ONESHOT!
SasuSaku, Team Seven
She formed a bond with the blind boy, and leaves him lost in the rain. She comes back to make things right, only to find out what she had done changed the sweet little boy he was before she disappeared.
Rated T. Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Drama, Angst. OOC, AU.
I don't own Naruto. Enjoy! :)
I Could Only Feel
His eyes were shut from birth.
He couldn't see. He was blind…
Forever. He always thought.
He could only feel.
Like the time his hands were clutching his mother's and someone bumped him. They ended up falling down, and hitting each other's foreheads.
"O-ow!" The blind boy rubbed his forehead. He panicked for a while, until he felt his mother's presence beside him.
"W-watch it!" The raven haired boy said towards the one who bumped him.
"Sasuke-chan, he didn't see you. It's okay." His mother always calmed him down.
"Is he blind, too?" Came an innocent question.
"S-sorry." He heard an unfamiliar voice say. It must've been the boy who bumped him. "I was running so fast I didn't see you!"
"Are you blind, too?" The boy asked once more. He did not see the other boy's expression.
"Blind, too?" He asked. "Oh, no, I'm not blind! I'm just clumsy! Gomen nasai." He laughed. Sasuke frowned.
"Wait, what do you mean, 'too'?" He asked. Sasuke did not answer, so his mother replied for him.
"Sasuke-chan here cannot see." Her voice had a hint of sadness, yet it was calm and gentle. "He was blind since birth."
Sasuke felt the other boy frown.
"R-really?" He said in amused voice. "Th-that's not fair! Hey, I wanna be your friend and help you."
Sasuke's mouth fell open.
"R-really?"
"Yeah!" Sasuke felt happy. He never had a friend before. "I'm Naruto! From now on I will be your best friend, you got that?"
And Naruto held Sasuke's hand, and that's when Sasuke felt that he already had one real friend.
From then on, the two always hung out. Mikoto, Sasuke's mother, already trusts Naruto enough to bring Sasuke out to the park.
One day, while they were on their way to the swing, they heard a bunch of girls laughing and yelling. Naruto held Sasuke's wrist and they walked over to where the girls were.
"Oi! You! All of you! Stop teasing the girl!" He yelled. Sasuke heard the girls stop and mutter words of irritation. "You're hurting her!"
The girls went away, and he and Naruto walked to probably where the little girl was. He heard crying, and crouched down, and tried to feel for her hand.
"H-hey, don't cry." Sasuke couldn't see her, but that was one heck of a sob he could hear.
"C'mon, don't mind what those girls say!" Naruto said. "You're actually very pretty, you know!"
Sasuke frowned that he couldn't see how pretty this girl was. He continued to look for her hand. His heart leapt when he felt her hand.
He felt something different. It was different from Naruto, different from his mom, different from everybody he felt. This girl was special.
"I'm Naruto!" His best friend said. "This is my best friend, Sasuke! You can be best friends with us, too! Right, Sasuke?"
The boy was too busy wondering at what he felt at the mere touch of the girl's hand. He held it tighter, and he felt the girl flinch.
"Don't worry!" Naruto added. "Sasuke he… He can't see. That's how he makes friends and gets to know people! Like me!"
"S-s-sasuke-san?" She said. I gripped her hand more. His other hand touched her face, and this time, she didn't move. He felt bruises and scratches on her face.
"Who did this to you?" Sasuke said, worry obvious in his voice.
"S-some girls. They… They fought me after I tried giving a letter to N-neji-san." She frowned. "They said I was too ugly!" And the girl cried in his shoulder. He awkwardly hugged back.
"Hey! You're not ugly!" Sasuke could sense his whiskered best friend grin. "And besides, Neji doesn't deserve anyone as pretty as you!"
"Y-you think so?" She squeaked. Sasuke formed a smile—at least, that's what his mom told him. ("When you curve your lips up, and you feel happy and good inside, then you're smiling!" She said and made his lips trace her smile.)
"Hey." Sasuke spoke. "I couldn't see you, but I know you're pretty. I can feel it."
