Authoress' Note: I had to write this because it kept nagging at me. Yeah. Anyway, it includes Chibi!Sasuke x Sakura, Adorable!Sakura, and Pre-Emo!Sasuke. (I just like writing their names like that.) Anyways, Sasuke's not out-of-character, because if you recall, before his clan was massacred, he was social.
As in, he did talk to his brother, and he did smile. And I could have sworn he even blushed once. (I will remember that forever… :3)
P. S. What you might consider grammar mistakes are actually on purpose. Remember, kids talk differently. Oh, and AU. As in no ninja references.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Strawberry Pocky
The seven-year-old boy was left to stare confusedly at the girl who sat across from him. She just stared back with all her innocence, as if there wasn't a care in the world. Either she didn't care about what she had just done, or she was used to stealing from strangers, and not fleeing from the scene of the crime.
She had uncommon pink, slightly disheveled hair (possibly from all her roughhousing, he often saw her wrestling with boys during recess), which was contrasted with her bright green eyes. Her forehead seemed to be larger than average size also, so Sasuke had expected the girl— with such peculiar features— to want to blend in. She already had such a boisterous face, and now she was attracting only more attention to herself.
She was out of the ordinary and a thief.
He scowled at her, and the way she gazed at him as if he were something extraordinary. (That was her, not him) Both her elbows rested on the green ligneous lunch table, while her chin rested in the palm of both her hands. The girl smiled at him, tilting her head in a cutesy fashion as she did so.
Girls gazed longingly at him all the time, true, but she was much bolder than most. For one, no girl had ever worked up the courage to sit with him at lunch, and for two… Well, no one had ever worked up the courage to actually steal from him. The narrow, four inch strawberry coated biscuit that was in her mouth confirmed that yes, she was the first person to steal from the Uchiha Sasuke.
"Um…" Sasuke began shyly, not knowing exactly what to say. It was so odd and uncomfortable. He glanced down at his hands which were balled into fiats on his lap. "My Okaa-san packed that 'specially for me…"
She titled her head to the other side, a faint blush covering her cheeks. She smiled softly, but managed to keep the treat hanging limply in her mouth, "Your Okaa-san's nice. I wish mine was like yours. She almost never lets me eat nothin' sweet…"
When he glanced up at her, he doubted that she actually wished to converse about their mothers. Her eyes were twinkling with something more, and he wasn't sure if he liked it.
"That's what I mean," he pressed, hoping to get his point across. "She packed it for me. I was supposed to eat it, but you stole it. Now I don't have anymore…" he finished softly.
"But pocky's so good, and I had to get some."
"You didn't haveta steal. If you woulda asked…"
"Aw, you gotsta toughen up, Sasuke!" she said loudly. She took the strawberry flavored sweet form her mouth, and scowled cutely. "When big bullies takes stuff from you that you want, Okaa-san says to rough 'em up! I did that, and nobody teases me anymore. Okaa-san said that they fear me now. Dunno what that means, but it gotsta be good."
He didn't think that he could do that. Just as her mother had taught her certain things, his father taught him things as well. His father had always taught him to never lay his hands on girls. He hadn't questioned it, because his Otou-san had looked rather grim.
His father was scary, so he wouldn't go against his words and tussle with a girl.
"Otou-san says I can't fight girls," he confessed. (Though he would never confess that he was slightly afraid of the girl in front of him. She was just so… intimidating.) "So I can't fight you, Sakura…"
Dissatisfied by this, she chomped on the pocky, finishing it quickly. She climbed on the table energetically (attracting even more attention), before standing fully over him. The pink haired girl stood atop the table, pointing a finger down at him. "If I hit you, what would you do?" She placed a hand on her hip while awaiting his reply.
He lifted his head to stare up at her. Narrowing his eyes at the sun, the girl's shadowed face was rather foreboding. With that thought in mind, he wasn't exactly sure how to answer, but did anyways, "Nothing."
"Bad answer!" she shouted. He wasn't able to blink before she lunged headfirst at him.
Overwhelmed by her weight, his small body tipped backwards. He wasn't prepared for the impact, and thus, the force was much greater than what he anticipated. He cried out in pain.
The small girl placed her dirty palms on either side of his head and propped her body over his own. She watched as he hissed in pain. "See? That what happens when you don'ts defend yourself."
