Pairing: HashiSaku

Prompt: Soulmate AU - The one where the first thing your soulmate says ABOUT you is written on your body.

Rating: T

"What a monster...that might be worse than Tsunade."

Sakura freezes.

No. God, no.

"No, it can't be him!"

She sees the way the First Hokage, the reanimated First Hokage, stops abruptly at her cry. She sees the way he turns to her slowly and looks at her as if she's some otherworldly creature. She sees the look of heartbreak on his face that must mirror her own.

Get your head in the game, Sakura thinks suddenly. We'll address this later. With a final look at Senju Hashirama, Sakura leaps ahead and lands another attack. With multiple enemies coming at her, with a war raging on, there is no time to stand there in self-pity. At the very least, the Shodai will understand.

War is exactly like Sakura expects.

And then it's over. She punched a god in the face, she stopped Naruto and Sasuke from bleeding to death (and isn't ashamed to openly cry in front of them), she saved the lives of the allied forces, she mourned with her friends and comrades, and then she took a moment to breathe.

"He would like to speak to you," Kakashi appears at her side. "Before..."

Before he's gone.

"What could he possibly have to say to me?" Sakura asks. "We're decades apart." She looks up at Kakashi and almost takes a step back at the intense look he's sending her.

"Say what you think needs to be said," he replies and then, in a soft voice, "Obito was my soulmate. I have many regrets Sakura, but my final moments with him is something I'd never give up."

He helped start a war. He caused a lot of grief. He's the reason Naruto has no parents. Then Sakura stops to think. Is this what unconditional love is? Loving someone enough to look past their sins?

"Okay," she tells him. "I will speak to him."

Meeting the Shodai in person is something very few people will have the honor to say. It's different than seeing him in action on the battlefield; a dominant force that's so overwhelming people start to choke up in 'awe' of seeing him move. Sakura takes one look at him and feels her heart pick up.

The look on his face is tender but it hurts her heart because this will be the only time she'll get to meet her soulmate.

"I spent decades looking for you," is the first thing he tells her. "My brother called me foolish, but my wife understood." Sakura glances beyond Hashirama and sees the Nidaime speaking to Lady Tsunade with his arms crossed over his chest. The conversation seems important.

"I don't know to say. I lived most of my life believing I'd meet you and we'd run off into the sunset." The smile she gives him is bittersweet.

"That's funny," Hashirama replies softly. "So did I."

"Brother, we have to go. The world of the living is no place for us."

Sakura moves to take a step back but Hashirama's hand shoots out to grab her arm in a gentle, but firm grip. "In our next lives," he tells her. "I will find you." She removes his hand and holds it between her own.

"I'll hold you to that."

"Brother."

She bites back the urge to snap at the Nidaime. "Until we meet again." His hand slips out of hers but he doesn't pull away but rather takes one of her hands and presses a kiss to the back of it.

"Until we meet again," he copies.

And just like that, they're gone with only piles of dirt remaining.

"Will you be okay?" Kakashi, once again, appears at her side.

"Will you?" She counters.

"I have no choice but to be."

"Likewise."

Silence, and then - "In my next life, I want to be part of a world that deals pain better."

Sakura looks up at him with a small smile. "In my next life, I want to be part of a world drowning in love."

"That works too."

They share a chuckle.

"Let's go meet up with the boys," Kakashi states.

"Sounds good."

In my next life, I don't want to be part of a world covered in darkness. Things need to change and that starts now. You started making that change and I will do my best to carry on your dream. Until we meet again.

Can this be considered angst with a hopeful ending? I'm not sure it entirely fits that category. If you have the time, please review.

~i-just-really-love-sakura