Chapter Twenty-One_
"Moths and Morons"

Sasuke turned towards her, the snow beneath his feet making a crunch.
"Sakura," he đã đưa ý kiến again, his hand finding hers—removing her hold on him. "I," he paused, his eyes fixated on the small hand now in his. His throat suddenly felt tight as he wrapped his fingers around her hand.
A wry laugh escaped his lips.
"It's getting cold and the snow's picking up. We should go inside."
"You're not going to tell me what's bothering you," đã đưa ý kiến Sakura, a statement of fact—not a câu hỏi hoặc a plea because she knew him, he realized, she knows him.
"Come on," he đã đưa ý kiến with a slight tug on her arm before he let it go and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
This wasn't her home, Oto wasn't her village. She was a Konoha kunoichi. She had a life there, friends, and family. His life was here in Oto. He was stupid to hope for even a một giây that things could be different.
He was stupid and foolish, he concluded as he walked up the porch steps and into the house.
Did he really think he'd be able to simply ignore his feelings for Sakura for an entire year? Hell, he hadn't even lasted two months before the tình yêu he thought he'd buried resurfaced.
Glancing at Sakura, he quickly forced his eyes away. He was doing it again. He was torturing himself with something he could never have.
Sakura. Annoying and childish Sakura. The girl who never gave up on him. Why couldn't she just see he wasn't worth it? Why couldn't she have continued to be that brash woman who punched him in the face back at Konoha? Maybe if she held onto that hostility, he could've continued to avoid her—to justify avoiding her when all along he knew, he knew.
Every ngày she was here, he could see it. He could tell how she seemed to be finding her way back to him.
Like a bướm, bướm đêm to a flame—stupid burning moth.
It had all started when she cooked that dinner. He hoped his rejection would fuel her anger at him, would rekindle that fury. It didn't. Why? Why did she feel the need to rebuild whatever he had broken seven years ago?
Most of all though, why had he let her?
When she asked why he'd taken control of Oto, he could've lied, he could've told her he wanted the title, the power of being in control. When she asked why he brought her there, why he picked her, he should've đã đưa ý kiến it was because he knew she would come back—she always came back. When she showed up that night in his office, he should've told her to leave, that he didn't want her there.
Could've, should've, would've, but didn't.
In the end, Sasuke realized he wouldn't be able to stand it if she hated him. Ever since he saw the anger in her eyes after she'd punched him, he knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if the one person he thought would always tình yêu him didn't.
He was a stupid naïve fool. That was all there was to it. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had wanted this all along. He had wanted her to come back to him, to prove that he wasn't evil.
He wanted her love.
Unfortunately for Uchiha Sasuke, nothing ever seemed to work out the way he wanted.
Stupid.
Naïve.
Fool.


Chapter Twenty-two_
"Body Heat"

