Akasuna no Sakura Chapter 4: Sasori Daughter

 Chapter 4:

Brought to you by Jules-Chan.

Sasori watched her sleep that night. Perhaps he hadn't taken enough time to study those long eyelashes that framed her bulging green eyes, or that slightly large forehead that left too much room. Or that now messy bun on her head after she had rolled around in her sleep.

She was beautiful in every way. He couldn't find a fault in her. Sasori let her sleep in his bed that night. Pein hadn't give them a mattress yet, stating that he would send Tobi to find bedding for her while they set off on their mission. Sasori didn't mind sharing his bed with someone so beautiful.

"You little doll." Sasori whispered. One arm lay thrown over her waist, holding her close to his body. A chill hung in the air, one that Sasori has long since gotten used to. Sakura however wouldn't do well to be associated with the chill that Pein left in the village. Their leader could make it rain at will and to cover tracks and keep others from this area, an icy cold rain always covered their base and surrounding forest. Sakura cuddled closer to him, searching for more warmth underneath the thin blankets he could scrounge up for her. Sasori sighed, knowing that she would be sick soon. Infant humans were very vulnerable to illness and viruses.

The only living thing about Sasori was half a beating heart inside his false chest. Sasori had long ago changed his eighteen year old body into a puppet. His wooden body covered with a false skin membrane that would fool even Sakura when she was older. He supposed that one day she might join him. Sasori was thirty five years old, in an eighteen year old body. He could sleep, but he could not bleed. He could eat, but it was a nuisance as he always had to scrape the rotten morsels out of his innards. Sasori wasn't like normal humans. Going to the bathroom wasn't a thing for him. He didn't know the easy way to keep things from Sakura. Konan made it very clear that children were intelligent, always looking for a way to learn more without knowing it.

Looking back on his own childhood, he could definitely agree.

Sasori of the Red Sand leaned down on his other arm, laying his head near her pretty face. Sakura's lips were open, breathing tiny puffs of air into his face. Her breath didn't reek like Deidara's, instead smelling sweet as he allowed her to stay that close. He imagined a Sakura puppet in his dreams doing that exact thing. She would forever stay a baby, forever by his side.

He would hate to keep her waiting. Sasori closed his eyes, drifting off to the gently sound of her heart beating, and the loud thrumming of his own.

...

"FUCK!" Naruto cursed as he leapt from building to building. Sakura had left the party last night running and crying in anguish. He knew he should went after her then, but his friends had convinced him to wait till morning. To let her cool off.

"This is all your fucking fault." Naruto spit to his side. On either side of him were a team of junin. Ino, Shikamaru, Chogi, and Kiba with Akamaru were leaping with him. Everyone looked incredibly exhausted and hungover. Even Akamaru was unmotivated as he had been sleeping when Naruto had slammed into Kiba's room, demanding they help.

Kiba scowled back at him, continuing to follow Sakara's scent as he searched profusely for a sign. "I fucking could have stopped her if you hadn't knocked me out you fucking prick."

Naruto scowled. He would follow Akamaru to Sakura-Chan. No way. No fucking way am I having another fucking Sasuke. Naruto scowled. Akamaru was leading them towards the outskirts of the village. Ino rubbed her eyes and questioned them again.

"Tell me again. Why do you think something happened to forehead?" Ino groaned. All she wanted to do was stay home in bed, and take a nice bubble bath and eat a bunch of chocolates. She definitely didn't need Shikamaru practically banging her door down, asking for Sakura as if she was hiding her in her apartment.

Naruto kicked off even harder, chakra pulsing underneath his feet. "I told you guys! Sakura never came home last night. Her apartments locked. I climbed through her window-!" Kiba snorted.

Naruto nearly lost control of the Kyuubi's chakra right there and then. Remembering what Kiba had done to Sakura, taking advantage of her sweet innocent self made him severely angry. Kiba had practically raped her on the dance floor! He has the nerve to think I'm perverted. Fat chance!

