FicWad

Chapter 8: Drunk

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"Sasuke? Are you here?"

"Sssakura..." his voice hissed out without his consent. He stepped out into the light, his Sharingan already activated, and the kunoichi's eyes widened.

"Wha...what are you doing? This isn't...no..."

He caught her around the waist as she slumped over from the Sharingan's trance, still vaguely trying to protest. Orochimaru laughed at Sasuke's protests as he dragged his nails across her skin, streaking her peachy complexion with blood. You're getting weaker Sasuke...join me...you know you want this... Sasuke tried to stop himself, but the intruder in control of his body forced his tongue out of his mouth to slither across her skin.

"Mm...no...please stop...no..." she said. Sasuke inwardly grimaced.

Stop this!

Hmm...no, I think we'll continue, hmm?

Sasuke remembered well. The inner struggle that he'd fought not only with Orochimaru, but also with himself. The two choices were driving him insane: give up his morals and enjoy the time he had with Sakura, or use what little sanity he had left to protect her as best he could, and continue to suffer the torture of Orochimaru's use of his body.

Luckily for the girl, he'd chosen to protect her.

He couldn't forget all of the things she'd done for him...all the times she'd been there for him when he didn't have anyone else. She'd always been a light in his life; not just a crazed admirer, but often a real friend and ally.

He hadn't known it at the time, but he'd fallen in love with her. He missed her after he left Konoha, but he'd known that he couldn't go back. Now was his chance...except that he'd hurt her so badly while Orochimaru controlled his body that he didn't know if she could ever forgive him. He didn't even know if he could forgive himself for being so weak.

And then there was that other man that Orochimaru had sensed on her...who was he? Sakura was a beautiful woman...what if she was married? She'd probably had plenty of boyfriends, and she wasn't nearly as lovesick as she'd been in her childhood. She probably didn't even want him anymore, and he didn't know if he deserved her.

The guilt ate at his soul, the seal burned on his neck, and he couldn't seem to wake up from the nightmares. Sakura's rape was replayed over and over in his mind. He couldn't escape.

----

Sakura squeezed Sasuke's hand as he tossed his head around on the hospital bed, a sharp, pained expression on his face. Kakashi kept an eye on them from the corner, and Naruto was on the other side of Sasuke, a frown creasing his eye brows. The Konoha evening light poured through the window, lighting up the middle of the room and leaving Kakashi's corner in darkness. His one obsidian eye showed no expression.

"Sasuke...Sasuke, it's OK..." she cooed in a nurturing tone, her eyes only for the raven-haired young man. Kakashi hid his emotions well...a bigger amount of jealousy than he thought possible was raging in his stomach at that moment. Sakura had been awake for a couple hours now, and she's barely said anything to the man she'd promised to spend the night with. Her attention was completely devoted to the unconscious Sasuke, and Kakashi was simply a bystander. There was nothing he could do.

The rational part of his mind told him that it was her medic's intuition that drove her to stay with her patient, but the part of him that was falling for Sakura was sure that she had forgotten about him for Sasuke. Usually rationality won out...but when is love - or jealousy - ever rational?

The door opened and Tsunade walked into the room with a chart, her white medic jacket covering her arms from the chill. Sakura herself had a pink knitted blanket draped over her shoulders as she kept her hand over Sasuke's shivering one. "How is he?" Tsunade asked.

Sakura never took her eyes off of him. "He won't wake up...I don't know what's wrong...I was sure I performed the seal correctly..."

"I'm sure you did, Sakura," Tsunade said, placing a comforting hand on the young kunoichi's shoulder. Kakashi had a sudden thought that maybe he should have been the one doing that, but he stayed still, watching from afar. "He's been through a lot, and he's going to need time to recover...not that I've seen this before. But Orochimaru was strong, and Sasuke will probably rest for a few days. Let me know if there are any changes?"

Sakura nodded, pulling up her other hand and biting her thumbnail anxiously as her mentor left the room after writing something on a chart. Naruto cleared his throat at her. "I'm sure he's fine, Sakura," he said as comfortingly as he could.

"Mm..." she started, "I'm not so sure."

Quiet settled over them again, the only sound Sasuke's restless slumber as he tossed and turned in the hospital bed. Sakura looked close to tears, and Naruto sent a look over to Kakashi that he couldn't quite read. The silence continued.

Hours passed. The sun went down, and the moon slowly drifted across the sky. The stars came out and then disappeared again. Sakura stayed at Sasuke's side, anxiously biting her lip and twisting her hair. Naruto watched her until he collapsed backwards in his chair by the bed. Kakashi himself dozed off standing up, and his quiet breathing through the mask filtered into the room.

Sakura was the only one awake.

