Sakura Haruno fanfiction recs: SasuSaku
Sakura and Sasuke are my personal favourite couple from canon Naruto. I know that as much as fans love them, there are also plenty which truly hate them together, but I believe that just stems from a lack of understanding of their characters.
Their relationship as a whole is very complicated and if the slightest detail is done wrong, then everything falls apart. However, when done well, they are really quite beautiful.
I've decided to create this list dedicated to them as a pairing. Most (if not all) of these recommendations will be fairly accurate to their characters. Anyway, I'll probably add onto this list soon since I need to go through my ffn favourites.
note: feel free to check out my master list which has a bunch of Sakura Haruno fic recs (all organized)!
In due time - plumblossomed || ao3 || M || sasusaku || modern AU || one-shot complete
Sasuke and Sakura meet and fall in love in their 40s.
In Due Time is a lovely modern AU that follows Sasuke and Sakura finding love at a later stage in their lives. With both of them being skilled doctors, love just took a little longer with them being more career focused. It's a very sweet read and I thoroughly enjoyed their ages here. Sasuke and Sakura's relationship feels genuine. It's not about extravagant gestures or lengthy love confessions, but rather just finding someone you can enjoy your time with.
Approaching Sun - ANerdInAllHerGlory || ao3/ffn || M || sasusaku || blank period || ongoing
After 2 years of traveling on his own, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village. Taking a chance on love, Sakura joins Sasuke on his next mission in his search for traces of the Otsusuki in the deserts of Sunagakure.
Approaching Sun is the ultimate slow burn blank period fanfic!! And when I say slow burn here, I mean it haha. I cannot rave about this one enough because I genuinely think it's so well done. The characters feel very accurate to themselves and the details included are such a treat. For those of you that read the novels, this might be for you since there are plenty of references here. Also, Sakura and Sasuke's relationships with Kakashi is precious. I believe the author is just finishing up too.
Rays of Spring Sunshine - sparklyfaerie || ao3 || M || sasusaku || childhood friends AU || complete
Sakura had been by his side since he lost his family, following him around since they were seven years old, trying to ease his loneliness in whatever way she could. He didn’t even know why he allowed it. He just silently allowed her to claim the seat next to him at the beginning of every term.
Perhaps one of the most canon accurate depictions I've read of their characters. I will note that things stay pretty close to the manga in Rays of Spring Sunshine, but things definitely get shaken up near the end and for the next in the series. Ah yes, I should mention that this is the first work. Anyway, I highly recommend if you like reading about them during the genin days. Sasuke is rather gruff and aloof, but deep down he does care for Sakura a great lot. Really well written.
The Long Way Home - thegeneralgirl || ao3 || T || sasusaku || amnesia AU || complete
Sakura finds Sasuke again in Wind Country five years after the war. He's supposed to be dead and she's supposed to be beyond caring, but neither of them likes to live up to expectations.
Sasuke is living the life of a civilian in his state of amnesia when Sakura finds him. Nonetheless, upon meeting Sakura he finds himself intrigued by the ways of shinobi. Loved it!
Choosing Fate - plumblossomed || ao3 || M || sasusaku || no chakra AU || complete
They married for duty, not for love. She was fresh air and spring breeze while he was scorching flames and summer heat. Still, they’d come to find out they were two halves of the same whole.
In a world without their powers, Sasuke and Sakura are forced into an arranged marriage. I enjoyed how they slowly warmed up to each other. Sakura feels that she's been stripped of her freedom and person, but through small actions on Sasuke's part she is able to find herself once again.
Synergy - bttrmllw || ao3 || M || sasusaku || Mulan AU || complete
AU. Mulan-inspired. In which Haruno Sakura poses as a man to join the ranks of the Konoha army and General Uchiha Sasuke is very, very confused.
For those of you that love secret identity! Set in a very interesting AU where only men can enter into the shinobi ranks and women are left as medics. Sakura infiltrates, left under Sasuke's command, to save someone precious to her and proves her strength while she's at it. Definitely BAMF Sakura!
Something Left to Save - helena3190 || ao3 || M || sasusaku || post-war || ongoing
In the aftermath of the shinobi war to save the world, from their own war to save Sasuke's soul, Team Seven adjusts, mends severed bonds, and strives to love.
