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artfullypoetic · 2 years

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The Burn of Cold Niceties (8/?)

Title: The Burn of Cold Niceties

Summary: Three years after the the Fourth Shinobi War, newfound peace in Konoha is rocked when one of their own is suspected of treason. Determined to uncover the truth, Sakura takes it upon herself to dive deep into Konoha’s best-kept secrets. As she faces danger and betrayal, can she protect the village and those she loves? Blank period, mostly canon-compliant, SasuSaku-centric but will include all canon pairings. New chapters every week!

Disclaimer: I do not own nor did I create Naruto. This was created solely for entertainment purposes.

Rating: M (for future content)

FF.net Link | AO3 Link. Please comment/review!

Chapter 8

The mission was simple: get information, don’t die. Sounds easy, right? Sakura laughed bitterly to herself at the thought as she expertly packed her weapons into a small, tan pouch. It had been two days since she reported her discoveries in Kusakagure to Kakashi—two days since she was assigned to infiltrate what remained of Root.

The mission was simple: get information, don't die. Sounds easy, right? Sakura laughed bitterly to herself at the thought as she expertly packed her weapons into a small, tan pouch. It had been two days since she reported her discoveries in Kusakagure to Kakashi—two days since she was assigned to infiltrate what remained of Root.

As if the mission wasn't intimidating enough, Kakashi gave her strict instructions to not share the details with anyone. But keeping secrets left a sour taste on her tongue, especially when those secrets also involved her investigating her own friends.

She was warned that this would happen—that this high level of treason met no one was safe from being a suspect, even the friends whom she trusted with her life. Kakashi echoed her thoughts but as Hokage, he couldn't play favorites like that. He was even a little taken aback when she reported that she had already told Naruto, but eventually agreed that it was for the best as he was already in training to be Hokage.

Scanning her room, she silently hoped that this mission would be over soon and that she could return home and finally live as a Konoha medic. No more traveling, no more fighting. Sakura yearned for that type of simple life. But she couldn't help but wonder if she would actually be happy if things were suddenly that simple. Or is there some masochistic part of her that enjoyed the chaos of life-threatening missions?

With one last look at her apartment, she locked the door and set out. Before heading to the Hokage's office to receive last minute instructions from Kakashi, she had one quick stop to make.

Her stroll to the hospital was refreshing, the familiar route giving her a sort of comfort. When she arrived at the front steps of the building, the feeling only strengthened. It was here that she discovered her true talents after years of mindlessly following her teammates around. It was here that she found real purpose.

Sakura found Tsunade sitting in her office, sitting with one elbow propped on the desk supporting her cheek. Her other hand was scribbling vigorous letters in her open notebook.

"Finally decide to pay this old lady a visit?" The head of the hospital asked without looking up from what she was writing.

"I'm sorry, Tsunade-shishou," Sakura bowed her head. "Things were just a little hectic."

"So I've heard." The blond Sannin closed her notebook with a soft thud before resting both elbows on the table and leaning her chin onto her fists. Her brown eyes that met Sakura's softened and a small smile played on her lips. When she gestured for the pinkette to sit at the chair across from her desk, she obeyed.

"Kakashi's already filled me in with most of the details. Are you heading over there now?" Tsunade asked once Sakura was settled in the chair.

"Yes, shishou. I plan to start the mission as soon as I go over the last details of the plan with Kakashi-sensei."

"Good." The blonde woman studied Sakura for several long seconds before adding "how are your chakra reserves?"

"There's plenty. I've been able to store a bit more than usual since I haven't had to do much healing in the other villages' hospitals." As she replied, Sakura absentmindedly grazed the violet diamond seal on her forehead with her fingertips.

In a rare display of affection, Tsunade reached across the desk and lifted Sakura's chin gently until their eyes met. Sakura had been avoiding her gaze, afraid that her master would see past her facade that hid the anxiety she felt about her upcoming mission. But the older woman was too smart to fool.

"You're nervous." Tsunade stated, allowing her hand to drop from where it held Sakura's chin.

"Yes." The pink-haired kunoichi swallowed uncomfortably.

"Good."

Sakura tilted her head slightly, puzzled. "It's good to be nervous?"

"Of course it is. I would be concerned if you weren't nervous about having to investigate your own comrades."

"Ah, that's right." Sakura nodded solemnly.

"Now tell me, why did you actually stop by here? I know it wasn't just to see me."

Sakura smiled sheepishly before pulling her pouch to her lap and digging into it. From it, she produced the small vial of poison that she had collected from the man she fought several days earlier.

Handing it to her master who eyed it curiously, Sakura explained, "I fought with some rogue ninja on the way here. One managed to escape but I was able to subdue one. The only thing is before I could even get any information, he swallowed a pill with this in it and within seconds he was dead. I've never seen anything like it."

"And you want me to analyze it, correct?"

"Yes, I think that if we can trace the origins of the poison, we might be able to learn more about who we're dealing with."

With a nod, Tsunade pocketed the vial before standing from her desk. Sakura followed suit.

"It will probably take some time to analyze it but I'll assemble a team right away."

"Thank you, Tsunade-shishou."

The older woman smiled and rounded her desk until she was standing right in front of her past student. With two fingers, Tsunade once again lifted Sakura's chin until their brown and green eyes met.

