"Remember when we had to do missions like that, Sasuke-kun?"

"Ah. They were annoying."

Sakura giggles as she watches Sarada and her team jump from a building with precise ninja skills, down onto the village path. It seems that the bear (although Boruto thinks it's a panda) escaped from its confinement once again and it was up to them to retrieve it. She watches as her daughters sensei runs comically away, the animal ferociously at his heels, his genin right behind him to serve as back up. They run down a street corner and they're out of her sights the next second.

Sighing, Sakura jumps down from the water tank she'd been sitting on, landing next to Sasuke she leans her frame against his. He's everything that she remembers; warm and comforting as he wraps his sole arm around her waist blanketing her in his black cloak. Looking up at her husband, she sees the way he studies the village, can see the gears turning in his head - rising up to her tiptoes, she pecks him softly on the cheek. She bites her lip to refrain from grinning like a mad fool when she sees the tint of red coloring his pale cheeks, the view of seeing him embarrassed warming her to the core.

Onyx eyes shift down to regard the woman next to him, he sees the playful look in her eyes, following up her antics with a smirk, Sasuke presses his wife closer - a small yelp coming from her mouth - he locks his gaze with her and just when she thinks he'll kiss her he whispers, "let's take a walk."

He almost laughs at the disappointed look on her face reminding him of their last encounter all those months back after reuniting with Sarada. He isn't proud at the way he handled things with her back then, dark brows furrowing at the memory of almost stabbing her with his sword. Sakura had told him that night, in the privacy of their bedroom, that he wasn't to blame; and although he is grateful to his wife for always being so understanding, he should've known his own daughter.

For Gods sake, she was half of him and half his beautiful wife!

She was the carbon copy of their coupling.

The Uchiha matriarch and patriarch walk down the streets of Konoha, Sakura waving back at the few people greeting her. They walk side by side, but Sasuke never links their hands like the other couples he spots along the way. He does, however, show his ever possessiveness towards the pink haired woman, directing her with a firm yet soft touch to the small of her back as they veer left and onto another path.

Sasuke sees the bounce in Sakura's steps. He can sense her happiness and he almost feels guilty because how many years had she been walking around the village alone - with nothing but a promise for him to return - and although she birthed Sarada a few years after his journey, he was sure that she still felt lonely.

As did he.

They arrive at their home, scaffolding still in place since they were still rebuilding what Sakura had destroyed. Despite the demolition, Sasuke wasn't mad. In fact, he was rather excited since he had every intention of adding onto the house to make more room for others. A small smile graces his face at the idea of having more children run around the compound, but that wouldn't be for some time. He'd rather concentrate on his relationship with his first born before even considering having more kids.

It was rather strange, pulling his keys out of his pockets. Although he'd been home a few months ago, it was weird walking into his own home. Treetops and shabby inns had been his home for years and now that he was walking into his own abode (warm and clean not cold and bloody) he feels like a stranger. Once inside, Sakura walks behind the dark haired man and helps Sasuke take off his cloak with gentle fingers. She hangs it up, turning around she faces him and smiles. There is a tenderness in his eyes and it makes her heart flutter whenever he looks at her like she is the only thing that matters in this world. Bridging the small gap between them, Sasuke pulls his wife close to him by the waist and finally kisses her.

His thin lips move against hers and it takes everything in her to not collapse onto the floor. Her knees feel weak, her head spinning at the way he coaxes her lips to part in order to allow him entrance, a low groan escaping him when she nibbles at his bottom lip. The pinkette wraps her arms around his neck, pressing herself closer to him, her heart soaring when he places a strong hand on her ass guiding her leg up onto his hip. Following his lead, she raises her other leg to wrap around his hip, feet now clasped together to hold herself up as he brings them to their living room not once breaking from their lip lock.

Sasuke settles on the couch, his wife now straddling him, he takes the liberty of running his fingers through her short pink hair, reveling at the soft texture. After what seems like forever, they part for air, chests heaving. Sakura smiles and places a soft hand on his cheek; he places his own sole hand on top of hers lacing their fingers together as he leans into her touch.

"I've missed you," he confesses.

"And I you, anata."

"I'm sorry."

Pink eyebrows furrow. "For what?"

The Uchiha patriarch sighs. "For leaving you ... and Sarada." He sounds tired and it makes Sakura's chest ache at the sheer guilt laced in his dark eyes, the tightness of his voice symbolizing all the regret he must feel.

