Sophie
Disclaimer: Nope, sorry kids, I don't own Naruto.
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They were large, round, brown eyes
They were large, round, brown eyes. Big and deep, with little golden specks around the irises. These eyes were set perfectly in her skull, and spread across the bridge of her nose. Her long, white, smooth nose.
She didn't blink, though. She could stare at you for hours and not move, seemingly not breathe.
Sakura accidentally dropped a spare piece of chicken. Sasuke glanced at her warningly.
"She's hungry," the blossom stated matter-of-factly, shooting the Uchiha a stately grin. "Look at those eyes!"
"Don't teach her bad habits," Sasuke muttered, collecting noodles onto the tongs of his fork.
"You know, they say pets reflect their owners," Naruto chimed, his lips stretching in amusement. "So your dog is pretty much screwed."
Sasuke pushed his fork into his mouth and closed his lips around the hot metal. "At least my dog isn't dead."
Naruto grimaced and focused on his dinner.
Sakura chuckled breathily and pushed a noodle off her plate. "Have you named her yet?" She pushed her chair out from under her and settled down on the floor. The dog responded by waddling closer and swiping its warm, wet tongue down the bulk of Sakura's cheek.
"Hn," Sasuke grunted, leaning on an elbow to get a better look.
The dog was slender and built well, with strong, pulsing muscles in her legs, and a shining, rippling coat. She had thick fur, long and smooth. She had a black back, and white, speckled legs, and ears that twitched with a curious intensity.
"You have to give her a name, Sasuke," Sakura teased, running her fingers through the dog's brilliant mane. "Get to know her."
"She's a dog," Sasuke replied, standing up from his chair.
"Just because she's a dog doesn't mean she doesn't want your looooove," Naruto chortled, scooping up the remains of his dinner and swallowing it whole.
Sasuke collected the plates and took three, lithe strides to the sink. 'You name her then," he mumbled, flicking on the faucet.
Naruto smiled cheekily and plopped down on the floor next to Sakura. "How about… Ramona?"
"Eh… no, too much like Ramen," the blossom replied, pressing her fingers into the dogs thick coat. Naruto frowned. "What about… Riley?"
"That's a boy's name!" Naruto objected.
"Is not!" Sakura retorted.
"Yes, it is! But Fire-Storm is not!"
"Naruto, it's a dog, not a dragon or a Pokemon trading card."
"Fine."
The two settled into silence again, both brainstorming for a name that fit the sleek, inviting dog. The creature watched them intently and squeezed herself into the available space between Sakura's legs. Sasuke set the clean dishes in the cabinet and leaned against the counter, watching his two teammates on the floor.
Sakura was stroking the dog incessantly, curling her fingers around the dog's soft fur. Naruto tapped his fingers on the dog's ribcage in a strange, disconnected rhythm.
Sasuke let a long, throaty sigh escape from his lips and took one long stride to the concentrating pair. He looked down at the dog and collapsed onto the floor next to Sakura.
"Fern," Naruto suggested.
"No," Sasuke answered.
"Misty," Naruto tried.
"No," Sasuke replied.
"Blaze," Naruto offered.
"No," Sasuke muttered.
"Alexandria Maria Amelia the Third," Naruto pronounced deliberately.
"She can't be the third."
"Why not?"
"There's no first or second."
"Oh, yeah." Naruto fell silent and wrapped his fingers around the dog's tail. It shivered in his hands and the tip wagged and wiggled.
"Sophie," Sakura whispered, running a finger along the dog's soft cheekbone. Her ears perked. "Name her Sophie."
Sasuke watched the dog; its white belly exposed to Sakura's generous fingers. He considered the name, processing it and applying it to the dog's face.
"Sophie," Sasuke hummed quietly, placing one hand softly on the dog's stomach. He rubbed it back and forth in a gentle, swirling motion. "Sophie?" The dog's ears perked again, and her eyes swept inquisitively over her new owner.
"Where did you find her anyway?" Naruto questioned, spreading his legs out against Sakura's, scratching the back of his neck with his palm.
"Followed me home," Sasuke replied, in as little words as possible, as was habit to the Uchiha.
"Smart dog," Sakura chortled. She closed her eyes and pulled the dog closer to her belly, rubbing it in soft, long strokes. Sophie's eyes flickered and she closed her furry lids over her big, brown eyes.
