Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Enjoy!
His index finger and middle finger tapped the three year old's head ever so gently. The toddler smiled in her sleep for a split second before relaxing once again. The image was burned into his head, vowing to never forget that beautiful smile.
"You have to leave in a few hours. You should get some rest."
He didn't move from his position next to the bed. His fingers slowly retreated from his daughter's forehead. "I'll be fine."
A hand was placed onto his shoulder, even then not turning his head around. His eyes never left the child.
"Sasuke-"
"I said I'll be fine."
She knew how serious he was. Sasuke never said anything unless he really meant it and if he didn't want to be too specific, his responses would be vague and generalized. At this point, she was so used to it that she never questioned his decisions, trusting him to some degree that he wouldn't make a wrong choice considering how much regret he had about the past. But there was something different about tonight.
"Sasuke-kun-"
He finally made eye contact with her and it reminded her of the times back in the academy where any interaction with the Uchiha was cold. Even up to now, Sasuke seemed annoyed. His eyebrows furrowed. "Why do you still call me that? We aren't children anymore."
Her face hardened. She chose not to say anything, instead turning back around and walking out of the room.
And that is the one thing that Sasuke had learned during the years that followed the war: Never piss off Sakura.
She had only been asleep for a half hour at most, but she couldn't ignore the slight depression on the other side of the bed. The covers went up for a second and fell back down once again, a space now between her body and the one next to her. As tempted as she was, Sakura refused to turn around. Something that she had learned was that when dealing with Sasuke, she had to be stubborn. If anything, the task shouldn't prove to be difficult considering how long she had waited for him to come back to the village before and after the war. But in domestic setting, Sakura had to have the same patience and stubbornness with the Uchiha. It took time, but eventually, Sasuke began to join her for dinner, out to the marketplace when she needed groceries, and to bed once the evening hit.
But all of that was going to change in just a few hours.
Her patience was finally rewarded when an arm came across her waist and pulled her closer. Sakura only sighed.
"You're really annoying, you know that?" His body stiffened slightly. All she received was a grunt. "Rest is important. Especially since you don't know when and where you'll be able to set up camp while you're out. Also, I made you a lunch and it's in the fridge so make sure you grab it on your way out. I packed it up with enough food for a couple of days so you won't have to worry about that for awhile. You're cloak is washed and it's hanging by the door along with your sword and kunai. Don't forget it."
She didn't expect him to hold her tighter.
"Will you not see me off?"
The kunoichi didn't have an answer to this. She wanted to be mad, first and foremost. Of course, she had wanted to see him off. However, considering she knew her husband well, Sasuke probably wouldn't even give her the chance. He would be out of the house without a noise. That's why she had reminded him about all of his equipment and food. She might as well have made it easy for him to find everything to get out of the village faster.
Secondly, it was the tone in his voice again. He didn't seem sure.
Sakura kept her voice steady. "I assumed you'd be gone before you gave me the chance."
There was a pause before he replied. "Probably."
"Then why did you even ask?!" She couldn't hold back her irritation with her husband.
"I thought you would at least try."
Sakura gave up and finally turned around to face Sasuke. The Uchiha's eyes were open and both his regular dark brown eye and his rinnegan stared back at her. His appearance took a bit of getting used to. Like everybody else, she had found the rinnegan slightly eerie, but it didn't make her love him any less. Sasuke obviously could sense the discomfort and grew his hair out to cover it. At this moment, however, it wasn't creepy. She could finally see the sadness in his stare.
"What's wrong, Sasuke-kun? I thought you wanted to go on this mission. Alone."
"I do." He closed his left eye so that just his regular eye was looking at her. "I have to. Kaguya is still a threat and I must extinguish anything connected to her."
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Then what's the problem?"
Another grunt was his reply.
"Sasuke-kun."
"I don't want to leave my wife and child."
In her mind, she had never been more touched. As depressing as it was, Sasuke had only told her a number of heart felt things like this and including this one, she could only count it on two hands. She got over it, focusing on the fact that he did say these things rather than the times that he didn't.
