"This is ridiculous!" Sasuke seethes under his breath, voice lost to the cackling fire. "I always knew you didn't have much of a brain, but today you've shown that you don't even have one!"

It irks him that Naruto barely spares him a glance, eyes fixated on the three elves huddled together at the other end of the fire.

"Come on, man. I think it's a great idea. Besides, aren't you sick of a life of killing?"

"Idiot. The path they're taking also involves killing."

Sasuke pinches the bridge of his nose and exhales deeply as Naruto slaps him heartily on the back.

"But teme, they're doing it to make the world a better place."

"Their world," Sasuke corrects, but he knows he is fighting a losing battle. As much as Naruto vexes him, Sasuke knows that he will always have his back. After all, he has spent nearly half of his life with the blonde, listening to every foolish thought that enters his brain and watching him inhale ramen faster than Sasuke can blink. Sasuke has listened to his dry jokes enough times to know what he is about to say and endured his constant immaturity for as long as he can remember. They have killed together and cried together and hoped and dreamed and lived together, and Sasuke knows that he will die before he abandons his best friend. He turns his gaze to Sakura, watching as her face glows in the shadows of the flames. She is nibbling on her bottom lip in thought, features soft as she listens to Neji's argument. Sasuke cannot make out what they are saying, but from Neji's frown and crossed arms he gathers that he is not pleased to have human companionship.

"Look Sasuke, I know this isn't what we normally do. Heck, we'd be putting our own lives on the line by doing this. But I…I'm sick of running. Our hands…they're stained with blood. Too much blood." Sasuke watches as Naruto stares at his open palms before closing them into tight fists. Sky blue clashes with obsidian. "If there's a chance to turn things around, to make something of ourselves, then I want to take that chance."

And just when Sasuke thinks that for once, Naruto is being serious, he ruins it when he wiggles his eyebrows inappropriately. "And besides, deep down in that dark cave you call your heart, I know you're dying to bang princess over there."

Sasuke doesn't bother hiding his groan of dismay, and Naruto can't help but cheer.

…

"Sakura, this is unwise." Neji frowns, glancing at the two intruders sitting across from them. Assassins working for the Akatsuki are notorious for their reputation, and Neji isn't about to forget the one lesson his father instilled in him from a young age – to distrust all but his own kind. He snorts silently, because look how that turned out for them all. Running from their own kind, forced to take refuge where they could find it.

"Neji-nii, Sakura is right. We need them."

Under normal circumstances, Neji would never consider Hinata or Sakura's proposal. It has nothing to do with the fact that they are female – elves do not discriminate between men and women like humans do. The both of them think too much with their heart, and it is the kind of naïve thinking that will get them all killed. But cold, hard, logic tells him there is truth in Hinata's words. What hope did they have of accomplishing their goal with just the three of them? Naruto and Sasuke aren't the first to come for them, and Neji knows that the people who hired them will not stop until they have Sakura's head on a platter. Having two highly skilled men accompany them on their travels would definitely help their cause.

Sakura's eyes are on his, gauging but sincere, and Neji is secretly pleased that there is no undermining authority in them. As a leader, Sakura is determined and optimistic, but she has never forced her opinions on him. She has always respected his thoughts and opinions, and Neji knows that he will follow her to the end of the world.

He sighs. "Don't let me say I told you so."

Instantly, he is blinded by the beaming smile Sakura throws him and nearly knocked off balance when his cousin tackles him into a hug.

"We knew you'd see it our way!"

"Fenedhis," Neji cursed, rolling his eyes. Bloody women.

Sakura, who is already making her way to Sasuke and Naruto, turns around and catches his eye. "I heard you!"

…

In the end, Sasuke finds himself alone with Sakura by the fire, everyone else asleep in their tents. He finds her company strangely comforting, and a part of him is disgruntled at this realisation. Sasuke has never been fond of female companions, and momentarily he is brought back to memories of flirty giggles and wandering hands and he is barely able to suppress a shiver. But Sakura…this elf, is different. She holds herself with dignity despite her clear interest in him, and for the past thirty minutes she has only shown interest in getting to know him.

