notes: fixed! (8/11/19)
rating: K
disclaimer: i don't own naruto.
.
.
31. fireworks
.
.
Both Sasuke and Sarada eye Sakura with fascination and arching eyebrows. The woman, in return, pays no heed to them as she busies herself with stacks of something that the two have not really seen before. She seems to be enthusiastic—her hums fill the empty silence previous occupying the apartment, a sound not too uncommon on the premises ever since she and Sarada began to live here after the debacle with the original home.
Sarada, not having seen her go shopping for these things, is the first to ask her about it. "What are those, Mama?" Sasuke doesn't venture into it, already having his inquiry expressed from her daughter for him. It's a rarity itself that Sakura is so enthusiastic tonight. Sarada had been under the impression that she would be neck-buried in work on a day like today—when she passed by the hospital on a couple days within this week, Sarada had seen groups of people go in and out. Maybe her Mama got a lucky break today, if she had been fortunate enough to shop a bag of something bulky inside.
With a grin adorning her face, Sakura lifts up one of the packets, delighted. It's large and rectangular: it seems to be a small box with a depth not too deep, and clear plastic covers the front. "Fireworks! I figured we should all light a few up this year since we never got to celebrate the new year the previous time. I heard from Boruto that it's really fun!"
Sakura had missed seeing fireworks so much. The last time she did, it had been during her genin years—she, Sasuke, and Naruto were aligned at a bridge somewhere a bit far from the main festivities, but Sakura had loved that moment specifically because she had rested her head on Sasuke's shoulder for a bit until he shoved her off when Naruto began to mimic her on her shoulder. It was romantic and colorful (and somewhat spiteful because of Naruto); she would love to see something like that again eventually and what better way to do that than blow up fireworks for the beginnings of a new year with her family?
"...You spent money on this?" Sasuke murmurs from his position by the wall, a hand propped at his hip as he scrutinize the trivial packet critically, as if it's not worth his time. It really isn't.
Sakura's lips proceed to sag downward, a pout evident. "But Sasuke-kun!" Half-heartedly, she whines, prompting Sarada to wonder if she was truly an adult as times. "It's so rare for us to have family time together! It's the start of a new year—let's start it right by doing something together for once, ne?" Truly, she wishes for all the family time they could ever get. She's not really willing to let it slide right now. With how slow everything seems to be nowadays (she recalled many people coming to the hospital during visiting hours to pick their friends and family up for the holiday), she's even sure that Naruto is trying to spend time with his own family right now—and succeeding, Sakura bets with dread as she looks at her family.
The years have softened him up too much because all Sasuke does is sigh with a slight movement of his head, although he does grumble inwardly. When his wife is stubborn, she's stubborn. "Do what you want." Perhaps seeing the fireworks being lit along with the others would make her happy after all. He's not one to deny that he likes Sakura best when she's happy.
Sarada watches as he quietly retreats into their living room. "I guess I'll give them a shot, Mama," she volunteers, finally snapping out of her reverie. Surely it can't be that bad to have fun and indulge her Mama for awhile.
An eyebrow arches upward. "Even after how I said that Boruto claimed it was fun?" Last time she'd checked, Sarada and Boruto sometimes fought like a pair of childish cat and dog. Maybe that camping trip Sarada attended of Boruto's helped their bond a bit, but even so, Sakura had not been there to witness it. No matter—she's probably just overreacting. After all, they are teammates and teammates are each other's friends with time.
Her shoulders shrugging, Sarada concedes, "If Boruto said something like fireworks are fun, I assume he's somewhat smart enough to prevent himself from getting burned by it—so, it shouldn't be a problem for me to use them either." In fact, it would not surprise her in the slightest bit if the loud booms outside the apartment were caused by him. There is no better suspect.
An awkward laugh slips out of Sakura and she pities the poor aforementioned boy. "Sarada," she says in a mockingly serious tone. "Be nice. I haven't really played with fireworks in a long time, but wouldn't it be beautiful if we shoot our fireworks up when other people do it too?" Her back turns to face her daughter as she begins to pack her other groceries away. "The sky would look so colorful… I can't wait! Even your Aunt Ino said over the phone that she bought some to light up!"
While her Mama's giddiness is evident in her grin and awestruck eyes, Sarada feels that the thing that impacted her excitement the most is probably her Papa's presence. After all, he rarely does come home—Sakura must have really felt lonely, especially since a new year is approaching them. Starting a new year with the absence of loved ones; it doesn't seem right. "I'll go put my stuff away while you get the fireworks ready, Mama."
When she walks off, she could barely catch Sakura's confirmation and Sarada looks at her Papa gazing out the half-covered windows. "Papa?"
He doesn't turn from the sight outside—a bunch of blues and greens and yellows right now, with some ecstatic squealing outside—and he says, "Sarada."
"Are you excited for tonight?" she asks as she unties the pouch she keeps at her waist. "Mama sure is."
Sakura gets excited a lot, but nevertheless, Sarada's so glad to see that there isn't any tired tension on her Mama's shoulders from workload or stress. She can't possibly imagine how the lead doctor could manage her schedule between long shifts, paperwork, checkups, shopping, and down time. When Sarada was still a baby, Sakura had to take maternity leave and spend some time being a stay-at-home mother to take care of her—Sakura would only ever leave her alone if, and only if, there was a dire emergency or operation that only she could lead. Now that Sarada is old enough, Sakura had been working more in the hospital (the aftershock of the trauma she inflicted on herself about their destroyed home and the dread of paying off their loan has severely left her paranoid about money) while making some time for her. Sarada missed those days where she'd come home from school and Sakura would give her the warmest hugs.
The woman tries so hard, so Sarada feels relieved to see her Papa nod his head even if it seemed a bit half-hearted since it's for Sakura's sake.
"She could use a break," Sasuke ends up saying when there is another explosion of yellows and oranges outside. "She's been hard at work, no?"
Sarada wished she could know what he thinks about. "Yeah, she has." Her hands adjusted her glasses for a moment. "She couldn't stop jumping when she found out she got time off this week. It was pretty busy near the beginning."
He didn't say anything more, and Sarada's fine with that.
"Sasuke-kun! Sarada! Help me carry these outside, so we can get started!" Sakura appears from the kitchen threshold, bundles of unlit fireworks cradled in her arms. And none of it deters the smile that is on her face. "We don't want to fall behind now. I bet we're the only ones still indoors right now! Let's go!"
Sarada sees Sasuke smile and that's how she knows it'll be okay.
