Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

People who are Important: Book Two	By : Morales89 Category: Naruto > General Views: 1260 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto and Tv tokyo. This is a purely fanwritten work, with which I make no money, and write only for the pleasure of myself and my readers.

Chapter List
- 17
- 18
- 19
Chapter 16
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'Uchiha Itachi moved forward with his hand outstretched. Sasuke stumbled weakly away. After everything…the entire battle…he had no energy left to stop his brother from taking his eyes. That outstretched hand got ever closer; Sasuke's black eyes widened further with every second. Blood dribbled out of the older man's eyes, over the fingers stretched in front of him, and down the arm they were attached to. As that hand finally reached his face, Sasuke pressed himself into the wall, trying desperately to find a way to stop this from happening. He was about to whip out a kunai, his sad, but only means of self preservation, when suddenly the fingers stopped. His older brother looked at him, eyes unreadable. Those cold obsidian eyes just stared at him with an emotion Sasuke neither had the energy nor the ability to decode before…he poked him. Itachi poked him right in the head, just like he used to when they were just children. He poked him like he used to back in that time that seemed so long ago. Sasuke just stood there with a confused expression lighting his features. Then, almost too quiet for him to hear, Itachi spoke for the last time.
"I'm sorry Sasuke…" the corners of Itachi's mouth slowly turned up at the sides in a way Sasuke both recognized, yet couldn't remember.
"…..this is the last time…" he said with a familiar, yet at the same time foreign looking smile on his face.
The finger swiped down Sasuke's face as his older brother collapsed to the floor in his death. Blood smeared over Sasuke's features as he just stood there, unable to react. He could feel it running down his face, over his chin….he looked down at his dead brother…suddenly feeling unsure of everything he'd ever known. He'd finally killed Itachi. He'd finally recognized his life long goal. So why did it feel so wrong right now? Why did Itachi smile like that when he'd died?
Sasuke could feel the place where his brother had poked him like there was a hole in his forehead. That one gesture…why? Why would Itachi play with him like that? He'd played mind games right up until the end, the bastard! Why?
'Why nii-san?' Suddenly he was propped up against the wall looking up at a man with an orange swirled mask.
"He was ordered to kill his friends, his lover, his mother and father…The man who cried tears of blood as he smothered his emotions and killed his brethren…could not bring himself to kill his little brother," the man Sasuke knew was Uchiha Madara said.
"Because for him…your life weighed more than the village…"
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Sasuke's eyes shot open as the memories continued to filter into his mind. Uchiha Madara…he'd met him. Only for a few minutes, but he'd met him. During his first weeks back in Konoha, he'd been too injured to remember exactly what had happened that day. He distinctly remembered thinking, during those earlier days in Konoha Hospital, that he hadn't found Madara yet. But…he had, he'd met that man. The man who'd helped in the massacring of his Clan had talked with him that day at the Uchiha hide out. After Sasuke had collapsed beside his brother, he woke to find himself propped against the single surviving wall of the Hideout. A man with an orange mask stared down at him…claiming to be Uchiha Madara, the man Itachi had told him was not to be trusted…the man Itachi had admitted had helped him kill the Clan.
Madara did not rebuke this accusation. He embraced it, and told Sasuke an even more confusing, still undecidedly true or false, story about the Massacre. The Uchiha Clan had been planning an uprising against the Hokage, and though Sandaime had tried to reason with them, they had refused to listen. The Elder Council forced Sarutobi to issue the order for the Clan's extinction, and Uchiha Itachi was the person he'd chosen. A double agent at the age of thirteen, Itachi had to swallow his sorrow, and kill the people he loved. He'd failed, however, because he couldn't kill them all. He couldn't kill Sasuke.
That's why Sasuke had been feeling guilty all of a sudden. In the weeks leading up to the Removal Process, he remembered having flashbacks of not memories, but emotions. Guilt mostly…for a thing he could not remember at the time. Now, that the Seal was gone, and his body could properly heal again, he remembered nearly everything. Itachi may have been innocent. Well, not innocent, but orders are orders. If the Uchiha Clan was planning an uprising, then perhaps they sealed their own fate all those years ago.
Still, the reason Madara helped confused Sasuke. What did he have to do with anything? He remembered his brother telling him, during their fight, that Madara had been his tutor. But other than that…what right did Madara have to kill off Sasuke's family? He had no right, and if the youngest Uchiha remembered correctly, Itachi did not trust Madara. Itachi had been trying to find a way to kill Madara.
