Ball and chain|| Sasusaku

Prologue

"Expect nothing."

Sakura has to blink twice to let herself absorb what those words may have meant—her husband's first words to her after a virtually inaudible 'I do'. She feels her throat running dry under his gaze while a knot forms in her gut. She curls her fingers around the doorknob, keeping her knees from buckling. Her eyes wander to the bleak walls; an idle, single nail standing out in contrast to the nearly deserted room except for a single black couch below the window, near the door that might lead to the bathroom; a twin-sized bed lying opposite to it with black sheets to cover for the embarrassment this room is.

Sakura lets her eyes shift from place to place before they finally meet Sasuke's. She craves to flee—back to her house, to the strenuous lifestyle she cherished above all, to the two-room apartment her family shared with no particular making it appealing but which could be called a HOME. Hearing what Sasuke wants to say will kill her. It's the cruelest thing one can imagine happening to a new bride. But she can't seem to look away from the cavern, black eyes keeping her strained.

"This marriage ... it's a mistake."

"Huh?" She doesn't intend the voice her throat makes. It sounds broken, like dry plaster falling off of walls. It crumbles under the deafening silence accompanying Sasuke's revelation. Sakura finds the weight of the white wedding dress her mother so meticulously chose—exceeding what she could afford—heaving on her shoulders as if it will crush her to dust.

"It's not your fault. You're forced into this too." She was. It doesn't matter now, does it? Sasuke has turned his back on her. What occurs next is naturally the best plausible explanation for his actions.
"I ... I can't love you. I have someone else."

Sakura can't help the tremble of her fingers. Her skull drops, and she presses her eyes shut to bear herself for any further incoming embarrassment. Her heart pulses like a bayonet through her chest. It hurts. But she is unmoved—like a ship knocked into an iceberg—frozen and sinking.

Sakura lifts her head, watching Sasuke picking a blanket and pillow from his cabinet as it creaks upon, and somehow after all this time, it sounds like the most annoying noise to her.

"I won't touch you," he says, a dimmer on his face as if it's upsetting him to say this. Sakura wants to laugh.

"And you're free to be with anyone you like. As long as my parents don't catch on to you. I hope you'll understand." He exhales at the lack of response, instead turns around. His back faces her and Sakura is in so much pain, she wants him to feel it too. She stares as he spreads the blankets across the couch. The sweet smell of incense fills her nose, and it's the first time she notices one on the floor—below the empty nail on Sasuke's bare walls—aromatizing its vicinity even after its fire dies down. Unlike her marriage. "I will take the couch. You can sleep on the bed."

Being kind, is he? Does he expect her to be thankful for letting her sleep on the bed? For giving her the freedom of being with someone she might like? How the hell will he know? That even if she was forced into this, even if it wasn't a marriage of choice, she indeed wished for this.

Sasuke doesn't love her. Will never do. It's her fault, isn't it? To have fallen in love with her husband, when she wasn't supposed to.

Though she'll live. Sakura has known to accept things the way they are. Even if it will hurt enough to kill her, she'll live.

This marriage, she will make herself and everyone else believe it's happy.

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Done!!!!

Hey everyone!! Here's the prologue of the promised new Sasusaku work. How do you like it? Since it's an angst, I'm going for more serious writing with more emotion to it than Switch Flip.

To say the truth, comedy is not my forte. I don't know how I was able to blow off Switch Flip since it's leaning more and more towards the comedy genre. Angst and sad ones are what I like to do so I hope Ball and Chain might be even better and more successful than Switch Flip. I promise to grow as a writer and as a Sasusaku fan so keep looking forward to me disturbing you with updates in your notifs 😝. 

Love you all!

Signing out—

-🌸Saku-chan🌸