Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

There was a different kind of intimacy to traveling with him like this; a strange sort of closeness they had never had before, even in the privacy of her home in Konoha. Her bond with Sasuke felt tighter now, curiously relieved of all its tentative fragility—replaced instead with a gentle sort of ease and familiarity, a depth in their connection that oftentimes left her feeling breathless.

Sakura believed it was because Sasuke felt more accepting of what they were as they traveled these roads. Moving at his own pace, taken by this sense of freedom—maybe it made him feel comfortable enough to quell the impulses of his heart: reaching out to skim his fingers over her skin in the barest, gentlest caress; sometimes to brush something away, but sometimes for no reason at all other than his own desire to.

(or maybe he was more ready than he thought he was.)

He'd woken her, sometimes, with his impulsive affections: smoothing his rough fingers so softly through her hair, brushing pink locks from her face; stroking her cheeks with the pad of his thumb, tucking the thin blanket back to her chin. She had never dared to open her eyes, too afraid it would send him running back.

It surprised her, the way he so easily reached to touch her these days. When she'd learned that Sasuke simply wasn't ready—that she'd been moving too fast for him—she'd always thought that it would take a while before he would make such gestures. Instead, he only seemed all too eager to show his affections, at times.

She wondered if perhaps it was simply because her presence on these travels made him so furtively content.

"It's so peaceful here," she murmured, cradling her teacup carefully in her hands. It was the third week since their travels began, and they hadn't yet moved too far off from the Hidden Leaf, having just left two days ago the ruins of what had previously been the Tanzaku Quarters—and still, Sakura couldn't believe how much the Land of Fire had had to offer them. "I never knew we had views like these in our country. I always thought it was nothing but forests, and then—and then I see fields like these and it's just... it's stunning." She paused, pushed the cup to her lips, and smiled. "I've never been anywhere so quiet."

Shoulder brushing her own, Sasuke moved to drink his own tea. "You should see this place after the raining season," he said.

She looked at him curiously, and tilted her head. "What happens after the raining season?"

"It's when the fireflies come here."

Her mouth parted, eyes shifting back to the endless moonlit field. She thought about what it would look like, with hundreds of fireflies rising from the grass, dancing and waltzing to the song of the crickets; glowing a warm, soft yellow, illuminating their surroundings just as peacefully and softly as the moon and stars. It would be a sight to behold.

Gaze dropping wistfully to her steaming teacup, Sakura tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and murmured, "That must be so pretty."

She felt him shift, saw his head turn from the corner of her eye, but when he didn't say anything and simply stared, she couldn't help but to fidget, a lump forming anxiously in her throat. When she lifted her head to look at him, she felt her jaw slacken at the soft look he wore.

"Raining season isn't until a few months from now," he said. "We can come back after it's done."

"Really? You... wouldn't mind?"

"If I did, I wouldn't have mentioned it."

She blushed, and gave him a timid smile. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

Eyes soft and lips just barely tugging at a corner, Sasuke nodded, turning his attention back to the scenery in front of them. Sakura did the same, but couldn't help herself from glancing at him every so often, her heart so full and warm from his kindness.

She wondered if Sasuke knew how much she relished in every little selfless act that he did, or if he simply brushed away their importance, demeaning the goodness of his heart. He could be so hard on himself sometimes.

Putting her cup to her side, Sakura tucked her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, smiling up at the sky. As she listened to the soft sound of crickets chirping, and the rare hoot of an owl somewhere far away, she hummed and said, "You know, my dad really loves fireflies. And, well, these kinds of views, really. He would have loved this place."

"...What are they like? Your parents... I don't think you've ever talked about them."

Her brows raised, and her mouth parted, surprised. She never expected Sasuke would be interested in hearing about her family, or anyone else's that was still alive. She always assumed hearing about them would make him ache for something he could have had—for a happiness and wholeness he could have felt, if his family hadn't been violently torn from him so long ago.

Blushing lightly, she pushed her chin to her knees and said, "My dad... cracks the lamest jokes all the time, and enjoys making puns more than anyone I've ever met. He's such a goofball, and he's always smiling, trying to make everyone around him feel good—a little like Naruto, in that way. He's just—he's so good. And so loving. He loves my mom so much. He's got such a big heart and—well, I guess that's where I got mine, too.

"And my mom... she's nearly the complete opposite of him, it's kind of hilarious sometimes. She's very serious, very authoritative, and so tremendously stubborn. She hates my dad's jokes, says he always takes things too lightly, and it never takes long before she breaches her limit and gets so annoyed she bickers with him over every little thing. But underneath all that, I know she loves him a lot. She's very kind, when you look beneath her thick skin. She nags me a lot, but I know she means well—she just wants me to be healthy, and happy."

