Hey guys! Here’s my very first Kimetsu No Yaiba (specifically GiyuShino) fic. I’m still not so familiar with their characterization the way I am with Naruto characters (specifically SasuSaku) so I hope this is okay somehow. I really loved Giyuu and Shinobu's characters so I hope I'll get to write more about them soon! Let me know your thoughts! :D
Warning: Manga spoiler.
Disclaimer: I do not own KNY.
o - o - o
Her hands were soft, gentle. Giyuu could attest to this not because he has held them, but because they held him.
Shinobu’s hands carefully caressed his wounded cheek, arms, and then his torso, leaving traces of healing on them as he lay half-asleep inside a room at the Butterfly Estate. He barely remembered what transpired in his battle with one of the kizuki. The only thing that ran inside his mind after being badly injured was the need to see Shinobu so she could heal him with her hands.
And that’s what she did.
Her hands were powerful, magical. And it wasn’t some sugar-coated descriptions to his fellow Hashira for he has personally witnessed what else these hands could do.
Giyuu found himself standing in front of the Butterfly Estate one Saturday evening. Unsure if he would be welcomed by his teammate, he casually went inside like every single time he has visited whenever he had minor and major injuries. That’s when he found Shinobu in her office, with a vial in her gloved hands and lots of bottles with colorful liquids in front of her.
“Good evening, Tomioka-san. Is there anything I can help you with?”
The Water Hashira froze, astonished to be caught even without making his presence known. He cleared his throat before speaking, thinking quickly about what he should say in the same way he strategized in battles. “I...wanted to spar.”
He then heard a gasp and saw some drops of liquid spilling on the table as Shinobu turned to him with widened eyes.
“You...with me? Are you serious, Tomioka-san?”
He looked away. “I’m not a joker, Kocho.”
Shinobu tilted her head to one side before giggling all of a sudden, the sound melodic to Giyuu’s ears. “I know. That’s why no one likes you.”
Giyuu simply stared at her blankly, causing another cackle to escape Shinobu’s lips.
“Anyway, I would love to spar with you. But I have something to finish first if that’s okay with you. Do you mind, Tomioka-san?”
“No.” It was true. Yet his curiosity got the best of him despite not wanting to intrude. “What are you doing?” He approached the Insect Hashira as she returned to her work. And up close, he was able to see the labels of the concoctions in front of them. “You made all these?”
Shinobu smiled. “Yes!” And then she slightly turned towards him to show him how she was concocting a poison. “This...is what I put on my sword. It instantly kills, Tomioka-san. But I’m trying to upgrade it. Hmm...I wanted something that would kill a demon even with just the scent of this liquid.”
That’s when Giyuu knew, that even though Shinobu wasn’t a one of a kind swordsman like him, she was just as powerful, probably even more. And it was all because of what her hands could create.
Her hands were tiny, cute. Giyuu wanted to brush off the thoughts but he couldn’t help it as he stared at her hand while she pointed to the sky.
“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it, Tomioka-san?”
“You always say that.”
“Because it’s true! Look at that.”
He glanced at her face and then back at her little hand. He didn’t really have any idea about the descriptions she was saying regarding the celestial object, but his mind suddenly played various scenarios wherein her hand was in his. His eyes widened before he looked away. He swallowed hard, trying to compose himself once again as his thoughts continued to flood him with glimpses of a future he knew he would never deserve.
And then he felt something warm on top of his hand. Hers.
“Tomioka-san. Is something wrong?”
Giyuu sighed, shutting his eyes while shaking his head. And then, he slowly formed a small smile that surprised the Insect Hashira. Nothing’s wrong when you’re here, with your hand atop mine.
His hands were trembling, uncontrollably moving. His feet continued running to his destination even after hearing the crow.
“Kaaaw! Deceased! Shinobu Kocho is dead!”
Yet his hands shook. His eyes widened. And his heart cracked into finer pieces as if it hadn’t been broken the first time when his sister died.
He reminisced about those times that he trained with her in their estate, with her winning on the spars that he didn’t expect to lose. He recalled those times he had missions alongside her, with her teasing him on the road and laughing at him whenever he reacted. And he remembered those times she tended to him, with her healing every bit of his physical wounds, and eventually, even his emotional ones. He couldn’t believe that those were merely part of the past now as he glanced at his trembling hands.
Nonetheless, he was thankful for the fact that he didn’t see her in her last moments because he was sure that he would be doing one thing – he would’ve held her hand.
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(but it's more like early years/slice of life after Sasuke's permanent return😁)
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Another WIP that I'm leaving as is🙊 Decided to post it now for SasuSakuSara Weekend 2020. Enjoy!✨
- A
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"Sarada, use your sharingan."
The young Uchiha shot an alarmed look at her father, brows furrowed in confusion and anxiety that there could be another set of attackers near them.
As if reading her mind, Sasuke shook his head with a ghost of smile on his lips. "We're completely safe. Trust me. Now, use your sharingan."
Still staring at her father with bemusement written all over her face, she complied, and immediately, her eyes turned to a glowing red.
"Look at your mother."
"Eh?" Sarada cocked her head to one side, much to Sasuke's amusement.
"Go. And then tell me what you see."
Blinking twice, she shifted her gaze to her mother's sleeping form. What now? She thought, slowly observing the flow of chakra on her mother's system because it's the only thing she could focus on considering that her mother wasn't even moving.
There was nothing entirely different with what she usually sees through the Sharingan on her mom's body. She was almost about to pout and question her father until she suddenly noticed a tiny flame of chakra somewhere within Sakura's stomach. It was faint yet noticeable, and she knew it shouldn't be there, unless —
A gasp escaped from her lips as she tried to put a finger on the discovery. "Papa! Is...is mama..."
