SasuSaku Fest 2017

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Day 2- Insecurity

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Title: The Love He Deserves

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Summary: Her shift at the hospital has just ended and they're both having a nice dinner for two. Everything is going just fine until a figure from his past appears and shows Sakura that, unlike she had always imagined, her love for him was nothing. Not anymore.

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A/N: Okay, this one theme was too intense for me! I had lots of ideas that would fit it perfectly, and I ended up choosing this one mainly because of personal experience (if you could call it that way). There are tons of stories featuring a funny, jealous Sasuke, and I'm sure insecure, jealous Sakura will make the perfect balance! I hope you like it, and please, tell me what you think!

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" I cannot believe it! Uchiha Sasuke, is that you!?"

A sudden, loud voice crossed the entire room, drawing everyone's attention to the source of such sound. The chatting ceased, food was left aside and eyes turned from every table of the ramen shop just to acknowledge the one who had blurted out the raven haired boy's name like that. It sounded inconvenient and troublesome, and by the way his lips twitched, Haruno Sakura could tell that whoever that person was, her teammate, Uchiha Sasuke, wasn't pleased to have his dinner interrupted at all.

Perks of being a war celebrity, she thought, with an amused smile on her face.

For the pinkette had her back turned to the entrance, her emerald eyes could not see the one who was now approaching their table. At that moment, her conclusions were based solely on his facial expressions, and judging by how he was looking away and trying not to be seen, Sakura could easily tell how he was feeling. He was annoyed, and in a certain way, so was she, for she knew that their dinner was about to be disturbed by one of his crazy fangirls. The dinner she had been anxiously waiting for since she had last seen him, 36h before, when she started her shift.

It was their last dinner together before he had to go back on the road.

Life could be really unfair sometimes.

But she had to understand it, after all, her teammate has become a famous person after saving the ninja world. He didn't belong to her in any possible way, therefore, his popularity was none of her business. Neither her love for him nor the fact that they had already crossed the friendship line a couple of times gave her the right to buzz about his life, yet, not being annoyed was quite hard at times like that.

Especially at times like that.

After his defeated sigh brought her back from her thoughts, the pinkette realized there was no escaping anymore. He gave her one, last apologetical look, to which she simply smiled back, and stood up, turning his eyes to face the one who had successfully managed to reach their table. She was a persistent girl, Sakura thought. And as soon as her green eyes were able to actually see her, the medic realized that persistence wasn't her only characteristic.

" Sasuke-chan!"

The girl didn't even hesitate before throwing her arms around the Uchiha, to which the pinkette simply responded by widening her eyes in response. The childish suffix attached to his name made an annoyed vein pop out on her large forehead, and before she knew it, her eyes were already examining the uninvited guest, as she was ready to rescue her teammate from that killing hug.

Sakura was about to pull him away, but before she could even stand up, the pinkette found herself shocked by something she was definitely not expecting from that girl: beauty.

With long, black hair that flew around her shoulders, and the prettiest of the smiles ruling her lips, Sakura found herself staring at the prettiest girl her eyes have ever landed upon. She was thin, with the right curves in the right places, and with long and delicate limbs that resembled princess Koyuki herself. Her eyes, when she finally opened them, were colored in a dark blue that matched perfectly with the elegant, knee-length, marine dress she was wearing. Her skin was pale as a pearl, and the floral scent that followed her was simply inebriating.

That girl- whatever her name was- was really stunning. And for a moment, seeing her beautiful portrait next to the Uchiha, made Sakura's heart clench in a way it never had before. They certainly looked great together, and as she watched the other costumers simply smile at them before returning to their own meals, something bitter made her bite her lower lip in a pure reflex.

What could it be, she thought, looking down for a moment.

She certainly didn't know, but for the moment, she decided to brush it off in order to look back at the duo so she could offer them a kind smile. Fortunately, Sasuke had already gotten free from her scarless arms.

" Tch, Don't call me that, Asuka."

" Oh, Don't be such a brat, Sasuke-chan!" She pouted cutely. " I've always called you like that and you didn't complain about it before."

" That's because I was a kid."

" So?"

" Tch… Asuka." He looked back at Sakura, catching her off guard as she was taking a sip of her drink. " This is Haruno Sakura. My-"

" Oh my god! I know her! She's your teammate! The one who healed some people during the war! It's a pleasure to meet you, Sakura-san. I bet it must be hard to show off with Sasuke-chan in the team!"

A soft chuckle escaped the pink haired girl's lips as she tried to sound as kind as possible. Even if Sakura could clearly see the lack of interest in her voice, the pinkette understood her reasons perfectly. She was not the one Asuka was interested in, and at that moment, she was nothing but an insignificant spectator just like all the other costumers of the restaurant. The perfect girl only had eyes for the Uchiha, and Sakura doubted she would even pay attention to her words.

