Sharing Lives | SasuSaku ✔️

Chapter 12 - Sasuke

There is one sound Sasuke loathes more than anything else in the world, and surprisingly, it's not the sound of Naruto's loud, morning yell (although that ranks a close second). The sound that truly unsettles him stirs something deep within his chest, an uncomfortable mix of emotions he can't quite articulate. It's the sound of Sakura crying.

With her small body nestled against his back, Sasuke can feel the weight of her sobs reverberating through his shirt, muffled yet hauntingly clear. His mind races as confusion swirls. He fears the black mark that had marred his consciousness, fears of losing control again. But above all, he wishes to ease the pain that causes Sakura to weep so heartbreakingly.

"Sakura-chan, are you okay?" Mole asks softly as he kneels beside them, tentatively reaching out a hand.

However, this gesture only intensifies Sakura's sobs, sending a wave of frustration through Sasuke. He shoots Mole a warning glare, feeling protective as another wave of sobs reverberates through his entire being. Gently, he covers Sakura's trembling hands with his own, trying to provide some semblance of comfort.

"Sakura."

He's caught off guard by the softness of his tone, a stark contrast to the venom that consumed him only moments ago. Slowly, he starts to unravel her arms from his torso, careful not to frighten her further. He's acutely aware of how foreign this sensation is, this desire to soothe, so markedly different from the hate that had enveloped him before.

As she pulls back, her breathing begins to steady. She sits on her heels, and this new position gives Sasuke the chance to turn and face her directly, a rush of questions flooding his mind. But as he looks at her, words fail him. The sight before him is more jarring than he could have ever anticipated.

Sakura's eye is puffy and swollen, and a nasty purple bruise is forming on the right side of her jaw, her delicate features marred by the violent encounter she must have endured. Sasuke's gaze travels further down, and a flush creeps to his cheeks when he realises she's missing her shirt. But the embarrassment quickly transforms into concern when he notices the deep gash on her collarbone, blood slowly oozing out and colouring the bindings she wears a sinister crimson, a stark contrast to her pale skin. His heart sinks further as he notes that half of her pink locks have been hacked away jaggedly, the other half still cascading down her shoulder in disarray.

Beneath his intense scrutiny, Sakura pulls one leg up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her knee as if to shield herself from the world. The action draws his attention to her other leg, where blood seeps through a gaping hole in her shorts, trailing down her thigh.

The heavy silence that envelops them is abruptly shattered by Mole's voice. "What happened?"

Sakura shakes her head, her uneven hair swinging left and right, then attempts to hide her tear-stricken face behind her folded knee. Yet, as if a sudden thought strikes her, she looks up, her gaze locking with Sasuke's.

"How are you feeling?"

The question should catch him off guard, but it doesn't. Somewhere deep down, he realizes that this is the reason he has never truly been able to hate her—her unwavering care has always felt like a breath of fresh air amid the suffocating darkness he often finds himself in.