Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

A/N:

Hello Readers,

Sorry for the delay. Time got away from me. Hopefully this chapter will be worth the wait. As always thank you for your thoughts and opinions. I was a little nervous after last chapter lol. And thank you for catching that horrible typo. I try to proofread the best I can but after a while I go blind to my mistakes bc my brain works faster than my eyeballs. Please let me know if there are any other egregious mistakes. Thank you!

~L.H.

Chapter 23: Buzzing with Anger

He barely had the patience to wait for his cane to hit the ground before he lifted his foot to begin a new stride. He moved with purposeful steps through the quiet compound. It was early morning. It was his favorite time of day. It was when things were most peaceful. He had nowhere to be. He walked because the anger raging in him compelled him to. His thoughts were a tornado. The fire in his belly swelled and grew to a fevering pitch.

This is why he worked alone unless it was absolutely unavoidable. Kin was the weak link in his plan. She was always a variable. Worst yet, she was a woman. She was unpredictable. It was his misfortune that he needed just that: a woman. Weak and fickle. Like the weather they changed from minute to minute - forget day to day.

On the contrary, the Master had not wavered, he was steady as a mountain. Minato only had eyes for Kushina. He knew that. He saw that. It only was sheer luck - or fate - that the girl he loved was an Uzumaki. A clan that was higher up in the hierarchy than Danzo's mere family. Kin never stood a chance with Kushina around. But then she died. Hope was rekindled in him and he nourished it. For five long years. Kin could be his second wife. Kin could be his last wife. Kin could be the one to secure their line. Kin could be the one to change all their fates. But now it seemed like it would be a while before the 'could' became a 'would'.

"Love," he scoffed bitterly, angry at the world for being in this spot yet again. His lone eye rolled to the high heavens. He did not have a particular object to direct his ire. So he settled for the entirety of the expanse of the open sky that was starting to lighten.

Kin had given up too easily. Rejection was nothing. It built character. He was rejected all his life. By his peers, by the generals, by the woman he loved. Rejection was just another opportunity to change the course of events. Minato would see. He was still thinking with the mind of a warrior. He was on vacation, on a break from the battle, everything was exciting and new. He was playing house. He was playing the role of a father. It was temporary. The minute the war ended and he was faced with his new reality he would sober up quickly. This house needed a woman. Minato needed a wife. The boy needed a mother.

Kin was as suitable as any woman. Kin suited Danzo even more. Weak was another word for malleable. Kin would be the reins and he would be the hand that turned the Master's neck. Weak was just what he needed. But from Minato, not his niece.

He paced in the long corridor. The back-and-forth motion of his wood sandals nearly had enough friction to ignite the cane in his hand that he was practically dragging.

The white sheets rustled in the light breeze. Naruto was down for his afternoon nap, giving her just enough time to squeeze in a couple of chores before he woke up and would undoubtedly demand her attention. Sakura bent down to pick up another sheet that had been hand-washed and wrung mostly dry. She worked to loosen the many folds. Mist caressed her face when she luffed the wet sheet before she moved to add it to the clothesline. She hummed a tune to herself to distract from just about anything that was not directly tied to her task at hand. Her thoughts were the last things she wanted to be around at the moment.

She swatted at the buzzing sound that was near her ear. "I have nothing for you, Hachi-san." She explained to the very persistent bee. The buzzing was further away for only a moment. She saw the black and yellow insect coming towards her once more in dipping zig-zag movements. She turned her head.

"You're not a bee," she said in a shaky breath. It was too thin and it was longer. There was also more yellow. It was unmistakable. "You're a wasp." She said in a voice colored with her fear.

Second to last. Her thoughts were the second to last thing she wanted to be around at the moment.

Sakura abandoned hanging the other side of the sheet. Two corners slowly cascaded to the ground becoming covered in a film of dirt. Self-preservation took over her brain. She broke out into a run. The sound of the wasp buzzing menacingly after her caused the blood in her veins to pump faster. Faster than she could blink, faster than she could run. She bolted, uncaring of which direction. Propelled by her desperation to be free of the thing that chased her.

'Leave me alone! Leave me alone!'

She was a blur of muted color and a tangle of flailing limbs. She spun, she darted, she hunched over. All the while she could still hear the buzzing. It rattled her bones. It almost sounded like it was coming from inside her head. She swatted at her ears. The sound only grew louder.

She ignored the stitch in her side. Just like she ignored the way her feet nearly slipped out of her sandals as she ran. She even ignored the curious looks from some of the staff and the guards alike. She could hear the wasp. It was right there. She was completely out of breath by the time she reached the koi pond. It was much too shallow to rid herself of the menace. But it was not too shallow to drown her. She did not know how to swim. She flailed her arms but the wasp was still buzzing around her head. It was coming in and out. She could hear the low buzz of its vibrating wings get louder and quieter as it circled. She did not have time to stop. She needed to keep moving.

Involuntary sounds of terror left her throat. A small part of her tried to be mindful of the volume. But the longer she was being chased the stronger the primal part of her brain became. It took over. She had to get away from the wasp. Nothing else mattered. Her eyes glazed over. Her breathing was sporadic. She was breathing much too quickly and shallowly to draw in any real quantities of air. She was four years old all over again. Surrounded by a swarm of wasps. They showed her no mercy then just as this one was not showing her any now. A whimper left her lips.

She ran through the apple tree orchards. Desperate for just one tree of the hundreds to offer her shelter. A respite for a few moments while she caught her breath before her heart jumped out of her chest. She turned sharply on her heel. Her ankle protested. She felt tightness in her knee but she did not stop. It was louder. Its buzzing was louder than the beating of her frantic heart. The apples were gone as were the leaves. All signs of life were no more. The orchards were barren. The winter form of the deciduous trees stared indifferently at her. She swatted at her head with uncoordinated movements.

She ran toward the large magnolia tree. It was like a marker, beckoning to her. She did not care if it was real or a fragment of her delusions. The dried brown leaves that it had shed crunched under her feet. She vaguely registered a tall frame not too far away but she had tunnel vision. The wasp was still around her line of sight. She covered her head with her arms. She took in the world through narrowed panic filled eyes. She ran past the figure. At least that was her intention. She nearly collided with him at full speed, she was forced to come to an abrupt halt. He had moved to cut her off.

