Work Text:
“I...love you with all my heart!”
His heart fluttered and for one moment he let himself feel. Deep in the recesses of his mind, he felt the same. He always pushed it back when it bubbled up, always ignored how his heart raced when she looked at him or smiled. Pushed back the urge to hold her hand when they were side by side. Always acted like she was annoying, that she bothered him. And in some ways, she did. Not in the way he put out into the world. But in the way that he wanted to do things for her. Soft, mushy, girly things. Like go on dates or hold hands. He always ignored that part of him. Trauma did that, in some ways.
“Sakura...thank you.”
He meant it. She was his shining beacon in the darkness that threatened to consume him. Even at the tender age of 13. Knocking her out wasn’t part of his plan. Catching her, holding her close, felt wrong. Not the holding, that he wanted to do all the time. As he held her, that little part of him that felt love for her bubbled up. He didn’t fight, in fact he embraced it. He selfishly held her against him, wanting to prolong the moment, even for a little. Where he was going, soft, mushy feelings weren’t going to survive. So he wanted this.
She was beautiful, he always thought so. Her hair was shorter now, a fact that made him slightly upset. Not at her but at the circumstances that led to it. If he had been a little faster, a little stronger, he would’ve been able to protect her. That was also one of the reasons he was leaving. To get stronger, to be able to protect her. To be her knight in shining armor, even though that was cheesy.
He laid her on the bench carefully, slowly, almost reverently. He stared at her, brushing a few hairs from her face. And if his hand lingered on her cheek, no one was around to see. His sharingan pooled into his eyes, tracking her peaceful face. Committing every eyelash, every freckle, to memory. His heart fluttered and the annoying, pesky butterflies he always ignored flew around in his stomach. He loved her and it hurt that he had to leave. That his path was vengeance and not one of love.
That little voice that was in control grew louder. He let it control him as he leaned down. It was not like he was staying. Right? Only fitting that his first love, his only love, got something from him too. He would’ve liked it better had she been alert but then she’d try to stop him. She would probably succeed too. So unconscious was the only way. And it stung, just a little, that she wouldn’t be able to tell. A little creepy too, that she was unconscious and he was awake. He felt nervous, heart racing and his palms suddenly sweaty.
He licked his now suddenly dry lips, hands shaking slightly. It would be his first, his last, until he was strong enough. His eyes closed, his lips softly pressed against hers. It was instantaneous, the fireworks that sparked behind his eyelids. His heart sang, his blood rushed and he felt like he was home. The kiss itself was short, chaste and when he pulled back his face was red. The back of his neck, to his ears, all across his face. His hand touched his lips, feeling shy and bashful and all the things he was not. But he let it be, since he wouldn’t see her again. At least, not right away. Some part of him knew he would come back, if only for her. He stepped back, taking one last, long look at her laying peacefully on the stone bench. Took one last longing gaze at her before he turned and started walking away.
He made it about halfway down the path before he stopped and looked again. Something didn’t feel right. Leaving her like that. Alone, on a bench, where any random person (or pervert his mind supplied) could see her. She was unconscious. Easy picking for a pervert or assassin. He hesitated, torn between leaving her there or going back and moving her. Time was of the essence. The sun would be rising soon and he had to meet Orochimaru’s people on the outskirts. He needed to be gone, so no one noticed he left. But seeing her like that, even though he was the one who put her there, didn’t sit right.
He could take her somewhere else, her home or his since that was closer. His face burned just thinking about her waking up in his room. Did he clean it? But if he took her home, he would run out of time. People would start to wake and then he wouldn’t be able to escape. He looked at her again. That voice, the one that loved her fiercely bubbled up again. What kind of person would he be if he just left the love of his life laying there? No, he had to move her. But where? His place, while closer, made something in him squirm with happiness and...something he wasn’t comfortable thinking about. Hers would be optimal but he didn’t know when her parents would wake.
His palms were sweaty, heart racing as he tried to think of where he could take her that was safe and close. The dobe’s home was out of the question and he was not going to Kakashi’s. He would wake up and that would be the end of his plan. So either his or hers. And with time of the essence he made his choice.
Carefully holding her close he ran as fast as he could with her in his arms. His face scrunched as he concentrated on keeping his chakra down so no one would be able to sense him. He didn’t know exactly what room was hers but he wasn’t going to leave her in front of her home. So he jumped onto a tree and peered into a darkened room. It was hers. It was a struggle to open her window with how he held her but he did it. His hands shook as he laid her on her bed, face turning red and something that made him squirm pooling in his gut. He carefully pulled the blankets over her and lingered for just a moment. That little voice bubbled up again and for a moment he didn’t want to leave. Didn't want to be away from the girl who captured his heart so easily. But the sun was going to rise soon and he had to get moving. He made a choice and he had to go. He made sure the window closed softly when he left. Left no trace of his presence there.
When the sun rose and team seven met on their regular red bridge, Sakura gasped. Naruto was normal, waving hello and yapping a mile a minute and sitting next to him, looking as cool and handsome as ever was Sasuke. The back of his neck was red and he wasn’t really looking at her, but he was still there. Sakura felt like crying, passing out and hitting something. Last night, she was sure he was leaving. When she woke that morning she didn't think she would ever see him again. And yet...there he was. Sitting near Naruto. Acting like the previous night didn’t happen.
“Sasuke-kun..?”
His eyes flickered to her and for a brief moment she felt like time stopped. His neck was red, his cheeks too if she looked closer and his eyes locked with hers.
“Sakura...”
Her heart raced and her cheeks turned red. He stayed. Either because her words reached him or because he decided not to go just yet. Whatever his reason he stayed and she felt like she was going to explode with sheer happiness.
“Tch..”
But as she greeted him back and even said hello to Naruto, he was smiling. It was small, subtle and it made her fall even more in love.
When Kakashi showed up, he didn’t say anything. Didn’t so much as glance at the way their hands were intertwined at their sides. But his eyes were soft, proud, like he knew what would’ve transpired all along.
Sasuke glanced at Sakura from the corner of his eyes, neck heating up again. He made a choice that previous night and as he looked at how blissfully happy she was and how happy he was, he didn’t regret it. He would have to tell Kakashi about almost leaving but that could wait. He was going to enjoy the decision he made as long as he could.
“Eh?! Teme! Get your hands off my precious Sakura-chan!”
“Tch...dobe..”
“Ha?! Who the fuck says I’m yours?!”