Yay! Another chapter! :D Once again, I'd like to thank my super duper beta HomeSkillitBiscuit.93 for being so amazing! We decided that we're cyber soul mates :] Happiness all around! Please enjoy!
Strawberries. A strong waft of the fruit entered his nose, awakening his senses. The man grumbled, his eyelids opening as the light of the sun hurt his charcoal hues. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he couldn't help but feel odd. Blinking, he looked at the ceiling, a familiar white entering his vision. Then it hit him.
He could see.
Sitting up straight, his heart was beating frantically against his ribcage, his eyes darting around the room. Everything seemed blurred, as though someone smudged the world's beauty with a large eraser. He frowned. Simple colors and blurred objects were all he could see. It was indeed a step up from being blind, he could say the least. It was hard to make out objects as he started to concentrate more on the things in his room.
A small shift in the blankets caused him to jump. Looking down, he was met with a bright pink. Shaking his head, he tried to grasp the concept. Sakura, the woman who was looking after him, was in his bed. Thinking back, he didn't recall falling asleep with her. Unless, she was too tired to make it to her own room. The thought made him frown.
Had she drained herself that much just to help him?
The girl was unbelievable sometimes. She knew he would do no such thing for her and yet she still treated him as though he had never left, as if he had never hurt her. The familiar knot in his chest and abdomen returned as he thought of the Sakura. Only she was able to make his own body turn against him. Only she could make him feel things he didn't wish to feel. That in itself was annoying.
His face became stoic and blank as he shook the girl with his large hand.
"Sakura, wake up." The girl didn't react. Becoming irritated, the man shoved her off the bed. Turning his head, he made no move to help her.
Being pushed from the comfort of the bed caused the girl to jump in surprise. Her head was met with the cold wooden floor below. Immediately awake, she sat up, her hand moving to rub her pounding head. She was tired and annoyed and this did not help the situation. Using the bed as leverage, she hoisted herself onto her knees, her emerald orbs coming face to face with an emotionless Uchiha. Grumbling, she spoke.
"You pushed me off the bed!" Her voice was loud and cracked slightly from lack of use. Sasuke ignored her yelling.
"You wouldn't wake up," he commented nonchalantly. His tone made her want to punch him. Standing, she brought herself onto the bed, causing the man to look at her. Sitting on her knees, she poked his chest firmly with one her fingers.
"That's a rude way to wake someone up, you know!" Her temper was flaring as her hair cascaded around her, some of it touching the wrinkled blankets beneath her. Sasuke stared at her.
Her face was but a blur to him. Her skin was still pale, from the looks of it. He couldn't tell where her eyes were, but it was easy to guess. Eying her up and down, her bright hair caught his eye. Reaching out his hand, he grabbed a few strands, causing the girl to stop talking and watch him. He could tell she was shocked by his actions, but refused to acknowledge it.
Running his fingers through her hair, he let the ends flick off his hand carelessly. A moment of silence passed before he stood, walking towards the door.
"Your hair. It's gotten long."
As he walked from the room, the girl touched her own silky pink locks. Eyes wide, she touched her cheeks, the heat reaching her fingers told her she was indeed blushing. Damn him.
Turning around abruptly, she untangled her body from the mess of sheets, her feet making small sounds as she rushed towards him. Finding him as he reached the bathroom, he stopped and turned to look at her.
"Y-you…you can see?" Her voice was filled with amazement, as she seemed to question him. He nodded curtly before speaking.
"I can see bright colors. Everything else is blurred. It's…odd." Blinking, the girl tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Sasuke seemed to glow in a new light as she looked at him. As he entered the bathroom, he shut the door behind him, leaving Sakura staring at the empty air he once occupied.
Leaning against the wall, she felt as though she had just climbed a mountain. Her breath was short as she tried to regain it. An overwhelming sense of relief came over her as she placed her head against the wall, her eyes looking towards the ceiling. She wasn't sure why she was feeling this way exactly, but the happiness filling her heart was something she couldn't ignore. The feeling of doing something right and being useful caused small tears to prick the edges of her viridian orbs. They never fell for the Uchiha emerged from the bathroom before she could think any further.
Standing straight, she shook away her overpowering emotions while her eyes found the floor in shyness. Sasuke looked to her, the long blob of pink standing still. He couldn't tell what she was doing, but he quirked an eyebrow towards her.
"What are you doing? Don't you have work?" Sasuke questioned her, his eyes never leaving her petite form. Sakura shifted, nodding quickly before chuckling nervously.
