Chapter Eleven: Park Walkers and Stalkers
Present Day:
Sakura found a secluded spot to dip down out of the sky and land without being spotted by any mortal eyes. As soon her feet touched the cracked cement of the ally way, she moved towards the opening that led to the street.
A rush of people were coming down from the high rise platform of the train and she quickly fought her way against the current of bodies until she reached the deck. With the train having just unloaded and reloaded, the platform was relatively vacant. There was a homeless man laying on one of the few benches and a pair of teenagers that seemed to have been too preoccupied with their lip locking than getting to their destination. The rest of the train stop was deserted. Her eyes moved to the opposite end where she spotted some vending machines next to a payphone and overflowing garbage can.
After depositing several folded bills into the sleeping homeless man's coat pocket, Sakura made her way over to the vending machines. On the left was a snack machine with an assortment of salty and sweet treats as well as some questionable looking sandwiches. Taped to the front was a water wrinkled piece of paper with the smudge words 'out of order'.
Knowing better than to test fate, Sakura turned to the humming Coke machine beside it. She slipped a dollar into the feeder only to have it promptly spat back out at her. She let out a grumble of annoyance and tried it again.
Again the bill was denied and Sakura gritted her teeth as she glared at the machine, her dollar hanging out of the feeder like a stuck out tongue, making it seem as if the machine were mocking her.
The pop of knuckles cracking sounded as Sakura resisted the urge to smash the machine into smithereens. With great restraint, she snatched the wrinkled bill from the soda dispenser and rubbed it against the corner a few times in an attempt to iron it out. After one last rub for good measure, she stuck the green paper next to the slot and slowly fed it in.
The bill was sucked in and after some whirring and other mechanical noises, Sakura deemed it accepted and promptly hit the coin release button. Another moment later the distinct tinkling of coins being dropped into the change dispenser sounded. Immediately, her attitude changed and with a pleased smile, Sakura reached into the small tray and pulled out her hard earned change.
Sakura stared down at the three quarters and round object that looked more like a washer than currency. The pinkette let out a sigh as her happy mood was dragged back down. There was once a time when the seraphim were far more advanced than mortals. But in the more recent century, the crafty humans had somehow surpassed them in technology.
Many a time Sakura had tried to convince Tsunade that perhaps it would be best to adopt some of their communicative inventions but the Senju dismissed it, declaring that they already had a dependable way of communicating.
While receiving and sending notes via summons was efficient in the seraphim world, it did not mix well with the mortal realm. As a seraph, the goal was to be as subtle in their mingling with mortals as possible. Talking toads and dogs that used floral shampoo were not exactly the definition of blending in. So with no cellular device, Sakura had to resort to this tedious method. And with the dwindling number of payphones still in service, it was making this process even more grueling.
Change in hand, she moved to the phone and picked up the receiver. She slipped one of the quarters into the pay slot then listened for a dial tone before punching in the only number she had needed in the past few years.
It rang twice before the familiar voice of her charge sounded in the ear piece. "Hello?" he asked, sounding uncertain if the unknown number was legitimate or just another spam call.
"Sai, it's me," Sakura replied.
"Oh, hello Sakura," Sai replied. His tone held a sharpness to it. As if he were angry with her.
Sakura did not like the thought of him angry at her but she could not help but appreciate the moment. Him being mad meant he cared, which meant he was making emotional connections, which meant he was making progress. And to be fair, she felt he had a valid reason to be angry with her.
"Sorry I have not been around," Sakura began in an attempt to smooth things over. "I know I should have told you I would not be around but I was...preoccupied."
"Were you working with someone else who needed help?" Sai asked, his voice held a small hint of what Sakura could only interpret as jealousy.
"No, no, nothing like that. In fact I was not even really here all this week. I had to do some work back at home."
"Oh," there was a pause. "Well good. I don't like the idea of you working with someone else."
Sakura raised a brow even though Sai could not see her. "That sounds a bit selfish Sai," she chided. "You should always be happy when someone else is getting help."
She heard a sigh on his end of the line. "I know," he mumbled. "I just worry about you finding someone else more worth helping."
Sakura's face pulled down sadly. It surprised her in moments like this how much Sai's self confidence lacked and she took note that perhaps they should have some lessons on self worth.
"Sai you know better than to think that," she assured him. "You are worth saving and I promise I will never give up on you." She waited for a reply but when he said nothing else she continued. "Hey why don't we meet in our usual spot at Prospect Park. We can rent bikes and ride around for a bit then maybe go over what happened over the week."
"Okay," Sai finally responded, sounding enthused at the idea.
Sakura smiled knowingly, she could always lift his spirits with this suggestion. Prospect Park was one of his favorites as it provided the perfect access for two of his favorite things. People watching and the small zoo full of animals for him to draw so detailed that they seemed to come out of the paper with life.
"Do you think you could meet me there at noon?
"Hang on." There was a pause and Sakura could nearly visualize Sai pulling the phone from his ear to look at the time. "Yes," he finally answered.
"Great," she replied with a happy grin. "I will see you then and I will treat you to some lunch as we review the week."
With an exchange of goodbyes, Sakura hung the phone up and began to walk towards the stairs. As soon as she made it to the ground, she began to walk across the pavement to the fastest route to her destination.
As the golden sun warmed her skin and the clean breeze freshened the usually stale city smell, Sakura could not help but let her happy smile linger. Why she had been so fearful to come all week was beyond her. Perhaps it was good weather or the fact that she was back to work instead of sitting hunched over in a gloomy library, but at this moment, Sakura could not remember exactly why she had been so afraid.
