#ssfest17

[behindheremeraldeyes]

SasuSaku Festival 2017 . Days 5/ 6/ 15- Saving her Man/ Civilian + Shinobi Love/ The Biggest Gesture . Title: Hidden Loners . Summary: AU- Sasuke is badly hurt and Naruto takes him to a cottage in the middle of the woods so he can get help. A secret lives there, and even without chakra, she won’t just watch him die in front of her eyes. . A/N: At LAST! It took me two weeks to finish and fix this, but now it's finally here! I got so so excited about this idea and now I can't wait to know what you think! I've decided to mix some themes together or I won't finish on time for the SS month. I still want to update my other long stories before July, and because I know myself, I gotta find a way to finish faster! I hope you all enjoy it, and please, leave me some feedback! . . . She was definitely not expecting visitors at such an early hour of the dawn.

The rain was pouring heavily on that night, soaking every hidden leaf that tried to protect itself. The wind was howling like a hungry monster, slipping through the cracks of her old, wooden windows. It was a cold, lifeless night, and yet, the knocks on her door were almost breaking it in half.

“ Sakura-chan! Hurry up! It’s an emergency!”

A desperate voice echoed through the entire forest, mixing with dry bumps, scaring owls and whatever living creature that could hear the blond ninja. His golden locks were darker now, water dripping from them as his entire ninja attire was equally drenched. His skin was cold, his knuckles were already stinging from knocking so hard and he could feel that sticky liquid sliding down his belly. A warm sensation enveloped his torso, and the distinct smell of iron was taking over his nostrils.

Blood was staining his clothes, he could feel it.

But that blood didn’t belong to him.

“ Sakura-chan!”

“ I’m coming!” A rough voice came from inside, creating a gap in between his lips. His eyes widened, and for a fraction of seconds, the blond could feel a certain relief taking over his senses. She was mad, for sure, but at least she was there. And if anyone could help him at that moment, it was that girl. “ God damn it, Naruto! Do you even know what time it i-“

Her words were cut out from her throat as soon as she opened her front door. The sound of the rain got louder, a cold breeze hit her body and her emerald eyes widened as she witnessed the horrific scene in front of her.

Naruto was there, as announced by all the screaming and knocking, but he was not alone, destroying the scenario she had expected. Soaked wet, with hair darker than he night itself, a boy partially conscious was leaning on the blond’s body. He was tall and his head was lowered, but even if she could not identify him, Haruno Sakura could clearly see that he was hurt. And for a medic such as her, that was the only thing that mattered at that moment.

“ Shit. Bring him in.”

Without thinking twice, she took a step aside, allowing both of them to make their way in. Naruto, due to the extra weight he was carrying, stumbled around, almost tripping on his feet as he followed her to what he concluded to be her kitchen. There was a large table there, which was previously set for one and which was quickly cleared in order to create some space. Plates and cutlery flew straight to the wooden floor, being immediately forgotten by everyone in that room as the attention was entirely set on the one wincing in pain.

The lights were now allowing her to inspect the hurt boy with her clinical eyes, as her friend quickly and carefully placed him over the table. The raven haired boy was contorting in pain, as his teeth were clenched and his clothes were torn in several places. They were stained in blood, and even before she could take a better look at his features, her emerald eyes spotted the red and white fan decoration his back.

So he was an Uchiha, she thought.

“ What happened here, Naruto?”

“ I don’t know. I found him like that in the middle of the road and I knew he wouldn’t make it to Konoha’s hospital. I had to bring him here, Sakura-chan… I can’t let him die. He’s my best friend.”

“…” Her emeralds locked with his blue orbs, and even if her friend didn’t say it out loud, she could tell more from his glance than from the rest. Naruto was worried sick, and if she were to place a hand over his chest, the rosette was sure she would feel his heart trying to break his ribcage. His eyes were desperate, holding back tears and silently screaming for help.

His best friend was dying right in front of his eyes, and if she didn’t do something fast, those blue eyes of his would lose their shine forever.

And she could not let that happen.

“ Okay. Tell me everything you know. Get your shit together and spill it out!”

“ H-Hai… There was this letter that was delivered to my house, and it told me to go to the road that leads to the Fire Country’s frontier. When I got there, I felt this weird chakra, and before I saw it, his body was just there-ttebayo!”

“ Anything else?”

“ No- I mean… I don’t remember!” He ran his fingers through his dump hair, walking around but not leaving that small space his despair had trapped him into. Naruto was clearly losing it, and at that very moment, she just could not waste time on that.

“ Get out of here, Naruto!”

“ W-What…? Don’t you need help?”

“Not from you. Now go!"

“ But Sakura-“

“ GO!”

Her scream made him snap, and she could see his Adam's apple going up and down in what seemed to be a dry swallow. He was scared. A lot more than anyone in that room, and she knew exactly how he felt at that time. Powerless. Weak. Useless. He didn’t know what to do to help and he didn’t really know if there was anything he could actually do at that moment to make sure his friend got to see another day.

It was all in her hands. The hands of a girl who gave up her entire village and decided to seclude herself in the woods.

And more than anything, as he walked out of the kitchen, he believed those hands. He had to.

“ Okay…” She let out a deep sigh. “ Now it’s just you and me… Sasuke.”

Her emeralds were now burning in determination, as her instincts started to kick in. As her first emergency move, her fingers went to the raven haired boy’s neck, touching his carotid and looking for his pulse. His muscles were stiffening, making it harder for her to feel anything, but it was clear that his heart was beating slower with every second. The rise and fall of his chest were also getting visibly compromised, as he seemed to be struggling harder and harder to move his diaphragm.

He needed air, she thought. He needed space. He needed her.

With one strong pull, the medic ripped off his clothes, discarding them and exposing his bare chest. Scars marked his skin, proving that his path had been anything but easy, as they mixed with the new wounds that were currently threatening his life. There was blood spread around his belly, and it was coming from a particular spot on his right side, just below his liver. It was a big wound, not deep enough to compromise any vital function, yet, she knew it would be the cause of his death if she didn’t do anything. Especially after she smelled that tricky scent.

It was poison.

His wound, as she could smell, was drunk in poison and by how fast his muscles were stiffing, she could tell the effects of whatever had entered his veins were not going to dissipate if she simply stood there, waiting. Sakura would have to administrate an antidote, and soon, if she wanted to reverse the effects of the poison, and luckily, for him, the pinkette had spent a considerable amount of time training under the tutoring of one of the best.

Those slugs were really coming in hand, she thought.

“ Look, you’ve been poisoned and I can reverse this. I just need to know who attacked you.”

“ W-Wha..?” He listened to her question almost as clearly as he had listened to her whole talk to his best friend a couple of moments before. Her voice- the voice of a faceless woman who knew his name- was distracting him from the entire pain that had taken over his body, and for a reason he did not know, he wanted to answer her questions. Even if he didn’t know who she was and even if he didn’t know if she was going to help him or not, Sasuke wanted to answer and just keep listening to her voice for a little longer.

He wanted to put a face to that voice. And apparently, he would need to tell her what she wanted to know in order to make through the rest of that night alive.

“ Who ambushed you, Sasuke? I need to know so I can use the right potion.”

“ F-Fuck… I-“

“ Just say it…”

“I-Iwa.”

“ Iwa?!”

“ Aah.”

“ Good. Okay.”

At the same moment she heard his voice, Sakura knew exactly what to do next. She ran to her cabinet and opened it with one, strong pull. Her medications were all separated according to the place where the poisons were produced, and her eyes flew around the labels until she found the one she was looking for.

Iwa. The land of Stone, where the poisons were produced with a special, dehydrated plant- Medusa, as she and her master had named it- she spent months trying to figure out the composition of. She tried, and eventually, managed to find a solution for all the poisons developed by the Iwa country, mostly because that plant was the key for everything.

Sakura grabbed the small bottle, rushing back to his side, holding the needle she would need to gain access to his vein. She stretched his arm, and it was quite easy to find the blue line traveling underneath his skin.

His vein was quite visible.

But the poison had already worked its effects on his arm.

“ Shit.”

She cursed, feeling his muscles so rigid under her touch, not being able to pierce the skin above it. Apparently, the poison was slowly turning his limbs into stone, and the consequences of such thing wouldn’t be that hard to imagine. It started from the outside, slowly swallowing the insides until the person died.

Well done, Iwa, she thought, with a smug smirk on her face. The medic recognized a well done job when she saw one, but she also knew better that just that wouldn’t be enough to stop her form saving that boy. If the intravenous wasn’t available, she would just need to find another way in for the antidote.

“ I hope you don’t remember this.”

Not wasting any more time, Sakura opened the bottle with her teeth and filled her mouth with the liquid inside. Quickly, she lifted his head a bit and she leaned down, opening his mouth and covering his lips with her owns. It was a warm sensation that took away his pain for a while, and even if he could barely notice the antidote in his mouth, the Uchiha could clearly feel as her tongue softly brushed against his. She lifted it up, making contact with his palate and forcing a swallowing reflex. The content went down, and before he could savor the only pleasurable moment of dying, it all ended as a cold feeling traveled down his guts.

A calming sensation slowly started to envelop his senses, as his muscles were now succumbing to an unstoppable tingling. The pressure was gone and the pain was not unbearable anymore. He felt as if his entire body was anesthetized, and the only thing he could clearly feel was the warmth her mouth left on his lips. It was the one thing keeping him sane and the one thing that captured his attention while his entire system seemed to be fighting an invisible war.

He was fighting against that poison. And luckily, he was not alone.

“ You’ll survive.”

She whispered against the shell of his ear, and for the first time since he got there, Sasuke tried to open his eyes. His eyelids were heavier than rocks, and the light coming from above blinded him as he tried to see what was surrounding him.

He was trying to see her.

But after seeing an unrecognizable, pink blur his brain simply shut down, leaving nothing but darkness to keep him company.

He woke up to the smell of coffee and a throbbing sensation spread all over his body. There was a strange taste lingering over his tongue and at that moment, he felt an immense weight pulling him down. His ears captured the rain pouring outside- outside of wherever he could be- and for a reason he did not know, he could not fully open his eyes.

What on earth was going on?

His perception, even if messed up, showed no chakra traces around him, and for the moment, that gave him a momentary sense of safety. His senses were lighting up, as the sensibility was slowly returning to his limbs, causing him to feel more pain in an agonizing sensation of impotence. The Uchiha was simply there, unsure of where ‘there' actually was and completely unaware of the current state of his body.

Sasuke felt like drifting in a shallow sea filled with hedgehogs, and that strong scent of coffee was the only connection he had with the safe shore.

That scent was relaxing, soothing and even sweet, no matter how bitter that black beverage probably tasted like.

That coffee was his call home.

“ So you’re finally awake.”

And that voice… It sounded like his safe harbor.

Though he tried to emit any sort of word, his lips refused to allow any possible sound out. There was a shy light coming through his eyelids, and once he was finally able to beat that strength blinding him, Sasuke was able to see through the darkness of his weakness.

And that pink blur felt a lot safer than oblivion.

“ Take it easy…” She placed a hand over his chest, sending shivers down his spine. Maybe it was the pain, or maybe it was just the fact that he was feeling something different for the first time since he was attacked, but that touch felt warm and healing, and if he could, he would ask her to place her hands all over his sore muscles. “ It will take a couple of minutes until the muscle relaxant shows its effects. Now that your veins aren’t so stiff anymore, it’s easier for the medication to work.”

Her voice was low and peaceful, and as his irises adjusted to the yellow, lamp light, the Uchiha was finally able to give a face to the name he had heard in his dreams. Pink, short, messy hair, with bright, green eyes and delicate traces that were corrupted by a bruise on her lower lip. That was the girl whose name kept resonating inside his mind during the entire time he was out of his senses.

Now, Sakura had a body, a soul and a face. And a beautiful one, to say the least.

But that was not the time for him to be paying attention to her looks, he knew. There were many more important things for him to discover about his current situation. And the first thing he had to find out would be wether that pink haired girl was an enemy or not.

“ Who-“ He felt his muscles responding to his commands, to which he took a second to adjust. “ Who are you?”

“ You’re talking normally already… That’s a good sign.” She placed a finger over her lips, as if to indicate she was trying to ratiocinate. “ And since you’re following me with your eyes, I can conclude your vision is fine, too, right?”

“ You didn’t answer my question.”

“ Good perception, short term memory unaffected and indices of personality. A strong one.” The girl nodded, showing somewhat of a content face. “ Now do you remember what happened to you?”

From his horizontal position, he could see her green eyes blinking in curiosity. Her expression seemed calm as she evaluated him, and at that moment, she didn’t seem to be paying attention to his question at all. It felt as if she was deliberately ignoring him, and even if he had just woken up, the Uchiha was already losing his patience.

That girl…

“ If you remember anything, you can t-“

“Sakura!”

His voice came out louder, causing her eyes to widen for a moment. It was clear that she didn’t seem impressed or intimidated by him, but as he had expected, the girl did seem intrigued by the fact that he actually knew her name. At that moment, when things were still so uncertain, Sasuke knew he had to hold onto any possible advantage he could have.

He had to show her that apart from his physical condition, he was not defeated.

He was not vulnerable.

“ Answer my question.” He ordered, his voice strong and consistent.

“ But you already seem to know my name. And apparently, this shows you remember when Naruto brought you to me.”

“ Hn, just your name isn’t enough.”

“ My name and the fact that I’ve saved you are the only things you need to know about me for now.”

“ Tch You-“

His voice was cut out by a sudden cough that escaped his lungs. The violent movements of his chest hurt like hell, and at that moment, Sasuke did his best to shift his position on what he could finally identify as a couch. He tried to move and breath all alone, but it didn’t take long before the girl quickly approached him. Her warm hands returned to his body, reaching for his chest and resting on his back, as she was carefully helping him sit up.

Her hands, as he could feel, were soft and pure from callous, showing him that she clearly didn’t belong to the same world as him and Naruto. Due to her proximity, he could feel her scent invading his nostrils, and even if moving his muscles still hurt like hell, the Uchiha felt a soothing sensation as she helped him. He could feel how much care she put under her touch, showing she knew exactly how much pain he was feeling at that moment.

She cared about him. About a person she didn’t even know. She took him in and saved his life, not minding about his unknown past and his criminal records.

Trying to intimidate her wouldn’t be necessary, for Sakura is merely a civilian, he concluded. She is a good person. And that would be the death of her someday, he knew.

Oh, but he didn’t know her at all.

“ Thanks.” He muttered, as she went to grab a chair to place next to the couch. At that moment, as the covers he had over his body slipped, he could see the bandages wrapped around his bare torso, and judging by the amount of new hematoma around his belly, the Uchiha could tell those ninjas really got the best of him. The pain he felt when he brushed his fingers over the bandages sent electric jolts through his nerves, and he knew he was probably not supposed to touch that again so soon.

“ It will still take a couple of days until it stops hurting like that. And also, don’t worry. Naruto isn’t here right now, but he will be back in a couple of days with new clothes and some medicine”

“ Hn. What happened to me? I mean… After I got here.”

Her eyes were softer now, as she sat across from him, with her arms and legs crossed. A sigh escaped her lips, and she ran her fingers through her messy hair, massaging her scalp in the process. “ You were poisoned by Iwa ninjas. Naruto brought you here and I basically saved your life by giving you an antidote.”

“ And why did you help me?”

“ What kind of question is that? You needed help, so I helped. End of story.”

“ You don’t even know who I am.”

“ Of course I do.”

“ Do you?”

“ Yes. You’re Naruto’s friend. You’re a rouge ninja from the Leaf, who ran after Orochimaru three years ago. You’re a criminal, Uchiha Sasuke.”

As she took a sip of her coffee she had previously left resting on the floor, the Uhciha’s eyes widened in shock. The steam coming out of the mug made her eyes look even more mysterious, and for a moment, he felt defenseless against a girl who couldn’t even hold a kunai. Her knowledge of him was impressive and the advantage he thought he had was now gone.

That girl knew him. She knew more than people normally did, and for a reason he did not know, he knew Naruto hadn’t been the one to tell her all of those things. There was nothing naive about her intentions, for she knew exactly who was the one she was taking care of.

Sakura knew too much. And at that moment, not knowing exactly how much was his biggest disadvantage.

“ So you do know me.”

“ I can say I know a bit more than just your name.” She smirked. “ You know, that’s the problem with you, ninjas… You think us civilians are idiots and don’t know what’s happening around us… but guess what: we live in the same world, so I assure you that we do know a lot of stuff.”

“ Hn. Why don’t you call the ANBU then? The elders won’t like it when they find out you’re hiding a criminal in the village?”

A chuckle escaped her lips when he finished his sentence, and he didn’t know exactly what part of his speech had left her in such a good mood. “ Do you honestly think I care about the elders?”

“ Shouldn’t you?”

“ Maybe… If we were actually in Konoha, I could even pretend to care about them.”

A smirk crossed her lips once again, and he didn’t like how things were turning out at that moment. That civilian girl- Sakura was a lot more dangerous than he had thought. Of course she saved his life and showed concern, but apparently, just that wasn’t enough for her to be classified as a good person. She was hiding her cards, and she was doing it better than many ninjas he knows.

He certainly wouldn’t underestimate her.

“ So that was why Naruto brought me here.”

“ Probably. Hospitals wouldn’t take a criminal.”

“ Hn, you’re calling me a criminal, and yet, you won’t denounce me.”

“ How can you be so sure I haven’t sent the letter already?”

“ A civilian with wide medical knowledge, who lives outside the village, in the middle of nowhere and takes care of a criminal… You don’t seem to want to draw attention to yourself either. So I would say you're either a criminal as well or you’re just running away from something.”

“…” A smile grew in her face, as she placed her now empty mug back on the wooden floor. She rested her elbows on her knees, and approached him with a defying glare in her emerald eyes. “For a ninja, you’re not that stupid, Sasuke.”

“ Tch.”

“ You’re not entirely right, though… I’m not a criminal like you and I’m not really running away. I just want some peace to work with my poisons. If the village found out about my location, they would start coming by and that would be annoying. Naruto brings me enough problems every now and then already, if you know what I mean.”

“ Hn.”

Even if her story did seem plausible, the Uchiha knew it was not complete. Sakura was hiding the real reasons behind her secret exile, and even if he knew that had probably nothing to do with him, he couldn’t help but feel intrigued by that mystery.

Why would a medic be hiding from her own village?

That certainly made no sense, especially considering her strong will to save lives. There had to be something more. Other factors that made her do what she did, because he knows- oh, and how he knows- that leaving the place you’ve always called home is one of the hardest things in the world. Sakura probably had reasons just like him that made her walk through those gates never to return again.

Places to meet. Memories to erase. People to forget.

Could it really be that a girl with such beautiful eyes had so much darkness to hide in her heart?

All those unanswered questions were leaving him mad, and apparently, the expression stamped on his face was giving in to his current internal state. The pink haired girl was looking at him with a sly smile playing on her lips, and even if her social skills had decreased a lot since she left Konoha all those years before, Sakura could read him like an open book.

Sasuke was curious. He was torturing himself over the unexplained decision of a civilian to reject Konoha in the same way he did. He was dying to know the truth. And even if she found amusement in his current condition, the girl wasn’t that much of a terrible person to simply sit there and watch him suffer.

There would be no harm in telling him the truth, she thought.

It was not like he would return to the village to tell the elders about her location.

“ You wanna know why I left, don’t you?”


“ A-Aah.” He looked away, not wanting to show his real feelings.

“ It’s not that much of a big deal, to be honest… It’s just that, being good at something is only good for drawing the wrong attention in the ninja world.” Her eyes aimed at the floor, and he watched as she let out a sigh.

“What do you mean by wrong attention?”

“ Just think about it, Sasuke… A medic who knows the bases of most of the poisons used around the Five Great nations, and who doesn’t have a single drop of chakra in her blood… What do you think people would want from m-“

“ An undetectable weapon.”

His words left his mouth as a whisper after reaching the conclusion her question led him to. His eyes widened and there was a gap in between his lips as he watched her nod, confirming his hypothesis.

Of course, he thought. It all made sense now.

Even if she’s not a medical ninja, it doesn’t mean she’s of no use for the village’s combat strategies. In fact, her lack of chakra made her the perfect person to infiltrate missions, where a fast and imperceptible kill would be necessary. They wanted to turn her into a silent weapon that could easily end many lives with a simple herb mixture.

They wanted to turn her into an assassin.

And he was sure they weren’t satisfied when she said no.

Sakura’s a medic. She saves lives and heals people, no matter who these people might actually be. She’s guided by her ideals, and of course those ideals were the main reason why she didn’t accept the offer from that bandaged man.

She said ‘No' to one of the most influential ninjas of Konoha, and even if she was a civilian, Sakura knew she could never live a normal life again with that man and his special team following her and coordinating her every action. The medic had to leave. And that was exactly what she did on that cold, winter night.

She left it all behind. She was forced to. And for that, the girl whose choices were stollen deserves to have her strength acknowledged.

By him and by the ones who still remember about her.

“ Sakura…“

“ It’s not really a big deal, though… I got used and-“

“ Is it… Is it really okay for you to be all alone?” His voice came out almost as a whisper that flickers a candle’s light, as their eyes were now intimately connected. That was the same question he has asked himself every single day of his life for the past three years, and depending on her answer, he would know exactly what to expect from the girl who saved his life.

The question, he could see, left her a little uncomfortable. He could see it as she tried to look aside for a moment, and when she unconsciously bit her lower lip, drawing blood from her bruise, the Uchiha knew she had been avoiding that answer for a long time as well.

She had been avoiding loneliness for all this time.

“ I don’t mind spending my days without anyone here.” She said, dryly, as she licked the blood from her lips. “ It’s not like things would be that different if I were in Konoha. There’s no one there for me.”

