dezmari:

SasuSaku Month 2017
Day 9: On Opposites Sides

Sakura was being held in a cell out of countless others
newly built in the bottom of the Hokage tower. It’s not a place she ever
thought she would be, being held prisoner in her own village. But it wasn’t her
village anymore.

Many of those she knew were being held in cells similar to
her own… no, they were being held in much worse places awaiting much more
severe punishment.

She had been caught in the hospital attempting to wake up
Naruto from his long coma, she was turned in by her own colleagues. Those who
feared their new Hokage more than they respected her. She shouldn’t blame them,
it was called survival. Their punishment for turning a blind eye would have
been much worse than hers for openly challenging his rule.

She could hear the door open and close at the end of the
hall, could hear every step he took toward her cell until he made a stop. She
hadn’t been made to wait long.

She didn’t want to look at him, but she knew how it went and
he wouldn’t speak until she did. Better
get it over with.

When her gaze met his, she was met with the man she had
loved for more than half her life, the man who had betrayed them in the end.
There were some days when she didn’t know which of those statements held more
weight.

That day, the betrayal stung worse.

“Sakura.” He spoke her name with disappointment, she could
almost hear the words he didn’t say. Here
again?

She wasn’t afraid of him, she had already learned she could
get away with much more than anyone else could. Whenever she went against his
rule of rationing to save a patient she was let off with a curt but stern. Don’t do it again.

This time though, she was challenging his rule by trying to
wake up Naruto from his coma. They both knew it was Naruto’s rightful place. He
should kill her for that, he should have killed Naruto long ago. She held onto
that and that’s how she knew he wasn’t all lost.

“You need to stop doing this, I can’t have you undermining
my rule with your every action.” His words were tired, they’ve gone over this
countless times. Any other day his words would have been met with silence, with
her refusing to acknowledge him, that day she was feeling particularly biting.

“Then you’ll have to kill me.” It was yet another challenge.

“So this is the Sakura I’m met with today; the rebel, the
fighter.” His expression was unreadable but his voice was amused. “I much
prefer lover, the traitor to her own.” She didn’t flinch at his accusation,
that day she was strong.

“Are you afraid to kill me? Afraid you won’t be able to come
back from that?” She was baiting him.

“Don’t test me.” He threatened, half expecting her to back
down. She didn’t.

There was a moment of silence between them, their gazes
locked in a silent war neither of them were willing to lose.

“You know how to stop this.” It was a loaded statement. He
could kill her or he could step down from power, neither of which he was
willing to do.

“I will be back tomorrow.” He turned away leaving the unsaid
part of his sentence hanging in the air, I
hope you have a different answer by then. Sakura didn’t bait him then, she
didn’t know if she could be strong the next day.