#ssfest17

Without thinking twice, she took a step aside, allowing both of them to make their way in. Naruto, due to the extra weight he was carrying, stumbled around, almost tripping on his feet as he followed her to what he concluded to be her kitchen. There was a large table there, which was previously set for one and which was quickly cleared in order to create some space. Plates and cutlery flew straight to the wooden floor, being immediately forgotten by everyone in that room as the attention was entirely set on the one wincing in pain.

The lights were now allowing her to inspect the hurt boy with her clinical eyes, as her friend quickly and carefully placed him over the table. The raven haired boy was contorting in pain, as his teeth were clenched and his clothes were torn in several places. They were stained in blood, and even before she could take a better look at his features, her emerald eyes spotted the red and white fan decoration his back.

So he was an Uchiha, she thought.

“ What happened here, Naruto?”

“ I don’t know. I found him like that in the middle of the road and I knew he wouldn’t make it to Konoha’s hospital. I had to bring him here, Sakura-chan… I can’t let him die. He’s my best friend.”

“…” Her emeralds locked with his blue orbs, and even if her friend didn’t say it out loud, she could tell more from his glance than from the rest. Naruto was worried sick, and if she were to place a hand over his chest, the rosette was sure she would feel his heart trying to break his ribcage. His eyes were desperate, holding back tears and silently screaming for help.

His best friend was dying right in front of his eyes, and if she didn’t do something fast, those blue eyes of his would lose their shine forever.

And she could not let that happen.

“ Okay. Tell me everything you know. Get your shit together and spill it out!”

“ H-Hai… There was this letter that was delivered to my house, and it told me to go to the road that leads to the Fire Country’s frontier. When I got there, I felt this weird chakra, and before I saw it, his body was just there-ttebayo!”

“ Anything else?”

“ No- I mean… I don’t remember!” He ran his fingers through his dump hair, walking around but not leaving that small space his despair had trapped him into. Naruto was clearly losing it, and at that very moment, she just could not waste time on that.

“ Get out of here, Naruto!”

“ W-What…? Don’t you need help?”

“Not from you. Now go!"

“ But Sakura-“

“ GO!”

Her scream made him snap, and she could see his Adam's apple going up and down in what seemed to be a dry swallow. He was scared. A lot more than anyone in that room, and she knew exactly how he felt at that time. Powerless. Weak. Useless. He didn’t know what to do to help and he didn’t really know if there was anything he could actually do at that moment to make sure his friend got to see another day.

It was all in her hands. The hands of a girl who gave up her entire village and decided to seclude herself in the woods.

And more than anything, as he walked out of the kitchen, he believed those hands. He had to.

“ Okay…” She let out a deep sigh. “ Now it’s just you and me… Sasuke.”

Her emeralds were now burning in determination, as her instincts started to kick in. As her first emergency move, her fingers went to the raven haired boy’s neck, touching his carotid and looking for his pulse. His muscles were stiffening, making it harder for her to feel anything, but it was clear that his heart was beating slower with every second. The rise and fall of his chest were also getting visibly compromised, as he seemed to be struggling harder and harder to move his diaphragm.

He needed air, she thought. He needed space. He needed her.

With one strong pull, the medic ripped off his clothes, discarding them and exposing his bare chest. Scars marked his skin, proving that his path had been anything but easy, as they mixed with the new wounds that were currently threatening his life. There was blood spread around his belly, and it was coming from a particular spot on his right side, just below his liver. It was a big wound, not deep enough to compromise any vital function, yet, she knew it would be the cause of his death if she didn’t do anything. Especially after she smelled that tricky scent.

It was poison.

His wound, as she could smell, was drunk in poison and by how fast his muscles were stiffing, she could tell the effects of whatever had entered his veins were not going to dissipate if she simply stood there, waiting. Sakura would have to administrate an antidote, and soon, if she wanted to reverse the effects of the poison, and luckily, for him, the pinkette had spent a considerable amount of time training under the tutoring of one of the best.

Those slugs were really coming in hand, she thought.

“ Look, you’ve been poisoned and I can reverse this. I just need to know who attacked you.”

“ W-Wha..?” He listened to her question almost as clearly as he had listened to her whole talk to his best friend a couple of moments before. Her voice- the voice of a faceless woman who knew his name- was distracting him from the entire pain that had taken over his body, and for a reason he did not know, he wanted to answer her questions. Even if he didn’t know who she was and even if he didn’t know if she was going to help him or not, Sasuke wanted to answer and just keep listening to her voice for a little longer.

He wanted to put a face to that voice. And apparently, he would need to tell her what she wanted to know in order to make through the rest of that night alive.

“ Who ambushed you, Sasuke? I need to know so I can use the right potion.”

“ F-Fuck… I-“

“ Just say it…”

“I-Iwa.”

“ Iwa?!”

“ Aah.”

“ Good. Okay.”

At the same moment she heard his voice, Sakura knew exactly what to do next. She ran to her cabinet and opened it with one, strong pull. Her medications were all separated according to the place where the poisons were produced, and her eyes flew around the labels until she found the one she was looking for.

Iwa. The land of Stone, where the poisons were produced with a special, dehydrated plant- Medusa, as she and her master had named it- she spent months trying to figure out the composition of. She tried, and eventually, managed to find a solution for all the poisons developed by the Iwa country, mostly because that plant was the key for everything.

Sakura grabbed the small bottle, rushing back to his side, holding the needle she would need to gain access to his vein. She stretched his arm, and it was quite easy to find the blue line traveling underneath his skin.

His vein was quite visible.

But the poison had already worked its effects on his arm.

“ Shit.”

She cursed, feeling his muscles so rigid under her touch, not being able to pierce the skin above it. Apparently, the poison was slowly turning his limbs into stone, and the consequences of such thing wouldn’t be that hard to imagine. It started from the outside, slowly swallowing the insides until the person died.

Well done, Iwa, she thought, with a smug smirk on her face. The medic recognized a well done job when she saw one, but she also knew better that just that wouldn’t be enough to stop her form saving that boy. If the intravenous wasn’t available, she would just need to find another way in for the antidote.

“ I hope you don’t remember this.”

Not wasting any more time, Sakura opened the bottle with her teeth and filled her mouth with the liquid inside. Quickly, she lifted his head a bit and she leaned down, opening his mouth and covering his lips with her owns. It was a warm sensation that took away his pain for a while, and even if he could barely notice the antidote in his mouth, the Uchiha could clearly feel as her tongue softly brushed against his. She lifted it up, making contact with his palate and forcing a swallowing reflex. The content went down, and before he could savor the only pleasurable moment of dying, it all ended as a cold feeling traveled down his guts.

A calming sensation slowly started to envelop his senses, as his muscles were now succumbing to an unstoppable tingling. The pressure was gone and the pain was not unbearable anymore. He felt as if his entire body was anesthetized, and the only thing he could clearly feel was the warmth her mouth left on his lips. It was the one thing keeping him sane and the one thing that captured his attention while his entire system seemed to be fighting an invisible war.

He was fighting against that poison. And luckily, he was not alone.

“ You’ll survive.”

She whispered against the shell of his ear, and for the first time since he got there, Sasuke tried to open his eyes. His eyelids were heavier than rocks, and the light coming from above blinded him as he tried to see what was surrounding him.

He was trying to see her.

But after seeing an unrecognizable, pink blur his brain simply shut down, leaving nothing but darkness to keep him company.

He woke up to the smell of coffee and a throbbing sensation spread all over his body. There was a strange taste lingering over his tongue and at that moment, he felt an immense weight pulling him down. His ears captured the rain pouring outside- outside of wherever he could be- and for a reason he did not know, he could not fully open his eyes.

What on earth was going on?

His perception, even if messed up, showed no chakra traces around him, and for the moment, that gave him a momentary sense of safety. His senses were lighting up, as the sensibility was slowly returning to his limbs, causing him to feel more pain in an agonizing sensation of impotence. The Uchiha was simply there, unsure of where ‘there' actually was and completely unaware of the current state of his body.

Sasuke felt like drifting in a shallow sea filled with hedgehogs, and that strong scent of coffee was the only connection he had with the safe shore.

That scent was relaxing, soothing and even sweet, no matter how bitter that black beverage probably tasted like.

That coffee was his call home.

“ So you’re finally awake.”

And that voice… It sounded like his safe harbor.

Though he tried to emit any sort of word, his lips refused to allow any possible sound out. There was a shy light coming through his eyelids, and once he was finally able to beat that strength blinding him, Sasuke was able to see through the darkness of his weakness.

And that pink blur felt a lot safer than oblivion.

“ Take it easy…” She placed a hand over his chest, sending shivers down his spine. Maybe it was the pain, or maybe it was just the fact that he was feeling something different for the first time since he was attacked, but that touch felt warm and healing, and if he could, he would ask her to place her hands all over his sore muscles. “ It will take a couple of minutes until the muscle relaxant shows its effects. Now that your veins aren’t so stiff anymore, it’s easier for the medication to work.”

Her voice was low and peaceful, and as his irises adjusted to the yellow, lamp light, the Uchiha was finally able to give a face to the name he had heard in his dreams. Pink, short, messy hair, with bright, green eyes and delicate traces that were corrupted by a bruise on her lower lip. That was the girl whose name kept resonating inside his mind during the entire time he was out of his senses.

Now, Sakura had a body, a soul and a face. And a beautiful one, to say the least.

But that was not the time for him to be paying attention to her looks, he knew. There were many more important things for him to discover about his current situation. And the first thing he had to find out would be wether that pink haired girl was an enemy or not.

“ Who-“ He felt his muscles responding to his commands, to which he took a second to adjust. “ Who are you?”

“ You’re talking normally already… That’s a good sign.” She placed a finger over her lips, as if to indicate she was trying to ratiocinate. “ And since you’re following me with your eyes, I can conclude your vision is fine, too, right?”

“ You didn’t answer my question.”

“ Good perception, short term memory unaffected and indices of personality. A strong one.” The girl nodded, showing somewhat of a content face. “ Now do you remember what happened to you?”

From his horizontal position, he could see her green eyes blinking in curiosity. Her expression seemed calm as she evaluated him, and at that moment, she didn’t seem to be paying attention to his question at all. It felt as if she was deliberately ignoring him, and even if he had just woken up, the Uchiha was already losing his patience.

That girl…

“ If you remember anything, you can t-“

“Sakura!”

His voice came out louder, causing her eyes to widen for a moment. It was clear that she didn’t seem impressed or intimidated by him, but as he had expected, the girl did seem intrigued by the fact that he actually knew her name. At that moment, when things were still so uncertain, Sasuke knew he had to hold onto any possible advantage he could have.

He had to show her that apart from his physical condition, he was not defeated.

