d-1 #SSRetsudenCountdown prompt: touch my sorrow and wipe it gently— canon-divergence, shippuden era au


standing in front of him once again, sakura is struck by a powerful truth— i might die today. by sasuke-kun's hands, no less.

"what? got nothing to say, sakura?"

she can't hear him clearly from the pounding in her ears. her palms are sweating within her gloves and she can feel her pulse accelerating no matter how much she tries to calm down and breathe.

there's a hint of mockery in his voice as he continues to speak, "i thought you'll be begging once again for me to come back... since that's what you're good at…" but his eyes are blank.

"i am…." she replies softly, finally finding the nerve to speak to him. "…one last time."

it may be invisible to anyone else, but sakura is certain his hand flinched for a split second at that.

sasuke can be very still; not even the air can make him move or even blink if he doesn't want to. yes, they'd been apart for years now, but sakura has observed him for far too long when they were mere children. she knows where to look to check if he's tired, to know if he's hungry, or to make sure he's alright. and sakura knows for a fact that when something affects him, he moves.

either his arm muscle would twitch or his shoulder would drop or rise for a fraction. and when he's walking, sometimes his legs would shake or stop if only for a blink of an eye, together with his foot faltering with its step.

it's the most miniscule of actions but it's sasuke's most obvious tell, and it means he still feels something. he still recognizes the bonds he has.

"heh," sasuke scoffs. "i doubt that. you've always been annoying with your persistence on me."

she feels hollow when she says back, "i just want to fulfill my promise to naruto."

there is another twitch, this time from a finger. "you're into him now, then? already gave up on your silly dreams with me?" he taunts, still with his emotionless face. "good."

she gives him a pained smile and confesses for the last time, "i'll always love you, sasuke-kun. a part of me always will."

with that he unsheathes his tantō, "if that's true then you know why i can't go back." his voice is louder now, and underneath is the tiniest crack. "i have no space for love anymore. no space for you."

moisture gathers in her eyes blurring her vision, "please… i-i can't let you harm him."

"move aside…" his eyes meet hers. "or i'll cut you down."

she shakes her head, "i don't believe y-"

one second he was there and the next he was behind her. there's a kiss of his blade on her neck and she shudders. she breathes out, "you need not do this…"

"what do you know of need, let alone mine?!" sasuke presses the sharp sword against her. "you don't know me or what i have become. i need nothing. from you or from anyone!"

sakura closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before quickly drawing her kunai. before she can turn around she's pushed away, making her skid a few distances from him. her knee scrapes the ground but she finds her balance before standing.

when their gazes meet once more, sakura sees him looking at the corner of her cheek. she can feel a sting from it. he cut her. he flinches again.

she roams his face with her eyes and her heart aches as she whispers, "then why do you look so sad, sasuke-kun?"

his eyes widen and the grip on his tantō shakes for a second. sakura's hope swells within her. but his voice is sinister-soft when he answers back.

"don't," he warns. "i don't want your pity. i never asked for you to touch my sorrow and wipe it gently so you can feel better about yourself." the corner of his mouth lifts in a humorless smirk, "there's no space left in me for anything else other than revenge. if you stand in my way of that…"

i might die today. by sasuke-kun's hands, no less.

"…then i will consider even you as my enemy, sakura."

and the hope inside her dies along with her heart as sasuke uchiha, the love of her life, moves.