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In typical team 7 fashion things had gone very very wrong, very very quickly.
It hadn't even been anything complicated, a simple scouting mission to Uzushio to analyse and retrieve certain seals for the village. It was part of Naruto's Hokage training to lead a three-man cell, one of the hundreds of requirements he had to meet to wear the questionable hat. It was still important to him, so naturally he chose them : Sai, Sasuke and her.
Naturally something went wrong.
Naruto had gotten one look at the abandoned city and went sprinting headfirst. Sai followed through with the mission and drew a bird, starting the long process of scouting the enormous island from the top. Which left her with a brooding Sasuke. Exactly what she had hoped would not happen.
They had some... more than complicated history, especially after she'd rejected him.
It seemed no one had quite believed she was capable of it, not even Sasuke. But growing up surrounded by strong, independent and successful women had shattered her ideals of needing a partner to be happy in life. Unfortunately since most of the males in her life had been noticeably absent when this transition happened it left them slightly reeling. To the point where even she was embarrassed at her past self and her naïve and romanticised visions of life and, well, Sasuke. But she'd matured, her opinions had changed.
Which made the recipient of her past devotion so unbelievably shocked when she'd proven her growth that he'd reacted like a mix between a toddler and a straight up asshole.
He had left Konoha, had left her again and expected her to wait for him, again. And proceeded to not give her any bit of news for months. She'd sent letters and pictures- she'd never gotten replies. She'd accepted missions close to where he'd been last seen, only to find he'd deserted the area minutes before her arrival. She's still hoped though, had made excuses upon excuses for his behaviour.
And then a passing conversation with Naruto at Ichiraku's, a lapse of patience where she'd let some of her frustrations out. And then Naruto had confirmed he'd received letters from Sasuke, full reports even sometimes, he'd given some letters she wrote to him personally and told her he himself got news from him nearly every two weeks and frankly, she'd had enough.
Sasuke would always be chasing after Naruto or power or revenge or redemption or something, and she'd forever be playing second fiddle. So when he came back, not a word of explanation or guilt, and told her he 'wouldn't get annoyed if she wanted to follow him' she gave up.
She was the world's best medic-nin, certified by Tsunade Senju herself and all five great nations. She was the head of the hospital, and while Sasuke was out there frolicking and letting out his teenage angst, she'd built an orphanage and a mental health facility (she'd hesitated for a full month to make a clause requiring all Uchiha have mandatory sessions). She'd strengthened Konaha's liasons with Suna by developing an exchange program: poison specialist for medic-nin, and had spent four months in Suna getting their hospital up to par while simultaneously inventing three new poisons.
She'd experimented with her chakra control and created two new techniques. One allowed her to release a precise pulse of chakra through the ground to spot living things which helped with scouting and sensing; and one which allowed her to send a direct burst of chakra to the brain that would cause intense hallucinations, which contrary to the genjutsu could not be broken without forcefully removing the chakra from their brain, a feat only possible for her shishou and her.
She'd even picked up the old financial connections of her deceased merchant parents and invested in multiple businesses, two in the Land of Water and one in Stone had done extremely well and she had used the money from her shares to help smaller businesses, such as the ones in Wave, lowering the general poverty. She also added a new wing to her hospital, meant for ANBU for added privacy and emergency service. Seeing the state they ended up in she'd also started investigating further ANBU medical training.
She'd exchange her knowledge and lessons for some of their training and ended up joining as their first ever medic-nin. (Kakashi had been absolutely unbearable to convince, still certain it would break her, which made her all the more stubborn and had her passing the recruitment test the following week.) As their only medic-nin she often alternated between several teams: seduction, intelligence, assassination, espionnage... All had high risk missions with potentially lethal injuries. So she was trained in everything. She'd taken a particular shine to assassination, much to her sensei's horror. With the help of her medical knowledge she could make all deaths seem natural, an unfortunate heart attack, liver failure, kidney failure, cancer,...
She had been officially declared a flee-on-sight in the bingo books when Sasuke waltzed back into her life. After all the things he'd done, all the blunders and international mistakes- he still managed to carry himself like he was the most important thing in the world. She'd once found his brooding silence mysterious, now she just found it annoying. She knows it's incomparable but for Kami's sake they'd all gone through their fair share of trauma without turning out like that. She'd thought she could live with it, perhaps even help him heal when he said those words.
He 'wouldn't be annoyed' ?!
As if she were unimportant.
As if all her years of patience and training had meant nothing.
As if she were useless and having her with him was a burden he was barely willing to carry and she should be grateful for that.
"Ah. No thanks, Sasuke ! I'm really busy. Next time perhaps ?"
She knew it was petty but Kami did his dumbfounded face make something in her purr.
She'd turned back around, intent on finishing her twelve hour shift at the hospital (one he'd interrupted without care or permission) when she heard a loud sigh.
"Come on, Sakura. I'll be waiting for you at the gate at eight."
Her eyebrows twitched in disbelief, was this man serious ? Who exactly does he think he is ? Using that tired tone with her as if she were a disobedient child.
"No, Sasuke. Look I said no. I'm not going with you, I have work to do-"
"I don't have time for this Sakura." he said irritated. "I have to report back to Kakashi, just show up on time, or I'll leave without you."
And then he disappeared.
She was fuming, how fucking dare he?
She didn't go marching after him to the Hokage's office (although it was a near thing), because she was an adult. And she had responsibilities she could not drop, especially not for him. No, she simply finished her shift at 7:30 pm and went home, letting her actions speak louder than her words. On her way there she bought a stick of dango, she was simply conversing with the elder lady that held the stand, eating her dango when someone grabbed her.
Shinobi reflexes sharp and instinct deadly; she whirled around and punched. The blow made contact with Sasuke's cheek and he looked appalled, absolutely indignant.
He was lucky it wasn't chakra fueled.
"What the hell, Sakura." he hissed. "Stop acting like a freaking academy student ! You made me late, I don't have time for your games, now hurry up and-"
"How dare you !"
The angered cry hadn't come from her, but from the wizened old woman now pointing an accusatory finger right at Sasuke.
"How dare you grab Sakura-sensei and speak to her in such a manner ?! Even us civilians know never to suddenly touch a shinobi, not only is it downright rude it's also dangerous ! She was well within her rights to punch and for you to not even apologize-! The audacity you have, boy! That young woman healed my daughter and my grandson, she deserves the utmost respect-"
Other people had started noticing the commotion and Sakura decided to intervene.
"It's alright, Suki-san. I don't take it to heart." she soothed, before turning her gaze back on Sasuke. "I told you, I'm not interested. If you need to leave, leave but don't-"
"Are you playing hard to get ?" he interrupted.
