Chapter Text
It was odd being on a mission with Naruto and Kakashi again, Sakura thought to herself as they sped through the trees on their way to Sunagakure. A not insignificant part of her hoped she would get the chance to show off the skills she had worked tirelessly for, eager to distance herself from the weak girl who'd been left behind by not one but both her teammates.
Over the years she'd exchanged a few letters with Naruto though clueless as usual, more than half the lines of his letters had been blacked out. By Jirayja presumably.
Unexpectedly, Kakashi had actually checked in with her occasionally. She had overheard enough snippets to know he had rejoined the ranks of ANBU after Team 7 was disbanded. Sakura had appreciated every appearance of his slouched figure and inappropriate reading material. Even when all he offered her was a quick yo, a crinkle of his eye, or when she had just passed a milestone in her medic nin training; a pat on the head she pretended to be annoyed by.
Slightly ahead of her, Kakashi turned his head and threw her a glance over the edge of his green book. She gave him a reassuring smile and a shake of her head. The jounin nodded and resumed his focus on his supposed literary masterpiece.
Naruto was in the lead of their group, an unusually serious expression on his face. It was a far cry from the bratty boy who'd left the village with a grin full of bravado and a promise to become strong enough to bring back their wayward teammate. Now they were heading towards an allied village to confront an international terrorist organization.
An organization which coincidentally also wanted to capture the very same teammate. She bit her lip, worried green eyes focused on the back of his black and orange vest.
After their chaotic arrival in Sunagakure, Sakura found a moment of solitude in a secluded hallway. She slowly slid down the wall and squatted, her arms balancing on her knees. She clenched and unclenched her hands and simultaneously pulled deep breaths in through her nose and slowly out her mouth. When she had wished to show off she hadn’t exactly meant performing a poison extraction on the Kazekage’s brother in front of the village elders and his sister.
One breath.
Two breaths.
Three breaths.
When she felt calm and focused she pushed herself back up to her feet. Just as the familiar green of Kakashi’s flak jacket appeared from around the corner. They eyed each other for a moment.
“Good?”
She nodded, her expression serious. In response, his eye crinkled a little at the corner and he nodded approvingly. “We're heading out, the ninken have the trail.”
Sakura wasn't sure what to make of the unexpected addition to their team; the Suna elder, Chiyo. She seemed to relish the role of dotty grandma but most people wouldn't dare to dismiss a member of the legendary sannin and godaime Hokage as ‘that slug girl.’
Their group of four traveled hard and fast, following Kakashi's ninken's trail until they came to a clearing where a solitary figure awaited them.
The black cloak, dotted with red clouds rippled in the wind as a gust passed through the clearing. His slashed forehead protector glinted in the sunlight. The distance was too great for Sakura to make out many details but the piercing red of his clan's doujutsu stood out sharply.
The clan who he massacred in the span of one night. Sakura swallowed harshly and averted her focus away to his legs. Uchiha Itachi, the man who had tortured Sasuke and pushed him to abandon Konoha in search of power.
“Don't look into his eyes!” Kakashi hissed without turning his head. He pushed up his forehead protector, revealing his own sharingan, and stepped forward. “How far has your eyesight deteriorated, Itachi?” He goaded loudly.
If the Uchiha reacted to the words Sakura was unable to tell, instead her eyes were drawn to their uncharacteristically quiet teammate. Naruto’s body was tense but he made no movement towards their opponent.
Genjutsu from that distance? She thought with disbelief. She grasped onto Naruto’s elbow and directed her chakra into his system, disrupting the flow and pulling him out of the illusion.
“W- What?” Wide blue eyes blinked at her in confusion, his breath coming in quick pants as if he’d just run all the way from Konoha.
“Don't look into his eyes, Naruto!” Sakura tightened her grip on his elbow before she jumped back to a safer distance. If any of their party were caught in his terrible genjutsu they would need her skills to recover.
She hunkered down, pushing down the nauseous panic clawing at the back of her throat. The Uchiha had hardly moved from his spot as he spewed fire bullets and giant fireballs one after the other with such speed and power the copy-nin was forced on the defensive.
