Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Disney italics.

Pestilence

i. I can see there's so much to learn.
It's all so close, and yet so far.
I see myself as people see me.
Oh, I just know there's something
bigger out there.

. failure to launch—

The tips of his feet hung over the edge.

His obsidian orbs stared blankly down at the waves crashing against the bridge underneath him. Raven locks tumbled messily covering his pale, worn face. Only a visible quirk at the corner of his lips was visible.

(Pitter, Patter.)

His face slowly tugged up to look at the sky, while a peeved expression churned on his face. When his eyes had cast their vision upwards, a droplet of water hit him on the bridge of his nose, directly in between his dull orbs. The boy shut his eyes swiftly in order to clear the newly opaque vision caused by the water.

With his eyes shut tightly, the rain's water slipping out from underneath his eyelids, the small tune of the rain lulled his ever growing nerves.

(Pitter, Patter. Pitter,—)

His feet edged further off, ready for his flight.

(—Patter.)

"Excuse me." The faintest whisper echoed from behind him.

ii. Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone,
gazing at the people down below me.
All my life, I watch them as I hide up here alone.
Hungry for the histories they show me.
All my life I memorize their faces,
knowing them as they will never know me.
All my life I wonder how it feels to pass a day,
not above them,
but part of them.

. edge of the world—

"But, you're in my way..." The voice finished off, quivering and trailing off into an unknown territory.

The boy's head tilted the slightest degree over his left shoulder, giving her an apathetic look. A frown slowly plastered onto his thin lips, while his peeved expression remained.

He then gave her a soft grunt,

(Pitter, Patter.)

"Whatever."

The moon's illumination shone down upon the two, distinguishing each other's features.

"I-I'm...Sakura." She spoke nervously with hesitation. Quickly, her hand outstretched and ran through her hair. In the midst of putting her side bangs behind her ear, she suddenly bit her lip.

"I'm sorry." She then mustered, after a long silence, between her slightly ajar lips.

He muttered something, and to her disappointment, it was inaudible.

His unreadable, onyx eyes dimly glowed, while his rebellious, raven locks grazed over his face and tossed in an unsystematic way—defying gravity and thrown in all directions—on his crown. There were large bags under his eyes; the severity of it resembled that of insomnia. His skin tone was an unnatural, sickly pallor. For a male, his body was a little too slender, giving the apparent perception he didn't eat much—or the possibility of drug usage.

She assumed both.

A wan smile slowly arose and she sighed, "I truly am."

His well-defined jaw line constricted the slightest and a placid expression seemed to have formed on his face.

"Sasuke."

He wanted to glare, but due to malnutrition and lack of sleep, he was impotent of accomplishing much more than the ability to eye her suspiciously.

Sakura, continuing to study his body, watched as it swung desperately side to side. She was almost dazed in apprehension that he was sure to fall. A radiant grin emanated from her lips, which received a confused look.

Giggling innocently, she gave an unconscious remark.

"You're cute."

Sasuke blinked.

"What?"

Instead of replying, she merely extended her arm to him.

When he didn't respond by grabbing it, she shook her hand several times, emphasizing her obdurateness. A small pout was forming on her plump, blood-red lips when he still wasn't accepting her hand.

The boy was confused and irked.

She wanted up?

Finally, after much debate, he reluctantly extended his slender arm. In the ephemeral contact with her, her hand spontaneously meshed with his, forming into an awkward fit.

Sasuke regretted his decision in an instance.

When his grip had finally found a decent fit in her hand, and when she had successfully entwined her fingers with his, she immediately yanked down.

Taken by surprise, the boy tumbled gracelessly upon her petite frame.

"It's a sign." She gave a sheepish grin once again. The girl then began squirming fruitlessly under his body. Even though the boy was slender, her body was far from able to hold his weight.

Sasuke hated to admit it, but in his current state he lacked the ability to pick his body back up. His ebony hair lay on the tangent of her torso while his face buried sideways above her left shoulder.

A twitch at the corner of his lips followed her remark and a scowl of his confusion replaced it, "What?"

Sakura's right hand finally managed to escape from under his body, managing to poke him directly on the forehead. "You and me, silly."

