Chapter 36
“Oh child,” Obaba’s eyes fill with tears when she sees the scrawl of the writing on her shoulder and the little braided seal underneath. “What have they done to you?”
Sakura’s eyes are dull and she knows her hair is more matted than usual, her lip quivering with rage and anger and everything lost.
“They got what they wanted.” She whispers.
She lets her shoulders cave, her cheeks feel the salt of her tears. This is the only place where she does not hide, where she does not cower or rage against anyone. Obaba sees all Sakura is. Obaba is what she comes home to.
(She is home.)
Obaba it seems, cannot help the sobs that escape her.
Sakura sits with her long into the night until Gaara comes to collect her.
She puts her snarl back on and hides her red eyes with a murderous glare.
“You will stay with me from now on.” He tells—orders—her. “You are mine.”
Only in body, she promises herself, Never in soul.