A/N: hi! I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'm sorry for the wait T_T this chapter was tough for me to write (like, I just didn't know where to take this LOL) but a few things got me going: 1) catching up on Forbidden by blackrosedrippingred ! such a good fic, definitely read it if you like feudal au! 2) the intro where sakura is just chillin was me thinking about how I wish I had been able to contribute to the sasusaku ghibli event and I love how ghibli movies are just Chill Vibes so think of the beautiful ghibli scenery for that 3 I didn't know how to start the fic before so boom, Vibes 3) I'm on break! School and work no longer have me in their clutches for a while :) but I've mostly been playing animal crossing ~_~
Sakura had taken some mending out into the back garden and was working diligently when Sasuke came home. The weather was pleasant and staying inside didn't appeal to her at the moment. A light breeze tousled her hair and swept through the greenery before her, so peaceful and undisturbed — a stark comparison to the wreckage beyond the Uchiha district. She sighed, it couldn't be helped that somehow, they were lucky enough to be spared the worst of the damage but guilt still weighed heavily in her heart.
Sasuke softly padded towards her from behind and called her name. Sakura jumped a little; she had not been disturbed for hours and had gotten used to the near silence outside. So surprised was she that her hand slipped and her sewing needle poked the pad of her finger. "Ouch," she winced. "Ah, and hi, Sasuke."
"I didn't mean to scare you," he said with a hint of amusement coloring his voice. Then he noticed a drop of scarlet gathering at the tip of her finger. She must have stabbed the needle pretty deep to penetrate the callouses adorning her fingers. "You're bleeding. I'll be right back." He stepped back inside to grab a small cloth for his wife.
He sat down next to her where she had held her finger up as not to drip blood on her mending work. He wrapped the clean piece of cloth around her finger and pressed gently. "You didn't have to do that," she said, feeling a girlish sense of giddiness well up in her stomach. "I'm the doctor here, you know."
He released his hold on the cloth so she could hold onto it herself. "That doesn't mean I can't take care of you."
She hummed in agreement, smiling and no longer paying attention to the slight sting of her finger. "How was your day? I was in and out of Tsunade's today. She sent me home with work."
His expression grew troubled. "It was..odd. I kept feeling people looking at me." For someone as handsome as Sasuke, it wasn't an uncommon occurrence, but their gazes had grown chillier and heavier. Like they were looking for something. Someone had even turned down his offer to help them lift a large load.
Her brow creased. Something had definitely shifted when her in-laws returned to the village. However, her unique hair and eye color protected her from most of the animosity thrown in the Uchihas' direction. "That is strange," she agreed. She didn't want to add to his discomfort or cause any unnecessary panic so she chose her words carefully. "Perhaps our neighbors are still feeling on edge and didn't recognize you. It'll be awhile before they start trusting unfamiliar faces again."
She gathered up her mending materials, "I think I'll visit my parents today. Would you like to come or have you had enough for today?" Even if he wasn't helping out all over the village, just existing in this era of rebuilding was exhausting.
Sasuke moved to stand up, telling her in his silent way that he would accompany her. He didn't like letting her go anywhere alone these days, for one reason or another.
.
Mebuki greeted them with raised brows and a smile. "Sakura! And you brought Sasuke! What a surprise! What's the occasion?"
Sakura grew a bit flustered at her mother's enthusiasm. She had spent so long getting used to the quiet of the Uchiha household that the hustle and bustle of her childhood home became somewhat shocking every time she visited.
"Just coming to check in on you," Sakura smiled as they were ushered inside. Thankfully, the damage to the house wasn't as severe as the burnt fields so the family could still gather comfortably inside. Despite staying away for so long, the anxieties of the attack pushed her to visit quite frequently. She would never admit it to anyone, but she had lived in limbo for so long because her parents made her feel unwanted and like little more than a commodity while her in-laws were also just holding up their end of the bargain.
