reviee:

prompt: ssm17d24–after winter comes spring
notes: i wanted to contribute at least once for ssm17, ofc

they led separate lives, she as a pseudo head for the hospital, he as an invisible nomad who occasionally worked for the hokage, but always for himself. yet they were connected by a single band on the third finger of their left hand that, for her, she forgot constantly, that was not enough, and for him, a heavy weight that he carried. sometimes, he came back, they spent days together, always with the reality that he would leave soon. she didn’t dwell too much on the feeling, rather, hadn’t she settled in a life of constant waiting, solidified since she was twelve, when he had left for the first time and set the tone for the rest of their lives.

she settled into a quiet understanding, she did not let her moods change when he arrived, rather she worked hard to maintain her warmth all year. she knew if she started to hope, to expect, she would inevitably be disappointed, that it would cause turbulent changes in mood, in standards of living. 

“you smile less often, now,” he had said once, when they lay side by side, fingers touching. he sounded as one did when they could identify the problem clearly, but could not, after much searching, solve it. 

ironically, she smiled, and she touched his face. she never harbored any ill feelings towards him for leaving, she never blamed her state on him, she happily took in everything he gave her. 

“i’m okay,” she said, even though he did not ask, because he knew. 

he sighed, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her face to his chest. she didn’t cry, she inhaled, and felt comforted by his unchanged scent from when she was young.

they had gone on like that for months, for almost a year, like an old couple who had lived together for fifty years, comforted by their past, yet worn by their unwavering bond. in the heat of the summer, she discovered her pregnancy, and her mood plummeted.

sasuke was ecstatic, he put a hand on her stomach, he rubbed it, he spoke to it even in its embryonic stages. he made porridge for her wary appetite, he closely followed her instructions on tonics, but he did not change his ways, he departed as he usually did, and sakura was so used to not saying anything that she did not, even when her stomach felt heavy, even when she felt like throwing up. 

 sakura’s pregnancy was not pleasant, she was riddled with pains, she was constantly angry, her temper spilling over into friendly gatherings, work meetings and she started to constantly quarrel with sasuke. when are you coming back, she would say as he left even though she never asked; i don’t know, he would reply, and it was true, he came back at any time. he left less often during her pregnancy, but she didn’t notice.

in her seventh month it got worse, she cried often, she held her growing stomach and nobody left her alone. hinata, who was also pregnant, wobbled around her house, and they usually sat together, reading, in the garden. sometimes they would talk, but sakura was content without words. ino came sometimes, newly pregnant, bright and shining, without a bump in her stomach. compared to her, sakura felt dull, fat, and it depressed her. 

he came back one early evening, and was especially affectionate with her; he made dinner, he bathed her, he rubbed her feet. finally, he took her to bed, where he seduced her and made love to her. she slept soundly for once, she was quiet, and he laid awake, watching the curious twitch of her stomach, occasionally running a hand over it, always sending his thoughts to the baby inside. 

“i’ll be staying,” he said to her in the morning, as she slowly woke, as she turned to him without focus, “in konoha.”

she did not feel a weight off her shoulders, rather she felt even heavier, because she understood sasuke’s need to be outside the village, to protect it without being in it. but, she didn’t say anything, she didn’t want to leave him, she whispered thank you, and she fell asleep again.

sarada was born in march, just like her, yet she looked just like him. delivery was difficult, but the sounds of her first cries made sakura giddy, in a way she hadn’t felt throughout her pregnancy, and sasuke handed her the baby. she looked at him, he looked at her, they understood that they were husband and wife, that they were married. sakura’s love reignited, she remembered the academy days of chasing a sullen boy, she couldn’t believe he stood next to her as she gave birth to their child. it seems he understood the same; in an unlikely gesture he bent his head and gave her a kiss, while the nurses watched, while the baby squealed, and he pulled back, kissed her again.

