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Covenant
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Synopsis: In a harmonious world, who takes the blame?
What sins are punished and who decides?
Does vengeance leave with the last of its enemies?
As society rebuilds itself, Sakura learns some things can't be restored.
Not all beginnings start anew—not every ending brings closure.
And sometimes, peace isn't always that peaceful.
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3:10. A Box
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IT WASN'T what she expected—this gentle pressure on her lips. Sasuke's fingers glided into her hair and lifted her to meet him. Like it were the first time they'd done this, his mouth remained closed as it brushed against hers once, then twice. Far softer than their proper first kiss had been.
If anything, his docility confused her. Sakura dug her hands into the front of his shirt. Yanked him forward in a noiseless command to come closer.
The inches that separated their bodies were smoldering kindling, crackling and smoking as Sasuke finally pushed her back and lifted one of her legs to fit between them. His hardness pressed into her over their clothing and she bit his lip, desperate for him to light the flames. Ready to feel the passion he'd let slip in those dark months they spent together after all this time.
It'd been so long since she lost herself in him. So long since he'd whispered how good she felt against her throat or gazed up at her in the dark, eyes shining like she were God herself on top of him.
Instead, he moved from her mouth to her cheek, lightly pecking his way down to her neck.
Her brain spun as he latched onto her pulse and sucked. The hand under her thigh tightened when she moaned.
And not two beats later, Sasuke dropped his full weight onto her. Surprise flew out in a hushed yelp. Cupping her jaw, he sighed, kissing the spot where he'd surely left a mark. Lashes tickled her ear as he nestled his head beside hers.
"...Let's stop here."
Pinned under him, she blinked at the ceiling, mind following the trail his thumb traced across her chin. The words sunk in slow as a wide creek.
Stop...?
Now?
…But she didn't want to stop. Judging from the way he was grinding into her every time she breathed, she didn't believe he really wanted to stop, either.
"Why?"
"I… Just think we should," said Sasuke quietly, making no move to get off.
Once more, exhaustion swept in, swift and numbing. Sakura's earlier thought plowed forward, silencing the rest—he should've stayed on the floor if he wasn't going to do anything. She'd rather they hadn't kissed; rather he wasn't holding her.
Starting with no intention to finish was worse than never having started at all.
What game was he playing now? Had he done this solely to appease her? Was this what he'd meant by regretting it?
She was so tired of the back and forth. Of him.
If Sasuke didn't want her, he should quit doing this to her: the kissing, the showing up whenever she needed. Stroking her cheek with innocent, mild touches and wrapping them up as if he meant to sleep right there on top of her. Peeling back layers he'd never shown anyone while shutting her down at random turns.
Why treat her like the most precious thing he'd ever owned one minute and toss her away like nothing the next?
How was she supposed to react?
Let's stop here.
Two years ago, that might have slid into Sakura's chest, sharp and painful as a kunai. Now, it merely clunked against the stone filling every soft space left within her.
She loved him. Even now, as he denied her again, she loved him.
The hardened and jaded parts of her tempered under his touch. The shadowed world looked brighter whenever he stood beside her. She wouldn't deny it; after so many years, loving him was second nature. And once this night was over, though anyone with any sense would've scorned her for it—she'd still love him come sunrise.
But if Sasuke didn't know what he wanted, he shouldn't use that love to string her along while he figured it out.
...Maybe, finally, she ought to get the ending over with. Pull the plug and drain it for good.
His endless wavering stemmed from guilt, or the seal, or some sort of misplaced responsibility—she wished he'd let it go. Let her go. For both their sakes. Despite craving his intimacy, she could've lived with his distance; she'd gone years without him perfectly fine. The erratic stalemate he'd caged them in was what she couldn't bear.
If he wouldn't do it, she would. And who was to say? Perhaps he'd been waiting for her to cut the cord all along.
Closing her eyes, Sakura braced for impact. "You don't want to."
"I didn't say that." His lips grazed her jaw. "I do want to."
See—this was precisely the problem. All these contradictions. How was she to gauge anything when he continually changed his mind?
"Then what's wrong?" Channeling her chakra, she pushed away to look at him, irritated. "You want to. I want to. We both want to. Why should we stop?"
"For one, we were just arguing."
