The Angry Half

by Landlady of the Universe

Summary: In which Sakura gets a clue, and Sasuke regrets. SasuSaku, but not really.

Spoilers: None for Shippuden, but partially inspired by the manga circa ch 470.

Rating: G

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sensei.

A/N: Just something that popped into my head and begged to be written. That is all.

Sometimes you can't go back.

Last time, it was an apple.

This time Sakura hands him half of a peach. The angry half, she tells him. The half that broke from the pit after she made a neat slice through the center and twisted.

Sasuke takes it this time, direct from her outstretched hand. No plate. He eyes the knife in her other hand for just a moment.

The weak half, he tells her.

Sakura smiles at him. It's not the smile he's used to. This one has no warmth. Distant. Just a tilt of her lips. She shrugs. Same thing, she says.

Sasuke narrows his eyes.

She pries the pit out of the other half, wipes her knife on the napkin and returns it to her pouch. She takes a bite of the peach, pink tongue darting out to catch juice threatening to drip down her chin. Sasuke's eyes are drawn there.

Sakura notices, and gives him that smile again.

He takes a bite of his own piece. It's good, but he can't help but wonder what it tastes like mixed with her.

Sasuke expects her to bore him with useless chatter, but she says nothing until they're both done eating. Then, she only has one thing to say.

"Are you satisfied?"

It's a Kakashi question, which shocks him even more. Layers of meaning. Truthfully, Sasuke doesn't know which to answer. Nor does he know which answer she wants.

Nor does he know if he wants to answer.

So he cocks his head at her instead and says what's on his mind. "You're different." She is. And what makes it really strange is that their other teammate isn't.

That provokes a reaction he finally recognizes. But it's not the one he wants, and only with that realization does he figure out which one he does want. The old adoration; that smile that lit up the room. When he was younger, he'd hated it, being in that light. He doesn't think about what it means that he wants that now.

This is the pained look she used to give him when he turned her down for a date or called her annoying. This, at least, is the same, although the stimulus for it is different. And the following reaction.

Sakura stands, wipes her fingers and dabs her lips with the napkin. Then she leans towards him and too late does Sasuke remember her rumored new strength. But she only tosses the crumpled ball into the wastebasket and turns away.

When she gets to the door, she stops with a hand on the frame. She looks back, still with that familiar but unfamiliar expression.

"What did you expect?" she asks softly and doesn't stay around for an answer.