"Oh how you've grown," The blonde spoke softly as she clicked her tongue. Sakura smiled warmly in return. "Come back safe, okay?"

"Of course," Sakura reassured before adding, "Do you want to bet on it?"

Tsnuade let out a noise that sounded both like a scoff and a laugh.

"Don't start with me, Sakura," The former Hokage playfully scolded as she waved her hand lazily in the air. "Now go on, you have a job to do."

"I'll see you soon, Tsunade-shishou." With a bow, Sakura exited her office but before she was past the door frame, the voice of her master stopped her in her tracks.

"And Sakura?" Tsunade called after her.

"Yes?" The pink-haired woman poked her head back in to study the older woman's face whose features were now softened yet serious.

"I'm very proud of you."

For several beats, Sakura stood deathly still before finally remembering to breathe. She had only heard her master praise her this way twice. Once immediately after the war and another time when Sakura challenged a stranger to a bet and won.

"Thank you, shishou." After a brief moment of hesitation, Sakura ran back into the office and threw her arms around Tsunade.

"Thank you," Sakura repeated in a whisper as the master-student duo embraced.

Once the shock of her student's arms gripping her form with much more strength than necessary was over, Tsunade tightly returned the younger woman's hug. Her chest filled with a maternal affection she always forgot she was capable of.

"If you're really thankful, you'll come back unharmed. I don't want to waste chakra healing you, got it?"

Giggling lightly, Sakura replied, "got it."

With a final wave of her hand, Sakura strolled away from her master's office, out of the hospital, and towards the Hokage's office.

When she reached Kakashi's office, she was greeted with the sight of him and Tenten speaking in urgent, hushed tones as they huddled over the large desk. Peering closer, she saw that their focus was on an assortment of weapons, lined neatly in a row.

"Is everything okay?" She questioned after several seconds passed with neither noticing her presence.

Tenten jumped at the sound of Sakura's voice whereas Kakashi simply waved for her to come closer, eyes still trained on the objects before him. As she approached the pair, she gave Tenten a quick side hug, which the weapons unit coordinator returned eagerly. However, their expressions grimmed immediately as their attention refocused on the weapons.

"These are the konoha advanced weapons," Sakura observed as her eyes trailed across the objects.

"Yes, we've been comparing them to the paper bomb sample you provided," Kakashi's eyes raised to meet hers, a solemn look darkening his expression. "You won't like what we found."

Her blood ran cold at the tone in Kakashi's voice but she nodded to signal him to continue.

But it was Tenten who began to speak next. "The paper bomb you brought isn't actually from Konoha."

"Isn't that good news?" Sakura's shoulders sagged in noticeable disappointment when she saw Tenten shake her head.

"You see, it may not have been from Konoha but it was a near-perfect replica of our line of advanced weaponry. So whoever you're dealing with not only was able to access our weapons but they're also knowledgeable enough to recreate them."

Tenten's words hung in the silent air for what felt like several long minutes, before the quiet was interrupted by the Hokage's exasperated sigh.

"Sakura," Kakashi's voice came out measured and cautious as the pinkette's eyes fell on him. "There's more."

Tenten took that as her signal to speak. "When we tested the substances used on their paper bomb, we found traces of another element. This is something we've been working on for a long time, long enough that even Neji knew about it and helped with its development."

At the mention of their fallen comrade's name, Sakura and Tenten exchanged sympathetic glances. Prior to the war, neither of them had been particularly close. However, the grief brought them closer over the years as they mourned the tremendous loss suffered by the village.

At Sakura's encouraging nod, the weapons expert continued, "For years, Neji thought it would be a good idea to create a special type of weapon that's strong enough to counter visual dojutsu. He was afraid that enemies using stolen eyes would be able to overpower us. We weren't able to make any progress when he was still here but over the last year, we were able to develop this."

From the row of weapons on Kakashi's desk, Tenten carefully picked up a small, round ball and held it up for Sakura to see.

"You're saying that could counter dojutsu?" she asked as she eyed the object in disbelief. It looked so tiny and unthreatening.

Tenten nodded solemnly. "It's a mineral bomb that releases a thick smoke when activated—smoke thick enough to essentially blind almost all eye techniques and render them useless."

Sakura's gaze on the bomb widened. "What about the Sharingan?"

"Yes, including the Sharingan." Kakashi spoke up now and both kunoichi turned to watch him.

"But these people are after Sasuke! What if they use it on him? What if we're too late and they've already used it on him?" Sakura was rambling now as unthinkable scenarios shuffled through her mind. The image of Sasuke's battered body after his battle with Naruto stuck to the forefront of her brain.

"Calm down, Sakura." The Hokage held up his hands to signal her to halt her rapid speech. "Sasuke's one of the strongest shinobi, he won't go down that easily."

"But you know that he relies on his visual prowess too much sometimes."

The sensei-student duo met their gaze, likely flashing back to the same day. It was several months before Sasuke left and like most days, Team 7 was sparring on the familiar training grounds with Kakashi nonchalantly reading his book under the shade of a nearby tree. As the trio battled, the Hokage finally piped up and suggested that Sasuke try taijutsu without the use of his Sharingan.

"You never know when you might have to fight without it," Kakashi had said.

