A/N: The story will be wrapping up in a few more chapters guys!
This is the surge before the end! I hope you enjoy it!
"Yashamaru!" Naruto had called out to the visiting medic Nin from Suna. Even though Yuzawa Yashamaru was Gaara's uncle, he was still quite young and barely a few years older than Naruto and the rest.
"Naruto San…" Yashamaru said with a smile "I was hoping to bump into you on my way to the hospital…"
"Oh? Why?"
"I was wondering, why is Sakura San living with Uchiha Sama? Was there a clan wedding that we didn't get invited to?" Yashamaru said playfully
"Ah! No! No! Nothing of that sort at all… It's just… well… It's complicated… why do ask?" Naruto said avoiding talking about Daisuke
"So Sakura San is not married then?" Yashamaru stated more than asked with a smile
"No, not yet…"
"Is she seeing someone?" This was a question
"No… not that I know of…"
"Oh look… I have to head this way… it was nice seeing you Naruto San…" Yashamaru bowed and walked off in a different direction leaving Naruto a little worried about his best friend
—
"She fell asleep with exhaustion… Yuzawa Yashamaru San simply carried her home…" Baasan said hading Sasuke his swords
"I didn't ask… I don't care…" Sasuke said as fixed them on his belt
"Yuzawa Yashamaru is visiting from Suna… something about a rare poison that was discovered and they need Sakura San's help to make a preventive antidote…" Baasan continued
Sasuke gave the old woman a stern look and said "I told her she could have any liaisons she wanted to. She is the matriarch of this clan, do see to it that all her needs are satisfied…" he ordered with vehemence and left the house through the window
—
"Yashamaru San… Let me formally welcome you to Konoha General Hospital…" Shizune said with a smile "I heard you were here last night… Did you see any interesting cases?"
"Yes, I did in fact… I was wondering? Whom will I be working with for the antidote?"
"Right through here…" Shizune said leading him into a lab where Sakura was waiting "I am sure you know Sakura San already, she will be able to help you with anything you need"
"Welcome Yuzawa Yashamaru San" Sakura said bowing
Yashamaru bowed back and Shizune took her leave.
The rest of the day Yashamaru and Sakura worked pretty hard on preparing the antidote with the sample poison. As the sun rose in the sky, they shared lunch and several conversations. Sakura felt at ease with the kind, open and smiling Yashamaru. It also helped that he kept the day interesting with all sorts of little flirtation and innuendoes like
"If watching the centrifuge with you is the only date I get, I'll take it…"
"Oh! You're right! That catalyst is perfect… just like you could be for me…"
Sakura giggled at these comments as she thought of how to everyone, she was the terrifying medic nin, or Hokage Sama's favourite apprentice. To her friends she had become the single mother. Everyone seemed to have forgotten she was a woman. It felt nice to be treated like woman, to be complimented and flirted with and smiled at. As she was thinking that suddenly her thoughts spiralled towards her new housemate
Flashback 1
Baasan led Sakura into her newly refurbished room "It looks perfect…" Sakura said with a smile
"Well, almost… you got everything except clothes for yourself…" Baasan chided
"I'll get them this weekend Baasan, Ino can't wait to take me shopping…" Sakura said with a smile
"Oh, no need… Sasuke Sama saw how busy you were with furnishing the house, so he asked me for some of your old robes for measurement and sent them to the tailor. He also selected the fabrics and accessories… everything should be delivered tomorrow…"
Sakura stood there stunned
Flashback 2
Sasuke smiled at her as she snatched the fan from his hand
Flashback 3
She had gotten home very late that night and found Sasuke reading in the main room. He looked at her and smiled "I put Daisuke to bed… Would you like some dinner?"
She had simply nodded and joined him after washing up
"Didn't you eat?" She asked as he set the table for two
"I wasn't feeling hungry then…" Saskue said without looking up at her
They had shared a peaceful meal that night. The next day Baasan told her that Sasuke Sama had come home early to cook as the cook was on leave that day.
Flashback 4
"Baasan!" Sakura had called out
"Hai Sakura San?" The old woman said walking in
"I can't find my acupuncture needles… Did you take them to be cleaned and sharpened again?"
"Oh no… did you not open the box I left for you last night?" Baasan asked
"What? No… I forgot… but Baasan, I'll see it later… just give me my needles I don't want to be late…"
Baasan just walked past her and brought her the box. Sakura sighed and opened it to find the most exquisite silver acupuncture needle set complete with a holster that could fit in her belt. The holders of the needles had SH engraved in them on the round surface and the holster made from fine leather had her name on it as well. She touched it reverently and then picked it up "Baasan! this… this is exquisite…. Thank you… thank you so much…"
"Your old needles are here too…" Baasan said lifting the false bottom of the box out "Sasuke sama was not sure if you'd like the gift so he insisted I keep these shabby old things… I'll let him know you liked it…"
Sakura had been shocked into silence once again as she looked at the needles and holster in her hand.
