#ssm20d05

[behindheremeraldeyes]

sasusaku month 2020 day 05- arrivals

title: Flying Home

summary: Airport AU - Sakura comes back from the Wind Country after almost 7 months and her boyfriend is there to pick her up.

a/n: I had this idea when I went to pick up my brother at the airport last year and I saw those vending machines with flowers. They were just so cute and I HAD to picture a SasuSaku scene from it! This is a small fluff and my beta-reader was a bit busy, so it’s also un-beta’d. I apologize for the grammar mistakes in advance, but I hope you can enjoy it! 

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'Just landed.’

Her message had arrived almost 15 minutes before, and ever since, his poor heart refused to settle. His eyes drifted from the watch on his wrist to the gate in front of him, his throat growing dryer by the second. He wasn’t wearing a tie and his shirt was a larger model, but suddenly, he grew aware of his own breath as it became hard to inflate his lungs.

At that moment, the buzzing of the airport was invading his ears, making it incredibly difficult for him to concentrate. Different voices in different languages were mixing together, and he could feel himself growing anxious, for none of those voices belonged to her. His hands began sweating, his heart paced up and Goddamn it, Sakura, why are you taking so long to retrieve two bags?!

Sasuke was really feeling like an idiot at that moment as he stood just below the yellow sign that read ’Arrivals’. He had been there for at least 40 minutes, waiting for his girlfriend who was expected to come out through those automatic doors any minute now. He was holding a bouquet of flowers he had just bought at one of those refrigerated vending machines, and he hoped he had chosen the right ones.

He was no expert in flowers or anything, but he was almost 100% sure that, at some point, she had mentioned liking the alstroemeria, so he ended up picking that bouquet. They were white with a dusty shade of red, and for some reason, he liked to believe they were quite fitting for welcoming his girlfriend home.

It had been almost 7 months since he had last seen her pretty, green eyes. She was crying on that day, saying how much she would miss him and everyone else, and how he would better pick up the phone whenever she called him, despite the different time-zones. As a doctor, she had been offered a chance to work overseas in a small hospital for disadvantaged communities, and she couldn’t find it in herself to say no. Ever since she graduated from med school, he remembered how much she wanted to help those in need, and even if it would take her away for a couple of months, there was no way he could not support her.

She had worked very hard for that, and finally, she was given a chance. He could never stand between her and her dreams, and even if he would miss her, Sasuke had to let her go. Not forever, of course, but for the longest 6 months and 23 days of his life. Some days were lonelier than others, especially when she didn’t really pick up her phone, but at last, she was back where she belonged.

Haruno Sakura was home. And even if he was able to withstand so long without her, those last minutes were putting his self-control to test.

Sasuke was growing impatient now, his right foot tapping rhythmically against the floor. He looked around one more time before deciding to check his wristwatch, and he grew angrier when he realized it had barely passed 3 minutes since he had last checked. He glared at the pointers, as if threatening them for not moving fast enough, and that was when he realized he had to calm down. That would be the first time they would be seeing each other after so long, and by no means could he welcome her with a bothered face.

He took a deep breath, then, closing his eyes for an instance as if to allow the anger in his system to dissipate. Mentally, he counted up to 10, and slowly, he opened his dark orbs again. He was feeling a bit better now, and for a moment, he actually believed he had managed to control his flourishing emotions. Everything was back to normal, as expected from his cool and stoic nature. 

But that normal only lasted until he looked at his watch again just to see that only 1 minute had passed.

Fuck this, he thought, clearly forgetting about all that inner peace he was aiming for. Even if he was very aware of the consequences of trespassing certain areas of the airport, at that moment, Sasuke was actually considering the idea of going all the way to the baggage area so he could do something productive instead of just keep waiting out there.

Yes, that really seemed like a good idea. However, before he could defy the airport security, the automatic doors in front of him opened, and a sea of people started walking out of it. 

