AN: So sorry for the delay in this chapter's posting! It got a little on the long side, so the editing process took longer, and also school is hectic right now, so I haven't had as much time to write. Thank you to everyone who left kind comments on this fic in the time since my last update; messages like that really do mean the world to me!
Chapter 9: Breath
The first day of guard duty starts out with a light drizzle, a gentle awakening tapping on the roof of his apartment, and then continuing atop the village gates. They relieve a ninja he's not familiar with and his assigned partner for the shift, a woman that must be an Inuzuka; fang tattoos are outlined in red on her cheeks, and as she descends to trek back into the village, three dogs emerge from varying points in the trees to trail after her. The Inuzukas would be well-suited for guard duty, he thinks, especially at night; their keen senses of smell, as well as that of their canines, could clue one in on a possible intruder far more quickly than that of a normal ninja.
The both of them greet Naruto before departing, eyeing him a bit more warily. As he watches them go, Sasuke thinks perhaps the woman may be Kiba's older sister, if he's remembering correctly.
The drizzle doesn't last; it's just enough moisture to briefly saturate the ground, the pathway before them deepening to a richer brown before fading to its normal hue as the heat of the morning bakes the earth. They patrol in fifteen to twenty minute increments, flitting in opposite directions as calefaction trickles into the day, surveying the foliage before them spreading outwards.
It's an odd feeling, watching over the village at its seams, home at his back and eyes trained on greenery he walked through just yesterday. He hadn't seen anyone on duty when they left or returned, but he's sure there must have been. It would be a different pair than the one they relieved; the day hours vary depending on numbers and season, as well as extraneous circumstances, but the night shift is always split into two, better for spry awareness.
He can faintly smell lilacs occasionally along the rounds, fragrant and distinctive when the slight breeze is angled just right. It makes his heart twist pleasantly, fingers twitching at his side in neoteric recall. The bit of rain will be good for all of Konoha's verdure, he thinks.
If he takes a deep breath while patrolling to enjoy it more than once, exhaling the high of a treasured twilight, well, no one's any the wiser.
"I'm bored!" Naruto parrots following the noon rounds as he opens his lunch, which Sasuke concludes was packed by Hinata; everything is neatly organized into compartments, rice and a small salad, as well as evenly sliced meat, screaming that it was made by someone other than the dobe.
Sasuke rolls his eyes; he knew that was coming eventually.
"So what?" he drawls, scanning the horizon dutifully as he rotates a kunai in his hand. He'll eat his own lunch in a bit. It's standard procedure not to eat at the same time; they could drop the food easily if they become occupied by a threat, but it's more responsible to stagger meals, quickening at least one of their response times. When his teammate asked, he told him to have his first; Naruto's likely to complain more on an empty stomach.
It also has something to do with the late dinner he's been invited to have with Sakura just after seven, but the dobe doesn't need to know that. Two birds, one stone.
Naruto swallows a bite of his rice before responding, "So, entertain me! What's new? How is being back in Konoha?"
"...It's good."
"And the apartment?"
"...Fine."
"Is it still bare as fuck, or is it looking more like a human actually lives there now?"
Sasuke rolls his eyes, saying nothing.
Naruto groans. "Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall sometimes, teme."
Sasuke's eyes stay trained on the horizon line, finger tracing cool metal and considering.
"...I heard you nearly fucked up your flower beds."
Naruto splutters, near choking on a bite of rice. Once he stops coughing, he glares at him, at which point Sasuke rolls his eyes again.
"Read the directions first next time, dumbass."
"Pssh, obviously I will! I learned my lesson. And anyways, it was no big deal! Hinata-chan said if we missed a few, it adds character."
A minute passes as Naruto shoves more food into his mouth and the newly emerging sun intensifies the heat from above. They're in the shade of the station for the time being, but he thinks it will be a warm afternoon. The thought is followed shortly by a bead of sweat rolling down Sasuke's neck.
"...It's hot," he observes. He can at least attempt to make conversation, he supposes.
Naruto swallows his bite. "Yeah. Hard to believe it's only April still! Guess this beats being cramped into that stuffy office for another week, though."
Sasuke thinks for a long stretch as the dobe stuffs his face more.
"...That'll be you eventually."
The blond grins as he swallows. "Yeah, I s'pose! But I'll have a bigger desk then than I do now." He chews a piece of chicken and swallows it. "And no more Binder!"
He rolls his eyes once more, snorting. "As if you'll ever be able to memorize it all."
Cerulean eyes pin him with a look that is less than impressed.
"If Hinata-chan didn't make this food just for me, I'd throw it at you for that, teme. I'll have youknow my study skills have really shaped up! Sakura-chan taught me all kinds of mesmerization tricks. I only have to consult it sometimes."
Sasuke experiences a profound moment of pity on Sakura's behalf for having the misfortune of being tasked as Naruto's study tutor. Of all her feats, that might be one of the most impressive.
"...You mean memorization."
Naruto blinks. "Huh?"
Sasuke scoffs, caustic and veering his gaze back to the horizon line. "Never mind."
"Well, anyways, I'm tired of dealing with Kakashi-sensei's paperwork for him. They're looking at having the next Jonin Exams here in the fall, and you wouldn't believe the amount of preparation that goes into that shit. And the Chunin Exams are gonna be this summer in Sand, so he's busy as fuck. And I'm tired of looking at that fucking scroll. I hope he has to finish solving it on his own, as payback for waking me up so early!"
A squirrel scurries across the path just outside of the village gates as he contemplates.
Sasuke then looks at his teammate carefully out of the corner of his eye. "...What happened at the Jonin Exams in Earth?"
Naruto chews in a manner that suggests he is contemplative, appraising Sasuke as if he is analyzing him and choosing now of all times to savor his food.
Eventually he swallows and grins deviously.
"Wouldn't you like to know."
Sasuke scowls in annoyance before rising.
"...I'm doing another patrol."
"Aw, come oooooon."
A late lunch of onigiri and what feels like several hundred rounds walked later, Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame arrive for the evening shift to relieve them. Akamaru is with them, but he ambles through the gates and heads off east, following the curvature of the village walls as if it's routine. An Aburame would be as well-suited for the night shift as an Inuzuka, he thinks; Shino's insects can presumably fan out to survey the entire area, uninhibited by the lack of light.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't our village idiot," Kiba scoffs as they walk up, Shino silent as a shadow at his heel. Naruto splutters, indignant.
"Hey, wait a minute! We've been sweating our asses off out here all day, just for you to sweep in and get the cushy night shift when it's not hot as fuck. You could show some respect. And anyways, pretty soon it'll be Lord Seventh to you!"
