lavendersmiles:

SasuSaku Month 2017

Day 8: Heartbreak Hotel

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FF Link 😀

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“Kyaaah~”

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“What?! Let her go!”

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“My heart can’t handle this…”

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“No! No! No!”

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“Don’t do this to me…”

Sasuke sighed as he handed Sakura another box of tissues. Here he is on a rather stormy night, staying in one of his family’s luxurious hotels with his friends for a 5-day vacation. He didn’t want to go, but a certain girl with pink hair used her bright emerald eyes to change his mind. They’ve been friends for years, and all those years he did find a hard time saying no to her.

Sakura and Naruto came with the Uchiha family to this island paradise also owned by the Uchihas, but obviously they cannot see its beauty tonight. A storm came rolling in just as they came that afternoon. After settling in and having dinner indoors, the trio stayed at Sasuke’s room to have their usual movie marathon. They’re done watching Naruto’s pick, and currently the movie in front of them was Sakura’s choice.

The Fault In Our Stars it is.

Sasuke saw Naruto fell asleep, but the only girl in their group didn’t even notice. She was too engrossed in the movie as if it was her first time. They’ve watched it together when it was first released in cinemas since she was such a big fan of the book. After Sakura got her own copy, Sasuke didn’t want to know how many times she cried her heart out over it.

Tonight, she’s doing it again.

When the scene where Gus revealed his condition to Hazel, the waterworks came again. Sasuke knew that from that moment on, tears will continue to fall. It seems to rival the rain pouring outside. He stood up to get a glass of water and gave it to her. Sakura gave her an appreciative glance before turning her attention back to the movie.

Naruto is definitely sleeping on the other side of the couch, and Sasuke sighed – not wanting to just leave him there. The raven haired lad looked towards the other occupant of the room, busy saying the lines of the eulogy. He let a soft, amused chuckle escape from him. Sakura wore her heart on her sleeves, and it was one of her endearing traits. He can read her like a book, and vice versa. He didn’t mind what was going on in the movie, his eyes never leaving the pinkette. She would usually tease him as ‘emotionally constipated’ – a total opposite to the array of emotions that she shows. That’s the thing about Sakura, he mused. She’s real… honest.

As the final word of the film was spoken and the ending credits came, Sakura looked at the man beside him with such sad eyes. “I can’t handle this kind of heartbreak, Sasuke-kun.”

He ruffled her hair and gave her one of his small smiles. “You’ll get over it, Sakura.”

She took another tissue and blew her nose. “Good thing the hotel rooms here are soundproof. If it wasn’t, I think people would assume that someone’s been killed.” She gave a small laugh at her own words. “Well, time for your pick, Sasuke-kun! Hey Naru – oh, he’s asleep.”

Sasuke inserted the DVD of his choice and went back to her side. “Let the dobe be. He didn’t sleep in the plane.”

With a shrug, Sakura reached for the popcorn. Knowing Sasuke, he’ll choose something in the action genre –and she was right. The opening scene of World War Z played on the television. Almost halfway of the movie, Sasuke felt Sakura’s head on his shoulder. When he glanced at her, she joined Naruto in dreamland already. He secured her to his side as he continued watching alone.

As the ending credits rolled, Itachi came to his room. Sasuke just looked at him as he sat on the armchair beside him. “I came to check on you guys.”

“Hn.”

“Getting comfortable, aren’t we?”

The younger Uchiha gave his brother a glare. “Shut up, Itachi.”

Sakura moved a little, causing Sasuke to adjust himself so that she’ll be comfortable. She sighed with content which made him smile softly. Itachi just looked at them with amusement. His foolish little brother is obviously head over heels with his childhood friend.

“I’ll take care of Naruto. You take Sakura back to her room, Sasuke.”

“Thanks, nii-san.” He took the girl in his arms, pausing momentarily to let himself bask in her warmth. He could see the stain of the tears left after the movie. Then and there, he made a promise with himself.

I’ll do everything in my power to keep you happy, Sakura.

lavendersmiles:

SasuSaku Month 2017

Day 9: Opposite sides

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FF Link 😀 

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“I love you, anata.”