At this, Sasuke seethed with anger. "I know that. I'm prepared for it," he had replied through gritted teeth.

"How can you be sure when you've used the Sharingan during every training session so far?" The ex-sensei didn't bother to look up or even flinch when Sasuke's kunai went flying towards his head. With a simple movement in his neck, he dodged the weapon and allowed it to lodge into the bark of the tree behind him.

The training session ended an hour later after Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto continued their taijutsu spar, none of them mentioning what Kakashi had said earlier. But Sakura continued to notice the red flashes of Sasuke's Sharingan.

In the present, Kakashi and Sakura continued to exchange their worried glances before Kakashi's eyes upturned in a smile.

"Sasuke has always been prepared for anything in a battle. It takes a lot to take his focus off a fight, remember that." he reassured.

Sakura swallowed and nodded to acknowledge his statement. Kakashi was right, she needed to have more faith in Sasuke.

At the silence that followed, Tenten began to gather the weapons before sealing them into a scroll that she produced from where it lay beside her feet.

"I know I can't know the details of whatever mission you both are discussing so I'll head out now." As the black-haired ninja passed Sakura, she gave the woman's shoulder a soft squeeze. "Good luck and stay safe. I'll see you back home soon, yeah?"

"Yes, thank you." With a final smile and hug between the two women, Tenten was gone, leaving the office and closing the door with a soft thud.

"What do I need to do for this mission then?" the pinkette finally asked as she turned to look at her former teacher once again.

"We need to start with getting more information," Kakashi said as he rested his elbows on the desk and clasped his hands in front of his mask-covered mouth. "We don't know anything about who we're dealing with so we'll need to get you on the inside somehow. I'm sure you've already devised a plan these past couple days?"

Sakura nodded at this. "Yes, I was planning on setting a trap and then using this," she raised her hand to point to the violet byakugou seal on her forehead. When Kakashi cocked his head to the side curiously, she explained further, "First, I'm going to use myself as bait and lure some of the ninja to attack me. I'll capture one of them, get information, then use my chakra reserves to change my appearance. From there, I'll infiltrate them disguised as one of their own."

"Okay," Kakashi said with a slight shrug.

"Okay?"

"Yes, it sounds like you have this all thought out and I don't see an issue with it. You have the training and experience to successfully subdue the attackers and I know that Lady Tsunade has taught you well. I think we can go ahead with the plan."

Sakura drew in a sharp breath, shocked that Kakashi so readily agreed with her. Sure, she has grown a lot and was easily regarded as one of the strongest kunoichi in the village, but standing in front of her former teacher made her feel almost as if she was twelve again, immediately freezing at the sight of danger and crying to be saved.

As if sensing her thoughts, Kakashi's eyes softened and his lips drew into a smile that wrinkled the fabric of his mask. "Believe in yourself, kiddo. You're stronger and smarter than you give yourself credit for."

Her face brightened at the compliment as she soaked in the warmth that spread across her cheeks.

"Thank you, sensei."

As the Hokage's smile widened, she couldn't help but notice the slight creases that formed at the corners of his eyes. It seemed as if running a village was starting to age him. The thought left a bittersweet taste on her tongue.

"Alright," he sighed as he stood from his seat and rounded the desk. "I'm going to have Pakkun come with you until you're able to capture one of the ninja. He'll be able to bring them back to me while you continue with the mission."

With a quick prick of his finger that drew tiny drops of blood, Kakashi began to expertly weave hand signs before crouching to place his palm against the ground. Immediately, black markings sprouted from his hand and etched into the floor below. The summoning jutsu produced a puff of smoke that cleared swiftly to reveal Kakashi's ninken, a small dog wearing a Konoha headband.

"Sakura," Pakkun greeted, shaking his wrinkled snout as he sniffed his surroundings. "Smells like we still use the same shampoo."

"I told you not to mention that anymore!" Sakura shouted back, pointing a threatening finger at the ninja hound before her. Her other hand curled into a fist at her chest.

"Now, now. Settle down, you two," Kakashi stepped between them with raised palms. "We have a mission to attend to, remember?"

Sakura glared at Pakkun but kept quiet. After flashing her a smile so small that the only indication it happened was the slight upturn of his eyes, Kakashi turned to Pakkun to explain the details of the mission.

The ninken was to follow Sakura at a distance until she is able to restrain one of the enemy ninja. He'll wait until she gathers enough information to assume their identity. Once her transformation is complete, Pakkun was to bring the captive nin back to the village and report immediately to the Hokage's office. From there, Sakura would be on her own.

"It's too risky to have you communicate with me while you're on the inside but hopefully it won't be too long before you can get the information we need and get out," Kakashi explained to her after he finished briefing the ninja hound. "Remember, our main goal is just to gather intel. I don't want you trying to fight them without backup."

"Got it," Sakura assured with a nod, her expression sober.

"Any further questions?" The Hokage's gaze flickered between the kunoichi and the ninken. When neither of them replied, he clapped his hands together and announced, "Alright, let the mission officially begin."

#sasusaku #nrtccweek22 #ss fanfiction #sasusakufanfiction #naruto fanfiction #sasuke x sakura #sakura haruno #sasuke uchiha #uchiha family #ssweek #ssfanfic #my writing #tbcn #ao3

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problem-queen · 6 years

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sansa stark week | day six - heroes ↳ Sansa though… I will find her, my lady, Brienne swore to Lady Catelyn’s restless shade. I will never stop looking. I will give up my life if need be, give up my honor, give up all my dreams, but I will find her.

