(A/N: Author-senpai just wanted to clarify one thing. Yes SasuSaku is unofficially married now. I have prepared some things for the official one but I don't want to spoil everyone by suddenly ranting about it lol. But YES they are married since Sakura is wearing the Uchiha clan crest.)
Love you all here's another Chapter!
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It wasn't until a day and a half later when a hawk came and landed on Sasuke's forearm containing Yamato's message. Orochimaru's location is written on the parchment and Sasuke remembered where the hideout is.
The snow had ceased for the time being and Sasuke contemplated whether to summon susano'o to get to Orochimaru's hideout faster and without hassle. But then again, it would take a great toll of his chakra to do that. Sasuke looked at Sakura and thought about it. It would take them roughly another day to get to Orochimaru's hideout on foot, considering it wasn't that far.
"Will you be fine?" Sasuke asked as he put on his cloak. Sakura just blinked at him. Sure, she's in this state but she doesn't feel tired.
"Don't worry Sasuke-kun, I'll be fine," Sakura reassured the Uchiha and they set off once again.
"We'd arrive in a day. Just tell me if you're tired," Sasuke said and glanced at Sakura beside him. The pinkette smiled hearing his concerned tone. It was rare hearing him sound like that and not to mention, very out of character. But it's what made it all the more heart-warming that Sakura felt a stir in her chest.
When night fell in the forest, Sasuke started a fire while Sakura sat leaning on a nearby tree. She was wearing a cloak hiding her slightly big belly that one might have a hard time telling if she's actually pregnant.
While Sasuke was busy with what he's doing, his senses are on heightened alert and he would glance at Sakura from time to time. Perhaps this was what Kakashi was talking about being overprotective. He couldn't really help it. The urge to protect the woman carrying his child. He might as well be a wolf like what Kakashi was talking about.
Sasuke pulled Sakura and sat behind her, engulfing her in a protective stance as the pinkette curled towards her and sighed in contentment.
That night, Sasuke did not get a wink of sleep. It's not like he need to sleep, he could go about days without sleep. He was on full alert the whole night, making sure that no one would be foolish enough to attack them. Because had someone attack them that night while Sakura was in that state, Sasuke doubt he'd be able to stop himself from taking someone's life for good.
****
They arrived at Orochimaru's hideout before nightfall the next day. Yamato, who was guarding the laboratory from outside, greeted them.
"Captain Yamato, it's been a while," Sakura said. The man used to be her former sensei during the time that he took care of Team 7 in Kakashi's stead.
Yamato greeted the pinkette back and looked at Sasuke who nodded in acknowledgement. The Uchiha didn't really know him that much apart from the fact the he used to babysit his old Team during which Sasuke had gone rogue.
The fact that he was chosen to guard Orochimaru suggest that he might have some past connection with the former sannin.
"He has been informed about your arrival. He should be waiting in one of the laboratory's room," Yamato said before Sasuke nodded and proceeded to the hideout, Sakura following behind him.
Sasuke's pace was quick or Sakura was just a bit tired to keep up with his hasty steps that Sasuke was almost surprised when he felt Sakura's hand gripped his cloak. He stopped walking and looked behind at Sakura. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Sakura muttered and let go of his cloak. She was caught by surprise when Sasuke took her hand and begun to walk again.
The laboratory was a bit eerie to say the least. There were lamps on each side of the wall to provide light in the tunnel-like corridor. Sasuke stopped in front of a door and without knocking he opened the door to a room. Sakura looked around.
The walls are white like the rooms in the hospital. There were computers displaying some weird formulae and some machines here and there. There was a couch in the middle of the room and a coffee table where a few mugs were placed.
"Sasuke, it has been a while." They heard a familiar voice from behind and Orochimaru walked inside the room.
Sakura stare at the man who used to be a teammate of Master Tsunade. Sakura knew the byakugou makes Tsunade maintain her beauty but this Orochimaru does not possess the seal yet he looked as if he's aging backwards. His face has no wrinkles, shiny hair and healthy skin. Just what kind of jutsu is this man using?
"If it isn't Haruno Sakura, am I right?" Orochimaru said looking at Sakura who couldn't help but lean closer to Sasuke. "I heard you were Tsunade's student. And a talented one, I see," he said, looking at the rhombus shaped seal on her forehead. After all there were only three people who attained the byakugou.
"I didn't know you were always this talkative," Sasuke said to which Orochimaru just chuckled.
"Why don't we cut down to business?" The Uchiha inquired, he doesn't hide the fact that he is annoyed.
"My, Sasuke why don't we sit first? We shouldn't let pregnant women stand for too long."
Sakura blush a little. She didn't know it was that noticeable. Sasuke, on the other hand, just clicked his tongue and walked towards the couch as Sakura followed suit. They sat on one of the couch as Orochimaru sat on the opposite.
"You should have gotten the message from Kakashi already. I need your help with deciphering this scroll." Sasuke pulled out the scroll and handed it to Orochimaru who opened it and skimmed its content.
"I see. The characters are quite familiar. However, this scroll contains such odd things. Would you mind telling me where you got this kind of scroll?"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "It's clearly none of your business."
"I have devoted my studies to the benefits of the Leaf. Clearly this might be a possible threat in the near future considering how—"
Orochimaru's explanation was cut short when a red haired woman in glasses literally barged in the room, dashing madly towards Sasuke.
"Sasuke!!!" she yelled. But before she could make a swan dive towards Sasuke, the woman froze in her steps as she eyed Sakura who was looking at the woman weirdly.
