Beta-reader: Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

Chapter: One – Analytical

Type: Story – Incomplete

Word Count: 1,580

Disclaimer: If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Seta, Sojiro. The eighteen-year-old young man was quite the odd one in Sakura's mind.

First off, he never left her alone. From the day he had first entered the village, he found it amusing to poke and prod at her till she was riled up, then laugh when she failed every attempt made to beat the man to a bloody pulp.

She learned very quickly that Sojiro is fast and he is strong. That didn't stop her from swinging a tree at the said girly-looking man's head when in a sparring match or try to send him sailing through the air with chakra enhanced fists. But she couldn't deny that she was already used to him in already a month's time of him first coming here.

He had told her with a smile that he wasn't going to stay long, so she tried to keep him at a distance knowing if she got too attached too fast – which she would because she was just that kind of person quickly make friends out of others and crying when they left as they undoubtedly would. And besides, he'd warned her – then it would hurt when he left. Imagine her surprise when one week passes, then another and another, even a full month has passed and yet he's still here. She wondered if a month isn't a long time in his mind and if not, then she can't help but ponder what is a long time to him. Ten years maybe.

But she had grown fond of him despite her efforts. The rosette found out that he made it impossible to not be fond of him.

When he learned of how the ninja system worked he began taking missions with her and poking around the hospital when she was on her shifts. And just generally sticking around her. Why? The question always rung loud and clear in her head whenever she thought about it. But she could never answer and he wouldn't either. Not directly, just a shrug or a 'why not?'. She found that he liked leafing through her files, at home or at work, lounging on her couch when he was reading or such. Sometimes he was in her garden or in her room.

Within a month, he had managed to find his way into every part of her life. She still couldn't find it in her to react in any other way but nonchalant and content with the fact. It should have disgruntled her, or made her wary – because she shouldn't get attached knowing he wouldn't stay long – but it didn't. And so she did get attached.

He stuck around even when she was with her team or mentors or her friends..

She found he was always close by.

She also found that he was faster than Rock Lee or Might Gai; that he knew more about fighting styles and such then Kakashi or anyone she knew for that matter. He smiled as bright as Naruto and nothing seemed to ever faze him. He can wield a sword better then Sasuke. In short, he's formidable, bright and outgoing, but still dangerous.

What the young Haruno hadn't learned until as of recent was that a happy, nonchalant expression was Sojiro's mask when he didn't want others to know of his emotions. It was hard for her to grasp that when he seemed so open and happy all the time, yet at the same time it made perfect sense.

So she started to poke and prod back. There was no way that he'd be allowed into every crack of her life and yet have him still be a complete enigma to her. It just doesn't work that way. So when he was shadowing behind her she busied herself with questions.

"Where are you from?"

"What about your family?"

"And friends?"

"Where are they?"

"What are your favorite pastimes?"

"What's your favorite color?"

"Fighting style?"

It kept him busy, because she'd choose random and unexpected times for the questions. It was even to the point where they surprised him when they should have been expected. Some he would answer bluntly, others he was vague about. Still Sakura would get her answers out of him. He didn't seem to mind though, just accept her blunt questions and curiosity for what they were. He learned that she was great with facial expressions and such and knew when the wrong question had been asked or knew when she should back off.

He learned that she herself was an enigma, no matter how open and at face-value she could be. She always answered any question he asked, and would bend to his requests. She loved to be able to save a life and was devastated when she could not. Her life was her work, her friends, and her makeshift family. He learned that she had lost her parents around the age of fourteen and didn't mind talking about them. With time of course. She was a workaholic that was for sure.

But she was also selfless; everyone's health and happiness came before her own. She helps her Hokage and makeshift mother, Tsunade, with paperwork and keeps her in line on the subjects of sake and gambling. Her four teammates and makeshift family members, Naruto, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sai demand a lot of her spare time. Naruto, Sasuke and Sai are like brothers to her and treated her like a sister. They are always fending of admiring males who get to close without Sakura noticing. They were suspicious of him at first, but after a week they had learned just to expect that when it came to their sister, he would always be near by, whether they liked it or not. Kakashi is a father figure to Sakura as well as her first mentor before Tsunade, and he definitely acts like it. What with his threatening people in a nonchalant way when they spoke ill or wrongly of Team Seven's only female. They were family all six of them.

He had learned that if she didn't know of it, she was always curious as to what it was. Be it a topic or an object. When they first sparred, Sojiro had been hesitant, and wasn't sure if it would be safe for her. But she had proven herself when she pulled a tree out of the ground and swung it like a Zanbatou then she had turned around and smashed her fist into the ground, causing it to split in varying levels. That was when he had learned that she, too, could be a force to be reckoned with. She was strong, smart, and quick to react. She wasn't as fast as him, but should she have to, she could heal even gashes and such in minutes and be back on her feet to be ready to fight once more. She may be a medical nin and hand-to-hand combat specialist, but because of her team, she also knew the basics for ninjutsu and had a knack for genjutsu.

What was apparent was that even though she had her behemoth-like teammates to protect her from the opposite sex, she guarded her own heart. She trusted easily, but she never gave her heart away. She loves her team but only in the family sense, she's always wary of trusting others with her heart. To her it seemed that a heart and a life were two different matters altogether.

He had meant to stay for a week or so then be on his way, but he got interested in this one kunoichi. With all her contradictions and warm, inviting personality that demanded attention without her wanting it in the first place. She was sweet, but could be cruel – to the point of sadism – and kill if and when necessary. She thought most things through with logic, but never failed to just wing it when she didn't know what to do.

She always wore her heart on her sleeve, showing all of her emotions, be they happy and content or sad or angry. In fact, she showed so many that it was sometimes hard to pick out what she was really feeling. He couldn't help but wonder if she thought that laying all her cards on the table the first go round was the way she sought to protect her heart. It certainly was easier than hiding behind one emotion. With just one you slip up eventually show everything and leave anyone watching baffled unable to form just what to make of what they saw.

Though she wasn't vengeful or spiteful, for one reason or another, she never did anything to get back at someone who had wronged her. Though, when it came to her loved ones she had no qualms about getting back at them, yet only in a playful manner.

She didn't seem cut out for the harsh world she had chosen to live in, but somehow she always pulled through with her innocent ideals intact.

She really was something else. And that's why he stayed longer than he planned. Because finding his way into every last crack of her life wasn't easy, but it certainly was fun and rewarding. Her trust and loyalty were something to cherish and her personality when she knew one well was always entertaining.

This would be fun, if nothing else.

Thanks for reading, sorry for shortness, review please, criticism is forever welcome.