First up, many apologies for this horribly late update. First it was my final exams and then my laptop had to be sent to the PC clinic to have its LCD replaced. Sigh, such is life.
Anyway, as usual, thank you so much for all of your reviews and please, please, PLEASE, keep them coming.
Hope you enjoy this latest chapter and stay tuned for the next one :)
Warning: There are more cursing in this chapter (uses of the F-word) so if you guys don't like, don't read. And um, from here onwards, you'll notice a gradual build-up of this story to its rating. So, um . . . yeah . . . okay . . . that's it.
R&R, please and thank you!
P.S: I'm having a few problems uploading my documents (I have no idea why) so it could be the reason if I'm not back here by next week. Peace out.
Chapter 6
It had been nearly two weeks since Sasuke's return and Tsunade had finally given him her permission to leave the hospital, along with strict orders to not strain himself and warnings that ANBU spies would be observing his every move.
On the day he was set to be released, Sasuke sat on his bed, his long legs dangling over the edge of the mattress, and stared disdainfully at the walking stick Tsunade had given him earlier. The woman must be out of her mind if she thought he would even consider using it, regardless of how much pain it caused him to stand up for too long. So what if his left wrist was still wrapped in a cast? So what if his ribs ached if he put too much pressure on it? The pain wasn't permanent and he'd be damned if he appeared an invalid in front of everyone!
The door to his room suddenly swung open and Naruto walked in, his usual goofy grin on his face. "Good morning, teme!" the blonde exclaimed. "I bet you're excited that you're finally going out today!"
"Hn," he replied. He glanced past his friend's shoulder and saw his silver-haired former sensei standing in the doorway. He was alone.
"She didn't come," Sasuke said flatly, wondering why he felt disappointed.
Naruto squirmed uncomfortably. "She—she went on a mission yesterday," he said, thinking about the argument they'd had before she left. "But she's supposed to be back today. Maybe she'll come by your apartment later."
"Hn," Sasuke repeated with an indifferent shrug and then he noticed the object next to Kakashi. "What the fuck is that?"
"Now, now, Sasuke," Kakashi began calmly, "Tsunade said it's mandatory. You just have to use until we're out of the hospital."
"There's no way in hell I'm going to leave the hospital in a wheelchair!" Sasuke declared vehemently.
Naruto grinned. "Obaa-san predicted you were going to say that. She told me to tell you that if you refused, you can't leave the hospital. It's either that or we'll have to tie you to it."
"Then you're going to have to tie me to it," Sasuke snapped. "The woman's must be out of her bloody mind if she thought I would agree."
"Sasuke, don't be a baby," Kakashi teased. "Now come on, upsy daisy into the wee-tle wheelchair."
"Fuck you," Sasuke hissed, not at all amused.
"Come on, teme!" Naruto exclaimed, clearly trying hard not to laugh. "The sooner you get in it, the sooner you'll get out of it!"
"No."
"Sasu—"
"No, damn it! Fuck, don't touch me, Naruto. Let—!"
A minute later, Sasuke's arms and legs were bound tightly by both Kakashi and Naruto's chakra strings and a cloth was tied around his mouth and eyes—he'd tried using his Sharingan on Naruto—and he was wiggling furiously in the wheelchair. Behind his gag, he was using every curse word he knew—and he knew a lot—and he dimly wondered who the next Hokage would be since neither Naruto nor Kakashi would be around after Tsunade's funeral.
When his blind was finally lifted, he saw that they were standing in front of his old apartment. "You used jutsu," he—the gag had also been removed—said to Kakashi, more of a statement than a question.
"Of course," the Jounin replied. "Or would you have rather we pushed you through the streets on the wheelchair?"
Sasuke told them in explicit words what they should do with the wheelchair, but they laughed it off and Naruto unlocked the door.
Sasuke stepped inside first—damn, but it did hurt a bit to walk—and studied his apartment for a long time. It was exactly as he had left it, simple and neat with only the required furniture.
"It's clean," he declared after brushing his hand over the surface of a nearby table and finding it dust-free.
"Yeah," Naruto said and then added, "Sakura cleaned it."
The black-haired shinobi shot his friend a surprised glance. He hadn't known that. Considering her indifference toward him, he'd thought she wouldn't care less.
