Tell me what I should change. Tell me your ideas so I can make this story better, okay? :) Btw, my cousin unplugged the charger from the socket last night so I had to start all over again with this. >__< It was getting better too. :(
PS: I also updated the past chapters yesterday so I hope you read it. I made some great changes too. So to avoid much confussion, please read again from Chapter 1. You don't have to if you don't like it. :)
He had noticed the way her eyes often lost focus in their short time together but he paid it no heed as the pain in his chest weighed him down. The remorse. His face didn't show it, but his eyes did unwittingly. He was looking at his ex teammate whom he killed and he couldn't help but feel the unexplainable pain in his chest. It didn't feel this way when he killed her. It hurt so much to look at her now, because he could see the way he had killed her all over again. He feels so out of character now. He normally doesn't feel this emotions and most importantly, he had broken his bonds with them but now, he's jumping right into the middle to seemingly weave their severed bond again.
He caught her before she had hit the ground. Only then did he paid attention to her wounds as he was blinded by the pain in his chest before. He looked a few feet away from where Sakura came from and noticed those all too familiar bushes. He knows those bushes with slightly hidden thorn all too well. Those were the ones Orochimaru once kept around his base to keep shinobis away. Many had fallen to that trap and collapsed in the middle of their mission concerning Orochimaru. That was probably one of the reasons why no one was able to barge into Orochimaru's lair before.
He immediately sprinted back where he came from, carrying Sakura in his arms. Sakura losing consciousness probably alerted her protective brother now and they're bound to be here a few seconds now, so he sprinted fast and almost collided with Karin on his way. He didn't question why she was there. He met up with his team and immediately told them that they had to get away from here. He didn't miss the confused looks his teammates were giving as they looked at the fragile girl in his arms. So together, they ran as fast as they could. The Akatsuki really doesn't go on a rat chase with their enemies, but this wasn't an ordinary situation. They have Sakura and Sasori will most likely round the entire country in search for his precious little sister. He would use every connection he has just so he could be reunited with Sakura. He would do everything.
Sasuke knows how desperate Sasori would be in search for Sakura. He knows maybe because he has been in that desperate situation in search for her once too but fate just twisted his road and lead him to her.
Team Taka didn't stop until they reached the borders of Water Country. They soon found an inn to rest in. By now, his team was definitely confused by him now. He normally doesn't choose an inn to stay in, at which Suigetsu said aloud. "Sasuke wants a good place for his little girl." which earned him a glare from Sasuke and Karin fakely collapsed but was caught by Juugo.
Sunset rays shone down on the sleeping form of a pink haired girl. She slowly stirred and her eyes fluttered open, revealing green orbs. Sakura looked around her and began to almost panic. "Where am I?" She said as she sat. She felt her head throb. Only now did she realize what kind of bushes they were. Tsunade told her about it long ago and before she could heal her wounds. Sasuke had appeared. "Sasuke appeared!" she thought, feeling panic now.
Only now did she notice Sasuke was standing in the corner of the room with his arms crossed, looking at her. "W-what..." she couldn't complete her stuttered sentence as Sasuke came a few steps close to her bed. She tried to keep her composure and evened her breathing.
"I won't hurt you."
Sasuke was taken back as she heard Sasuke's voice. It was plain as he said that, but it was also sincere. He was looking at her stoically, his eyes no longer held the pain like she last saw them. She regained her composure again. "Why did you take me?" she asked, maintaining eye contact with Sasuke. She won't be caught off guard again. She won't let it happen again.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say. He couldn't put his thoughts into words, but he definitely knows he wants to talk to her. Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed.
"Get some rest. We will start moving in a half an hour." He commanded, deciding that he will leave that topic pending for now. "Wait! I need some answers now." She demanded, surprising Sasuke with her tone of voice. "You won't hold me back, you know." she said. Sasuke turned his head around, something almost tugging at the side of his mouth, as he said "I know." then he went out and locked the door, as if it would hold Sakura down which they both know.
