NOTE THAT THE TYPO WAS A MISTAKE IN LAST CHAPTER. Sakura is eighteen-years old, not twenty. Please remember that Kitty was sick and slightly delusional for checking for errors; her illness is still bothersome and she can't tell the difference between oranges and grapefruits (one is bigger..?). So, yeah, Sakura is not twenty...she's just a baby right now xD Please, forgive Kitty of her little mistake and the confusion that she placed upon all of you oAo"
I took April off because it was my birthday month and I wished to have a tiny break from writing, simply so I could enjoy the spring weather (I got snow on my birthday, funny, no?). But I'm back now and I promise not to leave you guys without a notice again! I'm so sorry about that D: Hopefully I can make it up to you with a new chapter..? You guys know the drill, yes? Review, Follow, Favorite or do nothing that will make you happy!
=xxx=
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The dark truth is usually hidden beneath the lies.
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Beneath the truth is the reality of life.
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Tell the truth, you find the reality that was covered by a lie...
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It only takes a voice to make that happen, right?
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Tasting Flesh
Chapter Fourteen
"My name...is Nohara Rin," she said quietly as she started to fiddle with Sakura's fingers, finding amusement with herself as she looked at the look-alike between the two. "You can call me Rin though, I don't like being so fancy."
"Rin..." Sakura tried out for herself, getting a happy smile in return from the said girl. She nodded quietly and slowly pulled her hand back to settle it on her lap, her fingers drumming her purple dress nervously. "Rin, what am I doing here? What do...you want?"
Rin's chocolate eyes glimmered sweetly as she stared into green ones. She smiled to big that it was making Sakura a bit uncomfortable. "I want to let you know that you don't have to be scared of me anymore; I'm here to help you."
"Help with what?"
"With everything that comes to a danger to you, silly," Rin laughed adorably in Sakura's face, causing the pink-haired girl to fume in her cheeks. This type of reaction didn't come from Sakura as often. "See? You're starting to act like your old-self once again. I miss that little Sakura, she was so cute!"
The moment of silence puddled into their conversation, making Sakura wish that she knew a way out of this greying world. She couldn't stop herself from thinking that this is where Rin was residing, living in a colorless place and left alone. Loneliness is something Sakura couldn't handle well, and she was certain that this Rin character had the same personality when it is dealt with others. Sakura looked down, ignoring Rin's polite and simple stare and overcame the feeling of an awkward place of not belonging here.
"You're shy now, I can see that," Rin cooed softly as she reached up and pet Sakura's head. She felt the soft warmth Rin gave off through her fingertips and slowly eased her muscled infront of her. "You are so different now...I miss the old days when you would run around and try and attack Sasuke. It was so cute." Rin gently wrapped her hand around Sakura's head and pulled her close, resting her pink head on her chest as her cheek pressed against the pastel hair. "Although, I think the old you is still hiding inside - Yes, I can feel her now and she's jumping for joy to see me."
Sakura's green eyes looked up to Rin's serene face, finding total peace within herself yet a bubbly jolt inside her stomach. "I could communicate with you when I was little?"
"Aa, every time you fell asleep and went off into our world," Rin whispered against her hair. "We would play games and talk your whole slumber away with the other girls and I..."
"Where are the other ones?" Sakura asked as she pulled her head back from the comfort. "Where are they now?"
Rin's smile slowly dropped into a sad frown, her eyes still glittering with an odd story to tell. "They are hiding within you, just like the little you of the past." Rin pointed to Sakura's chest carefully, as if telling here where everyone else was hiding. When Sakura stiffened, the smile returned as she tried to ease her. "Oh, it is alright, my dear. They are simply sleeping inside you, waiting for you to wake up and be strong."
Sakura pressed her own hands to her heart, hearing the steady beat of the organ inside her. Her eyes closed softly as she curled up. "Why... Why don't I remember anything? This is so annoying!" she stammered roughly as she pounded the greyish grass with little fists.
"It is okay, child," Rin smiled as she cupped Sakura's face with both hands, bringing their foreheads together. "Once you remember the important night that Sasuke had confessed...the night he confessed his loyalty and devotion to you, that is when you will remember. It just takes time, Sakura."