Kakashi correctly read his expression and told him, "After you left, the Hokage changed the locks and ordered four sets of keys to be made. I have one, Naruto has one and Sakura has one. Here are yours."
Sasuke deftly caught the keys the older man tossed him and scowled. "What about the rest? Now that I'm back, shouldn't you two give your copies to me, too?"
"Nah," Naruto replied with a smile. He patted his pocket. "It's more fun this way."
"I want them," Sasuke said with a glare.
"You can't have them," Kakashi drawled maddeningly.
Sasuke was contemplating on the multitude of ways he could retrieve the keys—all of which would give him immense satisfaction—when a thought occurred to him. "Why didn't Tsunade sell the apartment off? She didn't know I'd come back."
Naruto shrugged. "Regardless of what you did, what belongs to the Uchihas' property stays Uchihas' property. Shit, you're still rich even after the stunt you pulled."
Sasuke didn't say anything, but inside he was glad to know that his family's assets had not been touched. Like Naruto said, what belonged to the Uchihas, stayed the Uchihas'.
He walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, wondering why he wasn't surprised to find it well-stocked. He mentally calculated and knew it would be days before he had to go out to buy more stuff. He was glad; he wasn't afraid—shit, no—but he didn't feel up to being stared at and whispered about—not yet. He never cared much about what people said about him, or how they reacted around him, but the idea of walking around the village so soon after his return wasn't really anticipated.
As if he'd spoken his thoughts out loud, Kakashi said, "You'll be okay for a few days, but you're going to have the leave the apartment whether you like or not."
"Yeah," Naruto interjected. "Don't worry—not everyone hates your guts and Tsunade has made sure that everyone understands you've been given the proper punishment."
"Like I care," Sasuke muttered. He grabbed a glass and filled it with water before turning around to look at his former teammates. "Are you two going to stick around all day? What, are we going to exchange war stories and tear-jerkers?" he said sarcastically.
Kakashi stared at him for a long time before glancing at Naruto and then back to him. "I have some things to do. I'll come back and check on you later, if not tomorrow."
"You don't have to. I'm not a child. I can take care of myself."
"Maybe," Kakashi said in a tone of voice that made Sasuke bristle. "Try not to kill Naruto while I'm gone. Ja." And with a quiet "poof" the silver-haired Jounin disappeared.
Sasuke stared for a moment at the spot he'd stood before turning to his blonde-haired friend, who'd made himself comfortable in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. "You're still here?" he said rudely.
Naruto lifted a shoulder casually. "I still have some time to kill."
"Whatever." Sasuke sat down across the other shinobi and raised the glass to his lips.
"You're not a very proper host," Naruto remarked. "You should offer me a drink."
"I don't have any intention of being a proper host. You're not invited."
"Arrogant son-of-a-bitch."
"Dead last."
Naruto smirked. "I'm not the one who's still a Genin."
Sasuke's fingers clenched around his glass. "Say that again."
"I can't," Naruto said. "Obaa-san told me I can't beat up a handicap."
Sasuke was about to prove the blonde's words wrong when Naruto said, "You shouldn't be mad at her."
"What? Tsunade? That old biddy can shove—"
"Not her. Sakura," Naruto clarified. "You shouldn't be mad at her."
"Who the fuck said I was mad at her?"
Naruto continued, as if Sasuke hadn't spoken. "When you left, you really hurt her. I don't know what she's going through right now, but I know I can't really blame her on how she's acting toward you. You did a number on her and you're going to have to make it up to her."
"I don't have to do anything," Sasuke snapped. "I didn't ask her to feel that way about me, I didn't ask her to fall in—" He stopped abruptly when he realized what he was about to say.
But Naruto knew anyway and he raised an eyebrow. "To fall in love with you? No, you didn't. But I learned the hard way that you can't help caring deeply about another person. The heart wants what the heart wants. Or in Sakura's case, the heart wanted what the heart wanted."
"When did you get all girly?"
"The day you betrayed your village," Naruto replied bluntly. "I was afraid, you know."
Sasuke shot his friend a questioning look.
"After you left," Naruto told him. "I was afraid."
"Why?" Sasuke smirked. "Afraid that I wasn't going to be around to pick up after you mess?"