He was not vulnerable.

“ Answer my question.” He ordered, his voice strong and consistent.

“ But you already seem to know my name. And apparently, this shows you remember when Naruto brought you to me.”

“ Hn, just your name isn’t enough.”

“ My name and the fact that I’ve saved you are the only things you need to know about me for now.”

“ Tch You-“

His voice was cut out by a sudden cough that escaped his lungs. The violent movements of his chest hurt like hell, and at that moment, Sasuke did his best to shift his position on what he could finally identify as a couch. He tried to move and breath all alone, but it didn’t take long before the girl quickly approached him. Her warm hands returned to his body, reaching for his chest and resting on his back, as she was carefully helping him sit up.

Her hands, as he could feel, were soft and pure from callous, showing him that she clearly didn’t belong to the same world as him and Naruto. Due to her proximity, he could feel her scent invading his nostrils, and even if moving his muscles still hurt like hell, the Uchiha felt a soothing sensation as she helped him. He could feel how much care she put under her touch, showing she knew exactly how much pain he was feeling at that moment.

She cared about him. About a person she didn’t even know. She took him in and saved his life, not minding about his unknown past and his criminal records.

Trying to intimidate her wouldn’t be necessary, for Sakura is merely a civilian, he concluded. She is a good person. And that would be the death of her someday, he knew.

Oh, but he didn’t know her at all.

“ Thanks.” He muttered, as she went to grab a chair to place next to the couch. At that moment, as the covers he had over his body slipped, he could see the bandages wrapped around his bare torso, and judging by the amount of new hematoma around his belly, the Uchiha could tell those ninjas really got the best of him. The pain he felt when he brushed his fingers over the bandages sent electric jolts through his nerves, and he knew he was probably not supposed to touch that again so soon.

“ It will still take a couple of days until it stops hurting like that. And also, don’t worry. Naruto isn’t here right now, but he will be back in a couple of days with new clothes and some medicine”

“ Hn. What happened to me? I mean… After I got here.”

Her eyes were softer now, as she sat across from him, with her arms and legs crossed. A sigh escaped her lips, and she ran her fingers through her messy hair, massaging her scalp in the process. “ You were poisoned by Iwa ninjas. Naruto brought you here and I basically saved your life by giving you an antidote.”

“ And why did you help me?”

“ What kind of question is that? You needed help, so I helped. End of story.”

“ You don’t even know who I am.”

“ Of course I do.”

“ Do you?”

“ Yes. You’re Naruto’s friend. You’re a rouge ninja from the Leaf, who ran after Orochimaru three years ago. You’re a criminal, Uchiha Sasuke.”

As she took a sip of her coffee she had previously left resting on the floor, the Uhciha’s eyes widened in shock. The steam coming out of the mug made her eyes look even more mysterious, and for a moment, he felt defenseless against a girl who couldn’t even hold a kunai. Her knowledge of him was impressive and the advantage he thought he had was now gone.

That girl knew him. She knew more than people normally did, and for a reason he did not know, he knew Naruto hadn’t been the one to tell her all of those things. There was nothing naive about her intentions, for she knew exactly who was the one she was taking care of.

Sakura knew too much. And at that moment, not knowing exactly how much was his biggest disadvantage.

“ So you do know me.”

“ I can say I know a bit more than just your name.” She smirked. “ You know, that’s the problem with you, ninjas… You think us civilians are idiots and don’t know what’s happening around us… but guess what: we live in the same world, so I assure you that we do know a lot of stuff.”

“ Hn. Why don’t you call the ANBU then? The elders won’t like it when they find out you’re hiding a criminal in the village?”

A chuckle escaped her lips when he finished his sentence, and he didn’t know exactly what part of his speech had left her in such a good mood. “ Do you honestly think I care about the elders?”

“ Shouldn’t you?”

“ Maybe… If we were actually in Konoha, I could even pretend to care about them.”

A smirk crossed her lips once again, and he didn’t like how things were turning out at that moment. That civilian girl- Sakura was a lot more dangerous than he had thought. Of course she saved his life and showed concern, but apparently, just that wasn’t enough for her to be classified as a good person. She was hiding her cards, and she was doing it better than many ninjas he knows.

He certainly wouldn’t underestimate her.

“ So that was why Naruto brought me here.”

“ Probably. Hospitals wouldn’t take a criminal.”

“ Hn, you’re calling me a criminal, and yet, you won’t denounce me.”

“ How can you be so sure I haven’t sent the letter already?”

“ A civilian with wide medical knowledge, who lives outside the village, in the middle of nowhere and takes care of a criminal… You don’t seem to want to draw attention to yourself either. So I would say you're either a criminal as well or you’re just running away from something.”

“…” A smile grew in her face, as she placed her now empty mug back on the wooden floor. She rested her elbows on her knees, and approached him with a defying glare in her emerald eyes. “For a ninja, you’re not that stupid, Sasuke.”

“ Tch.”

“ You’re not entirely right, though… I’m not a criminal like you and I’m not really running away. I just want some peace to work with my poisons. If the village found out about my location, they would start coming by and that would be annoying. Naruto brings me enough problems every now and then already, if you know what I mean.”

“ Hn.”

Even if her story did seem plausible, the Uchiha knew it was not complete. Sakura was hiding the real reasons behind her secret exile, and even if he knew that had probably nothing to do with him, he couldn’t help but feel intrigued by that mystery.

Why would a medic be hiding from her own village?

That certainly made no sense, especially considering her strong will to save lives. There had to be something more. Other factors that made her do what she did, because he knows- oh, and how he knows- that leaving the place you’ve always called home is one of the hardest things in the world. Sakura probably had reasons just like him that made her walk through those gates never to return again.

Places to meet. Memories to erase. People to forget.

Could it really be that a girl with such beautiful eyes had so much darkness to hide in her heart?

All those unanswered questions were leaving him mad, and apparently, the expression stamped on his face was giving in to his current internal state. The pink haired girl was looking at him with a sly smile playing on her lips, and even if her social skills had decreased a lot since she left Konoha all those years before, Sakura could read him like an open book.

Sasuke was curious. He was torturing himself over the unexplained decision of a civilian to reject Konoha in the same way he did. He was dying to know the truth. And even if she found amusement in his current condition, the girl wasn’t that much of a terrible person to simply sit there and watch him suffer.

There would be no harm in telling him the truth, she thought.

It was not like he would return to the village to tell the elders about her location.

“ You wanna know why I left, don’t you?”


“ A-Aah.” He looked away, not wanting to show his real feelings.

“ It’s not that much of a big deal, to be honest… It’s just that, being good at something is only good for drawing the wrong attention in the ninja world.” Her eyes aimed at the floor, and he watched as she let out a sigh.

“What do you mean by wrong attention?”

“ Just think about it, Sasuke… A medic who knows the bases of most of the poisons used around the Five Great nations, and who doesn’t have a single drop of chakra in her blood… What do you think people would want from m-“

“ An undetectable weapon.”

His words left his mouth as a whisper after reaching the conclusion her question led him to. His eyes widened and there was a gap in between his lips as he watched her nod, confirming his hypothesis.

Of course, he thought. It all made sense now.

Even if she’s not a medical ninja, it doesn’t mean she’s of no use for the village’s combat strategies. In fact, her lack of chakra made her the perfect person to infiltrate missions, where a fast and imperceptible kill would be necessary. They wanted to turn her into a silent weapon that could easily end many lives with a simple herb mixture.

They wanted to turn her into an assassin.

And he was sure they weren’t satisfied when she said no.

Sakura’s a medic. She saves lives and heals people, no matter who these people might actually be. She’s guided by her ideals, and of course those ideals were the main reason why she didn’t accept the offer from that bandaged man.

She said ‘No' to one of the most influential ninjas of Konoha, and even if she was a civilian, Sakura knew she could never live a normal life again with that man and his special team following her and coordinating her every action. The medic had to leave. And that was exactly what she did on that cold, winter night.

She left it all behind. She was forced to. And for that, the girl whose choices were stollen deserves to have her strength acknowledged.

By him and by the ones who still remember about her.

“ Sakura…“

“ It’s not really a big deal, though… I got used and-“

“ Is it… Is it really okay for you to be all alone?” His voice came out almost as a whisper that flickers a candle’s light, as their eyes were now intimately connected. That was the same question he has asked himself every single day of his life for the past three years, and depending on her answer, he would know exactly what to expect from the girl who saved his life.

The question, he could see, left her a little uncomfortable. He could see it as she tried to look aside for a moment, and when she unconsciously bit her lower lip, drawing blood from her bruise, the Uchiha knew she had been avoiding that answer for a long time as well.

She had been avoiding loneliness for all this time.

“ I don’t mind spending my days without anyone here.” She said, dryly, as she licked the blood from her lips. “ It’s not like things would be that different if I were in Konoha. There’s no one there for me.”

His heart pounded at her declaration, and it was only now that he realized how that girl was a loner just like him. Things were taken from her, yet she grew from that loss. She became a medic, mending the others instead of mending herself, and that was her way of coping with the loneliness she eventually brought upon herself.

Sakura found a good way to move on. And for that, he respected her.

For that, he respected her choice.

“ You seem to be quite confident about yourself.”

“ I am. You gotta learn a thing or two after spending so long living alone. You can even call it… Comforting."

“ Hn.” He smirked. " Naruto wouldn’t like to hear that.”

“ Tch, that idiot comes to my house at least once a week to check on me. He’s impossible-shannarou.”

“ He’s just worried.”

“ He shouldn’t be. I know how to take care of myself.”

“ Are you sure?”

“Definitely. Remember that you’re alive simply because I want you to be, Uchiha Sasuke.” She smirked, turning the atmosphere lighter around them. Slowly, they were growing more comfortable around each other, and the reason behind it was probably because they knew how equally alone they were.

Both Sasuke and Sakura were just two, lonely souls trapped in the choices made by their pasts, and at that moment, finding someone who shares the same loneliness felt more than just good.

It felt safe. And safety is the keyword for that duo.

Safety in a life with no certainties.

“ If you say so…” The corner of his lips lifted in amusement, as he dropped his eyes to his lap. Sleepiness was starting to kick in once again, as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before turning his head to find her eyes once again. There was a tender expression ruling his face, and even with all the bandages and all the bruises spread around his body, Sakura could see the real Uchiha Sasuke.

Not the stranger. Not the criminal and certainly not the ninja who was trying to intimidate her earlier.

She saw the boy who used to play around with his brother during the spring of their days.

And that boy- oh… He was still as beautiful as he used to be.

“ Well… I think I should let you rest. Something tells me you don’t want to be here by the time Naruto comes back, and for that, you’ll need to heal as much as possible.”

“ Hn. That sounds like a good idea.”

