Six years later

"Thank you!" Sakura said, her voice booming across the Ame stadium. "Have a great day, thank you so much!" The lights faded out, but the cheers didn't. Sasuke didn't move from his spot at the bottom of the stairs behind the stage. He had dodged the security barriers and walked past the security guard with a nod.

They hadn't seen each other in a week; Firestyle had been in Oto for a series of shows. The band had made good time traveling to Ame, and were ahead of schedule for their festival performance the next day. Sasuke hadn't told Sakura that, however. She was expecting to see him that night. Sasuke had texted Tsunade to ask about Sakura's whereabouts, and she had directed him to the smaller stage where Sakura was playing an acoustic afternoon show.

Sasuke remembered these rickety metal stairs all too well. He hadn't banked on it being the exact same stage from seven years ago, the first time he had waited for her after a show. Sometimes the stars aligned in fitting ways. Even now, Sakura had a very small crew backstage. Sasuke crossed his fingers that she would be the first one out so they would be alone. His stomach was doing somersaults, despite his rock-solid knowledge that she felt the same way about him as he did about her. Any moment now...

And there she was, wiping her forehead and about to come down the stairs. It was so similar to that first time. Sakura froze when she saw him, eyes wide, and then she smirked. "Oh my God, of course. I should've known you'd pull a stunt like this."

"Like what?" Sasuke got down on one knee on the pavement. Sakura froze again, now halfway down the stairs, and stared at him. All traces of her smirk were gone. "Are you going to stay there?" he asked after a moment.

"Sasuke..." Sakura came down slowly, until she was standing right in front of him.

"I love you. Will you marry me?" Sasuke asked her. He had tried longer speeches but nothing had sounded right. He hoped all of his feelings were in his words.

Sakura rolled her eyes and smiled. "Yes." She took his hands, pulled him up, and kissed him. After a moment, she pulled away. "I mean, assuming this isn't some sick joke." Sasuke snorted. "That's what I said when you asked me out, right?"

"Tch. Yeah. Of course it's not a joke."

Sakura hugged him tight. "I love you, too. Whatever happened to not getting married until we're older?" she asked over his shoulder.

"When's older?" Sasuke muttered. "Today just felt like the right day."

"I guess that's what older means, then."

"We don't have to do it immediately," Sasuke said.

"I don't think we'll be able to, considering our schedules," Sakura said, and then started laughing.

"We have a month before we both leave for the summer," Sakura said. "Should we finally make good on that engagement before then?"

Sasuke's lips twitched. "Probably."

"I honestly just want to do it so it stops being the first question I get during every interview. Not to be unromantic." Somehow Sasuke and Sakura's engagement had gotten out to the public immediately after it happened, almost a year ago now. It felt like everyone had been clamoring for a wedding ever since the news broke. For whatever reason, the two of them hadn't planned anything. They were constantly busy, and it wasn't like being married would change anything between them. "We don't need to be married to be in love and committed to each other," Sakura had said multiple times to an exasperated Ino (who was just as bad as any gossip commentator in terms of wedding-related nagging).

Sakura's mind was going over possibilities, mainly ones that would fly under the radar. In other words, the opposite of Ino and Shikamaru's wedding two years ago, which had been beautiful, elaborate, and huge.

"We don't have to," Sasuke said. "We can go to the courthouse. Sign a paper and that's it."

"My parents will not be happy if I don't have a real ceremony," Sakura said. "I mean, they would obviously wave it off, but they're both romantics at heart. And Ino would kill me."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "She can deal with it."

"What about something really small and simple?" Sakura asked. "So the press doesn't hear about it. I wouldn't want a lot of people there, anyway."

"Okay," Sasuke said, nodding.

"My parents, Ino, the boys and Hinata. And Tsunade. Anyone else?"

"Kakashi," Sasuke said. He was the closest thing to a father figure that Sasuke had, so it was only fitting to have him there.

"Right, of course." Sakura frowned. "Do you think people would be offended they weren't invited to anything? Maybe we should have a party."

"Do you want to have a party?" Sasuke asked, frowning. "I'll do it if you want, but..."