She stared at his familiar face in a frenzy. "There's a wasp!" She gasped out. She could hear it buzzing. "Out of my way!" She said halfway between a plea and an order. She tried to move around him but he mirrored her movements. Like a shadow, come to life, he hung close.

"Calm down, Sakura-san," he said in a voice that was entirely too calm for the situation. He did not relent. He was like a mountain. Tall and broad. One that she could not maneuver around.

She spared him an incredulous look. "There's a wasp!" She hissed just as the insect buzzed in her ear. Her arms shot out to cover her head. She felt big, warm, textured hands envelop her wrists. She stared at him with a slack jaw and shock in her emerald eyes.

"Breathe," he commanded in a calm that she never could hope to emulate even on her best day. "Just breathe."

"B-but t-t-the wa-a-asp," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. She scarcely heard it over the angry vibrations near her ear. She was trapped. Tethered to him. Unable to flee from the beast and the emotions it solicited out of her. The urge to cry was great. She needed him to release her so that she could save herself.

"I was stung by a swarm of them as a little girl. I was playing. I didn't notice their nest until it was too late. I was out cold for over a day. I almost died. I've probably developed an allergy to them!" She pushed out quickly. Her words stumbled over her frantic breaths. She flinched as it spun around her head. Flashbacks of her shrieks and jolting sensations of pain in her nerves made her body react physically. She lurched in against him. Trying to make herself as small as possible. She was not quite aware that he had lowered both their arms to their sides. She did however still feel the warmth of his touch around her wrists.

"Please," she looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Please," she whispered, on the verge of coming completely unraveled. She started to shake. Her body carried the PTSD from the ordeal. It was ready to release it out into the world. She had no choice in the matter.

"Sakura," Minato called her name out in a smooth voice with just enough firmness for her to cling to the last traces of her sanity. Her wide eyes regarded him with animalistic instinct. Fear. She was filled to the brim with it. There was no room for anything left over.

"Focus on me," his eyes held warmth and temperance. "Just be still. It will grow bored and leave you alone." The wasp buzzed around them.

"I c-can't," her jaw quivered. He brought a hand to the side of her face. She leaned into the touch involuntarily, unknowingly. Her eyes scanned frantically for the wasp from up against his chest.

"Sakura, look at me." He said in a voice that despite being reassuring and gentle still managed to carry the weight of authority.

She snapped her gaze to his.

"You're okay," his thumb glided against her cheek in predictable, soothing movements. Her pink lashes fluttered, heavily. "It will be over soon." Her large, dilated pupils almost ate up the expanse of her jade-colored eyes.

Sakura stared into his cobalt eyes as deep and mysterious as the ocean. She was guessing. She had never seen the sea. But she imagined it to be something like his eyes - endless and capable of great destruction. Volatile. Quick to change, quick to completely leave her devastated.

"Just be still," his breath was hot against her face. His neck was bent as he leaned closer to her face. All she had to do was push up to her toes and their noses would be touching. She was too far gone in the depths of the undertow of his cobalt iris to notice.

"O-okay," she nodded her head mutely. She let out a shaky breath. Her heart was beating painfully in her chest. Adrenaline was still coursing through her veins. Everything was heightened. Every time his thumb came into contact with the side of his index finger against her face, her breath hitched.

'What if it never goes away?' Her eyes asked the silent question that her lips could not. Her body still held the occasional involuntary spam that needed to be released.

The swells of the ocean of emotion changed directions. His cobalt eyes darkened a fraction. She could see streaks of navy. Too far and too few to completely change the hue.

"Why don't we talk about something to get your mind off of it?" He suggested helpfully, patiently. "I didn't see you this morning." There was no accusation in his tone. He was merely stating a fact.

Sakura swallowed thickly. Her throat was so dry. She could smell him. He smelled clean and inviting. He smelled of comfort. The warmth was gone from his caresses. She was conflicted. On one hand, she missed it and on the other she was thankful, she never would have formed a coherent sentence while he was touching her face.

"Uh," she licked her too dry lips. She just needed a minute to catch her breath and get her bearings about her. Her head was spinning.

Thankfully he seemed to understand her plight. She saw his lips move. She focused on their movements to ground herself.

"I was worried that maybe you weren't feeling well." His gentle voice filled her ears. Despite its low volume it nearly drowned out the angry whirl of the vibrating wings. She saw the flashes of concern in the depths of flecks of blue that colored his irises.

"I'm sorry," she found herself unable to lower her gaze despite her head screaming at her too. She cleared her throat, roughly. "I was busy," she did not look away even as she lied to him to his face. "I'm fine," she added quickly to alleviate some of the guilt. His calloused hands gently moved down her wrists to her fingers. She blinked slowly. His eyes were waiting to greet hers when her lashes parted.

"I can see that," a slow smile stretched across his face. "You're more than fine. You were fast. Maybe even faster than me." His tone was not quite teasing. He was easing her into it.

His aura, the energy he was projecting was familiar and warm. So unlike the storminess of his eyes which only confused her. She focused on what she understood. His warmth. She leaned into it. She drew from it. It was not all that different from the warmth of alcohol, only his gaze did not burn.

Sakura scoffed good-naturedly. "You sure weren't very fast yesterday." She blinked at intervals above her usual rate but there was nothing she could do about it. She was not fully at ease. "It took you long enough to corral the rooster."

"I wasn't very motivated," he grinned his easy grin. It made her stomach flutter. That along with the soothing circles his thumbs were making on the back of her hands. "What is it with you and animals anyway?" Now, he was teasing her in a full-blown manner. Shamelessly.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "What's it with you being a creep? You're always around, lurking waiting for me to make a fool of myself." She had no idea where the bravado - or even just the question - came from.

His blond brow shot up at her insinuation. "You ran into me this time. I was here first." He gestured to the ground to his left with his head. His eyes never left hers.

