SasuSaku Friendship – Forgiveness/Love – Changes of the Heart
The old training ground felt so much smaller than it had when he was twelve, the grounds held so many memories for him, it was where he first became a ninja, where he became a member of team seven and where he truly figured out what it meant to have friends to watch his back.
After years of traveling it was nice to finally be home again, perching himself on one of the wooden posts Sasuke simply sat there watching the lake at the edge of the grounds. About fifteen minutes later Sasuke was joined by Sakura, the two sat in relative silence for a few minutes just watching the scenery for a while, it was the first time since Sasuke's return that the two were completely alone.
"This place hasn't changed at all has it? Not since that first time we all came here together" Sakura started kind of awkwardly, "it's hard to think that things like this can remain the same even though everything else around it has changed so much…" Sasuke nodded, it really did feel impossible, given how much he and Sakura had changed over the last three years, what team seven had gone through. "Yeah, strange"
For the first time in years Sakura truly looked at Sasuke, she noticed all the physical changes he'd made during his travels with the Toad Sage. His hair was slightly longer- though it still stuck up at the back like a ducks tail feathers, he wasn't as pale as she remembered, not exactly tanned but much more healthy. Like there was more life in him. He was taller obviously and he'd really grown into himself, he had well defined muscles hidden beneath the purple zip up shirt, to say puberty had been good to Sasuke would be an understatement.
"I missed you while I was gone" Sakura's eyes widened at the admission, that was not on the list of thing Sakura ever thought she'd hear Sasuke say to her, "You didn't reply to any of my letters, I wrote you one every week, but you never responded… by the end of the first six months I figured you weren't reading them and just started writing down what I'd done that week, or what I was feeling at the time, I think it sort of helped me come to terms with everything I was going through, ya'know… a part of me really hoped you were reading them… the other part kept telling me to stop torturing myself because I was probably just bothering you. But I refused to give up! You were important to me so I told myself I couldn't give up."
Sakura slid off her wooden stump and moved to stand in front of Sasuke, she moved his knees apart so she could plonk herself in-between his legs on his, "I didn't read you letters until two days before you got home. When Tsunade-shisho told me you were on your way back I felt compelled to read your letters… by the time I'd gotten through them I had completely forgotten why I had avoided reading them for three years, I especially liked the one where you transformed yourself into a girl to avoid getting attacked by the girls at the hot spring Jaryia-sama had been peeping on. And the day he tried to teach you how to flirt with girls… To be honest, I didn't know what I was going to do when you got back, avoid you for as long as possible or pretend like nothing had happened before you left."
Wrapping his arms around Sakura's waist loosely and resting his chin on her head Sasuke smiled slightly, "I was afraid of the same thing, I honestly didn't realise how much I cared about you or how much I'd miss you while I was away till I was already gone…" The sun had begun to set by the time they had finished talking, they hadn't even noticed the hours tick by.
"Sakura, you know I love you right?" Sasuke said all of a sudden startling Sakura out of the pleasant silence that they had fallen into "Sasuke I-" she began, but the intensity she saw in Sasuke's eyes caused her to stay quiet and let him speak "Not romantically, we both know that ship has sailed, crashed and burnt, but as a friend and sister I love you. I just needed to tell you that. I didn't know what I felt before traveling with Jaryia-sensei, but I understand both them and myself allot better now."
Smiling to herself Sasuke leaned back into Sasuke's embrace, "I guess I sort of feel the same way, I've realised that what I thought I felt for you when we were kids was just silly puppy love, it wasn't real, but as I got to know you after we became team seven I started to really like you as a friend, no matter how attractive you are your bad personality really isn't as endearing as I though in was when I thought it was just you trying to be cool. You make a great friend, but as a love interest… You kinda suck." To that Sasuke completely lost it and fell into uncontrollable laughter followed quickly by Sakura, the two were laughing so hard they fell off the wooden post into a crumpled heap on the ground.
"Oh god! Why weren't you like this three or four years ago? Honestly, I'm pretty sure I'd have been much more interested in you if you'd been this blunt and honest." Sasuke said trying to stop his laughter long enough to detangle himself from Sakura. "Because I was an idiotic pre-teen girl and 'madly in love' with you." Sakura replied slightly breathless once they'd finally stopped laughing long enough to sit up and untangle themselves.
"Just promise me you won't try to change yourself for any other guy! And if any guy ever tries to change you… I'll hold them while you punch their lights out" Sasuke said casually as he lied himself down, resting his head on Sakura's lap. "Heh, deal! So long as I'm allowed to do the same to any girl who tries to do the same to you." She responded, running her fingers through his fringe as the sun finally set over the lake.
As the sky darkened and the stars came out, Sakura looked down at Sasuke and noticed he'd fallen asleep in her lap, "I'm glad you're finally home Sasuke… I really missed you too." After staring at the peaceful expression Sasuke had on his face, Sakura lied herself down and closed her eye's letting the warm summer night lull her to sleep.