The night air was a cool relief inside the cave because of the nearby waterfall. A couple days respite at the hideout turned into a week for the lovers. Sasuke knew the delay was unprofessional, but it was hard to terminate the only carefree moments he'd experienced since childhood. While Sakura slept snuggled against his chest, he traced his fingers lazily over her bare shoulder, enjoying the softness of her flesh. It would have been nice to have two hands, but it was penance to not have a whole body after all the crimes he'd committed and lives he'd destroyed during his dark period.
The sun would rise within the hour and they would continue northeast to an archive Suigetsu had messaged him about a few weeks ago in the village of Hinode. He remembered that Sakura had a photographic memory from their academy days. Sakura probably thought he didn't pay attention to her, but he did. All the girls at the academy were annoying, but she was smart, constantly receiving the top scores. However, she'd still been annoying. Though, to be fair, he thought almost everyone was annoying.
The academy had been a nice distraction from the haunted Uchiha compound. The girl classmates giggles and whispers were frustrating, but during class it gave him a chance to observe possible rivals. No one could compete with his techniques, but Sakura and Shikamaru were on par with his intellect, and no one could compare to Naruto's heart and determination.
His time on Team Seven gave him a sense of family. Perhaps, Sakura was right and the Third hadn't failed Itachi. Placing him under Kakashi's leadership with a pair of teammates that never gave up on him — regardless of how far he'd fallen — had saved him in the end. And he'd fallen into darkness that if Kakashi hadn't been the Hokage - he'd have spent the rest of his life in prison, or more likely, would have been executed.
A pair of jade eyes fluttered open to stare up at him. "Good morning," Sakura greeted with a lazy smile. "Did you sleep well?"
"Very relaxed," Sasuke murmured. "We'll head out today. There's an archive I want to investigate."
"Time to start that book club," Sakura teased. She kissed his cheek and then slipped out of their bedroll.
Sasuke enjoyed watching her dress, the shadows from the early morning rays giving her an otherworldly glow. "I know with your medical abilities, you can keep from getting pregnant."
Sakura looked over at him after she buttoned up her top. "It's an easier option to use my chakra than hormonal birth control," she agreed. "Fewer side effects."
"I realize it's a lot to ask, but, could you just let things happen — if they happen?" Sasuke asked. "I know it's your body and your choice, but…." he trailed off. He didn't know how to word his feelings. The idea of having a child with Sakura stoked a tiny ember of hope in his otherwise pessimistic outlook of life.
"It doesn't always work out so easily," Sakura said, breaking the silence. "There's a timing that works and frankly I haven't been paying much attention to my own." She closed her eyes and a look of concentration washed over her face. "There is a possibility, but it is not likely."
"Oh, okay." Sasuke could feel the tips of his ears burning and was grateful that his longer hair obscured them from view. He didn't like making requests. It made him feel vulnerable. He hated feeling vulnerable.
"I'm okay with letting whatever happens — happen." Sakura's cheeks tinged pink.
Sasuke felt the tension in his chest easing. Maybe being vulnerable occasionally would be okay. He did worry that if he lost anyone else he cared out he'd never recover. It was risky, allowing Sakura inside his carefully guarded heart.
He worked to re-attach his prosthetic arm and felt a warm caress as Sakura laid her hand over his biceps and soothed the area of friction where it met his flesh. "We want make sure your balance is at top form with the distance you want to cover," she said.
"Thank you," Sasuke murmured. He'd only said those words a few times, and it always seemed to be spoken to Sakura.
.
.
OoO
.
.
.
They traveled in professional silence for hours and arrived at the Hinode village at mid-day. There was only a solitaire inn and it was quite quaint. They waited on the outskirt, hidden in the wilderness that bordered the village while Sasuke's hawk flew around inspecting the place.
Sasuke spoke, able to see though his hawk's eyes using a special jutsu that connected them together, much like Sai's ink creations.
"Doesn't seem like they get too many guests around here." Sasuke closed his eyes and severed the connection with his hawk as it flew back towards them in the forest.
"It's a good thing you use your hawk to scout, I don't think a snake would be quite as welcomed," Sakura commented. Kakashi had the skill to copy the jutsus of other shinobi, it seemed this was a skill Sasuke had picked up. There was still so much she didn't know about him. She loved Sasuke Uchiha — to an unhealthy degree— and always had ever since she met him as a young child. However, he was still a stranger — his defensive walls so high, she didn't think anyone would ever really know him. It made her both sad and more determined to always be by his side.
