Once the relief and surprise wear down, Sakura and Sasuke leave the hospital to visit a cafe. The pinkette is in a confused daze as she stares at the latte in her coffee mug. She's spent so much time with the understanding that her days are numbered regardless of any efforts she may make. It makes it hard to truly accept that the retest's results aren't God's attempt at humor. She wants to cry, laugh, and scream at the same time. Her mental and physical health have never been this unbalanced.
Sasuke keeps glancing at her. It's obvious he wants to say something to snap her out of it and be helpful, and Sakura appreciates the intention, but it's clear he has no idea what to do.
What is she supposed to say to this wonderful man that chased her to this faraway city? How is she going to make amends with him for causing so much stress and uncertainty? To be honest, she's surprised he didn't come to hate her for leaving without saying goodbye. That reaction would be more in character than this attentive and caring yet charmingly awkward person before her.
Hesitantly, she turns her gaze up to the man in question, her chest tightening with warmth. That's a lie. Deep down, under all that stoicism, Sakura's known all along that Sasuke's in the process of gaining the courage to show his true personality.
Dark eyes lock onto hers suddenly, and she quickly averts her gaze while finally taking a sip of her drink. It's quiet for a moment before the Uchiha says, "When do you want to go back?" He means to Konoha.
Sakura blinks back the tears that well up instantly. She shakes her head while responding in a wavery voice, "I don't know how I'm going to face everyone after all that's happened." She unconsciously makes a disgusted face and gestures to herself, all without meeting Sasuke's gaze, "And, I mean, looking like this…."
A long, tense pause occurs.
Then, Sasuke mumbles with a clear lack of confidence in his statement, "We can take our time and drive back instead of flying."
Sakura finally looks at his handsome face, surprised by his offer.
He seems empowered by her lack of immediate disagreement and adds, "If you're still not sure by the time we get there, you can always hide out for a few days." It's unspoken that they can only hide the truth from her family and friends for so long without it becoming unethical.
The pinkette's throat tightens as the urge to burst into sobs arises. All she can do is nod and attempt to wordlessly communicate her gratitude.
So, the couple spends the day buying the necessary supplies for a road trip, grabs some dinner, and then returns to the motel.
To the Haruno woman's pleasant surprise, the awkwardness fades more the longer they've been reunited. By the time they've both showered and climbed into bed, it feels much easier to breathe.
Unlike the previous night, Sakura struggles to fall asleep because her mind's so busy thinking about what'll happen when they return home. Sasuke, on the other hand, seems to have regained a bit of trust that she won't run away in the night because he falls asleep after fighting it for a while.
She tries to focus on the softly playing television to pass the time, sitting up with her back to the pillows, but snaps out of it when something warm and solid suddenly rolls onto her legs. On instinct, she parts them while looking from the screen to see it's Sasuke. His face becomes buried in her midsection, his arms loosely wrapping around her hips, so his hands come to rest beneath the pillows.
"...Sasuke?" No response. He's either fallen asleep again already or never really woke up at all.
Affection floods Sakura's entire being as she hesitantly brings a hand into his hair and sinks into the position so the sleeping Uchiha man can settle in further. Once she's able to get comfortable, Sakura finds herself unable to hold back and smiles softly while soothing his naturally messy hair with slow, calming hands. It's as if his unexpected cuddling blocks out the stressful thoughts and the woman's eyes grow heavy. Before long, she, too, falls asleep. The warmth and weight surrounding her provide a great sense of security.
…..
The moment Sasuke becomes conscious in the morning and realizes the position he's in, he admits to himself that he could get used to the idea of sharing a bed with this woman more often. Sakura is everywhere, consuming his senses. Her scent is familiar and welcoming. Her body heat is comforting and alluring. Her fingers are loosely in his hair and against his back, beneath his shirt. With his face nuzzled into her embrace, Sasuke can hear her steady, restful heart beating against his ear.
