#and sakura and kakashi pick up their meals in exactly the same way at the same time and its just that. just such a small tiny thing

[mokutone]

I am so entranced by ur style it's crayzay . . . I adore how you draw Sakura and Kakashi they're so silly goofy

thank youuu!!!!!! :^D i love drawing them, especially interacting together, i think there's SUCH a wealth of possibility that kishimoto failed to exploit in his storytelling that could lead to detailing parallels between the two of them—and woudln't it be a bit fitting if she ends up being, in many ways, the one most like kakashi? the one left behind?

[teawithshruti]

How did I keep myself sane amidst a pandemic - My thoughts on books, anime, and restaurants.

Yet another review of The Shining

A plot so well written you would want to go in room 217

Hi there! This blog comes to you from a bored 19 year old who has a knack for reading crime thrillers, watching murder documentaries, and loves watching MasterChef just to see Gordon Ramsay. LOL. And did I mention that she also happens to be a Stephen King fan, because who isn’t? So here is where I try and convince you that The Shining  is the best book ever written and how Stanley Kubrick completely butchered the screenplay, as well as why pasta is life.

Welcome to the Rockies!

The story takes place in the town of Boulder, Colorado, where our main protagonist Jack Torrance gets a job as a caretaker of the famous Overlook Hotel. Winters in Boulder are harsh, and the hotel remains closed as travel is not permitted with all the heavy snowfall. Now Jack is a recovering alcoholic with anger issues which led to him breaking his son’s arm prior to where the story begins. This made Wendy, his wife, question her marriage and the safety of their five year old son,  Danny. Danny on the other hand isn’t your average five year old who just watches cartoons and plays with toys. He is aglow with a psychic voltage, and has frequent blackouts. In the words of old Mr Hallorann, the hotel’s head chef, Danny’s a shiner. When the Torrances meet Mr Hallorann, he feels an instant connection with Danny. He warns Jack about the hotel and its sinister secrets and how the previous caretaker, Delbert Grady, killed himself and his family. But Jack is sure that this huge and lonely hotel with its splendid views is just what he needs in order to earn back his family’s trust. But going to a haunted hotel with a troubled marriage and a psychic son? Maybe not the best idea. But in his defense, Jack doesn't believe in ghosts. Little does he know that’s about to change.

Snowbound at The Overlook

The Torrance's begin settling in the Overlook. But as winter closes in and the blizzards cut them off from the outer world, the hotel seems to develop a life of its own. Meanwhile, Jack starts growing restless, craving for a friendly drink with each passing day. He also starts experiencing hallucinations, and wonders if they are withdrawal symptoms. Danny on the other hand is experiencing his own share of ghostly sightings, like the terrifying lady in the bathtub of room 217 who seems to have never checked out of the hotel. In one instance, he witnesses her climbing out of the clawfoot tub and advancing towards him with her bloated belly and dry hair as he stands frozen in fear in a blood covered presidential suite. This narrative by King with all its details is the truly the most spine tingling I’ve ever read.  Later when Danny’s parents find him in the room, a thumb in his mouth, that is when Wendy truly realizes that they are not alone in that strange big hotel. Jack goes and sees the tub for himself, but the lady from before doesn't want to greet him. Wendy, in tears, sees that both her husband and her son are being tormented by this place and begs Jack to quit the job. Danny later calms his mom down, who is weeping uncontrollably, by telling her not to worry as his daddy doesn't have the shining, so there is nothing to worry about.

Have you never heard of REDRUM?

Sure you have. Read it backwards.  Yes, you got it right. And so did Danny after seeing this word in his visions countless times. It so turns out that Danny is much stronger than he looks and after failing to possess him, The Overlook has turned to an easier target - Jack. As Jack slowly starts to lose his mind, he gives in and starts drinking again from the bar in the ballroom. His hallucinations keep getting worse to the point he actually sees Mr Grady, the previous caretaker / murderer,  and even has a talk with him. Danny sees his changing behavior and so does his wife, who just doesn't see the man she fell in love with in his cold, distant eyes anymore. With everything going on, Wendy takes Danny to their apartment in the employee wing of the hotel and locks them inside in fear of Jack, who is slowly slipping away from reality. But turns out this move from her proves to be disastrous, as Wendy keeping Jack away from his own son is the last straw for him. In one of his many hallucinations, Jack  meets his predecessor,  his buddy Mr. Grady and the two have a disturbing conversation about how fun it is to kill your wife. Yes , no one trumps King when it comes to the unique combination of horror and psychological thrillers packed into one nail-biting plot!

In other words...

The only thing I liked about the movie was Jack Nicholson’s excellent acting. Apart from that Stanley Kubrick let go of many crucial parts which were essential to the story. He eliminated the hedge sequence in the book, which was terrifying to just read. The ending was just a complete mess.  I get that you can’t exactly get all the details right of a 500 page book, but at least do justice to the ones you have chosen. Anyways I’m gonna go sulk in my room over this. Bye

.  

Is it too late to start Anime?

Hi there! Good to have you back! Ever since pandemic began, everyone’s been locked in their own house. So this led to me taking up a few hobbies like sketching and painting and binging on a whole lot of sitcoms.. My personal favorite is the alluring world of Anime. Several of my friends began watching it and I cannot exactly term it as peer pressure, but I did give in and start watching Anime too. And now my watchlist includes just a bunch of 2D characters with powers that even Superman himself can't fight. So this is my take on how a kryptonian can be defeated with Jutsu, as Mr Naruto would say. Lol. This one is for all the weebs out there. 

Manga and Anime are not the same!

To put it simply, manga is a Japanese term for comics and graphic novels, whereas Anime is the term for Japanese animations.. There are many similarities  between them, as they both have been created by Osama Tezuka, who is considered as the Japanese version of Walt Disney. Now have you ever seen a simple comic book? The one with black and white newspaper illustrations - like Garfield. Manga is just like that -  A book of illustrations. Now we arrive at the perennial question - Manga or Anime, which is better. Both of them are equally interesting, but I personally have a soft spot for anime. The intro theme songs, intense background music, and the beat dropping right before a big fight move, all these factors pack a punch. You don’t get that adrenaline rush from just a book.

My first anime - Demon Slayer

The story begins with the main character Tanjiro, who returns home after selling charcoal in town to find his entire family murdered by demons. Pretty intense right? His sister, Nezuko, survives but there’s a twist - she turns into a demon herself.  This makes him vow to take revenge and he sets off to train with Sakonji, who has trained many of the elite members of the Demon Slayer Corps. After many years of training and a painful exam called the final selection, Tanjiro finally becomes a demon slayer and is off on missions along with his sister, who unlike most demons doesn’t consume human flesh. On his missions he meets Zenitsu and Inosuke, who both have excellent powers of their own. My favorite story arc was when the highest ranking slayers, known as the pillars, were introduced. But my words won’t do justice to their powers they possess. So simply get your geek on by watching this short yet amazing series.

The Tale of Naruto Uzumaki

The hidden leaf village is not so hidden anymore! The series I am currently watching is one of the most popular anime from 2020 - Naruto.   The story is set around the shinobi villages and their ninjas and how Naruto Uzumaki plans on being the next Hokage [the most powerful shinobi] of the leaf village. He is trained by some of the best ninjas the village has ever seen. Before graduating from the academy, he was a hyperactive boy with lots of energy who just wanted to be the best. After graduation, he was placed in team seven, along with Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha. This team was trained by Kakashi Sensei who is known for wielding his Chidori and even the Sharingan. The sharingan, to put it simply, is a trait passed down in families. The Uchihas are known for their sharingans and hence it naturally comes to Sasuke as well. The mystery still remains unsolved as to how Kakashi got his sharingan, as he is not an Uchiha. But Naruto does have a super power as well. Not technically his powers per se,  but we can cut him some slack. After all it's not everyday you get to see a beast like the nine tailed fox sealed away in an 11 year old boy. In my opinion the story picks up Orochimaru’s entry, and it paves the way for Sasuke’s powers in the future. My favorite character has to be Sasuke Uchiha. With his effortless fighting skills and sarcastic yet cool personality, he definitely is an excellent shinobi. You have to start this show right away because once you have seen him use his fire style fireball jutsu.....the world just doesn't look the same anymore.

In other words...

My current watchlist includes Naruto Shippuden, Black Clover, One Piece, and a few other naruto spin offs. Anime was something I never thought I would like, but now as it turns out I can't get enough of it. So bye for now, if you need me I'll be at Ichiraku’s eating ramen with barbeque pork. And if you get this reference, have a bowl of ramen on me. K bye.

Home in a faraway land

Good to see you again ! Do you ever get that feeling of an intense craving for your favourite dish? Like say pasta or pizza? My favorite is pasta, but being raised in India, I can’t say no to a classic plate of butter naan and chicken tikka with a glass of buttermilk or chaas if you please. Of Course you can’t beat the taste of a home cooked meal, but let me tell you about the time I went to this amazing little Indian restaurant in Dubai with my family, and how the food there was absolutely heavenly. 

Out and About in Dubai

Skyscrapers, Sleepless nights, Gold Souks and gigantic malls - these are the visions  you'd usually get when someone mentions Dubai. Well, they're mostly right! I went there with my family about 5 years ago. We stayed at the Ramada, which was right next to the Dubai Mall.  The mall happens to be strategically placed next to the Burj Khalifa and we got lucky enough to see mesmerizing musical fountain shows night after night. The streets are spick and span, and everyone follows the traffic regulations dutifully. We also went for the desert safari, which was no less than an actual roller coaster ride. We also visited the Gold Souk, and oh boy. The name definitely fulfills its purpose, as the entire street is occupied entirely by gold stores. Huge gold ornaments are on display like clothes on hangers. I personally don’t have a thing for gold jewellery, but my mom had the time of her life there fawning and gasping over every store we came across. Shortly after our visit here, we came across this beautiful little Indian restaurant, and you can call me old school but at the end of the day, this girl needs a desi meal, because trust me room service gets boring after a while.

Peshwa - Not your typical 5 star restaurant 

Situated away from the hustle of the main city, this place still remains quite underrated. We stumbled across this hidden gem which saved us the efforts of getting back to the hotel for an overpriced lunch. As soon as we entered the restaurant, we could smell the aroma of a classic dal makhani  [ a simple gravy consisting of lentils infused with aromatic spices and hints of burnt chillies ] in the air. So we got a table and had a look at the menu and it was almost like being back home. The endless variety of gravies with paneer in almost every single one of them, to at least 6 different types of rotis, a little piece of heaven in this concrete jungle! We went ahead and ordered a simple meal of rotis and some paneer delicacy, along with dal and rice. Apart from the taste of the food, which was just heavenly, the overall ambience of the place in one word, was exquisite. The restaurant lived up to its very ethnic maharashtrian name. The food was served in those traditional style cutlery, reminding us of a simpler time.

A dish you just can’t miss 

If you have a sweet tooth like me, you definitely have to try the coconut barfi from this place. Made from desiccated coconuts, sweetened condensed milk, a finely ground cardamom, and a hint of saffron, this dish is a match made in heaven. It was freshly made and we could tell it by the intoxicating aroma of pure ghee [clarified butter]. So just for a day, give yourself a break from watching calories and try this mouth watering dish because here’s something to live for.

In other words…

The next time I’m in Dubai, the first thing I will do is find out if the restaurant is still there. And probably avoid the Gold Souk this time. I will most certainly go for the desert safari, because it’s not everyday you get defy gravity and drive through the sand dunes like in a Fast and Furious movie. Lol.  Also thanks for bearing with me throughout this blog. See ya!

[kayparker20]

Inner Turmoil - Chapter 6

I'm so sorry about the wait this time around guys. I threw myself for a loop with this plot and I've been struggling a lot to figure out what I want to happen next. I decided to focus on a minor issue while I brainstorm what happens next. It's a bit feelsy but it's not super dramatic. Also kind of realized it was almost too long so the next chapter will have a spicy start before the real plot happens.

Hope you enjoy this somewhat filler chapter!

Chapter 6 - Village Gossip

FFN | AO3

Ino sat at the front counter of her family flower shop, impatiently waiting for the jonin ninja in her store to get a move on. They would always come in, pretend to look around while gossiping, and never buy one thing. She hasn’t liked them since she heard them being hateful towards Kurenai-sensei, probably out of jealousy.

“Can you believe, of all the beautiful shinobi, he dates his former student?” The woman scoffed and brushed her fingertips over the petals of lilies in a bouquet. “I think I would have rather heard he was gay, before that.” Her long, charcoal hair was curled and flowing down her back in waves. 

Another rolled her eyes. “Yeah, gay for Might Guy, even.” Fiery redhead, model body. “Of course, Hatake was too perfect to have no flaws, I just didn’t think it would be something so repulsive like fucking children.” 

“Do you think she fucked her way into jonin level?” The darker haired woman speculated. She turned around and looked at some roses that had been to her left.

Ino had been idly doodling flowers on a piece of blank receipt paper before hearing the topic they had been discussing. Her hand stopped mid-petal at the last comment before she narrowed her eyes at the piece of paper.

“I mean, maybe. Must have been easy to become jonin when you’re the Hokage’s apprentice, and being taught by a legend.” She scowled. “I wouldn’t put it past her. I hear she’s quite the bitch at the hospital.” 

She felt her mother’s eyes on her as she squeezed the pen, staring daggers meant for the women at the counter. She took a deep breath, reminding herself she needed to stay cordial and polite because they were customers, despite how abrasive and tactless they were.

She flipped her long blonde ponytail over her shoulder before addressing the women with a sarcastic smile. “Excuse me, ladies, is there anything I can help you find?” Her tone dripped with deviance through her smile. Her whole body felt tense with her anger as she forced herself to appear relaxed and helpful.

Two can play this catty game.

The women turned in her direction, both sporting smirks on their expressions. They both stared at her as if she were boring before cocking their hips to the side and giving fake smiles in her direction.

“We’re just admiring, but thank you.” The redhead shot back in a clipped tone.

“Are you sure? I think a bouquet of yellow hyacinths, lavender, and iris would go nicely with your hair.” Ino offered slyly.

She stole a glance at her mother, expecting to see an expression of disapproval, and was surprised to see the faintest smile spreading across her lips. 

The darker haired woman narrowed her eyes, clearly catching the message. “You have something to say, girl?”

Ino kept her demeanor as she shook her head. “Oh no, I was just offering. Purple and yellow complement well, you know?” 

Before either woman could snapback, the elder brunette cut in politely. “Ladies, it’s time for our lunch, and we must close for the next hour, so please take your pick. We can check you out for your purchase. We’re glad to give you your flowers before we find our meal for the workday.” 

Ino’s mother sounded elegant and was the epitome of professionalism as she gave a gratuitous grin towards the women.

Both women huffed in defeat.

“No, miss, thank you for your time.” The darker haired woman gave a strained smile before she walked out, the redhead following.

As soon as the door shut, Ino let out an annoyed sigh. “Thanks…” She huffed before crossing her arms across her chest.

Her mother just shook her head softly. “Your cleverness and restraint amaze me sometimes. It was rather amusing.”

“It’s exhausting, not amusing. I much would have preferred to hit them. That was far from tasteful gossip.” Ino scowled. “How could they accuse Sakura of using sex to get rank! As if she isn’t a jonin level medic! Or uh, I don’t know, the medical director of our hospital! The disrespect!” 

Her mother sighed. “People are going to talk, and you have to admit it’s at least a little scandalous. Those women are just jealous, and will say anything to make themselves feel better.”

“That doesn’t make it right!” Ino argued.

Sakura walked in then, smiling. “What doesn’t make something right?” She inquired curiously. “What gossip did you dig up now, Pig?” 

Ino turned, her eyes wide to see Sakura. “Oh, uh, nothing!” She chuckled nervously. “Ready for lunch?”

Sakura looked at her surreptitiously. Clearly, something was up. “Spill it. Now.”

Ino crossed her arms, before giving her a defiant look. “And if I don’t?”

“Are you going to make me beat it out of you? Was it about me?” Sakura deadpanned. “You never refuse to tell me gossip unless it’s about me and it's negative.”

Ino hated how well she and Sakura knew each other in moments like this. They couldn’t hide anything from each other. She sighed before uncrossing her arms. “It doesn’t matter, I handled it anyway.” She said matter of factly.

Sakura stared at her friend before shrugging. “You’re telling me at lunch, come on. Off to get our dango and tea. Director or not, I still run on a schedule. And I got behind after being gone a couple of days.”

Ino lips spread into a teasing grin. “Behind because you were off saving my ass or behind because qualities like procrastination and tardiness are rubbing off on you?” 

Sakura gave her an unimpressed look. “I was late one time. Definitely behind from saving your ass from our deranged classmate.”

