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Chapter Text

The department stores of Konoha were not a place Sakura would choose to frequent. The smell of perfume, and the designer clothes presented a nice atmosphere though; she wouldn't deny that. But the inconvenience of finding a single book, only available in a place like this is what bothers her – why not a bookshop? Why here?

“Oh, Sakura dear? Is that you?”

Her finger is on the spine of the book she searches for the moment her name is called. Sakura turns around, and is surprised to be greeted by, “Mrs Uchiha”.

Mikoto smiles, and nods, “it is Sakura, correct? I did not get that wrong?”

Sakura shakes her head.

The older woman smiles, “oh my, look how you've grown. It has been quite a while since I've last seen you”.

Sakura nods; noting internally that the last time she'd properly seen Mikoto would have been when Sasuke had invited both Naruto and herself to his house, back when they were genins. This had been years ago. Team Seven no longer technically exist.

“It has been a while,” Sakura smiles, keeping to pleasant formalities.

“I don't normally see you here often,” Mikoto continues.

Sakura replies, “oh, I'm just here for this book,” the kunochi turns back, pulls the book out of his place upon the shelf, and shows the older woman, “I can't get it anywhere else”.

The explanation is sufficient, and with this Sakura hopes to end this awkward reunion with the mother of a comrade. But for Mikoto, this is only the beginning.

“Sakura dear, how about you and I grab a coffee. It has been quite a while since we've chat, no?”

Knowing she'd feel guilty should she decline, Sakura hesitantly nods and muses to herself – its been a while since a chat since they've never technically “chatted”.

.

.

Internally, she is bitter by the fact that Mikoto chooses one of the more expensive coffee shops. It isn't even the price that bothers her overall; the coffee is bland and the biscuits are stale.

“So,” Mikoto begins, “tell me Sakura, what have you been up to since turning chūnin?”

Sakura bites into a biscuit, regrets it immediately, and swallows down the equivalent of bitter rocks to reply, “Well, since then, I've been promoted to jōnin”.

It has, after all, been years since she bore the rank of a Chūnin. Though the same cannot be said for Naruto, this fact alone visibly has an effect on Mikoto, “you're a jōnin?”

Sakura nods, “for a few years now”.

“Oh, I see,” Mikoto replies, “well that quite a surprise, its the same rank as my Sasuke”.

Sakura smiles sweetly, takes a sip of her coffee, and tries to disguise her expression of disgust towards the taste of said coffee, “I suppose, yes, we're the same rank”.

“You don't,” Mikoto pauses, “how often do you work with my Sasuke?”

“Not often,” replies Sakura, “I'm never really placed in his team”.

“Is that so?”

“Its just the way it goes”.

“You are predominantly a medical ninja, correct?”

“That's correct,” Sakura replies.

Mikoto blows on her coffee, and takes a sip, “well, there is probably a reason for that. My Sasuke is quite advanced for his age”.

Sakura nods, “he is very skilled”.

“More so than that,” Mikoto continues, “Sasuke has a history, a legacy, behind him. His role in the clan is merely the beginning, Sasuke upholds so much more than that”.

“I see,” Sakura continues, already picking apart whatever it is that Mikoto says to her.

“I mean, you can understand from the background Sasuke comes from,” Mikoto sighs, then chuckles, “he's doing so well”.

“I agree, Sasuke-kun has done really well for himself–”

“Which is why I need him to continue along that path,” Mikoto interjects; an edge of her voice losing some of its warmth.

Sakura pauses before replying, “I can imagine he'd want that too”.

Mikoto's eyes train to her expression; she scrutinises her, “I'm glad you agree”.

Sakura slowly nods.

“You see” Mikoto continues, “there are different, backgrounds , that people have. It may not be a factor when forming teams for missions, or maintaining familiarity between acquaintances, but that's really where it ends”.

Sakura tightens her jaw, “I'm afraid I don't know what you mean”.

Mikoto's lips curl into a smile; one devoid of any emotion, “there are those who are born into blood that is akin to royalty, for arguments sake I will use this term. Then there are some who are more suited to a labour class; the working class–”

“Not to be rude, Mrs Uchiha,” Sakura cuts in, “but I'm struggling to find why this topic is relevant”.

The last flimsy pretence drops, Mikoto leans forward, “I'm no fool, Sakura. My son is gone late at night, and returns early in the morning. Myself, my husband, my dear Itachi, and Uzamaki Naruto all cannot vouch for his whereabouts”.

“Neither can I,” Sakura lies through her teeth.

She gives no tell-tale sign to the fib, and Mikoto exhales through her nose, “please, I would like to remain amicable. You understand? This is merely a reminder”.

“A reminder?”

“Yes”.

“A reminder, about what?”

Mikoto's gaze narrows in on the green jades of the younger woman, “a reminder for you to remember what type of blood flows through your veins”.

She has heard enough, “with all due respect, Mrs Uchiha, but I believe this is a conversation you need to have with your son – not me”.