Kiba bows in a show of mock deference. "Lord Village Idiot." Then he's punching Naruto's shoulder in a way that seems more jovial and familiar than Sasuke can ever recall them being, and Sasuke remembers that these are Hinata's teammates.
Kiba's eyes linger on him for a moment in acknowledgment and something like curiosity accompanied by a frown before turning back to Naruto. "How's Hinata? Still cleaning up after your messes?"
Sasuke barely suppresses a snort, given the accuracy of that question.
Naruto chuckles, slugging Kiba in return. "Yeah, yeah, I guess she is. She's hangin' out with her sister today; I probably won't see her 'til later."
"Sounds like the day shift worked out just fine for you, then," Inuzuka points out flippantly, pushing past him to begin to climb the ramparts of the gates. "I haven't had guard duty in a while, but night's better. Less people moving about and clogging up my nostrils. Would be better if the moon was gonna be a little more full so I could see, but whatever."
"It is supposed to be another clear night, at least," Shino states cryptically, in a manner that Sasuke takes to mean he was on the first guard duty last night, as well. It's impossible to know for sure given his dark glasses, but Sasuke is fairly certain his gaze is on him as he speaks. "Naruto, Sasuke; we'll take it from here. Have a nice evening."
Sasuke blinks, having not anticipated that interaction to go so nonchalantly, much different than the uneasy stares he'd received earlier today.
He finds himself feeling grateful as he and Naruto leave the gates behind, walking back towards the heart of the village just past six. It's not that he expected them to be rude or anything, but he expected more… disdain. He knows it must be difficult for others to trust him, yet they acted casually, as if seeing him overseeing the gates was normal.
Sasuke doesn't really care if most of the Shinobi in Konoha are distrustful of him, but he cares a little about his former classmates, though the Academy seems like a lifetime ago. His bonds with the other members of Team Seven run deep, but perhaps the bonds with the others close in age to him are not as shallow as he thought.
It's… good.
He exhales the type of breath that comes after an extensive day of simplistic productivity before shoving his hand into his pocket. It's still pretty hot out. He'll need to shower before meeting Sakura at the hospital; he's fairly certain he doesn't smell the best right now.
"Hey, wanna get Ichiraku's?!" Naruto pipes up from his left. "Hinata-chan's having dinner with her sister till later. We could even get a drink, after! There's nothing like a cold beer after a boring ass day of guard duty!"
Sasuke's neck warms. "...I have plans."
The dobe smirks at him in a sly way he's not sure he likes. Sasuke rolls his eyes and casts his vision elsewhere as his ears warm, too.
"Alright, I'll get takeout, then. Have fun with Sakura-chan!"
Naruto scampers away as the heat spreads to Sasuke's face.
"So you've survived day one," Sakura calls in greeting as glass doors shut behind her, grinning in amusement. She's wearing one of her red tank tops and a violet skirt; she must have anticipated the weather.
He rolls his eyes, feeling the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "...Barely."
She giggles as she gets closer, adjusting her tote bag slightly on her shoulder. Sasuke appraises her for a brief second, then holds out his arm, an offer to carry it for her.
She eyes him hesitantly for a long moment, looking at his arm pointedly, then his damp hair with an expression akin to suspicion.
"...We didn't spar."
I learned my lesson.
Jade eyes flick to his own, chartreuse and reflectant in the gloaming. Then she's handing it to him, expression settling into something soft as her cheeks flush slightly. "Alright. Thank you."
As they begin in the direction of her building, he mentions, "You've been tasked as a study tutor."
She groans, loaded with meaning. "Unfortunately, yes."
"...My condolences."
Sakura laughs, a sound that does wonders for his brain after nine hours of listening to Naruto drone on about anything and everything that pops into his head.
"It's not nearly as bad anymore, I guess; he got better after about a year of it."
An easy silence punctuated only by their footsteps and the crickets resounds, heat of the day in its last legs.
"...Strategy of choice?"
Pink brows draw together as she peers up at him with amusement, turning the corner towards her building.
"Believe it or not, flashcards. If he put the right answer on the back in the first place." She cocks her head to the side. "A few times he wrote the wrong thing and memorized the wrong answers."
There is a lengthy pause.
"...Mesmerized."
Sakura snorts, and she is astoundingly pretty even then, nose crinkled in amusement.
"I'm convinced he can't distinguish consonant blends," she says through a chuckle.
I've checked his hearing twice, though, and... nothing."
Sasuke huffs his version of a laugh, tinged with droll amusement.
It's not long before her building comes into view.
When she opens the door for both of them, he is surprised to see an elderly woman watering the plants surrounding the middle apartment's entrance on the ground level. It's the first time he's ever seen any of Sakura's neighbors.
She looks to be at least in her seventies, stooping slightly to reach the lowest pot with a navy blue watering can, a cane clutched in her other hand. Something about her gives him the impression that she's a civilian, lacking the nimbleness that accompanies most Shinobi that make it to their older years.
"Hanako-san. How are you?" Sakura chirps, crouching suddenly for some reason. When Sasuke glances down, he sees she's begun petting an obscenely round cat, white with splotches of orange peppering its flank and now purring in greeting.
The woman perks up, turning their direction. "Ah, Sakura! I'm wonderful. Just getting the old bones out of the house, you see; you know how it is."
"I can water those for you if you'd like; it's no trouble," Sakura says as she rises.
Hanako smiles, wrinkled eyes slipping closed. "Nonsense; I need the exercise, and Maru here wanted to do some exploring. Don't worry, he's still too fat and spoiled like me to go up the stairs, so he won't get into your kalanchoe."
The cat meows, slinking around Sakura's ankles in Sasuke's peripheral vision.
Then the woman's eyes land on him; they are pale green, he now sees. "And who might this be? My, you're quite tall."
Sakura glances at him, smiling, before introducing him. "This is Sasuke."
Hanako blinks, then presses with an expression that is kind but curious, gaze flicking from Sakura, to Sasuke, to the bag he's carrying for her, then back to Sakura. "And he is…?"
"Oh. Um, my teammate. And…"
Sasuke eyes Sakura, heart thumping in a manner he is suddenly hyper aware of.
Jade eyes framed by strawberry blonde lashes peek at him for an instant, chatoyant in the light catching them, and then she's blushing, biting her lip and looking aside.
"...And my boyfriend."
Contentment floods his chest as he exhales a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He doesn't know why, but it never occurred to him she'd introduce him as… that. It's the first time it's been vocalized, to his knowledge. He's pleased in a way that makes his insides feel funny, twisting but also like light pouring into his being, filling his lungs anew until they expand to meet the confines of his ribcage.
