I had to accept it.
It's not that I could do anything about it. I did not have enough influence on the more important people in Konoha.
I was not that important to be able to change this.
--
I walked in silence to the Konoha gate. So many times, I've seen couples, families or friends say goodbye to each other here.
And now it was my turn.
I and Sasuke usually didn't say goodbye to each other at the Konoha gate when one of us left for a mission. Neither did I say goodbye to Hinata, Ino or someone else important when they left the Konoha borders.
Because it hurt the most when I could see their backs fading away.
I think it was a silent agreement we all decided to accept. If Sasuke had to leave for a mission, we said goodbye at home and nowhere else.
But, this time it was so different.
SasuSaku.
...
I hated this. This— this feeling that tells me that I am incapable of stopping them.
Especially him.
He always left, even after he joined that damned ANBU squad. He always left early in the morning, on missions that lasted for weeks or even months.
And without warning me.
Tch. Like that would help me feel less nervous or fear for his safety. He didn't know the feeling of waking up in our bed alone.
At the beginning, I was so afraid. I kept thinking that this time may be the time where he will not return. Where I will be alone for the rest of my life.
Shikamaru may be a genius, but he seems to be an idiot whenever it comes to our relationship. Sometimes, it seems to be like he doesn't care about me.
And that hurts. A lot.
ShikaIno.
I— I was going to be alone. Again.
Naruto-kun may not know how I felt before he entered my life, but the feeling I am feeling now...
It resemblances that old feeling that I felt before he came and brightened my life up.
Just the feeling I felt when seeing him at the academy made me happy. The feelings I felt at home, that horrible feeling when my father yelled at me...
It all disappeared when I saw him.
And now, during the war between Sound and Leaf, he would disappear from my life for months.
I... I—
I don't think I can handle this.
But I HAVE to see him, just— just one more time before he will leave this city.
Tenten-san, Sakura-san and Ino-san would be there too. Not that we would be going anywhere. We would still be here together. Sakura-san would be busy at the hospital and Ino would run errands between Sunakagure and Konohagure, because of her stamina and speed.
(Maybe it had something to do with her new friend Temari too).
And Tenten will—
She will be begging to fight, to stand up for her city. And in the end, Hokage-sama would accept it and Tenten would go out in the war with our boys. With her boyfriend.
NaruHina.
...
This time, she WILL let me fight. She has to.
She couldn't possibly mean that all I could do was to watch at my boyfriend's back— my teammate's back, and just let him go away alone?
Without me?
No fucking way.
And by the time I arrived by the Konoha gate, all of them was already waiting. And all of them were too busy with their own boyfriends that they didn't notice me.
Or at least I thought so for two seconds.
All of them noticed me, waved at me or smiled at me. A waved shyly back as I noticed a very similar green color in the crowd.
He smiled back at me, just as Lee can, and then stopped his conversation with Neji to come closer.
Yeah, come closer. Just a little—
I watched how my fist missed his face and how wonderfully he avoided my attack and carefully slid his arms around my waist in a swift movement.
Fuck. I still wasn't fast enough.
...
LeeTen.
...
--
"I will miss you too." Lee said carefully as Tenten cooled down. She buried her head in the place where his shoulder and neck met.
"That was because you didn't tell me you were leaving, you idiot." Tenten said slowly and she closed her eyes to enjoy the moment when being in his arms.
"I am sorry. It was not my intention to make you worry."
"Well, you failed." And as Tenten said so, she embraced him.
"I am truly sorry, Tenten." Lee said once again and he too closed his eyes. Tenten grinned.
"Shut up and enjoy the moment."
"Yeah."
And they did.
--
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata came closer to the blonde shinobi as she was still confused that he was not wearing his usual ANBU gear. He smiled as she stopped right next to him.
"Hinata! Came to say goodbye?" He said with a grin as Hinata shyly smiled and she blushed as an answer.
"Na-naruto-kun, why are you not wearing your ANBU... clothes?"
Naruto looked at Hinata as she touched a lock of her long hair and started to nervously thread out the knots. He grinned and touched her hand with his own. Hinata jerked back as a reflex and then silently came closer again.
"I am not going out in this war, Hinata."
"Eh?" Hinata looked up, startled. Did she start to hear things? "Why not?"
"Because I have more important things to do here." He answered with a very foxy grin and removed his hand from her to look her deeply in the eyes.
