Chapter 14
Sakura tapped the tips of her boots together, playing with a fray on the edge of her blanket, anything to keep her preoccupied in the relative quiet of the night.
Sasuke sat propped up against his traveling bag, ankles crossed and forearm draped just-so along his right thigh. His satin, spiky hair moved slightly with every shallow breath he took, and his eyelashes cast a shadow across his cheekbones. He was so…handsome.
Handsome, roughish, broken, mad.
Sasuke was mad at her. Her confession had sent him off into the snow. Or maybe the hot desert sands—wherever his eye could take him, as far away from Sakura as he could get.
He didn't stay gone long, this time.
Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it just as quickly. Words would just lead into more conversation, more arguing, and she was just so tired of it all.
She ducked her head into the crooks of her elbows just as a slight rumble began to shake the earth.
Sasuke and Sakura lock eyes.
Clambering toward the tent flap, Sakura barely sidestepped Sasuke as he pushed his way outside. The sleet coated the ground in a slick sheen, and she watched him lose his footing, his feet slipping across the permafrost as his tomoe spun wildly, a blur of black and red.
In the distance, a spectacle unfolded. Bubbles, vibrant and pulsating with energy, erupted from the clearing, their surface popping and gurgling as if alive. They surged upward, gliding through the air like phantoms slipping through a wall, unimpeded and ethereal. Each orb was unique in size, shimmering and sizzling where they touched the snow, sending up tiny sprays of white.
A deafening boom echoed as another wave of chakra surged, resonating deeply in their chests. Sakura reacted instinctively, leaping aside just in time to avoid the orbs hurtling toward her. Her oversized hood flopped around her face, obscuring her face. She pushed it back, determined to see clearly.
Her eyes, still puffy from tears, stung in the cold air, a grimace twisting her features as she focused on the chaos unfolding around them. Sasuke bit his thumb. Summoning his hawk, the man took to the sky and circled the area, taking in the situation.
The objects were slow in their ascent, like their weight fought against gravity.
"Can Garuda's wings blow them back down?" Sakura yelled as she juked and dodged. She readies her kunai, aiming for the chakra farthest from her.
Sasuke patted his summons' head, making note to ask how Sakura knew it's name. The beast shook his body violently as it prepared a mighty gust. Wings spread far, flapping wildly, Garuda sendt slices of wind towards the orange-tinged bubbles.
Several burst into smaller, less manageable pieces. Others diverted from course and fazed out of existence.
For her part, Sakura sent out a flurry of shuriken, only to realize too late that she had not destroyed the anomalies—she'd only made them smaller and more difficult to evade.
Leaping ahead, the woman flounced and bounded away as best she could. She was slowly becoming trapped in the endless miasma. Picking up the edge of Sasuke's cloak, Sakura whipped it out like a fan. Temari would have been a huge help…
The flutter of Garuda's massive wings resonated through the sky like thunder, pulling Sakura's gaze upwards. She watched, wide-eyed, as the mighty bird descended, each powerful stroke creating gusts that swept the miasma aside like curtains, offering a brief reprieve. The summon neared her, Sasuke reached out, and Sakura was whisked away in a firm grip.
As they ascended, exhilaration twisted into a knot in her stomach, the familiar sensation of altitude sending a pulse of anxiety through her. She slipped down into the gentle curve between Garuda's body and the soft, downy tail feathers, letting out a frightened squeak that barely broke the rush of wind around them.
Without a moment's hesitation, Sasuke pulled her close, his body warm against hers. He balanced effortlessly on the massive bird. Instead of leaving her at his side, he nudged her between his chest and Garuda's sturdy neck, cocooning her in a protective embrace as they began a steep, vertical climb.
Feathers brushed against her face and hands, soft yet prickly, a tactile reminder of her precarious position. The scent of rich soil and damp moss flooded her senses, a sharp contrast to the toxic chakra they had escaped. She instinctively squeezed the plumes of Garuda tightly, grounding herself in the moment, and felt the warmth of Sasuke's hand beside hers, steady and unwavering.
The world below transformed into a swirling patchwork, the chaos fading into the distance as they soared higher. Fear mingled with exhilaration, and Sakura's heart raced not just from the height, but from the closeness, the thrill of the ride, and the unspoken bond solidifying between them as they soared into the unknown.
Leveling out, riding the breeze, Sakura reached for Sasuke's hand and wrapped it around her waist. If he had no intentions of falling, then she'd like to stick by his side. Sai's drawn birds were not nearly as sentient, and Garuda's split-second choices had Sakura's heart pounding.
Besides. He'd said it himself—she could touch him whenever she wanted.
"This is odd," Sasuke said, never looking away from the anomalies beneath him. His sharingan spun calmly. "They move without aim."
Safe on Garuda, Sakura takes this time to study the orbs. She singles out individuals, watching as they catch the wind and fight to go higher.
