The Lady of Konoha

By Leanne Ash

Chapter 4

Slight AU note: Sasuke in this story has both arms. And the Rinnegan turns on and off like the Sharingan. Also he still has his spiky black "duck-butt" hair cause it's my fav XD

Never had the haze of sleep been banished from her mind so quickly.

Sakura felt frozen in time. Paralysed with wonderment. Locked in a blissful, gleeful, almost manic amount of joy that had her biting her lip to stop the giddy smile pulling across her face.

Her left hand was clutched in Sasuke's almost iron grip as he slept soundly beside her.

Please don't wake up, please don't wake up... she pleaded silently. Please don't wake up and realize you've made a terrible, uncharacteristic mistake and rip your hand away like it had fallen in acid.

Which is exactly what Sakura thought he had done. That his selfless gesture of lending his chakra to aid in her recovery really was the only reason his hand needed to be over hers. Their entwined fingers was simply an oversight. Just an oversight.

Her mind raced to trample the small bud of hope heating her face. Or, her reasoning persisted, Sasuke needed to sleep. He couldn't have his hand slipping from hers or the chakra connection would break. The grip was a necessity. It had to be.

But she could enjoy it for now, couldn't she?

Sakura couldn't help scanning the sleeping Uchiha's face. How relaxed he appeared without the constant brutality of the world burdening his features. How ridiculously handsome he was when completely at ease.

She couldn't help but marvel, turning more on her side to absorb as much as she could, careful to leave her hand stock-still within Sasuke's locked fingers. This was her moment to memorize the details of his face while it held a rare semblance of peace.

"What?" his smooth voice asked.

The slight movement when she shifted had been enough to wake him... because of course it did. Though Sasuke's eyes remained closed, his voice held no trace of fatigue. He was a man constantly ready for anything.

"I-I was..." she stuttered pitifully. "I was just-"

"You're staring," he noted. If he was irritated by this he didn't make it known.

Sakura flushed with embarrassment, but quickly noticed with amazement that his hand remained firmly in place. This oddly helped her feel more at ease, like her creepy staring was not enough to make him reel in disgust.

"It's an old habit..." she said quietly. The continued warmth of Sasuke's hand encouraged her vulnerable side, pulled her to share what she really thought, no matter how stupid it might make her sound.

Sasuke's eyes finally opened to shoot her a questioning look.

"You're beautiful," Sakura explained with a lopsided grin.

The knitting of Sasuke's brows was instantaneous. What in the hell was she talking about? Did she not see the irony of her statement? Of how in the very second he opened his eyes he was blinded by her goddamn radiance? He scoffed with a sharp exhale and the serene look on his teammate's face wavered.

"You're annoying."

Sakura's rose tinted brows furrowed, his comment pulling her back to a state of levelheadedness. "I'm sorry," she almost whispered, "I didn't mean that as an insult or anything."

She shifted away, turning her body to face the ceiling. Their hands remained together as if the weight of the interaction wasn't stifling the air.

Even though Sakura's compliment wasn't entirely welcome, Sasuke had more so revelled in the smile the confession had brought to his teammate's face. Confusing as it was, it had pleased him. To know something about him could still make her happy. And he had simply wiped it clean with a careless remark.

"I didn't-" he began slowly, but Sakura carefully removed her hand from his grip.

"I'm already feeling a lot better!" she exclaimed brightly, desperate to change the subject. "Your chakra was a great boost, Sasuke-kun!" Massaging her knuckles, Sakura clenched her hand to her chest and sat up from the bed. As if the intertwining of their hands had meant nothing. As if it were enough to convince Sasuke she read nothing into his gesture.

The Uchiha faltered, unable to finish what he had begun to say.

"Haruno-san?"

Sakura looked up in surprise at the young man walking casually in her direction. She heard the abrupt silence of grinding steel as Sasuke stopped sharpening his sword.

They had been sitting together on the steps of their courtyard patio, enjoying the silence as Sasuke maintained his weapons and Sakura picked absently at a bread roll. The sight of gently falling snow, even with the town of Oni tainting its purity, was at least something to behold around their isolated cabin.

Not isolated enough it was would seem.

"Did..." Sakura asked with a tilt of her head, "did you just call me 'Haruno-san'?"

The young man slowed his pace. "Is Haruno not your name?" He seem to flush with embarrassment, an innocent characteristic Sakura had yet to see in any of the town's residents.

