Carnival
Summary: Where Sasuke is an awkward turtle, and Sakura is wooed.
It all started—as much usually did, now a days—with Sarada trying to bring her parents closer.
"Take her on a date," she gushed. "Give her flowers. Go on a romantic dinner."
That was how Sasuke found himself shuffling along the streets of the Konoha Carnival, looking anywhere but his wife. For her part, Sakura was behaving—she hadn't tried to romance him. Yet. He found he was quite fond of her small, amorous gestures.
"So…" she said, casually looking around, hands behind her back, reminding him so much of the girl she used to be. His heart clenched a little in his chest.
"Aa?"
"What bought this on?" she asked, looking around curiously at the paper lanterns, the food stalls, the rides.
"Hm," he grunted nonchalantly, shifting slightly closer, so that their arms touched.
She looked at him from the corner of her eyes and tried to, very subtly, wind an arm around his waist. Instantly, his PDA-dar went haywire; his cheeks flamed with an angry blush and he involuntarily put a foot of distance between them.
She gave him a pitiful look with half a teasing smile. Tonight, she seemed to promise with her eyes.
Sasuke swallowed hard. Squished in the pocket of his pants was a wilting rose. Sarada's voice in his head urged him to present it to Sakura.
As she led him to a secluded bench, he sat down and let her press against his side. Working up the nerve, he dug out the droopy flower from his pocket and abruptly thrust it in Sakura's face. His eyes, however, roamed wildly, looking anywhere but her, so he missed the smile that threatened to crack her face in half. She snatched it out of his hand and held it close to her heart. "Thank you," she whispered, a little teary.
Sasuke finally looked at her—her bright red cheeks, the shy grin, how she self consciously tucked her hair behind her ears—and his heart tightened a little in his chest.
"Aa," he said, turning back to the festivities, his hand awkwardly reaching out to her's.
x
fin