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#but that he wants to be the wind that fuels sasukes fire
pomeyasha · 6 months
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Rage
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The last rays of twilight filter through her sheer curtains, casting a pale lavender glow over Sakura’s face. But it’s not the sunlight that stirs her from sleep—it’s the throbbing ache in her chest, a pain so familiar that it has almost become a part of her. One more day in mid-March down and the anxiety within her continues its rolling boil just under her skin. One more day in Mid-March anticipating her child’s disappointment as Sarada turns eight years old without Sasuke.
Sakura stretches out her arm to the side of the bed, knowing logically that her husband’s warmth won’t meet her fingertips. And yet, the cold sheets under her grip feel so… unexamined. Flat. Angry.
She flinches. Instinctively pushing that thought away, Sakura physically recoils away from a thread of memories that will denature with her all-consuming anger. It would be so much easier if she didn’t harbor these feelings, if Sakura could fight off the invasion of foreign feelings. She doesn’t want this anger; she doesn’t want to hold space for this. If Sakura accommodates this ugly feeling growing at the pit of her stomach, she fears how far it might mar her past life choices.
And yet… God. Why did she follow him? Why did she say ‘yes’ to running away with him?  Why did she hold on to Sasuke’s hand so tightly? Her younger self, fueled by a heady combination of love and steadfast conviction, chased Sasuke. Across borders, through forests, up and down mountain ranges, and along the coastlines. With his fingers, with his warmth, with his lips, and with his body. Through it all, Sakura let her nineteen-year-old self throw her careful plans freefalling from cliffs. Winds whipping her hair, their shared laughter filling the quiet trails, dancing in the dark of their dwindling campfires, Sakura remembers it all that past sweetness with such a bitter aftertaste now.
Adult Sakura, the Sakura of today, feels a different kind of exhaustion—an emotional fatigue that makes her question everything.
Entrenched in the darkness of midnight, the memories flicker one after the other. Sakura’s mind sees a film reel she can’t stop—Sasuke’s fingers intertwining with hers, promising he’d come back soon as they entwined their bodies together. Long nights with his hand up in her hair, kissing away the pain. Echoes of his footsteps on their stairs, coming home like he promised. But promises, she’s learned, can be as ephemeral as shadows, slipping away no matter how tightly you try to grasp them. Teenage dreams painted with seafoam green polish and ruby red eyes crackle and break apart in the fire of her remorse.
A surge of anger rises in her throat, threatening to spill over. She’s angry at Naruto for bringing Sasuke back into her life only to have him leave again. Angry at Sasuke for making the correct choice to protect them from unseen danger from other dimensions. Angry at her younger self for not foreseeing this loneliness. And most of all, angry at her current self for even entertaining these thoughts.
It’s not just Sasuke she misses. It’s the dream of them together. Of waking up side by side, of sharing quiet breakfasts, of laughing at little Sarada’s antics, of learning how natural it is for Sasuke to be a great father.
His love was evident not in grand gestures, but in the countless small moments Sarada and Sasuke shared. Sasuke made a ritual of reading their Sarada bedtime stories, even when she was too young to understand, just to hear her soft coos in response. When Sarada took her first shaky steps, it was Sasuke’s outstretched arm that beckoned her forward, assuring her of safety. He spent nights mastering the art of preparing her favorite meals, ensuring she received the best nutrition. After long missions, he’d come home with a new trinket or toy, delighting in the way her eyes sparkled with joy. The Uchiha family crest, usually worn with so much gravity, became an emblem of playful peekaboo games between father and daughter. On days when she was ill, Sasuke would remain by her side, cooling her brow and calming her fears. He taught her little ninja techniques, turning training into fun father-daughter games. Despite the shadows of his past, he was determined to shield Sarada from similar pain, enveloping her in warmth and security. And every birthday, he’d ensure it was made special just for her.
But that’s just it, isn’t it? Sarada already knew that her father’s love was immeasurable, his dedication unwavering. And Sarada would be crushed when Sasuke’s love wouldn’t be enough to bring him to her for her eighth birthday.
She brushes a stray tear off her cheek, chastising herself at how a simple birthday could fill every space within her with rage. How dare she let herself feel this way? By all accounts, she’s led a life of success and fulfillment. She’s a top medic in Konoha, the proud mother of a bright, eight-year-old Sarada, and she’s surrounded by friends and a community that looks up to her. Instead, there’s a gaping void that she constantly feels the need to fill with smiles and laughter, even if they’re forced.
Everyone looks up to her. They see her as a pillar of strength, as the always-smiling medic, as the perfect mom. And she can’t crumble, not when so many depend on her.
Hours have passed, dawn will begin to brighten her room any second now. Another sleepless night bathed in the fury she can’t let herself touch in broad daylight. Sakura swings her legs over the side of the bed, her toes touching the cold wooden floor.
She hears Sarada’s room’s door creak. In an instant, Sakura pastes on the smile she’s perfected over the years. “Good morning, sweetie,” she calls out, voice light and breezy. “Want some pancakes?”
Sarada bounds down the stairs, her dark eyes shining with excitement. “Pancakes? Yes, please!”
As Sakura watches her daughter’s exuberance during their morning routine, she forgets her own turmoil. She immerses herself in the routine, in the simple pleasure of flipping pancakes and listening to Sarada chatter about school. This, she thinks, is her solace. This, she accepts, is her shield against letting her own rage make ashes out of her.
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THE END.
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kaiseaya-writes · 3 years
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The Uchiha siblings' designs:
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Myoko, the oldest child of Tajima. Her design took me some time to figure out, but I'm quite happy with the end result. I haven't decided how their hair will change as they grow, so those are their childhood looks.
Then the twins: Kurohime and Togakushi. I wanted them to fight as a duo, with one of them having fire and the other wind as their affinity and their hair kind of reflects that. Kurohime has windswept mess and Togakushi has a flame like bun, but their affinities are actually reversed.
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Here's my design for the Uchiha mom, she came out very Indra like. This design almost went to Myoko, but I realized it would be better for their mother.
And Yasu is a minor background character, but I had a pretty clear idea for him. I have him Izumi's eye shape to differentiate him from the main Uchiha family.
I went through some other designs too, since I took time to overanalyze the canon hairstyles we were shown and make up bunch of headcanons along the way:
Since the more sleek, straight hair seemed to be present in Sasuke's family and Tajima and his sons had more spiky hair (Izuna's hair is less spiky when long, but even his ponytail is spiky, while Itachi's is straight) I figured their mother had to have pretty spiky hair too and that what I went with when designing the other children.
The background Uchiha also did not seem to have that much spike to their hair, so I decided to make it mostly Madara's family thing.
(this fuels my "Obito is related quite closely to Madara in some way" thoughts, maybe he was the black sheep for more reasons than his lack of sharingan, which we are told is not that common even among the clan, though it is never really shown 🙄)
The long side bangs also seemed to be a feature that many of the older Uchiha had, in Naruto times almost only Sasuke's family has those from the Uchiha we see, so I decided to make it a traditional thing for them, and kept that when designing different hairstyles for the siblings.
Tajima, Izuna and Madara seem to share the same face and eye shape, so that too, was kept very similar.
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Affinity Sneak Peek
Here’s a sneak peek at a future chapter in Affinity my AU anthology. The theme of this one is dark versus light. 
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Illuminated
Where eternal daylight brushes against eternal night
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Warm air dances across the illuminated skin of outstretched arms, carrying the sound of festive music. The constant sunlight pools around a lithe body, bouncing off the radiant silver of the leaves. The girl in the tree could stay this way forever, basking in the warmth of her world. Everything is light, calming, uplifting, even the bark of the branch she lies upon is smooth.
“Sakura!” A voice calls.
Eyelids flutter open, gently, squinting at the bright world around her. Hanging high in the sky, the golden light of the sun rains down around her.
“I know your up there,” the voice teases, prompting her to peer down from her perch. She’s met with a blinding smile and brilliant blue eyes visible despite the great distance between where he stands and her height in the great tree.  
“Very informal of you, Guardian Naruto,” Sakura responds, faking a pretentious tone. She sees her guardian’s body shake as he chuckles at her jest.
“My apologies,” he bends down in a mock bow, his shining blonde hair falling in his eyes “Princess.”
Rolling her eyes, Sakura returns her head to its previous position, staring up at the intricate network of white branches. A giggle escapes the content girl as a pleasant breeze makes the glowing leaves dance around her. The wispy fabric of her dress lifts around her body, creating a beautiful illusion of looking through a wedding veil.
“Come back to the festival, Sakura,” Naruto calls up. “It’s tradition for the royal princesses and their chosen guardians to share the last dance.”
“Celebrating the entrapment of our people does not appease me,” she responds, not looking back down at the man sworn to protect her. “Besides, you’re a horrible dancer.”
“Aw, no need to be rude,” his words sound hurt, but the princess of light knows that her young companion is just teasing. “And the establishment of the walls is not an entrapment, it’s a gift, allowing us to be protected from the beasts on the other side.”
She does not need a history lesson, she’s heard the story a million times. It begins with a past, so war torn and bloody that the creatures of light were forced to live in hiding. The fear was so great, her people could not even trust their shadows, for the enemy embodied them. So her ancestors did what they thought best and fled to the safety of the wall.
Sakura has never seen the monsters that inhabit the other side, but she’s heard of their imposing presence. The darkness clothes them, snuffing out the shine of her illuminated people. Their eyes glow red, as consequence of living in the shadows and along with the monsters they’ve trained to ravage their enemies, they are a force to be reckoned with. The drawings of such creatures within her dwelling’s ancient library gave the young princess nightmares for a week. Only the building of the barrier could spare her world from such horrors. Of course, that occurred long ago, sparing her from ever having to witness their much talked about enemy.
