🌸The Journey🌸

Day 10

Sakura stretched out her arms, yawned, and looked around, "S-Sasuke?"

"Good morning." Sasuke called from entrance of the cave, where he sat, reading a message he'd received, "get dressed. We're heading out now."

"Already? I feel like I only slept a few hours..." She sat up, cloak against her chest, and rubbed her eyes.

"Hn. Well, I'm sure it really was only a few hours. But I got word from Kakashi." He walked back over and sat next to her, "the village was attacked, but it's all taken care of now."

"That's good." She smiled, then her face went serious, "any leads on Aoba?"

"None yet..." Sasuke sighed and glanced back down at the map he'd been studying, "we could go back to the Akatsuki hideout. But it seems too easy..."

"They're luring me in." Sakura sighed, "I can see it."

"Then..." He glanced down at her.

"But I have you, don't I? So there's nothing I have to worry about."

"Don't get too overconfident."

"I know. I'm just..." Sakura grinned, "I'm still really excited, I don't know why. After last night..."

Sasuke smiled nervously, then pursed his lips, "did I hurt you?"

"No, no." Sakura chuckled, "I'm all ready to go. Just need to get dressed, is all."

"Then I guess we'll head back to the Hidden Valleys Village. Not too far from here..." Sasuke folded the map and tucked it back into his bag.

"Okay." Sakura nodded as she slipped her dress on, strapped her belt, and attached her ninja pouch to her back, "let's go."

"Right." He smiled as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against him before leaving the cave, "first..."

He leaned down and kissed her. Sakura smiled and kissed him back before pulling away playfully and running out through the forest and towards the Hidden Valleys Village, "remember! Every second wasted!"

"Yeah, yeah." Sasuke smirked as he ran after her, "but later. Got it?"

"What's happened to you?! Gotten all possessive all of a sudden, Uchiha?"

"Maybe." Sasuke shrugged, "you may have revealed another side of me we may never have realized was even there before. Kudos to you."

"Gee, what an honor." Sakura rolled her eyes, "now let's focus on the task at hand again, please. I'm still worried for Aoba."

"I understand."

"Then let's move faster!"

"Not too fast." Sasuke groaned, "you may be fine. I'm still exhausted."

"Oh, save it." Sakura stuck her tongue out at him teasingly.

"Hn."

_____________________________________

"So where is she?"

"Safe, I hope."

"Shut up! I'm not here to hear you spout off some bullshit!"

"Well, then, unfortunately for you, that's what you're going to hear."

"You really have changed, Aoba..."

The teen stuck his nose in the air snobbishly and snorted, "oh really? You shouldn't be one to talk."

"Just tell me, you stuck-up little pig!" The man slapped Aoba, "tell me where the girl is!"