Sakura leaned against the wall, her red satin dress hiding her amongst the roses and ribbons of the event, her eyes clouded with unshed tears as she watched the duo in the center of the room dance, dance like no one in the world could see them. It made her heart ache to watch, as thrilling as his happiness is, the pinkette just wished it was directed at her and not at one of her fellow shinobi.
"This is unexpected," A voice among many whispered to a listening ear, "I was sure it'd be the pink one."
"I believe this one is much better suited for him, more indepent." The listener answered. The voices all blurred together after a while, like the words in the songs long ago had.
"S-Sakura-chan?"
Emerald eyes looked up and red lips curled up in a half-hearted attempt at a smile, "Hey Hina-chan."
Biting her lip the indigo haired girl hugged Sakura, "A-at least he's ha-happy. Things l-look bad now but I thi- I know they'll g-get better."
"TenTen will bare him strong children and protect them. Make him smile, laugh, things I couldn't accomplish. I tried, I tried Hinata!!" Sakura tightened the hug, hiding her tears on Hinata's shoulder. "Ino moved on, but I never could. I loved him, oh, Hinata."
"Shh," Hinata ran her fingers through Sakura's short hair and rocked her back and forth, "Don't ga-give up yet things al-always can go up."
"He adores TenTen and not meee!" She refused to say love.
New Favorite
They all say it
I'll say it too
You've got a new favorite
"Sakura, grow up." A deep voice commanded above the noise. The crying woman looked up and through her tear filled eyes saw her childhood friend staring at her with his unusually wise ceruelan blue eyes.
"What?" She sniffed.
Taking Hinata's hand in his she pulled her out of Sakura's grasp. "I said grow up. You told me the same thing after you drilled it into my head you wouldn't ever see me anything other than a friend. You told me to get over you and move on."
"I don-"
"Sasuke doesn't just adore TenTen, he loves her. He told me himself."
"No." Sakura looked around, she needed something to hold to, cling to.
"He sees you like you see me." Taking his free hand he pulled his hurting friend into his chest, Hinata slipped her hand out of his so he could embrace Sakura. "He didn't want to burden you with his past, take you away from a happy future. TenTen is an orphan, being a shinobi and her friends are what she lives for. She has no family waiting at home, she knows how harsh the world is Sakura, you know so much, but it's not what you need to know."
"L-look at them again S-Sakura-chan." A soft voice pleaded. Taking her head off her friends warm chest she looked. "R-really look."
You're old standby
your right hand guy
is nothing new
you've got a new favorite
The pair had just finished dancing and they were walking over to the food bar, hand in hand, both acting like nothing was out of the usual, but as she looked closer she saw it, a subtle glow. Something she saw when she looked at Hinata around Naruto. Among the darkness that always swirled her dear friend something else swirled, danced with it. It was a small smile on Sasuke's beautiful face and the relaxed stance of the usually battle ready Tenten.
Sasuke had told her she was important to him, something that filled her hopes. Sakura had thought she'd grown over those three years, and more over the three following them, she was still so much like the child she was when she cut her ties with Ino, selfish.
Gathering her courge she stepped out of Naruto's embrace and smiled at the two before her, "I understand now." Wiping her face with the back of one hand as she took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.
Hinata smiled the motherly smile that seemed to always adorn her face around her friends and commarads. Taking Sakura's hand in her she squeezed it, "I-I'm glad Sakura-chan."
"I'm going over to talk to them."
"Catch them fast, they're heading for the balcony."
"W-wait." Reaching into her purse Hinata pulled out a small tube of ointment and put a dime sized amount on her hand and gently rubbed it on Sakura's face, mainly around her eyes. "It hides signs of crying."
"Thanks," The smile told the couple it was for more than just the ointment. Why do you lie about love?
I saw the light go out
She didn't make it in time the pair had slipped into the balcony before Sakura reached them, the pinkette sealed her chakra and decided to watch them for a while, something she never did, seeing as she usually avoided looking at the pair.
"TenTen?" Sasuke voice was monotone as normal but it was tinged with something she heard in Lee's voice when he talked to her.
"Mhm." The weapons mistress was polite and gentle.
"You."
TenTen's face turned pink around the bridge of her nose, "Really?"
Sasuke brought her in close, snaking his arms around her waist and burrying his face in her slender neck. "Yes."
"You."
TenTen felt Sasuke smile against her neck, then press his lips against her pulse before her looked up to look in her eyes. Navy met cocoa before to lovers leaned in for a kiss.
And should I go
you won't say so
I know its true
I know you've got a new favorite
I know you've got a new favorite
Sakura slipped back inside and tried to stiffle her blush. The pair was so sweet, Sasuke was truly happy, she saw it now. He was in love with TenTen, and she loved him. That was what 'you' meant. It was what a couple who was killed by Kyuubi always said to each other instead of 'I love you.' Her mother had told her that. 'You' meant nothing and everything from 'I love you' to 'I'm sorry'.
Emerald eyes looked around for Hinata and Naruto to tell them she was okay, but they were gone. Peeking around to look out the window she saw Sasuke and TenTen still in a passionate embrace and smiled, she wasn't upset anymore, she was definatly going to apologize to TenTen, noting how close the pair was, but not tonight.
You've got a new favorite
I kinda stole the 'You' from a book I read. I don't remember which one, the cover I recall but it I don't, anyway so yeah that wasn't my idea and I don't own the song it's New Favorire by Allison Krauss. This was made for a songfic swap with Mibea, go check his stories out. - It was suposed to be just SasuTen...but heh I kinda made it more about Sakura, oops. I hope you liked it.