b o r r o w e d
h e a v e n
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You borrowed heaven from her.
But you never realized that she was dying in your hell.
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chapter 1
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"Otokage-sama" Juugo called out respectfully towards their leader, walking towards him in the process.
As he paced upwards through the brambles he couldn't help but notice, yet again, how the cliffs of Oto always stood majestically. the landscape of the country had always been rocky and uneven- but it's cliffs were picturesque. No one would even dare to think that the scenery they were appraising would have once been the pinnacle of a civil war.
It's picture perfect charm was even further amplified by the raven haired man the stood at it's highest point, his hands hanging lifelessly at his sides. Rebellious strands of unkempt hair shading his chiseled jawline and contrastingly soft facial features. The simple all black training clothing he wore briefly blown backwards by the wind that rushed upwards. He stood alone and unmoving, as if he were to be a character of an masterpiece of a famous artist waiting to be finished.
"Sasuke-sama." He tried again, on more informal terms when he didn't get a reply. It always worried the orange haired ninja, when all the kage did was merely face the horizon- look over their humble village and ignore everybody.
He was powerful both as a shinobi and as a politician because of his upbringing and personality. A born leader.
Sound had been on its way down after Orochimaru's death, though many were prisoners or ninjas- there were also civilians and farmers. Most did not follow Orochimaru on their own accord. So when news spread that Sasuke would be returning to Oto after killing Konoha's elders to seek shelter, he became their leader unknowingly.
The man reached out a hand to his leader to capture his attention, but was promptly stopped by the zooming of a kunai towards his head.
"Juugo." Sasuke acknowledged as he turned around, collecting his weapon.
"I didn't realize it was you. What did you need me for?"
He couldn't help but sigh, he knew that as sincere as the supposed apology was, it was cold despite all the years the team had spent together. As if to hide that he really cared about them. But it had definitely improved. That was undeniable.
The newest kage was a great liar, Juugo observed, when you couldn't see his eyes. Which is why it didn't surprise him when he turned away once again when he passed the communiqué he was given.
"The Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure agrees that there should be a meeting between you two concerning your new position and the formations of alliances- preferably as soon as possible. We just need to reply."
"Splendid." He grunted, the sarcasm unmistakably there even with his monotoned timbre.
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The doors of the Hokage's office were rudely planted onto the floor from the force of the incoming ninja. He had knocked over the guards standing by the hinged wooden entrance intolerantly in impatience.
"Tsunade obaa-chan! Why didn't you tell me he would be coming back? Everybody else knew!"
"Naruto!" The Hokage rubbed her temples hoping to cure her headache.
"This is exactly why I didn't tell you. You would come barging into my office demanding to be the first to see him." Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly and she almost felt guilty for ruining his hopes.
"And he isn't coming back," The jinchuuriki looked at her. Confused.
"He's here for diplomatic reasons. Naruto, he's the new Otokage." The expression on his face was so torn between excitement and betrayal, she didn't know what to expect from him. But luckily, it seemed to merge back into a big grin after a bit of thought.
"Well, since Gaara is the Kazekage and Sasuke became Otokage, when are you going to finally retire and give me your position baa-chan?"
"Naruto!" he jumped, not expecting her to be so serious.
"This is important! Especially with Sakura's case…" This time, even Shizune, who happened to be in the room visibly flinched.
While she was used to Tsunade and Naruto's normal bickering, it had become taboo to mention Sakura. It was always taboo to mention Sakura. When they were younger it would be because she was their epitome of everything they held dear, everything they wanted to protect and they were scared that they would taint.
Now it was because their failures were… Shizune shook her head to clear her thoughts, scaring Tonton out of her arms.
"How do you think we're going to explain it to him?"
Silence met him as the Hokage appeared to be in deep thought.
"...The same method you used on me?" Naruto offered timidly. The Hokage raised an eyebrow at both his suggestion and manner of speech and decided that "hanging out"- as he like to call it- with the Hyuuga heiress must have rubbed off him even just a little in times of need.
"You fainted for four days, flattened half our forests and threatened to murder everybody as soon as you woke up." She reminded him.
"Teme will just have to do that."
She knew that he understood the new Otokage was most likely to do more than that when he heard of the news. Tsunade inwardly knew, concerning the circumstances of the current situation, Sasuke would probably be the most affected.
But it didn't stop her from hoping that would be all he did.
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"Thankyou."
The agreement was formed with a firm shake of their hands.
"It is a pleasure to be able to form an alliance with Oto despite our rocky history, Sasuke."
"Likewise, Tsunade-san."
Uchiha Sasuke, Tsunade mused- would always be a mystery to her. As formal as the meeting had been, he seemed to somehow, still regard her with respect. Not as a fellow leader- but as his past kage.