As it turns out, Sasuke has also learned a great deal about her. When he and Naruto had taken on the job, all they knew was that she was the heir of the famed Mountain Elves of Konoha, exiled and on the run. He watches her, rapt, as she tells him how her home was attacked in the middle of the night. Sakura, along with her escorts had just returned from a diplomatic meeting with the Forrest Elves in Iwa, only to find Konoha in flames. He learns now that this attack was led by the same elf that requested their services, their military leader and the king's right hand man, Yakushi Kabuto. The Hyuuga escorts had forced Sakura to retreat as they slipped into Konoha, but Neji and Hinata were the only ones that made it out. Now, this traitor rules over them, while Sakura, Neji and Hinata are considered criminals and are targets of hired assassins and bounty hunters everywhere.

It wasn't their job to ask questions, but now, next to her, basking in the warmth of the fire and its ethereal glow, Sasuke finds himself wondering how many innocent lives he and Naruto have taken. His stomach churns and he looks down at his hands as he thinks of Naruto's words. They couldn't change what they had done, but what they can change…starts here. His new companions have made it their mission to reclaim Sakura's rightful position on the throne and resume rule of the Mountain Elves, and Sasuke knows it is no easy pursuit.

"What about you, Sasuke-kun? Where do you stand in this?"

Her voice draws him from his thoughts, and he frowns slightly as the suffix she has chosen to give him. "It's the Elven way of showing…fondness, you could say," she had explained, cheeks dusted pink, and his gut tells him that somehow, it means much more than she is willing to let on. He looks at her, emerald eyes almost golden in the glow of the fire, and he finds himself unwillingly drawn to her.

He looks away quickly, trying to shake himself. "Helping you means Naruto and I will be hunted down by the Akatsuki – they don't take well to traitors."

"I…I'm sorry. You don't have to –"

"No, it's okay. I was getting sick of life as an assassin anyway."

Sasuke watches as her lips melt into a soft smile and the curiosity in her eyes fade into something he can't quite comprehend. He intends to leave it at that, but his eyes are drawn to the rhombus tattoo on her forehead and curiosity nags him as he remembers how it had extended across and down her face during their scuffle and his next words escape him before he can stop it. "Your tattoo. It's different to the ones your kind have?"

Sasuke watches as Sakura brings a tentative finger up to her tattoo. "Oh, you noticed?" He thinks her face flushes a darker shade of pink under his scrutiny. "All warriors are marked by our healer when they pass their final test. A sign that they are capable to fight for their home. Also a pledge of loyalty. Each one different so we can identify each other in case…you know." She clears her throat. "My tattoo…it also holds the will of Fire. It is passed down by the throne, from generation to generation. My whole life, I've been raised to control and wield this power."

Sasuke is surprised to find a small pang of disappointment at her words. He had thought that she was strong, on her own accord. Sakura had been the first female in a long time that managed to hold her own against him. "So when you fight…?" His question dies in his throat when he senses her gaze shift from the fire to him.

"No," her voice is strong, and Sasuke once again finds himself drawn to her. "What I can do with a dagger, or a bow and arrow…what I know about herbs and medicine, are all through my own hard work. I train as hard as the next Elven warrior. But I also learnt early on that I have excellent chakra control." She taps her seal lightly, eyes still fixed on him. "And I store it in here. I…I don't have much stamina, so my chakra stores do come in handy." By the time she is finished, her voice is fierce, but it also holds a tinge of sadness and anger, and Sasuke wonders if she has been underestimated all her life. He snorts. He had always known men didn't think that women made excellent fighters, but he had expected more from elves, who loved to portray their race as above others.

"You've been denied your respect," he says carefully. Sakura shrugs. "We have many beliefs and traditions. An heir, if born female, serves only one purpose. I was raised to be the perfect bride. They made sure that I am capable of holding my own in court, amongst other diplomats. My knowledge should be second only to my husband and my role is to support him as queen. My people…very much value diplomatic marriages to keep peace." This newfound discovery, Sasuke thinks, only makes him want to know her more. It certainly explains why she is so prideful of her abilities in battle.