“Is that so?” Mikoto replies.

Sakura stands from her chair, indicating her intention to leave. She looks down to the older woman before her, and remarks, “look, from your point of view, there is no way that Sasuke-kun would entangle with someone like me. He wants the best for his clan, just like you. You have nothing to worry about”.

Mikoto lips thin into a line, “the young can be foolish sometimes, dear”.

Sakura tries not to smile, “I don't think that quality is just limited to the young”.

Chapter Text

“Its not that I'm surprised that you were able to break into my office, I'm more questioning as to why,” putting down her clipboard, Sakura turns to her intruder with a friendly smile.

Said intruder mirrors the expression, “while I would like to suggest it were my skills that got me here, I must confess that it was in fact a co-worker of yours that asked me to wait for you here”.

“Wait for me?”

“I asked for you at reception, they mentioned that you were in the middle of a presentation for some of the interns”.

“Okay,” Sakura remarks, “so you decided to wait for me, why?”

Itachi smirks, and stands up from half sitting upon Sakura's desk, “I am here to chat”.

“Not to be rude, or anything...but...”

“We do not know each other?”

“Well, yes”.

Itachi smiles, nods, and takes a step forward, “you are quite familiar with my younger brother”.

“Being an acquaintance of your younger brother doesn't really imply that the action of breaking into my office is...well, acceptable”.

“Of course,” Itachi replies, “I am in no way implying that”.

“Okay”.

“And, not to bring in rumours to this conversation, but I was under the impression that the relationship you shared with my younger brother was not something one would define as, acquaintances”.

Sakura stands up a little straighter, and attempts to maintain a mask of composure, “so,” she continues, “you said a co-worker of mine let you in?”

Though she is aware of Itachi's perceptiveness, Sakura attempts to divert the conversation regardless. She expects to be called out, but Itachi surprisingly answers her question, “a woman around your age with long blonde hair”.

“Ino?”

“I do not know what that is”.

“It was Ino,” Sakura sighs, internally noting her best friend’s crush, but not-really crush, on Uchiha Itachi. Of course, the frustrating factor on the matter being that Ino did not technically work at the hospital, so the meeting must have purely been coincidental – she hopes.

After all, a potential incident involving Ino, a man who did not return her affection, and a late call to the police station with Ino cuffed to the desk, yelling profanities to Sasuke's father is not a situation Sakura would want to experience – again .

“In any case, she pointed out your office for me to wait in,” Itachi finishes.

Sakura sighs, “okay, well since you're here, what is it that you wanted to speak to me about?”

Itachi's gaze runs over the kunochi's expression for a brief second; Sakura, feeling the action from her peripheral, says nothing whilst walking to her desk to pull out the files she'd intended to work on had Itachi not been in her office. The older of the two chuckles softly and remarks that Sakura should know why he is here, “I believe you can put two and two together”.

The kunochi bites the inside of her cheek, “well then, I believe this must be regarding the conversation I had with your mother last week”.

“It is indeed”.

“Great, well, I got all I needed from her so–”

“I am here to apologise, Sakura,” Itachi cuts in.

Her mind processes the remark, whilst her intuition screams at her to keep her guard up, “apologise?” she repeats.

“That's right,” says Itachi, “on behalf of my mother”.

“Ah, I see”.

“The way she behaved was...well, I believe she could have handled the situation with more tact”.

“Perhaps”.

“So, I am here to apologise”.

Sakura; not facing Itachi, holds down a laugh. She composes herself before turning to him, “did your mother send you here?”

“No”.

“No?”

“Do you really believe my mother would do that? She stands by her stance, she will not waver, Sakura”.

“How comforting”.

“You must understand, there are some whose views will not be swayed under any circumstance”.

“Okay, I understand,” Sakura replies, turning back to her work, “I mean, I wont hold it...” she pauses, “....look, um, Itachi-san,” with a dreary expression, she peers over towards her company, “I have a lot of work to do and–”

“I understand,” Itachi cuts in, “I wont take much more of your time, I just need you to understand something about your situation. You and Sasuke, you are young, and this must all be very new to you”.

“Maybe,” Sakura replies softly.

“Am I wrong?”

“Maybe,” she repeats.

The older of the two chuckles, “Sakura, I am merely here to apologise on behalf of my mother, although, I must say that if I continue with this path for all my family members, then I will have very little time to speak to you about other matters”.

Internally, she sighs – she'd been foolish to think that she could cut the conversation short. She had walked away from Mikoto, but this is different; this is her office, dammit. “Okay,” says Sakura, “going out on a limb here and I'm guessing you mean that most of your clan shares the viewpoint that your mother has”.

“That's right,” replies Itachi.

“Well, you don't need to apologise for them, or your mother for that fact”.

“I feel obligated”.

“You shouldn't”.

Itachi smiles, “you are a kind girl, Sakura. I am aware that you are accomplished, and that you are highly regarded in our village. But perhaps when it comes to choosing a partner, well...maybe you should reconsider”.