"See?" Naruto piped. The girl hugged Sasuke tighter, and pretty soon Naruto joined to hug them, too.
"Hey, wait a minute." Sasuke said. "What's your name, by the way?"
"S-sakura…" She said. Sakura gripped his hand tighter. "Sakura Haruno."
"That's a pretty name." Sasuke said. "Like those Sakura trees… I want to see those, because my mom said they're really beautiful."
"I was named after them." Sakura whispered.
"AH! Because you're hair's pink?" Naruto grinned. Sakura nodded. Sasuke only frowned. He wished he knew what pink looked like.
"Y-yes."
"Then I bet you're as beautiful as the real Sakura trees." Sasuke said.
"Th-thank you…" Sakura hugged Sasuke and Naruto tighter. It made Sasuke feel so warm and happy, despite his lack of sight. "Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun…"
And the three spent more time with each other after that. Soon, they held sleepovers in each others' houses. When Naruto and his family took a vacation out of the country for 4 months, Sakura took care of Sasuke. They grew so much closer then, eventually forming a stronger bond. By the age of thirteen, they knew they had different feelings for one another.
While Naruto was out of town (again), the two took a stroll down the park. Sakura's hand was intertwined with Sasuke.
"So, Sakura…" Sasuke said. "I… I want to tell you something."
"Hm, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura didn't sound as enthusiastic as she usually does.
"Wait, what's wrong?" Sasuke could tell there was something wrong.
"N-nothing…" Her voice faltered. "What were you going to say?"
"Sakura…" He held both her hands. "I… When we met, and when I first touched your hand, I felt something different about you… Different from my mom, different from Naruto." He held her hands tighter. "And as the years went by, I… I realized that I felt different about you because I do feel different about you."
"Sasuke-kun…" She trembled. He thought she was crying.
"I… I love you, Sakura. More than a friend, more than a sister." Sasuke said, his face heating up, his lips forming a gentle smile. "I loved you, I love you, and I will always love you, no matter what."
Then Sakura fell to her knees and cried. Sasuke was afraid he had hurt her. He crouched down and hugged her.
"What's wrong?" Sasuke said. "Why are you crying? Did I hurt you?"
"W-why now, Sasuke? Why now?" She cried harder. "Why do you love me? Why did you only tell me now?" She was sad, and he felt it. He was confused.
"I've always loved you, Sakura."
"Why tell me only now?" Sakura sobbed into his shirt. "Sasuke, of all the times… Why do you have to make it hard for me?"
"What's wrong, Sakura?"
"I… I love you too, Sasuke!" She said it in a sad, hurt way. "I love you, but it's too late…"
"It's not too late, Sakura. I—"
"No!" Sakura stood up, leaving Sasuke on the ground.
"Sakura?" Sasuke asked, hurt and confused and worried.
"G-good bye, Sasuke." Her voice was getting softer. He realized she was walking away. He heard her footsteps quicken. "I-I love you! I-I'm so sorry!" She was sobbing. Soon her footsteps were gone. She was gone.
And Sasuke, for the first time in his life, felt lost.
"S-sakura?" He asked. He started to get scared. "Sakura? Where are you?" He tried to stand up, as rain started to fall. He didn't know which way to walk to. He tripped and his cellphone skidded somewhere to the side.
Before he knew it, he was crying.
He never felt so lost… So…
Alone.
"Why did you leave me?" He yelled. "Sakura!" He bit his lip and decided that he should look for the phone.
It took him about 42 minutes to look for his phone. He dialed the number (his mom had taught him which keys to press in order to call her. Sasuke already memorized it.), and in ten minutes, Mikoto found his son, lying unconscious in the middle of the sidewalk.
He was out cold for 2 days. He woke up with fever and colds and Naruto by his side. He was mad. Naruto was about to tell him why Sakura left, but the mere mention of her name made Sasuke's blood boil.
He never spoke about Sakura ever again.
