It's been a while since the last chapter, but I'm back with another one. Finally some m content. Enjoy reading!
She stood there.
Just as beautiful as the day she left him.
Sasuke put down his towel and stared stunned at Sakura. Summer dress reached her ankles and her hair was tied in a braid. Delicate make-up accentuated her beauty, adding to her beauty. She did not speak. Picking up her bag, she placed it on the table. A stack of letters spilled out.
The white envelopes glittered in the light of the rising sun. There were no words in them. Sasuke had tried to express his emotions through drawings; just as she had done.
And it worked. At least to some extent. Sakura was back.
His first instinct was to go up to her and hug her, but Sasuke held back, deciding that wouldn't be appropriate. They had to keep their distance after what had happened, right?
Sakura tightened her hands on the dress, looking at him uncertainly. Sasuke followed her every move, trying to infer her emotions. She clamped her eyelids shut, fighting her accelerated breathing.
"We need to talk, Sasuke." She finally said, continuing not to look at him "May I come in?"
"This is still your home, Sakura."
Stepping aside, she went inside and closed the door. She took off her shoes and walked into the living room with him right behind her. Sitting down at the table, she placed her hands on the tabletop. Sasuke kept them on his thighs, tapping out the same nervous melody.
The silence grew longer and longer. His throat became dry. Pushing back his chair, he stood up, glancing briefly at Sakura "Water?"
She nodded, just as quickly lowering her gaze to her fingers. Sasuke disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, filling two glasses before returning to the table. The cold liquid spilled down their bodies, stimulating their senses.
Sakura finally grunted, looking at him with certainty in her eyes.
"As for what I said then," she began, not allowing herself to be interrupted, "I didn't really mean it. You are not a burden to me. It was my decision to take care of you." she said on one exhale "I came to make it clear because those words refused to leave my head and I was ashamed that I said them. I don't have to stay though, Sasuke. If you don't want to. Decision—"
"Don't say that." He interjected before she could finish the sentence. She wasn't the one at fault "All the days I was just waiting for you, Sakura. I thought you wouldn't come back."
"I thought you didn't want to see me again." she confessed embarrassedly.
"Where did you get that from." he whispered.
Tilting his head, he gently drew his eyebrows together. Sasuke realized he couldn't control his facial expressions that well in front of Sakura anymore. If she had just lifted her gaze and looked into his eyes, she would have known everything. But she didn't. She only muttered:
"I'm sorry." With such remorse that his heart squeezed.
"Don't apologize," he spread his hands on the table, arranging the next sentences in his head. If he wanted to keep Sakura by his side, he had to make an effort "I should be the one to do it. I behaved horribly, even though I promised I wouldn't anymore. I'm sorry for every hurtful word I said. I hope you can forgive me."
Nori interrupted them, sensing his missing owner. On short paws, he hopped up onto the table, immediately moving closer to Sakura. She took him in her arms, stroking him slowly with the first smile of the day on her face.
"I forgave you a long time ago, Sasuke."
He licked his lips, feeling lighter on his soul. That was all he cared about. That much was enough for him. For now.
"Thank you." he lowered his voice "You deserve an explanation though. My reaction was rather unusual, and even inappropriate, because my friend died... she died..."
"I know." She clasped his hands.
How did Sakura know? Who had told her? Was she telling the truth, or did she see him struggling to say it? Regardless of the reason, he was grateful to her.
"And how are you feeling?"
"Better. Much better."
She didn't let go of Sasuke's hands. Sakura continued to hold him, stroking his skin with her thumb. He missed her touch. Her smile, her eyes and her voice. The sweet scent of perfume she left behind wherever she went. The charm and kindness he had never experienced before. He simply missed his wife. The woman who had swept into his life, changing it for the better.
As if Sasuke from a year ago had met the one today, he would have laughed in the older man's face, asking what nonsense he was talking. Would he fall in love with the person chosen by his father? Once impossible. And yet...
That was why he couldn't imagine life without Sakura beside him. Not anymore.
"Will you stay?"
"Do you want that? Are you sure? No—"
"I want it. Very much."
Sakura slumped her shoulders, and relief appeared on her face. What was she thinking about now? What was she thinking about him? Did she want to stay? So many questions swirled in his head, but none left it.
"Okay." She looked confidently into his eyes "Fine, then I'll stay. But then I have to tell you something else."
Hiding hands under her thighs, she leaned over the table tilting her head a little to the side and unintentionally showing her neck. Everything about her was as gorgeous as ever. Sasuke stared at the smooth skin for too long, mumbling, "Go ahead."
"I found a job." She informed, whispering as if it was an important secret "I know your parents won't like it, but I needed it. I like being there. Ino is a wonderful woman."
He processed Sakura's confession in his head. She had done more for herself in that month than he had. Sasuke was damn proud of her; she had put herself first and could move on. With him. Probably.
"I won't tell my parents about it, the decision is yours." he announced "But whatever you decide, I will support you in it."
"Thank you. Although apart from work I also go out with Lee in the evenings. I asked him to help me with something."
"What time will you be back?"
"Ten o'clock in the evening. Lee will be escorting me to the door."
"Good."
"You're not angry?"
The question puzzled him, "Why would I?"
Sakura opened her mouth but quickly closed it, shaking her head. Suddenly she stood up from the table, heading towards him. Sasuke rose as well, unsure of what to expect. Did she just want to get closer to him? Because all he wanted was to hold her, to feel the warmth of her body, anything. He didn't cross that line, though.
"Then it's decided." She held out her hand "This is our third chance. The last one." she emphasized the word, letting him know that she had her limits and Sasuke understood that as much as possible. They wouldn't need any more chances anyway "Let's forget all the unpleasant things that happened and try to stay friends like we wanted before."
"That won't work."
Sakura withdrew her hand, biting her lip momentarily "Huh?"
