Hello, everyone! Here is the thirteenth chapter of Healing Demons. Please review and enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto only.
SUMMARY: Sakura was a diligent medical student with dreams and aspirations of greatness. Sasuke's dreams had been crushed by a dark past, leaving him broke and depressed. What happened when these two crossed paths and their lives got interwoven together? Modern world AU
For the first time in what seemed like forever, Sasuke did not greet the darkness of his apartment with disdain. There was a lightness in his chest that found its home there the entire time he slept.
He didn't dream; the only things that seemed to plague him lately were nightmares, so he certainly took that as a good thing. It let him get a good night's sleep instead of wrestling with fitful night terrors.
It was a brand new day, and he wasn't scheduled to work. Sasuke would normally dread the thought of dragging himself out of bed to face the world, but he found himself looking forward to the prospects of the day. It was still difficult to muster the motivation to get up and get out, but his bones no longer felt caved in.
As he remained still under the covers as his slumber whisked away, Sasuke reminisced on the night before. The night Sakura had opened up and reached out to him, and he finally accepted it. Really, truly stood face to face with what was directly in front of him the entire time and decided he could walk towards it rather than run away.
And they kissed. His first kiss, first display of affection. She had taken it unapologetically from him, and he willingly let her. The mere thought of the very lips that had him hypnotized dancing across his own sent goosebumps flying across his skin. He liked the feeling she scrounged to the surface, though every breath and every movement were laced with burning fear.
He was on fire and the very thought of Sakura fanned the flames into an explosion.
And today, today he agreed to go on a double date to the museum with Naruto and Hinata; more specifically, he'd be going on a date with Sakura. Him. A date. That he actually agreed to. That someone else was willingly going on with him.
Sasuke half expected to look out the window to be greeted by flying pigs and frozen hellfire.
He felt anxious, like he was an impostor crawling within his own finicky skin. But he took it in stride, which felt like an accomplishment in itself. For once in his life, Sasuke felt prepared to press forward despite the paralyzing panic that smothered him.
It was likely late morning, judging by the light that crept through the blinds; it wasn't blinding, rather tickling his eyelashes playfully. In a single night, his perspective had been flipped on its head and turned inside out. What had been so different, so effective about Sakura that she had been able to get through to him when no one else could?
Instead of remaining in bed dwelling on it, Sasuke tossed the covers off and stood solidly up. No morning nausea, no hangovers, no blurry vision. Sasuke found that he quite enjoyed the clarity found with waking up with sober eyes. Placing his hands on his hips, he stretched backwards, letting his belly button and un-toned stomach show beneath his shirt as he woke up each tense muscle in his body. Bending back into place, he scanned his apartment from top to bottom.
It wasn't trashed, but it truly wasn't pretty. He had his only pair of worn boots tossed in the far left corner, tucked away from the sparse furniture that was scattered around the room. Ragged clothing hung on the back of the old love seat that was all but abandoned against the far wall that was stained by years of water damage and neglect. The light of day shone so brightly on the decrepit condition of his home, placing each flaw and deformity on a pedestal for him to rove over in shame.
If he was making minute progress as a human being, he was going to need to get his shit together, one step at a time.
Small steps, nothing too drastic. He'd start by cleaning his tossed clothes, then maybe getting rid of the ones littered with holes and stains too ingrained to ever remove. He'd have to scrounge up some change he'd accumulated by working at the coffee shop, but Sasuke supposed this was as good a time as any to stop by a laundromat and possibly buy a nice shirt or two.
Heaven knows he'd need something presentable for the night to come.
Shuffling forward to grab a plastic bag crumpled and forgotten after one of his previous liquor store runs, Sasuke determinedly started gathering the scant amount of clothing that littered his apartment. His bones ached, tendons strained, muscles popped, but he kept going. He wouldn't squander his burst of drive, however long it would last.
One by one, he shoved an old t-shirt, weathered jeans, and any lingering socks and jackets lying pallid on the floor. By the time he had cleared most of the forgotten clothes, the plastic bag was bursting, overflowing at the edges. It was all he could bring himself to do, but it was at least something, something productive. He reached for the skinny wallet sitting at his bedside and counted what little change he had left.
