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Sakura cursed at the boisterous crowd, their loud behavior only serving to annoy her further. Pushing drunk men out of the way, she marched forward. No one dared to touch her as she cut across the pavement, her intimidating walk only adding to her reputation.
Husbands could be really stupid sometimes. Rolling her eyes, she finally reached the bar where her friends were at and stood behind them with her hands on her hips. Naruto was the first to turn around. “Oh, Sakura-chan! What are you doing here?” he slurred, alcohol weighing on his tongue.
“I'm here to bring my drunk husband home,” she replied, glaring at the wide-eyed Sasuke. She couldn't believe he had gotten drunk. Since when did Uchiha Sasuke consume alcohol, something that could hold you back in a fight? Never. Or that was what she had thought.
“Sakura,” he started, dark eyes looking up at her with wonder. “Have I ever told you? You have such wonderful eyes.” He gave a hiccup. “The best ones I've ever seen.”
She blinked. The entire group was staring at Sasuke and her, as if in amazement. She felt her cheeks turn pink. “Yes, you have told me that before,” she answered, her voice surprisingly steady. Moving forward to lift him up, she hugged him around the waist, pushing up. He leaned against her, breath hot against her neck. Fighting off her impulses, she held him to her, supporting his limp body.
“Sakura, I love the way you smell. Whenever I smell lemons, it reminds me of home,” he mumbled into her shoulders, nose brushing against the sensitive skin on her neck.
“Thank you, Sasuke-kun.”
Shikamaru smirked at her. “Do you need any help?”
She huffed. “As if I need the help of a man who can't even support himself. No, thanks, I think I'll manage.” Leaving the men to their drinking, she hauled Sasuke on her shoulders, and began to walk back towards their home. She didn't want anyone else to witness the mess Sasuke made her, especially not the Hokage's too-smart-for-his-own-good right-hand.
The villagers stared at her as she passed them but Sakura couldn’t care less.. All she cared about was that her husband was finally home and in her arms. Maybe the situation because of which this came to be wasn't exactly ideal but it was fine. Because, even though he was stupid and sometimes acted in dumb ways, he was Sasuke and he was hers.
She looked up to the sky with a soft smile as the stars smiled back. Sometimes, she could hardly believe it herself. Even when they woke up in each other's arms on the rare occasions when he was home, she would feel a jolt go through her. When she cooked for him in the kitchen and he wrapped his hands around her, she felt her heart thundering in her chest. Every little thing they did together felt so momentous, like nothing in the world could compare to her happiness.
She gave a small chuckle at her own thoughts. “Since when do you drink, Sasuke-kun?” she asked, not expecting a reply.
A hum vibrated against her neck. Goosebumps rose on her skin as his lips moved against the base of her throat, forming a response.
“I'm sorry.”
She let out a breath. “It's fine.”
“I'm sorry, I drank.”
“Okay.”
“I'm sorry, I'm a mess. I'm really sorry.”
“Oh god.”
Sakura stopped walking. Her heart was beating too fast and her breathing was just a little out of control. The cool Konoha breeze did nothing to soothe her warming face.
“I'm sorry, I can't walk. I'm sorry, you're carrying me. I'm sorry, I'm heavy.”
She gave a huff of annoyance but her hands tightened around her husband's body. “I get it.”
“I'm sorry about before.”
“Stop tal–”
“I'm sorry, I left–”
“Please sleep.” Sakura's voice was stern enough to quiet her husband. Her face was burning, butterflies raging a storm in her stomach. She felt like a teenage girl, heart thudding at the slightest compliment.
But this wasn't a compliment. This was something that ran much deeper within Sasuke's heart, keeping him tossing in the night. His guilt was far too big for him to hide, to keep it away from his sorrowful eyes. She had seen it, when he looked out of the window of their bedroom, his gaze far away, when he lost himself and his hands tightened on her sleeping form. She had noticed the scars that he tried to hide but couldn't and waited patiently for the day he wouldn't feel the need to. Because for now, just this much was enough. Just having him by her side was enough.
Sakura unlocked the door of their house, closing it with a small kick, and trudged up the stairs toward their bedroom, dropping Sasuke on the bed. He gave out a puff of air as he landed on the soft mattress, body bouncing over the linen sheets. Shaking her head, she changed into her nightgown before plopping down beside him.
She gazed at his sleeping form, face devoid of anything except peace. His eyelashes brushed against his skin as his eyes fluttered. It was a rarity to see her husband so serene. Few were the occasions of him being true to his heart, yet on the instances that he was, it always showed.
That was when she could feel his heartbeat against hers and relax, knowing he was safe. That was when she could close her eyes and rest in his arms, with no care about the world, only the two of them together.
His lips parted. Dark eyes looked at her, full of emotions. Maybe it was because he rarely stared at her that way, or maybe it was something else, but Sakura couldn't stop the blood rushing to her face. There lay her husband, with his head over his folded right arm, looking as if the world turned on itself just for him. Nothing could even come close to how beautiful he looked right then.
She stared at his moving lips.
“I love you.”
Tucking them under the blanket, she scooted against him. His arms wrapped around her, holding her in a cocoon of warmth.
“I love you.”
There she lay, head tucked against Sasuke's neck, content like she had never been before. It was there, where she fell asleep with no nightmares plaguing her mind. It had been a long time since Sakura had felt this safe.