Sasuke's smile grew a tad, confirming the forming conclusion in his daughter's head.
She gasped once again. "Seriously? Oh my gosh! I'm going to have a baby brother! Or a sister! Papa, I can't wai–!"
"Ssshh. You might wake Sakura." Sasuke found it amusing to see how his firstborn was giddy with delight knowing that there would be a new addition to their family.
Late for these! But here’s my fic for SasuSakuSara Weekend 2020 Day 2 (In Another World/Connected Feelings) and #SasuSakuTwitFest2020 Day 6 (Marriage / "Idiot! We're married.") | @sasusakusara2020
Here's a maaaajor revision of one of my first fictions back in 2009 for a different ship. Ya gurl cringed on her old way of writing, HAHAHAHAHAHA.
Hope you enjoy this!
-A
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“Come on, dear. Please stop..."
She just wouldn't.
"Papa! P-papa!" She would just repeat that all over again.
Sakura paced towards Sarada’s crib, planning to carry her with the hopes that her tantrum would subside. But the moment she reached out to her—
“I want Papa now! Please, Mama!" She croaked with her tiny voice. "I miss Papa!"
The Uchiha matriarch almost fell on her knees as her daughter continued to cry out.
She sat on the bed beside her crib and leaned near her. If only an explanation of many words would be understood by a three year old. "Sarada, sweetie...Papa isn't coming home."
"Why, Mama? Why?" Little Sarada paused, but her tears were nonstop.
Sakura looked away. She struggled to find the right words, trying to think of an excuse about the rash decisions that led to their current situation now. She pinched the bridge of her nose. It shouldn’t have come to this, to the point that their daughter would be affected.
“Sweetie, just...calm down, please."
Sarada stared at her with glassy charcoal eyes, tears still streaming down her cheeks, and then she cried, “Mama, I want Papa here! Here! Here!"
Her heart clenched at the sight, she had never seen her baby this hurt. And what pains her the most was the fact that it was because of her and Sasuke.
Then, the idea finally settled in...
“Okay, okay. Calm down."
Sakura got her phone from the table on the other side of the bed. Her hands were shaking; her tears almost coming out. I didn't have to do this...
She didn't have to go to her list of contacts anymore just to look at his number, besides she memorized it, just like how she memorized every single detail about him.
She took a deep breath before pressing the call button. One ring, two rings, three rings...no answer. She cancelled, and then called again, with much conviction this time. It was actually difficult for her to concentrate as Sarada's muffled cry continued to fill the room.
"Ssh..." She told her, as if that would make sense.
"Hello?" Oh, gosh. What am I going to say? Sasuke finally answered his cell phone. It was apparent that his voice was serious, angry even, because who in their right mind would call someone at 2AM?
"Uhmm...good morning, Sasuke. Sorry." She paused. "But this is...this is about Sarada."
"Huh? What happened to her?" There was a noticeable change in his voice, from an angry husband to a concerned father. And it was enough to calm Sakura's nerves as she continued to speak with him.
"She just wouldn't stop. She—"
"P-papa!" Sarada screamed.
Sakura’s head fell on her hand. There was no point hesitating now. "She wants you to be here, Sasuke." Tears trickled down her face, but she kept her composure for she didn't want to sound like she’s crying. I didn't want to see him yet...
There was silence on both lines aside from the ringing cries of their daughter. Sakura didn't know if Sasuke's still on the phone. Every tick of the clock increased her anxiety about what Sasuke might be thinking at the moment, for she didn’t want him to think that she was using their child to force him to come back. They both needed this space after all.
She heard him sigh after a moment, "Okay. I'm coming over."
"T-thanks," she muttered, and then hung up.
A sigh escaped her lips as she turned to check on Sarada again, whose cries have finally subsided into hiccups. "I'm sorry, baby. Just wait a little longer."
Sakura stared at her, realizing for the millionth time that she and Sasuke were able to create such a beautiful human being. Sarada’s face resembles hers, but her hair and her eyes were the same as Sasuke’s, making her the spitting image of her handsome father. There was no question to that. Never will she be able to forget her husband after all, whatever the circumstances would be. Besides, she didn’t want to forget.
Moments later, she then heard a familiar sound of an engine stopping in front of their house.
"Wait here, Honey," she said as she made sure Sarada’s crib was locked. The kid was still in tears, but she had high hopes that it would change in a little while.
Sakura went downstairs to open the door, but before that, she glanced at the mini monitor of the CCTV camera for their front porch, just to make sure it was Sasuke.
"Thanks for coming," she said, avoiding his face as she opened the door. There was no response. "She's in the bedroom."
Sasuke went straight to their bedroom with her following suit. It didn't matter anymore if her anxiety about what Sasuke might be thinking was reaching its peak right now, as long as her baby would finally be happy after crying her heart out for hours.
"Sarada?"
"Papa? It's you! Papa, it's you!" Sakura finally felt relief at the sight of the apparent joy on her daughter's face. Sarada was standing on her crib now, with her arms raised expectantly towards her approaching father.
"Aa. It’s me." Sasuke instantly carried and embraced her tightly. "I missed you, Sarada." Well, it's been more than a week.
Tears streamed down Sakura's face once more, but much thanks to Sarada's bib that she was holding, she was able to wipe it away before Sasuke even noticed. Ever since Sarada was born, it always warms her heart seeing Sasuke with their child. There was no doubt that Sarada was precious to him, that’s why it hit differently seeing him with her again after what transpired weeks ago.