Enough for a round trip bus ride to the laundromat to get his clothes cleaned, and even to get a cheap yet presentable outfit from the thrift store for the coming evening. Heck, he may be able to stop by the dollar store and get some shaving cream and blunt-edged razors. He could fake being well put-together for one night at least.
He was lucky they had all agreed to go to the museum that night, if not for the quiet atmosphere, then for the fact that it was free on Wednesday nights. Sasuke had a nagging feeling that it was chosen for that very reason, but that sly tactic was neither here nor there. He was trying to turn over a new leaf, so he would try to look at these gestures as a kindness and not masked pity. It would be trying considering he reflexively retracted from them like getting burned on a hot stove. But he'd try.
He was trying, and that's all he could really do.
Pocketing his wallet and small flip phone in the right side of his well-fitting jacket before swinging it over his shoulders, covering the shirt he slept in the night before, Sasuke went over to this closet to grab the last pair of clean black pants he had left. He shoved them on over his boxers, along with neglected socks that laid crumpled in the dark corner. Straightening and stopping in front of his smudged mirror, Sasuke decided to forego any grooming.
He'd wear his mussy hair and stubbly chin like a badge of honor, if only for the day. Onlookers be damned.
Sasuke swallowed the rising terror that threatened to tear him apart as he headed to the front door and out into the light of day. Baby steps, he reassured himself. Slow but steady progress.
"How far along are you in your case reports?" Tsunade asked, coming up behind Sakura as she leaned on the standing desk in the center of the hospital's employee lounge. The young doctor hadn't yet been given an office, or even a desk for that matter, but Sakura could certainly make do. She was dotting her I's and crossing her T's on the paperwork that went along with her daily patients. Spending a majority of her day at the hospital getting to know her patients thoroughly, Sakura felt pride in her meticulous work. She asked all the right questions and took extensive notes on the verbal and non-verbal cues they each had. She had this in the bag.
"Just...about...done!" Sakura replied, not looking up from her work as she felt Tsunade hovering over her hunched shoulder. Maybe an average doctor would be intimidated by a little micromanaging, but that wasn't Sakura. She wanted to shout from the rooftops that she was capable, she was intelligent, and she was fierce. She could face this all head-on.
Highlighting the last important piece of information from her work that day, Sakura twisted around to become eye-level to her mentor. "Did you know that Mr. Takanashi fought in the war? He has so many fascinating stories of his time served and I've barely scratched the surface! It's such a shame he's bedridden, and we don't know how much time he has left. I'd love to hear everything he has to say."
"Our patients are libraries full of fascinating stories. It's one of the reasons I get to know them on a personal level," Tsunade replied, maintaining eye contact as she crossed her arms across her chest. Sakura braced her hands behind her, gripping the black lab table as she eagerly ate up her mentor's smirked words. "Just make sure you don't get too attached. People come here to be treated; they either get better and leave us, or die and leave the world. It may sound morbid, but it's true."
Sakura took a moment to soak in Tsunade's words. In a sense, she was right. You wouldn't want to get too attached to someone who'd only leave you in the end, one way or another. It would be a recipe for heartache, but wasn't that the necessary price to pay to be able to offer care and companionship in someone's final hours? If Sakura could treat her patients while also easing their troubled minds, she would consider that a triumph rather than a failure. She wouldn't dare say that aloud for fear of feeling oppositional, so she pushed up off the desk, turned around to gather her papers in her arm, then spun to face her mentor again.
"I think that's what I enjoy the most about this career path, getting to know the ones I nurse back to health. The ones the world seems to have forgotten. Let them know they're not alone in their struggle," Sakura smiled, up and ready for the next person she could help in more ways than one.
"Hold onto that optimism for all its worth," Tsunade answered, dropping her arms to hold them out for the paperwork. Sakura more than eagerly obliged, excited for yet another opportunity to prove herself. It almost felt juvenile to jump at every chance like a bushy-tailed puppy, but she brushed that thought aside as she watched Tsunade devour the data she compiled. As she scanned the words, she added, "Many people become jaded in this profession. A positive outlook can be hard to come by."
