title: Born to Be Three
prompt: SASUSAKU MONTH 2015
rating: K-M

summary: o25: They move back into the Uchiha compound to start their new life—together.

dedicated to: my baes on tumblr - i love you all!

NOTE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE MONTH: I wanted to add Sarada in many of these prompts, because she's a part of this beautiful family too /sobs forever at my babies having babies/ but sometimes I either couldn't find a way to fit her in and, to be honest, I have little experience writing about her! Hopefully that will change

.o25.
Plant Your Trees, Watch Them Grow

.

They move back into the Uchiha compound to start their new life—together.

.

Sasuke almost doesn't recognize his home, once full of warmth and joy but tainted by blood and nightmares. Now, however, with his hand in Sakura's, he sees the horror of that night disappear into the home it once was.

"We're home," Sakura says. She dumps the groceries onto the floor and begins to remove the foods from the bag. "Sasuke-kun, could you please put the leeks over there? I might want to use them later."

"Hn," he responds. He sets the items onto the table for Sakura to pack into the pantry and refrigerator, but making sure to place the leeks over there—wherever there was—and wraps the bag into a tight knot for later use.

"If you're not busy," Sakura continues. "Could you go out and water the garden? The plants are getting a little dry. I'm afraid the summer season is taking a great toll on them."

Sasuke fills the watering can with the hose and begins to survey the large area of land that needs attention. Haphazardly, he simply pours the water wherever he thinks needs it, not exactly knowing which plants are healthy and which are near death. But, he figures, all plants need attention.

His eyes wander towards the sprouting tree in the middle of the yard, separated from all the rest. It draws his attention like a beacon; he ignores all the other plants and walks toward it.

Looking down at the tree, only waist-high by this point, he notes how tall it's gotten since the day they planted it.

"Well," Sakura says. "You're back where you started, Sasuke-kun. Welcome home."

Her hand squeezes his, as if to ward all the evil memories that inhabited this home. With Sakura, though, he feels safe. This house is pure again.

"Ah, your mother had a beautiful garden."

Sasuke remembers having the duty of watering the plants with Itachi and Mama while Fugaku made tea for everyone. He still thinks of how heavy the full watering can was, and how Itachi and Mama laughed when he fell over and spilled it all over himself.

Sakura brings out the small plant and releases his hand to hand him a shovel and some soil.

"Ino gave this to us, for our wedding gift."

Sasuke scoffs. "Doesn't Yamanaka—"

"Ino," Sakura scolds. "Call her by her name."

Sasuke rolls his eyes. "Doesn't she own a flower shop?"

"Yeah," Sakura says. "But she gave this to us because she knows it's going to last a long time."

Sasuke is fine with this explanation, and begins to dig. The whole is deep enough for the tree to sit rooted in damp dirt. Sakura lowers the tree into its whole, and pats the soil around it to secure. This, of course, is her job—Sasuke doesn't have enough hands to pat evenly, and Sakura teases him for it.

He brings over the watering can and watches the trickles of nourishment blanket the tree and its tiny leaves. The liquid wets the tiny trunk and soil, seeping down into its roots. Sakura leans her head on Sasuke's shoulder.

"It's going to grow up big and strong," Sakura says. "It'll be beautiful."

"Aa."

"This is it," Sakura continues. "The start of our new life together." She glances up at Sasuke with a smile and presses a kiss to the corner of his lips, much to his embarrassment at her public affection. She giggles. "Just like this tree, my love for you will keep growing and growing until it can't possibly get any bigger."

He smiles. "Aa."

"Hey, Sasuke-kun, I thought I told you to water the whole garden! What are you doing—" Sakura calls out from the back door.

She sees him standing in front of their tree. His back slumps, only the slightest. The watering can has fallen to the grass, its contents spilling near his feet. He doesn't move.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura calls. "Are you okay?"

She joins him, standing by his side. His eyes stare at the tree, much taller than it was when they first planted it together only months ago.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"You said you would keep loving me more and more as long as this stupid tree grew."

Sakura ignores his derogatory insult at the gift her best friend had given her. "Yeah, so what? You think I'm going to go back on my word?"

"No," he says. "I'm just thinking how long it'll take before it's fully grown."

"Probably forever," Sakura responds. She grabs Sasuke's arm and tickles his chin with her finger. "Why, you can't wait for the full extent of my professed love?"

Sasuke has gotten bolder. He draws her into a kiss, but the blush is still very much there and will most likely be there to stay—after all, it's Sasuke.

"Just like this tree," he murmurs, letting her wallow in her shock. "Our love will live on, growing strong, even after this plant turns to dust and ash."

Sakura smiles. Her arms wrap around his neck. She holds him to her. "Welcome home, Sasuke-kun."

updates come regularly on tumblr for each day. I'm lazy at uploading on ff, but rest assured everything will be up by the end of this month. XD

note: chapter 12, white flag, has been replaced :)