Garuda positioned himself high above the floating orbs and readied another heady gust. Sakura yelped as the beast shimmied, tucking her chin against her clavicle and digging her nails into Sasuke's forearm. Greater than before, the burst managed to direct most orbs back down towards the ground and several out an invisible boundary. They faded away immediately, but it did nothing to deter the ones that remained in the middle.
An idea popped into Sakura's head. She rose to her knees, earning a questioning look from Sasuke.
"If that thing takes over again," the woman began, standing fully atop Garuda. "Do whatever it takes to stop me."
Sasuke blinked. "More than a kiss?"
She stumbles, righted by Sasuke reaching out for her waist. Sakura covered his hand with her own, weaving her fingers in with his. "Don't start with me!"
He looked at her first with only his eyes, but then tilted his entire face up. "What's your plan?"
Sakura's smile lit up the space around them, and Sasuke felt a warmth spread through him, reminiscent of amaterasu, fierce yet uncontained. Her confidence was infectious; she was a kunoichi who embraced her role, and it suited her perfectly.
"Naruto of the rasengan, Sasuke of the chidori…"
"…and Sakura of the fist," he completed her thought, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Now go tear up the yard, doggy."
"Woof!" she shot back playfully, pulling off Sasuke's cloak with dramatic flair.
"Good girl," he teased, his smirk widening as memories of their previous banter floated to the surface.
He released her hand, and instead of the familiar pat on the head, Sakura's breath caught as he grasped her wrist and guided her hand to his lips. His kiss lingered, warm and exhilarating, sending a jolt of energy through her before he turned his gaze toward the encroaching bubbles, their ominous presence growing closer.
Sakura inhaled deeply, steeling herself for what lay ahead. She slipped on her black gloves with a decisive snap, the fabric stretching snugly over her hands. Channeling a surge of chakra, she felt the power flare through her fists, igniting her resolve. Crouching low, she prepared for the leap, her heart racing in rhythm with her pulse.
With a fierce determination, she launched herself into the air, Garuda heaving a mighty push, and she soared toward the wintery landscape below. The world rushed past her, a blur of white and shadow
"Back up!" Naruto shouted, urgency lacing his voice as panic surged through him. He could feel it—the unmistakable energy that radiated from Sakura, wild and fiercely potent. It was a force of nature, devastatingly strong, and the reinforcements hadn't even reached Sasuke and Sakura before he barked his command to retreat.
"Now!" he yelled, his eyes blazing with determination. When no one moved, the Kyuubi's chakra flared around him, an inferno of power. With a fierce growl, he flung his arms wide and took several explosive paces backward, positioning himself like a bulwark against the impending shockwaves of his teammates' unleashed might.
The ground trembled beneath them, and Naruto's heart raced as he braced for the storm that was about to erupt. He could sense the energy building, ready to explode, and he was determined to shield everyone from the encroaching tumult.
Jugo was the first to run. He'd been at the brunt of a fraction of the pink-haired woman's strength. As he slipped and slid in the muck, Suigetsu and Karin scrambled behind.
A sound erupted, unlike anything Karin had ever recalled hearing. The compression wave raced ahead of the deafening roar, sending her vibrant red hair flying upwards and momentarily obscuring her vision. She felt herself lift off the ground—no, the ground seemed to vanish beneath her, fragments of crumbling permafrost exploding away as if the earth itself was being torn apart.
Suigetsu dared a glance, using his forearm to shield himself from the debris that surged past Naruto. "Damn…" he breathed, his voice barely audible.
The void left in the wake of Sakura's punch was staggering, a gaping chasm where air and sound collided. A thick cloud of dust billowed outward, and the roar of rushing water crashed over him, drowning out everything else. Suigetsu, attuned to such a sound, fanned his face, adrenaline surging as he surveyed the scene. The sheer force of her power ignited a thrill within him, and he couldn't help but marvel at the destruction unfolding before his eyes.
A thick layer of the earth's crust had been compacted into a shapely bowl, round and near-perfect. Roots, as thick as Suigetsu was tall, had been severed and frayed from impact. Waterfalls of steaming water poured out—likely from a geothermal spring from underground which was now, above ground. Thick gloops of red magma coated the bottom curvature, hardening to stone in a matter of seconds.
And there, at its base, was Sakura.
Naruto rushed ahead whilst screaming her name, watching helplessly as nature devoured her. If the molten rock had not eaten her, then the boiling water would swallow her whole.
The man began to glow a brilliant orange, and Karin's adamantine chains rushed forth—but both are so very far away from ground zero and have no hope to reach her in time.
Even Jugo panicked. Suigetsu watched as the man started to transform his body. He could not control himself enough in that state to be of any help. Suigetsu planted his foot against Jugo's chest, knocking him back a few paces, ready to fight.
