Chapter 10
Sakura stood above the fire mixing a pot of soup she was creating for them for their dinner tonight. Both of them have received letters from loved ones in the hidden leaf and it mostly was about their unexpected trip that no one knew about. Ino was complaining to Sakura why she didn’t tell her, but that matter changed when Sai told her the details he knew. Daku was in good hands as far as the both of them knew. Sai would visit their apartment each day to feed and play with Daku. They warned him not to take him out of the apartment since that could lead to aggression as well as trauma for the cat. Naruto knew about the trip, but that was only the morning they were leaving. He sent his regards and wished the both of them a safe trip. She had learned from Sasuke that Kakashi helped set up their trip and he wished them well beforehand.
They weren’t that far away from a village, but they decided they would camp in the woods for the night. They decided it would be best to camp in the woods during their travels unless the weather changed that matter. When they hit the Land Of Rain they’ll definitely be sleeping in an inn or if they can find a cave deep enough.
They visited a few small villages already, only spending about a day or two in them unless needed. Sakura would help with treating the health of the villagers while Sasuke would do any of the odd jobs that were needed. For instance, he spent a whole day chopping wood for the town and bringing it to each house so they could have a source of heat. Most small civilizations were not as lucky as the bigger hidden villages. Most of them wouldn’t have the same technology as the hidden villages would and they certainly didn’t have the numbers.
Sakura was making a lentil soup with mushroom chicken bone broth. She found the mushrooms in the forest. Due to her intelligence and knowledge she knew they would be alright to use. Lentils are able to be found in the woods, but she didn’t come across any just yet. She ended up going to the village close to them to purchase lentils, which were cheap and would last them quite some time. They were lucky enough to find wild chicken. They only needed one of them. Sakura spent a while preparing the chicken to be cooked while Sasuke either explored the area around them or did simple training to keep the body in shape. Anywhere there was ground any vegetables could grow in the woods and one would have to be careful since a lot of them could be poisonous, especially mushrooms. She was lucky to find asparagus along with hazelnut while searching in the area they were in. If she were at home she would prefer onions, carrots, and celery to use in the soup, but it wasn’t going to happen. It would be possible to find it, but the odds of finding what you wanted exactly were low. Lentil soup is a filling, delicious, and nutritious staple meal. It’s an easy meal to create with their situation right now and it was also good. She should have bought rice while in that village, but oh well. Next time.
“I’ll have our dinner ready soon! If you want to join me by the fire.”
Sakura called out to Sasuke. She lifted the pot of soup off its location and set it next to her. She kept it within arms reach to not burn herself. There would be enough for the both of them to have 2 more meals of this soup. If they were planning to stay in a location for a certain amount of time Sakura would prepare meals in bigger portions for them. She filled the tin bowls that Sasuke brought with him. Sasuke had brought their bowls and utensils for the trip. There wasn’t a need to bring plates as well since they could just use the bowls too. Sasuke took a seat next to Sakura. He offered to help, but she brushed his offer away.
“I would have used different ingredients for this meal, but due to what we have out here it’ll be a little different. I hope it’ll still taste good.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Sakura thought of making tea for the both of them, but decided against it. She leaned against a tree to support her back as she ate while she sat up. Eating while sitting upright or standing up can reduce pressure in the stomach and reduce the likelihood of reflux. Sasuke took the tree next to her.
“You cook well.”
“Oh, thank you! I wasn’t the best when I was younger, but you gotta start somewhere. It’s also actually a good outlet when I can’t train for when my anger gets the worst of me. It would also be bad if I didn’t know how to cook since I live by myself.”
“Hn.”
“You really are a man of many words sometimes.”
“When we leave this village there is a place I want to take you.”
“Can’t wait!”
Sasuke has shown her quite a few things so far on their trip. Besides the views that she has seen, that are amazing, she enjoyed seeing how other people live outside the hidden leaf. She’s been mostly cut off to this side of the world due to her duties in the village. Sakura was also able to help them as well. She was able to teach the basics of medical ninjutsu to a few people that wanted to learn it when they would pass through villages.
