Anthology

Anthology

By Laura-chan

Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura

Rating: M

Disclaimer: Of course everything related to Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto-sensei, praise his genius! OOC characters and plot do belong to me.

Zafkiel and Anael belong to Kaori Yuki, who owns Angel Sanctuary.

Warning: I am Italian, English is not my first language, please forgive my mistakes.

Chapter Soundtrack: Lordi, Within Temptation, Nightwish.


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XV.

VIOLENCE


“No, please, don’t do it!”

Kusanagi swirled around and slit the throat of the missing nin: a clean cut, but the blood splattered his face and his vest. Red eyes turned to the other shinobi, a sadistic smirk adorning his handsome face.

“So you’re the last one.”

“You... you are a monster!” the other screamed and stuttered, trying to escape, but unable to do so because of his wounded leg. “Don’t touch me! Don’t come near me! Go away, go away, go away, go away, go away!”

“I’m only doing my job.” He explained emotionlessly. “And my job is very amusing.”

“Yo—!” the second missing nin was hit before he could complete his sentence, his abdomen slashed, and he died spitting blood from his mouth, his eyes still glaring with hate at his killer.

A dark figure neared the blood-covered ANBU, as he sheathed his katana.

“Wasn’t that a bit too... brutal, Uchiha?”

Sasuke turned his now onyx orbs to the white ones Neji possessed.

“Maybe, Hyuuga, maybe. Come on, we need to bring these corpses to the hospital.” He smirked. “I’m sure she would find them interesting.”

He hoisted on his shoulder the last man he had killed and began walking in the direction of Konoha; Neji did the same and with a sigh he followed his companion.

§

The two ANBU caused some commotion as they walked in the hospital with two corpses on their shoulders; but the one who turned heads the most was Sasuke Uchiha, a satisfied look on his face, even if his hair, face and vest were stained in red. The females, even if intimidated by his misterious and dangerous looks, looked at him longingly as the dark-haired shinobi walked determinately towards the Research Centre.

He slammed open a door, Neji still at his heels, and he deposited the bloody body on the desk before a young woman: she backed a bit, startled by the sudden intrusion, then narrowed her eyes at the scene before her.

Some nurses squeaked and screamed at the sight of the maimed corpse, with its eyes and mouth still open, and a blonde hid her gasp behind her hand, before exiting the room, pushing Neji away.

“I brought you something you can experiment on.” Sasuke smirked at the woman in front of him, still sitting at her desk. “I’m sure the Godaime will be happy with the results. Moreover, you wanted organs for your transplants, didn’t you?”

He neared his face to hers and he could see her beautiful jade eyes narrow at him in anger; with a smirk, he whispered to her, his lips just a breath away from hers.

“I killed him just half an hour ago; he was begging me not to touch him...”

The woman wasn’t intimidated by him and snorted.

“Everyone, go away. I will deal with this barbarian. Neji-san, please leave the body at the mortuary.”

Neji only nodded and exited the room, followed by all the nurses, who looked slightly hysteric.

Sasuke sat on her desk as he stared at her.

“Barbarian?” he questioned, amused. “I’m doing my job as a Konoha shinobi. And your researches aren’t more humane than what I do, Sakura.”

Sakura kept glaring at him. “Naruto won’t be pleased.” She finally said. “You don’t kill, you massacre, you slay... do you find it funny?”

He chuckled darkly. “If we have got to work, at least we can have fun.” He smirked a sinful smile which held many promises, and Sakura could feel herself shiver.

“Leave. Now.” The pink-haired medic-nin commanded, emphasizing the order with a movement of her hand: he grasped her wrist.

“They were killed because they were weak. It’s their fault.” Sasuke leaned closer, quickly grabbing her other wrist and trapping her against the chair. “I wouldn’t die like that...” he murmured against her soft lips, getting ready to kiss her passionately.

Sakura was able to free a hand and slapped him on the cheek, his head turning because of the force she put into the slap. “I don’t want to see you again!” she yelled angrily, a tear falling on her cheek. “Leave immediately!” the medic turned her back to him, not wanting to let him see her tears and her broken heart.

Sasuke touched gently his red cheek and smiled flatly. “You look even more beautiful when you’re angry.” With that, he whirled around and exited the room, leaving a confused and sad kunoichi.

§

“Sakura-chan. I know you’re worried about Sasuke and I’ll promise I’ll try to knock some sense into him...” Naruro grinned “It will be enjoyable... but well, you look exhausted. You should try to get some rest.”

The pink-haired kunoichi smiled gratefully at him, but shook her head. “It’s ok, I’ve been having troubles sleeping, but nothing serious.” Her eyes grew sad. “Sasuke has changed so much... You should stop giving him this kind of missions. Let him do some recon.”

The Rokudaime sighed. “I tried, but he grew restless, and a restless Sasuke is more dangerous than an amused one: after all, he is doing his job.”

