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naplunamod · 4 years

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primrose (an itaxsaku fic)

This was for a gift exchange in an itasaku server i was in...my prompt was “That doesn’t mean what you think it means.” here’s hoping that whoever’s prompt i got will see this (sorry it’s late i got caught up with taking summer classes)

Men were dense.

Uchiha men unbelievably so. Or at least that's what she thought at first.

So when Sakura received her first bouquet of flowers from Itachi Uchiha, a beautiful mixture of blue salvias, pansies, pink camellias with a single creamy white lily in the middle of it, for her official graduation as Tsunade's apprentice, she smiled and blushed while taking it but ultimately thought nothing of it. After all men were strange and Itachi Uchiha was perhaps the strangest of them all.

The second time Sakura received flowers from Itachi Uchiha, if you could even consider them flowers, just so happened to be after a particularly hard death. She was 6 years old. Eyes as clear and unique as the twilight sky they reminded her of...at least when they weren't darkened to a deep purple with pain. Lady Tsunade tried to warn her. There were just some things medical chakra (which speeds up cell division to produce new healthy cells) couldn't heal. She should have listened. So when there were no more sweet smiles, no more ringing laughter, no more soft pleas for “Pleeeeease just one more story and I promise i'll go to sleep Sakura Onee-chan pretty pretty please with frosting on top”, Sakura was an emotionally devastated wreck (it came with wearing your heart on your sleeve). So when she saw the small aloe vera plant sitting so innocently on her window sill the next morning with his perfect scrawling handwriting on an even smaller card, she got angry. Was he mocking her? Giving her a plant that promoted healing, with an angry grief stricken cry the aloe had a new home against her wall. But, just like her, the next day the aloe was back in her window in it's small broken pot now glued back together with a small thank you written in messy doctor's script. That afternoon Tillian (or Tilli as Naruto and Ino would come to know her) gained a window buddy a golden pothos by the name of Balthazar (courtesy of Kakashi-sensei. It was cute in a weird sort of way).

These in her opinion strange but thoughtful and hey what girl didn't like to receive flowers every now and then occurrences continued to happen for a while. A daffodil here, an iris there whether it was a special occasion or not. Most of the time they were left on her doorstep or windowsill with just his name and no explanation. And never a bouquet, not since that first time, just a single flower in a small vase or with a cute ribbon tied around it.

The first time he actually spoke to her was on her 21st birthday. Because she had an early shift the next day and totally NOT because a certain ramen obsessed ninja begged her and threatened to tell a certain Ino-pig that she wanted a big blow out party until she gave in she found herself at a small celebration at Ichiraku. Naruto was going on about he and Sasuke's latest mission which ended up with Sasuke waist deep in muck and him dangling upside down from above while being attacked by the migratory birds they were sent to capture and relocate. Naruto was wildly and animatedly getting to the best part (his words and not her own), evidently one of the male birds took a liking to the back of Sasuke's head a little too much his resulting shudder and grumbled “It wasn't THAT funny dobe” made it all the funnier though she'd never say that out loud when they were interrupted by Itachi's soft and smooth “Sakura-San”. Somewhat surprised she smiled and returned his greeting. “Itachi-San. What brings you by?” Both Sasuke and Naruto seemed to be taken aback by Itachi's soft smile shot her way though she really had no idea why. Sure he was a little bit emotionally repressed but no more so than Sai.

If Itachi was uncomfortable with the sudden attention he was getting from Sasuke and Naruto he didn't show it. “I heard from a little black birdie that I might find you here for your birthday.”

Sakura hummed not surprised at all at that bit of information though she did make a mental note to put said curly-haired black birdie on bedpan duty for a week. Shisui may be an Uchiha in name but he was just about as gossipy as some of the younger nurses in the hospital and last thing she needed was rumors being started. Still she nodded to Itachi “Yeah I didn't want anything big so I decided to have dinner with the boys.”

Itachi nodded to them as if seeing them for the first time “Ototo, Naruto-kun... I don't mean to intrude I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday and to give you these.”

Sakura gently took the small bouquet he held out to her. “It's beautiful...thank you Itachi-san”. Much smaller than the first this one contained only a few simple flowers. A few magenta zinnias, a few gardenias and a red carnation framed by some smilax vines.

Itachi dipped his head “Ah. I will take my leave then. Enjoy your meal Sakura-san. Ototo, Naruto-kun.” Just as quickly as he appeared he was gone.

Sighing softly Sakura could feel their stares at the back of her head effectively ruining the mood. “What?” she turned to her two brothers in arms.

“What was that about??” Naruto pointed story forgotten.

“Ah...are you and my brother dating?” If it were anyone but Sasuke she would swear there was a hint of jelousy in his voice...then again it was Itachi he was asking about so it probably was.

Shrugging Sakura looked at the two of them “No we're not dating. He was just being nice it is my birthday after all.” Not that she should have to explain herself to them but really they were reading too much into a kind gesture. At their disbelieving looks she frowned “Look...Naruto remember last year when Itachi-san got you those special kunai for your birthday? And don't even get me started on how he practically buys out every tomato in the village for Sasuke's. Presents are expected to be given for your birthday. He's just being nice. Nothing more.”

More time passed and things continued on in the same manner. Sakura realized that soon she would need to start drying out and preserving her flowers because she was beginning to run out of room and even though it only used the most minimal amount of chakra to keep them fresh and beautiful eventually even that wears on you. Vowing to herself that after her shift she'd stop by the Yamanaka flower shop to grab a flower scrap book it would soon be forgotten for now. It would also lead to the first time in a few months that Sakura wouldn't receive flowers for a while. For when she reached her office one of the newly graduated nurses was waiting for her at her office door. His name was Tsukishima Kei, only a few years younger than her he was already well on his way to becoming head nurse. With his short messy blonde hair, honey colored brown eyes, and physic that despite not being a shinobi shows that he takes time to keep in shape it was really no wonder he was popular among the female patients however, he was surprisingly well liked with the kids. He could almost rival Shisui in the looks department though unlike Shisui his bedside manner could use some work. Nodding in greeting to him Sakura let him into her office after he asked to speak with her for a moment. Fifteen minutes later Tsukishima left her office and Sakura found herself with a date that Saturday evening. Ino was positively excited although Sakura got the distinct air of disappointment once she told Ino who it was she was going out with. But Ino didn't tell so she didn't ask. Sakura also vaguely wondered why Ino didn't comment on the bounty of flowers dotting her apartment everywhere... with the way she absolutely refused to let Sakura pick out her own clothes or do her own hair. But she had to admit when Ino finished she looked absolutely radiant. Tsukishima thought so too earning him a pretty blush as she looped her arm through his with a wave to Ino not to wait up. She never even noticed Ino's frown or the purple aster and another blue salvia sitting by her doorstep, carefully brought in by Ino upon her leaving. She did notice however a few weeks into dating Tsukki at his insistence she found it kinda cute that he wanted her to call him by the same nickname he best friend did... that the flowers had stopped. It made her feel weird and not in a good way. Did Itachi somehow know they were dating? And why did it matter so much? A week later much to her relief, perhaps with the uptick of missions he didn't have time to leave her any Sakura found a small bundle of yellow flowers on her desk. A yellow carnation, a yellow hyacintha, a marigold, and a yellow rose lay neatly on her desk tied up in a yellow ribbon. Smiling fondly albeit a little confused that they weren't in a vase like usual she pulled out a beaker and filled it with water for the flowers and placed them on the corner of her desk. Two months into dating Tsukki they decided mutually to break it off. While they found that they challenged each other intellectually they both agreed that that certain romantic spark just wasn't there. Sakura also realized that deep down some part of her was almost happy at the turn of events because she hadn't received any more flowers from Itachi since the yellow ones and she was 90% sure he knew she was dating someone despite she and Tsukki's efforts to keep it secret. It was weird how the thought of not getting more flowers from him, despite them rarely talking or seeing each other bothered her more than breaking up with Tsukki. It also didn't hurt that she noticed the longing glances that he shared with the new doctor, she believed his name was Tetsuro Kuroo and even teased him about them laughing at Tsukki's sputtering blush. It wasn't until Ino decided to visit one afternoon for lunch that Sakura realized that there might indeed be something to the flowers she had been receiving. It was a few days after her breakup honestly she never knew how Ino found out these things about her personal life so fast and Sakura agreed under the condition that they had lunch in her office because she was on duty today and on call for the next few days to which Ino readily agreed. As usual for their lunch dates they talked about their days what they had been doing since last seeing each other to her surprise Ino had started a tentative relationship with Sai of all people. Naturally talking about her own budding relationship Ino asked her friend about her own to which Sakura explained about she and Tsukki's mutual break up. And while she didn't seem too upset about it Ino still felt the need reply because at this rate the biggest fish was likely to swim away.

“Cheer up forehead. You know how that old cliche saying goes there are plenty of other fish in the sea.” She gauged her friend's reaction.

Sakura hummed not committally into her food “I don't know pig. The general consensus has not been in my favor. Aside from Tsukki nobody has shown any interest in me.”

Ino could have.... wanted to slap her forehead. She knew Sakura could be a bit stubborn...still watching her friend closely she wondered if Sakura even knew with a mental sigh and eye roll (really and she though men were difficult but this also was Sakura she was talking about) “Those flowers on your desk seem to suggest otherwise.” she said dryly with a wave to the still living bundle.

Sakura looked up from her food with a raised eyebrow. “What are you talking about pig?” Those are just flowers....arn't they?

Ino did sigh out loud this time leave it to Sakura to forget the first thing they learned in kunoichi class. “If you don't know I'm not going to tell you.” She stood and grabbed her things but was sastified when Sakura got that look that she got when trying to puzzle something out. “Tell you what. Because I'm such an awesome friend...” she flipped her long hair behind her back earning an eyeroll from Sakura “...stop by the shop after your shift and I'll give you a hint. And bring those with you.” She nodded at the yellow flowers on her way out.

Sakura sighed as she settled into her couch notebook and scrap book in one hand, the book Ino let her borrow the night before “The Kunoichi's Kado” and a fresh hot cup of tea ready to do what she was best known for...research. She supposed if Ino went through all of this trouble she could at least give it a try though she was fairly confident that nothing would come of this. Especially after finding a new set of flowers on her windowsill this morning, a clovenlip toadflax, a moss rosebud and a spider flower. At least that had been her mindset when she started this little project hours earlier. But...she couldn't deny the evidence right in front of her and maybe realized it a lot sooner if she had continued on with her kunoichi classes.

Blue salvia - I think of you

pansy – love and admiration

iris - a message

pink camellia – longing for you

white lily – purity

aloe vera – grief He was grieving with her she realized looking over to Tillie

golden pothos – perseverance

daffodil - you're the only one

magenta zinnias – lasting affection

gardenia – secret love

red carnation – admiration, my heart aches for you

smilax – loveliness

purple aster – kindness, gentleness, wisedom

yellow carnation – jealousy

yellow hyacintha – jealousy

marigold – jealousy

yellow rose – jealousy

Sakura sighed at this though she supposed she couldn't blame him. She'd be jealous if she saw her crush going out with someone else as well. That also explained the lack of flowers.

Clovenlip toadflax – please notice my feelings for you

moss rosebud – confession of love

spider flower – elope with me hopefully he meant go out with him Sakura wasn't sure if she was ready for marrage just yet.

All this time Itachi had been plainely or not so plainely stating his feelings for her and she never realized. Though in a way it made sense not being able to express himself outwardly he expressed himself in the only way he really knew how. And she never noticed. She had to go see him right away. She had to know. Had to let him know.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at his pink haired teammate who currently was huffing like she had sprinted across the village which is exactly what she did she needed to train more with her boys if she's this winded from a little sprint.

“S...Sasuke is Itachi home? I need to talk to him.”

Sasuke's eyebrow rose even higher “Hn... he just left for a mission with his team about 10 minutes ago. His team moves pretty fast but if you hurry you might be able to catch him.” Sakuke watched as her whole body seem to deflate meaning she likely wasn't going to go after him. Especially when he saw her worrying her lip with indecision “Look...his team is fast and effiecent. He should be gone for maybe three days. If that long. You could always just tell him when he gets back.” He leaned aganst the doorway still watching her.

“Y...yeah you're right. I wouldn't want him to not be focused on the mission. And I just might need a little more time to think myself.”

“Let me guess. You found something out and made a rash decision?” Sasuke smirked.

Sakura narrowed her eyes “How long?”

“Since your birthday for sure.”

“And you didn't say anything?” she asked incredulously.

Again Sasuke shrugged “Wasn't my place.”

“Ass...” Sakura muttered hating to admit that he was right. No matter how frustrating it was knowing that she wouldn't be getting any answers rigtht away. But perhase it was for the best. A relationship with Uchiha Itachi wasn't something she could or should just jump into. “And you're ok with this?”

“At least I'm a good looking one.” Sasuke retorted earning himself an eye roll and a punch to the shoulder. “Besides. I'd rather it be you than any of his fangirls.”

Something wasn't right. Sakura could feel it like a second skin clinging to her rousing her from her sleep long before the Anbu arrived at her window. Call it a 7th sense if you will that medics tended to develop. She was already half way dressed when she heard the familiar tapping at her window.

“The Hokage requires your assistance. Several recon teams have come in severely injured and in critical condition.”

Grabbing several soilder pills for herself no doubt in her mind she'd need them tonight they were both gone in a flash. What greeted Sakura was nothing short of complete chaos. Rolling her sleeves up she dived into the fray. Nobody would be dying tonight if she could help it.

Beep...

Beep....

Beep.......

Itachi groaned blindly reaching out to turn off that incessant beeping from his alarm. His entire body was sore all over and all he wanted to do was roll over and go back to sleep. His brow furrowed as his brain struggled to connect the dots. there shouldn't be an alarm clock going off he should still be out in the field....His eyes shot open and he sat up a little too quickly causing the world of sterile white around him to swim. Just how long was he out? He looked around the room once his vision cleared at least he was in a Konoha hospital which means he and his team had made it back...or close enough for someone to find them and bring them back. Laying back against his pillows he turned his head intending to get some more rest before he was undoubtedly bombarded with friends, family and the Hokage once they all knew he was awake when he saw evidence of someone already having visited. He chuckled softly to himself and closed his eyes. On the night stand was a black and red vase....it's contents a jonquil, a white jasmine and a single sakura branch. Returned affections and willingness respectively the thought of Sakura was willing to give them a try filled him with a nervous sort of warmth as he sank back into the bed tiredness once again over taking him. It took a while, and admittedly he was worried but it seems that in the end he shouldn't have.

#itachi x sakura #itach uchiha #itachi #itachi uchiha #Sakura Haruno #sakura x itachi #sakura #itasaku #sakuita #ita x saku #saku x ita #flowers #meanings of flowers #fanfic #fluff #romance #prompts #i worked really hard on this #oblivious sakura

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peepingtoad · 4 years

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|| @vinodiriso ; cont. {x}

He’s grumbling and scratching his chin, and there’s a black blotch in the corner of his mouth from where he’s been chewing his pen nib in concentration. Then, a graceless yelp as he realises that there’s a little cute face peering over his shoulder. A curious doe, looking at what he’s been jotting. “Oh, it’s—it’s nothing! Just a thing I’m working on…” Ah, and he can only hope that her knowledge of seals falls short, that she won’t realise the designs are for chakra suppressants. “… For a thing!”

𓆏𓆏𓆏

Archives were unfortunately Yoshino’s territory, if only because she was one with a sincere passion for retrieving and studying old missions reports, she loved reading about names of legend: Sarutobi Sasuke, Senju Tobirama, Uzumaki Mito, and even more recent ones, Orochimaru, Senju Tsunade, Namikaze Minato. It was her quite distorted version of light reading, although it was explicit reports of manslaughter, arson, espionage, racket, and some of the most wicked ninja activities.

That time though, she was aching for quiet and peace: the Cryptoanalysis team and her had come up with a new coding system to make sensitive data and private information unreadable for those who didn’t know how to decode their encrypted messages. Something so important sounded like a task for the War HQ Commander, but Shikaku himself admitted Yoshino was way better than him at everything concerning mathematic and logic --- moreover, he trusted her to be able to handle such a thing. Translation: that was a drag Yoshino could deal with.

When Yoshino’s gaze had stumbled upon Jiraiya’s large figure, she became immediately curious: several, heavy tomes in her arms, she started peering from upon his shoulder to check on his work. Her lips formed a very surprised ‘o’ as she laid her eyes across the scroll he was working on. The designs on it were so complex, so intricate, a mixture of kanji and formulae in languages Yoshino could not read.

She blushed as she was reminded that, even if Jiraiya and her were good friends, and even if sometimes he did look like a fool, Jiraiya was one of the Densetsu no Sannin. He was one of the most dangerous ninja in Konohagakure, and very likely in the Land of Fire --- not to mention the rest of the world. It was humbling and heartwarming to remember that a ruthless, powerful entity like him had taken an interest in a tiny little thing like her.

“It might be, but you are looking very guilty,” Yoshino stated, as she took her seat next to him. Being him working at the moment, she rested assured she would have gotten the silence she wanted to start encoding the messages.

And in regard of ‘looking like a fool’, his mouth was totally stained with ink. A resigned smile, the kunoichi picked a tissue from her side pouch and wiped the corner of his lips roughly, trying to get the ink away. She only made it worse, which in result forced her to keep her laugh in not to hurt his feelings.

“I am sure that whatever it is, it’s for a very unchivalrous purpose.”

Security in the archives sure had ramped up from what it used to be back in the days just before the Second War. The stuff he needed access to today, mostly research of Senju Tobirama’s that was deemed ‘forbidden’, had been cordoned off in cabinets behind numerous seals—and while this greatly inconvenienced him, it didn’t deter him. Of course, in the last few years there was all the more reason for security to be tighter, now more than ever given certain knowledge-and-jutsu hungry serpents trying to raise the dead, but fortunately for Jiraiya these measures stood no chance in the face of his extensive knowledge on the subject.

After all, this was the man who could remember incredibly specific and personal information, to the point where he could tailor make a code that only one particular person would ever understand, and this was the man who could memorise the order of cards played in order to predict and forge a winning or losing hand for whosoever he wished; but perhaps most importantly of all, this was the man who had contributed firsthand to a sizeable wealth of these archives. Not only was it mission reports and intel, but it was reams worth of documented seals, both neatly transcribed from scrolls too aged and delicate for regular handling and others of his very own design, along with fragments of studies he’d begun and not finished, but submitted for safekeeping—or for an intrepid understudy to delve and develop further, should they wish.

It struck him, of course, that had he just asked, he would have simply been allowed access to the restricted stuff... but the way he saw it, if he could break the seals, then someone like Orochimaru most certainly could if they decided to infiltrate. They needed to get better.

On this occasion, he was mostly here for those old notes of his anyway, and just one or two bits of Tobirama’s work. What had started a few years back as a joint project he and Minato had begun to try and aid Kushina through those rough years as a new jinchūriki, back when the enraged Kyūbi was at its most volatile (and which she totally proved herself not to need in the end), was now being revisited for a new purpose. Using Nidaime’s research into Chakra Virus and his own work on chakra suppressants intended for bijū, what he was hoping to achieve here was the creation of a seal for no grand purpose besides making the life of one he... had befriended, much easier.

So of course, who would happen to interrupt him during this project but exactly that friend?

And why was he surprised, given her position? She was the brains behind... well, the brains alongside Shikaku, War HQ Commander. Obviously he was just so wrapped up in his work that he didn’t consider the possibility of her also coming here regularly for work purposes. Still, it didn’t seem to him like there was any particular flash of recognition illuminating her eyes as she took a seat nearby, for which he was thankful. He didn’t want her to know until it was definitely, definitely ready.

Thank god that grass script was exceptionally hard to read unless it was your own...

A moment of quiet befell them as the Yukinohana laid out her books and scrolls, and he too turned his attention back to his work... but when he found the side of his mouth and chin being wiped at with a tissue his head snapped up to look at her with wide, blinking eyes. Rubbing at the spot, which now stung from her almost brutal scrubbing, his gaze dropped to the black, inky smudge that came off on his finger, and his mouth fell into a pout. Embarrassing.

“Humph! You wound me, Yoshino!” he huffed, affronted by such baseless accusations. “It’s actually very important work I’m doin’ here. Very, very important. Just sit back and watch the master at work, yeah?”

Although he was smirking after that little flare-up of the old bravado, his gaze drifted over to the book that was still opened to the ‘Chakra Virus’ section. Although it was only the tail end of a paragraph leading on to the next condition, he still saw fit to casually reach over and flip the cover shut before leading them neatly onto a new subject. Just to deflect from what he was up to, despite having just bragged about its importance.

“So, how about you?” he drawled, eyeing up the spines of the many tomes. “Looks like you’ve got a lot on your hands there. Working on some new ciphers?”

#vinodiriso #{vinodiriso | yoshino}#still got ink on his face pffffff-#{thread:seals&ciphers}#{verse:dōbyōaiawaremu | vinodiriso:yoshino}#{q.}

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hiddenleafstoryteller · 5 years

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Can i ask 💙,🖤 and ❤️ for Kankuro pls??

Okay so I went a lil’ overboard on this length wise but oof once my brain got the idea I had to type it!

I hope you enjoy!

💙 “Soooo who was that?��

🖤 “Jealousy? That word isn’t even in my vocabulary!”

❤️ “You’re cute, even when your face looks like that”

Thank you for the request anon!

Word Count: 2,803

TW: Child Loss

Squicks: Crude Humor, Alchohol mention, fighting

[Y/N] glared up at the gates of Sunagakure and shook her head as she adjusted her hood, trying to deflect the glare of the sun. It had been an entire year since she had had this much sand trapped in her shoes and the sensation was far from pleasant.

She steps through the large wooden door and begins her walk towards the office of the Kazekage. The village had barely changed since the last time she had walked it’s narrow streets, but she had.

Rounding the corner into the marketplace she ganders amongst the wares, pausing at her old favorite booth.

“[Y/N]? Yours is a face I never expected to see gazing over my jewelry again.” A cheerful voice calls out as she looks up into the face of the cheerful old woman who often provided [Y/N] with beautiful gemstones. They were common in the desert, and the old woman just always seemed to find the very best ones.

“I’m on a mission, I’ve been spent to speak with the Kazekage.” [Y/N] explains and watches as the woman’s smile falters slightly.

