Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Konoha Nights ❯ The Rosary ( Chapter 6 )

Konoha Nights

Chapter 6/ The Rosary

GaaxSaku NaruxHina

 

The kyuubi vessel ran in looking rather ragged with his shirt ripped in various places as well as the hideously orange pants. He was breathing hard as he looked frantically for the woman who lived there. “Where's Sakura-chan?”

 

Gaara looked over towards the door he'd seen her go through last and the other man visibly relaxed and slouched against the wall wincing as he slid down to the floor.

 

“Did you deal with Akatsuki?” asked Gaara, wanting to know how well he faired against such an organization.

 

The blonde was easily sidetracked and spent the next few minutes filling him in on how he managed to beat up on `shark face' and then take out `plant man'. Whatever that meant. As he told his `accurate' summary of what happened, started looking towards the door with suspicion, then looked around the room before jumping to his feet in an instant. “Who was here!?”

 

The other man looked up from his mediation and answered to the best of his ability, “I believe his name is Uchiha Itachi.”

 

“Fuck!” He cursed before throwing his hands up in the air, “Akatsuki was here?” His head snapped towards the door Sakura was behind and sniffed the air a few times before running to it trying to open it.

 

“Sakura-chan, open the door!”

 

He received no reply and he began to rip this door off its hinges as well. “Leave me alone Naruto.”

 

The door was instantly broken and he ran into the bathroom. From where Gaara was, he couldn't see into the room exactly but he could hear the curses sprouting from the man's mouth. “Hey…..man…..What's his name Sakura-chan….?”

 

There was struggle on the other side but she didn't answer him.

 

“Listen could you come in here I need your help- Sakura-chan stop!”

 

This would be the second time in one night that this shinobi was asking favors of him and just like before he couldn't stop himself from walking into the room. He expected to walk in on an emotional girl still under the effects from whatever jutsu the Uchiha had used on her earlier, he never expected to be walking in on more dark colored blood cloaking the tile floor or the woman to be wrestling weakly with the nine tails over a blade.

 

Out of nowhere, she landed a solid punch to his cheek and he flew back into the plaster wall behind him, and Gaara saw the momentary disorientation followed by a stunned one as he rubbed his jaw. Immediately she stuck out her arm and began where she left off slicing in straight lines blood flowing thickly onto her pale skin. Tears were coming out of her eyes, but she was not crying. It was probably her body's natural way of responding to the pain but her eyes looked to far gone to have felt it. Her eyes themselves where not her own, they were instead a bright crimson with the pupils as black slits, the white part now black.

 

The cuts she was making started on her ankles up her thighs until jumping to her arms. It was baffling to watch another creature physically harming themselves on purpose. Humans and creatures alike were engineered to avoid pain, and here she sat a heap on the cold floor trying to cut herself as deep as she could, succeeding a few times by reaching her bone with the chakra infused kunai.

 

He knew it was morbid, and yet he could not tear his eyes away. Grown men would have been wailing like children from just one of those gashes and she only grimaced occasionally. What was she trying to achieve? What could she gain by mutilating herself in such a way and be bordering unconsciousness? She didn't have a shield of protection, she should biologically be able to feel pain, so what exactly was she trying to prove?

 

He stood in front of her, careful to avoid the blood on the floor and the blade stopped mid cut. She looked up at him, her crimson eyes studying him with weariness before finally changing to the emerald they were. The kunai made a cling as it hit the tile and she fell forwards onto his legs, her body limp once again.

 

The dual minds clashed inside as the Shukaku begged for her death and the other just wanted her the hell off. His saner psyche won out and he reached down, grabbing her by the upper arm where she hadn't managed to cut and hoisted her over his shoulder. He would not make the same mistake of carrying her in the same fashion as before. Making his way back to the bedroom he saw the other man rise to his feet also, cursing about having to clean up the blood. He put the mattress back on the metal frame and Gaara deposited her on the bed, while the blonde made a face.

 

The nerve. He didn't make a habit of personal contact and he'd already forced himself to touch this one twice. What more did he want? He was not about to pamper her the way he did.