They started walking towards their favorite cafe. It was nice outside even if it was a little cooler. Leaves lay around the ground, dry and crinkling under their footsteps. She could only wonder what Ino was all in a tiff about today, being as she saw the very same women she knew to leave the shop with all too knowing smirks. She was also slightly discomforted by them because when they saw her, their expressions suddenly turned downright venomous.

It wasn’t too uncommon for her to get those as the news of her and Kakashi spread, once rumors became truths. It made her wonder about Anko’s offhanded ‘sex god’ comment. Maybe they were a couple of those one-night stands? She frowned at the thought, not thinking Kakashi would have entertained such rude women. 

“Aren’t those the women that you got upset at for talking at Kurenai some time ago?” She wondered to her friend aloud.

“Oh, yes.” She snapped back. “They’re worse than me for spreading everyone’s business and their bullshit two cents about it.” 

Sakura couldn’t remember the last time she heard Ino sound unenthused about new gossip. Usually, it meant it was about someone she cared about, and that it thoroughly pissed her off. Even more so unusually, she would normally be more than ready to rant her pretty reddened lips off about said women being conceited and judgemental and downright horrible. 

Yet today, her blonde friend was being clipped and avoiding discussing the topic. She decided to test it out again. “So what treachery were they discussing today?”

Ino hesitated. She didn’t want to tell Sakura the things people were saying about her and Kakashi. Her friend had been so happy. She seemed to glow this past month since she had started dating him. She didn’t need to be troubled by people thinking the exact opposite of a situation. 

She smiled at her friend. “Oh, not much. I just hate how they loiter in the shop and force me to deal with their presence, yet never buy anything.”

Sakura just gave her friend a bored look and rolled her eyes. “Oh, I’m sure.”

“That’s her. Can you believe such a young girl is with a man like him?”

Sakura instantly frowned, refusing to look in the direction of the people they just passed. She tried to remind herself what people said didn’t matter.

“I don’t think I want Mika to have a male sensei. Do they all prey on their students?”

Her expression turned into a downright glare. How dare someone to accuse him of such horrible things? Why did they blame him? Why was it so hard to just believe they loved each other? Hearing the things people said on the street made her miss the way their friends easily accepted them. 

“Must be easy to make jounin when you’re the Hokage’s bitch, and fucking one of the commanders.”

Ino watched as all the same bullshit those women had said in her little shop floated around them. Maybe she wasn’t really able to protect Sakura after all, but she’d be damned if she was the one who brought that sort of mood on.

“Don’t listen to it. They're wrong.” Ino said sternly, flinging hard glares directly at anyone who dared say something within their earshot.

“It was me those women were gossiping about in your shop today, wasn’t it?”

Ino snorted. “I told them rather professionally exactly how I felt about their false ass opinions.”

Sakura sighed. “I think the ones I hate the most are him being a pedophile, or me using him to get rank.” Her face contorted into anger. “I’ve been a jounin since before I even realized I loved him, for fuck sake!” Sakura growled out. 

“Does she pine after her whole team? First the traitor, now the sensei. Jinchuriki and socially inept next? Maybe she just whores around for them all.”

Now that one was just funny. She laughed as she and Ino entered their shop. “Alright, as if! Did you hear that one?” 

Ino raised an eyebrow. “Do you think Sai knows how to fake an orgasm like he does a smile? That’d be rather disconcerting. Being cute only gets you so far.”

They sat down at their table and ordered their tea and dango. The homey atmosphere of this place always put Sakura at ease. The place had always been so down to earth, and the staff here were so nice and she had known most of them for at least quite some time now. 

She remembers coming to this little cafe for the time with her team as a genin before Sasuke left. He claimed it was a treat for doing so well on a mission, before disappearing when it came time for the bill to be paid. She remembered feeling so angry back then, how dare their sensei pull some sheisty trick like that! But now it was just funny, thinking about times when their lives hadn’t changed so drastically.

“Watch out, Team Seven’s Mistress, coming through.”

Sakura wrinkled her nose. “Okay, now that sounds like a scandal for sure. I could never even dream of taking Naruto from Hinata, let alone sleeping with him. And don’t get me started on Sai.” 

“Shouldn’t she be here soon?” Ino inquired.

As if on queue, the bell rang as another customer entered, and it was their black haired Hyuga friend.

“Hina, over here!” Sakura called.

Hinata meandered over their table and sat next to Sakura. “Hi, guys!” She spoke softly, happy to see her friends.

“Tell Sakura here to ignore these stupid rumors jealous nimrods keep spreading,” Ino said blandly. “Well, at least the boring ones.”

Hinata raised an eyebrow. “There are ones that aren’t boring?”

Sakura rolled her eyes. “Apparently there’s one that I’m fucking my entire team.”

“Oh, now that’s just dirty! Who would do such a thing?” 

“Which thing, fuck the whole team, or fuck Naruto?” Ino said in a teasing voice.

Their friend turned beet red. “I-I don’t either Sakura or myself would uh… Have relations with an entire team.”

Sakura slumped in her seat. “You’re right, but people think my sensei is a pedophile. Which hurts because he would never have thought of me, or any of young girls, in such a way.”

Ino and Hinata watched as Sakura looked so hurt. How do you tell your friend to ignore things she hears whispered as soon as she comes into a room, or simply a vicinity. No one had to deal with something like that. Then again, neither of them were dating men much older than them, or ones who had been their teacher. But why does that matter when they’re adults now? Sakura had been a jonin for two years now after she and Shikamaru had gotten promoted when the fourth war ended.

“They are just jealous that a younger, prettier, and more talented kunoichi took their eye-candy off the market.” Ino insisted. “Easier to keep their ego intact if they blame him for being gross, or you for using him.” 

“I guess…” She sighed. “Look at me, worried about stupid gossip when my old teammate is hellbent on making me join him…” Sakura shivered at the thought. “Even now, there are three ANBU following me at all times.”

“Wait, even at Kakashi’s…?” 

Sakura nodded.

“I bet they watch…” Ino smirked deviously.

“Ino!” Hinata squeaked. 

Sakura just shook her head, more than used to Ino’s antics. She knew it would take her ‘innocent’ friend some time to get used to Ino’s crudeness, but she felt better being around both her close friends.

“Do you think people truly think that low of Kakashi? People think he would groom one of his students?” Sakura asked seriously.

Hinata shrugged. “You can’t expect people to necessarily think super well of someone who openly reads porn in public.”

“Hey, Icha-Icha is a wonderful series.” Ino piped in. “Even Sakura agrees with that.”

Sakura laughed at the comment. “It’s true, but I guess you have a point. No one sees that unless they’ve dared to read the beloved Ero-Sannin’s work. Lady Tsunade swears to burn every copy of those books, but she secretly has her first edition collection, signed by Jiraiya himself.”

“I guess society might accuse us of being molesters next, huh, Pig?”

Sakura frowned. “I sure hope not, considering I’m certain being a molester consists of much more than enjoying romance novels that might be slightly too pornographic at some points along with the good plot.”

Hinata giggled lightly. “I think anyone who had ever actually paid attention to you and Kakashi-sensei interacting would have realized you were the one going after him.” She smiled softly.

Sakura thought about that. She knew she never made intentional moves on Kakashi, but apparently everyone close to them knew they loved each other, or that there was at least something going on. She couldn’t help but feel touched at how accepting his friends were, even if Anko and Genma teased her relentlessly. Or made threesome jokes, which Kakashi bluntly shut down quickly. However, a large majority of people were the stark opposite.

She should have known that Ino’s ideals about them being shinobi bending morals a bit was closer to romanticism than what society thought in reality. She felt like she was just as much an adult as Kakashi and the rest, even in her 20s. She’s gone on deadly missions just like Kakashi, let alone with Kakashi. She’d been through a war. She’s damn near died, multiple times, and she had saved people’s lives and held the ones she couldn’t save.

Yet people dared to treat the situation like Kakashi was dating a child, instead of an equal? So what if he had trained her, it’s not like he ever made a move on her? 

Hinata was right, she made the move on him.

“I knew what I wanted, even if I only got the courage to express it with a little encouragement from sake. At first.” Sakura crossed her arms. “But why do we have to justify our damn happiness?” 

The waitress walked up to get Hinata’s order after that. “What can I get for you today, miss?”

“I’ll have green tea and a rice ball, please,” Hinata spoke softly with a pleasant smile.

“Sure thing!” She flashed a smile at them before striding away to take care of the order.

Ino sipped her drink before shrugging in response to the question. “I thought you already know people talk about anything we do, no matter what. Especially when they’re jealous, and you have plenty of things to envy.” 

Sakura huffed before. “Yeah well, I didn’t get them without effort, and that especially includes Kakashi.”

The girls fell silent. Hinata and Ino could only say so much in attempts to make Sakura feel better. It’s not like you could ignore an issue when everywhere you went you were hearing whispers or receiving horrible glares sent in your direction.

The waitress brought Hinata’s order about and paused a moment. She looked like she wanted to say something, but seemed a bit nervous. She chewed her lip subtlety before looking at Sakura.

“Miss?” 

Sakura raised her eyes to make eye contact with her and gave a polite smile. “Yes?” 

“Is it true that you’re dating Kakashi now? 

Sakura nodded, her smile fading slightly in fear of some directly aimed judgment. She came here often with Kakashi, he used to bring the whole team here. 

“I just wanted to tell you I’m very happy for you guys. I’ve seen you guys together often, and sometimes I wondered if you were the one he bought the lattes for every so often. He’s come here for a long time, but he always seemed so…” She searched for the word for a moment. “Aloof. Always polite, but kept to himself.”

Sakura nodded softly. “He’s uh… He’s been through a lot, even more so than the average ninja.”

The girl gave a sad smile. “So I’ve heard. When he started bringing you and those boys here, he seemed to change. Like a spark in him ignited. Is it true that the blonde was his mentor’s son?”

Sakura’s smile turned a little less stiff as she nodded again. “The Fourth Hokage, yes.”

Hinata and Ino listened with small smiles, glad to see their friend getting some positivity towards her relationship from someone other than friends. Hinata’s face flushed slightly at the mention of Naruto as she thought of him distantly.

“I’m sorry about the things I’ve heard people say. Anyone who truly has been around you can see the chemistry you have, sometimes I wondered if you were secretly together. I have never seen him so relaxed around anyone besides you.” She smiled brightly. “He had friends of course, like those dashing men, Asuma and Genma. Or the….very lively Gai.” 

Ino wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know if I’d consider Asuma-sensei dashing.” She muttered softly under her breath.

Sakura's eyes widened softly. “Thank you… It’s nice to hear someone say something nice about it.” 

“Sakura, it’s almost the end of your lunch break isn’t it?” Hinata wondered aloud, catching the time on the clock. She gave a soft smile before 

“Oh, look at that, it’s the rank climbing whore with her flower bitch of a friend.” 

I guess that’s one way you could refer to Sakura and Ino, at least within the last month. She couldn’t imagine how upset Ino would be if she would only ever be remembered as her ‘flower bitch of a friend’. She would probably be remembered as Ino-Pig, and she hates that nickname.

She could attest to the fact that she hated being referred to as a ‘rank climbing whore”. Didn’t have to sleep with multiple men or do something dirty like have an afraid to fall under the description of whore? She had only just lost her virginity to Kakashi a month ago… 

She sighed and reminded herself that these women wouldn’t care to hear technicalities and that it would probably only antagonize them to carry on with more horrible accusations and scornful comments.

The waitress instantly frowned at the woman. “I can ask them to-”

Sakura shook her head. “It’s whatever, don’t scare off your business. Thank you for your kindness.”

Ino instantly slid her gaze towards the nasty tone, sending daggers. “Are you even acutely aware that Sakura was made a jounin almost three years ago?” She spat. “Pretty sure she only got with Kakashi roughly a month ago, now carry on with your trivial lives.”

Sakura sighed and rolled her eyes, hoping the sting that suddenly arrived would go away with them. “Right, I need to go back to work. I’ll catch up with you guys later.” She stood from the table and turned for the door.

“Oh, did I hurt your feelings? Are you gonna go run and tell mommy Hokage?”

Sakura’s eyes twitched as she started gathering chakra into her fists, ready to shut them up herself. How much disrespect could someone dare to have? Was this really out of pure jealousy?

She kept telling herself none of this was worth getting this upset over. She couldn’t figure out if she wanted to cry from the humiliation or punch them through the wall of the restaurant. She had never felt so ridiculed before, and it was infuriating. 

“I’ll bet my old student would be an easy target to get some action from when I was bored. Especially from emotional types like yourself. Just a few sweet words and you probably melted for him.” The other woman cackled.

Sakura bit her cheek before she left briskly, ignoring the shrieking she heard from Ino, or how Hinata tried to run after her. She felt stupid for letting those women get under her skin, but she couldn’t help it.

This is what people were saying? What else was there? Did she seem that naive, that her sensei could take advantage of her? She knew there would be talking about this, but she never expected those sorts of accusations. She expected disapproval and even some daunting glares. 

She went straight for her office and buried herself in the paperwork she had to catch up. It was a decent distraction. Verifying shinobi physicals, signing them with her approval. Later they would need to be given to Tsunade. She signed paperwork regarding the children’s clinic she was opening with Ino, mainly financial documents for the grants involved in the program. More paperwork was needed to be signed for hospital grants for unfortunate patients.

Kakashi was walking to the cenotaph, feigning ignorance to all the looks she was currently receiving from the majority of the people he passed. Many whispers went about. Mostly about wretched of a man he was, accusations of pedophilia and grooming. Some against Sakura for whoring herself into rank, which didn’t make even a lick of sense if you asked him, considering she was made jounin after the fourth great war. 

He sighed softly. There were much bigger issues now that these people couldn’t even begin to think about. If he ever thought that beginning a relationship with Sakura would have put her in danger, he wouldn’t have indulged in the idea no matter what, if it had meant she would have been safe.

Granted, it was starting to be believed by Tsunade that Sasuke was coming for her either way because he did Orochimaru’s bidding. And healing arms isn’t related to Sakura’s love life. Sasuke was bothered by the fact that Sakura was with somebody else, but was it that she moved on, or that she was with Kakashi in general? That was the question that was begging to be answered in his mind at the moment. No matter what, she would be safe. She might not have any special jutsu, but she had quite the punch with her chakra latent strength, so even in the event he wasn’t there, she believed in her to protect herself. Not to mention the three ANBU guarding her at all times, and he knew one of them was Genma, though she didn’t. 

His mind wandered a bit as he walked from the cenotaph to training ground three, the same one he always used with his beloved team. His thoughts were everywhere, mainly on just how happy he had felt. 

Nothing felt more right than when he laid in bed at night with Sakura in his arms. Her hair splayed about the pillow, her face buried against his bare chest. Her skin felt so soft against his, even with the few scars she held in comparison to his body. Listening to her breathe lulled him to sleep every time she spent the night at his home. She was so warm and inviting, and she always clung to him.

She still had nightmares. Sometimes she just trembled in her sleep, others he woke up to her sobbing into his shoulders or screaming his name with so much agony in her voice it ripped his heart out. He couldn’t imagine what she was seeing, he didn’t like to think of the ways Sasuke may have conjured up to murder him. He always held her close and tried to comfort her, but this had never been his strong suit. He stroked her hair and told her how much he loved her. It seemed to work well enough most nights, and he was glad because he didn’t know what else to do and it made him worry.

The copy ninja expected to find the training ground empty, but what he found was craters and cracks all over the landscape, along with uprooted trees. Usually, this is what you found when Sakura was training.

Or when she was coping with emotional stress which she has plenty of at the moment. 

Was it Sasuke, or has the ridicule finally reached her? His clenched as he thought of everything he has heard whispered the past few days or the actual direct comments. Mostly from jealous women, some from other jounin who didn’t know a lick about them.

He meandered along, following the scent trail of jasmine perfume, as well as listening for either the next impact or the sound of her voice. He followed it well into the woods of the grounds. It seemed the damage done lessened the further he went, which concerned him. It felt like the anger was fading and turning into something more morose. He moved faster through the forest, catching a glimpse of a porcelain mask he recognized. 

What he found was far from angry, at least now. She was kneeling on her knees, still in her hospital uniform. She was covered in dirt and green stains from nature she decided to take her stress out on. Her hands covered her face, covered in blood, dirt, and scrapes; the telltale sign she had been too far in her emotions to protect herself or even think about putting her gloves on. Her shoulders shook and as a choked sob escaped her throat, his heart just couldn’t take it anymore.

This wasn’t the first time he found her like this, and it wrenched him every time. But it was different this time because it felt like it was his fault to some degree. He never wanted to be part of something that could hurt her so deeply. 

