intricacy
& begin
monday
"Sakura."
She looked up at him, then blushed and hurriedly diverted her gaze. She was eating lunch alone in the courtyard––again, even though he could think of someone who would love to sit with her––and was quietly reprimanding herself.
He didn't know she was this shy.
She wasn't usually. Usually she'd be horribly forward and frank, asking him for dates or claiming she'd walk home with him. But today.
Today was different.
"Sakura."
She was looking anywhere but him––this annoyed him; because it was a change and he just didn't like change.
"Hai, Sasuke-kun?"
He'd had nowhere else to go today . . . and for some reason, being alone made him think more than he should have. He was always alone, and he was always immersed in thought, but today he disliked it.
"Hn." And he sat down next to her, taking out his lunch. She blushed harder.
He smirked to himself. Today, and all the days that followed, would be different.
&
tuesday
"Don't go!" She cried, tears streaming in rivulets down her face. "Please . . ."
He grumbled. He hadn't wanted her to see him, let alone confront him. Leaving quietly left him with less a sense of guilt.
"Hn."
"Sasuke-kun! I know what happened to your clan, but . . . that's no reason . . ."
". . ."
"You can't go!" She protested weakly. His eyes were downcast.
"It's not your business, Sakura."
"Not my business?" She shrieked inconsolably, emerald eyes narrowing to slits as she fumed. "Not my business? I'm your teammate, and––well, I thought I was your friend until recently, but you––"
Friend? He glared. "Shut up."
He kept walking. He didn't need the waterworks display. He didn't need (want)to see her break down and cry. He needed strength, power.
"I love you, Sasuke-kun!"
He stopped short. He'd known she'd had a crush on him for a while now, but love? He sighed. What could he possibly say to that?
. . . He couldn't tell her his feelings.
"Sakura," He turned to look at her carefully. "Thankyou."
Then he left. She was too bewildered to even protest further.
&
wednesday
The first thing he saw when he woke up was pink. Pink hair.
He groaned and turned away from her, as she expertly finished bandaging his wounds. "There we go, Sasuke. All done."
. . . Sasuke? He took a good look at her. It was her all right; same emerald eyes, same pink hair, just two-and-a-half years older. He sighed.
"You probably didn't want to be rescued from Sound," She commented absently. "But Naruto and I wouldn't let you stay there. Sorry for that, but I don't think you'll be able to leave the village again easily."
Damnit. He was back in Konoha? When he thought about it, he wasn't that angry. He'd become stronger, and now Orochimaru wouldn't take his body. But being back in the village he'd betrayed––against his will or not––was bad.
"Sakura . . . you're still annoying."
And those were the first words he'd said to her in a long time.
She didn't look hurt. If anything, she didn't seem bothered by this in the slightest. Instead she laughed and walked from his bed.
"Trust you. Well, if you need anything, Sasuke, just ask someone. You're not exactly unused to hospitals."
And she left. He frowned.
She had changed. Miraculously.
Now, she didn't seem very interested in what he had to say, and she hadn't blushed once in that exchanging of words. Nor had she gushed over him. Not even a simple –kun.
Should he be worried?
No, was the uneasy answer, he's Uchiha Sasuke.
Right . . .?
&
thursday
She was going on a date with Hyuuga Neji?
That was the only detail he was concerned with. Actually, he was concerned (Hmph, Uchiha Sasuke couldn't be accused of jealousy) about the general idea of her dating someone.
But Naruto had said she'd been on dates in the two-something years he'd been gone, so he didn't ask for further information. Sakura?
Date?
Damnit.
"What's up with you, teme? You're zoning out totally! Orochimaru made a wuss outta you!"
". . . Hn. Shut up, dobe."
It was at that moment that Haruno Sakura chose to pass by. She gave him a contemptuous look, before rolling her eyes.
"You really won't give up that habit anytime soon, will you, Sasuke?"
"Ah."
He glared in response. No one––not even pink-haired ex-team-mates––gave Uchiha Sasuke contemptuous looks. Really.
"Well, I'd better be going. I have to get ready for my date."
She turned to leave. "Sakura." Sasuke addressed her nonchalantly, albeit cold.
"Hai?"
". . ." If Hyuuga tries anything, he'll be dead. "Never mind."
"Huh," She shook her head. "Sayonara, Sasuke. Naruto."
&
friday
Sasuke damned unnecessary clichés to hell.
He and Sakura had somehow found themselves walking back to their houses––which weren't all that far away from each other––together. And just when she'd bid him goodnight and had turned away, he'd grabbed her wrist.
Frick. "S-Sasuke, what are you doing?" She hissed, although not all that forcefully.
"Hn." He couldn't respond. Trust his anti-socialness to prevent him from saying anything outside the realms of missions or ninja work.
"Sasuke?"
So, he said the first thing he thought of on impulse. ". . . Call me Sasuke-kun."
Really, it had been annoying him to no-end ever since that first time.
"Huh? Why?"
He blinked at her; cold brown eyes meshing with warm green ones. "Because I want you to."
Her eyes widened, and she shrugged her wrist from his iron grasp (how she did that, Sasuke would never know, but he wasn't concerned just then.)
"Sasuke . . ." She seemed to be contemplating something. Her eyes went all cloudy, and then she looked up at him, what seemed like an eternity later.
"Sasuke-kun."
She then, despite Sasuke's confusion, reached up and pecked him briefly on the cheek before turning around and walking up the steps to her house.
"Goodnight, Sasuke-kun." Then she disappeared behind her front door.
He was left utterly, utterly bewildered . . .
But at the same time had a strange sense of completion.
& owari.
STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIES
i went for a subtle approach, hope you enjoyed!