It was not difficult for Sasuke to find out which apartment belonged to the mortal. A simple description of the boy's mannerism to the old woman pushing a cat in a stroller and she knew exactly who he was looking for.
His name was Sai and it seemed most people felt the same way as he did. He was an odd boy and regularly disliked. The few neighbors he passed by and questioned all said the same thing. He had no friends and they had never seen or heard anyone else at his apartment.
This fact was quite disrupting to his investigation. He had been hoping to hear of at least one memorable woman to have been there but no one recognized his descriptions. After questioning a handful of neighbors and gaining no more insight than he had collected himself, Sasuke made his way to the top floor.
The apartment was at the end of a short hall. With each step the floorboards of the aged building creaked until he stopped at a paint chipped door. It did not take much to force the door open without damaging the lock. While he could care less about the mortals home security, he did care about leaving any traces of his presence.
The apartment was small but the spartan lifestyle of its tenant gave it a more roomy atmosphere. It was a studio floor plan, with a small kitchen area that provided the bare necessities for a person cooking for one. A small dish rack with a single plate, cup, and fork suggested that there was only one occupant taking their meals within the meager home. The bathroom was just as simple. A toilet and sink with a small mirrored cabinet to hold a single toothbrush, toothpaste, and comb. A small shower just large enough to allow a person to step in and step out was set up across from the toilet and sink, giving just enough space for the door to open and shut freely.
Sasuke spent little time observing these areas. He lingered and snooped just long enough to ascertain that there was only one person dwelling within the four walls of five hundred square feet. Next to the bathroom was a small closet but that too was given only a small glance before the dark haired intruder focused on the living space of the flat.
Next to the kitchen area, set up in front of the only window in the apartment was a drawing desk. Currently it was laid flat and on top, sat stacks of loose papers and notebooks. A chipped mug with the words 'I heart New York' held several drawing pencils and broken pieces of charcoal. It was here that Sasuke began a more in-depth search.
He started with a stack of delicate water colors. Each painting had captured the colors and shapes of everyday life. Each brushstroke had been flawless but it was obvious that it had taken little effort. Sai was truly a mortal with a gift. It was an appraisal that Sasuke would have bequeathed him if it were not for the circumstances which brought him here.
He had not come here to admire the artwork as if he were touring an exhibit at the MET. He had come here for only one purpose. So instead of taking in the details of each work of art, Sasuke took seconds to glance over each painting, Giving just enough attention to note the lack of pink or a certain green shade on each piece.
Painting after painting was revealed and with each image, stranger after stranger looked back up at him. He quickly finished the stack of paintings and moved on to a notebook. The first one was just a sketch pad, it was old and worn, with several of the pictures roaming loosely within its bindings. Sasuke leafed through it, occasionally pausing to take in a certain person's features before deeming them not a match and moving on.
It took him longer to go through the notepads and journals. With no color, he found himself forced to pause on nearly every page and take in the details instead of quickly scanning for Sakura's unique colorings as he had done with the watercolors. And it did not help that the loose pages kept falling out and he had to pick them back up and place them back in the book.
With each delay in progression and with each sketched profile of a nameless face, Sasuke found himself becoming more and more irritated. She was not in any of them. Not a single book or loose page did he find anyone who was remotely similar to Sakura.
Saskue let out a growl and slammed the last journal back down. Breathing heavily, he began to rifle through the drawers of the desk. But all he found was extra art supplies and random knick-knacks that he found mortals liked to collect for no apparent reason. Dead batteries and takeout menus but no evidence of Sakura.
Slamming the last drawer shut Sasuke paused to breath in and out of his nose as he let his eyes run around the room. There was no real reason to have his sharingan activated as there was minimal furniture or possessions to be seen. But it had activated in frustration.
Doing his best to not destroy the wooden desk as he slammed his fists down on the rickety surface, Sasuke glared out the window. It was cracked open just enough to let a small breeze through, bringing some fresh air and calmness to Sasuke's mind. He breathed in slowly and let his head bow as he stared down at the piles of already searched artwork.
While he was angry he found no evidence that could connect Sakura with the odd artist, he was more angry with himself for putting hope into the idea. He had told himself to ignore it but the tick in the back of his mind had kept persisting and the pull had been too insistent. So he had given in and now he had wasted an entire week watching and following some mortal freak instead of looking for her.
He let out a sigh and turned around to lean against the desk. For a moment he stood with his eyes closed as he tried to rein in his emotions. He did not like losing control, for many reasons, but the main reason was because bad things happened. Either to him or because of him. His eyes peeled open and he found himself staring at the unsearched area of the studio.
On the far wall, opposite of the kitchen and bathroom was a murphy bed. At first Sasuke had given this part of the apartment no thought as it seemed insignificant. But now as he stared at the stained wood that neatly disguised the bed as a closed cabinet when put away, he took notice of the shelves and side cabinets on either side of the large doors that hid the bedding.
On one shelf was a small tantō that looked far too realistic and worn to be just a decorative piece of blade ware. On a couple others he found an assortment of self help books and sociological topics. A small bonsai tree sat on one side while a bamboo plant grew on a high shelf on the other.
While each of these items seemed relatively normal, it was what was mixed in amongst these items that caught Sasuke's attention. Picture frames. Rectangle after rectangle made of wood, metal, and plastic, covered and filled every extra space of each shelf. While still nothing unordinary, it was the photos in which they held that had truly caught his eye.