The woman nods, seeming quite satisfied with that answer. "Well, I'm afraid I don't get out much, Sasuke, but I'm Hanako; pleased to meet you."
Sasuke inclines his head in acknowledgment, and then Hanako's eyes fall to his feet. He feels a nudge. When he peers down, the cat is arching its tail to encircle his leg, having just headbutted his calf.
"Oh, he likes you," the woman chimes, delighted. "Hopefully Sakura still has a lint roller hanging around; he sheds like the devil."
Maru continues circling around his left foot, and sure enough, Sasuke notes fine hairs of orange and white already clinging to the black fabric on his shin.
"I do," Sakura confirms softly from his right; his eyes drift from the cat to her. Diamond outlines paint her skin. Her cheeks remain a little pink.
"Well, best make haste, before he gets the other leg, too," Hanako murmurs, smiling. "Wouldn't want to turn your apartment into a whirlwind of cat hair like mine is." Sakura nods, and they amble up the stairs. Maru follows them to the bottom step, and then sits to watch them go, tail curling around himself.
Once they're in Sakura's entryway, he hangs her tote bag on its designated hook and begins to slip his shoes off. Sakura does, too, and then reaches for the woven basket atop the wall-mounted shelf. After digging for a second, she pulls out a lint roller and hands it to him; his fingers brush hers as she does so.
"...Thank you," he says, trying and failing not to be distracted by the feel of her fingers against his again. He makes quick work of removing the fur from his shins, thankful for the opportunity to stealthily hide the heat on his neck and simultaneously wondering what her other neighbors are like.
And if she's voiced to anyone else that he's her boyfriend.
"You're welcome. He's a friendly cat; it helps to keep one of these around." She takes her own shoes off.
He carefully tears the now fur-filled layer of sticky paper off, and Sakura takes the roller itself to deposit back into the bin.
"Any ideas for dinner?" She asks as she slides the bin into its place above them, stretching a little to do so. He shifts his gaze determinedly to the threshold and away from the arch of her back. "I set out some pork to defrost earlier this morning."
"...Anything's fine."
Sakura casts a smile his way as he trails after her to her kitchen, depositing the sticky tape into her garbage. "Let's check what I have."
They stand by her fridge together, surveying the ingredients. There's a small amount of produce, along with half a carton of eggs. He's coming to learn that her fridge is nearly always well-stocked, and despite her affinity for sweet things, she seems to for the most part live up to the standard clinicians' recommendations of eating a lot of vegetables, so it's odd to see her running low on produce now. She must need to get groceries soon.
After a drawn-out examination of the contents of her fridge, she begins, "I think I have some ginger back here," rifling on the middle shelf before pulling out a neatly labeled bag. "Do you like shagoyaki?"
Sasuke nods.
"Maybe that and a salad? I've got sliced onions in the freezer."
He inclines his head once more, and they get to work, setting out ingredients and utensils on her countertops.
"You should make the sauce; then it won't be too sweet."
"...I can portion out part of it and add sugar for yours."
Sakura beams at him as she begins to cut slits into the pork. It does funny things to his insides, and the word boyfriend echoes in his head again. "Thank you."
Sasuke scrapes the outer skin of the ginger off with a knife and the paring board, ridding it of any tough parts. Sakura is done setting the pork to fry by then; after washing her hands thoroughly, she grabs her grater from a lower cabinet and begins to work on it, keeping the juice in a bowl to add to the sauce. He adds the amount of grated ginger he wants to the mixture before they add some of the ginger juice. At the end, Sasuke adds a tiny amount of sugar to the mixture, then siphons half of it into a cup he procures from her cupboard.
As Sakura sprinkles the rest of the ginger juice and a small amount of sake atop the pork in its pan, he asks, "What are your other neighbors like?"
Jade eyes look at him inquisitively as she reaches for the clear canister of flour from the open shelving. He moves closer, so he can help dust the thin portions with flour alongside her.
"Well, Hanako-san's in the middle unit downstairs. The other two bottom units are elderly women, too. They don't really…" Sakura rinses her hands before situating a frying pan atop her stove, adding a meager amount of oil and turning the heat to high in preparation. Sasuke takes the opportunity to quickly wash his own hand when the sink is no longer occupied. "They don't really get out much, I don't think. They spend time outside on their patios when it's nice, but it's been getting warmer. Mainly it's while I'm at work; I don't see them very often." She shuffles over to the fridge to take out ingredients for the salad.
"Is spring mix with avocado and miso dressing okay?" Her eyes meet his briefly; he nods, and then she's pulling out the ingredients. He holds out his hand for the avocado, a silent offer to slice it.
"...What are their names?" He asks as she gets out a larger bowl from an upper cupboard so she can toss spring mix and mint together, miso sauce sitting beside it on the counter.
"The left unit is Keiko and the right unit is Sayuri-san." Sasuke doesn't fail to notice the lack of honorific regarding the woman named Keiko. "Sayuri-san is really nice. She's one of the tiniest old ladies I've ever seen." She sifts the greens as Sasuke slices the avocado. "Sayuri-san and Hanako-san are both kind of forgetful, though Sayuri-san is worse about it. I think she might have dementia; her son comes to check on her a few times a week, and they have lunch. Hanako-san having Maru around helps her remember things better, I think. Daily reminders."
Sasuke maneuvers the cutting board over to the bowl, and slides in the avocado. Sakura's lips quirk upwards.
"There are some tomatoes in the bottom drawer of the fridge, if you want to slice some up," she offers. He nods before procuring a handful from the bottom drawer; they're cherry tomatoes. He then begins slicing them in halves.
"...Are they friends?"
"Ah, yes, I think so. Hanako-san and Sayuri-san have lived here for a long time; I know it was close to their grandchildren, when they first moved in. Keiko hasn't been here as long; longer than I've been here, but not by much. She's…"
Her voice trails off, and Sasuke glances up from his slicing in curiosity. Then she shrugs. "Keiko is a retired Shinobi. In her eighties; she's older than both of them, but much... sharper. She's kind of..."
Sakura sighs, and then she's shaking her head as if something can't be helped. "Well, she's kind of rude. She keeps to herself, for the most part."
That intrigues him. It's not often that he hears Sakura speak ill of anyone. The single example he can think of is an offhanded comment concerning the Sannin that Naruto trained under, well over two years ago and enough in passing that it wasn't further discussed.