Sasuke's eyes snapped open the very một giây the power went out.
After coming inside that afternoon, he told Sakura he needed to be alone and went to his room. It wasn't all for naught, he supposed, he did get to catch up on some sleep.
Of course, that was until the house turned eerily quiet. There was no dull hum of the heater hoặc nearly inaudible buzz from various electrical devices. Sighing in frustration because honestly could his life get any worse, Sasuke kicked off the covers to go check the circuit breaker. That was until he saw outside the window. Walking closer, he stared at the blizzard conditions now raging outside.
"Damn," he said.
At least he knew why the power went out, he supposed. A một phút later, he realized that the house would soon start to get colder before eventually getting to dangerously low temperatures.
"Fuck."
That's how he found himself in front of Sakura's bedroom door. He couldn't very well let her freeze and his stupid, stupid mind just had to get stuck on one thought: body heat.
He had to have done something horrible in a trước đó life to deserve this.
Using his anger to outweigh his nerves, barely-there happiness, and nearly non-existent excitement about the situation about to unfold, he pushed open the door and walked over to Sakura's bed.
"Sakura," he said—frowning when she didn't so much as flinch.
Shaking her shoulder, he tried again, "Sakura, wake up."
"Hmm," she hummed sleepily, "Sas'k'-k'n?"
One part of his mind was screaming cute while the other was screaming annoying.
Sasuke hated snow before—now he had a whole new vendetta against it.
"Get up," he said. "The power went out and there's a blizzard outside."
He wasn't at all surprised when Sakura perked up.
"Blizzard?"
"Yes, blizzard. Don't look so excited."
Sakura proceeded to pout and that voice shouting cute got louder. He quickly ignored it.
"Right," đã đưa ý kiến Sakura, "not that I'm not excited to hear there's going to be even thêm snow tomorrow, I don't see why bạn had to wake me up."
Sasuke was glad it was dark as a blush crawled up the back of his neck.
"The powers out meaning the heat's out too."
Sakura merely gave him a blank stare.
"Meaning," he gritted out, "we'll freeze if we don't take proper precautions like making a ngọn lửa, chữa cháy and…"
He trailed off, his mind once again thinking: body heat.
"Oh!" đã đưa ý kiến Sakura, shaking her head. "I'm going to blame the stupidity on the fact that I just woke up."
Sasuke bit his tongue, not wanting to have Sakura mad at him. That'd just hàng đầu, đầu trang of this lovely night.
"Just get some blankets out of the hall closet. I'm going to go grab some firewood from the porch before things get too bad."
"Be careful," đã đưa ý kiến Sakura as he left her room.
After getting Nữ hoàng băng giá in his trips to get enough wood to last them tonight and the rest of the ngày tomorrow, Sasuke placed a few logs in the fireplace and lit them with a quick katon. That was when he found a blanket on his shoulders.
He turned around to see Sakura spreading a thick comforter on the floor.
"Just looking at bạn makes me cold," she đã đưa ý kiến in response to the blanket she'd được trao him. "There's this thing called a jacket, bạn know."
"Hn."
The tips of his ears burned. Body heat.
"Alright!" đã đưa ý kiến Sakura, admiring her handy work. Really, all she'd done was stack a few blankets on the floor for them to sleep under. It was starting to bug Sasuke how calm she stayed about the fact that they would be sleeping together. Platonically, of course, and really they'd just be under the same blankets. Hell, they wouldn't even really need to be touching, but was just a few nerves too much to ask for?
Letting out a long sigh, Sasuke slipped under the covers beside Sakura—glad for the warmth—and found his own nerves slowly starting to leave.
It wasn't as torturous as he thought it'd be. It actually wasn't so bad at all, he realized. There was enough không gian between them that if he didn't give it much thought it was like he was alone.
That was until Sakura started rolling over every five seconds.
"Would bạn stop moving!" he said, turning his head to glare at her.
Sakura let out an exasperated sigh as she met his look.
"I can't get comfy."
"What the hell do bạn want me to do about it?" asked Sasuke.
"Switch sides with me," she đã đưa ý kiến immediately.
"What?"
"Switch. Sides. With. Me," đã đưa ý kiến Sakura slowly.
Sasuke's eye twitched. The little smart ass.
"Why?"
"Well, bạn look comfortable. Obviously your side is better!"
"Or maybe you're just being difficult."
Five phút later, they switched sides and Sasuke was just about to fall asleep when she poked him in the shoulder.
"Psst, Sasuke-kun."
"Go to sleep, Sakura."
"I can't."
Sasuke's eyes flicked open as he turned his head to look at her.
"Tell me a story," she đã đưa ý kiến before he could yell at her.
"Are bạn serious!" hissed Sasuke.
Sakura giggled. "No, I just wanted to see how mad you'd get."
"It's almost one in the morning," đã đưa ý kiến Sasuke as he rolled over, his back to Sakura. "Go to sleep."
When he felt Sakura's stare, Sasuke let out a heavy sigh and turned before lifting himself up on his elbow and looking down at her.
"What!" he asked, glaring at her.
Her eyes were focused on the ngọn lửa, chữa cháy as she mumbled, "I'm cold and that's why I can't sleep."
Sasuke's tim, trái tim nearly stopped as his eyes went wide.
He was at least glad to see the light blush on her cheeks, but couldn't very well enjoy it as he fought off a blush of his own.
Body heat.
Gritting his teeth at the incessant thought, Sasuke swallowed thickly before forcing himself to move. Stiffly, he scooted a bit closer—he'd let her be the one to close the không gian between them. He immediately regretted that when she turned so her head was resting against his shoulder. Stupid woman! He didn't think she'd squish herself up against his side like that!
It was ten phút before he felt his nerves cool off. Glancing down at Sakura who looked to be asleep, Sasuke couldn't stop the small smile that found his lips.
Hesitantly, he put his arm around her waist, anchoring her to him and closed his eyes—one thought on his mind.
Body heat.
This time, however, he decided it was a good thing.
. . .

Chapter Twenty-three_
"Want"

