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catflorist · 3 years

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The Time Being (ao3 / ffn) catflorist Summary: Time-slipping is a side effect of wielding the Rinnegan. When Sasuke slips through time, he always goes to Sakura, whether he wants to or not. 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

pt 8: roots

"Your hair is so long now," Ino said, over a quiet dinner at Sakura's apartment. "Are you sure you don't want me to cut it?"

"It's okay, Pig," Sakura said, moving the food around on her plate.

"I'm going to miss seeing that forehead of yours," Ino said, voice bright, but she wasn't eating either.

Silence fell, and the food grew colder. Hime leapt onto the tabletop and pestered Ino for affection.

"Ino." Sakura took a deep breath. "Can you tell Tsunade-shisou and Kakashi-sensei not to worry?"

Ino touched Sakura's shoulder. "Of course I'll tell them."

The next day, Karin knocked at the door, carrying a traveling pack. Inside was a stack of Sasuke's clothes, neatly-folded with uchiwa fans facing up.

"I know a lot of his things must already be here," Karin said. "But I went by his place, and I thought you would like to have these."

"Aren't you coming?" Sakura asked.

Karin wrinkled her nose. "Jugo's found his calling. Suigetsu's students are pretty needy, and they cry a lot as it is. There's also my research. If I leave, I just know someone will ruin my samples." She looked out Sakura's window. "I think this village needs us now. We'll watch over it for you both."

When she visited Naruto, Sakura spoke directly, for his sake.

"I'm leaving, and I don't know if I'll be back," she said, hands folded on his kitchen table.

Naruto's eyebrows knit together. His features were built for joy, and Sakura did not know how to react to this sober expression.

"You're wearing the dobe's shirt," he protested quietly, staring at the floor. "Don't you want some of mine?"

Sakura let out the breath she was holding and sorted through his closet.

"Don't take that one, it has a stain…ouch!" Naruto cried, as Sakura crushed him in a hug.

"Ogenkide," she whispered to her friend. Be well even if I don't see you.

The news broke on the sixth day. Uchiha Sasuke had abandoned his mission and once more cemented himself as a rogue nin. He did not even make it to Suna.

Whether he had made the choice, or the mission's absurd structure led to his failure, Sakura didn't know. The village had what they wanted.

For weeks after, Anbu agents followed her, Team Taka, and Naruto around the village. Sakura would wake up in the middle of the night at the slightest sound––the sink dripping, Hime purring. Her chakra never ceased boiling under her skin, prepared to fight at any moment. But after it became clear Sasuke was gone, and would not attempt anything rash, the Anbu vanished.

Sakura worked without rest to establish her pediatric center. It might be her last contribution to the village, and she wanted to do it right.

A year passed before the center was built, staffed, and operational.

Sakura packed her belongings, mostly her selection of Naruto and Sasuke's clothes, and did not request a leave of absence. She said her goodbyes.

One task remained. Sakura visited the square on her way to the village gates. Facing the council building she built, Sakura understood her mistake. It was impossible to coax deep-rooted, corrupted things to grow into a more pleasing shape. It was better to tear them from the soil and start fresh.

Murmurs of creaking wood filled the night air. The council building ungrew, shrinking back to the earth. In the morning, the citizens of Konoha discovered a tree marking where their government was once seated. This was Sakura's parting gift.

As Sakura resided by the ocean, a young Sasuke appeared, again and again.

First he attacked her, then he pestered her with questions. Finally, he did not want to be around her at all. In the same moment he slipped into her home, he was already moving to slam the door on his way out.

Months passed and Sasuke's visits remained as consistent as the tides. Eventually his anger cooled to resentful acceptance. He did not even bother to punish her door. Sakura grew used to the sight of him sulking outside the house.

Beyond her long hair, Sakura made no effort to hide the uchiwa fan adorning her back. The answers to Sasuke's questions were obvious, if he cared to look, but he was blinded by pain and anger. Even if she told him the truth, he would not believe her.

One night Sakura awakened with a flash of movement outside the window. Sasuke knelt on the beach, curled over himself, shoulders trembling. The sound of his splash as he dove into the ocean broke the quiet of the night. Despite the fire and lightning in his blood, he plunged into the water like he couldn't breathe without it.

Sakura pulled the comforter from her own bed and walked down to the shore.

Sasuke trudged onto the beach. Without meeting her eyes, he accepted her offering. Soaking wet, the blanket comically large around him, for once he looked his age. The water had washed away all his defenses. A tired boy remained.

In his own world, Sakura did not know if he slept well at night, if he ate enough, if he stayed warm. When he accepted her blanket, she shivered in relief. At least in this moment, she ensured he was not cold, and alone.

Sasuke finally accepted her tea, so Sakura knew it was the last time she would see him.

"You know what this is—why this is happening. At least say that much."

Today, he might understand. Sakura decided to answer. "Yes. I know why this is happening."

"How do you know?"

"I know because you told me."

The crease between his brow softened. Sakura bit her tongue to keep from crying, Don't you see? All this time, it's you I've been waiting for.

"Sakura––" he said. As her name dropped from his mouth, he took a step closer to her own Sasuke.

He slipped away. Sakura's role was over. The rest was his to uncover.

Hime darted down the path. Sakura squinted in the sun. A dark-haired figure bent to scratch the black cat between her ears.

The wind ebbed, and the waves quieted. Even the seabirds were no longer crying.

Sakura rose. She thought she would run to meet him, but her feet were roots anchoring her to the earth. It was all too dreamlike. If he were to turn on his heels and depart down the path, Sakura would not feel a thing. She would keep waiting until she dissolved into sand and seafoam.

Sasuke tilted his head to the sea. "Do you mind if I wash, first? I've come a long way."

A breeze picked up, rustling Sasuke's clothes, lifting Sakura's long hair.

"Take your time," Sakura said. "I'll be here."

Sasuke dropped his belongings where he stood. On the beach he undressed and dipped into the waves.

When enough time passed, Sakura brought him a change of clothes. He emerged from the waves without concealing his bare body, and Sakura did not look away. He dried off and pulled on the fresh clothes. Matching uchiwa fans winked on their backs.

He pulled her close, the spell broken. His skin was damp. Sakura buried her face into his neck. Tears came slowly, then they racked her body. She shuddered with a year's worth of sobs.

Sasuke traced her spine. "I'm sorry, my love," he whispered. "It seems I've kept you waiting again."

When Sakura kissed him, he tasted like salt.

All her waiting was done. She and Sasuke were once more illuminated by the same sun, swimming through the same pool of time.

In the southernmost tip of Fire country, there was a beach where two rock formations rose from the water. A weathered house perched by the shore, next to a long wooden dock housing a rickety fishing boat.

Seasons did not change in the south, so there were other markers of time––how many repairs Sakura performed on the house, how many seashells Sasuke added to the mantle of the hearth. They trained on the beach every morning, because old habits were hard to break. Tomatoes grew especially well in the loamy soil of their garden.

It was a peaceful life. No one knew where they were. No one was looking for them.

"What are you thinking about?" Sakura asked, sitting on the edge of the dock. A black-tailed gull alighted next to her, peering at their catch of the day.

Sasuke was staring at the blue sky, his long hair tied back. "I haven't slipped in a long time."

"You look a lot like you did, when I first saw you," Sakura said. "It could happen any day now."

"One last trip, then."

Sakura could not say why, but she was certain of this, too.

Sasuke tilted his head back. "The last time Itachi and I saw each other was a day like this."

Sakura watched waves roll under the dock. In a quiet corner of Konoha, a tall stone listed the names of each slain Uchiha. No stone bore Itachi's name. He had no resting place, no marker to commemorate his existence.

