sasusaku month 2016
day 09 - “that would be enough”
ff.net | ao3
He never had much to offer her.
He was a former rogue-nin, carrying the weight of his past sins on his back, while wandering in search for redemption. He was a broken man, still bleeding from the wounds he tried to hide when he was younger, the wounds he gained when he was a child.
He was a hawk with no nest, no rest. Always traveling, always leaving. He couldn’t offer her what their friends, and their husbands’ friends offered. He couldn’t promise her countless mornings waking beside each other. He couldn’t promise her boring daily activities spent together. He couldn’t promise her to be a perfect partner, or even just an average one. He couldn’t promise to be by her side all the time, or to be open and share his dark secrets with her.
If he were to be committed to her, he could only offer her his heart.
For Sakura, that would be enough.
She could embrace him with his need for space, his secrets, his odd behavior and his challenging personality. She would love him with his flaws, just as she had always loved, the past years of him being a wanted criminal being a hard experience that eventually made her heart stronger, and would be content to only have his love back.
For Sakura could offer so much more.
She could give him time and space. Attention and comprehension. She could give him unconditional love, and accept him just the way he was. She could give him a home. A family. And deep down she would tell herself that all of that would be enough.
And yet he always left. Just as easily as a bird spreads its wings and flies to the next tree branch, leaving her behind once again. And she couldn’t stop herself from wondering, couldn’t hold the insecurity at bay.
Sasuke was here. Sasuke didn’t blame her. Sasuke loves her. Sasuke wants to continue whatever this is with her. Sakura couldn’t be more relieved. Bury no matter what, she will forever bare the burden of knowing she lost her child. The pain of losing the ability to ever have more children. The lose of her self in a sense. Even though everything was so cruel, it just seems like a cake. And she just happened to get a rotten slice of life. But at least it wasn’t rotten to the core.
They headed back to the village and ran into Ino right at the gate, “Sakura!” She yelled at her friend who was leaning on her husband of support. “Where the hell were you the whole time?”
“Let’s not talk about it now Ino, we have to take her back to Tsunade.”
They headed back to the hospital and Ino started off to tell everyone Sakura’s whereabouts.
“You knew you’re own situation Sakura,” Tsunade started, “why would you run off like that?”
“Lady Tsunade, I have a request to put in. Please tell Kakashi-Sensei, I’m not fit for battle. I’ll be staying in the village from now on. I don’t want to be a ninja anymore.” Sakura looked up from her bed, “From this day forward I will no longer fight on the front lines, I’ll be a simple housewife and a doctor.”
“I’ll talk to Kakashi. I’ll leave you two be.”
Tsunade left the room and left Sasuke and Sakura to themselves.
“Tenten said Sarada is doing fine. She told you not to worry.”
“I see…”
“So are you really turning away from the life of a ninja?” He asked his wife.
Sakura looked down at her hands in contemplation. Her thoughts wandered back to the rainy night; the day she lost Sanosuke. “I didn’t turn on the life of a ninja, it turned on me. I lost our child that day.”
“It’s not your fault Sakura. How many times do I have to tell you not to blame yourself?”
“You don’t understand. It doesn’t matter what you say. As a mother, I should have been able to protect him. It was my stupid decision that costed his life. I don’t want to fight anymore. I just want to be here in the village and raise Sarada; the only thing I have left in this life.”
“…” Sasuke had nothing to say.
Naruto barged in. “Sakura-chan, are you okay?!”
“I’m fine. I just need some rest.” Sakura smiled gently at Naruto. “Can you take Sasuke and pick up Sarada? I need some time alone.”
“Okay Sakura-chan.” Naruto looked at his best friend. “Let’s go Sasuke.”
They were approaching Tenten’s place when Naruto spoke up. “What are you and Sakura-chan going to do now?”
“Sakura decided to quit being a kunoichi.”
“What?!” Naruto was flabbergasted. “She can’t do that! Sakura loves being a ninja!”
“Sakura is tired,” Tenten said. They arrived at her door step. “Give her a break Naruto. Just don’t push her right now guys. Let her calm down; she’ll decide for herself.”
