"When you invited me out tonight, you said we were just relaxing with friends. Those are not Relaxing With Friends shoes. Those are Date Night shoes, and I cannot afford a chiropractic visit after how much I just unloaded in tuition," said Sakura.

She glanced at the murky depths of the closet in Ino's dorm room, and crossed her arms over her bosom. "I agreed to a night of chilling and non-booty-shaking fun and I expect to endure casual discourse among the welcoming familiarity of friends. Grabby hands and a sore body are a no-go."

Ino scowled at Sakura and jutted out her lower jaw even as she pointed at Sakura with the sassy stiletto-heeled sandal. "For one thing, you are a medicine-oriented prodigy with a full freaking scholarship, so that line's bogus. For another, you can totally relax in these; see, they're meant to be worn while relaxing your feet on top of the table. Show off those sexy legs of yours, woman! You got it, flaunt it!"

"How can you say that with any integrity after making me put on a skirt I can barely fit my whole name on?"

"You could totally write 'Sak' across the butt of that skirt," said Ino, crossing her arms and cocking her hip.

"In font 6, sure. But certainly not with my heels up on a table. Because nothing screams class like having a skirt emblazoned with SAK'S ASS on it with your nasty hooker heels on display for all to approve of," said Sakura with an arched brow. "And no, get that look off your face, we are not writing that on the back of this skirt. I got you that damn Be-Dazzler gun in grade eight, Ino, and don't you forget I will take it away if you take one step closer towards me."

"Fine," huffed Ino, dumping the well-loved accessorizer on her make-up trundle. For now.

"I thought you said Shinobi was a laid-back pub? It seemed totally cool this afternoon," said Sakura with a tired whine. She had finally given in to Ino's wheedling and agreed to go out—for a short time—that night to meet up with their friends for a drink to hash out their week. But that was it. So far, she'd modelled four skirts, three pairs of skinny jeans, and more tank tops than she could count that night for her best friend's entertainment, and she was getting a bad feeling that they weren't heading back to the laid-back pub.

"Oh, did I say Shinobi for tonight, too? I mean Akatsuki. My bad."

Sakura closed her heavily made-up eyes a moment, and prayed her false eyelashes did not melt off when she opened them again to Eye-Beam her frustration at Ino.

"If your eye-forehead region keeps twitching, you're going to have cracks in your make-up," said Ino.

"I'm not holding your hair back for you tonight. Just so we're clear."

"Notice that I already did my hair in an up-do?" Ino didn't bother turning from the mirror she sat in front of, finishing off her dramatic eye make-up. Sakura almost hated her for how easy she made it look, in spite of how much time she knew Ino had spent learning her myriad magical cosmetic techniques. And social manipulation techniques.

Swearing internally, Sakura really was left with just one reply. "Argh!"

Ino smirked.


As he had every evening since his relocation to Oto, Sasuke passed that Friday night in his living room, tv dinner in his lap, working. He had found a number of inconsistencies in his department's reporting practices, and as had become his after-work practice, he now traced every one back to its originator. It was time consuming, meticulous, agonizing work and he revelled in its power to distract him.

At least until Naruto would inevitably call and destroy his focus as he was ultimately born to do.

"I hate you and I'm working. In that order," said Sasuke as he answered his personal satellite phone. He had not provided his work phone number to anyone, and had not provided work his personal phone number. Or advised them he had it.

"Ha ha, very funny," said Naruto. Or that's what Sasuke was pretty sure he said. The blaring music and screaming, yelling and laughing in the background were a bit distracting.

"So what are you up to tonight?"

"Preparing to hang up on a distraction."

"No! No, wait! I haven't heard from you this week. What's up, man?"

More loud music poured through the phone and Sasuke glared at it and held it away from his face. With a huff he set it down on the coffee table in front of him, pressing the speakerphone button. There, now it was practically like he was there! Sasuke couldn't wait until someone developed a technology that provided one the opportunity to punch someone in the face via phone call.

"Fine, busy. The usual," said Sasuke, though a bit louder.

"Do you miss me!"

"No."

"Aw man, come on! We're like family! Soul siblings! Brothers from another mother!"

"You mean dimension."

"Haha, I knew you were in there somewhere, Sauce-pants!"

"Please tell me you don't have me on speaker near your friends."

"Hey Sasuke!"