She let her hand drift up to the Uchiha's hair as he finally found rest, a peaceful expression transforming his face. She delicately twisted the long black strands around her finger. Needs to be washed... she thought. Sasuke had always been strict on personal hygiene as a child, and it was strange to see his hair so dirty and unkempt. Sakura frowned at the irregularity. I wonder if the real Sasuke is different now...

"He still cares for the lovely Sakura...and he's not relinquishing his hold on his body, even though I helped him kill his dear brother. I thought that if I could use these hands to violate the woman he loves..."

I can't believe he loves me...Orochimaru had to be lying... Sakura shook her head of pink hair, the frown deepening. This entire thing was going to take a toll on she and Kakashi's growing relationship, she was sure...the copy nin hadn't touched her all night, even when she needed comfort the most. It seemed like he didn't even care anymore...what was wrong with him! Anger welled up in her stomach. It's like his mad at me for helping Sasuke...I mean, he's one of my best friends! Of course I would help him, it doesn't mean anything!

A hand suddenly wrapped around her wrist and she gasped, looking down. Sasuke had a slight smile on his face and he had turned over on his side quietly. He was like a child...and his smile was infectious. One appeared on Sakura's face as she looked down at him, bringing her other hand to rest on his shoulder. "You're back now, Sasuke...we've got you back..."

It wasn't long before her head fell forward and found a warm place at the Uchiha's chest as sleep overtook her.

----

If the lack of conversation and physical contact hadn't been a sign that Sakura didn't care for him anymore, Kakashi was sure that the position the young woman was in now was enough evidence.

Sakura was asleep, her head nestled into the crook of Sasuke's arm. The dark-haired man was still snoozing peacefully, a small smile quirking his lips upward. Naruto was still passed out in his chair, a near invisible line of drool going from the blonde's mouth to the floor. They looked like a perfect team; together through it all...and their own sensei had been moping in the corner the whole time. Neglecting the team. What was he doing? He didn't know.

The sun was rising, and light peeked through the cracks in the shutters, lighting up Sakura's face prettily. Sakura's face, which rested on Sasuke's chest.

Kakashi needed some air.

He left the room and walked down the hall swiftly and silently, employing the techniques he'd learned over the course of his life to escape the smothering hospital without attracting any notice. Nobody saw him as he left the big building, walking out into the fresh, foggy morning air.

Kakashi knew that he was acting like an adolescent. If he was in his right mind he would have gone and comforted both Sakura and Naruto, as any good teacher and friend would do. But instead he was being jealous, and avoiding his own student; a boy that he had tried his best to protect and nurture. What had happened to him to where he wouldn't help to take care of Sasuke? They weren't enemies, and they never had been, but that's what it seemed like to Kakashi now.

He wondered what Sasuke would think when he found out that Kakashi and Sakura were together. Would he be jealous? Would he try to win her back? Had he won her back already, without even trying?

----

"Sakura..."

She blinked her eyes open, adjusting to the light filtering through the window, and found herself nestled into Sasuke's arm. She shot up, blushing. "Uh...oh...Sasuke?" The thought dawned on her... "Sasuke, you're awake!"

He wasn't expecting it, but the kunoichi threw herself into his arms, embracing him in a tight hug. He returned the hug awkwardly, eventually just giving into the warmth and smiling. The dark man couldn't help it; that was the effect Sakura had on him.

"Sasuke...I didn't think you were going to wake up!" she said, sitting back again, a wide grin on her face. Seeing the shocked expression on his own face, she frowned. "What...what's wrong?"

"I didn't think you would even let me touch you after what I did," he said quietly, casting his eyes down. He still managed to see her shake her head.

"It wasn't you, Sasuke. And you're still one of my best friends, no matter what that monster forced you to do."

Just friends... he thought, smiling at her half-heartedly. I wonder who the lucky guy is...

He looked up to see her eyes leave his and dart around the room, her eyebrows furrowed. "Hey...do you know where Kakashi went?"

Sasuke shook his head, thinking back to when he'd first woken up. Of course, he'd been a little preoccupied with the beautiful woman asleep on his chest... "I didn't even know he was here...must have left earlier this morning."

She nodded, standing up. "Well, I'm going to go get Tsunade, and try and find Kakashi." She reached across Sasuke and batted Naruto in the head. "Wake up, you numbskull! Sasuke's awake!"

----

As the time passed, Kakashi employed different methods in trying to forget about her, just for a couple hours anyway. He tried reading Icha Icha. He had a nice, long shower. He went and had a few shots of sake and a short argument with Gai after the strange bushy-browed man had caught him drinking so early in the morning.

Nothing worked.

Eventually, he was forced to return to the hospital, defeated.

Sakura seemed to be waiting at the front door, her eye brows furrowed in what seemed to be worry. "Did something happen to Sasuke?" Kakashi asked as he walked up, frowning.

