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moorSummary:
The Wild. Long ago, the power that ruled the earth and everything on it created order and meaning, cycles to preserve balance and harmony. The checks and balances put in place ensured that power would never be used beyond equivalent advantage. Over time, the Wild produced Sources, entities through which the Wild could be channelled in times of need. During a battle to defend their Kingdom, the leader of the Uchiha summoned the Wild. In doing so, another channelled and became bound by the Wild to balance his power. This is their story.
Content Warning: Allusions to A/B/O
Part One - The Senju and the Uchiha
Part Two - The Battle [first battle] | Part Three - The Battle [continued] Part Four - The Secret [first secret] | Part Five - The Secret [continued] | Part Six - The Secret [continued] | Part Seven - The Secret [continued]
Part Eight - The Underground | Part Nine - The Underground [continued] | Part Ten - The Underground [continued] | Part Eleven - The Underground [continued]
The Underground [continued]
Early that evening, Sakura answered the knock at Yu’s bedroom door with a sigh. She had ignored everyone for hours, like a petulant, surly child. It was time to face her responsibilities.
Also, she was hungry,
“I’m coming,” sighed Sakura, trudging quietly to the door. In his fancy new crib, Yu slept soundly.
When she saw who was on the other side of the door, however, she slammed it shut.
“I came to apolo—” began Itachi, only to grab the incoming door, his eyes wide with shock.
“Go die!” snapped Sakura in sudden anger, fire in her veins.
“I have a message for you,” grit out Itachi, forcing the door to remain open enough for them to speak. “Could you… please… come out…”
“Mind your fingers,” came Sasuke’s voice from further outside.
“I have nothing to say to you,” snarled Sakura, quietly, as they fought for dominance through the door.
“I know,” said Itachi. “But I want to… could you…
From outside the door, Kakashi sighed.
“I told you to wait,” he said, disappointed.
“Is she normally this strong?” asked Sasuke.
“No,” said Kakashi. “She’s holding back so she doesn’t damage the door.”
Sasuke scoffed. “As if. Itachi’s probably faking to make her feel better. Right, Itachi?”
All Sakura saw was red as a high pitched tone in her ears drowned out all sound.
Suddenly she found herself outside the room, beating Sasuke with the door she had just ripped from its exploded hinges.
“How does this feel, huh?” screamed Sakura as Kakashi tried to drag her away. “Does this feel better? Am I faking this too hard, asshole?!”
“What the f—!”
“Naruto, grab the door,” huffed Kakashi, still pulling at Sakura’s arms.
“I’m trying!”
“Stay down, Sasuke,” ordered Itachi, trying to get to his brother. “Stop trying to get away, you’re just antagonizing her. Sakura, we respect and admire your strength. Could you please put down the door?”
“Should I stop faking, dick face? Huh!” screamed Sakura, the door beginning to splinter in her iron grip. She refused to give in. “This shitty door is falling apart already? From my faking? What kind of cheap crap door is this?”
“It was solid oak,” said Itachi. “With teak inlay. Sasuke, protect your head.”
As the door splintered to pieces, Sakura kicked Sasuke several times for good measure before allowing Kakashi to pull her away. He captured her in his arms as she gasped for breath, glaring at the Uchihas.
“Easy,” murmured Kakashi soothingly, stroking her hair and back. “That’s it, you got him good. Time to take deep breaths.”
“I’m not done yet,” wheezed Sakura, still glaring at Sasuke.
“He is,” said Naruto, watching Itachi flick wood chips off his unconscious brother.
“I didn’t know you could do that without chakra,” remarked Kakashi, impressed. “You are amazing, Sakura,” he praised.
“I’m not done being mad yet,” said Sakura, chest still heaving. Her cheeks still flushed, she relaxed a bit in Kakashi’s arms as he rocked her gently on their feet. “But thank you. That felt really good, actually. The breaking things part.”
“I could tell,” said Kakashi, giving her an eye-crease grin. “And it looks like you’re ready to return to training again, if you’re only mildly winded.”
“Training?” asked Itachi. He froze over Sasuke, his eyes locked on Sakura and Kakashi. Then he glanced down at his comatose brother, and back at Sakura again. “This… wasn’t an isolated incident?”
“Sakura was training to be a combat medic before she had Yu,” said Naruto. “She wasn’t always able to train, due to how much time she spent with Tsunade, but everyone really hoped she could join in once she completed her apprenticeship. We used to spar!”
Kakashi chuckled. “Well, now that we have more room and some extra hands to help, we can make some plans.”
“You’ll train me?” asked Sakura, excitement slowly overturning the anger.
“Of course,” said Kakashi.