She had gotten over it when the fear of never seeing her siblings or parents again flooded her system; she promised them to visit more frequently instead of waiting for smokestacks to darken the sky again. "I brought you something," Sakura told her mother as she handed over a bundle of smoked meats. She usually didn't like saying exactly where she got the gifts for fear of referring to the Uchiha house as her home, even if that's what it really was these days. The Haruno house was just a place to visit now — her parents' doing, mind you. Still, she didn't want to offend.
"Oh, you really shouldn't have! But this is perfect, we can add it to our meal. Do you have time to stay?" Husband and wife exchanged glances, then a small nod.
"Yes," Sakura spoke for both of them, "we would love to stay for dinner."
The Haruno family members were all fascinated by Sasuke. What was most surprising, though, was Sasuke's patience when it came to answering their persistent questions. She expected him to snap at least once, but it never happened. She hid her smile by putting more food in her mouth. Crumbling village or not, this household knew how to whip up a delicious meal. It seemed Ino had picked up some more cooking skills in her absence. She didn't know how to feel about that.
There was no silver lining to the recent tragedy but as she watched her siblings laugh at Sasuke's dry remarks, she couldn't help thinking that misfortune had a way of bringing people together. It reminded her how quickly she could lose what was precious to her. She looked to her side where Sasuke quietly ate his dinner. Your routine, your sense of normalcy, your little comforts are disrupted. And you realize what you take for granted.
.
"The vegetables were good tonight, surprisingly fresh."
"Mm. I'm sure you noticed the sacks in the corner but it seems like the village still has plenty of rice to go around."
"We're lucky in that way. I'm hoping my parents can get the fields in order in time for the changing season. Otherwise, it's a problem for food and money."
"If they need help, I'm almost certain the clan can pitch in. We can talk about it tomorrow."
They had taken to chatting about their day as they prepared to sleep. It was nice to get everything out so they could sleep peacefully; the attack had raised everyone's anxieties and made it difficult to drift off with a clear mind. But long after exchanging their usual pleasantries about enjoying dinner and the change in the weather, Sakura could tell that Sasuke was still awake.
His body was motionless — he was not the type to toss and turn — but far too rigid to pass off as someone in deep sleep. She had spent enough late nights and early mornings next to him to be able to tell when he was truly relaxed. Sakura turned to her side and hazarded a whisper, "Are you awake?"
Sasuke blinked his eyes open and faced his wife in bed. He had hoped by keeping his eyes shut, sleep would eventually claim him, so he was shocked by how bright the moon was shining onto her visage, her lovely visage. He should have opened his eyes sooner.
"Yes," he answered, as if it wasn't obvious. A few heartbeats later he added, "I've been having trouble sleeping lately."
Sakura nodded in understanding, "Me too. Some nights are worse than others, but tonight…"
"It's just a strange feeling. Like something's coming just over the horizon."
Sakura agreed. "I don't want to get myself worked up, but I think it's been proven that you can never truly expect what the next day will bring."
He was quiet for a while and she figured he was all talked out again. "I hope you sleep well, Sasuke-kun."
He liked it when she called him that. "Goodnight, Sakura." The moon seemed to dim its light just so (or, a kind cloud happened to float by) and his thoughts settled down and eventually, he fell asleep to the sound of his wife's even breathing.
.
"I'm going to visit Izumi and do a check up on Ishida. It's been far too long. Do you have plans for today?"
"My plan is your plan," Sasuke said hoarsely as he continued stretching. He had uncharacteristically overslept that morning and needed a bit more time to adjust before facing the day head on. Something about their warm, soft bed was just so inviting…
Sakura wore a small but satisfied smile on her face when she said, "Okay then. I'll go start breakfast while you wash up." He seemed like he could use a strong cup of tea this morning.
.
"Oh my, he's gotten so big already," Sakura cooed as she played with her nephew. "How's his eating been? What about his sleep habits?" She had asked Tsunade for more information on child development recently to prepare for this appointment — her training never stopped. She didn't want to just deliver the baby and then never check in! He would be her lifelong patient.
