The detail and poignancy of your writing is absolutely captivating. I really wish this story had gone on, but I'm so glad to have found and read what's here. Top-tier SasuSaku fanfic, this one.

I love how they acknowledged how big of a mess they made trying to be married. That’s how real marriage and relationships work. I love that you put that in this story.
Ahhh. My heart. This story is amazing. Thank youuuu

Ughhhhh. The angst! Holy cow you are so good at angst. This is just sad and painful! It’s so well written! I feel it in my bones! You are brilliant and amazing. This story is amazing

Ugh it’s painful! You wave the angst so well! I can’t stop tearing up. Sasuke hitting himself for her birthday the year before. This is amazing.
“... that he was the only one in their relationship that had a right to act on his” ... this is incredible.
How could he give her what she wanted if she never asked for anything?! I’m crying. I’m crying! You make sense of SasuSaku. It’s perfect.

I love love love that Sasuke was forced into holding her hand. Because he literally couldn’t do it himself. You made it flawless.

I love your dive into Sasuke’s motivations. I love this story. I cried at the part where he almost apologized. Wow! Such good writing.

“More importantly, perhaps, he met a side of Sakura that was his in every sense of the word” haha! I love this line. I love this set up. And I love the explanation you’ve given to the mystery that is Sasuke Uchiha.

Rereading your story here, and like a fine wine it only ripens with age. Fantastic details and consistent character writing makes me want to skip work. Well done indeed, though this diamond in the rough could stand to be a little more well known.

God this was brilliant. I was going to go to sleep this morning after I read the first chapter, but I couldn’t help it! I got so hooked. I’m so glad I chose to continue reading! Best all nighter ever, such a good read. There wasn’t a single part of this book that didn’t feel canon. Thank you for taking the time to write this masterpiece

They should make a movie out of this fanfic.

This has me so emotional. I have never cried at a movie or tv show, let alone a book. This is amazingly written, I consider myself to be sort of unemotional and insensitive, but holy crap there are tears streaming down my face right now. Your writing allows me to feel so connected to the characters.

I am so, so glad I came across this masterpiece. There is probably nothing more I love than angsty SasuSaku, as ironically sad as it is. This is probably one of the best fics I have read in recent times that truly made me itch to read the next part. I cried with them and felt all the pain that they did. Sasuke's confession was so difficult to read because it all felt so real.

Your characterisation was spot on. I've hardly seen too many people do it better. I love the concept and idea of Sakura having to be so patient for an incapable Sasuke and that Sasuke is not actually ice, but just frozen in time, unable to always be himself and express himself. I think people highly underestimate his trauma, which you drove home several times. Reading their daily mundane married lives was a pleasure. You wrote about the most ordinary of occurrences so beautifully, that I almost perceived time the way they perceived it. The emptiness both Sasuke and Sakura felt was palpable. Both of them became highly relatable, realistic people. By the end of it, you balanced their roles so well that I was convinced that none of them had gotten it wholly right, which was great; Sakura's character might have gone the other way where she is this ever-giving nun and that would have been unsavoury and not true to her character.

The only criticism (which is not even criticism really) would be that I wish we had gotten to see more of their intimacy, considering this story is M rated. I couldn't quite figure out how they ended up sleeping together and still were so awkward and distant from one other, especially considering Sasuke has never struck me as one who would be comfortable or even have knowledge about the more base desires, physicality or lust. I would imagine that it wouldn't be something he would even think about doing unless he really felt something for her, which is why I was very curious to read about what actually happened between them with regards to this, though to your credit, you did give hints about it throughout the story. Another small note would be that I don't believe Sakura would wear jeans nearly as often (or at all) as you described, judging by her canon fashion sense, but oh well :P

I know that you have another chapter to go and it is unlikely that you will update, but I am glad that the story still felt complete in itself and lead me feeling hopeful by the end of it. I wish there were more stories like this to read. Even considering this was written pre-canon and does not entirely fit into what actually became canon, it was extremely engaging and nostalgic to read, reminiscent of early SasuSaku fics that were all very gut-wrenching. I find this genre rare now. Hope I do get to see more of such brilliant work from you in the future, or an update on this - thank you so very much for writing this! It was an absolute pleasure that I wish I could relive for the first time again :)

I love this. I love this so so damn much. Words fail me

I love you and this story. This is as perfect as a non-canon sasusaku can get. Thank You. To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't mind if you stopped here, it's okay, but it would be better if there's more. I love the way you write, it tugs my heartstrings and I love it! I love how you never end in a cliffhanger even more. It's unsurprisingly pleasant. Thank You for this, it's a masterpiece.

I really felt the pain here. Like wow, I am all choked up thinking about their pain. Your writing is really special.

this made my heart ache in the most beautiful way. fantastic. brilliant. lovely. etc