Sasuke couldn't remember much of what happened after Madara told his story. The younger Uchiha had been bleeding pretty heavily, and he remembered being dizzy. However, he did remember Madara wanting him to join his cause. The Uchiha Founder wanted him to help him find the tailed beasts, but didn't have the chance to take Sasuke away before Naruto and his enormous 'Sasuke Retrieval' Team closed in on their location. To avoid conflict, the older man simply transported himself away. Sasuke watched him leave, confused by his story, but too tired to think on it. He passed out shortly after. When he woke next, he was in Konohagakure Hospital.
So, where should he go from here? According to Madara's story, Itachi had planned out his death years in advance in hopes that Sasuke would never discover the truth. The elder Uchiha had wanted to die with Sasuke still believing he was a cold hearted murderer. He never factored in the idea that Madara may come into contact with the younger….wait, never mind, he did factor that in.
'When Itachi poked my forehead…I remember now…he transferred all of his techniques into my eyes. He wanted me to kill Madara. That much I know is true…but if Madara's story is true, then the Konoha Elders also need to pay for what they did. The Uchiha may have been planning an uprising, but as docile, passive, and convincing as I remember Sarutobi being, I can't imagine him not finding a way around this. The council most likely did not give him an appropriate amount of time.
Madara said that Itachi was the one chosen, but the Sandaime I knew would never ask something like that from a child. Maybe the double agent business, but never the annihilation of his own Clan. If what Madara told me is true, I can honestly rule out the Sandaime Hokage knowing as much about the situation as the Council did. If he had known what Danzo and those two old geezers were asking of Itachi, he would have never allowed it. Even if in the end he was forced to issue the order, he would have found another ninja to do so. That is what ANBU is for after all.
When I fought Itachi, he mentioned reality as being what we acknowledge as the truth. Maybe he was hinting to the fact that perhaps I didn't know everything about the massacre I thought I did. If he knew Madara would find me, why wouldn't he just tell me the story himself? Was he hoping Madara would fail to make contact with me? I'm not sure what I should believe. Should I go on everything I've been believing since the Massacre, or what Madara has recently told me?
But then…why would Itachi smile at me like that before he died? Was it merely some mind game like I'd originally thought, or was it because he actually loved me more than anything else like Madara told me? If what Madara told me is the truth…I must hold the Council accountable for their actions. However, Itachi did not trust Madara…so I may never know which parts were the truth, if any, and which parts were fabricated,' Sasuke thought.
"Nnn…" a female voice groaned sleepily from beside him.
Sasuke suddenly remembered where he was and what had happened to him. He darted his eyes down to the pink haired girl in his bed that was snuggled up against his side in the most comfortable way. Her small hand lay splayed over his bare stomach, her head was nuzzled into the crook of his neck, and one of her slender, finely toned legs was tossed over his as she slept. Her plump pink lips were parted slightly, he noticed, when he shifted them into a more comfortable position. He settled her in between his legs and wrapped his arms around her shoulders lightly.
Sasuke rather liked being entwined with Sakura this way. After everything was said and done…she had saved his life. She'd risked everything to save his life, and that made him feel amazing for some reason. Well, it also made him feel a little angry that she would be so careless…he wasn't exactly sure, but he figured that was him being protective over her. Sasuke had gotten a little better with identifying his emotions since he came here. Though he'd never admit it openly, he knew that Gaara had a hand in that. The redhead knew what it was like to be numb, and have to remember how to feel again. So…therefore, Gaara could explain to him the emotions he was experiencing.
"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura mumbled in her sleep, her small hand clenching against his abdomen.
Sasuke wove his fingers into her thick mass of pink hair and played with it a little bit. He'd always secretly liked the color. It was nice. It certainly smelled really nice. She smelled really nice….she felt really nice all snuggled against him like that. He wasn't completely sure where all of these feelings were coming from, but ever since he found out that she linked her strong, healthy heart up to his slow, dying one…he felt closer to her. He felt not only that he owed her that much more…but that finally, after all those years of her saying it, he believed she was truly in love with him.
"I'm here Sakura-chan…I'm not going anywhere," he said to her, curling a hand over her clenched fist and relaxing her fingers.