She stares up at the imposing wall directly beside her beloved tree. The shiny gold surface taunts her, practically begging her to peer over its great height. Perhaps that is why she loves this tree, it fuels her curiosity, bringing her almost close enough to see what’s on the other side. She’s been coming here almost everyday for as long as she can remember, climbing as high as she dare numerous times, but it’s never been quite high enough to peer into the other world. It’s not like she’s discontent with her current life, quite the opposite in fact. She loves this place she calls home, with its luminescent people, eternal sunlight, and constant warmth, however, something about the unknown has always tempted her to take a peak at the darkness.
“You can’t stay up there all night!” Naruto calls out to her once again.
Little did he know that she’s done it plenty of times before, he’s not the most observant guardian at times. However, the eagerness in his voice causes her to surrender her stubbornness and stand. Though the sun maintains its permanent place in the center of the sky, she knows that the day has been long, and her people will be retiring to their beds the moment the festivities have ceased. Taking a minute to fix her wind-ruffled hair, she gazes up at the tree one more time. As she begins to position herself to climb down though, something unusual catches her eye.
There, towards the very top of the looming vegetation is a branch that had never been there before. It’s longer than the other branches, protruding towards the wall. No, it doesn’t just reach towards the wall, but it is high enough that it surpasses it.
This is it, this is what she has always wanted, a glimpse at the unknown. Before her brain even processes what’s happening, she’s climbing. Higher and higher she goes, bare feet and fingers finding holds in the natural knots on the smooth white wood.
“Sakura, you’re going too high!” She hears her companion exclaim. Tuning him out, she continues her ascension. She’s so close she can almost feel it. The gold bangles around her wrists and ankles jangle with her rapid movements and the ground moves further and further away as the top of the wall comes into view.
Naruto, having caught on to what the young girl is planning, begins his own attempt at scrambling up the tree. “Sakura, stop!” he cries, but his sense of balance is not as good as hers. He struggles to heave himself up and missteps on a limb, causing him to tumble back to the beginning. “You don’t want to do this! It’s dangerous!” His panic at the situation prompts him to attempt the treacherous climb once again.
Being higher than she’s ever been before, the young princess should have some sense of fear as she reaches the mysterious branch, however, her sense of accomplishment is stronger and quells all other emotions. The branch is smooth and sturdy, reaching impossibly far. One golden foot passes in front of the other and soon enough, the top of the wall is underneath the princess. The top of the blockade is thicker than she thought possible, comparable to the size of the street the town’s market lies upon. The tree is so great though, the branch passes this expanse and more.
Sakura hesitates, if she takes one step further, she’ll be standing over the darkness, the unknown. Perhaps she should turn back, however, she considers this only a moment before her curiosity gets the better of her. A few more inches are all that stands between her and the biggest mystery of her life, what her ancestors so long ago wanted to hide from. She hears Naruto calling at her to turn around, but she can’t be bothered by his distraction, she’s so close.
Mind made up, she takes another step. However, as her foot comes down to land on the branch, it slips. Green eyes widen at the realization of what’s happening. Her guardian screams her name, but it’s drowned out by the rushing of wind as her glowing body plummets to the ground.
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The traveler wraps the dark furs around his body as the cold wind whips brutally around him. Though he is thankful for the time away from the main village, Sasuke is looking forward to finishing his rounds and warming by the fire. Wanting time to himself, he had sent the rest of the party back that morning, claiming he could finish the inspection of this span of the wall on his own. After all, in his years of traveling the distance of the hulking barricade, nothing has ever changed.
Despite his large load, the dark-haired man moves silently over the snow. Survival instinct and the reliance on hunting for food forced him to hone skills such as this early on in his life. As he passes the expanse of solid grey stone, his head roves over the turmoil waiting for him back at the council. With the outskirt villages beginning to fight, everybody is on edge, though Sasuke can’t blame them for their desperate attempts; there is not much else to do when people start running out of food.
He begins to turn away from the wall, ready to start the four-day long journey back to his home when something strange catches his eye. There, peaking out from behind a snow drift is a hint of pink. Not entirely sure of what this could be, Sasuke moves cautiously around the mound of white.
What greets him on the other side surprises him, causing dark eyebrows to pitch up in confusion; a woman lying face up in the snow. However, she does not look like any of the villagers or tribesmen in the area. The source of the pink is the great lengths of hair that fan out around her face messily while a purple jewel rests between closed eyes. Though it is obvious the girl is unconscious, her body wracks with shivers unsurprisingly due to her thin clothing. Other than the flimsy wisps of white that rest from the top of her chest to just below her hip bones, the only items covering her skin are delicate golden chains that loop from her middle finger to her dainty wrists. However, the most striking feature that designates her as different is the way her skin glows, casting a golden light in the otherwise darkened world. He blinks, wondering if the long week in the outskirts is causing his brain to play tricks on him, but no, the illumination remains.
Glancing up, Sasuke wonders how this creature of light happened to tumble into the darkness, nobody has ever passed over the wall from either side. He would know, after all, a crucial part of his job is to inspect the wall for any possible means of penetration. Inspecting the stagnant smooth grey, he finds no break in the unforgiving stone. She must have fallen from the top, but how did she get up there?
Making a split decision, Sasuke gathers the shaking girl in his arms and begins walking, the council must know of her presence.
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Consciousness begins to slowly ebb at Sakura’s mind as her eyelashes flutter open. At least she thinks they flutter open… why is it still so dark. Trying to remember what had happened before she fell asleep, she cycles through the day: the festival, the tree, the wall… Her eyes widen as she remembers slipping.
Jolting upright she realizes she’s in a small canvas tent with some sort of softness covering her body.
No, no, no, no, she thinks to herself. This is impossible.
Starting to panic, she searches blindly for some sort of escape from the tiny structure and manages to find a slit making up a crude entryway. Bursting from the tent, she starts running, barely taking in her surroundings. Tall spiny trees, strange white stuff everywhere, the wall… where’s the wall? Adrenaline rushes through her veins as panic sets in her heart. She turns her body every which way until she finally locates an area where the endless trees grow thin. Running towards it, an expansive structure begins to take form.
Knees fall to the ground at what lies ahead. Confusion washes over Sakura as she takes in the sight of the wall made of dull grey stone. This isn’t right. Where is the gold? As her rush of energy leaves her, she notices her body shivering uncontrollably. What’s happening to her? What is this strange stuff on the ground? It resembles the soft down on young birds yet makes her legs tingle uncomfortably.
The feeling of a hand grasping her shoulder causes a renewed sense of panic to fill her body. Slowly she turns and is met with a tall creature, their distorted shape covered with dark fur. Her eyes travel up the strange being. It stands like a human, however, the sight of its face causes a small scream to irrupt from Sakura’s throat. Instead of a mouth or nose there is a great shadow of darkness and its eyes, oh its eyes, they practically glow a deep crimson.
“Stop that,” a muffled voice instructs, but her fear and her cries drown it out.
A hand comes up and removes what must have been some type of covering to reveal a perfectly normal mouth and nose. “I said stop yelling.”
Sakura silences, staring peculiarly up at her companion.
“What’s happening?” she gasps out, panic welling up within her. This isn’t right, this can’t be real.
Taking in her surroundings, she realizes there is so much more wrong with this world than she originally realized. Her hands grasp onto the strange feathers littering the ground. No, wait, it isn’t like feathers at all. It’s something that crunches when she moves her hand over it and causes her body to shiver. Her eyelids flutter upward only to be met with something she’s never witnessed before, darkness. The sky above her is discolored, not the typical light blue that reminds her of Naruto’s eyes, but a deep sapphire, so dark it appears black. The sun also looks different almost as if it’s sick. Rather than the golden color that usually shines down, it’s much less bright, dimmed by a pale pallor.
“Here,” the man, at least she believes he’s a man, removes the fur from his body and places it around her shoulders. The sight is discomforting, after all, she’s never seen the skin of another creature used as a covering. She doesn’t let it bother her too much though as the her body instantly stills the little convulsions as the delicious heat envelopes her.
Staring up at the strange person, she takes in his shocking appearance. Hair that matches the strange sky above them frames his face while the rest frays out behind him. His eyes are the same disconcerting red color, with strange symbols lazily spinning inside them, but what she finds most strange is his skin.  It’s pale, as if the darkness of this world has prevented it the shine that adorns her own. It’s staggering and gives him a disconcerting aura, as if she has no business even being in his presence.
“How did you get here?” he asks gruffly, hoisting her up by the arm he still grasps in a gloved hand.
She hesitates. This man is so foreign to her and obvious not from the shining world of Konoha, the elders would not approve of her speaking to her. However, she feels as if there’s no choice, given her current situation.
“I fell.”
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naiyawrites · 5 years
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The Tiger, The Ninja, and the Moon Goddess
Fandom: IkeSen Relationship: Shingen/MC AU: none CW: Character Death, Unrequited love, angst Word Count: 4545 Summary:  A/N: This was a request by @jennacat84 I fought it because I don’t do Angst. I really am crappy at it. But I couldn’t let the prompt go. Finally, I decided to tackle it. This is actually a tale told three times. I wrote Sasuke’s POV, then Shingen’s then I merged the three. Massive - MASSIVE - shoutout to @darkmindsthinktwistedthoughts who coached me through angst and basically fleshed out the skeleton I created of Sasuke’s POV helping me become a better angst writer. A huge thanks to @mctaggler who has no idea who these characters are but read the story anyway and asked me “Why did you do this Naiya? Why would you write this? It hurts!”If I can make someone who doesn’t know the characters feel for them, I think I did an OK job.
Four years. It would be but a blip in the history books had it not been for her. Four years feels like an eternity when every moment of it is spent in what feels like suspended reality. Sasuke dreamt of her face, those eyes… He could even hear her voice at times. Four years he wondered if he was hallucinating, somehow going mad as he searched, hoping and praying that he would find her again. The others knew nothing of this silent quest. They knew nothing of his origins. Four years is a short paragraph in a history book unless you are living it.
Seemingly endless calculations. Numbers symbols flowing onto paper. It was for her, all for her. She had been tossed back in time without warning, no preparation, no knowledge, Duty fueled his obsession she is his responsibility. He had to find her.
