A/N: This is the revised version of this story. I've doubled up chapters, so what was two chapters have now been combined into one. For instance, chapters one and two have been combined into just chapter one. Chapters three and four are now just chapter two and so on. So now the chapters are longer with between 9,000 and 10,000 words for each. I've also edited all the chapters that were up. I've changed my username and will also be uploading this story onto Archive of our Own under the same username yokokuroba
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or One Piece nor do I make any money from my writings.
Chapter Six: A New Goal X Vulnerability
"Are you sure about this, Sasuke?"
A dark head nodded in return to the blonde's question, both of their eyes watching as the pink-haired female said her last farewells to her closest friend, Ino. The blonde woman held the pinkette in her arms and pressed up tightly to her chest, letting out sobs while Sakura patted her back gently, smiling softly with a hint of sadness in her green eyes. It was hard on all of them, but they would support the small kunoichi in her journey. If they had doubted her before, there was no question now that Sakura would survive. They would all live and hopefully see each other again soon.
Naruto hadn't said a word to the pinkette, not knowing what to say to her. He was still wondering what it was she had meant when she was talking to Katsuyu. Though he was relieved to see her alive, he felt a wave of nostalgia hit him and beyond that, sadness. The girl he had grown up with had changed and the woman trapped in that child's body was someone he didn't completely recognize.
She had been through so much, experienced so many things, seen so many places, and she had done all of it while away from Konoha. It was heartbreaking. The blonde knew it was wrong to think so, but he had always imagined Sakura to be the one out of the three of them to be the one to stay behind. When he and Sasuke left the village, she had stayed to get stronger. When they had to fight each other after the war, she had chased after them.
When it came to Team Seven, Sakura was always the one in the background, silently supporting them. It didn't occur to him how much she had been suffering in her own way. It never crossed his mind how lonely it must have been for her or how much she had struggled until she had come back and was ultimately out of their reach. If she wasn't with them, then where was she? What had she been doing?
She belonged with them, didn't she?
Why was she doing this by herself?
Why hadn't he noticed the unbearable burden on her shoulders all those years ago when she was diagnosed with that poison? It was true her troubles weren't comparable to growing up as a Jinchuuriki or having her family massacred, was that why? Because her problems weren't as traumatic as his or Sasuke's? Because she didn't voice her concerns or feelings like them? She didn't share the same degree of burdens as them, so she wasn't allowed to be lonely?
As the pinkette shared a sad smile with their former teacher and current Hokage, Naruto's frown deepened while his thoughts continued to plague him.
This was wrong.
This was all wrong.
Sakura had always been a part of their team, so it didn't seem right that she was leaving their village again, that she was leaving them again. She was a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village, so why did she have that look of utter defeat and despair on her face earlier? Why did things turn out this way?
And what had brought on that sudden strength?
Naruto didn't understand anymore. He knew it was only human to feel lonely and he knew she had at some point. With a shocking revelation as he gazed on that smiling face, the blonde realized he had never really been there for the pinkette. Or Sasuke. Neither of them had. They both left the village for their own goals, completely disregarding who they were leaving behind. He hadn't asked her about how she was feeling when Sasuke left the village or even afterward. He had always assumed he knew how she felt since they were the same. They both wanted Sasuke back.
When she had been poisoned, he hadn't supported her decision to go find a cure and when she was on the verge of leaving the village, he hadn't offered to go with her. They had left her alone. Again.
So how was she smiling now? That was easy. She was always smiling… They weren't able to see the tears past that smile until she almost broke completely.
"Sakura…" the blonde muttered, and multiple eyes turned to the male. Jade eyes blinked up at him calmly, her lips parted slightly in curiosity. He hadn't said anything to her this entire time and honestly, he didn't know what to say. He wanted to apologize for not realizing all of this sooner, he wanted to congratulate her for enduring all that she had, but most of all, what he wanted to say was something that wouldn't mean anything once she left again. Welcome home.
Sakura turned to face him more, a small frown adorning her lips while she looked over his slightly distraught expression. "What is it?"
Finally, the blonde decided on what was most important at that moment and he asked, "Will you be okay?"
The three of them instantly knew what he was talking about, a silent message shared between the broken team. Won't you be lonely?
The question hung in the air and settled through the pinkette's mind, slightly surprised by it in general. After a moment of silence between them, Sakura tilted her head and let a soft, gentle smile spread over her mouth. Her green eyes softened with the love she carried for her blonde friend. "I'm not alone."
That was all Naruto needed to hear and it answered his previous question, as well as lifting an immense burden off his shoulders he didn't realize he had been carrying. He felt so relieved just from hearing those words.
She wasn't alone…
With a short nod, the blonde tilted his head as well and grinned softly. The corners of his eyes burned with unshed tears. He hummed his acknowledgement and replied, "Don't wait another hundred years before you visit again."
Sakura was surprised before amused by the comment, thinking about how it really felt like a century since the last time she saw them. She was also glad and felt a warm adoration settle in her chest from his acceptance of her decision. Closing her eyes, she nodded with a sweet smile and soft hum. "Un."
It only took a few more moments before the pinkette slid herself next to the Uchiha, ready to head back to her destination. She wasn't sure how Sasuke would send her back, but she was eager to be with the Straw Hats again.