As though she had just transferred her strength to him; the boy finally managed to gather enough energy to place his elbows on either side of her, and clumsily lift some of his weight up. Supporting his weight by that, his face was now directly atop of hers. When he eventually managed to capture her indescribably beautiful, emerald eyes he looked at her as though she were an idiot.

"You're kidding me?" Sasuke asked, his tone was almost hopeful.

Sakura rolled her eyes distastefully at his reply, "We were meant to meet."

Sasuke pursed his lips and didn't bother replying. The girl underneath his unstable body was obviously delirious, and to make matters worse, she was decent looking.

At such a close range, Sasuke took the opportunity to let his jet black stare roam across her features.

She had small bags underneath her innocent, apple-green eyes. She had several faint bruises that were scattered about her face and neck, as well as a small cut underlying her temple; however, they were still conspicuous courtesy of her alabaster skin. The girl had pale, strawberry colored hair that framed her face as it splayed across the concrete before him.

A small nose centered her face and a casual blush played on her cheeks. Thick, vermilion lips and an unnaturally large forehead—yet, when her hair was down, the pink-tinged bangs covered most of it.

Sasuke Uchiha never said anything without thinking, he was always one to calculate the before and afters. But, something about her made him feel uneasy about the situation.

That he didn't have complete control.

"Will you go?"

It came out just like that.

Nothing more, nothing less.

She clamped her lips shut and surrendered an apologetic expression.

"I didn't know that my company was that bad..." She grimaced, as she tried to ignore the sting at the corner of her eyes.

"No." Sasuke quickly corrected himself, guilt staining his face, "Do you want to go get some coffee or..." His voice merely lingered off to set up multiple choices for her to choose from.

It wasn't exactly like he was desperate.

He just didn't want—

"...with me?"

—to be alone anymore.

Her mouth opened to reply, while her green eyes gleamed with pure bliss.

"Sure!"

He gave her the faintest smile.

iii. Tale as old as time,
true as it can be.
Barely even friends,
then somebody bends.
Unexpectedly,
just a little change,
small to say the least,
both a little scared,
neither one prepared.
Beauty and the Beast.

. nobodies, somebodies—

The waitress bussed the table in front of them, taking her time. Her blond hair cascaded down to the small of her back, her body leaning towards the plump side. She slowly moved the rag to and fro—possibly in hopes that her shift would end by the time she finished, or in blatant hopes of not having to take another order from someone.

Her hopes were banished the moment a couple had entered the small diner.

A wearisome sigh escaped her lips, while her right hand dove into her apron's pouch. When her hand came out, it had retrieved the small notepad and a single blue pen.

The couple sat down at a table in the far corner. Shaking her head, the waitress began her approach to the small booth.

Her piercing, sapphire eyes examined both the boy and the girl.

Fixated upon them.

The boy was devilishly handsome to her surprise. He was lean and lithe, a dour expression plastered on his face, and a mysterious aura that manifested from him. However, the same boy held the faintest of scars upon his wrist.

Catatonic, obsidian orbs and a furrowed brow.

The girl was just a little above average. She was too petite to be healthy and a shudder would come every few seconds, presenting her body as being weak. She had shoulder-length, Short hair, with an exotic semblance of pink, and a surprisingly beautiful shade of emerald eyes.

The waitress admitted that her hair was quite unique and distinguished; but, she wasn't the only one with those colored eyes and that type of figure.

"Hello." She gave a small wave to the couple. "My name is Ino!"

The girl gave a half-smile and gazed into Ino's blue eyes. "Hello."

Ino nodded to the girl, then turned to Sasuke exasperated, "U-Uchiha?"

She almost smacked herself for not noticing it was him earlier. What was he doing in a place like this?

His eyes never left their stare from Sakura, but he gave the slightest nod of recognition to the waitress.

"U-Um. What would you like?" She asked, her mood lightening at the idea of being this close to him.

"Coffee."

"Anything else?"

"No." Sasuke breathed, hoping that Ino's vociferous stare would secede.

He hated people always looking at him like that. It was the type of look, like he was some grandeur prize on auction. The bidders marveling at the sight, while they determine their bid; always looking at him like he was an item up for auction, not a human.

It will then pass his mind for the slightest moment, maybe, he really was an object,—

"Sasuke...?"

—not a human.

"Are you OK?" Sakura asked, concern present in her soft voice.

