Sunflower Chapter 7: the princess: fairytale, a naruto fanfic

AN:// a pair to prince .

the fairytale goes…

she tripped

oh. She was

princess: fairytale. She didn't think they'd exist

She tripped and fell

and he held out his hand.

He frowned down at her. What a clumsy girl.

He had heard quick, light footsteps behind him and he had tensed, thinking it was one of those rabid fan girls trying to ambush him. He was about to hightail it out of there when he heard the rhythm of the footfalls break suddenly and a muffled crash resound later. After a second's thought, the dark haired boy scolded himself. No fan girl would be out here, outside the borders of Konoha. He heard a scramble behind him.

The dark haired boy's eyebrows rose as he turned around, wondering who would be wandering around here.

No one was there.

He shrugged and turned around and resumed his walk. His senses picked up footsteps again behind him and he tensed. The boy halted abruptly and listened. The footsteps had stopped also.

Quickly, he whipped around, his hands going to his weapon's pouch.

No one was there.

He frowned, the corners of his lips pulling down handsomely and he turned around once again. Slowly, he began to walk again, his steps light and relaxed. His onyx eyes slipped shut easily and he transported effortlessly behind a tree, out of sight. He pressed himself stealthily into the tree and waited silently.

If this were an enemy, he would have to be careful. But, he didn't sense any chakra…could it be a lost civilian?

His lips quirked up when he heard footsteps. They were uncertain at first and then they sped up, falling rapidly before…

The person tripped again.

"Accckk!"

The boy's eyes widened. It was a girl?

He stepped away from the tree and found a little girl sprawled out on the ground a few feet away from him. His jaw almost dropped.

Her hair…

It was bubblegum pink.

The little girl lay there, sprawled on the ground. The boy observed her silently. She was wearing a simple white dress, but it was streaked with dirt. Her pink hair was full of leaves and small twigs.

Suddenly, her little pink head came up and her eyes zoomed right in on him.

He flinched.

Those eyes…

Those beautiful dancing emerald orbs.

Her eyes widened as the boy came closer. Her tiny fists clenched together as she waited in apprehension. Her eyes slipped shut slowly as she concentrated.

Just stay calm…don't… lose it…

"You're clumsy."

Her emerald eyes snapped open and her jaw dropped.

"E-E-EH?"

Her head came up sharply and she blinked. He was holding out his hand.

His brows were scrunched together, his onyx eyes narrowed as he stared down at her, his hand extended like the gentleman he was.

He watched as she shyly brought her small hand up. She had almost laid her hand in his before she suddenly pulled it away.

One dark eyebrow went up.

His hand came down and he watched silently as she picked herself up. Her body moved clumsily, yet, there was a hint of grace in her movements. She pulled at the hem of her dress, which came down to just above her knees. His keen eyes caught her bruised skin and skinned knees.

"Who are you?"

He watched, slightly amused, as she jumped at his voice, her head snapping up again to look at him. She was really tiny.

And she looked so breakable.

Her pink lips parted as if she was going to say something but then she quickly shut her mouth.

His eyebrow went up again.

He waited but she said nothing, only fidgeting uncomfortably under his stare.

"I'm Sasuke," he offered.

Her head came up again, so quickly and eagerly. Her wide emerald eyes stared into him deeply and he felt something pull at his chest. He prayed that he wasn't blushing.

She looked down as quickly as she had looked up and he sighed mentally in relief.

Still, she said nothing.

"Are you lost?" he asked, trying to get her to talk.

The little girl seemed to pause in thought and then nodded slowly.

"Are you a mute?" Sasuke asked, suddenly realizing it was a possibility. But then he remembered her exclamation when she had tripped.

She shook her head slowly, looking at him.

He frowned. "Why won't you talk to me?"

She opened her mouth to speak and then clasped her hands over it, her eyes wide, and shook her head. Suddenly, a soft growl emanated from her.

He watched amusedly as she blushed furiously and her hands dropped to her stomach.

Sasuke turned around and started to walk away. When he didn't hear footsteps behind him, he looked over his shoulder at the little girl staring after him.

"I'm going to Konoha. You might as well come with me and get something to eat."

She regarded him silently. He shrugged and then continued walking.

But his lips curved up when he heard soft footsteps behind him.

He continued at his usual pace.

He frowned when he realized that her footsteps were getting harder and heavier and slower. He realized his long legs were going at a faster pace than she could keep up.

Sasuke slowed down slightly for the little girl.

She was getting tired.

Finally, it got to the point that she couldn't go on any further. Her feet were really sore and her hunger was overpowering. She knelt down carefully and rested, breathing slowly through her mouth.

A pair of sandals entered her line of view and her eyes followed it up to the handsome dark-haired boy. Suddenly, he turned and knelt down, offering her his back.

"Get on."

She didn't do anything for a while, just stared wide-eyed at the boy. No one had treated her like this before.

A huge grin burst out from her and hesitantly, she stood and came up to him, putting her arms shyly around his neck.

He hoisted her up easily, his arms coming around her thin legs.

"You're heavier than you look," he stated.

She blushed.

He had been walking for a while when she finally spoke.

"Thank you," she said, her voice soft and shy.

He smirked.

"How come you're talking now?" he asked, curious to know why.

She was silent for a while before she spoke.

"My nanny told me to never talk to strangers because they might be baddies and want to kidnap me. But you're helping me so you're not a baddie."

Sasuke almost laughed at her childish explanation. Such a naïve girl.