Sakura looked around her. There was nothing bounding her. No genjutsu, no traps, no chakra-repressing seals, nothing. That either meant they didn't think she would get out easily or they didn't take her as a prisoner. She preferred the latter. Sasuke was never dumb. She knows he knows how strong she is now. Maybe not enough to beat him, but definitely enough to over power his team but right now, she's saving her strength for escaping since her chakra still hasn't fully recovered from those thorned bushes and she was still feeling very weak. "So why did they take me then? A bait, maybe?" she said to herself aloud and then sighed as she raised her knees to hug. Not out of fear, but of worry as the thought of her brother came to mind.
"Onii-san must be going berserk looking for me. No matter what, I have to get away from here. Back to where I belong..." she thought. More worried thoughts flooded her as she thought of her brother. "He could be assaulting every person he sees looking for me." she thought again.
A random man was held by the neck in one of the forests far from where Sakura was. "I swear! I didn't see any pink haired girl or suspicious looking shinobis around. Please believe me!" he pleaded but Sasori just stoically looked at him as he tightened his grip.
"He really doesn't know anything." Itachi said from behind, knowing through the almighty Sharingan. "I have investigated around and I have confirmed they haven't been here." Itachi's words were in the back of the lost brother as he carelessly tossed the dead man's body, blood speeing through his mouth. Itachi wasn't disturbed by it, instead he was more disturbed by how Sasori was acting. He knew what Sasori is feeling now. He just lost Sakura and he's blaming himself for it, as always. If only he hadn't let himself get carried away like that, Sakura could still be here with them and the man that was laying on the cold ground could have been spared. Itachi didn't feel any remorse or grief over the man's death. He just thinks it was such a waste that Sasori killed him. He was one of their civilian spies after all, giving them informations they need.
Sasori walked away from the scene, leaving Itachi alone as he found a Sakura tree far away. He put a hand over his face as he leaned his back. "Sakura..." he sighed. He shouldn't have let his guard down. He shouldn't have just casually talked to Itachi like they were back in Konoha, like they were back to the good old days where everything had a fine line between black and white because the bottom line and reality of it all was that it wasn't. The past is so behind them now, so unreachable.
Now his reality is that he lost his precious sister and she's in the hands of Uchiha Sasuke, the man who had killed her and he almost lost Sakura that day.
Rain poured down heavily as Sasori ran full speed ahead. He was running out of breath but he didn't care. He had to get to Sakura now. Fortunately, Those two brats would be too busy fighting over that they wouldn't notice them. After all, they were still genin. He saw a clearing ahead and he ran faster.
The memory replayed again in his head. He was going to lose himself in this state if it wasn't for the hope inside him that Sakura was still somewhere there. "Pull yourself together, Sasori." Itachi's voice suddenly resounded in the clearing. Sasori was so distressed he almost didn't notice.
"We will find her." Itachi reassured sincerely and Sasori could only nod, still feeling lost. He was always so lost without Sakura. He would lose his humanity if it wasn't for her. She was her sanity.
Sakura wasn't startled when the door of her room suddenly opened revealing the person who took her away. "Are you gonna answer my questions now or will you let me go?" She immediately said. Sasuke, instead of answering, threw a towel at her. "Karin will show you the way to the hot springs. You have half an hour and we leave." He stated directly. Sakura just willingly complied since she could relax herself to hurry her recharge of chakra. "Huh? But Sasuke-kun, I thought we were going to the hot springs together." Karin said, trying to sound cute. "He never said that." Another voice piped in the conversation. Sakura couldn't see the owner of the voice but she knows who he is from their previous encounter. Suigetsu. "Shut up!" Karin irratatingly shouted. When Sasuke left, Karin raised a brow at Sakura.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go." Karin said with a demanding voice, showing she doesn't want anything else to do with the pink haired girl who was just smiling in her bed. Sakura then took her towel and followed the still frustrated red head to the said hot springs.