He flashed stepped and was standing face to face with a shelf of frames within the blink of an eye. There were three photos sitting next to four books on the behaviors of humans. Each frame was a tacky colorful frame that each featured a different location that could be found within the city of New York. Despite the horrendous lettering or gods awful glitter that sparkled in the design of the empire state building, Sasuke's eyes fixated on the people within the frame. Or more specifically, one of the people.
Sakura.
Sakura with her head pushed closely to Sai's as they squeezed together in the frame to fit themselves and the overlook of the city from the top of the Empire State building. Her hair was loose and several strands blew across her features but she smiled widely as if her rebellious locks went unregistered.
The second frame was colored black with small drama masks surrounding it. And again, there she was. Sakura standing next to a stranger dressed in a costume while Sai stood on the opposite side, the three of them standing in front of the Broadway Theatre as the sign above announced the musical being performed. Sai stood with the smallest hint of his awkward smile while Sakura and the actor made a dramatic face at the camera.
The third frame held a picture of Sakura standing next to Sai on a boat. In this picture her arm was linked through Sai's as they stood together at the bow of the boat. Behind them the Statue of Liberty held aloft her beacon of enlightenment above the frigid looking upper bay.
It must have been winter at the time when the picture was taken. They each stood bundled in heavy wool coats and scarves as they each held a steaming cup of coffee. Sasuke paid little attention to Sai but he took in every detail of Sakura. She wore a pair of leather boots and jeans beneath a heavy woolen pea coat. The coat was an emerald green that he knew would perfectly match her eyes if they were open. It was difficult to tell if her eyes were closed because she had just blinked when the picture was snapped or if she had been so content in that moment, they had closed on their own to savor the moment. Her hands were gloveless and one was thrown up into a peace sign as she posed for the camera. Beneath her knitted cap Sasuke could see the short strands of rosette color poking out from beneath the cream colored yarn.
His eyes took in the rest of the image.
Sai was standing awkwardly next to her. His body stiff as if he did not know what to do with it. On his face was the awkwardly shaped smile but it looked to be even more forced and construed than the others. And there was something different in his eyes than the other pictures. They were empty and tormented.
Sasuke knew that look, he had seen it many times in his numerous years. It was a look he had seen in both seraph and mortals that had endured haunting experiences. He knew it, because he had seen in his own reflections.
Sai also looked significantly younger in this picture than he did in the others. Sasuke had judged the young man to be just barely in his twenties but in this picture he looked hardly even seventeen.
Red eyes trailed back to Sakura's face.
She looked older than him but only by a few years. In fact, she looked the same as she did in the more recent pictures. But this thought was fleeting as he focused on other thoughts that came creeping into his mind.
The smallest of satisfied smiles pulled at the corner of his mouth. He had found her. Or at least he had found a connection to her. Now it all made sense. The pull was not broken, it was just leading him to her through another route.
As if summoned by the thought of it, Sasuke felt a tug. It was so familiar and so strong it almost felt physical. Pulling his eyes away from the picture he moved across the room and was out of the building within seconds. He paused only a moment to reorient himself with the direction in which he needed to go. He felt a strong pull to follow to his left, the same direction in which Sai had departed earlier.
Whether it was because of his recent discovery or because there was something unusually forceful about the pull today, Sasuke found his heart pounding wildly as he made his way down the street. When he reached the end of the neighborhood, he paused at the crosswalk.
The street was busier than the last few blocks he had just exited from and it took him a moment to hone in on the pull again. He closed his eyes and focused, trying to reach out and decide which direction to go. As he muted the chaos around him and refocused on the tugging sensation that had dulled earlier, his eyes suddenly snapped open when he felt a sharp jerk.
His feet automatically moved forward. Following his instincts, he walked to the cross walk that would cross over the busy street. After waiting impatiently for the stick figure man to appear, he made his way toward the large park that was located on the opposite side.
The trails and paths of Prospect Park, while numerous and winding, were easily marked. And for any tourist or newcomer, they would easily be able to find their desired attraction hosted in the park. But Sasuke's destination did not have a marked spot on a map. All he had was a feeling, an incline to go right, left, or straight. And to make things worse, it seemed to keep changing locations.
He felt like he was going in circles. When he passed by a park bench that he was certain he had passed by three times already. He let out a long string of curses when the reality hit him. He felt like he was going in circles because he was going in circles.
Pausing himself, he took in the scene before him. It was strange, the pull seemed to have dulled but not like the other times when it seemed to disappear. It was not entirely gone, nor did it feel like it was leaving. It was just not as persistently urgent. He could still feel the phantom knot around his finger but it was like the string had gone limp, as if he had ventured too closely to its tether and the string was no longer taught.
At this thought, Sasuke began to scan the area. Three main paths meet together forming an intersection close to that of a center square. To his right stood a pavilion where carousel music played and children gathered in lines, each of them eagerly begging their parents for sweets and toys from the street vendors that had gathered in the area. It seemed there was some sort of festival or holiday going on for the mortals. But that fact was disregarded as Sasuke continued to let his eyes sweep around the area until he spotted something that paused them in an abrupt stop.
Standing off to the side and away from the busy crowds was Sai. Looking as awkward as ever he stared into the crowd of celebrators as he stood poised with a bike on either side of him. At first Sasuke felt the annoyance begin to rise up, but then he acknowledged something.
Two bikes, that meant two people. He was not sure if it was a coincidence or by some mystic power, but the moment he made the connection she appeared.
His breath paused as he stared.
Despite all the evidence he possessed to prove he had truly seen her, there had been plenty of doubt in his mind and heart over the past week. But there she was, weaving in and out of pedestrians with a near angelic stride as she avoided absentminded walkers and the occasional trip wire of a leash when a curious dog tried to wander to the end of their owners reigns.