Fire. Scorching heat and acrid smoke the crumbling remnants of a place of worship. For just a moment the smoke parted like a veil and he wondered if Buddha answered his prayers. It was only a glance but he was certain he recognized that figure. Could it really be? Why now? Why here?
Questions upon questions caused him to question himself. As he returned to his Lord to give his report, he realized the vision was real. He wasn’t wrong! She was here! A flood of relief washed over him. Four years of worry washed away in the instant their eyes met.
“I found you.” He whispered.
There are many sayings; “The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away”, “Easy come, easy go.” all were apt. For the briefest of time, Sasuke felt light, relieved, accomplished. She was here! She was safe! She was alive. And with the thundering of hooves, all that was trampled into dust. The Oda had her. They scooped her up as if she was nothing more than a prize at a fair. Even as a man of science, he cursed them. His only consolation was he knew where they were headed.
“I will get you back.” His promise was carried on the wind.
Kenshin taught him well. There was no faulting the lessons and Sasuke vowed to use all his skills, to push past the boundary of his abilities, just to be where he wanted to be; closer to her. To bask in that radiant smile, talk about all the things they couldn’t share with anyone else.
The same Gods he called upon to place a curse, he silently thanked from the bottom of his heart. Sneaking into the enemy the castle and hanging upside down like something from a spiderman movie felt surreal but it made her smile. Their time spent reminiscing felt like they were in their own little world and while the sands of time passed them by, new oddities caught his attention.
She was so alive. So full of expression. The four years searching once again seemed to vanish replaced by the melodic sound of her voice and laughter that could put an angel’s song to shame. The sight of her eyes as they twinkled and danced like the stars in the velveteen night sky. She was scared but her strength of character and determination overshadowed that. She was beauty in all its resilient and best possible ways. Sasuke thought science could explain everything, and in truth is can explain the cause, but not all the symptoms or the effect. It only took one night. One night after four years of searching to prove him wrong. He had never been happier to have a theory disproved in all his life. A tight coil of agitation sprung up in him as she told him she was ok in Azuchi. Three months was such a short time to wait. She would be fine.
It was not Kenshin who made the order to bring her to Kasuguyama, it was Shingen’s.
After her arrival at Kasugayama, a weight lifted from Sasuke’s chest. He could breathe. Just the sight of her daily was enough to cast out the fears and worries. Sharing time together, watching the stars talking about memes and vines they remembered, laughing and talking about something and nothing until the sky began to lighten. He wondered if she knew how brightly she shined?
“In three months you’ll be back home looking at the stars,” Sasuke said, making conversation.
“Yes.” She smiled lifting her gaze skyward, a melancholy look on her face. “Three months, but the stars will not be like this.” The faint smile on her lips looked so lonely. He wanted nothing more than to comfort and reassure her. Unable to think of how he would do such a thing, he settled for remaining in her company and casting his own eyes up to the heavens.
Kasugayama Castle changed. It was her. She did little things that tumbled and set off a chain reaction of other small things in their wake like dominoes. As transformative as Spring was to the outside world, she was to all those within the castle, her natural warmth and compassion countering the chilly sometimes freezing winter countenance of Kenshin. The hope she generated acted like a salve to Sasuke’s weary soul. He wondered if she realized how valued she was to the whole castle, to him. He longed to tell her but the words never came.
He should have seen it coming. It was predictable knowing what he did of the man. Shingen Takeda. His reputation precedes him, yet Sasuke failed to consider him in his calculations. He would play with her, that Sasuke knew. Shingen was a master manipulator. Gripped by a wave of fierce protectiveness, Sasuke wanted to save her from the pain he knew was coming. He didn’t know how to stop it, so he stood back as Shinge approached his “Angel” and watched it happen.
“Surely you would like to see more of Kasugayama than these walls, princess. Would you like to go to town with me?” Shingen’s smooth voice carried on the wind.
“You would allow such a thing?”
“It would be my pleasure to accompany you, angel.” He extended his hand. When she accepted he lead her from the castle.
Shingen invited her to town on a whim, hoping lower her guard. It did, but he was the victim. The way she looked at the fabric, he assumed she wanted clothes and baubles like other women. When he learned she enjoyed creating, she longed to make things, something inside him called out to her. Did she like to create because she could leave something of herself behind? Did she make things to prove she existed? Was she like him?
The moonlight viewings were a perfect metaphor for the two of them. She watched that heavenly orb and Shingen watched her, each of them getting their fill of what astounded and amazed them. He kept his word and gave her the peace of staying on the territory she allowed him, but the room seemed smaller, more intimate to him every time they met. Every viewing brought a modicum of peace and calm to his heart.
The morning she came to him in the courtyard, he was making a bookshelf.
“Would you like me to make something for you, Angel?”
Her eyes and smile were melancholy as she shook her head in denial. “Your works deserve to be cherished and well cared for.”
Her words echoed in his soul, but when he studied her, the answer to his unspoken question remained elusive. Shingen never wanted someone to remember him as much as he wanted her to, but her words could have spilled from his mouth. Once again he was struck with how like him she seemed. Pure fancy, he told himself. Everyone seeks someone who understands their plight. That was a truth he manipulated all his life, and yet with her, he wondered. Something inside him hoped.
At the feast, when Kenshin poured for her, something in him shifted. The same man who swore off women acknowledged her, accepted Shingen’s goddess. The realization was enough to steal his breath as he looked at her lovely flushed face, her serene smile. She was his goddess. Making excuses he took her out of the feast hall to the river.
They talked about many things, the times, his illness. He assured her he was better. Shingen promised her he was well. He watched as she turned her face to the moon and smiled a sad smile, blinking her eyes.
“I’m glad you’re better, Shingen. The world deserves you, deserves your heart.” Her voice cracked.
Her wistful gaze and mournful tone ripped at his heart. He longed to tell her the truth of it but refused to chain her to himself. He vowed long ago he would not leave anyone broken and alone with his passing. And so Shingen, the man who made his reputation from a web of lies, became a casualty to the biggest one he ever told.
He denied himself. He denied her. Every time his tongue sought to betray him, whenever their words wandered a bit too close to confession, a swift change of subject, a suave complement and the conversation was back on safe ground. Back where Shingen could control it, where it would not tie a goddess to a dying man. He took note of the time she and Sasuke spent together. He told himself it as the best for everyone. Shingen tried to foster that connection. Every time he did, something inside him howled in rage.
When the princess asked Sasuke about the man they call the Tiger of Kai he felt powerless. He wasn’t one to lie and he wouldn’t lie to her. His only option was to speak honestly and answer her questions.
He could see with each word spoken, they took another step closer. This performance, this dance between them was as beautiful as it was tragic. For all the joy she projected Sasuke knew the truth. Under the surface of a blissfully serene oasis in this war-torn era, each step was another closer to a face he never wanted to see. Her smile gone, her sweet face twisted in torment, in grief. Shingen was dying and he hid it from her. She would march on not knowing what her fated love interest would do to her.
Sasuke lost sleep. The person he searched for, the one he saw in his dreams, the one that laughed and smiled freely. That face… Her face, he couldn’t stop thinking of the rivers that would flow. And yet for all that he knew, he was rendered powerless. How could he take her happiness away when all he wanted was to see her smile?
She promised. She promised she wouldn’t fall in love. But Sasuke knew with painful clarity that promises do precious little to prevent the heart from acting. He found himself watching from the shadows willing her to fall for anyone but him. Seeing with his own eyes his wishes were futile.
Two months into their time-traveling experience Sasuke noticed the first changes. He didn’t know if it was because they were staying in such close proximity or due to a deeper feeling. He found himself unable to ignore even the faintest of details about her, he noticed the changes.
Lord Kenshin was having one of his feasts. This in itself was not unusual but she grabbed his attention. She was sitting alone with food hardly touched. For as long as Sasuke knew her she was sociable and enjoyed food… Usually, she enjoyed it anyway.
“Princess, are you not hungry?”
“Sasuke!” She smiled at him though it seemed to be a little forced and dim. “No, I’m feeling a little under the weather is all. I’m not up to eating.”
“Let me escort you to your room, Princess.” Shingen caught his attention as we left the hall that night. Sasuke shook his head to say it was nothing, but when he took her arm, she seemed frailer than she did before.
He wanted to do more than simply escort her back at that moment. He wanted to wrap her up and protect her from everything. To him, she was fragile as glass. Her luminous skin looked to have lost some glow even if it maintained its luster. He found my mind wandering as we walked slowly to her room.
“I’m sorry to put you out. A good night’s sleep and I’ll be right as rain.” She apologized casting a soft smile in his direction.
“It’s never a bother to look after you, Princess.”
“You could use my name, Sasuke.” Her eyes sparkled like the stars as she smiled up at him.
No, I couldn’t. If I did, I’d risk forgetting you’re not mine.
“Princess suits you,” He replied, pushing his glasses up. “Sleep well.”
“Goodnight Sasuke.”
He waited for her door to close, safe in the knowledge she was inside and returned to the hall. Shingen intercepted him on his way to Yukimura asking about his Angel. Sasuke’s foolish heart sunk as he informed Shingen the Princess was feeling a little unwell tonight. The Tiger’s face showed a look of concern.
“You need to let the princess sleep from time to time, My Lord.” one of the vassals who was deep in his cups announced.
“I allow my angel to sleep.” Shingen hid his smile behind his cup.
Sasuke assumed things had progressed that far between them, but to have it confirmed so starkly was like a bucket of ice water hitting him in his face.
“It doesn’t count if she’s passing out from loving, My Lord!”
“Can we not talk about you and your perverted tastes?” Yuki piped up a deep blush coloring his cheeks.
The hall erupted in laughter again and both men passed off the illness as minor, nothing to be concerned about. It was a new love. Sasuke assumed it was the long nights in a lover’s arms. Shingen believed it to be overwork with all the commissions coming. The answer didn’t sit well with either man. Sasuke rested easy in the knowledge she would be safely home in two months.