At that, Itachi glanced behind him at the present he’d put on the floor before knocking on Sakura’s door. He doubted Sasuke would look forward to the coming weeks. With a very subtle movement of his leg, Itachi slid the present behind Sasuke, out of Sakura’s view. Anything that smelled like armoury grease was not a good idea at that moment.
“We may have found some common ground,” said Itachi, looking back at them.
“What do you mean?” asked Naruto.
“We can teach you the Uchiha fighting style,” said Itachi.
“I don’t want anything to do with you,” said Sakura, turning back to Itachi. “Or your asshole brother. Get out.”
Kakashi’s arms stiffened around Sakura as he cleared his throat.
“About that,” Kakashi began awkwardly. “We need to… talk about our new arrangement here. And the fun, new things!”
Sakura’s brows drew together in a frown.
“Why?” she asked suspiciously.
Behind Kakashi, Naruto poked his fingers together, avoiding her gaze.
"You remember how Tsunade said two Uchiha would be coming to relieve us," said Kakashi gently, patting Sakura’s back in smooth, soothing circles.
Sakura looked Itachi dead in the eye.
"Naruto," said Sakura calmly.
"Yeah?"
"You're in the way of the second door I am about to rip off its hinges.”
Several things happened in quick succession.
Kakashi’s arms clamped down around Sakura, just as she began to thrash.
Itachi leapt in front of Sasuke, willing to sacrifice himself to protect him.
Naruto leapt away from the door and Kakashi dragged a spitting Sakura further away from the Uchihas.
—And in his crib, Yu bounced on his feet, having pulled himself up by the cradle’s bars.
“Ma!” Yu called excitedly, seeing the commotion in the doorway. “Ma! Ma!”
Sakura froze.
Her head swung back into the nursery, where she saw Yu wiggling up and down, and yes, standing, holding on to the bars.
“Ma…” repeated Sakura in a daze. “Mama.”
“Mama!” called Yu, squealing with delight when Sakura rushed back into the nursery, dragging Kakashi helplessly behind her. “Ma. Ma!”
“Mama!” cried Sakura, delighted. “You’re saying Mama!”
“Mamamamamamamamama!”
“You’re saying Mama!” exclaimed Sakura, picking up Yu and cheering with him. “Kakashi, he’s saying Mama! His first word! And he’s standing!”
Kakashi rolled to his feet, his arm circling Sakura.
“Ah,” said Kakashi thickly, reaching around Sakura to pat Yu’s head through his hat. “He is.”
“Smart boy!” said Sakura, nuzzling Yu.
“He gets it from his mama,” said Kakashi proudly.
“Mamamamamamama!”
“Mommy is so proud of you! I love you so much!”
From his place in the hallway, protectively huddled over Sasuke, the emotional moment was forever seared in Itachi’s memory as he watched Kakashi’s arm slip naturally around Sakura’s waist and gently pull her and Yu into him as they embraced together, as a family.
“This calls for a celebration,” said Sakura.
She planted kisses all over Yu’s face as he fidgeted in her arms, wanting to stand again. He blew bubbles as he baby babbled a bit more, excited when Sakura play-nibbled his fingers again.
“I’m so very proud of you!”
Chuckling, Kakashi squeezed them one more time before pulling back, remembering they were not alone. Catching the look in Itachi’s eye, Kakashi cleared his throat, loosening his hold on Sakura and Yu reluctantly. He did not release them, however.
“Shall we order supper?” asked Kakashi, focusing on Yu.
Elated, Sakura smiled up at him. “Yes!”
Kakashi nodded and turned to Itachi. “Go get supper,” he ordered.
Heat rose along the back of Itachi’s neck and he pressed his lips together tightly. But Kakashi didn’t care and they both knew it.
“And a cake,” added Kakashi, scratching at his chin through his mask.
“Is there a market or restaurant nearby?” asked Sakura, looking between them.
“No,” said Itachi calmly.
Kakashi’s eye-crease grin was positively shit-eating as he looked at Itachi.
“Better get moving then,” said Kakashi.
With a tired inhale, Itachi rose, lifting his brother’s limp form over his shoulder. Unfortunately, he couldn’t carry both Sasuke and the gift. He turned to Sakura when he took a step back, revealing the parcel on the floor.
“Someone sensed you were upset earlier today,” said Itachi neutrally. He watched Sakura with dark, fathomless eyes. “He sent a gift in the hopes that you recovered swiftly. How fortunate that you have.”
Message relayed, Itachi carried Sasuke up a flight of stairs to his room. Itachi and Sasuke, like Kakashi and Naruto, would be living with Sakura going forward.