Izumi answered all her queries patiently and with the glow of a proud parent. She felt like she had been in her own little bubble with Ishida ever since he came into the world. Everything he did amazed her, small as it may be.
Itachi, on the other hand, seemed more distant than ever. She knew clan matters had been weighing on him, but hoped the birth of their son would alleviate some of that pressure and bring joy. Wishful thinking, it seemed, because he had left just a bit ago to talk with his parents. It was too bad he missed Sasuke and Sakura's visit, but there was a chance that he encountered them on the road and was at least able to give a quick greeting.
"Did you hear me? I asked if he favors you or his papa more?"
Izumi was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of Sakura's gently probing voice. "Oh, I'm sorry. He's been clinging to me more. Maybe little Sasuke is the only one who prefers Itachi," she teased.
Sasuke grunted. "Where is Itachi anyway?"
"I thought you might've seen him on your way here, but it seems I was wrong. He's paying a visit to your parents. Maybe you'll run into him at the house."
"That would be lovely," Sakura said genuinely. It felt like she hadn't had a proper catch up with her in-laws after they returned from their trip because attending to the rest of the village had kept her so busy. "Are you hungry? Ah Sasuke-kun, could you grill some fish for us to eat while we discuss more? Every mother needs her energy! Thank you. Now, back to Ishida's feeding schedule. Has producing milk been a problem for you? I could probably help with that if it isn't flowing easily, Tsunade told me about…"
Sakura's soothing, professional tone faded into the background as Sasuke navigated his way through the kitchen. He had no idea that his sister-in-law was fighting back a big grin after seeing Sasuke obey his wife so dutifully. And Sakura clearly took her job incredibly seriously! A regular housecall would probably be rare in the future given her intense focus on caring for others.
Izumi would never say it to their faces for fear of embarrassing them, but they made for a cute couple. Some things just worked out that way, as if fate had allowed for at least one thing in this world to go right.
.
"Wonder if Itachi's here," Sasuke mused out loud as they approached the family house. They were in high spirits after playing with the youngest member of their clan — his chubby fists waving in the air could make any bad spirits disappear instantly!
But their good mood dissipated quickly when they took in the scene before them. Sasuke stepped into the kitchen area to see his mother, father and brother discussing intensely around the table. Papers with tons of notes and figures were spread out across the tabletop.
"What's going on here?" Sasuke demanded. Sakura instinctually hid behind her husband's larger figure, poking her head over his shoulder in guarded curiosity.
"Sasuke," Itachi addressed his little brother as he stood up, "I didn't think you'd be home so soon."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Is that a problem?"
"We were just discussing clan matters. Nothing too concerning," he answered cordially.
He hated when Itachi spoke to him as if he was still too young to discern when someone fed him a lie. He shouldered his way past Itachi and took a look at the papers his family was studying so intently before his arrival. Why was the leger out right now? No one was selling in the marketplace while rebuilding took place.
He glanced between his parents, who looked determined not to meet his eyes. "I believe clan matters are a concern of mine. What's going on here?"
Mikoto put a hand on Fugaku's crossed arms and begged, "Please tell him. I can't hide secrets from my son any longer."
"Tell me what?" he asked sharply. He snatched up more of the papers and scanned them quickly, critically. Sakura remained frozen in the entryway, feeling more like an intruder than ever before.
Mikoto wordlessly stood up and went to the kitchen to prepare some food. At least through cooking dinner she could exercise some semblance of control. She beckoned Sakura over, too. This fight was between the men of the house, and they would have to clean up after themselves.
Fugaku sighed heavily. "Sit down." Both of his sons seated themselves at the table. Itachi waited with baited breath, wondering if their father would spin a tall tale or confess the truth. Sasuke was never meant to find out, especially not like this.
"These are clan matters and should remain clan matters," he started. Sasuke nodded. It's not like there was anyone else he would tell even without that disclaimer.
"As you know, the Uchihas are one of Konoha's founding clans. We helped populate and build this place from the ground up, and remain an important pillar in the village to this day. You should be proud of your heritage. We deserve respect."
