Sasuke Uchiha's Love

"I said her father was the most gifted ninja in Uchiha history." Haruno Sakura paused, her voice softening. "And the most stubborn boy in Konoha."

A rare smile touched Sasuke's lips. For a moment, Sakura could only stare.

Soon they stopped outside a newly opened dango shop. Sakura studied the menu, her eyes shining. "One skewer of Three-Colored Dango and some tea."

"The usual for me," Sasuke told the server.

After they sat down, Sakura leaned her head against Sasuke's sturdy shoulder and savored the rare peace.

"Why did you go out of your way to send Sarada off today?" Sakura asked with her eyes closed, a smile in her voice.

Sasuke did not answer at once. Instead, he awkwardly reached over and gently took her hand, its knuckles faintly calloused from years of using Medical Ninjutsu.

Sakura froze, then opened her eyes and met his deep, dark gaze.

The coldness and hatred she had seen there when they were young were gone. In their place was a tenderness shaped by the years, one she could hardly put into words.

"There's something," Sasuke said softly, "that's long overdue."

He took something from inside his robe and carefully placed it in Sakura's palm.

It was a Clay Ring, imperfectly shaped, with faint marks that showed it had been molded by hand.

The band was a deep indigo, flecked with tiny pieces of luminous green, as though they had been kneaded in by accident.

In the sunlight, the green flecks gave off the faintest glow.

"This is..." Sakura's voice caught, and her fingertips trembled. She recognized it.

It was the same kind of Clay Ring that Tsuchikage Deidara had used to propose to Kurotsuchi years ago.

Later, as the City of Art rose to prominence, Clay Rings were promoted far and wide