She slept on, completely unawares of everything that was happening, and he let her. Sasuke, in the mean time, would try and sort out his recent memories. After doing so…after making sure that he really did meet Madara; that everything he'd dreamt about was actually a flashback and not just a dream, he would go to Tsunade about it. If anyone could help him find out the truth, it was the Godaime Hokage. She had the resources…she had the key to Sarutobi's personal library. If the Elders were responsible, she would be able to find out.
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Akito House
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Shia rushed to prepare breakfast for her family. She had to get to the Hospital soon to see Sakura and Sasuke. It'd been about a week since The Removal Process, and though Sasuke had lived, Shia had never been so close to having a heart attack as she had that day. On top of the Uchiha's near death, Sakura had decided it'd be a good idea to link her heart to his slowing one, scaring everyone in the room out of a good three years of their life spans. When the pinkette had slumped over on Sasuke's body, Shia was sure she almost died of fright.
Sakura was her best friend. Sakura was one of the few people who understood her completely. Sakura was the sister that Shia never had. She was the girl who'd befriended her after her parent's death, and who'd helped her heal. In that moment that she thought Sakura had died…Shia had been at a loss of what to do. She'd wanted to cry, but for some reason was incapable. She wanted to scream, but could not make the sound. All she could do was stare with a broken look in her eyes at her friend's seemingly dead body.
Shia was no stranger to death…Death had taken her most precious people from her. Death had taken her grandmother only a year ago…and though he'd been taken back, Death had also taken Gaara from her once. If the Gods of Death had taken Sasuke that day…if they had taken Sasuke and Sakura that day…Shia was sure she would not be able to heal. Thank goodness Tsunade and Kakashi had cool enough heads to take both of the young ninja's pulses. 'Tou-san…Kaa-san…Baa-san…thanks for watching over me,' Shia thought quietly.
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Hyuuga House
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"Uzumaki-san, you're here for Hinata I assume," Hyuuga Hiashi surmised coolly as he stared down at the boy on his couch.
Naruto twiddled his thumbs nervously in his lap as he tried not to break eye contact with the Hyuuga leader. It's not that he was challenging the older man per say, well perhaps it was kind of like a challenge. The point was, he wasn't staring Hinata's father down out of any disrespectful urge. Naruto just didn't think that the Hyuuga Head would want a spineless coward who couldn't even look him in the eye as a son-in-law. The blonde's hands froze in the midst of their fidgeting at that last thought. Was he already thinking like that about things like that?
"Ah…there you are Hinata," Hiashi's voice said, breaking Naruto out of his thoughts.
Blue eyes snapped into focus and followed the older man's gaze towards the steps where his girlfriend now stood. Why was it that every time saw her, he was floored by how elegantly beautiful she was? She was like that princess that men would die for without hesitation. Her heart shaped, pale face held a soft smile that had his heart thumping loudly against his chest. Hinata always managed to look beautiful in whatever she wore, but today she looked downright angelic. A white dress with a knee length skirt made of the most wistfully, swishy material known to man. Her hair fell into her face in long, ebony sheets of silk. She wore no make up…her snowy eyes needed no emphasis to stand out. And…when she smiled like that, she had this brilliant glow about her that nearly stopped his heart from its sheer beauty.
'God damnit! I'm borderline poetic here! What the hell is this? Uzumaki Naruto doesn't think things like this! I'm starting to sound all sappy like Ero-sennin's dirty books!' Naruto thought in confusion.
(Borderline? Kit, do you even hear yourself?) Kyuubi snickered. Naruto pouted a little.
"Naruto-kun?" Hinata's sweet voice called. The boy turned his confused gaze onto the beautiful girl staring, concerned, down at him from the staircase.
"Is something wrong?" she asked. Blond hair flew in crazy wisps around his face as Naruto shook his head fervently.
"No…it's nothing! Let's get going then…I think it's about time I properly introduced you to Sasuke, Hina-chan…I want to introduce you to my brother," he said, blue eyes locking with her milky white gaze. Her expression was mildly shocked, yet exceedingly happy all at the same time. Honestly, he wondered if it was hard expressing as much variety in expressions as Hinata did in a day.
"Hai, Naruto-kun…." She said finally, with a small smile.
