Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Vulnerable ❯ From Darkness to Light ( Chapter 7 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Oneesan no Miroku Houshi 
Zaku and Sakura come face to face once again for their daily meeting, with the dream bothering him, Zaku is a bit uneasy, but if Sakura ever figured out he had that dream, you could bet he'd never hear the end of it.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Romance / Angst | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.04.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 1.8K | Visits: 464 | Status: Work In Progress
Zaku and Sakura come face to face once again for their daily meeting, with the dream bothering him, Zaku is a bit uneasy, but if Sakura ever figured out he had that dream, you could bet he'd never hear the end of it.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Romance / Angst | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.04.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 1.8K | Visits: 464 | Status: Work In Progress
A/N: Another chapterA/N: Another chapter! Yay! I thought I’d add some comic
relief into the angst. Maybe I should change my genre, its dark in here.
I think I’ll change the genre to angst.
X.i.X
Vulnerable
Chapter 7: From Darkness to Light
By: Melissa Norvell
X.i.X
During a rest in her mission, she recalled the events that befell her the day
before.
‘It seems there’s a deeper side to Zaku then I had wanted to know about. I can’t
say that I don’t feel wrong for reading this but…’ The girl pulled out the small
book from the back on her rear. ‘He’s interesting and I want to help him. I
hope he doesn’t miss this too much.’
The girl flipped the book open and began to read Zaku’s most internal feelings.
‘I have to know the truth, even if it hurts him. He already thinks I know
everything that’s written in here, so it wouldn’t hurt, right? Besides, I’m
going to talk to him about it and see what the deal is…Though I don’t know why I
should care.’
As she was reading, she wore a look of apprehension on her face.
‘This stuff is pretty serious. I don’t even see how he can hold himself so high
in public with problems like these. Didn’t he have any happy memories?
Kind of makes me feel lucky when I had Ino back then…No matter how bad it feels
now…’
Sakura continued to read on, flipping the pages as her break went on. The pink
haired girl read through until his most recent entry, then closed the book.
‘That was pretty dark…Maybe his current attitude is all just a façade? He seemed
miserable, then his status rose to proud and happy, then it all came tumbling
down in a spiral leaving him what he is today.’
She looked at the shut book in her hand, and then checked her watch. ‘It’s
almost time to head back, now that we’ve accomplished our mission. Besides, I
haven’t seen him around today, must be because of his depression.’
The girl picked up the book and put it in her pack.
XI.
She walked up to the abandon house and gave the door a charming knock. “It’s me,
Sakura.”
“Come in,” Zaku replied voidly. Sakura couldn’t help but make a concerned face
at the crestfallen voice being produced behind the door, especially with
everything she had read. The door opened slowly to see the Sound Nin sitting on
the ground, disheartened in his Ninja get-up. His shirt wasn’t all the way on,
exposing his flesh beneath. He had one knee bent up, and en elbow is resting on
his knee.
Sakura shut the door behind her and walked over to the table. She sat some
kunai knives she had been carrying on the tabletop. “You could have put your
clothes on all the way.”
“…”
Sakura sat next to him. “Zaku.”
He didn’t even acknowledge her.
“Zaku.”
No answer.
“Z-A-Ku…Hey! I’m talking to you.” Sakura pressed.
A lone glaring eye looked to her. “Now you noticed.”
The eye looked back to the floor.
“What’s wrong with you?!” Sakura grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, making
him look at her. “Look! I already told you that I didn’t tell anyone about your
stupid book! I didn’t humiliate you! Listen to me!”
The pink haired girl drew her hand back to attempt to smack him out of it,
figuring that was her only option, then a black flower was held to her face,
making her eyes widen.
“There are no such things as miracles.” She could hear him say, barely above a
whisper. “Sasuke could never know your true feelings, the only one who can.” He
ran a hand through her silken pink locks. “Are those who feel your pain and have
experienced the same things you have.”
