Dayspring

The chill of the August air had dwindled away, and in its wake was left a temperature that was neither too hot nor too cold - it was almost just right. Almost. If you lingered too long outside, you would be able to notice the slight cracks in the perfect picture that was framed: the way the green leaves had already started to age and fall to their doom before summer was even over. If you stayed too long you may even notice how there were barely any stars visible held over a village where everything should be seen clearly, even in the night sky. But these cracks were only visible to those who stared for too long and too hard; for most, it was easier to turn away and never look back.

But a husband and his wife stared at the sky, and they acknowledged their cracks, and they traced them with a delicate finger, hoping not to widen them, and committed them to memory. The stars twinkled back at them, but Sasuke could not find the usual starlight that would usually bring him home - maybe he would not see it for another decade, and that was if he was lucky, he mused. Each wink of the stars held promises of the future or held a glimpse of the past, as well as disclosing their secrets to anyone who dared look up and count the cracks - or was it stars? There were few enough.

Pink hair tickled a chiseled jawline and only the rhythm of soft breaths could be heard. Only those beyond the blanket of swirling galaxies could know what time it was - whatever it was, it was definitely unholy, and possibly a time for only the hopeless and desperate to be awake. A time for those who sought answers in their prayers as they stared into oblivion into the night sky. It was a time for longing.

"Make a wish, Sakura," came a whisper.

"Huh?" The pink haired woman lifted her head up from her husband's chest and stared into an onyx eye. "I didn't see a shooting star?"

His only response was to stroke her hair and plant a promise onto her forehead. The next thing she knew, her hair was being tugged as it caught itself in a tangle of hand signs before a burst of lightning burst into the sky and a thousand artificial stars lit up the night sky.

He didn't care to look at his magnificent work, for the stars shined brightly in her eyes, and her face lit up and he almost thought it was dayspring. He was enchanted by the way her eyes danced as the specks of light flickered away, and the way her lips were left slightly parted in awe, almost as if demanding that they be caught by another. His heart sang her name, and his entire being was entranced by her presence. It was hard to believe she was of this earth.

"Sakura..." he whispered.

She finally regained her senses and looked back at him. Her eyes held grief and distrust but her mouth curled upwards to a smile anyway. "I remember you doing something similar at our wedding," she reflected in wonder. Her eyes flickered to her hands resting over his heart. "So much has happened since then... But, like you, no matter what, my heart would only ever belong to you, Sasuke. Only you. And... I know that in my heart I would continue to love you no matter what. Even if it kills me. Even if you make me want to hate you. I would still only ever love you." He wondered if she understood his feelings through the thumping of his pulse beneath her fingertips. For him, it was the same. He had pushed her away so many times, he could barely count how many - but the moment she had pushed him away, it was too much to bear and it overwhelmed him. She gave him life, and without her, the world would return to black and white, and no longer golden.

He brought his hand to her chin and leaned closer until lips grazed each other. "What did you wish for, Sakura?" he whispered.

"I think you already know," she whispered back.

He turned his head away, and hearts did not connect through lips. He knew he couldn't fulfil her wish, or at least not anytime soon. He still needed to ensure the world was a safe place so that he could reclaim his position as head of the family and properly look after his daughter without any worries. He would do what he could to make that a reality, even if it cost him the rest of his life and he never got to see his daughter again... He only wanted the best for her. And that was all. His fingers found his wife's diamond seal, that sealed her strength away. Maybe next time. The familiar gesture was different to before - it now held an emotional weight of a vow that he will do his best to fix them - but not tonight, Sakura. I'm sorry.

He continued to watch his wife as she played with the top button of his waistcoat with both hands like a child, agitated. "You still wear this," she mumbled.

"Of course," he agreed. "But what's more surprising is that you still wear this." Sakura didn't need to turn her head around to know what he was referring to, for she could feel him fingering the Uchiha crest emblazoned on her medical jacket.

"Hmm," she affirmed. "I had a few old patients call me Dr. Haruno in the market stalls so Sarada requested Tamaki to make a few medical jackets with your crest on it. That silly girl. Seriously, and Tamaki didn't even accept any payment! I'm still trying to figure out how to pay her back. I need to find the time to discuss with Kiba so-"

"You're wrong," Sasuke interrupted. "It's not my crest. It's ours." He shared a small smile with her as her cheeks transitioned into a rosy pink. He had missed having that affect on his wife. He had missed so much about her, and he knew he would only continue to.

Her eyes suddenly widened as a thought flashed through her mind and she scrambled off him and hoisted herself up, mumbling to herself in a rush. "I need to go, Sasuke. I shouldn't be here. They'll be waiting. What time is it even? Oh my god, oh my god-"

"Sakura," he spoke. Her name was velvet on his tongue. "Don't go." His hand found one of hers as she towered over him. "Please."

