Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, blending together in a haze of silence and pain. Each night, Sakura lay in the spare room, staring at the ceiling, waiting for the moment Kakashi would come to her. And every time he did, it felt like another piece of her heart was being chipped away. He didn't speak, didn't look at her the way he used to. He only came to her when he needed release, and even then, it was mechanical, emotionless. Gone were the tender moments they once shared—the way he used to hold her afterward, whispering soft words in the quiet of the night. Now, he left her lying there, cold and alone, his back turned as he walked away without a second glance.

Sakura told herself it was temporary—that Kakashi was still hurting, that in time, he would see how much she loved him, how much she was willing to endure for their relationship. But the longer it went on, the harder it became to hold onto that hope.

The worst part wasn't the coldness, the distance, or even the physical disconnection. It was the loneliness. Kakashi didn't speak to her unless he had to, and even then, it was curt, emotionless. They no longer shared meals together. They no longer laughed, talked, or even argued. They were living in the same house, but it felt like they were worlds apart. Then, he also started to get physical with her.

She can't even remember how many times she had found herself face to face with their floors whenever he shoved her or bump into her hard enough for her to fall down.

Sakura's body ached, not just from the bruises Kakashi left behind but from the deeper wounds—the kind that didn't heal with time or medicine. She had convinced herself for months that this was temporary, that Kakashi was still healing from the pain of her perceived betrayal. Now she wasn't sure anymore.

Sakura sat on the edge of the bed in the spare room, her heart racing as she replayed the events of the past weeks in her mind. Each interaction with Kakashi felt like a minefield, everything she does can trigger him. He hasn't been overly physical with her yet. But it feels like, it's just a matter of time.

Sakura sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers trembling as she traced the fresh bruises on her arms, souvenirs of Kakashi's latest burst of anger. She stared at the walls, now so unfamiliar, trying to remember what love had felt like in this house. It was a distant memory—one she could barely grasp anymore.

Each day felt like a slow descent into something darker. She had fought for them, clung to the belief that things would get better, that Kakashi would come back to her. But now, she wasn't so sure. The Kakashi she knew was slipping further and further away, and in his place was a man consumed by bitterness and hurt, one who seemed incapable of letting her in again.

The silence between them was worse than anything. It suffocated her. She had tried, over and over again, to break through, to remind him of the love they once shared, but he was like a stone—cold, immovable. His touches, once filled with warmth, had become harsh. And now, there were moments when she feared him. She hated admitting that to herself.

There were times that she genuinely thought that he would really hit her. Especially when she's working an overtime at the hospital or that there is an emergency that needed her and she comes home late, she sees how hatred flared in his eyes and all she can do is brace herself for an attack that she knows is coming but never knew when. It's part of what is killing her inside. She knows that he's mad at her, and she's trying to fix them but he's so deep into his anger that he can't seem to see her efforts.

And it's maddening and so painful to know that one of these days, the man you entrusted with your whole heart will be able to hurt you just because of a misunderstanding.

Then suddenly her door burst open, drawing her out of her thoughts. And a very drunk, and very angry Kakashi stood on her doorway. The smell overwhelmed her senses that she almost didn't hear what he said.

"Strip." he commanded.

Her body went rigid at his command, her mind struggling to process the venom laced in his voice. She stared at him, her heart pounding, bile rising in her throat. The Kakashi she loved was no longer standing before her—this was someone else, a shadow of the man who once cherished her.

"No," she whispered, more to herself than to him. She couldn't—she wouldn't.

Kakashi's expression twisted in frustration, the sharp lines of his face distorted by the anger that had festered inside him for so long. He stumbled toward her, the smell of alcohol thick in the air between them. "You don't get to say no," he growled, his hand reaching out to grab her wrist.

Fear gripped her, colder than any winter night. She yanked her hand away, scrambling to her feet, putting distance between them. "Kakashi, stop," she pleaded, her voice shaking but firm. "This isn't you. Please, just stop."

For a moment, his eyes flickered with something—confusion, pain, or maybe guilt—but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by an icy resolve. "I don't care who you think I am anymore, Sakura," he said coldly. "I told you—pack your things and leave and you didn't. You forced yourself here. Now, accept what staying means." he growled as he gripped the top of her dress tightly and ripped it.

Sakura's breath hitched as her dress tore away under Kakashi's forceful grip, the sound of fabric ripping apart searing her ears. For a moment, everything in her body froze. Time seemed to stand still as the weight of his actions fully hit her. The man she had loved, defended, and sacrificed for had become her nightmare.

"I said strip and you didn't follow me." he growled against his neck as he nipped her aggressively and shoved her down the bed.

"Stop." she said, her voice trembling. "Please Kakashi." she murmured as she tried to push her away.

Kakashi's weight bore down on her, his grip tightening, but Sakura felt a surge of panic-fueled resolve. Her mind was racing, torn between the fear coursing through her veins and the instinct to protect herself. This wasn't the Kakashi she loved. This wasn't someone she recognized.

"You forced yourself to be here." he growled, forcing her legs to his sides.

