8. They exited the battlefield last. Sakura looked over the barren earth…

They exited the battlefield last. Sakura looked over the barren earth, clutching her upper body with her arms. Darkened blood patches were littered across the ground. The sun was sinking behind the horizon, drowning the sky in an intense red glow echoing the blood on the ground. The air felt moist and cold and she shivered while she felt it seeping into her bones.

At a small distance, Tobirama stood straight, his arms crossed, eyes closed, face tilted upwards towards the sky and sinking sun. The red glow fell on his face, hair and fur collar, made his happuri glint. There were red blotches standing out sharply on the white fur, stubborn witnesses to the violence of the battle.

He seemed like a god of war, bloodied, proud, indestructible. It had been an honour fighting with him, to work towards this peace together with him. She felt a warmth pooling in her stomach while she walked towards him. He slowly tilted his head downwards and towards her, opening his eyes. He looked at her intently, his gaze indecipherable. "Sakura…. the battle is over, this dream is coming true."

" Hai…" she whispered, stopping just in front of him, staring up into his face.

He wrapped his arms around her suddenly, whispering in her ear. "I am proud to have been fighting next to you, my fierce kunoichi."

She felt that damned blush crawling on her cheeks again. "Same here, Senju." She grinned.

"Let's go home?"

"Home?" The word tasted different in her mouth. She sighed deeply and felt the concept sink into her brain. A major shift took place then and there, for she realised that this time, with him, felt more like home than the future. Her own time seemed far away and unreal. He was here, warm, real and alive. And with some effort, as if her speaking the word out loud would make it so, she said: "Yeah… let's go home.."

He activated hiraishin and they appeared in his quarters. She sank to her knees, exhausted suddenly and in the silence of the compound that enveloped them, her ears were experiencing that long peeping sound again.

Tobirama's voice sounded business-like. "Get a bath and then sleep. I will have to manage the security while Hashirama is still unwell."

She nodded and he disappeared into the hallway.

Undressing she inspected her wounds. She only had minor injuries. She couldn't be bothered to heal them. It was better to save chakra. When she entered the baths several men were bathing there already even though these were the women's baths. She shrugged. They deserved to bathe after this battle, and she was too tired to hide her nakedness. They deserved to look at some female beauty.

She took off her robe and stepped in the hot water. Her body relaxed and her mind drifted off. She forgot about the men and she saw the battle pass her mind's eye like a film. The impact of the memories was not as intense as the previous ones, but they were persistent nevertheless and very disturbing. It surprised her that she did not have episodes yet.

After bathing she went to Tobirama's quarters and found the remnants of their evening supper of two nights before on the table. It was a witness of their peaceful and might she add hot night together. It seemed like a lifetime ago, unreal almost.

She sat down and ate some leftover rice from the bowls, she didn't want to bother the kitchens for fresh food when so many were injured or mourning. Eating a bit, she was not really feeling hungry she sat on the engawa. Her memories kept on spinning around in her head, she was hyperalert. Sleep was far from her thoughts, while her mind churned in a chaotic mealstream. It was impossible to slow it down, no matter how desperately she wished it. Even if sleep would come to her, it would not be wise without Tobirama. So she waited for him, feet dangling from the engawa, listening to the crickets in the night, looking at the eternal stars.

He came when morning was almost upon them. The first birds started to make sounds hesitantly. He looked exhausted but just like in a state of hyperalert. He flung his happuri on the hanger, his armour dropped halfway unceremoniously on the ground. In silence he plonked down next to her, a bowl with leftovers and chopsticks in his right hand. In silence they sat while he ate.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Too much thoughts"

"It happens."

"I wanted to wait for you."

" Hnnn"

He didn't look at her, but when he finished his bow, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "You know… seeing your history with Uchiha Sasuke and since you are eagerly making appointments with new Uchiha men, I would like to ask your permission to court you."

"Court me? Nani?" She started laughing.

He grinned and pulled her onto his lap suddenly, pushing the hair out of her face and behind her ears, causing butterflies to erupt in her belly.

"Yes, court you. I already informed my brother. He gave us his blessing."

She felt weird, her laughter faltering, staring at his face from inches away. "But, … we were doing just fine right?"

He looked at her intently. "Sakura… I am not a casual man. I do not just feel physical attraction, although that is very present I must say" he squeezed her hip for a moment evoking a small yelp from her.

"I never cared for women, thought they were weak, girlish and troublesome. You, on the other hand, are dangerous, intelligent, beautiful, stubborn and my equal in every sense possible and I like that. Apparently I was born in the wrong age. I like it that you are a shinobi and a damn good one. I want you to be mine. I don't want to sleep without you, don't want to live through this peace without you." He stopped his monologue for a moment, gaining his breath and courage. " Just say you want to be mine…?"

He looked at her intently, serious. It felt like a real proposal and she started to feel a warm glow rising up from her stomach, racing through her entire body. She pressed her forehead against his for a moment, breathing in his scent. Then she looked in his eyes and stated seriously: "Like I said Senju, I am yours…."

And then she saw something that she didn't expect from this stoic man. She saw tears brimming in his eyes. His expression was still stoic, but the tear betrayed his feelings, even if they did not fall.

"I am a man of warfare, Sakura. I was not raised to have emotions. But trust me that it means everything to me to hear you say that." HIs fingers slithered over her neck into her pink hair, pushing her towards his lips, while he kissed her tenderly, then more intensely. She melted into him. When they stopped gasping for air, she asked him: "So what does that involve, courting?"

"Well, normally the man tries to woo the woman, take her out for walks, get to know her, introducing him to his family. And after six month it is customary to ask for her hand."

"... Six months?" She felt dread rising over such a long time.

His eyes held mirth. "Yes. But there is a deal that I have in mind that I still have to discuss with you."

Suspicion in her eyes she asked, "And that is?"

He took a last bite of his leftovers and chewed thoughtfully.

"I want to court you to make it clear to the outside world that I respect you, that you are an honorable woman and that no other male can make claims on you. I cannot help it, that you live in my time now and this is customary."

"Right.."

He turned his head and looked at her seriously, eyes stern.

"However, since you are very much a woman of your time, and you seduced me already the other night, I intend to go sleep tonight. And when we wake in the morning and I feel like I have more energy, I will take you in every way possible. I want to hear you cry out my name, customs be damned."

She gasped in outrage and went beet red in a second. Then she hit him in the shoulder. He grinned, clutching her to his chest and then releasing her. "I am going to bathe now. I smell like blood and sweat. You go lie down, I will be here shortly. Don't worry about your episodes, I will be able to sense your chakra."

She watched him walking away and she lay down on the fuuton. She felt warm and hot and giggly. The anticipation of what was coming, was racing through her system in the form of millions of butterflies. She wondered if she could ever fall asleep like this. While waiting, her body warmed up under the blanket. She noticed her feet becoming really warm and cosy and then despite her emotional uproar, the blackness took her, making her eyelids drop and there was a big long nothingness.