Hi there! I took some time off my KakaSaku story to write a SasuSaku one, because I honestly love both pairings. This is the first story in a line of one-shots I eventually plan to write. Reviews are welcomed and encouraged, as well as suggestions for future stories.

Infidelity

A lifetime passes, and suddenly I am alone. The village sleeps safely that night, when news transpires that Orochimaru and Akatsuki no longer exist. But I can find no solace in sleep, because I witness it all, alongside Naruto and Kakashi. Konoha doesn't see the last remaining descendants of the Uchiha clan and the fight that ensues from their untimely reunion.

The battle lasts no longer than half an hour, and damage is substantial for both parties, but Uchiha Itachi is the first to fall. There at the edge of the waterfalls, Sasuke stands, bloodied kunai still wrapped in his hand and eyes staring up at the sky.

His own blood soaks through his clothing until he is a pinnacle of crimson in a sea of blue. His ashy eyes glaze over with a haze I know too well. His body falls limp with the weight of his limbs as he gives up the struggle to mold chakra and plunges into the waters beneath him.

He shouldn't survive the fall.

He should be dead.

Four search parties, three months, and my own two eyes confirm what should be. There is no trace. No trails to follow that lead to him. So I follow the path back to Konoha.

Sixth months pass, and suddenly I am no longer capable of making my own decisions. My mother and half the village waste no second in telling me it's time to move on. Even Tsunade conspires against me, setting me up on blind dates that seem to fizzle out before we even reach our evening destination.

Then Ino drags me out to a party one evening. The kind I don't want to be at and have no use for. By the time we arrive, the majority of the group is already well on its way to inebriation. I'm glad they can drink away their troubles so easily.

Somehow I manage to sneak away to the quiet of the backyard. He's sitting there, against the base of the nearest tree, staring up at the stars. I find myself sitting beside him, leaning against his arm, my head resting on his shoulder, my eyes brimming with tears I've held onto for so long.

Only he can understand. He's Naruto, after all.

I let him put his arm around me and lead me down the empty street. I know he's had a crush on me for years. We pass several people, but that is inconsequential at the moment. He's not taking me home because I begged him not to. That would mean facing my mother, something I'm not prepared for.

He's taking me to his apartment on the other side of town.

It isn't supposed to mean anything. A few words are exchanged, but maybe that's why my being in his room means something more.

So he leaves the door open. He probably worries that he'll scare me away. Naruto is always thoughtful in that respect.

I am not surprised to find his hand at my waist, pulling me closer. I don't fight it as he kisses me; I simply keep my eyes averted from his. Would it be wrong to tell him that I wish his hair weren't so blonde and his eyes weren't so blue?

His fingers race up and down my flesh, but their warmth evaporates the moment they move on. It's all so rushed. He is sloppy and inexperienced, but ever so gentle. It's his first time. He's not alone in that regard.

In the morning I wake up in his bed. His arm rests around my torso; his face nestles into the curve of my neck. His lips are pressing against the skin. He wants more.

He wants me to move in with him. Everyone thinks I should. So I do. He wants me to marry him. Everyone says I should. So I do. I paint a smile on my face and play my role. It's easier that way.

A year passes, and suddenly I am responsible for restoring the Uzumaki clan. The village watches and waits, holding its breath.

Everyone knows I haven't been on birth control in months. That's what happens when your husband is about to become the next Hokage.

Everyone forgets that I am the most skilled medic-nin in the village. I won't get pregnant because I won't allow it. That's what happens when you have flawless chakra control.

It's our first anniversary. Naruto is buying me flowers and taking me out to dinner. He's being romantic. The phone rings right before we walk out the door. Naruto answers it jovially; he's thinking about tonight.

The reckless grin on his face slowly dissipates into a solemn frown. I can hear the voice on the other end of the line. It must be Tsunade.

He hangs up the phone and leaves the house. When he returns, he looks at me in the oddest way, as if he's seen a ghost. It takes me half an hour to get a word out of him; a name. All he can say is Sasuke. He has seen a ghost.

This certainly kills the mood.

I guess I am just as surprised as everyone else when he receives a pardon from the Hokage herself. By some divine power Tsunade decides that Uchiha Sasuke, former missing-nin and traitor of Konoha, is worthy of a reprieve for his actions several years ago.

Maybe she is getting soft in her old age, or maybe she feels it is justly deserved. After all, he only helped to bring down two of Konoha's deadliest enemies.

A day passes, and suddenly I am no longer trustworthy. I am restricted from a certain section of town, particularly the street where a certain man lives. Naruto worries about me and the fact that Sasuke has returned.

He's been back in the village nearly a month before I even dare to meet his eyes on the crowded streets. Doing so is a total disregard of the warnings everyone seems so eager to press upon me and everything I worked so hard to forget.

His charcoal eyes smolder at me from beneath black bangs as he leans indifferently against the old building across the street. He's always dressed in white.

I've been through years of wondering, worrying, hoping, praying, and all he can do is stare. But where is the anger and hurt I should feel? That I had felt for the last three years?

I admit that I want to run out to him on that crowded intersection and slap him senseless, but once I reach him will I still feel the same?

Or will my resolve crumble under the nearness and physical contact, until my pounding fists are no longer fists but trembling hands wrapping around his tattered body?

So I let him stare. My eyes flicker in his direction. The action is subtle and inconspicuous to others, but he notices it all the same. I want him to notice.

I make it a habit to walk through the market on a daily basis. I always know when he's watching me because I can feel it. I play the game of glances with him again and again. No one seems to notice.