A week later Sasuke was leaving the training grounds after a full morning sparring match with Yukimura when Shingen stopped him.
“Have you seen our Goddess?”
“Have you checked her room, Shingen-sama?”
“No, she’s always up and around by breakfast.”
The two of them went to her room and found her curled in her futon still asleep. Shingen knew in his heart that something was wrong, but he didn’t know what. She was pale, drenched in sweat, nightclothes clinging to her small frame with sweat. Her hair splayed out across the pillow.
“Call a healer,” Shingen ordered. His face was now deadly serious. Sasuke did not have to be told twice, without waiting to see what else would transpire between the two lovers, he willed himself to leave the room.
But panic filled him with those three words. There was so much in this time they couldn’t treat, so much they couldn’t cure. Sasuke was so consumed with what the limitations of this time were, he didn’t move. His eyes locked on her trembling form in the blankets as she fought whatever internal battle she waged.
“Sasuke!” The pain in Shingen’s voice pulled him back. “The Healer. Please.”
Shingen’s world shattered. He believed her dead as he knelt beside her. Terror has a way of stretching heartbeats into hours and he knelt praying for some semblance of life. Then her chest rose, shallow, but moving.
The healer insisted she was overworked. She was tired, nothing more. Both men accepted the words even as their souls denied them. This was more than fatigue, this was more than overwork. Still, they did what they could to ease her workload. Shingen begged her to take on less work and even refused some who came offering commissions. Both men spent what time they could with her to distract her.
Shingen recognized every change in her frame. Her sunken eyes, her pale cheeks, her frail form. Every single change screaming at him there was something more, something she refused to tell them. But how could he demand she confide in him when he was lying to her? How could he demand the truth, when he covered his heart in layers of lies? His soul screamed in agony. He wanted to lay it all bare, wanted to beg she do the same. The words he needed most failed to come from his lips in her presence.
She drifted now when she walked. Illness and loss of sleep seemed to be etched into her body. Yet she still smiled and laughed, always pushing forward the same as always. She was walking down the hall carrying a vase of flowers she’d carried a hundred times before. This time it slipped from her fingers. Sasuke caught it before it hit the floor.
“Sasuke,” He realized she was breathless. “I’m clumsy these days. That vase is heavier than I thought it was.”
It’s no heavier than any of the others you’ve carried before. His mind chided, but he schooled his expressions. “I’ll carry it for you, princess. Where is it going?”
They finished setting the flowers and she was winded. It was as bad as Shingen on one of his worst days.
“Let’s go back to your room so you can rest.” Sasuke held out my hand and she took it. He knew He wasn’t imagining. She was frailer, colder. “You’ve lost weight princess.”
“Have I? I hadn’t noticed.” He wanted to scoop her up in his arms and prove his theory. He wished to carry her to the wormhole and away from this place before she faded away. But he knew if he did, he would break her heart. He was powerless to save her from that pain.
“How are you eating?” He asked to distract himself.
“Well enough.” she smiled at him, “Thank you for walking me to my room. Have a good day.”
Sasuke stood outside her room for a time. He hadn’t missed the perspiration on her forehead, the breathlessness as she answered His questions. He knew her smile wasn’t as bright as it used to be, but he ignored it because she wanted him too.
In a month, only a month, she could go home. Please just a little longer. Please…
Sasuke found himself taking up nightly vigils when Kenshin didn’t have him on a mission. It became part of his routine. He promised to protect her and get her back to the future safely, but there was something she wasn’t telling him. How can you protect someone when you don’t know the enemy? A small voice lurking in the dark recesses of his mind fueled his anxiety. Something was wrong, something was happening and she was fading. They were losing her.
She rarely left her room anymore. She would try and sew but her workload became lighter and lighter as she struggled and failed to cope with full commissions. Since they last spoke she started a new haori which Sasuke felt certain must have been for Shingen, it was in his colors, after all. He made it a point that no matter how busy or tired he was, he would stop by her room every day if he could. She smiled, always welcoming and happy for the company.
The joy he felt in his heart was now bittersweet as he watched her movements. Like a clockwork running on its last turn. They chatted as usual and he tried to maintain a cheery disposition. She still did not bring up her obviously failing health and he did not push the subject. Sasuke kept his visits short, it was the least he could do for her.
Because of his vigils, Sasuke saw her slip from her room the night of the full moon every step a challenge. He wanted to go to her, to help her, but something stopped him. He watched. He followed, always in the shadows lest she need his help. She used whatever she could for aid; walls, banisters, trees, in her quest to reach some point unknown. He followed her, determined to be what he always was, her silent and protective shadow. When she reached the gardens, she sat on the stone bench and turned her face to the moon.
On silent footsteps, he moved closer. He needed to be closer to her but didn’t want to startle her. Sounds reached him through the still of the night. As he drew closer, he recognized the sound, weeping. She sat alone, on the cold stone bench, bathed in moonlight, crying. He couldn’t stay away. He was powerless to do anything other than move to her side.
Sasuke gathered her close, her frail form so small. “Don’t cry, princess. Two weeks. You’ll be home in two weeks.”
She turned to him with a sweet, mournful smile and she shook her head. Her denial so sure, so firm. The truth we refused to acknowledge was laid bare.
“I’m dying, Sasuke.”
“No…” it was a strangled whisper. A begging denial. She nodded, the smile never falling.
“I can… we can… You, You can get home. They can help. A short stay in the hospital. That’s all. Just a short stay.” Her too frail hand rested against his cheek wiping away the tears he didn’t realize were falling.
“No.” The princess’s breath was labored. Tears and the journey to get to the garden taking what little strength she had left. She leaned into him and it was sweet torture to finally hold her.
“I was. On my way. For treatment. When the wormhole hit.” she gasped through tortured breaths.
Surprise shocked him into speechlessness. The realization that his actions, however indirect, led to her death here rendered him numb. His mind spun a never-ending mantra. She was dying. He killed her. It was too late to help. Too late. Too late. Too late. But still, he hoped.
“Two weeks. We can get to a hospital. I’ll take you home.”
“So I can die among strangers? Sweet Sasuke. I’d rather be here, among friends.” She took his hand and held it within her cold, much smaller one. She was the one dying and she was comforting him. Sasuke held her the way he wanted to so many times before. They cried until she fell asleep in exhaustion. He lifted her feather-light form and carried her to her room.
As she slept he begged forgiveness. Hundreds of apologies fell from his lips hoping somehow she could forgive him for bringing her here. As the first light of dawn dusted the horizon, he brushed a tender kiss across her brow.
Shingen watched from the shadows as Sasuke held her in the garden while she cried. He wanted to be there. He needed to be beside her. He should be the one kissing her tears away. Shingen waited while Sasuke carried her back to her room. It hit him then how small and frail she had truly become. Everything in his being screamed to take her from Sasuke, still he waited. When Sasuke left her room, Shingen was waiting.
“How’s the Princess?” he slid the door closed.
“Homesick Shingen-sama.” The Tiger of Kai studied the ninja and knew. For all his impassiveness, Sasuke couldn’t hide the red in his eyes.
“You’re lying.”
“Aren’t you, Shingen-sama?” Sasuke’s eyes flashed in a rare show of temper. “You’ve not told her the truth. You’ve actively denied it. You’re going to stand there and demand all her secrets while keeping your own? No, you’ll get nothing from me.”
Shingen don’t know which realization struck him dumb; the fact Sasuke was right, the need to unburden his soul to her like she was the goddess he called her or the jealousy that she confided in Sasuke before him. Whichever it was, Sasuke was gone before he could speak again.
Three days before the wormhole was to appear, a terrible storm opened above Kasugayama. The thunder and lightning rattled the whole castle. But in one room the fury was ignored. Four men kneeled around a futon.
The night of the storm Shingen held her. He begged, he cajoled and in the end, he offered himself in her place. He held her and buried his face in her neck. The last three months played through his mind. Vignettes of her smile, their talks, the river, her soft touches, and gentle gaze. Shingen knew now why she wouldn’t tell him her secrets. He felt her fading with every breath and the tears he never wanted her to cry fell shamelessly down his face.
“Don’t leave me,” He begged. As her hand fell from his arm, he uttered the truth they denied each other. “I love you.”
Kasugayama mourned. You cannot know the soft caress of spring and not lament its loss. But Shingen was different. He’d lost his soul. The bright flame that snuffed out the darkness that tortured him was gone. Those shadows seemed even darker for its loss. In private he grieved. We all noticed. We saw the shift. We felt it. Shingen Takeda, the Tiger of Kai, was lost. The bravado was gone, the facade cracked. Even the use of his silver tongue had been tarnished with her loss.
In his grief, his health faltered. The ailment he battled so long sunk its claws deep into him. As he was, he lacked the strength - the very will - to fight it. The hollow light in his eyes mirrored the emptiness he saw in the world around him. The colors were gone. He was forever in shade, surrounded in depths of grey.
Without her by his side, the world lost all color and meaning. The most basic of daily chores became too much. The loss seeped into his body and soul. The simple task of taking a breath was too much. The rattle in his lungs was a constant companion now. The heaviness that accompanied the episodes was heavier. He didn’t have the strength to fight anymore.
As Shingen lay on his futon bathed in sweat, his mind turned to her, always to her. He knew she was a rare one. In her short time here, she touched those within Azuchi and thawed Kenshin’s cold heart. Everything she did seemed so effortless. He was the master manipulator and yet he didn’t feel the fall until he was in the palm of her delicate hand. The foolish and manipulating part of him believes had he known then what he knew now, he could steel himself to her charms. His heart knows, he never could.
Shingen casts his gaze around the room, smiling when he realized Yuki or Kenshin left the window open. The pale moonlight bathed the room in an ethereal light. It was her touch. She softened the edges of darkness and kept the shadows at bay. Moonlight. His goddess was here with me, watching it as he watched her.
