Sakura immediately run towards Kakashi after the war ended. From what she can sense, he used too much chakra and if he used anymore, he'll kill himself. A chill run down her spine as she remembered that he already died once.

"Kakashi." She took hold of his arm and she put it in her shoulder as her other arm snaked around his waist. She carefully helped him to stand up. "Let's take you to the medical tent, I'll heal you."

"Like that old man need you, Sakura." Sasuke sneered at her.

Sakura shot Sasuke a sharp glance, her protective instincts flaring. "He does need me, Sasuke. Just like any other comrade would. And I won't let anyone die on my watch," she retorted, her voice firm and determined.

Sasuke smirked and gave her a leveled stare, "All of you doesn't deserve to live the way you do. My brother sacrificed himself for you."

"It's not my fault that Itachi-san chose to live the way he did, Sasuke." Sakura retorted. "If you don't need help, I won't force it on you. But Kakashi needs me, and I will always help him." She said, fiercely protective of Kakashi.

Sasuke's expression remained cold and impassive, his Sharingan eyes flickering with a mix of emotions. He didn't respond to Sakura's words, but the tension in the air was palpable. "You sure like those with Sharingan, ne, Sakura?" he maliciously asked. "Too bad, Kakashi lost it."

Sakura's gaze hardened as she continued to support Kakashi, ignoring Sasuke's taunts. "The Sharingan is just a tool, Sasuke. What matters is the person behind it. And Kakashi is much more than his eye."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, but Sakura didn't let the tension distract her. She focused on helping Kakashi stand. Kakashi leaned heavily on Sakura. "I'm fine, Sakura." Kakashi said, giving her his famous eye crinkle. "You don't need to have a verbal spat with Sasuke."

Sakura couldn't help but smile at Kakashi's attempt to lighten the mood. But then her eyes hardened as she can clearly see how battered his form is. "Don't try to downplay this, Kakashi. You can't even move on your own! You pushed yourself to the limit again. Are you trying to leave me?"

Kakashi smiled gently at Sakura, his visible eye filled with warmth and affection. "I'm not trying to leave you, Sakura. I just... I needed to make sure the village and everyone else was safe."

"So, you chose to be with an old man, Sakura? Instead of me?" Sasuke asked her, as the relationship between his two former teammates became evident.

Sakura shot Sasuke a stern look, her protective instincts flaring up again. "Don't pin your faults on me, Sasuke." She warned him. "It's not my fault that you tried to kill me. Not my fault that you chose to be like this. And it's not my fault that Kakashi is man who knows how to love and care unlike you."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed further at Sakura's words, his expression a mix of anger and frustration. He was used to being in control, but Sakura's unwavering strength and resilience in the face of his taunts seemed to shake him.

Sakura held Kakashi's waist to support him properly when he wobbled. Sakura turned to look at him, her concern for the man was evident, and Kakashi appreciated it more than he could express. He knew he had a tendency to push himself to the limit, often at the risk of his own well-being. It was a trait he had developed over years of being a shinobi, and it wasn't something he could easily change.

"Sakura! You are mine!" Sasuke blurted out.

Sakura's eyes flashed with annoyance at Sasuke's possessive declaration. She tightened her grip on Kakashi, displaying her determination to protect him. "No one belongs to anyone, Sasuke. People aren't possessions. But if you insist on claiming me as yours, then wake up, Sasuke! I'm not. I choose Kakashi, not you."

"Do you think he cares about you?" Sasuke asked, as he motioned to Kakashi. "You're just an available body for him to play with. Don't mistake it for affections, Sakura."

"Sasuke!" Kakashi's voice carried anger. Anger at what he is saying, and for his implications.

"What, sensei?" He mouthed the honorifics with malice. "You're the resident pervert of Konoha, don't think that I don't see the nature of this farce of a relationship."

Kakashi's eye narrowed, a rare display of visible irritation. "Sasuke, your perception is clouded by your own bitterness. Sakura and I share a bond that goes beyond your understanding. It's built on trust, respect, and genuine care for each other. If you can't see that, it's not our concern."

