Optional OST: Blossoming Heart by Danny Rayel OR Tangled Up Staind
Sooo this fanfiction was rated T for a reason, which will be explored in this chapter. If you're uncomfortable with sex or anything like that, I'd suggest maybe waiting until next chapter. I definitely don't judge and I'm just thankful that you've stayed with my story this far! I promise this'll be the most of it. Sasuke and Sakura did conceive Sarada, so I felt it necessary to include. Thank you readers :3
...
"Sakura..." he said her name like a prayer, deep and husky. And she fell into his arms in shock. He grasped her with a warmth and gentleness she had forgot existed within him.
As surprised as she was, the whole thing came so naturally to her, as if they had been meant for this all along...She smelled his scent, allowing herself to become tangled within his grasp. Lovingly she planted kisses all down his cheek, pulling his muscular form even closer to her own body.
He breathed in deeply, pressing his face against her own.
How did we end up here...?
Before she knew, he was above her on the bed, his bangs hiding his eyes from her view. She felt his muscles tense as he grasped her.
"Sasuke-kun, I-" Sakura stammered, blush reddening her face like mad, "Are you - "
Then she was quickly interrupted when his lips found hers again.
She took in the taste of his kiss, the smell of his skin, and felt as if she were high. He quickly let his weight down on her, closing the distance between their bodies and she felt his muscular chest against her own, his manhood achingly close to her own body...
She was melting. Or dreaming. Or dead. But this couldn't be happening.
He ran his fingers through her hair, breathing her in deep.
Lovingly she stroked the side of his face, gazing into his eyes; shocked only to find his Sharingan activated. Her heart pounded, waiting for a genjutsu that never came.
His fingers grasped the hand that was gently running down his cheek, and tightly interwove his fingers with hers.
She could feel his heart racing in his chest from where he lay over her. Was he as nervous as she...? What was he feeling right now...? Was this even reality...?
"Sasuke-kun," she murmured, catching the anxiety on her own voice, "I - "
"Shhh...," he murmured over her, silencing her with a kiss once more, "...Don't be nervous...you...don't have to be afraid of me..."
"I-I'm not," Sakura broke away from his kiss, temporarily, "It's...just my first time...!"
She found his smile beneath his jet black bangs.
"I'll be gentle...," he tapped her forehead again.
Shock pulsed through her veins. That gesture again... She found the confidence to continue giving herself to the man she loved so much...
Her arms wrapped around his back, squeezing them closer together. He sighed heavily, pressing his face against her own. She then pushed him away long enough to tear his shirt away from his body.
She beheld his figure in awe, amazed by the sheer beauty of it as well as the scars that told his story. She wanted to know each one, the sharp line on his arm, the large splattered one on his chest, the countless others, how he got them...but that was for another time. He gently pulled her shirt from her as well to reveal her bra beneath.
Slowly, he returned to his position atop her, savoring the newfound sensation of their skin together. She stroked his now bare back, lovingly planting kisses all along his neck. Especially where the curse mark had been.
Before she knew it, they were naked, and he was positioned to enter her. His strong muscles kept him above her, and for a moment he hesitated.
"...Are...you sure...?" his bangs hid his eyes from her face, and she knew the deeper intention of this question. Are you sure you trust me this much...? Are you sure you are willing to give yourself to me...after all that I've done...?
"Sasuke...," she gasped sensually in his ear, "Please..."
She moaned loud as he entered her with a thrust that rocked her to her core. She closed her eyes as sweat beaded on her forehead. There was no sharp pain as she'd heard there should be...only sweet, primal pleasure.
"S-Sasuke...kun," she breathed, "...Oh god..."
"...Does...it hurt...?" he hissed from above her
"No, oh god...Sasuke-kun...it's...so deep..."
He groaned quietly, as he began to rock her back and forth.
She moved with him in ecstasy, passionately kissing him again and again.
"I love you so much, Sasuke...oh god I love you...," she moaned, and he began to rock her harder and harder until she was screaming his name with adoration. He moved roughly with her in his arms as he pushed her up against the wall, pushing deeper and deeper inside her.
She finally cried out in sheer ecstasy, feeling everything within her tighten around him as she moaned, as he rode her climax. He reached his climax soon after when his hips bucked passionately with hers, clutching her breasts and groaning with his own pleasure.
She finally opened her eyes to find his sweat covered face before her, eyes gazing earnestly upon her body. He sighed deeply and collapsed heavily into her arms.
His scent was that of pine, fire, and masculinity, and it had never been so strong as now. She kissed his shoulder that was pressed against her face, feeling his soft hair tickle her cheek.
And with them, this once wasn't ever enough. The whole night, the air was filled with their sweet cries and moans of pleasure...As if the entire world had fallen into the right place, and all the tension had been removed between them, she would always remember this night with pure happiness...the happiness they had always deserved together.
