The symphony of the nightās orchestra filled the serenity of the night. Two of the best shinobi of Konoha walked slowly, hands intertwined, both with tender and content smiles on their faces.
āWhere are we going, Sasuke-kun?ā
He turned his head towards her. āYouāll see,ā he answered simply.
The duo continued their nightly stroll, enjoying each otherās company and the beauty of nature around them. Sasuke led her to a rather large oak tree on a small hill and the two decided to lie down side by side on the grassy ground. Viridian eyes glowed at the sight of the numerous stars that sparkled in the night sky.
āWhoa, this is a great view for stargazing, Sasuke-kun!ā the kunoichi couldnāt help but gush excitedly. āDid you go to this place often?ā She glanced at him only to see that he was already looking at her, smiling softly.
āAa. You said you wanted to have a great view of the meteor shower, right?ā
His words made her heart melt with happiness, a blush adorning her cheeks making her feelings obvious for the world to see. Sakura reached out and placed a hand on his cheek, which he quickly covered with his own warm one. āArigatou,ā she breathed.
Authorās Note: I wanted to post this on Sasukeās birthday but I wanted to post everything in order soā¦ yeah. Just need to finish 8 prompts that are halfway done and Iām praying I could finish it all before July ends~ ganbatte @ self!Ā
For the longest time, Sasuke never celebrated his birthday.
The 23rd of July became just any other ordinary day. Since the fall of his clan, he didnāt have the urge or the will to make the day of his birth special. How can he be happy if he had no one to be with him? It only reminded him that he is all aloneā¦ only alive to kill the one whom he thought that loved him the most and avenge his family.
But he was able to celebrate it after a long while. Team 7 insisted he should. It was simple and though he will never admit it out loud, he was grateful.
When the young Uchiha left Konoha however, he made it a distant memoryā¦ something he didnāt want to indulge himself with. Bonds will only get in the way of his revenge. And after constantly fighting for years with the truth exposed to him, everything flew out of the window. Only when the war was finished did he get to finally be calm enough to think things throughā¦ and remember the day of his birth.
Though he was still on probation, it didnāt stop Naruto and Sakura from celebrating his eighteenth year in the world. It was as rowdy as when they were simply genin, and deep within Sasukeās heart, he wouldnāt have it any other way.
Now, it was hard not to remember his birthday. Aside from the fact that it falls on a hot summer day, someone was always there to remind him, even days before.
Sasuke felt sleep leaving him completely upon hearing soft giggles near him. Even without opening his eyes, he knew he wasnāt alone in bed anymore. A soft smile formed on his face as the giggles became louder, accompanied with a gentle shush. Finally allowing himself to embrace the new day, mismatched orbs found obsidian and emeralds twinkling with delight at him.
āHappy birthday, Sasuke-kun!ā his wife exclaimed before proceeding to sing the entire song for him, holding a cake in her hands. Their one year old daughter clapped and flailed her arms at her own will, accompanying her motherās tune while cooing and laughing at the same time. Upon seeing her fatherās sleepy face, little Sarada slapped her chubby hands on either side of his cheeks.
āPa! P-Papa!ā
Sakura paused in singing the last line to give a hearty laugh when she saw Sasukeās eyes went wide at their princessā rather forceful wake-up call.
āHappy birthday dear Sasuke-kun, happy birthday to you!ā the kunoichi ended, holding out the cake he knew that was made specifically to match his taste. The flames on the candles danced slowly, catching their little girlās attention. The head of the household finally joined his family in sitting upright on the large bed, taking Sarada to sit on his lap.
Sakura came closer to them. āMake a wish before you blow your candles, anata,ā she reminded him.
He nodded and stared into her jade eyes for a bit longer, then looked down to see his daughter staring at him with wide onyx orbs and a cheeky grin. Closing his own soulās windows, he reflected his own heart.