"I'm not chasing after you Sakura, now stop this...composed act of yours and start moving or I'll leave you behind-."
"For. the. last. goddamn. time. I'm not coming with you no means no." she cut him clean off and turned back towards her dango.
The villagers watched tensely from the sidelines and the elderly woman grabbed her broom defensively. Ready to throw down at a moment's notice. She heard nothing more from him and assumed he'd finally left. And that was that, she'd closed a chapter in her life, she'd cemented her resolve and now years of heartache have finally come to a close.
That was until a chunin appeared at her side moments later.
"Your presence is required by the Hokage."
That. absolute. man. child.
She banged Kakashi's door open, and there he stood. Leaning against the desk, his one arm crossed over his chest like a disappointed father, cheek slowly bruising.
Turns out that no, he couldn't seem to leave with or without her.
She gave Kakashi a look that screamed murder and he didn't even dare attempt one of his little eye smiles to placate her.
Behind her the door exploded open in a blur of orange.
"Sakura-chan is it true you embarrassed teme in front of a crowd of people !?"
"He embarrassed himself, if he had just listened to me the first time-"
"Now." Kakashi tried to say in his best sensei voice, "It seems that some of the animosity from Sasuke's missing-nin years have not been cleared out, Sakura-''
And the way he said her name so tiredly, like he too was disappointed in her had her explode.
"THIS ISN'T ABOUT HIS CRAZY TEENAGE REBELLION PHASE ! I DON'T GIVE A FUCK HE TRIED TO KILL ME, HE TRIED TO KILL EVERYONE. I JUST DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THE VILLAGE ! I. SAID. NO ! I HAVE A JOB, AND SEVERAL DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES I'M NOT WILLING TO DROP RIGHT NOW ! WHY. WON'T. YOU. GET. THAT ?!"
Naruto stared at her with wide eyes and Kakashi was completely frozen, Sasuke simply sighed.
"You see what I mean Kakashi ?" he said exasperated.
That seemed to unfreeze Kakashi but it's Naruto who spoke up.
"Wait. Wait. Wait. What exactly is going on here." he asked, confused.
"I told Sakura she could come with me on my trip this time and she's being… difficult."
"I rejected him !" she exclaimed, ignoring the general surprise "Several times ! I said no, I wasn't going to go with him, and he told me he'd be fine with or without me ! So I let him! I went back to my work and went to eat dango to finish my day and he up and grabs me-!"
Naruto gasps, and whirls around. "What the fuck teme !? Why would you do that ?"
"I thought you said Sakura punched you publicly." Kakashi stated reproachfully, turning towards Sasuke.
"She did. In front of a whole crowd of civilians." he said angrily.
"If you just randomly grabbed her, without even announcing your presence or anything, of course she's gonna punch you ! It's a self-defence mechanism ! Even I know not to surprise hug people or something, much less grab them, the fuck-!"
"Shut up, dobe ! This isn't about you." he snapped, turning towards Sakura, "I don't have time for your overreacting-"
"Then LEAVE ! I'm not asking you to stay and wait for me ! I'm. not. coming! Is there a reason you're making this whole scene ? Do you need my specific set of skills or something ?"
He scoffed, and Kakashi intervened.
"Look if Sakura doesn't want to go then she's not going. She has an ANBU mission scheduled for next week anyway so it all works out nicely !"
"YOU JOINED ANBU SAKURA-CHAN?!"
"Stop with this charade Kakashi, she doesn't need your excuses-"
"And what the hell is that supposed to mean ?" Sakura snarled icily. Sasuke glanced at her.
"ANBU is the elite." he explained simply, looking down on her.
Inner roared and Sakura's face turned to stone.
"Training ground 2." she said lowly.
Naruto gaped at her and Kakashi started sweating.
"Wha-?"
"Training ground 2. If the only way to get you to understand something is to beat it into you, then so be it." and she shunshin-ed away.
"Oh, hell yes I've been waiting years for this moment, Ino is gonna be so mad she missed this !" Naruto exclaimed giddily before following after his teammates.
She did beat the shit out of him. She doesn't know how they do it because she barely had the time to talk in between her active throwing Sasuke around, but she finally got through to him.
And threw him straight to the hospital as well.
They may be moon gods or whatever but they aren't infallible. He was still slow using his rinnegan and his plans were straightforward and readable. He probably never had to bother with complicated things since he was so strong.
But Sakura had gotten faster. Her ANBU training allowed her to catch-up to him in terms of speed, and good brains and speed made for one deadly combination, as the Second and Fourth Hokage had adeptly proven.
It also helped that Sasuke had ridiculously underestimated her. Every time he tried landing a hit on her she would parie and block the nearest muscle with her medical ninjutsu before trying to retaliate by punching him into oblivion. He had tried keeping her away with ninjutsu but eventually she'd rendered all his fingers useless, shattered his Susanoo and beat him up.
Naruto had been a very loud cheerleader.
Kakashi had forced Sasuke to apologize to her after his trip to the hospital and they had 'reconciled'. But Uchiha's were known to hold grudges and he was still grumbling behind her.
She turned to observe a seal on the wall of an abandoned windmill when it happened. Naruto, idiot extraordinaire, had activated a barrier seal which sent Sai flying off his creation. Sasuke had quickly jumped up to catch him when Naruto activated a second seal. An array of symbols lit up under her feet and she'd jumped up to avoid them when they activated.
And landed in a field.
She woke up with a headache so awful it felt like the worst hangover of her life, the after effects of a transportation jutsu, she surmised. Disoriented, she stood up and found the nearest village.
She'd gotten chased away with pitchforks as women screamed at her appearance and men took up arms. Utterly confused she'd put her white cloak on and approached a second village, more cautiously this time. The villagers had greeted her curiously and a few stared in disbelief at the colour of her hair, but none tried to chase her, so she counted it as a win.
And that's when she found out Naruto had managed to summersault her into the past. Not just a few years or even decades back during the Warring Clans era, oh no ! But to the very founding of ninjutsu.
Or at least what historians estimated were the signs of the first beginnings of shinobi.
She was going to kill Naruto. Well, now she couldn't anymore, but she'd wait. She was going to wait a thousand years if she had to with the help of her Byakugou, and then, when he was created, she'd kill him. Well not exactly when he was created but eventually.
He might not even know why she will, since he technically never knew her now, but that just added to her ire. Or maybe he would know her since her parents were still meant to be alive so technically she would be too...? Maybe this is an infinite loop where she's born, grows up and gets thrown back into the past-
She spent a whole month living in a cave trying not to touch or interact with anything lest she radically change the future, before giving up.
Honestly the future could use a little change.
