Work Text:
“Sasuke-kun, can you start another fire and cook the beef? I’ll handle the veggies” Not hearing an answer from her traveling partner, Sakura hummed again, “Sasuke-kun, can you take care of the meat?”
No answer, Sakura pursed her lips and whipped her head to the side, finding Sasuke’s gaze already on her. Clearly not focused, and seeming very interested in the color of her hair
“Sasuke!”
“Hm?” He blinked out of his trace, only to be faced with his lover’s pointed look, “Uh, right, meat”
Satisfied, and a little entertained by his fumble, Sakura turned back to setting a pot of water on their started campfire, pulling out the groceries they had picked up at the town they passed through yesterday, “I’m happy we have a balanced meal tonight, I’ve been craving greens for days ”
Sasuke hummed, always happy to be a guest to her endless chats. It was a thing he was initially thrown off by when he had asked her to join him on his journey, now their journey. But her voice filled the days that once only held him and his own thoughts, and sometimes Aoda. Sakura being beside him now was more than anything than he expected or hoped for
He was diligent with his task, setting up a separate pit and lighting it with his flame breath, while Sakura commented on the market from yesterday
“The salesman was so nice; he gave me such a big discount. I wonder why…” She mused as she chopped up some carrots
“I can think of a reason” Sasuke quipped
“Really? Maybe he trades regularly with the leaf village?”
Sasuke took a moment to glance over. Her profile glowed from the warm light of the fire, turquoise eyes shining with a golden reflection. Hair tucked behind her ears revealed the slight pink pinching her cheeks from the humidity of the day. Light freckles dusted the bridge of her nose with plush lips curved into a wondering purse
Yeah, surely it was because of trade. Sasuke recalled walking in on the conversation, the young, flustered market seller only turning redder when handing Sakura her buys. The man paled upon seeing his looming figure behind her, though Sakura didn’t notice the latter
Sasuke merely nodded in agreement to Sakura’s inquiry, not voicing this. A forever boyish part of him would forever be amused at Sakura being so oblivious to the effect she had on people, himself included
Right, the meat, Sakura mentioned getting hungry, so he had to get cooking. Going back to work, he took the cutting board Sakura handed him. After seasoning the meat, his lone hand began to slice away at the tender. But, like a magnet, his gaze once again shifted to Sakura
This wasn’t the first time Sasuke's focus seemed to be drawn to Sakura Haruno, especially when he was hopelessly trying to center his attention on something else
In the academy, he simply chalked it up to her color palette. Who wouldn't notice the only girl with cotton candy pink hair and green eyes? Not to mention she was one of the few students that didn’t hail from a long pedigree of ninja. Yet she somehow managed to get top marks on their written test without fail. It was just natural for anyone to notice someone like that, right? To secretly want to know their name?
“Sasuke-kun, the thing is… I actually…!”
“...Who are you?”
When Team 7 was assembled, Sasuke assumed it was unavoidable. He just had to accept that his new normal would be trying to focus on Kakashi’s drawling mission debriefs and deflecting Naruto’s constant challenges and pestering. All while his pink haired teammate clung to his arm, looking at him with hearts in her eyes like he had hung the very moon in the sky. They were teammates now, and there was no getting rid of any of them
Before everything, his brother had always pushed about making more friends outside the clan. That the bonds created with teammates were the most important in a shinobi’s life
“Sasuke-kun!”
“I’ve got your back!”
He was an avenger, not a monster . Naruto seemed to heal like a hyperactive dog no matter how bad the injury. After some food and a nap, he was up and yelling again. Kakashi was, well, Kakashi . So of course Sasuke was going to shield Sakura first if some scum rogue tried to ambush them out of nowhere. It quickly became instinct to assure her position in any of their battle formations, to make sure he was near enough to save her if the need arose
“Your genjutsu skills have improved the most out of our team, right?”
“Yeah…this isn’t the right floor!”
And why wouldn't he cheer her up when she was clearly down in the dumps in the chunin exams? Like hell the dobe was going to notice!