“sarada uchiha,” he whispered, and it sounded like sakura uchiha, as if he was reminding himself of their family, of their unity.

inevitably he left, but as he walked through the door to their shared house, his home, she was comforted by baby sarada’s cries. he kissed her once, twice, and then the baby, once twice, and then he waved goodbye. she looked down at baby sarada, who was entertained by her bright smile. and laughed along with her.

dezmari:

SasuSaku Month 2017
Day 24: After Winter Comes Spring

Her mother had taught her that after a tragedy something
good will inevitably come to balance the scales. So Sakura knew that after the
rain came the sun, after the winter came the spring, and after a bad hair day
came a good hair day. Now she wished the problems were as simple.

Disaster after disaster had befallen them after the chunin
exams an every time something bad happened she told herself something good’s on its way.

And then, Sasuke left.

After that everything was a downward spiral of bad after bad.
And she learned something new, something her new teacher taught her, you can’t sit around and wait for a change,
you have to make one.

She thought she’d learned, but as she turned to the sound of
lighting she was back to being a child. After
a bad thing came a good thing.

We’re the bad thing.
There was a wild look in his eyes as he charged toward her, a final
confirmation that her Sasuke was long gone. She closed her eyes, awaiting the
strike of the lighting blade against her chest.

And as she did she told herself, the same way she would as a
child, something good’s on its way.

uchihafangirl:

SSmonth Day 23: It was always you

Sasuke stares at the growing pink hair of his female companion. They had been traveling non-stop for five hours now when a blushing shinobi of Iwa appeared and greeted Sakura. They are now near the outskirts of Takigakure, Sasuke observes.

Following the aftermath of the war, many admirers express their romantic feelings for Sakura. A week before when he asked Sakura if she would be willing to go and travel the world with him. With her eyes watering with so much emotions, she said yes certainly. And since then, many would take notice of her, most would be men in their age, giving her some letters and gifts of that sort. 

It is expected, Sasuke thinks. Sakura touched many lives during the war. As a healer, as a comrade, and as a friend. But to say that did not bother the sharingan-wielder would be a lie. He will always be standing there awkwardly by the side; waiting until her admirers would finally back off.

Sakura had always apologized for those disruptions. And he would always brush it off, saying he did not mind. But he did. He does.

And as he observes how the Iwa shinobi stutters to give Sakura a love letter, he has not noticed that he approaches them silently. The said Iwa shinobi then uncomfortably shifted and retracted his letter. His onyx eyes give him a once-over. He is only a few centimeters shorter than Sasuke. He has blue eyes and brown hair. He is carrying a huge shuriken behind his back.

“I-I haven’t noticed you have company, Sakura-san.”

Sakura smiles and introduces Sasuke to the shinobi. “Oh right, Banri, I assume you know Uchiha Sasuke.”

“Of course I do! He is one of the heroes of the war, alongside with you, of course, Sakura-san.” Banri nods and extends his hand to offer to Sasuke. “It is an honor for me to meet you.”

Sasuke looks at the shinobi’s hand wrapped in bandages. And after a careful observation, he has obliged to give the man a firm handshake. He then turns to Sakura. “If we keep our pace, we’ll be arriving at Takigakure by sunset.”

“Right. I hope you do not overexert yourself, Banri-san. Afterall, your hand is still recovering.” Sakura nods at Sasuke then turns to face Banri. “I’ll see you around then. Take care.”

A slightly frowning Banri waves his hand and wishes for their safety during their travels. On his other hand is the letter he has always wishes to give to the kunoichi who has been on his mind ever since the war.

.

.

.

.

.

Sasuke and Sakura arrive at their destination before the sunset. Ignoring some distrustful stares, they go to the market to buy some food. And after that, they settle to one of the caves near a waterfall.

And as their usual routine goes, they quietly eat their food.

“Do you get that a lot?” Sasuke begins.

Sakura pauses from eating her grilled fish, tilting her head in confusion. “What do you mean, Sasuke-kun?”