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Konohagakure Hospital
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Sakura groaned as the last bits of blissful sleep started to leave her. She nuzzled her pillow affectionately, noticing something strange as she did so. It wasn't like a normal pillow. It was smooth, and soft, but not in the cloth kind of way. It was warm. It rose and fell periodically every few seconds, and it was lined with rippling bumps that felt really nice against her hand. She smiled sleepily, fingering the smooth ridges lightly. Her hand slid down ever further, tracing a deep, smooth groove. Wow, her pillow felt awfully similar to a….
"S…Sakura…" a familiar voice sounded. 'Shit!' Sakura thought.
She opened her eyes slowly, their green gaze tracing up the lean torso of her friend, and long time love. She felt the heat hit her face quickly as she blushed deep red. Sasuke was staring down at her with wide, onyx eyes, slightly flushed, and having difficulty breathing. They just lay there staring at each other for a few moments. Sakura, well, she was dying of mortification at the fact that she'd been touching all over him this whole time, and he was awake. Even if she hadn't realized it was him, that didn't stop her from being embarrassed about being caught.
On Sasuke's end, he was torn somewhere between shocked and aroused. He'd never been touched like that before, and to have Sakura do it…it just felt so good. He watched silently as Sakura tore her green eyes away from his stare and looked down at her hand. Her faced turned a lovely beat red color that caused him to snicker inwardly. Her hand lay splayed wide over his lower abdomen, forefinger in the groove of his pelvis, and pinky sitting dangerously close to the waistband of his boxers. Sakura sat up abruptly, jerking her hand away, and looking at him with wide, apologetic eyes.
A long time ago he would've found her wide eyed, flushed stare to be annoying…but now it was just… 'Cute…' The thought confused him slightly, only because the feeling it created was the same feeling you get straight before you throw up…only not as strong. Sasuke watched as his friend took in a deep breath, calming herself, before opening her mouth to speak. He found his gaze drawn to her bubblegum colored lips, not too thin, but not too thick either. Her upper lip had this little groove just under her nose that, in combination with the bottom heavy, slightly pouty, bottom lip gave her gave her mouth almost a heart shape. Then they started moving, and Sasuke felt the entire world dissolve as he watched the soft looking, pink petals form words.
"Alright Sasuke-san! Looks like we're ready to…..Oh I'm so sorry!" a voice rang out. The sound of something clattering against the tile of the room's floor rang through the silence.
Two sets of eyes snapped over to the entrance of the room where none other than Akito Shia stood in all of her pregnant, flushed, and surprised glory. Her mouth hung open in a small gape, her hand rested against her chest, fingers splayed as her she stared at them through shocked, wide eyes. Out of his peripheral vision, Sasuke saw Sakura flush a dangerous shade of red. He could feel a strange heat enveloping his face as well, kind of like when he'd woken to the pinkette's unconscious ministrations earlier, only stronger.
Before either of them could say anything, Shia turned on her heel and walked briskly out of the room. An awkward silence descended upon them, but Sasuke couldn't figure out why it felt so awkward. They hadn't been doing anything, and they'd been in the same bed for about a week, so Shia should really be used to seeing them like that…shouldn't she? Sasuke turned his black eyes down to the slightly trembling person still leaning rather close to him. She smelled really nice; he noted silently as her green, mortified gaze finally moved from the doorway to his face. Quickly Sakura sputtered an apology.
"I'm so sorry Sasuke-kun! I didn't mean to.,.."
"It's okay Sakura…you were asleep. You didn't know what you were doing," he answered quietly.
She pulled herself away, tossing her legs over the side of the bed, and sliding off of it carefully. Sasuke couldn't explain why he felt so….well he wasn't sure exactly what he was feeling as far as naming it went, but he didn't want her to leave. He'd rather gotten used to her presence over the last week. Sakura tested out her legs quietly, walking slowly forward until she was confident she'd have no problem doing it. She then turned to Sasuke with a warm smile and said…
"Well, I'm going to go home and shower. I'll tell Shia-chan to come back up here and get your forms all filled out. She'll fill you in on what's going to happen today, and I'll be back around lunch time to relieve her," Sakura said. Sasuke nodded silently, quirking his lips up slightly in a ghost of a smile. That seemed to please the pinkette, who waved goodbye to him jovially before heading out of the room.
