Falling into place.
It wasn't how she expected it to happen, but she was glad it happened like this.
When she sees him, the first thing she thinks is that this is beyond awkward.
She always expected this moment to be different. Maybe him walking back into the village with Naruto, angry but secretly happy, this is his home after all. It never occurred to her that it could happen this way. They had countless of missions trying to capture him. To bring him back home.
When she was still younger she still secretly hoped that someday this would happen. She knew it was silly to hope that, but she still did.
When she grew up, that's when she realized, that life didn't always work out the way you plan it. She did see Sasuke a few times after that, mostly in battle, on opposite's sides, always trying to bring him back home. The last time was to stop him from destroying Konoha. That moment was probably when she changed.
When she turned nineteen, she slowly began to lose interest in him. Too much had happened for everything to go back the way it was. Would she be happy when he came back? She doesn't know. Her life is actually very pleasant right now, and if he came back, the entire village would be confused, angry, pissed, and revengeful again.
She would never say this to Naruto, who will probably strive to retrieve Sasuke untill the day he dies. She admires it, but doesn't really share the same feelings as strongly anymore.
She would be happy when he returns, because it would make Naruto happy. That's why she still sometimes goes with Naruto on his missions. But honestly, she couldn't really care. It will always sadden her to know that they couldn't keep their team together, but she respects Sasuke's decisions.
It's the first time she sees him, after he attacked Konoha. It's been three years or more. It surprises her as much as it surprises him. He still looks the same, a little older but that's it. Still has the same team strolling behind him. All a little older and a little wiser. Hopefully.
She was coming back from a mission in Suna and stopped in a little village to spend the night. She decided to go and eat ramen somewhere (Yes, for some reason she always eats ramen when away on missions, she blames Naruto for that.) and ends up in a little restaurant that reminds her of Ichiraku's.
When she is contently sucking up noodles she notices four people in black cloaks. They're standing with their backs to her but she immediately recognizes them. The redhead chick, the white-haired fish-ish guy and the huge one. And of course Sasuke. She stares at his back for a while.
They don't notice her until the red head seems to recognize her chakra, because she turns around and looks her straight in the eye. She nudges Sasuke, who slowly turns around. She is sitting less than two meters away from them and doesn't know what to do. They obviously don't either because they just stare at each other. She realizes she still has noodles hanging from her mouth and sucks them in. It makes an incredible noise. Her face turns red, and she feels more embarrassed than that day she leaked through and was wearing a white skirt.
Three years feel like thirty. She just stares, and so do they.
"So…." The white haired guy decides to open the conversation. He looks around the shop, obviously looking for something to talk about. Sakura stares at her noodles. They suddenly seem so much more interesting.
"I'm Suigetsu, I don't think I have properly introduced myself before" He walks towards her and extends his hand. Sakura takes and shakes it politely.
"Sakura" The others introduce themselves too, as Juugo and Karin. Sakura wonders what she is supposed to do now.
Their ramen is done, and they awkwardly stand with their bowls in their hands. Sakura points to the chairs in front of her, not knowing what else to do.
"Please sit down" Suigestu immediately sits down on the chair in front of her, and Karin, the redhead sits next to him. Juugo grabs a chair and sits at the head of the table and Sasuke is still standing there.
Sakura suddenly needs to fight the urge to laugh. Not a true laugh, more like a hysterical laugh of complete confusion. The whole situation seems so idiotic and ironic. She always imagined herself crying and then trying to beat him up or something like that. Now they're just eating ramen together.
"Don't worry, Sasuke, I don't bite"
Suigetsu apparently finds the joke funny, because all his noodles fall out of his mouth from laughing. Karin punches him for that, saying how disgusting he is. Sakura smiles, they remind her of Naruto and her.
She doesn't notice Sasuke sitting next to her until he starts to eat. She feels strange, this should have been normal if everything went the way it was supposed to. Now she feels like she is in some sort of shock and doesn't know what to say. Thankfully she doesn't need to because Suigetsu is great for filling silence.
"So, how's Konoha doing?"
"We're doing fine, thank you?" She wonders why he asked that, after all they are enemies, aren't they? They don't even feel like enemies anymore. Life goes on, with new enemies and new allies.
"Sorry about the state we left it in" Juugo apologizes. She smiles at him, he seems like a very genuine nice person. She decided to ask the question that has been bugging her since she saw them.
"So, what are you guys up to?" The table suddenly gets quiet. Definitely the wrong thing to ask, Sakura thinks.
"We're building Oto back up." It's the first thing Sasuke says. She turns to look at him. He is still looking in his bowl of ramen.
"Yeah!" Suigetsu pipes in "It's actually a pretty cool place, now that Orochimaru and Kabuto are gone."
Karin is looking at her. It's not a mean look, more of a thoughtful one. She doesn't know how to react, so she just smiles at her. Karin notices, frowns and looks back into her ramen.
There is silence again. Even Suigetsu stays quiet.
"Naruto still wants you to come to Konoha" She feels like she needs to say it, just for Naruto.
Sasuke finally looks at her. It's the same look as always. Some things never change. No emotion or what so ever.
He stares at her, which makes her nervous.
"What about you and Kakashi?" Sakura looks at her ramen. It feels so weird, would they have met at another place, another time, they would be fighting.
"I think you should do what makes you happy, Sasuke"
Suigetsu snorts.
"Nothing makes that kid happy, Sakura" Karin holds back a smile and Juugo openly smiles.
"Thank him for me." She almost gives herself a whiplash while turning her head to him and so does everyone else. That was the one answer she did not see coming. And neither did the rest judging by their faces.
She feels that familiar feeling in her stomach. What Sasuke said made her feel so warm, so truly happy. It's as if he finally realizes what Naruto tries to do for him.
She wants to hug him, like she hugs other friends, but it's probably a little too soon for that. But she can't help letting a giant smile decorate her face.
The rest of the meal is finished in silence, but it is much more comfortable silence than before.
When they finish their ramen they walk outside. She wonders how she is supposed to say goodbye, but they are faster.
"We need to be in Oto by midnight, so..." Suigetsu says. She understands, that's the life of a ninja. She can't help smiling and looking at Sasuke.
"I understand." She does, but can't help wonder if she will see them again. She would like to, she can admit that to herself.
Sasuke turns around, and so do they. They walk a few meters than he stops. He turns back around
"And also, you guys should visit us more often"
Then he walks away. Sakura smile becomes even bigger and suddenly she decides she isn't going to spend the night here, but instead travel to Konoha, wanting to tell Naruto this news.
"I will, and you can expect a visit sooner than you want!" She yells after him. She was never good at concealing her happiness.
He simply raises his hand in a last greeting manner and disappears in the darkness of the night.
Sakura also turns around and walks away, intending to check out the little hotel and get back to Konoha a day earlier. She can't help smiling and feeling this warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach.
Maybe everything is finally falling into place.
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Thanks for reading
Yeah lots of OOCnes…Sorry!
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