"You have a lot to talk about. Considering your the one who fucking took her virginity in the first place." Naruto growled. Ino paled as she remembered the commotion that took place last night, her head was still throbbing from all the dragon ball fire shots she took.

"Poor forehead." Ino muttered. Shikamaru remembered seeing clearly Sakura's inner flower, and blushed considerably. Akamaru barked and took them to the trail leading out of Konoha. Naruto scowled. This was the same trail that took Sasuke away from him. The same trail Sasuke took when he turned his back on the village. Kiba grimaced in guilt. Every since they had been genin, he had had a huge crush on Sakura. She was cute, bossy, and downright sexy when she was angry. Just as scary as his mom was, that being the only downside to her persona.

Kiba wished he could take back what he did with her last night, but the fact remains that she wanted it too. Even while she was sober! Kiba repeated to himself. Akamaru ran to the cherry blossom tree that ran on the outside of the forest.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto screamed at the top of his lungs. His worry for his friend outweighing the consequences of common sense. Sakura-Chan. Sweet Nee-chan is out there and I can't do anything. Why did she come here? Naruto thought to himself as Akamaru continued to sniff the long tree. Kiba winced heavily.

"What?!" Naruto screamed, searching for what had got Kiba in a twist. The Inuzuka leaned down and scooped something off the floor.

"I have good news and I have bad news Naruto." Kiba pulled the light pink material in his hands around. It was soaked with her arousal. Kiba fought hard to keep his thoughts to himself.

"What's the bad news?" Naruto gulped. Kiba sighed. "Well. The scent of Sakura stops here. But on the good side.. we have a strong enough scent source to pick it up someplace else." Kiba held the material in the air, and Naruto's cheeks burnt red with embarrassment.

Sakura's panties were torn clearly down the middle, hanging from the tanned hand of the Inuzuka child.

...

"Sakura-Chan." Deidara smirked at her. Together, he, Itachi, and Sasori deep inside of his gigantic puppet shield traveled the long dirt road in peace. Sasori stayed quiet. Itachi had Sakura tied to his back. Half of her body was exposed, the lower half encased in a smooth mahogany egg like puppet. For air and flexibility she was sitting inside with her arms and chest free. At the slightest note of danger Sasori could twitch his fingers and the egg would clamp overhead of her, effectively sealing her away from harm's way. Sasori has attached straps to it so that they could pass her around.

Sakura blew bubbles at Deidara, smiling at him with a kind smile. "Raw." She growled with a smirk.

"That's right girl! And what did Uncle Deidara teach you? Art is a..." Deidara cheered for her to finish her sentence, but again she was more interested in the ground. Itachi rolled his eyes with a deep loathing as he looked back at the teen trailing behind him.

"This isn't a vacation you twat. This is Sakura's first mission with her tutor." Itachi said, highly amused with him. Deidara smirked and mocked him behind his back "A mem mem mem maaa am." Deidara teased. Sakura clapped but didn't smile. Itachi looked beside him at Sasori.

"Your partner is quite a catch." Itachi drawled out. Day two and already he wanted to throttle the young blonde. When Deidara took his clay out his bag and started to play with it, Sasori glared at him. Not that Deidara could see it, but Sasori was very cross with the blonde. Who would have known that the kid was such a pervert.

"If you so much as drop one bomb with her around, I'll cut your hair in your sleep." Sasori glared. Sakura looked innocently at Deidara. His eyes softened.

"Babe, I wouldn't hurt you. Please stop, you know what those eyes do to me. HEY!" Itachi turned around and smacked Deidara straight across the face. Deidara gaped and clutched his now red face as Itachi turned back around in a huff and kept walking.

"Honestly Deidara we are almost there and your perverted being is putting me in a mood." Itachi drawled with a smirk. Deep inside, all towards the surface Itachi wished to harm Deidara so badly he couldn't use his manhood ever again.

"What kind of mood?" Deidara smirked and teased, making Sasori roll his eyes inside of his puppet Hiruko.