Sasuke raised a hand to his shoulder, fingers tracing the slightly less bruised skin lightly. He was free of the Curse. He was free to move on with his life, and repair his burned bridges as best as he could. He was free to hunt down Madara, and make sure the Elders paid for their sins. He had decided, that for now, he would ask the people who'd once called themselves his best friends to help him investigate as much as they could before he brought the idea to the Hokage. For now, he couldn't be sure if what Madara had told him was valid or not, so he would look into it for his own knowledge first.
He wanted to at least have one solid bit of evidence to prove that his theory may be correct. Since Uchiha Madara's testimonial would hardly be regarded as legitimate in Konoha, he had to find some other way to show the Hokage what the Council had done. At the same time, he would have to suck it up and go to the Uchiha Compound. If anything could be found about Madara, it would be there. If Itachi had left him any clues, which Sasuke highly suspected he had, they would be in the old house. He knew little.
He knew from his brother's strange behavior in his last seconds that Itachi was not exactly the monster he'd once thought he was. He knew from the conversation they'd had just before the battle and during it, that Itachi had left the duty of killing Uchiha Madara up to Sasuke. There had to be a reason behind that. Sasuke was going to find out by scanning the Uchiha Archives and searching his old home for any clues his brother may have left him.
'Even if what Madara said is true, Itachi wanted me to kill him, and I need to find out why,' he thought.
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Room 290
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"Shia-chan..." a familiar voice called from behind her. Shia turned to see her friend Sakura standing in the doorway to the room she was currently working in.
"Alright Hikaru-chan! You're all patched up, and be more careful with those kunai at the Academy. Just because you're a student doesn't mean that Iruka-sensei is using fake ones," Shia chastised the little boy she'd just stitched up. He pouted adorably on his hospital bed.
"I'll try Shia-sensei…next time I won't miss the mark!" he said with determination in his big brown eyes. Shia smiled.
"That's the spirit Hon! Now go, you're mother's been sitting on the bench outside of this room for a half hour worrying to death. She'll be glad to know you're okay," the Akito head said.
"Okay! Bye Shia-sensei!" the boy chirped, bounding out of the room. Shia smiled after the child until he was out of sight before turning her amused navy gaze on her friend.
"Sasuke-kun is waiting for you upstairs," Sakura said quietly. Shia smirked at her, narrowing her eyes into slivers of glinting mirth. Sakura flushed automatically.
"Sorry I interrupted the two of you this morning. I didn't realize you already had THAT kind of relationship," the Akito said in a nonchalant tone. Sakura's face turned bright red.
"SHIA-CHAN! Don't be ridiculous! It wasn't like that okay!" the pinkette sputtered indignantly. Shia put a finger to her chin in feigned thought.
"Oh, because when I walked in you two were mooning at each other like a couple of love sick puppy dogs, inches apart, with your hand sitting rather close to the edge of the sheet, Sakura-chan," she said. Sakura's eyes widened, filling with embarrassment.
"It wasn't what it looked like! I swear!" she cried.
"No? Well then, I must have misinterpreted your hand rubbing his stomach as you molesting him…sorry!" Shia chirped. Sakura swore loudly.
"I wasn't molesting him! I was asleep! I had no idea what I was doing" she shouted.
"So you were molesting him in your sleep then?" Shia asked 'innocently'.
"NO!" the pinkette yelled desperately.
Her stomach was overrun by a flock of restless butterflies and her lungs refused to function properly at the moment. She felt a little nauseous. 'Damnit! Why did Shia have to walk in on that! I was embarrassed enough about it without her making fun of me!' Sakura thought in dismay. She heard her friend's quiet chuckling from next to her. Shia's navy eyes were shining with amusement at this point. The Akito was having way too much fun with this, Sakura decided.
"Calm down Sakura-chan," Shia managed to say through her giggles, "I was just teasing you."
Sakura huffed and pouted, tossing her nose in the air as she crossed her arms defensively over her chest. She heard Shia laugh again. Really, it wasn't that funny. After a few minutes, Shia seemed to calm down enough to talk lucidly. Sakura listened as her friend regained her breath, waiting for the next teasing round to come. Surprisingly it didn't. A small hand came down on her shoulder and squeezed comfortingly. Sakura opened her eyes to look into her friend's warm gaze. Shia smiled at her, and Sakura found herself unable to not return it.