His heart pounded at her declaration, and it was only now that he realized how that girl was a loner just like him. Things were taken from her, yet she grew from that loss. She became a medic, mending the others instead of mending herself, and that was her way of coping with the loneliness she eventually brought upon herself.

Sakura found a good way to move on. And for that, he respected her.

For that, he respected her choice.

“ You seem to be quite confident about yourself.”

“ I am. You gotta learn a thing or two after spending so long living alone. You can even call it… Comforting."

“ Hn.” He smirked. " Naruto wouldn’t like to hear that.”

“ Tch, that idiot comes to my house at least once a week to check on me. He’s impossible-shannarou.”

“ He’s just worried.”

“ He shouldn’t be. I know how to take care of myself.”

“ Are you sure?”

“Definitely. Remember that you’re alive simply because I want you to be, Uchiha Sasuke.” She smirked, turning the atmosphere lighter around them. Slowly, they were growing more comfortable around each other, and the reason behind it was probably because they knew how equally alone they were.

Both Sasuke and Sakura were just two, lonely souls trapped in the choices made by their pasts, and at that moment, finding someone who shares the same loneliness felt more than just good.

It felt safe. And safety is the keyword for that duo.

Safety in a life with no certainties.

“ If you say so…” The corner of his lips lifted in amusement, as he dropped his eyes to his lap. Sleepiness was starting to kick in once again, as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before turning his head to find her eyes once again. There was a tender expression ruling his face, and even with all the bandages and all the bruises spread around his body, Sakura could see the real Uchiha Sasuke.

Not the stranger. Not the criminal and certainly not the ninja who was trying to intimidate her earlier.

She saw the boy who used to play around with his brother during the spring of their days.

And that boy- oh… He was still as beautiful as he used to be.

“ Well… I think I should let you rest. Something tells me you don’t want to be here by the time Naruto comes back, and for that, you’ll need to heal as much as possible.”

“ Hn. That sounds like a good idea.”

“ Yeah…” She stood up from the chair, stretching her back and allowing herself to release a yawn. The Uchiha was definitely not the only one who needed some good hours of sleep, apparently. “ If you need anything, just call me… It’s a small cottage and I’m a light sleeper, so… Just call me.”

“ I will.”

“ Then… Good night, Sasuke.”

“Aah… Good night.”

She started making her way upstairs, as his eyes followed her every step. That girl was certainly special, and he knew that their story- or whatever had happened between them that night- was far from over. Their paths would cross again in the future, and he knew that whenever he needed, he would know exactly where to find the lonely, civilian medic who saved his life.

The girl who made him feel safe.

“ Oh! And Sakura.”

“ Uh? What is it?”

“Thank you… For saving my life.”

“ Hn.” She smiled. “ You’re welcome.”

“ And sorry about your lip. I didn’t do it on purpose, though. You should know better than to kiss a criminal.”

“ Aah…” She smirked, feeling her cheeks getting warmer. So he didn’t forget about that, after all. “ I think I’ve learned my lesson.”

Enough time passed for both her lower lip and his body to almost heal completely. The rain had stopped along with his pain, and as they were less than 24 hours away from the day the blond was supposed to return, both Sasuke and Sakura knew that the time had come for him to leave.

Even if he wasn’t fully recovered and even if she had asked him to stay a little longer, the Uchiha knew his departure was inevitable. Due to his unfinished business with his past, he knew he could not rest until everything was settled, and postponing things would only make things worse. His path was already traced from the time he set his foot out of the Konoha gates, and no matter what, he could not get distracted.

Not even if he wanted to.

“ Do you really have to go?”

Her small form was standing just outside the cottage, as she leaned against her door frame. Her sleepy, emerald eyes softly connected with his dark ones, and her cheeks were a bit red due to the cold, morning breeze. A warm robe protected her from the chilling wind, and her pink locks were perfectly framing her tired face. Sakura was certainly not used to waking up that early, as a yawn would escape her lips every now and then, and her rib cage seemed to be rising and falling in quite a slow pace.

She should’ve certainly gone to bed earlier instead of preparing his supplies until so late.

Well, but it was not like she would be able to sleep that night. Not knowing he would be gone by the morning.

“ Aah. I don’t want the dobe to find me here tomorrow.”

“ It’s gonna be hard to explain to him why I let you go… Especially when he told me to sedate you until the day of his return.”

A smirk grew on his lips, as he could certainly picture his best friend saying such thing with his characteristic ‘dattebayo' in the end of the sentence.

Naruto was really an idiot.

“ You can tell him I left in the middle of the night or something.”

“ Yeah… Or you could stay and say… hi?” Her eyes were looking at him tenderly, as her low voice came out with the option she would’ve preferred him to choose. There was a pout on her lips, and seeing such thing made his own chest feel a little warmer.

Who would’ve thought that they would end up like that after merely one week?

The time they’ve spent together, even if short, was enough for them to create something similar to a bond. They learned more about each other and shared memories of their old days in Konoha. She gave him Naruto’s spare clothes she keeps in her drawer, and sewed the Uchiha crest on its back just so he wouldn’t have to walk around without his proud symbol stamped on his back. Sakura made him her famous and disgusting soldier pills so he could recover faster, and there were nights when they would actually dine something tasteful together.

It was a life none of them were used to anymore. It was a simple life, lived by simple people who were more than just a medic and a ninja. They enjoyed the time and enjoyed each other’s company, even if loneliness was practically a part of their DNA already.

They had a good time, for sure.

But now it was time for them to go back to what they used to be.

It was time to go back to reality. A new reality, filled with memories and promises that would forever be stuck in their minds.

Nothing would ever be the same. Not even if they wanted to.

“ Hn, I bet he wouldn’t like to see me in his clothes.”

Sakura chuckled, placing a hand on her hip. “ I guess he will be mad about that…” A soft smile went to play on her lips, as her eyes were now drifting to the forest that surrounded them. The tall trees that hid her exile were as strong as ever, serving as walls that kept the world away.

She was thankful for them, yet, at that very moment, as the wind danced around their trunks and reached their locks, the pink haired medic also felt that they threatened something precious. The girl swallowed dry, feeling her chest tightening as she realized his feet were starting to get ready for departure.

The pinkette didn’t want him to go. Not just because he was still not fully recovered, but also because she enjoyed his company more than she would like to admit. He gave her something she believed to be long lost in her heart, and at that moment, she just wanted to make sure that, one day, he could bring back that something, whatever that was.

He had to…

“ … You know the way, right?” Her voice came out as a whisper, her cheeks were blushing and judging by how her lips were forming a thin line, the Uchiha knew she was not talking about the way that led him back to his path of revenge. She was talking about the path that led him back to her. And you bet he knew it by heart.

“ Aah.” He smiled shyly, taking a step away. “ I’ll be back…”

Her entire expression changed at his promise, and she could feel her heart beating faster. There was a beautiful smile on her lips, and seeing her like that made him feel incredibly light inside. Somehow, that girl- the girl with pink hair and green eyes who managed to save his life a week before, was now more than just that pink, faceless blur. She had a face. She had a life, and a place to live her life.

A place that felt more like home than his old apartment back in Konoha.

And someday, he would return to that cottage hidden in the woods so he could call it home.

Someday, he would safely return to her.

“ Just try not to be dying next time you come around, okay?”

“ Hn, don’t worry. I’ll have to be okay if I want to teach you how to use a kunai properly, right?”

“ Oh, so you’re saying they were not made to cut carrots?” She teased, smirking softly.

“ Tch… Civilians.”

“ Hn. Shinobis.”

#sasusaku #sasusaku fanfiction #ssfanfic #sasusaku festival 2017 #ssfest17 #myssfics

[sasusakufestival]

ssfiction winners

Our top four fanfiction winners are below! Prize info is below that :)

1. kuriquinn

Our number one is kuriquinn! This writer submitted for most days and has entries with lots of notes. Definitely check it out if you haven’t :) . The story chosen as the winner is titled ‘The Girl Who Waited’  and can be read ‘here’

Prompt: Valentine’s Day Summary: Somewhere along the line while she was on his team, learning to become a shinobi alongside him, Sasuke stopped being just a good-looking, smart boy to her. Sakura got to know him – the darkness he wore like armour, and the light he only revealed in his rarest, most unguarded moments.

You can read other kuriquinn entries by going to sasusakufestival.com/tagged/ssfanfiction :)

2. merinxd

Merin also had a few fics however the fic chosen as number two is titled ‘Sakura’s Jealousy aka Sasuke says the right things sometimes’. You can read it here, or check out her other entries by going to sasusakufestival.com/tagged/ssfanfiction

Prompt: Protective of us Summary: sasusaku get lunch and are interrupted by a woman. Sasuke says some things he wouldn’t usually.

3. manika-on-a-whim

Manika had a couple of entries this year and this one stood out at number 3! Entitled ‘A Taste of Redemption’. It can be read here.

Prompt: Insecurities Summary: Sasuke is finally back from his journey of redemption and he remembers about his promise of seeing Sakura on his return. But what if she has already moved on??

4. meemzdisaster

This entry came in quite late but it managed to make it to number 4! The fic is titled ‘Lingerie Mishaps’ and can be read here.

Prompt: Her Intimates Summary: He ends his redemption journey and makes way to his old teammate’s apartment. After all, he has a promise to fulfill. 

Thank you to everyone that entered the sasusaku festival! We hope to see many new fictions next year :) 

We especially appreciate ss lovers who entered many times so if you sent in 4 entries or more please send us an ask with the username you entered with and the stories you wrote! We have Naruto and sasusaku themed stickers for these individuals. :) 

We originally had art requests lined up for the top four but unfortunately, our artists have become busy. If you feel comfortable providing us your mailing address we can organize sasusaku and sasusakusara themed stickers and pins to be delivered as a token of appreciation for your participation. Number one will be given a surprise penpal gift to go along with their stickers :)

Thank you for your patience! Please check out the other ss fics written for #ssfest17 by visiting: sasusakufestival.tumblr.com/tagged/ssfanfiction

#ssfest17 #sasusaku #winners #ssfanfiction #sasusakufestival #kuriquinn #merinxd #manika-on-a-whim #meemzdisaster

[kuriquinn]

Samsara [Part II]

General Disclaimer

Sakura might have quelled at least some of Sasuke’s fears, but she isn’t as confident as she pretends. The idea that the fetus inside her is connected to as dark and tragic a past as Indra Ōtsutsuki is worrisome, but at the same time…

She has to admit she’s curious.

That doesn’t stop her being relieved when the dreams inexplicably stop bringing her to the strange beach. Her nightly visions become vague again, bursts of colour and emotion, occasionally faces that are familiar to her but inconsequential. She still experiences the frustrating moments of abuse, attacks from a faceless father and sister; these encounters paralyse her as she sleeps, and leave her irritated upon waking. But overall, there is such a vague and hurried quality to these that she suspects she is experiencing time passing.

This pattern continues long enough that it’s almost a shock when she falls asleep one night and finds herself once more in a completely lucid, detailed dream.

She is sitting uncomfortably at a table in a richly decorated room, and the dim memories Sakura can access suggest that her attendance here is rare, perhaps even only occasionally required. Sitting across from her are two people whose presence not only disheartens her – the small, curious part of her had been hoping to meet Indra again – but also fills her with overwhelming wariness.

“There’s talk among the court of a newcomer,” Father says as the servants place their meals before them. “A man of great talent, said to be the son of a wise sage from the East. They say he can call lightning from the sky and breathe fire like the dragons of old.”

“It would be useful to have such a man beholden to you,” Older Sister remarks, sounding bored as she picks at her food.

“Yes, it is better to be on the side of a demon than in his path. Should the stories of this man be true, I intend to offer him alliance. I am told he is young and ambitious. Command of my armies should sway his loyalty. Or, perhaps, marriage.”

Older Sister scowls. “Marriage to a foreigner won’t grow the coffers of this land.”

“Maybe not, but talents he is said to be able to teach could,” Father says. “I am confident you’ll do your duty, daughter.” He then suddenly turns and barks, “What’s that look for, Shachi? Have you something to say?”

They are both looking at her now and she realises that she is Shachi.

Her lips part. “If…if…”

“If…if…if…”  Older Sister mocks. Sakura inwardly snarls, knowing if she had control of her body right now, she would wipe the floor with the painted doll before her.

 “I-If Older Sister doesn’t wish to marry h-him, I w-would take on th-that duty, F-Father. If it would p-please you.”

He snorts. “Dishonour an important man with a concubine’s spawn instead of the heiress to the land? I intend to court an ally, not lend insult. Keep your ridiculous opinions to yourself. Don’t make me regret my generosity in allowing you to sit at my table.”

“As you wish, Father.” She bows.

“May the gods soon find me a man who can look past your whore of a mother’s legacy and take you off my hands,” he grumbles to himself.

Sakura – Shachi – looks down at her knees, shoulders sinking.

Older Sister sniggers. “Oh, don’t look so downcast. Besides, if the stories of this stranger are true, he attracts many followers. Maybe someone among the riffraff will take an interest in you.”

The two of them laugh, leaving Sakura – Shachi – clenching her fists.

夢

They are at the back of an izakaya, scouring dishes from a busy dinner rush; they don’t have any money tonight, and in exchange for a room they’re helping with hostess out. Sasuke washes, Sakura dries. There has been nothing but companionable silence until she breaks it.

“Can I…can I ask you something?”

“Hm.”

 “It’s about your brother,” she goes on, hesitant, because the topic is a difficult one, and usually provides some cue for him to make an escape. She’s hoping soapy hands make that a little harder this time.

From the tense set of his shoulders, she knows he’s already planning bolt, and she hurriedly continues.

“It’s about your relationship before – before all of it. You never talk about it, and you don’t have to now, I just…I never had an older brother or sister, so I don’t know myself. I was wondering…is it normal for an older sibling to hate the younger one?”

She winces, because it still came out awkwardly, and she bets he’s going to ignore it, because it’s not exactly what she was asking but –

“For a long time, I thought so,” Sasuke answers in a low voice. “But over time, I learned it’s the exception, not the rule.”

She exhales at this. “Oh.”

“Why do you ask?”

“No reason. Just thinking.”

“Sakura.”

She scowls, because he’s getting a lot better at reading her voice. Or maybe he always could, now he just chooses to react to it.

“It’s something I noticed in my dream –”

“You had another one?” he interrupts sharply, nearly dropping one of the bowls in his hand.

“Yes – and no, I haven’t seen him again, if that’s what you want to know. Don’t you think I’d tell you right away?”

“Hn.”

“Well, I would. I just…haven’t had to say anything lately because nothing happened. I don’t think he’s in the picture right now. But this – the person I am in my dreams – her name is Shachi, I think.” She peeks at him. “Does that sound familiar to you?”

Since their conversation about a possible past life or odd Uchiha-specific pregnancy quirk, she has found it easier to ask him these questions. After all, between the two of them, he’s the only one who has a definite link to whatever it is she’s dreaming.

He closes his eyes, frowning in concentration, then shakes his head. “I feel as if I’ve heard the name before, but it could be from anywhere.”

He’s right, they meet enough new people every day, perhaps it’s a name they’ve encountered in their travels.

“It’s just, her family – or, I guess the people who raised her – they treat her so badly. It’s as if she’s beneath them, and I don’t…I don’t understand how family can do that,” she exclaims, frustrated. “How can someone not protect their younger sibling? How can a parent not love their child? I can’t imagine a world where you look at our baby like he – or she – means nothing.”

“It would never happen.”

He says it so instantly and certainly that she feels a wave of pure joy wash over her, and she offers him a loving smile. “I know that. But in my dream –”

“You said yourself your mind might just be processing things,” Sasuke continues. “You’ve mentioned feeling weak, held back. It’s possible that you’re drawing on experiences you’ve actually lived and your brain is interpreting them in the simplest way.”

Sakura shoots him a suspicious look. “You’ve been reading my medical scrolls, haven’t you? The psychology ones?”

“They offer the most logical explanation to all this.”

She sighs. “Darling, you can’t search for clues based on the answer you want.”

“It’s not what I want. It’s what it could be. And all of this could simply be a quirk of your dreams.”

They work in silence for a spell.

“You don’t really think it is, do you?” she asks eventually.

A pause.

“No.”

“So, if it is something that happened, why do you think she’s treated so badly?”

“Back then, people saw children differently. A means to an end, a legacy.”

“And what’s our child?”

Sasuke holds her gaze, no trace of doubt there, and simply says, “Hope.”

眠り

For some reason, after this conversation, the tone of her dreams changes. Her awareness of being in a dream fades faster. Memories of an entire life crowd out her identity during waking hours, and so when the stranger arrives in their land, her first reaction – Shachi’s first reaction – is of surprise.

Even though she shouldn’t be. Because there aren’t many men who can control lightning, after all, and there is such a commanding air about him that the idea of him as the leader her father spoke of is not impossible.

The day he steps foot in her father’s court is grey and overcast, inauspicious in it’s normalcy, and yet her body – both in her dream and her present self – feels taut with awareness. He arrives quietly, with little pomp, into Father’s audience chamber. If he notices her sitting on the dais by her sister’s feet, he gives no indication, his every attention focussed on the lord of the land.

He says very little, and yet before the audience is over, everyone knows who he is: Lord Indra of the Eastern Lands, a master in the secret arts. He is well-spoken and a warrior by bearing and – based on Older Sister’s expression upon seeing him for the first time – an desirable possible match.

He seeks followers, those he will impart with teachings, and who he intends to make stronger, asks only for the freedom to recruit whoever he wants.

“My methods are difficult,” he warns quietly, “and only those willing to lay down their lives in dedication will succeed. In exchange, I will instruct the soldiers in your armies as well.”

Father is beside himself – this is exactly what he wanted, after all – and the accord is soon settled. He celebrates by throwing a lavish banquet in Lord Indra’s honour, despite the obvious fact that the young man has no use for the gesture. He appears restless and impatient, as if he wishes to get started on his mission as soon as possible.

Sakura – Shachi? – watches him with wide eyes, thinking on the helpless man she nursed back to health, the one who could have killed her but didn’t. As frightened as she is by him, she can’t fight down her interest.

He notices her watching him and looks up, holding her gaze. Her entire body tenses, and she feels as if she’s looking into the eyes of a snake moments before it strikes. She can’t look away until he does, and once free, her entire body shivers. Her breath comes in sharp bursts and she wonders if, perhaps, he hasn’t used some of his strange power on her.

夢

“It sounds like genjutsu,” Sasuke as he sets up a wire-trap.

“I don’t think so,” Sakura muses, leaning against a nearby tree. “He wouldn’t need to use that on her. She’s too afraid. Too docile. You only use genjutsu on someone if you expect resistance.”

She and Sasuke exchange a tense look, both of them acknowledging a bitter shared memory.

He grunts and hops down from the tree. “When we’re done here, we’re heading to that temple we passed. Maybe there will be someone there who can explain why you’re seeing this.”

“We might as well stop at a hospital too and have me speak to a bunch of therapists,” she deadpans. “I don’t think anyone is going to have answers on this one.”

Sasuke scowls. “So, your strategy is to wait and see?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t accept that.”

“Well, tough. While I’m incubating the tiny human, I make the rules. And as of right now, I’m not in any actual medical danger, and other than being annoying and sometimes confusing, what I see when I’m asleep isn’t affecting my health in any way.”

“Yet.”

This time it’s Sakura who scowls. “Need I remind you of your history of overreacting?”

Which Sasuke can’t exactly argue with, and so he settles on beleaguered silence while they set up the remainder of the traps.

She sighs to herself and wonders if there’s a point to keeping him updating about her dreams if he’s just going to get so upset about them. And she definitely doesn’t want to admit to him that the longer these dreams continue, and the more often she has them, the more she feels as if she’s living a completely different life.

“Sasuke…I know there’s no way to be one-hundred percent sure about all of this, but…would it be so bad?” He stares at her, askance. “If this actually was my past life. It would just mean that I’ve care for you longer than be both thought.”

“You know it would mean more than that. You know that it’s a story that doesn’t end happily.”

“We don’t know if that’s completely true.”

“He broke everything he touched,” her husband says darkly. “He had everything, and just…” He cuts off, making a disgusted sound. “Because of him, my family… because of him I did the same. Might still do the same. What if this is a reminder, a warning, that I’m going to break this too?”

The question is so soft, so distressingly uncertain that for a moment Sakura doesn’t have an answer.

Sasuke very rarely shows any type of vulnerability, and to this day she is certain she is the only one alive who has ever seen that part of him. What makes this particular display so heartbreaking is that she knows he isn’t even asking it for his own sake, but for their child’s.

Tears fill her eyes, but she holds them back. Crying right now will do nothing to help him; she swore long ago that when he was struggling, she would support him. And if that means shrugging off her puzzling dreams, so be it.

“I never thought you were the superstitious type,” she says, trying to break the tensions with levity.

Sasuke scowls. “It’s hard not to be when your past life decides to haunt your wife’s dreams.”

She smiles. The fact that he sounds so waspish is a good sign.

“Come here,” she says, and without giving him opportunity to resist, she presses his hand above her womb. “Listen to me: you are not going to break this.” He opens his mouth, and she drowns him out. “No – listen. You are not going to break this. I don’t break easy, and you can summon a giant chakra monster to protect yourself. This child? Half you, half me. Definitely not breakable.”

He still doesn’t look entirely reassured, but the tense set to his shoulders fades somewhat.

眠り

Lord Indra becomes a guest in their kingdom, permitted to walk among the people and seek students. He accepts any who come to him, man or woman, and weeds out the weak. Many of them die – strangely enough, it’s usually the soldiers that Father sends who are unable to succeed – and yet still more continue to seek him out.

He is the only one who knows this strange, magical teaching. He calls it ninjutsu, and when he says it, there’s an almost fanatic gleam in his eyes.

