36. the departure

Sakura and her soap operas. :) - submitted by fiamontague

It was on a relatively typical, seemingly unremarkable October evening that Uchiha Sasuke found out that his whole romantic life was a joke, a sham.

He was relaxing in his living room, enjoying the start of a two-day break from his endless string of A and S class missions. He had been looking forward to this mini-vacation all week, ever since he picked up the month’s TV schedule at the local grocery store. In fact, he had already geared up for the coming TV marathon – bought popcorn, some cheap wine, and several bags of chips. Yes, indeed, he was all set to make the most out of this rare, wonderful opportunity.

He almost wished he was alone for these two days, just so he could concentrate on the show and enjoy it in solitude – the keyword being almost.

“Here’s your sandwich, dear.”

Sasuke spared his wife a questioning glance as he accepted the platter, and scooted over to make some room for her at their couch. Gingerly, he lifted the top bun of the sandwich to check its contents.

“Yes, Sasuke-kun, I did put a tomato in there”, she said, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation (he would ignore that – no use spoiling a perfectly good night), “And yes, no cucumbers, and just the right amount of spread.”

Satisfied, he grunted his gratitude and proceeded to wolf down the sandwich. Sakura was merely a passable cook, but he was a man with a healthy appetite, so it all evened out. Besides, the special attention she paid to suiting everything to his preferences pleased him greatly, and more than compensated for any short-comings she might have had culinary-wise.

“So, Sasuke-kun… what are we watching?”

“You’ll see.”

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34. alexithymia

Sasuke’s back to Konoha, and, with 21 years old, he has already given up on the idea of reviving his clan, since no woman would catch his eye like she did. But, according to the rumors, Sakura no longer loves him. He was too late, she had forgotten him. Well, that’s what people say. During a stormy night, he finds out that, not all rumors are truthful.

submitted by heythere-stranger and fersuure (for rumors)

Today was the fifty second week, and his fifty second job.

And this week, Sasuke was assigned to help out the fruit vendor Ishikawa in the public market. 

As part of his probation, Sasuke was tasked to help out with the villagers during his first year back. Every week, he was supposed to spend with them eight hours a day, offering help to whoever merchant or civilian he is assigned.

In the Hokage’s mind, it was a way for Sasuke to regain the trust of the villagers.

(In Kakashi’s opinion? It is making it easier for Sasuke to attract trouble.)

Ishikawa-san is a little plump lady of around forty, who sells the freshest fruits in Konoha, along with a piece of the juiciest piece of gossip she could pick up—free of charge! And though Sasuke could easily tune out Ishikawa-san’s Buy One Fruit Take One Gossip bargains, it doesn’t seem polite to refrain from replying whenever the kind lady tries to include him in the conversation—which is pretty much was the conversation everyday.

(Sasuke may seem rude and heartless to many people, but his mother did raise him to be polite to kind, and innocent people, like Ishikawa-san. If his mother were alive, she would have remarked how sweet of Ishikawa-san to make Sasuke feel a part of the village, even by trying to include him into the rumor exchanges.)

Besides, it’s a good move to listen to the rumor mill sometimes. It provides Sasuke current news with different topics he had no way to hear of, because of his probation, or the refusal to seek them out.

Yesterday, his first day at the Fruit Stall, Ishikawa sold three mangoes to a thin woman who has a son in Suna. Along with the mangoes, Ishikawa-san also told the woman that a very pregnant Temari-san is bound to arrive any time within the week, and how much of a diplomatic nightmare her otherwise romantic entanglements with the Nara heir is nowadays.

He also learned yesterday about Kiba’s horrendous bed partners, the daimyo’s bastards, the wines in Tsunade’s cellar, and so many other dirt about other people he both know and doesn’t know about.

If Ishikawa-san was not enamored with her fruit stall, she could make a great business selling information to anyone who can afford them.

The only upside to this week’s nightmare was he’s situated right in the middle of the intel hub.

“It seems I’ve misplaced my stash of paper bags here. They should always be here - somewhere between the apples and oranges - and now they’re gone. Sasuke-kun, will you please get some large paper bags from the storage? Just behind the counter inside.”

