This is an AU where everybody is alive and happy. Also, it's the rewritten version of "Food" that I posted in… 2012, GOD.

The way to a man's heart

It was a sunny day in Konoha. The birds were singing and the flowers blooming, a sign of the upcoming spring. A soft breeze shaking the branches was keeping the heath from getting oppressing. All in all, it was a perfect day for a picnic. And that's exactly what our favourite teams of ninjas were in the park for.

Naruto, Kiba and Lee were running around, with Akamaru on their heels. Under the shadow of a tree, Sai could be found with his sketchbook trying to portray the peaceful scene in front of him, with Shikamaru napping to his left. The others were still sitting on the picnic blanket where they just had lunch.

Suddenly, Sasuke stood up and walked towards Naruto, who was now rubbing Akamaru's belly along with Kiba.

"What the hell's wrong with Sakura?" Sasuke asked, a frown on his face. Since they finished eating, the girl was acting strange, all strained smiles and giggles. He despised when she hid her emotions like that.

Naruto patted lightly the dog's head and got up from his crouching position. With a confused tone, he asked,

"What do you mean?"

Sasuke was about to answer, but Sai (when did he get here?!) beat him to it,

"He's right, Dickless. She's been giving all those fake smiles since lunch..." Sai turned his head to look at Sakura "… She's scary."

Now they were all watching Sakura, who was moving with Ino all the leftovers and drinks under a tree, away from the burning sun.

When Sakura approached Hinata, Ino looked at Naruto. What followed was a comical exchange of glances and gestures, where Naruto would look at Sakura, then back to Ino with a quirked eyebrow while Ino threw glares at the stock of food under the tree.

Realization hit the blond ninja, who turned towards the other men and said,

"I know what's up with her."

After a few seconds of silence, Sasuke snapped,

"And what would the problem be, dumbass?"

"Calm down, bastard. Sakura-chan's just annoyed 'cause nobody ate what she prepared for today's picnic!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. It was strange that with so many people, something managed to get through lunch untouched. Lee quickly explained,

"Sakura-san has got many talents, though certainly not in the culinary field."

Kiba burst out laughing "That's a really nice way to put it. Her cooking sucks."

Naruto and Sasuke glared at him, making Kiba's laughter die down. Still, he continued,

"It's true! That time, at Ino's birthday party, she made those cupcakes that made Hinata sick for three days!"

"Hyuuga's just used to high quality food." Sasuke shoot back. Naruto threw him a strange look.

"Well, one time I got sick too!" kiba continued.

"That's because you only eat what your dog eats."

"HEY!"

It was Naruto's turn to intervene,

"Kiba's right, Sasuke. You haven't tried anything she made, but trust me: Sakura-chan can't cook."

Sasuke scoffed. He couldn't believe that Sakura's bad mood was caused by something as trivial as this. They were being brats.

"You're all just fussy." Had they lived in Orochimaru's hideouts for two years, they would have thanked whatever Sakura cooked them.

"I bet it's not even that bad."

With that, Sasuke turned around and walked towards the leftovers, oblivious to the incredulous expressions that followed him.

Sasuke immediately identified Sakura's container, it was pink with green apples on the top. He opened it. Suddenly, an awful smell invaded his nostrils. He looked at the so dreaded meatballs, discovering couldn't even define what colour they were.

He walked back to the blanket, where everybody had now gathered together to play a random card game. When Ino saw him approaching with Sakura's tupperware in his hand, her eyes widened in horror,

"Sa-Sasuke-kun, what are you doing?"

Everyone turned to look at him. When they all understood what was in his hand, silence fell over them.

"I'm still hungry." He simply said. Then, he sat next to Sakura, who was looking at him with eyes so wide Sasuke thought they would fall off her face. He suddenly regretted his decision, if even Sakura, who had cooked the damn thing, was looking at him as if he had grown another head, then maybe her food was as terrible as Naruto and Kiba claimed.

In a sudden, and frankly unexpected, moment of cowardice, he asked,

"Anybody wants one?"

A chorus of "No, thank you" came from the group of ninjas, with a few shaken heads. Then, from the far end of the blanket, Chouji's voice resounded high,

"Thank you, but I'll pass. I'm full."

At that, Sasuke's resolve crumbled into a thousand little pieces. He didn't know the guy too well, but one thing was well known to everybody in the village: Chouji was never, ever full. Hinata gasped, a hand to her lips. Naruto shook his head. Kiba looked at him with pity in his eyes. Sasuke gulped. How could he do it, if not even-

With the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura's shoulders drop slightly, her eyes downcast in what he believed was one of the saddest expressions he had ever seen on her face. A blink of an eye later, she was back to that fake smile from before.

That was enough for him to pick a handful of those damned meatballs and stuff them in his mouth.

Everybody gasped, incredulous and wide eyed.

Then, Naruto let himself escape a "No way" when Sasuke picked another meatball, followed by another and another, until nothing was left.

Because those damn meatballs were fucking delicious and Sasuke couldn't understand how Sakura had such a gift and nobody seemed to appreciate that.

Sensing that all eyes were still fixed on him, he looked up from the empty container and growled a "What?!" that made everybody turn back to the card game that was left on hold.

"Sasuke-kun?" He looked at Sakura, whose lips were now displaying a beautiful smile that made his palms sweat.

"I have another bowl of those meatballs back at home: yesterday I made too many. Would you like to come over for dinner?"

His stomach grumbled in answer.