"I can't consider you as just a friend, Sakura."
Honesty, that was the key. And even if it wasn't the most appropriate time to say it, Sasuke had no intention of hiding his intentions. He finally understood that expressing his feelings, not necessarily in a literal way, was the foundation of any relationship. He intended to fight and not just be loved, but to love.
Sakura stood stunned, with reddened cheeks.
"This... we'll see about that, Sasuke," she said quietly, wriggling her fingers. Had he come closer, he guessed he would have heard her feverishly beating heart (and not just hers) "I'll go unpack."
She quickly disappeared from his sight, leaving him with a small smile on his face.
As she walked out of the room, a lovely aroma of food hit her. Sakura's stomach rumbled, something that had happened quite often lately, as she took a step forward. She knew who she could expect to see in the kitchen. And at that moment, her belly knotted itself into a knot.
Sasuke had been one big secret from the start, but now he was slowly ceasing to be one, which both irritated and excited Sakura. With each passing day, she was getting to know this once mysterious man.
The month-long break from each other was a salvation. They were able to start afresh, sort out their feelings and find out where they stood with their marriage. A marriage that for the first year had no future. A marriage that had been arranged and was heading towards normal.
Taking a deep breath, Sakura finally entered the kitchen. Sasuke stood with his back turned to her. His body, apart from his clothes, was encircled by a black apron, tied in a knot at the back. His hair was in a messy state; he had probably just recently gotten out of bed.
Unnoticed, she moved closer to him, for a moment wondering what he would do if she wrapped her arms around his waist. But she quickly gave up on that idea, repeating in her head that they needed to take baby steps. Just two days ago they had been in two different houses, wondering if their relationship could be salvaged.
Resting hands on the tabletop, Sakura leaned in, smiling, "What are you doing?"
Sasuke fixed his gaze on her momentarily, staring too long. She had to turn her face away so he wouldn't notice her increasingly red cheeks.
"Breakfast." He replied after prolonged seconds "It's going to take me a while to finish it."
"Mmm..." she grabbed his wrist, directing the spoon to her mouth, and tasted the sauce "Good." she said sincerely, but squirmed slightly at the taste - it had been a long time since she'd had anything other than yogurt or bread in her mouth.
"My mother's recipe."
Sasuke slipped her a piece of paper.
"Need any help?"
He handed Sakura the hakusai and jagaimo, wordlessly getting down to further mixing. She busied herself with peeling, slicing and plucking the leaves, arranging this on separate plates. Sasuke set out the rice into bowls, poured the sauce over everything and set the table.
Following him, Sakura sat down - Sasuke had asked her to, saying he would take care of the rest himself. The smell of the food was starting to irritate her stomach. She didn't have the heart to say no to Sasuke because he was trying so hard, but her relationship with food hadn't been the best lately. Because of the stress, she could hardly swallow anything, and she didn't want to waste anything, so she often just ate nothing. And the consequences of this were a few - weight loss, faster exhaustion, a worsening of her mood. And the worst was the problem of getting back to the way she was before. Sakura's body got used to it, not allowing her to consume more than two sandwiches a day.
Sasuke returned from the kitchen sitting down. He took a seat off to the side, next to Sakura.
"Enjoy your meal." He grabbed his chopsticks, separating them.
She responded by matching his footsteps. Grabbing a piece of fried fish, she brought it closer to her lips and took a bite, closing her mouth quickly and swallowing it without chewing. It wasn't so bad.
"What are you helping Ino with, Sakura, anyway?" questioned Sasuke, starting a pleasant chat.
"I'm preparing the flowers for the exhibitions and helping her with the book." she twirled her chopsticks in the rice, setting one grain after another aside "I paint the flowers she gives me. It's really great fun."
"So you found someone who pays you for your drawings after all."
"Yhym. I didn't believe in myself too much. But recently I've started thinking about opening my own workshop. I could paint there and sell my works. I would even have the opportunity to give classes. However, I'm a bit afraid that nothing will come of it. And your parents..." she stopped talking, putting a small piece of hakusai in her mouth.
"Make your dreams come true, Sakura. My parents shouldn't bother you now. You have my support."
"I know." she rummaged around on her plate, pretending to think about what to eat next "And do you have any dreams, Sasuke?" she took the tiny fish, re-flouring it in half some more.
"Hmm," he scratched his chin, "I think I have one."
"Yes? And what is it?" she curiously propped herself up with her elbows, bringing her face closer to his.
Tapping two fingers against her forehead, he gently pushed Sakura away from him "I prefer not to say. It might not come true due to this."
She puffed up her cheeks, touching her forehead unintentionally; what did the gesture mean? Why had Sasuke done that?
"Fine." She bit her lip, changing the subject "What are you going to do today?"
Sasuke looked at her and swallowed a ball of rice before answering, "I'm going to the academy to help Iruka. I haven't been there in a while."
"And the missions? Did you go on them when I wasn't there?" she asked, and fear settled inside her.
Memories of the last fateful mission returned to her mind. Sakura hadn't been able to sleep soundly for the past thirty days because of the thoughts of Sasuke haunting her. The rage in his eyes, the burns on his face, the wounds on his hands. He'd had so much opportunity and time to hurt himself yet again.
"No." he assured her, seeing the nervousness on her face "But Itachi said they'd need me in a week, so I think I'll agree." He took a bowl of jagaimo, asking Sakura wordlessly if she wanted it; she declined "I hope you don't mind if I'm gone for a few days."
"It's your job, Sasuke." She said, with a fake smile; he sensed it, but left it without comment "I'm not alone."
Finally, she did not feel lonely. She had friends. Getting up from the table, Sakura put the bowl down, still quite full. She couldn't swallow anything else.
"You didn't eat much," commented Sasuke with a disappointed look on his face.
"I'm not very hungry." She explained, scratching behind her ear "Put it in the fridge, you'll have it for dinner."
