chapter 7
"Sasuke-kun, I've told you I loved you plenty of times before, and although you've never said you loved me back.. you also never said you didnt love me either"! "Ive always fought for you love, and that's what im doing even now.. the only way I'd ever stop is if you didnt feel the the same for me".
" That being said if you really do want me to go back, I will, I'll go home and never ask to come with you again, I'll never wait for you to come home, I'll never ever tell you I love you again"! I'll just be as Naruto is to you, a comrade and friend.. If"! Sakura swallowed hard.
"If..you tell me right now, that you don't love me"! "You say that and I'll go"!
Sakura stood clutching her chest and crying uncontrollably, waiting for Sasuke's answer. Again he said nothing. Tired of waiting Sakura yelled, "Sasuke-kun, answer me"! "I wanna hear you say it out loud, tell me you don't love me, and I'll leave"! Sasuke shifted a little, he spoke barely above a whisper, "I..dont-
"Not with your back to me Sasuke-kun"! " Face me when you say it"! Sakura shrieked. Sasuke paused, "I'm not playing this game", he said monotone as he began to walk away again. Sakura bolted towards him, grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him to face her.
Sasuke eyes widened at her sudden touch. Sakura began hitting his chest weakly, as she sobbed.
" Why can't you just say it"! Sakura's shrill screech reverberated off the trees, " Just say those four little words, and I'll leave". Sakura kept advancing toward him still hitting him weakly, Sasuke kept backing up until he was stopped by a large tree. Sasuke caught both her hands.
Still crying so hard she could barely breathe, Sakura, cried out " Why can't you say it, Sasuke-kun"! She looked him straight in the eyes, "Why"! She screamed--
"Because it's not true"! Sasuke yelled sternly.
After a brief moment of silence he hung his head and spoke softer "It's not true", the second time he said it, he said it as if he was finally admitting it to himself.
He released her hands and walked slowly back towards the meadow and sat down on a large tree stump, with his back to Sakura.
Sakura, dried her tears, completely shocked by his words she stood silently for awhile. She mustered up all the courage she had and walked towards Sasuke and sat down next to him.
A long silenced followed, then Sasuke said, "Its because I have those feelings for you that I want you to go back", he spoke with his head down and eyes hidden by his hair.
"Sasuke-kun", Sakura sighed with her eyes shut, " What happened today -- "What happened is they insulted and attacked you simply because your with me, after you just saved the entire village from possible extinction"! He interupted with anger in his words.
Sakura sighed as she looked ahead, "Sasuke-kun, those were just words. "Look I know as well as you that words can hurt, but just because they hurt, and even if it was once the truth doesnt mean you should let it become who you are now".
She looked at him seriously, " You are what you answer too Sasuke-kun", she said as if she were scolding him. Sasuke twitched at her words. "Besides what he said about me didn't hurt my feelings any". Sasuke stared at her for a moment, then turned away.
"As I've told you before, my sins have nothing to do with you, when i said those words to you before, I meant that besides Naruto, you're the last pure thing in my life Sakura", and I dont want to ruin you, like I have everthing else, the path I chose in the past shouldn't plagued you, like it does me". Her heart ached at his words
"Sasuke-kun, you do know I will never blame you for the path you chose all those years ago, right"? Sasuke eyes widened and looked at her, she looked back and smiled softly.
"I can't bring myself to judge you or even be angry, and neither should anyone else, because to be honest I can't say I wouldn't have done the exact same thing if I were you, I mean no one else could say for sure, especially if they were never in your position". "You went through so much, and at such a young age, no one has the right to judge you ". Sasuke continued to look at her, but with a more gentle look now.
Sakura stared ahead continuing," I remember something, you said to me before you left the village the first time".
"After you said you weren't like Naruto and Me, you said we all had our own paths to follow from then on, and.. you were right, After you left Naruto and Me got stronger and smarter with you as our goal", and look were we are now". "I honestly don't think we would have gotten this strong if you hadn't left".
"I'll admit, it did hurt to watch you leave, but i realize now you needed to go out on your own and find your own path, you needed to create your own way, and even though you did things I'm sure your not proud of, you needed to figure it out for yourself, and neither I nor Naruto could stop you.
I truly believe you are the man your are now because of the mistakes you made". You are a good man Sasuke-kun, this journey of redemption your taking, the people you've helped already, proves that you are".
Sasuke was completely silent, no sound or movement coming from him at all. Sakura sighed. "Sasuke-kun, you told me that your brother, wanted you to be the future of your clan and the village, you can't do that if you don't let go of your past, because it follows you into your future".
"Naruto pulled you out of the darkness and brought you back into the light, now it's up to you to shine it on others who are like you, and light the way for the future of your clan".
"Sakura, why do you love me"? Sasuke said completely serious. Sakura was taken aback. "Well.. I cant really explain it.. its like trying to explain color to a blind person.. I.. just do" she explained.
Sasuke looked at her blankly, then looked away. Sakura sighed, " Its like i feel this pull towards you, like your gravity and your whats holding me here", she tried again.
"I just dont understand what you see in me honestly".
" There you go again Sasuke, your always trying to logically explain things.. you cant with feelings, you just feel them".
" Besides Sasuke I see alot in you, your brave, strong, smart.. you always seem so sure of yourself, and Ive always envied how you were always so calm in every situation.
Sasuke looked at her eyes wide. She smiled at him. "But those arent the reasons I love you, just things i love about you.