Sasuke nodded and continued his timid, gentle massaging on the dog's stomach. "Do you think…"
Sakura flicked open and eye and waited patiently for the Uchiha to continue.
"Do you think… it will like it… here?"
"Here, as in, here with you?" Sakura whispered gently.
Naruto laughed boisterously and forced teasing remarks onto Sasuke. "As long as you remember to feed it and force yourself to pet it once a month, I'm sure you'll keep it satisfied."
Sakura frowned and punched the Kyuubi vessel lightly on the shoulder. "You don't give Sasuke enough credit, Naruto. He's extremely capable of giving Sophie lots of love."
Naruto glanced at her doubtfully, pulling his legs up to his chest.
"Really!" She punched Naruto hard enough to make it hurt and turned her attention to Sasuke. She lifted Sophie out of her lap and dropped her gently into Sasuke's. "I'm sure Sophie will love it here."
Sasuke's lips twitched upwards in the corners and his teammates knew it was his form of a smile.
Naruto sighed with satisfaction and forced himself off of the dining room floor. "Well, being the ever important Hokage, I can't afford to stay away for too long. My house, next week? And Kakashi should be back from his mission then, so we can all be together for our weekly dinner."
Sasuke and Sakura nodded in response, and Sakura patted his leg, refusing to stand up herself. "See you soon, Naruto-kun."
He nodded and punched his fists into air, stretching and yawning a long, big sigh. He glanced down at the blossom. "You want me to walk you home, Sakura-chan?"
"No thanks, Naruto, I'm not going home quite yet," she answered quietly.
"M'kay," he spread his fingers out in a sloppy wave and headed towards the door. "Night Sakura, Sasuke."
The two remaining teammates on the floor mumbled their goodbyes and turned their attention back to the dog. Naruto laughed and slipped out the front door.
Sakura was drawing lazy circles under Sophie's chin, and Sasuke was running his finger back and forth along the dog's spine.
"Where is she going to sleep?" Sakura inquired.
Sasuke shrugged and glanced around. "In my bed."
Sakura raised an eyebrow. Sasuke shot her a warning glance.
"I just didn't figure you to be the kind of guy that allowed his dog to snuggle up in the sheets next to him."
"Where would you want her to sleep?"
"Oh no, don't get me wrong, if I had a dog she'd sleep with me too. You just… I thought maybe you'd give her a room of her own or something."
"She's a dog," Sasuke reminded her. Sophie opened her eyes and narrowed her eye's at Sasuke's small insult.
"Do you have food for her?"
Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and stroked his finger down Sophie's hind leg. "Can't she just eat what I eat?"
Sakura frowned. "You barely eat."
Sasuke seemed almost amused. "I could start."
Sakura laughed softly and glanced down at the dozing dog. "She's tired."
"A long day," Sasuke murmured.
"You can say that again," the blossom sighed wearily. Sasuke watched her intently, studying the dark circles and harsh lines beneath her eyes. Sakura let her green orbs wander, blinking furiously, and ran her hands steadily over the dog's thrumming chest.
"Something's wrong, you've been hiding it." Sasuke pushed the dog closer to the blossom, knowing she would find some solace in it.
"I lost a patient today," she whispered, pressing her hands further into Sophie's thick coat until they disappeared in the black fur. "She was young… only nine, ten?" She sighed heavily, closing her eyes slowly. "Her father was… and I… I should have… I could have…"
She stopped, her voice cracking, her breaths hitching.
"I could have saved her."
She paused and took a long, wary glance at the dog. "They called her Sophie sometimes, at the academy."
The dog pressed her head deeper into Sakura's stomach, and the woman folded over on top of the soft, dark fur, careful not to crush the calm creature. Sasuke stood up, taking one, short stride over to Sakura, and scooped her up in his arms.
"Come on, Sophie," he murmured. The dog stood up, shook, and followed obediently. Sakura collapsed against him, trembling violently. Sophie let out a hoarse bark, her brown eyes watching with concern as her padded heels pranced on the hard wood floors.
"I- I need to get home, Sasuke."
"You can stay here tonight," the Uchiha murmured, taking gentle steps up the stairs. "It's late, and you're upset."