Still, in consideration to the link Asuka and her teammate shared, the Haruno girl did what she had to do in order to seem kind.

" The pleasure is mine. And yeah… Keeping up with him is almost impossible."

"I bet it is." She turned back to the Uchiha, just like the Haruno girl had expected, and her genuine smile returned to her lips. Of course, Sakura thought… " So, Sasuke-chan, how have you been? It's been, like, 12 years? More?"

" Hn, I don't know. Something like that. What are you doing back in Konoha anyway? Shouldn't you be marrying a prince or something like that?"

" Yeah, I should, but… Let's just say I gave up on that whole arranged marriage thing. And right now… " A blush creeped onto her cheeks, as she smiled softly at the Uchiha. Seeing such thing certainly made the pinkette's heart clench even tighter, as she decided to look away and take another sip of her tea. " Right now I'm looking for my own love."

By the way she looked at him with those dark eyes, Sakura only figured he would have to be blind no to see her real intentions. It was clear that she was talking about him when she mentioned the word love, and even if many were the times when the pinkette ended up overhearing a love confession destined to the Uchiha, not a single one of them had made her feel as shocked as the one coming from that perfect girl.

Asuka, unlike all the others and unlike herself, seemed to share a past with the real Uchiha Sasuke. She knew him before the massacre changed his life and his heart was taken by revenge, and that thought made Sakura's fists clench under the table.

Unlike herself, Asuka knew the original Uchiha Sasuke. She was in love with his real-self, and apparently, she could also fall for the mended pieces that were left of him.

She was the only one that could love him for what he once was, what he is and what he will be for she was probably the only person to have met him during all the phases of his life. And at that moment, the medical ninja knew that there was no way she could beat that girl.

Not when it was clear that her perfection could make him happier than she ever would.

It was a lost battle, and for the first time in years, Sakura felt like she didn't belong in that scene at all. Even if she had been invited for that dinner, she just knew, by the sudden urge to leave that took over her senses, that it was time for her to go home. It had been a long day, indeed.

Without even realizing, the duo had been talking while she was spacing out, and even if she could see his eyes looking for her every now and then, the Haruno knew what she had to do. After she finished her tea and wiped out her lips with a napkin, she slowly stood up, placing both of her hands inside the pockets of her crumpled skirt. Her messy, pink hair that refused to stay tied up in a bun was falling over her eyes, and the smell of antiseptics filled her nostrils as she started to move.

She was doing the right thing, she knew.

But it was not like he was not going to make things even harder for her.

" Sakura." His voice cut out Asuka's, as he expertly held her arm. It was clear that the Uchiha knew what the pinkette was about to do, and for a moment, a sudden anger took over his senses. " Where are you going?"

If she turned to face those stunning, deep eyes of his, Sakura knew all her courage and determination would disappear from her heart. She knew she couldn't trust herself when the boy who owned her heart was looking straight at her, therefore, the pinkette chose to simply avoid his deep, dark pearls.

" I'm just going to the bathroom, Sasuke-kun… I've drunk too much tea and I… I gotta go."

Her voice was low when she said those words, and much to her dismay, she could only feel his grip tightening around her arm. It felt, somehow, possessive and gentle at the same time, and if not for Asuka suddenly pulling him by the shirt, Sakura wouldn't have been able to walk away. She turned to head to the restroom, and when she found the perfect opportunity, she left after paying for their dinner.

On that night, she went home with her heart broken and her eyes crying silent tears because of a girl that had beaten her love and the scent that shoved her away.

On that night, unlike so many other nights, Haruno Sakura was going home all alone.

Wandering through the empty streets of Konoha has always been a certain kind of refugee for her. With the street lamps guiding her way through the darkness and the silent houses keeping her company, Haruno Sakura was now finally making her way back home after a long and disastrous night. Her body was still exhausted from her long shift at the hospital, her stomach was complaining about the unfinished ramen she left behind and her heart was aching at the simple thought of the Uchiha walking that girl home- wherever that could be.

Spending such a beautiful night like that alone should be considered a crime, and thanks to her selfless act, neither Asuka nor Sasuke would have to suffer the same penalty she was suffering at that exact moment. Neither of them would have to endure a broken heart, nor the regret of probably leaving behind the only person that could make them happy.

Neither of them would have to wake up with stinging eyes nor a dry hangover, and it would all be thanks to her. The selfless, kind and idiot girl who always ignored her own feelings in order to make sure the rest of the world was happy.

