sakurasasuke5599

[sakurasasuke5599]

Beautiful

Prompt: Blood, Sweat and Tears and Something More, Sasusaku Month 2017, Day 2 and Day 5

Summary: The moment when Sasuke realises just how beautiful Sakura really is. (Set during the Chunnin Exams after the attack by the Sound genin Team.)

It was only after the entire crowd cleared from the gathering did Sasuke let himself scan Sakura up and down.

She was currently busy telling Naruto to shut up as he relentlessly pestered her on to fill him in on the things that had occurred while the hyperactive ninja had been knocked out.

Naruto was particularly incessant on knowing about Sakura’s sudden change in hair style and it irritated Sasuke to no end. She was clearly injured and yet all the idiot could think about was her hair.

The other teams had left a while back, they’d cleared off fairly quickly with the Hyuuga’s team being the first to leave and after a sharp look from Sasuke’s side the other rookie team had followed suit even though the blonde girl had been reluctant to walk away.

They were scared of him and rightly so because even Sasuke didn’t quite understand what had happened. Being ignorant was something Sasuke wasn’t used to and he’d never admit it out loud but his behaviour had scared him too.

Naruto was blissfully unaware of his predicament and Sakura….

Sakura had been scared too. He’d seen the fear in her eyes when she’d just barely managed to stop him. His sharingan had etched every detail of her expression at that time into his mind.

It had been the shock, the shock of seeing Sakura- Sakura terrified of him that had brought him back from the edge of slipping away entirely.

“Sakura where are you hurt?” Sasuke asked quietly interrupting his teammates conversation. He’d noticed how Sakura had sunk to the ground the minute the Yamanaka girl had left as if she’d been holding herself up just for show.

“Oh I’m fine Sasuke-kun!” She said brightly turning her attention from Naruto with a wide smile,“Don’t worry.”

Sasuke’s eyebrow arched up at her lie. Even though she looked marginally better than when he’d woken up that wasn’t saying much. Her hands were strategically clasped behind her back and one of her eyes had more or less swollen shut due to a large bloody cut above it. She was pale and bloody and if he looked closely he could see that Sakura was still shaking.

“Naruto go get water.” Sasuke ordered picking himself up. Sasuke wasn’t particularly steady on his feet yet and the mark on his shoulder ached sending faint pulses up his neck.

“Sasuke-kun you shouldn’t stand-”

“Sakura shut up.” His voice cut her off abruptly. He didn’t have the time or the energy to deal with Sakura’s uneeded concern for him. Right now she was the priority.

“Teme what do you think you’re doing?” Naruto got up yelling at the Uchiha,“Don’t be so rude to Sakura-chan!”

“Naruto water now.”

Something in Sasuke’s tone must have gotten through to the blonde boy because he abruptly got up with a pout on his face and marched into the forest.

Sasuke silently stalked towards their supplies. From the corner of his eye he could see Sakura struggling to get up. Her arms were now on full display, sporting multiple bloody cuts as if she’d been stabbed by a kunai.

Sasuke flinched despite himself.

He’d figured as much when he’d noticed there was blood all over his shirt which couldn’t have possibly been his considering the stellar job Sakura had done wrapping up all the wounds he’d sustained while fighting against Orochimaru.

The blood must have gotten on his shirt when she’d wrapped her arms around him.

He quickly turned around focusing on getting their medical supplies out as he felt his cheeks heat up at the memory.

His expression darkened quickly enough as he remembered his total loss of control. He was an Uchiha not some toy of a man who had his own ulterior motives. Even if the power offered to him was unbelievably tempting it meant nothing to Sasuke- nothing if he had to see that look of absolute horror in Sakura’s eyes when she’d realised just how close he’d been to truly becoming a monster.

Sakura had always smelt like her namesake, like cherry blossoms and looked at him like she was the single bright star in an otherwise moonless night.

He’d never really cared for either of those attributes until the moment she’d wrapped her arms around him, her expression terrified and desperate.

Stop, she’d begged him, Please just stop.

She had been bloody and had been shaking as she clung onto him. Her arms had anchored him back to himself but for one terrifying moment Sasuke had considered batting her away.

He’d returned to himself the very next second and he’d pushed the dark writhing power inside him as far away from himself as he possibly could.

For at that moment he’d had the choice between the power he’d always wanted, no needed for his revenge and Sakura.

He’d made the decision without even thinking because up until then he’d never truly realised just how much he’d relied on Sakura and her never changing belief in him.

“Sasuke-kun are you alright?” Sakura had managed to make her way next to him, the same forced smile plastered on her face.

Sasuke supressed the urge to snap at her. She was the one who was bloody, bruised and barely standing and yet she was concerned about him.

Why was she so goddamn annoying all the time?

Why was she trying to hide the fact that she was afraid of him?

“Sit.” He ordered.Thankfully she agreed, even if it was probably because she barely had any energy left to stand.