He approached her slowly, giving her all the time to notice his presence. When he came up to her, he crouched down and ran his fingers through her messy hair, letting the pads of his fingers drag against her scalp. She shuddered softly but didn’t say anything. He slowly sat down behind her and slinked his arms around her waist to pull her back snug against his chest.

She tried to force herself to calm down in Kakashi’s presence, but it only seemed to worsen. She reminded herself he wouldn’t judge her, that he’s never judged her. Wasn’t that one of the things she loved most about him? She still felt so stupid for getting this upset over some stupid bigoted opinions, from people who didn’t know a damn thing about her and Kakashi. 

Then again, was that the only thing that hurt so much right now? It’s not like Sasuke hadn’t just kidnapped her best friend or threatened her team leader, that she just started dating. That Sasuke hadn’t shown her just how he might wish to make good on his threat to kill her lover.

The feeling of his fingers running through her hair made a shiver run through her and she let out a shaky breath. She felt him sit behind her and the safeness of his arms pull her close. Her chest hurt and swallowed another sob, still feeling this dumb need to act strong in front of him. If he had found her here, clearly he saw the damage she had dealt to the poor training ground before her anger morphed into pain. She turned her body into him and rested the side of her face against his chest. The silent tears soaked into his shirt but she couldn’t stop them. 

“Sakura…” 

She wiped her eyes hastily before the sob she’d been holding back ripped through her. The sound of his voice undid it and she was clinging to him desperately. 

“I’m here for you,” He placed a chaste peck on her forehead before tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ve got you, Sakura. I always have, you know that.”

He held her tightly before beginning to stroke her hair. “I know there’s so much going on right now. This stuff with Sasuke, and the talk around the village. Your nightmares. It can’t be easy, on top of continuing to work full time.” 

The sound of his voice was a thread she clung to. Hearing the rumble in his chest when he talked, alongside his heartbeat gave her something to focus on that wasn’t Sasuke, or horrible gossip, or Kakashi being killed in some way or another. She took a long, deep breath. Everything felt so heavy. 

She had just wanted to be with the man she loved, and she finally got that. Why did all this other stuff have to happen? Right as things started to get better, a wrench had to come in it. She knew that she still was with Kakashi, and she had high doubts he was going to leave, but she just wanted to enjoy it.

“Sakura, it’s going to be okay…” 

He took her face into his hands and guided her to make eye contact with him. Her aqua hues were shining with tears that were still flowing down her cheeks. He wiped them gently and smiled softly at her. 

She huffed and slid her fingers into his mask, dragging it off his face. “Better.” She muttered under her breath. 

Kakashi chuckled softly before pecking her lips with his now bare ones. “Oh, I’m sure you think so. Just think, you’re the only one who gets to see me like this.” He held her tighter. “Who gets to have me like this, all to yourself.” He pecked her cheek.

“I know…” A small smile spread across her lips. “Ino keeps saying to ignore it, that they’re just jealous.”

“Hm, she may be on to something. I’m quite the looker.” 

She rolled her eyes before sniffing once more. “Oh yeah, if only they knew what was under the mask.” She huffed. “Maybe some of them do…” She grumbled.

He shook his head, chuckling at the clear jealousy coming off of her. “Oh no. Not a single one night stand had ever seen my face. They would try, no doubt.” He pinched her ass playfully. “Only medics, who usually were too busy looking at the life-threatening issue on my body, and close friends have seen my face.” He smirked as he whispered in her ear. “Some medics are much cuter than others, and I might have let them drag my mask down and kiss me when I was drunk.”

She raised an eyebrow at him before a smile broke out across her lips and she giggled. “Better only be one of those.”

He nodded sincerely before pecking her lips. “Now, you’re smiling again and able to talk. What lead you to wreak havoc on this sentimental training ground of ours, and then break down?”

She averted her eyes instantly, not willing to fully pull her face out of his hands when they were so warm against her tear-soaked skin. Great, now she’s going to look ridiculous.

“Do think they’re right? That I used you to climb rank?” She mumbled.

He frowned. “I think that no more correct than me being a pedophile, considering the last time I check you were twenty. People twist things as they want to make reality appeal to them.” 

“Ino said something similar. A bunch of women took offense that you found someone prettier, younger, and more talented. If they blame us, then their ego is still intact…” She almost laughed as she remembered another one. “Did you hear the one that I’m fucking my whole team?” 

Of course, she found the humor in that one. “Whoever started that rumor must be oblivious because you’ve chased Sai and Naruto through the village with your chakra fists of wrath.” He laughed before pressing his nose against hers. 

“Now, what is actually bothering you? Because I know that you don’t truly care about anyone thinks unless it our friends or Tsunade, who have all expressed happiness for us, with threats to my life if I hurt you here and there…” 

He was meant with silence.

He sighed. “I’m the one who taught you to look underneath the underneath, and I especially know you’re bothered by way more than some gossip we knew would come.”

Sakura sighed and hugged him tightly. “I can’t stand this. I’m being guarded like a dog, all because Sasuke suddenly decides I matter because his snakey sensei put it in his head he needs me. I think I liked it better before when he was cold towards us.” 

He ran a hand through her hair. “I know. But it’s best to keep you safe, and are you going to complain that you have to sleep with me at my house.”

She blushed lightly. “I gave no complaint about that part. More about this part.” She gestured her hands before pointing. 

“One.” In a tree a few yards back.

“Two.” Leaning against a tree in the opposite direction.

“Three.” Right above her in a tree. “Which I believe I learned is Genma, because awhile  a senbon just fell in front of me before a curse was muttered by that one.” 

Kakashi looked up, noting she was right, that one was Genma. Shame on him for losing his anonymity so easily, but it wasn’t like Sakura hadn’t known who most of the ANBU were from treating them anyway. It’s a given he was the only one brave enough to be that close to his fiery little pinkette when she was at such an emotional high. He never knew when to leave anyone alone. He was one of the only people other than Sakura that insisted on ‘being there for him’ when he was having bad days.

“I also hate that I used to feel safe at home, and now I’m paranoid. All the time. He made it into the village without anyone knowing, all the way into my office! And he got out with Ino the same way!” She looked at Kakashi with an annoyed look.

“That bastard could be watching me right now, and I’d have not a single fucking clue!” 

He didn’t know what to say to that. He felt all the same, except he was the one who had figured out he was in the village, and he hated the lack of action he had taken then. He should have done something right then and there. But he gave his former student too much credit. 

And that’s how he feels like this is all his fault. But saying that wouldn’t help her. There wasn’t much he could do to change what was done, but he’d be damned if something happened again.

“Let’s go home and get you cleaned up, okay? I bought you some books while you were at work before I came here.” 

She smiled softly. He always tried, no matter how hard he felt like comforting was. Whether he knew it or not, he always made her feel better. As he stood up and put his hand out for her to grab, she grasped it tightly as he pulled her up. She inched up on her tiptoes to give him a chaste kiss before his hands gripped her hips and held her there to kiss her back.

“Thank you, Kakashi.” She smiled softly before pecking his cheek. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’d probably tear up all the training grounds, not just ours.”

She giggled softly. “Probably, but you didn’t have to say it.” 

He let go of her, just to grab her hand and start walking towards the end of the woods in the training ground. “Come on. Asuma and Kurenai said something going on a double date, and I think you might want to look a little less haggard for that.” He smiled.

She glared at him. “Haggard? That’s a bit extreme!” 

He chuckled as he dodged the fist he knew was becoming before he sensed it. “I love you, too.” He gave an eye crease as he pulled his mask back over the majority of his face.

“Hinata?” Naruto called out softly from his couch as he heard his door open.

“It’s me, Naruto!” She called back cheerily. 

“How was lunch with Sakura? Is she… Doing okay?” He asked timidly.

Hinata sighed. “She’s… doing alright. The gossip around the village bothers her but I don’t think that’s really it.” 

Naruto thought for a moment before sighing. “I don’t understand why he would do this. I thought his main goal in life was to gain power and kill Itachi, so what does Sakura have to do with that?” He grumbled. “She was so happy before all this. I just want to see her like that again.”

“Me, too,” Hinata said before sitting on the couch. “Ino said he acted possessive and jealous over the fact that she was with Kakashi. Do you think he’s always felt some way about her? Like maybe he’d come back for her once he killed his brother?”

Naruto frowned. “I think that’s what Sakura used to hope for, honestly. That he just had to do this one thing, and then he’d be able to come home. To love her, to be a family with our team. It’s what we all hoped for… in a sense. I think Kakashi was able to accept it sooner than we ever could that Sasuke was probably… never coming back.”

Hinata nodded, reaching over to grab his hand. “I know this is hard for both of you…” 

He just nodded as he continued to frown at the floor. “Whatever hopes those were, they were ruined. I’ll never believe he loved Sakura if he was willing to cause her so much pain, whether it was over jealousy or whatever.” 

“You should go train with your team some. It always helps me when I’m being bothered by something going on in life. I think it would be healthy for all of you.”

“You’re assuming that Sakura hasn’t gone and destroyed our favorite grounds yet.” A smile slowly spread across his lips. “Kakashi is the only one willing to go anywhere near her whenever she’s that upset. Sai and I prefer to stay far away from her chakra enhanced attacks.”

He thought for a while on that. It had always been that way. She and Kakashi were always there for the other. Just like most people left Kakashi alone when he was at the memorial, they left Sakura alone when she was destressing in training ground three. Yet, they both never left each other alone. He thought about how that’s what love is, what Sakura should get to experience. Not the way she felt for Sasuke, just this endless devotion with nothing in return. 

She deserved the way Hinata always made him feel, and hopefully how he wanted to make her feel in return. A relationship with trust, admiration, sincereness, and respect was what anyone deserved. He wanted that for Sakura, and he still believed that Kakashi was where she got that from. He had never seen anyone look so happy as they did when they finally got together.

It was so hard not to preach at anyone that said so many ill things about his two teammates within his earshot. It angered him to see their happiness brought down the way people were judging them. Granny Tsunade already warned him it would do no good, but he knew if someone dared say something bad about Sakura close to her, a chakra infused from the Hokage herself was coming their way. So why couldn’t they get mouth load from him?  Seemed unfair if you asked him, but he wasn’t in the mood to anger her with arguing.

“Kurenai-sensei and Asuma-sensei were planning a double date with them. I think they are trying to make Sakura feel better about the...dissent around the village.”

“Maybe that’ll be good for her. I don’t understand what the deal is anyway, I mean so what, he was our teacher? We’ve been in equal rank with him for almost three years now. And I couldn’t give a damn about some age difference when she could die tomorrow at 20 years old. Any of us could, right? We’re adults. It’s not like we’re kids anymore.” He huffed in annoyance.

Hinata sighed softly. “Just because we see it that way, doesn’t mean other people do. However, I’ve noticed most of the people spreading the rumors are women that wanted Kakashi themself. Ino said they’ll blame them to keep their ego intact.”

Naruto raised his eyebrows. “So basically a bunch of women Kakashi’s age is mad because he hardly gave them anything past a one-night stand. And that’s they were one of the lucky ones in the last decade, and now he’s with Sakura, who is youngers, prettier, and probably ten times the kunoichi they ever would have been…?”

Hinata giggled softly. “Yes, pretty much Ino’s exact words. Like typical, they’re putting down our friends to make themselves feel better.”

“Leaf shinobi are supposed to be better than that.” He grumbled before getting up from the couch. 

“Not everyone has the same ideals as you, Naruto. But your ideals are one of the things I love about you, that so many people love about you, and why you’ve inspired many others. It’s one of the reasons why one day you will make a great Hokage.” 

He smiled. “You believe in me, don’t you?” 

“I always believed in you, even when I didn’t believe in myself.” She smiled tentatively.

He pulled her up by the grip he still held on her hand before kissing her softly, winding his arms around her hips. “I love you, Hinata,” He mumbled against her lips, pulling her against him.

She smiled before pulling away. “I love you, too.” 

“Maybe we should plan a double date with them. That’d be awesome, wouldn’t it?” He grinned at her before pressing his forehead against hers.

“I think it's a good idea, and I’m sure they would enjoy it too.”

Kakashi brought Sakura a cup of tea and sat down next to her, handing her the hot drink of peppermint. She took it from him, instantly taking a sip from the cup.

He watched her closely. She was curled against the arm of his couch with her knees against her chest. Her pink strands just barely fell around her shoulders, perfectly framing her face. Her face was still stained with tears, but she had changed into one of his shirts and a pair of her shorts she had brought here. She seemed a little more relaxed, not so overwhelmed by the anger and pain. He could still sense how uneasy she felt, and he just wanted to make her day better. He hoped the dinner with Kurenai and Asuma would help lift her spirits some, a positive in all the negatives.

He loved her so much, and he couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. He’d heard everything the village had to say, some of the things he had once thought about himself. That he had been disgusting. He hated himself for it. 

But now, he couldn’t think of life without her. Without being able to hold her at night, or to kiss her. Without being able to see the way she smiled whenever he told her he loved her. The warmth she held for him in her beautiful green eyes whenever she looked at him. He didn’t want to think of a day when his bed no longer had the faint smell of her jasmine perfume. 

“Kakashi…?” Her voice sounded soft and hesitant.

It pulled him from his thoughts instantly. “What is it?” He asked softly, looking up to meet her eyes.

“You’ve got that distant look you get when you’re thinking about something sad…” She set her tea down on the coffee table.

He tried to smile lightly to shake off her concern. “I’m okay, it’s nothing.” 

She rolled her eyes before shifting over to his side of the couch. “Okay, sure. I’ll pretend to believe that. Now lay down...”

He shifted so that he was laying on his back, and watched her curiously as she crawled over his body. She laid between his legs, resting her cheek against his chest. He shifted slightly to get more comfortable before wrapping an arm around her back. She let out a contented sigh before closing her eyes.

He ran his free hand through her hair gently as a smile spread across his lips. He kissed the top of her head. “If you wanted to cuddle, you could have just said so.” He spoke softly, a little surprised she had demanded affection. 

He thought she might get distant from him, too bothered by some of the things people dared to say, maybe even think they were true. He should have known she wouldn’t believe them for a second, but it didn’t stop him from preparing for the worst. He played with the ends of her hair, twirling the strands loosely around his fingertips. Her body felt warm against his, and it was a comfort he never realized he needed until the first time he held her so intimately.

“Does any of this gossip bother you at all?” She wondered aloud. 

Her voice sounded so small to him. It was rare she sounded so unsure. She was usually so confident these days. He wasn’t surprised to see that it bothered her, even if she felt it was stupid. He knew what was going to happen when everyone found out, but it didn’t mean he liked it or that it didn’t bother him. He used to listen to all the things that were said about his father, so the village dissent wasn’t new to him. Minato had urged to learn to ignore it long ago, but it did seem more difficult to ignore these, at least the parts where he was accused of some things he couldn’t even dream of.

“Some of it does…” He sighed. “I can’t act like people just assuming I’ve always had a thing for you doesn’t upset me. I also fear that you might feel they’re right, and it’s not true.” He tightened his arm that had been around her. 

He tried to figure out what to say that didn’t seem accusatory, but also still be honest with her about his concerns.“I don’t care what they think, but I worry about how what people say will affect you, and your view of me…” 

He watched her closely as she lifted her head to look at him. “I love you, and nothing anyone says will make me think any different of you. I just hate… It angers me that they just instantly assume you’re this gross creep when it was ME who initiated this relationship.”

She huffed before resting her chin against his chest. “If anyone should have ever felt harassed, it was you… But no, they just automatically assume you’re just this lecherous man that groomed me from the time I was twelve.”

“Well, I do read porn in public, so people have the right to believe I’m lecherous…” He smirked. “Not everyone knows it had some real plot to it, or care to know.” He brought a hand to her cheek and stroked her cheekbone with his thumb. “Just like they won’t care to know the real story behind us…”

She was looking into his eyes, at his face, before she bit her lip. “So, you don’t think I just used you and clung around you to climb the ranks as some of the women are saying?”

He scoffed. “Don’t tell me some jealous sluts are making you doubt your real abilities as a kunoichi? How would you have ever charmed me into giving you jonin rank? I was tough on you guys, not to mention I’m not the one to credit for your abilities.” He kissed her nose and then her Byakugou seal. “Tsunade is to credit for all your skills, not me. I’m not even the one who gave you the recommendation. I wasn’t allowed to be a proctor for your exam either, because you were my student and it leads to bias- negative or positive.” 

He pushed some of her hair out of her eyes again before smiling at her. “You earned jonin, and I’m damned proud of you for it. The other jonin kunoichis are just pissed because you’re better than them and they know it.”

“Mmmm, and maybe because I have Konoha’s number one bachelor all to myself?” She grinned, blushing softly at his words.

“Well, of course. Thank gosh, because the ‘hot-ake’ pickup lines at bars were becoming rather boring. And now, when a girl doesn’t know how to take a hint, I can just ask her if she likes chakra punches for a drink?” 