"Sasuke, I just left in the middle of supervising a surgery! I said I wouldn't be long! What if something's happened?! I can't stay here-" She attempted to draw her hand from his, but his grip was firm.

"I also shouldn't be here, Sakura. I should be at Kirigakure right now, actually. Reporting to the Mizukage-"

Sakura gasped in alarm, "Then why-"

"For you. I just want you," he told her. "Sakura, stay. For one night, stay with me."

"Sasuke! We can't just abandon our duties!"

Sasuke pulled Sakura back onto his lap, and counted the stray hairs that had found its way onto her face with his fingers. "If someone needed us, they'd contact us. So just for tonight, let's forget about everything else. Because..." He paused, wondering whether he should disclose his heart to Sakura, but her emerald eyes bore into him, expectantly waiting for him to finish, and so he continued, "It doesn't matter where I go... I only see you, Sakura. So, please, now that you're here... Let me look at my wife."

Fluid spilled away from emerald and he wondered what he had said wrong now. His brows furrowed together and sent a wave of apologies her way for whatever sin he had committed now. She scrunched up his collar in both her fists and her face fell into his collarbone that hid beneath. "You..." she breathed out onto his skin, her voice trembling. "I always wondered as a child how it would feel to have you confess to me... but... now that you're mine... I always find myself collapsing into a mess..."

The knot in his stomach that had formed fell away, and he cupped her chin up so he was staring at the stars again. "I love you," he whispered.

She slammed a hand onto his chest as more tears ran free down her face. "Did you just hear what I said? You really are an idiot," she scolded.

He chuckled softly before catching her lips in his. This kiss meant so much, he knew. It unfolded into confessions over apologies, but mostly, it translated into gratitude. He had found his home again. They both broke it off as they gasped for air. He felt her lips lightly on his collarbone and his hand crept along her waist.

"I'm really impressed with what you did with the house, Sakura," he joked, softly.

She stopped planting love along his neck and she looked up at him. "And I see you've really become accustomed to the art of telling jokes," she responded dryly.

He smiled down at her. "It must be all the time I spend talking to Aoda," he entertained her.

"You talk?" she quipped, with a raised eyebrow.

His smile curled down into a frown. "Don't make fun of me," he pouted. But that only earned a chuckle from Sakura.

Attempting to change the subject he asked her, genuinely curious, "So how did you pay for the new house? We used up the remaining inheritance a while ago. Thanks to that bastard, Naruto."

She worried on her lower lip before answering him. "I had to take out a loan - I'm still putting my funds into Sarada's future account, like we agreed. I noticed you put in quite a lot too recently..."

"Hn."

And so they stayed like that, within each other's embrace for a few more hours. Feeling each other's toned arms and bodies as they clung together in desperation, and listening to each other's heartbeats which soothed the other like a long lost lullaby. And it was like that they slowly drifted off to sleep in the other's arms. The ship had weathered through storms, but it was now that it had found land, but alas, it was quicksand.

The sun peeked through the cracks between the leaves, and the light of the sky greeted them. The birds tweeted their morning songs and the plants swayed in rhythm with the orchestration of the wind. Sakura shifted beneath Sasuke's lone arm, and he eventually stirred awake too.

"I really do have to go now, Sasuke," Sakura said, her voice delicate as her emotions.

"Thank you for staying," Sasuke said in a similar manner.

Despite their farewells, Sakura still did not move, presumably wanting to spend as much time as she could with her husband.

"When can I see you again?" Sasuke asked.

"That depends on you, no?" Sakura asked, head still resting on a sculpted clothed chest.

"Hm, let me know whenever you're at the house alone. Or if you ever leave the village, let me know. I'll assign one of my hawks to you so you can always reach me. I'll continue to write to you-" He paused when he heard Sakura mutter something under her breath, he swore he had heard the word 'romantic'. He fought to hide his smirk and continued. "But you can't tell anyone about us. Not Ino, not anyone. Like you, I also don't want rumours spreading about us, lest they reach Sarada. The rumours would only do more damage than good."

She sighed deeply into him. "You Uchiha's really do love deeply, hm?" she pondered.

"You would know," he replied. "You are an Uchiha after all." The corner of his lip tugged upwards as he saw her cheeks tint pink.

She took this as a cue to finally disentangle herself from her husband, and dust off the grime of bricks on her clothes. "I'm going to go take a shower and do some chores before I pick Sarada up. Do you want to come over? I can make you breakfast and show you around the house."

He looked at her and all her beauty and replied, "That won't be necessary. I'll be leaving soon anyway." He didn't want to get attached to a house he knew he wouldn't be able to call properly 'home'. It seemed that she understood, as she turned her head away and made her way down the hill. The leaves danced their way to him, but amidst all the chatter of leaves, all he heard was, "Goodbye, Sasuke-kun. I'll see you soon, my love."

He watched as she left, and he counted each step she took. He wondered if she knew how much he needed her now, everyday, every moment. She was all he needed. Happy anniversary, Sakura.

