Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Shades of Crimson	By : Onileo Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 2074 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; that honor belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. My fanfiction is for entertainment only and is not intended for financial gain.

Chapter List
- 7
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- 9
Chapter 8
          Midnight eyes met verdant ones. Sasuke looked shocked for only an instant before returning to his impassive face. But as he stared at her, his dark orbs hardened until they glinted like obsidian. When he spoke, his voice was deep and low, resonating with a barely leashed fury that made Sakura swallow hard.
          "Sakura, what are you doing here?"
          "Sasuke-kun, I...What...How did you get here?" she stumbled over her words as her mind jumbled and a million emotions raced through her at once. Why was he so angry with her? Did he think she was trying to bring him back to the village again? She had no idea he was even affiliated with Akatsuki, let alone foolish enough to try and retrieve him from the most dangerous ninja in the world. A few years ago, that would definitely have been the case. But as time passed, she found her hope for his return dwindling. Naruto, on the other hand, had never given up. She had watched her friend drive himself to be a better ninja with a will that bordered on the insane. And until the day he left for sage training, he tried nearly every day to convince the Hokage to send him out to retrieve the Uchiha.
          Her eyes roamed over the face of her former teammate, friend and old crush. He had lost most of the boyish roundness over the last few years, his face thinner and more angular than she remembered. His hair remained the same, spiky in the back, with longer sections hanging over his ears. His eyes looked tired, and she could guess that he had been using the Sharingan too much. She and Tsunade had to work hard to keep Kakashi's left eye from going completely blind, and she figured that by now, Sasuke was beginning to feel the devastating consequences of his dojutsu as well.
          His frown deepened. "Not going to answer my question? I see you're as annoying as ever."
          Sakura's face heated and she opened her mouth to answer, but was cut short by a voice coming from behind her. "It's none of your fucking business why she's here."
          Breaking his gaze, Sasuke glanced at the newcomer. Taking in his cloak and appearance, he gave him a dismissing look and turned back to Sakura. "Who is this?" he asked, his voice only slightly less menacing than before.
          "Hidan." he took the liberty of answering for her. "And you must be the Uchiha brat, Itachi's brother. You look a lot like him. So, tell me, have you come to play Akatsuki and follow in your brother's footsteps?"
          "That is none of your concern." Sasuke answered coldly.
          Sakura swore the temperature dropped several degrees in the room as the two shinobi sized each other up. Glancing over her shoulder, she took in Hidan's face. His eyes were hard and his lips were set in a firm line. Sasuke wore a similar expression. She had a feeling that things could quickly get very ugly between the two. The Uchiha's pride was his weakness, and Hidan would be the one to insult him one time too many and still not care. Gathering her courage, she turned back to Sasuke and asked the one question that had been plaguing her for the last five years.
          "Why, Sasuke?" Sakura said, regaining the attention of the Uchiha.
          "Why what, Sakura? Don't talk in riddles." Sasuke said, more annoyed than ever.
          Sakura's voice rose in pitch and strength as she spoke. “You got what you wanted. You defeated your brother and avenged your clan. You knew that Naruto and I were still waiting for you. Why then, didn't you come back home?"
          Anger broke Sasuke's indifferent mask. "Because, that pathetic village full of backstabbing shinobi is not my home. Konoha is dead to me." He raked an icy glare over Sakura before turning back around and ignoring them completely. She could only gape at him, stunned by the vehemence in his voice. The redhead he was sitting with continued to watch them, a hint of jealousy shining in her eyes as her gaze passed over the pink haired kunoichi.
          Sakura continued to stare blankly at the back of Sasuke's head. So, that's how it was going to be. After all this time, after everything she and Naruto sacrificed to get him back, he still didn't want anything to do with them. When she had learned that he had finally defeated his brother, she had been so sure that he would return to Konoha. It seemed that she was wrong. Anger and sadness raged through her head. She wanted to yell at him for being so pigheaded. She wanted to grab him up and punch him out, drag him back to the village and throw him down at Naruto's feet. Maybe then he would listen to the friends that had always been on his side. But once again, she was wishing for the impossible.