"Tsunade no baa-chan told me yesterday that I was finally accepted."
And he smiled at her. Hinata's eyes went wide and then hugged him as a reflex.
(it was after the nervous peck on her cheek that Naruto gave her that Hinata's brain registered what really happened)
--
"Shika, I heard from SAKURA that you were leaving. How the hell did you think I felt? I was betrayed by me boyfriend who is fucking supposed to be a genius but he is not very smart when it comes to relationships."
Ino had her hands on her hips and was shouting at her boyfriend, who did not react at the outbursts and it was shown that he was used to it. Nara Shikamaru then yawned, stretched his arms and then put them on his hips.
"Finished?"
"No! I am not—"
Too late. Shikamaru had already pulled Ino into his chest and held her against him, with his arms securely locked around her body. Ino screamed as she blushed.
"Shikamaru!"
"Ino. I am sorry that I didn't tell you that I was leaving for war."
"Don't say it like that..." Ino said slowly and relaxed in his grip for a moment.
"I am sorry that I care so much that I didn't want you to see me as I walked away from the Konoha borders, because it may be the last time I will do so."
"Shika...!" Ino said, horrified how Shikamaru could talk about something that was supposed to be forgotten for the moment.
"Ino, it is important to remember. Things that are invisible are still there. Remember that."
"Yeah... I know." Ino smiled. She knew what he was trying to say. He will always be with me.
"Come closer, you idiot, so I can kiss you for maybe the last time." Ino said shyly and fisted her hands on Shikamaru's ANBU vest. Shikamaru smiled and brought Ino's face closer.
"Let's pretend that this is the last time."
She smiled against his lips. "Okay."
And she then kissed him like the world was going to end.
--
"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura said as she saw him. He watched her as she walked closer and he did not smile, nor did he react when she looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"This is the reason why we always say goodbye at home." Sakura said quietly as she wiped away some tears with the back of her hand. Sasuke looked at her, and without saying any words, his actions clearly said "I know, but this is not an ordinary mission" (actions being his sympatric eyes and how his hand placed itself on her right shoulder).
"Sakura."
And it was just that simple for her to look him deeply in the eyes and say a "Yes, Sasuke, I know you won't die because you are too strong but I will still miss you."
But it was just that hard too.
And it took all of Sakura's will-power to not break down there and now, in front of the Konoha gate and in front of her friends and the one man she will always and always love.
And it took all of Sasuke's will-power to not go against his character and hug her right there and now, stroking the back of her head and then slowly close his eyes and imagine that they are in a world free from wars and other things that could tear them apart.
But, they couldn't possibly do that beca—
Sakura then suddenly hugged Sasuke, sobbing in his ear and fisted her hand in his ANBU shirt. She closed her eyes and imagined that someday this country would be free and she and Sasuke could finally start his second goal together.
Sasuke then closed his eyes too, and without showing it on the outside, he was terrified of coming home once again to an abandoned home, without any love left. He buried his head in her rosette hair, and for what seemed to be the nth time that week, he was still stunned over how her hair and her name had the same meaning, color and scent.
"I will miss you."
"Aa."
And this is enough. Because they are Sasuke and Sakura.
(and Ino and Shikamaru, Hinata and Naruto and Tenten and Lee)
Because these girl know how to wait for a guy that they've longed for a long part of their life.
--
...
EPILOGUE:
"Hey,
girls. What do you say about a sleepover?" "HINATA'S
PLACE OR I WILL NOT GO!" "I-I don't mind." "Great!
So, shall we say Hinata's place tonight, yeah?" "Should
we talk about our boys too?" "..." "..." "...
Or maybe not." "I don't see a problem with it. Maybe it
will make me feel that I am close to him. We should not forget
them!" "Y-yeah. And this is some of our last days
together." "Oh. Right. My hospital schedule." "Like
you'd forget that, forehead." "Oh, shut up." "It's
decided then! Hinata's place at... 8 PM?" "Too late!
What about 7 PM?" "Oh... I don't mind, really... I am
alone after all..." "This, girls, is just a wonderful beginning on a wonderful
evening." "With the girls! Hell yeah!" "Is Neji
home, Hinata?" "N-no, he's heading out for the special
patrol that's learning the new jounins something important, I
think..." "Oh..." "Well, that's great!"
"Yeah, isn't it?"And they smiled.
--
Review, review, review, review, review.
(if you love me).
Hugs,
NazaliaSan.