I have tentatively been considering this new story for a few months. It's not like I don't have enough on my plate, but…lately I just feel like I need to try something different, and get a break from some of my other fics. A lots...going on there. lol This time I am venturing into the tried and true College AU. Going for something other than the typical one though. I want drama, angst and at times, a mix of dark themes. And romance, naturally. Think Wabi-Sabi in tone but under a totally different premise with different pairs and starting with an older Sakura.

Pairings: YahikoxSakuraxNagato

Konanx? I have two people I'm considering…but haven't decided who just yet. Any other side pairings are TBA... but yes this is another story of mine where Sakura ends up with more than one person. Slow burn, as always.

I don't own Naruto. And if you're adverse to anything about the premise or pairings, then don't read. This is just supposed to be a somewhat self-indulgent little project I've been holding off on. Nothing that requires serious scrutiny.

Alternate/Full Summary: Haruno Sakura is a college freshman, ready to roll up her sleeves and embark on the academic journey that's going to land her the dream job she's longed for since childhood. But nothing about her internship, love life or living situation is what she imagined. And she quickly finds out that she may need more than just book smarts to get past the unforeseen hiccups. Like cunning, and maybe a streak of lethality...

Sakura took a look around her childhood room, deeply inhaling the scent of air freshener and clean sheets. On the high chance that her plans panned out, she wouldn't be back here for a while, and the last thing she planned to do was leave it untidy and give her mother a reason to snoop under the pretense of cleaning.

No, her room was as orderly as she'd always had it, maybe even more so. Her cream walls, decorated with old movie posters and one or two framed pieces from her dabble into modern expressionism, felt smaller now. Too small to hold her now that she was a young woman setting off into the world.

The shelves lined with books she'd long read dozens of times over and a few souvenirs from past summers of family vacations brought on nothing but nostalgia, and so did the various academic and martial arts trophies and accolades strewn across her vanity with just a few errant bottles of nail polish, a makeup kit and her favorite perfume. Her canopy bed was made, the flower patterned sheets tucked expertly tight.

'All set,' She took a deep breath, jitters making her stomach quiver not for the first time that day. Moving across the room to her nightstand, she took a fond glance at the framed pictures there and pulled her phone off the charger. Noticing she had several new texts, Sakura opened the most recent one, from Ino. "Want me to come with?"

Rolling her eyes, Sakura tapped a quick reply of, "No, I'm still good. :P" and stuck the phone in her pocket. Honestly, no one she knew trusted her to look at an apartment by herself?

Ino had offered to come along. And so had Naruto. And Sasuke. And worst of all, her parents. She had declined that offer with more vehemence than the others, making sure she arranged to go and check out her potential new living space when they were out of town on business and couldn't possibly mettle. She would be independent if it killed them.

Sakura made sure all the lights in the house were off, flicking switches even as she grabbed her purse and trudged down the stairs. She practically flew over the threshold of the front door like a child, giggling at her own behavior as she twisted the key in the lock.

Just as she'd slid behind the wheel of her second-hand, incredibly fuel efficient little car, her pocked buzzed with another text. Blowing a few strands of hair from across the bridge of her nose and sticking the key in the ignition, Sakura wormed it out of clutches of her denims with a grunt.

"You don't even know her! What if she's a creep?"

Sakura laughed a little at Ino's last attempt to dissuade her. It was true that there were certain…concerns about this. Reservations her parents had expressed one, two, three dozen times. But it was now or never. She was determined to move out of the nest before the start of the term, the ad offered a location that was both convenient for school and work and more affordable than boarding on campus, and Konan had been pretty forthcoming with information, never hesitating to answer even the most mundane of her questions.

She'd even gotten a few pictures of the apartment building—a very well-maintained if not unconventional brownstone—and the living area and kitchen, plus the room that could become hers. Konan had been sharing the flat with roommates, but she assured Sakura they were fully aware of everything and weren't at all difficult to live with. Still, she would never know if the situation was a fit until she took an in the flesh tour and met them… "Then I bust out my martial arts moves and haul ass."

"Fine. Fine!" Ino texted back a minute later as Sakura started the car. "Send me pics when you get there though."

The pinkette put her phone away again, wanting to place her full attention on the road. She'd be following GPS directions and even if she wasn't, driving preoccupied was never her style. Reversing out of the driveway and giving the neighborhood she'd grown up in a little wave, Sakura set off, hoping the hour's drive would prove fruitful.

Traffic had been light, enabling her to pull up in front of Moya Apartments with fifteen minutes to spare. Sakura cut the engine and stepped out into the cool spring breeze with a stretch, admiring how the fragrance of cherry blossom trees planted strategically around the front pathway and the petals gently drifting down made the building that much more picturesque.