 

Gaara watched as he located the white sheet and wrapped it around her with a tenderness he shouldn't have had considering she'd just knocked him a good one. He walked out quietly to the kitchen with Gaara close behind. Finding a small kettle and the only two mismatched cups, he began making tea. He was silent all the while and his sullen expression did little to hide what he felt.

 

The man poured both cups offering one to him, Gaara took it but didn't drink.

 

“So you're the Shukaku…..nice to meet you man,” The blonde-haired man put his empty cup down smiling “My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I'm going to be the next Hokage! What's your name?”

 

Gaara felt so many levels of confusion as the man went from sullen to energetic and….. friendly? Uzumaki was probably suffering mental instability from the kyuubi inside, he deducted.

 

“I am Gaara no Sabakuno,” he told him.

 

“Cool! Well Gaara, how long have you been a friend of Sakura-chan's? I mean I haven't been by to see her for a while; I've been kinda busy with-

 

“I'm not her-

 

“How long have you been in Konoha?” he changed the subject again.

 

“Two days.”

 

“Great, well hey listen, I don't know what business you have exactly with Sakura-chan, but Akatsuki's going to be patrolling her apartment for a while so it's probably best if you go back to where you're from,” Naruto said his voice slightly less chipper.

 

“I don't run from anyone,” He shot back putting the cup back on the counter.

 

Naruto scratched the back of his head, “Well….I didn't mean run from them it's just that if they find out who you are,” he hesitated, “If you stay around Sakura-chan they'll figure it out sooner than later and it's probably best if you go back into hiding.”

 

“I do not hide,” Gaara seethed crossing his arms trying to contain the anger he felt like unleashing. He was no coward; if he had someone after him then he would just fight them.

 

“Neh neh, I didn't mean it like that! It's just that…..well……Akatsuki's got five of the tailed demons already and I know they were having a hard time locating you and the two tails. If Sakura-chan suddenly has a new friend-

 

“I'm not her-

 

“Then they'll do some investigating to figure out who you are. And if they find you then they're only one more short.”

 

One? His brow crinkled, “You said they don't know where the two tails is,” he began.

 

“Right.” Naruto nodded.

 

“There are two of us, so what other are they missing?”

 

His face fell and he clenched his fists before replying tightly, “The Hachibi, the eight tailed snake.”

 

“……”

 

Sakura's voice floated into the kitchen as she called out for Naruto. He obliging ran back to her room. She was already sitting up clutching her head, half embraced by Naruto, when Gaara had entered. The white blood stained sheet lay on the floor forgotten.

 

“Sakura-chan, its okay, whatever that Itachi bastard showed you it's not true,” he murmured comfortingly.

 

The grip she had on his shirt tightened and Gaara wondered if she was trying to push him away or pull him closer. “But it is the truth Naruto, I betrayed him,” she whispered.

 

“Sakura-chan, please, just let it go. Itachi lied to you; we will get Sasuke back no matter what.”

 

She snorted before closing her eyes. The self-made lacerations on her legs were closing as he watched the green chakra visible in each one until finally the last one on her wrist. She pushed him away with a shaky hand before attempting to stand up. The other held her shoulders down shaking his head.

 

Watching them Gaara began to wonder what kind of insane relationship the two shared. No matter how much Sakura pushed away kyuubi continued to come back and try to help her. If he was who he said he was, then the most powerful of the bujii, had been reduced to being the pitiful friend of a woman who didn't want his efforts.

 

How could he be the kyuubi of legend when he was here in a rundown apartment looking after a suicidal, demented, and the most obscure woman he had ever met? Why was he here petting her and trying to comfort her when if he really wanted, he could unleash his sealed demon and take Konoha back by force……reducing it rubble if he chose?

 

Instead,…..he wanted to be the Hokage.

 

Naruto had found the misplaced sheet and wrapped it around her she grabbed his wrist when he tried to get up, “Let me heal your wounds.”

 

He looked down at his stomach and what was once a gash was now only a minor cut. “Don't worry about his little thing Sakura-chan, I can get Hinata to heal it for me.”

