Before it Rains Again

Author's Note: This is a Sakura and Yamato one-shot written from Sakura's point of view—enjoy.

Shades of light flickered through my hair as the lightning struck the sky again, rain hammering down mercilessly from the heavens. I drew in a breath, mind frozen in the realms of time; news that Sasuke finally succeeded in killing Itachi had reached the village, brought back with me and my squad; the squad that failed to bring Sasuke back again. Again. My eyes watered. What was this overwhelming feeling of sadness?

Unable to shake the sorrowful obscurity coming upon me, I quietly left my house, donning the clothes I had refused to change out of ever since hearing about it. It was shocking that Sasuke finally achieved his goal, his objective; shocking and frightening. Even when he finally severed his ties with Orochimaru, he didn't return. That hurt. I could still feel the paining burning in my chest, like a knife was being jabbed into my heart, twisted around and around.

Lifting my head to gaze at the onyx sky clouded with misery above me, I felt the rain plummet onto me, soaking my pink hair and drenching my clothes until my body was chilled from the inside out. The rain stung, painful yet harmless. I missed Sasuke. I wanted him back.

Where are you right now, Sasuke? I wondered, eyes brimming with inconsolable tears.

The soft splashing of a puddle interrupted my thoughts and I whirled around, body tensing.

I relaxed then tensed upon seeing who it was; Yamato-sensei.

"S-Sensei?" I struggled to speak, arm whipping across my eyes even though the rain would have washed away all evidence of my sorrow anyhow.

"Sakura?" His tone was gentle as he approached me. "What are you doing out here?"

Glancing around to ascertain that no one was there to hear us, I murmured, "N-nothing. It was raining and there were just some…" I swallowed the lump that had lurched up from my stomach as my insides twisted and knotted painfully. "…I was just thinking about some…nnn!"

Pinching my eyes together, I struggled to wall back the tears flooding to my eyes. I couldn't speak properly, couldn't even manage to choke out an understandable sentence. I could feel Yamato's eyes boring concernedly into me as he reached my side, hand weighing down on my shoulder. I wanted to collapse. However, his voice sought my attention, calm and tender.

"What's the matter, Sakura?"

Shaking my head feverishly, I managed to utter, "I…I don't know!" Feelings of anguish plagued my mind, drowning it in a wave of sorrow. Why was I so upset? Why couldn't I control myself? My heart hurt, it ached with unreturned affection that I had yearned for, longed for, but knew that I would never receive. I wanted to burst, frustration building up within the center of my stomach, threatening to burst. "It just…it hurts! Everything hurts!"

Tears summoned by my torment spilled from my eyes and my hands rushed to cover my face, body racking with dispelled sobs. I couldn't stop them, couldn't hold them back. I cried so hard that it felt like Yamato was gone, washed away with my desolation that riled my heart and made it coil excruciatingly; I could barely hear him saying my name anymore.

Why? Why am I so weak? This is why Sasuke didn't want me! I'm weak!

Thunder roared in the sky as the lightning rendered it to pieces, ripping through the heavens with unimaginable force and fury. Sasuke was the lightning, I was the sky. I knew the sky's pain. It cried because it was being torn apart. It cried because it was dying inside. And thus, I cried. I wept like a hurt child unable to tame their tears. I was lost in an agonizing oblivion.

"Why?" I sobbed, body trembling. "Why didn't Sasuke want me? Why?"

I knew the answer, but I was in so much pain I wanted to hear it.

I wanted the pain to destroy me until there was nothing left.

I wanted the pain to kill me.

Yamato, whose failed attempts at consoling me only seemed to weaken, suddenly took me into his crushing embrace, startling me back to my senses. My eyes snapped open at the abruptness in which he so rapidly possessed me, but I conceded to his hold nonetheless, burying my head into his shoulder and weeping bitterly as he stroked my hair.

It felt…nice.

The feeling that there was someone there for me, someone to hold me, it felt nice.

Trying to stop the tears from flowing as much as I could, I curled my fists into quivering balls, wrapping them tightly around the fabric of his shirt. I wanted to thank him, wanted to tell him that I was going to be fine, but I didn't want him to leave me, I didn't want him to let me go. I could still hear him whispering my name into my hair and I squeezed harder against him.

"Y-Yamato!" I choked out, strangled by my sobs. "Y-you don't have to…you don't have to…"

He interrupted me, tone smooth. "I'm not doing this because I have to, Sakura."

The knife that had been twisting in my heart earlier stopped, my breath hitching. I jerked my head up to look at him, emerald jewels overflowing with vanishing agony. He was smiling at me; not that creepy smile he would use when trying to frighten Naruto, Sai or me into obedience, but a kind, moderate smile that seemed slightly crooked with weariness.

A wavering beam split across my lips.

I opened my mouth to say what was repeating in my mind, those two words. Thank you.

But when I tried to speak, I could not.

Confused, I said nothing as the rain washed away my thoughts, the beating thunder drumming deeper into the distance, the lightning ebbing away into naught. I stared unconditionally into his eyes, his soul; I could see his compassion for me reflected in my own mind's eye as I lifted myself on my tiptoes, lips seeking his. I wasn't aware of myself, nor would I ever be as long as I was lost in that strangely entrancing gaze of his.

Before my mind could comprehend my body's actions, my lips became one with his, his lips receiving mine in a kiss sweetened by the rain evenly falling from the sky. My frustration, my sorrow, my confusion, it all drained away when we kissed, his hands holding my waist firmly, while my arms rose to drape around his neck, pulling myself closer.

For what felt like a blissful moment though it was truly an eternity, we kissed.

We kissed until the rain stopped, until the sky ceased to cry; allowing the thunder and lightning to linger into naught, moving on to other places. When he pulled away from me, I could feel happy tears stinging at my eyes, face flushed. He looked slightly reddened himself, but only smiled at me; those cheerful smiles making my heart soar each time.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

"Yamato," I whispered, lips breaking into a heavenly beam, "thank you."

He cupped my cheek with his hand, caressing it fondly and murmuring, "We'll have to kiss…" his voice lowered even more, making my body quiver as he whispered, "before it rains again."

Author's Note: Hey, this is something that I thought would be cute so I wrote it out. I support Sakura and Yamato as a couple; I like seeing them together. I hope you enjoyed this little one-shot and I would love it if you reviewed. ;D

-Aiko of the Akatsuki