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He is seventeen when he has to greet her as his Otouto’s teammate.
He remembered Sasuke complaining about being paired up with Uzumaki Naruto but never mentioning the third member. And while in the midst of his rants, Shisui had raised the question of who was to complete team 7.
He remembered how quickly a flush formed over his brother’s neck before he muttered out that she would not be a problem.
The subtle color on his skin did not escape Shisui afterwards, their cousin had spent the rest of the afternoon teasing Sasuke trying to get him to spit out the girl’s identity.
He was thirteen and had taken quite the liking to a tea house a little ways outside of the marketplace. It had a constant warmth in the air that just made it feel relaxing, and he had a feeling it was more the owner’s doing than the heating water.
It was his place to treat himself to a nice meal.
Or get away from the tumultuous bustle of the market.
Or get a lovely cup of traditional tea served in fine china with custom flavoring.
Really he found any excuse to go the tea shop.
It was spacious, with deep greens and bronze decorating the interior of the building. The tables and chairs a dark reddish wood.
He quite liked the atmosphere, it was so soothing.
She’s standing in his doorway in between his brother and Naruto. and she is prettier than a flower. Wearing a pine green chinese style dress with sage green embroidery, lined with a subtle yellow trim. Her hair swept in a simple braid over her shoulder, just brushing the middle of her arm.
He’s reminded that she’s a lady or more accurately becoming one. She a few inches taller than his brother, with a slender body that’s changing into a woman’s. He think’s back to when he first met her and wonders if she ever had an awkward stage.
He had.
He remembered being a quiet child and with his hair in a low ponytail and sometimes being mistaken for a girl.
His first few times going into the Ryu Cha tea shop, and he met that whirlwind flower. He had been sitting for only a few minutes and he had come in during one of the busy hours morning. It was loud, kinda. Not quite loud but just… a few octaves above the normal tranquil timbre of the establishment.
She had more grace and balance than most genin. A young 7 year old Haruno Sakura passed by him quickly saying she’d be by to get his order in a minute. Flashing a bright smile all while carrying three platters full of orders. One in each hand. And the third balanced on her head.
He watched in silent amazement and surprise at how effortlessly she flew about the floor serving everyone’s order, getting none of the them mixed up.
She passed the platters to an older worker before going to him and asking what he would like.
It was then he realised that she had quite the memory and hand-eye coordination for a child.
At first he thought she was a worker, before he noticed that those eyes were the same one’s that smiled at him in the late evenings he’d stop by for a calming drink.
So this is their daughter. She was everything and nothing like he had imagined.
He hears his brother arguing, belittling her. It’s the only way he can get her attention, he knows. Sakura is usually calm and kind. Believing firmly in killing people with kindness. Very rarely was she goaded into becoming the hurricane that she is.
But his brother managed to and he hears her contained fury from his perch on the roof.
Honestly, he wishes his brother would choose a tactic with a lot more poise than pulling on Haruno’s pigtails but that is the route Sasuke chose.
Though, this time, he thinks his brother went too far. Because she storming past him and he can feel her anger.
“Look, I get it. You’re from a mighty clan and everyone has always expected something of you. I apologize for being the dust beneath your feet that decided to rise. Fucking forgive me, Oh Glorious One, for making something of myself, without value to my name! I’m so sorry I fucked up your natural order!”
He is seconds away from separating the two before they get into an altercation. But he sees just as she stormed past his brother the twitch in his brother's fingers. Watches Sasuke’s hand rise to clamp down on her arm and whirl her around in a restrained but aggressive manner.
The way her fist flares blue ready to shatter his brother’s skull, just as she’s turned around.
The way his brother locks his other arm around secure around her torso from moving.
He witnesses the kiss his mother has probably been anxiously waiting for to happen.
He watches his brother firmly press his lips to hers.
Watches as she freezes, before struggling again and watches his brother’s hand comes up to her hair and tangle in the locks he’s wanted to touch for ages now.
He doesn’t know why but he watches, in agony, as his brother angles her chin to better their kiss.
She’s not struggling anymore. But he can see that she’s not responding the way his brother wants her to.
He doesn’t hear the exchange of words between them. She’s still in his arms, and her head resting on his shoulder, his brother's nose buried in the top of her head.
It’s sweet, but he feels bile rising in his throat.
Thanks for reading. -V