#ssm17d23

SasuSaku Month 2017

Day 23: It Was Always You

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Sasuke kissed Sakura when he left her on the bench. I consider it their first kiss as well. It's been a headcanon of mine for years no one can tell me otherwise. 

FFnet link :D

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"Sakura nee-san, who was your first love?"

The medic stiffened and glanced up to look at her eight year old patient. "Why did you ask, Akane-chan?"

The little girl smiled at her. "Yesterday, I was about to call my sister to come inside to eat dinner but then I heard nee-san tell a guy that he was her first love and it never dies. What does that mean?"

Sakura looked at the other occupant of the room, surprised to see him already looking at her with an amused smirk on his face. She rolled his eyes at him and turned her attention back to Akane.

"Your first love is the first person you love romantically. It's different from the love you have for your family or friends. It is special especially for us girls. That's why there's a saying that 'first love never dies', meaning that you can never forget that love."

"Oooh…" the little girl's eyes sparkles with understanding. "So who was your first love, Sakura nee-chan? Did you have one?"

The pinkette hoped that she had forgotten, but it was obviously not the case. "Of course, Akane-chan. He's –"

A knock saved Sakura from her confession. Akane's mother entered the room to announce dinnertime and invited the two Konoha shinobi to dine with them. They politely refused, saying that there are two more patients to check in the village. An epidemic erupted in the area, and since Sasuke and Sakura were near the grounds in their travels, Kakashi sent them to help. It was finally contained and most of the sick were healed. After this last check-up on all the patients, they can finally continue with their journey.

The grateful mother gave them a bento to eat later. After finishing the work needed, they settled under a tree, too hungry and tired to go back to their hotel room. They ate the bento in comfortable silence for a while.

"Obaa-san's dango is the best!" Sakura proclaimed as she ate another piece of the dessert. Sasuke handed out his share to her. "Here, you take it."

She grinned at him before taking his offer. He still doesn't think too highly of sweets. "Arigatou, Sasuke-kun."

He looked at her softly, then said, "You didn't answer Akane's question back then, Sakura."

She nearly choked.

"E-Eh? Ano… she's not here anymore to hear it so it doesn't matter anymore, Sasuke-kun."

Smart girl, the former avenger mused. "Well then, I'll ask the question again. Who was your first love?"

She pulled off the perfect deer-in-the-headlights look, obviously baffled. After recovering from the shock of his question, a blush spread on her cheeks.

"I think you already know, Sasuke-kun. It's always been you."

He gave a small smile, happy to know that her love was his from the very beginning. "And you? Who was your first love?" Sakura added.

Sasuke looked up to the starry sky, his mind wandering towards a certain girl he found one day in the field filled with flowers back in the Academy… the girl he kissed on the cold night when he left Konoha for the first time… the girl he caught after saving him from another dimension… the girl with him now.

He returned his gaze back to her. Obviously, the girl is a woman now – a woman who filled his lonely existence with love.

Sakura braced herself for the worst. It couldn't be me, right? There are other pretty girls he could have liked… heck, I was pretty much outside his radar until we became teammates!

"You."

See? It's not – wait what?!

"Eeh?!"

He smirked and came closer to her. Lifting two fingers, he poked her forehead with all the affection in the world.

I miss you. 

That was what he'd written her last.

When Sakura had gotten his letter all but two weeks ago, she hadn't been able to believe her eyes. Sasuke, who was always all about retaining composure and simple fact-telling, slipping out of habit to send her this one simple piece of paper, containing nothing more than these three words? These three quiet, heart-exposing, wistful little words?

He was never one to admit such things.

(which is why it had hit her so hard.)

But, as she found him there, standing at her doorstep, shoulders hunched and gaze weighted with a mix of fatigue and something vulnerable—it made her breath catch. Because she could see it now; could see those three words written in every inch of his features, could see how lonely he had been. Could see the relief in seeing her as she was now, standing right there, in front of his very eyes again.

He really had missed her.

Somehow, knowing this, Sakura couldn’t stop herself from taking those two steps dividing them, gentle fingers reaching out to twine themselves firmly into his hair as she pushed herself to the tip of her toes and brought her mouth to his, kissing him deeply. It was a bold move, she knew. Probably even stupid considering the fact she didn’t even know with certainty where his heart stood with her—but then his lone arm slipped around her back, holding her tight as his lips started responding to her own with equal feeling, and Sakura sighed, melting against him in sweet contentment.

