Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. If it were mine, I would trade Orochimaru's life for Jiraya's.
Chapter 7: Don't blame me.
Current days...
Sasuke walked through the open door, following Sakura into the house, he did not lose the possessive way that Kakashi held her, keeping his arm around her waist while the other hand held the small hand of the pink-haired child who was still staring at him with a suspicious look.
He felt his heart squeeze with each step inside the house, he noticed the simple but beautiful decoration, but still remained in a catatonic state, where he found himself totally breathless and speechless.
Sakura smiled sweetly at him and pointed to one of the comfortable upholstered chairs that were around the large table in the western-style dining room. He sat obediently, watching Sakura sit in the chair in front of him as Kakashi sat beside her. When the girl, whom he hated to admit but was completely cute and adorable, sat next to him and looked at him with suspicion and much curiosity in those bright green eyes, he felt a sigh escape of the lips, against his will.
"Are you Sara-chan's second father?" The girl asked in a shrill and delicate voice at the same time, which seemed impossible but being the likely Sakura's daughter with Kakashi, that little girl was certainly something to be seen, he admitted to himself. And even though it was a question he suspected she already knew the answer.
He stared at her and tried not to feel guilty as she stepped away from the angry glow that was in his visible eye, while the other eye was strategically hidden by the long strip of black hair. "If you're talking about Sarada, I'm her only father." He said firmly and watched as the little girl raised her eyebrows in obvious surprise.
The surprised state lasted little and was soon replaced by what seemed to be irritation, Sora frowned and Sasuke thought she looked a lot like her mother when she was annoyed with Naruto. "Mom says it's ugly to lie." The little girl retorted petulantly. "Mom said Sara-chan had another father, though Sara-chan always says that the only father she has is-"
"Sora-chan, go play in your room for a bit, while Mom and I talk with Uncle Sasuke." Kakashi said in a sweetly paternal tone, but Sora knew very well that it was imperative. She took one last look over her shoulder, staring at Sasuke before disappearing down the hall.
"When the hell did this happen?" Sasuke asked the second when Sora disappeared, he did not try to hide that he was completely annoyed, or perhaps mortified was the correct word to describe how he felt at that moment, he did not try to hide the offended look that stained his beautiful, usually stoic features.
Sakura was surprised to see him express so many emotions with a single glance and for a moment she was a little terrified at the confrontation, but she felt Kakashi's hand tightening hers on the table, giving her the confidence she needed. Sasuke did not lose the subtle gesture and faced the couple with a look that Sakura could not describe.
"Do you want the long version or do you prefer the short version of this beautiful story?" Kakashi asked in a completely disinterested and lazy tone, which he always wore with everyone, making Sasuke feel the anger increase more and more with each word.
"I'd rather not hear your voice at the moment, Kakashi. I'm having serious trouble trying not to kill you." Sasuke said between clenched teeth and clenched his fist tightly to make no threatening move, which Kakashi found an exceptional progress compared to the ruthless and merciless boy he was as a teenager.
"Sasuke-kun." Sakura said softly trying to appease the altered mood in the room and Kakashi realized the way Sasuke relaxed to the simple sound of his wife's voice, making him feel a twinge of jealousy. Sakura sighed as Kakashi released her hand and held his arm to rest in the back of the chair, surrounding her protectively, making Sasuke narrow his eyes at the older man's action. She noticed the exchange of glances and decided that it was better to act before it all went out of control. "Sasuke-kun, do you remember our last conversation, almost ten years ago?" She asked, hoping he would remember why he had no right to feel angry at this situation.
It had been ten months since Sasuke had left on the last mission, though Sakura had sent six letters during his absence without any response, she was glad to see him come in the front door of the house he bought for them. In the seventh month of absence, he sent a small infant bracelet with a fan-shaped pendant, which Sakura had kept on Sarada's wrist since she received it. That was the only clue that he still remembered having a daughter waiting for him at home.
She smiled sweetly at the man she'd cared and respected for the past two years and walked over to him. Sasuke gave a small smile that did not show the teeth, but Sakura knew that half smile was him showing that he was happy to see her, or at least she allowed herself to believe that it was. "Welcome back home."
"Thank you." He replied, taking off his dusty sandals and hanging the black cloak on the hook by the door.
Sakura kissed his cheek and went into the bathroom to prepare a hot bath, knowing he should be tired from the long journey. "You didn't answer any of my letters." She screamed from inside the bathroom, waiting for him to hear her wherever he was in the house.
He surprised her as he entered the shirtless bathroom, handing the sweaty, slightly dirty clothes to her. "I'm not good with letters, Sakura." He said in a low, calm tone.
