you hold my hand on the street, walk me back to that apartment / years ago, we were just inside / barefoot in the kitchen, sacred new beginnings that became my religion / listen / i hope i'd never lose you / i'd never walk cornelia street again / oh, never again
- cornelia street, taylor swift (lover)
when he told her it was time, she just kissed his lips and said, "let's go," and now they're here.
it was a long journey for them, but sasuke saw the excitement in sakura's eyes when they were traveling to get there. saying goodbye was tearful, to her parents and her friends, more so with naruto and kakashi; but they were all happy for them.
sasuke knows this isn't exactly running away but sakura said it's the thought that counts. the idea of leaving konoha and living somewhere far away with sakura is a thought that's been in sasuke's mind ever since he asked her that night in her kitchen. it was born from deep yearning in his heart—to forget the sins of the past, maybe; to spend the rest of his life with the family he and sakura will be having in the future, definitely.
it was a small house near a waterfall somewhere on the other side of the entire shinobi nations. it was almost a part of the civilian nation where the foreigner he met all those years ago was from. the house was surrounded by lush green trees and yellow daffodils, making her gasp in awe when they arrived.
they were greeted by a fully decorated living room when they entered, the smell of cinnamon filling the air. sakura turned to him, incredulous and wide-eyed. "when did you arrange this?"
sasuke put his hand on her back to gently push her further inside, "since my first travel after i asked you that night in your apartment."
"that was 2 years ago!"
he nodded, "i found this land and built it from scratch." he put his hand on his nape, a bit embarrassed, "it took a little longer than i wanted but..."
sakura looked at him jaw-slacked and her eyes gleaming with unshed tears, "sasuke-kun..."
barefoot, sakura graced the floor and touched the walls as she went further, and sasuke watched from behind. her green eyes took everything they can. they passed by the kitchen, a small office for her readings, a shed where he keeps his weapons, a back-porch that faces a vast space where they can train, and two bedrooms. when they closed the door of the larger bedroom after checking, sasuke saw the redness of her cheeks and he couldn't help but hold her hand for it.
it was obvious that the fully furnished room with a king-sized bed was where they will sleep together. they will be spending most of their days in that room anyway.
sasuke led her to another room. outside the door, sakura asked him. "it's the last one, right? what is it?"
he looked down at her face, "open it."
the moment sakura opened the door, she gasped. the room was different from the traditional style of the entire house. the walls were painted a soft shade of green and there was a soft carpet of beige on the floor. unlike the guest and master's bedroom, this one doesn't have any bed at all; but with the little white crib on the corner, sakura knew what this bedroom is for. or rather, to whom.
the implications of it all brought more tears to her eyes and she didn't fight it this time. it fell to kiss her cheeks down to the carpet beneath her bare feet. seeing this, sasuke approached her form in the middle of the room and just like he did that night, he gathered her small figure around his one arm. he remembered the way her hair smelled and the way his hand tingled when they held hands as they walk back to her apartment 2 years ago.
it all led to here—that one question of his and that one answer of hers that sealed their fate together for the rest of their years—it all led to here where his dreams aren't dreams any longer.
"you're too much," she softly said, her voice trembling from tears, her hands gripping his arm.
this is where sasuke wished he still has his left arm; to hold her in moments like this. he wanted to do more, to give her more; and this house is the first of many to come. he kissed her shoulder before whispering his desires and dreams.
"marry me, sakura. live with me here and let's start a family."
he removed his arm from her and turned her around. sakura was still crying, tears running down her face, but no tears could ever hide the radiance of her smile when she answered, "of course, sasuke-kun. of course, yes."
sakura grabbed his face and kissed him, channeling all her feelings into this fusion of lips that will never be enough to express love through words, and sasuke kissed her back with all the pent-up emotions inside him since they got home.
this is home now—in this secluded area of waterfalls and daffodils, in this grand house made by lovestruck hands of his, in the eyes and arms of the only woman he has ever loved beside his mother. this is the home he will swear to protect, to provide and to live for.
the days will be long and the nights will be cold, he knows; but as he moves them to their bedroom where they will make their future together, sasuke thinks he doesn't mind. his faith is now inside this home he will nurture with sakura, and his religion is now in the sacred promise of her lips.
i will never lose you, nor myself. never again.
those were his last thoughts as he lost himself in her—today, tonight, and all of the days and nights to come.
~fin~
a/n: this is somehow a sequel to the last prompt, call it what you want :) just love the idea of them leaving konoha and live somewhere far away together T_T and with that we conclude all 31 ts bridge prompts! waaaahhfajfakfj i still can't believe i managed to write one fic per day. it was a real challenge but since i love ts and ss, i enjoyed it a lot. see you on my future works, and long live sasusaku and taylor swift yaaaaas!