She almost lost her life three weeks before he married her.
Just when almost all the preparations had been complete. Their clothes already prepared in a special room, the ceremony, the celebrations - everything had been set.
But there were people who wanted him destroyed even before he was proclaimed Hokage.
Her body was a bloody mess as his tears flowed endlessly, his arms wrapped and encased her, sworn to love and protect, but that time he had been too late.
He swore he could have died right then and there as his sense of denial reached the limit, a pain so strong, so overwhelming had caught him, slowly engulfing his body and mind, to bury him in a pit of despair, to blind him in darkness that fought that light she was in his heart.
He shut his eyes from it all. She was his bride. This was not real.
He felt weak fingers claw at his shirt. Fear had finally taken over as he shut his eyes once more, pain searing anew, heat washing over his form.
Naruto, open your eyes.
Her voice was the softest whisper, and he was so scared he would never hear it again. He held her, closing the space between their chests as he kneeled on the forest floor.
Naruto.
He heard again, and the fingers had spread out over his heart. Hot tears flowed from the side of his neck. Tears that weren't his own.
His eyes shot open and he slowly realized that the heat he was feeling was her, his Sakura-chan, alive. Her face was still bloodied, but the seal on her forehead glowed, and all over her body lines marked and crossed each other; and slowly, but surely, she was healing.
His breath caught in his throat as he watched her fatal wounds close themselves, blood evaporating into thin air. Soon her face was clearly visible to him; and he was never happier to see her beautiful face smiling again.
"Hey," she whispered, drawing herself closer as she wrapped one arm around his neck. Their noses touched, and she lingered there, inhaling deeply, then releasing the air on his lips; a satisfied smile appearing at his involuntary shiver.
"You scared me there," he whispered, wrapping his arms all the more tighter as he peppered her cheeks with soft, chaste kisses.
"I'm sorry it took me a while. I was too weak-"
"No you're not... But don't ever leave the village again without telling me alright?"
"I promise. I'm so-"
He silenced her with a searing kiss, losing himself when she returned in earnest; her form melding into his. They kissed till their lungs protested for air, each whispering sweet nothings at the joy of reunion; a new found appreciation for each other's life.
The sun had set over the forest, and as they stood across each other underneath a lone tree, they exchanged vows even before they joined in matrimony, promising to protect each other from that day forward, no matter what.
A/N: The past chapter was written in contribution to tumblr's Narusaku 2014 celebration. I wrote this with the NS2014 theme Protectiveness in mind, but since I'm not entirely sure it's what it came out to be did not tag it as such.
I guess I kinda viewed it as some sort of resolution for them both, because at the end of the day they both know what each other is capable of, but despite of that they won't ever just sit there and let it fly, so to speak. Their desire to protect each other will always be there, and that's how I imagine their relationship will be. :)