Sasuke followed suit and bent forward to asses the cut above her eye. He had to clean it before it got infectious.

“It’s okay Sasuke-kun.” She reached to take the cloth out of his hand but Sasuke brushed her away.

“Sakura stop being annoying.”

Her hand dropped down and he sighed.

Sasuke sometimes wished he was gentler with her but life hadn’t given him enough chances to be gentle and he’d long forgotten how.

He poured water on the clean cloth so that he could start with wiping her face. He carefully ran the cold cloth down the shallow scrapes on her cheeks to the small bloody cut at the corner of her mouth. She sat there absolutely still as he moved in a little closer to gently clean the cut above her swollen eye.

He brushed her hair out of her eyes as he continued to work. He paused after he was done his eyes flitting towards her dull choppy hair and the blood that stained it.

This was all his fault. If he’d just-

“Sasuke-kun?” Her voice brought him back and realising how he was vacantly staring at her and he pulled back immediately jostling Sakura’s leg in the process which made her cry out loudly in pain.

For some reason Sasuke felt like he’d been stabbed.

“What’s wrong?” He asked his voice tinged with the slightest trace of panic.

“My leg hurts a little.” She conceeded,“ It’s noth-”

“Where?” Sasuke demanded, his voice leaving no room for her to protest.

She stretched her leg out wincing slightly as he inspected it. Her right leg was a bloody mess that she’d purposefully covered with her long dress and the cut a few inches above her knee was worryingly deep.

She’d managed to keep quiet about it the entire time and then had the audacity to worriedly hover around him asking if he was alright.

He barely managed to restrain himself from shouting at her for being careless and just so-so goddamn stupid.

What the hell was she thinking picking a fight with ninjas clearly out of her league? She should have run away screw him and the idiot.

No she shouldn’t have run away instead she should have happily handed Sasuke over to them, after all he’d been what they had wanted. Instead she’d foolishly chosen to protect him all alone against three ninjas who were obviously far stronger than she was.

When had Sakura become so goddamn insufferable?

He forced himself to calm down, the mark on his neck was pulsating dangerously. Getting mad at Sakura would do him little good especially since he very knew it would be pointless.

After all if there was one thing that Kakashi had taught all three of them it was that loyalty to their team came first.

He forced himself to focus on the wound on her leg considering his options. He’d have to use the last of their water and cleaning it would be a painful process so it would be best to keep her distracted while he got to it.

His eyes snapped up to meet hers,“Tell me what happened when I was unconscious.”

The hesitation was clear in Sakura’s eyes and it was justified considering that even Sasuke couldn’t give her the guarantee that if she actually recounted the tale of how those bastards had hurt her that he wouldn’t go on a rampage and actually finish the job.

None the less she started recounting the events that had occurred as he began working.

“Orochimaru disappeared after he bit you. Those marks appeared near your neck and you collapsed.”

He vaguely recalled he’d held her hand as if his life had depended on it until he’d finally lost consciousness. The last thing he remembered was seeing Sakura’s worried face hovering above his and thinking that there were worse ways to die.

“I brought you and Naruto here as quickly as I could.” Sakura continued,“I set up a few traps and-”

She broke off wincing and Sasuke quickly moved his hand cursing himself for not being more careful.

“I’m sorry.” He said quietly,“Go on.”

“Naruto wasn’t hurt, I think he was just put into some sort of deep sleep. Your fever was pretty bad and your breathing was shallow. I-I thought-”

Her voice wavered but she did her best to hide it as she continued,“The sound genin attacked at dawn. Thankfully Lee-san appeared and…..”

His grip on the cloth tightened as she recounted in detail how brave Rock Lee had been while defending her even if he had been defeated in the end. When he heard her say that seeing Lee stand up for her had inspired her to fight the mark on his neck flared dangerously and he had to focus all his energy on it so that he didn’t lose control.

“….. but I got caught in the end and the only way I could escape was to cut my hair. That’s why it looks like such a mess.You probably don’t like it- Ino told me you like girls with long hair but it was the only thing I could think of. I’m sure if you’d been there you’d have easily defeated them Sasuke-kun. I’m sorry that in the end I was still pretty much useless and I wasn’t-”

“Sakura.” He cut her rambling off. He finished tying the cleanest cloth he could find around her leg before looking up at her. She stared back at him absolutely still.

“You did well Sakura.”

Her eyes widened.

“I did?” Her voice was small but the desperation in it was clear. She needed this, needed to be told that she hadn’t been useless, that she hadn’t just been a burden to them.

Sasuke let the smallest of smiles on his face, “Aa.”

For a moment they stayed like that, staring at each other, unbreakable onyx against glassy jade.

And before he could stop it Sakura had already leapt forward wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face into his shoulder.

“I was so scared!” She sobbed,“I thought you were going to die. That I wouldn’t be able to do anything. I was so scared that I’d lose you to that monster. I was so so scared Sasuke-kun!”

