Chapter 3

Smart, gray curtains sway with the early morning breeze. The sun would not rise for many hours and the moon hid behind heavy, foreboding clouds. The stars were beautiful, twinkling and pirouetting against a colorless void.

Karin swings her leg around the window frame before pulling herself completely through.

Sasuke had heard coming long before she'd scaled the building. It was another sleepless night. Air escapes his lips in a quick huff, his only sign of displeasure.

Karin smiles widely. Red hair, spiky on one side and straight on the other, sways as she saunters towards him. She adjusts her shorts lower upon her hips in an exaggerated fashion. "I've finally caught up with you."

In her hand was an official Konoha mission scroll. Sasuke recognized Kakashi's seal. Without a word, the woman passes it along to Sasuke and watches as he scans the parchment. She can hardly contain her excitement.

Genin escort mission,

D-Rank,

Karin, Konoha has approved your citizenship. We cannot grant you any title higher than Genin at this time, for your previous credentials are unverified. By law, you must complete a total number of three (3) assignments under Konoha supervision. We have arranged for your first mission to be with an old teammate, Uchiha Sasuke. You are to leave no later than sunrise tomorrow morning and return within five (5) days.

Warmest welcome,

Rokudaime Hatake Kakashi

Sasuke feels her wrap around his midsection. Her cheek is cold against the thin cotton of his sleepshirt and her glasses dig into him uncomfortably. He was never one to accept affections, but prying her off him did not seem like the…kindest of options. Not many knew just how often he'd held himself back.

In fact, his former teammate thought just the opposite. He was mean after all.

"Karin, let go."

Karin narrows her eyes and turns towards the waving curtains, sensing an approaching energy skillfully. The chakra is green, minty, and clean. While Sasuke's chakra moves with a steady throb, dark and polluted with a twinge of rage, this medicinal flow curved and curled to fill out every possible point a ninja was able to access. The control was immaculate, even in its massively large quantity.

Sakura hopped into the room, stealthy and silent.

Against the glow from the outside lights, her hair looked more purple than pink. She had a kunai wrapped around her puffy lips, ready for backup should her fist fail her. Thin eyebrows rose in surprise. She had clearly been expecting a battle. Her cheeks redden.

"Oh, I—" The kunoichi speaks around her weapon.

She smelled of outdoors. Sasuke takes special care with his gaze, looking at the wrinkled state of her clothing and the smears of dirt along the sides of her calves and forearms. Her hair had been windblown. The long strands fanned her face in a way that seemed to annoy her, the tips tickling the curve of her face and neck. She held them down with her hand, backing away to exit.

When she'd seen the shadowy, mysterious figure scale the side of the building, her body moved unconsciously. Though she had not known precisely where Sasuke's room was located, following her target had let her closer to his familiar aura. Thinking an assassin had come to do him harm—or perhaps a member of the clan he was searching out—Sakura came to Sasuke's defense.

Instead, she'd intruded on a private rendezvous.

The room was nearly black, but Sakura recognized Karin immediately. She had healed the woman after…Sasuke had lost himself. The kunoichi's face contorts in anger at the sight of Sakura, and she points an accusatory finger towards the woman.

"I knew I'd felt you before, Pinky. So, you decided to run off with Sasuke-kun and abandon your duties?"

Sakura halts at this, half of her body hanging out of the window. She removes her weapon from her mouth. "Huh?"

Taking the scroll from Sasuke, the redhead passes it along. A proud smirk twists upon her lips as she harrumphs. "See for yourself."

Sakura does. She reads once, then twice, trying to make sense of the information.

Although she did not carry her mission details, nothing within had hinted at whom she would be traveling with or what the mission entailed. It wasn't unusual for ninja to receive such requests. Could she have truly made such a grievous mistake?

Pursing her lips, Sakura speaks. "So…you…were supposed to be escorting Sasuke to Cha no Kuni?"

"Duh," Karin snaps.

Sasuke cannot help but think that the entire situation is too on-the-nose to be a mishap. Kakashi had to have been behind it, somehow. The man was as smart as he was cunning.

But for what reason? Why would he have Sasuke join Karin and Sakura to Tea?

...:::*:::...

Five skilled ninja make their way across the valleys of Tea. It is cool with the rain clouds shade, and although the sun had reached its apex, everything was gloomy. They remain mostly silent as they travel, idle conversation popping up from time to time.

"So, what did your mission scroll say again, Sakura?" Naruto asks for the umpteenth time. Sakura can feel another bout of embarrassment roll through her.