Sakura twisted in his arms, and nodded against his chest. She understood his reasoning.
"There's a room close to mine-"
"No," Sakura muttered, forcing a green eye into Sasuke's black one. "Can I sleep…" Her lips twitched and she seemed to almost smile. "Can I sleep with Sophie tonight? I'd… I think I'd feel better there."
Sasuke understood her request, and took a sharp turn towards his room. It was situated in a funny place in the house, almost too far away from all the other rooms to make any sense. He took a long stride into the room and flicked on the overhead light with his elbow. He let Sakura slide out of his arms onto the navy blue bedspread.
"Take off your shoes," he directed quietly. He slipped out of his daytime clothes and into a modest pajama set.
Sakura dropped her sandals onto the floor, rubbing Sophie's long, thick hair.
She watched as Sasuke collected his dirty clothes and dropped them into the hamper, and as he ran a comb through his dark hair.
She suppressed a sigh and slipped under the comforter, pulling Sophie closer to her chest. The dog let loose a satisfied whine. She closed her eyes, running her fingers in a habitual circle on the dog's soft belly.
She felt the bed shift behind her as the Uchiha slipped underneath the covers. And she felt herself being pulled closer to his chest, and she melted into him. The dog curled her warm body into Sakura, and Sasuke wrapped his arms securely around the shivering woman.
"You're safe," he murmured, rubbing Sakura's side almost as if he were rubbing the dog. "We won't let you get hurt again."
Sakura smiled and let the warmth surrounding her soak into her skin. She was covered, she was safe.
She heard Sophie's soft pant, and thought of those deeply set brown eyes. And then those wide, black ones, that didn't seem so cold anymore.
Sakura sighed deeply and tasted the air around her. "You know how they say that pets reflect their owners?" she murmured into the pillows.
"I've heard that," Sasuke whispered.
"Well, I say that this is one lucky dog," the blossom spoke softly.
The Uchiha almost laughed. He pressed his arms softly into Sakura's side, and curled himself around her. She let loose one long quiet shiver, and settled further into the bed sheets.
"You did everything you could."
Sakura seemed almost startled by his quiet statement, but her lips settled into a humorless smile. "No, I didn't."
"Don't lie." Sasuke could feel Sophie's fur brushing the across the skin on his knuckles.
"If I had done everything I could, I would have saved her."
"No."
Sakura growled into the pillow and twisted under the comforter. "Sasuke, you weren't there."
"I didn't have to be." He had that look on his face. The look of absolute wisdom and stubbornness.
Sakura tried to inhale, but her breath seemed caught in her throat. "I didn't think of everything! I did something wrong! Her case was so simple… I just… I didn't!" She sat up fast in the bed and slammed her fist hard onto her pale calf. "Damn it, Sasuke! I could have saved her!"
Sophie whined a somber, daunting cry and Sakura collapsed into the pillows.
Sasuke watched, nearly startled, and pulled Sakura to his chest. "Shh," he murmured, his lips close against her ear. Sophie nuzzled her way into the crook of Sakura's arm, and snorted in satisfaction.
A soft, quivering laugh escaped Sakura's lips.
"Sleep," Sasuke commanded gently, tapping the blossom's shoulder bone with his finger. He was quiet for a moment, listening to Sakura's steadying breaths. "The name is perfect," he whispered, brushing his hands briefly against Sophie's side.
Sakura nodded slowly sunk into the warming mattress. "I know." She closed her eyes, with Sasuke embracing her and the generous, warm dog curling into her, and fell into a deep, sweet sleep.
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A/N: A strange, 2,000 word drabble that some hows ties Sasuke's new pet and Sakura's growing grief together. Does it work? Because I'm not quite sure... Anyway, I hope it had a satisfying amount of fluff while keeping Sasuke somewhat in character. I tried to make him speak in short, Tarzan sentences. Heh heh. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it!
PLEASE REVIEW!!
Oh, and constructive critisicm is always appreciated. And sorry for any grammer or spelling mistakes, I'm not very good at catching those.
Once again, PLEASE REVIEW!! (I put those words in big letters so they are more noticable.)
Thanks, folks.
eb.
P.S. The line button was being a poop! So I had to make my own line breakers...