Looking back at the others that had come to see her off, she raised her arm with her hand spread in a wave. With a bright smile on her face and her eyes closed, she said in a light and happy tone, "See ya!"
In the short amount of time she had been with them, she had grown stronger. She had seen them again, her will to live was reborn, and her determination to accomplish her goal was rekindled.
However, a heavy weight settled over the few shinobi that understood her request to Katsuyu to its honest depth. She had asked the slug to die with her, but then said that she wouldn't die. If Sakura was determined to live, then she would die in another way, and it filled the three older shinobi with sorrow. They might see the pinkette again, but it wouldn't be as a shinobi of Konoha…
It would be as a normal human.
~SCENE CHANGE~
A sigh left thin lips and a chair creaked in protest while a lean, muscular body stretched back. Folding his arms behind his head, grey eyes looked up at the ceiling in contemplation and Trafalgar Law couldn't help but think back to this feeling he had been having recently.
It was a nagging sensation that settled in the back of his head and crept down to his heart. He had developed fairly well instincts throughout his life of carnage and death. This feeling wouldn't be so annoying if it didn't affect him on an emotional level or if he had an idea of what was causing it.
No.
Scratch that.
He knew exactly what was causing it.
Law just didn't want to accept it for what it was. The warm and suffocating feeling of longing wrapped around his heart, even more persistent than it had been in the last decade. He felt his throat constricting and though he would never admit it to anyone, it was times like this that he felt lonelier than ever before.
Looking back down at the medical book on the desk in his room, he glanced over the title lazily, not really reading it. It was on procedures and surgeries, something he had already read over and over again, but still found himself coming back to on occasion. He didn't want to become rusty in his medical skills. Though he loved being a doctor and living up to his family name, it was also a deep burden to carry on an emotional level.
It reminded him of all the losses he had to endure in his life. His parents, his sister, Cora-san, but just as important, the little girl he had grown up with. The one that had been older than him, but still looked up to him as if he were someone great. They had just been children, but if he had lived a normal life, if things had turned out differently, he was sure she would have been the one he had spent his days with.
Law remembered fondly how she wanted to be a great shinobi and admired how he was following in his parents' footsteps to become a great doctor. She had often complimented and awed at his progress and being the smitten child he would have denied being, he had bragged and showed off his intelligence and knowledge in front of her, trying to impress her.
Closing his eyes, the doctor smiled and put his foot on the desk in front of him, rocking back slightly in his chair. Memories flashed behind his eyes and not for the first time, he let his mind wander. He remembered her having a bright pink hair color, very similar to bubblegum and that she always had her bangs covering her forehead when they were really young. Her face was more of a blur now, but Law never forgot how cute he always thought she was and that she would make the most adorable, pouty expressions.
What stayed in his mind, since the very first time he met her, were her eyes. Those beautiful, emerald eyes that would change shades depending on her mood. They represented nature and life in their entirety and Law had been mesmerized by them since he first laid eyes on them.
She was an enigma and she had appeared suddenly in his life, brought forth color in his otherwise grey world, and had left in a flurry of blood and fire. The loss of her presence in his life had been devastating, but her spirit still haunted his every day.
He only had two regrets: not being able to save her and not showing her how he felt. He wanted her to know that all the lies had had told when they got into arguments were just that; lies. They had argued a lot as children, but that was one of the things he had been so enraptured by when it came to her. It was always so exciting and lively, but then she had died along with everyone else he had cared about at that time.
Frowning, Law looked up to the ceiling of his room, surrounded by the darkness of the space, save for the small lamp on the desk in front of him. It cast shadows dancing around the room, the engine of the submarine humming and sending out small vibrations. He wasn't one to whine or complain, but he couldn't help but think it was unfair the way life treated him. If he could have kept one thing for himself, it would have been her.
Law ran his hand over his face while letting out a disgruntled groan. Getting out of the chair, he made his way to his bed. It was only large enough to accommodate him, but it was comfortable enough. Flopping down on it, Law rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling again while he rummaged through the pocket of his jeans. Grasping the familiar piece of metal, he pulled the object out of his pocket and held it above his head to inspect.
His thumb ran over the leaf insignia like he had done so many times before. He was sure this headband had something to do with these reoccurring emotions, as well as the dreams he had been having recently. Memories that flashed through his subconscious, the constant pull and tug of his heart, and the way his eyes looked around him as if searching for something. But what did it mean?
What was this thing and who was the girl that dropped it?
She had the same color of hair as the girl from his memories, but he wasn't foolish enough to believe it had any connection. His pinkette was older than him back when they were kids, and that child would be a teenager by now.
He silently hoped that once he found some answers from that kid, then he would finally find some peace.
"Captain." A knock on the door disturbed the doctor from his thoughts, grateful for the distraction from one of the members of his crew, Penguin.
"What is it?" he called out.
"We're about to dock."
"Alright." Law replied before sitting up in his bed, eager to get out of this suffocating space and get some fresh air. He needed to clear his mind.
It only took him a few minutes to leave the submarine once it docked at one of the many local islands on the Grand Line, leaving the headband on his bed. His crewmates didn't question it when he went off by himself, seeing as he was one that did what he wanted no matter what.
His feet carried him on, his mind not focusing on where he was going. He wasn't concerned about where he was going, as long as it was somewhere that could distract him from his impeding thoughts. She never failed to enter his mind on an almost daily basis, and it always left him distracted and wanton.
