She should be used to it by now.
Sasuke goes in and out of the village, and has always been going in and out of the village ever since the past few years of their courtship and marriage. For work, for travels, for self-identity, whatever the reasons taken, Sakura understands the action and never tries to restrict his soul. Whereas her soul is willingly bound to Konoha, for it has been her home and her entire life, for Sasuke, Konoha is merely a name and exploration is a breath to his soul. And yet despite their two distinctly different needs, it works together in harmony.
But the very first time Sasuke leaves after Sarada is born, is the hardest one for Sakura yet. He looks at her with understanding eyes as she stands at the gates, clutching Sarada in one hand, and holding the baby's hand in the another to wave at her father together. With the way he stared into Sarada's petite sleeping face everyday, Sakura could not fathom why he would willingly miss the first few months of their child's life. Sakura knows for sure, as she smiles at the gurgling baby in her arms - that she would never even think about doing the same. However their sweet love making the night before reassures her that Sasuke knew what he was doing, and she could only trust him like she did when they were 12, so, so, so long ago.
And so when a sleepy Sakura is juggling both paperwork and a crying baby - the sight of Sasuke stepping into their house with a quiet "tadaima" almost seems like a hallucination.
"Sasuke-kun?"
She murmurs to the air, confused and tired at 3am on a Monday morning.
"Yes Sakura, it's me."
Her husband flashes into her arms within seconds, and kisses her on the forehead. It finally occurs to her, that Sasuke is real. Which almost feels wrong, because he is much too early. In fact, her cloudy brain registers that he is weeks earlier than his average trips and it only feels like yesterday since he left them at the village gates.
"Sasu-" Sakura's voice almost raises in confusion, until her eyes race over the package Sasuke had dropped on the way to her desk.
Fallen admist the carpet was a brown bag left wide open, tumbling out with treasures that seemed to be more than what Sasuke had ever collected on any trip. From her squinting eyes she could almost make out masses of baby toys, baby clothes, parenting equipment and whatever new technology that seemed to not have reached Konoha yet. It all clicks in her mind as she feels once again, helpless to the overwhelming tears prickling in her eyes.
"Okaeri, Sasuke-kun."
His smile is all she sees as she begins to drift asleep in the gentle arms of her husband. A quiet murmur of "Go to sleep Sakura, I'll take over now." reassures her as she finally blacks out. Sakura doesn't remember being carried into their bedroom, but when she tumbles out of bed the next morning - she is sure that nothing, but the sight of Sasuke entertaining Sarada with a new toy, could make her smile any broader.
my cold soul cannot resist slipping in angst into everything i write
NEXT CHAPTER IS PURE FLUFF N HUMOR I PINKY PROMISE
thanks for the support! ^_^