#ssfestday2

[sasusakufestival]

Her Own Knight in Shining Armor

Author: meemzdisaster

Summary: (Cannon – Blank Period) Where Sasuke tries to surprise her but ends up being the victim of Sakura’s temper.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Prompt: SasuSakuFest Day 2 – Insecurity

Comments: Enjoy! This is the first time I’ve written something during the Blank Period. It got a bit too long, and I got a bit too tired… Regardless, I hope you enjoy. This is my first writing a fighting scene so apologies for not being super creative ~ Can you tell I didn’t proof read? lol.

It has been almost a year and a half since the Fourth Shinobi War, and it is a time of peace. Villages are being rebuilt, and advancements in many different areas are being made. It is also the first time since the war that Sakura has ventured so far from her home village.

She walks down the busy street holding groceries. Her tied up hair flows with the breeze of wind as Sakura walks towards the apartment given to her by the town.

The lock on her door clicks, and she steps inside not bothering to turn on the light as the sun is still high up in the sky. Slipping off her sandals, she walks over to the kitchen and places her groceries accordingly. The eerie silence unnerves Sakura. In Konoha, she is used to Naruto’s loud voice telling her to go eat at Ichiraku or Ino nagging her about a girl’s night out because she hasn’t gone to one in so long.

It has been a while since she has felt this way – since Naruto left for his training with Jiraiya and Sasuke abandon the village. She can’t help but miss them and her own village.

Sakura shakes off the feeling of abandonment and walks over to her paper scattered desk. She picks up the two unopened letters on her desk with her right hand, and release her pony tail, letting it fall to the middle of her back in pearl pink cascade.

The corner of her lips curl upwards as she realizes they were letters from Ino and Naruto. The excitement in her eyes grows as she reads Ino’s letter. Giggles fills the quiet room as she reads about her best friend’s relationship with her teammate. Of course it is bound to be full of frustration as Sai never has any idea of what he’s doing, and Ino’s expectations are beyond life itself.

Throwing Ino’s letter to the side, Sakura grabs Naruto’s letter while undoing her headband. The messy scrawls on the page brought a smile on her face, as she leans back against her pillows to enjoy Naruto’s lengthy letter.

Anyways! Sasuke is still travelling – I think he’s near the Cloud Village right now. Apparently he’s tracking down some messy …

Sakura frowns at the mention of Sasuke in Naruto’s letter.

So he replied to Naruto, huh?

Her green eyes focus on the stack of papers on her desk – some empty, some are drafts of her letters to Sasuke. She has mailed four or five letters so far but has yet to receive anything back.

I thought he was busy…

But Sakura was used to this – used this his lack of response. Back in Konoha, she heard about his journey through Naruto. She couldn’t help but raise her hands to touch her forehead, where her seal is – the same place that Sasuke had tapped when he left and made a promise.

Suddenly, irritation replaces the feelings of insecurity that blanketed her for a moment. She decides, that instead of writing another letter to Sasuke, she is going to go release her anger on the forest surrounding the town. After all, becoming rusty isn’t on top of her priority list.  

…

Fallen trees scatter around the forest, some in the craters Sakura created. Panting lightly, she stands up straight to admire her destruction.

And just as she is about to call it a day, she senses strong bodies of chakra moving towards her. These chakra bodies can mean a lot of different things – allies or foes. But to be safe, she decides to make her way towards the direction of the town.

Sakura initially picked a location quite remote and far away from the town to not cause any disturbances – but now that she was within a couple of kilometers of the town, she noticed that the ninjas were still on her tail.

Not wanting to bring any unnecessary conflicts into the town, she decides to stand in the clear to confront those who seem like they are following her. It appears as she made the right choice as the ninjas lunge towards in multiple different directions.

“Get her!”

“Use her as hostage!”

“Tch,” a growl erupts from her. Nothing makes her more angry than those who just assume she cannot fend for herself.

As the ninjas charge at her to follow their leaders command, she engages them with hand to hand combat. She leaves a handful of the ninjas pummeled into the ground. And she continues to fight against her multiple opponents – still clearly having the upper hand even though she is out numbered. But one thing still confuses her – there is one source of chakra missing.

Maybe hiding…? Running away?

Still fighting, she turns her focus locate the last body of chakra, sensing that it is stagnant. But she didn’t keep track of the fallen ninjas – not enough to realize one of them has been able to stand up to rejoin the fight.

Almost immediately after sending another ninja flying, she feels her head being yanked back and the strands of her hair tight.

Determined not to be defeated because of her hair, she quickly pulls out the kunai from her pouch and flings her hand towards her hair in an attempt to cut it. Only it never is able reached her hair.  

She turns around immediately, only to see a tall male in a black cloak sporting a hair shape like the duck’s ass Naruto always taunted and the perpetrator who grabbed her hair landing on the ground with a dull thud.

She takes to steps backwards.

“Sa-Sasuke-kun!?”

The male turns to face her, and she gapes at the male she hasn’t seen in a year – one who never seems to reply to her messages but only to Naruto’s. He doesn’t look much different – he grew his hair out to cover the eye that holds the Rinnegan.

“Sakura.”

Sakura felt a surge of mixed feelings entering and leaving her – happiness, confusion, irritation, tiredness, and anger. She decided to let out the one she felt more appropriate at the time – given everything Sasuke had put her through.

“What the fuck, Sasuke?”

Her left leg raises with her voice, and it stomps at the last syllable of his name creating cracks under her foot. Sasuke’s one visible eye widens comically – and if she isn’t so damn pissed, she might have laughed or at the very least comment on it – and he takes a step backwards from the pink haired girl.

The distance he tried to put between is futile as she marches right up to him, grabbing him by the collar of his cloak. His hand instinctively grabs onto one of Sakura’s tiny wrists, out of pure fear because he knows just what kind of destruction and pain she can inflict – though never from first hand experience. That is, possibly, until today.

This situation is quite comical, really.

“Did you seriously just stand there while I fought off your opponents!?”

“Aa…”

Her left eye twitches at his infamous one-word response. Sure, she wanted their meeting after so long to be a bit more romantic than this but, really….

Her eyes turn a dark shade of green from anger; a face he is familiar because he often sees this when she is about to give Naruto a beating of his life for his stupid actions. His prediction is correct as he sees Sakura releases her left hand and opt for a clenched fist aimed directly at him.

But before she can pull back and release her signature punch, his hand slips from from her wrist to the back of her head. And suddenly, Sasuke’s face is getting closer and closer to her until their lips touch. But only so lightly.

He pulls away before she can fully comprehend what happened. But her lips tingle, and she just know that Uchiha Sasuke kissed her. Her eyes lock on his face, but he refuses to meet her glance. Instead, he opts to look to the side.

“I was on my way to see you…”

Touching her lips, astounded by what just happened, she can only give a half hearted glare at him, “That really doesn’t make anything better…”

“Hn…”

And again, she is brought back into his embrace.

[sasusakufestival]

Miso Soup Everyday

Summary: This is supposed to be a certainty – the one sure thing in his entire life. Yet he can’t fight the same mounting apprehension he experiences when crossing into a dimension he’s never visited before. [SasuSaku Festival 2017 – Day 2 – Prompt: “Insecurity”]

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 incinerated by a giant fireball should you be found plagiarizing.

Warning: Spoilers for pretty much everything up to Chapter 699.

Canon-Compliance: As close to canon as fanfiction can possibly be. With a few personal additions :P Takes place during the Blank Period.