She wailed hiccuping and clutching onto Sasuke as tightly as she could and all he could do was stare down at her pale pink hair with his back against the wall.

It was only then, at that moment did Sasuke realise that she wasn’t afraid of him. She was afraid of losing him.

Despite everything, despite the monster he’d become she was still just scaredfor him, not of him.

For the first time in a very long time did Sasuke uncharacteristically find himself wanting to return her affections.

To convince her that he was worth the unwavering belief she had in him.

He raised his hands to hold her closer, to tell her it was alright and that she’d saved him, perhaps for the hundredth time in a way that nobody else could, but the image of those very hands mercilessly breaking the sound genin’ s arms flashed through Sasuke’s head and he quickly dropped them to his sides.

Sakura may not have been scared of him but he was plenty scared of himself. He couldn’t afford to lose control especially not when there was a chance he’d hurt Sakura.

He could barely stand seeing Sakura bleeding and the thought of having her blood on his hands was absolutely revolting as it was unthinkable.

He would never hurt Sakura. He would never let her get hurt, not if he could help it.

He was well aware that he cared for Sakura in a way he thought he’d never be able to after the massacre.

Because somehow stubborn, annoying Sakura had inevitably become a part of him that made him something more than just an avenger.

If he ever hurt her, if he ever raised his hand to injure her, it’s the day he would know without a shred of doubt that there was absolutely nothing left for him except his revenge and his hatred.

When Sakura finally pulled back from him she gave him a wide smile, her eyes still glassy.

“Thank you Sasuke-kun.” She whispered softly.

Her usually shiny long pink hair hung limply in a choppy mess lined with sweat and dirt. Her clothes were bloody and one of her eyes was bruised and almost completely swollen shut. Tear tracks ran down her cheeks which was littered with various scratches.

Sakura was a mess. A mess of blood, sweat and tears.

And yet it was at that moment Sasuke realised for the first time just how beautiful Sakura really was.

[sakurasasuke5599]

Only You

Prompt: First Love, Sasusaku Month Day One

Summary: When Sasuke and Sakura realise who their daughters first love was and in the process find out about eachothers. (Post Gaiden)

“I think Sarada has a crush on Boruto.”

Sasuke has always taken pride in being a careful person, he’s rarely the kind to let things fall from his only hand and even if on the off chance something does, his reflexes are fast enough for him to catch the item before it hits the ground.

But when Sakura walks into their house after a long shift at the hospital to make one of the most ludicrous announcements he’s heard in a while he can’t help but drop the stirring spoon he held in his hands.

“What?”

His voice is silent and deadly. On a normal mission it’s enough to paralyze whoever is on the receiving end in terror but Sakura simply laughs it off, her husband hardly looks threatening in his his homely blue apron which matches the head band that thier daughter had helped him tie to keep the hair out of his face.

“I’m going to kill him.”

“Oh darling I think you’re over reacting.” Sakura states as she wraps her arms around his waist and stands on her tip toes so that she can peer over his shoulders to see what he’s making (it’s Sarada’s favourite sweet dish) “I think it’s cute that he’s her first love.”

Sasuke sighs, his immediate plans of killing a certain blonde haired idiot (No, not that one, his son) subsiding.

It’s easy to give into his wife in moments like these when they are alone. He knows she’s tired, the soft yawn she tries to stiffle as she presses her cheek to his back is a testament to that.

Sasuke doesn’t have the heart to break out of her grip for he knows that at times like these when Sakura is tired, chakra depleted and cold he’s her favourite pillow.

He’d never admit it out loud but he was quite proud of that particular designation.

Plus it’s not like he’d actually be able to wriggle out of her embrace considering her ungodly strength.

Besides the more time he’s given to think, the more painful he can make that moronic brat’s death.

He suppose Sarada would be mad at him for the first couple of days but he was sure she’d get over it after he taught her a new jutsu.

Sakura hums softly as he stands there letting his brief spike of anger simmer down along with syrup he’s stirring to her soft tune. It’s a lullaby she’s humming, one that he’d sung once to her during her pregnancy days when she had trouble sleeping. It’s the same one Itachi used to sing when he was a child and it’s calming effect still holds true after all these years.

“Darling.” Sakura starts,“Who was your first love?”

Sasuke blinks, all his creative plans to kill Boruto brought to a abrupt stop by her sudden query.

“What do you mean?” Sasuke’s voice is harsher than he means it to be and while he tries to convince it’s because something is stuck in his throat he is well aware that it’s just an excuse to cover up the fact that he’s the slightest bit hurt that even after all these years the answer is still a mystery to Sakura.

“Oh!” She says jerking away from him, her hands falling away as she steps back. Wide veridian eyes stare back at him as he turns around to face her, irritated that she let go.

For a moment she stands there still before she starts stuttering out,“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t realise. I didn’t mean to pry- I was just curious and-”

“Sakura.” He interrupts,“What are you talking about?”