"Right," she could not look away. Everything inside of her felt lighter the longer she listened to his voice and stared into his eyes. Like drops of spirit on her tongue, his presence was making her lightheaded but in the best way possible. Everything else started to blur around the edges.

"And besides," Minato's voice dipped slightly as seriousness dominated his features. "You haven't made a fool of yourself, not once."

"I don't believe that," she muttered. Embarrassment was the first thing to come back after a modicum of her composure had returned. "I was a drunken mess around you. I still don't remember everything - or much - to be honest…" she bit her lip. There was regret in her features. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that. With me."

"I'm not," he cut through her insecurity with his conviction. "You handled your first time much better than I did. I'm guessing as I don't remember my first time. At all."

"You had too much fun huh?" She peered at him through her lashes. "I'm sorry about yesterday and right now too. I was downright hysterical." She tilted her neck to the side, revealing creamy skin that stretched all the way to the neckline of her kimono. He found himself missing her gaze. A bashful look painted her face.

"No need to apologize," he could practically see her pulse against her neck. "For anything back then or now."

Warmth spread through him as a small, timid smile broke across Sakura's pink lips. She was looking much better than she had looked just last week. More alive.

"Moreover," he was emboldened by the sparkle of her eyes. The bright jade was back to its usual ratio. "It's nice when you talk about yourself."

"I talked about myself?" She asked him perturbed.

"You did. You're a locked vault usually. Don't worry, you didn't say anything too outlandish." His eyes crinkled with mirth. "You didn't admit to being a spy."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "It's going to take more than a little moonshine to break me," she joined in on the jokes. Her expression became sombre. "Thank you for saying all that so that I wouldn't feel bad," she mumbled almost unintelligibly.

"So your skills include mind reading now?" He asked her with a chuckle. "Impressive." He felt the heat of her playful glare.

"Are you always this pleasant?" She asked him with a haughty expression.

"Depends on the company. Certain people seem to draw it out of me." He winked at her. It was worth the risk. Her whole face turned as pink as her hair as he believed it to be.

"Minori-san!" She shoved his shoulder with hers. Her hands were still otherwise engaged in his and he seemed to be in no hurry to release them. Not that she minded.

'Never trust a pretty face.'

Sakura's eyes widened as her mother's voice snapped in her head like a cackling whip. It was jarring enough to pull her back from his swells - from the effects he had on her.

"Minori-san," her tongue was not quite cooperating. She lowered her gaze to his shoulder. "Did you see my…" she lost her nerve.

"No."

She closed her eyes. She counted to five. Somehow he made sense of her incomplete question. She knew because she knew the answer. The knot she had awakened with after her lost hours was the one tied by her own hand. She knew that.

"Why do you hide your hair, Sakura?" He asked her with his soft, soft voice.

She tilted her head back to look him in the eye again. He was waiting patiently. She took in his blond locks in the light breeze.

"The same reason you do," Sakura answered in a detached manner. She was too busy drowning in everything he was to worry about much else. "Not all attention is good."

Surprise became confusion which transitioned to acceptance. "I didn't look."

She nodded her head. "Thank you for not looking." She smiled timidly. "And thank you for all the other things."

"Other things?" He grinned seemingly put back at ease.

"The apples, covering for me, what have you." She sighed dramatically. "I'm quite the nuisance, aren't I?"

"No." He paused. "I find you interesting," all traces of teasing were gone.

Sakura did not trust her ears. She gaped at him with an open jaw, blinking owlishly. "What?"

"You're an interesting one, Sakura," Minato repeated more firmly this time.

Her thoughts buzzed loudly. Her stomach lurched. She squeezed her eyes together. "Ah!" She felt something land on her cheek. "Kami," she prayed. Her breath was taken away the second the legs made contact with her skin.

"Hold still," Minato said in a calm voice. Sakura froze in place. Minato reached slowly for where the wasp had landed, right below her eye sitting menacingly on her cheekbone. With a steady hand, he curled his fingers around the wasp, trapping it. Sakura's eyes snapped open.

"Minori-san?" She looked at him in shock as he lowered his gently curled fist away from her.

"It's okay," he smiled at her even as he winced from what had to be a painful sting. The first.

Sakura could do nothing but stare into his eyes in a state of shock at the man before her.

"It just thought you were a flower is all," he opened his palm. A small yellow and black insect darted out of it, revealing three distinct red, swollen welts left behind as a parting present.

'You're pretty enough to be one.' The voice in his head rang out.

The world melted away to obscurity. All she saw were dark, blue expanses. The emotions in his eyes were like waves in the ocean; too many to count as they made up the collective. The waves completely swallowed her whole.

His fingernails dug into the flesh of his palm. He tasted blood in his mouth as his canine tooth pressed against the corner of his mouth. Years of his hard work - years of his financial contributions - were all to be for naught. The scene in front of him taunted him.

The Namikaze - the Master - staring into the eyes of the Senju brat. Both of them were completely oblivious to anything going on around them as they continued to gawk at each other's faces like a pair of hormonal teenagers. History was repeating itself. What happened nearly two decades ago was set to play out before him yet again. He was losing the Namikaze all over again.

Danzo swallowed the salvia in his mouth that he so desperately wanted to spit out in disgust. He would not be bested twice. He would not allow the same mistakes to be made. If the Namikaze was to remarry, it would be his niece who would be his bride. No one else. He would not allow anything else to pass.

Danzo tore his eyes away from the pair who had yet to look away much less break apart. He all but slammed his cane against the dusty ground as he walked towards the gate. He did not acknowledge the guard who dipped his head. He was much too consumed with his objective to worry about the inconsequential details of what went on around him. In that regard, he was not all that different from them.

She refused to acknowledge the loud, persistent, almost painful stammering of her heart in her chest. The sound was deafening. She was sure that he could hear each pump of the organ just as clearly as she could. Her fingers circled the last of the stings, coating it in a pale clear substance. She gently pressed the leftover bandages that Rin had brought from Anko against his palm. She secured them gently with a knot. She turned his hand over before lowering it gently to his side. Her face burned from both being too close and from the heat of his gaze.

