Unholy Love | SasuSaku

Chains of the Heart

"Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell."

Joan Crawford

Sakura's POV

Sakura sat on the edge of her small bed, staring blankly at the stone floor of her chamber. The quiet hum of the monastery filled the air, a sound she normally found comforting, but today it did nothing to settle the turmoil inside her. Her hands clutched her veil tightly, her mind whirling with confusion and frustration.

She couldn't understand why she had said those things to him. Why had she asked him if he had ever been in love? What had possessed her to ask him how many women he'd slept with? It wasn't proper —no, it wasn't her place to know such things, much less to feel that strange sting in her chest when he spoke about "physical needs."

And why, of all people, had she chosen him to speak with about love? Why not Sister Chiyo, or Ino? They were women she trusted, women who would offer her guidance and understanding. Yet, in that moment in the yard, it had been him, not them, that she sought out with her questions. The memory of her own words to him made her stomach turn with shame.

"Love isn't a weakness."

For what possible reason had she said that? What did she even know of love? She was a woman of the gods, devoted to peace, to chastity. Love, in the way she had spoken of it, had no place in her life. And yet, her heart had spoken before her mind could stop it.

She groaned softly, burying her face in her hands.

"You were foolish, Sakura. Impudent," she whispered to herself. She felt embarrassed, ashamed of her boldness. And what would he think of her now? Sasuke, the cold Uchiha lord, so composed, so guarded. He probably thought her childish speaking about love, as if she knew anything about it.

She wrapped her arms around herself, unwilling to leave the safety of her cell. The outside world, the monastery, felt too overwhelming right now. The thought of seeing him again, of meeting his dark gaze, was unbearable.

I'll stay here and won't go out again, she thought. She couldn't face anyone —not even Ino. She needed time to understand herself, to make sense of the emotions swirling inside her like a storm.

Sasuke's POV

The library was quiet, its shelves lined with the dust of centuries-old books. The flicker of candlelight illuminated the pages of the volume Sasuke held in his hands, but his eyes weren't focused on the words. Instead, his mind kept drifting back to the conversation he had with Sakura the night before.

Her words had struck him in a way he hadn't expected. Love isn't a weakness. He scoffed at the memory, but it wasn't enough to dismiss the strange sensation that her words had left behind. For years, Sasuke had believed that love made people vulnerable. His own life had been a testament to that belief. Love, attachments, had no place in his world.

Yet, there had been something in Sakura's voice, something fierce and unwavering, that made him pause. The fire in her eyes when she spoke... it unsettled him.

"You seem distracted," a voice cut through his thoughts.

Sasuke turned to see Itachi leaning against one of the bookshelves, his arms crossed and an amused look on his face. His older brother had always been perceptive and Sasuke knew there was no point in trying to hide his thoughts.