Sakura nods; her hand curled to a fist is hidden from view, “why do you say that?”

“Because, your actions may jeopardise Sasuke's position in the clan”.

She frowns, “what?”

“You are not from a clan. You are of civilian blood”.

“And this will affect Sasuke-kun?”

“It might”.

“You're not sure?”

Itachi sighs, and turns to glance out of her window; inviting a lull. Uncomfortable with the silence, Sakura attempts to break it by speaking but Itachi holds up his hand, shakes his head, and exhales. “In all honesty, Sakura, I do not think you are right for Sasuke”.

Sakura slowly nods, “because of the clan”.

“No,” replies Itachi, “my opinion is not influenced by that. My opinion is merely based on being his older brother, and just wanting the best for him”.

“Okay...right”.

“Do you get it?”

“Yes, you want the best for him”.

“Correct”.

“And,” she sighs, “you believe that its not me”.

“I know that its not you”.

At least the hatred is consistent on all fronts, Sakura muses bitterly – for it is not only her background, but her personality that Sasuke's family despises.

A lose-lose on all accounts, “with all due respect, Itachi-san, but you do not know me”.

“I believe we have already established that”.

She looks over his expression, and contemplates whether or not she should continue this discussion – curiosity or her research? “Listen, Itachi-san, I really do need to get back to work”.

“Of course,” he replies.

“And...”

“You will keep what I said in mind?” he asks, one last time.

With a neutral expression, Sakura replies, “okay”.

Itachi nods, and turns to leave. Sakura lets go of the breath she'd been holding when her door clicks shuts.

.

.

It is overcast; the storm clouds threaten to dampen her walk home – though they wouldn't be the worst thing of today.

“Forehead, you're heading out?”

Sakura turns to greet a figure that jogs over to her form that has been standing outside the hospital's doors for nearly three minutes now. “Hey, pig,” she mumbles out.

Ino stops before her, and leans in with a scrutinising expression, “hey, are you okay?”

“Yep,” she lies.

But obviously, the blonde does not buy it, “okay...let me guess, interns are a pain?”

“No”.

“Cafeteria ran out of chocolate pudding?”

“No”.

“And you were forced to eat vanilla-”

“No”.

“-like some prisoner”.

“Pig,” Sakura rolls her eyes, “what are you on about?”

“Cafeteria ran out of chocolate pudding today,” Ino remarks, letting out a low whistle, “so I was stuck with vanilla,” she eyes the other kunochi, “and, that's what bugged me about my day. Okay, now you go”.

Sakura grins, “you're being silly”.

“Sure, but its making you smile,” Ino giggles.

Sakura sighs; that twist in her chest loosening, “hey, pig, wanna go out and grab something to eat?”

“Chocolate pudding?”

Sakura rolls her eyes, “sure whatever, lets go get some damn chocolate pudding”.

Chapter Text

Original prompt: Nostalgia

.

.

The restaurant Ino decides to drag her to (after finding out the local grocery store had run out of chocolate pudding) was one Sasuke had once brought her to, nearly a year ago today. It is ironic because it was that fateful night Sakura had truly confessed her feelings for him – it is ironic because her sour mood today stems from said relationship; or rather, his family that does not support it.

“Okay, so,” Ino leans in, elbows upon the wooden table, “what's wrong?”

“Nothing...really”.

“Forehead, come on. You looked absolutely sick of it in front of the hospital just before. I want to know what that it is”.

Sakura picks up a menu; barbeque steak, roast pork, she decides maybe she'll try the hot wings this time. Ino; unappreciative of Sakura's lack of response pinches the kunochi's forearm.

Sakura swats her friend with the menu, “pig, its nothing”.

“You can tell me”.

“I...no...”

She knows deep down that Ino will somehow manage to worm out the truth from her. Best friends have a way of doing so – Ino being no different, “you know, something really interesting happened today”.

Sakura puts down her menu, and looks around for a waiter. She replies, “what?” somewhat noncommittally.

Ino, refusing to continue without Sakura's full attention fusses about the lack thereof. “I'm trying to get a waiter,” Sakura replies exasperatedly. Ino snorts and replies that she doesn't care.

“Pay attention, forehead”.

Sakura rolls her eyes.

“I said, something interesting happened to me today”.

Sakura sighs, “yes, what is it Ino?”

The blonde smirks, “Uchiha Itachi talked to me today”.

And there is that crush – but not-really crush from Ino. Sakura smiles, hopefully genuinely, and replies, “ah, you don't say”.

Ino continues to gush about how handsome, how mysterious, and how damn unavailable he is. “He's so out of my league, though” she pouts. Then, with her eyes lighting up, Ino adds on teasingly, “but not for you, apparently”.

Sakura challenges the woman before her with a certain look, “I don't know what you mean”.

“Yes you do,” Ino snorts, “he asked for you today, and I told him to wait in your office”.

“Okay”.

“Did he wait?”

“He did”.