Why would he be interested in Konoha after so long? Was it for a bit of closure? But over what? The lands of the former Uchiha clan he demolished himself? The peace of mind by knowing he had managed to fulfill his brother's last request of forgiving Konoha?
'It wasn't his last unfortunately…'
"Is Team Kakashi currently in the village?" he asked politely hinting at Kakashi- who sat between them at his post. He was assigned as her bodyguard and witness (since he was someone that Sasuke trusted) for the meeting between them.
Kakashi had visibly looked shocked at his question, over what she wasn't sure; there were too many variables. But she noticed that Sasuke also seemed a little tense in referring to the team as 'Team Kakashi' instead of the 'Team 7' he was probably more familiar with.
It occurred to Tsunade then, that fate had not stopped its game with the young man who stood in front of her. While he had a place to call home, people he could trust and revenge for all the lies he lived upon. He came back for something he had lost on the way. Something that she knew he would stir trouble for them... all of them... by trying to find.
Love.
Funny thing was, years of medical experience made her sensitive to the feelings of other from their actions and expressions, and Tsunade could see that he probably didn't know himself that love may be what he came back for.
Sasuke looked lost if anything. And she hoped he would stay that way. To protect himself, and them. Ignorance was bliss after all. From the look on Kakashi's face she knew that it was probably what he thought too.
"I'll arrange a meeting with them for you if you desire to see them?"
She inwardly sighed.
It was inescapable. It was only a matter of time and place.
They were all just puppeteers dangling on the threads of fate. It was cruel to all of them.
But him in particular.
He had to find out sooner or later.
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The room was silent. The tension so suffocating the walls seem to cave in. It's blank white paint seemed to show exactly what was on their minds.
Sasuke looked at the others in the room. The two replacements- who were they again? Sai and Yamato, they were both present. Kakashi and Naruto sat beside them. Sakura was missing.
"How have you been Sasuke?" Kakashi asked. Politely.
"I've been better, you just saw me."
"Ha ha ha… Right..." His laugh was hollow. It surprised him that he didn't have his porn out by now. And Naruto was uncharacteristically silent. Something was definitely wrong. He needed a sensible one in this room to explain- where was Sakura?
"Where is she?"
They knew who each other meant straight away. She was the girl- woman- only one who played a large enough role in both their lives.
"Sakura isn't with us."
"Focusing on her medical studies is she? Did she quit her ninja duties?" His voice a little cocky. But it made sense. He no longer heard news about Sakura is their community. Naruto's conquests would spread far and wide- but it had been years since he heard anything from Sakura.
He decided that it was only fitting... after all, Sakura was never supposed to be a kunoichi. As a matter of fact, she was everything he deemed unfitting for it's title. She was too emotional, kind and fragile. The life of a ninja was something he never thought she could continue past her teenage years.
"No, Sasuke- Sakura isn't with us!" The reply came out as a low angry growl.
Naruto's answer was still vague and detached. Why was the jinchuuriki so damn so defensive? Did Sakura want to hide from him? Did she ask Naruto of all people to help persuade him that she was not with them? She knew as much as he did how bad of a liar he was. Naruto could never perfectly conceal his emotions. It was ironic to think that after so many years and all they've been through she decided avoid him the day he came back for a visit.
But no- since he was such a bad liar she probably had to actually go off somewhere for Naruto to even be able to say something convincingly.
"When will she return?" He sighed. Maybe she went off to Suna again? He knew that she was close with the Kazekage and his siblings.
"She isn't returning." Kakashi spoke this time. His voice barely louder than whisper. He never sounded so ghastly before, he almost seemed… haunted. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. This tone... it was the same tone he'd so seldom used... the one he used when he spoke of them.
Nothing made sense to Sasuke.
A second.
A minute,
what felt like an hour passed.
The prodigy's expression was still calm, too calm. Both the older members of the original Team 7 knew that Sasuke knew what they meant from his expression. They didn't press any further.
The denial was starting to show.
"Haruno Sakura was secretly declared MIA five years ago." Sai spoke at last.
M. I. A.
M.
I.
A.
Missing in action.
Sakura was missing in action.
Missing in fucking action!
Sakura was
missing
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/ f l a s h b a c k /
Sakura had been bedridden with a flu and the male members of Team 7 all had to continue their duties for the village even though they'd much rather stay behind and look after her. So they all decided to visit her again before they left. Unfortunately for Sasuke and Naruto- who had started to bicker again- they were given a mouthful from her.
Not that they really paid attention. But they weren't about to let the headstrong (not to mention, overly violent when provoked) female member of their genin team find out.
"Stay safe you two! I know you don't like to be together, but please try to look out for each other okay? For me?"
"Stop nagging Sakura-chan!"
"Hn." He agreed.
