Hello you lovelies c: How are you all doing with the wonderful weather of sunshine and flowers, baby animals being born and all that? I'm so sorry that this is about (in my calendar) TWO WEEKS LATE, DERP. Is it really that late? Yeah, a little bit but I'm still writing chapters with a good attitude. Hopefully you all enjoyed the comeback of the chapter (again, I'm sorry I was owo...dead for a bit, but it was April and mah birthday xD) But! Here you go with chapter 15 and I hope you all will enjoy! :D -rolling- YOU ARE ALL AMAZING~ By the way, if you noticed the disappearance of Kiss the Waters... That is discontinued because I did not find it fitting for Fanfiction as of right now -falls over- I didn't want to go lower with something as difficult as that Q_Q" So, if you found it entertaining, I'm sorry about that!
Guess what I watched on my computer o_o... The reveal of Ino's mother. All I can say is that Chi is going to stay here x3 Whether it is accurate or not (I find Chi much more Yamanka-worthy then that... English lady ono") I have no hate towards her, but really, Japan? xD I couldn't stop laughing, honestly. VOTE FOR CHI, EVERYONE! x3
Remember to Review, Follow, Favorite or do nothing in particular c: I'm in a very good mood and I only wish to speak on the goodness of moods to those who read. Please have a wonderful day and be happy that you (possibly) don't have snow or the sun is out! Kitty laffs you all!
=xxx=
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The sweet hold of a new adventure hides behind the anxiousness,
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If you can surpass the worry you hold, you will be in for a treat.
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You can discover the unknown and soon become worthy of your conscience...
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But, the greater challenge is...
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Can you actually get over your fear of something different?
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Tasting Flesh
Chapter Fifteen
Sasuke opened his eyes to find the large, dark orbs of his mother smiling so slyly down at him, her cheeks pink with naughtyness that he was all too used to at this age (even when his appearance matched his age). His eyes narrowed and his lip twitched in a silent hiss in return to his parent's request; she only smiled bigger and reached her hands out, her fingers only lightly touching the blanket that was wrapped around his bare chest and arms. Raising a brow, Sasuke shifted only slightly to try and get farther away from his mother on the couch.
"Don't be mean, Sasu-chan," Mikoto grumbled in a very soft whisper. "It's my turn, you know. Mebuki told me so."
"You act like a child sometimes," Sasuke muttered in response, sniffing with no plan of giving in to her wishes. He wasn't going to become a Momma's Boy so easily this time.
"And I shall whine until I get what I ask for! It's my turn!"
With a sigh, Sasuke glared at his own mother who only smiled in response as she sat down on the couch next to her youngest son, opening her hands expectingly as Sasuke turned his attention to the blanket. "Thank you, Sasu-chan. You are such a good boy!" she purred so sweetly.
Exposing his large hand, Sasuke reached to the top of his blanket and gently pulled the warm fabric from his neck. Peeling it away to down to his shoulder, Sasuke exposed the mop of messy pastel hair that belonged to the head that was currently burrowed in the crook of his neck, her face buried into the naked skin of his shoulder and neck that joined together. With the same hand, Sasuke stroked the top of the pink head and tucked a few strands behind the little ear of the small child in his arms; his heads gently bent down until his lips barely touched the top of her own ear. Slowly, in a very soft voice, he spoke to her as his hand rubbed her clothed back of her tiny dress printed with sunflowers.
"Wake up, sweetheart," he whispered, causing the small girl to stir with a noise. "It is Mother's turn to hold you." He didn't like her little groans of protest as he quietly scolded his mother into making him give in, but once Sakura's head turned and met Mikoto's happy-go-lucky face is when his emotions changed a little bit.
"Hi there, cutie," Mikoto cooed sweetly when Sakura lifted her sleepy head off of Sasuke's bare skin and rubbed her eyes with tiny fists. She couldn't help but gush so motherly when Sakura opened her small mouth to yawn and then look at Sasuke to smile. "Aweh! She's so cuuute! Such a cutie!"
"Sasu-chan!" Sakura spoke tiredly before reaching her small hands to grab Sasuke's hair and pull him down with the little strength she has and press a childish kiss on his chin, to which he purred in thanks. When she was done giving him a present, she giggled tiredly and turned her upper body to reach for Mikoto. "Mi-kaa!" she hummed for her attention to which Mikoto gave back with bright lights.
"My turn for the cutie!" Mikoto sang as she wrapped her arms around Sakura and lifted her off gently from Sasuke's lap and cuddle her into her own embrace. The Demon Goddess pressed her cheek against Sakura's sweet-smelling hair as the small child cooed into her position to resume her nap, which she fell asleep once more within minutes.
Sasuke watched as his own mother cradled his future bride in her arms, cuddling and kissing her head that was resting on her breasts like a cushioning pillow. He felt somewhat upset for Mebuki and Kizashi to be bedridden at this point in time; unable to be up and moving with their daughter who would crawl up the stairs (that she can not walk properly on just yet with her little legs) and show her parents affectionate cuddles and projects she has made in the kitchen with Chiyo's help. He remembered about the drawing she made from the markers Sasori gave her and drew everyone who lived in the Haruno Shrine, including Sasuke and Mikoto, and she stuffed the drawing into her dress and crawled up the stairs all by herself and didn't want help.