“Watch out!”
At Kakashi's cry, Sakura threw herself into a roll and before she had even regained her footing a column of searing hot fire cleaved through the trees and foliage where she had stood just moments before. In its trail the earth was left a scorched and blackened mess.
She forced her eyes away from her near death by stray jutsu and back to the battle.
Kakashi had managed to close the distance, Sakura could hardly track the fast-paced taijutsu until both their forms exploded into smoke– Shadow clones.
Sakura scanned the environment not even sure where Naruto had gone off to. That's when a thick mist descended on the clearing. She instantly recognized the Kirigakure technique, it was a constant feature in her nightmares.
A crow croaked somewhere behind her but Sakura paid it no mind as she focused inwardly and extended her senses. She identified the muted tones of Chiyo not far from her. The older woman pulsed her signature in response, revealing the elder to be a fellow sensor. Ahead she could make out two others who, by their signature, she guessed to be Kakashi and Naruto.
But where was their enemy?
That’s when another enormous fire jutsu exploded across the clearing, obliterating the mist Kakashi had summoned and leaving behind a large crater. Sakura was left blinking in the sudden harsh light.
The Uchiha still hadn’t moved; as if he could hardly be bothered while the area around him was covered in scorch marks. That’s when Kakashi broke through the ground in front of Itachi and they grappled onto each other.
Sakura gasped loudly when from the opposite direction came Naruto, running at them with a clone at full speed and he slammed the giant Rasengan into the two. The light and dust exploded in a swirling tornado around them. When it settled all that remained were black feathers on the ground.
“Kawarimi! Everyone be on your guard!”
Sakura shifted closer towards Chiyo so they could cover each other’s back when she felt a suffocating presence unfold from behind her. However he had hidden before he no longer suppressed the pressure.
She fought against the instinctual response to freeze like cornered prey. Instead, she forced chakra into her legs to jump and twist in time to block a heavy kick with her crossed arms.
The force knocked the breath out of her lungs and flung her backwards through the air. She hit the ground with a pained groan, her legs and arms dragging along dust and rocks until she channeled chakra into her arms and legs and was able to come to a stop on her hands and knees.
Sakura spat out a mouthful of dirt and instinctively sent a fierce glare at her opponent who was approaching as if he was on a stroll through the park. That's when her narrowed green eyes met the piercing red of the sharingan and they both froze. A knowing unfurled in her chest. A recognition she couldn’t comprehend. Adrenaline and fear were replaced with a certainty of safety and warmth.
She wasn’t sure how long they stared at each other as bizarre, opposing emotions warred within her- seconds, minutes, hours?
Until familiar silvery blue lightning sparked in the corner of her eye. Her heart seized as the high pitched screaming approached. She could imagine it perfectly; Kakashi would thrust his chidori straight through the black cloak, and, and she- she couldn't.
As easily as breathing, Sakura gathered chakra in her fist and slammed it into the ground, ripping the earth asunder and destabilizing the area.
The lightning flickered and then faded, it worked! She had diverted Kakashi. Her eyes widened in disbelief; she had just aided a traitor. Her mind could hardly comprehend the actions of her body. Between one blink and the next a figure blocked out much of the light above her. All she could see was the black and red of his cloak.
Itachi bent forward and Sakura struggled between pushing to scramble back but instead she grasped onto his hand and he pulled her into his chest.
“Sakura-chan!!!” She heard Naruto scream behind them. A great fire dragon launched in their direction with a roar but Itachi’s grip tightened and then they were flying.
Sakura wanted to let go, to unclench her fists and push herself away from Uchiha Itachi, instead her fingers twisted more securely onto his shoulders. When she thought too much about all the ways she could break out of his hold her heart constricted and she felt light headed.
His presence was bright and so close, it burned like the fire he'd conjured up before. She felt his too-fast heartbeat beating the same rhythm as hers.
The light dulled as he pushed through a tight crevice in a natural rock formation, a natural barrier to hide from her teammates. Itachi’s grip relaxed and Sakura slid down his taller form until her feet found sturdy ground. They both took a half step back, their harsh breathing mingled warmly in the space between them.
