#ssmonth19

Her senses are slowly coming back to her, as the images of the previous night start to pop in her head, and it’s as if she can feel his hand all over her body once more. The pressure of his fingertips on her hips, his hot breath against the shell of her ear, the muscles of his back hardening under her hands with every, pleasant thrust. It’s even embarrassing to remember everything so vividly, and she feels her cheeks warming up a bit. Not a single one of her puerile fantasies could have prepared her for the reality of what is like to be married and in love to Uchiha Sasuke, as she is constantly learning new meanings for that every day.

It’s a wild adventure, for sure. Walking around the world, meeting new places, helping people, sleeping under the stars… It’s all very charming and exotic, and for newlyweds, well, it’s more than enough for them to be happy.

As sleep starts to fade from her body, her hands invade the other side of the bed, as in an automatic reflex to reach for her husband. Not surprisingly, though, her fingers grasp at nothing but the soft material of the sheets beneath her, and she already knows it’s not as early as she had originally thought.

Of course, he’s already up, she thinks, a sly smile decorating her lips. Not even after a whole day of tiring work can that man lie in for a little longer. He has always been an early riser— even during their younger days—, and even if she hated to wake up alone, at first, Sakura has now learned to enjoy the perks of not being the first to welcome a new day. He’s the one in charge of opening the windows, receiving the eventual letters from Konoha, and of course, preparing them something nice to eat…That’s certainly the best part of the day for her, and it’s all thanks to her husband’s hidden, domestic skills.

Oh, yes. If anything, Sasuke makes an excellent coffee in the morning. It’s strong, bitter and has a touch of cinnamon that feels like a warm and soft good-morning-kiss all over her body. Over the years, as a medic with a hectic schedule, Sakura has grown to depend on her daily doses of caffeine, to the point where she barely minds the taste anymore. Back in Konoha, she used to prepare enough just for herself every morning, leaving behind a single, dirty mug she would have to clean later. She would also get herself a couple of cups at the hospital cafeteria during her breaks, but now that they’re married and traveling together, well, he’s the one who brews it for both of them. 

Now they prepare enough for 2 people and leave behind two, dirty cups instead of one. It wasn’t so hard to get used to that, and the fact that his coffee is simply delicious only adds up to the countless reasons why she loves him.

It doesn’t take much before that delightful aroma invades her nostrils, and she can already feel her caffeine addiction demanding for her daily dose. Lazily, then, she finally opens her eyes, their green color contrasting with the pink of her messy hair and the wooden furniture of the cottage they’ve been sleeping in since their arrival at the Hidden Grass. The music from the forest outside brings peace to her heart, and the sun light that enters through the windows kisses the mahogany floor, slowly warming up the cold, autumn day.

It’s gonna be a beautiful day, she knows.

And with one, last smile, the pinkette finally decides to leave the comfort of that bed. 

She sits up, then, slowly moving her neck and feeling her short hair brushing the soft skin of her face. Her lips part to release a trapped yawn, and as she stretches her muscles, she can feel her bare body waking up all its senses. Sakura is fully up now, her feet walking around the room as she’s looking for some clothes to cover herself.

Both their ninja attires are still laying forgotten on the floor, and luckily, the first thing she finds is her underwear. Quickly, she finds a black sports bra near the bed’s foot, and after she gives up on trying to find her shirt— because who knows where the hell he tossed it last night—, Sakura opens her backpack to grab one of his old, black T-shirts he used to wear when they were genin. She puts it on, the hem falling just above her mid-thigh, and after running her fingers through her hair, her eyes catch her own reflection at the mirror that rests near the door. 

She really looks like a child dressed like that, she thinks, a smile on her lips. Whenever she wears his old clothes, Sakura can’t help but be enveloped by an innocent and youthful feeling. They’ve come a long way since he last wore that shirt, and it’s inevitable for the memories of their adventures to pop up in her head. Good things, bad things, just things…A lot has happened in the past couple of years, and if anything, the seal that decorates her large forehead is enough to show her how much she’s grown.

She is a powerful ninja now. She’s confident about herself, she’s seen many new places, and she’s married the love of her life. 

Sakura’s certainly blossomed into a beautiful woman. A small woman who wears her husband's old and comfortable clothes, sure, but a woman who’s living her dreams, nonetheless.

Her feet are now dragging her out of the room and towards the common area. For it’s a small cabin, it doesn’t take long before her eyes find him, and she feels her cheeks warming up in pure bliss. As expected, Sasuke is brewing some coffee for them, focused as he handles the boiling water. His mismatched eyes are serene and free from any hatred— like they have been for a while now—, and she can’t help but enjoy that view.

Uchiha Sasuke, one of the most powerful ninjas in the entire world, is using all of his skills just to make some coffee. He’s wearing his dark sweatpants and plain, white t-shirt; and his jet-black hair is softly falling forward to brush his cheeks. His sharp, angular chin makes his face look more mature, and she can’t help but remember how it feels to trace it with the tips of her fingers. He’s strong, handsome, and during their most intimate moments, he shows her he can be very, very—

“How long are you planning on just standing there and staring at me, Sakura?"

“Eh!?” His voice brings her back to reality, and she feels a bit embarrassed to have been caught like that, almost eating him alive with her eyes. Years ago, she would’ve probably fainted due to extreme embarrassment, but now, after spending so many moments together, she has learned how to let loose more around him and turn her silly embarrassment into something more.

"It’s starting to get creepy.”

“Creepy!? Shannarou…” She says, pretending to be offended as she walks towards him. “Can’t I just look at you for no reason? That’s what married people do, right? Unless you’re feeling intimidated, of course. If that’s the case, I can certainly stop.”

“Hn, as if.” He starts, a smirk lifting the corner of his lips. He’s adding a touch of cinnamon to the coffee, and the smells gets even better as it spreads around the room. “Stare as much as you want, then."

“I certainly will.” 

“Tch.” He scoffs, only now sparing her a glance. “Of all the shirts you could have packed, you steal one of mine.”

“It’s not my fault if your old shirts are very comfortable and warm.” She starts, her face ridden of any expression. “Besides, if not for me, you would’ve thrown them away. I doubt it will fit you anymore.”

“Probably not...But just imagine the amount of sweat and dirt I was never able to wash from this.”

“Ugh, you’re disgusting, Sasuke-kun. Next time, then, I’ll ask Naruto for one of his old clothes.” She smiles teasingly when she says that, and he shakes his head in disbelief at her silly answer. Even if they both know this is just a joke, Sakura can’t help but to provoke her husband’s silly and jealous side.

Silently, then, the pinkette notices that he’s almost finished, and immediately, she picks up two mugs from the counter and places them next to him. Their eyes meet briefly as he looks left, nodding as to acknowledge and thank her for her small help, and carefully, he pours some of the hot beverage for them. They set it aside so it can cool off a bit, and she can’t help but feel a bit cheerful as she sees the steam dancing over the rim of the ceramic mug. 

“You know…” Sakura starts again, plopping herself over the counter so their eyes are almost on the same level. Her legs dangle from the edge, and she notices when he takes a step closer when he adjusts his body to face her. “I just love the smell of your coffee. It’s always so strong.”

“Well, it has to be, or else it won’t wake you up.”

She smiles at his comment, carefully placing her hand on the warm mug to see if it’s already safe to drink. "You have a very good point there, Sasuke-kun.”

“Won't you even try to deny it this time?” He lifts an eyebrow at her, as he holds his own mug in his hand and starts to blow on it. 

“Nope.” She giggles, finally picking up her own coffee and taking a sip. The liquid travels down her throat, warming up her insides and sending her jolts of happiness as it touches her taste buds. Chills run down her spine in pure pleasure, and she has to hold back the urge to let out a not-so-innocent moan. “Since I’m not really working under the hospital schedule right now, I don’t have to wake up that early anymore.”

“Tch, you say that as if you even sleep back home.” He smirks, taking a sip of his own coffee and she doesn’t miss the sensation of his left leg softly brushing hers.

“You woke up quite the funny guy today, huh, Sasuke-kun. Must have been a good night, right?” She teases, a knowing smirk hidden behind the mug that covers part of her face.

