DISCLAIMER: THIS STORY IS ENTIRELY FICTIONAL AND WON'T HAPPEN IN THE SERIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
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Sakura followed the men to the highwalled Uchiha compound then slunk off around the corner to search for a way over the wall, away from prying eyes.
Anything would do. A few loose bricks, a tree overhanging-
Aha!
Sakura's face broke into a wide grin.
Several branches protruded over the wall from a tree on the opposite side. Sakura gauged how high they were from the ground to decide whether or not she could reach one of them if she jumped.
They were about 9 and a half feet above her head, just beyond what she could reach by jumping.
"Okay then..." she scanned the surrounding area, looking for something that could get her over the wall or allow her to reach the branches.
A little boy was playing with a yo-yo down the street, while his mother swept their front step.
The wind picked up slightly, ruffling the boy's short brown hair and pulling softly at his mother's ebony waist-length braid.
Exactly what she needed... she approached them slowly, hands clasped in front of her to show she was hiding nothing.
"Oh, um, excuse me?" Sakura asked, a shy smile on her face.
She figured the 'shy and polite' routine would be just the thing to get what she needed.
"Can I help you?" the woman asked, keeping one eye on Sakura and one on her son.
"I was wondering if I could buy your broom and your son's yo-yo?"
She hadn't needed money from Sasuke at all, she had been pickpocketing for three years and had just finished picking a wealthy merchant's coin pouch when she ran into Sasuke.
Well, maybe not ran. Used as a landing pad would be more accurate.
She hadn't even needed to pay the rag man. He'd owed her a favor and had been glad to pay her back so cheaply.
"Excuse me? Buy my broom and my son's toy?"
"Yes ma'am. I'd be willing to give you 10 ryou for them."
"You'd have to okay it with my son..." the woman trailed off, biting her lip.
"It's okay, mommy. I have plenty of other toys to play with." the little boy had come over to stare Sakura in the face. "You'll take good care of it, right?"
"Of course," Sakura grinned, ruffling the boy's hair.
"Okay then. Here's my broom, and Soshi's yo-yo."
Sakura took the items, then withdrew a pouch from her shirt and counted out the coins before handing them over.
"Thank you!" she called, running over to the place where the branches extended over the wall.
She took the straw from the end of the broom so that it was only a wooden pole and took the end of the yo-yo's string in her hand. She then used the broom handle to pole vault herself up high enough that she could hook the wooden spool of the yo-yo over the thickest branch.
She landed neatly then turned to check her handiwork.
The yo-yo's string was hanging from the branch just within reach.
She smiled smugly then grabbed the string and pulled until the end of the branch was in reach and she could grab it. After retrieving the yo-yo, she then climbed into the fork of the tree to stake out the area and make sure it was safe to come down.
Her tree (an old Sassafrass) was in a shady part of the compound, planted almost flush with the wall.
Not a wise decision, but useful for her purposes.
She looked around the roots of the tree to see what kind of padding she would have when she landed.
Red and white tulips swayed gently in a slightly muddy bed.
She'd have to jump away from the trunk as far as she could to avoid landing in mud and leaving behind footprints that would alert the family to her presence.
She scanned the rest of the garden, eyes following the stepping stones that led a meandering path through the many flower beds, full of red and white flowers. Roses, tulips, carnations- this family really liked red and white.
Then again, those were the colors on their crest so...
Seeing and hearing noone approaching, she hopped lightly out of the tree and landed neatly on one of the circular stones, then dashed to the largest building, figuring that that would be where the Uchiha heir would reside.
Carefully, she checked each of the ground floor windows (which were just below her eye level) until she spotted Sasuke being looked after by a blonde woman she could rightfully assume was physician. Sasuke had taken off his shirt and pants and sat on a stool in front of her in only his boxers. He had several bruises on his body that Sakura knew she'd inflicted. She winced inwardly but kept up her steady gaze.
He was so... built. His muscles were the perfect size, large enough to give his body some definition, but not so huge that he was made bulky. No, definitely not bulky. He was... Slender... Delicate.
Hot.
Whoa. Not the kind of thought you wanted to have about the boy who'd enslaved you forever upon pain of death.
Still...
He was getting off the stool now, the woman physician clearly having finished, for she was packing up her medical kit. She bowed to Sasuke, her twin pigtails flying up, then left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.
Sasuke smirked then crossed the room in three short strides.
"Enjoying the view?" he asked.
Sakura blushed a deeper red than she'd ever in her life.
