Sakura

The very injured young woman hit the cold, hard floor with a thud. A small squeak of pain was her only reply as she lay against the bed and healing chakra made its way, slowly but surely to her one uninjured hand. Other than her occasional twitching or pained squeaks, Haruno Sakura was silent. Kami, that was worse than I ever could have imagined... she thought, cringing again at the pain in her very badly messed up legs. She shifted if only in an attempt to make it more comfortable, but to no avail. With a small sigh, the pink haired kunoichi slowly began to mend her arm that had been now broken for a third time. Within a minute or so, it started to feel much better, but was super uncomfortable. What a time to actually want medicine.. she thought, rolling her eyes a little at herself. I'm so damn pathetic...Kami this hurts....

Soon after the young woman had begun to heal herself, there was a turn of the knob on the door. Halfway expecting to see Sasuke again, fear coursed through her and she tried to slide back, resulting in another pained noise. Shimata! she cursed mentally, angry with herself once more for being so pathetic. However, relief did not fill her as she saw Kabuto's face appear soon after in the doorway. Sakura did not look at him at first. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to. Glancing at the wall, she allowed her healing chakra to fade, shifting her torso once more to make her legs get out of their awkward position.

The feeling seemed mutual as Kabuto did not say a word. The young man simply picked her up by her waist and set her on the bed. She was grateful because now her legs weren't in so much pain. Well, they still hurt like a bitch, but not as intensely as before. Sakura started to drift off into the abyss and safety of her own mind. She wanted to stay there for the rest of her life. This was becoming more than she could deal with and she did not want to admit that. She would not admit that. No sooner had she forced herself back into reality that she felt something she wasn't expecting. It was a light sort of touch and it was on her swollen lips. Of course, this hurt, so she cringed in pain, making sure to keep her emerald gaze anywhere but the young man before her.

Half of her expected him to say something, maybe even make fun of how pathetic she looked, but he did not. Instead, she felt the swollen lips healing as chakra pulsated through the fingers that so carefully ran themselves over her. Blinking a few times, Sakura started to wonder why he was healing her, but only told herself one thing. It's just so that if he feels like 'punishing' me later, I won't already be too badly torn up...He's probably just mad that Sasuke did it instead of him.. His anger was not something she expected, but when she finally forced herself to look up enough to see his onyx eyes, he looked mad. Yep..It's only because he didn't do it himself..He doesn't want anyone else to hurt me because he feels it's his right.. Rolling her eyes slightly, she huffed and closed her eyes for a few seconds before they snapped back open.

"Why are you so mad..?" Sakura did not ask him of her own accord. It was as if her body and vocal chords did it 'for' her. This showed by the young woman's surprise at her own question. I already said why he's mad..Why did I ask that..? "Don't look so tense, four eyes...It's almost as pathetic as my current state.." Despite everything, the fact that she was in so much pain that she couldn't stand it, the fact that all she felt like doing was crying, even the fact that Kabuto's presence was only 'slightly' better than Sasuke's, the pink haired girl still managed to flash him a teasing smile. What am I doing..? she asked herself over and over. I'm seriously trying to mess with him right now? What is wrong with me?! Yamate! Urasai!.

Looking away was all she could do after that. Her cheeks turned slightly pink from her own embarrassment and she cleared her throat. I admitted I look pathetic...demo why am I pushing my luck? Better yet, why does he almost look... Sakura did not finish her thought because she absolutely refused to admit what she saw in his eyes. Concern, or at least what looked like it. Nai! she internally screamed at herself, slightly grumbling aloud as she did so. He isn't concerned. I already decided why he's healing me and why he looks mad. Just..urasai..baka.. Now she was angry. Angry at herself for even thinking he cared, angry at him for making her think he did, and angry at Sasuke for what he'd done. It's funny...A few years ago...that rough kiss would have been something I wanted...demo..now I just feel violated...It could have been worse..At least it's over..Maybe it won't happen again... She chose to focus on her irritation rather than confuse herself any further. Hai...

[ Oh Kami I was in so much pain. Everything hurt. Parts of my body that I didn't even know existed hurt. You made me so mad. I wanted so badly to keep telling myself that you didn't care. How was I supposed to know that part of you did? I realize now that at that time, both of us were starting to feel the same thing. However, you quickly changed my outlook of that afterword. It was still to be a long time before we could admit to ourselves that we cared about each other, but even then, I was content to sit there in my pathetic state and push your buttons. Sometimes, I really do think I was a bit masochistic.. ] .

Kabuto

As the young male concentrated his chakra to heal her swollen lip, he watched tensely as she turned her head to look him straight in his angry eyes. They stayed locked in the other's gaze for a moment, however she escaped by closing her emerald orbs. She seemed quite annoyed, and he didn't hesitate to remove his touch once he was finished healing. He shouldn't even be wasting his time, and thats what this was: a complete waste of time. He contemplated getting up and leaving right this second, and had her eyes not snapped open so forcefully and full of purpose he probably would have.

"Why are you so mad..?" she asked, successfully surprising and angering him more because he didn't know how to respond. His feelings were conflicting and the simple fact that his emotions were breaking through was enough to really anger him. Still, he was unable to coherently answer because he wasn't sure himself. All he could think was Sasuke. He felt his nails dig into his skin as the muscles in his hand tightened in fury at the mere thought of his name. Oh, how he hated that boy..

"Don't look so tense, four eyes...It's almost as pathetic as my current state.." Her teasing words had shocked him enough, but when her lips stretched to form a small smile, the astonishment showed in his onyx irises. She was pathetic, as she herself had admitted, yet she was telling him what to do..and calling him that ridiculous nickname. Did Sasuke hit you on your head too hard? No, no..I suppose thats you. Stubborn and courageous.

He was yet to speak when she awkwardly glanced away, and he realized she was slightly embarrassed. Now, not only was he puzzled by his own behavior, but hers too. All she had done was admit the evident truth to a person who could already see it. The ashamed expression she wore suddenly transformed to rage, matching what he was feeling but no doubt for a different reason. Her furious eyes scorched a deep hole into the wall opposite of them, and he sighed, becoming angrier by the second as he studied her. He wished he could just look away.

"He shouldn't have been allowed to harm you. You're mine. That's why I'm pissed" he said as calmly as possible, but by the end of his words he was practically shouting. He was annoyed that his Sakura had been hurt, yet still she insulted him. She was the least obedient women he had ever met. He pressed his hand against his forehead, as if he had a headache. She was so difficult and infuriating. I hate to admit this, but she's right. I'm acting almost as pathetic as she looks. With a deep, calming breath, he removed his hand and attempted to push away his pitiful emotions. He adjusted his glasses, considering his next choice of words.

"You do look rather pathetic. What exactly did he do to you? I only care because it interests me how he came so close to breaking you, both literally and emotionally."

He leaned against the cold, heartless wall, and realized what it reminded him of. Cold and heartless, hm? I hope so.

Itachi

Pitch black darkness pierced the air and despite the truthful fact that they could have continued onward, Itachi had, secretly quite eagerly, made the decision not to. His blue friend, Kisame, was beginning to lag behind slightly. They had been awake for three days straight with little sleep on the fourth. And truthfully? He had secretly been relieved to stop. He was postponing the inevitable. By midday tomorrow, they two akatsuki would arrive, and he would look directly into a pair of cold, bloodshot uchiha eyes. The eyes of the one person he truly loved. He would do almost anything for sasuke. His brother would never know that, but it was best that way. The elder Uchiha laid on the mossy earth, gazing at the few sparkling stars that shined in the sky. Kisame was snoring loudly, but him? He barely slept.