Beta: Kiya- chan

Chapter 9: The bond named friendship

Sasuke's POV

Sakura gave me one last look before she left with Hinata and her little girl, showing me that she was next to me. Hardly, I let go of her hand.

Naruto turned around and went towards the hallway to a room and invited me in. I just passed by him as he closed the door behind me and followed me.

"Sa-"

Before he could say anything else, I punched him in the face as he hit the door and fell down. Naruto raised his head and got up, looking in my eyes confident. He punched me with the same strength, I fell on the floor.

"Tsk." I smirked. "I knew you wouldn't be the same kid anymore."

Naruto lent me his hand and smiled.

We both sat on a big couch and I began to speak first. "Thank you."

Naruto grinned; we both looked in different directions. "Thanks for punching you?" he tried to joke but he knew what I meant.

"I guess you haven't really changed."

"Hey!" he turned his head to me and we smiled at each other but Naruto's smile faded away when he saw my expression. "I know I betrayed you but I don't regret what I did. The time I spend with Hinata, and now with my daughter, is the most important and precious." His words were hurting me but I needed to hear them. "I love her more than you did."

I couldn't take it anymore, I grabbed him by his shirt collar and looked at him with anger. His face didn't showed any emotion nor fear.

He was right with everything he said. If I loved Hinata enough than now I would've been the one next to her. I remembered his little father's face and let him go.

"I'm sorry."

"You really don't talk much, huh?" Naruto asked.

This guy... he was too stupid for this world but now he has a perfect wife and daughter.

"You've become a great man, dobe."

"Don't call me- ..what did you say?" he looked at me surprised, well... I guess he couldn't really change his attitude.

"Thank you for taking care of Hinata, Naruto."

He simply smiled. "So, what's with that pinkette? She's a friend?"

Friend..? I didn't know myself if Sakura was a friend... she is something else, something strange..

Knock-knock

"Do you want some tea?" Sakura came in, she looked worried.

I nodded as Hinata and Ayu came in, followed by Sakura and a plate with some cups.

After an hour of singing 'Happy birthday' to the little Ayu and eating cake, Hinata went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. I followed her.

"You don't need to help me, Sasuke-kun."

"It's ok." I said, taking the dishes from her hands. "You know..." after a long silence the words just came from my mouth. "I came back for you."

Silence.

Hinata finished washing the dishes and faced me. Her eyes were confident and her expression gentle.

"No, you didn't." I raised an eyebrow. "Sasuke-kun... are you still stuck in the past?" her eyes showed sadness.

Stuck in the past? What is she talking about?

"I don't want to break your family." I assured her.

She smiled sadly. "I know you wouldn't but that's not what I meant." She made a pause. "Sasuke-kun, haven't you realized yet? You don't love me anymore already."

"Wha-" she didn't let me finish,

"You're still stuck in the past, on the past where Itachi-san was alive."

My heart started aching, why did she bring up this subject?

"Sasuke?" Sakura called my name from behind, with her jacket in one hand. "I don't feel really good..."

"I'll take you home."

Again, Sakura saved me. We left soon after that, in the car Sakura didn't say a single word.

As we were heading to the building and the time to let go of Sakura's hand came, I hesitated. She realized that I couldn't let go of her hand and hugged me from behind, holding my hand tighter.

I carried her bridal style to my bedroom but this time, I didn't kiss her.

"I just want to stay like this the whole night." I whispered as she was holding me at her chest tightly.

Dreams.

Memories.

Tears.

Screams.

"Sasuke..." I woke up held by Sakura, she was worried and her eyes could barely stay open. "You were... crying."

Crying?! Last night I dreamt about... Itachi.

I was released from Sakura's embrace and changed places with her. This time, I'll be the one holding her.

"I'm sorry, you should get some sleep."

She held me tighter and soon fell asleep.

Hinata's words started haunting me again; it was 4:00 a.m. Why did she bring up that? I mean that happened like 8 years ago.

"Sasuke..." Around 6:00 a.m. Sakura woke up. "Who is Itachi?" she asked a bit afraid.

I got up from the bed and took a towel, Sakura didn't move from the bed.

"He was my brother." was all I said as I turned around and went to the bathroom, without seeing her expression.

My head hurts so much... I have to go to work today.

I left the bathroom and saw her still on the bed, dressed in one of my shirts too big for her thin body. I approached to her and went above her, she wrapped her arms around my neck and started moaning as I kissed her neck.

"Sasuke..." I kissed her lips roughly, how I missed those lips. It was clear; Sakura was the best medicine I could ever take. Her skin's cherry scent made me lose control.

Later at work

"Why the heck are you two late, again?!" Shikamaru yelled annoyed.

Sakura and I looked down. Sakura's cheeks turned a bit red, remembering the reason.

Shikamaru sighed. "I already know the answer so you can go now."

She looked at me surprised.

"You didn't ..." she begun.

"Neh, he's just too smart for this world and figured it out on his own."