“ Yeah…” She stood up from the chair, stretching her back and allowing herself to release a yawn. The Uchiha was definitely not the only one who needed some good hours of sleep, apparently. “ If you need anything, just call me… It’s a small cottage and I’m a light sleeper, so… Just call me.”

“ I will.”

“ Then… Good night, Sasuke.”

“Aah… Good night.”

She started making her way upstairs, as his eyes followed her every step. That girl was certainly special, and he knew that their story- or whatever had happened between them that night- was far from over. Their paths would cross again in the future, and he knew that whenever he needed, he would know exactly where to find the lonely, civilian medic who saved his life.

The girl who made him feel safe.

“ Oh! And Sakura.”

“ Uh? What is it?”

“Thank you… For saving my life.”

“ Hn.” She smiled. “ You’re welcome.”

“ And sorry about your lip. I didn’t do it on purpose, though. You should know better than to kiss a criminal.”

“ Aah…” She smirked, feeling her cheeks getting warmer. So he didn’t forget about that, after all. “ I think I’ve learned my lesson.”

Enough time passed for both her lower lip and his body to almost heal completely. The rain had stopped along with his pain, and as they were less than 24 hours away from the day the blond was supposed to return, both Sasuke and Sakura knew that the time had come for him to leave.

Even if he wasn’t fully recovered and even if she had asked him to stay a little longer, the Uchiha knew his departure was inevitable. Due to his unfinished business with his past, he knew he could not rest until everything was settled, and postponing things would only make things worse. His path was already traced from the time he set his foot out of the Konoha gates, and no matter what, he could not get distracted.

Not even if he wanted to.

“ Do you really have to go?”

Her small form was standing just outside the cottage, as she leaned against her door frame. Her sleepy, emerald eyes softly connected with his dark ones, and her cheeks were a bit red due to the cold, morning breeze. A warm robe protected her from the chilling wind, and her pink locks were perfectly framing her tired face. Sakura was certainly not used to waking up that early, as a yawn would escape her lips every now and then, and her rib cage seemed to be rising and falling in quite a slow pace.

She should’ve certainly gone to bed earlier instead of preparing his supplies until so late.

Well, but it was not like she would be able to sleep that night. Not knowing he would be gone by the morning.

“ Aah. I don’t want the dobe to find me here tomorrow.”

“ It’s gonna be hard to explain to him why I let you go… Especially when he told me to sedate you until the day of his return.”

A smirk grew on his lips, as he could certainly picture his best friend saying such thing with his characteristic ‘dattebayo' in the end of the sentence.

Naruto was really an idiot.

“ You can tell him I left in the middle of the night or something.”

“ Yeah… Or you could stay and say… hi?” Her eyes were looking at him tenderly, as her low voice came out with the option she would’ve preferred him to choose. There was a pout on her lips, and seeing such thing made his own chest feel a little warmer.

Who would’ve thought that they would end up like that after merely one week?

The time they’ve spent together, even if short, was enough for them to create something similar to a bond. They learned more about each other and shared memories of their old days in Konoha. She gave him Naruto’s spare clothes she keeps in her drawer, and sewed the Uchiha crest on its back just so he wouldn’t have to walk around without his proud symbol stamped on his back. Sakura made him her famous and disgusting soldier pills so he could recover faster, and there were nights when they would actually dine something tasteful together.

It was a life none of them were used to anymore. It was a simple life, lived by simple people who were more than just a medic and a ninja. They enjoyed the time and enjoyed each other’s company, even if loneliness was practically a part of their DNA already.

They had a good time, for sure.

But now it was time for them to go back to what they used to be.

It was time to go back to reality. A new reality, filled with memories and promises that would forever be stuck in their minds.

Nothing would ever be the same. Not even if they wanted to.

“ Hn, I bet he wouldn’t like to see me in his clothes.”

Sakura chuckled, placing a hand on her hip. “ I guess he will be mad about that…” A soft smile went to play on her lips, as her eyes were now drifting to the forest that surrounded them. The tall trees that hid her exile were as strong as ever, serving as walls that kept the world away.

She was thankful for them, yet, at that very moment, as the wind danced around their trunks and reached their locks, the pink haired medic also felt that they threatened something precious. The girl swallowed dry, feeling her chest tightening as she realized his feet were starting to get ready for departure.

The pinkette didn’t want him to go. Not just because he was still not fully recovered, but also because she enjoyed his company more than she would like to admit. He gave her something she believed to be long lost in her heart, and at that moment, she just wanted to make sure that, one day, he could bring back that something, whatever that was.

He had to…

“ … You know the way, right?” Her voice came out as a whisper, her cheeks were blushing and judging by how her lips were forming a thin line, the Uchiha knew she was not talking about the way that led him back to his path of revenge. She was talking about the path that led him back to her. And you bet he knew it by heart.

“ Aah.” He smiled shyly, taking a step away. “ I’ll be back…”

Her entire expression changed at his promise, and she could feel her heart beating faster. There was a beautiful smile on her lips, and seeing her like that made him feel incredibly light inside. Somehow, that girl- the girl with pink hair and green eyes who managed to save his life a week before, was now more than just that pink, faceless blur. She had a face. She had a life, and a place to live her life.

A place that felt more like home than his old apartment back in Konoha.

And someday, he would return to that cottage hidden in the woods so he could call it home.

Someday, he would safely return to her.

“ Just try not to be dying next time you come around, okay?”

“ Hn, don’t worry. I’ll have to be okay if I want to teach you how to use a kunai properly, right?”

“ Oh, so you’re saying they were not made to cut carrots?” She teased, smirking softly.

“ Tch… Civilians.”

“It would be useful to have such a man beholden to you,” Older Sister remarks, sounding bored as she picks at her food.

“Yes, it is better to be on the side of a demon than in his path. Should the stories of this man be true, I intend to offer him alliance. I am told he is young and ambitious. Command of my armies should sway his loyalty. Or, perhaps, marriage.”

Older Sister scowls. “Marriage to a foreigner won’t grow the coffers of this land.”

“Maybe not, but talents he is said to be able to teach could,” Father says. “I am confident you’ll do your duty, daughter.” He then suddenly turns and barks, “What’s that look for, Shachi? Have you something to say?”

They are both looking at her now and she realises that she is Shachi.

Her lips part. “If…if…”

“If…if…if…”  Older Sister mocks. Sakura inwardly snarls, knowing if she had control of her body right now, she would wipe the floor with the painted doll before her.

 “I-If Older Sister doesn’t wish to marry h-him, I w-would take on th-that duty, F-Father. If it would p-please you.”

He snorts. “Dishonour an important man with a concubine’s spawn instead of the heiress to the land? I intend to court an ally, not lend insult. Keep your ridiculous opinions to yourself. Don’t make me regret my generosity in allowing you to sit at my table.”

“As you wish, Father.” She bows.

“May the gods soon find me a man who can look past your whore of a mother’s legacy and take you off my hands,” he grumbles to himself.

Sakura – Shachi – looks down at her knees, shoulders sinking.

Older Sister sniggers. “Oh, don’t look so downcast. Besides, if the stories of this stranger are true, he attracts many followers. Maybe someone among the riffraff will take an interest in you.”

The two of them laugh, leaving Sakura – Shachi – clenching her fists.

夢

They are at the back of an izakaya, scouring dishes from a busy dinner rush; they don’t have any money tonight, and in exchange for a room they’re helping with hostess out. Sasuke washes, Sakura dries. There has been nothing but companionable silence until she breaks it.

“Can I…can I ask you something?”

“Hm.”

 “It’s about your brother,” she goes on, hesitant, because the topic is a difficult one, and usually provides some cue for him to make an escape. She’s hoping soapy hands make that a little harder this time.

From the tense set of his shoulders, she knows he’s already planning bolt, and she hurriedly continues.

“It’s about your relationship before – before all of it. You never talk about it, and you don’t have to now, I just…I never had an older brother or sister, so I don’t know myself. I was wondering…is it normal for an older sibling to hate the younger one?”

She winces, because it still came out awkwardly, and she bets he’s going to ignore it, because it’s not exactly what she was asking but –

“For a long time, I thought so,” Sasuke answers in a low voice. “But over time, I learned it’s the exception, not the rule.”

She exhales at this. “Oh.”

“Why do you ask?”

“No reason. Just thinking.”

“Sakura.”

She scowls, because he’s getting a lot better at reading her voice. Or maybe he always could, now he just chooses to react to it.

“It’s something I noticed in my dream –”

“You had another one?” he interrupts sharply, nearly dropping one of the bowls in his hand.

“Yes – and no, I haven’t seen him again, if that’s what you want to know. Don’t you think I’d tell you right away?”

“Hn.”

“Well, I would. I just…haven’t had to say anything lately because nothing happened. I don’t think he’s in the picture right now. But this – the person I am in my dreams – her name is Shachi, I think.” She peeks at him. “Does that sound familiar to you?”

Since their conversation about a possible past life or odd Uchiha-specific pregnancy quirk, she has found it easier to ask him these questions. After all, between the two of them, he’s the only one who has a definite link to whatever it is she’s dreaming.

He closes his eyes, frowning in concentration, then shakes his head. “I feel as if I’ve heard the name before, but it could be from anywhere.”

He’s right, they meet enough new people every day, perhaps it’s a name they’ve encountered in their travels.

“It’s just, her family – or, I guess the people who raised her – they treat her so badly. It’s as if she’s beneath them, and I don’t…I don’t understand how family can do that,” she exclaims, frustrated. “How can someone not protect their younger sibling? How can a parent not love their child? I can’t imagine a world where you look at our baby like he – or she – means nothing.”

“It would never happen.”

He says it so instantly and certainly that she feels a wave of pure joy wash over her, and she offers him a loving smile. “I know that. But in my dream –”

“You said yourself your mind might just be processing things,” Sasuke continues. “You’ve mentioned feeling weak, held back. It’s possible that you’re drawing on experiences you’ve actually lived and your brain is interpreting them in the simplest way.”

Sakura shoots him a suspicious look. “You’ve been reading my medical scrolls, haven’t you? The psychology ones?”

“They offer the most logical explanation to all this.”

She sighs. “Darling, you can’t search for clues based on the answer you want.”

“It’s not what I want. It’s what it could be. And all of this could simply be a quirk of your dreams.”

They work in silence for a spell.

“You don’t really think it is, do you?” she asks eventually.

A pause.

“No.”

“So, if it is something that happened, why do you think she’s treated so badly?”

“Back then, people saw children differently. A means to an end, a legacy.”

“And what’s our child?”

Sasuke holds her gaze, no trace of doubt there, and simply says, “Hope.”

