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Sakura was fast, but not quick enough in her weakened state. She was able to avoid a serious hit, but the poisoned kunai sliced through the fabric of her shirt and left a gash between her shoulder blades. Sakura cried out, causing Sasuke to turn momentarily from the enemy. With a flash of furious red and purple, Sakura’s attacker vanished under the silent howl of Amaterasu.
Sakura collapsed onto the dewy blades of grass and lapsed into unconsciousness as she focused her energy on purging the poison. Sakura was immune to most poisons; while she identified the strain, it had been altered to increase potency with another she could not identify.
Sasuke coldly finished off the rest of the attackers with his infamous black fire despite the strain on his Sharingan and raced to Sakura’s side. As the black flames extinguished, Sasuke struggled to gather Sakura into the crook of his whole arm with his stump. Sasuke grit his teeth – maybe I should have accepted Hashirama’s cells, he thought to himself. He summoned a small piece of Susanoo to hold her better using its spectral arm.
Sasuke assessed Sakura's vitals while enroute to a cave he found with his rinnegan. Sasuke could see Sakura’s chakra pulsing in her body; it was doing its best to neutralize the poison. Sakura was hot to the touch and her temperature spiked as the poison triggered a full immune system response.
Sasuke gently placed Sakura against the jagged wall of the cave, taking care not to jostle her too much. Sasuke rummaged in his backpack and haphazardly pulled out his bedroll, hastily shaking it out onto the hard dirt floor. Sasuke looped his arm around Sakura’s waist and gently pulled her down onto her stomach so he could assess the damage. Sasuke’s heart jumped in his throat at the sight of Sakura’s blood-drenched back. The slash was long and oozed a sickly green liquid. The skin around the wound was reddened and swollen. Sasuke gritted his teeth and flicked a kunai up the seams of Sakura’s tunic. The tattered red cloth fell away to expose more of Sakura’s mangled skin. Sasuke dug in the medic pack and found clotting powder. He sprinkled the powder along the length of Sakura’s injury and waited for the magic to happen. As the bleeding slowed and came to a stop, Sasuke dabbed at Sakura’s wound with a clean cloth. Sakura’s fair skin looked a shade paler than normal, and Sasuke grappled with what to do. He was not a medical ninja and had no clue how to help Sakura. He had tried and failed to copy Sakura’s medical jutsu—it required perfect chakra control, something Sasuke could not imitate. It was something he would only be able to achieve with years of practice, and even then, results weren't guaranteed. They were far from Konoha, and Sasuke had used too much Amaterasu and Susanoo to teleport such a great distance, especially with Sakura.
Sasuke sighed and cast his Sharingan and Rinnegan over Sakura’s body. Sakura’s chakra was concentrated, but the poison made it sluggish. She was still running a fever. Sasuke pulled out the map. Sasuke knew he could do little else for Sakura on his own. As Sasuke’s gaze traveled over the map, he spotted the old city where the Nekobaa lived. Sasuke quickly calculated the distance and surmised they would be able to make it there. Even if there was nothing left in the city, he would be much closer to Konoha than they were now. After gingerly wrapping Sakura’s wound in bandages, taking care not to glance at her unbound breasts, Sasuke shrugged his shirt off and wrapped it around her. Sasuke packed up his bedroll and both of their supplies. Finally, Sasuke firmly wrapped his arm around Sakura and transported them through time and space.
Sasuke’s legs wobbled as they landed in the dirt streets of the seemingly abandoned city. He trembled and nearly fell, but managed to hold Sakura upright. The teleportation exhausted the last of his chakra. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he struggled to remember where the Nekobaa and her granddaughter Tamaki lived. Sasuke swayed, and angrily summoned the last of his strength so that he did not let go of Sakura. He slid Sakura to the ground, careful to hold her tightly against him. Sasuke bent and looped Sakura’s arm around his neck, holding her limp body against his as he dragged her down the street.
Luckily, Sasuke did not have to travel far. Their arrival in the city was quickly noticed by sentry ninneko. A white cat darted out in front of Sasuke and glanced at him as if to say, ‘Are you coming’? With relief, Sasuke finally spotted the familiar doors of the shop. He staggered forward, and a young woman came rushing out as Sasuke’s body finally succumbed to exhaustion. As he fell, Sasuke made sure to take the brunt of the impact for the both of them.
. . .