The petals swirled in a lazy dance as a man took care not to trample over them as he trudged along a path so foreign yet so familiar. It was still the same sun that hovered above him and the same earth that greeted under him, yet what lay sandwiched in between was a land he had never previously collided with. The water that ran down the stream was a suspicious mint green, and the voluptuous yellow, but red-tipped fruits that hung from the trees stole his attention. It was winter, so how had this land been able to bear such rare fruit that no other mortal man had seen?

The island which Sasuke was investigating was isolated, and it was said that any man that had taken foot inside had never returned. Sasuke had found this land by chance; he had still been occupied in his own personal mission, one that even the Hokage knew nothing about - one which he had put on himself from the information he had gathered from Ibiki all those years ago. His mind flashed back to a conversation with Ibiki soon after Sasuke and his new family had returned to the Leaf:

"The Head Medic had informed that I should be expecting you. I guess it was only a matter of time," declared the notorious interrogator. Sasuke's cloak swept the floor as he padded towards the older man with his own cloak hanging off from him, as he peered outside the large windows of the Interrogation Unit building. "You've come a long way since me and the Hokage released you out of your prison cell after your trial. You've really become an asset to the shinobi world. A true ally we can rely upon."

Sasuke fell beside Ibiki but said nothing, agreeing that this view was indeed a stunning one as he also looked out onto the rest of Konoha.

"But I also see that you're still a man of not many words," Ibiki chuckled. "I can respect that."

Ibiki finally turned to face Sasuke's stoic exterior, and his own tone and expression became serious again. "You're here because you want to know more about Haruko. The woman that did her research on you so she could impersonate your now wife and seduce you into becoming vulnerable so she could steal your ocular abilities. But when that failed, her and her team targeted your unborn child, deciding that would be easier, despite being longer - as it would have required grooming the child so they could use her to their advantage.

"I know all about it, since it was me who interrogated her accomplice. From what I've gathered, your suspicions are correct - the knowledge of your child has been passed onto many notorious criminals who had also been recruited into taking your child, should Haruko and her small group had failed. They're constantly moving, so I cannot say for sure where they are at this present time. But one thing's for sure-"

"-they wouldn't attack Konoha," Sasuke finished, relief etched into his pupils.

Ibiki nodded. "With you and Naruto here, no one would ever dare," Ibiki affirmed.

And once again, Sasuke had found himself feeling grateful towards his best friend for his mere existence. This had meant that if there was ever a time that Sasuke had to leave the village again, he was confident that the village would be kept safe. His family would be safe.

And so, now that Sasuke was taking on the Five Great Village's requests of hunting down S-rank criminals, Sasuke also had been doing his own research, and eventually hunting down anyone who posed a risk to Sarada's future. It was two days prior that he had heard that one of these men had travelled to an island which was cast off, save for those who had a death wish, and those who were sent to exile - for none of these people ever returned. Despite the warnings of the old hag by the tomato stalls, Sasuke decided he would take a look for himself and hunt down the bastard who dared threaten his daughter's peace. Even if it meant following him to the ends of the earth, such as the depths of a forbidden island. And this was where he found himself now, standing on the edge as he looked down into the pits of hell as he spied magma cradling human skeleton remains.

Sasuke's raven-haired bangs parted as they made their path for the rinnengan to spiral into effect, taking in every little detail as it analysed the scenery splayed in front him, and that was when he saw it. There was no way of mistaking it. The white specks twinkled back at him, and he knew what he had to. White Zetsu cells. They were littered all over the fragments of human bones, and as Sasuke tore his gaze away, and onto the rest of the island, he realised it had infested everything. The humid temperature had probably played its part, assisting the cells into infesting the whole island, and onto anything that had decided to make its home there. The river was tainted in it, and that had ensured everything else was too, from the plants, to the animals. Sasuke looked up into clear skies above him, and blew out a dragon flame into it. Instantly, clouds had gravitated towards him. His attention was then directed to the oozing magma below him, he activated his amaterasu and initiated the start of the molten rock inside the volcano to start melting. It was only a matter of time before the whole island became a pudding of magma. Sasuke jumped down and scrunched the purple flower petals beneath him, feeling the hot air gather around him like a swarm of bees. He directed his lone hand from the sky... and swiftly brought down a charge of lightning from the dark clouds onto the river of water, killing everything within its grasp. The ground beneath his feet had started to vibrate, causing pebbles to tap dance, and the magma had started to boil at the top of the volcano. A dark purple vortex opened up in front of Sasuke at his command, and he jumped through, not wanting to watch his artwork unfold.

Sasuke landed in a field of sand, the sun gracing his figure with his own shadow that fell beside him. The desert that encircled Suna was comforting in some ways, as he could feel the heat of the sun even below him, but alas, he found himself missing the spring that followed him everywhere else, even in the winter. Sasuke dropped himself onto the bed of sand, and allowed his dreams to take him away...

