Finding a place for old ideas. Experimentation is fun. I do not own these characters.

Interchange

Sasuke was camped out in a grungy bar in Earth Country when she walked in.

At first, she was just another face with a dark hood flipped over her head. Despite the covering, he could tell she was a woman. There was a certain sway to her walk, and the folds of the cloth curved just enough to clue him in.

With a slight creaking of the warped floorboards, she slid into a stool at the bar. She wasn't of any interest, really. He didn't pay much attention as the bartender wandered over to her.

He was tucked away in a booth almost across from her, and business had been slow. There hadn't been any new patrons in over an hour, and he was starting to get frustrated. He needed a lead on Itachi, and maybe a contract or two to tide him over until the next town. He probably should've known that a dive like this wouldn't be worth the time.

The place was falling part. There were tears in the slippery cloth of his seat, and grooves had been cut away in the wooden surfaces, like in the stained top of his table. Walls had dents—remnants of fights gone out of hand. A few lights were missing.

He took one last sip out of his sake dish and was about to abandon the place to get back on the road when the woman spoke.

He didn't hear what she ordered, but the smooth chords of her tone struck him into stillness. It was familiar, yet not. Instead of leaving, he settled back down into his outlook and paid more attention.

She drank for a few minutes before an unkempt bar-fly slinked out of the corner, trying to smooth back his greasy tan hair as he went. Sasuke watched the man put on his most suave smile (which was quite a feat, since he was missing one of his front teeth) and make to touch the woman on the shoulder.

"No," she said sharply, halting the man's movements with her near-growl. "I am not going home with you, and I'm going to knock you into next week if you touch me with that grimy appendage."

The man looked shocked as he paused. The woman jerked her head and turned slightly her hood fell back, leveling an emerald glare Sasuke barely caught. Pink locks peered out of the dark garb, and Sasuke's eyes went wide for an instant before he tamed his face.

Out of all the people he knew, it was her. It was Sakura.

She had changed, he realized, looking at the piercing glare she was giving the man and hearing the hard edge to her voice. The teammate he remembered might've shied away from the drunk's advances and looked for someone to bail her out. Not this Sakura. He wondered if she could she really back up her threats.

"You should know better," the bartender warned the grungy man, and Sasuke snorted quietly.

The drunk finally got the hint and retreated to his corner sulkily. Sakura stared him down the entire way, and Sasuke had to avert his eyes to the window as she spun in her chair. She went back to nursing her drink, and he watched her until a barmaid approached his table.

"Do you want another?" she asked him, her hand cocked on her hip over an old alcohol stain on the white smock. She swept her free hand under her cherry red curls, but it wasn't because she was interested. He was glad his own hood covered his inky head. It prevented people from fawning over him.

Sasuke nodded, and the woman retrieved the empty bottle of sake at his table to fetch another. He wasn't exactly sure what made him say his next words, but before the lady could leave, he added, "And whatever she's drinking." He nodded toward Sakura at the bar.

He should have taken the opportunity to leave, but he didn't. Instead, he waited until the maid returned and then poured himself a fresh cup, watching as the lady stopped at the bar for his second request. She leaned in close to the pink-haired woman's ear with a gesture toward his booth and then glided away to a table in back that was waving her down.

Sakura stared at the drink for a second before turning in her stool to look at him. Sasuke looked away before she caught him staring. He didn't need his eyes to know what she was doing when the floor creaked.

She hovered at the edge of his section, but he still didn't look at her. There was a three second pause before she sighed. Her cup clunked as it hit the table.

"What the hell is this?" she asked, sounding more tired than angry. "I already had to threaten that other idiot. The last thing I need is—"

"Then don't drink it," he said, shrugging. He only barely remembered to drop his voice a pitch. He didn't exactly want to give away his identity, but even more importantly, her words had sounded like the beginnings of a long-winded rant. For some reason, he thought it wise to stay out of that.

She didn't lunge at him, which he took as a good sign. She was quiet for another second before she ventured, "So you're not trying to pick me up then?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, even though she couldn't see it, and snorted. "Please," he drawled, sneaking a peek out of the corner of his eyes. She was looking him up and down, analyzing his own dark hood.