Sasuke’s eyes snapped open, and he jolted upright. He was tucked into an unfamiliar twin bed. A singular candle lit the small, windowless room he was in. A glass of water sat on the small table beside the bed. A flash of movement caught his attention, and he noticed the white cat he followed earlier sitting at the foot of the bed. With muted amusement, Sasuke noted the cat’s eyes were a brilliant shade of green akin to Sakura’s.
“Your companion is alright,” the cat said, revealing itself to be a ninneko. Sasuke visibly relaxed in relief. He sagged against the headboard and catalogued his chakra stores. They had replenished minimally, but he still required a lot of rest. There would be no more teleporting for the next day at least.
“Where is she?” Sasuke croaked. Coming to the abandoned city was a gamble, but the only one he had. He had not even known for sure if the Nekobaa and her granddaughter still lived in the city.
“Down the hall,” the ninneko answered, its slitted eyes assessing him with mild curiosity. Sasuke flipped the blankets off him and swung his legs off the bed, fighting the soreness of his muscles. The sudden movement made blood rush to Sasuke’s head. Sasuke paused, lowering his head into his hands as he fought off the black spots clouding his vision.
“Take me to her.” Sasuke had to see Sakura for himself to make sure she was alright. Sasuke did not know how long he had been out, and every minute Sakura did not have adequate medical care was critical. For poison to take her down like that, it had to be serious. The walk down the dimly lit hallway felt like eons. Sasuke followed the tiny feline into a large, windowless room, which was lit by several torches.
Sakura lay on the bed, fast asleep. She looked peaceful. She was tucked deeply beneath several quilts pulled up to her chin. Several ninneko surrounded her. They were purring so loudly Sasuke could almost feel the vibrations. Sasuke’s shirt lay neatly folded on the chair beside Sakura's bed. Sasuke approached slowly, his right eye glowing red as he assessed Sakura’s vitals once more. This time Sakura’s chakra pulsed around her system strongly, and Sasuke could tell the poison was mostly gone. Red faded to a relieved black and Sasuke lowered himself into the chair. Sasuke watched Sakura for several silent moments before he heard footsteps in the hallway.
“Sasuke-san,” the young woman from before greeted. Sasuke turned his head to acknowledge her. Regarding the woman with mild curiosity, Sasuke recognized her as grown-up Tamaki, the Nekobaa’s granddaughter. Tamaki stepped into the firelight, revealing her previously-short brown hair had grown down to her waist. Tamaki was carrying Sakura’s freshly washed clothing – what was left of it, anyway. Sasuke left the shredded red shirt behind in the cave. Also tucked under Tamaki’s arm were several shirts in varying shades.
“Thank you, Tamaki-san,” Sasuke said, ever so polite. Tamaki blushed, and handed him the stack of clothing with a short bow.
“You remembered! I brought several shirts for Sakura-san to choose from. That is her name, isn’t it?,” Tamaki asked. Her gaze upon Sasuke was heavy, like she knew something he did not. Sasuke nodded.
“Aa,” Sasuke hummed, accepting the stack of clothing. Sasuke carded through the shirts and pulled out a red one. Thinking of the way villagers had been talking to and looking at Sakura in the last town they were in, Sasuke had a sudden thought. He cleared his throat. His mind was set.
“Can I get you anything else, Sasuke-san?” Tamaki asked, peering at him curiously.
“Aa… do you still have the supplies Itachi left?” Sasuke asked. Tamaki’s brow furrowed, and her mouth pulled to the side as she thought hard. One of the ninneko slumbering at Sakura’s feet stretched languidly, and gracefully rose to all fours. It leapt down to the floor and nuzzled against Sasuke’s legs.
“I know where they are,” the gray ninneko rasped.
“Go,” Sasuke ordered.
Tamaki and the ninneko led the way around the abandoned city streets. They took many turns before ending up at a small, unassuming house at the end of a row. A fading Uchiha symbol was painted on the front door. Sasuke wondered, with sadness, about how many things he did not know about his beloved older brother.
Tamaki hovered back as Sasuke approached the house. The wooden door creaked heavily as Sasuke shouldered it open. He coughed as the dusty contents of the house revealed itself to the early morning sunlight. The gray ninneko rubbed itself against Sasuke’s legs before padding quietly into the house. The house was mostly bare, with just a few furniture necessities. There was one chair in the empty living room. Upon the fireplace rested a small stash of aging kunai and shuriken. Sasuke smiled softly at a memory of training with his older brother in the forest.