"What do you mean"? he asked. "Well, she said tapping her chin, lets say I name three things I love about you.. like your confident, brave, and strong right..well you're not the only person with those qualities, alot of people have those same qualities, like Naruto for instance, but I dont feel the way I feel about you, for Naruto.. you see"?
Sasuke nodded, he did get what she was saying now. "You see, so.. there's something more to you, like maybe we were meant to be together like destiny or fate or something, and at the risk of sounding cliche, I heard once that love.. is the souls recognition of its counterpart in another, and I wholeheartedly believe thats why I feel the way I do for you... Your my counterpart Sasuke-Kun".
Sasuke looked at Sakura a gentle expression rested on his face. They gazed at each other, Sakura blushed with her eyes shut as Sasuke picked up his hand and tapped her forehead.
"Sakura, she opened her eyes to see Sasuke looking at her with gratitude shining in his eyes, "Thank you", he whispered, for everything".
They drew closer together and touched lips, Sasuke kissed her with desire, and passion she didn't even know existed in him, Sakura felt her body grow hot and goosebumps filled her arms, he's never kissed her like this before. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips more firmly against his.
Sasuke's hand began to wander, nervously at first, but with no objection from Sakura, he continued more confident this time. They pulled apart only for a second to catch their breath only to come back together seconds later, this time filled with more love.
Sasuke slid his hand under her backside and lifted her up on his lap facing him, Sakura's hands were tangled in his hair and pressed her body as close as physically possible, they parted again and looked at each other, they both knew full well were this was leading.
Sasuke, Still holding Sakura on his lap, began tugging at her clothes, his lone hand unbuckling her obi belt. Slowly one article clothing at a time fell to the floor.
Once they were completely unclothed Sasuke gazed upon Sakura's bare form, he smiled gently and brushed her face with his fingers, Sakura blushed deeply. Sasuke gingerly picked her up, and laid her gently down on their clothes that they splayed on the meadow floor.
They looked into each other's eyes, almost as if they were speaking without words. "Sakura, I-I.. She smiled, and cupped his face in her hand, "I love you too Sasuke-kun".
Sasuke gave a gentle smile in response, and he took her there in that meadow. Full moon shining on their bare skin, fireflies gleaming like gold, a warm breeze moving through the trees and flowers and finally touching their naked bodies, and in that moment where Sasuke and Sakura's souls bonded, it really did feel like the center of the world.
Sakura woke to the warm sun kissing her bare back, her eyes fluttered open. Her vision blurred for a moment, then not recognizing her surroundings her eyes darted around frantically, trying to process where she was and what was going on.
She was in the meadow, then she looked down to see she was laying on Sasuke's bare chest, his lone arm wrapped around her holding her close . She blushed when she finally remembered what happened last night.
Sakura stretched and moaned softly. "Your finally awake", he said his deep voice a little hoarse. She looked up to his perfect face, " Yeah", she said smiling the blush on her cheek deepening. She sat up and looke to Sasuke, he was laying on his side looking at her softly, he wore only pants. Sakura could see his muscles ripple with each movement he made, it made her shiver. Suddenly she realized she was still naked, she wrapped herself up with her arms, and quickly grabbed her clothes from underneath her.
" Hmph, isn't it a little late for that" Sasuke said an amused smirk on his face . Sakura's whole face got beet red, and she nervously started tucking her messy hair behind her ear, and giggled .
With the burning flush still present on her face, Sakura slowly put on her clothes, she never expected to be this sore. She struggled to run her fingers through her tangled hair.
"You seem out of it," Sasuke said, his voice sounded concerned . "Do I, I'm sorry Sasuke-kun", Sakura hoped he didn't get the wrong idea, but was she ever. Stars in her eyes, head in clouds, heart fluttering, and bit lightheaded ..she was in a state of complete bliss.
Sakura slowly closed her eyes her mind wandered back to last night, moon gleaming on their exposed bodies, fireflies dancing around them. Sakura's fingers touched her mouth, it had be kissed so many times last night that she couldn't even hope to count.
Her fingers then lingered at the places on her neck where Sasuke had sweetly kissed, a recollection of how they almost tingled when his lips would touch each spot, appeared in her mind.
She bit her lip at the memory of their bodies intertwined, the beautiful sound of his staggered breathing and soft moans, and the intoxicating way he would gently whispered her name. Sakura felt a shiver run up her spine at the thought of how gentle he was with her but at the same time dominating.
Sasuke's voice brought her back down to earth, "We should probably head out soon". Sakura's gaze quickly looked to Sasuke, his voice had startled her."Y-yeah, she stammered acting like she just be caught doing something naughty.
After they'd eaten breakfast of freshly caught carp, they packed up their campsite and headed out.
Sakura was still completely scatterbrained as they left, she felt like she was flying high above the clouds, almost like a dream. Sakura glanced over at the man she loved, so very much, to find he had glanced at her too with a faint hint of pink on his cheeks.
Sakura blushed too and gave a genuine smile, his eyes grew softer and smiled the sweetest smile Sakura had ever seen on his face, that's when she saw something in his mismatched eyes.
In that moment, from that one glance into his eyes, Sakura knew that last night meant as much to Sasuke as it had to her. Sakura's heart filled with love at this realization, and somehow she knew Sasuke's heart had as well.
She felt they had a bond stronger than steel, like somehow, some way she could look into his eyes and know what he was thinking and Sasuke could look into her eyes and know the same.