“Ah, I had hoped…-” She trails off, a soft glance down at the young girls left hand, “-Ah! None the matter, only the ramblings of an old woman!”

[Y/N] gives a soft smile before picking up a small carved Jade flower and looks at the delicate little trinket in her palm.

“How much?” She looks up into the old woman’s eyes, who chuckles softly.

“For you? Nothing.” The old woman closes [Y/N]’s hand around the green stone, and [Y/N] gasps softly.

“But-” She goes to protest but the woman cuts her off.

“I’ve missed the happiness you brought to this village, and the smiles you gave to people.” She explains slowly, “He hasn’t been the same, you know.”

The last sentence hits [Y/N]’s soul, causing her to close her eyes for a moment to keep her composer.

“I must be going. Thank you for my gift.” She hurries away from the booth, dropping the flower into the pocket on her flak jacket, as she speeds down the main road to the offices.

He hasn’t been the same, you know.

The words echoed in her mind as she steps into the cool building. She removes her head covering as she pulls her [Y/H/C] braid out from being tucked in the hood. She glances in the mirror as the electric lights cause a shimmer to glow across the symbol of her beloved hidden leaf village.

She steps down the hallway towards the door of the Kazekage’s office, her footsteps echoing along the empty corridor.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly raises her fist to deliver three quick knocks to the door.

“Enter!” Gaara’s usual sullen voice calls out from behind the door, and [Y/N] opens it.

“[Y/N]!” Gaara exclaims as she walks inside and shuts the door behind her, “When the Hokage said she was sending someone, I never expected, it’s a relief to see you.” The words rushed out of Gaara’s mouth as he was quick to give the familiar girl a hug.

After all, she had been engaged to his brother only a year ago.

“It’s a relief to see you as well Gaara, I’m sorry I didn’t write.” She stands up and faces the red haired boy who had almost become her brother and let out a deep sigh.

“I-I don’t blame you at all, after what….happened.” His voice falters and she nods, sitting down in the chair in front of his desk.

“Shall we discuss the Hokages message then?” Her voice is curt as she desperately tries to change the subject. Gaara sits across from her as they begin to discuss the current state of affairs of their respective villages.

A short time later a door hidden in the wall of Gaara’s office swings open and Temari stepped into the office, a folder of papers in her hand.

“Gaara, will you be home for dinner tonight? Kankuro is bringing that new girlfr-” Her sentence is cut short as she stares at [Y/N] in a mixture of joy and shock.

[Y/N] gives a soft laugh, “You know Temari, it’s amazing how someone can still look so cute with their face looking like that.” She teases her long time friend as they pull each other into a hug. Unlike Gaara’s hug, Temari’s wasn’t awkward, she really needed it just as much as [Y/N] did.

“You are the sunshine I needed to see today!” Temari says as they pull away from each other and [Y/N] sits back in her chair.

“I probably won’t make it to dinner tonight, [Y/N] and I have a lot of work to do.” Gaara says gesturing to the papers that now littered his usually neat desk.

“Are you going to be staying in your old apartment? I think it’s still the same as when you left.” Temari asks and [Y/N] shrugs.

“Probably, I’m expecting a fellow shinobi to be arriving any minute now and that place has two bedrooms.” [Y/N] explains as she begins to stack up her papers.

“Anyone we know?” Temari asks as she joins them at Gaara’s desk.

“Oh, just Sasuke,- ” [Y/N] says as she pulls out a pen from her pocket and starts to underline things on the paper in front of her, “-We’ve been partnered on a few missions lately, we’re leaving for another mission as soon as I’m done here.”

Gaara lets out a cough, as he and Temari exchange a look.

“Maybe dinner wouldn’t be half bad,-” Gaara says as he stands up, “-please join us [Y/N] it will be nice having you in the house again.’

“Oh, I don’t think that would be a good ide-” [Y/N] begins to protest but Temari shakes her head.

“If Kankuro says a damn thing to you, I’ll kick his ass myself.” She nods in her friends direction, who takes a deep breath.

“Fine, just let me go shower first.” [Y/N] groans inwardly and stands up, pulling her hood back over her face.

“And don’t worry Tem, if Kankuro says anything to me, I might just kill him myself.” She smirks and steps out into the hallway.

———————————————————-—-—––

The hot water of her shower brought ease to [Y/N]’s tensed shoulders as she tried to calm herself down.

He hasn’t been the same, you know.

[Y/N] punches the wall of the shower, she didn’t want to think about him. As her hand began to throb she felt a tight pain in her lower abdomen and her hand finds its way to the series of scars that littered her stomach.

They hardly ever hurt anymore.

Although there wasn’t a day that went by where she didn’t think of where they had come from and the repercussions they had had. She brushes her teeth in the shower, a quirk she had picked up while living here.

Quick showers and brushing your teeth at the same time to conserve water.

“Showering together is the best way to conserve water.” Kankuro had used to tease her when they first met. Sometimes she missed his sense of humor.

After drying off, she wraps herself in her black silken robe and sits in front of her vanity. Seeing her [light/tan/dark] skin in the glow of nothing but the vanity lights gave a very eerie effect to her already sullen face. The year had taken its toll on her, not holding back at all.

She begins to brush out her hair, deciding to wear it up in a tight bun instead of her usual braid. It takes a few tries before she’s happy with the result, she moves onto her makeup. When she’s satisfied with her presentation she walks over to her closet full of clothes she hadn’t seen in a year.

She had never cleaned her apartment in Sunagakure, after all she was the elected diplomat between the two villages under Lady Tsunade. [Y/N] was grateful that the fifth hokage hadn’t pulled her out of the position after last year's attack on the village hidden in the sand.

The year off had been filled with recovery, both physically and mentally, back home in the leaf village where [Y/N] had been born.

[Y/N] changes into a dark green dress that was hugged her curves gently, and a pair of black thigh high leather boots. They had been a gift from Temari for her twenty-first birthday.

She walks through the kitchen, making sure she has everything she needs for the night when she hears a heavy knock on the front door. She has a grip on the kunai hidden in her belt as she turns the doorknob.

“Oh, Sasuke!” She lets out a sigh of relief as her comrade smiles at her as his gaze wanders up and down her body.

“You look incredible [Y/N], what’s the occasion?” He asks as he steps inside, tossing his bag onto the table in the kitchen.

“A dinner party with lord kazekage and his siblings, you’re welcome to join.’ She says as he looks up at her.

“You aren’t nervous about seeing Kankuro?” He questions and she sighs, her gaze falling to a photograph that was framed on a shelf.

“You two looked very happy.” Sasuke observes as the photo of [Y/N] and Kankuro the day they had gotten engaged.

She takes the photo and tips it down so that she doesn’t have to look.

“It’s the past Sasuke, and besides, he has a new girlfriend according to Temari.” [Y/N] remarks as she grabs her keys and heads to the door again.

The two friends step out into the street as the sun started to dip down on the horizon, a cool breeze brushes through the usually scorching desert.

“You ready for this?” Sasuke asks as they stand in front of Gaara’s front door.

[Y/N] shrugs, “We’ll see.”

Sasuke knocks on the door and it opens soon to reveal Temari who smiles at the two of them.

“Come in! It’s good to see you again Sasuke.” She says as they walk through the front hall and into the dining room.

[Y/N] and Kankuro make eye contact from across the table as an awkward feeling began to take over the room.

“Hello.” She says simply as Sasuke pulls out a chair for her. She thanks him and sits down. A clatter from across the table causes her to look up to see Kankuro had knocked over his glass which had made contact with his plate.

“Sasuke, [Y/N], it’s good to see you.” Kankuro says as he sits up in his chair. The girl to his right, clears her throat and she makes eye contact with [Y/N].

“[Y/N]? Your ex-fiance [Y/N]?” She asks her lips pressing into a thin line and [Y/N] looks down at her plate, her jaw clenched.

“And a dear family friend.” Gaara says coldly and [Y/N] smirks slightly as she turns and starts to talk with Sasuke and Temari.

Dinner goes smoothly, [Y/N] catches Kankuro staring at her from time to time but she tries her best to appear unbothered. As the meal draws to a close, she steals away to the kitchen with Gaara who offers her a drink.

“She is revolting.” He mumbled against his glass as he takes a sip and she chuckles against hers.

“Kank seems happy.” She comments and Gaara shakes his head.

“You haven’t seen him as much as I have [Y/N], he’s changed so much since the attack.” Gaara goes on and [Y/N] sighs, glancing out the window.

“I saw the way you were looking at her Kankuro!” The shrill voice cuts through the conversation [Y/N] is having with Gaara. They both exchange a look and head back out to the dining room where Kankuro stands on one side of the room and his girlfriend on the other.

Kankuro looked on the verge of tears and his girlfriend was using that to her advantage.

“You’re not over her, and you expect to just be okay with her being around here? We’re leaving!” She goes to storm past him and he doesn’t move.

“I’m not leaving.” He says bluntly and [Y/N] gasps softly as the scene unfolds.

“Excuse me?” The girl glares at him and turns back to face him,

“I said I am not leaving.” His voice is firm and he looks directly at her.

She raises her hand as if to strike him and [Y/N] bursts forward and grabs her wrist, stopping her slap midair.

“I suggest you leave now.” [Y/N] hissed through gritted teeth as she shoved the girl forward and towards the door.

The other girl laughs and glares directly into [Y/N]’s eyes, “You may be a better shinobi than I am, but at least I would be able to protect my child.” She pulls her hand away from [Y/N]’s grasp before storming out into the night.

She turns around to finally face Kankuro with an entire years worth of baggage in her gaze.

“I’m sorry.” The two words fall heavy from her lips, “ I don’t think she likes me very much.”

She was sorry.

Sorry for running away.

Sorry for breaking off the engagement.

Sorry for trying to pretend she was okay.

Sorry for not being able to protect-

“I will never blame you for what happened that day [Y/N].” Kankuro’s voice is barely above a whisper as he steps towards her.

[Y/N] pushes past him and walks towards the backdoor. She hoped some fresh air would do her mind well as she steps into the cool dark desert night. She pulls a cigarette and lighter out of her purse slowly and lights one.

She had picked up a few bad habits over the year.

Kankuro follows her moments later, he steps onto the porch and stands by the door awkwardly.

“So, who was she?” [Y/N] nods her head back towards the door as he steps closer to her. His purple face paint looked ghastly against his sullen skin.

“A girl from the village, nothing really special.” He comments and sits with her on the steps.

“Special enough to bring around your siblings.” She replies and he reaches for a smoke.

“Just enough to patch the void that you left.” He mutters as he lights his cigarette.

“Ouch.” She chuckles as she takes along drag.

“So, you and Sasuke huh?” He questions and [Y/N] raises an eyebrow.

“Why? You jealous?” She teases him softly before giving a soft cough as she inhales again.

“Jealousy? You know that word isn’t in my vocabulary poppet.” He chuckles as he stares out into the night, the cigarette slowly burning away in his grasp.

“No, we aren’t a thing. He’s just my escort for the next mission.” [Y/N] extinguishes her cigarette before putting the butt back into the pack.

“I do wish you had stayed. You’re not the only one who lost something that day.” She hears the falter in his voice and the tears jump to her eyes.

“I don’t want to talk about it Kank.” She says and goes to stand up but he grabs her hand.

“[Y/N], our baby was real. You can’t just try and pretend that it never happened, that isn’t healthy!” He exclaims and she feels the tears stream down her face.

“I may not understand exactly how you feel but I watched the love of my life almost die, I lost my first born before I even was able to meet them.” His voice cracks as he grips onto her hand.

“I killed him you know, the rogue ninja that stabbed you” His voice changes as he says this, an icy chill creeps over [Y/N]’s spine.

“I had heard rumors.” She admits and he nods as she sits back with him.

“[Y/N], do you think our baby knew how much we loved them?” He asks suddenly and she feels her stomach lurch and she closes her eyes.

“They knew. The entire village loved that baby.” She smiles as she thinks back, they had just announced the pregnancy the week prior. Their engagement had been the most exciting news for the village hidden in the sand, followed by a practically royal baby? Both villages had mourned along with the young couple

“I still love you Kankuro.” She whispers as she looks at him and he smiles.

“I never stopped loving you,-” He replies before kissing her cheek gently, “-The ring is still in my workshop, and I hope someday it will be back on your finger poppet.”

#tw: child loss #kankuro #kankuro imagine #naruto imagines #unlisted

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silverfootstepswrites · 5 years

Text

Amaryllis | Chapter 15

< Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 >

+++

A sigh escaped her parted lips. Warm oil dripped down her spine, marking a tingling trail to her belly. Sakura's eyes fluttered open. The fragrance of incense was thick in the air, almost clogging her throat. A gasp shot out of her mouth, followed by another moan as the masseuse dug his thumbs deep into the muscles of her right foot.

Arms crossed over her chest, Temari laughed.

"You don't seem too uncomfortable with having your feet touched now, My Lady," she teased. Sakura took the time to glare at her for a moment.

Samui tilted her head to one side. Her fair hair fell across her forehead in a straight line. She was Karui's retainer and childhood friend. So it seemed natural that she had fallen into step with the women as Karui showed them around the palace at the oasis.

"That's odd for royalty never to have experienced a massage before," Karui commented.

"Nonsense. Lady Sakura may be royalty but it is unreasonable to expect our visitor from the west to live just as we do," Samui chastised. Karui's eyebrows rose as she considered this. She seemed to toss the idea around inside her head before she nodded.

"While I certainly do not look lightly upon quality time... Is it completely necessary for all of you to be here at this very moment?" Sakura ground out between her teeth. There was a towel draped over her rear, but the only thing keeping her from exposing her chest to everyone was the fact that she was lying down.

She cast a worried glance at the young man working magic on her feet. Karui followed her gaze.

"Oh. Don't worry yourself over him. All our attendant boys are eunuchs. Perfectly harmless," Karui assured her with a wave of her hand. As if to accentuate the point, the servant paused his ministrations to wave a little.

Sakura's expression shifted. Her jaw tightened.

"At what age?" Sakura queried.

Karui's lips puckered around a grape as she considered.

"Oh...about 11 or 12, I believe. That way the princes wouldn't have to worry about any of the little ones running around the harem not being theirs," she replied with a shrug.

Temari, who had been monitoring Sakura's expression, twisted her lips to one side. She touched Samui's arm. Samui leaned in to listen to Temari's whisper. Samui glanced at Sakura's face before she looked at Karui.

"I think it's a wonderful arrangement. We take very good care of our eunuchs," Karui went on.

Samui took a step forward and grasped Karui's wrist. She gave a shake of her head, pointedly eyeing Sakura as she took over.

"Lady Sakura, you must understand. Our servants are orphans, or they've been sold by their parents. We care for them. We feed and educate them. We offer them opportunities and comfort that would otherwise be out of their reach," Samui explained.

Temari let out a helpless sort of sigh as Sakura pushed the boy's hands away. She motioned to the three servant girls who had been waiting on the side- like they were part of the richly-colored mural painted on the wall.

The girls came running, holding out towels and a long robe. One held a towel in front of her body to preserve modesty. The other two wiped the oil from Sakura's body and then guided her arms into the sleeves. Even tying it shut for her in the front. They hurried after her as Sakura slipped off the table, striding out of the room.

Eyes wide, Karui turned to her companions.

"Was I insensitive?" she wondered. Samui raised her eyebrows, shrugging. They both looked to Temari, who sighed again.

Temari pushed her hair out of her eyes, considering her words.

"Lady Sakura is… very set on her morals. She… she has always hated taking choices from someone. She very much believes in freedom," explained Temari as best as she could.

Samui blinked a few times. "I don't understand," she answered.

"Yes, they choose to become eunuchs. It's an honor," Karui added.

Temari huffed as she tried to think of the best way to reply.

She remembered the mutiny that had nearly broken out so many years ago. The way Sakura's resolve had never wavered. The way she stared down the men two or three times her size as they loomed over her.

"Plumeria is a port city. We see many travelers. And many brothels sprung up to meet the needs of all those travelers," she recalled.

"Certainly. We have whorehouses here as well," Samui agreed.

"Queen Tsunade, may she rest in peace, despised brothels. She barely tolerated them because, at the very least, they allowed women to earn a living. And, unsurprisingly, she passed this hatred on to her only daughter."

Because Temari had been in Plumeria to see it. Her brothers had been too young to understand, perhaps. But she had seen the way Queen Tsunade's eyes had narrowed. Her lips twisting into a snarl.

She had seen the same expression on Sakura's face as she stood on the steps of the largest whorehouse in the city. One hand gripping her falchion. The other held in front of her.

"Those of you who no longer wish to work here, you have a place in Sami," Sakura had announced.

Nine years old. The paint on her coronation portrait had barely dried in the humidity. And there she stood. Her guards had refused to stand by her, so instead, her nurse and other servants had stood by her side.

"She went through the city recruiting all the women who no longer wanted to sell their bodies and told them to work for her instead. She would house them and their children. She would protect them. It was incredible. I don't think I even knew what a whore did at that age," laughed Temari, shaking her head. Remembering Sakura still drowning in the diadem that was far too large for her.

"She couldn't shut down the whorehouses. She knew that. But she knew that, given the opportunity, many of the whores would leave that life behind. And so we gained about fifty new servants that day."

The merchants, soldiers, and sailors had crowded the front gate of the palace. Demanding to see the little duchess. To demand their women returned to them.

Temari remembered her jaw dropping as Sakura appeared at the top of the stairs. Flanked by the painted ladies in their jewels and their heavy makeup.

"What does a child know about the needs of adults!"

Sakura, smirking, had replied: "Any of these women is free to return at any time. I will allow them to decide."

"And may the gods strike me dead if I exaggerate, but not a single woman left her side," Temari concluded.

Karui's eyebrows knitted together.

"I believe that I understand her intentions, but surely that would require a great amount of gold to care for all these people. She must have raised taxes," Samui protested. Karui nodded.

"Lady Sakura realized this too. One of her vassals suggested training those women in trades so that they could sustain themselves. Many of them now harvest and dye the silk of the isle."

Karui's eyes sparkled as she took this in. Like she was listening to a fairytale. Enthralled by the exploits of some fantasy warrior. And not the distant cousin who had just stormed from the room.

"What of the guards who abandoned her?" Karui inquired.

Temari smiled.

"Lady Sakura had them whipped for their disobedience. Not a single one of them turned their back on her ever again," answered Temari.

Karui closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath.

"Oh, I do love a happy ending. How satisfying," she remarked. And when she opened her eyes, she looked over at Samui, who still looked skeptical.

"It is a nice story. But such grand gestures are rarely sustainable. How many great warriors has our family boasted only for their subjects to rebel and overthrow them?" Samui pointed out.

"You doubt my story?" Temari said, eyes narrowing.

Samui shook her head. "What of those women? What of the whorehouses now?"

"Ah." Temari thought for a moment. Her young brothers would have a more accurate idea of the businesses of the island. She didn't spend as much time in the cities as they did.

"Perhaps… two remain?" she guessed, trying to remember the buildings.

"In the city?" Samui prompted.

"No, on the island, I think."

It was quiet as Karui and Samui took that information in.

A long moment passed before Karui finally said: "It would not be a simple task to convince men to cast aside the pleasure found in many women for the approval of one."

Temari chuckled as she nodded. "My Lady is… well… a Haruno through and through," Temari responded to the doubts of her cousin. Karui only nodded, though her face remained somewhat pinched with confusion. But still she gestured toward Samui.

"Our cousin finds our practices somewhat distasteful. Though I doubt she expects an apology, let us avoid the subject in the future," Karui suggested. Samui sighed in response.

Meanwhile, Sakura dressed in rough, impatient motions. The servant girls attempted to brush her hair while avoiding her moving elbows.

"Doesn't it bother you?" she suddenly demanded. She was met with bewildered looks. There was an awkward pause until the boldest girl spoke.

"…Begging your pardon, My Lady," she ventured in an accented voice, "Of what do you speak?" Her round eyes peered up at her. The irises were brown with a sprinkle of green. Her thick black hair was pinned back behind her ear with a single jeweled clip.

Sakura held her tongue as the emotions continued to stew deep inside her gut. Her great-uncle's words from a few days ago rang in her ears.

Even if the mighty ocean wave beats against the boulder, it might, on occasion, grow weary, no?

Breathing out a huge sigh, Sakura shook her head.

"Are you girls happy here? Are you treated kindly?" she amended. The girls bent their heads together, whispering as they translated for one another. They were sisters. Their grasp of Sakura's language was impressive at their age. Sakura waited for them to consider together. The same girl lifted her head again.

"Well, Karui-sama purchased all three of us at an auction. We were scared that we would be separated but she saved us. We are not hungry and we are safe. Someday, we might marry a good craftsman or merchant and have our own families," she slowly explained.

"Don't you miss your families?" wondered Sakura.

More whispering. And then one of the girls responded: "Our family threw us away. We do not miss them."

"Our work is often hard but we are grateful for what we have," another girl added.

Scowling to herself, Sakura sighed again.

"I'm having difficulty… understanding. They are bought…so they are essentially slaves. Property, even," Sakura later said. Kankuro tossed a pomegranate seed high into the air. He held his mouth open to try to catch it but the seed landed on his cheek.

"Kankuro."

"I'm listening, Lady Sakura. It's just that my cousin Teru can do this with his eyes closed. And in response to your moral quandary, what makes our servants so different from those here?" Kankuro replied as he tore off another seed and weighed it in his palm. He threw it up.

Sakura frowned.

"That's entirely different. Our servants are employed. Many of them we house but several of them live in the city. We do not own them or bind them to one place," she protested. The seed bounced off his chin. Kankuro turned to give her a pointed look.

"Please. After you gutted the whorehouses, you took in the women that were turned out of their homes. You shelter, clothe, and feed many of them. Many are wholly dependent on you for their lives, My Lady," he stated.

"But they are free to go at any time," Sakura replied.

"Go where? We live on an island, My Lady," Kankuro countered.

He tossed a seed up and caught it neatly in his mouth. Grinding the pulp and seed between his molars, Kankuro turned to look at her.

"I do not say this to accuse you of anything, Lady Sakura. Your treatment our servants goes far above and beyond the standard. You do not mutilate the boys, which, quite frankly, having grown up so far from the practice, makes my stomach turn as well. However, the fact remains that in order for us, the top tier, to survive, there must be a bottom," he concluded.