"Y-yes. Yes I do. I was just thin-" the sound of loud knocking made the girl jump as her voice receded back into her throat. Shaken from her thought, she eyed the hall that led towards the large wooden door. As she ran past him, Sasuke caught her strong familiar smell while her pink locks flowed behind her.
Reaching the front of the large estate, Sakura nudged the door open. Seeing a familiar blonde, she happily opened the door, a smile present on her face. She couldn't place it, but she was abnormally happy today.
"Hey Sakura-chan! Did you beat up the Teme yet?" Naruto chuckled after speaking, finding humor in his words. Sakura joined in with her light and delicate giggle. Shaking her hand in front of her face, she shook her head.
"Oh no, not yet. I'll leave that to you, Naruto," looking up towards him, she sidestepped, allowing him to enter the house. "Come on in. I'm guessing it's your turn to watch him."
Naruto nodded in compliance, his bright sapphire hues taking note of the clean and calm feeling the house provided. It was foreign, one could plainly tell. Most likely from a womanly figure suddenly taking refuge there.
"You bet. Sorry I didn't show up yesterday. I came home late from a mission and overslept," he stated casually over his shoulder. After closing the door, Sakura shrugged it off.
"It's alright. He actually wanted to come to work with me." Her body language made it seem as though it was casual, but Naruto's eyebrows rose ever so slightly.
"Oh? That's weird. Sasuke is the kind of guy to sit around and brood all day." The man laughed at his odd sense of humor and Sakura politely joined in with a small laugh of her own. Motioning towards the hallway, she smiled towards her blonde teammate.
"He's that way. He should be in his room." Naruto nodded as the two parted. Sakura began to get ready for work, her usual routine in tact as the blonde haired male walked with heavy steps towards the Uchiha's domain. Stepping inside, he was greeted with a cocky grin.
"Hey, moron." Naruto folded his arms over his chest, quietly inspecting the man before speaking.
"Sasuke."
Said man's smirk faltered into a straight line, his eyebrows knitting together in slight confusion. The usually perky, thickheaded blonde was now a man he did not know. His poor humor and cocky attitude is still evident yet he is a man of a new age; serious and analytical. He's aged and with it has come wisdom that Sasuke couldn't quite see the hyperactive man having. He gave a short sigh before walking towards him.
"What?" His voice came out colder than intended.
"Do you like Sakura-chan or something?" Naruto's voice was just above a whisper as his mood suddenly changed, his eyes holding the old glint that made him his idiotic friend. Sasuke's stomach began to churn as he thought of his pink haired teammate. It was an odd feeling, one of guilt and another unknown feeling. The thought of her made his chest tight and that in itself annoyed him. He wanted to punch the blonde, but knew he would receive the harsh end of Sakura's fury if he did.
With a small grunt, Sasuke shook his head once, his face scrunched in annoyance.
"Of course not." Sasuke could feel a familiar presence coming from behind him as he turned slightly, his eyes widening a bit before returning to their normal narrow shape.
A thin, pink haired girl eyed the man with coal colored hues, her voice caught in her throat. Coughing, she ran her slender fingers through her pink tresses, the thin strands touching the fabric of her coat as she let them fly off her hand.
"I'll be going now. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid, Naruto. He has a tendency of getting cranky around one, so make sure you feed him." She turned on her heel leaving a snickering Naruto and a glaring Sasuke behind. Stopping, she cocked her head to the right, a smug smirk on her graceful features. "Oh and if he bites, just smack him."
Sending a small wave behind her, she could feel the sadness leave her as a new emotion replaced it. Success. Indeed, she had just accomplished a feat of making fun of the Uchiha whose pride was everything. That in itself made her proud.
The walk to the hospital was normal and routine, as it usually was. With steady eyes and a level head, the young woman walked casually towards her job. Her long hair swayed behind her as it touched the small of her back. Her vibrant green eyes remained on the road ahead of her.
She couldn't ignore the small tinge in her chest that wouldn't go away, despite her contradicting exterior. She wished she hadn't heard their conversation. She had a tendency of walking in on conversations that didn't account on her presence. It was unfortunate luck that she was cursed with her whole life. She'd just have to learn to stop eaves dropping.
Walking through the doors, she smiled at the new receptionist that sat upright as she entered the hospital. Walking to the desk, she saw the pink cheeks of the woman in the chair who she knew was studying to be a nurse. With a small wave, she signed in, her eyes soon traveling to the girl once more, who returned her kind gesture with a smile and nod.