Sasuke woke the tiếp theo morning to find Sakura's legs Công chúa tóc mây with his and her arm tossed lazily over his middle. Swallowing thickly, Sasuke did his best to get up without waking her. It was going just fine until Sakura's hold tightened. A lot. Damn her and her stupid inhuman strength.
Sasuke let out a long sigh as his head fell back on the pillow. Closing his eyes, he tried to pry her hand off of him. It didn't budge. He laid there for a few minutes, his irritation growing with every một giây as he thought of ways to escape. The only one he could come up with was to wake Sakura up.
He didn't really like that idea too much.
Still, the ngọn lửa, chữa cháy was all but out and he needed to see the damage caused from the blizzard.
Looking down at Sakura, his tim, trái tim doing funny things in his chest all the while, Sasuke shook her shoulder and said, "Wake up, Sakura."
He almost screamed when she let out an annoyed groan and snuggled closer—her head now buried in the crook of his neck.
Great. Just great.
Sasuke was starting to wonder if this was how the rest of the năm was going to be. A series of unforeseen events in which the world mocks him with the fact that he loves a girl that he rejected seven years ago.
Still, he thought, there was no rule saying he couldn't enjoy it. Sure, it may make it worse when she ultimately leaves, but if fate hoặc karma hoặc whatever the hell someone wants to call it is going to taunt him, he would just have to take advantage of that.
And so Sasuke closed his eyes, wrapped an arm around Sakura's waist once thêm and decided he might as well catch up on a bit thêm sleep.
It had been a good idea. Really, he was rather pleased with getting thêm sleep, but Sasuke failed to consider what might happen if Sakura woke up. He didn't need to consider anymore, though, because she did and she screamed. Loudly. Right in his ear.
"What the hell," hissed Sasuke—a headache already starting to gnaw at his brain. Stupid high-pitched girly voice.
"S-s-sorry," đã đưa ý kiến Sakura, looking at Sasuke with wide eyes.
"Hn."
"I didn't mean to!" defended Sakura, obviously not happy with Sasuke being annoyed with her.
Sasuke didn't say anything as he got up to go throw a few thêm logs on the ngọn lửa, chữa cháy before it went out. He wasn't trying to be a jerk and ignore her, he just found it very difficult to look her in the eye at that moment. Rather, he found it difficult to look her in the eye after he realized what he'd just done.
Uchiha Sasuke had cuddled with Haruno Sakura.
All night.
He made his way to the front porch to see what had become of the blizzard. He glared when he saw it was up to the hàng đầu, đầu trang of the porch. Honestly, it wasn't bad. If they really needed to, they could leave the house, but being as it were, he didn't really need to and he wasn't about to try and walk through two feet of snow.
At least it'd stopped snowing, he supposed.
"Would bạn close the door!" yelled Sakura as she pulled him back inside. "Geez, it's cold enough."
Sasuke realized two things as he turned to glare at Sakura. One, she was pouting and two, he'd been right—he really should've avoided the eye contact. No, he should've avoided looking at her. Period. Because the moment he did, his eyes went straight to her pouting lips and a blush crawled straight up the back of his neck.
He admitted he enjoyed having Sakura around. She was easy to talk to while they were in his office doing paperwork—mainly because she did all the talking. He didn't mind walking to work with her. He didn't even care that she forced him to play in the snow yesterday because all of those things were inconspicuous. It was just two Những người bạn spending time together.
Last night, something had blurred in his head. He'd overstepped some sort of boundary and he knew, he knew, that was why he felt the unyielding desire to Kiss the girl glaring up at him.
Never before had he wanted to do anything like that with Sakura. Probably because he never actually considered it a possibility. It was simply off limits. But after last night, after cuddling with her, he wondered what exactly he could get away with without betraying his feelings and screwing up whatever friendship they'd built.
He was glad when Sakura swallowed thickly and stammered–
"W-water. I'm going to go boil some water on the fire. For hot chocolate. Yeah, hot chocolate."
–because he was sure he wouldn't be able to get away with kissing her.
. .. .

Chapter Twenty-four_
"Talk"

Sasuke had taken a moment to rid himself of whatever had possessed him a moment ago. It was one of the many moments he was glad at how easily he could bury his emotions. Still, just the very idea that he wanted to Kiss someone bothered him. And the fact that it had been Sakura! He couldn't say he was exactly surprised. Not after how he felt about her, but to want any sort of physical relationship with someone was very new to him.
It was annoying.
Shaking the thoughts—he couldn't dwell on them now, not when he would be stuck with Sakura all day—Sasuke went to the living room after realizing how cold he was getting. With one last glance towards the door, Sasuke hoped the rest of the villager's were okay. They were used to the winters bởi now, but there was always the possibility of accidents.
Regardless of the weather tomorrow, he'd have to make sure everyone was okay and check that everything was ready for when the snow begins to melt.
Sighing, he wondered if taking control of Oto had really been the smartest thing to do. He had made mistakes, yes, there were things he'd wanted to make up for, but he was only nineteen—had he really been the best choice for this place?
Too late now, he supposed, as he entered the living room.
He saw Sakura sitting in front of the ngọn lửa, chữa cháy wrapped up in a blanket as she waited for the water to get hot enough for her hot chocolate.
Typical Sakura wanting something sweet.
When she suddenly turned to look at him, his breath caught in his throat. He hadn't exactly realized he was staring, but Sakura obviously had when she asked, "What is it?"
"Nothing," đã đưa ý kiến Sasuke, forcing his eyes away.
He caught the suspicious look Sakura was giving him out of the corner of her eye. The way her green eyes were following him and the slight frown to her lips made her look different. Older. She looked like she had when she first came to Oto.
It unnerved him thêm than he was willing to admit.
Swallowing thickly, Sasuke forced his focus to remain on the ngọn lửa, chữa cháy keeping them warm. Maybe if he just ignored her…
"I want to ask bạn something," đã đưa ý kiến Sakura all of a sudden. Sasuke inwardly cursed. "Something I know bạn don't want to talk about, but I'm going to ask anyways. What happened with Itachi?"
Sasuke took in a sharp breath, memories he tried to keep buried flooding back.
"Why the hell are bạn asking me now?" đã đưa ý kiến Sasuke, angry. He knew why. They were stuck together and there was no way for him to escape. It was her only opportunity.
"Please, Sasuke-kun, I just want to understand you, help me understand."
Sasuke looked at her, but saw something entirely different. He saw his brother dying and telling him things he never wished he'd heard.