She was hesitant, when she turned to look at him, as if unsure what to expect from him—but couldn't help her heart from pounding so hard at the look of peculiar gentleness she found. Cheeks burning hotter, she gave a shy smile and said, eyes crinkling softly, "You know, you should meet them, someday. I think you'd really like them."

The warmth in his gaze faded, and Sasuke looked away, lips pulled into a light frown. "I shouldn't. After what I did to you... They probably wouldn't like me."

"Maybe not at first..." she admitted. She put a hand on his shoulder, and squeezed gently. "But once they get to know you, I know they'll love you. Naruto, Kakashi and I did, didn't we?"

He swallowed, keeping his gaze to the ground, and said nothing. Gaze saddening, Sakura took her hand away and ceded to his silence, turning her attention back to the silver-glowing field. There would be time to ask again, when Sasuke felt more at ease with the mistakes of his past.

For a long while, it was quiet.

"Do you miss them?" he asked, then.

His gaze was drawn to the sky, as she looked at him. Her eyes softened. "Yes," she said, so very simply, because she did. She always missed her parents when she was away from home for longer than two weeks.

There was something that changed in the depths of his gaze, flashes of guilt and doubt. That made her smile.

Nudging his side lightly, Sakura gently fitted her hand over his own, gave him a warm smile, and said, "I miss them, Sasuke-kun, but I don't regret coming with you. I'm happy that I did."

His eyes softened, and he looked at her for one long moment, before shifting back to the scene in front of them, features at peace. For what seemed like forever, they sat there, hands touching as they observed the world around them.

Then, she heard him say, "I miss mine, too."

Heart clenching, Sakura slipped her fingers between the spaces of his own and squeezed tightly, free hand curling in the dewy blades of grass. She meant to pull away, to give him space—but found her breath hitching as his own fingers curled around hers, keeping them there.

.

.

.

They moved along more quickly, in the weeks that followed. In the time it had taken them to get to the ruins of the Tanzaku Quarters, they had traveled twice the distance and had long crossed the borders of the Land of Rivers. Now only three days from the next village in their path—Tanigakure, if Sakura could recall correctly—they had chosen to make camp in a clearing by a river.

By the mild burn marks on the trees behind them, trunks marred with blade scars and missing bark, and the way Sasuke so easily moved around the area, it was clear this wasn't his first time staying here.

"I can't wait to get to Tanigakure," Sakura said, when she finally finished setting up their tent. Running a hand through her hair, she grimaced. "I could really use a good shower."

"You don't need to wait for Tanigakure for that," Sasuke said, never looking up from his work. "There's a waterfall two miles out west from here. You can clean up there today, if you want."

Blinking quickly, Sakura perked up. "Is there really?" she asked, voice hopeful and lips split into a grin. "Because that would honestly be the best thing right now, Sasuke-kun, I can't even begin to tell you."

Huffing an amused breath, he looked up at her from his task and said, gaze light, "I'll take you there when I'm done setting up the fire, then."

Excitement bubbled up in her stomach, and she grinned. "I'll go get my stuff!"

She set out towards their traveling bags splayed a few feet behind the tent, and knelt down, reaching for hers. Rummaging through the pack, Sakura fetched out her towel, the cheap lemon-scented shampoo and soap they'd bought in the village they passed through the week before, gathering them all in one arm—then slung their sack of dirty clothes over her other shoulder, determined to give them a much needed wash.

When she turned to make her way to Sasuke again, however, a cry boomed across the clearing, startling her.

"Sasuke-niisan!"

Eyes wide and mouth parted, she watched as a child of no more than six or seven emerged from the trees with a swinging basket in hand and ran straight for Sasuke, the grin on his mouth uncontrollable. He was a civilian, from the looks of it, but Sakura was more stunned from the use of a honorific that denoted such incredible familiarity between the two that the child felt it proper to call him brother.

But as the young boy threw his tiny arms around Sasuke's middle in a tight hug, her shock only found itself growing when the latter, even when seemingly tense and sporting a look of slight discomfort, did not push him away. Although Sasuke was not cruel, Sakura knew that with such a private persona, he wasn't past evading such gestures with children if they were not welcome.

"Noburu," Sasuke spoke, pulling the boy away to look at him, "what are you doing out here?"

The child, Noburu as Sasuke called him, thrust the basket of vegetables to his view and smiled with pride. "Okasan and Otousan finally thought I was ready to run errands, and they sent me to get food from the farmer close to home! It's my third day, now!"

Sasuke frowned. "These woods aren't safe for someone your age, and I know your parents know that."

Noburu shook his head, grinning even wider. "Not anymore, they aren't! Something happened a few months ago, and I don't really know what, and Okasan and Otousan still don't really want me to go alone anywhere, but you know how close the farm is to home, right, Sasuke-niisan? It's the only place they let me go alone!"