Sasuke opened his bag and pulled out a scroll. "We have a signed and sealed letter from the hokage to have access to records related to census, tax, birth and death - as long as it goes back 80 years so as to not invade the privacy of living people."
"So we go in as ourselves," Sakura stated. "No need to come up with a backstory."
"I don't think we need to be forthcoming with our identities," Sasuke argued. "You have a nice international reputation — I do not. Merely identifying ourselves as agents of Konoha and the Ninja Nation Alliance should be enough."
"So - if we are asked— we go under the name Haruno?" Sakura suggested. "My family are civilians, so the surname shouldn't garner much recognition. Most know me as Tsunade's apprentice or Naruto Uzumaki's teammate."
"This village does seem very conservative," Sasuke mused. " It would be good to pose as a married couple. Otherwise, we'll be put in separate rooms and that increases safety concerns."
"So you want to share a room for safety reasons?" Sakura arched an eyebrow. It was doubtful that safety concerns were the primary reason. She'd had other hopes for utilizing an inn.
"Predominantly. I enjoyed our time in the caves and your apartment, Sakura — immensely. However, we cannot allow ourselves to be distracted with these carnal behaviors." Sasuke's expression was flat and his mismatched dark and lavender eyes were unreadable. "I need you to be focused or I need you to go back home."
Sakura's irritation was hard to stifle. Sasuke thought her feelings were a liability — while feelings were considered Naruto's greatest strength. It had been a long time since she'd been around Sasuke for such a long period of time and while some things changed — some things stayed the same. "I can be professional. How many times have you kept your cool while operating on someone who'd been poisoned with no known antidote and a time limit?"
Sasuke reached for Sakura's shoulder and gently squeezed it, a trace of emotion in his eyes. "I know you are capable. That's why you're here. I cannot be the only one struggling with these new feelings, okay? If I'm struggling, then I know you are." He grimaced. "You're not emotionally damaged like me."
She didn't explain to him that suffering from his years of indifference or murderous rage she also was emotionally damaged. It wasn't a competition of angst - he'd definitely win that. "Fine." Sakura cupped his hand in hers. "I guess we'll be an old couple and not a pair of newly weds."
Sasuke scoffed. "As if a pair of newly weds would come to Hinode for a honeymoon." His visible onyx eye twinkled with promise. "We'll go somewhere with amazing views of sunrises and sunsets."
"Since Hinode translates into sunrise, I would prefer to go somewhere with beaches," Sakura protested. Though the mention of a honeymoon with Sasuke did warm her heart just the tiniest of bits.
.
.
.
OoO
.
.
.
The Hinode archives were meticulously organized. A crowded room in the back held the census reports, tax collections, birth and death certificates. It was a poorly illuminated room and the dust was thick, Sakura could feel her nose tingling, in spite of holding a square silk scarf over the bottom half of her face to reduce breathing in the irritant.
An older librarian kept a close eye on them while she dusted the books and made sure the spines of the records and the ends of the scrolls were perfectly aligned on the shelves. It was only with a document signed and sealed by the hokage that they were allowed permission to survey the records. If it hadn't been for the alliance of the great ninja nations, they'd never have been granted access during the day.
Though, as a ninja, if they'd been denied access, they'd have found a way to infiltrate and obtain the information by other means.
"Remember, nothing may leave this room. You can use the table and adjust the lights in here, but no other lights." She reached into a drawer and pulled out a box of disposable gloves. "These documents are sensitive to light and to the oils on your skin." With obvious irritation, the librarian left them alone in the room.
There wasn't room for the three of them. As soon as she left, Sasuke did a minor wind jutsu, gathered the accumulated dust, and piled it into a small pile in the corner of the room — it was at least 10mm thick and 20mm wide.
"Probably a bad idea to burn it," Sasuke whispered, glancing from the pile towards Sakura. "This being a library and all."
Sakura took off the pale green scarf and took a deep, refreshing breath — appreciating the clean air in the room. "Definitely a bad idea, but thank you. It's much easier to breath now." She scanned the titles. "Let's find the earliest census records and start from there."