He looked to be in the same age range as Sakura and Sasuke, possibly younger. Brown messy hair framed his youthfully handsome face as a hand ran through it nervously. If he was a shinobi, Sakura had yet to detect it, though his build did suggest someone unaccustomed to manual labour.

"It is," the pink-haired girl amended, "I mean you're addressing me with... respect, I guess. I'm not exactly used to it."

"I see..." A guilty grin reached the young man's face. "Forgive me, Haruno-san, my name is Miyazaki. Kyo Miyazaki. It's an honor, I mean, what you've done for our Prince and all. It's amazing. And, Uchiha-san...!"

Sasuke, who was watching the situation carefully from a few feet away, raised an eyebrow but made no move to verbally acknowledge the sputtering idiot.

"The stories about you, Uchiha-san... you're a legend! I know the people in this village don't seem to get out much, but stories about you aren't far from anyone's ears!"

Said legend only continued to scrutinize the other male with his silence.

Sakura nodded slowly, emerald eyes flickering uncomfortably from her bodyguard to their mysterious visitor. "That's... great, Kyo. Is there something we can do for you?"

"Oh, right...!" The question seemed to ground the Oni boy back to reality as he resumed walking to where Sakura sat, rummaging through his messenger bag as he did so.

Sasuke instantly glared, not approving of this stranger's fast approach. Sheathing his sword with the distinct hiss of metal, he stood and met Kyo a few steps before he could reach his teammate.

The boy seemed stunned at first by the wall before him, but quickly placed the acquired scroll into Sasuke's waiting hand.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so forward," the boy admitted meekly, afraid to break eye contact with the other man. "I understand with how this village behaves.. why you have to protect her so much. It's not exactly the safest place for her."

"Tsh..." was all the Uchiha provided as he handed Sakura the scroll and stepped off to the side.

Sakura remained seated, knowing a demure lady kept her reserve, though the residual fatigue of her lowered chakra was also to blame. With some scepticism, she began to unravel the twine holding the scroll together. "This is from...?"

"The main house," Kyo answered. "It's a morning report from the resident physician."

She nodded absently, reading over the scroll's contents with interest.

The brown-haired boy stood by awkwardly, awaiting a response from the Konoha medic. Suddenly, and foolishly, forgetting the Uchiha's watchful presence, Kyo couldn't help the wander of his eyes as he took in the daunting sight of the beautiful female sitting before him. Her pink hair alone was a beacon of angelic light, pinned and twisted into perfect coils down her back. His vision was suddenly blinded by his own imaginative thoughts, of the slender feminine figure hidden beneath that heavy winter cloak.

"If.. if I may, Haruno-san..." Kyo managed with a clearing of his throat. "Y-you're.. you're very, um... you're very beautiful-"

"HEY." Sasuke snarled sharply.

Sakura looked up from the scroll, startled. She hadn't really heard what Kyo said, too engrossed with reading the Prince's progress report. While decoding the old man's terrible handwriting, she had failed to string together the stuttered words from the messenger's mouth. It was Sasuke's sudden call that had sliced through her concentration.

The Uchiha was pissed. He had been standing right there; watching with barely contained rage as this joke of a person openly eyed the woman he was with and proceeded to flatter her. As if Sakura were free for the taking, as if his own presence held no weight whatsoever. Did the universe really place him so far from Sakura's world that no one considered him a significant threat? Was it really so goddamn unfathomable?

Sasuke's black eyes narrowed pointedly, promising a world of hurt if the other male dared go against what he managed through gritted teeth. "Shut up and let her concentrate."

The pink-haired girl blinked, eyes once again shooting from one male to the other. "Is everything okay, Uchiha-san?"

"Fine, my lady." Sasuke mumbled darkly, eyes never leaving the younger boy's face. Kyo couldn't help but flinch under the crushing disdain, realizing far too late that this bodyguard was more invested in Sakura Haruno than he initially thought. This was confusing. All the stories suggested Sasuke Uchiha was not interested in any form of human companionship.

A barely audible 'sorry' was whispered from Kyo as he lowered his eyes to the ground and took several steps back, reevaluating if getting to know the lovely Konoha medic was worth dying for.

Sakura continued to read the report, oblivious to the hailstorm of tension just a few feet away.

The Prince of Oni was showing much more improvement this morning, able to keep down his breakfast, and staying awake long enough to do it. As she neared the conclusion of the report, she rolled her eyes at the insistent tone the other medic evoked when it came to the immediate departure of the Konoha visitors.

