Disclaimer:

The characters and world featured in this story belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is for entertainment purposes only.

A partly-cloudy day didn't detract from the timeless beauty of the sea. It twinkled around The Land of Waves and the Naruto Bridge, whose repairs were already underway. Tazuna and his grandson waved at the duo as they crossed, each exchanging well wishes. It was obvious that the attack had startled its residents, but the people of Waves were resilient. They'd faced difficulty in the past, and their perseverance and optimism showed as they worked through their present challenges as a community.

"It's such a beautiful place," Sakura said dreamily as she stared out at the sea from the bench. "I can see why you wanted to bring me here. I don't regret my life as a shinobi, but I think Tazuna and his family are lucky to live here as civilians."

Sasuke hummed and put his arm around her waist. The private overlook encouraged boldness. Since last night, he found himself touching her whenever he could, whenever there wasn't an audience. They had coupled again after waking, and he made sure to take his time. He savored the nectar between her legs. His name was an ecstatic, quivering chant that rose from lips contorted in pleasure. Sasuke's eyes spiraled and captured the image of his flesh joining with hers. He would return to the vision again and again in wayward dimensions, alone and wishing for her touch, wondering if it was all a dream. Presently, with evening's promise of more intimacy, Sakura's warmth and soft skin assured him this was no genjutsu.

Sakura giggled. "It's kind of amazing how we went from our first date to married in the blink of an eye."

He frowned slightly. "We've had plenty of time to bond."

She snorted. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her, curious with the reaction.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun!" She ended her laughter with a wistful sigh. "You have a funny way of saying that the time was right."

"Hm. I'm sorry it took me so long."

"Sakura-chan! Sasuke!" Naruto cried when the two appeared on the well-worn trail. "What took you so long?"

The new Uchiha couple sauntered down the path. Neither desired to shout a response.

"That idiot," Sasuke muttered under his breath. He didn't sense anyone, but surely their knuckleheaded friend knew better than to make so much noise in the forest.

As they drew closer, Naruto repeated himself in a more exasperated tone. "What took you so long? We waited a long time, you know!"

Hinata put a dainty hand on his shoulder. "Naruto-kun, I know you're excited to see them, but we've only been here for thirty minutes."

Ino stepped toward Sakura and Sasuke, a huge grin on her face. Sai crossed his arms beside her.

"Still, it is unlike you both to be so late to a rendezvous," the former Anbu observed.

"Oh, come on, Sai," Ino chuckled, "They're newlyweds! I bet they had a really busy night and needed some extra recovery this morning, am I right?" She leaned toward them, eager for the juicy details.

Sasuke frowned. He rolled his eyes skyward, hoping to appear irritated rather than embarrassed.

"Um… no, we're not late because of that," Sakura murmured. She lowered her green eyes, and the bright blush across her face made Ino titter. "I didn't want to go anywhere until I finished this." As proof, she turned to show them the red and white fan lovingly sewn over her back.

Ino squealed, and Hinata pressed tented fingers to her mouth in a quiet display of barely contained joy. When Sakura turned back to them, all smiles and tears, the girls wrapped themselves into a tight, celebratory hug.

"I am so happy for you!" Hinata swooned. "I knew it was a matter of time."

"I wish we could have been there for you," Ino said as she wiped her eyes.

Sasuke wanted to hear Sakura's response, but Naruto thumped him on the back with his prosthetic hand. Sasuke recovered his composure and sent a glare to the offender.

"Finally," Naruto said, then he elbowed Sasuke none-to-gently. "Worth it, right? Right?"

Sasuke put space between them. "I am glad we didn't have to deal with your inappropriate banter during a ceremony."

The jinchūriki pouted. "Not like you deserved me there anyway, not after you skipped my wedding." Naruto struck what he mistakenly thought was a noble pose. "Actually, it's fine, because somebody had to watch the village while you were away, you know!"

Before the conversation could deteriorate further, Sakura pounced on Naruto from behind, wrapping him in a delighted, sisterly hug. "Naruto!" she sobbed.

Jerked back to reality by her sudden outburst, Sasuke and Naruto both shouted, "What's wrong?" at the same time.

It took a moment for Sakura to compose herself. Naruto turned his face from Uchiha to Uchiha in confusion.

"Already? What did the bastard do?" Her old friend grumbled and gripped Sakura's shoulders.

"No, no." She shook her head and looked from Naruto, to Sasuke, and back with a reassuring grin. "It's just that… it happened! Sasuke-kun came home, and now we're married! Naruto… you did so much - often too much - to make this happen. Thank you. Thank you, Naruto!" Once more, she embraced him.