āFor my dream to come true.ā
Sakuraās heart wanted to burst at the sight of his husband and daughter blowing the candlesā flames in sync. Sarada clapped her hands and cooed, kicking a bit and then throwing her fists in the air while laughing. The Uchiha patriarch gave a soft chuckle of his own, stroking the little oneās head with all the fatherly love in the world. His wife placed the cake at the bedside table and just as she was about to turn and face her family, a hand shot out, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her down the bed right beside Sasuke.
She gave a small shriek in surprise that turned into giggles as she felt her husband turn his head to nuzzle her cheek. Their little girl crawled on Sasukeās chest, cooing and laughing as if telling her parents a story. Sakura cooed back, her hand caressing the babyās cheeks.
Sarada then lied down on her belly on top of her father, feeling comfortable, head turned sideways to face her mother. Sakura played with their princessās hands as tranquility enveloped the family of three. Contentment flooded Sasukeās senses in waves, thanking all the gods for giving him this second chance at life.
āWhat was your wish, anata?ā Sakura whispered softly, twirling her index finger as their little girl tried to grasp it.
He gave one of his genuine smiles reserved only for her. āTo be with you and Sarada just like this.ā
She raised one questioning eyebrow at him. āEh? But thatās too simple. You shouldāā
Sakura wasnāt able to finish for Sasuke already claimed her lips with his, locking in a passionate kiss. Their little moment was interrupted by a coo from their daughter. After seeing her parents share an affectionate moment, she crawled up and kissed her father on his cheeks.
āPapa!ā
The medic was able to see up close how a smile formed on his face, a look of absolute happiness taking over his features as he looked at their princess. He kissed her forehead in return and their little girl wiggled her body in happiness. She then reached out towards her mama and gave her a kiss as well.
āM-Mama!ā
Sakura laughed and took their baby in her arms. As mother and daughter played with each other, Sasuke looked on, his heart swelling with euphoria at seeing his family smile. The two then looked at him, both grinning widely.
āWe love you, papa!ā His wife proclaimed as she held Saradaās hands up in the air.
Their princess giggled and flailed her arms around. āPapa!ā
Sasuke didnāt have to look in a mirror to see how wide his smile had gotten. Another year was given to him and his heart swelled with gladness that he got to start it with the people who mean the entire world to him.
āThis is what I wished for.ā More than anythingā¦more than I deserve.
Rating: T (Really heavy angst + death! Please fasten your seatbelts my dudes. If you donāt like this kind of content please skip this post and donāt leave rude comments.)
Note: Today we come to you with a project which, despite adversities, we
wanted to complete. I came up with an idea that the wonderful @ss-tyytyyā has written while my role was to illustrate a few situations in this
story. We hope you will remember it for a long time. We both hope you
will enjoy it as much as we do! š
~~~
There was a time when Sarada couldnāt understand the bond her parents had and sheād even questioned their love for one another. Papa was away for so longā¦ mama was always alone.
Those were hard times for her and even after the three of them had been reunited she still hadnāt been able to grasp the entirety of how deep and true the love of the Uchiha ran. It was only after Papa had returned home for good that things truly started to become clear to her.
Papa was quiet and reserved, but Mama was easy enough to read. She was always her happiest when Papa was around, and Papa was happy too. Sarada spent a lot of time with her parents. They trained with her, taught her many things, and always made sure she was loved.
Those days were some of the happiest and most memorable of her life.
A new joy was born into their lives, another daughter who was named Sakuto. Sarada was fourteen at the time of her birth and though it was unexpected, she was just as elated as her parents to have a new member of their family.
Though she wasnāt a mirror image of Mama, she had her same soft, pink hair and had obtained her freckles as well. She had Papaās eyes which contrasted beautifully against her pale skin and light-colored hair. Sarada and her parents loved Sakuto deeply, just as they loved each other and after her birth, their family was complete.
They were happy. Their bond was stronger than ever. There was so much love and affection, even if it was on the quiet side.
The more time that passed, the easier it was for Sarada to see just how much Mama and Papa cherished one another, and how much she and her sister meant to them. Papa was home most of the time, though Mama did work at the hospital almost every day.
Sarada took pride in her chores, even having dinner prepared for her family on nights when Mama was working late. She adored all the time she got to spend with her baby sister. But most of all, she loved watching her parents together.