"Meet at the village gates at sunrise. Guide Genin to Cha."

"That's it?" The man pries. "No other information–not a who, a what, a why?"

Sakura shakes her head.

"That just doesn't seem like Kakashi…he's usually too detailed with his paperwork."

"Not with me," Sakura defends. "Pakkun had delivered it. He's done the same several times in the past. Kakashi sends me out on little errands sometimes–things that need to be taken care of that others think they're too good for. We don't have nearly as much help as we have in the past…"

Hinata agrees with the young woman, nodding her head fervently. "It's not unusual for a Jonin to receive less instruction, especially someone as trustworthy as Sakura…Sakura?"

The sudden change in Hinata's voice causes Sasuke and Naruto to slow their steps, turning back curiously.

"I saw," She responds. She does not slow down or turn to face Hinata when speaking, coming across as serious and stern. "We didn't take this route before. They look well-cultivated—pointing west. I'll send out a report as soon as I get home."

Naruto seems to have just as much trouble as Sasuke does following the conversation.

"What?"

At this, Sakura and Hinata cast a look towards each other. There were not many differences between shinobi and kunoichi, especially in regards to battle tactics. Women kept a few tricks up their sleeves, however. Hinata is vague. "Someone has left a warning."

At this, the blond stops and it causes the entire party to halt their movements. His blue eyes dart between his wife and his friend. "What warning? Where do you see it?"

"The flowers," Hinata responds.

Karin laughs, understanding just as much as the boys to her side do. "Flowers? What on earth are the two of you talking about?"

Sakura's voice is even as she speaks, drastically different from the amused redhead. "Red Spider Lily is warning amongst kunoichi."

Seeing three sets of eyes taking interest in her, Sakura debates internally on whether she should offer a quick lesson in hanakotoba or get to Konoha as fast as possible. Oh, how badly she wanted the latter.

Sakura was exhausted. She cannot remember the last time she'd slept in or had a day of rest. She tried so hard to take care of her village and friends, to the point that idleness made her feel guilty.

How many lives could she have saved at the hospital while she tended to menial house-tasks such as laundry or cleaning, after all?

Feeling overextended already, being around Sasuke had added new, heartbreaking revelations to her already damaged heart.

No, Karin's intimate hug had not sent Sakura over the edge. Neither did Sasuke's curt, unfriendly attitude. The confusion between who should have escorted Sasuke made her feel like an idiot, but even that was not sole enough a reason explain her attitude

To put it simply, Sakura did not feel like explaining something like hanakotoba to people who would forget the information she spewed in a matter of minutes.

She did anyways, of course.

Such was her nature.

"In the academy, young girls were taught the language of flowers. It is a means to communicate without words. It is much like our sign language, but at a greater distance."

Naruto frowns with appreciation. "Oh, that's cool."

Hinata laces her fingers within his. "Red Spider Lily means death—it a flower we are taught to look out for. They die easily if not properly maintained."

Karin crosses her arms. "So what's the warning mean?"

Sakura adjusts her pack, jumping a little to situate the bag higher upon her shoulders. "Well, the flower is of course related to death but also with sadness. Legends say that this plant grows people who once used to be alive. It can mean a "last goodbye", or if they're in a bouquet—"

"Okay," Karin interrupts, speaking quickly and impatiently. "Are you going to answer my question or are you going to just keep blathering?"

Sakura's eye twitches. She had an easier time dealing with Sai's constant belittling remarks. "I don't know. I'd have to investigate."

"Then why bring it up in the first place if you didn't—you know what? I can't do this. I'm not standing out waiting for the rain to start, listening to two girls talk about flowers. Catch up to us when your nail-polish dries."

Hinata's dark brows shoot up in shock, and Sakura clamps her mouth audibly shut. The woman offer each other a knowing look—for they were close enough not to need words, signs, or flowers to communicate.

"Wow, she's fun." Naruto announces dryly. "Any special reason you keep her around, Sasuke?"

Much like Hinata and Sakura, the boys speak non-verbally. Sakura cannot decipher what is said, but Naruto apparently takes the hint to back off. He shrugs his shoulders and the men turn back towards their path, matching their footsteps to one another.

The men. Yes, how strange it is to call Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke men. It seems just yesterday they were all kids. Dog walks and fence fixing quickly turned into life-or-death battles. Still, there were days where nothing eventful happened and they could all train together as a team, carefree, excited for what their lives would hold.

Naruto did not know he would lose friends.

Sasuke did not know he would lose his mind.