Her hands quietly shaped the familiar signs. A column of wood rose up the side of one rock formation. Branches stemmed from the main trunk, sprouting foliage. Like training the limbs of a fruit tree into orderly lines, Sakura twisted and curved the branches into the shape she envisioned.

The image of a raven in flight grew into the rock face, a relief of stone, branch, and greenery. Cliffside sculpture, honoring not six Hokage, but Itachi, and all the souls sacrificed in Konoha's name.

"It suits him," Sasuke said, reaching for her hand. "Do you ever think about the village?"

"Yes," she said. "Every day. I wonder if anything has changed."

To her surprise, Sasuke smiled. There was a familiar glint in his eye.

"You know something. Don't you?"

"I know something," he said, "though it took some time to understand."

He whispered it in Sakura's ear.

When Sasuke received the Rinnegan, his stomach dropped as if he had skipped a step. On one end of that feeling, he faced a god. On the other end, he was standing on a hilltop, gazing at a Konoha he did not recognize.

The Hokage mountain was a wall of green. Trees grew straight up the cliffside, a vertical forest. Foliage and vines hung like a curtain over the Hokage faces. Here and there, the corner of a mouth, the center of a large eye, a colossal tuft of hair, poked through the vast greenery. Sasuke wouldn't describe many things as beautiful, but the word came to mind.

A dark-haired young woman with glasses joined him on the crest of the hill. She had a delicate chin and a toughness to the bend of her spine. Sasuke remained silent. He could tell, by now, when someone was expecting him.

"We added to the monument," she explained, following his gaze. "It wasn't right to destroy it. It's important to remember. But a lot has changed. This isn't a place that carves faces into cliffs, anymore."

"You're not Sakura," he said.

"No, I'm not."

"Who are you, then?"

"Sarada."

He remembered this name from a dream.

"Uchiha Sarada," she continued.

Sasuke frowned. "Prove it."

Sarada drew in a deep breath. A wave of heat scorched Sasuke's face as she exhaled the signature fireball jutsu of the Uchiha clan. Flames larger than the crowns of trees licked the air, but none of the surrounding grasses were set alight. She possessed a fine control over her chakra that he had only seen in one other person.

The flames receded. "I can activate my Sharingan if you like," Sarada offered, touching a finger to her chin.

"No need," Sasuke said, smiling. Her eyes reminded him of Itachi's. "I see it."

He slipped back to fight alongside his teammates. To shape his future.

fin

–––––––––– this story is about two people finding each other. it's about trusting in yourself and in your heart. it's about doing the work to shape the world and the future you want––and at the end the ocean will be waiting.

thank you to: ––theredconversegirl and myr_art whose work first introduced me to the concept of time travel sasusaku ––my partner who spent hours close-reading every sentence so it could become a better story ––my friend di for her endless support and enthusiasm for everything i write ––every single person who has read and ever will read this story. even if you're reading 5 years in the future, please leave a comment so I can thank you for following along this journey with me! (and let me know if the pandemic over yet?)

and that's it! thank you, thank you, thank you! roya

#sasusaku #sasusaku fanfiction #sasusaku fanfic #ss fic #ss #my ss #my fic #the time being

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lotusfartstwice · 3 years

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i'm sorry i'm back and i'm awful idk if i can request twice but that last drabble was so enlightening that i was wondering if you could do #2 for shikaneji 😅 (p.s. your writing..... it's immaculate)

(Part one here)

I’m gonna apologize cuz nothing really gets resolved or said I just kinda mess with Shikamaru cuz it’s fun LOL. I still hope you like their interaction if nothing else. <3

Shikamaru is given a diplomatic mission. Ino and Choji are on their own separate missions so they can't join him. Team Gai winds up being assigned to him. He knows he can't ask for a different team, he doesn't need unnecessary questions.

He hasn't spoken to Neji Hyuga since that day after the last jonin captain meeting. As they leave the gate of the village he's hardly given a glance from Neji. He tries to act unaffected, be his usual self, around the guard he's been assigned. It's all business as they travel to the Land of Snow.

He would have preferred to be with his friends but he had to admit: when they stopped to rest and snow had picked up, Tenten whipping out a military grade tent and other essentials to keep them comfortable was definitely a blessing. She was an amazing kunoichi to have around and he made sure to let her know.

Tenten smirked. "I'm not the one you should be buttering up, Nara."

Shikamaru's stomach dropped, his mood soured.

For the rest of their break he did his best to avoid Neji or mention him. Well, that was the ideal. The wind had calmed outside so he took the opportunity to smoke. Good lord did he need it. He didn't expect Rock Lee to follow him.

After his second cigarette the green clad ninja finally spoke.

"What is going in between you and Neji?" He asked, voice low.

Shikamaru choked and wheezed.

Rock Lee narrowed his eyes, somehow the reaction was enough. "Do not hurt him. You will regret it." With that said he returned back inside the tent.

Shikamaru grumbled, he had no intention to hurt anyone and if anyone was hurt in the situation it was him!

They finally reach their destination and Shikamaru is grateful to finally focus on something that isn't personal. He can speak of village relations and such. He can get the mission over with. He can-

And of course Neji is the one by his side at the meeting.

Fate really hated Shikamaru.

The first meeting finally ends and Shikamaru wants to escape but no such luck. He gets invited to a meal then a visit to the local bath house. He can't decline of course because that would make Tsunade look bad and that wasn't allowed. Ugh. What a drag.

(He swears he can see Neji smirk despite a very impassive expression. Ass.)

At least he gets a little satisfaction seeing Neji squirm at attention garnered from his eyes. He looks composed but Shikamaru knows he'd rather not be in the spotlight. He decides to be gracious and lead the conversation away from the Hyuga.

After an awkward bath where Neji joined him, the two walk back to their inn.

“I can’t believe you joined us,” he finds himself mumbling before lighting himself a cigarette.

“Well, I thought I deserved it as a treat,” Neji says looking at the path in front of him.

“Is that right?”

The Hyuga stops walking. “Shikamaru.”

“Yes?”

Neji finally looks at him. “Can’t things go back to the way things were? Before Lady Hinata’s party?”

He exhales, watching the smoke float. “No, I don’t think so.”

The other man furrowed his brows. “Why not?”

“Well, it’s not like I want to have feelings for you but-” Neji's loud scoff interrupts him. "What?"

“I just find it hard to believe that you have feelings for me." Neji crossed his arms. "You were first to dismiss anything happening between us."

Shikamaru groaned. "You refuse to let that go! I told you I changed my damn mind. Now the question is: have you?"

This seemed to make the Hyuga pause.

"I'll admit I didn't want to pursue anyone let alone you but...things happened and it scared the hell out of me so I wanted no parts of it," he finds himself confessing before flicking his cigarette. "I thought too much so I decided to just stop thinking. When I finally get the nerve to talk to you-" he huffed. "I screwed up."

Neji remained quiet and it unnerved Shikamaru. Those pale eyes just gazing upon him, seemingly impassive. "I need to think," he finally says. "When we return to Konoha I'll have an answer for you."

"Huh?"

"You heard me, now come along. You need your rest."

The two continue their walk in silence to the inn but Shikamaru can't help but feel like the air was different. He couldn't quite push away the cautiously optimistic sentiment of their conversation. Maybe fate didn't hate him too much.

#farty fic #shikaneji #I'm still /)////(\ that someone trusts me to write for their ship//

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thegizka · 5 years

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Swift as Wind, Soft as Shadow

Chapter 4: Hurts

Naruto saved Gaara, and Sakura saved Kankuro. Besides a little rebuilding, the situation in the Sand should be stable. So why does Shikamaru feel that he needs to visit their allies in person?

Inspired by ShikaTema Week 2019 Day 3: Eyes.

Note: I do not own any aspect of Naruto.