She blinks,“Your first love, she was an Uchiha wasn’t she? I’m sorry I didn’t mean-”

“What gave you that idea?”

She blinks up at him. Even after all these years there are some insecurities she can’t shake off. It this habit of hers that bothers him the most, maybe because every time she displays her unsurity about their relationship Sasuke is overcome with a tidal wave of self loathing for he knows that all her insecurities stem from the fact that he’d treated her like crap through out the course of their childhood.

“I just thought-” she sighs breaking off,“Never mind.

“Tch. Annoying.”

She lowers her head,“You’re right that was a stupid.”

He lets his lips curve into a small smile, amused by her reaction. For some reason he never gets tired seeing her like this; embarrassed and shy.

It’s one of the more contrasting things about his wife because while she’s one of the strongest people he knows, nothing less than deadly in battle, she’s also one of the kindest. As a kid he never believed one could be both, strong and kind but in the past fifteen years of their marriage Sakura has spent everyday of it proving him wrong.

While she’s kind to everyone she meets, this side of her, the one where she’s shy and unsure is reserved only for Sasuke and he isn’t ashamed to admit that, that’s just how he likes it.

And that’s why he loves teasing her at times like these because he’s the only one who can and get away with it.

“Who was your first love?“ He asks nonchalantly.

Sakura looks up at him incredulously.

“What?” She asks,“ Is this a joke?”

Sasuke simply shrugs as he turns away from her to add the finishing touches to his dish.

Her eyes are defiant as she pokes her head into his line of sight,“I’ve loved you since we were five years old I’ll have you know. It might have been a superficial crush at first but I’ve only ever liked you.”

“Only me?” Sasuke says as he pours the contents into a bowl,“That’s hard to believe.”

Her eyes narrow,“If not you, then who? It’s only ever been you.”

“Not even Lee when he saved you during the Chunnin exams?”

“No.” She replies,“And if you recall I hugged you then and not him.”

“Not even Naruto when you kissed him?”

“That was CPR by the way.” She counters,“And you kissed him too. Twice.”

“Kakashi?”

“Are you kidding me?” She started,“That’s ridiculous.”

“Sai?”

“Where are these names even coming from?” She huffs,“ This is-”

Before she can finish, Sasuke quickly bends down and brushes his lips against hers shocking her into silence. It’s an awfully short kiss and when Sasuke pulls back he smiles as he looks down at his wife’s closed eyes and puckered lips.

“For the record you were the first and only person I’ve ever loved.” Sasuke states.

Her eyes flutter open and she stares at him confused for a moment before her mouth forms an ‘oh’. Then her questions begin,“Really? How? When? I thoug-”

“Sakura.” He cuts her off giving her a look.

“Right. I’ll shut up.”

“Good, then it’s easier to do this.” He leans down and kisses her again.The tips of his fingers graze against her skin as he cups her cheeks and lifts her face towards him his lips moving against hers effortlessly.

While Sasuke is a reserved man, there is absolutely nothing reserved about his kisses.

Sakura still remembers the first time Sasuke had kissed her she’d felt all her unsurity about their relationship melt away. While his kisses are commanding, they’re all consuming and absolutely and completely honest. He leaves no room for her to doubt his feelings for her because the way he kisses her always makes her feel like he’s laying his soul bare for her to see. Only her to see.

Because in the end for both Sasuke and Sakura it had only ever been each other since the very begining.

Sakura is about to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him closer to deepen their kiss but Sasuke abruptly breaks away once again leaving her hanging.

Sakura pouts as Sasuke starts walking towards the living room. She can’t see the smirk on his face but she knows that he’s thoroughly enjoying messing with her.

“You don’t play fair.” She grumbles as she follows Sasuke.

He sits on the couch and gently pats his lap. Sakura happily bounds towards him, her complains forgotten and takes her place on the couch by lying across it with her head resting on his lap.

They stay like that for a while as Sasuke reads a scroll regarding the latest details of his mission and Sakura stares up at him carefully memorizing all the details of his face for she knows that when he’s gone it’s these moments she’ll cherish the most.

“You know we both married each other’s first love.” Sakura comments offhandedly,“Do you think Sarada will do the same?”

“The brat won’t live long enough.”

Sakura snorts,“You’re not going to kill him, Naruto will never let you hear the end of it if you do.”

“I can handle the dobe.”

“You’ve been trying to get rid of him for eighteen years now, how’s that working out for you?”

“Tch.”

“If you actually consider it, it’s kind of cute really.” Sakura continues,“Naruto and Hinata’s son with our daughter. Plus Sarada is really open about her feelings too. I thought she’d be like you and be in denial about it for at least five years.”

“I was not in denial about it.”

“If I was your first love that means you must have loved me since we were genin, right?” Sakura prompts,“And you were pretty much an ice cube those days.”