"Yo Sauce-pants!"

"Sasuke, man, how's it hanging?"

Sasuke's face pinched and he felt a vein throb in his temple as he squeezed his eyes shut, very tightly, nearly to the point of pain.

"Hey man, we miss you," he heard one voice break through the din of the loud music.

Kiba?

"Yeah, when are you coming back to visit?" asked Naruto. "You're coming back for Thanksgiving, right?"

"Or Christmas," said Shikamaru, his voice low and gravelly. "You'll be back then, man, right? Your family probably misses you, ya know."

Sasuke stared at the phone, swallowing.

"Naruto," he said, his voice rough. "How many people are there with you?"

"Oh, everybody's here! Everybody, say Hi to Sasuke!"

"Hey Sasuke!" a large group cheered, drowning out the music for a moment, then broke into laughs and whoops. "We miss you~!" They followed up with lots of jeers and kissing noises, but more laughter and well-wishes, too.

For a moment, Sasuke couldn't form words. His voice and mouth went dry and he couldn't see anything but the speaker of his phone, staring back at him in his cold, otherwise quiet, tidy living room.

"See, man! We wouldn't forget about you! So seriously, what's happening? You're so busy I can barely reach you!"

Sasuke swallowed and reached out, pulling the phone just a little bit closer.

"It's… it's good. I made it through my first performance review. They're apparently really impressed. So far."

"Yeah, but you were born that way. Stupid Uchiha lucky bastard," mumbled Naruto, but just loud enough for Sasuke to hear.

Against his will, Sasuke felt his face warm from its now-usual chill and his cheeks loosen, his smile surfacing for the first time in weeks.

"You mean amazingly brilliant Uchiha," he retorted, and heard Naruto and a few others laugh through the receiver. "Don't think you can get away with that just because I'm not there in person. Idiot."

"Jerk!"

"Asshole."

"You… you… dingbat combat wombat!"

"I… what?" asked Sasuke, unsure he'd heard Naruto correctly.

"Uh, never mind. Switching off the speakerphone now. Everybody say Bye!"

"Bye Sasuke!" Their loud voices drowned out the premium bass that thumped through the phone, and once again, Sasuke felt his face loosening and growing warm. Maybe he was coming down with something.

"There we go," said Naruto, and his voice became clearer. "Can you still hear me?"

"Yeah, unfortunately."

"Heh, I miss you too, man. We all do. It's not the same without you here. We're all heading out next week together to sign up for campus teams and clubs; what am I supposed to do without my wingman?"

"Wingman? I see your delusions of grandeur have taken on epic proportions," said Sasuke, setting his notebook computer onto the table alongside the phone so he could continue working. "I'm sure the campus janitorial staff could use a marksman like you for garbage pick-up after games," he drawled, though his ears had seized on Naruto's words. "So things are so boring you all miss me?"

"Dude, we all grew up together. Of course we miss you. You really are my brother, in a way. You and Sakura are my only family. Er, yeah, that is… anyway, yeah. We're rooting for you!"

Sasuke folded his hands together and looked at them a moment.

"I'm off speaker?"

"Yeah, man. It's too loud in here otherwise."

Still wincing at the volume of noise coming through with Naruto's words, Sasuke nodded to himself.

"How're things?" he asked, his hands flexing together.

"Good. Classes are still warming up, and I think my math class will be my trickiest one, but not too bad. I've already met my mentor from the Student Services; this crazy old guy with big white hair. He's supposed to help me with my attention problems and dyslexia and stuff; so far he just keeps asking me if any of my cute girl friends need a mentor. He's kinda weird. But fun! And he does know his stuff," rambled Naruto.

"Good to have someone in your corner," said Sasuke.

"With you gone, I was a bit worried there for a while, yeah," said Naruto, laughing. "But the school called me and we worked everything out. I'm only taking four courses this semester, not a full five, just to get me adjusted. We have a whole plan! It's a bit of a relief."

Sasuke's face softened, and he smiled gently. "I'm glad for you, man. You worked hard to get there. Don't give up."

"Do you know what Sakura'd do to me if I—what everyone would do to me if I did?" Naruto corrected himself quickly, but not quickly enough.

"It's okay, you can say her name, Naruto. How… how is she doing?"

