There was a lengthy pause from Sasuke; taking the hint, she turned to continue on inside. If he wasn't going to say anything, she decided there was nothing more she could say to plead her case; she might as well head in and cook some supper. She didn't blame him for being mad at her in the least; she just hoped he would find a way to forgive her for what she had done.
"Forget about it," he said gruffly as she took the first step towards the back door, causing her to immediately stop again. Surprise came over her as she looked at him once more; she was certain he would have been mad.
"O-okay," she muttered before walking to go inside again. Her heart felt a bit lighter already as she turned to continue back into the household.
"Sakura?"
She found herself stopping for a third time within the past few minutes, "Yes?"
A pause. "Do you hate me?"
"Why on earth would I hate you?" the question had dumbfounded her. If anything, she should be the person to ask that question—what wrongs had he committed against her?
"Just answer the question."
She turned her gaze away from him, a small smile on her face, "No. I don't hate you."
"Why not?" his tone did not sound confused, but she knew there was confusion present.
"Why would I?" she returned, completely confused herself, unsure of where this conversation was going.
"Because while in the process of 'making one of the biggest mistakes in my life'," he replied, quoting her earlier words, "I left you unconscious on a bench, right after you told me you loved me."
She turned her gaze to him again, analyzing him carefully. She did not know what thoughts had caused these questions to rise, but she began to map his behaviour carefully, things becoming clearer.
"I was hurt by that—deeply; probably more than anyone could know," she replied tenderly, "But I couldn't hate you for it. Never."
"Why?" his voice was demanding.
"I can't hate you," she responded, her voice becoming gentle and serene, "I might get angry with you sometimes, but I could never hate you."
"I don't understand you," he said after a moment, turning his head slightly away from her, even though he wasn't facing her to begin with.
"It's like you want me to hate you."
"It would be easier if you did."
Guilt. That's what he was feeling right now. Was he thinking about that night, so long ago, when he left Konoha? Her insight told her yes, he was—and he hated himself for it, for leaving. It would be easier on him if she hated him too, that's what he thought, somehow ease the burden of that guilt. It was almost a textbook case, his words making him as transparent as crystal.
"I don't think it would," she said in response to his comment.
There was silence for a time, but Sakura did not move. He wasn't finished talking, or at least she wasn't going to let him be finished now.
"All that time ago, that night…" he muttered quietly that she barely caught his words, "Do you still? –Love me, that is."
She smiled sadly at him, though he would not be able to see it, "Of course."
"In what way?"
"What do you mean in what way?" she frowned slightly in confusion.
"Never mind."
"My love for you has never changed, Sasuke, if that's what you're worried about," she told him perceptively.
"I never said anything about being worried," he cut in tersely, and she paused to examine his body language. He was sitting with his elbow resting on his knee, his chin resting in his palm—his posture was stiff—defensively. She was prying deeply, and he didn't want to let her in that deep, not yet. However she wasn't going to back away now that the doors were opening up slightly, even if it was only a peek through a crack.
"In any case," she continued with a sigh, "I tried to refrain from showing or saying it. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable, especially because of our current situation."
"I see…" he replied after a moment, and then added, "…Is that why you stopped adding the suffix to my name?"
"No—not exactly. Tsunade-sama forbade me from using it," Sakura explained, actually surprised that Sasuke had noticed that she had dropped the suffix on his name, "She said that you were a criminal and should be treated as such."
"I see."
She crossed her arms lazily, gazing intently at him, "Why? Do you miss it?"
"No."
There was another pause. The defensive nature earlier had caused her mind to wonder about this conversation. Why was he asking here these questions? Was there are reason behind it all?
"Why did you ask if I still loved you?" she asked, preparing for a deadpan answer in reply.
"I just wanted to know," he replied, giving the type of answer she had been expecting.
She uncrossed her arms, and walked so she was standing close to him, not beside him, but a little bit behind. "You know, that's the reason why I can't hate you," she said passively, "It's because I love you."
"If I were you, I would hate Uchiha Sasuke," he muttered, taking his chin off of his hand, and lacing his fingers together to rest in his lap.
"You already hate yourself. Don't," she told him somberly, "Don't dwell on the past. I don't hold your mistakes against you, don't hold them against yourself."
"I hurt you."
"I forgave you."
.
.
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