Another fic from me!
I hope you guys enjoy this one too! Please dont forget to review and favorite!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO
COME AWAY WITH ME
It was about a month after his bestfriend's wedding that he arrived in Konoha. He has been in the other side of the Shinobi world when the wedding took place and had had little time to hear of the announcement since he keeps away from cities as much as possible. In order to compensate for his absence during the wedding (and knowing how Naruto would complain about only getting a note for his wedding), Sasuke carried a summoning scroll that contains gifts for his friends in Konoha.
His first stop, was of course, Kakashi's office. Not wasting any time, he took the fastest route to the Hokage tower whilst avoiding getting contact with as many people as possible. He had arrived around dusk when the patrolling shinobi were to change their shifts. He would prefer to keep his arrival a secret, especially since he doesn't know how long he'll be staying.
"S-sasuke-san!"
Shizune was not expecting him as she haphazardly ushered him towards the Hokage's office. Tonton wasn't expecting him either since the little piggy was shaking in his little hamstrings. They weren't afraid of him of course. It was just that his presence was overwhelming them since he wasn't really in Konoha, despite his solidified allegiances. The most Shizune has heard about the lone Uchiha was the meager reports he provided the Hokage about his travels, including the fiasco he created when he took down the Shinobi Battle Arena in Kumo and the obscure kekkei genkai he had encountered in the process. Shizune didn't know him personally as her kohai, Sakura, but the medical prodigy has placed a great amount of faith and trust in him that Shizune just had let her suspicions go.
"Is Kakashi here?" he asked as they walked down the Tower's corridors. Shizune nodded. "He had just come in from his lunch time walk. You know how he 'Gets lost in the Path of Life,' right?" Sasuke gave a ghost of a smirk as he closed his eyes and shook his head. "Somethings never change, do they?" he simply said.
Shizune marveled at how much he had changed. It was only two years back when Sasuke was this rampaging murder monster ready to slaughter anyone who got in his way; but now she can easily believe that there really was good in him.
"Kakashi-sama.." she said as she opened the doors
"Can you please drop the '-sama' honorific?"
"Uchiha Sasuke-san is here to see you."
Amidst the towering stacks log books and gigantic scrolls, the Rokudaime Hokage, Hatake Kakashi looked up and motioned Shizune to leave the room.
"So." he began.
"So." came the reply.
"I trust your journey here wasn't a difficult one? Naruto was rather disappointed you didn't make the wedding and that you had Sakura-chan hand over the note instead of doing it yourself."
Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed. He took out a green scroll from his pack and placed it on the Hokage's desk. "Call it a bribe to silence the loser." he said. Kakashi opened the scroll and having the summoning jutsu activated, it revealing several packets of imported instant ramen and a lone packet of dried herbs labeled as 'muira puama.' Kakashi eyed the herbs suspiciously and glanced back to the Uchiha who shrugged stoically. "He's newly wed." he simply responded. Kakashi shook his head in amusement. "He'll like it, Im sure." he said as he seals the gifts back to the scroll.
"Does she know already?" Kakashi asked quietly "You gave a rather heartening goodbye, if I remember it well."
Sasuke fell silent. "I know." he said, without looking up to the Hokage. "I'll take my leave now."
"Be sure to let her know, unlike the last time."
Naruto was alone in his apartment. Hinata, his wife, was with Hanabi doing the groceries. He offered to help her, but the sister adamantly refused his presence, complaining that he had taken too much of Hinata's time and that she was barely seen outside during the honeymoon. Hinata, who was blushing madly, tried to calm him down and said she'll be able to handle the shopping and that he can start pouring over his politics books instead. Defeated, Naruto agreed and went back to his latest book about diplomacy.
Already in the borderline of bored, he decided it would be nice to go out of a little while and possibly have a bowl or two of ramen while his wife was away. Sakura was violently pushy with the vegetables in his diet but Hinata was a whole different level, passive-aggressively threatening a vegan diet if he refused to eat anything other than ramen. Sighing, Naruto put on his shoes and proceeded to the front door.
Only to be blocked by the black cloaked figure of his best friend.
"TEME! YOU'RE HOME! YOU BASTARD WHY DIDN'T YOU A-mffffrfrfrffffhh"
"Shut up you loud mouthed idiot! The whole street will hear you!"
Sasuke removed his hand over the jinchuuriki's mouth and pushed him inside and closing the door behind him.
"Bastard, why didn't you attend my wedding?!" Naruto shout-whispered, glaring at the Uchiha as he removed his shoes
"I was half-way across the globe, moron. Anyways, I got you something to shut you up." he replied while tossing his summoning scroll.
Excited, Naruto released the seal and a pile of his favorite food made his eyes sparkle and his mouth drool; making him look like this was the first time he's seen food in ages.
"Thanks - ttebayo! Anyways, why don't you stay for dinner? Hinata-chan went shopping and she's bound to arrive soon. We can talk while we wait. I'll make tea."
"Domestic life suits you." Sasuke said quietly as he looked around the Uzumaki Residence. The warm atmosphere of the place reminded Sasuke of sunshine, much like Naruto's personality. He seated himself at one of the dining table chairs.