“Forgive me for keeping you waiting, goddess.”
Yukimura was woken by a panicked knocking at his door.
When they got to his room, Shingen Takeda was gone. A peaceful smile bowned his lips, one awash in the joy he had not known since her death.
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ikesenhell · 6 years
Text
LiveWrite! Fire Breather
You can find all other IkeSen works of mine here. Note: This was a LiveWrite! Feel free to drop in next time! Thanks to @a-shout-to-the-void for suggesting a little more of Masamune!
He was the Dragon of Oshu, and he knew what it was to breathe in the fire.
He’d inhaled the tang of blood and sulfur and gunpowder. He’d felt the crush of a life under his heel. He’d watched the lines of men fall like pieces of a game, cast to the ground like leaves in the wind.
And he’d felt his worst nightmare.
It played through his dreams every night, distorted by the twist of unreality surging in his unconscious mind. Sasuke had even suggested a few things: deep breathing, exercise before bed, meditation… none of it worked. Frankly, it was ridiculous that at the end of it all, he only had Sasuke to confide in.
“You’re not even on this side,” he growled one night. The animal in his chest was screaming with rage, searching for anywhere to dig in his claws. “Why the fuck are you here?”
The answer was simple. Sasuke stared him down with characteristic stillness. “Because she’d want me to be here.”
Sometimes he wanted to go back and stop it all before it began. He lay awake and wondered: what if I’d said no? What if I’d refused? What if I didn’t let her come with me, didn’t take her to Oshu, didn’t steal her away from her own time? What if what if what if-- And it was a fruitless thing, he knew that. What had he told her so many times? Life is there for you to enjoy it.
But life was a mockery without her. He only wished that when he’d held her for the last time, he hadn’t known she was gone--but he’d been around too many dead bodies to not know when he held one.
Kenshin might be a monster, but so was he, now. He understood that about their enemy now. He recognized in that pale God of War the same sorrow that drove him, that fueled him forward. For Oshu, all for Oshu, all for that brilliant, beautiful, wonderful future she came from--all for her, all for her, all for what she was and is and forever remains--He threw himself into the fray like a man possessed, every raw edge of him burning in the flame of war.
“You can’t keep doing this,” Ieyasu begged him one night, so honest and vulnerable. Masamune had never seen him so sincere. “You can’t keep flinging yourself into the front line.”
“Maybe I can’t,” Masamune admitted, giving a smile he didn’t mean and Ieyasu knew he didn’t mean. “But it is what I have to do.”
He was the Dragon of Oshu, after all. He knew what it was to breathe in the fire and never die.
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dreamscapesin1582 · 6 years
Text
P R O L O G U E
Word Count: 1180
Reading Time: 5+ Minutes
Tagging: @acrispyapple , @rizosrojizos , @masamunesmistress 
Trigger warning: Mentions of death/suicide. 
[ edited 07/16/20 ]
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“I don’t think you understand what you’re doing. You’re wasting time… chances… opportunities…”
“Come back, Katsumi.”
Another beep from the telephone. Katsumi exhaled, almost like a sigh, as a puff of smoke slowly permeated the air. The tiny light from the cigarette turned dimmer until it lit no longer. The young woman finally stood up from watching the sad monochrome world outside her window and disposed the cancer stick.
The rain continued.
Everything finally felt just right. Her lingering hesitation burned out along with the light of her cigarette. She slipped on some shoes, donned a coat, and left the apartment without even bothering to take an umbrella with her. She walked towards the growing storm, going to wherever her legs take her to.
Naturally, that caught the attention of passersby. She aimlessly strode on the sidewalks without giving a glance to the stares. Whether it was out of concern or judgment, she didn’t know nor care. Her mind wandered on many things, many thoughts, many memories… until she found herself staring back at harsh waves clashing against rocks.
The river seemed alluring somewhat.
Her ears isolated the sounds of the waves and the rain. And then complete silence. Her mind cleared itself of thoughts. Her blinks turned slower, as if embracing the beauty of the dark within each closing of her eyes, and felt like falling on a whim. At last, she closed her eyes and let her body drop forward, failing to acknowledge a voice call out to her and a ghost of a hand that attempted to pull her away.
But the fall seemed too slow, too painfully slow, like the world wanted to savor on the sight before letting it happen. Her eyes remained close, but before she hit the water, a sudden flash of light almost lured her into opening her eyes once again.
“Onee-chan, sing for me again.”
Ah, fate. How harsh. The reminiscence just had to come at this moment.
. . . . .
Uesugi Kenshin was restless this evening. Preparations to engage the Oda Forces into war was going slow – “carefully” as corrected by Shingen – and it was boring him out of his wits. He eventually resorted to going to the forest in hopes of encountering some bandits along the way, expecting to relieve his impatience with a little swinging of his sword.
His steps were unhurried as he walked towards groves of trees. The evening was as quiet as the dead and that fact did not help his patience. With each step, he grew more and more antsy.
However, he caught himself hearing a hoarse voice, singing with all the remaining breath it had at its disposal. It awoke something buried deep within his heart, evoking a train of memories he’d rather forget.
But then he heard several footsteps. He instinctively followed, chasing after the bandits while trying to shake off the reminiscence he had. Now he badly wanted to fight someone.
And he found himself at a foot of a hill after reaching a clearing. A weeping cherry blossom tree stood at its top. He narrowed his eyes slightly, as the moon seemed almost conveniently near at that time. It floated just above the tree, giving the scene an intricate form of lighting. The evening breeze made the cherry blossoms sway gently, its scent mingling with the wind, and for a few moments it held Kenshin’s attention.
Despite its beauty, his chest was flooded with grief at the picturesque sight.
He was about to turn away when he finally saw the bandits as they were approaching the tree. They must have found a target. His nobility wouldn’t let it slide, and just to put fuel to the fire, a familiar voice rang in his ears.
“Life is precious.”
The bandits were startled when they heard a sword getting unsheathed nearby. It took them a while to realize that it was the Lord of Kasugayama in the flesh, and a moment later his majestic blade clashed with their dull ones.
“I-It’s Uesugi Kenshin!”
The disorganized band of four scrambled away, hurriedly running away before the animalistic bloodlust of the God of War. Disappointed, he sheathed his sword once again. He snuck a glance at their target, and his heart almost stopped.
A woman.
It wasn’t just any woman. The memory that he had tried to shake off a while ago brewed inside his mind once again, overlapping itself with the sight before him. He cursed the world once more, only greater so.
Only until a moment later did he finally realize that the air around her seemed strange. Like his first encounter with Sasuke. From her clothes to her face… her eyes were closed. She looked somewhat blissful, if only there weren’t tear stains on her pale cheeks.
For a second, it scared him to touch her. To feel that her skin was cold, and that she was like her—
“Lord Kenshin,” a familiar stoic voice called up to him, breaking him out of his trance, “I was tasked to take you back to the castle. Lord Shingen wants to continue the discussion—”
“Sasuke, take this woman back to the castle.”
“What?” Sasuke approached his lord only to find an unconscious woman by his feet. “…That looks bad.”
“Hurry up before I kill you.” He turned away from the tree and moved to the direction back to Kasugayama, following a whisper Sasuke barely heard. “…She is not allowed to die.”
The ninja was confused, but nonetheless he carried the woman with great care as they both went back to their fortress with haste. He had a few questions but decided that now wasn’t the best time for it. In closer inspection, he recognized this woman… or rather, where she came from.
Unlike his leisurely pace a while ago, Kenshin was more agitated now. And as much as he hated to admit it, he knew it wasn’t because of the fact that he couldn’t fight the bandits.
Something was prickling his heart.
They arrived shortly, and Sasuke quickly moved to find a room they could place her in. Kenshin didn’t follow, rather he stopped by the veranda, still frowning. The memory he supposedly buried deep within his heart was trying to poke its head out. Just to mock him, he believed.
“Heavens, whatever have I done?”
He escaped from the thought when a lone cherry blossom flew by his face. His eyes curiously followed it as it danced a little before landing on the floor. A shadow of a tree formed at his feet. He reluctantly turned to the cherry blossom tree near his castle and his chest ached a little. Indulging on the emotion, he closed his eyes.
One song danced on his mind. A song sung with love, gentleness and purity. Of things he believed he did not possess. Of things he believed he did not deserve anyway. Just another cruel reminder of his misfortunes.
Not like it was unusual.
Fate doesn’t seem to be satisfied with playing games with me,
he tells himself before walking once more.
Next chapter >>
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kuriquinn · 6 years
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Telanadas [2/19]
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Cover Page & Disclaimer:
first chapter
Sakura’s resolve to press on only lasts a half hour, if only because Nature makes a more convincing argument than Comfort. Darkness falls sooner than expected, and they are forced to find shelter.
As the winds grow strong enough to press the travellers up against the sharp, icy façade of the mountain, Sasuke spots a cave almost obscured by rock and snow. Even luckier, it is large enough that all four of them can fit comfortably inside without infringing on each other’s personal space. Having had to sleep crowded against Naruto on at least two occasions lately and subjected to his kicking, Sasuke is more than relieved about this.
Once inside, Kakashi uses his magic to erect a barrier of fire, offering both protection from enemies and the frigid gusts of wind. As the blood flows back into Sasuke’s fingers and toes, the mage conjures a small fire. Meanwhile, Sakura takes on the undesirable job of fashioning a small latrine at the back of the cave.
“That’s all we need is for one of you to wander out to take a crap and fall off the side of a mountain,” she says cheerfully.
Sasuke doubts any of them will make use of such a thing unless they are snowed in here for days. Then again, dwarves and humans have such odd notions of hygiene and propriety he cannot be entirely sure.
While Sasuke lays out their gear and armour to dry near the fire, Naruto digs about in their supplies to put together a warm meal.
Though meal is being polite, Sasuke thinks with a grimace.
“I do not understand how you people can eat this,” he mutters, the complaint escaping him before he can stop it. He was taught to consider food no more than fuel, but after weeks of the same paltry fare he has lost patience. “Do I even want to know what it is?”