Fanon-Compliance: Takes place several years before An Inch of Gold and Unplanned.

Beta Reader: Sakura’s Unicorn

User: kuriquinn 

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Honestly, it’s a bit of a role reversal.

When they were children, Sasuke was the aloof one – cool and confident, perpetually at ease in his role as the storied prodigy of Konoha. He was the genius of Team Seven, overshadowing Sakura’s presence as if she was no more than an afterthought. Between his rivalry with Naruto and the attention Kakashi lavished upon him, it was all too easy to consider Sakura as a barely requisite third wheel. Insecure and needy, she trailed after him like a puppy.

That’s no longer true.

These days, it’s Naruto and Sakura that are beacons of hope in the community, the heroes that little children crowd excitedly around when they walk through the streets. Sasuke is the one people don’t think of – or rather, prefer not to think of. The third wheel of the new generation of Sannin, whose reputation is maintained only by his connection to the other two.

He might’ve helped to save the planet, but it’s Sakura’s name that opens doors.

And if that doesn’t work, her fist splinters them.

Since returning to Konoha, Sasuke has noticed the whispers and stares that follow them when they walk together. Initially, he thought the behaviour was directed at him – judgement on his past deeds and the dark legacy that will hound him until he dies – except the general tone of the whispers is usually deferential. He knows from years of wandering that people are more likely to avert their eyes than risk his attention. However, it’s Sakura to whom they look; it’s she who holds the admiration of every inhabitant of the growing city.

What’s surprising about it, though, is how much he doesn’t mind. As a child, the idea of being second to anyone was unacceptable, especially in comparison to his teammates. Naruto because he was the village screw-up and Sakura because – back then – she was just support. An admirer to cheer on his successes and, in the early days of their team, to highlight just how much Naruto was beneath both their skill level.

It’s all different now.

Sakura is the one who stayed here, working hard to earn the respect and awe of the village. These days she walks confidently in the sun, while Sasuke is content to watch her from the shadows.

It’s actually ironic.

In three short years, a civilian-born girl with no bloodline talent to speak of has achieved more widespread respect than the Uchiha clan did in three generations. He wonders – especially today – what his parents would’ve made of Sakura. He likes to think they would have approved.

Father would’ve been terse and silent, but even he wouldn’t be able to deny her incredible talent. Mother would warm to her instantly, because her temperament was rather similar. And his brother…

Sasuke can’t help a rueful, bitter smile at this. Itachi would’ve probably figured out Sasuke’s feelings for her before Sasuke himself did.

He’s aware enough of his shortcomings these days that the admission comes easily. He understands that he’s cared for Sakura since their Academy days—lack of natural talent aside, she intrigued him, even if he didn’t show it. Humans are visual creatures, and her hair alone meant he couldn’t pretend she didn’t exist the way he could with other kids. On top of that, she was intelligent enough to beat him on every written test, though she never sought to compete with him.

This, too, is ironic. Perhaps if she had approached him as a potential rival, he would’ve seen her value earlier on.

Instead, his childhood memories of Sakura are of a pretty, shallow, yet kind girl trailing behind him. Even then, she had a remarkable tenacity and dedication, bringing him Valentine’s Day gifts every year and patiently enduring his constant rebuffs. Sasuke didn’t even realise until much later – until that last fight with Naruto – that with every passing year, another chunk of his heart fell into her waiting palm.

Knowing that should make all of this easier, but it doesn’t.

He’s had nightmares since the end of the war; dreams which take up the space in his head where revenge was once so prominent. Most often, they are of that day long ago when he almost snuffed out her life. Sometimes, Sasuke still feels the phantom heat of the electricity in his palms, can still see her back bared to him as he moves closer…

He knows now that if he’d landed that blow, he wouldn’t have survived the war.

As mad with grief and rage as he was, having Sakura’s blood on his hands would’ve shattered his already damaged psyche beyond repair. Losing his brother coupled with the truths about Itachi’s life had thrown him off the deep end; responsibility for Sakura’s death would have kept Sasuke there.

He doubts she realises this, even though they’ve spent more time together since his return—partaking in quiet dinners, long walks when her schedule allows for it, or the rare sparring match that leaves him bruised but proud. She doesn’t ask him why he’s around so often, or allude in any way how she feels for him.

If she still feels for him.

She as good as told him in her letters that she was tired of waiting. Likely, it’s too late for anything, regardless of his belated hopes. And yet despite this, Sasuke has been vacillating about the matter since he came back to Konoha.

Until today.

At least he hopes.

It’s become habit to pass by the clinic to pick Sakura up after work. She falls into step with him with more ease than she ever did when they were young.

Sometimes, they just meander through the town while she chats about her day. Sometimes, they find an out-of-the-way restaurant to get a bite to eat. Sometimes, he just walks her home.  

Today, though, he leads them along the river toward the lake. They’ve walked this way before, but he’s never led her down the embankment. She doesn’t ask where they’re going which he takes as encouragement.

The dock where he spent so much time alone as a child looks almost exactly as it did then. The wood is slightly warped, causing it to tilt downward toward the lake somewhat, but it’s still sturdy. There are burn marks on the edges from lessons long ago. He stares at them for a while, allowing memories to take him out of the present for a few moments. Beside him, Sakura is still as well, but it’s a comfortable quiet.

Now that they are older, she is more intuitive about his reticence.

As children, she would talk his ear off as if terminally afraid of a drawn-out silence, filling it by any means. While sometimes he appreciated this because it saved him the effort of having to maintain a conversation (especially when they were around other people), most of the time, he just wanted her to leave him to brood in peace.

These days, whether it’s because of her own experiences in the war or her work with those who have suffered its effects, she knows exactly when to just linger quietly. And, as usual, he appreciates her waiting for him to open the conversation.

It takes a little more effort today to find a way to start.

“This where I learned to perform Katon,” he tells her finally, his voice even despite the way his stomach spasms with nerves.

“Oh?” she inquires and, out of the corner of his eye, he sees her look up at him, surprise and curiosity passing across her features. He seldom, if ever, talks about the past; even more rarely does he speak of the time before they were genin.

Sasuke nods, staring out across the calm waters.

“My father taught me. It was the only thing he was able to show me before he…died.”  

Even so many years later, the pain is still as raw as it was the day of the massacre. The blinding rage is gone now, however. When he notices small, strong fingers tentatively wrap around his right hand and give a brief, reassuring squeeze, his instinct is to return the gesture instead of pulling away.

“The technique was created by the Uchiha clan,” he goes on, sticking to facts because this is what he knows for sure. Facts are unchangeable, not hinging on chance and sentiment. “My family honed it over the years and even though others have learned to master it, they could never achieve the exact effect that we could.”

He perceives her nod at this, but senses confusion at why he is bringing this up right now. She won’t ask, though, intuitively accepting that he has some purpose. Not for the first time does he think she trusts him far too much than he deserves – far more than he even trusts himself.

But today there is a purpose, and if he could just ignore the nagging doubts at the back of his mind, he might be able to get to it. This is supposed to be a certainty – the one sure thing in his entire life. Yet he can’t fight the same mounting apprehension he experiences when crossing into a dimension he’s never visited before.

“Would you like me to teach you?” he asks, inwardly cringing at how tentative he sounds despite his efforts to be casual.

Luckily, Sakura is too caught off-guard to notice. “You’ve never asked me that before.”

“I’ve never recognised the opportunity,” he admits. Too blinded by rage and revenge, it never occurred to him as a kid that the teammates he considered dead weight might improve faster if he helped them.