He erased her from her memory. And he turned cold to everyone else, sometimes even his mother, and even Naruto. He was scarred and scared and traumatized. He loved Sakura so much, just as much as his mother and Naruto. Now he can't fully trust anyone anymore, no matter how much he had loved them before.
One day, when they were sixteen, he and Naruto decided to go to the bank.
"I'm finally going to withdraw!" Naruto kept chanting. "Oh, it feels so good to finally have your own bank account!"
"Hn. And you're gonna waste all that money on some stupid cupped calories that isn't good for your health." Sasuke stated. He hated going out with Naruto, of all people. He had to hold his wrist so he wouldn't get lost.
And he knew it looked bad.
"Hey, Teme, that's the most I've heard you say!" Naruto's voice somehow irked him, but made him feel okay.
"Tch. Dobe." He frowned.
"Okaaaaay, we're here!" Naruto said. He led Sasuke to a seat. "Hey Teme, sit here, okay?"
"Hn." He stated. Naruto walked off. Sasuke sighed and put his hands on his side.
"Okay, mom. I'll wait for you here." A familiar voice said. He simply ignored this as he felt someone take a seat beside him.
"This seat taken?" She asked. He only grunted as she took a seat. He felt hands on top of his and felt something he had never felt before.
It was the same feeling when he touched that girl's hand.
Sakura's hand.
"Well, I'm sitting here, if you don't mind. You aren't answering anyway." She said in a somewhat annoyed tone.
"I'm blind, so I can't see." He stated, pissed. "Watch who you're dealing with before you make a stupid fuss."
"Well, I'm sorry—" Then she stopped. "Wait, blind?"
"Yeah. Now shut up and mind your own business." Sasuke spat, pulling his hands away from hers.
"Wait… Sasuke-kun?"
Shit.
It's her.
"Sakura?" He asked in a slightly surprised voice.
"Oh… Oh my God, Sasuke-kun!" Happiness oozed out of her voice. She hugged him and he stiffened. He was about to hug back when that dreaded memory of her leaving him in the streets crossed his mind.
He pushed her off.
"Sasuke-ku—"
"What the fuck are you doing here?" His voice made it clear that he was angry. "Why the fuck did you even think of coming back?" His voice raised, and he didn't care. "Do you know how I felt when you left me? I was out cold for two fucking nights and you didn't even…"
"Oi, Teme, what's wrong?"
"Shut up, Naruto!" He growled. "I hate you Sakura. You broke my heart and made it hard for me to love anyone ever again. And now you fucking come back and hug me like nothing fucking happened. You're a bitch, you're a heartless monster and if you're the only one I'll be seeing, I'd rather stay blind because you fucking didn't care!"
Sasuke's chest was heaving, and tears were streaming down his cheeks. The crowd was silent. Sakura was silently sobbing.
"I hate you Sakura." He said again.
"I… I loved you, Sasuke-kun…" She cried. "Naruto, tell Sasuke…"
"No, Sakura." Naruto said, his voice surprisingly strict. "You… you shouldn't have left Sasuke like that."
"But Naruto, I told you when I called you to tell Sasuke everything!" She cried harder. Sasuke stood up and Naruto stood by his side.
"Sakura, the mere mention of your name made Sasuke mad. When I told you that, you never called… Ever." Naruto's voice cracked up.
"I'm so sorry!" She sobbed.
"It's too late, Sakura." Sasuke's words hit her like venom. "Three fucking years too late."
Then Naruto drove Sasuke home, and they told Mikoto what happened. She didn't say anything. The weeks after had been rough for Sasuke. He'd been getting endless visits from Sakura. He kept telling his mom to keep her out, but one day, she snapped.
"Sasuke, be a man and talk with her maturely." She said, her strictness surprising Sasuke.
"Mom, you know what she did—"
"Did." She repeated. "What is she doing now?"
"Tch. Doesn't matter."
"You're being a baby."
"Mom, stop it!" He raised his voice. Mikoto gasped for a while, and started to cry quietly. Sasuke realized his mistake.