Under her closed eyes, Sakura felt tears slipping through and trickle down her face. She hiccuped and snuggled her own forehead to Rins', relishing the warmth and softness of Rin's odd similar, broad forehead. She could feel all of herself falling into a place of lost, unable to find her way home without a light in the tunnel. Forever lost in her own mind. Rin's advice -her own words of wisdom- didn't ease the reality that she was going through; of losing her memories of what she could only guess that was only brightness and pure joy, and only find herself in the coldness of being hunted.
"Rin...why are you here?" Sakura asked. She opened her eyes carefully, blinded by the tears of hatred for herself as she could see the blurry image of Rin. "Why aren't you sleeping like the rest of...us?"
Through the blurred pain, Sakura could see Rin developing her own tears as she forced a toothly smile on her doll-like face. Carefully, Rin pulled Sakura head down to press a careful, chaste kiss on her head. The feeling of a connection between them oozed in that simple kiss, as Sakura felt it, and she could only hear the messages behind it all before Rin even spoke.
"Because...I had failed my duty as a Forbidden Flower," she whispered against her pale skin before she pulled all the way back, allowing her to look Sakura over once more with a sweet curiosity. "Do not make the same mistake I did, my dear... Do not cry and you will fight."
Sakura rubbed her lower lids to get rid of the fresh tears before looking at Rin. She found her reaching back for her hood, covering her youthful face with the red silk of her cloak over her brown hair. After returning to her previous look of a look-alike to Sakura, Rin got onto her knees and leaned forward, pressing her pink mouth to Sakura's forehead.
"Be a good girl for Sasuke, okay?" Rin giggled. She stood up and gripped her red cloak before blocking Sakura's face, startling her with the redness that resembled blood.
Sakura's heart thumped painfully against her chest as she gasped. "Rin?" Sakura cried out as the wrapping of the silky fabric tightened around her body, constricting around her head and neck as she tried to reach out for something- anything to hold on to. The chillyness returned in harsh winds as something hard and smooth smacked against Sakura's nose, her face completely buried in the powdered and prickling thing. She had no idea what this was, but her head was numb and nauseating.
"Ahow..." Sakura whimpered as her fingers laced into the prickling strands of what Sakura realized was grass. Out of the blue, Sakura felt hot, masculine hands wrap around her shoulders and gently pulled her into a lap, cradling her gently in his hold. Her little hands instantly smacked her own face to rub the soreness on her nose and cheeks. "Oww..."
"You alright there?" a fuzzy voice asked her, the hand brushing the pink strands away from her closed eyes. Sakura's eyes cracked open, the brightness of the sun blinding her for a moment from being in the darkness for so long, no color either, as she took in the odd colored shy: the lightest shade of lavender with greyish-white clouds hovering in puffs with light violet streaks, making Sakura find the sky so easily with the pure white glare of the sun somewhere in the corner. In her line of vision, Sakura found the giant blob of gold and tan. It was an odd contrast to the sky, Sakura figured mentally, as her vison started to come back and visualize the blob into a face.
It was slow for Sakura to calculate the face properly. The face was a muscular round shape, and the cheeks had these three distinct whisker-like scars on each side -and Sakura would agree to herself that it fit well with the geeky smile he had. Deep blue eyes sparkled flirtaciously as the gold blobs formed into spikey, blond hair of sunshine...
"You took a hard hit there, you know," the face said a little too sweetly, bending down closer to Sakura's face. "If I were you, I would've covered my head with my arms and hands!"
"Ehh..." Sakura gurgled as she blinked a few time.
"You know," the blond man purred, "you're really cute. I think I'll just keep ya here until you feel all be-!"
"EEEEEEH!" Sakura screamed in a high-pitched tone, stinging anyone's ears as she swung her hand back and...
Smack!
Sakura slapped the face of sunshine with the Forbidden Flower's strength she had yet to control herself right into the whiskered cheek, causing his whole body to fly a good amount of feet away until he collided with a black-barked tree and resulted the plant into splinters. Sakura cried out and curled into a ball sitting up, shaking as she stared at the blond man groaning in intense pain as he crawled out of the dustcloud of woodchips Giant, angry tears swelled in Sakura's eyes as she glared at him.
"Why'd you hit me, ne?" the blond guy cried out as he held his bleeding nose. "I was just trying to be nice!"
"Don't scare me like that! Who are you anyway?" Sakura demanded with a sharp tongue as she pointed with an accusing finger at him. "Wheres' Sasuke-kun and what the hell gave you the right to get your face so close to mine?"