There was a muffled sound on the line and Sasuke's heart shuddered in his chest. Had Naruto been with someone, a girl, maybe Sak—?

Before he could think, he heard Naruto sighing on the line.

"Is she there?" Sasuke asked too quickly.

"I was checking with Ino. She'd be the one to ask, at this point. She said Sakura's doing just fine. I don't share any classes with them this term, so I haven't seen Sakura since term started. But Ino said she's fine, yeah," said Naruto. His voice was calm and a bit sad, and Sasuke knew he was putting his friend in a difficult position. But his curiosity was roused and with some answers being so agonizingly close, he only needed to reach out and touch them just for a few minutes.

Just to endure and suffer the pain, just a little bit.

Sasuke leaned forward on the couch, oblivious to his report. "Is she there tonight? With you all?" Was she on the phone a few minutes ago?

"Sasuke," sighed Naruto, his resignation clear.

But Sasuke couldn't help himself; he needed this torture, just a taste of it.

"Is she alright?" he asked, his voice rising in pitch before he could tamp down on his anxiety.

"She's fine! Look, just… Hold on, I'll get Ino for you. I'm not taking sides in this, okay? Just a sec," said Naruto, and Sasuke heard muffled mumbling through the pounding beat of the music, a male voice, Naruto's, and a female voice, likely Ino's. He gripped the phone receiver, not remembering when he'd picked it up from the table. In a tense grip he held it to the shell of his ear, desperate for any word about Sakura.

It was then he fully comprehended something: Since the moment they'd met, years ago as children, he'd never spent so long without hearing Sakura's voice, seeing her, knowing she would be there for him unconditionally. Over and over since his arrival in Oto he'd had to halt himself from automatically picking up his phone and calling her just to chat or mull things over. It was like he was missing a part of himself.

How much power did that put in her hands, over him?

And how much was he voluntarily throwing at her, just to feel a connection with her again?

Was he debasing or hurting himself, making himself vulnerable and weak, by seeking out any contact with her?

Panicking, he was about to call out to Naruto to hurry the hell up or forget about it when he heard Ino clearing her voice and answering the phone.

"Hey, Sasuke? You still there? Or did you decide you were too good for us mere mortals—as in, non-Uchiha—to stick around?"

"I'm here. How's your first week? I hear the campus is still standing and Naruto's still allowed in; obviously they've lowered their standards since I applied," he said, smirking. He strove for aloofness but it slipped through his fingers. Had that been Sakura's voice he heard in the background?

Ino snorted. "Yeah, right. Good to see you're learning humility and grace in your journey for self-discovery. And I know you didn't apply. What's up?"

"Did Naruto…"

"Did Naruto what? Take a dump today? You'll need to ask him, I'm really not into that."

Sasuke grit his teeth and clenched his eyes shut. No, Ino wouldn't make it easy on him. And she would likely use this against him. And he already owed her. But, still…

Forcing his voice to level and his grip to loosen slightly on the phone, he stared blankly at the report on his computer screen.

His heart clutched in his chest as he reached out and minimized the spreadsheet, leaving in its place his desktop wallpaper. He & Sakura, from the night on the beach.

Yes, he would grovel to Ino of all people, just for a few words. Because he was weak, Sakura made him strong and he needed her.

On the screen in front of him, Sasuke's fingers traced her smile.

His heart in his throat, he tried to swallow and failed.

"...How is she, Ino?"


Sakura dodged another drunk frat boy—or was it a girl? she wasn't one hundred percent sure—and made her way back from the ladies room. She detoured to the bar to collect Ino's drink. And Naruto's beer. And Kiba's shots.

Her brow furrowed as she blew her bangs out of her eyes. You try to be nice and what happens? Everyone takes advantage.

She was just about back at their table (on the balcony—of course they had moved upstairs while she was away) when she and the waitress who'd followed her with her round of drinks nearly ran into a tall, broad, familiar back.

"Oops, sorry about… that," Sakura's voice trailed off as her mouth went dry. Her feet rooted to the floor and refused to take another step.

"No apology needed," Itachi said smoothly. "Excuse me." He swept past her down a hallway marked Employees Only, and disappeared behind a black door.

What… the…

"Are we close to your friends yet?" asked a polite voice from behind Sakura.

"Um, yeah, sorry, they moved." Dazed, Sakura stared at the door Itachi had disappeared behind. Coincidence? Yes. No. Yes… Maybe?