Ino smirks, “see, not out of you league”.

Sakura exhales, “I think you're misinterpreting the situation, Itachi wasn't in my office for anything good”.

“Oh?”

“Funnily enough, he was actually there to tell me that I am not in 'the league' of anyone from his clan”.

Ino's demeanour sobers, “well, I guess that explains...you know”.

Sakura sighs, and plays with the edge of her napkin, “yea, you wormed it out of me”.

Ino chuckles, “so...this is about Sasuke-kun”.

Sakura; still looking at her fingers, frowns at the sentiment. “Yea,” she mumbles, “Sasuke-kun...”

Ino smiles wistfully, “did, I don't know, did Itachi find out about your crush on Sasuke-kun?”

Sakura looks up, “my crush?”

“Yea”.

“Oh...um,” she bites her bottom lip, “I guess he did. Not that it matters”.

Ino looks on sympathetically, “he's out of your league”.

Sakura shakes her head, “there are no leagues”.

“There are, Sakura,” Ino insists, “and he's out of yours. You're better”.

Sakura plasters on a smile, “if you say so”.

.

.

Her door is locked. The plaque on the door; engraved with the word 'Haruno', gleams tauntingly at him.

“Oh, she's already left”.

Sasuke turns around. An older woman with dark hair and a clipboard looks on sceptically towards him, “did, the receptionist not tell you?” she asks.

Sasuke hesitates; obviously the receptionist didn't tell him for he'd bypassed her detection to come to the office of one Haruno Sakura. Not that he'd be admitting that, “no, she didn't tell me”.

The older woman sighs, “well, she's left for the night. Not sure where she's going though, are you her friend or boyfriend or something?”

Sasuke nods, “yes,” and walks past the woman. He racks his mind for where Sakura could be – perhaps her apartment.

.

.

In a surprise turn of events for the night, Naruto joins Ino and Sakura for dinner; he'd been on a date that stood him up, and whilst wandering aimlessly through the streets, he spots the two girls from the restaurant window.

He joins them just in time to order their meals. And, with Ino pestering Naruto for what the reason for his stroll had been, and Naruto spilling the details of his date that never came to be, Ino decides to take it upon herself to order a bottle of sake as well.

“Alright, you two down the hatch, I'm going to sit this one out,” Sakura remarks, waving her hands in front.

Ino shrugs, “suit yourself,” she pours herself a shot, “but it'll help you relax”.

Naruto is already two shots ahead of her by the time Ino takes her first.

Sakura smirks, and leans back in her chair – the last time she'd come here was with Sasuke, it all had been a bit simpler. It was new; and undefined what it was that had always been between them. They were merely giving it a name, and coming to a mutual understanding.

It had been simpler back then, Sakura muses wistfully; there was no interference from anyone else – it was just them. That was all there needed to be. It was simpler.

“Hey,” Naruto exclaims, “okay, dating sucks”.

“Only if you get to the fun part,” Ino murmurs, giggling at her own joke.

Sakura rouses herself from her own thoughts, “how long have you known–”

“Hisa? Not long”.

“Well,” replies Sakura, “then hopefully it'll be–”

“She shouldn't have stood me up,” Naruto pouts, interjecting.

Sakura nods, “no, she shouldn't have”.

Ino grins a bit too wide and remarks a bit too loudly, “those two don't know what they're missing”.

Naruto frowns with a grin, “Hisa is just one person”.

“No,” Ino mumbles, “I mean Sasuke-kun as well, he thinks that Sakura isn't good enough for him”.

“That's not what I said,” Sakura shoots back, “Itachi was the one who came around”.

“So Itachi thinks you're not good enough for him?” Naruto questions.

Sakura shakes her head, “no, no – that's not it either”.

“Whatever,” Ino mumbles, “now we can all drink to someone. Naruto doesn't have Hisa, and doesn't need her. Forehead over here will never get over her crush on Sasuke-kun, but now knows that he isn't worth it. And I might have a chance with Uchiha Itachi because he is hot and so am I so it makes sense”.

Sakura narrows her eyes, “what are you on about, pig?”

But the blonde remarks with a snort, and downs another shot.

Sakura sighs, Ino continues to giggle, and Naruto; surprisingly quiet throughout, decides to form a distraction. “Hey Ino,” he says, “can you grab a bottle of water from the counter”.

Normally, the command would be shrugged off. But in her inebriated state, Ino is more than happy to oblige. The kunochi gets up, and swaggers the wrong direction towards a group of twenty-something chuunins.

“This might take a while,” Sakura mumbles, amused.

Naruto turns to her; his expression reflecting a more serious atmosphere, “so, you and Sasuke, huh?”

Sakura raises an eyebrow, eyeing off the man before her.

Naruto snorts, “Sakura-chan, I may be stupid but I'm not drunk”.

She doesn't bother to correct him.

“So,” Naruto continues on, “you two have been keeping this from me?”

Sakura smirks, “didn't you hear Ino? Its just a crush”.

