Thank you for everyone that has reviewed and messaged me. I am going to try and update this story as much as I can. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 2

loving you is a bloodsport

Fighting in a love war

"How long are you staying?"

"I'm not sure."

Sakura fought the pain in her chest. He was here now, and that's all that mattered.

Even after all her efforts, Sasuke noticed the way her shoulders slumped at his answer. She saw his expression sadden.

"Are you hungry?"

"Hm?" Sakura was beside herself. What other reason could he be asking her that for?

Her cheeks reddened without her permission, "Yes!"

Sakura actually couldn't remember the last time she had eaten. She was far too busy to even grocery shop. Was it last night? Or maybe yesterday afternoon?

"C'mon." Sasuke turned on his heel, exiting her small office.

Sakura quickly put together all her paperwork she had been working on, slamming it into the grey file cabinet, before flitting for the door.

…..

Sakura tagged along close to Sasuke's side as they strolled through Konoha's streets. Her blush had faded, but threatened to return every time a fellow villager noted them.

"That's the wandering ninja." One said.

"He is the young man that helped Naruto in the war, the last of the Uchiha." Another answered.

"So where are we going?"

Unfortunately for her, today is the day Ino and Sai decided to have a late lunch at the sushi shop.

As Sakura turned towards her lunch date as they walked, she had met eyes with the blonde. Ino had only looked up a moment. And did a double take.

Ino no please.

Ino's face lit up as bright as the sun. Pure joy spread across her expression.

"Sasuke! Welcome back! You two don't wander off too far!" Ino's frantic yelling and waving disturbed other patrons at the restaurant.

Sasuke turned towards the commotion, not seeing Sakura's fury.

Sakura quickly attempted to compose herself, "Sorry Ino we have plans!" she hollered back as she hastened her pace. Sasuke caught on, and matched her.

Sakura thought about her words. They did technically have plans. Lunch plans. Late lunch plans. Were they going to meet Naruto? Was he taking her and her alone? Would he offer to pay? Was it..was this really a date?

Sasuke found Sakura's pondering silence suspicious.

"It's just us, if that's okay."

Sakura jumped from her thoughts. Her face reddened furiously as his words sunk in, "Y-Yeah! Sure of course that's fine!"

"To answer your question before, we can go anywhere."

"We could always go to Ichiraku! I know you're not its biggest fan, but it does have some really good memories!" Sakura smiled, on cloud nine.

Sasuke looked back at her, "Ichiraku sounds fine."

…

Over lunch Sakura barely had time to eat. She wanted to know everything. Where he was, what he did, who he met. She wanted every detail of his travels, and he obliged. Three hours later, the sun started to go down.

Sakura noticed, angry at Mother Nature for ruining their moment.

Sasuke looked towards the setting sun as well, "Do you need to leave?"

"Hm? Oh no!"

"I'll walk you home." Sasuke slowly stood, leaving payment for the two of them on the counter.

So it was a date.

Sakura's stomach started twisting and turning. She felt as if she were in a dream. And she was terrified to wake up.

Sasuke started to turn right, before Sakura corrected him.

"I don't live that way anymore. I live on my own now."

Sasuke seemed to be deep in thought as he studied her features. She wished more than anything to be able to read him like he could read her.

She smiled, "C'mon, it's this way!" she grabbed his only arm.

It was something so innocent.

She had done it a million times when they were genin.

Doing such a thing now, in a crowded street after their 'date', was a whole different subject. She had grabbed his wrist, her fingers lightly touching his palm, to guide him towards her apartment.

She pulled him through the streets, terrified to let go. Terrified to hold on.

Her fingers were frozen in terror as she zig zagged them through the crowds. Should she let go? Should she hold her ground and hold his hand all the way? He mind was racing.

Stone fingers lightly grazed over her own palm. They traveled around it, finding a comfortable place around her hand.