“I think it was lamb at some point,” Sakura says, accepting the makeshift bowl of tasteless noodles and jerky from the human. “But the texture…isn’t one I’d normally associate with lamb.”
“Beggars cannot be choosers,” Kakashi replies mildly, shrugging one shoulder.
“What are you guys talking about?” Naruto asks, slurping down his share. “This is so much better than that frilly stuff we had back at the castle! I hate food I can’t pronounce. And this stuff never goes bad. I bet if we packed it away, it’d still be good to eat fifty years from now!”
Sasuke stares at him in disgust. “I cannot even tell if you are joking or not.”
“He is not,” Kakashi confirms, examining what is left of their rations. “I am rather sure these are from supply caches that have not been opened since the Storm Age. They were old before I stole them from the Circle of Magi.”
“And…I’m done,” Sakura says, offering her still-full bowl to Naruto, who cheers and adds the share to his own. Sasuke is tempted to do the same, but as it might be construed as a kindness to the human, he refrains. “What about you, Sasuke-kun? You didn’t eat like this where you grew up, right?”
As always, she is trying to find out more about him.
“No.” He intends to leave it at that, but when she gazes up at him beseechingly, a follow-up question clearly on her lips, he elaborates: “Simple fare. Bread made from seeds. Milk from our halla. Vegetables.”
He tries not to lick his lips at the mere thought of tomatoes. It has been so long since they had a decent meal.
“Halla?” Sakura repeats, confused. “Is that a kind of animal in Oto?”
Sasuke tenses, realising his unconscious slip.
“Not necessarily Oto,” Kakashi answers for him, eyes widening in understanding. “Halla are creatures like horned stags. The Dalish consider them to be noble companions.” He raises an eyebrow. “I had wondered about the markings on your face, Sasuke. They resemble none of the tattoos that the House of Crows use…but I have never seen that particular vallaslin before, either.”
“Dalish?” Naruto asks Sasuke in slack-jawed awe. “Wow, really? Arl Hiruzen used to talk about the Dalish, but I’ve never actually met one before!”
“Your powers of observation are worse than I thought, as you have been travelling with one for weeks now,” Sasuke bites out.
“Oi!”
“What’s vallaslin?” Sakura asks quickly, obviously attempting to curtail an argument.
Sasuke shrugs noncommittally, not wanting to explain.
“It translates to ‘blood writing’, if memory serves,” Kakashi says in his place. “A sign of adulthood, and adherence to the beliefs and traditions of the Dalish. It is surprising that one who submitted to the ritual would then be found working as an assassin for the House of Crows.”
“Chains of a past that no longer exists,” Sasuke interrupts. “I am going to sleep. It has been a long day.”
He turns away from the fire, a clear message that he has no intention of answering any questions or pursuing the discussion further.
He can feel Sakura’s eyes on him, but after a short pause, she suddenly says, “Well, that still sounds a lot better than what happened to me. I got this—” He imagines she is pointing at the rhombus shaped brand on her forehead, “—just for being born in the wrong place.”
“Heh. I understand what that’s like,” Naruto snorts.
“Maybe. Except as far as I know, Konoha doesn’t brand a newborn with a hot poker just because his parents were unwed.”
“What? No way!”
“Uh-huh. The minute a casteless dwarf is born, we get marked, so there’s no way to mistake who we are if the nobles catch us lurking in the richer quarters. Also, it makes it way easier for Carta recruiters to decide which kids they can press-gang into doing their dirty work.”
“Carta—the dwarven crime syndicate?” Kakashi questions, sounding surprised.
Back still turned in a pretence of sleep, Sasuke frowns. He does not find that surprising at all. It certainly explains her occasionally mercenary attitude and her talent for surviving insurmountable odds. The Carta offers about as friendly an upbringing as the Crows do.
“They’re the ones who smuggled lyrium to the Templars,” Naruto whispers, a little uncomfortable. No doubt he had comrades who suffered from that particular addiction. “You were one of them?”
“There wasn’t much choice,” she replies, unembarrassed. “Since the most respectable job for a casteless dwarf is sweeping the streets, and there’s only a few people who even get that job. It’s either work for the Carta or become a noble hunter. And I’d starve to death begging before I got on my back for some jacked-up noble because I might bear him a son.” She sounds abruptly fierce just then. “No disrespect to the women I grew up with who did that—there’d be no dwarves left down there if there were no noble hunters. But I won’t sell my heart for the small chance of pretty clothes and jewels.”
Sasuke snorts at this.
There is that naivety again.
“It seems we are talking too loudly and disturbing the elf’s sleep,” Kakashi remarks wryly, but Sasuke refuses to reply. It is enough that he has been forced by close quarters to listen to this.
Sakura is not so easily fooled; though she does not speak to him, her next words are pointed.
“People should be allowed to love one another without reprisal. Without duty or society or anyone else’s agenda getting in the way,” Sakura says, and her tone has lost all the levity he would normally associate with it. She only sounds like that when defending a cause that she considers worthy.
 “You’re right,” Naruto says quickly. “The world would be a much nicer place if that were true.”
“Perhaps some places,” Kakashi says carefully. “Circles of the Magi, for one. But for the good of the many, sometimes the desires of the few need to be set aside. Many a peace accord may never have happened if the belligerents in a conflict did not seal it with a marriage. And our world may have looked much different.”
“Maybe up here on the surface,” Sakura says. “Back in Iwa they’re so obsessed with blood purity that soon there won’t be anyone left to marry, diplomatic or not. If people could choose…if people could choose, Iwa might not be falling into the dust.”
There is sadness and anger in her tone, coupled with the sudden shifting of her body.
“Anyhow. It’s not like any of this matters here and now,” she goes on, and her tone is such an abrupt shift to cheeriness that Sasuke knows it is fake. “We just have to get to that temple and find those ashes to help Arl Hiruzen.”
“That is assuming they do exist,” Kakashi says reasonably. “This ‘Urn of Sacred Ashes’ could be nothing more than a rumour. Or a hoax.”
“You couldn’t have said something before we climbed half a mountain to get here?” Sakura jokes lightly. “Shannaro…”
“No, it’s real,” Naruto insists, faithful Templar even now. “Just wait, we’ll get those ashes back to him and he’ll be kicking down Danzō’s door in no time—believe it!”
The dwarf is not the only naïve one.
“I’m sure you’re right, Naruto,” Sakura says warmly. “But in order to get up there, we need to be at full strength. Which means sleep. I can take first watch if you want.”
“No, you’ve been pushing yourself pretty hard the last few days, Sakura. Take a break. Kakashi and I can keep a lookout since someone’s being a lazy arse.”
The recipient of the barb rolls his eyes.
“Naruto,” Sakura warns.
“Yeah, yeah…”
“Go on, Sakura, he is right. You are no good to your cause if you pass out and freeze to death in the snow,” Kakashi coaxes.
“Hah! Like I’d let that happen!” Naruto scoffs.
“Well, thank you guys. I guess I can take an hour—but I will take second watch at least.”
That is what you think, Sasuke decides.
Annoying as the humans are, they are correct. Sakura is no good to them dead from exhaustion. Especially since Sasuke has thrown his lot in with her, he intends to keep her alive until he figures her out.
It should not be an issue to take the next watch.
There is a sound of shifting armour and the rustling of a camp bed, and he imagines Sakura has indeed turned in for the night. Kakashi and Naruto murmur to each other quietly, not wanting to disturb her; Sasuke is not so lucky, his ears picking up even the quietest whispers.
“I’m actually just as tired,” Naruto groans. “I’ll play you for first watch, if you promise not to cheat.”
“No, you go ahead and sleep. I’ll stay up and read for a little.”
“Ugh…just make sure you ‘read’ far away from my blanket.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. You mages are all perverts…”
Sasuke silently agrees.
After that, everything goes quiet (or as quiet as they can with Naruto’s snores). Sasuke allows himself to sink into a light sleep for a few hours, but when his ears pick up on Kakashi shifting in discomfort, he rouses himself. The older man has an odd propensity to take longer watches than he ought, to let everyone else rest. This makes no sense considering Sasuke does not need as much sleep as anyone else in the party. Sakura would say it is because Kakashi is an old mother hen at heart, but Sasuke is not sure. He does not trust humans, and mages even less, even when they do not wear masks to cover all but the eyes, the way Kakashi does.
With a stretch, Sasuke climbs out of his bedroll. He heads for the mouth of the cave to take a piss, then goes to sit beside the mage.
“I will take the watch until morning,” he murmurs. “You people are no use to me dead on your feet.”
“I sense there was concern in there somewhere behind all the stoic,” Kakashi remarks.
“Tch.”
“I’m serious, Sasuke. You are so tightly wound, it cannot be good for you. You know what would do you some good?”
“I suspect you are about to tell me.”
“If you went out some time, found a girl, and did naughty things with her that did not involve trousers,” the mage continues as if he hasn’t heard him. “If you are in the market, I know of at least one who is definitely interested.”
The way his eyes slide toward where Sakura is sleeping, albeit fitfully, leaves no question to whom he is referring.
“Len’alas lath’din,” Sasuke grumbles, turning away in contempt.
“Now, now, that is not very polite,” the mage says, more amused than offended. And it should not surprise Sasuke that the older man knows Elvish, especially given his remarks earlier about blood writing. No doubt he has read about it in his studies, locked away in one of those shemlen towers.
He honestly has no intention of replying, but Kakashi continues to look more amused than he should. It reminds Sasuke a little of the teasing his cousin Shisui used to subject him to, and now, as then, his pride does not allow him to let it go.
“What makes you think I have not already?” he hedges.
Kakashi chuckles. “I can smell purity a mile away. It is a talent.”
“That proves to be useful, I am sure.”
“Not that often, as it turns out. It would be much better if I could sense Templars. It might make them easier to avoid.”
Sasuke snorts. “You have my deepest condolences.”