“A crush I'm calling bullshit on,” Naruto continues, “Itachi wouldn't bother speaking to you if it weren't something more between you and Sasuke”.

Sakura tilts her head slightly with a bemused expression, “people don't give you enough credit for your perceptiveness, you know that Naruto?”

“I know,” the blonde replies with faux exasperation, “I'm secretly a love guru”.

“I bet”.

“Just not with my own love life”.

“Ah,” she smiles, “the hardest challenge”.

Naruto shakes his head, smiling. Then, he sobers up to ask of her, “Sakura-chan...um...what does the bastard think of all this?”

“Of what?” Sakura inquires.

“Of,” Naruto pauses, “his family's disapproval of you”.

“How do you know they disapprove?” Sakura asks, holding down a grin.

Naruto exhales with a smile, “because what else would it be, Sakura-chan? I know about how his family talks about you, sometimes when I come over to visit Sasuke...” he trails off, his expression softens.

So Sakura picks up on the lost thought, “do they...talk negatively about me?”

Naruto's hesitation to answer is enough for the kunochi to deduce a conclusion.

Naruto; watching her mood sour with the second passing attempts to steer the ship by asking, “I'm sure Sasuke doesn't see it that way”.

“I'm sure Sasuke-kun doesn't know,” Sakura mumbles, eyes downcast.

The blond sighs, “have you talked to him?”

“No”.

“You should,” Naruto softly remarks.

Sakura shakes her head, “it would be wrong for me to put him in this position, Naruto – this is his family we're talking about, and I'm just...some girl”.

Her remarks, and expression, lights a fire within Naruto. This isn't how it is supposed to be – but his intention to speak up is cut short as Ino arrives back to the table, glass bottle of water in her hand, remarking out-loud, “oh boy, you have no idea what I had to go through to get this!”

Chapter Text

Naruto is lying on the floor; singing to his heart's content whilst Sakura attempts to pull him up. The blond protests. Ino giggles at the scene, humming to the tune that Naruto's bellows out. Sakura is beyond her limit at trying to deal with such petulant drunks.

This is how Sasuke comes to find the group.

He takes a step forward, and brings attention to his presence by remarking, “how much have they had to drink?”

Sakura is the only one to turn around and regard him. She is startled by his appearance, “Sasuke-kun...when did you...what?”

He replies before she can continue blabbering, “I was looking for you”.

Briefly, she glances over to Ino, then Naruto, “I assume you mean me when you say that”.

He rolls his eyes; donning a soft smile, “yes”.

“Ah, right,” she pauses, “I left with Ino for some barbecue tonight and...”

“Things got out of hand?” he offers.

Sakura shrugs and remarks, “you could say that”.

Sasuke approaches Naruto who continues to roll around on the floor, “alright, you take your friend home and I'll deal with this idiot here”.

Sakura lets go of Naruto's wrist, “are you sure?”

He nods, “don't worry, I can handle him”.

.

.

He knows that Naruto keeps a spare key under his pot plant, which allows him easy access into the knuckle-head's apartment. Not that he was adverse to merely kicking down the door.

“Hey, hey,” Naruto mumbles with a lopsided grin, “this looks like my apartment”.

“It is,” Sasuke monotones.

“Wooowwww,” Naruto grins, “I wear sooo much orange. Look at me, bastard. Look at the orange”.

Sasuke stares blankly at his friend, then remarks quickly that he's leaving, “if you have any issues, don't call me”.

“What?” Naruto snorts, “what kind of a friend are you?”

“The kind that wants to leave”.

“Geeze,” Naruto groans, rolling his head around, “I don't know what Sakura-chan sees in you”.

This is enough to make him hesitate. Sasuke turns back around, and questions the blond with a simple, “what?”

Naruto grins; even with his inebriated state he can tell that he'd snagged his target, “Sakura-chan, you know , the babe with the pink–”

“I know who she is,” Sasuke snaps back.

Naruto barks out a laugh, “yea, bet you know what you girlfriend looks like”.

Sasuke pauses – then smirks; he had a feeling this day would come . It wasn't like they were intentionally keeping their relationship hidden from Naruto on purpose – it just wasn't any of his business.

But truly, he is not troubled by the fact; merely amused that Naruto wears an expression akin to one finding gold, or striking the jackpot. Sasuke smirks, and makes no effort to reply to the remark, which in turn allows the blond to conclude that his deduction had been correct.

“Ah, I knew it,” he slurs.

Sasuke chuckles, “I'm going to go now”.

“Finnnnee!” Naruto pouts, “but you know, just for the record, I just want you to know that I think Sakura-chan is wayyy better than you. In like every way. Your brother is just a butthead”.

Sasuke raises his brow; this remark he didn't expect. But is does confirm a lingering suspicion of his tonight. He nods to Naruto, “couldn't agree more”.

.

.

He knocks twice on her door and waits for her to answer. The sounds of her feet padding towards the front door in a scuttle puts a small smile on his face. She opens the door, and steps back to allow him to enter.