"Where are you going, love?" Sasuke asked with his hands in his pants pockets as he watched the two-year old girl look up the tall staircase with a tilt of her head.
"Up!" Sakura chirped with confidence as she made it up the first step with one leg hanging down. Sasuke was about to reach down for her and assist, but she used that hanging leg to kick at him stubbornly. "No, no!"
"Why not?" Sasuke asked with an expressionless face, yet his voice was curious and playful with this little sweetie. "The stairs is not a plaything."
"Mama, Papa," she explained as she sat on the second step and pointed up to the third floor - Where Mebuki and Kizashi's bedroom is next to Sakura's nursery. Sasuke noticed her chest crimpled with something inside her dress.
Sasuke reached into her little dress and spilled out her drawing, looking at it for a moment and then having it pulled from his hands and shoved back into Sakura's little dress, watching her roll to her knees and start climbing at a curious pace. Sasuke tilted his head. "Why not let me carry you, darling?"
"No, no!"
"Why not?"
"Mah turn!"
Mikoto cooed when Sakura hid her face into her chest, sighing sweetly as she set off into slumberland. Sasuke made his eyes leave his beloved and look at his mother who caught his glare in a instant. "What is it now, Sasu-chan? You look like you're going to have a fit!"
"She is developing a stubborn personality," he started, "and I have a feeling she is starting to take it off you..."
"Ohh?" Mikoto's eyes sparkled. "Then, I am very proud that she is catching on being so strong, cha!" Mikoto pumped a little fist, minding the sleeping toddler that was still sleeping. "Won't your father be impressed when I get home, ne?"
Sasuke sighed. "If she becomes too much like you, I think she will never need me by her side for protection."
With this, Mikoto's free hand smacked the back of Sasuke's head, causing him to fall onto the hardwood floor with a loud 'thump!' that made Sakura stir a little. "Women are not weak, Uchiha Sasuke, have I taught you nothing? It is the women who bare the children, protect the household and lets not forget that it's the women who cause the men to get on their knees. If I hear you say that ever again, so help me I will never share my cutie again!"
"That was not what I meant!" Sasuke snarled back at his mother.
"And, just because she is the Forbidden Flower, that also doesn't mean she is any less of a headstrong female," Mikoto sniffed with her chin up high. Sakura's green eyes opened and she pulled herself from her other parent's chest to look at Sasuke lying on the floor. With only a simple noise of wishing to get down (also meaning that she is done taking her nap), Mikoto obeyed her by settling her on her bottom, only a little pace from Sasuke.
Sakura cooed and she crawled over to Sasuke's head, seeing him on his back and glaring daggers at the ceiling like it did something annoying (and it probably did) and didn't notice the presence next to his face until Sakura plopped her mouth upon his forehead, giving him kisses and then hugging his head. In an instant, Sasuke's whole body relaxed under her touch as she clung to his hair with her small fists tugging in his scalp gently.
"And, if I may, there is only one woman who can hold your heart in her hands, instead of you holding hers'," Mikoto added with a simple smile as she rests her chin up on her palms. "Only one woman can make you calm on the inside; only she can sense when you are troubled despite your father's stoic attitude. Don't treat her like she is weak, she will learn how to be strong someday...so she can be by your side."
Sasuke turned his head to the side and found Sakura's chubby-cheeked face smiling sweetly at him with those very sparkly green eyes. Sasuke smirked a little and puckered his mouth to her, causing the little girl to squeal and bowed her head towards his lips and he planted a kiss on her head and started to purr in the back of his throat.
"Sasu-chan!" Sakura giggled and buried her face into his neck, to which his hand played with her pink hair. She made her growling-gurgles toward him in appreciation as Mikoto sighed sweetly at the sight.
"See what I mean?" Mikoto giggled.
Sasuke didn't respond to his mother and raised his head from the ground and pierced his lips again, making a humming noise to get the child's attention. Her head popped up and she puffed her cheeks with air as she smothered her face to his given kiss and giggled excitedly as he pressed multiple smooches all over her face. His hand cradled the back of her small head and continued his affectionate ministrations, forgetting the world around him.
Because, for Sasuke, his whole world is anything with her in it.
Sasuke instantly noticed how Sakura's grip tightened around his ring and pinky finger, squeezing the ring she gave him to have its print embedded into his skin, he glanced down to see her other hand cling to her necklace with a shaking hold, her lower lip being bitten between her teeth in obvious sign of nervousness. He blinked a few times before bending his head down to become leveled with her ear, finding them to be alone in the long hallway over to one of his parents' many throne-rooms; tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear when she sniffled and probably close to making tears.
"Why are you nervous?" he asked in his monotoned voice, yet his face was soft a little bit. When Sakura looked in her periphial vision, she could easily see the difference in his whole body language. They stopped in the middle of the grey-lit hallway as he watched her look down to her feet, which scrambled on their toes with worry. "You won't be doing anything wrong, you know that."
"I don't remember them, Sasuke-kun," she blurted in a whimper as her big eyes stared up at him. "What if they are upset that I don't remember?"
Sasuke actually glanced away to think about it . "My mother would not mind it all too much, to be frank," Sasuke shrugged. "She is more of a calm person and she understands people's problems more thoroughly."
"Really?"
"Unfortunately."