"It's in my very nature to look for the good in everything, and this is no exception," Sakura responded, charming her way into her leader's good graces. She felt a compulsive need to over-explain, even if it meant divulging unneeded information. Her gaze followed Tsunade as she began to turn her back and head out into the thick of action. Taking that as her cue to follow, Sakura quickly shuffled forward to catch up lest she get left behind. Sickness waits for no man, no woman, no child alike, so there were no breaks to be had, no lulls to take advantage of. She needed to keep high up on her toes to not be caught unaware in the fray. She added as they left the office, "I can only hope it doesn't bite me in the end."
"There is much you have yet to learn," Tsunade swiftly called over her shoulder as she briskly made her way through the illuminated corridors. Her white lab coat trailed behind her like fire caught in the wind. Sakura's shorter legs strained to keep pace, but she refused to complain. Others would die to find themselves in her position. "Luckily, that's where I come in. I have quite the case for you, if you're up to the task."
"Always ready and at your service," Sakura confirmed, not yet tired of reaffirming her enthusiasm. She knew she was a newbie, but she'd gone through many trials and tribulations and she felt ready to take on the world's worst offerings with a sword and shield in hand. She watched as Tsunade abruptly veered to her left and into the room of a patient. So, that's what she meant; Tsunade was presenting her with a challenge she'd happily accept.
"Then meet your official first patient, Dr. Haruno," Tsunade declared as she slowed to a stop in front of her new patient's bed. Her veins were filled with excitement at the thought of helping a new person get better all on her own. It was her patient, her skills that could save a life. All the possibilities, ailments, and illnesses ran through her mind like a marathon runner, but no fantasy, no daydream could prepare her for the harsh reality from hitting her full frontal like a runaway railway train.
And slam into her it did, as she spotted the frail woman sitting quaintly in the hospital bed, hands delicately placed atop each other. The smile lines that seemed so worn, so used throughout the years no longer lifted, instead curved slightly down, almost forlornly. The eyes, the familiar brown eyes that were normally so lively and vibrant were dull, though Sakura knew them well enough to see them struggling to maintain their vitality. The image of Ms. Chie sitting there, sickly and waiting for her doctor knocked into Sakura with the weight of a thousand suns.
Was this a new sickness that just started affecting her, or had Sakura overlooked any signs she may have hidden over time? She cursed herself; she should have known better. She should have.
"This is Chie Nakamura, and she was recently admitted with shortness of breath, loss of strength and coordination with bouts of vertigo, and an abnormal and concerning loss of weight. She has visited us frequently within the last year, but I recently made the executive decision to admit her for some formal tests and procedures," Tsunade elaborated, looking straight at the older woman as she continued. Sakura kept her hurt gaze on her as well, taking in her appearance, drastically changes in such a short amount of time. She felt a weight on her heart and a tug pulling her lips downwards, though Sakura had to quickly remind herself to school her features so she didn't let her shock seep through the infected air. She bit on her cheek and plastered a pained but pleasant smile on her face.
Turning to Tsunade as she faced back towards her, Sakura watched as her mentor's calculating eyes clearly picked up on her protege's sudden discomfort, almost as if she were expecting it. "I've been made aware that you two are well acquainted, are you not? Chie has been a frequent flyer of mine, but I have quite a lot on my plate at this moment. I'd never normally pass someone off to another, but she has spoken very highly of you in particular. My guess is she knew you'd be under my wing and by some stroke of luck, your schedule lined up with her own. Consider our dear friend as your first official case."
"It's my pleasure to play that role for you, Sakura," Chie raspily carried off of Tsunade's speech; Sakura could tell she tried with all her might to keep up her high spirits despite her obvious struggle to choke down the coughs that bombarded her. Sakura was so used to her corny humor to sugarcoat less than fortunate situations that she didn't feel an inch of surprise to hear her enthusiasm through the pain. Sakura shifted to Ms. Chie's direction as her eyes softened with morose sadness. The older woman clicked her tongue and chided, "Oh, child. No need to look at me like I've already got one foot in the grave! We don't even know what's truly going on!"