She smiled softly, the Uchiha matriarch’s face was one of great content. Sasuke held her in his arms as her life slipped away. All his emotions came crashing down, and tears flowed freely from his face. She’s gone. Uchiha Sakura is gone.

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Dead, like his heart right now.

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She will forever be remembered in the shinobi world as the greatest medic and a part of the legendary team 7.

To her friends, she is the loyal one who is willing to risk her life for her comrades.

To her family, she is the loving and caring mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother whose love is one of the foundations of the clan itself.

To Uchiha Sasuke, she is the light at the end of the tunnel… his spring… the love of his life… his one and only wife.

Konoha mourned for the loss of Uchiha Sakura and it took a while for the reality to sink in. Life continued – though a bit slowly to those dear to her. But ever since, Sasuke was never the same person again. What kept him going was the last conversation he shared with her, in the gardens under the tree they planted together.

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“Anata… I think I have to leave soon.”

He held her hand and placed it on his cheek. They gaze into each other’s eyes, both with tears starting to fall. Sasuke couldn’t say anything. Words left him again, his heart too hurt for his brain to function coherently.

“Remember our wedding vows, Sasuke-kun? We promised to be together… I believe death can’t take us apart… since our feelings will forever be connected, ne?”

A nod was his reply, and he turned his head to kiss her palm on his cheek. “I… I don’t know what I will do without you, Sakura.”

She smiled at him, sweeter than ever. “I will be here with you Sasuke.” She placed her other hand on his chest, right above his beating heart. “Right here, always and forever.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Sakura then placed her arms around his waist and placed a cheek on his chest. “Take care of everyone, okay? Take care of yourself also, anata.”

A tear fell from Sasuke’s eyes, and he didn’t bother to wipe it away. “You’re annoying, Sakura.”

Both chuckled, nostalgia hitting them hard. He made her look at him, noticing the tears freely flowing down her cheeks. Lifting two fingers, he gently tapped her forehead, and gave her one of his smiles that was reserved for her – only for her.

“I’ll see you soon.”

Sakura smiled back at him and placed both palms on his cheeks. “Arigatou,” he added.

“For what?”

“For everything.”

The tears made it hard to see, but Sasuke saw with pure clarity the smile which brought the sunshine back into his cold, cruel life.

“I love you, anata.”

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Slowly, his health deteriorated. Everyone was afraid for him, but he wasn’t. He greeted death like an old friend.

Uchiha Sasuke closed his eyes, a small smile forever immortalized on his face. Though the entire family mourned, they knew he is happy now. Everyone knew the two heads of the Uchiha clan couldn’t be separated for too long.

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They died on the same day, the same hour and minute – one year apart.

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He looked around his new surroundings. Not far from him, someone was coming his way and made his heart leap with happiness. Twelve months may have passed, but he could never forget that hair the color of cherry blossoms and emerald eyes as fresh as spring that draw him in every single time.

He held out his hand, and she smiles as she took it with her own. They may have been on opposite sides of life for a year, but even that couldn’t destroy the red string of fate that connects the two.

No matter what, they’ll always end up together – loving each other forever.

lavendersmiles:

SasuSaku Month 2017

Day 10: Photograph

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FF Link 😀 

***

It is a known fact that Uchiha Sasuke – prodigy extraordinaire – is a man of many talents.

The young CEO of the Uchiha Corporation, being a son of a prestigious family, was trained as a young boy not just with how to run the business but also taught the different arts. But only three people know of his hidden hobby – photography. They include his brother Itachi, his best friend Naruto, and his fiancée, Haruno Sakura – doctor extraordinaire.

He has a secret interest in black-and-white photography as a child. It started when Itachi gave him a camera on his 8th birthday. Ever since, the lad made it a part of him. But he was not ready to show his art to the world. His brother urged him to have an exhibit, but he consistently declined. He thought that there would be a right time for it.

Now, as he looked out of the glass window of his office, Sasuke felt that the time has come. His heart was still full after Sakura said yes to his wedding proposal last night. He wanted to tell the world about it but in his own special way. The sunset lit up his face which held a small smile. Sakura deserved nothing less than the best, after all.

His family was shocked to hear his proposal for an exhibit, except Itachi who felt that his foolish, little brother is little no more. He intended the opening of it to be his engagement party as well. And so, invitations were sent, preparations made, and the photographs – the stars of the night – were handle by no one but Sasuke himself.

