Chapter 4
The border to Fire was difficult to navigate, if you were unfamiliar with the land. Perhaps it was purposeful, set to deter anything of ill intent or deemed unworthy. Sasuke's chest tightened across the threshold as if he were unworthy, too.
These trees used to bring him comfort. Now, it felt like he was forcing himself to breach them.
"Two ninjas, approaching fast," Naruto said to his right. Sakura arrived at his left, working tight black gloves over her hands. Karin blinked, a little dazed at how quickly they'd shifted from leisure travel to five-star defense.
"Karin?" Sasuke calls.
"Yeah, it's just—"
Before she can fully answer, the silver shadow of a blade passing through Sasuke's midsection sets Sasuke's body in motion. He dodges the attack easily. His sharingan could sense the danger even before his eyes could see it.
Behind the group, a tree explodes and sends bark and splinters upon them. Naruto defaults to Hinata, keeping her within range as he surveys the scene.
Sakura engages.
Though they avoided her swing, the aftershock of her punch sends the men back a few paces. Raising his weapon, the whitish-blue being whistles through his needlepointed teeth.
"Pretty little punch you've got there."
"Come closer and I'll show you an ugly one," She responds.
"Jugo, Suigetsu," Sasuke calls, his voice cutting through the tension like a searing hot knife. The authority in his tone brooks no argument; his words are few, but their weight is undeniable.
The atmosphere on the battlefield is thick with anticipation as the Konoha natives hold their breath, waiting. With a resigned sigh, the swordsman hoists his weapon onto his shoulder, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "We were just having a bit of fun, s'all."
His casual dismissal hangs in the air, a stark contrast to the charged silence around them, underscoring the volatile dance between camaraderie and conflict.
Sakura watched Sasuke's former team close their distance. Three of the four exchange bright smiles—they seem happy to be in each other's presence. They're far enough away that their conversation remains private.
Naruto's large hand was warm on her shoulder; brotherly. "Way to take over, chief."
"You knew it was them?" Them. Sasuke's others.
"Yeah. I don't know what's been going on with me lately though. I feel like all of my senses are lagging. Kurama's been awfully quiet."
"Do you think something is wrong?" Hinata asks.
"No, he feels there. Strong as ever."
Sakura does not like this information. Naruto at anything less than one-hundred percent made her stomach bubble. Removing her gloves, the woman reached for her canister of water and took a long swig, emptying the last drop.
"Running low, pretty puncher?" Suigetsu shoots the group a wave as the others make their way over. "Come over here and I'll fill you up."
"Gross," Karin sneers, catching onto her teammates hidden meaning much faster than Sakura had.
Sakura offers him her middle finger, but is blocked by the brown material of Sasuke's cloak. He looks more annoyed than ever as the four former teammates join the group.
"We are staying at an old hideout." Jugo said, and then exchanged information between the others.
Sakura couldn't tear her eyes away from him. She had never heard his voice before; it seemed to emerge from the depths of his imposing figure—a giant with striking orange hair and sun-kissed skin, radiating an aura of both strength and mystery. But when he spoke, his voice was a surprising contrast: soft and gentle, like a soothing breeze.
Just then, a small bird fluttered down, alighting on his shoulder. It preened its feathers with delicate precision, then tilted its tiny head, inviting him to pet it.
From behind his former leader, Jugo caught a glimpse of Sakura's pink hair. He gave the swallow a gentle scratch on its head and glanced at her, concerned creeping into his voice. "Do you need rest?"
The atmosphere shifts, charged with an unexpected tension, as the weight of his question hangs between them.
Sasuke's chest did not squeeze as he walked through the familiar halls of Orochimaru's hideout. A cold, unwelcoming windowsill made his forelocks sway. Unwelcoming. Perhaps that is why Sasuke did not mind Orochimaru's hideouts—they were foreboding to all. He did not feel out-of-place.
Leading the way, Sasuke found the dining area quickly. Though there were many rooms, twists and turns, the layout of these caverns were largely the same. Living quarters to one side, necessities to the other. A long table extended before them with a film of dirt upon its surface. Karin ran her finger through the dust.
"Looks cleaner than when I lived here."
Naruto was chatting with Suigetsu, while Jugo seemed captivated by Sakura. They all made small talk as Hinata and Karin looked for cleaning supplies and food. It was clear that Suigetsu and Jugo hadn't been there for long, if at all.
"There's rice," Hinata says to everyone as she tugs out a bag. "Fish sounds nice, Naruto."
"Yeah! Us boys can go catch some and—"
Karin crossed her arms. "—and the girls can have everything all cleaned up and ready? Yeah, right. If you're going fishing, I'm going too. I need to work on my tan."
