title: midnight sky
warnings: i do not own naruto.
"Sasuke-kun, please… come back."
His pink-haired teammate begged outside the inn he was currently staying at. He didn't know how she found out where he was, since he always made it a point to not stay in one place for any longer than three days. But, he thought to himself, she showed that she was determined. To do what, he didn't know. No, he had an inclination, but he didn't want to entertain that idea.
Some part of him was flattered that after all the atrocities he's committed, she was still 'in love' with him. That she was still willing to look past his flaws and still saw him as the boy she met all those years ago.
Dark orbs simply stared into desperate jade ones, debating. Should he let her in? After all, she had always been there for him, he thought. She had always worried about him and he always saw her as a competent teammate, especially after the training that the original Team 7 had undergone under the three sanins. But what he felt was that she needed him, the words she uttered to him all those years ago when he left Konoha echoed at the back of his mind.
She didn't really love him, he knew deep down. She did love him, yes, but not the way she thought she did. Someone as emotionally stunted as him, someone who had long buried the emotions deep within him, could see that clearly. Sakura had not even tried to understand him.
He didn't need anyone else needing him, the trauma he suffered throughout his entire life, the life after the massacre has emotionally traumatized him that he didn't know if he could handle another person needing him.
"Please." Her lips uttered another desperate plea, the heavy raindrops soaking her hair and the cloak she wore to travel.
He sighed and finally moved to the side to let his pink-haired teammate in.
Gratitude was in the forefront of his mind. The only reason why he even let her in was because he was thankful for her being so faithful and loyal to him all these years. He was so thankful that he didn't push her off when she pushed herself against him, even if deep down, he knew it was wrong.
It was wrong to lead her on, to let her think that he felt an ounce of what she felt for him.
He was tired and exhausted. He had just finished a dangerous battle with another strong foe and he didn't know if he should be doing this to his teammate. But, when she brought her glowing green hands on his bandaged arm, he thought that maybe he could thank her through this, just this one time. He felt this pressure to repay the debt he felt he owed to his team that he didn't push her away when she pulled his pants off.
The Uchiha was brought back to the present, the memories from his pink-haired teammate begging him to come back still fresh in his mind. He shifted on the large branch he was resting on. He was on his way back to the village, but like the past, he felt like he needed to enjoy the last moments of peace before he had to enter the village full of cheerful and happy villagers. He came back to Konoha with a purpose and he was waiting.
The bright moon illuminated the field that he was resting in, just on the outskirts of Konoha. He found peace in the wide field of flowers, something he had a habit of whenever he felt homesick when he left the village he called home. Despite the welcoming arms of the villagers after the Fourth Shinobi War, he still felt the need to sneak in and just quietly enjoy the peace the nights always brought him. Honestly, he couldn't deal with the optimistic eyes his blonde team mate gave him, like he just forgave everything he did to the team, to the village. Like him attempting to murder both him and his teammate was something so easily forgiven. He felt sick at how easy it was for them to forgive him, but he felt even more disgusted when they both expected him to return to the village that had taken everything away from him.
Yes, he was on the journey of redemption. But, he also couldn't stomach living in the village like how he used to, like everything was just easily forgiven and forgotten. The importance of creating and maintaining bonds was something he learned painfully, but he couldn't bring himself to return permanently after everything. Now, he mostly found excuses to delay his return to the village. The fact was, he still returned, despite how infrequently, as he promised Naruto.
His gaze opened when he felt the familiar chakra enter the field, knowing from his years of visits that the girl would always pick flowers during this time of the year.
He was right when he saw a blonde head bob across the field of flowers, selectively picking the flowers she thought were ready and placing them gently into the wicker basket she had always brought with her.
The Yamanaka continued doing her own thing, ignoring his presence just like the time when she had first mastered her sensory jutsu and sensed his presence. She pretended that she didn't feel his chakra, when he clearly knew she did.
Sasuke was grateful for it. But, also, he was curious the first time they met again.