The people who stood by his side were now smiling and waving at their loved ones. Eyes were widening in a moment of pure happiness, and he could almost feel how tight they hugged each other. It was a very heartwarming scene, indeed, but the Uchiha just couldn’t find it in himself to care about those strangers. His eyes moved frenetically, searching for his girlfriend in the middle of those nameless faces, and even if he didn’t think it was possible, his heart was beating even faster now. 

She had to be there, he thought. His free hand had now turned into a fist as he moved his head so he could have a clearer view of the people coming through. Some were shorter, others were taller, some were just kids and others walked by hand in hand. There were all kinds of people there, but he only cared about one.

And once he saw that pink hair of hers in the middle of that crowd, a wave of relief hit him, and after so long, it was as if he could finally breath.

As soon as he landed his eyes on her, it was as if a huge weight was lifted from his chest. There she was, at last, and even from afar, he could see the changes in her form. 

Her hair was longer, to the point where she had tied it into a small ponytail, and her bangs were now framing her face. Her skin looked a bit tanned, as if she had been kissed by the sun of the Wind Country, and her green eyes looked even brighter than before. She also looked quite adventurous, wearing a plaid-green shirt, dark jeans and the dark brown tracking-boots they had bought before she left; and at that moment, even without hearing a word from her, Sasuke could tell she was a different woman.

She looked stronger, now, more mature. She was probably tired from the flight, but there was something about the atmosphere around her that made her stand out. That girl looked very different from the one that had left all those months before, but as soon as their eyes connected and she smiled oh-so-tenderly at him, Sasuke could tell she was still the same Sakura— she was still his Sakura.

And at last, she was home.

When her green orbs saw him, it was possible to see her eyes beaming with joy. She waved vigorously at him, a wide smile spread across her face, and he watched as the backpack behind her started jumping a little when she fastened her pace. Sakura was sure looking like a child at that moment, and even if he would normally act concealed around her, not even he could suppress the soft smile that took over his lips as he slowly waved back. 

He simply observed as she tried her best to make her way towards him, and he couldn’t help but giggle when he saw her trying to dodge an old lady that was walking slowly in front of her. It was obvious that she was in a rush to be with him, and as soon as the path in front of her was clear, the Haruno girl wasted no time before literally running towards him. The wheels on her suitcase were rolling as she quickened her pace, and even though she was just a couple of meters away from him now, he soon realized Sakura showed no intention of stoping.

“Sasuke-kun!” She practically screamed in pure happiness, her eyes set on him with a fierce objective. 

His eyes suddenly widened at her excited approach, and all he could do was brace himself for the impact. Her hands irresponsibly let go of the suitcase, and if not for his good reflexes, it would’ve kept on rolling around the airport. He used his free hand to stop the moving bag, and by the time he returned his attention to the girl, she had already thrown her arms around him in an incredibly tight embrace.

Her feet weren’t touching the ground anymore, and he could feel her hot cheeks pressed against his neck. Her hands were pressed against his shoulders, and though he was certainly not expecting her to literally throw herself at him, it didn’t take long before the Uchiha got used to the feeling of having her back in his embrace. His eyes closed, then, finally answering her gesture. 

He wrapped his arm around her, bringing her even closer, as in fear she would disappear. Her scent filled his nostrils and the warmth of her body made him tremble in pure bliss. God, he had missed her. Missed her body, her scent, her voice—just everything about her. They say the absence makes the heart grow fonder and it’s important for lovers to take a break every now and then, but at that moment, he couldn’t care less about what such stupid words. He never wanted to be separated from her again, and every moment they were apart only served for him to miss her even more.

Sasuke wanted to be with her for the rest of his days. And now that he was aware of such feelings, perhaps, he should consider doing something about that once they were back home.

When her grip around him loosened, he carefully placed her back on the ground, and slowly, her pink head lifted so she could look him in the face. Her cheeks were blushing, her eyes were shining and there was a smile spread from ear to ear. Sakura was really happy to see him, and he was certain his own happiness was also stamped on his face. 

“Hey, stranger.” She said, her voice soft and low, his ears delighted by the sound.