On the way, Karin thought about how mad she was at the way Sasuke didn't paid attention to her and instead ordered her to escort Sakura to the hot springs. Then, a devious plan formulated in the red head's mind and an evil smile crept into her face as she made a turn, Sakura still following. "Karin, are you sure we're going to the hot springs?" Sakura asked. "Are you questioning my directions? And ofcourse, where else do you think we're going?" Karin easily answered. "But I thought I saw a sign there." Sakura said. "Yeah, you thought."
Karin lead Sakura to the usual changing room and made sure she was settled before she left. "Where are you going? Aren't you going to bath?" Sakura asked before Karin could go out. "No." Karin plainly answered. "But awhile ago, you asked Sasuke to-" She was cut by Karin saying, "I changed my mind since my Sasuke didn't come. So can't you just bath already? Geez, you are annoying." The old Sakura would have been annoyed at Karin's words but since she wasn't the old Sakura anymore, she just nodded and smiled as Karin finally went out.
Just as Karin went out, she couldn't help but grin at what she did and of what was about to happen.
Sakura settled in the hot springs as she relaxed. She was alone and she began to worry about her brother again. "Don't push yourself so hard, Onii-san." Sakura sighed as she lowered herself to nose level in the water as more worried thoughts of Sasori went in her mind. Her moment was ruined when she was startled by a group of people entering the hot springs. At first she didn't paid them any attention thinking they were just other girls relaxing in the hot springs but then her mind reeled when she heard, instead of giggling and gossip, was voices of men.
She looked at the entrance of the hot springs she was settling in and exactly half naked men made their way to the hot springs. "Oh no..."
Sakura swam to a big rock in the middle and found momentary refuge there. Sakura turned red trying to find a way out.
Under the dark starry night, Sasuke sat in a tree with his right arm hanging in his right knee. A long sigh escaped his mouth as he thought about the recent events. How would he explain this to Sakura? Surely, Sasori would come barging into him any day soon. That would be an advantage since he'll be a step closer to finding Itachi or even better, Itachi would be with Sasori but then again, that is unlikely. With a long sigh, the young Uchiha decided to relax in the hot springs.
As he took the his shirt off, he heard laughs outside the changing room. He was about to dismiss it when he heard a rather familiar voice and that made him almost rip open the traditional door to the hot springs to find a scene that almost made him lose his balance.
In the middle of the streaming hot spring was a naked Sakura, succumbing to nose level in the water hiding her body as she was surrounded by men who were laughing as they talked to her but the girl in statement was blushing madly and was clearly discomforted as she tried to get away.
"Sasuke!" she gasped, relieved but at the same time embarrased to (finally) see Sasuke. Relieved because he might help her out but embarrased at her situation. "Oh, who's that? You're boyfriend?" one of the men asked playfuly. "No!" Sakura immediately answered.
"So you could be mine then?" the other asked teasingly as he got closer, but the moment he said that, he felt electricity run up his veins as he stopped in his acts."What was that?"
Sakura looked over at Sasuke as she realized what he just did. He still had his stoic face on but it was clear he was annoyed and somewhat angry. Angry? He walked fastly over to Sakura, still only with his dark blue pants. He gave the men small, but menacing glare as he passed by them through walking on the spring. He pulled Sakura out of the water as he wrapped her in a towel in one swift move, taking only a blink of an eye.
The men, surprised at his action, didn't dare to question him as Sasuke was giving off a death aura. Sasuke then leaped off the fence outside the hot springs with Sakura in his arms. The moment he landed on the other side, he immediately let go of Sakura. For a moment, there was silence, until Sakura decided to bow and show her gratitude. For a moment forgetting that she was a prisoner. "Thank you for taking me away from there." she said softly.
"What were you doing there?" Sasuke snapped which surprised Sakura that it took her a good three seconds before she replied. "I thought that was the girls' hot springs." Sasuke was about to say something about how dumb she was when he realized Karin planned this. He sighed and ran a hand over his black spiky hair. Sakura was confused at how tense Sasuke was in that little incident. She looked around and noticed that her room was a little far away and she would either have to pass through that fence again along with going through those men or pass through the lobby and into the stairs where so many people would be. She sighed and decided to choose the latter. She would have to go back to the changing room to take her clothes too. She was about to go away when she felt a grip on her arm. "What?" she asked, unsure. "Where are you going?" Sasuke asked, still not letting go of her arm.