Neither of them made any move to pull away when they finally parted, breaths fanning warmly against each other’s cheeks and hands wrapped tightly in each other’s clothes. Too eager to stay close, not yet ready to part ways once more.

(not ready to put distance between them when in these past two years of redemption, that was all there had been.)

“Sakura,” he murmured, at last, breaking the too-thick silence filled with nothing but their shared warmth and long-repressed yearning. His brows were furrowed, swept over with sweet, heavy emotion.

Sakura couldn’t explain why it only made her smile, the softest little laugh tumbling from her mouth. Sasuke’s mouth curved into a frown at that, brows creasing all the more in clear bemusement.

“Why are you laughing?” he mumbled, pushing his forehead to her own while his hand dragged her closer. He sounded puzzled, slightly annoyed—or maybe even embarrassed.

Sakura only smiled wider. “Sorry,” she said, eyes crinkling. “I just—Well, this is our first kiss and it’s so… different from what I’d imagined it could be through all these years.” She laughed again, so lightly. “Better.”

His features seemed to relax with this, something like relief curling faintly at his lips.

(relief… and satisfaction.)

And then, he said, “Second,” and it was her brows who furrowed now, green, green eyes meeting his own in silent query.

His gaze softened in return. “That night, all those years ago,” he went on, quiet, “I couldn’t leave without taking something of you with me. Without being selfish one last time before severing all my bonds.”

Her heart skipped a beat at this; breath catching in her throat.

“I kissed you on that bench, Sakura.”

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It was always her, she realized. Even since they were twelve, since he was bent on revenge and running away towards a dark, lonely path—it was always her.

Title: Absence

Rating: K+/PG

Notes: I don’t like (and I don’t do it) to change stories or jump from one prompt to another unless I’m combining them, but today is Sasuke's Birthday and I wanted to post something special. So, I’m taking a short break from the story I’ve been writing up to the moment to bring you this little one for the Prompt of his day.

It’s an old work from 2014, when I participated in the SasuSaku Month. After asking for permission, I posted the few stories I could write before going away on holiday in Spanish, my mother tongue, among them this one. I’ve translated and edited it a bit. As always, if you find something strange, tell me, please. I hope you enjoy it :) Tomorrow, I’ll post Prompt 13, continuing the on-going story (I wanted to upload both today, hahaha ¯\_ʘᗜʘ_/¯).

Words: 1237

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ABSENCE The seconds ticked loudly in the silence of the room, announcing with every sound that minutes and hours kept going by from the time he had told her that he would return.

As with everything else with Sasuke, big steps in their relationship were different. They weren’t marked by big events or over the top romantics, they just happened.

Ino would argue that Sasuke didn’t have a romantic bone in his body, sometimes Sakura was inclined to agree. He wouldn’t sing off key to her at anniversaries, wouldn’t write her poems in calligraphy to send over her work in an ink dove, but Sasuke could be romantic in the ways you’d only find in novels.

So she shouldn’t have been surprised when he proposed to her with the moon reflecting on the lake water on what could have very well been an enchanted forest.

She said Yes because really, there has never been another answer.

“Let’s get married tomorrow.” He said and she didn’t have to be looking into his eyes to know that he was serious, he wouldn’t not be serious about something like that. “There’s a village half a day’s journey from here.”

She had to stop him there, “Shouldn’t we take this slowly, it’s a big step.” On she was a hundred percent sure she wanted to take, one she wanted to be sure he wouldn’t regret.

“We’ve taken everything else slowly, and I know you’ve never asked for anything more than I was ready to give for my benefit.” She could hear his grateful tone of voice, he wasn’t always ready to tie himself to another, for so long he feared that if he let himself love he might lose everything over again. But she could wait, she wanted to tell him.

Sasuke stares at the growing pink hair of his female companion. They had been traveling non-stop for five hours now when a blushing shinobi of Iwa appeared and greeted Sakura. They are now near the outskirts of Takigakure, Sasuke observes.

Following the aftermath of the war, many admirers express their romantic feelings for Sakura. A week before when he asked Sakura if she would be willing to go and travel the world with him. With her eyes watering with so much emotions, she said yes certainly. And since then, many would take notice of her, most would be men in their age, giving her some letters and gifts of that sort. 