"Not really, this is all Hinata. She's really awesome, you know? She even helps me with my studies when she's not busy." Naruto replied as he put the kettle on. "I guess the role of being the Hokage's successor has kept you busy."
"I've been too focused on the lectures. I miss being on the field, But I've heard you've been busy too, you know, the whole Kumo incident. We had those exploding people here too, but Sakura-chan and Hinata-chan were able to fix the parasitic chakra. Thanks to your intel, of course." Naruto began as he took out a basket of senbei from one of the kitchen cupboards. He placed the basket at the table and began to munch away. "The underground fighting arena was a huge deal among the Shinobi Nations. That syndicate was quite hard to track down."
Sasuke took one of the senbei and took a bite.
"You're getting knowledgeable." he replied. "Well, I have to be, if I want to become an impressive hokage, I need to know stuff. Speaking of knowing stuff, Sakura-chan told me you've been exchanging letters." The blond said after taking another senbei.
"Yeah, what of it?" Sasuke replied curtly, his eyebrow raising at the nonsensical question. Naruto gave an fox-like smile and shook his head.
"WELL, IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME! Hashirama's ghost, after all these years, finally. Finally!" Naruto said, his smile getting larger.
"It's not a big deal, Naruto. We just exchanged letters, that's all." Sasuke denied, finishing his senbei.
"Are you sure? I know you Sasuke. You're Mr. Introvert. You're not the type to suddenly have penpals."
"Hn..."
The whistling of the kettle broke the silence between the two war heroes and Naruto stood up to pour the tea and took out a pack of wagashi sweets from the cupboard.
"Here." he said, serving the tea and the sweets. "I know its not at that stage yet, but at least I can now confirm that she's always had a special place in your heart."
"I can't stay long. I have places to go to."
"You might as well stay for dinner. Sakura-chan doesn't leave the hospital until its late."
Sakura expected that she'd have to stay until early hours. She has received news that a growing epidemic has started in the borders of Kaminari no Kuni and Hi no Kuni. Apparently, a dormant pathogen was revived by the war and several civilian villages are now being plagued with its symptoms.
Rubbing the bridge of her nose from the fatigue, and looked at her wall clock. It was already nearing 1 in the morning. She had missed lunch and dinner again. Sighing, she decided to call it a day and hoped Ramen Ichiraku is still open. She rolled the scroll she was working on and the several ancient manuscripts she had laying about the office. Extra research needed to be done and she was considering the idea of persuading Kakashi to let her go to ground zero to get a culture of the pathogen. Unfortunately, she was too tired to stalk her sensei and her stomach was begging for food.
On the way to the famed ramen shop Sakura felt the breeze of the spring air and the fragrance of the cherry blossom trees. It was a very nostalgic feel that made her smile quietly to herself. She wondered what Sasuke was doing at the moment. Was he enjoying the silence of the night? Is he asleep? Is he eating well? He never did replied after their correspondence after the wedding, and she only assumed he was occupied with something.
The road from the hospital to the ramen stand passes through the main road out of Konoha. It was convenient because wounded shinobi can easily be rushed to the hospital while the starving shinobi can be fed by Konoha's most beloved ramen shop. It also served an extra purpose because when she was found passed out in the bench all those years ago, the steaming broth of a miso ramen warmed her up immediately.
Sakura sighed. So many things had changed, not just with Konoha and with the people she cared for but also with her. She glanced at that ill-fated bench and decided to spend a few minutes there to mingle on her musings. The night was clear and the moon was bright. Might as well take in all that serenity while it lasted.
She looked the bench before setting herself down, her skin coming in contact with the cool concrete. Closing her eyes, she gave inhaled deeply before giving a satisfying sigh, while her fingers felt the roughness of the bench. Suddenly a very familiar chakra filled her senses and her heart sped up a thousand times.
"Isn't it a bit late?" She said out loud.
"You look tired. Shouldn't you be resting?" Came the reply.
A cloaked figure appeared from the shadows and walked over to the pinkette, who in turn, stood up to face him.
"I'm used to staying up late. I have many things to do, you know, the hospital and all." She said with a smile, her finger twiddling as she spoke.
" I see." Sasuke walked a little bit closer, reducing the distance between them.
"This road leads to the gates. Will you be leaving again?" She asked, not looking up.
"I'm not sure. There is a higher possibility that I'll be on the road again."
"Oh."
"Would you like to come with me?"
Sakura looked up, her face all red and her eyes wide in shock. Sasuke, who was a only a few inches from her looked at her straight into her emerald eyes. His gazed not breaking as her repeated the words she thought she heard wrong.
"Would you like to come with me?"
Not holding the tears back anymore Sakura smiled her brightest as she nodded enthusiastically, not finding the exact words she needed to express her joy. Unable to contain emotions, she flung herself to the Uchiha, enclosing him in an embraced whom, to her surprise, returned the gesture; his arm tightly holding on to her, making her feel that he was as happy as she was.
"Yes. Yes. I'd come with you, Sasuke-kun." She as as she held on their embrace.
"Thank you." He said quietly as his arm continued to hold her tightly.
Aaaaaand that will be my 3rd upload for the day. PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW AND FAVORITE IF YOU LIKED IT.
And if anyone is asking, Miura Pauma is an herb that has effect similar to viagra.
Love,
C