"...And the second floor?" He slides the cherry tomato halves into the salad, and Sakura tosses the ingredients once more before grabbing the pan of pork slices to fry in oil that is now sizzling.
She considers the question thoughtfully. "Takane is next door, in the middle unit. She's a Shinobi, too, but active duty, in her thirties. She's rarely home; she likes being on the move, so she takes as many missions out of the village as she can get. Ino says she's dating someone from the interrogation unit that she's always with, if she's in the village; he lives across town." She adjusts the pork in the pan with a pair of tongs to evenly distribute the heat from the burner. "She's quiet. I think the entire time I've lived here I've only seen her four or five times. I water her plants from time to time, if she's been gone awhile; she chose things that need little care on purpose." Sasuke hasn't taken much note of the types of plants that adorn the entryways of her neighbors, but he's walked by them enough at this point that he vaguely knows what they look like. One of them might be a cactus, now that he's thinking about it, so that makes sense.
"And then Yuna is in the southern top unit. Non-Shinobi; she's sweet, but she works odd hours, so I don't see her much, either. She's a courier; she's out of here most mornings before five, back in the afternoon, and asleep by eight. She has a boyfriend she's been with awhile, too, so sometimes she stays at his place, I think."
Her apartment building is in an apt location for a courier, not far from the center of the village, so that also makes sense.
Sakura flips the pork slices before sliding over two plates in preparation; there are three more to cook once the current ones are finished. Sasuke watches them sizzle; they smell really good, and he's hungry.
She swivels to go to the freezer - he assumes to grab the pre-sliced onions - and then she asks, "What about you?"
The question catches him off guard. "...What?"
She pivots with a clear container of onions in hand, a small smile playing at her lips. "Your neighbors. Anyone interesting?"
Sasuke blinks.
"...I've never seen them." There's one unit to the south of his that he shares a wall with, and he's heard their front door open and close perhaps twice in the weeks he's been back, but it's only audible from his kitchen; the walls of the building are thick enough brick that little sound carries.
He wonders if they're ninja. Thus far he's just been grateful that they aren't overly nosy as some neighbors are when someone new moves in. Even if they were, he still wouldn't have expected them to try to welcome him, given his reputation. He hasn't exactly been spending much time at his apartment, come to think of it, other than to eat and sleep and pass the time when Sakura's busy at the hospital.
His neck warms again, unbidden, recalling that she'd introduced him as her boyfriend to her neighbor.
Then Sakura's pulling the pork from the pan, reaching for the other three with the tongs.
"You could add the dressing to the salad," she suggests, so he does. Pretty soon the meat is done cooking, and she's frying sliced onions before returning the pork to the pan to be sauteed together, onions and meat and savory ginger sauce.
They sit to eat at her table, and it's good. She has a knack for pork dishes especially, he thinks.
Sakura chatters about her work and assorted injuries. Afterwards, they do the dishes. He's learning the contents of the rest of her cupboards and drawers, though there are several still that he's never seen opened.
Upon putting the last few in their designated spaces, Sakura wipes the countertops one more time, then asks, smiling, "Would you mind if I showered quick? I'll only take fifteen minutes or so. You could pick out something to watch."
Sasuke nods in agreement, pleased in an odd sort of way; thus far he hasn't been left in her space unsupervised. She gives him one last happy look before gathering the towel and the sponge to take with her; he assumes she's going to put them in the laundry hamper to be washed.
It's a little past eight; he sees the sky is changing colors outside Sakura's window while he listens to her footsteps pad down the hall. A door opens and closes shortly after, followed by the more familiar sound of the bathroom door closing; it makes a slight creaking sound due to the way the wood frame has settled, he's noticed in his time spent here so far. She must have grabbed a change of clothes from her bedroom beforehand to take with her.
Sasuke ambles to the living room and turns on her television, beginning to flip through channels and suddenly concentrating very hard on not thinking about Sakura taking a shower in the next room. He settles on the documentary channel; there will be an interesting one at eight thirty, a series detailing unsolved mysteries.
Then he hears the water flip on; he glances behind him at the sound. His gaze falls on her wall of photographs.
He's been curious about them, and it would provide an effective distraction. He supposes it's not like he's snooping; they're in the plain view.
So Sasuke rises, and takes the opportunity to study the photos hanging on her wall.
He has glanced at them individually in the time since he has been invited into her living space more regularly. Now, though, he can really study them, try to glean all the bites of information he can from the Sakuras in each of the photos, of all of the times he has been absent from the village and from her life.
There is one from when she was very young, Academy age, posing shyly with Ino in what he surmises must be Yamanaka's Flower Shop. It's from a time where her head barely extends above the height of the countertop, framed by a sea of roses perched above the both of them. She wears a dress with a blossom pattern at the hem that he vaguely remembers. The picture is old, a wrinkle at the edge of its containment within the glass, he notices. It's also smaller in size than the rest on her wall; camera quality has probably advanced since then.
Two more feature her and Ino solely, spaced out and intermixed with other photos. He moves to the next one, from a day they must have gone swimming in the summer. Sand and a lake are sprawled behind them, the duo clad in swimsuits, and they both appear a bit sunburnt; Sasuke thinks she may have been around fourteen. They seem happy, holding up their pointer fingers in a number one gesture as if they've just won something.
As he examines it, trying momentarily to place the location - it must be somewhere in Konoha - he notices a scattering of freckles blooming on Sakura's shoulders and her nose from time spent in the sun.
He quickly averts his eyes to the last one that includes her and Ino, stepping to the far left.
They're dressed formally for a festival of some kind; it's situated on the end of the display as if it was added more recently, perhaps taken in the last year or two. He recalls a letter in which Sakura mentioned attending Tanabata with Sai and Ino. She hadn't elaborated much - just that Sai acted about how one would expect - but he speculates as he examines it that this photograph must be from that evening. Ino appears rather smug, smiling in a determined sort of way, as if she has just given someone the what for. Sasuke supposes she looks nice, but the Sakura in this picture is the focus of his attention.
Her hair is woven into intricate braiding, small white blossoms pushed in between the plaits and pulled into a clip towards her nape. Tendrils of silky pink hair frame her face. She is adorned in a mint green kimono edged with white trim, overlaid with a pattern of pink and white blossoms, a dainty sort of ornateness. The obi is a gold that leans slightly light green; the color suits her, he thinks, and brings out the greenish gold flecks in her eyes. Her smile is soft and genuine, freckle and dimple on open display, eyes filled with mirth and kindness. A single brow is arched in the way it tends to do when she is amused.