"Who are we meeting at the house?" Deidara asked, half distracted as he was walking behind Itachi closely. Deidara loved looking into Sakura's eyes. Her shade of green was unique. Sasori huffed, seconds away from running Deidara through with his tail.

"It's an old spy of mine." Sasori commented, not mentioning a name on purpose.

"This makes it even more embarrassing." Itachi inwardly groaned. Traveling with Deidara was killing his brain cells one by one. Sakura held out both hands to Deidara, and confused he showed her his open palms too. The mouths in his hands were grinning widely, but white toothy grins. Sakura squealed and screamed loudly, making all three of them wince. She was very loud.

"Sakura!" Deidara hushed her, putting on a falsetto glare. Sasori turned to her and got close to her face, ready to reprimand her and completely forgetting that she couldn't see him.

"AHHHHHHH!" She screamed and wailed, crying for her Uncle Deidara. Sasori backed away quickly as Diedera swept her in her egg away from Itachi, who detached the straps quickly. Deidara removed her from the egg altogether, much to the others displeasure.

"Deidara that is for her protection." Itachi glared at him. Deidara was too comfortable patting her back as he walked with her. His huge Akatsuki robed arms swept her closer to him and cradled her as she cried in his arms.

"It would seem she's afraid of ugly things." Deidara poked his tongue out at Sasori. "See, even your daughter knows what art truly is." Sasori felt an unwilling warmth fill his flesh at the jab. Being referred to as her father left him feeling nice.

"That wouldn't make sense Deidara." Itachi drawled out, Deidara held Sakura closer and tried to comfort her by bouncing her softly. "After all, you're uglier than sin, but she seems to be able to stand you."

Deidara glared at Itachi, ready to snap back at the smirking Uchiha, But froze.

"Guys... feel that?" He asked. Deidara looked down at the crying Sakura. Her wailing was bringing someone near. Itachi made a hand signal and Sasori dove into the bushes, Itachi making to cover the other side.

"Take her ahead Deidara. Nothing funny!" Itachi glared at him in warning. Wanting to keep her safe, Deidara shifted her to the other arm as she continued to cry. Inside of wailing she quieted down to soft sniffles, but her sadness commended him to work faster.

"Don't worry Un." Deidara whispered to her, ripping a huge glob of clay into his hands. He place it to his mouth and chewed like his life depended it. "I'll protect you babe."

Making one handed seals all the while, Deidara spit out the clay and before him a giant clay bird stood. Sakura gaped openly at it, green eyes taking in the magnificent creature. Sasori watched the look on her face as the last of her tears trickled away.

The look of pure awe.

Deidara climbed onto the huge clay bird, leaving behind her egg puppet cage. "Don't worry Un, Uncle Deidara's got you. Meet you at the house un." Deidara directed to his partner. With a single one handed seal, the bird flew up fast into the air, making Deidara smile. Air whipped his hair backwards as he held on top of the babe. The few strands that had flew down pass her face was whipping around her head. Her tears were dry and scratchy around her face. Deidara flew them towards the giant two story house, it was no more than a few miles away from Itachi and Sasori.

"Un." Deidara tilted Sakura's face to look up at him. As growing green met glistening blue, his eyes softened as she made a grab for his hair that covered his eyes. In the process she had revealed his eye scope, allowing him to see her specifically clearer.

"I promise I'll protect you from now on." He declares proudly. Raising a hand to her cheek, she giggled as his hand licked her cheek unexpectedly. With his free hand, Deidara lightly guided his art to circle around the yard of the house.

"This is gonna be close Un. We gotta make a run for it." Deidara dispensed the winged creature the second it's wing touched the porch of the house. Clutching Sakura in front of him to protect from any enemy nin, he bombarded into the house and realized one incriminating thing.

"What the hell bastards?! Never gave me a key or anything." Deidara scowled and tried to think fast. If anything happened to Sakura his Master would strangle him to death. Sakura lifted his hair again to play with his eye scope but Deidara scowled.

"No Sakura."