Sakura, still holding Kakashi, shot Sasuke a stern look. "And if what your implying is true. I'd rather be his whore than your… whatever." She turned her eyes on her boyfriend, her eyes softening. "Let's go, Kakashi. I still have to heal you."

Kakashi nodded and tried not to lean too much on the kunoichi. "I'll go in the medical tent with you, Sakura, there's no need for you to manhandle me." Kakashi assured her, understanding that Sakura was right. And he knows that even if he refused, Sakura is stronger than him at the moment. She'll just throw him over her back and still deposit him in a medical tent. He allowed her to support him as they made their way to the tent. His body was weary, and he knew he needed Sakura's healing touch to recover from the strain he had put on himself.

"We're not done yet, Sakura." Sasuke yelled after her, as he watched the two walks away. But Sakura did not even stop or looked back to him. She just continued walking towing Kakashi with her.

Once inside the medical tent, Sakura began her work, channeling her chakra to heal Kakashi's injuries. She was thorough and efficient, her hands moving with expertise and care. Kakashi couldn't help but admire her dedication to her role as a medic and her unwavering concern for his well-being. But something is nagging him.

He kept his eyes closed. "You know, you can run back to him if you want."

Sakura just continued healing his injuries, but her voice is laced with frustration. "I don't even want to hear it, Kakashi."

"I'm just saying, you can definitely choose him if you want. I won't take it against you."

Sakura paused in her healing, her hands hovering over Kakashi's injured body. She looked at him with a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. "Kakashi, why are you even bringing that up? I choose you. Sasuke is a child's dream. But you're my dream now."

Kakashi let out a soft sigh, his visible eye locking onto Sakura's emerald orbs. "I just want to make sure, Sakura. You deserve someone who can give you everything. I'm not the most ideal choice. I'm a scarred person with a lot of dark past behind me." He explained. "If I am going to choose for you, I wouldn't want you to choose me."

Sakura's eyes narrowed at his last statement, "If you want to get rid of me, just say so. I won't force myself on you. I'll leave without causing a scene."

Kakashi tried to cup her cheeks, but she jerked her head away from his reach, and continued pouring her chakra in his body. Putting her very life into the healing. When Kakashi felt that there is something different in her healing chakra, he grasped her hands away from him. "What are you doing, Sakura?" And right then, he saw how pale she got. Kakashi's concern deepened as he saw Sakura's pale complexion. He gently held her face, forcing her to look at him. "Sakura, what's going on? You look pale. Are you okay?"

Sakura didn't answer him and resumed her healing. If he didn't want her anymore, the least she can do is to heal him and make sure he return to his peak.

Kakashi could sense the conflict within Sakura, her dedication to healing him conflicting with her emotions. He tightened his grip on her hands, preventing her from withdrawing. "Sakura, talk to me. What's bothering you?" he urged, genuine concern etched on his face.

Sakura bit her lip, torn between her desire to keep her feelings hidden and the need to address Kakashi's concerns. "It's just... when you said that, it felt like you're pushing me away. Like you don't think I'm good enough for you," she admitted, her voice tinged with vulnerability. "Don't worry, Kakashi. It won't interfere with my healing." She promised.

"Healing don't do this you, Sakura. What are you doing?" Kakashi asked. Then, something hit him, Gaara's revival under Chiyo's jutsu came to the forefront of his mind. "Are you – stop it!" he grabbed her hands away from him. "Are you insane?"

Sakura's eyes were filled with determination and a hint of sadness. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay, Kakashi. I didn't want to lose you again," she whispered.

Kakashi stared at Sakura, a mixture of shock and concern evident in his grey eyes. "Sakura, you can't do this. Using a forbidden jutsu like this... it's too dangerous," he admonished her, his grip on her hands tightening. "You don't have to go to such lengths for me. I'm here, alive. What are you trying to do that you'll forfeit your life for me?"

Kakashi's stern voice and the intensity of his gaze made Sakura pause. She felt a lump in her throat as she looked into his eyes, realizing the gravity of her actions. "I... I just… I… I was just trying to replenish the chakra that you exhausted in the fight. I want you to return to your peak."