The ninneko waited quietly for Sasuke to turn his attention back to the task at hand. When Sasuke tore his gaze away from the rusting weaponry, the ninneko sauntered down the hallway into the only other room. A single bed lay against the wall. There was a wooden dresser, and nothing else. Sasuke slowly walked up to the drawers and pulled.
Itachi’s small stash of clothing lay inside the rickety dresser, and it wasn’t much – just one crisply folded shirt and a pair of shorts. Sasuke reached in gingerly, as if his touch would make the clothing disintegrate into dust. Sasuke gently unfolded the black shirt and turned it over. The Uchiha crest glared up at him; it was the only spot of vibrant color in the entire house. Sasuke stared at it with a stab of sadness. It was yet another painful reminder that he was the last Uchiha alive. Leaving the shorts in the drawer, Sasuke gathered the shirt and turned back to the ninneko.
“Let’s go,” Sasuke said. The ninneko led the way back out of the silent, rotting house. Tamaki waited outside, not wanting to intrude on Sasuke’s privacy. Her eyes landed on the shirt Sasuke was carrying, but she did not question him. Tamaki smiled and promised a warm breakfast: hot miso soup, fish, and rice, and Sasuke was grateful for her tact. Sasuke asked Tamaki for a sewing kit, and she gave it to him. Sasuke could tell Tamaki was a little bemused, but her politeness kept her from asking.
After a quiet breakfast was enjoyed by Sasuke, Tamaki, and the ninneko, Sasuke retreated to his room while Tamaki changed Sakura’s wound dressings.
Sasuke sat on the bed and grunted in frustration. He wasn’t exactly a master seamster. It was easy enough ripping the seams of Itachi’s old shirt, but carefully sewing the Uchiha crest onto the back of the red shirt was another matter. He only had one crest and one shirt; he couldn’t afford to make a mistake.
Tamaki’s curiosity finally got the better of her and she knocked gently on the door. Sasuke sighed and invited Tamaki in. Tamaki tried to quell the smile on the edge of her lips at the sight of Sasuke attempting to sew using the fearsome arm of Susanoo. Who knew such power could be used for such a domestic task? Tamaki ducked her face and hid it behind her curtain of hair to conceal the amused look on her face. Sasuke could sew up holes and rips, but his sewing skills were clumsy at best, especially with one arm and a clumsily-wielded spectral appendage. The Susanoo was the perfect shield, but Sasuke did not yet possess the finesse required to use it to sew neat stitches. Sasuke managed to position the crest in the center and feed the first couple of stitches, but they were clumsy and crooked.
“I think Nekobaa wants to see you. I can take over,” Tamaki said, gracefully giving Sasuke an out. Tamaki was an expert seamstress, having sewed all the ninneko’s cat-bands and pouches.
“Aa,” Sasuke said. He was grateful he had not had to ask for Tamaki’s help. Tamaki took the shirt and needle from him, and Sasuke thanked her. He also asked Tamaki to dress Sakura when she finished. Sasuke knew Sakura would feel embarrassed if she woke up topless while Sasuke was in the room with her, or if she knew that Sasuke was the one who dressed her.
Sasuke disappeared as he teleported to Nekobaa’s inner sanctum. Sasuke was a little surprised to find out that she was still alive after the wars. A small army of ninneko greeted Sasuke as he landed inside Nekobaa’s home. Sasuke bowed deeply, and thanked Nekobaa for her hospitality. When Sasuke raised his head, he was greeted with a soft gasp. Sasuke’s lone rinnegan was striking and frightening, he knew. The Nekobaa stared at him for several moments. At first, her gaze was hard. Sasuke saw the warrior she had been in a past life reflected in her cloudy eyes.
“Oh, Sasuke,” Nekobaa sighed, but she was smiling at him. “It’s been a long time since I saw you. And you brought Sakura-chan with you, I see. I haven’t forgotten. Where is Naruto?” Sasuke smirked inwardly. Nekobaa never forgot a thing.
“He is in the village. Sakura and I are traveling together,” Sasuke said. Naruto was effectively trapped in Konoha, needing to ascend the ninja ranks before Kakashi could step down as Hokage. Naruto’s dream was coming true, but it required a lot of hard work and studying. Sasuke had to smirk at the thought of Naruto studying.