Sakura's frown twisted into a small smile as she tried to hide her laughter under a fake cough. "You make it sound like a bad thing, Sasuke-kun," she mumbled lightly as she used her other hand not holding his warm hand, simply tugging on his sleeve with an impish grin. "I suppose you don't like that?"
"It depends on who you ask," Sasuke grumbled a bit, noticing her change of moods at an instant and he found that more pleasurable. "Do you feel better now?"
"I want to see how your mom babies you!" Sakura started to laugh as she clung to his arm with great interest, her green eyes sparkled up to him like jewels. Her cheeks gushed with pretty shades of pink. "I want to see your mother... Mikoto, isn't that right?"
Sasuke stared at her with surprising eyes that had widened a fraction. He can not recall a time when he said his mother's name infront of Sakura. He felt that weird shiver up his spine of anticipation as he held her hand a bit tighter. He nodded and looked away, pulling his legs to carry him and lead Sakura to one of the thronerooms that reside inside the Uchiha Compound. Pulling his free arm out, Sasuke pushed a maroon door made of heavy wood, opening it to another room where people reside inside. Sakura noticed Kushina and Minato's bright hair in a instant, the others seem to blend into the shadows with their dark-colored hair.
"And she has these really, really bright eyes that look like lilypads, or jewels, Mikoto-chan! It sparkles like stars, you know?" Kushina exclaimed as she tugged on the hands of her friend, who's back faced Sakura, and played with her by swinging their arms up and down; a chubby smile on Kushina's round face as she stuck her tongue out. "And her hair! Ohmygoodness, it is the brightest pink I have ever seen in my life! How come her hair looks like that? Was her parents a redhead and another blonde? Or maybe her mother had pink hair - because men can not have pink hair, you know. I asked Chiyo that a long time ago, and she said that it would be depressing to see a man with pink hair.
Speaking of pink hair, did I tell you that she had the brightest color of pink I have ever seen in my life?" Kushina blabbed happily as she giggled childishly. Sakura could easily point out where Naruto got his hyperness and energy from.
"Relax, Kushi-chan," the woman facing Kushina spoke softly, the voice instantly making Sakura stiffen with an odd feeling. The pink haired teen gulped and took a step closer to Sasuke's side when he made them both stop.
Noticing her stress, Sasuke released her hand from his two fingers and wrapped a reassuring hand on her shoulder -such a touchy action was not in Sasuke's dictionary, to be honest- and he glanced down with calm eyes, telling her silently that everything would be alright with him here. Sakura found total relaxation with that look, being able to read him so easily, and she leaned her other side to his ribs, lightly feeling the pulse underneath his clothes and through his hand. His thumb carefully rubbed at the curve of her shoulder in a silent excuse to calm her down, before he made a noise of clearing his throat.
Kushina was the first to perk up and smile at the two, causing Sakura to tense and hop behind Sasuke's back by the time she shouted in a high pitched voice, making Minato -who was on the other side of the room with another unrevealing male- turn his head at the noise of his own wife. "There she is! Look, look, Sasu-chan is back, Mikoto-chaaan!"
Sasuke straightened his back on instinct by the time his mother turned around in her flowy kimono skirt and sleeves of silver, encountering most of the facial he inherited with the favor of handsome masculinity; long raven-colored hair and dark eyes, milky white skin of perfection as the woman met her youngest son's eyes. For a moment, Uchiha Mikoto only blinked at the sight of her son a couple time as Kushina simply wiggled around in excitement before the beautiful woman opened her mouth and-
"You haven't been eating full meals, deary!" The angelic voice of a woman rang in Sakura's small ears as she cringed at the tone of harsh worry. "And look at this, your hair looks like a mop of black fur! Did I teach you nothing of proper care on you're looks? This is shameful."
"Hello, Mother," Sasuke said in his bland tone, causing Sakura to look up to the back of his head and cling to the back of his shirt. She watched him bow his head toward the woman she couldn't see in greeting, not noticing how Kushina slid to Sakura's side and press their cheeks together in a pleased giggle. Sakura jumped and scurried to the other side of Sasuke and grabbed his arm on mere instinct of a Demon being so damn close to her, that she didn't know that she was now right. Infront. Of Sasuke's mother.
(and insert Kushina snickering naughtily in the background).
Green eyes clashed with black ones that did not belong to the person Sakura's heart hammered for, but rather, Sakura felt like her pumping organ could spill out of her mouth right now by the sweet smile the strange woman who looked a lot like Sasuke. Feeling herself becoming heated by dear and embarrassment, Sakura's shaking hands removed themselves from Sasuke's sleeve and gripped her own chest and bowed her head low; swallowing her thick spit to cry to make sure she wouldn't choke.
"M-m... M-Mikoto, it is nice t-to..." Sakura shut her mouth and straightened, her hands waving in an apology. "Gomenasai! I meant to say that this is not meeting you for the first time, I mean- Aweh... I'm so bad at this and-"
"You've grown up..."
Halting her rant upon herself to look and see Mikoto's own hands holding over her mouth, a thick coat of unshed tears in the coal eyes. Sakura blinked with a confused expression before Mikoto screamed a strangled sob and wrapped her arms around Sakura, pulling her into a very tight embrace, the Demon Goddess's face burrowed into Sakura's neck as she shivered on contact. Sakura stared ahead for a long moment, waiting for something to happen next.
