Gentle Love for the First Time
In the dim light of his bedroom, Sasuke coughs, his throat raw and tender. Every breath he takes feels laborious, scratching the already tender flesh. It's the aftermath of a particularly intense spar with Naruto, where in the heat of the moment, he overexerted himself using katon no jutsu. Despite winning that fight, Sasuke made the rookie mistake of inhaling too quickly after casting his jutsu, heating his esophagus to an uncomfortable degree. Even for a seasoned Uchiha, drawing forth flames with such intensity has drawbacks.
Tomorrow is April 25th, his third date with Sakura, a day Sasuke has circled mentally for weeks. It's been a gentle dance between him and Sakura, the first tentative steps of two people who have been through much together but are still navigating the uncharted waters of romance. According to Naruto and Shikamaru, he is expected to kiss Sakura on this date. And he wants to! God, does he want to…
Now, lying in his bed, the weight of dread sits heavily on Sasuke's chest — not from the bout of coughing but the thought of cancelling their date. A part of him isn't even sure why it's such a pressing issue. Maybe it's because everything is so new and fragile, or perhaps because he fears that the tiniest misstep might push Sakura away. The idea of disappointing her intertwines with his physical discomfort, amplifying it. With his cough, any chance at executing the perfect first kiss becomes a failed mission. And Sakura deserves perfection.
Beyond his bedroom window, Sasuke can see the twilight sky as it begins its descent into purple-pink evening. The late April heavens are perfect, the absolute best backdrop he could find for a first kiss. And Sasuke is going to waste it because of his stupid cough. He's fed up with himself. Sasuke needs to do something, take some action besides cough and feel sorry for himself for coughing all over his plans. He finally decides to send a simple message to Sakura. With a shaky hand, he writes, "Need to postpone tomorrow. Not feeling well."
As his hawk takes flight from his windowsill, Sasuke wonders if he's made a mistake. Is he being too presumptuous? Should he have offered an explanation? Is their relationship too shaky to start disappointing Sakura this way? Has he done enough work to earn her compassion? Or is his future with Sakura ending before it really got started?
His internal debate is cut short when a paper bird flutters in, landing gently on his desk. Sasuke recognizes the elegant script instantly; it's Sakura's.
He opens it to read, "Is everything okay? Can I come over and help?
Sasuke hesitates. The last thing he wants is for Sakura to see him in this vulnerable state. Yet the concern evident in her note is undeniable. He writes back, "Just a cough. Resting should help. I'm sorry, Sakura."
Minutes later, another bird arrives. "Don't apologize. I'm glad you told me. Want some company? I promise not to be too annoying."
A small smile pulls at the corner of Sasuke's lips. Despite his initial reluctance, he finds himself yearning for her presence, her gentle touch, and understanding nature. "Alright," he writes back, his heart racing in anticipation.
A knock hits against his front door sooner than he expects. Maybe Sakura was home instead of at the hospital. When Sasuke opens his door, Sakura stands there, a small basket in her hands. The sight of her, with her genuine concern and warmth, makes his heart flutter, overriding the physical discomfort momentarily.
"Hey," she greets softly, her green eyes searching his. "How are you feeling?"
"Been better," Sasuke admits between wheezing coughs, stepping aside to let her in. "Didn't want to cancel, but…"
Sakura interrupts him with a gentle hand on his arm, stopping him mid-sentence. "Sasuke, the most important thing is your health. Dates can wait. We have time."
Sasuke looks at her form as Sakura walks into his living room, happily chatting away about all the ways to help Sasuke get over his cough. She talks to no one in particular; Sakura is in doctor mode, caring only for the patient in front of her. and what he sees there — the deep compassion and understanding — touches him profoundly. All his fears about the fragility of their budding relationship dissipate.
"It's just… with everything so new between us," he starts, struggling to find the right words, "I thought the smallest inconvenience might…"
"Push me away?" she completes his sentence, her voice gentle.
Sasuke nods, unable to meet her gaze.
She takes a step closer, tilting his chin up so that their eyes meet. "Sasuke, after all we've been through, do you think I'd walk away because you scratched up your throat?"
"I... I guess I was more anxious about it than I realized," he admits.
Sakura's smile is soft and reassuring, even despite her giggles. "Oh, Sasuke. Thank you for telling me what you needed."
Sasuke's gaze softens, the weight on his chest alleviated by her words. There's a shift inside his heart. He sees Sakura make herself at home in his apartment and he notes the ease of her shoulders, the genuine laughter tumble from her pretty lips, the calm in her jade gaze. It's not any one thing, but the sum of all her parts that makes Sasuke ponder. Sakura's gentle love calms something in his soul that Sasuke didn't even know what rattling with traumatized anxiety.
The evening passes in quiet companionship. Sakura brews him herbal tea with honey that she promises will help with the cough, chastises him lightly when he tries to exclude the sweet syrup from his cup of tea. They sit together on the couch, reading quietly, occasionally interrupted by Sasuke's coughs which seem less daunting with Sakura by his side. Sasuke curls up on the couch, laying his head on Sakura's lap as she combs her fingers through his hair.
As the sky deepens into night and Sakura prepares to leave, Sasuke stops her at the door. "Thank you," he murmurs between rough coughs, his eyes sincere. Sasuke knows that tonight's evening was less than spectacular, not nearly as magical as Sakura deserved. But he'll take Sakura's word for it that everything is okay.
"Take care, Sasuke," Sakura leans in, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. "You'll get the rest of that when you get better," she continued with a final wink at Sasuke's reddening face.
He watches her walk away, warm blush blazing away at his face as he wonders what 'the rest' of that look like. The realization that they've grown closer, that the foundation of their relationship is stronger than Sasuke had assumed, fills him with gratitude. Maybe they're not delicate. Maybe the fragility Sasuke feels has nothing to do with Sakura. Maybe what they have together is already perfect. And maybe Sasuke deserves all of it.
THE END.