She might be mad at him, but Naruto deserved to have a happy childhood, and if she could find Zetsu and defeat him now he won't be a problem later and therefore so wouldn't Madara. Maybe most of the wars can be avoided and her shishou would get to marry the man she loved and raise the family she'd always wanted with her children having an uncle Nawaki and a cousin Shizune.
But first, she had to find Zetsu.
So she stole some time appropriate clothes, (she'd tried to pay but realized the currency didn't exist yet, instead she left a bottle of soothing paste she'd made with the herbs surrounding her and the rocks around the cave) and went on her way.
Very quickly she felt the time difference. As a ninja she had been used to living with nearly nothing on the road but this was a whole new level of simplicity. The people seemed to move slower, using less complicated machines and raw strength, and time seemed to move slower with them.
People were also incredibly dumb.
Well, she couldn't exactly judge them with her future mind but really some things just made her wonder if they genuinely wished to die before reaching the age of thirty.
She'd once witnessed someone getting seriously ill. She'd left for a week to find the right herbs and found out that in her absence, the people in the village had tried bleeding the sickness out of him by opening a gash and leaving him to cleanse himself in a nearby waterfall.
The sick man naturally died, and infected the water that connected directly to the village well. So now the entire village was sick and they declared themselves cursed by the gods and burned most of their food as a sacrifice to please them.
So now they were starving too.
Sakura had arrived just in time to right the monumental mess. They declared her an envoy from their god and burned more food in thanks.
Idiots.
So she went from village to village, righting misconceptions when the people would listen and healing as she went. People had started paying her, but she didn't have the heart to set a price beforehand since she was certain most could barely afford it. So they paid what they wanted to pay. Sometimes they gave her food instead, or clothes. One woman even tried giving her her child but she managed to leave without.
Another problem had been the social expectations. Her hair did wonders for her reputation as time went by and word spread, but it was also wildly inappropriate for this time period. She tried to use the least amount of chakra possible to not alert Zetsu of her presence, so a genjutsu was not an option. She also happened to be far past marriageable age according to a few nosy women. Girls were married by sixteen at least, so going on twenty and still single left many in shock and she'd nearly gotten stuck in a few arranged marriages.
She didn't let that stop her from helping though. She found some familiar landmarks to reorient herself and visited old places. The Land of Water had fewer islands and most not as large as they'd eventually be, but it was a far cry from it's future as the Bloody Mist: she'd found a peaceful village full of fishers. She had half expected Suna to not be inhabited, but had been proven wrong when she'd stumbled upon a tribe and their huts. She'd been travelling the Land of Fire when a child had fallen down a cliff. The mother had wailed so loudly Sakura had come running and hadn't thought. She heald him with her chakra and he recovered.
"I've heard of your kind." stated the village chief that night during the celebrations in her honour.
"Really ?" she asked surprised, 'cause she hadn't, she had begun to think she'd been thrown so far back maybe even Kaguya hadn't done her appearance yet.
"You're from the village in the south." he stated sagely, "Hagoromo-sama's community." Sakura readily agreed and left the next day to lay low.
Naruto had briefly explained to her the events of the Fourth Shinobi War, and she now knew exactly where she was in time. Hagoromo was, is the son of Kaguya, and the Sage of Six Paths. She was living among the legends and myths she hadn't believed in.
She avoided the south for now, which is why it was such a surprise when it happened.
She'd been collecting water in a river, when she saw a floating body.
Not waisting a second she ran on the surface of the water and lifted, what she had first believed to be a corpse, out of the water. Instead what she saw was far worse.
A gorgeous man laid unconscious in her arms, dripping brown hair framing his face almost artfully, thick eyelashes cornered with dripping purple paint brought out the shape of his face in a colourful design, thick lips enticingly parted in barely there breaths.
And also Sasuke's original soul.
She dropped him right back into the river and marched off. She'd had enough rivalry power-hungry prideful men to last a lifetime. This is a man who initiated a war that would last centuries and kill millions, a man so set on revenge he would pursue it in every life. He'd survived before, he could do it again. She got back to the little hut she had built herself near the mountain and started making herself dinner.
What if the person meant to save him was that wondering merchant she'd met yesterday ? He'd been looking for specific herbs to sell that usually grew near the river, she'd given him a couple in exchange for medicinal plants he carried.
No, he was strong enough to survive, he'd wake up eventually on the river bank and swear to hate for all the next lives to come.
But Zetsu had probably already scouted him, so truly all she needed was to lay her trap and capture him.
Hmmm decisions, decisions.
She noticed her water canteen was empty.
She gave a long tired sigh, and went back,
She heaved him all the way back to her hut, first making sure he hadn't drowned in her absence (unfortunately such a terrible accident did not occur), and then quickly tearing up bits of cloth to bandage the gashes on his back, arms and legs (seriously why hadn't he bled out by now?).
She let him slump down on the ground as she organized her space and went outside to go and fetch some straw. She laid it at the ground in the farthest corner from her own bed and took one of her cloaks to lay down over it, she then went to throw him on the cloth when she noticed he was still dripping.
She heaved another exasperated sigh, she needed to see his wounds anyway. She stripped him down to his undergarments, hoping the cold and the wetness would shrivel up his genitalia so that he may never create the Uchiha clan, and had a fire starting. She contemplated burning his clothes but he'd have nothing to wear after, which would be disturbing.
Throwing his inert body on the makeshift futon she grabbed her medical bag and herbs and examined his wounds. Whoever inflected them did a terrible job and missed all vital organs. She mashed the pace a little too strongly and took off his bandages before redressing his wounds. Finally finished, she stood up and contemplated her work.
The little shit better be grateful.
She glared down at him heatedly and as if hearing her thoughts his eyes fluttered open for a second, revealing eyes so dark she couldn't distinguish his pupil, a colour she'd adored in a previous time, before shutting them again.
She grabbed one of her three quilts and reluctantly set it over his shivering form.
She sat on her bed and meditated instead of sleeping that night.
Her vigilance had been for nothing as he did not wake up during the night. She was making lunch when it happened, a slight twitch of the eyelids and she was pinning his hand to the mattress. Sharingan eyes stared back at her fiercely as she glanced to the bastardised version of a kunai he held.
"Not very nice of you, to wish to attack me when I've saved your life. Truly how impolite." she said breezily.
"I do not recognize you from my father's community, healer." he hissed, "Who are you and where am I?" he demanded.
Sakura's eyes narrowed at him and dismissed the genjutsu he attempted. She found she could dismiss any genjutsu after the rennigan.
"I" she said impassively, "am your only hope to get better quickly so you may return to burning down villages and attempting to kill whoever helps you or whatever you do for a living."
"How dare-"he seethed. She cut him off.
"I dare, and you are only alive by my mercy." she clipped." So stop moving, get well soon and leave. That's all I ask of you. Oh ! And do refrain from attempting on my life before then yes?"