"I have missed you so much, and now you're all grown up and pretty; just like Mebuki-chan," Mikoto murmured against her pink hair. "I can't believe it... One day, I'm teaching you how to say my name and now...now you're..."
Slowly, Sakura's hands lifted from her sides to press against Mikoto's curved back, causing the slightly taller woman to cry out and laugh at the same time. The black haired woman raked her hand through Sakura's soft hair and smiled, pulling back with tears pouring out as she cupped the teen's face with both hands.
"You're all pretty, and here I am crying like a little baby!" Mikoto laughed joyously as her contagious smile made Sakura giggle a little. Sakura hugged her a little harder and allowed Mikoto to pet her pink hair. "I can't believe that you're all grown up and so pretty!"
"Aweh... Thank you," Sakura flushed shyly as she rubbed her own eyes to fight back tears of her own. She was frustrated by her own emotions, he was desperately happy but she just couldn't hold it back; all of those wonderful times when Uchiha Mikoto visited in the summertime growing up flooded her mind quickly. Swallowing a thick lump, Sakura opened her eyes to look up at the Queen's pretty face, a shy smile on her lips. "I called you Mi-kaa, right?"
Mikoto gushed and nodded, another large set of tears falling. "You couldn't say your T's when you were learning to speak! It was so adorable!" The older woman didn't hold back as she grasped Sakura's cheeks and cuddled the pink flesh. "But you can say my name now, can't you, darling?"
"Mikoto?" Sakura guessed onhand.
With that said, Mikoto started crying again, making Sakura to think that she had said the wrong name; glancing to Sasuke for somekind of support, she witnessed Sasuke sighing in distress before Mikoto reached for Sakura's face once more time and plant a sweet smooch on each of the pink-haired girl's cheeks in three rounds. In total confusion, Sakura made a noise during the given kisses and Mikoto eventually stopped herself and hugged Sakura once more.
"That's a good cutie!" Mikoto sobbed again, smiling happily as she let go of Sakura and held her little hands in her own, slim ones. Glancing up to Sasuke and a sudden change in Mikoto's face expression made Sakura realize why Sasuke was so hesitant when it came to comment about his mother.
"Why haven't you called me? I was worried sick about you, you ungrateful nut!" Mikoto ranted as she let go of Sakura, only to pull Sasuke's exposed ear down to her height (which was only an inch or two taller then Sakura, and Sasuke is a head and a few inches taller then her) causing the young man to groan distastefully as the strength of his mother overpowered him. "Fugaku-kun, get over here and help me look over this boy!"
Blinking in curiosity, Sakura turned her head to see a man, about Sasuke's height, dark brown hair and tanned skin; aged to his looks, he stood straight and emotionless as his son did as he made his way over to stand next to his wife. Out of no warning, the unknown man glared down at Sakura, causing her to stiffen and make her own expression of a challenge. This was out of her mind, honestly, as she narrowed her emerald eyes and crossed her arms. Sure, this guy looked scary and probably deadly, but he wasn't as gorgeous as Mikoto - who startled her with the devine beauty she had.
"Humph!" Sakura straightened her posture and locked gazes with this man continued to look at her with a critical eye, tapping her foot on the floor while Mikoto was too busy pulling Sasuke's ear (who was watching this the whole time). It was sudden to see his own father, the Uchiha Fugaku suddenly smirk and pat Sakura affectionately ontop of her head. Sakura blinked out of her tough-face, and glanced up shyly to Fugaku once more with a sheen of nervousness in her emerald eyes.
"Hn," was all Fugaku said before turning to his wife's attention. This made Sakura so confused, but all she would do now was watch Sasuke be attacked by Mikoto's hands as Fugaku allowed it all to happen; she watched as Sasuke started growling at his own mother to stop but was proving useless to Mikoto's stubborness.
"Why don't you ever communicate with your own mother when you're gone, ne? Do I have to go there myself to see how you are doing and make sure you are taking care of yourself? God, if I did that, would you be embarrassed on having your mother on your ass infront of Sakura-chan? You know I would do that, don't you dare try and test me, young man!" Mikoto cried out tears of frustration as she then pulled Sasuke's cheeks hard until they snapped back into place when she released them. "How dare you make your mother worry!"
"Hn..." Sasuke grunted as Mikoto pulled his bangs back to access his whole face without the raven locks in the way.
"Is that all you can say to the woman who spent hours in labor to bring you into this world?" Mikoto sobbed childishly and covered her eyes to wipe away the tears.
"Hnnnn!" Sasuke continued to ground out and bare his teeth, which caused Mikoto to pout angrily and place her hands on her hips.
"Well, I see how this is going to play out," Mikoto stated with a dominant flip of her hair, turning her head to Sakura and smiled sweetly. "Cutie, don't you think Sasu-chan should have notified me about his wellbeing, instead of making this poor woman worry her guts out?"
"Aweh?" Sakura jumped at the sudden spotlight.
"I'm just saying," Mikoto drawled with a purr, "if your youngest baby were to venture off into another universe for god-knows-how-long, should he or should he not let his mother know how he is doing?"
"Uhm..." Sakura's face reddened as she looked down to her feet, trying to come up with an answer.
"Mother, stop bothering Sakura," Sasuke ground out as he intrupted his mother from reaching to Sakura's pink hair to play with a block of his hand.