“This soup is very filling so there’s a chance you won’t be very hungry once you finish your first bowl.”
“Understood.”
“Sorry if this is out of the blue, but after a few things I’ve seen and for the people around us at the village I’ve just been thinking about it a lot.”
“Hm?”
“I’ve just been thinking about what it would be like to start a family. Naruto told me that he and Hinata were finally trying for a baby. I’m happy for them and I’ve just been thinking about it a lot for when that time comes.”
“Oh.”
Sasuke set his empty bowl down next to him. He had been thinking about what it would be like to start a family eventually as well. He didn’t think it would have been a possible outcome due to what he has done, but that has changed. He stared up at the stars in thought while Sakura chose to stay quiet as well. She was able to read him quite well, but he was quite a mystery right now. She did hope that she didn’t pressure him or freak him out.
“I’m going to clean our bowls and utensils.”
Sakura got up from the tree she was resting on, with her bowl and utensils in her hand, and passed Sasuke, picking up his bowl and utensils while passing by. He didn’t say anything, he just continued to watch the stars.
Sakura approached the river that was nearby. It was about 5 minutes away from the camp they set up. Bending down to clean the dishes, she enjoyed the sound of the river flowing. She removed all of the extra food off of the bowls before putting them next to her. Before she got up she felt a kunai pressed against her throat. How stupid of her to not listen for anyone nearby.
“Give me everything you have or else I’ll slit your throat.”
The male said, pushing into her throat slightly which caused some blood to draw.
“You have no idea who I am.”
Sakura grabbed the kunai with her hand causing it to rip her hand open and blood poured all over the place. She yanked the kunai out of his hand, snapping his wrist at the same time. A pained scream escaped his mouth. Sakura pulled him to the ground, getting on top of him so he couldn’t get out of her grasp. She positioned his arm, the one with the snapped wrist already, so that if she were to move it more she could break it in two places.
“State your business! Are there any other people out here?”
“No! It’s just me!”
“Are you lying? If you are, I'll break this arm so badly that if you don’t get treatment soon it’ll be unuseable. I thought of a better idea: what if I rip it off entirely.”
“Please! I’m telling the truth! I’m just a bandit and I steal from people for a living.”
“What a pitiful job. Get out of my sight.”
Sakura got off of the man, threw him across the river. She got up from the ground and used her medical ninjutsu to fix up her injuries. Wiping the blood off of her hands and throat, she turned around to see Sasuke there with a completely shocked face. She sent him a smirk before passing by him with their things. Sakura set the cleaned dishes into her pack. If Sasuke wanted more he could just go through her backpack. He returned right before her after a few minutes. She believed that it was to check just in case anyone else was around.
“It’s weird seeing you like that.”
“Like what? Defending myself?”
“No. That’s good. It’s just that you're typically a very soft and sweet person in my eyes.”
“Oh, I get it. You’re not used to seeing me like that. You see my other side more than this side.”
“Mm.”
“I have an idea.”
“What is it?”
Sakura bit her thumb and set her hand to the ground to summon Katsuyu. She summoned a small portion of Katsuyu.
“Sakura-sama? Is everything alright? You typically only summon me during emergencies. What seems to be the problem?”
“Katsuyu-sama, I’m sorry to worry you, but there is no problem. I do apologize.”
“Understood, what can I do for you, milady?”
“Well, I wanted to introduce you to someone very important to me.”
Sakura gestured to Sasuke. The slug turned to look at the male and stared at him for a few seconds to get an idea of him before turning back to Sakura.
“Tsunade-sama has spoken of him to me. Uchiha Sasuke, correct.”
“Yes, this is Sasuke-kun. He’s my boyfriend and eventually maybe more than that. We’re on a trip together right now so he can show me the world. I wanted to introduce him to you so you have an idea of important people in my life and so in the future if we need you can help him.”
Sasuke thought of Sakura’s words. ‘Eventually maybe more than that.’ He would hope.
“Thank you for thinking of me, Lady Sakura. It is a pleasure to meet a person that is close to Sakura-sama. I can trust you to treat her well.”