There it was again. Sasuke-niisan. Pulling the objects in her arms closer to herself, Sakura wondered how they came to know each other so well, and why he hadn't ever told her about this family he was evidently so very familiar with.

(...and how many other things Sasuke might have omitted to speak of from his travels.)

"Sasuke-kun?"

The pair turned to look at her. When Sasuke frowned, Sakura thought he must have noted some kind of insecurity in her expression. She swallowed tightly, but kept her eyes on him, noting the tightness of his jaw as her fingers fiddled with the material of her towel.

"Wow! You sure are pretty!" the boy exclaimed, then, seemingly unaware of the odd tension building as he ran to her and grinned. "Are you Sasuke-niisan's girlfriend?"

Making an unintelligible noise, a heavy blush bloomed over her cheeks, mouth parting slightly. Yet before she could even think about how to answer, Sasuke stepped to his side and put a hand to the young child's shoulder, chiding lowly, "Noburu. You can't just ask someone that."

"Why not?"

"Because they're private matters, and some people don't want to talk about them."

"Private?" His brows furrowed, and he glanced at the two of them in turns, tilting his head. After a moment, his eyes seemed to gain this startling second of clarity, sending his back straightening and spreading the most eager smile to his lips. Clasping his hands behind him, Noburu proclaimed, "Oh, you mean it's a secret!"

Sasuke stiffened, eyes widening fractionally. "That's not what I—"

"Don't worry, I won't tell! But you should come visit us, Sasuke-niisan! Okasan's been talking about you all the time lately—she's been wondering if you've been doing all right because we haven't seen you in so long! And I know Otou-san and Asuka-chan miss you just as much! Won't you come eat dinner with us tonight?"

A long breath of patience fell from his lips, and Sakura watched as the tension slowly eased from Sasuke's shoulders. Then, his gaze shifted to catch hers, mismatched eyes filled with a hesitation that made her heart flutter, and she almost felt her own breath catch.

He didn't want to impose on her.

Chest warming softly, Sakura looked at the boy and gave him a small smile. Crouching down at his level, she put a gentle hand to his arm and murmured kindly, "Well how could we say no to a face like that? Besides, I think I'd like to hear about how you all met Sasuke-kun."

Noburu's face brightened instantly. Gleaming brown eyes transparently overjoyed, he reached for her hands and jumped in place, laughing. "It's such a great story!" he exclaimed, starting down towards the trees while he excitedly tugged her along. "The best ever! Just wait until you hear about it!"

Eyes crinkling, and lips spread into a wide, delighted smile, Sakura faintly heard Sasuke's sigh behind her, but couldn't help but to laugh softly as he called out with mild exasperation, "Slow down, Noburu, Sakura and I need to pack first."

.

.

They arrived on the sloped hill of Noburu's home just as the blues of the sky started seeping in red and orange glows, in telltale sign of a day's end.

"Okasan! Otou-san! I'm back!" Noburu yelled, waving a hand high in the air as they came into sight with a woman no more ten years their senior hanging up laundry atop of the hill, while a slightly older man worked at the garden a few feet away from her. "And you won't believe who I found!"

"There you are, Noburu! I was beginning to think you might have gotten lost!" the woman called, putting a hand on her hip as she balanced the laundry basket on the other. She seemed to lean forward, for a moment, as if squinting at them, before using her free hand to shield her eyes from the setting sun. "Who's that you have with you? Did you find new friends at the farmer's market?"

As they came closer, though, the woman seemed to stiffen, basket of clothes falling to the ground as she put a hand to her mouth and exclaimed, "Sasuke! Oh dear, Sasuke is that you? Anata, come quick, Sasuke's here! He's back!"

Sakura watched as the older man seemed to perk up at this, a wide, bright smile spreading to his lips as he turned sharply and set his eyes on their group. "Sasuke?" Standing up from his work, he brushed his hands to dust off the dirt and said with a warm laugh, "Well I'll be damned, there's that boy!"

He turned to take the hand of a little girl, one she hadn't noticed until now, and the three of them made their way to meet them, smiles wide and eyes crinkling. Noburu ran towards his mother when she was close enough, throwing his arms around her middle and grinning brightly.

"I found him, Okasan!"

His mother bent down and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "And thank the heavens you did, sweetheart! Goodness knows how long we would have waited for him to come visit us."

At this, she threw a teasing smile Sasuke's way, and the latter made a sound, like an amused huff. It amazed Sakura, how comfortable he seemed to be with them, and the thought was both unnerving as it was awing. She couldn't help but to wonder how long they'd all known each other.

"Really, Sasuke," the woman said, kissing her son's cheek, before standing up again. "What's kept you from us all this time? We were beginning to worry!"

"Aa. Sorry. I had... stuff to deal with at home."