"There," she offered him a small smile. "Take it easy. Try to avoid aggravating the sting wounds." She gestured to the jar on the rock that sat to their side. "You should apply it as needed."

Minato brought his wrapped hand to rest on his knee. "Or you could just do it for me tomorrow morning."

"You're more than capable of doing it yourself, Minori-san," Sakura sat back on her heels.

Minato helped up his right hand. He wiggled his fingers for good measure. "I'm right-handed. You'd do a much better job."

Sakura sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll reapply it for you tomorrow morning," her cheeks were pink. "I don't know why you'd want me around. I seem to be detrimental to your health." She stopped her hand halfway from touching the slight discoloration on his eyelid from where she had pelted him with bird seed. She pushed down the memories, both of her conscious and subconscious self because denial was how she chose to deal with it. Just like with everything else.

"It's good survival training," Minato grinned easily. He leaned his head back against the rock wall that held the koi pond from spilling out into the dead grass. "You didn't ask me to do it."

Sakura smiled softly at him. "But you did it all the same." Her eyes were swimming with worry. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Hardly feel it," his arm came to rest on his leg that sat straight.

"Hm, that's a relief." She eyed the training sword made of wood. She had interrupted something. Her eyes slowly found his again. There was an unreadable look on his face. "What were you doing out here?"

"Meditating," Minato asked truthfully. He ran his left hand through his blond locks.

"What do you think about when you're meditating?" She played with the repaired seams along the shoulder of her kimono.

Minato regarded her with amusement in his eyes. She nearly bristled in indignation. "The point of meditation is not to think about anything."

Sakura moved her fingers towards the wooden sword. It was smooth and cool under her fingertips.

"Not thinking about anything," she muttered in a distant voice. She was not all quite there. "Sounds lovely. I wonder what it must be like to have a still mind."

'Even for a fleeting second.'

"You could give it a try," Minato put the suggestion to words. He regarded her closely.

Sakura sighed deeply. She pulled a face. "I don't think it's for me." She chuckled wryly. "I'm destined to be alone, with only my thoughts for the rest of my life."

Minato brought his left arm up and behind his head. His palm was a better pillow than the cold, jagged rock had been. He leaned back heavily.

"Do you really think that?" He mused out loud. He turned his head lazily towards her. "That you're supposed to be alone?"

Sakura shrugged without giving it much thought. Her fingers pulled at the pale yellow rough strands of what was once grass. "I do." She locked eyes with the ground, speaking into it.

His stomach turned at the sudden heaviness that settled between them. "What are you doing tomorrow? When you leave the compound I mean."

Sakura looked over her shoulder at him. Her eyes were measuring her words before she cut them from her thoughts.

"I have errands to run. I need to get a delivery to the courier." She bit her lip. "It's medicine for my Otosan."

Minato furrowed his brow. He leaned forward completely detaching from the rock. "Is he sick?"

Sakura nodded her head only to shake it before the gesture had ended. "It's complicated," she ran her finger through the dead remnants of the lawn. "He injured his leg in the war. Took two arrows before he fell off his horse. Completely shattered his femur. It was sticking out of his thigh," she grimaced as she pictured it. "They had to amputate his leg to save his life."

It was strange. The war brought her father back to them. He overcame his addiction - the hold alcohol had on him. Only for the war to almost take him away for good. She did not recognize the man who she had left back in Tonika. He was nothing like the man she remembered before Haruma died. And he was even less like the man who replaced him after her brother's tragic passing.

"I'm sorry," Minato expressed his remorse.

"We didn't have enough," she cleared her throat. "We didn't have enough money to pay for the contribution costs in lieu of having my Otosan answer the one head per household draft. Maybe we would have had enough for a year or two but my Otosan couldn't bear the thought of losing his family farm and orchards." Sakura's eyelids stubbornly held her tears back. "Ironically he lost the farms anyway, on top of the loss of his leg."

Minato's jaw clenched. For him, there was no option but to go to war. His father had actually been excited. So much so, that he sat out of the current war because he wanted to clear a path for his son to shine. His father's plan worked a little too well. Only he did not live to see it. Minato was not sure how he felt about that.

"I wonder if a reality without war is even possible," Sakura looked at him solemnly.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully.

"Hm," Sakura glanced off into the distance. "The war has already taken too many fathers from children. Countless lives lost and even more uprooted."

She was thinking out loud. That much he knew. He wondered if this was what her inner stream of consciousness sounded like, looked like. He was beginning to understand why the thought of thinking nothing, feeling nothing, was so attractive to her.

"Maybe one day," her voice pulled him from his own thoughts. "There will be a Shogun who values life over death. Peace over war. Humanity over land and conquest." She smiled into the blue sky. "Just a thought."

"It is a nice one," Minato's lips barely moved. His words did not reach her ears. they were picked up by the wind and reduced to nothingness.

"Minori-san," Sakura smiled at him as if she was not just contemplating something so bleak and heavy. He looked at her with an inquisitive expression. "I'll tend to Kaminari-san and any other horses that may come until your hand gets better. Please allow me to do that much."

Minato's pulled into a frown born from slight unrest. "I don't mind. I can manage." He searched her face. "I'm not asking you to do that for me."

Her smile grew in size. It was an earnest one now, not like the fake smile she had donned prior. "You don't have to ask." She rose to her feet. "I'll see you tomorrow in the stables. You don't have to worry." She dipped her head in goodbye.

"Wait," he grabbed her hand before she could get up on her feet.

Before she could ask, demand, or beg him to explain himself she felt the pad of his thumb brush against the bottom of her lower lid.

"Did you have trouble sleeping?" He asked with a frown as if he were just noticing for the first time. "Was your stomach bothering you?" His clear, cobalt eyes crashed into her.

Sakura froze. Her mind came to a screeching halt. It did not last long. Flashbacks of her less-than-innocent dream involving him of all people flooded her mind. Her face heated up to levels that had to be concerning. She pulled her hand from his and bolted, scurrying in her haste to get away from him.

He watched her leave with a surprised expression on her face. His blond brow was bunched together and his jaw set in a stern line.

"I'm fine!" She sputtered out in a crumbling voice without turning around when she deemed she was a safe enough distance away.

