Date: 4/21/13
Rating: T
Genre: Drama, Romance
Prompt: Team 7 has a sleepover after the war is over and Sasuke comes back. Sasuke has a nightmare.

Eyes opened to darkness. Sakura blinked a few times to get accustomed to the lack of light and sat up. Something woke her up. But it wasn't Naruto's snoring. No, this was something else. Sakura glanced at Kakashi, no, not him. She furrowed her eyebrows. Well, if it wasn't Naruto or Kakashi, it could only be one other person. She looked to her left. Sasuke-kun?

As quietly as she could, Sakura walked over to where Sasuke was sleeping. But when she reached him he looked anything but peaceful. His breathing was heavy, sweat running down his face as he tossed and turned. And soon, Sasuke began mumbling in his sleep. Sakura couldn't understand exactly what he was saying, but he sounded angry, confused, terrified. It was a nightmare; there was no doubt about it.

Rousing enough courage, Sakura took a deep breath and gently placed a hand on his shoulder to wake Sasuke up. But as soon she touched him, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to the ground. Sakura gasped. But before she could process what was happening, she found Sasuke on top of her, panting, Sharingan activated.

"Sa—suke-kun?" Sakura choked out. One hand was around her neck while the other arm propped himself up. He was looking at her, but he wasn't looking at her. She felt his grip tighten, squeezing the breath from her lungs. Panic began to settle in, but she forced herself to stay calm and slowly reached her hand upwards to touch Sasuke's face. "Sasuke-kun," she managed say. Swallow. "It's me. Just me."

Her voice must have snapped him out of his daze because she felt Sasuke's hand around her neck loosen. Red eyes turned dark, and he blinked a few times before he removed himself from on top of her. Rubbing her neck, Sakura sat up but remained silent. She heard him sigh as he grabbed a fistful of his hair in his hand.

"Sorry."

Sakura bit her lip as she reached her hand out to him, hesitating before she placed it on his back. "If you want to talk about it—"

"I don't," Sasuke said harshly.

Involuntarily, Sakura snatched her hand back as if he had burned her. Who was she kidding? She was foolish to think that things would be different now that Sasuke decided to stay in Konoha after the war. She nodded. "Okay, Sasuke-kun. I understand."

However, before she could leave, Sasuke grabbed her wrist.

"Wait," he said softly after a few moments of silence. "Can you just—stay here for a while?"

Smile.

Maybe Sakura was naïve for expecting drastic change. But something was different. She couldn't deny it. This was a start of a new chapter for them, for all of them.

"Of course, Sasuke-kun."