So my second story for Sasusaku month! I really do love this story, I'm just a tiny but proud of this one. I hope you all enjoy it too.
Disclaimer: I do not own.
Sasuke glanced up wide eyed as the wall next to him shattered into a million pieces. Who knew that the quiet little teahouse would suddenly be partly demolished when he was half way through his tea? He watched as the body of some poor shinobi was flew throw the air like a ragdoll and landed amongst the rubble that was the wall. Vaguely wondering how he hadn't sensed the fight that must have been going on outside before the destruction had occurred, Sasuke slowly reached for Kusanagi.
Suddenly a shadow appeared in the new opening and stormed down into the shop before hauling the body up like it weighed nothing and giving it a good shake.
"Wake up!" the girl started yelling as she shook the unconscious man. "Oh for fuck's sake, wake up you pathetic excuse for a man!"
Sasuke felt his eye widen again as his mind placed that voice from a memory from long ago. His eyes started to roam up the female, allowing himself to look at the girl properly now that the dust had settled down. Sure enough that girl had pink hair and brilliant green eyes. The Sakura before him certainly wasn't the same girl he had been a genin with but then again he wasn't the same boy that had been back then either. He watched her, taking in her differences. Sakura had filled out a bit and her body was that of a woman now. Her timid and willingness to please personality was apparently gone and perhaps some anger management issues had arisen in its place?
He quirked an eyebrow as she suddenly dropped the unconscious man and swore before muttering how Naruto could have easily stayed standing after a love tap like that. Running a gloved hand through her pink locks and she sighed before frowning again at the body at her feet.
Somewhere in the back of his mind Sasuke wondered if Sakura would ever notice that he was sitting right there? He went to take another sip of his tea and started to choke and sputter from the layer of dust that had settled upon the drink. It was then he noticed that Sakura's attention turn upon him.
"Oh Sasuke I didn't see you there," she stated as if she had seen him yesterday, as she moved towards him.
Sasuke tried his best to compose himself but the blasted tickling at the back of his throat was making it very hard. Using her foot to turn over a toppled over seat and Sakura then sat down across from him. Old habits dying hard, Sasuke couldn't help but eye her off warily. The last time they had been face to face was when he had told Naruto and her that he wasn't going to return to Konoha just after the war with Madara had ended. He remembered their disappointment but Sakura had been the more accepting of his decision out of the two. Since then he had drifted across the many countries of the land.
"So you're back in the Land of Fire," Sakura started awkwardly if not quietly.
Nodding and letting them fall into an awkward silence Sasuke vaguely noticed that the people around them had left and that the shop owner was peeking around the far corner at them. Sakura was just watching him with curious eyes and was awaiting for something to be said. Wondering if she was expecting to say that he want to return to Konoha or perhaps ask about Naruto, he glanced back across at the mess she had created. He had decided that long ago that he had left everything behind in the past and that's where it would stay. Closing his eyes and taking a calming breath he then glanced back up at Sakura.
There was a light of understanding to her eyes.
"You were never really one for conversation, huh?" she commented before glancing outside. "We're all well and happy; Naruto, Kakashi and I that is. It looks like Naruto is going to achieve his wish of being Hokage in the next few years. Tsunade-shishou wants to step down and Kakashi keeps refusing the offer to step up now that he's a dad. You should see little Diasuke; he has a thing for pulling on random things. He got a hold of Kakashi's mask when Naruto and I were visiting once. Kakashi certainly doesn't have fish lips, if anything he's one of the most handsome men alive. Naruto and Hinata got married too and they are expecting their first child soon. "
Pausing for a moment Sakura regarded him for a moment.
"I'm in charge of all the medic-nins now. They say I've surpassed Tsunade-shishou in skill and ability but I don't necessarily agree with them. There's still so much I don't know and want to learn. They want me to also consider being a Jounin-sensei too but I've refused. "
The awkward silence returned and Sakura started to glance everywhere but at him and Sasuke couldn't really blame her. He had never been a warm person, but then again did he really know how to be warm? His thoughts drifted over what she had told him and he found picturing Naruto along with his wife and a son. Their smiles and Naruto's laughter as he hoisted his son up onto his shoulders flashed across his vision. His thoughts slipped to Kakashi and he tried picturing his former sensei with a son but the image just kept slipping out of sight; it was something he just couldn't imagine but apparently it had happened.
His gaze took in the girl across from him and wondered if she had a family of her own yet? Surely she did, even he was able to admit that she was attractive now that she was older. During his travels he had heard of her accomplishments as a medic-nin. Surely she would have found someone and settled down by now? Green eyes were watching him with a guarded expression now as if she knew what he was wondering.
Just as he went to speak a loud groan from the rubble stopped him. Sakura looked across at the noise and then stood up, giving a little stretch as she did so.
"Well I guess that's my cue," she stated sadly. "It was good seeing you again Sasuke."
Watching her as she moved across to the man and picked him up by the collar, Sasuke felt pity for the man. Sakura eyed the man and gave him a little shake to help induce wakefulness into the groaning man faster. Nodding at Sasuke, Sakura turned and started dragging the man out the hole she had created like he was light as a feather.
Sasuke sat back and took another sip of his tea before breaking into another fit of sputtering. His little coughing fit was interrupted by a clearing of the throat. He glanced up and saw the owner of the tea house has approached him.
"Excuse me sir," the old man started. "Since your friend has left I take it you will be covering the damages to my establishment?"
Without realising it, the teacup in Sasuke's hand shattered.