His frown pulled into a more neutral expression. His gaze wandered down her retreating frame. His gaze lingered as long as her speed allowed.

'For a scrawny little thing, she sure has a real nice backside,' a voice that sounded dangerously close to Jiraiya's noted in his head. Minato snapped his eyes away from the direction she had gone. A red flush crept up to his cheeks from his neck. He had no idea where that came from.

He moved the whetstone against the pure steel of his blade, in even movements. The fresh white bandage around the length of his palm provided some protection from the discomfort of his swollen skin making contact with the rough porous surface of the stone. The added friction of the action would surely agitate the wounds. He should have used his left hand instead. But that would imply enough presence of mind for forethought. Which he at that moment did not have, clearly.

The stone he was perched on was hard and unforgiving. Which was why he chose it. He had grown accustomed to certain luxuries and conveniences in his tenure back at the compound. He needed to harden himself again before the rapidly approaching day came. The weight of his blade in his hand felt natural. It felt right. It was as if no time had passed. His ankle rested on his bent knee as he continued to inspect his weapon. He lowered his face. He squeezed an eye closed. He peered at the razor's edge. It was the edge that separated life from death. It decided it. The thin edge was the only thing that kept him six feet above the ground instead of six feet under it.

Minato brought his left thumb to the sharp line. It broke the skin without any effort. He let out a satisfied sound as he sheathed his sword back in his scabbard. The blade rested against the trunk of the magnolia tree as he picked up the discarded bokken from the dried leaves. He twisted his wrist as he twirled it in his hand. He fell into a stance. He exhaled deeply, slowly as his eyelids closed over his cobalt eyes. He moved, using only the sound of his feet moving through the dry leaves underfoot as his assessment marker. The bokken moved through the air, slicing away at foes that only Minato could see in his head. His movements were precise, they did not betray his intentions. It was a deadly dance. Lethal. One an enemy had yet to walk away from after witnessing.

The Yellow Flash. That was what they called him. Death was brutal and quick. He was ruthless. As unforgiving as the edge that separated the living from the dead. The wooden tip of the bokken stopped just mere centimeters from the tip of his nose. His eyes widened to a size they had not before. Naruto fell back with a soft exclamation.

Minato straightened to his height. He opened his cobalt eyes to regard the boy who was looking at him with a mix of awe and unbridled alarm.

"Naruto," Minato's lips pulled into a frown. "I asked you not to get too close when I train."

Naruto pushed up to his knees. "Tochan!" He breathed breathily. "That was so cool!" His arms shot up in the air just as the rest of him. He was on his feet and in Minato's space within seconds. "You were like bam, spoosh! Bam, slice! Stab! Stab. And I was like ahh!" Each word was punctuated with a sloppy, mimic of what had been his movement. Naruto's eyes sparkled with exuberance. "So cool!" He gushed.

Minato could not help but chuckle. He brought his hand to rest on top of Naruto's brown hat. "Silence is a big part of it."

Naruto pouted. "Can I train too?" He pointed to the bokken that was resting loosely in Minato's hand. It was taller than Naruto.

"Not yet," Minato felt guilt well up in him at the way Naruto's whole demeanor seemed to dim at his simple utterance. "When you're older."

"Tochan," the boy growled in frustration. "I want to learn now." Naruto looked up at his father with his best pouty face. The one that usually got him out of trouble with even Tomoha. "I want to be strong like you!"

"Don't be in such a rush to be like me, Naruto," Minato said with a sigh. He raked his hand through his blond locks. The welts on his palm protested painfully. "Enjoy being a kid while it lasts."

'My childhood ended when Okaasan did. I don't want the same for you.'

"Being a kid is boring," Naruto all but fell to the floor in a huff. He brought his knees to his chest. He rested his elbow on a kneecap and his chin in the palm of his hand.

"Did you finish all the work your Sensei gave you?" Minato asked him, already knowing the answer.

Naruto puffed out his cheeks. Outraged at the injustice of being called out. "Not yet but I have time! I have," he looked at his hands. "I have more than four hours before dinner."

Minato grinned. "I see. Is your Sensei out in Konoha already?" He moved through a quick set of movements. He felt Naruto's eyes.

"Yeah," he grumbled. "Sakura left already. That's why I'm bored."

Minato turned his head to hide his smile. "Well if you promise to not get in the way or distract me too much you can stay."

"Really?" He brightened instantly at the proposition.

"Really," Minato cut diagonally starting from around his right kneecap all the way to his left shoulder. He imagined a foe being sliced into two.

"Whoa," Naruto breathed, mesmerized. He watched his father move with lethal grace, completely captivated by the display.

Sakura watched with close eyes as Lee hammered the last nail into the wooden box. The box contained the desperately needed relief her father was yearning for. The box was everything.

"It will keep really well," Sakura raised her eyes to Lee's dark orbs. "Just please try to keep it out of direct sunlight, even now. And don't let it come into contact with liquid. The medicine will lose its potency if it gets too hot or wet. I know with the rains it might be difficult but," she bit her lip.

"It will be alright, Haruno-san." Lee pressed his open palm against his heart. "I understand how important this is. I will not let you down."

The sentiment was a nice gentle one. If only he was not nearly splitting her eardrums with his every loud volume. She was thankful that she was the only patron in the shop. That did not stop her eyes from darting to the door every now and then. Even if there was a bell that made it near impossible for anyone to sneak up on her.

"Thank you, Lee-san," she dipped her head in ample gratitude. "How much?" She already had her coin pouch in her hands ready to settle her account.

"Six copper pierces," he grimaced. "I'm sorry for the steep price. It is by weight."

Sakura shook her head. She placed the coins in his outstretched hands. "It is worth every cent, Lee-san." She patted the top of the enclosed box. A hollow sound was produced from the action. "Okay," she nodded her head. "I'm satisfied," she took two steps back. The letters from her mother and her aunt were firmly in her hands.

"The hard part is over Haruno-san," his smile was blinding. "Leave the rest to Lee," the man grinned as he pointed to himself.