"Well, I should get up there and brief Sasuke-san on everything that'll be going down today. You go home and get some rest. Take a nice, hot bath," the Akito suggested. Sakura sighed.
"Yea, I guess that does sound really nice. Well I'll see you later then," she said, smiling as they both exited the room. Shia smiled back and waved.
"Yea, see you at lunch time," the Akito answered amiably. With that, the pregnant woman turned her back and started walking away slowly. Sakura turned to walk in the opposite direction. She had just moved to make her first step when she heard it. Shia'd been almost too far a way to hear, but Sakura heard it.
"Seriously, it looked like he was about to kiss you or something."
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Hospital Lobby
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"But Nee-chan! I wanna see Sasuke-bastard! I know he's sick, but I wanna see him!" Naruto shouted in a whiny voice. The woman at the information desk of the hospital cringed at the high, irritating pitch of the young man's voice.
"I'm sorry, but Uchiha-san is in recovery now, and his rest should not be disturbed," the secretary said. Naruto's lip jutted out in a heavy pout as he crossed his arms defiantly. Hinata sighed.
"Miss, please…we've been told that Naruto-kun would have permission to see Sasuke today. There should be a no…"
"There's no note. Nobody has authorized anyone to see Uchiha-san except for the Hokage, her apprentices, and Shia-sama. Now, please leave," the woman snapped irritably.
"Listen, Miss. Miyagi, is it? I want you to call Sasuke-san's room now; Shia-chan should be there by this time. She'll tell you herself that Naruto-kun is cleared to be in there," Hinata said, narrowing her white eyes towards the woman sternly. The Secretary Miyagi blinked at the Hyuuga Heiress. She'd never seen a look like that grace the ever gentle Hyuuga Hinata's face. She was just about to pick up the phone when…
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's voice shouted loudly.
Hinata snapped her eyes in the direction of her loud boyfriend, following his happy blue gaze over to their mutual friend Haruno Sakura. The Hyuuga had to stifle a giggle at her friend's disoriented appearance. Sakura looked rather lost and surprised. At the same time she was breathing a little labouredly, eyes glazed over in thought, and flushed redder than an apple. 'What's up with her?' Hinata thought quietly as the pinkette made her way over to them.
"Naruto, how are you?" Sakura asked, seeming to regain herself a little bit. Naruto smiled broadly.
"I'm great Sakura-chan! But you know what would make me even better!" he said loudly. Sakura cringed slightly at the volume of his voice.
"What would that be?" she asked.
"If these stupid hospital people would let me go see Sasuke-bastard!" he pouted.
"I don't understand. I thought you told me it'd be okay to come see him now," Naruto added. Sakura turned her confused eyes on the receptionist.
"What seems to be the problem Miyagi?" she asked.
"Uchiha-san is in recovery, is he not? He shouldn't be disturbed," the woman replied easily.
"Sasuke-kun is perfectly healthy enough to have visitors. In fact, I think it would do him some good to see this idiot," Sakura said in a stern voice. Miyagi glared.
"I was told not to admit anyone into Uchiha-san's room, Sakura-sama, those were my orders," the receptionist said.
"Well you've got new orders now. I am the lead doctor on Sasuke's recovery case, and I say that Naruto is allowed to visit him," Sakura said with a finality that no one would dare disobey. Shooting a glare at the receptionist, Sakura addressed her two friends.
"He is in Recovery Room 1A. Just tell the guards who you are, they have been informed that you might be visiting today," the rosette instructed. Naruto beamed, shooting a smug look over to the pouting receptionist. Seriously, she must have nothing better to do than give people a hard time all day.
"Thanks Sakura-chan!" he shouted, grabbing Hinata's hand and dragging her in the direction with the sign 'Recovery Wing', hanging over the entrance. The Heiress stumbled a little as she tried to keep up, and Sakura couldn't help but smile at the couple. They were just too cute.
'Seriously, it looked like he was about to kiss you or something.'
'By the way you two were mooning at each other…'
Sakura shook Shia's words from her head as she handed her report to the receptionist, and instructed her to send it to the Hokage. She trudged to the door, trying desperately not to think of what had just happened in the room only minutes ago. Honestly, he wasn't really even touching her, and she couldn't control herself. Even in sleep she couldn't control her urges from taking over. Seeing him now, free of the Curse and slowly healing, Sakura could see how much he'd honestly changed since he'd first come back.