He said absolutely nothing as he tried to put her under another genjutsu, just as easily she dismissed it and his eyes narrowed, teeth gritting. He nodded once sharply.
The next second Sakura was back at the stove. Indra blinked a couple of times before turning his face slowly in her direction. And stared. For a long time, Sakura might add.
Having enough she grabbed his now dry clothes and threw them in his face to block his view. He swiftly removed them from his sight and Sakura placed a bowl of stew at his bedside. He glanced at it suspiciously and Sakura rolled her eyes. Taking her own bowl and going outside.
He tried to escape about ten minutes later and Sakura sighed, grabbed him and slammed her finger into the pressure point at his neck.
He went delightfully limp and quiet.
Enjoying the rest of her day she went to gather herbs and berries, even hunted down a rabbit, until he woke up as she was closing the door for the night.
"I need to change your bandages."
Indra glared and said nothing, rubbing his sore neck. Sakura only smirked.
She kneeled next to him, quickly and efficiently removed his bandages, checking his injuries. She hesitated a moment before ultimately using her medical ninjutsu, the faster he was healed the quicker she'd have her peace back. Zetsu would already know about her anyways and she had a sure way of finding him. Indra flinched violently and went to grab a kunai before she cheerfully interrupted.
"Do you need to be asleep for this ?"
Indra froze, and slowly released his kunai. Sakura hummed and went back to healing his wounds. She healed the gash on his back first, it was the deepest one.
"Who are you ?" he repeated.
"Sakura."
"Of which family do you hail from ? Which village ? Are you one of my father's student's daughters ? How can you-?"
She wasn't about to get interrogated in her own damn hut.
"Just Sakura." Of the inexistent Haruno line of the unfounded Konoha village.
Finished, she layed him down and worked on his arms, he refused to take off his pants in front of her so she had to do it eyes bandaged and without touching his skin directly.
She still felt the second he had reached for his kunai and slammed him back to sleep.
The next day Sakura woke up to a knock at her door. Slightly bewildered, she got dressed and opened the door to find two rennigan eyes staring back at her.
"Release my son." Hagoromo Ootsutsuki stated calmly.
"He's recovering." Sakura supplied, trying very hard to not let her bewilderment show.
She leaned her body against the doorframe, letting him peer inside at Indra's slumbering form. He nodded once and went to move past her. She hesitated but ultimately blocked his way. He stopped.
"He shall recover at home, where he shall face the community for his misdeeds and work for forgiveness." he told her supremely.
Clearing her throat she braced herself for her next words.
"Is that his will ?"
" … Pardon ? stated the sage cooly.
"Does Indra-san wish to come back with you ?" she asked again.
Hagoromo straightened and peered down at her, it was the same look of superiority she'd been given nearly her whole life and Sakura's irritation flared.
"That is of no matter, he shall accept that I've made his younger brother heir, and repent for his actions."
"Ootsutsuki-sama, your son has every right to be angry."
The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.
It's something she had thought for quite some time now, the conclusion she had reached when Naruto explained their reincarnations' story.
Hagoromo's posture tensed but Sakura did not flinch away from his gaze, secretly her hands trembled on the door frame.
"Anger is never the answer to anything child, especially not when one makes mistakes."
"His or yours ?" she countered boldly, (she really wasn't going to live to beat up Zetsu was she ?)
"Excuse-me ?" he seethed, and his tone reminded her so much of Sasuke she stopped caring.
"You raised your son his entire life in hopes he would become your inheritor, publicly declaring your intentions to your community and pushing him to strive to be worthy, better than the rest. He trained and learned, even creating his own ways and when his power surpassed his peers he became isolated, and you did nothing to fix it."
"He still kept his own students, and learned he was able to do alone what most people as a group couldn't. Finally came the time for you to choose your successor, sending both your sons on a very similar mission. Indra completed it quickly and efficiently, alone as he had learned. You led him on for months, although you knew he had already failed. Then you shamed him publicly in front of all the people he knew by declaring his ways wrong, simultaneously blaming him for the deaths of an entire village! When you yourself used them as a test and did nothing to stop them massacring eachother because you wanted…what. To teach him a lesson ?"
"You then declared your youngest son your successor, not even giving your eldest another chance when he was so unused to making mistakes, and just like that the dream he'd been working for and striving for his entire life was snatched from him. You could have corrected him before hand, let him witness and fix his mistakes. You could have named both your sons inheritors. Instead you pushed your people to believe your eldest to be unworthy."
"Did he react far too violently ? Definitely. Does he have any right to be this enraged ? Naturally. He is human, Hagoromo-sama, and you are denying him his rights as you yourself a demi-god do not comprehend his range of emotions. Not only that, but you refuse to let him heal with time, or get over his anger as you and your youngest relentlessly pursue him, fight him and demand him back, blaming him for how he turned out when that was his parent's responsibility."
Sakura was near panting as she finished her speech. She'd said everything in one go, refusing to be interrupted and fearing she could not finish her thought before being grievously maimed. This is something he needed to hear.
"So no, Ootsutsuki-sama, I don't believe I will let you take him to recover in your village."
These were probably her last words, but they deserved to be said. Something told her this man had never been put in his place and he needed a wake-up call before he instigated centuries worth of feuding.
Hagoromo had gone completely still as her speech progressed, tomoe spinning in his rinnigan eyes and Sakura stared right back. A breeze blew by, and suddenly he was gone.
She stayed frozen for a long time before slowly closing her door. Double checking she wasn't in a genjutsu and still had all her limbs. She slid down to the floor and banged her head against the door.
She really had to stop being so suicidal, if she had to die it would be taking Zetsu down with her, not as a funny anecdote Hagoromo would make years in the future to Naruto as he explained his past.
She tried to spend the rest of her day normally, cooking breakfast and getting rid of her adrenaline by cleaning her hut. It was only at lunchtime when she went to wake up Indra to eat, that she found him already staring at her from beneath his blankets. Only his head was pocking out and it made him seem strangely adorable.
He was staring at her with wide eyes, for once barren of the Sharingan. His eyes were a deep charcoal and his eyelids fluttered carefully as he looked at her.
Snapping herself out of her stupor she put the bowl down next to him and went to eat outside. About twenty minutes later he joined her. Surprised, she rose an inquisitive brow at him. He looked at her from the corner of his eye and continued eating his food, strangely docile.
She narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion before asking.
"Are you unwell ? Do you have a fever?"
He slowly shook his head and went back to his food. Maybe she had hit him a bit too hard, she finally admitted.
The next day she declared him well enough to leave and carefully placed a tracking seal on him to alert her of any signs of Zetsu. Packing her own things she made her way up the mountain to a village living near the top on the other side.
