Chapter 8
The land of Frost was…cold. Lungs burning, hair frozen at the tips, Naruto and Sakura bounded through tangled branches as they traveled. Kakashi had given them permission to use Naruto's giant toad, Gamakichi. Though it was not expressly forbidden to use colossal summons, it was considered uncouth if they weren't in battle. There were few villages this way. People were scarce. Little to disturb.
Toads did not fare well in this weather, however, and the last few days were left to the remnants of Team 7.
Sasuke had not provided exact coordinates to his travel locations, but there were only a few ways to pass across the lands of Frost. Though trains were the most preferred methods, the Bridge of Ice was more discreet. Sasuke was discreet.
"There it is," Naruto huffed. "We can't be far from them now."
The bridge was beautiful. Carved shards towered above like the branches of a tree. Silhouettes of glass, sparking and reflecting the sun's rays cast shafts of light upon them. Sakura stopped for a moment. She absorbed the subtle heat like a sponge and licked her lips as if to taste it.
"We aren't made for this weather, are we?" Naruto was golden-skinned and yellow-haired and the epitome of summertime, though he was born in autumn. He blew a hot breath into his hands and pressed his fingertips to his mouth. "I'm going to freeze to death."
"I think you got too sweaty. Let's slow our pace."
Their boots slide over the thick sheet of ice that coats the bridge. Naruto pushed ahead, skating with rubber soles. "Hinata would love this."
"I bet you miss her."
Turning to face his friend, the man glided backwards. He was no expert, and between his stumbles and wiggles he responded. "You have no idea!"
They both stop and stare at each other. Because Sakura does know–and Naruto realized that he's put his foot in his mouth. A gentle smile graced her lips.
"I'm sorry–"
"Don't be. I'm not offended. Hinata is your wife. She's carrying your baby. I'm not foolish enough to compare my unrequited love to yours."
"He kissed your forehead. I wouldn't call that–" He staggered, turning to pay more attention to slick ground, "–I wouldn't call that unrequiered."
"Un-re-qui-ted," the kunoichi corrects.
Sakura was warm now. Starting at her face and traveling down to her toes, her fever boils whatever sweat was left on her flesh.
Of course she had told Naruto. He'd gotten a good talking to, for his part in pretending to be Sasuke ( and almost kissing her!) all those years ago. Though she'd heavily implied that her love for Sasuke was influenced by his words that day, she'd later admitted that wasn't true at all.
The truth was, there was no reason for her to love him. He had never wooed her with kindness or anything tangible; her feelings seemed born from the depths of her own longing.
He was everything she wasn't—unfazed by the world's judgment, his every move a dance of defiance, his wisdom as instinctual as breath. Each step he took drew him closer to his inevitable fate, and though she could never respect the cause he fought for, she was captivated by the intensity of his resolve. It pushed her to train tirelessly with Tsunade; every fracture and sleepless night felt insignificant compared to the torment Orochimaru had inflicted upon him.
In their shared struggle, Naruto understood her pain all too well, pouring himself into his efforts as if to outrun the inevitable that followed them both.
Karin felt them drawing nearer, an unshakable tension prickling at her skin. She had half-hoped they would choose to rest as daylight faded, but her hopes were hardly ever fulfilled these days. The chill of night crept in, wrapping around her like a vice. Her legs ached, a testament to the brutal, frozen, hellish landscape they traversed.
Suigetsu returned, the water sloshing in the pail as he set it down with a splash, the sound reverberating in the heavy silence. He slumped onto a solitary stump, seeking the meager warmth of the flickering fire. Jugo was still out there, battling the dark to find dead branches. The weight of the impending confrontation loomed.
"Jugo is off on his own, eh? That pretty medic's medicine sure has helped him."
Karin nodded in agreement. Even with villages so far between them, no one felt comfortable enough to let Jugo out of their sight. Suigetsu had taken to being his keeper, but only at Sasuke's behest. Suigetsu would claim he did not listen to his former leader. Sasuke had changed, sure, but he was still intimidating. They'd all seen his prowess and, sometimes, it felt like he was on the cusp of returning to his old ways.
Karin placed her hand on her stomach. Yes, that pretty medic did come in handy..
It was her duty to track whomever came close to their convoy. Sasuke had complete faith in her abilities. She looked at him between her reddish lashes, watching as he shaped arrows for his hunt the following morning.
While everyone else was on the verge of turning into blocks of ice, the Uchiha worked without his cloak. He wore a thin, lone sleeve on his right arm and a high-collared sleeveless shirt. She watched his muscles move and work with the aid of a brilliantly glowing appendage.
"Doesn't your bow have chakra arrows? Why are you making wooden ones?" Suigetsu asked, apparently just as mesmerized by him as Karin.
Sasuke spoke with a strip of cloth between his teeth. "They'll feel the chakra coming towards them and flee."