"Aah, I see why you're such a grouchy-pants," Mikoto laughed childishly as she wrapped her arms around Fugaku's large bicep. "I remember when Fuga-boo acted that way when we were dating!"
Gong.
Sakura went blank, Kushina and Minato perked up and Sasuke's jaw dropped, revealing his canines to be pointed as his brow twitched. Fugaku instantly took in the body language and sighed tiredly, placing his hands on his wife's shoulders before whispering something into her ear; Mikoto jumped and looked at Sakura, who was now staring at the floor and fiddling with the hem of Sasuke's sweatshirt she wore. Swallowing a lump down her throat, Mikoto forced a smile to her youngest son.
"Why not give Sakura to Kushina-chan, and we can finish our business before dinner," Mikoto offered with a snap, making Kushina perk from her husband's embrace and scurry over to the pink-haired teen and take her little hand. When Sakura opened her mouth to protest, it was Sasuke who caught her attention by gracing his two fingers across her cheekbone.
Her head whipped to face him, his blank eyes and seductive smirk displayed on his face. "I will see you later; don't worry, you can get to know Dobe and Hinata a bit better..."
Without words of goodbyes, Sakura bit her lower lip and nodded bitterly. She turned around with Kushina holding her hand, and followed the redhead woman from the door they came through in the first place. The door closed on Fugaku's orders before Mikoto's smile dropped, her frown so sad that it could tore Sasuke's heart right now - reminding him of that dark time when his family used to be whole...
"What did Fugaku-kun mean by 'she doesn't love Sasuke'?" Mikoto asked with a wobble of her chin.
Sasuke looked down in slight shame, feeling his head tighten before he took the stand of Sakura's mind and he hoped -he actually begged- that she didn't hear his father's awful conviction.
=xxx=
'Mikoto, darling, Sakura does not love Sasuke...'
'Mikoto, darling, Sakura does not love Sasuke...'
"Mikoto, darling, Sakura does not love Sasuke...'
Sakura's head pounded in firing anger as she let her head hang on her shoulders and Kushina continued on to guide them both in the dark hallways. She couldn't believe that someone would mention that outloud! Does Sakura now hate Fugaku? No, not at all; she can actually recall times when Fugaku would sit in the Haruno Shrine when she was a child and teach her the meaning of things: why did the sun go down; why do rabbits and squirrels go to sleep in winter but Pakkun stays awake; why do Demons do this and that... No, Sakura could not blame Fugaku for saying such a stupid thing!-
But, as Sakura's mind slammed, was it true?
Ever since Kushina led Sakura out, she started blabbing, just like her son, about the mindless things. On the flipside, Sakura found that as some comfort for herself, listening to someone change the subject. As of now, Kushina was talking about her hair (that Kushina seems to like a lot).
"...and I just think it is the best shade of pink," Kushina chirped childishly with a tilt of her head. "I mean, I don't like pink at all - people tell me I am a bit more manly then that- but that shade you have on your hair is sweet; it reminds me of when Minato went along with Fugaku to the Human World this one time, when I was pregnant with Naruto, and he came back with this fluffy-stuff that you could eat! Now, last time I ate something fluffy, my grandmother forced me to spit it out and to suck on this bar of soap that tasted horrible, Dattebane!
Anyway, Minato came into my bedroom and presented this fluffy-stuff to me, and he told me to open my mouth," Kushina grinned large. "And, I told that idiot, 'If this shit causes my grandmother to shove soap into my mouth, I will decapitate his manhood!' Now, Minato was a kind man, so he ate some first and then fed me some- and ohh, it was wonderful! That's what your hair reminds me of, the fluffy-stuff you can eat and it is sweet."
"Cotton c-candy..." a sob broke Kushina's pattern, causing the violet eyes to snap to witness the unshed tears in emerald jeweled eyes. "T-the fluffy-stuff is called cotton candy, K-Kushina-chan..."
Kushina stopped walking and faced the trembling Sakura, gently holding her face to make her look up to the older woman. Biting her bottom lip, Sakura glanced to the pretty face this Demon had and saw the understanding and relating in those pretty violet eyes. Kushina smiled gently and pulled Sakura into her arms, allowing a tear to fall onto her colorful clothes as she rocked Sakura like she was her own child.
"It will be okay, honey," Kushina cooed into Sakura's little ear as she pet the pastel hair she was complimenting only moments ago. "If you want my advice, don't listen to what others have to say, only listen to what you think of... To be cliche, listen to your heart."
Sakura couldn't hold back the giggle as the tears stopped. "I'm sorry for crying."
"Bah! You aren't as bad as Naruto was, back in the day when he couldn't tell if he wanted to admit his love for Hinata-nyan or think that her cooking was doing crazy things to his stomach," Kushina scoffed at Sakura's claim. "Honestly, when that nut brought that sweetheart home with Sasuke-sama, he looked like a changed man!"
"Oh..." Sakura flushed a bit, thinking she knows a little bit too much about her new friend. "But, Kushina-chan, what about Mi-?"
"Don't mind Mikoto-chan and Fugaku," Kushina smiled brightly as she waved her hand. "They just don't understand what you two, young people have behind closed curtains! Why, when they were at the stage of uncertainty, they would be locked inside their rooms and scream at themselves in the mirror. Trust me, honey, you just need to listen to ol' Aunty Kushina, okay? I may not look like it, but I'm the Love Guru; I actually helped a lot of women in my time with boytrouble."