Read it on Ao3.

Shikamaru made the trip to the Sand in record time, spurred on by a deep and urgent sense that he needed to be there as soon as he could. In reality, he himself had no purpose to go. Any other shinobi could deliver the Hokage’s message, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that this time, he was needed in the Sand.

He hadn’t heard much from Temari and her brothers over the past few months. Without the chunin exams to require constant contact, their focuses had returned to their own villages. Shikamaru spent time on ordinary missions and training with his teammates, keeping one ear open to the whispers about dangerous rogue ninja and Jiraiya’s movements. A three-year deadline was approaching, and the anticipation of something important was stirring the tranquility.

Everything culminated with Lady Tsunade asking him to run the next chunin exam. Apparently he had left a favorable enough impression from the last exams that the other villages didn’t mind the Leaf hosting yet again. His gut reaction had been to refuse because all of the work involved would be a huge drag, but a lot of people were depending on him to represent the village favorably. The work might help distract him from the absence of certain loud blondes in his life. For some reason, he found himself wondering when he’d hear from Naruto or Temari more frequently as time passed.

Being in charge of the chunin exam actually helped shorten some of that wait. As official ambassador to the Leaf, Temari often sent letters and stopped in the village to arrange the Sand genins’ participation and, whether he asked for it or not, offer advice and suggestions. Reconnecting with her was surprisingly relieving, even though her letters and presence demanded he pay attention to his work as proctor. That was simply a fact of Temari; she demanded everything from him. He was always on his toes around her, and her visits left him feeling drained in a way his normal shinobi work rarely did.

During one of her visits, his second wait came to an end. Naruto finally returned to the village. Shikamaru was satisfied with his growth and pleased he was just as knuckleheaded as he had ever been. Somehow the Leaf hadn’t felt right without him in it. Despite Naruto being a nucleus of chaos, it was easier to relax when he was around.

That had been about a month ago. True to form, Naruto had barely been in the village long enough to unpack before he was off chasing danger. When he heard that the Kazekage was kidnapped, Shikamaru had wanted to follow and lend his aid to Naruto and their allies in the Sand, but he couldn’t. His chunin exam responsibilities required his presence in the village. It was the first time he was frustrated about not getting assigned a mission. But he had faith in Naruto and Temari and her brothers. He trusted Neji and his team to be the backup he couldn’t be.

So he had waited a month until he finally had an excuse to go to the Sand himself. Naruto and their friends had already returned with reassurances that the Sand and the Kazekage were now safe. The details of their report, though, did little to erase Shikamaru’s unease. Both Gaara and Kankuro had nearly died, and there had been numerous casualties when the great protective wall surrounding the village was partially blown up. How had rogue ninja managed to inflict so much damage? Perhaps the security they had seized in the previous chunin exam had been little more than a facade.

Maybe that’s why he felt the need to go to the Sand so strongly. It was as though his part in the chunin exam was somehow unfinished. He hated having to do things, but he hated leaving something incomplete almost as much. He needed to confirm that the Sand was safe again and the Kazekage was no longer in danger. He wanted reassurance that they really had managed to eliminate Gaara’s opposition in the Sand.

After two days of nearly constant travel, he was finally within sight of the village. The Sand rose from a flat expanse of desert tucked below surrounding dunes. Normally the great wall would hug it in a protective ring, giving mere glimpses of the tallest of the village’s buildings, but a dramatic wedge gaped where the sliver of an entrance used to be. The inner buildings looked exposed and made Shikamaru feel uneasy.

When he got close enough to see the shinobi and craftsmen swarming over the wall as they worked on repairs, he finally slowed to catch his breath and wipe the sweat from his forehead. He stopped when a few jonin broke away from the group to investigate who he was and why he was here. He had visited the village enough times to be recognizable, so it only took a moment to be given the all clear. He liked this efficiency. They told him where he would likely find the Kazekage, and he made his way towards what was left of the entrance. As he was figuring out the best way to dodge the piles of rubble and supplies without hindering the workers or endangering himself, he caught sight of something familiar that made him abruptly change direction.

“Temari!”

She turned, a look of surprise on her face. He had almost missed her in the shadow of the wall where she was reviewing repair plans with a couple of builders. He thought she was crazy for wearing black in the desert. It had helped her blend in to the deep shadows of the wall, but he had managed to identify her distinctive pigtails from just a glance.

“Shikamaru,” she greeted. “We weren’t expecting you for another two days.”

“I made good time.”

She studied him with her teal eyes. He noticed that they looked more green out of the bright sunlight, but he still felt like she was seeing past his words and reading some of his inner thoughts. It was unsettling, but she didn’t say anything.

“How are you?” he asked in an attempt to escape her scrutiny.

“Everything’s fine.” She waved a hand to dismiss the builders, but he got the sense that she was dismissing his question, too. “The debris is cleared. Repairs are underway. The dead are buried. The wounded are healing. Kankuro is keeping Gaara on a short leash, otherwise he’d be here helping, but we want to be sure there aren’t any other double agents looking to take advantage of this situation.”

“Temari,” Shikamaru interrupted, “I’m not asking about any of that. I’m asking about you .”

She gave him the briefest of glances before looking away. Even obscured by the dim shadows, he knew he hadn’t missed that look in her eyes. It was something akin to fear. Even if he hadn’t seen it, he heard it in the thickness of her voice when she said, “I’m fine.”

His own eyes narrowed. She was lying to him, and that was annoying. Not that it should be. This wasn’t threatening the well-being of their villages’ alliance. If she didn’t want to talk about how she was doing with a foreign shinobi, it wasn’t his business. Except the fact that he could tell she was lying changed things somehow. He usually didn’t bother trying to figure people out, but he still knew her well enough to know she wasn’t “fine”. Maybe they weren’t just allies. Maybe they were friends.

If he were talking to Chouji or Ino or Naruto, what would he do?

“Come on.” Shikamaru turned and started walking away from the village. He should be heading to the Kazekage’s office to drop off the message from the Hokage, not taking a detour. But technically the news wasn’t urgent enough to require immediate delivery, and they hadn’t expected him this early anyway. He could afford a few minutes to talk.

The fact that Temari didn’t protest as she followed him confirmed that something was wrong. She had a strong sense of duty and didn’t waste time on personal matters when doing shinobi work. Her ability to compartmentalize her life was usually a strength, but he wondered whether it might be contributing to her current unhappiness.

They walked in silence along the outer wall until the sounds of repair work faded and the sand and hot desert sun spread in a golden expanse around them. Satisfied that they were alone--he knew she wouldn’t open up otherwise--Shikamaru stopped and turned to her.

“What is it?”

He tried to meet her eyes, but she was looking away, squinting out at the sand dunes whose edges rippled with heat.

“I told you, I’m fine,” she mumbled, but she was squeezing her arms tightly as though trying to look smaller and escape his inquiries. It was so unlike her usual proud, bold, confident self, it only further aggravated him.

“Stop lying!” he commanded with more force than he had intended. It did succeed in getting her to look at him, teal eyes wide in shock, but a moment later they were swimming in unshed tears.

Oh crap . He could imagine the berating he’d receive from his mother and Ino if they were here to witness how untactful and inconsiderate he was. He had intended to make her feel better, not make her cry!

Temari bowed her head and hugged herself tightly. He thought he could see her shoulders shaking with the effort of holding herself together. He felt frozen, at a total loss for how to react. Should he hug her? Would she want that? Would he simply make things worse? He should have stuck to his mission. Naruto might find ways to ignore the rules and still come out on top, but every time Shikamaru ignored the plan, things went south. He had to figure out how to make this better fast. But what could he possibly say without making things worse?

He was still trying to figure out how to apologize when she finally spoke.