There was a long pause. Sakura's hands clenched in her lap. Kankuro waited, cracking a handful of pomegranate seeds as he chewed some more.

"I'm an oppressor," she finally concluded in a quiet voice. Kankuro smirked. He stuck his finger under his gold necklace to tug on the chain. The precious metal glittered.

"We all are," he replied. "We only profit where blood is shed. That's how it has always been."

+++

Red fabric spilled across the tables like an overturned goblet of wine. There were shades of blood, some closer to purple. Looms clattered in the background, the threads weaving into complex patterns of rainbows.

In the next room were men with greying hair. They held circles of glass up to their eyes to peer down at diamonds of different sizes. Mashing tobacco leaves against their gums, they scowled and grumbled over the grade of each gem.

Another room contained countless shelves of vials and bottles filled with liquids of every color. And yet another housed squares of fabric from every country and every tribe imaginable.

The Diamond Oasis was a fascinating place filled with so many people working.

Her ire from the previous day cooling, Sakura had agreed to have Samui guide her through a section of the palace that she had yet to explore. Gaara and Kankuro were off with some of their cousins on a hunting trip with the falcons. Temari and Karui had gone out to the market early in the morning.

"We used to combine it with cows' milk and ground rubies. But the cost just became too exorbitant. So now we crush the ores with the saltwater pearls we receive from your isle, Princess," Samui explained in the room that used to house the prince's second wife and children in the royal harem. Now it was instead furnished with worktables and shelves.

Samui poured a handful of glistening metal and then another handful of polished pearls into the mortar. She added in a trickle of clean water before she began grinding the mixture with a sturdy stone pestle. The crackle of the precious stone giving way to powder fascinated Sakura. The sparkling dust mixed in with the water, creating a silky black paste. Once the mixture was smooth, she dipped a thin brush in, coating the tip evenly before scraping the excess off on the edges of the stone bowl.

Sakura leaned forward to watch as the tip of the brush swept delicately across Samui's lash line. And then the other. The black tapered off into an angled wing that widened her eyes somehow. It was a mystery how she made both sides even without looking into the mirror.

"Would you like a try, Princess?" she offered as her eyes slid open. The kohl drew attention to her eyes, making the deep green of her irises pop. Sakura hesitated. Gaara and Kankuro applied the stuff to their eyes daily. And Temari had taken to it as well since arriving in the Arids. The dry, dusty climate made it almost necessary, Temari claimed.

But…

Her hands clenched into fists. Soldiers didn't wear kohl.

"Come now, Princess. You can always wash it away if it's not to your liking," Samui insisted with a surprisingly warm smile. Sakura squared her shoulders. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she nodded.

"Very well."

A letter arrived later that day in the palace in the Arids. It was a miracle that the messenger had arrived all the way from the Southern Tea Isle. Dusty and panting, he rested in the shade outside the room. Sakura slit the envelope faded by the scorching sun. As she opened up the paper inside, she reclaimed her seat among her cousins.

Kankuro plucked lazily at the strings of a long-necked instrument that resembled a lute. Temari finished twisting tiny golden bells into a lock of Gaara's hair with blue thread. Smiling fondly, she ruffled his hair just to listen to the delicate tinkle. They were all too occupied to notice that Sakura had suddenly fallen silent.

Dear Sakura,

It's been nearly two months since you departed for your ancestral home in the Arids. After Sasuke returned to our country, I feared that I would grow lonely in your absence. And while this is somewhat true, your cousin and your aunt have seen to it that I would feel welcomed here. Miss Shizune tries to act as if nothing is wrong but she seems to miss you dearly. Haku is working as diligently as ever but he does stop each morning to put fresh flowers in your room. I think he would appreciate a letter from you as well.

To be honest, I initially doubted the potential efficacy of your war council. Count Maito, from your stories of him, seemed such an unreliable figure. And Count Hatake seemed too young to be able to offer sound advice. But they have been surprisingly diligent in their suggestions in our planning. I would, here, ask you not to worry and then selfishly ask that you return quickly. But I suppose I should exercise more patience.

I do not know how long it will take for this letter to reach you. There will obviously be many things that come to pass during this period. I can only hope that you will have arrived safely by the time this letter reaches there. The Admiral tells me that it will be impossible for you to begin your journey home until the spring, when the sea ice has melted to allow passage through the northern seas. Until then, I will do my best to protect what you treasure.

I love you.

Itachi

Gaara glanced over at Sakura. She had been reading the same letter for several minutes now. And then, slowly, color began to rise up to her cheeks.

Kankuro, who had been chomping into a thick slice of melon, froze. Tossing the rind aside, he crawled across the blanket to Sakura. Temari took a puff off a thin silver pipe before handing it off to her youngest brother. She sidled up next to Sakura too, her eyes glowing with anticipation. Sakura glared at the two of them for a long moment before she threw the letter at Kankuro. She let out a proud huff before she stood and walked off to stare out the window.

"Blahblah...I miss you…the Counts...war meetings...come home... OH," Kankuro skimmed through. But then he came to the final part of the letter. Whirling around on his heel, he pointed at Sakura.

"OH!" he said again with a grin.

"What?" Gaara questioned. Draped over her brother's shoulders, Temari also gave a devilish smile.

"Well, baby brother, it appears that suave Prince Itachi is in love with our lady," Kankuro crowed. Sakura's shoulders tensed.

"And he wants her to come home soon," Temari added with a smug look. Gaara's mouth puckered into a frown.

"...Well… was that not obvious from the first time you met him?" he said.

His siblings erupted into howling laughter. Kankuro ran over to the window to grab Sakura's hand. He began twirling around in circles, forcing Sakura into his momentum. Temari joined in on the fray, flapping the letter around. Though her mouth was set into a firm line, as the singing and laughing continued, Sakura's lips gradually softened. Her limbs loosened until she allowed him to twirl her around to his singsong voice. When Gaara snubbed the pipe out before scrambling to his feet to join them, Sakura sighed.

"Not you too!" she groaned above Kankuro's childlike chanting.

"Lady Sakura and Prince Itachi. A union of two beauuuu-ties," he teased endlessly. But Gaara grabbed her hands, a shy smile lighting up his face.

"I don't know about big brother, but I'm celebrating for your happiness, My Lady," he admitted through the din. Sakura froze for a moment as she took in the words. But then affection for Gaara swelled up in her chest. Throwing her arms around him, she grabbed him in a hug.

"I am very fortunate to have wonderful family like you three," she admitted. Kankuro wrapped his arms around them all and squeezed. It was a rare moment of open affection from Sakura that couldn't be wasted for even one second, after all.

Soon after, Kankuro and Gaara were off to meet with some relatives for supper. Sakura smiled fondly after them for a moment. Temari folded the letter and set it on top of the desk. She then sighed.

"Well... tonight you dine with the Prince and Karui. I suppose you will be asking for their support then?" Temari brought up with reluctance. It was easy to forget about the conflict looming in their own lands when they were so far away. The smile faded from Sakura's lips. She rose to her feet, brushing off the back of her silk skirt.

"Would you help me dress?" she requested. Temari dipped her head.

The process of dressing in the Arids required fewer hands than it did back home. There were no petticoats or corsets like on the mainland (not that Sakura ever willingly squeezed herself into those torture devices). Instead, the women wore long skirts that protected their skin from the unforgiving sun. They also wore long-sleeved shirts under hooded shawls. The potential monotony of the ensemble was broken up by the intricate stitch work decorating the fabric. And the edges of cloths were hemmed with shimmering tassels and lengths of braided thread. Sakura had received countless gifts of fabric from relatives upon her arrival in the desert palace. She admired the sheen of the golden threads that shimmered in the light.

"This is…oh, from your second cousins to the north. See? They've stitched hawks all around the edges. And this bolt is from your third cousins in the eastern mountains. Their patterns always include the cactus," Karui explained as she went over each gift. There were blooming flowers and thorny leaves. Goats, moons, and shapes spread out in dark colors that exploded into bright shades of red and orange at the ends. Each choice of animal, each choice of color was signature enough that Karui rarely referred back to the accompanying letters.

"These are from my brother. He is, unfortunately, away on business. But it is quite fashionable at the moment to wear these bangles…" Karui drifted off as Sakura shifted her foot. The stack of golden anklets clinked together in a delicate sound. Trying not to smile, Sakura pulled up her sleeve to show off the three bracelets on her left wrist.

"Well…regardless, please accept them. He insists," Karui continued on as she pushed the lacquered box over. Sakura placed her open palm over her heart and nodded.

"It would be my pleasure," she assured her.

That night, Sakura slid the deep blue dress over her head, the new bracelets tinkling against the old ones. Her hair was slicked back with a dab of rose oil to each of her palms. Temari brought out a shawl, richly embroidered with shimmering threads. It told a story of a lamb traveling across a plain. There were clusters of roses framing the scenes. Sakura let the cloth settle across her shoulders. It had a faintly musky smell, as if the incense in the smoky room it had been created in lingered in the threads. Temari knelt to assist Sakura in slipping into her sandals. The soft calf leather molded against her foot. The lacings crisscrossed up her leg. Sakura's face pinched as she stared off into the distance.

"You look troubled. Are you worried, My Lady?" observed Temari as she stood.

Sakura considered this as she fit the hooks of her gold earrings in. They were half moons with rubies set into the flattened disks.

"I'm not quite certain," she answered with honesty that surprised even herself.

When Sakura arrived, the flatbread grilled on a hot slab of stone was just being served. Karui and Ebizo were the only other people seated at the low table. Temari lingered in the doorway, her spear held in her hand. Her eyes darted from the windows to the ceilings, checking for threats.

"Come sit, child. You must be hungry," Ebizo said, motioning for her with a wrinkled hand. Temari hesitated for another second before she obeyed to come settle to the seat to the right of Sakura at the square table. Ebizo and Karui sat across from them, their hands soaking in the perfumed bowls of warm water. The liquid washed away any of the desert sand and left a sweet odor on their skin. Sakura dipped her hands into her own bowl. She watched the way the water rippled over her skin, blurring the lines of her fingers.

"You have no reason to fear. You are just as welcome at my table as Sakura is," Ebizo chuckled. Temari's eyes remained sharp as she also dunked her hands into her bowl. But she swished them around once before motioning for a towel to wipe her fingers dry. She swiped the fabric twice, returned it to the servant, and then turned to face the aging prince. Back straight, she dipped her head.

"With all due respect, Your Highness, it was not fear of impropriety that kept me standing. It was concern for Lady Sakura's wellbeing," Temari responded. Sakura bit back a smile at the way the old man's eyebrows rose high on his forehead for a moment. Then he settled back in his seat to let out a full-bellied chuckle.

"That tenacity. You certainly are Rasa's child," he chortled. The thin-lipped smile she gave in return barely concealed her disdain at being compared to her father. Sakura raised two fingers and servants brought out two goblets of wine for them.

"Speaking of which, I haven't had a chance to greet Lord Rasa yet," Sakura observed.

"He's moved to the north to be with his brothers and sisters," answered Ebizo. And then he gave her a sidelong look. "He had much to… say of you," the old man then added.

Sakura smirked. "As do I," she chuckled.

"Brilliant. Passionate. And spiteful. A Haruno through and through, I suppose," she then commented.

"What caused him to fall out of your favor, if I may ask?" Karui spoke up.

Sakura looked over at Temari, who didn't say anything.

"Well… being unfavorable," replied Sakura.

She let her smile pull tight, the silence stretching on and on until Sakura chose to look away.

"Great-Uncle, I must say that I was quite impressed by some of the craftsmen you employ here," Sakura smoothly cut in. She steered the conversation away from a sensitive matter, instead asking about the different exports and crafts she had seen during the day.

Ebizo chuckled at her observations, his snowy head occasionally nodding. His fingers closed around a long, thin pipe. A servant appeared to light the end. Dark blue wisps streamed from the metal tip of the pipe as Ebizo closed his teeth around it.

As they spoke, servants arrived with platters of hot food. They ate with their hands, laughing at stories and shaking their head at all the right moments. And as Sakura took a sip of her wine, she meaured Ebizo's easy expression.

"It saddens me to ask this during such a glad time but there is something I must ask of you, Great-Uncle," Sakura confessed. Ebizo peered at her from under his thick white eyebrows. He wiped off his mouth and mustache before setting his napkin down. Lacing bony fingers together, he waited for Sakura to speak. Karui swallowed her mouthful of marinated lamb as she hurried to do the same.

+++

When General Haruno walked down the halls of the military academy, people parted for her. In fact, people were prone to pressing their backs up against the wall as they saluted. Elbows tight and knees locked. Eyes shining with adoration or fear. Or a mixture of both.

It had been about two months since General Haruno's departure from the capital.

Instead, someone else walked down the same halls, polished shoes tapping against the deep green tile. A second set of footsteps followed closely next to him, the equally shining shoes matching his pace. Despite his best attempt at the serious expression, no one seemed particularly interested in him. Glancing around, Naruto took a moment to puff out his chest a little like the other men were doing. He had been chastised by his mother for half his life about his posture. But these soldiers strode around as if their spines were carved from a single column of stone. Naruto threw back his shoulders a little further, arms moving stiffly at his sides.

All he received in return were a few sidelong glances and stifled scoffs.

"Sir Sai…" Naruto said.

"Yes, Prince?" answered Sai from next to him. Naruto glanced over at his personal knight.

"Why do I have…the feeling that I'm being laughed at?" Naruto questioned. Sai simply stretched his mouth up into one of his usual smiles.

"Because you are, in fact, being laughed at. Is there a reason why you're walking like a fool?" Sai asked in return. Red crept up the back of Naruto's neck as he relaxed his posture. The completely insincere smile on the knight's face only made the situation worse. Naruto's face twisted into a scowl as they finally reached the right set of doors.

Two spears crossed, blocking the entrance.

"Let me through," Naruto demanded.

The two guards flanking the door didn't even look at him. They stared straight ahead.

An icy voice from behind made Naruto jolt.

"I was wondering who was making an unpleasant scene in these halls," came an impatient sigh.

Neji approached, his arms folded across his chest.

"That's no way to greet us, young Lord Hyuuga," Sai chastised.

Neji didn't bat an eye. "Why on earth would I greet you in any other way?" Neji stopped in front of them, gesturing around the halls. "You barge into the Academy uninvited and unannounced. And besides, my uncle is a Duke. The only person of our age above me in rank is the General."

At this, Sai's mouth pulled into an uncomfortable smile. Before the knight could speak again, Naruto took a step forward.

"I'm sorry for that. I just need to talk to the Lieutenant Generals about something important. Concerning Sakura," explained Naruto.

At this, Neji's eyes narrowed. He stared at Naruto. It was a long moment before he nodded at the guards. He knocked two times before he slipped into the room. Shutting the door behind him, nearly hitting Naruto in the nose.

"You have a visitor," Neji announced.

Shikamaru looked up from his work, eyes narrowing. Sighing, he pointed his pen toward the desk across from him. Kiba stood at his desk, a large map dominating the entire surface. He barely glanced at the unexpected guest as he scratched at his head.

"But that fails to explain how we would defend this weakness in the western flank," Kiba growled, tapping an insistent finger against the map. The colored pieces placed on the map wobbled a little at the assault. Shino sighed, his hands on his hips.

"Well, this seems to be a good place to take a short break. Perhaps some time away from the problem will give us so clarity," Shino suggested. Then, without turning toward the door, Shino spoke again.

"Who is it?"

"The Regent's son," answered Neji.

Shino simply pinched the bridge of his nose. Kiba growled under his breath.

"I'll handle this," he grumbled as he strode to the door. He flung it open. Naruto stumbled back, obviously struggling to eavesdrop through the thick wood.

"Is there a problem, Prince? This is hardly the place for you to be wandering around."

Naruto bristled, hands clenching at his sides. But it was Sai's cool voice that cut in. Along with the sharp clink of his sword.

"I should have a word with the General on your conduct. Is this how all you soldiers address a person of status?" Sai said with another smile. Kiba bared his teeth in an equally unfriendly grin.

"You speak so casually of the General. As if she has the time to listen to your nonsense," he retorted. "And I question the judgment of two men who have the time and leisure to flounder around like this."

Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Shino glanced Sai over. "Have you been permitted to return to duty already, Sir Sai? Even after the catastrophic failure in the Mountain Kingdom?"

A smirk widened Sai's mouth.

"Prince Naruto is unharmed. I believe I fulfilled my role perfectly," he retorted.

Kiba bristled. "You-"

"Stop!" Naruto interrupted. His face was beginning to turn red. Almost like he might cry. "I need to know where Sakura is. Tell me what's going on!"

There was silence in the room. A red piece from the map faltered and rolled off the edge of the table, clattering to the floor.

"I may not be as smart as Sakura, but that doesn't mean you have to treat me like I'm brainless and ignore me. I've been noticing the weird things around here," Naruto ground out. Angry tears pricked at his eyes. He hurried to wiped them away with his sleeve.

"Whatever do you mean, Prince Naruto?" questioned Shikamaru, his eyes narrowing. Still sniffing away angry tears, Naruto cleared his throat.

"Well... Count Yamanaka's daughter is missing. Sakura just left without saying anything and she hasn't even answered any of my letters. It just feels…strange…I'm just… scared…" Naruto trailed off as he struggled to find just the right words.

Shino over at Shikamaru.

Forehead wrinkling, Shikamaru put his quill down.

"She… you write to her?" demanded Shikamaru.

Rubbing at his eyes with his sleeves again, Naruto lifted his chin. He looked over Kiba's shoulder, right at Shikamaru as he nodded. "Every week. Since she went to the Academy."

"Every week?" Kiba repeated, his eyebrows rising too.

"Since we were 12. Father and Mother, too," Naruto replied.

Shino's eyes narrowed as he caught the look on Sai's face. That perfect smile faltered. Just for a moment.

"Speaking such lies with confidence. You truly are incredible," Shino interrupted, reaching for the doorknob under Kiba's elbow. When Kiba glanced back at him, Shino just stared. Kiba stepped to the side.

Naruto scowled. He pointed an accusatory finger at Shino's face as he yelled, "I'm not a liar! You should do something! Things are strange around here!"

Kiba's expression darkened. He grabbed the edge of the door, hand slamming down just beside Naruto's face. Naruto jerked back, startled.

"You are foolish and ignorant. It is you who should be doing something. Especially after everything the General has done for you," Kiba growled. And with that, he slammed the door shut. He twisted the lock before he turned to face his companions.

"Did you catch that, Shikamaru?" asked Shino.

Hands folding under his chin, Shikamaru shook his head. Kiba shook his head too when Shino looked his way.

"When Prince Naruto mentioned the letters, Sir Sai's expression…" Shino trailed off, glancing back at the door.

Kiba touched his thumb to his chin. "That knight knows something."

Staring out the window, Shikamaru heaved a sigh. "He must."

"I'll have someone look into it. Perhaps they can also find out where the General is," Shino suggested, his shoulders also heavy.

Only Kiba seemed untroubled as he stepped back to the map laid out on his desk. He retrieved the fallen red piece and replaced it. He surveyed the lands. The sweeping valleys and the fertile soils that produced so much food. And then his eyes fell on the eastern coast where his mother's lands lay.

Perhaps it would be worth consulting her about this. He knew that his mother would provide her assistance. After all, 13 generations of following the Haruno's hadn't led his family astray. There was no reason for that to change after all this time.

"Wherever she is, I hope she isn't causing too much trouble," Kiba chuckled to himself.

+++

The Arids were never humid, which was something that Sakura appreciated. She glanced around the room. All the faces were hazy from the smoking pipe being passed around the circle.

Kankuro lounged in a pile of pillows in the corner with a few of his friends and cousins. The edges of the dark purple fabric tied around his head swayed as he laughed and shook his head. Nearby was Gaara, having a conversation with a distant relative who had apparently had great success as a traveling merchant. Karui and Samui shared a glass of wine as a circle of suitors fawned over them.

Temari sat at her side, as always, spear resting on the wall behind her. She was also the only one with a rigid posture, sharp eyes taking in everything with deceptive calm.

"Troubled, My Lady?" Temari asked when she felt Sakura's gaze on her.

Sakura wrinkled her nose.

"I am…very much in support of quality time spent together. But this…aroma isn't quite to my…liking," Sakura admitted as someone handed off the pipe to her. The dark fumes curling from the end were nothing like the simple tobacco Ebizo smoked. Temari too refused the pipe, instead passing it on to the next person. The acrid smell left a musty taste in the air.

"Lady Sakura," someone said. Temari and Sakura turned their heads in unison. Temari's fingers reached for the shaft of her weapon. But it was merely one of the servants, her eyes averted modestly from the great, hulking man towering beside her.

"Prince Baki of the Viper's Fang," he greeted her in a deep voice.

The servant girl bowed and stepped away. The light patter of her retreating footsteps only emphasized the ensuing silence.

Sakura sat with her legs folded underneath her, the long folds of her skirt concealing the knives strapped to her upper thighs. Baki stared down at her, hard. His black eyes never wavering from her face. Finally, Sakura nodded at him.

"Prince Baki. To what do I owe this great honor?" she addressed him warmly. Up his right arm crawled a spiraling tattoo of a black snake. Baki inhaled deeply through his nostrils before he spoke in a deep, gravelly voice.

"Perhaps you would oblige me a private audience."

He spoke her language well. Which was a relief, given that she had a fumbling grasp of the language her ancestor's had once spoken. More than once, Sakura found herself wishing that her grandmother had been alive to teach it to her.

Temari was already rising to her feet when she saw Sakura's expression.

"Please lead the way," Sakura replied. Baki offered his large hand. She accepted, allowing him to pull her up in one easy motion.

She felt Gaara and Kankuro's eyes on her. Kankuro rose on his elbow, as if asking whether he should follow. Sakura shook her head at them. The brothers remained seated, but their gazes followed them until they were out of the room.

Sakura's hand rested on Baki's arm as they strolled. Temari was a few steps behind them, a silent shadow along the carpeted corridors. Sakura took a moment to examine Baki's steady gait. It was oddly comforting to be in the presence of someone who walked like her again.

"How have you enjoyed your stay in our deserts so far, Lady Sakura?" he queried. She quirked a smile. But before she could speak, he chuckled. The sound was like rocks rolling together.

