SasuSaku Month 2018 - Day 2: Side by Side
Rating: T
A/N: A day late, but it’s up now. Thank you for reading and hope you like it! Day 1 here.
He had loved many people, before.
His loving mother, with her caring gestures and encouraging words. His older brother, who sacrificed everything to protect him regardless of the consequences. His father, though their relationship had been complicated, pushed him to become strong. His aunts and uncles and cousins. People he saw and interacted with every day. It was because he had loved all those people that had led him to seek revenge against his brother and then again once he learned the truth about Itachi’s sacrifice.
The first time he realized that he once again managed to love, he grew angry. After all was said and done, he felt like he was betraying his mother, father and Itachi. Slowly the anger and betrayal faded away and he grew terrified. The people he cared about had a habit of ending up dead, some by his own hand.
Naruto had almost died countless times because of him. Yet the brat always managed to come out on top and teach him a lesson. Time and time again, Naruto would swear that no matter what he did, he would always have people who would care about him.
With time, he grew to accept the jinchuriki’s words and a small part of him felt satisfied. He traveled and came to terms with his feelings. He came to accept most of what he had done and tentatively began to put that in the past. Before he knew it, his thoughts turned towards his female teammate. The girl who was so ready to join him for the second time on his journey. No questions asked.
By the time he realized it, she was all he could think about. He thought of her vibrant emerald eyes and how they shined like the sun whenever she was happy. Or how they twinkled with mischief. Even how they shimmered with tears, most of the time because of him. He was convinced he'd made her cry more times than smile and still she cared for him. The selfish part of him was glad. Glad that he was the only one in her heart.
At least, that's what he hoped.
He hoped Sakura understood the meaning behind his gesture, even though he couldn't say it out loud at the time. He hoped she would wait for him to sort out the mess he called his life. Even if she didn’t wait, which maybe she shouldn’t if he was honest with himself, he would always hold her close. But he was very much hoping that she was.
Finally, years later, he traveled through the empty and dark streets of his once former home. His feet followed the familiar trail of chakra he had memorized long ago. It led him straight to her doorstep; a narrow, two story complex. Through the little window he could make out a dark living room and hallway leading to the kitchen where a small light from the stove top produced enough glow to show it was empty. He further tracked her chakra and pinpointed her exact location one floor above him, on the balcony to be precise.
He smirked slightly, a yearning to see her filling his chest. He jumped up and landed quietly on the railing. He half expected her to jump out at him, but was pleasantly surprised when he found her curled up on a small loveseat, blanket falling to the ground and a medical text in her hands. The sight of her after all these years left him breathless. They were both teenagers back then, but now, she was a beautiful young woman.
He noted with intrigue how his heart sped up simply by being in her presence, and how his stomach fluttered with anticipation. It was the same feeling that washed over him each and every time he thought about Sakura. Little by little the bubblegum-pink haired kunoichi wormed her way into his heart and made herself a very permanent home. Internally, he fought her every step of the way because someone like him didn't deserve to be loved. The sins he carried on his back were too great and he'd be damned if he let that be spilled onto her. She was the light to his darkness and as he took in every detail, he hoped she would always stay by his side.
With a few quick steps he stood next to her and watched with amusement as she let out a sigh and turned her body in his direction. Even in her sleep she seemed to gravitate towards him and that thought alone made him feel prideful of the fact that it was him that she sought. His fingers twitched as an overwhelming desire to touch her filled him. For once he didn't want to deny himself such a simple pleasure. With slow and measured actions, he allowed his fingers to graze her pale cheek tenderly. Her skin felt like porcelain, just as he figured it would.
“Hmm.. Sasuke…” Sakura murmured in her sleep, leaning into his touch.
He was torn between waking her up and watching her sleep. Instead he settled for watching her rest a little longer. He pushed a few strands of loose hair away from her face and righted the blanket that had now fallen to the ground. The night was cold and she had nothing but a thin black shirt and shorts on. Her apple green colored toes curled as her body had began to tremble from an unusually cool late summer breeze rolling in.
When he had decided to return to Konoha it had been with the intention to finally start honoring the Uchiha name and strengthening those bonds that he had tried so hard to sever. But as he looked down at Sakura’s slumbering face, he knew that he had come back for her. While it had taken him some time to come to terms with the fact that he loved Sakura, he'd had an even greater struggle allowing himself to return those feelings. The loss of his loved ones had left a traumatizing hole in his heart, and yet loving her felt right.
He didn't simply love her. He was in love with her. That realization had left a powerful imprint on his psyche and now he couldn't stay away any longer. He was back and, if she allowed him to, he intended to make her his. Permanently.
He caressed her cheek gently again. “Sakura.”
Emerald eyes slowly fluttered open and connected with his. There was a minute of silence until recognition registered in her eyes and the next thing he knew, he was being enveloped by her arms and being pulled towards her. Her familiar scent washed over him soothingly and her body warmth permeated his own cold body. He breathed her in and committed every detail to memory.