Sarada has completely stopped crying now, but her face was still wet with tears so she went near her, with her face towards Sakura as she wrapped her small arms around Sasuke’s neck. Her father soothingly patted her back.
With the bib on her hand, Sakura wiped her face and smiled at her, relieved that her baby is now relaxed in her father’s secure arms.
The young Uchiha returned the smile before slightly pulling away to face Sasuke, she said, "Papa, please stay..."
Stunned, Sakura took a step back and waited for her husband’s response. She couldn’t see Sasuke’s reaction for his back was towards her, but she did notice the halt of his hand’s movements.
Sasuke remained silent, causing Sarada to start tearing up again as she stared at him. "I don't want you to go again, Papa."
"Sssh. Don’t make that face." He wiped Sarada’s tears through his thumb. "Your mama's here, there's no need for you to worry."
Sakura almost scoffed. There is, Sasuke! If I were the baby, I would really tell you that I need you for you are my father!
Then the hissy fit began again. "But...but papa...I want Papa here! I want Mama here! I need papa and mama here!" She exclaimed, catching both her parents off guard.
Sakura noticed that Sasuke tilted his head to glance at her. But her gaze fell to the floor, knowing that it’s still up to Sasuke if he would finally decide to go back home. He already got the space that he needed, but Sakura wasn’t sure if the kind of space he really wanted was long term. Her heart constricted at that thought.
Sasuke sighed after a moment. "Ssh. Okay, okay, don’t cry, Sarada...we'll be here for you," he whispered.
Whether that was true or it was just a trick, it was thankfully effective in calming Sarada.
Sakura went outside the room and proceeded downstairs to give the father and daughter their time with each other; when suddenly – Oh, God. Thank God Sasuke is here! – she saw from the bottom of the staircase that the knob of their front door was visibly shaking.
She silently walked towards the locked door and glanced at the mini monitor by the wall which she has left turned on when Sasuke came. She then gasped. A guy in black was on the other side of the door, with his face covered with black cloth too. As he continued to try opening the door with whatever tool in his hand, Sakura darted to the bedroom, totally terrified.
She took a deep breath before she spoke, "Sasuke..."
The head of the family glanced at her with confusion written on his face. When he noticed how Sakura's face turned even paler while she pointed downstairs, he gave Sarada to her and instantly went to their first floor.
Sakura then talked to Sarada, "Honey, I need you to keep quiet now, okay?" The little girl nodded as she embraced her much tightly. "Mama and Papa's gonna be here."
With Sarada secure in her arms, she followed her husband downstairs. "I-is he still there, Sasuke? I'll call the police now."
She received a nod. "Are the windows all locked?"
"Yeah."
"How about the back door?"
Did I lock it? Oh my, did I? There was a moment of silence until—
"Sakura!" Sasuke grabbed her hand in an instant and pulled her beside him.
Gasping, Sakura breathed heavily upon realizing that there were already three men inside their house, one of them was able to go through the front door. Thank God Sasuke's here!
"M-mama…" Sarada was already noticing the commotion. She then buried her face onto her mother's chest as the Uchiha matriarch hugged her tighter.
"It's fine, baby. It's fine."
"Papa's here, Sarada," Sasuke whispered. That statement assured even Sakura that she almost forgot that they were not exactly in good terms with each other.
Clearing his throat, Sasuke then spoke to the three strangers, "What do you want?" He paused. "Please...not my family. Not them, please," he added, now standing protectively in front of his wife and daughter.
"I asked you, what do you want?" Sasuke asked more firmly this time. And yet again, he only received silence from the other party.
Sakura's eyes softened as she stared at his back. To hear that he cares so much about them despite the tensions they've had made her heart full, as if it's been waiting to hear those words after a long time. But it wasn't the right time to be sentimental with the situation they're in now.
Only then did she notice that the invaders were carrying weapons. One of them was holding a long piece of wood, the other one had a big knife, and the last guy who was from the front door had none; maybe his primary job was to open its lock.
"Mam–"
"Yes, Sarada…" There was a crack in Sakura’s voice but she wanted to be firm in front of her daughter. "Everything will be fine."
One of the strangers stepped forward, the one carrying a piece of wood.
Sasuke tensed at this, mentally blaming himself for not having his phone with him. He also saw Sakura's phone on their bed, so they couldn't contact the police right now. As he calculated possible scenarios, he noted that it was too risky to move or attack, especially with the fact that the strangers could harm his wife and daughter. He clutched his fists as he turned to Sakura, eyes telling him things that he knew his wife would understand.
And indeed, she did. A stray tear escaped from her eyes as she shut them and shook her head. No. This won't be the end. This won't be the—
"Sasuke!" Sakura flashed her eyes open upon hearing a loud groan. Gasping at the sight, she was frozen in place as she watched her husband writhe in pain after being hit with the long piece of wood by one of the invaders. She didn't know what to do now.
"Pa–pa!" Sarada squirmed and began crying in her arms but she held her in place.
This time, Sakura faced the men. "What do you want from us?!" She forced her voice to not waver. "If you wanted to take something, you didn't have to hurt my husband like that! We don't even have much here! And you are scaring our baby!"
Sarada cried even harder despite not understanding what was going on.
Then, to her utter surprise, she heard them laugh…
The three invaders suddenly guffawed as they one by one removed their black masks.
With widened green eyes, Sakura felt as if a vein popped in her head when she finally realized who the men were. "What the—How dare the three of you!"
Sarada stopped crying when she saw what made her mother shout. "Uncles!"
Sakura put her down and minded herself for a while, recalling the past few minutes that made her feel like her heart was going to explode. She was sure these three were their friends, but she wasn't quite sure now.
"Hey, Sara-chan!"