Sakura did not know she would lose her boys, in place of the towering legends before her.

Against her will, Sakura's eyes follow the sway of Sasuke's back. She used to be the tallest, standing less than an inch over her teammates (still counts!). Sasuke had certainly beaten her now.

He walked differently as well. Broad shoulders held his head high, resonating confidence. He'd always been cocksure, but there was no stiffness in his gait. As a boy, he was coiled and ready to pounce. Now, his relaxed, long strides told you he was unbothered. He feared nothing and no one.

As if sensing her gaze, the Uchiha stops and turns around. Sakura's heart skips a beat, fearing she'd been caught staring for too long. Sasuke gestures towards a patch of wildflowers, his hair uncovering his purple-rimmed eye.

Naruto stops, crossing his hands behind his head. He looks at Sakura, waiting for her to answer their teammate's unspoken question.

"What…? O-oh. They grow naturally."

He nods, accepting her answer. "What are they?"

Sakura swallows. "Knotweed…and Demons Eye,"

He waits for her to continue. She takes a step towards him.

"They're actually considered a nuisance. They have very small seeds that spread out and cover large areas of land. The white-green flowers you see are probably sprouting because of the weather change. The Demon's Eye is the purple, circular bud…"

This seems acceptable to Sasuke. He nods, absorbing the knowledge, and then turns to walk past Naruto. Sakura doesn't see it, but the whiskered man shoots his friend a sly smirk, which Sasuke casually ignores.

…:::*:::…

Making their way to Tea had been much quicker than their way back. Traveling with more people, and in inclement weather meant their pace had slowed considerably. The soft,sweeping valleys had filled with water during the downpour. Sakura was thankful for her standard-issue ninja cloak. Karin had not thought to prepare for anything except sunshine, however. With no extras to pass around, the group made a unanimous decision to wait out the rain.

Sasuke had led them to a towering rock overhang. Though it was damp, it shielded them well enough. Sasuke shook out the wetness from his locks and removed his cloak, laying it beside the others over a large, rounded boulder.

"There's some dead straw towards the back of this cave." Naruto says, picking up a few sticks that had blown in long ago. "I think we'll go ahead and make a fire. It'll dry our—"

In one fluid motion, Karin slides her top over her head and slaps the fabric onto the carefully spread jackets, re-soaking them in water. Unabashed, wearing only a bra (and not one that binds her chest), she reaches for her shorts when Sakura stops her.

"Karin, I've got some spare clothing. You don't need to undress out here."

She scoffs. "What, a red top and bottoms? No, thanks."

"You'd rather be naked?" Naruto balks with his hands over his eyes and his back facing them.

Sakura cannot find it in herself to look at Sasuke, for fear of seeing him unaffected.

Or worse. Affected.

"Wow, you guys are prudes. I'm obviously not naked, I'm wearing underwear—"

"Here," Sasuke says from behind Sakura. He tosses something towards her.

It's a shirt. The material looks fresh and clean, deep black and not faded in the least. Karin pulls the short-sleeved material over her body and the hem hangs several inches above her knees. She is taller than Sakura is, and her legs are longer. She is thinner, too, with hard edges and slopes. She looks like the women in magazines.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun!" Her smile is bright...much brighter than Sakura thinks she could manage.

Soon after, with the warmth of their fire raging and the howl of the storm reaching its head outside, Naruto decides he needs rest. Curled under a blanket together, the Uzumaki couple slowly started to drift to sleep. Sakura was used to hearing his echoing snore. He slept noiselessly with Hinata, who undoubtedly offered him comfort. How blessed they were.

To her side, leaned back on her palms and with her legs separated, Karin let out a yawn. She had nothing to sleep on and the floor was cold. Sakura looked at her cozy bedroll, and then to Karin and Sasuke.

"I'll take the first watch. You're welcome to my bedding, Karin."

"Fine by me," She responds, stretching her arms above her head. "But, I'm allergic to cotton. Can I sleep on your deerskin, Sasuke?"

Sasuke hadn't gotten anything out to rest on. Sakura knew he'd had the ability to conjure most of his traveling materials using his rinnegan. That was the extent of her knowledge. Karin had obviously seen his sleeping supplies somewhere during their travels.

"My shirt is cotton."

Sakura hides her smile behind her hand, but she could not trap her giggle as easily. Both ninja look towards her sharply—one with her brows furrowed and the other with a studious gaze.