"I mean, not really." She grinned. "It's our day, right? And we had a huge party pretty recently." Sasuke and Ino had thrown Sakura a surprise party for her twenty-fifth birthday. Upon finding out that the two of them had done it together, with no other help, Sakura had realized she would've loved to witness the planning sessions. Even after six years, conversations between Sasuke and Ino were amusing to witness.

"Do you want to do it in Konoha?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, maybe..." Sakura frowned. "Actually, no. Let's do it here. This is where we really got to know each other. And it'll be easier to organize. Assuming everyone can come, the less time before it, the better."

"We can enlist the others to help," Sasuke said, rolling his eyes. "And Ino would be good."

"Yeah," Sakura said with a smile. "She'll love this."

They convened in the band's old penthouse (which technically now belonged solely to Kiba) to tell the rest of the band altogether. Sasuke was expecting his bandmates to make various teasing and obnoxious comments, but Kiba just rolled his eyes. "Dude. You've been married for eight years."

"Congrats, teme," Naruto said. "Glad you're finally doing it."

"It's about time," Shikamaru said. "Are we invited to the wedding? The three of us, I mean. I assume Ino's going to be your maid of honor, Sakura."

"Damn right," Ino said.

"Why wouldn't we be invited?" Naruto demanded.

"Because maybe they don't have to have a crazy big wedding," Shikamaru said. "God knows they take forever to plan."

"You're all invited," Sasuke said. "But don't say anything about it to anyone."

"Kiba, are you gonna feel left out after this?" Naruto asked.

"Are you kidding me? No way I'm getting married anytime soon. You three are crazy for giving up celebrity advantages so early."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "We actually wanted everyone together so we could get your thoughts on the planning."

"I'm flattered that we're being included," Kiba said, leaning back on the couch and smirking. "But isn't it too early to ask for input on seating charts? You guys just started planning."

"The wedding's happening this month. We both leave in less than four weeks before summer tours," Sakura said. Kiba raised his eyebrows.

"So it's a really small thing," Shikamaru said.

"Yeah," Sakura said.

"Where?" Ino asked.

"Haven't decided," Sasuke said.

"Actually...you know Kumo Park?" Sakura met Sasuke's eyes. "I was there with my mom one day and she made some comment about it being a good place for a wedding. I rolled my eyes then, but I was thinking about it, and I really like that idea? Like, in that secluded area with the rose bushes. How do you feel about it?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I'm up for whatever you want to do."

"I just want something nice, that's not in a church or in, like, Naruto's backyard. Because that's our only option in terms of total privacy. No offense, Naruto."

Naruto waved a hand and grinned. "None taken."

The last thing Sakura wanted was the press catching wind of where the wedding was happening. Naruto and Hinata had recently bought a spacious house with a large yard and a tall fence. But Sakura wanted a place somewhere in the city that was equally hers and Sasuke's. This is the problem with deciding to have a real wedding, Sakura thought. Suddenly you can't help wanting symbolism and something picturesque.

"If you're looking for privacy, a public park probably isn't your best bet," Shikamaru said, frowning.

"Hold up. It's totally doable," Ino said. "There's a side entrance near the area you're talking about, I know because I filmed a music video near there a few years ago. So it'd be really easy to get in and out."

"Okay, but what about the people who are casually strolling through, and then catch sight of the most anticipated wedding of the decade?" Shikamaru rolled his eyes and pointed to one of Ino's tabloids that was lying on the table.

"We'd need a diversion," Ino said after a moment. "Something to draw people to another area of the park. It's a big place."

Sakura exchanged a glance with Sasuke.

"Or we could just have them close off part of the park for the afternoon..." Sasuke said.

"Use landscaping as the excuse," Naruto said, nodding. "Or maybe a deer giving birth." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"In that case, we'd need the park staff more involved than they'd normally be," Sakura said. "I doubt many wedding parties actively ask them to discourage people from coming into the park."

"You know they'd drop everything to make it work," Shikamaru said.

"It'll be great publicity, once it's over and the news comes out," Ino said. Sakura sighed but nodded reluctantly. "God, people are going to be furious that you guys are doing this in secret. You could've invited anyone you wanted and they would've come."