“Are you at peace?” Nekobaa asked Sasuke. The ninneko had already informed her of Sasuke’s arrival, the status of Sasuke and Sakura, and his journey to Itachi’s old safe house. When Nekobaa had seen Sasuke last, he had both feet in the darkness. Now, she could tell he was only standing in its shadow.
“I am,” Sasuke said. It was honest. Regaining his bonds of friendship brought Sasuke more harmony than he expected. And Sakura… his dark eye softened. Sasuke was finally acknowledging the feelings he had pushed away for so long. She was warm, caring, and reminded Sasuke of everything he lost before the massacre. Before, when they were young, this only brought him bitterness. Now, she brought Sasuke hope. Naruto opened Sasuke’s eyes to the future, but Sakura enabled him to believe in it. Sasuke’s feelings scared him still, but they were more thrilling than terrifying. Each time Sakura smiled at him, Sasuke felt like things could be alright.
“Itachi left me this,” Nekobaa suddenly revealed. Nekobaa’s gnarled hand disappeared beneath her robes before she held out a tattered picture. Sasuke reached out, and his eyes widened. It was a creased black-and-white photo of himself and Itachi. Itachi was carrying Sasuke on his back, and they were both grinning widely up at the camera. Sasuke’s eyes burned with tears. He had forgotten all about that day. His memories came back to him in a flood. His mother, Mikoto, was behind the camera, still wearing her cleaning apron. Itachi had just gotten home from a mission and promised Sasuke they would train the next day. In the meantime, Itachi hoisted Sasuke up on his back and ran around to make him smile. Sasuke ached fiercely for his family. But the memory was a happy one, something Sasuke was able to treasure. Sasuke wept openly, not caring about his audience of Nekobaa and her ninneko. Sasuke heard the rustle of clothing, and the elderly grandmother wrapped her frail arms around him and held him close.
“Oh, Sasuke-chan,” Nekobaa sighed. The gray ninneko that led Sasuke to Itachi’s safe house leapt up into his lap and nuzzled his chest. Sasuke roughly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, and Nekobaa waited patiently. They sat beside each other in silence for a while. After a little, Tamaki entered the room and cleared her throat.
“Sakura is awake,” Tamaki said, and Sasuke stood sharply. Sasuke teleported to the hallway, leaving Tamaki, Nekobaa, and the ninneko behind. Sasuke made sure his footsteps were loud enough for Sakura to hear, then he rapped his knuckles sharply on the door.
“Sasuke?” Sakura called; her voice hoarse from sleep. Sasuke stepped into the room, his Sharingan ablaze. Sakura was tired but well, and Sasuke could not detect any remnants of the poison in her system. Sakura’s chakra pulsed through her body swiftly, no longer hindered by the sluggish effects of the poison.
“Are you alright?” Sasuke asked. His voice was rough. Sasuke hovered at the edge of the doorway, not wanting to make Sakura feel uncomfortable. It was Sasuke’s fault they were attacked, and he felt incredibly guilty that Sakura had suffered in his place. But Sakura beamed at him and outstretched a hand to pat the chair at her bedside.
“I won’t bite, Sasuke-kun,” Sakura teased. Sasuke silently sunk into the chair beside her. “I’m fine. Thank you for bringing me here. I’m sorry I passed out on you like that,” Sakura apologized. Her cheeks warmed in embarrassment.
“Don’t be,” Sasuke said, glaring into space. Sasuke thought of the men that attacked them with absolute fury. If he'd still had a curse mark, its flames would have spread over his skin. Sasuke’s dark thoughts were halted when Sakura placed a warm hand on his arm.
“Sasuke-kun… thank you,” Sakura said. She then brought her fingertips to Sasuke’s temples and flooded them with chakra. “You strained your eyes,” Sakura said, and her eyes pricked with tears. “You idiot! You shouldn’t have used Amaterasu so much!” At this, Sasuke laughed. How could he not? Sakura was one of his most precious people. He would swallow the world with fire just to keep her safe.
In amazement, Sakura stared at Sasuke with her mouth hanging open. The white ninneko that was sleeping beside Sakura gave Sasuke a bleary scowl at the sound. Sasuke finally stopped laughing.