“Aa. You can say so…”

“Right…” She nods, taking another sip of her coffee. It always makes her happy to see him in a good mood, and personally, she feels proud of herself for that. "Well, as I was saying before you interrupted me, I don't have to wake up that early anymore, so I can wait for my dear husband to make me some of his delicious coffee.”

“I think I’m spoiling you too much.”

“Yeah…” She closes her eyes for a moment just before opening her left one to look at him. "Especially when you ask me to sleep in the woods with all those mosquitos and without hot water for weeks.”

“Hn.” He smirks. "Some people call it romantic.”

“Well, some people are insane.”

A soft smile is now gracing her lips as she takes yet another sip from her mug. In between all that peaceful teasing, a comfortable silence envelops them as they’re left to enjoy the moment. They’re all alone in a cottage in the middle of the woods, they’re young and they’re both just worried about how to properly appreciate a nice cup of coffee. Living in the woods has its perks, as they’ve learned, and even if Ino would probably call them old for doing that, well, Sakura couldn’t care less.

They have all the time in the world. They can drink their coffee alone, talk about nothing, read a book next to each other, take a walk in the middle of the night, make love under the moonlight…The options just seem endless when she stops to think about them. 

They’re living a life away from everything and everyone that connects them to their chaotic routines back in Konoha; and even if she misses her family and friends a lot, Sakura is still not ready to go home. She’s still not ready to leave their own, private infinity.

After a while, the coffee in her mug runs out and she lets out a deep and excited sigh. She places the mug on the counter next to her right leg, and her pretty, green eyes are once more set on him. There’s a silly smile on her lips, and she doesn’t know if it’s because of the warm coffee or because of the happiness taking over her insides, but she can feel her cheeks getting warmer. “You know, Sasuke-kun.” She starts, licking her lower lip. “I’m still waiting for you to wish me a good morning.”

“Wasn’t the coffee enough already?” He says, placing his mug on the counter away from her.

“Almost.” She giggles, taking his hand in hers and softly pulling him a bit closer.

“Hn, you really are becoming a spoiled and annoying woman, Sakura.”

“Well…You’re the one to blame for that.”

“I probably am.”

“So…” She says, almost humming, carefully playing with his fingers.

“Tch.” 

He scoffs, eventually giving in as his eyes meet her emerald ones. Sakura realizes he’s about to do what she wanted him to, and charmingly, she closes her eyes and starts to lean in. Her lips are slowly perked as she waits for his to meet her half-way, and it’s as if she can already feel their warmth pressed against her delicate skin.

She’s waiting for him to kiss her good-morning. She’s waiting for her husband to give in to one of the most common gestures between lovers in the world, and she truly believes that, this time, she’s gonna make it.

Sasuke is going to kiss her good-morning. He has to.

But when she doesn’t feel his lips against hers after at least 30 seconds, the pinkette knows there’s something off.

“Oi!” She starts, eyes still closed as she holds a certain hope. “Aren't you going to— Ouch!”

And so, in the middle of her ranting, she suddenly feels the pressure of his fingers against the center of her forehead. He did it with enough strength to slightly push her backwards, and she knows there’s a red mark decorating her skin on the spot he flickered his finger.

Of course, getting a kiss from her husband wouldn’t be so easy. He is Uchiha Sasuke, after all.

“You jerk!” She says, watching as he smirks at her, his hand now resting on his hip. “Would it have killed it you to be romantic for once?”

“And spoil you even more? Not gonna happen.”

“Tch.” She scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest. There’s a pout taking over her lips, and if anything, Sakura does look like a spoiled, little girl right now. “It was only a kiss…”

“Hn. Stop being a child, will you?” He turns around, then, as he starts walking towards the hallway. "I’m taking a shower now. You can go as soon as you’re done with the dishes.”

“You're the worst, Uchiha Sasuke.” She says, knowing very well she doesn’t mean that at all. Her insides start to feel warm all over again for she clearly doesn't miss the invitation behind his words.

Her husband really is something, she thinks, trapping her lower lip between her teeth. Emerald eyes are still on him as he’s walking away, and eventually, they can’t help but travel down until they stop at his firm and round—

“And quit staring at me.” His words make her smirk, and somehow, they also make her happy to know her husband knows her that well. He can be an ass sometimes and his intentional lack of timing for a couple of things might drive her a little mad, but, well…His coffee is just too good to lose.

“Tch. Leave me alone, will you?” She smiles brightly, her eyes beaming in pure happiness.

“Good Morning to you, too, Sakura.”

fin.

--------

At the sole mention of his name, her emerald eyes widened in surprise before softly relaxing. Of all the reasons why, someone could come after her with that face in the middle of the night, the Uchiha never really crossed her mind. After the end of the war, he has been admitted to the hospital— much to Sakura’s insistence— in order to take care of his injuries and run a battery of exams; and if anything, he has been a good patient ever since.

He hasn’t burned anything, he has been nice to the doctors, and for the first time in his life, Sasuke has been following orders. Her orders, to be more exact. Since it was her idea and since he used to be her teammate, Sakura took it upon herself to lead the medical team responsible for him. She signed the papers, prescribed the medications, analyzed the exams, examined him, and of course, she was the one people come to whenever there’s a problem involving the last Uchiha.

Most of the problems, as she’s learned, are not really problems, but since it’s him, well, it becomes a problem.

People were afraid of him. They were afraid he was going to burn the entire hospital down and that he was, in fact, planning to destroy the village as a part of his secret plan. To almost everyone, Uchiha Sasuke was still the criminal that has tried to kill the future Hokage of Konoha, and having an entire medical team that thought like that was quite troublesome. She was probably the only one who was not afraid of him, and that was probably why she had barely gone home in the past few weeks.

Sakura was exhausted, but that didn't mean she could just rest. Not when those three girls were probably thinking Sasuke was about to set the village on fire just because he wasn’t in his room.

A sigh escaped her lips, and after massaging the bridge of her nose, the pinkette decided to speak up. “Are you sure he wasn’t just using the bathroom or anything? Last time he was taking a shower and I walked in on him barely naked.”

“We are sure this time! He’s not there! We’ve checked.”

“Okay… I’ll go look for him then.”

“Should we inform the Hokage that Uchiha Sasuke has escaped.”

“What? No! I-I… I can handle this.”

“But can you handle him?” The one on the left said, her judging, blue eyes never leaving the pinkette. More than the other two, this girl held an arrogant aura towards Sakura and her decisions regarding the Uchiha. The young nurse hated him and whoever stood by his side; and that hatred transcended every professional barrier. 

And that was not something Sakura needed in her team.

For the first time since the girls had arrived, the young doctor stood straight, eyeing her subordinate with a serious face. The atmosphere got heavier, and from the corner of her eyes, Sakura could see the other two girls flinching. “I’m responsible for our patient. There’s no reason for any of us to bother the Godaime because of that… But of course, if you want to go out there, then make sure you’re not wasting her precious time.”

After those words and the meaning behind them, the girl shrank right there in the middle of the room. The pinkette, then, took a step forward and towards the door, grabbing her lab coat that was hanging on the back of one of the chairs. She put it on, fixing the collar, and finally turning to the now silent girls with a soft smile on her face. “You girls go get some coffee. I’ll take over now. Thank you for letting me know.”

“Thank you, Haruno-sensei!” One of them said, as they bowed down politely before exiting her office. 

Another defeated sigh escaped her lungs, and after taking in a couple of seconds to decide what to do next, Sakura left the room in order to look for her runaway teammate. Even if the girls told her they had already looked for him around the hospital, the pinkette knew better than to simply accept their words and not to double-check all the possible places where he could be. She knew he was still around the hospital— or at least nearby— for she could feel his chakra still looming around. It was faint, since the ANBU had placed chakra-restraining seals on his ankles, but it was still that same essence she’s so used to.

He was still there, she knew. And not only because she could feel his chakra.

She trusted him. As odd as that might sound, Sakura trusted Sasuke just like she trusted him back when they were younger. He might have made a lot of mistakes in the past, but he’s changed a lot after his battle against Naruto. He has opened his eyes to what really matters, and she knows he’s made peace with all his past demons.

Sakura likes to think she still knows him well enough to know when he’s telling the truth. And if he said he was going to stick to her medical recommendations, then she was going to believe him.

