Date: 5/29/13
Rating: T
Genre: AU, Drama, Romance
Prompt: AU - With Sakura as an intern in a hospital dating Sasuke, who comes back to her after finding out the truth about Itachi and running from the police and gangs.
When he walked through the automatic glass doors, their first reaction was to call the police, and he did nothing to stop them. Rather, he waited patiently until the receptionist got off the phone before asking where Sakura was. She seemed surprised. Her eyes darted to her friends, hesitant, silently asking their opinion, but they merely shrugged in return. Something was different about him. Something good.
"She's on the third floor," a woman finally said, gathering enough courage to point in the direction of the elevators, "Room 327."
Sasuke nodded in thanks, following the woman's directions, but opted for the stairs instead. It was faster that way, and he needed all the time he could get. Running up the stairs two at a time, Sasuke reached the third floor and quickly scanned the sign on the wall. Room 327 was to the left, it said.
However, as he walked down the hallway, Sasuke's heart began to race. He hadn't seen Sakura in over six months, and in that time his only memento was a photo of her on their one-year anniversary, worn from all the times he had taken it out from his wallet. Sasuke sighed, remembering how whenever he gazed at the photo he would pretend their relationship was one forged in the military: she, the proud army wife patiently waiting for his return, and he, the soldier serving overseas for a noble cause. It may have been naïve, but for that moment, things didn't seem so complicated.
But reality had its way of catching up to him—uninvited and unexpected—and now he was finally going to see Sakura. But once Sasuke reached Room 327, he stopped, hand on the doorknob, suddenly unsure. She was probably busy, he told himself. She was probably in the middle of something important. She was probably—
She was sleeping.
Sasuke looked through the window and smirked, amused and yet, unsurprised. Sakura never questioned the long hours she had to work, even if it meant sleeping on an uncomfortable cot. Quietly, Sasuke entered the room and gently shook her, calling out her name softly. However, Sakura merely groaned and covered her head with her pillow. "What do you want?" she said drowsily, her voice muffled, "Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?
He rolled his eyes. "Baka. It's me, Sasuke, your boyfriend, remember?"
Sakura's body shot up, her eyes wide, her mouth agape, her exhaustion forgotten. "Sa-Sasuke-kun?" she said, still unsure if it was really him. But when he smirked and poked her on the forehead Sakura jumped on him, pulling Sasuke into an embrace, tears in her eyes. "Sasuke-kun!" However, as if suddenly remembering their situation, Sakura pulled back and punched him. "Sasuke-kun!"
Sasuke rubbed his arm. "Sakura, I know you're probably angry with me—
"Probably?!" She raised her fist again. "Angry doesn't even begin to describe what I'm feeling, you bastard!"
"—But I don't have much time."
She froze. "Time?" Sakura unclenched her fist. "What do you mean—?"
"Your friends at the front desk," he said, running a hand through his hair, "they called the police. They'll be here any minute."
Sakura's eyes widened. "Then what are you still doing here, Sasuke-kun?" She grabbed him by the shoulders. "You have to go! You have to run!"
"No, Sakura," he said sternly, taking her arms off of him. "I'm done running." He sat down on the cot, motioning for Sakura to follow. "While I was away, I learned a lot of things about my family and Itachi. I can't explain them to you right now, but I will. I promise. And I know this might be too much to ask but …" Sasuke stopped and tucked a strand of hair behind Sakura's ear, trying to remember every detail of her face, fully aware that he might have to wait even longer before he saw her again. And when his eyes were satisfied, Sasuke placed one hand on the small of her back and the other on her head, gently pulling her into a kiss.
"Please," he said breathlessly when he finally pulled away. He could already hear the sirens. "Wait for me."