Turns out she hadn't needed to bother with a tracking seal because he was following her.
…Maybe he didn't know where to go, so he followed her to the nearest village ? Acceptable.
Only once she'd gone around the village to heal the citizens, not bothering to cover up her medical ninjutsu anymore, and started her trek back down the other side of the mountain, he followed her.
Alright, perhaps he did not wish to live in the mountains so he was going back on land ? Perfectly reasonable.
Only they passed by a village she'd already visited (she'd checked on things and the people had greeted her cheerfully offering food for her journey) he did not stay.
Distance. He probably wanted to put some distance between his father and him.
Only he followed her all the way to the border of Fire and finally she acknowledged him. Swiftly turning around she stared him down as he perked up.
"Is there anything you need Ootsutsuki-san ?" she questioned irritably.
Clearing his throat he slowly stepped towards her.
"I would much rather you call me Indra, Sakura-san." he stated, tone careful.
"Is there anything you need Indra-san ?" she repeated without missing a beat.
"Only that I be able to accompany you on your journey ?" he asked hesitantly, charcoal eyes looking at her with a glimmer of hope.
What on earth was he playing at ? Her eyes narrowed suspiciously and he stood up straighter.
"I'm a traveling healer, I go to places no one wishes to visit in hopes of improving lives. It is not a pleasant journey Indra-san, go find an adequate village and spread your teachings." firmly Sakura turned back around, but Indra called out to her.
"I can help ! I'm quite powerful." he supplied eagerly. Sakura gave a long sigh.
"Do as you wish."
He had been sheltered his entire life. Life on the road won't suit him and he'll give up eventually and settle down into a village to spread ninjutsu throughout the world.
He followed her to the Land of Iron, and the Land of Grass. She'd tried to lose him in the Land of Rain but he'd chased her down relentlessly, even going as far as activating his Susanoo and flying after her when she increased her pace to a full on sprint.
She'd ended up lighting a fire in the Old Akastuki hideout. Indra had stood under the rain just outside her cave, seemingly hesitant to approach lest she run from him again. When he'd hit the thirty minute mark without seeking shelter, Sakura finally gave up and motioned for him to join her. He sat eagerly by the fire and warmed himself, staring at her hopefully.
After then he'd made a point of helping her set camp whenever they stopped, instead of standing just out of her field of vision and intensely staring at her from a nearby bush as had been his routine. He'd use his ninjutsu to light the fires and hunt down animals. Eventually Sakura couldn't bare the quiet and intensive staring any longer and asked him questions.
They'd ended up talking about their childhoods (she had to revisit hers eight times before it sounded like something from this time) and Indra ended up talking about some of the teachings of ninshu and what he had or hadn't agreed with and decided to improve.
One day he'd revealed that Hagoromo had near forbidden the teaching of ninshu to women as he feared another Kaguya. Sakura had gone on a twenty minute rant about equality and male pride before realising these views were widely inappropriate and revolutionary at this moment in time, but Indra had just nodded and hummed his agreement, stating women had the potential to be great ninjutsu users and should not be held back by his grandmother's actions. He'd given her a look so intense and reverent Sakura had faked going to sleep and buried herself under blankets to avoid his stare.
As they went from village to village Indra had also begun helping. While she healed bruises and broken bones he helped reconstruct houses and with heavy lifting (the astonished look he'd given her the first time he saw her pick up a cart like it weighed nothing had her hiding an amused grin). He always made sure the people knew exactly what he was doing, and asked for any opinions or feedback on his actions.
Once, they'd stumbled upon a town completely ruined by bandits. The inhabitants had been raided and some of their houses burned down. Indra and Sakura had spent a month there helping with reconstructions, Indra had even begun teaching anybody willing some basic taijutsu and defensive ninjutsu techniques.
He was an admirable teacher, and pushed his students with the best intentions. She found he was nearly as intense as Gai in his drills, but never pushed anyone to the point of breaking.
Sakura had often found herself setting up her medical tent in front of their training grounds, mesmerized by Indra's fluid movements. He had a mastery of the art she'd never seen before, a level that could only be obtained by its creator.
Sakura had just started to relax in his presence when Zetsu appeared. Just another peaceful conversation across a campfire, talking about their favourite foods (tempura did not exist yet, oil was so precious no one would dream of using so much to fry vegetables), when suddenly Indra tensed and her seal went off.
She had tackled the creature so fearsomely she'd formed a crater. Zetsu had started multiplying and creating an army of clones and Indra had jumped right in with her, wildly confused. She had started yelling about rabbit goddesses and physical forms of her will and Zetsu's evil monologuing only confirmed her words, when Ashura found them.
He'd taken one look at her devastating strength and closeness to his brother and jumped right for her.
Indra had gone feral.
While the two brothers battled it out Sakura followed through with her plan, which had been interrupted by a wooden golem, of all things. So she initiated her contingency plan, but suddenly everything was burning with black fire.
Eventually she'd managed to get through to them as she captured Zetsu and demanded they seal him. Ashura had started begging for his brother to come back and Sakura was about to yell in frustration (they could talk afterwards for fucks sake) when something quite suddenly pierced her. She'd cried out in pain as Zetsu's arm stuck out of her abdomen and Indra roared, eyes ablaze with a murderous fire that didn't compare to anything she'd ever seen before.
She'd punched Zetsu into the mountain and closed her eyes to activate her Byakugou, only to realise she was firmly stuck within the heart of Indra's Susanoo. She watched as the two brothers finally sealed away black Zetsu and Indra ran for her in a full blown panicked sprint.
He was desperately clinging onto her and looking at the blood she was covered in as Sakura was trying to cut through his panicked pleas and prayers to show him she was, in fact, completely fine. Hagoromo had arrived to this scene, a new moon flying in the sky and a decimated forest. He took one look at her and flashed his rinnegan.
She was out like a light.
Sakura felt fingers brushing along her cheek and her hands firmly gripped the wrist before her eyes were even opened. As she blinked the blurriness out of her vision the wrist she had been holding twisted out of her grip and softly interlaced their fingers.
Indra looked as regal as ever, even worriedly hovering over her.
"I remember our positions being reversed." her voice croaked out.
Indra gave her a small smile, a reminiscent look on his handsome face.
"I had opened my eyes after falling unconscious believing I had died from my injuries, because standing over me in iridescent light stood a spirit. Her form illuminated as pink hair as soft and colorful as the cherry blossoms in spring surrounded brilliant green eyes, gazing at me serenely, and I felt at peace. ''
His other hand started delicately running through her sprawled out hair.
She hadn't remembered it like that but okay.
"I was hurt." Indra stated, not quite meeting her eyes as he gazed at their intertwined fingers. "I lashed out at you after you honourably saved my life and I am beyond ashamed of my actions, I felt I could trust no one at the time." his voice was tight with emotion and he gave a shuddering breath.
