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The Price of Success	By : Shortcake Category: Naruto > Threesomes/Moresomes Views: 11494 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Author's note: don't worry, more sex scenes are coming along soon.
As the ANBU team neared Konoha, Sakura found her thoughts wandering to the nice hot bath in her future. Shino came alongside her as they leapt through the trees; he was oddly conversational. “Sakura, thank you for fixing my knee.”
Shino’s knee was clearly doing very well, and Sakura was pleased with both her field surgery and the outcome. She shrugged, “You are entirely welcome Shino. But, you know, it is my job to make sure you come back from a mission still able to walk so… “
“Still. I’m grateful it was you there. You are an excellent medic nin.”
Sakura blushed lightly, “Thank you, Shino.”
A few moments later, Shino spoke again. Sakura was surprised, the man was downright chatty today. What could be going on in that mind of his? “Sakura?”
“Yes, Shino?” The lovely kunoichi replied.
“Please keep this handy. Just in case you need me. You know I’d do anything for you.” Shino reached over and gently placed a small pink beetle in Sakura’s hair, his fingers trailing and lightly touching her shoulder for a moment.
Sakura smiled, “Thank you, Shino. You really are a sweet guy.” And he was quiet after that. Sakura sighed, he’d probably reached his limit for words to say in one day.
They popped into headquarters to file their mission reports looking forward to some rest and good food. Sakura was about to head for home when she saw Shizune. “Ah Sakura, so good I found you still here. The Hokage would like to see you before you head out.”
Sakura nodded, “Yes ma’am.” Well, no time like the present.
She knocked on Tsunade’s door. “Enter!” came the reply. “Ah, Sakura. Have a seat.”
Sakura sat across from her hokage. She fought back a flood of emotional baggage forcing a calm façade. “Yes, shishou?”
“I see from the mission reports that your first major ANBU mission was a great success. What are your thoughts on it?”
Tsunade was clearly probing, but Sakura did not know what for. “Well, you have my mission report…”
“Yes, but we don’t put our hearts, hopes, and fears in mission reports, Sakura. What did you learn about yourself?”
Sakura reflected on the events of the past two weeks. What did she learn about herself? What did she come away with from the entire experience? “hmmm… well… that is a serious question… First of all, I learned that men are easy to seduce. Like, really, really easy.”
Tsunade chuckled, “That is absolutely true. What else though?”
Sakura sparkled, “Oh, just a cool trick really, but I learned to do this” She focused her chakra and popped a knife blade out that ran from the tip of her index finger to the middle of her forearm. She used it to slice a small chunk of wood from the corner of Tsunade’s desk.
Tsunade smiled, “Well, now, that’s just a variation of the chakra scalpel, but very nice, indeed.”
Sakura shrugged, “Yeah, I didn’t need it, but Anko wanted me to be able to get out of bondage ropes just in case.”
Tsunade nodded, “Anko knows her stuff. That’s a good tool to keep up. Anything else?”
Sakura shrugged again, “well, I’m still kind of processing some stuff. Is there anything you think I should have noticed?” Time to put the shoe on the other foot a little. Tsunade was getting into things that were oh so very personal.
“Yes, as a matter of fact. Sakura, Shino is walking today because of you. Half the medics in ANBU don’t even know the procedure you used to save his knee. And half the ones who do know it aren’t highly skilled with it like you are.”
Sakura swallowed hard. She hadn’t really thought about it. She just did her job as field medic exactly as she’d been trained. She used her head, she used the people she had available to help her, and she took care of Shino. “You mean…”
“Exactly. The odds are if you had not been there, Shino would be permanently disabled. Now do you understand why ANBU needs you?”
Sakura nodded. She braced herself against the desk as her façade was cracking. “But shishou… I still don’t understand… I don’t understand why he hurt me. Why you betrayed me.” She found herself unable to look at her once dear mentor. She knew if she did, they would both be in tears.
Tsunade reached across the desk and patted Sakura’s hand gently. “Sakura, my dear and brilliant student, let me help you with this one since I see your emotions cloud your logic.” She lifted Sakura’s chin and looked in her eyes with such warmth Sakura feared she’d scream in confusion. She kissed her forehead gently with a small tear in her own eye. Then she pulled out two glasses and a bottle of sake. “Shhh… don’t tell Shizune. I think you could use a drink, dear. And I know I need one for this conversation.” They both downed their drinks quickly and Tsunade poured another round before she explained.