Sakura knows this too, and doesn’t argue the point. Instead, she says, “I’m not a fire type, though.”

“That shouldn’t stop the apprentice of Tsunade Senju.”

Sakura scoffs. “That sounds like a challenge.”

“Hm.”

“All right, pretty boy, you’ve got it,” Sakura declares, making a show of rolling up her sleeves and facing the lake. “Stand back and watch me! Shannaro!” She flexes her fingers, preparing to form the requisite hand seals, and then glances back, a ghost of doubt on her face. “Um…any pointers?”

Sasuke’s mouth twitches at this.

In the end, he gives her a demonstration and the same advice his father offered.  She masters the technique faster than he did. Not on the first try, like Itachi, but within hours. He puts that down to her excellent chakra control and the fact that, as a jōnin, learning to master new techniques quickly is a prerequisite. There’s a huge difference between her abilities and those of a seven-year-old with self-esteem issues.

Thanks to her instant healing abilities, there’s no obvious signs of damage – her cheeks aren’t burned and her lips aren’t chapped from the flame. But the tips of her hair are singed a little and her skin is rosy from the heat.

After expelling the last fireball, Sakura coughs, smoke wafting briefly from mouth and nostrils, but when it dissipates, her eyes are dancing.

“How’s that?” she challenges, hands on her hips and chin jutted out.

Sasuke smirks. “As expected.”

“Oh, come on. That was amazing and you know it – mine might even be better than yours!”

“Don’t push it.”

She laughs at that.

“I think I burnt my tongue; my taste buds aren’t going to work properly for a week!” Her face becomes inquisitive. “What’s the occasion, though? Or did you really just want to avoid another gourmet dinner at Ichiraku’s with Naruto?”

As Sasuke has come to expect from her, Sakura provides him with an out. He’s not entirely sure how long she’s been doing that or whether it’s intentional, but he appreciates it all the same.

Even if today, he will not make use of it.

“That’s an extra benefit,” he allows, earning an amused, somewhat conspiratorial grin. He pauses again, momentarily at loss of how to say what he needs to say. Eyes trained on the surface of the lake, he steels himself and continues.  “This technique…in my family, it’s a right of passage.”

He lets that sink in.

“Oh, yeah. I think you mentioned that once,” she says thoughtfully. “Or Kakashi-sensei said it. It’s like a coming-of-age tradition, right?”

“Hm,” he affirms and, trying to lace his words with meaning, confides, “It’s only passed on by close family members.”

“Right. That’s why your father taught you. It’s such a nice tradition.”

Sasuke winces inwardly because she clearly doesn’t understand what he’s trying to say. It’s not a failing on her part, either, but his own inability to properly articulate the point. The words are there, but for some reason, they die somewhere between throat and lips. Demons and malevolent gods he can take, but this five-foot-four woman with pink hair makes Sasuke nervous. And it’s not because she can crush his skull with her little finger, either.

“Until one can perform the jutsu properly, one cannot truly claim the name Uchiha,” he explains, hoping the inflexion of the words conveys his intended meaning.   

 But Sakura still doesn’t get it.

“That’s a lot of pressure to put on a child,” she says lightly. She’s probably imagining him struggling to learn the technique, terrified of failure.

She wouldn’t be wrong, either.

The knots in Sasuke’s stomach get worse and, if she doesn’t realise soon, he’ll have to spell it out for her. He’s half-angry about that because she’s supposed to be smarter. She should just know what he’s trying to say, and save him from making an utter fool of himself.

“Not just a child,” he corrects, again elaborately casual. “You performed it perfectly.”

Please…just…listen to what I’m trying to say.

Sakura’s breath catches in her throat.

The silence between them suddenly isn’t so companionable, but fraught with a tension like the entire world is holding it’s breath.

Sasuke doesn’t look directly at her as she parses his words, using that blinding intellect of hers to understand what he’s trying to ask, but he glimpses her face from the corner of his eye. This is how he watches her expression blossom with understanding.

Success.

He turns to her then. “I have no right to ask anything of you,” he says plainly. “Not after everything.”

“Sasuke –”

“Sakura, let me…” he trails off, jaw working and his own voice catching as the words get lost again, but damn it, he has to get this out! “I don’t know if I have the capacity to be what you want – what you’ve hoped for. Or if I can give you everything that you deserve. And it’s possible I’ve waited too long.” He swallows. “But when I think of family – even at my lowest point, where I’d given up on the idea – you were the only one I could ever see myself with, the one I…”

Again, words fail him, and Sasuke wants to yell in frustration. He needs her to know because maybe the faster he gets it out, the better the odds will be. Sakura deserves so much better – always has – and could have anyone else. She should have anyone else, but he’s still hoping against hope that she won’t want anyone else –

“Say it.”

Sasuke is rather jarringly brought out of his rambling, insecure thoughts by a cracking whisper.

Sakura stares up at him, tears welling in her eyes – why is it him who always makes her cry! He expected her to be flustered or awkward, but instead, she looks the same as she does when bracing for a physical blow.

This confuses him. “What?”

“I need you to say it,” she tells him, barely above a whisper. “Just once. Say it and mean it.” Her fists clench. “I’ll never ask to hear it again if that’s what you want, but before I can say yes – to the future, to trying, to…to all of it – you have to say it.” She takes a shuddering breath. “If you can’t, then I…I…”

She trails off as if the idea is too hard for her to even enunciate, too painful to consider – for either of them.

Sasuke has never been good with words.

What he feels for Sakura, he doesn’t want to – can’t, really – put into words. There is no collection of syllables or sounds that are accurate enough to describe the girl who gave him her heart when they were children. The woman who waited for him for years; forgave him for trying to kill her, their best friend, and their entire village.

He has wandered the world, looking for redemption and it’s only since returning here that he’s realised he had it the whole time.

He wants to tell her all of that, but he doesn’t think she’ll understand. Not now, not yet – not while they are still getting used to being around one another. Maybe after a lifetime, if she’ll give him that, it will come easier – his words and her ability to trust in him.

But for now, she wants something so simple, something almost infantile, as if a set phrase is a guarantee – a safety net or a reward of some kind. He knows this, but struggles to give it to her, because it’s just so insufficient. And everything about him to date, when it relates to her, has been insufficient.

If he does this wrong, she’ll turn away; it’s why she’s giving him this ultimatum in the first place. In their time apart, she’s developed into a strong, independent individual with unapologetic self-respect and unmalleable resolve.

She knows what his hopes are, the second of his ultimate goals. And even though he doesn’t deserve it, he won’t lie and say it isn’t one of his motivations. But Sakura won’t become the vehicle for his happiness unless she’s sure she’ll benefit from it as well. It’s only fair and Sasuke admires her all the more for it, but right now, it’s making him want to turn tail and run.

“Sakura…”

He really, really wishes he was better at this.

Just do it already, you ass.

And why isn’t it surprising that, in this moment where the rest of his life might change for better or worse, Sasuke can clearly hear the voice of his idiot best friend telling him what to do? It almost makes him want to check to make sure the fool isn’t lurking somewhere nearby.

Regardless of it’s source, the advice is right. No more good can come of waiting.

Sasuke bends down so that his forehead presses against Sakura’s, bringing them eye to eye. She tenses up and her pale cheeks flush with colour, her lips parting in surprise. If this position prevents Sakura from seeing the colour rising on his own face and neck or noticing that his hand is shaking as it gently takes hers, all the better.

