Day 14 – Even Just for a Moment

emiwrites:

fandom: naruto
characters/pairings: sasusaku
a/n: sasusaku month, ssm17d14

He was a man of stately presence but he wasn’t overbearing. His quietness, his calm demeanor and his soft voice—he was like a flame, burning slowly, faintly and never bursting.

There was an air of tranquility around him now, as though he was at peace, not with the world as Sakura knew it was too soon, the wounds still fresh but at least, he looked like he was at peace with himself.

She’d caught him many times in his hospital room staring out the window with a distant look. The sight wasn’t anything extraordinary from his fourth floor room; red leaves falling down from the trees and above the skies forever changing as time passed. It was a nice sight, Sakura conceded, but Sasuke was never one to study nature like it was art.

Besides, she knew that look. She’d seen it before.

That faraway look, that look of wonder.

He wanted to leave. It was only a matter of time before he did and even Naruto wouldn’t be able to make him stay; this time, he wasn’t leaving to cultivate his anger and his hate.

He wasn’t leaving for power.

For what exactly, Sakura wasn’t sure but he was like a hawk, looking into the horizon for something only he could see and what he was looking for, it wasn’t in Konoha.

Still, he came back to them and he was here, at least for now. What they had now, even if it lasted only a moment—with everything that happened between them, it was enough. She loved him and she knew he cared for her and it was enough.

“Hi, Sasuke-kun,” Sakura greeted him when she entered his room. Walking up to him, she held up her grocery bag and said, “This time, I brought you some apples. I have some time to spare before I have to go to work. Want me to peel them for you?”

He looked at her for a moment, then slowly nodded his head, “Please.”

He was going to leave but in those fleeting moments they spent together, she knew they would be alright.