Her pink hair just barely grazed her shoulders as the skirt of the summer dress she wore moved with each step. In her hands she carried two hot dogs, one of which she passed over to Sai who in return handed her the second bike as they began to walk down the path away from the crowded area.
In a moment of panic, Sasuke's feet surged to flash step to her side, grab her, and launch up into the sky. He could already feel his wings beginning to push out from beneath his skin when he finally caught himself.
His half crazed mind seemed to scream violently at him in protest but the other half, strangely taking on the tone of his brother, caused him to stay firm. He watched as Sakura walked with her head turned to the side as she spoke to Sai. The warm happy smile as she conversed with the artist was both calming and infuriating. She looked happy, her lips moving quickly as she chatted away, flashing her white teeth as she smiled in content.
Itachi's words surfaced to his mind.
Let her live her life in peace. Let her live a long and happy life full of all the wonderful experiences that come with mortality.
For the briefest of moments, Sasuke considered the idea. But it was gone as quickly as it came when he watched Sai reach out and pick something from her hair. It was not necessarily an act of affection, more so than one out of innocent and purposeful action. But Sasuke knew all too well the results that such strictly purposeful acts could lead to, because he himself had been tricked into such a mindset.
As he watched the boys pale fingers graze her strands as he pulled a fallen blossom petal from her pastel hair, a darkness grew within Sasuke. The words of his brother were abruptly extinguished as the less stable portion of his mind began to make a battle of dominance.
Sorry brother, he apologized mentally. But he could not let her be and he would not let her go.
But do not worry, she would live a long and happy life, he promised.
In fact it would be much longer than she would ever think possible. And it would be full of wonders she could never even dream of with the dull life of a mortal. Sakura did not belong in this world of casual strolls in a crowded park with a boy too awkward to form a compliment worthy of her. She belonged with him in the transversal world of his home realm and hers, like he had always planned.
His feet began to move as he stalked after the couple, his eyes blazing with heated criticism of their every friendly action as he followed from a distance.
He was not sure which part of his mind was dominating his thoughts and actions but there seemed to be a strange order to his chaotic mania that usually governed the more irrational side of his mind. He knew he could not act out on instinct like the last time. Last time he had scared her off by being too impulsive. But he had been off guard then, surprised by her appearance. Now that he knew how to find her, he could take his time much more easily.
He needed to learn more about her and assess the best way to approach her. The last time she had adapted well to the knowledge of what he was, but that was when she lived in a world where mythology was much closer to the truth. In this modern world his existence was more fantasy, fairy tales told to children.
Instead he followed the pair and learned all he could of this new Sakura. He watched them return their bikes to a kiosk where they had rented them, then followed them to a duck pond where Sakura fed that last few bites of her hot dog bun to a mother duck and her ducklings. He watched her comfort a crying child as Sai climbed a tree to untangle the small girls lost kite. Then again he watched her sit with an elderly man on a bench, talking with his faded mind as Sai went off to search for his caretaker. While he never understood her need to always care for those who were strangers to her, he could not ignore the fact that her nature did not seem any different than before. And that gave him hope.
For an hour Sai and Sakura continued to walk and talk, the topic of their discussions went unheard but it seemed almost business-like in the way they communicated.
Only when they paused to speak by a lamp post did Sasuke venture closer. He took up post in the shadows of a tunnel not far from where they stood as he tried to listen in on their conversation. But then a chatty pair of mothers pushing strollers passed by, and the wailing of children and one squeaky wheel droned out any of the words being exchanged.
Annoyed, Sasuke sent out an influence to every mortal within the perimeter to suddenly have the urge to leave and seek out a deep, sinful desire. All but the pair that he was watching. Those two he let stay but not without casting an illusion when he saw the pale artist look in his direction.
"Why don't we spend the afternoon at the zoo," Sakura suggested. "Then after we can…"
Sakura lost her train of thought when a peculiar sensation passed over her. Like a cold wind passing by but heavy with something sinister. It was the sensation that one would feel when standing in a dark alley late at night with the unnatural sense that something was watching from the shadows. And then a movement in her peripheral sight grabbed her attention and she found herself looking at the bridged tunnel nearby. But she could not quite understand why her attention had been drawn to it.
It was a sunny day at the park and everything was moving. The trees rustled in the wind. Birds fluttered around the ground as they picked at the morsels of food left behind by picnicers. Squirrels scampered up trees as they foraged for food and ran away from dogs. Children ran ahead of their parents. Couples strolled hand in hand. A herd of cyclists raced passed by where her and Sai stood off to the side of the path. A jogger slowed down to a trot before taking a break to stretch beside a bench. No matter where one looked, something seemed to be in motion.
But there was something off about this one particular movement.
They were standing beside a lamp post near the Cleft Ridge Span. Normally, this path would be highly trafficked at this time on a day such as this. But at the moment, it was unusually vacant. Sakura stared at the shadowed arch that supported the heavy stone making up it's often disregarded architecture. As she peered into the shadows, she realized another oddity.
It was unnaturally dark.
She could still see through to the other side. And where the sunlight managed to peek beneath the archway, all seemed safe and normal. But the line between shadow and light contrasted far too much. There was no gradient fade from light to dark, just a solid line where sunlight touched and shadow began. And the sheer density of the shade was too thick to even make out the walls or cobblestone path. A void of darkness in the picture of reality.
She felt like she was looking at an unfinished puzzle. Everything around the bridge was picturesque and connected to create an image. But in the middle, where the tunnel was, it seemed like there was a missing piece to the puzzle. And where the hole was, something was moving . No, that was not right. It wasn't something moving in the darkness, it was the darkness itself that was moving, dissipating.
