𝓘 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭𝓷'𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 hugged him, shouldn't have called him Sasuke-kun. What was I thinking? Am I really that pathetic?

That's the first thing that crosses Sakura's mind as she jumps off Sasuke's bird to meet Tobi in the forest's depths. Her eyes squint as she tries to find the orange mask through the night's darkness. Something white enters her line of sight, and she merely avoids Deidara's birds. They explode against the nearest tree, and for the second time that day, Sakura has to heal her bleeding ear.

"Pretty girl is coming to play with Tobi!" a male voice exclaims candidly. "How nice!"

Sakura swirls around and dodges a punch, gathering chakra to her fist. However, when she retaliates, her hand goes right through Tobi's stomach and hits the tree trunk behind, bursting it into tiny pieces.

"Oh, wow. That's a deadly little fist you have here, Sakura," a velvety voice whispers in her ears.

Sakura darts her eyes to the orange mask, surprised by the unfamiliar voice, and retrieves her arm.

"Are you a ghost as well?" she asks, a crease forming between her pink eyebrows, glancing at his intact stomach.

"Mmm... Maybe." A dark chuckle escapes his lips, and Sakura glances back up while retreating.

She thinks she sees a red eye through the hole of his mask and hurries to divert her gaze.

"You're a close-ranged fighter," Tobi continues. "You knew you had no chance against Deidara. That's why you're here, facing me. Little did you know."

A curse escapes her lips when the world sways under her feet, the branch on which she's standing feeling like a boat on a stormy night. She drops to her knees, both hands flat against the bark, head spinning. Her eyes close, and she raises her fingers to her face, chakra coating her brain.

"Kai!"

"You're fighting this," Itachi's voice resounds in her ear, nailing her to the ground.

Her frightened eyes glance up, but Tobi is nowhere to be seen. When a hand grazes her shoulder, she swirls around, her heart beating fast, limbs shaking. Then her gaze rests on Itachi's handsome features.

"You're just an illusion," she whispers. "And I'm not the same weak little girl I used to be."

She sends more chakra to her brain, and Itachi slowly disappears in a cloud of smoke. Sakura's eyes widen when an orange mask replaces his face. She makes to jump, but a kunai embeds itself in her stomach. She welcomes the pain like an old friend.

Sakura meets his red eye again, this time with chakra coating her challenging glare.

"You're good at this," Tobi says, pushing his weapon deeper into Sakura's mid-section, inciting a loud wince on her part. "Fighting my genjutsu, I mean. Look at you, even meeting my eye. I'm impressed. Such control over your chakra is a rare thing. Even more for a civilian girl."

"I have to thank Tsunade-sama for it," she says, using her chakra to heal the wound and push the weapon out. "And Kakashi-sensei, who ensured I would never be at a dōjutsu's mercy again."

A sudden surge of chakra fights Tobi's strength, and Sakura gets the kunai out of her stomach and grabs his wrist before her opponent can recover from the shock. Relief engulfs her when her fingers wrap around Tobi's limb.

She flings him around and watches as he flies against the nearest tree, but to her dismay, he passes right through it and lands graciously on a branch further behind.

At least it gives her time to close her wound and gather her thoughts.

Kurenai also has red eyes and a powerful dōjutsu. It means nothing. He doesn't have to be an Uchiha; he can't be an Uchiha.

Tobi walks through the tree and stops a few steps before her. Sakura scrutinizes him, brows furrowed. The only time she touched him was just after he stabbed her. There's something she doesn't understand, and it's enough to let her know that this fight will be more difficult than expected. At least he can hurt her all he wants—she'll heal herself.

"I can almost see the little gears spinning in your head," he says mockingly. "The thing is, close-ranged fighter or not, you have no chance against me. You're insignificant without your Kyūbi friend or your traitor of a sensei."

"Then good thing she has us."

Suigetsu and Jūgo startle Sakura when they appear before her. The white-haired man flashes her a grin to accompany his words, then turns to face Tobi, who bursts out laughing upon seeing the two newcomers.

Suigetsu's sword leaves a trail of splintered wood behind as he lunges forward. He makes to land the first blow, but like Sakura's fist before, his weapon goes straight through the man and cuts a tree limb behind.

"Over here," Tobi says, jumping down the tree.

Suigetsu follows him, and as soon as his feet hit the forest floor, an explosion makes him burst into a water fountain.

Sakura's eyes widen, and she moves to join the white-haired man on the ground, but Jūgo stops her.

"He's fine."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know there were mines here too!"

Jūgo doesn't acknowledge her words and takes a step forward.

"Wait! We need to plan first."

"That's not how our team works," he says, his soft gaze landing on her. "And Sasuke-san asked us to ensure you were okay. So that's what I'll do. I can see how important you are to him. I'll make sure he doesn't lose you again."