Oh geez, did Ino set this up? Sakura inwardly groaned and clutched the cups and bottles in her hands more tightly. Because sometimes Sakura felt sure that nothing was truly beyond Ino's formidable control.

Mindful of the waitress behind her, and her friends waiting for her, Sakura kicked herself mentally and shuffled through the crowds. Of course she'd forgotten Itachi occasionally 'filled in' at his friends' bar. Of course Ino had chosen that bar to go to that night. Of course she had dressed Sakura up. Of course Sakura just had to literally run into him.

"Hey, heads' up, Forehead!"

"Huh?"

Sakura was blinded by the flash that suddenly exploded in front of her eyes.

"Damnit, Ino!" Sakura nearly spilled the iced drinks she'd been carrying as she stumbled to a stop.

"Are these your friends?"

"Debatable," muttered Sakura darkly under her breath. "Yes, this looks like our new table. Thanks for your help," she said more loudly in the direction she assumed the waitress was. There were too many stars still blinding her in the dark club for her to be sure.

"No problem, have a great night!"

"She was nice," said Naruto, swooping in to collect his beer from Sakura's white-knuckled grip.

"Yeah. Maybe I'll make her my new best friend." Sakura glared in Ino's… general direction.

"It was a candid shot!"

"I nearly dropped forty dollars worth of drinks!"

"Yeah, but you didn't. You and those ninja reflexes of yours."

Sakura blew out a hard breath before brushing off her ire. Ino was trying to distract her. She should be grateful… or something. Fine, she could play along. "Which reminds me, I'm signing up for the Martial Arts club next week. You joining me?"

"And wake up early on Saturdays to go get sweaty? Ew. No. But! There are a few awesome classes we could take together!" Ino grabbed her drink from the table.

"I am not joining you for pole-dancing. Or introductory stripper fitness. Or jazz-tap."

Ino pouted. "You never want to try anything new."

"Not without clothes," agreed Sakura, taking a sip of her drink. "Oh hey, they make great Bellinis here."

"Really? Share a sip?"

"Here," said Sakura, offering her glass to Ino. "How come you guys moved? It took me a while to find you."

"Oh that is good. I'll get one later. And we have a better view, up here."

"Of what? Packed people downstairs? Oh, wait, never mind, I see now," sighed Sakura as Ino smiled and caught the eye of an admirable specimen a little to their left. "A particular better view."

"What do you think? Engineer? Bio-Chem?" Ino tilted her head side to side as she contemplated the hottie. "Ooooh, never mind him, check out that hot piece of—oh my godliness, is that Itachi?! What is that nefarious piece of scum doing here?! Is he stalking you!"

So it looked like Ino had not set her up. This time. And hello, turnabout? Hadn't she been singing Itachi's praises earlier?

"He works here, Ino. Sometimes, anyway."

"That apron should not look that perfectly snug on his hips. That utter….ly, sinfully hot bastard," moaned Ino, her brows caving together. "Can you believe I have to wait twenty four hours before my class transfer gets approved? I wonder if he could sign off on it, right now."

"That's it. Grieve the loss, Ino, grieve and move on."

"You're not going to go say hi?" Ino asked, looking at Sakura.

Sakura drained the last of her drink and shook her head. "Nah."

Ino was still looking at her, and Sakura turned to smile tiredly at her friend. "Hmm?"

"You okay?" Ino's voice had softened, and she reached out to link her elbow with Sakura's.

"Oh yeah. Just a bit worn out. I told you earlier, I really wasn't up for this tonight. Maybe another time."

"Okay… Well, if you really want to go, I'll go get our jackets from the coat check and we can grab a cab back to my room on campus."

"It's okay, Ino, you stay; I'm just not feeling things tonight. I'm going to head home," said Sakura, pulling away even as Ino made a grab for her arms to keep her there. "Ino, let go. I'm tired."

"But you just got here—"

"I've been here for a good hour. I need sleep. And quiet. There's a bus stop not too far away, I'll just grab the next one. I'll text you when I get in."

With a few words of goodbye to her friends, and after much ignoring of Ino's exaggerated complaints, Sakura made her way to the coat check to collect her things.

"She not up for it, tonight?" Naruto asked Ino as he sidled up to the blond.