"Go back to my room ofcourse. I'll get my belongings when I am decent enough." she stated. "People will see you." and that was the last thing Sakura heard from Sasuke before he carried in his arms and ran back to the inn with such speed that people only saw a blurred image. Sasuke once again let her down at once when they set foot in her room.Sakura was still stunned looking at Sasuke. "U-umm... Thank you." she said after awhile. "Get dressed. We will start moving." he ordered as he turned around, acting as if nothing happened.
Two intimidating shinobis stood face to face, along with the other's companion behind her back carrying an all to familiar pig. A second passed and the long blonde haired woman clenched Sasori's tshirt in a threatening way. "What do you mean they took her?" she hissed. "That's why I need your help." Sasori said, surprisingly calm though knowing his nightmare has came true. "Damn it. What if they tire her out or hurt her bad?" she said again, anger still very evident in her voice. She was never one to worry so much. She trusted Sakura. She could take care of herself if herself wasn't in that state. It was also her captors that she didn't trust. Ofcourse, how could she even trust them?
"That's why I need your help." Sasori said again with same tone, acting like a malfunctioned robot and that's when Tsunade noticed him more as she raised a brow at her then realizing he had also been in a rampage looking for Sakura was deeply traumatized by it more than her, since Sakura was her beloved and precious little sister whom he would die a hundred times for.
Tsunade sighed. "I'm sorry. I wasn't helping at all. By you doing this, does that mean I can finally inform them about... Sakura?" Tsunade said, slightly unsure. "Only the Konoha 10." he answered still maintaining his robot-like state. "Sasori, are you sure about this or are you just doing this because you're too desperate?" Tsunade asked again. "Yes." was his plain cold answer.
The Hokage once again raised her brow. She was getting suspicious. "What's really going on, Sasori? Tell me." she demanded. "This is something very unusual for you to do. Did the Uchiha brat really hid your sister so well that even you can't even track them down?" she said as a matter-of-fact. It's not that she didn't wan't to help but she just couldn't help this gnawing feeling in her stomach that something big is going to happen.
"You are correct. This is very unsual for me to do but this is what's best for Sakura." he stated, promptly ending the discussion and confirming Tsunade's suspicion. "Wait! You can't expect me to send my best shinobis in this mission without full information. Have you forgotten that I am considered a traitor just by talking to you, especially with my high position? This is quite a risk boy." Tsunade said. Definitely, she was a traitor but this was also what's best for the village.
She and Sasori had made a deal way before that Sasori would delay the Akatsuki's attack on Konoha and their pursuit of the Kyuubi as long as Tsunade would keep Sakura's existence hidden and would come to their aid any time but throughout the entire years, Sasori had never asked for help... until now. What Tsunade didn't know was that Sasori saved all that just for this upcoming event.
"You won't be sending them. Just inform them."
That took Tsunade a back before a smirk spread across her features.
"If you're thinking I'm defecting from our deal by bringing this shinobis into a trap then you're dead wrong. I wouldn't do that to the people Sakura claims as her friends. I would be hurting her through them if so." Sasori said. Tsunade couldn't help but smile at what Sasori said. Everything he did was always for Sakura. Everything would always be for his precious beloved sister's sake.
"That wasn't what I was thinking. I know what your plan is." Sasori remained unfazed but that was no surprise for the Hokage. "You want me to inform them everything about Sakura, from the moment of her supposed death until she was taken by Uchiha Sasuke... so they would take action on their own, even without my permission, they would go on a rampage to get her back. That's your plan." It wasn't a question. Tsunade simply laid everything infront of her as if it was food. Food to feast on.
Still, Sasori remained unfazed.
"You are right." he simply said, not denying anything even though it was a side step to Tsunade, but he wasn't going to trick her any way. She's too smart and strong for that.