Sakura burst into laughter, burying her face into his chest. “Oh, yeah, that’ll make a great reputation for us to have.”

He sat up, taking her into his arms. “Team Seven already has quite the rep, I doubt that’ll change. Now, go shower for that dinner with Asuma and Kurenai. It’s my job to make us late, not yours, remember?” He carried his slender pinkette into the bathroom and set her on the edge of the sink.

She was beaming at him as she placed her hands on each side of his face. “I love you so, so much, Kakashi.” 

He gazed into her eyes, thankful for the happy glow returning to them. “I love you, too, Sakura. I always will…” He gave her lips a quick peck.

As he stepped back, she slid off the bathroom sink counter until her feet were on the floor. She began to strip before her eyes widened with sudden realization. “What the hell am I supposed to wear to this dinner on such short notice?”

“Oh, I got that covered. Dress in the bedroom. I hope you like it…” He gave a sheepish smile before leaving the bathroom, closing the door behind him. 

He chuckled at the tinge of pink that spread across her cheeks. He wasn’t sure how that was worth blushing over, considering all the other things they’d done lately. He picked up her teacup from earlier and walked into the kitchen to put the dishes in the sink for later. When the shower turned on, he moved onto the bedroom, gathering up things he had grabbed from her house while she was at work.

He’d seen her go out in various settings enough in the past few years to know that his favorite person took care to do her hair and makeup. He had grabbed her makeup box, along with both her straightener and curler. He almost forgot the hair dryer at her house but had turned around at the door to get it. He wasn’t exactly sure what shoes she would want to wear. Looking back on past conversations he had overheard, this was supposedly a difficult task, according to Ino. He just grabbed the black, ankle high boots that had a buckle(which he realized was just for looks), and a small heel. Surely, those went with anything, right? Hopefully.

He grabbed a few more things before taking them back to the bathroom. He hung the dress up on the towel rack, as well as some underclothing he bought for his own eyes later. He looked around the bathroom. Never once had it ever felt small to him, but now he was wondering where the hell he was going to put three new additions. Did women need both a straightener and a curler?

“I think I’ll need to invest in shelves if you’re gonna be here forever.” He said in mock annoyance.

“I’m using your razor, just in case your mind, but it’s too late if you do…” Sakura said languidly, clearly paying more attention to her legs at the moment. “And what are you talking about?” 

“You’ll see.” He smiled before pulling the shower curtain aside. “Your lotion is on the sink when you’re done. If you need my help, I’ll gladly lather your legs with it for you.” He gave a wink before leaving again. 

“Oh god, we’d never make it dinner if I let you do that.” She mumbled affectionately as she finished the last stroke up her leg.

He stared blankly at the curtain once it was closed, wondering just how the hell Kakashi knew what lotion she even used. She shrugged it off, not putting it past him to look rather odd sniffing random lotions in the store until he found a scent he recognized. The thought made her heave with laughter as she rinsed the excess shaving cream off her legs. 

She stepped out of the shower, and her mouth fell open in her surprise. She quickly realized what he meant by needing to get shelves, as there was nowhere to put all her hair tools besides the straightener on the sink, hair dryer on the back of the toilet, and the curler on top of his medicine cabinet. Her lotion, which was the same bottle from her house, was sitting next to the cup that held his toothbrush. 

She grabbed the towel on the hanger, to see the dress hanging there, and her heart was full. 

It was a dark emerald green a-line dress. It had a sheer lace overlay that had floral patterns stitched into it. The lace continued over the chest into long sleeves, completely see through around her shoulders and arms, the solid colors would frame her chest. It was so dressy but simple all at once. Pretty but not too much, it was perfect. 

And then there was the navy blue lingerie set next to it that just made her turn rosy-colored all over again as she started to dry herself off even quicker.

“Kakashi, you bought lingerie?!” She screeched in embarrassment. 

 He laughed, having finally heard the response he had expected. “Sakura, I buy porn in public, I don’t think buying lingerie for you is that shocking.” He came into the bathroom. “I also noticed you were severely lacking any.”

She huffed and pouted in his direction. “Oh yes, because I had so much reason to wear it.” 

He raised an eyebrow in her direction in surprise. “You don’t need a ‘reason’ to wear hot things.” He stepped behind her and reached for the garments. 

He held them to her form as he spoke against her ear. “This navy will look stunning against your smooth and light toned skin. It’s strapless, so it won’t show through the sheerness of your dress. The woman said this lace is comfortable. And I honestly just wanted to see your ass in thongs. I am a pervert afterall.” He kissed the side of her head. “I’ll hook the clips for you if you’d like.

Sakura stared down at the blue fabric. She’d seen plenty of Ino’s lingerie, having been made to help her blonde rival choose which to wear on particular occasions. She had never felt the need to buy any. Ino seemed to only wear it on dates, and she never even bothered with those. Not to mention, it’s not like she even had all that much to show off. She bit the inside of her cheek before turning to face Kakashi. “Uh… Sure.” 

He frowned. “Is something wrong? You don’t have to wear it if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“N-No! It’s not that. I love them, I just… don’t have the body for it.”

Kakashi looked at her dumbly for a moment before turning her body to face him. “Sakura, I promise you, you do. If you didn’t have the body for it, they wouldn’t make your size, which I had to ask Ino for before you ask.”

“Oh, god! I’ll never hear the end of how romantic or hot or whatever it is that you bought me underwear that...might feel slightly more appealing than cotton.”

“Much more appealing than cotton.” He corrected her with a smirk before tilting her chin up and kissing her.

She returned the kiss before pulling back. “Okay, fine. Much more appealing. Now, get out so I can get ready. Your lips are way too enticing.”

“My kisses or the fact you can see them in general now, hm?” He teased.

Damn him.

“Both, now go before we’re late! You have to get ready too, don’t you?” She playfully pushed him towards the door.

“I won’t take anywhere near as long as you.” He shot back as she effectively pushed him from the bathroom.

When he heard the hair dryer turn on, he looked at the time and realized maybe he should start getting ready. He lazily walked back to his room. He pushed through the hangers that had old, worn out ANBU uniforms hung on them. He wondered if they would ever be used again. He found the smoky gray long sleeve button shirt he had been looking for. He couldn’t remember the last time he had even worn this shirt. He vaguely wondered if it had been the funeral service for Jiraiya. 

He stripped down to his boxers before grabbing the black slacks on the hanger behind the shirt and slipping them over his form. He grabbed the shirt and the tie, laying them over the bed.  He pulled a white t-shirt from the drawer and pulled it over his lithe form. He grabbed the button up and slid his arms through the sleeves. He buttoned it up to the top, leaving it open. He glanced at the tie, debating if it was necessary to wear. He tucked his shirt and buttoned the pants. He adjusted everything until it felt comfortable and wasn’t pulling one way or another. He grabbed the dress shoes from the floor of his closet, and her boots before walking back to the living room. 

She came out of the bathroom to see Kakashi folding up the sleeves on his shirt, which was a much hotter sight than she thought it could have been. She smiled lightly before sitting down next to him.

“Thank you for the clothes… And bringing all that from home.” She spoke softly. 

He nodded as he looked over, finding her as beautiful as always. The dress had gone to the middle of her thighs. He could see the difference in her wearing the bra instead of wrappings in her chest which was an appreciative sight he hoped for. She had put on some shimmery gold shadow and smooth liner along her lashes that ended with a small wing. Her lips were tinted pink and shined with gloss. 

She looked gorgeous.

“Nobody would ever think you were kunoichi if they didn’t know the only pink haired person in Konoha was none other than my lovely Sakura Haruno.” He smiled before kissing her cheek. “That dress looks way better actually on you than it ever did on a hanger.”

She smiled before leaning against him. “I like it. I’m kind of excited to go on a double date with them. It’ll be fun, right?” 

He cracked a half smile. “I’m sure you’ll make it fun.” 

She smiled before slipping the shoes and standing up. “Well, let’s go!”

She was brimming with excitement. She couldn’t remember the last time she had even worn makeup, let alone fully dressed up. She grabbed Kakashi’s hand as soon as they got outside of the apartment complex, and had not let go of it since. The subtle click of her heels as she glided through the streets to the park they were supposed to meet their friends at was enough to draw everyone’s attention to them.

He followed her idly, almost being dragged as she insisted on walking so much faster than he ever did. The way her eyes shined with happiness, and the way the light from the streetlamps caught the glitter in her shadow, was mesmerizing to Kakashi. She didn’t look like that for anyone, but she had done all that for him. He never thought she needed makeup, but the gold went well with her eye color. 

She didn’t seem to notice anyone looking at them as they walked together. When she looked back at him, all he saw was pure love and joy, and it made his heart clench. That’s all he ever wanted to give her, no matter what. 

“You look beautiful, Sakura…” He gave an eye crease and squeezed her hand lightly. 

A light blush dusted her cheeks before she looked away and walked to the gate of the park. Asuma and Kurenai were already there. 

“Hey, guys!” She grinned. 

“What do you know, Kakashi did wear something other than the jounin uniform.” Asuma said in a defeated tone. “I guess I owe Genma twenty bucks now.”

“I told you.” Kurenai said as she rolled her eyes.

“I still can’t believe he’s with her, of all women.”

Another woman sighed in annoyance. “Clearly, you don’t know what life is like as a ninja. Sakura is one of the most caring people in the village, and that vet was her sensei but only for a short time, she was mainly trained by Lady Tsunade.”

“She’s a child!”

Sakura turned her head towards the conversing women, surprised to see someone she didn’t know defending them. Curiosity shone in her eyes, and she felt Kakashi pull her towards him, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“Don’t worry about any of that tonight.” He murmured into her ear. “I’m not having some random opinionated people ruin your excitement.” 

She turned to him and smiled. “You’re right, I guess.”

“Kurenai said the women are being more brutal about this than they were when we started dating.” Asuma chuckled.

Kakashi scoffed. “Oh, trust me. I’ve heard enough for a lifetime, and it’s not even the only scorn I’ve dealt with, however, it’s for sure the worst.”

Sakura leaned up and kissed his mask cheek, leaving a slightly sparkled spot on the fabric. “Blame Naruto for convincing us to confess.” She giggled. 

He looked down at her before sliding his hand down to rest on her hip. “Sure, why not. But I don’t regret it either way.”

They walked alongside their friends into one of the fancier restaurants and sat down in a booth. They chatted idly for a while about anything and everything. Kakashi mostly watched Sakura, just happy to see her smiling nonstop. Happy to think it was things he did that made her smile and feel so happy. 

He watched her lips as she talked, starting to understand a little bit why she wore the lipstick in the first place. She always had pinker lips, but the red made them more prominent and seemed to demand his attention. He moved his hand to rest on her thigh, a bit surprised by how warm her skin was. 

“Wait for a second, you don’t even know who the ANBU that are assigned to guard you are? I mean I know anonymity is their thing, but usually, in guarding situations, at least the person being guarded knows?” Kurenai shook her head in disbelief.

Sakura shrugged. “I wasn’t told. It must not be that dire to hide who they are, because I doubt Genma would be careless enough to accidentally drop a senbon in front of my face.”

“The other two don’t know you outside of being Tsunade’s apprentice, my former student, and now my lover who is being threatened by a missing nin who was formerly your teammate.” Kakashi said lazily as he blinked a few times to focus back on the conversation.

“In other words, they probably don’t see a reason to reveal who they are if they don’t already know you.” Asuma affirmed.

“I picked who was watching you. I would have preferred Tenzou and Genma, but he’s still on our team and not with ANBU anymore. So just Genma will do, but I trained the others myself. They also think I’m a pervert.” He gave an eye crease.

Sakura rolled her eyes. “Overprotective? I’m pretty sure Shishou would have chosen decent candidates. I’m almost her daughter, according to Shizune. And that’s because everyone knows you are one.”

“Nope. She asked me to choose.”

“Ino keeps insisting the ANBU watch you guys fuck, and I insisted that there’s still privacy in guarding, especially when the last person she is getting guarded against is Kakashi, contrary to some of the villager beliefs here.” He added with a chuckle. “However, now that you mention Genma is there, I have some serious doubts.”

Sakura’s complexion instantly heated up into a cherry shade. “You don’t actually think-”

“Shizune threatened before I did, apparently.” Kakashi said with a chuckle.

Sakura stirred her miso soup a little more before taking another bite. “I sure hope it worked.” She mumbled.

She thought loosely about this moment, just out on a date with their friends. She had always wanted something like this. Just comfortable and genuine, just love. His hand on her thigh was surprising at first, but comforting. She didn’t miss the gazes that were pointed toward their table, or how people whispered, but she forced herself to focus on the date. 

Which wasn’t that hard as she kept stealing glances at Kakashi dressed more casually. She definitely could get used to him wearing clothes that fit his form a little snug compared to the standard jounin garb. She enjoyed the way the fabric moved over his well-toned figure but was still loose enough to only just barely give an outline of the muscles that flex under it.

She felt Kakashi’s hand slowly moving across his thigh, and she dared to glance at his face, which looked perfectly normal, and nothing like he was stroking her skin under the table. She gulped as she crossed her legs over his hand in an attempt to hide it from others. His fingers felt cool against her heated skin, and she was trying to fight off the building arousal. He only squeezed her thigh in response which led to her stifling what would have been a small moan. 

It was awfully hard to focus on anything people could have been whispering about them when she was trying to keep control of her pleasure, and she wondered if that was his goal. Or if he was just being the pervert he was and enjoying toying with her, having known how sensitive she is to even only his touch. Judging by the imprint of a smirk under his mask she could see if she squinted, it was probably both.

“I don’t think even Genma is stupid enough to test Kakashi on that matter.” Kurenai flashed a comforting grin. “So, how did you two finally figure out you both loved each other?”

Sakura smiled in return. “Well, drunk us shared a kiss, but he got all “this isn’t right” and I told Hinata about it a couple of days later.” 

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. “Naruto came to my apartment ready to beat the breaks off of me because she didn’t just tell Hinata, she sobbed to her about it.” He corrected her as he removed his hand from her thigh, letting his fingers slowly slide off her skin.

She shivered slightly before huffing with a pout. “I’m sensitive.”

“Oh, I know.” He gave her an eye crease. “I tell Naruto I love her and some other sappy shit, and he tries to convince me to tell her but I won’t. And he ended up convincing her to tell me.” He pulled her against his side and brushed his lips against her temple. “And now here we are.”

“Is this part where you skip me finding you two together?” Asuma asked with a knowing grin.

“I had suspected you had some type of feelings for her before the bar. I knew she did because she never smiled as much as she did around you. After the way you threatened the guy at the bar, I was for sure about you.” 

“Now just what made me so obvious?” Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows.

“You, well you with three careens of sake in his system, acted more like a jealous boyfriend as opposed to a protective team leader. Right down to openly wrapping your arm around her waist and stroking her hip.” Asuma deadpanned as if that was a stupid question.

Sakura’s cheeks dusted pink once again. “Ah, so that part didn’t go unnoticed by everyone else like I thought it had…” Her voice was quiet and timid as she felt Kakashi rubbing her hip through the fabric of the dress in the same manner as the night before. 

Kurenai laughed softly. “Kakashi hardly ever got involved with women, so when he does we pay close attention. Anko was the first to point out that he was way more touchy with you than any other one before.”

“Wait, really?” Sakura asked as her curiosity became peaked before amusement shone in her eyes. “Well, no wonder why every freaking woman in the town hates my existence right. now.”

Kurenai and Asuma both laughed at her amusement at that new fact. Their plates were about finished and it was seeming to be the end of the night out. They all said their goodbyes before heading back home for the night. 

The whole walk home, she couldn’t help but wonder how Kakashi was rumored to be phenomenal in bed. Well for her it was far from a rumor now. But how did he have that when he didn’t want to be touchy with the women? He would touch and stroke and kiss every inch of her body whenever they made love, and she couldn’t picture him being any other way. It seemed like it was half the fun for her. Then again, she’d never had sex before Kakashi, let alone casual sex. Maybe that was the difference?

[orlha]

I am not sure if you ship or write Shikasaku but if so, then prompt 10 with Shikamaru as character A and Sakura, character B

Notes: I do ship Shikasaku, they’re like the cutest thing ever!! We need more shikasaku around. Sorry it took awhile for my muse to rouse. Problems with desperately in love + oblivious muses is that there’s no way of cramming it into one fic. So take this.. XD and maybe if someone offers to be my idea bouncer/alpha/beta for this… we might get to see a long, slowburn fic of it.

#10: Where character A is desperately in love with character B and character B is oblivious AF.