"And then the argument ended. You've never had a problem with us arguing beforehand, anyway. So again, what's wrong?" Her sights narrowed. One way or another, she was getting an answer out of him tonight. "If it's me, come out and say it. You don't have to say you want to if you don't."
Sasuke dipped back into the crook of her shoulder. "It's not you… But you always feel that way when it comes to me," he added softly.
"You make me feel that way," she corrected.
"I don't mean to."
Memories of those first months she'd spent as the contact jumped off their shelves in a bitter sequence. Every cruel thing he'd said, the days he went silent. The nip of snow bit into her as she remembered a wintry battlefield and a too-tight grip on her neck; how he'd treated her for weeks afterward when she'd had no one.
A scoff puffed through her lips before she could swallow it. He exhaled, warm air swathing her skin.
"...I thought I wouldn't live past the war. It would've been better if you resented me a bit if I didn't," Sasuke amended. "I was trying to keep everything in line, Sakura. I never planned this far ahead. This sort of thing is—it's new for me."
She didn't know whether he sought forgiveness or understanding with that measly explanation, but they'd all lived through the war. They'd all tried to keep things in line. Not a single person caught on that battlefield believed they'd make it out alive.
It changed everyone it touched. Everyone was different now. Everyone had done something required of them—though none she knew chose as vicious a path as Sasuke was now claiming necessity forced him to.
It was no excuse. Least of all to her.
"Right. You had to make everyone resent you. Makes sense," she quipped. He let more weight fall onto her when she tried wriggling out from beneath. Movements stilted, Sakura growled under her breath and rolled her eyes. "Just for the record, Sasuke, this is new for me, too. You aren't making it any easier."
"That's not true. You've always had people around you... You were always good at making friends."
"Well, if you'd bothered to look, you would've seen how many people tried to be around for you. And I don't consider you a friend." Her gaze locked on the ceiling fan. What did it matter if she admitted it? She'd already told him a hundred times. "...I never have."
His hand drifted to her temple. "Aa, we were never friends. So I don't want to hurt you, most of all."
She refused to read further into the first half of his statement. If he had something to tell her, he could say it.
He should say it.
After being the moon, the tide, and all sorts of motionless things between—at this point, his subtleness only felt like avoidance.
"How do you think you'll hurt me?" she asked instead. When he didn't answer, she pressed, "Are you going to betray me?"
"...No."
"Or Konoha?"
"No."
"Then how would you hurt me?"
Sasuke went mum again. Grimacing, she tilted her head away from his. Away from smooth lips pressed under her ear and feeble sighs fluttering into her hair.
The talk wasn't heated. He hadn't said anything mean. They weren't yelling. The room was hushed, his fingers were soft on her hairline, the moon shone through the window, peaceful and bright.
By all accounts, she should've been happy with how open he was in this moment.
This almost-something, always-nothing might've mollified a different version of her. Genin Sakura or Gatherer Sakura would've been more than satisfied; Gods knew how many times Captive Sakura let the issue slide.
Now, however—all she could feel was her building frustration.
How did her request to share the bed turn into this? How had one kiss devolved into a disagreement so quickly?
"This is just two people who want to have sex with each other," she spat into the muted air. "Hurting me, not hurting me—I mean, I'm not asking for your undying love or hand in marriage, Sasuke. And it's not like we haven't done it before. You're overthinking it. No one told you to do anything if you came up here in the first place—you're the one who kissed me."
"Stop saying that." The seal pulsed with an order.
Startled, she hugged her chakra around it more tightly. "Don't command me right now." Abruptly, it settled. "Stop saying what?"
"That we're just two people having sex," he snapped. "You don't actually believe that, so why keep insisting?"
"When have I ever said that? You're the one who's said it."
"You've made yourself think it plenty."
"Aren't you the reason I think that way, too?!" she bit back, vexed he was using her thoughts against her.
"I know… I know, Sakura. But if things had gone as planned, it wouldn't be so complicated." Raising himself up on an elbow, his vision dropped to her neck. "You could've found someone who doesn't make you think poorly of yourself. Someone who isn't connected to all your worst memories."
There it was. "So you want me to find someone else."
"...It'd be easier if you did."
"Don't you think I know that? It's been years, Sasuke. I don't want someone else."