"Yes, yes, of course," Sakura replied, shaking her hands up and down and rolling her shoulders until the muscles popped. Ms. Chie was right; all she had seen was her sitting in a hospital bed, attached to various tubes and monitors, and she had jumped to a conclusion. Maybe the precautions they were taking were overly drastic, and maybe all she had was a chest cold. She could convince herself of that easily for two reasons: the older woman hadn't seemed too sick beforehand, and her denial proved to act as a mental block that refused to let her believe otherwise. Was she so absorbed with herself that she neglected to recognize the illness right in her front yard? "Well, on the bright side, I've been dying to talk to you. And look, you've come right to me!"
"It seems I have, sweet girl," Chie smiled, only pausing briefly to let out a slew of wet coughs followed by a wave, a flick of her bony right wrist. Swallowing the bile that shot to the front of her throat, Chie turned to Tsunade, strong and imposing and caring to her very core. She added, "Thank you for all you do, Dr. Senju. I truly believe you are leaving me in capable hands."
"I'm sure I am. Only the best and brightest under my tutelage," Tsunade smirked as she handed over the binder full of Chie's information, thick and heavy with the wary feeling that there was more than met the eye. Sakura gingerly took it from her fingers and held it tenderly in front of her with two hands. She didn't dare look at its components, rather stared straight ahead at her old friend as she pretended that the weight of everything wasn't weighing sturdily on her shoulders. Pretended that Ms. Chie was merely here to visit her, and she wasn't an ailing patient of hers.
Tsunade clamped a strong hand on Sakura's left shoulder as she continued, "I don't need to tell you this, but this one here's a good egg. Don't give her too hard of a time, but don't be afraid to ruffle her feathers a bit."
"Don't worry about us, Dr. Senju. We'll wreak havoc another time," Chie replied, shooing the doctor out of the room as the tubes attached to her swung in the air with a plasticky click. Sakura chuckled glumly as she thought it was so typical of her to tell someone not to worry when the lines in her face looked worn and weary. The only thing not dull about her was the ever-illuminated blaze in her soul. She couldn't bear being a burden for even a moment to anyone.
Maybe that was why Sakura hadn't noticed anything wrong; Ms. Chie had hidden telltale signs so discreetly, veiled in plain sight. That made Sakura feel that much worse considering she had been trained to catch these things before they got out of hand. Where had she gone wrong?
"I'm just a shout away should you need me," Tsunade said as she spun on her high heel and headed towards the door, her blonde hair flowing behind her in a stream of authority and glorified wisdom. She breezed past the stiff curtains that framed the hospital bed, locking it in between them the large clear window. Stopping in the threshold, yet not turning back around, Tsunade added, "I know you're very capable, Sakura. Now is the time to show us what you're made of. Let's kick this mystery's ass."
Pride swelled in Sakura's chest, mixing in with her initial sorrow like two seas colliding at the ends of the Earth. She had so much confidence in her knowledge, but it waned the moment she came face to face with something that hit so close to home. Though her knees felt weak in trepidation and nausea promised to debilitate her, the reaffirmation gave her a new energy she forgot she had.
She could nurse Ms. Chie back to health.
Sakura let an authentic smile creep across her face and squeezed the binder tightly to her chest. This was what she had spent so many tireless years on; if she couldn't take care of someone handed to her care alone, then it was all for naught. She had to start somewhere, and it was time to pull her big girl pants high up to her chin and help a patient in dire need.
"I won't fail you, Ms. Chie. Not today, and not when we get you out of this place," Sakura swore, standing taller as she stared deeply with vehemence into her old boss's sweet eyes, where she knew she could always find support. But Sakura was in the position where she needed to be the giver and not the receiver.
Whatever was wrong with Ms. Chie, whatever ailed her, weighed her down, Sakura would track it down and annihilate it. It was the least she could do for her friend, let alone a patient in her care.