Strong and dominant, yet gentle hands gripped both of Sakura's shoulder, startling her all over as she looked up to find Sasuke's stoic face looking down at her. He shook his head quickly to get rid of the white fluffs from the door's universal mist as he brushed Sakura's shoulders too before looking at the mess she already caused to his world already.
"I see you met Dobe," Sasuke muttered with no interest as he whispered into her ear.
"Oh, his name is Dobe?" Sakura tilted her head to the side as she found him jolting up with the nickname.
The blond growled and flashed pointed canines, much like Sasuke's whenever he was irritated with something trying to feast upon Sakura's arm or leg. "Oi! My name is not fucking Dobe, it's just a horrible nickname that Teme gave me to grind my gears. The name is Uzumaki Naruto, at your service mi-lady," Naruto purred again, as if he never got hit in the first place as he sprint infront of Sakura and took her hand. "I am nothing more but a humble noble to this Uchiha-duck-ass here, and I am very please to be slapped by such a pretty girl such as yourself." Naruto winked and caused Sakura's face to flood with her blood.
"Eh..." Sakura's brow twitched in annoyance, reminding herself that this was not Kiba right infront of her.
From the second he winked, Naruto bursted out laughing his head off. "Bahahahaha! Relax, girly! I have no intentions on stealing you from Sasuke-teme -although, who could resist me, ne?- I'm already married to my sweetheart and I promised her that I wouldn't have anymore girls drooling over me when I come home."
"Dobe," Sasuke bit out in a grunt as he gripped Sakura's elbows and lifted her to her feet, gently settling her to her feet. "Stop being an annoying twat and speak."
Naruto suddenly pouted and crossed his arms. "I can't believe Sasu-Uke returns home after abandoning me for weeks, and comes back with a pretty girl to replace me and not even introduce me to her! How rude of you, man. I'm heartbroken."
"Tell it to someone who gives two shits," Sasuke rolled his eyes, his hands going back to rest on Sakura's shoulders. She didn't brush him off at all and he took mind to that.
"My name is Sakura," the only girl chirped in shyly as she looked at Naruto with a polite smile. Sticking her right hand out, she did her best to take back all her anger that was focused on this Uzumaki character, although she didn't forgive him yet. "I'm sorry that I hurt you with a tree..."
"Now theres' a royal person with class," Naruto cooed with a wiggle of his fingers as he gently gripped Sakura's wrist and planted a gentlemen kiss ontop of her hand. "You know, I think I will dump Sasuke-teme and come serve you instead."
With the odd vocabulary, Sakura looked back up to Sasuke for answers. "Nobles serve under the royal family as a 'right-hand man', as you may say. My parents have their own and this foolish mistake here is mine."
"Ah, but I'm no sidekick to this turdface," Naruto chuckled when Sakura giggled at his other name for Sasuke, causing the dark haired man to twitch his lip. With a simple bow, Naruto stood up and stretched his arms out as if he was presenting himself at a grand party. "I, Uzumaki Naruto, will save the day. You need something nice to drink, I will get you the finest wine for the lovely lady! You need a handsome shoulder to cry on when I kill the bastard with my bare hands? I will get on my knees for you, mi'lady, you can count. On. That."
Sakura couldn't help but smile bigger and giggle. "That is nice to know, Naruto."
"Oi, oi, and for starters," Naruto eyes the black sweatshirt on Sakura's upper torso and falling to her knees, "we can start with this. You smell too much like a Teme, that it's getting me sick... Wanna wear my jacket? It's wind resistant and very cuddly; my wife wears it all the time!"
Sasuke's lips bared the sharp teeth and a growl that reminded Sakura of a wet cat as she shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself in Sasuke's own clothing. "No, thank you. I think this to be just fine, honestly."
"I see you got her falling for you already, bastard," Naruto sighed as he eyed the Uchiha prince. "Too bad she's the only chick who was lucky enough to get a hold of your clothes and have the guts to wear them."
"Where is Kakashi?" Sasuke spat out, losing his patience by the very minute.