Sasuke stares at it for the better part of a few minutes; it has caught his eye before, but he's never been in a position to actually study it. She has to be the most uniquely beautiful woman in the entire village. If someone were to visualize a spring deity, it would probably look near exactly like the Sakura in this picture.
The water is still running from the other room by the time he manages to pull his gaze away, so he shifts to examine the remaining photographs. Several of them show Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi. One was taken outside of Ichiraku's, because of course it was. They're young; it must have been around the time Naruto returned from training with the toad Sannin. The dobe seems overly excited. It may have been their first time eating together following his return to the village, his zeal for the restaurant apparent. Sakura and Kakashi both look genuinely happy in it, smiling so widely that their eyes crinkle at the corners.
There is one next to it where Sakura is posed with Naruto, Kakashi, and also Sai, at another festival. This one appears more casual, and she appears younger than the one he expects is from Tanabata. It's a different kimono, a desaturated navy sprinkled with a pink petal pattern, and her hair is less intricate, though she is still very pretty. It must have been taken later in the day, just past dusk; everything is slightly desaturated. Her smile in this one is soft, albeit a little tired.
In the photograph beside that one, she is even younger, posing with Tsunade and her assistant Shizune in the Hokage's office. Briefly he wonders why he has not seen her at all in the past couple of weeks; from what he'd gathered from Sakura's letters, she's still acting as an assistant to the Hokage. Maybe she's on some sort of mission right now. A small pig is situated at their feet.
It must be from the beginning of Sakura's apprenticeship; she doesn't look that different from when he left the first time. Shizune is smiling, but Tsunade is stern in this one, frowning as if taking a picture bores her. It probably did, given the mess she'd inherited from the Third.
Tsunade's hand rests atop Sakura's head; she was a lot shorter than her master back then. Sakura herself is smiling, but in this photo, it doesn't seem to reach her eyes as much as it normally does. He frowns as he examines it.
In the one after that, they are older, more recent; Tsunade's arm encircles Sakura in a manner that belies their closeness, much more than the previous picture. Naruto and Kakashi are in it, as well. The background is unfamiliar; it must be in Earth Country, when she made Jonin. They all are smiling, pride evident in their expressions, with Sakura grinning in the center, and this smile reaches her eyes.
The outfit she's wearing is not one he's familiar with. It's a modified version of the active gear she used to wear on missions, but this version bares her midriff, covered only by netting. It suits her well, but he tries not to examine that picture for too long, either, because it also hugs slender curves in all the right places.
He moves on to the one hanging to its left; this one shows Kakashi, Sakura, Ino, Choji Akimichi, and Team Ten's sensei, Asuma. It must be from the Chunin Exams, as the three of them are clad in standard issue green vests that look new. That makes sense; Shikamaru had been promoted, so Sakura joining their squad to fill in given his own absence and Naruto's would have been a good fit. In this snapshot, Sakura seems happy, but tired.
His gaze trails to the last photo. This one is not posed, a picnic, judging by the patterned blanket laid on the grass. Sakura is in the center, not smiling but instead calling upward. Sai and Kakashi sit near her; his replacement is painting on a scroll, cherry blossom trees with an orange blob situated in the center. There's an orange flash in the corner, as well, possibly a knee; Naruto must have been the one taking the picture. He wonders who gave the dobe a camera. Knowing him, he probably dropped it from the tree or something.
By that time, he hears the water turn off, so he assumes his side of her couch, vision catching on their original Team Seven portrait still sitting perched on her shelf.
It's nice, he thinks, to be in a picture in Naruto's house, or on Kakashi's desk, but it's especially nice to be in a picture in Sakura's apartment, included in the minutiae of mementos filling her home.
The bathroom door opens, followed by the sound of her bedroom door opening. A couple of minutes pass, and then he hears her footsteps echoing down the short hallway, latch clicking shut behind her.
"Did you find anything good?" She questions softly as she comes around her side of the couch, wearing more casual clothing, well-suited for lounging. Her hair appears as if it's just been brushed, neatly parted, and the berry scent is fresh and renewed. He's coming to associate the aroma with easy comfort. It has to be her soap, maybe shampoo or body wash.
"...A documentary series."
The title flashes on. "Oh, I like this one," she comments as she takes her seat on the opposite end. Soon they're enmeshed in the complexities of a strange disappearance from decades ago in the Land of Snow, one that remains unsolved today.
He excuses himself to use the bathroom after it's concluded; Sakura heads to the kitchen, offering to prepare tea for them both.
It's not the first time he's used her bathroom, but it is the first time she's left the shower curtain open, and sure enough, there is a bottle of mixed berry scented body wash situated on the corner of the bathtub.
One mystery solved.
The next day of guard duty passes in a blur of orange annoyance, though this time it's moreso annoyance at the dobe's strange behavior than his usual chattering. Naruto keeps staring at him like he's a puzzle to be figured out, as if there is something he wants to ask him in between various mission squads returning and squirrels scrambling across the main road, but he never does; instead he occasionally drones on about Hinata, her sister, training, their old classmates, and everything in between, seeming not at all invested in the conversations he's trying to start. Like he's just rambling to fill space instead of the true Naruto brand of rambling.
At least it's not as hot today, billowing clouds slipping idly by in the breeze and offering some cover from the sun.
"You know, teme," he starts for the fifth time this hour. "We should really challenge Kakashi-sensei to another bell test! I think we'd kick his ass."
His eyes feel inordinately stretched from how much he's been rolling them over the past day or two, though that would be an interesting challenge, the more he thinks on it.
"...When would he have time for that?" Between prepping for the Chunin Exams in Sand and Jonin Exams here, he probably will be even busier than usual.
Naruto's face takes on a more serious expression.
"Well, fuck, I don't know. Probably not much with the Jonin Exams prep on top of everything else." He taps his fingers against the flooring, fidgety as if he's thinking. "Maybe we could kidnap him?"
Sasuke gives him a look that he can only hope communicates how absolutely stupid that idea is, given his history.
Then his teammate is grinning conspiratorially, like he has just devised a brilliant plan. It's a quick switch; suddenly Naruto seems more invested in the conversation than he has been all morning.
"Or… we could hold his books for ransom. That'd get his attention real fucking quick."
It could work, albeit being pretty juvenile. He's gathered that Naruto spends a lot of time in the Hokage's office, and it's the first time all day he's seemed his genuine self, so he decides to bite.
"...Do you know where he keeps them?"
And then Naruto seems incredibly pleased with himself. He cackles.
"Wouldn't you like to know. I heard you've been reading a lot. You could probably learn some things."
Sasuke scowls and glares at him in tandem as his neck burns. He walked right into that one.
