¤ Chapter 25.:Silent actions ¤

The elder of the Raven brothers loved sunrises. He loved watching the sun's rays absorb the last traces left by the night and replace them with a new spark, hope for another day. He preferred to enjoy this moment by sitting on the windowsill, one leg hanging loosely over the edge, his back against its frame, and a still-hot mug of coffee in his hands. He relaxed his head and waited for the first warm sunlight to illuminate his dark face while bringing a kind of deceptive warmth to his empty soul.

It had been a long time, several long years, since his soul had felt peace and even longer since he had found new hope in a new day. He almost didn't believe the moment would come or that he would ever see it. But these days, he finds that he is wrong.

Itachi had a hard time resisting a small smile from forming on his lips. He furtively turned his face away so that his presence wouldn't disturb the intimate moment between his brother and the pink-haired girl when they appeared together at the room entrance for several days.

Sakura spent the last few days with them. It wasn't that the girl didn't want to leave at first. Although the girl didn't notice his presence, he was nearby when she decided it was time to return to her house. Before Itachi could think about stopping or letting her go, he realized he could sense his younger brother's aura nearby. Out of the corner of his eye, he looked down the hall again, only to see Sasuke leaning against the front door with his hands in his pockets as he waited for her.

Itachi could confidently state over the years that only one other person besides him knew Sasuke as well as he did. And so he could state with equal certainty that Sasuke wasn't one to express his feelings through words; on the contrary, Sasuke was a man whose actions spoke for him since childhood.

He watched in amazement as the younger version of himself approached the confused girl. Without another word, he took her hand and led her to the kitchen, where she sat on a chair. The silence between them was broken only by the sound of boiling water. He watched as Sasuke grabbed two white mugs and placed them on the table. He filled one cup with the dark liquid to the brim while leaving the other half empty. The pink-haired girl looked disgusted as soon as she tasted the pure coffee. It almost looked like her mouth would immediately spit out the bitter taste.

The couple spent a few dozen more minutes in the small kitchen. Itachi watched in fascination as Sasuke added milk to the cup little until the grimace on the girl's face relaxed. Later, he grabbed the sugar container and added it gradually until a more satisfied expression appeared on her face.

The girl took another sip of her coffee. After her taste buds tasted the pleasant taste, Sakura smiled brightly.

Itachi didn't miss that Sasuke's body relaxed, and his obsidian eyes flashed with pride as Sakura's hands cupped the white cup, and she took another sip.

He had known Sasuke since birth. He knew every side of him and the character traits that had developed in him over the years. He knew his excellent silence, his sad silence, the angry one, and even the thoughtful one. But only now, after almost twenty years, did he recognize the calm and tender silence that appeared with this pink-haired girl. Sakura was bringing a spark of light into Sasuke's darkness that wasn't there before.

And just like the morning before, Itachi watched as his younger brother took two white cups in one hand, reached for the girl's hand with the other, and walked out onto the house's terrace.

He couldn't help the slight smirk that appeared on his lips every time Sasuke rolled his eyes at the pink-haired girl's laughter. And equally, he couldn't be more amazed at Sasuke's reaction as the girl stared off into space for a moment, lost in thought. He watched blissfully as Sasuke wiggled his fingers slightly, causing a paper airplane to fly past Sakura's head, making her smile.

Itachi's heart leaped with quiet joy that heralded the gradual return of Sasuke's old self.

He shook his head in amusement at Sasuke's stubbornness. It was almost apparent that he didn't want to let the girl go, but instead of expressing his wish, he preferred to wake up earlier than her every day. He did it daily to keep her from leaving as if he thought that if he let her go, he felt that if he missed this moment, this particular girl would disappear for good.

But as we already mentioned, Itachi knew him from the day he came into the world. He was the first to hold it in his arms so he could read it like an open book.

He watched lovingly as Sasuke's silent actions said everything he couldn't know.