She finds this odd, but Father doesn’t care. As he sees it, his kingdom will soon grow to rule over all the rest, if only he can convince Lord Indra to remain here instead of moving on. Older Sister preens and poses, trying to entice a smile from the sullen faced stranger, and taking it out on Shachi when he doesn’t.

Shachi? No…I’m…Sakura?

That name seems so distant to her when she is here, when she is the other woman. Though she knows this is but a dream, she feels tethered to it as much as if it were real.

She watches Lord Indra from the sidelines. Although drawn to him, longing for him to acknowledge her again, or at least thank her for saving his life, she feels safer in the shadows. Sometimes, he is apparently alone, training or meditating by himself, and yet when she makes a move to approach him, she imagines she hears someone speaking to him. Whenever this happens, she hurries away. After all, their last encounter up-close is fresh in her mind, and as compelled as she is to seek him out, she is also afraid of him.

And so she keeps away, watching his training sessions from the protection of the forest.

Sometimes she is caught, receiving a reprimand or a beating from her father, but these days both are more an afterthought; Father only cares about her whereabouts when someone reminds him, and Older Sister, only if she notices her lurking. For the most part, she is free to watch the stranger as she wishes.

Lord Indra teaches with brutal efficiency. He never raises his voice above a murmur, yet retains perfect control over his students. He can make a simple nod feel as if he has fallen to his knees in praise, and a derisive glare make a man want to fall on his sword to avoid dishonour.

Several do.

Only once he is satisfied with their ability to maintain discipline and control does he teach them the new abilities. Shachi watches as men learn to bend water in their hands, or call up mounds of earth like fangs from the ground. Some command the wind and others turn blades of grass into needles. With a flash of his red eyes he instructs them all, precise instructions, having them repeat them over and over, making motions with his hands as he does.

She mouths along his words, trying to capture the sound of his voice in her mind. When he speaks normally – not threatening her life as he did that day on the beach – his voice is pleasant, inviting. Despite the danger he represents, he makes her feel safe, and that is something she isn’t used to.

From her place in the shadows, she makes the hand gestures as well, arranging her fingers until she can do it perfectly. Soon she does it without noticing, can allow herself to just listen to the sound of his voice as he instructs. One day, his words seem closer to her than usual, even though he is so far away, and she closes her eyes, imagines that he is watching her, not his students, is telling her –

You build up chakra, stop it once it collects between the mouth and the chest area. Once you have enough, you release it all at once.

She inhales deeply, focussing on the warmth in her chest, and then breathes out.

To her absolute shock and horror, flames spew from between her lips and incinerate the tree in front of her.

She stumbles backward in shock and fear, unable to believe what just happened. She takes a split second to look around, to see if anyone saw her, and then takes off at a run, pulling her cumbersome skirts to her knees and stumbling back through the forest.

In the distance, she hears people calling out, confused shouting, demands for water. Commotion as students try to put out the flames with buckets, or with their new chakra wielding talents, she isn’t sure, because she keeps on running –

Only to find her way blocked by Lord Indra.

His eyes blaze at her and she recoils, dropping to her knees and bowing her forehead to the ground.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to – I didn’t even realise I was – please don’t tell my father, I – I’ll never do it again –”

“How long did it take you?” he interrupts.

She blinks at that, chancing a glance up at him. “M-my lord?”

“You have been watching for weeks but you have never attempted anything before,” he informs her, earnings a small squeak of surprise. “Today you tried. How long did it take you?”

“I-I… not long. I just… I listened to what you said, and I tried it.”

 “Hm.”

He gives her an inscrutable look, like he’s considering something he hadn’t before, and she bows her head again. “I didn’t meant to hurt anyone or cause trouble.”

She is aware of the sound of feet near her ear, and when she looks up he has begun to walk away, back to the training grounds. She isn’t sure if she imagines it or not when he mutter, “Next time don’t stand next to a tree.”

夢

“You forgot again, didn’t you?”

Sakura scowls at the gash in Sasuke’s leg, the product of a stray flail and misguided intentions. The villagers in this part of the country are so wary of strangers, they attacked before letting Sakura explain herself. Sasuke, of course, instinctively pushed her out of the way, but ended up with another limb nearly being severed.

“Forgot what?” he grumbles, observing as her fingers glow green over the skin there.

“That you don’t have to protect me,” she chides him. “Even if I didn’t have a basic capacity to dodge, a flail isn’t going to hurt me.”

“Maybe not, but as far as I know, your regenerative abilities don’t apply to the baby,” he reminds her. “You’re not as invincible as you’re used to being.”

Sakura blinks at this, surprise waylaying the retort on her lips.

He’s right.

For a minute, she did forget.

It’s all so new – the changes in her body, the adjustments she’s had to make. No more chakra suppressors, she can’t drink coffee anymore, she’s tired more often – it sometimes feels so disconnected to her. Some days she is completely aware of the new life within her, unable to stop thinking about it, and other days, when everything gets so busy and confusing – like today – she forgets. Even looking in the mirror is deceptive – she doesn’t look pregnant at all, even with her clothes off.

There is movement to the left, and she glances up as two young girls carry in buckets of water; she smiles at them gratefully, earning half-awed, half-shy expressions in return, and then they hurry off.

The villagers backed off when she sent a crushing blow to the ground, forcing them to retreat if they didn’t want to fall into the broken earth. Upon watching her lean down to heal him before he bled out, they finally realised that she was a healer and spent the rest of the evening apologising profusely. They even insisted on putting her and Sasuke up for as long as they wanted to stay, hence the small hut which they are currently occupying.

They even carried Sasuke back here on a litter so she could preserve her healing abilities. He nearly threw a fit at that (he still hates appearing weak in any way) but the people felt so terribly about it, Sakura insisted they go along with it.

Somewhat out of deference to this, she decides to relent a bit.

“I’m sorry,” she tells him, checking the progression of closing skin. “I’ll try to be more careful in the future.”

“Hm.”

“I’m just not used to hanging back. It’s been a while since I had to stay out of the direct line of danger.”

“I know.”

He finally relaxes, however, allowing his eyes to close and breath to even out. As if he didn’t expect her to take it easy until she said the words.

Ridiculous man…

She shakes her head, considering the calm picture he provides. It reminds her of those first few dreams she had, of healing Indra on that beach.

Sasuke’s former incarnation is starkly different than he is, she realises that now. He watched her – watched Shachi – with the distrustful gaze of someone who expected her to be incompetent or treacherous. Sasuke’s attention is intent, but in a different sense – watchful and wary for the sake of her health, not his.

As if being pregnant made her breakable.

She’s forgotten what it’s like to need to be protected. It makes her nightly sojourns in the life and mind of Shachi all the more confusing.

The other woman is such a stark contrast from her. Docile, obedient, hesitant – all of these are qualities she either never possessed or grew out of in her early childhood. Their very nature is utterly opposite.

In fact, even their ability to use chakra is completely different, judging from the way they learned to use it. Shachi’s first act was so powerful, charged enough to destroy an entire tree. Sakura remembers the first time she used ninjutsu, she had to try her hardest just to manage a passable substitution.

And that’s another thing. It’s not just their different temperaments. Why does Sakura have an affinity for water, when Shachi is clearly more suited to fire? Isn’t that the type of thing that should carry over?

“Not necessarily.”

Sakura jumps, realising suddenly that she has been musing out loud the hold time. Sasuke is frowning at her thoughtfully.

“The goal of reincarnation is to be reborn as a better self. Perhaps it means stronger, as well. Water is superior to fire.”

“Oh.”

“I take it you’re dreaming of him again then?” he asks, voice entirely too casual.

Sakura looks away, caught out. She’s been trying to avoid bringing it up because she knows it upsets him. “Only recently. Only last night, really. It’s a little confusing, so I didn’t say anything until I could get my thoughts in order.”

“I’m not going anywhere for the next little while,” he reminds her, nodding to his leg. It’s completely healed by now, and she shoots him an amused look. He raises an eyebrow, as if challenging her to call him on it. “Tell me what you dreamed.”

“As long as you don’t get upset every time I talk about Indra.”

His jaw clenches but he nods. “Fine.”

眠り

Eventually Father grows tired of Lord Indra skirting the issue. He wants to ensure everlasting loyalty, wants someone who will train and preside over his army in perpetuity.

In front of the whole court, he offers a permanent, eternal bond between them.

“My daughter, Shibasuri,” he declares proudly, gesturing to Older Sister. “She will make a fine wife, and through her, your children will be the heirs of my land.”

Every other man in the court seethes at this, because Lord Indra may be strong, but he is a foreigner. And more than a few covet Older Sister for themselves.

But the solemn stranger shows no interest in either offering.

“I have no interest in possessing this land,” he says quietly, his words easily audible in the stunned silence. “And I have no need of a woman who revels in her looks and is ignorant to the world. A creature whose body is starved to uselessness in pursuit of fashion, who will never be fatted with child.”

Older Sister makes a noise born of incandescent fury, and Father turns scarlet in anger.

“You dare – !”

But Lord Indra has turned away from both, and instead his gaze falls upon the crowd. Upon her as she stands with her guardians.

“I will take this one instead,” he declares imperiously. “On that condition I will remain here.”

She gasps, because this makes no sense. He has never, ever given any indication of seeing her, let alone –

“Shachi?” Father inquires, confusion dampening his anger. “Why would you…? She is of lower status, not of any importance – ”

“I will hear her answer,” Indra interrupts. “And if she has no wish for wedlock, I will take my leave with any disciple that will follow.”

There’s a stunned silence then, a dangerous note of expectation in this, and then the whispering begins. Already the members of the court are wagging their tongues, expressing surprise and glee at this turn of events. They imagine blackmail, a play for power from a younger daughter, a secret love –

It is none of these things. From her weeks observing him, she knows that Lord Indra has his own mind, his own plans that he follows. If he prefers her over her beautiful older sister, there is a reason, and not one as basic and superfluous as caring for her.

Older Sister glowers at her, as if Shachi has indeed done something to organise all of this, and Father frowns at her with a look in his eye that promises a lifetime of broken bones if she doesn’t acquiesce.

He needn’t bother, because she knew the instant that Lord Indra spoke, what her answer was going to be.

Even so, it feels as if she is signing the death warrant of her fate when she whispers, “I accept.”

夢

Sakura stretches a hand over her head, making a high-pitched, purring noise at the back of her throat, and then relaxes once more, head pillowed on Sasuke’s blanket-clad inner thigh. They lie head-to-foot, naked and sated, the smell of sex still lingering in the air.

Sasuke is on his side, his face pressed against one side of her abdomen, his hand curved around the other. His eyes are closed, and his mouth is pulled into a not-quite-smile of tranquility. It’s far too early for any kind of kicking to be felt – for anything to be heard – but it doesn’t seem to matter to Sasuke. Sakura’s own smile is gentle as she reaches forward, brushing his hair back from his face. He cracks his right eye open and there’s that brief look – soft, content and happy – and then he closes it again.

It’s a look that’s reserved only for her and, she knows, their future child, and which encompasses everything. Even though he rarely says it – only when she has him reduced to panting, overwhelmed gasps as she did minutes earlier – she feels the unquestionable love he has for her. It’s an experience that fills her with warmth from the inside, because it’s something she never truly believed she would experience.

It makes her feel guilty for asking him, once, if the only reason he wanted to be with her was to repopulate his clan. Sasuke was, by then, a changed man.

Such a difference from the man in her dreams.

She wonders about him. His temperament, his motives, his relationship with Shachi…

“Why do you think he chose her?”

“Hm?” Sasuke’s voice is low and rough from sleep.

“Indra,” Sakura clarifies dimly, gazing up at the wooden ceiling. “He washes up in this strange land, tries to kill her, disappears, then comes back. And her father offers him practically the world, anything a guy back then would want, and he throws it back in his face over Shachi. A girl he barely even spoke a hundred words to.” She shakes her head in confusion. “That’s something a person does for the one they love, but I don’t…do you think he was even capable of it at that point?”

“Capable of?”

“Love.”

Sasuke is silent for a long moment, leaving her wondering if he intends to answer the question. Then he says, “I don’t think it was possible in the way you understand it.”

“Meaning?”

“After being betrayed – or rather, after deciding he had been betrayed – by Hagoromo and Asura, he would have been more guarded than ever. He wouldn’t have been capable of feeling for her what…” He trails off here, his voice becoming more quiet, more furtive, “For what I feel for you.”

She doesn’t acknowledge the admission beyond a soft smile – he gets defensive and grumpy if she makes a big deal out of moments like this.

Instead, she returns to the topic. “So why choose her?”

“She did help him. He may have seen it as repaying a debt.”

“But he also said she reminded him of being weak. And she was weak. Wouldn’t the likelier choice have been the older sister? The one with status?”

“A man like him would choose a bride more suited to his purposes. You told me she had the ability to use chakra – which she learned just by observing his teachings,” Sasuke points out. “To members of my clan, Shachi would be the more sought-after candidate.”

Sakura considers this, and then nods. “That make sense.”

“I don’t believe it was the whole reason though.”

She shoots him a confused look.

“He might have seen her as a parallel of himself,” Sasuke continues, thoughtful. “A child mistreated by family. In his view, he was betrayed by his; this girl, she’s the scapegoat of her own kin – and for an utterly underserved reason, based on what you’ve told me.”

“But in that case, wouldn’t it make more sense to kill her family? Why agree to a marriage with her? An actual link to these people?”

“I have no doubt he had some kind of long-term motive. However…I suspect it may have been different than anything he actively planned.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s entirely possible, she provided him with something he didn’t even realise he was missing,” Sasuke tells her, staring off into the distance. “As far gone as he was, he needed something to ground him. When Indra first awakened his abilities, he was strong because he was protecting someone precious. His brother. And he remained strong, even as he became more drawn to the darkness, because he always thought he had the support of his father and brother. When that was gone – when Hagoromo named Ashura as his successor – for the first time in his life, he was truly alone. When you have as much power as he did, and as much hatred, you need something to justify your actions – some goal that makes everything else you do worthwhile.”

She knows now that he is speaking of himself, and not Indra. Of how his love for his brother drove him to commit horrible acts.

“Then he meets this girl, and she’s obviously drawn to him, and she helps him,” Sakura suggests. “And he keeps seeing her, and he knows she’s in a bad situation, so he starts to feel what it’s like to have someone trust in him again.”

It sounds far too plausible, and Sakura shivers. She doesn’t like the idea of Indra using Shachi’s misfortune for himself, but at the same time, she knows that the other woman – this shrinking violet – would see it as an opportunity to escape. In a way, the two are saving each other, even if they don’t know it.

“Hm.” Sasuke nods here. “She is someone who will be utterly loyal to him – both because of who she is as a person, and because as a wife, it is her duty to be subservient to his will.”

Sakura lifts her head and shoots him a sardonic smirk. “Oh, so I have to be subservient to you now?”

“…I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I may incriminate myself.”

“Damn right,” she nods, falling back, and then squeaks indignantly when he tweaks her left nipple in retribution. She slaps his hand away and then jabs a finger in his general direction. “Don’t start something if you don’t intend to follow through.”

Sasuke snorts. “Who said I didn’t intend to follow through?”

眠り

The wedding approaches, and for the first time in her entire life, Shachi finds herself treated according to her station.

She is bathed in scented waters and anointed with rich oils, adorned in silks and jewels, and fed the finest foods that her servants tease will ensure she bears healthy children.

Older Sister lingers resentfully in the background, while father busies himself with the preparations. Whatever he felt for her in the past, whatever he feels for her now, his greed for the power Lord Indra can provide has increased tenfold since seeing what the young man can do. He pretends like he has never resented her, calls her his “beloved child” and introduces her to visiting dignitaries.

The wedding is meant to be lavish, a way of showcasing Father’s current wealth, and offer hint of what it might become. In this, he is able to stand up to Lord Indra’s more frugal nature. For his part, the prospective bridegroom is nowhere to be found and makes no effort to involve himself in the affair; he continues to train in the courtyards up until the day of the ceremony.

That morning, she is woken at dawn and bathed. Her handmaidens draw long black ribbons of henna across her forehead and face, crisscrossing around her neck and again above her breasts, winding down her arms and legs as if she has been encircled by a snake. Her hair is braided with freshly picked cherry blossoms, and golden rings are fitted around her wrists, neck, fingers and even one through her nose. It all feels heavy and cumbersome but she knows better than to complain. The bridal gown is of red silk, the only garment she has ever worn that was not one of her sister’s castoffs, and the final touch is a purple, rhombus-shaped jewel set in the centre of her forehead.

Father walks her down the aisle at a quick pace, as if worried that the longer he takes, the sooner his future son-in-law may change his mind. Older Sister holds her veil for her, and as she goes to sit at her place, sneers quietly, “Do not think your life will be without hardship.”

Lord Indra stands at the front of the assembled guests, bored and irritated, and he doesn’t even acknowledge her when she is beside him. The high priest begins the ceremony, raising the sacred marriage cup before them, his words washing over her.

Shachi’s mind is strangely blank at this, either from disbelief or fear for the future, and Sakura feels more present in the moment than she has in months. The marriage ritual is very different from any she has ever seen, from her own wedding to Sasuke, and while she is uneasy about the circumstances, she can’t help being fascinated.

The priest places a smooth, obsidian rock – taken from the sacred river of their land – and wishes them an enduring and lasting union. He pours wine and honey as well, wishing fertility and health, and then takes their hands, lightly pricking their palms over the rim of the cup, to signify the mingling of their blood now and in the future. Then, he passes it first to Lord Indra, who will be master of the union.

Her bridegroom takes a tip – barely wets his lips – and passes it back. His expression never changes, and he still doesn’t look at her.

Then the cup is in front of her face, the priest reminds her of her duties as wife now. She begins to lift the cup to her lips as well –

Lord Indra chokes suddenly, and doubles over.

There is stunned silence all around, the high priest stares in wide-eyed horror, and there are gasps from the other guest.

“My lord?” she whispers, reaching for him. “Are you…?”

His eyes snap toward her, flickering red and black and she gasps. But it isn’t the Sharingan that have her shocked. Instead, she rapidly takes in the sight of his features – pupils dilated, mouth slackening, a bluish tint around his lips.

“Poison!” she cries, because she can’t do anything else here. “He’s been poisoned!” Her head whips around, looking for someone who might help. “Fetch a healer!”

Father appears shell-shocked, slow to realise what is happening, and Older Sister –

She stands to one side, smirking and with a look in her eyes that is all-too-knowing.

“You…” Sakura – Shachi? – realises. “Why would you – ?”

Indra begins to convulse, and the answer never comes. Instead, she falls to her knees, trying to hold his flailing arms as he convulses. Shachi is terrified, that fear returning her to full control, pushing Sakura’s awareness down again, but she refuses to allow this.

You can stay out of this right now, or he’s going to die!

She focusses her attention – sees the cup dropped by the priest, liquid spilling out. The sacred rock has rolled a few inches away as well, leaving a clumpy, chalky residue.

So that’s what it was. Poison in the marriage cup.  Indra wasn’t the only intended victim.

Her mind flips through a mental catalogue of poisons, all while calculating the amount of time it will take before he dies. Given how fast he reacted, the chalky nature, the blue veins on the mouth

“Ainu,” she determines. It’s a relative of aconite, albeit much more potent. There isn’t much out there that can save him, and in the limited time she has, she doubt’s she’ll be able to find –

Then she freezes, remembering herself.

No way. No way could it be that much of a coincidence.

Her hands fly to her hair, tugging out the delicate flowers there. Cherry blossoms have some healing properties, but aren’t used very often in antidotes –

Except in cases of ainu poisoning.

She doesn’t pause to dwell on the improbability of it all. Instead, she begins to crush up the petals – in her fingers at first, then an idea occurs to her and she puts them in her mouth, chewing them into a pulp and leaning forward to press her lips against his. As she pushes the petal paste into his mouth, she wills her chakra into him as well, calling up every bit of her concentration to do so. She visualises her energy moving into him, chasing the poison through his veins and overtaking it.

She doesn’t find out if she succeeds or not, because that’s when she suddenly loses her control. All of her concentration, all of her focus in helping him, recoils like an elastic band. She is once more, no more than a passenger, and Indra gives one last violent tremor, and then goes still.

Someone emits of a moan of grief.

It takes a stunned second for Sakura to realise the sound came from her. To understand that her dream self is weeping, throwing herself over Indra’s chest. This man, who she saved, who in demanding her hand offered her a future away from the abuses of her blood kin, and now he has left her before there was even a chance.

Tears streaming from her eyes, she looks up as Father demands of Older Sister, “What were you thinking? You’ve ruined it all!”

“I have done nothing but save you from a charlatan,” she replies airily. “He had no interest in becoming your right hand, Father, he would have taken his students and left you with ease. And if he truly intended to honour your wishes, he would have accepted the bride you offered, not that.” She tosses her hair. “Now, we have men who have sworn oaths of loyalty to you, who know of his teachings, and they won’t tempted to disappear with their wandering master.”

Father’s expression becomes thoughtful at this, and he nods slowly.

“Besides,” Older Sister goes on, a cruel set to her mouth. “He gave me insult, in public, and that is something that cannot be abided. How dare –”

But her words are quickly and brutally cut short.

A bolt of lightning rips through the ceremonial hall, through her shoulder and out her heart, leaving a bloodied and black hole in its place. Shachi screams in horror, staring at the shocked expression on Older Sisters face as her body crumples to the ground. Father’s bellow of surprise turns to terror, and she understands why, because Indra is alive.

He shrugs her off and stands, moving like the lightening that just passed through her sister’s body, and grabs Father by the throat.

“Those who break oaths are scum. Those who betray their own blood are worse than scum,” he growls. “And that cup was meant for her as much as it was for me.” It’s the only warning he gives before twisting his fingers, snapping the man’s neck. “A man who makes a move against me makes a proclamation that he is my enemy. And I will not allow my enemies to live and take a second opportunity to weaken me.”