Sasuke grabbed two pairs of gloves and gave one set to Sakura. They gathered a half-dozen books each, sat across from each other at the single table in the room and started the meticulous process. Hours passed in silence in the stifling room. "
Find anything?" Sasuke asked, interrupting Sakura's train of thought.
She looked up from the records she'd been reading. The book was particularly old, the ink faded, and a distinct musty smell radiated off the pages. "These census records haven't been particularly helpful."
"I doubt the Otsutsuki clan is eager to pay taxes," Sasuke said. "The fact you haven't found them in the census confirms my suspicion. A clan with supernatural power and no connections to the world is to be feared."
There was a brisk rap of knuckles on the door. "Excuse me, the archives will be closing early today," the elderly librarian said, approaching their table. "A bad storm is approaching."
"Thank you for the warning," Sakura said, as she started to gather the books.
"If you'll just leave them on the table," the librarian suggested. Her eyes grew wide when she noticed how clean the room was and her whole demeanor changed. No longer was she irritated, but had a friendly disposition. "I'll put them away in the morning. Unless you need to continue?"
"We'll be back in the morning," Sasuke said. "So you can just leave them."
The archives weren't alone in closing early in the village. As Sakura and Sasuke walked down the street, the skies darkened and thunder rumbled with frequent flashes of lightning penetrating the darkness. The rain fell heavily and soon Sakura was chilled to the bone by the rapid drop in temperature.
At the next flash of lightning, she saw Sasuke hold up his hand to gain her attention. "Let's check the dam before we turn in at the inn."
While she had eagerly been looking forward to a night at the inn with a hot shower and a warm, soft bed, and a night full of cuddles— she followed Sasuke towards the outskirts of the village. The dam supplied the power that ran the village — it was clean, renewable energy.
Summer was the rainy season and there had already been a generous amount of precipitation over the past few weeks. The dam was an aging structure and was strained against nearly overflowing reservoirs. Sakura started doing mental calculations on the amount of trees she needed to fortify the structure.
"If it's a simple thunderstorm, it will be fine," Sasuke murmured. His dark gaze caught Sakura's eyes. "My affinity for lightning tells me it might not be a simple thunderstorm. It's early in the season for a typhoon, but it is possible. What do you think of the dam?"
"It could use some bracing," Sakura answered. "However, the water level is still high. Depending on how much the water rises it can still flood. If it doesn't flood tonight, it will sometime in the next month with even a moderate amount of rain."
Their mission was more than collecting information, it was about spreading good will among the places they visited. The Great Ninja Wars over the past hundred years created a resentment towards so many of the neighboring areas throughout the land. Any works that improved the general welfare were valued, not to mention the quest for Sasuke's atonement— his debt to society was substantial.
"Let's go ahead and fortify it then. If things get bad, I can freeze the water." Sasuke looked up at the looming clouds. "I also know a few jutsus that will allow me to manipulate the storm and reduce the severity." He smiled very faintly. "I've not had much opportunity to put that knowledge into action."
"Sounds like fun," Sakura murmured, already focused on her chakra reserves. The two worked in tandem reinforcing the dam and manipulating the weather. They made an impressive team with diverse talents and equal but different skills.
The forest in the vicinity was thick with trees. Sakura carefully selected trees that were overcrowded. Thick forests were hazards for fires and she was thinning them out strategically. The previous summer, she'd spent a lot of time with Ino learning about horticulture and the ecology of the forest ecosystem. Her best friend would be proud to see how Sakura put that knowledge into action. She eyed her handiwork with the dam. Over the past two hours, she'd done the equivalent of several weeks worth of work for regular, non-chakra enhanced individuals.
Hopefully, the end result would suffice to protect the village from possible floods, because Sakura was exhausted and sorely longed for a warm bed. Her legs shook from the effort, but she was determined to stay on her feet. She didn't want Sasuke to start thinking she was weak again.
"Nice work," Sasuke complimented, coming to stand at her side and admire the dam. "You always did seem to like studying engineering."
"It's just like surgery, but on a larger scale" Sakura gestured towards the sky. "What's the forecast?"
"Constant drizzle, but no tornados or flash-floods," Sasuke said. "Ready to call it a night?"
"Past ready." Sakura stifled a yawn. "I won't be ready to study those archives until at least noon."
