Work Text:
Sakura clutched the fabric of her sleeping bag tighter as her eyes practically bore holes into Sasuke’s sleeping back. He was lying several feet away from her, curled up and seemingly at peace. There was a tranquil energy that surrounded him as soon as they left the Konoha gates together a month ago. And suddenly the thought made her heart clench in guilt.
Before she joined him on his journey, it was difficult for her to see why Konoha never felt like home to him. But she understood it now: the reason why he had to leave. Watching Sasuke the past several days was like watching a man discover the world for the first time. The way he navigated the thick forests and stopped briefly to admire the sparkling streams; everything was a wonder to him. He moved with an ease she had never seen before.
He was comfortable here, she realized, comfortable in a way that the village could never bring to him. And it made sense. Ever since she learned the truth, her home seemed more and more distant. Each time she admired the sights of Konoha, a pang in her chest always reminded her that the place she loved was built in blood and the peace she basked in was secured through sacrifice.
A wave of guilt overcame her again as she watched Sasuke’s breathing figure. She was ashamed that she tried to convince him to stay, embarrassed by her naivety. And the feelings were almost too much to take.
“Sasuke?” She called softly, before she could stop herself.
When he simply hummed in reply, she continued, “You don’t have to go back to Konoha.”
His shoulders tensed and silence continued to surround them. But she could tell by the shift in his posture that he was mulling over her words.
“What I mean is, you don’t have to come back if you don’t want to,” she explained, afraid that he may have misunderstood her.
He turned suddenly to face her and her breath caught at the sight of him, lit softly in the moonlight. His mismatched eyes were pensive, perhaps also a little confused, as they met hers.
“What makes you say that?”
“I see how calm you are out here and I know the village can never give that to you.”
“You’re right.”
Even though it was her own words, his agreement caused an uncomfortable feeling to surface in the pit of her stomach. He looked at her as if he was expecting her to continue but when silence met him, he shifted again to his back and turned his face to the sky. He looked even more beautiful like this, Sakura thought.
Side-by-side, they stayed that way, looking at the stars. Sakura suddenly felt so small. How could she possibly be selfish enough to ask him to stay with her when she was nothing compared to the expanse of the world? She watched the side of his face again. Her home was Konoha but it was not his. And she was old enough now to understand that it was the consequences of loving a complicated man. She loved him so she had to let him go.
“I’m sorry,” she finally muttered.
He turned to face her quickly but he didn’t speak, only looking at her with a puzzled knit of his brows.
“I should have never asked you to stay, Sasuke. It was selfish of me.”
His expression softened, “it’s okay, Sakura.”
“And that stupid confession I gave you at the gates when we were genin, I couldn’t have possibly understood—”
“It wasn’t stupid,” Sasuke suddenly interrupted.
“What?”
“It wasn’t a stupid confession. I think I needed to hear it. I didn’t know it back then but I do now.” His tone was solemn, serious.
“Even so, I’m sorry. I want you to know that you don’t have to stay in the village or with me. I know it’s not home to you.” Sakura had to cut herself off, afraid that she was going to babble, that the sadness she felt would bubble to the surface and render her words meaningless.
She studied his expression carefully as his eyes unfocused in thought. It was clear in his features that he was mulling over her words by the way he gently chewed on the inside of his bottom lip.
After what felt like hours of silence, he finally spoke. “You’re right, it’s not home.”
“I—”
“But,” he interrupted before she got the chance to speak. “There are people there that are home to me. People like you.”
Sakura’s mouth fell open in surprise at his last sentence. There was something about the look in his eyes that knocked the oxygen from her lungs. It was sincere and emotional. It was enough to render her absolutely speechless.
When she finally collected herself, she returned his gaze with the same intensity. “You’re home to me too, Sasuke.”
She watched as the corners of his mouth quirked slightly upwards. Sasuke and Sakura remained that way for some time, looking only into each other’s eyes. It was moments like these where she wanted to touch him, to pull his body into hers and never let go. But she didn’t for fear that any more displays of affection would send him running. So when he turned to face the sky again, she did the same, resigning to the fact that she could convey her feelings simply through glance.
But suddenly, his hand found hers. She whipped her head to look at him only to find his gaze still on the stars but the smile on his face widening. Their fingers intertwined, sending a jolt of electricity up her arm and to her racing heart. Not trusting herself to speak, she only squeezed his hand in return.
Hand in hand, they watched the clouds move across the dark sky in silence. It wasn’t until Sakura was drifting to sleep when she heard him, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Thank you, Sakura.”