"Fuck off." He has zero desire to read those stupid books.
"Whatever. I'm doing another patrol," the dobe counters in a mock imitation of his voice as he rises, chortling as he leaves.
The rest of the shift passes, Naruto chuckling to himself and not saying anything more, and Sasuke glowering at him in annoyance on the few occasions he does chance a glance in his direction.
His teammate doesn't ask him to eat once the first night shift relieves them this time, as if Naruto already knows Sasuke has plans.
Perhaps he does.
When he meets Sakura at the hospital, she looks… different. Tired, or maybe deep in thought is a good way to describe it; her pink brows are knitted together in consternation, eyes downcast as if something is bothering her.
When she sees him standing there, her expression morphs into one that is more friendly.
"Sasuke-kun. Hello," she greets softly, a tentative smile on her lips. It reaches her eyes.
"...Sakura."
He wonders if he should ask if something happened, but then she's launching into conversation as she approaches him.
"How was day two?"
He sighs exasperatedly as his answer, annoyance still fresh in his mind, and her smile grows.
"That bad, huh? My condolences."
When he holds out his hand, there is no inkling of suspicion this time. She hands him her tote bag to carry, murmuring a quiet but sincere, "Thank you."
"...How was work?" He asks assiduously as they fall into step together.
Sakura blinks owlishly, then bites her lip.
"...It was fine," she says eventually, looking elsewhere.
He keeps his eye trained on her beside him, not saying anything and hoping she'll take it as encouragement to elaborate.
Jade eyes drift to him after a minute of no response, the only sound shoes taking steps on the gravel walkway.
"...I'm just worried about a patient," she finally offers, a vestigial amount of concern in her tone.
His mouth hardens in a solid line, because he's not sure how to comfort her with something like that. He's no good at providing comfort in general, but running a hospital by nature likely comes with a unique enormity of weight that is difficult to bear at times.
"...I'm sorry," he murmurs, wishing he could do more.
Sakura shakes her head, seeming very far away for a moment. "It comes with the territory." Green eyes peek up at him carefully, a twinge of a smile that makes his heart stutter. "...But thank you."
He speculates at first that perhaps she needs time to herself today; maybe he should go home early. She gives no indication that she doesn't want him there still, though. She asks him questions as they cook karaage and vegetable teppanyaki for dinner, if he saw anything interesting during guard duty and what conversation topics Naruto smothered him with.
She perks up a little at the mention of another bell test, lips curving in a way that belies a competitive streak that he doesn't see from her often. He leaves out the teasing aspect of that exchange.
"Oh, right, he mentioned that a few weeks ago. That would be fun, though I'm not sure when Kakashi-sensei would have the time."
Sasuke nods, relieved to see her smiling wider again. "...The Jonin Exams will be held here in the fall."
Sakura blinks in deliberation as she flips the chicken with tongs in the frying pan. "He'll be even busier than normal... Maybe once that's passed, though it's a ways away."
He nods for a second time.
The karaage is nearly done, so he holds his hand out for the tongs, a silent offer to take over so she can get the ingredients for the teppanyaki. She mentioned using canned vegetables earlier for it, since she's running low on produce. He infers they're in the corner pantry, but he's never seen it opened, so he would feel a bit odd grabbing them himself.
Her lips quirk further upwards, and he's stupidly distracted by them. Then she's handing the utensil to him with a soft, "Thank you," before she heads to the corner.
When she opens the pantry door, he is a little stunned at the sheer amount of food she has packed into it. There are unassuming bags of staples, flour, sugar, oatmeal, and rice that he assumes she must use to fill the clear glass containers that are stored on the open shelving in the main part of her kitchen. Those are normal enough, typical for pretty much any pantry; it's the canned goods that surprise him. There are row after row of canned blackberries, blueberries, jams, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, peppers, potatoes, and more that he can't quite see from this angle, all organized by food item. They're in clear mason jars, the kind typically used when one is canning food from a self-grown garden.
Her balcony garden can't be big enough to have grown all of that. A new mystery. Sasuke supposes Ino might have a garden, given her mother's profession. Perhaps they came from her, or maybe Hinata; there seemed to be a vegetable garden in the dobe's backyard when he'd seen it before.
She brings a jar each of carrots, zucchini, green beans, peppers, and tomatoes to the counter.
"I've never tried it with tomatoes before," Sakura says, jade eyes catching the light through her kitchen window as she gazes at him. "They're cherry tomatoes again; is that okay? I know they're kind of sweet."
He inclines his head once more. It's more than okay; they're not terribly sweet. He can handle them, in small amounts.
They set to work mixing the vegetables together.
She seems more herself by the time she walks him to her door, another movie watched and hours passed to decompress.
"Would you like to... get tea, maybe? Tomorrow morning? They'll have iced now, if it's hot out," Sakura mentions as he pulls on his sandals.
She's busy every other Thursday evening, he recalls. He prefers black iced tea, if it's warm outside. He nods in acquiescence, relaxed in the knowledge that she seems less somber now and more her usual self.
"...I'll meet you here," he suggests, rising back to his full height from putting on his shoes. "At seven?"
Sakura nods in return, smiling up at him softly in a way that is entirely different from the way she does for photographs. It reaches her eyes, but there is something more to it, something tender.
Still.
Sasuke carefully presses his lips to hers, trying to be more gentle than usual, stroking the freckle on her cheek once with his thumb.
When they part, he exhales deeply before he pulls her close with one arm, hugging her as she did the other day. It's not much, but he wants to be able to comfort her in some way, even if it seems like she's mostly back to her usual self.
She stiffens in surprise, and then in a blink she's relaxing, wrapping her arms around him, fingertips that fit perfectly between his now spread along his back.
She doesn't say anything, face pressed to his chest, but she does grip him tightly, breathing out slowly as if she is trying to let whatever is on her mind go.
He hopes it helps.
Sasuke eyes her downstairs neighbors' garden patios as he passes them on his way back to his own apartment, thinking that perhaps the elderly ladies are who Sakura got her collection of canned goods from. It appears that there's nothing but flowers, though.
Interesting.
Day three of guard duty is as grating as the rest, but Sakura is occupied, so Sasuke accepts Naruto's invitation to Ichiraku's for dinner. The dobe has been acting more normal today; he's not sure what his deal was yesterday.
He orders his usual. It's just past the dinner rush, so there aren't as many people in the restaurant anymore by the time they get their food.
It's barely cooled enough to eat when Naruto finally says, "Well… Congrats, teme."
There isn't a hint of teasing or malice or anything other than happiness in his voice, aside from his commonplace usage of the colorful nickname.