Sasuke takes off his shoes, and head towards the direction of her bedroom. Sakura calls out from the foyer, “have you had dinner yet?”

He replies that he has, and opens the door to her bedroom. He takes off his jacket, and lies upon her bed. Her pillows are the softest and most comforting pillows he'd ever rest upon – not that he'd be admitting that his prerequisite for comfort are: soft and fluffy – no, no; without Sakura , his true level of comfort would not be achieved.

Which, luckily to him, is remedied tonight when Sakura; his last necessity needed for comfort, enters the bedroom and crawls her way into bed. She lies beside him; his arm had been thrown out practically welcoming her arrival.

“I went to your office,” he says, beginning the conversation.

Sakura replies, “ah...I wasn't there”.

“I know”.

“People are going to start wondering...”

“Wondering...what?” he continues.

She purses her lips to inhibit her smile, “just...things”.

“Let them wonder,” he says.

She smiles, and lets out a soft exhale. Unbeknownst to her, Sasuke watches her reaction.

The way she smiles, the light in her eyes. For his suspicions to be confirmed, he needs something from Sakura as well – which he may just get.

She is usually more talkative than this. Normally, she'd snuggle closer to his body. Sometimes by now their talking would have stopped – because she'd have straddled his lap, and kissed his neck, and let the night progress from there.

But not tonight, he sees none of this tonight. So, Sasuke plays off his suspicions, “Sakura, has anyone from my family...approached you, at all...regarding...”

“If you're asking me this,” she begins, grinning softly, “then I think you already know the answer”.

He squeezes her arm, and stares up at the ceiling; gathering his thoughts on what to say next.

Sakura continues, “I don't – I don't want to lie to you, Sasuke-kun. But I also don't want to play tattle-tale and make this into some big issue”.

“They shouldn't have approached you,” Sasuke remarks, coolly, “this is not their business”.

“They're your family”.

“I know,” he says, “but it still isn't appropriate”. Sasuke shifts so that his body is turned to face Sakura. She mirrors his action. “Don't let them get to you,” he tells her; a weak attempt really to offer advice – simply to brush off the disapproval of his family is easier said than done.

Whilst he cares little for his mother and brother's impression of Sakura are, the same cannot be said for the kunochi before him. Their words must have affected her. So much so that she is willing to nod and reply to him, “okay, I'll ignore it”.

He knows her faux cheery façade when he sees it.

Sasuke scrutinises her expression a little longer, then moves in closer. He cups her jaw. He brings himself closer to her, and places a lingering kiss upon her forehead. Her eyes widen. That familiar blush of hers returns. He whispers to her, “I'm serious, Sakura. Ignore whatever it is that they've told you, its bullshit”.

She giggles softly; not due to any subtle humour in the situation, but out of relief. An anxiety she holds dissipates – but not entirely. He can see this within the tell-tale sign of her gaze; she cannot meet his just yet.

“What is it?” he asks, knowingly.

She is easy to read – for himself at least. He already knows the words, “am I even worth this?” will come out of her mouth before it does. Sasuke chuckles and replies with a firm, “yes”.

She frowns, “you...you're not looking at the big picture”.

“Which is?”

“Its, its...” she exhales, looking up, “its your position in the clan, its you risking too much unnecessarily for someone–”

“What position?” Sasuke interjects, “what exactly am I risking?”

She blinks in confusion – Sasuke smirks; knowing now that his mother and brother have fed her with more than just the stupidity of their prejudice.

“Tomorrow,” he says, “I want to show you something”.

She asks, “what is it?”

Sasuke shakes his head, “its something I rather show you,” he says, “something you need to see”.

Chapter Text

Some of his older relatives are awake at such an hour. With the sun barely peaking above the horizon, a few of his clansmen have awoke to begin their routine; but such a thing is only observed by the minority. For the most part, no one notices Sasuke and Sakura's walk through the main path of the Uchiha district.

Sakura keeps to herself, and walks with a stride that is far too timid to match her real nature. Sasuke mumbles to her, “no ones awake, don't worry”.

But his suggestion does little to ease her nerves, “its just...if your mother saw–”

“There is no law against you coming here”.

“That's not what I mean,” she says; a branch snaps beneath her foot and Sakura flinches slightly.

Sasuke exhales. He smirks and replies, “I told you yesterday, remember, to not heed their words”.

“And I told you yesterday,” Sakura continues, “that they're your family so–”

“We're here,” Sasuke remarks, cutting off the kunochi.

The pair stand before a traditional Shinto-style abode. Sasuke tells her that this is, “the main knowledge repository for the Uchiha clan” – essentially; the clan's library.

“What are we doing here?” asks Sakura.

Sasuke nods, and opens the sliding door for Sakura to enter first..

.

.

There are rows of text that line the back wall of the main floor of the clan's library. Documents and records dating back to the inception of Konoha. Down past the initial floor, there is a large area that honours the achievements and successes of past and current Uchiha.

