The Breaking Point (SasukeXOC)

48

I stumbled a third time and mentally cursed these uneven forest floors. Sasuke, who had been holding my hand and leading me along this entire time, paused in his stride with an annoyed grumble.

"That's it, just get on." He demanded.

"What?" I asked stupidly.

"Get on my back. Your constant stumbling is annoying and slowing us down." I scowled and blindly reached out to feel for Sasuke. My hand made contact with his muscular back, which stiffened upon contact. I gently slid my hands from his back to his shoulders and inched closer.

Something about this felt strangely intimate.

"Any day now..." Sasuke grumbled halfheartedly. I wrapped both arms over his shoulders and paused, my front flush against his back.

"How am I supposed to...?" I trailed off with a silent gasp as Sasuke's hands wrapped around my thighs and hauled me to his back. He adjusted me slightly so I was in a sturdy position on his back and he began walking again.

"I don't recall you having sight issues before the first exam." Kabuto commented.

"Uhm... yes." I responded awkwardly. A silent chuckle vibrated through Sasuke. I cocked my head to the side curiously at the action.

I wonder how often he silently laughed when I made jokes or did strange things. I was happy to make Sasuke laugh, he never seemed to smile and I felt he needed the joy in his life. It gave me an odd warm feeling to know I was the one who made him laugh, even if his laugh was completely silent, totally hidden and no one could even tell unless you were pressed against him like I currently am.

"Did something happen...?" Kabuto pried.

"Huh... something happened to Miyu's vision?" Naruto asked stupidly; after all, he was unconscious when I unleashed my Mangekyou Sharingan.

"Yes." I responded. An awkward silence ensued before Sakura cut in. It was painfully and awkwardly obvious that I didn't plan on revealing anything anytime soon.

Especially not to Kabuto, needless to say, I didn't trust him.

"Do you think there are even any teams left?" she asked.

"Of course, anyone still trying to get a scroll will be around." Kabuto responded, ignoring me for the time being.

"Around? What do you mean?" Sakura continued.

"Think about it, where's the best place to wait for an enemy to show up?" Kabuto asked, only pausing for a short moment before continuing. "The tower, of course. All teams have to go there once they have both scrolls, so it's a sure way to run into teams with the scroll you need. There, they can lay low and wait for the people trying to finish the exam before they ambush them and take their scrolls."

"Won't there already be teams waiting there with traps set?" Sakura asked worriedly.

"Hah! Perfect! Maybe with this handicap it'll be a fair fight!" Naruto yelled, already amped up for a fight that hadn't even started.

"That's right." Kabuto answered Sakura, ignoring Naruto's blabbering, "I don't have a team right now, so I need you guys to get through."

"So you're scared." Sasuke bit out, an amused smirk audible in his tone.

"Absolutely." Kabuto answered without shame. Some time passed as we walked. 

"Are we there yet?" I asked Sasuke for the umpteenth time. A frustrated growl rumbled through Sasuke's chest.