SasuSaku FanFiction (One Shots) 🌸

Genjutsu

(A sequel-ish to "Cave Encounter" but could be a stand-alone short story)

———

"You seem quite unlike you in the past few days, Sasuke," Suigetsu remarked while they were strolling somewhere on the outskirts of Hidden Cloud. As usual, though, he received no response from the avenger who formed their current team.

But it didn't mean Sasuke didn't hear him.

It's been a week after Sasuke's sudden encounter with his former kunoichi teammate, yet he's still infuriated with himself with how he couldn't seem to shove the memory of that night away from his mind. Whenever the thought lingered, he felt as if an uninvited weakness was creeping into him again, and he hated it.

Sure, he acknowledged that a part of him cherished the feeling of his lips on hers; but for the most part, he regretted kissing her. It was due to the undeniable fact that its impact was lasting, contrary to what he believed that it was some sort of a closure – the last scene of a complicated play that would never have another sequel.

The feeling he had after leaving Sakura in that cave was uncanny. He's been alone for majority of his life, but the moment he was embraced by the midnight breeze after leaving that cave without turning back to get another glimpse of a familiar hair with carnation hue, he seemed to have felt more alone than ever. And it made him more crestfallen, but for the most part, confused.

Sakura shouldn't have any immense impact on him, right? Because she was nothing but a mere teammate that he used to be with...yes, just a teammate. However, time and time again, he fails in fully convincing himself with that.

Shutting his eyes, he shook his head to himself, as if the mere movement would push away the resurfacing loneliness from the recesses of his mind.

"You're more sulky than ever." Suigetsu scoffed and tried to get his attention once more. "Ah, I think I know! Maybe you should get a girlfriend!"

"Girlfriend?!" The only woman in Team Hebi retorted. "Sasuke-kun is not getting a girlfriend!"

Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "Sure. Who are you in his life again?" He snickered before making sure that he's liquified as Karin threw a jab on his head.

"Sasuke-kun! I hate him! Can you hear the way he's speaking to me?" Karin whined.

Suigetsu simply smirked at Karin, knowing how her words would not even make the avenger flinch. And true enough, Sasuke just continued skipping from a tree branch to another ahead of them, not even bothering to get involved with the conversation. "Tch. Karin, you're hopeless." He snorted.

"Why you—!" Karin tried to hit him once more. "Sasuke-kun, he's doing it again!"

"Shut up, Karin."

And those were the very first words of Sasuke Uchiha that day.

The redhead pouted at that, glaring intensely at Suigetsu. For her, he's always the one to be blamed.

However, truth be told, she has observed the same thing that Suigetsu noted about Sasuke – how he's been more detached than he usually was – and it was starting to worry her. Somehow, she concluded it had something to do with one of the nights he left them to spend the night by himself. And it stressed her out that she couldn't even figure out what happened. More than that, she didn't know how to make Sasuke feel better, let alone make him notice her in a positive light. She used to believe that she somehow had a little chance on their team leader, but with his current case, her chances seemed to have gone from zero to negative something. It irked her to the core, though right now, all she wanted was for him to at least be okay.

Jugo was just observing the commotion. And while Suigetsu and Karin returned to their usual bickering, he quickened his pace and fell in step with the Uchiha. "Sasuke, are you okay?"

Sasuke clenched his jaw. It was the nth time that he heard that question within the week. He didn't know what he detested more between having to deal with Team 7 or Team Hebi, because for some reason that he couldn't understand, everyone just seemed to want to meddle in his life. But then, a sudden thought entered his mind – Sakura was with him in Team 7, and he realized just now that she's not as annoying; hence, he already knew the better option between the two.

He heaved a sigh. The struggle of putting the pink-haired kunoichi at the back of his head remained, but of course, he's not gonna reveal that to anyone. "I'm fine. Focus on the task ahead."

Jugo sighed in resignation. And as directed, they proceeded with getting more information about Itachi's whereabouts.

-

Sasuke used to think that being able to kill Itachi to avenge his clan would make him feel satisfied, complete, and finally, happy. But to his surprise, it only made him feel worse, or rather, he couldn't even feel anything at all anymore. Knowing that Itachi had loved him up to the very end left him perplexed, and for the most part, empty.

An old statement from Kakashi while he had Sasuke tied to a tree suddenly rang a bell: "Trust me. For those who follow the path of revenge, it never ends well. You'll only tear yourself apart. And even if you succeed, what will you have then? Nothing. Emptiness." And as much as Sasuke disliked to admit it, his former sensei was right. He could experience first-hand the truth of it now, because the void that's been in his heart ever since he was a kid only became more hollow now that his lifelong goal to kill Itachi had been achieved, and a backstory about his true reason for slaughtering their clan was revealed.

He clenched his fists – knuckles becoming white and nails causing blood to ooze from his palm – as he threw his feet on the side of the bed where he was led to rest. For now, he was erratic, finding it hard to be certain on what to believe in or what to do next. The empty space in his heart better be filled right now, or else, he might go insane. Yet, he had no idea how exactly that void would be filled.

Until he remembered the feeling of someone's soft lips against his.

Months ago, the memory of that kiss tormented him on the inside. It made him realize what he's lacking. It made him crave something that he knows he doesn't deserve.

But now, he realized that the warmth and tenderness associated with the presence of a certain pink-haired girl was the only thing that could turn the table of his life around after all.

For it was only her who could fill his lonely existence with the emotion called love.

It was funny, actually – Love? – just thinking about it, it's been so long since he last recalled what that word meant. And now that his brother, who actually loved him all this time in his own sacrificial way, was already gone, the fact that Sakura was the only one who could make him feel that again made him want to see her.

But how?

He sighed and shut his tired eyes as he made an exit from his current hideout with Team Hebi. He wasn't supposed to get out of his bed yet according to Karin, but it didn't matter. The physical damage from his battle with Itachi was nothing compared to the emotional damage that's been lingering inside him ever since, and growing even more at the moment.

Glancing at the surroundings, he recognized by instinct that Konoha wasn't too far from their current location. And for a fraction of a second, it was as if a light bulb appeared right above Sasuke's bandaged head.

Perhaps a little taste of solace wouldn't mean that he's weak.

A firm resolve then developed inside him. There's no point denying it anymore, he needed her presence, so he'd do something about it. Besides, Team Hebi wouldn't notice his temporary absence if he immediately returned before they wake up by dawn.

And so he took off.


He never thought he'd be back any time soon, or perhaps, at all. Yet there he was, roaming around his home village stealthily in the middle of the night. Karin was right, though; his body still hasn't recuperated from his regretful battle with his brother, that's why it was quite a struggle for him to discreetly go around in search for the house of a certain carnation-haired girl.

But then, he felt it, found it, faster than he thought he would and closer than he had imagined. There, resting under the roof he was standing on, was the familiar aura of her chakra, sweet and inviting as he had remembered. He may not be a sensory type but he realized just now that he'll always recognize that presence anywhere.

With that, for the first time in the past few hours, he felt somewhat relieved.

Sasuke, hoping that he'd find her room immediately, gently landed on one of the tree branches by a window. And much to his favor, it was the exact window of Sakura's room. Sharingan activated, he scanned the room and found her sleeping form faced towards him. His eyes softened at the sight.

Is this what being home feels like? He has forgotten it already.

Even so, he wasn't quite satisfied with just seeing her from afar. Soon enough, he found himself inside her room gently passing through her surprisingly unlocked window. His heart clenched at how she's finally so near, yet still so far from him.

Is this what she has been feeling towards him the whole time? Like he's there at an arm's length but he still cannot be in her grasp no matter how much she tried to reach out to him?