“I don’t know what the future holds,” he says in a low voice, “but I want to spend it with you.”

Her lower lip trembles at this.

“Because…because you love me?” Sakura prompts, the question a whisper but with a mettle to it, a firm reminder that she will not let him off easy in this moment.

Sasuke exhales through his nose in defeat, eyes closed in affectionate resignation.

“Hm. Because I love you.”

When he opens his eyes, Sakura’s are (if possible) wider than he has ever seen. The utter shock etched into every other feature is simultaneously amusing and worrisome; he wonders dimly if against all odds, this is finally what breaks her.  

Putting some distance between their faces, he gently taps two fingers beneath the rhombus-shaped seal on her forehead – partially to make sure she’s still cognizant, but also to drive the message home. Sakura has never completely understood the gesture before in the handful of instances he’s demonstrated it, but now understanding flickers into place.

That this is not just today and not only because she asked him, but that he has wanted this for so much longer.

Glassy green eyes are now overflowing with tears, the droplets winding down the curves of her cheeks and quivering jaw. Mild panic sets in – why is she upset? Shouldn’t she be happy?

“Sakura, why are you cry – mmph!”

Fingers fist in his shirt and a pair of soft lips are planted very firmly against his own.

Sasuke stands frozen for several seconds. Dimly, he supposes he should’ve expected this, because isn’t this what’s meant to happen when two people acknowledge feelings for one another? Essentially, he just asked Sakura to spend the rest of her life with him, so it shouldn’t come as a shock that there would be a physical confirmation of this. Only, he didn’t quite expect it to happen so fast. Well, fast, he thinks, is relative. They have been building up to this since childhood, but he’s still not sure –

“You’re supposed to kiss me back,” Sakura mumbles against his mouth. If he wasn’t blushing before, the embarrassment hits fully now. Still, the permission takes at least some of his discomfiture away.

Slow and tentative, Sasuke returns the kiss.

It’s clumsy and uncertain because he’s never done this before, but she makes a small, approving noise at the back of her throat and he guesses he’s doing something right.

Sakura tastes like smoke from the Katon and something sweet he doesn’t have a name for. He suspects he could spend the rest of his life trying to figure it out without success, but that idea doesn’t bother him at all.

She fits her mouth over his, softly pulling his bottom lip between hers, and Sasuke’s senses fade out. Something like relief passes over him, as if a weight has been pulled from his very soul. The last, tightly coiled vestiges of doubt and anxiety that have gathered in him for years are now gone, and the only thing in the world is her.

That in itself is mildly terrifying, but in a good way.

Achingly slowly, Sakura pulls away from him, reaching up to brush his hair away from his left eye. Her fingers stay in place, keeping the strands from falling back while her thumb traces a gentle arc from eyebrow to temple.

He leans into the touch and she grins at him.

“Well?” she prompts. “What do you think?”

“…hm?” It should concern Sasuke that his brain takes a second or two to catch up.

“Better than Naruto, right?” she wants to know.

The post-kiss haze vanishes.  

Sasuke sputters out a wordless response because that’s not how these things are supposed to go. His people skills might be rusty, but he’s pretty sure it’s far from normal to remind the man who just confessed his feelings about his (very unwilling) first (and second) kiss with their mutual best friend.

Sakura is laughing – at him or at the situation, he doesn’t know. He should be annoyed about this – and if she ever tells anyone about this he will be – but the tears in her eyes are from mirth, not pain or sadness and, for once, he doesn’t regret putting them there.

“Yes, by the way,” she tells him happily, leaning into his chest. “Yes to all of it.”

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終わり

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

クリ

[sasusakufestival]

A Taste of Redemption

February 15

Day 2: Insecurities

Title: A Taste of Redemption

manika-on-a-whim

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

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You are back…

…to the place that your brother sacrificed his life for…

And suddenly you realise that even after travelling around the world all this time on your journey to atone for your sins, you still don’t understand what your brother saw in this place. You had left this place with only one purpose etched in your mind- Redemption. But now that you have returned after a duration of almost two years, you feel that you have yet to attain that. You feel that you aren’t ready for this. And this place is the practical reminder of that. This place always makes you reproach your past actions, it makes you resent, which is why you have still not made any movements to enter through the huge gates. And as you stare uneasily at the prestigious entrance to the place that is supposed to be your home, you hear someone call out your name.

“Uchiha! It’s you.”

“You are back!”

How you wished for those voices to belong to a pair of a hyperactive, idiotic blonde and a cheerful, annoying pinkette but unfortunately, they didnot. Looking-up at the owners of the authoritative voices, you come face-to-face with the two Chūnins, who are constantly guarding the gates. Without even uttering so much as a greeting, you walk past them and make your way towards the building of the head of this place- The Hokage Tower.

.

.

Upon reaching the building, neither do you spare the time to hear the civilian’s whispers about your sudden return, nor do you wait to acknowledge the few welcoming gestures flashed towards you. You simply continue your stride and finally stop on reaching the door that leads to the Hokage’s Room.

After a polite knock, you wait for someone to answer the door. Surprisingly, it is slightly pulled open by a small being that you are sure you have never seen before in your life. For a second, the thought of the kid being the village leader’s child enters your mind and yet you immediately shake it away as you are well-aware that your former sensei was never into families. But time changes everything and everyone and so, maybe your ex-teacher has changed as well. You keep going through all the possibilities but none of them helps you put a finger on the piercing crimson-irises that the child possesses. That she is a girl and is around four years old, is clear to you but still, you can’t help yourself from wondering about the mysterious parents of this child.

“Who’s there?” She speaks innocently in her baby voice.

As you have never been good with children, you have no idea about how you must treat them. This makes you think further about a specific answer to this child’s query. An answer that will make her smile instead of scaring her. But before you can even come up with a proper response, you hear the clacking sound of heels. Maybe the previous and only female hokage, Tsunade Senju has come to pay a visit to the sixth. But as you hear the feminine voice of the heel-sporting lady, you doubt your views. Maybe it’s not Tsunade. Maybe it’s that black-haired medical kunoichi who always used to be around Tsunade to deal with her odd jobs.

“Who’s there Mirai-chan?” The voice asks and the kid, probably named Mirai turns her head back inside.

The door is then completely pulled open by a tall woman with curly, black hair and piercing crimson irises, similar to that of the child. You swear to yourself that you have seen this woman before but you don’t recall her name. To your surprise, she remembers your name. Well..everyone does. Afterall, who will forget the face and name of the shinobi world’s most dangerous S-ranked criminal.

“Sasuke” she says in greeting and allows you to enter. Maybe she is the mother of this little girl.

You close the door behind you and turn around to face the numerous familiar occupants of the room. Shikamaru Nara is the first person whom you recognise. He is standing next to that black-haired medical ninja that used to work under Tsunade. You also spot your ex-teacher’s rival aka Bushy-brows sensei, seated in a wheel chair. Then there’s the crimson-eyed woman from before, her child Mirai, the bald-guy from the Torture Department, the blonde, four-pig-tailed kunoichi from sand with her huge fan secured over her back, two dark-skinned shinobi, one of whom is busy licking his lollipop while the other one is passing a hand through her haphazard red hair and ofcourse, right in the centre of the group, seated behind the long desk, on the Hokage’s chair, is your former sensei- Kakashi Hatake, the Sixth Hokage of the Leaf Village.