Today, a young chuunin was busy buying at least the better half of the fruit stocks. There seem to be a tropical island-themed party for tonight, so the chuunin went out to buy at least five kilos of everything.

“So, Ayaka-san, how’s Sakura-chan doing?”

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33. as selfishness and complaint pervert the mind, so love with its joy clears and sharpens the vision

Sometimes, Sasuke doesn’t actually uses his sharingan. He merely puts on some contact lenses to scare off potential suitors to his daughter - primarily uses this to scare the hell out of Naruto’s son.

He also have black colored contact lenses which he uses on a daily basis to prevent a mass murder of fangirls courtesy of his wife (he thinks his glasses raises his awesomeness level to greater heights). teheee.
- submitted by Rachelle (rachelle_sakura@yahoo.com) 

The very first time his Sharingan came to existence, Sasuke felt his hope flare to life.

Granted that it came to him when he sought to protect that idiotic dead-last (his first friend - his best friend. the thought came unbidden, along with the words of a brother-murderer, and he quells the urge to hurl). But the relief of how he could accurately tell and predict each movement made him hope that at least he could avenge his clan with his eyes alight in crimson.

He can do this. 

He can kill him. 

He had the eyes now.

Sakura came bustling in, with a tray of food in her hands. There were still wet marks on her cheeks, and her hands were still raw, as if she had been scrubbing them furiously when she excused herself to wash off the stains of his bandages when they pulled the needles out. Annoyed that he’ll be fuzzed over again by her incessant worrying, Sasuke looked at the girl who was approaching him with a gentle smile on her face.

But the moment he looked at her, Sakura stilled, opened her mouth, closed it and then avoided his gaze. He could see how her fingers twitched on the handle and her chest hitch as if to control herself not to gasp aloud. 

“Here, Sasuke-kun”

She only said, before leaving the tray on his bedside and walking away.

It was the first time that Sakura had been afraid of him. 

And he didn’t knew the reason why till he saw the reflection of his face.

(Sasuke never knew that Sakura said to herself that night, next time, next time i would not walk away. i’m..i’m she shakes in her room…i’m not afraid of Sasuke-kun. Never will be.)

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I really want to read the stories, but I stumbled upon one where Sakura isn’t loyal to Sasuke. She betrayed him and slept with other people which is so OOC. I just wish you put some sort of warning. I hate reading non-SS stuff. I thought this place would be a safe haven away from love triangles and SasuSaku x other, but I guess not. - from a dissatisfied anon

Hello. Sorry if one of our stories upset you, dear. But we do put the requester’s prompt before each story. Think of it as a warning of sorts - a preview of what you’ll find in the story, so to speak. 

We’re assuming you’re talking about SSHC entry number 27 (a leap of faith). That was the requester’s headcanon, and as you can see, the prompt was clearly placed before the entry itself.

We here at SSHC don’t just cater to the whims of a single Sasusaku fan; we entertain everyone who has a request - even if the said request is not necessarily something we agree with, because therein lies the fun and challenge in writing.

In fact, we enjoy challenges a lot (It makes for great - crazy - conversation during our chat sessions, haha); so if anyone requests a love triangle between Sasuke, Sakura, and Gai, we’d probably still write it! (readers, don’t get ideas, please. Haha!) It’s all done in good fun! ^_^ But of course, since we’re a SasuSaku page, you can rest assured that we’d let SS win each time (regardless of Gai’s dashing, youthful green jumpsuit).

But we can never guarantee that there won’t be other pairings - we do believe that keeping an open mind is very healthy, after all. ^^ 

Anyway, dear, if you want a pure sasusaku story, then you can request for it.  We’d treat your request with as much respect as we give to other people’s requests. ^_^

32. Beyond this place of wrath and tears | Looms but the Horror of the shade

It is often forgotten that it was not only Naruto who had been there for Sasuke and Sakura’s relationship. Kakashi, and how he knew from the very start that they would be together in the end. - (x)

(In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.)

“Shouldn’t you be there with them?”

Sasuke keeps silent, his glare challenging. Teacher and student stare at each other for a minute until Kakashi concedes, gesturing with a nonchalant wave to the seat in front of him.

“Here, drink this”, he says as he lazily moves the bottle of sake across the table.

