oh won't you stay with me?

'cause you're all I need

– sam smith

She looked at them from a safe distance. She looked at their intertwined hands and at the way she smiled shyly as she looked at him and he beamed the sun at her. She smiled (a mixture of bitterness and twisted happiness) as he leaned over to kiss the top of her head.

She was the one who pushed them to be together. Because she truly believed with all her heart that he should be with someone better than her. She hated belittling herself but he'd given her so much. He'd given her friendship, strength, warmth, and a thousand smiles. He would never know that he saved her life so many times even when they weren't fighting for their lives in a battlefield of fallen comrades and twisted motives.

She wanted to ask him to pleasepleaseplease stay with her. Often at night she wondered how it would feel if she was the one in his arms. If she was the one to fall asleep next to him, and be the first person he sees when he wakes up the next morning. Most of the time, she missed the familiarity they once shared before he became committed to her. The friendly gestures that were sometimes too friendly, his familiar presence in her apartment and hers in his after a long day (or week) of missions or hospital shifts, the constant bickering that held an undertone of affection – these were things that could no longer happen.

She felt a presence next to her, and she didn't have to turn her head to know who it was.

"In the end, we're just a group of broken people," she smiled.

"Except for him," he said.

"Except for him," she agreed. She extended her hand to him and he took it, interlocking their fingers. "We're the only ones left. We can only support each other now."

"Yes," he nodded slightly.

"It should have been you," Sakura said, turning to look at Sasuke.

"It should have been you," Sasuke said, turning to look at Sakura.

And they looked at each other for a while before smiling bitterly at the reality in front of them. Because they both lost the love of their life and they could only rely on each other now.

So they held on tight, endured, and moved on.

a/n

i feel like doing an angsty narusaku/slight sasunaru

i don't see enough of this. most of the pre ending angst i see involve naruto and sakura cheating and even tho i dislike naruhina (a lot), i will never agree with cheating.

reviews are appreciated,

DD.