“Mhm.”
“He’s not that much of a talker so there’s no need to take it personally.”
“Understand, milady.”
“You’re free to go. I wish you well and hope to see you soon.”
“The same goes to you, Lady Sakura.”
Katsuyu soon disappeared leaving it with just Sasuke and Sakura.
“Sorry if that was unexpected. I wanted to introduce you to her since she’s very important to me like you are plus there’s a chance that you’ll be working with her if we get into bad trouble. I mean we’ve already run into a few groups already.”
“I see. I shall do the same.”
Sasuke summed for Aoda shortly after with a bite of his thumb. Aoda was quite bigger than Katsuyu.
“Good evening Sasuke-sama. What can I do for you?”
“This is Sakura.”
Sasuke addressed Aoda, signaling over to Sakura. The snake looked over at the pink haired female and nodded while Sakura waved at him.
“It appears I can finally meet the Sakura that you speak so much off. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“He talks about me a lot?”
Sakura looked up at the snake with her green eyes widened and with a hint of a blush on her face.
“Yes, he certainly does. He talks to me quite a lot and talks very highly of you. As I was his only companion for quite some time. There is also no worry for the chance of me eating a human for the record I do not have any reason to.”
“Understandable to let me know due to the fact that there are only two groups of snakes that grow to a size where they are able to not just kill a human, but eat them. These groups are boas and pythons, which you fall under. I do trust you either way due to Sasuke-kun. I’ll introduce myself fully to you, Haruno Sakura and I’m Sasuke-kun’s girlfriend.”
“The pleasure is mine and once again it is great to meet you. I do hope to get to know you better. As I pledge myself to Sasuke-sama I do the same for you as you are his family in his eyes. It is also wonderful that you know so much about my species.”
“That’s great to know and yes I do. I have a photographic memory so whatever I read stays with me and I read quite a lot.”
“That is quite a feat you have for yourself.”
“Thank you.”
“The pleasure is mine. I do hope we’ll be able to speak more eventually. You make my master very happy and due to that you have my loyalty.”
Aoda bowed his head before Sakura. She gave him a quick pat and a pet on his head.
“It’s an honor and I wish you well. Until we meet again.”
“The same goes to you Lady Sakura. Farewell.”
Sasuke dismissed Aoda shortly after.
“Your summon is very nice and quite a gentleman.”
“Yeah.”
“And you also talk to him a lot about me. I’m very flattered. I’m sorry if I’m embarrassing you, it's very sweet.”
“Hm.”
Sakura wrapped her arms around Sasuke and pulled him into a tight embrace. Sasuke took the moment to process what was happening before he wrapped his arm around her and laid his head on her shoulder. Their hugs always felt like they were seeing each other for the first time after a long time or that they didn't want to lose what they have. Sakura took the pressure off of the hug after a few moments before pulling away.
“You know, for someone who says they don’t know how to be romantic, you are very good at it. All these months with you I’ve never felt any better. I know you aren’t ready for you to say this to me, but I love you.”
Sakura kissed his cheek.
“Me too.”
Sasuke knew he loved her. She understood what he meant and smiled at him.
“I think I’m going to go to bed now since you said you wanted to show me something soon that’ll take a few days to get to.”
Sakura went to get up, but she was pulled back down by Sasuke. She sent him a puzzled look. He had the burst of confidence to propose to her right there and then, but he shortly lost it when he saw her face. He shook his head in disbelief to himself before poking her seal.
“I will be in bed soon. I want to check our surroundings again.”
“Oh, okay.”