“Took you long enough to retrieve your bags.”

“Well, about that…” She giggled. "There was this kid trying to get his own bags, but they were too heavy for him. I had to give him a hand.”

“Tch, aren’t you tired of taking care of random children?” He teased, knowing her kind heart would never be tired of such thing.

“No, not yet.” She chuckled, adjusting the strap of her backpack on her shoulder.

“And how was your flight?”

“Too long! I just couldn’t wait to get home. I don’t think I was able to sleep at all!”

“Once we get home, try to get some sleep, then.”

“I certainly will.” She nodded, still smiling at him. “Oh, Sasuke-kun, It was so good working with those people! Though they thank us for helping them, we are the ones who should be thanking them for teaching us so many things! I have so much to tell you!”

“I can’t wait to hear it.” He said, honestly. “Your hair is longer, too.”

“Yeag, I guess it is.” She started, her fingers softly dancing around her pink locks. “I didn’t have time to cut it, but now that I’m back, I’ll ask Ino to help me with that as soon as I see her. Feels kinda strange, don’t you think?”

“You look great, Sakura.” He smiled at her, his eyes growing fonder. “Really great.”

The blush on her cheeks turned redder, and for a second, her eyes drifted from his. Sasuke watched as they stopped on his left hand, and it took him a couple of seconds to understand what exactly she had set her eyes on.

The flowers, of course.

“What are those?” She asked, curiously, though the answer was obvious.

“I've bought them for you.” He started, offering her the bouquet. She carefully took it from his hands, and when she lifted it near her eyes, he realized that, indeed, he had made the right choice.

“Thank you so much, Sasuke-kun.” Sakura said, her voice trembling in pure emotion. He watched as tears threatened to pool around her eyes, but she wiped them before they even had the chance ruin her face— not that her tears could actually ruin anything. “I love them. They’re beautiful.”

And I love you, he thought, being caught by surprise by his own thoughts. Though he had known it for a while now, the realization would always catch him by surprise.

“I'm glad you liked them.”

“Of course I do!” She chuckled. “I'm so happy to be home!” At that moment, as he saw her smiling with the flowers, Sasuke realized he had been contaminated by her joy. It was an emotional moment between them, and suddenly, he realized he wanted to be honest about his feelings. It felt odd to even think about verbalizing such things— especially since he has always been a man of few words— but he figured the moment asked for something unexpected.

“Sakura.” He started, his voice filled with tenderness and longing. His eyes were locked with hers and at that moment, he felt like he could look at her for hours so he could make up for all the lost time. He cleared his throat, then, taking a deep breath before continuing. “I've missed you. A lot.”

Though the words that came out of his mouth were simple and she could’ve concluded that just by the look in his eyes, listening to him actually saying that melted her heart, and suddenly, her lips started to tremble. Her eyes were turning redder, as if she was about to cry, and she nodded a couple of times before actually parting her lips to answer him. “I've missed you, too, Sasuke-kun. Like, really missed you. And though I loved being there, It’s so good to be finally back. To be finally home, with you.”

As she said those words, her eyes were filled with a mix of innocence and fondness, and if not for all of those people around them, Sasuke would’ve kissed her on the spot. His heart was finally feeling lighter inside his chest, and he could never find the words to describe how that girl made him feel everything so vividly. From the sadness of seeing her go, to the happiness of having her back, she was the one to be blamed for every skipped beat of his heart and for every smile on his face.

When she first left, Sakura took a part of his heart with her, and now that she was back, Sasuke could finally feel himself whole again.

Once more, they were side-by-side, and now—well— they could go back to their wonderful life.

Once more, they could go home together.

“It’s good to have you back, Sakura.”

She wiped a tear that left her eye, a huge smile on her face now. “Thank you for welcoming me.”

“Of course.” He said, picking the handle of her suitcase so he could carry it for her. “Now let’s go home.”

As they smiled at each other, they walked side by side, a little closer than necessary. Just two, young lovers like so many others, finally reunited.

Finally together.

fin.