Sakura's voice, soft yet firm, cut through the chatter. "Jugo, would you like to stay and help Hinata and me?"
Jugo's eyes flickered to Sasuke, a silent plea for guidance.
Suigetsu, ever the instigator, interjected, a sly smirk playing on his lips. "Now, wouldn't that be a sight? If you were anyone else, darling, I'd probably vouch on his behalf. I don't think it'd be a good idea–"
Sasuke's voice, cold and commanding, silenced him. "It's fine," he declared, his eyes locking onto Sakura's. "I'll stay, too."
The air crackled with unspoken tension, a silent battle of wills fought in the depths of their gazes.
Jugo's strength made clearing the hideout a breeze, with Sakura reaching high places on his shoulders, and Hinata gathering the falling debris. Jugo, surprisingly resourceful, had even shown them to a massive hot spring, a future reward for their hard work.
Although Sasuke remained behind during their excursions, he didn't waste his time. He diligently replaced dirty buckets with fresh water, meticulously wiping down every surface that might be used for eating or daily activities.
Hinata's voice, a giddy timbre, pierced the expectant silence. "They're back." Naruto and Suigetsu emerged, their forms casting long, imposing shadows in the dim light with Sasuke only a few paces behind. They must have found him first, somehow, in this maze of a compound.
As Jugo turned, Sakura swayed, not expecting the sudden movement. But before she could fall, Jugo's hands shot up to steady her. In that moment, Sasuke's eyes, dark and intense, locked onto Sakura's. The world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them suspended in a silent, confusing exchange. Sakura's heart pounded in her chest, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within her. What was this intensity in his eyes?
He placed the pail down with a deliberate, almost reverent motion, his gaze never leaving Sakura's form. Dwarfed by Jugo's imposing frame, Sakura sat there, the broom still clutched in her hand, a testament to her hard work. Wiping her cheek to abade its heat, she patted Jugo's fiery hair. "Okay, down I go, buddy."
Suigetsu, ever the jester, shattered the tension by slapping a fish onto the table. "You're brave, princess," he chuckled, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"More like stupid..." Karin muttered under her breath, her face twisted as if to say, and people call you an intellectual? Even now, Karin could feel the danger lurking beneath Jugo's gentle exterior. She knew all too well how quickly that lunatic could flip, and the last place she would ever want to be was on top of him.
Sasuke's jaw clenched.
He knew the darkness that Jugo wrestled with, the rage that simmered just beneath the surface. It was a darkness he recognized, a mirror to his own past. He wouldn't allow Jugo to be judged for something he himself had once been consumed by…
Sasuke was surprised by the immediate connection between Jugo and Sakura, and a pang of fear struck him at the sight of her perched on Jugo's shoulders. Although Sakura was safe under his own protection, a wave of unease washed over him, a feeling he couldn't quite shake. Ignoring Karin's disapproving look, Sasuke moved to the table, his every step a silent declaration of solidarity. He would stand beside Jugo, a shield against the whispers and the fear, and a constant reminder of the division that separated himself from Karin and Suigetsu.
Sakura stood, paralyzed, at the entrance of the bathing area with her knees trembling with a mixture of fear and trepidation. The decision to bathe together hung heavy in the air, a daring departure from societal norms that sent shivers down her spine.
"Together? But..." Sakura's voice faltered, her words caught in a web of conflicting emotions. Karin's offhand remark after dinner was taken so lightly by her peers, Sakura felt childish for her hesitations. She wasn't a prude, far from it. Her years as a medic had exposed her to countless states of undress. After a while, she hardly even batted her eyes.
But this was different.
But this was different, a stark departure from the clinical detachment of her medical duties. These weren't just…bodies on an operating table; these were people she knew intimately, their histories intertwined with hers. Naruto, her dearest friend, had never seen her in such a vulnerable state. Even bathing with Hinata, with her own insecurities about her body, was a daunting prospect! So now, the thought of baring herself before Suigetsu's unabashed gaze, Karin's venomous tongue, and Sasuke's...Sasuke's inscrutable silence, sent a shiver of apprehension down her spine.
Uchiha Sasuke—the name alone held a weight that pressed upon her heart. Despite the tumultuous nature of their relationship, Sakura couldn't deny the flicker of curiosity…the forbidden allure…of seeing him unmasked, vulnerable. The image of his bare form, sculpted by years of training and hardship, ignited a warmth that only heightened the heaviness on her chest.
Was this something he did often? As a troup, had they stopped on their travels and shared baths, perhaps even bedding?