“No one can betray you unless you’ve trusted them.”
Sakura’s eyes widened like a child who’s just understood multiplication for the first time. “And there is no way to learn to deal with betrayal except to be betrayed.”
“Yes. Now you see.” The mentor sipped her sake, waiting for what would come next.
“Then the rape, the beatings, the torture… it’s not just about overcoming fear and pain. Though of course, that is an aspect of it. It’s about being able to trust again after you’ve been betrayed. About being cautious in who you trust. And about seeing the betrayal coming if you can.”
“Precisely. I knew you would see if we could get you past the pain.” Tsunade smiled as she poured another glass of sake for both of them.
Sakura being a quick study, took the logic a step further. “But then, that also means, to be willing to train someone by betraying them so they learn to deal with betrayal… That means that person must care so much about you that they risk you never trusting them with anything ever again. Ever.” Sakura hadn’t eaten all day and 3 glasses of sake was beginning to show.
“That is also true.” Her mentor replied, feeling a bit tipsy herself.
“Oh shishou!” Sakura exclaimed as she bounded over the desk and hugged Tsunade fiercely, “I forgive you! I’m sorry I was so mean to you!” And their tears fell freely.
As they cleaned each other up, Tsunade knew she was a bit tipsy, but she was genuinely concerned about Sakura’s state. “Sakura, when did you eat last?”
Sakura thought a moment. “Ahhhhh….. Yesterday. Lunch.”
Tsunade nodded. “I thought so. Let’s go get a bowl of ramen.”
Sakura laughed, “I’m not Naruto, but that actually does sound really good. You’re on.”
They stumbled over to Ichiraku’s and were about half finished (and a bit more sober) when Naruto and Hinata appeared at the favorite ramen stand.
“Sakura! Granny Tsunade! So good to see you!” The bold, blond kyubi hugged them both soundly.
“You too fox breath.” Sakura teased gently, “Oh and I totally owe you and Sasuke for the taijutsu coaching. Came in very handy recently.
Naruto beamed, “Ah, that’s our Sakura, kicking ass and taking names. Me and Hinata just came for some dinner. Mind if we join you?”
Tsunade exclaimed, “Of course! Hinata, how are you doing?” Tsunade and Sakura saw the ring at the same time and squealed girlishly.
“Hinata! When did this happen? When is the wedding? What are you going to wear?” Sakura was going a mile a minute.
Tsunade hugged Hinata. “Congratulations Naruto! Who’d have thought a guy like you would be lucky enough to get this lovely lady?”
Naruto scratched his head at the backhanded compliment, “Ummm… yeah… Thanks.”
Hinata finally spoke up, “well Sakura, we just got engaged yesterday and haven’t really announced it yet, and we don’t have a date, or any clothes picked out.”
Sakura was stunned, “Wow! You haven’t even announced it yet, huh?”
Ino, Sasuke, and Kakashi happened to be just walking by at that moment. Ino was always fast on social announcements. “Haven’t even announced what?” She instantly saw Hinata’s ring and squealed with delight, “oh my god, Hinata! When did this happen? When’s the wedding? What are you going to wear?”
The men rolled their eyes as the women peered eagerly at Hinata’s ring and talked giddily like school girls. Sasuke smiled at Naruto, “So your mission was successful, I see. She said yes.” Naruto nodded. He just wanted to eat his ramen. All this attention was a bit much, even for him.
“Congratulations Naruto” Kakashe patted him on the back in his usual calm matter. He sat in the corner, trying to actually eat his own ramen too. “Just curious Naruto; what makes you want to get married already. I mean, you are old enough to, but you are still quite young.”
Naruto thought for a moment, just how to respond to such a question. He slurped up the rest of his ramen and turned to his old sensei, “Kakashe, our lives are fragile and short. As ninja, we never know day to day if there will be another tomorrow. I’m here now. Hinata is here now. And we are madly in love! I know if I did not marry her, it would be a terrible regret.”
Kakashe nodded, polishing off his own ramen. “Wise words from a young man. Truly, Naruto, congratulations.” They were wise words indeed. Did Kakashe have the strength of soul to live by them? Well, now… that was an excellent question.
- 6
- 7
- 8
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The Price of Success