He was refreshingly less socially awkward, though still quite astoundingly so. Yea, doesn't make much sense, but let's just say he wasn't bad to the Sai side of the scale. At least Sasuke had started to be able to distinguish a few of his emotions. He was a bright boy, and now that his body was free of the strain from the Seal, he would be able to think on a much clearer level. As smart as he was, Sakura had no doubt he'd be able to start recognizing his emotions more clearly in the next few weeks. Of course, recognizing them, and knowing how to show them are two completely different things. She was sure he'd never be able to be as open as most people, but honestly she couldn't care less.
Sakura loved Sasuke. If by some chance Shia's observation of them "mooning at each other like a couple of sick puppy dogs" was correct, then perhaps Sasuke may feel the same way that she did. Sakura had always had a rather quick, analytical mind. There was a possibility that Sasuke could feel quiet a lot for her, and he just didn't quite understand it yet. Tsunade had said that he refused to let them move her for the entire week. He'd knowingly and willingly slept by her side for an entire week, cuddling her to his chest every night. Even back when Gaara had spent those few nights watching over the Uchiha, he'd told Sakura she should pay more attention to how Sasuke looked at her. Now, Shia was saying it looked like he wanted to kiss her. Sakura was capable of putting two and two together quite quickly. Sasuke could very well have feelings for her, but she knew he wouldn't understand them right away.
She also knew that when he did understand them, he'd fight them. It was common for people who'd lost a lot of loved ones to fight against becoming close with others. However, this time, Sakura was going to be there to help him heal. This time, Sakura was going to be there to show him that pushing people away wasn't going to stop him from getting hurt. If there was the slimmest chance that Sasuke loved her, Sakura was going to try and get him to realize it. Why? Well, because she'd lived her whole pre-pubescent life completely and totally head over heals in love with him. She'd spent the beginning of her teenage years pinning over the loss of him, and fighting tooth and nail to get him back. If there was a chance that he felt for her, even if he could never truly learn to show it openly and comfortably…she would do her best to make it known to him that those feelings existed.
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Sasuke's Room: sometime later
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"Shut up Teme!" Naruto shouted. Sasuke smirked lightly from his hospital bed.
"Naruto-kun! Quiet down, we're in a hospital," Hinata chided softly. Blue eyes snapped to the shy girl, softening slightly as Naruto smiled sheepishly at his girlfriend.
"Hn…Dobe…taking orders now, are you?" Sasuke instigated. He heard Shia giggle shamelessly from the corner where she was pretending to read over his charts, and NOT pay attention to their argument.
"It's called love Bastard! L.O.V.E! Don't lash out at me just because you're jealous that I realized my feelings before you!" Naruto shouted, sticking his tongue out at the other boy. Hinata gasped lightly. 'He…he just said he loved me!' she thought excitedly.
"Hmphf! Looks like you're the only one who realized them," Sasuke retorted, ignoring the sense of curiosity that peaked inside of him. 'I realized my feelings before you!' He pushed the surfacing ideas away forcefully to watch in amusement as Naruto turned wide blue eyes onto his blushing, shocked looking girlfriend.
"Hina-chan…you really didn't know?" the blond asked incredulously. Hinata fidgeted with her thumb nervously.
"Well…you've never actually said it before," the Heiress answered quietly, flushing with embarrassment that all eyes were now on her. She kept her gaze in line with Naruto's. His baby blues filled with guilt.
"I haven't?" he asked in disbelief. No sooner did Hinata shake her head no when Naruto scooped her into his arms and kissed her hard.
"I do…I've broken my ass, as hard as I've fallen for you," Naruto said. As crude an image as it was, it was oddly sweet hearing it. Hinata smiled.
"I love you too, Naruto-kun," Hinata said. Naruto smiled back.
"I know you do. You're the only person who's ever been so good to me. You're the only person who never hated me Hina-chan. I'd be crazy not to love you, and I'm gonna say it over and over again until you get sick of hearing it!" the blond chirped happily.
"That would never happen," Hinata said softly.
Those sapphire eyes warmed beautifully before disappearing under the lids as Naruto leaned in to kiss her again. This time it was tender, just a gentle brush of lips….a brief swipe of tongue. Sasuke watched the two interact feeling a strange mixture of emotion he could only partially identify. He knew he was happy that Naruto had found someone to love him. There was more to it though…an empty, hollow feeling in his heart whenever he watched the two stare warmly at one another. He wasn't quite sure what that was, but he was going to try to figure it out. In the mean time….