Law looked around at his surroundings, seeing they had landed at a modest village that mostly received fisherman and traveling merchants. The houses were made simply and the bar to his left was small. There was a hill to the right in the distance that looked like it was used to grow crops. Children walked around with their mothers, enjoying a stroll in the nice weather. Ahead of him, the dirt road he was walking along went into a forest. Elderly people were resting on rocking chairs and benches while the occasional one walked along the road. Once he looked closer, he could see men working in the fields further away from the small village.
Stopping in his tracks, the dark-haired captain glanced back toward the bar he had just passed, debating on what he should do. He could really use a drink. With a sigh, he turned and made his trek back toward the tavern. Reaching it, he pushed past the swinging doors and made his way further in. The smell of spice and alcohol filled his nose while the casual conversation of an older couple in the corner by the entrance entered his ears. They were the only other ones in the abode besides the bartender.
Making his way past the scattered, empty tables, Law sat down on a slightly dusty stool at the bar. His grey eyes settled down on the wooden structure in front of him, glancing over a doodle of a child with long hair riding a large boar carved into the wood beside him. Next to the doodle were the carved initials "S & I".
"What can I get for you, sweetheart?" the bartender asked, her voice holding a bit of a gravely texture to it along with the strange accent that could have been native to this village.
Law looked up at the woman, his gaze settling on her features. It looked like she was around his age, black hair pulled back into a high ponytail while bangs famed her beautiful face. Bright, blue eyes with thick eyelashes, a small, button nose, and full, pink lips on her heart-shaped face. She held a sense of adventure but had grown too mature for her age to indulge in her secret fantasies. She gave off an air of defiance that attracted a handful of men.
She was gorgeous and Law had no doubt she got a lot of attention from the local men.
But she wasn't her and that was enough to reject any advancement this woman made toward him. It was foolish, of course. She was dead and unfortunately for him, his heart and body seemed to work as one. He wasn't able to be with anyone else. It was odd. The power of erections was a strong force to be reckoned with, but apparently, he couldn't get one unless he was thinking about how his childhood friend would look grown up. That wasn't normal.
Maybe he needed a doctor…
Oh well.
Lowering his head to look back down at the bar table, he replied, "Anything's fine."
The woman nodded her head before turning and rummaged through cups and bottles. Law wasn't paying attention to her anymore and he didn't really care what she gave him. He just needed a distraction. Anything to get his mind off the dead.
A glass of clear liquid was placed in front of him, filled with ice and condensation already slowly rolled down the side of the cup. Without wasting any time, Law grabbed the glass and brought it to his lips before taking a quick sip. Chugging down the liquid, he didn't miss the fact the drink tasted suspiciously like plain water. Glancing up at the bartender, his narrowed grey eyes landed on the mischievous smile adorning her lips.
She leaned over the bar, folding her arms in front of her and under her large breasts, bringing more attention to the low-cut shirt she wore that exposed a not-so-moderate amount of cleavage. "You look like you could use someone to talk to more than a stiff one."
"Not interested." Law replied sharply, a hint of coldness in his tone while he glanced back down at the empty glass.
"Oh, come on, handsome." she pressed on, her head tilting slightly while she gave him a charming smile he blatantly ignored. He hoped she would take the hint, but apparently, she was one of those that didn't take rejection for what it was. "Why do you look so down? Girlfriend break up with you?"
The way she had so easily guessed what direction his problems lay soured Law's mood even further. He hadn't meant for it to be that obvious, but then again, it could have just been a guess to play to this woman's advantage. He was about to tell her to fuck off when a child came bursting through the doors of the entrance.
"Quick! We need to leave!" The kid sounded urgent, his voice filled with worry and fear, but Law kept his gaze on his glass. He watched the ice slowly melt and collapse into different positions as gravity took over, not really interested in what was happening.
The bartender immediately shot up, her posture tensing and her expression turning to one of worry. "Oh no. Are those raiders back again?"
"They're right over the hillside, they'll be here any minute!" the child shouted in urgency and Law vaguely wondered why a child would be the one to inform someone else to evacuate instead of an adult.
"Quickly! Everyone into the forest!" a man shouted from outside the building.
Ah, there they go. The forest though? Really? That hardly seemed like a safe place to go to run away from something. Though he supposed they might have had an environmental advantage.
The woman immediately shot around the bar in a flurry and looked down at him. He looked back up at her distraught expression, his body calm, but not relaxed. "You better get out while you can as well, sweetheart. The raiders are merciless."
Law watched as the woman ran out of the bar, the child and elderly couple having already left and the doctor thought about how much influence a meager band of rogues had over a small village like this. When he had looked over the buildings, they hadn't seemed to be damaged in any way. Which meant these raiders dealt more damage to the people rather than the environment.
No matter what though, it wasn't something he was concerned about. If these people were weak enough to bully normal villagers like this, then his crew wouldn't have a hard time dealing with them if necessary. Getting up from his stool, Law made his way to the other side of the bar and grabbed a dark bottle from the shelf. Sitting back down in the stool, he was already popping the top off and sliding the bitter liquid down his throat. It burned, but he knew it was what he needed. Some might say it wasn't wise to drink when in unfamiliar territory, especially not when there were potential enemies in the area, but Law couldn't give a damn right then.
