Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Song of the Forgotten ❯ Struggles of the Body and Soul ( Chapter 4 )

A/N: Here's chapter 4 of this little fanfic. Hope you all enjoy!

 

Remember kiddies, this fanfic isn't for the light of heart.

 

 

 

Song of the Forgotten

 

Chapter 4: Struggles of the Body and Soul

 

By: Melissa Norvell

 

 

 

 

 

`What are we?'

 

That was a sentence that ran through Iruka's head before he actually attempted to answer the question. A nervous gaze was cast down at Sakura as dark eyes met light.

 

“I don't know what we are…” He replied, giving her a kind smile, though his face betrayed his true emotion.

 

On the inside, Iruka was nervous. It's true, she wasn't his student anymore, but this type of relationship seemed forbidden and taboo. But a part of the teacher welcomed it. He both wanted and needed it. He couldn't deny that he needed someone at the moment, the recent course of events, the failed missions, and hurt and dead team mates were grinding on his nerves. He felt responsible for everything that happened.

 

But through it all, when he looked down at the half dressed kunoichi below him, he found a sense of comfort coming from her. She was no longer the googly-eyed girl who had her heart set on an Uchiha Clan member, but she had blossomed into a beautiful woman who both respected and understood him.

 

She, like Naruto saw him for him, and not some teacher who was there to get her through the first part of being a ninja.

 

Sakura gave him something that few people have ever given him: respect.

 

That's all he really asked for.

 

Upon thinking on this subject for a while, the dark skinned figure smiled to himself.

 

Perhaps there was a light in all this darkness and it lay right next to him.

 

“Do you feel something?” Sakura asked.

 

“Hm?”

 

“Do you feel something inside? Like a growing feeling?”

 

“Yes, I do.”

 

“You think we'll have another mission soon?” Sakura asked.

 

“Who's to say? There's no telling.” Iruka replied.

 

“I hope nothing goes wrong in the next mission…” She sighed.

 

“Me too. But we just have to show no emotion and go on.”

 

“I can't just do that…” The girl replied, a sad expression plastered to her face. Then an arm draped over her and pulled her close.

 

“I wouldn't worry about it now. Let's just lay here a while.” The man smiled. “I don't feel like moving.”

 

“Me either.” Sakura agreed.

 

The two lay on the floor quite some time, no one dared move. No one wanted to.

 

“So, do you think they'll give us time to recuperate?”

 

“Who knows?” Iruka replied. “I think I'm recuperating right now with you.”

 

“Huh?” Viridian eyes blinked in confusion as her gaze shot up to the man's face.

 

Iruka looked peaceful and smiled a sad smile, trying to forget the events of the pat and move on. After all, that's what he was taught as a ninja, and he wouldn't want to disappoint Naruto. The kid adored him and thought of him as his hero and Iruka wasn't about to disappoint him.

 

He would be Sakua's hero as well.

 

 

XI.

 

The two only grew closer after that fateful day. They spent more and more time together, talking of the days of old, back when Iruka had taught her and what things both amused and upset them during classes and what he had thought of her.

 

The reminiscing seemed to have gotten their minds off of the current situation, well until the subject matter was brought up in the latter part of the conversation. It turned from happy thoughts to angst and nostalgia as they spoke of Torishima and the events of their failed mission.

 

The two ninja spent hours of sad tales, but with the tales of woe came hope and inspiration for each other's accomplishments and comforting caresses for their losses.

 

Two weeks passed and the two's bond became closer then that of any normal team mates of even that of friends.

 

It was something special.

 

Something sacred.

 

It was love, but neither of them really needed to say it. It was an unspoken love that the two of them shard, a sacred bond that no one could break. Not missions, not death- nothing.

 

 

As the time passed and the two recovered from their mission, many other ninja in the area were given several tasks to perform while Iruka and Sakura have been out of commission. They were all the process of recovering a set of important documents from enemy ninja.

 

But this type of mission could not be done with the few ninja that were on hand. As many days as Iruka and Sakura had been recovering, they both knew that it was time to be assigned a new mission.

 

As the days grew shorter and the day to their mission drew nearer, tension was beginning to build as Sakura and Iruka began training sessions together. They both held small training sessions that lasted a few hours each day. At first Sakura couldn't get the hang of the training, but Iruka guided her through the more tough parts of the training to get down. He even taught her a few moves that would come in handy for a kunoichi such as herself.

 

She trained as hard as she could, perfecting each new jutsu taught to her by Iruka, who was both her sensei and something more. Her guidance. Her inspiration. Her love.

 

The pink haired girl nearly drained herself of all chakra. She would not be weak. She could not be weak. Sakura wouldn't allow herself to make the same mistake twice. She wouldn't allow herself to let down another team mate.