Sakura nodded her head. "I'm counting on you." Her feet continued to move backward. "Goodbye, Lee-san."

"Goodbye, Haruno-san." Lee waved to her - with the large smile still plastered on his face - even after she was long gone. "Sakura-san seems happier these days." He grabbed the box from the counter. "She is nearly glowing with the full radiance of youth." He moved the box to the back room, the one that was through the door surrounded by the wall of cubbies. He set it down on his desk. It was piled high with papers and scrolls. "Don't worry, delicate Flower. Your Otosan will get his medicine. I won't let you down." His smile slipped off his face completely without a trace.

Sakura turned the small pouch between her palms. She knew exactly how much the coins added up to. The fingers of her left hand curled around her purse while her right hand pulled the door towards her. She slipped inside the chilly shop. It was only slightly warmer than the January air she had just come out of. The rows and rows of cadavers, bones, and remnants of life greeted her impassively. The distinctive scent of slow decay filled her nose.

'After this back to the compound. It will be nice not having to rush back since I didn't need to go to the clearing today.'

Sakura felt a pair of eyes on her. She blinked, adjusting to the low light. She held the plum iresis's gaze. The girl was a little older than Rin, maybe sixteen.

"Anko-chan," Sakura offered Kabuto's assistant a smile.

The girl continued to watch her with her big purple, listless eyes. Her hands were flat on top of the counter. Sakura made her way to join her. She rummaged through the bag on her shoulder.

"I have -" she pulled out a large book. "A couple of things to return," she also placed two rolled-up scrolls on the counter. Sakura pushed them toward the silent girl.

"You finished all that?" Anko asked her with flat eyes.

Sakura hummed in confirmation. "I had some downtime," she explained vaguely. She made the most of falling sick. "Is Sensei in?" She peered around the shop half expecting Kabuto to pop out from behind a shelf and reveal himself.

Anko pulled the large volume from the counter. She tucked it away on a shelf under it. The scrolls were next to disappear from Sakura's line of sight.

"Yakushi-sama is out at the clearing. He will be back at nightfall." The girl's tone was bored. Like the jars full of various things behind her, her expression was lifeless.

'Too bad. I was hoping he would have some new material for me.'

"Anko-chan," Sakura picked at a piece of lint from her sleeve. "Sensei brought back some lavender and eucalyptus for me. Could you tell me how much I owe him for that?" She ran her fingertips along her forehead before tugging her bandana over her brows. "I didn't have a chance to weigh the bags."

"So how am I supposed to tell you? Do I just make up a number?" The girl blinked slowly.

Sakura bit her lip. "Did he leave a note in a ledger somewhere?"

Anko shook her head. "No. I do his bookkeeping. He didn't mention anything to me."

Sakura pushed her lips to the side. "Well, the bags were full. They were about this big." She held her hands a foot apart.

Anko blinked slowly at her which made Sakura feel very stupid.

"You know what," Sakura laughed nervously. "I can come back if that's easier."

Anko pulled out a book. She held up one finger as she flipped through it slowly. Like it was a great inconvenience to her. The sound of the pages turning was nearly deafening. Sakura felt her palms start to sweat. She straightened and became more alert when Anko turned the book. Her dirty fingernail tapped a number in the middle of the table drawn on the page.

"The going rate for lavender per ounce is this," Anko said in a drawl. She pulled a notepad to her. "The bag you described holds about 16 ounces," she began to scribble. "So you owe…"

"Ten copper coins or a bronze coin," Sakura bit the inside of her mouth.

"Ten copper coins or a bronze coin," Anko blinked up at her, showing her the math unnecessarily.

"And for the eucalyptus?" Sakura asked with a sinking stomach.

"The going rate per ounce for that is," Anko pointed to a value at the top of the page.

"Nine copper coins," Sakura breathed out.

'That wipes me out of everything.'

Anko nodded her head.

Sakura stared at the ledger with a complex look on her face. Try as she might, the figures did not change.

"Here," Sakura emptied out the entirety of her savings. She watched with a strained look in her eyes as Anko painstakingly counted the coins. It was as if she was weighing Sakura's own monetary worth so cavalierly without a worry in the world.

'It's a small price to pay for Otosan's comfort, for his quality of life.'

Anko gathered the coins. She put them in a metal box that held the till.

"Did you want to place another order?" Anko asked her without blinking.

Sakura inwardly balked. She stretched her lips into a smile that felt incredibly unnatural. "No, no!" She waved her hands. "Not right now," she glanced at the door. "Thank you, Anko-chan." Sakura dipped her head. She did not dare look at the items lining the shelves. She had been tempted to take a look but that was before she had walked in with a purse full of cash. And definitely, before she walked out without even having two copper pieces to rub together.

She tried not to think about how heavy her empty wallet made her feel. Her mother's written words were seared in her mind. The words that had warned her to keep money on hand always.

"Stop worrying," Sakura chided herself. "You're fine. Everything is fine."

She avoided making eye contact with the guard. The gate groaned open. She stepped over it. She let out a relieved breath in the confines of her employer's estate. She had but taken a few steps before she felt her forearm being grabbed roughly.

She rolled her eyes upwards. Someone had clearly been lying in wait and she had been careless enough to spring into their trap.

"Juna-san," Sakura smiled unaffectedly at the red-faced heavily pregnant woman. "Do you need to sit?"

"Don't do that. Don't be all considerate and thoughtful. It makes it harder to stay mad at you, dammit!" The woman all but squawked out in indignation.

"Why are you mad at me?" Sakura asked her with genuine concern. "I haven't done anything. We've hardly seen each other."

"You just answered your own question," Juna ground out whilst crossing her arms firmly across her chest.

"I'm sorry," Sakura's expression softened. "I've just been taking my meals in my room -"

"I am so disappointed in you, Sakura-chan." Juna wagged a finger at her, not letting Sakura finish her explanation. "You didn't strike me as that type of woman. But I guess the joke's on me. They do say not to judge a book by its cover and oh boy, are they right. Your cover doesn't match you at all."

Sakura held up her hands. Her eyes darted to the water pump and the stool next to said water pump. "Hold that thought, Juna-san." Sakura smiled sweetly before she hurried to the wooden stool.