"Sakura..." he didn't know how to get down to the subject, and she didn't want him to "I'll put some in the container for you." he said instead, exhaling rapidly through his nose "You'll have some for work."
She smiled, as one should in such a situation, and muttered - "Thanks" - heading for the bathroom.
.
The heat of the late evening was not helping Sakura. Sweat ran down the back of her neck and she wiped every drop with the inside of her hand, sighing in exasperation. Lee walked at her side, chatting eagerly. She enjoyed spending time with him and was grateful that he sacrificed his free time for her, even if the goal she had set for herself was nothing important, but for the sheer satisfaction.
"A little more and..." Lee turned his attention to the landscape around them for the first time, "Oh, you've returned to Sasuke-san, Sakura-san."
"Yes, Lee. We've reconciled."
His smile faded slightly, but quickly returned to its normal size "That's why you were so happy."
"I usually try to be happy." she laughed embarrassedly. Maybe she really had looked awful the last few days.
They reached the door. A light was on inside, at which Sakura smiled even wider involuntarily. She turned to her friend "Thank you for today, Lee."
The boy said something about youth again, wishing Sakura a good night and moving away towards the exit of the Uchiha mansion. Entering the house, she took off her shoes, moving forward. Suddenly, Sasuke emerged from the bathroom with the sleeves of his blouse rolled up. They stared at each other for a long moment, then the boy drew in the air, croaking theatrically.
"Do I smell that bad?"
"Just a little." A smirk appeared on his face. Bloody attractive. God, what was she just thinking about? Sakura rebuked herself in her mind, sighing "I poured water in the bath for you."
This information caught her off guard. She looked at Sasuke with wide eyes, surprised at this. He had done other things for her before, shown his kindness and purity, but she had never felt such sincerity, such genuine desire, such affection.
Sasuke started to walk away.
"Mmm, you really care, huh?"
He paused, turning only his head, not showing his whole face "Annoying." he said, and though the word might have had a negative overtone, Sakura noticed the glint of amusement in his eye.
A wicker basket dangled from the bend of her elbow, her hair was tied in a low bun, a hat adorned her head, and her mid-calf dress blew gently in the wind. Sasuke led her, holding her hand, though they had long since left the outskirts of the village. He didn't want to reveal to her where they were going.
First thing in the morning, as soon as Sakura got up, he announced to her that he had today off. For a month, they spent as much time together as they could, but each week was filled with responsibilities. Sasuke went back to work and Sakura spent at least seven hours away from home, except on weekends. Therefore, that one Wednesday together at the beginning of July with no responsibilities fueled the two of them with joy.
Getting ready at home, Sakura wondered what Sasuke was preparing for her. He wouldn't even let her look inside the basket, claiming it might spoil the whole surprise.
They walked through the forest, listening to the sounds of the animals. She loved the beauty of nature in this village. Sakura followed the birds with her eyes, quietly singing a childhood song. Her longing for her parents diminished with each passing day. Their faces still loomed in her thoughts, but she didn't count on the miracle that they would appear. Maybe they liked their home village too much to move permanently to Konoha, who knows.
"What are you thinking about?"
Sakura swept her gaze over Sasuke, smiling softly, "About how happy I am that my parents chose this place to move and why they don't want to come back."
"You miss them."
"A little." she lowered her head, watching her feet "I spent twenty years with them. It's strange not having them around. But I don't regret staying recently." She lifted her gaze again, conveying the rest of the message with her eyes.
"Perhaps you should visit them soon?"
"I wrote to them, but they said they are very busy and won't have enough time for me. Some other time."
She finished the topic, moving more nimbly forward. Sasuke led the way, telling tidbits about Konoha, which she listened to eagerly. She was curious about this village. It had a big past. Different from that of her home.
Suddenly Sasuke slowed down, covering Sakura's eyes.
"Really?"
"A surprise is a surprise."
The grass tickled her ankles. They walked another two meters and the darkness disappeared from before her eyes. Sakura opened her mouth, letting out a quiet 'wow'. A beautiful clearing with a variety of flowers shimmered in the sunlight. It was…
"Beautiful." she finished aloud, directing her gaze at her husband.
Sasuke watched her eyes, admiring the reflection of the clearing in Sakura's irises. He had found the place by chance three years ago. He kept it in his mind and came there from time to time to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the village. However, the time had come to share it.
They spread out the blanket, taking out the food Sasuke had prepared. The dango tempted Sakura, so she reached for it, biting into it with relish. She ate one, saving the rest for later; her stomach was slowly getting used to larger meals.
"Do you often bring people here?"
"You're the first."
He took out his sunglasses, laying down.
"What an honor." She laughed, noticing the sketchbook at the bottom of the basket.
The rest of the day Sakura drew butterflies, dragonflies, flowers and Sasuke. The blank pages filled up, showing the beauty of each thing. They talked about all sorts of topics, growing closer again. They ate onigiri for lunch, discussing the new stuffing Sasuke had come up with.
The sun fell on their exposed skins. A bee flew from one poppy to another. A squirrel climbed a tree unnoticed, disappearing behind the leaves. The clouds took on different shapes.
"This one looks like a rabbit." Sakura pointed to the white fluff.
"More like a duck." replied Sasuke, with his hand numbing from his wife's head.
The moon replaced its former lover. They walked home, with smiles that had long been absent from their faces. On the way, Sakura took a letter and a newspaper out of the mailbox.
In the living room, already dressed in pajamas and washed, they sat on the sofa.
"Who's it from?" he pointed to the envelope.
"From a friend." She opened the letter, taking out the contents - some cream and a piece of paper. She busied herself reading, after five minutes answering him, "She sent me a new ointment for scars. Apparently it's supposed to reduce them. She asked me to try it out." she lowered her voice at the last sentence.