"No!" She pouted, and ripped at his eye scope fast. He pulled away but not before she got a good swipe. "Ow Sakura!" Deidara scowled as she caught his eyebrow in the swipe. Taped to his mechanical eye was a small metal key. Sakura looked at him blankly. Deidara wasted no time in snatching it back from her and placing the key in the slot.

"Don't judge me brat." He poked his tongue at her, simultaneously licking her with his palms. Sakura sighed happily as they were brought inside the warm interior of the house. Deidara noticed the small goosebumps that had appeared on her skin. "You'll need a coat brat." He noted, putting her down as he went to lock the door. Behind him, Sakura ran to the couch area and knocked into a soft couch and hit the floor. Deidara hid the key in his pocket and insured that the doors were look.

"I'm sure your dad and Uncle Itachi will be here soon Sakura." Deidara assured her, and made to start a fire in the living room. Sakura eventually was able to climb onto the soft couch, lifting herself up with her arms and sliding on. The blond haired erratic man noted that there was a small stack of two or three useable logs next to the fireplace. Sakura yawned heavily. On the couch she laid her pink head down and yawned again. Deidara sighed as she shivered noticeably.

"Give me a few minutes Un, I know it's cold." Deidara didn't want her to suffer. Shoving the logs inside the fireplace, he took a tiny amount of clay. Chewing it with his hands he placed the wet chewed pieces on the log. Deidara retreated to Sakura's side, pulling her into his lap. When the tiny but effective explosion rocked the first floor, Sakura gasped. Her uncle was there quickly however, rubbing her back and giving her words of happy encouragement.

"Your gonna be good for your teacher right Un? Your such a pretty baby love." Sakura drifted off for a nap exhausted. She had stayed up all morning without a single nap. Her daddy just figured she'd put herself to bed when she was ready.

Dierdara eventually realized he was talking to himself and looked down to see her curled up halfway into his lap. He relaxed deeper into the couch. The mini explosion be made had created a small fire in the fireplace, slowly chasing the chill away from the empty house.

The house they resided in looked like any regular home. It felt creepier to Deidara knowing that nobody lived here. That the family in the picture on the all were probably gone or murdered by the Akatsuki long ago. It was a house painted in beige and green color. Very generic things resided in the house. No food or substances. Cliche bedrooms, living rooms, and bathrooms. There was nothing special about the home at all. Deidara had been here before on a mission, but didn't remember anything special about the home. The artist inside of him wasn't impressed at all. If Sakura was impressed by the interior he wasn't going to take it away from her at all. Deidara rubbed her pink hair behind her ears as she continued to slowly doze off against his knee. He knew that she couldn't sleep for long. Soon the tutor would be here and they would have to play the front of Sakura's pretend family. Deidara gently and quietly shuffled off his Akatsuki cloak, folding it carefully and placing it in his bag hat he kept on his hip at all times. One would never know when a battle could deteriorate out of nowhere.

Sakura was very tired, Deidara was tempted to let the poor girl sleep, but sadly the organization come first. At least for now. Deidara stayed quiet as a knock came on the door. He had sensed the approaching chakra levels, but didn't want to say anything less it was his partners. Deidara sighed and carefully lowered Sakura to the couch and made to go open the door.

As soon as Deidara reaches the door it flung open and nearly hit him in the mouth.

"Hey!" Deidara glared at his partner Sasori, who climbed into the room smoothly. It was if his huge puppet body was a part of him. If it wasn't for Sasori feeling mostly safe inside the organization, not even Deidara would know that inside that suit lay another puppet body. It was like puppet inception.

Itachi followed him in and set off for the sleeping child, fully intending to wake her. Behind them a head of Snow White hair appeared in the house. He walked through the door holding a medical sack and a large bag.

"Hello." The man held out his hand to Deidara, shaking it profusely. Deidara was glad the mouths were closed as he had problems with them randomly controlling themselves and sometimes licking things. Over on the couch Itachi was met with a wave of resistance as Sakura screamed and tried to bite his hand. She was exhausted from a day of play and travel and all she wanted to do was nap in front of the warm fire. Sakura yawned and flipped her head back down on the couch, making Itachi sigh. He didn't like pushing the vulnerable human but if she couldn't obey them he would have to resort to spanking.