“They almost died,” she whispered in a voice so quiet and fragile it didn’t sound like her. “Kankuro and Gaara, my brothers… I wasn’t here, and they almost died. I couldn’t save them.”

“You just said yourself that they’re both fine. Temari, you don’t have to worry about them.”

“You don’t get it. I was useless! They would have died, and I couldn’t have saved them!”

She looked at him then, and there were tears running down her cheeks. Her eyes were deep and pained, but there was a fierceness to her emotions that was undeniably Temari. He could see her anger and being so emotional, but she also refused to deny the tears. He had a newfound respect for this strong kunoichi who was brave enough to face her vulnerability.

“You did what you could,” he soothed.

“Which was nothing!” she hissed, taking a deep and shaky breath. “I’m their big sister. I’m supposed to protect them, and I wasn’t here when they needed me.”

“You can’t be expected to do everything, Temari. You’re just one shinobi. Gaara’s the Kazekage, and Kankuro is an elite puppet master. They don’t need you to babysit them anymore.”

“But they’re everything I have!” she cried, voice cracking. She couldn’t hold it back anymore. She closed her eyes and cried, pressing her hands to her mouth to stifle the sobs. Shikamaru felt something intangible inside him swell uncomfortably, and without thinking he pulled her into a hug.

He didn’t let himself think about how it felt to hold her and let her muffle her sobs with his shoulder. The most they had ever touched had been the occasional accidental bump as they passed each other or the brush of their hands when they reached for the same piece of paper. He was vaguely aware of the warm, spicy smell of her skin and the soft tickle of her hair against the side of his face, but he focused instead on the feel of her body shuddering against her tears and the uneven breaths against his chest. He concentrated on keeping his hold steady and breaths even to be an anchor for her as emotions shook her.

He didn’t know what she was feeling, but he tried to understand it. He remembered the way Temari and her brothers worked together while teasing each other, the way they depended on each other for missions and chores, and the way they communicated without words. He thought about the way she watched her brothers and listened to them, respecting their abilities while watching their backs. She had nearly lost all of that. They were the only family she had, and from what he could tell, they might be her only friends, too. Could he imagine what it would mean to lose everything?

He remembered standing outside the Leaf hospital’s operating room, unsure whether Chouji would live, feeling responsible for putting his best friend in that position. He recalled the ache of waiting to hear whether Neji, Kiba, Akamaru, and Naruto would be okay. He felt the frustration of being utterly helpless because there was nothing he could do to ensure they survived. He remembered crying. It wasn’t quite the same because he still would have had his parents, Asuma, and Ino, but he thought it might be a close equivalent to what Temari had gone through. He hugged her tighter.

“You’re wrong, Temari,” he said softly, so softly he worried she wouldn’t hear him. “You weren’t useless. Just because you didn’t know enough medical ninjutsu to heal Kankuro and couldn’t stop the Akatsuki from taking Gaara doesn’t mean you didn’t save them.”

“But Sakura and Naruto-”

“Were only there because of the alliance between our villages, an alliance you helped to build. When one village can’t solve a problem, its allies step in to help. So what if you didn’t have the exact skills needed for this mission? You brought the people who did. You did what you could. No one expects a single shinobi to have all of the answers; that’s why we work best on teams built to complement each other. You don’t have to shoulder everything alone. Your brothers know that, and they know you did everything you could, and it was enough.”

Her sobs had quieted. He could tell she was listening and trying to understand what he was saying. Honestly, he wasn’t quite sure what he was saying, either. He just knew he didn’t want her to hurt like this. He waited for her counterargument, but none came. Instead she pulled away and wiped her eyes.

“And here I thought you were the crybaby,” Temari chuckled. Her voice was steady, and the sound of her laugh reassured him that she was alright, at least for now.

“Thank you, Shikamaru.”

Suddenly he was confronted by her eyes, swept away by the clear teal of her gaze. He was glad to see the fear and sadness were gone. Only the ruddiness of her cheeks and slightly puffy skin indicated she had been crying, and that could be explained away as exposure to the sun and sand. Her expression was soft and warm, and Shikamaru was drawn to it. He wanted to get closer, to wrap his arms around her again and get lost in the expanse of her eyes.

Luckily, before he could make a fool of himself, she put on the proud, fierce expression she usually wore.

“If you tell anyone about this, I will personally end you.”

“The thought never even crossed my mind!” he promised, holding his hands up in surrender. She smirked, and there it was, the cruel glint in her eyes that promised trouble for him if he didn’t stay on his toes. Once again, she was demanding everything from him. It was just a fact of Temari.

#gizka #my words #shikatemaweek2019 #shikatema #naruto #nara shikamaru #temari #kaze queen #angst #hurt/comfort #fic

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sakura-blossom28 · 7 years

Text

Home Again (Part 1)

A/N: Sasuke is back in the village after his first journey. Will Sakura still be waiting for him? (Might make a continuation of this later)

part 1 / part 2 / part 3

I don’t own Naruto!

Thank you to the lovely lovely @gaara-nara for giving me this idea!

********************************************

Sasuke had finally made the journey home. There was a small gathering at the gate when he arrived mid afternoon with the sun beating down on him. He had sent word to Kakashi that he was returning. After he received Naruto’s letter along with Kakashi’s usual messages, he had the strong urge to return home, but planned on only staying a short while.

Seeing the familiar faces of the people that he grew up with, Sasuke felt his chest warm up at the smiles and waves he saw from the ninja Naruto called their “friends”. In Sasuke’s mind there was only room for a three people to call his precious people, and he did not want that number to grow. Seeing one particular pink haired person made the warm feeling in his chest become more intense. Not wanting to fully acknowledge this sensation, Sasuke shook off the feeling and quickened his pace to meet the small crowd, so Naruto would stop screaming his name so that the whole village would know of his return.

It was a strange sight to take in. All the teams of their youth were present with the addition of a few people that Sasuke either did not know, or could not remember their names. Before Sasuke could dwell on it more, Naruto grabbed him into a bear hug before he could even react. Thankfully Sakura was quick enough to put Naruto in place. Seeing that the dynamic of his team was the same, it made Sasuke feel better about being in the village again.

The formalities went off with everyone welcoming him home in their own greetings, but Sasuke could not help but notice how most of them were paired off into couples. Even though Sasuke was answering their questions, in the back of his mind he was thinking about all of this. The most noticeable couple was Ino and the quiet pale kid Sai. Naruto had filled him in on Sai and the nature of his relationship with Team 7. The fact that Ino had not jumped on him the second he walked in through the gates just proved that she was completely over Sasuke, and was smitten with this new man. Sasuke had to smirk to himself at this thought because it actually made him happy to have one less fangirl to fight off while he was in the village.

Next he noticed Shikamaru and the older sand girl. Sasuke guessed that with the relationship between Leaf and Sand must have grown stronger if those two were together. Of course Naruto and Hinata were expected to be together because of their recent marriage. He never thought that he would see Naruto happier than he was in their youth, even Hinata did not seem as shy now that she was married to the loud mouth. Hopefully she would not take after him too much.

Finally there was only Sakura left, but who was that standing next to her? Sasuke didn’t think that she would have a boyfriend when he left a couple of years ago. Did his gesture to her not make her understand what he was trying to say that day when he left again? It could be possible, did he really expect her to wait all this time for him? She did forgive him, but he was gone and maybe she didn’t want to wait around anymore… Sakura was an amazing person, any man would be lucky to have her…

Finally stealing a glance at the new man in Sakura’s life, Sasuke’s blood ran cold. His eyes met very round ones, and very dark eyebrows- Lee of all people! Did Sakura really choose this child over him? Wait, hadn’t Lee confessed his love for her when they were still genin? And that day of the first part of the chunin exams he challenged Sasuke to a fight, and pretty much cleaned the floor with him before that turtle broke up the fight? Sasuke tried not to dwell on this memory for too long.