A large part of him wants to slip out of her grasp before she wakes and realizes he's accidentally overstepped a boundary, but the bigger part of him refuses to end such a wonderful experience prematurely. He thinks to himself that he's already thrown his pride away by coming to Yugakure, refusing to leave her side, and even telling her she's to move in when they get back home. Why change back to pretending to be emotionless and unaffected now? It'd be pointless.
So, resolute in his decision to get as much of this affection as possible before the woman wakes and it ends, Sasuke nuzzles further into her hold, his arms tightening around her tiny waist as he guides them onto their sides.
He squeezes his eyes closed when Sakura sighs dreamily, her fingers twitching in his hair and against his skin. He should've just stayed still. The woman's body tenses momentarily, meaning she had indeed woken. Then, a warm sound vibrates within her chest, and Sasuke finds himself stunned when she gently hugs him more tightly. "Thank you for finding me," Her voice is soft and a little raspy from sleep. It's clear that she thinks he's still asleep. It leaves him in a hard place. Either he can make it known he can hear her, or he can keep pretending and take this secret to the grave. Before he can decide, the unfamiliar feeling of his hair being pushed out of his face comes, followed by a slow, soft press of Sakura's lips to the top of his head. His body acts independently, and his eyes creep open to lock onto warm green ones. It takes a moment for Sakura to react, and when she does, she squeaks with a bright blush and releases him so she can scramble to the other side of the bed, "Sorry! I didn't know you were awake!"
Of course, Sasuke knows what he wants to say. He wants to reassure her that she can dote on him like that any time she feels the urge, but he simply can't verbalize those feelings. Instead, he holds himself up with one arm, rubbing his eyes with the other while grumbling, "It's fine." To his confusion, the mood switches drastically. Sakura says nothing. Instead, she comes to sit on her knees before him, hesitance clear as day on her pretty face.
He, too, sits up. Obviously, the pinkette wants to say something. So, he waits.
"Is…." Sakura starts, only to trail off again while searching his face.
Sasuke can almost feel her courage deteriorating. He surprises himself and her by answering the question he assumes she's trying to ask, "Yes." She wants to know if it's okay to be together after all the stress and concern she caused. The guilt is probably eating her alive, and to be honest, Sasuke isn't unaffected by it. In truth, he feels an unfamiliar sense of desperation to keep her in sight. He feels like if he's not extremely careful, she'll disappear again and, this time, it'd be permanent.
He feels less cautious when her blush heightens. Awkwardly, he runs a hand through his hair and averts his gaze, "I'm new to this, so don't take it personally if I don't react how other guys do."
A tiny giggle meets his ears, and he looks at Sakura in muted surprise. She covers her mouth with her hand before tilting her head and smiling sheepishly, "You've met my only ex-boyfriend, so I'm pretty much in the same boat."
That Kiba jackass is her only ex? And he treated her like that? Sasuke almost pities the girl but decides not to dwell on it.
…..
Sakura feels like she's living a dream. She and Sasuke have spent the last week driving back to Konoha. The entire time, they talked as though they were S and Haruki, speaking anonymously as friends on AC again. The Uchiha man isn't the most talkative person out there, but it's clear he's opened up immensely compared to when they last spoke. His efforts to change for her sake are appreciated and noticeable.
By the time they're pulling into the parking garage at his condo, Sakura's feeling cramped up from being in the car for so long. She wants to stretch her legs and take off the stuffy clothes.
Things feel a little awkward as Sasuke leads the way inside, glancing back a few times to ensure she's following. She's nervous and bashful because she's never lived with anyone other than herself and her parents.
Imagine her surprise when he shows her to the bedroom right across the hall from his room. He sets her suitcase, full of necessities the man purchased for her, on the bed before facing her. She blatantly avoids his gaze and feigns curiosity while looking around the massive bedroom. The bed is huge, covered with plush, black blankets, sheets, and pillows. Expensive-looking furniture also decorates the place elegantly.
In an attempt to ease the tension, she muses, "You really have a knack for interior design; have I ever told you?"
He scoffs, responding tersely, "My mother did it all, not me."
Sakura's bashfulness temporarily disappears as she laughs to herself and imagines the woman in question bullying her way past her son's decisions to make his condo look so welcoming and modern, "That makes more sense."
