Smile
Based on: "probably what Kakashi dreams about~" by emmaburrito
Sakura's eyes were closed, but she was not asleep. She had crawled into bed with the intent to sleep, but found she couldn't even pretend. She instead had been laying there for over an hour, her eyes closed as she clutched Pakkun to her chest.
"When do you think he's coming home?" Sakura whispered to the small dog.
There was no answer from Pakkun, who'd dozed off with ease twenty minutes ago. His warmth was extremely comforting to Sakura, but she considered it merely a substitute to what she really wanted at that moment.
"I want to see him," Sakura continued softly. "Why isn't he here?"
She was wearing his shirt again. She'd been wearing it all day, since she'd discovered it at the very bottom of the laundry basket after the clothes were washed. She'd slipped it on without a second thought, as if it was the most natural course of action. Sakura had woken up in it enough for it to almost be instinct.
"He promised he'd come back," Sakura went on. "But he always says the same thing, doesn't he? He doesn't want me to worry. He wants me to believe everything will be fine..."
Sakura could have been talking in her sleep. However, she had not slept in two days.
"I have to smile," Sakura whispered. "I have to smile...even if….Kakashi doesn't…."
She was starting to drift off to sleep, despite efforts to keep herself awake. Thoughts of Kakashi were flooding into her mind, preparing to overtake any nightmares she might have. Sakura wanted those pleasant dreams. She wanted them more than she wanted to stay awake, waiting for someone she didn't know would be coming back.
"Smile….," Sakura uttered faintly.
The sounds of reality flickered out. Sakura was asleep, clutching the little ball of warmth that was Pakkun.
"No matter what happens to me, you have to smile," spoke Kakashi's voice in her memory, seconds before she drifted into slumber.
If she had stayed awake a little longer, she would have heard the front door open. A few minutes later, Kakashi entered the bedroom. His arms and forehead were extensively bandaged. The shirt he wore concealed a series of bruises, as well as a gash he'd managed to sew up himself in the midst of the chaos. Kakashi was pleased to notice Sakura was not awake. He wanted her to be calm, rather than shouting about how he should have gone to the hospital instead of checking in with her first.
Sakura was smiling in her sleep. She seemed to be having a nice dream.
Before leaving, Kakashi pulled the covers over her sleeping form and gently kissed her forehead. He might have been in pain, but at least Sakura was smiling.