The blonde fangirl he knew back in the academy days had disappeared. And throughout the years he had bumped into the blonde, he appreciatively ran his black orbs over her curvy body. When he was still considered a missing nin and she had started her sensory jutsu training, he remembered the first time they met in this field, she was shocked to see him.
At the time, the avenger had expected the kunoichi to either jump on him like an annoying, delusional fangirl or to immediately alert the Konoha barrier team to report an intruder. But what surprised the Uchiha the most was that she simply gave him a slight nod and went on her way, picking flowers. Almost as if his presence was nothing of importance.
When it first happened, the raven-haired male felt miffed at the reaction, but only closed his eyes in response. She was just an old classmate, no one of importance. At least he could continue enjoying his peace in silence.
He couldn't help but compare the way the blonde first saw him after leaving with Sakura's. She still had those lovesick eyes when they found him at Orochimaru's hideout that, at the time, disgusted him. Looking at the blonde picking flowers below him, he couldn't help but appreciate that she had left him to his peace. That she saw him for who he was at the time, a boy lost in his own hatred. Not some knight-in-shining armor that Sakura always saw him as.
Throughout the years they had accidentally met on this field, they would only share silences with each other.
When her sensei passed away, she laid on the field, carnations and chrysanthemums littered the basket she always brought with her. He knew that the blonde had been crying and had passed out from long hours of sobbing her heart out. He could tell by the red swollen eyes on the blonde.
He was about to leave when he saw movement. The blonde woke up and started rubbing her eyes. She then opened her eyes and looked at his direction, maintaining eye contact with him. He simply nodded in consolation before turning away and returning to where his team were. He knew he would have left a long time before the blonde woke up, but for some reason he stayed. He understood the feeling of loss, the feeling of losing someone you admire. For that, he sympathized with the blonde.
Ino just gave him a small smile before gathering her things to head back to the village. She missed the smile that the avenger had given back to her departing form when he turned back to where she was again.
The next time he saw her again was when he learned the truth about everything. Itachi had died protecting the little brother he had never stopped loving. After deeply regretting killing the only family he had left, the familiar view of the field calmed the storm raging within his tightly-guarded heart.
Of course, he wasn't surprised to see the blonde already there. She was always there during this time of the year.
She looked up and saw the raven-haired male approaching, almost as if she was already expecting him to be there that night. Her eyes were full of warmth and empathy, undoubtedly having heard about the news of the death of Itachi Uchiha, protector of the leaf. That was the first time the distance between them was shortened.
Ino just stood there, waiting for him to approach her. Never forcing her way in, always waiting for him to make the first step to open up.
He continued running until he was only a few inches away from the blond, her presence immediately calming the tumultuous emotions swirling within his heavy heart.
The blonde moved and picked a flower from her basket, offering a stalk of red poppy.
"They mean remembrance and consolation." She explained.
Then.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke."
Her voice sounded lower-pitched than he remembered.
His black orbs gazed down on her outstretched hand.
"... thank you."
He gazed back up to her pupil-less eyes and didn't see pity. He only saw empathy and understanding, both sharing a type of loss that only those who had lost a loved one would understand. Something his pink-haired teammate never understood, for her jade eyes only held pity, not understanding the feeling of the loss of a loved one.
From then on, he found himself regularly visiting the field again, hoping that the blonde was there. The first few times he visited, he was disappointed when he didn't feel her chakra. Nonetheless, he still stayed for a few hours, reasoning that he was there because he felt homesick and needed to feel at peace again. Though, looking back, he knew he wanted to see the blonde again.
When she did show up again after a few more visits, they chatted, her updating her training and showing him some of the jutsus she was practicing.
One day the raven haired male spoke up, "Are you not afraid I might take this information and use it against you or Konoha?"
He was, after all, just declared an international criminal from his latest activity as an Akatsuki member.
She was silent for a few seconds before bursting out in laughter, "I didn't even think you were listening. But I guess it's good that you weren't ignoring me this whole time."
