Title: Carousals in the Sky
Status: Chapter 1
Summary: Sometimes, falling in love is the easiest thing in the world. SasuSaku. AU.
Notes: Based on the beautiful real life love story of my friend, Menahil.
xxx
Uchiha Sasuke met Haruno Sakura for the first time when she came to live at his house for a summer. Apparently, his mother had been pen palling anonymously in Kumo— "Yes, Sasuke, even your mother wants to vent sometimes," she'd said in an uncanny juxtaposition of endearing snarkiness—and, over the course of time, identities had been revealed, friendships had been strengthened*, and as mothers often tend to do, children had been discussed, tried to be matched up and embarrassing stories had been exchanged.
The Uchiha's were a proud, old and prestigious clan. They came from old money, lived in a more than humble abode and owned a sizeable company of notorious repute. They were a tight knit clan; and Uchiha Mikoto kept her sons close to her heart—"On a leash," Uchiha Fugaku would mutter darkly.
Haruno Mebuki had become an unidentifiable force in Uchiha Mikoto's life—for over the course of years, talking intimately about every aspect of your life tends to bring people closer. So when asked to tend to Sakura-chan—who she'd seen growing up through words and digital pictures—for a summer, Mikoto was not only delighted, but unexonerably excited. Husbands were saucily bribed, announcements were made to children and the guest room was thoroughly redressed in pink.
All the while, Uchiha Fugaku looked on in stern disapproval—was flippantly ignored—while Uchiha Itachi would look on with datached amusement. Sasuke, on the other hand would scowl his disapproval and sulk under the shining, shimmering, bright disposition of his mother.
On the day, Haruno Sakura arrived, the Uchiha household was frozen in the state of hawkish judgment—all except Mikoto, who cheerfully introduced the uncomfortable looking girl.
"This is Sakura-chan, boys." Fugaku growled his dissent, Itachi subtly beamed and Sasuke looked on sulkily. "She's here to start her internship at Senju Memmorial but that zealot landlord has conned her out of that horrible apartment building—" the last of this statement was delivered with furious righteousness—" and so, she will be staying with us in the meantime," Mikoto, completely ignoring her family's less than welcome disposition, beamed radiantly and Sakura fidgeted under the watchful, speculative gaze of the Uchiha men.
"Um, thank you for having me," she muttered uncomfortably. And everyone was ushered in.
xxx
Sasuke treated Sakura like he would treat any other stranger who'd have the misfortune of bumping in him on the street—with frigid politeness.
The first few days consisted of awkward hallway run in's and silent, difficult breakfast's, where the only person contributing conversation was Mikoto.
And on the day that Mikoto fell sick, the Uchiha men clambered in silent chaos, for the Uchiha matriarch had rarely ever fallen ill, and so they knew little to nothing about taking care of a sick person. Uchiha men were tragically awkward, and so was their way of expressing concern—Fugaku sat in silent vigilance at his wife's side, Itachi loitered in the kitchen and Sasuke insisted upon going to the doctor to no avail—"It's just a little cold, Sasuke-kun," she would croak after a hacking cough. All three of them would frown in worry.
It was when Sakura arrived at night, critically analyzed the situation and took things into her own hands that the entire household was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Truth be told, none of them had quite remembered their house guest until the moment the door had squeaked shut at 9 o'clock at night and tired footsteps had intruded on the silent convening the three of them had held in the kitchen. She'd taken one look at their stricken faces, dropped her bag and turned wide, inquiring eyes at them. It was Itachi who had answered in a deadpan voice, "Its mother. She has a cold."
There had been a moment of silence, where she'd looked at each man in turn, and then raised her eye brows so high that Sasuke had had the urge to snap at her waspishly. Then she'd let out an amused sigh and without further ado tromped towards the main bedroom.
The three men in the kitchen shared a look and took off after her. As they crammed themselves in the doorway, they found her gently taking Mikoto's pulse, putting a hand of her forehead and lean her head to listen to her stuffy nose. Then she looked at them and gently told them, "It's a cold. From change in weather. No need to worry."
Until that moment, none of them had the foresight to remember that she was actually training to be a doctor. They shuffled in the room and looked at her awkwardly. She smiled, "I could prescribe basic cold medicine. It should help, but the virus would run its course. I would prescribe antibiotics but I don't think she needs them yet. Let's just keep her hydrated and feed her chicken soup, ok?"