It is expected, Sasuke thinks. Sakura touched many lives during the war. As a healer, as a comrade, and as a friend. But to say that did not bother the sharingan-wielder would be a lie. He will always be standing there awkwardly by the side; waiting until her admirers would finally back off.

Sakura had always apologized for those disruptions. And he would always brush it off, saying he did not mind. But he did. He does.

And as he observes how the Iwa shinobi stutters to give Sakura a love letter, he has not noticed that he approaches them silently. The said Iwa shinobi then uncomfortably shifted and retracted his letter. His onyx eyes give him a once-over. He is only a few centimeters shorter than Sasuke. He has blue eyes and brown hair. He is carrying a huge shuriken behind his back.

“I-I haven’t noticed you have company, Sakura-san.”

Sakura smiles and introduces Sasuke to the shinobi. “Oh right, Banri, I assume you know Uchiha Sasuke.”

“Of course I do! He is one of the heroes of the war, alongside with you, of course, Sakura-san.” Banri nods and extends his hand to offer to Sasuke. “It is an honor for me to meet you.”

Sasuke looks at the shinobi’s hand wrapped in bandages. And after a careful observation, he has obliged to give the man a firm handshake. He then turns to Sakura. “If we keep our pace, we’ll be arriving at Takigakure by sunset.”

“Right. I hope you do not overexert yourself, Banri-san. Afterall, your hand is still recovering.” Sakura nods at Sasuke then turns to face Banri. “I’ll see you around then. Take care.”

A slightly frowning Banri waves his hand and wishes for their safety during their travels. On his other hand is the letter he has always wishes to give to the kunoichi who has been on his mind ever since the war.

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Sasuke and Sakura arrive at their destination before the sunset. Ignoring some distrustful stares, they go to the market to buy some food. And after that, they settle to one of the caves near a waterfall.

And as their usual routine goes, they quietly eat their food.

“Do you get that a lot?” Sasuke begins.

Sakura pauses from eating her grilled fish, tilting her head in confusion. “What do you mean, Sasuke-kun?”

“Men approaching you.” He says afterwards, avoiding her gaze in the process.

“I guess. During the two years you’ve been searching for yourself, trying to correct your past mistakes, I have been assigned missions from time to time too. And yes, more often than not, people recognize me as the pink-haired healer.” She answers and then goes back to eating.

“That is not what I meant.” His eyes glued on the fire, still trying to avoid any eye contact with her.

Sakura’s brows furrow in confusion. She is about to ask him for a clarification, but then it occurs to her what he means. “Oh..” She puts her food on her side and faces him altogether. “Why are you asking me such thing, Sasuke-kun?”

A minute of silence settles in. The sound of the wood cracking from fire takes over. And although Sakura wants answers from her questions, she now knows Sasuke enough not to meddle into his thoughts. She is not going to force him to open up.

“Why? Why me?” He asks, raising his head this time.

Sakura is stupefied at first. This man that she has only ever loved since day one, questioning her. Indeed why is it him. There are plenty of guys out there willing to offer her everything. But this man, who has hurt her too many times, she still feels that she will only be happy with him.

“It was always you, Sasuke-kun. It will always be you.” She finally says. 

“Whatever happens, I will still love you. There is no reason for that. I know there is a long way ahead of us, but I am willing to wait. No matter how long it takes.” She smiles this time, a sincere and bright one, the smile that is only reserved for him.

“I know what you’re going to say. And I’m repeating what I just said. No matter how long it takes, Sasuke-kun. I’ll be by your side. Always.”

Sasuke rubs his nape, keeping his eyes on the ground. And when his eyes meet hers, he smirks. “You really are annoying.”

Her smile brightens even more, already knowing the hidden meaning behind the insult. “Oh! Before we forget!” She reaches out for her bag, searching for something. She brings out a rectangle-shaped box wrapped in a color blue paper.

“Happy Birthday Sasuke-kun!” She extends her arm, giving her gift to him.

He blinks twice, thrice. He has not remembered that indeed it is his birthday today. He has not also noticed Sakura buying him a present. He takes the box from her hands, carefully opening it.

In it is the official picture of Team 7, framed in a wooden material. There is a hidden message that the people in the picture will always be there for him, accepting, welcoming him again in their lives.

“I figured that you lost yours years ago. And because of Pein’s attack, your things cannot be recovered anymore.” Sakura explains.

SSmonth Day 23: It was always you♡