Title: Waiting a lifetime
Rating: T
Waiting a Lifetime
Seven years, eight months and thirteen days. A longer time than she had ever expected to wait. An outcome she had almost given up on.
She forced herself to act naturally as she walked toward the windows, carefully pulling down the blinds. Simple tasks. Normal tasks. Breathe.
"Sakura."
She shivered, flinched. The sound of her name only served to heighten her anxiety, make her wish desperately that she were anywhere but here. That they were as they had been for years; she blindly thinking that true love could cure all evil without effort, he believing that love was pointless in life.
Now they were here, in middle ground, and she was the one shying away. Carefully turning, she glanced over her shoulder.
It was afternoon. The sun was bright outside, peeking into the room as much as it could, despite her attempt at darkening it; for a moment, as he stood there, all she could see was blood.
On his hands, drenching his chest, his clothes; streaking over his face in patterns too familiar, too sickening. Always insisting that he was an avenger, insisting that he had to hate in order to gain the strength to kill his brother...
That was a part of what had brought that day into birth. Many had quietly called it a nightmare, horrified and sickened. She had never seen the truth in such a label.
It had been far too real to be dismissed as a dream.
"Sakura..."
She jerked as he spoke again, blinking away the vision. He was normal again, a faint light of concern in his eyes. She smiled faintly, stepped forward.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke." Knowing he would never make the first move to touch her, she reached for his hands, holding them loosely in her own. He nodded slightly, accepting her apology, though neither understood what she was apologizing for.
Feeling his grasp suddenly tighten, she took the next step, leaning against him and disengaging her hands to wrap her arms around his waist tightly. It was a position she was used to, now - holding him in quiet bid for comfort, where they would both stand like that for hours.
He was never one to show physical affection, though she knew he craved it. It showed in subtle ways; the slight tensing of his hands whenever she would pass by, the faintly wistful downward curve of his lips when they would pass other couples.
One night he had spoken quietly of his parents, and how they were always touching. His mother's hand resting gently on his father's shoulder; an arm around a waist when speaking to a comrade. He had grown up seeing that and recognizing it as a symbol of love. Even after all the tragedy in his life, he remembered.
After that, her efforts had doubled. She had always loved touching and holding him, but now it held special significance.
Snuggling against him, she rested her head on his shoulder.
Though she had always been tall, next to him she was dwarfed. Briefly, she recalled moments in their childhood, in their training, when she was the same height as he. Now he was an easy head and shoulders above her, all lethal grace and controlled strength; far taller than most of his family had ever grown.
He pressed a hand against her lower back, quietly accepting her embrace in his moderate way. She knew he was looking over her head, at some blank point in the wall - going through his memories or simply savoring the moment. And, as always, they were quiet.
Words were almost unnecessary at times like these; to be close to each other was all they wanted. Conversations were spoken outside their homes, while walking through the woods or lazing with other ninja between missions.
And times like now - the hours after their wedding, a quiet affair conducted with their closest friends, stolen in the soft mist of morning. She had complained of wanting to savor their wedding day the entire day; he had simply let her have her way. Others had simply been amused and attended without too many sly comments.
Kakashi had been proud, or so she liked to think. Certainly he had approved once their relationship had proceeded past adolescent infatuation and flat rejection. And Naruto... he had grinned widely, as supporting as ever. He had been the loudest to cheer, as well.
A faint smile crept to her face as she finally relaxed, her nervousness fading. They were married. Vows had been exchanged.
They were in their home, the house that had once belonged to Sasuke's family. Many rooms were too filled with memories, and they avoided them quietly, without speaking. Each would be tackled individually, as they had with this one. He had spoken without thought, simply recalling little things that were brought to mind as he stood there.
It had taken three months to get past the first floor.
"I always hated it."
She raised her head at his words, a brow arching slightly in question. Sasuke nodded his head in the direction of the bed behind them.
"It was always too big and ostentatious for me, but my mother ignored my complaints." He spoke dryly, with the faintest undertone of laughter.
Smiling, Sakura noted, "I believe it's just perfect for the both of us."
"Kiss me all over" is all I can say.
Gentle words spoken in the softest of voices. Breath gently sliding across sensitive skin; the soft rasp of callused hands against heated skin. Fingers trembling, touching.
Remembering belatedly to breathe as lips brushed against her throat, trailed down.
Teeth nipped, tugged. Her hands slid into his hair, fingers gently rubbing at the base of his neck. She leaned up, pressing a soft kiss against his shoulder, tongue darting out to taste.
Salty, sweaty. He was hot, burning beneath her hands.
I've waited a lifetime to feel this way.
