Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Blindfolded ❯ Forbidden Desires ( Chapter 4 )

Blindfolded

Chapter information:

Genre: humor/romance

Chapter 4

Forbidden Desires

When Sakura woke up, Itachi had already packed and was sitting by her side ready to leave. Sakura tried to put her thoughts together since she had no idea where she was or how she got there. The memory of the last few days was more like a lance of sensations merging into one another, than an interlocking, comprehensible story. She recalled the frosty taste of the snow, from the time when she moaned painfully and received a handful of it in exchange. She recalled the time when her heart was beating faster and faster from the strain as they cut across the rocks against the wind. She recalled the cry of the wind, the frost, the mortal fear that took over her when she realized she didn't stand a chance... then she remembered the warmth.

Sakura retraced the feeling excitedly, the one she had felt while lying in his arms. She knew she shouldn't feel this way, everything they had done was only for survival. Any other time she would have considered even the thought of being embraced by a stranger repulsive, she admitted to herself. A man, whose face she hadn't even seen and besides, a mailman..! Any other time, yes it would have been completely out of question—Sakura shivered with cold. But this time.. it was somehow different. She couldn't explain or reason why, but the feeling as they were lying next to each other was somehow.. welcoming. Like returning home after a long journey. Sakura pondered it. She didn't believe in fate as Kisame did, but still as she recalled the feeling of his touch, she felt like it was right; she didn't regret, that it had happened.

“Where are we?”

“In a kamakura.” came the answer. Sakura sat up in surprise. She hadn't thought it was possible for a human to build an igloo by themselves. Reaching out she tried to estimate its size, and it seemed Kisame had built it just high enough to be able to move inside comfortably.

“I'll take off the bandage,” said the man and Sakura nodded. She felt a bit ashamed, since by realizing that she was a medic nin, he must have also realized how needless it was to bandage her arm. In her defense, it was vital for a ninja to keep their secrets, and she hadn't considered mentioning her ability to be absolutely necessary.

As she started to strip down her clothes, she felt the man bending closer to her. This time he was not as precise as last time, and his fingers accidentally touched her naked skin here and there. Satisfaction spread through her and she felt almost drunk from it even though somewhere deep inside her mind a little voice tried to warn her that this is not a game anymore, she shouldn't feel this way. But it was impossible to deny what had seduced every woman from time immemorial; because a woman instinctively knows when a man pays her special attention. It flatters her vanity independent of who that certain man is, and vanity is a bad counselor… it encourages to shine more, to play more. Then intoxicated by success she doesn't notice that it's no longer a game, until it's too late.

But it was really hard to resist temptation, and before she could warn herself she reached up unconsciously to slide her fingers along her neck.

“Thank you Kisame for treating my shoulder. It helped healing.” she said with an innocent voice and Itachi found himself staring at Sakura's fingers, playing with her pink hair. Are you flirting with me, Sakura? The thought sounded ridiculous, but..

“We have to leave now, if you can stand.” he answered finally, and the kunoichi nodded. They slowly prepared to leave, and when they stepped out into the biting, fresh morning air, Sakura's face flushed from the cold.

“How long does it take to get beyond the pass?” she asked the man when he took her hand.

“The hardest part is already behind us, from now on we'll descend. By tomorrow afternoon we'll be out of here, which means one more night in the mountain.” Itachi said while pondering about the next place to camp. “The way down is steeper, gather more chakra to your feet.” he added.

The road proved to be steep indeed. At first it didn't strike the eye until the road became even rockier, as if trolls cut stairs for themselves into the inner side of the mountain. It was hard to step, she couldn't tell when or where her feet would land, and she often miscalculated the distances. There was a time, when she didn't expect the ground to be so high, and her knee cracked painfully as her feet crushed unexpectedly into the ground. After a long while of slow and difficult progress, the man halted and turned back.

“This passage is the steepest, I'll have to lift you sometimes.” he explained and reached up to grab the kunoichi by her armpits.

The sudden movement surprised Sakura and she instinctively grabbed the man's arm. As he raised her up she felt his muscles flexing and bulging under her grip, causing little shivers to run along her spine. When she was on firm ground again, she stepped back lowering her arms. This was how they proceeded; slowly and carefully. When they stopped again Sakura expected the man to help her over another obstruction. He didn't stand as far away from her as before, so this time she could cling onto his shoulders and was amazed by how wide they were. As the tensed muscles played under her touch she'd have given anything to see his face.

Every time, they stopped she was drawn deeper into her own little world, which consisted of gentle touches, the quiet sounds of breathing and fragrances, that brought a kind of wildness in her to the surface—something she didn't really understand. When they encountered another difficulty Sakura heard the man jump rather than step down. That must be a much bigger difference in level, she thought, and she was right. Itachi's head was in line with her thighs.