Sakura played it cool though. "You mean us? Sarada and I?"
Sasuke sighed. "Yes."
She pouted surprising her husband. "Jeez, was that so hard to say?"
His fingers tapped her forehead harder than usual, even making Sakura give a slight gasp. He was smiling at his wife as she continued to pout.
Sakura raised her voice just loud enough to fill their bedroom. "Ow! What was that for!?"
"You're so annoying."
She watched him close Sarada's door quietly. In one arm was her husband's black coat, cleaned and ready to be dirtied by the outside world. In the other was Sasuke's sword, polished and sharpened days before that morning. Sasuke's form approached her from down the hall and without any words, once he was right next to her, she attached the sword to his hip and put his cloak around him. Sakura continued to mess with the buttons and straighten the black fabric until his gloved hand grabbed hers to stop.
"It's fine, Sakura."
She turned away from him, not taking one look at his face. "I was just making sure."
"Sakura."
The kunoichi crossed her arms but stayed with her back to her husband. "Did you grab your food in the fridge?"
"Sakura."
"You didn't answer my question. You better not have forgotten it because there is no way that you'll be able to get it after you leave the village."
"Sakura."
She groaned. "And then I'll see your lunch in the fridge and I won't be happy."
"Turn around, damnit."
Sakura finally turned back around and looked right at Sasuke's dark brown eye. There it was, that same sadness that he never usually showed on his face. It was making things so much harder.
Sasuke took a couple deep breaths before speaking. "I don't know when I'll be back. Take care of Sarada."
"I know." Her heart began to beat faster. For all she knew, this was the only goodbye she was going to get. "And I will."
"If she asks about me," He began strong and emotionless. But by the end of the sentence, his voice was nothing but pain. "Tell her I'm sorry."
Sakura vowed to stay strong. "You're doing this to keep her safe. That's what I'll tell her."
"She'll hate me."
"She'll understand. I understand. Just be safe, Sasuke-kun."
Silence filled the rest of the conversation. The husband and wife stayed in their positions for what seemed for them to be days. The sun wasn't out yet and Sakura was strangely reminded of the first time he left the village to gain power from Orochimaru. The moon was shining brightly through the window and it made Sasuke's rinnegan glow every time his hair moved just enough for it to peek through his bangs. His face was as expressive as a stone but as they say, the eyes are a window to the soul. And it had taken Sasuke years to find his. It's why he had taken his long journey to atone for his sins. And now, when Sakura had finally believed he was finally happy, Sasuke was leaving once again.
She accepted that maybe he wasn't meant to stay in the village, having too many bad memories here.
She accepted that maybe Sasuke would never forgive himself for the heinous things he had done in the past.
She even accepted that maybe he didn't love her as much as she loved him.
They loved each other. Sakura knew that Sasuke loved Sarada with all his heart.
But when it came to her, maybe he had just enough love for her.
He was doing this to keep the world safe. The village safe. Sarada safe.
And that was all.
Her jade green eyes caught Sasuke's hand coming towards her forehead. It was a gesture she was familiar with and it meant the world to her. But she would be lying to herself if she didn't wish for more. Sakura would take whatever she could get.
His hand grabbed the back of her head and he pulled her forehead to his. Time stopped.
Sakura was frozen. Her eyes were directly in line with both of his. And was that...a smile?
"Wait for me. One last time?"
She was speechless.
As she watched him walk away from the house, Sakura could only think about that brief moment of contact. Even up to this day, Sasuke Uchiha would always make her swoon. She had no reason to. She was a grown woman now. They were married. They even had a child together. Yet she was still blushing like the young girl that she was at the academy watching Sasuke from afar, which is exactly what she was doing now.
Sakura smiled with slight irritation.
"Sasuke-kun, you're so annoying."
There you guys go! Reviews are very much appreciated. Thanks for reading!