Sasuke glanced at Sakura, understanding her concern. She hadn't offended him. He had no problems about bringing up such topics in front of him; not by her.
"You never told me her name." he said, lightening the atmosphere.
Sakura smiled softly.
"Her name is Temari. I've been friends with her and her two brothers for fifteen years."
"They must be..."
"... worth my time." she finished for him, referring to the words she herself had heard from him some time ago.
"You can't let your friend down, can you?"
"I won't. I have a small scar—"
Putting a finger to her lips, he didn't let Sakura finish. He put his right hand forward.
"You don't have to—" she muttered, with the same reaction.
In Sasuke's facial expression she saw certainty. He held out his hand, rolling up the sleeve and showing the old scars. Sakura looked deeply into his eyes, bringing his palm close to her lips and brushing her lips against it. That little kiss contained so much love and support like no other.
She ran her thumb over Sasuke's skin, sensing under her fingertips how much suffering this young man had gone through in his life. The young man who had been her husband, and now looked at her with warmth yawning in his irises. As if Sakura could, she would run away with him into the unknown, where no harm or painful thoughts would reach him.
"I'd like to share my story with you." he spoke up unexpectedly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear "I want you to know why I... did this."
No sound came out of her mouth. Sakura dipped her finger into the ointment, applying a thick layer carefully to the old wounds. Sasuke began to tell the story.
"From childhood I had a difficult relationship with my father. He was so busy with work that he didn't give me the attention I needed. I tried to get him to take an interest in me. I rarely succeeded. Over time, I began to envy Itachi. He was the one to whom my father devoted more time." he watched with what precision Sakura applied the white ointment, "I made mistakes, like any child, but father decided not to give me punishments himself. He wanted me to choose. In the beginning, it was simply standing in a corner, skipping training with Itachi or sitting in a room all day. That was enough for my father until I made the biggest of mistakes, which cost my teammate her life."
Sakura's hand trembled, but she quickly calmed down, taking the bandages. She wrapped them around Sasuke's forearm in concentration, motioning for him to continue.
"I graduated from the academy at the age of twelve and they assigned me to a team with Naruto and Airi. With Naruto we had known each other before, although I found him to be a terribly annoying kid. Airi was indifferent to me, but I admired her intelligence and hard work." he gave her his other hand "We used to go on regular missions until we got to the point where we got one of the more difficult ones. That day, instead of going to help Airi, I stayed by Naruto's side. I thought she could handle it. As you've already guessed, she died."
A picture from Sasuke's desk appeared in her mind. This poor young girl had lost her life, even though she still had many years ahead of her. Fate could be cruel. Tears rushed to Sakura's eyes, but she wasn't sure she should shed any of them.
"I confessed to my father that it was my fault. He was furious at my imprudence. I remember he told me to go with him to Airi's parents and apologize to them. I have never forgotten their tears and pain." he swallowed saliva with difficulty "I was only twelve years old. My father told me to invent a worse punishment so that I would not make such a mistake again. A small blade fell into my hands. The first time I cut my skin, I thought it was sick. But it worked. I didn't feel anything and I couldn't think about anything because I didn't have the strength for it."
"Sasuke..."
He brought her head close to his chest, his lips pressing to the top of her head.
"Then I did it for various reasons. I've been clean for two months now, and I'd like to keep it that way, Sakura. I really do. I don't care about anything else. But I'm afraid that one day—"
"Sasuke... Sasuke-kun... I'm by your side, remember." she interrupted him, clasping her hands on the back of his shirt. The ointment imprinted itself on her arm, but she didn't bother, not now, "You can always come to me. No matter what you have to say, no matter what emotions drive you, I will listen and support you. I'm here for you."
Something wet dripped into her hair. Sakura tried to look at Sasuke, but he pressed her tighter against him.
"Thank you, Sakura." he whispered.
"Thank you for trusting me."
Leaning back, Sasuke lay down, pulling her close. Sakura closed her eyes.
.
The cat woke her up after three hours. The lamp continued to glow on the coffee table. They had fallen asleep without realizing it. Sakura carefully, so as not to wake Sasuke, stepped out of his embrace.
Still a little sleepy, she headed to the kitchen, opening the fridge and taking out the cat food. Nori thanked Sakura by rubbing against her legs and getting right down to eating.
She returned to the sofa, covering her husband with a blanket. Picking up the cups, she set them down in the sink, then picked up the newspaper to put it away in a drawer. However, the front page caught Sakura's attention.
The face of a man. A familiar man. And underneath it, a brief description testifying that his body had been found near Konoha in a massacred state.
Nothing special, murders happened. Even more so, Sakura should not feel sorry for this man. He wanted to hurt her. But the date didn't match. It said he died on the morning of the tenth of April. And Sakura saw him at the bar the day after. So how?
With a chuckle, she put the newspaper down, feeling terror rising in her chest. She sat down in front of the couch, looking into the distance. She didn't wake Sasuke, letting him sleep. The entire night she spent with her eyes fixed in front of her and twitching at every slight movement.
.
Stretching, Sasuke awoke from sleep feeling truly rested. It had been a long time since he'd had such a good night's rest. He turned on his side, unexpectedly noticing Sakura's pink hair scattered on the couch. Propping himself up on his elbow, he looked at the sleeping woman.
She sat curled up, embracing her legs with her arms. Her head was tilted to the left. Eyeballs moved restlessly under closed eyelids. She looked nervous and exhausted. And why was she on the floor?
"Sakura?" he touched her shoulder, shaking her gently.
She woke up momentarily, jumping violently away. Her behavior was becoming increasingly strange. He noticed fear in her irises. Sakura looked up at him, grabbing his wrist tightly.
"I have to tell you something." She picked up the newspaper, continuing to speak quickly, blabbering "It's him. You know who. I think his motives were different than we thought. I don't think he wanted to… you know. This is about something else here—"
"Slow down, Sakura. Tell me what it's about, just calmly."
