He had always been prideful. And he should be. Just as everyone in the Uchiha Clan was. Well everyone but his brother.

Uchiha Itachi was a great soul. Kind and gentle, yet considered the coldest captain of the entire 13 Squads. He had been born for great things and being the Clan Head was among them.

So Sasuke is very much disturbed when his brother picks a average woman, outside the Soul Capital to be his wife. The Clan Elders openly show their disapproval but they could do nothing except accepting Itachi's decision.

He is not very fond of his new sister-in-law either, for he believes his brother would have suited someone more worthy, but relents seeing how happy Izumi makes Itachi.

Five years later his displeasure towards Izumi grows more even though it should for she lies in her death bed taking her last breaths. Itachi has lost the light in his eyes as he cradles his wife closer, and promises to fulfill her last request.

Sasuke is livid, this time hi hatred directed at the new person that comes into the equation.

Haruno Sakura

He bitterly thinks of that name, feeling a surprising amount of resentment considering he had never met her before.

Izumi had requested Itachi to look after Haruno Sakura, the sister she had left behind due to harsh living condition, as if she was his own sister. And now he sits in the dead of the night in front of his elder trying to process his words.

"You have to marry her, Otouto,"

And Sasuke understands where was his brother coming from; there was no way an outsider would be allowed to be adopted into the Uchiha Main family. You are either born into it or married into it.

He wanted to be selfish. He had only been appointed as the 6th Division Vice Captain a few years ago. He wasn't ready for marriage and certainly not to some faceless girl residing in the poorest district outside the Capital.

But his brother's next words stop him from refusing. For Sasuke had never heard him so broken.

"Help me fulfill my wife's last wishes, Sasuke. Please."

He didn't want his beloved elder brother to sound such. Itachi was perfect. Flawless. Not this broken desperate man.

So even as he gave his consent, Sasuke does not bother to bury his anger and resentment towards this whole situation.

They didn't have to go through the slums to find his bride as news came of her attending the Shinigami Academy of Training, where she was training to be a to enter the 13 Squads.

Hn. Atleast she wasn't going to be a useless woman eating off him and his family.

If Sasuke had been in his rational mind, he would have admitted that his soon-to-be wife was far by the most beautiful woman he had laid his eyes upon. But his state of mind was similar to that of a caged wild animal.

So he scoffs as he eyes the cherry blossom curls of Haruno Sakura.

What a ridiculous color! He sneered internally.

He was surprised that she agreed to the marriage proposal. He doesn't understand why anyone would want to marry a complete stranger. His doubts were cleared as she answered his unspoken question.

"Uchiha Clan is a very powerful clan in the Soul Society with plenty of resources. Only a fool would ever decline an offer such as this." She said with a slight smile.

And something inside his head screamed that the smile was not genuine. But he paid it no mind, deciding to do nothing with a opportunist woman like her.

He watched as his mother frowned at his bride and his father looking at him with dissapointment. His stomach dropped into a pit and all he could do was chant, that he was doing that for his brother.

No one seemed happy with their joining. Not his clan members, not his parents and definitely not him.

He couldn't hate his brother for the suffocation he feels, so he channeled his hatred to the pink haired woman who was bound to him for the rest of his existence.

There wasn't much change as years passed by since their wedding.

The clan members didn't like his wife but they never dared to disrespect her either. For they knew Uchiha Sakura was no wallflower, the Soul Sword sheathed at her belt was well enough prove.

Despite how she had started, his mother had come to love his wife. Even his father had somehow approved of Sakura, perhaps it might have something to do with her being accepted into Squad 7 under Hatake Kakashi.

The only change that didn't happen was the behaviour of his own and Itachi's towards her. His elder brother still talked to Sakura with clipped, cold tone in contrast to how he talked to him.

As for Sasuke, he still held resentment, he still ignored her existence, as if she didn't sleep on the same futon with him, as if she didn't ask about his day, as if she didn't wait for him to come home so they could eat together.

As if she wasn't his dutifully caring wife.

So one day as he comes into their marital house, the guilt of letting a squad member die under his watch on his shoulders, he finally snaps at her; knocking off all the dishes she had made on to the floor.

"Sasuke-kun...? Are you-?" She is cut short as Sasuke turns a murderous gaze at her.

"Don't think just because of some ceremony, you have gained a right to interfere in my buisness." He growled out his frustration, "Sasuke-kun? Who gave you permission to call me such? I do not see you as my wife, your existence barely matters. You should know your place!"

He didn't know why his heart clenched seeing her green eyes gleam with tears. He wasn't ready to feel the threatning guilt that was about to rise, so he stepped out of the room and heard a trembling voice before soft sniffles sounded.

"Hai, Sasuke-sama..."

He stands outside as the soft sniffles turned into heavy sobs, the weight of his own words dawning on him. He couldn't take them back. The damage had already been done.

He wants nothing more than to go back in and assure her that he didn't mean any of those words, that he wrongly took out his anger on her, that he was sorry.

But he was too prideful for that. He hopes that one day when sets his pride down, it wouldn't be too late for him.