“Heh. Likewise.” Kakashi puts away his well-worn, orange-covered book. “And so does she.”
The comment has Sasuke puzzling over it longer than he will admit.
When he gets it, he wonders if it is too late to hit the older man.
Translations:
Halla – type of horned stag, used by the Dalish to pull their landships
Vallaslin – intricate facial tattoos worn by adult clan members of the Dalish elf tribes
Arl – feudal title; rules over an arling
Lyrium – valuable mineral/material whose consumption can strengthen a mage and boost their mana
Len’alas lath’din - dirty child no one loves; Dalish insult
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animetrashlmao · 7 years
Text
SasuSaku Month, Day 1: First Love
A/N: Lol woops sorry this is a day late, but I definitely wanted to participate in at least a few prompts for SS month! Hopefully you guys like it!
Sasuke clearly remembers the day Sakura told him she was pregnant.
They had been traveling together through a small, unmemorable town in Land of Wind. They’d walked through the shopping areas, picking up necessities and replacing their worn down items. Sometimes they’d take care of their errands together, other times they’d just separate naturally, always managing to find one another once they’d completed their tasks. On this particular day, Sasuke had seen Sakura walk into a seamstress shop, emerging with nothing about a half hour later. He’d thought that a bit strange at the time, but didn’t deem it worth asking about. Once she’d successfully located him, they’d left together.
They’d then spent a week in Wind making their way through the desert, as they’d had some business to take care of in Suna. Their last night in the desert together, they’d been sitting near the fire that Sasuke had built, deciding to take a quick break to eat before making it to the hidden village by morning.
“Sasuke-kun, is it okay if I have some clothes tailored while we’re in Suna?”
They had only recently married in the past few months, so Sakura continued to ask his approval, though she knew she didn’t need it. They both had reasonable desires, which meant that were no outlandish requests either of them had to say no to.
“Sure, if you happen to find the time to,” was his response.
“Well actually,” she started, “I was hoping you’d come with me.” She smiled at him sweetly, her eyes telling him she wanted him to say yes.
This was definitely strange. He raises his eyebrow slightly, encouraging her to explain.
Sakura rummages through her pack before pulling out a cloth uchiwa fan, the type she’d taken to having sewn into the back of her tops since they’d been married. This one, though, was exceptionally small. It looked more like one that belonged on the sleeve, or maybe in front of the breast.
“Are you trying something new?” Why was she being so elaborate about having some tailoring done?
She smiles, looking away from him sheepishly. “Well, yes, definitely something new.”
“I see. Well, the sleeve or chest isn’t the most popular placement for them, but if that’s what you’d like.” He shrugs his shoulders, figuring that it was a strange conversation but one that’d ended, his gaze moving back to the fire in front of them.
“No. This one’ll be on the back too.”
He looked back at her, thoroughly perplexed now. Such a small piece of cloth for her size, unless…
“That…looks like it’s made for an exceptionally small piece of clothing.”
She was having trouble stifling her giggle. “You would be correct about that.”
He only stares at her, waiting for her to confirm his thoughts.
Her face beams as she places the small piece of cloth in his lone hand, closing hers over it.
“Someday soon, there’ll be an exceptionally small Uchiha to bear this crest on his/her back.”
His eyes had widened a fraction, and he can still remember the way his throat felt like it’d been closing as he pulled her to him. Her excited laugh still rings through his ears, the way her green eyes shined even in the darkness, ever so captivating.
Unknowingly, his lips had curled into a smile. A genuine, wholehearted smile; one that he’d felt from the depths within his blockaded heart, underneath the ash that blanketed his listless soul.
She had brought a light into his life when she showed him forgiveness and patience. She had kindled a fire in his stomach when she admitted her love for him - his own version of butterflies. She had filled his chest with pride when he first witnessed her proud display of his family’s crest on her back. And now? She would help fill the emptiness left behind from his childhood tragedy, with a child of his own. He had always expressed his gratitude to her in words, but that didn’t feel like enough for an occasion such as this.
He had grasped her chin and kissed her fiercely, full on the lips, hoping that she would understand his message. Though he was never a man for forward gestures that were fueled by emotion, he also hadn’t felt this excited for anything in a long time. And he loved her, God he loved her for bringing this new sense of…wholeness into his life.
She had pulled back from their kiss, red-faced and giddy as they sat there together for a few moments longer, savoring the moment that brought them closer than they’d ever been.
-
A few months later, they had decided that they wanted to know the gender of the child. It didn’t matter to either of them what they had, so long as the child was healthy and strong, but their excitement left them curious.
She had smiled at him warmly when the ultrasound tech had placed the transducer on her growing belly, moving it around to find the best position for a clear picture. Sakura had figured it out before the tech said anything.
He still remembers the gentle look on her face when she’d murmured, “a girl…”
They had both forgotten the tech at that moment, when he’d asked for confirmation. “A girl?”
She had nodded at him, her gentle features taking on a look of pure joy. Sasuke had smirked to himself, unable to hide his pride and excitement. He wasn’t one for displays of affection in front of others, but he placed a firm kiss on her forehead when she confirmed they’d be having a girl.
He remembers that on the next day, Sakura had told him she wanted to go shopping for some baby clothes now that they knew the gender. Normally, he wouldn’t accompany her on such trips, but he’d felt the desire to on this particular occasion.
He’d looked, and felt, out of place in a shop that was decorated in pastels, soft stuffed animals adorning the walls, and sweet faces of baby models in every direction he turned.
As Sakura perused the racks full of tiny dresses and outfits, Sasuke decided it might be best to wait outside. Just as he opened his mouth to let her know, a young clerk walked up to the two of them, asking if they’d needed any assistance. Sakura politely declined, even though the shop was mostly empty, save for the two of them and another woman.
“So, are you having a girl? I’m assuming that’s why you’re in this section.” She was a young girl, no older than maybe fifteen. She had smiled at the two of them, waiting for one of them to confirm her thoughts.
Though Sasuke’s face remained neutral, Sakura was feeling a bit playful.
“What makes you think I’m pregnant? I’m perfectly in shape!” She feigned indignity at the supposed insult.
“Oh, no! I wasn’t- I didn’t- I just- since you were shopping- you know, most couples…” she trailed off, red-faced, embarrassed for having unintentionally insulted her customer.
Sakura began to laugh, unable to keep the joke going. The corners of Sasuke’s mouth had lifted slightly at his wife’s antics. He almost rolled his eyes at the reaction of the young girl. No one knew who they were in this town, otherwise her reaction would be much more different for having possibly insulted one of the strongest women in the world.
Sakura smiled softly at the young girl, her fit of laughter having subsided. She placed a hand on her swelling stomach and confirmed the clerk’s thoughts. “We are having a girl.”
The signs of relief on the girl’s face were visible.
“Well, you know what they say about girls and their fathers,” the young clerk had stated, her gaze flickering over to Sasuke. He hadn’t said a word during their entire exchange, so she decided to address him herself.
Sasuke only gave her a bored expression, ready to take his leave.
“Every girl’s first love is her father!” She then told the two of them to let her know if they had any questions and went to check on other customers.
Sakura was a bit surprised at the odd comment, but looked at him and shrugged it off. He told her then that he’d wait outside while she shopped, and left the store feeling a bit shaken.
Her first love, huh?
-
He thought he’d understood the implications of that when he’d heard it from the clerk. Of course, their family would never be normal, as shinobi families never were. But still, was he equipped to raise a little girl? Was he worthy of being her role model? Did he have the emotional capacity to bring up a child, let alone a sweet young girl?
Sakura had always reassured him, telling him that no matter what, they’d figure it out together. And he was thankful for that. Though doubts clouded his emotions from time to time throughout Sakura’s pregnancy, she somehow always knew what to say to bring him confidence in his impending fatherhood.
All of these memories flood him now as he looks down at the beautiful bundle that’s been passed into his arm. His perfect baby girl looked up at him and began to cry, and he was sure that he’d never heard a sound so sweet. A tear slipped down his own cheek as he fell into a natural rhythm of rocking her for comfort. Sakura’s eyes filled with tears as she watched the two of them, her whole world right in front of her: her family. Together they’d created a beautiful, small, perfect family. Sasuke leans over to kiss Sakura’s hair, her exhaustion from the birth still noticeable by the sweat covering her brow and her uneven breathing. He’d never be able to thank her properly for all that she has given to him. She had helped him rebuild his life, and his family. She was the love of his life, and she had now shown him a love even greater than that. The tiny baby girl in his arms was only proof of that.
As his daughter’s cries begin to subside, Sasuke understands that the bond between him and his wife has only been strengthened, but he decides that there is no first love greater than the one between a parent and child.
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roraewrites · 7 years
Text
thirteen - abandoned
Glass Heart Rating: M And he was in the darkness, so darkness he became.
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Sasuke wasn't exactly sure how to feel about their current situation. His body, exhausted yet alarms going off on all nerve endings, remained atop Sakura's, his hand still firmly pressed against her lips.
From underneath, he could feel her lips quivering and her breathing quicken in pace. He'd refuse to look into her eyes, seeing the fear that had taken over that lovely, ecstasy filled look that had been there only seconds ago.
From their spot in the grass, he could feel his heart hammering against his chest while their enemies - his, rather - started to approach, hot on their trail. Sasuke can already sense that Sakura compressed her presence, making her unknown, but an Anbu level shinobi knows better than to fall for silly tricks.
His throat felt dry, mind running rampant with thoughts and ideas of how to escape without fighting. He still felt exhausted, though, his mind beginning to pound with an oncoming headache. As he began to remove his hand from Sakura's mouth, he could hear her take a deep, shaky breath from beneath him.
Sasuke grasped her wrist and pulled her up with him, her hands flying to cover her exposed body, but he couldn't help run his eyes down each and every curve that she possessed. Even the way her hair flowed freely, grass and twigs included, she looked beautiful even in her distressed state of mind. He had to pull his own mind from overthinking, thinking of taking her right here again, and when he pulled his trousers up his legs and reapplied his tank top to his body, he felt a darkening mood begin to overtake his mind.