Quickly, the boy's attention was brought back to reality, still unready to face the facts.

"Aa."

He was an object, who wanted to be human.

An apple-red blush was growing on Ino's face, her eyes never seized their intense leer. A strange, awkward smile plastered onto her small lips and she fluttered her lashes several times. She then forgot about the boy's date and spun on her right heel.

When she was about to leave to bring back the coffee, she felt a hand grasp her wrist.

"Yes?" She hummed politely, her cheeky smile brightened ten-fold.

"You forgot my date." Sasuke muttered, slanting his head towards the quiet girl.

The moment Sasuke spoke his words, letting them sink into Ino's brain, his contact let. He dropped her wrist with such speed, it had caused Sakura's eyes to widen. You would have thought he had just touched a piece of burning metal.

Sakura blinked a few times, oblivious to Sasuke's kind gesture.

"Oh." Sakura shook her head, "Thank you."

She then repaid him with a radiant smile. Sakura had never expected him to be so assertive, nor—depending on one's perspective—gentleman like.

"My apologies, Sasuke-kun." The waitress drawled, letting the suffix roll off her tongue. Sakura caught how she used the suffix and let her imagination wander, but soon enough she tossed it aside.

It was none of her business.

"Don't apologize to me." Sasuke quickly shot.

Ino, slightly annoyed by his curt reply, turned to Sakura. "Sorry." She deadpanned, although she had tried to feign her sincerity.

Sakura didn't respond with any expression, but simply stared at the waitress.

"So, whaddya want?"

Sakura shook her head, almost as a sign of apology. "Nothing."

A small "Hmph!" hummed in the waitress's throat, while she stalked off towards the kitchen.

Instead of bothering to keep her mind on the woman's behavior, she shifted her attention back to Sasuke. Her gaze fell upon his posture for a moment, realizing that he must be trying to process what she had just said. The boy had his chin resting upon his knuckles, lifted to the slightest degree, and his brows furrowed in apparent concentration.

"I hate coffee." Sakura grinned, scratching the back of her head, in an almost too child-like manner.

A long silence greeted her reply. So, instead of just sitting with nothing to do, she began playing with the hem of her damp skirt.

Sasuke's lashes left shadows on his cheeks when his eyes slowly closed. A sigh escaped his lips, as though he were trying to comprehend everything she was saying. It made no sense to have come with him if she hated coffee.

Who in their right mind, would come somewhere for no reason?

"Then why did you—?" His breath hitched when he felt the warmth of her hands, pressed against his cool face. Sakura swiped the dark bangs that were cascading down on his face to the side. With her actions, he was able to get a full-view of her.

Sakura's elbows were on the table and her right arm stretched out to him. She had to even have her buttocks in mid-air, just to be able to get close enough to reach him. Her roseate hair was tumbling across her face, but most of it was brushed back.

He just let his eyes fixate with hers.

Sasuke stared in slight awe, at their innocence.

Her skin—

(ivory and resembling that of a baby's)

—against his was so comforting, it brought him so close to life.

So close, to feeling human.

With her action, however, she did not speak a single word. Instead, she gave him another smile.

Sasuke didn't need her to speak to understand her touch. It was comforting.

That was it.

Comforting.

With his intense stare diving into her emerald eyes, he felt he could just understand her. Sasuke could read her, like a book, each speck of green could tell him of her days—from page one.

They were alike—

(in different ways, but nonetheless)

—and they were alone.

"You make it look so easy to be alive." Sasuke breathed, referring to how she was always smiling.

Just as he said that, a sheepish grin plastered onto her face once again, but her eyes didn't shimmer like they did before.

"Do I?"

Sasuke didn't reply.

That question got him thinking.

iv. I know I'm just an outcast,
I shouldn't speak to you.
Still, I see your face and wonder...
Were you once an outcast too?

. bashful benvolio—

It was the second time he had seen her.

She was standing in the corner of the grandeur room wearing a pure white, satin dress. The sun's illumination scattered throughout the large room—identical to that of the Tyndall effect—as it managed to dimly glide over her ivory skin.

Her eyelids were lowered, giving the apparent impression she was looking at the ground. Her lips formed a placid, well-defined line and her bangs tried their best to alienate her from the surroundings.

Makeup covered her face—her bruises.

He pursed his lips together and turned his head towards his father.