"You did it because you had to. I never once doubted that you weren't out there in order to protect us."

Onyx eyes close, tipping his head back onto the couch, Sasuke's lips quirk upwards just a bit. "You're too good to me."

The medic nin gains his attention by gently tugging onto his long side fringe. "I love you."

He looks at the woman before him silently thanking whatever God placed her in his life. He'd never feel worthy enough to have her no matter how many good deeds he's done or the fact that he helped eradicate yet another threat to their world, Uchiha Sasuke will never feel like he'll deserve her. Straightening himself, he tips her chin up with two fingers so that she looks at him directly, making sure that she understands he places his forehead against hers. "I love you, too."

Although they'd been married for a few years now, Sakura will never tire of hearing him say those three words. She pecks him softly on the lips once, twice, thrice - a blush forming on her cheeks when he settles his large hand on her ass and squeezes. He smirks a little, onyx eyes darkening when he sees her own emerald gaze mirroring his. There's a tightness in his belly, one he was all too familiar with, his eagerness showing when he grinds his hips against hers.

His wife moans a little, biting her lip at the sensation and just when he is about to repeat the action again, she stops him with a hand on his strong chest. Confused, he looks at her and he can see the telltale signs of lust forming in her eyes, but she also looks nervous, worried even. "What's wrong?"

She doesn't miss a beat. "How long do we have?"

Understanding dawns on him. Of course. Of course Sakura would ask this question. She was referring to how long did they have together before he up and left them again. Anger flows through his veins (certainly not at her) but at the fact that his absence has become the norm for her and he hates that she feels this way.

There's an eerie stillness to the living room. The ticking of the kitchen clock being the only source of noise his trained shinobi ears pick up. His eyes shift behind her right shoulder towards their bookshelf where he spots their old Team Seven photo, zeroing in on the Sakura of then. Memories with her from all those years ago surfacing and it's almost amusing to him because he thinks that maybe, just maybe, he actually loved her (just a little) even back then, but was too consumed in darkness to ever really notice. Now as a man, he reflects on everything and is beyond grateful for everything that she has done for him. There's a sense of apprehension in Sasuke, one solely based on the fact that they were shinobi and Konoha was unfortunately always plagued with misfortune so there was always a chance that he'd have to strap on his sword and face the evil - alongside his spiritual brother - in order to protect their loved ones.

He didn't want to make anymore lifelong promises in regards to when he'd return. All he wanted was to stay at home with his family, to be able to tell his wife every morning see you later rather than see you when I'm back and not show up until years later. He wanted to be there when Sarada needed him, he's missed so much of her childhood already and he didn't want her to hate him anymore than she probably already did. There's a paternal craving in him, one he thinks comes from the years of neglect from Fugaku and although he is no longer bitter about his father, Sasuke doesn't want to be like him. He wants to be able to show Sarada all the attention she deserves and to help hone her already remarkable abilities.

Fatigue flows through him at the thought of more fighting, but for now they were safe and there was no need for him to leave anymore. The memory of the night he first left Sakura when they were genin resurfaces causing him to frown and with shinobi speed he switches their position to lay his wife gently onto their plush couch. He settles between her parted legs, his fingers caressing the back of her neck in a silent apology (even though she already forgave him but he would never stop saying sorry). His long fringe falls over, serving as a curtain between the two, his other eye exposed as he looks directly at her.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispers.

Her reaction is immediate, tears pool in her eyes, a whimper escaping her as she throws her arms around his neck and kisses him. Their kiss is filled with longing but oh so gentle and it makes Sakura's heart soar to the moon and back.

Tadaima

A/N So, I watched Boruto last week (I'll be watching it again tomorrow lol) and the movie was great! The fight scenes were amazingly done and there's a lot of emotion in the movie between Bolt and Naruto, buttttt SPOILER ALERT there is NO SasuSaku in the movie. None. Nothing. Nada. They don't interact once and Sasuke and Sarada interact like maybe twice for like three seconds. That being said, this is why this one-shot came to be because I refuse to let the movie not provide it's fans with the canon SasuSaku we all thought we'd see for the movie. Sigh. If you haven't watched the movie, definitely go and be sure to stay till the end of the movie for a surprise. Please leave a review letting me know your thoughts and be sure to check out my multi chapter fic This is Heartache for more SasuSaku.