Sakura was especially excited for his fiancé, for she knows that his talent was meant to be shown to the world. The evening of the exhibit came, and no one shined brighter than the two engaged pair. Everyone was left in awe of Sasuke’s photos and wondered what this talented young man still kept in his sleeves. The black-and-white motif was stunning, so it came to a surprise for everyone present to see an entire wall full of colored photographs.

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Colored photographs of a girl with pink hair and orbs more precious than emeralds.

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Sakura was left flabbergasted, her hands covering her mouth. The entire wall was full of photos of herself, candid and not, all taken by the man she loves. At the center of it was a large picture of her and Sasuke, the day they became a couple back in high school. Below it were the words in the handwriting of her fiancé himself.

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Dr. Sakura Haruno, the love of my life who brought color and light to my dark monochrome. She showed to me the rainbow when all I knew was black and white. I am the happiest man on earth, for I will spend the rest of my life with her, loving her forever.

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She felt Sasuke’s hand around her back, and he leaned in to say, “Surprise.”

She looked at him, still shocked. “What does this mean, Sasuke-kun? You… you said only the black-and-white ones will be featured.”

He gave her a small smile as Itachi took a microphone from one of the ushers. “Good evening, everyone. I am sure you all enjoy this photo exhibit of my little brother. Actually, it is a double celebration for us. I would like to take this opportunity to formally announce the engagement of Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura.”

The audience, filled with their family and friends, congratulated the two and gave them their well wishes. It was a rather busy night, but Sasuke was able to slip his future Mrs. Uchiha away to the rooftop of the building.

“You are definitely a man of surprises, Sasuke-kun,” Sakura said as they sat on an empty bench. “I… I don’t know what to say still.”

He held her hands with his, and looked straight into her eyes. “I wanted to tell them how much you mean to me, how thankful I am to have you, how much I love you. How you,” he kissed her forehead, “brought color and life to me.”

Happy tears escaped her eyes. As they shared a kiss, the stars shined brighter for them. Both were too in love to notice a raven haired man taking photographs of the two.

“This will be a good present for them at the wedding reception,” Uchiha Itachi said softly as he gazed at the two lovers, knowing that a love like theirs will last a lifetime.

dezmari:

SasuSaku Month 2017
Day 28: Hokage’s Desk

This is an excerpt from the wip of Wash Away the Red part 2. Here’s the first part if you want to check it out.

Sasuke hadn’t seen her in months, not since the day of the
ceremony. When she turned around it didn’t take long for her eyes to find his.
It only lasted a moment, he saw surprise flash in her eyes. He knew she had
expected anyone but him, but he thinks that she shouldn’t have expected anyone except
him. Her eyes asked a thousand questions her lips would not utter, and for a
moment they stared at each other and there was no one in the room except them.

Too soon, she turned away, her gaze leaving his. “You’re all
aware that this is voluntary?” They all nodded in response. “Very well…” Her
voice trails off and her gaze turns to Shikamaru then, Sasuke could read her
eyes perfectly. “What is he doing here?”
She wondered silently, but he could almost hear the words as if she had spoken
them.

Shikamaru only sighed in response and completely ignored her
questioning gaze.

Sakura and him, they haven’t been on speaking terms, not
since the day of the ceremony when honorifics served as the ultimate offense.
For weeks he hated her, he didn’t want to see her and when he saw at
opportunity to become anbu he took it. Surprisingly for him it didn’t take long
for the anger to die out, he couldn’t hate her and afterwards all he wanted was
to take his words back.

“Nara-san, I don’t think it’s safe for a former criminal to
be part of Lady Hokage’s personal guard.” The woman besides him spoke and again Shikamaru
let out a sigh. Sasuke knew it was coming sooner or later, he had nothing to
say in his defense. He had tried to destroy the leaf, he had tried to kill her
once.

“He won’t just be part of it, he’s the one in charge of her
safety.” Shikamaru nodded over at Sasuke who just frowned in response. That, he didn’t expect.