The bubbly blonde replied and then laid back down on the grass. He didn't know what to say to that. He wasn't expecting the blonde to say something like that, but he only smirked before standing up and leaving.
A thought briefly crossed his mind.
There was another person, other than Naruto, who tried to understand him. And, for that, he was glad he got to know the Yamanaka girl more, his past-perception of her changed into something more.
He understood the blonde better. All those years of chasing after him was simply her extending her hand towards him, to offer friendship rather than a relationship. He was stupid to have thought otherwise. The sunflower she offered him the first time they met should've made him realize her purer and more genuine intentions.
But, he didn't realize how important and close he had gotten to the blonde until the Fourth Shinobi War.
When he found out on the battlefield that the HQ was bombed by the ten-tails and that the main strategy and communication channel the Allied Shinobi forces had were destroyed, he knew that her father had also met a fate similar to her sensei.
He didn't know if it was because he had emotionally bonded with the blonde, but he felt the despair of her emotions from her chakra miles away from the battlefield. After he had learned everything from Itachi, the version of the story that was real, not manipulated by the masked man, he had wanted to rush to the battlefield to help the only two people he had shared a deep bond with.
As he approached the battlefield, he saw one of the ten-tail's tentacles aiming for the blonde kunoichi who was giving emergency medical aid to a fallen ally. He pumped more chakra into his feet and rushed, the chidori in his left arm ready to slice the tentacle before it hit the blonde and killed her with its spikes.
He quickly sliced the arm and landed in front of the blonde, his back towards her as she stood up in surprise. Sasuke turned around to look at her surprised face and saw two figures jump in front of the blonde to protect her. The pineapple haired male sent him a suspicious glare, a kunai tightly gripped on his hands, while the Akimichi stood in a stance that was ready to go on the offensive if he had made one wrong move.
"S-Sasuke?"
Another roar from the ten tails brought his attention back to the monster and saw that Naruto was having difficulties fighting Obito and Madara Uchiha. He didn't bother replying to the blonde and rushed to the front lines, relieved that she was, at least, safe for now.
During the war, he didn't see her but he felt her when she used her family's jutsu to communicate important war strategies to the entire allied forces. He was proud of how far she'd come, knowing about the progress of her training whenever they met under the midnight sky on that field.
His past musings were interrupted when he felt another chakra approach the field. A few minutes later, another black-haired male entered the field and walked purposely towards the blonde, who was still picking flowers.
When the pale man was close enough, the blonde placed one last flower before turning around with a bright smile on her face, an expression he never saw on the blonde when around him alone, only when they were back in the village with the rest of their childhood friends.
He didn't need his sharingan to know that she was still hurting from the loss of her father, another person she had admired, a person who loved her and trained her whenever he had time away from T&I. It was, after all, only a couple of years since the conclusion of the war. The loss of a loved one, and the pain that came with it, would never fade away, no matter how long time has passed.
The pale man, someone he heard from Naruto and Sakura was still in the process of learning socializing, couldn't see past the smile that seemed a little too forced.
The Uchiha was far enough to be out of sight, but not far enough to not hear the cringy lines that came out of the artist's lips, "Miss Beautiful, Sakura told me that I would be able to find you here."
Ino blushed, something that did something to Sasuke's heart, "O-oh, well, yeah… what's up, Sai? Was there something you needed?"
Sasuke's eye twitched at her behaviour. He always made it a point to avoid whenever Sai was around Ino when he was back in the village. The sight of the two of them and their interactions always merited a deep eye roll, although it was more geared towards the pale man, not the blonde.
But, the way she reacted to his compliment did bother him a little bit.
The pale man was quiet for a few seconds before opening his mouth, "I wanted to thank you for pulling me out of that genjutsu."
The blonde tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her shoulders moving up and down as she shyly looked to the side.
"M-maybe a date…?"
Sai gave out a relieved sigh and gave Ino a genuine smile, "Of course, Miss Beautiful. I look forward to bringing you on one of these things you call 'dates'."