#sansaweek #dailysansa #gotedit #iheartgot #asoiafedit #gotsansastark #gotbrienneoftarth #ssweek #sansa stark #brienne of tarth #game of thrones #my gifs #1k gifs

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divinespairings · 6 years

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Sansa Stark Week — Day 6: Relationships

↳ Sansa and Arya

#gotedit #iheartgot #gotladies #sansaweek #gotsansastark #gotaryastark #sansa stark #arya stark #the stark sisters #ssweek #my gifs #MY BABIES

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sheyul · 6 years

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SASUSAKU WEEK 2018 | DAY 2: Angst

#sasusakuweek #ssweek #sasusakuweek 2018 #sasusaku #uchiha sasuke #uchiha sakura #angst #sasuke #sakura #anime #anime gifs #my gifs #my edit #narutographic

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reimz · 7 years

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sasusaku week // day five: favorite parallel(s). 　　　　　— Maybe next time.

#sasusaku #sasusakuweek #naruto #narutoedit #sasusakugraphics #sasuke uchiha #sakura haruno #itachi uchiha #sarada uchiha #uchiha family #sakura uchiha #mine: stuff #mine: edit #ssweek

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bleu-et-rose · 7 years

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SS Week: Day 05 - Favorite Parallels

#sasusaku #sasusaku week #sasuke #sakura #sasuke uchiha #sakura haruno #sakura uchiha #ssweek #my edit #proudly husbando

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sauce-cherry-blog · 7 years

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SasuSaku Week 2017

— May 12. Day 5: Favorite Parallel(s).

#sasusaku #SasuSakuweek #sasusakuweekday5 #day 5 #ssweek #sakura uchiha #sasuke uchiha #sakura haruno #pro sasusaku #ss moments #favorite scene #sss family #favorite parallels #fav #my first edition

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seigibathala · 7 years

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SasuSaku Week 2017

May 13 - DAY 6: Underappreciated moment(s) - After Chapter 34 Intruders!?

If we look back at Sasuke’s concern for Sakura, I like how frank he was. He told her to practice before the Chunin Exam, and I think he reminded her again during their exam when she got hurt.

#ssweek #sasusaku #sasuke uchiha #sakura uchiha #sakura haruno #chunin exams #myssart #ssweekday6 #underappreciatedmoments #naruto

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its-naruto-universe · 7 years

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“Sakura-san”

— May 13. Day 6: Underappreciated Moment(s).

#ssweek #sasusakuweek #sasusaku week #sasusaku #pro sasusaku

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ebondeath · 7 years

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/ / ssweek day 1: favorite canon moments / / ↳ “sakura, you must have noticed first, right? your analytical ability and genjustu know-how are the most improved on our team.”

#fight me i love this scene #ssweek #ssweek day 1 #favorite canon moments #sasusaku

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inanotherworld5599 · 7 years

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Thank You

Prompt:Sasusaku Week, favourite parallels.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mashashi Kishimoto

Thank you was a phrase that didn’t come easily to last surviving Uchiha.

Perhaps it was because he’s had so little to be thankful over the years. The world had been particularly cruel to him and being grateful for anything or anyone was a notion that’s almost alien to him.

Secretly he’d wished for a life where he was happy, where his parents were alive and his every waking moment wasn’t spent on plotting the death of his older brother. Perhaps then he’d have something to be thankful for.

And yet standing with his back turned to a girl who is ready to offer him all she has just for a shot at making him happy he’s not thankful at all. In fact he’s scared. Her love isn’t something he asked for much less deserved and hearing her cry behind him begging him not to leave wavers a resolve he’s spent years building. He’s made sure that there are no cracks in the wall he’s constructed around him and yet…

Sakura had crashed into it managing to create fissures in the concrete with nothing but her bright smiles and unbelievably naive outlook on life. She’d reached through the barriers trying to get whatever he so desperately hid behind those walls.

But she hadn’t realised that he doesn’t have much for her to take, not anymore.

The only thing he can give is gratitude, because love…. He’s given it before, he’s given it to his parents, he’s given it to his brother…. and it had torn him apart.

He won’t, no he can’t hand that sort of power over to someone else, not this time around. But more than that, he doesn’t have any of it left to give. He’s empty now and all he has is a thank you left.

It’s the only piece of compassion he has left that hasn’t been tainted by his hate, his jealousy and Orochimaru’s promise of power.

The thank you is Sakura’s heart in a way, the only part of him that cares even if it’s only for her and even if it’s just a fragment of what could have been.

Without facing her, standing behind her, his eyes fixed on the pale pink strands that make up her hair he gives her heart back to her along with the last bit of light he had left.

Thank you for letting me have it he says silently long after she’s collapsed and he’s caught her in his arms.

Thank you for caring so deeply even if I didn’t deserve it, he tells her quietly as he lays her on the bench.

Thank you for showing me a future where I could have been happy he completes as he walks out of the Konoha gates leaving everything, Sakura behind.

Thank you.