Gleefully, Sarada ran with her tiny feet. "Uncle Naruto!"
Naruto carried his niece as if nothing had happened. "You okay now?"
The little girl bounced in his arms.
Confused and still in pain, Sasuke tried to stand and welcomed Sakura's assistance to him. "What?! What's going on here?"
"Oops...by the way, sorry, Teme. I think that was pretty hard."
"Naruto Uzumaki! That did hurt!" He groaned.
The three idiot visitors – invaders – continued laughing.
"Anyway, maybe you should change your door knob now," Sai said as he laughed, "and choose a better one, huh? I think that one is way too easy to open."
"This is not funny, Sai!" Sasuke exclaimed as he gave them a glare, trying his best to not punch anyone in the face tonight.
"Calm down, children," Kakashi instructed, still chuckling with a shake of his head.
"Stop it! You scared us!"
"Too bad I did nothing, though," their former sensei added, not minding what the Uchiha matriarch said.
"Haha! But you did well in holding the knife, Kakashi-san!" Now Sai, who was usually emotionless, was losing control.
"What is this damn role play all about, huh? Didn't you even think that you might scare Sarada?" Sasuke interrogated, feeling a bit better but still assisting his lower back.
"Hmm...I think it's just that I want you to get out of my house already. A week with a married guy felt irritating." Naruto grinned and then turned to Sarada, "You want Papa here, right?"
"Yep, yep, Uncle!" She chuckled. And Sakura couldn't help but smile as she saw the corners of Sasuke's lips twitch upwards.
"This is actually for her, Sasuke, Sakura-chan," Naruto explained as he embraced his adorable niece.
"So what's the plan now?" Sai asked.
Then the three of them stared at the couple, grinning like Cheshire cats.
Sakura met Sasuke's confused gaze.
"Remember your daughter, you're not kids anymore. Go, talk," Kakashi uttered seriously this time, pointing upstairs as if grounding Sasuke and Sakura due to an offense.
The husband and wife were frozen in place upon realizing that everything was planned behind their backs.
"Oh, come on. We're giving Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha their time of privacy. Go!" Sai nudged them to go upstairs. There was no escape now.
To her surprise, Sasuke began walking upstairs before looking at her with a smile. "I think they're right."
She smiled back after a few moments and followed suit, unsure of what was going to happen now that they were finally going to confront their situation.
They proceeded to their bedroom, leaving Sarada with her uncles so they didn't mind closing the door. They were finally on their own after a week. And for a moment, they were tacit as they drank each other's presence, uncertain about how to begin settling what they should have decided to settle on the same day their argument sparked.
It was rather awkward until they met each other's gazes, and then, they both laughed.
"Silly, right?" Sasuke commented while chuckling.
"Yeah. That whole thing was a mess!"
When their laughter subsided, Sakura was finally at ease. Knowing that Sasuke was there all along was relieving. He never left them as he stood his ground to protect their family, that's all that stuck into her mind.
"Sakura," Sasuke soon paused and then held her hand, making her realize that she missed him so much more than she thought. "I'm...I'm so sorry."
Tears began brimming Sakura's eyes as she stared at her husband.
"I've been selfish. I knew I hurt you with my words but all that mattered to me was my own frustrations at work that day, to the point that I chose to have my space and leave the two most important persons to me." His dark orbs now focused on her seafoam ones. "Please forgive me, Sakura. I've been a stupid husband and father."
"No, Sasuke." Sakura squeezed his hand and smiled. "I had my own mistakes too. I shouldn't have nagged you and blamed everything to you knowing that you were already feeling so low about yourself that day. I should've been your number one supporter, but I failed in becoming that. I'm sorry. And I forgive you." She beamed once more.
"Thank you, Sakura, for everything. I forgive you as well." The corners of his lips moved upwards. "This would never happen again. Should we have another argument, I'm not going to let a long time pass and we'll deal with it immediately. Because damn it, I missed you." He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. "I missed you and Sarada. I'm really sorry."
Sakura's hand moved to his cheek, she blushed when he leaned into her touch and slowly opened his eyes. "You're here now, Sasuke...that's all that matters."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course."
"Will you take me back?" He then pouted, causing Sakura to chuckle. Seeing that made him feel accomplished and gave his heart the warmth that he hadn't felt for a week.
"Idiot! We're married." She pinched his cheek this time, making him grin despite wincing slightly. "We just needed some space to cool down but that didn't change the fact that you're my husband and I'm your wife."
"Hn. Say that again."
"Eh? What?"
"That you're my wife." He now pulled her closer to him.
"I-i'm your wife…" Sakura bit her lip as a tinge of pink appeared on her cheeks.
Sasuke smirked at the sight. "This is what I missed the most." And then he closed the distance between them to meet her lips with his.
Moments later, they heard footsteps from the stairs.
"Whoa......" Three people, including their baby, were now in front of their room.
"Don't mind them," Sasuke whispered and then slammed the door of their bedroom as he kissed his wife again, making Sakura chuckle against his lips.
"Yay! Mama and Papa will both be here again!" Their Sarada shouted for joy on the other side of the door.
Sorry for the mess, lol. But your reviews would be appreciated! Check out my other fics also and let me know what you think :) Hope the SSS Weekend and SS Twit Fest are helping you cope better during this tough time! SS is here for you, and so am I!❤️
A day late but here's my entry for #SasuSakuTwitFest 2020 Day 4: Travels. I also posted a part of this for #sssnippetaday on Twitter.
Enjoyyyy!