 

Sakura would come in late, battered and weary. She'd drag herself into the room that she and Iruka now shared. The chuunin was already asleep in the futon, dark hair cascading over the pillow as he lay on his back, moonlight illuminating his muscled form.

 

He could hear the hollow footsteps as sandals clanked upon wooden floor. The footsteps neared, but he dared not to open his eyes. The man could hear labored breathing, for he knew that she wore herself out with her training that night, and they were summoned to see Old Man Hokage the very next day.

 

“Whew!” He could hear the feminine voice call from a short distance away. “Hey, are you asleep?” Sakura asked between pants.

 

“No, just resting.” He opened his eyes, turning his face towards her. His face was illuminated by the moonlight and his hair held the sheens of pale blue. “And it looks like you could use some too.”

 

“I think I've finally perfected that new jutsu you taught me a week ago.” Sakura smiled a weary smile to him as she sat on the floor in front of him.

 

“Really? That's great.” Iruka said, “But you need rest now. We have to go to the Hokage tomorrow to see what our mission is; no doubt it's to take part in what's been happening the past two weeks.

 

He could hear her panting slow as her body rested.

 

“You should clean up and get some rest, Sakura. It's getting late.”

 

The girl nodded in response. “I think I'll go and take a bath in the hot springs.”

 

Iruka sat up. “I'll come with you.”

 

“Why are you dirty?” She furrowed her eyebrows. “You look pretty clean to me.”

 

“I took a bath a few hours ago, but I can't go leaving you unguarded. If something ever happened to you, I don't know what I'd do.” He tied back his hair, frowning and looking at the white sheets.

 

A small, feminine hand rested on his, causing the man to look up into green eyes, illuminated with white light and sparkling like emeralds.

 

“Sakura…”

 

“You're worried too?” She asked.

 

“I guess I'm still a little shaken by it. I haven't had a good sleep since it happened.”

 

“Me either. I'm just afraid that something will happen to-“She cut herself off, looking diagonally over her shoulder.

 

“Sakura, don't worry.” His darkened hand was placed gently on her shoulder. “I'll protect you…”

 

“I'm not worried about myself.” She looked back at him. “I'm worried about you, Iruka…”

 

“You shouldn't worry about me, Sakura.” He leveled her with a kind smile, though a bit of sadness clung to it. “I'll be fine.” Iruka got up, and walked over to the doorway, looking over his shoulder back at the pink haired girl who sat on the ground. “Are you coming?”

 

She gave no answer.

 

The tanned figure turned around. “Sakura-“

 

Sakura was silent as footsteps could be heard.

 

“If you don't think you have enough chakra to walk, I could take you down there.” He spoke, blushing slightly at what he had implied.

 

“No, I can do it.” Sakura said, an air of sorrow and emptiness clinging to her voice as she mechanically arose and stood in her position for a while, not turning around.

 

The room was silent for a few minutes, but then the girl could feel strong arms wrap around her. She let out a tiny gasp as a gentle kiss was placed upon her cheek.

 

“Don't worry…”

 

“Iruka…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Nothing…”

 

“You can tell me…”

 

“It's just…Thank you…”

 

“You're welcome.”

 

With that, the girl turned and walked around him, heading off to the hop springs.

 

 

XI.

 

 

The hot spring wasn't far away, but it was a long walk for someone who had lost so much chakra sparring and perfecting her skill. Sakura's steps were slow and sluggish. She almost tripped and fell several times and her knees almost buckled out from under her when they were nearly there.

 

Iruka cast her sympathetic look. She was really working herself up over everything. His dark eyes watched her stumble and monitored the lackadaisical movements her body generated.

 

He saw her fall, but caught her by wrapping his arms around her waist before she could hit the dirt below. After that, he picked her up and held her like a groom would his new bride.

 

Once heavy viridian eyes widened in surprise. She let out a gasp.

 

“You're too weak to do this by yourself. You won't get much sleep if you don't hurry. This will be faster and safer for you.” Iruka replied, carrying the blushing kunoichi down to the hot springs.

 

Sakura felt odd to be carried in such a way by someone like Iruka. When thought about, it was quite charming. She could have never pictured Sasuke doing something like that. But she couldn't argue that she was tired and all she really wanted to do was go to sleep.

 

She rested her head on Iruka's chest and closed her eyes, listening to his heart beat as she began to fade into a light sleep.

 

The girl knew he would wake her when they got to the hot springs.

 

 

TBC

 

 

A/N: Sorry to be so late with this. This is a slow moving fanfic, but I thank all of you for your wonderful reviews. Hopefully, the next chapter won't come about so slowly. Please review! The more reviews I get the faster I'll update this ^_^