Some had their work displayed, other's have their names engraved on plaques. There are multiple notes of one: Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke rapts his knuckles against the third plaque they've seen that honours his older brother, “prodigy, so its to be expected”.

“This is,” Sakura looks around in awe of the room, “your clan has accomplished such amazing feats”.

Sasuke nods, “there is a lot of talent,” he says, “my mother and father are honoured here as well”.

Sakura takes in the atmosphere; the prestige of the Uchiha clan is by no means a foreign subject. Stories and admiration course the memories of her childhood; even her own parents have always regarded the Uchiha as particularly powerful with respect to the other clans of the village.

However seeing the culmination in one place truly puts into perspective the vast wealth of knowledge and expertise utilised by one clan.

Sakura basks in the revelation – until she does not; until she realises that there must be an ulterior motive for Sasuke bringing her here.

To show her a glory that she cannot match up to?

“I'm not here to show you a glory that you cannot match up to,” Sasuke deadpans, stepping closer to her form.

She eyes him suspiciously, “did I...say that out-loud?”

Sasuke raises an eyebrow, then chuckles, “no,” he says, “its just practically written on your expression”.

“Oh,” says Sakura, growing slightly red.

Sasuke asks her, “is that actually what you were actually thinking?”

“No I...” Sakura pauses, “I mean, just...why did you bring me here?”

“Why...” Sasuke repeats noncommittally, “to show you that if you were in the clan, your name would be up here as well”.

Sakura stops, glares at the man before her – then scoffs, “no. It wouldn't be”.

“It would,” Sasuke counters, “several of my clan have contributed to the advancement of medical ninjutsu; but none to the level you have”.

“Sasuke-kun, you can't–”

“There is no point to refute me, Sakura”.

Sakura clicks her tongue, and replies, “yea...but I will anyway”.

He rolls his eyes.

“So you brought me here, to show me...um,” she struggles with the end.

He notes this, but continues, “to be honest, Sakura, I actually wanted to show you something else”.

She glances over a glass case full of more honours to several clans-members, then she asks of Sasuke what else it is he wants to show her.

He takes a step towards the main wall, nods in its direction, and says, “my name isn't up here”.

She frowns, and allows a lull to pass between them. “Okay,” she says, “I wouldn't expect the whole clan to be here”.

“Right,” says Sasuke, “but a lot are, I'm just not one of them”.

Her expression softens, “Sasuke-kun...”

“Its okay,” says Sasuke; his demeanour confirming his state of ease, “I don't care, this has never bothered me”.

“Oh”.

“But I just want you to understand, that when my brother or mother speak to you regarding jeopardising any, what was it, place in the clan, that they're simply talking shit”.

Sakura pauses, “...I can't believe you said that about your mother”.

Sasuke sighs, and takes a step forward, “they've been lying to you, Sakura”.

“No, but–”

“There is nothing to jeopardise, I'm not exactly highly regarded anyway”.

“I mean, that's–”

“its all bullshit”.

“Sasuke-kun–”

“Marriage out of the clan isn't common, but it isn't unheard of”.

“But...”

“You needn't pay mind to them. Their insults, and made up fears, have no base”.

Sakura exhales; this still does not erase a certain glaring issue, “but...they still disapprove. Regardless of what is allowed or not, or what is true or not, they still look at me and think–”

“That you're more accomplished than me”.

Mouth left agape, Sakura stops and consider what Sasuke has just interjected with, “that wasn't what I was going to say”.

“But that's what this all boils down to,” says Sasuke, “my clan may be respected and admired, but there is still a strong sense of elitism and...well, stupidity that runs through the ranks”.

“Sasuke-kun,” she shakes her head, “this isn't...I mean, I'm not more accomplished than you–”

“You were promoted to jōnin before me, because of this you have a clearance higher than mine to reach missions that I still am not allowed to be assigned. You have more ties to the higher ups of Konoha's politics than me, even being the apprentice of the fifth. You have an established role within the main hospital–”

“Your family wouldn't know all this”.

“They do,” says Sasuke, “they've...done their research”.

She flinches, “...ah”.

“And,” he continues, “seeing someone like me; an Uchiha with limited accomplishments, being with someone like you, a kunochi from a civilian family that is the exact opposite – well, it annoys them”.

Sakura is lost with the proper reply to all Sasuke has said. She shuffles uncomfortably, only half-convinced by what he says.

Sasuke picks up on this and steps forward, placing two fingers below her jaw to tilt her head up. She glares at him with an unsure expression, so he kisses her softly, pulling away after a few seconds to quietly remark, “I stopped caring about this stuff when I was twelve. I don't do what I do to appease or displease my clan, and neither should you”.

Sakura's shoulders relax; his state of comfort trickles into her own countenance. She smiles softly, and replies with a quiet, “okay” – he can tell she is being genuine this time.

