Tests of Heart

🌸Chapter 3: Family Visit

Sakura basked in the rare bout of sunlight brought down from the part in the clouds above her. Nagato sat beside her doing the same. It was a rare moment where they had time for just themselves, until they didn't.

A shinobi suddenly teleported behind the two and Sakura whined and threw herself over Nagato's lap.

"Can't I have like, half an hour please?" she whined as she looked at Nagato's amused expression.

The shinobi behind them laughed as Nagato let out a chuckle at her antics.

"Well we are the ambassador and head of the hospital, lovely," Nagato answered as he gently moved her so he could get up from the ground.

"Um..."

Nagato looked back at the shinobi at the sound and hummed.

"Why were you both on the dirt when there's a bench?" he asked.

Nagato shrugged and looked at Sakura.

"Cause I wanted to sit directly in the sunlight," Sakura answered as she herself got up and dusted off her white capris.

The jounin shrugged in response as he nodded. "Makes sense."

Sakura stretched as she smiled and looked at him expectantly. It took the man a moment to figure out why then he realized he hadn't said why he needed the two.

"Orochimaru requests your presence at the tower," he said quickly with a bow then left.

"Orochimaru?" Nagato asked as he looked at Sakura.

She just smiled.

"Maybe it's because he missed my birthday?" Sakura wondered aloud.

Nagato laughed. "Wanting more presents, hmm?"

This time it was Sakura's turn to laugh, and she batted her eyes at him. "Maybe..."

Nagato wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a kiss on the diamond on her forehead. "You're adorable."

It didn't take the two very long to get to the main tower, and even less time to find where Orochimaru was. He was waiting patiently, not in the office, but in the living room talking with Kakuzu and surrounded by various boxes.

Sakura squealed seeing everything and almost knocked over the tall men as she threw herself at Orochimaru, Kakuzu just barely catching himself as she all but flung him out of the way. The woman only got stronger over the years after all.

"There's my young one!" Orochimaru laughed as he hugged the still giggling woman.

"I thought I said no presents!" She exclaimed as she finally let him go to look at the presents with glee.

"I agreed to no such thing!" Orochimaru said, putting his hands up in surrender as Sakura glared halfheartedly at him.

Nagato laughed and clapped a hand on Orochimaru's shoulder. "There's no winning here!" he said to him.

Orochimaru and Kakuzu both laughed at that, and they all watched as Sakura opened all the gifts, from new books to new weapons. It didn't take her long to open up all the gifts and Sakura was ecstatic about all the new weapons to add to her arsenal of weapons. She already had so many from the Akatsuki over the years, but who could say no to a few more.

"Oh, I also bring news from Konoha!" Orochimaru said as he pulled a letter out of a pocket in his robes.

Sakura perked up and smiled softly thinking of everyone in the village.

"How is Itachi?" she asked.

Orochimaru smiled and let out a light chuckle. "That's actually who the news is about, my dear."

Sakura turned to him fully and gave him her undivided attention at the news.

"It's not bad, is it?" she asked with a light grimace.

Orochimaru shook his head. "No, dear. It's about his upcoming birthday!"

Sakura smiled brightly and pushed presents away from her so the men could sit with her. Orochimaru thanked her and took a spot across from her as he gave her the letter. Nagato sat beside her as Kakuzu, also intrigued, sat on the other side of Orochimaru.

"Kisame and Naruto are organizing a surprise party for Itachi and need someone to occupy him until the party starts that day," she read out, laughing in delight.

"And they want you to be the distraction?" Kakuzu asked Sakura.

Sakura nodded as she continued reading the letter and grimaced.

"Sasuke will be there..." Sakura said with disgust.

Nagato smiled and shook his head. "Itachi is his brother, Cherry," he said matter-of-factly.

Sakura kept the grimace on her face as she glared lightly at Nagato.

"I know that!" she said unhappily. "It doesn't mean I'm any more thrilled about it though."

Orochimaru laughed at her declaration of displeasure. He understood her feelings towards the Uchiha as he had heard of the man's multiple attempts at trying to get her back to Konoha by force, one of those being successful and the others disgraceful. The man still tries to see her every time she visits, whether she wants to see him or not.

"They still have a lot to plan with it being only a month away," Orochimaru commented with a light frown. "Naruto said he's going all out for this year."

Sakura laughed at that and thought back to all the other birthday parties Naruto had planned. They were always over the top and everyone always had a blast, normally anyway. She could remember a few times the fireworks almost singed the party goers.

"He goes all out every year!" Sakura exclaimed, still laughing. "So, what's the theme this year?"

Orochimaru shrugged at that. "That I don't know," he answered.

Sakura pouted at his words and huffed.

"Guess I'll have to write Naruto then," she muttered, causing Nagato to let out a light chuckle as he nodded.

"At least he gave you a heads up this time," Kakuzu said, reminding them all of the last party Naruto planned.

"I have one last thing to ask you Sakura, but I'd like it to be between us please," Orochimaru chimed in.

Kakuzu immediately made his way out of the room with a backwards wave as Nagato got up with a sigh.

"Stealing her from me, eh?" Nagato asked, causing Orochimaru and Sakura to both laugh.

Nagato laughed with them then kissed the top of Sakura's head and left, leaving the two alone.

"I have an experiment I want to try," he said with a bright smile.

"Is it that one you told me about before about the child?" Sakura asked with a tilt of her head.

Orochimaru nodded and grasped her hand in his.

"I need help with it now," he said with an air of disappointment.

Sakura smiled sadly at him as she thought about all her duties at the village and the hospital. She shook her head ruefully.

"I'd love to help you Orochimaru, I would but..."

"You have your own duties here?" he asked.

Sakura nodded her head, disappointed in herself that she can't help. Orochimaru patted her hand with a sad smile and nodded.

"It's okay, my child," he said to her then got up. "That was all I had left to ask."

"I hope it goes well though," Sakura added as he disappeared around the door frame.

Orochimaru smiled and laughed. "So far..."