He was awakened with a drilling on his head. He pried his eyes open to find the messenger hawk he had assigned to his wife perched upon his head as it pecked his forehead, willing him awake. Sasuke sat up to confirm that the hawk had his attention, and the hawk flew down onto Sasuke's left arm. Using his right, he peeled open the letter that was embraced in a pink ribbon, and the corner of his lip swirled upwards to form a smirk as his eyes scanned the letter.

My dear husband,

Thank you for taking care of us, even if you are far. I know what you do pains you as much as it does me, for you have been apart from me for twenty three days too long, but I only find myself loving you more with each letter you write, so you don't need to worry. I still love you. Every letter of yours is a secret I treasure, and I know you told me to burn them after I read them, but I always find myself tearing up as I do so. I don't want to lose another part of you. No. I only want to learn and gain more of you. And so it is why I count the days until I next see you.

I hope you have received this well, for it is tomorrow that Sarada starts public school. She's only three, but I swear she's growing up so fast. I don't have a shift tomorrow. Come by if you can.

I miss you.

Only yours,

Your dearest wife.

He memorised every detail with his sharingan, before allowing his black flames to consume the letter. The plans he had made to meet up with a shady looking character tomorrow? Cancelled. The report he would have to write for the Tsuchikage? It would have to wait. Sasuke had other plans.

Sasuke spent the rest of that day searching for flowers amidst the middle of winter. He jumped from town to village, in hopes of searching for a flower which had defied all odds, and had bloomed in a season where all hope was lost. He searched high and low, but even the buds at florists did not have the same glow in it that his wife had. None were worthy of her. Just when it he had thought it was futile, and he was beginning to give up, it had occurred to him that nothing of this world was really comparable to her... save for the bountiful cherry blossoms that grew in spring, of course. And so he made his way into a desert of a different world. Using his majestic abilities, his purple eye scanned the barren land until he found life: and there it stood in all its beauty. A single rare white flower, the tips dyed in blue, it was the perfect embodiment of purity. Just like his Sakura. He delicately plucked it, and made his way back to earth.

The remaining events of the day included Sasuke washing his clothes in a river, and raking his hair with his fingers as he attempted to look the best he could for his wife. He remembered their last encounter in an alley way near Konoha hospital some time past midnight, and how she had been scolding him for not taking care of himself. He remembers how gentle her fingers were as she tugged the twigs out of his hair and how her forehead creased as she frowned at his shirt as she had taken his cloak off. He remembered how rough her hands felt as she held his own callused one, and examined it with her keen eyes, but how soft her lips felt as he shut her up with his own. He savoured the way their tongues mingled together in a dance, and how she eventually rested her rosy head onto his chest as she sighed into him. He had ingrained into his mind how he had been watching tentatively as she had been listening to his heartbeat sing her name as he cradled her waist as he leaned against the wall. He remembered her sweet, sweet voice as she whispered, "I love you, Sasuke-kun," into his chest, and how her silky tresses felt beneath his lone hand. He remembered her. And she was indeed the only sweet thing he could handle. And so he journeyed throughout the night, meaning to keep the delicate flower in his satchel fresh and pure, flicking from tree to tree, hoping to make it in time to Konoha, to find his wife. Alone.

It was 9am when he arrived outside the new house, despite Sakura and Sarada having been living there for a few months, it was still new to Sasuke. The only time he had set foot inside the house was when he had returned to reclaim his position in Sakura's heart four months prior. All the other times he had met her, he had avoided coming inside the house, and had only met her in shadows of the village during the day, or beneath the blanket of the night sky under the shade of a building. He had maintained his demeanour at remaining inconspicuous, and had ensured that no one knew of their visits, not even Naruto or Kakashi. He would be careful to hide his chakra signature, knowing that a slight waver would alert Ino, the head of the Yamanaka clan, immediately, and his cover would be blown.

Here he was, perched upon an evergreen tree with the leaves sheltering his form as he spied into the house. He didn't sense any movement inside, and so he assumed that Sakura was out. However, he did notice that her bedroom window had been left open - wide enough for a seasoned shinobi to move in and out without being detected. He closed his eyes and smiled to himself, knowing that that had been deliberate on Sakura's part. He took her unspoken invitation, and made his way into the bedroom.