You wonder if there was a meeting going on and that you have entered at the wrong time. But the Hokage clears all your worries. Even though you can’t see it, you know that Kakashi is smiling at you from behind his mask because of his crinkled eyes. Yes! He doesn’t cover his left eye anymore since he had lost his Sharingan during the Fourth Shinobi War. But you notice that he isn’t the only one smiling at you, most of them are. Both Shikamaru and the blonde kunoichi from sand are smirking at you whilst the black-haired assistant of Tsunade and the crimson-eyed woman are giving you a small welcoming smile. The only people who aren’t smiling are the two dark-toned shinobi and the man from torture department. They are scowling at you. The little four-year old is staring at you with a young one’s curiosity shimmering in her eyes and much to your dismay, bushy-brows sensei is giving you his weird, teeth-flashing grin.

“Sasuke, welcome back.” Kakashi says and you nod your head.

“Don’t worry, man. The Hokage was just having an idle chat with us.” The lazy-genius assured him.

There was a scoff and everyone turned to look at the bald-guy from the Torture Department. Suddenly, he turned his gaze towards you, “How lucky of us to have the company of the almighty Sasuke Uchiha.”

The two dark shinobis snickered at that.

“Relax Ibiki-san, Sasuke is a good man. He is back now.” The crimson-eyed woman countered.

“Oh really? I don’t trust him and Kurenai, you shouldn’t too.” Ibiki hisses and pushes past you to exit the room.

Kurenai, the woman with crimson irises, smiles apologetically at you. You notice hints of pity in them and try your best not to seethe with anger. Pitying is something that you have never liked. You are ready to take Rage, Sorrow, Joy, even Hatred but not Pity. You don’t want people’s pity or sympathy. You also want to move on from your past self as Hate and Revenge are the only two words that clouded your mind for the most of your teenage years. Now at nineteen, you want to give-up on those two words that twisted your perception way too much to straighten back to normal. You want to be at peace. You want calm. You want Redemption.

“I guess you’ll be staying for a while?” Kakashi asked and you managed a nod.

“Then why don’t you cheer-up and go meet all of your comrades!” yelled Bushy-brows sensei in his youthful tone and you felt your eye twitch at the blinding shine of his teeth.

“Not a bad idea. Naruto has been whining a lot about your absence.” Shikamaru piped-in, “His ramen urges are so strong these days that even Hinata is getting addicted to the taste of his favourite food. I swear to you, both of them eat nothing but Ramen.”

“Damn! All this talk about food reminds me that I have a date with Chouji-kun tonight.” The red-headed woman muttered, the palms of her hands massaging her scalp in anxiety.

“Whoa Karui, who knew someone like you could get a date.” spoke the girl’s partner, throwing away the empty lollipop-stick and pulling out another one from his pocket to continue with his weird fetish. And you couldn’t help yourself from agreeing to the guy’s words. Not that the girl is unattractive or anything. It’s just weird to hear that even that overweighing guy from team 10 has got himself a date but not you.

The girl whacked the boy on his head for insulting her and stomped out of the room in fury, gritting out a goodbye to the Hokage and murmuring an ‘I’ll see you later’ to the girl from sand. The lollipop-lover followed his friend whilst rubbing his head to soothe the pain caused by the newly developing bruise.

You step-away from the door to let the two walk-out of the room, wondering when exactly did the world become so friendly for you hadn’t expected Chouji of all guys from your generation to grab a date before many others. And also you glanced at the sand kunoichi, thinking that if she is friends with that red-headed girl then how many of your comrades have formed such inter-village bonds.

“Well, you better go see Naruto.” Kakashi advised tiredly.

And again..you are left to your thoughts. People’s extremely amiable behaviour is scaring you. Why exactly is everyone behaving as if nothing has gone wrong, as if you had never left to atone for your sins, as if…the crimes that you had committed have all been forgiven? You stare at the people still present inside the room, unsure about everything. Is this a dream? You question yourself. No. It can’t be, for you recall that the last time you had a dream was when you were still eight and your brother hadn’t murdered your clan. After that fateful night, you only had nightmares..nightmares about your parents lying in a pool of their own blood, nightmares about the whole Uchiha Compound colored in crimson, nightmares about each and every single one of their deaths…

“Sasuke”

You were pulled out of your train of thoughts when you heard a strong feminine voice calling you. Looking-up, you saw everyone staring worriedly at you. Maybe you were lost in your thoughts for too long that you missed out their voices calling you out. You eyed the girl who had taken your name, the girl from sand.

“Sasuke,” she spoke again, “meet Mirai. This is Asuma and Kurenai’s daughter.”

You looked towards the little girl that she was gesturing at and saw the child was already staring at you. She looked uncertain at first but when Shikamaru nudged her, she took the signal and managed a shy smile at you. Her twinkling eyes were an indication that she wanted to be friends with you, that she wasn’t scared of you, that she didn’t see you as the monster that you used to be… She brought her tiny hand out to shake it in friendship. And much to everyone’s shock, you didn’t scoff or snarl or scowl, you simply motioned the only arm you had left and shook the child’s hand as gently as you could with your calloused hands. The effect was instantaneous as the child brightened with a big grin on her face. It made you believe that maybe..maybe it’s not too hard to attain redemption.

A moment later, you faced Kakashi and finally decided to open your mouth to utter a few words.

“I’ll see Naruto now.” You told him.

“Don’t forget, Sakura. She’s at the hospital. She’ll be happy to see you back.” the black-haired woman spoke in a low whisper which was loud enough for all the occupants of the room to hear.

Suddenly you began feeling heavy. You were unable to move. It’s as if someone chained your legs, rendering you immobile. You even felt the immediate change in the atmosphere of the room. The warm welcoming aura was gone. It was replaced by a deafening silence that began hammering your head. It’s funny how the mention of a certain pink-haired girl’s name can create such a change. The kunoichi with her fan averted her eyes, trying to focus on the wooden flooring of the room whilst Shikamaru coughed. Both the older women were staring uneasily at you and your ears also caught the sound of Kakashi clearing his throat. The silence was starting to get on your nerves. You were itching for some kind of action and yet no one made any move to violate the quiet.

“Sakura-chan!” The little toddler suddenly cried in joy. For some reason, she was really delighted to hear the pinkette’s name and you were delighted too. You mentally thanked the girl for breaking the unfriendly silence in the room.

“Ah, Yes! Sakura-chan.” The girl’s mother smiled down at her, “We’ll meet her soon.”

“Huh…” Kakashi sighed, giving you a weak smile, “We’ll talk later. I think you must go and see them”

With that said, no, ordered to you by your ex-sensei, you made a quick escape out of the room.

.

Once outside of the building, you felt your muscles starting to relax. You fear that if you would’ve stayed any longer, you would’ve died of the constantly gripping silence. Shikamaru and his girlfriend from sand had also followed you out and were now walking down the busy streets next to you.

“Sakura runs the whole hospital now.” Shikamaru blurted out, “She has also started a whole new department, separated from the hospital. It is a sort of clinic for the young kids who are suffering from mental traumas. She came up with the idea a few months ago and immediately began working on it with Ino’s help. Temari and I helped out as well.”

The girl from sand, whose name you recalled to be Temari, spoke-up, “You inspired her to create the Children’s Healthcare Clinic.”

At that, you quirked a brow at the blonde female to which she immediately responded, “You know, with all that trauma and stuff. She used to read books related to the condition similar to yours alongside taking care of you at the hospital during that time after the war.”