“You were badly injured… and you still worried about me,” Sasuke explained his fond amusement. It reminded him of the end of the battle of Kaguya and the Infinite Tsukiyomi. As he and Naruto lay there dying, Sakura cried as she healed them. This was the second time Sakura called him an idiot.
“I always worry about you, Sasuke-kun,” Sakura said shyly, and she bit her lip.
“Aa,” Sasuke said, which translated to, “I worry about you too”. Sakura had yet to learn all his idiosyncrasies though, so she just peered at him curiously.
As they spent the rest of the day recovering their strength, they spent more time with Nekobaa and her army of ninneko. When Nekobaa noticed the newly-sewn Uchiha crest on Sakura’s back, she looked at Sasuke with such fierce fondness he had to turn away. The tips of Sasuke’s ears burned. He hadn’t told Sakura yet. He didn’t quite know how. He couldn’t quite explain himself, either.
Sasuke wanted the world to know that Sakura was under his protection. Sasuke wanted the world to know that Sakura was not to be messed with. And… he wanted the world to know that Sakura was... his. A part of his family. Sasuke’s cheeks burned at the thought.
“Sasuke! What’s wrong? Are you sick?” Sakura asked, rushing to his side. Her hands smoothed over his burning cheeks, green healing chakra flaring in response, and Sasuke's lips tightened into a scowl.
“I’m fine,” Sasuke said shortly, embarrassed. “It’s just… hot in here. Let’s get moving.” Sakura, a little perturbed by his strange behavior, nonetheless thought nothing of it and turned to gather her things. They had just been through a very stressful situation after all.
Tamaki smiled at Sasuke knowingly from behind Sakura’s back.
. . .
“Why do people keep staring at us?” Sakura grumbled. Sasuke was unrecognizable in his traveling garb. His cape covered the small Uchiha crest on his back. While Sakura knew her bright hair stood out, she was also wearing unrecognizable travel clothing. Her hitai-ate was safely packed into her backpack.
Sasuke grunted, which was a shrug in Uchiha-speak. Sakura sighed. Strangely, the villagers were staring at her. She hadn’t experienced this in the other villages they’d visited – if anything, they usually stared at Sasuke. He might have been unrecognizable at the moment, but his presence still commanded respect and exuded electric power. Maybe they had never seen a pink-haired girl before.
Sasuke kept glancing at Sakura’s back. The Uchiha symbol stood out boldly, and Sasuke couldn’t describe how it felt to see someone else wearing the symbol. Most of his life he had been alone. Now, his most precious person was wearing his family crest – albeit wearing it unknowingly. The stares of the villagers made his chest swell with pride. The crest was large and unmistakable – it was clear to all that Sakura belonged with the Uchiha.
As the sun began to set over the village, Sakura glanced at Sasuke fondly. The sun glittered off the glass windowpanes of the various shops and restaurants and illuminated the spikes of Sasuke’s dark hair. Sasuke strode ahead of her, intent on finding a place to eat. A sunbeam bounced off a window, catching the corner of Sakura’s eye, and that’s when she saw it. Sakura gasped and abruptly stopped in her tracks. Her veridian eyes went wide, and she blinked them furiously, as if she were dreaming. The reflection in the window was unbelievable.
Sasuke felt Sakura's hesitation and turned around. He inhaled sharply when he noticed that she had finally noticed the symbol on her back.
Sakura’s mouth opened and closed several times. She twisted and turned around fully, trying to make sure that what she saw in the window reflection was not an illusion. There lay the Uchiha crest, between her shoulder blades, in place of the Haruno circle. Sakura’s fingers shot up to the middle of her back, finding the rough hems of thread and the flat patch. Sakura then whirled around and pointed a shaking finger at her traveling companion.
“You – you-“ was all Sakura managed to get out. Sasuke came closer, and his expression was unreadable. Sakura gaped at him. This went far beyond lending her one of his shirts. Sasuke had placed his clan's crest on a red shirt in her style, just for her.
“Are you upset?” Sasuke asked. His brows furrowed ever so slightly. The tips of his ears burned again. Thankfully, they were hidden by his hair. Sasuke watched Sakura apprehensively.