-A
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Being on the road for two long years has led Sasuke to resign to the fact that he would be needing help from other people. With his lack of resources, he knew it's only appropriate for him to take whatever he can get from anyone who is willing to offer him anything. Provisions of food and a space to rest gave him the comfort that he thought he didn't deserve, usually from a widow, an old couple, or a starting family, who, by some miracle, did not see him as an S-rank criminal like how almost the rest of the world did.
He's usually still on edge around people, shinobi and civilians alike. It wasn't unknown to him that not everyone was happy with Konoha's decision to spare him from a heavier punishment. But as he continued to travel, the weight on his shoulders began to lighten for he got to realize that there are still good people in the world, increasing his motivation to keep on pursuing and fighting for the peace that his brother had always hoped for.
Now, he has a lot of stories to tell when he goes back home.
On one of his visits in Ame, he was welcomed by an old widow in her home for three productive days. She insisted that he should be well taken cared of while he looked after the village to catch the group of rogue shinobi lurking in their area since the week before. It was a huge task that the civilians couldn't repay, according to her, so it was the least that she could do.
When he was about to leave after succeeding in his task there, the old lady even packed a bento for him. And he couldn't help but remember being a child once again as he accepted the bento and muttered a thanks at her.
"No problem at all, Uchiha-san. You've done so much more! A lot of people here are even fond of you because of what you did for us. So it's you whom we should thank."
"It's nothing, really."
"Ah. Such a fine gentleman you are! You've probably had lots of girls in your life, hmm?"
Sasuke slowly shook his head. Growing up, many girls threw themselves at him with the hopes of getting his attention, but there was only one that annoyed him and tugged his heartstrings despite his years of denial about it. "Just one."
"My, my. It's wonderful to know that a handsome man like you is faithful to his one and only!" The old woman giggled. "Ah, young love. Could you tell me something about her?"
Blinking twice, Sasuke stared at her and thought about her surprising question. Until his mind traced back to those solitary moments he had in a prison cell in Konoha.
He was well aware that she was just doing her job. But despite her silence and his sight's absence, he could feel the tenderness of her touch and the warmth of her heart as she tended to the remnant of his left arm for the third time that week.
No words were spoken since the first time. But as he heard the movements of her hands while performing the signs for the jutsu to open his cell, he forced his dry throat to release something.
"Sakura, thank you."
He received no response that night, but he was sure that his former genin teammate smiled at that as she exited and locked his cell again.
The next time she visited for his checkup, he struggled between staying silent or asking something that has been bombarding his mind for days. It might have been obvious because he was startled when he heard her finally speak.
"You have something to say."
He gulped. Unsure of how the conversation would go once his question was already out. But regardless of her answer, he knew he'd be able to sleep – nap – better that night when he finally hears from her. And so he asked, "Do you...still love me, Sakura?"
Astonishment was apparent with the medic for he felt her chakra fluctuate a little as she checked his left arm. He convinced himself that it didn't matter if he received a negative answer, but every second of her silence felt a lot more suffocating than being in that cell for weeks.
Yet she responded after a few moments, and it shook him to the core. "You know the answer to that."
"But Sakura, things change, don't they?"
"Not my feelings."
"Even after everything?"
The flow of her chakra in his system completely stopped and he heard the movements of her hand signs once again. But before he heard the clink of his cell's lock, she muttered, "Even after everything."
A week later, his chakra blindfold was allowed to be removed. It must've been because of Kakashi. He mentally thanked the man when he finally saw with his own eyes what he realized was his favorite shade of red.
Sakura entered his cell with her usual shinobi clothes this time, unlike the past weeks wherein she was wearing her lab coat. He knew this because he could feel its cloth whenever she was beside him, so today was quite unusual if he would think about it.
He stared at her as she approached him with a pout.
"You look weird, Sasuke-kun."
He raised an eyebrow inquisitively, making her chuckle.
"I'm here to cut your hair." Then she took out a comb and a pair of scissors from her back pocket.
He wanted to question her, but he ended up letting her do what she wanted as she gently placed a big cloth around his shoulders, thinking that it was probably a part of her job.
However, it was when she asked if he wanted her to shave the stubble on his jaw that he realized what she was doing was beyond her role as the medic looking after him.
"You don't have to do that, Sakura."
"But I want to."
"Why?" He pressed.
Then surprisingly, Sakura glared at him.
And with that, he already understood. He wasn't able to stop himself from smiling once she left him in his cell that night.
The old lady beamed when she saw how deep in thought Sasuke was, giving her the impression that this man was serious about the woman in his mind right now.
Sasuke cleared his throat. "She...never gave up in choosing to love me." He looked down at his feet as he remembered her face when he left a gentle poke on her forehead on the day of his departure. "Never. Even when I was so lost."
"You must feel very blessed, Uchiha-san."
"Aa." Despite the fact that he still felt like he didn't deserve her.
"Give me a moment," the widow suddenly said as she rummaged through a drawer in her living room. "Oh! Here it is!" She then reached out for Sasuke's hand, startling him, and placed something on his palm before closing it with her hands. "When you return to your lady, I hope you could give that little gift to her." She showed a smile that seemed to be partnered with a remembrance of someone.
Sasuke stared at his closed fist. "Thank you. But, why?"
The cheery attitude of the woman mellowed as she answered, "I was supposed to give that to my daughter after she comes back from a mission. But then, the Fourth Shinobi War broke out." Pausing, she eyed Sasuke for a few seconds, causing him to recall the past war in such a vivid way. "But she died on the battlefield, fighting for the shinobi world. I believe it's her love for the people that drove her to give her all."
"I'm sorry about your loss."
"Oh, don't worry, I could say I've somehow recovered from it. I strongly believed that her death wasn't in vain, especially because you and your team have given that war a successful closure."