Flashback 5
Sasuke had his tea each morning on the porch under the extend branches of the Sakura tree as he watched Sakura get her lessons. She could have sworn that she heard him snicker at various instances when she butted heads with Baasan but every time she looked at him, he would either be looking down or taking a sip of his tea
Flashback 6
Baasan had handed them a basket for the weekend and the two of them had taken Daisuke to the river side for breakfast as a family for the first time. The entire time, Sasuke had laughed and played with Daisuke but every time his son asked for something he looked at her asking for her permission.
As they were returning, Sasuke had offered her his hand without saying a word and she had walked off. He had followed silently but somehow was right there to open the gate for her.
Flashback 7
"Sakura San" Sasuke had startled her as she was rummaging the kitchen for midnight snack since she had to study up some research papers
She had turned to see him in his night pants, quite shirtless, sword drawn
"I'm sorry… I thought it was an intruder… " Sasuke said putting the sword away
Sakura was still speechless with a whole piece of wagashi in her mouth, trying her best to not look at the man
He had walked up to her, reached over her head and pulled out a basket "Here… Baasan keeps the best snacks hidden so that Daisuke won't spoil his appetite…" He said placing it on front of her
Sakura bowed her thanks. He had smiled at her and left
End Flashback
Yashamaru leaned over Sakura to grab a scroll. He was too close and that pulled Sakura out of her memories. She looked at Yashamaru and gave him a soft smile. That's when he said "Sakura San, did you know you look the most beautiful when you're asleep…"
Sakura blushed furiously "Yashamaru San…. Please I'm already embarrassed… I was hoping you wouldn't bring this up and I could discreetly find a way to thank you for getting me home last night…"
"Believe me when I say the pleasure was entirely mine…" Yashamaru said staring into her eyes "However! If you insist on thanking me, I will settle for a meal cooked by you…"
Sakura blushed furiously and said "how about next Friday?"
"Sounds perfect… I hope by then we will have more to celebrate…"
"Huh…" Sakura said stuttering
"I mean the antidote Sakura San… but I like the way you're thinking…" Yashamaru said smoothly and went back to work on the scroll
—
For the past week Sakura had been working long hours and Sasuke had said nothing. He had taken a meal for her couple of times only to find Yuzawa Yashamaru and her eating out of each other's bento boxes and laughing. He had been miserable and had said nothing. On Wednesday of the second week when Sakura announced to Baasan and practically the whole household that they had cracked the antidote, Sasuke was very proud of her. She had even come up to him as he worked in the Zen garden and said hello.
"Sasuke San… Good evening… Did you have a good day today?" Sakura asked
"I did… thank you for asking…" He said with a soft smile on his face
"I don't know if you heard but we cracked the antidote…" She said the excitement in her voice only made Sasuke's smile grow
'The whole neighbourhood heard it Sakura' he wanted to say but instead settled for "Congratulations Sakura San… This is truly something worth celebrating…" but before he could recommend a small celebration with Daisuke and maybe some more friends Sakura said
"That's exactly what I wanted to speak to you about… I was hoping we could celebrate it by inviting Yuzawa Yashamaru for dinner… I promised him I'd cook for him…"
Sasuke struggled to keep the smile on his face. She'd never even cooked for him, in fact the one thing Saskue knew for a fact was that Sakura couldn't cook. Part of him wanted to say 'yes invite him and feed him your burnt salmon that was the most edible thing from your genin years' and the other part wanted to say 'Cook for me… I'll eat your brunt salmon and enjoy every bit of it…' but instead what came out was "Why only Yuzawa Yashamaru san? This is something to be celebrated with more people… In fact I have been looking for the right moment to introduce you as the matriarch to the other clans… This is ideal… Let's have a formal dinner… I will have the invitations sent out today itself… When would you like to host it?"
Sakura was frozen, she was worried about asking another man to come home and suddenly Sasuke had turned this light and maybe fun dinner which she was planning on having the cook make and take credit for into a Clan thing! "Er… I…."
"Friday? Saturday?" Sasuke asked then said "Friday is your day off right… that should be fine then… yes?"
"Friday is fine…" Sakura said weakly
Saskue smiled triumphantly. He'd show Yuzawa Yashamaru exactly who he was and who Sakura was and where she belonged.
Sakura on the other hand had only one thought running in her head 'I wonder if that poison tastes better than whatever I can cook…'
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See you day after!