It was like watching the timelapse of a thick fog evaporate. At first there was nothing to be seen, but as the darkness thinned and softened, it took on the normal hue of any other shadow found in the park. It was as if someone had placed that final piece into the puzzle and everything was restored to normal.
At least for anyone else it would have, but for her, everything within her body was set on edge as she stared at the figure who stood in the middle of the archway. A flutter in her stomach made her feel on the brink of either passing out or throwing up. She tried to swallow down the sick feeling, only to find her throat dry. She licked her lips which felt uncomfortably dry as well but it brought no stability.
He was here.
He stood with his arms folded over his chest as his face tilted upward to appraise the carved ceiling and walls that gave the structure its delicate design. The moment her eyes fell on him, his head slowly tipped forward until his eyes met hers. Red glowed for only a second until he blinked and only a dark, glassy abyss was left behind. His eyes were a lingering reminder of the thick darkness that she had just been looking at.
And then he took a step forward followed by another.
His hands found his pockets and the casual pace in which he was taking, Sakura almost believed he was just another park patron taking a leisurely stroll through the park. She wanted to believe that perhaps it was true. It was just unfortunate for her nerves that there was no mistaking his features. With his dark hair and angular face, there never would be mistaking Sasuke Uchiha as another average person.
Her desperate mind formed another hope that perhaps he did not recognize her. Perhaps he would eventually look away from her and keep walking as if she were nothing but another piece of the scenery. A scene that was meant to be observed, appreciated, then moved on from. But that hope sputtered out quickly when his eyes never moved away from her. With each passing moment that he neared, not once did his eyes waver from her.
How he had managed to find her? Had he tracked her? Was she being watched this entire time? What was she to do now?
Her logic screamed at her to run, to flee. She now had a well versed knowledge of what this man walking towards her could possibly do. She should fly away from this place, take to the sky and escape into the safety of the heavens.
"Sakura?"
The sudden sound that was not the rushing of her blood in her ears, startled her. She barely managed to drag her eyes away from the approaching demon to look at Sai. His normally flat face was pulled up in what could only be interpreted as an attempted look of concern. And then it hit her.
Sai.
How could she have been so selfish? While she was busy contemplating her flight for her own safety, she had completely forgotten about her charge. She was his guardian angel. Guardian being the key word. How could she have been so negligent? It was then she knew what she had to do.
"Sai," she said carefully, her eyes darted towards the approaching demon then back to her mortal. "Um, why don't we take a rain check for the rest of the day?"
She saw Sai's brow scrunch with confusion. Her eyes darted back to check Sasuke's progression then back to her charge. Sai was looking towards Sasuke now, his head cocked to the side with intrigue as a small frown pulled at his lips. She grabbed his hand, causing him to look back at her.
"Go home now," she said, her tone full of warning.
"But what about…"
"I will be fine," she quickly assured him. She was not sure how she managed to sound so confident, but as she said the words, she could not help but feel the truth. Where this truth came from she did not know. "I will see you tomorrow okay? We will go to the zoo then, I promise."
Sai looked back to where Sasuke was, then back to her. His charcoal eyes searched her face and it was obvious why Sai was hesitant. He knew what Sasuke was.
"Go," she urged, sending all of her will in hopes that her influence would be able to penetrate into his mind.
She did not like using her influence on her charges. She wanted them to make their own decisions. But Sai's safety went beyond the guilt. If something were to happen to him she could never forgive herself. It felt like an eternity before she received a minute nod of his head and she watched him go as she urged him to hurry.
When Sai had disappeared into the more crowded pathways of the park, she turned back around and her heart skipped a beat. Sasuke was standing right before her. His dark eyes dancing wildly with emotions as his thin lips curled into what she could have sworn was a soft smile.
His plan to keep his distance had fallen to shambles. He had no intention of approaching her today, but the moment she had looked over to the archway with such a perplexed and investigative intensity, he realized his mistake. She was not seeing the same illusion that every other mortal was seeing.
He should have known that the illusion he had cast would not work on her. They had never worked, she had always been able to see that something was off and more often, see past them. However his failure only brought a small smile to his lips. It was just another testament that she was truly his Sakura and not just a similar faced vessel for a soul.
It was obvious that she was not seeing past the illusion, at least not fully as her face indicated that what she was seeing was not right with the world. He had almost kept it up just to see what she would do, to see if she would eventually see through the curtain, but his eagerness got away with him. He wanted her to see him.
He was being impulsive again when he should stick to the original plan. He should observe, just like the last time. Watch and learn, try to understand and take note of any differences. It was like what Itachi said, she may have the same soul but the memories and person he knew before was not the same. Yet so far from his observances, she was like her old self in nearly every way. It was like she had never died and became reborn, just continued to exist.
However, there was one thing different about her that he could not quite place. It had nothing to do with her personality or appearance, those were the same except her hair length. But there was still something changed. It was more about the aura around her. She had always been ethereal looking but now it was almost as if it had been intensified.
It was but a thought and he played it off as nothing but his mad fantasies. While all of this was surreal, Sasuke knew better than to believe that fate would gift him such a thing. Waving away the idea, he focused on the task at hand.
Despite his original plan, Sasuke could not resist the urging temptation to approach her. He needed to be closer to her. Needed her to look at him, to hear her voice. So he took a step from the shelter of the tunnel, then took another.
