Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They all belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Except the ocs.
Full Summary: War was something that brought out peoples most deep secrets. The Fourth Great Shinobi War was no exception. Sakura realizes it firsthand. "Is it as sin, smiling to suppress the pain?"-"When you hurt others doing so, yes."
Those three single words... She heard them many times. Be it from her parents, Ino, Tsunade, Naruto, Kiba, Sasuke or countless, nameless soldiers on their deathbeds.
Each time, they broke her heart.
Sakura suddenly felt void. Void of strength and anger and hate and tension. Her body relaxed, arms falling back in place and weakening her grip on the kunai.
"I love you because you made me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most." He stared off in the distance, a small glad smile on his lips. She looked where he was staring at and found herself watching people.
They were your everyday people in Konoha. Civilians, Shinobi, nobles, travelers, thieves, children, parents, murderers, women, men, boys, girls, invalids...
They were all laughing.
Laughing.
How long has it been since she heard that beautiful sound wake her up everyday?
How long has it been since she had laughed?
Long ago.
Very long ago...
It was all his fault.
Sakura glared at the man standing before her.
It was his fault that everyone was dead.
If he hadn't corrupted Obito, Naruto wouldn't be an orphan.
If he hadn't deceived Pein, Naruto wouldn't have had to fear for his life, or that of his loved ones.
There wouldn't have been a war.
Itachi wouldn't have been forced to kill his clan.
It was his fault, she wasn't laughing like these people. Like him.
It was all his fault.
"I want to laugh too." she muttered as her eyes dulled. Her knees buckled underneath her, but strong arms wrapped against her petite waist and held her up.
Leaning against the enemy, Sakura looked up.
"Why don't you laugh with me?" he asked.
"I can't. I don't know how to. I forgot." she answered and closed her eyes, hoping to die in his arms.
"Then, let me help you laugh again."
She smirked and he smirked too, sharingan coming to life and swirling with secret promises. "If you succeed, I would be the happiest woman in the world."
"Failure is not an option, then."
Tsukuyomi
.
.
.
Sakura had never been in such ecstasy.
Never had she been so happy, so relieved, so selfish, so forgiving, so powerful, so strong, so fast, so intelligent, so...
So beautiful.
"Madara, isn't this beautiful?"
"No, its ugly."
"What are you saying, this scenery is beauty incarnated."
"True, but compared to you, its ugly."
So needed.
"Stay here with me."
"Don't force me to watch this crappy movie, Madara!"
"I don't care about the movie, Sakura. I just want you by my side."
So loved.
"Why are smiling, Madara? And why are you staring at me like that?"
"Before I met you, I never knew what it was like to look at someone and smile for no reason."
"...What do you feel?"
"Love."
Naturally, every good thing had to end. Her love for Madara was no exception.
Naturally, she realized her mistake until it was too late.
.
.
.
How dare he laugh so genuinely, so freely and tell her it was due to her? How dare he thank her? How dare he show her those good times? How dare he, How dare he!
How dare he let her hope again?
"I hate you." she said. "I hate you so much!" Her whole body trembled and she clenched her fists. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" she yelled.
"I love you." he whispered. "I love you so much." the smile that split his face was peaceful. "I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you." he stepped forward, arms outstretched to embrace her. "You have no idea how much I love you."
"SHUT UP!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face. "Shut up! You worthless bastard! Go to hell! I hate you! You're going to leave me, like everyone else! You let me hope, you let me believe in a bright future with you and then you leave me. You're going to die!"
"Sa-"
"They're going to kill you! They hate you! They want your life! You have to flee, I understand, but take me with you! Why leave me? Take me with you!"
"Saku-"
"SHUT UP!" she screamed again, gripping her hair and tugging. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" she repeated over and over again. "Just shut up and let me speak. For once, I want my voice to be heard. For once, I'm not going to say nothing."
He hesitated but nodded, letting his hands fall to his sides.
She slowly knelt, closed her eyes while still gripping the short strands of her hair.
What a pitiful sight she was.
Madara pitied her.
"After they died. After Kiba, Ino, my parents, Tsunade-shisou, Shizune, Temari, Lee died. After so many other of my loved ones, my friends, my comrades died, I swore to myself tha- that I- that I'll never trust someone again." she hiccuped.
"That I'll never believe again."
'Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, Ino, Negi, Hinata, Mom, Dad, Lee, Chougi, Shikamaru, Shizune-nee-san, ...'
"That I'll never hope again."
'Tenten, Temari, Kankuro, Genma, Izumo, Kotetsu-kun, Gai-sensei, Kurenai-sensei, Asume-sensei, ...'
"That I'll never love again."
'Sasuke-kun, Kiba, Sai, Yamato-taicho, Gaara-sama, ..."
She rubbed her eyes with the back of her palms.
What a pitiful sight.
"But then I got that stupid idea. Stop you." she gave a wry laugh, "Me. Stop you. Yamato-taicho was right. I'm such a foolish little girl. You were right, Madara."
He shook his head, closing his eyes.
"And then you laughed, and then you ended in this white place-"
"My heart." he confessed.
She gave him a surprised look. "Your heart... Yeah, we ended in your soul and then I made you laugh and I fell in love with your laugh because it made me remember all the good times in my life. And then you said you loved-"
"Love." he interrupted again.
She bowed her head.
"You love me and then you put me in an altered version of Tsukoyomi or something, and I had the three most wonderful days of my life. And then-" her voice strained. She looked up again and glared him in the eyes.
What a pitiful girl!
"Then you go and tell you have to leave..."
She burst into tears.
Madara couldn't let her suffer anymore. In one swipe, he knelt on one knee and embraced her in his arms.
"I don't have a choice in the matter. Believe me, Sakura, I want nothing more than to stay with you for eternity but..." he trailed off. "But..."
"Oh Kami..." Realization hit her full force. Her eyes widened considerably and she started to hyperventilate.
Madara nodded, hugging her closer.
"Oh, Kami! Oh, Kami! Oh, Kami!"
"Sshh, it's alright. It's alright."
"Oh, Kami..."
"It's alright."
"You're dying."