"Mom, I'm sorry…" He said, guilt filling his heart.
"S-sasuke-ch-ch-chan…" She sat beside him and he hugged her. "I know what S-sakura did. I know the r-result of wh-what she did. I w-w-was so angry at her."
Sasuke continued to rub his mother's back as her crying filled his ears.
"B-but look at her. She'd s-stand outside, even in the r-rain, all alone, and c-crying, w-w-waiting for you." Mikoto said. "D-do you remember what it felt like, b-b-being all alone, under the rain, crying, w-waiting for someone to come pick you u-up?"
Sasuke bit his lip. He hated that feeling. It was the worst feeling ever.
"But it was her fault. She… deserves it." Sasuke stated, trying to control his anger.
"But it doesn't mean you have to do it to her." Mikoto stopped crying. "And she goes through it almost every other day, despite the strong rain."
Sasuke was silent.
"I'd say give her a chance, Sasuke-chan." She stood up and kissed his forehead. "Give it time."
Sasuke frowned.
"Fine."
"I'll let her in."
Mikoto gave Sakura some of her old clothes and put her wet ones in the dryer. She and Sasuke sat a few feet from one another on his bed.
"What do you want, Sakura." He asked.
"I want you to listen, Sasuke-kun…" Her voice was sad and quiet. "And then you can hate me all you want. Just… please listen."
"Hn."
"I… I didn't want to leave, Sasuke-kun. My family had a sudden business problem so we had to move to Suna immediately. I was only told the day before I… I left you, and I was crying the whole night." She started to sob. "And th-the day we were walking, I was g-g-going to tell you, and then Naruto, b-b-but when you s-said that you love me, I d-d-din't want to leave, because I l-loved you, too. And then I couldn't breathe, and then m-my mind got lost, and I ran. I ran away to where I thought my parents couldn't find me, so I can s-stay with y-y-you…"
Sasuke didn't know what to say.
"Then why did you leave me all alone? I'm blind, Sakura. I was so… afraid." He tried to contain his anger.
"I know, Sasuke-kun. It was a stupid, selfish mistake. When they found me and dragged me to the car, I kept crying because I was so stupid." Sakura sighed and stopped crying. "That night I wanted to kill myself. Seriously."
"Don't." Sasuke said, he didn't know why. Sakura brightened up at the sign that he still somehow cared about her.
"I didn't, because I was determined to see you again. So I kept calling, and Naruto told me everything. I was so mad at myself for doing that."
"Why did you stop calling?" He asked. Somehow, he felt that a heavy load was lifted from his chest.
"Because our house burned down. I lost all my contacts. It was a good thing we had a few spare clothes and money in our aunt's house, and that we had all our other important things with us." Sakura cringed at the memory. "My phone was burned down with it, so I had to change number and I lost yours. It was a very rough year for us."
"I'm sorry about that." Sasuke whispered.
"Well, we got back up pretty fast. And the problem was cleared, so we decided to move back to Konoha for good." She smiled. "My mom was going to withdraw from the bank so we could buy some food for us, and that's when I saw you…"
"Did you forget about what you did to me?" Sasuke asked, his voice calm, but angry.
"That moment when I saw you, I did. That's why I hugged you. I was just so happy to see you again; I thought you would feel the same, but… Then you said those things to me. They hurt a lot. And I saw how much you changed all because of me… And I got so angry at myself again. I realized how selfish I was being."
"I forgot about what happened, too. I was about to hug you back." Sasuke mumbled.
"So I made it a point to win back your trust. If not, at least make things clear with you. That's why I've been visiting you nonstop." She said. "Sasuke, words can't explain how sorry I am…"
"And words couldn't explain what I want to do right now." Sasuke said. He wanted to forgive her, but something was holding him back. That feeling of being all alone under the rain haunted him. It was hard.
"I don't expect you to forgive me." She said, her voice cracking. "Not now, maybe not ever. But I want you to know that I am very, very sorry about what I did. I regret it so much, I wanted to kill myself. I loathed myself because of what I did."
