A/N: Standard disclaimer applies.
He doesn't let himself see her for a while, even after she's healed him and discharged him from the hospital.
Not even Naruto, as outwardly spirited as he is, disturbs him in his solitude. As soon as he could stand on his own, he made his way to the main Uchiha estate, which remained intact, and surprisingly, clean despite its years.
He doesn't let anyone in on his thoughts for a good month after the war. The village, still recuperating from the damages it sustained, was the complete opposite of his quiet demeanor. There were small celebrations with nightly fireworks and food stands giving away discounted goods. The funerals and ceremonies were over and it appeared everyone was in the mood to give thanks to the universe. Konoha was in good spirits.
But not Sasuke.
He felt like a stranger in a new world, surrounded by it all without having to cloak his identity. The Sasuke Uchiha, residing in a village encircled by a chakra shield, while his own signature, strong and glaringly obvious to any nin in the vicinity, going unnoticed was something he was not used to.
He simply felt weird, he decided, one day on his way to grab groceries from the market. He saw the looks they threw him and felt their eyes linger onto his form a second too long. He saw mothers gathering their children closer to them as he walked by. Gazes were averted, and yet he still felt the slimy scrutiny of the villagers. The tomatoes in his hand were close to being crushed.
It would take a while to adjust, he told himself. It would be a few more weeks until he felt comfortable enough to do more than eat, train, and roam around the house, cleaning and being as domestic as he could possibly be.
To admit that he was uncomfortable with his position in the village was beyond him. He would not allow anyone to believe that he was too scared to interact with the villagers, much less his former teammates, and so he continues his frustratingly mundane routine.
He thinks it's all too soon when the three of them, called by the newly appointed Hokage himself, are summoned for their first mission together.
It's quick, and easy, because there isn't much action in a C-ranked objective. To escort a valuable man to his village was oddly reminiscent to their first mission together, and Sasuke can't help but to roll his eyes at his former sensei for being such a sap.
Inwardly, he wishes for something outside the country borders. His atrophying muscles are screaming for something fast-paced, bloody, and complicated. His feet crave the long thick branches of the forest and he misses the clang and whiz of kunai. He then wonders, as he watches Naruto and Sakura interact with the civilian, if his teammates ever want the constant action he wants. If they enjoy the thrill of battle as he does, and if they seek it, like he does.
He must be damaged, he silently muses, and suddenly, he's frustrated and tired and angry and suffocated. He walks alone, behind the rest as they continue to their destination.
He ignores Naruto's protests to hurry it up and pretends he doesn't see the hurt in his eye when Sasuke tells him to shut the fuck up so we go home and stop wasting time on stupid missions.
As if he had better things to do with his time, really.
He declines the offer to eat with them at Ichiraku, but sits with them long enough to slide Teuchi the paid bill. He leaves a surprised but thankful Naruto and promises to spar with him later that week to make up for his shit attitude earlier.
There's a lighter feeling to him as he walks home, and all he wants in the world is to lay in his bed and wait for darkness to overtake his senses. Although he had done close to nothing compared to his previous regimen, he was exhausted by the amount of time he spent out in the open with people.
Which is why he doesn't know exactly how to react when a pink-haired medic falls in-step with him on his way home.
"That was nice of you," she starts, and he sees from the corner of his eye that she's smiling that all too bright smile of hers.
He tsks and offers her nothing to converse with.
And yet she finds a way to make conversation, as she continues, "you must be hungry after today, and so I picked this up." From behind her, she pulls something out of her obi and shows him a small dumpling container with onigiri and sliced tomatoes placed artfully inside of it. He blinks and stops walking to turn to her. "I'm glad I caught you! I thought it would be too late to give this to you since you walk so fast."
He takes the food from her hands and doesn't get a chance to say a proper thank you because just like that, she leaves with a wave, hastily explaining that there was paperwork to be done at the hospital.
Looking at the packaging in his hands, he finds that there is a warmness creeping up his neck and he can't shake it off, so instead he walks the rest of the way home at an increased pace, trying not to think too much into what happened.
Despite himself, later that night, he dreams of bright smiles and green eyes.
A/N: ^-^ Hooray for socially inept Sasuke-kun! Reviews would be nice guys.