Sakura broke a big smile and she giggled sweetly, causing Kushina to sigh. "See, now, you remind me so much of the fluffy-stuff. What did you call it? Cotton candy! That's right..." Kushina held Sakura's hand once more and led her outside to the small courtyard where the pink-haired teen started out in this strange world with weird people. She noticed Hinata over by a small garden, where odd colors of flowers lived in a bed (colors of different patterns; one looked like a robin's egg, another was like a watermelon-colored, etc) and the dark haired woman was speaking softly to another woman with matching hair to Kushina. The violet eyes of Sakura's new go-to-pal sparkled as she hurried over with Sakura in tow.
"Sakura-chan, you need to meet someone who I think will be your new friend!" Kushina cooed loudly as Hinata and the unnamed girl turned their heads. The stranger had red hair like Kushina, yes, but one side was straight and the other was jagged, she wore black glasses and her eyes were bloody-red. She was the same build and height as Sakura as well. "I want you to meet my favorite niece in the whole world, Uzumaki Karin!"
Sakura quickly bowed and was found to hear Karin stifle a gasp before lifting her head up to see Karin on her knees, bowing her head to the ground. "I'm sorry, ma'am, I should have been quicker to bow!"
Sakura blinked a few times, not understanding much. Kushina smiled and glanced at Hinata, who was holding a small batch of the weird-colored flowers; she silently told her daughter-in-law to follow her into a small-looking home, which was too quick for Sakura to stop either of them. They obviously had something planned between her and this Karin girl. When she turned back to Karin, she found her still burying her face into the dirt.
"Y-you don't need to bow," Sakura said softly as she knelt down beside Karin, causing the Demon to jolt straight with wide eyes. "I don't want anything weird bet-."
"You're Sasuke-kun's bride, aren't you?" Karin blurted out in a hurt tone. Their eyes met for the longest moment before Karin spoke one more time, seeing how Sakura didn't answer straight. "You're the one Sasuke-kun left his World for to bring back and marry..."
"Uhm," Sakura nibbled her upper lip now. "Y-yeah, I am."
With that, Karin twisted her upper body around, her back facing Sakura, and took a second to return facing her with a flower in her hands. It was in the shape of a rose, but it was no color Sakura has ever seen before; the color was bleached but the tips were tinted violet, and actual icicles hung from the stems, petals and dallops inside the flower itself. The stem was black and so were the leaves, making the icy-blue icicles and violet tints on the tips pop out more.
It was beautiful.
"Wow...it's so...pretty," Sakura breathed out dreamly, though her expression was surprised.
Karin couldn't help but smile a little bit at the reaction. "Of course it's pretty, all flowers are meant to be pretty; and even the scent of it is perfect for a perfume." Karin glanced shyly at Sakura before holding the flower out. "Try smelling it."
Sakura was hesitant at first, but then she took the courage to barely cup the flower and bent her head down slowly. She inhaled and smelt vanilla, cherry and sweet spring all within the winter-lik flower; clouding her thoughts and drowning all her troubles regarding all the Forbidden flower and love in general. "I like it... It's so amazing!"
"It's for you," Karin stated as she placed the flower on Sakura's lap. The flower didn't break its ice, bent or any destruction. "I hope you will like it."
"What? Why would you give me this?" Sakura stammered in shock as she picked up the flower, fearing it would break at all. Her eyes widened as she stared at Karin. "It's too pretty, I can't take it from you!"
"The meaning of the flower is more important to me then it's beauty," Karin said softly as she looked down. "The meaning of this flower means eternal-graditude and a very praised thanks to those you give it to."
"Eh..?"
Hugging her knees to her chin, Karin's red eyes sparkled gently as she watched the wind brush the flowers in the bed. She turned her head gently and smiled at Sakura. "If you must know, I used to love Sasuke-kun. When I was a kid, Sasuke-kun was the most coolest person I have ever met, and I loved him for everything he did: his training, his attitude toward everything and even how he rejected girls...
"At one point, my love and devotion to him grew, and so I planned on confessing my feelings to him when he was about to leave for a 'mission' eighteen years ago. " Karin swallowed thickly. "When I entered hsi workplace, he was making a music box and he said that it was for the one who stole his heart so sweetly. And me, being the fangirl of history to Uchiha Sasuke, I tried to flirt with him to get him to say that it was for me. But he gradually answered when I asked... He said your name. Sakura.
"Instantly, I was heartbroken beyond repair," Karin confessed when she saw Sakura's still form stiffen. "So I ran away from him and cried, cried like a stupid baby who was scolded by her mommy. Now, I never had a mother or father, they died when I was very little... Anyhow, while I was crying my eyes out, a soldier to the Uchiha found me.
"We didn't get along at all. I was launching myself at his throat because he teased me for crying alone instead of facing my problems like a real woman; but soon after that little event with him, I end up running into him all the time then. Soom after... I started to love him," Karin's face blushed deep as her hair as she looked away. "We still fight like fire and water, but he makes me become more...I don't know, confident! And it was all because of you."
"I-I'm... I'm so-."
"Don't you dare try to say you're sorry, I'm getting to the good part," Karin straightened. "Anyway, after Sasuke came home after...the barriers, I assume you know-" Sakura nodded. "Well, Sasuke-kun became...depressed; so deep in that dark hole, I don't think anyone could make him happy. But I knew he always thought of you, because, when entered here with you, I could sense his happiness and calm vibes."