Chapter Text

It is nearly three months after her marriage to Sasuke that Mikoto Uchiha approaches her for another 'chat'. Expecting Sakura to simply accommodate her time, the older woman had found it fitting to make herself at home within the younger kunochi's office; simply waiting by sitting in Sakura's chair, reading some of her research that had been strew haphazardly across her desk.

Sakura drags herself into her office near the end of her shift to gather her things, and lock up the room. Mikoto's presence proved the obvious, unexpected hindrance, “Mrs Uchiha, I didn't...”

Mikoto stands from her chair, and walks around towards the younger woman, “I'm glad you've kept to formalities,” Mikoto remarks, her expression unchanging.

Because to Sakura, despite the circumstances, there isn't a chance she'd willing call the woman before her; mum. And it appears Mikoto appreciates this – the distance however is somewhat upsetting, to Sakura at least.

Not even a fault from her first meeting with the woman before her, yet animosity is all she will ever receive. Its maddening how the situation is completely out of her hands – she never had a chance. “Mrs Uchiha,” Sakura continues, “is there anything I can help you with?”

Mikoto scrutinises her daughter-in-law from top to bottom, her upper lip twitches, “I hope you understand, that I am not obligated to be here”.

Sakura tries not to roll her eyes.

“I have debated my coming here quite a fair bit,” Mikoto continues; she clears her throat, “and I have no doubt that my husband and older son do not agree with me being here anyway”.

Truly lost on what Mikoto rambles on about, Sakura chooses to pass the situation by simply nodding, and feigning interest.

Mikoto narrows her eyes, and picks up on the facade, “you haven't a clue what I'm taking about, do you?” Mikoto surmises.

Sakura pauses, then relents, “no, sorry. Is this...about...”

“Your marriage to my youngest son, obviously”.

And in hindsight: what else could it have been about?

Sakura dons her expression with a neutral mask, “what in particular, Mrs Uchiha?”

Mikoto takes her step forward. Her slight attempt at intimidation falls flat when her show of disgust does little to effect Sakura. At least, anymore.

One tends to grow used to the same pitiful treatment when exposed enough times.

A sad reality, in fact.

“You...” Mikoto begins, clearly struggling with the sentiment she intends to convey, “you...make Sasuke happy”.

Sakura blinks; her mind screams at her that the remark uttered must be a trick. But Sakura fails to see the ulterior motive; so she remains silent.

Mikoto exhales, “I'm sure this must be a surprise to hear me say such a thing”.

“It...is,” replies Sakura.

Mikoto's lips curl upwards; but it is not a smile of a friendly nature. It is sardonic, and cold, “I am a woman of integrity. I say and do what must be said, or done. I know of your status, your blood – and I know of my son's rebellious nature to this fact; going so far as to marry you, however,” she takes a noticeable breath, “however...I am not blind, I can see the positive effect you are having on Sasuke. I don't understand it, nor do I want to attempt to understand. But the evidence is before me, and I will accept that,” Mikoto sucks in her cheeks, clearly bothered by her admission.

She nods, steps around Sakura's form, and leaves.

Sakura is left without a chance to reply. She attempt to take in the words she'd never thought she'd ever hear come from Uchiha Mikoto.

.

.

“Wait, she really said that?” Sasuke questions, eyebrow raised.

“Really,” Sakura replies, “I...I didn't expect it either”.

Sasuke shifts onto his side; nudging his wife to come closer. Sakura smiles, and chooses not to move. Sasuke rolls his eyes, “she's got an ulterior motive”.

“She's your mother”.

“And you know better than I how her actions have always been carefully chosen”.

“Sasuke-kun...”

“Maybe she knows,” Sasuke shrugs, his right hand subconsciously moving up to lay rest upon his wife's stomach.

Sakura bites her lip, “she can't”.

“Maybe,” he murmurs.

Her mind attempts to branch out the possible reasons as to why Mikoto would act as she has – with the chance of knowing the announcement neither her or Sasuke have spoken of, to anyone. But she draws blanks, “maybe she's being genuine”.

“Maybe,” Sasuke smiles, “or maybe there is something else”.

Sakura moves her hand to lay rest atop her husband's, “something else?”

“Another scandal”.

“I didn't realise we were a scandal”.

“You didn't?”

“Well...I didn't realise we were still a scandal”.

“You knew”.

“I did not,” Sakura laughs; eyes lighting up.

“We'll always be,” Sasuke calmly remarks, “in the eyes of the most purist Uchiha”.

“So...”

“So, in order for us to, not be so scandalous, someone else must have done something – I really hope its Itachi”.

“What?” Sakura giggles, “Sasuke-kun”.

“What?” her husband grins, “it would be entertaining”.

“No”.

“Yes”.

“Ah, if I had known you were such a...”

“What?”

“Such a...” Sakura's smile softens, and an eyebrow raises, “such a drama queen”.

“Its in my blood,” Sasuke counters, not even hinting towards an affronted facade in light of the slight. His thumb brushes gently upon her stomach, “you can't blame me for that”.