You simply nodded in understanding and went back to brooding over your past. It’s true that she had always stayed by your bedside during that time of your rehabilitation. She used to feed you with refreshments and apples and even your proper daily meals. She used to run regular health check-ups on you. She even went as far as sleeping on that chair by your bed’s side, just to make sure you didn’t suffer with those nightmares. And all throughout the night she would allow you to touch her, to hold her palm and squeeze as hard as would make you feel safe. Whenever you had screamed in the midst of those restless sleeps, she was the one to calm you down. Whenever you had cried in the aftermath of those gory nightmares, she was the one to lull you back to sleep. Whenever you had a hallucination, she was the one to take the brunt of it all.

You used to yell at her, scold her and even go as far as threatening her. Just so she would keep her innocent self a long mile away from you. But no..none of your acts ever worked. She always stayed up at nights with you when you felt no sleep blessed-upon your eyes. She always made sure that you were lost in a proper slumber before herself dozing-off in her dreams. You had even attempted to kill her numerous times under the effects of your hallucinations and yet she never questioned or hated you for your deeds. She accepted you as you are, unlike many others who loathed your return to this village. She did all of it..all of it to make sure you felt…she made you feel important..she made you feel needed… And what did you do?! You left her! You left the village right after your probation ended. And for everything she had done for you, you only graced her with a word of thanks and a promise of return.

And to think that she would take inspiration from you and start running an organization of her own…She really has changed but who else is to blame than you. Every little step that she took, every single day that she worked, everything of hers has always been done for your acceptance…Just so you would turn around and acknowledge her for everything that she is..Conclusively, you are the one responsible for her change, growth and development. And a small part of you always wishes that she will return to her old, carefree self…

“Naruto must be at the Ichiraku’s right now.” Shikamaru said, disturbing your thoughts.

But for some reason, you couldn’t shake away the ever-so-bright face of your female teammate off your mind.

I’ll see you when I’m back…

Those were words that you uttered to her before your second departure from the village. You have always been a man of few words but you know that she is the only one who understands your cryptic way of communicating. She has always been able to crawl under your skin. So then…what are you doing? Why are you making her suffer? What are you waiting for? If you had promised to see her on your return then why exactly are you still walking down this lane with two of your former comrades in search of a blonde idiot who is much like a brother to you? You always disappoint her. You enjoy doing this to her. Making her wait for you forever. You are a sadist, aren’t you? Her loyalty gives you a sickening pleasure. You relish every minute of her devotion for you. And yet, there’s a small part of you which knows that this isn’t right? This very part is urging you to keep your promise, to stand-up to her expectations, to show everyone around you that even a monster like you possesses a heart…

…and..thank you…

You even thanked her before parting with her. You had done the same when you were thirteen. She had tried stopping you both the times. She had even offered joining you on your quest and offer you her trusted support. But you declined..on both the occasions. Both of  the times you left her with your genuine gratitude. The only difference between the two happenings is that during one of them she was conscious enough to see you leave. But a thank you is not enough. She knows this. You know this. Heck! Everyone knows this.

“…he’s probably there with Hinata. They are always out on dates. You know-”

Shikamaru stopped speaking when he saw you making an about turn and heading in the opposite direction to that of your comrades. You didn’t look back or stop to give any reactions to the surprised looks on their faces. You continued moving swiftly in the direction that you know will lead you to the Hospital..towards the object of your thoughts. You had promised her and you will fulfil it because Uchihas never go against their words. Whatever they say is a declaration that must be taken care of. Thus, you kept striding towards the medical unit because she of all people deserves to see you first.

“Hey! Sasuke!” Shikamaru called but you paid no heed.

“Oh! Let him go. Atleast for the first time he’s taking the right steps.” Temari said casually with an undertone of amusement in her voice.

You inwardly thanked her for giving you the final push and began walking with a new determination in your persona.

.

.

On reaching the huge building of the Konohagakure Hospital, you marched in towards the reception. Your sudden entrance earned you a lot of gasps and whispers from the civilians and shinobis alike. Sighing, you opened your mouth to speak your query but were unable to because of the loud interruption.

“Sasuke-kun?” came a familiar feminine voice and you turned around to face the young, blonde Yamanaka Heiress.

She was eyeing you with an amused smile on her lips. Then she spoke, “Perhaps you’re looking for Sakura-chan?”

You couldn’t help yourself from nodding your head in agreement.

“Well, too bad. She isn’t here. She’s on a brake for a few days.” She supplied and you found your legs immediately turning you around, heading in the general direction of the street that your ex-teammate lives on.

You were quick to exit the hospital but somehow, the long, golden-pony-tailed girl managed to catch up to you. She began walking side-by-side with you. She cleared her throat to gain your attention and you did a slight nod of your head to show that you were listening.

“Okay, I won’t beat around the bush. I’ll get straight to the point. She cried a lot when you left her. And by leaving I mean both the times. Yes! She cried too much for her own good and no one was there to support her but me and Tsunade-shishou. Naruto had left too. At first, to train with Jiraiya-sama and the other time, he was busy with Hinata. Kakashi-sensei just resigned in his sorrows in the beginning and the second time you left, he was the Hokage. He had duties to carry out. And Sai-kun was..well Sai. So you see, she was left all by herself and-”

You tried to interrupt her because you already know all this but she stopped you with a gesture of her hand and went on, “Let me finish. So, as I was saying, she was left all by herself. And when she realised that moping won’t do any good to her, she decided to train and work hard. She wasn’t blessed by any special bloodline abilities or a tailed-beast’s chakra. Everything that she is, goes to her nerve-wrecking hard work. And you know what Sasuke?! Even after everything you did to her, even after everything you made her go through, she forgave you. She always does…”

“And your point is?” You asked bluntly.

“I am saying that you do not deserve her!” she yelled, making you flinch the slightest.

She now stopped walking and even signalled you to do the same. Then she hissed in a mix of fury and sorrow for her beloved best friend, “Look Sasuke, you weren’t here when she used to cry and blame herself. We all witnessed her anguish and though we may have forgiven you, we still don’t trust you enough. Atleast I don’t trust you enough with her.”

By now tears were streaming down her face but she kept shouting, “You Sasuke Uchiha, do not deserve her forgiveness, her smiles, her acceptance and her love! You don’t deserve any of it! You do not deserve her!”

Those last few words struck a cord in you and your palms began clenching and unclenching repeatedly, accompanied by the gritting of your teeth.

She was heaving with rage and sadness but her gaze did not falter. She kept glaring at you with contempt. And again, who is to blame? You ofcourse! Her words are nothing but unadulterated truth. You do not deserve her! You really don’t. You tried glaring back at the sky-blue eyed female with equal intensity but could not. Slowly your shoulders began sagging and you lowered your head in defeat.

Haven’t I apologised already?

Hasn’t she forgiven me already?

You kept asking yourself. Those two questions that always plague you whenever you are lost in your thoughts.

“Don’t disappoint me Uchiha.” Ino Yamanaka spoke suddenly.

You lifted your head to gaze indifferently at her.

“You have damaged her beyond repair. One more mistake and she’ll snap and shatter for ever. So, consider this a threat or a personal request or whatever you want to..but do not wrong her again.” She dead-panned and walked away, leaving you alone on the middle of the streets.

.

.

The walk towards her place didn’t take long as you reached their within 10 minutes. Standing outside the small apartment’s porch, you contemplated on whether you should knock at the door or not. Her best friend’s words were still ringing in your ears. They had somehow managed to shake your strong resolve, making you uncertain about this much awaited reunion with the girl who has always filled your dark existence with her bright presence.

She’ll be happy to see you back.