“I wasn’t in denial, I just didn’t show it.”

“So you were in love with me since we were genin.”

“Sakura.”

“Okay fine, I’ll drop it.” Sakura relents,“So anyway today I heard her and Choucho talking about Boruto and that’s how I gussed. They were fawning over how his blonde hair catches the sun rays perfectly and-”

Change of plans, Sasuke was going to first torture the brat and then kill him.

“- just how mature and responsible he is-”

When did he brat become mature and responsible? Just the other day he remembered his daughter complaining how childish and careless the dobe’s son was.

“- how his blue eyes pop perfectly against his white clothes and-”

Sakura stopped abruptly when she saw the look on Sasuke’s face.

“What’s wrong?“she asks lifting herself up from his lap and turning around to face him properly.

“The brat kid only wears black.” Sasuke deadpans,“His training clothes are black and pink.”

“Then…..” Sakura trails off as realisation dawns on her.

For a moment they stare at each other, green against mismatched black and purple.

The next second Sakura is up and Sasuke is right behind her, heading for the door.

“I’m going to kill the dobe.” He mutters poisonously as he opens the door.

Sakura brushes past him,“Not if I get to him first.”

All the way across town in the Hokage’s office, Naruto sneezed. ______

I’ll be honest I really want to see Sasuke appear in the Hokage’s office with his apron and matching headband and beat the hell out of Naruto with his stirring spoon.

[sakurasasuke5599]

Thank You

Prompt:Sasusaku Week, favourite parallels.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mashashi Kishimoto

Thank you was a phrase that didn’t come easily to last surviving Uchiha.

Perhaps it was because he’s had so little to be thankful over the years. The world had been particularly cruel to him and being grateful for anything or anyone was a notion that’s almost alien to him.

Secretly he’d wished for a life where he was happy, where his parents were alive and his every waking moment wasn’t spent on plotting the death of his older brother. Perhaps then he’d have something to be thankful for.

And yet standing with his back turned to a girl who is ready to offer him all she has just for a shot at making him happy he’s not thankful at all. In fact he’s scared. Her love isn’t something he asked for much less deserved and hearing her cry behind him begging him not to leave wavers a resolve he’s spent years building. He’s made sure that there are no cracks in the wall he’s constructed around him and yet…

Sakura had crashed into it managing to create fissures in the concrete with nothing but her bright smiles and unbelievably naive outlook on life. She’d reached through the barriers trying to get whatever he so desperately hid behind those walls.

But she hadn’t realised that he doesn’t have much for her to take, not anymore.

The only thing he can give is gratitude, because love…. He’s given it before, he’s given it to his parents, he’s given it to his brother…. and it had torn him apart.

He won’t, no he can’t hand that sort of power over to someone else, not this time around. But more than that, he doesn’t have any of it left to give. He’s empty now and all he has is a thank you left.

It’s the only piece of compassion he has left that hasn’t been tainted by his hate, his jealousy and Orochimaru’s promise of power.

The thank you is Sakura’s heart in a way, the only part of him that cares even if it’s only for her and even if it’s just a fragment of what could have been.

Without facing her, standing behind her, his eyes fixed on the pale pink strands that make up her hair he gives her heart back to her along with the last bit of light he had left.

Thank you for letting me have it he says silently long after she’s collapsed and he’s caught her in his arms.

Thank you for caring so deeply even if I didn’t deserve it, he tells her quietly as he lays her on the bench.

Thank you for showing me a future where I could have been happy he completes as he walks out of the Konoha gates leaving everything, Sakura behind.

Thank you.

Years stretch in between them like miles of a road that seemingly lead to nowhere and even though his path intertwined with hers, he’s a different person now. With his last piece of compassion given away he has nothing left to lose. He doesn’t care anymore.

In another world if he’d kept that thank you, if he’d not given it away perhaps he’d have reacted differently to the story of Itachi’s sacrifice, perhaps even its small glimmer of light would have been enough to keep the darkness from completely engulfing him.

But Sakura has it and through the years she’s simply kept it with her, safeguarding it, fighting to keep it safe from everyone including Sasuke himself. She tries to give it back to him along with the future she’d promised but Sasuke rips it apart time and again with the spark of his chidori and the swish of his katana.

Before his fight with Naruto she once again offers it back to him in the form of her love, repaying his small drop of light with an ocean of her own. His back is turned to her again, he can never seem to face her in these moments for the fear of going blind, for the fear of losing sight of what’s important, for the fear of losing sight of his revenge.

She offers him a future again, a path to be happy and this time he’s not scared anymore.

He’s terrified.

He runs leaving her behind this time not bothering to catch her when she falls for he knows that if he stays any longer he will be overwhelmed by her sheer power. For Sakura has indeed grown stronger over the years not just in her ability to decimate any foe she encounters but also as a person and her effect on the people around her, on him, is unquestionable.