"And it was all because-?"
"Because of you," Karin nodded, finishing. "So, I'm giving you this flower, because I want you to know that I am grateful that you brought Sasuke-kun his happiness back. You brought something back that even I couldn't do, if I still 'loved' him, and... I'm happy it is someone with a good vibe as you."
Sakura looked down at the flower, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to take in everything. This lady once loved Sasuke, and she wanted to be the one to make him happy - Karin wanted to marry Sasuke centuries before Sakura was probably born! To Sakura, in her own mind, she caused Karin a lot of pain because Sasuke didn't love Karin back...
"I find it funny, however," Karin spoke with a sly smirk, causing Sakura to glance her way, "that your heart pounds everytime a subject of Sasuke-kun comes along. I can't help but wonder, are you that strucked by Sasuke-kun from the very beginning?"
The blankness of Sakura's face didn't answer Karin's question, but she did shake her head as her brows knitted together in worry. "I...don't know."
Inside the castle, Sasuke sat on his own knees infront of his two parents that stayed in their thrones with their backs straightened. He eyed his mother for one moment, but stayed more focused with his ears and sensitivity towards his father, who was breathing rather harsh (which only happens when he's anxious about something). Frowning a little bit deeper, Sasuke closed his eyes and finally spoke out of his reach.
"Who was the one that sealed Sakura's memories away?" he said in a deep but loud voice. He didn't look up when he heard his mother's halt in breathing and Fugaku's grunt.
"Why would you ask that? You know that her memories are not-!"
Sasuke intrupted his father with a harsh growl. "You know what I mean!" he howled as the grip on his own knee tightened, his blood vessels visible as he chomped on his lowerlip.
Mikoto's eyes widened as she stood up from her seat. "Sasuke, calm down, god dammit! I will not have you make a big mess in my throne room, you hear me?" she screamed in anger as she pointed a finger at her youngest son. "Stop it before I spank you, like when you were a baby!"
Slowly, the grip on Sasuke's knee lessen and he looked back up to stare at his mother with red eyes, three commas swirling slowly to show his effort in calming down. His lips closed over the sharp teeth when his father spoke in. "It is not the time to be discussing about the past, Sasuke. We have more important things to talk about."
"But this is important," Sasuke argued with a flat tone.
Fugaku closed his eyes and turned his chin away from his youngest son in distaste. "I will not argue with you, Sasuke. Mikoto and I are rather more curious about why Sakura is not responding to the removal of barriers; care to share on that thought, Sasuke?"
"I don't know why she is not responding," Sasuke bit out in a spat. "I have tried right after Yamanaka Ino smashed a great chunk of it, but it was causing Sakura pain. No way in hell would I continue on like that, especially when she has no fucking idea what the heck she is."
After a long moment, Mikoto whined and buried her face into the palms of her hands. She made a gurgling noise that would be much reminded of a sad cat, however, it was Fugaku who grew red in the face and puffing in the cheeks; brow twitching as he glared at his son.
"You mean to tell me..."
"Why would I bother asking such a sensitive question, Father?" Sasuke raised a brow and a mocking smirk.
"Stop this arguement, right now!" Mikoto hissed, frightening both Fugaku and Sasuke to return to their stoic features. They both glanced at the Uchiha Queen as she uncrossed her legs and stood up, hands on her hips. "If you think we are going to have daddy-sonny issues, you can cry into your pillows later-on tonight like real men! I did not marry a sissy and I certainly did not give birth to a little whiney brat. We're going to handle this like a family, and we are going to handle this like Uchihas!"
. . . .
"Got it!" Mikoto screamed with flames bursting from her black eyes.
Both Fugaku and Sasuke nodded silently.
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The behavior of royalty is a mixture of maturity and immaturity.
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Wars are sought out, Wars are stopped...
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One kingdom wants a treasure, surely you see the result of this wish.
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Another kingdom will want the treasure too.
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Sasuke walked out of the corridor-hallway to the small courtyard, his head throbbing from both stress and the whack Mikoto gave to him and his father moments before they departed. In tradition to his parents, whenever Mikoto got angry in things regarding to her husband (and Sasuke, if you will) she will say her goodbyes to her much loved husband and son with a hard hit to the back of the skull, reminding them who 'wears the pants' in the family; dragging Fugaku away into their private quarters to be left alone from everyone in the outside world for an hour or two. With that, Sasuke left the throneroom and decided to find out what everyone else was doing (not that Sasuke cared, or anything). It was around mealtime in the evening, and so he assumed that he would look for Sakura in the rooms where the Uzumakis ate their dinners in family-homes; and so he would go into the Head Noble home, where Naruto, Kushina and Minato live, and see if Sakura was there eating her dinner.
As he started to walk slowly toward the Head Noble home, he heard a voice of the person he was looking for coming from behind him. "Sasuke-kun!"
He turned around to see the pink haired teen hurrying over to him, a bright smile on her face that toned out the shine of the moon. She jumped on her landing infront of him as she held out an object with both hands, she grinned brightly as Sasuke bent his head to see a pale flower with icicles dripping from the tips and leaves.