Not daring to interrupt him in his thoughts, Sakura squeezed his fingers encouragingly.
"When my father came, his presence awoke me and I was preparing to leave when I heard what you said." he confessed.
"I hadn't been able to organise my thoughts and feelings and yet you read them astutely, defended me in front of my father and scolded him for a behaviour I had thought normal until you pointed out his flaws." inhaling he looked into her eyes with a storm of emotions brewing behind his gaze.
"You are divine Sakura, and your meer presence heals all my deepest wounds, internal and external. I am a selfish creature who could not bare to leave the presence of one so devoted, and so I followed you. I hoped to befriend you and have you by my side forever but I nearly lost you." his eyes squeezed in pain and his voice dangerously wavered.
For a moment Sakura thought he might cry (and what a beautiful and tragic sight that would be) but he merely looked at her again, charcoal pleading.
"Forgive me, for bringing such a creature at your door. I have been blinded and fooled and you suffered from my mistakes, I shall accept any punishment you see fit to bestow upon me." he said, bowing down, long hair spreading on the floor before her, still refusing to let go of her fingers.
A delicate and warm hand placed itself on top of his head of brown tresses and Indra trembled.
"Indra." and his name was said with such warmth, such fondness, he dared to look up at her through fearful eyes. "There is no punishment I wish to give. You have been wronged and I am glad to rid you of this parasite, and lighten the burden of your conscious." she said softly.
She swiftly stood up and Indra's panicked form hovered beside her.
"Where are we ?" she inquired. Indra swallowed painfully and spoke.
"In my father's village, I had hoped he would know how to cure any ailments caused by the rabbit goddess or any of her creatures." he admitted.
Sakura gave him a small smile and leaned down to retrieve her things.
"I'm not hurt, Indra. I am more then able to cure my own ailments."
If anything she'd been so out of it because of Hagoromo and his damned genjutsu. Indra's eyes scanned over her form for confirmation and slightly relaxed.
"Are we leaving ?" he asked a little too eagerly.
Sakura paused as she thought of a similar situation in a different time. Her throat clogged with doubt, and leftover frustration lingered in her stomach.
"No." she looked at Indra.
He nodded disappointed albeit understandingly.
"As you wish." he said reassuringly, and something in Sakura lightened at his easy acceptance of her denial.
"I must speak with your father first." she said smiling.
Her talk with Hagoromo was awkward, but inevitable. She explained all she knew of Zetsu and his formation and Indra standing steadily by her side confirmed her words and added his own explanation of their encounter.
"You never thought it important to inform me of this creature's presence?" demanded the sage to his eldest. Indra hesitated but looked his father in the eye.
"At first I was unsure if you would believe me as he would often appear at random and disappear abruptly. Later on, I found I didn't think you would care."
Indra's gaze was firm but his hands trembled behind his back and it reminded Sakura so much of her previous talk with the sage she couldn't help but step closer to Indra and brush her knuckles reassuringly against his. Indra's hand flinched but slowly relaxed.
Hagoromo looked at the both of them intensely before closing his eyes. "I have failed you my son." his voice was barely above a whisper but clear all the same. He looked Indra in his surprised eyes. "I have led you astray and blamed you for the consequences of my own actions, without even noticing the darker presence that loomed behind." he took a deep breath, "I apologize, I would understand if you are not ready for forgiveness yet."
Both Indra and Sakura were reduced to stunned silence, but eventually Sakura nudged him into speech.
"I- I accept your apology, and I…" he took a shaky breath, "I apologize for my own actions." he whispered unsteadily.
"We have long forgiven you my son, we only wanted you home." said Hagoromo softly.
"I know." Indra replied quietly. "I've forgiven you but I haven't quite forgiven myself, and... I'll admit I'm also unable to forget." Hagoromo nodded in reluctant acceptance.
"I will be taking my leave, Hagoromo-sama." bowed Sakura.
"I will join her !" exclaimed Indra hurriedly before she could take more then two steps towards the door.
Hagoromo smiled at his eldest son and nodded.
"I understand, safe travels… and Indra, please come visit every once in a while."
Indra gave a genuine smile and nodded. "I will chichi-ue."
And for all his greatness and poise, Hagoromo seemed to melt at the moniker.
Ashura had met them at the gate of the village as they departed and the two brothers reconciled somewhat. The youngest brother was babbling to the oldest who held him at arms length but wasn't actively seeking to end him. Improvement.
Ashura also bowed deeply and begged for forgiveness at a bemused Sakura, before making her promise to take good care of his brother during his travels. Indra's eyebrow had started twitching at Ashura's continuous pleads and praises and Sakura had detached herself from his tight embrace and waved her farewell.
Indra seemed free-er without Zetsu's presence, and so was Sakura admittedly, as most of her worries disappeared with his sealing. They hopped from village to village and continued to help. Indra gained more students and Sakura herself had started to teach medical ninjutsu and healthcare. Eventually their students decided to follow them in their travels and after a month and a dozen new recruits, Sakura and Indra eventually decided to settle in a large valley near a river, not too far away from their little hut near the mountain.
Building a village was a lot more fun then Sakura had anticipated and Indra allowed her free reigns on the planning no matter how odd some of her ideas seemed. The construction work went unbelievably quickly with the help of ninjutsu and her sublime strength, and their little village grew in no time.
Indra was a born leader, and handled most matters with wisdom and dignity. He was firm in his beliefs and intransigent towards crimes, but he allowed his people to learn from their mistakes. They'd butt heads concerning decisions some times but often found a good compromise. He'd ask her for advice concerning some of his decisions and she'd try explaining one of her 'inventions' to him as he'd work to implement it.
Their students were studious and loyal, and helped in any way they could to improve their lives. They became renown as a town full of easy life and improvements, anyone seeking for medical care was welcome and most decided to stay. Merchants came by to sell their herbs and buy their medicine and men and women of all ages and nations begged to become their students.
Eventually they were summoned by the Daimyo to make their establishment official.
The palace was not yet as grand as it would be but the Daimyo was still just as cocky no matter the times. He'd refused to negotiate anything with Sakura, much to her frustration, and only wished to address Indra. Indra retaliated by firmly asking for her opinion on every question the Daimyo asked and Sakura couldn't quite help the smile that grew on her face.
When the Daimyo finally decided to address her it was to leer appreciatively and remark on her exotic colouring, offering her a place in his court as a courtesan.
Sakura had been ready to explode and tear him a new one, but Indra swiftly cut in and reminded him with an icy tone that he was technically the previous Daimyo's heir as the eldest son of Hagoromo, and had more then a right to usurp his position and claim the throne if he so wished.