As she walked through the hallways of the Konoha Hospital, her emerald eyes were carefully looking for him. She couldn’t really ask around for the whereabouts of a patient like Uchiha Sasuke, so she was trying her best not to look suspicious while doing so. 

Her feet dragged her around all the common areas of the hospital, smiling and waving at everyone who approached her to say hello. Her acting skills were on point, for no one seemed to suspect her real intentions. She checked the physiotherapy rooms, the guest room, the cafeteria and even the waiting room; but there was no sign of his spiked hair. It was already 4am and she was looking for him like a mother who looks for her lost child in the middle of the crowd, though, instead of panicking, Sakura was just growing annoyed at him.

He was going to pay for doing this. He was going to pay for running around the hospital like a child, and she was going to make sure he learned his lesson.

Why couldn’t he just stay in his room? It couldn’t be worse than Orochimaru’s hideouts, for crying out loud.

The pinkette grunted, closing her right hand in a tight fist. “Shannarou, Sasuke-kun…" She muttered. She had no idea of where on earth he could be anymore, for she had tried all the places where his presence wouldn’t cause a ruckus. It was like he had disappeared, vanished, like ninjas normally do. Sakura wanted to give up and just get ready for her shift, but she knew she couldn’t, no.

She couldn’t give up.

Not before scolding him for messing her schedule.

The young medic took a deep breath, then, boosting up her energies so she could continue to look for him. For she had already spent a considerable amount of time walking around the hospital like a fool, Sakura figured there was a chance he had already returned to his room. She made her way up to the 4th floor, as her heeled boots clicked their way across the hallway until she reached his room. Room 412, the last of the hallway and quite near the emergency stairs of the Hospital. It was still empty, as expected, with a soft breeze coming in through the opened window. The curtains were dancing to the chilly, autumn serenade; the moonlight painted the ceramic floor and—

Oh…

And so… it clicked. 

The window. Of course, the girls forgot to mention that.

“Tch… Shannrou, how could I not think of that?” She cursed herself, shaking her head, as a soft smile graced her tired lips. For such a good ninja, Sasuke had left behind a trail that any genin could follow, and if anything, Sakura believed that was his intention from the start.

He wanted people to know where he was.

He wanted people to know his location within the hospital grounds.

And now that she did, Sakura could only hope for him not to be cold.

A warm feeling took over her chest as she slowly closed the door behind her. The room was once more enveloped by a comfortable penumbra, and as she rested her back against the door, the pinkette felt like a naive teenager about to do something irresponsible again. Even if she was, indeed, going after him because of her job, Sakura couldn’t help but feel excited about meeting him in a secretive place at 4am. She could tell the nurses where he was and she could even ask someone to deliver him a note, but where would be the fun in that?

It was silly of her, for sure, and she could just take the stairs as any other, normal human-being of the hospital, but for once, she wanted to do something different.

For once, she wanted to use the window.

Her teeth trapped her lower lip once more before moving away from the door, and on her way towards her newest exit, Sakura decided to take the spare blanket from inside the closet. She stood in front of the window, then, allowing the cool breeze to play with her pink locks, and in a blink of an eye, the young doctor was already making her way to the rooftop. 

Using the structure of the building to get some impulse, she jumped her way upwards, and before she knew it, her emerald eyes were already looking at him as she landed on the rail a couple of meters away from him. His eyes had seen her, she knew, but her presence didn’t affect his calm and serene demeanour. The wind was also playing with his dark locks, and after looking at his clothes, Sakura was happy to have brought the blanket along.

After stepping down from her landing spot, the pinkette started to make her way towards her teammate. A soft smile still decorated her lips, and she took a deep breath before leaning against the rail next to him. “You know…” She started, slowly, as the wind brushed against her cheeks. “Whenever you leave your room without telling anyone, all the nurses of my team come to me saying you’re finally ready to destroy the village. Can you just make up your mind and tell them you’re actually trying to behave?”

“Oh…” He shook his head, ever so slowly, still not taking his eyes away from the lights of the village beneath them. “And do you think they would believe me?”

“Probably not… I guess the only solution is for you to stay in your room, or at least, leave a note with your precise coordination.”

“Aah… I’ll keep that in mind for the next time, then.”

“Tch… You’re impossible, shannarou."

Her emerald eyes were now watching him, and she couldn’t help but be captured by the soft movement of his dark locks as they brushed against his skin. Lately, he seemed to be calmer than ever before, and even if she knew it wasn’t normal for him to be up there, it was good to see the Uchiha dealing with his emotions in a more mature way.

“So…” She started again, her voice lower now. “Wanna tell me why you’re up here at 4:30 am?”

“Couldn’t sleep.”

“Is that all?”

“Is it ever all?"

She simply nodded, noticing he didn’t want to get into the details of what had woken him up in the middle of the night. Sakura would never want to pressure him, especially since he knew he could come to her whenever he felt like it. It was important to give him time to process his emotions, and she was ready to give him all the time he needed to do so. 

“Hum…” She continued, then, her voice now a bit softer. "You know, people with insomnia don’t just go to rooftops. They try reading books first, then they go out for a walk. Have you already finished all the books I’ve brought you?”

“Aah.” He nodded. “I’ll return them later.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that…Most importantly, did you like them?”

“They were fine. I didn’t know you were into mystery books.” He sparred her a glance, as to say he was truly interested in her literally tastes.

“Do I really look like a girl who only reads romance books?”

“Hn.” He smirked. “Definitely not.”

“I’ll bring you more tomorrow. Any preferences?”

“Whatever you choose is fine, I guess.”

“Good…”

As her voice seemed to dissolve in the wind, a comfortable silence was set between them. Their eyes were still lingering over the lights below them, and for the first time, Sakura understood why he chose the rooftop, even if so many things happened there a couple of years back.

Even if that was the place that marked the ruin of the team 7, she understood his reasons.

It was calm up there. It felt free, the air felt lighter and the lights illuminating the streets brought them a steady sense of happiness. For someone who was filled with all kinds of problems and responsibilities, just a couple minutes there were already reinvigorating. Seeing the village sleeping so peacefully after months of constant uncertainty brought ease to her heart, and at that moment, she hoped it did the same with his.

She hoped the lights below them were enough to brighten up his darkest nightmares.

The dim lights that reached his face illuminated his mismatched eyes, and she felt her heart skipping a beat. Over the years, she could see, Sasuke has turned into a beautiful man. His face has become more angular, his traces more mature and his eyes— Itachi’s eyes, as he had said during his interrogation— now held no sign of hatred towards the village. The pinkette would be lying if she said his appearance had no effect on her, and the fact that she still had feelings for him didn’t make things any easier for her.

Sakura still loves him, for sure. And her love for him was making her happy to see him growing.

Perhaps, she should just leave him to his thoughts. Perhaps, she should just—

“You’re awfully quiet tonight, Sakura.”

Her eyes widened as her name rolled out of his tongue, and soon, she was brought back to their reality. Perhaps she could stay a little longer. “Sorry… I spaced out. I don’t want to interrupt your time alone.”

“You’re not interrupting anything.”

“Oh, I see…” She smiled, then, as her teeth bit her lower lip. At that moment, she could feel her cheeks warming up.

“Hn, everything is different around here.”

“Well… It’s been a long time since you were home, right? It’s normal for things to have changed.”

“I guess you’re right… It’s still impressing, though. All these lights, the new buildings, the people… Life went on despite of everything that has happened to us.”

“Yeah… Sometimes I feel like those 3 years weren’t just 3 years, you know? Looking back now, it feels a lot longer than that. A lot of things have happened after you two left. We even went to war, Sasuke-kun… Did you miss anything in particular? From the village, I mean.”

“Aah… Believe it or not, but I’ve missed my apartment a lot. I don’t think I’ll ever spend another night in a dark cave ever in my life.”

A wave of laughter took over her, and she saw as his eyes were confusedly looking at her. One of his eyebrows was arched, a pout took over his lips and it was only after she went back to normal that the young medic was able to explain the reason behind her reaction. “I’m sorry, but… Of all things you could’ve missed, I was not expecting you to talk about your apartment so longingly like that.”

“Eh? Why not?”

“I guess it’s just too simple for you, you know? To think Uchiha Sasuke would miss his bed out of so many other things.”

“What else could I have missed?”

“Well, I don’t know… Maybe your favorite food, the hot springs… Basically seeing the sun, in your case… But your bed? Really?”