His hands were sliding up her sides, rough and firm.
"Sasuke..."
Her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she felt his heated breathing, just before the wet, open-mouthed kisses he trailed between her breasts. She was panting lightly, finding the task of bringing air into her lungs a hard one.
Sakura's eyes darted open as his hands caught at hers, fingers linking comfortably. She shifted slightly, realizing that he was still half-clothed, whereas her own coverings had flit into a random corner long ago.
The room was darker now. How long had it been?
You leave me breathless and out of my mind.
He tugged at her fingers, drew her hands to his sides, flattening her palms against his skin. She let her breath out in a soft hiss, gently caressing from side to back, up to shoulders and down again. She could feel him trembling slightly beneath her touch.
The faintest sound of approval vibrated in her throat as he shifted, bracing himself on one arm and returning his lips to her neck. Teeth scraping, mouth and tongue soothing the sensitive skin; free hand kneading and caressing her breast.
I'm just so helpless, so baby be kind.
She whimpered softly. Stolen kisses in moonlight never held the same amount of passion, fear, and excitement. She wanted to hold him close, to tell him fiercely how much she loved him; how much he made her feel. Yet at the same time she wanted to push away, to hide from all the emotions he could evoke with the slightest touch.
He had always been able to make her feel so much, to drown her in the moment.
I lost my heart when I found you.
Sometimes she hated it - hated how their fights could occur so rapidly, and have her coming back with a soft apology not so long after.
But at times like this, she loved it; craved every caress, every breath, every sound. Gently, she raked her nails over his back, pulling him slightly closer. Her neck arched as he suckled lightly.
Yeah... and it hurt so good to lose.
"I love you," she whispered.
His hand only tightened.
I lost my heart when I found you... I lost my heart to you.
She was curled up against his side, head nestled against his shoulder. His thumb ran lightly over her spine, a wordless apology.
She was still throbbing and sore from their earlier activity, and felt mildly sweaty and dirty, in definite need of a shower. But despite that, Sakura was happy to stay in her husband's embrace. Snaking an arm across his waist, she pulled herself closer, wincing slightly at the pain even such a small movement caused.
"Sasu-chan?" she asked softly, using her rare endearment. It always served to lend a lighter atmosphere. He had protested it strongly the first time she had used it, and she had simply laughed.
He turned his head, gazing at her steadily. His face looked the same it had the first night he had said the words she had craved for so long.
You touch me in places deep in my heart.
"Do you still hurt?"
The question was hesitant, uttered in the exact same tone he'd used when he had said 'I love you'. The same questioning inflection, as though he hadn't been sure of himself, hadn't been sure of her reception. She smiled faintly, jade eyes warm and happy.
"Only a little." She was lying, but only by a little. Certainly it was sore, but this feeling unfolding in her heart... it was more than worth it.
Content. Replete with the knowledge that she had given her husband something precious to her, and the gift had been duly cherished.
And then there was his promise, whispered in her ear, with all the passion of the moment - that moment when he had driven into her, caused her pain that had brought tears. 'Next time is all for you.'
What it meant... she could only shiver with the temptation, the remembrance of the passion he had so easily coaxed from her, even if it hadn't blossomed fully.
Imagination runs wild in the dark.
"I wish you didn't have to hurt." Words that were spoken by gently caring lovers around the world. But to Sakura, they were only ever spoken by him. Only ever meant anything when accompanied by the tender worry threading through his voice.
"I know, love," she soothed, reaching up to press her fingertips gently against his lips. "I'm fine."
He tightened his arm around her, reached behind him for the folded blanket. Dragging it over them both, neither cared that it was still half folded, and that it didn't reach their feet.
Sakura's heart skipped at the sweet action.
Babe, I surrender all up to you.
Pressing a soft kiss against his chest, she murmured, "Kakashi doesn't know whether he wants a boy or girl first."
Without looking, she knew he held a faint smile. "Perhaps we'll work for twins, then?"
I can't remember... how it feels, to be blue.
E V I L A N G E L N U M B E R 1 3
Thx 4 takn tim out of ur day 2 read my fics u really dont no how much it means 2 me wipes tear from eye
Pwez remember 2 read and reveiw siriously pplz datz my inspiration lik i said b4 i do tak criticizm 2 a certian point bc if u dont no wat u did rong u cant improve=). So thank you again 2 thoughs of u who reveiw. 2 self- (i shoud really figure out sumfin 2 do 4 u guys who do reveiw.) well if u tink of sumfin 2 do 4 the 1s who reveiw pwez maks puppy dog fac tell me n a reveiw or message me thx again! =) luvlles!
EA#13