Eyes still blazing red fire, he turns to the stunned guests.

“Your lord is dead. Either rise up and avenge him, or flee. One of those choices will lead to a swift death, so choice wisely.”

As he takes a few steps down the procession toward the door, there is a flurry of movement. Guests and members of the court scatter, tripping over each other in their finery. She is left on her knees, gaping at his back, unsure what just happened.

Then, as he did before, he turns to face her once more.

“You have saved my life twice,” he tells her coolly. “And so, I will offer you a choice. An opportunity. Save yourself. Forget this farce of a ceremony and ties you agreed to for their sake. Leave this place and seek a happier future, with a man who will offer you the respect and fondness you desire. Or –” his eyes darken back to black here, “come with.”

Her mouth parts in surprise at this.

“If you do, know that from this moment, you will be completely mine. And I am not a patient man. I am neither gentle nor kind, and your life will be one of duty. You will bring forth children to whom I can pass on my legacy. So long as you are loyal and obedient, I can make you a goddess by my side, but if you falter I will make their deaths look enviable.”

Terror and confusion make it hard to understand what he is saying to her. For several seconds, she can only stare from his intent face down to the corpses of her father and sister, turning over his words in her head.

And then it makes sense.

He is giving her a choice.

She has never, in her entire life, known what it is to make a decision that is not based on the will or needs of another. For the first time, she is free. She gets to decide what her destiny will be.

The gesture brings tears to her eyes, because she knows he is not a man who operates in choice. There is his will and death, but here he is, offering her the chance to leave that behind. And with the same certainty that he could stand against any of her father’s vassals who would challenge him, she knows he would let her walk away to a better life if she chose.

She wonders, as she takes his hand, if he realises how terrifyingly easy it is to make her decision.

つづく

Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated!

クリ

Next Part

#sasusaku #past lives #reincarnation #sasusaku fanfiction #uchiha sasuke #uchiha sakura #ootsutsuki indra #angst #drama #family #romance #ssfest17 #original characters #ssfestival2017

[drawwhatiwantwhenwant]

Day 2 Insecurity

Sasuke wants to talk about some of the things on his mind.

Hey everyone, I don’t know whats up with the blog that’s hosting the sasusaku fest but it’s been a little while and I wanted you guys to see it. Maybe things will be fixed tomorrow and if not I’ll just be doing the prompts and posting them here.  

#sasusaku #sasusakufest #ssfest17 #day 2 #sasuke and sakura

[my-sasusaku-uchiha]

FanArt ComicStrip about SasuSaku during their childhood

this will be for Feb. 20 (The Past)

#sasusakufestival #ssfest17 #thepast #sasukesakura #sasusaku #cosplay #ssother #childhood #＃サスサク #＃サスケ＆サクラ

[tsukaiko11]

End of SasuSaku Illusions Okayyy, before the SS fans start yelling at me XD, I’ve got something to say. I’m a huge and I mean HUGE SasuSaku fan as well. I just found this somewhere in a long forgotten notebook with some of my first drawings… Anyways, seems like when I was drawing this, I was really mad at the anime for trying to screw up everything about this pairing…and especially Sakura’s personality! I just realised I am still mad…

#naruto #sasusaku #dead #sakura #sasuke #naruto shippuden #manga #art #drawing #ssfest17

[behindheremeraldeyes]

SasuSaku Fest 2017 Day 4- Sasuke’s Regrets . Title: I Should’ve Killed You . Summary: Sasuke’s rescue mission told from his point of view. They’re trapped in that sinful, life-saving embrace and all he could think of was how he regretted not killing that pink annoyance before. . A/N: Okay, first of all, I HATED THIS THEME! I mean, Sasuke barely has any regrets in his life, right? AHH! How annoying! Well, apart from that, I also have to thank @ tanubhatnagar for sending me a request that actually matched the idea I had. It’s not long and it’s basically all about descriptions, but I’m quite happy with the way it turned out in the end! I literally slept with three manga volumes this night, and I’ve lost count of how many times I kept looking at those beautiful SasuSaku panels XD Thank you, @ tanubhatnagar , I hope you and everyone else enjoy what I did to your idea! Please, leave me a comment with your opinion! Feedback is always important! . . . He knew he shouldn’t have done that.

He knew it, as soon as he laid his eyes on her, that he shouldn’t have done what he did. He shouldn’t have hoped, longed and certainly not struggled so hard to reach that closing opening created by Haruno Sakura’s absurd strength.

He shouldn’t have held her like that.

Blame the heat to which his body was exposed to just moments before, or even the sudden need to use his immature powers, but Uchiha Sasuke had done the one thing he could have never imagined doing during the war. He had his hand resting against the exposed skin of her arm, her body pressed against his chest and he could feel his fingers grazing a rough, wet bruise that he soon realized to be a scald.

Her perfectly pale skin was entirely ripped, as it burned red against his palm. His touch was probably stinging like hell, but in the state she was currently found, the Uchiha doubted she could even feel her arm at all. Whatever had happened to her during the time he was away, he could see her body and easily tell that she had gone through hell, barely coming out alive from it.

Sakura was sweating more than he was, as her pink hair was sticking to her head, only the end of her locks blowing with a passing breeze that hit their bodies. She was clearly defeated and vulnerable, as her entire weight was released on his chest. That girl couldn’t take a single step by herself without him, and the reason behind that was clearly the fact that she had depleted her chakra levels in order to bring him back.

He owed her a lot at that moment, and yet, he regretted being there by her side, holding her up.

That action, he could feel, had changed not only what she thought of his current self, but also exposed a part of him he wished he could have long forgotten already. They were in the middle of a war against a goddess and his revolutionary ideas were still there, knocking on his mind and forcing him to keep going. Itachi’s ideals could not go to waste, therefore he could neither die nor allow himself to have a change of heart because of a pink haired girl, who was all fucked up and who perfectly fitted his half embrace.

The avenger Sasuke could not let the annoying Sakura get in the middle of his mission. He could not let her get so close to his heart, for he knew- oh, and how he knew- that single, pink hired girl was strong enough to make a disaster out of his concealed and objective personality.

But what could he do, right? His body just moved on its own, not caring about the future consequences his actions could bring upon them, only thinking about doing something to protect that fragile, beautiful and strong warrior that was about to fall back.

She was going to hit her head, and that was definitely going to hurt. Someway, he had spared her from a concussion, and yet, he just knew that had been the wrong choice.

He should’ve let her fall flat on that stony floor and not held her close. He should’ve offered her another one of his risky words and not established such an intimate eye contact.

He should’ve killed her when he had the chance. When he had his fingers around her neck, compressing her carotid and a kunai in hands. He should’ve killed her, but he didn’t and at that very moment, the Uchiha was aware that allowing her to live was his biggest regret.

And it was all because of their eyes, he knew. Just like back then, they were the ones to be blamed, in the end.

Those stupid, stunning emeralds he couldn’t keep himself from drowning into.

Fuck those eyes.

By the way their gaze connected, the raven haired boy knew that getting lost in those deep, exhausted emeralds of hers had been the wrong choice, especially when his bloody heritage was activated. Through his red orb, he could see and record all the details and all the changes that were now decorating that girl's- woman’s face.

Her cheeks were bonier, her eyes deeper and her lips fuller, making him gulp unconsciously. She looked absurdly weak and useless without those lines spread around her body, and that scent of iron and dirt was invading his nostrils, proving him that even Haruno Sakura could, indeed, bleed.

She could bleed and fight, and she could certainly bring him back from wherever the hell he had been sent to. She could charge a full attack against Madara in order to create a diversion, and she could heal her broken self until she seemed to be fixed. He could see and read her through his bloody eyes, and even if that was probably his last chance of ridding himself from another regret, Sasuke knew he wasn’t strong enough for that.

Not while looking at her hurt form. Not while supporting her from falling and not when she had done it all for him.

Damn you, Haruno Sakura, he thought, as his own eyes sent hers a silent and deep ‘thank you’. Those unsaid words had been the death of him, but by that time, the shit had already hit the fan. He was trapped in that trance of recording every single detail of her green irises, as he also scanned her brave and perfect body. At that moment, not even if he wanted, Sasuke wouldn't be able to say anything.

Fuck, she was beautiful. Even more than when they were kids, and even more than when she tried to kill him. For the first time since he first joined the battlefield, the Uchiha had completely forgotten about the enemy, as he just wanted to hold onto that moment, as he observed her in such pure and raw state.

But it was not like he had time to waste on her like that, right?

His eyes followed the salty, sweat droplets that originated from her skin pores and watched them sliding down, brushing her dirty skin. For her head was resting against his shoulder, he had complete visual access to her hidden skin, and apart from the small scratches spread all around, there was that one bruise on her sweaty neck that-

“ …How?”

A hoarse voice broke him from his thoughts, making him protectively bring her body closer to his. She was still looking at him, trying her best to force her abdominal muscles to breath, and he soon realized his heart was beating a lot faster than he would’ve expected it to beat at such times.  At first, he didn’t break eye contact- another regret, for sure- as he tried to build enough strength to articulate an answer. He released a sigh he didn’t know was trapped inside his chest, and he could feel her muscles relaxing against him as soon as they broke their deep connection.

With those eyes closed, at last, he could return to being himself.

“ It’s one of my abilities. I can shift myself between spaces… Though only over a finite distance.” He looked down at her once again, secretly disappointed not to have her eyes on him anymore. He took a deep breath before allowing his right eye to turn the darkest shade of black. “ But thanks to you, I made it.”

The other Uchiha allowed his head to fall, with an amused smirk decorating his face as he tried his best to recover himself. Obito would still have to transport them home, so he consider it a good idea to take some minutes so he could rebuild some strength. The three of them spent some good minutes still, not being able to move a single muscle. That dimension created a calm and serene atmosphere that helped them forget a little about the war going on back where Naruto and Kakashi were.

It was peaceful and silent, and hell, they could all stay there forever.

But their responsibilities kicked in, and as always, the pink haired girl was the first to answer to that call.

As soon as they heard the flat sound of Obito’s body crashing against the floor, he felt her body shifting under his touch, and he soon realized she was trying to create a distance between them. She was going to check on the man that was clearly as exhausted as she was, clearly not caring about her own situation. Sakura tried to move, but as expected of her very first attempt on doing so, she failed and fell back to her previous spot.

“ Don’t.”

“W-We need to… I need to-“

“ Rest a bit more. He’ll wake up soon.”

“ But Sasuke-kun, we need him to get you back to where the others are. I need to see if he’s okay and-“

“ I said rest. You’ve done more than enough for us now.”He tch-ed.” Damn it, since when have you become so stubborn, Sakura?”

At his words, the girl could feel her body finally weighting down and her bruises finally starting to bring pain all over her body. Her arm hurt like hell, and soon she realized her consciousness was drifting away.

Soon, she would be just like Obito. She would succumb to her body’s needs, but unlike him, Sakura knew he would be there to hold her. Even if she wasn’t supposed to trust that, and even if she wasn’t supposed to fully trust him, the pinkette knew, by the way they had exchanged glances, that he wouldn’t let her fall.

And with a shy smile paying on her lips, her eyelids finally closed, as she muttered an almost inaudible 'thank you’ before collapsing. At that moment, the Uchiha held her even more carefully, slowly shifting her body so they could both reach the floor safely. Sasuke realized himself he was also exhausted, and taking some moments to let his strength get back wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Once again, he was taking care of the girl he was supposed to have killed, as he was now sitting on the floor, with her body brought close to his chest. Her pink hair was falling over his exposed chest, as her eyes were completely shut. Her chest was rising and falling along with his, and as he brought his fingers to brush a faint dirt from her cheeks, the Uchiha was aware of how screwed he was. After that moment, his plan would no longer be the same, and if he were to be honest, he couldn’t care less about that at such time.

Another regret was born in his heart, and once again, it was all her fault.

He should’ve definitely killed her when he had the chance because if he had, he probably wouldn’t be falling for her all over again.

Had Uchiha Sasuke killed Haruno Sakura, his regrets as an avenger wouldn’t be so peaceful.

“ Tch, how annoying.”

#sasusaku #sasusaku fanfiction #sasusaku festival #ssfest17 #ssfanfiction #myssfics

[behindheremeraldeyes]

SasuSaku Festival 2017 . Day 03- Her Intimates . Title: Her Uchiha Butt . Summary: It’s date night for the Uchiha couple,  and he’s surprised to see her dressed in nothing but his shirt and panties when he arrives at their cottage. She looks incredibly good like that, but there’s a problem hovering over her lower cheeks. What is that symbol doing there? . A/N: Okay, this idea came up after I saw a fan art on tumblr, and I just couldn’t stop thinking about that! It’s supposed to be a funny, cute one, and I'm quite happy with the way it turned out! I hope you like it as much as I did! Enjoy the story, and please, tell me your opinion! . . . The moment he enters their rented cottage, Uchiha Sasuke already knows she hasn’t forgotten his promise.

All the lights are on, save for the ones from the kitchen. The sight of an empty table, ridden of that mess of medical scrolls and empty cups of coffee, tells him that his wife’s mind is anywhere but stuck in work on this warm, summer night. The atmosphere inside the cottage is light, as the soothing air of the Hidden Mist fills his lungs and moistens his dark hair. It is, indeed, the perfect night for a romantic date. And thanks to such perfect conditions, he knows there is no way he will be able to escape Uchiha Sakura’s plans.

For as much as he hates to admit, the original idea of going out tonight came from his own, grumpy lips. Lately, she has been exhausting herself more than she usually does, and for he has also been busy with his own meetings, Sasuke didn’t have the chance to press her stop button at least once or twice a week. They are both busy with their own personal missions, and it has been long since the last time they have spent some quality couple time alone.

And if he were to be honest with himself, he misses that time as much as she does.

He also wants to spend some time with his pink haired Uchiha, but he doesn’t want to leave the cottage for that. Not after spending 4 hours inside an office with the Mizukage, listening to her harsh words and insecurities regarding her future.

Sasuke just wants to lay down and sleep, as every worn out adult should want after arriving home.

But he can’t cancel his plans with his wife. Not when she seems to be so excited about it.

After removing his sandals and hanging both his bag and cloak on the hanger behind the door; the pleasant, floral scent of her perfume starts to invade his nostrils. His attention is immediately dragged towards the hallway, from where he hears the crash of footsteps against the floor getting louder with each passing second. A sly smirk grows upon his lips, as he amusedly waits for her excited form to come in view.

And it does, just as he has foreseen.

“Okaeri, Sasuke-kun!”

She stops by the end of the hallway, approximately 2 meters away from him, with that very Sakura-like bubbly expression ruling her face. She’s smiling from ear to ear, as only one of her emerald eyes is delineated by a delicate dark line. Her pink hair smoothly falls above her shoulders, as her bangs threaten to hide the yin seal that decorates her forehead. It doesn’t take him long to realize she’s wearing one of his shirts, which covers about five fingers above her mid-thigh; and simple, marine-blue panties, creating the kind of look that already made his heart tremble.

His wife is already looking quite good in his eyes, but that’s probably just his anti-social side talking, because the kind of outfit she’s wearing is perfect for people to stay home. He realizes that she’s still in the process of being ready for their date, and the unfinished, light makeup on her face is probably the one thing telling him so. Sakura’s childish side is out in her woman-like body, and at that moment, he just knows there's no way he cannot at least feel minimum happiness enveloping his heart.

What a silly wife, he thinks.

“ Tadaima.” He says, offering her a warm, calm expression, to which she charmingly answers with one of her soft smiles.

How could he even think of canceling their plans?

“ I’m almost ready for our date, Sasuke-kun! I can’t believe we’re actually doing this after almost a month in the Water Country, right?” She throws her hands up, closing her eyes in pure excitement.

“ Aa.” He agrees, stepping up on the wooden floor, checking his pockets for any forgotten thing.

“ We could go out for a walk and then eat something nice, what do you think?”

“ Whatever you say is fine with me, Sakura.” For his eyes were not set on her, the male Uchiha couldn’t see the way her lips formed a frown at his emotionless answer. Her smile suddenly falls from her lips, as a selfish realization takes over her senses, making her hands get together so her fingers could play with one another. Her eyes fall to their feet, and a small pout forms on her lips.

Apparently, all her excitement has vanished form her body. And it’s all because of him.

“ Sasuke-kun… Are you not excited for our date?”

“ What?”

His eyes widen at her declaration, and he soon realizes what she was trying to do. Sakura is trying to put other’s wishes above hers, and he is not going to accept that anymore. It is true that he's not as excited as she is, but that doesn’t mean he isn't excited at all. He wants to go out with her, do something different and make her smile as he listens to her day.

Sasuke wants to act like a good husband for at least one night, and she is not going to ruin his opportunity.

“ I mean… If you don’t want to go, we can just stay here, you know. I have some documents to go through and-“

“ Sakura. We are going out on a date.” He orders, making her emeralds widen in somewhat of a shocked expression. " That’s what you want, right?”

“ Yeah, that’s what I want, but-“

“ No buts. Now go get ready or we will be late.” His face is now as stoic as ever, as he’s basically imposing her wishes over her. In her eyes, her husband looks unbelievably cute saying those words, and as soon as he watched the silly, lovely expression she was offering him, the male Uchiha couldn’t help but turn away from her gaze, with the tips of his ears turning red.

Damn it, she is just too much for him. Especially dressed in so little.

Especially with those clothes.

“ Hai!”

She smiles widely again, a tinge of red faintly hovering over her cheeks. His wife’s happy again, and due to how fast that change happened, Sasuke suspects that whole thing was a part of her plan from the very beginning.

Sakura turns on her heels, finally sprinting back towards the bathroom where she could finish her preparations for her date with her husband. The shirt she's wearing forms a wave as she runs away, revealing more of the wife he has under those clothes. Her bouncing hair, her soft, toned thighs and that perfectly round butt that is covered by panties stamped with nothing less than the white and red colors of the-

And that was when he sees it.

His dark eyes widen immediately, as a confused pout takes over his face. The male Uchiha isn’t quite sure of what he’s just seen decorating his wife’s lower cheeks, but there’s something inside his chest telling him to go after her and find out. More than anything, he trusts his eyes and his own instincts, and before he notices it, his feet are already dragging him towards the bathroom where the girl is finishing her make up. He follows the trail her scent left behind, enjoying as the perfume gets more intense as it fills his nostrils and entices his curiosity regarding what his eyes may or may not have captured moments ago.

Sasuke isn’t quite sure if what he saw is actually what he thinks it is, but as soon as he enters the bathroom and sees the pinkette leaning forward to delineate her other eye, he realizes that, once more, his eyes were correct.

Oh, boy.

Just like before, he finds his dark pearls traveling upwards her body, paying attention to her delicate ankles and her long, strong legs. Her muscles are outlined up until her thighs, and thanks to the way her hands are lifted, his large shirt that is covering her petit body is lifted, exposing the soft, round bottom of her butt and the one piece of clothing that has been intriguing him ever since he laid his eyes upon it.

Their colors match perfectly with his classic genin vest, as they are long enough to decently cover a wide range of her lower skin. They seem to be comfortable, and they seem to adjust perfectly as they embrace her curves. They are just the type of panties his wife prefers, and the fact that the Uchiha crest is fully stamped behind them make things even more… interesting to the one who possess the blood of the almighty Uchiha clan running through his veins.

Where on earth has she found them?

His mind has turned blank, as he’s trying to find a logical explanation to why his wife would have the fan stamped on her butt. He remembers when he first bought her a dress with his family symbol on its back, and he remembers how he told her to sew it on all of her clothes from that day on. Sasuke was more than happy when she accepted his words, and seeing her walking around with the fan that ignites the Uchihas' flame is more than simply pleasuring to him.

They’re a married couple, and seeing how much she respects and preserves his family name just confirms to him that he couldn’t have chosen any better girl to hold both his heart and his last name.

Sasuke appreciates everything she has done to rid the Uchiha clan from the eventual hatred it received.

But wearing it on her butt seems to be a little too much for him.

“S-Sakura…”

“Eh? Oh, Sasuke-kun!” She acknowledges his presence through the mirror’s reflection, as she’s trying to stay steady not to ruin the makeup. “ I’m almost done here… You can use the bathroom after this.”

“ No… It’s not really that…” He runs his fingers across his dark locks, as an uncontrollable blush finally takes over his cheeks. His eyes are still focused on her lower cheeks, and the male Uchiha can’t simply convince himself to lift his head. He swallows dry, making his Adam’s apple move uncomfortably. “ Actually, I wanted to… to understand why…”

“ Understand what?” She chuckles. “ It’s just a date, Sasuke-kun. Besides, we’re a married couple, and even if I think it’s super cute, you don’t have to be nervous.”

“ That’s not it- Uh… Sakura, why are you…”

“ Why am I what, darling?”

“ Hn.” He takes a deep breath, building up courage. “ Why are you wearing these pant-“

“ Yosh! I’m finally done!” She smiles, blinking a couple of times. Her eyes are finally focused on him through the mirror’s reflexion, and as soon as she realizes where his eyes are aiming at, Uchiha Sakura remembers she forgot to change her panties.

Oh, crap.

When she finally turns her head and looks down, the pinkette feels her entire face succumbing to an embarrassed heat. Her skin has turned a deep shade of red, as her lips are parted and her entire body is trembling due to her husband’s new discovery. She immediately turns her body as if to prevent him from looking, but the reflection of the mirror behind her still makes it possible for his eyes to see the Uchiha crest stamped on her butt. Sakura tries to cover it, but thanks to her anxious hands, she finds that task quite impossible right now.

Oh, shit.

“ Sa-Sasuke-kun! I-I can explain it!”