Sakura hesitated at the entrance, her heart pounding against her ribs as she pressed herself against the door. The voices within were a blur, indistinguishable. With a gulp, she pushed forward, stepping into the steam-filled chamber, and found herself the last to arrive.
Jugo had been right; the hot springs were a sight to behold. A cascading waterfall, though small, sprayed over large, moss-covered boulders towards the back of the cavern, feeding in cooler water and tempering the otherwise boiling pool to a more manageable temperature.
Sasuke, drawn to the searing heat like a moth to flame, sought refuge in the hottest depths of the spring, far from the cascading waterfall's cooling touch. He despised nearly everything about Orochimaru's hideouts, but he couldn't deny the strategic brilliance of their concealed locations, nestled beneath reservoirs, offering a sanctuary that could house many for years at a time.
Agony and ecstasy mingled as he ran a hand across his shoulder, savoring the burn that felt like a baptism of fire, purging the sins of his past. The scalding water, a purifying inferno, seemed to peel away layers of guilt and regret, washing away the blood of the innocent that stained his soul. He surrendered to the embrace of the blistering heat, allowing it to consume him, erasing the memories of rage, death, and hatred that haunted his every waking moment.
"Sakura, you didn't get lost!"
Sasuke submerged in the scalding depths and vanished into the swirling blackness.
There was a fleeting moment of finality, where the boundaries between self and water dissolved, and he could not tell where he ended and the water began. But even in this watery abyss, the ghosts of his past hissed at his consciousness. Their icy grip was a stark contrast to the burning embrace of the spring.
He couldn't escape them, not even in the depths of his own mind. They were a part of him, a constant lurking beneath the surface, waiting for a moment of weakness to consume him once more.
There was no comfort in his mind, in sleep, and there was certainly no peace amongst friends.
So he hid. Weak and afraid, Sasuke sank into the only high his body could reach. He pushed to that edge, where everything quieted but his need for oxygen. His lungs screamed as they begged for air. How he wished they didn't.
A few more minutes floating near the boiling void was all he could take before he broke through the surface of the water, breathless.
"You had it pretty cushy here, huh?" Naruto chided, gazing over Sasuke who shook droplets from his black hair. The man kept a comfortable distance, not a fan of the temperature. Kurama's chakra was more than enough.
"Oh yeah," Karin purred, playfully gathering her damp hair into a loose knot atop her head. She splashed about, her movements deliberately drawing attention. Sasuke, observing her antics, as Karin, with a sly smile, allowed the water to reveal a bit more of herself. "Three square meals, a luxurious hot spring, and emergency blood transfusions on demand," she continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Real cushy, indeed."
Suigetsu scoffed. "That's cute, he got transfusions? I'd have just been left to bleed—if I had any blood, of course."
Karin adjusted her glasses. "Don't act as if you had it worse than Sasuke-kun. When Kabuto-san brought in the poisons—"
"Karin."
Sasuke's voice, though low and devoid of emotion, held an unspoken authority that Karin couldn't ignore. Recognizing she had crossed a line, she silently retreated, seeking refuge in the depths of the water, away from Sasuke's disapproving gaze.
Naruto cleared his throat and glided through the water towards Hinata. She was nestled near the edge of the spring, her head resting on the cool stone, arms protectively crossed over her chest. A delicate white flower drifted by her, and Naruto, with a playful curiosity, plucked it from the water, examining its intricate details.
"Hey, Sakura, does this one mean anything?"
Sakura was the furthest from everyone. Sakura, the farthest from everyone, was a solitary figure in the emerald depths. Karin and Hinata had neatly coiled their hair atop their heads, but Sakura's locks, seemingly resistant to the water's embrace, floated on the surface like a delicate blossom. As she approached Naruto, the verdant herbal bath enveloped her, concealing her form beneath its soothing embrace.
Suddenly, her eyes, a vibrant green that outshone the surrounding waters, lit up with an intensity that caught Sasuke's attention. He had never seen such a captivating shade of green before, a stark contrast to the murky depths of the spring. Her gaze was fixed on the flower in Naruto's hand, her brows furrowed in awe and wonder. A tremor coursed through her hands, betraying the depth of her emotions.
"Where did you get this?"
"It was just floating by." Naruto said truthfully.
Sakura's enthusiasm piqued the curiosity of the others, who began to gather around her. Sasuke observed Hinata, noting her lack of shared excitement. The Hyuuga heiress seemed just as perplexed as the rest.
Not a coded message, then? Sasuke deduced, dismissing the possibility of a hidden meaning.