Sakura pulled back, a small blush staining her cheeks, and stared into his eyes joyfully. She seemed to be doing the same to him, memorizing every bit of him. After a couple more seconds in silence she let out a soft giggle and looked down shyly.
Sakura Haruno had been called many things in her short, young life - some especially hurtful things behind her back, she’s sure, but she’d learned to let them roll off her shoulders. One lesson her shishou had drilled into her was that labels and titles did not define a person. It did no good to dwell on how other people defined you and since then, Sakura had made sure to let her actions speak for her. After the Fourth Shinobi War, much had changed afterwards, but what she absolutely did not expect was to be singled out as one of the greatest medical nin and kunoichi in the five nations. In fact, she’d just about fainted on Ino when the bubbling blonde had cornered her in her office and relayed the news, which she had heard from some traveling civilians in one of her recent missions to the Land of Waves.
She kept a level head and gracefully accepted that her growth as a shinobi had been acknowledged. Something that she had been chasing since her resolve to catch up to her two teammates ever since she was a genin. She had truly thought that nothing would be better, but here she was, standing frozen in the middle of the early morning marketplace. Her mouth dropped open in a small ‘o’ as she stared at the old woman handing her a small bag of bright red tomatoes.
“Sakura-san?” The older lady nudged her slowly. “Are you okay, dear?”
The world caught up with her again. She shook her head slightly and smiled apologetically for her rudeness. “I-I’m sorry. You caught me off guard.”
The older woman laughed good naturedly and patted her hand gently to accept the bag she was trying to hand her. “It’s quite alright, dear. Like I said, I wanted to show my appreciation of your courageous services during the war. Without you, many of our own would have perished. You’re a hero.”
A small blush tinted her usually pale cheeks as a sliver of embarrassed bashfulness fluttered around in her stomach.
“I’m no hero,” Sakura replied truthfully, averting her gaze. “I simply could not let good men and women die, not if I could help it, and I certainly was not about to stand by and watch as our world ended.”
“My dear, one who fights for others that cannot fight for themselves is a hero,” the older woman stated confidently. “Now, don’t fight your elders on this one. Please accept this token from this humble old woman.”
Sakura bit her lip before smiling softly and nodding. She took the small bag and held it close to her chest. For a fleeting moment, the ruby red eyes of the boy she loved flashed across her mind and with it, her heart raced in response. The blush on her cheeks intensified as she became flustered, then cursed herself silently at the strong reactions he could get out of her. And he wasn’t even there.
The old woman bowed lightly and grinned at her, her steel grey eyes twinkled playfully. “Perhaps they may guide your sweetheart back to you.”
“Sweetheart?!” Sakura squeaked and almost dropped the bag startled. “What? No! I don’t have a-a… sweetheart.”
“Oh, do forgive this old woman,” she chuckled, waving her hand around dismissively. “I assumed you and that handsome Uchiha were together at last. It certainly seemed like it before he left.”
Sakura… thank you.
Her heart fluttered and her stomach churned, like a thousand butterflies had suddenly taken flight inside her. She dropped her gaze down to the floor shyly and a tender smile danced upon her lips as she remembered Sasuke on the day he left for his journey of redemption.
“We’re not together,” Sakura sighed softly.
The old woman clicked her tongue, then smiled. “You listen to me, dear. That boy, however many wrong decisions he made in the past, he paid for them on that battlefield and he became a hero too when he decided to save our home. He’ll be back soon.”
Sakura’s throat tightened with unshed tears as the older woman’s words sunk in. She knew people had not forgotten about any of the transgressions made by the young Uchiha and were even less likely to forgive, but to hear that someone, at least one person, thought him a hero was all she could ask for. A small, tentative smile erupted on her face as she thanked the older woman and began making her way back to her apartment with her fresh ingredients. She had nearly forgotten she’d promised to drop off a box of warm breakfast for Kakashi before she headed to work as a small thank you for all the paperwork she had been sending his way because of the children’s clinic. It’s been almost six months since the clinic was fully operational, but it seemed the paperwork would never end. She laughed quietly under her breath as she remembered Kakashi’s look of betrayal when she walked in with the first stack.
As she walked by the main road leading to the gates, she found herself stopping and staring off into the distance. She could make out the guards in the distance and even further, past the gates, an empty road. A crushing feeling of loneliness started up in her heart as she couldn’t but wonder when Sasuke would be back.
“Please, be safe,” Sakura whispered to the wind like a prayer. And come back to me soon.
SasuSaku Month 2018 - Day 3: Restless
Rating: T
A/N: A day late, but here it is. This is a continuation of day 2. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy it! Day 2 (and part 1) here.
“You're the first person he came to see and you still didn't jump his bones?” Ino asked confused. She tilted her head and smirked at the immediate blush on her best friend’s cheeks.