"Look what Karin gave to me as a gift, it's a flower that means eternal thanks!" Sakura explained as if she discovered something amazing, like a young child. Sasuke blinked when he witnessed this. "She told me that if someone gives it to you, it is suppose to show how thankful they are to you until the flower wilts - but get this: this flower will never wilt! Isn't that the coolest thing you have ever heard? It's like a fake flower, but it's not a fake flower!"
"Aa," Sasuke nodded slowly as he peered at the flower. To be honest, Sasuke would have never think of the low-ranked Uzumaki Karin to express somekind of gratitude. Whenever he had heard of Karin from an Uchiha soldier, Suigetsu, he would complain aimlessly to the other men during training about a certain hot-headed woman who refuses to keep her trap shut.
"It's really pretty, isn't it, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura gushed as she retracted the flower. She looked up at Sasuke, noticing the weird look in his eyes. "Sasuke-kun, is there something wrong?"
Sasuke's eyes drooped a bit, looking away from Sakura's face. He couldn't look at her when the memory of his parent's final decision from a while ago.
"We will allow Sakura to take time with her memories, and it might as well take time," Mikoto warned softly. "For now, Sasu-chan, please have a good time with her and make her feel happy and safe in your care; she is now fragile and this is a whole new world to her, and she needs you by her side as she learns once again."
"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura smiled gently as she took a step closer to him, trying to meet his blank gaze. "Are you alright?"
"Hn..." Sasuke turned his head back to her, noticing her slight hyperness and her gentle smile becoming all for him. "Have you eaten dinner yet?"
Sakura blinked and smiled bigger, shaking her head. "Karin-chan went home without me, and I wanted to look at the flowers a little bit longer. I didn't realize that it was dark out before I saw you walking to where Hinata-chan and Kushina-chan went a while ago." She gestured a pointing finger to the large one-story home that has light glistening from the covered windows.
"That is where they live," Sasuke explained. Taking time, he reached over and grabbed her outstretched hand, lacing fingers gently with hers and looking down. "I can take you there and then you will need to eat something before bed. I don't want you hungry."
"Hey, Sasuke-kun..."
Sasuke turned his head and saw Sakura's green eyes sparkling up at him, reflecting some of the glittering stars from the night's sky; she smiled at him, both happy and shy at the same time. He swallowed thickly, feeling his ears tinting red as he turned his head away.
"What?" he asked in his monotone.
He heard her smile bigger and felt her lean against the arm that had the hand holding hers'. "I don't think you need to be shy when you want to hold my hand, Sasuke-kun," she said quietly, as if other people could hear her. "To be honest with you...I really like it when we hold hands all the time. So, if it's not too much to ask, can we hold hands more often?"
Such an offered request made Sasuke's heart twist painfully in such a sweet way. He stared down at her in utter shock as she glanced up to him with that shy smile and the heavy blush on her cheeks. To Sasuke, it was everything his mother told him not to do; he needed to take his time with her, be careful and treat her fragile because she can not remember...
She can not remember him.
But this feeling inside of him, the warm, sickly sweet feeling inside his chest that felt like melting goo and how his heart pounds against him like he had won a long-lasting battle with Hell itself. This wonderful feeling of being in lo-
"Aa..." Uchiha Sasuke just could say that yet.
As Sasuke escorted Sakura by holding her hand and her arm wrapped around his, he led her towards the Head Uzumaki household and his heart continued to thump in his chest as he felt Sakura's own heartbeat soar up to the night sky as they smelled cooked good all made by Kushina. Sasuke was not planning on eating with the Uzumakis and Sakura, but he would rather sit close to the pink-haired girl who was still chattering away about her icy flower. Before he could comment something relative -something 'romantic' in matching her own prettyness to the flower- until a high-pitched cry killed his hearing.
"SAKU-CHAAAAAAN!" Ino roared as she literally tackled Sakura from the Uzumaki doorstep, unlocking Sasuke and Sakura's hands so that the pink-haired girl could protect her flower (which was indestructible, for those who are curious) as Ino buried her face against Sakura's own as she pressed kisses on Sakura's cheeks and nose as she ranted about this man with pineapple hair growing a heavy Bromance on her father and how she wasn't going to leave Sakura alone until this nutcase leaves her father...
Suppose Uchiha Sasuke will have to work for it.
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The kingdoms that rule land will cause tension...
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Hatred, Threats, Anger and undless Pain.
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All because of a certain character, who remembers nothing of the sort.
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All because of her Blood, Flesh and Body.
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=xxx=
AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE:... Where have I been all this time? D: Studying for college exams and all that wonderful stuff x3 I will be updating more frequently and slightly longer chapter, for those who will be excited for that! :D I'm very happy how this is coming out, and I assure a better chapter for you guys next time (and maybe something you all have been waiting for? Nyuhuuhuu~-coughs-)
AND WHY IS KARIN HERE? Because Karin needs some love, too c: and if everyone hates this one person, then that person won't know what it is liked to be loved. And I'm sure no one wants to know the feeling of been unloved, ne? I will be discussing more about Karin's backstory later, but let's have some fun with SasuSakuness, yes? Tell me what you guys would like in the next chapter and I will see if I can make it come true.
Remember to Review, Favorite, Follow or do nothing if you don't want to! Anything you will do to make yourself happy will make me happy! Kitty loves all her lovelies and hateies (that's not even a word...) Byebye! x3