Tobi reappears a few feet in front of them, and as soon as Jūgo's amber eyes land on him, the giant's arms extend and turn grey. Sakura watches Jūgo charge at his opponent with unrivalled speed, surprised at how he uses his demon's chakra without losing his mind. However, Sakura soon realizes that even with the additional speed and strength, Jūgo has no chance against Tobi.

She knows she has to unravel the mystery of the masked man, but the only thing she's gathered so far is the power and the colour of his dōjutsu and how familiar his jet-black hair is.

"That was just mean," Suigetsu mutters, climbing onto Sakura's branch on wobbly legs.

She hands him her water bottle, and he accepts it with a raised eyebrow. Sakura returns her gaze to Jūgo's fight, a hand on her kunai's handle.

"I'm a medic-nin. Of course, I will notice that you drink twice as much as anybody else."

"Don't pity me," Suigetsu spits out between two sips of water. "I wanted this, and I'm glad it happened to me."

"I don't pity nor judge you. You wanted to be strong. I understand that."

Sakura gathers chakra into her hands and pulls on the tree limb on top of her head, tearing it off the trunk. When nothing separates her from her target, she throws the branch at Tobi and awaits expectedly. The orange mask shifts to the side, and she glimpses red again. A second later, the tree limb is cut in three. To Sakura's dismay, the middle piece vanishes just before reaching Tobi.

"I thought he was a ghost," Suigetsu says, joining Sakura, brows furrowed. "But it looks like he's a magician, too."

"He's not a magician," she answers as Jūgo passes through the man again at full speed and lands on a lower branch with an annoyed frown. "He's an Uchiha."

The tree gives way underneath Jūgo's weight, and neither Suigetsu nor Sakura can stop his fall. She snaps her eyes shut as the explosion gets off.

"Shit," mutters Suigetsu.

Sakura peers through her long eyelashes at the cloud of smoke, her heart sinking.

"I'll fight him off. Just focus on Sasuke's uncle or whatever."

"What are you talking about?"

"Jūgo!" he snaps, eyes wide. "He's going to be so mad."

True to Suigetsu's words, the orange-haired man appears through the cloud of smoke, all clad in grey, the eyes of a demon staring back at them. He lurches forward and meets Zabuza's sword with his arm turned into a long sabre.

"This is too chaotic for me," Tobi whispers in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

She swirls around, and a hand closes around her throat. A distant glow illuminates Tobi's mask, but one look at the night sky tells Sakura it isn't from natural light.

"So you know," the man continues, tightening his hold on her throat.

She refrains from breaking his arm and awaits his explanation.

"What sold me off?"

"The Kamui," she chokes. "Kakashi-sensei has the same."

The light is now blinding her, and beads of sweat are gliding down her face under the excessive heat.

"That brat," Tobi mutters. "He killed himself."

Sakura thinks she sees movements to her left and extends an arm in that direction, hoping Suigetsu will see.

"Sasuke-kun!"

The white-haired man turns to look in her direction, nods once, then pushes Jūgo away from Sakura.

"Who are you?" she asks Tobi once she's sure the boys are safe, hidden in a giant snake, one of Sasuke's summoning.

"You're going to burst into millions of tiny pieces in a few seconds. I won't waste more time on you, pretty girl."

Tobi disappears in what looks like a vortex as Sakura summons all the energy gathered in her seal. She knows she can survive this. Her eyes are about to close, the skin on her face instantly healing from its burning, when she glimpses Sasuke's red gaze.

"Shit! Sasuke-kun! What are you doing?"

She throws herself at him, knocking him off his track and landing them both in the crater left by Jūgo's explosion.

"You mean, what are you doing?" he yells, struggling under her monstrous strength.

She tightens her hold and sends her black markings off her skin and onto his.

"What's this?" he asks then, his fingers brushing the skin of her face.

She doesn't answer and closes her eyes to keep her focus. She can feel the heat burning through her clothes.

"After everything, I'm going to die because of you."

She snaps her eyes open upon feeling his breath on her lips. She wants to tell him they won't die, but his mouth is on hers before she can form the words.

There is the same warmth in her belly she's spent years forgetting. One of Sasuke's arms wraps around her waist, and she feels fingers tangle in her messy pink locks. It feels nothing like Neji's touches; it's electric and passionate, and there is no way she will ever be able to fight Sasuke's tongue from entering her mouth and dancing with hers. She wants it as much as he does, but not for the same reason.

She still loves him, she realizes, and will always love him.

He groans, and her straddling legs tighten on each side of his body. She has to stop now, or they'll make a mistake, and he'll break her heart again.