Sakura’s eyes suddenly burned with tears. The initial shock faded, and the meaning of what Sasuke had done to her new shirt crashed over her like a tsunami. Sakura’s lower lip trembled, and that was the only warning sign Sasuke got before Sakura launched herself at him. Sasuke froze as Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck. He slowly and stiffly relaxed slightly into her embrace, and inhaled the scent of her hair surreptitiously. Sasuke was a genius, but not when it came to the world of romance. He wondered at her reaction – obviously, the hug was a good sign, but what about the tears? Sakura could sense Sasuke’s bewilderment.
“I’m just—I’m happy,” Sakura sobbed, and Sasuke sighed in relief. Sakura’s mind swam with questions. Did Sasuke understand what the symbol would mean to other people? Was he truly that serious? And why did he have to be such a weirdo about it? Sakura’s tears turned into laughter, which made the hairs on Sasuke’s neck stand up. He was awash in confusion. His confusion began turning into irritation and anger when Sakura showed no signs of stopping.
Why was she laughing? Was the idea of being linked to him that ridiculous? Was the idea of joining his clan amusing to her? Sasuke glared holes into the back (well, side) of Sakura’s head.
“What?” Sasuke snarled. His patience had run out.
“Oh, Sasuke-kun,” Sakura giggled, and she struggled to contain her mirth. Sasuke’s brow furrowed. The affectionate suffix was another good sign, but the laughter was still distressing.
“Is it that funny to you?” Sasuke ground out through gritted teeth. Was the idea laughable?, Sasuke thought. At that, Sakura quieted. Sakura pulled back and regarded Sasuke curiously. Sasuke’s cheeks burned this time, and he stubbornly looked away from her. A beatific smile came to Sakura’s lips, and she stretched up on her tiptoes to plant a soft kiss on Sasuke’s cheek. Sasuke froze. His humiliated fury, as fast as it rose, swiftly disappeared. For once in his life, Sasuke was speechless. Sakura pulled away, and spun again to view her rippling reflection in the shop window. Her cheeks were bright red, and her eyes sparkled with happiness.
Sasuke watched Sakura admire the crest on her back. His sharingan swirled lazily, imprinting the memory into his brain forever. The look on Sakura's face made Sasuke's heartbeat stutter.
"Sasuke-kun--I'm just surprised, that's all. I didn't think- I didn't expect-" Sakura tripped over her words. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire. Sakura closed her eyes and paused. She took a deep breath. "It's always been you. You know that, I think," Sakura said, and gave Sasuke a watery smile. She hiccuped on a breath and bravely pushed on. "I just didn't expect that you would feel the same." Sakura's breath left her in a woosh.
It was all Sasuke needed.
Sakura wanted him. Sakura wanted to be with him. Sakura wanted to wear his family crest. Their family crest. Sasuke’s chest swelled with a warm feeling he recognized as love. It was an emotion he hadn't let himself feel in a long, long time.
Sakura broke the silence, not wanting to push Sasuke too far out of his comfort zone just yet. She had a sudden thought and giggled uncontrollably, then told him she would race him to the ramen stand, before she was gone in a blur of pink, red, and white. Sasuke finally smiled, and gave chase.
Sasuke wouldn’t let her forget it, though. Over their bowls of steaming hot ramen, Sasuke interrogated Sakura about what was so funny.
Sakura peered at him over a spoonful of broth. Her green eyes glittered. Sasuke burned with curiosity.
“Normally, you’re supposed to propose first,” Sakura giggled, not ashamed of the fierce blush on her cheeks.
Sasuke nearly choked on his noodles. A slight hitch in breathing was the only signal he gave.
Sasuke hadn’t really thought that far. He just wanted the world to know that Sakura was unquestionably his.
But the thought of being married to Sakura didn’t scare Sasuke – in fact, it thrilled him.
“Uchiha Sakura,” he thought in his head.
Since Sakura was already wearing his family crest, Sasuke thought it wouldn’t hurt. Surely she was okay with the idea, considering she was still wearing the shirt and hadn't punched him to oblivion yet. Her words showed that she was favorable to the idea of being married to him. In that case…
“Okay. Let’s get married tomorrow,” Sasuke said very seriously, turning back to his noodles, and it was Sakura’s turn to choke.
“Wha- um... o-okay,” Sakura stuttered. She was almost aghast at how casual Sasuke was about it. But Sasuke rarely spoke more than three words at once, and he never said anything he didn’t mean.
Sasuke didn’t see why they should waste time. Sakura was his end goal.
Sakura was it. She was his family. He would live and die for her.