“Naruto!” Sakura exclaimed, alarmed. “You haven’t seem his victims! He has no mercy, he slays them! I am afraid...” she bit her lip. “I am afraid he is becoming like Itachi, but much more unstable.”

Naruto patted her shoulder. “I know our Sasuke is still alive, somewhere inside him. Maybe you could help him.”

“Me?” she looked startled. “Naruto, I don’t think so... he’s so strange towards me. I don’t recognize him anymore.”

“Well, after all he is a healthy twenty-five years old male... it’s normal that he lusts after you...”

“Naru--to!”

“What? It’s true! Don’t tell me you can’t see it. Sasuke wants your body very much...” he smirked at her when Sakura blushed. ‘Adorable’, he thought. “...but I believe you can give him so much more.”

“I stopped loving him a long time ago, Naruto.” She said absent-mindedly.

“You can’t fool me, Sakura-chan. I know you still feel something for him.”

She cursed. “Everything is so complicated! I don’t want to deal with him...I’m so tired to try to make him see, to make him understand...”

“For everyone’s, but most of all for Sasuke’s, sake, I beg you to keep trying. I can do only much, you must do the rest.”

“Naruto, he must want to change too...” Sakura replied sadly, before walking away.

Arrived at the hospital, she walked towards her office, some medical charts in her hands. A sudden noise coming from a room on her right drew her attention; the door wasn’t completely closed and Sakura cautiously peeked inside.

She gasped.

“What are you two doing?!”

Ino pushed Sasuke away from her and ran away from the corner in which he had trapped her. “Leave Ino alone!” Sakura yelled at Sasuke, as her friend cowered behind her. The medic took out a napkin and wiped away Ino’s tears; the blonde smiled at her, then exited the room.

She was simply outraged. She faced her former teammate, anger guiding her actions and words. “Leave my friend alone! HAVE YOU REALLY FALLEN SO LOW?” she grasped his collar, bringing his head closer to hers, screaming in his face. “You really should be ashamed of yourself! What happened to the honourable Sasuke Uchiha I knew? Has he completely disappeared? Are you really a monster?”

“What? Are you jealous?” he said with a small, emotionless smile.

“You shouldn’t have been pardoned! You aren’t fit to be an ANBU, you don’t deserve Naruto’s and my friendship!” Sakura knew she was saying hurtful things, but she wanted to know if he was still human, if he could still feel... “You really are an arrogant bastard!”

“I wanted to hear again your voice.” He said simply, his eyes never leaving hers.

“You’re a devil playing with others’ hearts--!”

Sakura was cut off by warm lips crashing onto hers, silencing her. Sasuke wrapped an arm around her back, pulling her closer, his mouth devouring hers; she moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, accepting his kiss.

The kunoichi let him push her against the wall as they continued to kiss each other, tongues battling for dominance; his muscles were hard under his black, body-fitting shirt and she lightly traced them with her long fingers. Sasuke sighed and the kiss got gentler, as he caressed her cheeks with his thumbs.

They parted, their breaths heavy.

“You... you can be so evil...” she whispered. “But your eyes...they’re so beautiful...” her fingertips touched his face, his lips, his nose, his cheeks, and then closed the lids over his onyx eyes.

They kissed again, both of them forgetting the world around them. They embraced, Sasuke’s arms wrapping around her and keeping her close to his chest, Sakura’s wrapped around his neck and shoulders. “How...how can I make you see, Sasuke?” she murmured before his lips silenced her again. “How can I make you see that even in this world you abandoned there are still some things worth living for...”

They spent precious moments lost in each other’s arms, then Sakura remembered her duty. “I have work.” She explained apologetically, backing away from him. Sasuke simply nodded, before smiling, a little, soft and rare smile. “I have to see the dobe, now. I’ll pick you up tonight.”

Her jade eyes widened. “Sasuke, there’s no need—“ A finger on the lips stopped her. “I want to.” And with that, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

§

Naruto was writing some reports: like his predecessor, he hated paperwork and was bored out of his mind.

“Dobe.”

His blue eyes lifted up.

“Oi, Sasuke-teme.”

They grinned at each other.

“Have you got something for me?” the ANBU asked. “Nothing too long, tonight I have to pick Sakura up from the hospital.”

Naruto raised an eyebrow, then secretely smiled. “No, today I haven’t got any mission for you. Maybe you can get ready for your night with Sakura-chan.” He winked at his friend.

Sasuke snorted. “Mind your own business, Naruto. What’s going on between Sakura and me concerns only us.”

The Rokudaime got serious. “Sasuke, don’t you dare hurt Sakura-chan. I know you care about her...” the dark-haired shinobi looked startled. “Don’t you dare deny it! I believe that Sakura still loves you and I want you to treat her well... she deserves it.”