.
.
.
OoO
.
.
.
Sasuke perched on the window seat of their room at the inn while Sakura slept. He meant to watch the storm clouds, which were significantly less intense than naturally would have been without his interference. However, he was distracted and watched his partner slumber. The word partner held a different meaning for him now when it came to Sakura. She really was quite capable, yet he knew after her exertion in the forest she needed rest and he would guard her during this vulnerable time.
This was a luxury his brother Itachi had never been afforded outside of the duration with his Anbu squad. He thought about Sakura's civilian parents. They would want their daughter wedded. Which Sasuke didn't necessarily believe that marriage was necessary, he did understand that it would grant a sense of stability to the future children he would one day share with Sakura. He doubted he would be present for his children — his guilt, social anxiety, and dedication to his mission for Konoha would be obstacles. He had much to atone for and knew he didn't deserve a family - but he wanted one! Any children would be better off with a single mother like Sakura than a bitter, harsh, negative father. He wouldn't want to poison them with his darkness. But someone like Sakura could establish a new Uchiha clan - one with positivity and hope.
Sasuke realized he was jumping ahead of himself, but he wasn't a fool. There was no other woman that would put up with his faults while at the same time compliment his skills. Honestly, he wasn't sure why Sakura put up with him. He'd done nothing to encourage her and everything to destroy her over the years. If it hadn't been for Naruto and Kakashi, Sakura would have been dead years ago at his own hand — and they wouldn't have defeated Madura or the goddess Kaguya.
He'd removed his prosthetic limb before his shower. It lay on the table across the room as an eerie reminder of what he'd lost. He looked down at his left biceps, murderous hand and forearm were missing — disintegrated in a foolish battle with his best friend. It seemed fitting that the hand that created so much destruction had itself been destroyed.
If his goal had been as short-sighted as rebuilding his clan by repopulating it, he'd have multiple women to choose from to fulfill that role. He really didn't understand why his dark, brooding nature seemed to attract so many females (and a few males). His plan for the Uchiha family was to honor Itachi and not only have children, but a mother that was both strong, wise, and kind to raise them on an honorable path.
A flash of lightning eliminated the sky with a brilliant purple, drawing Sasuke's gaze back outside the window. The thunder shook the walls with its intensity.
A few hand seals later, Sasuke placed wards around their room and the building. He then pulled his shirt off over his head and fell onto the soft mattress next to Sakura. She shifted almost immediately and her body curled against his, a few wisps of her loose hair tickled his nose. It was either cute or annoying — he honestly didn't know anymore.
.
.
.
OoO
.
.
.
The archive room was becoming a slow and tediously torturous endeavor. If only a cup of coffee or tea had been allowed - a jolt of caffeine might have helped with boosting Sakura's endurance. She'd slept well past sunrise, but was still physically and mentally exhausted from reaping the lumber and doing the calculations for reinforcing the village's dam three days before. Sasuke was probably just as exhausted, but he'd never complain, so Sakura was determined to not complain either.
The people in the village of Hinode had been overly generous ever since the storm. Their meals had been bought by grateful residents and their bill for the inn had been waved by the innkeeper for the next week. There had also been a few injured residents that Sakura had helped in a couple of not-so-minor surgeries - broken bone when a cart flipped on a driver, premature baby delivery, and a gut impalement from a tree limb.
She couldn't, in good faith, not use her skills to help the injured or sick - there would always be plenty of medical concerns as long as there were people.
Even so, she felt more exhausted than anticipated.
"Okay, I think I found a decent lead." Sasuke looked up from the book he was studying. "Sakura? Are you listening?"
"Yeah." Sakura closed her eyes briefly and then blinked a few times. "This room is just making my eyes more tired than expected. What did you find?"
"There is one family name that keeps coming up that might be linked to the supernatural clan. Does the name Nakayama sound familiar?"
"Never heard of them," Sakura murmured. She didn't read up on too much international history - her focus of study had always been in the science and medical fields.
"The family has been daimyo in the central mountain region to the far west, on the other side of the sea. The actual shogun they operate under has always been shrouded in mystery." He tapped the page with his gloved finger. "This entry is over a thousand years old — you can barely read the ink — it's so faded."