"They can deal with it," Sakura said. She glanced at Sasuke. "Also, we need someone to actually marry us."

"Jiraiya could do it," Naruto said immediately. "He can officiate. Officially."

"Seriously?" Sasuke shouldn't have been surprised that Naruto's eccentric foster father was also an ordained wedding officiant.

"Come on, teme, he'd be great."

"That sounds perfect," Sakura said.

Somehow, everything came together in three weeks. The park staff was more than happy to accommodate them. Sakura asked Shizune if she had a white dress somewhere in the wardrobe racks, and Shizune promptly showed up with five different ones to try on. "Are you sure you don't want to get a real wedding dress? I always imagined something with a sweetheart neckline and a chiffon skirt, maybe a corset back..."

"I just want something simple," Sakura said, amused and touched by Shizune's grand plans. "We're doing it at the end of the next week."

"Right. Well, this is my favorite, then." Shizune held up a dress with lace detailing and wispy, off-the-shoulder sleeves.

"That's...exactly what I was looking for," Sakura said.

A week after trying it on, Ino was helping her put it on for real. They were in Sasuke and Sakura's apartment with her parents, who were staying with them. Sasuke was getting ready with the rest of the band. Sakura wondered if he felt as weird as she did. After eight years of comfortable relationship, suddenly they were getting married. It didn't really signal a monumental change in her mind, but the symbolism of the moment was impossible to ignore.

There was a knock on the bathroom door. "Almost ready?" her mother asked gently. "It's almost two."

"Yeah, we'll be out in a second," Sakura said.

Sakura looked at Ino worriedly and bit her lip. "Do I...Do I look okay?"

"Forehead. Are you kidding me?" Ino said.

"I just...Suddenly I feel like the dress is, I don't know—"

Ino grabbed Sakura's shoulders so she was staring right at her. "Sakura. It doesn't matter if you wear a trash bag down the aisle. Especially not in Sasuke's eyes. You know that."

Sakura looked sheepishly at the ground.

"You look beautiful, you stupid amazing person." Ino said. "Stop doubting yourself, where's this coming from?"

"I don't know. It's just nerves, I guess. It just sort of came over me—" Sakura looked at Ino with wide eyes and twisted her hands.

"Listen to me." Ino said firmly. "You're finally marrying the guy who is without a doubt the guy. And it's just you two, and your best friends. There is absolutely nothing to be worried about."

Sakura nodded and then hugged Ino. "And to think I'm the one who always talks about weddings not really meaning anything."

"Of course it means something." Ino adjusted Sakura's hair and checked herself one last time in the mirror. "It's the physical representation of what you feel about each other. And it's for all of us, because we care about you both."

"Those reasons are a lot more convincing than any of your wheedling over the past few months," Sakura said, gently rubbing her eye.

"Don't you dare cry right now," Ino said.

Sakura shook her head. "It's just strange. When I first met him I was still so young. Not that I'm old, now. But back then I never thought that I'd be here eight-ish years later. I feel like we're all too lucky. I mean, look at us, two girls from Konoha who saw their dreams come true. And the boys, too."

"You're telling me," Ino said. "But we've got some talent, right?"

Sakura nodded and smiled. "More than some." She thought about Ino's career: tours, dance shows, and now a personal studio to teach and practice in addition to high-profile performances. Firestyle, still going strong after twelve years together. And herself: five albums, work with multiple organizations, fans who supported every new development in her music. And Sasuke, always a constant presence and comfort. The two of them had grown over the course of their twenties, but that core feeling had never changed. So many people had said that fame would eat them alive, but they had stayed above it. "Let's go," she said, and Ino smiled.

The two of them took a taxi to the park and ran in through the side entrance. Not that it mattered; there was no one in sight. Sakura hesitated on the edge of the garden. Ino looked at her phone. "Shikamaru says to come whenever you're ready. I'll lead the way."

"Okay." Sakura took a deep breath. "Let's go."

The park staff had been amazing: there was a wooden trellis at the far end of the little rose garden, in front of which Jiraiya stood. Sasuke was just to the side of him, facing the tall hedge. Due to the small number of guests, there were folding chairs arranged in a semicircle rather than rows. Petals were scattered along the short, makeshift walkway. Sakura, who was comfortable onstage in front of a thousand people, felt a twinge of nerves as she approached the little group.