 

“Where is she?” she asked wrapping the sheet around her legs as well.

 

“She's fine; Tenten took good care of her. I told her to take Hinata to our apartment and I'd be there tomorrow.”

 

“You should go to her soon; she's probably upset you're not home yet.” Her green infused chakra hand reached out to his stomach anyway and he caught her wrist, “I told you its okay, it's already healed see? It's only a little scar.”

 

She hit his hand out of the way placing hers on his stomach, “I know that…….. but I have enough scars for the both of us.”

 

His eyes softened at her words and he said nothing only watched as she did indeed heal the skin with no scar, neglecting to heal the many that now adorned her skin. “You should get some sleep Sakura-chan.”

 

She ignored his request instead looked over her shoulder to see Gaara standing where he'd been earlier that night. “I see you're still here,” she said smiling slightly. “I must apologize I usually don't sleep on the job.”

 

He said nothing and she turned back to her friend on the edge of the bed. “Naruto, you really should get going, I don't want Hinata stressing out for anything, remember stress is bad for expectant mothers.”

 

He shrugged, “Well if they're doctor's orders-

 

“They are,” she interrupted.

 

“Then I'll get going,” he finished, standing up kissing her forehead in the process, “But you're still going to come tomorrow right?”

 

Her shoulders hunched, “What time is it at again?” she whined.

 

“Sakura-chan! How could you forget! I told you, it's at 6 o'clock.”

 

“Fine,” she waved her hand dismissively, “fine, I'll go but I'm not promising to be dressed up or anything…..God Naruto you know I don't wake up before midnight.”

 

He laughed and reached down and gave her a tight hug, “Yeah but you're my best friend you have to be there for my wedding!”

 

“Alright,” she managed, “But let go of me I can't even breathe!”

 

He released her chuckling, “Okay, but you can't wear any black.”

 

“Naruto you know I don't own anything other than black.”

 

“That's not true Sakura-chan,” he said in his sing song voice, “You have that kimono that Hinata bought for you last year.”

 

She curled her lip, “But it's pink.”

 

“It'll look beautiful on you! You haven't even worn it once!”

 

She sighed deeply, “There's a reason for that…..I'll think about it.”

 

“Thanks, I'm sure it'll mean a lot to Hinata to see her sensei wearing something she picked out,” He admitted, “Oh and hey don't forget to bring Gaara along!”

 

“Gaara?” she asked brows furrowed.

 

“Yeah you know,” he pointed to the man behind her, “him.”

 

She turned to the man in question, “Gaara huh….. that's an interesting name,” she replied giving him a humored look, “So Gaara,” she said curling the r a bit more than she should have, “You up for an Uzumaki wedding?”

 

A what?

 

Surely they weren't implying that he should go to such a ridiculous ceremony where people would pledge their undying love for each other. “I don't go to weddings,” he replied coolly crossing his arms tighter.

 

Naruto beat Sakura to whatever she was going to say, “Well then you have to come if you've never been before.”

 

“I decline your invitation,” he tried again, trying not to complicate matters with the kyuubi, he was currently his only source of information considering how well he offered it.

 

He'd never seen a grown man pout before, but the man named Naruto was indeed pouting. “But…..it's my wedding! My wedding for God's sake I'm suppose to be completely happy on my wedding day and I can't be enjoying it if I know that Sakura-chan's going to have to leave early to go see you!” he reasoned.

 

“Then I won't stop by tomorrow.”

 

Naruto snapped back, “Ha! The last thing I wanna hear is Shizune bitching about having to redo her precious schedules. So let's see,” he crossed his arms, rubbing his chin and let out the occasional `hmm'.

 

Gaara looked towards the woman on the bed who was trying to hide her grin under the sheet. “Tell your friend that I will not be cohered into attending a wedding ceremony.”

 

Her cheeks rose a little higher alluding she was smiling wider now and then a loud “AH HA!” was heard from the other.

 

“You have to go because it's going to be the safest most guarded place in Konoha! Neither Akatsuki nor Orochimaru will be anywhere near. And that way I don't have to worry about either of you on my wedding day.” He looked entirely too proud of his idea, “Man I'm a genius.”