—

In spite of all his denials, Shikamaru vividly remembers the firsttime he saw her. It was a warm autumn afternoon and he had been lying on thatpatch of grass sandwiched between the Yamanaka’s fields and the Nara’s forests.Ino was dragging her across the the clearing, her pink hair was covering almosthalf of her face. Her eyes flickered from the ground to him and he remembersthe sight and the exact shade of her green eyes. 

But it was not that moment that he fell for her. If Shikamaru hasto guess, it hadn’t been a single defining moment, but a collective series ofthem. 

He drags his cigarette from his lips, blowing the smoke into themuggy night air. If he had to choose, he would have pick her over Temari. Thechoice has never been a difficult one, but Shikamaru could see. No, even ablind man could see that there is no space in her world for his feelings. Tofight a ghost, albeit a living ghost but still with an absent tangiblepresence, would have been far too hard. Sakura has always been the sort to giveher heart and soul to her precious ones and Shikamaru isn’t one of them. 

Perhaps if he had noticed his own feelings earlier or reached outearlier. He sighs, taking another deep breath of the cigarette. In this worldwhere their teams are their family and their family are their teams, Shikamaruwonders if things would be different had he pushed Ino to reconcile with Sakuraearlier.

The door swings, the bright fluorescent light spilling out ontothe road as Sakura steps out, waving goodbye to someone in the emergency roombefore stepping into the darkened streets. In the light, her hair is washedaglow in a bright pink, before being reclaimed again by the door swinging shut.She stares up at the sky. The forlorn look on her face is so disproportionateon his face that Shikamaru calls out to her, not letting himself talk himselfout of it.

“Shikamaru,” Sakura greets, strolling towards him. “What did Itell you about smoking?” Her lips curve almost affectionately but she doesn’treach to grab it the way Ino does.

“Troublesome,” he only mutters. If it really bothered her, shewould have that small crease between her eyebrows. She doesn’t and hadShikamaru not seen her sad look, he might have guessed that she had been havinga good day. He wonders how much of he sees her is real and a mask. To be ableto hide her emotions so effectively from him. 

“You say troublesome, but you’re not stopping it, isn’t it lesstroublesome just quitting if everyone is telling you to?” She tilts herhead. 

“Isn’t it easier if you just took the paid vacations so everyonewould stop nagging at you?” he quips back. Sakura motions him to walk with herand Shikamaru slouches, slinking beside her. 

She chuckles at his retort, her loose bangs swishing on her face.He clenches his hands in his pocket, resisting the urge to touch her hair. Hischest clenching at the thought of Temari. Temari with her fiery personality andall her skills could never compete against Sakura. Temari loved him and heloved her too. Just not enough.

Shikamaru talked about leading an ordinary career, having anaverage woman, with average children when he had been thinking of the pinkhaired girl running the hospital, the right hand of Godaime. When has his heartbecome so troublesome?

“I’m not the only calling it troublesome though.” Sakura turn tohim, her green eyes dancing in mirth. 

“Troublesome,” he murmurs back, his lips twitching upwardsunconsciously. “Dinner then,” Shikamaru says, already herding her to a nearbysoba shop. 

“It’s ten, Shikamaru,” a tone of amusement coating herwords. 

“Exactly.” 

“I’m ready to go home and fall asleep,” she says. 

He flicks his cigarette bud onto the floor, sending a shadowtendril to extinguish it and sits down on one of the vacant seats. “One tempurasoba, hot and a beer.”

“I’m so tired I just want to go home and sleep,” she complains andflushes when her stomach gurgles loudly. “Fine!” 

Taking the seat beside him anyway, she squints at the overheadmenu. “One tendon.”

Even during the war, Shikamaru realises he has never been thisclose to her. She had been a medic under his care and the distance between themdespite sharing the same tents showed that. He can feel the hair on his napeshiver as she leans into his space. His eyes almost flicker down to her lipsbefore he reminds himself that any affection he shows would only beunwanted. 

“What are you doing?” he asks. Her face is so close to his that hecan see the light brown streaks in her eyes.

“I’m trying to decide if you planned this or if it was a merecoincidence.” 

A waiter sets a beer down and he sips it, grateful fordisruption. 

“What’s a coincidence? Me taking a smoke?” 

She hums, backing away. “Kaka-sensei says that there are nocoincidences, Only the illusion of coincidence.”

The waiter sets their food in front of them. 

“We all know Kakashi-sama is a paranoid bastard,” Shikamaru saysas he snaps the chopsticks open, taking a large mouthful of noodles.

Sakura only laughs and her laughter is so beautiful that Shikamaruwished there was a way of keeping it. 

He walks her home, satisfied that tonight, he had at least managedto make sure she had eaten.

Shikamaru lays on the bed, watching the sky from under theblankets. 

If he had managed to bring Sasuke back that day, would things havebeen different? Shikamaru tries to think of a village and team seven whereSasuke had not defected. With Sasuke around, she might have eventually lostinterest in him the way most first loves do.

He sighs, fingers itching for another cigarette.

If most first loves fade, then why hadn’t his?

He turns on his side, trying to imagine what it would be like togo to sleep with Sakura in his embrace. The moonlight painting over her face,her green eyes gazing at him. He sighs again, wondering why he tortures himselfbefore forcing himself to sleep. 

— 

“Have you heard?” is the first thing Ino says when she bursts intohis office weeks later.

“Heard what?” he asks, not even bothering to look up from hisreport.

“This is serious, Shikamaru!” Ino pulls the report away. “UchihaSasuke returned, and he asked Sakura to leave with him.”

Shikamaru slowly looks up, staring at Ino. “What?”

“You have to go!”

“I’m sorry?”

Ino drags him up, bodily pushing him out of the door. “Go! Tellher you love her before it’s too late!”

Shikamaru tries to stop getting pushed along. “Woman! I don’t loveher!”

Ino growls and grabs his vest, dragging him down into her face.“That day I had to help transmit messages on the mission, I saw it. Sageof six paths, why are my two best friends such idiots. You’re only to get thisone chance. Nara Shikamaru, are you going to blow it just to protect your ego?Are you not even going to try? You love her. You loved her sinceforever. Now tell her, stupid. Before Sasuke takes her.”

Shikamaru stumbles from her. 

“Hurry!” she hisses. 

Shikamaru takes another step towards the gates, his knee dipsbefore Ino pushes him again. “Go!”

Then he runs.

He runs with all the training Gai and Asuma had managed to beatinto it.

He runs like a hundred Zetsus are chasing him. 

He runs and reaches just in time to see both Sasuke and Sakura atthe gate with Kakashi talking to them.

“Sakura!” he yells even though he’s more than a hundred metresaway still.

“Sakura-chan!” Shikamaru calls out again, more urgently. 

She turns. She combed her hair today; her clothes are all cleanand she has a mission pack next to her feet like she’s ready to leave and neverreturn. Shikamaru can’t imagine a day that he can’t see her anymore. He can’timagine not having meals with her or playing shogi with her.

Are you not going to even try?

“Sakura—” His lungs are heaving, he can’t seem to catch hisbreath. She looks at him with those green eyes, her soft lips pursing. 

“Are you okay?” She reaches out to him. There’s a crease betweenher eyebrows, it must be because of him.

 “Don’t go!” he says, grabbing her hand. “I am deeply in lovewith you, Sakura-chan. Don’t go.” His voice breaks at his last word. Hishands are shaking, he wants to think that it’s from the exertion of running tothe gate, but he knows it’s not.

“Shikamaru…” she says. “I’m sorry.”

—

Prompts are closed

[thegizka]

Her Gift (fic.)

He knew what she was thinking without her saying it. He knew every nuance of her expressions, every movement of her body. He knew Sakura more deeply than he had ever known anyone. How had he never learned when her birthday was?

Written for Sakura Haruno's birthday (March 28).

Read it on Ao3.

Sasuke momentarily panicked when he awoke and couldn’t sense Sakura nearby.  His eyes flew open, sharingan already spinning into hyper-focus, only to notice how neatly her bedding had been rolled beside her pack.  She hadn’t been abducted; she had just risen before him.  Just to be sure, he stretched his senses.  There she was, chakra tickling the edge of his awareness from the direction of the river.  It wasn’t agitated.  She was safe.

He lay his head back for a moment and closed his eyes, urging his beating heart to let go of the momentary panic.  It was amazing she had managed to leave camp without him noticing.  Usually he slept lightly, ever on alert, always subconsciously aware of the minutest changes around him.  But since Sakura had joined him on his travels, everything had become confused.  She put him at his ease somehow, even though he felt so much more tense with her around.  In their genin days, he was almost always the first to wake up.  These days, it was a toss up.

Sasuke wasn’t used to such deep sleep.  It made him uneasy.  He felt less in control when he woke up second, realizing he had been at her mercy for an unknown period of time.  It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Sakura.  Perhaps it was that he trusted her too much.  She was one of the people who knew him best and who didn’t want anything from him--revenge, proof of his change of heart, his power…  It was refreshing to be with someone who demanded none of those things.  She brought him relief in that way.  He was so used to being on constant alert that this new ease made him a little uncomfortable.

And yet it felt natural.  He had found himself wanting more and more to spend time with her during his brief returns to the village.  Even if he was only stopping over for the night to make a brief report to the Hokage, his path always drifted by her apartment.  It became harder and harder to say goodbye to her.  So when she met him at the village gate early one morning with her pack and a determined look on her face, he couldn’t say no.  It felt fitting, the natural progression of their time spent together.

He sighed and forced himself to rise.  He had already spent hours trying to work out the nature of their relationship.  Even before she joined him on his wanderings, he found her drifting through his mind.  He had reconciled himself to his destiny being entangled with Naruto’s, but it had taken longer to realize it was united with hers, too.  As he contemplated who he was and who he wanted to be--not what everyone tried to make him, not what they expected him to be--he found her in his mind and memories.  She had believed in him despite every twist and turn he took.  But he couldn’t work out why, or how, or what exactly that meant to him.  It was important.  It was confusing.  It made him feel conflicted, just like Naruto’s unbending friendship.  But she was different from Naruto, and her trust meant something else.

She had given him her heart, and no matter how many times he had kicked it back to her or tried throwing it in the dirt, she still gave it to him.  It was a burden, but it was also a gift.  He had ignored it for years, had hoped she would forget her schoolgirl crush and let him be, let him pursue his vengeance in peace.  But like Naruto, he just couldn’t shake her.  It both saved him and nearly drove him away again.

He began rolling up his bedding.  He used to simply sleep in his cloak propped against a tree or the entrance of a cave, but Sakura joining him somehow required a more formal style of camping.  He was glad he currently had the campsite to himself so she wouldn’t watch him fumbling to roll up his bedding with one arm.  He was less self-conscious about his lack of limb than he used to be, having adapted to its absence, but there was still awkwardness at times.  He always felt more awkward with Sakura around.  He sometimes caught the look on her face when she thought he couldn’t see (though there were few things that could hide from his eyes), the lingering gaze on where his arm used to be, the twist of pity and the pain of love and something else--guilt? Though she had nothing to be guilty of.  Yet she refrained from offering him help, respecting his pride, hiding her feelings behind a glowing smile when he looked at her fully.

Travelling together was a study of each other and themselves.  They had gotten re-acquainted the few years after the war when he drifted into her orbit between his wanderings.  She had surprised him with her maturity, her emotional perceptiveness, her intuitive understanding and respect for his boundaries.  She was so different from the annoying fangirl she used to be.  But she was definitely the same Sakura, with the same determination and temper and strength and beauty.

He could forget how beautiful she was when all he had was his memory, but it would pounce on him in the strangest moments.  He would notice how smooth the skin on the back of her hands looked as she tied her pack.  He would wonder at the color of her eyes--the green of spring grass in the sunlight, the teal of sea waves in the rain, the dapple of deep forest leaves reflecting the moon…  Her hair tangled his thoughts, the way it brushed her cheek as she rested her chin on her knees, how it darkened to a terra cotta color when wet, the inexplicable urge it brewed in him to run it between his fingers.  He had never felt this before, the strange desire to touch another human, to feel the warmth beneath her soft skin and smell the scent of life in her neck.  These strange impulses alarmed him.  It was another way she challenged his control.

He satisfied himself with memorizing her chakra.  It was comforting to feel it swirling strongly beside him as they walked.  She had always had better control than him.  Even when she was angry, it only spiked a little.  She was a steadiness he had never found in himself.  There were times when she would use her medical ninjutsu to help in the villages they passed through, to bring comfort and to repair the broken in ways Sasuke couldn’t for all his desire to atone.  He caught glimpses of her power then as she healed one after another tirelessly, endlessly, never turning away until everyone who sought care received it, no matter how tired she became or how low her chakra must be.  She endured and sustained, just as her love had endured.

He had finished with his pack and was contemplating breakfast when he felt her chakra coming nearer.  She was humming to herself.  It made him smile.  He was used to silence, but her absent-minded singing was welcome.  It was a reminder that she was here with him, and that was a comfort.

“Good morning Sasuke-kun,” she greeted, towelling her hair dry.  She must have bathed this morning.  He wanted to help her comb through her tangles, but she was fully capable of doing it herself.

“Good morning,” he greeted instead.  “You seem in a good mood.”

“I am,” she hummed, searching for her comb in her bag.  He knew it was in the outside right pocket.  She had a habit of putting it away somewhere new each time, so it always took her a moment to find it.  It was a strange quirk for someone normally so organized.

“The water in the river is beautiful,” she continued.  “It’s clear and not unbearably cold.  I found it very refreshing.”  She stood and stretched appreciatively before beginning to comb out the snarls.  “You can bathe if you want.  I don’t mind taking it slow this morning.  Unless, of course, there’s some place you need to be today.”

“I’m not expected in the next stop for another two days.  We have time.”

“Great.”  She smiled, and it was so genuine and happy that it tickled his heart.  “I’ll prepare breakfast while you bathe.  Any requests?”

“Whatever you think best.”  He hadn’t actually confirmed that he wanted to bathe, but she was already poking through their food supplies, humming to herself again. A bath in the river would be refreshing.  He gathered a clean change of clothes and a towel before heading down to the water.

He was more self-conscious bathing when he knew Sakura was in the area.  He knew she would never try and sneak a peek at him, just as he would never violate her trust that way.  That was more Naruto’s and Kakashi’s vice.  But just knowing she was near made him hyper-aware of himself and his surroundings.  And he was finding more and more that being away from her made him miss...something.

She was right; the river was refreshing and clean.  It felt good to scrub away the days of travel in the waves and morning sunlight.  But he did not allow himself to take the time to soak in the freshness of the day.  Sakura was making breakfast.  He did not like the idea of her waiting for him.

When he returned, damp hair cascading across his face in tendrils, she had prepared a pair of buns, some cheese, thin slices of cured meat, and tomatoes.  It was simple travel food.  Sasuke had noticed their meals included tomatoes a lot lately.  He wasn’t complaining.

But Sakura wasn’t alone.  She was gently stroking the head of a large messenger hawk as it picked at some of the meat she offered it.  The scrolls--there were two--were still attached to its back, so it must have just arrived.  He could see the Konoha emblem on the seal, and his heart sank.  He hadn’t realized he was looking forward to a relaxing morning with Sakura, but news from the village almost always meant an urgent mission.

“It’s Jinsoku, one of Naruto’s hawks,” she explained.  This allayed some of his worry.  If that idiot was using his personal hawk, the news was less likely to be life-or-death urgent.  Still, neither he nor Sakura had replied to their teammate’s most recent letter yet.  He must have something important to share if he couldn’t wait for their normal correspondence.

Sakura, however, seemed completely unperturbed.

“You’ve got a leaf in your hair,” she giggled, reaching for it.  Normally Sasuke would instinctively flinch away, but he held still as she casually dragged it from his hair.  “Your bangs are getting long.”

He shrugged.  He didn’t mind his hair long.  It hid his rinnegan better.  People were less scared--and less confrontational--when they couldn’t see his left eye.

She took the scrolls from the bird and whispered something to it.  It flew to a branch in a nearby tree and perched there, watching them with intelligent, dark eyes.

“Here.”  Sakura tossed him one of the scrolls.  Teme was scrawled in Naruto’s messy hand on the outside.  He rolled his eyes.  His friend was probably never going to grow up.

He sat down beside Sakura, who was digging into her breakfast.  Her hair was already dry, the ends flipping outward slightly.  Hers was getting long, too.  He decided he liked it.  She looked good in any hairstyle she wore.

“So if we’re not needed at the next destination for another two days, what are we going to do today?” she asked.

“Well, it’ll probably depend on whatever’s in these scrolls.”

“Oh, I don’t think it’s anything important, Sasuke-kun,” she hummed.  He shot her a questioning look, but she was too busy choosing another slice of cheese to notice.  She seemed to have an idea of the scrolls’ contents already.