He reached up to grab the woman by her waist, and in that moment as he pulled her soft body to him, time seemed to freeze for a second. He wondered.. when did Sakura throw her arms around his neck.. since when was her warm breath caressing his skin.. and why were his arms still around her waist? Don't! —and this thought made him move again. Shaking his head he stepped away from Sakura. Since when do I treat myself like a dog?!

“It's so unbelievable,” Sakura said suddenly, as if she was concluding a long argument in her head.

“What?” Itachi asked while helping her over another slippery part.

“That you're a mailman.” she answered and Itachi sighed inside. Here it comes again. Sakura continued apologetically.

“I didn't want to insult you! I mean there are advantages being a mailman; you're not obligated to go to war, can't be ordered to kill or spy or.. do something equally horrible. It's just that until now I thought that the only people who wanted to be mailmen were losers who didn't have a problem being far away from home since nobody was waiting for them anyway.”

In that moment Itachi's eyes widened and Sakura's face twisted and she wanted to thump her head into a rock. All she intended was just to find out whether Kisame was married or not, but it came out in a very wrong way—

“I don't have anybody either.” Itachi answered emotionlessly, but as soon as he said it he knew he'd made a mistake. In the upcoming silence a tiny little sweat drop slid down his brow.

“Oh.” said the kunoichi, but this 'oh' sounded more like a word, that expects others to follow it, than something that wants to close an uncomfortable topic. Itachi suddenly felt determined to draw the conversation away from his family life.

“According to my experience there are not many clever women on this Earth.” he answered hastily. Sakura winced. I guess I deserved that, she thought wryly, and wisely hold her tongue.

Soon they left the sharp, steep places and the path became gently sloping, almost comfortable. The sky was still covered by the milky-white clouds, but this time they didn't look as heavy and threatening as the day before. They stopped often, and at such times Sakura would tiredly sit down on a larger rock to eat and drink.

Itachi, standing next to her, scanned the land with an unfathomable expression. They were still high enough to see far away and the view was beautiful. Kisame, now a day's journey away, would surely be impatiently waiting for him by now. While travelling Sakura started another conversation, it seemed she had become talkative again. What Itachi didn't know (moreover what even Sakura didn't know —at least not consciously) is that discovering that he was not married gave point to the argument.

Soon they reached the first line of the trees, which signaled that they could stop to prepare the camp. Itachi however didn't settle down until he found a little suitable meadow. Thus day turned into night when the flames of the campfire rebounded. Sakura was sitting on a dry-rotten trunk with hands reaching towards the fire. She used the tranquil silence, while the man was setting up the tent, to check her condition with her mind.

Slowly relaxing, pictures appeared in front of her mind's eye, and she categorized them with the speed of a thought, putting them aside or enlarging them. In fact she was nowhere near as precise as she used to be at home —but it works in this way, said Tsunade once— on the field it never goes as smoothly as on a hospital bed. She was glad to learn that her lung was quite healed, and her ankle was recovering as well. The time that they had spent in the kamakura was a lifesaver. Her heart gave a leap in the realization, that by tomorrow she would have enough chakra to heal her eyes. That meant—suddenly a howl was carried by the evening wind. Somewhere far away wolves were sending messages to the moon. Yes, she nodded while grinning, I want to howl, too.

Presumably the man had finished setting up the tent, because he sat down not far from her, on the other end of the dry trunk. Sakura turned to the source of the noises.

“I have great news. Tomorrow I can start working on my eyes. By the day after tomorrow I will be able to remove the blindfold.”

“Tomorrow we'll reach the foot of the mountain.” the man answered in a neutral voice, as if they were talking about the weather. She felt a little offended. She he had been expecting more enthusiasm than that. Biting back a Sakura-like remark, she decided to use a different strategy (one she had read in Icha-Icha Tactics). For a moment she frowned as if something on her right ankle annoyed her greatly, then in one fluid movement as she bent down to check her feet, she scooted closer to the man.

“Where are you heading? Maybe we could travel together for a bit more,” she asked with a sweet voice, but no answer came. That confused her. Was she asking for confidential information? Or did the man think she wanted to force herself on him? But then—that must mean he thought of her as a burden. Of course you're a burden you cow, he's been your guide dog and now you ask him to wait one more day for your little romantic fantasy? Her own thoughts shocked her. Since when was she so strict with herself? She remembered the good old days when she allowed herself to have chocolate on Sundays and even those delicious cocktails while she celebrated with Naruto... and now she was stingy about one day? That was so unfair..