"His highness is doing well," Sakura explained to Sasuke, "but we're expected to be on our way by tomorrow."

Sasuke gave a curt nod, internally relieved he could remove his teammate from this abysmal circumstance.

Sakura returned her attention to the messenger boy still standing uncomfortably to the side. It was inevitable he would be intimidated by Sasuke; the Uchiha was notoriously good at this, but to remain polite and soft-spoken was a trait she found unusual in this village.

"Kyo," she called as she offered back the scroll.

The brown-haired boy jumped at the sound of her voice. He recovered quickly, walking with great care past the lady's escort to retrieve the parchment, praying to the gods he wouldn't be yanked back to his death.

"Th-thank you, H-Haruno-san... is there a-anything I can relay?"

Large green eyes stared up at him curiously. He'd never seen such potently expressive eyes up close before.

"Where are you from, Kyo?" Sakura asked simply. "Were you born here?"

The question threw the boy off guard as he choked back a nervous laugh. He looked over his shoulder at the woman's bodyguard. Annoyed as he was, the Uchiha prodigy regarded Kyo expectantly, as if he too awaited the answer.

"I-I was, Haruno-san. Born and raised."

She nodded, gaze shifting slightly as if trying to analyze the reply.

"Are you a shinobi?" she continued.

"No," he looked over nervously at Sasuke again. "No, I'm not."

"What do you do for the village? You're a messenger for the royal family?"

"No, I... I was asked to deliver the message. I actually run the library."

Sakura tilted her head, curiosity increasing. The notion of a library in a Oni was a surprise, but an itch she'd have to scratch later.

"Why you? Why were you asked specifically?"

Kyo's eyes darkened as they left Sakura's face and stared hard at the ground, a frown replacing his nervous exterior.

"According to my father, Haruno-san... I'm... I'm kind of a coward.. Anyone else would've said or done something to get themselves killed by Uchiha-san."

If he ever allowed himself such immature gestures, Sasuke would've rolled his eyes at that statement. What made this idiot think he was in the clear? Although he trusted whatever reasons Sakura had for questioning the Oni civilian, it didn't stop him from barely tolerating every minute said civilian was sharing their air.

"I see..." Sakura's features softened. "And why does your father call you a 'coward'?"

Kyo laughed humorlessly. "I spend a lot of time alone in a room filled with books. I would rather educate myself then learn to be a shinobi. My father calls this cowardly. But in Oni you can't be smart and be strong at the same time."

"Most of the outside world is capable of both, you know."

He smiled grimly. "So I've read."

Sakura's interest had been peaked. Perhaps there was hope for this strange decrepit town after all. Even under such oppressing circumstances, ones that taught these villagers to be inebriated, chauvinistic and intolerant pricks, a seemingly gentle soul could still emerge unscathed. She suddenly wanted to know more. Not just about Kyo, but about Oni's educational system, about the women and children that were rarely seen.

"Would you care for a walk, Kyo?" Sakura asked sincerely. "You seem to know a great deal and we haven't been provided a proper guide for the village."

The boy's face brightened. "O-Of course! I would be honoured, Haruno-san!"

Her grateful smile had the power to practically knock Kyo backwards. Sasuke resented this, annoyed with the amount of attention Sakura was giving this bland individual.

The pink-haired girl moved to stand, wobbling slightly from a wave of vertigo. She blinked it back, willing her chakra reserves to replenish faster.

"Please, let me help..." Kyo insisted, reaching to offer assistance.

He was, of course, intersected by Sasuke who immediately clasped Sakura's elbow as she rose. "I got it," the Uchiha informed coolly. "Start walking."

"...Think about it though: the Prince is still young, impressionable AND influential. His way of thinking can still be changed. If a proper educational program was implemented this village could learn more about how the outside world functions as a dynamic community. There could be female kunoichi born and raised here in just a few years. The older generations might stay stuck where they are but at least the future generations could thrive without oppression and segregation..."

Sasuke nodded, listening mutely as Sakura scribbled notes into her report, relaying her thoughts a mile a minute.

"Maybe I can convince Kakashi-san to visit with the Prince... I'll schedule a meeting as soon as we're back."

Sakura was inspired after her chat with Kyo Miyazaki. The meek librarian showed her around the village discreetly, avoiding the main roads and crowded areas as much as possible. Not that they were in any real danger with Sasuke walking closely behind them, but Sakura would've hated any interruptions during their conversation about the village and its inhabitants.