The Daimyo had gone a supreme shade of purple and once they'd gone outside with their signed documents, Sakura burst out in peels of laughter. Indra grinned impishly and tugged her towards a nearby village's Spring festival.
The festival was already in full swing once they'd arrived and people were drinking left and right, dancing energetically in the town square as the band played a jovial tune. Food and drinks were shoved in their arms and they feasted heartily. Sakura was spinning around the square with others before getting shoved into Indra's arms, clumsily trying to figure out the village dance and laughing and shrieking when Indra flashed his Sharingan and elegantly started copying their moves. She was accusing him of cheating when he spun her around in the air, and their laughter joined in a seamless symphony.
Sakura woke up with a pounding headache in their little hut the next morning, completely naked and Indra's arm thrown around her in a tight leash. Wide eyed and panicking she quickly healed her headache, and immediately tried to suffocate herself in Indra's hair at the recalled memories.
She'd taken his virginity.
They'd stumbled into bed together and he had eagerly kissed her, hands worshipping her body, but his breath had stuttered at the sight of her bare breasts and Sakura had immediately understood. Like a shark to blood, she sniffed out his weakness and pounced on him. She'd gotten drunk off the power she held over him and flipped him over.
Never had she been more excited in her entire life, she shoved her tongue down his throat and pinned him to the mattress. She was so eager the only thing he could do was lay down and melt under her hold. She'd discarded most of her clothes by then and she grinded firmly back and forth on the tent in Indra's pants. She was muffling his groans and it's only when he started desperately thrusting upwards that Sakura broke.
She'd torn off her clothes in one swift movement, delighting in Indra's sharp gasp and the twitch of his cock against her thigh. She needed him now. She was going to devour him.
Her hands trembled in excitement as she shoved them in her dripping hole and enthusiastically prepared herself. Indra's slack-jawed expression as she eagerly stretched herself on her fingers had her grinning as his Sharingan eyes watched. Not waisting a moment she'd pulled his clothes off and admired his lithe form and creamy skin before shoving herself on his straining member.
Indra's head had thrown back violently and his charcoal eyes had rolled back, his entire body twitching, and Sakura admired the fact he hadn't immediately released at the new euphoric sensation. She took a moment to appreciate his girth and his eyes had barely focused back on her when she'd started moving.
She bore down on him with all her might, trying to fuck him through the futon. He was moaning and groaning, shaking as he desperately tried to hold back and Sakura did her absolute best to make him break. He'd started whimpering and pleading and Sakura knew he was close. Leaning down over him she increased her pace and started whispering praises in his ears, coaxing him to climax, his back arched off the bed violently and Sakura bit down on his shoulder in victory.
His cock was still twitching with release as she started her brutal pace once again, watching gleefully as his eyes widened and his mouth dropped, hands clumsily trying to hold onto her hips for dear life.
He alternated between desperate wines and heartfelt groans and Sakura's pace increased with each beautiful noise. The sound of their coupling was only drowned out by his sweet begging and Sakura was getting closer. Her orgasm approached and she concentrated, one hand on Indra's chest and the other fisted in his long brown hair. She used every bit of her chakra control and clenched her walls down on him until her grip bordered on painful, and using her medical chakra simultaneously soothed it better. The hand on his chest glowed green and she sent a spark of chakra straight to his brain and his pleasure sensors multiplied the feeling by tenfold.
Indra screamed and his hand clenched in the sheets and ripped them, head thrown back, hair splayed out, eyes rolled up and mouth wide open with his tongue slightly lulling out, his cum burst inside her and his member was desperately twitching. The beautiful sight had her reaching her peak, as he stayed frozen in otherworldly desire under her. She contentedly rested on him, and finally noticed he'd passed out.
She'd never felt so fulfilled in her entire life.
His eyes fluttered open twenty minutes later and she hovered over him, eyes twinkling and smirk wide on her face. She leaned down towards his ear and purred.
"Have you come back to the land of the living, love?" Before licking a sloppy stripe up the side of his ear.
He passed right back out and Sakura giggled mischievously, satisfied.
Sakura was an idiot. An idiot who had deflowered Indra Ootsutsuki so vigorously and thoroughly he was now staring at her with his eyes still dazed and his smile dopey. Still hovering in cloud nine, and Sakura had probably ruined him for any other woman.
Her strategy to evade and deny was not working, because she might have broken Indra.
His muscles had lost all of their tension and if he weren't so perpetually graceful, she'd had thought he was melting into his seat next to her at breakfast. He hadn't made any move to eat and was still looking at her with slightly unfocused eyes and a dreamy look on his face. She'd eventually had to hand him his bowl, and he'd dropped his chopsticks twice as he refused to look away from her.
Trying to come back to a certain sense of normalcy Sakura had sat outside and started making her most complicated medicinal pace. Indra had slumped down next to her and lied down in the grass staring at the sky with a happy smile on his face.
His behaviour lasted until nightfall as she cleaned up after dinner and drank her tea. Indra was already in bed, softly stroking the sheets before he finally spoke up.
"I demand I take responsibility." he stated confidently.
Sakura paused mid sip and glanced at him. Before she could stop herself her mouth was already moving.
"As I remember it, I was the one doing the deflowering." Indra's cheeks reddened but his grin never faltered, he released a dreamy sigh.
"Then I demand you take responsibility." he said eagerly.
"I don't believe you'll fall pregnant, Indra." she said amused, "And you do not need to be untouched for marriage."
"Yes, but you could fall pregnant with my child, my dearest Sakura."
His face split into the widest grin she'd ever seen on him and his eyes lit up with delight as his Sharingan flashed. His eyes glanced fondly down at her stomach and her heart clenched.
"Ah, no you won't need to worry about that, the herbs I'm drinking have contraceptive properties." she explained calmly, taking a big gulp of her tea.
Indra's smile dropped instantly and his eyes glared down her cup of tea. She had a feeling if she hadn't been holding it he'd have katoned it to ashes.
As they laid in bed that night Indra put a possessive hand on her stomach, stubborn as ever.
(That hand had tried to go lower two more times before Sakura panicked and knocked him out for the night.)
She did not fall pregnant, to Indra's misfortune, and things turned relatively back to normal, except she now had to thwart Indra's plans as he consistently attempted to seduce her. He'd gotten more and more bold as time went by and the number of times she'd stumbled upon him training shirtless was concerning for her blood pressure.
Then one day she slipped up.
"Sasuke do no-!" she closed her mouth abruptly and her teeth clacked together painfully, but it was too late.
Indra whirled around so quickly she thought he'd gotten whiplash. His eyes narrowed at her wide eyes and he marched up to her.
"Who is Sasuke ?" he asked lowly. "One of your students ?" he hissed suspiciously.