Looking at the two of them standing next to each other, Sasuke felt a bit of hope blooming in his chest. Compared to the other couples, they were not standing very close to each other. More of a respectful space between each other. Sasuke was planning to get in between them when everyone started to make their goodbyes. Barely hearing Kakashi tell him to return to the Hokage tower, Sasuke made his move over to Sakura, but stopped in his tracts.

“Sakura-san it would be my pleasure to walk you back to the hospital if you would like!” Lee beamed at Sakura.

With a sweet smile Sakura accepted, but before she left, Sakura turned to Sasuke and waved goodbye to him. Watching them walk away Sasuke could feel his shoulders slightly slump, but no one would be able to tell. He almost expected Sakura to run up to him and embrace him. One could even say he was looking forward to it, but he would never admit that. Even during his journey he would receive letters from her, but he found it hard to reply most of the time. Did this make her not want to talk to him now? She barely spoke to him today, and practically ran off with Lee.

He could feel himself building his wall back up again. With everyone so happy to see him, Sasuke could feel himself getting caught up with all of the emotions that were around him. But seeing Lee and Sakura together… it was almost too much for him. He felt like running right back out of the village not to return again for a long time, but a strong hand clasped his shoulder brought him out of his brooding.

Sasuke looked up to see that it was Naruto. With a smirk on his lips, he nodded to Sasuke, and they started walking towards the tower. Naruto filled him in on village news, and how he was shadowing Kakashi to be Hokage. Sasuke didn’t hear a single word that he said. Seeing the Uchiha like this worried the blond, but they already reached the tower before he could ask the brooding boy what was on his mind.

Once they were in Kakashi’s office, Sasuke was all business and could forget about Sakura for the time being. Briefing his old teammates on his travels relaxed Sasuke a bit.

“Great work Sasuke. I think you deserve a break for all the hard work you have been doing for the village. Stay as long as you like, and once we get a few good leads, I’ll send you out again, but I want you to actually relax while you’re here. You might be surprised with how things have changed,” Kakashi said with crinkle in his eyes to show that he was smiling under his mask.

“Yeah, Sakura’s changed,” Sasuke thought to himself, but nodded and left the office.

Thinking about how to get his affairs in order to stay in the village, Sasuke wished Sakura was around because he knew she could talk to the right people to make him the most comfortable while he was in the village. With that thought he sighed aloud not realizing Naruto had followed him out of the tower.

“Jeez teme, what has got you down? You’re brooding more than usual, or do you do that more during your travels?” the blond questioned him. Not even giving him a response, Sasuke just looked at Naruto with a blank expression that he had mastered since he was a child.

“I know what you need. Ramen! I bet you haven’t had anything good since you left! Let’s go!” the exclaimed as he grabbed onto the Uchiha who didn’t even protest.

The two plopped down onto their usual stools in the ramen shop that they always frequented when they were genin. After Sasuke finished his bowl, and Naruto his fourth, Naruto tried to get the Uchiha to speak.

“Really teme what’s bugging you? Normally you would have insulted me at least ten times by now. Unless you’re not really Sasuke! You’re an imposter-” Naruto started to scream, but his mouth was suddenly stuffed with napkins. “Dode, I’ve barely been back a day and you’re already pissing me off. Just shut up and leave me alone, nothing’s wrong,” Sasuke said with an exasperated sigh.

“Alright alright don’t get testy. Oh hey look it’s Sakura-chan!”

When Sasuke heard her name he stiffened up and quickly turned his head to see where she was.

“Ha! She’s not really there! I KNEW that it had to do with her! I could tell by the way that you were looking at her at the gate today! C’mon teme what’s eating you up about her?”

Realizing that Naruto had tricked him, Sasuke put his hands on the table and hid his face behind his folded hands. He could feel the warmth growing on the back of his neck, but he didn’t want to show if the warmth spread to his face. Seeing that Sasuke wasn’t going to say anything, Naruto got to thinking about why Sasuke would be like his if he saw Sakura. Who had been around Sakura today at the gate…

“OH!” Naruto exclaimed, knowing how to rile Sasuke up even more, he had a playful smirk on his face, “Well, lately Lee and Sakura have been spending time together. He meets her at the hospital to walk her home when she finishes her shifts. If I remember correctly he brings her flowers sometimes. I see them in her apartment. You know what? It’s about that time when Sakura gets out anyway. Maybe Lee is meeting her-” before he could finish his sentence Sasuke was gone. Chuckling to himself, Naruto ordered another large ramen to go so that he could meet up with Hinata and share a pleasent meal together.

*********************************************************************

Sasuke’s feet eventually led him straight to the hospital. Not wanting to run into anyone he knew, especially Lee, he waited under a nearby tree that would hide him in the shadows, but he was still close enough to the hospital steps to hear what passing people were saying.

Seeing that Sakura or Lee weren’t around yet, Sasuke got lost in his own thoughts. Why was he there? What could be possibly say to Sakura to make her understand what he felt? In the last couple of years that he had been gone, Sasuke really thought about his feelings for Sakura. He realized that there was something between them. There always had been. Was he ready to actually admit that to her? He thought he was, but then he saw her with Lee and that was a real blow to his ego. Sasuke couldn’t blame her for not waiting for him, he had hurt her so much in the past, and even though Sakura forgave him, did she still love him? He thought about that confession from so long ago so much while he traveled. Sasuke would never admit it, but thinking about how true Sakura’s emotions were that night helped his through so many dark times, even before he left on his redemption journey. What if her feelings had changed? Before Sasuke could think on it anymore, he heard two people talking right on the hospital steps.

Of course it was Lee talking to Sakura. Seeing Lee holding a bouquet of roses made his blood boil. Looking at his single daffodil made Sasuke feel inadequate. Not sure what had come over him, something made him stop and purchase the flower while he was walking to the hospital. Hiding the flower under his cloak and not feeling his feet carry him over to them, Sasuke made his way out of the shadows. As he reached them he just caught what Lee was saying.

“Sakura-san how about we go out on a date? We must act on our youth!” he shouted while thrusting the roses into the air.

“Oh Lee,” Sakura started, but she noticed a familiar chakra approaching. “Sasuke-kun! What are you doing here?” Sasuke noticed that she broke out into a huge smile and walked passed Lee to meet him. Sasuke counted this as a small victory. This was the Sakura he remembered.

Without thinking Sasuke just blirted out, “Sakura, I have something very important to talk to you about, and it can’t wait.”

“Alright Sasuke-kun. I’m sorry Lee, Sasuke-kun needs me, I’ll see you around alright?” Sakura said not even noticing how deflated Lee looked at the sight of Sasuke. Seeing how he was winning this little battle, Sasuke thought that he would land the winning strike. When Sakura turned back to face him, Sasuke offered her his arm to take. Seeing the look of shock on her face made Sasuke stand a little straighter with pride that he could still make Sakura blush like this with little gestures. Taking his arm, they left Lee standing at the steps with the roses still in his hand.

*********************************************************************

Not sure where he was going, Sasuke kept walking until he made a huge mistake. His feet had lead them to the very bench where he first left Sakura alone on that summer night when he left the village. Feeling him stiffen Sakura turned to Sasuke.

“Sasuke-kun you don’t have to worry. This bench doesn’t make me sad anymore. We can stop here if you like.” They sat on the bench with their shoulders touching. They still had their arms linked, but Sakura slid her hand closer to Sasuke’s. He noticed, but surprisingly didn’t mind the contact.