Sakura wanted to pull away and tell him where to place that flower, and tell him
that he didn’t know anything about her, but she couldn’t find the audacity to
tell him, not after she read that story of his…The pink haired girl took the
flower from him and looked at it.
‘Does he really…Understand me?’ She wondered. The girl gave a sympathetic and
understanding look.
She let go of his collar.
“What are you trying to say?” She asked.
Zaku mustered up all he could to give her a sad smirk. “I understand you. Your
loneliness, your weakness, your betrayal and rejection…Your pain.” He took her
hand tenderly and held it in his own. She flinched at the contact and closed her
eyes.
‘What’s he trying to say, is he trying to be my friend? But I don’t need a
friend like him…Why should I care what happened to him?...and yet…I can’t help
but show him that deep inside…I guess I do…and always have…’
The pink haired girl smiled at him and opened her eyes.
‘Is she smiling at me?’ Vague confusion shown through his emotional eyes.
‘Why can’t I pull away?’ The kunoichi thought to herself.
Onyx eyes looked into viridian.
‘I feel…strange…’ Zaku thought to himself. ‘This feeling is odd. Perhaps it’s
the feeling that someone cares about me, I mean, that someone is truly showing
concern. Perhaps this is the understanding I’ve been looking for…Maybe this is
what I’ve been in need of all of my life…
Wait…
Did I just call Haruno Sakura my…friend?
I…’
Sakura looked at their hands as a slight blush crept across her face. She could
feel the warmth from Zaku’s hands atop of hers, and she could feel the supple
petals of the black iris against her hand.
‘Though I’m holding this flower, I don’t feel the rough texture of the stem. I
feel so strange like this…with him. But…He’s arrogant and cruel, how could I
get those types of feelings for someone like that…But I like Sasuke, right? I
used to try and get his affection, or see the look on his face when I asked him
something serious. But it didn’t mean anything…Right?
I can’t possibly feel anything for Abumi Zaku…Could I?
But…I…
I love Sasuke…don’t I?
I only hate Zaku because people used to treat him like they treated me…But
worse…I never wanted to become that, and I never wanted to be cruel or mean like
him as a result…It’s not like he had a choice though…And this Orochimaru guy
didn’t help him any… Just wants to use him like a pawn…’
The girl made a face of concern and mystification at the Sound Nin.
‘But I don’t hate him anymore…I actually kind of understand him, and I can’t
help but be interested in him.’
“Sakura?” Zaku gazed at her, different emotions running through his eyes.
“Yeah?”
“Nothing.” Zaku turned his face to look at their hands.
‘I’m so damned confused. What the hell is she trying to say to me? There’s no
such thing as a true friend…Friends are just enemies that betray you…There can’t
be…I’ve already given up on that idea…
It can’t be real…
Can it?
Can my happiness truly exist without possessing power? Without following
Orochimaru? Without being a great ninja?’
His eyes were still transfixed on their hands.
‘What’s he thinking about? Why am I not letting go? What’s wrong with me? Why do
I feel like this…? For him?
Maybe I don’t hate him at all…But I don’t want to believe myself…
Is he…Blushing?’
It was true; sitting there, with a very slight pink flush to his cheeks, hiding
his eyes behind the shadow play on his face was Abumi Zaku blushing.
Sakura was confused.
‘He’s been hanging around that black haired girl, Kin for how long, and he’s
blushing because a girl touched him?’
‘As long as she doesn’t take my clothes off and call me a slave, I think I’ll be
fine…
Oh crud!
I can’t tell her about that dream…
She’s going to think I’m screwed up in the head or something…Or maybe she’s
going to smack me again…Or she’ll just think I’m diseased or something…
I don’t even know why I had that ridiculous dream! What the hell was I thinking?
Wait…I don’t even know what the hell I’m thinking now…
Is it all some kind of dream?
Why should I be caring about her?