“There’s supposed to be a willow grove around here somewhere,” she continued.  “I could use some more willow bark for my medical supplies, if you wouldn’t mind helping me find it.”

“Sure, that sounds fine.”

She shot him a bright smile in thanks.  It was brief, but Sasuke felt the corner of his own mouth curve upward in response.  He liked seeing her happy.  This would also be a great opportunity to watch her work.  He was fascinated by her medical ninjutsu and endless knowledge of remedies.  She was so sure of herself when she explained how certain plants affected human bodies.  Her confidence was beautiful.

They wrapped up what they didn’t eat of the cheese and meat, but Sasuke finished the last slices of tomato while Sakura unfurled the first portion of her scroll.  He could see it was covered in dense writing even without his sharingan.

“Is that a jutsu formula?” he asked, noticing the careful diagram at the forefront of the writing.  She nodded.

“Tenten’s work, by the look of it.  It’s too neat for Naruto and not stylistic enough for Sai.”

“Supplies?”

She shrugged and lay the paper on the ground in front of her, smoothing its surface.  Making the required hand signs and channeling her chakra, she summoned whatever had been locked behind the brushstrokes.  It was a strange assortment of items, some supplies--fresh fruit and tea, a few vials of medicine, a knife that was something between a kunai and a scalpel--and some random things--a bouquet of pink and white flowers, a bar of soap, a painted clay bird, and a paper fan.  There were a few small boxes, too, some wrapped in ribbons, most with Sakura’s name written in different hands.

“Sasuke-kun, look!  Aw, they didn’t have to…”  She smiled delightedly, face diffused with joy and love as she looked at the odd pile of things.  He was still a bit confused as to the purpose of the scroll and its contents, but she looked so pleased as she inspected the goods that he didn’t want to ask and change her expression.  Instead he read his own scroll.

It’s Sakura-chan’s birthday today so you’d better not make her upset.  We both know she’s endured enough of that.  But you don’t need to worry too much about making her happy, either.  She’s been happier since travelling with you than she has been in a while.  Just..don’t be too careful.  You’ve both done enough waiting, and I’m getting tired of waiting for both of you!  Don’t mess it up, teme.

He usually read through Naruto’s correspondences twice, once to acclimate to his friend’s ill-formed handwriting, and another to confirm the contents of the message.  He read this scroll through a third time for good measure, but the brief bit of clarity was still followed by unsurety.  It was her birthday, which helped to explain her cheerfulness and the assortment of what must be gifts from her friends and family in Konoha.  But what was Naruto trying to say in his note?  And why did it make him feel so nervous?

He studied her as she investigate the little boxes, smiling and giggling and gasping at each surprise.  It was her birthday.  How had he not known it was her birthday?  He was normally hyper-observant of every nuance in her expression and body language.  He could chart the miniscule changes in her eyes as her thoughts transitioned.  He knew who she was and how she would move every moment they were together, but it seemed there was a lot of the truth of Sakura Haruno that he did not know.  He felt at once ashamed--he should have known when her birthday was, surely--and intrigued--how much more was there to learn?

He cleaned up their campsite while she arranged her new belongings in her pack.  Her loved ones in Konoha had been conscious of the circumstances of their travels, only giving her small trinkets or practical items.  But the number of gifts was evidence of the love she had left behind.  So many people had sent her something, had wanted to make her day special even though they were separated by miles.  She could have been home in Konoha with them, yet she had chosen to be in the middle of nowhere with him.  And he hadn’t known about her birthday at all.  He felt guilty for being the cause of the distance between her and the others, but he remembered that she had chosen to be here with him, and that was humbling.

“Sasuke-kun,” she said, and he felt strange and warm when she said his name, “I don’t think I’ll be able to fit everything in my pack.  Would you mind carrying a few things for me?”

She looked at him sheepishly, embarrassed.  She did not understand how this was a gift, to have her trust and be entrusted with something of hers.  It was a light burden compared to the weight of her love.  He would carry both willingly.

They set out to look for the willow grove, following close to the river.  She read her scroll as they walked and shared news from their friends and the village with him.

“Hinata’s making sure Naruto eats more vegetables, but they still go out for ramen at least twice a week.”

“That’s an improvement for him.”

She laughed.  He felt good when she laughed, especially when it was in reaction to him.

“Kakashi-sensei wants me to remind you to relax once in a while.  Shikamaru says Sensei’s relaxing too much and wishes he would take his paperwork more seriously, which is rich coming from such a lazy guy.”

“Kakashi’s always been late with things.”

“Yes, but one would think becoming Hokage would’ve helped his task management.  I guess some things just never change.’

“Hn.”

“Tenten sent some new smoke bombs she’s been developing and wants feedback when we use them.  And Lee has a girlfriend!  Aw, she sounds really sweet.  And he sounds serious about her.  I bet they’re really cute together.”

Sasuke thought of the gangly shinobi with his thick eyebrows and green body suit.  The word “cute” did not come to mind.

“Lady Tsunade is pouting about me not being around to help at the hospital, but Shizune says everything is running smoothly.  And look, Tonton even signed the scroll,” she giggled.  To him, it looked like the pig had merely walked across the paper before the ink had dried, smudging some of the characters and leaving ill-formed hoofprints in her wake.

“Captain Yamato says hi.  He’s been working with some of the neighboring lands to figure out a plan to help regrow some of the forests and habitats that were destroyed during the war, but it’s slow going.”

“Trees do take years to grow.”

“I think it’s more the diplomacy that’s tying things up.”

She read the next bit in silence, eyebrows drawing low over her eyes.  From the slant of the writing, he guessed this portion was from her mother.  He had caught glimpses of her previous letters when Sakura pulled them out in camp to write her replies.  He had gotten the impression that she didn’t altogether approve of her daughter’s decision to roam the country with an ex-rogue shinobi, but for the most part she trusted Sakura to make her own decisions.  Sasuke wondered what it was like to shoulder a mother’s disapproval.  His own had died before she could witness his wrong decisions.  He often wondered what she would think of him now.

Suddenly Sakura shrieked, breaking the relative peace of the morning.  Without thinking, Sasuke’s body moved, hand reaching for the sword concealed beneath his cloak, pivoting so he could watch Sakura’s back while his shoulder shielded her front.  His sharingan and rinnegan scanned their surroundings for the threat, whole body tense and on alert.

“Ino’s pregnant!” she shrieked, not yet aware of his reaction.  When she looked up to share her excitement, her breath brushed against his cheek.  “Oh,” she said softly, and the joy on her face changed to surprise.  Her enthusiasm softened.  “Sasuke-kun,” she breathed, and suddenly they were much too close and his senses were much too heightened.  Without a word, he turned away so he could not see her, yet he knew her so well that he could picture what she looked like standing behind him, eyes wide, totally still.  He could feel her understanding, her shame at having worried him, her desire to reach out and know that he was okay.  Even when he wanted her to, she did not, always respecting his boundaries, always waiting.  Waiting.  Was this what Naruto had meant?  They were always stopping before they broke any boundaries, before they moved out of the well-worn circles of friendship into...what?

“I’m sorry, Sasuke-kun.”

He turned to look at her over his shoulder.  She was standing where she had been, but she was relaxed.  She looked at him with a softness that scared him.  It wasn’t pity--never pity--but something deeper and more dangerous.  Understanding.  She could read his very soul, and regardless of the dark there that shadowed him, she loved it.

“It’s fine,” he said, turning away, unable to bear that gaze.  He wanted to tell her not to feel bad, that he was the broken one, always quick to believe in danger, and it was not her responsibility to fix him.  But she already knew, and she wanted to help if she could.  It was another gift she gave him.

“So Ino is pregnant?” he repeated, taking a step forward, ready to move on.  He was reassured when she moved forward with him, walking by his side again and inspecting her scroll.

“Yes!”  The excitement was back in her voice.  “It’s pretty early still, but she’s sure, and Shizune says everything looks right.  She and Sai have only been married a couple of months.  I would’ve thought they’d take more time to settle into marriage, but I probably shouldn’t be surprised.  When Ino wants something, she gets it.  Except you, of course.”

He raised an eyebrow at her.  She was teasing him for his hordes of fangirls in his youth.  He was kind enough not to remind her that she had been one of those fangirls.  He was curious to know who she thought had won in the race to claim him, but she was already talking again.

“I would’ve expected Naruto and Hinata to have a baby on the way by now, since they can’t seem to keep away from each other.  Hinata isn’t one to rush things, though, and Naruto is totally at her mercy.  Oh!  I just realized, that’s all of Team Ten who are expecting.  I bet Ino’s happy about that.”

Sakura continued musing about their friends while Sasuke tried to process the fact that they were starting their own families.  His classmates and comrades were going to be parents.  The idea of his own family, the next generation of Uchiha, worried him.  He was always at war with himself whether to be ashamed or proud of his name.  There were times when he felt the responsibility of defining it and the legacy he wanted to build for the future.  There were days when he thought it might be better to let the name die, but his love for his brother and the love of his friends wouldn’t let him.  Still, he pitied the children he would bring into this world who would bear the burden of his name.

He glanced at Sakura beside him.  She had gone back to reading the scroll to herself, humming absentmindedly.  He wondered how often she thought about her future family and whether she recognized what a burden his name might be for her.  He found himself with a monopoly on her love, but did she understand what a life with him would mean for their children?

Did he dare think of sharing his future family with Sakura?

“Sasuke-kun look!”  Her happy voice broke into his thoughts.  “I bet that’s the willow grove we’re looking for.”

It was a large cluster of trees around a small cove.  The tendrils of leaves brushed along the ground like the hair of giants buried to their shoulders in the earth.  The water swirled quietly in the cove, kissing the roots of a few trees exposed in the riverbank.  It was a peaceful place.

“Come on,” Sakura invited, rolling up her scroll and jogging towards the trees.  He allowed himself to be caught in her wake, following as she disappeared into the curtains of leaves, eager to keep her pink hair in his sight.

There were seven large willows whose branches and trunks were bent and thick with age.  A scattering of younger trees filled in the rest of the grove, though patches of lush grass carpeted the areas where sufficient sunlight managed to dodge their trailing branches.  He watched as Sakura inspected some of the younger trees, ducking between light and shadow to run her fingertips along their trunks and press her nose to the bark.

“Sometimes the bark on the older trees is too tough,” she explained, “but you also have to be careful that the tree you’re harvesting from isn’t underdeveloped.  It has to be able to recover from the shock of losing some of its protective skin.”

He listened attentively, studying her movement as though he were one of her students.  He noted the way she delicately sliced off strips of bark, learning what to look for as she explained how to gauge its medicinal worth.  He studied her technique for applying a type of organic glue and protective mesh to the tree afterwards so it could heal and be protected from infection.  Then he tried his own hand at it, following her instructions with care, attempting to channel her desire to heal and help through his own fingers.  He wanted to do a good job because it would help her.  It would be a tiny way to repay her for all she did to help him.

“Thank you Sasuke-kun, these will be great.”  She smiled warmly as he handed her the bark, carefully rolled and tied into small packets for easy storage and use.  He felt pleased that she approved of his work and slightly relieved that he had managed to not disappoint her.

They had lunch in the willow grove.  They shared some of the fruit Hinata had sent and some dumplings from her parents.  They were quiet as they ate.  Distant birdsong drifted on the breeze, nearly drowned by the quiet whispers of the willow leaves and the hum of the river.

“It’s so peaceful here,” she sighed, weaving together strands of her pink hair so it formed a sort of crown.  He watched her dexterous fingers, amazed at how deftly they worked through her hair, gathering and tucking it neatly.  Then she began pulling apart he bouquet and incorporating the flowers into her crown.  They had been a gift from Ino.  He thought a gift that would fade and die in a few days was in poor taste, but Sakura seemed quite happy with the blooms.  He knew kunoichi often communicated with flowers, but he had never bothered to learn their meanings.

She wasn’t as adept at weaving the flowers through her hair.  He suspected that not being able to see what she was doing posed a challenge for her.  Her eyebrows knit in concentration as she tried to visualize her hair and her hands and the flowers.

“May I?” he asked before he could think it all the way through.  He reached timidly for the flower in her hand, and though she looked surprised, she let him take it.  He wasn’t sure what he thought he could accomplish with only one hand and next to no knowledge of hairstyling.  He was glad she had to sit with her back to him so she wouldn’t see the perplexity shaping his face.

He set to work, trying to be careful not to bruise the delicate petals or undo her hair.  It was tricky to work with his calloused fingers, thicker than her own, but he was committed.  He didn’t want to disappoint her in this, either.  When he finished with one flower, he moved on to the next, incorporating pink orchids, white daisies, and huge pink peonies into the crown.  Her hair was smooth under his fingertips, soft and sleek and beautiful.  He wondered if it was her hair that smelled so sweet or merely the bouquet tangling with his senses.

“I think that’s all I can do,” he admitted after several minutes of diligent work.  She reached her hands up to gently pat at her head, trying to visualize the halo of flowers now framing her face.

“Thank you Sasuke-kun,” she said, turning to him with a bright smile.  Her cheeks were a little pink, probably from excitement.  They matched the flowers.  He wasn’t sure why, but he was struck again by her beauty--sparkling green eyes, sunset pink hair, and soft skin.  She was a flower among flowers, a treasured bloom.

“There are a few left over,” he observed, incapable of holding her gaze, eyes unable to handle the sight of something so special.

“Hm.”  She picked up the two orchids and large white chrysanthemum, twirling the stems thoughtfully in her hands.  Then she reached towards him, and her hands were in his hair.  Sasuke froze, watching her face as she focused on what she was doing, the seriousness of her expression.  It was strange, having someone else messing with her hair.  Strange, but not uncomfortable, because it was Sakura.

“There.”  She sat back on her heels, hands now free of both his hair and the flowers.  He raised his hand to feel the blooms now tucked into his hair.  He couldn’t picture it, but Sakura looked pleased.

“Thanks.”

She hummed happily in reply.

“Now that you’ve got more willow bark, what do you want to do?”

“Can we stay here for the rest of the day?  It’s just so nice here.”

He smiled a little to himself.

“That would be fine.”

It would mean an early day tomorrow to get to their destination on time, but they could afford to relax today.  It was her birthday, after all.

“Thank you, Sasuke-kun,” she said softly.  She leaned back on her arms, closing her eyes and leaning her head back to drink in the early afternoon atmosphere.  There was a wisp of pink hair loose, tickling her cheekbone.  He wondered if he had knocked it loose lacing her updo with flowers, or if it was one of those stubborn bits that didn’t like to cooperate.  He had a cowlick near the back of his head that didn’t like to lay flat.  It was one of the reasons he wore his hair as he did.

He touched the flowers in his hair again.  For the longest time no one had dared touch him without his permission.  And now he was wearing flowers in his hair.  He didn’t even mind.  She had a strange sort of magic over him.  Sakura tended to take his world and dismantle all of its boundaries, and she did it so innocently that it didn’t matter.

“Would you like fish for dinner?”

“Hm?”  She cracked open an eye to look at him.  He gestured to the river.

“I could catch some for dinner tonight.”

“Sure, that’d be nice.  But before you go fishing, I’ll race you to the top of that tree.”

In a blink, she was up and racing to the tallest willow.  Sasuke was a step behind her, grinning.  They had raced to climb trees before, many years ago when they had been younger and more carefree.  She had been way ahead of him and Naruto in chakra control, and he had been much too proud to tell her how impressed he was.  But he had improved a lot since then.

The race soon became a game of tag instead.  They wove between the tree branches, trusting their agility and balance to keep from falling.  Laughter followed them between the trees, along with shrieks and shouts as they dodged some close calls.  They easily could have caught one another if they used some of their jutsus, but they kept it strictly to chakra control and flexibility.  It was like that time when they were genin all over again.  For one afternoon, they had nothing to worry about.  It was merely the sun and the trees and their breaths and each other.  It was marvelous.

And it came to an end with Sakura laughing and gasping for breath, sitting down on the highest safe branch of the tree.

“Truce,” she gasped, straddling the branch and leaning against the trunk.  He nodded and sat near her on the branch, panting and chuckling.  This had been fun, exerting his energy for something other than retribution and missions.  It was refreshing.

They sat there in the treetop, catching their breaths and looking at each other.  A few more tendrils of pink hair had escaped Sakura’s updo, but it had weathered the excitement well.  He wondered if his own flowers had survived.  They simply looked at each other in this moment where the world was stripped away and their worries cast aside.  It was an honest moment between them, no pretences, just the joy of life and each other’s company.

They spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing together.  Sasuke fished, and Sakura wrote letters to their friends back home.  He snuck glances at her lying in the grass on her stomach beside him.  He noted the contours of her back, the curve of her lips, the way she held the brush, the unique way she wrote the characters…  These were the myriad details of Sakura Haruno, and he wanted to know them all intimately.  It was a wonder he had enough focus after studying her to catch fish.