Sasuke lowered his gaze. “I know.” He said simply. “I don’t want to hurt her.”

“We have got something else to discuss: Sasuke, the way you kill is arousing controversy in the Council. They’re worried by your unnecessary cruelty and I can’t help but agree with them: why do you keep behaving like that?”

Sasuke snorted. “I don’t care if the Council has something against me, Naruto. I do my job, and I do it damn well... why should all of you worry about the way I kill my victims?”

“Because it shows that you’re unstable!” Naruto yelled, slamming his palm on the desk. “You’ve already betrayed the village once, and we don’t want another Itachi!”

The Rokudaime avoided a kunai thrown at him. “I’m nothing LIKE HIM!” Sasuke screamed, sharingan activating in his eyes.

“THEN DO SOMETHING TO PROVE IT!”

The Uchiha glared at the blond and he left the room slamming the door.

§

He inhaled the sweet smell of cherry coming from her hair as he held her close to his naked body: for the first time in a long while, he felt utterly content and at peace.

“Sakura...” he whispered, kissing her neck and shoulder; his right hand traveled on her front to grip her breast.

He smirked when he heard her mutter, “Not again...” she turned to look at him, half annoyed half amused. “You really are insatiable.”

“Only for you.” He murmured, kissing her lips, still swollen from their previous kisses. Once again, he moved himself over her, admiring the naked body he had lusted after for a long time.

Sasuke kissed her neck, earning a broken moan from her, her hands touching his back. “I want to stay like this forever...” she said, kissing his forehead.

“And I want to spend my time in your arms...” he whispered in response, still touching her breasts, hips, legs.

“Sasuke...” her hands drew his face back to hers. “Please, I beg you... stop killing so brutally: you don’t need to be so violent...” Sakura kissed his cheeks and his eyelids.

Sasuke crashed his lips on hers, tilting her head back thanks to the grip he had on her long hair; he nibbled Sakura’s lip, situating himself between her legs, her nails leaving red marks on the skin of his back and shoulders.

Just before entering her he answered her plead: “Why should I stop when it is so entertaining?”

§

“Sasuke, I have a mission for you.”

The ANBU stopped polishing his katana and smirked. “Finally; it’s been two months since my last one.”

The Rokudaime grinned. “I believe you enjoyed very much spending your free time with Sakura-chan.” In response, Sasuke’s smirk just grew wider.

“When do I leave?”

“Tomorrow. Here are all the information you need.” Naruto gave him a parchment and Sasuke wasted no time in opening it. After reading it, he hid the scroll in a pocket.

“I’ll leave tomorrow morning with other three ANBU and the mission should be completed in a week.”

“Be careful.” Naruto said, but the other shinobi just smirked. “Am I not always careful?”

Sasuke left the ANBU headquarters and walked to Sakura’s apartment: she wouldn’t be happy about his mission, but he missed the rush of adrenaline he felt during a chase or a kill.

When he entered, his girlfriend was watching the television with a glazed look in her eyes.

“Sakura?”

The young woman and turned her head to look at him with wide eyes. “Sa-Sasuke!”

He raised an eyebrow at her behaviour. “What’s wrong?”

Sakura bit her lip, lowering her stare: he sat next to her on the couch, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger and making her look at him.

“Sakura,” he said firmly. “What’s wrong? Tell me.” It was an order and only a fool would disobey Uchiha Sasuke.

“Oh, Sasuke...I don’t know how to tell you, but...” the pink-haired kunoichi gathered her courage and looked at him straight in the eyes. “I am pregnant.”

Sasuke was sure he had heard wrong.

“What?”

“I’m pregnant.”

He had never felt so stupid and atonished all his life. “P-Pregnant? When, why, how?”

Sakura glared at him. “Do you really want me to answer your questions?”

The young man shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. “You’re pregnant...” he repeated. “I am going to be a father...”

Sakura smiled gently, hugging him tightly. “Yes, you’re going to be a father.”

“Oh, Sakura...” he captured her lips in an appassionate kiss, trying to show her all the happiness he was feeling.

The hugged each other for a long time, then Sasuke backed away, caressing her cheek with a tenderness he had never displayed before; his hand traveled along her body to rest on her still flat stomach. “A new life...” he breathed.

Sakura smiled brilliantly at him.

“I have to go on a mission tomorrow...” he watched how her face fell and her smile disappeared. “But I’m getting back in a week, and then I’ll ask Naruto for a year-long leave. After all, we have to prepare the wedding and that is going to take some time.”

Sakura gaped at him.

“Wedding?”

“Of course.” Sasuke said calmly.

“Does my opinion count?” She asked sarcastically. “Maybe I don’t want to marry you. And I don’t want you to see this as a duty.” She continued, sneering. “I am perfectly capable of raising this child alone.”