"Don't be so fussy, Sasuke-sama," another male voice startled Sakura to make her head drift to one of the trees -the bark black and the leaves so dark green that it didn't seem normal for a vegitation to Sakura's opinion- to find a grey-haired man sitting so casually on a thick branch, an orange book open and his face buried deep into it. Removing the item at hand, Sakura found the face to be covered by a fabric over his nose and mouth and a headband hovering over his left eye. He seemed older, built with muscled and strong-looking features that made both Naruto and Sasuke weaker as his only visible eye crinkled into what seemed to be a smile.
"See, you got this lovely lady here," he said as he rolled off the branch and landed on his feet. "You don't want to make her first time into another world a reminder of your icy attitude, do you? Relax and enjoy being home."
"Kakashi." Sasuke wasn't going to show much of a returning gesture of praise, as much as he is pleased to be back in his home. His grip tightened lightly on Sakura's shoulders as he jerked his chin outward to the mysterious guy, signaling another introduction. "This is Hatake Kakashi... He is my mentor and a friend of the Uzumaki family."
"Oh," Sakura blinked as she smiled shyly to him.
"Please to finally meet you, Sakura-hime," Kakashi said as he dipped his head in a gentle bow, tucking the orange book into his back pocket and covering himself with the cloak he was wearing. He turned his attention back to the tall, dark and handsome fellow who still had a sour look on his face. "Now, since we are all friendly with each other, how about we return back to the castle before your mother has a fit, hm?"
A sudden brightness inside Sakura swirled in her belly, turning around to Sasuke with a glitter in her emerald eyes. "I'm going to meet your mother?" she asked, as if she didn't hear Kakashi properly.
Sasuke looked down to her and simply nodded, allowing Sakura to jump in surprise as Naruto let out a roar of joy, letting the idiot grab Sakura's sleeve and tug for her to follow him. She followed willingly as she looked around the new enviroment that looked so similar to her own backyard, but so different at the same time! The colors and the very define shape of things where tweaked, but it was a very fine difference that would easily take Sakura's breath away. She took note of everything she saw as Naruto pulled her along with a strong yet gentle grip...
The trees were black bark and the deepest shade of green; the soils was pure black and the grass looked like it would slice you into pieces easily if you're not careful, the sky was lavender with pinches of grey and violets and it looked so beautiful. The air too was different, and Sakura couldn't describe it, but it seemed much more clean- fresh, wet and refreshing compared to the air back in her world that was polluted and the stench of civilization, waste and fire was frequent.
As Sasuke followed with Kakashi just a foot behind him, he watched as Sakura's chin tilted back, right, left and down. Taking in everything as she can with a glimmer in her eyes and of interest when she barely brushed her fingers on the onyx-colored rocks with sparkling specks of diamonds, become more and more curious as his best friend hauled her everywhere. In his mind, Sasuke found it very amusing to watch her act so young again, like when she remembered everything, and he was able to share the moment with her without even knowing his presence staring at the back of her coral head.
=xxx=
Ino fumed openly as she plucked a piece of bark off of the dark tree, finding it more then annoying that her own parents ordered her to hold onto her best friend's package of goodies that will be important while they transport everything else into the given hut by the Uchiha family. Ino knew she was living alongside the noble family that serves the Uchiha, but she has never met them yet and she wasn't too happy with the idea of serving under Sasuke (not much of his family, but the thought of being lower then Sasuke pissed her off) but her mother would always say otherwise with that adorable smile on her face.
"Make happy!" Chi sang as she cuddled her head under Inoichi's chin, causing her husband to stiffen and then start flushing in the face. "Make happy, Ino!"
"How in the heck can I make the best of it when Sasuke can make me do his slavery work, Mommy?" Ino cried out as she clung to the wrapped things of Sakura's clothes, some makeup Ino picked out from her own collection that fit Sakura's eyecolor and the music box that she found in Sakura's bedroom that she remembered was her favorite thing as a kid. "Besides, what does that make of us since we're back in this world, ne? We're not special."
"Special?" Chi questioned with the tilt of her head.
It was Inoichi, while running his fingers through her naturally bleached hair, who specified for his wife. "She is refering to our title, Chi."
"Yamanaka...friend!" Chi clapped her hands childishly at the idea. "We friends with Uchiha!"
"I know that," Ino sighed as she sat down on the overly-soft grass, glancing at the lavender sky. "I just...I don't know, don't like this?"
"Well, you want to do this for Sakura, ne?" Inoichi chirped in to cause his daughter to glare threateningly on instinct. "See, now all you have to do is to be there for Sakura. Not too hard, is it?"
