once-grand table was covered in dust.
A young man sat at the table opposite Chiyo. Sakura could see the family resemblance from just a glance. He looked uncomfortably similar to Gaara.
"Sasori," Gaara stepped into the room, "What are you doing here?"
"He's trying to persuade me to die already." Chiyo said grumpily.
"It is not working." Sasori said, deadpan. "Who's the girl?"
"Yo," Sakura raised a hand in greeting, "I'm Haruno Sakura."
"A friend," Gaara said carelessly, "I wanted to talk with her about something, so we'll be in my room."
Chiyo's rheumy eyes lit up.
"Heh heh… do you think just 'cause I'm an old woman that I don't know what you're planning on doing?" She said craftily, "I was young once too, you know. Your daddy didn't spring from nothing."
"We just want to have a private chat –"
"Nope. If all you want's a chat you can do it right here where I can keep an eye on you." To illustrate her point, Chiyo widened one eye and angled her face in almost the right direction.
"Gaara's to the left." Sasori muttered.
Chiyo's face changed directions, her wide eye now staring straight at them both.
"Times like this my family seems normal." Sakura said, satisfied.
"Shut up," Gaara said sourly, "are you OK to talk about it here?"
"I don't care, I just wanna clear up this misunderstanding."
"As long as you aren't actually dating Kabuto." Gaara said dismissively, pulling up a chair and sitting astride it.
"Priorities, Gaara." Sakura sniffed.
It's hilarious how Hinata disappears in someone else's perspective. I keep forgetting she's there, it's so annoying. SPEAK UP, DAMMIT
Tezuka would rather get run over than allow her charge to drive off with an unsavoury fellow! Admittedly the car was driving very slowly but REGARDLESS! Well done, Tezuka.
Is it bad that I laugh at my own jokes? I laughed a lot at Sakura's pathetic attempts at lying in this chapter. Master of manipulation she is not. KABUTO AND I ARE IN A SECRET RELATIONSHIP AND NO ONE UNDERSTANDS OUR BURNING LOVE
Hinata's arc will become more important later, I swear. Sakura's is reaching its peak!
Sasori is Gaara's cousin, so Chiyo is also his grandmother.
An anon asked for KabuSaku and Genuinely-Unique said they liked it, so I hoped they liked this chapter!
Alternate endings for the confrontation scene included: Kabuto very literally running off with Sakura in his arms, cane and all. Gaara punching through the glass of the car window, freaking Kabuto out enough for him to free Sakura from her child lock prison. Tezuka falling briefly in love with Kabuto and allowing him to drive off with Sakura. Hinata revealing a hidden talent for martial arts and knocking Kabuto out with one strike. And finally, my personal favourite: A nuclear bomb wiping them all out.
As you can probably tell, the confrontation scene was a bitch to write.
A few of you may have been confused at Tezuka saying KabuSaku was legal, however in Britain it is indeed legal to have a sexual relationship with people aged sixteen and above, so in this story it is. (Not that it's set in Britain, it's set in a confusing parallel universe in which teens with strange yet natural hair colours speak in British slang with incorrectly placed Japanese suffixes against a slightly Americanised backdrop)
I'm writing a book, btw :) It's Student Warfare, my fanfic, heavily warped and altered to fit an original story. I'm having way too much fun writing it!
Quick poll for fun: Have you ever underestimated a book/film/TV series/other and been pleasantly surprised by it?
I have! I hated the first three Vampire Diaries books, so I assumed I'd hate the TV series too. Fast forward over twenty episodes later and I'm sobbing over my new OTP that ended TRAGICALLY
Goddammit