AN:Oh God, my first SasuSaku fic ever, and I think I want to murder it.
Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto. And after this writing experience, it's probably a good thing I don't.
Mr. Unconventional
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Ever since she was a little girl, Haruno Sakura dreamed of the day she'd find her true love, have a fanciful wedding, and live happily after. She'd sit with her aged husband, reminiscing of the days bygone. She would have a myriad of beautiful grandchildren; she'd have a perfect garden; she'd like to live in Narnia (though real estate there didn't seem too developed yet.)
In any case, it wouldn't be too far off from a fact to say that all little girls dreamed of this at some point in their lives. It came with the gender traits and all. But unfortunately for Sakura, she ran into a small problem that ruined all her conventional aspirations – Uchiha Sasuke. He didn't exactly contain the "Prince Charming" qualities in life…oh, he had the looks, the intellect (did princes even have intellect?), but that was about it.
He was, for simplicity's sake, Mr. Unconventional.
And that never sat well with Sakura.
--
Everything starts with a childhood romance – or so the movies seem to portray.
"Sasuke-kun," Sakura started in a way that suggested she had something on her mind (she always did), "what do you think of fairytales?"
Sasuke barely spared her a glance, preferring to stare at the blade of grass that was causing his leg to itch most uncomfortably. Besides, had he looked at her, she would've seen a very repressed sarcastic upturn of the lips. He always was a boy of few emotions. He preferred: hate, contempt, negative, and other associated things.
He had become too focused on his musings (and perhaps ignoring her rather stupid question – what seven year old boy cares about fairytales? A moron like Rock Leehis mind answered rather knowledgably) that Sakura was forced to prod him, curious green eyes staring at him with such child-like innocence and hope. How he hated that stare.
"I think it's stupid."
Sakura pursed her lips, moving away from Sasuke's personal space and bringing a finger to her own chin. Already she knew Sasuke was going to take some work if he was going to be her Prince Charming.
Besides, everyone knows that princes don't say things like 'stupid'.
--
Teenagers were always the ones to be deep and philosophical. Unless you're Sasuke, in which you have been there and done that.
"You're sixteen today, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura announced, plopping down on the park bench next to him.
He gave a nod which was more of a jerk in the neck. But Sakura was fluent in Sasuke-language (verbal and physical), so she accepted that as an answer without complaints.
"I was thinking we could celebrate over cake! What birthday is complete without that, ne?"
"Another year closer to death," he spoke quietly, gazing off into the distance or doing something else Saskue-esque.
"Another year of celebrating life," she added, not to counter his statement, merely to supply it. "Anyways, you're coming back with me to my place." Which meant she already had the cake ready, and that she was not letting it go to waste. She didn't care if she had to force-feed (which would be a funny image) the silent, refined Uchiha.
Sasuke accepted his fate and rose to his feet, and Sakura eagerly followed suit, glad he hadn't refused.
The pair (because couple just sounds too intimate) made their way back to Sakura's place where she promptly ordered him to take a seat on the couch. He chose to stand in front of it, watching Sakura's bustling movements in the kitchen. Upon studying her movements, he noted that she moved far too jitter-like. How annoying.
Within a few minutes, Sakura came parading out of the kitchen with a cake settled on a plate, candles delicately stuck in the thick icing. He hated icing.
"I know you hate icing," Sakura stated, lighting each candle until sixteen flames burned brightly, "but I love it. So I figured we sort of complete each other, ne? You can get the bland cake part, and I'll get the frosting!"
Sasuke just stared at the candles.
"You have to make a wish and blow them out." Sakura cheerfully explained.
"That," Sasuke enunciated perfectly, "is stupid."
"No, Sasuke-kun. That's just you being stupid," she replied with honest sincerity.
Sasuke gave her a shrewd look before returning his gaze to the cake; presently, wax was dripping and melting onto the frosting, something Sasuke had no problem with – Sakura was eating that part anyways. Sitting down on the couch, Sasuke cast a harsh look up at Sakura who stood beaming with joy as he leaned towards the glowing bundle of sweet crap.
Ever so slowly with measured steps, Sasuke leaned forward and blew out the candles in one puff of air. Sakura clapped her hands, "What did you wish for?!"