“Ino, please!” Sakura covered her tomato-colored cheeks with her hands and hoped the floor would swallow her whole.
“What?” She smiled coyly. “Tell me it's a lie then. Tell me you do not have the hots for Uchiha.”
Sakura groaned and smacked her head on the counter. “Say it louder, why don't you? I don't think all your customers heard.”
“Pish posh,” Ino waved her off and went to ring up a customer.
Sakura sighed as she tried to compose herself. It's been three days since he had shown up in her balcony, while she had been sleeping no less, and woken her up to announce that he was home. The way he had caressed her cheek so tenderly and moved around her was a side that she had never seen. His gaze had always been intense since they were kids, but there was something else in those eyes. Something more she couldn't decipher. Something that made her insides flutter like a million butterflies and her heart thunder in her chest until it felt like it's going to spring from its cage. It made her feel like she was that lovesick schoolgirl all over again, but at the same time a new and foreign warmth spread over her. She chalked it up to hormones, but there was something there. It was thrilling and exciting and scary and… and she didn’t know how to handle it, quite honestly. Her body hummed with a nervous and restless energy she just couldn’t get rid of.
They had stayed up most of the night talking in her balcony. Well, she had done most of the talking but Sasuke had been pleasantly open with her when she had asked questions about his travels. It wasn't until the first few early birds began chirping that she realized what time it was and started to apologize for keeping Sasuke. As chance would have it, he ended up staying in her empty guest room after he admitted to not having made any sleeping arrangements. Of course she had insisted on letting him room with her however long he'd like.
Sasuke had smirked in response and wished her a goodnight before disappearing into the room. She waited until his door closed before pinching herself to make sure it wasn't all some figment of her imagination then proceeded to bring out an extra towel, with a set of spare clothes Naruto kept around, in case he ever had to stay over and wanted to freshen up. She had only gotten three hours of sleep before she had to run back to the hospital for a double shift. After making sure to leave a note on the kitchen counter, along with a spare key, she'd left for work.
To her great surprise, Sasuke took her offer and stayed with her. They'd eat together whenever they happened to be home at the same time and talk some more. They had a routine and it was nice, but at the back of her mind she felt cautious. She didn't want to doubt Sasuke and whatever intentions he had, but a part of her did, which is why she had come to Ino.
“Mom’s taking over, why don't we go get a bite to eat and solve what could possibly be your love life?” Ino popped up behind her, effectively making her jump in her chair and snap her out of her thoughts.
Sakura nodded in agreement and both set off to a little café nearby. Once they ordered a couple of drinks and appetizers, Ino turned her full attention to her friend. Her eyes were a little unfocused and her movements were edgy, definitely not a common thing for Ino to see in Sakura. She had seen her grow from a sad, bullied little girl to a strong and confident kunoichi who had a big reputation out in the shinobi world. Yet she had the same recurring theme that threw her life into chaos; Sasuke Uchiha.
“What's really bothering you, Sakura?” Ino finally asked. “Is it that Sasuke finally came back home or that he came directly to you?”
“No, no, I’m so happy that he's back,” replied Sakura immediately. “Before he left, he was so ready to be condemned and to die for the things he had done, and this journey he made was to help him. When he showed up that night and saw him, I wanted to cry.”
Ino listened attentively, inching closer, and noticed the way Sakura’s eyes glazed over with emotion.
“He no longer looked like he was ready to die,” Sakura continued. “In his eyes I saw something I hadn't seen in a very long time, since we were young children. Peace and hope.”
Sakura smiled fondly at the memory and chuckled as a tear ran down her cheek. She brushed it away and faced Ino, who had a perfectly shaped eyebrow raised at her in unabashed curiosity.
“My curiosity is through the roof,” smirked Ino. “I need to get a good look at our dear Uchiha with my own two eyes.”
“I've always been the one chasing him and now that he's back, I feel like there could be something there,” Sakura explained a little hesitantly. “It scares the hell out of me because I could be reading this whole situation the wrong way and I'll end up with another broken heart.”
“Look, Forehead, from what you're telling me it sounds like Sasuke is at the very least trying to mend your guy’s friendship,” Ino responded. “I bet my mind technique that there's something there. I know it, but the only way to know for sure is to find out for yourself.”
Sakura pondered her words and found they made sense. She was no longer that 12 year old or teenager from a couple of years ago. She was a young adult now running a children’s clinic and half of the hospital, not to mention a renowned jonin. She was a different person and so was Sasuke, and if he wanted to rebuild their friendship then she had no objection. Hell, she may even be open to something more.
She looked up, her mind made up. “You're right, Ino-pig.”
Ino laughed. “Why yes, I'm always right.”
“Oh no, your head’s about to float off your shoulders with all that air,” Sakura giggled. “Thanks, though. You’ve no idea how much I’ve been tossing and turning trying to figure out what to do.”
“Girl, you’re the definition of overthinking.” Ino rolled her eyes at her.