Konan's photos had been good, but they still just didn't do the place justice. Sakura hoped being a little early wouldn't be an inconvenience as she walked up the path toward the yellow wooden building that must have been the front office. The bell above the door jingled when she walked in, and the woman with her head bent over behind the desk looked up with a slow blink. "Oh hello," she said, a little belatedly.

Sakura stood straighter, happy her headband was holding back her ever-growing bangs. She'd opted to let her hair grow out over the winter, wanting a new look for the upcoming school year. "Hi," Sakura bowed quickly. "I'm Haruno Sakura. I'm here to look at an apartment advertised by a…um, Konan?" Why were her palms sweating? Why were her knees locking up? She'd come so far! Too far to get scared off.

To her immense relief, the woman nodded slowly in understanding. "Ah, Konan. Yes, that's up on the third floor. Apartment C42." The woman's eyes crinkled kindly. "Just exit, make a right and take the elevator or the stairs to the third floor. Shouldn't be hard to find from there."

Feeling some of the anxiousness starting to dissipate, Sakura offered the helpful woman a grin she hoped didn't make her look like she had a screw loose. Everyone always told her she was way too transparent.

"Thank you!" she waved, hurrying out the door and following the woman's directions exactly. In the mood for some exercise, she opted to take the stairs, deciding that the climb up shouldn't be too bad on a day to day basis.

Sakura peered at each door carefully, figuring the most embarrassing thing she could do now was knock on the wrong door.

"Aha!" Locating C42, she bit her lip, wrapping her knuckles in a firm but polite knock. She shuffled from one sneakered foot to the other, preparing for at least a few minutes long wait before the door was answered.

Instead, it opened up so fast Sakura jumped back with a squeal, the redheaded man in a black windbreaker with a cute brown dog under his arm freezing up immediately.

"Uh…" He looked her up and down, his eyebrow rising in clear surprise.

Although a long sweep of hair covered one side of his face completely, the part she could see was pale, and confused, and handsome… Snapping herself out of the unnecessary thoughts, she managed to clear her throat. "K-K-Konan?" Sakura winced. That was just pathetic. Trying again, louder, she said, "I have an appointment to meet Konan." There. Much better!

The redhead tilted his head, looking at the dog he was holding and then back at her. His visible eye was a pretty slate gray color, focusing intensely on her face. "She's out right now…" he said, voice soft and warm. Sakura deflated, because she only had herself to blame. Konan gave her an appointment time, and instead of waiting in her car, she'd rushed up and made an idiot of herself. "But she should be back soon." The redhead supplied. "You can come in and wait if you want."

Sakura looked at him in surprise, but he was already moving back from the doorway, letting her through. With a little reluctance, Sakura stepped inside and he shut the door behind her with a long arm. Getting a look around, she noticed the front room was neat, polished wood floors covered by sleek carpets and lots of neutral colors for furniture that could have made it all feel clinical but instead offered a sense of hominess.

He toed off his shoes and left them by the front door so Sakura followed his example. The man took a seat in a plush tan recliner and Sakura sat quietly on the edge of a matching couch, folding her hands into her lap. When he loosened his hold on his dog, she could see he'd had a lead clipped to its collar, which he detached. The dog, which could have been a Shiba or some mix of one, hopped out of his arms, only to settle on the floor at his feet.

"So," he began, voice still even despite the inherent quietness of it, "You're who Konan's showing the apartment to?"

Sakura nodded, glancing around briefly. "I'm Haruno Sakura,"

His eye widened slightly at that, and then narrowed as if he were thinking. "Do you know Uzumaki Naruto?"

Sakura's mouth popped open, the last thing she was expecting was for this stranger to somehow know her childhood friend. "Yes," she said slowly. "I've known Naruto since we were five. He's one of my best friends."

He made a small noise, and Sakura sensed he had more to say. What a small world, that this man would be acquainted with Naruto. Although, when she looked at him in the light, he was vaguely familiar himself. Huh…

"He's my—"

"Nagato!" A male voice echoed from down the hallway just over the redhead's shoulders. "Are you still here? Thought you were taking Chibi on a walk." Sakura stared in bewilderment, assuming the man she was talking to was the only one currently home.

"Temporary change of plans," He called back, unfazed.

"Oh, well since you're here…Have you seen my t-shirt?" The voice drew closer, and Sakura heard footsteps on the wooden floors. She swallowed, prepared to meet yet another person who was unlikely to be Konan. "The one with the frogs that—" Sakura did her best to hide the strangled gasp she made when an orange-haired man with more piercings than she'd ever seen in one person before stepped around the corner in only a pair of red boxer shorts, his chest and hair damp and a towel slung around his neck. "Oh…"

"Yahiko," The redhead apparently named Nagato turned his body to address the ginger. "I was just talking to Konan's guest, Sakura."