Sasuke looked down once more. It was still quite weird sometimes, how a few people saw him as a hero, yet more people still viewed him as an international criminal that ended people's lives with his own hands.
"The way you talked about your girl reminded me of my daughter, so please, give that gift to her. At least I know it will be in good hands." She smiled yet again, but this time, with eyes that were starting to become glassy.
A small smile appeared on Sasuke's lips. There was something about the way she considered Sakura as his that calmed his entire system. And it amazed him how even though she's not here, Sakura could still draw people close to her. "She actually fought alongside me in that war, aiding me and Naruto in taking down Kaguya."
The old woman gasped again, with a glint of recognition appearing on her eyes. "You mean..."
Sasuke nodded. "Yes, it's Sakura Haruno." The words weirdly came out with some sort of pride from his lips. And even he was surprised to find himself verbally admitting to anyone Sakura's position in his life.
The woman beamed and clasped her hands, returning to her cheerful attitude like earlier. "Uchiha-san! You two look good together! And, I guess that gift was after all truly made for her, don't you think?" She gestured to Sasuke's fist.
Sasuke furrowed his brows in wonder and slowly opened his palm. His lips then twitched upwards when his gaze landed on a necklace with a cherry blossom crystal pendant.
"Now go home to her, Uchiha-san. I'm pretty sure all your exhaustion from your travels would subside once you see Haruno-san again."
Hey guys! Hope you're all enjoying the #SasuSakuTwitFest2020 so far! Let me know your thoughts and feels about this one😄 There's a lot going on these days, but I pray that we'd all find inner peace despite this. Please stay safe!❤️
"I really don't understand, why can't Sakura and Sasuke just start dating?" Tenten said with a groan during their lunch break, as if the two aforementioned people weren't on the same table as hers. She then flashed her brown eyes at them. "You guys are the only ones who aren't lovers in this squad!"
"I agree! Not that it's a requirement considering that every other pair here is together, but it's the fact that you guys aren't even dating anyone at all yet. And we're already about to graduate!" Ino spoke as she eyed each pair around the table.
The rest of their friends nodded in agreement for Ino was merely stating a fact.
A few months ago, she already agreed to be Sai's girlfriend after three months of him courting her. Naruto has been dating Hinata since Junior College. Neji and Tenten have been together for about five years now, and yes, that was since they graduated from Konoha High before transferring to Konoha University. And lastly, Shikamaru started courting the exchange student Temari since last month. It's not as if the Suna girl doesn't feel the same so it's as clear as day that Ino was right.
But Sakura didn't take their speech seriously, it's not like this was the first time that they teased her with Sasuke. And it always ends with her brushing it off and the other party pretending that he didn't hear the commotion or simply walking out.
She wondered what his response would be now.
Sakura just chuckled before replying, "Guys, Sasuke's not my type, alright?"
"At all?" Tenten raised an eyebrow at her while her boyfriend did the same at the man in front of him, suddenly noticing how Sasuke's grip on his fork tightened as if seeing through him with his white eyes.
"Yeah." Sakura looked away with a sip of her iced coffee. "And...I believe he's not even considering me at all as well."
"Of course, you're ugly," Sai nonchalantly commented which earned a glare from the pink-haired maiden.
"But wasn't there anything developing between you two whenever you go home together?" Temari asked this time. "We're well aware that Sasuke waits for you and picks you up after your shift at the library almost every night."
For a second, Sakura's eyes shifted towards the Uchiha, and to her surprise, dark eyes were staring back at hers with an intensity that she could not explain. Her gaze then fell at her unfinished meal as she thought of an answer to Temari. But her blond friend beat her to it.
"I remember asking Sasuke to pick her up just once, because I had to send Hinata home and all the other guys here do the same for their girls since they go home earlier than Sakura-chan." Naruto wiggled his eyebrows at the now scowling Uchiha. "But I didn't expect Teme to actually be doing that regularly since then. That says something."
"Naruto, that's such a quick assumption, don't you think?" Sakura was quick to butt in, chortling to save herself from the awkwardness. "Sasuke's just being a gentleman and a good friend for sure."
"Tch." Sasuke mumbled "Annoying" under his breath before scooting away from the table and walking towards the doorway.
Everyone turned to him in curiosity.
"Oi, Teme! Where are you going?"
"Shooting. We have a final game to prepare for, that's a much more important stuff to deal with." And then he's out of the cafeteria's double doors.
Shikamaru sighed at the sight. "As always. But this time, I'm not sure if he's offended that you said he's not your type or he just considers our discussion mundane – just like every other topic we discuss, actually."
Another chuckle came out of Sakura's lips. "I bet it's the latter." But somewhere at the back of her mind, she was slightly hoping otherwise.
A buzz from her phone caught her attention then. Astonished with the sender, she opened the message immediately:
I might finish a little late with practice tonight. But wait for me at the library again. See you.
"Oi, forehead, what's that sudden smile on your face all about?"
---
April 2019 (c) AriannJS
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Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed this one somehow😄 How are you? I've been working from home for more than 2 months now and mannnn, I swear my braincells are oftentimes on edge, hahahuhu. Can you share some ways on how you are coping in this season? Mine's journalling, singing, sleeping, and watching some Animé. It's really a need to distract myself every now and then lol. I still want to focus on making Music and writing fics tho. It's just that I'm more mentally tired than usual lately😅 I hope you're all doing well!
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The air was crisp around them, and the sky a canvas of purple and pink tints. Two pairs of eyes remained fixed on the painted sky as the husband and wife exchanged hushed conversations, whiling away the remaining hours of the day.