It was unreal, how those two could just exchange a glance alone and it be so full of affection, understanding, and mutual love and respect. What really got her though, were those moments that Papa would reach out and poke Mamaās forehead.
Mama always said it was better than a kiss, and it had always been touching to Sarada; but she knew it meant so much to Mama. She would always blush and avert her eyes from Papa, and Papa would get that suggestive smirk on his lips.
Sarada hoped that one day, she could have a love as unbreakable as the one her parents shared.
Things werenāt always perfect, but they were pretty close. Mama and Papa never argued. They never got angry with each other. They were both patient and caring and always striving to have the best for her and Sakuto. Mama had finally talked Papa into accepting a prosthetic arm. It was funny seeing him get used to having two arms.
They were happy.
But their happiness wasnāt meant to last forever.
SasuSaku Month 2018 – Day 17: Body Talk Rating: T+ (for suggestive themes and language) Context: AUāish A/N: New theme for this prompt. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!Ā
āI donāt know what youāre talking about,ā she replied dismissively not wanting to get into another argument over him.
Her boyfriend pursed his lips in displeasure at her answer. āIām not stupid, you know, and neither is he which is why he does it on purpose.ā
She was about to open her mouth to defend him, an unconscious habit of hers, but managed to stop herself. It was only natural that her new boyfriend was jealous of her previous one, she reminded herself. Sakura picked up her forgotten menu and began flipping through it, acting like she was deciding what to order. She did not need start thinking about him at a time like this, not in public where she couldnāt hide the angry tears and sobs that overwhelmed her whenever she thought of the past. Their past.
āCan we not talk about this here, please?ā asked Sakura quietly. āDid you decide what you wanted to order?ā
The young man observed her for a couple of seconds, taking in her glazed eyes and dark expression, before dropping the subject. Sakura was grateful he did and soon enough, she was able to push back unwanted memories and focus on the present. They ordered and chatted amicably every now and then. However, the calm was soon shattered by a loud excited cry behind her.
āHey, Sakura-chan!ā
Sakura gasped and froze in her seat, feeling her blood run cold when she instantly recognized the owner of the voice. A mop of blonde hair entered her peripheral and before she knew it, she was being enveloped in a tight, inescapable hug. The action caught her off guard and sprung up her anxiety because if he was around, then no doubt..
āYou tricked me, dobe, this is not the store.ā
Snow fell at a constant rate, the gush of wind harsher and colder. It is another long and winter for their village, but the people donāt mind. Itās been like that for centuries and they have adapted to the bitter cold. Lanterns filled the streets with a cheery glow, casting enchantment to both natives and tourists alike. The place was also known for their hot springs, and with winter came a flock of travellers.
Expert hands handled the weaving loom with ease. Emeralds twinkled at the sight of another cloak nearly complete ā another handiwork she can be proud of. The Haruno family was well known throughout the village and beyond for their intricate woven clothing all made by hand. For generations, they have mastered and perfected their art, the source of their pride. As the next head, it was only natural for Sakura to weave with as much skill and expertise as those of before her. Learning the craft at the tender age of two and with a dedication unlike any other, she was considered as a prodigy of their clan.
A leaf of cartography, an inkwell upturnedā¦ Heād stained the land, heād blotted out the verdant life around him.
SasuSaku Month 2018, Day 4: Burn
Rating: K+
A/N:Ā No content warnings for this fic, and I apologize for being a whopping twenty-four days late! For whatever reason, this one took forever and a half.
Sakura had been wandering through the secluded training grounds, eyes downcast; her troubling ruminations as much to blame as the glare of the sinking sun. There was something about the place that kept her coming back, something reassuringā¦.Ā Ever since the start of the chunin exams, she had been unable to quiet her mind. Sleepless nights strung together, wakeful worries interwove: she couldnāt shed the net tangled about her.
And through some frayed string of fate, she found the object of her rumination that evening. She caught him in a moment of weakness, shortly after heād fallen to Sabaku no Gaara and the beast within him, a time near the cruel anniversary of his clanās demise.