Sakura gulped and tried to find another word for teammate that would encompass her complicated relationship she had with the unborn man.
"He was my… partner."
She'd thought she'd made the right choice until she saw Indra's nostrils flare and his Sharingan flash, they hadn't thought of the same kind of partner.
"Is he the reason why you refuse my courtship ?" he demanded hotly.
He'd never asked so straightforwardly and Sakura was fumbling for an answer. Indra's eyes softened and his gaze turned desolate.
"I beg of you, be honest." he pleaded.
Sakura sighed and measured her words.
"He was a boy I once loved," she confessed, "he broke my heart in ways I hadn't thought could be broken, and the last time we'd spoken he disrespected me thoroughly. You… remind me of him in certain ways." she saw the flash of hurt that comment brought to his eyes, but she wouldn't take it back.
Indra softly grabbed her hands. "I would never dare damage something so precious, and would rather put my own sword through my heart than ever belittle you." his voice was soft and tinted with desperate honesty. "Tell me what you saw in him, and I'll prove to you how dissimilar we are."
Sakura snorted and Indra gripped her hands tighter. "Please, Sakura... beloved."
Her stomach twisted at the whispered nickname, this was Indra, they'd talked about anything and everything, their proudest moments and their biggest insecurities.
So she told him. The things she'd liked about Sasuke and the things that had ruined her self-worth for years. The fun moments and the neverending comments.
Indra dismantled everything with a passion, desperate to prove he was nothing like his reincarnation ("I hate tomatoes Sakura"). When she'd quietly told him about his desperate search for power and revenge he had stayed silent, body hunched in guilt as he softly admitted he could understand. He however refused to believe he would ever leave her, ever mean to kill her, he'd admitted that even at the very beginning his aim had been to incapacitate. Today he couldn't dream of having such thoughts. ("Not that I could ever come close enough") And his eyes had sparkled with such adoration she'd started to believe him.
Their discussion had gone on longer than anticipated, the moon hung high in the sky and they'd moved closer to the fireplace, the autumn night keeping them cool. Sakura wasn't blind to Indra's subtle movements to bring them closer. She found she didn't have the heart to keep him at arms length again. Their shoulders bumped together and Indra was still insulting his reincarnation and his poor choices and 'obviously absent intellect' when Sakura had a thought.
Madara hadn't been anything like Sasuke. The two same souls had two different aims, fought on two different sides of a war and ended up nearly killing eachother. Even their chakra natures were different.
Maybe, just maybe Sakura could open her heart to Indra and not get the same result. Maybe they were two different people, with different personalities and levels of intelligence. She would have to test her newest theory, wait and see if he made a mistake and prove her first impressions right.
"Okay." the word had cut clean through Indra's ramble and he froze, a spark of hope building in his eyes. "Wha-?"
"Okay." she smiled softly, "I'll give you a chance, I accept your courtship." until he slipped up, that is.
Two years later, in what must have been the longest courtship ever, Sakura woke up for the third time that week with Indra's hair in her mouth and a possessive unyielding hold around her middle. She glared at Indra's angelic sleeping face.
Anyday now, anyday he would make a mistake. It was inevitable, it would happen, she would-
Indra woke up to her intense staring and charcoal eyes framed by chocolate tresses blinked sleepily at her, gaining consciousness.
A heart melting smile spread on Indra's face the second his eyes focused on her and Sakura's resolve shattered.
"Marry me." Indra froze as he was reaching his hand towards her, eyes wide in disbelief and elation. "Wha-?"
"Marry m- hmpf!"
Indra threw himself on top of her and kissed her with everything he had. Eyes twinkling joyfully and a grin that could rival the sun.
They got married that same night.
It wasn't rushed, Indra had just been prepared for the better part of two years, much to Sakura's disbelief. And she found herself unable to separate herself from his side, until her students had to drag her away to get ready, which lasted nearly the whole day and had her and Indra eagerly rushing back to eachother's side.
Hagoromo had arrived with Ashura meer moments before the ceremony. After a tense sermon about propriety and responsibility, Hagoromo finally blessed their union and accompanied them to the temple. Ashura had sobbed loudly the entire time and Indra had used a specialised jutsu prepared for him that muffled his noises so they could recite their vows.
Their students cheered happily as they kissed softly and Indra cupped her face tenderly. Sakura melted in his hold and circled her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. Hagoromo had to separate them after several moments and they received another lecture about propriety and privacy.
Soon after they went dancing in the square of the village they had built, surrounded by friends and trusty students. Indra had held her all night, dancing and twirling and bringing her food when she needed to rest. They'd been interrupted twice by Hagoromo when their dancing became a little too handsy when Sakura gave up and patted her new father-in-law on his arm, effectively planting a perpetual illusion that Indra and her were being perfectly socially time appropriate in public, and then went right back to intimately swaying in her new husband's arms, kissing him passionately whenever she had the urge (which was near always).
Ashura's attempts to invite his new sister to dance had been batted away with lethal hands and Sakura found she really didn't mind her husband's possessiveness.
A soft smile on her face she leaned in and kissed his cheek. He turned his head and smiled back at her just as sincerely. Eyes soft, Sharingan flashing briefly to capture the moment. A second later she was smirking devilishly and leaning into his ear, she placed a careful hand on his thigh and suggested they move on to the consumption of their marriage.
Indra had thrown all their duties for the week to their most trusted students and they disappeared in a gust of wind, reappearing a second later in their beloved cabin.
They'd spent a thrilling week full of making love and resting, mostly on Indra's end when he discovered with much horror and elation that her more erotic uses for her chakra control did not stop at the two techniques he'd experienced. ANBU seduction could be lethal, and Sakura liked to keep her husband on edge.
They did a lot more tasting and exploring, sometimes for hours, and Indra, fast learner that he was and prodigious student, soon learned all her weaknesses as well.
She had suspected it, but if the smell of burning herbs in their fireplace did not confirm it, then Indra's constant and thorough attempts to have her with child confirmed his insatiable desires.
He plowed inside her like it was his last day on earth and Sakura was happy to let him.
Nine months later she'd scream about regretting her decision when she gave birth to their twins.
Izanami and Izanagi were adorable though, and well worth the months of constant intense staring and fretting from her husband. Their uncle on the other hand passed out when he'd barged into the room. By genjutsu or the sight of her bloody and open she would never know.
Sakura got to see her many children grow, and lived to a truly unparalleled age. Indra, with his godly genes, had been right beside her. The night he died Sakura settled their businesses and released all her chakra in one big healing feat. Dying peacefully surrounded by her family knowing the future was secure, she quickly chased Indra's soul to the pure lands where they found another eternity to spend with each other.
Their legend was told for centuries to come.