The Leaf were here; closer than they had been earlier, and with Sakura's short pants of breath and her shaking limbs, he could tell just how frightened she'd become. If it came down to it, the kunoichi would fight; gracefully and without a second thought, she'd fight by his side and they'd escape, but he wouldn't put her through the trauma of executing someone from her own village.
The dark sky stretched miles upon miles, twinkling stars surrounding the pale orb that illuminated the midnight horizon; a shrill inhale sounding from his left, and before Sasuke could control his emotions, Sharingan eyes melted with an eerie glow, revealing the Uchiha's bloodline.
It was Sakura; blood trickling from the canyon between her shoulder blades, and as her rose quartz hair soaked up the oozing liquid, he could hardly contain himself any longer. His hand possessed a crackling blue-white light, his skin etched in ink markings that descended upon his body.
There was only time to do, no longer think, and as Sakura's body tensed with pain, Sasuke's hand was already driving towards his prey. His mind was running wild, thoughts of darkness and time spent alone in a damp and dark room fueling his body. He wasn't what Sakura wanted; he was a beast, created by a sick shinobi who found joy in experimenting on innocent people - but Sasuke was no longer stable as his skin colored over in a sickening gray, and his hair began to spout from the roots, fading to an ominous gray. His nails broke free from their nail beds, sharpening like a fresh blade, and while his body was undergoing a familiar transformation, he no longer cared that Sakura would witness the deaths of the Leaf shinobi.
They hurt her, he was reminded, by a low and hoarse voice from within.
The familiar sound caused his skin to crawl as his eyes focused on the shinobi in front of him. He was too fast, faster than them, and as his hand plunged through the throat of his victim, Sasuke could already feel his skin soaked in the warm liquids.
It was refreshing, almost comforting as he dropped the man to his knees, his hands flying to his throat as he tried to stop the blood from exiting his body.
"You're too late, death is upon you," he retorted with a low sneer.
And darkness is upon you.
.
 .
 .
Sakura faltered, her body soaking up the cool blade that was stuck between her shoulder blades, nearly striking her spine. She swallowed hard, her throat coated in thick saliva as she began to grow hot from anxiety.
The location of the blade was awkward, her hand reaching back over her shoulder, the other hand supporting her elbow. Her fingers were already touching sensitive skin, trickling blood and damp hair.
"Damn bastards," she muttered from underneath her breath, her fingers finally finding the kunai.
It was deep, penetrating her muscles, and nearly taking her out for good. She needed to remove it, heal the laceration up and fight alongside Sasuke. She needed to, wanted to, anything to prove that she didn't need to be protected; not anymore.
Emerald eyes squeezed tight, her nose crinkling in anticipation as she grasped the kunai by the hilt and began to pull. It hurt and stung like hell, feeling the razor sharp blade cut through the small amounts of dried blood, slice through skin that it hadn't touched, and disassemble more muscle tissue.
The healing process was quick as Sakura's temper began to flare. She could hear the crackling lightning coming from behind her, and before she turned to see what Sasuke was doing, the gurgled yell caused her eyes to widen.
The Uchiha had penetrated through the Anbu member, ripping through every tendon, nerve, muscle and bone, nearly taking the head of the Leaf shinobi clean off. While Sakura stood completely still, she'd felt the unfamiliar course of goose bumps cross over her body. She'd seen blood countless times, witnessed horrible cuts and messed up bodies, but this was something she'd never thought she'd witness.
Sasuke stood above the man, completely changed and smiling with a mischievous smile.
"- death is upon you," the low growl came from his discolored lips, and as the blue-white light faded from his hand, Sakura's green eyes focused on the maroon liquid that coated his hand.
"Sasuke?" She asked quietly, her hands balling into fists as her breathing became ragged.
There was no way she could save that man, he was already dead or close to. As Sakura took one step towards him, she could see the eyes of Sasuke fall upon her. He looked like a wild animal, caged for too long and starved of food. The wings that had emerged from his back was unlike anything she'd ever seen before, and as she willed her body to take another step, Sasuke's smirk was a complete smile, yet his eyes remained wide and alert.
"It's okay," she warned before taking another step towards him. Sakura could feel her heart pounding wildly against her rib cage as the grass crunched beneath her feet. "I just need to check on him."
It was when she spoke that final sentence that she felt his body approach hers with and immense speed. He was between her and the Anbu, his smile still remained on his lips as he shook his head. "No, leave him. There's more."
While it sounded like Sasuke's deep, monotone voice, Sakura wouldn't be fooled by the actual person behind it. She couldn't see the familiar shimmer in his ruby eyes, nor the careful touch as he grabbed both of her wrists. His skin was cool to the touch, and before she could speak another word, his hand was pushing an incredible force to her chest and her body was flying backwards.
If he hadn't shoved her out of the way, Sakura would've been impaled by yet another weapon. She simply caught her balance, rounded and pulled her own shuriken from her pouch and searched for the enemy in the dull light. Her adrenaline was pumping faster than her heart was beating, her emerald eyes jumping from one spot to another, as her senses honed in on any chakra signature other than Sasuke's.
He was no longer concealing his presence, instead making it clear that he was out for blood and would mow down anyone that stood in his way. While Sakura watched from her spot, she couldn't help but feel her heart ache as Sasuke's fire began to light up in the distance. She could even feel the heat from her location, well aware that that was how the first fire started and as she blinked, the tears began to prick the corners of her eyes.
How foolish had she actually been for agreeing to join him on his own personal mission?
Her fists clenched once more as he ears tuned in to another shriek nearby. Heat began to flare up within her core, her mind heating up with anger as well as the shuriken in her hand began to cut into her skin as she squeezed her fists. She couldn't stand by while Sasuke slaughtered those from her village. While she was considered a traitor of her village, she wouldn't stand by any more; not if she could help it.
He was easy to find, Sakura came to find out. She simply followed the trail of bodies, and while the numbers of their enemies were dropping like flies, she'd find him soon enough; she could still sense him and he was extremely close by.
"Sasuke!" She screamed from the confines of darkness. Her anger had bubbled over, her mind completely numb as she screamed into the night air, the stars diminishing as light began to expand from the horizon.
After her shrill scream, it felt like her surroundings had gone completely quiet. Sakura didn't mind it, she remained angry as her defenses remained raised.
"What."
His statement was dark, laced with an annoyed tone and as Sakura rounded on him, she was surprised with how close he was to her. She hadn't felt him, nor the wind from how fast he'd appeared behind her. Her rose locks fell to her shoulders as her viridian eyes narrowed.
"What's wrong with you?" She hissed, her nose nearly touching his as she rose to her tip toes and stared into his deadly eyes. She could see the stains of blood coloring his skin, the way the star shaped design that covered his nose crinkled as he narrowed his own eyes back at her.
"I'm protecting you. What the hell do you think is going on, Sakura?"
His tone was like ice, cold to the core and sharper than shattered glass. Sakura remained strong, her eyes hard and fists ready as she looked from his right eye, back to the left.
"I don't need you to protect me."
Realization crossed through his eyes as his glare deepened. She noticed the way his hair began to melt back to obsidian black, even in the dim light. Anger flared up from behind rose eyes, and before he could say another word, Sakura's lips overflowed with emotion.
It was like an emotional roller coaster, the constant arguing, then their lips against one another. She couldn't take it anymore, not when she was the one that hurt the most from Sasuke's actions.
"Have Karin protect you when you find Itachi," she retorted one last time before turning her back to him. "I'm done with this."
.
.
.
Sasuke's blood pressure began to plummet, yet his anger remained as he watched Sakura's back turn to him. "What the fuck are you doing?" He spat out.
Sakura didn't answer, only continue her walk towards the blaring fire in the distance and from in front of her, he could see the sky lighting up with the morning sun. Sasuke's skin began to burn as the discolored gray began to fade and his nails returned back to normal.
He felt absolutely exhausted now; his body trembling yet his mind remained focused on the woman walking away from him. Was Sakura actually doing this? Leaving him here, while she walked away completely emotionless?
"Where are you going?" He asked once more, yet his voice was an octave lower. He had lost the fight from within, his body now aching and the headache from earlier pulsating through his head.
Was Sakura really that anger with him for protecting her? Fighting and making sure nothing else would happen? Sasuke shook his head before exhaling heavily. He didn't have time for this. She'd eventually be captured, and he'd no longer have to worry about her getting in the way. "Whatever."
He began to walk in the opposite direction of Sakura, searching for the mountains that his squad had been nearing earlier in their travels. Once his mind began to calm down from his heated argument, his hands found the tank top that remained around his waist, and as he pulled it back over his shoulders and torso, he finally noticed the blood that coated his skin.
He thought nothing of it; it was just another day for him. As slow as he walked, he soon noticed that the smell of smoke no longer filled the air, nor was he out in the open field that he had been earlier. The sky was awake, the air filled with singing birds and a blistering sun. There were hundreds of thousands of trees surrounding him now, too.
It felt awkward, being here and returning back to the group without Sakura. But she had chosen to leave him. Sasuke soon found his knees pressing into damp soil as his hands pressed into the small puddle before him. It was clear and he could see the shallow hole from beneath the water's surface; his reflection looked anything but happy. As he splashed the cool water over his face, he began to scrub at the dirt, sweat, soot and blood that stained his perfect, creamy skin.
Sasuke began to feel sick to his stomach the more he scrubbed at his hands, watching the blood deteriorate from underneath his calloused hands and run from his skin to the dirt below. He was an absolute mess and as he pushed up from his spot, he began walking towards the mountains once more.
How stupid had he been for thinking Sakura could help him on his mission? Never again would he let his emotions overtake his thoughts, nor would he let his heart come first in any decision, ever again.
With a limp, he pushed on.
Pushed away from his emotions, pushed away from his anchors and ties, and pushed away from Sakura.
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