"Sakura!" Naruto screamed again, nearing the edge of the now-filled chasm.
A black blur flew through the air. Karin blinked up, watching as Sasuke sliced through the air, circling like a buzzard more than a hawk.
"Sasuke!" She cried out, breathless, tugging up the sleeves of her cropped jacket. Maybe he can use susanoo to —
Why wasn't he moving? Why wasn't he doing anything—
Sakura emerged from the depths of the pool, her skin adorned with ominous black lines that twisted like ancient runes, her eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. She looked like a goddess of Death herself, risen from the abyss. Gasping for breath, she strained against the weight of her own body, retching the icy water from her lungs, the remnants of her struggle cascading around her.
Her hair hung limply, slick and heavy. It was plastered across her face and shoulders, a tangled curtain that concealed the torment etched into her features. As she blinked, each flutter of her lashes felt like a battle; the new skin that had formed felt impossibly tight.
The lava's wrath had seared her flesh, burning away everything but the most primal remnants of her being. The front of her clothing had vanished, reduced to little more than a tattered shroud draped haphazardly over her shoulder. It resembled a loosened kimono that barely clung to her form. The metal and chainmail of her bandou had fused with her skin, the heat from the flames gnawing away at the delicate netting beneath, leaving raw, angry patches in its wake. Her stomach lay bare, exposed to the chill of the air, every drop of water on her body amplifying the cold that seeped into her very bones.
Yet, in the midst of this devastation, she drew breath. She was alive—an embodiment of resilience and fury, ready to rise from the ashes of her torment. A phoenix, some cultures might say.
Sakura stirred from a deep slumber, cocooned in warmth and softness, her body a battlefield of aches. With the sluggishness of a weary warrior, she cracked open one eye, then the other, surveying her surroundings. The unmistakable scent of Sasuke's tent wrapped around her like a familiar embrace, mingling with the crisp aroma of firewood and the tang of citrus that danced in the air.
Had she truly succumbed to sleep? She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs—sore from the scalding water she had quaffed—as reality settled in with a weighty thud. This was no fleeting dream.
"Am I dead?" she whispered into the stillness, her voice barely a ghost of its former self, as she sensed no presence nearby. Her hands glided over the plush fur beneath her, coaxing the stiffness from her arms.
"Drink some water," came a voice from the shadows. Karin, ever watchful, extended a canteen toward her, its metallic glint a beacon in the dim light.
It took a moment for Sakura's eyes to adjust, but when they did, they met Karin's expectant gaze with a flat, defiant expression. "No thanks," she rasped, the words rough and raw. "I've had my fill."
"What you did was stupid." Karin began, offering the woman no comfort or compassion. "Everyone was seconds away from jumping in after you. You could have killed us all, trying to save you—"
"I didn't need saving." Sakura snapped, sitting up. She fought the ache of her body. "I am a kunoichi of the village hidden amongst the leaves. My duty comes first and I will do what it takes to fulfill that—"
"You're up."
Sakura turned sharply to look at Sasuke, who pulled back the canvas entrance. He cradled a bowl of steaming something in his hand and jerked his head to the side gently, indicating that Karin should leave.
She didn't.
Sighing, Sasuke broke eye contact and sat down cross legged beside Sakura. He doesn't spill a drop of the broth.
"Here,"
The vibrant green liquid shimmered in the light, mirroring Sakura's sour expression as Sasuke presented her with the bowl of soup. The warmth radiated through her hands, and the sharp scent of bitter greens filled the air, almost challenging her senses. With a mix of hesitation and determination, she took a sip of the medicinal brew. It was far from appetizing; her face twisted in protest.
"This… tastes… like shit…" she declared, her voice barely above a whisper, yet tinged with honesty.
A smile crept onto Sasuke's lips, a rare sight that brightened his usually stoic demeanor. "I made it myself,"
Karin sat between them, a silent observer, her eyes shadowed yet keen. She watched the gentle curve of Sasuke's lips and the flash of his white teeth, an unexpected warmth radiating from the moment. It struck her that he didn't chastise Sakura for endangering herself. A part of her might have attributed this to indifference—after all, he hadn't rushed to her rescue.
But there was something deeper at play. Sasuke spoke to Sakura as an equal, treating her not as a pawn in his game but as a companion in their shared struggles. It was a rare tenderness, one that suggested a profound respect rather than mere obligation.
Karin recalled moments when she had seen Sasuke at his most vulnerable, tears marking the contours of his fierce exterior, revealing a man grappling with despair. The madness that once clouded his chakra was a haunting specter, yet here, in this shared space, his energy radiated differently. It ebbed and flowed around them, curling inward like a bird settling into its nest, enveloped in a cocoon of calm.
Peaceful.
"Finish up," Sasuke said to Sakura, moving to stand. "You've laid around longer than anyone else has."