. . .

Chapter Twenty-five_
"Memories"

Sasuke felt a sinking horror as he looked at the slouched form of the man he despised. Never before had he seen Itachi look so weak, so helpless.
A gurgling cough echoed in the cave he tracked Itachi down to. There was nothing but a ngọn lửa, chữa cháy separating them. Nothing but a ngọn lửa, chữa cháy keeping him from running his katana straight through Itachi's tim, trái tim and ending things forever.
"I see bạn found me, little brother," đã đưa ý kiến Itachi.
Sasuke watched as Itachi pulled back his blood-covered hand. He couldn't believe his eyes.
"What's going on!" demanded Sasuke.
"I'm sorry Sasuke, I tried," mumbled Itachi.
"What the hell are bạn talking about, why do bạn look like that! Stand up, damn it! Fight me!"
Sasuke could see from the pale sweat-covered skin of his brother to the empty black of his eyes—Itachi was dying. Something inside Sasuke snapped at that. He'd thrown everything away for this moment. He'd được trao up his future to avenge his clan and now he finally had the power to do that and Itachi was… he was dying.
In a fit of rage, Sasuke flash-stepped to his brother. In a matter of seconds—he'd grabbed the cổ áo of Itachi's áo sơ mi and slammed him into the cave wall.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" screamed Sasuke.
"I sorry–"
"Shut up! Just shut up!"
Sasuke released his hold and took a shaky step away.
"How can I kill bạn now?" Sasuke gritted his teeth before shouting. "How can I fix everything when you're like this!"
Itachi smiled. The fucking bastard smiled. Sasuke felt his grasp on reality slipping away as memories of blood and murder and red, red eyes played through his mind.
He punched the wall—not at all caring about the cuts left on his knuckles.
"Sasuke," đã đưa ý kiến Itachi—his voice distant and so weak sounding, "I'm sorry. I did everything to give bạn the ending bạn wanted, needed, but I can't. They lấy trộm, đánh cắp my future. Don't let me steal yours."
His brother died with those cryptic words. Screaming in frustrated agony, Sasuke Mất tích himself as his eyes bled red and the cry of the chidori filled the cave. He rammed his lightning covered fist through Itachi's stomach the moment the tears began to fall.
Sasuke shook his head to force his eyes away from the fire. He'd always hated his brother, always despaired over the death of his clan, but never had he been so angry.
That very night he slipped back into Konoha as if it were a mere child's game. He dug through old records in the deserted Uchiha district and managed to piece together what Itachi had meant bởi 'they.'
The elder's and some man named Danzo.
Worst thing was that they were all dead. Everyone who destroyed his childhood—who caused the death of everyone he loved, was dead. For a month, he did nothing but wander from place to place. At times, he'd start unnecessary fights hoping that maybe someone might kill him. It never happened.
At one point, he wondered if there was any point for him to even remain alive. That was when he remembered Itachi's words—remembered he had a future ahead of him.
He was alive and so he would live.
He knew he would never be able to go back to Konoha—never be able to swear allegiance to a village that caused the death of his entire clan. That was when he found himself back in Otokagure and it hit him.
He had được trao his life to revenge, had closed his eyes to everything and everyone to follow his goal. He had a lot to make up for in this life and perhaps he could start in Oto.
"I," đã đưa ý kiến Sasuke, unsure what to say. Clenching his jaw, he spat, "He told me he was sorry for dying. He apologized for not letting me kill him and I hate him for that. I hate him for everything even if he was suffering too. I hate him."
He knew he wasn't making much sense, knew he probably only gave Sakura thêm questions, but that was all he could give her—all he could say. He was waiting for the barrage of các câu hỏi when a pair of slender arms wrapped around him.
"It's okay," whispered Sakura gently. "It's okay."
Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut.
He felt as if his entire life had been forgiven bởi a mere two words. He felt like the guilt he'd been carrying for hating his brother—for the mistakes he'd made in the past was suddenly okay.
Silently, he wrapped his arms around Sakura.
"Thank you," he murmured, trying to pour out every ounce of gratitude he felt in a phrase that meant so much more.
Being there, in her arms, was like being reborn anew.