Fugaku Uchiha was the founder and president of the Uchiha Corporation. The Corporation had started out like any other, a simple, small side-project, with a low budget and salary; but, when Fugaku realized the prosperous possibilities of running it, he eventually managed to flip it into a mass enterprise, which evolved into an internationally well-known company. Something that would be inherited by the eldest son, the favorite son.

He was standing in a small circle of business men, grunting and nodding. The depressions in his brow showed the deep concentration and focus he had in the conversation. It left Sasuke assuming they were talking about business.

A small sigh escaped from the boy's parched lips, while he debated on what to do.

The upside to it, he wouldn't be alone.

The downside...—

Sasuke jolted the moment he felt long fingers perch upon his right shoulder. He swiftly brushed the hand away and sent a glare in the owner's direction; his heart racing from the shock of human contact.

He pushed aside the thumping against his chest to retrieve his normal, apathetic facade.

He stared blankly at a woman with beautiful raven hair and resembling onyx eyes. A soft smile was placed on her lips and she reached out again, this time to pat him on the head.

"Sasuke," she whispered, "are you feeling alright?"

Instead of replying, Sasuke merely turned his gaze in the direction to where Sakura had previously been.

A tall male with long, black locks tied back neatly into a pony tail was obscuring his view of her. The man held her hand in an almost vice-like grip and pressed his lips against the top.

A scowl formed on Sasuke's lips and his eyes slanted in an almost frightening glare.

But, that was the eldest son, the favorite son, his brother, Itachi.

With that in mind, he pushed aside the numerous arising emotions and took a seat on the couch to his right.

Sasuke left it at that.

v. Somewhere down this road,
I know someone's waiting.
Years of dreams just can't be wrong.
Arms will open wide,
I'll be safe and wanted.
Finally, home where I belong.

. food doctor—

She pursed her lips together and tried to hold back the upcoming scream of pain. The way they shoved that needle into her skin, the way they poked her stomach and pinched her fat, the way she felt each time they called her "fat."

Her emerald eyes shut in hopes that the stinging tears wouldn't fall; however, to her dismay in merely seconds could she taste the bitter saline tracing her lips and grazing her tongue.

She bit her lip.

If that was all she could do to keep herself from breaking, so be it.

Steps against the ugly, tile floor reverberated through the hospital room.

A dead silence then greeted her as she let her right eye peek open. In front of her was a blond haired man and a burgundy haired woman.

The woman's lips were pursed in a thick line, her nose scrunched in disapproval, and her eyebrows slanted down.

"Sakura."

The roseate headed girl nodded at recognition of her name and looked up, "Mother."

"I can't keep letting this happen."

"I know."

"I'll give you one more chance, honey." Sakura's mother said, her tiny feet making their way to the bed with surprisingly giant strides. "No more food."

"I won't."

"Not a single grain."

"I'm sorry, I won't." Sakura mustered between her trembling lips. "I'm sorry."

"Do you realize how bad it will look for mommy and daddy's business if you get even fatter?"

"I'm sorry mommy, I'm sorry mommy, I'm sorry—"

The stinging of a hand graced her cheek.

"—mommy."

The jade eyes of the mother stared with dignity and disappointment.

"You better not." The mother agreed, reluctantly placing a—supposed—comforting hand on her daughter's pink locks. "I want you down to 100 in exactly one week."

Sakura bit her lip and lapped the blood flooding her mouth.

"Yes mommy."

It was the third time she ever saw him.

"Don't let me down, Sakura." Her mother's voice was stern and serious, a threat lingering inside the tone.

He was standing at the door of her room, his hands shoved in his jean's pockets and his gaze cast downwards. Before Sakura could speak—

"Sa-Sasuke...—"

—he had already disappeared.

"—...kun?"

vi. There you see her,
sitting there across the way.
She don't got a lot to say,
but there's something about her.
And you don't know why,
but you're dying to try
You wanna kiss the girl

. strawberry blood cocktail—

He sighed, shoving his cold hands into his pants pockets. Then, knitting his brows, he let his narrowed, onyx eyes linger slowly through the numerous people dancing.

This wasn't his scene.

Another girl began tugging at his forearm—

He wasn't meant for these types of places.

