[angst, fluff]

Sasuke was confused. As a little boy he grew up around people who don't show affection around people of the public, thus his attitude. It wasn't his fault.

Granted, his dad hugged his mom and sometimes they we're all lovey-dovey but in their own special way. And there Itachi with his signature 'I'll tell you next time' move. Other than that, he didn't know how to show affection, not in the slightest way possible. It was just weird.

Well to him it was.
Not for the rest of Kohona 12.
Except... Sakura.

~$~

Sakura was born as a single child, which in itself brings lots of benefits. She saw first hand open expressions of love from her parents. But there is one disadvantage.

Loneliness.

Everyone needs someone who will stay by their side.

Growing up, her mother taught her how to be an independent woman being a former shinobi herself.

And plus, she already had a fair share of the cruelty of this world at a young age.

"Papa? A-are you sure they'll like me?"

'Of course Hime! Why wouldn't they? Your my cute, sweet little girl!' (She giggles)

"But remember darling, what people think about the fruit doesn't make the fruit."

" Oh! Okay! Thank you papa! I'll be going now!!! Say goodbye to mama for me!!! "

When Sakura came back that evening, she began to see the world differently. Even as a 6 year old. But she remembered what her father said and it made her feel a little better.

~§~

Having lost his family in a fire out break, Sasuke had become hardened. He realized that life was not as easy as eating a tomato. Which was very reliable for him. His mother told him a lot of proverbs, sharing it with him like she knew she was gonna die any minute soon. But there was one he could never grasp the meaning to.

_Two years before the Uchiha 'massacre'_

"Mother?"

'Hmm?'

"Wha-what if I lose you? " Sincere tears shown in Sasuke's eyes.

'What! What brought this up Sasuke?'

" I have t-this new friend. Well he's not actually a friend but - the point is - he doesn't have a family. It makes me wonder - Will I ever be like that Kaa-san? "

'I don't know for sure Sasuke. Life has it's odd way of handling us. Sometimes we just need to go with the flow ~.
But you know what Sasuke-kun? '

"Hn?"

'If you do lose me, always remember this: '
Mikoto says while pointing to the part of the chest where the heart is located.

'Oh and if you miss me too much, she will always have your back! '

_Two Fortnights before the Uchiha massacre_

"How come I feel happy yet frustrated mom! This is so confusing! "

' Well Sasu-chan, I believe that our heart is divided into four parts.

The first part is for all feelings of hatred.

The second is for normal expressions /feelings like frustration, embarrassment,etc.

The third is for feelings of love, like the one you have for me, papa and Tachi-kun,

But the last one belongs to only one person, someone you will forever cherish in your heart. Don't forget it.'

"You mean like love? Blehhh that'll never happen to me mama! Plus girls have cooties!!!!"

'SASUKE!! DON'T SAY THAT!!! I WAS ONCE A GIRL YA KNOW!!!'

"B-BUT YOUR MAMA!!! YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WITHOUT COOTIES! THAT'S WHY PAPA CHOSE YOU!!! RIGHT? "

'Don't worry Sasu-kun. I'll explain when your older.'

"Okay mama."

One minute later

"I'm 1 minute older now!!! "

'Sasukeee!!!'

_Two days to the Uchiha massacre _

"M-Mom??? What's wrong?! " Sasuke says after finding his mother crying near the lake of the Uchiha compound.

'It's nothing Sasuke-kun, go to sleep.'

Sasuke sighed. This was bad. One reason was Mikoto never calls him by his full name, Honorific and all.

"Mom, please tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help? "

'You can't bring back the dead, can you??? '

Oh.
That was it.

To think she died the next two days.

~§~
Sakura was always a shrewd person. She was always the one to think ahead, to try and think outside the box, gathering what the environment told her. She was right most of the time, but never voiced her thought. The last time she did that, she was given a twack on the face.