She leans out of his embrace and glances around. The blinding light is gone, just like the surrounding vegetation and most of her clothing.

"Are we dead yet?" Sasuke asks, brows furrowed, dark, hooded gaze trailing up and down her half-naked body.

Sakura tries to crawl off of him, but his hold on her hip tightens.

"What the fuck are they?"

He watches the black marks travel down his body to her Yin seal.

She stares at his soot-covered face with pride swelling in her chest.

"My stored chakra. I saved your life again, Sasuke-kun."

He holds her gaze for a while and slowly sits up. She tries standing, but he pulls her back down, a hand wrapped around her wrist.

"We just survived an explosion," he begins, eyes wandering around, taking in the scenery, then resting on her again. "Completely unscathed."

One corner of her mouth quirks upward.

"I told you. I'm unbreakable."

He shakes his head, a crease forming between his eyebrows.

"No wonder Danzō wants you. You're a literal human shield now. Nothing's changed."

She scoffs.

"Everything's changed. And what's wrong with being a shield if I get to protect the right people?"

"And who's that? Naruto? Me?"

"Yes, you! What's wrong with that?"

He doesn't answer, but she can read on the lines of his face that the conversation is making him uncomfortable.

"But that's beyond the point," she resumes, trying to contain herself. "What happened to your clan is now happening to mine, Sasuke."

"Yours?"

She rolls her eyes.

"My people, if you prefer."

"The civilians," he says in understanding.

"You became an avenger to protect us."

Sasuke opens his mouth to protest, but she interrupts him.

"Don't deny it, Sasuke. You wanted to protect me; that was your intention at first." He shrugs, so she continues. "I've become a shield to protect my friends, my neighbours—"

"Your parents."

She diverts her gaze, worrying her bottom lip.

"Well, I... I haven't been able to protect them."

The silence stretches for a while.

"And? You want my pity or something?"

She glances back at him.

"How tiring it must be to always stand on your guard and trust no one, unable to see when someone is genuine. I'm not trying to win you over, Sasuke. You started that conversation; I've just been open with you."

For the third time, Sasuke prevents her from standing.

"What now?"

"Your clothes; they're falling apart."

She's about to shrug it off, completely at ease with this man she's known all her life and loved for so long, when another voice resounds behind her.

"I don't mind. What about you, Jūgo?"

Sakura's eyes widen, and she uses her strength to switch places with Sasuke, then pulls his body on top of hers to hide most of her skin. Upon hearing his chuckle, she lifts her knee.

"Dammit it, Sakura," he mutters, out of breath.

"That's a nasty scar you have on your back," Karin says, dropping their bags at her feet. She hands Sasuke a fresh shirt and Sakura one of her blouse.

"I thought medic-nins didn't have scars."

Sakura tries to hide her surprise as she accepts the blouse, and while Sasuke takes off his burnt shirt, she diverts her eyes and focuses on Karin's statement. Now is not the time to glimpse at Sasuke's ripped body—not after what transpired between them.

"It's circumstantial," she says, buttoning up the blouse. "This one was full of poison, and I was in the middle of a fight, struggling to survive, then I was healing someone else... I just never got around to finishing the healing process."

"And what about this one?" Suigetsu asks, pointing at her stomach.

She fastens the rest of the blouse and lets the silence stretch. She can feel Sasuke's eyes on her.

"You've been impaled," he says then.

Suigetsu winces.

"Ouch. That's almost worse than walking on a mine."

She throws her head back and lets out a barking laugh, taken aback by the joke.

"Oh, exploding is definitely worse."

She comes back from her fit of laughter, shaking her head.

"But hum... I lost a lot that day."

Unconsciously, her fingers draw small circles on the pink scar.

"A friend and... something more."

"What?" Sasuke asks.

Sakura glances at him and can tell he already knows.

"I killed someone. Sasori, Deidara's old teammate."

"Sasori," Sasuke whispers. "So you're the one who killed the Akatsuki member?"

"You sound surprised."

"I figured it was Naruto or Kakashi."

"Of course," she snaps.

Sasuke shrugs upon seeing her irritated frown.

"Well, I'm the one who got to find you in the end. And twice at that," she adds with pride.

Sasuke smirks.

"Sounds like a competition to me."

"Someone has to keep him occupied."

He shakes his head and picks up his bag.

"I don't miss that."

"What do you miss, then?"

He stops, his back facing her, and seems to hesitate. Then he turns to look at her, but his eyes never meet hers. They rest on her lips for a second too long, inciting a blush on Sakura's part.

"You know."

After that, they all leave the deserted area, looking for shelter. Once they've found a small cavity in a rocky mountain, Sakura drops to the floor, completely drained. Her brain replays her previous fight, trying to convince herself her opponent wasn't an Uchiha. She knows she must talk to Sasuke about it but fears his response. The curse mark makes his reactions hard to predict, and right now, she can't deal with another fight.