...
...
"…..Dunce…."
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"Shut up Bastard!"
...
...
Hours later
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...
"So Sasuke-kun. It looks like you're stuck with me for a little longer," Sakura said, smiling at him from behind the medical chart. He looked up at her with a small frown.
"It's not like I'm nauseated by your presence Sakura. I thought we'd been over this already. I consider both you and Naruto invaluable friends. Besides…if I'm going to go back to that place, I'd rather someone be with me…and I'd rather it be you," the Uchiha said quietly. Sakura's heart stuttered at his confession.
"Oh…"
They remained silent for a little while, save the scraping noises of the pen against the papers attached to the clipboard. Sasuke was unsure of how to read Sakura's expression at the moment. She looked a little tense, but not in a bad way. Maybe she was confused. Back when they were younger he'd never have admitted something like that, but now, he only wished to fix the bonds that he had damaged. He wanted Sakura to trust him, and for that to be he would have to be honest with her. Truthfully, when Shia had come to his room today saying he was being released into the custody of his pink haired ex-teammate; he'd been a little surprised. He'd been surprised and nervous.
According to the Hokage's orders, he was well enough to leave the hospital, but still had about a week and a half of physical therapy to go through before he could start training again. Sakura had been assigned to this, seeing as Shia was currently heavy with a five month pregnancy. It would be too much of a strain on the Akito Head. Sakura would be moving in with him at the Uchiha Compound, since it was secluded from the village. After his week and a half of therapy, Sakura would start training with him.
Since she was the Hokage's Apprentice, the Council had agreed that his first month of probation would be supervised by Sakura. During this month his chakra would be sealed, and they would only be able to train in taijustu. He was happy they'd decided to assign Sakura as his "Probation Officer". He knew her, he trusted her, and he liked her. She was much better than a stranger, whom he would not trust, and be unable to be comfortable around. She was smart and witty. He was sure they'd get along, as long as he didn't incite her spitfire temper. If it'd been Naruto, he may have gotten himself into trouble. As much as he cared about his idiot of a friend, they were still rivals, and they still butt head on just about everything. That arrangement would have been disastrous.
"Well that's it for the discharge papers! Let's get you home then, ne Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said with a smile.
He nodded silently, ignoring his raging ego as he slid into the wheelchair. Home….she was taking him home. What would it be like? No doubt it was dusty and decrepit by now. No one had lived in his house for four years. Sasuke suddenly felt a sense of dread spread over him. He was going back to that place. Finally, after years of repressing them and killing his emotions to stay focused on his goal, Sasuke would be facing those memories that haunted him every day for the past nine years. He was unsure of how he would react…seeing the Uchiha gates again. He was nervous…scared even of being overwhelmed by the emotions he just didn't have the energy to suppress anymore.
As if she'd sensed his distress, Sasuke felt Sakura's slender hand comb through his hair and card through the strands soothingly. He sighed, he was grateful that it was Sakura who was going with him, because at this point, he was unsure if he could stop the inevitable breakdown that was going to come with stepping into his old, abandoned home. He was unsure if he could hold back the tears he'd refused to weep for all of these years. He knew that if it came to that…if he broke down and sobbed…Sakura would do nothing but comfort him as he did so. She loved him…and for that he was truly grateful. Even if he couldn't quite name what he felt for her…what she meant to him…he knew it was something. He knew it was a very significant something, and he was happy knowing she was willing to be there for him after everything he'd done to her.
"Here we are," he heard Sakura say.
Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts abruptly, wondering briefly how long he'd been out of it if they'd made their way across town, and he hadn't even realized it. He looked up at the Gates of the Uchiha Compound with their cracked and worn painted symbol of the Uchiha Fan. His heart lurched in his chest at the sight of them. Sakura's arms wrapped around his neck from behind; her hands coming forward to grasp his fingers in her own as she nuzzled his temple fondly.
"It's alright Sasuke-kun….I'm right here beside you," she murmured into his ear. He nodded his head, and she slowly pushed the chair forward.
...
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"Arigato…Sakura.."
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TBC…
- 17
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- 19
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People who are Important: Book Two