Pulling My Weight

Chapter 16 || Alone

"Chōjūrō-kun!"

Chōjūrō's gasp when she barreled into his chest no doubt meant that she winded him, but Sakura couldn't quite bring herself to care – she merely wrapped her arms tighter around his chest and squeezed.

"S-Sakura-san-!" the teen choked out, his own arms wrapping shyly around her waist before Sakura finally released him and beamed up at him instead.

"What are you doing here? Not that it's not great to see you – it is, trust me – but this is a long trek!" Sakura demanded, unable to fight the grin from her face. Then, she almost jumped when she realised the other Mist shinobi was still beside them. "Ao-san, didn't think I'd say this last time we saw each other, but it is really great to see you." She greeted enthusiastically and bowed politely, trying to preserve at least some dignity in the jounin's eyes.

Judging by the brusque nod she received, she failed. "Mizukage-sama said you may require some assistance with the Sunagakure Elders. We are here to provide said assistance."

Sakura managed to get over her elation at seeing her pen pal in the flesh again to briefly narrow her eyes at the ex-hunter-nin. "What's the catch?" she demanded, and maybe it was a trick of light but she thought she saw an amused glint in the jounin's eyes.

Nevertheless, he answered. "Mizukage-sama also wishes we, on Kirigakure's behalf, extend the same treaty as you are attempting to. She believes it will be beneficial." The look on his face clearly said he disagreed, but Sakura didn't bother psychoanalysing Ao when she had Chōjūrō beside her in the flesh to tease and chatter away with.

So she grabbed Chōjūrō's arm and beckoned to Ao and started leading them towards the Gates into the Village proper. "Right, follow me, I can show you around and take you to the Kazekage – we've finished deliberating for the day and let me tell you, they're exhausting to deal with, Shikamaru and I nearly cried a couple of times, but you'll clearly see they tend to recycle arguments against the treaty so it's not too bad, now-!"

"Oi, Haruno!" Temari's shout cut her off and she looked around, surprised to see the blonde and Shikamaru side by side and staring at her with a mix of disbelief and anger and amusement respectively. "What do you think you're doing? I need to check their papers!"

Sakura scowled, weaving her arm through Chōjūrō's and stepping closer to the bluenette. "But you know who they are. Look," she pointed at the Konohagakure headband wrapped around Chōjūrō's thigh. "Kirigakure Ambassadors to Konoha."

Temari matched her scowl with one of her own. "That may be so, but I need more than a word of a foreigner before I let them into the Village." She snapped, and Sakura recoiled slightly, and by her side, Chōjūrō tensed.

"How about the word of an ally?" Shikamaru shot back, a frown making its way onto his face as he assessed Temari. "I thought you were for the treaty?"

This time, Sakura didn't miss the way the blonde's eyes flickered to the guards. Guards who had reacted positively when she called Sakura a foreigner and were shamelessly eavesdropping to see where the conversation would go. For the first time, she felt sympathy for Temari – as the late Kazekage's eldest, the people of Suna obviously looked to her and judged her almost constantly. She had to be seen as the personification of the views of the villagers lest the pressure on her increase even more.

Squeezing Chōjūrō's arm slightly tighter, she forced a smile on her face and turned to Shikamaru. "We're not allies until the treaty is signed, Shikamaru. She was within her right to say that."

Sakura studiously ignored the way Temari startled and turned to her, the expression on her face torn between confused and grateful.

Eventually, Ao and Chōjūrō's papers got approved and Temari led them to the Kazekage's office. Before they were forced to separate, Sakura grabbed a blank seal tag from her pouch and scribbled down her and Shikamaru's address.