Slaves to the Passions

Posted on June 9th, 2022

Sasuke is still in love. That is both true and unfortunate.

Sasuke eyes Naruto's fingers as they wrap around Gaara's. Sasuke watches the couple as his wife Sakura watches him.

The four adults sat having breakfast together.

Naruto turns to look at Sasuke and smiles at him as she always did. He blinks, taken aback by the honesty and appreciation radiating from her beautiful open face.

Sasuke smiles back. Reserved and small. A barely there and hardly noticeable smile unless one knew him well. Sasuke never smiled - it was painful to watch how in love he still was.

Sakura rocks a sleeping child and tries to smile at Gaara as the other pair shares a moment. Sasuke was in love and they all knew it.

Naruto's godfather Jiraya's villa is not too far away from their homes and the two couples enjoyed spending some weekends there. The small Sunday get-together is now over. Sakura has said her goodbyes and Is leaving to put their child to bed, followed by Gaara who had a court case early in the morning. Gaara lingers at the door, tension in his shoulders. There's reluctance in his eyes as he glances at the kitchen where his wife Naruto is one last time before shutting the door. It would be fine – Naruto loved him. Gaara trusted her and hopes his trust would be enough.

"Hey," Gaara catches up to Sakura and helps her with opening the car door as she carried a sleeping Sarada. "They're in there. Alone."

Sakura secures the belt around the toddler's seat and eyes the house.

"Oh…I know." She turns to look back at the car. "I'm sure it'll be fine." Sakura says as much but Gaara doesn't miss the tight press of her lips.

"Ho-… How could you say that so calmly?" Gaara glances at the house and licks his lips in a nervous gesture. "You're there-and you see, you see what it is that they have, and you know what they used to have-"

Sakura shuts the door a little too loudly. She locks eyes with Gaara.

"You don't need to remind me. The same way I never remind you. They've been inseparable since we were all in middle school - what do you expect? You and I both know that they would still be together if it wasn't for all the miscarriages and then Naruto deciding she didn't want kids." Sakura looks down, puts away a strand of pink hair behind her ear. "I gave him what she couldn't," she continues in a hushed voice, "I gave him a family. And for that, I trust that he will stay with me. And you should too. I know I only have half of his heart but it's honestly more than I ever thought he would give me. So, whatever he does with the other half, I can accept it. Now get in, I'll drop you off at your house."

Sasuke remains in the kitchen with Naruto. He watches as she puts away the last plate and hangs the kitchen towel to dry.

"Hey," Naruto says when Sasuke approaches softly.

"Hey." Sasuke turns to straighten the tablecloth. They had cleaned up after dinner. Now they had to leave and go home to their spouses.

"Upstairs is clean too so feel free to stay over if you want. I'm sure Sakura can come pick you up tomorrow or I can swing by after work." Naruto says and moves past Sasuke to grab her car keys.

"Naruto."

Naruto turns at the stern call. Sasuke approaches and takes her hand, keys forgotten. The Uchiha looks down at her with those black eyes. One, two, three moments, and his arms go around the blonde tightly. Sasuke sighs with the burden of all that is unsaid.

Naruto lets out a pained sound. She could feel Sasuke was hurting and yet, what could she do? They had made their choices already.

"You know I love you, Sasuke. You are my best friend. We've been through so much togeth-"

"I know."

"I don't know what to do," Naruto says into the dimly lit room and hides her face in her hands.

"Give me," Sasuke pauses and hesitates. Could he really ask that of her? Was he really selfish enough to ask her to carry that burden?

Yes. Yes, he was.

"Give me tonight," he says in a near-whisper.

Sasuke doesn't think Naruto is capable of cheating. She also isn't capable of denying Sasuke.

Sasuke lays awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. He has had trouble sleeping in the last few weeks since the last visit to the villa. He couldn't face Naruto or her husband. He knows Naruto had told her husband—of course she would. And if Gaara knew, then Sakura knew too. Sasuke knows he had pushed it too far. He had escalated the tension and their comfortable bubble had now burst. They had been fine and, although forced and superficial, there had been peace.

But Sasuke is still in love, and everyone has to suffer with him.

The door opens and Sasuke watches as Sakura enters the room. He takes in her appearance in the narrow streak of light and his eyes go wide.

Sakura combs fingers through her hair and pushes it back. It is freshly dyed blonde. "So?" she asks as she makes her way into the bedroom and sits at the corner of the bed.

Sasuke sits up and smiles at her. It's a different kind of smile, but still an honest one.

"Hm," the Uchiha toys with a strand of hair between his fingers. "I like it," he says with satisfaction and open his arms for his wife to join him on the bed.

Sakura smirks, "I thought you would."

Just a small one-shot I wrote some years ago. So did they do it or not - I don't know, you tell me :) It's meant to be ambiguous.