Tenten handed Sarada to the one handed Sasuke. He held her very awkwardly yet securely in his arm. “Thank you Tenten.” Sasuke headed back to the Uchiha compound and Naruto headed home.
The next day Sakura was discharged and she came home right after the fact. “I’m back Sarada.” She joyfully announced to her one year old daughter.
Sasuke came from Sarada’s bedroom. "She’s sleeping.”
“Sasuke-kun…”
“We have to talk.” Sasuke led her over to the couch. “I know there’s a lot I’ve left unsaid. Let’s get it all out now.”
“It’s okay Sasuke. I’m okay.”
“No you’re not, I need you to understand that this is not your fault…”
“I really don’t need this…”
“Stop it Sakura! You do need this! You need this more than anyone! You need my support right now and I’ll be here for you just like you were there for me all those years ago.”
Sakura was taken a back by her husband’s sudden outrage.
“I can’t let you go on raising Sarada thinking you are not a worthy mother.”
“Sasuke-kun I…”
“No, let me talk right now. I know I don’t communicate well. I know I naturally tense in your presence. I know I avoid you. None of that is your fault. And I will no longer do those things. I will make an effort to change. So please Sakura don’t do this. Don’t give up being a ninja.”
“Sasuke-kun, we lost more than Sanosuke. I didn’t just lose my ability to bare children. We lost another daughter, we were having twins.” The news hit Sasuke like his own chidori. How much more must they lose? How much more must Sakura have to endure? Did she plan on enduring all this by herself? “I also lost time.” Sasuke feared at the meaning those words held. "The wounds were deep. They will not fully heal, I have 3 years…tops.”
“…Sakura.” Sasuke could not say anything, what was there to say? He lost his kids, and now he’s can only sit there, waiting for the death of his wife.
“I just, I want to be there for Sarada as long as I can. I don’t want to lose a second with her. I don’t want to lose a second with you…”
“That would be enough.” Sasuke said and pulled his wife into an embrace. He held her head in his chest, "That would be enough Sakura.” Sasuke was in tears, as much as an Uchiha could be. “I understand, I understand everything now. I’m so sorry I didn’t notice.”
Sakura held him tightly, “I love you Sasuke and as long as you understand…that would be enough for me."
Title: One Last Time
Day Nine – Prompt: "That Would Be Enough"
Summary: The ground they stood on is now a graveyard.
Note: I hate writing character death but this was the first thing that came to mind. welp. Also on fanfiction!
Death was all that they could see. Fallen brave shinobis now lay on the battlefield in this Fourth Shinobi War. The God Tree was growing slowly as many tried to fight the evil that was ahead of them.
Team Seven, finally reunited, stood side by side as they faced Kaguya themselves. They felt fear but were strong enough to handle this. They were no longer those inexperienced genins, who believed everything was easy.
As the first and second attacks came, they fought back. The defences only held up for so long. It felt like time was running out. Sakura looked up at the God Tree, as it had moved half an inch. But there was no time to worry. She had to focus on fighting and protecting her teammates, the three men she loved dearly.
Once she saw an opening, Sakura ran for it. This was her shot to show that she wasn't going to stand in the background. She dodged a few swings before getting right at Kaguya's face. The punch was just a second away before she was pulled back to where Kakashi's was. All she could hear was Naruto yelling angrily.
And then there was blood.
Sakura and Kakashi sprinted towards Naruto and Sasuke. She stopped dead in her tracks and fell to her knees. Her hands lit green automatically as she held back the tears. Sasuke was struggling to breathe and there was too much blood.
"Stay with me, Sasuke," Sakura pleaded. "You can't leave us now. We just got you back. Please."
As all of her attention was on Sasuke, Naruto took the opportunity to drive away Kaguya from the scene. Naruto wanted to stay but there was still a war going on.
"Sakura, don't give up," Naruto tells her before taking off.
She felt his heart still beating which was a good sign but if she didn't fix the main source of the bleeding, they were going to lose him. Forever. For the first time since the war started, Sakura felt a teardrop down her cheek. She begged herself to stop crying but more came, some touching Sasuke's still face.