He wanted to shake the woman, "You already expend a massive amount of chakra in battle, Sakura. Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Kakashi's stern words seemed to cut through Sakura's determination, and she finally allowed herself to take a deep breath. Her shoulders slumped, and she looked down, unable to meet Kakashi's gaze. "You… you don't want me, right? I… at least this is the last thing I do before I leave."

Kakashi gently lifted Sakura's chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. His eyes softened as he spoke, "Sakura, listen to me. It's not about me not wanting you. I was just giving you a way out if you want to go running to him. But even if I am, that's no excuse for you killing yourself!"

"I just want to ensure that you're safe before I leave."

"Leave? Is that what you call killing yourself now, huh? Leaving?" Kakashi seethed. When Sakura didn't answer, he forcefully sat up and gripped her shoulders. "Answer me."

Sakura avoided Kakashi's intense gaze, and her silence spoke volumes. Kakashi's grip on her shoulders tightened, his concern turning into frustration.

"Sakura, listen carefully. I don't want you to leave. I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for me or anyone else. I want you alive and well," Kakashi asserted, his voice firm. "And don't you dare think that I don't want you. I care about you more than I can express. I'm not driving you away. I was just giving you an option. Be with me or Sasuke. That's all, Sakura."

Sakura finally met Kakashi's gaze, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and uncertainty. "Kakashi, I... I don't want to leave. I want to be with you. But I thought... I thought you regretted having me around, that I'm not good enough for you. And that is why you're forcing me to choose Sasuke." she confessed, her voice trembling.

Kakashi's expression softened as he listened to Sakura's words. He pulled her into a gentle embrace, his arms enveloping her. "Sakura, you are more than good enough for me. You're everything I never knew I needed," he murmured, his masked lips brushing against her forehead. "I don't want you to choose him, but I need to give you the option to do that. I won't imprison you in a relationship you don't want. I was just afraid that I might not be enough for you, that you deserve someone better. But I want you, Sakura. I want you with all your strength, your kindness, and your love."

Sakura felt a mix of emotions swirling within her, and she clung to Kakashi, taking in the comfort he offered. "I don't want anyone else, Kakashi. I choose you, not out of obligation but out of love," she admitted, her voice filled with sincerity. "I don't care about Sasuke or anyone else. I want you, scars, past, and all."

"How could you choose me over Sasuke, Sakura?" Kakashi asked. "He had been your dream for so long."

Sakura lifted her head from Kakashi's chest, her eyes meeting his with unwavering determination. "Dreams change, Kakashi. People change. I used to have a crush on Sasuke, and he was my childhood crush. But as I grew and experienced life, I realized that what I felt for him was more of an infatuation. What I have with you is real, and it goes beyond any fleeting feelings I had for Sasuke in the past."

Kakashi studied Sakura's sincere expression, his visible eye softening. "But Sasuke is persistent. He won't give up easily," he noted.

"I know." Sakura said. "But I choose you, Kakashi. And I stand by that decision."

Kakashi's lips curved into a small, genuine smile beneath the mask. He brushed a strand of pink hair away from Sakura's face, his touch gentle and reassuring. "Then, I choose you too, Sakura. I choose us," he whispered, while slowly lowering his mask then he sealed their unspoken agreement with a tender kiss.

When Sakura pulled away slightly, a smile playing in her lips. She placed one hand in his face. "Kakashi."

"Hm?"

"Promise me, that no matter how dangerous your missions are, you're always going to return to me." She implored. "You already died once, Kakashi, and it hurts so much. I wanted to use Granny Chiyo's jutsu but Lady Katsuyu…." She shook her head, then she took a steadying breath. "Just please, return to me. I don't care if you're bloody or bruised or broken. I will put you back together. Just come home to me alive."

Kakashi looked into Sakura's eyes, his own filled with a deep sense of understanding and commitment. "I promise, Sakura. I'll always come back to you. No matter what challenges or dangers I face, I'll find my way back to you. You're my home, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Sakura's eyes glistened with a mixture of relief and love. She leaned in, pressing her forehead against Kakashi's. "Thank you, Kakashi. I love you."

Kakashi's heart swelled with emotion, and he whispered, "I love you too, Sakura." In that moment, surrounded by the medical tent, with the echoes of war still present, they found solace in each other's embrace.