         Clenching her trembling fingers into fists, Sakura said nothing more, and turning, left the room. Looking back, she saw Sasuke glance over his shoulder, watching her retreat. She lifted her chin, determined to keep him from seeing her upset again. She would not cry in front of him. Hidan followed after her, her forgotten shopping bags in his hands. He had a small frown on his face and his eyes were still as hard as stone. He didn't like the way that kid had looked at Sakura, as if she were some irritating insect that needed to see the underside of a shoe. If he ever caught the little bastard alone, he would be more than happy to show him who was the real bug.
          Reaching their room, Sakura pushed open the door. She said nothing, just sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. Hidan could tell that she was upset. Unsure of what to do, he set her things on the dresser and moved to his side of the bed. Deciding to give her a little mental space, he took his sandals off and stretched out on the bed. Closing his eyes, he tried to meditate. He had barely been still for five minutes when a sniffle caught his attention. Opening his eyes, he turned to see that Sakura was still sitting where she was, with her back turned toward him. Her shoulders were shaking and he knew that she was crying.
          Sitting up, Hidan reclined against the headboard of the bed. When she felt him move, Sakura quickly wiped at her face, trying to hide the tears that still fell down her cheeks. She started to get up and go to the bathroom, when he grabbed her arm, keeping her on the bed. Turning her head, she looked at him. His face looked stern, but his eyes were soft and held the sadness that she was seeing more and more in him. "C'mon, Sakura. I know that little shit isn't worth all this. What the hell is he to you anyway?"
          Sakura's tears stopped and she dropped her puffy eyed gaze to the mattress. Should she tell him? Hell, why not. At this point, Hidan was more of a friend to her than Sasuke anyway. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she began to speak. "Sasuke, Naruto and I had been a team since we graduated from the academy. We grew close, a strange sort of family made of friends. Both Sasuke and Naruto are orphans, so the team was all they had. We were together almost constantly until after the chunnin exams. That was when he left us. He wanted to become stronger, so he could take revenge on his brother for killing their clan. We tried several times to get him to come back, but each time he refused."
          Hidan's grip on her arm tightened slightly. Lifting her eyes, she met his gaze. "Sakura, stop spouting that textbook bullshit. It was more than that, wasn't it?" he asked firmly.
          "Yes." she replied softly, "But no matter what I did, he never felt the same way about me." Hidan released her as a stab of jealousy ran through him. So she had loved him.
          Sakura's eyes started to well up again as memories of the night Sasuke left Konoha surfaced. She had told him she loved him, she had even offered to go with him, and still, it wasn't enough. Now, nothing would ever be enough. He wasn't coming back. 'Konoha is dead to me.' The words still echoed in her head, cutting her soul to the bone. She had been such a fool. Clenching her fists as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her, Sakura narrowed her eyes. "I need to break something. Now."
          Hidan watched as fiery determination lit up her eyes. Her face looked so alive in her hurt anger, it made him want to kiss her breathless. To hold her until she completely forgot about that prick of an Uchiha. Instead, he just grinned at her. "Hell, yeah! Now you're talking. Let's go out to the training grounds. You can smash as much shit as you want to up there." he said.
          Nodding, Sakura stood and waited while Hidan put his sandals and cloak on and grabbed his scythe. Digging through her bags, she found the pair of leather gloves she bought and tugged them on. Hidan started out of the room, and then stopped at the last minute. Reaching into a pouch on top of his dresser, he picked up a kunai and tossed it to her. She tucked it into the waistband of her shorts, the cool metal sending a tingle across her skin. They walked silently down the hallway, Sakura just ahead of Hidan. A crash sounded as they started past the kitchen and the wall suddenly disintegrated in front of them.
          Sakura came to a quick stop just as plaster and debris sprayed all over the hallway. At the epicenter of this mess was a shinobi they had never seen before. He was short, with a mop of white hair, purple eyes and pointed teeth that gave his boyish features a feral expression. After regaining his bearings, he turned and grinned at Sakura before standing and dusting himself off. He started to walk into the kitchen again, but was stopped by the sound of Kisame's irritated voice coming through the hole in the wall.
          "I said not now, kid. I'm busy."