Still beside the crib, Sakura blinked and looked out into the hallway. Beside her, Kakashi’s eyes narrowed. Handing Yu to Kakashi, Sakura left the nursery and looked down the hall, spotting the bundle where Sasuke had lost consciousness on the floor. She knelt down, brushing away the splinters of wood left by the decimated door. The edges of several items were wrapped in thick, soft canvas. She unwrapped it a layer at a time and lay each piece out on the floor of the corridor.
“What is it,” asked Naruto. He peered over Sakura’s shoulder as she unwrapped the last piece.
“Armour,” said Sakura quietly. “Bogu. My own set.”
“Who sent it?” asked Naruto.
On silent feet, Kakashi approached, bouncing Yu in his arms. He recognized the workmanship and design immediately from his former days as a guard. The royal armourer had hand-crafted the custom set. Interestingly, instead of the black or red armour worn by the Uchiha, it was green, like Sakura’s healers robes, ornamented with gold Uchiha insignia accents, positioned similarly to those worn on the armour of the Royal Guard.
“It doesn’t say,” said Kakashi, watching Sakura’s reaction.
“Is there a note?” asked Naruto, picking up a wrist guard to get a closer look. “Wow, this is really nice and light,” he said, tossing it lightly and catching it. He squeezed it and his brows furrowed. “But strong.”
Finding a small, tightly wrapped scroll inside the helmet, Sakura swallowed. With unsteady hands she unrolled it and cleared her throat. Upon seeing his handwriting for the first time, touching his letters with her fingertips, her voice caught in her throat and refused to function.
“To the bravest in the kingdom. Keep fighting,” read Naruto over Sakura’s shoulder when Sakura couldn’t find her voice to speak. “You lead us to be greater.”
He waited a moment, thinking, before he snapped his fingers. “I bet this guy knows you’re the Secret Soldier!”
Swallowing her mixed emotions down hard, Sakura shook her head and looked up at Naruto, confused.
“Who’s the Secret Soldier?” she asked with a raw voice, looking between him and Kakashi.
“Oh, you were gone for that part,” said Naruto. “It was a big thing after the Battle.”
“What was?” asked Sakura.
“The soldiers made you into an icon,” said Kakashi. “For what you did in the battle. You controlled the entire battle field and changed the course of the war. They were so impressed, they begged the King to bring you out so they could meet you and thank you. You may not know it, but you saved hundreds of lives that day, Sakura.”
Naruto nodded seriously.
“But the King said that after all you’d done, you deserved peace and privacy, and he wasn’t sharing any information about you unless you came forward. He refused to tell anyone about you,” said Naruto. “It came out that you knew Prince Izuna, but rumour has it that his brother ordered him to keep his mouth shut. It became a big secret with everyone trying to figure out who you were. Some of the Senju knew, but everyone kept quiet so that no one went looking for you.”
“Well, when the soldiers know something, the people know it, too, since the soldiers talked around the citizens. Some of them saw you, but all anyone knew was that it was a healer,” said Kakashi. “Since your hair was always up in its wrap, no one could identify specifically who.”
“I think it was smart of the King to hide who you were,” said Naruto, looking over the different pieces of armour and admiring them. “Even if you were gone.”
“For my privacy?” asked Sakura. To hide his own shame, she wondered with a flare of anger.
But it was Kakashi who shook his head.
Naruto and Kakashi looked at each other, something secret passing between them.
“Kakashi knows more than I do about this,” said Naruto slowly, gauging Kakashi’s reaction.
Still holding Yu, Kakashi looked down at Sakura with concern. He heaved a soft sigh under his breath.
“After the Battle, there was a discussion with representatives from Court, castle, Clans and the Underground,” said Kakashi. His tone turned serious. “Hashirama, under Tsunade’s direction because she had already left with you, ordered that all mention and investigation into the Secret Soldier’s identity be halted immediately.”
“People were not happy about that. Most just wanted to thank you,” said Naruto.
Above them, Kakashi shook his head, sadly.
“But since no one ever discovered who led the coup and the original poisonings,” began Kakashi.
“Tsunade, and Hashirama, worried that whoever had been on the inside to poison the soldiers would target you,” said Naruto.
In the middle of touching the chest plate of her new armour, Sakura froze. Understanding the larger situation, each piece falling into place, from the Uchiha visiting her at the market, to moving away from the Senju and into the Uchiha territory, suddenly became very clear.
“They already are,” whispered Sakura.
She looked up at Kakashi and Naruto, horrified.
“That’s… They’re not testing the poison out,” realized Sakura. “They’re testing the medics to see who can counter them.”
