Title: The Distance Between Us
Summary: Sakura always thought of the bench as a formidable object. It was a wall between them. It was a bridge between them.
Disclaimer: I do not own "Naruto"
Theme: Post-canon
Prompt: Close
Medium: Fanfiction
Rating: k+
Warning(s): none
Comments: Beta-read by Sakura's Unicorn. Thanks for being AWESOME! Done for SSM.

The Distance Between Us

He found her sitting alone…in the dirt. Her legs were curled to the side as she leaned on her left arm. A sakura blossom dangled in the fingertips of her right hand and a small frown marred her face. He wondered why she looked so troubled. He watched her curiously for a few moments as she gazed at the small flower in her hand. When she puffed out a sigh, he frowned.

"Sasuke," she said without looking his way.

"You weren't at debriefing."

"I know," she replied humorlessly. "You don't need to tell me that."

"I suppose I don't need to tell you how much trouble you've gotten yourself into either?"

Sakura snorted. "How ironic coming from you."

His eyes narrowed. "You're still angry."

She finally looked at him, a dark smile upon her lips. "Why should I be, Sasuke-kun?"

Something inside his chest constricted painfully. She hadn't used the honorific in a very, very long time. The last time he remembered her using it was…was when he had tried to kill her. She was definitely bitter.

His return had been anything but happy. When he had regained consciousness in the medical tents, Sakura had slapped him so hard, he went right back into dream world. It took a long time before he was brave enough to go near her again and, by that point, so much had already changed.

"How many times do I have to apologize?"

She put a finger to her chin as she looked to the sky. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Hmm…how many times did you call me annoying?" She asked in mock sweetness.

Sasuke glared at her.

She smiled and then turned to look back at the flower in her hand.

"Why are you sitting on the ground?"

Sakura sighed. "Because I want to, Sasuke," she replied wearily.

He looked over his shoulder briefly before taking the last few steps toward her. He stood right before her and looked down at her with hard eyes. She met his gaze evenly. Sometimes it frightened Sasuke how independent Sakura had become—how assertive she was. He sat down on her left side, legs crossed and hunched over.

She looked at him for a moment, her viridian eyes full of wonder. After a moment of her silent staring, Sasuke looked at her from the corner of his eye and saw a soft smile upon her lips. He smirked and looked away. There was still hope she'd come around.

After a long moment of silence, her gentle voice floated to his ears. "This is where the bench used to be…before Pein…"

He looked over at her, but her head was bowed and a curtain of pink tresses hid her face from view. He remained silent, unsure of how to respond. This place held such significance to her...to them both. He felt chills run up his spine as he remembered her screamed declaration of love.

"I used to come here every day and wait for you," she gave a sad chuckle. "Things got so messed up. I don't even have the bench anymore."

"I can build a new bench…but I thought…"

Sakura looked at him with wide eyes and he looked at her smugly.

"I thought that you're still incredibly annoying."

Her mouth parted in a tiny gasp and then her gaze shifted downward. His smirk grew into a genuine smile. His battle scarred fingers were lightly trailing the lines of her soft, delicate hand. After a moment of touching her knuckles, he curled his fingers between hers. She stared at their entwined hands for a few moments, her face rosy with awe.

"Do you forgive me yet?"

Her widened eyes, glossy and bright, returned to gaze into his. "I-I think you owe me at least one more apology," she muttered.

"Really," he replied.

His free hand reached toward her. Gently, he brushed a strand of bubblegum-pink hair away from her eyes, touching the shell of her ear in the process. Her blush deepened and he noticed goose bumps appear on her bare arms. He drew his fingertips down her angular jaw line. Her creamy skin was soft as silk beneath his fingers and he wondered how he had ignored it for so long. His fingers stopped at the point of her chin. He lifted her chin up and gazed briefly at her tantalizing lips. His eyes travelled over her beautiful face until they reached her large—hopeful—green eyes. He stared at her intently.

"Forgive me, Sa-ku-ra," he whispered—demanded—huskily.

Her unblinking eyes drunk him in and she nodded against his hand. He smirked fondly.

For a few torturous moments, they sat with only inches separating them. They were so, so close. And, though his hands held her gently—carefully—he found the distance between them still too difficult to cross. So he began to retreat. He watched as the hope that had filled her eyes shifted to confusion and then hurt. He made to stand, but her fingers held tight to his hand.

"Sa-Sasuke…kun?"

Again, pain filled his chest. This time it wasn't the pain of being mocked, but a pain he could only relate to the quickening of his heart. Her utterance of his name with the honorific was…sincere. Hearing her voice say his name like that was like feeling acceptance for the first time. Sasuke wondered how—so long ago—he had taken her acceptance for granted when, now, it was all he wanted.

He frowned slightly and she watched him with scrutinizing eyes. He looked to the hand that held his firmly—desperately. It was true. She still loved him and she had forgiven him. He sat back on the ground directly in front of her. He adjusted her tiny, porcelain hand so that it was in both of his. He tickled Sakura as his thumbs softly stroked her skin.

He was pleasantly surprised when her lips crashed into his. He stared wide-eyed at the girl connected to his face. As he felt the caress of her soft lips against his chapped ones, he slowly melted into her, savoring her sweet taste. Closing his eyes, he allowed only his sense of touch to help him see what he'd been missing.