Sasuke squeezed her fingers, giving support, noticing she was very much affected by what was happening. He looked at the printed face of the man, reading the annotation at the bottom.
"This is the same person who was following me. I was in that bar the day after he died." she said firmly. A shiver ran across his skin. Sasuke believed her and it frightened him, "And recently, some other man stood in the crowd and stared at me and then disappeared. In a split second."
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, feeling a growing fear in his chest himself. This was not the morning he had expected.
"I had already forgotten about it. I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, please." he stood up, having to work up his nerve "Are you sure it's the same man?"
"Yes." she replied without hesitation.
"Alright, fine." Sasuke walked around, watched by Sakura's watchful gaze "Let me think." she joined him, placing a hand on his shoulder "From now on, you will report any suspicious person to me, understand? And you can't leave the house alone."
She tilted her head, and a glint of discord shone in her eyes. He already knew this was not going to be an easy conversation.
"You can't lock me in here, Sasuke."
Calming his emotions a little, he stopped, embracing her hands, "It's too dangerous outside. Someone might hurt you if I'm not there."
"I don't want—" she didn't relent.
"Sakura, understand, please."
"Maybe I'll understand if you tell me what's going on."
Sasuke sighed, trying to say it as gently as he could so Sakura wouldn't feel bad, "These aren't topics for you."
"No? Who are they for? I'm your wife, Sasuke, and as you can see, someone is threatening me." he nodded, forming more answers in his mind before she said the next part of her statement "Do you really want me to die? Just like your friend?"
He froze in place, having a sudden flashbacks through Sakura's words and recalling the last four years. Sasuke began to replay the film that had been his one great tragedy.
He remembered the warm air and the crowds of people. He was walking with Gaya at the time, heading towards home. They had been on a casual walk before, after a week of avoiding each other. The events of that one party had driven them slightly apart and they wanted to finally make it clear what had happened was a mistake. A normal Saturday promised to be peaceful, but Sasuke sensed his friend's nervousness. He asked her what had happened.
Gaya stared at him protractedly, beginning to talk about the strange threatening letters she had received over the past three days. It was then that Sasuke made his first mistake. Deciding someone must be making fun of her, he ended the subject of the unknown notes. His friend asked him later that day if he could come to her place for the night because she was afraid, and Sasuke agreed.
And he never got there. On a memorable day, he had an argument with his father and, to vent his anger, he went to train. The hours passed too quickly, so before he knew it it was midnight. However, not wanting to disappoint Gaya, Sasuke went to her flat. He climbed through the window so as not to wake her parents.
By then it was too late. The next two hours from entering her room to finding the bodies flew rapidly through his mind. Sasuke first looked for Gaya in the house, but found no one there. Only blood splattered in the living room. Then, in bewilderment and growing fear, he looked for them in Konoha. He had no hope that they would be found alive. And he was right.
The bodies of Gaya and her parents were in a gruesome state. Their appearance blurred in his memory, wanting to banish those horrible images from his mind.
There was no motive for the killing. The Konoha authorities said it was not related to any debts, hatred or anything else. The perpetrator was never found.
Two days after the tragedy, he went to his father, saying why he felt it was his fault. Fugaku didn't believe him, but after a week Izumi started receiving similar threats, so he called a clan meeting where he invited his younger son for the first time. They came to an agreement that someone was trying to attack their clan or people close to them, and Fugaku raised the defense of the Uchiha territory. Nothing happened to Izumi. And no one else for years to come.
Sasuke, however, could not recover. They had killed his best friend, the girl he was supposed to marry, thus avoiding the deal he had made with his father a year ago. He had lost a lot that day. And most of all his mind. He was so immersed in grief and work that he barely remembered how three years had passed. During that time, he had wanted to take revenge for Gaya's murder, but he hadn't got far.
His mind was awakened in early May when Fugaku came to his room announcing that he was turning twenty this year and, according to their agreement, he had the right to choose a wife for him. Sasuke resisted at first, not thinking this would happen; after all, Gayi was supposed to be alive. But she wasn't. And he was in no position to defy his father.
The next two weeks passed in a flash. He had three other candidates before Sakura, but none suited his parents. Even when he married, he continued to work, rarely staying at home, unable to accept this woman by his side. Sasuke blamed her for this, behaving meanly towards her.
Itachi changed his behavior. His brother yelled at him, telling him to behave like a man. Sasuke gave Sakura a chance.
With each passing day he felt better in her company, starting to feel alive, although he had a few moments where his problems prevailed. However, Sakura was making him start to come to terms with his friend's death. Gaya was just a memory now. And although she had to die for Sakura to be here, Sasuke concluded that this was the fate he was destined for.
The day he found out he loved her, he realized what romantic love for another person was, and he already knew if he was really going to love his friend he would have done it much sooner. He lied to Sakura, lying to himself in the process. He didn't love Gaya and his feelings wouldn't change even if they got married. Sasuke would just think it happened, claiming it was a normal thing. Sakura had changed his way of thinking.
And now he could lose his wife as he lost his friend.
"Sasuke..." her soft voice snapped him out of his thoughts, bringing him back to reality. He wasn't sure how long he had been staring at the wall without being mentally with her, "Sasuke, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It's all the emotions..."
"I don't want you to die, Sakura." he said firmly, having to tell her some truth "I don't know what threatens us. For twenty years, our clan has been under the watchful eye. We have a lot of enemies. It's possible that she died because of her friendship with me. It is possible that her death was just the beginning. And now I may lose you."
"You won't lose me, I promise." Tears shone in her eyes. Sasuke himself felt that he could start crying at any moment.
"Promises have little power now. Do you already understand, Sakura?"
"Yes." she whispered, "But I still don't like your request." He looked at her, intending to interject, but she wouldn't let him "However, I will fulfill it if you keep me informed of everything related to this case. I beg."
