[high school AU, supernatural]
"Have you noticed anything strange about the disappearances?"
"No, sir."
"Nothing out of the ordinary?"
"Listen officer, all I know is that there are kids disappearing and whoever's behind all of these kidnappings needs to be stopped."
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It's like routine for her, wake up, get dressed, walk to school with Naruto and Sasuke and hope that she'll pass her drivers test next month.
Unlike some of the parents of the kids she goes to school with, her mom doesn't worry for her. Her mom doesn't spend ten minutes fretting over her every morning telling to be careful as she walks to school. It never seems to happen to her. Her parents don't dote and fret on her like most other parents she sees does. It's not because she's strong. But it's not because she's weak. She's just her.
She knows that Sasuke's parents don't fret that much about his safety, even with the recent kidnappings that have been taking place and frankly, sometimes it seems that Sasuke's parents don't care about him at all. Sakura knows. She sees it in the way that Sasuke's father always seems to be looking for something in his youngest son's expression. Sees it in the way that his mother, Mikoto, dotes on Naruto like a third son, but doesn't do anything of the sort with Sasuke.
Their cold and their distant with their kids, but at the same time the whole family is closer than the threads that make up fabric. Sakura can see it. It's in the way they speak with their eyes. And in the way that they always seem to be there for each other.
Her parents aren't like that with her. She's an only child. And in a way she does get a lot of attention from her parents, not about her safety when it comes to the kidnappings, but about everything else.
Naruto comes to her house at the same time everyday for five times a week. Monday through fridays, there is no break when it comes to Naruto. He's just one loud never ending ball of energy.
Naruto comes and then they meet up with Sasuke at the intersection. Sasuke's quiet, but even more so today and it bothers her. Not because she's nosy but because she cares.
Sasuke's hand is intertwined with her's as always but today is different. It's like he's lost in some other world. He's just staring out ahead lost in space. He's zoning out on them.
She's squeezes his hand and from the corner of her eyes she can see Sasuke begin to smile. It's a little baby smile, barely noticeable but there nonetheless.
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"Ms. Haruno, I understand that you're parents aren't here right now and that you don't feel very comfortable, but please you need to tell me what's going on."
"Listen, officer, I know that something strange is going on, but I can't know what to tell you if you don't help me out."
"Alright. Fine. Do you know what an aswang is?"
"A what?"
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They get to school two minutes late. Sasuke's late to chemistry, Sakura's late to trigonometry and Naruto parted ways with them once they got to the school gate. He's ditching his first class just like always. It's not a surprise to anyone.
None of them have any classes together, but they do see each other at lunch. It's nice. But Sasuke's quiet, more so quiet they usual. He still holds Sakura's hand, but there's something off.
She can see it in the how he hasn't been taking any of Naruto's bait to annoy him. Sees it in the way that he's actually eating his food instead of just moving it around with his chopsticks.
And so, it's when Naruto rather loudly exclaims that he has to take a shit, that Sakura makes her move.
She starts with asking Sasuke what's wrong. But Sasuke doesn't give her a reply. He just shakes his head and places his head against her shoulder. She lets him. They've been dating for a while now and Sakura understands that that's what Sasuke does to feel better. It's his way of coping and because of that sole reason she never pushes him more than she has to.
They're not an affectionate couple. But they do have their moments. They're not cold or distant with each other it's just that they're not very public with each other. Everything they do happens in private. Whether it'd be Sasuke lying his head on her lap as they watch a movie at home. Or just talking to each other in soft voices.
Sasuke's quiet. But he's not cold or distant. He's just shy and doesn't really like new people.
Sakura doesn't need to look at Sasuke to know that his eyes are closed as she threads her fingers through his hair.
"You okay?" She asks.
Sasuke nods against her.
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"Now how do I explain it?"
"By getting to the point. What's an aswang?"
"Y'know what a shapeshifter is? Well let's see ... how do I put it? It's not a shapeshifter, it's sorta similar, I guess. But that's not important. What's important is finding the kidnapper."
"You think and that that aswang thing-y you were talking about is behind this. Don't you?"
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The woods are like a second home to her. It's green and smells like earth. It's dirty but she loves it. There's no people around her here. No mom or dad or people at school. She's not like other kids. She doesn't like the mall or restaurants nearby (mostly because she's mortified by the thought of seeing people from school outside of school.
It's nice in the woods. She likes to lie down in the grass and not think about the world and it works, especially at night when the stars are out. There aren't many unnatural lights in the area that causes the stars to disappear and hideaway from her.
It's pretty. And she wishes that she can stay like this forever or at least be able to bring Sasuke with her. At least she knows he'll come during the day. And during that time they'll lie down next to each other, noses touching one another another as the whisper little nothings to each other. And sometimes he's steal a few kisses from her.
But he doesn't come at night. And thinking about it Sakura's realized that she's never really seen Sasuke at night.
There's a rustle in a few paces away from her as she begins to leave the woods.
It's a small sound.
A whimper.
And then she hears a laugh. It's small and soft one of a child's. And then.
And then, a scream. Followed by silence.
She runs to where she heard the scream. There's nothing there.
Just a bunch of bones.
Small ones like that of a child and a black snake slithers across one of the bones and for a second the snake turns and looks at her, straight into her eyes.
Piercing red eyes stare into her own green ones as if it knows everything about her. And then it slithers away as if nothing had happened.
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Aswang - shapeshifters who live along their human neighbors and carry on a regular life. At night they morph into various creatures and hunt out their prey—mainly young children and unborn fetuses which they suck out and devour directly from the mother's womb.
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I don't know who published this before (when it was unfinished). It was probably and accident and that's alright. So here's the final copy of it. Hope you enjoyed it!
Written by perfectlyinsane-