My Snippets: Part 2

Preparing to Wed

Preparing to wed the love of her life can be a terrifying yet thrilling thing. A sasusaku AU snippet. Merfolk Sasuke and Sakura.

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Sakura's thin fingers intertwined with the tiny creatures; so delicate and so fragile that with one misstep of pressure or touch it would easily crush them, and a small smile formed on her lips when they began to cling tightly onto her bony flesh. "Such innocence can't be real, can it?"

Ino, her best friend who was currently running a makeshift comb through her friend's long hair paused to glance down at the baby starfish now surrounding the pinkette's fingers, as if vying for her affections. She snorted and dropped the comb to strategically tangle flowers within the luscious and flowy, petal-pink strands. "Well, I could have said the same of you not too long ago, Sak. Or have you forgotten who it was that stole your innocence?" At this playful jab, Sakura blushed a deep crimson.

When Sakura twisted to glance behind her at the blonde, bubbles floated between them briefly as the water stirred. "We aren't even talking about the same thing, Ino."

"No," her friend inquired with a quirked brow as she moved on from the multitude of different flowers, to adding a wide variety of colorful shells and other sea-life to the tresses in front of her.

"No," Sakura declared with an indignant huff as she turned back to play with the baby sea-stars, intentionally ignoring the eye-rolling behind her and the mumbled, if you say so. "Besides, Sasuke and I love each other... what more could I ask for in a mate?"

"Sak, he doesn't come from a prominent family. I mean his family are murderers. How can you be okay with that?"

Sakura turned then, releasing the starfish from her fingers to grasp onto her best friend's hands. "Sasuke had nothing to do with his family's decisions. He is completely innocent in the war that raged years ago. He was a victim as much as you and I."

"But—"

"But nothing. Don't argue with me on this. I will be wed to him... and bound in matrimony in a few hours' time. Please just accept that. Don't make me choose between the love of my life and my best friend." Ino seemed to contemplate this, then squeezed her friend's hands in return.

"I'm so sorry, Sak. I should be more understanding. It's just hard for me, when his family massacred mine. It's hard not to hold them all accountable for the actions of just a few. I will try harder, I promise."

"I promise to take your feelings into account more often. I know this isn't easy for you and you've been so helpful to me throughout this whole affair. I truly appreciate all that you have done for me, Ino. I love you."

"I love you too, Sakura." Ino wrapped her arms around the pinkette and squeezed before leaning back to grab hold of her shoulders. "I can't believe my best friend is getting wed today! It's so exciting. I swear, I'm so happy for you! I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, see you." With one final smile and wave, Ino swam away; leaving Sakura alone with her thoughts. They drifted to the very first time she ever met Sasuke, when he saved her from a swarm of angry sharks...and progressed to last night when he kissed her soundly and then dropped her off at her parent's house to prepare for today's wedding.

She felt her insides churning, almost feeling violently ill as contemplated meeting her lover at the altar. It's everything she could ever want, he is everything she could ever want, and yet she was starting to have a few doubts. If Ino... her best friend...was having issues with their relationship, how was everyone else handling it; has she been so blinded all of these years from being so in love with Sasuke...that she herself failed to see how toxic their relationship truly was? 'No,' a little voice inside of her said, halting her turmoil. 'He loves you and you love him. You were made for each other and you love him more than anything in this world.'

Sighing dramatically, Sakura busied herself with changing for the wedding; choosing to wear a pair of pale-pink shells on her bosom to match her tail...and she paired that with a stunning, cream-colored pearl necklace that was given to her as a sixteenth birthday gift from her mother. Sakura felt the tentacle-like suctioning pull from a few starfish as they traveled up the length of her tail, until they came to rest on various parts of her body, finalizing her wedding look. She was readying herself to leave when a soft knock sounded on the coral surrounding her chambers.

She turned to see her grandmother and a soft smile made its way to her lips as she swam over to give her a big hug. "I didn't think you would make it today!" Tsunade chuckled and returned the hug before pushing her away to hold her by the shoulders.

"Being the Hokage has its privileges, Sakura. One being I am in charge of my own schedule, not anyone else. So of course, I wouldn't miss this day for anything in the world." It didn't take her long however to notice the slight uncertainty in her granddaughter's eyes and she allowed her features to soften significantly while she continued to hold onto her shoulders to prevent her from fleeing when she asked her, "what's wrong, Sakura?"

She looked away in complete shame and closed her eyes as a single tear ran down her cheek. "Grandma, what if I'm making a mistake marrying Sasuke? What if I— what if his past comes back to haunt us? What if..."

"Where is all of this coming from?"

"Ino—"

"Tsk, that girl. Always causing trouble."

"Huh?"

"Look, if I of all people can forgive the past, then everyone else certainly can. Nobody is blaming Sasuke anymore for the things that transpired between his family and our home and neither should you, pet. Ino just worries too much, but I know that girl has forgiven him. As she very well should, considering he had nothing to do with it." Tsunade sighed and then pulled the pinkette in close for a tight embrace. "I know that you love him, Sakura... with everything you are capable of loving him with. But if you have any doubts... if you truly don't want to live with him or love him for the rest of your life, then I suggest you reconsider this engagement and call off the wedding now."

Her answer was instantaneous. "No."

"No?"

"I don't want to call it off. I love him... I want to be with him. I simply don't want the past hanging over us for the rest of our lives."

"And it won't. Some people are still wounded, but time will pass and the pain of loss will pass with it. Remember... all can be forgiven with time. We will forever remember those we cherished most and we can (eventually) forget the hurt brought on by those who took them from us. It will just take time."

"Thanks, Grandma. I feel much better now."

"Good," Tsunade said as she held the girl back from her to give her a shameless grin. "Because you wouldn't want to keep your husband-to-be waiting much longer. Do you?"

"N-no! Of course not!"

"Excellent. Because the wedding started ten minutes ago."

'Oh fu—'