It was rare for them to be seated like this during their travels, at ease in each other's arms on the engawa of a small house lent to them by a family they have helped in Ame. So as best as they could, they maximized the opportunity to rest, not as the neo-sannins of the shinobi world, but simply as Sasuke and Sakura.
“This is going to be my first fall outside of Konoha, Anata," Sakura said while adjusting her head against Sasuke's chest. "I didn’t expect it could be this cold, considering summer is just about to end."
Sasuke stared at his wife's form as his lone hand played with a few strands of her hair. Her back was against him so he couldn't see the expression on her face, but he simply hoped that it reflected content.
His eyes observed the courtyard in front of the engawa – vast, enchanting, homey – something that they wouldn't have as long as they were traveling on foot.
He wondered if Sakura yearned for dusks like this compared to continuously trailing across forests and mountains before the sun sets. He wondered if his wife dreamt of having a new home – a physical one – instead of camping outside and renting an inn from time to time. And he wondered if she had realized that he has taken away too much from her when he asked her to accompany him on his journey, causing her to abandon so many things that could've been hers.
He looked at her again, moving his arm to envelope her waist. He sighed. "Do you regret this?"
"Regret what?" Sakura placed her hand above his with her thumb moving in circular motions above his scarred knuckles.
Her husband remained silent.
Sakura turned to face him then. And as expected, there was a scowl on her face for she already knew where his question was coming from. "Sasuke-kun, if you think I regret being with my childhood crush turned into the love of my life every single day, then you aren't the prodigy they were describing you to be."
"Hn." With his lips curving upwards, he tapped her forehead until her frown was replaced with a grin.
"You know, you have to stop thinking as if I'm suffering just because we're not living the normal life any woman would want to have with her husband. I'm fine. We're fine this way, Anata."
"You deserve so much more, though. Yet I couldn't give you more."
His wife turned completely this time, lacing her arms around his torso and burying her face in the crook of his neck. "But you gave yourself to me, Sasuke-kun. That in itself is more than enough."
The wind breezed against their skin and allowed them to further enjoy the embrace of the early evening. Sasuke’s gaze turned to the sky once more, thanking the Heavens for giving him someone whose love for him is immeasurable, despite all that he was and all that he is.
His thoughts brought him to that moonlit night he wanted to completely forget – the night that he left her small frame on a bench and her strong heart into pieces. It was clear as day when Sakura said that she would feel alone without him even with her family and friends around her. She even promised that she won’t let him regret being with her, because everyday would be a joy as long as they’re by each other’s side.
Sasuke fully understood the truth of those words now. After all, they both knew the pain of being away from each other, and now, they already experienced the joy of being together – not just as teammates, but also as husband and wife.
He tightened his arm around his wife while feeling her breath against his neck, thinking that she was already asleep.
However, she slightly startled him when she spoke again, “I think there’s nothing better than the other thing you gave to me though.”
“The other thing?” He glanced at her form, confusion written all over her face.
Instead of getting a verbal response, Sakura only nuzzled his neck as her hand moved his and placed it gently on her stomach. “This,” she said softly, making Sasuke feel her smile against his neck.
Sasuke Uchiha was an esteemed prodigy of his generation, but at that exact moment, he seemed to have lost all the vocabulary that he knew while his eyes remained fixed on his and his wife’s hands.
At the silence, Sakura tilted her head to get a view of her husband’s face. “A-anata? Aren’t you–” Yet she was astonished with what she saw.
She has witnessed Sasuke’s tears on so many nights in the early months of their travels, ones that were due to anguish, fears, and past traumas that frequently visited him amidst his sleep. When they finally got married, she noticed how these tears slowly stopped manifesting.
Hence, she was surprised to see them again now, especially because she knew that these tears had nothing to do with anguish anymore.
“Hey,” she muttered with her other hand moving to his cheek to wipe away a stray tear with her thumb. “This is something that we made together, Sasuke-kun. So whenever thoughts that I’m not satisfied with the life that we have now still enter your mind, just think of this wonderful gift.”
Sasuke was still frozen in place as if he wasn’t done processing everything yet. And then his hand shakily stroked his wife’s stomach, realizing that indeed, this tiny bump wasn’t here a few weeks back. Glistening Rinnegan and Sharingan-activated eyes met Sakura’s, and albeit he still couldn’t find the right words to say in situations like this, he uttered, “You know what I feel for you, right?”
With a smile, Sakura gently nodded, releasing a tear of her own. The next thing she knew, Sasuke closed the distance between them and meshed his lips with hers, making her feel every bit of love and joy in his heart that he doesn’t often verbalize. Their hands were still atop her stomach until they pulled away.
Then, with heaving breaths and touching foreheads, Sasuke told his wife, “I’m glad it’s you, Sakura. Thank you.”
Hiii guys! How are you all? :) We’ve been under quarantine in the Philippines for 5 months now and it’s just really weird having to face this new normalcy for a long time. I hope you are all safe and healthy, and that somehow, my works bring a smile to your faces during this difficult time.
Please check out my newly posted works on AO3 & FF: SasuSaku x Ben&Ben Series and Midnight Figments (English Snippets). And for my Filipino SS moots, check out my Tagalog works: Panliligaw ni Sasuke and Iibig Lang Kapag Handa Na (Tagalog one-shots). I haven’t really taken the time to post my recent works here on Tumblr but I was finally able to compile and upload them on AO3 and FF.
BTW, I am regularly posting SasuSaku snippets on Twitter before I compile and post them here, so if you want to see them first on the bird platform, you guys could follow me on @CoffeeAndSS (SS fan acct) and @AriannJS (main).
