SasuSaku OneShots

🌸*insert title here*🌸

[fluff]

The shinobi war had been over for about a year.

The village was still a mess, but ninjas and civilians alike were working together to rebuild their home. Kakashi-sensei was now Hokage, which meant the team would rarely see him outside of his office (and when they would, he'd most likely be running away from it in the first place).

She was head of the hospital now, with Tsunade retiring from both Hokage-dom and active service, opting instead to guide both her pupil and the current Hokage in their respective fields. The blonde had recently taken in Naruto as well, and he was now training for the time where he could finally fulfill his dream of being Hokage. Sakura couldn't be prouder of him. He would make an amazing Hokage, and the people already viewed him as their hero and saviour.

Team 7. The team that were arguably not human. A child prodigy, ANBU legend, and student of the Yondaime together with a jinchuriki and Uchiha clan heir. And then there was her. Crybaby Sakura-- sheltered, cared for and spoiled with luxuries her teammates didn't have. But she learned. From the steeling of her resolve on the Chuunin Exams to her training with Tsunade-shishou, the battle with Sasori, the Fourth Shinobi World War, unlocking her Byakugou, to taking down a goddess, she clawed her way through grit and her own hard work. No demon spirit or bloodline limit helped her, no lifelong dream or goal of vengeance either. Merely a resolve to able to stand by her teammates and be worthy of being by their side.

With Kakashi as Hokage, Naruto and Sasuke as saviours of the world, though? It seemed like her dreams were still elusive bubbles floating away every time they were within her reach.

And there was Sasuke. He was the most elusive bubble of them all. He was off doing god-knows-what all around Konoha as penance for his crimes. Of course, they had all made his peace with him, but he still had to do menial missions around the village for the sake of the elders' appeasement. A small part of her was glad that she didn't see him around.

How was she supposed to greet him? "Hi, I'm your teammate who declared her undying love, what's up?" Every time she saw him the words she spoke threatened to make her burn in a puddle of embarrassment. Did he still see her as that weak teammate?

She wasn't that lovesick puppy anymore; whatever he did (or whoever, for that matter) was none of her concern. She had an entire hospital to take care of, a problematic brooding teammate was the least of her problems.

------

He set the sake cup down with a little more abandon, the alcohol obviously starting to take its effect on even him. He gestured at the counter, and watched the bartender with a blank gaze as he whisked off his sake to get a refill.

Naruto had invited him several times to join him and the rest of their genin batch to the weekly barbecue dinners, but he refused every time. He was pretty sure all the lights, music, and loud voices (not to mention the likelihood of Kiba or Naruto picking up a fight at some point) would only make for a vicious headache.

He was also yet to grow accustomed to his new Rinnegan, and for now grew his hair to hide it under one bang.

Thus, he found this closed-off bar on the outskirts of Konoha, where few came, and even fewer asked questions.