Conflict-Resolution Skills
When one of them has a bad day, a silent arrangement of how to handle space takes shape. Sakura knows to give Sasuke time to brood on his own until he's ready to sit down and talk, and Sasuke sits in quiet company with her until she sighs and speaks her process. It was a rare occasion when both were angry. It was even rarer when they were angry with each other.
So, when a squabble escalated to passive aggressive comments escalated to raised voices, it almost felt as though the entire forest hushed to listen in on the once-in-a-blue-moon event.
"You're not making any sense," Sasuke snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration as he leaned against one of the trees. "When you get like this, you never make sense."
"It's only because your logic defies that of the average person!" she bites back. "And no, that's not a compliment; that's a way of saying you are the one who isn't making any sense!"
"Based on what?"
"Based on actual logic!"
"Wow."
"Just stating the facts!"
Sasuke merely stares at her with unamused eyes, one of the ways in which he is aware can make her grow even more irritated. Though, at this point, he can't find himself to activate his collected brain to stop. He is too frustrated in his own right.
"Don't—don't just disengage from me!" Sakura huffs. "You know how that makes me feel, you know that!"
"I am in no mood," he muttered to himself before kicking off the tree and pivoting on his heel toward some arbitrary direction.
"Sasuke-kun, I swear, you know how that makes me feel!" she felt her voice crack as tears welled in her eyes. She stomped her feet in frustration at her own inability to reel in her composure. "Dammit, eyes, why?!"
Sasuke froze mid-step and closed his eyes at the sound of her thick voice and heavy sniff. A pang of guilt rung in his chest and finally, finally his collected brain decided to make an appearance. Sakura was a person moved by joy and pain; it was only when the pendulum swung deep into one of the realms that tears would escape her emerald eyes.
This fight had gone too far.
He inhaled a deep breath before releasing a resigned sigh. He slowly turned around to find Sakura had bowed her head into her hands, her arms folded and pressed as closely as they could against her body. She looked almost as though she were trying to protect her heart.
Sasuke made his way back to Sakura until he stood in front of her. He raised his hand and gently combed it through her silken locks, feeling to cradle the back of her neck. Once he found purchase where his hand fit just right, he pulled her into his chest and rested his lips just above her ear.
They stood like that for a while, her sniffing or giving a soft hiccup of a sob, him pressing a soft kiss by her temple. She then lowered her hands to trail around his waist to hug him and press her face into the crook of his neck.
"I'm sorry I said you have weird logic," she sniffed. "Your logic is still...it's still logic."
He responded his acceptance by trailing his hand to her shoulder to tighten their embrace. "I'm sorry I provoked you."
Sakura pulled away slightly and looked up at him, her brows pulled together in sadness and her eyes glassy with unshed tears. "I'm really sorry, Sasuke-kun," she sniffed.
He sighed and pressed his lips to her forehead. "It's okay, Sakura," he assured her softly. "Compared to other fights we've had, that's a pretty benign comment."
"Oh gods, I'm sorry for all of those, too," she sobbed.
"So annoying, this one," he teased, pulling back and brushing fresh tears away from her cheeks. "I'm sorry, you're sorry. We're okay."
She nodded before lifting herself onto her toes and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "You still love me?"
He snorted in amusement and murmured against her lips, "Yes, Sakura, I still love you."
"I still love you, too, Sasuke-kun." She peppered more kisses across his face. "I still love you."
The forest buzzed back to life.