Naruto stood with his mouth and arms slack. He met eyes with Sasuke. The Uchiha patriarch fought the instinct to look away and avoid this entirely. Sakura's lingering pain from his past choices, and Naruto's long-term sacrifices, remained a tender, if healing, wound on his heart. Sasuke pushed his shame and pride aside and nodded at Naruto, acknowledging the effort.

"And Sai!" Sakura moved to the other member of Team Seven. "You and Naruto were always looking out for me like brothers… Thank you, Sai." She hugged him, and it would have remained a touching moment if Sai hadn't snaked one of his arms up her back and stroked across her shoulder blades. Sakura pinched his ear and yanked down forcefully. "Hey! I'm a married woman, Sai! And Ino is right there! What do you think you're doing?!"

The artists tugged out of her grip and rubbed his earlobe. "I was only admiring the craftsmanship of the crest on your back!" He straightened and regarded her with a pain that had nothing to do with her defense. "It suddenly occurs to me that I do not have a clan symbol, nor a surname, to give Ino. What do you suggest, Sakura?"

The new bride gaped at him, then over at her childhood friend. Ino stood frozen, blue eyes wide. Hinata smiled warmly at the scene. Her penetrating gaze slid to Naruto to see if he understood what was transpiring.

"Sai," Sakura started slowly, for the man required patience, "Are you saying you want to marry Ino?"

"Yes," he replied matter-of-factly. "Ever since I heard about your sudden marriage with Sasuke, I have been reading about the customs of marriage to better understand how to proceed with my own relationship."

Sakura giggled. "Well, you kind of inadvertently proposed just now."

His features wrinkled with confusion. "But I did not ask her anything."

"Sai-kun!" Ino blurted and hugged him. She buried her tears in the man's dark shirt. Her voice shook with emotion. "You can be such a fool! I'll give you my surname and crest. You could have asked for them sooner!"

"Yamanaka Sai," Naruto murmured experimentally.

"Hmmm… Yamanaka Sai," Sakura joined in. "It rolls off the tongue."

Sai produced one of his unsettling but very genuine smiles.

Ino grinned at Sakura. "I agree! Much more smoothly than 'Uchiha Sakura.'" She winked cheekily.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the troublesome woman.

Thankfully, Sakura was used to the teasing. "Whatever, Pig. I got the name I wanted from the start!" She grinned smugly and bumped her hip into Ino's.

"Oh, I think all our names sound wonderful," Hinata insisted timidly.

"Agreed!" Naruto cheered. "And to celebrate, we brought ramen, you know!"

"That's why you were so impatient," Sakura chuckled.

The six relaxed with their takeout as Naruto's clones surrounded the perimeter. It was a waste of chakra in Sauke's opinion, as they could sense most threats, but he understood his friend's desire to flex shinobi muscles. The overpowered Uzumaki was frequently cooped up in Konoha.

The Uchihas weren't expected at their next checkpoint for several hours. Now Sasuke understood Kakashi's lax agenda for the day. Sakura was thrilled to spend one last moment with her closest friends before departing on their hybrid mission-honeymoon. And having left Waves after lunch, Sasuke decided to give thanks for an early dinner. Unfortunately, it was difficult for him to eat ramen one handed without a table. He ate slowly, raising one noodle at a time with the chopsticks the Uzumakis brought along. It would delay them further, but Sakura never complained. He also found himself embracing the opportunity it gave him to slow down and truly enjoy the blessings of friendship and new family.

Having accepted the awkward proposal, Ino chattered non-stop about her wedding plans. It was obvious to everyone that she had been hoping Sai would take the initiative for some time. Sai seemed content with the way events had unfolded. His fiancee held his hand as she gestured wildly about how poofy she required her wedding gown. Hinata and Naruto shared tips for planning the big day, and each suggested books for Sai since they knew he would seek them. Hinata had recommended them to Temari as well, and conversation turned to the Sand ninja's upcoming nuptials with Shikamaru. Ino theorized Choji would next propose to his girlfriend once he learned that two-thirds of his team were now engaged.

"Ino-Shika-Cho do everything together," Ino said with a grin.

Sasuke's new wife sat on a log beside him as they ate. He glanced at Sakura worriedly, but there was never a trace of regret on her face - not when Ino described the dress of her dreams, her desired venue, nor possible meal plans. On the contrary, Sakura was simply giddy for her friends to wed. A subtle smile tugged at the corner of Sasuke's lips. The warmth he now nurtured in the central hearth of his being sparked with love for his wife. The way she selflessly celebrated her friends' joy even as she still radiated with the glow of a bride made Sasuke adore her all the more.