Sakura just nodded, not wanting to create a stupid argument when he'd just gotten home after so long gone. She looked down at his bare torso and remembered how much she missed human contact beyond that of her two-year-old daughter.
Sasuke looked at the bathtub that was completely full of water and finished undressing, not missing the way that Sakura's eyes wandered over his exposed body with evident desire mirrored in her eyes. He remembered the cold nights he had spent in the woods and how he sometimes wanted her to be there to warm him. Surrendering to the lust that flooded him at that moment, he reached out, undoing the clasp of the dress she wore. "Where's Sarada?" He asked in a low whisper.
"Sleeping." She answered in a hoarse voice and helped him take off her dress.
...
The next day, Sakura woke up in the bed she shared with her Uchiha lover and watched as she reached for a warm body at her side just to find the wrinkled sheet. She opened the eyes, looking around the sunlit room and pulled the sheet over her body, remembering that she was not dressed. The opening of the door made her look that way and she smiled unconsciously as Sasuke entered with a faint smile on his face. "Good afternoon." He said with a twinge of amusement in his voice and Sakura loved to listen, knowing that it was rare moments when he demonstrated something beyond complete stoicism.
"Did I sleep that much?" She asked, still sleepy.
"I must have tired you last night." She did not lose the tone of arrogance he used in that phrase and laughed lightly at him. "I already gave Sarada's breakfast and I spent time with her before taking her to the nursery."
Sakura was surprised that he remembered her routine with Sarada ten months ago and was glad he was back. She got up from the bed, still holding the sheet around her body. "I'm going to take a shower and we can spend some time together." She declared with evident joy.
When Sakura returned to the room, after telling the hospital she was going to take the next week off, she saw Sasuke preparing a backpack bigger than the one he used the last time he left, she watched him stuff his backpack with clothes, accessories and shurikens. Sasuke looked up, realizing he was being watched and looked at her for a few seconds. "I'm leaving late afternoon." He stated naturally and noticing the scowl that adorned her face, he decided to clarify. "We're going to spend the day together, I just go out at night."
Sakura still stared at him in disbelief, and all the desire not to quarrel that she felt last night completely dissipated. "You've been away for ten months, Sasuke. I thought you'd stay for at least a few days, hopefully a few weeks." She said in a flat tone and congratulated herself for not screaming when that was all she wanted to do at that moment.
He realized that she was annoyed the moment she said his name without the affectionate honorific she always wore. He left the backpack that looked ready and walked toward her. "Sakura." He tucked a lock of hair behind the ear. "I was given a mission as soon as I arrived in the village. It's an investigation from the other side of the continent, it will take a lot of time just to get there, the sooner I get out, better." He tried to calm her down.
"You and I both know that Kakashi doesn't care if you stay in the village. Sarada will have the happiest day of her life if you decide to stay with us for a few days." She said in a lower tone, hoping to convince him. She really wanted him to stay for a while, she was tired of feeling alone.
He shook the head in denial and walked back to the backpack, placing it next to the bedroom door. "I need to leave, Sakura. You always understood." He murmured without looking at her.
Sakura sighed feeling completely exhausted. "I always understood, maybe that was my mistake, I was always compassionate and maybe it made you don't understand completely how I really feel. You two always decide things by expecting Sakura to understand how she always does." She stammered, trying to keep the tears from falling. She would not cry in front of him.
Sasuke wondered who she was talking about besides him, maybe was Naruto, she's always been very comprehensive to both of them since adolescence. He watched as she was completely lost in thought and waited for her to cry at any moment what would be something new, because he had never seen Sakura cry since his last fight with Naruto.
"I understand that you have your duties to Konoha and that you feel you need to redeem yourself. I know your way of moving forward and honoring your brother's memory is protecting the Village from the outside, but I want you to stay with me, Sasuke. I want my daughter to have a father present. " She looked up at him. "I miss you."
He took a few steps toward her and took her in his arms, stroking the pink hair that always smelled deliciously sweet, making him feel in peace. He wanted to stay with her, he often wanted to drag her with him on his journeys, but he knew it was too dangerous for her or Sarada and he would never forgive himself if anything happened to them. He also knew that Konoha needed her, both the hospital when Naruto and Kakashi. He made many mistakes in his life, changing people's lifes that he cared about pure selfishness was not what he wanted. He wondered if he left because he did not have the courage to stay in the place he wanted to destroy one day and knew that it was selfish too, but he buried that thought in the back of his mind, as he always did.
Sakura accepted the hug, wishing he would say something. After a few minutes of silence, she turned to face him. Looking at the unequal eyes she'd learned to find beautiful after a while, she kissed him lightly on the lips. "Wait a few more days." She asked hopefully.