 

“I do not need any protection from Akatsuki, as you said earlier, it'll still take them a while to learn who I am, by then I will already be back in my country. Besides, if anything should happen I am more than capable of taking care of myself.”

 

“What country are you from?” Naruto asked plopping back down on the bed next to Sakura.

 

“He's from the Sand,” she put in lowering the sheet to reveal her face again.

 

Naruto punched his fist into the palm of his hand, “I got it! If you do me this favor of coming to my wedding then I can show you around Konoha.”

 

“I do not need your help with navigating my way through your city,” he tossed back. But the other was not to be deterred.

 

“Hmm…..well…..you're from the sand.. just got here two days ago, new to the city,” Gaara ignored whatever else was coming from his mouth. Hadn't he ever heard of thinking to himself?

 

“Sakura-chan have there been anymore visitors enter Konoha from other countries within the last week?”

 

“According to Neji's records, there was only a traveler from the Suna and a merchant from the Mist, neither with shinobi backgrounds,” she answered professionally.

 

“Then you must be him!” he shouted pointing accusingly at Gaara.

 

“Must be who?” Humor laced in her tone as she eyes the man against the wall.

 

“The one that the Kazekage said he'd send to help with our situation, you remember the one that you told me-,” a swift elbow to his ribs stopped all communication.

 

“So are you this person that Naruto and Jiraiya sent out for?” she asked oblivious to her jerky elbow.

 

“That is not of your concern.”

 

“But you didn't answer our question,” Naruto gasped out.

 

“I'm not allowed to discuss any of my missions,” it was bullshit really. He could have if he wanted to but these two were interfering with his personal zone more than anyone ever dared to. Hell he was sure this was a record for the longest conversation he ever held without any form of interrogation.

 

“So you are him! They sent you sooner than I thought they would…..” he trailed off, “Well, then you have to come because Ero-sennin is going to be there and he can give you any information you might need.” The look of victory was on his face as he watched Gaara anxiously as if daring him to refuse him again.

 

“Who?”

 

“He means to say Jiraiya-san, God Naruto you have no respect for he elderly,” Sakura lectured slapping the back of his head.

 

“Yeah that pervert, he'll be there and I'm sure he'll give you any kind of information, that's not classified. Give him one bottle of sake and he'll talk your head off I promise,” he said pleadingly.

 

Any information he needed. What kind of information could this Jiraiya person possibly offer him that he couldn't attain on his own. After all his target was in the room with him. Things weren't adding up……the Kazekage said that Jiraiya and his pupil had requested they send their most capable assassin to Konoha to kill the pink haired woman that could become a key player in Orochimaru's immortality trip. But that couldn't be right, from what he'd seen tonight Naruto was fiercely protective of her. Was he only pretending?

 

No, he couldn't be, everything he did was genuine, no lie behind anything.

 

So that meant one of two things.

Jiraiya had secretly requested the assassination.

Or that the Kazekage was taking matters into his own hands.

 

Either was plausible. But only one pissed him off.

 

“How would you explain me to your guests?”

 

Sakura's eyebrows lifted and Naruto did a `victory' sign with his fingers. “Oh don't worry about that, I'll just tell them the truth. You are my new friend from the Sand who is visiting Sakura-chan for a while. No biggie.”

 

Friend? He truly was insane. “Alright then, I will attend your ceremony.”

 

“That's great! I knew you'd come around.” He stood up hugging Sakura again before making his way out the bedroom door, “I'll see you two tomorrow at 6 and don't be late Sakura-chan!”

 

The front door slammed and Sakura winced, “Damn I better not have to replace my door again.”

 

“Is Uzumaki always so….

 

“Overbearing? Loud? Chatty?” she supplied.

 

“Trusting,” he answered.

 

“Trusting?”

 

“He just invited a stranger to his wedding. A wedding that will have some of Konoha's oldest families in attendance, if I had any ulterior motives he would have just put them all at risk,” he justified.