She watched him like a deer in headlights. Her vivid eyes so wide he could almost see into her mind as the wheels of her cognitive whirled to make a fight or flight decision. Only when her companion spoke to her did she seem to finally find a course of action to run. He overheard her urge him to leave, he hesitated at first but then something changed. Sasuke was not sure what came over the boy, but his mind seemed to suddenly switch when he nodded and left her side, retreating down the path to leave her alone.
Excellent.
Sasuke took advantage of her distracted attention as she watched Sai depart, quickly moving, Sasuke stopped to stand only a few steps away from her. When she finally turned he watched her startle at his sudden and unexpected proximity. He watched her throat bob up and down with a nervous swallow as her eyes trailed slowly from his chest to meet his face. He knew he needed her at ease so he offered her a smile.
She seemed puzzled at first but then determination appeared giving her a look of bravery.
His soft smile turned into a smirk as the memories of this same look played in his mind. This was always his favorite version of Sakura. Whenever she managed to summon an inner strength that gave her courage, it electrified his entire being making him feel alive. His favorite past time was to challenge and lay siege to that courage, push her boundaries and test her strength. She was no weakling which made it all the more satisfying when he managed to take over.
"Hello," he greeted with a sinfully smooth voice.
There was a pause as her hold on that inner strength seemed to falter. "Hi," she replied in a breathless tone.
"Do you remember me?"
Sakura looked at him carefully, doing her best to read him.
At the moment, she did not sense she was in danger. In fact she seemed strangely calmed by his presence. It was like having that nagging sensation in the back of your mind that you forgot something suddenly erased. Instead, she was acutely aware of the feeling that she was being drawn to him. Like the pull of a magnet, she wanted to attach herself to him and never let him go.
It was terrifying. Sakura had only ever felt this feeling one time before. It was on the night of the club, when she watched him fly away as she hid herself on the rooftop. She had felt it then too.
However, despite the lack of danger she felt from him, she had to be cautious. She was a moth and he was a flame. Come too close and she would get burned.
Sasuke's motives were unknown, and she needed to find them out. How he knew her and what he wanted from her were her first priorities.
But she had to be careful. She could easily say something that could change things. Say too much and he could become suspicious, say too little, and he may realize that she was not worth anything to him.
She had heard of his unpredictability. She needed to tread lightly.
The trouble was that the last time she had run into him, he must not have been expecting to run into her. He must have been taken off guard then because now she was having a very difficult time getting any amount of information from his body language. That night he had been an open book of emotions, today he was near the opposite. Not entirely sealed off but certainly regulated.
He controlled his expressions with such precision that it was impossible to read his emotions or his thoughts. Anything that gave a hint of what was going on behind his mask was obviously put there with a purpose. Each raise of his brow, movement of his lips, and blink of his eyes was done with designed intention. It was an obvious tactic to manipulate a person's perception of him. Like a wolf in sheep's clothing. And right now, Sakura was feeling very much like a lamb.
Slowly she took in a deep breath in an attempt to clear her panicked mind. She needed to stay calm. She needed to think. She needed a plan. She took her time putting on a show of taking in his face.
Of course she knew exactly who he was, but she could not let him know that. As far as she knew, he knew her name and thought she was a mortal. That told her that his knowledge of her had to be limited to an extent. Unless he too was playing a naive roll. Whichever the case, it all went back to her second priority. What did he want with her?
Slowly, she moved her head in a nod. "Of course," she said as she let a hint of a smile grace her lips. "How could I ever forget you," she caught a glint in his eye that could be interpreted as excitement but it quickly dissipated with her next words. "You were at the club last Saturday."
"What about before that night?" he inquired further.
Sakura felt a slight unease as he set his eyes on her, watching every move. It made it difficult to think straight but she continued with her original plan. She was just an innocent mortal that he approached at a club. Until she knew more of his motives, she would not let it be known to him that she knew of the seraphim world. And unless he found out for himself, she would not let him know that not only did she have knowledge, but she had a place within that world.
"...no," she answered, hoping that the uncertainty in her tone would be attributed to innocent ignorance and not the sign of a lie.
He took a step forward and it took everything within Sakura to not retreat. But even more, to resist the temptation to minimize that space herself. Her mind whirled with some sort of explanation for this. Never had she felt this kind of a force. Was it an attraction or was it some strange temptation?
She had grown quite an extensive knowledge of the Uchiha over the past week. They were powerful. Could it be that their powers went beyond just the influence of mortals? She knew their sharingan could gain control over both mortal and seraphim. It is what made the blessed so afraid of the fallen leaders. She was relatively well versed in the Sharringon and its effects because her time spent with Kakashi. For some reason, Sakura had a knack for resisting his. A skill she was well versed for as long as she could remember.
Her earliest memories of Kakashi were mostly of him using his Sharingan on her. Time after time he had tried to bring back the memories lost on that fateful night due to her injury. Each time she felt something move forward but just before they could come fully to her recollection, they were stopped. It was like there was some sort of wall or barrier that was imprisoning them.
It had been awhile since he had tried this, only every few decades when Tsunade requested it. She found it strange, but Sakura almost felt like the consistency of it was almost purposeful. As if to assure her surrogate mother of something. It was almost as if Tsunade was afraid she would remember.
It hurt Sakura at first but then Shizune made the comment that maybe she was afraid that with the memory of her real parents, Sakura would no longer see Tsunade in that light anymore. It made sense, but at the same time, Sakura could not imagine herself changing the way she saw Tsunade. She was grateful for everything the woman did for her and provided for her. Love and a home being the most cherished. Nothing could ever change that.
But there was one thing that she kept pondering in her mind over the past week. One fact she had learned was that there were different levels of the Sharingan. Each one possessed different powers. With this in mind, Sakura could not help but wonder if maybe all she needed was a stronger Sharingan.