“You've saved my life. I've been bothering you since you've found me. I'd like to thank you properly while looking into your eyes.”

Itachi smirked for a second, as if laughing about an inner joke, but said nothing.

Sakura on the other hand grew even more uncertain, and if she hadn't heard the man's quiet inspiration she'd have thought he wasn't there anymore. She began to lose her initial confidence, not understanding the man's silence. Things had changed between them, hadn't they? Or did their journey mean nothing to him? Just in case she squirmed closer.

“I'd like to see you.” she admitted finally. In the upcoming silence she was on the edge until the shinobi sighed and her heart fluttered.

“We'll see.” was all he answered. Sakura squeaked and jumped into his arms happily. Well at least that was her original plan, but she hadn't estimated the distance correctly. Anyhow she grabbed his arm and squeezed it happily. Confused, Itachi just watched her beaming smile.

“Yay! You should keep your word though!” she said playfully and let go of the man. As an explanation she added. “You said we'd see, meaning we both, so I can see you, too, so you've agreed! Because if you hadn't meant this, you'd have said I'd see instead, right?” joked Sakura.

“And anyway, isn't this the hand of fate? Think about it.. probably originally my fate was to die up here. But you saved me.” she set the trap, and didn't have to be disappointed, because Itachi finally spoke up.

“I only gave you the chance to survive, you had to carry through by yourself. The fact that you're here proves things couldn't have happened in a different way. Thus it was never part of your fate to die here.”

“Then it'll be fateful if we stay together till the day after tomorrow and I'll get to see your face?”

“Yes.”

“But if our paths separate and we will never meet again, then that will be our fate?”

“Indeed.”

“So if you cannot actually predict what's going to happen then why worry about it?” the kunoichi summarized, sounding satisfied, like someone who had done her work well, and clasped her hands above her head. Itachi knit his brows.

“While it's true we cannot foresee what's going to happen, the possibilities are not endless. When you think of your future you see a wide range of choices from which you consider many as improbable, and you see many that you think are possible. But in reality they're unlikely to happen, because your nature determines what you do. Probably you could choose differently. But you wouldn't.”

After all that has been said Sakura didn't feel like talking anymore. The mailman was a pig-headed stoic, no argument there. She lowered her head feeling so helpless. She really wanted to get to know this man, the longing curiosity practically overflowed from her and she was almost thinking about tearing away the blindfold—

“Aren't you afraid, Sakura?”

“Why would I be?”

“That you won't see what you imagine.”

“As you said, if I happen to be disappointed, then it supposed to be my fate.” she replied while clasping her knee. Itachi nodded, then got to his feet and took the kunoichi's hand.

“It's time to retire. I'll keep watch.”

Sakura involuntarily followed him, feeling tired but not yet sleepy.

“I can take the watch from you later.” She offered boldly. Itachi wanted to laugh

“Sure.”

.oOo.

However Itachi didn't wake Sakura up that night, rather he sat by the fire wrapped in thought.

The next morning Sakura woke up resolutely. This is the last day! She shuddered and grew excited at the thought. Suddenly every second that she spent with Kisame travelling down the mountain hand-in-hand seemed an unrepeatable treasure to her. And if somebody had asked her why the moment when she first heard the man's heartbeat was so special, she would've shrugged and said “I don't know.”

And really, she couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when the stranger had become so particular to her. There is probably some truth in the explanation that affection forms between a man and woman when both have certain compatible chemical substrates in their body, or maybe it really is the hand of fate. Of course she couldn't preclude the possibility that she was just going mad, but as the saying goes among scholars, as long as there is a different explanation, we are inclined to accept that.

Sakura shook her head and sat up in the tent. Being finally alone allowed her to nurse her body and tidy herself up. Although the place was cramped, she paid attention to her legs, and creamed them along with the rest of her body. When she finished her stomach was growling impatiently.

They didn't spend much time on breakfast, and as soon as they finished they departed. Sakura of course tried everything she could to slow down their progress, but it was really hard to scheme with a blindfold on. Itachi on the other hand held her hand gently, but determinedly.

Descending was the most enjoyable part of their journey, and not just because Sakura's life was no longer in danger. Heavy winter clouds no longer covered the sun, and sunshine, rarely seen in this land, surrounded them. Though she couldn't see it, the warm, tingling sensation on her skin cheered her up. But the weather wasn't the only thing that favored them. They could finally leave behind the rocky, barren side of the mountain and it felt now as though her feet were treading on velvet as they stepped on the fallen, soft pine needles.