"You don't understand! Kakashi's female teammate- Rin, she was declared MIA you know, they gave up on trying to find her, which is why her name is on the memorial rock. 92 percent of all those declared MIA from Konoha have been found dead later on. But they never found her… It's such a sad way of leaving- to leave behind others who feel like they never fully left. To keep them on hoping. Dreaming." She stopped for a moment as if to ponder how to word her thoughts.
Sasuke inwardly wondered why she didn't think of becoming a poet or even one of those cheesy romance books writers (that his mother used to idolise so much) instead of choosing the life of a ninja.
"I never want to be subjected to any of it- so promise me you'll all be safe okay?"
She had sound so sad they were sure they'd feel bad if they didn't promise her.
They looked at each other as if reading each others thoughts. It wasn't like they could really endanger themselves from pulling weeds or catching a few stray cats, so what harm would they do by promising her something a simple as looking out for themselves?
It wasn't as if they had anything to lose.
"Ah."
"I promise Sakura-chan! Now stop nagging! We're strong- we can protect ourselves!"
'and you.' was a silent addition to their oaths.
/ e n d . f l a s h b a c k /
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But she was missing right now. She was missing.
Sakura was fucking missing.
There was a high probability that she might have died.
But she might not be dead.
How hard can finding pink hair be?
He finally understood what she meant by not fully cutting all the ties cleanly when one is declared MIA.
He never realised how much she meant until she was gone- just like his clan. Just like Itachi. But they never made him feel like this.
Like guilt was eating him from the inside.
Like his chest was about the be ripped apart from his torso.
But his feelings were not a concern to him- she was.
But she-
was missing.
He never thought that the girl he had thought of as a burden, as annoying, his whole life meant so much to him unknowingly.
Never knew that the mere thought of never being able to see her again would tear him apart so much.
So quickly.
So easily.
Selfish bitch. She promised to always stay safe- to not leave them behind. But she never actually promised them- it was them that promised her... Even so, Sakura wasn't allowed to leave them. He was supposed to be the first to leave- not her. He couldn't let another one leave him just like that.
He glanced at the others- all guilty. It wasn't Sakura who didn't keep her word, it was them who failed their duty. Kakashi, Naruto, Yamato, Sai- him. It was them who failed their own personal mission. It had been their purpose- they could protect her when everything else they held dear was gone.
They would have a purpose.
They could belong.
But now she wasn't there.
They couldn't protect her.
Why didn't he see it back then?
They were too weak. They were what they always labeled the rosette. The irony would have made him laugh if the situation wasn't as such. But he calmed himself as he turned to glare at the other ninja harshly.
"Five years ago?" Then they would have been 19, the third ninja war would have passed already.
"And you didn't have the tendency of telling me?" His voice so hoarse and quiet it sounded as if he hadn't spoken is years. He stood before his fist shot out to grab the blond sitting in front of him.
He knew that Sakura's case of spiriting away wasn't the only thing they were hiding from him. But it didn't matter at that moment. Nothing did.
Sasuke held unto Naruto's black t-shirt, gripping so tightly his knuckles turned white as he lifted him off the ground.
And he saw red.
His eyes were red.
"Why didn't you protect her?" He said harshly. It wasn't a question. It was a statement. A harsh condemnation.
He hated this feeling.
The feeling of being useless.
Powerless.
Weak.
He knew they must loathe it too. So why didn't they protect her in his place?
He didn't receive any response from any of them. It only angered him more. In the years he had often wondered how many close calls had come and gone regarding the rosette. How many times she may have cried alone, or with the dobe, how many times without him. How many times she may have bled- what scars she may have?
Did she stop loving him?
It was frustrating. The thought that he never realized how much he had cared for her until she was missing.
"Why didn't you fucking protect her?" He repeated. The growl beneath his voice uncloaking itself unabashedly this time.
None of those around him moved to defend Naruto. Instead, he found a mirror image of his younger self staring at him as he was knocked over, with a kunai in hand- aim straight at him. He was caught off guard even as the Otokage because of the child's appearance. It was so so melancholic.
So unbelievable.
The malice in his voice. Raven hair. Jet black eyes that he thought would flash red at any moment. Flawless skin like untouched snow.
He looked exactly like him.
"You!" He seethed.
"What do you want with Naru jii-chan?"
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Because borrowed things will always have to be returned.
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A/N:
This story is rated for language and violence- please don't expect any lemons or anything (check out 'd o l l'- my other story- if you want that though).
Tell me if you like it so far. As with all my other stories that are new, I don't start writing them until I receive at least 15 reviews on the first chapter (just so I can set my priorities on what stories to update first, I'm 15, I have a life outside my room...).
They all have roughly planned plot lines- just aren't typed into stories yet- so yea~ feel free to let your imaginations run wild for now.
And of course- standard disclaimers apply as always~
-Yaz