Standard disclaimer applies.
A/n: Thank you to Chibi Tsuki Hikari for the title, and also to all those who gave their suggestions and comments.
Ages:
Serena – 14
Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura - 13
Rabbits and Snakes Don't Mix – Chapter 4
After three foiled attempts of escape, they decided to tie her up.
Sasuke looked determined, Sakura looked tired while Naruto looked dejected.
"Isn't this a bit too much?" Serena asked, eyeing her bound hands and feet distastefully. "I am supposed to be your 'precious cargo' right? Worth more than your life?" She reminded them loudly..
Nobody paid attention to her.
"How am I supposed to run if enemies attack?" She demanded.
"You don't run. We'll protect you." Sasuke answered her.
"Well, we're not going to stay here forever, so how am I supposed to walk?" she shot back.
"I'll carry you!" He snapped.
"Oh."
From the corner, Sakura made an 'eep' sound and half fainted away in envy. Why wasn't she born a princess?
They were moving as fast as they could. Sasuke carried her in his back, not complaining even when she tried to hinder his movements 'accidentally'.
"Where are you taking me?" She asked, not really expecting an answer. She had been trying to coax him to some mundane conversation for the past hour and received no reply or even a hint of acknowledgment. "Oh right, I'm just a baggage." She muttered under her breath.
"To the Mist Village." He answered surprising her.
"Oh." She said more in shock that he actually answered. Then his answer sank in. "WHAT? Are you out of your MINDS?" She shouted angrily.
"Shut up. Or I'll drop you." He threatened. They were just jumping over a small cliff.
"I dare you to." She challenged. He was bluffing, she thought scoffing. Since they all seemed to be so dedicated to their mission, they would protect her with their lives so that she wouldn't be hurt.
He released his hands and watched her expression as he did as he had said.
She didn't scream, but her eyes had widened in shock and astonishment. Her heartbeat thumped wildly against her chest, as the sudden drop to gravity caused her stomach to flutter, her nerves tingling. Before her senses went back to normal so that she could 'scream', he had already caught her.
He expected her to shout, be mad or do anything to continue to annoy him, instead she was silent.
"Are you ok?" He finally asked.
"Yes. I just never believed you would actually do it." She said with amazement. Then, she laughed. "It was kinda fun." She admitted, "I knew you would catch me." She said breezily. "Precious cargos aren't easily dropped."
He smiled faintly. Her laughter seemed to be some sort of truce… for now.
Sakura and Naruto had stayed farther up ahead to look for any approaching trouble never noticing anything. Sakura had looked back a few times in the beginning, but every time she looked her heart would break, so she would stop looking.
Finally she couldn't stand it.
"Um, hey Naruto… Do you think Sasuke likes the princess?" She asked sadly.
Naruto shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe…"
"Oh." Sakura sighed becoming even more depressed. Naruto touched her shoulder comfortingly. "Cheer up. Maybe he doesn't. You know how he is…cold and aloof. He's just paying attention to her because she's our mission." He excused lamely.
"Fool! You're a fool!" He scolded himself inwardly. He was probably the stupidest people in the world to have defended his rival to the woman he loves. But then she smiled, cheering up a bit, so it was kinda worth it.
"You failed?" Orochimaru asked, his voice deceptively calm.
"Please Orochimaru-sama, give us another chance." They pleaded. He silenced them with a look.That girl was too important and valuable for his plans. He can't afford any mistakes, evan calculated ones.
"Hmm…I think I'll go pay my bride a personal visit."
A/n: I know it's short, sorry!