Damaged Pieces (SasuSaku AU)

XII. Burden

DAMAGED PIECES:

"There are small truths and big truths, just as there are small lies and big lies, and along those truths and lies run the questions that were never asked and those that were never answered."

R.J. Ellory
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"Sakura! Oi Sakura!", he called.

"What?"

"Just what are you doing up there?"

"Searching."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I can see that."

"Its not here," she frowned as she began descending the ladder.

Sasuke was already starting to get annoyed by the vague answers. She dusted her shorts and palms and wiping the little sweat off her forehead, frowned again. Then she looked at Sasuke as if just noticing his expression and immediately replied, "I swear I'd seen some music CDs up there. I wanted to listen."

An eyebrow darted upwards on his face. "CDs?"

"Yeah. Saw some records while cleaning last week. You .. didn't know? You do live here, don't you?" She crossed her arms.

"Hn. Let me see," he said, ignoring her remark.

He went towards the living room and after a minute of shifting his books around in their rack, found the records he'd put there the day before.

"Those are it!", she pointed.
Taking them from him, Sakura went over to the player and put one in. The soft music came on, though the record hiccuped every few seconds.

"Its an old disc," Sasuke shrugged in explanation.

"Are these yours? These songs are amazing," she told him while browsing the list.

"Thanks," he replied absently. His attention had already been caught somewhere in her humming and swaying.
She collided into his chest while dancing to the music. Sakura smiled cutely. "Sorry."

She'd put on one of his old CDs. He recognized the song playing.
He took her hand and pulled her close, resting a hand at her waist lightly. Slowly, he began to move his feet. She laughed softly. "You dance?"

"Not much."

She put her hand on his shoulder and matched his steps.

"So, why the sudden interest in music today?" He dipped her.

"I don't know. Felt blue."

"Tell me."

He twirled her.

"I miss my dad," she said wistfully.

"What was he like?"

At this, her eyes lightened up, he noticed.

"He was the best. Taught me martial arts. Taught me sign language. Taught me survival." Unconciously, she'd decreased the distance they'd held between their bodies while dancing. "I think.." she frowned.

"What is it?"

"I was never close to my mother. And after dad.. died.., we just sort of.. fell apart even more."

"Did you.. ever try to fix it?"

She twirled a few times before answering, "I honestly don't know how much was left to save." Her brows furrowed. "Like I said, we were never close. And by the time she went for rehab, it was.. it was too late. I.. think."

He asked no more, for fear he might cross some lines. But, had she continued, he wouldn't have stopped her either. Instead, he chose to speak a little. "I wasn't close to my father. My mom was the one I wanted to be around. After... after I found Sarada and decided to keep her, however, she sided with my father against me. Told me I couldn't .. wasn't capable of being a good father."