"No matter what you ask of the daffodil,
It will still wait until Spring to bloom.
From this, I learned we all open up
When the time is right."
-Rudy Francisco, "Bloom"
They moved too fast.
It was the first thought she had as she stared straight ahead into the dark eyes of the love of her life. He hadn't just been her first love, but he was her first real love-you know, the type of love that wasn't hidden underneath childishness or selfishness, the kind that forced you to grow up, the love which taught you that he didn't complete you, you completed yourself, and he just added to it, like the perfect cheesecake crumbles atop a vanilla frozen yogurt, the love that was patient and kind and unconditional-which is why his proposal came as a shock.
"You—you're breaking up with me?"
"No, I just need a break."
"Sasuke-kun, is that not what breaking up is?" Sakura asked, tears threatening to spill at any given moment.
"Sakura… I just… need some time."
That did it.
With the proverbial flood gates opened, Sakura took a shuddering breath. You see, her mother had always told her that crying in front of others was weak. With Sasuke, she had never taken that advice into account, but now, she was feeling very insecure, very vulnerable, very weak.
"Just tell me what I can do to fix this, please, I—"
"This isn't a definite end, Sakura," he muttered, cutting off her proclamation, of which he assumed was her undying love for him; yes, one Uchiha Sasuke, the avenger, the deserter, the traitor, the legendary prodigal shinobi who returned, was loved endlessly, something he didn't think he deserved.
"I just need to make sure this is something I really want."
"Something you…really want," Sakura sighed, an empty, hollow breath.
She couldn't say she didn't see this coming. You see, Haruno Sakura, although beautiful, kind, and as passionate as they come, was insecure when it came to just one thing-just one person- him. Sure, she was praised as one of the greatest kunoichi across the land, accomplishing seemingly impossible feats with both her fists of fury and her medical knowledge, but underneath, she was still a woman. She was what one could call a walking contradiction: strong, yet soft.
It was that which attracted men far and wide to her. And she rejected them all. All, of course, in favor of one dark-haired, dark-eyed man who, it turns out, after two years, didn't even know if he wanted this relationship, didn't know if he wanted her.
Seemingly reading her mind, Sasuke grabbed her upper arms and allowed his hands to trail down her arms until he reached her own at her sides.
"It's been a long time coming. We need this. Just, please, trust me, Sakura."
She wanted to trust him more than anything. They had been through hellfire and storms and so, so many tears, but through their love and hard work, along with their trust in and respect of one another, they made it through obstacles every single time, looking back on them as if they were pebbles compared to the boulders they had seemed to be.
Closing her eyes, Sakura shook her head, but spoke one word, "Okay."
Now calm and composed on the surface and a shaken, anxious mess on the inside, Sakura couldn't help but wonder:
Why is he doing this?
More importantly, how did we get here?