Bonded Souls

Chapter 7: Movement

Sasuke gently tucked Sakura in and got himself as dressed as possible, leaving her to sleep for a little while. He stepped out into the living area where Karin was sitting, having taken to reading one of the books and keeping the fire stoked. He did his best to straighten his clothing, earning a raised eyebrow from Karin.

"You're welcome," she replied with a chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah." Karin hadn't had to stay, but it had undoubtedly helped his... outlook on things. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, not sure what else he should say to her. Should he thank her? Maybe... She had knocked some sense into him. That was typical Karin, though.

"Hey." Karin stood and set her book aside, standing directly in front of him. "Listen. I know... things were weird back then, and I wasn't the greatest friend of yours, but... I've got your back, okay? Jugo and Suigetsu too." Karin sighed. "Do you... want me to stay here with the two of you, just so there's a third person? Or do you want to be alone here with her?"

"No, you don't have to, Karin. It's fine." He knew Karin had other things to take care of, and he could look after Sakura. He was just glad Karin had knocked some sense into him. If she hadn't, he might not have made the moves he did... he likely would have regretted it. There was silence between them as Karin observed him, making him feel more and more nervous the longer she stared.

"You really care about her, don't you?" He sighed, nodding to confirm her suspicions. "Well... That's good, Sasuke. You deserve... someone, at least." She rubbed her arm awkwardly. He knew what that look meant. As he'd suspected, Karin still harboured those feelings for him. He felt a little guilty, if only for the fact that Karin had done such a selfless thing for him.

"Karin, I'm sorry." Perhaps in another life, he would have been able to return her feelings, but not this one. "I'm lucky to have you as a friend. You've done more than any other friend would have for me."

"Oh, shut up," she scolded, waving a hand at him. "I just... I got my hopes up, okay? It's fine. Just... Go look after your girl. And remember, if you screw it up, I'm going to kick your ass." There would undoubtedly be someone else in the world for her. Sasuke would do his best to ensure she found someone suitable. It was the least he could do.

"Stay safe, okay?" The last thing he needed was Karin getting drawn too deeply into their investigation into Akatsuki. "If you can... See if you can find Jugo and Suigetsu and keep on the move. We don't know how far Akatsuki's influence stretches. Oto seems safe, but we can't know for sure."

"Ah, don't worry about the boys and me. We'll be fine, ya hear?" She clapped him on the shoulder, picking up her jacket and slipping it on. "Tell you what, though. You two gotta move from here soon. I've got a place just outside Oto City I just moved into. It needs some work, but... If you two don't mind helping, I'd appreciate it. Plus, it'll give you something to do." There was plenty of space at her new place for them to spend time and enjoy themselves, as well as keep busy.

"Hmm... I'll talk about it with Sakura. It may be good to be somewhere that has... well, more to do." They couldn't spend their entire time here; even after a week, they were running out of things to do. It wouldn't be good for either of them.

"Good. Let me know. I'll be back tomorrow." That should be enough time for them to talk it through and give her an answer. Karin let herself out with a wave, leaving Sasuke to lock the door behind her and turn the lights out before making his way back to the bedroom.

Sakura woke up from her short nap as Sasuke came in, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She had yet to put any clothes on, which led her to blush profusely and instinctively pull the sheet over, hiding herself. Sasuke chuckled and sat down next to her, laying a hand over one of hers that was trying to preserve her dignity.