“ Sakura, why-“

“ ItwasIno’sidea!ShesentittomeandIwasplanningonthrowingitawaybutIforgotand-“

“ Oi, slow down, Sakura. I can’t-“

“IwasfinishingwitheverythingforourdateandIwasgoingtochangethemforsomethingmoreappealingforourdateand-“

Her eyes are spinning and she can’t stop babbling words that are too fast for his ears to comprehend. Her hands are trapped in looping gesture of expressing her emotions and covering her panties, and due to the purple shade that is slowly spreading around her red, oxygen-less face, Sasuke doubts his wife’s even breathing right now.

Right now, if the raven haired boy wants to have answers and wants his wife not to die from extreme embarrassment, he knows he needs to stop her.

Somehow, he will need to shut her mouth.

And right now, he doubts words will have any effect on her.

Without hesitating, the male Uchiha takes a step closer to his wife and abruptly shuts her mouth with his own hand. His now red eyes lock with hers, as his dark tomoes are now spinning. He knows this is not the right thing for a husband to do, but he couldn’t think of any other thing to calm her down before she fainted. He feels her slowing down, and not long after his sharingan started inducing her to a relaxation state, he could feel a deep breath leaving her nostrils and brushing his hand. She seems to be calmer now, but her cheeks are still boiling under his touch.

Tch, what a troublesome wife, he thinks, as he deactivates his eyes.

“ Look, I’m going to remove my hand from your face so you can talk, okay, Sakura?”

She nods, eyes filled with apprehension and shame.

“ Okay. You won’t freak out, right? You’re going to breath, right?”

She nods again, looking like a little kid that has just been scolded for eating sweets before dinner. He can feel her soft pout pressed against his palm, and his own blush just gets more intense at the realization. His wife drives him insane, and even if he doesn’t admit it to her, her effect over him is quite disturbing sometimes.

The smallest touch is able to set him on fire, and those panties- her Uchiha panties- are certainly making his heart beat faster.

Damn it, he just wants to get over with this date already.

“ Hn.” He releases her mouth, slowly and carefully, allowing his hand to rest next to his body. His eyes are still on hers, and as she tries to look away in pure embarrassment, Sasuke finds the scene to be quite cute.

But it’s not like he will tell her so.

“ You see…” She starts, bitting her lower lip, until it turns pale. “ This was a gift from Ino. When she heard we got married, she sent it to me. She kinda sent it to all the girls after we got married.”

“ Okay… Go on.”

“ I was planning on throwing it away, but I didn’t have time to do so… and today I realized I had nothing comfortable to wear while I was getting ready for our date. I was going to change it before you got back, but I completely forgot…”

The guilt in her voice suddenly starts to bother him. His wife seems to be apologizing for something he can’t quite understand why, and as she’s looking down, fidgeting her fingers and still blushing madly, he can’t help but get even more confused.

Why on earth is she so sad?

Is it all because of her panties?

With a lifted eyebrow, Sasuke watches as his wife is trying her best not to faint in front of him. Her hands are balled into fists and resting next to her body, and they’re shaking uncontrollably right now. He can see that there’s something bothering her, but for the first time ever since they were genin, the male Uchiha can’t really read her or any of her signs. She’s closed right now, and not being able to see her heart makes him feel extremely uncomfortable.

He doesn’t know what’s happening to her. He doesn't know what’s making her feel like that, and more importantly, he doesn’t know what he has to do in order to help her.

He can’t do anything, and that’s just utterly annoying.

He knows he has to do something to find out the truth behind her problems, and he will literally force the reason out of her if he has to.

Luckily, Uchiha Sakura realized she could not keep her mouth shut. Not right now.

“ Sasuke-kun… I swear I-I’m not disrespecting your clan!”

By the way her eyes are lowered, Sasuke can really point out that her sudden depression is real. She has been embarrassed before, but thanks to her usual overthinking, this is the first time he actually thinks she can start crying any at time. Her voice is shaky, her breathing is heavy and he can feel the unnecessary apology on her speech because of a gift her best friend gave her after she got married. It was not like he even considered that whole thing as an act of disrespect.

It's just a panty, after all. And the fact that his clan’s crest is stamped on it doesn’t make him feel offended or anything of the kind. It is odd and certainly unexpected, but it’s not like he perceives it as a threat.

His family’s crest on her butt doesn’t make him feel bad at all. If he were to be honest, seeing that view gave him… other kinds of feelings. That manly, possessive side of his starts kicking in, and even if he won’t admit it, those intimates are working really well on getting his attention.

Even if he hates to admit it, and even if he considers himself to be a terrible husband right now, the male Uchiha can’t help but find the whole scenary  amusing, to say the least. Her rosy cheeks blending all the shades of red known around the world, her soft lips pouting childishly and her bubblegum hair falling over her face and hiding her eyes just makes his lips want to twerk up in a smile, but he finds it in himself to control his urges.

His wife is just too beautiful even when she’s embarrassed, he thinks.

But despite for the way she looks, Sasuke knows that there are more reasons for him to be happy right now. Behind that whole thing, her love for him and the respect she nourishes for his family are being shaded by her blush, and that’s certainly something that makes his heart beat faster in pure excitement. Her feelings are spread all over her face, and for that- all of that- he has to be thankful.

Standing in front of him is the pink haired girl he once met during the spring of his youth, and even if she’s still that same, annoying brat, he knows he doesn’t deserve someone as her in his corrupted life. Not only she was able to forgive him, but she also forgave his entire clan for everything, and he knows that she doesn’t hold any kind of grudge against her decisions in her pure heart.

Sakura has truly embraced the role their love for each other has bestowed upon her, and more than many of his dead relatives, the pinkette is proud of the Uchiha clan. She’s proud of belonging to the clan that means so much to the man she loves, and for that, he’s thankful for her.

He’s thankful for having her as a part of his family, and for seeing her wearing his crest so proudly.

Being it on the back of her clothes or on her round, soft butt, Uchiha Sakura honors the name she stole from him. And if he were to be honest with himself, he has never seen anyone wearing that fan better than she does.

Too bad she’s too busy blushing not to see it.

Perhaps, he will have to be the one to show her the truth.

“ Sakura…” Her name rolls out of his tongue, as an amused smirk is playing on his lips. She lifts her head to look at him, and he can see the surprise in her widened eyes when she finds him with a calm expression instead of a deadly glare. Sakura doesn’t know what to say, therefore, her husband continues before she can figure anything out. “ You’re annoying.”

“ Sasuke-kun, you-“

“ Did you seriously think I was going to be mad because of that?”

“… Aren’t you?”

“ Hn, believe me… The Uchiha crest has been attached to more embarrassing things than your butt.”

“ N-No! It hasn’t!” He can see her eyes burning in a shy green, as she’s now returning to herself. Just like he expected her to. “ The crest of your family is… It’s beautiful and it makes me nervous to carry it around, to be honest.”

“ Nervous? Tch, honestly, you’re overreacting again. It’s no big deal.”

“ Yes, it is! It’s the Uchiha clan! Your clan and-“

“ Our clan.”

“ Uh?”

“ Hn.” He smiles shyly, placing his hand on his hip. He closes his eyes for an instance, as he finally starts to walk away, offering her the vision of his back before he stops one more time before reaching their room. “ It’s our clan. You belong to it now, and that gives you the right to wear the fan wherever you like. Even on your butt.”

“ Sasuke-kun…” She’s blushing lighter now, as a warm smiles plays on her lips. His words, apparently, worked perfectly to bring her back to normal, and make her understand that just because there was no Uchiha blood running through her veins, it doesn’t mean she is any less important than him when it comes to the Uchiha clan.

Just like him, she is an Uchiha.

She is Uchiha Sakura.

And right now, she’s late for her date.

But it doesn’t mean she doesn’t have enough time to thank him for his words.

It’s already too late when his ears capture the fast sound of her feet against the wooden floor. Before Sasuke can turn to face her, her arms are already wrapped around his torso, as her pink head is comfortably resting on his back. He feels her warm body pressed against his, and he realizes she’s not wearing a bra right now thanks to how close and soft the covered skin of her breasts feel. Her scent is intoxicating, her heartbeat is driving him insane, and the thought of those Uchiha panties so close to him are certainly not helping him stay calm at all.

Oh, she’s definitely his wife.

“ Oi! Shouldn’t you be gettiing-“

“ Thank you, Sasuke-kun!” Her lips are smiling against his shirt, and as her words slowly sink in, the male Uchiha finally turns to face her. He places a hand over her pink head, and their eyes connect, as if to initiate another one of their intimate talks.

They’re definitely a married couple.

“ Hn.” He pokes her forehead, sending her away some inches and earning a new, lovely blush from her. Their faces are closer now, and she can feel his hot breath tickling her lips. " You’re still annoying, Sakura.”

“ And you’re still going on a date with me.”

As a smirk takes over her lips, her husband understand her real intentions, and without hesitating, he leans down to place a chaste kiss on her lips. He can feel her smile against his skin, and her hair is tickling his cheek. Her hands are still wrapped around him, and after fighting so hard against his instincts, Uchiha Sasuke realizes he can’t hold back anymore.

Not with those panties on his mind.

“ Sakura…” He breaks the kiss, still holding her in place as his lips approach her ear-shell. “ Take them off.”

“ Don’t worry… I will before I put my dress and-“

“ No. Do it now.”

“… Oh. OH!” Realization strikes her, and after pushing him away, the pink haired Uchiha sends her husband a deadly glare. She’s aware of his intentions, and there’s just no way she will agree to that. Not right now. “ No no no no! You’re not ruining our date Uchiha Sasuke! You are not- AH!”

“ Hn.” He smirks, totally ignoring her words as he picks her up and throws her over his shoulder. She’s struggling and chuckling as he moves towards their room, his hand resting on top of the Uchiha crest located on her butt. Apparently, they’re going to be late for their plans, and neither of them seem to care about it right now.

Oh, that husband of hers.

And that was why going on dates with him never truly worked.

#sasusaku #sasusaku fanfiction #ssfanfic #sasusaku festival 2017 #ssfest17 #myssfics

[behindheremeraldeyes]

SasuSaku Fest 2017 . Day 2- Insecurity . Title: The Love He Deserves . Summary: Her shift at the hospital has just ended and they’re both having a nice dinner for two. Everything is going just fine until a figure from his past appears and shows Sakura that, unlike she had always imagined, her love for him was nothing. Not anymore. . A/N: Okay, this one theme was too intense for me! I had lots of ideas that would fit it perfectly, and I ended up choosing this one mainly because of personal experience (if you could call it that way). There are tons of stories featuring a funny, jealous Sasuke, and I’m sure insecure, jealous Sakura will make the perfect balance! I hope you like it, and please, tell me what you think!

. . “ I cannot believe it! Uchiha Sasuke, is that you!?”

A sudden, loud voice crossed the entire room, drawing everyone’s attention to the source of such sound. The chatting ceased, food was left aside and eyes turned from every table of the ramen shop just to acknowledge the one who had blurted out the raven haired boy’s name like that. It sounded inconvenient and troublesome, and by the way his lips twitched, Haruno Sakura could tell that whoever that person was, her teammate, Uchiha Sasuke, wasn’t pleased to have his dinner interrupted at all.

Perks of being a war celebrity, she thought, with an amused smile on her face.

For the pinkette had her back turned to the entrance, her emerald eyes could not see the one who was now approaching their table. At that moment, her conclusions were based solely on his facial expressions, and judging by how he was looking away and trying not to be seen, Sakura could easily tell how he was feeling. He was annoyed, and in a certain way, so was she, for she knew that their dinner was about to be disturbed by one of his crazy fangirls. The dinner she had been anxiously waiting for since she had last seen him, 36h before, when she started her shift.

It was their last dinner together before he had to go back on the road.

Life could be really unfair sometimes.

But she had to understand it, after all, her teammate has become a famous person after saving the ninja world. He didn’t belong to her in any possible way, therefore, his popularity was none of her business. Neither her love for him nor the fact that they had already crossed the friendship line a couple of times gave her the right to buzz about his life, yet, not being annoyed was quite hard at times like that.

Especially at times like that.

After his defeated sigh brought her back from her thoughts, the pinkette realized there was no escaping anymore. He gave her one, last apologetical look, to which she simply smiled back, and stood up, turning his eyes to face the one who had successfully managed to reach their table. She was a persistent girl, Sakura thought. And as soon as her green eyes were able to actually see her, the medic realized that persistence wasn’t her only characteristic.

“ Sasuke-chan!”

The girl didn’t even hesitate before throwing her arms around the Uchiha, to which the pinkette simply responded by widening her eyes in response. The childish suffix attached to his name made an annoyed vein pop out on her large forehead, and before she knew it, her eyes were already examining the uninvited guest, as she was ready to rescue her teammate from that killing hug.

Sakura was about to pull him away, but before she could even stand up, the pinkette found herself shocked by something she was definitely not expecting from that girl: beauty.

With long, black hair that flew around her shoulders, and the prettiest of the smiles ruling her lips, Sakura found herself staring at the prettiest girl her eyes have ever landed upon. She was thin, with the right curves in the right places, and with long and delicate limbs that resembled princess Koyuki herself. Her eyes, when she finally opened them, were colored in a dark blue that matched perfectly with the elegant, knee-length, marine dress she was wearing. Her skin was pale as a pearl, and the floral scent that followed her was simply inebriating.

That girl- whatever her name was- was really stunning. And for a moment, seeing her beautiful portrait next to the Uchiha, made Sakura’s heart clench in a way it never had before. They certainly looked great together, and as she watched the other costumers simply smile at them before returning to their own meals, something bitter made her bite her lower lip in a pure reflex.

What could it be, she thought, looking down for a moment.

She certainly didn’t know, but for the moment, she decided to brush it off in order to look back at the duo so she could offer them a kind smile. Fortunately, Sasuke had already gotten free from her scarless arms.

“ Tch, Don’t call me that, Asuka.”

“ Oh, Don’t be such a brat, Sasuke-chan!” She pouted cutely. “ I’ve always called you like that and you didn’t complain about it before.”

“ That’s because I was a kid.”

“ So?”

“ Tch… Asuka.” He looked back at Sakura, catching her off guard as she was taking a sip of her drink. “ This is Haruno Sakura. My-“

“ Oh my god! I know her! She’s your teammate! The one who healed some people during the war! It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sakura-san. I bet it must be hard to show off with Sasuke-chan in the team!”

A soft chuckle escaped the pink haired girl’s lips as she tried to sound as kind as possible. Even if Sakura could clearly see the lack of interest in her voice, the pinkette understood her reasons perfectly. She was not the one Asuka was interested in, and at that moment, she was nothing but an insignificant spectator just like all the other costumers of the restaurant. The perfect girl only had eyes for the Uchiha, and Sakura doubted she would even pay attention to her words.

Still, in consideration to the link Asuka and her teammate shared, the Haruno girl did what she had to do in order to seem kind.

“ The pleasure is mine. And yeah… Keeping up with him is almost impossible.”

“I bet it is.” She turned back to the Uchiha, just like the Haruno girl had expected, and her genuine smile returned to her lips. Of course, Sakura thought… “ So, Sasuke-chan, how have you been? It’s been, like, 12 years? More?”

“ Hn, I don’t know. Something like that. What are you doing back in Konoha anyway? Shouldn’t you be marrying a prince or something like that?”

“ Yeah, I should, but… Let’s just say I gave up on that whole arranged marriage thing. And right now… “ A blush creeped onto her cheeks, as she smiled softly at the Uchiha. Seeing such thing certainly made the pinkette’s heart clench even tighter, as she decided to look away and take another sip of her tea. “ Right now I’m looking for my own love.”

By the way she looked at him with those dark eyes, Sakura only figured he would have to be blind no to see her real intentions. It was clear that she was talking about him when she mentioned the word love, and even if many were the times when the pinkette ended up overhearing a love confession destined to the Uchiha, not a single one of them had made her feel as shocked as the one coming from that perfect girl.

Asuka, unlike all the others and unlike herself, seemed to share a past with the real Uchiha Sasuke. She knew him before the massacre changed his life and his heart was taken by revenge, and that thought made Sakura’s fists clench under the table.

Unlike herself, Asuka knew the original Uchiha Sasuke. She was in love with his real-self, and apparently, she could also fall for the mended pieces that were left of him.

She was the only one that could love him for what he once was, what he is and what he will be for she was probably the only person to have met him during all the phases of his life. And at that moment, the medical ninja knew that there was no way she could beat that girl.

Not when it was clear that her perfection could make him happier than she ever would.

It was a lost battle, and for the first time in years, Sakura felt like she didn’t belong in that scene at all. Even if she had been invited for that dinner, she just knew, by the sudden urge to leave that took over her senses, that it was time for her to go home. It had been a long day, indeed.

Without even realizing, the duo had been talking while she was spacing out, and even if she could see his eyes looking for her every now and then, the Haruno knew what she had to do. After she finished her tea and wiped out her lips with a napkin, she slowly stood up, placing both of her hands inside the pockets of her crumpled skirt. Her messy, pink hair that refused to stay tied up in a bun was falling over her eyes, and the smell of antiseptics filled her nostrils as she started to move.

She was doing the right thing, she knew.

But it was not like he was not going to make things even harder for her.

“ Sakura.” His voice cut out Asuka’s, as he expertly held her arm. It was clear that the Uchiha knew what the pinkette was about to do, and for a moment, a sudden anger took over his senses. “ Where are you going?”

If she turned to face those stunning, deep eyes of his, Sakura knew all her courage and determination would disappear from her heart. She knew she couldn’t trust herself when the boy who owned her heart was looking straight at her, therefore, the pinkette chose to simply avoid his deep, dark pearls.

“ I’m just going to the bathroom, Sasuke-kun… I’ve drunk too much tea and I… I gotta go.”

Her voice was low when she said those words, and much to her dismay, she could only feel his grip tightening around her arm. It felt, somehow, possessive and gentle at the same time, and if not for Asuka suddenly pulling him by the shirt, Sakura wouldn’t have been able to walk away. She turned to head to the restroom, and when she found the perfect opportunity, she left after paying for their dinner.

On that night, she went home with her heart broken and her eyes crying silent tears because of a girl that had beaten her love and the scent that shoved her away.

On that night, unlike so many other nights, Haruno Sakura was going home all alone.

Wandering  through the empty streets of Konoha has always been a certain kind of refugee for her. With the street lamps guiding her way through the darkness and the silent houses keeping her company, Haruno Sakura was now finally making her way back home after a long and disastrous night. Her body was still exhausted from her long shift at the hospital, her stomach was complaining about the unfinished ramen she left behind and her heart was aching at the simple thought of the Uchiha walking that girl home- wherever that could be.

Spending such a beautiful night like that alone should be considered a crime, and thanks to her selfless act, neither Asuka nor Sasuke would have to suffer the same penalty she was suffering at that exact moment. Neither of them would have to endure a broken heart, nor the regret of probably leaving behind the only person that could make them happy.

Neither of them would have to wake up with stinging eyes nor a dry hangover, and it would all be thanks to her. The selfless, kind and idiot girl who always ignored her own feelings in order to make sure the rest of the world was happy.

She really was an idiot, she thought, running a hand through her messy bangs. Regret was certainly going to pay her a visit for the rest of her life, and yet, at that very moment, the pinkette just wanted to go home to greet the emptiness of the heart she had just broken.

Sakura wanted to be alone. However, as soon as she reached her apartment door, the medic realized that loneliness had the most beautiful, dark eyes she has ever seen in her life.

That boy would be the death of hers.

“ Sasuke-kun…” Her voice was low, as she stopped, almost 2 meters away from him. He had his hand hidden inside his pocket with his back resting against her door frame, and judging by his tired eyes, the raven haired boy had been there for quite a considerable amount of time already.

Was he really that much of an idiot?

Probably. And judging by his expression, that idiot wasn’t happy at all.

“ I thought you were just going to the bathroom.” His eyes were glaring at her, and suddenly, Sakura found it hard to breath under his intense gaze. Her throat went dry, her hands were shaking, and at that moment, the pinkette decided to avoid keeping eye contact with him.

It would be easier, she thought, even if she couldn’t really believe her words at that moment.

“ I was exhausted, so I decided to come home, that’s all. I didn’t want to bother you and Asuka, so I ended up coming home.”

“ Hn, Do you seriously think I’m going to believe that?” He took a step forward, as his glare remained on her. “ If that was true, Sakura, then you would’ve come straight home instead of wandering around for almost 2 hours.”

Her eyes widened for a moment, as guilt took over her senses. So he had been there since the beginning, she thought. He had been there instead of been with the perfect girl that could and would make him happy for the rest of his life.

What an idiot, she thought, cursing him for his actions. At that moment, she got really mad at him, but such feeling didn’t harbor in her heart. She had no time for that, after all. “ Tch, you shouldn’t have waited for so long.”

“ Oh, and what was I supposed to do?”

“ You should- damn it… You should've gone home, Sasuke. That’s what you should’ve done.” She finally took her keys from her pocket, taking a step towards her front door until their shoulders were practically brushing. Sakura could feel his eyes following her and observing her every move, yet she didn’t stop herself from placing the key inside the lock. A sigh escaped her lips, as her grip tightened around the key. “ You shouldn’t be here, Sasuke…”

Even if her words were basically sending him away, the Uchiha wasn’t convinced by her inexistent argument at all. He could feel anger taking over, as he tried his best to understand the reason behind her odd behavior. If Sakura actually believed he would simply let her be after abandoning him back at the restaurant, the pinkette was incredibly mistaken.

He is Uchiha Sasuke. And leaving with no answers was not how he solved things.

Before she could even turn the key to unlock the door, his right arm was already resting next to her head, his palm pressed hard against the concert wall. She could feel his empowering body caging her small one, and his hot breathing was tickling her ear, making it harder for her to breathe. Sakura knew she could still open that door, but suddenly, all her strength faded from her body.

Damn it, how she hated him for doing that to her.