Then, a grin broke out on her face. "That's great," she said, right before she slid into the opposite side of his booth. She was drinking sake too. "Now I won't have to deal with morons."

He scoffed, but he couldn't say he wasn't amused. The creep in the corner that had propositioned her earlier was glaring at him. Sasuke smirked.

Honestly, he had expected her to start talking right away, like she had long ago. Instead, she was content to sip her sake and stare out the window. He kept his hood lowered as he turned more toward her. The years had been kind in some ways. Her pastel hair framed a thin face, and her eyes had a happy spark to them. She caught him looking and raised a slender brow in response.

He was curious about her, he found. What had happened while he'd been gone? He supposed that was why he initiated conversation.

"Hard mission?" he asked, speaking casual.

She looked a little suspicious, debating whether or not she should answer as she lifted her drink and took a sip. He didn't really blame her. Ninja didn't share their secrets freely.

Then, she sighed. "Not hard—just long. I haven't slept in a real bed for at least a week. If I'm lucky and no more perverts pop up, I'll get one tonight."

He nodded as she took another drink. "You?" she asked finally. She wasn't demanding. It wasn't often that stranger rouge and hunter nin made conversation. She didn't offer her name.

"Something like that," he answered, wondering why he was so chatty.

With the airway opened up, there were so many things he could've said to her. He said nothing. He didn't even know if there was anything he wanted to say. He still needed to kill that man, and any sort of hope was dangerous.

Eventually, Sakura steered the conversation into further neutral topics. Neither of them pried. Nothing personal was exchanged. Still, he couldn't deny that it wasn't pleasant to just sit there.

He wasn't sure what possessed him, but when her cup had run dry, he refilled it. It was almost like he didn't want to see her leave, but that was stupid. He just wasn't going to drink it all himself.

When the sake was gone, she got up to leave. He didn't order another round. He also didn't really know why he was so reluctant to see her go. She'd definitely changed, but he didn't think that was enough to intrigue him so much. He was still a man on a mission, after all. He supposed old teammate instincts just made him worry. Just a little.

She offered him a smile and popped her shoulder before her light footfalls passed his table. Before she cleared his booth, he spoke again.

"Sakura," he called.

She gasped as her body stilled. Then, he realized his mistake. They never exchanged names.

Explanations whipped through his head, ready for use on his tongue. Was she well-known now? He was silently cursing that he didn't know. Surely strangers had recognized her before, right?

She turned partially so he could see her face over her shoulder. He watched as her hands curved into tight fists. Green eyes studied his form again, and he watched as realization soaked into them. He hadn't disguised his voice either.

He tensed, expecting some sort of reaction, but she didn't do anything. A soft curve of her eyes and lips formed.

"I'm glad you're alive," she said after a moment. Then, she turned around.

His eyebrows raised a fraction underneath his hood. That was it? No confessions of undying love? No heartfelt wails to return to Konoha with her? He was almost disappointed.

Her steps slowed then, as a wrinkle formed in her brow—the signal of some deep thought. A heartbeat passed and then she put her hand on the top of the booth seat, dipping down a little to lean in close to him. Curious, he didn't lean away. Her voice lowered to a murmur.

"He ambushed us a week and a half ago in Mist. We lost his trail before being ordered back," she said. She let the message sink in and straightened back up.

She was giving him information. There were no strings to it. She didn't offer a price or an ultimatum. He looked up at her, his hood falling back slightly so he could catch her eyes with his own. Neither of them moved until there was a shattering of glass from a table in back as the group roared in laughter.

"I'll take care of the creep that's been ogling you from the corner."

Sakura flipped her hood back up and shook her head, sending the pink strands dancing where they peeked out of her cloak. She walked away without another word, but she was smiling.

He couldn't help the small quirk of his lips, even as the drunk stood from his corner and watched Sakura pass through the door. Sasuke waited sixty seconds and then rose himself, following the creep silently.

He may not have been able to return to Konoha yet, but he couldn't quite say he was averse to seeing his teammate again soon.

Trying to get back into the writing swing for NaNo. A continuation of Flood is being worked on. Thanks for reading!