He was dealing with a serious amount of nostalgia and heartache that refused to go away and it only seemed to nag at him harder the longer he sat in this village. Letting out a sigh, the captain got up out of his seat and walked toward the door, booze bottle in hand. Stepping outside with the bottle to his lips, he looked over and saw a group of men ride through the street on horses. They waved their swords around while shouting and the beginnings of screams entered his ears.
Chaos was starting to break out and Law wanted no part in it. He wasn't sure where any of his crewmates were, but he wanted to get the hell out of there before he was forced to become some sort of hero. He didn't feel like dealing with this village's problem. Turning, he began his trek down the road while he still hadn't been noticed by the raiders passing through and causing a ruckus. He only took a few steps, however, when a small object suddenly ran into his legs.
Stopping and lowering the bottle from his mouth slightly, his gaze fell onto the object that had collided with him. Its small form sat on the ground in front of him, a black cloak covering its appearance from his view. He blinked and realized it was a child from its small form, and he was intent on walking around it. That was until it looked up and their eyes met while the hood of the cloak fell back.
Law's eyes widened slightly as he took in the appearance of the child. The young girl appeared to be around ten years old, bright pink hair adorning her head and bangs in her face. One eye was a bright, forest green while the other a deep, ocean blue. She was far too similar to a certain person for Law's liking.
Law decided right then and there that there were far too many children in the world with that damn hair color. Pink. It was fucking everywhere. Even if there were different shades, they all ended up looking the same in his eyes. It was a nightmare.
The little girl had wide eyes as she looked up at him in silent fear and astonishment. She was frowning with her lips parted while she took in deep, shaky breaths and she seemed unsure of how to process him, whether he was an enemy or not.
It was just those eyes. Those fucking eyes that were so full of life, even while terror swam through them. Even if they were a different color, they still looked so much like hers. It was almost disgusting, and it made his stomach churn and his throat constrict. He had to get out of this village. Now.
"There she is!" a man shouted, and the child immediately whipped her head to the side to the sound, her multi-colored eyes widening even further. She took one last glance at Law and deciding that he wasn't going to mess with her, she stood up and ran as fast as her small feet could carry her. Law turned and looked after her as she ran down the street. Horses ran toward her, and multiple men swarmed her. Hands reached out toward her, and she was able to dodge a few of them, but a sturdy hand managed to get a hold of her long hair.
The child let out a pained yelp as she was yanked back, into the air, and lifted up before she was slammed back onto the ground. As she sat up and tears escaped her fear-filled eyes, the men circled around her while still on their horses.
Law was set on leaving, but his gaze lingered on the child. He wasn't sure exactly why. It's not like the men were paying him any attention. He could leave and not have to worry about a confrontation, but still, he stayed and watched. He waited, but for what, he didn't know. The bottle in his hand was long forgotten about as the scene unfolded in front of his eyes.
Green and blue eyes landed on him, the child on her hands and knees, her gaze showing how desperate and terrified she was. "Help me." she whispered, her hushed tone filled with dread and just loud enough for him to hear, though the doctor was sure he only imagined that voice when he read her lips. It was a soft and sweet voice that plagued his nightmares.
It made something inside of him snap, a lid flipping, and he couldn't possibly suppress the urge to save her. Lifting up his hand, he activated his devil fruit and rotated his wrist while saying, "Shambles."
The change was instant, and it left the raiders in a daze when the child was replaced by a dark bottle on the ground. The men looked over to the side to see that the kid was now in the possession of the doctor.
Law had his eyes narrowed at the group while he held the girl in his arms against his chest protectively. Though he didn't want to admit it himself, he now knew the reason why he had stayed. This child… She reminded him too much of her. He could feel her curious gaze settle on him before she turned her head to look back at the raiders in fear.
"Damn you." one growled at him and they all turned to face toward him, their eyes narrowed and scowls on their lips. "What do you think you're doing?"
A condescending smirk spread over Law's lips and even with his foul mood, he couldn't hold back a smart-ass remark, "I wasn't aware men grew balls from picking on little girls."
"Shut up." another barked, a fat, stubbly man with a black mane that circled around his entire head. He pointed his chubby finger at Law and added, "You have no idea what that thing is. It's not even human."
"So?" Law questioned, not understanding what that had to do with anything. His closest friend was a white, talking bear, after all.
"Just put it down and we'll let ya off the hook." a skinny man that wore a large, tiger skull over his head said. His features were hidden, but Law suspected he was probably even uglier than the rest of them if he hid his face in such a fashion. They were all dressed oddly, some ranging from what looked like they just came out of the ice age and others to cliché bandit wear.
The child looked up at him with pleading eyes and with a strained voice that wasn't like anything he heard earlier, she said, "Please." Grey eyes looked down to meet her desperate expression. "Don't let me go with them."
Law looked back up at the group, his smirk back in place. "You heard her. Get lost."
"Fine then. We'll just kill you along with her." the lion-wannabe said before pointing his sword at the doctor. "Kill them!"
Narrowing his eyes, Law was silently amused by this turn of events and wasn't at all worried about not having his sword on him at that moment. He would handle this bunch quickly.