"Still, you deserve better."
"Says who?" she demanded.
"Everyone."
"Well, I don't care what anyone else thinks. I care what you think."
"What if I think they're right?"
A lump birthed in her throat as her eyes burned. Scowling, she shoved his chest, lacing chakra up her arms. This conversation was headed nowhere pleasant.
"Just get off. Go on the floor. I want to go to sleep."
Rather than listen, he gripped her wrist and leaned closer. "You suffer with me around, Sakura. Konoha's wary of you. We can't travel together unless I hide who I am. You can't even live in your own apartment if I'm there." The corner of his mouth lifted in a grin that didn't match the words. "Your life would be better with someone else. Anyone else."
"But I love you." She wasn't at all embarrassed of it falling out this time. "If I was worried about any of those things, I would've distanced myself a long time ago. You already know that." When her chin quivered, she whipped her head to the side and stared out the window. "Gods, sometimes it's like you start these things just to hear me admit it—it's exhausting, Sasuke…"
"...That's not why."
"And you know what? You must love me a little by now, too. You have to, or you wouldn't be doing all this. Whether you want to admit it or not. No one thinks about another person like that unless they care," she accused, finally freeing the tiny voice on the edge of her reason. It was easier to say facing the night sky than trapped under his gaze. "...So can't you stop making everything so damn difficult? I'm tired of doing this with you."
Silence crept back over them.
By now, they obviously weren't having sex. She was no longer in the mood, anyway, and he clearly wasn't going to admit anything past this strange, roundabout worry for her reputation.
She just wished the exchange would end. Hoped sleep might soothe the ache in her stomach and the bile bubbling up her throat. Wanted to put him out of reach and out of sight and out of mind.
Their very first night—shot, faster than it took Naruto to finish a bowl of ramen. What a terrible start, she mused bitterly. A whole month of this would surely—
"Did you break it…?"
Sakura had nothing left but a sigh. Of course, he deflected. Like always, he'd leave everything she brought up unaddressed and unanswered.
There wasn't even a point in pointing it out anymore.
"Break what?" she echoed lowly.
Moonlight dancing on his scrunched brow, Sasuke studied her. The foreign chakra in her seal seemed to battle with itself; his mind brushed against hers in search. She wearily followed the path he wove between her shelves, trying to discern his intent as he probed over the carefully wrapped boxes.
Before she could make any sense of it, his psyche withdrew. Settling into the pillow, he tentatively drew her across the bed to join him—as if they hadn't spent the last ten minutes of their lives talking in circles. Like he hadn't jumped into her sheets and told her to find any other man but him.
Seriously, what was his fucking problem? He was going to drive her insane.
"Nothing." Pausing, he added, "...I'm sorry for ruining the night."
If he hoped she'd let it go with that, he was sorely mistaken.
"Break what?"
A knuckle tilted up her chin. He offered half a breath to turn away—and then Sasuke kissed her, slow and deep. His tongue slipped into her mouth, seal humming on her neck. Moving against hers in a way that had her hands fisting in the covers.
She wasn't in the mood.
She absolutely wasn't in the mood.
Eight seconds ago, she could've sworn she was drained and ruffled and everything but in the mood.
Just when her fingers loosened, he pulled away.
"Can we stop arguing…?"
"W-we weren't arguing," she stammered, belatedly gathering her bearings. Her face felt a traitor; how it warmed as he spoke against her lips.
That's right—she wasn't in the mood. Because he wasn't going to do anything. And she hadn't been put in the mood by that stunt.
Nor would she concede her lack of annoyance with his temperament's fourth swing of the night, even though she'd just been completely irritated with everything about him. Because she was still almost definitely irritated with nearly everything about him.
"Aa, fine. Good, then," he murmured. "Night."
The mimicking of her earlier words wasn't lost on her. That he'd succeeded in shutting her up wasn't, either.
But having spent enough time around him, Sakura knew a lost battle when she saw one. She was tired—more so after this long, drawn-out discussion that neither had won. And as Sasuke tucked her head onto his shoulder without any resistance, she was certain a smile dashed across his rottenly perfect face.
That, too, irritated her. How she had to gulp down a matching smile when she should've been shoving him to the floor.