“ Sakura…” His voice came out almost as a whisper, and suddenly, the pinkette found herself lifting her head a little in response. Her body was answering to his call, and even if that was infuriating, listening to her name slipping from his lips like that just felt too good. “ Stop lying to me. Why did you leave like that?”

“ Why the hell do you want to know, Sasuke?” She started to shake, swallowing dry as if trying to hold something back. The scent of that girl had impregnated his shirt and it was driving her mad. She wanted to get herself rid of that toxic fragrance for once and for all, and suddenly, it got extremely hard to reason.

“ Because I want to. Come on, say it.”

“ There’s nothing to be said.”

“ Yes, there is!”

The silence she chose after his words was the last drop of water before the raven haired boy decided seek for the one thing that he had missed for the past few hours. Abruptly, he spun her body around only so their eyes could finally meet. Her emerald eyes were widened in shock, and his dark ones quickly followed her lead as soon as he saw that red strip of pure embarrassment taking over her face. At first, she tried to look away from him in order to hide her face, but Sakura soon found it impossible to hide it from him any longer.

That bastard, she thought.

“ Sakura… Why are you-“

“ You shouldn’t be here, Sasuke!” Her voice rose, making the boy take a step back in pure reflex. She was mad, he could see, but that was when she was the most sincere, he knew. “ You… You should be with your friend right now! Stop being such an idiot and go after her- shannarou! She… She gave up on a freaking prince because of you.”

“ What?"

“ Tch, you have got to be kidding right now!” She took her hand to her forehead, resting her palm against her yin seal and wiping away the strings of her pink bangs. Her face was still hot, and as she sought for his eyes in the most natural way, Sasuke could finally see what she was desperately trying to say behind her confused words.

Could it be…?

“ Did you at least walk her home?”

“ Are you talking about Asuka?”

“ Of course I am!”

“ Hn, no, I didn’t walk her home. Why?”

“ Oh my god! You’re a terrible husband, Uchiha Sasuke!”

“ Husband!?” His eyes widened in pure shock, for he just couldn’t recall his own marriage with his old acquaintance. In fact, he didn't even remember having feelings for her or anything like that. “Are you insane, Sakura?”

“ No, I’m not. Tch, Don’t tell me you didn’t see the way she looked at you.”

“ Not at all.”

“ Oh, Come on, Sasuke.” She threw her hands up in the air for an instance, as she was now glaring at the raven haired boy’s naiveness. “ She wanted you, and… And you would have to be an idiot not to want her back.”

“… What are you talking about, Sakura? Asuka and I… Hn, we’re barely friends.”

“ No… That’s what we are, Sasuke… You guys are… You’re different. You’ve shared memories from a time I’ll never understand anything about. She knows you better than I do. The real you.”

The sad expression that took over her face was messing with his heart, for at the same time he found it incredibly infuriating, a part of him couldn’t help but feel amused to see that kind of reaction from her. At that moment, the powerful kunoichi was completely vulnerable in front of his eyes, and somehow, knowing she was like that because of him brought him a really good sensation.

Haruno Sakura was pouting, and it was all because she was jealous of a girl whose name he barely remembered. She was jealous for the first time in her life, and even if she had absolutely no reasons to feel like that or to feel insecure, Sasuke knew he could not let that opportunity pass.

Not without rebuilding the girl standing in front of him.

“ Sakura… Hn, Don’t be stupid. She doesn’t know anything about me.”

“ Of course she does! She met you before the massacre and you guys have history together! Besides… She’s just perfect.”

“ Perfect?” He lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "How?”

“ Tch… She’s beautiful, Sasuke… Her hair is just beautiful, her eyes are stunning, she’s delicate and she was going to marry a prince! She’s the perfect girl for you and for the whole Uchiha clan.”

“ And what about you?”

“ What about me?”

“ Don’t you think you’re the perfect girl?”

“ Me?! Pff Don't make me laugh. Just look at me… I’m a mess with pink hair and dark circles around my eyes, who smell like antiseptics and punches my way through things! I could never marry a prince, and now that I look at her, I can tell that I could never make you and your clan proud.” A sigh escaped her lips, as she massaged the back of her neck in pure exhaustion. “Besides, I’m annoying, you’ve told me that many times.”

As he looked at the defeated, blushing, jealous form in front of him, the Uchiha couldn’t hold back the smirk that creeped onto his lips. Listening to how far her mind had taken her in such a short period of time was certainly amusing, and indeed, impressive. She’s always been good at overthinking and when she hadn’t slept for almost two days, it was clear that her ability just improved.

At that moment, he could see that she had just ignored everything she has done to become the amazing kunoichi she is, and all she did during the war was simply reduced to nothing. She allowed her insecurities to take over, and easily, a pair of ordinary eyes outshone her own emerald ones.

Haruno Sakura was certainly annoying, he thought.

But he just couldn’t get mad at that cute, insecure girl.

“ Are you really that stupid, Sakura?”

“ What?” She glared at him, not happy with the way he addressed her.

“ Hn.” He smirked, looking deep into her eyes. “ Do you really think she’s better than you?”

“ Well, it depends on how you look at it…”

“ Not, it doesn’t. Tch, You’re a war hero who has punched a goddess in the face, damn it. You’ve surpassed the Godaime, and this mark on your forehead proves pretty much everything I’ve said.” He stated, blankly flickering her forehead with his fingers, making the girl wince in pain for a second. She was pouting in pure rage now, and at that moment, Uchiha Sasuke realized that he just loved seeing that blaze taking over her eyes.

She’s definitely perfect, he thought. And you bet he was turned on by that annoying girl in front of him.

“Oi, that hurt, you-“

His lips were suddenly pressed against hers, preventing the girl from continuing her threat. Sasuke lifted her chin with his fingers, as he slowly pressed her body against her front door. It was a long, chaste kiss, that left both of them with their hearts beating faster and their eyes hazed by pure desire. He could still see doubt spread around her face, and he couldn’t wait to wipe it off later that night.

Later that night, while they were both trapped in a dazzling love, he would show her that her love is the only one that can satisfy his soul.

And even if seeing that side of hers was incredibly satisfying, Sasuke knew it was time for him to stop teasing that girl.

His annoying girl.

“ … Are you… Are you sure?”

“ Aah… And I know all the members of the Uchiha clan agree with me.”

“ Tch, you’re an idiot, Uchiha Sasuke…”

“ And you’re jealous, Haruno Sakura.”

At the sound of his words, the girl couldn’t hold back her own smirk. She tugged her hands on his shirt, gaining courage with each, new, hot breath that filled her lungs. Her eyes were burning in pure lust, and at that moment, the pinkette knew that there was no turning back anymore.

Not for her, and certainly not for him.

Oh, and she couldn’t wait to rip that stinky shirt from his body.

#sasusaku #sasusaku fanfiction #sasusaku festival 2017 #sasusaku fest 17 #ssfest17 #myssfics

[sasusakufestival]

♥ Day 20:The Past ♥

by:aliray(http://aliray96.tumblr.com/)

#ssfest17 #sasusaku #ssart #submission #ssfestentry

[kuriquinn]

Gal Friday

Summary: Sasuke frowns and puts down the tumbler and turns around, expecting one of his shareholders or perhaps one of the shark-like women from legal to be addressing him. What he encounters instead is a woman with a shock of bubble-gum pink hair and eyes the colour of seafoam, smiling at him as if she has known him her entire life. [SasuSaku Festival 2017 – Day 11 – Prompt: "CEO & Assistant"]

Disclaimer: This story utilizes characters, situations and premises that are copyright Masashi Kishimoto, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and Viz Media. No infringement on their respective copyrights pertaining to episodes, novelizations, comics or short stories is intended by the author in any way, shape or form. This fan oriented story is written solely for the author's own amusement and the entertainment of the readers. It is not for profit. Any resemblance to real organizations, institutions, products or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All fiction, plot and Original Characters with the exception of those introduced in the books, manga, video games, novelizations and anime, are the sole creation of KuriQuinn and using them without permission is considered rude, in bad-taste and will reflect seriously on your credibility as a writer. A pink-haired dynamo will deduce you into submission should you be found plagiarizing.

Warning: Real World AU. Slight OOC? Maybe? Well, I kind of figure the Sakura of this fic is just who Inner Sakura would have been if she were the main character, so there. Some of Sakura's speech based off of Donna Paulsen and Sherlock Holmes

AN: I think I will continue this one at a later date. I like the idea of assistant Sakura and CEO Sasuke intrigues me…

Beta Reader: Sakura's Unicorn

"You know, when someone is given his father's flagship company, he can at least pretend to finish the drink his board of directors bought him."

Sasuke frowns and puts down the tumbler, turning around. He expects the voice to belong to one of his shareholders or perhaps one of the shark-like women from legal. What he sees instead is a woman with a shock of bubble-gum pink hair and eyes the colour of seafoam smiling at him as if she's known him her entire life.

He looks her over. She's around his age – early twenties – and from her posture, utterly at ease in her own skin, yet not in the aggressive way he's come to expect from the women who frequent this place. His gaze lingers a half-second longer on her hair, then he raises an eyebrow. "Have we been introduced?"

"Not yet," she replies, and her smile gets a little mischievous. "But that's why today's your lucky day."

"I see. Because, somehow, meeting you for the first time is going to be an epically life-changing moment."

A flush of colour passes across her cheeks. "Oh. Well, I was going to say something like that, but you took the words right out of my mouth."

"Hm." He decides to drink the whiskey after all and downs it one gulp. "Please excuse me –"

"Haruno," she supplies. "Haruno Sakura."

"Whatever," he dismisses, already tired of being polite. "I have to go –"

" – pretend to give a shit about kabuki dolls for Sabakuno Kankuro so he puts a good word for you with Suna Corp?" This brings him up short and he shoots her another surprised glance as she continues, "Their nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionise your company's work in the field of robotics. Especially when it comes to prosthetics. And it's no secret that you and the current CEO don't get along, Uchiha-san."

He narrows his eyes. "Are you some kind of reporter?"

"God, no." She makes a face. "I like my soul where it is."

"Then how is it you know so much about me?"

"I know about everybody," she replies, "but what I don't know is why when you were given the chance to take over one of your family's companies, you didn't jump at smartphones or defense tech. I mean, that's where the market is right now. And probably for the foreseeable future."

It's a question no one else bothered to ask him. Not even his father when he gave him the company. The whole handover reeked of indifference, really. Perhaps that's why he finds himself answering her.

"Because that's what anyone in my position would be expected to do. The decision to tackle something as vital as medical prostheses, which need to be accessible to people, yet still profitable for the company is ambitious. And it's the kind of move that –"

" – puts your name in the paper and establishes your reputation," she finishes. "Especially considering your age."

Sasuke considers her for a minute and smirks. "So, the hair is to throw people off, right?"

"I have no idea what you mean," she replies innocently, tossing the aforementioned locks. "It's all the rage in Europe right now."

"We're not in Europe right now."

"No, but with your money, we could be," she quips. "So, how about, instead of heading across nine time zones to confirm that, you buy me a drink and we can continue this conversation in the corner?"

"How about we don't and you just say what you came here to say?" he counters. "I doubt you approached me just to talk about my company. You want something."

"I do."

"I appreciate your blunt honesty," he says. "Allow me to return it – I have no interest in sleeping with you."

She turns slightly pinker, but it's not in embarrassment or shame, the way someone who has been caught out would react. Instead, it's almost in offense. "Well good. That's something we can agree on up front."

"Up front of…"

"I want to work for you," she tells him.

"I'm not a hiring manager."

"No. You're the CEO of a Fortune 500 company which is known for meticulously following every ethical guideline and standard of quality, and you're planning on making prosthetic robot arms for the underprivileged." Off his surprised look she rolls her eyes and says, "Please, if you're looking to make headlines, that's the most obvious way to do it."

He purses his lips. "And you want your name attached to that?"

He's not actually entertaining this, but he can respect someone with ambition. Which is why her next response again surprises him.

"No, I don't."

He raises a questioning eyebrow.

"Listen, I'm pre-med," she tells him. "And I can't afford school now, but one day, I'm going to be the best damn pediatric surgeon in the country. I want to work for someone whose products are helping to change the field I intend to work in, and who isn't going to expect me to stick around for more than a few years. Someone who understands that I can perform with absolute perfection, but can also accept that I need certain nights off for school."

"So, you're already asking for time off."

"Yes, but I feel I'm going above and beyond by telling you in advance."

"Admirable of you, but for all I know, you could be some deranged stalker."

"Oh, I have credentials. I just think my talents are a better selling point. A man in your position needs someone working with him who knows people. Me? I know people."

"I fail to be convinced."

"All right," she replies, her eyes narrowing at him and her jaw clenching. "Let me demonstrate." Her gaze roves over him for a split second, and then she nods to herself. "You've been overseas recently. Twice in the past month, actually. Somewhere sunny, but it wasn't recreational. Business. Probably California, more likely Arizona."

He raises an eyebrow. "And how would you know that?"

"Your watch – it's the latest model A. Lange & Söhne which only came out last month. The date it's set to is two days ago which means you've crossed the dateline twice, but didn't think to change it. If you're too busy to change it, it means you were not relaxing on a beach somewhere. Silicone Valley is home to a lot of your clients which would make sense – but Arizona has a high concentration of optics companies which would be more in tune with your plans for the future."

Sasuke nods thoughtfully.

"That's an impressive trick, but that's information you could've read about in any business journal or newspaper, if you looked hard enough."

"Oh, I'm not done," she informs him unabashedly, and continues, "You're glad for this opportunity, but you really only see it as a means to an end. If being appointed CEO was something you actually wanted, you'd be wearing a better suit. That Brioni looks good on you, but it's about four years old." She peers closer and smirks a little. "The dimple in your tie is too far to the right, and considering how meticulously you're wearing everything else, that means your mind is on something else. Girlfriend or family. Probably family because you don't have a girlfriend – or want one, if your earlier response to me was any indication. In fact, you're uninterested in any kind of emotional attentions – possibly because of your family – as you completely ignored the phone number the bartender slipped you with your drink."

Sasuke has to reign in the impulse to check the napkin under his glass.

"You didn't want to come to this dinner tonight, not just because it's a family obligation, but because you're already in a bad mood."

"Why do you say that?" he asks before he can stop himself, and frowns, feeling abruptly furious with himself.

"Because of the way you hold your elbow," she states. "Like it's injured. All the magazines say you practice kendo – a shinai to the elbow is a common enough injury. It would cause massive bruising, even in a seasoned practitioner. Bending that arm is probably agonising right now, and pain makes even normal people grumpy. You're already known for disliking social situations, so this is probably making it worse. You don't strike me as the type who takes painkillers, either, so you're powering through it."

She stops, takes a few breaths, and then crosses her arms in challenge. "And that, Uchiha-san, is what I do. And considering – from what I've seen – you have the emotional range of a teaspoon, you'll need someone like me if you want your business ventures to succeed."

Sasuke sits in silence for almost a full minute, running through every bit of information she's just given him through his mind, all the while considering her. For such a tiny woman, she presents an intimidating picture, radiating stubborn will and composure at the same time.

He doesn't want to admit it, but he is impressed. He's observant by nature, but can freely admit that his lack of interest in other people stops him from considering their intentions or personal feelings. To have someone able to read a potential client or business partner to that extent would be helpful.

And having someone who has no problem waylaying irritating, blond attorneys who reek of ramen, or stalling calls from his brother that he'll return on the twelfth of never –

Well, that could be useful as well.

Sasuke snorts. "You're annoying," he informs her, but something must show in his face that her ever-observant eyes pick up because she beams.

"I'll email you my C.V. and references tomorrow morning."

"Hm." He turns back to the bar and motions for another two drinks. "Make an appointment with your hairdresser at the same time. The pink has to go.

"You're going to learn to love the pink," she informs him blithely and with the same certainty she's displayed the whole evening.

His eyes rove over her when she's not looking, and he reflects that it's possible she's right about that.

終わり

I hope you enjoyed the story! As part of the SasuSakuFestival, please go to the ssfest page and vote, like and/or reblog, it would be majorly appreciated!

クリ

Sequel Here

#ssfest17 #sasusaku #general #AU #fanfiction #prompt: CEO & assistant #snappy dialogue #humor #worplace drama

[sasusakufestival]

Protective of us - Sakura’s Jealousy

User: merinxd.tumblr.com Prompt: Protective of us Title: Sakura’s Jealousy aka Sasuke says the right things sometimes. Summary: sasusaku get lunch and are interrupted by a girl.

The incident happened when they were eating lunch at a café. It was a normal day for them: Sakura had finished her morning shift, Sasuke had finished his morning training, and then he met her at the steps of the hospital. They walked to a place Sasuke chose and she told him about the non-confidential parts of her morning. He listened and didn’t say much about his day, except that he was pleased with his progress.

It didn’t go badly until they sat down to eat. And now she just didn’t know about him…

 “I don’t know what I want.” She mumbled to herself, scanning the menu a few times over. “I don’t even know if I’m hungry.”

Sasuke replied, “You need to eat. You’re doing a double shift today, yes?”

“Hn. I am.” She nodded, thinking his words fair. “I’ll get something with meat then.” 

The server approached them and Sakura noticed the girl’s interested expression instantly. She was about to brush it off as a Sasuke-kun/fan girl moment, but then the waitress opened her mouth.

“Sasuke-kun. It’s nice to see you again.” She smiled. “It looks like you’ve been training hard.” The girl was starting to look more like a woman to Sakura, and the pink haired kunoichi frowned.

Sasuke didn’t notice and nodded, “Yes Riko-san, it went well as usual.”

Sakura’s ears perked up at the use of the girl’s name and she felt suddenly jealous. She had never considered that Sasuke would talk to other women – that he would ever be interested in small talk. Yet here he was smiling and interacting.

She didn’t like it.

“That’s nice to hear,” Riko replied. “Something with tomatoes today, Sasuke-kun?”

Sakura couldn’t help the noise that escaped her throat and Sasuke’s eyes shot straight to her. She wondered if he could see the fury in her gaze.

“Sakura can choose first.” He said, and Riko looked as if she had just noticed Sakura.

“Oh. Is this your girlfriend?” She asked.

Sasuke shook his head, “No.” And Riko looked pleased.

Sakura frowned. Sasuke was such an idiot.

“I’ll have the meat omelette.” She said frostily, crossing her arms over her chest. Sasuke’s eyes narrowed at her.

“I’ll have the roasted tomato omelette then,” Sasuke ordered his food. He kept his attention on Sakura, though. He had tweaked that something was up.

“What’s wrong?” He asked when the girl walked away.

Sakura glanced out the window to the street.

“Nothing.” She replied.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “I won’t ask again. What’s this about?”

Sakura exhaled heavily and focussed her attention on him. She felt annoyed with him though and had to look away again. He saw her roll her eyes. 

Sasuke simply watched her for a long moment, unchanged, and she found herself bending like always.

“That girl…You knew her name.” Sakura mumbled, turning away from him even more.

He replied, “I know many people’s names.”

“She knew your favourite food, and what was with ‘Sasuke-kun’, since when do you let strangers call you that?”

Sasuke shrugged.

“Sounds like you’re jealous.” He said.

Fire flared in her eyes. “So what if I am jealous? You told her I wasn’t your girlfriend when I clearly am. We’re not at work Sasuke. Why would you say that unless you were interested in her?”

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably under her intensity.

“One of the men in my unit is fond of Riko.” He explained. “That’s how I met her. It was an accident that she works here. She ate with my team and heard my preferences. I’m sorry, I didn’t think it necessary to mention. 

He made an effort to meet her gaze. “We haven’t told anyone at work about our situation yet, Sakura…I was being protective of us.” 

“You were being protective.” She mouthed his words.

Sakura instantly felt stupid but also relieved.

He frowned, “I’ve never thought of any woman but you, why would I start now?” 

Sakura exhaled loudly. She felt good that he said those things.

“I don’t care anymore. I don’t want us to be a secret.” She admitted. “I like you too much.” 

Sasuke made a face like he wasn’t sure.

“Sasuke-kun.” Sakura said his name, imploring him.

Sasuke met her eyes, “Sakura-chan.” He smirked.

She felt a blush rising at the prefix. This was a semi-new name between just them and it always felt surprisingly sexual; maybe because it was only used in private.

She couldn’t help herself. She reached out for his hand across the table, pressing their palms together. Sasuke tugged away at first but she held tighter.

He finally nodded, resting his hand on the table in defeat. He threaded his fingers through hers.

“I hate public affection.” He said. His ears were red as he glanced away. She felt happy again.

 Sakura smiled, “It’s just for a moment.” 

He nodded looking out the window. He didn’t try to pull away anymore, and even rubbed the pad of his thumb over her skin.

“We won’t keep it a secret anymore. I’ll tell them soon.” Sasuke promised.

Sakura squeezed his hand and smiled.

“Thank you.”

…..

Little did Sasuke know that by the time he went to work in the morning, Riko-san would have told her boyfriend all about their Captain’s ‘non date’ with a very pretty pink haired woman. Secrets never kept well in Konoha. 

///

Thanks for reading! You can view my other entries below: 

“The Silk Panties”, “My Valentine Ex (happy ending)” or check out my blog for more ss stories. Exclusive ss fics on my Patreon :)

Like or reblog to support my work :) <3

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[sasusakufestival]

ssart and other winners

aliray96 is number 1 with the entry ‘The Past’. You can view it ‘here’.

laine-o is number 2 with the entry ‘Her Intimates’. The nsfwish comic can be seen ‘here’

drawwhatiwantwhenwant comes in number 3 with a comic strip! This artist submitted so many times! Definitely have a look at their other comics :) The winning entry is entitled ‘Valentine’s Day Surprise’ where Sakura asks for another baby. You can view it here.

Winner number 4 is an entrant from pixiv! Kuru can be found here. The entry is simply ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’. You can view it here.