In return, she had enlightened the oppressed boy about what life in Konoha was like; how women and men were treated equally and how it wasn't long ago that the Hokage of their own village was indeed a woman of immense power.

When Kyo asked if there were many female ninjas in their village, Sakura refrained from revealing her own identity as a seasoned kunoichi, weary of Kyo being unable to keep her secret.

She also learned that Kyo's own father was practically a poster-child for the village of Oni's depraved nature. He had treated the boy's own mother so horribly she eventually fled the village to save her life.

"I will never forgive my father for that..." Kyo had seethed quietly. Anger was suddenly rolling off him in waves, but Sakura had quickly soothed it with a supportive hand to his shoulder.

"I hope we can help somehow," Sakura concluded, closing her report and looking over at her teammate.

Sasuke hadn't said a word during their tour with Kyo. He had mostly stayed vigilant, occasionally pinning back citizens with an effortless glare if they got too close to Sakura. But they were understandably curious as to why the lady of Konoha was being friendly with the lowest of their ranks.

After they saw the young man home and returned to their cabin, Sakura practically exploded with ideas on how they could improve the village of Oni, revamping their way of life to something more civilized. Sasuke, however, continued his penchant for silence.

"...You think I'm being stupid?" Sakura asked him suddenly, referring to his lack of contribution.

Sasuke was sitting at the foot of their bed, watching her as she worked tirelessly from across the room. "I never said that," he replied stoically.

"But you haven't really been saying anything at all..." she pointed out. "Is everything okay?"

"You've been talking nonstop since we got back. What do you need me to say?"

"Oh..." she grinned, embarrassed with her obvious babbling. "I'm sorry. Please. I would really like to hear what you think."

"It doesn't matter what I think."

"Of course it does, Sasuke-kun."

The Uchiha exhaled sharply, "If you're prepared for more trouble than what this village is worth, then go for it."

There was a beat of silence as Sakura bit her lip at this. "You're not really convinced are you... you didn't find Kyo inspiring?"

"No," he scowled suddenly. "I think that was all you."

The sudden sharpness of his tone startled her. There was a palpable amount of accusation in his statement, enough to make her frown in confusion.

"Why are you saying it like that?"

Black eyes promptly avoided hers. "Forget it."

"No," Sakura snapped. "What does that mean? Do you have a problem with Kyo? Because I think in light of how miserable we thought this village was-"

"You just met him," Sasuke interrupted, "and suddenly you're hell-bent on doing all this for him."

He couldn't stop himself. The power he usually possessed to abandon his own selfish, possessive desires towards Sakura began to drip from his grasp. Rationality was always a losing battle when it came to her. He knew she had every good intention to help the village of Oni, that he was projecting anger for all the wrong reasons. But he didn't have to like it. He didn't have to like the way she returned every stupid smile that idiot messenger seeped her way. He didn't have to like the way every sob story Kyo told inspired her heart in ways Sasuke couldn't.

Sakura meanwhile struggled to understand her teammate's crooked perspective. He wasn't getting the point. And Sasuke Uchiha always got the point. He was fixated on something very minor compared to the big picture.

"But it's not about him..." she argued. "Yes, I would be helping him in the process, but this is to help everyone."

He scoffed. "Whatever."

She rolled her eyes had his flippant attitude. "It's like you're jealous or something."

Time whirred to a stop as Sakura instantly regretted the implicate word that had tumbled from her mouth. She felt every shade of red in existence rush to her face in that very moment as Sasuke returned her gaze with an unreadable expression.

"'Jealous'?" he deadpanned.

Sakura's heart began violently pummelling her ribcage. She had said the stupidest thing one could say to a male friend, one in the strictest form of the sense.

A nervous, strangely pitched laugh escaped her as she shook her head. "I-I didn't mean it like that."

Sasuke continued to stare, his dark eyes burning a hole into her already cowering soul.

"Obviously you're not jealous," Sakura amended nervously. "Because to be jealous you'd have to..."

She forgot to breathe, again. She looked away from the source of her discomfort and tried to discreetly suck in a considerable amount of oxygen.

"I'd have to what, Sakura?"

His smooth dark voice was curiously calm.

Sakura bit her lip again, willing herself to have courage, to answer truthfully and brave the scald of his repeated rejection, of the inevitable sneer that would follow. The faster she apologized the faster they could resume their carefully crafted friendship.

"You'd... have to have feelings for me..." she finished with humility, a sad smile on her face.