"Sakura…" Sasuke slid nearer to her, and unconsciously wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
"And I want you to know that I love you, Sasuke-kun." Sakura cried. He felt her force a smile. "I loved you, I love you, and I will always love you, no matter what."
Those last words struck him.
He had said that to her before. And she remembered.
She cried and he hugged her. The two ended up falling asleep together on his bed. His arms were wrapped around her body, his legs wrapped around hers. His nose was comfortably resting on her hair. Sakura's back was enjoying the warmth of his chest. Her hands were placed over Sasuke's. They fell asleep to the sound of rain hitting the window, and the sound of their hearts beating steadily.
From that day on, Sasuke lightened up a little. He wasn't back to the old, cheerful Sasuke he was before Sakura left, but he wasn't the cold, stoic boy either. They hung out more, and the old trio was back and stronger than ever.
And Sakura was back for good.
Somewhere along the way, he fell for her. It was probably two years after she came back when he realized that he still did love her. And he confessed to her.
"Sakura…" He said, walking hand-in-hand with her. It was like before, only this time, he knew Sakura wouldn't leave.
And the weather was fine.
"Yes, Sasuke-kun?" The happiness in her voice never failed to make his heart melt.
"I…" He held both her hands. "I love you, Sakura."
"I love you too, Sasuke-kun." She smiled.
"I loved you, I love you, and I will always love you." They said in unison. Gentle smiles grazed their faces as Sakura moved closer, her face probably just inches apart. Her warm breath tickled his skin.
"Sasuke-kun, may I…" Her voice softened a little. "May I kiss you?"
Sasuke was surprised. He knew what kissing was. He felt Sakura's nervousness and he chuckled.
"Wh-what?" She said, a bit embarrassed. Then he started to laugh. "Sasuke-kun!"
Then he leaned forwared and kissed her. She gasped and tensed. He cupped her cheeks and smiled into the kiss. Sakura relaxed, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed back.
They were a couple from then on. When they arrived at Sasuke's house to tell Mikoto the news, she wasn't there. So they waited in his room, and ended up kissing more. They stopped when they heard Mikoto's car. When they told her the news, Mikoto hugged Sasuke and Sakura tightly. And then they told Sakura's parents, and they were happy, too. And then Naruto, who, for the first time, treated them lunch that wasn't ramen. Sasuke and Sakura had been a happy couple for 5, strong and steady years. Naruto even found himself a girl.
And then Sasuke deicided that he should try taking things into another, more serious, more responsible level.
He wanted to propose to Sakura.
He asked Naruto and Mikoto to help him organize a party for his birthday, just 5 months away from their anniversary. They invited close friends and relatives, and Mikoto found a way to convince Sasuke's older brother, Itachi, and his father, Fugaku, to come home for a while. And in the middle of the party, while he and Sakura were onstage, he knelt on one knee, and everybody cheered.
"Sakura…" He said lovingly. He heard her gasp and hold his outstretched hand. "Will you… will you marry me?"
"Y-yes, Sasuke-kun!" She said joyously. "I will, I will!"
Sasuke smiled and slipped a diamond ring on her finger. He stood up and kissed her, and everybody cheered. She cried tears of joy.
That night was one of their happiest nights. The other one was three days before the wedding night, when they first made love. Sakura took the lead, but when Sasuke felt when he needed to do, he did it perfectly. That night was flawless. Sasuke didn't need to see to enjoy that night. The love and pleasure he felt that night was more than enough to keep him happy his whole life.
Of course there was the wedding night.
And that night was the most special of them all.
As the ceremony was going, Sasuke felt a buzz in his head. He felt dizzy, and the weeding had to stop temporarily. Everyone was worried, then they were all surprised when Sasuke did one thing they never thought he'd do.
He opened his eyes.
It was slow. Everyone had their mouths opened wide. Sasuke moved his eyes around, surprised at the things he was actually seeing.
He could see.
