born to blush unseen—I know that we were made to break.

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「spring」 one day, sasuke-kun. one day.

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(three wishes)

It was early spring when Sakura walked steadily down the steps of the royal carriage, her face all hard lines and sad eyes. There were dark splotches beneath her eyelids that no amount of cold water could rid, and she thought perhaps, if such a thing existed, a vaccination for her sins would do the trick.

It was her first order of business—that immediately after the coronation she'd ride her procession down to the orphanage and press forward with her healing. There was to be no ball, no after party. Their land had gone through too much trauma to endure a half-baked reception that no one wanted to attend.

Her sovereignty was nothing to celebrate—only the culmination of almost a year's worth of terrible events.

There was no heavier crown, she thought, and all the bowed heads and slowly rising figures behind her didn't serve to alleviate the weight.

As she steadily walked down the path towards the orphanage, rubies and gold glinting on her head, she couldn't help but focus on the way back behind her. Her gaze focused on the breeze grazing the grass, the dandelions swaying.

If such frivolities were permitted, she knew she would have stopped to wish for three things: another world, another life, another time.

She pushed open the heavy wooden door to find a great many children sorted out from healthiest to unhealthiest. She scanned the end of the line, hoping, but found no purchase in the magenta-haired girl.

She was gone, and Sakura was too late.

Still, she settled onto her knees and a page came forward with a basket full of syringes. The boy, the first chosen one, couldn't have been older than eight, and something in his dark gray eyes reminded her of a Sasuke she knew a long time ago, the one she had played with in the fields and grew up side by side with.

He averted his eyes as she tried to meet his gaze, and he stumbled over his words. "Y-your Majesty," he stuttered unsurely, peeking out from under his messy hair.

"Can I ask you a question?" she said softly, pressing a cleaning wipe to his upper arm. "What happened to the girl with dark pink hair?"

His eyes blurred with years, and he didn't mince words. "She's dead."

She exhaled softly, breathing as she uncapped the injection. "Can I ask a favor of you?"

He nodded, and she took his moment of determination to slide the needle into his skin. He hissed in surprise, and she pushed the plunger down.

"I need you to be strong for me. And I need you to treasure your loved ones. Know what's important in life, and don't lose sight of it. Follow your dreams, but always know that for the hard things, a price must always be paid."

He looked at her wonderingly, wide eyed and unsure. "Why are you telling me this?"

She smiled softly, pushing his hair behind his ears and breathing in relief at the knowledge that she had finally begun to make the difference she wanted to. Gentle applause sounded behind her at the onset of this cure, and she bowed her head towards his ear.

Shouts began to echo in the square, and she raised her voice to reply over them. "Because you remind me of me."

She stood and faced the crowd, skirt pooling at her feet, and with her first steps forward, she smiled, tears threatening to slide down her cheeks. For all I know, Sasuke-kun, we are just playing the greatest game of hide and seek this land has ever known.

She began to walk forward, and the ghost of his hand laced together with hers. Another smaller one grasped at her fingers, and she looked down to see the boy trailing alongside her. The sun glinted off her regalia, and she strode forward into a new age.

"Long live the Queen!" her people chanted. Her eyes tightened momentarily, and she could still hear his voice in the pounding of her heart.

Tears blurred her vision, and she smiled. I'm home.

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notes: god, I am so glad and sad this is over. it's been swell. thank you for everything.