"No!"
"Right. That's why you look like a tomato. Get in here quickly." he commanded, poking his head out the window to scan the surrounding area.
Sakura gripped the edge of the windowsill then pulled herself up until she could fall clumsily inside.
"Smooth."
He was dressed again-mostly. He'd opted to leave his shirt off. Sakura found herself blushing again and ducked her head to hide this fact.
"Embarrassed again? Haven't you ever seen a half naked man?" Sasuke asked, one hand lifting her chin.
She hadn't. Not even on that night.
She shook her head, as a means of replying to his question, but also to shake that memory out of her head.
"Oh really?" he was smiling cockily.
Damn but he was sexy.
No. No. Bad Sakura! Bad!
She was blushing harder than ever.
"We're alone now, you know. My family leaves me alone almost all the time. My room is the only occupied one in this part of the house."
Sakura's heart began to pound against her ribs so hard she feared she'd bruise. The way he was speaking reminded her of that man.
She hadn't been able to stop him, but she could sure as hell stop Sasuke.
"Don't even think about it." she hissed, hands balling into shaking fists. "I don't care how many women you've been with, but I'm not like them. Don't think I'll go down easily."
"Okay, okay." Sasuke raised his hands as if to protect himself from her words. "But I'll have you know, I haven't been with any women. Today was my first time outside the compound. And probably the last."
"The last? Why?" Sakura asked, seating herself on the wooden stool Sasuke had been occupying not too long ago. She sat stiffly, still uncomfortable in his presence.
"I got hurt. The heir is never supposed to get hurt. Never supposed to bleed. Never supposed to get separated from his chaperone. Never supposed to be touched by anyone in any way unless it's a doctor or a nanny." Sasuke's voice was bitter. "That's why I need you: to help me escape the compound every once in awhile and experience life."
Never been touched... Sakura knew all too well what that was like.
It seemed her family wasn't the only one that had raised their heir like that. Of course, after her family's business had failed, she had found other ways to earn money.
Namely, pickpocketing.
Her parents didn't care. They couldn't.
Her father had been assassinated just before the fall, and her mother had committed suicide just after.
They had left her.
And up until the moment her parents died, they both refused to hold her.
Many times she had attempted to sit on her father's lap and been denied that right.
Many times she had tried to hug her mother and been pushed aside.
It was lonely.
It was painful.
For the longest time, after their family's fall from power, she could not bear to be touched by anyone. After years of no physical contact, it was hard to get used to the sensation. Then, when Naruto had found her, he had taught her how to be a pickpocket and helped her get over it. Mostly. If she was caught off guard or someone came on to her suddenly and touched her, she pushed them away immediately.
"Oh."
It was all she could say. She wished she could say more.
Sasuke sat on his bed, head bowed, fingers entwined in his black locks.
"I hate it here. I really do." his fingers twisted tightly, nails digging into his scalp. "I didn't want this life. I didn't want any of it. I just wanted- I wanted my parents to hug me. My brother to ruffle my hair. All the things the other Uchihas within this compound get."
Sakura slid off the stool and lightly stepped across the room to him.
Tentatively, she reached her hand out and rested it on his head. She could feel his hands through his hair, tightly knotted as if they were keeping him anchored and sane.
At her touch, the grip lessened slightly but his hands remained on his head. She could feel tremors running through his body and knew he was crying.
She had done that so many times, alone in her room, surrounded by everything a child could ever want, but nothing they would. She'd gazed out her windows longingly, watching the other children play with each other happily, get called in by their parents, and receive large welcoming hugs.
Everything she wanted was beyond the walls she was trapped behind.
"Any time you need out, I'll be there." she whispered in his ear. "I live on Dock Street, in the house with the yellow paint. Just in case you manage to get out on your own."
She went to the window and rested her forehead on the smooth wooden frame. The cool wood felt nice against her forehead, but it did nothing to clear her muddled thoughts.
She had finally met someone just like her.
She had no idea what to do.
She was torn.
Naruto and the rest of the gang would be waiting for her.
But Sasuke needed her too.
What do I do? Could I just leave him and not feel guilty?
No.
Her old friends, or the boy who needed her?
She had one leg out when he grabbed her wrist.
"Stay." his eyes were begging her. "Please. Just for tonight until I fall asleep. Then you can leave."
"Okay."
She wasn't sure why she was staying but she was sure that Sasuke needed her more than anyone ever had. Including Naruto.
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A/N: Another chapter done!
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