"I've never heard him laugh before."

Sakura turns to Karin and realizes the woman's the only one left in the cave with her. She must have dozed off.

"What?"

"Sasuke. I've never heard him laugh genuinely before today."

Sakura fidgets under Karin's intense stare and scratches the back of her head.

"Well, in your defence, he's not known for his contagious laugh."

"I have scars as well," she continues, unbothered by Sakura's answer. "He gave them to me."

Karin uncovers the base of her neck, and Sakura's eyes land on many bite marks. Her heart sinks.

"Sasuke did this to you?"

"I let him drink my blood to rejuvenate him when he's beaten down, and in exchange, I get to kiss him, sleep with him, and sometimes cuddle with him."

Sakura shakes her head in disbelief.

"Why would you accept such a deal?"

"Because I love him?"

The two women hold each other's stares for a while. Sakura sees the doubt in Karin's eyes and wishes she could reassure her, but the redhead needs a reality check.

"Striking a deal to have someone give you physical attention isn't loving, Karin. And even if you did love him, that's not what you get from that agreement."

Karin sighs.

"I know that now."

"What changed?"

"I can see how he acts around the person he loves."

Sakura is about to deny Karin's statement when the said man comes back from whatever he's been doing. Karin hurries to pull up the collar of her blouse, but Sasuke's keen eyes register everything, and comprehension passes on his features. The pink-haired girl stands up abruptly.

"We need to talk."

He nods.

"I agree."

He beckons her outside and leads her to the mountain's base, where a creek dances around large stones. He engulfs his hands in his pockets, a leg propped on a rock.

"Sakura. What happened earlier... I don't want you to get any ideas."

She scoffs.

"No, of course. How could I? I know you were using me as you do with every other woman."

"What are you talking about?" he asks, a crease forming between his eyebrows. "I'm not using you. I'm not using anybody."

She sends him a pointed look, but he doesn't budge.

"You're saying the deal you made with Karin isn't using her?"

"I'm using her? Wow, get your facts straight, Sakura. She's the one using me. Karin isn't a victim. She got what she wanted, like all the others."

"You're telling me that women would do anything to have sex with you?"

"That's all they want."

She wishes he could sound smug about it, but he doesn't. Still, she rolls her eyes for good measure.

"Well, that's not what I want."

"Exactly. So it cannot happen again."

She nods, then lets the silence stretch awkwardly. After a while, Sasuke shifts his weight and clears his throat.

"What is it you wanted to talk about?"

"Two things. From now on, if you need a booster or to be healed, you come to me. It's not because Karin doesn't know better that you must take advantage of her."

He shrugs.

"I haven't used Karin's blood since you joined us, anyway."

She feels herself blush as Karin's previous words replay in her mind.

"Good. Well, we'll keep it that way."

He smirks.

"Sure. The second thing?"

"The man with the orange mask... I think..."

She pauses and runs a hand through her hair.

"What is it?"

Sakura shakes her head as a sigh escapes her lips.

"I don't know how it's possible, Sasuke. But I'm pretty sure he's an Uchiha."

He holds her gaze, a frown marring his features.

"That's impossible."

"Implausible, yes. But not impossible."

"And how did you come up to that conclusion?"

"A few things. I can recognize an Uchiha when I see one."

Sasuke rolls his eyes.

"But mostly, he flat-out admitted it to me."

"Because he knew you would tell me. He was playing you, Sakura."

"Don't you trust my judgment?"

Sasuke opens his mouth but shuts it a second after. Sakura watches him pacing in front of her, one of his hands running frantically through his hair.

"With how you've been acting lately... Not really, no."

"What are you—"

She meets his pointed look and bites her tongue.

"Is Hana back inside of you or something?"

"Hana? I haven't seen her once since that day."

"Then who are you talking to that we can't see? And why are you doing weird stuff, like when I found you having a seizure?"

"I... I don't know what to say. This is irrelevant, anyway."

He holds her gaze for a while. Then his words cut through like a knife.

"Irrelevant," he repeats, nodding. "You're right."

On that note, he dismisses her, shaking his head, and walks back to the cave's entrance under Sakura's heavy stare. He glances at her one last time before joining the rest of Team Hebi.

Sakura keeps staring at the cave's entrance for a while, her heart throbbing. She knew it was bound to happen, that Sasuke would again say or do something that would hurt her.

She drops to the ground, fingers digging into her silky hair, hands hiding her face while tears gather in her eyes.

"Is now the time to tell you how relevant you are to me?"

Sakura snaps her head up with widened eyes.

"Pakkun!"