He hated being a Genin

He hated his brother

He hated Konoha's elders

He hated D rank missions

He hated paint.

Sasuke Uchiha hated everything right about now. Well, he didn't hate everything, but it was hard to be content with life when you were seventeen, an ex-convict, still a Genin, and painting a house an obnoxious shade of yellow as a sad excuse for a mission. When Sasuke came back to Konoha, three months ago, the last thing in his mind was returning to become a Genin while all his other friends out-ranked him.

The avenger sighed heavily as he slathered his paint heavy brush on the house. It was a good thing that Chuunin exams were quickly approaching or else he might brutally kill that stupid old women whose cat kept escaping from her. Then he would set the poor thing free… Or maybe adopt it, he was lonely enough.

When he came back to Konoha, he planned to rebuild his clan. But now, he was back, finally, and relatively free. And yet, no girl would come within a ten foot radius of him. This puzzled him; when he was younger girls couldn't keep themselves away from him, they always fell over each other for a chance to just look at him. Now they all either looked at him in disgust or fear. Sasuke sighed again, it was all hopeless. He was actually considering becoming like Kakashi (minus the pervert part) and becoming a legendary, lazy hermet.

Sasuke paused mid stroke. No, he could never be lazy like Kakashi. It was an artform only the gray haired man could master… And Shikamaru.

Suddenly, he felt another presence. Turning, he was surprised to see his own teammate, Sakura Haruno. His onyx eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"

She frowns at him, "Great to see you too, Sasuke-kun. I came to see if you needed help."

"Why would I need your help?" He asked, actually curious to know why she wanted to help him. "Don't you have to work at the hospital today?"

"I have the day off." Said Sakura as she moved to stand next to him. She bent down and picked up her own brush, dipping it in the paint. "Ugh, this color is disgusting. Why would someone want their house this color?"

Sasuke stared at girl for a moment, before dipping his brush in the paint and continuing. "Why would someone ask for Genin to do this? Are they that lazy?" He mumbled.

"Seems like it." Sakura mused.

And so the afternoon continued in comfortable silence. The house was finally finished and they cleaned up. They both stood and Sasuke took his time just staring at her with his hard, black eyes.

"Don't look at me like that. Everyone has been treating you like a leper, so I thought I should show my kindness to you."

"Why." He demanded.

She pressed her lips together in a thin line and she shrugged. "Because I can. Because I'm you teammate and I have to stand by you no matter how much you tick me off." She said seriously. Sasuke's eyes widened.

She had changed so much, no longer a little girl fawning over him and wanting to be by his side for all time. Sasuke oddly felt a twinge of some emotion he didn't recognize. Sadness?

Sakura saw the emotion pass over his features. "Well… I-" Her eyebrows cinched together as she saw him reach towards her. He pulled her arm to draw her swiftly towards him. He loosely wrapped his arm around her body. It was awkward… And so him. She smiled softly and leaned gently against him.

Sasuke decided to start a list of things he loved.