Sakura left to go get ready for bed with the puzzled look still on her face. She slipped off most of her clothing besides the sports bra she was in and the bicycle shorts she always wears. It wasn’t a cold night in the forest so she would be fine. She slipped into her bedroll shortly after and closed her eyes. She wasn’t really tired so it would be a little bit before she would fall asleep. Sasuke checked the perimeter multiple times before joining Sakura into the bedroll. From the time he took he could tell she was asleep. He admired her beauty and how she shined in the moonlight. He snuggled up beside her and pulled her close with his arm. She relaxed into the sudden embrace quickly without waking up. Sasuke soon went to join her in slumber. He enjoyed falling asleep and waking up next to Sakura. Sometimes he wished that he fully accepted his feelings earlier than he did. If he did he wouldn’t have had to deal with everything all by himself and he would also be very loved by her. Sasuke wouldn’t trade it for the world now. She was his everything and his home. After years of pain he could finally be happy with someone who he trusted and loved.
—————-
“How close are we? We’ve been traveling for a few days from that village. I’m assuming it’s not near civilization.”
“Yes, don’t worry we’re almost there.”
“That’s good.”
The both of them have traveled different terrains in the past days. They climbed a steep mountain since it blocked the direction they needed to go and there was no way to get around it quicker. They admired their view for a little bit before descending the mountain, which took a shorter amount of time.
“So are you going to tell me what we’re looking for?”
“Not exactly, but it’s a tree.”
“A tree? Interesting.”
Sakura decided not to pry any further since she knew that she wouldn’t get anymore information out of him. From the body cues that Sakura was picking up and his tone of voice she could tell that it was special. It wasn’t going to be an ordinary tree. The real question was what was so special about it. She knew it was quite far away from any villages so it would be quite a trip. Sasuke was quite fast when traveling and at times it would be hard for Sakura to keep up. Even with her long legs Sasuke was still faster than her. The pace was set to somewhere comfortable for the both of them.
“I’m only going to ask this about our location. Is it safe? I do know that it is far away from civilization, but animals are always a factor to worry about.”
“There are animals, but we’ll be fine. There are some dangerous ones, but once again it’ll be fine.”
“Got it.”
That made Sakura’s mindset more relaxed. It would be very rare for them to run into the more dangerous animals. If they did it would be quite easy for them to lure them away or kill them. Due to them being a little bit away from any civilization Sakura made sure to stack up on food and water for them. She wouldn’t be able to forgive herself if they ran out of any food or water while that far out. She was sure if they did they would be fine due to how they live as Shinobi, but also that they would be in a forest making it easier to find food. When they hit a rainforest she had some idea of what they were looking for and why Sasuke mentioned animals. The more known animals in a rainforest were gorillas, butterflies, okapis, sloths, jaguars, capybaras, macaws, poison dart frogs, monkeys, and anacondas. The land was also extremely dangerous and uneven. The forest is so thick in some places that it would be nearly impossible to navigate. She’s been through worse a rainforest won’t do much to her when she had to help with fighting a goddess.
Humans are able to survive in rainforests. Tropical rainforests are home to indigenous peoples who rely on their surroundings for food, shelter, and medicines. In their age very few forest people live in traditional ways; most have been displaced by outside settlers or have been forced to give up their lifestyles by governments. Sasuke has been in this area before and has confirmed that they would be fine and that there were no people in this area. The one thing Sakura is going to hate while being here is the mosquitos. She wasn’t allergic to them, but she gets bitten so easily. According to her studies they are by far the most dangerous creature in the Amazon forest because of the high humidity in the forest. The mosquitoes from the Amazon forests are known to be very lethal because they contain toxins and all kinds of bacteria that they can transfer to your body. Once again, luckily she’s a medical ninja.
“Sasuke-kun, how long are we planning to stay here?”
“As long as you want. I know your brain is going through all of the studies that you’ve read on rainforests, but this one is really safe compared to others. I wouldn’t bring you somewhere where I thought wouldn’t be safe.”
“Okay! This is such a cool honeymoon spot if you think about it. Oh! Is there a place we can swim at because I could go for a swim!”
“Heh, yes there is. Let me show you this spot first then we can find a spot to call home for now. If I remember correctly there’s a cave that has a swimming spot in it. It’s also a really cool cave that we can explore.”
“I’m so ready! Shannaro!”
“You’re excited.”
“Of course I am! I haven’t been in a rainforest and even if it’s dangerous I wanna see some animals.”
“We found it.”