“Tch… It’s not my fault if you don’t sleep anymore because of your job.”

“Hey, I do sleep, okay? Maybe not as much as normal people do, but that’s because my job makes me stay awake at night.”

“Yeah, right…” He scoffed, clearly not buying her excuse. “When was the last time you went home to sleep in your bed, by the way?”

“… Well… I went home yesterday and rested a bit.”

“How many hours did you sleep, Sakura?”

“… Around 2 hours?”

He shook his head defeatedly at her confession, as his eyes glanced at her. Sasuke was silently judging her at that moment, and even if she was trying to find herself a good argument, she knew he wouldn’t accept it. Ever since he became her patient, the Uchiha has been monitoring her working schedule like a hawk. He didn’t know much about this new Sakura, but if anything, he knew she had turned into a reckless workaholic, who barely went home and who clearly didn’t know when to stop.

So much for the greatest medical ninja of their generation.

“That’s barely a nap.”

“It’s enough.” She said, a soft smile decorating her lips. “Besides, I do get some sleep in my office when I’m not working.”

“You mean on that old couch of yours? That doesn’t count.”

“Of course it does.”

“Tch, you’re still so stubborn.” 

“Me? Look who’s talking! You’re just as headstrong as Naruto!”

“Hn. It’s different.”

“How so?”

“It just is. I’m not an idiot.”

“…” She shook her head at his statement, smiling softly at such a mature argument. At that moment, her emerald eyes captured a couple of new lights popping up, a new family probably about to start a new day. People were about to get ready for a new day in Konoha, and she used that moment to check her wrist watch. It was 4:55am. She had five more minutes before her shift started, and unfortunately, that meant it was time for them to end their night.

It was pretty late, after all.

“I guess it’s getting pretty late, right, Sasuke-kun…?”

“A little… I guess you need to go, right?”

“Yeah…” She said, sounding a lot sadder than she had initially planned. “I have to. Want me to walk you back to your room?”

“No, it’s fine. I’m not going back just yet.”

“Eh? Aren’t you sleepy?”

“Just a bit.” He nodded, looking at the horizon one more time. “But I still want to see one more thing.”

“Really? What is it?”

“Hn.” He blinked, taking a little longer to open his eyes. “Let’s see if you were right about the sun.”

One, last warm smile graced her lips, as she took a step away from the rail. Even if she didn’t want to go— even if she wanted to stay with him so they could see the sunrise— Sakura knew better than to neglect her responsibilities. People were waiting for her. They needed her down there and she couldn’t simply ignore everything else for that one moment alone with him. 

There will be other opportunities, she knew. Once he got out of that hospital, perhaps, she could take a night off and invite him to spend some time with her. 

Their time would come, she told herself. And with a nod, the pinkette finally made up her mind.

“Well… Just go back to your room as soon as the sun rises, okay?”

“Aah.”

“And take this.” She started, and before he could turn to face her, Sakura was already covering his back with the brown blanket. She saw as his eyes widened, and at that, she simply smiled. “Stay warm, okay? I’ll go check on you later for more exams.”

“Hn. I will. And thank you.” He said, pulling the blanket closer. Even if he didn’t seem to be cold, he appreciated her gesture more than she could ever tell.

Sakura, then, started walking away from him, towards the stairs. Her heels were clicking against the floor, and her hands were now hidden inside the pockets of her white lab coat. Her mind was already set on the many things waiting for her downstairs, and even if she didn’t want to go, she couldn’t help but feel more motivated.

It is her job, after all.

“Sakura.”

“Eh?” She stopped on her heels, emerald eyes widening as she turned to face him one more time. “What is it, Sasuke-kun?”

“Try getting some rest.”

“Maybe later.” She smirked, biting her lower lip in a childish way.

“Why not now? Isn’t your shift over?”

“Over? Oh, no…” She giggled, turning once more towards her way out. “It’s just about to start.”

“What?!” He snapped, surprised, and at that, the pinkette only laughed.

“Good Night, Sasuke-kun!”

Sakura, then, opened the door, and before it closed behind her, she could only hear him muttering the word ‘irresponsible’. She felt her heart beating a little faster after that, and she couldn’t wait to hear about his experience after he woke up.

A new day was about to begin. She was tired, sure, and she knew she could’ve spent that time getting some proper rest, but at that moment, Haruno Sakura was happy to be awake. She was smiling brightly, saying hello to all of those she met around the hallways, and as she went to grab the files of the patients, she could only hope he could see a beautiful sunrise.

fin.

Slowly, then, Sasuke finally feels his heart settling. He can think straight now, trying to pinpoint his location so he can figure out a way to go back to that new apartment the Hokage gave him. He’s still not used to that place yet, and he knows it’s still going to take a long time before he does. He has never lived in an apartment before— especially not under such circumstances— though he’s not sure if he likes it. It’s a lot smaller than his house, having no more than 3 rooms, and yet, it feels a lot emptier due to the silence that spreads within its walls. It’s colder, cleaner and lonelier than the house where he grew up in, and it’s weird waking up every day just to see his things still resting where he had last left them. 

But he doesn’t even try to compare them, no. This new place will never be his home, and that’s something he has made amends with for the past couple of days. Sasuke doesn’t have a home anymore, he knows. All he has is the vivid memory of a blood-stained district.

The urge of crying starts to build up in his throat once more, but he shoves it off as the grown-up man he thinks he’s supposed to be. His eyes, then, catch the sight of what seems to be a small tent made of leaves, and once more, he looks around to see if he’s really the only one around that clearing. There are some flowers growing around it, and what he supposes to be the entrance hole is more than enough for a person of his size to cross. It seems to be a secret hideout, he thinks. It’s small, hidden, and judging by the small things decorating it, he supposes it already belongs to someone. A girl, probably.

His eyes are wide now as he continues to observe the place, and he can feel an atypical curiosity getting the best of him. He has always known better than to just invade someone else’s space without a proper invitation, but curiosity proves itself to be stronger than him. It’s running through his veins and moving his feet on their own, and before he knows it, he’s slowly entering the hideout, dunking his head a little so he doesn’t destroy the paper flowers hanging from the ceiling.

There’s a small hallway that leads to an open space, and his small lips part in awe as his eyes wander around. There are many flowers growing around in small pots and a lot of small, girly things are spread around the ground. He finds a stuffed-bunny sitting in a small chair next to a couple of ninja books from the academy, and slowly, he realizes that this hideout probably belongs to a girl around his age. She seems to be very organized, he notes, for everything has its own place, and even if the things she has in there are not really his style, he appreciates the effort she puts into it to make the place look cute.

It is cute, he guesses, with his 7-year-old mind. Most girls would probably enjoy having a place like that to play in the woods. He certainly would, if the decoration was a bit more masculine. He would love having a place just for himself. A place he built and decorated all by himself, with all of his things and away from everything and everyone.

Yes. He would love a place like that. It would be his own, little corner in the world, and nothing would ever be able to ruin it. It would be big enough just for him, so he could see everything all the time, and he would be able to do all of his favorite things alone. He could stay there for as long as he wanted, away from people who come by to check on him and give him food, but never really stay for dinner; and without all that pity in their eyes, saying stupid things such as "I’m sorry for what’s happened” or “I know how you’re feeling”.

They don’t know anything. They never do. 

Being completely on his own would really be perfect, he thinks, sitting down so he can take a better look around. He closes his dark eyes, then, enjoying the silence and the chirping of the birds, and suddenly, he feels his heart being filled with an overwhelming melancholy. He’s all alone in the world now, and knowing he’s actually searching for comfort in that loneliness makes him feel a little hopeless regarding his future.

Will he always be alone? Will he always miss his family? And will he eventually be okay with all of that?

Sasuke really hopes not, but for now, at least, he believes that accepting that will be for the best.

One day, he will have his own, private oasis, but until that day comes, he can’t be alone.

Not even today. Not when he’s around all of these flowers.

The sound of rushed steps and a soft humming suddenly startles his ears, and before he can even move, he watches as the flowers of the entrance sway as a familiar girl passes beneath them. Her hair is pink like the cherry blossoms, her ribbon is red like a tomato and her eyes— her emerald, green eyes— widen as soon as she enters the hideout and sees him sitting there. He watches as a silly smile drops from her parted lips, and he holds her gaze locked with his for a little too long while a weird silence settles upon them.