Even though he runs, for the first time in his life he’s not fast enough and somewhere deep inside he knows that a tiny spark of light is back and when Naruto beats the hell out of him, the blonde manages to make a hole in the wall of darkness by aiming precisely on the small crack. Light slowly but surely starts streaming through.

When the first part of his wall crumbles the first thing he receives is a handful of apologies. He makes sure to give Sakura the first one.

I’m sorry.

It’s perhaps only then when she asks for more and he’s willingly ready to give all the sorry’s he has just received for a shred of her forgiveness that he doesn’t deserve, he realises that what he’s felt towards Sakura hadn’t been gratitude at all.

That the last piece of him that he’d given her in a disguise of a thank you wasn’t him returning her heart but perhaps it was him giving her his to keep safe until he could come back and take her up on the future she’d promised.

He’d selfishly kept hers though shredding it bit by bit with his darkness as he lost his way. He’d torn her heart apart while Sakura had kept his protected and safe never giving it up even when he completely destroyed hers.

I’m sorry for everything.

Months in a dark cell all alone, he realised things that he didn’t see before and by the time he’s let out most of his wall has crumbled and even though the light isn’t nearly as powerful and bright as his teammates it’s still there.

Once again when he decides to leave, she offers him a future where she will give it her all to make him happy. She doesn’t ask for her heart even if she offers his back with a shy look and a request to accompany him.

He denies it though and in return gives her a light tap on the forehead along with a promise. Even though it pales in comparison to love she’s given him throughout the years it’s the only form of love he knows. It’s the only form of love he’ll ever have to give and it will only ever belong to Sakura.

And this time when he says thank you, he doesn’t say it to her back but he says it facing her, without running away, without saying it long after she’s collapsed. Because this time when he says it he’s not afraid to let her know what the thank you really means.

Thank you for letting me keep it. Thank you for caring so deeply even though I never deserved it.

He knew she’d understood as her green eyes widened when she realised what he’d given to her all those years back because he was sure that looking at himself in the emerald mirror of her eyes what reflected back was the real deal- love.

Thank you for giving me a chance to love you.

[sakurasasuke5599]

THE MOMENT SHE FELL

Prompt: Sasusaku Week, favourite Canon Moments

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mashashi Kishimoto.

The moment she fell from Gaara’s sand Sasuke realised just how far he’d fallen.

It’s not a reflex to save her, not like it’s with Naruto where he acts without thinking, where his body moves without him telling it to. With Sakura it’s different, it’s not a reflex, it’s a need.

His body doesn’t move without him telling it to instead it moves because he’s conscious of her every move and whenever she’s in danger it’s his heart that pounds and his mind that screams in desperation that spurs his frozen body into action.

The first time he’d done it, stood with his arm outstretched in front of her to protect her from the demon brothers, he couldn’t figure out why. It had puzzled him as to why the moment he’d seen one of the ninjas running towards her, his mind had screamed and pushed him forward in panic to stand in front of her and protect her no matter what the cost.

The second time such an event had occurred was during the Chunnin exams.

Somewhere during their various missions Naruto and Sasuke had made an unsaid pact to protect their female teammate. Smart as she was, her combat abilities were sub par and time and again Sasuke had argued with himself that by keeping her out of the fight he was simply being rational as logically she would be less than useless if she decided to pitch in.

But waking up to see her bloody, bruised and on her knees had thrown all that rational logic out of the window.

Sakura who they, no he made sure would get away from most missions with nothing more than a few scratches had been beaten to a pulp while he’d been unconscious and less than useless the entire time.

And that made him angry.

It was easy to blame his curse mark for the anger, for it’s chakra was all consuming, it’s power unbelievably addictive and it was always easier to give into that sort of power with an excuse. He had always reasoned with himself that his extreme reaction had been purely due to corrupt power of Orichomimaru’s mark and nothing more.

But still there were things about the entire ordeal that baffled him.

It wasn’t the irrational anger that confused him, for that could be explained completely by his mark and his basic concern for his teammate but what really confused him was the lack of that same anger after she’d put her arms around him.

Because while the marks power was all consuming, addictive and unbelievably overwhelming, Sakura he’d realised possessed something even greater. With her arms around him, her voice desperately calling out his name and telling him to come back he remembered how the power that the mark offered him suddenly seemed to dim in the presence of her light offering a sort of peace that was far more tempting than anything Orochimaru’s chakra could give him.

But he still didn’t realise why she had that sort of effect.

But at that moment, the moment when she free falls from Gaara’s hold and he barely makes it in time to catch her in his arms that he realises that she had the power to ruin everything.

For it was only then that he understands just how far Sasuke Uchiha had fallen because as he sets her down on the branch gently he realises that he really didn’t want to let her go.

And now he’s caught her from falling again.

She’s taller now but she still only reaches his shoulders. Her green eyes look up tiredly at him, the criss-crossed black marks fading into her diamond shaped seal. His sharingan can make out every little detail about this older version of Sakura who he has once again caught from falling.