"Good morning, Sakura-san. I'm the temporary receptionist," the girl stated, her voice cheerful as she seemed proud of her position. Nodding, Sakura returned a genuine grin.
"Wonderful. Is Miyana-san sick?" The receptionist nodded in return, her brown eyes innocent.
"Yes. She's been out the past two days. Her boyfriend called in sick for her." Sakura felt her blood run cold. With a tense face, she tilted her head to the side.
"Miyana-san…wasn't in yesterday?" A hesitant look crossed the other female's face as she shook her head.
"No, Sakura-san, she wasn't. Is something wrong?" Carefully placing the pen on the parchment before her, the girl shook her head.
"No…Everything is fine." Turning away from the woman, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest, threatening to burst. Something was definitely wrong, she could feel it.
"Hey Sasuke, wanna train?"
The male eyed his friend whose arms were crossed protectively over his chest. Without hesitation, the man nodded and stood from his spot on the couch, his eyes moving to the orange and blonde blob sitting before him.
"Let's go." Naruto followed his actions as the two left the house in silence.
"When was the last time you've trained?" Naruto's voice was carefree, the usual tone that projected his friendly attitude. Sasuke looked down thoughtfully before shrugging with slight nonchalance.
"A few weeks I suppose. I shouldn't be too rusty." Naruto smirked, noting the challenge hidden beneath his words. It used to always be this way between them. Whether it was a straightforward proposal or one proposed discretely, fighting one another was a way for them to compare; to become better in hope of beating the other. It was their one chance to escape rules and missions and test the other. In their own odd way, it was a form of encouragement. It was all they needed to become better. Some things will never change.
A punch was thrown towards the cheek of the opposing male, a swift wind following a kick. A quick duck and roll later, and the two stood a few feet apart, pants sounding from both of their mouths. A short silence before the sound of footsteps cut through the air, metal hitting metal as sapphire bore into red.
A small smirk formed, whiskered cheeks pulling and spreading with enthusiasm and cockiness. Dodging a quick attack towards his abdomen, they each held the other's calloused and bruised knuckles, pushing against one another with brute force.
"Sakura-chan's going to be mad at you, Teme! She spends a lot of time healing your stupid eyes. The least you can do is not ruin them again!" A slight chuckle followed his comment as he ducked and flipped away, a defensive position forming, his body screaming with fatigue.
Sasuke shook his head, his eyebrows scrunching in annoyance. A loud crash sounded above them a sheet of cool water began falling onto them. The dark clouds hid the sun and it's light.
A cringe formed on his matured features as a sting within the back of his eyes became more prominent. A single coma rested by his pupil, the effects of his blindness becoming painfully evident. It wasn't like he needed the full extent of it anyway. It's just Naruto.
Onyx bangs stuck to his forehead, his eyebrows stitching together in thought. Short, drawn out breaths rattled his system as he tried to regain his composure. The eerie tension between the two irked him. The sudden want to hurt the boy was seeping through his veins, as sick and twisted thoughts snuck their way into his brain, poisoning his train of thought. Clenching his fist, he tried to control his sudden lust for blood. While with the Akatsuki and Orochimaru, power was gained by the amount of blood that was shed from the targets. This is what he associates with power now. Blood and pain.
The silence was getting to him as he took a step forward. Naruto flinched at his step, his breathing steady as his chest rose and fell, his blonde hair and eyes darker with the hidden sun. Drenched clothes and hair, he stood tall, the view of his friend's crazed face caused him to go deathly still. He wasn't afraid, but rather cautious.
Sasuke charged, anger swirling in a pool of crimson. His teeth clenched in anticipation. His whole body was hot in contrast to the chilling rain that spat at his skin. Drawing his fist back, he sent a flurry of punches towards the blonde, all dodged and blocked. As his frustration grew, he could feel his anger growing. A quick knee to the stomach caught Naruto off guard, causing him to cringe. In the split second of weakness, Sasuke took the opportunity and kicked him roughly to the ground. Staring at him from above, Naruto could see the insane look in his eyes.
Where had his best friend gone?
One last punch would end it all. The rain was muted to his own ears, his heart beat the only thing he could hear. With a menacing grin and a face covered in malice, he launched his fist.
There was no skin. No bone breaking. Only resistance. Turning his head around quickly, he bared his teeth. Who would dare do such a thing? Never was he interrupted during the final blow, the last kill that would bring success and fulfillment afterwards.
