Unexpected || MadaSaku ||

You're like a Dream

|| Madara ||

I lied awake with one arm tucked behind my head, my other arm resting at my side as I thought about the fast-approaching briefing. Izuna had silently scolded me after my decision to release the trespassers, I just didn't see any reason for holding onto weakened travelers and their sick child. Who knows? Maybe he's right and I've softened up. I've been telling myself for for the past few days that I'm a fearless leader, fated to lead our clan into a victory alongside Izuna. Since I left, Sakura's hold on me remained, no matter how much I tried to severe my ties with her, to erase any trace of her. My mind was corrupted with thoughts of those soft as silk, pink locks that rested at her shoulders. Over the course of a week, her green eyes burned in my memory much like my heart became scorched by her existence. 

The way sleep sweeps over you like a blanket is one of the most comforting feelings, even more blissful is the idea of falling asleep to thoughts of her. Sakura, an ever blooming flower... I closed my eyes as I thought of seeing her once more, to bask in her beauty, to be soothed by her voice, to admire her power and intelligence. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

My eyes rested on the still water, watching the Cherry Tree through the liquid mirror as the Blossoms fell from their branches, trickling like rain onto the lake. The water rippled as a single rock skipped its way across, sinking into its fresh reserve like a sunken ship. The ripples began subtly, then moving more rapidly until the petals gathered together and separated once again. I traced the rocks origin back to its wielder, expecting to see Hashirama sitting right there next to me, flinging those flat stones across the water like we did when we were kids. But instead, it was Sakura, sitting beside me with her feet half way submerged in the lake's clear waters, swinging her legs back and forth like a tree-swing. 

She didn't bother to say anything, neither did I. There were no words that came to mind, the whole world around us was surreal, almost non-existent. I couldn't stop staring at her, the way her eyes glimmered in the reflective sunlight and the way her cheeks blushed with warmth. I couldn't tear my eyes away. Sakura stared longingly out towards the lake, as if it held everything dear to her. The ripples didn't cease, they continued to distort our reflections with small transparent waves. The water never truly settling. "I can see why you enjoy coming here," she spoke ever so softly.

"In truth, it's the only place I feel at ease, away from the turmoil, the chaos of reality." I admittedly confessed. "Skipping the rocks across the lake, watching as they make an effort to reach the other side is more satisfying than one can realize. We're much the same, constantly trying over and over again until we can finally reach our goal, our destination. And just like the stones, sometimes we sink so far we drown ourselves. And sometimes we get closer to where we want to be."

"And where do you want to be, Madara?" She pondered, tilting her head, tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ear. She asked out of genuine curiosity, but she didn't even realize that there was no where else in the moment that I'd rather be.

"Here, where I am now beside you." I professed. We were locked in a hypnotizing gaze, swallowed whole by each other, unknowingly connected by our souls. I guided my arm around her neck, gently placing my hand on her cheek my thumb supporting her jaw, pulling her inward until I could taste her breath on my lips. "Stay here. Stay with me."

"Madara—"

"No, let me be selfish with you." And with that, I closed the last bit of distance between us. The scent of fresh water and cherry blossoms surrounding us as our lips locked in an eternal moment: my senses dulled, my legs weak, my heart faint. She was who I had dreamed of, who I had waited for my entire life, every bit of what I had been missing in my lonely existence.

||Sasuke||

"Wake up, Sarada," I softly spoke, brushing the fly-away strands of hair from her face. She reminded me so much of myself, but her personality, her spirit, that fire in her eyes was all Sakura. It was beautiful to think that we had created her, she was the perfect balance of an undeniable bond.  I could see her coming to her senses, twitching her closed eyelids and her mouth attempting to open. 

"Where are we?" Sarada coughed, blinking erratically to adjust to the lights. 

"An Uchiha camp, turns out we stumbled onto their territory. Don't worry though, we just need to leave before they make up another reason to hold us here, so we shouldn't stay too long. I'll wake up Karin, you gather the rest of our belongings from the guard. They won't cause you trouble, just don't make any unnecessary small talk. We've been here long enough." I instruct her, noticing as she stumbled to pick herself up off the ground and make her way out of the cell.

"Karin, wake up," I called to her, but she was still unconscious, rolled over on her side and her velvet locks falling over her face. I brushed back her hair, waiting for her to react. "We must go."

Karin lightly groaned, furrowing her eyebrows together as she began to regain consciousness. "S-Sasuke? So it wasn't travelers or a village was it?" she knowingly laughed. I couldn't help but do the same. "And I thought I was pro."

"We need to leave this place, so gather yourself. Sarada should be back with our belongings soon enough." I said, offering my outstretched hand as support. Karin accepted, taking my hand into hers, pulling each other simultaneously until she was closer than I expected. We both stepped back, avoiding each other's gaze. The silence piercing through the room, allowing the awkward tension to settle. "I think there's something we need to make clear."

"What do you mean?"

"You and I, what happened between us. It was nothing, nothing more than an attempt at comfort. If it's possible, I'd like to put it behind us, like it never happened in the first place." I suggested, watching her stare down at her hands. "With Sakura alive—everything's different."

"I-I understand. But you're at least not going to tell her? Isn't that worse?"

"My priority is to bring her home, to the village, her friends, her family, to us, to me...She doesn't need to know something that will hurt her. As her friend, I'd hope you'd see that too." 

"And as her husband, I'd hope you'd see that a lie by omission is still a lie, no matter how you look at it. But it's your life, Sasuke and if that's truly how you'd want it to be, then okay." She regretfully accepted, walking out of the dimly lit cell, leaving me alone with nothing with my guilt ridden thoughts.