"Of course, you have been asked this many times already," he then added. Her shoulders relaxed a bit.

"Your insight spares you a boring answer, Prince Baki," answered Sakura with a small laugh.

The spacious corridor was a rich explosion of colors. The tile floors were covered in long lengths of expensive rugs. And the walls were covered with tapestries. The thick clay walls insulated against the desert heat and winds but it was one uniform shade of reddish brown. So any artwork was a welcome addition. As she passed, Sakura had to pause. One particular tapestry caught her eye. And Baki quickly felt the tug of resistance on his arm and stopped to humor her.

"Are you a fan of art?" he asked, conversationally pleasant. Sakura shook her head.

"I am woefully ungifted with the taste for fine art. I prefer literature," confessed Sakura. Still, she tilted her head slightly to take in the different colors. There was warmth in the way the gold blended together with deep red and purple. She admired the attention to detail, the richness of the colors. It almost made her a little homesick.

They continued along the hall, glimpsing the oasis that the city was named for. The large pool was supplied by water that bubbled up from deep underground. It was tinged a little green, but there was something charming about that. Now, at night, the edges of the oasis glowed with the lights from the buildings that covered the edge of the waters. As they were all crowding together to drink from the pool.

"Karo City continues to dazzle. Even though this is hardly the first time I've been here," remarked Baki, following her gaze to the oasis.

"Karo?" Sakura repeated.

Baki looked at her now. He glanced at the jewels clasped around her throat, eyebrows rising.

"Diamond," he translated for her. "Part of how your family makes its fortune, as I'm sure you know."

Sakura could feel him flexing his arm under her hand. She tried not to smile.

"And what is your city like, Prince Baki?" she queried.

"The Viper's Fang is much less hostile than it sounds. You are, of course, welcome to visit whenever you please, Lady Sakura… or is it Princess?" answered Baki.

They continued on, until they reached one of the gardens inside the palace walls. A testament to the wealth and power of the Haruno family that it could afford to keep such a lush garden in the middle of the desert. The gravel crunched underfoot as they stepped onto the path. It wasn't all that dark here. Braziers lit with flames illuminated the walkways.

In the middle of this garden stood a tall marble statue. Sakura paused to read the inscription in the dark. It took her a moment to decipher the script. She had studied the written language of the Arids as a child.

"Masato the Great," she read out loud.

The first ancestor of the Haruno clan. A fearsome warrior who had carved a path of conquest through the sands. She stared up at the stony face, wondering whether he had truly looked the way they depicted him.

A thought occurred to her then. She turned back to Baki. She had never responded to his question.

"I go by either. Lady or Princess. General, too," she told him, her hands clasped behind her back.

His eyes lit up, like he hadn't been expecting that. Although, she supposed it was unfair to expect everyone to keep track of her long list of titles.

Tilting her head to the side, Sakura examined the enormous curved blade Baki wore at his waist. The gem embedded in the rounded pommel glistened like fresh blood.

He followed her stare.

"I wouldn't face an unarmed opponent. Perhaps another… time…" Baki trailed off when Temari stepped forward presenting Sakura's falchion.

Sakura grasped the hilt. She swung it around a few times to stretch her muscles. And then she turned to Baki with a smile.

"How about now?" she challenged instead.

She gave him time to stretch too. He took up his sword, eyeing her as they slowly circled each other in the middle of the garden.

He didn't insult her by saying anything idiotic like "ladies, first". Baki lunged. His swings coming in fast and heavy. Rattling her arm and shoulder as she parried his blows. His speed surprised her given his large frame. Her feet could barely keep up with his flurry of jabs.

And as they spar went on, Sakura could see how this fighting style was meant to instill panic in opponents. It wasn't meant for endurance. She could see it from the way his swings began to slow as he began to run out of steam.

Their blades clashed. Sakura loosened her grip just enough for Baki's next attack to send her falchion flying out of her hands. But just as she saw his shoulders relax, she reached under her skirts. Grabbing a knife in each hand.

Sparks flew as she launched herself at him, sparks flicking to life as the edge of Baki's sword connected with Sakura's knives. She gritted her teeth as she pushed back against his sheer power.

At first, Baki's eyes widened. And then he was laughing as he held the pressure for an extra moment. They disengaged, taking a few steps back from each other. Sakura spun the knives once in her palms to warm up her muscles there.

"The Heartless does not disappoint," he commented. Sakura flicked her bangs out of her eyes with the tips of her blades.

The instant she saw Baki begin to move again, she jumped. Their weapons collided again with a shrill noise. This time Sakura pressed her crossed blades down to put pressure on Baki. He leaned back to accommodate her small stature. Sand scratched against the bottoms of their shoes.

"Sweet talk in the middle of a fight?" Sakura quipped. Baki pushed against her, laughing again.

Sakura stumbled back one step. But it took only another breath for her to attack again. Her knives sang as they cleaved through the air, barely missing his thighs. And she barely raised her arm in time to deflect his weapon chopping down on her. She strained against him for a moment. Then, with movements as quick as lightning, she darted past him. The tips of her blades grazed against his shirt.

They stepped apart. Sakura caught her breath while Baki looked down to examine the thin scratches in the fabric of his shirt. His dark skin peeked out from beneath the white cotton. Rather than grow angry, Baki looked up at her with a grin. He tossed his sword up and caught it.

"Are you tired?" he asked.

Sakura didn't say anything. Tongue in her cheek, she simply raised her eyebrows at him. She advanced, sharpened blades aimed directly for his chest. Baki dodged. He swung his weapon. But Sakura darted out of the way so that his blade only made contact with the ground.

They continued to weave in and out of each other's reach. Occasionally their steel collided, spraying more red sparks into the air. Sakura couldn't help but smile. Fire rushed through her hands, tingling up her arms and into her chest.

This was the thrill of battling someone who posed a significant challenge. Even when the blade nicked her hands when she couldn't dodge fast enough, she laughed. Because she flicked off pieces of his shirt and cowl with deft movements of her hands.

When Baki sent her blades flying with a particularly agile twist of his sword, she reached under her skirts to retrieve two more. The sight sent Baki into more roars of laughter.

With a loud cry, Sakura pounced. Her right blade grazed the side of his face. When she jumped back, she saw a thin line of red rise to the surface of his dark cheek. The predatory glint in Baki's eyes threw her off for a moment. And in that second, Baki attacked. His sword sliced through the sky, coming to a halt just against her throat. She could feel the cold metal when she swallowed.

"It appears that I have won," he remarked with a distinct air of satisfaction. Sakura didn't say anything. But her eyebrows rose as she pointedly let her gaze trail down. Baki followed, only to find her twin blades resting just between his parted legs.

"If I sneeze, your dynasty ends, Prince," she corrected him. Baki blinked down at the situation.

And the easy grin that stretched across his face made the hairs on her arms rise. Sweat dripped down the side of his face, trailing all the way to his throat. The defined muscles on his shoulders twitched slightly. She could smell the adrenaline in the air. She read the seasons of conflicts won in his face. She could imagine him with the same expression on a battlefield, sweaty and battered but victorious. The way his black eyes bored into her made her tingle.

"I must say, Princess…You have certainly…exceeded my expectations," he commended between pants.

She traced the shape of his lips with her eyes. And then her gaze was drawn to the tight muscles in his arms. The back of her throat burned with tangible heat as she drew in a slow breath. She could feel him doing the same. Yet when she took a step away, he did the same.

Sakura stabbed her knives back into the holsters strapped to her upper thighs. Temari was at her elbow, offering her the other pair of knives. As Sakura adjusted her clothing and pushed her hair out of her eyes, she noticed that their spar had drawn an audience. Low stone walls edged the garden. Kankuro and Gaara leaned against one of them, watching, waving when she spotted them.

"I've made up my mind," Baki suddenly declared. Sakura's gaze returned to him.

"Prince Ebizo informed me that you are in need of soldiers. I will be honored to provide my services."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "At what cost?"

"None. My mother was a Haruno. I simply honor my family," answered Baki.

"You won't ask what I intend to do with such power?" she challenged.

Baki was laughing once again. "I was intending to ask for your hand once I won the match, but it seems that won't be happening," he explained. And then he went on, pointing to her falchion. "I'm aware of your circumstances. My men are yours to do with as you wish."

Sakura eyed him, still wary. But then she slowly bowed. Baki bowed in return.

"Please do visit my city if you have a chance. You will always be welcome," Baki said. He bowed again before he strode off.

The audience spilled into the yard, gushing compliments. Gaara, surprisingly, was the one to push through his many relatives.

"Are you unhurt?" he fretted. Wincing when he saw the scratches on her hands and arms.

"I'm fine. This is nothing," Sakura assured him.

Kankuro grabbed Gaara by the arm and pulled him away.

"Let her wash up before you smother her, little brother," Kankuro chuckled. And then he dispersed the rest of the crowd, promising that they could fawn over her later. He tossed her a wink over his shoulder as he led them away.

Only Temari was left at her side. Sakura glanced over at her. Temari looked right back. And in a rare display of affection, Sakura reached out to hook her pinky with Temari's.

It was an old gesture. Little girls linked their hands this way on the market streets, their bare shoulders blushing under the sun's touch as they ran through the narrow alleys. Temari stiffened a little. But she stole a glance at the woman beside her. The softness in that gaze relaxed her. She returned the gesture, her finger tightening slightly.

There was a soft tremble in Sakura's chest as she took a deep breath. The garden at the oasis was beautiful, spreading deep green tendrils across the damp sands. Even the cacti bloomed bright flowers that tilted up towards the heavens.

But it wasn't the lush red roses or the swaying palm trees that caught her attention. Nor was it the glisten of the crystal waters at her toes.

It was the sky.

A million, billion points of light glowed against the dark blue sky. She suddenly felt a dull ache in her chest as she thought of another sky so far away. The perfume of bright flowers mixing with the salty sea spray. Gentle creaks of wood swaying with the ocean currents. And stars that glittered just like this.

There was a person, hair as dark as the night.

"Do you miss him?"

Temari's question fluttered into her ear, barely above a whisper.

The cool desert air touched her eyelids. Drowning out the crickets and the dry whistle of the winds, Sakura took a deep breath. She quieted her breaths: breathed in the nose and out through the mouth. She listened, listening carefully until her steady inhale and exhale became the crash of the ocean waves against the shore. Her heart pounded in time to the tides, squeezing and pulling against her ribcage. The exhilaration of her spar faded, leaving a soft emptiness in its absence.

And she remembered the shape of a smile that she had traced countless times with her eyes. And then with her fingers. There was the sound of him slowly turning pages in a book. And sometimes, rarely, when he was so engrossed that nothing could pull him from his reading, he would flip back to a previous passage, forehead wrinkling. Deep in thought, he would touch his thumb to his lower lip as his eyes scanned the words.

Sakura was inordinately fond of all of these things. Her mind wandered to him often in her free time. If she tried hard enough, she could even remember their conversations. The lilt of his soft-spoken words, the quirk of his eyebrow at her stronger opinions.

She was still wrapped in the memory of his dark eyes when Kankuro let himself into her room later in the evening. He threw himself into his seat and immediately put his feet up on the table. Scowling, Gaara reached over to push his brother's feet off. But Kankuro slammed his heels back onto the tabletop. The petulance screamed from his every moment.

Sakura glanced away from the window, her black and purple shawl spilling down her shoulders and arms. Her cheeks were rosy from the cool desert winds.

"Am I correct to hear that Prince Baki of the Eastern Sands proposed to you. And you, my dearest, regal Lady, let him walk away without so much as a flirtation?" demanded Kankuro. Temari's eyes narrowed. She slowly uncrossed her arms to grab her spear. Kankuro only snorted at her. His sister was certainly strong but she would never raise her hand against the two younger brothers she treasured so dearly- not even for her beloved Lady Sakura. That didn't stop Temari, however, from staring at him in the most unnerving way possible.

"And if I did, dear cousin?" Sakura returned with perfect nonchalance. Gaara's eyes flitted from his brother to Sakura. When he looked at Temari, she only returned his look with an exasperated sigh.

"Well, My Lady, I am only here to inform you that you have a squandered a potentially valuable resource," sniffed Kankuro. Sakura nodded absently. Folding her arms across her chest, she turned her head back towards the window. Kankuro sighed loudly.

"Lady Sakura, please," he groaned.

Gaara finally seemed to make a decision about the conversation.

"Brother, I believe that Lady Sakura understands the situation quite clearly. There's no need for you to nag her so," Gaara declared. Kankuro caught the edge of Sakura's smile as she quickly turned away from them.

"He's promised us soldiers. Alliances needn't always be rooted in marriage," she informed him.

Kankuro rubbed his temples. "Alright. Fine. We still need weapons, ships to transport all those soldiers, food for them," he mused. And then he ruffled his hands through his hair as he ran the numbers in his head. "Where will we even house all of them? Lady Sakura, this is impossible."

As Kankuro grumbled, he lifted his head to look at her.

And then there was a pause. Kankuro's anger spilled back down his throat.

Perhaps it was the way that the burning lanterns illuminated Sakura's cheek. Or the way that wisps of her short hair clung to her face as they swayed in the breeze. She clasped her hands in front of her, eyes closing as she breathed in the desert night.

And she smiled again. Fleeting. Fading.

Ah, everyone else in the room thought in unison. Her heart is elsewhere. She is elsewhere.

Gaara took a step forward. He reached out, putting his arm around her shoulders. Sakura didn't say anything.

"I hope for a short winter. I want to go home soon," he said in a soft voice.

Her long sigh was the only answer they needed.

The following day, the gentle lethargy in her actions was gone. Sakura was straight-backed and bright-eyed as always. But Gaara followed her with his eyes. He waited for the gaps and pauses in her words. When her gaze was drawn towards the windows, toward the open skies, he felt her longing deep in his chest like an echo. And he smiled to himself.

Once, he leaned over to whisper to his sister: "She's in-"

Temari shushed him. She pinched his cheek. "No need to sound like a gossiping auntie," she scolded him.

+++

"Once… a long, long time ago… there was a woman who sought to swallow the sun."

Itachi blinked hard. He had fallen asleep in a warm patch of sun. Now, the sky was darkening.

He blinked again, trying to bring the world into focus. It took an extra moment for the sound of the rushing ocean waves to filter into his muddled brain. He hadn't understood what Sakura had meant when she once told him that she barely even noticed the sound anymore. He was starting to, now. How when something was always there, you started to lose sight of it completely.

As he sat up, the blood rushed to his head. Swaying, he gripped the edge of the table to steady himself. He must have been asleep for quite some time. When he moved a blanket tumbled off his shoulders.

When he leaned against the table, he noticed a platter of fruit that hadn't been there before. There was also a ceramic jar. When he opened it, he found the dark green sludge Yashamaru prescribed to him. There was a silver spoon inside, as if to reassure him that this was not poison. Although it certainly tasted like it.

It had been months since Sakura's abrupt departure. In that time, her physician had devised a new recovery regimen for him. This foul green substance, Yashamaru insisted, would cleanse the remaining poison from his body. The physician also insisted upon herbal supplements and regular exercise. The walks, according to the doctor, were nowhere near enough to produce enough body heat to cleanse him. He had enlisted the help of several soldiers, who ensured that he was drenched in sweat by the time he finished his daily exercise.

There was a high metallic twang somewhere in the distance.

"This again?"

"Hush. You wanted a story," a woman's voice admonished in return. More twanging now, less discordant. Itachi glanced to the left. The cool breeze washing over him helped clear his fuzzy head. The ocean waves tumbled over one another, silvery-grey and discontent. Dark clouds blotted out the sun, rumbling together in a blanket across the horizon.

Itachi closed his eyes again.

Four notes played, crystal clear.

"Long ago, a woman sought to swallow the sun. Because, you see, she was in love with the moon. And each agonizing day, she spent waiting until darkness chased away the sun so that she could be reunited with her lover. She sang beautiful songs all through the day, calling for her lover to return to her quickly with the dark."

Ah, Itachi finally realized, This is Lady Kurenai speaking.

Sakura's aunt was so reclusive that he hardly glimpsed her. She was always pleasant whenever he encountered her. But this was the first time he had heard her speak so many words. She had a pleasant voice. The rhythm of her words sounded a little like Sakura's. Or perhaps Sakura sounded like her.

"So one night, she conspired with the moon to remove the sun from the sky," Kurenai continued.

"A brilliant plan, really. Practical," Sasori's voice drawled to interrupt. Kurenai laughed softly.

"Be-have. The moon knew that they could not remove the sun by force. So the woman devised a plan. As the sun came over the horizon that morning, she would swallow it whole. And do you know what happened to her?"

There was a soft pause.

And then there was a string of notes- delicate and clear. Itachi opened his eyes. He turned his head to the side just in time to see the wooden neck of a stringed instrument. The glint of Sasori's signet ring gave him away as the fingers lazily running up and down the strings. Itachi stretched his neck to gaze over at the other pavilion drifting in the waters.

Lady Kurenai sat, her fingers pulling purple petals of lavender off the long stalks. Sasori lay on the floor. His head rested among the folds of her long dress in her lap. Kurenai pressed the pieces of lavender onto his skin. Sasori strummed at the strings of his instrument a few more times before he set it down on his stomach.

"The woman climbed up high into the heavens using the tallest palm tree. But as she scooped up the sun to swallow it down, the light burned her throat. Her beautiful song withered into silence, if I remember correctly," answered Sasori. Smiling, Kurenai pressed more lavender onto his forehead. There was some sort of oil on his face that made the petals stick. She massaged his temples with her fingertips.

"That is so, my dear. And what do we learn from the woman who swallowed the sun?" she then prompted.

"That devotion, no matter how beautiful or noble, always involves sacrifice," answered Sasori, his voice suddenly soft.

Kurenai bent over to press a kiss to the top of Sasori's head.

"My dearest boy, your sufferings have yet to multiply. Be brave," she sighed.

Itachi turned his head to stare out at the restless waters. Kurenai's whispered words lingered in his ears. Eyes sliding shut again, Itachi breathed deeply and felt the soreness in his arms and legs ebb and flow like the waves.

+++

< Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 >

#courtly intrigue! au #amaryllis #itasaku #fanfiction #writing

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sariasprincy-writes · 6 years

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Hollow Point 01

Hollow Point TobiSaku ItaSaku

Summary: Arms dealing is her trade, but young and in a man’s world, it takes a criminal mastermind to play with the big dogs without getting bit. TobiSakuIta

a/n: Inspired by @silverfootstepswrites' "Eastern Suns" story. If you haven't read it, you need to! (Find her on tumblr and fanfiction). While the pairings and AU may be similar, this story itself will vary significantly. Hope you're ready for a ride.

One (here) // Two

Chapter One Life is just a Playground

Haruno Sakura rolled the lollipop around in her mouth. The sweet, artificial cherry flavor coated her taste buds and turned her tongue a deep red color. She swung her legs lazily as she sat on a high wall, the heels of her boots knocking against the stone with every tap.

They were her favorite pair. Black, thick-heeled and matching nearly everything in her closet. Like the ripped jean shorts and the white halter top she had chosen for this special occasion. It left her shoulders bare, but the late summer sun kept her plenty warm. Already her arms and thighs were beginning to redden with sunburn.

Sakura didn’t notice. She pulled the sucker out of her mouth with one hand, checked her phone with the other and resisted the urge to sigh. He was late. Only by a few minute but still.

Popping the hard candy back into her mouth, Sakura eyed her surroundings behind her sunglasses, her legs still swinging carelessly. Children were playing on the jungle gym across the street as teenagers skateboarded in the concrete park. Their laughter and shouts could be heard even from here. Just another warm, summer day in Suburbia.

“My, my how you’ve grown.”

A smile formed around the stick poking out of Sakura’s mouth. She saw his approach out of the corner of her eye before he spoke, but she didn’t acknowledge him until he was standing on the sidewalk beside her. Even given the heat, he was dressed powerfully in a three-piece suit.

“Hashirama. You’ve aged well,” she said around her treat. And it was true. There were laugh lines beginning to show around his dark eyes but his easy-going nature was still the same as it had been when she was a child. Or so it seemed. “If I didn’t know any better, I would still think you were in your forties.”

His expression flattened. “I am in my forties.”

Her grin widened. As if to say she was only teasing.

Hashirama softened at that before his gaze swept behind her. When he was certain they were alone, he looked back at her. His dark eyes seemed to pierce through her sunglasses. “It’s been nearly ten years, Sakura. And while I am happy to see you, I doubt you contacted me without reason. So why have you called upon me?”

“Don’t look so suspicious,” she said after she pulled the lollipop from her mouth. She pointed it at him as she gestured lazily. “I heard from a very reliable source that your…” she paused as she thought for an appropriate term, “company may be in need of assistance and I thought I might see if my talents might be a good fit for you.”

Hashirama’s face was calm, relaxed almost, but his eyes were hard and stony. Debating. Whether he should hear her out or just kill her right there.

Fortunately he chose the former. “And what source would that be?” he asked.

“Tsunade.”

Faint surprise colored his handsome face. “She passed her trade down to you?”

Sakura nodded. “She did.”

Secret thoughts flitted across his mind, only revealed by a soft smile on his lips. Then he blinked and they were gone. “Well, in that case, I might be willing to accept your offer. Come by the Penthouse tomorrow night. We’ll interview you then. See if you’re a good fit for my...company.”

She replied with a grin and stuck the red sucker back into her mouth.

Hashirama turned away, only to stop before he made it three steps. “And Sakura,” he said, eyeing her where she still sat on the stone wall, “I am running an important enterprise. Do try not to dress like a twenty-five year old.”

She smirked. “But I am a twenty-five year old.”

Hashirama said nothing but the look on his face was warning enough. Without a backward glance, he turned and disappeared around the corner.

Sakura stayed where she was, her good mood lingering. She watched the children play across the street as she finished her candy. Once it was gone, she dropped the red-stained stick onto the ground below her. Her phone rang.

“Black town car picked him up, heading North. He’s gone,” the person on the other end said.

“Hashirama was never very good at blending in,” Sakura said into the receiver. “He’s always enjoyed flashing his money.”

“Did he agree then?”

Sakura nodded, knowing that somewhere out there, the man on the other end of the phone was watching her through a scope. “Of course, Kakashi.” Then her smile faded. “However, logistics will be tricky. Hashirama’s office is on one of the tallest buildings in New York City.”