Naruto ignored the insult. "No. I was afraid that I was going to lose another good friend."
The smirk on Sasuke's face faded as he understood the meaning behind Naruto's words. He was unable to resist from asking, "How was she? Was she—was she okay after I left?"
"What do you think?" Naruto shot back angrily as he recalled the expression on Sakura's face during the days after he'd failed to bring Sasuke back, of how she refused to do anything but sleep. Later, Kakashi had shared with him the concern the older man had had that Sakura would wish to "sleep forever." Naruto remembered clearly the way his heart had clenched at the idea, the fear that had seeped into his bones. He'd just lost one friend—one member of his family—he didn't want to lose another one.
Now, he looked at Sasuke and wanted to tell him everything, wanted him to know the pain he'd caused, especially to Sakura, by his absence. He knew his friend wasn't as cold as everyone thought he was and he wanted Sasuke to feel guilty, if not for betraying the village, then for betraying Sakura. But he couldn't because in doing so, Naruto himself would be betraying Sakura and that was something he didn't think he was capable of doing, regardless of his intention.
So instead, he said, "You really hurt her and she didn't deserve that. True, you didn't ask her to feel that way about you, but she did and you broke her heart."
"She seems to have recovered from it," Sasuke pointed out.
Naruto snorted. "If it makes you happy to think that way, go ahead." He pushed back his chair and stood up. "I have to go. I have an ANBU meeting," he added just to piss his former teammate off.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, but refrained from breathing fire through his mouth the way he wanted to.
"Hey, Sasuke?" Naruto said just as he was about to leave.
"What?"
"I . . . I was your friend when you left and even if you don't want to think so, I'm still your friend now," Naruto told him firmly. "But if you ever leave again or make Sakura cry, I'll do all that I can to break every bone in your body, even if it means killing myself in the process."
"I'm not leaving," Sasuke stated. "As for the other matter . . . I can't promise anything. But I . . . I don't want to." He looked at his kitchen window and tried to ignore the strange twinge in his heart. Clearing his throat, he muttered, "I—I don't want to make her cry."
Naruto smiled. "That's good enough, I guess," he said softly.
"Naruto," Sasuke called out in a clipped tone.
"Yeah?"
"I—" Onyx eyes were fixed on the glass of water as if in rapid fascination. In a voice that sounded as if he were merely talking about the weather, the last remaining Uchiha said, "For what it's worth, I did—do consider you my friend." He climbed to his feet and held out his hand, which was clenched into a fist. His face was impassive, but there was a shine to his eyes that didn't go unnoticed.
Naruto glanced down at Sasuke's fist and then glanced up again and his smile widened. He clenched his own hand and firmly tapped his knuckles against Sasuke's. As casually as his friend had spoken, Naruto said, "You're such a girl. See ya around, you bastard."
"Loser," Sasuke muttered as Naruto left the same way Kakashi had, but the corners of the Uchiha's lips were curled up slightly
Hours after Naruto had left, Sasuke stood in front of the window in his bedroom and stared out into the darkening sky. He briefly attempted to search for the ANBU nin he knew were surrounding his home, but couldn't spot them. A corner of his mouth lifted in a rueful smile. If he could spot them, then they weren't worthy to be called ANBU now, would they?
After the days he'd spent in the hospital and the coming and goings of Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura and the others, he discovered that silence was no longer the solace he once considered it to be. The quietness of his apartment was a stark reminder of how empty his life was and it was oddly discomforting. He, who once found pleasure in being alone, no longer felt that way. It was strange; it made him feel as if he were a fish on dry land.
He turned away from the window and sat down on the edge of his bed. He needed to have it replaced; it was no longer large enough to accommodate his twenty-year-old physique. He imagined his feet would dangle over the end and knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep restfully tonight. Ah well, he thought. He'd slept in worse conditions. At least his house was clean.
Thinking about that brought his mind to Sakura and Naruto's words echoed in his brain. He wasn't a fool—far from it—and he knew he'd hurt Sakura when he left the village. He remembered her words to him from that fateful night and cringed at the callousness of his reaction then. Truth was, he'd been afraid—afraid that someone cared about him that much. He hadn't been able to handle the depth of her feelings for him, for he'd made a vow to avenge his family. To reciprocate her feelings would have weakened him, made him vulnerable and he couldn't afford that. He'd had a promise to fulfill and if he'd allowed himself to care about her as much as she had him . . . the possibility to forget his promise had been there.