"Sasuke-kun?" Someone called him. He looked in front of him and saw a… person. A girl. And it was the best thing he had ever seen. "Sasuke-kun, oh my God…"
"Sakura?" He asked. "Sakura… Sakura I can see you."
"You can? You can?" She… cried. Something poured out of her eyes, and Sasuke figured it was water. He moved his hands towards her cheek and wiped the tears away.
"Sakura, I can see you…" That's all he said, and Sakura smiled. "You're beautiful."
"T-teme? TEME!" A certain best friend of his called. He looked at the place where the voice was coming from. There was a boy with messy hair. "Teme, your eyes!"
It was Naruto.
"Naruto?"
"Sasuke-chan!" Someone else called. He followed her voice. Then there stood a girl with long hair. She was also crying.
"M-mom?" He choked. He felt water stinging his newly opened eyes. She walked over to him and hugged him. She started to sob.
"S-saskue-ch-chan, i-i-it's a m-miracle! Y-y-you can s-see!" She cried, and he cried with her. The whole church smiled, some cried. It was a miracle. Sasuke could see.
"Everything's so beautiful, mom." He said. "You're beautiful."
"Th-thank you, S-s-sasuke-chan…" His mother smiled. Sasuke looked at the two men smiling behind his mom.
"Itachi… Dad…" He said. They were always gone, but it didn't matter. He could see them. He walked down the steps slowly, carefully watching where he was going. His mother guided him. When they reached Itachi and Fugaku, the family hugged. Sasuke and Mikoto cried, while Itachi and Fugaku held back the tears. Everyone was so happy.
"I love you guys…" Sasuke said. Then Mikoto broke from the hugged and looked at Sakura.
"Honey, come over here." She smiled. Sakura smiled softly and joined the hug. Sasuke was so happy.
"H-hey, what about m-me? I'm T-T-Teme's best f-friend!" Naruto yelled, crying. Everyone burst into laughter—a sight Sasuke liked—and Naruto joined the hug. In a few moments, the wedding resumed.
"Everything's so beautiful, Sakura…" He whispered to her as he held her hands. "But you're the most beautiful of them all."
The wedding and the reception continued. Sasuke was so happy, and so amazed. He felt like a child. Everything was so beautiful. Sakura was so beautiful. Sure he'd get occasional headaches because his mind was working too much, but he didn't care. This night was perfect, and he'd never, ever let it go.
A few nights after, Sakura and Sasuke decided to make love once more, and Sasuke said it was beautiful. Everything was so new, but he loved it. He loved Sakura the most, and he was so thankful that he could see.
Sasuke learned through the years. Pretty soon, he already had things he didn't want to see. He already knew all the colors and things and emotions and stuff like that. He could read and write. He could do that all thanks to Sakura.
And then there was Sakura.
He liked angry Sakura the most. He found it funny, because when she got angry she would puff her cheeks and her face would turn red. Sasuke would laugh then say sorry then they were okay again.
Another one he liked was lustful Sakura.
Her eyes would shine brighter, and she would smirk and smile evilly and playfully. She would look so… hot. And sexy. God, he loved it when her face goes like that, and then they'd go all the way that night.
He also liked sleeping Sakura.
Her face was so peaceful and so calm. Her mouth would be slightly opened. Sasuke learned that he also suffers insomnia, because ever since he could see, he found it difficult to sleep. He'd oftentimes just watch Sakura sleep, or maybe watch TV, or maybe read, or maybe write. It still amazed him. Once he only got two hours of sleep, but he didn't care. His eyes were too excited.
But that was all that mattered. He could see. He could finally see, and it felt so good, and he felt so alive. And he loved Sakura more. He appreciated everything, even the pained look Sakura had on her face when she gave birth to their firstborn son, who, thankfully, was not blind.
Sasuke's still adjusting now, but he doesn't mind. Sakura's with him. Mikoto's with him. Naruto's with him. Satoshi, his son, is with him. He could see that he is surrounded with people he love.
He could feel. And see.
He's happy, alive and in love.
And that's all that matters to him right now.