Looking over at Sakura she was lost in thought, most likely thinking about that night. Feeling his eyes on her, Sakura turned to look at him. The look on his face said a lot about how Sasuke was thinking. Sakura couldn’t remember the last time that he had let this much emotion show on his face. To the average person, Sasuke would appear to have a blank expression on his face, but Sakura knew better. He said everything with his eyes. Sakura could see worry and sadness in his eyes. Even with a some hair starting to cover his left eye, she could see his mind was trying to work something out.

“So Sasuke-kun what do you need to tell me?” she simply asked. Hearing her speak made Sasuke eyebrows furrow together, thinking about what to stay. Giving him time to think, Sakura looked Sasuke over. For the warmer weather he had on a lighter cloak and she noticed a bit of yellow sticking out. Noticing where her eyes were going, Sasuke brought out the daffodil to give to her. Sakura was amazed that Sasuke would remember her favorite flower after so many years. As he handed her the flower, she reached for it at the same time and their hands were locked around the flower.

When their eyes met, Sasuke spoke, but held onto the flower and her hand, “I know I hurt you in the past here, so something told me that I had to make it right. That has been the whole point of my journey, so it would only be right if I made a new memory for you and I to have to replace that night…”

Hearing his words, a blush spread across Sakura’s face. His words were so genuine and sweet Sakura found it hard not to cry, but she didn’t want to scare him away too fast. Seeing her eyes soften at his words, Sasuke continued.

“I know that I haven’t been the best person in your life, and I don’t deserve to call you one of my most precious people, but no matter if you’re seeing someone, know that I will always protect you.”

Even though his words were sweet, they left Sakura confused. What did he mean by seeing someone? She thought she made it clear that day at the gate that she would wait for him. And the poke... didn’t he mean for her to wait for him until he returned? Why would he get that in his head…? Then it dawned on her.

“Oh Sasuke-kun! I’m not seeing anyone! You misunderstand Lee!” Sakura quickly tired to explain. At her words Sasuke's eyes widened just a bit, but enough for Sakura to notice. She had to laugh at the surprised look on his face, but he physically relaxed when he heard her laughing. He really missed the sound of her laugh. Her eyes always sparkled when the light hit them just right like they were now. A soft smile appeared on his face.

“Did you really think that Lee was my boyfriend? That’s just silly. He’s been trying to get me to go on a date with him, but I’ve refused every time. Some people just can’t take a hint,” she said with a laugh, then a sly smile appeared on Sakura’s face, “Sasuke-kun were you jealous of Lee? I never thought I’d see the day when you’d be jealous.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Sakura. I don’t get jealous,” Sasuke said with a slight pout on his lips. She had to laugh again with the look on his face. It felt so good to laugh with Sasuke again. Seeing how that she was even able to tease him showed Sakura how much Sasuke had really changed. It would be awhile before they could put a label on what was slowly growing between them, but she was excited to get to know this new Sasuke. Knowing that there would be no big confession of his true feelings for her, Sakura was very much satisfied with the new memory of holding Sasuke’s hand and the flower. Taking the daffodil in one hand and Sasuke’s hand in the other, Sakura stood up from the bench.

“Come on Sasuke-kun, it’s getting late. Let me make you dinner. You can crash on my couch for awhile while you search for an apartment,” Sakura said with him behind her. Feeling him stop behind her in the middle of the street, Sakura was hit with deja vu.

“I’m home Sakura,” was all he said as he stood close to her back. He was much taller now, a least a head. The breath on her ear tickled her as he said them. She felt all the stress from the last couple of years slip off of her shoulders. The three words felt just a powerful as the thank you’s that he said before. Feeling the oncoming tears, she shook her head to clear her mind. Sakura’s small smile turned into a huge grin in the realization that Sasuke was finally coming home to her. Tightening her hold on his hand, Sakura lead him to her tiny apartment that they would soon start to share, a place that they would call their home.

#naruto #Sasuke Uchiha #Sakura Haruno #sakura uchiha #sasusaku #Kakashi #ninja #fanfiction #fanfic

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sakura-blossom28 · 7 years

Text

The Question (Part 2)

A/N: Continuation of Home Again , with a part 3 coming soon! Sasuke and Sakura have been living together and now he’s been sent away again...

part 1 / part 2 / part 3

I don’t own Naruto!

Months had passed since the day Sasuke returned from his journey for redemption. The months had been pure bliss for Sakura because she had been (not so secretly) keeping Sasuke in her tiny apartment. That night that he walked her home she had convinced him to stay for the night because he couldn’t go to Naruto’s. He had his wife to take care of while Sakura was living alone. So it all made sense for him to stay with her as she had a spare room that was previously her office. One night turned into a week, then soon it was a month, now months.

The two could always be found together if Sakura wasn’t in the hospital and if Sasuke wasn’t training with Naruto. If a stranger passed the two of them, they would look like a pair of friends, but the ninjas that knew them knew better. While the couple was out in public, their friends could see the attraction that the avenger and the medical ninja had for each other, even though they would never show it. Sakura’s best friend Ino would describe it was the way they looked at each other. Sasuke would never glance twice at another person if it wasn’t Sakura, and Sakura wouldn’t give anyone else the time of day if it wasn’t the dark haired Uchiha.

The two lived in a quiet happiness that they thought was very secret, but alone in their small apartment it was more noticeable that the two had strong feelings for each other. Still trying to understand his own feelings, Sasuke was slow in showing affection towards the woman who had his heart. Sakura didn’t mind that they were going very slow in their budding relationship. She was just happy to have her love back, he was even living with her!

Sure they had their awkward moments that comes with moving in with someone else, but eventually they learned each other’s routines and they created their own blended schedule, like an normal couple, but they never put a label on it. Sakura was too worried about scaring Sasuke away if she moved too fast, so she was happy with the way things were at the moment. Sasuke had no idea what he was doing so he relied on Sakura to take the lead. Romance was not something he understood. Trying not to think about it too much, Sasuke would just try to show Sakura that he cared in his own way. If she was smiling at him like the way that he loved, then he knew that he was doing something right.

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The week started out just like the others. It was one of the days where they both had nowhere to be until the afternoon. They woke up at a reasonable hour, must to Sakura’s protests. The only way to get her out of her bed was the promise of breakfast. That usually worked pretty well.

Sharing a simple meal together felt so right for the both of them, but neither of them had to say anything. After finishing the dishes together, they headed out to the market to buy food for the week. As one of the rules for Sasuke to live in Sakura’s apartment, he had to help around the house. This included helping her carry all of the groceries back to the apartment. Knowing the type of man that Sasuke is, one might assume that he wouldn’t enjoy this task, but he actually did. He loved the way that the market people would greet Sakura with such happiness and respect. It made his heart swell with joy. All because of Sakura, the village was starting to accept Sasuke again. He couldn’t thank her enough for all that she had done for him in the last few months.

As they made their way around the market place, there was a screech from above. Sasuke knew what the sound was right away. It was the only sound that gave him an ounce of happiness while he was traveling alone on his journey. Sticking his arm out, a small hawk landed on his arm. Sakura not being phased by the hawk, continued her shopping as Sasuke read the note that was on the bird’s leg.

The note was from their old sensei, Kakashi. He had summoned Sasuke to the Hokage tower later on in the day having to do with something important. Reading the words made Sasuke’s stomach turn into knots. He had a bad feeling. If it was an important mission it was most likely mean that he would have to leave the village. Dread spread through his body at the thought of leaving his newly formed life with Sakura. Who knew that the sole Uchiha would become comfortable with domestic life? Sensing the tension coming off of the man beside her, Sakura turned to look at him. Seeing Sasuke’s shoulders stiffening, she knew that something was wrong.

“Sasuke-kun are you alright? You look paler than usual.”

