Naruto Chapter 685 : Sakura and Sasuke

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"I've failed". "I've failed." The words resounded through her head, swarming, unrelenting. She felt her knees buckle as her resolve faltered.

She had failed. She couldn't do it, even now she couldn't save him. If she had trained harder, been more diligent, wasted less chakra on herself earlier in the fight he would be there, with her, instead of dying some horrible death in the burning hot sands of-

Sakura's heart stopped. Instead of descending to the ground as she had expected, she was suddenly, oh so acutely aware of a hand wrapped around her shoulder.

She couldn't breathe.

She didn't want to hope, to even acknowledge in her head what this meant. But there was no mistaking that arm. Chakra all but gone she struggled to cast her heavy eyes upward.

Emerald met with deep red and obsidian. She hadn't expected this. Though in hindsight she shouldn't have doubted his abilities, in getting past that final stretch of sand to reach the next dimension, she hadn't expected him to catch her.

"He doesn't care", Sakura reminded herself. But why was he still looking at her? Senses wavering, through the fog she could just about make something out between Obito and the man still holding her. Perhaps a word of thanks? it was unclear.

She risked another glance up. His eyes. They burnt into hers. It didn't feel as if he had taken his eyes off her for a second.

Her mind was reeling.

Sasuke had never touched her like this, her body was cradled against his chest in such a way that it felt almost.. intimate? Maybe it was just seeing his eyes up close, these same eyes that had haunted her dreams after every meeting between them.

She searched for any signs of malice in his face, perhaps a frown line or stiffening of posture suggesting that this would merely lead to another attempt at her life. When she found nothing, an inadvertent sigh of relief passed her lips.

Her lips.. That he was now focusing on? That can't be right. But Sasuke's eyes were darkening.. what did that mean? She had already recognised a change in him since his return, madness no longer lingered at the corners of his face. His posture was calmer, not quite the same as the quiet boy she had once known, never again, he had taken too many lives for that, but more docile nonetheless.

But this?

Whilst Sakura was reflecting on Sasuke's behaviour, he was cursing inwardly.

Sasuke had cut ties with a Sakura for a reason. Not just power lust, though he would be lying if he said that hadn't been a major factor, but also with regard to what his actions would mean in the future.

This.. Beautiful.. And she was beautiful, he would allow himself this concession.. woman standing before him, and Naruto too, didn't deserve to be dragged down by the punishments he would certainly face.

That being said.. Sasuke was curious. And he was still prideful, when he wanted something, he would make every effort to ensure that he got it. Dobe would not get in his way when it came to Sakura, after all no one else would be worthy of continuing the Uchiha line.

He searched Sakura's eyes, with a probing intensity that caused her breath to catch. But why, why had she tried so hard, depleted so much of her Chakra and energy to save him?

He, who had attempted to kill her, who had not shown an ounce of kindness towards her since their genin days. Why did she still care? What was it within him that she deemed worth saving?

Sasuke had always had a soft spot for the pink haired kunoichi, though at the time he had told himself that 'coming to know information about her developing relationship with Tsunade.. She's a medical nin now.. was purely about gathering intelligence', but he had never let any hint of that hidden fondness slip into his countenance since severing ties with the leaf. Those feelings, and her, were always secondary to his plans for revenge.

And she had known that, so why did she not despise him now? Sasuke had always been careful not to dwell on impossibilities, there was no way Sakura would still wish to become an Uchiha.

Until now that is.

Internally, his composure was shattered, this wasn't what he had expected, she was too close, she doesn't need to know you care, distance yourself, stop cradling her to your chest. But the embers of hope were slowly burning in his chest, persistent, having been neglected for so long.

A hope that perhaps the path that he had once been so decided against, one in which feelings long since buried would not be closed off to him, one where he could perhaps restore the clan he had once held so much love in his heart for before it was so cruelly replaced by hatred, would become available to him once more, somehow.

Sasuke didn't know what this foreign pang in his chest was, as he stared at the girl who had once been so fragile, now strong and self assured but who still by some miracle held tender feelings for him. But as he closed the short distance between them, short and fierce, desperately trying to communicate something more than what he had in the past through his eyes alone, he didn't want to let it go anymore.

A.N Hi! Thankyou for reading this! This is my second fanfiction and my first proper one as well as being the first for this pairing (SASUSAKU WHOOP my OTP ahh! The eye smex is just getting ridiculous now omg) I would really appreciate any constructive criticism anyone can give, I wrote this on the notes app of my iPhone and the interface of is pretty confusing so if anyone has any advice for layout etc. do drop me a line :) Aside from that I hope someone enjoys this!