          Hidan watched the shinobi shrug and head down the hallway towards the common room. After Suigetsu was gone, he walked over to the kitchen doorway, arms crossed. "Hey Kisame, watch where the fuck you throw your garbage! You almost hit Sakura!" he yelled at the shark ninja.
          Kisame soon appeared in the doorway. He looked over at Sakura, then at the mess in the hallway. Smirking, he bowed low. "Gomen, Sakura-san. I hope I didn't scare you with that piece of trash."
          A small smile found Sakura's lips at his dramatics. Pointing towards the common room, she gave Kisame a questioning look. "What was that all about anyway?"
          "Oh, that's Suigetsu. Every time that little punk shows his face here, he challenges me to a fight for my Samehada. I'd hate to kill another talented swordsman, but I'm beginning to think he can't take a hint." Glancing at Hidan's scythe, he lifted an eyebrow. "Are you two going somewhere? It's already getting dark and dinner will be ready in a few minutes."
          Hidan started to answer, but was interrupted by the appearance of Konan in the hallway. She walked by the three shinobi, glanced at the mess in the floor, then at Kisame. Folding her arms over her chest, she glared at him. "You're going to fix that." she said sternly. Without waiting for an answer, she continued on her way, heading up the stairs to Pein's office.
          "We're going to the training grounds for an evening workout." Sakura answered after Konan was out of sight. Suddenly, an idea came to her. "Why don't you and Kisho join us? We could have a free for all, last one standing wins." The way she was feeling right now, she could take on the entire Akatsuki without blinking.
          Kisame grinned, displaying twin rows of sharp white teeth. "Sounds great. I'll grab my partner and we'll meet you there."
          A half hour later, the four shinobi stood in the center of the training grounds. It sat on the ridge overlooking the valley and the village nestled within it. The rain had died down to a light drizzle and the ground here was soft, but well drained. Enclosed lanterns strung around the outer edge of the clearing provided enough light to see by. Beyond that, the trees encased them in complete darkness. Sakura shivered as it suddenly reminded her of Jashin's garden. Pushing the thought out of her head, she concentrated on the battle ahead. They had agreed to fight as partners first, and then whoever was left would fight each other. At Sakura's signal they began.
          Kisho stood confidently opposite of the medic nin. Now would be a perfect time to test how well his training was going. Kisame was a relentless teacher, using every spare moment to hone his skills. Closing his eyes, he concentrated his chakra and began his first jutsu. Performing the necessary hand seals, he held out his hand, letting his chakra gather in the center. The ground was spongy, and it vibrated lightly as the rocks beneath it were drawn by his jutsu. When a sizable amount had gathered around him, he lay his palm on the closest rock and let his chakra flow into it. His golden eyes glowed softly as he worked, and soon the rocks began to meld together and take on the form of lions.
          "Stone Lions Summon!" he called out as his technique finished.
          Sakura watched the jutsu that Kisho was completing with interest. There weren't very many shinobi in the Leaf Village that used constructs, so this was something relatively new for her. The detail in the stone cats was impressive and they seemed to have a full range of motion. When Kisho dropped his hand, three of them stood at his side, staring ahead with blank eyes. They were large, their heads breaking even with the redhead's. Sakura heard a shout and glanced over to see Kisame and Hidan already deep in a round of taijutsu. She glanced back to her opponent just in time to catch one of the lions beginning its charge. She smirked. If he thought she would be taken so easily, he was dead wrong.
          "Not so fast!" she cried out. Gathering chakra in her fist, she slammed it into the ground. The earth rumbled and a great crack appeared, tearing chunks out of the turf as it split open. Debris flew into the air and the lion was lost from sight. Sakura straightened just in time to see it reappear, jumping from rock to rock, and coming at her fast. Letting chakra gather into her fist again, she waited for it to close in on her. When it was within range, the great cat leaped high into the air, and came down on her with its massive jaws open. Drawing back, Sakura slammed her fist into the lion's face. She poured all her anger and frustration into the blow. A satisfying crack was heard and the lion crumpled and fell into pieces at her feet.
