A/N: Um, I sorta lied in the last chapter. I said there would be some unexpected drama in this chapter. There is going to be drama, but it isn't really unexpected. Yeah. Sorry 'bout that everyone! So before I give anything else away perhaps you should go and read the next thrilling chapter!
A Promise Made On A Sakura Tree
Chapter 9
When Sakura awoke the next morning, she found her face inches away from Sasuke's. Their foreheads were resting against each other's, and their breath was mingling together.
"Sasuke-kun, are you awake?" Sakura asked quietly after she finished taking in his perfect features. She decided that if he could call her 'chan' then she could call him 'kun'.
"Hn?" Sasuke mumbled in reply as he buried his face in her hair. It was clear he had no intention of getting up right away.
"I hear someone outside." Sakura whispered as she tapped his chest absentmindedly. Sasuke's eyes flew open but otherwise he remained perfectly still. He strained his ears, and though it was with great difficulty, faintly heard footsteps outside. The front door to the Haruno home swung open and in walked Sakura's parents.
"Be quiet dear, we don't want to wake up…" Mrs. Haruno admonished as she walked inside. Her voice died in her throat when she saw the scene in front of her. The two shinobi sat up as if they had been electrocuted.
"Sakura, get over here right now." Her father growled, his voice shaking with anger. Sakura closed her eyes and prayed that her parents would keep their cool. Sadly a prayer just wasn't enough.
"AN UCHIHA? REALLY?" Mr. Haruno roared at his daughter, all control gone. Sasuke knew what was coming, and he pulled Sakura into his arms.
"GET YOUR DIRTY HANDS OFF OF HER!" Mrs. Haruno screamed. Her motherly instincts kicked in, and she ran at Sasuke with every intention of hurting him. Sasuke waited until she was close enough before kicking off the ground and doing a back flip over the couch. Mrs. Haruno crashed into the sofa, and while Mr. Haruno moved to help her Sasuke carried Sakura out the back door.
"We are you taking me?" Sakura asked frantically.
"Hn." Was all Sasuke said as he pumped his legs to move faster.
"Don't give me that 'hn' crap! Answer me!" Sakura demanded. The Uchiha remained silent. He carried her to a place he hadn't attempted to visit for six years. Where was this place you might ask? The western part of Konoha, home to the beautiful blooming cherry blossom trees. Upon arrival Sasuke sat Sakura on her feet and he looked around expectantly.
"Good, I don't think we were followed. I think we should hang out here for awhile. Your parents will probably tell mine, and they'll be out for blood." He said at last. Sasuke put one of his hands in his pocket and sighed somewhat wistfully.
"Sasuke-kun, what is it? What's wrong?" Sakura questioned. Call it a girl's intuition, but she was sure something was up.
"I…it's nothing." Sasuke assured her, wishing the subject would drop.
"You can tell me, you know." Sakura smiled as she gently touched the hand that wasn't inside Sasuke's pocket.
"I was just thinking about how, if our families can't get over their differences, maybe…maybe you and I could run away together." Sasuke admitted, a faint blush touching his cheeks. Sakura looked startled, to say the least. It was very unexpected, but so romantic and pleasing at the same time.
"I understand if you don't want too." He added suddenly.
"Sasuke-kun, I would run away a hundred thousand times just to be with you." Sakura said honestly, a blush of her own spreading across her face. Figures appeared in the distance.
"Darn, they found us!" Sasuke hissed. Without hesitation he pulled Sakura behind the nearest cherry blossom tree and they hid behind it. It wasn't the best hiding spot, but Sasuke hoped it would work for the time being.
On one side of the field Mr. and Mrs. Haruno marched forward, with Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha and Itachi coming on the opposite side. They stopped when they got close enough to yell. Then, they started shouting and arguing. Sakura watched in horror as Sasuke's parents and Itachi performed the necessary hand signs for a fire type jutsu. Her parents pulled out tons of ninja tools and threw them at the same time the fire was let loose.