That did it.
The Uchiha's body automatically moved and jumped next to the unsuspecting blonde. She didn't even have time to react to the proximity of his body, before he snaked his arms around her naked waist, pulling her closer to him. He said the first thing that came to his mind.
"Mine."
She jumped up when she heard how close his voice was, his breath tickling her ear.
The ex-root member had wide eyes and his mouth was slightly parted, not expecting the raven-haired male to be anywhere near the village. He also moved his gaze to where his hand was securely gripping the blonde, his gaze hardening as he slowly understood what it meant.
The Yamanaka, however, only stiffened, not really knowing what to say.
The field was silent, only the sound of the summer cicadas chirping once every few seconds, the two black-haired males' gaze locked with each other in challenge.
The blonde was the first to snap and pushed Sasuke's hand off her waist. She glared at him, her hands on her hips and she turned to face him.
"What do you think you're doing?"
She accused him and took two steps away from him. He broke his eye contact with his rival and missed the warm presence of the woman who had become an important figure in his life.
The other male took that as a sign and turned his attention to the blonde woman, "I see that you need privacy to solve this tension between the newly returned Uchiha." He glanced at the Sharingan-user with slight annoyance present in his dark orbs. "I'll pick you up at 7, whenever you're free, Miss Beautiful."
Sai gave him one last blank stare before leaving.
The Uchiha then realized what he had just done and said and was conveniently staring at a patch of grass on the side. He didn't know what came over him, except for the fact that he felt threatened that someone else was about to take someone important from him. And he promised himself he wouldn't let that happen again.
Never again.
"Well?"
Ino spoke up again when Sai left the field.
Sasuke just closed his eyes and moved to walk away from the blonde, but he felt someone grip his wrist, stopping him.
"I'm talking to you, Uchiha. Don't you dare walk away from me when you just said the most confusing thing you've ever uttered to me. I've tried so hard to move on from you, then you started appearing in my life again and I was fine with just sharing silences with you. I was fine with whatever you did, because I just wanted you to be happy. But now that I finally am trying to move on, you go ahead and stop me from completely moving on. What else do you want from me?"
Ino said exasperatedly. She tugged on his wrist, the unexpected strength from her chakra infused hands turned him and he came face to face with angry blue eyes.
"Explain yourself."
It was this time that he hoped the artist didn't leave him alone with an angry blonde. He had heard stories from Shikamaru and Choji whenever they would have their guys' night. He understood from the pineapple-haired man that when she got in these moods, she became troublesome.
He just sighed, pulling his hands away from her and placing in the pockets of his cloak.
"What I said explains itself, doesn't it?"
The beautiful blonde only rolled her eyes, clearly in annoyance.
"No, it doesn't, Uchiha. A couple months ago, Sakura announced that she was pregnant with your baby. She was devastated when she had a miscarraige a few weeks into the first term and you weren't there. Did you even know that she was pregnant?"
His eyes widened. Those words made his heart drop. It couldn't be, it was only one time. How could she be pregnant with his baby?
"So it's confusing when it is clear to everyone in Konoha that you guys are together and then you come in and say that I'm yours, basically obliterating my chances of dating Sai!"
Obliterating was an exaggeration, but he could tell how frustrated the blonde was.
"I'm not with her."
Those words made the blonde stiffen back up and then she crossed her arms, "Are you just playing with her then?"
The raven-haired man shook his head, "No, I would never. She came to me one day begging me to come back, but she wanted something else."
"So you just wanted to fuck her then?" Her eyes were narrowed.
He sighed in annoyance, his mind racing a thousand miles per hour, the unexpected news of having a baby with the teammate he only saw as a sister, made him blurt out the next few words without thinking, "No, I never wanted to fuck her, she was never the one. I don't care if she was pregnant, you're the one who's been in my dreams at night, you're the one I wa - "
He felt the slap before he could finish uttering his sentence.