 

She unwrapped the sheet and got off the bed, “Naruto may be trusting, but he's also pretty good at judging a person when he first meets them.” Digging in the top drawer, she pulled out some scissors and more clothes. “So if he invited you it's because he wants you to be there. Besides you won't have to worry about the clans being there.”

 

“The girl is Hyuuga,” he pointed out.

 

She sighed as she sat on the bed looking out the window. “Hinata is not Hyuuga, according to Konoha records she is Hinata Hatake….. my younger sister.”

 

“Her Byakugan says otherwise.”

 

“It's a really long story Gaara and the sun is rising…. Don't you need to get some sleep?” she asked never tearing her eyes away from the window.

 

“I don't sleep.”

 

She glanced back over to him, “Never?”

 

“No.”

 

“Alight then…..but if I bore you it was your own fault.”

 

“……”

 

She sighed deeply, “Well, when I first came to Konoha five years ago I was under the care of my new guardian Shizune. She was a privately hired medical nin that lived in the Hyuuga compound, apparently their training sessions were a bit intense.” Looking back down at her supplies, she took the scissors and began snipping away at the tape Naruto had gone overboard with. “Anyway, while she tended to the main family I was in charge of the branch household which was mainly just Neji, the head of the branch.”

 

“Around three years ago, Orochimaru's control was slipping on a certain district so he went after the strongest Clan family there, which is the Hyuuga, and had him assassinated. When it came time to appoint the person to take his place there was dispute that Hinata was not who the late Hyuuga had intended to leave the job to, but instead her younger sister Hanabi.”

 

She left the top bandage in place and instead cut the one around her upper left hip. “But, like all true Hyuuga, they were so adamant about tradition they refused to give Hanabi the position at such a young age even though she was far more skilled than her sister. Their reason was that as long as the eldest daughter was alive, it was her `fate' to take up the position.”

 

Pulling the gauze off the tape came off smoothly and she tossed it to the ground. A small white line matched the size of a normal kunai blade. “Naturally, it didn't take long for some members who disliked Hinata to come up with a way to eliminate her. However, one of the elders suggested that she just be exiled. The only problem was that the Byakugan is something that is coveted by many and with Hinata as weak as she was she could wind up captured. Finding someone that could both protect and hide her was going to be difficult, so Neji asked me to take her with me when I left the compound.”

 

She worked off two more bandages wiping at the sticky residue they left on her stomach. “I left that same night with Hinata who had been stripped of her title as well as her last name. Neji gave me official records from Konoha that stated that Hinata was now my younger sister. It wasn't bad actually, she was quiet and kept to herself so she wasn't much trouble. I taught her a concealment spell for her eyes so hardly anyone gave her a second glance.”

 

“I saw through her spell,” he calmly stated.

 

“If you saw through the concealment spell it was because she wanted you too,” she waved her hand dismissively, “Don't try to understand her, sometimes she's just as bad as Naruto.”

 

Fighting the last bandage at the top she pulled it off roughly loosening the bra enough so that a necklace fell from it. “The only one who ever noticed her was Naruto, and then things sort of went downhill from there.”

 

She tossed the last bandage along with the others before picking them all up and disposing of them in the bathroom the necklace still on the ivory mattress.

 

“Neji ended up marrying Hanabi and uniting the clans,” she spoke from the bathroom before walking out. “So to everyone but Neji, Hinata is dead to the clan.”

 

“Why would you agree to take on such a burden?”

 

She sat on the bed picking up the necklace, “Neji just offered me some things that I couldn't say no to.”

 

Looking closely at the necklace she twiddled in her fingers he noticed they were obsidian beads linked together with small chains……He'd seen those before but mostly on monks. A rosary. “Are you religious?” He asked tonelessly.

 

Her bitter laugh filled the room and she continued to play with the beads. “Hardly. I don't believe in a God or many Gods…..whatever. It's all the same, people trying to explain things they don't understand and clinging to a false hope that they will live forever once they die.”

 

“…..”

 

“No, these aren't mine they belonged to my first guardian Hatake Kakashi,” she said as she stared at the beads in her hand.

