Title: hiding my heart away
Summary: Her words swayed him, her heart claimed him, but her eyes were his Achilles Heel.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Prompt: Achilles Heel
Rating: K
Warning(s): ANGST. A little swearing.
Comments: Who misses pre-shippuden? Because honestly these latest manga chapters are shit. WE GET IT OBITO IS EVIL AND CANNOT BE REDEEMED, CAN YOU FUCKING MOVE ON TO FIGHTING NOW AND SOME WINNING BECAUSE HE'S TOO MARY SUE RIGHT NOW. Agree? Here, have some pre-shippuden SasuSaku.

Her eyes were his weakness.

He had always known, since the Forest of Death, how powerless he was against them.

They made him increasingly aware of his state of mind, made him realize how far he'd gone; they made him forget his fury, forget the darkness, forget everything else but the love that was in her eyes. A love that calmed him, reassured him, made him breathe. They portrayed everything she felt about him: love, fear, worry, affection, anger, sadness, happiness and trust. He was able to understand her feelings and interpret her actions with a single look.

And she was able to weaken his resolve with a simple stare.

Whenever he saw that deep worry in her forest green eyes, whenever he saw just how much she cared for his wellbeing, both mental and physical, whenever he saw the tears and the love and the fear—he caved. He always, always caved.

This was why he couldn't look at her, the night he deserted Konoha and encountered her on his way out. This was why he could do nothing but walk past her after telling her, with closed eyes, to go home and sleep. This was why his back remained to her, even during her confession—no, especially during her confession. He didn't know if he could have walked out of there that night, had he seen those eyes full of tears and love and hope and promises and—

No. No, he couldn't have.

Even her words of forever and always, and happy endings—even those were almost enough to make him stay. Almost. But it was those words, those retched words spoken in a tone so incredibly sad and sure, like she believed them to be true, those filthy, incorrect words of hate—

("You've always hated me, haven't you Sasuke-kun?")

—that made him look back. Words that angered him and saddened him at the same time, words that he needed to prove her wrong about.

No, I don't fucking hate you, he remembered thinking angrily. Don't you see it, Sakura? Don't you fucking see it? I care about you guys too much! That's why I need to leave, because I care about you and the dobe too much! Too damn much.

He had to look at her then, had to make her understand that he didn't hate her and he never hated her, he just hated his brother and—damnit.

So he turned. And he smirked, gently. And he threw back words in her face—words he claimed he hadn't remembered saying to her. Proved to her that he didn't hate her, in his own way.

And then there was shock and realization and love and hopehopehope in her eyes and he just had to wrench himself away from her before he caved—before those big, beautiful eyes succeeded in making him stay.

He fisted his pocketed hands tightly and gritted his teeth, then, forcing himself to walk away from her and forget everything. But then she started shouting after him desperately, quick feet scurrying on the pavement, running after him to try and keep him here but—

("If you go, I'll scream and—!")

—but he wouldn't let it happen. He couldn't.

So he disappeared behind her.

His breath puffed against her mop of pink hair, fisted hands still in his pockets, and eyes as soft and as guilty as ever.

Stop it, he pleaded in his mind. Stop making it so hard for me, stop trying to make me see how hard it would be to lose me because I know, I know and I—

"Sakura," he called, almost gently.

I don't want to do this. I don't want to leave you, and the dobe. But I have to. I don't have a choice—

His heart ached.

"Thank you."

His fingers hit a pressure point, and her body collapsed forward. His arms slipped around her before she could hit the ground. His eyes softened again.

He carried her over to the stone bench lying a few feet away from them, and gently put her down, fingers interlocking with hers for a brief moment.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

—because you make me weak. You are my Achilles Heel.

A/N: I did warn you some might be really short. Don't whine, at least it's decent.

Do I have to mention again how much I hate the reviews who just tell me to update soon? Because I'm starting to get pissed off. If that's all you've got to say, don't bother. This might make me sound snobbish but whatever, I mean what good does it do to me? It just makes me feel rushed and like fanfiction is my job. Please stop doing that.

On the upside, next update should be tonight, hopefully, and should be longer than this one but not by much.

DeepPoeticGirl