“I won’t be able to cover your six,” Kakashi told her.

“That’s alright. This meeting should be friendly,” she said as she finally slipped off the wall, her boots thudding loudly. She headed in the opposite direction Hashirama left. Towards the silver charger she had parked around the corner. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

She heard him sigh, displeased. She knew he preferred to accompany her. “I figured you might try and go in alone. Check the trunk.”

Sakura hummed curiously but popped open the back of the car nonetheless. Her eyes lit up when she found it empty, except for a single black case. Inside sat a sleek handgun. Perfect for her slim fingers. Even more perfect for her slim waist.

“Kakashi, you shouldn’t have,” she said delightfully.

“Only the best for you, dear.” Then he hung up.

Sakura pushed her phone into her back pocket before she inspected the weapon. It was fully loaded and ready to use. And it fit perfectly against her hip.

Closing the trunk, Sakura slipped behind the wheel and headed into the heart of the city. The security guard at her apartment’s garage recognized her immediately and allowed her access to the underground parking.

She didn’t stay long. Just slipped upstairs to shower and change before she headed off into the city again down by the waterfront. She pulled into valet and handed her keys off before she headed inside the restaurant.

The interior was stunning. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, bathing the dining room in a gentle glow. On the far side, a wall of glass allowed guests to gaze upon the sparkling water of the bay stretched out into the night.

Sakura fit in perfectly in a black cocktail dress that clung to her curves. Her pink hair cascaded down her back, her bangs pinned back to reveal her pretty face. Emerald eyes rimmed in black kohl briefly searched through the throng of people. She found who she was looking for at the bar.

“Sorry I’m late. Traffic was horrible,” Sakura said as she slipped into a chair.

Ino gazed at her over the martini glass between her manicured nails, her blue eyes like stormy, unforgiving seas. “You’re always late. Did you even come in your own car?”

Sakura blew air between her lips as she looked over the tri-sided drink menu on their table. “My car didn’t match my dress.”

“You’re wearing black,” the blonde said flatly.

Sakura just smirked in response. She ordered a lemon drop from the waiter as he stopped by to deliver dinner menus before leaving them alone again in their corner of the bar. Ino read through the entrees quietly as Sakura eyed the other patrons.

Most were couples, intermixed with a handful of businessmen. Sakura relaxed a little when she found none had wandering eyes and she relaxed completely when she caught sight of a hotel window cracked across the street. Kakashi really was too kind to her. She’d have to remember to buy him those new sights he had been talking about the other day.

“How did your meeting with Hashirama go?” Ino asked, putting her menu down. Upon Sakura’s smile, her eyes widened, “He agreed?”

“He has history with Tsunade. It wasn’t difficult,” she replied.

Sakura didn’t elaborate further as their waiter returned with her drink. He quickly accepted their dinner orders and collected their menus before he stepped away again. Only once he was out of range did Ino press, “You’re meeting with him then?”

Sakura lowered the sugared glass from her lips before answering, “Tomorrow night.”

“Just be careful. He’s pleasant with Uchiha Madara now.”

“So I heard. But I don't expect him to be there tomorrow,” Sakura said. When Ino cocked her brow curiously, she explained, “He's out of the country right now. In Asia somewhere.”

The blonde continued to frown. “Well, I know you regard Hashirama highly, but keep your eye on Madara. I wouldn’t trust someone who turned traitor against the CIA.”

“I have no plans of trusting Madara,” Sakura said, setting her drink aside. “A new organization is beginning to grow in the South. They call themselves ‘Akatsuki’. Have you heard of them?”

“I have. Though I thought their dealing was in drugs?” Ino asked.

“Drugs, arms, human trafficking,” Sakura listed. “If it makes them money, they deal it. They’re starting to converge on Hashirama’s territory. It’s putting a strain on his business with Madara.”

“And so you’re offering your help to smooth out their relationship?”

The blonde’s tone gave away her disapproval and Sakura quickly shook her head to correct her. “I don’t give a damn about their relationship. Hashirama and Madara both need guns. And I have connections in the Middle East that are only too willing to offer me the weapons that could help the Senju and Uchiha deal with this ‘Akatsuki’.”

“You’re in it for the money,” Ino guessed.

Sakura smirked over her glass. “When am I ever not?”

That seemed to satisfy her blonde friend for their conversation turned to trivial things after that. They spoke of the success of Ino’s latest beauty products and her parent’s flower store over dinner. Only once both their plates were empty and the tab paid for did they stand and make for the door, arm-in-arm.

Outside, Ino handed her valet ticket off to the attendant. As the young man retrieved her car, she said, “I’ll talk to my contact about Akatsuki and see what he can find. I’ll let you know if I learn anything.”

“I owe you one.”

“You always do,” Ino said, her eyes tracing her car as the attendant drove up. Her tone came out annoyed but they both knew she was anything but. “Tell Kakashi I say hi.”

Sakura couldn’t resist her grin. “Tell him yourself.”

Ino glanced at her sharply before she scanned the surrounding buildings. After a moment of searching, she turned back to Sakura. “You know that’s creepy, right? Having a sniper follow you around.”

“You always tell me to be safe. He ensures that I am.”

Sighing, Ino accepted her car from the valet. Sakura watched her drive away silently.

Once the blonde was out of sight, Sakura turned to the young man at the valet stand and gasped. “Oh no. I think I left my purse at the bar. It had my ticket inside. Can you get it for me?”

The young man blinked stupidly at Sakura’s pretty smile. “Uh, yeah. Of course. I’ll be right back.”

The moment he was gone, Sakura looked through the box of car keys. In his haste, he had left it unlocked and open to her viewing. She picked out a Jaguar before she strode through the lot until she found the stall it was parked in.

It was all sleek and shiny and new. Sakura melted into the soft leather as she slipped behind the wheel and brought the engine to life. It purred beneath her like a content jungle cat and growled when she hit the gas.

Even Hashirama wouldn’t find complaint with this beauty.

The next evening, Sakura found herself at one of the tallest buildings in Lower Manhattan. She pulled her newly-acquired Jaguar into the underground parking garage and grabbed the tablet sitting on her passenger seat before she took the elevator to the one hundredth floor.

Senju Enterprises dominated the top five floors of the impressive building. The company name was bolted into the wall beside the elevator in thick, silver letters. Even well into the evening hours, the lobby of the high-valued business was bustling with activity. Receptionists typed away quickly behind their computers and answered phones with pleasant but direct tones while men and women in business suits hurried across the large room. Some held coffee cups. Others juggled documents and files.

Sakura weaved her way around the organized chaos like water around rocks. The thick heels of her boots thudded against the statuario marble floors, a harsh and bold disparity from the sharp click of high heels.

The receptionist didn’t immediately look up upon Sakura’s approach. She finished her frantic typing before she peered at her. “Can I help you?”

Sakura smiled. “I’m here to see Senju Hashirama.”

The woman was older than Sakura. Likely by near that of two decades. She raked her eyes down Sakura’s form once, taking in her pristine, white blouse under her sharp, black suit. Her lips pursed when she couldn’t find even a strand of pink hair out of place. “You have an appointment?”

“I do. Tell him Sakura comes bearing a gift.”

The receptionist frowned but she picked up a phone nonetheless and dialed out.

A few minutes later, Sakura was escorted down the hall by a young man about her age with a bluetooth in his ear. She tucked her tablet under her arm as they walked. She vaguely listened to the man as he chatted idly, but her attentions were focused on the computers and projections in the office spaces as they passed.

It seemed Hashirama was more than just a black market trader. Much more. Interesting.

Towards the back, Sakura followed her escort to another elevator requiring badge access to the top floor. It opened up to a plain hallway with a single door at the end. The young man knocked upon reaching it and stepped aside for her when the door was buzzed opened from the inside.

Sakura went in, not at all surprised when the young male didn’t follow her inside. At the end of the single, long table was Hashirama. Beside him was his younger brother, Tobirama.

Sakura had never met or seen Tobirama until now. He looked just as fierce as his brother even with his suit jacket discarded and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows. His face didn’t betray his thoughts but his dark eyes were piercing as she stepped into the room.

Even with only just the two of them, Sakura knew just how powerful this room was.

She resisted the urge to smirk. This would be far more interesting than the Middle East.

“Sakura,” Hashirama greeted.

She smiled prettily. “Hashirama, how very kind of you to invite me to your humble suite.”

The doors closed behind her with a note of finality. Both their eyes settled on her but she was not unnerved. Two hot men in suits paled in comparison to what she had already faced in her young lifetime. Even if those men were the Senju brothers.

Sakura lowered herself into an available chair at the end of the table without prompt. Tobirama’s face betrayed nothing but he watched her bold move intensely.

Hashirama simply crossed one leg over the other as he regarded her. “We're on a tight schedule so let's keep this short, shall we? You claimed to have talent that may benefit my company. I’m ready to listen.”

“Hold on,” Tobirama said before she could even open her mouth. He glanced at his brother. “What is this regarding? You and I both agreed we weren’t going to bring on anyone knew. We have our projections calculated on the market and-.”

“I’m not here to talk about your projections with you,” Sakura said. Tobirama nearly glared at her blatant interruption, but she continued nonchalantly, “I have some numbers that I believe you will find far more interesting.”

Tobirama’s face shifted. If only to glare. “What could you possibly know about stocks?”

“I don’t give a shit about stocks,” Sakura said with an air of boredom. “I’m not here to discuss your shadow business. I have another proposition.”

The scowl on his face didn’t fade but he remained silent. Sakura waited for Hashirama’s gesture to continue before she reached for her tablet and lit up the screen. She pulled up the information before she slid the device across the table to them. It stopped directly in front of Tobirama.

He barely glanced at the first image. “We work in stocks. What makes you think we have any interest in arms dealing?”

“Oh, come now,” Sakura sighed. “You’re attempting to expand your power south, but a little gang known as Akatsuki is thwarting you at every turn. Now you can keep Madara in Hong Kong to gather more men and weapons, which can take anywhere from weeks to months even with his status, or you can see what I offer.”

Tobirama held her gaze for so long Sakura almost thought they would forever be stuck in time. But then he spoke, “How did a little girl like you acquire all of this?”

The nickname was meant as an insult but Sakura only smiled as her eyes shifted to Hashirama. “You haven’t told him.”

Tobirama’s eyes flickered to his brother. The corner of Hashirama’s mouth turned up as he regarded her across the table. “It appears Tsunade has trained you well.”

“Tsunade?” Tobirama repeated as his gaze returned to her again. He seemed to consider something before he finally reached for the tablet. It was silent as he swiped through the files.

“And you can guarantee all of this?” Tobirama eventually asked.

She bit back her smirk. “The weapons are already on a ship bound for New York. And I have a whole list of men only too willing to be of assistance to the Senju.”

Silence fell again. Sakura gauged Tobirama but his expression was void of all thought and emotion as he scrolled through her information. Of course not all of it would be sent to the Senju brothers if they agreed - she had other clients - but they at least would get an idea of the services she could provide.

Her gaze turned out the window as she waited for the final say. From this view, she could see the cargo ships traveling down the East River as they made their way in and out of port. In two days time, she would be meeting one of those ships to unload likely one of the largest shipments of illegal weapons into the States in years.

Her blood hummed with excitement.

The sound of her tablet case being closed drew Sakura’s attention. She looked up as Hashirama slid it back across the table towards her. “It seems that we agree we could use someone of your skill set after all.”

That was surprising. Considering they hadn’t even uttered a single word while she had been gazing out the window. Not even a whisper.

Sakura slid her eyes to Tobirama again. She got the impression he didn’t care for her very much, but it was hard to tell. The way he was reclined back in his chair, she would have thought he was bored if not for the fact his eyes were watching her so intently.

Turning back to Hashirama, she nodded. “Good. Text me where you want your first shipment delivered to and I’ll see that it gets done.”

Hashirama nodded.

Standing, Sakura slipped her tablet off the table. She turned towards the door, only to pause. “Oh and one last thing. My clients know me as Tsunade. I prefer that in the presence of others you address me as such.”

A curious look fell over Hashirama’s face but he inclined his head nevertheless. Sakura shot him a charming smile before she finally made her exit.

Sakura waited until she was out of the parking garage before she dialed out on her phone. The other end picked up on the second ring.

“They agreed,” Sakura said. “We’ll be giving part of the shipment to the Senju.”

“Really?” Kakashi said, his tone betraying his surprise. “I didn’t think Tobirama would trust you so easily.”

She snorted. “I don’t think he trusts me. More like I haven't given him a reason yet to dispose of my body in the river.”

“Which one?” he asked.

“All of them.”

Kakashi chuckled lightly. “I’ll call the boys and make sure they’re ready.”

Sakura hung up then. She dropped her phone into the cup holder between the seats as she stopped at a redlight. A smile clung to the corner of her mouth.

Let the games begin.

to be continued...

#tobisakuita #tobisaku #itasaku #tobirama #sakura #itachi #hollow point #arms dealer au #crime au #chapter one #Saria Writes

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itslulu42 · 7 years

Text

Sensei

Ninja Dorks Flailing at Interpersonal Relations Part Twenty-one AKA the Finale! Where I bring the series full-circle. :D

I left it pretty open-ended because the whole “plot” is Kakashi and Sakura being the cutest couple in town.

One more cute thing.

Every day.

ONE | PREVIOUS

Sensei

Ten Years Ago….

“Did you see her?”

“Yes,” said Tenzo as he adjusted Kakashi’s arm which was over his shoulder. “I think everyone saw her, sempai.”

“I need a woman like that. She was so strong. None of the cilivians can do that. Cilvians. Non-ninja.”

“Civilians,” Tenzo corrected as he half-carried Kakashi down the road. “I don’t know why you torment yourself with those relationships. You don’t have anything in common with them.”

“Mm… they don’t know me. I can’t disappoint them if they don’t know me.” Kakashi grimaced. “All I want is a woman that can crush twenty—no—fifty watermelons between her legs and doesn’t know me and lives in Konoha.”

Tenzo noticed that at some point, Kakashi had stopped trying to walk at all. Tenzo was carrying Kakashi’s full weight as the man’s feet drag along the street. “Does that woman even exist?”

“No. I’m too fucking famous,” Kakashi grunted as he extracted his arm from Yamato’s grip, stumbling over to the building to lean on it. “Fuck, I think I drank too much.”

“I would agree.” It was a rare occasion that Kakashi wore unless if it was the aftermath of a grueling battle. He watched Kakashi lean against the wall before giving up and sliding down to the floor. Tenzo joined him, placing his elbows on his knees as he waited for Kakashi to get a grip on herself. Finally, Tenzo couldn’t take the silence anymore. “You’re too hard on yourself, sempai.”

Kakashi made a miserable noise but didn’t say anything in reply. Tenzo didn’t bother asking either. He had known Kakashi long enough by this time to know there were certain anniversaries that involved heavy drinking. Kakashi didn’t share the reason and Tenzo didn’t ask.

That’s just how things were.

Four Years Ago…

Yamato nodded in thanks as the server brought another drink to his table. The restaurant was quickly becoming one of his favorite places to eat after a long mission. It was always busy and for good reason. The food was excellent, the service was prompt, and there was always a familiar face. Maybe he should move to an apartment on this side of town.

Yamato’s thoughts were interrupted by a giggle.

"Spill it, Forehead! What's the deal with Baldie?"

Yamato recognized the voice behind him, although he couldn't quite place it. He focused his chakra so he could hear the conversation better.

"Hound visited the other day when I was training with Tsunade-sama. He didn't get in the middle of our training; he just landed on the edge of training grounds. Out of nowhere, Tsunade-sama turns her attention away from me and throws a tree at him. He leaped into the air and used a lightning jutsu to destroy it."

Yamato smiled as he realized Sakura was talking about Kakashi. His former ANBU Captain had returned from Suna when everyone had written him off as dead. Yamato had met Kakashi outside of the Hokage's office before his mission a week ago. The only thing that had changed about Kakashi was his lack of hair; he had to shave it off in Suna so he wouldn’t be so recognizable.

"I've never seen such an intense spar before. It was so cool."

"That's crazy! Did Hound make Tsunade-sama mad?"

"No. I think she was testing his skill. Or maybe she wanted to teach me something."

"Well, did you learn anything?"

Yamato turned from his seat, deciding it would be an excellent time to make his presence known. He might not be able to share much about Kakashi or his identity, but she should at least know that Hound was as loyal as they come.

Sakura giggled. "I learned he has a cute butt."

Yamato's greeting died his throat.

Sakura turned red as she noticed Yamato. "Sensei? What? Did you hear?"

"I hope you have a nice day, Sakura-chan." Yamato threw some money on the table and left the restaurant, leaving his half-eaten meal behind. He was going to have to find a new restaurant to frequent.

Present day…

Iruka raised his arm as he gave a toast to Naruto and Hinata. Yamato raised his cup with the rest of the crowd. It was hard to believe that Naruto was married and that Yamato was able to aid to the young man’s growth.

"You must be very proud of him."

Yamato turned his head to see Kurenai standing at his shoulder. "I am. Thank you so much for your guidance. I don't think I would have been a proper jonin-sensei without your wisdom.” Kurenai laughed. "Everyone could see you were completely lost. It's the least I could do with a team like yours."

"And where’s Asuma?"

"He took Mirai home since it was past her bedtime; I think I'll stay out for another hour before joining them. We tried to find a babysitter, but everyone we trust with Mirai is here. Pretty soon our students are going to have children of their own.”

Yamato chuckled in his glass.

"Speaking of which..." Kurenai looked at a spot somewhere behind Yamato. He turned his head slightly to see Kakashi and Sakura standing side-by-side as they spoke to Hinata. "How did you manage to pull that off? Even if I recognized the potential between the two of them, I don't think I would ever have mentioned it. Kakashi always completely shut down any time I ever mentioned anyone he should date. Then he would spend weeks avoiding me."

Yamato cleared his throat and gave a nervous smile. "Ah, well, I guess the timing was right. He can't run away if he's Hokage."

Kurenai gave a sly smile. "I suppose your right. Good evening, Kakashi-sama."

"Kurenai, how many times have I told you that you don't have to call me that? Please, drop the ‘sama.’"

"I could, but it's more fun to see you squirm when I say it." Kurenai crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow. "Why aren’t you dancing? Do you think it's wise to let Neji have the honors?"

Kakashi snorted. "Don't worry. I'm certain if they get a little too cozy one of my Anbu guards will break them up."

Kurenai’s eyes widened. "You're joking. Please tell me you're joking and that you’re not using a team of highly-trained assassins to watch over your life."

"It's a long story." Kakashi gave Yamato a suspicious look. It took every ounce of Yamato's training to not react.

Did he know?

"Is there any chance that we'll be attending your wedding soon? The two of you look cute together."

Kakashi stern gaze melted away into embarrassment. "Ah... Ah... No. Not for a few years at least. Sakura has only left the village a handful of times and none of the experiences were pleasant. I’ve been on so many missions and they’ve taken me all over the world. I’ve shared a few stories and she’ll get this look on her face. Longing, maybe?” Kakashi hummed as he looked out into the crowd. Neji and Sakura were dancing the mambo.

“Sakura would probably say ‘yes’ if I asked her today. And then she would feel obligated to stay in the village. If she wants to go on a mission at that takes place during a dance competition, she should have the chance to do so without feeling guilty.”

Sakura and Neji gave a bow to their audience as the song ended. The crowd was parted enough that Yamato could see Kankuro drinking out of an enormous fruit cocktail.

“And what about you?” Kurenai inquired mildly. “You’re a mess. Are you sure you can handle it when your girlfriend’s away?”

Yamato laughed as Kakashi scowled in her direction. When given the opportunity to voice her thoughts, few were as ruthless as Kurenai.

“I’m not going anywhere. And I trust that Sakura will come back to me. She did the first time around, after all.”

Kurenai shook her head in disbelief. “Kakashi of the Sharingan is in love. I’d tell Asuma about this, but I don’t think he’ll believe me. I’m glad you’ve finally found some happiness, Kakashi.”

Yamato saw Sakura headed in their direction and cleared his throat. “It’s been nice catching up with the two of you, but I see someone I need to speak to.” He liked the idea of Kakashi and Sakura together in the abstract sense. However, witnessing any affection between the two of them with his own eyeballs always left Yamato feeling a little uncomfortable. It would probably take him a few years before he would be used to it.

He just knew them too well, he supposed.

Yamato headed off the far end of the celebration towards a large tree with a wide canopy. Kankuro was waiting there, leaning against the tree as juggled wedding favors.

“Did you bring it?” Yamato asked.

Kankuro stopped juggling and reached into his pocket. “Yeah. I took a look at the contents. It was definitely not what I was expecting.”

Yamato began to sweat. “I’m sorry, you had to witness that. We tried to make certain none of it left the village.”

“You’re lucky that it landed with Gaara and not with the Raikage. Gaara wants to preserve Kakashi’s reputation as much ask anyone.” He grimaced. “That’s really bad poetry.”

Yamato opened the scroll to look at the contents. Konoha already had a clean, unblemished copy in their archives. He burned the scroll, destroying the last evidence of their heartbroken Rokudaime.

“Thank you so much. Again, I’m sorry about. Next drink is on me to help you forget.”

Kankuro snorted. “Yeah, I think I’m going to need like five.” He held out his hand and waited as Yamato counted out the money. “Thanks.” He clapped Yamato on the shoulder as he returned to the party.

Yamato sighed as he took a look at his watch. Anko’s shift at gate duty had just finished ten minutes ago. Panther and Otter were dressed in civilian clothing and mingling with the rest of the party. If Kakashi and Sakura did anything else ridiculous, those two agents were more than qualified to handle the fallout.

Humming to himself, Yamato left the party and walked to Anko’s home.

Six months later…

Kakashi jolted as the office door slammed open. Turning from his chair, he noticed one of the hinges had shattered. “Sakura! How many doors are you planning on destroying?”

Sakura ignored the question, waving the ANBU mask in her hand. “I was looking in the closet for that scroll you mentioned earlier and I found this! Is this yours? Were you Hound?”

Kakashi stared at Sakura in confusion. “Yes. I thought you knew I was in ANBU.”

“Yes, but I didn’t know you were Hound! I thought Hound was bald!” Sakura huffed as she threw her hands in the air. “Dammit, Yamato-sensei!”