That was the most she'd spoken to any of them since her arrival and it took Sasuke and Fugaku a moment to dip their feet in the situation. Itachi, as always, was on top of it. "Would Tylnol help?"
She gave him half a smile, took out a notepad from her pocket and wrote something on it. "This one should do it."
xxx
Over the course of next few days while Mikoto got better, it was Sakura who took care of the rest of them. She got up early in the morning and prepared breakfast—for Mikoto was adamant at always being the one to send off her family with full stomachs in the mornings herself—so by the time Fuagaku rolled in the kitchen, the table was set with eggs, toast and juice and Fugaku was stunned speechless. Itachi followed and after a moment of sudden shock, smiled his gratefulness, and took his seat. "Thank you, Sakura-san."
"It's the least I could do," she smiled, picked up her bag. Sasuke entered the kitchen and like the rest of his family, stared the scene in momentary disbelief.
"I've got to run. There's soup for Mikoto-san on the stove. I'll be late so you'd probably have to reheat the left over from last night. I'll try to buy something frozen on the way back, ok?" she rattled, distracted and checking her bag while the rest of them listened on in astounded silence.
Satisfied with the contents of her bag, she hefted it over her shoulder, beamed out her smile and made to go out. Fugaku's hand stopped her in the doorway. He cleared his throat, averted his eyes and said, "You didn't—"
"Of course I did," she cut him off gently. "You've given me a place to live. I'm grateful." She patted his hand gently and swiftly took off.
"She's something, isn't she?" a soft voice croaked from behind the jamb where Mikoto stood in a fluffy bath robe with tangled hair and a stuffy, red nose. She hacked out a cough.
xxx
After that, the rest of the Uchiha warmed up to Haruno Sakura. It was in the smallest of things; how Itachi would offer her an extra glass of juice before she left for the hospital, how Fugaku started asking about her day—"Bloody and gruesome," she would grin—and how Sasuke would wake up early to silently help her out with breakfast. As Mikoto got better, she insisted upon taking her breakfast duties back and unbidden, Sasuke felt a twinge in his chest.
His mother must have seen something on his face, for she smiled at him in affectionate amusement and said, "Sakura-chan must be special. You never helped your mother, Sasuke-kun."
Sakura looked at him with a laugh. "Really?"
"Mmhm," Mikoto affirmed, delighted.
Sasuke's cheeks warmed. "As if," he snapped, embarrassed.
He was surprised when it was Sakura who tutted at him. "Don't be an ungrateful cretin, Sasuke-kun," she laughed at him.
Itachi entered the kitchen and heard the tail end of the conversation. He chuckled and patted Sasuke's head affectionately.
None of them missed the brand new suffix at the end of his name.
xxx
Sakura's hours at the hospital were uncanny; sometimes she would arrive early in the evening, sometimes, late at night, and one time even in the wee hours of the morning.
Sasuke had a habit of drinking warm milk before he went to bed. Some nights, she came home when he was upholding his traditional nightcap. That was how their friendship started. She would heave her bag down and he would sit on the kitchen stool and sip his milk slowly. They would talk. Mostly, she would, since he was, by nature a silent person. But he would contribute to the conversation and she would appreciate his effort.
"You're such an awkward turtle, Sasuke-kun," she said one day.
He gave her a bland look.
"Don't worry. I like you despite your cringe worthy disposition," she smiled cheekily.
He nearly huffed. "No one is flawless, and my disposition is perfectly acceptable. I just don't find talking to be very productive."
"Liar," she smiled. "You just don't know what to say, most of the time."
"I know perfectly well what to say most of the time," he said, a tad haughtily.
She laughed again, and got up, "Nah. You just suck at conversation. Good Night, Sasuke-kun." She waved and went to her room.
Sasuke let his lips lift up in half a smile.
xxx
Her hair was pink and her eyes ever changing; green like apples when she was excited, celadone when she was tired, emerald when she was angry and a soft sea foam when she was content. Sasuke was baffled that he'd noticed. He chalked it up to their budding friendship.
"So," she started.
"What?" he asked and scowled when she slid his glass towards herself and took a sip.
"I'll be moving out in a few days," she said casually, not looking him in the eye.
He was silent for a moment, then, "I see."
She looked at him then, "That's it? You 'see'?"
"What else am I supposed to say?" he asked.
"You're supposed to ask where am I moving, how am I moving, do I need help or are we still going to be friends?!" she snapped at him. He could see the hurt in her eyes. They shone a bright leaf green. He added it to his mental collection and took back his glass of milk.
