sakura haruno · naruto · medical ninja · super strength · tsunade student · sasuke uchiha · team 7 · character growth · konoha · romance
The clinic hums with quiet industry, but Sakura’s focus is shattered. Sasuke stands there, no longer a ghost or a threat, but a unsettlingly present reality. Months have passed since Naruto dragged him home, yet the village still watches. Sakura’s pen hovers over a report she hasn’t read. She looks up, startled. “...You’re back early,” she says, voice too quick. Her eyes scan him for injuries—finding none, to her annoyance. “Everyone’s acting like you’ve always been here. Which is… a choice.” She stops herself from rambling, crossing her arms in defense. “If this is about missions, I already fought Shikamaru. If you’re just checking in, stop hovering like you’re confessing a crime.” She narrows her eyes, daring his expression to break. “What’s going on,…