"Naruto would be leading them. They would, without a doubt, go with him, search everywhere with me in the shadows giving them clues about what I know, find her and attempt to get her back with them to Konoha. The choice lies in Sakura." Sasori stated, as if he saw the future.
"How clever of you... Sasori." Tsunade let out a heavy breath which she had been holding in for so long. "Then we are dismissed." Sasori ended, leaving in a flash. He knew he won.
Tsunade huffed the second Sasori vanished from his sight. "That bastard. Using Sakura so I would help him. He's lucky they are both Mebuki's children and I love them."
"So are you really gonna do it knowing what they would do, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked, unsure of her master. "Yeah." Tsunade replied trailing off as TonTon the pig let out an "oink oink"'
"We rest here for tonight." Sasuke gave off a stiff order as he looked around. "Juugo and Suigetsu, get some food and firewood. Karin, scout the area." He said, going up a tree branch. The trio just did what they were told and Sakura could only look at them, couldn't help a small smile to grace her porcelain face. Team Taka weren't so different than Team 7 back in their good old genin days before. This is what Kakashi-sensei would usually ask them to do and Naruto would complain and she would whine while Sasuke would comply without questions but a huff would be heard from the youngest Uchiha.
Before she knew it, she was reminiscing about their genin days. It had been so simple back then. There was a fine line between black and white, but now everything was grey. Almost everything.
Back then, they would go outdoors and sometimes on the middle of their missions, they would lay down on the grass as they would stargaze. Then, a memory combusted in her mind.
"We stay here then." Kakashi said as he looked around, a grin on his masked face. "Man, good thing we already ate our dinner in Ichiraku's otherwise I would have to catch some fishes again. There isn't even any lake for miles!" Naruto complained but Sakura couldn't help but agree. Team 7 wasn't on any mission, they just went in the outskirts of Konoha, a place Kakashi chose for them to relax. It really was a wonderful place, the grass spread out until the eye could no longer see. It was a well shaped hill, where if you sat down, it would be like the stars are layed out in front of you.
"Shut up Naruto. This isn't a mission so ofcourse Kakashi-sensei wouldn't send us hunting for fish or getting firewoods or whatever." Sakura snapped. The old, annoying, loud mouthed, ill tempered and overly cheerful Sakura. Naruto just gave her a foxy grin. "So, let's have a story telling then!" Kakashi cheerfully suggested but even though it's a suggestion, his students know they couldn't refuse it except Sasuke who had a disbelieving look on his face that seemed to say. "We're not kids anymore."
The night was spent with laughter, even Sasuke had managed a small smile. No matter how small, it was still a smile and it was real. Sakura noticed it all, every emotion on Sasuke's face that played that night and she couldn't help but smile as well and turned it into a grin. The group talked animatedly, their shadows dancing under the moonlight. They didn't need to light a fire anymore as they didn't feel cold.
Soon, the members of Team 7 were sprawled all over the grass. Sakura in between Sasuke and Naruto while Kakashi was above them vertically. "Look! A shooting star." Sakura exclaimed, pointing to the said celestial object. "Make a wish! Make a wish!" she exclaimed again as she clasped her hands in her chest as she made her wish, unbeknownst to her, a certain Uchiha was looking dearily at her. "What did you wish for, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, moving to his side so he was facing Sakura.
"You're not supposed to tell your wish, Naruto or else it wouldn't come true." Sakura said as a matter-of-fact. "Did everyone make a wish?" she asked cheerily. Kakashi and Naruto nodded whilst Sasuke still stared at the starry night sky. "How about you, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura moved to her side with a wide smile. Sasuke didn't answer and just continued to stare but Sakura was used to it. She was about to lay her back down again when she heard Sasuke's soft murmur that she couldn't quite make out. "What?" she leaned a little close but since Sasuke just huffed, she settled to the thought that she misheard it.
"Will our wishes really come true, Sakura-chan?" Kakashi playfully asked.
"Ofcourse!"
