→ @tenzx sent: “You haven’t laughed in a long time, and I guess I was staring ‘cause I forgot how that looked like.”
“Oi, Taichou, what are you staring at?” The question came between giggles, the conversation quite animated among the group.
A celebration that Sakura had reluctantly agreed to only after Ino forced her to, a commemoration of Sakura’s promotion to hospital director. The word spread quickly among their friends and, by nightfall, those who were free and not on mission had gathered for a drink and a toast. Even Sakura’s usually tense shoulders began to relax - mostly once the topic of conversation started moving away from herself after the initial commendations.
Friendly teasing and jokes carried out through the night, the pleasant sound of laughter drowning out Sakura’s worries and allowing her brain to shut down for a moment and enjoy herself. She felt YOUNG in that moment and realized then that, for some time now, she had carried an age on her shoulders that went far beyond her years. Maybe just for tonight she could allow herself to enjoy life rather than regret death.
Among the ruckus, Captain Yamato’s answer was unheard by anyone other than Sakura herself. Her cheeks were warm with glee and her eyes were glittering, and despite her expression softening when she heard his words, the happiness of the night was not dampened. Even though Sakura got a funny feeling in her chest when she mulled over that sentence, which made her realize she couldn’t remember the last time she laughed wholeheartedly. Even knowing that, by morning, she might go back to feeling that unwarranted age on her shoulders multiplied by her new responsibilities and what they entailed. Even if she didn’t think anyone else had noticed how long it had been since Sakura laughed.
“Ah, sorry.” It seemed like something she should apologize for, but Sakura wasn’t entirely sure why. She wasn’t sure at all how to respond to that statement, if she was honest, what with all the happiness and fondness and melancholy settling in all at once, keeping that funny feeling tied up in her chest. “Will you stop if I promise to try to do it more?”
She was rather fond of him, even more in this moment but, at the end of the day...
Yamato had a really spooky stare.










