Chapter 154

The image of the way Itachi smiled when he'd flick a young Sasuke's forehead drives Sasuke to shout, "then you never loved at all! Or you'd know that pain isn't worth it!"

"It hurts like crazy, yeah, but that doesn't mean you give up you idiot!" Naruto states, blue-eying Sasuke with every ounce of conviction he has.

Sasuke saw red and hopped high and far on the nearest tree, sticking perfectly as his hands rapidly transition from Monkey, to Dragon, to Rat, to Bird, Ox, Snake, Dog, Tiger, and finally Monkey seal before he channels a high concentration of Raiton chakra to his left hand, yelling, "in this world, strength is all that matters!" Though Sasuke's current limit is only one a day for forty seconds, he's only barely learned Chidori from Kakashi-sensei before they had to return from their training trip. He's certain with more training her could manage two a day for at least a minute.

"Sasuke, that's enough," Kakashi calmly calls. "Chidori was created to protect friends and comrades."

"You also said it was stronger than his technique," Sasuke yells to them below, before singling out his blond teammate. "So, let's see it Dobe! Let's see who's right and who's stronger."

Kakashi moves perfectly between the genin to block Sasuke's path, asserting, "Sasuke, use your head. He's is your teammate-"

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," Naruto quietly calls and a single clone pops next to him, looking just as angered.

"Naruto," Kakashi warns, removing his hands from his pockets, the most threatening gesture Kakashi could make that wasn't lifting his headband, and both boys instinctively knew what would happen next if they didn't stop.

Sasuke smirks in satisfaction to see Naruto ignore their sensei in favor of making his ball of chakra. He can still hold Chidori for another thirty seconds before he runs out of chakra, which is more than enough time. Sasuke notes the blond has gotten faster at forming the dense sphere of blue chakra and was eager to test his strength against the technique that defeated the former Anbu Zabuza…

…But he couldn't just yet. For whatever reason, Naruto continued to feed more of his chakra over his open palm, vibrating the surrounding air as the wind seemed to funnel and circulate around the still growing ball of chakra. Raising his open palm above the waving blond hair of his head, the size of his technique continued to grow, stunning them all, until it was the size of his entire torso.

It was so massive, Sakura had taken many steps back and Sasuke couldn't understand the hows or whys of Naruto possessing so much power. They were all staring in stunned disbelief, so long, in fact, Sasuke ran out of chakra to support Chidori and it extinguished painfully from his hand. When a worn Sasuke had to return to the grassy earth, Naruto slowly reduced his massive spherical cyclone of chakra to the size Sasuke remembered before it fizzles out.

Naruto wasn't even breathing heavy as the blond's hard blue eyes turn from Sasuke to Kakashi and tells him, "I do want to enter the Chūnin Exams, sensei. I just need some time." Despite Naruto's aching heart, none of them could know that he wanted to meet Gaara and create another bond Naru-nii described as life-long kinship. Naruto looks at Sasuke and what angers the self-proclaimed avenger was the look of understanding on the blue-eyed blonds stupid face. 'As if he can understand my pain!' But Naruto simply walks back into Iruka's home.

SAKURA

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura calls after him.

Kakashi dismissed his team soon after Naruto's unbelievable chakra display and Sasuke-kun had immediately left. She could tell he was upset, though it's understandable. She doesn't think any of them expected Naruto could do that with his chakra. 'It was stunning,' she thought. 'Kakashi-sensei was right. He really is the most unpredictable ninja… Especially in bed,' an errant thought unconsciously adds, making her repeat for the thousandth time, 'I'm a woman now. Naruto made me a woman.'

Sakura shakes her head of the second most prevalent thought in her young life. Since their night together, Sakura can't help wondering why she felt so good, marvel at his sexual ability, and daydream of the possibility of reproducing those sensations. Of course, no matter how good she has to admit he was, she never will again and the reason why is multifaceted. The hurt on his face is not something she likes or wants to see, and she absolutely hates her part in putting that pain there. Sakura also hates how great sex can effortlessly cast a confusing shadow of doubt in what was previously bright and unshakable.

Seeing Naruto, feeling him, unsettled what was once grand and majestic, and if Sakura is ever going to return to that beautiful existence, she'll need that last photo; a photo that requires her to have a conversation with Sasuke-kun. Sakura was tired of questioning the nature of her awkward emotions and just wanted to return to some semblance of comfort. Sakura simply wants to love again, however, their team won't meet again until the exams, forcing Sakura's hand. This is her moment. Her best opportunity to speak with the love of her life and set her back on the right path. "Sasuke-kun, wait, please!"

A miffed Sasuke stops and turns to her, asking with clear aggravation in his voice, "what?"

Startled, Sakura weakly responds, "I just want to ask you a question."

Sinking further in annoyance, Sasuke turns and continues walking until Sakura cuts in front of him, stopping him. "Please. wait." Stoically, he says nothing, but he doesn't leave either. "I want to ask you something, and I promise, I won't get mad. I just want to hear the truth or your truth-"

"Spit it out already," Sasuke cuts in.

"…What is your vengeance worth?" Her question makes him blink before his brows come together in irritation. "I know you want to kill a certain man," Sakura continues. "But what if you lose your soul because of it? I can't imagine you would hurt others just to satisfy your-"

Sasuke promptly challenges her with irate black eyes and a hard voice. "What could you possibly know about my vengeance? Rather than wasting my time asking me useless questions, you should be training. Honestly, you're even weaker than the Dobe," Sasuke finishes before walking around her.

Despite the tumorous lump lodged in her dry throat and her hot moist green eyes, Sakura turns and calls out, "wait, please Sasuke-kun! I just want to be useful to you. Just… just help me to understand-"

Whipping around to face her, he declares, "how could you, Sakura? With all your intellect, how could you possibly understand me when your house has parents still breathing?" Thinking of that disgusting look of empathy Naruto directed at him… that look of complete understanding, Sasuke nearly yells, "you can't! Not a single one of you can! And it only pisses me off when you try!"

Blobs of tears well around her green eyes as Sakura tries, "b-but I want to-"

"Then kill your parents," Sasuke commands. She couldn't believe how small and clear his black eyes were when he then tilts his head, as if reconceptualizes. Sasuke moves close to her like a predator as he states, "better yet, the bothersome way you'd hang all over me, reminds me of how stupid I used to be." As delicate as the entire raven-haired-scope of her world is, rather than fix what feels fracturing within her, Sasuke-kun flicks her forehead… her insecurity… sharply, shattering something vital within her. She flinches at his flick under his striking eyes as he asks, "what if I killed your parents, Sakura? Would you still call me your Sasuke-kun then? Would you still be so blissfully ignorant about how completely irrelevant your understanding is to me?"

"Sa-Sasssuke-kun," she weakly tries as hot tears finally spill over when she shudders. Her voice croaks as she wills herself to say, "don't… you-you're not like that… You can't be…"

Sasuke snorts at her blind, dewy-eyed innocence, before his demanding eyes labels her with the most disheartening pitiable regard she's ever felt. "All I have is my hate- No, all I want is my hate. Someone as naive as you will never understand that. Outside of team duties, leave me alone," he easily demands, then silently leaves. Sakura doesn't follow.

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