~SCENE CHANGE~
The little girl was astounded as her eyes stayed glued to a pile of bruised and beaten men, steam rising from their abused forms while none dared to even groan in their unconscious states. "A-amazing." she muttered and looked around as the sounds of screaming faded and calm began to settle over the village once again.
Turning to look back at the man that had saved her, her eyes raked over his form. Though she hadn't paid attention to it at first, she had slowly begun to recognize him. "Ne, old man."
Law looked down at the child with slightly narrowed eyes. Old? He just saved her and now she's going to insult him? Some brat. "What?"
"You wouldn't be…" she paused, hesitation settling inside of her even though he looked exactly like his wanted poster. "Trafalgar Law, would you?"
Law wasn't surprised she knew him. He was an up-and-coming pirate after all, with a bounty of two hundred million. Why she cared about that, he didn't know and didn't care. He was busy looking for his crew to get off this damn island before he got caught up in any more of its problems. "Yeah. What of it?"
"That's great!" she said and he looked over to see that a huge smile had lit up her features and her eyes were bright with mirth. Why was she so happy? Did he miss something? "You're the one she's been looking for!"
What? "Who?"
"Sakura-chama!" the girl continued while she ran up to catch up to Law's side, his eyes following her. She stopped beside him, held her fists in front of her chest, and looked up at him like he was her idol that she was meeting for the first time. "I'm a shapeshifter." she explained even without him asking or caring. "Sakura-chama came to our village and saved us when me and my friends were dying. She cured us!"
Law blinked down at her and couldn't do anything to quell the child's sudden excitement so he listened while she went on a raid in her excited voice, "She's my hero!" Now she was bouncing on the balls of her bare feet. "That's why I look like her! I wanted to look like my hero."
A sinking feeling started to storm within Law's stomach and his heart started to beat faster. His eyes slowly widened while the child continued on, "Sakura-chama is really sick right now." Spreading out her arms to the sides, she went on with her story while still smiling brightly, "So she told me that if I wanted to help her, then to look out for Trafalgar Law."
One…
"She's been looking everywhere for you!"
Two…
"Here! I've got a picture!" The child reached into the pocket of her cloak and quickly pulled out a folded-up piece of paper. Handing it out toward him, Law ignored the trembling in his fingers while he reached out for it. Taking the paper, he unfolded it and knew by instinct that it was a bounty. However, he didn't pay attention to the amount she was worth and instead landed his gaze on her face.
Three.
It took only three short moments for his world to completely flip around.
Grey eyes widened and his breath hitched, halting inside of his chest while his body froze. His heart felt as if it had jumped up into his throat and he felt the corners of his eyes burn. There, on the paper, staring back at him, was his childhood friend.
The girl was a child, but no doubt the one from his memories. A few things had changed about her appearance, but he would never forget those eyes. A million questions rose into his confused and overwhelmed mind, but they were overshadowed by the girl in the photo. He looked over the name and recognized it immediately.
Haruno Sakura.
His world had stopped and whatever the girl next to him was saying was lost to him. Reality flipped upside-down and a hope was born inside of his heart. He didn't understand how this was possible, but he didn't care.
Sakura was alive somewhere and looking for him.
Looking down at the child, he saw she was still talking and had her hands to her cheeks. She had her head turned away and was blushing with her eyes closed. He began to tune in to what she was saying, but it didn't matter to him. "Of course, both of Sakura-chama's eyes are green, but I think I did a good job of mimicking her."
The doctor wasn't going to deny that. The sole reason why he had saved her was because of their similarity. The only thing she didn't have that rivaled the photo was that rhombus on her forehead. "When was this?"
The girl looked up at him and blinked. "Uhh, the photo is pretty old."
"When was she here?" he asked patiently, trying to figure out the possible distance between them depending on how much time had passed since then.
She tilted her head and looked up, putting her finger to her chin and humming in thought. "A few months ago. I'm not very good with dates."
If it was that long ago, she could have traveled across the Grand Line by now. He wasn't one to give up easily though and he was determined to find out the truth. He was curious though. Why hadn't he seen her bounty before? He briefly thanked the child before walking off. She waved bye to him and didn't forget to shout out to him that he needed to find Sakura-chama so she could be happy and healthy.
He needed to make one last round to find the village leader, ask how long this bounty had been around, why it seemed to only be on this island as far as he knew, and what exactly she had been like during her time here.
A smile crossed Law's lips, a new goal settling into his mind.
He would find her.
~SCENE CHANGE~
Bare feet landed on the grainy surface of hot sand and the waves from the sun high in the sky rained down on the pale skin of a fragile neck. Sakura smiled brightly as she watched her toes curl in the sand underneath her. She didn't particularly enjoy the desert or the heat, but she found herself missing this place in that short amount of time. This was where she needed to be after all.
Turning, she smiled up at the dark-haired man next to her. She suppressed a giggle as he stepped out of the dark, swirling portal he had made with his Rinnegan. His brow was set in a deep frown that matched the one on his lips. He was covered in dark colors that had instantly drawn in the attention of the heat. His displeasure was clear for all to see and sweat was already starting to form on his forehead.
"Thank you so much, Sasuke."
The Uchiha turned a small smile down toward her. Honestly, there was no reason for her to thank him. He arched a dark eyebrow when her hands reached toward her hip, where his sword rested. Right as her hand wrapped around the sheathe, his own hand reached out and cupped hers. Jade eyes immediately snapped back up to meet his and he was leaning down to match her height more. With a gentle smile, he said softly, "Keep it."