. . .

Chapter Twenty-six_
"Falter"

Sasuke groaned before rubbing his aching neck. He'd fallen asleep while leaning against the couch. After his little outburst with Sakura, they somehow ended up on the floor, sitting against the đi văng as they stared silently at the fire.
It hadn't been awkward hoặc uncomfortable—though Sasuke was sure Sakura was dying to say something about what happened with his brother. He was glad she restrained herself. Just thinking about it was enough. He couldn't talk about it. Wouldn't talk about it and he found himself appreciating the fact that Sakura seemed to understand that.
His eyes slid to her when she made some incoherent mumble and then shifted a bit causing her to slide, lose her balance and her head to cái gối, gối against his leg. With baited breath, he waited for her to wake up, but she merely pulled her knees up—apparently getting comfortable.
Things got awkward then…
Her head was in his lap. Not in a lewd way, of course. It was sort of just against his outer thigh and closer to the knee then, uh, anywhere else.
Sasuke's eye twitched before he snapped them over to the fire.
He needed to stop thinking about it. Now.
Swallowing thickly, he glanced around for a cái gối, gối to put under Sakura's head. He was thankful to find one right behind him on the couch. Perhaps the world wasn't completely out to get him. Carefully, he slid his hand to căn nguyên, cái nôi her head as he scooted away enough to put the cái gối, gối down.
The girl pretty much falls on his leg and doesn't so much as flinch, but he moves her head a fraction and her eyes pop open. He still had her head in his hand—the other hovering over the cái gối, gối as he stared into her confused green eyes.
"What are bạn doing?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.
Sasuke opened his mouth–
–and nothing came out.
It was a first for him and very unnerving. Snapping his jaw closed, he cleared his throat, plucked up the cái gối, gối and put it under Sakura's head. She was still giving him that curious look, which had thêm hoặc less morphed into something that read: you're losing your mind, aren't you.
Absently, Sasuke thought: possibly.
Luckily, he was saved when there was a loud buzz and then an echo of clicks as the power came back and the countless little electrical devices hummed back to life. When the living room light flickered back on, Sasuke was quick to stand.
"Shower," he said, as he left the room as quickly as possible.
As Sasuke stood under the running water, he found his thoughts finally coming back to him. He couldn't really bọc his mind around what just happened, though. He, Uchiha Sasuke, had Mất tích his cool. Undeniably it wasn't the first time. Naruto had a knack at getting under his skin when they were younger and his temper sometimes got the better of him.
This—going brain dead in front of a female, in front of Sakura—was a first. He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.
Sasuke knew how he felt about her and he managed to accept that, but he simply couldn't accept this. Getting nervous and flustered bởi the opposite sex happened to people like Naruto and stupid hormonal teenagers—which he didn't consider himself. He was nineteen, yes, but he was also a shinobi and the leader of an entire damn village. Hormones got the better of normal people. He was Uchiha Sasuke, a prodigy, an exception.
He was wrong and in denial too, but since he couldn't accept that, he was left with the annoyance of not being able to come to terms with the fact the he might just be susceptible to hormones like the rest of the human population.
It was official—the apocalypse was coming.

. . . .


Chapter Twenty-seven_
"Naruto"

