Daylight

Dawn

A/N: As always, thank you to those who leave lovely comments and are voting. 

The breaking of dawn indicated a new chance to right old wrongs, and to breathe new air, and another chance to hold those dear to you. The young and old birds tweeting their morning songs was just another affirmation of this, and the caress of the wind was an endearing stroke that promised good fortunes for those that fought for what they believed in. 

Sasuke overlooked the lands beneath the clifftop he had steadied himself upon, and another stroke of the pen met a blank parchment, waiting to carry its duty. With every word he wrote, a tear tumbled down his cheek, making his words blur together on the paper.

Sakura, 

I need to meet with you. It may be our last meeting. 

Meet me at the Hokage tower next month. July 20th. 6pm. Naruto and the other Kages will be there. I will explain everything there. 

I'm sorry. 

Forgive me. 

Sasuke's hand trembled as he struggled to write down the next words: 

I love you.

Sasuke.

Sasuke's onyx eyes filled with torment followed his hawk's ascent into the sky, and watched as it flew away, taking his words from him, and delivering it to his wife. Hoping it would not break her, as it broke him. 

***

The weeks had dragged by, and with every passing day, Sasuke's heart crushed into a million pieces knowing that the next time he would see his darling wife, may be the last in a long time. With the worries and sorrows that plagued his mind, sleep was not at his disposal, and Sasuke had begun fretting about whether he had truly forgiven himself for all that he had done. 

This decision which he had made himself so long ago, but had only disclosed to the old members of Team 7 and the Hokage's adviser, Shikamaru, would soon be common knowledge between all the other Kages. By admitting what his real mission was all this time - and what it would continue to be - Sasuke would be tied down to the shinobi world for good. He would be known as the one who wandered around the darkest crevices of the earth, and uprooting the most infested species by his own hand, tracking them down with his gifted ocular abilities. It was the life that no man wanted to live: but one that he would have to. And his own past - and present - mistakes were confirmation to him that he could not complain about his current misfortune. If the safety of his family meant that he had to go on a thousand more redemption journeys, then so be it. Whether it was the duty of being a father, a husband, a best friend, or a shinobi, Sasuke would see through his role to the end - obediently. 

The day had come to an end, but Sasuke could no longer take it anymore. He needed to see his wife. He needed to feel her body against him. He needed her. In every way possible. He opened up a black whirlpool of chakra before him and entered, passing through it until he found himself embraced in the confinements of her bedroom; the smell of her perfume clung onto his cloak like a desperate lover who no longer wanted to be parted from their other half. 

Sasuke disrobed himself until he was standing in only his shirt and trousers. He had folded his cloak and waistcoat on the nightstand, his shoes placed neatly beside the bed. He could hear movement coming from the newer side of the house, and so he dropped a vase hoping to garner her attention. Soon enough, his wife came scurrying inside but skidded to a halt when she came eye to eye with her husband. 

"Sasuke-kun! I wasn't expecting to see you until tomorrow!" she exclaimed in a hushed whisper. 

She locked the door behind her and padded forward towards the broken vase, attempting to piece it together, but failing, and ultimately leaving it as a pile in the bin. Sasuke's eyes attempted to undress her, but her white bathrobe insultingly concealed every inch of her curves, and the black leggings she wore underneath hinted that she only wore the bathrobe for comfort, and for no other reason. Sasuke frowned at her choice of dressing for the night.