"But-" she started, frowning and confused, "It's yours."
"And now it's yours." he replied.
Sakura looked over his eyes, reading a hidden message there that she wasn't sure if was really there or if she was just imagining it. "So that it will protect you in my place."
The pinkette smiled warmly and nodded before she lunged forward and hugged the Uchiha one last time. They broke apart and she didn't waste another second as she turned and began to walk away. The male straightened his posture and his gaze lingered on the retreating kunoichi for a moment longer, a heavy feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. This would be the last time he would see her and how ironic it was that it would be the view of her back.
Closing his eyes, Sasuke chuckled softly before stepping back through the portal he made. It was time to go back home. It had been a long day, and it was time they both went their own ways and created a life they were both happy and proud of.
Though Sakura wasn't watching when the Uchiha stepped back through his portal and disappeared, she felt it inside of her chest. She was leaving a part of herself behind and he took the last fragile piece with him. Her throat constricted with heat, and she scrunched up her nose and furrowed her brows, willing fresh tears away. Her tiny fists clenched by her sides while she walked, the motion causing the sword tied at her side to brush against her knuckles. Swallowing a growing lump, she told herself this was the choice she made and no matter what, she wouldn't regret it.
The heat continued to assault her small body and for the moment, she paused her walk and looked upward toward the bright sky. Her vision thinned so that the buildings and people around her were no longer visible. The voices floating around in the air drifted off into foreign lands while she remembered the conversations that happened not even ten minutes ago. She stared up at the bright, blue sky, feeling incredibly small in every aspect of the word.
She had just been home, but was already so far away, on the other side of the world. Her friends, her comrades, her family… She had left them all again, but now wasn't the time to get depressed. She had to press on.
Looking ahead of her with a narrowed brow, Sakura set a stride forward that feigned the confidence she lacked at that moment. She was determined though. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't break down.
After a few minutes of walking around, she noticed the townspeople were gathering at a specific building. Shouts of "You can do it! Camu-sama!" and "We're relying on you!" reached her ears. Standing at the back of the crowd, even standing on her tiptoes didn't allow her to see who the crowd was cheering for. She couldn't make out any indication of what they could be talking about, so she decided to focus more on what really mattered to her.
Glancing around, her green eyes sought out the person she had come to the village with. Where was Ace? Tilting her head and leaning to the side, she continued to look for him, even looking over members of the crowd. She didn't spot him though and it brought a frown to her lips. Walking away from the cheering civilians, she wondered where he could have wandered off to. Even though she couldn't see who the crowd was cheering for, she didn't think it was Ace. He wasn't really the type to bring unnecessary attention to himself.
Walking over the hot sand, she vaguely noticed four men walking to her side, their longer legs passing her quickly. That and they seemed to be in a hurry to get away from the crowd. Three men followed behind what was obviously the leader of the group, but she paid them no mind and they treated her the same way. When they were a ways in front of her, they started murmuring to themselves, but she didn't hear about what. A grey building was coming up on her left and her ever-observant gaze, or rather in this case, her one-tracked mind, locked onto a long, red robe belonging to a certain fire-user coming out from behind the building.
Sakura immediately stopped in her tracks and turned to face the man, taking in his amused smile and relaxed demeaner. She couldn't help but wonder what had his mood so high. "Ace-sama!" she called out to him and without missing a beat, his head snapped up to look over at her. His smile broadened while he walked toward her and seeing his smile never failed to put one of her own on her lips. Her eyes softened and she smiled gently as adoration filled her chest. Seeing him was all the reassurance she needed that she was on the right path.
"There you are." he said, stopping in front of her with his hands in his pockets. He looked down at her with dark eyes that were filled with confidence, warmly welcoming her in their depths. The pinkette wondered if he had really been looking for her, but they both knew he hadn't been especially worried about her.
Unbeknownst to her that when Ace had returned to their group previously with supplies from the fake rebel soldiers, the first one that had asked why he had returned without Sakura in tow was the blonde cook. The navigator was the next to speak up, demanding to know why he thought it was appropriate to leave a child behind. Ace had been surprised by their obvious concern for the pinkette and it filled him with joy and sadness at the same time.
The little spitfire was gaining friends, which he was ecstatic about, but that also meant she wouldn't have to lean on him so much for support anymore. She wouldn't need to come to him for comfort or advice. She was spreading her wings, and it made such a lonely feeling swell within him. He pushed aside those jealous thoughts and focused on her now, standing in front of him with her brow furrowed in curiosity. What he noticed most was the red swelling under her eyes and the pink tinged on her nose. He knew instantly she had been crying and as if on instinct, he wanted to pull her into his arms, but he forced that feeling down. If she wanted to talk to him, then she would. He wouldn't force her to do anything against her will.
"Why do you look so pleased with yourself?" she finally asked out of curiosity.
"Nothing." he replied, betraying none of his inner turmoil by keeping his voice light. "Just things have gotten more interesting is all."
He had just been spying on the fake rebel soldiers in the town and he was waiting for them to make it to the edge of the town limits to meet with the Straw Hat crew. They were going to test these fakes to see if they were truly worthy of protecting this town, as per the request of the princess.
