As usual, she hadn't listened to a single word of his protests.

"The beach is too far away," Sasuke grumbled. "And sandy—you know I don't like it when that grit gets in my food."

Sakura nodded and continued to make lunches.

"Besides," he argued as she slid the pack on his back and herded Sarada out the door, "it's too hot, Sakura. I don't want to go."

Watching her splash through the sparkling surf in a bikini made him wonder why he ever questioned her. In a cradle of warm sand, he relaxed, eyes shutting of their own accord. Sasuke listened to wife and daughter laughing as gulls called in the distance. The rhythm of the waves lulled him into a doze as he remembered his first time at the beach with Sakura.

It'd taken two months of handyman chores for Sakura's mother to warm up to him, but when she did, Mebuki embraced Sasuke like the son she'd never had. Each week, he was sent home with containers packed with curry or onigiri enough for a dozen lunches. Kizashi, on the other hand, took Sasuke under his wing immediately. Within the first minute of Sasuke's introduction as Sakura's boyfriend, her father told him the dirtiest joke he'd ever heard then elbowed him in the ribs, winking conspiratorially when the women returned to the room. They trusted him completely with the happiness and safety of their only daughter. However, when he told them that he'd like to take Sakura on a weekend trip, they were a united cold front, a vanguard of folded arms and suspicious glares.

"It's improper," sniffed Mebuki, frowning as she put the leftover katsudon back in the refrigerator.

"She's got a point there, Sasuke." Kizashi relit his pipe, talking between puffs. "It's not right for two young people to be running off by themselves without a chaperone."

"No daughter of mine is going to be disgraced like that!"

Kizashi patted his wife's hand soothingly. "Now, now. Don't get yourself worked up, Mebuki. I'm sure Sasuke would never dream of scandalizing our precious flower. I'll bet he's just waiting to ask us something much more important." He turned to the clueless boy. "Isn't that right?"

Sasuke touched his pocket yet again and sighed in relief. It's still there.

He and Sakura had spent a good part of the day traveling. As they cleared each forest, crossed each bridge, and wound through each town, he'd feel for the engagement ring rolling around in his pants pocket. It took him three weeks of deliberation to find the right one. The stone was big enough to impress, to let everyone know that he could keep her comfortably, but not so big that it was ostentatious—that wasn't Sakura's style.

He'd always known she was the only one for him, but now that he'd said it out loud—actually asked her parents for her hand in marriage—Sasuke was determined to do things right. It wasn't in his nature to be classically romantic, but Sakura glowed when he made even the slightest attempt. So, despite knowing that she loved him enough to be happy no matter how he asked her to be his wife, perfection was his goal.

But where to ask her? He'd turned the question over in his mind, picturing the two of them atop Hokage Mountain, or beneath a snowy plum blossom tree in Konoha Park, or maybe over dinner at Ichiraku's. No…not there, he thought, disgusted as he envisioned Naruto dribbling broth all over Sakura's ring. Nothing's right. No place is good enough.

Returning from a mission, Sasuke stumbled on perfection. Snugly nestled in Fire Country's southernmost tip—where Fire met Tea—was the tiny village of Shiisaido Kai. It was a town suspended in time. Life was slow, the air was salty, and when he saw the tangerine sunset hovering over the water, he knew this beach was where he'd ask Sakura to stand beside him forever.

During his reconnaissance, he'd also discovered the best place in town to stay—a quaint, old inn, right on the ocean. The staff's attention to detail was without equal, from the grassy green of fresh tatami mats to the thick, cottony futons. In the inn's most luxurious suite, the far wall was a shoji which unfolded to reveal the sea, the waves nearly lapping at your doorstep.

Sakura will love it. When we arrive in town, we'll get a room then change for dinner.

Surprisingly, for such an out of the way village, Shiisaido had a well-respected ryotei. Each table was a private sanctuary where the briny ocean breeze accompanied all ten delectable plates, each a work of art unto themselves.

I'll get us the very best table and when the sun begins to set... Sasuke's palms went slick at what came next—the proposal. It might take all ten courses to figure out what to say.

As they neared the gates of Shiisaido, he felt confident he'd mapped out not only a memorable first vacation for his most precious person, but the perfect backdrop for the biggest question of his life.

"Sasuke-kun, look! A festival!"

If Sakura hadn't grabbed his sleeve to tug him forward, he would've stayed rooted to the spot at the village gates. A festival? Nobody said anything about Shiisaido having a festival!

"Come on! They have ring toss!"

His mind raced as she flung hoops around bottle necks, easily winning a cheap, plastic ring. She wedged it onto her finger and held it out for him to appreciate.

"Nice, right?"

Yellow plastic prongs held a clear glass stone the size of a walnut in place. It was the ugliest thing Sasuke had ever seen. Sakura read his twisted expression and snorted.

"What do you know about jewelry. This ring is perfect."

"I should reserve our room."

She pouted. "Sasuke-kun, it's a festival. Let's have some fun first."

Without waiting for his answer, she darted off to the next booth. He huffed, touched the diamond in his pocket again, and followed. She was already in the middle of a roaring crowd, cheering for the beetle with a red stripe painted on his back.

"Go Senkomushi! Kick his butt!"

Sasuke craned his neck to look down the street—it was packed for at least a mile. Halfway down, he saw the inn. "Sakura…I'll be right back."

"I'll be here!" She squeezed his hand before he left. "This place is the best, Sasuke-kun! Woo-hoo! Get him! Take him down!"

She returned to the beetle battle as he swam through the mass of people, finally emerging at the door to the inn.

No Vacancy

Sasuke banged on the door in disbelief and denial. A tiny, shriveled woman opened it a crack.