Turning his head slightly, Sasuke paused. He sensed his friend's approach. Without a word, he stood and vanished into the thicket. Suigetsu sprang to his feet, weaponry ready, instinct urging him to prepare for battle. Karin was the opposite. Driven by a mix of concern and curiosity, she followed close behind. Sasuke had not concealed the evidence of his last talk with Pinky; his swollen eyes and tear-stained cheeks had been a raw, open wound when he'd left his home.
The living could bring him to tears, and the girl who had pierced his heart was mere yards away.
At the sound of their departure, Jugo dropped his kindling, an uneasy urgency propelling him toward the unfolding drama. Sasuke moved like a specter, so far ahead that he was nearly invisible, but Karin could feel the tremors of his chakra reverberating through the ground, a tempest of emotions swirling just beneath the surface. Was he angry with them? Confused? They had received no word about the Konoha ninja sent after him, and a nagging dread filled her mind—had they come to retrieve him, or to drag him back against his will?
They burst through the clearing, hearts pounding, breath caught in their throats, as the air crackled with unspoken words and unresolved feelings, ready to ignite into chaos.
Sasuke stood at the edge of the wintry woods, his chest heaving, a fortress of emotions locked behind an inscrutable expression. Sakura felt the weight of his silence pressing against her. She knew she should tread carefully; they had crossed this threshold many times before, and it always ended with disappointment. Naruto had already stopped, paralyzed by uncertainty.
Sakura, however, could no longer hold back.
She ran faster, every instinct igniting within her. Arms pumping, hair streaming behind her like a banner, she felt her heartbeat, loud enough to drown out the rational thoughts swirling in her mind. Tears streamed down her face, a torrent of pent-up emotion unleashed, as she gasped for air in the biting cold.
Then they collided.
It was a cosmic force, a magnetic pull that defied explanation, slamming them together with such intensity that they tumbled backwards into the sleet. The impact echoed like a thunderclap, sending shards of ice cascading from the treetops.
Sasuke took in air. "Sak—"
"Kakashi sent us to help," she panted, urgency lacing her words. Her knees pressed against his side, arms wrapped around his waist with a desperate fierceness, squeezing him as if to keep him tethered to her. The warmth of her tears soaked through his clothes, her face buried against his chest, muffling the weight of her anguish. "We came as fast as we could."
"Sakura—"
"Please, don't turn us away."
Her voice trembled, raw with emotion. In that moment, all their shared history surged between them—a blend of pain, longing, and the hope of something more. The world faded, leaving only the two of them, suspended in a fragile moment where love and desperation intertwined.
With much effort, Sasuke sat up and guided Sakura to do the same. He distanced them, placing his hand on her shoulder at arms length. The tears on her mauve eyelashes looked like glitter against the setting sun. They were so close, he could see flecks of blue and yellow in her eyes, which must have made up their unique, grassy hue. Her cheeks and nose were chapped from the chill of the region.
"You're cold," He said, moving his hand to her face as if to prove the theory.
Sakura raised her dainty eyebrows. "I'm cold? You're missing your cloak! I brought needle and thread, if it needs–"
"Wow," the voice was saccharine, drawing attention away from the couple and towards its owner. "I wish someone would greet me like that…"
Suigetsu approached, offering a hand to the pink girl he'd gotten accustomed to. Sakura smiled up at him, distancing herself from Sasuke to offer the swordsman a friendly hug.
"I brought gifts!"
As she greeted the others, Naruto sauntered over to Sasuke just as he lifted off the ground. He waggled his eyebrows like a movie villain, a mischievous grin plastered on his face.
Sasuke brushed the muck off his clothing, rolling his eyes. "
"What, I don't get a hug, Sasuke?"
He pretended to buckle when Sasuke elbowed his ribs, feigning pain. Sasuke shot him a deadpan stare in return. "Why are you here?"
"Ah, well," Naruto began, puffing out his chest like he was about to deliver a heroic proclamation, "Kakashi said the reports are too numerous for Konoha to ignore. We're here to provide official aid. It'll help with relations—"
"Relations? These are nomads, Naruto. It's not as if we're hugging it out." Sasuke interrupted, raising an eyebrow. What kind of relationship would Konoha find valuable?
Naruto grinned. "Hey, if it works for Sakura, it can work for anyone!" He earned a sharp stare. "Stop worrying about the political side of things. The Frost Daimyo has already been alerted,"
Sasuke shook his head, a smirk breaking through his usual stoicism. "I assume they left my name out of it."
"Yep. Now, take me to camp. I'm hungry."
They huddled around the flickering fire, the crackling flames illuminating their faces as they prepared for the days to come. Suigetsu and Jugo exchanged glances, a spark of twin excitement dancing in their eyes. Originally, they had intended to heed Orochimaru's request, and rifle abandoned lairs for deeds and disasters left behind. The lure of a good mystery, (or battle) was hard to resist.
Karin gestured animatedly, her voice rising above the crackle of the fire. "It was a geyser of energy—like a pimple that appeared, burst, and vanished!" She mimed the explosion, her hands exploding outward as she explained the anomaly to the newest inhabitants.