His eyes flashed and in an instant he had Sakura pinned to the couch, being careful not to hurt her and the life in her belly.

“Don’t be stupid Sakura.” He snapped. “I don’t see this as a duty: true, one of my goal is to revive my clan but if I didn’t want to marry you and have this child I would have already told you so. And you’re not going to raise our child alone, I won’t allow it.” His voice softened slightly. “Of course your opinion counts... I’m not going to plan a wedding alone.”

The medic-nin sobbed and then wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him. “I’m sorry, Sasuke, I’m sorry, I know I overreacted, but...” she bit her lip. “I want you to care for me also, not only for the child.”

With his thumb he wiped away her tears. “I care for you, Sakura.” Then, he smirked. “And our sex is fantastic.”

“I knew it!” she exclaimed mockingly, punching him lightly on the shoulder, “You want me only for the sex!”

He grinned widely and proceeded to tickle her, enjoying her laughter.

§

“That is the target.” He stated, hidden in the trees surrounding a small building.

The three ANBU near him nodded: Neji, with his byakugan, was observing the house from which a man in his thirties had just exited. “No one is inside.”

“Perfect.” Kiba grinned. “No witnesses.”

Sasuke felt excitement and adrenaline run in his blood: he was craving to feel the smell of fear come from his victim.

“Inuzuka, Hyuuga, stay hidden and check the surroundings; Aburame, you come with me.” With that, in a flash he was gone, only to reappear in front of the man, his wolf mask in place.

“Hello.” He said smirking.

The battle was brief but fierce; the target was a skilled shinobi and managed to avoid most of Sasuke’s lethal hits, but he wasn’t able to escape chidori.

Now, he laid down on the ground, dying, spitting blood from his mouth and with a hole in his stomach.

“Ta-Takiko...” he was whispering, tears mingling with the blood. “I..I wanted...to...see...her...one...last...time.”

Sasuke was getting annoyed with him and had just raised Kusanagi when he heard Neji’s voice. “Uchiha! Someone is coming!”

With a jump, the dark-haired shinobi landed on a branch, the deep foliage hiding him: a smiling woman, who was obviously pregnant, emerged from a path which led to the nearest town.

Her smile disappeared as soon as she noted the man laying on the ground. She screamed and screamed, her nails biting in her cheeks; she ran to her fallen man and began calling him and crying desperately.

“Taichi, Taichi...” she sobbed... “No…why, why, why, why are you leaving me alone? What’s going to happen to me? To our child?? Taichi, don’t die...” But the man was already dead.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, Taichi!!!” she held his body, crying frantically.

Sasuke could only stare shocked at the scene: his eyes failed him and instead of the woman’s long back hair, he saw pink; instead of dark eyes, he saw green. The imagine was simply too horrible for him to keep watching: he could see a pregnant Sakura crying over his dead body.

He stared at his hands, still stained with the man’s blood: horror filled him and suddenly he couldn’t stand it. Ignoring his teammates’ calls, he ran as fast as he could, running towards the only place he could feel protect and safe. The blood on his hands reminded him of when he had killed his brother, he had killed his brother, just like Itachi had killed their clan! Naruto was right! He was becoming like Itachi, he was becoming a cold-blooded killer!

The chuunin guards of the gate tried to stop him, but soon recognized him and let him go; she wasn’t at home, so he tried the hospital. Sakura was in her office, doing some paperwork: he entered from the open window, startling her.

“Sasuke! You scared me! Why are you back so soon? It’s been only three—“ he suddenly moved and hugged her: she gasped for air as the tight embrace almost suffocated her. Sasuke was squeezing her, as if he was trying to incorporate her into his body.

“Sasuk- can’t breathe...” his grip lightened, but he continued to held her close, his face buried in the hollow of her neck.

Sakura wrapped her arms around him, confused by his strange behaviour: her hands raised Sasuke’s head and she gasped when she saw him cry - silent, fat tears rolling down his cheeks, his eyes tightly closed.

“Sasuke...”

“Sakura...” his voice was hoarse and broken. “I will stop. I will stop. I won’t kill anymore if it isn’t necessary.” He opened his beautiful dark eyes. “Just stay with me.”

They continued to hug as Sakura whispered into his ear to calm him down.

“Our child and I... we will never leave you, Sasuke...never...”

Anthology XV – End


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Author’s Note: the first part of this chapter was highly inspired by Angel Sanctuary (by Kaori Yuki) and especially the story of Zafkiel and Anael.

Everyone hates Karin...no, I don’t hate her, I simply like Sasuke better with Sakura... I felt bad for her while writing Alive.

Yes, there will be Part 2 and Part 3 of the Alive Trilogy: Part 2 is already written, while Part 3 is half complete.

Thanks to my reviewers, you're best, YOU REALLY ARE!! Thank you so much for the compliments -- I love ya all!
Just don't forget to review ;)