So, the hideout belongs to Haruno Sakura, he thinks. It belongs to the shy and smart girl who got transferred not too long ago, and who still doesn’t have many friends. He never sees her hanging around the other girls from their class, and if anything, he thinks that’s something positive about her.

They’re looking at each other, silent questions being exchanged by their eyes. He can see as she’s progressively changing her expression, as her cheeks start to get redder in embarrassment and she brings her small hands close to her heart. Her small lips are slowly parting in awe, as her mind puts the pieces together, and even if he knows he’s the one trespassing, he can’t help but find her surprised expression amusing.

What a weird girl, he thinks.

“Sa-Sasuke-kun?” She starts, then, after a couple of minutes of pure silence. Her voice is pitched and surprised, but oddly, he doesn’t find it annoying at all. “I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were here! I didn’t mean to bother you! I will leave and—”

“Tch.” He clears his throat, a pout forming on his lips. For someone so smart, she seems to let her awkwardness get the best of her. “Why are you apologizing? This place is yours, right?”

She nods, slowly, but she doesn’t really seem to be affected by his words. “But you were here before, right? I don’t want to bother you, whatever it is that you’re doing.”

“Hn.” He scoffs, his voice a bit softer now. Finally, he stands up, adjusting his black shirt and hiding his hands inside his pockets. "I’m not doing anything. I was just passing by and got curious, that’s all.”

“I see…” She pouts, her brows arching as he can almost see the wheels turning inside her head. “Ah! Now I remember! Iruka-sensei was looking for you! I should let him know you’re here! Wait here, Sasuke-kun! I’ll go get h—“

“No!” He stops her on her tracks, his voice coming out harsher than he originally planned, as his eyes unexpectedly start to glare at her. Without thinking, he grabs her small hand, pulling her back before she can take another step towards the exit— towards that building, those people, those eyes. His heart starts racing again, and Sasuke knows she can read right through his reaction.

In her eyes, he sees a mix of fear and concern, but if anything, there are no traces of that fake pity everyone seems to be offering him for the past month. Sakura is actually worried about him. Not because of what’s happened to his family or because Iruka-sensei was looking for him; but because of what he’s feeling right now. That sudden harshness, impulsiveness and irritation...that’s not like him at all. Even if she knows about his family— because she does, he’s sure of that— she’s offering him the trivial emotion he’s been missing so much for the past month. 

Someone is worried about him. Someone cares. And that— well…That means a lot.

His eyes soften when he looks at her, as he realizes how rude that scream must have sounded. There is still a hint of fear in her emerald eyes, and he can see that they’re a bit watery, too. He certainly scared her back there. Not enough to make her run away from him, but he knows he needs to apologize.

"I-I…I’m sorry.” He says, embarrassment taking over his face as his eyes are set on the ground.

“Eh?”

"I didn’t mean to scream or anything like that…It was rude of me.”

“Aah…I-It’s really okay, Sasuke-kun…” She smiles, weakly at first, but slowly growing more confident. She shakes her hands in front of her face as to ease the atmosphere, and a soft chuckle escapes her lips. “I also get scared quite easily. It’s fine.”

“Still, it doesn’t excuse what I did!” He says, his heart beating a bit faster inside his chest as he started to mentally plan his next words. He can feel himself growing anxious as he tries to find the right words to apologize to her, for he doesn't know if he is ready to talk about what's happened just yet. It’s still too soon for his heart to bare, but he doesn't think he has a choice. Sasuke wants her to understand his reasons, hence, he doesn’t see another option that won’t end up with him telling her about his family. Not when he wants her to understand. “I was just…I was just so...You see, lately I—“

But she already does.

Before the Uchiha can say another word, Sakura uses her free hand to cover his lips. His eyes widen at the sudden and bold touch, and it’s as if all the words disappear from his head. Her eyes are drawing him in, offering his heart the comfort he’s been lacking for the past weeks, and subtly telling him he doesn’t need to explain himself.

I know, her eyes say, silently, and he feels her other hand giving him a squeeze. There’s a soft blush tinging her cheeks now, and even if the shy girl doesn’t hold eye contact for too long, it’s enough for him to understand her. 

She understands him. A girl with no friends, no outstanding skills and with a normal family. She understands him, and more than that, she’s offering the silent support he didn’t know he needed. She’s the one person he didn’t know he needed by his side. Oh...What an odd and cruel way for fate to bring them together.

He finally nods in agreement, then, after she releases his mouth, Sasuke manages to offer her a soft smile. It’s enough to make her lips curl up beamingly, and before an awkward silence can envelope the place, the shy pinkette takes the lead. 

With a strong and warm grip, she starts pulling him towards the flowers he saw before. “Well, if you’re not going after Iruka-sensei, you might as well give me a hand with these flowers. They need to be watered and we need to remove the dry leaves. Can you help me, Sasuke-kun?”

“...Of course.” He affirms, softly, letting her guide him to the flowers and pull him to the ground so they can sit side by side. She lets go of his hand, and for a moment, he misses the warmth of it.

“Yay! It’s going to be so much faster like this!”

“I guess…” He starts, his hands already touching the petals in front of him. “Also…Do you—uhm— Do you know what Iruka-sensei wanted from me?”

“Eh?” Her eyes widen for a bit, and soon there is an inquisitive pout taking over her lips. “I'm not really sure…But it’s probably to talk to you about the classes you’ve missed. He wouldn’t want his best student to stay behind, ne?”

“Oh…I see. It makes sense, I guess.”

“Yeah…” She grows silent for a moment, and his eyes catch the way her hands start fiddling nervously. He arches an eyebrow at that, and when he’s about to question her, Sakura spits out. “I-If you want, I can help you with that.”

“What?”

“I-I can give you my notes and I can help you study. There’s nothing that complicated, but there are some tricky parts every now and then.”

His eyes widen at her kindness, and once more, he’s impressed with that girl who has never talked to him before. They aren’t friends or anything like that, and yet, she is doing everything she can to help him with the simplest things. Sakura is slowly bringing him back to reality, and he’s extremely grateful for that.

“I would like that.” He says, sincerely. “You're the smartest girl in our class, so I bet your notes will help a lot.”

“Smartest?!” She chuckles, blushing a bit. “No way! I’m a disaster as a ninja.”

“Hn. Maybe you lack some training, but your test-grades are higher than mines.”

“Maybe it’s just luck…”

“Yeah, sure it is.” He teases, knowing very well luck has nothing to do with it. She’s a smart girl, and one day, if she can develop some good skills, he knows she will become a kind kunoichi. He really hopes she does.

“Well, then, maybe we can meet here after classes, what do you think? I can always use hand with the flowers. I-If you want, of course.”

“Yeah...It's a deal, then.” He nods at her, his voice now calmer than before. His heart is beating at normal speed, his breathing is even and even if he’s sad— even if he will be sad for years to come— right now, at least, he has found himself some peace. And it’s all thanks to her. “…Arigato, Sakura.”

His eyes capture the way her expression softens at his words, and she takes a deep breath in acceptance. Suddenly, though, much like when she first walked in on him, her eyes widen, her lips part in awe and her cheeks are blushing hard. “Eh?! D-Do you know my name?”

“What?! Of course, I do! We’ve been studying together for almost a year!”

“Well…But maybe you didn’t know? I mean, you’re always so serious and always so focused...”

“Tch, of course I know, Sakura. I…I do know. You’re a very weird person.”

“Hey! I’m not the one who invaded a weird hideout!”

They look at each other for a moment longer before sharing a comfortable laughter. Right now, even with everything that has happened, they’re able to have some fun. Slowly, they’re becoming friends, and for the moment, he knows, that’s all they need.

Someone by their side. Someone who accepts their scars and who understands how it feels to live a life so differently from the rest of the kids. 

And oddly, they do.

fin.

At her declaration, the Uchiha could feel his suspicious stare settling a bit. Due to the current political scenario of Konoha, the pinkette could easily go to jail just for saying such things about the man who was now the Hokage. If they found out she had actually travelled to the Iron land in order to join Sasuke— a nukenin on his way to destroy the village— to make her words real, chances were she would be sentenced to death as a traitor and her name would forever be stained by her shameful actions. She had a lot at stake for her words to be just a stupid lie.

