A/N: I just think sasuke is a little insecure and jealous and not completely okay after the war and that's fine he's getting there and I know a lot of people are iffy with jealous/possessive sasuke because it can easily be overdone, but he's a leo. He needs validation ok

Sakura was the first girl Naruto had feelings for. He wouldn't go so far as to call her his first love because he recognized the way their bond was more similar to that of siblings than just friends, but he'd always find her beautiful. He never got that date, never got that kiss, but it was alright. It took him a while to realize, but Sasuke and Sakura belonged together. And Naruto had someone else waiting for him.

Sasuke knows Naruto still cares for Sakura. He knows Sakura does not feel the same way. Still, he can't help but to remind Naruto of his place. It's the alpha male in him, it's their eternal rivalry — Sasuke got the girl. He always had her and always will. And even though it made him wince, he knew he didn't even have to try.

Sasuke and Sakura were together now. The entire nosey village knew it. But sometimes it didn't feel like enough.

Sasuke let himself into Sakura's apartment, feeling a certain sense of satisfaction that she had given him the spare key. The thought of sharing a real home with her in the future excited him. He composed himself before crossing the threshold. Patience, patience was key. He didn't want to scare her away when he had finally won her trust back.

He walked over to where Sakura was standing in her kitchen and kissed her deeply in greeting. He pulled back, but only far enough to stare intensely down at her. He kept his hand on the back of her neck, feeling her head tilt slightly as she asked, "what is it? Is something wrong?" Green eyes searched his face. She didn't try to pull away.

He started stroking down the back of her hair, noting that it had gotten longer, "nothing." He held her for a few more moments before releasing her to help with dinner preparations.

Sasuke knew he was being paranoid, but he just needed to look. He needed to look very hard to make sure that the look of love he craved so desperately was still written all over her face. That she still adored him even if he gave her few reasons to. That she was irrevocably his.

Sasuke knew he shouldn't be so scared of abandonment since he was the one who left them and they were the ones who chased him relentlessly and would do it again. But he needed them more than he would ever admit and he hated the thought of being alone anymore. So even though he watched Naruto so closely simply because the blonde was a male close to Sakura, Sasuke needed him and was terrified of losing him.

But it was always the idea of losing Sakura that unsettled him most of all. She was his constant, his rock, his light. And as independent and strong as he had become, he needed her. Bonds came in all forms in their lives, but romantic love was something shared only between the two of them, and he intended to keep it that way forever.

So he was going to take her away, at least for a little while. He was taking her from the village to travel. He was a selfish man, he would admit it. He wanted to have Sakura all to himself. He wanted to remind her, or maybe even have her learn, exactly why she remained so devoted to him. He needed her to stay with him, so he had to keep her close. Sakura's love was worth the work.

And while he was selfish, he was also looking out for Naruto's best interests. He would never cultivate a thriving relationship with Hinata if he was hung up on a girl who loved his best friend and not him. Sasuke was greedy for Sakura's attention, and he couldn't soak it all up when she was so busy at the hospital, when she was helping the hokage. Sasuke was a man of action, so he knew he would need to show Sakura the world and what life was like by his side so that she would never doubt his own dedication to her. She deserved a vacation of sorts.

Kakashi seemed to be the only one who suspected his motives and tainted thought process. When going over the paperwork, he looked right through Sasuke but didn't say anything. He needed his team to be happy, no matter how they got there. Sakura wouldn't need to know how much this consumed his thoughts, she just needed to know that he was entirely committed to her and their relationship. He was simply making up for years of separation.

On the road he knew no one else stood a chance, but he couldn't help but stand a little closer to her, curl an arm around her waist in public. He knew Sakura liked it when he was affectionate, he could see it in her blush. A person could only change so much, but Sasuke was always willing to go the distance for Sakura.

So when they returned to Konoha with their child, he was happy and he was smug. Even if his abilities as a shinobi called him to faraway lands and different dimensions, someone would always be thinking of him. Someone would always be there to welcome him home. The extended work outside the village bothered him more than he would ever let on (except, of course, Sakura knew) but having someone to return home to brought him the most comfort he had felt since he was a child.

When Sakura apologized for not being able to help his investigations, consoling her came easily to him. All she had to do was be herself, be there for him. And that would always be more than enough.

A/N: what did we think? *pensive monocle emoji* I don't even know how I feel lol I'm just so used to fluff x1000 that any other feelings are hard