 

“You took his last name.”

 

Another small smile made its way on her pale face, “I didn't have a last name, so I felt that it was the only way I could honor his death.”

 

He said nothing as she slipped the beads over her head and gathered the fresh clothes to her arms. “I must apologize for tonight, things usually aren't so chaotic but there's a lot of movement going on in the organizations so tempers tend to fly.” She stood up and walked towards the bathroom the mamba on her back seemed to sway with each step until it disappeared.

 

“Why do you conceal your tattoo?” He didn't know why he asked, it seemed more like a slip of the tongue, he had not got the chance to mediate properly.

 

She turned back towards him, “Oh, I didn't even realize I'd done it. It's mostly just a habit now; no one really likes it so I just conceal it to avoid uneasiness around me.”

 

He nodded once to show his understanding. “What about yours?” she asked.

 

“It's required that when I leave my village I conceal it.”

 

“Ah,” she said making her way back towards him until she stood only inches away. Her hand reached out to his `ai' and she watched him closely waiting for him to tell her to stop. And he was going to until her fingertips brushed a few hairs away from the tattoo. The Shukaku stirred from the warmth her touch brought.

 

“When you're with me can you please not conceal it?”

 

“Why?” he asked. Even in Suna his tattoo was viewed as a curse only proving that he was indeed a monster. A monster that was only capable of loving himself.

 

She brushed over the kanji once more before pulling her hand away. “I just think that we're already hiding enough between us.”

 

He didn't know exactly what she was talking about. His lies? Hers? Or probably both. Either way he had no way of stopping his next statement, “Then don't hide yours either.”

 

She grinned at him, the pinks and oranges from the rising sun giving her pale complexion more of a healthier glow, before stepping back slightly, “Alright then.” Clutching the clothes to her she went back towards the bathroom. “I need to clean off a bit, will you still be here when I get out?”

 

“I have things I need to tend to.”

 

She came back out of the bathroom with no clothes, “Okay, what inn are you staying at?”

 

“I believe it's called the Nara,” he told her truthfully.

 

“What a coincidence, I know the family that owns that.” Something told Gaara it was no coincidence. “I'll swing by there around five thirty to get you for the wedding.”

 

He dreaded having to go to such a ridiculous affair and he hoped no one ever found out he'd gone….even if it was for the sake of information. Her voice cut through his loathing of ceremonies altogether.

“I know it's going to be horrible, and I wouldn't want to go to one of those either, but I promise that if we're not there on time Naruto will send out a search party,” she said humorously. “So five thirty?”

 

He nodded again and she flashed him a smile, “I'll try to sneak us out as soon as possible,” she tossed back as she turned into the bathroom not even bothering to shut her door. The sound of the pipes working groaned and water was heard filling the tub. Slipping through the double glass doors, he jumped up to the rooftop he had occupied earlier that night and dispelled his third eye. Letting it hover close to her apartment he left.

 

S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S^S

 

Okay, don't kill me. I had to literally drag myself through this chapter so I apologize profusely if it sucks. : ( I also couldn't stop writing it and going back and changing the whole damn thing so that's why it took so long to get out.

 

As for the cutting, sorry if this offends you. Yes I have had someone close to me cut themselves and they almost died. She's better now but I swear it was scary sometimes.

 

The no god part, sorry about that too. But it just fits her character better and right now I just see her as someone with no hope and for some, through religion they find their hope. See the connection?

 

Yes I will elaborate later on the Kakashi thing. I promise, I love him!

 

 

OH and I got a review asking me about Sasori. YES I know that he is a puppet…. and even though this is an AU, he's still a puppet in my story. After reading the manga with Sasori in it, I got the impression that he was just really curious and taken by Sakura that he would want to have a weird sick relationship with her. Or make her into one of his puppets. As far as `fucking' Sakura, I'm not saying he did : )

 

Thank you so much for the reviews! They keep me going!

 

Next chapter: The Wedding! It's about 75% complete so I just have to finish and edit! Neji makes an appearance : ) God I sound like a crappy advertisement commercial.

 

Ja.