Dinner was pleasant.  He managed to snag a few fish which they grilled over their fire.  They also had some rice leftover from their travel supply, and Sakura gathered a few wild vegetables in the area to round out their meal.  They finished with some sake that Tsunade had sent for her pupil’s birthday.

“Anything else you want to tell Naruto before I send this off?” she asked, completing the final character on her letter to their friend.  He took the brush from her and scrawled a note.  His handwriting looked so much less refined next to hers.  At least it was legible.

“Sasuke,” she groaned when she read what he’d put down.  “‘Stop worrying about me and get your own love life together.’  What do you mean?  He’s already happily married.”

“But they don’t have any kids yet.  You even said how unexpected that was.”

She rolled her eyes and wrapped up the scroll, signaling to Jinsoku.  The hawk had followed them all day and been relaxing in the trees while they went about their business.  She strapped the scrolls she had written into the carrier on its back, stroking its neck and whispering instructions in its ear.   With a mighty flap of its wings, it rose again and flew off into the evening.

Sasuke took another sip of sake.  The grove was as peaceful now as it had been earlier, the crackling of the fire in front of them the only addition to the soft sounds of the leaves and the river.  It really was a lovely place.  He had started noticing and appreciating the landscapes he travelled through when Sakura joined him.  She was always eager to point out some interesting flowers or an awe-inspiring rock formation.  He wondered how much of his new appreciation for their surroundings was due to the new company he was keeping.

He looked at her, skin glowing from the fire, flowers starting to wilt in her hair.  She had made everything better when she decided to join him.  Some things were more challenging, of course, and there were times he was afraid of the love and understanding she held for him.  But everything, everything was better with her around.  And he suddenly, desperately needed her to know that.

“Sakura,” he said softly, and when she turned, he was there, nose mere inches from hers, his hand on her cheek.  It was warm from the fire and the blush creeping onto her face.  He wanted to freeze time here, to take in every detail of her wide eyes and lips parted in surprise, to count every hair that had fallen out of place.  Part of him was also panicking, telling him to pull back, overwhelmed by their proximity.  He could feel her breath on his lips.  He could smell the flowers in her hair.

But Naruto was right.  She had waited long enough.  And Sasuke didn’t want to wait anymore, either.

The kiss was simple and chaste.  It was the press of warm lips, her quick intake of surprised breath through her nose, and the tingle of his fingertips on her skin.  But it was also fire and flood, something new and long-anticipated, the mingling of their worlds and feelings and the intertwining of their souls.  It was natural and frightening.  It was right.

They broke apart after a moment that felt simultaneously like eternity and a mere second.  And suddenly Sasuke felt too close to her again, consumed by the rising panic of having walked to the edge of their usual dynamic and suddenly realizing he had left the habitual boundary far behind.  He had overstepped.  He had ruined what they had.  He turned away.

But he couldn’t, because her hand was on his cheek now, too.

“Sasuke-kun,” she whispered, and he saw her very soul in her eyes.  All of the love she had held in for years, the depth of her understanding, everything that he was to her looked back at him.  She demanded nothing but the truth, and he felt the truth in the contact of their skin and the memory of her lips.  She had broken the boundaries of his world again, and it was okay because she was walking with him towards the new horizon, moving forward at his side.

And Sasuke knew that they would walk together for the rest of their lives.

“Happy birthday, Sakura.”

[darquedeath4444]

Always, Together, Forever

Chapter THIRTEEN

Gaara noticed the slight shift in Sakura's footsteps. They had been walking around for the last half an hour, with the girl saying neither yes or no to each restaurant they passed. He looked up, following her gaze. A ramen stand stood on the opposite street. Now what he focused, Gaara could hear Naruto's loud voice coming from inside. "How about there?" He asked.

Maybe he sounded too eager, for Sakura was quick to nod. "That would be nice." Gaara knew that she had said that simply because he had shown interest, and he thought Sakura knew that too. Still, neither of them said anything as they entered the store.

"Gaara! Sakura-chan!" Naruto's words were muffled by the mouthful of ramen in his mouth. Sasuke glanced between Gaara and Sakura, before looking away. Ami smiled sweetly while Kakashi offered them both an eye smile.

"Naruto." Gaara took a seat in the open chair at the corner. He tugged on Sakura's wrist and after a moment of hesitation, the girl sat on the chair beside his. Gaara picked up the menu, absentmindedly noting that he had never actually eaten ramen before. Maybe Sakura had, seeing that she's been out of Suna several times and her missions sometimes took her to Konoha. Then again, the missions she had that took places in villages were usually accompaniment missions and from what he remembered, Sakura only ever ate what she was offered.

"So, what are you going to get, Gaara?" Naruto asked, leaning over towards him.

Gaara scrunched up his face. "I've never had ramen before."

Naruto gasped, horror filling his eyes. "What?" 

Gaara quickly scanned over the menu, pointing out what first caught his eye.

Naruto grinned. "You have good ramen eyes, Gaara!" He turned to Sakura, who was still sitting on her chair, not looking at anything in particular. "What 'bout you, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura stiffened, glancing slowly up at Gaara, looking at him from between her bangs. Gaara met her gaze and Sakura quickly looked down like she had been burned. Gaara bit his lip. "The same as me, I guess." He trailed off, glancing away.

Naruto blinked, a confused look on his face, like he knew that something had just happened, but he didn't know what it exactly was. "Okay.” He turned towards the man running the store. "Two Tonkotsu Ramen! Actually, make that three!" He called out.

"Coming right up!"

Gaara lifted up the pair of chopsticks placing in front of him by Ayame, then snapped them apart. Sakura, who had been looking at his hands from the corner of her eye, did the same.

Soon, three bowls of ramen had arrived. Naruto took the third bowl, and immediately dug in. Sasuke shook his head in exasperation, leaning away to avoid being splattered by soup. 

Gaara followed Naruto's example, hissing just slightly when the soup was hotter than he had thought. Sakura was instantly glancing him over, looking for an injury, or whatever was the source of his discomfort. Gaara shook her away, indicating towards her bowl of untouched ramen. At Gaara's silent shove, Sakura hesitantly began to eat. Still, she slowed down around halfway through the bowl, looking more and more uncomfortable.

Gaara finally paused in his meal. He was almost done anyways. He glanced at Sakura, who noticed his gaze just from the intensity of it. 

"What..." Gaara trialed off, unsure of how to ask.

"I...I've never eaten so much at once before," Sakura murmured, not meeting his gaze. 

Gaara's gourd popped open, sand slithering out to drag Sakura's bowl away from her. "If you're full, you don't have to eat." He quickly finished his bowl, then started on Sakura's.

Sakura opened her mouth, maybe to stop him, but she did not. Instead, she ducked her head again. "I'm sorry, Gaara-sama. Next time-"

"Next time, you don't have to force yourself so much." Gaara managed to get out, before he clamped down on his own tongue out of embarrassment. He'd never said something like that to Sakura before. Had he said it correctly? Did it come out like an order, which he didn't want?

Sakura glanced down. "My apologies, Gaara-sama."

By the time he was finished, he was more full that what was comfortable, but when he glanced over at Sakura, who had a rare ghost of a smile on her lips, he got a bubbly feeling in his chest that seemed to push his discomfort away.

He decided that he quite liked the feeling.

It was decided that they would leave for Suna in a week. Well, the original plan had been in a day, but things had come up.

Tsunade was interested in Sakura's skills as a medic. The moment she learned that Chiyo had been the one to teach Sakura, she had gotten it into her head that she had to 'teach Sakura her skills too'. Sakura had glanced at Gaara, who had accompanied her to the hospital for her checkup, with well concealed hope.

Well concealed, but he could still see them. Gaara noticed, for the first time, how much Sakura's eyes actually told him. How Sakura betrayed almost nothing, apart from the slight shift in her eyes, before they vanished just as quickly. He could see the way her eyes darkened, already preparing herself for rejection.

At that moment, Gaara saw how much Sakura expected, well, didn't expect, from him.

So he agreed, and the look of pure shock and a hint of happiness Sakura had given him made up for the stern lecture he got from Sasori about how they couldn't impose in Konoha forever.

Gaara had solemnly apologized after Sasori had gotten his part out, something that had surprised Sasori to no end. He had gotten a glimpse of Sakura could have been like, and he wasn't going to take back the close to nothing he had done.

Sakura was often absent during the next week as she was over at the hospital, learning under Tsunade who insisted on teaching her everything with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Sasori had finally folded when Sakura had jumped to Gaara's defense, stating how she wanted to learn under Tsunade, something she would have never dared to voice a few days before, and it was decided. Sakura was to spend the next week training with Tsunade at the Hospital.

This arrangement gave Gaara a lot of time to think, and he used it. Well, he tried to. Whenever he was alone, all he could think of was how Sakura had taken the Chidori meant for him, and had still stood up to try and defend him from Naruto. He clenched his fist, and tried to change his train of thoughts. Instead, he thought back to the time he had spent with Sakura, before...his uncle had betrayed him.

The happiness and the smiles had overwhelmed his mind for a second, and he decided that he wanted to feel like that more often.

Chapter FOURTEEN>

<Chapter TWELVE

Chapter List

[kuriquinn]

Not Too Late

Summary: Sasuke is friendly with her – a friendliness that is simultaneously a relief and torture. Their friendship is as it always was, but she finds she is no longer satisfied by that. [SasuSakuMonth2017 – Day 2– Prompt: “Something More”]

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

Warning(s): Road To Ninja OCness for the characters. So flirty, dreamboat Sasuke and emotionally stunted Sakura :P

Fanon Compliance: Takes place several years after The Flip Side

AN: Again, sorry for the lateness, unpacking is kicking my ass. But I now can see my kitchen table, so yay for small victories! Editing will be done at a later date.

This fic was inspired by Anne of the Island by LM Montgomery (my favourite author growing up!). For some reason, the scene where Anne finally figures out how she feels about Gilbert struck me as being a believable way for RTN Sakura to figure out she’s in love with Charasuke.

The clouds are rolling in, threatening a late summer storm, when Sakura finally sets foot through Konoha’s giant gates. Weary and covered in road dust, she waves at Izumo and Kotetsu, before beginning the long trudge into the centre of the village.

She’s been away for almost a month, teaching a series of seminars on antidotes throughout the five shinobi countries. As the foremost medic in Konoha (after Lady Tsunade, of course, though the Hokage is too busy running the village to make many trips these days), Sakura is in high demand for her poison expertise and field training. Although she’s proud of her skills, and the networking will be a step up when it comes time to put forth her candidacy for Hokage, she can’t help feel exhausted.

This trip felt longer and more stressful – possibly because it’s the first one she’s undertaken alone. Her former teammates are so busy these days with their own pursuits. Menma is often away on missions with ANBU – although he’s sworn to secrecy on the matter, she’s pretty sure that he’s the new ANBU commander – and Kakashi is inspiring the next generation of shinobi at the Academy. As for Sasuke, he’s been taking on more responsibility within Konoha’s military police and among his clan, and so rarely has time to spare.

He doesn’t even have the time to flirt anymore, she thinks with grim humour as she passes by the Uchiha district.

It’s quieter than usual, she notices a beat later; most days it’s bustling with activity even late into the night.

The Uchiha are one of the oldest and most respected clans in Konoha, after all, and are usually at the centre of every village tradition and activity. The atmosphere here was always such a stark contrast to her own quiet upbringing – even more so after her parent’s deaths.

Whenever she and Menma used to come here as genin to pick up Sasuke or visit him on their days off, they always ended up running into someone who needed help around the house or with their chores. His older cousins would tease him good-naturedly, and his little cousins would take along with them, in awe of their status as ninja (even if they were only genin at the time).

Sasuke would complain about it, but both Sakura and Menma could always tell that he secretly loved it. He liked people relying on him, would go out of his way to help his older aunts and uncles, and even got his teammates to help him tend to his mother’s garden.

He was even more dedicated in the years after his brother left.

He’s a good guy, that wheedling voice at the back of Sakura’s head reminds her. He’ll make someone a good partner one day.

But she shrugs away that thought, because she’s made her feelings on that particular subject very clear – both to Sasuke and herself.

Being Hokage is an important job, and demands a lot – she’s seen as much with Tsunade; there’s no way she can dedicate herself to that and a family. Besides, as Hokage she might one day end up in the same position as her parents and have to sacrifice herself for the village. The idea of leaving her child or children to grow up orphaned haunts her; she knows from experience there’s no fate worse.

Besides, there will be no shortage of children to look after in the village, especially with all of her agemates pairing off and starting families.

Ino is engaged to a civilian art expert named Kyoya, and somehow Shikamaru managed to charm the Kazekage’s painfully shy sister over the course of the past few chuunin exams. There’s to be a state wedding in Suna next month before Temari officially relocates to Konoha. Choji just recently returned from a trip to Kumo, a soft-spoken bride in tow – apparently, he didn’t want to deal with the fuss of a big wedding.

And then, of course, there’s Menma.

Sakura recalls how a few months ago, Hinata stalked across the town square and flat-out told him they were getting married. And then he sighed, like it was a huge imposition, but accepted.

It should have been the most painful moment of her life, but all Sakura could feel was happy for her friend. She has long-since grown out of her one-sided crush with the Uzumaki boy (and doesn’t it gnaw at her that Sasuke accurately predicted that!), and despite Hinata’s overbearing nature, they’ve developed a mutual respect.

I guess it’s true that they say – that people change, she muses as she leaves the Uchiha district in her wake.

She considers whether she ought to stop at the Hokage Tower first, or home, and decides on the latter. Her mission wasn’t an urgent one, so there’s no need tor report in immediately. Besides, Suna’s desert is still clinging to her skin and her hair feels stiff with sweat. She needs to bathe before she can in good conscience enter the Hokage’s presence.

ロードトウニンジャ

Sakura takes her time once she’s home, enjoying a long shower and the feel of clean clothes on her skin. She even takes a short nap before heading out into the village; there’s no food in the house, and she doesn’t feel like getting groceries this evening.

As usual she heads for the Yakiniku Q, expecting to have a nice meal and perhaps some conversation. There’s always someone around to chat with – one of the double-edged perks of being the child of heroes, she supposes.

When she arrives, she sees a table at the back where a few of her friends are sitting quietly. It’s another oddity – usually her friends are the loudest in the room – but she chalks it up to the lateness of the day.

“Sakura!” Ino gasps when she sees her. “When did you get back?”

“About an hour ago,” she replies, sliding into an empty space. “Have you all ordered yet?”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Hinata sneers. “Shouldn’t you be at the hospital?”

“I’m not due to start any shifts for another day or two,” Sakura replies, frowning at the animosity. Hinata is never pleasant per se, but she’s stopped being so confrontational since her engagement.

“You…have you spoken to anyone else since you’ve been back?” Neji asks, eyes shifting to Tenten, who shakes her head incrementally.

“No, I haven’t,” Sakura says slowly. “Guys, what’s going on? Why are you all acting so…suspicious?”

“If anyone’s acting suspicious, it’d be you,” Hinata returns. “Then again, maybe it’s just who you are. I knew you were cold, but I’d think you’d be a little more upset that your fall-back guy is dying.”

“Hinata!” Tenten objects, eyes flitting anxiously to Sakura.

It takes about ten seconds for her to understand who exactly the Hyūga heiress is talking about, and five more before the meaning behind her words sink in. Once they do, she can only stare at the pale-eyed girl in disbelief.

“What?” she echoes faintly, feeling the blood drain from her cheeks so fast that she feels dizzy.

“Shut up, Hinata,” Ino says with uncharacteristic sharpness. She regards Sakura with the air of someone preparing to diffuse an explosive tag. “Sakura, don’t look like that, it’s – Sakura, do you hear me?!”

“You shouldn’t have told her so suddenly, Neji chides his cousin, who crosses her arms unrepentantly.

“She’s strong enough to take it. You beating around the bush wasn’t doing her any favours.”

“Is it…is it true?” Sakura asks her best friend in a voice that doesn’t sound like hers. “Is Sasuke…?”

“He’s very ill,” Ino confirms gravely. “He got sick about a day or so after you left on your mission.”

Almost a month ago!

“I’m surprised Lady Tsunade didn’t mention it to you when you got back,” Neji remarks.

“I…I just went straight home,” Sakura explains faintly. Her decision to luxuriate in the shower and nap suddenly seem ridiculous and selfish in the face of this new reality. “What’s wrong with him?”

“We don’t know,” Ino says. “Whatever it is, it’s bad enough that his parents brought him to the hospital. The healers don’t – Sakura, please don’t make that face!” Because if the Uchiha, who tend to have their own private family healers see to their needs, brought Sasuke to the hospital, it has to be serious. “He’s strong – you know how strong Sasuke is. He’ll pull through.”