"I thought you knew that I suck at conversation," he said, as if stating a fact, and took a sip of milk.
She stared at him for a few seconds, then laughed and wound an arm around his neck, rested her head on his shoulder. He let her. "I'm moving into this tiny apartment in this building near the hospital—"
"How very descriptive," he interrupted snarkily.
"Shut up," she squeezed his neck threateningly and continued, "Anyway, it'll be a few months till I start my residency, so I need to be nearer. A friend of mine is helping me move but I'll appreciate your help," she squeezed his neck again and he hummed his assent.
"Did you tell Mother?" he asked.
"No. I'll tell them tomorrow." She didn't sound enthusiastic.
"Mother will be devastated," he said.
"I know, Sasuke-kun," she said wearily and moved away to put her head down on the table. He immediately missed the warm weight and the smell of apple and candies. "It's going to be craptastic," she intoned into the table.
"Aa," he agreed. But he'd also come to know that she was fiercely independent, and nothing he would say would make her stay, so he didn't say anything. He understood, in the three months he'd known her that she had things do, had people to save, things to prove. He put a supporting hand on her back.
"We'll meet two times a week, whenever we're free," he said. "Maybe mother will guilt you into a dinner every week. Be prepared."
She lifted her head, smiled, and some of the weight on his heart lightened. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."
xxx
Her departure had been miserable. Mikoto had been downcast, Fugaku silent and Itachi, surprisingly passive—"I know she'll come back, one day, if not in the way you expect, Sasuke," he'd said cryptically.
And as Sasuke and a very bright, blue-eyed and bushy tailed Yamanaka Ino helped Sakura move; he knew in his heart that his brother was right. He just didn't know how.
xxx
They met regularly. Sometimes, they met for drinks and sometimes, when both of them didn't have an early morning, they'd hit various drive through joints and Sakura would eat her heart out while Sasuke would watch on with a smile. Sometimes, they'd go to respectable establishments and she would make Sasuke treat her to expensive meals.
"You're rich, and I'm a struggling Intern. Feed me," she would say.
"I'm not rich," he'd reply.
"Yet."
They would talk—about nothing, about everything.
"We had an accident patient in the ER today. His wife was with him. She was pregnant. They lost the baby."
He looked at her; at her wilted shoulders, *dark eyes and put his hand on hers. She held on gratefully.
"Shikamaru fell asleep in the meeting today," he said, trying too sooth her in his own emotionally stunted way. "Father was pissed."
She laughed, and held on to his hand tightly.
"One day, I'll buy you a tomato farm for being so sweet," she said.
"I'd like that," he replied.
xxx
Around the second year of her residency, Sakura started losing herself; she lost a lot of weight, worked overtime, slept less and consistently stood him up. Sasuke was worried, but more than that, he was angry. She had wormed her way into his heart, made herself a comfortable little nook, and was now trying to thrash her way out. It made his chest twinge.
Uchiha Sasuke was the kind of person who, when loved something, he gave his entire heart to, poured his entire soul in it. But at the same time, his heart was three sizes too small; and when that something hurt his him, his ego took over—and his ego refused to make amends. As Sakura's presence in his life became less frequent, he learned to live with that constant hollow in his heart, started shaping his life around that tiny hole.
It was after two months of this that Yamanaka Ino found him. He was reading through the legal contracts of the latest deal their company had closed that his assistant Suigetsu nervously knocked on his office door. Ino stood behind him, prideful and stunning, her blue eyes looking at him resentfully.
She stormed in, sat across him, glared and he noticed that her eyes were a little rheumy. He was instantly alarmed. "Sakura?" he asked.
"Oh, so now you care?" she snapped.
He looked at her steadily. "What's wrong with Sakura?"
"Shouldn't you know already?!" she raged. "Listen to me Uchiha! You don't just start a thing with someone and leave them when they need you the most!"
He took a deep calming breath. "I never left her. She was the one who distanced herself."
"And you LET her!? What the fuck is wrong with you!?"
He gave her an irritated look.
She inhaled deeply, glared her him once more, and spat, "Did you even, for a moment consider that something happened with her? Or did you automatically jump to stupid conclusions?"
"I—"
"No!" she snapped. "Don't give me lame excuses."
He opened his mouth again, closed it.
"Just," she rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Just fix her. Please."
x
tbc