Watch My Back As I Move On

Chapter 28: Tag Along

"Go get yourself ready!" Kisame said. Sakura grinned and nodded at him and went to her room. She took a quick shower and packed her things. She still has half an hour before Kisame comes barging in. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and eventually got succumbed into slumber.

Sakura's eyes fluttered open and saw the ground moving before her. "Oh, you're awake." A voice said. The man carrying her shifted and let her on her feet. "Kisame? Itachi?" She subconsciously said as she rubbed sleep off her eyes.

Sakura leaned back as a kunai passed her face. "We hit a jackpot, seeing Haruno Sakura right here!" A group of bounty hunters surrounded the three. Sakura's eyes being covered by shadows the whole time. The group was laughing until Sakura spoke up. "Oi." She said. "I'm not a morning person." She continued, making the group look at her in confusion.

"Guess what, we don't care!" One said, making Sakura look up and glare daggers at them. With that the group attacked Sakura all at once. Sakura pulled a chakra filled fist and brought it down on the ground. "SHANARO!" She shouted as the earth beneath them, along with the bounty hunter, flew away from the blast.

Kisame whistled at the mess Sakura made and grinned. "Come on." Itachi said, leading the way. Their mission was a simple assassination mission. And when Kisame said tag along he really meant tag along. He prevented Sakura from doing anything during the mission. All Sakura did was sit on a tree branch and watch them do the easy task.

"Let's go." Kisame said, grinning as him and Itachi went the other way. "Uh. The hideout is this way." Sakura said, pointing the other way. "Yeah, but we'll go to the hot springs." Kisame said, grinning as he pulled Sakura the other way. "Wait, why are we going there?" Sakura asked, dumbfounded. "Hn. Look at yourself." Itachi monotonously said, making Sakura flinch. "Yeah. You look...um...worn out." Kisame said as the hot springs came into view. "You hesitated! Again!" Sakura said, twitching.

They entered and an old lady greeted them. "Oh my, young lady. You look...worn out." The old woman said. "She hesitated too!" Sakura whispered to herself, feeling a stab on her chest. "Saki-baasan, this is Sakura Haruno. Can you do something about her fatigue?" Kisame said, pointing at Sakura.  "Why of course, I'll ready the hot spring." She said, smiling as she walked away. "You seem close." Sakura said, making Kisame grin. "Of course, we go here everytime." He said.

A few minutes later the same old lady went back. "The bath is ready." She said. In a blink of an eye, Itachi appeared behind the old lady with a kunai pointed at her neck. "Where is baa-san?" Itachi monotonously asked. The old lady smirked and a puff of smoke surrounded them. The smoke dispersed and revealed a rogue nin.

"Kisame." Itachi said. "On it." Kisame said, running away to find the old lady. "Sakura." Itachi said. "Yeah." With that, Sakura kicked another rogue nin behind her on the head. Itachi slashed the rogue nin's neck just before he can make a move. Both rogue nins turned into log with a puff of smoke.

Itachi's sharingan spun dangerously as both the rogue nins made a mistake, looking into Itachi's eyes directly from afar. Kisame returned with the old lady on his arms. Sakura walked towards the old lady and checked her for injuries. "My, thank you. You saved me again." She said, smiling at them.

"Again?" Sakura asked. "Yeah. This isn't the first time." Kisame said. "Why is she always being attacked?" Sakura asked, raising an eyebrow. "She's the wife of the feudal lord and she ran away." Itachi monotonously said. "Eh?!" Sakura exclaimed, staring at the old woman in shock. The woman simply smiled at her with closed eyes.

Sakura stared at the only door present before her. The three of them are dressed with only a towel on right now."A mixed bath?" Sakura asked. "Yeah. Saki-baasan doesn't have the fund to make two more." Kisame said, throwing Sakura over his shoulder as she tried to make an escape. "You're not escaping with your fatigue." Itachi monotonously said, making Sakura flinch.

"I refuse to be naked infront of two guys." Sakura said. "Then don't stray from your towel." Kisame said, grinning as he dumped Sakura in the hot spring. Sakura resurfaced, gasping for oxygen. Itachi and Kisame removed their towels, making Sakura turn around.

"Kisame, my back." Itachi said. "Sure." Kisame said as they both sat at the side and Kisame started washing Itachi's back. A few minutes later, it was Itachi's turn to wash Kisame's back. They both turned to Sakura with an evil look, making Sakura whimper. "Come on, now." Kisame said as he took Sakura by her arm and sat her on the side. "Remove your towel. We can't wash your back like that." Kisame said, making Itachi nod in agreement. "Just showing your back will do." Itachi said as Sakura complied. She lowered the towel, showing her back to Kisame. "That's better." Kisame said, grinning as he started washing her back.

The three went in the hot spring with Sakura still clutching her towel. Sakura let go of her towel when they reached the water and layed it on the side. "You know, for a girl you don't take care of your skin." Kisame said, staring at her shoulder closely as he rubbed his chin in wonder. Sakura yelped and turned to Kisame, taking a step back.

Itachi let out a small grunt as Sakura bumped onto him. "I'm a ninja. Taking care of my skin will cost fortunes due to the scars and wounds I get every now and then." Sakura said, pouting. "You should relax." Itachi said, sitting on a rock with a hot towel on his head. Lowering himself into the water at chin level and closed his eyes. "Yeah." Kisame said, grinning as he massaged Sakura's shoulder. Sakura moaned and lowered herself into the water. "That feels so nice." Sakura dreamily said. "Yeah, that's it, relax like how a girl should." Kisame said, grinning.

Kisame flinched when he heard a snore. "O-oi! Sakura, don't fall asleep! You'll drown!" Kisame said, pulling Sakura up with her shoulders. He sat Sakura down on a rock beside Itachi and let her lean on Itachi's shoulder. Kisame grabbed a hot towel and put it on Sakura's head. Kisame grinned as he leaned back on the rocks. He looked at the two with a grin and whispered to himself. "They don't make a bad couple."

To Be Continued...