She really was an idiot, she thought, running a hand through her messy bangs. Regret was certainly going to pay her a visit for the rest of her life, and yet, at that very moment, the pinkette just wanted to go home to greet the emptiness of the heart she had just broken.

Sakura wanted to be alone. However, as soon as she reached her apartment door, the medic realized that loneliness had the most beautiful, dark eyes she has ever seen in her life.

That boy would be the death of hers.

" Sasuke-kun…" Her voice was low, as she stopped, almost 2 meters away from him. He had his hand hidden inside his pocket with his back resting against her door frame, and judging by his tired eyes, the raven haired boy had been there for quite a considerable amount of time already.

Was he really that much of an idiot?

Probably. And judging by his expression, that idiot wasn't happy at all.

" I thought you were just going to the bathroom." His eyes were glaring at her, and suddenly, Sakura found it hard to breath under his intense gaze. Her throat went dry, her hands were shaking, and at that moment, the pinkette decided to avoid keeping eye contact with him.

It would be easier, she thought, even if she couldn't really believe her words at that moment.

" I was exhausted, so I decided to come home, that's all. I didn't want to bother you and Asuka, so I ended up coming home."

" Hn, Do you seriously think I'm going to believe that?" He took a step forward, as his glare remained on her. " If that was true, Sakura, then you would've come straight home instead of wandering around for almost 2 hours."

Her eyes widened for a moment, as guilt took over her senses. So he had been there since the beginning, she thought. He had been there instead of been with the perfect girl that could and would make him happy for the rest of his life.

What an idiot, she thought, cursing him for his actions. At that moment, she got really mad at him, but such feeling didn't harbor in her heart. She had no time for that, after all. " Tch, you shouldn't have waited for so long."

" Oh, and what was I supposed to do?"

" You should- damn it… You should've gone home, Sasuke. That's what you should've done." She finally took her keys from her pocket, taking a step towards her front door until their shoulders were practically brushing. Sakura could feel his eyes following her and observing her every move, yet she didn't stop herself from placing the key inside the lock. A sigh escaped her lips, as her grip tightened around the key. " You shouldn't be here, Sasuke…"

Even if her words were basically sending him away, the Uchiha wasn't convinced by her inexistent argument at all. He could feel anger taking over, as he tried his best to understand the reason behind her odd behavior. If Sakura actually believed he would simply let her be after abandoning him back at the restaurant, the pinkette was incredibly mistaken.

He is Uchiha Sasuke. And leaving with no answers was not how he solved things.

Before she could even turn the key to unlock the door, his right arm was already resting next to her head, his palm pressed hard against the concert wall. She could feel his empowering body caging her small one, and his hot breathing was tickling her ear, making it harder for her to breathe. Sakura knew she could still open that door, but suddenly, all her strength faded from her body.

Damn it, how she hated him for doing that to her.

" Sakura…" His voice came out almost as a whisper, and suddenly, the pinkette found herself lifting her head a little in response. Her body was answering to his call, and even if that was infuriating, listening to her name slipping from his lips like that just felt too good. " Stop lying to me. Why did you leave like that?"

" Why the hell do you want to know, Sasuke?" She started to shake, swallowing dry as if trying to hold something back. The scent of that girl had impregnated his shirt and it was driving her mad. She wanted to get herself rid of that toxic fragrance for once and for all, and suddenly, it got extremely hard to reason.

" Because I want to. Come on, say it."

" There's nothing to be said."

" Yes, there is!"

The silence she chose after his words was the last drop of water before the raven haired boy decided seek for the one thing that he had missed for the past few hours. Abruptly, he spun her body around only so their eyes could finally meet. Her emerald eyes were widened in shock, and his dark ones quickly followed her lead as soon as he saw that red strip of pure embarrassment taking over her face. At first, she tried to look away from him in order to hide her face, but Sakura soon found it impossible to hide it from him any longer.

That bastard, she thought.

" Sakura… Why are you-"

" You shouldn't be here, Sasuke!" Her voice rose, making the boy take a step back in pure reflex. She was mad, he could see, but that was when she was the most sincere, he knew. " You… You should be with your friend right now! Stop being such an idiot and go after her- shannarou! She… She gave up on a freaking prince because of you."

" What?"

" Tch, you have got to be kidding right now!" She took her hand to her forehead, resting her palm against her yin seal and wiping away the strings of her pink bangs. Her face was still hot, and as she sought for his eyes in the most natural way, Sasuke could finally see what she was desperately trying to say behind her confused words.

Could it be…?

" Did you at least walk her home?"

" Are you talking about Asuka?"

" Of course I am!"

" Hn, no, I didn't walk her home. Why?"

" Oh my god! You're a terrible husband, Uchiha Sasuke!"

