"She'll lie and steal and cheat
And beg you from her knees
Makes you think she means it this time."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You're leaving again? But you just got off of probation," The pink-haired medic nin stated.
The dark haired man, now reinstated Konoha nin, nodded in affirmation.
"You promised…" Sakura's voice trailed off, "You promised you wouldn't leave again." Unshed tears welled up within Sakura's emerald orbs. "You lied."
Sasuke sighed and took a step forward, raising his two fingers he gently poked her on the purple diamond placed upon her forehead.
Sakura gasped, she didn't know what this gesture meant to Sasuke, but she knew it was important to him. She wouldn't ask yet though, she would wait until he was ready to share with her.
"I'll try to write," Sasuke sighed out. Sakura dumbly nodded, not being able to contain her tears any longer. As they rolled down her face, Sasuke made no move to wipe them away, though he did step closer. Lowering his hand back down, he closed his eyes and enjoyed their proximity, for it would be the last he would feel for a while.
Sakura closed her eyes as well, she could feel the ghost of his touch. It ended all too soon though. Sasuke, realizing they were in public, stepped away from her. Though somewhat reluctantly.
Sasuke could not deny, Sakura was in fact important to him. She was someone he now cared for. What he didn't know was how deep those feelings went.
"I have to go," Sasuke said, poofing away in an instant. Those were the last spoken words she would hear from him for a long time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"She'll tear a hole in you
The one you can't repair
But I still love her, I don't really care"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was two months after Sasuke's leave that she received her first letter. Sasuke really did keep good on his word. Sakura felt a bit guilty for being surprised upon seeing the parchment attached to the brown hawk's leg.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sakura,
My journey hasn't been all that exciting, so I don't have much to say. I just passed through Amegakure, they were very welcome to the help I had to provide, though I cannot say the same for stone country. I suppose it is to be expected.
I hope you're doing well.
How is Naruto and Kakashi? Probably as stupid and perverted as ever. Naruto has been sending me many letters, though I haven't found the time to write him back. As well as receiving updates about the village from Kakashi.
How is the hospital? Have you been overworking yourself again? Please remember to eat and sleep properly, it would be annoying for you to fall sick.
Take care,
Uchiha S.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She quickly wrote a reply back, wanting to get it to Sasuke as fast as she could. The hawk waited patiently on her desk whilst she wrote. She found he very much liked his head rubbed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"When we were young
Oh, we did enough
When we got cold
Ooh, we bundled up
I can't be told
I can't be done."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sasuke,
I'm happy to hear that Amegakure was so accepting. Though I wish you better luck if you return to the stone. Give them some time, and I'm sure they'll warm up to you. I'm glad you're doing so well on your journey. Though I have to admit, it's a bit lonely here without you around - we were just getting used to you again.
Naruto and Kakashi are doing great! Naruto is always complaining about your lack of response, perhaps you should write him a letter soon. He really misses you, but don't let him know I told you that. He has taken quite an interest in Hinata lately! I'm glad he's finally beginning to see just how much she loves him. I think all of us were growing annoyed with his blindness.
Kakashi is still dealing with being the Hokage. He hates it, and is trying to get Naruto into the position as quickly as he can. Paperwork is definitely not his favorite way of passing the time. You hit the nail right on the head with the perverted statement. You should have seen his excitement when they released a new Icha Icha movie, I swear he's like a child with candy. Except the candy is quite inappropriate. I've always wondered how he can so casually read that in public.
Though you didn't ask, I thought I should tell you that Sai is doing well too. He has befriended Ino, which is an odd pair, but they surprisingly work well together. She has been helping him get a better grip on his feelings…let's just say his nicknames have become more…creative.
The hospital has been quite stressful as of late. We're low on doctors so Tsunade has been working me to the bone. I don't want to lie to you and say I've been taking care of myself, because I really haven't had the time to lately. People need me. Though, I try the best I can to sleep in the oncall rooms on breaks.
Where do you plan on travelling next? Have you seen any pretty sights? What work have you been doing?
I don't care how boring you think it is, I want to know everything!
Stay safe,
Sakura
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was three weeks later when Sasuke sent his second letter. Sakura put it in the small box she had put the previous letter in. She cherishes these letters, even if they're just words on paper, she feels like her and Sasuke are making a connection.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sakura,
I plan to travel to Tea country next, I hear they have great sights there. I'll be sure to tell you if I see any. I saw a very pretty waterfall out in stone for the short visit I was there. It was also near a natural hot spring, I quite enjoyed it.
With helping people, I've mainly had to do reconstruction, though my shinobi skills are highly valued in small villages I've come across. Everyone seems to still be recovering from the war.
Please be sure to ask for some time off, it wouldn't be helpful for anyone should you overwork yourself too much. Your health is just as important as everyone else's.
Why didn't you mention the Children's mental health clinic? I heard through a letter from Kakashi. He said you'd been planning this since I left. I would like to hear more about your work.
Uchiha S.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sasuke,
Tea country is amazing! I hope you enjoy your stay there.
I think I would like to visit the waterfall/hot spring you mentioned. It sounds beautiful.
It sounds as though you're doing hard work. I'm happy you're able to see the world in a different light now.
As for the children's hospital, I've had a good friend, Kyo, working on it with me. It is to open in 3 months. The goal is to help children who suffered through the war with their mental issues. I think every child needs a support system, and I wanted to give it to them. Suna has already taken interest in my idea, so Kyo and I may head out there to help open one in Wind.
Forgive me for not mentioning it.
Sakura
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sakura,
I am quite liking Tea country so far, but I don't plan on staying too long. One day I'll bring you to the waterfall, you would love it.
Seeing the world differently has been a weird experience, but I'm grateful for the opportunity. I feel as though Itachi is with me.
I think the work you're doing is amazing, and I'm glad you'll be able to expand it.
Perhaps I'll come to the opening of your clinic. I'll have to see where I am.
Uchiha S.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sasuke,
I hope you'll return soon, though I don't blame you if you don't.
I miss you.
I'll be leaving for Suna in four months, I don't know how long I'll be away for.
It would be amazing to see you at the opening, I want you to meet Kyo.
Also, I've been meaning to ask. Does your hawk have a name? He is very kind and seems to enjoy head rubs, perhaps you should give him some for all the flying he's done.
Sakura
P.S. please write Naruto back, he's going insane because he hasn't received a response!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sakura,
Tome is his name. I made sure to give him special treatment.
Uchiha S.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sasuke,
The opening is tomorrow, I hope you can make it!
Stay safe,
Sakura
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sasuke did not come to the opening of the children's mental health clinic, nor did Sakura hear from him for a long time. Seven months to be exact.
"It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all
The opposite of love's indifference
So pay attention now
I'm standing on your porch screaming out
And I won't leave until you come downstairs."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sasuke,
I'm back from Suna sooner than expected.
I borrowed Kakashi's messenger hawk to send this.
Please send a response, I'm beginning to grow worried.
You never showed at the opening.
I miss you.
Come home soon,
Sakura.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sakura, again, never got a response back. Kakashi's hawk came back empty handed. For confirmation that Sasuke got the letter, he tied a small black ribbon to the hawk's leg.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sasuke,
Naruto said you wrote him back, why haven't you responded to me?
Sakura