Sakura's breath came in ragged gasps as her mind struggled to catch up with the horror of the moment. Every instinct screamed for her to escape, to fight, but the weight of Kakashi's words and actions crushed her, leaving her feeling paralyzed. She could see nothing of the man she once loved in his cold, drunken gaze—just darkness, a reflection of the pain and bitterness he carried.

Her trembling hands instinctively pressed against his chest, trying to push him away, but Kakashi's strength overpowered her. His hands were rough, his grip unyielding as he pinned her down, forcing her into submission. "This is your fault," he growled, his voice thick with rage and resentment. "You stayed. You wouldn't leave." He gathered her hands on the top of her head and held it there while his other hand snaked between them, and tore the skin-tight shorts she wore.

Sakura's mind screamed in panic, her body instinctively fighting against the forceful weight bearing down on her. Tears welled in her eyes as the reality of Kakashi's violence sank in—this was the man she had once trusted with her life, the man she had loved beyond reason. But now, he was a stranger, a monster shaped by anger, bitterness, and pain.

"Kakashi, please!" she cried, her voice breaking. "This isn't you. Please stop!"

But he didn't, he just continued and continued whispering the vile things that he perceived she did. He groped and bit and hurt her, too far gone to stop himself. And at that moment, she realized, that no matter how strong she got, she can't use her strength against the person she cared too much for.

Kakashi woke up with a pounding headache. He stared at the unfamiliar walls and tried to sit up to get his bearings but an unexpected weight stopped him.

He looked to his side and he stared in horror at the sight that greeted him.

Sakura lay beside him, curled into herself, her body bruised, her clothes ripped. Her usually vibrant pink hair was matted, and her face, normally bright with warmth and kindness, was hollow and pale. Dried tear tracks marred her cheeks, and her breathing was shallow, almost imperceptible.

Kakashi's heart seized in his chest as flashes of the night before began to break through the haze of his alcohol-fueled stupor. He remembered the anger, the hurt, and the way it had all spiraled out of control. His mind scrambled to make sense of it, but the more he remembered, the sicker he felt.

"No…" he whispered, his voice hoarse as his hand trembled above her, too afraid to touch her, to confirm what he already knew. His heart pounded in his chest, the weight of his actions crushing him.

He had done this.

Kakashi's stomach churned, bile rising in his throat as the reality of what he had done sank in. He had crossed a line, shattered something that could never be mended. He had become everything he never wanted to be—an abuser, someone who hurt the person they loved.

"Sakura," he croaked, barely able to get her name out, his voice cracking under the weight of his guilt. He watched as her lids fluttered open but he recoiled at the emptiness that stared back at him.

Sakura's eyes were glassy, her gaze distant and hollow. For a moment, Kakashi thought he saw a flicker of recognition, a glimmer of the woman he had once known. But it was gone, replaced by an expression so devoid of warmth that it made his chest tighten with unbearable guilt.

She didn't speak. She didn't move.

He reached out a shaky hand, almost afraid to touch her. The trembling of his fingers betrayed the depth of his fear and regret. When his hand hovered near her, she flinched, just slightly, but enough for Kakashi to feel the weight of her withdrawal. It felt like a slap across his face.

"Sakura," he whispered again, his voice breaking under the crushing weight of his actions. His heart felt like it was being ripped from his chest, each beat painful, sharp. "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean for any of this... please, just... look at me."

But she didn't. She didn't react. The silence between them was deafening, thick with the heaviness of what he had done. He had lost her, hadn't he? Not just physically, but emotionally, in a way that no apology could fix.

Kakashi's mind spun in a blur of confusion and self-loathing. How had he gotten here? How had the man who had once loved her so deeply—who had once promised to protect her, cherish her—become the one to destroy her?

He didn't deserve her. He had proven that, hadn't he?

His eyes darted down to her bruised body, his hands trembling even more violently now. He wanted to hold her, comfort her, but he didn't know if that was something she would ever allow again. And even if she did, was it enough? Could he ever atone for what he had done? Could the love they once shared be salvaged?

"Please," he murmured desperately, "say something. Tell me... tell me what to do, how to fix this, because I don't know... I don't know what to do anymore."

He waited, his breath held, but Sakura remained motionless. Her only response was the faintest flutter of her eyelids, as if she was trying to distance herself further from him, from everything that had happened. He could see it now—there was nothing in her expression except quiet resignation. No anger. No pain. Just emptiness.

And that scared him more than anything.

Kakashi pulled his hand back, his heart shattering. What had he expected? That she would just forgive him? That this broken, bruised version of her would somehow be okay with what had happened between them?

He couldn't forgive himself. How could he ask her to?

But then, the faintest of movements. Sakura's hand, trembling slightly, lifted just enough for her fingers to brush against his, tentative, fragile. It was so subtle that Kakashi almost missed it. He froze, his breath caught in his throat. Could it be…?

"Sakura?" His voice cracked, a whisper of hope cutting through the suffocating guilt.