"I know you'll do whatever it takes to do your best," Chie replied, remaining immovable as she watched Tsunade remain steadfast in the door frame hanging on their every word, almost as if she didn't want to leave them alone. As if there were words lingering on her tongue like a bitter syrup that needed to be washed out. Chie wore a knowing smirk and looked downcast as Tsunade finally headed out of the room and to the other patients that awaited her.
A silence hung in the room as the pair heard the click of Tsunade's heels echo down the hallway and out of earshot. It wasn't uncomfortable, or tense, but it weighed Sakura down as her instincts told her there was something they weren't telling her.
She decided she'd find out, one way or another.
"Please don't look so sad, Sakura," Chie pleaded, holding her arm out to her, beckoning her to take a seat next to her. The young doctor shuffled timidly to her warm side and lowered herself on the squeaky seat, cringing as the polyester crunched beneath her weight. Keeping her arms close to her body, insecure and quite nearly bursting at the seams with nerves, Sakura tried to settle her qualms, daring them to stop appearing through her eyes. She was the one who needed to be strong for Ms. Chie, not the other way around. It was an annoying paradox, but as much as she'd like the apprehension to subside, it nagged her to her very core and could not be ignored.
"I can't help it," Sakura admitted as she gazed downwards, placing the binder gently in her lap, picking at her nails. She felt like a child being reprimanded after being caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She had been so greedy, wanting more on her plate, more recognition, but now that this was served to her, it felt like her eyes were bigger than her stomach. Despite feeling on top of the world less than a hour prior, this revelation left her feeling disrupted and disturbed. "I should have known something was wrong. I feel like I've failed you before I've even begun."
"You're so hard on yourself, sweetheart. If you want anyone to blame, point your fingers at me. I'm the one who kept things tightly under wraps," Chie replied, reaching out to grab Sakura's sullen hand, and the young medic immediately obliged, taking the older woman's veiny hand in her own and squeezing. She put all of her heartfelt emotion into the gesture, yet was careful not to squeeze too hard. She had been known to have quite the death-grip. "I know it wasn't fair to you, but I wanted all of your attention to remain where it needed to be."
"My focus needs to be on those who need me, and that includes someone who's sick with a common cold, or someone who can't get themselves out of bed in the morning, or someone who is fighting something much more sinister. It's what I've studied for my entire life and it's not fair to you if I can't do anything," Sakura countered, leaning forward and placing her clothed elbows on the binder in her lap. She dropped their conjoined hands on the thin white linen of the hospital bed and pleaded, "Please just promise me no more secrets. No more hiding your personal struggles. No more keeping me in the dark. I need to know so I can help."
"I promise, Sakura," Chie reassured, leaning her tired face closer to Sakura's and giving her hand as hard of as squeeze as she could. It hurt her chest more than her fingers to feel the drained fatigue that coated her skin and wrapped around her bones. Sakura always knew she'd do anything for Ms. Chie, but as the tears threatened to spill over her eyes and down her rosy cheeks, she realized she needed to do more. Be more fore someone so selfless she cared more about a blossoming adult in her career than her own company during waning health. But how could she give her all she could when nothing felt like enough?
Chie added, "As long as you promise me this: Focus on yourself, and take your own advice. Take time to breathe because if you're always on the move, catering to other people's need, you'll neglect to take care of yourself. And that won't be good for anyone involved."
Tears that built up behind her eyes clouded her vision and slipped out one by one. Ms. Chie was right, Sakura admitted, though she argued that it was ingrained into the fiber of her being to help, to heal, to hone. But as much as she'd like to think she could fend for herself, the odds may not be in her favor. If someone on the outside could see that her priorities weren't necessarily in line, then Sakura realized she had a lot of work to do on herself.
"I...I promise," Sakura choked out, retracting her hand and leaning back in the flimsy chair, causing it to shriek in protest. Sniffing and wiping away the traitor tears as quickly as they escaped, Sakura took a moment to compose herself. She took a deep, steadying breath, and then another, and open Ms. Chie's case file. As she roved over her details - height, weight, symptoms, previous diagnoses, and prescriptions - Sakura decided to take it step by step, starting with the patient right in front of her. Her mind barely processed the words her eyes read, but she continued one, two, three more times to allow the calm to wash over her. "But this comes first. You are coming first, no excuses. And we'll begin by giving you a full physical. So get prepared to get up close and personal with me. Your Doctor."