"Thank you."
He wondered if she'd ever figured out why he'd said that. While he hadn't wanted her feelings, had even been afraid by them, a part of him had been grateful for them. He had been essentially alone his entire life, betrayed by the one he'd trusted the most, and it had given him comfort to know that he'd be leaving the village with her love.
Even though it didn't seem to last long.
He ran a hand through his thick, unruly hair. It was what he wanted, wasn't it? He didn't need someone fawning over him, constantly looking at him with eyes filled with awe—awe he didn't believe he deserved.
A knock came from the other side of his front door, echoing throughout the empty house, and his hand automatically reached for the kunai he kept inside the pocket of his pants.
A frown marring his handsome features, he left his bedroom and walked into the living room. He crouched slightly in front of the door, his senses alert as he searched for the person's chakra. He didn't sense any, but that didn't mean anything, for even the most skilled Genin could easily mask their chakra.
With his grip firmly around the hilt of his kunai, he unlocked his door and swung it open, only to reveal an empty porch. He scowled. If it was Naruto pulling one of his stupid pranks, he'd show the blonde what he could do even with half of his chakra blocked.
He took a small step outside and almost tripped over an object placed on the floor of his porch. He lifted an eyebrow and looked down. A moment later, a half smile crept on his face and he bent to pick up the basket of fresh, ripe tomatoes.
There was a note tucked between the gleaming fruits and he squinted to read it underneath the dim lighting. Sasuke, a housewarming gift, it read. There was no signature at the bottom of the note, but he knew who the tomatoes were from. He recognized the neat, elegant scrawl and despite himself, his smile widened.
Thanks, Sakura.
It had been a week since he was discharged from the hospital and two days since he decided to leave his apartment and reacquaint himself with the village. He'd learned to ignore the looks and the whispers that followed him and was unaffected by the snubs he received. He hadn't expected to be welcomed back with arms wide open, and he wasn't at all hurt by the cold, almost offensive stares thrown his way.
Although he didn't admit it out loud, he was grateful for Naruto and Kakashi's presences. They often joined him during meals and made it clear to everyone else that they accepted him back. To his surprise, there were others who greeted him warmly, most of them members of the former Rookie 9. They spoke to him graciously, politely avoiding the topics on his whereabouts when he'd left the village and were unfazed by his customary short answers. He didn't mind their company, though it irked him to see the Jounin vests Nara Shikamaru and Rock Lee wore, the Chuunin vests Akimichi Chouji and even Yamanaka Ino sometimes donned. Once, he even caught a glimpse of the intricate tattoo on Naruto's upper arm. It didn't shatter his confidence, for he knew how far he'd achieved, but the clothes and tattoos were a stark reminder that in spite of the power he'd gained, he was still officially a Genin.
From Sakura, however, he neither heard nor saw, and learned from Naruto that she was kept busy with her work at the hospital and duties as a ninja. More than once he'd heard her being referred to as "Sakura-sama" and knew that like both himself and Naruto, she had reached far. He knew he shouldn't be surprised, for the mark on his shoulder was firsthand proof of how much she'd improved, but he couldn't help but recall the images of a skinny, pink-haired girl fading into the background while he fought their enemies.
To his consternation, he discovered he still had some "fans"—as Naruto laughingly pointed out. Females, ranging from twelve to thirty, blushed when he walked past them and gave him coveted glances. Sometimes he'd return to his apartment to find dishes waiting for him on the doorstep with scented cards that said, "Welcome back, Sasuke-kun." Naruto and Kakashi took immense delight in ribbing him about them and he dimly considered if he should wear a shirt that said, "Traitor. Stay away."
He was walking through the training fields, where he worked daily to regain his stamina, when he noticed a small group standing near the lake. He spotted the familiar heads of Naruto and their former sensei and sauntered over, slightly curious.
It was Naruto who saw him first and the blonde grinned as he motioned Sasuke over. "Oi, Sasuke, you're just in time."