He took in his surroundings, for this was the first time he had actually given himself a chance to look around. The previous time, he only had eyes for the Uchiha matriarch. The walls were a hot pink and were decorated with medical notes pinned against their will. The wardrobe was a new, smaller white furniture that sat alongside a similarly designed bookshelf, that adorned an empty glass vase. It was there that he decided to rest his single declaration of love, the white and blue contrasting with the rest of room with a heavenly glow. He made his way to the wardrobe, and opened it, fingering each lace and skirt, and taking in her scent. Buried beneath piles of clothes in the attaching drawer he found an old perfume bottle he had once gifted her - there were only a few droplets left, which had left him feeling satisfied. He brought the bottle to the tip of his nose and closed his eyes as the scent of her whole being engulfed him, and left him feeling as if a whole garden was sprouting in his stomach. He buried the bottle back under her garments and closed the drawer and the wardrobe. It was in the mirror that he had finally noticed. How had he not realised before? His brows knitted together in what could only be described as a pang of disappointment. He turned around to confirm the contents of the mirror, and found that it was true, it was real. He felt insulted. He trudged towards the bed and felt the pink fluffy blankets beneath his fingertips, and traced the bedding until it reached the pillows. The single pillow was even more menacing to look at. He pulled back the blanket and decided he would have to teach his wife a lesson. How dare she purchase a single bed? True, they had finally agreed that he would no longer be part of the family in the traditional sense, but still. She was still his wife. Where was the evidence that she had been longing for him? He unclasped his cloak and let it fall to the floor, and threw down his waistcoat and and shirt straight after. He looked around the room again and realised that there was no trace of the Uchiha crest anywhere, save for her clothes which had been neatly lined up inside the wardrobe. But if someone did not go snooping, how would they know at a quick glance that she was even married? His frown grew deeper as he propped himself beneath the blanket, and sat up whilst he waited. And waited.

Two hours must have passed, whilst the Uchiha patriarch had sat up in his wife's single bed, brooding about how he would punish his wife. It may have been two hours, but it felt like two years. His fist had been gripping the fluff of the blanket so hard that some of it had already begun to tear off. He was still thinking about how he would pin Sakura underneath him once she made her way to him when he heard movement downstairs: the front door had been opened and then closed. He braced himself for when she would finally appear in the doorway and fling her arms around him with a rosy blush on her cheeks. But another hour had passed and she had still not made her way upstairs. Had she even remembered she had a husband? Sasuke clenched his teeth in frustration, and he finally lost control. He brought out his katana and flung it across the room so it landed on the door, leaving a dent as it stuck itself into the door horizontally, like an arrow finding itself in a boar.

The sudden action caused a pair of legs to rush upstairs and fling the door open, her fist was encased in chakra, ready to attack, when she realised who was the culprit. Her fist fell beside her as she greeted him, "Oh. I forgot I asked you to come."

Was that it?

No 'Welcome home, Sasuke-kun.'

No 'I missed you, darling.'

No 'Thank you for coming, my love.'

Just... "I forgot I asked you to come"?

He hid his anger well beneath his stoic expression and watched as she turned her attention away from him, and had started to dig his katana out of her bedroom door all the while muttering nonsense.

"Sorry, I've had so much on my mind. Since the peace of the shinobi world - thanks to us, but especially you and Naruto of course - children as young as three aren't expected to join the Academy. Instead, there's a public school in each village which children join, and when children are about the age of eleven they can enrol in the Academy. But even after they graduate, it won't necessary mean that they have to choose the path of the shinobi. Or at least that's what Naruto said today at the school entrance ceremony. He's really groomed himself into becoming a fine future Hokage..."

He watched as she began folding the clothes from the laundry basket, and gracefully put them away as she continued talking about God knows what. He noticed the red shiny headband planted atop her pink head which he had bestowed upon her, and his mismatched eyes followed her long locks down until... he had noticed that it no longer fell beyond her waist, but now stopped midway her back, so it just about covered the family crest on her green knitted jumper. He wished she would come closer so he could measure with his hands how much she had cut in his absence. If she came to him, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from using his good arm to feel her lower back which now had been freed from a curtain of pink. But alas, there she stood, tidying up her notes from the wall and arranging them in files before hiding them away in a filing cabinet. Did she really think he cared if the room was a bit of a mess?

"...And so all the parents had to stay for a couple of hours as it's the first day, and the children may need help settling in. But you know our Sarada, she's always been quite independent, she told me I didn't need to stay but I could tell she was really pleased that I was there. Actually... she was the only child with only one parent present... but I told her 'Papa' - I mean, you - would be proud of her..." And on and on she went. Did she ever shut up? Sasuke was growing more frustrated by the second. Using his teeth, he tore off his fingerless glove and flung it towards Sakura. She caught it in mid-air without looking, and started inspecting it as soon as she realised what it was. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "I see you've finally been taking care of your belongings! I know that Sarada would be pleased if she knew." Sakura sighed and lowered her voice. "I really am glad you're home," she contemplated. "I've been meaning to discuss a few things with you actually..."

"Sakura", he growled. Sakura placed the fingerless glove atop the filing cabinet and finally looked towards her husband. As she looked upon his bare chest a warm smile graced her lips, and it somewhat subsided his anger. "Come," he simply said.