Congrats to all who entered! And congrats to the winners!!! If you’re interested in receiving a sasusaku fiction request (by a talented ss writer) sfw or nsfw, please send us a message! Winners who feel comfortable providing their mailing address will also receive sasusaku stickers :)

View all other entries for this category at sasusakufestival.tumblr.com/tagged/ssart :)

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[sasusakufestival]

♥ Day 1: Valentine’s Day ♥

by:aliray(http://aliray96.tumblr.com/)

#ssfest17 #sasusaku #ssart #ssfestday1 #submission #ssfestentry

[behindheremeraldeyes]

SasuSaku Festival 2017 . Day 01- Valentine’s Day . Title: He loves me. He loves me not . Summary: She’s working at the Yamanaka Shop when he suddenly goes in claiming to be looking for a flower. Will the petals reveal her lovely destiny on that Valentine’s Day? . A/N: Happy SasuSaku Festival, everyone!!! Oh boy, I’m so excited with the themes!!! Some are quite hard, but a challenge is always fun every now and then, right?! Well, you guys know me, and I’m clearly late with the themes, so be patient and enjoy the festival, even if it's already over! I would like to thank the organizers of this AMAZING event, and say that, even if I'm not submitting my stories, and even if I'm terribly late, it was one hell of an event! Thank you, @sasusakufestival ! Thank you for a new tradition!  About the story... It turned out quite amusing to write, and I hope you can enjoy it! I hope you have fun and participate, and please, tell me your opinion about the story (aka leave me a Review XD)! . . . It was the 3rd Valentine’s Day in Konoha after the war.

Heart-shaped decorations were spread all around the village, with chocolate promotions being announced everywhere. Balloons were tied to stuffed animals, and there wasn’t a single restaurant that wasn’t already fully booked for dinner. Gifts were being bought and exchanged, and it was easy to spot the smiling faces and the blushing cheeks that decorated the lovers’ lives on such a peaceful and red day.

Love was in the air, indeed.

But thanks to the pollen inside her nostrils, Haruno Sakura could barely smell anything at all.

“ Thank you for choosing us! Happy Valentine’s Day!” She bowed her head down respectfully for the nth time that morning, as a pretty smile decorated her lips. By that time, she had certainly grown accustomed to the whole sales thing, as she already seemed to be a professional in selling flowers. She had been there for less than a day and was already showing confidence in her bouquets and kindness when treating one of the clients.

As expected from the Godaime’s perfectionist apprentice, people thought, as soon as they exited the Yamanaka Flower Shop after unexpectedly meeting pink hair behind the counter.

Yes, even if seeing her there was a surprise to everyone who entered the shop, it was impossible to deny her professional competence. The girl who was named after a flower seemed to be doing an excellent job at her friend’s family business, and even if she was smiling from one ear to another, deep inside, the pinkette was struggling to control her blood-thirst towards the one girl she calls her best friend.

Ino-Pig was definitely going to pay her when she came back.

No matter how many times she thought that over, there was nothing inside Sakura that could simply understand what the Yamanaka girl had just done. Valentine’s Day is certainly the busiest day of the year for the flower industry, and the shop just couldn’t afford to give up on someone like Ino during such times. More than anyone, the blonde knew how messed up things would get at the store, or else she wouldn’t have asked the pinkette for help. Ino had basically begged Sakura, and for she was a good, single friend, who had been given a day off from the hospital and whose only love interest seemed to find the whole celebration a complete waste of his time; the Haruno girl just couldn’t say no to those pearly, sapphire eyes that belonged to her best friend. She would try her best, but when the matter was flowers, there was just no way she could ever compare to the mind tricker.

Ino’s the heart and soul of that place, and even if Sakura will never admit it, there is just no way to beat Yamanaka when it comes to those beautiful plants.

The blonde understands the flowers, she knows the clients and more than anyone in that store, she can prepare the prettiest bouquets for each, specific demand. She’s always been really good at this, and that was pretty much why the Haruno girl had accepted her request of giving a hand on the shop. Sakura was ready to help carrying heavy pots and separating the flowers for the costumers, but she was absolutely not ready to replace the flower expert for a couple of minutes that turned into hours as she not-so-discreetly went out to meet the socially inapt artist.

Sakura was definitely going to murder Ino as soon as she came back.

That is, if she survived until the end of that day.

A tired sigh escaped her lips as another costumer walked out through the door. She turned her green eyes to face the Yamanaka mother, and at that moment, she could tell that she couldn’t wait to scold her child for the rest of the day. They were both pissed at the girl, and at that moment, the one thing Sakura wanted the most was to create a shadow clone so she could drag the blonde back by the hair. Her fingers could even feel those platinum locks messily intertwined in her knuckles, and a smirk crossed her face at the thought.

Perhaps that wasn’t a terrible idea at all, she thought.

Unfortunately, she wouldn’t even have time to make the hand signs, for the bell attached to the door was once again announcing another costumer.

Here we go again, she thought, preparing another kind smile to decorate her facade.

Another kind, regular smile, to another kind and regular costumer.

Or that was what she thought.

“ Welcome to the Yamanaka Flower Shop! How can I-“

Her heart skipped a beat, the words got stuck in her throat and all she could bring herself to do was stare in awe at the person standing at the entrance. He was tall, handsome and had the one pair of dark orbs that would always send shivers down her spine. She had been seeing him around the village for the past couple of months, and yet, meeting him always felt like the first time. He had a hand shoved into his pocket, with his dark locks covering the left side of his face and his stoic expression gave him an uninterested aura as he looked deep into her eyes.

Uchiha Sasuke was as intense as ever.

And not even when surrounded by all kinds of flowers his mysterious and dark charm abandoned him.

“ Sakura.” His voice brought her back from her fantastic world, and she almost jumped in pure reflex. He kept staring at her, with his usual, stoic face, barely moving from the entrance at all. “ Shouldn’t you be at the hospital?”

“ Uhm… Actually, Tsunade-sama made me take the day off. She kinda forbade me to go to the hospital today.” She placed her right hand on the back of her head, right behind her messy pony tail, and shyly offered him a chuckle in response. Whenever he was home, the Uchiha would constantly scold her about the amount of time she spent working, and seeing her behind that counter during her break was definitely not pleasing him at all. His thoughts were written on his face, and at that moment, Sakura just didn’t know how to escape from the condemning glare he was sending her.

“ Tch, Shouldn’t you be resting, then?”

“ Yeah, but… Ino asked me to help and so I came. And by the way, what are you doing here, Sasuke-kun? ”

His dark orbs widened for a moment, and suddenly, it was as if she could see an interrogation mark spread all over his face.” H-Hn.. I’m just… Looking around.” He shifted his position uncomfortably, looking away from her and focusing on a random flower he found by his right. Sasuke was glancing down, averting eye-contact, and for a moment, Sakura even thought he seemed to be nervous.

But that was not possible, right?

He is Uchiha Sasuke, after all, and he doesn’t know how it feels to be nervous. She has never seen him expressing such emotion, and at that moment, while he was at a flower shop on Valentine’s Day, things would be no different.

Right?

The scene happening in front of her suddenly made the pinkette get a bad feeling taking over her senses, as she could feel her heart beating faster. She swallowed dry, as her hand tightened the grip she had around the edge of the counter, and soon, the Haruno girl found herself wanting to know more about why he chose the flower shop to simply skip some time.

Why was he there?

Why wasn’t he hanging around with Naruto?

And why the hell was she suddenly feeling so irritated?

The pinkette certainly didn’t know the answer to any of those questions. However, it was not like Haruno Sakura to simply let go of something that’s bothering her heart. Especially when that something was related to Uchiha Sasuke.

It didn’t take long before she found herself gathering up some courage to face him. She took a deep breath, and with determination spread all over her viridian orbs, the medic nin found herself ready to ask the one question she was afraid to ask. “ A- Are you… Looking for- Uh… A gift?”

Her foot was nervously tapping the ground and her fingers wouldn’t stop playing with each other. Her eyes were trapped in a cruel decision of wether or not to look at him, and an embarrassed blush was spread around her cheeks. The Uchiha, she knew, was fully aware of what she meant behind those words, and at that simple thought, Sakura felt her heart almost jumping off of her chest.

What on earth was that feeling?

She didn’t know, for sure.

But his words would probably help her figure out why it hurt so much.

“ Hn, you can say so.”

“ Oh… I see.” She faked a smile, shifting to that kind, shopper Sakura. “ And can I help you with anything?”

“ I don’t need your help, Sakura. Actually, I was looking for Ino. Is she here?”

Listening to his words without looking deep into his eyes made her chest clench even tighter. She felt her world falling apart in a sea of colorful petals, as her broken heart stained them with the most passionate red. It was hard to breath, it was hard to think and it was definitely hard not to cry at that very moment when she had just found out the bittersweet conclusion of her first love.

“ Sorry… She’s out right now, but she will be back shortly.”

“ Hn, I see…”

So he loved someone else, she thought.

Someone who had equally fought for him during their innocent days, and someone who was worth being called her rival. Apparently, he was in love with a girl whose attributes overpowered hers in so many ways she couldn’t even imagine. Yamanaka Ino belonged to a respected clan and its mark was sealed in her ninja skills. She is funny, smart and a lot more feminine than Sakura will ever be. She would be the perfect girl for him and for his clan, and there was just no way Sakura could alter that cold reality.

Ino was the girl he loved, and she could never compete against her best friend for his heart. Not anymore, when their feelings could never be changed again.

She had won, indeed. And now, Sakura knew that he would do anything to win her heart. Sai would definitely be no match for him, and it would just be a matter of time before Sakura could see both of them happily walking around the nostalgic streets of the village.

They would be happy with each other. And at that moment, the pinkette could only hang on that thought not to break down into tears. If two of the most important people of her life would be happy together, then who was she not to cheer for their happiness?

Pain filled the smile that crossed her lips, as she watched the love of her life from behind the counter. Her fingers were now tightly gripping the lime-green apron she wore over her clothes, and her teeth were clenched in pure agony.

God, didn’t that silly boy know Ino liked Cosmos?

A sudden, soft touch on her shoulder was the one thing that brought the pinkette back to reality. She slowly turned to face the source of such gesture and was suddenly calmed down by the view of a pair of light brown eyes staring at her. Apart from the age lines spread around her face, Ino’s mother was still a beautiful and strong woman, just like when Sakura and her daughter were just kids. Back then, she would always be smiling at them, while they would play with the flowers spread around the Yamanakas’ large and colorful garden, but now, after the war took her husband away from her, she simply preserved her emotions under her calm demeanor.

Ino’s mother is a really strong woman, and Sakura could learn a lot from her. She had absolutely no right to be sad around a woman like that.

“ Sakura… I think you could give him a hand, don’t you think?”

“ Eh? I’ve offered already an-“

“ It doesn’t matter, sweetheart.” She smiled softly, noticing something Sakura was obviously oblivious about. “ Just go and offer him your help. Do it before he breaks any of the flowers.”

The Haruno girl’s orbs widened at the serenity she could see stamped on the Yamanaka matriarch. She was at peace, and soon Sakura wondered if she would ever be like her. She wondered if she would ever be able to grow used to that whole situation, and suddenly, the words of that woman started to make sense to her.

Offer him her help.

Don’t let him break the flowers.

Realization hit her hard, and an overwhelming feeling took over her aching chest. Ino's mother was right. She couldn’t let the Uchiha and her forever unrequited love break both her and Ino apart. Not again. She had to offer him her help as the friends and teammates they are and will always be. Sakura needed to do that in order not to lose either of them, and in order to move on.

She needed to help him pick the flowers for her best friend.

She needed to find peace in her defeat.

“Hai.” A shy smile was spread over her lips as the Haruno made her way towards the Uchiha, who was now kneeled near the blue hydrangeas. Silently, she kneeled next to his left side, adjusting her position and her apron as soon as she didn’t feel any kind of rejection coming from his eyes. He was carefully watching her, as her nostrils were filled with his manly scent, and suddenly she could feel his warmth radiating towards her. Standing next to him has always felt good, and even if she was still feeling broken, she knew time would eventually mend her heart.

Sakura knew that, on a Valentine’s Day years ahead, she would be okay.

But at that moment, she just needed to save the flowers.

“ You have no idea of what you’re doing, right?”

“ Hn, is it that obvious?” He smirked defeatedly, making her heart flutter in a comfortable sensation.

Oh, that boy…

“ Yeah.” She chuckled. “ Let me help you, okay? How… How’s the girl you’re planning to give the flowers to?”

“ Eh? G-Girl?” His face grew a bit uncomfortable again, as he quickly returned his attention towards the flowers. “ She’s… She’s okay, I guess.”

“ Oh, come on… How am I supposed to help you with the bouquet if you won’t tell me a thing or two about her?”

“ Hn, why don’t you… Why don’t you choose what you like, then?” He looked at her with his deep, dark pearls, trapping her emeralds in his own, warm darkness. “ I was thinking about the hydrangeas… You like them, right?”

An almost invisible blush took over her cheeks as she turned her attention to the pure blue of the hydrangeas’ petals. As always, Sasuke was, indeed, right about her flower preference. Hydrangeas are the flowers she is most fond of, and she was impressed- content, to say the least- to know he had retained such information about her from their genin days. Sakura just loved how attentive he could be when people least expected him to, and that was certainly one of the reasons why she had long ago fallen for him.

Sasuke was just… Her Sasuke-kun, she thought.

Moving on from him would be the hardest mission of her life, she knew.

“ Yeah… I like them. A lot.”

“ I guess that’s it, then… I’ll take them.”

“ A-Are you sure you don’t prefer the Cosmos?”

“Aah. I’m sure about the Hydrangeas.”

For a moment, their eyes were completely lost in each other’s reflections. She could feel her heart beating faster with every passing second, and even if her head was still a mess of broken illusions, Sakura just couldn’t bring herself not to react at his presence next to her. Their gazing was still as intense as it’s always been, sending shivers down her spine and the musky scent coming from him was enough to dissipate any floral aroma that could've been ruling her nostrils ever since that morning.

His scent was addictive, his warm breath fawning over her lips was probably the best sensation she had felt for the entire day, and the flowers on the background just made her feel like it was all just a dream from which she would soon wake up. A dangerous, lovely dream that would soon come to an end.

At that moment, Haruno Sakura was fully aware that she was probably experiencing her last opportunity to stay so close to him with her feelings still dancing freely through her senses. She knew that, as soon as he gave those flowers to her best friend, things would never be able to return to what they’ve always considered normal. Everything would be different, and the pinkette herself would be no exception.

She was going to change. She had to, wether she wanted or not.

And as soon as the door bell rang again, Sakura knew the blonde Yamanaka would make sure to remind her of such thing.

“ I’m back, everyone!” Ino announced, as her voice echoed around the entire shop.

The end of her love was, indeed, loud.

“ Well… “ Feeling a bittersweet taste taking over her tongue, Sakura broke them away from that flowery trance, making their eyes blink at the awakening call from the blonde’s voice. Slowly, she rose from the ground, followed almost immediately by him, as she was now holding the plants in her hands. The pinkette, then, took a deep breath, tightening her grip around the flowers they had just separated. The flowers they had chosen together. “ I-I will… I will ask Ino to prepare a beautiful arrangement for you, then…”

“ Hn.” He gave her a small nod, averting eye-contact as he aimed his gaze at the petals that had fallen on the cold, floor. His expression seemed, somehow, troubled, and such sight only helped confirm medic nin's suspicious regarding the one who was about to receive such affectionate gesture from Uchiha Sasuke on Valentine’s Day.

Ino was a really lucky girl, Sakura thought. And indeed, she was.

But probably not because of the same reason Sakura had been hammering over her pink head ever since the raven haired boy had entered the store earlier that day.

“ Oi, Pig!” Sakura glared at her best friend, as she walked towards the counter with the flowers in her hands. The pinkette wasn’t happy at all, and judging by the embarrassed smile on the blonde’s face, she could tell Ino was fully aware of the reason why. “ Couldn’t you be a little more responsible -Shannarou?”

“ Eh… My bad, forehead… I was… Busy.”

“ Tch, yeah, right…” Sakura stopped, sighing, as she faced the girl’s sapphire eyes from across the mahogany counter. “ Stop procrastinating. You have a visitor.”

“ A visitor?” Ino lifted a confused eyebrow at the Haruno, before her eyes finally wandered around the store to find the said visitor. It took her some good seconds before she spotted the Uchiha, but when she did, Sakura noticed, a bright smile flashed on her lips. “ Sasuke! You came!”

“ Tch, of course I did.” The Uchiha grunted, as he sent the blonde an annoyed glare. Apparently, for what Sakura could tell, the future couple had already agreed to meet at the shop, leaving things even more awkward considering her position.

Sakura was definitely feeling like the third wheel at that exact moment.

However, she was not going to be discarded from his bicycle.

“ I’m sorry for the delay, but-“ Ino stopped for a moment, as her eyes suddenly drifted towards the flowers wrapped in her best friend’s arms.

Her sapphires widened in pure shock, and for a moment, her rosy lips even parted in pure awe before a malicious grin took over them. She was definitely up to something, and even if she tried, Sakura just couldn’t figure out what. Whenever Ino has that took on her face, the medic knows that something bad is about to happen. And at that moment, as a terrible feeling took over her senses, she just knew there was no escaping anymore.

“ OH MY GOD! Did you already do it?! And you didn’t even wait for me!? That was so not cool!”

“ Eh? Did what, Pig?” The Haruno’s eyebrows were lifted in pure confusion, as she started at her best friend.

“ Hn, thanks to you, I couldn’t really pick up the right ones, so, no… I still didn’t do it.”

“ What are you talking about, Sasuke-kun?” Sakura insisted, now looking for an answer on his perfect featured.

“ You men are really useless sometimes…” Ino sighed, taking her fingers to rest over her forehead in defeat. “ But I’ve seen you at least picked the right ones.”

“ Oi, you two!” Sakura was getting mad, as her hands were now balled into fists. If they ignored her one more time… “The right ones for what?”

“ Aah… It was not that hard. I just had to remember her-“

“ Shut up, you two!” A loud, powerful scream echoed around the shop, creating a deadly silence around the entire place. The costumers that were at the store stopped to look at the tiny girl who had made the entire building tremble, as both of the responsible ones slowly turned their heads to face her.

She was glaring, her brows converging together in a thin line and they could feel her chakra levels rising incredibly fast as she simply stood there with the Hydrangeas still in hands.

Her best friend looked adorable, Ino thought.

But she certainly knew better than to piss the girl with the wide forehead.

“ Good…” Sakura adjusted her position, running a hand through her hair. “Now, Ino… Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on here?”

“ Eh? You still haven’t told her either?” She looked at the Uchiha, with her brows arched.

The blonde seemed confused, to say the least. It was written all over her face, and Sakura was satisfied to see that kind of emotion ruling her best friend’s expression. It seemed natural, and for the first time, it was also full of doubts regarding something she seemed to be pretty confident about some moments earlier.

Ino was confused, therefore, Sakura decided to find questions on the only one who would never get caught unarmed. Sasuke would giver her the answers she was looking for, she knew. She just needed to look at him to know the exact meaning hidden behind that mess.

Or at least that was what she thought before her eyes widened in shock after what she found spread over his face. Her hearts skipped a beat, her throat went dry and suddenly, she had no idea of what to do any more at such rare sight.

Was that…. A blush?

“ Sasuke-kun…” She blushed back, feeling her heartbeat speeding up involuntarily. W-What’s happening here?”

“Hn.” He looked away, trying to hide his burning cheeks.

“ Tch, you have got to be kidding me!” The blonde exclaimed, sending a straight glare at the Uchiha. “ Are you telling me that you’ve made her help you choose flowers for Valentine’s Day for a girl and you didn't tell her who the girl was?”

“ I… I thought she would’ve realized it.”

“ Damn it, Uchiha Sasuke! You guys are unbelievable! Of course she did not realize that, you dumbass! By the puzzled look on her face, I would even say Forehead here misunderstood something.”

“ Uh? No… It’s impossible… Right, Sakura? Y-You…” He swallowed dry. “ You know who these flowers are for, right?”

The blank face the pinkette offered him was annoying enough to tell him what he didn’t want to believe. Apparently, the medic nin was blinder than he was when the matter is demonstrating affection, and now the frustration that had built up inside him was begging him to walk out of that store.

The moment was truly ruined, he thought.

But Ino would make sure to fix it.

“ Well, I guess you’ll have to tell her, then.” The blonde smirked, taking the flowers from the counter and offering them to him. His dark eyes glared at her for some seconds, as he kept switching stares in between the flowers and the annoying girl who- he knew- had probably made up an entire story in her head regarding the destination of those flowers.

Sakura was, for sure, annoying.

And as he took the flowers from the Yamanaka girl, he knew she was the one to be blamed for what he was about to do.

Hn, never again will he celebrate Valentine’s Day.

“ Sakura…”

“ Yes, Sasuke-kun?”

He looked into her innocent eyes, feeling the back of his neck heating up slowly. She was looking at him with all the expectations of the world shining inside her emeralds, and for a moment, the oh-so-amazing Uchiha Sasuke felt his natural confidence slipping through his fingers. Still, he wouldn’t let any of that stop him from saying those words.

“ These flowers… These flowers are…”

“ They are…” He could see her lips slowly curling up in a smile, as her cheeks were turning redder with the seconds.

“ They are…. Hn. They are for you” He shoved the plants to her arms, hiding his hand inside his pocket. “ We’re going out for lunch. I’ll take you back as soon as we’re done.”

After witnessing such scene, the blonde girl couldn’t help but allow a defeated sigh escape her lips.

As expected from Uchiha Sasuke, Ino thought. He was able to turn a romantic lunch invitation into an imperial command, leaving the girl no room to decline it. He seemed nervous, and the Yamanaka girl just wanted to hit him really hard on the face so he could fix what he had just done.