          Kisho's eyes widened at the destructive power of the kunoichi before him. Who knew all that strength was hiding in such a small, slender body? Well, he would just have to try harder. He sent another lion after her, leaving one for defense. If she managed to hit him with one of those fists at close range, he would be finished. He was a distance fighter and, even though Kisame was working on it, hand to hand combat was his weakness. Then again, if he could manage to get a grip on her, he could drain her chakra. But by the time he managed that, she would probably have him beat to a pulp.
          Sakura let loose with a chakra enhanced roundhouse kick and the second lion was sent sailing, rocks crumbling off of it as it went. It hit the ground with a dull thud and split into pieces. Sakura smiled, her bad mood lifting as she worked off her emotions. This was actually kind of fun. It was too bad that Kisho had a limited amount of chakra. She could do this all day and not get tired of it. Dropping to a defensive crouch, she waited for him to send the last lion. Moments passed and no one made a move. Deciding to take the initiative, Sakura charged, kunai drawn. Kisho dropped back slightly, crimson and black hair falling into his face. His golden eyes glowed from between the locks, making him look as wild as the cats he created. Beside him, the stone lion opened its mouth in a silent roar and jumped in front, blocking Sakura's path.
          For several long moments, nothing happened. Kisho glanced around the construct to see that Sakura had disappeared. Just vanished completely. He was suddenly on alert, trying to find any trace of her. By the time he realized something was wrong, it was too late. She reappeared behind him, kunai in her hand. He whirled around and grabbed her arm before the weapon could reach his neck. Immediately, he began to drain her chakra. Sakura gasped as she felt her energy being pulled from her. Panic hit her as memories of the resurrection jutsu swept through her mind. Reacting defensively, she pulled her leg back and kicked him squarely in the torso.
          Kisho went flying back and crashed into his lion. The force of the blow knocked the wind out of him and he fell to the ground, gasping for air. Sakura fell to her knees as well, weak from lack of chakra and fear. Staring at the ground, she forced her mind to calm down and her breathing to return to normal. By the time she had a hold on herself, Kisho had already regained his feet and was walking over to her. Flopping down, he sat beside her and crossed his arms over his chest. The remaining lion lay down behind him and he rested against it. "Well, I guess this means we're both out." he said, his quiet voice rumbling slightly.
          "Yeah. That was really fun. Those lions are something else. How do you do it?" Sakura asked.
          "They're not hard to make. I just draw rocks to me with a jutsu, then push my chakra into it and mold them into shape. Since they are infused with my chakra, I can control their movements as if they were part of me." he explained. His look turned brooding. "But evidently they need more work. They didn't last long attacking you. And neither did I."
          Sakura felt her cheeks redden. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was a little angry."
          Their gazes locked and Sakura watched his face soften. "Just remind me to never piss you off." he teased. "How did you get behind me so quickly?"
          "A tunneling jutsu my sensei taught me."
          Sakura sobered as thoughts of Kakashi and Naruto swam in her head. A part of her said that she should be in Konoha, training with them. But another part of her was glad that she was with Hidan, Kisame and Kisho. She stared at the shinobi beside her as unbidden questions swirled around her brain. If Konoha found her right now, if they tried to take her back, would she want to go? Would she care if Kisho was killed trying to keep her here? Or Kisame? Or Hidan? She told herself that answer was supposed to be no, but she knew she was lying to herself. And that was when she knew that it had happened. The lines between friend and enemy were blurred.
          Confusion raged in her mind as she tried to sort out the truth. Is this how Sasuke felt when they tried to take him back to Konoha the second time? Did he refuse to go because he had made new friends and didn't want to abandon them? Or did he truly not care about them anymore? From the way he had talked to her, she was sure it was the latter. No matter how much she wished it otherwise. Kisho was giving her a questioning look, and she pushed it all to the back of her mind. She would have to figure it out later, when she could be alone and think.