“I’m fine. I’ve been called to the Hokage tower for a meeting with Kakashi later. Let’s get the shopping done,” and without another word Sasuke walked on to the next stall. The rest of the shopping trip was done in silence. Sasuke just followed Sakura around blindly, holding anything that she needed, lost in thought. Sakura made polite conversation with the people in the market, but kept one eye on Sasuke at all times. The more he was brooding, the worse she felt. The walk home was silent as well. This was the first time in all of these months that they felt out of sync with each other. Sasuke stomped around the tiny apartment, but didn’t say a word the whole time he was home. Eventually he finally left without saying goodbye.

Anytime that one of them left the apartment, they would make it a point to bid the other goodbye in their own special way. If Sakura was reading on the couch Sasuke would gently place his hand on her shoulder while he whispered his goodbye in her ear. It always left Sakura blushing like crazy. It all just felt so surreal to her that they could do and say normal things to each other. There was a point in time that Sakura never thought that she would see this tender side of Sasuke.

With the way he was behaving this morning, maybe she would never see that side of him again. It felt all too familiar to how cold Sasuke used to be when they were younger and found her to be annoying. Sakura wasn’t like that anymore, she was strong, determined, and smart. She would figure out how to help Sasuke, but first she had her shift at the hospital to get read for.

*********************************************************************

Sasuke arrived at the Hokage tower in a foul mood. The last person he wanted to see right now was the sixth Hokage. Kakashi would be the downfall of the little bit of happiness that he finally found. Sasuke gave three sharp knocks on the door and entered without waiting to be told so.

“My, my Sasuke. I haven’t seen you this angry in a long time. What seems to be the trouble?” his old sensei asked with his usual lazy look about him. Sasuke was seething and couldn’t bring himself to answer.

“Well I’ll just get on with what I have to tell you. I know you’ve been enjoying your time off, but I need to send you out again. Many other villages heard about the good deeds you were doing and now they want your help. So we’re lending out your skill to show that you’re a changed man.”

“When?” was all Sasuke managed to say.

“As soon as you can,” Kakashi said. He could visibly see that Sasuke slumped his shoulders which was something that the Uchiha never did. Kakashi felt a pang of guilt for making his old student feel this way.

“I know you’ve been getting used to staying around the village. We all have enjoyed having you back, but there’s no way around this one, I’m sorry Sasuke. If I could send anyone else I would,” he tried to reason with the man in front of him, but the blank expression on the raven-haired boy told his sensei that it was a lost cause. Kakashi hadn’t seen this look of pain in the boy’s eyes since the day that he and Naruto lost their arms. Looking at his old student he could read in his eyes that he was afraid of being lonely again while traveling. The last thing Sasuke needed was to be lonely. This gave the Hokage an idea that would not only please Sasuke, but maybe all of Team 7 at the same time.

“You know Sasuke, now that I think about it you might be gone for a long time. I wouldn’t want to risk your health because you’re such an important part to the village. Maybe I should send a medic with you just in case something goes wrong. And I’m feeling extra nice today, so why don’t you invite the medic of your choice and I’ll put in all the paperwork so that it’s alright with the elders,” Kakashi said with a smirk on his lips that was lost under his mask.

Hearing these words made Sasuke feel an array of emotions, too many for the Uchiha’s liking. Looking up at his old teacher with that stupid smile on his face that he would never seen, Sasuke knew that this was Kakashi’s attempt to play matchmaker for him and Sakura. At least it was Kakashi and not that dumb blonde Ino that was always trying to sneak into him room while she was visiting Sakura.

Knowing that Kakashi approved of Sasuke asking Sakura to join him on a new journey made him smirk. Without saying another word, he gave a short bow and left the office. Kakashi turned to look out the window and smiled to himself thinking about how his two students could finally start their lives together without anyone else bothering them. Now to get to that paper work…

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The whole shift Sakura couldn’t think straight. Any time that she tried to focus, her thoughts drifted back to Sasuke and his strange behavior. What could have that meeting been about that would make him so upset? One thought kept coming back to her, but she refused to think about it. It would break her heart if she believed it to be true.

Filling out paperwork, Sakura was finally getting some work done. Then suddenly everything hit her in a wave. What if Sasuke had to leave again? Could she handle being alone again? What if he was gone longer than last time? Her green eyes swelled with tears that she didn’t know were forming. Looking down, all she could see were fat tear drops sprinkling the paper. Her heart was breaking at the thought of being away from Sasuke again. Now that he was back she never wanted to be without him. Not sure of what to do, all Sakura could do was sit and cry her heart out at her small desk.

After a good cry, Sakura felt a little bit better. Crying never got her anywhere, but it always cleared her mind. Focusing on the task at hand, she finished her paperwork and walked out of her office to go home. Walking down the hospital steps, Sakura was trying to think of anything else but Sasuke, when she suddenly walked right into something. That something was much taller than her, and very warm. She could feel a single arm wrap around her waist, then she was engrossed in the smell of a man, he smelt like the forest after a rain. That scent only belonged to one man she knew.

Still pressed up against his body, Sakura lifted her head to see that it was in fact Sasuke that was holding her. Giving a small smile, she waited for him to say something.

Trying to cover the blush that was crawling up his neck to his face, Sasuke tried to act calm. The whole way over to the hospital he had been thinking of a proper way to ask Sakura to come with him. He knew that he was asking for a lot when she already gave him so much. How could he just ask her to leave her whole life behind to follow him around the world just because he wanted her to? He felt guilty and selfish to ask her such a thing, but he knew that he would only suffer without her. So he needed the right words to ask such a thing to the woman who meant everything to him.

“I’ve come to walk you home, it’s my turn to make dinner,” Sasuke said turning to look away from her. Letting her go, Sasuke started to walk away. Feeling the tension between them only confirmed Sakura of her gut feeling that he was going away. Slumping her shoulders, she let out a loud sigh without realizing it.

Sending a sideways glance at her, Sasuke could see that something was wrong. Knowing that he was most likely the cause, he knew he had to make her happy. Looking around to make sure there weren’t too many people in the area, Sasuke walked closer to her and grabbed her hand. Sasuke was never one to show any kind of affection in public, but he felt like he owed it to Sakura. He wanted to show her how important she was to him, but he was still learning how to do it. Feeling the weight and the warmth of her small, but powerful hand in his spread the warmth he was feeling to his chest. Overall, Sasuke really didn’t mind holding hands with Sakura, maybe he would do it more if it always felt this nice.

Seeing the look of surprise on her face made him smirk with satisfaction, but when she smiled at him in such a sweet way, it melted his heart. He was definitely going to hold her hand more if it meant that she would smile like that. Feeling more hopeful than before, Sasuke quickened his pace so that they would get home faster.

*********************************************************************

After being practically dragged down the street by Sasuke, Sakura had no idea what was going on with the man she loved. One minute he’s cold as ever, and now they’re holding hands and he’s cooking her dinner.

Any other night Sakura usually cooked dinner with the occasional help from Sasuke, but tonight he wouldn’t let her do anything. So she had to sit at the table and mope in silence. Now her feelings were all over the place, and she had no idea how to put them in order. Maybe Sasuke was just being nice because she had let him live there for free, and this was his way of saying thanks. She really thought that after living together for months, Sasuke would start to see her more than just a teammate. Especially in the last few weeks Sakura was sure that he felt more for her.

When they stayed in and just kept each other company, Sakura was positive that she saw Sasuke stealing glances at her while he was reading his book. There were many times that she would start out on the couch, but then would wake up in the morning in her own bed. The only explanation was that Sasuke had carried her to bed. This had happened more times than Sakura would like to admit, but she did love waking up knowing that Sasuke had tucked her into bed.