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When they woke the following day, wrapped up in each other, Sakura was sweating. Grumbling, she detached herself from him and stalked into the shower to cool down.
Once again, they hadn't done anything but sleep. And sleep had found her quickly enough that she hadn't given much thought to the oddly heavy exchange they'd gone to bed on.
In hindsight, she wasn't sure what she'd gotten so worked up about.
He hadn't said he didn't want to. He'd shared more than was usual for him. Hadn't shut her down near as early as she'd expected and explained himself better than she would've anticipated. Wasn't snide or rude in the brunt of her resentment.
When it came to Sasuke, most would've considered that growth. She would have, too, if she hadn't put up with it for so long. This stage was one they should've crossed months ago. Years ago, even.
Sakura doubted she'd ever have that sort of disagreement 17 years into knowing any other man.
But it wasn't like she could compare him to other well-adjusted human men, who almost certainly wouldn't have stopped a whopping two minutes into slinking atop a willing woman. Not that she had any experience to draw from; though, she'd heard enough stories from the other kunoichi to assume.
Sasuke was just... Different. Like a stray cat who'd lived outside its whole life suddenly trapped and dragged into a house it hadn't asked to enter.
The comparison made her snort.
Truthfully, she had no real standing to get that upset. She knew from the start where Sasuke stood. And in the end, he was right.
It would've been easier with someone else.
As she'd expressed, however: She'd known that for years. If it were as easy as giving up on him, she would've done so a hundred times over.
And as she'd thought—the sun rose and her feelings remained. She still loved him. Despite the less-than-pleasant terms they'd slept on, she roused content with him merely by her side. Secure and safe in his warm embrace.
Perhaps she should've hated herself a little for it. But it was hard to hate the parts of her that simply were.
When Sakura eventually left the bathroom, he was up, dressed, and prepping to leave.
"Good morning, Sasuke," she greeted, determined not to let last night's fiasco ruin a second day.
His brow raised as he glanced at her. "Morning."
Sealing scrolls were laid out over the made bed. Taking inventory, he unsealed and resealed all the items before wrapping two around his wrists and stuffing the other three into his pack.
She grabbed her own pack and saddled up to his side. "How are you this morning?"
"Fine…"
"That's good. Everything where it should be?"
"Aa."
"Would you like to shower before we head out?"
"I'm good."
"How'd you sleep?"
Smirking, he rounded on her. "Enough. If you want to yell at me, go ahead and get it out of the way."
"Why would I yell at you? This is called being friendly, Sasuke."
"You're being strange."
Rolling her eyes, she sighed. So much for that.
"You always find something to gripe about. You know that?" she asked, pivoting towards the door. "Let's just go." Holding it open, she waved him out of the room.
"If you really wanted to know, Sakura," he said as he breezed past, "I always sleep well next to you."
By the time she processed it, he was already turning down a corner in the hallway. Sights shrinking on his disappearing back, she shut the door and jogged after him.
If it weren't entirely out of character, she would've thought he was picking up speed. "You can't say things like that then walk away," she yelled.
"Things like what?" he called over his shoulder.
Sasuke Uchiha was truly going to drive her insane.
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Word spread quick in such a small village.
Everyone in town seemed to show up at the medical facility for checkups. Sasuke sat in the corner of the room, quiet, masked, and reading a book as she healed them one by one. The civilians praised her while she worked; brought her food and gifts. Asked her all kinds of questions.
What's the village up to these days?
You're Naruto Uzumaki's teammate, right?
When's he taking over as Hokage?
Don't you run the hospital in Konoha?
How'd we manage to get a commander to come all the way out here?
Is it true you can raise the dead?
It was this last question that came most often, whispered to her like some forbidden secret. And like the first time she'd heard it, the words knotted in her gut, leaden and sickening.
Sakura vowed to find whoever started the rumor and bury them.
There was no good way to answer it. In the past, she would've snapped at them for their delusions. Would've made them feel just as horrible as their inquiry made her.
Look around you. Use your brain. Of course, I can't fucking raise the dead, was what she wanted to say.
Would so many have died if she could? Wouldn't her friends have made it home? Wouldn't Kakashi still be the Hokage-to-be rather than Naruto? Why was the memorial full of plaques and every street full of phantoms?
If she could raise the dead, why were so many of her loved ones gone?