"How can you say so? If wishes really did come true, then wouldn't everyone be happy by now?" Sasuke suddenly entered the conversation with a rather unlikely happy aura.
For a moment, Sakura was quite and just suprised at Sasuke.
"Sometimes you just have to wait and wait. It may take a long while before your wishes come true because good things take time but if it's meant to be, it will find a way no matter what the circumstances or how impossible." She finished with a smile.
"But sometimes, really great things happen in a blink of an eye ya' know." Naruto added grinning.
"Wise words, Sakura." Kakashi commented with a grin as well, but soon returned his attention to his book.
One thing led to another and Naruto and Sakura went back to their usual bickering, with Sasuke being quite in the corner, thinking about Sakura's words.
It was soon that all but one fell asleep. Sakura stared at the starry night sky with wide green orbs. Naruto and Sasuke's back was turned away from her so as Kakashi, his erotic novel in hand. He fell asleep reading it.
Even though she was awake alone, there was a smile on her face. "I wish it could always be like this." she said aloud. Her expression turning to a lone one. "I wish Sasuke would never leave Konoha." she said again. Nowadays, she had been having this strange feeling about Sasuke leaving and she couldn't explain it. She would constantly go out at night at the place where people pass by when leaving Konoha, fearing that Sasuke would pass by there as well. It was a dreaded feeling. It was a nightmare for her, but she wouldn't be weak. She would do anything, she would persuade Sasuke not to leave no matter what.
"I wish we would all be together forever." It was a futile wish. They don't have forever, they have a life span and shinobis have likely short life spans as they toy with death every day.
It was actually her that suggest this outdoor bonding with them. She had suggested it to Kakashi and surprisingly, he had agreed without question. Sakura did this so, even for a tiny bit, Sasuke's mind would change. But then again, it was just a dreaded feeling of hers but she wouldn't take chances, now would she? Even with this little act, Sasuke would think about not leaving.
Sasuke stirred in his sleep and turned to face her, in the process, his arms fell around her. She blushed a deep crimson but didn't try to remove Sasuke's arms around her. "Sasuke-kun?" she said but there was no answer again. He was still fast asleep. Sakura stared into Sasuke's handsome angelic features.
He may be fast asleep, but Sakura could clearly see something was bothering him even in his sleep. His brows would crouch every once in a while and it wasn't long before sweat trickled down his forehead. Sakura's left hand was able to come out of Sasuke's arms and used it to stroke his cheek. He was like an angel pushed out of heaven, facing the tragedy of his clan's death by his brother's very own hands and watched as his parents fall from Itachi's deeply offending blade. She knew that much but never talked about it with Sasuke.
Sakura choked on a sob. She could imagine Sasuke's pain, but that's all she could do but that wasn't on purpose. She could just feel it radiate off Sasuke but that's all she could do. Imagine the pain radiating off of him while he suffers it all on his own.
Sakura shook her head. "No, you're not alone Sasuke-kun." she said aloud, her hands just resting on his cheek and the moment she said those lines, she felt Sasuke's shaken sleeping figure cease down to a peaceful one. The pain on his face vanished, replaced by a contented one and for a moment, Sakuras saw a small tugging at the said of Sasuke's lips. He smiled!
Sakura rejoiced in that night. She saw happy emotions play on Sasuke's face and she marveled on it, vowing to keep it in her heart forever and would continue to wish on for Sasuke's smile. No matter how small or how fast it comes and go, she would treasure it. Always.
The moon was high above the night sky and Sasuke's shadow was as still as a statue as he leaned his back to the tree with his arm hanging off his knee and his other leg dangling from the tree branch. He looked at the four shinobis below him, sound asleep but aware of their surroundings. Sakura was crouched against a tree opposite from his. He could see she was freezing as she covered herself with her arms loosely and her legs bent to keep the cold from dominating her, a peaceful expression on her face but it would morph into a troubled once most of the time. She was obviously bothered by the cold and it wasn't helping that her stomach was only covered by a black net.