眠り

For some reason, after this conversation, the tone of her dreams changes. Her awareness of being in a dream fades faster. Memories of an entire life crowd out her identity during waking hours, and so when the stranger arrives in their land, her first reaction – Shachi’s first reaction – is of surprise.

Even though she shouldn’t be. Because there aren’t many men who can control lightning, after all, and there is such a commanding air about him that the idea of him as the leader her father spoke of is not impossible.

The day he steps foot in her father’s court is grey and overcast, inauspicious in it’s normalcy, and yet her body – both in her dream and her present self – feels taut with awareness. He arrives quietly, with little pomp, into Father’s audience chamber. If he notices her sitting on the dais by her sister’s feet, he gives no indication, his every attention focussed on the lord of the land.

He says very little, and yet before the audience is over, everyone knows who he is: Lord Indra of the Eastern Lands, a master in the secret arts. He is well-spoken and a warrior by bearing and – based on Older Sister’s expression upon seeing him for the first time – an desirable possible match.

He seeks followers, those he will impart with teachings, and who he intends to make stronger, asks only for the freedom to recruit whoever he wants.

“My methods are difficult,” he warns quietly, “and only those willing to lay down their lives in dedication will succeed. In exchange, I will instruct the soldiers in your armies as well.”

Father is beside himself – this is exactly what he wanted, after all – and the accord is soon settled. He celebrates by throwing a lavish banquet in Lord Indra’s honour, despite the obvious fact that the young man has no use for the gesture. He appears restless and impatient, as if he wishes to get started on his mission as soon as possible.

Sakura – Shachi? – watches him with wide eyes, thinking on the helpless man she nursed back to health, the one who could have killed her but didn’t. As frightened as she is by him, she can’t fight down her interest.

He notices her watching him and looks up, holding her gaze. Her entire body tenses, and she feels as if she’s looking into the eyes of a snake moments before it strikes. She can’t look away until he does, and once free, her entire body shivers. Her breath comes in sharp bursts and she wonders if, perhaps, he hasn’t used some of his strange power on her.

夢

“It sounds like genjutsu,” Sasuke as he sets up a wire-trap.

“I don’t think so,” Sakura muses, leaning against a nearby tree. “He wouldn’t need to use that on her. She’s too afraid. Too docile. You only use genjutsu on someone if you expect resistance.”

She and Sasuke exchange a tense look, both of them acknowledging a bitter shared memory.

He grunts and hops down from the tree. “When we’re done here, we’re heading to that temple we passed. Maybe there will be someone there who can explain why you’re seeing this.”

“We might as well stop at a hospital too and have me speak to a bunch of therapists,” she deadpans. “I don’t think anyone is going to have answers on this one.”

Sasuke scowls. “So, your strategy is to wait and see?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t accept that.”

“Well, tough. While I’m incubating the tiny human, I make the rules. And as of right now, I’m not in any actual medical danger, and other than being annoying and sometimes confusing, what I see when I’m asleep isn’t affecting my health in any way.”

“Yet.”

This time it’s Sakura who scowls. “Need I remind you of your history of overreacting?”

Which Sasuke can’t exactly argue with, and so he settles on beleaguered silence while they set up the remainder of the traps.

She sighs to herself and wonders if there’s a point to keeping him updating about her dreams if he’s just going to get so upset about them. And she definitely doesn’t want to admit to him that the longer these dreams continue, and the more often she has them, the more she feels as if she’s living a completely different life.

“Sasuke…I know there’s no way to be one-hundred percent sure about all of this, but…would it be so bad?” He stares at her, askance. “If this actually was my past life. It would just mean that I’ve care for you longer than be both thought.”

“You know it would mean more than that. You know that it’s a story that doesn’t end happily.”

“We don’t know if that’s completely true.”

“He broke everything he touched,” her husband says darkly. “He had everything, and just…” He cuts off, making a disgusted sound. “Because of him, my family… because of him I did the same. Might still do the same. What if this is a reminder, a warning, that I’m going to break this too?”

The question is so soft, so distressingly uncertain that for a moment Sakura doesn’t have an answer.

Sasuke very rarely shows any type of vulnerability, and to this day she is certain she is the only one alive who has ever seen that part of him. What makes this particular display so heartbreaking is that she knows he isn’t even asking it for his own sake, but for their child’s.

Tears fill her eyes, but she holds them back. Crying right now will do nothing to help him; she swore long ago that when he was struggling, she would support him. And if that means shrugging off her puzzling dreams, so be it.

“I never thought you were the superstitious type,” she says, trying to break the tensions with levity.

Sasuke scowls. “It’s hard not to be when your past life decides to haunt your wife’s dreams.”

She smiles. The fact that he sounds so waspish is a good sign.

“Come here,” she says, and without giving him opportunity to resist, she presses his hand above her womb. “Listen to me: you are not going to break this.” He opens his mouth, and she drowns him out. “No – listen. You are not going to break this. I don’t break easy, and you can summon a giant chakra monster to protect yourself. This child? Half you, half me. Definitely not breakable.”

He still doesn’t look entirely reassured, but the tense set to his shoulders fades somewhat.

眠り

Lord Indra becomes a guest in their kingdom, permitted to walk among the people and seek students. He accepts any who come to him, man or woman, and weeds out the weak. Many of them die – strangely enough, it’s usually the soldiers that Father sends who are unable to succeed – and yet still more continue to seek him out.

He is the only one who knows this strange, magical teaching. He calls it ninjutsu, and when he says it, there’s an almost fanatic gleam in his eyes.

She finds this odd, but Father doesn’t care. As he sees it, his kingdom will soon grow to rule over all the rest, if only he can convince Lord Indra to remain here instead of moving on. Older Sister preens and poses, trying to entice a smile from the sullen faced stranger, and taking it out on Shachi when he doesn’t.

Shachi? No…I’m…Sakura?

That name seems so distant to her when she is here, when she is the other woman. Though she knows this is but a dream, she feels tethered to it as much as if it were real.

She watches Lord Indra from the sidelines. Although drawn to him, longing for him to acknowledge her again, or at least thank her for saving his life, she feels safer in the shadows. Sometimes, he is apparently alone, training or meditating by himself, and yet when she makes a move to approach him, she imagines she hears someone speaking to him. Whenever this happens, she hurries away. After all, their last encounter up-close is fresh in her mind, and as compelled as she is to seek him out, she is also afraid of him.

And so she keeps away, watching his training sessions from the protection of the forest.

Sometimes she is caught, receiving a reprimand or a beating from her father, but these days both are more an afterthought; Father only cares about her whereabouts when someone reminds him, and Older Sister, only if she notices her lurking. For the most part, she is free to watch the stranger as she wishes.

Lord Indra teaches with brutal efficiency. He never raises his voice above a murmur, yet retains perfect control over his students. He can make a simple nod feel as if he has fallen to his knees in praise, and a derisive glare make a man want to fall on his sword to avoid dishonour.

Several do.

Only once he is satisfied with their ability to maintain discipline and control does he teach them the new abilities. Shachi watches as men learn to bend water in their hands, or call up mounds of earth like fangs from the ground. Some command the wind and others turn blades of grass into needles. With a flash of his red eyes he instructs them all, precise instructions, having them repeat them over and over, making motions with his hands as he does.

She mouths along his words, trying to capture the sound of his voice in her mind. When he speaks normally – not threatening her life as he did that day on the beach – his voice is pleasant, inviting. Despite the danger he represents, he makes her feel safe, and that is something she isn’t used to.

From her place in the shadows, she makes the hand gestures as well, arranging her fingers until she can do it perfectly. Soon she does it without noticing, can allow herself to just listen to the sound of his voice as he instructs. One day, his words seem closer to her than usual, even though he is so far away, and she closes her eyes, imagines that he is watching her, not his students, is telling her –

You build up chakra, stop it once it collects between the mouth and the chest area. Once you have enough, you release it all at once.

She inhales deeply, focussing on the warmth in her chest, and then breathes out.

To her absolute shock and horror, flames spew from between her lips and incinerate the tree in front of her.

She stumbles backward in shock and fear, unable to believe what just happened. She takes a split second to look around, to see if anyone saw her, and then takes off at a run, pulling her cumbersome skirts to her knees and stumbling back through the forest.

In the distance, she hears people calling out, confused shouting, demands for water. Commotion as students try to put out the flames with buckets, or with their new chakra wielding talents, she isn’t sure, because she keeps on running –

Only to find her way blocked by Lord Indra.

His eyes blaze at her and she recoils, dropping to her knees and bowing her forehead to the ground.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to – I didn’t even realise I was – please don’t tell my father, I – I’ll never do it again –”

“How long did it take you?” he interrupts.

She blinks at that, chancing a glance up at him. “M-my lord?”

“You have been watching for weeks but you have never attempted anything before,” he informs her, earnings a small squeak of surprise. “Today you tried. How long did it take you?”

“I-I… not long. I just… I listened to what you said, and I tried it.”

 “Hm.”

He gives her an inscrutable look, like he’s considering something he hadn’t before, and she bows her head again. “I didn’t meant to hurt anyone or cause trouble.”

She is aware of the sound of feet near her ear, and when she looks up he has begun to walk away, back to the training grounds. She isn’t sure if she imagines it or not when he mutter, “Next time don’t stand next to a tree.”

夢

“You forgot again, didn’t you?”

Sakura scowls at the gash in Sasuke’s leg, the product of a stray flail and misguided intentions. The villagers in this part of the country are so wary of strangers, they attacked before letting Sakura explain herself. Sasuke, of course, instinctively pushed her out of the way, but ended up with another limb nearly being severed.

“Forgot what?” he grumbles, observing as her fingers glow green over the skin there.

“That you don’t have to protect me,” she chides him. “Even if I didn’t have a basic capacity to dodge, a flail isn’t going to hurt me.”

“Maybe not, but as far as I know, your regenerative abilities don’t apply to the baby,” he reminds her. “You’re not as invincible as you’re used to being.”

Sakura blinks at this, surprise waylaying the retort on her lips.

He’s right.

For a minute, she did forget.

It’s all so new – the changes in her body, the adjustments she’s had to make. No more chakra suppressors, she can’t drink coffee anymore, she’s tired more often – it sometimes feels so disconnected to her. Some days she is completely aware of the new life within her, unable to stop thinking about it, and other days, when everything gets so busy and confusing – like today – she forgets. Even looking in the mirror is deceptive – she doesn’t look pregnant at all, even with her clothes off.

There is movement to the left, and she glances up as two young girls carry in buckets of water; she smiles at them gratefully, earning half-awed, half-shy expressions in return, and then they hurry off.

The villagers backed off when she sent a crushing blow to the ground, forcing them to retreat if they didn’t want to fall into the broken earth. Upon watching her lean down to heal him before he bled out, they finally realised that she was a healer and spent the rest of the evening apologising profusely. They even insisted on putting her and Sasuke up for as long as they wanted to stay, hence the small hut which they are currently occupying.

