A/N: Sakura gets a few notes.
In the evening, when she'd only just finished her letter by lamplight, Sakura searched out the gray-haired gentleman guard she'd noticed around the castle. She could barely recall who he was, though the look in his visible dark eye was kind whenever they spoke.
She found him easily. He was standing near the floor-length windows, staring out at the mountains beyond. The candle sconces' flickering light cast a warm glow across him as he turned to greet her.
"I have a letter for you," he told her as he reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a little folded piece of paper. "Please read it."
"Oh, what a coincidence," she chuckled, pulling out her own letter. "Please deliver this. And… and tell her that I miss her."
"Of course." With a soft look, he patted her head. "Stay safe, miss."
With a salute, he walked away.
She watched until he disappeared around the hall corner before going back to her room, her fingers brushing across the paper nervously.
As soon as her door was shut, she leaned against it with a heavy sigh and flipped the note open. She startled in surprise when another one fell out, this one more crudely folded. She could see some crayon scribbles through it.
When she unfolded it, her eyes softened at the childish scrawl along the top. "Deer pretty lady, thank you for helping me find my mamas com. I hope I can see you again soon. Thank you! Haruno Arata."
Along the middle was a drawing of him and her, both crayon figures smiling and holding hands. Her mother's comb was in her free hand, and what looked to be a fruit was in his.
She smiled. Just reading through the note sent a warm wave through her heart. She briefly hugged it to her chest before setting it on the vanity table.
"Dear Shien,
I hope you're doing well. Things are going better than expected. I'm sorry to surprise you like this, but it seems the party has been moved up."
Her eyes widened. "What…?"
"I'll be in to pick you up. Make sure you have everything ready on your end.
Love, A-"
A knock at the door startled her into dropping the note on the ground. Scrambling, she bent over to pick it up and shoved it haphazardly into the pocket of her dress before calling out, "Yes?"
"Hayashi? It's me." Sasuke's voice answered. "Naruto wanted to know if you wanted to play a game."
She took a breath. "It's just Sasuke. It's fine. I'm fine."
Opening the door, she tried to smile when his face came into view. "Sure, I could use a distraction."
The prince snorted. "Don't let him hear you calling him a distraction or he won't stop bemoaning the fact for days."
Huffing a laugh, she nodded and stepped out. "What was he thinking of?"
"Who knows, he just told me to ask you." He shrugged. "If I know him well, it's likely he wants to play Yuno."
She groaned. "Seriously? He's a beast."
"Right?" He agreed.
As they walked into his room, the note fell out of her pocket. He frowned and picked it up, flipping it open.
"Hey," he said, making her turn. "What's this?"
"That?" She had to resist the urge to freeze in her spot. "Oh, just a note from my family."
"Party? Like, a birthday party or something?"
"No, more like a celebration." She explained with a tight smile. "One of my extended family members is getting married, and I was chosen to be in the wedding party."
Lie. You liar.
"Oh, that does make sense." He nodded, handing it back. "Uh, sorry for reading it."
"It's fine, it's not like it was anything important." She took it back and stuffed it back into her pocket, deeper this time. She forced a smile. "So! Where's the Yuno deck?"
A/N: Yuno is, in fact, a shameless Uno reference.
Please tell me what you thought!