Sakura didn't dare turn around. Their hands firmly shut together was something she thought she'd never feel. All the times she had grabbed him before, she had never pushed far enough to intimately hold his palm. Now, now he did it for her.

Her heart pounded in her chest, threatening to burst. She could her it echoing in her ears painfully. Her ramen may come back up.

Finally, they reached an area that the crowds didn't congest, hands still tightly bound.

She kept herself ahead of him a little, unable to meet his eyes. He had seen her blush enough today.

They eventually reached her doorstep, to her dismay. What happens now?

"This is it." She smiled up at him, praying he didn't feel her palm sweating profusely.

"Do you work tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I kind of make up my own hours. But lately it's been almost 24/7."

"I'm proud of you, Sakura." His words meant more to her than he could ever imagine. She swore at herself internally as tears threatened to spill over.

"I'm so glad you're home, Sasuke. Please stay, at least for a little while."

His expression saddened again, like it had before in her office. She knew what that meant.

Before she could stop herself, she wrapped her arms around him. She had wanted to hug him since the day he left. She squeezed tightly, burying her face in his shirt.

A lone arm found its way around her, resting on her back. His forehead placed itself on the top of her head, she could feel his breath.

She didn't care about talking anymore. She didn't care if anyone saw them. She just wanted to hold him, and keep him safe here with her, where he was loved.

"Sakura"

Her name on his tongue always sent shivers down her spine. This was the closest he had been to her when saying it. She hoped he didn't feel her shiver.

"You're trying to tell me that you're leaving again soon."

A long silence answered her. She was right.

Slowly, she released her gasp on him. Sakura attempted to pull herself away from his chest, his arm hardened against her. She couldn't move. Surprised, she glanced up at his face, unaware of just how close they were. His nose touched her own. She thought she was going to faint.

"You don't have to wait for me. You can have a life, a good life."

Sakura shook her head, "You know me well enough to know my answer to that."

Sasuke showed her a half-smile that sent her heart racing. "Until tomorrow, then."

And he was gone.

…..

Sasuke watched silently as Sakura's shoulder slump as she stared into the vacant space before her. After a moment, she turned, holding her cheeks as she sported a wide grin.

He had to get away from her. That moment had moved to quickly, moved him to think beyond reason.

He watched as she entered her apartment, and kept watch for at least another hour. Once he deemed it safe, he returned to his old apartment he hadn't been in since he was a genin.

Sasuke walked through the now slowly emptying streets dimly lit streets of his village, mulling over the night's events.

A familiar face approached him, one that sent a twinge of irritation through his fingers.

The brown bouncy curls swayed in anger has the boy from the hospital ran towards him.

"What's your deal?!" he shoved a finger towards Sasuke's face. Lucky for him, he didn't actually make contact.

He stood there, fuming, waiting for an answer. When there wasn't one, he loudly continued.

"You think you can just come back out of thin air and have her? You think she deserves this kind of treatment? Huh?!"

Sasuke's eyes slightly cut, "She is of no concern of yours."

"Right back at you." The boy spat. Sasuke's fingers twitched into fists.

"That's what I don't get."

Sasuke carefully chose his words, keeping his temper down, "And what's that?"

"You know I'm right. You know you don't deserve her. Yet here you are, taking her away. Hoping a date and some running off into the night will win her over after all this time. You're a joke."

…..

The next morning, Sakura woke an hour before her alarm. Part of her hoped Sasuke would be on her doorstep waiting like he did right after the war. When he wasn't there, she was only slightly disappointed. Koga had been back in the hospital again that morning. He had already been treated overnight and was staying in the infirmary.

Kagome said something about him getting a bad blunt force to the back of the head. Did he go on a mission after speaking with him yesterday afternoon?

When lunch passed, her mouth threatened to turn down into a grimace. When the sun started setting, she knew.

She went straight to the home of the newlyweds after work. Frantic angry fists banged on their door. Naruto answered, winded.

"Sakura? Hey, what's wrong?"

"Where is he?"