—"Sasuke..." The enticing voice drawled.—

Actually, it had nothing to do with him not being meant for the place, it's just...

He didn't know.

—"...Are you alright?"

His already slit eyes averted their intense gaze from the dancing teenagers, slowly coming to a halt when they met a pair of emeralds.

If she didn't know any better, she would have said that his eyes lightened the slightest degree, that his facade almost faltered, and that his lips almost quirked into a slight smirk.

But, that was the problem.

She didn't.

Her hand remained on his black, jackets sleeve. In an almost pathetic way, she tugged his jacket, an indication to follow her. Reluctantly, he sulked and granted her wish.

Under the flashing strobe lights and colored streamers, he watched as she continued to lead him towards a group of dancers.

About to protest, the boy was hushed by a delicate forefinger against his thin lips.

"I care." She muttered softly under her breath.

Her words were so close to being inaudible that Sasuke had to lean down to capture them.

He had expected her to say something else. He wanted her to stop leaving him all of these cryptic messages and just be blatant about herself, about life, about him.

Much to his dismay, she didn't say anything else, but she began dancing in the center next to him.

And in that moment, for the slightest second, Sasuke almost felt grateful that she didn't say anything else.

Hesitantly wrapping an arm around her petite waist, almost unsure whether or not he was allowed, Sasuke leaned down and placed the chastest kiss on her lips.

(The taste of vodka and a strange, fruity flavor lingered in her mouth.)

vii. Why can't they understand the way we feel?
They just don't trust what they can't explain.
I know we're different but, deep inside us,
we're not that different at all.
Don't you cry.
When destiny calls you, you must be strong.
I may not be with you,
but you've got to hold on.
They'll see in time, I know,
we'll show them together.

. swing in light—

Knitting her brow in confusion, she stared blankly at the sheet of off-white paper that slowly trembled with her hands. Clamping her lips and scrunching her nose in evident disgust, she finally managed to let out the hitched breath she didn't even know she was holding.

She was evanescent, liable to one day just—

(break. die. fade.)

—vanish.

-x-

Sakura saw him walking down the large steps and gave him a half-smile. She was dressed in a pure-white summer dress and her hair was in a messy bun, some bangs hung down to decorate her face.

"You wanted to talk?" Sasuke asked, moreover stated in a matter-of-fact tone. He shoved his hands broodingly into his pockets.

The bags under his eyes were the same, but he looked like he had gained more weight since she last saw him. She tried her best to produce a truthful and delighted smile at his achievements; however, the best she managed was a small tug at the corner of her lips.

"Kinda." She nodded. Her feet rocked back and forth on the ground and she let her eyes wander down to the beige tile. Sasuke's expression never changed, so placid and calm.

His exterior so collected.

His interior always in upheaval.

Sasuke looked at his watch. "Well...?"

"I'm sorry." Sakura breathed. She tilted her head back up now looking straight into his mysterious, pitch-black orbs.

"..."

"I'm being sent to a rehabilitation clinic."

Green eyes caught how Sasuke's jaw line tensed and his lips quirked down. "What?"

"I'm sorry." Sakura muttered, trembling. Her pale face was scrunched in aggravation at herself and her vision eventually lulled to a close. Taking a step forward, her body fell forward. Without the slightest hint of effort, Sasuke easily caught her.

Her weightless body was propped onto his, while Sasuke himself was trying hard not to fall.

Sakura...

(no. no. no. no. no.)

...gone?

Her face buried deeper into the nape of his neck as she muffled her cries. Tears slowly streamed down her pale cheeks, adding make-up stains to his shirt.

"Don't go." Sasuke deadpanned.

"I-I...have to." Sakura stuttered as she tried to muffle her cries by biting her bottom lip. "M-My parents said it will look worse for them if I don't go."

No reply.

"I'm s-sorry, Sasuke-kun." Sakura whispered into his shirt. "I-I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing." Sasuke scoffed, "It makes you sound pathetic."

She tried to smile for him, but couldn't bring herself to. "It will be 4 months."

Sasuke tightened his grip on her body. When his thoughts lingered to the idea he might be hurting her, he still couldn't bring himself to loosen his hold. Sakura's body was so frail, so breakable, but he needed to hold onto her.

He couldn't lose her.

He couldn't lose...

