Twisted

Uchiha Knows Best

Sasuke's life hadn't always been pleasant, but he worked hard to protect what little family he had left.

The entirety of the former royal guard, his clan, was brutally murdered by his older brother Itachi when Sasuke was just a child. For a long time, he'd been hell-bent on revenge, his anger and betrayal too deep to be called sane. It was only after he slashed Itachi from shoulder to hip with his own sword that he realized his brother wasn't crazed; Itachi had simply been manipulated into a choice much too harsh for a 13-year-old to make and wished for death.

Years after Sasuke recovered as best as he could from that emotional turmoil, he had to choose between his wife and his child. Let Sakura die in childbirth, or risk cursing them both with the flower to save their lives. When they figured out it had been transferred to Sarada, he was so tormented by the resulting heartbreak of looking into her eyes he fell to the ground. All of his hope for a happy future was ripped away from him, torn into tiny shreds. How could he be a father when he couldn't even look at her? How could he face her when the same powers that manipulated his brother to murder now resided in his precious daughter?

To make matters even worse, one night after she was born, the Otsutsuki attacked and robbed him of one of his arms. Tsunade was just barely able to tie a tunicate to prevent the loss of his life. And several guards faired much worse than Sasuke did.

He and Sakura gave up their baby and their happy lives to save the kingdom. They stole away to that tower to raise Sarada as best as they could.

Sasuke guarded the tower for two years every day to keep them safe. But the emotional toll on Sakura was too great. She'd come out of the tower crying every night, wondering if it was right to raise Sarada when she could have no future outside of the lofty stone walls trapping her inside forever.

After Sarada was weaned, Tsunade offered to watch over the child. Perhaps without as much emotional attachment, it wouldn't be tempting to look into her eyes. Everyone knew it wouldn't do Sarada any good to see her parents break down every day, and the kingdom needed Sakura as a herbalist and Sasuke as an important asset to the royal guard.

They reluctantly agreed.

They both came and visited at least once a week. And when Sasuke noticed suspicious people tailing them, it became once a month. And then every other month, and then every three... And then he was only allowed to go in the dead of night to make sure she was still safe. Until the day he decided that it had to be his last.

Too many people recognized their absence for their importance to the kingdom, Sasuke as the head of the militia, Sakura as the head of the herbalists. Rumors spread that their child survived and had been hidden, and search parties were sent out by remaining allies of the Otsutsuki. And so, they made their final visit.

And what a day it was.

Sakura was just trying to brush her hair. Just trying to do something motherly, and she accidentally met her daughter's eyes. Every time it was the same. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have cursed you. I shouldn't have given you this terrible life. I should've died in your place, or risked killing us both.

Tsunade took Sakura into a different room to calm her down, thinking that Sasuke could comfort his child. But Sasuke rarely came inside the tower, one for surveillance purposes, and the other...

Sasuke knew, that if he looked at his daughter's eyes, he would be blinded by the need to exact revenge on the evil kingdom conquerors that had brought all of the suffering upon them. He'd go off on his own to hunt down the Otsutsuki. But it wouldn't do him any good. They'd already taken one of his arms. They were too strong for him to defeat.

Perhaps Boruto could've done something about her situation if he hadn't run into Shojoji. He was the embodiment of hope after all. But now, it was too late.