Sitting on the top of a cliff by the border to Sound, wildly flaring her chakra for any half-assed shinobi – deadmeatiftheycamenearher – to sense was, Sakura reflected, not going on her top-ten list of most brilliant moves ever.
But it really was the only method that had succeeded in bringing Sasuke to her. If Sasuke didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be, and she'd tried everything else last time. She had, at least, taken the precaution of booby-trapping the surrounding area as intricately as possible. It was her third day out. She was planning on packing up and leaving at dusk, whether he came or not.
Sakura leaned back against the uncomfortable pile of rocks, trying not to think of what Naruto would do when he found she'd come out here alone. As far as he knew, she was with Ino, visiting a spa that catered specifically to ninja. As far as Ino – loudbitchywonderfulfriend – knew, she was at home, resting, watching Konoha's Next Top Shinobi marathons, and having Naruto – – massage her feet.
A bird wheeled overhead, calling its friends to come see the strange possible food source it had found. Sakura watched the drab, feathered creatures land nearby and hop closer, staying barely out of arm's reach.
---
"Sasuke-kun!"
"Sakura."
"Um, I – That is... I'm glad you decided to come!"
"I'm not going back to Konoha, Sakura."
"...I know." She knew. She figured it was time to accept that.
"Then why did you come."
"I have something I need to tell you."
"Clearly."
"I... Naruto..."
"..." His stare burned a hole in her forehead. Why did he refuse to look her in the eye?
"Naruto and I are getting married."
"..." A loaded silence stretched between them. Like a rubberband about to snap.
"We were wondering if you would come and Naruto said he'd grant you a temporary reprieve, five days or so, to give you a head start not that you'd need it but we wanted you there and we still care about you and..." She paused to take a breath. "We want you there, Sasuke-kun."
"..."
She could read his answer in his eyes before he spoke it.
"No."
Of course not.
---
The birds, which had been almost close enough to touch, started suddenly, and took off in a flurry of loudly flapping wings.
"Sasuke-kun. Thank you for coming." Good god. She sound like Tsunade – belovedmentormotherfriend – so cold and clinical and precise.
"What do you want." Not for him to come back to Konoha, that's for damn sure. He regarded her with cold red eyes.
"Sasuke-kun. I'm p-pregnant." Sakura shouldn't have stumbled over that word.
"Hn."
"I want you to be its godfather." He's still her friend. If he says no, she'll ask Lee, she swears.
"What did Naruto say about this?" She wonders why he'd ask something like that.
"He said it was fine." Not that she'd gone right out and asked him. "I wish Sasuke-kun could be the baby's godfather." "Me too, Sakura-chan. Me too..."
"So, um... will you?"
Her heart sinks. She knows what his answer will be.
"No."
Of course not.
---
Happy Birthday, Dandy!