“Are you really considering giving him the job, and risk
Lady Hoage’s safety in the process? Yeah, time’s gone by, but no one has
forgotten he’s a criminal.” The brunette spoke from the other side and Sasuke
couldn’t find it in him to care about his words. He’s faced the backlash of his
past actions, of his mistakes, since the moment he opened his eyes in a
hospital bed and everyone looked at him with disgust and fear.

He’s found that the leaf does not forget.

And in turn, he’s found he doesn’t care.

“He’s better suited in every field and I will hear no more
questions about the matter; are we clear, Hokuto, Hana? As for her safety, just
be at ease knowing that he would first die than allow her to be harmed.” There
was a smile at the corner of his lips that Sasuke did not find amusing. The two
anbu at his side didn’t seem convinced, but knew better than to press the
matter any further.

Sakura stood at Shikamaru’s side, her eyes looking
everywhere but at him. After a moment she spoke, carefully masked disdain
tainting her tone. “I appreciate the concern, but I assure you it’s not
necessary. I’m sure Uchiha-san knows his place.” And there it was, that damned
honorific he loathed, spilling from her tongue in a successful attempt to annoy
him.

She addresses him and he’s obliged to respond, because
that’s just how it goes between them. “Of course, Hokage-sama.” And he could
see it in her eyes, even if it was only there for a second; the honorifics,
they hurt her as much as they hurt him.

sasukesassthetic:

prompt: ssmonth17, day 26- hawkmail

summary: between the woods and frozen lake.

notes: enjoy ❤

the first letter came on a dead summer’s morning, as day broke on her windowsill. a brown hawk tapped dutifully at the glass; she had half a mind to toss a lamp at anything that disturbed her after a four-hour sleep just two hours before her shift at the hospital started. days were long amid these times of reconstruction. sakura hardly saw her boys, as everyone was tied up in the ins and outs of daily bureaucracy. naruto found himself day in and day out, stamping through mind-numbing policy right along kakashi-sensei, or rather, the rokudaime. sai sporadically would join her for quiet dinners, cups of tea. peace was a headache, though one she was grateful for, every day.

the bird sat in quiet nobility, awaiting his recipient to pull her lazy joints into place and draw herself from the bed. frowning deeply, she rubbed her eyes, and pulled back the window to greet the hawk. “ohayo,” she grumbled, pulling a slip of paper from the bird’s carrier fold. before she could spare any possible thanks, two great wings flapped and swept the messenger off into the morning breeze. sakura clicked her tongue at the abrasive nature of it all, muttering things about a glorified pigeon under her breath.

a jolt of partial surprise sent a wave of currents through her stomach, she leaned against the frame of her window. it wasn’t unheard of for sasuke to contact his teammates in the year he had been gone. regular reports to kakashi were expected, and the occasional notification of general health to naruto or herself was a courtesy. hell, he had even sent her rare teacakes from waterfall for her birthday. still, something about her name scrawled out in his neat pen made her palms sweat. she tore at the wax seal, a little too hastily, and tried not to devour its contents too quickly.

sakura, 

i received the medicinal pack you sent at the start of the season. It was addressed from the three of you, though I figured I’d thank the source. 

so, thank you.

sasuke

a heavy sigh fell from her lips at the close of the letter. she had forgotten about the package. the areas up north had been suffering large bouts of typhoid fever this season. worrying was her natural state, as her father always said. but boys as strong as sasuke were not impervious to illness; it was a preventative measure more than anything else. albeit, any form of contact with him these days, even if one-sided, comforted the small part within her that imagined his fingers against her forehead some nights; a gesture she told herself time and time again was platonic affection.

going about her morning ritual, she washed the anxiety from her brow, wiped the steam from the mirror, and took a look at herself. it wasn’t often they contacted himself outside the bounds of village matter, and even less often they heard back from him outside of necessity. sakura stared deep into her own expression, the slight glow of her eyes, the trace of an absent smile that she told herself wasn’t giddiness.

her letter would reach him at his next expected stop in Yuki. She kept it direct and succinct, as she figured he might appreciate.

dear sasuke,

i’m glad the pack reached you in time. by the time this gets to you, you’ll be in snow country. lucky duck. the snow was always my favorite. stay warm. protect your fingers and toes, please. frostbite is truly pesky. i’m sure you remember the time naruto almost lost a toe. what a mess.