The meal complete, Sasuke observed the path of the sun and nodded at Sakura.

"It's getting to be that time," she announced, a slight warble to her voice.

Ino shot up from her seat, the day's mission returning to focus. "You can't leave without this!" She detached a pouch from her hip and handed it to Sakura. "The promised storage scrolls of medical equipment. There is an inventory as well."

Sakura checked the list with a discerning eye. Sasuke noticed the serious expression whenever she was engaged in her work. A memory of a care-free genin with bubblegum hair resurfaced. She had truly grown into an incredible woman. His eyes slid to the fan on her back. He wouldn't have registered the proud grin he wore if Naruto didn't elbow him.

As Ino handed Sakura a note from her parents, Sasuke took advantage of Naruto's attention.

The hokage-in-training squinted at the paper Sasuke handed him. "Huh? What is this?"

Sai looked over Naruto's shoulder. "It appears to be a list of specifications."

Sasuke nodded. "For our home. Bring them to the chief engineer. There is a plot of land in the old Uchiha district. The location is listed there. I've signed the second sheet giving Kakashi the authority to access my account to pay for it. I require it complete at this date." He pointed at the bottom of the makeshift contract. "There is our budget."

"O-oh… Wow, Sasuke. So you're really coming home?" Naruto asked, his face splitting into a characteristic grin.

"Eventually. Sakura. We should go."

Their year of travels will bring them closer than either ever imagined. They will learn more about each other through friendly conversation as they walk or work. Previously unspoken dreams will slip past his lips in the comforting embrace of their bedding. Challenging nights will come when Sakura longs for Konoha, and Sasuke will hold her as she weeps and apologizes for it. They will spend some evenings shivering against each other in the wilderness while their friends toast marriages, engagements, and other milestones in comfort. They will learn of each other's quirks. He'll come to accept the sloppy way she kicks her shoes off, and she'll learn that Sasuke feeds stray cats, attracting them if they stay in one place too long. The Uchiha couple will disagree and sometimes quarrel, but they always make up passionately. Though he normally falls asleep after such activity, some evenings will find him staring at a ceiling of wood, stone, trees,or stars. His growing connection with Sakura will frequently amaze and move him to silent tears of gratitude in the stillness of night. In a matter of months, their bond will bear fruit, bringing the Uchiha clan to three.

Presently, Sasuke and Sakura were content with their precious people, all of them unaware of how quickly their worlds will change and their families will grow. Watching as Sakura hugged everyone goodbye, Sasuke felt his chest tighten. The guilt might shrink over time, but it would remain a burden. Leaving Sakura behind had caused her pain, and now he worried about pulling her away from her family and dear friends. Sakura smiled through her tears and squeezed his shoulder. That small touch reassured him that all was as she desired.

So the Uchihas left their friends behind with memories, empty takeout containers, a second round of hugs from the medic, and a fist bump from Sasuke. The pair walked down the path away from Konoha. Once they were alone, Sakura slipped a hand into his welcoming palm. Sasuke smiled.

Overcome by joy, she skipped, jerking his arm.

"Hm," was all he said.

"Sorry. I'll stop." She tucked some hair behind an ear with her free hand. "Do I still annoy you, dear?" she softly teased.

She's starting to understand the power she has over me, he thought.

He chuckled as he recalled the discomfort he felt when she first offered to massage him. "You're always annoying." Before she could do more than narrow her eyes dangerously, Sasuke pressed her hand to his lips. "Thank you for taking care of me, my wife."

They took to the trees and raced toward the rest of their lives.

Author's Note:

I want to thank all of you for reading "Touch" over the last several months. It has been an amazing journey. When I first thought of writing a story about Sakura giving Sasuke a massage, it was only a little fluff piece floating around my head. As I continued, it evolved into something deeper. It became my love letter to this pairing. The fact that so many of you enjoyed my work, and took the time to comment on it, really encouraged me as a writer. It is truly magical that this story touched so many of you!

I'm planning to delve back into my original story again. This fanfic gave me a change of scenery and a huge confidence boost, but I'm ready to reunite with some other characters of mine. That said, I do hope to write a sequel about their travels together. I also removed what would have been a distant epilogue, and I think it will become a short one-off sometime next year - perhaps for SasuSaku month. We'll see! Eventually, I want to go through this story again and fix all the typos I found as I reread it to prepare for the end.

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a joyful New Year! If you haven't already, treat yourself to a massage! Dr. Uchiha Sakura's orders. ;)