Soft. That was the first thing he noticed. It tickled his neck. A strange relaxing chakra soothed his racing heart as his arm fell limp by his side. No longer a dark crimson, his charcoal eyes blinked away rain that had entered his vision. The smudged world he was growing accustomed to seemed darker than usual. The fingers that held his wrist loosened their grip, moving up his arm, sending chills down his spine. They grasped his shoulders, leaning him forward into something that seemed oddly warm and comforting. Something raked through his hair, causing him to breathe a sigh of relief. Everything was numb and serene. It was peaceful.
"Sasuke-kun. Stop it. Please," the soft but stern voice told him.
He knew that voice. It was In his dreams. It was a distant memory that is forever carved into his mind. Why was he dreaming now? No more pain, just the sound of the steady heartbeat that filled his ears and lulled him to sleep.
That's all that matters.
The pounding in his head was starting to bug him and the voices humming in his ear wasn't making it any better. He couldn't make out their words as he tried to open his eyes. Despite the minimal amount of light, the backs of his eyes burned, causing him to grunt in discomfort. The voices seemed to stop and just as he was about to go back to sleep, he was pulled abruptly to his feet by a great force. Stumbling, he forced himself to open his eyes, blinking away the pain that was slowly overtaking them. Rubbing them gently, he frowned. The voices became more refined as he started to note who was talking.
"You're in deep shit, Uchiha!" Despite not being able to see, the booming voice was a dead give away. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he tried to think back as to what he did this time that would cause the Hokage to be so furious with him. Suddenly hit with the memory of his fight with Naruto, he started to understand. But, how far had it actually gone? He could only remember that his punch was stopped. The rest was a blur.
"Hn."
A loud bang and crash followed his grunt as the woman put her fist through her newly furnished desk. The room was deathly silent and for a second, he couldn't tell if he was alone with Tsunade.
"You're lucky I don't have an interrogator doing this. They wouldn't be treating you so nicely," Tsunade spat. More confusion was arising in him as he tried to understand just exactly what he had done that was so wrong. So what if he fought Naruto and the idiot lost? He couldn't see the big deal.
"The Akatsuki."
His blood froze. Moving his head slightly, he narrowed his eyes in her direction as she spoke again.
"What are they planning?"
Her question seemed so simple and yet he couldn't understand it in the slightest. The broadness of it fogged his thoughts.
"They want to destroy things," he replied curtly, and his answer received a hard slap to the face. The stinging that surrounded his cheek began to dull, his hair brushing against the newly forming bruise. At least he was telling the truth.
"You know what I mean!" Her voice struck a nerve in him; he had never known the Hokage had such a foul temper. But he had left the village before she had fully come into power all those years ago. He really didn't know the woman like his teammates did.
Though, he figured he wasn't any help. Frowning, he ran his fingers through his hair, dry blood caked on his knuckles. He hardly noticed it.
"Konoha wasn't the primary target. The leader of Akatsuki always kept to himself. I just ran small errands and was hardly briefed as to what was truly going on," Sasuke stated without emotion. The lies tasted bitter on his tongue. He was used to this though; taught to never show emotion, accepting lying as a way of life that one picks up along the way. There is no way to live otherwise.
Eying Tsunade, she seemed to hesitate as she stared him down. He didn't shift under her intense gaze. Within a minute she moved back towards her desk, entwining her fingers and placing her chin on them. In deep thought, she seemed to consider the options.
"I still don't trust you, Uchiha. From now on, you're not to leave Sakura's side unless accompanied by Kakashi. Since I can't trust you with Naruto, you're down to these two. Don't screw this up." He nodded in understanding, moving towards the door.
"Oh, and if you hurt Sakura," her voice trailed off, causing him to pause, "I'll kill you personally."
She shuddered as another cold breeze tickled her already soaked skin. The rain wasn't letting up as she walked towards the Uchiha estate on the other side of the village. Silently, Sakura thanked herself for taking off the next few days to recover from the day's events. Although, her self-thanks had little impact on her mood as the same thought played over in her mind.
Sasuke had lied to her.
For all she knew, he could be hiding many other things from her. The likelihood was too high for her to process, much less accept. Thinking back, she doesn't know much of Sasuke, and she never really has known much. The only person who does is Naruto, and now they are forbidden to be left alone with one another. Stopping in her spot, she felt her hands tremble. Lifting her head to the skies, she could only wonder where they had all gone so terribly wrong…