*****END*****

#ninja dorks #my fanfiction #kakasaku

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savage-angel-was-a-mistake · 6 years

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What’s the Worst That Could Happen? Chapter 4 - Very Hand On With My Hands On Manager

Summary: Naruto and Sasuke are faced with a television host specialized in making the smallest things into the biggest scandals. Sasuke can't seem to find what the issue is, but it becomes clear as soon as the host accuses Naruto of cheating on his wife by being very hands on with his hands on campaign manager.There are two ways this could go.

It’s the end of the world as Sasuke knows it.

Scrambling around to clean up any messes Naruto may have made was exhausting. The campaign wasn’t very stable – kind of Derek Zoolander’s Center for Children Who Can’t Read Good and Want to Learn How to do Other Stuff Good Too-esque. Everything was piling on top of everything and Sasuke was having trouble keeping up with it all.

And then this had to happen.

The Sunday Monday Fundays show – which aired Sunday and Monday, if you couldn’t tell – had requested an appearance.

This show was notorious for nit picking at the weirdest evidence in an attempt to find some scandal capable of ruining a career. The host, Tsunade, targets whoever the person paying her decides is doing a little too well for their liking.

Of course, they picked Naruto.

Naruto could always decline the invitation, but that would look like cowardice on their part. She’d probably release something completely false without discussing it first if they didn’t go.

But if Naruto is caught off guard, and what she found was true, then his reaction would be forever recorded and broadcasted straight to national television. That’s a wonderful thought – it’s nice, though, it’s feeding time for Michael Phelps.

Sasuke attempted to gather any sort of ink blot on their pristine record but could find absolutely none, which put Michael Phelps into overdrive. Not being able to find an issue means that they won’t be prepared for facing whatever she asks them.

Naruto has to go in blind.

Which he probably won’t mind, but hell if Sasuke won’t.

Michael Phelps, go away, Sasuke pleads, find another swimming pool.

“Hello, welcome to the Sunday portion of our Fundays. I’m Tsunade, and today I have here presidential candidate Mr. Naruto Uzumaki! Hello, Mr. Uzumaki.”

“Oh, please, call me Naruto.”

“Alright then! First name basis already?”

“I prefer making friends rather than adding acquaintances.”

“How very sweet of you.”

The conversation went smoothly. Tsunade joked along with Naruto through a series of conversational tangents. Sasuke found himself being drawn into the false sense of security.

“Well, there is a specific reason I brought you in.”

Can Sasuke’s face get paler? If you looked at him at this moment, you would know.

“What’s up?”

“Well, you’ve made many mentions of your wife over the course of your campaign, correct?”

“I have spoken on my spouse many occasions, yes.”

“And you seem very devoted to her?”

“My spouse means the world to me.”

“Well, we have some evidence here that you may not be as devoted to her as you’d like others to believe.”

Sasuke’s heart dropped.

He tried to tell himself over and over that Naruto would never cross him, would never do anything like that, but Michael Phelps made anything seem possible.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, let’s just say that we’ve found you with someone else.”

Naruto leaned back, “Really?” A look of disbelief mixed intrigue plastered on his face.

“Yes, quite so.”

“With who, may I ask?”

Naruto was too calm. Sasuke was freaking out and wanted nothing more than to collapse in his arms and also punch him in the face – whichever feeling won out when he got to it.

“You see, evidence shows that your campaign manager is very hands on with your campaign while you are very hands on with your campaign manager.”

All that existed in Sasuke’s mind was Michael Phelps. On one hand, Naruto could deny that he’s married to Sasuke, (falsely) proving him to be an adulterer, resulting in him being shunned by more than the already opposing side. Adultery was not a good look on anyone.

On the other hand… Naruto would have to fess up to being married to Sasuke, a man, a foreign man no less (he was a citizen but that matters to no one apparently), meaning he was gay. People don’t tend to like gay people, especially a portion of the voting pool they’re currently going for.

If he claimed he wasn’t married to Sasuke, he would most likely have to drop out of the race. If he explained that they were married, they might not have a great shot at winning, but Sasuke would be heart-broken if he cost Naruto the election.

This was a matter that had to be thoroughly examined with a clear strategy –

Naruto burst out laughing.

Sasuke wished Naruto burst into flames instead.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, that’s – that’s the greatest wording I’ve ever heard.” Naruto laughed loudly.

“Excuse me?” Tsunade asked.

“Oh my god, Sas, Sas,” Naruto doubled over and struggled to breathe, “Sas, tu l’as eu (Sas, did you get it)? Tu l’as eu, Sas?”

Everyone looked at him blankly as his laughter began to wind down.

Naruto straightened up, wiping his eyes, “It’s alright, Sasuke gets everything,” he looks at Tsunade questioningly, “what was the question again?”

“You’re cheating on your wife with your campaign manager,” Tsuande pulls up pictures of them, one at the dinner for the Greywood’s and – much to Sasuke’s dismay – another after the Q&A, “and here’s the proof.”

“Oh… I wasn’t aware I could cheat on my spouse… with my spouse.”

“What do you mean?” Tsunade asked.

“Dude,” Naruto said calmly, “Sasuke is my husband.”

Tsunade looked at him blankly.

“You – you’re married?”

“Yes!” Naruto answered happily, “We established this earlier.”

“I mean to your campaign manager.”

“Yes, Sasuke Uzumaki, campaign manager of Naruto Uzumaki. We’re the Uzumaki’s!” Naruto beamed, “He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?”

“You said you had a wife.”

“Nope! I said I had a spouse. You could take that as you pleased.” Naruto leaned back, “The one descriptor I used repeatedly for my spouse was very French. Have you never heard that man? He even speaks English in cursive. It’s adorable.”

And the rest was incredibly awkward as Tsunade tried to shrug off the very off assumption. Naruto made it clear that he didn’t hold anything against her, thanked her for having him, asked for the pictures they got, and left.

Sasuke wanted to feel better, but he couldn’t.

It was that damned Michael Phelps again.

Navigation:

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, You are Here!, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9

Read on AO3 Read on ff.net

#narusasu #fanfiction #Presidential election AU

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sun-summoning · 7 years

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note: i meant to finish this for canada day but i failed oh well.

the first time they take her to see the fireworks, sarada is four and she certainly doesn’t enjoy herself. it’s a shame because she had been so excited for them all day, eagerly asking when they would be appearing as she took part in all the other events to celebrate konoha’s founding. now, mama? she asked as she ate some local delicacies. now, papa? she asked as she hopped off one of the carnival rides.

but when the sun finally set and the sky darkened and the bright display began, sarada began whimpering and huddled into sasuke’s chest and buried her face in his shirt.

“it’s okay,” he tells her, holding her close. “it’s just the fireworks. papa won’t let anything happen to you.”

sakura comes closer and smooths back sarada’s hair. “what’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“too loud!” sarada whines.

“oh no.” she leans in and kisses sarada’s forehead. “but do you like the colours?”

sarada nods against sasuke. “but too loud, mama!”

sakura looks at sasuke and reaches out to take sarada. they transfer her into sakura’s lap and position her so that her back is to sakura’s chest. she immediately begins to scramble, trying to curl into sakura the same way she was with sasuke.

“it’s okay, it’s okay,” sakura tells her. “can mama help you watch the fireworks better?”

“but it’s loud!”

sakura smiles at her though, patient and loving, so sarada bites her lip and nods. she leans the back of her head against sakura’s chest and sakura presses her hands against sarada’s ears.

with the booming noises muffled, sarada looks up at the night sky and watches the pops of colour and light. she likes the gold ones that look like shooting stars and the ones that come up white and then seem to burst into green and blue. she likes the flashes of red and pink and purple. the show lasts about half an hour and when it’s over, sarada scrambles to her feet and begins jumping up and down.

“that was--that was--” her little arms are flailing as she brims with excitement. “papa! mama! did you guys see that?!”

sasuke smirks. “we did.”

“can we see them again? can we?”

sakura picks sarada up so they can head home. “next year, sweetheart.”

“but that’s in sooooo long!” sarada pouts but accepts her mother’s words. “okay, but you promise? you’ll take me to ride the ponies and eat all the candy and then watch the fireworks?”

sakura laughs while sasuke shakes his head. “just the fireworks, sarada.”

the celebration of konoha’s founding is something sarada has always loved. as far as she can remember, sakura has always taken the day off to be able to take her to the events -- to the carnival, to the food festival, and sarada’s favourite, to the fireworks show at night. you can get a good view of them from virtually anywhere in the village, but their favourite spot has always been on granny tsunade’s head on the hokage mountain, hidden by a genjutsu set by sakura because technically no one is supposed to be up here.

sarada loves the fireworks. she loves the pops of colours. she loves the shapes they make as the lights soar up and fall so freely.

when sasuke is home again, she drags him along with her and sakura to the secret place they’ve gone to every year since she was a little girl and they settle in the darkness together.

“they’re running late this year,” sarada points out.

“probably because naruto wanted things to be extra special,” sakura explains. “they might be having some last minute technical problems. i’m sure they’ll start shortly.”

“tch. that idiot. always so extra.”

sarada pouts at her father. “do you not like the fireworks, papa?”

sasuke has only seen fireworks a handful of times, one or twice as a boy with his parents and his brother, another time with his team, a few more occasions with sakura when they were traveling, and that one time when sarada was a girl. sitting down to watch such a frivolous display doesn’t mean anything to him, but he can see how special it is to her. “they’re fine,” he replies.

sakura wraps her arm around sarada and draws her into her side. sarada is too big to sit in her lap at this point, but sakura will always love the closeness. “papa just complains about any choices naruto makes on principle, sweetheart.”

“i do not.”

“you shot down all of his ideas for this holiday.”

“because he wanted to commission a giant rubber duck. he wanted to use taxpayer money to--” but sasuke is interrupted by a loud whistle and pop as the first firework shoots up into the sky.

sarada can’t help but clap, excited to see the rest of the display. she thinks that no matter how old she is, she’ll always feel like she did the first time, in awe of the way the colours soured and the night sky lit up so brightly. she remembers her father’s soothing words, his promise of protection, and the way her mother held her so snugly, so warmly, making sure she could enjoy the show as comfortably as possible.

with her head on sakura’s shoulder, sarada looks away from the lights only briefly, only to find her father watching the two of them instead of the show.

she grins at him. “we’ll come back here again next year, right papa?”

he smiles back and sarada is so happy that he’s home. “and every year after that.”

#fic

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kuriquinn · 7 years

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Penthesilea [13/?]

Cover & Disclaimer:

Chapter Summary: Everyone is quiet at that, hit by the realisation that bringing about this peace might involve more bloodshed and betrayal, the like of which would make Sasuke’s indiscretions with Sakura seem paltry.

Chapter Beta: None beyond my own two eyes and editing software at the moment.

戦国時代

“Naruto!” Sakura snaps, and both the jinchūriki and Sasuke look back to where she is desperately pressing her hands to Itachi’s chest. Once more, her mark is fading, pulling back from where it is wound around Itachi. “I need…I’m running out of…!”

Naruto frowns in concentration and then shakes his head.

“I can’t,” Naruto says, sounding shocked and dismayed. “Kurama…I can’t access his chakra…I don’t know if it’s because he doesn’t want me to or because…”

He trails off, eyeing Sasuke questioningly, but the he can only shake his head. He doesn’t know the answer, either.

“How much longer do you need?” Kakashi asks, helping a groaning Yamato to a seated position.

“I’m almost…finished…but with the interruption, it might have…compromised the procedure…” Sakura says through gritted teeth. A vein in her forehead strains as she tries to force her healing mark to stay wrapped around Itachi.

“Take my chakra,” Sasuke says, going down on his knees beside her. “Whatever you need.”

“Sasuke…kun…”

“You were just on your back almost unconscious!” Naruto protests. “And you gave up a lot of blood—”

“It doesn’t matter,” Sasuke says, placing a hand on Sakura’s right shoulder. He calls up the last of his strength, spreading his palms across her shoulder to align their chakra points for optimal transference.

“It won’t be enough,” Kakashi says, and leaves Yamato’s side to join them beside Itachi. “Use mine as well.”

“Your chakra reserves aren’t even close to mine,” Sasuke points out. “She’s burning through them exponentially, you’ll be finished within a minute or so.”

“Then it’s a minute or so longer than she has right now,” Kakashi argues, placing his hand on Sakura’s left shoulder. She gives a guttural, pained cry as their chakra flows through her.

And then Sasuke loses himself in the uncomfortable, tearing sensation of having his chakra forcibly drawn out of him. Where he was lending it to her moments before, now it is as if a violent, sucking vortex is drawing it out of him. It pulls through Sakura and back into the mark that once more solidifies around Itachi’s body.

It seems like forever and an instant, but already Sasuke can feel his chakra reserves emptying.

Kakashi succumbs first, hand losing its grip on Sakura as he falls face forward. Sasuke senses his own strength waning, but forces his spine to lock, to keep him upright—he won’t fail!. Then she’s drawing only on him, the tearing pull burning his veins from the inside.

Sasuke grits his teeth, the world spinning again, and light fading in front of his eyes.

And then it all stops.

There is utter silence in the small room, and Sakura slowly removes her hands from Itachi’s chest. Staring down at him, she says in a quiet, almost surprised voice, “We did it.”

She slumps backward.

Sasuke manoeuvres into place behind her, catching her against his chest, and his arm reaches around to steady her and pull her closer. Her eyes, strained with weariness, seek out his, and for what seems like days, they hold each other’s gaze.

Then her lips part in shock and she jerks away from him, stumbling across the clean room and falling forward. Hands braced on the ground, her shoulders heave, and the sound of retching follows.

Naruto is closer to her than Sasuke this time, and he reaches over to steady her. “Are you all right, Sakura-chan?”

She wipes her mouth, hands shaking. “I…I think it’s nerves. That’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done.”

“And you defeated Akasuna no Sasori,” he points out with forced levity.

Sasuke’s concern for Sakura transforms into amazement. “That was you?”

Sasori was one of the Akatsuki mercenaries, skilled in deception and assassination. The day of the battle which would ultimately destroy the Akatsuki and the allied Senju clans who challenged them, Sasori was meant to kill Tsunade. Instead, he was eliminated before he got anywhere near his mark.

But…Sakura couldn’t have been more than fourteen at the time…

He must not yet be able to hide his expression very well, because she beams at his astonishment and says, “I’ll tell you the story sometime.”

When she’s not as weak as a kitten, he supposes, noting how much effort she takes to walk over to Yamato and tend to his wounds. It’s all Sasuke can do to keep himself from reaching out and taking her in his arms again.

More time passes, somehow more nerve-wracking than the hours that dragged on during the procedure. The hut is dimming, dawn fast approaching, and everyone waits with bated breath for Itachi to wake. Sasuke trusts Sakura, but he still can’t help the niggling worry that the procedure might have been too much—that perhaps his brother might not wake from this.

Just as Sakura fidgets nervously as well—perhaps feeling a modicum of the doubt she has been chiding others for since proposing this plan—Itachi’s breathing pattern suddenly alters. He inhales sharply—a waking man’s first gasp of air—and slowly exhales out.

“I appear to be alive,” he remarks mildly to the ceiling.

Naruto bursts out laughing and even Kakashi allows himself a harsh chuckle.

“Not for lack of trying, my friend,” the masked man tells him.

“The procedure was a success,” Sakura informs him proudly.

“It seems you all make quite the team,” Itachi says, eyes resting on each of the individuals in the room in turn. They rest on Sasuke the longest, and though he says nothing, he nods his head in a way to assure him that he is all right.

Sasuke pretends to be unaware of the way his breath shudders out of him in relief.

“Naruto,” Itachi says then, making the other man straighten up; it appears helping to save his life has eliminated the need for decorum. “Peace has always been the goal. If you can convince Tsunade-hime to meet for a conference on the matter, that goal might be within reach.”

“I can do that—believe it!” Naruto declares, a delighted smile overtaking his features.

“It will be a few days—or weeks,” Itachi goes on, glancing at Sakura who nods in confirmation, “before I am strong enough. And I must speak to the leaders of the Hyūga as well as the other generals.”

“We have our own people that may need convincing,” Naruto acknowledges.

“I have no doubt. That brings us to the point that is non-negotiable,” Itachi declares firmly. “Shimura Danzō is to be handed over to us and will face tribunal before the Uchiha for his crimes. Not only of violating a ceasefire, but stealing the Sharingan.”

Naruto sobers, and nods. “I’m pretty sure we can sell Tsunade-bāsan on that, hey, Sakura-chan?”

“Yes. We’ll redouble our efforts to find him, as soon as…” she trails off, stumbling forward, and Sasuke once again has to grasp her arm and steady her. She gazes up at him, embarrassed. “I’m sorry. This procedure took more strength than I expected. I may need to rest as long as your brother does.”

“I’ll make sure you do,” Naruto says, stepping forward to put Sakura’s other arm over his shoulder. When he notices Sasuke’s glare, he pauses and looks like he’s considering pulling away from her. Then he snorts, amused, and mutters, “I’ll get her home safely.”

Sasuke narrows his eyes, hoping to convey what would happen if he doesn’t. When Naruto smirks and nods, he finally relents.

Kakashi clears his throat, eyes flitting between the two of them in amusement, and says, “In the meantime, we have to hurry back to camp. It will take some creative thinking to get Itachi back before anyone notices he was gone.”

“And to explain why you can barely walk,” Sasuke mutters.

“Send a message once you’re safe,” Sakura tells them as she allows Naruto and Yamato to lead her away. She keeps her eyes on him until the door of the hut closes behind her.

Kakashi exhales, whistling through his teeth.

“Well. It seems you two aren’t even trying to hide it anymore,” he remarks. “Better consider that in your peace calculations, Itachi.”

The back of Sasuke’s neck warms.

戦国時代

By the time the three of them return to the Uchiha camp, the horizon is pink with the sunset. Itachi can barely stand on his own power, and even Sasuke and Kakashi are having difficulty remaining upright. With their chakra reserves all but drained, they had to hurry back under their own physical power, and coupled with the need to take turns carrying Itachi, everyone is exhausted.

Through a combination of timing and luck, they slip back into the camp undetected, and for the first time Sasuke wonders how Sakura has managed it on a weekly basis. He assumes that after that first time, Kakashi has been helping her inside, but there have been plenty of occasions where Kakashi was not there.

He makes a mental note to ask her how she does it the next time he sees her.

Within the confines of their own land, Itachi refuses to be carried, and so their progress is slow, as if he is simply making a slow inspection of his camp. Occasionally he stumbles, and either Sasuke or Kakashi reach out to steady him, all the while ensuring no one has noticed them.

As they near Itachi’s tent, Sasuke experiences a modicum of relief. As soon Itachi is settled, he thinks he might pass out for the rest of the day. If any of the regular forces need training today, he’ll find someone else to do it—

“Itachi-sama! There you are!”

Sasuke winces, mentally cursing himself at the sound of the familiar voice. The three of them turn to face Inabi, who stalks forward with a hostile expression on his face.

“I’ve been trying to find you for an hour,” the older man complains. “You weren’t in your tent—neither was your…entourage.” He eyes Sasuke and Kakashi with distaste. “Where were you?”

“My comings and goings are of no consequence to you,” Itachi tells him with forced civility.

“They are these days. There are rumours circulating through the camp that we have people giving our secrets to the enemy,” Inabi says. “With Shisui gone, we have no intel coming from the other side, and people are getting worried.”

Sasuke takes an angry step forward. “Watch yourself, Inabi—it sounds as if you would accuse your own leader of treachery.”

“The thought never crossed my mind,” his cousin replies stiffly, but in a manner that suggests just the opposite. “Though, I do find it concerning that our own leader was not in his tent this past night. When he has barely moved from it in months.”

There is an implication there that Sasuke doesn’t like, and even though his limbs feel like jelly, his fingers twitch toward his katana.

“Sasuke,” he brother says, the warning there plain.

The four of them watch one another tensely for a beat, and Sasuke wonders if his brother will bother with an explanation or simply shrug it off; if done improperly, either option will only increase Inabi’s suspicions.

“Hey! Itachi!”

Obito seems to appear out of nowhere, clapping Itachi on the shoulder so hard that he stumbles, and offering him a grin.

“You guys are giving up now? I thought you said you were gonna show me how a real Uchiha drinks?” he sniggers. Then he squints at Kakashi. “And you…you don’t count…in fact, you cheated.”

What the…? Sasuke exchanges confused looks with his brother and then glances at his former sensei as if to ask if he knows what this is about.

Kakashi’s eyes widen incrementally, and then he replies slowly, “Well, what do you expect? My father’s sake stores aren’t for lightweights like you.”

“Lightweights,” Obito mutters. “I’ll show you lightweight in a moment you—oh.” His eyes fall on their other cousin with the air of someone who just watched a fence post before walking into it. “Inabi…what are you doing here? I thought you were digging latrines?”

Inabi scowls. “Do you mean to tell me that you spent the night getting our leader drunk?”

“It was a wake,” Obito shoots back, speech slurred a bit. “To remember our dead. The important ones. Like Shisui. We’d have invited you, but…well, I don’t like you.”

“Obito,” Kakashi warns.

“What? It’s true,” the other man waves at him, staggering. “In fact, what are you even doing here, cousin? Every time I look around, you’re following Itachi around, it’s almost like…oh. Oh!” He gives a high-pitched giggle. “You’re here to give Itachi a love confession, aren’t you? Oh, I knew you were in love with senpai!”

Inabi’s fist crashes into his jaw, and he snarls, “Your parents should have drowned you at birth.”

“Inabi,” Itachi says, voice laced with warning. Their cousin glares at him and then stalks away without a word. He turns to Obito, and sighs. “That was unwise.”

“Yeah, but it was fun,” Obito retorts, no trace of a slur in his voice now. Sasuke’s eyes widen in surprise.

“You could have dodged that,” Kakashi points out. “Even when you’re actually drunk, your reflexes are better than that.”

“Inabi doesn’t need to know that, does he?” Obito retorts. “Come on, let’s get you inside before you faint.” He nudges Kakashi aside, offering a firmer support to Itachi. “I hope whatever that medic of Sasuke’s did to you was worth looking like you do now. I’ve taken craps that look better than you…”

Sasuke feels like he’s the one that’s been punched, and immediately he glowers at Kakashi.