Ino sputtered a barely audible response, making Inoichi do the gesture of cupping his hand to his ear. This angered Ino a bit and she literally shrieked 'No' into her father's ear, causing her mother to jump a bit out of confusion before reaching to cuddle her daughter. Chi was not stupid when it came to her daughter's uncomfortable stature.
"Ino be good girl," Chi mewled as she kissed the top of her head gently and petting her hair. "Ino Mommy's girl!"
"I know, I know," Ino grumbled with a heavy blush as Chi smothered her daughter into her inherited breasts. After a moment, the daughter of the Yamanaka Clan soon cooed to her mother and returned the cuddles, leaving Inoichi to suddenly stiffen and turn his head over to the thick brush with critical eyes. Ino didn't notice right away until her father started growling warningly to the unknown scent she had just picked up in her little nose. It was an earthly scent underneath the grass and dirt (ironic, no?) and it had the feeling of boredom fuming out of the pores so easily. Peeking behind her mother's shoulder, Ino looked to see who was coming toward her scary dad with no fear.
Naturally tanned skin emerged from the leaves and revealed dark, lazy eyes of a slightly slumped body carrying it around. He was very toned and muscular, hands shoved in his pockets as his mouth opened to let out a large yawn; his canines sharpened naturally before he snapped to Inoichi's face, noticing the demanding stare of danger written in the teal-colored eyes. One of the hands came out and scratched the dark brown hair that reminded Ino of a pinapple so well.
"Yamanaka?" the guy asked in a slur, somewhat borderline between awake and dreamworld during the daytime. The dark eyes stared back to Inoichi without worry of fighting, seeming so calm and cool around the man who was taller and more muscular then him!
'He seems like a lazy ass...' Ino sniffed to herself as she pressed her face closer into the pale shoulder of her mom. She didn't understand why this simple twig was nowhere on the verge of tears under her daddy's violent face (unlike the other males, both humans and Demons, fear over with tears like the wimps they are).
"It depends who is asking, kid," Inoichi said in a very low, demonic tone. Ino simply had to snicker at the lack of reaction from the teenage-looking man. "What do you want?"
"I was sent by my father to see you and meet your family," the boy drawled with an annoyed sigh. "God damn, he said that you might act like this when I first met you; something that you Yamanakas' would be a bit loud and troublesome. What a drag..."
"Wait," Inoichi stiffened an inch higher with his eyes wide as plates. "Nobody said that except Shikaku!"
"Duh, he's my father... My name is Nara Shikamaru and you must be Inoichi," Shikamaru said lazily as he pointed to Inoichi's paled face and then dragged to Chi, who was tilting her head to the side impishly while Ino is behind her and peeking all-too-cautious. "You're Chi, Inoichi's wife. And..." Shikamaru was lost now, staring into Ino's deep, pupil-less eyes that was glaring icly at him.
"Ino! Ino!" Chi clapped for attention as she gestured her daughter to stand up. Obeying her mother's wordless command, Ino stood up and crossed her arms, like she used to do back in her high school when someone pissed her off.
"I'm Ino, Chi and Inoichi's daughter," she empathised at her title, glancing to Inoichi to make sure that he was on task of being the Big Papa Bear.
All her hoped for her dad to rip the boy into shreds for staring at his baby girl for so long smushed into poo as Inoichi exhaled a jolly laugh and wrapped his arm around Shikamaru's shoulders and hugged him. "You know, I bet Shikaku got hitched with that lovely Yoshino gal! Haha! I knew he had it in him; you have your mother's face and your old man's hair!" Inoichi smiled happily as he messed up the confused Demon's pinapple hair. "Sorry for the slight scare, kid. It has been way too long since I've seen Shikaku, I would've never guessed that he would actually consider having a kid!"
"Ahem..." Shikamaru sighed a bit as Inoichi started to lead himself and the Demon into the brush, asking him for directions to their designated place of living. Bright smiles and rainbows was all that Ino could see as she sent imaginary bombs and grenades as she snarled at the sight of the obvious Bromance her father and a strange, lazy kid made after thirty seconds of meeting.
"What...the hell happened?" Ino scowled as her way too innocent mother stood by her, equally confused by her husband's strange behavior towards the same gender. Ino's head snapped in fear to her mother's calm expression. "Mommy, what the hell is wrong with Daddy? Is he sick or something?"