"In time for what?" he asked, shoving his hands into his pocket.
"For the show," Naruto answered in a mysterious way that made Sasuke want to hit him, but he resisted the urge and followed the direction Naruto was pointing at.
With a slight start, he recognized the pink-haired figure standing several feet away. Sakura was poised in a fighting stance, her long hair tied in a high ponytail above her head. She was dressed in a pair of black pants and a black tank top and Sasuke realized it was the first time he'd seen her outside her medical uniform. His male eye couldn't help but appreciate the neat lines of her body, the creamy skin of her bare arms.
His eyes strayed from her to Tsunade who stood in front of her, also in a fighting position. The Hokage was dressed as she always was, minus the robe her position dictated her to wear. There was a small, anticipating smile on the older woman's face as she stared challengingly at her apprentice.
He realized something else: the two women were in the middle of the calm lake and they were standing on the water.
"They do this once a month," Kakashi informed him. "Maintaining to stay above water while fighting isn't easy and this is their way of perfecting their chakra control."
"It's always great to watch them spar," Naruto put in, "and a lot of people usually turn up to see them."
Sasuke looked around and saw the truth in Naruto's words. Several groups gathered around the river, most of them shinobi. "Are they here to watch the fight or are they here to ogle?" he asked sarcastically when he saw a group of men staring intensely at a certain pink-haired medic.
Naruto grinned. "Well, that's half the fun. Sakura's like my sister, but even I can see she's hot."
"Tsunade-sama's not half bad, too," Kakashi added, earning him a look of disgust from his former blonde-haired student.
Tsunade grinned at her apprentice. "The crowd seems to be larger today, Sakura," she observed. "I'll try not to embarrass you so much."
Sakura smiled cockily and lifted her arms. "Ditto, shishou-sama."
The Hokage crooked her finger. "It's your turn to make the first move. Show me what you got, kid."
"I always do," Sakura said and broke into a dash, her arm outstretched.
Tsunade deflected the blow and water splashed between them. "You're faster. You still train with Lee from time to time, don't you?"
"Less talk, more action, shishou," Sakura declared, swinging her leg which again Tsunade avoided.
Sasuke tried to pay attention to the match on a whole, but his eyes couldn't help but stray again and again to Sakura. He observed her motions, her agility and the utter fluidity of her movements. He saw the sparkle in her large green eyes, the utter smugness of her lips whenever she managed to land a blow on her mentor. He'd never seen her take such enjoyment in fighting and couldn't prevent himself from smiling when her laughter rang out as she drenched the Hokage.
Of course, Tsunade wasn't Hokage for nothing. She, too, managed to land in her punches and more than once the crowd gasped as Sakura was flung several feet backwards and into the water, resurfacing with sputtered curses.
Fascinated, Sasuke watched as Sakura swing back her wet head and blow hundreds of small balls of fire from her mouth. Tsunade stomped on the water and defused the fire, but narrowly managed to avoid the hundreds of needles that flew toward her.
"So she modified the jutsu."
Sasuke glanced over the shoulder and saw that the speaker was Shizune. The dark-haired woman held a pink pig in her arms as she too watched the match between her leader and her fellow medic.
She noticed his glance and clarified, "I taught Sakura that jutsu. The first few times she almost swallowed the needles, but as you can see, she's gotten better. Hell, she even modified it."
"Aa," Kakashi agreed softly. "She's gotten better."
Sasuke silently echoed the sentiment. There was something about Sakura that made her appear graceful, even while she currently resembled a drowned rat.
Suddenly, Sakura jumped backwards until she stood almost six feet away from Tsunade. Something about her stance compelled Sasuke to activate his Sharingan and from the corner of his eye, he noticed Kakashi had lifted his hitai-ate.
Sakura's hand moved in a flurry of motions and light mist began to surround the river, obscuring the two women from the others' sights. Due to his blood limit, Sasuke was able to see them clearly and his gaze focused intently on Sakura as she clapped her hands together, muttered a word and then spread her arms wide. Suddenly, a wave formed on either side of her, sharpening until they resembled large blades and with a quick motion, Sakura sent them hurtling toward her mentor. Tsunade moved to deflect them, but was distracted by the large wave coming from behind her. She flew into the air, but due to the waves, she didn't notice the young woman above her. She lifted her arms, but this time she was unable to avoid the roundhouse kick Sakura presented and was heaved into the waiting river beneath her.