Naruto was squatting along the dirt path leading into Oto, his weight on the balls of his feet. His elbow was resting on one of his knees as his hand supported his head. He was glaring up at the two guards who seemed to think if they just didn't make eye contact he'd go away.
Ha!
Didn't they know who he was? He spent months pestering the granny; he wasn't about to give up now. Besides, it was the middle of January and he was freezing. The trek from Konoha had not been fun.
"I'd let me pass," he đã đưa ý kiến in a bored manner.
One of the guard's eyes flickered to him before darting away. The guy had the gall to look skeptical. With a mischievous grin, Naruto stood, cupped his hands around his mouth and screamed.
Loudly.
"HEY BASTARRRRD!" Birds darted from the trees, there distressed squawks not hindering Naruto in the slightest as he sucked in another breath. "IT'S THE FUTURE HOKAGE SPEAKING! I DEMAND bạn LET ME IN, hoặc ELSE–"
Naruto was promptly shut up when a hand smacked him upside the head. Sputtering a few curses, Naruto turned to see a very angry looking Sasuke.
A smile broke his face.
"Man, talk about service. It's so nice of bạn to come and welcome me in person."
"Tch," Sasuke scoffed before stalking back into the village—Naruto jogging to catch up before falling into step beside him.
Naruto could see from the tightness in Sasuke's shoulders and the rigidness in his step he was trying very hard to keep his annoyance in check. He found it all rather amusing.
"What the hell are bạn doing here!" snapped Sasuke.
"Whoa!" đã đưa ý kiến Naruto, returning the glare. "You're not allowed to be mad at me. I go away for a tháng and come back to find Sakura-chan gone. I believe I have every right to visit my friend."
Naruto didn't back down from Sasuke's glare, instead he added, "Both my friends."
Sasuke finally sighed, his eyes closing in exasperation as the tension in his body left. Naruto grinned—at least he didn't have to worry about being on the receiving end of Sasuke's fist. Not that it would be an issue anyways, the bastard was way out of his league.
Naruto allowed himself a moment's chuckle.
"Come on," đã đưa ý kiến Sasuke grudgingly as he turned down the tiếp theo road.
Naruto frowned but followed.
"Where are we going?" he asked, glancing around at the almost finished houses and shops.
"To pick Sakura up," đã đưa ý kiến Sasuke absently.
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly at the casualness in Sasuke's tone.
"Do that often? Pick Sakura up, I mean?"
A bit of the tension worked its way back into Sasuke's shoulders. Naruto forced himself to not grin. It was interesting, all very interesting.
"You wanted to see her," grumbled Sasuke.
Naruto's eyes narrowed even more. He was contemplating. So then, he doesn't pick her up?
"Wait!" đã đưa ý kiến Naruto. "Where are we picking her up from?"
"Work."
Naruto nodded. He figured he should've guessed that, but then again, it'd been awhile since he'd seen his pink-haired friend. For all he knew she could've taken up tango classes here in Oto. Just look at Sasuke—the bastard seemed… different from when they were younger. Still a bastard, of course, but he looked–
Naruto paused, frowned, and wished he had a better vocabulary. Though he'd die before telling Sakura-chan this. Still, Sasuke looked… calmer?
Naruto shook his head. That wasn't it. The burdens of Sasuke's choices with his life were evident in the dark circles under his eyes, but there was something else, something different.
"Did bạn change your hairstyle?" asked Naruto.
Sasuke gave him a sideways glare—a look that portrayed his exasperation. Naruto's eyes widened a fraction.
There, that was it, his eyes. Naruto smiled as Sasuke looked away and continued towards their destination.
Since he'd known him, Naruto had always been annoyed with Sasuke's eyes. It was like he would look at you, but see something else entirely—as if bạn simply weren't worth his attention. Later, he learned that wasn't the reason. Sasuke had simply stopped looking at the world around him after the massacre. Had stopped living.
Now—now his best friend looked like he found something, some reason, to leave the past and live in the present.
His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Sakura come out of a building just up ahead. His smile was from ear to ear.
"SAKURA-CHAN!"


. .. .


Chapter Twenty-eight_
"Team Seven"