The kunoichi took a swig of the potion, wincing. "That's because I'm the only one doing all of the work."
Sasuke smiled again, a fleeting glimmer of warmth before he slipped away, leaving Karin alone with her swirling thoughts. She hesitated for a moment, then followed, the tension coiling tighter with each step as they made their way to the camp. The remnants of winter lay behind them; the ground was warm beneath their feet, steam rising from the newly formed hot spring, a deceptive comfort amidst the chill of their surroundings.
The men gathered around, their laughter mingling with the earthy aroma of the melting snow. They feasted on snow rabbit and vitamin pills, a meal that seemed oddly mundane yet vital in the face of their harsh reality. Karin's heart raced as she walked past the group, the weight of unspoken words heavy in the air.
Sasuke didn't stop until they were well beyond the reach of prying ears. He turned abruptly, his expression devoid of emotion, yet it felt like a storm brewing just beneath the surface. Karin halted several steps away, her pulse quickening under his intense scrutiny.
"You care a lot for her," she stated, the words cutting through the air like a blade, sharp and unyielding.
"I care a lot for all of you."
"Yes, but you care about her differently."
Sasuke understood the gravity of the moment; it was time to confront what lay between them, to put it to rest once and for all.
"I hurt you. I never respected you. I used you," he stated flatly, the truth cutting through the air like a knife.
Karin let out a harsh laugh, the sound brittle and strained as she covered her mouth with the back of her hand. "You really know how to make a girl feel special," she replied dryly, bitterness lacing her tone.
"I would have killed you to reach my goal. I almost did. I am thankful that Sakura saved you."
"Thankful because I lived? Or thankful there was less blood on your hands?" Her words were sharp, each one a strike against the wall he had built around himself.
His eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger igniting within them, but she stood her ground. He had grown complacent, she realized. The chakra that had once terrified her was buried deep inside him now—alive, but lethargic. There was nothing to fear anymore.
"What else are you thankful to her for?" Karin demanded, her hands falling to her side, fists clenched tightly. "Why does she get to see your smile?"
Jealousy ignited a fire in her chest, a fierce and consuming blaze. It wasn't fair. That boyish upturn of his lips, the one she had yearned for since their paths had first crossed, now belonged to someone else. The memory of him as her knight, slaying her metaphorical dragon, haunted her—though, admittedly, it had been a twelve-year-old boy facing a rather large grizzly bear. But those thoughts felt distant now.
"I thought someone like you would be with us. The underdogs. The people who had to struggle, who didn't have a cushy upbringing, who worked hard for what they had. Not some obsessed, stuck up, know-it-all."
Sasuke kept his head straight as he looked up, just over Karin's head, like she wasn't even there.
"In the years I spent with Orochimaru, I watched a girl with no natural gift for healing transform into a sannin's apprentice. That strength she just displayed—every single one of us witnessed it. It wasn't something given to her by birthright. Sakura came from a clan with no nobility, no inherent worth."
Sasuke looked at Karin now, his face severe and his eyes hard. "I, on the other hand, was never an underdog."
Karin took a step back. Was this how he truly felt? She didn't understand. "And you…respect her?"
"I do."
"Do you respect her as much as you respect Naruto? Your brother?"
"Yes."
Karin lamented. She felt the tears stream down her face but she couldn't bother to wipe them.
Not blind to the fact she did not deserve any explanation on his behalf, Karin tried to keep her thoughts to herself. He'd already shown her kindness by offering a clean cut to whatever ties she thought they shared. Karin was an end to a means…an important part of his journey towards vengeance, but not the journey forwards. Not the journey of his new life. She'd tried to see Sasuke as such, herself, after he'd injured her nearly two years before.
Still, one thought kept clawing to the surface of her throat. She relented. "How long have you known?"
Had she ever had a chance?
The dark lashes surrounding Sasuke's unique eyes fluttered shut in contemplation. How long? How long had he held Sakura to such high regards? How long had he thought of her as something more than a stranger; than a peer?
Sakura who made his body move on it's own, to take the brunt of the Demon Brothers blade.
Who he worried about, who cried tears over him with Haku's senbon in his flesh.
Who called him a coward before he'd gotten the will to battle Orochimaru.
Who watched over him as the cursed seal of heaven ravaged his body. Who held him back with her arms, with her tears, as he lost his fight with control.
Who stood between Gaara's rage with only a kunai to protect herself.
Sakura who met him at the village gates that fateful night.
Who almost took his sword, his hand wrapped around her throat and his chidori through her chest had Sai and Naruto not stepped in.
And still, through all the malice and hatred, it was Sakura who brought him back by pouring all of her chakra into Obito and holding the portal open as long as she could.
Sakura who was willing to kill him, so that he didn't hurt anyone anymore, who loved him…
…and who made him believe it.
"Always."