Her past, her present and her future. Sakura could lose it all, hence there was no way her words were just another attempt on taking him back to the village.

No. Sakura is smarter than that. She wouldn’t underestimate his deduction abilities, especially not when it was clear that his eyes could read her like an open book even after all those years. He has always known when she was lying, and at that time, he was certain she was telling the truth.

She wanted a man dead. The man who was the leader of her village, and who she was supposed to protect with her life. As the loyal ninja from the Leaf she has always been, Sakura was supposed to be trying to keep him safe, not the other way around. Of course, more than anyone, Sasuke knew how repugnant Danzou could be, and he had no doubt in his heart that the world deserved to be ridden of his treacherous existence.

Sasuke knew his own reasons for taking away his life.

But what about hers?

At that moment, he couldn’t help but wonder in the world could be motivating Haruno Sakura to shove away her innocent and kind nature to give space to a shady murderer. He didn’t know, but the pinkette clearly had her reasons.

And he needed them in order to solve that puzzle she had become.

“Why?” He spoke, in a tone so low that almost got blown away by the cold wind. “ Why do you want to kill your Hokage?"

" It’s none of your business.” She shot back, not needing to spare a single second to consider answering his question.

“ If I’m going to kill him for you, I —“

“ You’re not killing him for me, Sasuke.” She snapped, her voice just high enough for him to understand her point. " I’m going with you, and I’m not asking for your permission this time. We’re doing this together. Just the two of us.”

“ Hn, and why should I just accept your words?” He crossed his arm, taking small steps towards her as if to seem intimidating. “ Why should I leave my team for you? I could kill you right now and no one would come to help you.”

His cold eyes hadn’t left hers, and she made no effort to avert them. There was a fierce shine in her emerald orbs, and he couldn’t help but find that endearing. Sakura was completely sure of herself and that new, dark confidence was leaving him oddly interested in whatever it was that she was about to say and do.

She had his full attention, for sure. And judging by the way she didn’t seem affected by his approach, it was easy to tell she could still have a lot more than just that.

“ Because you know I’m going to be more useful to you right now than your new, stupid friends.”  She spoke, confidence taking over her petite form. “ You also want him dead, Sasuke. And you need someone who’s willing to do anything to make sure that happens. I’m just trying to make things easier for both of us.”

Even if he hadn’t talked to her for over 3 years, and even if there was barely any physical resemblance to the girl he once knew; the Uchiha couldn’t help but allow her acting to disturb his senses. Sakura was showing herself to be more rational than ever, and it was as if all of her feelings were swallowed by that intense desire for revenge. There was no warmth within her. There was no hope and no kindness inside her, and at that moment, all he could see was the shell of a girl who was not going to stop until her hands were covered in blood.

For the first time in his life, his eyes were seeing the kunoichi’s potential at its fullest, not allowing any room for stupid things such as feelings or principles. She had turned into the ninja he always knew she could become if she had a consuming goal like his. It was odd to see her so lost, but it also made him proud of that new thing she had found for herself. Sakura was not going to stop until Danzou was dead, and he knew that she was going with or without his help.

There was no stopping her at that moment. And even if he hated to admit it, his ex-teammate was right when she mentioned that temporary partnership would also make things easier for him.

He also wanted Danzou dead. For being the Hokage of the village who destroyed his life and for being the direct responsible for his brother’s misery, Sasuke wanted that man to pay for his sins with his own life. He had a few information regarding Danzou’s whereabouts at that moment, and attempting to kill him with basically no background on his abilities would be hard even for the Uchiha.

Perhaps, a ninja so close to the Hokage as Haruno Sakura could be of great use, after all.

Perhaps they could commit that murder together.

“ There’s no turning back if you actually go against your Hokage, Sakura.”

“ I’m aware.”

“ And yet, you’re willing to risk it all?” He glared at her, as if trying to see through her real motivations.

“You knew about this, too, when you first left the village, Sasuke. And yet, it didn’t stop you.”

“ Hn, desertion is not the same as assassination.”

“ I know all the circumstances already. I’m not going back. Not until he’s dead.”

Her words were strong and confident, and suddenly, the Uchiha started to feel excited about this new, dark version of that girl. She was driven by this ominous force that had managed to find its way to her heart, and he suddenly found himself wishing it wouldn’t leave that soon. It was somehow beautiful to see Konoha’s precious, little kunoichi being consumed by hatred, and even if, in the end, they couldn’t really murder Danzou, killing the last fragments of who she used to be already seemed quite appealing.

Killing the purest heart of Konoha already felt like a win.

Either way, he thought, with a smirk on his face, he wanted to see the outcome.

” We’re leaving soon.” He said, then, closing his eyes in consent.

“ Hai.” She turned around, pulling the hood closer to her face. She was ready to leave that alley in order to grab her things so they could finally leave, but one, last sound caught her attention.

“ Oh, and Sakura…?” She stopped as her name rolled out of his tongue, not really bothering to turn to face him. Her hands were protected under the poncho, as she was doing her best to keep herself warm. “ Does that idiot know you’re here with me?”

“… I’ve already told you, Sasuke, it’s none of your business.” Her voice was harsh and sharp, not leaving any room for further doubts. " I don’t have to tell you or Naruto everything just because we used to be a team. Now go get ready. We don’t have much time left until he reaches the Kages’ meeting.”

“Hn… As you wish.”

                        ———————————————————

A shinobi must understand the proper time. When the enemy is tired and ill prepared, when his weapons lay forgotten in the silence of the dawn.

That is the right moment to attack.

That was their moment.

Not far from the Iron village, both the Sasuke and Sakura crawled through the complete darkness provided by a moonless sky. Dressed in their winter attires, they jumped through the tree branches in complete silence as they made their way towards their human target. The sound of their steps got mixed with the wind’s howling, and even with the harsh winter burning their faces, the blood in their veins was pumping fast enough to keep them warm.

Adrenaline was kicking in at the simple thought of what was about to happen, and to say it didn’t scare her the least, well, it would be a lie. Sakura was afraid of many things at that moment, but the one thing she feared the most was the overwhelming sensation the idea of revenge brought to her. It was intoxicating and exciting; and she wondered if that was how he’s been feeling since was just a young boy.

It felt reinvigorating. It consumed her with every step she took, sending strength to every fibre in her legs, and making sure she continued towards her macabre objective. Her eyes were as observant as ever, not missing the slightest movement of the animals that crossed their way, and she could feel all of her senses reverberating inside of her. It felt good. The action, the mystery, the thrill… It felt too fucking good, and for that, even with all the consequences she would eventually have to face, the pinkette didn’t want to stop.

She couldn’t stop, no. Not even if she wanted. Not after everything.

During their way towards Danzou’s location, Sakura caught herself staring at her partner for a little too long and a little too often. She wondered what was crossing his mind at that moment, and she wondered if he would be satisfied after killing that man who did all of those terrible things to his family. There were many things crossing her mind at that moment, and most of them— as sarcastically as it could be— were about his wellbeing.

Would he be okay after that? Would he get caught? Would he leave her behind if things went south? Deep inside, she hoped he did. If anything, Sasuke is a victim in that whole scenario where she was nothing but a mere intruder.

That’s what she has always been in his life. An intruder. In the end, she hadn’t changed at all.

In the same way Sasuke now knew about his brother’s fate, the pinkette was also aware of the sacrifices Itachi had to make in order to maintain the peace in Konoha. After the Pain’s incident and after Danzou assumed her master’s role in the village, Sakura was left to organize all the papers that had been forgotten in the depths of the Hokage’s tower. There, she found out everything regarding Itachi’s secret mission and the reason behind the Uchiha massacre. Thanks to the Sandaime, the truth was preserved in all of those documents, and by the end of that night, she was not the same girl from before.

Sakura was horrified. Tears stained her face while she read those papers, and when she got to the legist’ descriptions of the massacre, it took her a lot of control not to throw up all over the room. She was disgusted and ashamed of the village she has always called home, and after the new Hokage declared that Uchiha Sasuke was now an official criminal that had to be hunt down and killed— well, she knew she had to do something.

It might have been anger or hatred getting the best of her, but she didn’t care.