"Don't leave me." It was the first time she had ever heard him speak in that tone; one which held such desperation, such hope, such emotion.

...his life.

"I won't. I won't. I won't." Sakura grasped his shirt. "I'll come back. I'll come back. They're gonna fix me."

He needed to speak—to protest, to say anything—but she beat him to it.

"They're gonna fix me, Sasuke-kun."

He could only frown.

"They're gonna fix me..."

"Why?" He finally managed to growl.

"...so I won't be broken anymore."

"You aren't—"

"Then, I can be perfect for you."

"I will be perfect..." Her porcelain hands cupped his chin, her eyes gleaming a bright sheen into his, and—

"You're fine the way you are."

—Sakura smiled the first true smile he had seen in ages. "...for you."

viii. I'm like a shooting star.
I've come so far,
I can't go back to where I used to be.

. wingless angels fall—

It was on a Saturday.

They had finally met once more.

"Sasuke..." She faltered, trying to make it back to him.

To him, she looked perfect—just like before—but, he could see how things were off.

He could have sworn, the last time he checked, rehabilitation clinics were supposed to heal you—

She tripped over herself on her way to him and just like usual, he caught her. Sasuke realized when he caught her, the little weight she once had, somehow managed to fade even more. Her eyes had dulled and her smiles had left.

"Sakura." Sasuke tried to give a slight smile, but the only thing that appeared was a small, thin line. The slightest tremor running through his body, he was confused on what was happening. "You came back." He muttered into her pale, pink hair, "I'm...glad."

"Sasuke..."

He could feel her hot tears penetrating his shirt once again.

"I'm sorry." She couldn't even bring her eyes to his. "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"I can't be perfect for you."

That's when he noticed the forlorn scars on her wrists and the small holes in her forearm.

—not break you.

ix. Up where they walk,
up where they run,
up where they stay all day in the sun.
Wanderin' free,
wish I could be,
part of that world.

. rebirth—

"I'm not perfect for you. So, don't be perfect for me."

Sakura pressed her small, shaking hands against his. "You're more than perfect for me." She followed by gripping his wrist, and pressing her lips against the corner of his.

Sasuke felt his heart squeeze, as he watched her fall limp against his arms.

"More than perfect." Sakura muttered under her breath, before she was completely consumed by the shadow.

Sasuke hesitantly pressed his cool lips against hers.

"You're too perfect."

x. We met, it seems, such a short time ago.
You looked at me—needing me so;
yet, from your sadness, our happiness grew.
And I found out, I needed you too.
I remember how we used to play,
I recall those rainy days, the fire's glow that kept us warm.
And now I find—we're both alone.
Goodbye may seem forever, farewell is like the end;
but, in my heart is a memory, and there you'll always be.

. final flight—

The tips of his feet hung over the edge.

His obsidian orbs stared blankly down at the waves crashing against the bridge underneath him. Raven locks tumbled messily covering his pale, worn face. Only a visible quirk at the corner of his lips was visible.

(Pitter, Patter.)

His face slowly tugged up to look at the sky, while a peeved expression churned on his face. When his eyes had cast their vision upwards, a droplet of water hit him on the bridge of his nose, directly in between his dull orbs. The boy shut his eyes swiftly in order to clear the newly opaque vision caused by the water.

With his eyes shut tightly, the rain's water slipping out from underneath his eyelids, the small tune of the rain lulled his ever growing nerves.

(Pitter, Patter. Pitter,—)

His feet edged further off, ready for his flight.

(—Patter.)

Short shallow breaths, trembling hands, a racing heart.

(Pitter, Patter! Pitter, Patter!)

"Excuse me..."

xi. Love is a river,
I wanna keep flowing.
In the end I wanna be standin',
at the beginning with you.

"...but, will you hurry up? This line isn't getting any shorter."

Sasuke tilted his head over his shoulder, staring blankly at the long, queue behind him.

"Aa." He grunted, taking his last step.

(Pitter. Patter. Pitter—)

The tiniest, nostalgic smile appeared on the boy's stoic face.

xii. If I never knew you,
if I never knew this love,
I would have no inkling of
how precious life can be.
There's no moment I regret;
since, the moment that we met.
If our time has gone too fast,
I've lived at last...

. awaken—

"I can't be perfect for you either."

(—SPLASH!)

. owari—

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