Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. If I did you would all be kissing the ground I walk on. I'm looking back and see no kiss marks on the ground so yeah...do not own.
This story comes in just before Naruto and Sakura meet Sai and see Sasuke again.
Do you feel the same?
Sakura looked at the cherry blossoms in a daze. Just how long has she sat under this tree? An hour... maybe four? The gentle pink petals floated down and rested on her face leaving her in a state of nostalgia. Her body felt numb as she did nothing but watch the sky between the blossoms. Her mind seemed to be on a never ending path of memories. All those sweet times she shared with team seven.
But no smile of fond memories graced her lips, no tinkle of joy decorated her eyes, no giggle of past times escaped her lips.
Her mouth as set in a state of sadness, her eyes seemed dull and lifeless and only a quick breath escaped her lips before she sucked it back in, hoping to control her emotions just that little bit longer. She didn't want to suppress the sadness she felt, nor did she want to let it out. She merely wanted to hold on to the feeling, just for a moment more.
She remembered the way he smiled, when he did. She loved the ay his long bangs framed his handsome face. She loved his dark serious eyes that could easily steal her breath away. She loved the sound of his voice, the feeling of shivers travelling up her spine when he called her name. If only he was strong like Naruto... then maybe she could still enjoy those things now.
Surely he had been training these past few years as Naruto has. For all she knew he could still be physically stronger than Naruto but that as not the strength Sakura was thinking about.
Both as children where all alone in the world. Naruto never had anyone, Sasuke lost everyone. Sasuke was loved and admired, Naruto was ignored and shunned. But Naruto had the spirit to smile despite harsh times; he had the strength to keep on working hard to gain peoples approval. He had the strength to turn his back on bad times and look forward to the good times.
Sasuke seemed to dwell on the bad of the past; wanting not to make the best of the life he was offered but rather wanting nothing more than to kill the last of his family.
Tears slid down Sakura's face at the thought, quite words escaped her lips as her feelings escaped with her tears,
"I still love you Sasuke. I don't care that you left us all, I don't care that you are on a revenge trip. I love you so much! If only I was stronger. If only you took my confessions seriously. Maybe you would have the strength like Naruto. Maybe you would be sitting by my side, holding my hand."
As the words slipped past her lips and the tears streaked her face her heart ached her body shook with sobs.
"If only I knew what to do... if only I knew what to say to make you stay by our side. I love you so much...please just...just come back."
Sakura sat up straight once again, pushing her back against the tree trunk with her head looking back up at the sky. As rain began to fall it mixed with her pained tears as her chest heaved with heavy sobs. And slowly her crying stopped.
Slowly her breathing calmed, her body relaxed and her tear filled eyes grew heavy. As she lowered her head she knew this wasn't normal... She suddenly was exhausted, her body crying out for sleep. Her eyes began to close beyond her control. Before they closed fully, Sakura could have sworn she saw a figure dressed in white and purple beyond her lashes.
Sasuke watched as his new jutsu took effect. He though Orochimaru stupid for teaching him these two silly non offensive jutsu's. The first being a sleeping jutsu that only lasted a few minutes. The second was a clone that could touch, see, hear, smell and taste for him. Although it couldn't attack. He remembered telling Orochimaru they were lame. He would never use them. Why bother learning them? Orochimaru simply said he need to widen his array of jutsu's as much as he could.
Sasuke walked over to Sakura's slumbering form and watched the rain flatten her pink hair and make her clothes cling to her womanly form. He should probably thank Orochimaru now. He sat next to her and took her hand, kissing it gently.
"I love you to Sakura. I just have to do this and I don't want you dragged into this all. I love how your hair is the colour of cherry blossoms, I love how your eyes are like emeralds, and I love how your voice sounds when you say my name. I love the feel of your skin..."
Sasuke ran his hand over her arm and smiled slightly when she shivered beneath his touch. He played with her hair, finally brushing it from her face. Despite the rain he could still see her tears that escaped from beneath her eye lids. His stomach knotted at the thought he caused the tears... how long has it been since he felt guilty?
Slowly he leaned closer and kissed her cheek beneath her eyes. The salt of her tears lingered on his lips and the touch of her lashes stole his breath away.
"SAKURA? SAKURA?" Naruto's booming voice brought Sasuke to his senses. Slowly his lips left her soft skin and with a curse uttered under his breath the clone disappeared. Naruto ran up moments later, rain battering his face as he made his way to the lone figure asleep beneath the cherry blossom tree.
"Sakura wake up! How can you sleep in the rain? Sakura?" Naruto's voice grew more worried as he knelt down and gave her a shake. Sakura stirred slightly and Naruto frowned as the mumbled name escaped her lips,
"Sasuke..." Leaning over Naruto picked her up and began running back to the village.
'Don't worry Sakura...I will bring him back to you. I...I only hope he feels the same toward you.' Naruto thought as his own hot tears stung his eyes. If anything...He wanted his friend back...He wanted Sasuke to make Sakura happy. And it will be just like old times, the three of them laughing together, eating together and fighting together. He will fight for that bond.
Authors note. Well that's the last of my Naruto pairing one offs...so far. These are my fave pairings but I want to do more. So if you have a Naruto pairing you would like me to do a story of let me know and I will do it! Well...only if I don't mind it. If you try pairing up people like Ino and Naruto, I'm sorry I can't do it! Or Choji and Temari, pairings like that are not meant to be (I'm sorry to all of you that like those pairings.) I also won't do lemons or any other citrus fruit you have in mind. Other then that I am happy to do oneshots of any pairing you have in mind!
Other Naruto pairing oneshots
Gaara x Mitsuri dreaming of sleep
Neji x Tenten How do I tell him now?
Shikamaru x Temari paralysed beyond control
Naruto x Hinata please look at me
Ino x Choji something in common