Sakura was asking for a lot. She would have to interfere in clan affairs, something Sasuke wanted to keep her away from. But that day, he didn't take Gaya's fear seriously. He hadn't protected her. And now he had a chance to save the woman he would give anything for. He had no intention of losing his love. Sakura was a smart and intelligent person. She could help them.
"All right. Now come on. We still have some time, let's rest."
Going through the scrolls and writing a report on the last mission for the Hokage was a torment when he knew Sakura was sitting behind the wall in the room, feeling still anxious and scared. She had been pacing around the house for the past few days with a sad face, barely smiling. Sasuke longed to comfort her, but never once did he succeed, as she found another excuse to be alone.
Putting the pen aside he leaned his elbows on the table, sinking his face into the palms. Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. He rose from his chair, leaving his work and heading for Sakura.
The room wasn't locked, so to avoid being seconded again, Sasuke went inside without knocking. He immediately caught her with his eyes. She was sitting on the bed, facing the window, with her hands tucked between thighs.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, not turning to face him.
"Can I come in?"
"You already came in anyway."
Narrowing the short distance between them, Sasuke noticed a gentle smile on Sakura's face. However, only her lips curved upwards, her eyes remaining dull and joyless.
He crouched down next to her, placing his hand on her knee, "What would you like to do today? As it happens, we both have today off.
Sakura shook her head. She wasn't convinced by the idea, he could see it painted on her face. Sasuke set himself a task - to cheer her up.
"I don't want to spoil your day with my problems and—" he put a finger to her lips.
"Do I need to remind you of what you told me last time, or do I not need to after all?" he stood up, embracing Sakura around the waist and laying her on the bed. Sasuke leaned over her, resting his hands on either side of her head; he noticed that her cheeks had taken on a darker color "I'm here for you, Sakura. Now tell me what you would like to do."
Her eyes wandered over his face, suddenly unexpectedly pushing him onto his back (when did she become so strong?), leaning against his chest.
"They opened a new library recently. I was curious about its appearance when I walked past it." the sparkles returned in her irises; perhaps all he needed to do was come to it unannounced earlier, and they would have been spared all this "I haven't been to that park on the other side of the village either." she sat unexpectedly perched on top of him.
All of his muscles tensed, and heat spread through his body. Sakura probably didn't even notice the slight change (he assumed she hadn't intended to cause such a reaction in him), but he could no longer focus on anything other than the movement of her lips, her rosy cheeks and her rising breasts.
Pink hair framed her face beautifully. Sasuke couldn't help but stare at her, remembering how long it had been since he had touched her in anything other than a friendly way. He didn't want to invade her privacy, though, so he only gently ran his thumb over her calf.
"Are you listening to me, Sasuke?"
He blinked a few times, smiling stupidly "Yes."
"Then what was I talking about just now?" she didn't believe him.
"About the park—"
"No." she interrupted, with a raised eyebrow "I mentioned the third option that would make me happiest and relaxed right now."
"And what is that?"
Eyes, lips, neck, clavicles - this was the path he had been following with his eyes for a good minute when Sakura sat quietly. Something in her gaze had changed, but she had also become more shy. He understood.
And he liked it. Sasuke propped himself up on the bed with the elbows, defiantly looking at her. Who would take the first step? Was this the right time? When...
A kiss on the cheek interrupted his musings, robbing him of his sanity. Immediately, he rose to sit up, attacking Sakura's neck with his mouth. Gently, he sucked on the tender skin and bit down with his teeth, extracting that beautiful melody from the woman's throat. He had missed it so much.
The right hand Sasuke placed on her thigh, squeezing it tightly. With the other he approached Sakura's breast, but he did so far too slowly, as she herself shed her blouse, under which she had no bra. The nipple contracted a little under his fingers. Without waiting any longer he licked the sensitive skin of the breast, receiving a wonderful moan in response.
Sakura arched her back, grabbing Sasuke by the hair and pulling him even closer to her. She longed for him with her whole being; she craved the affection he provided her.
With her free hand, she grabbed her other breast, silently telling him to take care of it. Sasuke eagerly followed the command. He pressed his lips against it, teasing the nipple with his tongue. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Sakura's hand disappear between her thighs.
Moving his mouth upwards, he caressed her breasts with his hand, leaving kisses on her neck and face. He lifted her short skirt, watching Sakura fingering herself. She moaned just above his ear, and Sasuke couldn't stand the tension. He placed his index finger on her nub, unbuckled the belt with his right hand and removed his trousers along with his underwear to mid-thigh.
"Sasuke..." she groaned, and he looked up at her "Sasuke... your eyes are red..."
Sakura slowed her movements, looking at him in curiosity. Sasuke guessed that if she had looked at him more closely, his ears were the same color as his irises.
"Sorry, I didn't notice."
"What are you apologizing to me for?" she put her hand over his face.
"It's safe to say I was recording you without your permission accidentally." he explained as best he could.
"You were recording? Does it stay in your memory later? Forever?"
"Yes."
"Then keep recording me."
Sakura slid her panties down one leg and her clit touched his naked cock. She rubbed against him for a while, sending shivers through Sasuke's body. At one point, he couldn't stand it and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her closer to him.
Planting Sakura over his head, he decided this was the best view he could have. He kissed her clit, feeling his wife squirm against him. Her hand tightened on the bed frame, trying to keep herself straight while Sasuke continued kissing and licking her.
Taking the opportunity, he embraced his cock, wet through Sakura, and rode his hand up and down it, pleasuring himself. He gathered precum with his thumb, spreading it for better glide along its length. An insurmountable tension was building up in their bellies.
"Sasuke-kun—" with a muffled moan she interrupted herself.