          Sakura gave him a reassuring smile and they silently turned their attention to the fight between Kisame and Hidan. Both were sporting several large cuts and breathing heavily. However, neither one seemed the least bit bothered and continued fighting as if they were perfectly fine. Hidan had just dodged a blow from Samehada, and threw his scythe as he landed, which was easily blocked with the great sword. Sakura watched in awe as the two shinobi displayed their elite skills. Kisame handled his large blade with expertise, easily switching from offense to defense with the flick of a wrist. Hidan managed to dodge nearly every blow. He seemed to have the dexterity of a cat. His attacks were a little slow, but with him being immortal and extremely flexible, he had the time to complete his strategies without risking injury. No wonder it had taken nearly two teams to defeat him and Kakuzu.
          Stopping to catch his breath, Kisame glanced over to see Kisho and Sakura sitting on the ground together. Their side of the clearing was a mess, with rocks and debris scattered everywhere. There didn't seem to be a clear winner and both of them looked a little banged up. Laughing, he turned to Hidan, who was also catching his breath. "Well, now that the kiddies are done playing, it's time to get serious."
          Thrusting Samehada into the ground and forming hand seals, Kisame opened his mouth and let water stream out. When he had a sizable pool at his feet, he wove more seals and crouched down, resting his hand on the surface of the water. "Suiton: Suikoudan no Jutsu!" he cried. A jet of water shot up from the pool, rising above the heads of both shinobi. When it reached its height, it raced forward, the head of a shark forming at the water's crest. Hidan could only watch as the water crashed down on him. He raised his arms defensively, but the force of the attack drove him to his knees. When the jutsu dispelled, he looked up to see Kisame standing over him, smirking.
          "Last man standing. I guess this means I win." he said, offering his hand to help Hidan up.
          Hidan took it and stood. Folding his arms across his chest he glared at the shark ninja. "Only because I'm so slow with regular attacks. Seriously, if I was allowed to go all out, you're fishy ass would already be before Jashin!"
          "Hn." Kisame grunted in reply. Pulling Samehada from the ground and strapping it to his back, he walked over to where Sakura and Kisho were starting to stand up. "Let's get back to the base. I'm starving after that little exercise." he said to his partner.
        Nodding, Kisho dispelled his stone lion and followed the Mist nin through the woods. Sakura watched the creature melt into the ground as if it had never been. Turning, she saw that Hidan was approaching her. His wounds were still bleeding and he walked with a slight limp. Closing the distance between them, she gathered chakra in her hand and started to heal the largest one on his chest. Hidan grabbed her hand and pulled it away. "Leave them." he said firmly.
          Sakura started to protest, but since he didn't seem to really be hurting, she just nodded and dropped her hand. It was probably some crazy sort of religious taboo for him to avoid pain or be healed. Or he might be just plain nuts. Or both. Sakura lifted her head and found him staring down at her, that look of want in his eyes again. How he could think of her like that now was beyond her. She was wet, muddy and sweaty. Not very attractive at all. Yep, he was nuts. He lifted his hand and wiped away the moisture that had collected on her cheek from the sprinkling rain. Then, for the second time that day, he kissed her.
          This time she welcomed him, needing the contact to wash away the pain of Sasuke's rejection and her own confusion. Wrapping her arms around his torso, she accidentally bumped one of the wounds on his back. He hissed in pain, but instead of drawing back, he pulled her flush against him, deepening his kiss. She tried to pull away, not wanting to hurt him. A growl rumbled in his throat and he tightened his grip on her. His tongue swept across her lips and she opened her mouth, granting him access. He thrust inside, tangling with her tongue before sucking it into his mouth. A moan escaped her lips as he pulled back, breaking the kiss and staring down at her.
          "Feel better?" he asked. Sakura nodded. "Good. Now let's get out of this Jashin damned rain. I'm getting soaked here."
          Turning, Hidan headed towards the woods that would lead them to the village. Sakura followed quietly behind him, deep in thought. On the opposite side of the clearing, three sets of eyes watched their progress as they left. Stepping away from the tree he was camouflaged against, Zetsu turned to look at Pein and Konan.
          "They seem to be adapting quickly. Of course, we shouldn't trust them just yet." he said.
          "Yes. I think we will be able to complete the task on time. Did Madara get the eight-tailed beast sealed?" Pein asked.
          Zetsu laughed, the sound of it making Konan shiver slightly. "No. Sasuke's team managed to bring us a decoy. The eight tails is still loose somewhere."