She did not doubt Kakashi's skill with his borrowed eye, but she could not help but question. Kakashi was an Uchiha, nor did she believe it was as evolved as others. Kakashi could stir up her memories, she knew this, she felt them begin to surface each time. But each time they slammed against that wall. With her new found knowledge, for the past week Sakura had pondered what would happen with a more powerful Sharingan? Could it be strong enough to break through that wall?
At the thought, her eyes automatically moved up to meet Sasuke's. Panic struck her when she realized what she was doing and she stopped herself just in time. If he did have a powerful enough Sharingan to bring back her memories, there would be no telling what he would have her do if he had her under his control. The panic settled when she half met his eyes and was greeted by the charcoal hue which were narrowed in focused attention.
"Are you sure you never saw before then?"
Sakura swallowed and subtly slid her foot back in hopes to widen the space between them if but only by a fraction. She was having difficulty breathing and there was not enough space between them to provide the air she needed. Her eyes moved down to his lips, the intensity of them too much for her to handle at the moment. She needed to stay focused.
"Yes," she replied in the most confident tone she could muster. She was going to leave her answer at that, but her curiosity got the better of her. "Should there be another time that I remember?" For some reason, she felt like he was not just referring to the first night on the rooftop with Kakashi and Naruto.
Should there be another time that I remember? Her question seemed to echo over and over in his mind.
Sasuke nearly laughed at the bitter irony of such an innocently stated inquiry. Another time, another place, another life. If only she knew half of it. But instead of giving into the construed humor of the situation, Sasuke kept his face blank and focused on her movements and body language.
She seemed jittery and nervous, much like the early days of when they had first met, in her original lifetime. But there was something about the way she would not meet his eyes longer than a second or two that told him something was off. Why would she be afraid to look at him unless she knew what his eyes could do.
"Be honest with me Sakura, were you there that night on the rooftop?" he asked in a steady, stern voice. "Are you the mortal that Kakashi and Naruto were protecting?"
She gave no immediate answer but he noticed her brow slightly twitch just before her mouth turned slightly downward.
"Rooftop?" she repeated slowly with a slight look of confusion. Then she shook her head. "I am sorry but I don't know what you are talking about. Who are Kakashi and Naruto? And what do you mean by mortal?"
He was not sure what to make of her answer. Her tone was even, almost too even. He was not sure if this was because she was consciously lying to him or he was reading into things. She was certainly acting odd. But then again, it could just be the circumstances.
You are a stranger, he reminded himself.
But there had been a glint in her eye when she spoke. Something akin to familiarity. Was this some kind of subconscious recognition or was she purposely holding something back.
He took a step forward, this time he noticed that she did not try and hide her retreat as she slightly stumbled backwards a half step before he caught her arm. She froze at his touch and her eyes darted up to him. For the first time she met his eyes fully since he approached her today. He could see the alarm and twinge of fear radiating from them as her throat moved as she swallowed deeply.
Instantly, he let his grip loosen. "Be careful," he cautioned before letting her go fully.
You are a stranger, he reminded himself.
After he released her, he noticed her relax slightly. If only a little. But it was enough to urge him to push forward. "If the other night at the club was our first meeting," he began again. "Then why did you run away from me?"
Sakura did not answer immediately, it was impossible as she struggled to form thoughts let alone words. Her emotions were far more out of control than she could remember them being in a very long time. His closeness brought about his scent, a mixture of smokey sandalwood and musk. It was intoxicating, making the draw of him even more irresistible. But it was the familiarity of such a smell that had her truly confused.
In addition to this, her mind was frantically trying to stay ahead of the conversation. But at the moment she was hardly keeping up and would soon be falling behind. Sasuke was drilling her, looking to catch her in a lie and she could not let that happen. So her mind formed a plan. Distract and play innocent. It worked for most of the devious demons she hunted, why not him?
"Why wouldn't I?" she began. "A strange man grabbed me and spoke my name. I thought you were a stalker or something," she paused for a minute as she eyed him. "And at the moment, I am beginning to think I was right."
Her last comment she dared to utter almost jokingly. She was not sure why, but there was something about his presence that both set her on edge andt calmed her as well. It was as if she had hyped herself up in her secluded hiding for the past week for nothing. He seemed so...harmless.
As a guardian, Sakura had grown well attuned with reading other people's intentions. And while reading a mortal was juvenile when compared to a demon, she sensed nothing sinister coming from Sasuke towards her. He was holding something back, that she could tell, but it was not ill intent, just cautious.
Her comment however did not seem to amuse him as she caught the tightening of his jaw muscle. "Do you know what I am?" He asked.
"Aside from being a creep?" The teasing words had left her mouth without a second thought.
It seemed so natural, like this was something she had done before. And it was not helping her situation in trying to play the role of an ignorant mortal that had been approached by a stranger. Sure he was tall and handsome with an alluring darkness, but he was still an unknown stranger all the same.
Any other mortal woman in the same situation would have pulled out her mace, given him a good roundhouse kick, and ran for it. Or at least she hoped every other woman would have done this by now. Yet here she was, still standing in front of him, and making jokes about his behavior as if they were long time friends.
Sasuke however did not seem to feel the same way. His eyes narrowed, obviously annoyed and frustrated. With his lips pursed together, she suddenly began to feel like prey as he looked her over. The slight tilt of his head gave him a hawkish look as he looked down at the little mouse that she was feeling like.
"What has Naruto and Kakashi told you about me?"
"Nothing," she automatically answered.