Please don’t hesitate to give me a boost through your reviews! I’d highly appreciate it! :) And if you want to support me further, please consider buying me some coffee on my ko-fi page! Any amount would help especially with our situation these days. :D Thank you and God bless!
Hope you guys check out and enjoy all the entries under this hashtag! Let’s support each other! :)
-A
–––
It was almost dusk. Like usual, Shinkuju was filled with people wherever he glanced. Sasuke maintained a slow pace on a straight path, wishing he had brought his car today instead of having to stroll around with nothing to keep his mind alert and his eyesight focused somehow.
“Hey! Would you look at where you’re going?!”
“Hn. Sorry.”
There. It wasn’t the first time. He hadn’t worn his eyeglasses for two years now. He knew he needed it, but wearing it, even buying a new pair, awakened a pang in his chest that he just couldn’t seem to set aside.
Yet, nearsighted or not, he seemed to be surrounded with a blur for the longest time. It doesn’t even matter if it’s inside his head or in front of him. Clarity was nowhere to be found. Even colors seemed to have dimmed compared to how he saw them years ago, back when a certain shade of pink and green was familiar to him even with his eyes closed.
He still had no idea where it went downhill, and how it all ended with a huge question mark that he couldn't delete even as the time passed by. Part of him blamed himself. But a huge part of him wanted to put all the blame on her, because three years of being in a relationship went down the drain in a blink of an eye with a wordless goodbye.
She was his everything, he knows. That's why up to now, everything around him looked like a clouded monotone. He knew he deserved an explanation, but he also thought that maybe he deserved to be left alone. It was nothing new to him anyway.
It was when he reached the stairs towards the train station that his eyesight adjusted to vivid colors. Jet black eyes zeroed in on a figure from across the street. And despite the murmurs of the people who were annoyed with his sudden halt, he decided to shift his direction and crossed the street as quickly as he could. Much thanks to the red light that he didn’t even consider checking anymore.
His heart raced as he increased his pace when he caught a glimpse of the woman's face. He was right. It was her. Because who else has that certain shade of pink as a natural color for her hair?
“You’ve been following me." Her gentle voice made his heart skip a beat.
He stopped on his tracks when the woman – Sakura – halted her steps and turned to face him. His usually stoic expression was then replaced with astonishment, for there was something different with her captivating eyes. They were curious, not knowing; cautious, not familiar.
He was about to mutter her name, demand explanations from questions that kept running inside his head for two long years, when she beat him to it.
“Who are you?”
Sasuke’s eyes widened at this. Are you playing around with me? After what you did?
But there was something completely wrong about her, and her eyes that he used to know so well were telling. She then added, “Do you need anything from me, sir?”
That's when the realization hit him like a bus. His heart constricted as several scenarios entered his exhausted mind. There was denial, and then relief, frustration, and then longing, all tugging each other in the recesses of his heart while he drank the situation he was in. This woman was far from the optometrist he knew so well.
She continued to stare at him, cocking her head to one side in anticipation to whatever it is that he would respond to her. Another proof that his realization wasn't just a theory at all.
His throat suddenly felt dry that he had to force himself to speak before this woman even turned away. Before he even loses her again.
“I’m...Sasuke,” he breathed. I was your boyfriend before you—He cleared his throat this time, carefully forming words that wouldn't threaten the woman in front of him. “You seem to be...looking for something. Is there anything I can help you with?”
He was expecting her to want to have nothing to do with him, to roll her bright green eyes at him, or even shoo him away. But to his surprise, she chuckled sheepishly. And it gave an additional tinge of pain in his chest. Two years and I still love hearing you laugh. Two years and it's still you.
“Oh. Uhm...is it too noticeable? I'm Sakura, by the way. Actually, Sasuke, I’m really glad you asked…” She looked down and fiddled with the keychain on her bag.
And Sasuke couldn't help but remember the first time he told her that he loved her. He waited.
"Well, I'm…" She glanced at him again, eyes now expectant despite being shy. "I'm looking for this flower shop?" She moved her hand to show the address written on her phone to Sasuke.
Dumbfounded, what he had read made him shift his gaze from the phone to Sakura, and then back again. Because how in the world would Sakura Haruno not know the location of the flower shop owned by the family of her best friend?
"Hey, it's okay if you don't know. I really appreciate it that you offered to help." She suddenly bowed. "Thanks anyway and it was nice meeting you, Sasuke!"
"Wait!" His arm quickly wrapped around her wrist when she turned away. He was simply standing there, perplexed with all that's going on but his heart was suddenly racing and his mind was quickly jumping from one thought to another. He had to do something. He couldn't let her go now. Not again. Never again. "I know where it is."
"Oh."
The relief that he saw on her face was enough to calm his nerves as he let go of her hand. She wasn't threatened. She wasn't leaving anymore. And he felt more accomplished now than the time he got promoted at work.
"I'm glad then." Sakura's lips formed his favorite smile. And it took a lot of willpower for Sasuke to stop himself from enveloping her in an embrace and telling her that his feelings for her never changed. "I know it might be too much to ask, but, can you show me the way to this place? I haven't been around here for a long time."
Even he was surprised when his lips twitched upwards with her request. "I'd be glad to."
So he began to walk beside her to lead her to her destination. And as she babbled about how her mom gave her an errand to claim an order at the Yamanaka Flower Shop, the past two years finally made sense to him.
Now, even without his eyeglasses, Sasuke knew that from here on out, things will be clear again.
Let me know what you guys think! And yes, whatever happened to Sakura is something that I’m leaving for your imaginations. Hehe. It's so amazing getting back to writing at such a time as this wherein everything just feels so draining. Hope you're all doing well!