Her companion didn't wear gloves either this time, and as they held hands and enjoyed each other's company, Sakura felt him closer than ever. Of course she had lost her breath that time he pulled her to him in the blizzard too, but that was probably because she had been exhausted and very sick. At that time she had not felt the same as now: the bond of two people who have gone through hell together. If only he didn't have to be on his way..

“Kisame?” she said softly.

“Hm?”

“Why did you become a mailman?” Sakura blushed, knowing very well it was senseless to ask that. How could anybody answer the question “why are you who you are?” She didn't know what kind of answer she expected either, it was just that.. she felt compelled to ask it anyway.

Itachi wasn't surprised, somewhere inside he was waiting for that question. But now that the thought was voiced, he didn't know how to answer. In the end he spoke his mind, and found the words fall so easily from his mouth.

“At that time I'd have said: 'because that seemed to be best choice'. Now I'd say it was inevitable to lose against fate. Because I believed in freedom,” he said in a deep voice “while I just didn't know what was going to happen. But there was a man who knew about my fate. How much he knew or how much he triggered it, I do not know. That man was a monk of the Kozenji temple.”

“How did you meet him?” Sakura asked stunned. Itachi frowned, but then decided to share one more piece of his puzzle.

“During a mission, I had to escort this man and then kill him. But I couldn't do it, which he most likely knew very well. Not because I couldn't kill.. but because suddenly he became very valuable to me.”

Itachi looked up at the sky and realized the sun was already at its zenith. It was almost time. He stopped suddenly, but didn't waver his gaze from the sky. His eyes were cold and sharp, dark pain dwelling in them. Sakura stepped closer snuggling up to his back.

“What happened afterwards?” she asked with such gentleness, that it flared up Itachi's temper for a moment. He didn't deserve such kindness! But then he turned back to look down at the fragile-looking woman.

“He told me secrets. Other's dark secrets.. and after you know them, nothing will be the same as before. Especially when they realize, that you've learnt them.” he said and reached up with one hand to stroke the soft curls of her hair, holding them with his fingers, admiring as the sunlight glistened playfully on them.

“Therefore Sakura, once you take off that blindfold.. you'll become part of this fate. Maybe you too will realize that the life you've been living was just a cage. Sometimes ignorance—” bending closer, Itachi breathed a kiss on her forehead “is bliss.”

Sakura slid her hands over his chest slowly as if she couldn't believe that this was real. Then when her fingers brushed his neck, Itachi closed his eyes and touched his forehead to hers.

“I want to get to know you.” she whispered quietly, and then felt fingers caressing her skin along her jawline and moving forward. Her heart was throbbing painfully fast, and her knees became weak when she felt the man leaning closer. First he touched her lips softly, gently almost like a quiet whisper. His touch was powerful and inviting, and her lips parted as they yield to the man's kisses. They enjoyed each other's closeness and warmth, then as their touches grew more passionate, and their desires stronger, their lips moved in a faster rhythm, as they tasted each other, searched each other wanting more and more.

Itachi felt Sakura clinging to him, her whole body, her every movement radiated desire, and Itachi wanted her. The feeling burst through him and he kissed her more impatiently as he pressed her body to his firmly. But he couldn't do it, he couldn't continue.. his fingers slowly raised in order to find the sensitive spot on Sakura's nape.. because it was not possible, desire couldn't be fulfilled, because he was Itachi the damned—

He watched as the woman collapsed. Standing still just for a short while in silence, as if he was mourning something, Itachi closed his eyes. Then he slowly raised the unconscious woman into his arms and started off again. He didn't look down, his sharp eyes were scanning the land that lay before him and there was no trace of tenderness in them anymore. No.. those eyes were cold and cruel, true to a killer.

Itachi had not been travelling for long, when he beheld a figure among the trees. He was just sitting on a large rock and seemingly waiting for something to happen. When he felt Itachi's presence he jumped up to approach him.

“Finally!” he greeted his partner, but Itachi didn't answer. He wasn't in a talkative mood, but that didn't discourage the shark man and he leaned closer to take a look at Itachi's package.

“Oho you even brought a souvenir for me? Really, you didn't have to.” he said avidly, but when Itachi's gaze pierced him he unconsciously took a step back.

“I see you had a good day, Itachi. Or was it rather tiring?” he asked again with a sardonic grin. Itachi left him without a word. Kisame looked after him with interest; he would've given a lot to get anything out of his silent partner.

“What are we going to do with her? Take her with us?” he inquired.

“No.”

Kisame must have found something very funny because he guffawed.

“How about we find a left-luggage office for her?” Kisame laughed again; he just couldn't get enough of himself. Two days of waiting had had its effect on him it seemed.