Naruto leaned closer, the map spread across his lap, fingers tracing the marked locations. "Anything notable about where these… zits are popping up?" he asked, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Sasuke's brow furrowed in concentration, the glow from the fire casting shadows that obscured his expression. He grazed the pad of his thumb against his teeth, deep in thought. "Not that I can see,"
Sakura watched him, her gaze lingering. He looked different—slightly more filled out since they'd last been together. It felt odd seeing him without his usual layers, dressed in dark tones that starkly contrasted with the warm hues of the fire and the forest around them. The flickering light caught the contours of his face, revealing a deeply intellectual side that she rarely glimpsed.
"Let me see?"
Reaching for the map, the kunoichi made quick work of the "random" anomalies. Their locations may not have been important, but in relation to each other, a picture formed. Pulling her journal from her bag, she jotted down a crude copy.
"See this?" Sakura asked as she stood, making her way to Sasuke. She took the empty spot beside him on the ground. "What shape do you see?"
He leaned in, narrowing his eyes. Sakura connected the dots with her pencil as Naruto came up beside them. "The letter C?"
"A crescent moon?" Sasuke guessed.
"Yes, but it's not complete." Sakura stops drawing just shy of the final shape. "Do we have paperwork for every report?"
"Of course not," Karin responded with a snap. "But there was a…theme in their appearance."
"And that theme probably corresponds to this shape–meaning these chakra fluctuations didn't pop up randomly in this way. We can assume there are two more–"
"Zits," Naruto offers.
"Yes, zits, to complete the figure."
"So how do we know which will pop up first?"
Sakura scraped her nail across a specific area. "We can presume this will be the next area, if the most recent occurrence was here. I know for a fact we don't want to see what will happen when–if–the shape fully forms. I propose we split into two groups. The fastest at the farthest. Be there when it pops up, see what we can learn, and try to stop it."
"Sounds good to me," Suigetsu said while crossing his arms behind his back. "How are we doin' this? Shall we all race?"
"Sasuke's the fastest," Sakura stated, offering a teasing smile. "Karin will be vital in determining the exact location of the occurrence. She might feel when the chakra seeps up from the ground. She will also be the medic of your team. Now, it's either Suigetsu or Jugo with you."
Karin sits up taller, unaccustomed to such approval. She chanced to look at Sasuke, at his incomplete form that stuck out so harshly against them. Naruto's red chakra was as bright as his clothing, and Sakura's minty, medical aura was a drastic contrast to the poisonous pollution of Sasuke's purple.
He belongs with us. She thought. He belonged with her. He belonged with Suigetsu, with the whitish-blue of his energy that felt mischievous and sneaky. He belonged with Jugo, the clashing mix of yellow and orange that fought to fully take over one or the other. Sakura's medicine had diluted the colors of him.
Maybe Jugo didn't belong anymore.
"Jugo," Sasuke called. His look intense, but not meant to intimidate. He had not had an…attack…or even a fleeting lash of rage since he'd started taking the pills Sakura gave him. Still, Sasuke was weary.
Naruto grinned, slapping his hand around Jugo's shoulders with his awkward height. "Alright. Let's rest up and head out in the morning. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I get back to my wife"
Sakura and Naruto had a specific way of traveling. They did not mind sharing a tent with each other, when Hinata did not accompany them. While Sakura had dutifully packed extra blankets and bedding, Naruto had not held up the end of their deal.
The tent was made for one person. In fact, it was so small that Naruto's legs would have to hang out of the opening, unless he curled up into a ball.
"What the hell is this?" Sakura asked with quiet frustration. "How are we going to fit?"
Naruto shrugged. He was not taking this as hard as his teammate was. "We'll sleep back-to-back."
"With our feet hanging out?" She whispered in disapproval.
It was already late. Everyone else had already retired to their tents, all four suitable for the average adult. Snow had begun to fall, coating the grounds in flakes that stuck. Sakura ran her fingers through her hair.
"You had one job."
"Guess you'll have to bunk with someone," The man responded unseriously. Sakura's eyes bulged, finally catching on to the plan.
"You did not,"
"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled out, loud enough to wake the others. Sakura clamped her hands over his mouth.
Sasuke did not answer.
"You're awful," She started, not relinquishing her grip. "I didn't know you were like this."
The fox pries off her fingers. "I'm not…but Kakashi is, hehe,"
Just then, Sasuke opened the flap of his sleeping area. His visible eye was half-lidded, a sure sign he'd been sleeping. "What?"
"N-nothing!" Sakura responded.
"Can she sleep with you, dude?" Naruto said easily. "I grabbed the wrong tent."
Sasuke ran his hand through his hair, looking more annoyed than anything. "Naruto, let her have the tent. Sleep on the ground."
At the thought of having to stay out, or worse, share with Sasuke, Naruto sputtered. "Wh-what? Why me?"
"Thank you, Sasuke!" Sakura called out as he returned to bed. She stuck her tongue out at Naruto, leaving him to make his choice.