Years stretch in between them like miles of a road that seemingly lead to nowhere and even though his path intertwined with hers, he’s a different person now. With his last piece of compassion given away he has nothing left to lose. He doesn’t care anymore.

In another world if he’d kept that thank you, if he’d not given it away perhaps he’d have reacted differently to the story of Itachi’s sacrifice, perhaps even its small glimmer of light would have been enough to keep the darkness from completely engulfing him.

But Sakura has it and through the years she’s simply kept it with her, safeguarding it, fighting to keep it safe from everyone including Sasuke himself. She tries to give it back to him along with the future she’d promised but Sasuke rips it apart time and again with the spark of his chidori and the swish of his katana.

Before his fight with Naruto she once again offers it back to him in the form of her love, repaying his small drop of light with an ocean of her own. His back is turned to her again, he can never seem to face her in these moments for the fear of going blind, for the fear of losing sight of what’s important, for the fear of losing sight of his revenge.

She offers him a future again, a path to be happy and this time he’s not scared anymore.

He’s terrified.

He runs leaving her behind this time not bothering to catch her when she falls for he knows that if he stays any longer he will be overwhelmed by her sheer power. For Sakura has indeed grown stronger over the years not just in her ability to decimate any foe she encounters but also as a person and her effect on the people around her, on him, is unquestionable.

Even though he runs, for the first time in his life he’s not fast enough and somewhere deep inside he knows that a tiny spark of light is back and when Naruto beats the hell out of him, the blonde manages to make a hole in the wall of darkness by aiming precisely on the small crack. Light slowly but surely starts streaming through.

When the first part of his wall crumbles the first thing he receives is a handful of apologies. He makes sure to give Sakura the first one.

I’m sorry.

It’s perhaps only then when she asks for more and he’s willingly ready to give all the sorry’s he has just received for a shred of her forgiveness that he doesn’t deserve, he realises that what he’s felt towards Sakura hadn’t been gratitude at all.

That the last piece of him that he’d given her in a disguise of a thank you wasn’t him returning her heart but perhaps it was him giving her his to keep safe until he could come back and take her up on the future she’d promised.

He’d selfishly kept hers though shredding it bit by bit with his darkness as he lost his way. He’d torn her heart apart while Sakura had kept his protected and safe never giving it up even when he completely destroyed hers.

I’m sorry for everything.

Months in a dark cell all alone, he realised things that he didn’t see before and by the time he’s let out most of his wall has crumbled and even though the light isn’t nearly as powerful and bright as his teammates it’s still there.

Once again when he decides to leave, she offers him a future where she will give it her all to make him happy. She doesn’t ask for her heart even if she offers his back with a shy look and a request to accompany him.

He denies it though and in return gives her a light tap on the forehead along with a promise. Even though it pales in comparison to love she’s given him throughout the years it’s the only form of love he knows. It’s the only form of love he’ll ever have to give and it will only ever belong to Sakura.

And this time when he says thank you, he doesn’t say it to her back but he says it facing her, without running away, without saying it long after she’s collapsed. Because this time when he says it he’s not afraid to let her know what the thank you really means.

Thank you for letting me keep it. Thank you for caring so deeply even though I never deserved it.

He knew she’d understood as her green eyes widened when she realised what he’d given to her all those years back because he was sure that looking at himself in the emerald mirror of her eyes what reflected back was the real deal- love.

Thank you for giving me a chance to love you.

#headcanon that the thank you had meant I love you all long #sasusaku #sasusakuweek #sasusaku week #Sasuke Uchiha #Sasuke #sasusaku fanfiction #ssfanfiction #Sakura #Sakura haruno #sarada #Sakura uchiha #love #otp #writing #naruto #ssweek

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artfullypoetic · 2 years

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The Burn of Cold Niceties (7/?)

Title: The Burn of Cold Niceties

Disclaimer: I do not own nor did I create Naruto. This was created solely for entertainment purposes.

Rating: M (for future content)

FF.net Link | AO3 Link. Please comment/review!

Chapter 7

Lying on her own bed for the first time in months made her feel as if she was in heaven. Sure, the other villages have treated her well and paid for her to stay in their nicest inns while she helped at the hospital, but nothing could beat the warmth of being home.

The bright sunlight pouring through her windows lit the room a comfortable gold and she couldn’t help but wish she could go back to bed even though it was almost noon. Sakura was on her back on the mattress, arms spread eagle and eyes glued to the ceiling. It felt silly to think so, but she even missed the old, slightly mismatched ceiling tiles of her tiny one-bedroom apartment. Something always felt off when she couldn’t count them as she drifted off to sleep.

Several hard knocks at her door disrupted her musings. She quickly leapt to her feet and donned her clothes which were haphazardly tossed on the floor the night before. She had slept in nothing but her underwear when she arrived home and realized she was too exhausted to even shower, much less change.

The knocks came again, harder this time as whoever was at her door grew impatient. Sakura smiled as she knew there was only one person who hated waiting this much.

“Coming!” She shouted, as she finally finished pulling her green sweater over her head and buttoning her jeans. She only prayed her hair looked at least a little presentable but there was no time to fix it now. It was too early in the day to be nagged by a certain fiery and impatient blonde.

“You look like shit,” Ino stated matter-of-factly as soon as she caught sight of Sakura behind the opened door.