wishing you warmth, 

sakura

---

it was about two weeks before sakura came to the conclusion that he wouldn’t respond. the disappointment was absent, just enough to give a small sigh each morning she opened the window, half wishing that damned hawk was plucking her out of her sleep. she was glad she hadn’t caved and mentioned it to naruto, or even ino for that matter. her self-pity party would be a small, private affair, candlelit, and accompanied by small doses of chocolate after she got off her shift. icha icha paradise is on at eight tonight, she noted absently one evening, kicking her shoes off by the door.

the incessant pecking started up at 8:17, just as the icha icha male lead and some nameless woman from a party climbed into bed. sakura threw the blanket off and clumsily threw the window open. the hawk looked up at her, blinking patiently, probably ready to set off on his next task. sakura sighed at the sight of the bird, reaching for his carrier fold, “we cannot keep meeting like this.” like clockwork, the creature gusted off into the night just as she retrieved the letter. settling back on the sofa, icha icha murmuring softly on the television, sakura traced her hands over her name in neat pen, a small smile tugging at her cheeks.

sakura,

medical facilities are far with few in between here, the pack has been useful. as for the frostbite, i have five fewer fingers to worry about than he did. i’ll manage.

sasuke

---

their correspondence was light and sporadic, like rains shifting up and down the plains. they talked about the weather, about the people and things he saw. sakura did her best to keep him up to date with things she decided he should know about: the budding-something between naruto and hinata, the number of babies she delivered that week (only if it was that impressive), or how many times she had to snatch icha icha out from behind a document kakashi swore he was reading. on his birthday, she sent him an oxblood scarf she had knit herself (and secretly wondered if he smelled it when he opened the box just as she would have done if roles were reversed). letters flew in and out, far into the year. it was late that autumn when the first invitation came.

sakura,

my time in snow country is coming to a close for now. the locals say we’re expecting the first real snow of the season next week. come see it.

sasuke

Well, she did need a day off.

Keep reading

sasukesassthetic:

prompt: ssmonth day 23, it was always you.

summary: innumerable heart of the wind / fluttering over our silence of love.   -pablo neruda

note: i missed writing for you all. ssmonth is like christmas. ❀

she’s different now, and he can’t help noticing. were he less prudent, he might have asked the dobe just what it was that made her scurry off to work each time he came around, or why it was she could look him in his stupid face but never at sasuke. he wonders if he wears it on his face each time, the seed of disappointment that digs deeper and deeper into his gut. “she needs time,” kakashi spoke to him one day, his nose deep in the pages of his orange paperback, “give her that, she’ll come around.” this was a level of transparency sasuke would never get used to.

he isn’t certain just when he started keeping mental tabs of her weekly schedule, only that he made it a point to be at hokage tower in the early evenings on tuesdays and on thursday mornings, or near the hospital just about every other day. false coincidence was the name of the game. their encounters were as brief as a short walk down the street, or up the stairs; the leisure of conversation would occasionally bring a soft smile to her face. but something always turned sour, something silent and nagging within her eyes. gaze averted, she would excuse herself to her tasks. peace times were packed with daily tedious work; sasuke never could have imagined hating the sight of her walking away as much as he did now. he definitely never imagined going as far as asking naruto.

“does she hate me,” he spoke one day, a tone low enough that it hardly escaped the low hum of life on the street outside of ichiraku.

naruto set his bowl down mid-sip, and sasuke felt his gut seize up. it couldn’t be a great sign when the human ramen vacuum stopped eating.

the blonde scratched his head, pensively, “it’s definitely not that…” blue eyes grew more reluctant, his foot tapped nervously, “she says she’s just…not sure.”

not sure? sasuke wanted to say, about what? about me? about my character? about loving someone who has quite literally just hurt her over and over and-? sasuke composed himself, “she said that?”

naruto nodded, “i guess she just,” he shrugged, “doesn’t know what you want.” he was silent at this, feeling the tension collect in his shoulders, along with the ever-increasing sinking feeling he experienced when he tried to begin to fathom what he might say to her. 

“hn,” he finally responded, pushing his empty teacup away.

blue eyes turned to meet the side of sasuke’s impenetrable expression. “what exactly do you want, sasuke?”

sasuke put his half of the tab down and exited the stand.