Her hand fell back to the bed, and the brief connection was gone.

His heart sank, but then, after a long, agonizing pause, she finally spoke—her voice barely above a whisper, raw and filled with pain.

"Why?" she asked. Just one word. One question that echoed in the silence.

Kakashi didn't have an answer. He opened his mouth, but no words came. What could he say? How could he explain something that had no excuse, no justification? He had hurt her beyond repair, and now she was asking him why.

The question wasn't just for him—it was for everything he had done. The way he had treated her, pushed her, broken her. The way he had spiraled out of control and hurt the one person who had always been there for him.

"I don't know," Kakashi whispered, tears rising in his eyes for the first time in years. "I don't know why... I don't know how to fix this."

Sakura's eyes flickered toward him, but there was no warmth in them, only the quiet devastation that he had inflicted. She stared at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable, as if she was weighing something deep inside herself. Her fingers twitched, as if she might reach for him again, but they fell short.

For a while, she said nothing, and Kakashi was left to drown in the weight of his own despair. He couldn't look away from her. He didn't want to, even if it hurt. Even if every part of him wanted to run away from the reality of what he had done.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Sakura slowly sat up. Her movements were stiff, careful, as if the act of simply existing hurt her now. She didn't look at him, didn't acknowledge him as she pulled the blanket tighter around her body, as if to shield herself from the broken man beside her.

Kakashi opened his mouth, but no words came. He wanted to beg her for forgiveness, to tell her he could change, that he would do anything to undo what he had done. But deep down, he knew it wouldn't matter. Not anymore.

"Sakura..."

"Hurts."

Kakashi's chest tightened at her single word, each syllable a dagger to his heart. Hurts. It wasn't just physical. She didn't need to elaborate. He could hear it, feel it in every breath she took, in the way her body seemed to shrink from him. It was the kind of hurt that no apology, no remorse, could erase.

He reached for her, but the moment his hand moved toward her, she flinched. His heart cracked again, the sharp sound echoing in his mind. She was right to recoil. He didn't deserve to touch her, not after what he'd done. Every part of him wanted to scream, to beg her to just… forgive him. But he couldn't find the words. How could he expect her to forgive him for this?

Sakura didn't move, didn't acknowledge him further. She kept her back turned, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, as if she could hold herself together by sheer will alone. Kakashi couldn't breathe. He wanted to say something, anything that could make it better, but he was paralyzed by the enormity of his own actions. What had he done to the woman he loved?

"Sakura, I—" His voice cracked, the words too heavy, too suffocating to form clearly. He stopped, taking in a shaky breath. There were no easy words for this. There was nothing he could say that could take back what had already been broken.

The silence between them stretched, thick and oppressive, a reminder of the chasm that had opened up between them. Kakashi's eyes stung with unshed tears, the weight of his guilt and regret threatening to crush him under its unbearable force. He had shattered everything. The love they had once shared, the trust, the tenderness. Gone. All of it was gone.

The hours dragged by like years, but Sakura still didn't move. She lay there, curled in on herself, as if every inch of her was trying to protect her from the world—from him. Kakashi stared at her, desperate, but helpless. Every time he thought he might speak, every time he thought he might be able to apologize, the words felt useless. They were nothing compared to the destruction he had caused.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Sakura shifted slightly. Her body was stiff, but her eyes flickered toward him, hollow and distant. She said nothing, but the look in her eyes made something inside Kakashi crack. He had lost her. Completely. And now, he would be haunted by the image of the woman he loved, empty because of him.

"Sakura…" His voice was barely above a whisper, strained and weak. "I can't undo this. I know. I know I can never take back what I've done to you. But if there's any part of you that believes in what we had… if you think there's any chance of healing… I'll do whatever it takes. I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make up for what I've taken from you."

But she didn't answer him. She didn't move. The only sound in the room was the soft, ragged sound of her breathing, shallow and uneven.

Kakashi felt the weight of his own despair crash down on him. He had lost everything. The woman who had once loved him, the life they had built together, the peace he had once thought he had found—it was all gone. And it was his fault.

He had never felt so utterly alone.

Sakura's voice finally broke through the suffocating silence. "I love you, but you hurt me. I don't know if I can forgive you."

The words hit him like a physical blow. Kakashi closed his eyes, unable to look at her, because hearing that, knowing that, was almost too much to bear.

"I don't even know if I can forgive myself," he whispered into the darkness, his voice thick with regret. He had always feared this moment—the moment when the damage he had done was beyond repair. Now, it was here. He was living it.

Her gaze lingered on him, but it was empty, distant, as though she were seeing him for the first time since all of this began. And Kakashi realized, with a sickening clarity, that this was a goodbye. Not just a goodbye to the relationship they once had, but to the person he had been. He wasn't the same man who had held her close, who had promised to protect her.

Sakura's silence was deafening. But it was the only answer she could give him now.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of stillness, she pulled the blanket tighter around herself, rolling away from him. Her back remained turned, and Kakashi knew better than to try and reach for her again.

He had lost her.

And this time, there was no turning back.