She wanted him to pay for what he did to those brothers. For destroying their love, trust and their memories; and for forcing them to fight ‘till death.

Sakura wanted him dead. And her heart wouldn’t stop racing until his body was laying lifeless in front of her.

Based on the information she had gathered back in the village, Sakura had a good idea of where Danzou would be staying, and since one of the ninjas escorting him belonged to the Aburame clan, chances were they would be camping around the forest. She didn’t really know those ninjas well— even if she had asked Ino about Yamanaka Fū— but their plan didn’t really need them to. They wanted to avoid engaging in unnecessary combat, especially against ninjas that were only puppets following orders.

And so, both the Haruno and the Uchiha tracked Danzou down for three days and two nights, stopping only to gather more information regarding the Hokage’s whereabouts. They barely spoke to each other while they moved, and yet, it was impressive to see how their synchrony was still as perfect as when they were genin. Words weren’t necessary to express their intentions, for their eyes spoke their own, silent language; the same they’ve once learned years before.

Ironically, she thought, that whole thing felt a lot like one of their missions back with the whole team 7. Gathering intel, camping outside and sneaking around in order to track and hunt down a certain criminal. It all felt very natural in her eyes, except for the fact that she had joined a nukenin and their mission was to assassinate her own Hokage. She would be the criminal after that, but at that moment, Sakura couldn’t find it in herself to care.

They had an important mission to fulfill. And no one else could do it but them.

Their third night in the woods finally led them towards their target. Silently and with their chakra levels reduced, the duo lurked in the shadows, their eyes set on a very large tent set a couple of meters below. The two ninjas that had left the village with Danzou stood outside, and for that, Sakura could tell the Hokage was in there.

Rage started to boil inside of her veins, but she knew better than to lose control at that moment. She couldn’t risk blowing up their plan, no. Not when they were so close.

Her eyes drifted to the Uchiha, then, and with a couple of hand signs they’ve learned during their younger days, she told him she was ready for the first time of their plan. He nodded, trustingly, and for a moment, they both held eye-contact for a little too long. She didn’t really know the meaning of that, but she felt her heart rate slowing down a bit, calming her nerves as she gathered more confidence in herself. After that, then, in a blink of an eye, Sakura was already on the ground, slowly making her way towards the tent. She could feel his eyes on her, and even if most people should take that a sign of bad luck, Sakura couldn’t help but feel lucky.

With her hitaiate proudly displaying the Konoha’s emblem, the Haruno approached the two ninja, who squinted their eyes at her presence. The one wearing glasses— Aburame Torune— was the first to take a step towards her, a clear attempt to keep her from continuing. “ Identify yourself.” He said, then, his voice sharp as the kunai in his hand.

“ I am Haruno Sakura. Medical Ninja of the Leaf and apprentice of the Godaime, Senju Tsunade. I’m here to bring new informations regarding her health state.” Sakura answered, no hesitation in her demeanor, as she handed a scroll to the other ninja, Yamanaka Fū. Without asking, then, he started reading the contents of the scroll, as his amber eyes carefully examined the message. After finishing, he passed the paper to his partner, who rolled the paper once he had finished reading.

“ We will deliver the scroll to the Rokudaime.” The Yamanaka said, his voice a bit softer than his partner’s. " You can leave now.”

“ Forgive me, but I request to see Danzou-sama. I still have another information I need to deliver.”

“ Tell us and we will make sure it gets to him.” Torune said, not wanting to let her through.

“ I have direct orders to deliver this message in person.”

“ Orders from whom?” He questioned her, clearly not trusting her intentions.

“ It does not concern you. In the same way you have your orders, I have mine.”

“ What are your intentions with the Hokage, Haruno Sakura?”

“ You shouldn’t be asking me such question, Yamanaka Fū.” She glared at the ninja in front of her, not feeling intimidated at all. “ We are all ninjas of the Leaf, after all. We are loyal to the Hokage."

Her emerald eyes clashed against Fū’s amber ones, and even if she was clearly outnumbered, she didn’t back off. Her breathing pattern didn’t change, her heart rate was controlled and there was no sign of alarm in her body. She is a very skilled ninja, after all. She was trained to maintain confident, and at that moment, that confidence made the difference.

“ Very well.” Torune said, returning the scroll and stepping away from the entrance. “ You can pass, but be quick. The Rokudaime needs to rest for tomorrow.”

“ Hai.” She nodded, then, not bothering to spare at glance at either of them. The pinkette made her way inside the large tent, and as expected, she was soon greeted by his horrendous presence.

Danzou was sitting just a couple of meters in front of her, his feet placed underneath his body, and at that moment, she had to fight back the urge to attack him right there. He was wearing that same, dark robe and his right eye was bandaged for a reason she did not know. His cane rested a couple of centimeters away from his hand, as he slowly took a sip from his tea. Watching him so peacefully living his life made rage boil in her veins, but still, she managed to keep her facade, kneeling down in front of him as a sign of respect. She lowered her head, then, eyes on the ground, as she felt his gaze finally setting upon her.

“ Good Evening, Hokage-sama.” She started, venom hidden in her voice. “ I bring you news from Konoha regarding the Godaime’s health condition.”

“ I’ve heard you outside, Haruno Sakura. Proceed.”

“ Hai. After a group of medical ninjas healed her over the night, Tsunade-sama has finally recovered and is now awake.”

“ Oh, Tsunade is awake, then…”

“ Yes. She’s ready to reassume her position as the Hoakge of the Leaf, as she’s preparing to attend the Kage Summit herself. You may return home, Lord Danzou.”

For a moment, his breathing pattern was the only thing she could hear inside that tent. She noticed the way it changed as she went on, and she wondered if he was buying that lie. Was he simply going to accept her words and give up on his position as the current Hokage? Probably not, but she was already expecting that from him.

“ I see. They’re expecting me to return, then. Will you escort me back too, child?”

“ If that’s what you wish, then, I will.”

“I understand…” He started, then, slowly standing up with the help of his cane. Sakura could tell there was more coming from him based on the ominous tone of his voice, and at that moment, she already knew the answer to her previous question. “ You see, being the head of the Ne for so long has taught me a couple useful things in life… I’ve seen a lot, I’ve heard a lot, and most of all, I’ve learned a lot of valuable things over the years.” He continued, taking a step forward towards her. “ And if there is one thing I’ve learned, child, is not to trust people. Especially not people like you. You’re lying, young girl. Your master is not awake.”

A new silence was spread inside the tent, enveloping them in a delicate aura of distrust, as if he was waiting for her to try to defend herself. He wanted to listen to her pleas and he wanted to see her making a fool of herself, but nothing came out of her mouth. At that moment, the pinkette knew there was no use in denying his words. He had seen right through her, but that didn’t affect her. Sakura knew that moment was going to come, eventually, and for that, she was prepared to deal with whatever was about happen.

“ Stand up, child.” He continued, then, his voice still calm and objective. “ Give up on this stupid act and at least look me in the eye.”

Without saying anything, the girl did as she was told, rising to her feet as her emerald eyes looked into his brown one, sending chills down her spine. She wasn’t trying to hide her disgust anymore, and if anything, she was glad she could stop pretending to respect his authority over her.

“ Now that’s better… Haruno Sakura. I know a lot about you. I know you’ve become Tsunade’s apprentice after your teammates left the village, and I know you have a very promising future as a medical ninja. You’re good at healing people and the whole village seems to like you. So, why, I wonder, do you look at me with such hatred in your eyes?”

“ Why don’t you try figuring out?” She spit, disgust in every syllable that left her lips. "

“ Very well… I’ve never really done anything to harm you. I’ve never threatened your master and I’ve never really done anything directly to your family. I’ve done nothing to you, Haruno Sakura… Unless..” He pondered, squinting his eye. After a couple of seconds, she saw as his expression lit up a bit, and she wanted to punch him for that. “ Unless you’re seeking justice for someone else. Someone such as… Uchiha Sasuke. Oh— Have you finally read those papers?”

Her emerald eyes were still glaring at him when he pronounced Sasuke’s name, and even if she didn’t think it was possible, Sakura could feel more hatred building up inside her. If anything, Danzou didn’t deserve to speak his name like that. Not after the atrocities he did, no. Not after everything. “ You’ve collected so many sins in your life that you’re not even sure of the reason why your enemies want you dead.”

