Happy Accidents

Chapter 50: Together

Sakura was stunned into silence by his words. Had he said what she thought he said? Was she really hearing this right now? Him, professing his love for her without hesitation?

"I love you," he repeated, his tone sounding even more desperate. No, not just his tone; his expression, too, was desperate. He wanted Sakura to answer; he needed her to say something. He'd said it on a whim, without thinking about it or considering it; he was afraid she would reject his words. The longer she remained silent, the more worried he became, the more he felt the pit of guilt and worry in his stomach grow. Had he gone too far? Had his actions really pushed her away so profoundly there was no coming back?

Had he... already lost her?

"I..." She was trying to find the words to answer him, but she didn't know how to. Her emotions were all over the place. It'd been one thing to admit how she felt to her best friend; it was another to disclose it to him. But, of course, she did love him; that much she could admit. But she also had so much more to say to him than just those three words; there was so much more to their relationship that love couldn't sum up accurately. It felt like just those three words were an understatement of their connection. It was an unbreakable bond, one that went soul-deep. If anyone ever asked Sakura if she believed in soulmates, she might not have said it before meeting him, but now? Now she believed it without a doubt.

Sakura looked up at Sasuke, meeting his gaze, seeing the fear in his eyes, the worry, and behind it, the truth to his words. He was so scared. That look in his eyes... She remembered seeing it only once. It was a hazy memory of a night she'd tried to wipe from her mind. She remembered his gloves soaked in her blood, telling her she was going to be okay, but no matter how convincingly he said it, he couldn't hide the fear in his eyes.

Just like he couldn't hide it now.

"I love you too," she choked out, a sob of relief coming from her. Sasuke showed no hesitation as he drew her back in closer, holding her tightly against him, gently kissing the top of her head. Sasuke, too, felt immense relief; it was like a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He'd felt like they'd been covered in fog that had finally dissipated, allowing a barrier between them to eventually be lifted. He knew what part of it was; neither of them had had the guts to speak up about their relationship. She seemed afraid to push, and he was scared to let her in, even though he needed to. Neither of them was experienced in relationships; he'd kept everyone at arm's length, barely if ever making friends, let alone a girlfriend. Now, at least, they knew: they were bonded on a level deeper than anything that could be summed up in words.

Sakura, too, could feel the relief as she said those words aloud to him. She'd wanted to say them for so long, but she never had the guts. She knew there was more of a conversation that needed to be had between them, but this would have to be enough, just for now. Sakura was shaken up by the nightmare she'd seen and the anxiety she felt. Still, standing there wrapped in his arms, his warm jacket around her, she felt that same sense of safety and comfort he'd always given her. It was almost as if her worries slowly melted away, his presence calming her. Even angry and upset at him, she knew she was safe around him. Though he may hurt her feelings, he'd never endanger her. That much she knew.

They stood there for a while, Sasuke waiting until he could tell that Sakura was calming down as he held her. Then, finally, he pulled away briefly to look at her, resting a hand on her cheek as he wiped a thumb across her cheeks. "You okay?" He asked gently, looking down at her with a deeply affectionate gaze, his eyes begging her for the truth.

Sakura debated her answer, seeing the pleading look in his eyes. Finally, she shook her head gently. "No... Not really," she said honestly, leaning into his hand. He coaxed her gently to the bed, sitting down next to her and keeping an arm around her."Just... talk, okay? Talk to me. Say anything you need to. I'm here." He'd taken Ino's advice to heart, giving her the space to talk but ready to coax more out of her if needed.