You deserved better-
Sakura's breathe hitched in her throat.
Looking down at the man she'd just saved from the brink of death, it felt like a metal ball had been lodged in her throat.
Sasuke's fist had unfurled and lay in his lap. His shoulders were hunched forward and clad in his tattered shirt.
The early morning sun had started twinkling into the shrine. Casting soft shadows of shifting leaves all over the floor.
Sakura pictured her own inert body laying in bed and Sasuke slipping out the window.
Sakura's lips parted in a silent heartbreaking pause. She could list a million reasons why she deserved better, and why she had loved him anyways. Why despite everything, when they were together the world stopped turning.
Her lips closed back togethr, with a hurtful inkling it wouldn't change anything. She'd done enough, she'd given enough and she didn't need to be reminded that he couldn't be what she deserved.
She steeled herself, "I did deserve better," she uttered nearly under her breathe, so quietly only seasoned ears could pick up.
Sasuke let out a slow breathe of air through his nose in response.
"I have to get back to the village." she said calmly.
She unholstered her mask and smoothly placed it on her face. She felt an instant relief with the quiet click of porcelain. Sakura watched him out of the slits in her mask, and gave the Uchiha a moment to say anything.
Another unnerving silence overtook them leaving Sakura with no choice.
"Goodbye Sasuke."
Her words came in a hushed whisper. She realized this was more of a goodbye than he'd ever given her. Sakura formed a quick seal and disappeared in a swirl of cherry blossoms. The last thing she saw was the top of his raven colored locks.
Kakashi-sama,
No assistance needed
19 compromised
client request retrieved
will land in 3 days
- Blossom
Sakura breathed deeply and exhaled a shaky breathe, she'd escaped with her dignity intact.
After calculating her chakra reserves and she had just enough to move outside the shrine in the woods.
She leaned heavily against a tree for support and continued to try and even out her breathing. She didn't dare glance at the dilapetated building. Sasuke wouldn't actually come after her, but she wanted a clean escape.
She just needed to remind herself that she wasn't running away. Sakura had a mission to finish, and after all was said and done, her mission came first.
Without a sound the kinouchi slipped further into the forest. She would have never allowed any of her teammates to walk if they were in her current state, but she let her feet move on autopilot. She was a shinobi after all, she would survive and she would sort out her heart later.
Hours went by and she made her way deeper and deeper into the forest. Her mind was blank as each foot fall to resonated through the trees. But with each step she felt her heart sink deeper and deeper.
Finally Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. A small outcrop of boulders came into view in a thicket.
Sakura reached the boulders and stood in front of them, Kai-
The middle of one of the largest boulders disappeared and the opening to a small cave was revealed. Sakura stumbled blindly inside the dark expanse. She rooted around before pulling out some rations from a crate.
She'd found one of Kakashi's stash points.
Sakura sank against the cold wall to the entrance of the cave. She tore off her mask and began eating the nutritional cracker. Kami only knew how old the stale thing was.
Her body was exhausted, she'd pushed too hard. Her limbs felt like they were made of lead and she could barley move.
She swallowed her last bite dryly.
Her eyes wandered out into the clearing in front of the cave. A flash of white had caught her eye.
Two white butterflies danced and chased each other through the splashes of sunlight. They dipped and dived, coming together and then parting in a graceful display. Sakura watched wearily in exhaustion. It was hard to tell which one was chasing the other.
One of the butterflies swiftly landed onto her leg. The white wings were stark against her standard blacks. The other one followed and landed next to it. The two paused moving their wings slowly up and down in synchronicity. In the blink of an eye they ascended, fluttering out of view.
His fingers are soft.
They traced the shape of her face. Down her cheek, around her chin, up her jaw, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
He was he had softest smile. It tugged at the right side of his lips.
His eyes were half lidded in content, and his lavandar eye was brilliant.
She had boldly placed her head in his lap in the meadow outside of the training grounds.
He had equally as boldly begun playing with her hair.
A gentle breeze rustled their clothes as he leaned down.
Sakura stared down at her lap, small droplets of water dotted her pants. Another drop silently fell onto her thigh with a quiet thud. The water beaded before it bled. She deftly touched her cheeks feeling the moisture with her finger tips.
The pain and heartache she'd subdued bubbled up and tumbled out of her. Sakura didn't fight the tears, her eyes closed and she allowed them to stream down her face.
A sharp prickle shot down her spine. Her eyes shot open, she didn't bother to wipe the tears.
She wasn't alone.
I'll be back next week ;)