“Shizune was here earlier and she figures there’s no hope,” Hinata remarks, taking a sip of sake.

Ino’s jaw sets, and in a move that is utterly uncharacteristic of her, she promptly marches the Hyūga girl away before Sakura throws a punch at her.

Not that she is at all in the mind frame to do so, because she is still struggling to make sense of what all this means.

“Don’t worry, Sakura,” Neji tells her, resting comforting hand on her shoulder. “Sasuke is Uchiha. They have strong constitutions. I have no doubt that he will pull through.”

But she doesn’t miss the slight waver in his voice, as if he isn’t sure what he’s saying is completely true.

Numb, Sakura shrugs off his hand and stands to leave. She barely hears her friends worriedly call her name as she steps out into the street, staring unseeingly ahead of herself.

The rain has started in earnest since she went inside and now beats down in sheets. Passersby sprint through the road, trying to find shelter, but she barely feels the water on her skin. The air throbs with energy, vibrating with the thunder, and three blocks away, Sasuke Uchiha lies dying. 

“Don’t be such an idiot.”

“You’re so annoying.”

“If you spent as much time on your jutsus as you do on flirting, you’d be better than Menma.”

“Why would I go on a date with you, you playboy?”

She remembers every single time she told him to leave her alone, or wished he would move on and get out of her life. Now that he might just do that, Sakura realises that it would be like cutting out a vital organ.

She begins to run.

ロードトウニンジャ

“What’s wrong with him?” Sakura demands as she bursts into the Critical Care ward, not bothering with a greeting.

“S-Sakura-sensei, you’re not supposed to –!”

 “Symptoms, Ando, or don’t bother speaking,” she barks.

“P-patient presented with…with shortness of breath and coughing,” her intern stammers. “Within a day it transitioned into full-fledged hemoptysis, resulting in the family admitting him to Critical Care. He’s required constant monitoring and daily healing sessions to keep his lungs clear.”

“Anything else?”

“I’m really not supposed to –”

“Then don’t – pass me his chart! He’s dying and you’re wasting my time with red tape!” she snarls, grabbing the clipboard from the flustered teenager and storming down the hallway to the wing where the patients dying of terminal diseases are housed.

The fact that Sasuke has been placed there makes her want to vomit.

Upon turning the corner, she finds her way blocked by two familiar figures. Kakashi and Menma are like two pillars against the doors, both of them looking a little pale as she marches toward them.

“You can’t go in there, Sakura,” Kakashi tells her as she gets within arms reach; his usual exuberance has disappeared, replaced with a sombreness that matches Gai’s.

“The hell I can’t,” she growls. “Move before I make you move.”

“It’s Lady Tsunade’s orders,” Menma tells her. “You’re not permitted to treat a loved one, Sakura, you know that. It’s hospital policy and standard in the four laws of medical ninjutsu.”

“I am the student of the Sannin Tsunade,” Sakura bites out, thumbing at the seal on her forehead, “and I am exempt from those laws.”

“Not today, you aren’t,” Menma maintains. “If you step foot in that ward, Tsunade will stop treating him and restrain you herself. Are you willing to gamble with your friend’s life just to feel useful?”

His words cut a chink into the desperate fury that has been driving her since she left the restaurant.

Under the empathetic eyes of her friends, Sakura is forced to make a difficult decision: either stay here, useless, and let Tsunade do her best to heal Sasuke, or kick up a fuss and delay him getting the treatment he deserves.

She swallows a painful lump in her throat.

It’s really no choice at all.

Her shoulders slump and she lets Kakashi guide her out of the Critical Care ward and into the general waiting room. 

She spends the rest of the night pacing every other hallways and demanding news from the nurses, until Lady Tsunade sends Shizune out and tells her she will be drugged and sent home if she doesn’t stop. After that she adopts a lone window that looks out onto the Critical Care ward across the courtyard and waits, trying not to imagine the horrors that could be happening over there right then.

That Sasuke’s died, or that the damage to his body is irreversible.

Her vigil lasts the night, through hours of the storm raging outside and the darkness that threatens to consume her. Kakashi and Menma come and go in the background, trying to tempt her to go home and sleep or eat something, but she ignores them, refusing to acknowledge anyone unless it’s someone with news of Sasuke.

Because Sakura has come to a bitter, belated revelation: that she is in love with Sasuke Uchiha. That she has always been in love with him, and she knows that now.

Her knowledge comes too late, because now she might not even get the chance to tell him. She has been so blind and foolish, so focussed on becoming something worth her deceased parents’ pride and trying to impress the one man who would never see her as more than a sister that she wasted their time.

Tsunade is right: Sakura shouldn’t be anywhere near him right now. She doesn’t deserve to be near him.

But…but if he dies…he’ll go without ever knowing how I feel. He’ll die thinking I don’t return his feelings and then…

And then she’ll be left without him.

Instantly, Sakura can see it – years and years of emptiness stretching out in front of her, all of her other dreams and ambitions fulfilled, but pale and colourless shadows of what she hoped for. Hollow, because there will be no one to share it with.

She presses her head against the cool window, feeling the vibrations of the raindrops on the other side of the pane, and for the first time since she lost her parents, she wishes she could die too. If Sasuke leaves her, if he dies without a word or sign or message between them, she won’t make it. Nothing has any value without him.

She belongs to him and he to her, and he’s always known that and she always insisted it wasn’t true.

The storm rages all the rest of the night and into the morning, the winds and thunder seeming to keep time with her pacing. Only as the heavy raindrops fade away and Sakura can’t take one more moment of sitting uselessly in the waiting room does she hail one of the nurses.

“Have you heard anything about Sasuke Uchiha this morning?” she asks, forcing her voice to remain steady and professional.

Under normal circumstances the staff aren’t allowed to share information with anyone that isn’t family, but everyone here knows Sakura and her desperation is clear on her face.

“The last I heard, he’s better,” the nurse says. “Lady Tsunade pulled him through the worst of it about half an hour ago. I heard her tell Lady Shizune that he’s going to make a full recovery.”

“And they’ve…they’ve figured out what was wrong with him?”

“Yes. Some underlying genetic condition, I believe. Once Lady Tsunade figured it out, she was able to heal the cause – oh! Lady Sakura, what’s wrong?”

Stunned and thankful, Sakura has burst into relieved tears and flees the hospital.

ロードトウニンジャ

In the wake of Sasuke’s recovery, Sakura avoids going to see him.

Menma and Kakashi press her on it, but she can’t properly explain to them what the problem is; eventually they give up trying, but she sees their judgemental looks and knows she deserves them.

How is she supposed to explain that she’s afraid to face Sasuke? His family were by his side through his sickness, while she was off pursuing her own interests for a month. No one thought to inform her of his condition, because she made it utterly clear how she felt – or didn’t feel – about him, and it was only when he was dying that she let go of her stubbornness and accepted her feelings for him.

That after everything, she hardly deserves to be his friend, let alone to love him. Even if she still has his friendship, she has no idea what to say.

The self-flagellation continues unendingly for a while, even days after Sasuke is up and about. Hinata holds a party one night to celebrate his recovery (and also to apologise for her lack of tact when she told Sakura about it), and they run into each other there. They make easy conversation, exchange pleasantries and then Sakura makes an excuse that she has to work.

For the first time in their lives, Sasuke doesn’t bother to flirt with her, and she tosses and turns in bed that night thinking what that means.

A week later he comes to see her at the hospital.

“There’s a familiar sight,” he remarks, taking note of her hunched over several charts.

Sakura jumps and stares up at him, her cheeks warming both at the sight of him and being caught unawares. “S-Sasuke! What are you doing here?”

“My final check-up was today,” he says, speaking to her in the same easy tone as he always did. “As soon as I get the okay, I’m headed to the training grounds.” He pauses, and then with the same comradely grin as always, suggests, “You want to come along? It’s been a while since we sparred, and I think Menma’s picking out china patterns or something.”

Sakura looks at him rather blankly.

“I wish I could,” she says slowly, “but I can’t. There’s a viral epidemic two towns over, and Lady Tsunade has me watching vaccine samples all night. There’s no way I can get away.” She bites her lips and offers him an apologetic glance beneath her lashes. “I’m really sorry. I’d actually love to go with you.”

“What about tomorrow afternoon then, after you’ve gotten some sleep?” Sasuke asks, apparently not put-off by her refusal.

There’s a beat of hesitation, but Sakura musters a smile. “That works for me.”

Their eyes meet for a beat longer, and then she looks away.

“I’ll be back tomorrow, then,” Sasuke states. He pauses, and then adds, “Don’t work too hard tonight, or you’ll be too tired.”

He leaves before she can think of a response.

Sakura looks after him as he goes away and sighs, throwing down her pen.

Sasuke is friendly with her – a friendliness that is simultaneously a relief and torture. Their friendship is as it always was, but she finds she is no longer satisfied by that.

She wants more than his friendship, but also more than the cheap rose of a momentary fling. Without his usual one-liners or appraising looks, she can’t tell if he’s finally moved on or is just better at hiding it. She  worries that maybe he no longer feels anything for but friendship, and wonders if all her years of rejecting him have finally taken.

Sakura groans and presses her palms to her eyes.

“This is ridiculous,” she says out loud to now one. Within barely a fortnight, true love has reduced to one of those insecure girls that obsesses over a man. “I’m not doing this. I just need to…to get over it.”

If Sasuke can apparently get over her so easily, she’ll figure out how to do the same. By throwing herself into her work, if she has to. Success and ambition will have to take the place of love, and she tries to comfort herself by the fact that she’ll do great, noble work as Hokage one day, especially without having to worry about her own heart.

Unsurprisingly, she doesn’t believe herself.

ロードトウニンジャ

When Sasuke comes to pick her up from her house the next afternoon, she takes more care than she ever has with her appearance. She knows they’re only going to train, but something in her wants him to notice her as a woman – perhaps flirt with her the way he used to.

They take the long way to the training grounds, passing through the forested paths where the trees are just beginning to change their colours.

“It’s been a while since I came this way,” Sakura says, only to fill the silence between them that falls just short of companionable.

“Me too,” Sasuke says. “I think I only ever used this way because it took longer to get to the training grounds.”

“And we still always got there before Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura agrees. “Because he always had some kind of life-or-death competition with Gai-sensei that he had to finish before training.”

“Remember our first battle as a team?”

“Yes! You passed out, I got thrown into the pond and Menma ended up buried up to his head in the ground.”

“That was still less embarrassing than having to introduce ourselves,” he says.

“That’s right! You talked for ten minutes straight about your tomato garden and how much you liked salad!”

“And Menma had that huge speech about how it was his duty to repopulate the Uzumaki clan throughout the five shinobi nations,” Sasuke remembers, shuddering. “And then Kakashi figured that was a prime teaching opportunity and gave us the sex-talk.”

“That was mortifying!”

“Speak for yourself, you didn’t have him follow you home to assure your parents that he had “dutifully ensured their son would be responsible in all matters of a sexual nature”,” Sasuke says, rolling his eyes. Then he winces and says, “Sorry.”

“No, it’s…it’s alright.”

They are quiet again.

“You were always so strong in the face of that,” Sasuke says after a while. “I don’t even know what I would do without my family, but you…it just made you stronger. Even back then, you dreamed of becoming Hokage to make them proud or die trying.”

“Well…that last part of the dream has changed,” she says lightly. “Most dreams do, over time.”

“And some don’t,” he says seriously, something resolute entering his voice. He stops walking, and Sakura is forced to do the same, staring up at him in surprise. “Things haven’t changed for me – not really. There’s something – someone – I’ve always wanted, even from back then. Maybe it was always a dream, but I’m going to keep wanting it, even if it can’t come true.”

Sakura opens her mouth to speak, but the words get stuck somewhere in her throat. It’s as if she’s been struck dumb with disbelief and a mounting terror that if she speaks she’ll break the spell of what’s happening.

“I want my family to be whole,” Sasuke continues. “I want my brother back. I want my parents to grow old surrounded by grandchildren. I want my wife to be the woman I love until I die.” He peers at her intently. “In that dream, my wife is you.” Sakura barely has a chance to acknowledge the burgeoning feeling of happiness, when he takes her hands in his. “I know I said I’d wait for you, but I’ve been thinking it over. And perhaps it’s not waiting that’s the problem. Perhaps I’ve been asking you the wrong thing all these years. I’ve been asking you out on dates, when I should have been asking you to marry me.”

Marry?!

“And so…” he takes a deep breath, vulnerability crossing his features for the first time since he started speaking, “if I ask you differently today – if I ask you if you want to spend the rest of our lives together – will you give me a different answer?”

She still can’t speak – her brain is stubbornly stalled somewhere around the word ‘love’. Instead, she lifts her eyes and gazes into his for a long moment, trying to convey her answer - nstead, she lifts her eyes and gazes into his for a long moment, trying to convey her answer – yes, yes! A million times yes, you annoying man! – and he seems to understand, because he breaks into a breathtaking smile.

And then she can’t to much else but grab him by the lapels of his shirt and drag his lips down to her own.

He makes a noise of surprise, but a beat later realises what’s happening, and then his arms are around her, pulling her in closer to him. His mouth is unexpectedly soft against her own, but it becomes harder and more demanding as the kiss deepens.

Eventually they pull away from each other, and Sasuke stares down at her, breathless.

“Is that a ‘yes’?’ he pants.

“It’s an ‘I love you’, you annoying man.”

His eyes soften. “I love you.”

She blushes and hides her face in his chest.

“I don’t understand how you could keep loving me after all this time when I’ve been such an idiot,” she says, hoping that her words are lost in the fabric of his shirt.

“I tried to stop,” he says, causing her to pull away and stare up at him in anguish. “Not because you’re an idiot – you’re not – but because it’s hard to compete with someone like Menma.”

“You’ve competed with him your whole life.”

“Yeah, on arenas where we were evenly matched. When it came to your affections, he already had them without even trying.”

“I got over Menma.”

“I know that. But I still figured I needed to give you time after he and Hinata became engaged. He was your first love, after all. If I approached you right after, it would have felt like I was rubbing it in your face,” he explains reasonably. “And I…didn’t want to be your rebound.”

“You are not my rebound,” she tells him fiercely. “And Menma was no my first love.”

He cocks his head to one-side, inquisitive.

“You were,” she says, looking away and feeling her cheeks redden. “But then one day you showed up and started handing out roses to every pretty girl within a ten foot radius and I decided I didn’t want to be just another one of your admirers.”

He stares.

“Sakura, that was before we were genin even. You already…?”

She crosses her arms, defensive, cheeks red.

To her surprise, Sasuke groans and slaps himself in the forehead. “I’m a moron.”

“A bit, yeah.”

“And here I though I needed to do something dramatic like almost die to get you to accept your feelings for me, when you already had them!”

Sakura shudders.

“Don’t joke about that,” she begs, “It’s too soon.”

Sasuke sobers. “When I was sick, Tsunade told me about how you reacted. She said you almost took out Kakashi and Menma to get to me. You’d be amazed how determined I was to get better after that.”

She smiles wanly at that and shivers.

“I’ll never forget thinking you were going to die,” she whispers. “I knew right then. It was like the world shifted. I knew and…and I thought it was too late. I thought I would lose you and have to pay for my mistake by being alone forever.”

Sasuke’s eyes soften and he pulls her close, cradling her protectively in his arms. They stand like that for longer than Sakura knows, though she doesn’t care. If he wanted to stay like this forever, she would agree without hesitation.

Except he doesn’t, because he pulls away.

“Let’s make an agreement,” he suggests. “No more waiting.”

“huh?”

“We’ll tell my parents tonight and get married as soon as we can find someone to perform the ceremony,” he goes on. “And you’ll move in with me and my family, and then you’ll never have to be alone again.”

“Move in with your…Sasuke…that’s a bit…soon,” she protests weakly. “Besides, what if they’re no…alright with…with me?”

“You know my mother loves you. And my father respects you, which he’d say is more important than liking you, but he’ll learn to. If by some fluke they disapprove, we’ll just elope.”

“They’ll disown you!”

“So what? That just means they’ll have two disowned sons. It might give them the motivation they need to accept Itachi back home,” he snorts.

“Sasuke!”

“Besides, it’s occurred to me that there’s never been an Uchiha Hokage,” he continues with the air of someone musing one of life’s greatest mysteries. “No one in my family will have a problem with my wife once you succeeds Tsunade.”

Sakura blushes darkly. “I haven’t even officially said ‘yes’ yet.”

Something dark enters Sasuke’s eyes.

“I guess I’ll have to keep convincing you then,” he tells her, and then his lips are on hers again.

She decides she likes his form of persuasion.

終わり

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