Daylight

Midnight

No matter which way the stream ran, which way the wind breathed life, or what season it was, it always pointed towards the same thing; it created Sasuke's heart to sing the same song - a song of love, a song of longing, a song of Sakura. Sasuke chased every sunset until night fell upon him and he bathed in the peace of the nights he had sworn to defend, the nights he had been fighting to keep. During the day he continued to forge that peace, with every slice of his katana, and every strike of his chidori. Rushing through trees and through dimensions into the unknown, gathering intel and seeking out those who were deeply rooted in the corners of the earth, luring them out with the prize of his dojutsus. These were the endless days of Uchiha Sasuke. And so it was no wonder why he found solace between pink hair and tender arms, soft breasts and alluring green eyes. He felt safe under her watchful gaze and he felt calm beneath the gentle caress of her rough hands. But most importantly he felt at-

"Home. I'm home, Sakura," he told a clothed breast, nuzzling into her further as they were seated on her couch in the living room. 

"A-ah, yes..." she stuttered, as she tried to gently push him away. "S-Sasuke-kun. You know I have my shift in half an hour. I need to go."

"No," he muttered into her red dress. 

"Sasuke-kun, my patients are waiting. And I need to supervise a few trainees later on. We can catch up later," she pleaded softly. 

But his grip only tightened around her waist. "You have a patient right here. So tend to me, you damned woman," he chided between gritted teeth. 

Sakura sighed. "I've already given you a massage, darling. What more do you want?" she asked as she kneaded her hands through his hair. 

"Just stay," he ordered, albeit his voice softening as he said so. "Please."

"Sasuke, I miss you too, but I really need to go. I need to pay off the loan for the extension, and I can only do that if I go to work," she reminded him. 

Sasuke finally let go and looked up at his wife. He readjusted his position so he was sitting beside her, and no longer taking half of the sofa with the lower half of his body. Two fingers were approaching his face and he closed his eyes as he felt the familiar gesture beneath his black bangs of hair she had recently cut for him. 

"I'll see you next time, Sasuke," she smiled dejectedly. She lifted herself off the couch, but before she could take a step forward he halted her movements with a tug at her wrist. 

"Sakura, I'll be waiting," he vowed. "Sarada is staying at ChiChi's house, right?"

"You mean ChoCho," Sakura giggled. "Yes," she affirmed. "So you can stay. But Sasuke, you don't have to wait up for me. I'll be late."

"You always wait for me, even when I tell you not to," he reminded her. "So it's only fair I don't listen either."

She relieved her wrist from his loose grip and smacked his lone arm playfully. "You're such an idiot," she laughed. "Anyway, there's dinner in the fridge. You just need to warm it up." 

A few soft kisses and tender hugs later, she had left him to wander around the house aimlessly. Sasuke's feet found themselves heading upstairs, and once again for the thousandth time he found his hand brushing over his daughter's doorknob, but being unable to find it in himself to take a peak into her life. He gathered his wits and closed his eyes. His hand fell beside himself again and he went into the newly built extension. It had been a couple of months since it had been finished, alongside with two new Uchiha crests on the front of the house, and Sakura had even bought a new double bed for her and Sasuke - apparently she had told Sarada it was so that Sarada could cuddle her Mama in the coldest nights, like this night of October. Sasuke padded towards the boxing bag in the corner of the room and resumed his training.