Coming Home

[Haruno Sakura]

|×||×||×||×||×||×|
"This time, everyone, get a good look at my back."
✿❀✿ ♡нαяυησ×ѕαкυяα♡ ✿❀✿
She's Glad For One Day Of Comfort, Only Because She Has Suffered

______________________________________________________________________________________

Sakura's attention was fully focused on the kneeling man, but was suddenly torn away after hearing a thud against the wall and a small noise. She looked to see Naruto up against the wall, thrown greatly by the strength that Rajani possessed. Immediately she became defensive, glaring with a warning sort of look towards Rajani. She wasn't hostile in any way, but her gaze literally spoke the words, 'don't touch him.'

"Rajani. Don't. Touch. Naruto." Sakura's voice was firm and commanding as she walked up, took the girl's wrist in a tight yet gentle grip, and pulled it away from her teammate. "I know you trust me, and I know you know I trust you. But I won't hesitate to get defensive if you're throwing Naruto around like he's a rag doll. He gets it enough from me, anyways." Why was she being so defensive of Naruto? It was as if he was her lover or something, but the warning stood true. Sakura was not a woman to be messed with, not when she was truly pissed off. The beatings which Naruto often received from her on a daily basis - or, rather, on a daily basis before he left Konoha for a while - was mere horseplay compared to what she was truly capable of.

Her gaze turned from commanding to immediate concern for her teammate. "Are you okay, Naruto? Not hurt or anything, nothing broken..?" she asked, feeling a little awkward. Her green eyes stared into his, and for a moment she was mesmerized by his blue orbs; she hadn't noticed how bright of a hue they really had. It accented his features well. Wow, Naruto's actually not bad looking... Oh God, what am I thinking?! Wait, well, I guess thinking Naruto's kind of cute in a boyish way isn't so bad, is it? It's nothing like how I used to idolize Sasuke, but still... He actually looks kind of handsome. Sakura snapped out of her miniature trance, her hands resting on Naruto's shoulders in the most gentle of ways possible. She was sure it was a little weird, because most of the time she was manhandling the poor boy rather than caring for him.

"Anyways, let's get going. We don't want to keep Shishou-sama waiting, now do we?"

______________________________________________________________________________________

[rajani]

Rajani looked at Sakura. She didn't like the way Sakura was talking to her. "Tell him not to touch me without warning, She said simply as she walked up to Sakura and let her eyes show how uneas she felt now. She didn't like threats she had them for most of her life.

Naruto got up and looked at Sakura and smiled. "Im fine sakura-chan" he said as he looked at Ko and smiled still. He wasnt hurt and wondered what Sakura was freaking out about. He saw how Rajani was walking now. He didn't know why Sakura was freaking out over one toss. He had worse over the last few years and he didn't think he would get hurt.

Rajani walked past Sakura. She didn't want to lose her only connection to the past. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. She was worried now as she waited for Sakura. She just wanted to see if she would be allowed to train once more and be able to be of some help to the Village otherwise she would leave and never look back.

[Kogitsune]

Kogitsune was now relieved that the spotlight was taken off of him as he watched Haruno Sakura beat the lights out of Uzumaki Naruto. Kogitsune usually greatly disliked so much attention, especially since he was used to collapsing into his bloody cough attacks, but he supposed that he would also have to become accustomed to the reactions of the people of Hi no Kuni, because they did not know them or his habits. More than likely, his coughing would bring so much more attention than necessary... and he silently prayed that he would not have to be forced into a hospital for examination.

If there was one thing he didn't like, it was the pure white, sanity-absorbing walls of hospitals. He had been sent to them more than once, and each time, he felt as though the life was being sucked out of his body rather than seeping in like everyone else's. He found that the longer he stayed within the confining walls, he was plagued by unwanted memories of Hakuhoshi and those that had conditions similar to his own. No matter how much he tried to avoid them, they always seemed to surface at inconvenient times.

It was at this moment that Kogitsune realized that he had been spaced out for a few minutes and shoved his mind back into reality where Haruno Sakura was stooped over Uzumaki Naruto. Her countenance expressed true worry for her friend, expressing itself most when the two locked eyes. He was almost certain that he felt a deep connection that ran between the two of them, but just as he was about to ask about their relationship, Haruno Sakura spoke to him again.

It wasn't that he would have felt awkward asking about their relationship. It was that it would be an awkward time to ask about it. He would have to store the nugget of information for later.

[Haruno Sakura]

|×||×||×||×||×||×|
"This time, everyone, get a good look at my back."
✿❀✿ ♡нαяυησ×ѕαкυяα♡ ✿❀✿
She's Glad For One Day Of Comfort, Only Because She Has Suffered

______________________________________________________________________________________

Sakura released a sigh of relief when Naruto said he was all right. For some reason, she had felt a small pang of pure worry and slight terror from the sound and sight of Naruto being potentially hurt. She didn't understand the feeling at all, nor did she want to confront it just yet, either. biting her lip, she took his word for it; Naruto was a tough kid, after all. He could handle himself.

"Well, we should get going, then," Sakura announced with a smile, and began leading the way towards Tsunade's office. As the four of them walked, Sakura sunk deep into thought. What had brought on her sudden and immediate worry for the boy? She couldn't pinpoint it. Whiel she herself often manhandled the poor kid in rather violent ways, Sakura knew her own strength, and never really hurt him when she did that. However, when it came down to anyone else intentionally harming the boy, Sakura felt defensive. What was with that? And then her sudden and immediate worry for him...

Sakura was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts as she tripped on the bottom step of the stairs up towards Tsunade's office. In an attempt to c atch herself, she thrust out her arm towards the step she could reach, and as she did so, a slightly jagged chunk of wood scraped against her forearm. She winced slightly in pain but quickly composed herself She stood up, brushed herself off, and turned around with a sheepish grin.

"Er, sorry, I'm okay." She laughed a little, somewhat embarrassed, but continued up the stairs. Tsunade gave her a raised eyebrow, and Sakura explained everything to her. Nodding on some of the comments, Tsunade folded her hands, set her elbows down on the oak destk, and reseted her chin on her hands.

"Well, Sakura, assuming your mother is perfectly fine with things, I see no problem with Rajani staying with you. As for Kogitsune, we from Konohagakure no Sato welcome you. In regards to your rather detrimental condition, I will be assigning Sakura to your care. Are there any objections?" Tsunade looked up to find none objecting."Well then, Sakura, I would suggest the tanzaku Onsen springs, but please return by this evening. Kakashi should be back by then, and he has sent word ahead that he wishes to meet with you and Naruto. Dismissed.

"Hai, Shishou-sama!"

THREAD CLOSED.

______________________________________________________________________________________