“Hn.”

His student grunted his approval, probably the only indication of his gratitude. Any other person would find it hard not to take offense at the boy’s rudeness, but Kakashi supposed it was only normal. The Uchiha clan were renowned as much for their arrogance as for their prowess in battle, after all. And Sasuke was an Uchiha right down to his very bones.

Kakashi took a moment to observe the boy, watched as he grasped the bottle with bandaged, clumsy hands, swiftly downing a sizeable portion of the beverage in a single, desperate swig. The absence of Sasuke’s usual aristocratic bearing was not lost on Kakashi, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for his misguided student.

He wondered, not for the first time that day, if all this could have been avoided had Team 7 been assigned to someone else. Someone better.

The Sandaime certainly thought he would be up to the task, having readily entrusted him with the duty of watching over the team that contained two of Konoha’s most volatile children. But in truth, Kakashi had doubts from the very start, and now he’s sure that those doubts weren’t unfounded. He believed that he was not a very good teacher, and that he was the worst possible role model. This, he thought, was the biggest irony; because by all rights, he should be a damn great one.

After all, he could always find a way to translate the most complex theories and concepts into something a complete idiot would understand. And he had an endless array of jutsu, a deep fount of knowledge and experience from which he could draw on at a moment’s notice. He was also a genius, one of the best that Konoha has ever produced.

He could have been the perfect instructor for Team 7 – a team with unlimited potential.

But why was it that he could teach his students any lesson about taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu, but he couldn’t drive home the lessons that really matter?

“I’ve already worked out your pardon with the council, Sasuke. They’ve agreed not to defy my authority as the Hokage for now. And ironically, the war has tipped the balance of power in our favor. The council’s convinced that we need you in the frontlines regardless of that incident. But you should still lie low for a while just in case. You won’t be punished, but—”

“I should be executed—”

“Try to look at this calmly, Sasuke.”

“Calm?! How the fuck can I be calm when she’s—“

“You can’t keep blaming yourself.”

“Kakashi. Just shut up. I don’t need your platitudes. You don’t understand.”

For a moment, he didn’t speak, couldn’t speak.

“You’ll never understand.”

For a moment, it felt like needles were being driven underneath his nails, like his very soul was being set on fire.

For a moment, he hated his student with a burning passion, wanted to strangle him, anything to make him take back the worst possible accusation anybody could ever throw at Hatake Kakashi.

He didn’t understand, did he?

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31. more than you think you are

Can you guys please write boyfriend!Sasuke taking care of a sick Sakura? I think it’d be so cute to see him clueless and worried for her, but it’s always the other way around with that scenario! - clenalyn 

Sasuke remembers that Sakura’s talent in first-aid was better than most of his fellow graduates in the academy. This is why her role is only limited to tending wounds and carrying the medical supplies

Today, after the fight with Haku, the haze of anesthetic numbs his usual stoic persona, and for once, loosens himself to observe her openly.

Sakura is unaware of this, as she concentrates on making a perfect figure-of-eight bandage wrap over his left elbow. She lathers each fresh puncture with ointment and trembling fingers. And he ignores the tricks his mind plays, those phantom scent of povidone and salt, his once clear sight - now out of focus - as he believes that the curves of her cheeks are moist.

“Go to sleep, Sasuke-kun.” Her small voice breaks, and it confirms what he dreads all along.

He hates the tears in her eyes.

But Sasuke buries this thought, and instead thinks he hates her.

How weak.

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30. are you happy you know it, that you’re havin my…?

Sasuke and Sakura quarelling over which stuff to buy in the grocery
submitted by anonymous

The white-washed walls of the supermarket reminds him too much of the hospital walls he dislikes, as well as the coldness of the whole place - what kind of a public establishment operates without a functioning heater in the dead middle of winter? - makes him want to just turn around, leave Sakura with the groceries, and go home.

But doing so will surely mean an irate Sakura, and an empty fridge.

He could probably survive the empty fridge, but an irate Sakura? 

Even as a top ANBU captain of his esteem, he shall never be that stupid (unlike a certain kage) to risk that. No. Not in a million years, and passing thousand wars here will ensure him to ever win a domestic battle against a fuming Sakura.

