Hers (15)

Autumn rolled by, marking the start of winter. The cold air was a nice touch against her skin, as she walked around her beloved village, stopping here and there in the little food stalls around the market to buy her groceries.

Heart heavy, she distracted herself by staring at the leaves that swirled around her, flying in the wind in beautiful patterns, seeming to swim in an invisible ocean. They were leaves that fell from trees because of the cold weather, but still floated high in the sky, not touching the floor quite yet, not reaching the bottom. She found she identified herself with them quite well. She, like them, had fallen from her tree.

Well, technically she had been kicked off. Her confession to her husband had caused him to leave, disappear without a word, without a trace. It was like a branch broke and set her, a leaf, unwillingly free, floating around confused until she finally hit rock bottom. But she wasn't there yet, she was still in the air, floating around like the leaves around her, pretending all was well.

A sudden, harsher wind drew all the leaves upwards, only to let them crash at the floor below in less than a heartbeat. Would that happen to her? Would these moments of numbness suddenly end? Would she crash and break like the leaves? A little breeze picked up some leaves from the ground, and they flew around her, somehow giving her hope that even if she did fall, she could come back up. Four leaves, she noticed, and she thought about herself and her children.

Her children became angry, sulking teenagers when their father left, wishing to understand what happened but having no explanations. He didn't even say goodbye to them, or offer an explanation, and Sakura wasn't about to give it. She just said they had an argument, and he probably would return soon. However, after a week passed, they all stopped believing the lie. Sakura hadn't lost hope yet, though. Thankfully, Sarada had missions to worry about, and the younger kids were worrying about graduating from the academy, so their minds were at least distracted from the problems most of the time.

She did keep the promise she made to herself, however, she stayed away from the man who haunted her dreams: Naruto. She had lost control with him when he confessed his love for her, when he spoke about taking her like he had before. She couldn't help it, it was all she could think about since their dynamic had changed years ago. It was all she craved, all her body wanted, all she got wet for anymore. That feeling she'd felt only with him, that incomparable union unlike no other. And oh, how it had felt to kiss him again.

It was like the heavens suddenly collided right on top of her, like all her wishes came true all at once, like the universe had heard her pleading and decided to reward her for once. His lips, his breath, his scent, the way he clung to her hips, how he responded to her touches... it was all too good, too enticing, too exciting. Was that all she wanted from him? Just some physical satisfaction that she believed couldn't be achieved with any other man? Had she fabricated it in her head? Has it even been as great as she remembered? She wondered these and many other things often. Did she love him? Did she care for him as much as she thought? Or was it all a fascination she brewed in her mind, memories she twisted with time, that kept her ruining her own life and hurting those who love her?

Ino's words ran though her head time and time again. What if she was right? Maybe, all she did need was to get rid of that physical desire. Maybe it was all hormonal, and she would get over Naruto if she got rid of her little problem. Maybe it was that easy. At this point, her desire for him was so big that she couldn't even distinguish if the feelings were genuine or not. Maybe Ino was right, she thought. But then again, when she kissed him, she had felt so many things at once. Kissing him was an assault to her senses and feelings. When they kissed, it wasn't just her hormones responding and taking over. She knew it wasn't, she could feel it in her increased heartbeat and the butterflies in her stomach.

Yes, she craved him physically, but she also needed him emotionally. Everything had been perfect until they decided to distance themselves from each other. Before then, they saw each other so often that what they shared during those brief moments was enough to fill the void that their absences left. The more distanced they became, the greater her desire became and the bigger the temptation and easier it became to cross that line when they were together... Surely, if they were left alone once more...

Her thoughts were interrupted by a flash of blonde hair. Surely, life wouldn't treat her so well, she thought. She followed, looking for that mane of hair that drew her attention, forgetting, like always, that she was supposed to be avoiding said mane of hair. Surely, he wouldn't be walking around the market at this time of day, he should be busy, she told herself, as she searched frantically. Disappointingly, she finally spotted the person she unashamedly followed, and it turned out to be none other than the Hokage's son, Boruto.

"Oh, great. As if my day hasn't been bad enough today," she heard him say in a low, angry voice. He looked her dead in the eyes, and continued his complaint. "So, Sakura-san, happy you finally broke my parent's marriage?"

Stunned, Sakura relied on silence as a good enough reply.

"Don't look so shocked. I've known for years you're the reason why my mother has to suffer so much." He snared, walking a few steps closer as if to not be overheard. "She tries to look happy, you know? Pretend. For us. Even lets you train Himawari, trying to make everything seem normal, a happy family with a lovely friendship." He paused, waiting for her to say anything in her defense. She didn't. "I know it's all bullshit."

She decided to deny everything. "Careful who you're accusing of random things, kid." Boruto looked outright insulted. "Now, what'd you mean your parents are broken up?" She asked innocently.

Unexpectedly for her, the kid only looked at her perplexed for a few seconds, before walking away.

Heart feeling even heavier now, she wondered how he knew, and her skin pricked at the thought of having been seen with Naruto on top of that monument.