"No...he's awake," she said, shaking her head, "Where have you been?"

He shrugged. "Around..."

A glare marred her pretty face. "You've been drinking...I can smell it on your breath."

He let his shoulder slump again. "Got me there. I have been drinking...it was a rough night. A lot happened. I needed to let loose."

An awkward silence. She wouldn't let her eyes meet his one obsidian one, and they darted around, looking at different pebbles on the path. They both stood quietly observing some part of nature that didn't have any relevance to the situation.

Sakura breathed in slowly. "Look...I'm sorry I didn't go with you last night, but Sasuke needed me."

There it was. In words. He almost staggered, although he knew it was true. "I understand, Sakura...it's alright. I'm not holding you up to anything."

"That's not-"

"Really, it's fine."

She bit her lip and he patted her on the shoulder in a friendly way.

"Let's go in. I'd like to see my old student."

The kunoichi nodded, but he was already walking inside. He didn't want to see the guilt on her face that he knew was there. He didn't want her to feel guilty for loving Sasuke. If that's what she wanted, he would live with it. He always lived with it. That's why he wasn't dead yet.

----

It took a bit of prying before Sasuke would actually ask Naruto any questions about affairs in Konoha, but curiosity eventually got the better of the dark-haired man. Naruto smiled gleefully, a bit of their old rivalry coming back into play at the fact that the blonde now knew more about things in Konoha than Sasuke.

It was revealed to him that Hinata was now Naruto's girlfriend. Things were relatively the same. Next year, Sakura would become a teacher. Kakashi had been a part of ANBU for a couple years, but had left it and now did random jounin missions, relaxing in his free time. More and more students graduated from the academy and became genin. More and more teachers were needed.

"And Sakura...how have things been for her?"

Naruto visibly stiffened, and Sasuke was forced to wonder why. "Eh...she's still pretty boring. She's dated a couple guys, but nothing really exciting. She always broke up with them. Didn't do anything for a long time after you left. She and Kakashi got...well, a lot closer."

Sasuke frowned. "As in..."

"They were best friends while we were gone. Apparently he was the one who took care of her when her parents died."

He tried to hold back the relief from showing on his face. "Nothing else?"

At this point, Naruto's face was turning red, and his lips were squeezed shut. "Sasukeeeeeeeee," he whined, reminding the Uchiha of the old days. "I'm not supposed to tell, but...well...IcaughtthemkissingandSakurasaysshe'sinloveiwithhimandIthoughtitwaswrongatfirstandI'mworriedthathtey'llgetintrouble..."

"Whoa, slow down!" Sasuke said, alarmed, "You mean, they're...they're together?"

"Sakura's gonna killlll meeeeeeee," Naruto groaned, plastering his hand to his face and dragging it across his mouth in frustration.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was having an inner conflict.

He'd waited too long.

Sakura belonged to another man.

The door opened and Sakura walked back in...followed by the one and only Kakashi. The copy nin eyed the Uchiha happily, saluting him with a "yo". Sasuke returned the hello a little grudgingly, not even noticing that Kakashi was in much the same mood as he.

Tsunade followed in a few minutes, after an extremely awkward conversation between the complete Team 7. Naruto seemed to be the only one that was happy in the least, and his voice was plagued with anxiety about when and where Sakura would kill him.

"Now, we're not going to tell many people you're here...we're going to need to wait," Tsunade told Sasuke, looking at him from over her chart, "Many people are still angry at you for joining Orochimaru...we'll need to reinstate you as a ninja here, take you out of the missing nin books. You'll eventually continue training as a chuunin."

Sasuke looked down at the floor bitterly. He'd always been so proud...and now he, the strongest member of Team 7, would be a chuunin, though all of his teammates were already jounin. "Yes, Hokage."

"And another thing, Sasuke."

He looked up at her. "Yes?"

"If that seal ever begins to act up, you must see me or Sakura. Hiding your weakness is no longer an option."

He nodded, and Kakashi seemed to look warily between him and Sakura. Oh, joy...more excuses for him to be around her...

Both men were puzzled when Sakura went home alone. Kakashi left a few minutes later, and Naruto was left to have Sasuke stay with him until they deemed it safe for him to stay in his own home at the Uchiha Estate again. After a strict watch on Sasuke's behavior for three weeks, he would be able to go home.

----

And so it was that three people went home that night thinking that the love of their life was in love with somebody else. Two of them were wrong. Unfortunately, these were the only two that didn't have anyone to help them with their sorrow.

Sakura didn't even look around for company when she sat down that evening and ordered a beer. Business was generally very quiet at that time of night - around midnight - and most sane people were asleep in bed, preparing for work the next day. She didn't expect to find anyone she knew, and to put it frankly, she didn't want to. Anyone that found her would ask what was wrong...and if she was drunk, everything would just come spilling out.