When he left the village, this automatic focus on pink and green became an annoyance. In the depths of sleep after days the Snake Sanin’s training had been particularly grueling, his own memories betrayed him, and his guard came loose
Sasuke’s mind would slip, if only for a moment. From dead set vengeance and dark, winding corridors to D-rank missions, chasing around cats, and picnics on warm sunny days off
Vestiges of Naruto, haggling him to an eating contest. Kakashi dozing off, a book over his eyes as he lay on the edge of the blanket
And Sakura, sharp and clear. Sitting next to him, cheeks as pink as her hair, holding a stick of dango out for him to try, no matter how many times he told her he didn't like sweets
“Please try it, Sasuke-kun! You'll like it, I promise!”
“Why don't you feed me too, Sakura-chan?!”
“Naruto!”
“Idiot…”
“Now, now. It's too early for you all to fight”
He would wake up angry, enraged at himself for allowing his resolve to crumble for even an uncontrollable, subconscious moment. But Sasuke would never admit those were the times he rested best while away. It was simply human, wasn’t it? To think back to easier times, to people you were once close to. He convinced himself memories were just that, events of the past that shouldn’t distract him now. Just a reminder of what he cut off
“Sakura”
“...Sasuke?”
When they reunited 3 years later, he had seen the unnamed shinobi he now knew as Sai. He had sensed Naruto, the jinchuriki’s chakra burning as bright as it had when he left, approaching them. But called to Sakura first, a brief, dull shock at his own actions following shortly after. It seemed that old habits somehow persisted deep in his chest
It was only because he saw her first, her face was familiar to him, to an old him, a weaker him. At least, that is what he had convinced himself of
“You're a medical ninja, right?”
“Sasuke…I’m abandoning the leaf and coming with you!”
“Can you really betray the village for me, Sakura?”
As fried as his mind was on the day he killed Danzo, a dazed, distant part of him considered her proposal. Split seconds of possibilities flickered in his vision of Sakura going rogue and assisting him in his revenge. But he had been too far gone to allow it to linger. He will never be able to repay the thanks he owns to Kakashi and Naruto for saving her
“Sasuke-kun!”
“I’m here too Sakura…”
“Don’t drag us down, Naruto
During the war, Sasuke thought it was expected, self-explanatory even, for him to pay attention to her. Saying Sakura's name first when he appeared on the battlefield. And how could he not look in prideful awe after witnessing her hidden, terrifying strength?
I mean, give him a break, who wouldn't notice every solid object in a 2-mile radius, the goddamn ground included, being smashed to bits and tossed into the air by one of her punches. Who wasn’t watching her?
“You didn’t have to put her in a goddamn genjutsu-!”
“If I didn’t-! She would have gotten in the way!”
Sasuke didn’t have to acknowledge her words, but it was all he needed to hear to know he couldn’t allow her to witness him and Naruto’s battle. Flashes of her almost being killed by both of them when they were 12 were all that moved him to catch her gaze and knock her out. It was for her safety, most definitely not for his peace of mind
“...I’m…sorry”
“Sorry? Sorry for what?”
“....For…everything”
“You’re right…you should be…you idiot!”
After they were brought back home, Sasuke told himself he only wanted his checkups done by her because his trust was still shotty. Every morning, he found himself glancing at his hospital door, awaiting her to walk through the threshold and greet him. It was just because he wanted to see how she was doing. War meant many injuries, so that place must have been working her dry
“What if I said…I’d go with you?”
“My sins have nothing to do with you”
“Nothing to do with me huh…?”