"Hey," Yahiko waved awkwardly, heedless of his undressed state. "Waiting on Konan, huh?" he walked closer, close enough that she could see the dusting of freckles on his chest, how blue his eyes were, and the fact that even his nipples and belly button were pierced. "Well, I'm Yahiko and I guess you've already met Nagato. We're her roommates." Sakura was having a hard time processing the information between trying to look at his face and not the ladder his abs made. Right about then is when Ino would have leaned over, nudged her, and made an inappropriate comment about how fun it'd be to climb them.

She'd always just assumed Konan was living with females. Names had never been mentioned, and Sakura had never thought to ask. She'd just been so excited, finding an apartment all by herself. Now, though, she was starting to doubt it all again…

"Were her roommates," Nagato added in a near whisper. "She's actually taking stuff over to her new apartment right now."

Yahiko pouted in a way that made him look surprisingly boyish, piercings and all. "Fine, were," He moved around Nagato's chair and stepped over the dog like he planned to come join them, but Nagato stopped him with a motion of his hand.

"You're not dressed," he reminded his friend. "Don't you think it's impolite to sit here like that in front of a young woman?"

Yahiko looked down at himself as if only just remembering he was almost naked. "Whoops, guess you're right." He started to sprint back the way he'd come. "Nice meeting you, Sakura," he called. The pink-haired girl was about to turn her attention back to Nagato, but Yahiko's head popped around the corner not even a minute later. "But uh, about my shirt…"

"Konan did laundry yesterday, remember? It's already been folded and put away, so check your drawer."

"Drawer," Yahiko gave them a thumbs up. "Right,"

When he was out of sight again, Nagato swept a long-fingered hand through his dark red locks. "I think we're both going to be a little lost without her for a while," he confided with a shrug. "Maybe Yahiko a little more than me."

"Heard that!"

"That just means you were listening in and not really trying to get dressed," Nagato called back.

Their banter was friendly and familiar, reminding her a little of her own two knuckleheads.

"Have you all known each other a long time?" She found herself asking.

"Since we were all kids." Nagato explained with a small smile, "We moved to the city together a few years back."

That only made her more curious. Naruto had relatives that lived far away in Uzushio on his mother's side, but he was born and raised in Konoha prefecture. Yet this man knew him."Where were you from originally?"

"Ame,"

"Oh, far away then." Sakura noted. 'And rainy…' The jokes about how frequently it rained in Ame were endless, and ubiquitous all across the country.

"Yeah, we've been here for almost three years and none of us are used to not needing raincoats every day."

That made her crack a smile; he'd been thinking along the same lines.

Chibi's head lifted suddenly, and his fluffy curled tail started wagging frantically as he made a beeline straight for the door. "Excuse me," Nagato stood up, trailing after him. Sakura watched in confusion, until the front door opened and a blue-haired woman in a blue crop top patterned in white roses and a matching knee-length skirt stepped through, a brown paper bag under one arm.

Sakura shot up. This had to be Konan! What were the odds that another person would turn up that wasn't? Then again she was already two for zero.

"Nagato," The woman's voice was like warm honey to the ears. "Has she already arrived?" She handed the bag over to him and began unzipping her thigh-high heels. "I underestimated the traffic…but I stopped to get us all some lunch,"

Somehow, Sakura found the gesture incredibly thoughtful. Besides, she had originally been early and a quick glance down at her watch revealed it was only ten minutes past their original meet time.

"It's okay, I wasn't waiting all that long," Konan turned to her, her expression surprised but recovering quickly with a pleased smile.

Her blue eyeshadow matched her hair and brought out the smoky color of her eyes. "Sakura I presume? It's nice to finally meet you. Sorry for being late,"

Sakura waved her hands. "It's really fine."

"I know you're here to see everything, but would you like to eat with us?" Konan offered, motioning a hand toward Nagato was already trekking to where Sakura assumed the kitchen was, bag in hand and dog at his heels. "I brought extra everything."

Sakura rubbed her stomach unconsciously. In all the rush and excitement, eating breakfast or even a snack hadn't been a priority. And it smelled pretty tantalizing, whatever it was.

Konan cut her a knowing look as she followed Nagato to the kitchen. "Four plates, please."

One thing I should definitely mention is, in this AU I will be using Yahiko's personality most and not the one Nagato adopted with the Pein persona. I'm not saying the stoic "Pein" won't be worked into the plot, because that definitely will. But Yahiko will be more like the charismatic and straightforward young man from the Ame Orphans' backstory. Also, I'm going by the manga's coloring for the Ame trio, in which Yahiko's eyes were originally blue. And Konan's were gray. Nagato's original eye color before the Rinnegan is anybody's guess since I can't remember a colored panel that showed them.

Also, it may start off like a fairly ordinary college AU, but the suspense and drama build sort of gradually, alongside the romance. I guess now that I think about it, it's got the always fun roommate AU mixed in with what I hope will be a unique take on the college AU. Little bit of crime AU mixed up in there too.

Reviews are always appreciated. Happy holidays to all.