thank you for being such a friend to me

Summary: Fact: She was a friend when he returned to the village. Fact: She was still in love with him. Thank you for being my friend. -SasuSaku-

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, I FREAKING PROMISE YOU, chapter 662 would not have happened the way it did…

Note: Is anyone else having emotional hurt and trauma because of chapter 662? No, just me? OK then. ;-;

Note 2: I am so depressed after chapter 662. I want to bawl but I also don't want to and just… my heart hurts over Sasuke's face on the page. He looks so, so helpless… please forgive if I don't post happy author notes with this one. P:

Note 3: This is mostly going to be little things I think up as the school year goes on. I plan for happy ones, no sad ones. The Naruto fandom needs a LOT of happy stuff right now.

Note 4: Title comes from the wonderful song Broken Wings by Flyleaf. Cover photo is kayurka's fanart Smile (deviantArt) [ i freaking LOVE her art].

I.

Sasuke returned to the village in the middle of December at about four a.m. When he did so, he went right to the Hokage Tower to turn in his mission report, before making his way towards Sakura's apartment for the healing his minor cuts and bruises.

Sasuke always did this. The moment he finishes turning in his mission report, he goes straight for Sakura and gets her help with taking care of any injuries.

She helps without another word. She had from the first time, and she would until the last time, which both hoped and prayed wouldn't be for many, many more years.

"You're coming back with a lot less injuries each time."

"Yeah."

"You must not be taking any hard missions."

"More like I haven't been given hard missions."

Sakura smiled, shaking her head as she fixed up one of the cuts on Sasuke's forehead, which, she realized, was a place she fixed up every time he got back.

"How do you always come back with a cut on your forehead?"

"Vulnerable part of the body. They would kill me in one hit if the kunai or shuriken hit my forehead dead on."

"Right." Sakura nodded, sighing. "Almost done."

"Good."

Sasuke honestly couldn't wait for Sakura to finish. It meant he could sleep soon, and he knew exactly where he would be when he did so.

Each time he returned to the village, Sasuke stayed at Sakura's place, the two of them sleeping in her bed wrapped up in each other and enjoying the other's company.

Neither of them minded. It was their ritual whenever he returned, sometimes when she came back from a mission she had been on as well.

Whenever they were on a mission together, Sakura always ended up at Sasuke's place and they did the same thing. She would heal his wounds and they would fall asleep soon after, not moving until the sun came up and alerted them that another day had to begin, even though both regretted having to move from their place.

"All done."

Sasuke nodded, watching Sakura as she got up from her bed and put away the supplies she had used. Once she finished, Sakura stretched her arms over head and climbed back into bed, grabbing Sasuke's wrist and pulling him down beside her before she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, making him do the same.

"Good night, Sasuke-kun."

"Hn…" Sasuke nodded, pulling Sakura as close he could without hurting her while she fell asleep. No matter how late it was when he got there, Sasuke would always stay up and watch Sakura for a bit, just watching her as she breathed and slept, not worrying about anything.

Sasuke eventually fell asleep after Sakura, thankful he had her for a friend.

Thank you for being my friend.

Maybe one day he would allow her to be much more than a friend.

END