They even carried Sasuke back here on a litter so she could preserve her healing abilities. He nearly threw a fit at that (he still hates appearing weak in any way) but the people felt so terribly about it, Sakura insisted they go along with it.

Somewhat out of deference to this, she decides to relent a bit.

“I’m sorry,” she tells him, checking the progression of closing skin. “I’ll try to be more careful in the future.”

“Hm.”

“I’m just not used to hanging back. It’s been a while since I had to stay out of the direct line of danger.”

“I know.”

He finally relaxes, however, allowing his eyes to close and breath to even out. As if he didn’t expect her to take it easy until she said the words.

Ridiculous man…

She shakes her head, considering the calm picture he provides. It reminds her of those first few dreams she had, of healing Indra on that beach.

Sasuke’s former incarnation is starkly different than he is, she realises that now. He watched her – watched Shachi – with the distrustful gaze of someone who expected her to be incompetent or treacherous. Sasuke’s attention is intent, but in a different sense – watchful and wary for the sake of her health, not his.

As if being pregnant made her breakable.

She’s forgotten what it’s like to need to be protected. It makes her nightly sojourns in the life and mind of Shachi all the more confusing.

The other woman is such a stark contrast from her. Docile, obedient, hesitant – all of these are qualities she either never possessed or grew out of in her early childhood. Their very nature is utterly opposite.

In fact, even their ability to use chakra is completely different, judging from the way they learned to use it. Shachi’s first act was so powerful, charged enough to destroy an entire tree. Sakura remembers the first time she used ninjutsu, she had to try her hardest just to manage a passable substitution.

And that’s another thing. It’s not just their different temperaments. Why does Sakura have an affinity for water, when Shachi is clearly more suited to fire? Isn’t that the type of thing that should carry over?

“Not necessarily.”

Sakura jumps, realising suddenly that she has been musing out loud the hold time. Sasuke is frowning at her thoughtfully.

“The goal of reincarnation is to be reborn as a better self. Perhaps it means stronger, as well. Water is superior to fire.”

“Oh.”

“I take it you’re dreaming of him again then?” he asks, voice entirely too casual.

Sakura looks away, caught out. She’s been trying to avoid bringing it up because she knows it upsets him. “Only recently. Only last night, really. It’s a little confusing, so I didn’t say anything until I could get my thoughts in order.”

“I’m not going anywhere for the next little while,” he reminds her, nodding to his leg. It’s completely healed by now, and she shoots him an amused look. He raises an eyebrow, as if challenging her to call him on it. “Tell me what you dreamed.”

“As long as you don’t get upset every time I talk about Indra.”

His jaw clenches but he nods. “Fine.”

眠り

Eventually Father grows tired of Lord Indra skirting the issue. He wants to ensure everlasting loyalty, wants someone who will train and preside over his army in perpetuity.

In front of the whole court, he offers a permanent, eternal bond between them.

“My daughter, Shibasuri,” he declares proudly, gesturing to Older Sister. “She will make a fine wife, and through her, your children will be the heirs of my land.”

Every other man in the court seethes at this, because Lord Indra may be strong, but he is a foreigner. And more than a few covet Older Sister for themselves.

But the solemn stranger shows no interest in either offering.

“I have no interest in possessing this land,” he says quietly, his words easily audible in the stunned silence. “And I have no need of a woman who revels in her looks and is ignorant to the world. A creature whose body is starved to uselessness in pursuit of fashion, who will never be fatted with child.”

Older Sister makes a noise born of incandescent fury, and Father turns scarlet in anger.

“You dare – !”

But Lord Indra has turned away from both, and instead his gaze falls upon the crowd. Upon her as she stands with her guardians.

“I will take this one instead,” he declares imperiously. “On that condition I will remain here.”

She gasps, because this makes no sense. He has never, ever given any indication of seeing her, let alone –

“Shachi?” Father inquires, confusion dampening his anger. “Why would you…? She is of lower status, not of any importance – ”

“I will hear her answer,” Indra interrupts. “And if she has no wish for wedlock, I will take my leave with any disciple that will follow.”

There’s a stunned silence then, a dangerous note of expectation in this, and then the whispering begins. Already the members of the court are wagging their tongues, expressing surprise and glee at this turn of events. They imagine blackmail, a play for power from a younger daughter, a secret love –

It is none of these things. From her weeks observing him, she knows that Lord Indra has his own mind, his own plans that he follows. If he prefers her over her beautiful older sister, there is a reason, and not one as basic and superfluous as caring for her.

Older Sister glowers at her, as if Shachi has indeed done something to organise all of this, and Father frowns at her with a look in his eye that promises a lifetime of broken bones if she doesn’t acquiesce.

He needn’t bother, because she knew the instant that Lord Indra spoke, what her answer was going to be.

Even so, it feels as if she is signing the death warrant of her fate when she whispers, “I accept.”

夢

Sakura stretches a hand over her head, making a high-pitched, purring noise at the back of her throat, and then relaxes once more, head pillowed on Sasuke’s blanket-clad inner thigh. They lie head-to-foot, naked and sated, the smell of sex still lingering in the air.

Sasuke is on his side, his face pressed against one side of her abdomen, his hand curved around the other. His eyes are closed, and his mouth is pulled into a not-quite-smile of tranquility. It’s far too early for any kind of kicking to be felt – for anything to be heard – but it doesn’t seem to matter to Sasuke. Sakura’s own smile is gentle as she reaches forward, brushing his hair back from his face. He cracks his right eye open and there’s that brief look – soft, content and happy – and then he closes it again.

It’s a look that’s reserved only for her and, she knows, their future child, and which encompasses everything. Even though he rarely says it – only when she has him reduced to panting, overwhelmed gasps as she did minutes earlier – she feels the unquestionable love he has for her. It’s an experience that fills her with warmth from the inside, because it’s something she never truly believed she would experience.

It makes her feel guilty for asking him, once, if the only reason he wanted to be with her was to repopulate his clan. Sasuke was, by then, a changed man.

Such a difference from the man in her dreams.

She wonders about him. His temperament, his motives, his relationship with Shachi…

“Why do you think he chose her?”

“Hm?” Sasuke’s voice is low and rough from sleep.

“Indra,” Sakura clarifies dimly, gazing up at the wooden ceiling. “He washes up in this strange land, tries to kill her, disappears, then comes back. And her father offers him practically the world, anything a guy back then would want, and he throws it back in his face over Shachi. A girl he barely even spoke a hundred words to.” She shakes her head in confusion. “That’s something a person does for the one they love, but I don’t…do you think he was even capable of it at that point?”

“Capable of?”

“Love.”

Sasuke is silent for a long moment, leaving her wondering if he intends to answer the question. Then he says, “I don’t think it was possible in the way you understand it.”

“Meaning?”

“After being betrayed – or rather, after deciding he had been betrayed – by Hagoromo and Asura, he would have been more guarded than ever. He wouldn’t have been capable of feeling for her what…” He trails off here, his voice becoming more quiet, more furtive, “For what I feel for you.”

She doesn’t acknowledge the admission beyond a soft smile – he gets defensive and grumpy if she makes a big deal out of moments like this.

Instead, she returns to the topic. “So why choose her?”

“She did help him. He may have seen it as repaying a debt.”

“But he also said she reminded him of being weak. And she was weak. Wouldn’t the likelier choice have been the older sister? The one with status?”

“A man like him would choose a bride more suited to his purposes. You told me she had the ability to use chakra – which she learned just by observing his teachings,” Sasuke points out. “To members of my clan, Shachi would be the more sought-after candidate.”

Sakura considers this, and then nods. “That make sense.”

“I don’t believe it was the whole reason though.”

She shoots him a confused look.

“He might have seen her as a parallel of himself,” Sasuke continues, thoughtful. “A child mistreated by family. In his view, he was betrayed by his; this girl, she’s the scapegoat of her own kin – and for an utterly underserved reason, based on what you’ve told me.”

“But in that case, wouldn’t it make more sense to kill her family? Why agree to a marriage with her? An actual link to these people?”

“I have no doubt he had some kind of long-term motive. However…I suspect it may have been different than anything he actively planned.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s entirely possible, she provided him with something he didn’t even realise he was missing,” Sasuke tells her, staring off into the distance. “As far gone as he was, he needed something to ground him. When Indra first awakened his abilities, he was strong because he was protecting someone precious. His brother. And he remained strong, even as he became more drawn to the darkness, because he always thought he had the support of his father and brother. When that was gone – when Hagoromo named Ashura as his successor – for the first time in his life, he was truly alone. When you have as much power as he did, and as much hatred, you need something to justify your actions – some goal that makes everything else you do worthwhile.”

She knows now that he is speaking of himself, and not Indra. Of how his love for his brother drove him to commit horrible acts.

“Then he meets this girl, and she’s obviously drawn to him, and she helps him,” Sakura suggests. “And he keeps seeing her, and he knows she’s in a bad situation, so he starts to feel what it’s like to have someone trust in him again.”

It sounds far too plausible, and Sakura shivers. She doesn’t like the idea of Indra using Shachi’s misfortune for himself, but at the same time, she knows that the other woman – this shrinking violet – would see it as an opportunity to escape. In a way, the two are saving each other, even if they don’t know it.

“Hm.” Sasuke nods here. “She is someone who will be utterly loyal to him – both because of who she is as a person, and because as a wife, it is her duty to be subservient to his will.”

Sakura lifts her head and shoots him a sardonic smirk. “Oh, so I have to be subservient to you now?”

“…I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I may incriminate myself.”

“Damn right,” she nods, falling back, and then squeaks indignantly when he tweaks her left nipple in retribution. She slaps his hand away and then jabs a finger in his general direction. “Don’t start something if you don’t intend to follow through.”

Sasuke snorts. “Who said I didn’t intend to follow through?”

眠り

The wedding approaches, and for the first time in her entire life, Shachi finds herself treated according to her station.

She is bathed in scented waters and anointed with rich oils, adorned in silks and jewels, and fed the finest foods that her servants tease will ensure she bears healthy children.

Older Sister lingers resentfully in the background, while father busies himself with the preparations. Whatever he felt for her in the past, whatever he feels for her now, his greed for the power Lord Indra can provide has increased tenfold since seeing what the young man can do. He pretends like he has never resented her, calls her his “beloved child” and introduces her to visiting dignitaries.

The wedding is meant to be lavish, a way of showcasing Father’s current wealth, and offer hint of what it might become. In this, he is able to stand up to Lord Indra’s more frugal nature. For his part, the prospective bridegroom is nowhere to be found and makes no effort to involve himself in the affair; he continues to train in the courtyards up until the day of the ceremony.

