[canonverse]

His surname, his insignia emanates nostalgia of a love that is lost. A love burnt into crisp, fondled with and bloodshed. However, his name, his singular identity, Sasuke, it's filled with memories of his mother by her koi pond, his father's proud smile, and piggyback rides with his brother as he passed by the Konoha streets every Hanami season. It's filled with dangos and tomatoes, his mother's laughter, and Shisui's teasing remarks. It's filled with Izumi coming over and his brothers blushing faces. After almost 20 years of his life and a long time since those memories, his heart now longs for closure, a different kind of bond, a bond that existed once upon a time with his family. His mother, his father, his brother. Maybe also the bond that his brother had with Izumi. A bond made out of love. It all feels like a faraway dream now and sometimes he even doubts if he ever had that life.

He looks over at Sakura, who pays him no mind as she stirs the pot of tomato soup above the fire. She is determined to get it perfect this time, as she is still mortified by how terrible it was the last time she made it. He keeps looking at her, trying to figure out what exactly was it about her that made him feel at, home. Like, he had a place to belong to. A place to return to. Was it her hair? Was it her eyes? Or was it her heart?

After a few minutes, Sakura turns, sweat trickling her forehead. She wipes it with the back of her hand and sits down on the stone beside him.

"What's on your mind?"

"Just… nothing in particular."

"Mhmm. Sure." She looks at him and smiles.

He is suddenly stabbed with a metaphorical bolt to his heart because now he understands. It was her smile. Her smile is the first thing he notices. It's not the objective beauty, but it's the warmth of those pink lips and the intricate patterns of fault that she is undaunted to flaunt in front of him. That same old smile she seems to preserve for him since they were twelve. The curve of her lips didn't change with age, neither did the rosy hue to her cheeks fade. It's all the same, and Sasuke likes it because, it reminds him that apart from being an Uchiha, he is Sasuke first. And this Sasuke will always have this particular smile directed at him. He is a slave to her smile now, he thinks. He stares at the Uchiha symbol on her back. It's been a decade and some more since someone else has worn that sign with so much pride and love in their eyes. Like Sakura, he realizes he is a servant of love too and understands nothing but love can pacify the craving, the lust, the need and fulfill the loneliness, the storms in his mind, his wishes. It was because of love that he was about to end the world, bring it on his knees, so he understands. Love was strong, powerful.

Although maybe, all he wanted to do was kiss her. Plant his lips on hers and experience love forever.

"Sakura?"

She turns, putting down the hot pot and serving him a bowl of tomato soup. She takes a spoon for herself and sits beside him again.

"Yeah?"

"You are an Uchiha now. My wife."

"Yes." She smiles yet again, this time tucking his hair behind his ear. He closes his eyes.

"We are now a family. It's you and me. We are connected." her fingers brush over his cheeks.

"Always. I love you."

Sakura's love for him never took anything from him. Not once. Sakura's love was a gift that kept on giving. There was no end to it, she kept on loving him wordlessly no questions asked. Sometimes he feels like a terrible person. He thinks he is selfish that he, an avenger, a murderer, a criminal is the center point of her love, affection and thinks of all the ways she could have offered to someone that's not him. Someone better, someone who isn't him. Other times he decides, no he is the only one, who is worthy of her unconditional love, her trust in him because this is how fate decided to pay him back, of all that was taken away from him. Because he knows only he can reciprocate and return her love, her trust in him as an equal. He has traveled miles and dimensions before, sometimes in search of revenge and sometimes in search of the truth. Now as he travels with her, he sees the world in a new light. He sees the beauty of rain which he hated, he sees the rainbows which he never saw before. He counts the stars under which they sleep and sometimes gets lost while doing so, but Sakura anchors him with her love.

He puts down the bowl of soup on the ground and lays his head on her lap, "I know." he sighs, a small smile on his lips, contentment filling his lungs. Sakura smiles yet again and rakes her fingers through his hair.

Sakura loves him for him. Sasuke.

end.

a/n: for #SasuSakuTwitFest2020 day 02 - "connected"/ "I love you. I know"also barely for day 03 - "kiss" and day 04 - "travels"