It’s not like she means anything to me…
Does she?’
TBC
Preview for chapter 8: Is Isn’t Real, Or Is It?
Out of all the places that Sakura would rather be, she wouldn’t be there, but
would rather be with Zaku. Can Zaku prove that he’s not worth hating?
A/N: I hope I kept it IC. I’m glad that so many people like this fanfic! I’m
so happy that I could change people’s minds about this couple! R&R!
relief into the angst. Maybe I should change my genre, its dark in here.
I think I’ll change the genre to angst.
X.i.X
Vulnerable
Chapter 7: From Darkness to Light
By: Melissa Norvell
X.i.X
During a rest in her mission, she recalled the events that befell her the day
before.
‘It seems there’s a deeper side to Zaku then I had wanted to know about. I can’t
say that I don’t feel wrong for reading this but…’ The girl pulled out the small
book from the back on her rear. ‘He’s interesting and I want to help him. I
hope he doesn’t miss this too much.’
The girl flipped the book open and began to read Zaku’s most internal feelings.
‘I have to know the truth, even if it hurts him. He already thinks I know
everything that’s written in here, so it wouldn’t hurt, right? Besides, I’m
going to talk to him about it and see what the deal is…Though I don’t know why I
should care.’
As she was reading, she wore a look of apprehension on her face.
‘This stuff is pretty serious. I don’t even see how he can hold himself so high
in public with problems like these. Didn’t he have any happy memories?
Kind of makes me feel lucky when I had Ino back then…No matter how bad it feels
now…’
Sakura continued to read on, flipping the pages as her break went on. The pink
haired girl read through until his most recent entry, then closed the book.
‘That was pretty dark…Maybe his current attitude is all just a façade? He seemed
miserable, then his status rose to proud and happy, then it all came tumbling
down in a spiral leaving him what he is today.’
She looked at the shut book in her hand, and then checked her watch. ‘It’s
almost time to head back, now that we’ve accomplished our mission. Besides, I
haven’t seen him around today, must be because of his depression.’
The girl picked up the book and put it in her pack.
XI.
She walked up to the abandon house and gave the door a charming knock. “It’s me,
Sakura.”
“Come in,” Zaku replied voidly. Sakura couldn’t help but make a concerned face
at the crestfallen voice being produced behind the door, especially with
everything she had read. The door opened slowly to see the Sound Nin sitting on
the ground, disheartened in his Ninja get-up. His shirt wasn’t all the way on,
exposing his flesh beneath. He had one knee bent up, and en elbow is resting on
his knee.
Sakura shut the door behind her and walked over to the table. She sat some
kunai knives she had been carrying on the tabletop. “You could have put your
clothes on all the way.”
“…”
Sakura sat next to him. “Zaku.”
He didn’t even acknowledge her.
“Zaku.”
No answer.
“Z-A-Ku…Hey! I’m talking to you.” Sakura pressed.
A lone glaring eye looked to her. “Now you noticed.”
The eye looked back to the floor.
“What’s wrong with you?!” Sakura grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, making
him look at her. “Look! I already told you that I didn’t tell anyone about your
stupid book! I didn’t humiliate you! Listen to me!”
The pink haired girl drew her hand back to attempt to smack him out of it,
figuring that was her only option, then a black flower was held to her face,
making her eyes widen.
“There are no such things as miracles.” She could hear him say, barely above a
whisper. “Sasuke could never know your true feelings, the only one who can.” He
ran a hand through her silken pink locks. “Are those who feel your pain and have
experienced the same things you have.”
Sakura wanted to pull away and tell him where to place that flower, and tell him
that he didn’t know anything about her, but she couldn’t find the audacity to
tell him, not after she read that story of his…The pink haired girl took the
flower from him and looked at it.
‘Does he really…Understand me?’ She wondered. The girl gave a sympathetic and
understanding look.
She let go of his collar.
“What are you trying to say?” She asked.