The garden was secluded, so the only sounds were rustling branches and the faint rush of cars. There was no music, which had been a purposeful decision. Sakura didn't want to associate a particular song with this moment; she had enough of those kind of memories for other events in her life.

Ino walked a few steps in front of her, the childhood promise about being maid of honor at each other's wedding now fulfilled for both of them. Sakura looked around at everyone, trying to memorize the image in front of her: Kiba and Shikamaru; Naruto and Hinata, holding hands. A smiling Tsunade and Kakashi. Her parents, who both looked like they were holding back tears. Sakura had wanted to come down the aisle alone, but her parents stood in front of their chairs, and both of them took turns to hug her before she took the final steps toward Sasuke. Her attention turned fully to him. He was wearing her favorite suit of his, which was navy blue. Their eyes locked as she closed the distance between them.

Jiraiya looked between them and coughed. "Welcome everyone," he said. "I've been told to keep this short and sweet, so let's get down to business. Please excuse me if I start to cry."

Sasuke and Sakura exchanged an amused glance.

Looking back, Sakura couldn't clearly recollect their ceremony until its very ending vows. Jiraiya had paused before asking the final question. "Sasuke, do you take Sakura to be your wife, to love her for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," he said, his voice sounding husky.

"And Sakura, do you take Sasuke to be your husband, to love him for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Then, well...Sasuke, you may kiss the bride."

They leaned forward at the same time and Sasuke kissed her slowly, a few seconds that could have been an eternity. But it was over quickly, and suddenly they were turning to their friends and family, who clapped and cheered. Sakura thought she saw Tsunade wipe her eyes. She glanced at Sasuke with a slight smile. He smirked and squeezed her hand.

The whole group went back to Sasuke and Sakura's apartment afterward, where the two of them were surprised with decorations done by the band. Sakura pushed through the streamer-decorated doorway with a bemused smile. "Wow, this is amazing. But I thought we said no party," Sakura said.

"It's not a party, it's a gathering," Ino said. "If it makes you feel any better, I recycled a bunch of streamers from my studio's anniversary party."

"We have to celebrate for more than twenty minutes," her father said. "There's no wedding without cake." He motioned to the kitchen. "Your mother and I picked one up this morning. Not personalized, in case the baker told a newspaper." He shook his head, amused.

Sakura hugged him. "Thank you."

"Do you like the decorations, Sakura? Hinata was the real designer," Naruto said.

"I was going to say, I didn't think you and Kiba were this coordinated. It looks great, Hinata."

Hinata laughed. "It was nothing."

Everyone stayed until late that night. There were no plans for a honeymoon, at least in the immediate future, but eventually Sasuke and Sakura found themselves alone in the apartment again. They cleaned up stray streamers and put away the leftovers of the cake. Sakura stood by one of the big windows, folding up tissue paper.

Sasuke came up beside her and slipped his hand into hers. They watched the faint blinking of airplanes through the haze of city lights. "You think the news will be out tomorrow? The park staff was only sworn to secrecy for the day," Sakura said. She was anticipating the inevitable explosion of coverage.

"Probably," Sasuke said. "But I don't really care. You?"

"No," Sakura said. "Just another day, right?"

Sasuke met her smile, and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

Fame was one thing, but day-to-day life was another. In the future there would be new crises, new music, a hiatus, a daughter. They would face each turn together.

...

A/N: I just want to thank everyone who followed this story to the end (it took long enough, which is probably evident in the evolving writing style). The fandom isn't at fever pitch in the way it was in 2013/14, but it's really cool to know that people are consistently enthusiastic about this and my other stories. I also really want to thank those of you who left reviews all the time, you kept me motivated and always made my day better.

Fanfiction has been a weirdly integral part of my life for over four years; sometimes I forget how invested I was in sasusaku, and I have other writers to thank for that. I'll miss these characters, but I'd also like to focus on other things. I don't see myself putting anything new on here for the foreseeable future. If there's demand, I might post some short things on my tumblr, but otherwise...this is goodbye for now.

Thanks for reading.