"You're an asshole, Uchiha. I can't believe I ever thought you were a decent person. Hell, I even defended you when your reputation went to shit! How could you do that to Sakura?! You knew how deeply she felt for you, she has been chasing after you the past two years and all you wanted was a quick fuck?"
The blonde's angry eyes stared at him accusingly.
"How could you?"
He felt guilt.
And, mostly, regret.
He should've closed the door when the pink-haired kunoichi came knocking on the door of the inn he was staying at.
He should've stopped her when it was clear what her intentions were.
He should've just been with her and told her that he didn't feel the same type of love she felt for him.
She needed him, but he needed her.
His thoughts swirled.
He couldn't believe that he got Sakura pregnant. Some part of him felt regret at his female teammate going through this whole ordeal alone. That he wasn't there, because he was responsible as well. He should've read the letters she sent him.
But a small part of him also felt relief. It was so irresponsible for him to even feel an ounce of relief, but he was relieved to know that she wouldn't have to live with a child whose father didn't love the mother. That she didn't have to live as a single mother, if the rumors about Naruto and the Hyuuga were true. He could love the child, but he didn't want Sakura to have to live through a loveless life with the father of her child. He wanted her to be with someone who loved her, someone who would create a family with her. Not some accidental mistake from a night of vulnerability.
He saw the resignation in her eyes as she waited for a response from him. He felt like she was slipping away from him, even if he desperately thought of the only explanation for what happened. But words couldn't come out.
When Sasuke planned on coming back to the village, he had finally understood the impact and importance of the blonde in his life. He was about to propose to her, he planned everything. He planned to jump down with a bouquet of carnations he had picked before she arrived. The bouquet that, of course, was left on the branch he was resting on before the damned Sai came.
Everything wasn't going to plan.
"Ino, I can explain."
He saw her shake her head and the desperation for her understanding came crawling back.
"Please."
He gripped her wrist and brought her hands up to his head. He knew that she had a jutsu in her clan that made her see past memories and feelings of a person. It was the very jutsu she used to interrogate criminals and spies.
But right now, he didn't care if he was indirectly telling her that he was baring his soul to her. That he was about to let his walls down, to let her in and see that she was the one he needed, the only one who could understand.
"Please." He murmured again, his eyes pleading her to listen.
Her eyes softened and nodded in understanding. She brought her other hand up to his temple and closed her eyes.
He knew the moment she entered his mind and he blanked out.
Unconsciously, he felt someone prodding his mind and he tried to open up the walls he had built up throughout the years, finally letting someone in.
Letting someone understand the emotions he suppressed when his family was killed. Letting her see every single dark part of his soul.
He showed the pain he felt when he realized the brother he loved and idolized so much killed his family right in front of him. The pain and despair when his older brother uttered the words that he was too weak to kill.
He showed the anger he felt towards the village who made his brother chose between the village and the clan, despite knowing how much of a pacifist he was. How much he hated war.
He showed the loneliness he felt when he saw his academy classmates getting picked up by their loved ones every time it was time to go home. The loneliness he brought with him whenever he walked back to the Uchiha compound alone, the only living thing in the entire place.
He showed the hatred he had to the village when he learned the truth and to himself when he realized how weak he was. How he couldn't even protect Naruto when the Akatsuki came for him when they were still genin. How much he hated himself for losing himself in the darkness, for not understanding his brother. For killing the only kin he had who loved him.
He showed regret for what happened throughout the years. The regret of pushing the people who only loved him away. The regret of not pushing his teammate away when she came at him when he was most vulnerable.
Then.
He showed the pride he had for the team he had put together, of how well they worked together and how much they respected a bastard like him.
He showed the relief he felt when he realized that he wasn't alone anymore. That there were always people around him who loved him for him when he was so consumed by hatred.
He showed the happiness of bonding with his genin team, with only the other outcast in the village, at how they were so similar but so different at the same time. Of finding another person who so deeply understood the loss he felt. Of finding another person after that who only ever approached him with genuine intentions, without the expectations of getting anything in return.