Everything about Kakashi would come tumbling from her mouth. She would say how good he was to her, how he'd always cared for her, how beautiful his hidden face was. She got a little too loose when she was drunk.

She'd been there for about a half hour when a familiar voice called for another sake. Sakura turned around to see the very man she'd been thinking about...

Hatake Kakashi.

"That's your tenth tonight, Hatake," the bartender said, shaking his head, "You're going to have a bad hangover tomorrow morning."

"Oh, screw it all," he said, his voice slightly slurred, "It's not like I do this often...in fact I don't think I've done this since Rin was killed."

"Yeah, and I know why you don't get drunk," the bartender warned, raising an eyebrow at the silver-haired man. Kakashi simply raised his glass and said cheers before downing it.

Sakura made a face similar to the bartender's and scooted down the bar towards Kakashi, realizing that she was a little tipsy herself when she tripped over one of the stools and drew his attention. "What are you doing!" she demanded, sitting down next to him.

"I'm drowning my sorrows," he said, asking for the bartender to refill his glass. The older man eyed the couple warily before filling the glass again. "And what are you doing?"

"The same."

"I didn't think you'd have any sorrows...I was shocked when you didn't go home without our dear Sasuke..."

She glared. "What are you talking about? I wouldn't go home with Sasuke! Didn't you hear what I was telling you today at the hospital...oh, wait, you didn't, because you were so idiotically jealous that you wouldn't even listen to me!"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh reaally?" he slurred. His voice was even more muffled through the mask, "I thought that you were saying you had to stay with your beloved patient..."

"Oh, please," she growled, "Now, I want you to hear me out. I think you misunderstood me when I said that I had to stay and take care of Sasuke...what I meant was that I wanted to go home with you another time. I was actually pretty upset when you just snubbed me like that in the hospital...didn't touch me or talk to me. I'm not always going to be the one making a move. Why can't you just act like you want me sometimes?"

He shook his head, resting it on his hand. "Only a few days that we've been doing this, and we're already fighting...Kami, this would never work..."

"You're just complaining because you still want to sit around on your ass all day," she continued, disregarding his last comment, "You don't even want to try...it's like you're afraid of me, even though you don't have to be."

She knew that she would never have said all of that if she'd been in her right mind. But she wasn't. She was pissed. And she was drunk. Which didn't make for a good mixture.

"So...you're saying that the reason I can't make a relationship work is because I'm lazy?"

"Yes, I am."

He took another sip of his drink, and she realized for the first time that he was sipping through the mask, "Hm...maybe you're right."

They sat for another fifteen minutes or so. Sakura got a little more sake, and a little more drunk. The orange light of the bar glowed around them, and the bartender walked up quietly, a rag in his hand.

"Sorry to break the silence...but we're closing."

A few minutes later the couple was out on the dark street. Sakura staggered after him as he walked down the street, still completely sure on his feet. It seemed that his drunkenness only affected his speech, and that his balance was good enough to clear his head and allow him to get home. Sakura, on the other hand, didn't have any control by now.

"Were you agreeing with me back there?" she asked, falling towards him. He caught her, falling back a little and showing how difficult it was for him to concentrate.

"I just don't want to admit that I was a complete moron today..." he replied, "And that I'm sorry...and that I'd really like to ask if you're still willing to jump in bed with me?"

She frowned in confusion before pulling her fingers up and letting them scrunch his mask up around his neck before leaning up and kissing him.

Passion followed. Their limbs were tangled together when they got to his apartment and he fumbled with the key before pushing the door open. More and more clothing fell to the floor.

Of course, as they were both drunk, the two ended up half naked and passed out in the living room.

----

A/N: OK...I have no idea where that came from. But I'm sticking with it. Because I liked that conversation...and I guess I just liked it. Don't know why...I guess it was a bit of comic relief. And I think Kakashi's a bit OOC...but whatever. Bleh. Deal with it.

I was going to have it get romantic at the end and then write a lemon for the next chapter...but I decided that it wouldn't be very romantic if they were so drunk that they couldn't remember it in the morning. Which was the only way I could have them make up in one chapter.

So I've got Sasuke back...and he's a little jealous...hmm...wonder what'll happen now...seems like Kakashi and Sakura are going to end up together..but...well, you'll just have to find out.

I'm going out of town for four days tomorrow, and I'll be back Monday. So no review responses or any kind of contact till then. I'm going to New Orleans for Katrina relief work (just in case you want to know) and I'll be returning for a lot of rest next week...and then school starts a week later...so I'm busy. And tired. Hopefully another chapter before the 14th (school starts)...but that's all for now. So...goodbye till next time! Please review!

--Kat