Will she now? You briefly felt the signs of fear ghosting it’s way into your soul. Will she really be happy to see you? Will she openly greet you with a smile on her face? Will she cheerfully welcome you indoors for some refreshments and small talk? Will she? Or has she finally given-up on you? Finally…moved on? It is hard for you to admit it even to yourself but the prospect of her moving on from you is scaring you. And, however selfish it may sound, you don’t want her to stop loving you…

You inspired her…

Really? Can a conceited, heinous, control-freak like you impress someone to the point that they start taking inspiration from you? Why did she take your example? Why did she choose to support you during those nights of intense nightmares deteriorating your sleep? Time and again she has openly confessed her feelings for you. But why? Why does she love you even after everything that you have made her suffer? All those actions would’ve been more than enough to traumatise any normal person. But not her… Instead of breaking down and losing herself in the agony of it all, she has taken inspiration from your sick behaviour and utilised it to create a tranquil place for thousands like you. This selfish part of you can’t help itself from feeling satisfied because you don’t want anyone else to take your place in her heart…

You do not deserve her!

You have heard this one numerous times. There have been many others who have expressed their disapproval whenever it comes to you and her. People always scowl or grimace in disgust. But Ino Yamanaka verbally spoke-out their dislike. You’ll praise the blonde girl for this, as no one has ever tried to yell at you except for a very unpredictable, knucklehead ninja. None of the acquaintances of this pink-haired kunoichi wants you anywhere near her. It’s not like you feel offended. You too think that you don’t deserve any part of her. But still, you want to be selfish and have her accept all of you despite your flaws…

Sighing deeply, you finally lift your hand up to give a knock at her door. You had promised her that you’ll return. You had promised that she’ll be the first one you’ll see on your return. Therefore, there’s no point in backing out now, as it will not only be very disappointing to her but also very disgraceful to you as an Uchiha. So, with hints of hesitation in your movements, you gave three quick knocks and waited.

You heard the faint padding of her feet from the inside as she made her way towards the door to answer the visitor. Squaring your shoulders and straightening your chin, you braced yourself for whatever fate has in store for you. If she says she doesn’t want to see you anymore, you’ll nod your head and leave. If she isn’t ready to face you, you’ll comply and leave. And if she says..that she has moved on…then too, you will politely accept her decision. Atleast you’ll remember that you tried…

The door finally clicked open and for a moment, the time stopped as she took in your features and grasped onto the fact that you were standing right there in front of her. To say that she was shocked would be an understatement. She was at a loss of words and so, she simply gasped, bringing one of her porcelain, dainty palm to her mouth to cover her shock. Then slowly, lowering her palm down and staring at you straight in the eyes, she motioned her lips, making them tilt at the ends to create a perfect, genuine smile. You instantly recognised that smile. It was that real, affectionate smile. A smile that she only keeps for you. And in that moment, all those snide remarks that people made about you were forgotten. All those thoughts of you not deserving her were gone. All of your insecurities faded away into nothingness when you looked into that beryl shade of green in her irises. And you realised that no matter what, she will never give up on you. She will keep hoping against hope if that is what it will take for you to reciprocate her feelings, to actually forget about all your fears and give yourself a chance.

She stepped down onto the porch and her smile grew wider as she spoke, “Okaeri, Sasuke-kun.”

You saw the evidence of that old, innocent girl that you have always pictured her as, that you have always wanted her to be. A long-lost emotion hit you hard in your chest and you felt that redeeming yourself is not much far from your reach. She has always been around, making you experience bits of it. And now that you have finally had a taste of this redemption, you want more of it. Thus, you returned her cheerful grin with a small smile of your own. She gasped yet again and merry tears began gliding down her cheeks. Determinedly, you inched closer to her whilst pulling her head nearer to your lips and kissed her on her diamond-sealed forehead. It was a chaste, feather-light kiss that you placed on her impeccable skin. A tear glided down her cheek at that very moment and so with a newly found conviction, you whispered, “Tadaima, Sakura…”

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[sasusakufestival]

drawwhatIwantwhenwant

My Url- http://drawwhatiwantwhenwant.tumblr.com/

Day 2 Insecurity- Sasuke has some thoughts about Sakura’s gift. He wants to talk about them with her.

[sasusakufestival]

Pink Peonies and Lilies-of-theValley

Hello there, everyone. I know its a bit late, but this is my entry for #Day02Insecurity PLEASE ENJOY!

Disclaimer: I hold no rights over Naruto and its characters. 

I have an extended version of this, available at fanfiction.net. You may look for my username: C.S.Isui and it will be under “The Bouquet Series.”

ARIGATOU MINNA-SAMA!!

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PINK PEONIES AND LILIES-OF-THE-VALLEY

“I dont see why not, anata.”

“I dont see why, Sakura.”

“You’re being difficult.”

“No.. you’re being difficult.”

“The both of you are being difficult. Its my birthday.”

Sarada stood at the kitchen door way, her brow beaded with sweat and her hitai-ate in one hand and a glass of water in the other. Her birthday was a week away and a pair of brand new red glasses came as a package for her.

“I think it will be nice if we paid Karin a visit. It has been a while. And I wasn’t able to see her the last time!”

“I kinda want to meet her too.”

Sasuke gave an exasperated sigh but gave a defeated smirk. His daughter inherited his and his wife’s persistence and stubbornness. It was quite annoying, really; but in a very endearing way. He looked at his girls, both with a determined look in their eyes. He sighed again, in defeat.

“Fine. Sarada, you have to promise me you will not leave my or your mother’s side and we will not stay longer than a few hours. If Orochimaru is there, we will leave immediately.”

Sarada hugged her dad happily as he patted her head with a slight pout in his face.

_____________________________________________________________________

“…And so, Sarada and I got Sasuke-kun to agree to come and visit you! I hope you dont mind. On your last letter, you said you were in a hideout near Konoha since Orochimaru wanted to wish Mitsuki good luck on the team’s retake of the Chunin Exams.

Anyways, we’ll see you in three days.

U. Sakura”

Karin was in a state of panic. The Uchiha family was gonna pop by and judging by the date on the letter, TOMORROW! She didn’t have time to prepare or clean or even do anything.

“Whatcha gonna do about it Karin? Mrs. Uchiha Sasuke is gonna visit with the hubby and little baby Sarada.”  Suigetsu was hanging out in her lab again. Apparently he had nothing better to do.

“I need to get ready. I need to at least have something for them! Instead of gawking and being stupid, why don’t you help by cleaning up?!”

The swordsman laughed it out but still decided to help. He was kinda worried for Karin. Given her history with Sasuke, he wasn’t really sure if she was truly over the guy. He did impale her in the chest with his lightning sword and all.  He watched her as she muttered to herself, panicking and obviously excited about the visit.

“WE NEED CAKE! AND BANNERS! AND ICE CREAM! AND CONFETTI! AND… And…and A GIFT! YES! THAT’S IT!”

Karin turned sharply at Suigetsu and suddenly slumped.

“What kind of gift? We already got her glasses. I can’t think of anything!” She turned her attention to the other person in the room and sighed.  “What do you think I should get them?”

Suigetsu was about to open his mouth when Karin suddenly stood up, fire in her eyes and determination in her fists.

“Im going to Konoha!”

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It wasn’t that far, Konoha. A 3 hour trip by foot distance was something Karin needed to think.

A cute dress, a book collection, a make-up set…. Her list went on and on and on. For 11 years she had been sending Sarada glasses, a joke she and Sakura shared. She smiled to her self, thinking about how much the little girl she helped release to the world has grown up.