Something Left to Save is another favourite of mine! Most fanfics that take place after the war are during the blank period; however, this here covers the time directly following. Sasuke isn't quite forgiven and Sakura is still struggling with all of the recent events. There is more of a focus on team bonding than romance, but it's certainly present as well. Such a lovely slow burn and lots of just character healing all around. With that said, don't go thinking that this is fluffy because there is a lot of hurt. Also, Sai and Yamato are included, which makes me so happy!
Markings - CatFlorist || ao3 || M || sasusaku || post-war || complete
After the war, Sakura steals the hearts of Team Taka. Sasuke doesn’t know how to feel about this. All about healing and friendship for Sakura and Sasuke (and Team Taka/Team Seven).
Markings is a super cute and fairly short fic that follows Sakura bonding with Team Taka directly after the war. Sasuke gets a little jealous and Suigetsu is flirtatious! I think Team Taka are all super fun characters, so I found this quite enjoyable.
A Day Apart by rabbitholessk || ao3 || T || sasusaku || orphan AU || incomplete
Sasuke and Sakura go through similar traumatic experiences a day apart from the other. They are placed into a tough situation after their experiences. How will two traumatized eight year olds deal with growing up and their pasts. Canon divergent, slow build/burn. Ratings may change.
Oh, how I hope this gets continued! Sakura and Sasuke both lose their families just days apart and are assigned to live together in a shared apartment. Honestly such a sweet yet sad read. You watch them struggle with their own trauma, puberty (yikes), and how to deal with each other. They slowly warm up and now on Team 7 together they have a new family.
Changing Chance by DancingInTheDark282 || ao3 || G || sasusaku || time travel AU || complete
Sakura had experienced many weird things in her life. But travelling 17 years into the past, saving Naruto's parents, battling Madara Uchiha, and doing it with Sasuke of all people, had to be at the top of her list.
Ok, so this actually got completed today!! I love time travel AUs and Changing Chance has both Sakura and Sasuke go back together. To make matters even better, Minato, Kushina, and Kakashi are all fairly major characters.
Hatsukoi - sparklyfaerie || ao3 || sasusaku || gen || non-massacre AU || complete
Sasuke leans away as the girl turns to him, and his mother doesn't need to be any closer to guess as to the expression on his face. The girl's body language changes in an instant, and Mikoto recognizes the posture of a little girl in love. It's kind of adorable.
Probably one of the cutest sasusaku fics I have read as Hatsukoi follows them from genin to marriage! It's told in multiple perspectives and it's full of tooth rotting fluff. You get to watch the slow progression of their relationship over time and how they grow even closer in Naruto's absence. Definitely read is you want something light!
Louder than Words - SouthSideStory || ao3 || T || sasusaku || non-massacre AU || complete
Sakura hasn’t uttered a single word since the day her family died, but Sasuke is determined to hear her, one way or another. (No Uchiha massacre AU.)
Louder Than Words is another short read where Sakura joins the Uchiha household after Fugaku finds her on a mission. She's non-verbal here, but Sasuke finds a way to make it work nonetheless.
Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Tozette || ao3 || T || sasusaku || blank period || one-shot complete
Sasuke is actually eighteen the first time he looks at Sakura and realises abruptly that he wants her.
I think we all know by now that Sasuke has always been attracted to strength, power, so why not when it comes to romance? Essentially, one day on a mission, Sasuke discovers he has a strength kink. Watching him continuously get flustered throughout the fic because of his admiration towards Sakura's strength is so entertaining. Really fun read
Heat - Lady Otori || ffn || M || sasusaku || blank period || incomplete
Sasuke's temperature has always run higher than most, and Sakura has always, always burned for him. Moments of heat, spent together in the time after his return. [SasuSaku] [Blank Period] [Team 7 Friendship] [Slow Burn / Eventual Smut]
This screams summer to me, so I thought it was fitting to recommend Heat considering the time of the year! I love how Sai is included and how Kakashi jokes around with them. Not to mention just general team bonding!! The characterizations are all quite well done and this is just overall a great read.
Most of these are from ao3, but I have loads from ffn that I read and loved, so I will definitely share at some point. However, I just find it such a pain going through my favourites on that site haha.
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