My Snippets: Part 2

On My Darkest Days

A rough day at work ends much more unexpectedly than she had expected. A sasusaku blank period short snippet.

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She stumbled on autopilot into her apartment... kicking the door closed behind her without so much as turning around to lock it (because let's face it who would be dumb enough to break into Haruno Sakura's apartment) then slipped out of her knee-high sandals before blindly making her way to the bathroom in the dark, stripping as she went.

The hour was well past midnight and though she had tried fiercely in her fight to save the young man's life, sadly just a few minutes after being brought in, he succumbed to his injuries... and the only consolation she was left with is that she had been able to ease his suffering for at least the last few moments of his life.

She turned on the shower, forgoing the lights entirely, and before giving it time to fully heat up, she stepped inside. It felt like shards of glass were penetrating her skin, and she shivered violently before a deep and shaky sob of despair slipped past her parted lips... fresh tears spilling down her cheeks while she placed both hands on the wall in front of her; bending her head between them while her body raked violently with sobs. He was only twenty-three years old; far too young to be taken from this world so soon... before he had even had the chance to fully live.

She knew him too, which made it worse.

She had seen him numerous times in the hospital making rounds with some of her colleagues... always humble and would openly send a friendly smile or wave in her direction anytime he saw her in passing. His dream had been to be a doctor... just like her.

He wanted to save lives.

Yet his— couldn't be saved.

Sakura cried harder, and just when she felt as if the world would close in around her, she felt the curtain shift beside her before someone stepped into the shower behind her. The sound of it echoed in her ears, but she refused to look and reprimand whoever it was that had chosen this time to disturb her; to emerced in her own grief to even care.

Completely unaware that she was being held from behind by Uchiha Sasuke until his waterlogged clothes plastered onto her back when she fell to the shower floor along with him; seated securely between his bent knees with his arm wrapped securely around her waist. Her hands moved to his thighs and she squeezed; desperate for something to cling to in order to somehow keep her grounded. She was struggling to breathe, gasping for air while tears continued to flow down her cheeks.

"I—I c-couldn't... s-save him, Sasuke-kun. I— he died...," she weeped as her body shuddered violently against him; his grip only tightened as he tried to pull her back against his chest. A loud, desperate, and sorrowful scream echoed off the walls around them, and it took Sakura a moment to realize that it had come from her, ending in a deep sob as she tried to catch her breath again. "H-he died and it's a-all my fault! I—I couldn't—"

She felt him lean forward, his forehead pressing between her shoulder blades while another jolt racked her body. His lips pressed softly against her skin as he whispered, "Shh, I'm here now. I've got you. Everything will be okay."

Though his presence was comforting, she still managed to cry herself to sleep in his arms underneath the warm spray that night...exhaustion finally winning out as she collapsed against him.

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The following morning came far too early, and it took effort to open her puffy eyes. But when she did, she realized that Sasuke must have dressed her and brought her to the bed after her shower fiasco...feeling the silky-soft sheets brush against the skin of her shoulders when she shifted slightly. It took another second to realize that Sasuke was lying on his side in bed facing her; already awake and watching her closely. Feeling slightly embarrassed as memories began to flash in her mind from last night, a heated blush worked its way to her cheeks until she remembered why she had a meltdown in the first place and soon she completely forgot about being naked in front of him, when a warm smile and friendly wave flashed across her mind.

Her embarrassment was soon replaced with a new wave of grief, and the Uchiha must have sensed the change in her mood as he lifted his hand slowly to brush the hair out of her eyes. "Are you ok, Sakura," he asked; clear concern for her well-being written all over his expression as she felt her eyes begin to well-up with tears again.

Bringing her hands up to tuck them beneath her head, she let out a deep sigh. "No," she paused and closed her eyes when his fingertips brushed across the underside of them, cleaning away the fresh dampness before they could stain her pillow. Death was a big part of life. It was part of being a doctor and knowing that she couldn't save everyone was a tough lesson that she would have to learn the hard way. Sakura opened her eyes slowly and took a deep breath... leaning into his touch slightly when his palm moved to cup her cheek and his forehead pressed tentatively against her own. She let out her breath slowly and relaxed into him as she scooted closer to his warmth.

As long as he was her comfort on days like this, she knew that she would be able to make it through anything thrown her way. Wanting to convey this conclusion to him, Sakura whispered against his lips, "but... I will be," before closing the distance between them.