Huffing, making a big show of lying on top of Sakura's bedroll instead of in it, Karin succumbs to sleep rather quickly. Sakura is envious of her…in many ways.

As a girl, Sakura used to travel with a hand mirror. She'd check her hair and face every morning, worried to see dried drool or a misplaced strand of her long, pink locks. Her hair was longer now, but not yet as long as it had been in her Genin days. Absent-mindedly, she twirls the tendril around her finger, pulling it tight over her upper lip. No, Sakura was not nearly as worried about her looks as she'd used to be.

Her arms and legs were fleshy. It was because of the underlying muscle, of course, but they were not toned enough to carve through her skin unless she focused on flexing. Pressing her hot cheek against her knee and grabbing her forearms underneath them, the woman sighs. Her belly bulged in this position, and for a moment, she thought she'd better sit up nice and tall in front of Sasuke.

Instead, she hid, keeping her eyes on the flickering fire.

Minutes turned to hours. Still, Sasuke refused to sleep. The scrape of his blade on whetstone was rhythmic. Scrape, tap-tap, scrape, tap-tap…

"Shouldn't you try and rest?"

Sasuke replied. "I'm fine,"

"You looked tired when you came to Konoha." Sakura admitted. Sakura lifts her palm toward the fire, relishing the gentle heat. "We left before sunrise this morning. I know for a fact you haven't gotten more than a few hours rest in at least three days."

"I'm used to it."

"No one gets 'used to' not getting sleep. Maybe if you hadn't refused to wake me up…"

"I didn't refuse to wake you up." Sasuke says. He starts on his whetstone again. Scrape, tap-tap, scrape, tap-tap…

"Is there a better word for it?"

Scrape, tap-tap, scrape, tap-tap…

Somehow, despite the person he was and all that he'd done to her, Sakura had felt safe enough with him to sleep. She did not toss and turn, or wake up with every shuffle of his movement.

"I called your name."

She looks at him quizzically. It had not crossed her mind that he had actually tried. How could she have fallen into such a deep sleep. "You called my name? Was it loud?"

Sasuke's head remains downcast, but his eyes meet hers. "It was loud enough."

He had wanted to take it in, to share space with another human who harbored no ill will towards him. At that moment, he did not feel like he was being mean. It would have been mean to awaken someone resting as hard as she was. Her hair was spread across her face, her eyelids pressed together lightly and her mouth was slightly agape. She was like a baby.

Sakura's hand went closer to the fire. It was not comfortable anymore. It burned. "If it was loud enough, then I would have woken up."

Without warning, a piece of kindling spat out a fat spark. The flame licked Sakura, searing the flesh of her hand quickly. Letting out a yelp, the woman pulls her hand back and stares at the pink singe.

She could heal it. It wouldn't take a lot of effort, and it certainly wouldn't take long. However, there was something incredibly telling in this pain…in this mark.

Sasuke was fire. He was heat and char and smoke and ash…. No one could bid a flame to act outside of its nature. Was this what she was doing? Did she want Sasuke to act outside of his nature–to be something or someone he would never be?

Sakura squeezes her hand tightly, thinking of the Morning Glory she'd crushed in her grasp at the hotel.

I don't want to love him anymore.

Sasuke sheathes this kunai and stone. Soundlessly he approaches, and when he reaches towards her Sakura thinks he might admonish her. She'd made mistake after mistake–what kind of ninja slept through their watch? What kind of ninja misreads their mission statement? What kind of ninja calls attention to herself by yelling at her partner in a public place? What kind of ninja hurts themselves on the job?

Instead, he touches her wrist and guides it towards his face.

Her cheeks flare as she studies him in their close proximity. "I…can heal it."

His browline was more prominent now. His nose, wider, his eyes more narrow, and his hands were harsh and focuses on his thumb as it coaxes her fingers, opening each with a surprising delicacy.

Looking at the glow of the fire as it reflects his mature face, Sakura mourns his youth. When she gets Konoha and Sasuke leaves again, she will have nothing but her memories of him. Their old team picture shows a boy who no longer exists.

I don't want to love him anymore. But I do.

He blows on the wound, easing the pain with his cool air. He reaches into the medkit still strapped to Sakura's thigh, never taking his eyes off her hand. He is respectful with his touch, but the brush of his fingers makes Sakura's chin tremble.

As he peels off the bandage casing and presses it to her skin, Sakura closes her eyes. It has been a long time since someone has taken care of her. It was completely unnecessary, a waste of supplies–something like this would take but a second to fix.

"There," He says with a nod.

I love him just as much as I ever have.