Awakening Hope

Chapter 6: You Give in, You Let Yourself Go

"But what would you know about unrequired love…"

He chuckled and it sounds more like gasps, no humor in the sound it's like a bad joke, he thinks for the thousand time that day. He shakes his head, what would he know? Not much certainly, he doesn't know how it feels to love and not be loved back, he doesn't know how it feels to hold out your heart for someone only for them to let it fall to the ground.

"But I think I'll find out soon enough." He speaks into an empty room, because even though he knows the answer he's not prepared to put it into words, it would make it all too real.

And he's not so sure he can handle the reality of it.

He wasn't sure of when he fell asleep, but he woke up in a jolt, a common thing for him nowadays. Vivid images haunted his mind and he groaned in frustration as he gripped the bed sheets.

Turning to the window he could see the sunrise, the start of another day. He's surprised at how long he slept, the longest he's slept in days, maybe even weeks, but he doesn't dwell on it. In a minute he's up grabbing the towel and heading to the bathroom.

He discarded his clothes quickly throwing them to the floor and with water cold as ice he stepped into the shower, the drops fell on his skin like needles. He's determined to rid himself of the longing if only for the moment.

He scrubbed his skin harshly, as if what he felt would wash off with enough force. He was going to pretend it did.

He wasn't sure how long he spent in the shower before turning the water off.

Throwing the towel on, he covered the lower part of his body and walked into his room, then making his way toward the kitchen. He opened the fridge and instantly reached for a tomato, bringing it to his lips and took a bite, they were alright but he would need to go food shopping soon.

Before he could take another bite he heard a knock on his door. He had his mind half set on ignoring it altogether but the knocking persisted, repeatedly knocking on the door. Sasuke was sure it was Naruto, no one else could be as exasperating.

The tomato was left forgotten in the counter.

Walking over to the door he opened it in annoyance wanting to give Naruto a piece of his mind and tell him to beat it, but as he came face to face he had to correct himself.

Only one person could be more exasperating and annoying than Naruto and that was none other than Sakura.

He remained silent and his anger was quickly forgotten.

It frustrated him how his heart leapt at the sight of her, he could feel it pounding in his chest and he was terrified of the possibility of her hearing it, of her knowing what she did to him.

"Good morning." She spoke, her voice guarded.

Manners was not something the Uchiha excelled at so he stood blocking the entrance before stepping aside and letting her walk in. They stood there for a moment in awkward silence.

"Kakashi sent me to get you for a meeting." She spoke at last and he could see as her eyes strayed from his face to the rest of his body taking in his condition. Her gaze was back to his face quicker than he'd like.

He doesn't deem her words worthy of a response, he doesn't care about Kakashi and his meeting, turning so he's directly facing her he steps forward. He's not surprised when she remains unmoving.

He takes a few more steps until she's just a feet away and instinctively she steps back with her back against the door.

He can see the question in her eyes, her lips part and he can almost hear the interrogation at the tip of her tongue and he felt compelled to answer in the only way he knew how.

He closed the distance slowly, nervousness in his every move. He brought his hands to her face and cupped her cheeks proceeding to close the gap between their lips. He was gentle at first, coaxing a response from her part and when her lips moved against his it's like he's back home.

The kiss turned rough then as he pressed himself against her, determined to feel every curve of her body against his. Her hands in turn moved to explore his body and it was like fire wherever she touched. He savors the moment, because his dreams can't compare to her.

But forever too soon the moment was over and she broke away from the kiss. "Let me go." She says her voice breathless, but the order in her tone unmistakable. He lowers his face to her neck not wanting her to see his eyes, sure that his gaze betrays everything he wants to hide.

"Sakura…" He whispered against her neck. "Please don't do this..." And as he begged her not to he knew had fallen his lowest.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" She demands anger filling her voice, an emotion she had every right to feel. How many times had she begged him to stay, to not walk away, and every single time he discarded her pleas.

"I-" He starts before being cut off by her again.

"You know what? No, I don't want to hear it." She shook her head furiously and he could hear her voice break, he was hurting her again. "I refuse to make the same mistake twice." She repeated her words from the previous day.

He was at a loss on what to say, because anything would be selfish. He wanted to ask her to stay, to make a mistake, but instead he remained quiet. After a moment of silence she had decided enough was enough and pushed him away. He stepped back and raised his gaze to hers.

She looked tired and her eyes looked at him in a way that made him feel weak. He had never felt more beaten down that right then, she pitied him and he didn't even deserve that.