Who once again risked everything to save him despite everything he’s done to her.

His hand gently wraps around her arm, she’s injured he knows but his hold on her simply tightens as she rests, her body slumping against his. This Sakura is no longer someone he needs to protect, he’s seen the demonstration of her strength with his own two eyes and yet when he’d watch her tilt backwards his mind screamed and his body moved to support her directed by the pounding of his heart.

Once again he’s confused as to why he can’t tear his gaze away from this girl- no warrior woman that currently rests against him. He’s confused as to why Sasuke Uchiha, the man who took pride in standing alone couldn’t help but support the woman who for the past two years had meant nothing to him except for being a door to a path of his life that he’d long since abandoned.

He rationally reasoned that he’s repaying the favour, that he’s trying to cover his guilt but he realises what a farce that explanation is all to quickly when she steadies her weight back on her feet and moves away, her green eyes breaking their mesmerising hold on him.

For at that moment, Sasuke relearns a lesson he thought he’d left behind a long time ago.

Because as Sakura moves away from him he once again learns that he doesn’t want to let her go. That at that moment when Sakura had fallen from Gaara’s sand, Sasuke had fallen with her, for her, and he’d fallen so far that he’d never really got back up.

[sakurasasuke5599]

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[sakurasasuke5599]

HOW IT SHOULD HAVE ENDED

Description:Featuring Team Seven right before the wedding (because I’m salty that Sasuke and Sakura were quite literally thrown to the curb)

Features:SasuSaku and TEAM 7

SORRY THE GRAMMAR IS A LITTLE ROUGH, I’LL CORRECT IT SOON

Sakura couldn’t believe that Naruto was getting married.

She knew that almost everybody was going through this surreal experience of being at “Naruto’s Wedding” but all of them like her knew that he deserved every ounce of happiness the world offered him.

And this was just the beginning.

Iruka Sensei may have rightfully taken the role of Naruto’s father but Sakura had the role of his sister, best friend and confidant, which naturally meant that she was assigned on keeping Naruto calm duty A.K.A making sure the most unpredictable ninja of Konoha actually made it to the altar.

This was her first S-Rank mission.

“What if she realises that she doesn’t like me Sakura-chan?” Naruto was nervously mumbling and pacing around,“She might change her mind when she sees me, I got a glimpse of her in the morning and she looked so pretty dattebayo.”

Sakura wanted to hit him but she reminded herself that he was the groom and that wouldn’t bode well for the luck of his married life.

“Sakura-chan!” Naruto whined,“What should I do?”

Well, she could always just heal him afterwards nobody would know maybe then-

“I wish the bastard was here.”

Naruto’s words are abrupt and out of the blue and Sakura’s head snapped up looking at his rueful expression. Something twists in her heart, maybe it’s the fact that Naruto had said the words she’d wanted to say all along.

She softly smiles,“I wish he was here too.”

“It’s just-” Naruto breaks off running his hands through his hair,“I-I-”

He was having a hard time saying it out loud but Sakura understands her best friend’s feelings. She remembered the hope that had reflected in his blue eyes when he’d sent Sasuke the invitation and the disappointment when he’d read Sasuke’s reply in which the latter had politely apologised for being unable to attend.

Something in Sakura’s heart had sunk too. After all she’d always believed that Naruto had a way of reaching Sasuke that nobody could compete with and if he’d failed to bring him back what hope could she possibly have?

“I really thought Shikamaru’s idea would work.” Naruto groaned,“I sent the letter saying that you got a new boyfriend. I even specifically mentioned how he was spotted coming out of your apartment.I can’t believe the bastard hasn’t come rushing back.”

Sakura froze. Naruto was still mumbling on ignorant of the killing intent that was rolling off Sakura in waves.

“You did what?” Sakura’s voice was dangerously shrill and Naruto winced realising what he’d just disclosed.

He quickly backed up against the wall putting as much space between him and the pink haired kunoichi as possible.

“He probably didn’t even buy it.” Naruto said quickly,“I mean it is you after all, you falling in love with anybody but him is-”

He breaks off realising that he said the wrong thing.

Hinata I love you, Naruto thought, Ichiraku’s ramen I’m sorry I couldn’t have you one last time.

“You and Hinata are soulmates.” Sakura said slowly advancing,“Even if you die in this life I’m sure you’ll meet her in the next.”

Naruto put his hands forward,“Sakura-chan I said I’m sorr-”

And then he suddenly stopped. It was the pure shock on Naruto’s face that made Sakura pause too.

And then against all hopes she turned around.

The raven haired man that stood at the door was leaning against the frame his sole black eye looking at the scene in front of him with a quiet sort of interest, his face giving away nothing that he’s thinking.

He seemed out of place in the bright light of the room, shadows surrounding his dark travel cloak, clearly he’d not dressed up for the wedding and if his blank look was an indication he didn’t seem like he was too happy to be here, surrounded by all this pomp and joy.

