Kairos | SasuSaku

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Sakura sighed as the warm water touched her skin, letting her body relax and fall back as tension seeped from her muscles.

The hot water springs are usually very popular this time of the year, but maybe due to the fact that this one was located higher up in the mountains, there was no one else but her. She assumed the same was for the men's side as well, which Sasuke should be occupying currently. She could not hear any talking or splashing.

Sakura closed her eyes, distinctly hearing the muted sound of Sasuke's steps, a splash, and some more as he presumably lowered himself to the water. She flushed, trying hard not to imagine him unclothed, and lowered herself down to her forehead to warm her heated face.

Unexpectedly, Sasuke spoke. "Sakura?"

She turned toward his voice, although a whole wall of bamboo separated them. "Sasuke-kun? Is something wrong?"

He didn't reply for a while, and Sakura cringed at herself, thinking she must've imagined his voice. Now that she'd spoken, he was going to think of her as a creep or something.

Just as she was about to submerge herself entirely and never come up again for air, he spoke. "It's pretty quiet."

Sakura sat up straighter, comfortable now that he was speaking casually, and knowing she hadn't imagined his voice.

"Yeah, we're pretty lucky. Taking a bath in a hot water spring after a mission feels the best." Sakura replied. She would often indulge in this activity after a tough mission, when her muscles would be so sore from overexertion that simply the act of walking would be a chore.

Sasuke hummed, and Sakura asked, "do you often do this?"

"Not often. I usually stay away from people and camp out." He paused, "but this feels great."

Sakura smiled. "If Naruto were here, it wouldn't be so quiet." She recalled all the times he'd attempted to peek over during their younger days fondly.

Sasuke snorted, "he wouldn't know how to be quiet if it hit him in the face."

"Actually, after he got married, he's really matured." Sakura said, laughing.

"I find that hard to believe."

"Well, you'd have to see it to believe it," Sakura said. She continued to share stories about Naruto, glad when Sasuke would reply in kind, even if it was a snarky comment.

After a while, there was a peaceful lull in the conversation, as Sakura heard water splashing.

"I'm going to get out," Sasuke said, voice sounding further away. "Don't say in too long."

"I won't."

Sakura felt warmth bloom in her chest at the comment, and after a while, she too got up to go.

***

They spent a couple of days at the inn, enjoying the hot baths and delicious meals the owner made. Since no other travelers came in during their stay, they developed a small friendship with the owners, who were an elderly couple. Sakura would often spend her time helping the wife with gardening and collecting herbs, listening intently as she spoke in her gentle voice of the various methods the plants could be used for, some that sakura had not even heard of. She offered advice of her own, a variety of ways to make herbal concoctions used to make pain that came with old age reside.

Sasuke, in the meantime, spent his time with the husband, helping him in manual labor difficult to do due to his advanced age. She would sometimes see him chopping wood outside, but oftentimes he'd be inside, helping with some kind of home repair.

Among all of them, her favorite times were the nights they spent in the room they shared. Prior to booking, both of them had conversed and decided that opting for separate rooms was a waste of money, and since they'd already shared the same room beforehand, there wouldn't be any inconveniences.

Sasuke was the one who broached the topic, and Sakura supposed she hadn't been able to hide her surprise well enough, because Sasuke had quickly interjected, saying, "only if you're comfortable with it."

overcoming her initial surprise, sakura had hastily agreed ("of course, I don't mind!") and that had been that. On the outside, she'd have appeared to be handling the matter like an adult, but on the inside, her inner child was squealing and blushing.

The room they shared was able to comfortably fit them both, and although they slept opposite each other, with the futon the furthest they could go, facing each other, sakura could've sworn her heartbeat could be heard all the way across the room.

***

On the day they took their leave, the owners had come out to see them off, offering plenty of travel friendly food and drinks for their journey as thanks for the help. Sakura and Sasuke had accepted them gratefully (the wife's cooking really was a one-of-a-kind deal).

After all, even Sasuke, who normally eats sparsely, had always asked for seconds.

"You kids have a safe journey now," the husband said, and after exchanging goodbyes, the two of them were off.

Sakura was still trying to distractedly zip up her overstuffed bag, when sasuke reached over and, with one sharp yank, zipped it up. she smiled, about to thank him, when she heard the wife saying to her husband, "aren't they a lovely couple? Reminds me of our younger days."

Sakura was still keeping eye-contact with Sasuke as she said so, and was positive had also heard. She felt her face go warm, and her eyes roamed Sasuke's face, desperately searching for a distraction. She caught sight of his ears peeking out from his bangs, the tips very clearly pink. Her eyes found Sasuke's again, and she was unable to identify the emotion brewing there.

Sakura finally looked away before she could get her hopes up, gently tugging the bag he still held onto.

He let go, clearing his throat roughly, and Sakura shouldered it on, hearing the husband chuckle faintly.

She stole a glance backward and saw him leading his wife inside, an arm around her shoulders. She felt the gentle touch of Sasuke's hand on hers, his fingers warm, lightly entangling hers in his.

He leaned down, catching her eye, a small smile on his lips, "lets go."

Sakura followed, almost as if in a trance, and it took a long time into their journey for their fingers to unthread.