Thanks for the reviews guys, really appreciate it and to C.A.M.E.O.1 and only thanks for the clarification. I promise to edit my first chapter to clarify things, thanks again…
I don't own Naruto…
17 months ago…
However Sasuke may despise it, he found himself in the same room that Orochimaru briefed him about his supposed mission to the country of mist a couple of months ago. It was still the same, lighted by a single candle on top of a small round table. On its left side was the same chair, with the same man sitting on it, the same man he loathed.
During the two months that passed, Orochimaru had given him the task to care and train Sakura, not that he didn't like it, but it was as if the snake was purposely throwing Sakura on his way. Sasuke would've snorted if anybody would tell him that Orochimaru was playing matchmaker especially with his bride-to-be, but with the events that transpired, it actually strengthened Sasuke's gut feeling that the pedophile indeed had something up his sleeves. And it peeved him more, knowing that he can't do anything for now but play along, since as much as he hated it, he still needed Orochimaru for his revenge.
"Status please Sasuke-kun" Orochimaru said, again with the sinister smile playing on his lips, referring to Sakura's training.
"Improving" the said boy replied stoically
"Good, good. You should know that I can't have a weakling for a wife."
"Why don't you just train her yourself?" Sasuke said, he didn't know why but the mention of Sakura marrying this vermin riled him up, much more when Orochimaru called her a weakling.
"I thought I'd give you the privi…"
"Just fuck off and train me" Sasuke snapped
"I thought we discussed this be…"
"I don't fucking care." Sasuke said and was just about to turn around, when even before he could blink an eye, Orochimaru had him pinned on the wall, with a hand gripping his throat. It didn't hurt, but it was enough to leave a threat, and if it was another man, he would have crumbled to his knees. But this was Sasuke Uchiha, and no matter what the situation is, he was stubborn as hell.
"You know I don't like being cut off, Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru said, saying the prodigy's name a little too sweet for Sasuke's liking
"Well I don't like being played Orochimaru, just train me." The Uchiha replied, taking Orochimaru's hand off with ease, which caught the older man's attention, since nobody, not even Kabuto was able to escape his grasp that easily.
"Impressive. You've been training."
"You think I was actually going to spend all my time babysitting?" Sasuke asked smirking
"No" Orochimaru answered going back to his seat while continuing; "We have already discussed this Sasuke-kun. Your mission is still ongoing and you have to train her. It will only end until we get married." Orochimaru said casually
Sasuke's fist clenched to his side, still not knowing why their upcoming wedding was pissing him off, but casted it off quick enough to avoid being caught by Orochimaru.
"And after that?"
"Then we'll continue your training"
"Fine. But no more games Orochimaru. No. More. Games." Sasuke said, emphasizing his meaning.
"We aren't playing Sasuke-kun, Kabuto just might have forgotten to give you all the details of your mission."
"Hn."
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The ebony haired teen was walking towards the training grounds, pleased to be out of the snake's nest. He was just a few steps away from the exit and he could already make out her form sitting on the ground, her back against the tree while reading a book. She wasn't wearing her usual kimonos, but instead she was donned in a red sleeveless cheongsam shirt, a khaki miniskirt, short leggings and gray boots. Even though Sasuke would never admit it out loud, he actually found the outfit more suited for her. Not just for training purposes, but also because it hugged her figure nicely, emphasizing every curve and asset she possessed.
Sasuke and Sakura had spent the entire two months that passed training, and when he came in this morning to report the status of the pinkette's training to Orochimaru, he wasn't lying when he said she was improving. Actually, she was more than that, she was impressive. She had no problem learning new jutsus and had excellent chakra control, which was not entirely surprising since she can perform medical techniques easily. Even Kabuto, who was in charge of her medical training found her capabilities quite imposing.
Sasuke took his time to eye her. She looked innocent and fragile, but he knew better than that for the girl, was hell of a spitfire when sparring. But to the Uchiha prodigy, she had brought more trouble to him than that. For during the whole month that passed, there was never a single night that she had not plagued his dreams, and he never knew why.
By the time he reached her, she looked up at his towering form and smiled. He was just about to open his mouth when a high-pitched shriek interrupted him.
"Sasuke-kun!"
"Karin" he said annoyed as a red headed girl, wearing eyeglasses latched her arms onto his trying hard to steal a quick kiss from the prodigy, but failing every time.
"I missed you so much. Didn't you miss me Sasuke-kun?" She said, trying to sound cute and seductive
"Hn. I thought you died."
"Sasuke-kun, don't be such a meanie" Karin said again, pouting her lips.
"Just get off me."