And he was sending up flares.
The gradual transition to twilight was the perfect showcase for his fireballs, their red flames churning upward to lick at the weary sun in spite, in envy.
They were her beacon, drawing her into the trees.
Under the canopy, the woods were dense and shadowy greenājust as they should be. Yet with every stride, the foliage grew more glaucous, the acerbic smell on the air strengthened, it burnedā¦. And she began to hear the silence as she went deeper. There was no chirping, no scurrying. No cicadas humming their nightly crescendo, their exaltation of the rising moon. Not even cries warning of her intrusion. Just the sound of her footsteps and breath and the heavy quietā¦ Her instincts, however, beckoned her onward.
And all at once, she found his fury.
It could have been beautiful. Perhaps it wasā¦.
She saw downy dandelion parachutes suspended in spring; she saw windswept sakura petals, lilting and languid at the height of hanamiā¦.
Yet she knew she stood in summer. Her hands leapt to cover her mouth, her heart.
Fine motes cast a strange veil to compound the dusk. Tufts of ash drifted sedately, buoyant on the dense air; wispy embers, flickering orange and gold, floated along the heated murk. Below, the incinerated terrain hissed and sputtered in despairing protest.
A leaf of cartography, an inkwell upturnedā¦ Heād stained the land, heād blotted out the verdant life around him.
The unfurling fumes thwarted her attempt at a calming breath, turning it into a muffled wheeze against her palm. Her fingers tightened at her collar, steaming with perspiration; she shook her head, repelling the flecks as they sifted down. One footfall disturbed the chalk of the forest floor; the next created a small cloud. Uneven as they were, her steps took her through the ruin, the temperature climbing as the sun fell, until she stood a few feet away from the boy she loved. The origin of the blazeā¦
Her tiny frame trembled faintly in the wafting grey, in the orange glow of smoldering coals. She could feel the heat of his destruction radiating into her skin. And she knew she should look him in the eyes, but she couldnātānot when his gaze had been so blank, so hollow only moments beforeā¦. Heād just stood there, among the scattered cinders and flames, the brittle charcoal, the blackened remnants of a vernal woodland. He could have been a child witnessing his first snowfall, dazed, unable to fathom it all. He hadnāt said a word. Perhaps heād been unable.
“S-Sasuke-kun,ā Sakura began hoarsely, sure in the need to break the silence, to tell himā¦yet so uncertain in the method, in the phrasing. āThe day we became geninā¦ā she trailed off, unable to deny her eyes the scene around him.
The burnt foliage above had come apart at the seams, falling so bright in the maturing darkness. Spores seeking to take root, nascent sparks popped and rocketed skyward to compete with those descending from the treetops. Flurrying and whirling, they clashed. Yet it was a futile rivalry, for even fire was failing: the last of the withering flames lusted after the unburnt traces at his feet; blindly, they reached and stretched and groped the scorched earth for virgin kindling to burn, to consumeā¦.
But thereās nothing leftā¦.
The notion tugged her from her odd reverie, sent a shiver to shake her spine. Sheād seen enough. Sakura bit down on her lip. The grainy dustāthe arid, acrid taste of smoke and wrathālingered on her tongue as her lips parted.
The weight of her words and the pain in the memory sucked the remaining oxygen from the haze around her, forcing her to speak too quickly: āThat day, you told me solitude is the worst sort of pain! I-I see it so clearly now, Sasuke-kun! Iā¦ā She felt weighted, so heavy. Her short hair shielded her face as she hung her head lower, eyes closed to the irritants and toxins around her. āIā¦ā she tried again, in a whisper, āI didnāt back then, I had no ideaā¦ā Her voice was stronger: āBut I think, maybe now, I understand what the pain of loneliness is. I have family and friendsā¦butā¦ā
She tentatively lifted her head to search for his eyes in the dim. She found them, dark and distantā¦and waiting. Hers shone and stung with tears to beāfrom the intensity of his regard; from the airborne debris of the sudden gust. The sparks floating around them flared and billowed on the wind. It whipped their hair, it reanimated the once-settled charred remnantsā¦. Watching the displaced pall subside around her still feet, she waited for the words to come.