Ino shook her head, still watching Sakura. "Someday I'll figure out how to unman that damn Uchiha.

"I fear you when you say things like that," admitted Naruto.

"Good."


The Student Activity Centre on campus, the student body's 'living room' in effect, was filled to its rafters with students when Ino and Sakura decided to 'pop in' to see what student clubs and associations were available to them as newly minted frosh.

"You're sure we couldn't just read this on the Student Life site? I'm sure the videos would give us just as much of an appreciation for the club as this meat market. And it would smell better," muttered Ino as she shoved an elbow into some football-player-sized upper classman who had tried to cop a feel from the crowd.

"Sign-ups made in person are granted priority over web sign-ups. Consider it a loyalty reward. And it's two dollars cheaper this way," said Sakura as she held up her map of the club layout. "Okay, head towards the Turnkey desk, I wanna check out the MA club."

"Aw, Sakura! Come on! You promised me no martial arts!"

"No, I said I wouldn't make you join martial arts. I feel like pummelling things once in a while. Like right now," Sakura growled as she was shoved from behind. "Watch it!" she shouted behind her.

"Oy!"

A deep voice boomed across the room, cutting through the chatter and babble and shutting it down like a hatchet.

"Was that the voice of God?!" hissed Ino, crowding closer to Sakura.

"Anyone who is found hassling the frosh will be expelled from club activities for a term and it'll go on their permanent transcript!" continued the voice.

"Relax, he's on our side," whispered Sakura, patting Ino's hand. She recognized the voice and wasn't sure whether to smile or to cringe.

"Now listen up and form some orderly lines, or you'll ALL PAY FOR IT!"

"He's from the Martial Arts club, Sakura! He's probably some crazy ex-military convict!" hissed Ino, trying to drag Sakura away. She narrowed her eyes at the big man. "Though a very familiar one… Oh crap, he's the one from this summer, isn't he?" Ino ducked behind Sakura while still trying to haul her off in the opposite direction.

Ignoring her friend, Sakura graciously formed a line as requested and smiled up at Kisame as he waved a path open for them to walk straight up to him.

"Of course, ladies first," he grinned at her, softening his booming voice. "How are you doing, Miss Most-Popular-Frosh for all the wrong reasons?"

Quirking her brow and giving up on dislodging Ino, Sakura half-grinned back at him. "No doubt better than you. How're the kids, Kisame? They're adorable, by the way. Your wife must have worked hard to overcome your influence."

"Ha ha," he said, before he broke out laughing. "More like I had to overcome hers! But the kids are great. They returned to school today and asked when you'd next come by to visit. I'll have to rub it in with them that I get to see you here on campus."

"Such a positive role model, you mean old braggart."

"Your words would wound me if I weren't impervious to pain," he said, meaty hand over his heart. "So you here to visit me and my handsome face?"

"Actually, how do your sign ups work?"

His brow lifted. "Serious?"

"Damn skippy."

His grin widened. With a rough caricature of a flourish he shoved a clipboard at her. "Sign here, here, and here."

"Three signatures for a registration?"

"'Course not," he snorted. "That's the waiver."

"Duly noted."

"Sakura, you're going to die!"

"Slowly and painfully," assured Kisame, goading Ino.

"I can't let you do this alone."

Sakura glanced at Ino from the corner of her eye. Was Ino being voluntarily selfless?

"You're planning on registering with me?"

"Oh hells no." Ino was bent over her phone. "I'm texting Kiba and Shika and guilting them into protecting you."

"Charming friend you have there," said Kisame, brow furled down as he tilted his head in Ino's direction.

Sakura set her hands on her hips. "Ino, I can do this," she said, taking a stand.

Ino waved her fingers at Sakura, still focused on the screen and typing away on her phone. "Yes, I know you can, but I'd feel better if—"

Pissed now, Sakura slapped her money down on the table, making it jump at the impact.

"Sign me up and I'll pay double to keep them out," she spat out, staring at Kisame.

"The lady gets what the lady wants!" Kisame grinned at Sakura, a glint in his eye. "You sure you can handle our practices?"

"Watch. Me."

He leaned back and flashed her a sharkish grin. "Oh, no doubt of that."


The week progressed and Sakura and Ino enjoyed their classes, tutorials, lectures, and new club activities. Less so their homework, but the readings, while heavy, were very helpful if dry.

