"Ugh!", Karin fumbled, almost missing while slicing the tentacles. She wasn't sure what absurd experiment Orichimaru had in mind,(though she had a hunch it involved poison or something), but that wasn't of her concern at the moment. All she had in her mind was what Juugo had done, and whether it was a bad thing or not.

A part of her felt like she cheated, like she did not deserve this. Sasuke had chosen Sakura fair and square and it was a wonder what made him change his mind in this universe. Juugo had told her that nothing had changed, but Sasuke just took another path. What did that mean? Was it the jutsu that made him change his mind?

And if so, did that make him choosing Team Taka fake?

"Good work, Karin."

As usual, Sasuke would come to her side and tell her she was doing a good job. It had been thirteen days, but Karin still hadn't come to terms with the fact that in the new world Juugo created, Sasuke was by her side once again. So she jumped, frightened by the voice that she had told herself she'd never hear again.

"T-Thank you."

Karin sighed, portraying every single emotion she had felt since the jutsu was cast with the hunch of her back, the roll of her shoulders, the clench in her stomach and of her fist, and the droop in her eyes.

She did not turn back to face him. She couldn't. Not when her thoughts were such a mess. Not when she was in such a state.

Not when she felt like she didn't deserve to even look at him.

"Karin. You've been out of it since that day you went to Juugo's room. Is everything alright?"

Whenever Sasuke noticed something about her, or that something was wrong with her, she usually felt a sensation in her stomach. Karin smiled, albeit her troubles. "I'm fine, maybe stress has been getting to me."

"Stress?", Sasuke wasn't buying it. "Is that why you claimed that I married Sakura and got her pregnant?"

Karin shot up.

She had hoped he'd forgotten that.

"No, not at all! I just...Youㅡ It was a bad dream I had, and you and Sakura wereㅡyeah."

Naturally, as a Shinobi, Karin was an expert liar. However when it came to Sasuke, her deception skills seemed to just hurl themselves out the window like they never existed.

"Bad dream? Why would Sakura and I being together be a bad dream?"

Karin glared at the tentacles. Now she knew he was messing with her, in his own discreet way. Dammit Sasuke. This is seriously not the time to be playing around.

"I mean, being with a woman romantically isn't something you'd seem to like. And Sakura didn't look so happy in the dream either..."

Karin trailed off. She didn't know if her words were true or false. Sakura did seem happy to be next to Sasuke, but that happiness masked a whole lot of tiredness. Karin had assumed it was because of the stress of being pregnant, but recalling her few conversations with Sakura that involved Sasuke, she wasn't so sure anymore.

"Use this world to your advantage", Juugo advised.

"How am I even supposed to do that?"

"One, forget about Sakura. In this world, Sasuke didn't choose her. Two, find your happiness, not the sacrificial kind, but the true kind of happiness. That's all I have to say to you."

Karin sighed.

'You're somewhat right, Juugo. But I also have to know why the Sasuke in this world chose Team Taka and not the Hidden Leaf Village. Something must've led to it! Or was it just the jutsu?

If this world is because of nothing but a jutsu, then that means none of this is real.

Oh, how I want it to be real.'

"Oh?"

"Uhm, Sasuke...I have a question", Karin pushed her glasses up, almost turning around to look at Sasuke but stopping herself mid way. "I do realise that being in the village would lead to suspicious figures coming after you, but don't you want to see everyone again? Don't you want to go back to your home? To Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, and the rest. Justㅡ why? Why are you still here?"

There was a long pause, and Karin thought he wasn't going to answer.

Sasuke's memories trailed from the day he found his family dead by the hands of his brother, to the moment the same man told him he would love him forever. He cared for the hidden leaf deeply, and everyone in it. Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi... they were all his family.

But it just never felt the same.

Sasuke was never one to be sure of his emotions or what he wanted, but Itachi was. He wondered what his older brother would've chosen if he were in his shoes. His brother wanted to protect the village, and Sasuke did as well. But wanting to protect something is not the same as wanting to be with something. He realised that.

He realised there are always paths to choose from, and in the end, one should choose the path that makes them feel at home, makes them feel accepted, one should choose the one place that would never betray you. The road to happiness and redemption... that's the road Sasuke took.

And that road didn't involve Team 7.

"You are right, they're my family. However, the same thing applies for you too."

Footsteps got fainter, leaving Karin with nothing but the thumping of her chest to listen to.