She had mentally prepared herself for the indefinite amount of silence that would follow. Sasuke's immediate response was enough to suffocate her entire being.

"What if I did?"

The room died. Auto-pilot was Sakura's one saving grace, stringing together words to form semi-coherent sentences while the rest of her remained stunned. Her large green eyes locked with this, staring at Sasuke like he had lost his mind and ruined hers.

She could only reiterate dumbly. "What if...you..."

"What if I did," Sasuke repeated as he stood from the bed.

The kunoichi's memory swam backwards, trying to remember every hint, every gesture in the last few days that she dismissed to her own rebelling imagination. The way his hand held hers as they slept... she had thought for sure...!

Sakura swallowed thickly as Sasuke approached her. "Then... we have... something else entirely to talk about."

The way she regarded him had the Uchiha feeling oddly self-conscious, a feeling that was wholly foreign to him. It was never his intention to spell it out for her so blatantly, but it was the way she presented the possibility of him having feelings for her – like it was the most unheard of, impossible scenario; unimaginable to even the wildest parallel universe. She had to know. He needed her to know.

And now that she did, he could only stand idly by, waiting for her answer like some infatuated tool.

"Sasuke-kun, I..." Sakura continued to gawk at him like he was a figment of imagination come to life. "I had no idea..."

It was like her brain hit pause during what she never thought would be one of the most crucial moments of her life. Was she dreaming? Was he drunk? "When...? When did you...? I mean, why? Why all of a sudden?"

His eyes left hers, unsure as to what her rapid-fire questioning was leading up to. "I don't know," he said simply. "It just is what it is."

This answer proved damaging, leaving Sakura to struggle in her own doubt at this unfathomable reality. "But... you don't like me," she whispered, more so to herself. "You've never liked me..."

Sasuke internally flinched, hating the look of confusion on her face, hating that his own horrible regard for her during their childhood had led to this dubious reaction. The truth was that it hadn't been 'all of a sudden'. It had been a gradual, subtle shift that started months ago, maybe even farther back than that. Their close quarters the past few days had only been a solidifying factor. But the solid wall of his defence refused to admit that he had been pining like a prepubescent kid, even if it was unknown to him at the time.

All of this had been disguised so well from Sakura; masked behind his personal brand of hostility and guarded friendship. Without the truth she could only assume the worst about the origin of his feelings.

"Is... is it this?" she asked, scepticism darkening her eyes. She gestured over herself, over her elegantly styled hair and pale pink dress. "Is this why? Is it the 'new me' you're suddenly interested in? All this bullshit makeup and princess attire?"

Sasuke frowned, clearly indignant, but he was silenced quickly by what she said next.

"Because I love you, Sasuke-kun. That hasn't changed. But I've always loved you. Just as you are."

Relief enveloped him. She had no idea how badly, how fucking desperately, he needed to hear those words. His muscles twitched, wanting to touch her, but it was the defensive look on Sakura's face that halted him.

"I'm sorry, what you've told me is... I can't even describe it... it's wonderful," she rose from her chair and walked to where he stood. "But if I really think about it, you've been acting differently since we arrived here. Maybe you like me like this. Like a defenceless flower you can take care of and boss around."

"Sakura..." he growled, needing to interject.

"No. Shut up," Sakura continued. "You have that alpha male complex, I get it. You always have to look after me, keep me out of trouble... save me. But this girl you suddenly like, Sasuke-kun, she isn't me. The 'lady of Konoha' doesn't exist."

His frown deepened. She sighed and looked away. "... Even if you say you have feelings now, it's all going to go away once we're back to the way we really are, to how I really am. And that really sucks. Because this was never meant to happen for us."

The falseness of her statement had him livid. Who she really was... the kunoichi, the medic, a fearless woman brimming with passion and grace... that was who he respected most. Not the meek damsel she had been pretending to be.

"While I enjoy being psychoanalyzed," Sasuke began sarcastically, "You're wrong."

"I know you don't want to hear it-"

"No. Shut up." He lifted her chin with his thumb and index finger, returning her eyes back to his. "I get to speak now. I know you think you have me all figured out, and maybe to some shallow extent your appearance lately has been distracting for me, but you've always been beautiful. I'm not fucking blind."

Annoyed, his fingers dropped from her chin. A myriad of emotion flickered across Sakura's glossy emerald eyes, but he was in too much of a tirade to figure them out.