Other times they would watch television and they would start out sitting with a space between them, but that the end of the night the space would be gone. She knew they both secretly enjoyed each other’s warmth, but they would never say anything about it. On other occasions when Sasuke had a particularly difficult training session with Naruto, he would be so tired that he would collapse right onto the couch while she was still on it. Those were her favorite times. These small moments shared between them meant so much to her that she couldn’t bare to not have any more if he went away. Feeling defeated, Sakura dropped her head on the table with a loud bang.

Seeing Sakura this way made Sasuke work faster. Before she knew it, a whole meal was placed out in front of her. Looking at all the food, she noticed a theme. All the food was her favorite, there was the fish she always bought, even the rice dish she always made Sasuke, but this time there wasn’t any tomatoes. Noticing that, Sakura gave Sasuke an odd look with her head still on the table. As if reading her mind, Sasuke answered, “I wasn’t in the mood for tomatoes tonight,”

“You’re always in the mood for tomatoes,” Sakura said with a small smirk playing on her lips. Seeing how much thought he had put into the meal, she couldn’t feel anything but happy. If Sasuke didn’t care for her, he would have never put this much detail into the meal. With that in mind, she happily started to eat.

Eating in silence the meal finally finished. Without a word Sasuke got up from that table to clear the dishes. When Sakura started to help clean up, Sasuke gently sat her back down without a word. Too shocked to say anything she stayed where she was, Sasuke moved fast to get something out of the fridge. Placing a small tray in front of her, Sakura couldn’t believe what she saw.

“Did you make this Sasuke-kun?” she asked with wide eyes.

Turning away to hide his blush, all Sasuke said was, “It’s not to taste, so if it’s bad, don’t blame me.”

In front of Sakura was two skewers of dango with perfect green, white, and pinks lumps. Quickly trying one, Sakura was blown away with how delicious they were. They weren’t as sweet as she would typically have them, but the way that Sasuke made them was something she had never tasted before.

All Sakura could say was “thank you” as she made her way to eat more. With a pleased smirk on his lips, Sasuke watched as she enjoyed his cooking. As soon as she was finished with the last bite, Sasuke grabbed her hand and dragged her over to the couch. Not sure what was happening, Sakura let him drag her along.

They were both sitting in front of the television, just staring at each other. Being this close to Sakura always made Sasuke nervous, in a good way, but Sasuke still wasn’t sure why it was good to feel this nervous. Shaking himself out of these thoughts before he started to blush, he turned on the TV to a show he knew that Sakura liked. On more than one occasion, Sakura had convinced him to watch it along with her. He would never tell a soul that he secretly was invested in the characters on the show.

Once Sakura realized what show they were watching, she got comfortable on the couch and soon became absorbed in the show. Seeing that she was content with the evening’s plan, Sasuke started to relax a little. Getting a little bit lost in the show himself, Sasuke suddenly felt warm on his right side. He looked over to see that Sakura had slumped over and was resting into his side. Not sure of what to do, Sasuke could only see one thing to do. He lifted his sole arm and gently placed it across Sakura’s shoulder. Once she felt his arm around her, she snuggled into his side more.

A full on blush spread across Sasuke’s face. He had never felt this kind of warmth before, and if he did it hadn’t been for a long time. This was all new territory for him, but with Sakura it felt right. The only thing he wanted right now was to make her happy. He wanted to be the reason why she felt protected and safe. He wanted to be the main reason why she smiled. He wanted that smile for himself. Finally finding the right words to say to Sakura, he started to build up the courage to say them to her, but the television suddenly turned off.

Sasuke was met with bright green eyes only inches away from his face. The look in them was determination and a hardness in them that meant business.

“Sasuke-kun what has gotten into you lately? One minute we’re fine, then this morning you become distant with that letter from Kakashi-sensei. Then you’re making dinner, and showing me affection? This is all very out of character for you and I want answers!” Seeing the look of shock on his face, Sakura let out a sigh and sat back down next to him. When she looked up, her eyes held a sadness in them that reminded Sasuke of all the times that he had hurt her in the past. Not wanting to see her this way any longer, Sasuke finally started to talk.

“Alright there is something going on. Kakashi has assigned me a mission that will take me out of the village.” Hearing these words, it broke Sakura’s heart. All of her worst fears were coming true. She could feel the tears starting to form in her eyes, but they stopped when she heard his next words.

“Sakura, will you- will you…” Sasuke started but couldn’t seem to finish. The words he wanted to say were getting stuck in his throat.

Sakura’s head shot up when she heard these words. “Will I what? What could he be possibly asking me? Will I… Does he mean marry?! Is Sasuke asking me to marry him??” So many thoughts were racing through her head in that moment that she didn’t see Sasuke reach for her hand. Once she felt his large hand cover hers, she immediately stopped thinking and only focused on him.

“Sakura, I know that what I am about to ask you is extremely selfish of me, but I have to ask. When I leave for this journey, I want you to come with me. I know that I’m asking a lot, but these last few months have really changed the way I see things. I never thought that I could rely on someone, but I do with you. I did all those things tonight because I wanted to show that I could make you happy. I know they’re not big displays of affection, but that’s all I can manage right now. I don’t deserve you because of all the things that I have put you through, but I can’t leave you again. Will you go with me?”

Sakura had never seen Sasuke so vulnerable before this moment, and it was all for her. Here was the great Sasuke Uchiha asking her to accompany him on a mission because he needed her, and he never needed anyone. Looking into his eyes, Sakura could see that his feelings were true. There were so much pain, sadness, and fear in those eyes at the thought of being alone again. Collecting herself, Sakura pulled on her sweetest smile for him.

“Silly Sasuke-kun, you know my answer is yes!” Sakura said as she grabbed him into a crushing hug. Looking down at the woman in his arm, Sasuke could see the fear and worry that she had been carrying around all day was gone.

“Didn’t I suggest when you first left that I should come too? Maybe you should listen to me more,” she teased him. Sasuke was too happy to hear Sakura say yes to reply with snarky answer.

“Sasuke-kun, you know you always make me happy. I’ve never been happier than I’ve been now because of you. I never want to be without you again, you are enough for me. Never forget that,” she said looking into his dark eyes. At that moment, Sakura had never looked so beautiful to Sasuke in all of his life. His heart swelled at her words, understanding that she would stay by his side no matter what. There was only one way to convey his feelings.

He gently leaned down near her ear to whisper a soft “thank you.” That night they fell asleep in each other’s arms for the first time.

*********************************************************************

The next few days were filled with a lot of running around trying to make arrangements so that they could leave the village without worry. Sakura formally handed over the hospital to Tsunade who came out of retirement just for her. They sold her apartment and gave away most of their belongings that they couldn’t bring with them on their long journey. Most of it went to their friends for safekeeping when they finally did return.

They decided to leave in the middle of the night as to not bring attention to themselves. The only one that saw them out was the Hokage himself, Naruto was too busy dreaming about ramen. In the end it was the perfect setoff for the two of them.

Sasuke and Sakura bid their former sensei goodbye, and they started their journey. Once Kakashi was out of earshot, Sakura turned to Sasuke with a playful smirk on her lips.

“So Sasuke-kun, if you invited me along with you, does that me you like me?” she said without looking at him.

Feeling a blush crawling up his face for the hundredth time that week, Sasuke kept looking ahead as well. He could admit that to her right? Why did he feel all nervous again? Gulping down the tightness in his throat, he supplied his most eloquent answer, “Hn.”

All Sakura could do was laugh at his answer. Typical Sasuke. Hearing her laugh so easily with him made him smile too, not even a smirk. Taking her hand in his, they walked along the road that lead them to the beginning of their journey and their love.

#naruto #Sasuke Uchiha #Sakura Haruno #sakura uchiha #sasusaku #Kakashi #fanfiction #fanfic

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