A smile graced her lips. Because for the first time, she didn't feel like second best, or plan B. The part of her mind that thought she did not deserve another chance was waving a white flag in the air, wishing Karin the best.

Use this world to your advantage.

Sasuke chose Team Taka.

Find your happiness.

And that was enough to make her happy.

::

"What are you doing?", Sasuke sighed.

Suigestu turned to Sasuke, and Sasuke was taken aback by how realistic the face paint on him was. "Have you ever noticed that Juugo never has that look of pure fear on his face? Well, I'm gonna make him so scared he shits his pants."

"By pranking him?"

It was childish to Sasuke, but still, he was intrigued.

"Yes, by pranking him. Don't I look like a mass murderer even worse than Juugo?", Suigestu made a scary face.

"You look constipated."

Suigetsu gave him a glare that could melt sodium.

"Well, now you do look a little scary." Sasuke made an expression that almost looked like a smirk, leaning on the wall to watch the mess that was about to transpire.

Suigetsu was about to retort when he heard noises.

"Ssh! I think he's about to come out."

Suigestu was correct, Juugo opened the door, and Suigestu jumped, making the scariest face he could muster.

If Juugo weren't a Shinobi, and was perhaps a five year old scaredy cat instead, then maybe, just maybe, Suigetsu's prank would have worked.

But alas, he was a skilled Shinobi.

So he punched the amateur prankster in the nose before he could even say boo with absolutely no expression. The latter turned to water as natural defence, and Sasuke looked amused ㅡwell, as much as an Uchiha could, anyway.

"These walls are not soundproof. I heard everything", Juugo told Suigestu. "I also have this thing called chakra detection. Basic Shinobi have it. Did you not conceal your chakra?"

"Aargh! How did I not think of that?!" Suigetsu smacked his head and Sasuke gave him a look that said, 'wow, you really are a complete buffoon.'

"When did you learn how to think?"

"When did Iㅡhey! Are you trying to call me stupid?"

"I am not trying to call you stupid. You are stupid."

"Whatever! I'm just going to go scare Karin instead!"

"You really do have a death wish."

Suigestu huffed and walked away from them, leaving Juugo and Sasuke alone to talk. Which led to silence since the both of them literally don't talk.

"Have you seen Karin lately?", Juugo decided to ask after a long comfortable silence, wishing to get his plan moving.

"Yeah."

Juugo was one to always try and read Sasuke's expressions; and he could tell he was thoughtful by the downcast of his eyes.

"Did she say anything strange to you?"

"Hn. She asked me why I chose to stay here rather than go back to the hidden leaf."

Sasuke was still in confusion on why she'd asked that out of the blue. He knew Karin, and he knew she wouldn't have blurted something out if she hadn't had thought of it before. First she claims I and Sakura were a couple, and now she asks why I'm here..?

"I see. She's most likely had a bad dream involving you", Juugo was afraid Sasuke was catching on to them, but he was sure after some time things would be sail smoothly ㅡhe just needed to keep Sasuke out of the loop, and allow Karin to get accustomed to the change.

Juugo knew Karin still wasn't used to having Sasuke around. He understood, it was a strange and hard situation to come to terms with, but soon she would be used to it, he was sure.

And once that happened, he could remove himself from their situation and allow his plan to move on its own.

Though he wondered how long he'd had to wait for his plan to be a success without intervention. Months? Years?

Only time would tell, I suppose.

::

"YOU LITTLE BASTARD!", Karin gave Suigestu a kick to the face.

"It was a joke! It was a joke!", he repeated as Karin punched him multiple times.

Once she was done, Suigestu sighed, "You're in a more bitch mood than usual."

That earned him another punch.

"Shut up! I'm only annoyed because of your stupid prank!"

"You weren't scared?", he teased.

"I can sense your chakra from a mile away, of course you didn't scare me."

He frowned and sighed in defeat, then remembered something. "Say, Karin.. "

"What?", she scowled.

"Are you okay?", he asked, "Since the day you passed out you've been acting stranger than usual, especially when Sasuke's around."

"Huh? That's not true."

Crap he noticed.

"But it is", he scratched his head, "Whenever Sasuke is near you, it's like you're analysing him. You haven't tried anything dirty with him, and when he calls your name... you almost seem sad."

Karin's glare turned soft. It's none of your business, Suigestu.

"Don't talk like you care about me or something. It's creepy."

Suigestu looked at her one last time before leaving the room. He really was worried about her, and they were teammates, of course he cared deeply for her.

::

Slightly Edited : 23/7/19