He sighed with obvious frustration and denied again with a nod.
"Why?" She pushed, knowing that this could lead to an argument she never wanted, but she was too irritated to let go. She did not know how long it would take for him to return this time or if he would not even come back, only that thought made her heart squeeze.
"I feel suffocated." He murmured very low, but she listened.
Sakura blinked a few times realizing he was talking about staying in Konoha. She knew he had been broken since he saw his brother murdering their parents, and only that could make him hate the place where he lived the saddest moments of his life. She knew he felt guilty for many things, but she did not expect him to feel bad for being where she called home. She wondered why he had never said it before and was angry that he did not want to be with her and Sarada. If he loved her enough, he would endure a few days in Konoha, even if he felt suffocated.
"Let's stay in home, away from everyone. You don't have to walk around the village if you don't want to." She said with a weak smile, trying to show him that she understood what he had said and did not intend to force him to walk where he did not feel well. Their home would be his refuge.
"I can do this for you." He said with a little determination and affection evident in his voice, willing to walk the streets of Konoha if that made her happy, he pulled her through the door.
...
They had a nice day together, walking through Konoha, she did not miss the way he greeted people with a wave as they passed them, she thought he was doing it for her and felt the heart warm, completely forgetting the small previous conflict.
They reached for Sarada in the nursery and Sasuke spent the afternoon with the little girl who enjoyed every second beside his father before fainting from fatigue on the floor of the room with a small smile on her face. Sakura watched as Sasuke led her to the bedroom and covered her.
She smiled and entered the room, taking a clean pajama to wear after a well deserved shower. Before she could leave the room, Sasuke walked in and walked over to her with a light touch on her forehead before picking the forgotten backpack aside the door.
Sakura felt her heart sink and her eyes burned with tears that she refused to shed, again. After the hug he had given her and the incredible day they spent together, she was sure he would stay. "Sasuke-kun?"
He looked at her with obvious guilt on his handsome face. "I'm sorry." He said with even more guilt, putting his backpack on the shoulder.
Sakura felt a fire fill her chest and a feeling of exhaustion took every inch of her body. She decided she was tired of feeling abandoned by the men she had chosen to love, she would not let Sasuke push her when she left everything for him, after all she'd given up. She remembered the unbearable pain she felt when Kakashi pushed her that night in the pub three years ago, she refused to feel that way again. She would not let Sasuke do the same. "If you leave tonight, I'll not be waiting for you if you back." She said coldly and passed for him going toward the hall.
Sasuke had never seen that look on her face directed at him. It was the determined look she had on her face before a battle. He did not see that expression even on the day she said she was willing to kill him when she rushed at him with a poisoned kunai before giving up at the last second, giving him the chance to counterattack. He stared at the floor for a few seconds before making a decision.
...
Sakura went back to the bedroom to find it empty. She ran to the entrance of the house where the cloak and his sandals were missing. She dropped to her knees on the floor, shedding all the tears she held that morning. She crawled to the couch determined not to lie down on the bed she shared with him. She wanted to scream to dispel the lump that formed in her throat, but she had to cry silently so the noises would not wake Sarada. She wondered what had gone wrong with her for always being pushed by the men she loved. She hugged herself on the couch in the dark room and told herself that it was the last time she cried for Uchiha Sasuke.
Sasuke looked at Sakura next to Kakashi, remembering the last words she said before he decided to leave that night ten years ago and felt a weight in the stomach to realize that he had brought it to himself. He told himself that night, Sakura would wait for him, as she always did, he had taken her for granted trusting that the love she always felt for him would be enough to cover his immense faults with her. He regretted leaving her behind with a daughter he should help raise.
He did not know if he hated more Kakashi for being there for them, or hating more himself for not being, giving the perverted sensei a chance to steal them from him. Or maybe he delivered them to him on a silver platter.
"You stopped writing." He said firmly, not wanting to admit that he failed her that night, at least not in front of Kakashi.
"I didn't wait for you." Sakura said firmly and blamelessly in her voice. "I didn't jump into Kakashi's arms as soon you leave me. I want you to know that I have been faithful to you and to what we had until the moment you left." She wanted him to know she respected him.
"That doesn't make it easier to bear." There was an obvious pain in the words he uttered, surprising Sakura and Kakashi.
Note: The love story of Kakashi and Sakura begins now. In some chapters there will be some changes of time, between the present (Kakashi and Sakura married) and past. I'll try to make everything as clear as possible.
Thanks to review: Infernalbooks, loveitasakuxx, AomeAzakura, happy everyday life, kayna96, rosaaerith, DanielleZ13, JHigg, Agentcaroline and Guest.