That morning, she is woken at dawn and bathed. Her handmaidens draw long black ribbons of henna across her forehead and face, crisscrossing around her neck and again above her breasts, winding down her arms and legs as if she has been encircled by a snake. Her hair is braided with freshly picked cherry blossoms, and golden rings are fitted around her wrists, neck, fingers and even one through her nose. It all feels heavy and cumbersome but she knows better than to complain. The bridal gown is of red silk, the only garment she has ever worn that was not one of her sister’s castoffs, and the final touch is a purple, rhombus-shaped jewel set in the centre of her forehead.

Father walks her down the aisle at a quick pace, as if worried that the longer he takes, the sooner his future son-in-law may change his mind. Older Sister holds her veil for her, and as she goes to sit at her place, sneers quietly, “Do not think your life will be without hardship.”

Lord Indra stands at the front of the assembled guests, bored and irritated, and he doesn’t even acknowledge her when she is beside him. The high priest begins the ceremony, raising the sacred marriage cup before them, his words washing over her.

Shachi’s mind is strangely blank at this, either from disbelief or fear for the future, and Sakura feels more present in the moment than she has in months. The marriage ritual is very different from any she has ever seen, from her own wedding to Sasuke, and while she is uneasy about the circumstances, she can’t help being fascinated.

The priest places a smooth, obsidian rock – taken from the sacred river of their land – and wishes them an enduring and lasting union. He pours wine and honey as well, wishing fertility and health, and then takes their hands, lightly pricking their palms over the rim of the cup, to signify the mingling of their blood now and in the future. Then, he passes it first to Lord Indra, who will be master of the union.

Her bridegroom takes a tip – barely wets his lips – and passes it back. His expression never changes, and he still doesn’t look at her.

Then the cup is in front of her face, the priest reminds her of her duties as wife now. She begins to lift the cup to her lips as well –

Lord Indra chokes suddenly, and doubles over.

There is stunned silence all around, the high priest stares in wide-eyed horror, and there are gasps from the other guest.

“My lord?” she whispers, reaching for him. “Are you…?”

His eyes snap toward her, flickering red and black and she gasps. But it isn’t the Sharingan that have her shocked. Instead, she rapidly takes in the sight of his features – pupils dilated, mouth slackening, a bluish tint around his lips.

“Poison!” she cries, because she can’t do anything else here. “He’s been poisoned!” Her head whips around, looking for someone who might help. “Fetch a healer!”

Father appears shell-shocked, slow to realise what is happening, and Older Sister –

She stands to one side, smirking and with a look in her eyes that is all-too-knowing.

“You…” Sakura – Shachi? – realises. “Why would you – ?”

Indra begins to convulse, and the answer never comes. Instead, she falls to her knees, trying to hold his flailing arms as he convulses. Shachi is terrified, that fear returning her to full control, pushing Sakura’s awareness down again, but she refuses to allow this.

You can stay out of this right now, or he’s going to die!

She focusses her attention – sees the cup dropped by the priest, liquid spilling out. The sacred rock has rolled a few inches away as well, leaving a clumpy, chalky residue.

So that’s what it was. Poison in the marriage cup.  Indra wasn’t the only intended victim.

Her mind flips through a mental catalogue of poisons, all while calculating the amount of time it will take before he dies. Given how fast he reacted, the chalky nature, the blue veins on the mouth

“Ainu,” she determines. It’s a relative of aconite, albeit much more potent. There isn’t much out there that can save him, and in the limited time she has, she doubt’s she’ll be able to find –

Then she freezes, remembering herself.

No way. No way could it be that much of a coincidence.

Her hands fly to her hair, tugging out the delicate flowers there. Cherry blossoms have some healing properties, but aren’t used very often in antidotes –

Except in cases of ainu poisoning.

She doesn’t pause to dwell on the improbability of it all. Instead, she begins to crush up the petals – in her fingers at first, then an idea occurs to her and she puts them in her mouth, chewing them into a pulp and leaning forward to press her lips against his. As she pushes the petal paste into his mouth, she wills her chakra into him as well, calling up every bit of her concentration to do so. She visualises her energy moving into him, chasing the poison through his veins and overtaking it.

She doesn’t find out if she succeeds or not, because that’s when she suddenly loses her control. All of her concentration, all of her focus in helping him, recoils like an elastic band. She is once more, no more than a passenger, and Indra gives one last violent tremor, and then goes still.

Someone emits of a moan of grief.

It takes a stunned second for Sakura to realise the sound came from her. To understand that her dream self is weeping, throwing herself over Indra’s chest. This man, who she saved, who in demanding her hand offered her a future away from the abuses of her blood kin, and now he has left her before there was even a chance.

Tears streaming from her eyes, she looks up as Father demands of Older Sister, “What were you thinking? You’ve ruined it all!”

“I have done nothing but save you from a charlatan,” she replies airily. “He had no interest in becoming your right hand, Father, he would have taken his students and left you with ease. And if he truly intended to honour your wishes, he would have accepted the bride you offered, not that.” She tosses her hair. “Now, we have men who have sworn oaths of loyalty to you, who know of his teachings, and they won’t tempted to disappear with their wandering master.”

Father’s expression becomes thoughtful at this, and he nods slowly.

“Besides,” Older Sister goes on, a cruel set to her mouth. “He gave me insult, in public, and that is something that cannot be abided. How dare –”

But her words are quickly and brutally cut short.

A bolt of lightning rips through the ceremonial hall, through her shoulder and out her heart, leaving a bloodied and black hole in its place. Shachi screams in horror, staring at the shocked expression on Older Sisters face as her body crumples to the ground. Father’s bellow of surprise turns to terror, and she understands why, because Indra is alive.

He shrugs her off and stands, moving like the lightening that just passed through her sister’s body, and grabs Father by the throat.

“Those who break oaths are scum. Those who betray their own blood are worse than scum,” he growls. “And that cup was meant for her as much as it was for me.” It’s the only warning he gives before twisting his fingers, snapping the man’s neck. “A man who makes a move against me makes a proclamation that he is my enemy. And I will not allow my enemies to live and take a second opportunity to weaken me.”

Eyes still blazing red fire, he turns to the stunned guests.

“Your lord is dead. Either rise up and avenge him, or flee. One of those choices will lead to a swift death, so choice wisely.”

As he takes a few steps down the procession toward the door, there is a flurry of movement. Guests and members of the court scatter, tripping over each other in their finery. She is left on her knees, gaping at his back, unsure what just happened.

Then, as he did before, he turns to face her once more.

“You have saved my life twice,” he tells her coolly. “And so, I will offer you a choice. An opportunity. Save yourself. Forget this farce of a ceremony and ties you agreed to for their sake. Leave this place and seek a happier future, with a man who will offer you the respect and fondness you desire. Or –” his eyes darken back to black here, “come with.”

Her mouth parts in surprise at this.

“If you do, know that from this moment, you will be completely mine. And I am not a patient man. I am neither gentle nor kind, and your life will be one of duty. You will bring forth children to whom I can pass on my legacy. So long as you are loyal and obedient, I can make you a goddess by my side, but if you falter I will make their deaths look enviable.”

Terror and confusion make it hard to understand what he is saying to her. For several seconds, she can only stare from his intent face down to the corpses of her father and sister, turning over his words in her head.

And then it makes sense.

He is giving her a choice.

She has never, in her entire life, known what it is to make a decision that is not based on the will or needs of another. For the first time, she is free. She gets to decide what her destiny will be.

The gesture brings tears to her eyes, because she knows he is not a man who operates in choice. There is his will and death, but here he is, offering her the chance to leave that behind. And with the same certainty that he could stand against any of her father’s vassals who would challenge him, she knows he would let her walk away to a better life if she chose.

She wonders, as she takes his hand, if he realises how terrifyingly easy it is to make her decision.

つづく

Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated!

クリ

That action, he could feel, had changed not only what she thought of his current self, but also exposed a part of him he wished he could have long forgotten already. They were in the middle of a war against a goddess and his revolutionary ideas were still there, knocking on his mind and forcing him to keep going. Itachi’s ideals could not go to waste, therefore he could neither die nor allow himself to have a change of heart because of a pink haired girl, who was all fucked up and who perfectly fitted his half embrace.

The avenger Sasuke could not let the annoying Sakura get in the middle of his mission. He could not let her get so close to his heart, for he knew- oh, and how he knew- that single, pink hired girl was strong enough to make a disaster out of his concealed and objective personality.

But what could he do, right? His body just moved on its own, not caring about the future consequences his actions could bring upon them, only thinking about doing something to protect that fragile, beautiful and strong warrior that was about to fall back.

She was going to hit her head, and that was definitely going to hurt. Someway, he had spared her from a concussion, and yet, he just knew that had been the wrong choice.

He should’ve let her fall flat on that stony floor and not held her close. He should’ve offered her another one of his risky words and not established such an intimate eye contact.

He should’ve killed her when he had the chance. When he had his fingers around her neck, compressing her carotid and a kunai in hands. He should’ve killed her, but he didn’t and at that very moment, the Uchiha was aware that allowing her to live was his biggest regret.

And it was all because of their eyes, he knew. Just like back then, they were the ones to be blamed, in the end.

Those stupid, stunning emeralds he couldn’t keep himself from drowning into.

Fuck those eyes.

By the way their gaze connected, the raven haired boy knew that getting lost in those deep, exhausted emeralds of hers had been the wrong choice, especially when his bloody heritage was activated. Through his red orb, he could see and record all the details and all the changes that were now decorating that girl's- woman’s face.

Her cheeks were bonier, her eyes deeper and her lips fuller, making him gulp unconsciously. She looked absurdly weak and useless without those lines spread around her body, and that scent of iron and dirt was invading his nostrils, proving him that even Haruno Sakura could, indeed, bleed.

She could bleed and fight, and she could certainly bring him back from wherever the hell he had been sent to. She could charge a full attack against Madara in order to create a diversion, and she could heal her broken self until she seemed to be fixed. He could see and read her through his bloody eyes, and even if that was probably his last chance of ridding himself from another regret, Sasuke knew he wasn’t strong enough for that.

Not while looking at her hurt form. Not while supporting her from falling and not when she had done it all for him.

Damn you, Haruno Sakura, he thought, as his own eyes sent hers a silent and deep ‘thank you’. Those unsaid words had been the death of him, but by that time, the shit had already hit the fan. He was trapped in that trance of recording every single detail of her green irises, as he also scanned her brave and perfect body. At that moment, not even if he wanted, Sasuke wouldn't be able to say anything.