But Sakura knew him well. The blank look was a careful mask on his part to hide how unsure he was. It was a look that asked, Do I deserve to be here?

And then with the slightest inclination of his head the man turned to meet Sakura’s gaze.

For that second Sakura’s heart stopped.

But that didn’t last long as Naruto shoved past her launching himself at the man in an attempt to envelope the latter in big a hug with a loud, “SASUKE!”

Sasuke on his part gracefully dodged, sending Naruto sprawling to the floor.

In that moment with Naruto too busy trying to pick himself off the floor Sasuke’s eyes found hers again.

Although his expression didn’t change much Sakura could tell what the slight tilt of his lips meant. His gaze is soft as he stares at pink haired kunoichi in front of him.

If anyone else had seen the look that Sasuke had worn at that moment they’d have missed what he was quietly expressing. But Sakura, the Sakura who’d loved this man through everything, even through his darkest hours understood what he was saying.

I’m home Sakura. I came back.

So she smiled widely her feet carrying her forward towards him. She stopped in front of him and stood on her tip-toes as she wrapped her arms around him pulling him into a gentle hug.

“Welcome home Sasuke-Kun.” She whispered softly.

Perhaps he would have hugged her back, perhaps he would have muttered a soft thank you but Sasuke never got to do any of those things as Naruto launched himself at the both of them enveloping them into a big group hug.

Although Sakura was in the uncomfortable position of being sandwiched between Naruto and Sasuke in a way she could barely breathe, tears couldn’t help but spring to her eyes when she laughed, realising that this, this moment right then was what she’d been fighting for since the day Sasuke left the village and now…. And now he’d truly come back to them.

“Aww Sakura-chan don’t cry.” Naruto said sniffling as broke away from the hug.

“I agree Ugly.“ Sai’s voice makes them look up,“You look even uglier when you cry.”

On a normal day this would end with Sai getting punched but once Sakura got a glance Kakashi who was standing behind Sai she started crying even harder.

“I saw weirdo siting on a bench near the town gate and it seemed like he was waiting for someone so I simply guided him here.“Sai said.

As if on queue Sakura started crying even harder.

While everybody else failed to notice it, Kakashi hadn’t missed the slight hint of embarrassment that had crossed the last Uchiha’s face.

Although Kakashi supposed there would be another Uchiha soon enough.

“Tch Tch, I see you’re as hopeless as ever dobe.” Sasuke said his voice smug as he looked at Naruto who had epically tripped over his wedding robe in an attempt to move forward and calm Sakura down.

Naruto got up but before he had a chance to reply Sasuke punched him in the face.

“You stupid teme!” Naruto got up rubbing his sore jaw,"What was that for?”

"I’m an avenger.” Sasuke said simply.

Oh, Naruto realised, The bastard was taking revenge on Naruto for lying to him about Sakura’s non existent boyfriend.

On the other hand Kakashi had taken on the role of comforting the sniffling Sakura since he’d assessed that Sai was even more emotionally challenged than he was.

“There, there.” He said patting the only female member of the team awkwardly.

“I’m sorry.” Sakura sniffles through her tears,“It’s just that I’m so emotional -”

Sakura broke off and proceeded to wailing.

The panicked Hokage quickly waved his hand in front of her desperately trying to calm her down,“Its alright, I’m sure there is something we can do to calm you down.”

“Well-may-be- no it’s not-”, Sakura started to say but then again broke into her loud crying.

“No tell me!” A panicked Kakashi said, what were the other three idiots doing watching her cry like this,“I’ll do it!”

Sakura shuffled,“Really?” Kakashi nodded.

“Well then to take my mind off things do you think you can show me your face without covering it with anything?

Both Naruto and Sasuke turned to Sakura in a split second their fighting forgotten.

Sakura-chan! BEST.WEDDING.GIFT.EVER.

Hmm ugly blackmailing Kakashi with tears is pretty smart.

I’m going to marry this woman one day.

"My face?”

The tearful Sakura nodded as all her team members shuffled next to her peering at Kakashi. There was no way he’d be able to get out of this one now, his smart student had made sure to corner him in every possible way.

They’d all grown up now.Naruto was no longer glaring at Sasuke but standing proudly on his own, his wedding robes hinting that he’d be just as comfortable in the Hokage’s uniform. Sakura who’d once always trailed behind the team stood in front of them her teary face doing nothing to hide the steely determination and strength in her eyes and Sasuke, the one who’d always stood apart from the group staring angrily at a distance had now unconsciously slid himself in between Sakura and the other two boys his eyes constantly flitting between his Sensei and the girl in front of him.

They’d come so far from the naive genin they had once been and seeing them standing in front of him Kakashi realised that he couldn’t be prouder.

So Kakashi took off his mask, all of them, and smiled at his team.