He saw as she turned around and opened the door, turning slightly to look at him one last time, he couldn't take his eyes away from hers, he couldn't read them and he wasn't sure he wanted to. She left, closing the door loudly behind her.

He took a few steps back and threw himself on the couch as he stared blankly at the door.

She hadn't realized where she was going until she heard a familiar voice calling her name. "-kura! Sakura!" She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to find Ino calling her from inside the flower shop. She motioned her over with her hand and although reluctantly Sakura walked over to where the blonde was.

"Gosh, it's like you're on another world entirely." She laughed but when Sakura was in front of her Ino's expression changed to worry. "Are you alright?" Sakura wasn't sure why she asked the question, she could feel like her previous encounter with Sasuke was visible to everyone she passed by.

She didn't trust herself to speak and instead she shook her head, there was no use in lying to Ino.

"It's it about Tsunade's punishment? I heard about it from Naruto, he passed by yesterday and wouldn't shut up about how unfair it was." Naruto had probably told the whole village Sakura inwardly sighed.

"I deserve that punishment." She told the blonde who scoffed in response.

"If it's not that, then spill it forehead!" Ino exclaimed placing her hands on her hips.

"It's Sasuke." She blurted out before she could think twice and change her mind. "I was on my way back from his house." She knew she was bound to regret opening her big mouth.

"And?" Ino urged.

"He kissed me." She spoke in a whisper, as if afraid the whole village may hear. She could still recall the feel of his lips against hers, the electric current that seemed to go through her body as her skin touched his.

"And why are you looking so bummed out for? Haven't you been dreaming about that since you were a kid?" She shook her head at the blonde, those were different times, back then she didn't even know what she was getting herself into. "Or was it not all you were expecting?"

"It was…mind-blowing, Ino…" She spoke, and she couldn't help the sense of shame that filled her then.

"Then I don't get what's the problem, you should be jumping up and down!" She exclaimed loudly and Sakura had to shush her, before looking around to see if anyone had heard.

"You don't get it, I stopped loving him but now I'm confused and I don't know what to make out of any of this." Sakura groaned walking over to a nearby stool and taking a seat. That was it, she was confused, and she had been for a while. He made her feel things she hadn't felt in years. "I slept with him in a moment of weakness and I convinced myself it meant absolutely nothing, but now this happens and I don't know…"

"Wait, what?!" Ino stared at her as if she'd grown a second head. "You mean slept as in…" She trailed off as she motioned with her hand in a circle as a finger went in and out. Sakura had to hold back the urge to roll over her eyes at her best friend.

She didn't speak and Ino took the silence as a yes. "Well no wonder you're confused, forehead. I love Sai and even then in your situation I would be too!" Ino smirked and then added. "He must be so good in b-"

Sakura cut her off before she could finish her sentence. "You're not helping, pig." Somehow her nickname seemed very fitting then.

"Sorry, sorry." Ino apologized quickly. "But in all seriousness, after loving someone the way you loved him I imagine is not as easy as to simply fall out of love. Where there was fire ashes remain."

She hated when Ino made sense, she hated that her words held an undeniable truth in them. A truth she didn't feel prepared to face. Sakura remained in silence and Ino turned back to her work leaving her friend to her thoughts. The moment played again and again in her mind and still she couldn't make sense of it.

Ino could be right and the thought terrified her.

She could still feel the lingering of the kiss on her lips, she could still recall the feel of their bodies pressed up against each other. In that moment she had forgotten the fire she thought had long been extinguished.

She shook her head. Only a fool like her would fall twice in the same hole, the truth of her thoughts worried her.

Without realizing she had brought a hand to her lips. Her fingers traced the trail of kisses he had left from her lips to her neck just by her collarbone. It was then that Ino's proximity snapped her away from her thoughts.

The blonde pursued her lips and Sakura could see the amusement in her eyes as it shone with a thousand questions. She brought her hand to Sakura's and handed her a flower.

A daffodil.

Sakura's eyes turn to blue ones. "A strong flower that never loses to the cold, that perseveres." She whispered and then her eyes turned to the yellow flower she held in her hands.

"You know, yours was always my favorite love story and I'm still hoping for it to end in a happily ever after." Ino spoke placing a hand on her shoulder and Sakura half smiled.

"You were always one to love tragedies." She tightened her grip around the flower.

a/n: I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter really. Like, it's what I wanted it to be but at the same time I'm like 'nope, not good enough'.

Been wanting to upload this for a while now but my internet has been giving a lot of problems. The next story I update will either be Twisted Proposals or And So the Blossom Withers so yeah. Oh and if you haven't, check out Will o Wisp my new story and let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading. :)