"And I don't look out for you because I enjoy it. Worrying about you isn't a picnic. I do it because I don't want anything to happen to you. Not like before... when I let everything happen to you. I know you're strong, maybe even stronger than me sometimes, but it's something I have to do. And it's not just this mission."

Sasuke took a step back, trying to gauge how Sakura was processing his explanation. If she was demanding to know why he had feelings, there was only one answer he could pinpoint clearly.

"It's you." he confessed. His brows knitted, uncomfortable with his own vulnerability. "It's just you. That's why."

Sakura's wide eyes searched his, seeking truth behind his words. He had never been known to lie, only to withhold, and given the uncharacteristic amount of himself he had just dumped at her feet, she knew her heart would explode if it processed the information too rapidly.

Enter a much needed distraction.

"WHERE IS THAT KONOHA SLUT?"

They blinked at the rude interruption, eyes exchanging a weary glance before turning toward the backdoor of their cabin.

"Don't worry I'm sure he's talking about me," Sakura sighed jokingly.

The Uchiha remained professional, shelving their conversation as he threw open the door, hand ready on the hilt of his sword.

They were met with the sight of an unfamiliar Oni shinobi making his way toward the clearing of their courtyard. For whatever reason, he was clearly furious.

Sasuke raised an arm, keeping Sakura back as the man pointed a finger accusingly. "What shitshow nonsense did you fill my boy's head with, huh? Telling him about fucking females in charge, men losing rights... and goddamn kunoichi running around the place?"

"Yes," the pink-haired girl answered calmly, understanding immediately who this man was. "I can see why you'd be upset, Miyazaki-san. It would certainly make it harder for you to beat them up."

Kyo's father scoffed, glaring daggers that shifted quickly to Sasuke. "Are you going to slap her, or should I?"

"Back up," Sasuke warned as he unsheathed his Kusanagi a fraction.

The older man stood his ground, keeping a hand on the kunai strapped to his side. "You listen here," he told Sakura menacingly, "The women here know their place. That's how we've thrived for generations. It's why our shinobi are superior to yours and why our village is more prosperous than yours. We don't have whores like you fucking it up. We have them on their hands and knees doing what they do best."

No wonder Kyo hated his father. White hot rage burned the skin of Sakura's cheeks as she not only took in his degrading words, but the smear of fresh blood over the man's knuckles – Kyo had likely been on the receiving end of those telltale marks. Her fists clenched, knowing another second longer conversing with this lowlife would result in the shredding of her palms. Thankfully, not an ounce of emotion showed on her face as she regarded him with a passiveness that only enraged their visitor further.

"Got nothing to say? Not so proud anymore?"

Sakura exhaled miserably, knowing all she could do now to satiate her anger was enlist the help of her escort, an escort ready to beat this man to a bloody pulp. But it would not be anywhere near as satisfying as doing it herself.

"Uchiha-san," she began, but Sasuke turned and caught her eyes meaningfully.

"Are you going to let him talk to you like that?"

She searched his face, that trademark arrogant beautiful smirk of his sending both a chill up her spine and warmth blooming to her chest.

"No..." she told him, a triumphant grin spreading to her lips.

Sasuke simply shrugged, giving a nod in the direction of Kyo's doomed relative as he stepped aside to lean against the door frame.

"What?" the older shinobi blanched as Sakura walked confidently in his direction. "What is this?"

He brandished his kunai, laughing at the Uchiha's relaxed demeanour. "You're just going to let her die, huh?"

His laughter died as Sakura easily caught his wrist, the kunai dropping as the strength of her grip snapped the appendage in an ungodly direction.

The scream was music to her ears as Miyazaki tried in vain to free his wrist. He reached for her throat, but she thwarted his amateur movements, grabbing the other arm and hurling the man over her shoulder into a nearby tree that splintered cleanly from the impact.

The older shinobi groaned, clumsily trying to return to his feet and process what in the hell was attacking him.

"Y-you...!" he sputtered, " You're a...!"

Sakura reached him quickly, blocking his clumsy thrashes and silencing him with a punch that sent him flying through yet another unfortunate tree. It was simply too easy.

The contrast was almost comical: a strong, seemingly seasoned shinobi with reasonable height and stature, crawling away from a pint-sized female dressed in an elegant pink dress; her ornately set hair not ruffled in the slightest.

Her fist collided with this face again and again, a splatter of blood hit her cheek as she smirked unperturbed. She was happily taking any and all liberties with being as unladylike as possible.

Finally, she grabbed the man's ankle, and, with a small amount of renewed chakra summoned to her grip, proceeded to drag the flailing man back to the courtyard.