Fuck, she was beautiful. Even more than when they were kids, and even more than when she tried to kill him. For the first time since he first joined the battlefield, the Uchiha had completely forgotten about the enemy, as he just wanted to hold onto that moment, as he observed her in such pure and raw state.

But it was not like he had time to waste on her like that, right?

His eyes followed the salty, sweat droplets that originated from her skin pores and watched them sliding down, brushing her dirty skin. For her head was resting against his shoulder, he had complete visual access to her hidden skin, and apart from the small scratches spread all around, there was that one bruise on her sweaty neck that-

“ …How?”

A hoarse voice broke him from his thoughts, making him protectively bring her body closer to his. She was still looking at him, trying her best to force her abdominal muscles to breath, and he soon realized his heart was beating a lot faster than he would’ve expected it to beat at such times.  At first, he didn’t break eye contact- another regret, for sure- as he tried to build enough strength to articulate an answer. He released a sigh he didn’t know was trapped inside his chest, and he could feel her muscles relaxing against him as soon as they broke their deep connection.

With those eyes closed, at last, he could return to being himself.

“ It’s one of my abilities. I can shift myself between spaces… Though only over a finite distance.” He looked down at her once again, secretly disappointed not to have her eyes on him anymore. He took a deep breath before allowing his right eye to turn the darkest shade of black. “ But thanks to you, I made it.”

The other Uchiha allowed his head to fall, with an amused smirk decorating his face as he tried his best to recover himself. Obito would still have to transport them home, so he consider it a good idea to take some minutes so he could rebuild some strength. The three of them spent some good minutes still, not being able to move a single muscle. That dimension created a calm and serene atmosphere that helped them forget a little about the war going on back where Naruto and Kakashi were.

It was peaceful and silent, and hell, they could all stay there forever.

But their responsibilities kicked in, and as always, the pink haired girl was the first to answer to that call.

As soon as they heard the flat sound of Obito’s body crashing against the floor, he felt her body shifting under his touch, and he soon realized she was trying to create a distance between them. She was going to check on the man that was clearly as exhausted as she was, clearly not caring about her own situation. Sakura tried to move, but as expected of her very first attempt on doing so, she failed and fell back to her previous spot.

“ Don’t.”

“W-We need to… I need to-“

“ Rest a bit more. He’ll wake up soon.”

“ But Sasuke-kun, we need him to get you back to where the others are. I need to see if he’s okay and-“

“ I said rest. You’ve done more than enough for us now.”He tch-ed.” Damn it, since when have you become so stubborn, Sakura?”

At his words, the girl could feel her body finally weighting down and her bruises finally starting to bring pain all over her body. Her arm hurt like hell, and soon she realized her consciousness was drifting away.

Soon, she would be just like Obito. She would succumb to her body’s needs, but unlike him, Sakura knew he would be there to hold her. Even if she wasn’t supposed to trust that, and even if she wasn’t supposed to fully trust him, the pinkette knew, by the way they had exchanged glances, that he wouldn’t let her fall.

And with a shy smile paying on her lips, her eyelids finally closed, as she muttered an almost inaudible 'thank you’ before collapsing. At that moment, the Uchiha held her even more carefully, slowly shifting her body so they could both reach the floor safely. Sasuke realized himself he was also exhausted, and taking some moments to let his strength get back wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Once again, he was taking care of the girl he was supposed to have killed, as he was now sitting on the floor, with her body brought close to his chest. Her pink hair was falling over his exposed chest, as her eyes were completely shut. Her chest was rising and falling along with his, and as he brought his fingers to brush a faint dirt from her cheeks, the Uchiha was aware of how screwed he was. After that moment, his plan would no longer be the same, and if he were to be honest, he couldn’t care less about that at such time.

Another regret was born in his heart, and once again, it was all her fault.

He should’ve definitely killed her when he had the chance because if he had, he probably wouldn’t be falling for her all over again.

Had Uchiha Sasuke killed Haruno Sakura, his regrets as an avenger wouldn’t be so peaceful.

After removing his sandals and hanging both his bag and cloak on the hanger behind the door; the pleasant, floral scent of her perfume starts to invade his nostrils. His attention is immediately dragged towards the hallway, from where he hears the crash of footsteps against the floor getting louder with each passing second. A sly smirk grows upon his lips, as he amusedly waits for her excited form to come in view.

And it does, just as he has foreseen.

“Okaeri, Sasuke-kun!”

She stops by the end of the hallway, approximately 2 meters away from him, with that very Sakura-like bubbly expression ruling her face. She’s smiling from ear to ear, as only one of her emerald eyes is delineated by a delicate dark line. Her pink hair smoothly falls above her shoulders, as her bangs threaten to hide the yin seal that decorates her forehead. It doesn’t take him long to realize she’s wearing one of his shirts, which covers about five fingers above her mid-thigh; and simple, marine-blue panties, creating the kind of look that already made his heart tremble.

His wife is already looking quite good in his eyes, but that’s probably just his anti-social side talking, because the kind of outfit she’s wearing is perfect for people to stay home. He realizes that she’s still in the process of being ready for their date, and the unfinished, light makeup on her face is probably the one thing telling him so. Sakura’s childish side is out in her woman-like body, and at that moment, he just knows there's no way he cannot at least feel minimum happiness enveloping his heart.

What a silly wife, he thinks.

“ Tadaima.” He says, offering her a warm, calm expression, to which she charmingly answers with one of her soft smiles.

How could he even think of canceling their plans?

“ I’m almost ready for our date, Sasuke-kun! I can’t believe we’re actually doing this after almost a month in the Water Country, right?” She throws her hands up, closing her eyes in pure excitement.

“ Aa.” He agrees, stepping up on the wooden floor, checking his pockets for any forgotten thing.

“ We could go out for a walk and then eat something nice, what do you think?”

“ Whatever you say is fine with me, Sakura.” For his eyes were not set on her, the male Uchiha couldn’t see the way her lips formed a frown at his emotionless answer. Her smile suddenly falls from her lips, as a selfish realization takes over her senses, making her hands get together so her fingers could play with one another. Her eyes fall to their feet, and a small pout forms on her lips.

Apparently, all her excitement has vanished form her body. And it’s all because of him.

“ Sasuke-kun… Are you not excited for our date?”

“ What?”

His eyes widen at her declaration, and he soon realizes what she was trying to do. Sakura is trying to put other’s wishes above hers, and he is not going to accept that anymore. It is true that he's not as excited as she is, but that doesn’t mean he isn't excited at all. He wants to go out with her, do something different and make her smile as he listens to her day.

Sasuke wants to act like a good husband for at least one night, and she is not going to ruin his opportunity.

“ I mean… If you don’t want to go, we can just stay here, you know. I have some documents to go through and-“

“ Sakura. We are going out on a date.” He orders, making her emeralds widen in somewhat of a shocked expression. " That’s what you want, right?”

“ Yeah, that’s what I want, but-“

“ No buts. Now go get ready or we will be late.” His face is now as stoic as ever, as he’s basically imposing her wishes over her. In her eyes, her husband looks unbelievably cute saying those words, and as soon as he watched the silly, lovely expression she was offering him, the male Uchiha couldn’t help but turn away from her gaze, with the tips of his ears turning red.

Damn it, she is just too much for him. Especially dressed in so little.

Especially with those clothes.

“ Hai!”

She smiles widely again, a tinge of red faintly hovering over her cheeks. His wife’s happy again, and due to how fast that change happened, Sasuke suspects that whole thing was a part of her plan from the very beginning.

Sakura turns on her heels, finally sprinting back towards the bathroom where she could finish her preparations for her date with her husband. The shirt she's wearing forms a wave as she runs away, revealing more of the wife he has under those clothes. Her bouncing hair, her soft, toned thighs and that perfectly round butt that is covered by panties stamped with nothing less than the white and red colors of the-

And that was when he sees it.

His dark eyes widen immediately, as a confused pout takes over his face. The male Uchiha isn’t quite sure of what he’s just seen decorating his wife’s lower cheeks, but there’s something inside his chest telling him to go after her and find out. More than anything, he trusts his eyes and his own instincts, and before he notices it, his feet are already dragging him towards the bathroom where the girl is finishing her make up. He follows the trail her scent left behind, enjoying as the perfume gets more intense as it fills his nostrils and entices his curiosity regarding what his eyes may or may not have captured moments ago.

Sasuke isn’t quite sure if what he saw is actually what he thinks it is, but as soon as he enters the bathroom and sees the pinkette leaning forward to delineate her other eye, he realizes that, once more, his eyes were correct.

Oh, boy.

Just like before, he finds his dark pearls traveling upwards her body, paying attention to her delicate ankles and her long, strong legs. Her muscles are outlined up until her thighs, and thanks to the way her hands are lifted, his large shirt that is covering her petit body is lifted, exposing the soft, round bottom of her butt and the one piece of clothing that has been intriguing him ever since he laid his eyes upon it.

Their colors match perfectly with his classic genin vest, as they are long enough to decently cover a wide range of her lower skin. They seem to be comfortable, and they seem to adjust perfectly as they embrace her curves. They are just the type of panties his wife prefers, and the fact that the Uchiha crest is fully stamped behind them make things even more… interesting to the one who possess the blood of the almighty Uchiha clan running through his veins.

Where on earth has she found them?

His mind has turned blank, as he’s trying to find a logical explanation to why his wife would have the fan stamped on her butt. He remembers when he first bought her a dress with his family symbol on its back, and he remembers how he told her to sew it on all of her clothes from that day on. Sasuke was more than happy when she accepted his words, and seeing her walking around with the fan that ignites the Uchihas' flame is more than simply pleasuring to him.

They’re a married couple, and seeing how much she respects and preserves his family name just confirms to him that he couldn’t have chosen any better girl to hold both his heart and his last name.

Sasuke appreciates everything she has done to rid the Uchiha clan from the eventual hatred it received.

But wearing it on her butt seems to be a little too much for him.

“S-Sakura…”

“Eh? Oh, Sasuke-kun!” She acknowledges his presence through the mirror’s reflection, as she’s trying to stay steady not to ruin the makeup. “ I’m almost done here… You can use the bathroom after this.”

“ No… It’s not really that…” He runs his fingers across his dark locks, as an uncontrollable blush finally takes over his cheeks. His eyes are still focused on her lower cheeks, and the male Uchiha can’t simply convince himself to lift his head. He swallows dry, making his Adam’s apple move uncomfortably. “ Actually, I wanted to… to understand why…”

“ Understand what?” She chuckles. “ It’s just a date, Sasuke-kun. Besides, we’re a married couple, and even if I think it’s super cute, you don’t have to be nervous.”

“ That’s not it- Uh… Sakura, why are you…”

“ Why am I what, darling?”