"You see the sign? No rooms!"

"Wait!" Sasuke forced a foot inside the closing door. "You have nothing? Not a single room?"

"No! Nothing at all!"

"Is there another inn?" He was desperate now.

She looked at him as if he were an idiot. "It's festival time. There are no rooms anywhere in the village. Try next week," she advised, kicking his foot out and slamming the door shut.

Okay. I can still take her to the restaurant. We'll just stay the night at the next town over, he thought, pushing through the crowd to the ryotei.

"I sincerely apologize, Uchiha-san, but we've been booked for months," said the restaurant's steward. "It's festival time. Sorry."

Sasuke sat on the steps in front of the restaurant, head in hands, as he watched all of his carefully laid plans crumble. He laid a hand over his pocket. At least I still have the ring.

"Sasuke-kun! There you are!" Sakura was wearing a turquoise haori jacket and threw a similar one around his shoulders, hurrying to tie his white headband. "Quick! The parade will be here any minute!"

"What parade? And what are these clothes for?"

Thundering drums, clanging cymbals, and whining flutes accompanied hundreds of marchers rounding the corner. On their shoulders sat an enormous statue of Ryujin, the dragon sea-god.

"I volunteered us to carry the parade float! Isn't that awesome?"

"Sakura, I don't—"

Before he could finish, she'd yanked him to his feet to join the ranks shouldering Ryujin's heavy, wooden platform. The mystical dragon twisted around gleaming tide-jewels, its huge, open jaws breathing hot steam in Sasuke's face the entire route. He was fed up and just about to walk away from the annoying burden when the parade ended. All that was left to do was wade into the ocean, letting the float drift out into deeper water as Ryujin reclaimed his watery kingdom.

"Hey." Sakura greeted him back on shore by sidling close, her hip bumping his playfully. "Did you have fun?" His arm snaked around the familiar curve of her waist and he smiled for the first time that day. She turned her face up to him expectantly, cheeks a delicious shade of peach. He leaned in, breath quickening…and her stomach rumbled loudly. "Eep!" she squeaked, her face now dark cherry. "I guess in all the excitement, I forgot to eat."

Sighing, he said, "Let's find a place to get dinner…and sit down."

Sakura laughed, pulling his arm across her shoulders. "Parade too much for you? Need some help getting around, Grandpa?"

"Very funny," he said, but their amusement evaporated as they stepped onto the main road. All the people were gone. All the stands were shuttered. All the shops, inns, and restaurants were closed for the night.

"Wow," Sakura said. "They shut down quick around here." She tried to laugh off their predicament, but her empty stomach betrayed her, grumbling once again.

"Stay here," Sasuke commanded as he darted down the street. He spied one lone vendor, packing up his stand. "Hey!"

"Closed, buddy."

"I know. You have anything left?"

"Sorry."

Out of his weapon pouch, Sasuke pulled a roll of cash. He peeled off a few bills and asked again. It took five more bills before the vendor snatched the money and packed up a take-out box and two bottles of beer.

Sakura eagerly peered into the bag when he returned. "Smells good."

"Come on. Let's sit on the beach."

The tangerine sun Sasuke had dreamed of slipped too quickly below the horizon, leaving the beach dark and cold. When Sakura hugged her knees to her chest, he began searching for driftwood. She helped him dig a pit and, with the aid of a Katon, they soon had a fire.

"Only one set of chopsticks." She snapped them apart and opened the okonomiyaki.

"I guess you'll have to feed me then." Sasuke smirked and popped open the beers.

"Psh. What am I? Your wife?"

"Well…" He reached into his pocket...and panicked. "Where is it?!" He leaped to his feet. "Where'd it go?!"

"What? Sasuke!" She grabbed him, stopping his frantic search in the sand. "What did you lose?"

He sank to the ground, knowing her ring was long gone. "Everything."

"What're you talking about?"

"I had the perfect day planned," he said to the dark waves. "We'd check into the inn, have dinner at the ryotei, and then I'd give you the ring." He shook his head. "But the inn was full, the restaurant was booked, and now the ring is lost…probably washed out to sea with Ryujin."

Sakura wrapped her arms around him. "Oh, Sasuke-kun. That sounds so beautiful." She squeezed him tightly. "But I don't need to stay at a fancy inn—we have a warm fire and the sound of the ocean right here. And that okonomiyaki smells much better than plates and plates of expensive food."

"But the ring…"

She bit her lip as she tugged on her finger. "Here."

Sasuke opened his fist to find the cheap, plastic ring she'd won at the ring toss. Something strong swelled inside his chest. Pulling her to her feet, he brushed the sand off his shorts. "Sakura..."

She held up a finger; first, to silence him and then to push down on his shoulder. "Come on. One knee." When he rolled his eyes, she said, "You wanted to do this right, didn't you?"

Dropping to one knee, Sasuke began, "Sakura, I…I have no idea what to say."

She giggled. "Well, you have to say something!"

"Okay, okay." He let out a long exhale and stood. "Sakura." He pushed the cheap ring onto the fourth finger of her left hand. "Will you stay with me...like this...forever."

After a rib-cracking squeeze, Sakura cried as she said, "Ye—"

Her gurgling stomach interrupted.

Sasuke chuckled and wiped her tears. "All right...let's eat."

The fried cabbage pancake had gone cold by then, but they ate it anyway, toasting their new life together with lukewarm beer. Then, huddling close to the bonfire, they slept in a bed of sand. Sasuke pressed his lips to her hair, touching the plastic encircling her finger.

Perfection.

Hi! Just wanted to give you a little background on these one-shots. As I said in the summary, they are inspired by and unified by locations, each one a page from Sasuke's life. I hope you enjoy them!