          "I see. Since Team Hawk couldn't complete their mission, maybe we should send Kisame and Hidan's teams to retrieve it."
          "That might be a good idea. We could do it when you go to retrieve the nine tails. That way the kunoichi won't be able to interfere in the capture of Uzumaki."
          "I'll ask Madara about it when he gets back." Pein said. "Was your mission to Konoha successful?"
          Zetsu's mandibles pulled a little closer around him and Pein could almost swear that he looked uncomfortable. "Yes. We had to leave the kunoichi at a Leaf ANBU station, but she was taken to the village immediately."
          "Good. Our side of the bargain is complete. That news will help strengthen Sakura's bond with us. And now that Sasuke is back and her relationship with Hidan is improving, I have a feeling that she won't be going anywhere." Pein said before slipping back into the darkness, Konan at his side.

          Tsunade sat at her desk, sake bottle in hand. She was staring out the open window, into the moonless night. Only the merest whisper of sound alerted her to the fact that she wasn't alone. "Well, Kakashi, how did the mission go? I assume it was a failure, since Sakura isn't with you."
          Kakashi poked his head around the corner of the windowsill before coming to sit on its edge, legs dangling into nothingness. The serious look on his face told her just how hard he was taking the loss of his former student. "I'm sorry Hokage-sama. Even with Pakkun and the other ninkin dogs, I could find no trace of her." he responded quietly.
          Tsunade frowned. "It's been over a week now. Whatever the Akatsuki had planned for her has probably already taken place. This is a blow Konoha can barely afford. Sakura is one of our most talented ninja. Without her help, the hospital will have a hard time coping if something happens."
          "What do you want to do now?"
          "There isn't much we can do. Just wait until the Akatsuki make their next move and pray we are prepared for it. Shizune!" she yelled for her assistant.
          Shizune appeared in the office a moment later. "Yes, Hokage-sama?"
          "Recall the search teams. We need every available ninja in the village. Make sure the hospital is well staffed at all times. And restrict training to inside the village only. We can't afford for anyone else to disappear."
          "Yes, Hokage-sama." Shizune bowed and left quickly to carry out her orders.
          Kakashi frowned and looked at her. "Do you think the Akatsuki will attack us?"
          "I don't know. But I have this feeling that things are about to take a turn for the worst. We need to be ready if they come after Naruto again. See to it that the other team leaders are aware of our situation."
          Inclining his head, Kakashi dropped from the window into the darkness below. Tsunade took another long drink from her bottle and set it on the desk. Lacing her hands together, she said a quick prayer for the safety of her favorite apprentice before standing and heading to her apartment to get some rest.

          Sakura stepped out of the shower and stretched. Her muscles were already starting to stiffen up. She had done a lot today, and after nearly a week of inactivity, it was beginning to show. Grabbing her towel, she dried off quickly and slipped into her new pajamas. A little more comfortable than her green silk ones, these were comprised of a pair of black sleep pants with a matching camisole. Silver lilies decorated the front of the top. Slipping out of the bathroom, she padded across the bedroom quietly. Hidan was already asleep on the bed, snoring softly. Demon was curled up on the pillow beside him.
          Coming to a halt, Sakura studied the man that seemed to be becoming a bigger and bigger part of her life. His face was serene as he slept, his mouth hanging slightly open. He almost looked vulnerable, and she found the sight rather endearing. The sheet had slipped down his chest, and she let her eyes wander over the hard planes of his torso. His wounds had closed nicely on their own and were healing up at a rapid rate. She let her gaze wander lower. She had seen how well put together he was when she revived him, and she absently wondered if the rest of him was as talented as his mouth was. Blushing at her traitorous thoughts, she shook them aside and slipped into bed.
          She had no more than pulled the sheet up when Hidan rolled towards her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his chest. He was still asleep, so Sakura didn't resist him. Allowing him to hold her, she closed her eyes and let herself relax into the warmth of his body. This feeling was nice, having someone there at the end of the day that made you feel better. Her tired mind started to drift, and she snuggled closer. His deep even breaths wafted across her neck and she sighed peacefully before letting herself slip into the darkness.
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Shades of Crimson