Chi blinked calmly before smiling sweetly. She didn't verbally answer her daughter's worrysome rant and went on her way to follow the fading boys with a smile and hands behind her back, skipping in the dark grass and humming for her girl to follow at quick haste. The blonde teenager fumed for another minute before letting out a high-pitched shriek and ran after her mother.
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Take me to a magical place
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Where things are so weird to me, it drives me nuts!
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Hold me hand, pat my head like a child...
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Don't let the monsters rip my heart out.
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Sakura's jaw dropped as she found herself infront of the back-gate of the Uchiha castle. After sneaking past the villages that resided around the grand model of a ver, very, very tall and big traditional Japanese-style residence fit for an emporer and a family of thousands; the color of a strong bronze and deep coco-colored iron that also matched the tiling of the roofs stood out from the deep and dark forest, a red lining around the windows barely made out to Sakura's gentle eyes as she found the decoration of lanterns, uchiwa fans painted on the walls, and the soft flutter of flags of navy-blue hanging from either the ledges or thin strings that start from the gutters and ended to the brick wall that surrounded the marvelous building. Her blood boiled in nervousness as she realized that this is where Sasuke grew up and his family owns, causing her head to spin a little with the idea of encountering anymore strange Demons or the idea of seeing a building that was bigger then the Haruno Shrine. Sakura could hear the hush voices rumbling the stone behind the wall, and found that she could also sense the weird presence of the occupants in the surrounding villages, yet she can't see a thing with the arriving mist and the dewy feeling of water clinging to her bare legs slowly.
Sakura unconciously gripped Naruto's hand a bit too tight, causing Naruto to shriek out in pain and fall down on Sakura's side. The pink haired woman gasped and let go of his now purpling hand and knelt to him. "Naruto! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you!"
The blond Demon gurgled a groan before opening his blue eyes, slowly smiling brightly as if he was hit by Cupid's arrow: flirtascious and sly. "You look so pretty from this angle, Sakura-chan!"
Unuse to the terms of compliments, Sakura's cheeks puffed as she stood up and kicked Naruto in the gut out of mere frustration. The blond laughed in triumph this time without the Forbidden Flower's strength trying to kill him. "I can see your panties too! They're adorable!"
Sakura's face reddened as she grabbed Naruto by the collar and started shaking him with her strong hands and arms. "You stupid jerk, why do I even try to help you out! You're a pervert, aren't you; I can see it in your eyes! Gah! You're just like Kiba-kun, like brothers or something - YOU LOOK LIKE HIM TOO IN A WEIRD WAY! Stop it!"
Sasuke encountered his bride and friend 'fighting', and found it more then pleasing that his lovely was winning on her own hand. With a clear of his voice, Sakura's eyes darted instantly to him (just like she use to do when he made a noise) and she smiled with a tint of pink in her pale face. She dropped Naruto like a bag of rocks and went over to where Sasuke stood with Kakashi coming up silently, not speaking much since they left the door that brought them to the Demon World. He smirked a little with soft eyes, reaching with one of his hands to get that damn stray hair and place it back to the other pink waves of her soft hair.
"You're hyper," Sasuke stated cooly as he traced her jawline, noticing that she wasn't paying attention to what he was doing.
"I'm nervous," she corrected with a smiling pout as she swayed her weight from each foot to the other. "I really never thought... I don't know."
"You will be fine," Sasuke grunted softly as he dropped his hand, now having her notice Sasuke's ministrations and blush a shade deeper. He eyed for a second of the blond who was struggling to get up and calling to the wall for his wife's name over and over in a slurring voice. Rolling his eyes, Sasuke leaned forward to whisper into Sakura's little ear. "Why not help the idiot with standing straight and you can stay by me when we enter the compound."
"Is that what you call it?" she asked with a shy smile.
Sasuke nodded. "This is called the Uchiha Compound, where I live."
"Ohh!" Sakura praised as she twirled around and went over to Naruto and telling him that his position over a rock was not appropriate with a woman around when Kakashi casually came up to Sasuke's side and exhaling a entertained laugh.
Sasuke's black eyes narrowed. "What?"
"You are very soft with this lady, aren't you?" Kakashi whispered quietly as possible for Naruto to be unable to hear while Sakura woke him up. "I don't think I have seen you this polite even as a little child; you seem to hate the world."