"I'm talking to you here!" Juna exclaimed in a fury. Her jaw jutted out in defiance when Sakura gestured to the stool that she had set down in front of Juna.

"Don't punish yourself when I'm the one you're angry with," Sakura reasoned. "I'm the one that deserves your retribution. Not your body and not your baby."

"So dramatic," Juna rolled her eyes but she relented. She let Sakura lower her into the stool. Juna sighed. "I've been pregnant for a year!"

"Improbable," Sakura ducked down to avoid a gentle fist to the head. "So you were saying?"

"What was I on about?" Juna racked her brain.

"My cover not matching my insides," Sakura supplied helpfully. She crouched down in front of Juna. Her jade eyes sparkled with happiness despite being seconds from a dressing down.

"Right, thank you," Juna grumbled. "You totally forgot about me the second you got yourself a man!" The accusation in her voice alone could make even the most hardened feel guilty. Sakura flinched.

She held her hands up in a 'T'. It came in handy with the boys when they played their lesson games. "Time out," Sakura shook her head. "Back up. Huh?" She looked at Juna completely dumbfounded.

"The horseman," Juna narrowed her eyes. Her anger did not relent even a sliver. "You spend all your time with him and now you don't have any need for us, your friends. For me," there was real pain and hurt in Juna's eyes. Either that or she was a very good liar.

"Juna-san," Sakura began with a deep frown. "You're misunderstanding. Minori-san is just making sure I don't mess up with the care I provide the Master's horse. That's all." Sakura bit back the thought of telling Juna to not be ridiculous. "The reason why I haven't been at the communal meals lately," she looked at Juna with a stern look, "is because I've been sick. But I'm doing much better now. I'm actually having my first meal with everyone again tonight. I'm so looking forward to it."

"So you're seriously telling me there is nothing going on there?" Juna's eyes were narrowed into slits in suspicion. It took everything to not stiffen under her piercing hazel gaze for Sakura.

"Nothing," Sakura said firmly.

'He's in love with someone else. And I can't love.'

Juna's face grew into an even more enraged mask. Sakura did not avoid the clock to the head this time. She was caught too off guard. Sakura gingerly rubbed her throbbing head.

"What was that for?" Sakura asked her, outraged.

"For being an idiot! A massive one. Sakura-chan! He's gorgeous. Like, pretty enough to be in plays! He could marry a hime. And he's totally into you!" Juna glowered. "What is wrong with you?" Understanding flooded her. A cryptic look crossed her face. "Do you prefer the company of…" her eyes darted around before she leaned forward and beckoned Skaura to do the same, "women?"

"What?!" Sakura fell on her backside. She stared up at Juna flabbergasted.

"What!" Juna scoffed. "It's a legitimate question. It doesn't get much nicer than him. I think I even caught Miharu-san eyeing him. Minori-san is hot. Hotter than hot. He's practically the sun."

Sakura's face heated to a supernova. She almost wished the flesh burned off her bones. It would definitely make Juna pass out which would allow Sakura a moment of solitude.

"Juna-san!" She hissed in warning.

"What?!" Juna countered. "It's totally fine if you are. I'm very open-minded." Juna said with a face of indifference at Sakura's lack of cool. "If you are, joining a concubine is probably your best bet. I knew a girl who did that. A friend of a friend of a friend type deal. She has to deal with her husband every now and then but he has three other wives so the rotation isn't too bad. She's living her best life." Juna blabbed.

She was not gay. Not that she thought about it much. But if last night and this afternoon were any indication…she was most definitely not gay. Probably. Sakura kept the object of her gaze, attention, and anger squarely on Juna. She did not put it past the woman to sniff out her secret.

"Juna-san," Sakura ground out her name, cutting the woman short of her tirade.

"What?" Juna asked in exasperation. "I'm just looking out for you. You have options." She made a face. "You have an option. It's better than nothing!"

Sakura glared at her with fire gathered from the friction in the marrow between her bones.

"Fine!" Juna relented. "You don't like girls. So back to my previous question, what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" Sakura covered her head in a preemptive defensive act. Juna clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"A man like that knows he's good-looking. It's not a secret, Sakura-chan. And what's worse is he genuinely seems like a really decent guy. He was so worried about you!" Juna's expression softened. "Are you really okay?"

Sakura nodded her head lamely. "He was worried about me?" She gingerly touched the spot Juna aggravated with her fist. She pouted.

"That day that Ambe-san found you," Juna brought her hand to her stomach. "I ran into him at the stables. He was all grumpy - but he still managed to be polite. That's how you know he's a quality man, Sakura-chan. When he found out I was friends with you, he wouldn't stop asking about you. I waved off his concerns," Juna paused. Her eyes held great guilt. "I should have checked on you then and there. Who knows how long you were on the ground like that? If I had just done something -"

"I'm okay," Sakura squeezed Juna's forearm gently. "I'm alright. Everything worked out. Please don't feel guilty."

Juna wiped at the tear that trailed down her cheeks. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Sakura smiled at her gently.

"The hell it isn't!" The woman's anger returned in spades. "You gave me your food. You took on my chores. You even took on Kai-kun's," Juna hiccuped. "I contributed to you getting sick."

"I made those choices, Juna-san. You didn't compel me." Sakura reminded her with patience.

"I didn't stop you either." Juna's face was the picture of earnest remorse. "I owe you an apology. And I've given you one. It's up to you if you want to take it or not."

"Thank you, Juna-san. I really appreciate it." Sakura's pink lips pulled into a slow smile.

"Do you appreciate it enough to tell me the truth? Why you're all smiley and spacey? Your feet didn't even touch the ground when I saw you earlier." Juna said so eagerly that the words were practically on top of each other.

"No," Sakura said flatly. "I can't believe I fell for it again."

"You really are gullible." Juna patted her arm in mock reassurance. "Don't worry, Minori-san probably finds it very endearing."

Sakura rose to her feet, rolling her eyes while she did so. "I'm leaving now."