Sakura thought about his response for a moment before her face lit up with incredulous horror. Her body turned and she held her hands in front of her and to her side, looking taken aback by him and scared to approach. "What did you light on fire now?"
Ace guffawed at the pinkette and lowered his fists by his sides in a huff, frowning with his brow narrowed. "I didn't do anything!"
Her posture relaxed, but by the narrowing of her eyes at him, he could tell she didn't quite believe him. The audacity of this one! Accusing him of committing a crime by destroying the property of someone else. Who ever heard of such an atrocity?
Turning his head to look in the direction the four ruffians left in, his smile returned slightly. "We should be heading back to the others. Things are about to go down." Grinning down at her, he added, "I'll fill you in on the way."
Sakura nodded and they began walking, the pinkette being a few feet behind the male. She frowned as her eyes roamed his back, suddenly feeling particularly vulnerable and lonely. What she wanted to do ran through her mind like a marathon, but the fact she hadn't asked for it before caused embarrassment to sting her cheeks red. Looking away at anything to distract her, she only spotted buildings. The bland designs did nothing to stop the blush on her face.
She looked back up at the man who didn't have a clue about her inner strife, his same old stride carrying him forward with his gaze set ahead of him. Her pink brow furrowed, and her fingers twitched at her sides to signal her restlessness. She had never outright asked for affection and when she did seek it out, she had hardly been hesitant about it. However, after what she had been through recently, it was no wonder she wanted to feel some reassuring contact.
Ace had always been a source of strength and comfort to her, after all.
Swallowing a nervous lump in her throat, the pinkette quickened her pace just enough so that she could grab the fire-user's hand. The action caused the man to stop and look back at her curiously. It wasn't odd for her to grab ahold of him in some way, but certain circumstances usually came with it. A greeting, a farewell, or if she was upset.
Ace hadn't especially been feeling neglected. They've had plenty of skin-on-skin contact with each other since they met up. He could tell Luffy was just itching to be in his place, something he was silently smug about and secretly wanted to tease the rubber man about but knew he couldn't with the pinkette present. Though he was glad for the attention, he did still feel increasingly lonely the more he realized Sakura and the Straw Hats were coming together.
So, imagine his surprise and utter delight when he spotted that cute blush on her cheeks, her head turned to the side with the most adorable of embarrassed pouts on her features. She squeezed his hand slightly and he returned the gesture, squeezing to assure her that she was fine despite whatever plagued her mind.
"What is it?" he encouraged, sensing she wanted to say something to him.
Sakura glanced up at him and then away. "Can I-" she started, her voice soft with uncertainty. It was foolish of her to be so nervous. Ace would never look down on her or deny her of anything. Honestly, he'd spoil her if she allowed it. Finally looking up to meet his patient gaze, she asked, "Can I ride on your back?"
Ace was stunned. Absolutely speechless. A hundred things ran through his mind in a single second. His expression must have shown how lost he was since the pinkette looked away. She frowned, her blush deepening. "Don't overthink it." she mumbled, her grip on his hand twitching while she fiddled with her shirt with her free hand. "I just want to be close to you, is all."
The brutal honesty threw the dark-haired male for a loop, but he wasn't going to complain or push the subject. He didn't know what got her in this sort of mood, but he knew she was laying herself bare to him, showing him her vulnerable side despite the stubborn pout on her lips.
She was just too cute!
Kneeling down in front of her, he pulled on their joint hands and caused her to stumble forward against his back. Sakura's eyes widened slightly at the soothing warmth suddenly invading her torso. With her blush still in place, she let go of his hand to wrap her arms around his neck. She was hoisted up onto his back after he wrapped his arms underneath her thighs. Her legs dangled by his sides as he stood up and he adjusted her by pushing her up his frame more. Now her head rested on his shoulder, their cheeks easily able to brush against each other.
Closing her eyes, she muttered a weak, "Thank you.", which in turn earned her an acknowledged hum. Ace began walking forward, continuing on their journey. Each of them felt content.
In his arms, in his grip, she felt warm and safe. She felt loved and protected. She could be cared for without any ulterior motive. There was no pain. In his eyes, she was precious, and it made his heart swell when he realized she still needed him. He was relieved that he was still her pillar, coming to him with no explanation, only a desire to be held and looked after as any human should be. He supposed most people would think he was just being used, but in all honesty, it was a give and take situation. An unconditional love that remained unspoken between the two of them that gave the other hope and strength. Only one thing could describe them.
They were family.
Sakura kept her eyes closed as the scenery passed them and she felt so comfortable in her spot that she didn't notice when sleep crept up on her. The fire-user had found out at some point but didn't say anything to wake her. He only smiled softly.
Even as he reached the others, helped coerce the four hooligans into standing their ground against the 'rogue pirates', she stayed asleep on his back, softly snoring into the crook of his neck. She must really have been exhausted. Whatever had happened during their short time apart must have really pushed her to her limits. Which only made him even more curious as to what happened.
Ace thought about it, but he couldn't come up with anything that would set her off like that in a small town that had no connection to her whatsoever. He wanted to ask her, but he didn't want to pressure her. His main concern was her bottling up her emotions and refusing to speak about the incident, harming herself in the end. Hopefully she would open up to Luffy if she didn't talk to him about it. That was especially something Ace wanted to be there to witness. He impatiently waited for the day Sakura would finally acknowledge his little brother.