"My name is Kabuto." The dangerous ninja smirked.

Kabuto smirked, looking over his shoulder at the child. He almost did a double take. "Wow." The tall white haired nun approached her agitated small body.

Itachi sat down beside her and lifted her into his arms, trying to wake her up with a bounce. "Deidara go and play upstairs. Is something wrong?" Itachi wondered looking at the mans intense gaze directed toward Sakura. Perhaps he knew her in the past. Itachi mused to himself. Sasori moved to the kitchen, off to make Sakura's bottle. She would surely be agitated and needed a small dose of tea to relax. Deidara sighed but scurried upstairs to play with his clay. It would seem suspicious if they all stayed in one room. He was confused as to the plan now that his master personally knew the ninja.

"Nothing at all." Kabuto assured them, reaching them into his bag. "She looks very familiar however." Kabuto smiled at her, but for once Sakura didn't reply to his smile with her own. She was dozing off in the elder Uchiha's arms.

"That pink hair. It's a very unique shade. I know of one girl with that same shade. Can't remember her name however." Itachi nodded, but didn't comment as uncaring as he was. Kabuto shrugged it off, searching in his bag for his notes. Sakura groaned as Itachi poked her. Obviously he wasn't going to let her sleep. Kabuto took a mental note of Itachi's struggle with the girl.

"Can you tell me about her sleeping schedule? Is she tired usually?" Kabuto resurfaced with a pen and his notebook. His medic senses taking over quickly as he waited for the Uchiha to respond. Sakura stayed upright in Itachi's lap, but looked upon him with tired eyes.

"Well... she sleeps at night." Itachi suggested. She had only been there for two days. There was no schedule involved so Kabuto would have no trouble inputting a firm one. Kabuto stared openly at the Uchiha, waiting for the brunt of the joke.

"How often does she nap?" He asked. Itachi looked down at her confused. "At night?" Itachi asked confusingly. It was more of a question then a statement. Kabuto chuckled.

"No wonder she's a tired child. Us ninja are so used to running on fumes, but children are used to draining their cnergy must faster. A small 2 hour nap in between the day, sometimes two or more will do her wonders. If she's looking tired or crying a bit more than usual. Try laying her down with a bottle." Kabuto suggested, making notes all the while. It's a wonder this child had survived at all.

"My daughter and I," Itachi started, Kabuto throwing him a side glance. Surely he doesn't think I'm an idiot. Who would have a child with a puppet? Kabuto just went with the notion that if he was compensated well he didn't care what was going on.

"She hasn't had a very stable life." Itachi said seriously. Kabuto nodded, ready to ask questions. "I'll need as much information as you can provide me. Starting with her name."

Itachi went on without skipping a beat. "Dreamer Akasuna." Itachi had trained with the Anbu, had murdered his family and remaining clan members, had beaten his brother to a near pulp, and done many horrid things in the Akatsuki. However as he talked about sharing a child with Sasori, he almost for once in his life showed emotion.

A heavy cringe nearly settled on his face. He turned to Sakura and tried his hardest to remember this was for her. She needed to learn to perfect her motor skills and speech. If trying to convince his relationship with Sasori was real to this man Kabuto, then he would do that to protect Sakura.

On the other hand, Itachi would also kill this man if he ever proved that Sakura was from Konoha. Anyone that would prove faulty to her continued existence had to die

"Dreamer.. I wonder when her Sharingan will emerge." Kabuto thought out loud as he wrote, Itachi stroked her long pink hair to soothe her. She was slightly anxious.

"Perhaps between the ages of nine and eleven. They can emerge after a great excitement so maybe even earlier." Itachi suggested. Sasuke hadn't activated his until the age of 11. Itachi tried not to smile as he remembered his younger brother running straight at him with a chidori, screaming his intentions and position to the entire world. He vowed to teach Sakura different. He would squash her childish behavior and show her the true way to battle.