His eyes were wide, the sharingan stark against the paleness of his face. She could see the tomoes in his eyes loop endlessly as he stared at her.
Sakure tried to force her mind to focus; on her teammates and the village… Shishou! Her parents!
His hands tightened on her hips and heat radiated outward that set her entire body aflame. Her thoughts dissipated, replaced only with an unrelenting need to be closer. Her hands slid up his chest, ignoring the way his body stiffened. She twisted her hands into his cloak over his collarbone and pulled herself up, stretching to crash her lips against his.
Itachi melted into her, drawing her closer and shifting to better capture her lips. Dark strands brushed against her heated cheeks while an intense heat roared inside her chest. His lips parted and Sakura surged forward, licking into his mouth.
His hands on her hips tightened painfully as the taste of him exploded on her tongue and her body sang. Her back collided roughly with the stone wall but Sakura hardly registered the movement consumed as she was by his mouth on hers, the taste of his tongue, and his palm sliding up her waist, over her belly, scorching wherever he touched.
She tore herself away from his mouth with a desperate gasp as his fingers trailed over her clothed chest, his fingers lingering where her nipple strained against the fabric of her top. She squeezed her eyes closed, desperate for an inkling of control as they spiraled into chaos.
She tried to form words, noises- anything;, a plea, a request, a demand. But then his mouth closed on her neck, hot and wet and she felt the wet slide of his tongue and all she could think of was tasting him again.
Abruptly, Itachi pulled back, body tensing, the shift helped pierce the haze that had covered Sakura’s mind. But soon panic rose within her because it was Kakashi’s presence and he was approaching rapidly exuding a heavy menace.
“Hold.”
That was the first time she’d even heard the man’s voice, deep and empty. To Sakura’s despair tears gathered at the edges of her eyes, another reaction that was out of her control. She grabbed onto the Akatsuki cloak again.
And then they were moving faster than she knew was possible. Behind them the crevice exploded in fire and Kakashi was hot on their heels.
“Let go of her, Itachi!” He demanded as his hands flashed through a long set of hand signs. Relief and appreciation warred with rage at being interrupted by Kakashi.
She felt Itachi’s hands move and then he twisted them around and unleashed a white hot stream of fire. Even when carrying a whole other person the man found a way to be a danger to everyone around them. Sakura wanted to mold chakra to her hands, slide it into his system, and stop his heart. Instead she felt the pain as if she had just inflicted it on herself and whispered into his neck.
“Don’t hurt him.”
She felt him freeze underneath her and they nearly stumbled off the side of a tree branch. Sakura was quick to press closer, dragging her lips across his clammy skin.
“Please.”
Itachi pushed them off, barely avoiding a barrage of shuriken. Sakura tightened her grip at the feeling of free fall, unable to let go. To her surprise, Kakashi slowed, hanging on the side of a tree glaring at them.
Itachi quickly put more distance between them. “I can’t let go.” He murmured but his voice was loud and clear to her. She could feel every ounce of his frustration and confusion in the simple words.
“Itachi!” Kakashi shouted and pursued.
And then the familiar shout of her other teammate reached them from above. “Rasengan!”
“Naruto, no!”
She felt Itachi gather chakra at his hands and push her away, to her surprise her body finally obeyed a logical command and she managed to roll onto the ground to break her fall. While Itachi took the full brunt of the Rasengan and Sakura knew that that was a deadly attack but she felt nothing.
Which probably meant…
“It- It’s not him, Kakashi-sensei.” Naruto said.
Sakura rolled onto her back, panting harshly. She tried to banish the bizarre feelings and compulsions that had taken charge of her body. With the Uchiha’s presence gone she felt as if she was more in control but there was a…
A form blocked out the light and interrupted her chaotic thoughts, Sakura looked up into the mismatched eyes of Hatake Kakashi. His expression was serious and his form tense.
“This is a shinobi of the Sand.” Sakura recognized the voice as Chiyo.