He recognized the flower; it was the source of the murky water, thriving at the bottom of the spring where the heat was almost unbearable. Sasuke had encountered the plant before, drawn to its resilience in the face of such intense temperatures.
"It's called the Mermaid's Miracle" She turned it carefully in her hand. "It only grows in specific conditions, and just one dried petal can help with a slew of mental ailments. It's such a rare flower. I can only give it to the most severe of patients."
"There are twenty more," Sasuke found himself saying.
Sakura's face lit up with pure joy, her smile wide and eyes crinkling at the corners. Sasuke, unaccustomed to such open adoration, felt a shiver despite the warmth of the water. No one had ever looked at him with such unrestrained delight.
"Can you show me?"
"No,"
Her face falls. So quickly he extinguishes her. "Oh,"
The spring's depths were scalding, even for one bearing the Uchiha lineage. Sasuke had never ventured close enough to touch a single petal, let alone the entire flower head. Perhaps he should have explained to Sakura that these blossoms would pop up on the water's surface every so often, and she was free to harvest them whenever Orochimaru permitted. Yet, a stubborn pride held him back, a reluctance to admit his own limitations and offer her such a concession.
Dipping below the water, Sasuke swam downwards towards the flowers. He summoned susanoo, letting bone and bolt form a skeleton arm for him. He'd never been at Orochimaru's hideout after gaining this ability, and even if he had, he wouldn't have cared to gather…flowers. Still, even as the scorching liquid became unbearable and the herbal perfume of the water stung his eyes, he searched.
A pale color broke up the monotony of dark green. Sasuke found a large cluster and reached out with his glowing limb, plucking seven of the things. If one petal could do so much, surely seven heads would suffice for the time being. If on his travels, Sakura sent word that she needed more, Sasuke would get them for her.
When he comes up from the water, everyone takes notice of the bouquet in his arms. Arms—they've never seen his makeshift left hand before.
"Is this enough?"
Sakura's face shone with uncontainable joy, her smile stretching wide and her eyes sparkling with delight. As she carefully collected the precious flowers, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if he should have handled them with the same gentleness. Her touch was as light as a feather. It was a reminder of the tenderness he had long forgotten.
"Sasuke this is—I don't think you know how much this means to me!" She began. A slew of information poured from her.
She spoke of all the things she could heal, all of the people she could help. The children—so much emphasis on the children. "They've been affected by the war. Parents who didn't come home, friends who aren't themselves anymore…the medicine I make can help with anxiety and depression, it can calm mood disorders. They'll be able to sleep at night without the terrors."
He absorbed her knowledge greedily, like a sponge. It did not matter that the subject she recited was not of his interest. The love Sakura had for her craft was enticing enough.
He watched as she emerged from the water, her hand trailing along the stone edge. The flowers laid scattered across her bare lap, and she held one aloft, inspecting it in the overhead light.
Hidden beneath the emerald water, her feet were invisible, but her slender ankles, leading up to long, lean legs, were a sight to behold. Her knees were pressed together modestly, and droplets of water clung to her thighs, tracing a path upwards towards her curves. Her narrow waist and the delicate outline of her ribs, visible with each gentle breath, painted a picture of graceful vulnerability. All the while, she continued speaking, oblivious to the fact that Sasuke had long since stopped listening to her words.
His ears roared, his sharingan activated, drinking in every detail of Sakura's form with a clarity that startled him. It was the first time in his life that his eyes had flared to life without the threat of battle. The small swells of her chest, the curve of her waist, the delicate shade of her lips that matched the color of her–
It all consumed him, this kaleidoscope of colors and textures that painted a picture of unexpected beauty. He'd never been hit so hard. Not even by the Gods.
As their eyes met, a wave of confusion washed over Sakura. Her shoulders slumped, her brows furrowed in bewilderment. It dawned on her, with a jolt of embarrassment, that she had inadvertently exposed herself as she rose from the water.
Mortification flooded her as she scrambled to her feet, desperately attempting to shield her body from view. Her heart pounded in her chest, a frantic rhythm echoing the chaos within. She couldn't bear to meet anyone's gaze, yet she felt their eyes on her, burning into her skin. The weight of their stares was suffocating, a tangible reminder of her vulnerability.
"Oh, I knew this would be a good idea," Suigetsu said with a satisfied groan.
Hinata, ever the protector, materialized at Sakura's side in the blink of an eye, Naruto's towel draped over her arm like a shield, and her own offered as a refuge for Sakura's exposed form. Together, they made a hasty retreat, their escape punctuated by Naruto's booming voice, chastising any lingering onlookers.