"I..." Sakura began, as she violently tossed Mizayaki toward the steps of their cabin. "...am a kunoichi, asshole."

The clear snap of the man's leg breaking raised an impressed eyebrow from Sasuke. He finally moved from his spectator position while the bloodied shinobi began yelling obscenities.

"You're both fucking dead! Kunoichi are forbidden here! You've broken the law! This entire village will make you pay for this treason! I'll see to—!"

The Uchiha bent down and silenced the man with a solid fist around his throat. The beaten shinobi could only gasp and sputter as Sasuke lifted him from the ground and met his panicked eyes with the deadly spinning of his own. The Sharingan and Rinnegan blazed, illuminating the fear on the older man's face as the legendary Uchiha spoke.

"I did this to you." he growled lowly. "You reveal her to anyone and I will kill you. I've memorized where you live, I know your son's face... and I will kill you both while you sleep. Even if you run, I know your chakra signature."

The man whimpered pleadingly in response, watery eyes mixing with the rivets of blood pouring from his face.

"Good." Sasuke finished as he dropped the man unceremoniously to the ground. "Get out of here."

There was no need to say more. Mizayaki dragged himself away gasping for air. He grabbed a shard of the exploded tree nearby to use as a crutch, desperate to haul himself as far away from the Konoha ninja as possible.

A sigh of relief escaped the pink-haired kunoichi as she cracked her knuckles against her chest. It had felt like a lifetime since she last experienced the simple pleasure of throwing her fist. The weight of feeling repressed was temporarily lifted, along with her spirits and sense of self. She closed her eyes, loving the raw heat against her fingers, sore from smashing bone with such enthusiasm.

Sasuke stood several feet away, watching as his teammate revelled in her small victory. It hadn't been a difficult battle by any means, Sakura had easily seen to that. She had more strength in one pinky than the other shinobi had in his entire collective being.

When Sakura's eyes opened, he didn't care that she caught him staring, and she didn't seem surprised by it either. Wiping the splatter of blood from her cheek, she graced him with a smile so brilliant and beautiful he was moving before he could stop himself.

Sasuke reached her in two strides, hand grasping the back of her neck as his mouth slashed over hers.

Their beings collided, their lips moving without reserve. Sakura hadn't been thrown in the least, the look they shared before he stepped forward was one of raw magnetism, pulling them together with such desperate force she knew something was about to erupt. She kissed him back with equal urgency, her small hands grasping the front of his cloak, pulling him in, pressing herself forward, anything to fully experience the euphoric high of finally being in Sasuke Uchiha's arms.

He moved with expert precision, claiming her mouth with a ferocity that abandoned any and all of her own reserve as she practically tore at his cloak, pulling it from his shoulders as he backed her up against the door of their cabin. At some point they had began manoeuvring their way back inside, hands twisting through hair, nails scraping against skin.

Sasuke managed to kick the door shut behind him before his hands ripped the neckline of Sakura's dress, the force of his need sending a rush of excitement throughout her core. She grinned against his lips as she felt her delicate, hindering dress being ravaged to shreds, felt the magnitude of Sasuke's need grinding into her as they clawed and devoured one another.

His arousal for the female body, dormant during his youth's quest for vengeance, now erupting to life as the heat from Sakura pushed him past his limit. His demanding mouth found her neck, her collarbone, every inch of her he wanted to pursue and mark under his territory. She tasted and smelled so goddamn sweet his mind couldn't fathom how he was able to keep his hands off her before. Every curve, every battle scar was beautiful and so perfectly her he couldn't seem to get enough.

Sakura pulled violently at Sasuke's hair when his rough hands moved over her breasts. She was delirious. This powerful man Sakura dreamed to touch was better than she ever imagined; the silky black spikes of his hair, the muscles of his arms, his back, his chest, everything she hoped to memorize and replay forever in her mind. She ripped open his shirt and yanked impatiently at Sasuke's belt and waistline, wanting to witness the exquisite hardness beneath as he growled at their fight for dominance.

With his pants done away with and the remnants of Sakura's dress hitched, the Uchiha picked her up at the waist and slammed her into the closest wall, her legs wrapping instinctively around him.

There was a beat before he drove into her, buried to the hilt and a guttural groan escaped him, relishing the feeling of her warmth and wetness. Her back arched as she shifted, stretching to accommodate his size.