"Okay, we can definitely investigate the Nakayama family. Let's not jump to any conclusions though. I want to be thorough." Sakura surveyed the wall of records they'd yet to look through. "Maybe we should create clones to read through all this. I'd hate to miss something and frankly I'd rather not come back here again. Who knows if these records would still be here."
"Not enough room for multiple clones," Sasuke grumbled. "Only three people maximum can fit and I've been using clones to help me while you've been sleeping in," he admitted.
Sakura chuckled. "I had wondered why you were letting me sleep in without complaining."
Sasuke shrugged. "You needed the rest. You haven't exactly been dedicating yourself to the archives." He held up a hand to stop her protest. "I'm the one that has to atone for past actions, not you. There's no need for you to torture yourself reading through all these tedious documents — that's on me. I'm simply grateful for your help and company."
"How far away is the central mountain region?"
"It's actually across the sea and then another 2,500 kilometers inland. It would take us about three months to get there." Sasuke closed the book and opened a rolled up map, spreading it across the table. He pointed out their current location and the mountainous area where the Nakayama family lived.
"Three months if we walk and and ride a ship. Aren't there any trains? Maybe we can fly," Sakura suggested.
"No trains — these are very rural areas. And I don't have the ability to fly. You have spent too much time with Sai." Sasuke's jaw tightened. "You don't have to come."
The replacement for his slot on Team Seven was still a sore point for the Uchiha survivor. Sakura wondered if that was how she reacted whenever Karin was mentioned? If so, it probably amused Sasuke when she was jealous, just as she was slightly amused herself.
"You learned to see with your hawk's eyes, but you haven't learned how to create a means of flying," Sakura mused.
"Even Itachi never figured that out," Sasuke grouched, obviously miffed at not being capable of everything.
"It's not smart to travel in the air for long periods of time anyway, usually conspicuous for anyone observing the skies," Sakura reasoned. "And don't you think you'll seem suspicious poking around by yourself. How were you planning to infiltrated or were you going to spy from afar?"
"I'll need to find out about the current daimyo and his family," Sasuke said. "I can be a traveling war veteran looking for work in the security business."
"If this family is connected with the Otsutsuki clan, don't you think they would be suspicious. You have the Sharingan and Rinnegan - you aren't exactly conspicuous," Sakura pointed out. "And stop telling me to go home. My home is with you, okay. Same as yours is with me."
Sasuke's expression went slack. Then his eyes crinkled slightly in amusement. "Is this our first argument as a couple? In the archives in some library in the middle of nowhere?"
"It's not an argument, but a heated discussion. If the daimyo has children, depending on their ages, they may need a tutor of some sort." Sakura cringed. "Hopefully, not a seduction scheme."
"I'm not very good with affection," Sasuke admitted. "And I would have a hard time allowing you to seduce some entitled prince. I know it's something they teach kunoichi, but I always thought that was dirty business."
"In war, isn't it all dirty?" Sakura asked. She reached for Sasuke's gloved hand, covering it in her own. "I'd prefer not to do that either. Ino completed that training, but I didn't have to do it as Tsunade's apprentice. And Ino was able to use her mind-control technique to avoid any unsavory aspects. I hate to think of what TenTen went through."
"The traumas of others is not your responsibility," Sasuke said quietly.
Sakura smiled at him. "That's where you're wrong. That's what I'm trying to fix with my mental health approach."
"You're not exactly of the best mental health," Sasuke pointed out. "You keep following after your deranged boyfriend, abandoning your friends and career aspirations for a criminal."
"Hey!" Sakura pulled her hand away and folded her arms over her chest. "First of all, you were pardoned, so no longer a criminal. My friends will welcome me back and I'm not abandoning my career, I'm broadening my experiences outside of the hospital. For years, I wanted to be part of your life. This is our time, Sasuke. Your grief and your quest for atonement have no limits and I know they will consume most of you, but for this moment in time, I want you to be consumed by me."
Sasuke smirked, reminiscent of the over-confident boy he used to be. "Fire is my preferred element."
.
.
.
A/N: Sincerest apologies for this ridiculous delay. It's literally been 2.5 years since I looked at this story. My toddler has been sick this week, so it gave me time to ponder and work on this story. (Previous chapters were written during my last pregnancy, so it's interesting to read my old work during hormone crazy time.) Happy New Year! January 2023.