Sasuke had forgotten how truly loud Naruto could actually be. After screaming, "SAKURA-CHAN!" and nearly causing him to go deaf, Sasuke wondered if he should've let Naruto into the village hoặc not. The smile that lit up Sakura's face before she threw herself at Naruto made him forget all about that.
Looking away when Naruto spun her in a circle, Sakura laughing the whole time, Sasuke told himself he wasn't jealous of Naruto. Annoyed and slightly pissed off, yes, but not jealous.
Naruto threw his arm over Sasuke's shoulders.
Moron.
"I want ramen," đã đưa ý kiến Naruto, as if it was the most sacred sentence one could utter.
Sasuke couldn't help but roll his eyes as he shrugged off Naruto's arm.
"No."
Naruto was in front of him immediately. Looking like Sasuke just committed some form of blasphemy, which, in Naruto's mind, he probably had. Sasuke found it all rather amusing.
"I'd be careful, bastard," đã đưa ý kiến Naruto as he folded his arms and made a real hiển thị of peering at his fingernails like he was bad-ass hoặc something. "You are talking to the future Hokage. bạn have to think about diplomatic relations and all."
Sasuke couldn't help but snort a laugh.
"You stupid–"
Before Naruto could get into his thêm colorful vocabulary, much to Sasuke's relief, Sakura quickly settled the matter.
Sakura looped each of her arms with Naruto and Sasuke's.
"I'll cook!" she said, smiling.
Sasuke was trying very hard not to pull his arm away from hers.
"So does this mean no ramen?" đã đưa ý kiến Naruto. He nearly sounded like he was about to cry…
Sakura stopped dead in her tracks—her head slowly turning towards Naruto. In a very low voice she said, "Don't bạn like my cooking?"
"Y-yes, Sakura-chan," đã đưa ý kiến Naruto, all the color drained from his face. "I-I c-can't wait!"
Sakura immediately smiled and chirped, "Great!"
Sasuke was rather disturbed bởi the whole exchange much like he had been when they first became a team.
He quickly forced back those memories only to find his mind drifting to the arm linked with his. He clenched his hands into tight fists inside his pocket.
As they were approaching his house—and Sakura's, he thought absently—Naruto said, "So what have bạn guys been up to?"
Sakura beamed.
"There was a blizzard!" she said, her eyes lighting up "I totally kicked Sasuke's đít, mông, ass in a snowball fight."
Naruto let out a barking laugh.
"Well of course bạn did Sakura-chan," he taunted. "The bastard couldn't hit a target if it was right in front of him."
"I think you're confusing me with you, dumbass."
"Psh, bạn wish people would confuse bạn with me!"
"Yes," đã đưa ý kiến Sakura, "that's all vey nice, but lets get back to the fact that I'm snowball champion of Oto!"
Sakura grinned as she walked up the porch steps.
"Now, now Sakura-chan," đã đưa ý kiến Naruto, "that's only because I wasn't there."
"Says the idiot who got the lowest scores in accuracy at the academy," đã đưa ý kiến Sasuke.
Sakura bust out laughing and Sasuke couldn't help, but smirk.
"You both suck," mumbled Naruto before quickly changing the topic. "So, pretty fancy place bạn scored here, Sakura-chan."
"Oh," đã đưa ý kiến Sakura, and Sasuke should've seen what was coming next. "Well, actually it's Sasuke's. I'm staying with him while I'm here."
Naruto glanced between the two of them for much longer then was needed before screaming, "WHAT!"
"Stop yelling Naruto!" scolded Sakura.
Naruto's voice dropped real low then, "You two, bạn know, aren't like–"
"YOU PERV!" screeched Sakura before she decided to use Naruto as her own personal punching bag.
Sasuke just shook his head and opened the front door.
"Come on."
Naruto and Sakura stopped what they were doing and grinned at Sasuke.
"Don't even think about it," đã đưa ý kiến Sasuke, but it was too late. Naruto and Sakura had already tackled him to the floor in their version of a group hug. If it weren't for there annoyingly happy laughter he would've electrocuted them bởi now.
Yeah, that'd be nice.
After Naruto rolled from the team seven dog pile, Sasuke's annoyance instantly changed to embarrassment when he realized Sakura was now simply lying on hàng đầu, đầu trang of him. Somehow, his hands managed to go to her hips.
Naruto's snickering quickly sobered him up, though, as he helped her up with him.
He was surprised to find her face a bright, cà chua red.
Clearing her throat, Sakura said, "R-right, so we should start cooking."
When she disappeared into the kitchen, Sasuke trying unsuccessfully to fight down a smirk of satisfaction, Naruto whispered, "Is there something bạn want to tell me?"
Sasuke simply smacked his best friend upside the head.
After dinner, in which Naruto talked too loud, Sasuke didn't talk enough and Sakura Mất tích her temper thêm often than not, Team Seven found themselves in the living room sitting around the coffee table.
Naruto and Sakura were playing a card game. Sasuke vehemently refused to join. Though, after trying to get away because he did have work he had to do, Naruto managed to force him into staying.
Sasuke could only wonder how he developed such patience.
Hours into the night, Naruto and Sakura's card game somehow turned violent when Naruto accused her of cheating—the living room was now covered in cards. The two were close to passing out as they talked about pointless things.
"I think we should go to sleep now," đã đưa ý kiến Sasuke, after Naruto's fifth yawn that minute.
"Hey, don't think bạn get to order us around," Naruto paused to yawn, "just because you're leader of some một giây rate village. I'm gonna be Hokage."
"Shuddup, Naruto," mumbled Sakura, her head in her hand and her eyes dropping. "Sasuke's really turned Oto into a wonderful village."
Sasuke glanced at her from the corner of his eye, a smile trying to work its way onto his lips.
Sakura's head slipped from her hand then and landed on his shoulder. Sighing she snuggled closer before mumbling tiredly, "I like it here."
Sasuke swallowed thickly, a bit unnerved bởi the weight that suddenly lodged itself in his chest. It was like the morning she'd fallen onto his lap all over again.
Naruto, who was using the coffee bàn as a cái gối, gối now, mumbled, "I like ramen," before he started snoring.
Looking down at Sakura, he sighed when he realized they were both asleep. Deciding Naruto was fine where he was, Sasuke lifted Sakura into his arms before carrying her to her room.
As he placed the covers over her, his hand lingered bởi her cheek before he pulled it back with a melancholy sigh and went to his own room.


. . .

Chapter Twenty-nine_
"Request"