"No, they'll kill each other!" Sakura shouted. She pushed past Sasuke and ran, not caring that she was crying.
"Stop! Please!" She yelled as she came to a stop in the middle of the fight. Both attacks were going to hit; there was no mistaking that.
"Sakura-chan! Don't!" Sasuke yelled as he took off after her. His eyes were as wide as basketballs as his mind told him his darling flower was brushing shoulders with death.
'I'm not going to make it!' Sasuke realized with terror. He pumped his legs harder then ever before. Sakura braced herself for the impact she knew was coming. Itachi, not wanting to destroy someone who was so precious to his brother, cancelled his jutsu at the last second. But everyone else had no control over their attacks, and it was clear they were going to hit.
"SAKURA-CHAN!" Sasuke screamed one last time before he was close enough to pull her against his chest. He knew his body wouldn't be able to block the entire attack. Sasuke watched as his family's combined fire attacks came closer to Sakura, and he knew that she was watching her family's weapons do the same to him.
Everything hit at one time, and the two teens' screams could be heard for five agonizing seconds. Now, five seconds might not seem that bad to you, but when you have a hundred sharp objects tearing into your back and fire licking your entire body, it's pretty bad.
They collapsed to the ground, and both families stared in shock at what they had done. Some of the Uchiha's fire was blown by the wind and caught on the cherry blossom trees. They quickly caught fire and burned to the ground.
"Are you happy now?" Itachi snapped at both sets of adults.
"You've all had this hatred of each other for six years, and it was all because a few drunks said a thing or two. Now, because you're all too proud and vain to admit fault and move on in life, these two innocent lovers had to suffer in the worst ways possible.
None of you deserve to wear the Leaf headband, nor the love these children have for you. If you're finished destroying everything, I think you should leave. I'll take them to the hospital." Itachi gently picked up Sasuke in one arm and Sakura in the other.
He cradled them against him, careful to avoid further damage to their bodies. He had them positioned so that their heads were touching, much like they were earlier. Itachi then carried them to the hospital and when to the Hokage to explain.
~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~
"Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, you may leave now." A doctor told the teens three days later. Sakura and Sasuke left the hospital hand in hand, both feeling rested and healed. Sasuke had slight scarring on his back, and likewise Sakura had some burn marks.
Both had some visible bandages on, but other then that they were fine. They walked silently, neither having anything to say. They just wanted each other's company. Besides, they had talked during their stay at the hospital. As it turned out, Itachi's words had gotten through the thick sculls of the Haruno and Uchiha families, and they had declared a truce. Itachi also informed them that they were free to be together.
"Oh, and Sasuke," Itachi said before leaving on the day he told them about the truce.
"I was the old man who helped you get those cherry blossom branches." He exited the hospital then, leaving Sasuke in a minor state of shock.
Naruto presently waited for them at the village outskirts, and when they arrived he let out a whoop of joy.
"It's good to see you're both back in action!" Naruto smirked at Sasuke.
"In more ways then one, I see." He added, earning a glare from Sasuke. They looked down the road to see Kakashi Hatake walking towards them, his nose in a book. He stopped when he saw the strange lovey-dovey sight before him.
"I'm guessing you guys completed the mission I assigned you?" the male said, one of his eyebrows raised.
"Yes, sir." The trio answered in unison.
"Well, er, did I miss anything exciting?" Kakashi pressed, clearly wanting to know what had happened. Sakura and Sasuke exchanged small smiles.
"Exciting? No, I don't think so." Sakura answered. Sasuke leaned forward and quickly pecked her on the cheek, earning a smile from Naruto.
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei, everything sure was boring without you." Sasuke added before putting an arm around Sakura's waist. They all laughed at that one, even the baffled Kakashi.
A/N: I'm glad I finished this before school started, even though I cut it pretty close! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing everyone! What started out as a fluffy oneshot turned into a nice, nine chaptered fanfiction of awesome-ness! It was so much fun to write, too! So have a good school year everyone, and keep an eye out for more SasuSaku fluff from me!