When she met Sasuke, she felt he was the one to make all her pain go away. She felt confusing feelings whenever he came around. She wanted to know him better even if it was from a distance.
She thought joining Ino would be one way of getting to know him, since Ino boasted of knowing everything about Sasuke but as time passed, she noticed that Ino and other fangirls of Sasuke knew nothing about him.

So she tried to get closer.
And when she did, she was thrown away just as fast as she was brought in.

_The night before Sasuke left_

"Tou-san? "
'Yes Hime? Is anything wrong?'
"..."
"Well I have a problem. My friend wants to get close to someone but the person is really closed off and doesn't talk to anyone. And my friend feels she understands the person but doesn't know how to make friends with him. What do you think I-she should do?
Not like the person is me of course..."

'Sakura... (breathes down slowly)
All I can say is persevere to reach out to him and be there for him in little ways. Maybe one day he'll turn around and see you.'

"Tou-san! It's not me!  It's my friend! I'm just giving advice! "

(Kizashi chuckles lightly)

'And if he doesn't please don't be downhearted my love. Promise?'

"Promise."

And she tried to keep that promise even though Sasuke left the next day.

~§~
Sasuke hated Orochimaru. Despised him even. Not that he would ever tell him that. But he was here to train. And that he would do.

In cold days, he would wrap himself up and start thinking. He recently learnt that Itachi was involved in the fire accident. He recently learnt that Itachi wanted to kill the whole clan. But why?
He couldn't wrap his finger around it.

But then, even at these moments, his mind wandered to the farthest of places. Back to Kohona. To his life there. To his teammates. To Sakura.
He didn't know why but she intrigued him. He felt she was holding him back.
And she was.
Well...  Not anymore... He thought.
Right?

~$~
Sakura wanted to scream.
There was a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach and it didn't seem to go away. It hurts her, but she was silent. Must be nothing much... She thought. After all, it only started when he left.

She began training with Tsunade a week after he left. It was hard, but it kept her mind off things. Plus, she'll rather learn with Tsunade than be useless.

Everyone noticed the little changes in her. The way she walked with urgency, the way she separated herself during Kohona 11 gatherings. The way she indulged herself in books to close herself off from the outside world. The way she held pain in her eyes most of the time. They knew she was different from the Sakura they knew and loved. Well most of them.

It was so bad that Tsunade noticed it and sent Naruto a letter behind her back.

But Sakura didn't notice the changes. In fact she felt better with all the hard work she had and was happy when she saw the smiles of the people she healed.

But she forgot to keep her promise.

~§~
Sasuke remembered them.
The proverbs his mother always told him. They helped him evade some pain and he started reconsidering killing Itachi.

He remembered how true they were and how it could help him. He could only imagine how his mom's face would be if he saw what he was doing right now. He remembered that Itachi was a loving brother who had a reason for everything he did and how foolish he was for not trying to be there for Itachi when things worry him.

He remembered those who were there for him even though he pushed them away.

Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura.
All of Kohona 11.
Most of Kohona.
And he pushed them away.
Especially her.

•§•
Sakura thought she was crazy. After the war, Sasuke came back  to the village. To her.
Well she wasn't too sure about the last part but she felt she was nuts. That after all these years, Sasuke still made her feel tingly, with those injurious butterflies hitting her sides when she looked at him. Then she remembered her dad's proverb.
"HEH... He was right after all. "

• 🍅•
I remember caressing Kaa-san's back since I was not really used to seeing her hurt since she's practically the light of our family.

I remember tears flowing from my eyes and hugging her as she comforted me even though she was the one who needed comfort.

I remember that being one of the last times I cried.

I remember her whispering into my ear these thought provoking words-

"Gather those who love you and tie them together, keep them apart, because you may need them when you think you know yourself but they know you don't. "

I never understood mother's poem till the I arrived in Kohona. Back home. I still didn't understand most of it until the day I proposed to Sakura. But I understood it the day we had Sarada.

•§§•

Yes people we can all agree on how  dense Sasuke is but I had to highlight it a little 😂

I know it's horrible but I'm sorry 😭

MasterShippess