Their gazes crossed, at the same moment reaching a climax. Sakura squeezed his hair a little too hard again, but Sasuke didn't resist, watching with satisfaction at his wife's face twisted in pleasure. She wanted a moment of elation from him, and she got it. Sasuke accomplished his task without any objections. He could bring Sakura to orgasm even several times a day if that was what she wanted.
"Better now?" he asked, putting strands of pink locks behind his ear with a clean hand.
"Thank you." She leaned in, directing her gaze to his lips.
But before Sakura could thank him with a kiss, the sound of a bell rang out. They looked at each other in surprise.
"No one..." he paused; a thousand thoughts flashed through his head "Today is?"
"Sunday."
"Shit." He jumped up, picking Sakura up and gently setting her down on the side of the bed "That's my mum."
"Your mum?!"
Picking up her shirt from the ground, she put it on over her head, looking at Sasuke. He pulled up his trousers, cursing under his breath at his forgetfulness.
"A few days ago I met her while shopping. She said she was going to visit us, but it completely slipped my mind." He said on the run to the bathroom, where he washed his face and hands, then returned to Sakura, getting down to her eye level, "Sorry."
From the wardrobe he pulled out a jumper with a collar, and from the shelf he took a box containing a ring, putting it on Sakura's finger (he never took his own off).
"It won't look at all—"
Sasuke silenced her with a quick kiss "If I were you, I'd better wear this to cover my neck."
Another bell sounded; Mikoto was getting impatient. Sakura didn't resist any further, disappearing behind the bathroom door as he went to open her mother's. The woman on the other side smiled broadly, noticing her son.
"Hi, Mum."
Mikoto embraced Sasuke, kissing his two cheeks "I'm glad I could finally visit you two." She looked over her son's shoulder "And where's Sakura? Don't tell me she's gone once again."
"She's—"
"Here!" she emerged, smiling pleasantly at his mother.
The black-haired woman embraced her daughter-in-law, then pushed her abruptly away from the distance of her outstretched arms and looked at her clothing.
"Sakura, sweetheart, why are you wearing such a thick jumper in the summer?"
Sasuke already wanted to come with an explanation himself, helping his clearly slightly stressed wife, but she overtook him.
"I caught a cold."
"Again?" she sighed, taking off her shoes and moving slowly into the living room "You have a very weak organism. Maybe I should get you an appointment with Doctor Tsunade?"
It had been a long time since Sasuke had heard that name. He was familiar with the woman because his mother had told him a few times how she admired the medic who was older than her, but he had never met her.
"I still have contact with her and I could bring her to the village especially for you." continued Mikoto, keeping a hand on Sakura's shoulder "Being sick all the time, you won't get pregnant."
All three stopped at her words. Sakura and Sasuke looked at each other, communicating through their eyes. Through their recent problems, the most important thing hadn't crossed their minds - the subject of the child. His parents were not pushing as hard as he assumed they would be, but it continued to be an important thing to them.
Sakura looked to him for help, but he couldn't tell her much now. They hadn't established anything.
"Last time at the checkup," she began, purposely putting on a sadder face; she was playing, "the doctor said it would be hard, but we shouldn't give up."
"You certainly don't give up." she sent both of them a smile. A strange smile, Sasuke stated, "I'm just worried about you, Sakura."
"I understand your concern, but it is unnecessary."
Mikoto looked at her son, pleading with him to side with her, but Sasuke denied it, not wanting to interfere. If he supported the opinion of just one of the women, the other would be upset with him. And both were too important to him to hurt either of them, even inadvertently.
Sighing loudly, Mikoto dropped the subject, allowing Sakura to breathe. This really wasn't a good time for such talk.
"I brought strawberries." She communicated instead, finally reaching the living room.
Before Sasuke had time Sakura took the fruit net from his mother and directed her steps to the kitchen. She needed to get away from the commotion. He, on the other hand, approached Mikoto.
"Mom, I told you not to mention the pregnancy in front of her." he said, reminding them of their last conversation a few months ago, when she had met him out on the town and started asking the same thing.
Firmly, he let her know that it was a sensitive topic and they would bring it up on their own when the time came - he hoped then that it would save them from unnecessary and intrusive questions about a child they weren't yet planning (if they were ever going to plan at all, as the decision was Sakura's to make).
"I know, Sasuke." Mikoto looked at her son with remorse, "I don't want to make her more uncomfortable, but your father is impatient. You are the only son capable of giving him grandchildren."
He began tapping his fingers against a thigh. He loved Itachi, but a part of him hated that his brother was able to defy his father about marriage and children. Although with the latter, Itachi had no choice - he couldn't become a biological father, and he wasn't going to adopt either because of his job. But Fugaku did not push his older son anyway, allowing him to have a choice, leaving the younger son with more family responsibilities.
"Ah, well, that's all he cares about." he replied, clenching his jaw.
"It's not about that, you know that. Your father loves you and is afraid you'll die too early. Even more so now."
Why had she changed the course of the conversation? Why couldn't she defend Fugaku's behavior more? And why did his father think of him so little?
"He should start believing in me more then."
"Sasuke..." she pinched him gently on the cheek "Cheer up a little."
He was already about to drag this further and tell his mother that his father's actions didn't suit him, but Sakura returned to the living room then, placing a bowl of washed strawberries on the table.
"Let's go."
Mikoto took a seat, occasionally stroking Nori. The cat snuggled against her leg, leaving tufts of fur on her trousers.
"I'll make some tea." communicated Sakura, disappearing from their sight again.
Sasuke sat down next to his mother, keeping his entwined hands on the table. He watched as his wife brought the mochi and tea one by one. When she placed a warm cup in front of him, he ran his fingers over her knee in gratitude; he felt Mikoto's burning gaze on him.
"What brings you to us?" she asked kindly, sitting down and slurping her brew.
"I've missed you guys. You especially, Sakura. It's been a long time since I've seen you."