No girl would ever find that romantic, she thought,

But that was before she looked at Haruno Sakura.

Even if confusion was still spread around her face, it was impossible no to see the kindness and the purity hidden behind her emerald eyes. She was holding tight onto the flowers she had just received from the Uchiha, and even if her mind was still not completely sure about what had just happened, there was something in her heart telling her not to let go of those plants.

A bubbly smile took over her lips, vanishing that sorrow expression that had taken over her face ever since he had first declined her help. Sakura looked lively now, and Ino could see how happy she was to finally be going out with the love of her life. They were going to be together, and the Yamanaka couldn't be any happier to see her best friend’s childish love finally coming true.

Sakura deserved the Uchiha. She deserved to be happy, and since it had been long since her crush had dissipated from her heart, Ino knew that she could give them a little help.

They needed that kicking start, after all, it was still Haruno Sakura she was talking about.

And that girl can be really blind sometimes.

A chuckle escaped the pinkette’s lips, breaking Ino’s monologue of how she was an amazing friend. Sakura seemed happy, indeed. However, there was still something missing. Something to make that girl even more annoying.

“ When I hear you talking like that, Sasuke-kun, it even feels as if you were asking me out on a date!”

Two blanked faces kept staring at her for some long minutes until the Yamanaka girl nodded her head as if to confirm her suspicious. Her cheeks flushed immediately in the deepest shade of red, as she didn't know where to look anymore. She was trying to spill out some words, but her despair just didn’t allow her to form any meaningful phrase on her mind. Her love was coming true right in front of her, and suddenly, all the chemistry involved in her body’s ecstatic reaction started to cross her mind.

Sakura was really a dork, and that was certainly the one thing that had been missing before.

But now that they were both complete, Ino knew her job was done.

“ A-A-A date?”

“ Hn, don’t you want to com-“

“ Of course I do!” She raised her voice for a moment, earning a hidden smirk from the Uchiha. “ I do… It’s just that… I’m kinda busy right now.”

“ Tch, are you an idiot?! Damn it, you two do deserve each other.” Ino stepped in, walking towards her friend and quickly ripping out the apron from her body. Sakura almost fell in the process, and as soon as the pinkette was back on her feet, she felt a rough touch on her back pushing her and the Uchiha towards the exit. “ I’ll take care of everything! Just enjoy your date, will you!?”

“ Are you sure, Ino?”

“ Positively! You two have fun, and you better not get home until your lips are swollen, Forehead!”

“ Pig!”

“ Hehe… Happy Valentine’s Day.”

#sasusaku #sasusaku fanfiction #sasusaku festival #sasusakufestival #ssfest17 #myssfics

[kuriquinn]

Miso Soup Everyday

Summary: This is supposed to be a certainty �� the one sure thing in his entire life. Yet he can't fight the same mounting apprehension he experiences when crossing into a dimension he's never visited before.

Disclaimer: This story utilises characters, situations and premises that are copyright Masashi Kishimoto, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and Viz media. No infringement on their respective copyrights pertaining to episodes, novelisations, comics or short stories is intended by KuriQuinn in any way, shape or form. This fan-oriented story is written solely for the author’s own amusement and the entertainment of the fandom. It is not for profit. Any resemblance to real organisations, institutions, products or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All plot and Original Characters except for those introduced in the canon books, manga, video games, novelisations and anime, are the sole creation of KuriQuinn. (© KuriQuinn 2016—)

Warning: Spoilers for everything in Naruto (up to Chapter 700).

Canon-Compliance: This work is loosely part of the Legacy of Fire series. It is and is not canon-compliant (for reasons that will be made clearer in my as yet unnamed and unwritten Sakura/Sasuke Blank Period Pre Pregnancy Get Together travel fic. Yes, it’s kind of complicated.

Beta Reader: Sakura’s Unicorn

Honestly, it’s a bit of a role reversal.

When they were children, Sasuke was the aloof one—cool and confident, perpetually at ease in his role as the storied prodigy of Konoha. He was the genius of Team Seven, overshadowing Sakura’s presence as if she was only an afterthought. Naruto and he had their rivalry between them, so it was all too easy to consider Sakura as a barely requisite third wheel. Insecure and needy, she trailed after him like a puppy.  

That’s no longer true.

These days, it’s Sakura (alongside Naruto) who is the beacon of hope in the community, the hero little children crowd excitedly around when she walks through the streets. Sasuke is the one people don’t think of—or rather, prefer not to think of. He’s the third wheel of the Sannin’s heirs, whose reputation is maintained only by his connection to the other two. He might have helped to save the planet, but it’s Sakura’s name that opens doors.

And if that doesn’t work, her fist splinters them.

Since returning to Konoha, Sasuke has noticed the whispers and stares that follow them when he and Sakura go anywhere together. Initially, he thought the behaviour was directed at him—judgement for his past deeds and the dark legacy that will hound him until he dies. Except, the general tone of the whispers is usually deferential. He knows from years of wandering that people are more likely to avert their eyes than risk his attention. Thus, it’s Sakura to whom they look—she holds the admiration of every inhabitant of the growing village.

What’s surprising about it, though, is how much he doesn’t mind. As a child, the idea of being second to anyone was unacceptable, especially compared to his teammates: Naruto, because he was the village screw-up, and Sakura because she was just support—an admirer to cheer on his successes and, in the early days of their team, to highlight just how far Naruto was beneath their collective skill level.

It’s all different now.

Sakura is the one who stayed in Konoha, working hard to earn the respect and awe of the village. These days she walks confidently in the sun while Sasuke is content to watch her from the shadows.

It’s ironic, actually. In three short years, a civilian-born girl with no bloodline talent to speak of achieved more widespread respect than the Uchiha clan did in three generations.

He wonders what his parents would have made of Sakura. He likes to think they would have approved.

Father would have been terse and silent, but even he wouldn’t be able to deny her incredible talent. Mother would warm to her instantly because her temperament was rather similar. And his brother…

Sasuke can’t help a rueful, bitter smile at this. Itachi would have probably figured out Sasuke’s feelings for her before Sasuke himself did.

He’s aware enough of his shortcomings these days that the admission comes easily. He understands that he’s cared for Sakura since their Academy days—lack of natural talent aside, she intrigued him, even if he didn’t show it. Humans are visual creatures, and her hair alone meant he couldn’t pretend she didn’t exist the way he could with other kids. On top of that, she was intelligent enough to beat him on every written test, though she never sought to compete with him.

This, too, is ironic. Perhaps if she’d approached him as a potential rival, he would have seen her value earlier on.

Instead, his childhood memories of Sakura are of a pretty and shallow (yet kind) girl trailing behind him. Even then, she had a remarkable tenacity and dedication, bringing him Valentine’s Day gifts every year and patiently enduring his constant rebuffs. Sasuke didn’t even realise until much later—until that last fight with Naruto—that with every passing year, another chunk of his heart fell into her waiting palm.

Knowing that should make his plans today easier, but it doesn’t.

He’s had nightmares since the end of the war—dreams which take up the space in his head where revenge was once so prominent. Most often, they are of that day long ago when he almost snuffed out her light. Sometimes, Sasuke still feels the phantom heat of the Chidori in his palm, can still see her back bared to him as he moves closer.

He knows now that if he’d landed that blow, he would not have survived the war.

As mad with grief and rage as he was, having Sakura’s blood on his hands would have shattered his already damaged psyche beyond repair. The loss of Itachi coupled with the truths about his brother’s life had thrown him off the deep end; responsibility for Sakura’s death would have kept him there.

He doubts she realises this, even though they’ve spent more time together since his return—partaking in quiet dinners or long walks when her schedule allows for it. There’s even the rare sparring match that leaves him bruised but proud. She doesn’t ask him why he’s around so often or allude in any way to how she feels for him.

If she still feels for him.

She as good as told him in her letters that she was tired of waiting. Likely, it’s too late for anything, regardless of his belated hopes. And yet, despite this, Sasuke has been vacillating about the matter since he came back to Konoha. Until today.

At least he hopes.

It’s become habit to pass by the clinic to pick Sakura up after work. She falls into step with him with more ease than she ever did when they were young. Sometimes, they meander through the town while she chats about her day. Sometimes, they find an out-of-the-way restaurant to get a bite to eat. Sometimes, when she’s exhausted, he simply walks her home.  

Today, though, he leads them along the river toward the lake. They’ve walked this way before, but he’s never led her down the embankment. She doesn’t ask where they’re going, which he takes as encouragement.

The dock where he spent so much time alone as a child looks almost exactly as it did then. The wood is slightly warped, causing it to tilt downward toward the lake a little, but it’s still sturdy. There are burn marks on the edges from lessons long ago. He stares at them for a beat, allowing memories to take him out of the present for a few moments.

Beside him, Sakura is still as well, but it’s a comfortable quiet. Now that they’re older, she’s more intuitive about his reticence. As children, she would talk his ear off as if terminally afraid of a drawn-out silence, filling it by any means. Sometimes, he appreciated this because it saved him the effort of having to maintain a conversation (especially when they were around other people).

Most of the time, though, he just wanted her to leave him to brood in peace.

These days, whether it’s because of her own wartime experiences or her work with those who have suffered its effects, she knows exactly when to simply linger quietly. And, as usual, he appreciates her waiting for him to open the conversation. It takes a little more effort today to find a way to start.

“This where I learned to perform Katon,” he tells her finally, his voice even, despite the way his stomach spasms with nerves.

“Oh?” she inquires, and out of the corner of his eye, he sees her look up at him, surprise and curiosity flickering across her features. He seldom, if ever, talks about the past—even more rarely does he speak of the time before they were genin.

Sasuke nods, staring out across the calm waters. “My father taught me. It was the only thing he was able to show me before he…died.”  

Even so many years later, the pain is still as raw as it was the day of the massacre. The blinding rage is gone now, however. When he notices small, strong fingers tentatively wrap around his right hand and give a brief, reassuring squeeze, his instinct is to return the gesture, instead of pulling away.

“The technique was created by the Uchiha clan,” he goes on, sticking to facts because this is what he knows for sure. Facts are unchangeable, not hinging on chance and sentiment. “My family honed it over the years and, even though others have learned to master it, they could never achieve the exact effect that we could.”

He perceives her nod at this, but senses confusion as to why he’s bringing this up right now. She won’t ask, though, intuitively accepting that he has some purpose. Not for the first time does he think she trusts him far too much than he deserves—far more than he even trusts himself.

But today there is a purpose, and if he could ignore the nagging doubts at the back of his mind, he might be able to get to it. This is supposed to be a certainty—the one sure thing in his entire life. Yet, he can’t fight the same mounting apprehension he experiences when crossing into a dimension he’s never visited before.

“Would you like me to teach you?” he asks, inwardly cringing at how tentative he sounds, despite his efforts to be casual.

Luckily, Sakura is too caught off-guard to notice. “You’ve never asked me that before.”

“I never recognised the opportunity,” he admits. Too blinded by rage and revenge, it never occurred to him as a kid that the teammates he considered dead weight might improve faster if he helped them.

Sakura knows this too and doesn’t argue the point. Instead, she says, “I’m not a fire type, though.”

“That shouldn’t stop the apprentice of the Fifth Hokage.”

Sakura scoffs. “That sounds like a challenge.”

“Hn.”

“All right! You’ve got it!” Sakura declares, making a show of rolling up her sleeves and facing the lake. “Stand back and watch me! Shannaro!” She flexes her fingers, preparing to form the requisite hand seals, and then glances back, a ghost of doubt on her face. “Um…any pointers?”

Sasuke’s mouth twitches at this.

He gives her a demonstration and the same advice his father offered.  

She masters the technique faster than he did. Not on the first try, like Itachi, but within hours. He puts that down to her excellent chakra control and the fact that, as a jōnin, learning to master new techniques quickly is a prerequisite. There’s a huge difference between her abilities and those of a seven-year-old with self-esteem issues.

Thanks to her instant healing, there’s no obvious signs of damage—her cheeks aren’t burned, and her lips haven’t chapped from the flame. But the tips of her hair are singed a little and her skin is rosy from the heat.

After expelling the last fireball, Sakura coughs, smoke wafting briefly from mouth and nostrils, but when it dissipates, her eyes are dancing.

“How’s that?” she challenges, hands on her hips and chin jutted out.

Sasuke smirks. “As expected.”

“Oh, come on! That was amazing and you know it! Mine might even be better than yours!”

“Tch.”

She laughs at that.

“I think I burnt my tongue. My taste buds aren’t going to work properly for a week!” Her face becomes inquisitive. “What’s the occasion, though? Or did you really just want to avoid another gourmet dinner at Ichiraku with Naruto?”

As Sasuke has come to expect from her, Sakura provides him with an out. He’s not entirely sure how long she’s been doing that, or even if it’s intentional, but he appreciates it all the same. Today, however, he will not make use of it.

“That’s an extra benefit,” he allows, earning an amused, somewhat conspiratorial grin. He pauses, momentarily at loss of how to say what he needs to say. Eyes trained on the surface of the lake, he steels himself and continues.  “This technique…in my family, it’s a rite of passage.”

He lets that sink in.

“Oh, yeah. I think you mentioned that once,” she says thoughtfully. “Or Kakashi-sensei said it. It’s like a coming-of-age tradition, right?”

“Aa,” he affirms and, trying to lace his words with meaning, confides, “It’s only passed on by close family members.”

“Right. That’s why your father taught you. I think that’s a nice tradition.”

Sasuke winces inwardly because she clearly doesn’t understand what he’s trying to say. It’s not a failing on her part, but his own inability to articulate the point properly. The words are there, but for some reason, they die somewhere between throat and lips. Demons and malevolent gods he can take, but this five-foot-four woman with pink hair makes Sasuke nervous. And it’s not because she can crush his skull with her little finger, either.

“Until one can perform the technique properly, one cannot truly claim the name Uchiha,” he explains, hoping the inflexion of the words conveys his intended meaning.   

But Sakura still doesn’t get it.

“That’s a lot of pressure to put on a child,” she says lightly. She’s probably imagining him struggling to learn the technique, terrified of failure. She wouldn’t be wrong, either.

The knots in Sasuke’s stomach get worse and, if she doesn’t realise soon, he’ll have to spell it out for her. He’s half-angry about that because she’s supposed to be smarter. She should intuit what he’s trying to say and save him from making an utter fool of himself.

“Not only a child,” he corrects, again elaborately casual. “You performed it perfectly.”

Please…just…listen to what I’m trying to say.

There’s a heavy pause, and then Sakura’s breath catches in her throat. The silence between them suddenly isn’t so companionable now, but fraught with a tension like the entire world is holding its breath. Sasuke doesn’t look directly at her as she parses his words, using that blinding intellect of hers to understand what he’s trying to ask. Still, he glimpses her face from the corner of his eye and this is how he watches her expression blossom with understanding.

Success.

He turns to her.

“I have no right to ask anything of you,” he says plainly. “Not after everything.”

“Sasuke—”

“Sakura, let me…” he trails off, jaw working and his own voice catching as the words get lost again, but damn it, he has to get this out! “I don’t know if I can be what you want, what you’ve hoped for. Or if I can give you everything that you deserve. And it’s possible I’ve waited too long.” He swallows. “But when I think of family—even at my lowest point, where I’d given up on the idea—you were the only one I could ever see myself with. The one that I…”

Again, words fail him, and Sasuke wants to swear in frustration. He needs her to know because maybe the faster he gets it out, the better the odds will be. Sakura deserves so much better—always has—and could have anyone else. She should have anyone else, but he’s still hoping that she won’t want anyone else.

“Say it.”

Sasuke is rather jarringly brought out of his rambling, insecure thoughts by a cracking whisper.

Sakura stares up at him, tears welling in her eyes. Why is it him who always makes her cry? He expected her to be flustered or awkward, but instead, she looks the same as she does when bracing for a physical blow.

This confuses him. “What?”

“I need you to say it,” she tells him, barely above a whisper. “Just once. Say it and mean it.” Her fists clench. “I’ll never ask to hear it again, if that’s what you want. But before I can say yes—to the future, to trying, to…to all of it—you have to say it.” She takes a shuddering breath. “If you can’t, then I…I…”

She trails off as if the idea is too hard for her to even enunciate, too painful to consider—for either of them.

Sasuke has never been good with words. What he feels for Sakura, he doesn’t want to—can’t, really—put into words. There is no collection of syllables or sounds that are accurate enough to describe the girl who gave him her heart when they were children. The woman who waited for him for years, who forgave him for trying to kill her, their best friend, and their entire village. He’s wandered the world, looking for redemption, and it’s only since returning here that he’s realised he had it the whole time.

He wants to tell her all of that, but he doesn’t think she’ll understand. Not now, not yet—not while they’re still getting used to being around one another. Maybe after a lifetime, if she’ll give him that, it will come easier—his words and her ability to trust in him.

But for now, she wants something so simple, something almost infantile, as if a set phrase is a guarantee, a safety net, or a reward of some kind. He knows this, but struggles to give it to her, because it’s so insufficient. And everything about him to date, when it relates to her, has been insufficient.

If he does this wrong, she’ll turn away—it’s why she’s giving him this ultimatum in the first place. In their time apart, she’s developed into a strong, independent individual with unapologetic self-respect and unmalleable resolve. She knows what his hopes are, the unspoken wish behind one of his ultimate goals. But Sakura won’t become the vehicle for his happiness unless she’s sure she’ll benefit from it as well. It’s only fair and Sasuke admires her even more for it, but right now, it’s making him want to turn tail and run.

“Sakura…” He really, really wishes he was better at this.

Just do it already, you ass.

And why isn’t it surprising that, in this moment where the rest of his life might change for better or worse, Sasuke can clearly hear the voice of his idiot best friend telling him what to do? It almost makes him want to check to make sure the halfwit isn’t lurking somewhere nearby.

Regardless of its source, the advice is right. No more good can come of waiting.

Sasuke bends down so that his forehead presses against Sakura’s, bringing them eye to eye. She tenses up and her pale cheeks flush with colour, her lips parting in surprise. If this position prevents Sakura from seeing the colour rising on his own face or noticing that his hand is shaking as it gently takes hers, all the better.

“I don’t know what the future holds,” he says in a low voice, “but I want to spend it with you.”

Her lower lip trembles at this. “Because…because you love me?” Sakura prompts, the question a whisper but with a mettle to it. It’s a firm reminder that she will not let him off easy in this moment.

Sasuke exhales through his nose in defeat, eyes closing in affectionate resignation. “Because I love you.”

When he opens his eyes, Sakura’s are (if possible) wider than he’s ever seen. The utter shock etched into every other feature is simultaneously amusing and worrisome. He wonders dimly if, against all odds, this is finally what breaks her.  

Putting some distance between their faces, he gently taps two fingers beneath the rhombus-shaped seal on her forehead—partially to make sure she’s still cognizant, but also to drive the message home. Sakura has never completely understood the gesture before in the handful of instances he’s demonstrated it, but now understanding flickers into place—that this is not just today, and not only because she asked him, but that he’s wanted this for so much longer.

Glassy green eyes are now overflowing with tears, the droplets winding down the curves of her cheeks and quivering jaw. Mild panic sets in—why is she upset? Shouldn’t she be happy?

“Sakura, why are you cry—mmph!”

Fingers fist in his shirt and a pair of soft lips are planted very firmly against his own.

Sasuke stands frozen for several seconds. Dimly, he supposes he should’ve expected this, because isn’t this what’s meant to happen when two people acknowledge feelings for one another? Essentially, he asked Sakura to spend the rest of her life with him, so it shouldn’t come as a shock that there would be a physical confirmation of this. Only, he didn’t quite expect it to happen so fast. Well, fast, he thinks, is relative. They have been building up to this since childhood, but he’s still not sure—

“You’re supposed to kiss me back,” Sakura mumbles against his mouth. If he wasn’t blushing before, the embarrassment hits fully now.

Still, the permission takes at least some of his discomfiture away.

Slow and tentative, Sasuke returns the kiss. It’s clumsy and uncertain because he’s never done this before, but she makes a small, approving noise at the back of her throat and he guesses he’s doing something right. Sakura tastes like smoke from the Katon and something sweet he doesn’t have a name for. He suspects he could spend the rest of his life trying to figure it out without success, an idea doesn’t bother him at all.

She fits her mouth over his, softly pulling his bottom lip between hers, and Sasuke’s senses fade out. Something like relief passes over him, as if a weight has been pulled from his very soul. The last, tightly coiled vestiges of doubt and anxiety which have gathered in him for years are now gone, and the only thing in the world is her. That, in itself, is mildly terrifying, but in a good way.

Achingly slowly, Sakura pulls away from him, reaching up to brush his hair away from his left eye. Her fingers stay in place, keeping the strands from falling back while her thumb traces a gentle arc from eyebrow to temple. He leans into the touch and she grins at him.

“Well?” she prompts. “What do you think?”

“…Hm?” It should concern Sasuke that his brain takes a second or two to catch up.

“Better than Naruto, right?” she wants to know.

The post-kiss haze vanishes. Sasuke sputters out a wordless response because that’s not how these things are supposed to go. His people skills might be rusty, but he’s pretty sure it’s far from normal to remind the man who just confessed his feelings for you about his (very unwilling) first (and second) kiss with their mutual best friend.

Sakura is laughing, at him or at the situation, he doesn’t know. He should be annoyed about this—and if she ever tells anyone about it, he will be—but the tears in her eyes are from mirth, not pain or sadness and, for once, he doesn’t regret putting them there.

“Yes, by the way,” she tells him happily, leaning into his chest. “Yes to all of it.”

終わり

Thanks for reading my story, and I hope you enjoy it! Comments and constructive criticism are always welcome! If you want to support my writing, I accept ko-fi donations and have started posting original fiction on my patreon account, Kuriworlds I encourage you to check it out!

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