Zaku mustered up all he could to give her a sad smirk. “I understand you. Your
loneliness, your weakness, your betrayal and rejection…Your pain.” He took her
hand tenderly and held it in his own. She flinched at the contact and closed her
eyes.
‘What’s he trying to say, is he trying to be my friend? But I don’t need a
friend like him…Why should I care what happened to him?...and yet…I can’t help
but show him that deep inside…I guess I do…and always have…’
The pink haired girl smiled at him and opened her eyes.
‘Is she smiling at me?’ Vague confusion shown through his emotional eyes.
‘Why can’t I pull away?’ The kunoichi thought to herself.
Onyx eyes looked into viridian.
‘I feel…strange…’ Zaku thought to himself. ‘This feeling is odd. Perhaps it’s
the feeling that someone cares about me, I mean, that someone is truly showing
concern. Perhaps this is the understanding I’ve been looking for…Maybe this is
what I’ve been in need of all of my life…
Wait…
Did I just call Haruno Sakura my…friend?
I…’
Sakura looked at their hands as a slight blush crept across her face. She could
feel the warmth from Zaku’s hands atop of hers, and she could feel the supple
petals of the black iris against her hand.
‘Though I’m holding this flower, I don’t feel the rough texture of the stem. I
feel so strange like this…with him. But…He’s arrogant and cruel, how could I
get those types of feelings for someone like that…But I like Sasuke, right? I
used to try and get his affection, or see the look on his face when I asked him
something serious. But it didn’t mean anything…Right?
I can’t possibly feel anything for Abumi Zaku…Could I?
But…I…
I love Sasuke…don’t I?
I only hate Zaku because people used to treat him like they treated me…But
worse…I never wanted to become that, and I never wanted to be cruel or mean like
him as a result…It’s not like he had a choice though…And this Orochimaru guy
didn’t help him any… Just wants to use him like a pawn…’
The girl made a face of concern and mystification at the Sound Nin.
‘But I don’t hate him anymore…I actually kind of understand him, and I can’t
help but be interested in him.’
“Sakura?” Zaku gazed at her, different emotions running through his eyes.
“Yeah?”
“Nothing.” Zaku turned his face to look at their hands.
‘I’m so damned confused. What the hell is she trying to say to me? There’s no
such thing as a true friend…Friends are just enemies that betray you…There can’t
be…I’ve already given up on that idea…
It can’t be real…
Can it?
Can my happiness truly exist without possessing power? Without following
Orochimaru? Without being a great ninja?’
His eyes were still transfixed on their hands.
‘What’s he thinking about? Why am I not letting go? What’s wrong with me? Why do
I feel like this…? For him?
Maybe I don’t hate him at all…But I don’t want to believe myself…
Is he…Blushing?’
It was true; sitting there, with a very slight pink flush to his cheeks, hiding
his eyes behind the shadow play on his face was Abumi Zaku blushing.
Sakura was confused.
‘He’s been hanging around that black haired girl, Kin for how long, and he’s
blushing because a girl touched him?’
‘As long as she doesn’t take my clothes off and call me a slave, I think I’ll be
fine…
Oh crud!
I can’t tell her about that dream…
She’s going to think I’m screwed up in the head or something…Or maybe she’s
going to smack me again…Or she’ll just think I’m diseased or something…
I don’t even know why I had that ridiculous dream! What the hell was I thinking?
Wait…I don’t even know what the hell I’m thinking now…
Is it all some kind of dream?
Why should I be caring about her?
It’s not like she means anything to me…
Does she?’
TBC
Preview for chapter 8: Is Isn’t Real, Or Is It?
Out of all the places that Sakura would rather be, she wouldn’t be there, but
would rather be with Zaku. Can Zaku prove that he’s not worth hating?
A/N: I hope I kept it IC. I’m glad that so many people like this fanfic! I’m
so happy that I could change people’s minds about this couple! R&R!