Just This Once

Permission

"No."

Sasuke forcefully declined. He glared at his best friend sitting in front of him, a vein popping at the side of his head. He closed his eyes, pinched the bridge f his nose, and sighed.

"Come on, Sasuke. Be more mature about this." Naruto pushing the subject is making him more irritated.

"Wow, that's rich coming from you. A no means no, Naruto. Deal with it."

"Well true, but it's not you who decides." Naruto snickered and looked at the woman beside Sasuke, who stayed silent throughout their conversation.

"What do you say Sakura-chan?" Sakura, who was looking intensely at the floor, looked up with a poker face and said.

"I'll think about it. Give me three hours." And then walked out of the room, ignoring Naruto's call and Sasuke's confused face.

Sasuke sighed once again and Naruto looked at him with a frown on his face.

"What now?"

" You know you can't make decisions for her, Sasuke."

"I know that."

"Then why did you object?"

"Mind your own business, usuratonkatchi." Sasuke turned his back to leave, when Naruto's words refused him to take another step.

"She thinks you think she's weak and it upsets her, Sasuke."

Naruto is facing Sasuke's back, the Uchiha crest no longer visible on his clothes. Sasuke turned his head to the side, making Naruto see his sad eyes and said

"I'm not stopping her from leaving. Even though the decision is all on her, I still have a say on this, Naruto... Because I'm her husband." And with that, Sasuke left the room.

He hurriedly walked his way home because he knew Sakura wants to leave. Naruto, that idiot, gave his wife a month-long mission and it made him uncomfortable knowing he can't come with her. He knows his wife is strong enough to defeat hundreds of rogue ninjas by herself but still. It feels different if he's with her. It makes him feel at ease knowing he sees and feels she's there.

When he reached their apartment, he's surprised to see her sitting at their couch reading a medical book, as if she's not going anywhere. Sasuke blinked twice. He sighed for the nth time that day and approached his upset wife.

"Sakura." He called out.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?" she replied without looking at him.

He kneeled in front of her, and he saw her flinched a little at the gesture but kept her eyes on the book that she's reading.

"Sakura"

"..."

"Sakura, please look at me." Hesitantly, she did. Her eyes are now focused on his mismatched eyes, the book placed on her lap, her face is on full frown, slightly pouting.

"Do you want to go?"

"Not if you don't me to."

He got up and hugged her. Sasuke can feel wetness in his shirt. She's crying again. This made him hug her tighter. She sobbed and clutched on his shirt. Sasuke knew she wanted to hug and kiss him or ask permission about the mission Naruto gave her 3 days ago but didn't bother to tell him because she knew he would object until that stupid phone call early in the morning that brought them to their situation right now. He buried his head in her neck, suddenly feeling guilty.

"Did I gave you the impression that you can't do anything without my permission?"

She shook her head.

"You know you can go. You still have your own decisions to make. I'm not stopping you if you don't want to." 

She pulled away from his embrace and kissed him. He kissed her back and when they both pulled away, they gazed into each other's eyes and once again, held each other.

"Is it really ok?"

"It will be hell for me, but I'll be fine."

She looked up and stared at him for a moment. He's telling the truth. She sighed and gave him a small smile.

"Ok then. I'll call Naruto, pack, then go to the hospital." she

"What do you need to go to the hospital for?"

"Oh I need to get supplies, and a check up. Nothing's wrong with me. Just going to make sure I'm physically stable to leave."

"Ok."

Sakura sighed and hugged Sasuke once more.

"I know you're doing this for me but are you really going to be ok?"

"Sakura."

She giggled and pecked him on the lips.

"Fine." They got up and started packing.

When Sakura reached the hospital, she directly went to Shizune's office who's writing down documents. She knocked on the door and smiled. Shizune looked up from the papers.

"Oh! Sakura you're here! Great, shall we get started so that you can leave soon?"

Sakura giggled. "I'm not that much in a hurry. I leave tomorrow morning. Just got off the phone with Naruto before I came here."

"Hmm that's great. Well? What did your husband say?"

"Well, he didn't agree at first of course but he did eventually."

"Wow. Ok then, shall we start?"

"Gladly."