Old Habits Die Hard


"What are these?"

It takes her a moment to tear her eyes from her report, and when she does, she isn't sure what strikes her more – the expression on Sasuke's face, or what he is holding in his hand.

"I could be wrong," she ventures, "but from here, they look like sake bottles."

"Empty sake bottles," he corrects her.

"Empty sake bottles," she repeats with a shrug. "Mystery solved." She returns to reading her report, and taking notes in her distinctive hand.

"Why are they empty?" he asks.

"Presumably because someone consumed their contents," she replies, scanning the handwritten notes detailing the patient's last stay in the hospital.

"And who. Might've. Done. That?"

He punctuates each full stop with the dull tone of a sake bottle being placed in line on the gleaming wood.

The creak of leather tells her he has taken one of the seats on the other side of the desk.

She knows he is waiting for an answer, and he knows she is just as happy to let him wait.

"Sakura."

Her name hangs between them, heavy and final and filling the space between them with a subtle electricity.

The scratch of her pen stops.

She lifts green eyes in challenge.

"Yes, Sasuke?"

The rapid knock on the thick wood of the door is polite and succinct. "Dr. Haruno? I have your evening tea."

"Come," she says, never breaking eye contact with the man across from her.

The butler bustles in with his tray, but stops short at the sight of the sake bottles.

"Has Lady Tsunade been here?" he asks, eyes wide. "None of the staff informed me they showed her into the office-"

"She came earlier," Sakura interrupts. "We met in the study. That is where you found these?"

Sasuke slowly inclines his head.

"I am so sorry," the butler frowns. "We should have cleared that. Shall I replace the bottles, ma'am? I know no one else that drinks that brand."

"That is because no one else alive can stomach it," Sakura's lips twist into a dry smile. "Yes. Please take the bottles and see that they are replaced."

"And locked in the usual place," Sasuke adds casually. "Can't risk the staff poisoning themselves with that swill."

"Of course," he gives a polite nod, clears the bottles, and pours the tea.

Silence settles over them, each partaking in their own cup and thoughts.

"Tsunade is not supposed to visit here alone."

"She didn't. Shizune came with her. And you know I could never drink that stuff."

Sasuke's smirk is small.

"I have to be at Naruto's shortly," he replaces the tea things on the cart. "I won't be terribly late. Back by eleven at the latest."

"That is fine," she pours herself another cup. "I'll see you when you return."

He gives a solemn nod and the door clicks closed behind him.

Fifteen minutes later, when he is already several miles from home, she slides out the bottom drawer of the desk, and reaches behind the files.

And she can't help the feeling of satisfaction as her fingers wrap around the familiar bottle, nor the relief when she finally gives in to the gnawing need that has clawed at her all day.

She knows Naruto, and may have urged him to keep Sasuke in his company a little longer.

"At least until midnight," she mumbles, relishing in the familiar sensation of sake - a far superior brand to Tsunade's - gliding down her throat, and the warmth that blooms from somewhere inside of her to radiate through her limbs.

They each cope in their own way.

Each of them bury themselves in their work.

He is still searching obsessively for his brother.

She still drinks.

He watch-dogs her fearing a relapse and, refusing to lose her.

She keeps a careful eye on his health and his mental stability, refusing to lose him.

But they each fight and win and lose to their own demons each in turn.

But they will always return to one another.

And she doesn't know anymore if that is a good or a bad thing, but it is the certain thing.

It is habit.

And it is the one habit, she doesn't have the power to break.


Went back and randomly picked up this prompt from ssmonth16 Day 3. After this I'm skipping back to Day 8...unless I finish another prompt first. Thanks for reading, friends!

- Giada