With a slow, sad nod, Kakashi and Naruto agreed.
“The original threat is still out there trying to find you,” admitted Kakashi quietly. “That’s why Tsunade has hidden you here.”
“Tsunade knows she’s already a target, being the head of the Senju Underground and still training medics openly. She’s surrounded by people everyday,” said Naruto. “But if she surrounds you with people, it will draw the wrong people’s attention.”
“That’s why she’s been hiding you since the Battle,” said Kakashi. “If someone does get to her…”
“I’m the only one who’ll know how to counter the poisons,” said Sakura, closing her eyes. “That’s why she didn’t force me to reconcile with the Uchihas, after… after the Battle.”
“If anyone figures out that you’re the Secret Soldier, and Tsunade’s second in command for the Senju Underground, AND the anti-toxin expert who’s been curing everyone, you’ll have a permanent target on your back,” said Kakashi.
“That’s why they moved me to work with the Uchiha,” said Sakura, catching on. “No one will think an Uchiha was the Secret Soldier or an anti-toxin expert.”
“Exactly,” said Kakashi.
Another realization hit Sakura straight between the eyes, and she dropped her head in her hands with a groan.
“This is what Itachi wanted to talk to me about last week,” she moaned. “That’s why he wanted to speak about it in confidence. He didn’t know how much you both knew.”
Patting Sakura on the back, Kakashi chuckled.
“For what it’s worth, his mother marched him and Sasuke back to Tsunade’s three days later and begged for forgiveness. Tsunade made them empty half their vault for their ‘dishonourable conduct’,” said Kakashi, amused.
“It was my personal vault, not the family vault,” clarified Itachi from the end of the hallway.
Sakura, Kakashi and Naruto turned to look at Itachi, who watched Sakura as she sat among the armour. “And it wasn’t half. It was the money I had already promised you, for your clinic.”
Without Sasuke around to sour the air, Itachi approached them almost casually.
“I meant it when I said I would teach you to fight,” he said to Sakura.
“I know how to fight,” said Sakura, her eyes flinty.
“I’ll teach you to fight like an Uchiha,” corrected Itachi.
“And why would I want that?” asked Sakura.
“Because if the poison agent working inside Konoha really is a Senju,” said Itachi. He came to a stop in front of Sakura. “They’re already going to know how you fight. And how to kill you.”
Reaching down, Itachi picked up a wrist guard from among the amour. “It’s military grade and light. It’s meant to be worn under your clothing.” He handed it to Sakura. “Try it.”
“Why would I need armour under my clothing?” asked Sakura, though she accepted the armour. “Are we expecting another battle?”
“Going forward, any time you leave this residence, for any reason, you must wear this armour,” said Itachi.
Sakura started to stand to argue but Itachi shook his head. Kakashi looked at Itachi and nodded.
“I agree,” said Kakashi, though gently.
“How am I supposed to work in this? Or take care of Yu?” asked Sakura.
“Yu will no longer be leaving this house,” said Itachi.
“What?!” shouted Sakura, startling Yu.
In Kakashi’s arms, Yu threw out his arms in fright before his face crumpled and he began to cry. Rubbing his back, Kakashi knelt beside Sakura, handing him over.
“I agree with Itachi on this too, Sakura,” said Kakashi quietly, touching her hand. He reached up and gently stroked Yu’s back, calming him with Sakura. “The fewer people who know about Yu, the safer he is.”
“If you must be away from this house for an extended period of time, outside Konoha, then we can make an exception,” said Itachi. “But Tsunade suggested this and we agree with her direction. Anyone familiar with the Royal Family will immediately be able to tell Yu is related to them. His eyes are, without argument, the eyes of the Uchiha main branch member. That puts him in immediate danger without any connection to you already. The only reason he hasn’t been called out yet is that you’ve been deep in Senju territory, where it would be less recognizable.”
Heat flared in Sakura’s chest and she clenched her jaw and fists as she glared at Itachi.
“That’s why we came here in a carriage,” she said, understanding just how intricately this had been planned.
Looking at Itachi and then back at Sakura and Kakashi, Naruto crouched down beside Sakura, reaching out to her shoulder.
“This is Itachi’s house, Sakura. He gave it to you to protect you and Yu. He’s already shown us secret compartments and hiding spaces so we can keep Yu safe. He chose to do that, to protect you both. If you know Yu is safe, then you can act like you normally would. You need to hide in plain sight, sort of,” said Naruto.
“Does that mean I’m sleeping in your bedroom?” asked Sakura tiredly, looking at Itachi.
After a moment, Itachi nodded.
Sakura sighed.
“I changed the sheets,” said Itachi, deadpan.