“You told him?” he hisses once they are safely inside Itachi’s tent and Obito is busy helping Itachi to his sleeping pallet.

“He’s my best friend and the next in line if you and Itachi got yourselves killed,” Kakashi retorts. “Of course, I told him.”

“I am hurt—absolutely offended that you didn’t tell me about this, little cousin,” Obito complains. “Everyone knows I’m the best at stupid plans. And with you boning a medic, we finally had something in common! We could have bonded!”

Sasuke shoots Kakashi a glare that promises violent retribution. “What the hell is your problem? You’re supposed to be good at keeping secrets.”

“Shut up, Sasuke, I saved your ass,” Obito interjects. “Besides, out of everyone here, I’m the only one that has a concrete, vested interest in anything that might lead us to peace. My kid won’t grow up in this shit.” He frowns at Itachi. “So, is there a chance?”

“Nothing is certain,” the leader of the Uchiha says, “but I would say support for the idea is strong among certain important individuals.”

“The important individuals aren’t the problem,” Kakashi says. “On both sides, it’s the ordinary people. The older generations, and the young ones who know nothing else. How do we sell this idea of peace to those like Inabi?”

“He’s a war-dog,” Obito agrees with a frown. “All he wants is to fight.”

“And there are those among the clan who don’t trust the Senju or their retainers at all,” Sasuke points out. “There will be fear of being taken advantage of in any talks. And with Shisui’s death so fresh in people’s minds…”

Everyone is silent, allowing a moment to honour their deceased clansman.

“People who are scared are easy to manipulate,” Itachi says at last. “Inabi might be able to garner enough support to make a fuss. Maybe even influence those on the council—Yakumi for sure, and Uruchi. And if he chose now to invoke some archaic law like the Rite of Bloodshed…”

Sasuke scowls.

Among his clan, power passes through bloodline or, if the main branch weakens, through distinguishing oneself in battle. The Rite of Bloodshed forces a combat between two contenders, with the Council pronouncing the final victor. It’s a formality that hasn’t been performed since Uchiha Tajima, but that doesn’t mean it’s defunct.

“You’re very weak right now, Itachi,” Kakashi cautions. “You won’t have your full strength back or a while, and neither will Sasuke.”

“Then we get him and his unit out of the way,” Obito says simply.

“They’re our kin,” Itachi reminds him.

“The path to peace is never smooth. Sometimes what is necessary doesn’t always keep our hands clean.”

Everyone is quiet at that, hit by the same realisation. Bringing about this peace might involve more murder and betrayal, the like of which would make Sasuke’s indiscretions with Sakura seem paltry.

“Turning on our own could bring about civil war,” he says after a beat, meeting Itachi’s eyes; he remembers their earlier conversation. “And it wouldn’t just be Inabi…it would be his men, and those loyal to them, even their women.”

“We’ve already lost so much of our clan,” Itachi agrees. “I don’t want to lose anymore before this war is concluded.”

“It’s not exactly a branch of the clan we would miss, though,” Obito points out. “You want to bring people into the future who don’t want to fight. Inabi and his would twist that. I mean, have you met his wife? Yumi’s almost more bloodthirsty than he is. Imagine if they had kids…”

“They are a product of their environment,” Itachi maintains. “Perhaps if that environment changed, they would be forced to adapt.”

“I have a better idea, anyhow,” Kakashi speaks up. “Obito’s right—they need to be out of the way, but that doesn’t necessarily require killing them. Inabi and his people are only strong when they are supported by public opinion. If we get them out of the way while we’re changing public opinion, by the time they try to raise any issues, it will already be too late.”

“What do you suggest?” Sasuke asks.

“I say use one problem to deal with another. We need to find Danzō and don’t want to advertise that we’re relying on the Senju to hand him over if they find him first,” Kakashi explains. “So, you should order a search party. Inabi and his men are the most motivated to find him now, other than ourselves. I say let him.”

“It would certainly cut down on having to rely on the Senju,” Itachi allows. “Although it brings with it the risk of aggravating whatever supporters Danzō has among the Senju and Uzumaki.”

“Well, I didn’t say they’d be following credible leads,” Kakashi chuckles. “I’ll go with Inabi and his unit. I can keep them on task in case they get the sudden idea to head back here too early.”

“If they figure out you’re stalling, they’ll kill you,” Itachi points out.

“He might do it anyway,” Sasuke adds. Kakashi’s status among the upper echelons of the Uchiha has always rubbed certain people the wrong way, especially those like Inabi.

“I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I haven’t shown you boys yet,” the masked man snorts. “I think I can manage.”

“I hate when you sound like that,” Obito grumbles. “It means I’m going to get an earful from Rin for not keeping you out of trouble.”

“I thought I was the one keeping you out of trouble all these years?”

“And then you woke up, and it was all a dream.”

“I suppose while you’re gone, Obito and I can attempt to sway the opinion of the rest of our people,” Itachi muses.

“There’s no Obito and you,” Sasuke declares firmly. “Sakura said you’re to rest, and that’s what you’ll do. Obito can rally the younger people—they look up to him for some reason—”

“—because I’m amazing, which is something you always failed to grasp—”

“—and I can speak to the Council.”

“No,” Itachi says. “That, at least, should be left to me. I’m sure I will have some days where I’m able to meet with them. You have a different task.”

Sasuke raises an eyebrow in question.

“Speak to the Hyūga,” his brother continues. “Find out how open they are to the idea of peace talks. I suspect they are—they only entered into this war because of their treaties with Madara, after all. But they are an old clan, and will act in their own self-interest.”

Sasuke nods. “Very well.”

“And say nothing of renegotiation of terms,” Itachi warns. “That’s a discussion for a later date, not while we’re garnering support. If Hiashi is concerned, reiterate that our agreements remain as they always were—a blood alliance between the Hyūga and the Uchiha.”

Sasuke frowns, confused. “Brother?”

“No, Sasuke, I have not forgotten to take your situation into account—but it’s a delicate matter. You must prepare yourself for the possibility that diplomacy may have to come first,” Itachi maintains. “As with everything, it is too early to make definite plans, and so for the time being, we carry on as we always have. Do you understand?”

“…yes.”

“Good. Now,” Itachi says, and lies back with a grimace, “rather than risk the displeasure of a certain medic, I will rest now.”

Obito whistles. “Geez…she must be scary if she can get Itachi volunteer for a nap without even being here…”

“You have no idea,” Kakashi tells him with a shake of the head.

つづく

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Thanks for your interest in my work!

クリ

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#naruto fanfiction #sasusaku #au #warring states period #kuriquinn #sasuke uchiha #haruno sakura #naruto uzumaki #itachi uchiha #kakashi hatake #yamato tenzo #obito uchiha #drama #angst #romance #plotty goodness

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denilmo · 7 years

Text

Storms and Silver Linings

(testing a theory here)

Entry for Week One of KakaSaku Month Prompt: Summer Rain Rating: M Word Count: 8.590

Also found on my AO3

A/N: This also serves as chapter one of a dark, sexual KakaSaku fic that I’ve been toying around with. So, there will be more to come. Contains lots of angst, smut, and character death - though not major characters. Thanks to @awintersrose for looking this over and helping me get it all buttoned up nice and neat.

On the day she buried him, the weather had been sunny and the guest turnout had been small. In some ways it broke her heart to have only a handful of people at her side, in others it sort of seemed fitting as he never cared much for large gatherings.

She felt the squeeze of Ino's hand at her shoulder and met her sympathetic smile. “He was a good man, Sakura. He'd be proud of you, you know. You saved people that day.”

But not him . She knew her friend meant well so she let her lips reciprocate with as much of a smile as she could muster. “I know.”

“I have to get back to T&I, but I'll come by after okay?”

“I'll be at mom's.”

Ino nodded. “Should I bring her some flowers?”

Sakura thought back to all the bouquets they'd already received. T&I must be keeping her busy enough to be unaware of the business at her family's own shop. Sakura suddenly felt more bitter, even though it wasn't Ino's fault. “If you want to, but I'm sure she'd appreciate some soup more.”

“Got it. I'll see you later.”

She let herself be pulled into her friend's brief embrace, and then with her gone Sakura was left alone with people she barely knew. It was suddenly too crowded and her chest felt tight with the need to breathe. Casting her gaze down at the headstone, she knelt and placed her single flower there.

“I'm sorry dad,” she whispered and then hastily rose to her feet. She turned and began to walk away as fast as she could without looking like she was running. The civilian cemetery was small and pristinely kept, so much so that it bordered on unnatural. She had to get away.

The summer sun glared heavily down upon her, but she didn't wipe the sweat from her forehead. She bore the weight of it burning her skin through her clothes, pulled through the fatigue tugging at her every step. She deserved it. No one said it aloud, but she swore she saw it in her mother's eyes. Those sad, red-rimmed eyes as she held her mother’s hand while they went over funeral arrangements. You should have been there for him.

Sakura had been in surgery that day. A medic had been pulled to go on a mission so the roster was rearranged. She had been wrist deep in some poor Anbu bastard’s stomach when three civilian men were rushed in, injured at a job site. She had been saving another man's life while her father's dwindled away. She had been smiling and sharing congratulations on the success as her father flatlined. She had been changing from bloody robes as they'd pronounced him dead, and she'd only thought about what to have for lunch.

Hitomi had been waiting for her in her office; Sakura had been completely unaware of how much her life would change with her presence.

Sakura paused outside her childhood home and took a deep breath to prepare herself. “Mom, I'm back,” she called as she slipped out of her shoes. She wrinkled her nose as she passed by the flowers in a heap on the table. Their sweet perfumes mixed and became overbearingly pungent.

“Want me to open a window? Some fresh air might be nice.” She paused for a reply, but none came. Maybe her mom was sleeping. She cracked open the kitchen window anyway and then gathered the pill bottles that sat on the counter. She placed the required doses in a small cup and snatched a bottle of water from the fridge. Her steps fell quiet as she made her way to her parents’ bedroom.

The TV was on with the volume down - little more than background noise - and she shut it off before sitting on the corner of the bed. Her mother looked just as frail asleep as she did awake; it was a stark contrast to the vibrant woman in her memories.

Sakura gently brushed the hair from her mother's face, ignoring the pang of guilt in her chest. She hadn't known about her mother's illness until a year ago when she was put on bed rest. She should have seen the signs, but after the war there had been so much to do, to change, and to rebuild. She had been so swept up in everything she had believed it when her mom said that she needed to rest and not worry about her, that there would always be another time. Sakura had been so focused on the village, that she hadn't spent much energy on her family. When the news finally came out, the sickness had progressed so much that there was nothing Sakura could do without the risk of killing her. She had been so furious that her parents had gone out of their way to see a doctor in a neighboring town just to keep it hidden from her, to keep her from worrying. And now she thought she was to blame for that, too.

She sighed and gently shook her mom's shoulder. “I'm home. Dad's service was nice, you would have liked it… And Ino said she'd come by later.”

She looked down at the pills in her hand, hoping her mother would have said something to her concerning her best frenemy. She had always loved Ino for befriending someone like Sakura in all her awkwardness, and remaining her friend at the end of everything.

“Come on, you need to take your medicine.”

Her fingers paused over the bottle cap and she set the water to the side as a feeling she couldn't quite place but had experienced before prickled down her back. She pressed her knee onto the bed as she leaned over her mother, gently shaking her again. “Mom?”

Apprehension halted her fingers midway to her neck, and then she pushed through and set two of them at her pulse point. Her mother was cool to the touch and Sakura's eyes widened at the lack of a pulse.

Fear laced through Sakura's blood as it pumped through her and she set her palm flat against her mother's chest and sent a wave of chakra through her body. It met no resistance against what should have been her naturally occurring stream of chakra. Every living thing had it.

“No,” she muttered, her gaze hardening with determination. “No, no… mom!” She turned her face toward her and pried open her eyelids, searching for any sign of life as she sent more chakra into her. Pulse after pulse was pushed through only to bounce around like an echo in a hollow canyon.

Sakura kept pushing, knowing any minute now her mother would wake and demand to know what all the fuss was about. I was just sleeping she'd say and laugh and take her pills. Sakura would apologize - for so many things - and would tell her about the service, and they'd cry and reminisce together until Ino brought the soup. And her friend would chide them for their improper care of such beautiful flowers and help arrange them in vases. Sakura knew this had to happen, it was supposed to be what came next. She just had to wake up first.

“Mom… wake up,” Sakura urged, numb to the tears cutting down her cheeks. “Mom!”

oOo

On the day she buried her, the weather was overcast and gloomy, and Sakura stood out in front of the other attendees. With everything else she had to take care of, she'd forgotten an umbrella. Not that it mattered. She deserved this, too. Her emerald eyes were less vibrant today as she looked down at the newly engraved name on the headstone beneath her father's.

She'd been asked to give opening remarks, but refused. What could she say? Kizashi and Mebuki Haruno, two people who still deserve to be here, but aren't because of my incompetence.

Tsunade had tried to console her, to make it clear that it wasn't her fault. But the woman still shot back sake to numb her own pain. As brilliant of a medic and a leader as she’d been, she didn't want to take Tsunade's advice on the one subject that made her out to be a hypocrite.

How could it not have been her fault? She was wrapped up in village politics, doing her part for the supposed greater good. She remembered the rare occasions she'd all but collapse at the dinner-table with stories of how tiring her day had been. Only now, as she played back her memories, did she notice the tightness in her mother's eyes, and how sad her mom's smile had been when she did her best to reassure her. If she had just known she could have helped. All the years and experience she had gained hadn't made her any less of a selfish child.

She hated herself for assuming things were as they'd always been in the Haruno household. She hated herself for never taking the time to ask her mother how she was doing, if she had been sleeping and eating well. She hated herself for not doing more than giving her parents money (buy mom flowers; take her on a date; get those shoes you've been wanting), money they spent on another doctor. She hated herself… she hated herself... she -

Sakura startled as an elbow nudged her, and like she had been forced awake from a deep sleep and a bad dream, she turned her gaze to Ino. Ino who had come over as promised and found Sakura wailing over her mother's body. Ino who had to pry chakra-lit hands from her corpse and force her into submission. Ino who had cried with her as she promised they'd figure it all out together.

The blonde tilted her head toward the gravestone. And Sakura took an awkward step forward, away from that piercing blue stare. Ino had been there in her darkest hour, and she was thankful for that, but right now all she felt was pity rolling off of her best friend. Pity that she wanted nothing to do with. Sakura placed her flower in front of the stone and then stood aside as everyone else came forward to drop a flower and pay respects.

The crowd that had gathered for her mother's service was just a bit bigger than her father's. She tried not to think on it, or feel bitter, but she did. She clasped her hands in front of her, head bowed as hands passed over her in a show of reassurance. But with every squeeze or pat all she wanted was to shrink back, to knock their hands away and run. Instead, she clenched her jaw and clamped her fingers tighter together.

She was relieved when the rain began to fall and the crowd began to thin, hiding away under their umbrellas. Her hair began to be weighed down by the rain, drooping over her shoulders and falling into her face. With a final thanks for attending, Sakura began to walk away. She could have sworn she heard people calling out to her, but they all sounded so far away. She didn't have the strength in her to reply, so she just kept walking.

oOo

Kakashi grunted as the rain first began to fall. He'd seen the clouds in the distance, could smell the earth as the storm pressed forward. He had hoped to make it home before the bottom fell out. He should have known better.

This was not how he wanted to spend his vacation. He didn't want to be completing a mission either. All things considered, he should have been wary when vacation time was offered. The spa resort was too good to be true - steam rooms, body massages, body wraps, hot stones, facials… They were all very lovely and he would have enjoyed it more if he hadn't been spying. But such was the way of life, he shouldn't have expected anything less.

He was relieved as he took shelter under the roof of the guardhouse at Konoha’s gates, and he shook the rain from his hair and face. He ignored Kotetsu’s cries of foul play as he signed in. “A little water never hurt,” he teased.

“I’d still like it if you kept it out there,” the man groused as he wiped his face.

“How's Tsunade’s mood?” Kakashi asked, ignoring the man's protests.

“Not good.”

“Like throw things at you for reporting bad news not good, or you brought me a bottle of sake so I’ll let you live not good?”

Realization dawned on Kotetsu’s face. “That's right, you wouldn't know.”

Kakashi's expression turned serious as he readjusted his pack. “What do you mean? What happened?”

“Sakura's parents passed away.”

He kept his surprise restrained at the news. “And?”

“She's been a mess and Tsunade has been trying to pick up the slack on top of her Hokage duties. Running the hospital and the village while training Naruto is wearing her a bit thin, though she’d never admit it.”

“And Sakura?”

“I don't know. She should be at the cemetery. Her mother's funeral is today.”

Kakashi nodded and cast a wave over his shoulder as he set out into the rain again. He changed his course, the Hokage - and the one in training - would surely understand. As he neared the cemetery he crossed paths with mourners leaving, and he hoped he hadn't already missed her. However, there was no head of pink to be found anywhere. In fact there were only a few faces he did recognize, everyone else had been civilian. With a deep breath he continued on to the Hokage tower.

It was still raining when he left after being debriefed. After business was taken care of was when he’d learned the details of Sakura's parents. He couldn't imagine how difficult it must be for her to cope after losing both of them back-to-back. The exhaustion couldn't be contained and made itself known upon Tsunade’s features. And Naruto had looked nearly as ragged; the blond couldn't quite get the request out - feeling guilty enough for not being able to be at Sakura’s side at all moments - but he understood. Their favorite medic had endured enough, and she needed to know that she was not alone.

As it was on his way, Kakashi stopped by Sakura's apartment only to find it empty. He sighed and decided to drop off his pack. He was tired, wet, and smelled vaguely of a wet animal. Now that the rain had slowed to a light drizzle, a quick shower seemed to be in order before he continued his search. He thought about where she may be hiding herself away, and as soon as he dressed he stopped by each possible location. She was never there nor had she been seen, but there had been plenty of condolences given for him to pass on. Kakashi refrained from the urge to rip his hair out. After the last such a shame comment he couldn't blame Sakura for avoiding her favorite haunts. There was one other place he thought of, but he honestly believed it to be the last place she'd want to be. He crossed the village, thunder rumbling in the distance like the growl of a feral beast. He hoped he'd make it before it started to rain again.

Kakashi finally reached his destination and stared up at the Haruno home. Two windows were lit up and he walked around to the side of the house. He could make out Sakura's form beyond the curtain, and found himself concerned as she turned the bottle in her hand upright at her mouth. He had never seen this side of her before, even with all the other heartache she had experienced. He didn't want to watch her detonate - not alone, not after Naruto had looked at him with those pitiful eyes, not after those whispers he'd heard from passing mourners. She had stood at his side during the war, had helped pull him from the darkness, and he owed her this much. A crash of glass broke him from his thoughts.

He lifted his hand to the window to go in and check on her when a surge of her chakra made him pause. He’d never felt anything so unstable roll from her before. His gaze darted about the kitchen, having lost her, and then he heard a sharp cracking sound, followed by another. This time he caught sight of a pill bottle as it hurtled across the room and punched through the cabinet. Sakura's scream pierced through the air, sharper than the strike of lightning. She swept her arms across the table sending the bouquets of flowers flying off, some of them were dead but most looked fresh.

Kakashi stood frozen as she threw a chair against the wall shaking the house with the force of thunder. As much as he felt she shouldn't be alone, even though he'd promised, he felt very much as if he was intruding. Everyone dealt differently, and he had no right to witness her private grieving. He took a step back from the window and pulled his hands into the familiar seals. It was as he was making the final one that he glanced back inside and met her pained gaze. He couldn't stop, and the tears rolling down her face were the last thing he saw before the shunshin carried him away.

Kakashi cursed as he landed on the rooftop of a house at the end of the street. He hadn't meant to stick around and witness that. He didn't want to embarrass her or infuriate her any more than she already was. He cringed imagining his head had been the cabinet. He only hoped that when they'd cross paths again she'd be understanding and realize he'd only been there because he was worried about her. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine how it would play out.

The rain began to fall upon Kakashi again as he made it back home. Road weary, he collapsed onto his bed and then rolled over to take his book from the nightstand. He cracked it open to the dog eared page, but he couldn't concentrate on the text. All he could see were Sakura's eyes and the mountains of hurt behind them. He let the book fall tented over his face, and while his brain was running, his body was tapped out. The rain pelting against the window lured him to the edge of sleep. Though he fought it, it eventually claimed him.

Rain had been the only constant since Kakashi fell into bed, so when it suddenly disappeared it poked at his senses. There was a soft rustle, followed by a louder one and then a faint click. The sound of rain returned, barely drowning out the two light thuds. He curled his fingers around the handle of the kunai he kept under his pillow, but then he felt the chakra and released it before sitting up with the yawn he had been biting back. “Sakura?”

She didn't say anything in response as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He blinked a handful of times to focus on her form in the darkness of night. She was still in her mourning clothes that were now soaked from the rain and clung to her body. He followed the water as it slid down her arm and dripped onto the floor to join the small puddle at her feet.

“Let me get you a towel.”

“I'm alright,” she countered. “I can barely even feel it.”

His gaze was drawn to her face, to the neutral indifference that settled into her features. She looked like an imposter and it didn't suit her; he almost couldn't face her, after seeing her as he did. Those memories surfaced and he figured she'd come for payback. He excused himself to get her a towel anyway.

“When did you get back?” she asked.

“Just a while ago. I… heard about your parents and went to find you-"

“And?”

He paused as he lifted the towel to her shoulders; he wasn't sure why he felt so unsteady around her all of a sudden. He'd known her for years, and had gotten even closer to her over the last few. She was so tightly wound up that he could feel it. He wrapped the towel around her shoulders. “I'm sorry I didn't make it back sooner,” he whispered.

She made no move to dry herself as he sat on the edge of the bed. The quiet stretched between them, began to settle awkwardly over them until Sakura sighed, long and steady. “It wouldn't have mattered if you did.”

“I don't believe that. You know I would have been right there beside you…”

“But it still wouldn't have mattered. My parents would still be dead. I just don't understand why. Why like this?”

“Sakura -"

She couldn't control her outburst. “They were just civilian! They were always some of the first to be moved to safety, they stayed protected during the invasion, had never fought a war. I know they would have died, one day, but I'm a medic! I should have been able to save them!”