Even as he ran to catch up to his brother and his crew after their act of running from the rebels was a success, Sakura stayed asleep on his back. Luffy grinned over at the oldest male once he reached them. "Ace, you found Sakura!"
"Ah!" the fire-user replied, his grinning matching the young captain's. "She was hanging out in town back there."
"She's out cold." Usopp commented from the back of the group, trying to keep up with the faster runners.
"Well, she is a child." Nami replied, "She's been through a lot lately, so she needs her rest."
It was a while before the pinkette awoke on her perch and the heat was unbearable. Sweat ran down the side of her face and neck, causing her bangs to stick to her forehead. Her heavy eyes cracked open to be assaulted by the afternoon sun. Odd. How long had she been sleeping?
She registered that she had her cheek plastered against the fire-user's neck and due to the heat of the open sun and the man's skin, she felt like she was on fire. She still had her arms wrapped around his shoulders and his arms easily carried her weight from underneath her thighs. Looking to the side, the distance was blurred from the heat rising from the sand around them. She spotted the others walking in front of the man holding her.
The pinkette closed her eyes and groaned softly, earning Ace's attention. She didn't even realize how tired she had been. She didn't even recall falling asleep. "It's hot." she grumbled in a soft whine, "Put me down."
Ace immediately complied, stopping his feet to kneel down on the ground. The pinkette lowered her legs down and stood on her own feet, feeling a little wobbly. The male stood up and looked back at her, a smile on his face that looked far too pleased for Sakura's liking. "Can you walk?"
Sakura nodded, rubbing her eyes with her knuckles to get rid of the remaining sleep. She heard Luffy arguing with Usopp, but she didn't pay them any mind as she yawned behind her hand. Her legs tingled slightly from their lack of use and the two continued to follow the others. "How long was I out?"
"Not that long." he answered, though she had the suspicion he was lying through his teeth. It didn't really matter though.
She looked ahead of her to see a few of the Straw Hats fighting in a pile of dust and sand, limbs flailing about haphazardly. She blinked lazily at the scene before yawning behind her hand again, an eye closing halfway. "They're sure full of energy."
"That's Luffy for ya."
Sakura tilted her head as she contemplated his words. "Is that so?" The pinkette didn't especially know, but she felt like she could agree with the statement.
Luffy popped his head out of the cloud to smile brightly at her. "Ah! Sakura, you're awake!"
Having his sudden enthusiasm directed toward her caused her body to tense slightly. She looked at him with wide, surprised eyes and her hand instinctively hovered closer toward Ace at the unfamiliar feeling of the captain speaking directly to her. He was a complete enigma and her body wanted to protect itself, even if she knew he wouldn't do her any harm.
"A-ah." she nodded, her brow furrowed.
The dust pile calmed down when the wrestling stopped, and the captain swiftly snatched the container of water he had been fighting over with the sniper and cook away from them. They grunted in response and watched curiously while the dark-haired teen ran over to the second smallest member of the group.
Sakura was silently surprised when Luffy stood in front of her, walking backward so that he could continue his trek with everyone but still face her. With a bright smile and his eyes lit with something she couldn't quite place, he held out the canteen toward her. "Here."
The pinkette saw the curious and incredulous stares from Sanji and Usopp as they stood up and collected their bearings. She could tell from their expressions alone that it was uncanny for Luffy to offer anything he wanted of any kind to someone else. With a nervous, yet grateful smile, she accepted the water. "Thank you."
She brought the canteen to her chest and looked down at it, having the feeling he wouldn't leave her alone until he saw her drink some of the water. As expected, he continued to walk in front of her, his eyes glued to her. Bringing the mouthpiece to her lips, she tilted her head back and took a quick swig to placate the captain. After she took the sip, she lowered the canteen to see a bright grin on his face. He closed his eyes and let out a soft chuckle, his unique "Shishishishi." echoing in her ears like molten music.
He left the canteen in her possession as he turned and made his way back to the others, bickering with them without a care in the world. Sakura stared at him, blinking slowly as she contemplated the young captain with curiosity. Her green eyes stayed trailed on him, watching as his grin turned into a disapproving frown, but she didn't listen to what they were talking about.
As she continued to stare at the odd teenager, she felt perplexed about why she was watching him in the first place. Did she suddenly miss something? Why did she suddenly feel so lost? Her fingers twitched and it was then that she felt something in her grasp. Looking down, she saw a canteen of water she didn't remember grabbing. When did she grab this? Had she been holding it this entire time? Did Ace give it to her when she woke up?
"When did I grab this?" she asked.
Ace looked down at her with his brow furrowed in concern. Frowning, he replied, "Luffy gave that to you just now."
Sakura looked up at him with wide, green eyes as if she had no idea what he was talking about. Okay, he didn't like this. He grew worried quickly. "You don't remember?"
The pinkette frowned down at the canteen in her small hands, her brow furrowed slightly in thought. "Maybe I was still half-asleep."
"Hn." he hummed. Her excuse was believable, but it didn't cease his concern.
Sakura, on the other hand, knew exactly what happened since she believed Ace's words. She had already forgotten about Luffy handing her the water. Even though it had only happened a moment ago.
~END OF CHAPTER SIX~
Thank you for reading. Please look forward to the next chapter.