[ Sakura is convinced he likely isn't awake yet, that she'll be intruding and inconveniencing him. but she had already told Naruto, and-
and she hadn't really spoken at length to Sasuke after everything that happened. wishes she had made more time to, the way she made time for Naruto. but part of her will always wonder if she's still just in the background to him, no matter how many times she tries to prove herself worthy of whatever it is they share between the three of them.
spending as much time as she did watching the backs of her teammates, Sakura has been able to prove herself time and time again to her friends of her strength and determination. but Sasuke has been gone in their world, and she hasn't had the same chances in Death City to show that she's changed. that she isn't the girl who cries at the drop of a hat, that she can stand on her own two feet, that she can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them, the way she always wished she could. she wants Sasuke to see her, to really see her, and wonders that maybe she hasn't proven herself to him yet.
then again, Sasuke hasn't exactly ever been the most communicative person.
she sighs, shoulders slumping as she deflates a little.
her knock is soft, hesitant. a hope that he'll hear it if he's awake, and that if he isn't, it won't be loud enough to make him stir.
[ he is, miraculously, in and also awake. he doesn't sleep easily, and the excitement of the last few days— it might exhaust most people, but it wires Sasuke up differently. makes him anxious.
he's halfway to shrugging out of his shirt when the knock comes, and Sasuke glances back toward the doorway, considering ignoring the knock.
it must be Sakura. Naruto is never so considerate.
he sets his katana aside, instead, and pulls the shirt back up his shoulder before making his way over. when he opens the door without expectancy. ]
[ Sakura's ready for morning training, which means she'll have to leave on the mission immediately once it's finished. but this-
talking to Sasuke takes precedence over that. but doesn't he always? don't both of them? Naruto and Sasuke have always been her first priority. once she was assigned her team, they were important. became the most important and precious when the chuunin exams began. there is no one, ever, in the entire existence of this universe or theirs, that has ever been as important as both the person in front of her, and the one that sleeps just down the hall.
her heart swells a bit at the sight of him.
because regardless of anything else, this is Sasuke. one of two people that make up her entire focus. ]
Good morning, Sasuke-kun. Do you have a few minutes? I know we have morning training soon.
[ morning training, of course. he's there religiously, unless he's had a Watch shift, or has a mission to go on. he considers her for a moment, the black of his eyes lingering on her face. it isn't that she doesn't seek him out, but there's a weight to it, in the way her weight is held, in the way she's watching him. the way she asks.
Sasuke doesn't have much in his room, but none of them have been in it without his invitation (he acknowledges this difference, between himself and Naruto, but Sasuke still doesn't sleep well with his back to the door anymore).
he takes a step back, and lets her into his room.
it's sparsely decorated, if it could be called that. his clothes are folded, the gifts he's collected over time are tidily put away. the gilded sword leans in the corner of his room, the darkest corner.
[ Sakura comes in, wonders if she's actually been in Sasuke's room before and concludes that she hasn't. then again, they haven't been living there long.
while one hand stays at her side, the other reaches over to grip the opposite elbow, arm folded beneath her chest. she's nervous, mostly. has too much to say and not enough time for it all. so, it's the most pressing things first. the rest can wait. ]
I owe you an apology. I made you keep things from Naruto, and that was unfair of me to ask of you. I never should have put you in that position, and I won't do it again.
[ he regards her for a moment, letting this confession settle over him like a weight. finally, he glances away. Naruto drew a picture of them, it's on his desk. ]
[ his expression does something hard to describe, it almost looks like a wince, though the contraction of muscle isn't something Sasuke is actively trying to control. he's surprised, maybe. uncomfortable with it but knowing it's true.
then he actively thins his mouth and closes his eyes. ]
[ her expression falls after that, returns to something more serious. she presses her hands together, fingers twisting around each other. she's nervous. ]
Are you angry with me? For... partnering with Saralegui. I don't know everything that happened between you, but I remember enough, and I don't- I would rather not have a partner here than make you uncomfortable.
[ Sasuke's brow twitches, just slightly, but then something eases in his expression, in his shoulders. whatever he expected, it wasn't this question. ]
No.