“Sakura-chan… What happened?” She could feel Naruto’s gaze on her too and she could only shake her head, hardly aware of dragging her hair through the dirt. She didn’t know. What the fuck was that? She wanted to roll to her feet but to her surprise Kakashi shifted in warning.
“Don’t, Sakura.” His voice was low and it worried her.
“I- I- I-” She shook her head again, a few tears spilled from the edges of her eyes and down her cheek “I don’t know what that was, I swear! I didn’t mean to do any of that.”
That’s when it hit her, the feeling of a strong tug inside of her… A longing. Before she knew it she ignored Kakashi’s earlier order and scrambled to her feet only for Kakashi to grab onto her wrists.
“Stop!” Sakura yelled and tried to twist out of his grip.
“Hey- what- Kaka-sensei!” Naruto protested, confusion coloring his tone.
“Don’t struggle, Sakura.” Kakashi commanded but instead the kunoichi tried to shift again and Kakashi responded by tripping her feet and deftly tying a rope around her wrists. She fell back to the floor with a thump, hands bound.
“What is this?” She whimpered.
Kakashi sighed deeply. “I’m sorry Sakura, this isn’t your fault.”
“Looks like the Uchiha criminal is your soulmate. My condolences.” Chiyo approached, looking down at Sakura with a calculating glint in her black eyes.
“What?” Sakura’s wide green eyes moved from Chiyo to Kakashi’s.
“You are presenting with the classic symptoms.” Kakashi agreed sadly as he pulled his forehead protector down over his red eye now that Sakura was tied securely. “And so was he.”
Soulmates? Wasn’t that just a cliched plot of the romance books her mother- okay and maybe also herself- liked to read?
“I’m going to have to knock you unconscious, Sakura.” Kakashi mumbled.
“W- why?” Sakura looked at him with fearful eyes.
“You can feel it, right?” He crouched next to her, his visible eye droopier than usual and the shadow underneath them deepened. “You’re trying to get to him right now. And he's… Let’s just hope he’s far, far away.”
“Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura whimpered, clenching her fists. “I don’t want to.”
But she would, it was a given she felt deep in her bones. She still felt the taste of him on her lips and tongue and the sound of his voice echoed in her ears. She needed to go to him.
“There are still two more Akatsuki opponents.” Chiyo said. Kakashi turned a glare towards her, even one-eyed he could be terrifying.
“We cannot continue the mission like this- perhaps if we find team Gai and pull in reinforcements.”
“There’s no time- we have to find and save Gaara!” Naruto yelled. In response, Sakura could hear Kakashi tsk in annoyance.
“I will seal off the bond.” Chiyo stepped forward. “That way we can continue our mission to save the Kazekage.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing.” Kakashi moved to stand in front of Sakura.
“You Konoha nin don’t know everything, youngster.” Chiyo snarled and pulled a scroll from her pocket. “I used this many times on a subordinate who was bonded to a woman from Iwagakure.”
Kakashi shook his head. “I won’t risk my teammate on the word of-” He stilled when he felt Sakura’s fingers clutch at his ankle.
“Will it make this stop?” Sakura whispered breathlessly, the need to find him burning through her.
“It’s temporary… And it eventually stopped working all together but yes- for now… It will stop.” Chiyo gave Kakashi a challenging glare and reluctantly the copy-nin stepped aside.
Sakura was barely aware of the preparations that happened around her, focusing on breathing and trying to lay still. At a whispered warning Chiyo began a series of hand signs and then pressed her hand to Sakura’s chest.
Searing pain enveloped her for a long moment and she screamed as if someone had burned her.
Then it was over and Sakura was left panting on the ground, shivering. She felt as if half of her was submerged under water as if she was disassociated from herself.
She clambered to her feet, avoiding the eyes of her teammates. Chiyo nodded seriously and Sakura couldn’t help but nod back as she straightened.
“I’m good.” She proclaimed. “I- the compulsion isn’t there.” She ignored Kakashi’s wary glance and let Naruto’s encouraging smile warm her.
They had Akatsuki to chase and a Kazekage to save.