"I wouldn't expect it to be any other way, given our current situation," Chie sighed, plopping back onto the barely fluffy pillow that sat behind her. It was surreal, seeing her two worlds collide like this, but as Sakura looked up from the binder to gaze back at her old boss, she came to terms with the fact that this was her current reality, Ms. Chie's reality. And she'd be damned if she didn't do anything about it.
She wouldn't give up without a fair fight.
"She's supposed to be here by now," a patron complained, glancing every other moment to the silver watch on his right hand. Naruto was an early bird who always got the worm; he knew Sakura to be the same. But it was nearly half past six, the time they agreed to meet, and there was no sign of her anywhere. He anxiously ran his fingers through his blond hair as a warm arm wrapped around his waist.
"Don't worry, Naruto. I'm sure she will come," Hinata reassured, finding her way into the crevice between her boyfriend's toned arm and broad chest. Dressed in an elegant purple sundress, and Naruto in a baby blue turtleneck sweater and beige khakis, they were both ready for a nice date night. One they hadn't been on in much too long a time. To enhance their evening, they invited Sasuke and Sakura along, together on a date. Elated would be an understatement to Naruto. Maybe it was why his impatient nature came to the forefront in an unruly manner. Hinata's soothing voice cooed at him, balancing him out with her quiet, calm demeanor. "If anything were wrong, she would have told us. Just give her time to get here."
"Fine, but she better hurry 'cause even Sasuke showed up and what's more, he even dressed well for once!" Naruto exclaimed as he wrapped his left arm around Hinata and planted a chaste kiss to the top of her dark head. Her soft strands caressed his lips, causing them to turn upwards into a bright, loving smile. "I love you, ya know?"
"That's my line," Hinata replied sweetly, snuggling further into Naruto, savoring the warmth his arms provided after missing them for so, so long. It hadn't been fair for them to be torn apart, but what was done, was done. All they could do was make up for lost time. She appreciated their balance; on the outside, they may have seemed like an odd match. A quiet, shy introvert in love with an exuberant social butterfly seemed like a recipe for disaster, but it worked like a beautifully written harmony. She was lucky to have her rock when all she'd seen those past years was rainy weather. "You're always looking out for those you love, and I admire that. But let things happen as they will and they'll fall into place."
"You're oh, so wise, my darling," Naruto answered as he held Hinata closer as if to claim her as his own to all who could see, as if there were any other choice. As they remained in place against the marble wall directly outside of the museum, his blue gaze meandered over to Sasuke. He leaned against the same wall not ten feet from where they stood, right leg propped up, bent to support his weight.
Hunched over with his hands in his pockets, one could miss that Sasuke actually put effort into his appearance that night. Sasuke was dressed in a solid black button down with sleeves rolled up his slim forearms and dark navy blue form-fitting pants that hugged his ankles. He even seemed to be wearing new black shoes, as they seemed more like snazzy sneakers rather than his raggedy boots. It made Naruto more than the slightest bit happy to see such improvement in real-time, however long it would last. He added, whispering to his girlfriend, "I want her to show up, if not for me, then for him. I know she can handle herself, but I'm not so convinced about Sasuke. She's good for him, so tonight will be about progress and new beginnings."
"Not about us?" Hinata teased, the closest extent she'd ever come to badgering Naruto. She nudged him with her bare shoulder as she released her grip from his waist and crossed her arms, remaining leaning within her partner's embrace. She knew everything about him, from the tips of his toes to the caress of his lips. From his excessive energy to his tireless tendencies. From his undying care for those in his life to the selfless, giving nature he could never outrun. It was who he was to his very center, and it was why she fell in love with him to begin with.
