SasuSaku Month 2017 Day 28: Hokage’s Desk
This is an excerpt from the wip of Wash Away the Red part 2. Here’s the first part if you want to check it out.
Sasuke hadn’t seen her in months, not since the day of the ceremony. When she turned around it didn’t take long for her eyes to find his. It only lasted a moment, he saw surprise flash in her eyes. He knew she had expected anyone but him, but he thinks that she shouldn’t have expected anyone except him. Her eyes asked a thousand questions her lips would not utter, and for a moment they stared at each other and there was no one in the room except them.
Too soon, she turned away, her gaze leaving his. “You’re all aware that this is voluntary?” They all nodded in response. “Very well…” Her voice trails off and her gaze turns to Shikamaru then, Sasuke could read her eyes perfectly. “What is he doing here?” She wondered silently, but he could almost hear the words as if she had spoken them.
Shikamaru only sighed in response and completely ignored her questioning gaze.
Sakura and him, they haven’t been on speaking terms, not since the day of the ceremony when honorifics served as the ultimate offense. For weeks he hated her, he didn’t want to see her and when he saw at opportunity to become anbu he took it. Surprisingly for him it didn’t take long for the anger to die out, he couldn’t hate her and afterwards all he wanted was to take his words back.
“Nara-san, I don’t think it’s safe for a former criminal to be part of Lady Hokage’s personal guard.” The woman besides him spoke and again Shikamaru let out a sigh. Sasuke knew it was coming sooner or later, he had nothing to say in his defense. He had tried to destroy the leaf, he had tried to kill her once.
“He won’t just be part of it, he’s the one in charge of her safety.” Shikamaru nodded over at Sasuke who just frowned in response. That, he didn’t expect.
“Are you really considering giving him the job, and risk Lady Hoage’s safety in the process? Yeah, time’s gone by, but no one has forgotten he’s a criminal.” The brunette spoke from the other side and Sasuke couldn’t find it in him to care about his words. He’s faced the backlash of his past actions, of his mistakes, since the moment he opened his eyes in a hospital bed and everyone looked at him with disgust and fear.
He’s found that the leaf does not forget.
And in turn, he’s found he doesn’t care.
“He’s better suited in every field and I will hear no more questions about the matter; are we clear, Hokuto, Hana? As for her safety, just be at ease knowing that he would first die than allow her to be harmed.” There was a smile at the corner of his lips that Sasuke did not find amusing. The two anbu at his side didn’t seem convinced, but knew better than to press the matter any further.
Sakura stood at Shikamaru’s side, her eyes looking everywhere but at him. After a moment she spoke, carefully masked disdain tainting her tone. “I appreciate the concern, but I assure you it’s not necessary. I’m sure Uchiha-san knows his place.” And there it was, that damned honorific he loathed, spilling from her tongue in a successful attempt to annoy him.
She addresses him and he’s obliged to respond, because that’s just how it goes between them. “Of course, Hokage-sama.” And he could see it in her eyes, even if it was only there for a second; the honorifics, they hurt her as much as they hurt him.