Things become quiet again after a moment, and then Sasuke becomes visibly tense. He mirrors Sakura's glancing around, "I'll, um, give you some time to settle in." With no other words exchanged, the man leaves the room and shuts the door behind him.
Sakura smiles to herself after a moment of surprise. He's so awkward that it's adorable. Then she freezes in realization. If someone told her six months ago that she'd find the intimidating, masculine being that is Sasuke Uchiha adorable, she'd have scoffed.
That night, the couple shares a quiet dinner before going their separate ways. The time comes to shower, and Sakura praises God for how amazing the water pressure is. She has what some women refer to as an "everything shower", where a woman does a full hair and skin washing routine, shaves, and all the other little things. By the time she's finished, she feels like a new person. It's as if the expensive soaps and solutions have scrubbed away most of the bad she's experienced as of late.
After brushing her teeth, Sakura wraps the fluffy blue towel around her body and exits the room so she can return to her bedroom. She runs her fingers through her long, wet hair while walking, only to freeze when she comes face-to-face with Sasuke. His hair is wet, too, meaning he probably just finished showering in the other bathroom. He also wears only a towel around his hips.
Without thinking, Sakura's eyes travel down his well-toned torso to the prominent "v" muscles leading to where the towel rests. When she realizes what she's doing, her hand leaves her hair to fall stiffly to her side, and she looks at the man's face with a bright blush warming her cheeks, "Are you getting ready for bed, too?"
He nods, making a clear effort not to look away from her face. The Uchiha man does a better job of appearing composed, at least. His skin isn't the color of tomatoes, and his expression is the usual stoic mask.
"Well, uh, good night then. Sleep well," she blurts before hurrying around the tall man and into her room, where she stands with her back to the closed door and a hand to her racing heart.
Two hours later, the poor woman is still awake. She lays in bed, tossing and turning and unable to fall asleep. With a frown tugging at her lips, she looks at the empty left side of the bed. It's cold in here, even though she's wearing the silky pajamas Sasuke bought her, and the blanket is nice and thick. Rather bashfully, she admits to herself that she wishes they were still traveling because at least then they slept in the same bed. Can it be that, in the span of ten days, she's already become used to not being alone?
…..
Sasuke glares at the ceiling of his bedroom with his arms resting behind his head. He's angry. He can't sleep because he can't stop thinking about Sakura, the way her skin and eyes are slowly regaining their healthy glow, the way they've been waking up in one another's arms each morning and refusing to talk about it, and the attractive way she blushed in the hallway earlier upon running into him in a towel.
More than all of that? Sasuke's pissed with himself for not having the balls to go across the hall and tell her all of this. Since that level of communication would be difficult for him, he'd be impressed with himself if he simply managed to go over there to sleep in the same bed and nothing else. Here he lays, though, in his big empty bed, wide awake.
Maybe it's for the best that he lets Sakura decide what she wants to do going forward. Ever since locating her, he's been dictating where they'll go and what they'll do. If he doesn't give her a chance to make a decision for herself, then it'll begin to feel as though he's forcing her into all this. Sighing, he closes his eyes. That's right. Sakura is still her own person, and she still has her pride. If he doesn't give her a chance to pursue him the way he's been pursuing her these past ten days, she's likely to become frustrated.
So Sasuke resigns himself to trying, once again, to fall asleep.
No more than a minute can pass after making that decision before a soft knock comes at his door. He sits up, but the door opens before he can get out of bed. Sakura steps in, her pale legs milky against the silky pink shorts she wears. Somehow, he finds his voice, "Is everything alright?"
The pinkette approaches with a shy expression. The sound of her bare feet on the ground is surprisingly pleasant. When she's close enough, she absently runs a hand over the corner of the bed while glancing between that location and Sasuke's face, "Is it okay if I..." She swallows nervously before forcing herself to meet his gaze more firmly. Sasuke can only watch and react in awe as she cautiously crawls onto the bed, slips under the covers, and comes to straddle his hips with a red face.