“Thanks,” the pink-haired kunoichi mumbled, deadpan.

“Move over and let us in. We brought lunch,” Ino pushed her way past as if she owned the place, and Sakura finally caught sight of the person who was standing behind her.

“Hi, Sakura. We’ve missed you,” Hinata greeted, her hands clasped a small basket in front of her and lips upturned in a gentle smile.

“Hinata!” Sakura swept her up in a tight hug, which she had to temporarily release the item in her hands to return. “Come on in, I have so much to ask you,” she winked.

“Oh, is that so?” Blushing slightly, the black-haired woman made her way past the door and began removing her sandals before placing them neatly on the shelf in the entryway.

Sakura frowned when she realized Ino’s sandals were thrown carelessly on the floor beneath the shelf, one shoe even flipped upside down. With a sigh, she bent over to pick them up and arranged them beside Hinata’s shoes.

“Hurry up, forehead! I’m starving!”

“I would be faster if I didn’t have to clean up after you,” Sakura scolded as she pointed towards Ino’s shoes.

“Yeah, yeah. What’s the point of putting them away when I have to take them off the shelf to put them back on later anyways?”

Hinata giggled quietly and Sakura rolled her eyes as the two made their way to the dining table where Ino had already claimed a seat and was drumming her fingers restlessly on the wooden surface. Ino licked her lips as Hinata began to unpack the basket, laying dish after dish on the table.

As Hinata finished setting out the meal, Sakura rounded the counter and headed to the kitchen. She filled a kettle with water from her sink and set it on the stove, before carefully scooping tea leaves into the infuser. She then retrieved three sets of utensils and tableware before returning to the table where both women were now seated side by side.

“Ugh, how I’ve missed your cooking” Sakura mused with a sigh as she eyed the food, the aroma wafting to her nose. She could feel her mouth water at the sight and almost had to restrain herself from immediately digging in.

“Yeah, her cooking’s the only thing stopping Naruto from eating ramen everyday,” Ino teased with a mischievous grin as her eyes traveled to study Hinata’s reaction.

The lilac-eyed woman only blushed a deeper red as she chewed on the end of her chopstick in embarrassment.

“Hey, no teasing,” Sakura chastised, tapping her chopstick on Ino’s hand as a reprimand.

Ino only rolled her eyes as she began scooping various side dishes and piling them up on her bowl of rice.

The three friends ate in a comfortable silence for several minutes before the whistling of the boiling tea kettle disrupted the quiet. Wordlessly, Sakura retrieved the kettle and three tea cups before returning to the table to serve the drink. As she poured tea into the cup directly in front of Hinata, Sakura finally spoke.

“So…you and Naruto are finally getting serious, huh?”

Hinata nearly choked on the piece of omelet she was munching on and Ino and Sakura shared an amused look.

“Come on, don’t be shy,” Ino coaxed.

“Yeah, I need to know!” Sakura finished pouring the tea and returned to her chair before resting her elbows on the table to lean towards Hinata. “You guys wouldn’t give me any details in the letters you sent me. Even Naruto! Who knew that idiot could keep such a tight lip.”

With a hand covering her mouth as she finished chewing, Hinata finally answered. “Well, Sakura, what do you want to know?”

“Everything!” Sakura waved her hands dramatically in the air as Hinata giggled.

“Okay, well you remember when he saved me from Toneri last year, right?”

“Yeah, and you guys started dating,” Sakura affirmed.

“It was so painfully awkward,” Ino interjected.

Rolling her eyes, Sakura chuckled, “Oh, I remember.”

Hinata’s blush continued to deepen and it made Sakura worry about whether the poor girl was going to faint in her seat.

“Right after you left,” Hinata’s eyes settled on Sakura, “he asked me to move in with him and we’ve been living together for a month now.”

With a shriek, Sakura scooped the surprised woman’s hands into hers. “He didn’t tell me when we talked last night! I’m going to need to yell at him about this.”

“No, no I told him I wanted to tell you myself.”

“We think he’s going to pop the question soon,” Ino waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“Really?” Sakura was in complete disbelief as she shook her head softly. “I can only imagine the kind of disaster he’s going to get himself into trying to plan the perfect proposal.”

“Honestly, that kid doesn’t know romance even if it punched him in the face,” Ino remarked.

“Hey, he’s gotten better!”

The blonde and pink-haired woman both shared booming laughter at Hinata’s defensiveness. Neither of them would ever understand how she could have loved him for so long, even when he was just a dumb brat at the academy.

“Well congrats, Hinata.” Sakura gave her a warm smile and squeezed her hands gently. “I’m really happy for you both.”

“Thank you, Sakura.”

“And you better be sure to let us know as soon as he proposes because there’s no way I’m missing all the wedding planning,” Ino huffed and Sakura nodded in agreement.

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t want anyone else helping me when the time comes.”

The three exchanged smiles before continuing with their meals, each sipping slowly on the steaming tea.

“So Ino, what about you and Sai?” Sakura finally broke the silence.

Choking slightly on her tea, Ino only looked at her wide-eyed.

“Come on, we all know. I see the way you two look at each other,” chided Sakura as she wiggled her index finger in the blonde’s direction.