“You can't blame yourself.” Trust me, it does no good.

Her chest began to rise and fall more rapidly. “But my mother… she hid it from me, Kakashi! Because she thought I was too busy, that I didn't need to worry about her. If she'd come to me at the beginning, I could have-" Her sentence broke as she gasped for air, as she choked on the sob that beat against her chest.

Kakashi had never handled tears well, but he wouldn't mind it so much if she were to. For all the times he had failed her in the past, all that she had endured and grown to be, for all the strength she possessed - he could be here for her now when she needed it the most. The fact that she sought him out meant something, didn't it? He reached out to her trembling hand and curled his fingers around it. “It'll be okay, Sakura.”

The pain she felt - so raw and heavy - was evident in the dip of her lips, the pull of her brow, and in the creases of her eyes. She drew in a stuttering breath. “But it hurts… so much.” Her fingers clawed at her chest, as if she meant to dig straight through and tear out her heart.

Kakashi swallowed thickly and squeezed her hand for reassurance. “One day it'll hurt less.” But it'll still hurt. He didn't want to lie to her, so he settled for half truths.

“I need it to stop now,” she admitted. “I can't eat or sleep. One minute I feel like I'm going to break, and the next I feel nothing. I don't want to feel like this… it makes me want to crawl out of my skin.”

He watched her shoulders raise, tense as she confessed. “Breathe, Sakura."

“It hurts to breathe,” she countered. “I just want it to go away.” The towel slipped from her shoulders as she spun to face him. His eyes had adjusted to the dimness of the room and though the silence was brief, he saw and took in so many things. She was trembling, rain drops caught the street light and fell from her hair like crystals. Her eyes focused on him - intense, wide, and hopeful - and it made his stomach drop.

“Kakashi… can you help me?”

“I don't know what I could do for you,” he replied, ignoring the weight of her question and wondering if he was just imagining what she could be hinting at. Although his gut instinct was rarely ever wrong.

She stepped closer, between his knees, and he drew his attention to the water drip-dropping onto his legs.

“I want to feel something... anything than this.”

He pretended not to notice her fingers as they fiddled with undoing the buttons on her top. “Sakura-”

“I've seen how you look at me.”

He kept his expression schooled, even as his stomach knotted. Now was not the time to be feeling anticipation.

“No one ever looks at me that way.”

He craned his head back to look at her. “And which way do you think that is?”

Sakura peeled her shirt off her shoulders, forcing it down her arms to land on the floor with a wet squelch. “Like Naruto sitting down to his first bowl of ramen after a long mission. Like Tenten when she gets her hands on a rare weapon. Like Sai unwrapping new ink.”

Had he been that obvious? After the war he knew she needed a friend so that's how he made himself available to her. She had to sort out her feelings for Sasuke - they all did. He saw the way she jumped when lightning would strike during a storm, even though she’d brush it off. She needed time to heal - as much as a ninja ever could. And he'd been content to be her friend, to learn all these fascinating things about her, and somewhere along the way that contentment turned into a desire - a yearning to be by her side.

And it was wrong of him, and not for the artificial reasons on the surface. It wasn't the age gap that bothered him, or that he was technically her superior, nor was it that he'd once been her teacher - and a poor one at that. It was his own self-loathing; it was knowing she deserved better than him. He could not let himself drag her down. He’d ruin her, and he couldn't allow that to happen.

She set her hand on his shoulder, pulling him from his thoughts. “You could have me right now.”

Kakashi took a deep breath and wet his lips. “Sakura, you don't really want to do this.”

“I need to do it.”

“You’re emotional and you're grieving. You're not thinking about this clearly.”

“And that's where you have me mistaken. I am fully aware of what I'm asking you.”

She curled her fingers around her camisole and lifted it over her head to let it join her shirt. Kakashi averted his gaze from her bare chest, face flushed at her boldness. “Sa-"

“Kakashi, please… I know you want me, and I need this. We both win.”

He opened his mouth to reply, but her fingers fell across his lips. “Please don't turn me away. I can't go back there, not now. I just want to forget. I don't care how unhealthy it is, I don't care if it's only for a little while.”

Kakashi pressed his eyes closed as her touch skimmed over his jaw. He was being a hypocrite, he knew. How many times had he sought solace in something or someone for no other reason than a brief reprieve from the hollowness he felt deep within himself? He just didn't want to see Sakura turn down this road. She was far too bright, too young, to get ensnared in such a trap.

Her fingers curled around the back of his head, nails scraping against his scalp and sending a tingle through his body - his highly traitorous body.

Her voice was soft, and barely broke over the sound of rain, but still far too loud in his ears. “I trust you. I need you to give me this.”

He could feel himself being pulled toward her, his hands scrunching up his pants over his knees as he balled them into tight fists. They would obey him and not move. His cheek met the smoothness of her stomach as her hand continued to comb through his hair.

“Please, help me forget. I'll take care of everything, just please…”

Kakashi felt her stomach clench when his lips accidentally brushed her skin as he turned his head. Her fingers curled so pleasantly in his hair and he looked up at her. Her face was cold, blank, but her eyes - her eyes were pleading, as if the Sakura he knew stood behind them, banging on the glass and demanding to be free. Her eyes were red-rimmed, tired, and he could see the fragility of her soul. Could he really deny her and turn her away when she came to him like this, like the fire that made Sakura Sakura was being smothered by the weight of her loss? If he turned her away, would it completely extinguish those flames?

He wanted to bang his head against the wall. Why did he feel so guilty all of a sudden?

“I want it to stop.”

Her broken voice invaded his ears and chipped at his already weakening resolve. All of the things he had denied her before, all of his shortcomings and failures with her clawed at the surface. And here she was, vulnerable, at her rope’s end, and begging him. If he turned her away would it hurt her deeper? Could he bear it if he was the one who broke her a little more, who fractured her smile? And could she ever forgive him? Could he live with it if she didn't?

“You know that we can't come back from this,” he commented, wondering if she thought about the consequences of what this would do to their friendship.

Her hand left his hair to pinch the top of her skirt, her other hand lowering the zipper. “I know and I don't care. Just... promise you won't hate me tomorrow.”

His brow furrowed at her choice of words. “I could never hate you, Sakura.”

He kept his eyes locked with hers as her skirt fell away, and she stepped out of it. She leaned down toward him, her cool hand cupping his face. He could smell her tears and the earthy undertones of the rain as she pressed even closer, slipping her fingers into his mask. The material scratched against the stubble on his chin as she wasted no time in pulling it down.

“I hope so,” she whispered before her lips touched to his. Her sadness crept in like a ghost, haunting the warmth that should have been there in her kiss.

He trained his gaze to her and realize she had her eyes closed, so he shut his as well. The gentleness of her mouth turned harder as she urged him to reciprocate. He parted his lips at her prodding and welcomed her tongue. He felt her push his hands away and then take residence in his lap. He didn't remember her ever feeling this small.

He wanted to hold her and touch her, and he hated that he felt that way. Even though she instigated the whole matter, he still felt as if he was the one taking advantage of her instead of the one being used.

Her hands skimmed down his chest and blindly found his arms. He felt her hands take his and place them on her waist. Her skin was soft, damp, and cool against the heat of his palms. She sighed against him, shivering as the contrast scattered gooseflesh along her torso. Her tongue ran along his, pulling him deeper into the rabbit hole he agreed to chase her down.

He began to kiss her back in earnest, pressing his mouth just as soundly to hers. He sat a little straighter as his hands ventured up her back, pulling her closer. She mewled into him as a hand snaked into her wet hair, angling her head so he could better slant his mouth over hers.

Her breath came quicker as he plundered her mouth. He could taste the desperation under her tongue, the sweet rot of hope along her teeth, and he wanted nothing more than to take it all away. To swallow it down himself so she wouldn't have to feel it.

Her hand fell over his other one at her side and brought it to her breast. She was cold here, too, so he cupped her flesh and gently began to knead it, working his warmth into her. Her fingers tightened in his hair as she finally broke the kiss, gasping against his mouth. He could make out the slightest dusting of color on her cheeks and offered up the slightest twitch of his lips in reassurance before kissing her again.

Her hands fit between their bodies and she attacked the string of his pants, untying them with haste and loosening the waist. Kakashi turned his head away from her and snatched her wrist, halting her advance. “Wait.”

“But... I thought-”

“You wanted me to help you feel something else, and I will, but it's going to be on my terms.”

“You never said that.”

“Just let me take care of you. That's what you want, isn't it?”

Her eyes narrowed in brief contemplation. If she was going to back out, it’d be now. Kakashi wasn't sure if he wanted her to or not - and that horrified him. When an ugly, selfish man he had become.

“I'll do it your way,” she agreed, and then squeaked as he suddenly twisted, holding her tightly as he moved her to the bed.

“Then let's get you warmed up first.”

Sakura had no time to reply as his body pressed to hers and he captured her mouth. She hadn't realized how cold she must have been until he was flush against her. His body heat prickled her skin, his chest like a burning ember as his mouth skimmed her jaw to her neck, sucking on her pulse point and nipping her tender flesh. His lips continued their journey south and she softly moaned as his tongue circled a nipple. His mouth was so warm closed around her and heat bloomed in her chest in response.

Sakura clenched her eyes shut, trying to focus on his breath as it rolled across her skin like fog through a valley, on his callused fingers that swept along her body, cotton soft. She tried to encourage the tingle that stirred in her middle to spread, to consume her whole. She was ready to burn.

His tongue dipped into her navel as his hands slid down from her breast, his touch pressing comforting patterns across her. “Just relax, it will come if you don't force it,” he assured her.

She huffed as his voice interrupted her. “What will?”

“The feeling you're looking for.”

Sakura lifted her head to see him better. She wanted to ask if he was sure, ask him how he knew, but she didn't. Because for a brief moment she could see that glimmer of ache in his eyes. He gave her a tilt of his head that asked Don't you trust me? The answer was obvious, and she closed her eyes as she laid back again.

His nails scraped against her skin as he curled his fingers into the band of her panties. She held her breath as she lifted her hips to help him. Surprisingly, she felt no nervousness, no embarrassment, no shame. All she felt was eagerness. The last remaining article on her was gone and she was one step closer to something that wasn't nothing.

His warmth bled into her thighs in whisper-soft presses of his mouth. And then Sakura gasped as he placed a kiss at the apex of her mound. His heat spilled over her with every roll of his tongue, every suckle of his lips. She twitched and moaned, still far too aware of the inky void pushing back against the tremors of pleasure, that deep resonating feeling that told her she didn't deserve to have it.

Kakashi could see her smaller hands fisted in his sheets, could feel the tension in her body. He rubbed his hands along her thighs, spreading her legs farther apart. If he couldn't get her to drop her guard with his mouth alone then he'd employ another trick.

Sakura sighed again as his mouth slowed, kissing her clit with a lazy curl of his tongue. The pad of his finger grazed up and down between her labia, his touch as light and teasing as his tongue. And when she thought he was going to enter, his fingers instead traced along her nether lips. She wanted to protest but his attention made her tingle and her breath rise in anticipation. Her fingers ached as she released of the sheets and reached for him instead.

He lifted his head, freeing her bundle of nerves to lean his face into her hand in encouragement. His lips were so hot and wet and plush as they pressed a kiss to her wrist.

Her fingers curled into his hair as he slid a single finger inside her. She was already wet, soaking his invading digit as he twisted it within her, observing her reactions as he explored her passage. Little-by-little, Sakura could feel that pleasant tingle ripple through her. Every breath expelled the dark and cold, replaced it with something warm and exciting. She felt it when he added a second finger and then his lips closed around her again and her back arched off the bed.

Kakashi kept the same steady pace. Regardless of what Sakura had said before, her body was saying something different, and he wasn't going to rush in. More than just escaping or forgetting, he wanted her to feel good beyond measure.

Sakura’s grunts and gasps turned into mewls, her pelvis rocking up toward his mouth. Whether she was conscious of it or not, her body was finally responding naturally, no longer held back by her inhibitions or emotions.

“Kakashi…”

He hummed around her in question, pleased by her sharp gasp as he did so.

“Kiss me,” she requested, breathless and tugging on his hair.

Sakura could feel the bed shift as his mouth left her, but his fingers dutifully remained between her legs. His body was back alongside hers, hot and hard and secure. She wrapped her arms around him as she crushed him against her. She could taste herself in his kiss, could taste his longing. He hummed against her, fingers still hooking inside her with every stroke.

Sakura trembled against him, no longer shivering from the rain, but from the waves of bliss battering against her ribcage. She blindly felt down his torso, finding the top of his pants and finished loosening them. She shoved them down as far as she could reach, the palm of her hand flattening over his pelvis.

He groaned as she found him, her soft touch circling him. She marveled at how hard he was, at how she could draw such a noise from him. She gave him a few toying strokes, her body burning for more.

Her hand moved between her legs and cuffed his wrist and then she threw her leg across him. In one fluid movement, she rolled herself on top of him, breaking the kiss and the tempo of his dancing fingers.

Surprised by her sudden action, Kakashi looked up at her in wonder. “Sakura-"

“I'm ready. I need more of you.”

He choked on his next words as she rolled against him, taking pleasure in the bite of his nails on her thighs. She lifted up onto her knees and aligned him to her entrance.

“Wait, I have a con-"

But she began to sink onto him, her head falling back as he stretched and filled her.

Kakashi hissed as she fully seated herself on him, her passage hugging him- soft, and warm, and heavenly.

Sakura put her hands on his chest and looked down at his face. “I told you I'd take care of it. I’m a kunoichi so…” She almost smiled at his puzzled expression and elaborated when his confusion didn't seem to pass. “I'm required to be on birth control.”

Realization swept over his features and Sakura took it as her cue, lifting up and falling, enamored by the stroke of him against her walls.

She slowly worked her hips, following some unheard rhythm that only her body seemed to know. She sighed as she moved atop him, the friction of their bodies meeting made the heat spike in her. The primal need in her urged her on; she wanted more, needed more, and she found it as her tempo sped. Every glance of his length to that wondrous spot as she came down on him made her gasp. It filled the dark empty nothingness in her chest with something that promised to be amazing.

Kakashi watched her with awe from the flat of his back, teeth sunk into his lip as he gripped her hips. The way her stomach clenched, the bounce of her breasts, how her mouth moved into the shapes of mewls, and moans, and his name - he drank it all in. He was mesmerized by the woman riding his cock as if it was the only thing she needed to sustain herself. She drew in a stuttered breath, her pace faltering as he cupped a breast, rolling and pinching its nipple between deft fingers. His gaze drew to her face, watched as signs of pleasure contorted it. He slid his hands down to her thighs, now warmed and trembling as she started to move faster again.

Sakura's breathing became more shallow, her hands pressed firmly to his chest to keep her steady and upright. She could feel it, somewhere deep within, telling her she was so close yet so far away from what she craved the most. And unexpectedly, the demons rose, reminding her of how awful she was.

Look at you, you just put your mother in the ground and you’re fucking your ex-sensei. Pathetic.

She grimaced as she came down on his length a little harder, chasing the bright pleasant hum that began to leave her.

Do you feel better? she chastised herself. Do you think you deserve this? Did you think you could feel that dark void with his kiss, his touch, his cock, and feel better about your failures? You are disgusting.

Kakashi growled as Sakura's fluid movements turned hasty. Her hips pounded against his like a woman possessed. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, concentration replaced bliss on her features and if she didn't slow down…

“Sakura… slow… you're gonna make me come if you don't slow down,” he bit out between heavy breaths.

But she wasn't listening or hadn't heard him. She was no longer in the present with him. He reached up, pulled her down by her biceps, and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her, insistent and demanding for entrance with his tongue. Sakura granted him access, their position no longer allowing her to impale herself so hard, so deeply on him.

The same frenzied desperation was in her kiss, as she devoured his mouth, silently pleading to just make it all disappear. But Kakashi wasn't going to let her get lost again, not like that. A hand skimmed up her back and threaded into her hair, his caress gentle as he held her there, not giving in to her frantic pace. The tease of his tongue against hers was slow, pushing the fervor of hers down until she was matching his.

Kakashi set his foot on the bed, and then with a push and a bridge of his body, he rolled them over. Sakura gasped as the kiss broke and she found herself in the new position, as he thrust gently inside her.

“You're thinking too much again,” he murmured against her neck, his voice and breath equal parts ticklish and tantalizing on her skin. “Just let me.”

He felt her nod, his nose brushing up her throat as his lips followed. Now that he had a moment to get her back into the right mindset, and back himself away from the edge, it became his focus to send her over it first.

Bracing his weight on his forearms, he continued to move, easing in and out of her with languid rocks of his hips.

She sighed against his ear, her fingers stroking through his hair as his movements ignited that spark inside her again. It laced up her spine and swelled in her chest, effectively shutting up that inner part of her that did nothing but berate her.

The slide of his body against hers came steadily, mimicked the steady drumming of her heart. He made no move to increase the pace of their union, even when she urged him to in breathy whimpers, her hands gripping the muscled expanse of his buttocks.

Kakashi refrained from pounding into her, even though she felt exquisite and the most primal of his inner monsters demanded it. It’d be so easy to lose himself, but he was supposed to be the one with the compass. He kissed her, swallowing her sighs and savoring the feel of her lips until it burned.

When he broke from her, he pulled back and met her gaze, twin pools heavy with desire - the depth of sadness momentarily gone.

Sakura grumbled as he slowed to a stop, but then he was lifting up onto his hands and giving himself some leverage with his knees. When he thrust again, he went deeper, forcing a cry of wonder from her mouth. He rocked into her again and again, spellbound by the shapes of her lips and the delicious sounds that tumbled from them.

Kakashi was amazing; every part of her that he touched sang his name. The way he kissed her, caressed her, and filled her, it was like being worshiped. He was all she could see and feel. In this moment he was all consuming, and it wasn't enough.

“More... Kakashi... Oh!”

Her back arched and he leant down, skimming his lips across her skin covered in a light sheen of sweat. His touch coasted down the length of her body, curving around the back of her knee before he hiked her leg up. He slid his arm behind it and simultaneously raised and pushed it back to where the heel of her foot bounced against his shoulder as he thrust into her again.

Sakura cried out at the change of sensation. It felt like he was reaching farther, like she was more full, and every slide along her passage, every tap against that deep spot and had her trembling. She fell into his rhythm, rocking the best she could in time to his pistoning hips and clutching onto his arm for support.

Kakashi clenched his jaw, focusing on anything else besides the ball of pleasure at the base of his spine growing with every thrust, every squeeze of her fingers and breathy moan that puffed out against his skin. He was feeling so close to his end already, but he wouldn't go without her.

With one arm taking his weight, he fit his other hand between their bodies and pressed to her clit. Sakura whimpered as his touch sent a pulse of warm, spine-tingling pleasure through her body. Each circling pass of his fingers lifted her higher. Her heart hammered against her chest, beating the ache away to the darkest of corners, but not before it raged against her again.

How could you do this to yourself? This feeling won't last, your parents are still dead, and all you've done is prove how worthless you are.

“Sakura?”

Kakashi's voice pulled her back in. She hated how gentle and worried it sounded. She let herself moan again, tuned in to the feel of his length rushing in and out of her.

“I'm so close,” she murmured, jolting at the sweep of his fingers as her arms reached back to clutch the pillow.

And it wasn't a lie. She could feel that coil tightening low in her belly and the dual sensation of him wound it tighter and tighter. There was no going back. And here on the precipice, so close to falling into what she had craved, she wondered if maybe this had been a mistake after all.

But Kakashi's hips drove into her, evacuating all thoughts and left her only to feel. And it was far too much to take, knowing deep inside her heart she should be broken and miserable. Yet she was on the verge of euphoria. Each breath came accentuated with a moan, with tiny incoherent pleas for just a little more.

Just a little...

Her arms fell slack as she pushed her head back, her body arching. She crushed the back of her hand to her mouth, biting it to muffle the sounds she didn't seem to have control over any longer.

“No… let me hear you.”

Kakashi's voice had never sounded as sexy as that before, low and gravelly, broken by the force of his movements. Tossing her forearm across her eyes, she complied, her body swayed by his to follow even the unheard commands. There was urgency in his hips, and each snap of them plucked at the thread she was hanging by.

“I.. I-ah! I'm… com-ing!”

Guilt crashed into Sakura, swirling in with the waves of orgasmic bliss as her body shook.

Kakashi didn't know how much more he had left in him before she declared she was reaching her end. And when her body went taut and that strangled cry of release burst from her lips, she looked absolutely glorious.

He could feel her body spasming, the tremors that spread through her legs and torso, and squeezed his cock in waves. He closed his eyes as his rhythm faltered and increased, as he chased after her. With her moans in his ears and a few more jerky thrusts, he came. He snapped his body to hers, grinding against her as the sharp pulse of orgasm swept over him.

The world slowly came back to him, and then became clear all at once. He eased her foot from his shoulder, placing tender kisses to her calf before sliding her leg back down to his bed. The blood rushed in his ears, his chest heaving with each greedy breath. He kissed her chest, her neck, still aware of her trembling and coming back to herself. But when he noticed the quivering of her chin, he knew something was still wrong. Had he failed her again?

“Sakura-" He reached for her arm, but as soon as he touched her she jumped. “Sakura.”

“Don't... please…”

His brow furrowed in concern at the sadness that resonated in her voice. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her arm away; she didn't put up a fight.

Her eyes swam with unshed tears and his gaze softened as he lowered himself to her. He brushed the side of her face with his fingers. “It's okay.”

Sakura closed her eyes, pushing the tears out as he kissed her forehead. “I'm sorry,” she whispered. “I'm sorry.”

He rolled them onto their sides, slipping out from her in the process, and wrapped his arms around her. “You're going to be okay,” he assured her.

He held her until her sadness no longer shook her and her soft sobs turned into light sniffles. He disentangled himself from her and went to the bathroom. When he returned, he had some tissue and a damp washcloth. “There's a dry shirt in there for you.”

Sakura smiled at the gesture, breaking the downward pull of her lips. “Thank you.”

Kakashi watched her go and as soon as the door shut, he dropped his head into his hands. What in the hell had they just done?

#kakasaku #kakasakumonth #kakasakumonth2017 #hatake kakashi #haruno sakura #fanfic #angst and smut #why do i do this to myself #sex as a coping device

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