But he liked her voice. It was refreshing, unlike the whiny, screeching, high-pitched voice of girls like Ino.

"What's your name?" he asked.

He felt her arms constrict tighter around his neck as she hesitated.

"I'm…Sakura."

"Sakura. Do you have a last name?"

She was silent for a while, not answering. Then…

"No."

"Just Sakura."

Amazing.

This feels like…my special fairytale.

No princess, no prince.

Just a girl and a boy and a piggyback ride.

Just Sakura…

and maybe Sasuke.

The name suited her, Sasuke thought. He nodded.

He kept on walking and it stayed silent. He felt Sakura's weight on his back get heavier as she relaxed more.

In less than a minute, she had fallen asleep.

Sasuke smirked. She was so innocent, trusting a stranger enough to fall asleep on his back.

Her blatant trust slightly took his breath away.

His onyx eyes widened when his senses picked up something unusual.

Chakra was flowing gently through her body.

I'm dreaming of a place far away where nobody knows who I am.

Sometimes, I like being invisible.

I can cry and cry and no one will see the tears.

Naruto greeted him loudly when he got back.

"WHERE'VE YOU BEEN, TEME? YOU'VE BEEN HOLDING ME UP! WHAT TOOK YA–OWW! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

Sasuke glared at Naruto. "Shut up, dobe. Can't you see she's sleeping?"

Naruto glared back. "What are ya talking…oh. Who's your friend, eh? EHH? It's a girl! AHAHA TEME'S GOT A–"

Naruto stopped abruptly when he realized what color hair the girl had.

Sakura flinched unconsciously against the loud voice and Sasuke tensed. His foot lashed out and kicked Naruto in the shin. The blonde boy went down with a curse.

"Shut up, you're waking her up," he hissed through his teeth.

Naruto bounded back up and glared again. "Alright, alright, sheesh." He was about to inform Sasuke about a recent mission baa-chan had given them when Sasuke passed him and continued to his way home. Naruto stared after him and then caught up.

"We've got a mission, buddy."

"Hn."

Naruto twitched. "It's urgent. And baa-chan's overjoyed at the pay."

"Hn."

Naruto twitched again.

"Yo, mission briefing's in an hour!"

"Hn."

"Guess what the mission is?"

…….

"Fine. It's a retrieval mission!"

"Hn."

Naruto growled.

"Who's the girl?"

A pause.

"I don't know."

Naruto's eyebrows went up. Sasuke-teme was acting strange. The blonde bounded ahead of Sasuke, blocking his way. Sasuke stared at him with narrowed eyes as Naruto scrutinized the little girl on his back, her face hidden.

"Is she pretty?"

………..

"Do you like her?"

"Dobe."

Naruto bristled. "TEME!"

Sakura shifted against Sasuke's back and the boy cursed silently. "Dobe," he hissed.

At that moment, Sakura woke up and her head came up, her large emerald eyes blinking slowly, her expression tired and confused. But at that moment, Naruto caught a good look at her face.

She was pretty.

And she had emerald eyes and pink hair.

Naruto's eyes opened wide in shock.

"You're awake," Sasuke said, not noticing Naruto's look. He resumed walking, still carrying the girl on his back.

Sakura paused, her sleepy mind working slowly to realize the boy was carrying her. Suddenly, he head came up and her hands loosened from his neck to come to his shoulders as she pushed herself as tall as she could be and glanced around.

"This is…Konoha?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder and amazement.

"Hn."

Sakura's lips turned up in a huge grin.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun!" she said, and she shifted her legs to prepare to jump off.

Sasuke felt her shifting and instead of letting her fall off, he knelt down so she could get off easily. She climbed down his back and then smiled at him.

Her smile blew his breath away.

He was about to say something when he saw Naruto grasp the little girl's wrist. Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Naruto, what are you doing?"

Naruto disregarded him, only stared down at the girl.

Sakura glanced up confusedly at the blonde boy who had taken her wrist. He was handsome too, his face softer than Sasuke's, and brighter.

"Sasuke…" Naruto said.

Sasuke stared at him.

"Do you know who she is?"

Who I am.

I'm just…

"Sakura."

Her emerald eyes widened and went immediately to his.

"Her name is Sakura."

Yes. That's who I am.

Naruto let out a frustrated breath. "Yes, I know she's Sakura. But do you know who she is?"

10.

Sasuke saw Sakura stiffen.

He took a step closer to her and knocked Naruto's hand away from hers.

"What are doing, dobe?"

Naruto looked at Sasuke.

"This is her. Our mission."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"This girl…is Haruno Sakura. She's a princess."

Both of them looked down at the pink haired girl.

"How do you know?" Sasuke asked.

"Pink hair, green eyes, pale skin. The Haruno clan is known for having red hair…but she turned out different."

She silently despaired.

Why? Why…oh…! Why, universe, did you have to curse me with pink hair?

Sasuke only stared at Sakura and she looked down.

Naruto spoke whilst staring at her still form. "She was kidnapped and the Haruno clan called upon Konoha to help find her."

Sakura's little body jerked suddenly as she realized chakra was flowing through her body.

Oh! Why did I have to fall asleep?

"I wasn't kidnapped," she said softly, looking down.

The boys looked at her, stunned.

She looked up at the two boys staring at her and her emerald eyes were sad.

"I…I'm sorry."

And in an instant, she was gone in a swirl of cherry blossoms.

I never wanted to be…

princess.

I just wanted to be Sakura.