“We—we’re just taking it slow,” Ino finally stammered out, her cheeks beet red. “Besides, I think he has a lot to figure out with learning about his feelings and all.”

“If anyone can teach him about feelings, it’s you,” Sakura remarked as she sipped her tea.

As she did so, Ino pointed an accusing finger at her, her brows furrowing. “What about you ? Meet any cute guys in all your travels or are you still all about Sasuke?”

It was Sakura’s turn to choke on her tea now. As she coughed, Hinata worriedly handed her a napkin to wipe her mouth with. From the corner of her eye, she could see the Byakugan-wielder scold Ino with a gentle slap to the wrist. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to stop her.

“Come on, it’s been two years , you can’t wait for him forever. No letters, no nothing,” Ino’s gaze steeled on hers as she became angrier. Whether the anger was directed at Sakura or Sasuke was unclear. “He’s not worth your time or your energy. Plus, if he was going to come back he would have by now.”

When Ino finished her tirade, Sakura unclenched the fist she didn’t realize she was making. Blood rushed loudly in her ears and her heart threatened to leap out of her chest with every beat. She knew—with utmost certainty—that Ino was correct, but the heaviness in her bones as she struggled to produce the words to respond was convinced otherwise. Sure, he’s been gone for over two years without any communication but the image of him at the gates and the words he spoke cycled through her mind. Wouldn’t it be wrong for her not to believe that he didn’t mean goodbye—that instead he meant he’ll see her another time?

But then she remembered the way he reacted to seeing her in the Kusakagure forest. The way his eyes flashed with anger. Did he really never plan to come back home? Come back to her?

A squeeze on her hand pulled her from her racing thoughts and Sakura looked up to meet eyes of lavender, downturned in worry or perhaps pity. Even Ino seemed to have calmed down now as she eyed the pinkette with careful curiosity.

With a deep breath, she finally braced herself to speak.

“I…” The newfound confidence seemed to drain away as soon as Sakura opened her mouth. Swallowing the lump forming in her throat, she willed herself to continue. “He has a lot of things to think through and it’s not like I’m planning on waiting for him forever but he made a promise before he left and I’m choosing to believe him.”

Ino scoffed. “Believe him? Like the time you believed he wouldn’t actually try to kill you?”

Sakura shot her an icy glare at this and Hinata looked like she was ready to bolt out of the apartment.

As if Ino saw the hurt that briefly flooded the pinkette’s eyes, she continued more gently. “Look, I’m sure he’s a different person now and that he’s trying to change—even if it’s hard to believe. But do you really think he has enough room after all that for love ?”

Sakura opened and closed her mouth several times as if to speak but any words she tried to grasp slipped immediately away.

Ino took her silence as annoyance and softened her tone even further. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, Sakura. I don’t doubt his feelings for you. In fact, we all—” she gestured between herself and Hinata “—know that he’s…different…with you, but we also don’t want to see you put your life on hold just for the hope that he’d come back.”

A thick silence settled in the air and the tension was palpable. Sakura struggled to speak and the heavy look in Ino’s blue eyes as they bored into her green ones made her mouth run dry.

After several minutes of the three friends sitting at the table, their hands clasped together in the center, Sakura finally spoke through a vacant smile, “Thank you for looking out for me, both of you.”

The women exchanged sympathetic looks and Sakura prayed that they would change the subject. Just as Ino opened her mouth to continue, Hinata suddenly shot out of her seat, her chair sliding back against the floor with a loud squeak.

“I have dessert!” She announced, louder than she should have.

Sakura met Hinata’s eyes and sent her a look of gratitude. The Hyuga always expertly read her mind, unlike Ino. Although it’s not like Ino was particularly inept to Sakura’s feelings, it was just that sometimes she was so caught up in her own motivations that she missed the subtle cues.

The remainder of their lunch was pleasant, with each of them enjoying the sweets that Hinata so carefully baked. To Sakura’s relief, the conversation steered clear of mentions of Sasuke and instead consisted of gossip about how Shikamaru and Temari were too stubborn to admit that they had feelings for each other. Sakura was particularly amused when Ino dramatically retold the story about how she and Choji sabotaged their reservations at an inn during a mission to force the two to share a room only to find Shikamaru asleep outside the door the next morning.

“I can’t believe him! So smart yet so stupid,” Ino complained, head shaking in disapproval.

“You know, sometimes it might be best to just let them figure it out on their own,” the pinkette chided.

“But it’s so agonizingly slow, ” Ino cupped her cheeks with her hand and dragged her skin down in an effort to emphasize her frustration.

“I think they’re moving faster than you think,” Hinata’s mutter was so low, the other two women would have surely missed it if they weren’t trained ninja.

Sakura and Ino stared wide-eyed at her as they begged her to elaborate but she only laughed mischievously and shook her head, promising that Temari will probably tell them the next time they all get together. At the mention of a future social event, Sakura finally remembered to mention her upcoming mission.

“Actually guys…I’m leaving again the day after tomorrow and before you ask, it’s classified.” Sakura held up her hands as Ino began to protest. Hinata just looked disappointed. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone but I promise to write back as often as I can, okay?”

At that, her two friends nodded solemnly.

“It’s not a dangerous mission, is it?” Hinata finally asked hesitantly.