He lets out a frustrated sigh, blindly following Sakura into yet another aisle while pushing their half-full pushcart. He might not wage a battle, but he could try the diplomatic approach.

“We’ve got a lot of items enough to last us three years, Sakura.”

Her form stops still in front of the snacks corner. Damn, really need to get out.

“Let’s go home already.”

“For you. But for the others, it’s probably three dog years, Sasuke.”

She merely shrugged, took a dozen of boxes of pocky  & picked another wrap of sweets.

“Look,” Sakura shot him a look over her shoulders, before throwing a pack of licorice into their cart. “In between your missions and my hospital shifts, the fridge will probably stale itself.”

Sakura continued walking and throwing packs of candies one after another. “And besides, I wouldn’t want to experience going home, tired and starving, and find the fridge empty for the nth time this month.”

As they turned to another aisle, Sasuke looked at all the things Sakura had casually thrown into the cart. Candies. Cookies. Small ice cream buckets. A few jars of jams and jellies, peanut butter and chocolate spread. 

“Are you sure we need a lot of sweet items?”

“I need sugar when I’m tired and hungry. Fastest to break down.” Sakura answered absentmindedly. “Hey, do you want kimchi? I feel like eating one tonight.”

Sasuke could only blink his eyes at her question. “Since when did you eat spicy food?”

“Since never, but I have this really bad craving for kimchi.” Sakura throws it into the cart.

“Oooh, look.” Sakura grabs a jar from the shelves. “Pickles. Love pickles.”

(He’ll be too ashamed to admit it, but what came out of Sasuke’s mouth was a horrified “No”.)

He grabbed her arm before she could put the jar of pickles into the pushcart.

“I can’t understand the need for spicy kimchi. But I’m drawing the line at the pickles. You don’t even like pickles.”

Sakura pouted, and Sasuke only narrowed his eyes, challenging her to protest. 

This continued on for the next five items. Sakura would always pick up an item, and Sasuke would be beside her immediately, putting the item back to its shelf.

“Would you just stop—” Sakura turned to him sharply, her eyes blazing. Then her face transforms into a fierce scowl, that Sasuke took a cautious backward step.

“Why are you so bent on making me unhappy?”

“Huh?” Sasuke just looked at her confusedly.

“You’re always making me unhappy.” Sakura glared at him.

“I just want us to finish shopping, and go ho—”

“Like today, for example. Why can’t you just allow me to buy whatever food I want for myself? Am I even allowed to buy a loaf of bread, or will you put it back to its shelf like what you did to that can of tuna, or the freaking bottle of olive oil?”

“Sakura, you’re being overdra-“

“Overdramatic? Over grocery shopping? Shut. Up.” Sakura huffed. “If there’s anyone being over dramatic here, that’s you.” 

“What?”

“You keep on putting back everything I pick. It seems like you don’t trust my judgement over these things. Well, news flash, Sasuke-kun: I’ve been grocery shopping for over seven years, I know what I’m doing.”

“I’m not-“

“Yes, you do. You’re out to stop me from having my grocery shopping happiness!” She screamed at him. Sasuke opened his mouth as if he would say something, but he just closed it again.

“We don’t even cook anything at home anymore, let alone use a freaking olive oil.” Sasuke thought. He almost blurted it out, but stopped himself at the last second.

What did he say again about an irate Sakura? Well, there is something worse: an emotional Sakura.

They turn into another aisle, the toiletries section, and then it him.

“Are you on your period?” He asked silently.

It could have been the worst question to ask Very Emotional Sakura. But there are times that a man must risk a limb to gain an information that could give him an edge to victory.

She balls her fist, and instinctively, he flinched.

However, the expected punch didn’t come.

Instead, Sakura calmly walked straight over the long aisle until she stopped right in front of Pharmaceuticals. She picked a small rectangular box, then stomped back to him and their (rattling-in-every-step) cart.

She throws the pink-white box into the cart, gritting her teeth.

“I am not on my period, Sasuke.”

If only Sasuke could shiver from fear, he would. Very Emotional Sakura had just transformed into Irate Sakura. And this is not looking good for him.

He looked down on the cart and saw what Sakura threw down before he sputtered.

“I haven’t got my period for months.”