Sasuke was nearly struck speechless and Naruto, noticing the expression on his friend's face, grinned proudly. "Last year, Sakura spent seven months in the Water country on a solo mission. She must have picked up a few things."
Kakashi smiled behind his mask and re-lowered his head band as the mist evaporated. "I've only seen her perform that jutsu once, but I didn't catch it the first time. I've been waiting for her to do it again. Interesting, wouldn't you say, Sasuke?"
The black-haired young man nodded, but returned his attention as Tsunade reappeared from the water, her blonde hair trailing wetly past her shoulders. She moved her hands and a small blue light burst forward, accurately hitting Sakura at the left side of her torso.
"Yeah, Tsunade-chan, shake those hooters!"
Complete silence abruptly engulfed the area and everyone turned to stare at the white-haired man that had seemed to appear out of nowhere, shaking his arms as he cheered for his former teammate.
Naruto slapped his forehead and groaned. "Sometimes, Ero-sennin," he muttered, "I wonder how you survived all these years."
"He's definitely a masochist," Kakashi observed soberly.
The fight between Tsunade and Sakura had halted entirely and Sakura watched as a glacial, almost frightening gleam appear in her mentor's red-brown eyes. She sighed and lowered her arms, knowing that their match had ended for the day. It was probably a good thing, she mused as she grimaced from the twinge on her rib.
"Shishou-sama," she called out. "Just remember that I have other patients to take care of, too."
The Hokage's smile was feral. "What fun will that be, Sakura?" she murmured. "We'll continue this fight next month. You did good, Sakura, but you're still a bit rusty with that last jutsu. Your recovery time is still too slow."
"Hai. I will try to do better," Sakura replied and then grinned. "And remember, he's your friend."
"Right now, I've developed a short-term memory loss." And with that, Tsunade disappeared and coincidentally, so did Jiraiya.
Sakura shook her head and climbed out of the river, acknowledging the cheers she received with a polite bow. Someone tossed her a towel and she wrapped it around herself as she approached Naruto, Kakashi, Shizune and, much to her surprise, Sasuke.
"Nice, Sakura," Naruto declared, giving her a brotherly pat on the arm. "You're gonna have to teach me that water thing you did."
"Hai, hai," Sakura laughed.
"You're faster," Kakashi pointed out, unconsciously echoing Tsunade's earlier words. "Lee must be training you hard. Are you still wearing the weights he gave you?"
"Only when I'm sparring with him," she replied.
"Did you use any poison on the needles?" Shizune wanted to know.
"I save those only when I'm fighting the enemies, Shizune-san. I don't think shishou-sama would've appreciated it if I momentarily paralyzed her."
Naruto snorted. "She'll probably use it as an excuse to get piss-faced drunk. Do you think she's going to go soft on Ero-sennin today?"
"Not likely. God, what was he thinking telling her to-to shake her hooters?" Sakura sputtered.
They—excluding Sasuke—burst out laughing, knowing that the white-haired Sannin was certainly going to be unable to walk for several days.
Sakura turned to look at her former black-haired teammate, the corners of her lips curving upwards. "Sasuke," she greeted politely.
He glanced at her and then glanced away. Instead of returning her greeting, he said, "Your side's bleeding."
Sakura could feel her smile fading and unexpectedly, disappointment filled her. She set her jaw. What had she expected, really? For him to compliment her? Anger simmered within her and she brushed past him with a cold expression. "I'm going to change," she announced.
"I'll help you with your cut," Shizune offered as she followed her fellow medic, the squealing pig held close to her chest.
Naruto scowled and shoved Sasuke, making sure to hit his still tender side. " 'Your side's bleeding?'" he mimicked. "Is it your default setting or do you try to be an insensitive asshole?"
Sasuke shoved him back, but he didn't say anything. Inside, an emotion was beginning to form. He recognized what it was: guilt. Hell, why had he said that?
"Fuck," he muttered under his breath.
Kakashi, who was standing beside him, heard and said, "Nicely put."
"You dickhead, are you going to apologize to Sakura?" Naruto demanded.