His eyes followed her every move as her white denim jeans led her towards the night stand and picked up a medical book which had a pencil tucked inside in place of a bookmark, and as she sat on the foot of the bed. With one hand, she opened the book and rested it on her lap, never taking her gaze away from the non-fiction text whilst the other removed the blanket that was covering her husband's lower body. Her left hand continued to stroke his own black trousers, etching random patterns onto him soothingly, all the while her attention was focused elsewhere. Sasuke couldn't make up his mind at whether he should be pissed or aroused that Sakura was finally tending to his needs but simultaneously, still ignoring his presence. So he continued to watch her, like a vulture watches its prey before it strikes.

Although he knew her hands he was so proud of was rough from saving so many lives, they were still gentle as she touched him, sending tingles throughout the rest of his body leaving him feeling dazed. He watched as her green orbs strained in concentration and how her lips puckered as she read from the book in her lap. He noticed how her green fleece hung loosely over her shoulders, so he could see the white of her skin peeking under, and he imagined himself tracing the shadow that was formed from her collar bone with kisses. And finally, he saw how she removed her left hand from him and hold the book steady as her right picked up the pencil to scribble some notes down on the page she was reading. How dare she leave him hanging like this? Was that book really that much more fascinating than him? He flung his feet off the bed, and pouted when she did not react to his change in position. He then edged closer to her until she had no choice but to lean against his bare chest, and his arm encircled her body until he was holding her right elbow lightly.

"Sakura," he whispered seductively into her ear. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Hm?" Was all she said. She continued scribbling down notes, leaving her husband fuming behind her. Sasuke reached out for the book and thew it across the room, leaving Sakura startled as she looked up at him wide eyes, mouth agape. "Sasuke!" she expressed in bewilderment. "What are you doing?! That's a rare edition! You don't know how long it took me to find that-mmph-" His lips clamped around hers and he tasted her cherry gloss lips under his, losing himself in her as he had dreamt for so long. His hand found her chin and he cupped it and lifted her face closer towards his just as he felt her attempting to pull away. She finally gave in, and just as passionately kissed him back with full force. They were lost within each other, and it was as if time was a concept they could not fathom - was it sunset, midday or dayspring? He eventually gave her time to grasp for air, and he knew his face was mirroring the light blush that lit up her whole face. She wouldn't meet his gaze, and instead her eyes fell upon his toned chest that was heaving up and down steadily, as if he had finally found his place in the world. They were so close he could count the pink eyelashes that were painted in black mascara under him.

"I told you to come to bed," he rasped at her.

"What?" she asked, tilting her head up she could look at his onyx eye. "I thought you could do with the rest... You must be so tired."

"So you asked me to come here so you could watch me sleep?" he scrutinised.

"No! I- It's just-" He narrowed his eyes as she started twirling her hair. "Of course I want to spend time with you, Sasuke-kun, but your well-being is important. I just wanted to make sure you feel good. I just want you safe."

His heart softened at her words, and so did his face. He planted a soft kiss on the parting of her hair, and he hoped she knew what it meant. Thank you, Sakura.

"I know another way you can make me feel good," he hushed to her diamond seal. He pulled away only to find her blush had become more prominent, forming a smirk to grace his lips. He tugged on her elbow and whispered, "Come."

"B-but, Sasuke-kun, there's only space for one person..."

A single black brow rose as he asked, "And whose fault is that?"

She blinked, as it finally sunk in what had been bothering him. "D-don't look at me like that! You had made your choice back then, and when I bought this house it was meant as a brand new start... without you... and so... I'm sorry. But whilst you're here, the bed is all yours! I promise I won't disturb you."

Sasuke exhaled at her confession, and his hand fell away from her. He moved away from her and reclaimed his position at the top of the bed, bringing his legs over the blanket behind Sakura, and he allowed his head to rest atop the light pink pillow. "Disturb me."

"What?" Sakura's head snapped towards Sasuke.

"You heard. We can share the bed."

"B-but there's no space!"

He gestured towards himself, and muttered, "There is."

Her face transitioned into a deep red and she buried her flustered face into her hands. Her reaction amused him at first, but when she didn't budge from that position he became anxious, alarmed even. "Sakura, what's wrong?" he asked, as his brows knitted together.

Her voice was muffled as she spoke into her hands, and so he leaned over and removed her left arm and urged her to repeat himself with a ,"What?"

She looked at her white lap and mumbled, "I-I don't think I can-" she stammered.

"Why not?" he asked, concerned.

"It-it's been so long, Sasuke since we... I don't think I'll be able to stop blushing... I'm sorry. I could barely handle it when you k-kissed me. You're too much to be around..."

"Sakura, we're married," he reminded her. She started fidgeting and whispered, "I know."

"We have a daughter." She turned her face towards him and bit her lip.

"We've done this many times before, so what's the problem?" And the red reappeared.

"I'll be gentle." She considered this for a moment as her eyes flickered to the side and then back to himself.

"Okay," she agreed in a hushed whisper.