Wouldn't she have done it years ago if it were true? All those lives were her responsibility, after all. All those deaths rested on her shoulders. If bringing them back cost only her chakra, who in their right mind would've lived with this unmanageable burden?
But the child who had lost her mother, the wrinkled grandfather forced to raise his grandchildren, the widow still wearing her ring—to them, Sakura couldn't bring herself to voice any of that.
"It's not true, but I wish it were," she found herself repeating, hating how the patients' faces fell with the news.
At least in Konoha, no one asked such ridiculous things. Everyone back home knew exactly what she was and wasn't capable of.
The best medic in the world, who was prone to months-long stints in her own hospital. The girl who spent two hours every evening crying over graves in the memorial. Their medical commander who'd lost over half her medics in the war and brought home less than a third of the shinobi forces Konoha once boasted.
The doctor who shouldn't have ever been a gatherer. Who'd gotten too attached to her contact and been caught.
But it appeared none of those realities seeped beyond the village gates.
Miles away from her hometown, she was simply Sakura Haruno, the kunoichi who'd answered a helpless leader's request. The Fifth Hokage's apprentice. The Fire medic who'd commanded thousands. A woman strangers were happy to welcome and eager to flatter.
Someone people here in this tiny, out of the way town went out of their way to meet.
"I wanna be a medic like you when I grow up!" a little girl declared after her sprained ankle was set and mended.
Sakura patted the girl's head. "Is that right?"
"Yeah! Dad says your slug pet saved his life once! I wanna keep Dad safe, too."
"The slug is my summon. I contracted with her when I was a few years older than you. Her name's Lady Katsuyu." Grinning, she asked, "Would you like to meet her?"
The girl beamed. "Can I?!"
"Of course." Sakura bit her thumb, crouching to the ground. And even though she hoped this child, with her sparkling eyes and scarless skin, stayed in the comfort of this village forever; as far away from the world of shinobi as one could get—"Lady Katsuyu would love to meet a future medic."
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On their seventh day of travel, it rained.
She stumbled on a branch as the storm picked up, vision blurry. A moment later, Sasuke appeared beside her, tugging her arm back so she wouldn't jump to the next tree.
Frowning, he inspected her. Lifted his cape over them to block the rain.
"Why are you crying?" His free arm rose to wipe her cheeks dry.
All around them smelled of spring. The wet bark, the warm, wet earth. Warblers were warbling, frogs were croaking, and rain splashed into growing puddles littering the forest floor.
She'd always thought spring showers in Fire Country were a beautiful thing. When the leaves dripped and glistened and the clouds cast everything in a yellow-gray hue.
But this one reminded her of an excruciatingly tight embrace; an ashen, masked face. Of cold metal on her wrists. Of the world not ending when it should have.
It could've been Saturday again, for all she knew.
Closing her eyes, Sakura leaned into his palm. "The day Ino died… It was raining then, too." How steady her vulnerability poured out surprised her. "It's been a whole week since I visited her grave…"
Though only half a day from the next town, Sasuke set up camp early, ushering her soaked frame inside the tent.
They sat up late into the night, eating fish they'd caught the previous day and playing cards. He listened as she rambled about how Ino constantly used to cheat, and how Ino rarely ate seafood, and how Ino used to sleep with a lit candle inside the tent, despite Sakura warning her against it.
"She hated the dark more than she cared about it going up in flames, I guess," she said, chuckling even as her voice shook.
Sasuke laid three matching cards out before drawing a new one. "I prefer some light, too."
"Really?" She drew without looking at her hand. "But your room and tents were usually so dark."
"Well… Suigetsu would've had a heyday if he found out."
The corner of her mouth jerked up. "You mean, if he knew you like to use a night light?"
He scowled. "Don't you dare start."
"I haven't said a word."
"...Don't go telling him, either."
"Hmm..." She threw down two melds. "Rummy."
Sasuke's sights flew to the ground as his scowl worsened. "You're cheating now, aren't you?"
"Of course not. I play fair," she lied.
Gathering the cards, he started shuffling. "Ino taught you too well." As soon as the words were in the air, his fingers froze, spewing cards between them again. Expression guarded, his gaze lifted to hers. "Sorry… I said that without thinking."