*.*.*.*

Sakura felt like she was standing on a cliff beyond which nothing else existed, as if she was only one step away from falling into the void. It was as if something was whispering to her that letting her feelings run free would mean taking that one step and letting herself be swallowed up by the endless darkness below.

However, just as she was about to step forward, it was as if, by some miracle, Sasuke appeared to thwart her intentions. And Sakura didn't have enough strength to resist his tight grip and break free from him. On the contrary, the pleasant feeling that flooded her whenever he was near her was much more powerful than the darkness that called her.

Remember how she hated the morning when the sun woke her to another day? That, too, has changed.

She'd be lying if she said she didn't know when that happened. She knew exactly that.

It wasn't just one moment. This process of changing her mind was gradual; it happened every day when she woke up, and her senses were assaulted by that distinctive spicy scent that reminded her of spending another night with him.

Sakura was rarely the first to wake up. Either Sasuke was long gone or the other way around; he was next to her, looking at her.

Today was one of those days when she woke up to find his side of the bed empty. It probably wasn't surprising that she was beginning to miss his presence, although, on the other hand, it was perhaps stupid given how certain she was of his whereabouts.

And just like on other days, when she came down from the first floor, she saw him standing with his back against the front door, awaiting her arrival.

Dark onyx irises peered into glistening jades that showed determination. Neither spoke; they exchanged glances as if they had returned to those times when their conversations were hushed to the point of being mute.

"I know you think Naruto has to deal with all of this alone. And I get it; you want to give him the time he needs." she paused. "But I can not. I can't just sit here and wonder where he is and what he's doing. I have to find him. He is my brother ."

Sakura walked up to him and stroked his cheek. It was only after a while that she realized that his deep eyes, as always, said much more than his lips, which even now did not move to say what was on his mind.

An understanding flashed in the two obsidians.

Her determined gaze softened at the realization. She understood she was selfish and was only aware of the feelings that made her go after Naruto. That desire to stand by him in times that brought him to an existential crisis in the fight against himself blinded her. She didn't even think about how Naruto's harsh words must have hit this witcher despite his face showing no signs of pained feelings.

That's when a memory flashed in the back of her mind of how she'd entered his room and glimpsed a moment into the soul of a young witcher who had ravaged that room in a fit of frustration. Sasuke never talked about his pain or showed it in any way, but as the sun went down and darkness engulfed his world, his insides screamed in a silent yet deafening way.

"You're his best friend. And you know he needs you," she said and then added in a whisper. "Come with me,"

Sasuke looked away but didn't move from his spot. It felt like he was on the verge of deciding whether to leave Naruto alone and wait until he was ready to meet again or grab his cloak and head across the world with her to find him and bring him home to them, his family, and friends.

The pink-haired girl knew that if she hesitated, she would never convince him again. That's why she moved a little closer. "Please."

They both looked up simultaneously as a paper airplane flew overhead, made several circles in the air, and then exploded to create a small, colorful firework.

Sakura giggled happily; Sasuke rolled his eyes in annoyance and then sighed.

"Let's get to the sentients," she stated firmly. "If anyone can help us find out where Naruto is, it will be them."

*.*.*.*

As Sasuke and Sakura left the Uchiha mansion, Itachi and Mikoto waved goodbye. The younger Uchiha turned his face away from them as the pink-haired girl returned the greeting.

Since they walked side by side in silence the entire way, one would say that they are two strangers who don't know each other, and their paths crossed by chance. However, only someone who could see through the barrier that separated the pair from the outside world would see the slight smile on Sakura's face. And if he had concentrated even more, he would have noticed that Sasuke's onyx irises had taken on a slightly - if only slightly - less dark shade.

They were both thinking about the same thing; the only detail that differentiated their thoughts was the meaning or the point of view. Of course, they were both thinking about how to find Naruto. But one associated Naruto's name with the word brother in the true meaning of family, and the other in friendship symbolism. It was remarkable how many meanings one word could hold and how many versions of this role Naruto was interested in. The word's meaning changed simultaneously as his blue eyes turned to a specific person.