"Itai…" Rubbing the back of his head, he opened one of his eyes to stare at the girl on top of him. She smiled back at him. He frowned, a blush crossing his cheeks at their proximity. "Why'd you do that? It hurt…"
"Yeah, that's why you have to stand up for yourself!"
Before she could say another word, or before he could be injured any further, the lunch bell rung.
"Darn…" she muttered, standing straight. "Aw, I gotta go to class now. T'so boring! Anyway, I'll see you at lunch tomorrow Sasuke!" She was quick to run away from him, waving and smiling good-naturedly. "Bring more strawberry pocky, too!"
He didn't think that he wanted to see her again if this was how it would pan out.
.……………………………….………………………………xox……………………………….……………………………….
For the next few days, she was there just as promised. She was just as overbearing and confident every single day. Of course, she was quick to steal his pocky and eat it without a second thought. The only thing he couldn't quite understand was why he didn't mind, or why he secretly began bringing enough for them both.
She had been the first person outside of his family to extract a smile.
Sadly, nothing lasted forever.
It wasn't long before she stopped showing up all together. At lunch, there was no loud yelling, and there was no one to share pointless conversations with. It had all gone back to normal.
He would usually eat alone because none of the girls had the courage (of course) to actually sit and eat with him. They would always stay about twenty-five feet away, smiling and squealing 'Sasuke-kun!'
If Sakura could do it, why couldn't they?
Sasuke realized that after meeting Sakura, he was no longer suited for loneliness.
.……………………………….………………………………xox……………………………….……………………………….
"Hi, there!"
That voice… so familiar.
"Hey, Sasuke, you gots the stuff?"
Glancing up, he saw disheveled pink hair, mischievous green eyes, and a smile that spoke a thousand slurred words.
She's finally back…
Keeping a straight face, he watched as she hoisted herself onto the seat across from her. She placed an elbow on the table, and rested her chin in the palm of her hand.
The look she gave him was familiar, and it gave him a rather warm feeling inside. His cheeks flushed. "I… I don't have any today," he finally said under his breath.
Her pink eyebrows raised curiously at his unexpected revelation. "Whaddya mean? Ya run out or somethin'? I thought you said your family had lotsa money. Did you guys loose it all?"
Sasuke turned away from her, his face saddened. "I didn't bring any because I thought you weren't coming back. You were gone for like a week…"
"Oh," Sakura sat up straight, as if excited. "Well, I got sick! I wanted to come and tell you to save all the pocky, but Okaa-san said that I would give you the flu. Then I thought it would be better to call you, but the lady on the phone said you didn't live there…"
"I never gave you my number," he muttered quietly.
"I guess that explains why it didn't work, huh?" Sakura giggled softly. Noticing that his mood didn't brighten, she faltered. How could he really have been upset over it? It was only two weeks… She stood from her seat, before walking over to his side.
Sasuke scowled at her.
"Um…" she looked down embarrassedly. She dug her sandal into the grass, while her hands were held behind her back. "Sorry Sasuke, I didn't mean to make you sad…" She met his eye and smiled shyly. "I won't be gone for so long next time… So, tomorrow, make sure to bring some pocky, kay?
The bell rang, signifying the end of lunch.
"I really am sorry, though…" she said sincerely, turning her back to him.
She was sick,
"Hey."
"Yeah?" Mid-stride, she spun on her heels and faced him. "What is it?" Her voice was hopeful.
"Here," the meek boy held out a pink sweet to her. His cheeks were stained pink, so he opted to face away from her. "I… uh, I was still thinking of you, so I packed some just in case. I lied before. Sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck remorsefully.
"Aw, Sasuke!" Rushing up to him, she gave him a spine crushing hug. He was frozen in place. "That's gotsta be one a the bestest things anyone's ever done ever! Gosh, Sasuke, you're so nice! Almost like mommy nice!"
She pulled away from him, snatching the pocky out of his hand with a high-pitched 'Gimme!' "Thanks a bunch Sasuke!" She rushed away, but more importantly, with a smile. A smile that made him smile and would continue to for years to come.
And to think it all began with pocky…
Owari
Authoress' Note: Fluffy fluff. Just a short spur-of-the moment thing. Hope you liked. Go easy on the flames, please!