Slowly, Sakura plucked up the ones around her, heart thumping in her chest; a wound inflamed by the rain beating their burlap shelter.
In another life, perhaps it was Ino across from her right now. In a distant universe, in a different reality—she and Ino might've been on a mission somewhere in Fire. Hiding from the storm in a candled tent, reminiscing instead on a boy who'd abandoned home 11 years ago.
There, far away from this world and all its debt, she hoped Ino was still smiling.
"...It's okay," she breathed. "I…don't mind talking about her. With you—like this." Tapping it into order, she held the deck for him to take. "And she was a great teacher."
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The following two towns went by in a similar fashion. Civilians crowded around her, ecstatic that Sakura, of all Konoha medics, had been dispatched.
And while she and Sasuke got along well for the rest of the trip, even slept curled up next to each other without battling it out first, their relationship hadn't progressed in the way she'd hoped for when the mission began.
Most nights, he kissed her before they fell asleep. His hands slipped under her shirt often enough. Grazed over her stomach and waist—lifted her legs around his hips.
But nothing more. Unfailingly, Sasuke stopped before it went anywhere. Surprisingly, however, as the days dragged on, she found herself not minding it; though to say she was frustrated would've been an understatement.
She supposed that had they started under normal circumstances, it would've looked something like this. More so than the way they'd gone about it, at least. Rather than influencing him into it with the seal or offering himself when she was falling apart—this quietly attentive version of Sasuke wasn't all that bad.
Exasperating boundaries and all.
If he'd never left Konoha, they might've always had conversations that didn't end with her upset or him annoyed. Could have stolen kisses during missions. Played cards while the rain drenched the earth. Caught fish as she splashed him with water and drew lots over who had to gather firewood once they patted dry.
Maybe it was the old-clan upbringing he'd had to let go of too soon, finally bearing its fruits. Or maybe it was simply him slowly working out what he wanted, without the pressures of a war and a village that wished him dead.
Whatever it was, it wasn't all that bad.
For a time, she thought the only way she'd ever feel close to Sasuke was when he sunk himself inside her. And some days, she still felt like they'd moved backwards.
But sometimes—when he grilled her dinner first or let her see him laugh at a stupid joke; told a story about his parents and asked about the friends she'd lost—it felt like they were merely filling in the steps they'd vaulted over.
Although, they could've done so while also having sex.
Not that she was going to bring it up again. The last thing they needed was another pointless argument. Or worse, him underhandedly teasing her for it the next day.
Within this timid impasse, they got to Kiri far earlier than planned.
Five miles from the gates, they tucked behind a tree and some overgrown brush. The dense forests in Water Country made it easy for two shinobi to hide away, but the humidity made it unpleasant to do so. Sakura wiped sweat off her brow and fanned out her shirt, regretting her choice in wearing black.
"I'm not meant to arrive for another week," she said, shifting so the canopy blocked the sun from her eyes. "Should we backtrack and camp further away for a few days?"
Seemingly unaffected by the heat even under all his layers, Sasuke watched her struggle, posture eased. Lips tilted in a way that told her he thought all her flailing was hilarious.
"Does it matter? You weren't really coming to do anything, anyway."
Under the pretext of offering to lay out hospital expansion plans and sharing training regimes, Kakashi had fabricated a reason for her to visit Kiri. And while Kiri eagerly accepted the proposal, it was little more than a diplomatic gesture between two nations.
Water had far fewer medics than Fire, but they weren't falling apart.
"They're expecting my help... Won't they find it suspicious if I come too early?"
"Why would that be suspicious?" he asked. "Tell them you had time, so you came."
"But I don't have a relationship with the Mizukage where I can show up unannounced."
"It's ahead of schedule, not unannounced. They'll be happy you're here at all."
"I don't know," she mumbled, chewing on her nail.
Returning to a main village felt daunting after her time in smaller towns. Especially one under the rule of a new Kage she didn't think very well of—not after the stunt he and the Tsuchikage pulled with Sasuke's agreement.
He grabbed her hand, blocking her teeth's assault. "It's not a big deal. You'll think of something if they bring it up."
"Well, I also don't want them asking me to stay longer if I start today."
"Then say no."
"That might upset them." Stepping out of his reach, she wiped the back of her neck and sighed. "I don't want to cause problems, either."