"...For what?" Sasuke asks innocuously. He's pretty sure he knows exactly what he's talking about, but he also enjoys fucking with the idiot when the opportunity arises. Sakura seemed even moreso her cheerful self this morning when they had tea, so he's in a good mood, all things considered.
Naruto wiggles his eyebrows, eyes twinkling and mouth grinning after a gulp of noodles. "Don't play dumb with me; you know exactly what." He waves his chopsticks accusingly, pointing at him to emphasize the word what. "Sakura-chan is very happy. I don't know what you did, because she won't tell me, and BELIEVE ME, I've been asking. Whatever it was, it must have been good. This is the happiest I've seen her since… well, ever."
His heart does that thing it does when it comes to Sakura, where it turns over in his chest cavity before swelling to meet his ribs, and he distracts himself by slowly releasing a breath and chasing a rogue leek chunk around his bowl with his chopsticks. Sasuke is also the happiest he can remember being in a long time, but he is still Sasuke, and he's not fond of talking about his feelings.
As he brings it to his mouth, his teammate's words sink in, and he comes to the realization that the reason Naruto hasn't been pestering him about Sakura is because the idiot has been pestering Sakura herself, apparently to no success.
There is something about that that is incredibly amusing, so he offers nothing, and chews.
"Yeah, keep pretending to be cool, Mr. Walk Her Home From The Hospital and Hang Out at Her Place Every Night. It's totally not obvious that you're dating Sakura-chan. I have plans, my ass." Naruto continues next to him, smirking between bites. "All I can say is it's a fucking relief; I thought I'd have to watch you be an idiot when it comes to girls for forever. And they say I'm the stupid one. With the way she's acting, you've at least kissed her by now."
Sasuke's ears burn at the mention of kissing Sakura. Of which he has done many times at this point, good night exchanges he looks forward to all evening, that he missed today when they parted ways at the hospital entrance.
He swallows the food he's been chewing, trying to school his expression into maintaining insouciance, despite the heat he feels creeping up his neck.
He supposes it's time. Especially if Naruto's been pestering her, because now that he thinks about it, the dobe would have had few opportunities to bother her, given she's been spending the majority of her free time with him. That can only mean he's been bothering her at work. Sasuke recalls the phrase kicked him out being used at one point.
That won't do.
"...At least," Sasuke acknowledges unambiguously, appearing to gaze nowhere in particular, but timing it just as Naruto takes another bite. He revels in his teammate's surprised sputter, apparently near inhaling a noodle; clearly he hadn't expected he was going to outright admit it.
Idiot.
As Naruto coughs, Teuchi regards him with concern, as if this is a regular occurrence, and refills his near empty glass of water.
Once the dobe gulps enough of it to stop choking, he casts an expression towards him that is uncharacteristically soft, his smile more pure now that food isn't obstructing his windpipe, before just shaking his head and rolling his eyes.
Sasuke almost thinks he's not going to comment on his admission as retribution for making him choke, which would be more than fair, but after a minute, Naruto murmurs quietly, looking back to his food and stirring the contents of his own bowl, "I've known for a while, y'know."
He distracts himself from the warmth he feels on the back of his neck by taking his own bite, chewing slowly in rumination as he stares down his food before swallowing.
"...When?" He's curious which provenance made it apparent. Naruto, for all his growth, has never been famed for his perceptiveness.
The answer comes quickly, as if his teammate doesn't even need to ponder it. "Since a hospital room a long time ago." He pauses, then adds, "The way you looked at her was…"
There's a singular moment where the words hang in the air. Sasuke glances to his left, and then his teammate is shrugging, a stupid grin on his face. "Well, I just knew."
That sounds about right. He remembers that embrace vividly, hands just as soft then as they are now, the feeling of someone caring for him, of not waking up in a hospital room alone.
And fingertips on his back. Like last night.
"Anyways, now that you've admitted it, y'gotta stop hogging her."
"...I'm not hogging her," he contests indignantly, though he supposes he kind of is.
"Uh huh, sure, sure. Like you aren't attached at the hip."
If Sasuke wasn't on the dobe's right side instead of his left, he'd shove him.
"...Whatever," he says with no malice at all.
The fourth and final day of guard duty passes with little fanfare. Naruto drones on about how they need to have a Team Seven movie night, and a training session, and Kakashi's utilization of some jutsu he hadn't expected during training, launching into story after story at a mile a minute.
"We usually have those at Sakura-chan's place, 'cause she has a good collection! We bring lots and lots of junk food," his teammate chatters. He assumes 'we' must mean both him and Sai. "One time I laughed so hard that my drink came out my nose! Sakura-chan was scary after that, though, so we don't watch comedies anymore." Naruto blinks as if deliberating before he flits to the next topic of conversation. "We should all train together sometime, too! I was thinking Training Ground Sixteen, since it's got the best terrain. One time I trained with Kakashi-sensei there, and he used Water Replacement to disappear into the pond. I didn't even know he could use that technique! So I pummeled the whole thing, like pow, pow…"
Sasuke half listens in between rounds, vaguely amused and looking forward to the future while simultaneously thinking Naruto still doesn't know when to shut up sometimes.
And inhaling and exhaling the scent of lilacs, hand twitching at his side. The wind is stronger today, cajoling his recall with gentle psithurism.
He agrees to spar tomorrow morning at Training Ground Sixteen. It's a newer one, at least; he's never been to it.
"Have fun smooching Sakura-chan!" Naruto calls in a sing-song voice once they're relieved for the day by two ninja he's not familiar with by name, before taking off down the street whooping and cackling.
His neck burns.
"I told Naruto," he murmurs quietly as he and Sakura do the dishes together in her kitchen later that evening.
Green eyes are on him immediately. The light fractals from the sun's setting are casting them aglow, and she has the tiniest little smile forming, a steady quirking of her lips upwards.
He is struck by the sudden desire to kiss her then, thinking of how soft her lips are and how close they're standing, less than arm's length away with nerves twisting pleasantly in his belly. He's never kissed her in her apartment anywhere but the entryway, and he didn't get the chance yesterday, since he walked her to the hospital.
There is a prolonged pause in which he thinks that she has also realized how close they're standing, cheeks coloring to paint her skin the same rosy color as her hair.
And then Sakura's gaze very clearly drops to his mouth, and then she's really red, hastily looking back down towards the dish she'd been washing.
Sasuke swallows, feeling very warm all of the sudden.
"Oh?" She rinses it before handing it to him, making eye contact once more despite her cheeks darkening further, an invitation to elaborate.
