A/N: Soooo, yeah. I should be working on my other WIPs but this would not leave my brain. This is the original idea I had for Onryo but I've decided to scrap the chapter I already had for that and completely revamp it. I can't promise regular updates or word count BUT I'll never abandon my fics.
Anyways. I know there's not really much room for speculation with this chapter but as we get further along, I'd love to see what you think - xx
THEN
She wasn't sure how things went so wrong so quickly, only that they did and she hadn't planned for this outcome—not even as a worst-case scenario.
No one had.
"Now now," he whispered softly, sensually. As if she hadn't just tried to head-butt him. "No need to be hasty." Something cold against her neck—kunai. "You know how this goes, hmm? You want blondie to live, no sudden movements."
Lips traced the curve of her ear.
Naruto snarled into the dirt.
Three on him, two on Shikamaru and one behind her. Normally one man wouldn't be able to hinder her, even a little bit. But Naruto's life wasn't usually directly connected to her actions—there was also a surprisingly fatal development to this ambush.
They had no chakra.
No clones, no shadow possession, no super strength, no healing.
The man holding her had boasted earlier as his men subdued her companions, chakra would be useless—his bloodline limit rendered it null. Completely and utterly.
The strangers had overpowered them before taijutsu could even be an option.
One blue eye stared up at the space over her shoulder, pupil blown wide, the veins at his temple pronounced through tanned skin as he fought against his captors. A nameless man reached over and forced the blond's face further into the ground.
There was a puff of air against her hair. "I wanted to take him with us but now I think that would be more trouble than he's worth. What do you think, pet?" Arms tightened almost painfully around her, movement behind her—a nod? "Shall we just kill him here?"
No.
The man who had been pushing half of Naruto's face into the dirt took his hand away, once empty but now holding a kunai—
How could they survive this long, get this far, only to find their end with a group of men that no one knew existed who wanted Naruto dead for Kami only knows what reason?
It wasn't fair.
She could see Shikamaru attempting to break free while Naruto twisted, disrupting one body only for the other two to clamp onto him tighter. The man with the weapon in his hand struggled on top of Naruto's prone body but was still able to inch it closer to her teammate's neck as she stood there and did nothing.
She needed to think, needed a plan, needed something but they were running out of time and she had to do it faster than they could draw the kunai across Naruto's jugular and the breathing in her ear was getting faster and the river was so loud and she couldn't concentrate—
The river.
The leader had grabbed her near the cliffside. She wasn't far from the edge and while she wasn't sure of the rogue's range, she bet it wasn't longer than the drop.
She met Shikamaru's gaze then, the understanding there should have surprised her, but it didn't. There really was no other choice and they both knew it.
No kekkai genkai and Naruto would have his chakra back.
"Sakura!"
No kekkai genkai and these men wouldn't stand a chance.
"Sakura-ch—" Naruto's exclamation was muffled as his attacker finally pressed the sharp edge of the blade against his skin.
No kekkai genkai and Naruto would live.
It was a ridiculously easy decision to make.
Green locked with blue—wide, wild, and full of broken promises. Unspoken apologies spilled over, down her cheeks, begging for a forgiveness she'd never hear.
"I love you."