Chapter XIV

132 10 8
                                    

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.



𝓢𝓪𝓴𝓾𝓻𝓪 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 at Sasuke's tense shoulders for hours, her skeptical eyes trying to figure him out, to put together the pieces of his puzzled mind. The many emotionally charged exchanges of the previous day have left everyone on edge, and she can't take the heavy atmosphere anymore but doesn't dare break it. Years of being in love with someone teaches you many things, and Sakura now understands Sasuke enough to know she must adapt her pace to him, never the other way around. If only the redhead running by her side had learned the same thing.


Punctuated sighs on Karin's part disrupt the silence, bringing Sasuke's hands to clench and unclench in obvious irritation. Yet the girl remains unaware of the impending outburst and even dares to provoke the angry beast when they pause for the evening.


"I was going to tell you, you know," she declares, trying to meet Sasuke's eyes, fingers playing with the straps of her bag.


"Karin..." Sakura whispers in a warning tone.


"Why do you think I asked you to join me, Karin?" Sasuke exclaims, throwing his belongings forcibly on the forest floor. "For your pleasant company?"


The irony doesn't go unnoticed, and Suigetsu whistles before sitting on Sakura's right.


"I was going to tell you," Karin repeats, face almost as red as her hair, "but figured it wasn't a big deal if I waited a little. You and Sakura had barely survived an explosion, for Kami's sake! I was monitoring his movements and had everything under control, I swear."


"You didn't tell me because you wanted a break, Karin. Don't pin that on Sakura. She would've told me, would've followed without a word."


Sakura shifts in her seat, feeling heat crawl from her neck to the tips of her ears, pleased to hear Sasuke's praise but regretting how he brought it up.


"Of course," Karin spits, "Miss Perfect would've done the right thing. Or would she? You're putting her on a pedestal, and it's getting on my nerves!"


She kicks a rock into the fire and glares at the embers ascending into the sky.


"Sakura has obvious, annoying flaws, but she's selfless. No one can deny that. You, on the other hand, are one of the most selfish people on this planet," he continues, unaware of the pink-haired girl's discomfort. "And coming from me, that says a lot."

Sharing Blood | SasuSakuWhere stories live. Discover now