“Karin oba-san… Sounds weird, but I like it.” She said as she entered the gates of Konoha.

The village was in full bloom. The cherry blossom trees were making the landscape look like a romance movie while the chilly spring air gave a refreshing breeze.

Karin remembers the last time she was here. She had been a prisoner of war, but was cordially pardoned by the Shinobi Alliance. She recalls the time when Uzumaki Naruto came to speak about the war and thanked all the shinobi who helped the cause. Never had she seen chakra so fiery and sunny.  Konoha was a place she felt safest in, despite her allegiance to one of the village’s most notorious shinobi; and the people actually didn’t mind her presence. They treated her as if she were a normal person.

Karin walked down the village market place. The scents of yakitori and mitarashii dango filled her nose while the colorful wares dazzled her eyes. Konoha never ceases to amaze her.  Looking at her wallet, Karin contemplated about buying a delicious smelling takoyaki. She had saved quite a bit since she rarely had the need to buy anything.

“Whatever. Im hungry!” She smiled to herself and proceeded to the stall. “Nee-chan, one takoyaki please, with extra mayo and katsuboshi!”  Upon receiving the serving of 5 takoyaki balls, Karin immediately took that steamy first bite and the subtle flavours of leek, octopus and takoyaki sauce bursts into her mouth. She was about to take the next bite until she heard a very familiar voice.

“Your birthday is tomorrow. Is there anything you like?”

Karin froze. It was Sasuke. He was with Sakura. And by the looks of the bags they carried, they were grocery shopping. He was even more handsome than she remembers. His elegant nose, his sharp eyes, his attractive mouth… Karin always did see him as a warrior, a knight in shining armor, a force to be reckoned. His raw power attracted him to her and his kind heart made hers beat incessantly.

“I dont know, anata. Im glad you even reminded me it was my birthday.”

His wife is amazing. A kunoichi worthy of the Uchiha name. Sakura was beautiful, smart, compassionate and strong. Qualities Karin thinks she will never achieve in her lifetime.

Maybe that’s why he chose her instead.

Sakura’s eyes shone brighter than the brightest emeralds while hers were dull and boring. Sakura’s personality was as vibrant as the beginning of spring, hopeful and refreshing while hers was as unstable as Orochimaru’s earliest experiments. Even Sakura’s name was better than hers. Just imagine comparing “Cherry Blossom” to “Phosphorus.”

Maybe Sasuke chose her because she was Sakura.

A goddess to match a god.

“Sasuke and Sakura.” Karin thought. “Even their names go together.”

Suddenly, the steaming takoyaki lost their luster.

“I dont mind giving you a present.”  “Allowing Sarada and I to visit a friend is more than enough, anata. I know how overprotective you can get.”

Visit a friend? Were they talking about her?

Karin decided to finish her remaining food, not wanting to waste them and silently trailed the couple.

“…hesitant at first but Karin was kind enough to help.” She heard the Uchiha matriach say. A grunt was the only sound that came from the patriarch though.

“Don’t be like that! She helped us. She helped bring Sarada into this world, to us. Karin basically helped usher the first Uchiha to be born in decades. You should be thankful.”

“I am thankful, grateful even.” He said. His eyes soft as he gave his wife a smile. Karin swears she can see sparkles.

‘Damn right, you should be grateful…’

Wait, what did he just say?

“I remember how hard it rained that night and how helpless I was because I couldn’t help you and our child.”

“Admit it, Karin was our saving grace that night. Practically an angel in disguise.”

“Yes. Yes, she was.”

Karin could swear she felt her heart burst at the seams. Never had anyone spoke about her at such a high regard. The man she loved practically called her an angel. She was so happy, she could have died. 

Her eyes turned again to the couple and sighed. She was right. Sasuke and Sakura shared a bond nobody in the world can ever replace or sever. She would never be able to step on Sakura’s shoes.

But…

She also shared an irreplaceable bond with them. And she is the only person who has that bond. She realizes it now. She ushered their hope for the future. She helped them restore the name of the Uchiha. She helped complete their trio of happiness.

And Karin is proud to have done so.

She turned and looked at the nearest store. It was the Yamanaka Flower shop, and a fresh batch of blooming pink peonies and lilies-of-the-valley were being carried in.  Karin smiled, remembering a conversation she had with Sakura about the language of flowers and Sarada’s encounter with the DNA machine.

_____________________________________________________________________

“It’s cleaner than I remember.” Sarada said as she tailed her father. He had been in a foul mood since this morning.

“I remember this place being draftier than ever and you were also is a very foul mood, papa.” “Stay close now, dear. We don’t want you dad to get in an even fouler mood.”

Sakura and Sarada laughed. “Hai, hai, mama.” she said as she moved forward and linked arms with the Uchiha patriarch. 

At the edge of the tunnel, they were welcomed with a brightly lit room decorated with poorly made streamers and a peculiar smell of cake mix, burned sugar and smoke.  

“W-w-WELCOME!” said Karin as she coaxed Suigetsu with the confetti. The swordsman only looked at her and rolled his eyes before lamely throwing the tiny pieces of paper. “…yo.” he said. 

“Happy birthday, Sarada-chan!” Karin said awkwardly. “Gosh, you’re bigger than I remember!” She approached the heiress hesitantly at first but proceeded. She handed her a box. 

“Ano… Karin oba-chan, desu ka?” Sarada said, politely taking the package. The red-head smiled and nodded. “I got you an awesome gift. Wanna open it?” Sarada looked at the gift. It was kind of small and hard, much like a book. Sarada looked at her parents, particularly her mother, who nodded that she can open it. 

“A Beginner’s Guide to the Language of Flowers” read Sarada, wondering why she was given such a peculiar choice for a gift. She knows her mom and auntie Ino loved flowers and were quite proficient with its meanings, but why give it to her?

Karin was looking excitedly at Sarada who gave her an awkward thank you. Her gift wasn’t finished yet, she chuckled.

The Uzumaki looked at Sakura who was conversing with Suigetsu and Sasuke about the hideout. She also had something prepared for the pinkette since it was her birthday. 

“Neh, neh, Sakura,” she called out. Sakura turned and smiled “Thanks for letting us drop by. Anyways I brought you cheesecake! I would have brought okonomiyaki but Sasuke-kun insisted on leaving early so I could only…. oh, that’s lovely.” she was surprised when she was what the red head was holding.

It was a bouquet of pink peonies and lilies-of-the-valley.

“It’s your birthday today, isn’t it?”

Suigetsu, who happened to have moved next to Sarada motioned her to open the book at the folded pages. 

“Take it as my apology.” he said. 

The bespectacled teen looked at him with curiosity and disdain but followed the instructions and found highlighted passages.

“The lily-of-the-valley,”she read, “is a flower you give to someone who completes your life, happiness or family.” Sarada smiled and continued to the next page. 

“Pink peonies are given to newly-wedded couples,” tears were falling from her eyes now, realizing the meaning of her gift and her mother’s bouquet. “usually given by well-wishers who hopes that the newly weds would have happy life and a happy marriage.” 

Not being able to control her happiness, Sarada approached Karin and gave her a hug. 

“Arigatou, Karin oba-san. Honto ni arigatou!”

[sasusakufestival]

Is it Sasuke that’s insecure? Sakura? Both? Was it just a hard day at work? Or did they embarras themselves in public? Or is it something else? Who knows.

@minnietannaxd