“ Does it really matter, child?” He closed his, calmly, no trace of concern on his features. “ I don’t care about their reasons. I only care about mines. I’ve done what I did in order to protect my village. I don’t expect you to understand that, since you’re still too young… But one day, you will understand me. One day, you will thank me for what I did.”

“ I really doubt that.” She answered, harshly, her hands now turned into fists. “ There’s no excuse for what you’ve done. I will be dead before I thank you for allowing innocent people to die like that.”

“ Oh, I see… You’re loyal to him, but not to your village. How sad.” He shook his head in a faux disappointment, his expression still unchanged. “ What a shame it will be for Konoha to lose such a fine medical ninja. We expected more from you, Haruno Sakura.”

“ As long as I can get rid of you first, I will have served my purpose.”

“ My silly child…” He said, a mocking tone in his voice now. He snapped his fingers, then, and suddenly, the two ninjas that were outside appeared inside the tent, standing just a couple of centimeters behind her. “ You should’ve thought better before coming after me all alone."

Both Fū and Torune towered over her from where they stood, but she couldn’t feel their breaths tickling her neck. She could see them from the corner of her eyes, not moving by any means in the world. Inside that tent, at that moment, Sakura was completely outnumbered, and even if she was supposed to be feeling intimidated, she remained as calm as ever, her eyes still looking into his. Their presence didn’t scare her at all, Danzou could tell. She didn’t flinch, her breathing patter remained the same, and if anything, her eyes were shinning brighter than before, as excitement started to take over her senses.

Haruno Sakura was not afraid of those ninjas. Especially since she knew they weren’t even there to begin with.

“ You are mistaken, Danzou.” She started, not being able to hold back a certain arrogance in her voice. Her lips were twisting upwards in what seemed to be a small smirk, as she cocked her head to the right. “ We both know I’m not the one who’s outnumbered here. If you had done your homework on me, you would’ve known about my analytical skills regarding genjutsus, and then, perhaps, you would’ve tried something different to save your life.”

For the first time since she entered his tent, Sakura saw frustration on his face. He was certainly not expecting his genjutsu to be discovered to soon— if at all. Perhaps, he should’ve tried something better.“ … I guess I’ve underestimated you, child.”

“ You certainly did.” She said, glaring at him with even more intensity than before. “ Now, are you going to dispel it yourself or am I going to have to do it for you?”

At her words, his expression changed into a more focused one, as he glared back with discontentment. In a blink of an eye, he dispelled the genjutsu, making both of the ninjas disappear behind her. They were alone once again inside that tent, as the flame of a single candle continued to illuminate their surroundings.

“ Now that’s better.”

“ Silly child… I don’t care about what you’ve done to them, but I have to give you credit for that.” He nodded, then, recomposing himself. “ But just because you’re not outnumbered, it doesn’t mean you alone will be able to kill me.”

“ True.” She started, taking a deep breath and exhaling it confidently. For the first time that night, she looked away from him, as her feet took her closer to the entrance. Her hands went for the cloth that surrounded the tent, moving it aside, only to be welcomed by the chilly wind of the dawn. “ I alone could never kill a man so treacherous and low like you… And that’s why I’ve brought help. Perhaps, you know him.”

“ What?”

Her back was still turned to Danzou, but she could tell he couldn’t hide the concern in his expression as soon as Uchiha Sasuke joined them inside that tent. He entered without making a single sound, and in a blink of an eye, the old man’s cane was split in half. Danzou tumbled to the right in surprise after that, but soon regained his balance. Still, by the time she turned to face him, his expression was filled with frustration and and anger as he glared at the former teammates.

Both Sasuke and Sakura stood side by side, his hand placed over his sword and her gloved ones turned into fists. Emerald and scarlet eyes were now burning Danzou alive, for anyone could see how much those two ached for revenge.

A revenge that belonged to Uchiha Sauke.

A revenge he deserved to have.

“ Took you long enough.” The Uchiha said, as his eyes slowly drifted to her. For a moment, she felt them lingering for a bit too long, as if they were scanning her for any possible wound or any trace of blood.

“ Tch, I had to so the poison would start working.”

“ Hn.” He grunted, then, nodding at her in consent. Their eyes were connected now, and anyone could tell they were doing so much more than exchanging glances. Their eyes were talking in their own, secret language, and even without words, they knew exactly what the other was thinking.

Even after so long and even after everything they went through, both Sasuke and Sakura still had that special connection between them. They still formed the best duo, there was no denying that. Even if they wanted to— even if they had to— no one could ever surpass them. Not during their genin days. Not during that bloody mission.

“ Danzou.” Sasuke said, finally turning towards the man, his voice now cold and sharp like the night that enveloped that tent. The tomoes of his red eyes were set on that man, and if anything, they were searching for blood.

“ I should’ve known you would be with her, Uchiha Sasuke. A criminal such as you couldn’t simply disappear in the world, right?”

“ Don’t worry. I will dissapear, as soon as I make sure you’re dead.”

“ Always the same, arrogant brat… But you’ve done something good this time, at least. You’ve found yourself a very loyal partner. The perfect ninja to help you with your plan to destroy Konoha. She’s so blinded by hatred that she will even betray her entire village for you. You should be proud of her.”

“ You shut up, you bastard.” Sakura spit, her eyes burning with an emerald fire. “ I will—“

“ Aah. You’re right.” Sasuke interrupted her, a smirk now displayed on his lips. “ Hatred… Revenge… Those are things that consume us in ways we could never really understand. It can turn even the purest ninjas like Sakura into heartless assassins, who are driven purely by an intense bloodlust. If anything, you should be proud of yourself for doing this to her.”

“ You don’t even know why she’s doing this!” Danzou screamed, trying hard to get into the Uchiha’s head. “ You don’t even know her reasons!”

“ Hn.” The Uchiha started, taking a step closer to his target and standing in front of her. His tomoes started to swirl inside his irises, and they knew what was about to happen. “ As you’ve said… Does it really matter?”

From her spot, Sakura watched as Danzou’s eyes widened in surprise, much like hers did. So he heard it all, she thought. Even if she wasn’t really planing on telling him the reasons behind her decisions, it was already too late, for the Uchiha had listened to their whole conversation from outside of the tent. He knew her purposes. He knew what was driving her towards that new goal in the darkness, and he knew that, for the first time, there was someone by his side in his search of blood.

Sasuke knew he wasn’t alone anymore. And whether that made any difference at all, Sakura would  probably never know. They hadn’t made any plans after finishing their job, but she doubted they would follow the same path like they once followed 3 years before. Life could never be that simple, no. Not for them. Not after what they were about to do.

In a blink of an eye, Sasuke took his kusanagui out, lifting it and pointing it towards the man in front of them. She watched as his form was straight and imposing, as he elegantly prepared himself for striking his opponent.

It was beautiful, she thought. Beautiful and pure in its own way, and she felt entranced by the feelings he brought upon her.

They saw a drop of swear rolling down his forehead, and the simple fact that they knew Danzou was suffering at that moment made them feel overwhelmed by a sick sense of excitement. They wanted to kill that man. More than ever, both of Konoha’s finest ninjas were out there in search of blood. That feeling contradicted every single lesson they’ve learned at the academy, and they knew their friends would be very disappointed if they found out.

They would be horrified. And Naruto, oh— Naruto, he would—

And then, it hit her.

It didn’t matter, she thought, clearing her head from any memory from her innocent days at the village. At that moment, all the things she has ever considered joust and rightful were long gone from her heart, as she could feel all the void being filled by hatred. She could feel the darkness of his eyes trapping her in world of revenge, and she couldn’t find it in herself to fight back.

Sakura didn’t want to fight back, no. She was more than willingly accepting that new perspective, finding pleasure in the most gruesome things. She was thrilled by the idea of killing a man such as Danzou, especially since she felt no regrets on this. They were going to murder a man, and the rest, well, it was just the rest. Nothing else mattered anymore.

“ You’re both really far from home, children…”

Danzou’s voice echoed in their heads, and deep inside, they knew that man was right. They’ve come a long way since they were kids, and if anything, everything they did was leading them up to that.

They’re very far from home. And perhaps, after spilling that man’s dirty blood, they would never really go back.

fin.