[ and it hangs there, in the air, like he wants to go on, but the words don't come. he trusts Sakura, trusts that she would do all she could for their important people. she knows Saralegui is important to him, and if truth be told, Sasuke much preferred the king having a partner the young Uchiha knew. Saralegui didn't trust easily, but neither did Sasuke. knowing Saralegui could be out there, could be injured because of someone else's recklessness— it was too much. ]
[ finally, for the first time since they started talking, her shoulders ease and relax. both the omission of information to Naruto and the fact that she had been partnering with Saralegui had been pulling on her since it all started. being able to talk out both those things-
the tension that drains for her is surprising; she hadn't realized she'd been holding onto the stress so tightly. ]
[ he watches the tension bleed out of her, the black of his eyes tracing the way every part of her seems to relax. it isn't something Sasuke has often seen, in his short life. ]
[ he watches her for a long moment, then he nods. Saralegui couldn't be in better hands. Sakura is a lot more level headed than Sasuke has ever been. ]
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action ↻ august 21st
and she hadn't really spoken at length to Sasuke after everything that happened. wishes she had made more time to, the way she made time for Naruto. but part of her will always wonder if she's still just in the background to him, no matter how many times she tries to prove herself worthy of whatever it is they share between the three of them.
spending as much time as she did watching the backs of her teammates, Sakura has been able to prove herself time and time again to her friends of her strength and determination. but Sasuke has been gone in their world, and she hasn't had the same chances in Death City to show that she's changed. that she isn't the girl who cries at the drop of a hat, that she can stand on her own two feet, that she can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them, the way she always wished she could. she wants Sasuke to see her, to really see her, and wonders that maybe she hasn't proven herself to him yet.
then again, Sasuke hasn't exactly ever been the most communicative person.
she sighs, shoulders slumping as she deflates a little.
her knock is soft, hesitant. a hope that he'll hear it if he's awake, and that if he isn't, it won't be loud enough to make him stir.
still, she waits, patient. ]
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he's halfway to shrugging out of his shirt when the knock comes, and Sasuke glances back toward the doorway, considering ignoring the knock.
it must be Sakura. Naruto is never so considerate.
he sets his katana aside, instead, and pulls the shirt back up his shoulder before making his way over. when he opens the door without expectancy. ]
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talking to Sasuke takes precedence over that. but doesn't he always? don't both of them? Naruto and Sasuke have always been her first priority. once she was assigned her team, they were important. became the most important and precious when the chuunin exams began. there is no one, ever, in the entire existence of this universe or theirs, that has ever been as important as both the person in front of her, and the one that sleeps just down the hall.
her heart swells a bit at the sight of him.
because regardless of anything else, this is Sasuke. one of two people that make up her entire focus. ]
Good morning, Sasuke-kun. Do you have a few minutes? I know we have morning training soon.
gross!!!!!
Sasuke doesn't have much in his room, but none of them have been in it without his invitation (he acknowledges this difference, between himself and Naruto, but Sasuke still doesn't sleep well with his back to the door anymore).
he takes a step back, and lets her into his room.
it's sparsely decorated, if it could be called that. his clothes are folded, the gifts he's collected over time are tidily put away. the gilded sword leans in the corner of his room, the darkest corner.
he leaves the door ajar behind her. ]
What is it?
just like you!!!!!!!!
while one hand stays at her side, the other reaches over to grip the opposite elbow, arm folded beneath her chest. she's nervous, mostly. has too much to say and not enough time for it all. so, it's the most pressing things first. the rest can wait. ]
I owe you an apology. I made you keep things from Naruto, and that was unfair of me to ask of you. I never should have put you in that position, and I won't do it again.
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I didn't have to listen to you.
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[ but-
but even still. ]
I just didn't trust anyone else enough to tell them.
[ I don't trust anyone the way I trust you and Naruto. ]
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I wanted to keep him safe too.
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[ Sakura can't help but smile, barely, just a slight turn of her lips. ]
I also know that you don't really like sentimentality, but- I'm very thankful for you, Sasuke-kun. As a team mate and... as one of my best friends.
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then he actively thins his mouth and closes his eyes. ]
Tch.
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There was one more thing.
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Are you angry with me? For... partnering with Saralegui. I don't know everything that happened between you, but I remember enough, and I don't- I would rather not have a partner here than make you uncomfortable.
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No.
[ and it hangs there, in the air, like he wants to go on, but the words don't come. he trusts Sakura, trusts that she would do all she could for their important people. she knows Saralegui is important to him, and if truth be told, Sasuke much preferred the king having a partner the young Uchiha knew. Saralegui didn't trust easily, but neither did Sasuke. knowing Saralegui could be out there, could be injured because of someone else's recklessness— it was too much. ]
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the tension that drains for her is surprising; she hadn't realized she'd been holding onto the stress so tightly. ]
Thank you.
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You have a mission today?
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[ yes sasuke very observant ]
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Hence the name.
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Oh-! Might be late if I keep you much longer. I'll see you at training?
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