Ahh, I don't know what inspired this one. It just hit me like a brick wall. Kinda morbid, actually. Oh well, enjoy! Written fast and un-BETA'ed, so tell me if there's any mistakes, please. I promise the next one wont be so depressing. If this is kinda vague or confusing, I wrote it to be. And don't forget to review, because you know what a review whore I am. XD

Title: Fault
Rating: PG-13
Pairings/Characters: SasukexSakura
Warnings: Character Suicide
Word Count: 530
Summary: Everything else has changed, yet she still blames herself.

Stupid. Hadn’t he ever seen that in himself before? He was stupid!

So stupid… how could he have said that? He hadn’t been thinking, and in his own inadequacy lashed out at her. Just like usual.

…before it’s too late…

He runs forward, his sharingan activated in a desperate search.

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This mission was simple enough. It hadn’t been her fault—the enemy had been unexpectedly strong, and they’d been caught off guard. It was their first mission together after his return the previous month, and they hadn’t reacquainted themselves as a team again. They had all made mistakes. And when it was all said and done, he’d blamed it on her, called her annoying and a burden. Again.

He’d always done that. When something went wrong, he could just blame the team’s weakest link, her. It had always worked before he left.

He was stupid to have expected things to be the same. She wasn’t weak anymore. Yet instead of yelling back at him or blaming the dobe or making up an excuse, she’d run away. She must have gotten faster and her ninja skills must have improved, because she hadn’t left a trace.

He hadn’t missed it, though. Her eyes. He’d seen them widen in fear and pain and confusion and emotions that he couldn’t put a name with, all in a single instant. She hadn’t said a word, but he got the message.

It’s my fault.

It’s my fault you left. I screwed up.

It’s my fault. You hate me for bugging you all those years.

It’s my fault.

It’s my fault!

Then she’d disappeared.

The blonde called out after her and chased her, but paused to spare a glance to glare daggers at his newly reinstated teammate.

“Is this what you wanted? She’s always blamed herself for you. Are you happy?” The dobe had asked bitterly before disappearing from sight as well.

He’d stood there for a moment, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Then he raced after her in sheer desperation.

Hadn’t she been the one who supported him all these years? Hadn’t she been the first person to welcome him back to Konoha with open arms? Hadn’t she always cried for him when he wouldn’t and smiled for him when he needed it? Hadn’t she protected him when he couldn’t take care of himself?

What had he ever done for her?

He had to find her, and apologize and kiss the tears off her face and bring back that brilliant smile that had brightened even his worst days.

He had to find her.

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He cries out in horror, dropping to his knees.

Hanging from a rope tied to a sakura tree is the limp body of his pink-haired kunoichi, tears streaking her colorless cheeks and her now-lifeless emerald eyes closed for eternity.

His eyes are closed in agony, and he swears he can hear her voice, like a whisper of the wind floating among the blossoms billowing around her body.

“I’m sorry…” She murmurs as the wind swirls around him. “So—I love you—very sorry…”

Yet, he'll always remember this as the most beautiful cherry blossom tree he's ever seen.