" Husband!?" His eyes widened in pure shock, for he just couldn't recall his own marriage with his old acquaintance. In fact, he didn't even remember having feelings for her or anything like that. "Are you insane, Sakura?"

" No, I'm not. Tch, Don't tell me you didn't see the way she looked at you."

" Not at all."

" Oh, Come on, Sasuke." She threw her hands up in the air for an instance, as she was now glaring at the raven haired boy's naiveness. " She wanted you, and… And you would have to be an idiot not to want her back."

"… What are you talking about, Sakura? Asuka and I… Hn, we're barely friends."

" No… That's what we are, Sasuke… You guys are… You're different. You've shared memories from a time I'll never understand anything about. She knows you better than I do. The real you."

The sad expression that took over her face was messing with his heart, for at the same time he found it incredibly infuriating, a part of him couldn't help but feel amused to see that kind of reaction from her. At that moment, the powerful kunoichi was completely vulnerable in front of his eyes, and somehow, knowing she was like that because of him brought him a really good sensation.

Haruno Sakura was pouting, and it was all because she was jealous of a girl whose name he barely remembered. She was jealous for the first time in her life, and even if she had absolutely no reasons to feel like that or to feel insecure, Sasuke knew he could not let that opportunity pass.

Not without rebuilding the girl standing in front of him.

" Sakura… Hn, Don't be stupid. She doesn't know anything about me."

" Of course she does! She met you before the massacre and you guys have history together! Besides… She's just perfect."

" Perfect?" He lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "How?"

" Tch… She's beautiful, Sasuke… Her hair is just beautiful, her eyes are stunning, she's delicate and she was going to marry a prince! She's the perfect girl for you and for the whole Uchiha clan."

" And what about you?"

" What about me?"

" Don't you think you're the perfect girl?"

" Me?! Pff Don't make me laugh. Just look at me… I'm a mess with pink hair and dark circles around my eyes, who smell like antiseptics and punches my way through things! I could never marry a prince, and now that I look at her, I can tell that I could never make you and your clan proud." A sigh escaped her lips, as she massaged the back of her neck in pure exhaustion. "Besides, I'm annoying, you've told me that many times."

As he looked at the defeated, blushing, jealous form in front of him, the Uchiha couldn't hold back the smirk that creeped onto his lips. Listening to how far her mind had taken her in such a short period of time was certainly amusing, and indeed, impressive. She's always been good at overthinking and when she hadn't slept for almost two days, it was clear that her ability just improved.

At that moment, he could see that she had just ignored everything she has done to become the amazing kunoichi she is, and all she did during the war was simply reduced to nothing. She allowed her insecurities to take over, and easily, a pair of ordinary eyes outshone her own emerald ones.

Haruno Sakura was certainly annoying, he thought.

But he just couldn't get mad at that cute, insecure girl.

" Are you really that stupid, Sakura?"

" What?" She glared at him, not happy with the way he addressed her.

" Hn." He smirked, looking deep into her eyes. " Do you really think she's better than you?"

" Well, it depends on how you look at it…"

" Not, it doesn't. Tch, You're a war hero who has punched a goddess in the face, damn it. You've surpassed the Godaime, and this mark on your forehead proves pretty much everything I've said." He stated, blankly flickering her forehead with his fingers, making the girl wince in pain for a second. She was pouting in pure rage now, and at that moment, Uchiha Sasuke realized that he just loved seeing that blaze taking over her eyes.

She's definitely perfect, he thought. And you bet he was turned on by that annoying girl in front of him.

"Oi, that hurt, you-"

His lips were suddenly pressed against hers, preventing the girl from continuing her threat. Sasuke lifted her chin with his fingers, as he slowly pressed her body against her front door. It was a long, chaste kiss, that left both of them with their hearts beating faster and their eyes hazed by pure desire. He could still see doubt spread around her face, and he couldn't wait to wipe it off later that night.

Later that night, while they were both trapped in a dazzling love, he would show her that her love is the only one that can satisfy his soul.

And even if seeing that side of hers was incredibly satisfying, Sasuke knew it was time for him to stop teasing that girl.

His annoying girl.

" … Are you… Are you sure?"

" Aah… And I know all the members of the Uchiha clan agree with me."

" Tch, you're an idiot, Uchiha Sasuke…"

" And you're jealous, Haruno Sakura."

At the sound of his words, the girl couldn't hold back her own smirk. She tugged her hands on his shirt, gaining courage with each, new, hot breath that filled her lungs. Her eyes were burning in pure lust, and at that moment, the pinkette knew that there was no turning back anymore.

Not for her, and certainly not for him.

Oh, and she couldn't wait to rip that stinky shirt from his body.