His mismatched eyes followed her every movement as she warily made her way towards him. She was crawling on the bed and fell into his chest until pink hair splayed across him like threads sprouting from one source, until it fanned out gracefully. His hand weaved through her hair, and he allowed his fingers to dive down her shortened locks until he felt no more, and he murmured to her, "You cut your hair."

She was kneading her own fingers against his stump, but had stopped when he said this. She looked up at him, and muttered, "Oh, you noticed? Do you like it? There used to be a rumour that-"

"Sakura," he interrupted. "You've already told me about that."

"Oh yeah," she said sheepishly. "And you've already denied that. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry," he muttered to her. "Don't ever be sorry. You have nothing to be sorry for." His hand continued to caress her back, until he found the hem of her knitted jumped. He tugged on it, and she slowly lifted herself off him so he could pull it off. When she lowered herself back down he kissed her newly exposed skin, and in between kisses he whispered to her, "You... Sakura... You... My wife... you have always... given me... everything... so don't... Don't... Apologise... There's nothing... you've done... that requires apology..."

He felt Sakura push his face away from her navel and she forced him to look at her as she held his jaw. Her cheeks were flushed in pink. "Sasuke, my love. You've also given me everything," she told him, green beady eyes glinting at him. He could see her confidence slowly flickering into life as she looked at him with adoration. "So please, let's only give each other more."

Those words of hers cast a spell onto the two of them, and soon enough, they got lost in a trance that bound them together, limb by limb, mouth to mouth. However, despite the air of confidence that had supported her wish, she was still shy to his every touch, and as promised, she flushed a deep red no matter what he did or said. Eventually, he found his own body laying on hers, his head resting on her mound of skin that held a deep love for him beneath. Their fingers were still locked together as he whispered to her, "Thank you, Sakura."

She clearly knew what he meant by those words as he saw her flush creep down over her breasts until it encased her, and with her free hand she found his mop of black hair. "I love you too, Sasuke-kun," she whispered back, trying to contain the squeal that was threatening to escape.

He had felt accomplished for being able to make her all flustered against him, but still, it was strange how she was reacting to him. And so he voiced his thoughts aloud. "Sakura," he said, adjusting the angle of his face so he was now looking up at her tinted cheeks. "You're so shy today", he chuckled lightly. "You've never been like this... not even the first time, do you remember?" A dark brow perked up as he awaited her response.

She puckered her lips and her own brows furrowed, followed by her forehead creasing. "How could I forget? You left me straight after to pick up the pieces."

His whole body tensed up at the memory and he closed his eyes and inhaled and exhaled deeply, before letting go of her fingers and rolling off of her until he was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the carpeted floor. She must have immediately regretted her choice of words as he felt her tender arms encircle his bare waist, and her face nuzzling into the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I shouldn't have-"

"No, I deserved that," he consoled her. "I've hurt you too many times." He sighed. Why did she even love him? Why did she continue to fight for their marriage? Why did she always let him back in? His trail of thoughts was interrupted by a faint cry of, "Please don't leave me again, Sasuke. Not like that."

He sprung away from the bed in alarm and turned around to look at her, his eyes wide with distress. He kneeled down until he was at her level and cupped her face. "Are you still afraid of that?" he asked in a strained whisper. "Are you afraid that I would leave you, just like that? Do you think that I just want to use your body for my own selfish desires?" He studied her face and searched for answers but only found sadness in the way her lips drooped down, and what he interpreted as pain in the way her eyes wouldn't meet his. "Is that why you found it difficult to... to make love to me?" He edged his face closer to hers until noses almost touched. "Tell me Sakura. I need an answer. Please."

She sighed and brought her hand up to hold his onto her cheek, and finally looked at him. "No, you've got it wrong... That's not-"

"Then was is it?" he asked impatiently.

She bit her lip before confessing, "I guess I've just... I guess I've just become used to being alone. All I have for company at night are my dreams and thoughts about you... So much so that when you're actually here, it's hard for me to get to grips into reality because... well, you're just so perfect, Sasuke-kun. And sometimes I can't help feeling that I don't deserve you, you know? When I look at Sarada... it's a bittersweet feeling. I miss you and love you all the same when I look at her and am reminded of you, and it just hurts. It still hurts. So when you're here with me, I don't want to let you go... Am I even making sense?"

Her jumbled up confession had left him with all sorts of feelings, but one overriding feeling was of relief. He was relieved that his fears were not founded. "No," he answered. In truth, he had understood her, and he himself harboured similar feelings. "But Sakura," he replied. "It's not you who doesn't deserve me, it's me who doesn't deserve you." He shared his secret smile with her and she blushed prettily, her eyelashes coming down to shield her eyes like a curtain. His lips found hers, and when they parted he stood up and drew her up with him, hands locked together once again.