“Did you get supper?” asked Sakura, pushing her loose hair out of her eyes and back under her headwrap.
“I sent someone to fetch it, yes.”
“And cake?” asked Naruto, perking up.
“And cake,” agreed Itachi.
Sakura nodded. Yu had finally calmed down. He rested his head on her shoulder and sucked his thumb, still needing soothing after his fright.
“I’m not sure what this is for,” said Sakura, exhausted, picking up the only piece of armour she couldn’t figure out. It was a long, fat oblong piece of armour with reinforced edges and straps inside. It wasn’t her backplate; that she had found nested with her chest plate.
“That is to protect Yu, if you must go out,” said Itachi solemnly.
Sakura’s heart squeezed in her chest.
“He even thought of that,” she murmured to herself.
She was at once terrified… and grateful.
“Itachi, could you deliver a message tonight, after supper, please?” asked Sakura, gesturing to Kakashi and Naruto to help her pack up her new armour and return them to her room. She stood and approached Itachi, moving out of the way of Kakashi and Naruto. She waited until they were in her room before speaking.
“Tell him thank you for me,” said Sakura quietly. She took a breath and, remembering his words—to the bravest in the Kingdom— added, “And tell him that Yu spoke his first word today. Please.”
Itachi nodded.
“Does… does he know Yu’s name?” asked Sakura nervously. Against her neck, Yu snuggled closer, rubbing his face against her. Instinctively, Sakura rested her head atop his, calming his restlessness.
Itachi shook his head.
Sakura swallowed. “... then you can tell him that, too.”
A softness came into Itachi’s eyes, then, and a hint of pride.
“Of course,” he said, tilting his head in a slight bow.
In the distance, a door opened and closed, and then the aroma of hot, fresh food wafted upstairs.
“Suppertime!” called Naruto, trotting out of Sakura’s room. Kakashi followed him but looked to Sakura first.
You’re okay? His eyes asked.
Sakura smiled at him. It’s all good.
Kakashi nodded and gestured for her to precede him through the hall. With a hand on Sakura’s mid-back, Kakashi guided Sakura downstairs, Yu still in her arms. Itachi watched them go, following a few minutes later.
It didn’t escape Itachi’s notice that Sakura had tucked the small scroll inside her sleeve when she thought no one was looking.
***
No one made a big deal out of it. No one even mentioned it.
That first night, when Sakura pulled out the drawer from her second-hand dresser, as she always had, and tucked Yu in to sleep that night beside her bed, no one said a word.
No one said a word when she, several weeks later, set Yu down to sleep in his crib. Kakashi, seeing Sakura’s inner conflict, without a word set out his futon on the floor of Yu’s room to sleep beside him that night. He patted Sakura on her head and redirected her to her own room again, shaking his head at the protests and fear he could see building behind her eyes. Then Kakashi stretched out upon his futon with his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. After several days, Sakura finally pulled close the adjoining door between their rooms.
Only those within the house knew that Kakashi had positioned his futon between the crib and the hallway door, placing himself between anyone entering the room and Yu.
No one said a word aloud about the situation, but Itachi watched, learning, wondering, before understanding.
Weeks before, when Itachi had asked Tsunade if Kakashi was an alpha or a beta, Tsunade’s answer had been cryptic. It had made Itachi leery of Kakashi remaining alongside Sakura in the new living arrangement. But now Itachi understood.
And he also understood why Sakura was able to suppress so many of her omega instincts, instincts that should have been fulfillable only by her mate. She had someone who supported her in all her maternal needs, someone whose support enabled her career progression, and someone who, while he’d made advances, never pressured her for more than she was comfortable giving.
Yet Itachi had also seen Sakura genuinely appreciate the gifts from her mate instead of rejecting them. She had returned to Konoha, even though she could otherwise have found gainful employment, and no doubt recognition, outside the country. She had agreed to work for the Uchiha Underground, knowing how closely they were linked to the King.
You lead us to be greater, the King had written.
Through everything that had been thrown at her, Sakura continued to be great, thought Itachi.
Deeply impressed with how hard Sakura had worked and continued working, Itachi withdrew to his own rooms for the night.
He shared the King’s high regard when it came to Sakura.
TBC
Sasuke
Date: 2022-04-21 04:32 am (UTC)Re: Sasuke
Date: 2022-12-21 09:07 pm (UTC)Phew! (Though yes, hilarious if I'd left him there, LMAO!)
no subject
Date: 2022-04-22 12:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-12-21 09:08 pm (UTC)Things are ticking along here; I'm so glad you enjoyed this chapter!!! <3 I hope you're well.