"This isn't your village. You probably won't have to see any of them again, except for the Mizukage. It doesn't matter what they think."
He still had an oddly soothing way of making her doubts feel silly.
"I guess so…"
"The sooner we finish here, the sooner we can get back." Crossing his arms, Sasuke leaned on a tree. "I say we get it over with."
"You miss Konoha that much?" she joked, smirking.
"I thought you might."
"Oh." Her smile fell as she studied his calm expression. If she were honest, during the past few weeks, Konoha only crossed her mind when the differences between it and the places they visited were too glaring to ignore. But Sakura wasn't quite ready to delve into that; so she changed the subject. "...How long will you need to find the person with the cursed seal?"
"Depends how quickly Suigetsu answers. I could get it all done by tonight."
"I see."
His stare was as hot as the air clogging up her lungs. When he looked at her like that, it was hard to breathe. His face and eyes said nothing, yet she felt pinned to the spot. As if she'd done something, or missed something, or left some unknown query unresolved.
Clearing her throat, she peered towards the treetops. "I know we came all this way…" Now that the time had come, she might as well bring it up before the opportunity passed. "But I don't care if we stay sealed. It doesn't bother me."
"Aa… I know."
"So why does it bother you so much?"
"It's not that it bothers me, either. I just think it's better to be rid of it," he replied.
"Because it ties you to—" Me, she nearly said. Hesitating, she finished with, "Konoha?"
Sasuke shook his head. "Anything from Orochimaru comes with a price, Sakura, and I don't trust he's been honest about all the side effects. We can't even be certain the seal he used was the one he claimed. And if it is the old marriage seal, it fell out of use for a reason." Glancing down at his wrist, he frowned. "I admit it had its uses, but we shouldn't keep it longer than necessary. Its utility has run its course."
"I guess so…" she mumbled, touching her own seal.
"You're worried about getting it removed." His blunt delivery made her think he must've overheard her thinking of it somewhere along the line.
If so, there was no point in denying it. "Yes."
"You usually have more faith in me."
He'd definitely heard something. "I do, but this is different."
"Not really."
"If you say so," she concluded, letting the matter go.
After all, she hadn't brought it up to convince him to keep it. Nothing she argued would change his opinion. She knew that.
Though she still didn't understand why he'd go through all this trouble when he seemed as concerned with the seal as she was—which wasn't at all. These days, she mostly forgot it was there. And lately, even when he slept, his mind was quiet enough not to leak into hers.
Given time, out of obligation, she eventually would've persuaded him to resurrect Orochimaru, anyway. Probably.
Maybe.
But it was strange Sasuke had offered first. From all she'd seen, little love was lost between shishou and student. Only a month ago, Sakura would've assumed he'd prefer leaving the Sannin dead for good.
"Well, there is another reason I want it removed," he elaborated, tugging her back to the present.
"What is it?"
"You have—" His mouth moved in soundless words. The corners twitched as he closed it and tried again. "You'll see once it's gone."
"Just tell me. I hate surprises."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"I just can't." He shrugged. "You'll understand after."
Sakura knew immediately this was another lost battle. Shooting him a glare, she pulled off her pack.
"Fine. We'll get it over with, as you said." She fished out a teleport tag and a pen. Used her palm as a surface to scribble down the jutsu; smacked it to the tree he leaned on when she finished. "Lend me a senbon."
He unsealed one and handed it to her. Stabbing it into the damp bark, she tacked the tag into place.
"Let's meet here by eight tonight, whether you've finished or not."
"Sounds good," he said.
"If you get caught, tell them to send for me."
Sasuke tugged the owl mask from the top of his head. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."
"Alright. Eight o'clock, okay? Don't be late."
"Aa. I got it." Closing the distance between them, he poked her forehead. One of these days, she'd ask him why he did that. "Nine o'clock."
They might've gotten closer, but she still rarely appreciated his terrible humor.
"Sasuke," she monotoned.
Laughter danced in his voice—"Go on, I'll be here when you finish."
there's a DISCORD for this story, if anyone wants to join to chat about it,
or just wants to chat about sasusaku in general!
the invite code is: WV62DCrCqM
.
and thanks to Leech for beta-reading