He pulled her into a hug, and whispered faintly into her ear, "I love you." He could feel the trickle of droplets slide down his sculpted front, and he only held her tighter. He whispered it again, albeit a little louder, but this time instead of tears he heard a "Stupid", being muttered into his chest, but he also felt her arms tighten around his own self. He was finding it hard to breathe.

"Sakura," he wheezed. "You're crushing me."

She instantly let go and took a step back. "Sorry! You're just such a tease and so adorab- Ah! I remembered what I wanted to tell you!"

He beckoned her on with a raised brow. "Sarada finally asked about me kissing you!" she blurted out.

"What... did you say?" he asked slowly, wary of her answer.

She brought out her index and middle finger out and poked him in the forehead with a wide grin. He blushed, and immediately turned around before she could notice. He started walking around the bed until he found his cloak and picked it up and brought it back around the bed and draped himself and Sakura in it and brought her towards the bed again. He held her beneath his cloak as he listened to her tell him of what he had missed. "She's honestly so cute! Every facial expression of hers reminds me of you, I just want to squeeze her so tight! But she was so sad... again, I tried to explain to her that you do care about us and you're away for our sake... but I don't think she actually understood."

Sasuke's heart clenched as he imagined his little angel scrunching up her face as she asked about him, memories of them slowly fading away. "...She definitely doesn't remember all those times you guys chased those cats together," Sakura continued. "When I asked if she's seen those cats lately, she said she doesn't know what I'm talking about. Her memory is really hazy... but it's weird though. I'm not sure if she remembers THAT incident, you know, when her and Naruto walked in on us... that one time... but what indicated to me that she might is that she used the word 'pervy' again! According to Hinata, Naruto, that dufus, shares his stories about 'Pervy Sage' quite often so that's probably where she picked that up from..." Sasuke's heart clenched even tighter. He knew for certainty that Sarada had no trace of that memory of her parents from that embarrassing day, but it wasn't a surprise that she still knew the context of the word 'pervy', especially if she had been exposed to that word prior to that one evening he had used his sharingan on her. Sakura still didn't know. He hadn't been able to bring it up to her even after all this time. He had already broken their family, and it had almost broken beyond repair, he wouldn't risk it again. And so he continued with his secrets.

"Oh Sasuke, I meant what I said in my last letter. I understand that you're worried that if someone gets hold of our letters or the pictures I send you then they'll know even more about Sarada than they already do. But... to think that you've had to burn all those pictures... I wish there was a different way."

"Then stop."

"Hm?"

"Stop sending me Sarada's pictures. If it's hurting you, just don't."

She laced her arm around his and then rested her head on his shoulder. "But are you sure, darling? Then you really won't see her get to grow up. Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"If it keeps her safe, yes," he confirmed.

She kissed his shoulder. "I wish she knew how much you loved her."

But what Sasuke didn't tell her is that he also felt as if he had no right to see pictures of his daughter grow up. An absent father had no right. It wouldn't be fair. Why should he see her if she can't see him? It was another form of punishment for him, like his refusal for a new left arm, to remind himself of his sins.

He wasn't really worthy to sunbathe in the light of the dawn - in the dayspring. But for now, he would hold his wife, and hear her stories.

"Sakura", he had once again rudely interrupted whatever she was saying - something about how Sarada's place in school was only part-time until April. "When you moved in here, did you leave the painting of the Uchiha crest?"

"Eh?! Why would I do that?!" she exclaimed. "No! That means so much to me. And Sarada, too. Even if I had wanted to part with it, I'm pretty sure your daughter wouldn't have let me-"

"Where is it?" he asked.

She smiled sweetly at him before gesturing towards his hand wrapped tightly around her waist. "Well, if you let me get dressed I could take you downstairs and show you. It's in our living room, you can't miss it." She winked at him.

"Okay," he breathed out. He slowly snuck his hand away from her glowing skin but then planted his hand on the flat of her head and brought their foreheads together as his cloak was still wrapped around them. He closed his eyes and said, "But first, let's stay like this a little longer."

Sakura giggled, "Okay, Sasuke-kun." But to his dismay he felt her shift against him and her head landed on his shoulder again. "Thank you, Sasuke."

"For what?"

"For the flower." She gestured towards the single flower in the vase sitting opposite them with a nod of her head. "Unlike you, I can be specific when I thank you," she teased. She brought his attention to the flower again. "A rare beauty like that... I can only imagine that it symbolises our love. And look at how the blue colouring of the petals against the white are subtly connected all around. It's like our family, don't you think?" As usual, he was impressed with her observational skills as he had only noticed the blue on the outer tips of the petals, and not on the rim that inked the edges of the flower.

"Ah," he agreed. "We're connected, Sakura."

A/N: I intended for this chapter to end when Sarada is like 8 years old but she's still 3! i have main parts of the plots planned out but it takes me ages to get there. Looks like there may be even more chapters than I anticipated...

Hope you enjoyed! Leave a review to let me know your thoughts.