"She's a shinobi," Sasuke snapped through gritted teeth. "If she can't handle one small comment, then she shouldn't be one."
Naruto shook his head and furiously stomped away. Kakashi sighed, briefly patted Sasuke's shoulder and walked away, leaving Sasuke, once again, alone.
Sakura was having a splitting headache. She was still recovering from a particular blow she'd received from Tsunade yesterday—Kami-sama, but her teacher's immense strength was terrifying at times—and Jiraiya was the worst patient a medic could ever wish for. He constantly hit on the nurses and was forever dropping objects onto the floor just to see the uniformed women bend down to pick them up. Sakura couldn't even begin to count the number of complaints she'd received and had finally ordered only male nurses to attend the legendary Sannin.
She stretched her arms and shrugged off her medical robe, wincing when she accidentally yanked several strands of her hair. She was glad that her shift was over; she was in dire need of a bath. A patient had accidentally vomited on her and though she'd washed herself off as best as she could, she still didn't feel clean enough.What she needed, she thought tiredly, was a long, hot soak in the tub.
She left her office and walked through the partially empty hallway. A nurse called out to her and she turned to acknowledge the greeting; thus she didn't see the person coming from the other end.
"Oof!" she gasped as she bumped into what seemed like a warm solid wall. She quickly righted herself and lowered her head. "Excuse me. I wasn't paying attention."
When she didn't get a response, she looked up and her eyes widened slightly. "Sasuke!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
He lifted his hand, which held a small plastic bag. "To get some medicine." The admission was given grudgingly and she knew it bothered him that he still needed the painkillers.
"Are you done for today?" he suddenly asked.
"Yeah. I was just about to—"
"I'll walk you home."
Sakura frowned; he sounded as if he were forced to make the offer. She took a step back. "You don't have to. I can walk home by my—"
"I'll walk you home," he insisted.
"Fine," she snapped.
Several minutes later, they were walking through the streets of the village. There weren't many people around; it was nearly dinner time and thus it wasn't as noisy as it was during the day. The silence between them, however, was deafening and Sakura felt compelled to break it.
"Ano," she began cautiously, "I heard from Tsunade-sama that they're making you train with Kakashi-sensei again."
He glanced at her and then slipped his hands into the pockets of his black pants. "Aa. Since all of the Genin teams have been formed, they decided it would be best if I just continue my training one-on-one with Kakashi. They're still discussing how to go about with my . . . my status," he said in disgust.
Sakura hid her smile. It was the best way, she concluded. She couldn't picture Sasuke training with kids nearly half his age. Naruto would probably give him hell and she'd undoubtedly have to spend longer hours at the hospital attending to fire-induced wounds.
"Sakura."
"Hai?" she said, almost too loudly.
"I—I haven't thanked you," Sasuke stated, clearly uncomfortable. "For the tomatoes."
She looked away, unable to meet his eyes. "Oh, that. I made a house call to a farm. The owner's mother was sick and as thanks for healing her, he gave me enough produce to last me a month. I remembered that you liked tomatoes. I didn't know if you still do, but I took a wild shot."
"Hn. Thank you, anyway. They were—they were nice."
"I'm glad."
They reached the corner heading toward her apartment building, but when Sasuke continued to walk straight ahead, she called out to him. "Where are you going, Sasuke?"
He frowned. "Don't you live that way?" he asked, gesturing at the opposite street.
She flashed him a smile. "Not anymore. I moved out two years ago. My mom lives there with my aunt now."
"Aa." He made a move to follow her, but she stopped him.
"You don't have to continue," she told him. "This is out of your way. I'll be fine alone."
"I told you I'll walk you home, didn't I?" he said impatiently.
You don't have to sound so surly about it, she thought but didn't say it out loud, and satisfied herself by rolling her eyes when her back faced him. Honestly!
They resumed their walk and once again, silence fell between them. Standing next to him, Sakura couldn't help but observed how much he'd changed physically. The times she'd seen him at the hospital he'd been sitting down and yesterday, she'd been too annoyed to take much notice of him. She was still annoyed, but not enough to ignore her curiosity.
