A/N: hello, there! this is my very first Naruto fanfic (though it's honestly more like a drabble, heh). well, this has been collecting dust on my documents since the first chapters of Gaiden so i've finally decided to publish it. i apologize for any misspellings, punctuation errors, or any grammatical mistakes that would make you gouge your eyes out.

disclaimer: i do not own Naruto nor its characters for if i did the Uchiha house would be filled to the brim with Sasusaku babies.

on with the drabble!

She's training in the backyard of the Uchiha Manor when she senses his presence. She's dirty, sweaty and in need of a desperate shower. In any other moment, she would take one because she would refuse to let him catch her in such a state, but both studied the ways of the ninja and thus both have gone on missions where they donned a similar unkempt appearance (most times worst than her current state—blood, mud, and sweat drenched their bodies on said missions). He has seen her like this before and surely she would like to look her best for his return, but it's been so long and frankly she doesn't even care anymore.

So, she hastily removes her gloves and sprints to the inside of her house—their house. She maneuvers through doors and furniture until she finally spots him. There, standing in the middle of the living room, sporting all black (surprise, surprise) with a picture frame held tightly in his hand. The scene is so surreal to her that she stops dead in her tracks and doesn't even blink—afraid that if she does, he'll be long gone before she opens her eyes again. She knows that he has noticed her blatantly staring at him, but neither make a move towards each other. He simply gazes at the picture frame. She can't even decipher his emotions because from her line of vision his bangs are covering his face.

Suddenly, he turns to her and she has to hold a gasp because twelve years is a really long time, and he looks so different. His hair is longer, bangs covering half his face to hide his pale violet Rinnegan, but his obsidian eye is completely exposed to her. Now that they are face to face—yet at a considerable length apart—she can catch a glimpse of his emotions. A look of guilt and sadness is spread across his face and she feels her heart break because she never wants him to wear that look ever again. But yet, she also notices that there is love and adoration in his dark eye.

He looks down at the picture frame he is holding and a tiny smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "She's beautiful…"

His gaze gravitates back to her and it takes her a moment to process what he is saying, to completely analyze it. That is, until she looks down at the picture in his hands: her daughter—their daughter.

Suddenly, it's too much for her and she rushes towards him. He's slightly taken aback as she fiercely clutches him, but after a moment he slowly entwines his body with hers: chin laying on top of her head, lone arm wrapped around her waist. She had almost forgotten how much taller than her he is.

He cautiously steps back and she sees his hand reaching for her face. She's sure he will poke her forehead (an act she had gotten used to in their earlier years together) and she closes her eyes, patiently waiting for his touch. Instead, she is surprised to find his fingers grazing her cheek. Her eyes fly open and then she feels his hand safely land on the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him. They stay twined together, foreheads touching, when she finally looks up at his eyes.

Then, she chokes back a sob. She will not cry, she will not cry. She promised herself long ago that she would not let a single tear fall from her eyes. But she's finding it a hard task to keep her promise with him in front of her and the pain of all those years of loneliness abruptly surfacing once again.

Slowly, she opens her lips to speak, but her throat feels abnormally dry and she finds it hard to utter a single word with the knot forming in it. Still, she manages to crack out, "S- Sasuke-kun…"

His hand abandons her neck and he traces her lips—his gaze intense on them—with his thumb, shushing her.

It's real. This is him. She can feel him. It's not an illusion. It's not a dream. It's too real to be a dream. She can feel his warmth and she can feel the passion and love emanating from their embrace. This is her Sasuke-kun and he's finally here.

Slowly and cautiously, he lowers his head. His hand finds it's way back to her nape to bring her lips to his. His lips slant over hers and they both move in a slow, passionate pace. Her heartbeat quickens and she feels hot all over. She's enamored with this moment and she doesn't ever want it to end. The way he gently treats her makes her heart soar and her belly erupt with stupid butterflies—oh blissful butterflies, how long has it been since she's gotten butterflies?

In any other moment, she would allow the tenderness of the moment to continue because it was so rare for Sasuke to show such emotions, but right now she was slowly becoming annoyed with how he was treating her like glass that could easily be broken. Sakura is strong, she's not weak, and it's been too long. So, she fiercely slithers her arms towards the back of his neck, and forcefully presses him flush against her, no distance whatsoever in-between them. Their lips press tightly together as she turns the kiss hot, needy and desperate.

He doesn't object, but nevertheless pulls away as his cheeks turn wet. She isn't even aware of the moisture pouring from her eyes until she feels his lips softly but surely wipe away any trace of the tear tracks running down her cheeks. She's panting and wherever his lips lay on her skin make the area feel hot and fiery. She craves for more - oh, much more. She craves for his lips to trail all over her body, but she knows they can't. It's not the moment. Their daughter would be home soon.

Sasuke's lips part from her skin and he leans his forehead against her once again. Burning desire etched on his onyx eye as much as it is on her glassy and teary emerald ones. They opt to just stay there intertwined, breathing heavily, lost in each other's eyes, and hearts erratically beating together. And the look of bliss and love he gives her makes her choke back another cry. This is all she ever wanted—for him to feel love, to be loved, to be happy.

But the moment doesn't last long as the sound of the front door opening and closing echoes through the silent house.

"Mama! Tadaima!"

They are startled out of their trance as their young daughter enters the living room.

"Mama..?"

Obsidian eyes as dark as her father's rimmed with red glasses widen and inspect the sight in front of her. 'Who is this man? And why is Mama holding on so tightly to him?' She further scans the man, looking him up and down, distrust visible in her eyes. Then, her eyes rest on his lonesome black eye, looking at her as if she is a prized treasure, a delicate creature he shouldn't near for fear of spooking her. She has never seen this man in her life, yet he looks so familiar... And the way her Mama holds on so tight to him… Well, she is twelve, but not naive. She's not dumb. Their disheveled appearance… The atmosphere of the room… But her Mama only loves her Papa and would never give another man a single glance, no matter how lonely she gets. And that's when it clicks. A gasp erupts from her mouth as she stares at the tall man intently staring at her. 'Could it be..?'

"Mama… who's that man?" she inquires cautiously, not wanting to get her hopes up.

Sakura smiles widely, disentangles herself from her husband, and kneels in front of their daughter. A single happy tear falls from her eye as she pulls the little girl to her and softly brushes her fingers through her hair. "Sarada… that's Papa. Papa's home. He's finally here."

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FIN.

A/N: that was it! thanks for reading! reviews are welcomed. *hint, hint, wink, wink*

love, Emiliana xx