“ Hn.” He takes a deep breath, building up courage. “ Why are you wearing these pant-“

“ Yosh! I’m finally done!” She smiles, blinking a couple of times. Her eyes are finally focused on him through the mirror’s reflexion, and as soon as she realizes where his eyes are aiming at, Uchiha Sakura remembers she forgot to change her panties.

Oh, crap.

When she finally turns her head and looks down, the pinkette feels her entire face succumbing to an embarrassed heat. Her skin has turned a deep shade of red, as her lips are parted and her entire body is trembling due to her husband’s new discovery. She immediately turns her body as if to prevent him from looking, but the reflection of the mirror behind her still makes it possible for his eyes to see the Uchiha crest stamped on her butt. Sakura tries to cover it, but thanks to her anxious hands, she finds that task quite impossible right now.

Oh, shit.

“ Sa-Sasuke-kun! I-I can explain it!”

“ Sakura, why-“

“ ItwasIno’sidea!ShesentittomeandIwasplanningonthrowingitawaybutIforgotand-“

“ Oi, slow down, Sakura. I can’t-“

“IwasfinishingwitheverythingforourdateandIwasgoingtochangethemforsomethingmoreappealingforourdateand-“

Her eyes are spinning and she can’t stop babbling words that are too fast for his ears to comprehend. Her hands are trapped in looping gesture of expressing her emotions and covering her panties, and due to the purple shade that is slowly spreading around her red, oxygen-less face, Sasuke doubts his wife’s even breathing right now.

Right now, if the raven haired boy wants to have answers and wants his wife not to die from extreme embarrassment, he knows he needs to stop her.

Somehow, he will need to shut her mouth.

And right now, he doubts words will have any effect on her.

Without hesitating, the male Uchiha takes a step closer to his wife and abruptly shuts her mouth with his own hand. His now red eyes lock with hers, as his dark tomoes are now spinning. He knows this is not the right thing for a husband to do, but he couldn’t think of any other thing to calm her down before she fainted. He feels her slowing down, and not long after his sharingan started inducing her to a relaxation state, he could feel a deep breath leaving her nostrils and brushing his hand. She seems to be calmer now, but her cheeks are still boiling under his touch.

Tch, what a troublesome wife, he thinks, as he deactivates his eyes.

“ Look, I’m going to remove my hand from your face so you can talk, okay, Sakura?”

She nods, eyes filled with apprehension and shame.

“ Okay. You won’t freak out, right? You’re going to breath, right?”

She nods again, looking like a little kid that has just been scolded for eating sweets before dinner. He can feel her soft pout pressed against his palm, and his own blush just gets more intense at the realization. His wife drives him insane, and even if he doesn’t admit it to her, her effect over him is quite disturbing sometimes.

The smallest touch is able to set him on fire, and those panties- her Uchiha panties- are certainly making his heart beat faster.

Damn it, he just wants to get over with this date already.

“ Hn.” He releases her mouth, slowly and carefully, allowing his hand to rest next to his body. His eyes are still on hers, and as she tries to look away in pure embarrassment, Sasuke finds the scene to be quite cute.

But it’s not like he will tell her so.

“ You see…” She starts, bitting her lower lip, until it turns pale. “ This was a gift from Ino. When she heard we got married, she sent it to me. She kinda sent it to all the girls after we got married.”

“ Okay… Go on.”

“ I was planning on throwing it away, but I didn’t have time to do so… and today I realized I had nothing comfortable to wear while I was getting ready for our date. I was going to change it before you got back, but I completely forgot…”

The guilt in her voice suddenly starts to bother him. His wife seems to be apologizing for something he can’t quite understand why, and as she’s looking down, fidgeting her fingers and still blushing madly, he can’t help but get even more confused.

Why on earth is she so sad?

Is it all because of her panties?

With a lifted eyebrow, Sasuke watches as his wife is trying her best not to faint in front of him. Her hands are balled into fists and resting next to her body, and they’re shaking uncontrollably right now. He can see that there’s something bothering her, but for the first time ever since they were genin, the male Uchiha can’t really read her or any of her signs. She’s closed right now, and not being able to see her heart makes him feel extremely uncomfortable.

He doesn’t know what’s happening to her. He doesn't know what’s making her feel like that, and more importantly, he doesn’t know what he has to do in order to help her.

He can’t do anything, and that’s just utterly annoying.

He knows he has to do something to find out the truth behind her problems, and he will literally force the reason out of her if he has to.

Luckily, Uchiha Sakura realized she could not keep her mouth shut. Not right now.

“ Sasuke-kun… I swear I-I’m not disrespecting your clan!”

By the way her eyes are lowered, Sasuke can really point out that her sudden depression is real. She has been embarrassed before, but thanks to her usual overthinking, this is the first time he actually thinks she can start crying any at time. Her voice is shaky, her breathing is heavy and he can feel the unnecessary apology on her speech because of a gift her best friend gave her after she got married. It was not like he even considered that whole thing as an act of disrespect.

It's just a panty, after all. And the fact that his clan’s crest is stamped on it doesn’t make him feel offended or anything of the kind. It is odd and certainly unexpected, but it’s not like he perceives it as a threat.

His family’s crest on her butt doesn’t make him feel bad at all. If he were to be honest, seeing that view gave him… other kinds of feelings. That manly, possessive side of his starts kicking in, and even if he won’t admit it, those intimates are working really well on getting his attention.

Even if he hates to admit it, and even if he considers himself to be a terrible husband right now, the male Uchiha can’t help but find the whole scenary  amusing, to say the least. Her rosy cheeks blending all the shades of red known around the world, her soft lips pouting childishly and her bubblegum hair falling over her face and hiding her eyes just makes his lips want to twerk up in a smile, but he finds it in himself to control his urges.

His wife is just too beautiful even when she’s embarrassed, he thinks.

But despite for the way she looks, Sasuke knows that there are more reasons for him to be happy right now. Behind that whole thing, her love for him and the respect she nourishes for his family are being shaded by her blush, and that’s certainly something that makes his heart beat faster in pure excitement. Her feelings are spread all over her face, and for that- all of that- he has to be thankful.

Standing in front of him is the pink haired girl he once met during the spring of his youth, and even if she’s still that same, annoying brat, he knows he doesn’t deserve someone as her in his corrupted life. Not only she was able to forgive him, but she also forgave his entire clan for everything, and he knows that she doesn’t hold any kind of grudge against her decisions in her pure heart.

Sakura has truly embraced the role their love for each other has bestowed upon her, and more than many of his dead relatives, the pinkette is proud of the Uchiha clan. She’s proud of belonging to the clan that means so much to the man she loves, and for that, he’s thankful for her.

He’s thankful for having her as a part of his family, and for seeing her wearing his crest so proudly.

Being it on the back of her clothes or on her round, soft butt, Uchiha Sakura honors the name she stole from him. And if he were to be honest with himself, he has never seen anyone wearing that fan better than she does.

Too bad she’s too busy blushing not to see it.

Perhaps, he will have to be the one to show her the truth.

“ Sakura…” Her name rolls out of his tongue, as an amused smirk is playing on his lips. She lifts her head to look at him, and he can see the surprise in her widened eyes when she finds him with a calm expression instead of a deadly glare. Sakura doesn’t know what to say, therefore, her husband continues before she can figure anything out. “ You’re annoying.”

“ Sasuke-kun, you-“

“ Did you seriously think I was going to be mad because of that?”

“… Aren’t you?”

“ Hn, believe me… The Uchiha crest has been attached to more embarrassing things than your butt.”

“ N-No! It hasn’t!” He can see her eyes burning in a shy green, as she’s now returning to herself. Just like he expected her to. “ The crest of your family is… It’s beautiful and it makes me nervous to carry it around, to be honest.”

“ Nervous? Tch, honestly, you’re overreacting again. It’s no big deal.”

“ Yes, it is! It’s the Uchiha clan! Your clan and-“

“ Our clan.”

“ Uh?”

“ Hn.” He smiles shyly, placing his hand on his hip. He closes his eyes for an instance, as he finally starts to walk away, offering her the vision of his back before he stops one more time before reaching their room. “ It’s our clan. You belong to it now, and that gives you the right to wear the fan wherever you like. Even on your butt.”

“ Sasuke-kun…” She’s blushing lighter now, as a warm smiles plays on her lips. His words, apparently, worked perfectly to bring her back to normal, and make her understand that just because there was no Uchiha blood running through her veins, it doesn’t mean she is any less important than him when it comes to the Uchiha clan.

Just like him, she is an Uchiha.

She is Uchiha Sakura.

And right now, she’s late for her date.

But it doesn’t mean she doesn’t have enough time to thank him for his words.

It’s already too late when his ears capture the fast sound of her feet against the wooden floor. Before Sasuke can turn to face her, her arms are already wrapped around his torso, as her pink head is comfortably resting on his back. He feels her warm body pressed against his, and he realizes she’s not wearing a bra right now thanks to how close and soft the covered skin of her breasts feel. Her scent is intoxicating, her heartbeat is driving him insane, and the thought of those Uchiha panties so close to him are certainly not helping him stay calm at all.

Oh, she’s definitely his wife.

“ Oi! Shouldn’t you be gettiing-“

“ Thank you, Sasuke-kun!” Her lips are smiling against his shirt, and as her words slowly sink in, the male Uchiha finally turns to face her. He places a hand over her pink head, and their eyes connect, as if to initiate another one of their intimate talks.

They’re definitely a married couple.

“ Hn.” He pokes her forehead, sending her away some inches and earning a new, lovely blush from her. Their faces are closer now, and she can feel his hot breath tickling her lips. " You’re still annoying, Sakura.”

“ And you’re still going on a date with me.”

As a smirk takes over her lips, her husband understand her real intentions, and without hesitating, he leans down to place a chaste kiss on her lips. He can feel her smile against his skin, and her hair is tickling his cheek. Her hands are still wrapped around him, and after fighting so hard against his instincts, Uchiha Sasuke realizes he can’t hold back anymore.

Not with those panties on his mind.

“ Sakura…” He breaks the kiss, still holding her in place as his lips approach her ear-shell. “ Take them off.”

“ Don’t worry… I will before I put my dress and-“

“ No. Do it now.”

“… Oh. OH!” Realization strikes her, and after pushing him away, the pink haired Uchiha sends her husband a deadly glare. She’s aware of his intentions, and there’s just no way she will agree to that. Not right now. “ No no no no! You’re not ruining our date Uchiha Sasuke! You are not- AH!”

“ Hn.” He smirks, totally ignoring her words as he picks her up and throws her over his shoulder. She’s struggling and chuckling as he moves towards their room, his hand resting on top of the Uchiha crest located on her butt. Apparently, they’re going to be late for their plans, and neither of them seem to care about it right now.

Oh, that husband of hers.