“Men approaching you.” He says afterwards, avoiding her gaze in the process.

“I guess. During the two years you’ve been searching for yourself, trying to correct your past mistakes, I have been assigned missions from time to time too. And yes, more often than not, people recognize me as the pink-haired healer.” She answers and then goes back to eating.

“That is not what I meant.” His eyes glued on the fire, still trying to avoid any eye contact with her.

Sakura’s brows furrow in confusion. She is about to ask him for a clarification, but then it occurs to him what he means. “Oh..” She puts her food on her side and faces him altogether. “Why are you asking me such thing, Sasuke-kun?”

A minute of silence settles in. The sound of the wood cracking from fire takes over. And although Sakura wants answers from her questions, she now knows Sasuke enough not to meddle into his thoughts. She is not going to force him to open up.

“Why? Why me?” He asks, raising his head this time.

Sakura is stupefied at first. This man that she has only ever loved since day one, questioning her. Indeed why is it him. There are plenty of guys out there willing to offer her everything. But this man, who has hurt her too many times, she still feels that she will only be happy with him.

“It was always you, Sasuke-kun. It will always be you.” She finally says. 

“Whatever happens, I will still love you. There is no reason for that. I know there is a long way ahead of us, but I am willing to wait. No matter how long it takes.” She smiles this time, a sincere and bright one, the smile that is only reserved for him.

“I know what you’re going to say. And I’m repeating what I just said. No matter how long it takes, Sasuke-kun. I’ll be by your side. Always.”

Sasuke rubs his nape, keeping his eyes on the ground. And when his eyes meet hers, he smirks. “You really are annoying.”

Her smile brightens even more, already knowing the hidden meaning behind the insult. “Oh! Before we forget!” She reaches out for her bag, searching for something. She brings out a rectangle-shaped box wrapped in a color blue paper.

“Happy Birthday Sasuke-kun!” She extends her arm, giving her gift to him.

He blinks twice, thrice. He has not remembered that indeed it is his birthday today. He has not also noticed Sakura buying him a present. He takes the box from her hands, carefully opening it.

In it is the official picture of Team 7, framed in a wooden material. There is a hidden message that the people in the picture will always be there for him, accepting, welcoming him again in their lives.

“I figured that you lost yours years ago. And because of Pein’s attack, your things cannot be recovered anymore.” Sakura explains.

He shifts his eyes from the picture to his companion. “Thank you, Sakura.” For everything.

dezmari:

SasuSaku Month 2017
Day 23: It Was Always You

As with everything else with Sasuke, big steps in their
relationship were different. They weren’t marked by big events or over the top
romantics, they just happened.

Ino would argue that Sasuke didn’t have a romantic bone in
his body, sometimes Sakura was inclined to agree. He wouldn’t sing off key to
her at anniversaries, wouldn’t write her poems in calligraphy to send over her
work in an ink dove, but Sasuke could be romantic in the ways you’d only find
in novels.

So she shouldn’t have been surprised when he proposed to her
with the moon reflecting on the lake water on what could have very well been an
enchanted forest.

She said Yes
because really, there has never been another answer.

“Let’s get married tomorrow.” He said and she didn’t have to
be looking into his eyes to know that he was serious, he wouldn’t not be
serious about something like that. “There’s a village half a day’s journey from
here.”

She had to stop him there, “Shouldn’t we take this slowly,
it’s a big step.” On she was a hundred percent sure she wanted to take, one she
wanted to be sure he wouldn’t regret.

“We’ve taken everything else slowly, and I know you’ve never
asked for anything more than I was ready to give for my benefit.” She could
hear his grateful tone of voice, he wasn’t always ready to tie himself to
another, for so long he feared that if he let himself love he might lose
everything over again. But she could wait, she wanted to tell him.

He shook his head, as if reading her thoughts. “It was
always you, always. I’m ready to take this step and the next.”