"I've been very busy with work lately." She said, but Sasuke immediately poked his foot gently at her, letting her know that she had made a small mistake. She added quickly, "At home." Laughing awkwardly.
His mother fortunately sensed nothing odd.
"I just noticed. Everything looks so nice here. You too, Sakura. You're glowing."
"Thank you."
Mikoto reached for the mochi, biting into it.
"Tell us, mum, how are you doing?"
With this question, Sasuke started a long and pleasant conversation that lasted until the evening. Sakura meanwhile reheated last night's dinner, serving it to them, and they spent the rest of the day in a relaxed atmosphere, forgetting the uncomfortable earlier questions.
Fortunately, it was time for Mikoto to go home. The two of them had no problem accommodating her, but several hours of incessant conversation could wear a person out. Sasuke escorted his mother to the door, disappearing into his study for a moment and picking up the letter he had written for Fugaku.
"Will you give it to the father?"
"Sure." she accepted the envelope.
He kissed his mother's cheek goodbye, closed the door and returned to Sakura, who had already managed to wash the dishes. She leaned with her back against the cupboards and Sasuke stood in front of her, taking her face in his hands.
"I hope you didn't feel too overwhelmed by these questions,"
"No. I understand why your mother is asking them. It is my duty to give you a child."
"Nothing is your duty, Sakura." He muttered into her hair, trying to relieve her stress.
Sakura might have liked Mikoto, but that didn't mean she felt relaxed in her presence. She still had responsibilities imposed by his parents that she barely did. It never bothered him, but they would react badly if they found out about some things. From the very beginning they wanted to give him a woman who would obey their demands. What they didn't expect was that Sakura was different after all.
"Can we not talk about it today? I'm tired."
"Shall I get your bath ready?"
"If you could, I'd appreciate it." she kissed the tip of his nose "Or would you like to take a bath together?" she asked shyly, lowering her gaze.
Of course he wanted to. He wouldn't dream of anything else, but he decided to give her a moment's peace. It would probably be more useful for her than having him naked in the bath with her.
"I'm tired." a smirk developed on his lips.
"Sasuke!"
It was too stuffy in Fugaku's office. Sasuke was sweating from just standing there. Or maybe it wasn't the lack of fresh air that was the problem, but the reason he was here?
A simple mission, like any other, had ended tragically. And it was at the very end. Sasuke would never have guessed it, but it happened and time could not be turned back. A life wasted.
"Tell me what exactly happened." Fugaku didn't take his eyes off the page, writing down his son's next words.
"Two shinobi attacked us near the village. We were already returning from a mission and were not prepared for it. They wanted to kill me, but our younger companion lost his life."
His hand trembled as he recalled the image from an hour ago. Blood pouring and staining the ground. The heartrending scream. The inability to do anything other than kill his enemies. And the worst part was that Sasuke didn't care so much about the boy at the moment, only whether Sakura was sitting safely at home and nothing was threatening her.
"So this was a planned attack on our clan." Fugaku stated, finally leaning his back against the spacious armchair. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it "I will look into it more closely today. And I will send my condolences to the family of the killed man."
Sasuke tensed at those words. His father had only done that once, nine years ago.
"Why should you do this?" he asked, and the fear could be sensed in his voice, "This is a task for the Hokage."
"Son, that boy died for you." he stammered, merely stating the facts, which began to add a nasty thought to Sasuke that he hadn't had in a long time.
"If he hadn't interfered like I told him to, he would have survived."
"Sasuke, he was only twelve years old. He recently joined the ANBU. He probably wanted to show what he could do, and you didn't stop him." He stood up, walking over to the window and standing with his back to his son, "You can leave now."
"Are you suggesting it was my fault?"
"Go home."
He left the room, slamming the door. His mother and brother tried to stop him, but he didn't even know what was going on around him. Fugaku didn't need to confirm for Sasuke to know the answer.
Entering the dark house, he didn't bother to turn on the light. Sakura must have been asleep a long time ago, otherwise she would have jumped up from her seat when she heard the light knocked over.
Sasuke locked himself in the bathroom. His head was humming with anger. One bloody mistake and two people's lives were in ruins; they'd lost a child. And it was because of him. If he had been more observant, more firm and better, the tragedy could have been avoided. But Sasuke acted like a coward then, not getting in the boy's way when he threw himself under the enemy's blade. It had crossed his mind at the time that it should have been him, and thank goodness it hadn't, because at least he would have been able to see Sakura again, to hug her, to kiss her, to touch her - and now he was terribly ashamed of himself. He hated himself for it. That's not how a normal person thinks.
Sasuke deserved to be punished. To the same fate that had befallen the boy. He reached for the small blade that he still hadn't thrown away, even though he hadn't touched it in over three months. A moment of pain for a lost life - that seemed the least price he was able to pay. No. The parents of this child should mete out punishment. That would be fair. But Sasuke could now punish himself for his foolishness, the sickening thoughts and feelings that stood in his way.
He pressed the blade to his forearm, but before he could run it over his skin the sound of hitting wood and a lighted lamp reached his ears. Sakura was awake. Sasuke stopped his actions, swallowing saliva.
He didn't want her to see him in blood, devastated. She didn't deserve that. He quietly put the blade back in place, leaving the bathroom. Maybe he could get to the couch before she got out of bed. But as he walked past her room and her scent reached his nose Sasuke couldn't take another step forward. He turned, opening the door.
Sakura lay down on her back and rubbed her eyes. When she noticed him, she sensed that something was wrong. And it was very much so.
She didn't say anything and he didn't say anything either. She simply uncovered the duvet from a piece of the bed and Sasuke lay there, not caring at all. He put his arms around her waist and Sakura pulled his head closer to her breasts and, ignoring the fact that he smelled of sweat and was a little dirty from the mission, she stroked his head and kissed his hair, listening to his cries that were hurting her soul.
Hope you enjoyed it! Tell me what you think and till the next one