Sakura can't help it but to giggle at the sight before her. Sure at first she didn't know why, but she wanted to punch the living daylights out of the girl. It was Sasuke's expression however that she can't help but find…cute. The couple before looked at her, both eyeing her, as if she was weird, and Sakura knew she already had to shut up, with a tinge of pink adorning her cheeks and a small smile still present on her face.
"And who are you pinky?" Karin asked the girl, noticing her for the first time
"I'm Sakura" she answered, not liking the girl for calling her pinky.
"Well stop flirting with my Sasuke-kun, he's not interested" the redhead said again snobbishly
"Eh?" Sakura asked, the redness in her cheeks darkening
"Karin"
"Yes Sasuke-kun?"
"She's Orochimaru's bride-to-be" Sasuke said
"Really?" Karin asked bewildered, her eyes widening, "Never knew that snake grew a heart"
Sasuke noticed Sakura tense because of Karin's statement. Even though the girl never uttered a word, he knew that she was still uncomfortable of the idea of marrying Orochimaru. He even thought that she had gone mute during the time she first met her fiancé, and he knew that Karin's blunt words wouldn't help her get comfortable with the predicament she was in. Again, he didn't know why, but over the amount of time that he spent with the girl, he felt…protective of her.
"Karin" he called again
"Hmm" Karin said expectantly, a smile present on her face
"Shut up and fuck off"
"But Sasu…" Karin never got the chance to finish her sentence because of the death glare that was sent her way, which also made her remove her arms from the Uchiha.
"Karin" said a new voice
"Kabuto, what do you want?" the said girl asked, as the three turned to face him.
"Don't you need to report to Orochimaru-sama the status of your mission first?"
"Can't you see I'm busy? Besides I can always do it later."
"Well I just thought you'd want to do it now, since you don't seem to be wanted in the conversation."
"Fuck you" Karin said as she stormed off. Kabuto followed shortly, after smirking towards the direction of the two.
"Thank you" Sakura whispered
"Hn" Sasuke replied, glaring at Kabuto's retreating form.
"So uhm" Sakura started, earning the young man's full attention.
"Is she…is she your girlfriend?" she asked, which in turn rewarded her with a glare, and to Sasuke's puzzlement, she laughed…hard.
Sakura can't help it, she just found Sasuke's expression amusing. She knew he must be irritated by her right now, her sides were already hurting and her eyes were already watering, but she just can't stop.
Sasuke didn't know why the girl in front of him suddenly laughed, hell he didn't even know what made her laugh in the first place and what confused him the most was the knowledge that if it was any other person, well, he or she was definitely in the receiving end of the Uchiha's wrath, and for the third time, he didn't know why he couldn't find the reason to get mad at her. The truth is, he actually found her laugh quite…attracting. It wasn't like that of Kabuto's infuriating snickers, nor Orochimaru's maniacal chuckles, and it was definitely not anything like Karin's irritating giggles…it was natural and he was sure that he would never tire from hearing it.
"You're annoying"
Sakura took that as a sign to stop, she sighed, calming down from her high, it had been years since she laughed like that. "I take it she's not your girlfriend"
Sasuke glared again, which strangely enough, made the girl laugh for the second time around.
"Damn straight" he said with a smirk, intensifying the pink haired girl's hearty laughter.
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"You called again?" Sasuke asked, annoyance evident in his tone, for he found himself again inside Orochimaru's room.
"Indeed"
"…"
"You see, I have another mission for you."
"I said no more games Orochimaru." Sasuke hissed, clearly annoyed
"This is not a game, Sasuke-kun, consider it a part of your training, to test your stealth"
"And what would it cost me?" Sasuke asked mockingly
"If you're not careful…your life"
Sasuke glared, knowing fully well that Orochimaru was just trying to gain his interest again and was just about to argue with the man, but the next words that left the snake's mouth made him reconsider his actions.
"And with it, your vengeance"
'Fuck' he thought, aware that Orochimaru always had ways to make him agree with his plans.
"Fine, tell me the details"
"I need you to steal a scroll from the country of rain. It contains secret jutsus that the rain are said to specialize on, I'll need it with my future experiments."
"And that would cost my life" he said sarcastically
"It's located in their kage's tower"
That was enough to tell Sasuke that he had to take extra measures of care in order to fulfill the mission.
"How long?"
"Six days."
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The dark haired young man returned to his room and was almost done packing his things. Truth be told, a part of him really didn't want to leave due to two different reasons. One: he obviously didn't trust Orochimaru and two: a small voice inside his head kept telling him not to leave Sakura. However, there was also a part of him that wanted to leave for two reasons also, one: this was a mission he had to accomplish in order to get closer to his goal of killing Itachi and two: he can't afford distractions right now…especially in the form of Haruno Sakura.