Instinctually, his hands grasp her hips to stop her from coming down to press against a very sensitive area of his body, "Sakura."
Still appearing bashful, the woman brings her hands to rest on his shoulders. He can barely keep himself from looking away as she searches his face, "I'm not forcing myself. I-I want to be with you, Sasuke."
It's as if a weight is lifted from the man's shoulders because it's clear she means those words. So, Sasuke doesn't release her, but he does allow her to move. Slowly, Sakura lowers herself to properly straddle his hips. She runs a hand up his neck to cup his jaw before leaning in and capturing his lips with her own.
Goosebumps rise on his bare skin when she deepens the kiss, her other hand wrapping itself in his messy hair. Sasuke is apprehensive, but his brain is no longer making decisions. No, it's emotions and physical urges now. So, he does what he feels like doing. It's too late to go back anyway.
Slowly, to not scare Sakura, he slips his hands beneath her loose-fitting pajama shirt to grasp her waist by the bare skin. She's so warm and solid beneath his fingers. It makes a familiar sensation meet his lower regions. Sakura notices and sighs into their kiss, melting into his touch and grinding her hips ever so slightly against his.
The couple takes their time undressing until no articles of clothing remain. Sasuke watches his girlfriend as she lines him up with her entrance and slowly accepts him, enamored by the sight and the feeling. When she begins moving, he sucks in a breath because it's never felt so good. He swallows anxiously as the woman comes forward to hold her weight up with a hand against the bed near his shoulder. Her hair falls over one of her shoulders as she studies his face, eyes dropping to his lips a few times. Then she's kissing him again.
The man doesn't know what his hands are doing. All he knows is that he wants to feel every inch of her warm skin. His head is cloudy with lust, but not so much that he can't muse about why it feels so incredible this time around. The past times were amazing, too, but something's different tonight. Is it because they've finally admitted their feelings for one another? There's no longer an air of confusion. That must be it.
A soft groan escapes him as a wave of something strong makes its way through his body. Then, he's taking on Sakura's weight, placing his hand on her bottom so he doesn't slip out, and switching their positions.
Their kiss parts as her pink hair is strewn over the pillows, a moan filling the air. He hisses softly as her walls squeeze him and her body arches upwards toward his. The moonlight makes her skin look ethereal as she clings to him and murmurs soft words of affection between angelic moans and gasps. The pair continues late into the night and early morning.
Sakura is still sleeping when Sasuke wakes to his alarm. He's supposed to go back to work today. He hasn't given anyone a heads up about Sakura returning yet.
Carefully so as to not wake the sleeping beauty, Sasuke slips out of her loose cuddles to stand, locate his boxers, and slide them on. He grabs the glass of water off the nightstand and drinks it calmly while admiring the results of his hard work last night. Sakura lays on her stomach with one of her arms lazily over where he'd previously been sleeping. Little love marks decorate her skin in no particular pattern and with little regard for whether or not they'll need to be hidden. Long, messy strands of hair are tangled on the pillow.
The best part? Sakura looks peaceful. All that activity must've helped relieve so much stress, so it seems she's resting well.
Her defenseless face scrunches when Sasuke's phone begins to ring and disturb the peace. Frowning, the man picks up the device and sees Itachi's name on the screen. Beautiful green eyes creep open just as he answers the call, "What do you want?" Immediately, Sakura blushes and sleepily sits up while pulling the covers high enough to cover her chest.
"Hello, Little Brother. Dad wants you to visit the-" The rest of Itachi's words don't reach Sasuke's understanding because he's too entranced by the cute woman yawning to pay attention. Without second guessing himself, he cuts off the man on the other end of the line, "I'm staying home today." Sakura snaps to attention, looking at the Uchiha, stunned. A smirk tugs at his lips as he cuts off his brother's questions, "Maybe tomorrow, too. I'll let you know."
Amused by the pinkette's bashful and embarrassed demeanor, Sasuke hangs up the call without waiting for a response and climbs back into bed. Expertly, he slips his body between Sakura's legs and kisses her. He's too preoccupied to leave the condo today.