Home. Glancing at him quickly, Sakura blinked, mouth parting lightly. Had he always spoken of Konoha as home, when he was away? Even when he hadn't forgiven the village yet?

She almost blushed when he spared her a small, tender glance, lips twitching, as if he'd read her thoughts. Her eyes widened before they darted away, fingers moving to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear as a light flush took to her cheeks.

(maybe he hadn't meant konoha. maybe he'd meant that home was with—)

"And you brought a friend!" the woman exclaimed. When she stepped forward and took hold of her arms, peering at her with blue eyes almost as warm and lively as Naruto's, Sakura almost jumped. "Such a beautiful lady, I mean—look at that hair! And those eyes! Oh, Sasuke, how come you've never brought her before?"

Sakura felt her blush darkening a little, lips tugging into a shy smile, but as she went to say something, the woman's husband suddenly said, "You must be Sakura."

Shock rippled through her. Eyes widened and jaw slackening considerably, she stared at the forty-something year old man smiling at her, arms crossed and gaze so full of certainty that it sent her blushing madly.

(he... talked about her? enough to have a complete stranger recognize her? what had he said? in what context? and why was he looking at her like that? like he'd been waiting to one day meet her?)

Heart pounding deafeningly loudly, Sakura shifted to look at Sasuke. As she noted the stiffness to his shoulders, cheeks lightly flushed and eyes tinged with the barest hint of agitation, her blush worsened until she was sure her whole face was red. He met her gaze for the briefest moment, before quickly looking away, sending her breath hitching.

"How come you know her name, darling? Don't tell me you and Sasuke talk about things I know nothing about! Is this his girlfriend?"

A pout formed to the woman's lips, but Sakura suddenly felt so dizzy; face too hot, heart too thundering and thoughts too wild.

"Oh darling, why didn't you tell me he had a girlfriend? You know how much I worry about that boy! All this time I thought he might end up alone! Couldn't you tell me he had someone?"

"It's supposed to be a secret, Okasan," Noburu piped in, then. "They don't want people to know!"

She couldn't look at him—didn't think he could look at her either—but somehow, she could feel how twitchy Sasuke was getting, things seemingly spiraling too far out of his control by the soft noise that left him, something of a cross between a huff of disbelief and a groan of defeat.

The family didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, nonsense! It's not like we have anybody else to talk to around here," the lady said, sounding as though she was waving the ridiculous idea away. She wrapped her hands around both their wrists then, smiling delightedly, "Come on inside, then! You'll have to tell us all about your travels and why you've been away for so long, dear! And you need to tell me all about you and Sakura! You two—look at you, such a lovely pair! Your story must be nothing less than amazing. Come on in, dears!"

As she ushered her children into the house and led them both towards their home, the woman called to her husband, "Anata, could you please finish putting up the laundry as I help them settle in? I don't think I'll have time before I start making dinner."

"Of course, Natsumi."

"Thank you, dear! Come join us inside when you're done!"

Smiling, Natsumi guided them past the front door, and urged them to place their bags at the side. Once they were done, she gave them a once-over, and blinked, shaking her head lightly.

"Now, that won't do. You two need to clean up! Sasuke, I believe you know where the showers are," she said, cocking a hand to her hip. When he nodded at her and started down the right hall, Natsumi turned to her and said, "Sakura! Sweetheart come with me, I'll show you the way to the baths. You look like you need a good soak."

Allowing the woman to gently grab at her arm as she escorted her down the left hall of her home, Sakura peered over her shoulder. Her heart stumbled in her chest as she caught sight of Sasuke walking away, single hand rubbing at his neck in the way it oftentimes did when he felt a little bashful.

Incredibly sorry for the very late update. These past two weeks have been overall terrible in nearly all areas of my life, and I had to take a step back for a breather. Things lately have been all right, though, and I'm just glad I'm feeling well enough to write again. I don't really work for the next two weeks, and I've been super inspired for this story these days, and I really do hope it means I'm going to get a lot of writing done.

Ah... Also, I'm sorry if some of you are iffy with OC's (I know I am) but they are a pretty crucial component to Sasuke's recovery, and I really couldn't leave them out. He went out there to atone for his sins and see the world—to feel like a good man. I don't believe any of that would have been possible without helping a lot of people along the way. And there are so many good people in this world, I'm sure some of them really insisted on thanking him for all he did for them. But, thankfully to those of you who still aren't too into OC's, there should only be one more chapter with these characters involved, possibly two, though as usual, the scenes will be more focused on Sasuke and Sakura's relationship anyway. I promise you though, it's going to help the story along. They play an important role in allowing Sasuke to forgive himself. :)

Hope you enjoyed! There are... quite sweet, unbearably tender scenes coming up—some that I imagine most of you have been waiting for, as they are more on the forward front. Big progress on Sasuke's side of things.

See you next week (hopefully)!

DeepPoeticGirl