Not Afraid Anymore
Chapter 8: I will love you until the end of time
Team 7 stood once again reunited, this time in Sakura's living room.
"Alright! I'm starving, let's get ramen!" Naruto exclaimed excited as he jumped up to his feet getting ready to go.
Ichiraku was sort of tradition for Team 7. To eat at this place than any other would have been out of their ordinary. Naruto could never object, ramen was part of the center of his universe. As for the rest, well, they enjoyed it.
They all took a sit at the ramen stand as Teuchi and Ayame greeted them.
"Welcome. I see that you are back in the village Sasuke. It's good to see you again." Teuchi said cheerfully as he prepared their orders while Ayame followed his lead, a small blush adorning her face. Even she was fazed by Sasuke's good looks.
Sasuke gave him a small nod of acknowledgment as he took a sit.
"Man, this looks delicious as always!" Naruto said excitedly as he began to eat his bowl of ramen.
"Itadakimasu!"
"Just like the old days!" Naruto said with a wide grin in his face. Kakashi and Sakura smiled in agreement with Naruto and began to eat their ramen.
Naruto looked over at Sasuke who was quietly eating from his bowl. "So? What do ya think? It's been a while!" he asked inquisitively with a big grin.
Sasuke looked up from his bowl and smiled at Naruto. "Hmph. I see your obsession with this place has not change."
"It's not an obsession. It's a way of life!" exclaimed Naruto. "Another bowl, please!"
They all smiled. It felt like the old days. To sit side by side while eating a warm and comforting bowl of ramen.
Sakura felt nostalgic as she looked at Sasuke and Naruto converse, while Kakashi read his Icha Icha.
Just like the old days.
"Well, that was delicious. I'm full." Sakura said as she stretched out on her sit, satisfied.
"I will be going soon. I have some matters to attend to." Kakashi expressed as he prepared himself to leave.
"At this hour?" Sakura questioned with an inquisitive brow.
"What can I say? I am in high demand. See ya" Kakashi said with a smile and disappeared.
"I am heading home as well. It's been a long day." Sakura said as she looked over at Sasuke who nodded in agreement.
"Bye Sakura-chan, Sasuke. I'll see you guys later. I'm still hungry so I'll stay for a bit longer."
Naruto as he looked over to Sasuke. "Hey Sasuke, take care of Sakura-chan. If you screw up, I will come and beat some sense into you again." Naruto said jokingly as he bid them farewell.
"No worries." Sasuke said coolly as he got off his stool and walked under the curtains of the shop and out to the side to wait on Sakura.
"It was nice seeing you Naruto. Take care and don't eat so much ramen, you'll get sick." Said Sakura with gentle smile as she padded him on the shoulder and bid him farewell.
"Nah! Sakura-chan, I will never grow tired of ramen!" Exclaimed Naruto cheerfully as he waved goodbye.
"This morning you left through the window." Sasuke casually commented to Sakura as they walked home.
"Whaat…what are you talking about Sasuke-kun?" Sakura replied in a shaky, nervous tone as she came to a dead stop.
"Are you avoiding me because of last night?" Sasuke asked more firmly as he stopped and turned towards Sakura with his hands in his pockets as he looked down directly at her.
"I…yes…"
She looked away, avoiding Sasuke's penetrating gaze.
"Why?" pressed Sasuke.
"You know why!?" Sakura snapped. "You're confusing me. Why are you suddenly looking at me like you're right now? Why did you lean in so close last night? Why…" Sakura trailed off. Surprised at her own reaction.
"You know how I feel….it is no secret." Her voice was an angry whisper. Desperate.
She felt so determined this morning while speaking to Lady Tsunade, but now she is suddenly confronted with Sasuke's questions and she is not ready to put herself in a vulnerable position.
" I know…" Sasuke said quietly. Guilty to be the cause of her pain. He wanted to comfort her but he was unsure of even himself and what he felt.
"I don't know what to say. I don't know what came over me last night." Sasuke said as he turned to look up at the setting sun. "I don't know why…I got caught up in my thoughts and…"
"Thoughts? What do you mean?" Asked Sakura, a bit of hope forming in her heart.
"Sigh—I thought about you and I. What all this meant. I've always known, but I could not allow myself… Anger, hatred, ambition…all those feelings ruled my judgment."
Sakura had rarely heard Sasuke express so much at once. He was usually brief in his exchanges but in this very instant, he was choosing to open up to her. She was hopeful and terrified at once at the implications of his honesty.
"Even when I thought I had severed my bonds with you and Naruto, I still cared. I chose to bury those emotions. I couldn't allow myself to feel. I needed to hate, to get revenge. That was my purpose, nothing more." Sasuke continued.
"But now, none of those things matter. I have returned to the village, Naruto and I have settled our differences, and then…there's you." Sasuke said as he turned to look at Sakura.
Sakura was too stunned by his honesty to respond. She was surprised by his openness. He has laid himself bare and expressed his confusion about where his purpose in life lies and what it all means for their them. Nothing stood in the way. He was free to look in her direction because there was nothing that tied him to the curse of hatred he was burdened with as an Uchiha.
"I see…then what do I mean to you? Tell me anything...Its better than nothing." Sakura said quietly while meeting his dark gaze. Suddenly full of courage and determined to see this through. She needed this in order to move on.
Sasuke closed the distance between them while his gaze never strayed from Sakura's. It was intense. His gaze. His eyes. His figure. It reminded Sakura of the night he left the village, when he stood close behind her as he bid her farewell. This time he was facing her.
Sasuke was not sure what came over him as he made his way towards Sakura. He supposes that it was instinct. He thought about their time together, everything they went through, her constant love and devotion, her kindness and attentiveness. The one that filled his lonely existence with love was Sakura.
He took her for granted and almost stole the life from her.
He didn't deserve her love, so why is he still moving towards her?
Sasuke's arm wrapped around Sakura's shoulders and he drew her close into a deep embrace. He did not know how else to express what he felt, but he hoped this gesture could help her understand. Help him understand. It had been so long since he had held her this close. And although he held her near during the war while inside one of Kaguya's dimensions, there was no time to think about their closeness. Survival was their priority.
It had always been Sakura who initiated the many embraces they shared; this time Sasuke took the initiative. It surprised Sakura. To feel his arm around her. His body against her. His warmth. His scent. It was intoxicating.
"Sasuke-kun…what are you…? Sakura asked shyly.
Sasuke gave no answer, just continued to hold her, so Sakura in turned gave into the embrace. She placed her arms around his waist and fell into his embrace. Pressing her face into the crook of his neck.
To be continued…