"A history lesson?" Sasuke couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"It's something I never want you to forget." Then, Fugaku launched into a lengthy explanation: "The village recently introduced a quota system for our goods — specifically weaponry. All kinds: knives, spears, swords, you name it. They wanted us to produce and sell more, more than we ever have before even as we've increased production over the years. We assumed they were placing an order for the militia given the huge number of weapons they expected. It wasn't said explicitly, but I could tell there would be some sort of consequence if we didn't comply. I thought maybe the village would blacklist us and ban us from the market, or not buy from us at all anymore. And I hoped going along nicely would gain us greater political favor."
"I was surprised, but did not think much else of the request. I can see now that was a mistake, let alone hoping for something good to come out of this. But when the Hokage refused to buy out our surplus, I was truly shocked. Why would they stick us with such a sizable quota when they had no intention of purchasing any of the stock?"
"The Hokage claimed he couldn't show favoritism to one clan, but that was just political bullshit," Fugaku spat. "He was already showing distaste for the Uchihas by establishing a quota in the first place, one that does not exist for other clans in any capacity no matter the size."
"So we were stuck with a mass quantity of weapons. Tons of resources and hours of labor gone to waste. If we flooded the market with all of them, their value would decrease. But our clan members wanted to be paid for their work, rightfully so. All the Hokage offered was a suggestion: export it. I started to see that this was mostly a ploy to boost Konoha's economy at our clan's expense."
"Not long after we were approached by a buyer. They were quite mysterious to be honest. But they had money and showed great interest in what was available. So I followed the Hokage's advice and started selling the weaponry in bulk to the buyer."
"Not long after, Konoha was attacked by hordes of outsiders. The village elders are accusing us of war crimes after discovering our crest on nearly all of the weapons left behind. This isn't just a petty political spat that will clear up with time. Our entire livelihood is in danger and we're trying to figure out how to fix this." Fugaku had kept his gaze low and focused on one spot while he spoke, but then he raised his head and met Itachi's eyes, as if challenging him to add anything else.
"We've been in a difficult situation, I'm sorry it came to this, Sasuke." He wanted to remain loyal to his father and own up to his involvement, but he also wanted to run to his brother and comfort him like he was a little kid again.
Sasuke didn't want to hear it anymore. They probably never planned on telling him.
"All of you knew and didn't tell me?" Sasuke roared and stood up in his moment of passion. He felt like he had shadowed his father for so long in hopes of proving himself, yet he knew nothing of this exchange. For it to all happen behind his back meant it was hidden intentionally.
Unfortunately, dinner was ready at that moment and Mikoto and Sakura started bringing it to the table. "You will eat," Mikoto said curtly. They did not have to skip a meal. They would eat. Routine could still exist.
"Sit down, Sasuke," Fugaku ordered sharply. "You've been going through some life changes and there was never the right time to tell you."
"Life changes? Like getting married? This is all your doing." Sakura winced as she took a seat at the table. She never wanted to disrupt Sasuke's life; she really thought he had gotten the better end of the deal by being allowed to continue living in his family home. Maybe it was time to rethink the hesitation in their earliest days together. Perhaps he had been feeling just as unsettled as she.
"If I thought you were in any real danger, I would have done something differently."
"Really? Then tell me why someone attacked us in the forest when we tried evacuating?" Sasuke asked viciously. For all Sasuke knew, the man could've been a fellow Konoha citizen, scared and confused. But a threat was a threat and the look of fear on Sakura's face when the man grabbed her was truly the stuff of nightmares. It was easy to blame his father.
Fugaku's face took on an even more pained expression. "They weren't supposed to," he said quietly. Mikoto buried her head in her hands.
Sasuke's chest rose and fell noticeably as he fought to keep his anger in check, "And what do you mean by that?"
"They threatened us. I wanted to pull back when the buyer became more demanding. I didn't understand the rush and secrecy of our transactions, especially in the beginning when I was just relieved to have found what I thought was a solution. We were having an argument when the buyer accidentally revealed that he was from Oto."