He showed her how much her presence in his life had affected him so greatly, that she was one of the people who brought him out of his darkness and loneliness. That the thought of her was what kept him going, even if he didn't realize what he felt for her before. That he always looked forward to seeing her again, of basking in her warmth, of spending time with another soul who only sought to understand him. A person who placed his own happiness above her wants.
A person who was so selfless to everyone around her that he didn't know if he deserved the warm-heartedness she offered to every lost soul she met.
He didn't know how long the blonde was in his mind, but when he came to, he felt a massive headache.
His eyes were closed in pain, not used to letting someone in his mind.
But when he glanced up, he saw the tears on the beautiful blonde's face, her lower lips trembling.
"Do you understand now?"
A sob escaped the blonde's lip and she only nodded, at loss for words.
He brought his hands up her face and wiped the tears away, "No one had tried to understand me like how you and Naruto did. You understand why I did what I did with Sakura?"
Another tear rolled down her face.
She nodded.
"You're the one I need, Ino. Not Sakura, no one else. It's you, you're the one, always have been."
She let out another sob and pulled her head down. He didn't say anything more and only brought the crying blonde into his arms, wishing that the world would finally give him a break and give him the happiness he wanted to find with the blonde in his arms.
He didn't need another person needing him to feed their happiness.
All he wanted was someone who could understand him and love him for who he was, not through rose-tinted glasses.
He felt arms wrap around his torso and he felt relief. He understood what that meant.
That she would stay with him and deal with whatever else that came with his life.
"What about Sakura?" He heard her mumble.
He ran his fingers through her soft strands, finally feeling again. He felt his heart bloom when he realized that the woman who he hasn't stopped thinking about for years was now finally his.
"I'll deal with her."
Ino sniffled, "Just… be gentle with her. She's really in love with you."
He snorted, "Not as much as I am with you."
He felt Ino move and she looked up at him, "Is that you declaring that your love for me, Uchiha?"
The side of his lips quirked up, the feeling of embarrassment that usually came to when he showed emotions gone with the blonde, "What do you think, Yamanaka?"
She pushed her body closer to his, the feel of her body making him think of things that he shouldn't be thinking about if he wanted to take things slow and seriously with the blonde. He didn't want her thinking that he was only in it to spend the night with her.
Ino pushed her lower lips out and pouted, "Hmm, then I guess I should take that offer with Sai?"
At the mention of the other man made Sasuke's right eye twitch, "Yes, I am in love with you. Happy now?"
She giggled and nodded her head.
Then, she stood on her toes and placed a peck on his lips.
Before she could stand back down, he grabbed her face and kissed her deeper, loving the way her lips tasted and felt. He felt her kiss back and her arms around his torso moved up to his shoulders and then cupped the back of his head pushing him closer to her.
They pulled away when they needed air.
"Who knew that the ice block prince Uchiha felt emotions like love?"
He scoffed and kissed her on her swollen lips again.
"Only for you."
That made the blonde happy. She rested her head on his chest again.
"I really do love you, Sasuke. I'm happy that you finally came to terms with your own feelings without any outside pressure, that's all I wanted for you. To start accepting your past and start living for the future."
He rested his chin on top of her head, her words warming up his heart. She was the only one of three people in his entire world who put his well-being above their own. He knew it was selfish to be put first in the blonde's life.
But, with the blonde in his arms, he knew that he could finally start healing from the trauma he suffered. He knew that the blonde had unknowingly started his healing process all those years ago, and knew that she would help him through accepting his past and trauma to finally start anew.
He could finally say that he was happy.
He finally felt home.
a/n: this was supposed to be a one shot for the one shot series that i have going on, but it turned out like this, lol. i hope you guys enjoyed this bit. as for KOF, i am having a huge writer's block and haven't found inspiration to write the next chapters. so please be a little bit more patient, i will still update and finish the story, i just need to find inspiration.
well, that's all guys, hope you guys enjoyed reading this and stay safe, xx