On the other hand, despite the tension between them as they approached the sentient house, a kind of electrifying field between Sasuke and Sakura inevitably drew them together.

One would not even believe how love can blossom between two people. It was like watching the bud of a flower that first wakes up and shows its beauty in the first days of spring when it is still covered by a fine layer of freshly fallen snow. An ignorant person could even say that the special bond between Sasuke and Sakura is just a consequence of the old law of surprise, thanks to which their destinies and paths were irretrievably intertwined. He could tell that the pleasant tingle the pink-haired girl felt whenever her gaze met the deep and dark one was a false delusion. He could also tell that the calmness that filled Sasuke's insides whenever the girl shyly looked away, and then a light blush appeared on her face was just a simple charm that would pass.

But only the two of them knew that wasn't the case.

Although they walked in silence and there was no physical contact between them to show their affection, they both knew that something beautiful, unreal, and fragile was forming between them. That something was as hard as a diamond but simultaneously as delicate as glass because no magic in the world could create something as magical as what was born between a young demigoddess and a witcher.

As they approached the small house on the outskirts of Konoha that housed the sentients, a glimmer of hope glimmered in the jade eyes.

As was typical of the sentients, they tried as much as possible to create the atmosphere of a fairy realm to which everyone had access, and for this reason, they never locked the doors.

After entering silently, they looked around and were surprised that no one was inside. Sakura fought back the urge to scream as Sasuke instinctively touched the hilt of his katana, ready to draw it at any moment. Although it had been some time since she found out what he was, she still hadn't fully internalized the idea that a cold-blooded witcher resided in the one to whom her heart had surrendered.

However, she couldn't deny that he had far more experience negotiating with the downworlders than she did. It was no secret what witchers used to do for a living and what made them infamous. Their cold-blooded killing techniques, which they used in wars and against other downworlders who were unwilling to adapt to everyday life, were often talked about. They represented an extended hand of the law of the downworld over those who harmed their own and others, especially the defenseless.

"Ino? Ino, are you here?" Sakura called out.

A cold chill ran over her body. She spun around on her axis following a strange sensation that called to her; although she didn't hear any voice, she felt she was being beckoned somewhere.

She made her way to the stairs of her own accord, where the strange feeling beckoned her. She lifted her foot to step onto the first step but felt a sharp tug on her wrist that made her step back. It wasn't until she shook her head to shake herself out of that strange state and turned around that she realized Sasuke was scowling at her. He then stood in front of her and pointed the tip of his katana at the first step of the stairs. The two obsidians turned red, and the black markings of the Sharingan swirled menacingly in them.

"So rude," a female voice echoed throughout the house.

After a short while, a torso-length female figure emerged from the wall to their right, grinning eerily at Sasuke. Subsequently, a man's voice also reached their ears, whose owner's head appeared behind them.

"Oh, dessert," he whistled. "But he stinks of virtue."

Sasuke straightened up, sparks of electricity starting to radiate from his body. Sakura shook her head to shake herself out of the strange state the enticing voices had put her in; she clenched her fists, which were engulfed in green flames.

"One probably never gets a good night's sleep here."

Sakura and Sasuke simultaneously looked back at the bottom of the long stairs for the new voice. The black-haired sentient that appeared looked as if he had recently woken up, evidenced by his subsequent sleepy yawn.

"Shikamaru!" Sakura called out. "We need..."

She was about to blurt out the demand they entered the sentient's house with at him but suddenly stopped when Shikamaru raised his hand and showed her his palm to prevent her from giving her a chance to do so and cut her off. He scanned the witcher who was still holding his katana, his body showing signs of electricity flowing from him as he focused on the creatures climbing out of the walls. Shikamaru then cleared his throat, catching the Uchiha's attention briefly and motioning his head towards his katana.

Sasuke took one last suspicious look at the figures peeking out from the walls, the female giving him a bright, toothy smile and a seductive wink before she and her companion disappeared the same way they appeared.

Shikamaru casually walked down the stairs with his hands in his pockets.