And that was when he really noticed her change. The bubbly fats were gone from her face now, replaced by a more mature look, enough to say she was 16 but she still looked pretty young, her youth covered by a thick mist of hardships, especially on that tragic day where her life ended. He knows now and he is yet to approach her with his questions. He just doesn't know how he would do it, it also wasn't helping that Team Taka is constantly around him all the time. He wouldn't want to make a move, seeing as his teammates would bother him.
Her proclaimed older brother trully took great care of her. It was very clear that she wasn't used to this kind of lifestyle but Sasuke could see she could easily cope as she was a ninja but still, it bothered him how she looks so sophisticated and well-raised in luxury by his brother. She was probably spoiled by him a lot.
Speaking of her brother whose name was venom in his mouth for reasons unknown, there were these questions troubling him ever since he found out about them being siblings. Why was Sasori in the Akatsuki? If he really did love his beloved little sister, why did he have to leave? What happened? What triggered in the past for the present to be like this? There were so many questions in his head concering Sakura and it was confusing.
He looked at Sakura again and noticed how she was shivering now. He sighed and decided he couldn't leave her be that way. He took out his shirt and wrapped it around her and that seemed to calm her down even for a bit. And as soon as he put his shirt down, a sound made him stop in his tracks.
"Onii-sama."
Sasuke was taken a back as that soft murmur escaped in Sakura's sleeping form. That was when he realized how strong their bond is. Sakura really loves Sasori and he was able to question himself if that was even just a love for sibling that they shared. His mind reeled back as he pulled back too. "How could I even think about such a thing." he thought and a certain celestial object caught his attention and when he looked up, he realized stars were beginning to increase their visibility in the night sky and a shooting star passed by as he did so.
Sasuke woke up feeling warm. It was still night time as there were countless stars in the night sky. He realized his arms were wrapped around Sakura and his brows shot up, surprised at his own action. He turned so his back was back to the grass, his arm became Sakura's pillow as his other arm went to his forehead. He stared at the stars. He was at peace. A rarity. He was never this peaceful, even if Naruto's snore could be heard on the other side.
He looked back at the sleeping Sakura in his arm, a peaceful expression on her face. She was content, that much he could clearly see. The world could see and sometimes read her as an open book, and he didn't like that at all. With Sakura's personality, people would take advantage of her. But Sakura was no kind girl. She was self-centered, vain and solely focuses on herself and she had not experienced a tragic loss like he and Naruto had, so she would never understand them. Still, people could still trick her. They could easily do that.
Then he realized he was thinking of the much younger Sakura he first met. Yes, those attitudes the much older and younger Sakura possessed, but ever since he frankly told her about never experiencing a loss in her life, he began to notice her change. He saw the way she tried to look at things at Naruto's perspective in an attempt to understand them.
He also noticed the way that at her core, Sakura is extremely compassionate, strong-willed, determined, and courageous, witnessed during the Chūnin Exams when he and Naruto were incapacitated and it was left up to her to defend them from Team Dosu. She didn't even tried to kill Team Dosu, just delay their attack on them even when she was in pain, she still made herself a punching bag. That day still pained him, the sight of Sakura that way. It made his heart clench because she was her teammate and he and Naruto had always protected her during missions.
Sasuke huffed and diverted his attention from Sakura to the stars. "Why did I suddenly began thinking about you?" he thought. Then, the stars brought back a much more earlier memory.
"Sometimes you just have to wait and wait. It may take a long while before your wishes come true because good things take time but if it's meant to be, it will find a way no matter what the circumstances or how impossible." she had said, and for a moment, he saw a different Sakura. One where she's not the usual girl he knows and even though she was smiling a real smile, he could see she was thinking of something else.
"Wishes don't really come true, Sakura." he said.
"Ah, yes. Wishes don't come true." Sasuke said absent mindedly as the memory finished replaying in his mind. "Because if they did, my family would be alive by now. We both wouldn't be here in this situation. I would be... happy." he said. The last word so distant to him.
This is probably my longest chapter. Heehee. Hope you enjoyed! Tell me what you think, even if just one of you. ^_^