A glint came to his eyes and his tight face moved into a smirk. Sakura's stomach dropped the moment she realized what she had just admitted to. She tried to swallow but her throat had grown too tight. She could barely manage to get the air she needed to breath to pass through.
Shit, she internally cursed. She did not like to use foul language but in this case, double shit, as Naruto would say. He had caught her off guard and caught her in a lie. Here she had thought she was doing so well, despite the feeling that she was swimming upstream the entire conversation. But he was just so...distracting.
In all her years, Sakura had never felt a true attraction to another. She had often found plenty of handsome men and many of their companies enjoyable, but anytime it came to having a desire for more, she could never find a place for them in her heart. For many centuries she fretted that her heart was broken, that she was incapable of any kind of romantic feelings. It hurt to break others, but she felt it would hurt them more if she tried to give them what she could not. It would be unfair.
But there was something different about Sasuke. And his penetrating eyes and gods divine features were only half of it. However, attraction or not, she was in dangerous territory. Flashes of Naruto's half torn wings ran across her mind and she shivered.
What kind of punishment did Sasuke Uchiha, a demon from the underworld where eternal punishment was dealt, would have instore for a liar? Would he rip her tongue from her mouth, flash his red eyes and make her see horrible things, or simply end her life with no more effort than he would a bug. She imagined everything and anything. Everything but what he actually did, and Sakura began to understand the true unpredictability of Sasuke Uchiha.
He smiled.
Oh so wickedly and toe curling slyly, that she felt a warm heat build in her lower abdomen.
Gods he was so beautiful it was a sin, she thought in her mind.
The thought brought about a whole new fear towards Sasuke that she had not even considered over the course of the week. Despite the comforting ease and lack of hostility that she felt from him, Sakura realized he was still, possibly even more dangerous, than she originally thought. It was just in a way she had never expected. And to make things worse, she had no idea how to defend herself from such dangers.
Sasuke could not help but revel in the glee that came from catching her in a lie. And the expression on her face was well worth the aggravating accusations of being a stalking creep. She was a rabbit caught in a snare and she knew it. The question was, was she going to fight against the trap or accept her fate and give in.
"So you do know them?" he pushed. "You know what they are?"
He watched her eyes dart around as if searching for inspiration.
"I um…" her eyes met his then quickly moved away as she focused her attention on his forehead. She let out a nervous laugh that caused the predator inside of him to shiver with anticipation.
"Sakura," he purred, causing her eyes to move down to his lips. He moved them into a side smirk that grew further when he watched her tongue dart out and wet her bottom lip.
Reaching out, he boldly grasped her chin to tilt her face up until green orbs met his dark ones. He noted the way her chest heaved with breaths and her pulse throbbed against her throat, telling him her heart was beating wildly. A hunger grew within him that had been dormant for far too long. It was so strong and pressing that it was difficult not to consume what he was craving. He was starving for her. Her lips, her mind, her soul, everything.
The need for her was so pressing he nearly swooped down and claimed those parted lips that were held open as she stared up at him. The monster inside him roared its approval and even the sane portion of his mind could hardly give a reason not to do it. For despite its stability, even his sanity knew that he needed her.
She doesn't know who you are.
Those words were his damnation but also his saving grace. He needed to be careful, he could not scare her.
"How do you know me?"
Sasuke broke out of his thoughts and looked down at her, clarity flushing into his mind as her soft and soothing voice anchored his sanity. His hand fell slowly from her chin as he tilted his head to the side. With those green orbs wide open, it was like he could see into her mind. He was tempted to jump in and search her familiar depths but he resisted. He saw conflict and want as she stared back at him, almost as if she were pleading him to tell her their history.
He felt his brow narrow as he tried to understand this. He felt the words begin to build but a pair of familiar chakras in the distance caused him to pause. Looking over her head he starred in the direction as an annoyance began to rise up. He wanted more time but it seemed that life would not be quite so giving today. However, he did not let it bother him too much.
He knew how to find her now, or at least someone who could lead him to her. With that thought, his dislike of the pale artist decreased marginally. His mind raced with a way to leave her without letting her easily forget him.
An idea sparked in his mind. His eyes settled back down on her and he gave her a smirk as the thought of what he was about to do played out in his mind.
"I have to leave," he announced.
"What?" She blurted in protest as a hand shot out and grabbed ahold of his wrist. "No! I need answers!"
Her protest caused something inside him to purr with content. And the feeling of her touch enthralled him, tempted him. He nearly snatched her up and took him with her, but he feared that if Kakashi and Naruto were involved, that plan would backfire. Or at least prove to be highly inconvenient.
"Hn," he hummed as he took a step closer, taking caution of how she reacted to his proximity.
When she gave no indication of discomfort, most likely distracted by his announced departure, he raised his hand and ever so slowly, extended his middle and forefinger. Her eyes followed his hand with every movement and her brows creased in wonder as he poised his fingers just above her brow. With a small jab, he taped the middle of her forehead.
He felt a warm, genuine smile take over his face as she did her familiar flinch. Then her eyes opened and she looked at him with a strange expression. He held her gaze, searching and hoping that he was not mistaking the familiarity that shone in her eyes.
"Sorry Sakura, maybe next time."
And with those words he departed from her. Flashing his red eyes to capture the moment before he flash stepped away, leaving her alone with nothing but a confused expression to keep her company. As he took to the air his mind raced with excitement. She was alive and he was going to have her back. How he wanted to take her with him then and there but he would be patient. When she came with him, she would come with him willingly.
Soon, he cooed to the creature that lived within him. His assurance seemed to settle its stirring and give him clarity to formulate his next step.