"Keep breathing, Sasuke-kun. Please stay alive," she begged. Her chakra became greener as she pushed harder to close the bleeding. As a doctor, she knew it would be useless but as Sakura, she'd do anything to keep the boy she love alive.
Kakashi stood there hopelessly. He hated watching his students suffer like this. It gave him horrible flashbacks to when he was younger.
Sakura was becoming tired, it felt like her chakra was at its lowest. She felt hopeless. Staring down at Sasuke, she finally cries. His breath was becoming short, his heart rate was slowing down, and his skin felt cold. It was all too similar.
Suddenly, Sakura felt his cold hand on her cheek, wiping away her tears. Even though his hands were cold, they felt warm against her skin.
"Stop crying," he tells her. "Thanks for healing me, Sakura but that would be enough..."
"No! Just hold on, I can stop the bleeding and-"
"It's no use." Sasuke's face saddens. He knew it was time and she knew it too. None of them wanted to say it out loud. "Sakura, I'm sorry for everything..."
Her hands touched his, holding onto it. If this were a movie, her warm touch could heal him but it wasn't. This was war and there would be causalities, but never in her life, Sasuke would be one of them. The tears were still coming but she held them back.
"I know you don't want to hear it because I'm annoying but you need to know one last time. I love you, Sasuke. I love you with all my heart. I'm so happy you came back."
The smile on his face was relaxing, making her smile a bit. He didn't say anything but carefully raising his cold hand, and poked her forehead. "I know... Thank you."
Title: And the World breathes a sigh of relief
Author: BouquetofTurtles
Summary: Sasuke is leaving for the war and Sakura is enough.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto.
Prompt: That Would Be Enough
Rating: T
Comments: This is my first time writing fanfiction and I really love Hamilton which is probably the reason I decided to submit this. It was originally going to be sad but nah happy ending for all, for now. Also really corny and the ending isn’t really good.
“Isn’t this enough for you?, Aren’t I enough?, What more do you need?” Sakura breathed harshly as she blocked his path at the door way. He stared down at her, unable to voice his reasons. His bag weighed heavy on his shoulder and back. Doesn’t she know she is more than enough, that he isn’t enough for her? Looking downward he sees the bulge in her dress and reaches down to cup it.
“Sakura, you are strong and you know it, don’t bow down to fear” he stated as his eyes searched hers.
“You don’t have to leave, this war isn’t ours to fight” she exclaimed, desperation clawing at her chest. Settling her own hand on top of his, imagining the screams and stench of blood the accompanies any war.
She wants to anchor him to her and the life they’ve built away from torn ground and lost ones. Why he continues to go head first into it is beyond her. Or rather it isn’t, she’s being selfish she knows.
Sighing out a breath, he drops his head onto her shoulder. “I’ll be back I promise but the General is waiting and I gave my word” his tone calm.
She shakes eyes wide, “I need you, we need you” her voice lost in the room, “Please stay”.
Lifting his head and placing his hands on her shoulders, she takes comfort in the warm weight, he levels his eyes to hers “I love you” bending his forehead.
She grips the front of his shirt “What if that isn’t enough?” she asks. “It has to be it’s all I can give right now”, Sakura falls into his arms and he carries her to a nearby lounge, kisses her forehead gives one last caress to her abdomen and leaves.
A few months later he returns his left arm blown away by a cannon and a fever overtaking his form. Sakura does what she can, with her now swollen body. The cries of victory outside the streets seem like jeers to her. His dark hair is plastered to his temples and his panting echoes throughout the room.
“Sasuke if you could just make it through this that would be enough please, please just fight this” voice quivering and body aching. He has been going in and out of consciousness for the better part of a week and yet the fever has yet to break. Gradually, it ebbs away and he is well enough to stand.
Sakura aids him in getting in and out of bed for the next month, when the servants are asleep. He refuses at first knowing the the child will soon be born and the strain it is causing Sakura.
Eight weeks after he returns their child is born, with short black hair and a wail that breaks the stagnant household, that has held it for the better part of a year.