"When it comes to me, everything is about you. Nothing and no one comes close," Naruto replied, running his hand up and down Hinata's chilly arm, reassuring her warmly with his words and actions. It was true that his attention tended to be dragged in different directions, but Hinata remained his priority. She had been there for him, through thick and thin, when no one else had. There was no competition; no one could hold a light to her. And, after all he'd witnessed Sasuke go through, Naruto desperately wanted that for his best friend as well. And what's more, through one of his longtime friends he fully and wholeheartedly trusted.
He had pulled some strings, but all Naruto could do now was watch things take their course.
As he continued to gaze over at his friend, Naruto quickly stared at the time once more, willing the seconds to go by slower and for Sakura to arrive quicker. It was thirty-eight past the hour, and no sign, no message from Sakura. His impatience came to a boiling point, getting the better of him; maybe there was traffic, maybe she lost track of time. All he knew was that he had gotten Sasuke out of his apartment, clean shaven and ready to go, and he'd be damned if he didn't at least show him a good time. Whether he would be a third wheel or not.
Just as he let go of Hinata to head over to Sasuke, likely brooding deep within himself, he spotted a frantic Sakura rushing across the street, flushed and waving her hands above her head for their attention.
Naruto perked up immediately, spotting his friend on the other side of the one-lane road. He enthusiastically waved back, and pointed to Sasuke, wiggling his unruly eyebrows and giving her a suggestive thumbs up. He spotted a bright smile emitting from her small frame, visible from so far away, and her joyful laughter echoed through the air as she free-spiritedly jogged across the uneven pavement to reach her friends.
Naruto snuck a glance towards Sasuke, whose attention was rooted solely on the late-arriving girl. He wondered what raced through his thoughts at that very moment as he studied Sakura intently; she was clearly frazzled, put off by her own tardiness. But he knew as long as she was there, physically with them, that was all Sasuke cared for. As much as he neglected to express how he truly felt, Naruto knew Sasuke well enough to read his energy. Whether it was calm or disrupted, Naruto could see and feel it.
And the moment Sakura arrived, though his face remained stoic and unmoved, Sasuke was elated in his own special way. The air warmed, as if it were lit on fire, and Naruto could have sworn everything around got a little bit brighter. Who would have known that the moment the gloomiest person in the room got a clue that things could go from monochromatic to the most dazzling colors?
Instead of going up immediately to greet Sakura, Naruto remained behind to leave the pair a special moment. He watched as she slowed to a stop in front of Sasuke, blushing as she apologized profusely. His resounding scoff was indication enough to those close to him that apologies were not necessary as there was nothing to be sorry about. His subtle non-verbal replies were increasingly easy to decipher.
As he observed Sasuke step closer to Sakura, keeping his hand deep within his pockets and turning in his direction, Naruto got a full view of the couple. They looked dynamic together; a spitting image of light and dark, yin and yang, day and night. Sasuke was dressed well in dark hues as Sakura stood by his side in a flowing knee-length dress accented by a straw hat. Though it was an abnormal choice for a night at the museum, it was fitting.
"I'm sorry I'm so late tonight! I got caught up at work and lost myself to the time," Sakura apologized, as she gravitated to her right closer to Sasuke. She wore a nervous smile as she continued, "I hope you didn't wait too long for me. I hate to be a burden."
"Ah, no worries, Sakura!" Naruto finally spoke, turning around to face Hinata, who stood by the glass door entrance. He started scratching the back of his head, a tic that surfaced whenever he tried to hide something, such as a white lie or a growing smile on his lips. It wasn't as if he didn't want Sakura to see his growing happiness, but he was afraid if Sasuke saw him goading on any form of public affection, he'd pull away like a child caught doing something they weren't supposed to. And he wanted to see how naturally the night would play out without him playing matchmaker any further. "Let's go inside! These paintings aren't going to wait for us all night, ya know!"
Hello everyone! This was chapter thirteen! We are finally seeing Sasuke make some progress, while Sakura is stumbling herself. Do you think they'll be able to come together and be there for each other? Or do you think everyone will be too stuck within their own minds?
As always, please like/subscribe/review and let me know what you think! I love and appreciate you all! :)