“Maybe next time…Thank you, Sakura”
He really had been trying to pay attention to Kakashi’s lecture that day. But Sakura had come too, why wouldn’t he be looking at her? Sasuke knew he wasn’t ready back then; he needed to sort out his own damaged mind. To relearn who Sasuke Uchiha was without the avenger or anger clouding his conscious. So, with the way his eyes kept on drifting back to Sakura while Kakashi outlined his required good behavior. He knew he had to keep his distance in order to do so for now. Sasuke was just content she was seeing him off, he was just saying goodbye for now. That's why he kept looking at her
But now, 20, and alone with the very object of his never-ending focus, traversing the wilderness on their way to who-knows-where next. Sasuke quickly realized after only weeks of joint travel that his many past excuses for his strange attention to the woman known as Sakura Haruno were just that, excuses
Ever since Sakura joined him, Sasuke hardly glanced at the breathtaking sights he presented her. Prized sharingan instead memorizing the astonished dazzle in her ever-green eyes as she gasped and awed at the scenery. Committing her ecstatic smile and glowing impression to memory every time
A younger him would say it's because he's seen these places before. That he might as well use his visual prowess on other views, and there was a beauty right at his side
The current him, the real him, has come to terms with the fact that there is no real reason for such actions or infatuations. If there is one, it would be an embarrassingly obvious admission that took way too long to click in Sasuke’s mind
The answer was that Sasuke simply just wants to look at her. To admire her and engrain every smile to memory, to make her laugh and shower her in attentiveness. All just part of him absorbing everything she spoke, learning everything he could about her mind and soul
Such a simple conclusion, one he felt everyday as easy as breathing. Something he found wasn’t hard to voice to her one night, a month into her joining him, when they found themselves laying together under the covers. They were still reeling, just having shared their first of many kisses. He remembers the joyous tears in her eyes when he pressed two fingers to her forehead and said the phrase that barely encompassed his feelings toward her
“Sakura…I love you”
The same, still indescribable desire that made Sasuke selfishly appreciate having her all to himself on these long stretches of travel. But also, had him awaiting the next town they came across, to witness with pride her working hands that healed and comforted everyone she touched
This same pull in his chest urged him to cup her cheek and caress her hair when they were alone. To hold her close at night when one of his lingering nightmares scared him, desperate to find comfort in her soothing words and warm embrace
To crave the taste of her lips, her skin, the sounds of her ecstasy and the feel of her body moving against his as they kissed the night away. Never wanting to stop, never getting enough. Even when blissed out and breathless, Sasuke continued to caress her flushed skin. Sakura would simply climb onto his lap, blush a cute pink and scold that he was being a tease
He said it again for the second time not too long ago, so casually and out of place in their conversation. I mean really, they were really fishing of all things, hoping to snatch something fresh for dinner. The woman he loved almost didn’t hear it
“I love you”
"Mhm, I think we should have used live bait too- wait WHAT?!" Sakura gasped, pink flooding her cheeks, "What- where did that come from- huh-?"
Sasuke huffed back then, a smirk tugging at his lips as he watched her stumble over her words. Really, after months of learning each other in the most intimate ways possible, something like this tripped her up
Right now, like many times before, Sasuke just felt like saying it
“Sakura?”
“Hm?”
Maybe it was because of how beautiful she looked just now, campfire light creating a halo around her hair. Maybe it was because they were making their favorite food. Or maybe it was because Sasuke realized he showed his love for her in so many other ways, his thank you's, their long night talks, their everything. Words were just another in the bunch, and he knew Sakura liked to hear them
However, like Sasuke now knew, he didn't have to have a reason for everything. But with Sakura, those 3 words were his reason. He waited till she looked over her shoulder, gazing at him expectedly
“I love you”
She had to be used to his sudden, poorly timed professions by now. Despite it, she smiled bashfully nonetheless, “You always catch me off guard, Sasuke-kun. Why is that?”
"Just felt like it"
"Hmph, you really are something else Sasuke Uchiha" She giggled, eyes crinkling with mirth before a more hedonistic tone veiled her gaze. Sasuke's ears burned as she slowly leaned up, shutting his eyes in preparation for a moment of bliss
Her breath fanned his lips, before a whisper followed, "By the way, you just burned dinner"
Sasuke's mismatched eyes shot open, senses returning to Sakura's laughter and the smell of the burned beef he had abandoned on the fire long during his musing
“I asked you if you could handle it! But I guess you just love me too much to concentrate on something else for 5 minutes” She cooed near his ear, an unwilling heat creeping up the back of his neck
Sasuke threw as stern of a look he could muster, but it crumpled before Sakura’s beaming enjoyment
“Good thing we bought extra, but I’m keeping an eye on you now. Don’t need to start a forest fire because someone’s too busy staring at a pretty lady”
“A pretty annoying lady”
“You know what else is annoying? The fact that I’m starving and half of our meal is currently charcoal”
“....Let me get cooking”