When she had finally fallen asleep, after the entire night of lovemaking, he quietly observed her sleeping form where he slept naked next to her.
"I...love you...too..." he whispered to her sleeping form beside him, planting a single kiss on her diamond seal.
...
She woke with the sunrise that next morning.
It was a gorgeous sunrise. Bright hues of red and pink blended together in fluffy clouds, illuminating the landscape before her. It cast a pink glow on the room that engulfed her. She pulled the sheets closer to her, smelling the scent of Sasuke...?! She sat up, only to realize she was wearing no clothes...
And then she remembered...
Last night!
A red feverish blush crossed her face, matching the sunrise itself. But the bed was empty beside her...
Where was he? She grasped the inn's white plush robe, pulling it across her naked form and hopping out of bed -
He was standing gazing out the window. Relief flooded over her, so he didn't leave...thank Kami...
But then...what? How to react? What did this mean for their relationship? How do you casually bridge such a monumental act? How was she supposed to act around him anymore? All these questions raced across her mind, and before she reached a panicking crescendo, his soft voice broke the silence.
"...Sakura," he quietly murmured, turning to face her. Her brain grew silent, and she bit her lip in anticipation. He crossed the floorboards as they creaked under his weight, only to place his single hand against her cheek.
"...I don't have much to offer you," he gazed into her eyes as if looking into her very soul, "...I'm an ex-missing nin, I've gone astray, and you've seen me at my worst..." Her heart was racing in her chest now. What are you getting at, love...?
"...I've hurt you so many times, and you've never once stopped caring about me... and as much as I fear I don't deserve you, selfishly I don't want to lose you...because I care for you deeply, too..."
"...This is my mother's ring," he continued, and his gaze faltered from her own as he pulled out a beautiful golden ring with dark swirling rubies and white diamonds, matching the Uchiha fan. Sakura's heart stopped beating for a moment, and the adrenaline rush inside her almost made her miss his next words.
"...You're the only one I want to spend the rest of my life with...and I promise, no one will work harder to cherish you than me..." The room was blurry, but she could just make out the powerful shinobi get down on one knee.
" Haruno Sakura...will you marry me...?"
Tears had already welled in her eyes, but they now poured fourth like rain down her cheeks, dotting the ground between them. Sasuke gazed up at her in surprise, a worried expression crossing his face as if he had hurt her again. He had no time to respond, for she got down on the ground with him, pushing him over onto his back on the floor and straddling his lap to embrace him.
"Yes, yes, yes," she cried softly into his ear, "Anata I love you with all my heart..." From where she lay crying atop him, she did not witness the small smile that crossed his face.
He gently pushed her away from him just enough to slip the shining ring around her delicate finger. She sat up atop him, gazing down at it with reverence and admiration.
"Oh, Kami, Sasuke, it's beautiful...," she murmured, "...I know how much it means to you..." She finally met Sasuke's charcoal eyes, finding them soft on her own. He kissed her face softly, resting his head in the crevice of her neck.
"...I will cherish this always...this beautiful thing we have," she murmured softly into his ear, and he replied simply stating "I know."
They eloped that very next morning, in the small garden on the outskirts of the city, while the sun had begun to warm the Earth and illuminate the drops of dew on each and every plant; the morning sparkled and blazed with a new magic. It was simple, but beautiful and private, as the scents of various flowers wafted from the garden - in the private, secluded, and intimate company of themselves and Kami itself.
This quiet matched their love for each other - reserved but ablaze, unconventional but smoldering...as much as Sakura could never have pictured such a wedding, she could not picture one any better, one more fitting for the love they shared together. They wore simple clothes they had brought with them to meet the leader of the village. Quietly they spoke their solemn vows for each other, binding themselves together for eternity as all the floodgates of the separation and tension between them burst forth.
"...Sakura," his voice was deep and husky in his throat, onyx eyes staring deep into her soul as his bangs no longer hid the swirling purple rinnegan from her, "...You've seen me, at every possible point in my life, and yet still choose to bind yourself to me today...you've encouraged my growth, comforted me in my pain, and with your help, I've become a better person and will continue to..."
"...I vow my loyalty and love for you for all the days of your life...and still afterward, if there is such a thing as the afterlife. I vow to be a protecting presence, an anchor for you...the kind of husband you deserve."
"Sasuke-kun, Anata," Sakura stammered, tears forming in her eyes, "...My love for you has always been, and will always be...I vow to be there for you rain or shine, hard times or not, to fight for what we have...because you are my everything, dear, and to be your wife is my greatest honor...to be the mother of your children, your companion in our age...I vow to be the wife you deserve, and thank you for choosing me to be so..."
The sincerity and the intentionality of Sasuke was a side of him she was still adjusting to, and it took her breath away... With a loving embrace and a passionate kiss they became husband and wife in the most earnest and genuine way possible... And for the first time anyone could remember, the Hidden Rain Village stopped raining.