"Aww, Sakura-chan," Juna lilted her voice as if she were addressing a baby. "Are you going to punish my baby when you're actually mad at his or her mother?" Her grin was all teeth.

Sakura scrunched her nose whilst she contemplated leaving Juna stranded. Her eyes looked over Juna's shoulder for a moment before they were back on Juna's face.

"Yes," Sakura said with a grin. She turned on her heel and briskly walked away from the pouting woman before her resolve crumbled.

"What a meanie," Juna rubbed her stomach tenderly. "Sakura-Obachan is a funny one. She's happy but she won't admit it. She thinks the rest of us are blind. For someone so smart she is pretty slow when it comes to these things," Juna sighed. The baby kicked. "I'll explain it when you're older, Baby. Your daddy will kill me if I explain the facts of life to you in detail right now." Juna growled in frustration. "They would be so hot together! Ugh!"

"Who would be so hot together?" A familiar voice asked the question before he brought his hand to her shoulder.

Juna tilted her head back. "Kai-kun," she smiled from ear to ear. She held up her arms. "Help me up." She wrapped both her hands around his left arm. Kai hauled her to her feet. Juna rested her head against his shoulder.

"Just Sakura-chan and this really hot worker," Juna said in a sing-song voice.

"The horse guy?" Kai asked her with a knowing look.

"Yeah, the horse guy." Juna sighed dreamily.

"I can see it," Kai agreed with a nod.

"They both even do the same hiding their hair thing," Juna giggled as she leaned into her husband. "They have so much in common." She sighed loudly. "I can practically picture the chemistry."

Kai shook his head laughing at his wife's antics. "Have you even seen them together?"

Juna scoffed. Not fazed by his logic. "No. I don't need to. I just know. Just like I knew you were the one for me." She kissed his cheek. His skin darkened to a red. The pair made their way slowly deeper and deeper into the courtyard.

He inhaled deeply through his nose. Relishing in the familiar scent. The smells of home. The stench of death made most uncomfortable but for him, it was anything but. Death was the one thing he could rely on. Life was unpredictable and fragile but death. Death was imposing. Death was undefeated. Death welcomed them all. It did not discriminate. Death was the great equalizer. What was a king and what was a beggar? In the end, they all went to the same place. The ground. The bones of a king had no more intrinsic value than those who had zero value while alive. Death caught up to them all.

He had not seen her at the clearing today. It annoyed him. It irked him. He was sure that he had not missed her. He had left early. He brought extra bags with him with every intention of giving her half of what he gathered. But she never showed up. Her face was not there for him to take in. Her smooth voice did not grace his ears. Her curiosity did not make the gears in his head turn as he searched for answers to the very good questions she asked.

She was intelligent. She was observant. She was nowhere to be found. One day a week. For a few hours of the one hundred sixty-eight hours that made up seven days, she had total and complete freedom within the wall of Konoha. She could go wherever and do whatever - almost. She only had to answer to herself. A total of four to five hours out of 168 he could potentially catch a glimpse of her. Maybe he could even capture her attention if she was in a particularly generous mood. Today, he was not even allowed four seconds, forget four hours.

Kabuto peeled off his jacket. He hung it over his arm as he crossed the room. He set it on the countertop. He knew that the Namikaze would not allow many interactions with the woman. For whatever reason the Master had taken an interest in her. She was not at his level. He should be oblivious, arrogant, to her existence. But it seemed the universe was once again conspiring against him. The blond-haired, blue-eyed specimen of a man had noticed her. He had more than noticed her. He was protective of her. Kabuto would not go as far as to say he was possessive of her, but it was a thin line between the two. It did not take much to cross over.

He knew he could not compete with the Namikaze heir when it came to looks, money, status, name, home, fame, or earning potential. All he had to offer her was what was in his head. His experience and knowledge were worth something and she did see the value in it. That was why she sought his company and kept coming back. She wanted to learn. She wanted to know what he had to say. It had to be enough. She was not shallow. She was not like the rest of them. She was different. She saw his value. He believed that. He had to believe that. It was all he had.

His gray brow furrowed together. He bent down. His hands curled around a thick volume. He pulled it to the counter. His lips were set in a deep frown.

"This is…" he ran his hands over the worn spine. "The anatomy book," he muttered to himself. He bent down once more. His eyes were at level with the shelf. He saw two scrolls. He pulled them to the countertop. His irritation only grew. He did not look up from staring at the book and the scrolls when he heard her footfalls come from the hallway. The very hallway that led to the door that opened to the courtyard that contained their living quarters.

"Did you find what you needed out in the clearing? Should I sanitize some containers?" Anko's timid voice cut through the uneasy still.

"No," Kabuto answered tightly. He had come back empty-handed.

"We had another visitor from the Namikaze house today."

Kabuto slowly turned. He pressed the small of his back against the counter. He crossed his arms.

"Are you referring to the same visitor we had yesterday?" He asked with a controlled calm. A calm that he did not feel. He did not think that he would come to see him twice in a row but the man was very particular with his details. Meticulous.

"No," Anko did not raise her eyes to look at him. "It was the woman. The one with the green eyes."

Kabuto blinked slowly. He was in no hurry to open his eyes. His frustration grew.

'Looks like we missed each other.'

"What did Haruno-san want?" He had a part of the answer. He just needed to know if it was the complete answer.

"She returned the books and scrolls," Anko rubbed her elbow. Her head still bowed as she addressed the ground by her feet. "She also paid for the materials she received. The coins are in the till."

Bile rose in his throat. "You charged her?"

Anko flinched. "S-she," she exhaled sharply. "She said she needed to pay." She was wringing her hands now. "I'm really sorry, Master." Her barely-there voice said.

Kabuto gripped his elbows. He drew in three slow breaths. It was an agonizingly long wait for his apprentice. "If you see her again, Anko, tell Haruno-san to either wait for me or to come back."

"Okay," Anko nodded her head meekly to show she understood. She tugged her sleeves past her wrists out of habit. She flinched when she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Anko. You didn't know." Kabuto spared her a small smile. He walked past her. His jaw clenched and his fist curled.

The girl shuddered. She followed after him anticipating he would be needing her help.

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