Date: 6/20/13
Rating: T
Genre: Angst, Drama
Prompt: Postwar, Sakura finally confronted Sasuke about her feelings. Sasuke didn't know what to do and it led to a one-night stand. After a long time of awkward avoiding they bump into each other.
When Sasuke woke up that morning after he remembered thinking to himself, shit. He remembered how the sun was just beginning to rise, light beginning to stream through her blinds. He remembered how lightly she snored next to him, how she wrapped her arm around his torso, how she whispered his name softly—lovingly—in her dreams. He remembered how he leaned into her touch ever so slightly, relishing in her warmth, wondering how he could've survived without the warmth of another person for so long. He remembered how he wanted to stay. He remembered how he didn't.
He remembered leaving—quietly and quickly so he wouldn't wake her. But there was no note, no kiss goodbye, no last parting glance. Every trace of him was gone. And when he finally reached his apartment and took the coldest shower he ever had, every physical trace of her was gone, too. But it didn't matter how long or how hard he scrubbed, Sakura lingered—in his skin, in his thoughts. And he had to wonder: what now?
But that was weeks ago, and he had barely seen her since. Is she angry? he'd ask Naruto, but he'd only make a face as he responded, Why would she be angry? She's just really busy these days, that's all. But Sasuke knew better. She was avoiding him, and he was doing the same. There were too many things to say, too many things he didn't know how to say.
Sasuke sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked at the sky and continued walking towards his apartment. However, just as he turned the corner, he felt someone knock into him, hearing the dull thuds of countless books hitting the ground. And as he bent down to pick up a book and hand it back its owner, Sasuke's eyes widened.
"I'm so sorry!" Sakura exclaimed as she scrambled to retrieve her things, absently reaching for the book Sasuke held out to her, "I wasn't looking, and—" She looked up. "Oh, it's you! Um, wow! It's been a while, hasn't it?" However, Sasuke remained silent as Sakura finished collecting her things, offering a hand to help her up. She ignored him. "So," Sakura said, putting on a smile as she threw her bag over her shoulder, "how have you been?"
Sasuke pursed his lips as he took his hand back. "Fine."
"Well, that's good to hear," she said brightly, continuing to ramble, "I've been so busy at the hospital lately, you know, helping out the doctors and nurses with all of their patients. There's just so many of them! And on top of that I have all these new medical techniques to learn. It's quite tiring sometimes, but what you can you do? Anyway, I have to go. I'm glad we got to have this talk, and—"
"You've gotten good at that."
Sakura tilted her head, her painted smile never faltering. "Good at what?"
"Pretending," Sasuke said, eyeing her suspiciously, wondering what was going through her head, "Pretending everything's fine."
"What are you talking about? Everything is fine."
"Liar."
The corners of her mouth finally fell, her feigned expression becoming real, growing angry, irate. "Excuse me?" she said slowly, making sure she heard correctly, "I'm a what?"
Sasuke cleared his throat, uncomfortable. "You're lying," he said, more gently this time. But it didn't help; in fact, he seemed to have angered her even more. However, before Sakura could turn on her heel and walk away, Sasuke grabbed on to her wrist. "Wait, Sakura. We should—" Sasuke sighed. "We have to talk about what happened."
Sakura scoffed, rolling her eyes. "What's there to talk about? There really isn't much to say. You left." She tried shaking free from Sasuke's grasp, but he wouldn't let go. She glared, but he only glared back. "Fine. If you want a talk, then here it is," she said, taking a moment to gather her thoughts, "Do you know what it's like, to wake up, alone and confused, with no clue where the person you just confessed to the night before went, not even sure if or when he's going to return? Of course you don't. I just didn't think I'd be stupid enough to let it happen again."
Sakura shook her head, pumping chakra into her arm, forcing it out of Sasuke's hand. She was crying now. "I just don't understand what it is about me that makes it so easy for you to leave."
And without another word, Sakura ran—hot, angry tears streaming down her face. But Sasuke didn't even try to stop her, frozen in his spot.
She never even said his name.