To her dismay, she discovered he was so much taller than her. She wasn't short by any means, her height that of an average twenty-year-old female, but compared to him, she felt like a dwarf. The top of her head barely reached his broad shoulders. He wasn't bulky; rather his muscles were toned and defined, his body lean and well-honed like a runner's.
"Where is it?" he suddenly demanded, breaking into her train of her thoughts.
"Hmm?"
"Your apartment? Which one is it?" he asked edgily.
"There." She pointed at a neat, brown-colored building. "But you don't have to walk me to the door. You can leave—"
"Stop telling me what to do, damn it," he snapped.
"Well, sor-ry," she hissed. "If you'd stop acting as if there's a stick up your ass, I wouldn't bother!" She whipped on her heels and angrily stomped up the stairs leading to her apartment.
Much to her irritation, he followed her, his steps lighter, much more quiet compared to hers.
"Naruto lives nearby, doesn't he?" he observed as they walked toward the end of the hallway, where her apartment unit was located.
She took a deep, even breath, forcing herself to calm down. She wanted nothing more than to knock him over to the next village, but she pressed herself to act dignified. She was already regretting her earlier outburst and she didn't want to embarrass herself further.
"Yes, he does," she answered in an even tone. "Kakashi-sensei does, too. When I moved out, I thought it'd be nice to live here. Far enough to have my privacy but close enough if I ever need them."
"Hn" was the reply she received. She swore it was his all-purpose word. He used it when he didn't want to talk—which was more often than not—and he used it when he couldn't (or refused to) come up with an appropriate response. They should put the word in a damn dictionary with his picture beside it, she thought, irritated.
She reached her front door and years of her mother's etiquette training compelled her to ask, "Do you want to come in and have something to drink?"
He resisted the urge to smile, wondering if she realized she had shouted the offer. He shook his head. "No, thanks. I have to head home."
"Don't let me stop you," she said coolly as she unlocked her door.
"Sakura," his deep voice halted her.
She turned around and looked at him. He was standing too close, she reflected and unexplainably, her heart began to beat faster than its natural pace. "Wh-what is it?" she stammered.
He took a step closer and she instinctively stepped back, her shoulder blades brushing against the smooth surface of her front door. "About yesterday—"
She swallowed and then lifted her chin. "Forget it. I have," she lied. She hadn't, but she wanted him to think that the days when his words could hurt her as much as a kunai through her stomach were long gone. She was no longer the starry-eyed girl she'd been and just thinking about it made her cringe with embarassment. She'd made an utter cake out of herself then and she would be damned before she did it again.
He stared at her for long moments; a part of him was relieved that she wasn't going to make him apologize, but he wasn't blind. He knew she was lying, that she hadn't forgotten his insensitivity, but the thing that held her back from letting him apologize was the same thing that made him uncomfortable to apologize: pride.
He debated what to do; he wasn't the type to be indecisive but since returning to Konoha, he realized that—much to his dismay—he kept second-guessing himself, especially around a particular, pink-haired medic who had once claimed her undying devotion for him.
"Sasuke?"
His jaw flexed and then he said, "It was good match, Sakura." It was, both of them knew, the closest he'd ever come to apologizing about yesterday's incident.
Despite herself, Sakura smiled and the motion brought Sasuke's eyes to her mouth. Strange, but he'd never noticed how different a woman's lips were from a man's. Lips were lips, right? But Sakura's caught his attention. They were full and almost bow-shaped, with a natural tinge a shade darker than her hair. She must have licked them a second ago, because they were glistening under the dim light of the porch. Would they taste like strawberries?
The second the question popped in his mind, Sasuke reeled his head back and jerked his eyes away from her mouth. Kami, what the fuck was wrong with him? He was thinking of lips, for God's sake!
Sakura saw the scowl forming on his face. Now what was wrong? "Sasuke?"
He moved away from her as if she were the plague. "Go inside, Sakura," he practically growled. "It's getting late."
She frowned. His moods were as unpredictable as the sea! "Sasuke, are you all right? You look—"
"I'm fine, damn it," he snapped. "Stop bugging me."
"Excuse me for caring! God!" Without another word, Sakura turned around and entered her apartment, closing the door with a slam hard enough to shake the building.
Sasuke waited until he heard the click of a lock and then turned around to head back to his own apartment.
To be continued . . .