...
The following day had them back at their mission, albeit united closer in a bond that no one and nothing would be able to break. The day began in the village's governmental building - a meeting with the newly positioned leader of the Hidden Rain Village.
A stiffly standing guard in armor greeted them outside of the complex, and then escorted them down a series of hallways until they reached a large room. Sakura's arm was gently wrapped around Sasuke's, something she could never have dreamed would occur on a mission...she gazed up to his stoic face, admiration welling in her heart for this man.
The large doors were opened, and a well-built older gentleman with dark brown hair and silver streaks rose from his seat at the desk across from them.
"Hello, and welcome to the Hidden Rain Village," he greeted them in a low, raspy voice, "Although, strangely enough, we saw the sun yesterday." As he walked over to meet them, they both noticed how he walked with a pronounced limp and cane. Surely the man had seen his share of violence in his days and no doubt if Kakashi had appointed him, he had reached similar conclusions about the future of the world through his life.
"It is our honor to meet you, sir," Sakura bowed customarily, and Sasuke nodded bluntly.
"My name is Shiguire Motosuwa," he smiled warmly at them, "You are Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura, correct?"
"Uchiha Sakura," Sasuke corrected him, and Sakura felt her heart leap in her chest. If she didn't know him better, she might not have caught the subtle pride that was found in his voice.
"Oh, have you wed?" and when Sakura nodded, the man raised his hands, "Congratulations...I have heard much about you from the Lord Sixth, and your surname precedes you. I am quite pleased to have such capable shinobi working on our case...
...So what all do you know about our current situation?...What has the Lord Sixth told you?"
"...We're aware people are dying senselessly, without any apparent link between victims," Sakura informed him, remembering what Sasuke had told her.
"...And that the attacks began the day you were inaugurated," Sasuke added grimly, "...You have evidence to believe it is someone displeased with your appointment as village leader."
"Correct,"
"The most fascinating aspect of this all," the man's voice quieted, "...Is that no-one has ever seen the perpetrator itself. We only can identify there is one based on the kunai stab wounds to the necks of the victims...and though we're confident it was not self-inflicted, we cannot identify signs of a scuffle, either."
Sakura's eyes hardened at the notion, "...That complicates things."
"Indeed."
"...If he's wielding kunai, he's a shinobi, and will be bound to use chakra at some point," Sasuke interjected, "I'll be able to see him, so we'll find him. And, per your request, bring him to you, alive."
"Thank you," the man's relief was visible, as he bowed gratefully, "I just wish to prevent further bloodshed."
"As do we," Sakura reminded him, "...The world has lost so much with the last war. It's time for some new solutions."
"Agreed," the man nodded, "Unfortunately, I have no evidence to present you. The only thing we know for sure right now is the locations of the attacks, which I have marked on this map." He handed Sasuke the piece of parchment, with red X's where each victim had fallen. Sasuke studied it quietly, bending it to show Sakura.
"...I would suggest looking there, but I have doubts that any site would be revisited...I am completely at loss as to how to predict an attack. I just want to protect my citizens...they've suffered enough."
"...Understood. We will begin working on the case, corresponding with you using my hawk. It is harder to intercept," Sasuke explained, "...Farewell." As the couple departed from the room, Shigure added, "Be careful."
...
OST: Landslide, Fleetwood Mac
Sakura observed her husband studying the map as they walked down the muddy evergreen tree-lined road toward the village once again.
Husband...? The thought still seemed so foreign, and part of her still could not believe what had occurred only yesterday...that their lives had eternally intertwined, after all this time...
...Agh, we have a mission to complete, she berated herself, I have to think!
"...There aren't any leads for us to follow," Sasuke's voice sounded slightly irritated as it broke the silence, "...I guess that means we should create our own."
"H-hai...," Sakura nodded, trying to focus. She felt her face grow warm with blush and tried to suppress it, but she knew it was be for naught...nothing escaped the watchful eyes of the man next to her, her husband...His dark eyes found her face curiously, and she gazed away from him trying (uselessly) to hide.
A hand gently grasped her chin, tipping her face upwards to meet his own in a kiss. His black bangs tickled her face, and she grasped his face in her hands, as they kissed for a moment.
"...Relax, Sakura...," he sighed, and she caught the ghost of a smile cross his face, "...We'll have time...for...for us...I've already booked our lodging for tonight. Just focus for today, alright?"
"...H-h-hai," she was now tomato red, and as Sasuke turned away from her, his cloak blowing in the wind and his face concealed from her, she could hear a quiet amused "hn."
He cleared his throat, "As I was saying, we have no leads to follow, so we'll have forge our own. My suggestion is as follows: we speak with the townspeople around where the event occurred, see if they have anything or saw anything unusual preceding and following the attacks..."
"Alright," Sakura's head was beginning to clear again, "Let's go."
The two set off toward the first X: the border town.