When they did, they were frail, fraught: āYou feel so far awayā¦.ā
Come back to me, hung unspoken.
Recovering herself, Sakura quietly cleared her throat and took a soft step forward. She kept her tone gentle, free of judgement: āIt-it breaks my heart, Sasuke-kun, seeing youā¦like this.ā
Eyes now keen, now wary on hers, he was still panting from the exertion of forging his own inferno. Singes dotted the skin around his mouth, where heād exhaled fire. Like hers, his inky hair was dappled. Trickles of sweat streaked through the fine layer of grey on his face, stripping away the corruption, to reveal slivers of the boy she recognized, the boy she loved. She examined the rest of him and found myriad of scorch marks. Heād been reckless. His dominant arm hung forgotten at his side, the last vestiges of electricity convulsing through his fingers. So recklessā¦
She clenched the fabric of her dress; she felt her skin cool and prickle, felt the tiny hairs stand on endālike his current had somehow reached her.
Burning through your chakra like thisāyou could have killed yourself! You could haveā¦
Despite the chill gripping her body, a drop of her own perspiration slid from her temple to her chin. The feeling, though slight, was enough to break her train of thought. For the briefest moment, she wondered if he saw anything in the vein of clarity it left on herā¦. The droplet disappeared into the dust, and her mind centered.
Somehow, she knew it was time for honesty. Somehow, she knew he needed to hear it:
āBecauseā¦you mean everything to me. Everything.ā
The words had nearly caught in her throat, suspended like the ash in the sweltering air. I will not cry, she told herself. I wonāt weep for him. Heās never wanted that, he never willāand he deserves more than my tears.
As tentative as it was instinctual, her hand reached out for his shoulder. Eyes flitting between his and her target, she braced for an adverse reaction the moment she made contact, she expected it. Though he stiffened, he didnāt swat her away or shrink back: he just stood there and allowed her featherlike touch; watching the dust settle to further mute her bright hair, questioning her with his dubious silence.
Her eyes rose from his shoulder to scrutinize the three black tomoe etched into his neck, as they so often did, and she silently cursed the Snake. Beyond the singes, the malicious, black mark was the only blemish on his bodyāthe only visible manifestation of his suffering! Unless, of course, he set the coal of his eyes aflameā¦
And sheād seen the frightening power of both.
Is that what you were thinking, Sasuke-kun? ā¦Is that why you did this?
The fingers at the red of her collar clamped down, she moved to bite her lip againābut she stopped herself. She couldnāt give in to such a childish habit when sheād come this far, when he was listening. Determined, the verdure of her eyes returned to his.
āYou donāt have to be alone, Sasuke-kun,ā she spoke soothingly, careful to avoid a patronizing tone. āYouāll always have me.ā As a shy smile formed around her last word, she felt blood rush to her flame-flushed cheeks. Sakura ignored the sensation and forced her lips to loosen: this wasnāt the time to give in to girlish whimsy; sheād make her body obey. She bent her elbow to step solicitously closer, close enough to smell the earthy scent she knew to be his through the miasma. One hand on him, the other on her heart, she swore: āAlways.ā
I love you so muchā¦with all my heart, she thought, but I donāt think I can tell you that, not yet.
She gingerly traced his shoulder, nails collecting the fine, gritty precipitate there. She could feel the dexterity in the muscle, the power in the sinewā¦. And he didnāt flinch under her light touch, he didnāt avert his eyes. She moved nearer, preparing to see alarm or revulsion appear in his expression, until her forearm was flush against the length of his bicep, only a few inches of smoke separating the rest of them. She couldnāt breathe for fear of dispelling the moment, her chance to reach himā¦.
A branch snapped behind him, coils of red outlining its remaining leaves, faux fireflies swarming and twinkling in its wake. The fallen limb rippled through the powdery soot at the forest floor, sending it aloft once more.
Yet neither noticed, their senses entirely focused on the other.
SasuSaku Month 