Two weeks pass, and suddenly I am the wife of the Hokage. Naruto is officially sworn in as the Rokudaime that morning. Everyone is so proud.

There is a celebratory festival scheduled for the summer evening. The village has been planning the event for weeks. Naruto hires a professional stylist to dress me for the occasion. The Hokage's wife must look the part.

I emerge from the bedroom two hours later. I've been staring at myself for the last twenty minutes. I'm not used to being so dolled up. I remove most of the makeup from my face before I let Naruto see me. He's stunned nonetheless.

It seems crimson is the theme of my kimono. It suits me well enough. I'm rather fond of the gold and silver swirls in the obi. My hair is drawn up and cascades in a pink mass of rose curls.

The official ceremonies end just after the sunset. The sky is a pallet of colors, the black of night quickly overpowering the remainders of day.

Naruto takes my hand and leads me down the steps of the platform where he's been speaking for the last ten minutes. We submerse ourselves into the throng of people on the sidewalk. A crowd is waiting for Naruto.

I let my hand accidentally loosen itself from his. He's been surrounded before he can turn back to find me. I blend into the flamboyant background of bright kimono and yukata. He looks only slightly disappointed.

Paper lanterns and stars guide me through the congested avenues. There are food stands and game booths on every side. Everyone is happy and smiling. Everyone is much too busy to notice the Hokage's wife walking alone.

I feel his gaze before I see him. He is the only one who would notice. Sasuke is not everyone.

Onyx eyes follow after me as I continue strolling on the left side of the street. He's walking on the right. My feet steer me to the village square as I pursue the source of the music I hear. The song is instrumental. People are dancing.

Sasuke is standing behind me before I can turn back to find him. He's only an inch or so away. I can feel his breath against my ear. It makes me shiver in the summer heat. It's intoxicating.

Tonight, there is a change in his wardrobe. He is dressed in sweeping robes of black. His face is a bit leaner than it used to be. That doesn't matter, though. He's still attractive.

The band strikes off once more as he takes my arm and leads me to the center of the dancers. It's a slow dance, so we dance slowly.

But my world is still spinning. The people around us become blurs in the dim lighting; their whispers are part of the song. Lovers' words and tender chants that can never be meant for us. We are outcasts in this sense. The music ends.

I let him slip out of my grasp and follow several paces behind him as he leads me down the crowded streets. He knows I loved him years ago. We pass everyone, but that is inconsequential at the moment. He's not taking me home because I did not ask him to. That would mean speaking to him, something I'm not allowed to do.

He's taking me to his apartment on the other side of town.

It isn't supposed to mean anything. Silent glances are exchanged, but maybe that's why my being in his room means something more.

So he closes the door. He's not worried that he'll scare me away. Sasuke is always confident in that respect.

I am surprised to find his hand at the small of my back, pulling me closer. I don't fight it as he kisses me; I simply lean in to the kiss. Would it be wrong to tell him that I'm glad his hair is midnight blue and his eyes are pitch black?

His fingers stroke and caress my flesh, but their warmth is a scorching sensation that lasts long after they are gone. It's all so deliberate. He is careful and methodical, and ever so thorough. I can tell it's not his first time. He's not alone in that regard.

In the morning I wake up in his bed. His arm is beneath his head; his face nestles into the curve of his pillow. His lips are pressing against the air. He wants nothing.

I stand up, my skin bare and naked in the early morning light. His eyes are watching me, always watching me. I find my kimono in a crumpled pile on the floor. It's finally starting to resemble its owner.

He helps me wrap the wrinkled obi around my waist. His nimble fingers brush through my tangled hair. I run my fingers through his. Somehow I manage to lose my kimono once more. He has to help me rewrap the obi an hour later.

I creep through the front door. The house is silent. I tread softly through the hallway and reach our bedroom door. It's always open. Naruto lies curled up on his side of the bed, asleep. I leave him there and head to the bathroom to take a shower. I try to wash Sasuke out of my skin. I'm only slightly worried that Naruto will notice it.

I emerge from fragrances of lavender and the likes, but his scent still lingers. Or maybe I'm being paranoid. I crawl into bed and turn my back to my husband.

He wakes up some time later. He doesn't bother to kiss me good morning. Instead, he just gets up and heads for the bathroom. He spots my kimono beside the door, but says nothing. He goes out for the rest of the day.

It's a week before he'll even touch me.

Three months pass, and suddenly I am cheating on the most powerful man in five nations. This is a secret. I also happen to be pregnant. This is not a secret.

I've been with Sasuke three times totaled. I make sure it's always during the days when Naruto is out of town. Naruto doesn't notice, or acts like he doesn't. He is excited about the baby. But he's not the father. There will be no blonde hair or blue eyes.

I knew I was pregnant a month before I confirmed it with the doctor. I'm the most skilled medic-nin in Konoha. I don't need a doctor to tell me that.

I give birth to a baby girl several months later. I name her Aika and write it in hiragana instead of kanji. The meaning is obscured that way. Naruto thinks I named her this because it includes 'ai' for love, but that is only half the truth. When written in another fashion, Aika is a dirge or sad song. This suits her very well. She is my secret lament.

Her hair is pitch black and spikes out in tufts. Naruto acts indifferently to it. He treats her like his own daughter. People are surprised by the dark hair. It's because they don't pay enough attention to their surroundings. Maybe they would have seen the skilled medic-nin and her unhappiness.

Her eyes are reminiscent of my own, two sad emeralds shining up at me. I see the truth in her gaze. She knows everything. She is my indelible sin.

Time passes, and my affair grows. People are finally becoming suspicious.

Thanks for reading! Reviews are welcomed!