Kabuto put his keyboard down and gestured for Itachi to let go of her. He held out his hand to Sakura and spoke his words clearly.

"Take my hand Dreamer."

Being trained in the Anbu, Itachi didn't miss the way Kabuto's eyes shifted to the right when he said her fake name. He would surely have a lot to talk about when they left.

Sakura yawned but clearly understood him as she patted it gently before keeping her hand in his. Kabuto helped her stand and took her to the small area in front of the fireplace. Patiently he allowed her to climb down.

"I'm going to teach you a few spelling tips Dreamer, your father is going to help me so that he can practice with you at home." Kabuto reached into his bag and produced a huge stack of flash cards. He was confident that by the way Sakura was acting to commands, she would be perfectly learning and picking up very soon enough.

Itachi removed his robes and sat down beside Sakura in front of the warm fire.

When Sasori joined the fray, Itachi was teaching her to repeat letters. Sakura was looking at him skeptically. She was not at all amused with him at the moment.

"Don't worry." Kabuto smiled at her. "You'll have the alphabet memorized in no time."

Sasori was marveled as he passed Sakura her bottle. She scooped it up greedily without watching him, otherwise he supposed she might have screamed. Sasori took a seat on the couch to watch them. Kabuto was very professional and obviously a very experienced medical ninja. In the past Sasori had sent him to look after Orochimaru and spy for them. He should have known that he would have been also working part time for a children's daycare.

Kabuto had deep connections with children. Just as Sasori had deep connections with puppeteers.

Behind his mask, Sasori stared openly at his daughter as the hours went by. Kabuto lectured her, played games with her, and even sang to her the alphabet in all types of ways. He had assured them on the walk to the house that the easiest way to help her communication skills was to teach her the basics. By teaching her about objects and numbers and even letters they could quickly mow the way for her to absorb other information. In just one year's time from now Sakura would be training heavily at just three years old. Hopefully by that time she would be adjusting more easily. Her motor skills would have no choice.

The hours flew by quickly, and by them all of Sakura's bottle had emptied, and she was screaming positive delight.

"Calm down sweetheart." Itachi placed a kiss at her temple. Sakura screamed a high pitched wail once again. Three seconds later she was still screaming as she played patty cake with Kabuto. He was highly amused.

"Sorry about that. She seems to be a very excitable child." Kabuto complimented her. Sakura was deadly happy. Itachi chuckled. She was on her knees, copying the white haired nin's stance as she smacked his hands desperately.

"What did we learn today Dreamer?" Kabuto asked her with a kind smile. Sakura didn't answer, wildly smacking his hands and avoiding his questions. It completely flew out of her head. As if he hadn't been talking to her.

"I want to make this normal after ever session. If she learns something new at home ask again." Kabuto suggested to the two adult ninjas.

"Sakura. Did we learn our A's." He put a heavy emphasis on A. Sakura smiled and continued along. "B. C." She finished, not knowing how to go on.

"Well at least we got three down." Kabuto laughed. Sasori gaped at her behind the mask. He had never learned the innocence of a baby's knowledge. They had the power to remember. Her memory was her brains biggest defense. He did well to shuffle away. The second Kabuto left, he would remove his suit. Sasori also wanted to have a hand in teaching his daughter about the ways of society.

Sasori hoped that she would continue to have perfect chakra control when she was older. Maybe she too would take an interest in puppetry like he did. He was a few years older than her when he controlled his first puppet.

"Daddy?" Sakura was looking down at her hands confused. She hadn't seen her red haired father in a long time.

"I'm right here Dreamer." Itachi smiled at her, father her in his arms. Sakura pouted and would have continued to ask for her father, but Itachi spoke overhead of her.

"I believe this is good enough for the day. She's getting a little clingy." Itachi sighed. She wanted Sasori but didn't recognize that he was inside the puppet. Kabuto nodded, his eyes lingering on her green eyes.

Funny. She looks exactly like that pink haired brat from the Chunin Exams.