"What the hell? Master Orochimaru didn't tell me you were visiting the lab. But what the hell, last time you were here you brought a little woman and now you're bringing a different one."
Sakura frowned as she tried to comprehend what this woman just stated.
"Karin, why don't you calm down first?" Orochimaru said. "This is why I didn't tell you Sasuke is coming."
The woman, Karin just huffed and adjusted her glasses. She did calm down, for a few seconds, before walking towards Sasuke who looked at her with a deadpanned expression. "So, Sasuke, I see you brought your old teammate with you."
Sasuke was starting to regret his choice of bringing Sakura along as he could literally feel the oozing murderous intent from the pinkette sitting calmly beside him. Sasuke doesn't know much about women but when it comes to rivalry he knew it's something more dangerous than men's rivalry. As Sasuke sat in the middle of the two young women, Orochimaru looked amused to say the least. The former sannin wanted to see how Sasuke will handle such trivial scenario.
And the way Sasuke handled the situation was beyond anyone's comprehension.
"Karin, I think it's time to stop your delusion," the Uchiha stated and the whole room fell silent.
For a few seconds anyone could literally hear a pin dropped. Before the silence turn awkward, Orochimaru decided to speak.
"Let me just get some warm tea, it's starting to get cold." He left the room, chuckling to himself.
Karin just clicked her tongue and straightened up, arms crossed with one hand adjusting her glasses.
"You're as cold as always, Sasuke. Puts me to wonder how come you managed to get a girl like her. But who am I to tell, I got no idea about your childhood whatsoever." Karin shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and proceeded to one of the computers checking some data.
The redhead Uzumaki wasn't affected by Sasuke's words to say the least. She was simply having fun annoying the hell out of the Uchiha but at the end of the argument, Karin knew his heart already belonged to the pinkette he is with, Sakura. Now that she thought of it, Karin has yet to properly thank Sakura for saving her that day. She decided to thank her later.
****
Later that evening, when Sasuke was busy discussing some things with his former teacher, Sakura was suddenly snatch away by Karin.
"What's going on?" Sakura asked after sitting on a couch.
"Here. Helps with cramps and fatigue." Karin handed Sakura two packets of what looks like herbal tea. "And the other is black tea I had Suigetsu bought when he was in Kiri."
Sakura smiled and took the sachets. Herbal tea is one thing but black tea is definitely another. Sakura has been craving to drink black tea since heaven knows when.
"Thanks."
"Actually," Karin started and averted her eyes down on the floor. "I am the one who should be thanking you."
Sakura frowned and searched her memories as to why Karin should be thanking her. Did she do anything to her? Sakura racked her brain to remember.
"It's long overdue, but thanks nonetheless, for saving me on the brink of death that day on the bridge."
It was then the memory hurled in Sakura's mind. She was pertaining about that time when Sakura followed Sasuke in an attempt to stop the Uchiha from waging war to the Five Great Nation. Karin suffered in the hand of Sasuke who was then blinded by revenge and almost died from being struck by his chidori. But Sakura came and saved her and since that day, Karin never forgets about the pinkette's kindness.
It was hard to save an ally on the brink of death but even harder to save an enemy who was about to die. But in the eye of medical ninjutsu, whether it is an ally or an enemy, as long as someone is badly injured they must be saved no matter what. That is an act of a true medic ninja and Sakura just proved herself, since that day that she deserved to inherit the fifth Hokage's Byakugou.
"Karin, is it?" Sakura asked and Karin nodded. "Thank you as well, for treating Sasuke-kun when I couldn't."
Karin was a bit taken aback. But after a few moments she already composed herself.
"Well, considering how trashy Sasuke was before, I now regret those times."
Sakura laughed. She knew Karin was simply making light of the conversation so she decided to play along.
"I know. He's always been salty since our times in the Academy. But he was so cool and everyone ended up having a crush on him."
"But who won in the end?" Karin asked and looked at Sakura pointedly.
The stiff atmosphere between the two women disintegrated in the air as if there was none to begin with as their laughter rang in the room.
"So, how many months are you along?" Karin asked when she sat on the couch after making the black tea.
"Six. It's still quite unnoticeable. By the way, you didn't seem surprise."
"Nah. If anything, I was more surprise that Sasuke's been blessed like this."
Sakura chuckled. At some point she was right and Sakura knew Sasuke also asked himself the same thing. He had done a lot of cruel things in the past and the deities blessed him with a child. Does he really deserve it?
Of course he does. Everyone does deserve a second chance at life.
"Ah, I just wish this child wouldn't turn out like Sasuke, at least not the bad traits," Karin said and Sakura just chuckled. "It should at least get your traits, Sakura. You were so kind as to save a stranger and an enemy at that."
"You weren't an enemy though. Stranger, yes. But I never considered you an enemy."
Karin groaned. "Honestly, you were too good for a trashy guy like Sasuke."
The two begun to talk about a lot of things, most of it was about Sasuke though. Because after all, who said women who used to run after the same man can't be friends?
In one of the room, Sasuke felt a shudder run down his spine. It's as if there are people talking about him and it kind of made him involuntarily shiver.
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There you go, a long Chapter. Personally, I kind of found Karin a bit annoying in the first few seasons of Shippuden. But during the war arc when they showed some fillers of Karin's backstory, I felt actually bad for her. And I no longer find her annoying in Boruto! So I hope you guys no longer find her bothersome.
Anyways, thanks for reading! Vote and comment!