Sasuke simply rolled his eyes and made a 'Tch'-like noise under his breath, causing Kakashi to snicker and leave Sasuke's side to join Naruto. Speaking of the hyperactive blond, he was currently pawing at the 'door' of the brick wall, wailing his pleas for the other person on the other side to open while Sakura stood in utter confusion.
"Come oooon! Lemme in, you guys! I'm starving," Naruto cried out with a sniffle. "Ma is suppose to make ramen when I came back; you can't let me starve now, can you?"
"Why is Naruto talking to a wall?" Sakura asked quietly to Kakashi when he approached. The masked man smiled down to the pink haired cutie.
"This is the way in. Sorta like a backdoor," he explained. "Only special people can open it from the outside and inside. Please, milady, cover your eyes." He motioned gently to Sakura's pale hands, which obeyed with a smile as she shield her emerald orbs carefully. With this, Kakashi's visible eye crinkled in a smile as he reached up to his own face to remove the headband covering his left eye. Pulling it up gently, Kakashi exposed his other eye, a crimson red color with three commas twirling in sync; aiming at the solid wall with a critical eye, making a silent rumbling under the earth and causing the wall to slowly cripple into dust and making an absolute perfectly straight 'doorway' into the castle grounds.
"How did you do that?" Sakura asked in a surprised expression when Kakashi gave her the okay to uncover her eyes. "There wasn't a door here, or a gate with the chains, was there?"
"Very special people can open into the kingdom," Kakashi explained simply before walking through and leaving the lovely lady to stand with confusion. Once Sasuke made his way over to the Sakura, he knew ignored her questionable stare as he silently held out his left hand.
Sasuke noticed that his left hand was the one with the ring Sakura made specially for him at the Spring Festival. He couldn't help but feel the swell of pride and graditude that his very own bride (even if she doesn't remember much) was willing to make him something that would symbolize their binding relationship that he hoped would take part sometime soon...just before it would be too late.
Sakura smiled and took his hand, taking Sasuke's thoughts out of his own conscience when she cuddled her head on his arm. "I remember that you and I would hold hands like this when you would take me outside; and sometimes you would carry me if it was cold or raining, or if I was tired."
Sasuke watched her carefully. "Really now..."
"Uh-huh," she nodded. "You would pick me up from school and carry me in your arms while I held the umbrella for the both of us." She gestured her free hand to pretend to be holding the shield from the raindrops, just like she would do as a child and Sasuke had her in his strong, protective arms.
With that, Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. "Aa." He gripped a it tighter to her little hand and tugged, feeling her fingers grip around his pinky and ring finger. She touched the ring and a numbing flame sent bolts upward to Sasuke's neck, causing his neck hairs to stand up a bit. "Come on..." he said as he looked down to the floor and entered his own home with his new bride, minding the instant halts of feet and conversations going to a close as eyes stared upon the two.
Sakura was suddenly taken by the feeling of fear with the numerous beings just looking at her with blank faces (not exactly like Sasuke, since they were being so happy and cheery prior to crossing the wall). She found people with either bright as sun or dark as night hair and wore very elegant clothing; some wore earthy colors and most wore navy blue or purple shades with black lining. Once she got a better look at the people who are staring, she noticed the ones with the dark clothes on had the uchiwa fan imprinted on the back or upper sleeves, much like she has seen on Sasuke's attire - and the others wore a swirling insignia that was orange, which Sakura sort've reconized on Naruto's back.
Speaking of the hyperactive nutcase, Sakura found him standing in the way of three people she did not know or remember: A tall, blond man with tanned skin and wore a blue apparel, a redheaded woman (with the length that touched the ground) and wore numerous shades of orange that it resembled flames, and the oddest one of black hair, pale eyes and wore a ruby-red outfit with a dark shawl draped around her shoulders and covered most of her upperbody. Sakura met the gaze of the pale-eyed girl, and instantly felt a heating blush when she smiled shyly and waved, the stranger's face beating red as well.
Once Naruto noticed the look the pale-eyed girl was giving, he spun around with the large grin and yelled for Sakura and Sasuke to come over; which Sasuke did not argue as much as he silently led the small girl over. Naruto purred and stroked his own whiskered face as he gestured to the three people standing behind him, all looking at Sakura with sparkling eyes of curiosity.
