DISCLAIMER: Naruto's not mine.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is my lame-ass attempt at an AU fic. Hi everyone, it's me again. I don't really have much to say… except that it's 1 in the morning and I'm quite sleepy. Anyway, please read and review so that I'll know if this is worth continuing. Thanks. Title is tentative… I might change it when I think of something better... please review!! Reviews make me the happiest person on earth!!

LEARNING TO BREATHE

PROLOGUE

The first time they saw each other in five long years was through the foggy haze of 7-11's glass windows. It was cold and damp and the night air was even cooler than the air-conditioning inside the shop; she had concluded that this must have accounted for the foggy windows. Foggy or not, though, it wasn't hard for her to discern who the person on the other side of the window was.

It never really was hard for her to spot him. Even when they were children, the mere presence of him seemed to magnetically draw her eyes. And now, despite all her growth and the damp mud sticking to her prim white stockings, she was still unexplainably drawn to him. Well, not really unexplainably… she knew that his striking good looks played a part. But really, she highly doubted that his handsome eyes could penetrate through foggy windows so she was willing to bet that it wasn't his good looks that drew her eyes to him this time.

She had been gaping at him from the outside for quite a while and she must have looked rather silly if a homeless bum deemed it apt to chuckle at her. Ignoring the bum's continued chuckling, she stepped up to the double doors and wiped her feet on the already-soaked rug.

The air inside the store was warm and fragrant with the smell of mashed potatoes and coffee. She got a good glance of her reflection from the fridge doors and saw that she looked like a complete mess. Sighing, she attempted to tame her matted pink hair but as expected, she was unsuccessful. The strands stuck out more than ever and, after giving an unladylike grunt, she gave up. If anything was to blame for her sorry state, it was the hectic shift she had spent at the hospital. She hoped that when she finally finishes her pre-meds and earns enough money to study medicine, she'd be less haggard. But she knew perfectly well that things were only going to go downhill and by the looks of her current state, she might have to stay as a nurse forever. So, she spared herself the effort of self-delusion and focused instead on saving up some money. Not that she could save, anyway, Naruto was always borrowing some from her. And though she loved the boy in a brother-sister sort of way, she couldn't help but resent him each time he forgot to pay. Either way, she was broke and she knew that she would probably regret buying the cup of coffee but she did it anyway.

She walked over to the counter, fumbled through her purse for some bills, paid for the coffee, and sauntered over to where the guy she was gawking at sat.

"You're not welcome."

"I know."

"Persistent as ever, Sakura."

"Rude as ever, Sasuke-kun."

It was normal banter for them. And though the urge to fangirl at him was still strong, she repressed it in favor of the friendly bantering because, though he didn't say it, she knew that he liked the argumentative Sakura a lot better than the ditzy one. However, it was five long years since she saw him and she couldn't help but wish for a slightly warmer welcome. They had, after all, been friends – acquaintances – once. Nonetheless, she took the seat that wasn't offered to her and idly mixed the contents of the 3-in-1 with the hot water.

"I was here first, you know, so I won't leave. You can't sit there."

She took a sip from her cup before she answered.

"It's a public seat, Sasuke-kun, and I don't see your name written on it."

"Look again. You're sitting on it."

"…"

"Nah, you're just trying to get me to stand up."

What she got for an answer was a glare that, though familiar, was still quite effective in making her feel quite stupid. It was then that she noticed the striking changes in his looks. His hair was disheveled, there were dark circles under his eyes, and his clothes were damp. She concluded that he must have been caught in the rain earlier and that he had come in here to dry himself off. Like old times, the desire to help him out stirred inside her. But she was more mature, and she knew that you shouldn't force help onto someone who didn't want it… because, really, it would end up hurting the both of you.

"If you're quite done staring…"

"Alright, listen Sasuke-kun, if you're really this uncomfortable with me being here, I'll go."

She didn't miss the mock-sigh of relief that he gave but that did not deter her.

"But I'm leaving you my number and if there's anything you need – anything – just call me, okay?"

She then took the tissue paper that came with the coffee she bought and jotted down her name and number in a messy script. If she had known that that strip of tissue would change her life, then maybe she might have bolted. But she had no idea at all of the changes it would bring to her relatively stable life and so she haphazardly placed it on the table and said goodbye as she turned to leave.

"Your coffee."

The baritone voice stopped her in her tracks and with half-a-glance towards his direction, she answered.

"You can have it. You look like you could use it right now."

He watched her protectively beneath his hooded eyes as she walked away from the store, vigilantly watching for anyone who would care to attack her. But as she turned right at the next corner, she disappeared from his view and so, he could no longer watch out for her safety. It seemed that being protective over her was a habit he couldn't shake despite being away for several years.

Out of all the things he thought would happen tonight, he never thought that he would run into one of his old schoolmates. He was back in Konoha for the first time in years and already he ran into a ghost of his past. Perhaps the place was still as small as he remembered. Either way, he was glad that a 7-11 had been built. He had worried that once he left Oto, he would lose his favorite destination for his sleepless nights. But now it seemed that his worries were unfounded as his insomnia would still be sustained by 7-11's instant coffees.

He hated sleep yet he loved it. So really, he was torn between calling his insomnia a curse or a blessing. On one hand, his lack of sleep interfered with his work and on the other hand, it spared him from the nightmares. Either way, he would rather have been normal… like his former friends.

No, scratch that. Naruto was definitely not normal. His mentor, Kakashi, had not been normal either. Perhaps the only one among them who was actually closest to normal had been Sakura.

Sakura.

That name reminded him of the scrap of tissue that she had left on the table. Tentatively, he reached for it and unfolded it. It was stained with coffee but still readable. He was slightly surprised to see Sakura's neat script replaced with a messy scrawl. But he decided that college did that to people. Knowing that he probably wouldn't - shouldn't - call her, he scrunched up the tissue and placed it on the table.

He was about to take his leave but he remembered the coffee she had left on the table. Not one to waste anything, he took a sip from the Styrofoam cup. Again, he was surprised. He had expected it to taste sweet. Instead, it was bitter and exactly suited to his taste. From what he remembered, Sakura always loved overly sweet coffee to the point that it was debatable that the beverage was still coffee or not.

He scanned the table and saw that, sure enough, two packets of sugar were present.

He knew she bought the coffee for herself. She even took a sip from it. Her early departure was definitely not planned. In fact, if he had been more accommodating, she probably wouldn't have left. So, why she made coffee that was tailored for him when it was so obviously for herself, he didn't know. Either way, something about the coffee made him reach out and smooth the crumpled piece of tissue that he had dismissed earlier.

Not knowing why he was doing it, he folded the tissue paper up and slipped it into the pocket of his dark jacket. Pulling up his hood, he stepped out of the store and walked the streets, unmindful of the sun slowly peaking out from beyond the mountains, slowly but surely heralding the start of a new day.

TBC.