Little Talks is a collection of written dialogue between Sakura and Sasuke as I imagine they would carry out in various situations and different universes. These fragments of conversation are unrelated but may take place in similar universes. The genre/underlying tone of each conversation may change from one to another. So don't be alarmed when one dialogue is serious and the next is humorous. I won't be giving any clues as to what to expect from each piece of dialogue. I want the reader to experience this as they would if they simply stumbled upon two strangers having a conversation with no possession of any background information in their arsenal to figure out what's happening.
With all that said, please enjoy the first installment of Little Talks.
Star-crossed
"Hello?"
"Hey…it's me."
"It's late. Are you hurt? Did something happen?"
"No. I'm fine."
"…"
"…"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"…"
"Um, how's your family?"
"They're good."
"…"
"…Itachi is expecting his first kid soon."
"Oh, that's wonderful news. I'm sure Mikoto-san is ecstatic."
"Yeah, she's driving me crazy."
"I can imagine. Tell her I miss her, will you?"
"Sure."
"…"
"…"
"How's work?"
"Good. The hospital?"
"Good."
"…"
"…"
"…Is everything okay? You sound weird."
"I sound weird?"
"Yeah."
"Oh."
"…"
"…"
"Sakura, what's the real reason for calling? We haven't spoken in years. Now you're calling me out of the blue at three in the morning."
"I know. I'm sorry. I just… I don't know… Sasuke?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you ever…wish you could have done something differently?"
"What brought this on all of a sudden?"
"Never mind. Forget I said anything."
"Sakura, that's not what I—"
"Sasuke, I'm getting married."
"—meant. Wait, what?"
"I'm getting married."
"When?"
"Tomorrow."
"…"
"…"
"…Are you happy?"
"He's good to me."
"I see. Well, congratulations."
"Thank you."
"…"
"…"
"Ah… You should probably try to get some sleep. You're getting married tomorrow, after all."
"Is that all you have to say?"
"Pardon?"
"Sasuke, I'm getting married tomorrow. We've known each other for twenty years, and all you have to say is 'congratulations' and that I should go to bed? Give me something—anything—for once in your life."
"What do you want me to say?"
"I don't know. I just… I don't know. I never know with you."
"Look, I don't hear from you for two years, and then I'm suddenly picking up a phone call from you, and the first thing you tell me is that you're getting married. I don't know what I'm supposed to say."
"Sasuke, don't you see the problem? I'm in love with you. I've always been in love with you. And I'm getting married tomorrow, and I'm not in love with him."
"Sakura…"
"When I left two years ago, why didn't you ask me to stay?"
"You had already made up your mind."
"How do you still not get it? All I wanted was for you to fight for me. To give me something."
"You know I'm too good at doing the wrong thing."
"No, you're too good at doing nothing."
"…"
"I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. I didn't call you to fight. Maybe I should just—"
"No, you're right. I shouldn't have just watched you walk away. It should never have even gotten to that point. But I saw you giving up, and I thought…if you give up, then what hope is there?"
"I wish I hadn't given up."
"You shouldn't have had a reason to."
"…"
"…"
"…We were perfect, you know?"
"Yeah. We were."
"…"
"…"
"I'm sorry…for all this. I know it's late."
"Don't be sorry. I'm glad you called."
"I just…needed a proper goodbye."
"I know."
"…"
"…"
"You can still come to the wedding…if you want."
"I probably shouldn't."
"Yeah, you probably shouldn't."
"…"
"…"
"Sakura?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry…for everything. You deserved better."
"I… I should probably get going. Big day tomorrow."
"Yeah."
"…"
"…"
"It's probably taboo for me to tell another man this before my wedding day, but I love you. I love you, Uchiha Sasuke. Always have, always will."
"I know."
"Take care, Sasuke. Goodbye."
"Goodbye…"