"Sakura-chaaan," Naruto announced with a gleeful chirp, "I would like to introduce you to my folks! My father, Namikaze Minato and my mother, Uzumaki Kushina-" pointing to the tall man and redhead woman "-and this lovely woman over here-" he spun around and hauled the pale eyed lady into his arm and nuzzled his face into her hair "-is my lovey-dovey, super-duper, sweetiepie of a wife! This is Hinata!" he announced proudly before pressing his mouth onto her neck. He pressed numerous kisses onto the milky skin his shy wife possessed. Sakura had the natural instinct to look away from the married couple to give them a bit of respect for their public affection. Sasuke, however, simply rolled his eyes at his blond friend.
Hinata made some embarrassed noises through her nose, but her giggles still came out from the specific tickle spot Naruto found behind her ear. "I-It is very nice to meet you, Sakura-hime."
Sakura jumped. "Please, call me Sakura!" The sudden title of a princess made her feel queasy on the inside; not counting Sasuke's 'affectionate' names for her, Sakura did not want this whole 'royal'-game to take place with her. No matter who they were. "I'm not a princess...so please call me Sakura?"
"Hina-nyan," Naruto purred seductively against his wife's cheek, "I haz missed you sooo much; Promise not to let Teme to take me away again, okay?" His hands slipped under her shawl and gently rubbed the cloth of her belly, Sakura's emerald eyes staring unconsciously yet curiously before looking to Hinata's blushing face.
Sakura could just tell something was special about Hinata, compared to the other people within the wall (which the 'door' was now closed). She couldn't tell how Hinata was different, but she could just feel-
"You're pregnant, Hinata?" Sakura blurted shyly, causing Sasuke's head to snap her way.
"EHHHH?" Naruto wailed in confusion. "Are you calling Hinata-chan faaaa-!"
"Uh-huh, I-I am about three weeks along," Hinata cooed softly as she twirled her fingers around shyly, peeking at Naruto with a tomato-colored face. "I was going to tell you tonight, N-Naruto-kun... Surprise."
If any description of Naruto's reaction was an animal, Sakura would say he was like a jellyfish: basically because he turned into jelly. He wiggled to the dirt-floor, wide-eyed, and mumbling such words that Sakura could not make out properly. Hinata suddenly fussed and knelt down to pat her husband's cheek to get him to relax. Kushina bursted out laughing like a hyper child before twirling around and taking off into a shouji doorway, leaving Minato to smile after her in a neutral pace.
"They have been married for three years now, and she finally gets knocked up by the Idiot," Sasuke growled lowly as he turned his gaze to Sakura, noting how her head tilts in curiosity as Naruto started whimpering about 'I made in oopsy in Hinata-nyaaan!' and started to take on what Sakura just performed. Tugging on her hand gently, he caught her attention in a instant with her emerald eyes glancing up and smile pasted on her face when his expression was stoic. "You do know you can sense that."
"Sense what?" she asked dumbly, her head tilting.
"When you were a child, you could easily tell when a woman was pregnant or if someone was going to become ill, just by looking at them," Sasuke explained quietly. "Some people found it odd when you would poke ladies bellies and giggle, and then I had to carry you away before you caused a problem."
"I asked you if I was a handful, and you said no," her eyes narrowed and she pouted, causing Sasuke to smirk a bit in amusement.
"I said you were not a bad child, I never said anything about you not being a handful."
She huffed. "Isn't that the same thing?"
"Hn... Follow me," Sasuke pulled her hand toward the shouji door that Naruto's parents disappeared into, leaving Naruto to continue his own complaints of how he tainted his wife, yet Hinata giggled and bent down to kiss his head, calling him silly and other cute names. Sakura blinked up questionly to Sasuke when she caught up to his side, asking the silent question of what was going to happen and her hand tightened around his fingers when he responded.
"I will introduce you to my family."
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A whole new world with whole new people.
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The next adventure limits to the things that cause your heart to race...
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Becoming center of attention could be a part of it, maybe.
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I swear, if you leave my side on this, I'll go nuts!
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=xxx=
AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE- Yeaaaah, I had a writer's block and this was all I could get for you guys (at least it's nothing!) so please be calm - the next chapter will become better, I PROMISE. Taking April off was helpful for me, but again, I'm sorry for leaving without notice D: Please forgive a Kitty? FYI, BETTER CHAPTER NEXT TIME c:
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