Sakura found she could maintain her part-time volunteer position with the hospital in the children's ward, or 'Peds', as she called it, much to her relief, though it did make for a busy week. The smiles on the children's faces were more than worth it, though. Every time she left she felt better than when she'd arrived. Speaking occasionally with Dr Uchiha, Shisui Uchiha, also had its moments. He seemed to seek her out for at least a few minutes when she came by, but luckily didn't overstay his welcome or pressure her for information relating to his family. From what Sasuke had said, he was a bit of a loner in the family as he was more social and outgoing than the usual Uchiha. She was pretty sure that he was the one who had taken care of Itachi when he'd been discharged.

"Busy, busy man," she mumbled to herself as she rode her bike home following a volunteering shift. And really, she reasoned, having to take care of the entire Uchiha clan would drive anyone a bit spare. Shisui probably needed little doses of normalcy where he could get them.

On campus, Sakura had enjoyed her MA club activities so far. Kisame had teased her a bit when she'd arrived, but after the skills assessments the new recruits had completed (much to Kisame's amusement and Sakura's sweaty, aching, panting disbelief), she had been ranked near the top of the new recruits, and fairly highly among the regular members. Not the upper echelon, but at least with some seniority, skill-wise. Thank the gods. Kisame would have been unbearable if she hadn't made it to mid-level at least.

"All right newbie maggots, line up!"

Yep, Kisame was a born poet.

Sakura hustled to join the ranks and stood silently, her gi white and tidy, her hair sweat-slicked in its French braid.

"Normally this club is run with two sensei, myself being one of them. The other sensei will be present on Saturdays only. This means you get to enjoy the tutelage of some of your former sempai—Oy, quit your moaning! That's how you earn extra endurance training, pissants!"

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek to stifle her grin. She was pretty sure her upperclassmen were groaning about some of the same individuals Sasuke used to bitch about, his brother's friends. Something about them being creatives sadists…

Ah yes, thought Sakura as a blue-haired woman, a heavily-pierced man, and several others entered the dojo from the 'guest' waiting area.

"I'd like you all to meet—and greet with extreme courtesy OR ELSE—your new sensei for this term. Sensei Konan, Sensei Pein—yes, he's good enough to keep them in his face or he wouldn't be wearing them, pissant!—, Sensei Sasori, Sensei Hidan—who is not allowed near any of the first years under the age of majority, IS THAT CLEAR, SENSEI HIDAN?—, Sensei GODS, WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOURSELF THIS TIME, YOU IDIOT—I mean, Sensei Deidara. Who will be seeing me right after class is over, got it? Christ. Right," said Kisame, shaking his head as he turned back to his students who were regarding him and their new team of frighteningly eccentric-looking teaching staff, more than a little agog.

Kisame clapped his hands together to gather their attention once more. "Any questions? Never mind, I don't care, because obviously I need to take a boken to Deidara to smack some goddamned sense into him. I'll assign you your dedicated teams and senseis at practice on Saturday. You will be here or you will suffer like you've never suffered before. Is that clear? Say yes or you'll suffer some more."

"Hai, Sensei!"

"Good. Kiritsu! Rei! Fuck off and go shower or die. Not you, Deidara, get over here and start explaining yourself, you mutt."

Class dismissed, Sakura let her smile shine through as she trotted off to the showers. Kisame was so refreshing, sometimes.

Behind her, she heard some of the other students gathering together, and the whispers that had followed her so doggedly since the start of term rose again.

"Why's she smiling?"

"Who knows. Maybe she's into that sort of thing."

Sakura ignored them. Kisame was all bluster and no bite (in this particular circumstance). He would keep things interesting. She had no doubt he'd deliberately tried to scare them that evening in order to make it easier for him to maintain order and discipline, what with being the only regular sensei that term.

Hmmm. That was a lot of work for him, actually.

As the water sluiced down her in the shower cubicle, she wondered whose team she'd end up on. It was almost enough to sober her mood before she remembered that Kisame was a fairly direct, overbearing man, but not a personally cruel one. She would be fine.


To be continued.


Posted a little early since I'll be away this coming weekend/week. Many thanks to pokesimmo and nikolita for their beta-help!

Posted March 5, 2015. Have a lovely weekend, all!