"He never told me his name, but we both knew it was a mistake for him to let his origin slip. I tried refusing to sell any more, but he had the upper hand. He said the Uchiha district would be the first to burn if I caused him any more trouble. And I just couldn't have that." It was with a sick grin that the buyer told him he'd make sure to leave the Uchiha district alone as he walked away with his latest cart of weaponry.
It started with both the small neighboring villages and Oto. Many were jealous of Konoha's resources, yes. But that jealousy had festered into resentment and hatred and a desire for vengeance. It simply was not just or fair for a single village to monopolize the region. They rarely gave a helping hand to struggling villages and instead, hoarded resources and kept pushing for expansion.
When you're poor and sick and hungry, cries of no fair easily turn into cries of no more.
Oto preyed on this discontent and offered a partnership. All parties wanted more power, all parties wanted to see the prosperous village fall. After all, that much wealth can only be accumulated through exploitation. Oto was just big enough to offer a competitive advantage, but had been stepped on enough times to be warily considered an ally. They would, somehow, supply high quality weapons and the other villages would supply unchecked rage.
"You didn't think for a second that they were planning something bigger? Planning to destroy not just our home but the entire village?" The respect he had for his father was slipping away into a moment in time.
"I didn't want to! You've seen the bandits, the rogues! When they said they wanted to prepare and protect their own villages...I wanted to believe them so badly. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home, don't they? I thought the threat was just an isolated thing meant to push me into helping him. I had no idea he would actually follow through."
Sasuke nodded slowly, feeling the disgust creeping across his skin. He had never heard his father's voice sound so small, so weak. He pitied him right now. "But still, you ran. You ran for the hills at a time that was so convenient for you."
Itachi spoke up then. "It was my idea that they accompanied us to Izumi's parents' home. The timing of it all was simply a coincidence." Sasuke was silent for a while as he stared at his plate of food, so Itachi hoped that his words reassured his brother even just a little bit. No one was eating more than a mouthful.
Sasuke's voice cracked when he spoke again. "You just left me here." He didn't even try hiding the tears streaming down when he asked once again, "Why didn't you tell me?" Was he, the second son, that worthless? That much of an afterthought? Even when he was so, so disappointed in his father, he craved his love and attention. Maybe he was the pitiful one.
"I thought not telling you was the right thing to do. To protect you. Besides, there's nothing you could have done. At least you can say you truly had no part in this."
Sasuke sneered, "You don't get to act noble, not now. Look what good that did. The Uchiha name is forever tainted because of this." He was nearly shaking with emotion.
"The downfall of this clan will be the insolence and willfulness of ones like you, Sasuke. Now eat your dinner quietly," Fugaku shot back. He'd had enough. He didn't do well with having his authority questioned, mistakes or not. Sasuke had no reason to get involved. He wasn't gravely injured by the enemy. He would be fine.
Sasuke glared at him, but went back to staring hard at his meal. He could hear the unspoken words comparing him to Itachi yet again. His wounded pride ran deep and would not heal easily. If anything, this was a betrayal.
After a few more minutes of tense silence, Sakura reached under the table and squeezed Sasuke's leg. They excused themselves from the table and retired to their room. That was more than enough for the day.
A/N: lmao i considered leaving it on a cliffhanger right around when Mikoto says she can't hide secrets bc I was strugglinggg to finish this but as a reader, I would simply hate that
as I have said before, fuck konoha BUT I tried expressing the feeling of being between a rock and a hard place like how itachi felt w the uchiha massacre, hopefully that came across decently~ I also tried to maintain the simplicity/mundaneness of the fic that people seem to enjoy while also making the plot interesting. I think that even in non mass au ssk wouldn't be completely happy go lucky so he needs some reason to be angry/something driving him here lol
SORRY for my long notes, just got lots to say, ask me q's in the comments/on cc/twitter/tumblr go wild. And there will be more romance in the next chapter!