Sasuke was about to respond when Sakura gave a swift wave of the hand.
"Nevermind, don't tell me! If you do, your wish won't come true."
And so he leaned back in his seat, watching as Sakura spread the icing off of his slice of the cake, slipping it onto her own plate before handing back the now plain cake to Sasuke.
It was a good thing, he decided, that Sakura had not prodded further on what he wished for. Because quite frankly, lying took up too much of his precious time. Along with talks in the park, birthdays, and pink-haired girls with clashing green eyes who had just a bit too much hope.
--
Some things never fade with age. For instance, Haruno Sakura still idolizes her perfect fairytale dream, and Uchiha Sasuke is still her target.
It was a relatively quiet atmosphere in the coffee shop, Sasuke idly sipping some tea. A book was propped open before him, filled with tiny text that most people would mourn over having to read. He was in the process of taking a small sip and flipping the page when Sakura unceremoniously dropped into the chair across from him.
"I cannot believe some people!" She raged, dropping her bag on the floor beside her. "How the hell does someone staple their hand to their crotch, huh?!"
Sasuke furrowed his brow. "Naruto." He stated easily.
Sakura nodded her head with a toss of annoyance. "It's the second time this week!" She paused, eyes catching sight of the herbal tea next to Sasuke's hand. "Is that why you always seem to tune me out? It can be a pretty strong hallucinogenic, and I'm beginning to think you drink it solely for that purpose."
"I'd have to try harder than that to completely tune you out," he replied, a ghost of an upturned twitch in the lips vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.
Sakura smiled. "You're not much of a gentleman I noticed."
"Mm." Sasuke said quietly, never taking his eyes off of the page before him.
"So I don't really get why I like you." She mused aloud.
Sasuke felt a light twitch in his stomach. (Too much tea he thought knowingly.)
"I mean, you could look the part of one, but really…you're not." She stated. "If one really gets to know you, you can be pretty rude."
"And you know me?" A hint of disbelief sounded in his voice as he calmly turned the page. It wasn't an answer he particularly cared to know. It was just that every now and then, he found some perverse enjoyment in bothering, taunting the girl. It could've been perceived as an IOU in a very twisted way for all the times she prattled on and on to him, causing great pains for his head.
"More than you think I know," she retorted.
"Touché."
--
Everyone has to get there sooner or later. Uchiha Sakura knows that like she knows the back of her hand. And then there some things she discovered along the way, because quite frankly, Uchiha Sasuke is a very eye-opening man.
"Well look where you ended up now, Sasuke-kun." Sakura spoke, a mischievous twinkle in her clear, green eyes. There was a taunting lilt to her voice, one Sasuke knew well enough.
He snorted softly. "Whatever happened to that stupid fairytale crap of yours?" (And this time, he was slightly curious to know.)
Sakura leaned back in her seat, encompassing the mug between her soft hands. "I think I've still got a fairytale."
"Mm."
"I'll be honest and say you would never fit the criteria for a Prince Charming." She added.
"Mm."
"You're much better though."
"Finally something we can agree on."
Sakura nodded, closing her eyes. "Who knew you could crack a joke?"
"It wasn't one."
"Oh." She then nodded. "Humor always was beneath you."
Sasuke gave an eyeroll that barely looked like one, but was glad that his dark hair was long enough to cover it. After all, Sakura had become quite skilled in figuring out all his little gestures. (He never once bothered to appreciate she had done so a long time ago.)
"But you wanna know something?"
"Mm."
"I'm okay with that. I'm okay with the fact that after years of trying, you will never be the guy to sweep me off my feet like in the movies, or the guy to shower me with affection – at least not audibly – and you will never go out of your way to please me."
"I put the ring on your finger, didn't I?" He eyed said ring sharply.
"That wasn't you going out of your way, silly." He balked quietly at the usage of the pronoun 'you' and the adjective 'silly' in the same line. "It's okay every now and then to admit you love me." She winked.
"Whatever." He huffed and then reclined in his seat, flapping open the newspaper.
"I love you too."
(And that was something he had bothered to appreciate long ago.)
Pointless? Yes. Cheesy? More than likely. Crap? Couldn't agree more.
But I couldn't resist posting it anyways.