"Anyhow. It doesn't matter anymore. When I become queen, I will change the things I have always abhorred," she says, and her tone shifts abruptly from fierce to cheerful and Sasuke wonders just how much this woman is capable of feeling at one time. Before he can say anymore, there is a sound of shifting armour and the rustling of a tent flap, and Naruto steps out.

"Oi, teme. Sakura-chan. It's my turn to take watch. Catch some sleep while you can, cause tomorrow's gonna be a long day."

And then he breaks out into a lecherous grin and gestures crudely with his hands and eyes that the two of them…sleep together, and before Sasuke can shove his fist in Naruto's face, Sakura beats him to it.

"Shannaro," she curses before stalking off, and Sasuke smirks as Naruto cradles a swollen jaw.

"Nice one, dobe."

…

Sakura shifts and stretches in the cold, grey dawn, rolling up her sleeping bag and strapping it to her pack before filling a pot with water for tea and setting it over the flames. Leaving the camp site, she makes her way to the stream they had located the night before, the crunching of her shoes against rust-coloured leaves breaking the silence. She feels her heart beat quicken when she thinks of Sasuke. She barely knows this man – but somehow, she feels like she does know him, like she has known him for her whole life and many lifetimes before. Reaching the stream, she shakes her head to clear her thoughts and begins to strip. Holding in a squeal Sakura dips her body into the cool water, sighing once she is used to its temperature. As she cleans herself, Sakura's thoughts wander again. Did he find her attractive as she did him? Sakura has always taken pride in her firm but soft physique. She wasn't as curvy as women were, didn't look like the beautiful women she had seen on her travels. She was dainty and exotic, she supposed - perks that came with being an elf, and she wonders if Sasuke finds her attractive.

She shakes her head vigorously once she catches her train of thought. She grinds her teeth hard and closes her eyes in frustration.

Focus, Sakura.

It will do her no good to be distracted on their mission. They are only three days away from Iwa, and she can only pray that Kabuto hasn't yet caught wind of their plan. She isn't sure if there will be any chance of convincing the Forrest Elves to join their cause – she has no throne and no army, but they have always maintained a close relationship, built over respect and loyalty, and she hopes that they will not abandon her in her time of need. She quickly finishes up and makes her way back to camp, shoulders squared and jaws set. She has a mission to accomplish, and no matter what other interests she may have, they will simply have to wait.

…

They make quick work of packing their gear after breakfast. As it is, they've overstayed enough to leave traces of their whereabouts, and Sasuke is sure that Akatsuki will come for them soon enough.

He quickly learns that travelling with Sakura is like travelling with two Narutos. They both walk ahead of the party, talking and laughing at everything and anything, and Sasuke finds himself silently wondering if agreeing to help join them on their journey was the right choice. Hinata and Neji are quiet and reserved, much like himself, and he lets himself hang back just enough so that Naruto and Sakura's constant chattering don't ring in his ears, and is secretly thankful that Sakura's two companions are here.

He can feel Neji's eyes on him, anxious and doubting and Sasuke wants to tell the elf that if he really wanted to kill the princess, she wouldn't have lived past their encounter last night. Gritting his teeth, Sasuke does his best to ignore everyone around him. The sooner they reached Iwa, the better.

The rest of the journey is thankfully silent, with Naruto and Sakura seeming to have finally tired themselves out. They have been walking for six hours when they finally reach a village.

"Yes! Do you think they have ramen here, teme?" Naruto yells excitedly, bounding off without them. Sasuke is perplexed when a blushing Hinata chases after him with the pretence of keeping an eye out on him. Neji is still silent and brooding, scoffing at the blonde before following his cousin.

Sasuke groans when Sakura tugs on his arm, smiling up at him. "Do you like dango, Sasuke-kun?"

"No," he says stiffly, and perhaps too curtly, and something like hurt flashes across Sakura's face at this. He doesn't know if he is bothered by this, but his brows pinch in confusion and he exhales deeply through his nose.

"Come on. Let's see if we can find some dango."

He pretends he doesn't notice her beaming up at him from the corner of his eye.

…

A/N: Hope you guys like this one! Please review if you have time! Xx

Disclaimer: I forgot to mention it in the first chapter, but none of these characters belong to me.