It was still dark out when everyone found themselves in the phòng bếp, nhà bếp looking for coffee. Sakura was a bit surprised Naruto had gotten up so early.
While they sat at the table, eyes still closed waiting for the first pot to finish, she asked, "Why are bạn up so early?"
"Neck. Hurt. Jackass," mumbled Naruto.
She caught Sasuke smirk.
"What are bạn talking about?" she questioned, looking between Naruto and Sasuke.
"The jackass left me asleep on the coffee table," glancing at Sasuke, he added cheekily. "Unlike some people."
Sakura frowned, still glancing between the two. Naruto was the one grinning this time. Sakura's eyes narrowed even thêm before it dawned on her. She'd woken up in her bed, but never remembered walking there.
Sasuke had…
Her face immediately heated up as her mouth formed a silent 'oh'. Luckily, the coffee machine beeped. Sakura shot to her feet.
"I'll get it!"
With nervous hands, she fixed three mugs of coffee and deposited them on the phòng bếp, nhà bếp table. Taking her seat, she avoided making any eye contact with the two others sitting with her.
She noticed things between her and Sasuke had gotten… different. The hostility she felt for him was non-existent and for the first time in her life he didn't make her feel like she was being a constant annoyance when they were together.
Sometimes, she wondered if–
No! She couldn't go there. Things were good. They were really becoming friends. That was it. Nothing more. She couldn't hope for something more. Những người bạn were enough. It had to be.
"Sakura-chan?" started Naruto and Sakura could only hope he wouldn't– "are bạn feeling okay? You're a bit red."
"I'm fine," đã đưa ý kiến Sakura through gritted teeth as she glared at Naruto. She made it her mission to avoid so much as glancing at Sasuke.
"If bạn say so," đã đưa ý kiến Naruto before downing the rest of his coffee.
"Well, I best be off."
Sakura's eyes snapped back to him, "What? bạn just got here!"
"I know," đã đưa ý kiến Naruto with a shrug, "and as much as I'd tình yêu to stay, I can't."
"Why?" asked Sakura, disappointment marring her voice.
"'Cause Baa-chan's evil and knew I'd try and stay as long as I could so she gave me a mission three days from now," đã đưa ý kiến Naruto, frowning. "Oto is two days from Konoha, so…"
"I see," đã đưa ý kiến Sakura her eyes slipping to the untouched coffee in her hands.
She heard Naruto slide from his chair and sit his mug in the sink—rather shocked at this—before slinging his small bag over his shoulder.
"Wait," đã đưa ý kiến Sakura. "Lets take a picture before bạn go. All three of us."
She glanced between Naruto and Sasuke, who were looking at her like she was insane. They didn't really like getting their picture taken, but the last time the three of them had been together was so long ago.
Naruto finally sighed.
"I will if the bastard agrees," he said.
Sakura started chewing on her lip as she looked at Sasuke. She might as well just get disappointed and be done with it. Still, it wouldn't hurt to at least try.
"Please, Sasuke?" she asked, "It'd mean a lot to me."
She fought the urge to roll her eyes. Like something like that would work for Sasuke? Naruto, yeah. He was a sucker for the guilt trip, but Sasuke wouldn't care. She should've tried to bribe him or–
"Fine," đã đưa ý kiến Sasuke and Sakura nearly leapt from her chair in joy. She managed to contain herself, but the moment she stood to go grab her camera, she found herself wrapping her arms around Sasuke's neck smiling like a maniac.
"Thank you!" she đã đưa ý kiến before hurrying upstairs before they changed their mind.
When she got back to the kitchen, she froze at the sound of Naruto and Sasuke's hushed voices.
"So, bạn like her?" asked Naruto.
"Drop it, Naruto," đã đưa ý kiến Sasuke, Sakura took a hesitant step closer, trying to see in the kitchen.
"I'm just saying, you're being awfully nice to Sakura-chan, which is great and all, but it's not going to be enough," đã đưa ý kiến Naruto shrugging.
"Naruto–"
"I know! I know! bạn don't like her, but just in case bạn do, bạn have to try a little bit harder. After everything that's happened, it'll take a bit thêm to convince her how bạn feel."
Sakura felt her tim, trái tim drop to her toes. Why did Naruto believe Sasuke liked her? That was the craziest thing she ever heard! Sure she'd admit he was being strangely nice and all, but Naruto was definitely đọc too much into it. Sasuke had just grown up, that was it.
She saw Sasuke pinch the bridge of his nose and sigh.
"Are bạn happy here, Sasuke?" asked Naruto after a moments pause.
"Why, going to try and convince me to come back to Konoha?"
"No," đã đưa ý kiến Naruto. "Sakura-chan had been right when she đã đưa ý kiến we needed to let bạn go."
Did she imagine the hurt that flashed across Sasuke's face?
"I mean, after bạn broke away from Orochimaru and killed your brother we were just chasing bạn for our own selfish reasons. I just want to know, are bạn happy here? Should we have kept chasing you?"
She watched as Sasuke stared at the empty không gian before him, not realizing his eyes were fixated on her chair at the phòng bếp, nhà bếp table.
"I'm getting there," he đã đưa ý kiến quietly.
Sakura swallowed thickly before forcing a smile on her face and entering the kitchen.
"Alright," she said, setting the camera on the phòng bếp, nhà bếp table. Walking over to Naruto and Sasuke, she took her place between them, and said, "Smile!"
The flash went off and when Sakura got the picture developed, she would see Naruto beside her beaming much like herself and Sasuke–
–Sasuke would be looking at her without a care in the world.