His strength –(KisaSaku English version) part 2 of 3

Sakura often repeated this... To him and to the others...

“I’m not strong...”

But she was wrong... She was so wrong.
And Kisame knew it perfectly. She was a strong woman. Not only for the incredible strength within her tiny body... But even for how she handled with her daily life with incredible serenity.
A life that the swordsman had willingly abandoned for a life as a wanted criminal.
Well, it wasn’t that he didn’t like his life, now he could fight freely.
And he liked to fight. But only if the enemy was as strong as him...
But he often thought about her with a bit of envy.
He often followed her without being noticed. He nearly seemed to protect her, when he was at the limits of voyeurism in reality.
He was fascinated from every movement of her.
How she had relations with others, how she worked every day. From when she woke up in the morning, to how, after a “strict ritual”, she went to sleep.
He had arrived even at the point to neglect himself, for following her.
And the others of his group were there to mock him.
“Kisame is in love... Kisame is in love...”
They sang, ignoring the fact that he was like a cat and they were the mice. Risking a lot, so.
His strength is enormous... They knew it... But they didn’t give a damn about it! Because now, before their eyes, he seemed weak. A loser...
And Itachi, what did he say? His most trusted partner, his silent counselor who strictly commanded him... What could he say to him?
Nothing... Or better, he told him only one thing, but it couldn’t be defined neither as a mocking, nor as an advice...
Because it was both the things.

“Go, Kisame... Run... Run to your Ophelia!”

Ophelia... Who the fuck was this Ophelia?! He didn’t know, but Itachi explained him, briefly that she was a woman joked by her man.
The grief provoked by that huge pain brought her to madness and suicide...
But was he joking? What did he know about he and Sakura? How could he say that she was weak if he didn’t even know her?
Behold a thing of Itachi he couldn’t stand!
Because that girl was strong... In all the points of view! The simplicity of how he handled her daily life was the demonstration.
A life that he could have never handled like her... Because he was a monster...
And monsters can’t live with human beings.
And Kisame... Who perfectly knew that he was an impious creature... He would never permit to that girl to become like him (semi – inexistent grammar, I know, note of the translator).
He didn’t even know why he did this so thoughtlessly, he only knew that in that girl he saw the boy he had been time ago...
With the only difference that she didn’t have a so bad relationship with other people, with the world as the Shark Demon.
“But why...” he always asked himself... “Why Sakura... Do you crave power? You’re already strong!”

[...]

“Ahiiii!”

An afternoon, without serious purpose, he hit his young pupil a bit too violently.

“Sakura... Dammit, excuse me!”

The hit had sent her against a tree, but at a first sight she seemed all right. Maybe her pride was a bit hurt... But this was inevitable, because she always said to herself she was a loser!
A bad thought  crossed the mukenin’s head... Maybe the hit was given with “true” rage...
Jealousy was an ugly beast...
She smiled, while she healed her wounds, as if it was she who had been wrong.
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing... Ahi!”
Her chakra was already nearly finished and to heal that cut it would have passed a lot of time...
But she couldn’t stay in that place for a long time... Soon the evening would have fallen and if she didn’t come back to home she would have been in big troubles!
After all... That was a ninja village and it was a “miracle” that no one had discovered them yet.
In that short time, the swordsman decided, picked up the girl and as she was a bag of potatoes, he put her on his shoulder.
Even if she obviously protested.
If they saw her with such a cut on her leg, she would have been filled of questions! So it was wiser to take her home, where perhaps she could relax and heal by herself later.

[...]

“So... It here you live eh? Eh, eh, eh, It’s nice as place...”
He took her home when it was about time of dinner. Now thy were both sitting on her bed looking at her toys.
Sakura was tensed, this was clear even for him, but she couldn’t say if it was because of his presence... Or because her room looked like a room’s teen.
“Thank you...”
Her voice was like a whisper and she looked at the floor. She tortured her fingers nervously.
Her leg was now completely healed, whoever would see her couldn’t say that she had just fought!
But something obvious tormented her...
“Kisame... You... How do you know my house? How do you know... My routine... What I do...”
Her voice trembled, but it wasn’t clear if it was for rage or something else...
Anyway the milk was poured... He had been discovered... And it was clear that he had to give her reasons soon!
He breathed in defeat and moved his look to the floor...
“Sakura... I’m sorry, ok?! Perhaps I’ve been really a stupid! But you see... I’ve been fascinated by you... I’ve been watching you for a long time and I must admit that what you do it’s impossible for me! The way you behave towards others... Even your way to deal with your daily routine... You can say whatever you want Sakura... But you’re already strong!”
She... Strong?! That was good! How could he make a comparison her normality to true strength?!
But maybe... It was because he was a mukenin?! And so he could have never understood such luck?! But he was already lucky! He had strength! and with that he could protect and defeat everyone...
“I envy you, Sakura... And don’t try to argue with me! Don’t make a comparison between destruction and peace... They’re completely opposites...”
He wouldn’t be able to reach her strength... And she, on the other hand, would never become like him.
They envied each other, practically! Because blue would have never become pink... And pink would have never become blue...
But she didn’t give a damn about that, really! She would reach that so different colour. Even if she liked pink.
And he... Who loved blue like mad... He would try to be like her at all costs. To be like pink.

She didn’t know why she did that. Sakura kneeled on her bed and gave a tender kiss on her sensei’s lips.
And he was surprised of that thing! And nearly embarrassed he kissed back.
A beauty who kissed a beast isn’t seen everyday...
When they separated their lips, after what it seemed an eternity, they made a promise that seemed a defy.
“Listen, Kisame... I don’t give a damn about what you think! I’ll become as strong as you! That you like it or not, I’ll have your strength!”
There was a lot of determination in her words. Words that he greeted with a big laugh.
“Eh, eh, eh! Ok! And even if you don’t want to, I’ll have your strength! And you’ll see, Ill be the winner surely!”
They both smiled before that absurd promise... Because it was nearly obvious that their dreams would never become true.
Because they both knew that they were into an illusion...
Right like Hamlet and Ophelia... But that hadn’t no meaning for them!

Because they were Sakura and Kisame... And they were both strong!