He forces his eyes away from her mouth and dries the bowl carefully before saying, "...I didn't know he was bothering you about it."
There is a lengthy pause.
"...I thought my shift today was a little quiet," she admits softly, lips curving as she returns her attention to the suds in the sink and the remaining utensils. "No shadow clones."
Ah. The dobe really has been bothering her.
Sasuke briefly wonders why she didn't just tell him, just to get him out of her hair. He has no qualms regarding anyone knowing about them, although he's not particularly fond of the teasing he no doubt will continue to endure from Naruto and Kakashi.
Then her expression changes into one that is devious, reminding him of when they were Genin, the kind of look she would get right before picking on Naruto for whatever idiotic thing he did or was about to do. She casts her eyes up at him again, though her cheeks are still pink.
"It's fun to mess with him," she remarks, grinning playfully as she works on the mugs they used for their evening tea.
He snorts.
They do a few more in a comfortable silence, her washing and him drying before putting them away.
Something has stuck with him from the conversation at Ichiraku's; she's been inviting him over, so at this point he thinks it's fine, that she really does want him here, but it won't hurt to ask.
"...He said I've been hogging you."
Jade eyes blink in surprise, strawberry blonde lashes fluttering. Then she's reallyblushing.
"Maybe I like being hogged," Sakura murmurs, grinning with mirth and purposely bumping her right shoulder against his left for a second. "Naruto should mind his own business."
Vines twist, grasping at his heartstrings.
Sunday brings an A-ranked mission assignment, taking care of some bandits that have been parrying and retreating around the borders of Fire Country, stealing valuables and food stocks from the residences of the smallfolk as they try to finish sowing seeds for the beginning growing season.
"We've finally gotten enough intel on their next location to make a move, though it's quite time sensitive," Kakashi divulges, motioning towards a now fully-deciphered scroll.
It's a different squad assortment than he's had thus far, led by Shikamaru, with Choji and Sai rounding out the rankings. There are three locations to hit, and the timing is important; Sai's flying birds will be of use in terms of getting to each location in time to head them off. Shikamaru will trap, with Choji and Sasuke coming in for incapacitating blows. The bandits have been creeping at the borders of other Shinobi nations, as well, so they're given orders to take those they find into custody if possible, in order to gain intel.
Contributing toward a greater good will be nice, Sasuke thinks.
They're dismissed following briefing to pack, with orders to depart early the following morning. They'll be gone for eight days.
Sasuke is still not used to talking more than necessary around people that are not Sakura or Naruto, so he is surprised when Shikamaru chooses to walk in step with him as they exit the Hokage's office, Choij and Sai trailing behind. He's not really sure how to interact with his old classmates still, so his go-to response is to simply say nothing.
"So," Shikamaru says casually, hands in his pockets and looking nowhere in particular, as if this conversation that he's starting already bores him. "You and Haruno, huh?"
His neck warms, because that is not at all the topic he'd been expecting.
"Yes," he answers quietly, evenly enough despite being taken aback
Shikamaru merely responds, "Hm." He cracks his neck lazily as they descend a floor, round a corner, and descend the next floor.
They're almost to the exit that leads into the street, and Sasuke wonders what the point of the question was, concludes it was just to settle curiosity; he has always found Shikamaru slightly hard to read. Choji and Sai are peculiarly silent.
Then, as they arrive at the main entrance, Shikamaru shifts in step ahead of Sasuke, and opens it for everyone.
"It's about time."
Sasuke stills for a second, and Choji snickers behind him, as if he was waiting for this reaction the whole conversation, or lack thereof; he moves past Sasuke through the doorway, and says, glancing backward at Shikamaru as he does so and looking absolutely conspiratorial, "Looks like Kiba owes us some money, Shikamaru. We'll have to track him down so he can pay up and have a feast with the winnings when we get back."
"Yes, Beautiful bet money on this outcome, as well, while she was plastered," the voice at his back murmurs. "Kiba may never financially recover. My congratulations, Traitor," Sai adds helpfully, smiling in his weird detached manner as he also passes Sasuke to cross through the threshold.
Shikamaru stays, casually leaning and still holding the exit, giving him a knowing smirk.
"...Thank you," Sasuke murmurs sincerely as he passes through the door being held open for him.
It's a hot morning for a spar. They stick primarily to taijutsu and fundamental weaponry, since Sasuke has a mission assignment tomorrow. They're drenched in sweat by the end, thick rivulets dripping down his spine.
Sasuke wins.
"Damn, teme, that was fun! I haven't been this sweaty in ages," Naruto laughs, affable even in defeat and not at all bothered by the host of bruises starting to form on his arms, nor the one on the side of his face where Sasuke's foot landed. Sasuke himself is pretty sure there's a nasty one forming on the back of his right shoulder. "When you get back, I'm going to kick your ass! Then you have to come drinking with me. Sakura-chan can come, too. And maybe Sai! Team Seven drinking night!"
It doesn't sound that bad, if Sakura comes, too. He inhales deeply, then exhales.
"...If you can win."
Naruto just laughs.
"You'll come see me when you get back?" Sakura asks him later in the evening, lovely in her entryway, auriferous flecks catching in the light of her lamp.
He nods, chest feeling full as he recalls a single affectionate word spoken in the very spot she's standing.
Okaeri. Of all the routines that have begun to form since his return, he thinks that one may be his favorite, the magnanimous promise of no more arrivals home to an empty house.
She peers up at him softly for a moment, and then her hand is on his cheek, sifting hair away from his Rinnegan eye, cherished lenity in fingertips against his skin for a single charged second as he holds his breath.
"Okay. Be safe," she says gently, letting her hand fall to his shoulder, a gentle redamancy before she rises on her tiptoes.
This kiss is so lengthy that he still can hardly breathe, after, abeyance of everything but catharsis stealing the air right from his lungs.
It will get him through the next eight days, plenary in a manner that makes him unable to fathom how he survived for so long without it.
He carefully waters the lily bulbs early the following morning, out of his canteen before meeting the rest of his squad at the village gates. Hopefully the weather won't be too warm while he's gone.
As they depart, he inhales deeply and exhales the scent of lilacs, irenic and incalescent.
AN: Thought I'd take a break from the angst for a few days and write a chapter that's entirely feel good. As always, let me know your thoughts! I apologize again for the delay.
I do want to add that my update times might become a bit more sporadic; school has been really busy lately. I would like to be able to still get a chapter up about once a month during the school year, but it depends on a lot of variable factors. Be assured that I will NOT abandon this fic. I have way too much time invested in what I've written so far, and just in general I love writing it too much.