"Uchiha,"

"Nara," Sasuke greeted him back with a growl.

The pinkette watched the tension between the two downworlders, and neither was willing to break before Shikamaru approached them. Sasuke sheathed his katana again under his black cloak.

"And I'm Haruno," she rolled her eyes, then turned to the sentient. "We need to—"

"Find Naruto," Shikamaru cut her off with his hand. "I know. We all know that.'

The pinkette and the raven-haired man exchanged a brief look, confirming that neither of them had any idea what Shikamaru was talking about. Neither of them had contacted the sentients in advance, had yet to announce their arrival, and had essentially barged in as intruders. Moreover, they were confident that the other had not communicated with them since that incident, since they had spent that time together.

Shikamaru cleared his throat again.

"We are trying to find him for a while," he said, then turned his back on them. "Follow me,"

Shikamaru led them down a long corridor. After a while, they exited the interior and went around the house until they found themselves in a dark, musty cellar. He turned on the light to illuminate the dark room.

"I summoned all the downworlders," he explained briefly.

Sasuke and Sakura discovered that the sentient was indeed not lying. As soft lighting flooded the room, their gazes rested on the four groups of downworlders.

Wizards of TenTen, Chouji, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro stood around a small, overflowing cauldron as they intently studied a thick, large, dusty, and time-marked book.

The Sentients, Ino, and Shino, levitated in Turkish sitting, holding hands, and trying to concentrate their thoughts.

Vampires Neji and Hinata from the Hyuuga clan, together with Sai, were quietly talking about something in a dark corner.

And lastly, the werewolves, consisting of Kiba and Akamaru and the hyperactive Rock Lee, brought their noses closer to one of the black fishnet t-shirts belonging to the missing jinchuuriki to inhale his distinctive scent.

"The witchers are downworlders, too, Nara," growled Sasuke.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes in annoyance at his remark and then repeated with emphasis, "I said I summoned all the downworlders."

Despite this, the meaning of his words didn't make sense to Sasuke - and indeed to Sakura - at first. But then a metal door slammed from the corner of the room, drawing their attention, and a tall figure, all too similar to the young Uchiha, stepped out of the dark corner.

"Hello, little brother,"

"Itachi?" Sakura exclaimed in astonishment; she bounced her gaze from the younger Uchiha to the older one, one smiling contentedly and the other frowning. "What's all this supposed to mean?"

The downworlders stopped in their activities. All eyes turned to Shikamaru, Itachi, Sasuke, and Sakura as if they had only recently noticed their presence.

"Sakura!" Ino yelled, and Hinata threw themselves around her neck at the same time. "God, you have no idea how scared I was when I realized of who you were asking! Don't ever do this to me again, Forehead,"

"I'm sorry, Ino. But it was worth it. I found out how to remove…" She stopped as she realized the warlock's words, which she had enjoyed so much, were now completely unnecessary. "…cursed mark."

Shikamaru cleared his throat to break the silence and return to the original topic.

"That can wait. Like I said before, we're trying to find Naruto. Since our search so far has been unsuccessful, it's obvious that he's already figured out that he can block our abilities. We can't hack into him." he pointed to the other sentients, who confirmed his words with a nod. "That's why we, wizards, werewolves, and vampires, are trying to find another way. But it's not that simple. Traveling across worlds is one thing, but another dimension, that's another coffee. And I probably really need that coffee."

"We'll help you," the pink-haired girl stated firmly.

Shortly after her statement, Sasuke, standing by her side, shook his head. "He doesn't want to come back,"

The faces of all the downworlders present turned sad. Some bowed their heads; others looked away because they, like Sakura, didn't want to accept his words. However, inside, everyone knew the witcher was right, especially when the statement was about his best friend.

Sakura clenched her fists.

The black-haired man sighed tiredly. He suspected that he would not like her following words.

"If the downworlders can't deal with Naruto," she spoke with determination. "A goddess who also happens to be his mother can do it."

*.*.*.*.*