He waited, maintaining his control as her hands gripped the sides of his neck, the slight pain fading quickly to pleasure. She gave a small nod for Sasuke to continue and he immediately began moving inside her, every moan he ripped from her throat vying him on. His lips met the smooth column of her neck as she whispered his name, her breath ragged.

He smirked, pleased at the sound of his name as it evoked something primal previously unknown to him. His rhythm steadily increased, a madness took hold, and she cried out as he sank deeper and deeper. A fresh wave of arousal overtook her senses as Sasuke held her gaze, black hair messy, a sheen of sweat forming on his chest as obsidian eyes bore into hers.

With her body halfway up the wall, Sakura's hand dug into his shoulder and he grimaced.

"Easy..." he sneered, marvelling at the powerful woman unravelling in his arms. Her head fell back, the coiling pleasure cresting so rapidly she could have very well broken Sasuke's shoulder had he not warned her.

They came together in a ravaged mess. Sasuke's arm still wound around her, the other anchoring them to the wall to keep them both from collapsing with exhaustion. His head had dropped to her bare shoulder, the feeling of Sakura clenching around him leaving him spent. It was unlike any sensation he had felt before in his life. More exhilarating than battle, more satisfying than victory.

After several minutes, Sakura's legs unlocked at the narrow of his waist as she carefully slid down, her breathing still laboured from their escapades.

She hissed quietly in discomfort and the Uchiha was quick to notice. His hand held the side of her neck, angling her chin towards him. "What? Are you hurt?"

To say she was touched from his concern, especially knowing now that it came from a place closer than friendship, was an understatement. She hoped the amount of joy fluttering through her wasn't leaving an idiotic grin on her face.

"You're a little too strong for me," she answered playfully.

"Hn." The half smile that adorned Sasuke's handsome face nearly knocked her unconscious. He rolled back his bruising shoulder pointedly. "You're one to talk."

All eyes were on the lady of Konoha and her bodyguard as they made their way toward Oni's tall exit gates.

Sasuke's eyes scanned the displeased crowd, making sure no inkling of Sakura's kunoichi background had trickled past the pummelled mouth of Kyo's father.

All seemed right with the village, so to speak, as the crowd mumbled no more than their good riddance of the unwanted pair.

Awaiting their arrival was Kyo, holding the reins of Sakura's horse.

The pink-haired girl smiled sadly at him, noticing the angry purple marks marring the boy's face from his father's wrath.

"May I?" she asked, holding a hand up to his cheek, a steady glow of healing chakra emulating from her palm.

The young librarian nodded, and the bruising on his face faded to a mere tint of yellow as the medic healed him.

"He got you good," Sakura remarked.

Kyo laughed lightly, "Not as good as Uchiha-san got him."

Sasuke remained silent, but gave the slightest of nods at the other male, still not entirely accepting of his teammate's kindness towards the annoying messenger. He was impatient to take Sakura away – not just to leave this tired wasteland behind, but now, thanks to their recent discovery of each other, to claim her ruthlessly in the woods once they were miles away.

"I'll talk to our Hokage," Sakura reassured the boy quietly. "And hopefully things will change."

Kyo nodded and moved quickly out of the way as Sasuke easily lifted Sakura onto her horse. She blushed as the feeling of his powerful hands at her waist was a strong reminder of the night before.

And even earlier that morning.

"Please get her home safe," Kyo asked of Sasuke. He swallowed nervously, hoping he wasn't pushing any unseen boundaries.

The Uchiha promptly scoffed at the obvious request. It was a given after all. His attitude awarded him a gentle kick to the side from Sakura.

"Be nice..." she murmured.

He exhaled sharply, casting the brown-haired boy a final glance over his shoulder. "Look after yourself," he offered sternly, though he hid any trace of annoyance from his voice with some difficulty. "We'll be back. Make sure you tell your father that."

Kyo nodded eagerly, strangely gratified to have gotten some semblance of a kind remark from the legendary shinobi. One he couldn't help but greatly admire.

When there was no more to be said, Sasuke pulled promptly on the reigns, leading the horse passed the gates. The air was somehow fresher on the other side as Sakura filled her lungs with the inviting smell, the sound of the gates slamming behind them a welcome one.

"That was a pleasant surprise," Sakura smiled brightly. "You see? You can be nice... sort of."

He glanced up at her, strangely pleased with the smile that was solely for him. Her happiness, her trust... these were all his victories to conquer.

"I didn't do it for him."

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Author's note: all done! Thanks for reading my little one-shot turned four-shot :)