“Don’t worry, Kakashi-sensei wouldn’t assign me this mission if he thought I couldn’t handle it,” Sakura reassured, the corners of her lips upturned into a comforting grin which both of the other women returned.

“Alright, enough of that,” Ino piped in. “We’re going to get out of here and let you take a break but we’ll find you tonight!”

And like a surprise storm on a sunny day, Ino was out the door and down the street in a matter of seconds, dragging a relenting Hinata along with her. As Sakura watched their retreating figures, she couldn’t help but wish she never went out to the forest that day and that perhaps ignorance was better after all. But she quickly swiped that thought away. It was her job as a kunoichi—nay, her duty as a protector of the village—to track those criminals down.

Shutting her front door, Sakura leaned with her back against it and took several calming breaths. Ino’s words from earlier continued their endless cycle in her head. Do you really think he has enough room after all that for love? That question haunted her.

It haunted her because Sasuke had echoed the same sentiment before; albeit it was when he was yearning for revenge. But, Sakura reasoned, isn’t this journey for atonement almost the same? He may not be the bloodthirsty rogue ninja he once was, but this journey seemed to be a concealed way for him to exact revenge upon himself on behalf of the village—to punish himself for the sins he committed. So was Ino right? Would Sasuke have any room in his mind for her? Would he ever?

Sakura slid to the floor and pressed her forehead to the top of her knees before wrapping her arms around her legs. She’d be lying if she said her feelings for him have dulled—even just a little bit—after all these years. But truthfully, she wanted to give up. She wanted to dig the valley between them deeper and deeper until they were separated completely.

It would hurt less then, she used to tell herself. Each time another man offered her flowers or asked to treat her to a meal, she couldn’t help but wonder how easy it would be for her to accept. How easy it could be if she would just accept. But as soon as she even considered it, the way Sasuke looked at her—sincere, apologetic, affectionate —would flash through her mind, breaking down whatever conviction she had built up to agree to a date with another man.

Sighing loudly, Sakura pushed herself off the floor and began to clean up what was left of the lunch Hinata brought. As she trudged to the kitchen, her chest weighed heavy with the memories of Sasuke standing there. Lips upturned, she allowed herself to revel in the image of him carefully making tea during one of Team 7’s many dinners.

She could almost see the look on his face as he concentrated—much too hard for only tea—and measured out the loose leaves. It was moments like these when she caught herself admiring him most, brows knitted and lower lip held between his teeth. It was moments like these when she realized her love for him wasn’t some continuation of a childish crush after all. That instead, she loved him—truly, deeply loved him—so much that it almost hurt.

But it was in this same apartment that he first raised his voice at her. It was merely two months after the war and he was finally released from his prison cell. Weak and barely coherent from skipping meals and enduring arduous interrogations, Naruto had dragged him to Sakura’s apartment to be healed.

That night, she woke to sounds of him thrashing in his sleep where he lay on her couch. Desperate to rouse him from the nightmare, Sakura had cupped his cheeks gently in order to coax him awake. But when he finally opened his eyes, they glowed red in the dark and the chirp of electricity sounded from his hand. Terrified, Sakura had leapt out of the way with a shriek.

When Sasuke finally realized he was safe and that it was Sakura who touched him, he looked horrified. His gaze snapped between his own hand and her face several times and she remembered thinking how she had never seen him so confused and unsure. It made him look so much younger for a moment, so much like the boy she remembered and not like the avenger he had become..

But his horror quickly turned to anger. Sakura could recall the seething rage his eyes held as they bored into hers. He had questioned why she would come near him, yelled at her to stay back, and warned her to never touch him again.

As terrified as she was at his outburst, she had been certain that he wouldn’t hurt her. So against her better judgment, she drew closer until she was kneeling beside the couch where he sat with his face in his hand. As she placed her hand gently on his knee, he recoiled from her touch.

“Sasuke…” Sakura remembered whispering, voice barely audible. “Please look at me.”

She was only met with silence. But finally after several minutes, he lifted his head and she gasped at the sight when their gazes met. There, looking back at her, was the most despair she had ever seen in his mismatched eyes. And suddenly, it dawned on her. Sasuke Uchiha was unraveling right before her eyes.

She couldn’t remember how they ended up that way, but she held him in her arms that night, whispering almost incoherent lines of “it’s okay” every time he repeated his desperate apologies. She remembered the feeling of his hair between her fingers and the way he tightly fisted the back of her shirt, as if afraid that he would lose her if he let go. By the time sunlight broke through the sheer curtains of her living room, Sasuke was gone, leaving only a lingering heaviness in Sakura’s bones to signify that his moment of vulnerability was real.

They never spoke of that night again but Sakura felt there was a shift in their relationship. He seemed more gentle—more open around her. And while they didn’t have another moment of such close physical contact, she was sure that his walls were finally breaking down. If she only had more time, she could heal him from the tragedies that haunted him as well as she could heal his physical wounds. And that realization made it hurt all the more when he announced his plans to travel several months later with no estimate of return.

For a fleeting moment, Sakura felt as if he would take her with him. Besides, they had spent months almost constantly at each other’s side, relearning the parts of one another that they discovered when they were apart. But she understood that this journey was something he needed to do on his own. So for the years after he left and even now, Sakura held onto two things: his simple promise of another time and the way he felt that night, caged in her arms.

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