---

it’s friday, roughly half an hour after her shift at the hospital has ended. he figures just a half hour off work, she’d be taking her time, ambling her way home at a calm pace. it was a nice night. there were three discernible routes from the hospital to her house. the road most traveled crossed through the akimichi bridge. she loves that stupid bridge, he notes, crossing through the various channels of the village, wondering all the while if he has his timing right. the red of the bridge comes into view as he crosses a corner, eyes searching wildly for any trace of pink in the falling night. there, he catches sight of her at just the other end of the bridge, crossing leg after leg down the lane, face upturned to the stars. he wants to stay there, in the shadows, witnessing the small joy of her walking home on a clear spring evening.

just her, and a stupid bridge, and the stars.

he can’t help himself as his feet start carrying him across the bridge, or his voice as it rises up to meet her, “sakura.”

and he can’t help the way his mouth goes dry and every salient thought shoots directly out of his mind as she looks at him with those damned eyes. he wants to tell her just how suffocating it is when she looks at him like that. 

she doesn’t open her mouth to speak, but she looks at him, and for a moment, he wonders just how much she knows.

“i don’t know why it is things aren’t normal for us,” his voice is even, if only a little too low, “and i don’t know why it seems like neither of us can say something-” he stops. her eyes are steady on his own, he finally notices, unblinking, sincere. suffocating.

“you’re looking at me,” he says.

“you’re looking at me,” she somewhat shrugs, her voice low.

“you never look at me.” anymore. he doesn’t mean to be confrontational, but his eyes do not waver. 

green eyes grow deeper in their dolefulness, “i don’t always know that i can.”

this, he tries to breathe, i didn’t account for this. suddenly, every memory comes rushing into him, a life of regrets he can’t swallow and words, actions, he can’t right. pink hair flying into the open air, lost; emerald eyes searching for goodness where it does not live. please, sasuke-kun. he feels for a moment he might just blow away, ashes into the wind, just scattered. her eyes are so clear even in the dark; he knows he’s been here before. all those years ago, looking at her just as he is now—it’s been so long, and she’s finally here.

“sakura,” he speaks her name, hoping she can feel for a moment just how good it is to say it. she looks like she’s preparing, her eyes are dry, bracing for the force.

“i’m going to kiss you,” he says, taking steps toward her, “if you don’t want that, that’s okay. but i’m going to, if you let me.”

her face is composed and beautiful in the moonlight, a graceful yet indiscernible pain growing in her expression as he draws closer. prudently, he reaches his hand up to move the hair from her face. his breath hitches in his throat as she closes her eyes, allowing him to sweep his thumb down the length of her jaw. something stirs in her expression, softening slowly.

he places a kiss on her lips, soft and grateful.

holding her face in his hand as he pulls back, he speaks, “i can’t stay here.”

she opens her eyes at his words, the pain in her face deepens in the slightest, but she does not look away.

“but please let me know i can keep coming back.” to you.

thought consumes her expression as she looks at him now, as she reaches up to touch him. he relaxes beneath the graze of her lithe fingers on his face, wondering absently if he would ever wish to feel this again should she reject him. nothing feels like this, he knows. no one is like her.

“as long as you keep coming back,” she speaks in a voice even and assuring, hands clearing the hair from his eye-line. her gaze is strong, holding his own, keeping him on the ground.

sasuke wishes to stay here forever, breathing her in, frozen in this night.

sagara-megumi:

Title: Aftermath: On Love

Rating: K+/PG

Notes: After the break I took with prompt 23, this is the continuation from prompt 12, from the ongoing story I’m writing. Sorry for the delay and thank you for your patience. And don’t worry about the “The End“, it is not. When the time comes, I’ll tell you beforehand ^^

As always, if you find something strange, please, tell me ^^ I hope you enjoy it 🙂

Words: 3299

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AFTERMATH: ON LOVE

Slowly, feeling warm and strangely safe, Sakura opened her eyes to the morning sun that entered through the large window opposite her, half covered by one purple curtain. She frowned just a little at the unfamiliar sight. Turning slightly her head, she stared at the ceiling for a few moments before her clouded brain started to relate what she was experiencing with the day before.

She was in Sasuke’s house.

Keep reading

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.