“Found what- woah..”
Sakura’s eyes widened at the massive tree she was looking at. The tree was massive and stood out in a giant field with vines and terrain all around it. There were animals minding their own business and that was what added to the moment.
“We’re going to climb it and enjoy the view.”
“Hell ya I’m so ready!”
Sakura grabbed Sasuke’s hand and pulled him towards the tree.
“Everything is so pretty here! Look at all these flowers, Sasuke-kun. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Chuckling, Sasuke followed her lead.
“Did you know that rainforests cover less than 3% of the planet, yet they are home to more than half our planet's terrestrial animal species. This would be an amazing time to get plants here too! Rainforest plants are used in some of the world’s most important, life-saving medicines. Did you know that? More than 60% of anticancer drugs originate from natural sources, including rainforest plants, according to research. Rainforests are so rich in biodiversity, they hold enormous potential for future discoveries. Compounds in rainforest plants are already used to treat malaria, heart disease, bronchitis, hypertension, rheumatism, diabetes, muscle tension, arthritis, glaucoma, dysentery, and tuberculosis, among other health problems. And many commercially available anesthetics, enzymes, hormones, laxatives, cough mixtures, antibiotics, and antiseptics are also derived from rainforest plants and herbs. Shit I’m sorry I didn’t realize I was rambling.”
“Heh, you’re fine. It’s cute when you’re excited.”
“I really want to kiss you right now, but I want to climb this tree first so we can look at the view.”
Most rainforest trees don't have branches for climbing at levels lower than the canopy. They would have to use their chakra to climb. They would be lucky if there were vines, but there would be a high chance they would snap. Sasuke traveled behind Sakura as she climbed the tree. He wanted to make sure if she were to fall he would be able to catch her. The one thing he didn’t really think over, but is fine with it was the view he would get. He was able to watch her long legs do their work along with the rest of her lower half. He bit his lip thinking about it.
“The scary thing about this is that when we reach the top we won’t be able to see the bottom due to how dark it is down there.”
“Mhm.”
Sasuke simply responded. His mind was still in the gutter, but he recovered himself quickly. She looked back at him, giving him a smile. He knew now that once they got up top it would be the perfect time to propose to her. When they arrived at the top of the tree Sakura’s eyes widened at the sight. It was so beautiful and with the sun setting it made it even more beautiful. She carefully moved herself onto the tree branch. She didn’t go out too far since it would be safer to stay close to the tree itself. Sasuke sat right next to her. His arm wrapped around her and pulled her closer.
“I’m happy to share this moment with you, Sasuke-kun.”
“Me too.”
His heart was pounding. Sakura had her head against his chest so she was able to pick up his nervousness.
“What’s wrong?”
“Hm?”
“Your heart is pounding like you’re nervous. What’s wrong?”
“Sigh, I am nervous.”
“Why, we’ve been in this position before. Did I overstep too much? I’m sorry if I did.”
“No, you didn’t. I’m just nervous about something else.”
“What is it then?”
“Sakura.”
Sasuke positioned himself to look at her. Her bright green eyes looked back with many questions. With his lone hand he took one of her hands.
“Yes?”
“I planned this trip for another reason. I even got approval from the two closest people to you that you call your parents over your own. I don't have a ring for you, but I want you to wear something more meaningful and important, something that is a big part of me and I want to share it with you. I want you to wear the Uchiha clan crest on the back of your clothes for the rest of your life. Sakura, will you marry me?”
Sakura’s eyes widened at his statement and for a moment she sat there speechless. Her eyes filled with tears next, which didn’t surprise him since this would be emotional. At first there wasn’t any conversation so in Sasuke’s mind he started to think that maybe she didn’t want to get married. His thoughts on that were gone when he felt her lips against his. It was full of passion, but it was different than usual. She pulled away, wiping her tears.
“Yes I will marry you.”
For the first time in a while a smile that was bigger than his usual ones with Sakura appeared on his face. Her smile was even bigger than it usually was too. They shifted back into the same position as before and enjoyed the view as an engaged couple.