Soon only two black dots could be seen in the depth of the forest, and then they vanished as well leaving behind the wild nature to itself.

 

Fumoffu:

Actually Itachi was not quite right about fate. Things could have happened differently—after all there are three Moirae who spin the thread of fate, and it just slipped on one vote for things to happen like that:

Itachi realized his miscalculation too late, or maybe Kisame was too inpatient to just sit and wait. Anyhow, Itachi's throat went suddenly dry when he caught a sight of his partner approaching them. Without any hesitation he flew faster than lightning in order to prevent the catastrophe.

“Hello Ita—” that was all poor Kisame could say before he was hit square in his stomach and badly winded. He doubled over with pain.

“Why did I get that?!” he asked edgily. Sakura, who was left behind took a few steps forward.

“Something has happened, Kisame? Who is there?” she asked with an uneasy voice. Kisame stared at Itachi questioningly, who looked back as if Sakura had explained everything, and gave his 'you see, I told you' look. But no, Kisame didn't quite get what was going on.

“Who is there?” Sakura asked again, if possible even more anxious. Itachi poked Kisame, who cleared his throat.

“Er, hello. I'm Orochimaru.” he said the first name that came to his mind. Itachi rolled his eyes irritably. Sakura took a horrified step back.

“That Orochimaru?” she asked quickly and took a defending pose. Kisame answered hastily.

“Noo, not that one! A different one!”

The kunoichi pressed her lips together suspiciously, but then lowered her fists.

“Oh.”

Looking menacingly at his partner, Itachi put his index finger on his lips. Kisame nodded frightened, and with his right hand he pulled an invisible zip on his lips closed. After they understood each other, they resumed their journey. But Itachi was very unlucky that day because he didn't know yet, that the real Orochimaru was actually just a bush away.

After Orochimaru had finally acquired Sasuke's body he found himself in need of a little rehabilitation and had started a therapy that he had read about in the health column of the newest issue of his favourite magazine `Poisonous Affections'. “What to do when our reptile is lethargic and weary?” The treatment for Orochimaru was pretty simple: feed yourself plenty and take yourself out for a lot of walks. And so he did, but what bad luck, his path led him to just where Itachi was going.

Orochimaru stepped out from a dense, bush-hidden path, and felt his jaw drop as he saw who was coming. Especially seconds later, when Itachi started speeding towards him.

“What are you doing Ita—“ that was all he could say, before Itachi's right foot connected with his solar plexus. His eyes almost popped out.

“You want to fight?!” the freak asked flushed with rage as soon as he was able to breathe again. Itachi bashed him on his head with his elbow, when he heard Sakura's sharp intake.

“Who is there, Kisame?”

Itachi sent his famous death glare at him.

“Nobody, just an old acquaintance, right Orochimaru?” he asked without turning back. From behind Kisame spoke up while grinning.

“Yeah. He was about to introduce himself.”

Confused, the real Orochimaru looked from Itachi to Kisame. What the heck is going on?

“So?” Itachi asked gritting his teeth, his Sharingan fixed on the snake man, whose divided tongue stuck out in his nervousness.

“Uh.. I'm Sasuke,” he said hesitatingly, then he nodded. It wasn't that big a lie after all—he was indeed in Sasuke's body.

However Sakura started to lose her patience and snarled.

“I see. So I have the pleasure of meeting Kisame, Orochimaru and Sasuke, right?” she asked in a sarcastic tone. The three men had sweat drops glistening on their foreheads. Itachi saw Sakura getting more and more angry and nudged Orochimaru, who looked at him with accusing eyes, then turned to Sakura to save the day.

“But I'm really Sasu—” he couldn't continue, because Sakura exploded and punched the ground with a crushing blow, that separated it with a big crack. The others watched horrified as she was screaming, “Do I look like an idiot?” and, that “I'll give you Sasuke!” She then whirled around, and with her hands held in front of her so as not to bump into anything she set off with zombie steps. As soon as she faded among the trees Itachi turned to Orochimaru angrily.

“Now you've done it!”

He snuffled huffily.

“Me? I was the only one who was at least partly telling the truth!”

Itachi went still for a moment.

“What?!” He took a furious, threatening step towards Orochimaru, who looked at him with puppy eyes.

“I don't understand! Have you ever told me your little brother is off-limit?”

Itachi took another step forward, his bloodshot eyes glowing madly. Orochimaru gawked around for a way to escape, knowing that he was in big trouble this time.

But the Moirae kind of liked Sasuke, even Orochimaru in their own way, and decided to give them a little more time. Thus, after Sakura lost her consciousness by Itachi's hand, she soon after woke up in Konoha.

And thus, Part I ends.