♥Caricatures of Intimacy♥

Chapter 3: Leafing Through The Pages

With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens. ☼

Sorry…

It had been a few hours since the rain had stopped. Sakura felt lower than she had expected after her fight with Sasuke and the exchange of uncomfortable words. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get over the fact that she was feeling bad.

For him.

" There's always a fine line I cross," she said, scolding herself for being such a fool. Tsunade's word stuck in the back of her mind like an unpleasant reminder.

"…Remember that, although you may hate him, there are things about him that you don't know. He may be someone you may turn out to like. The time you have to spend together will be crucial, so make the best of it please."

Already she was blowing her chance to train him right and get it over with. If she was going to pass the next six months of teaching Sasuke to better himself as a ninja, she had to suck up her pride and be positively passive.

" God, this is going to be harder than I thought," she sighed as she settled farther back into her couch, cupping the hot mug in her fingers. She wasn't one to let things go. She pathetically clung to insults, injuries, words that other said about her, good or bad.

In her own way, she was hoping to get something out of training Sasuke. If she could learn to brush off whatever he said to her in the next six months, she was sure she would get over her self-consciousness and learn to accept what others thought of her.

She straightened up as she heard the door beside her apartment slam close. Sasuke was home. She bit her lip, debating whether to go over and talk things through with him or stay planted in her couch and ignore her absurd sympathy towards him.

" Man, I can't believe I'm going to do this… but if I have to spend till February with him, I might as well eliminate the bad and start new."

She set her cup down on the coffee table and made her way to the door, wrapping herself in her coat before opening the door to let in the chilly rain air. She closed her door behind her quietly before taking the short walk to the neighboring steps. She let her fingers trace unconsciously over the bright white 3 on the door before it was pulled open.

She gasped and stepped back as Sasuke stepped into the entrance to the apartment. She quickly recovered from her shock and smiled weakly. His grim face remained stoic as she wrung her hands, finding the situation to be nothing like she had imagined. He had actually smiled back in her fantasy situation.

" Are you going to stand there like an idiot, or do you want to come in," he said coolly as he moved aside, the warmth from his apartment beckoning her into its depths.

" Uh yeah, thanks," she muttered before sweeping past him. Her eyes scanned the amazingly neat front room, adorned with Zen candles and a small bamboo fountain in the corner, a mat set before it. It was serene in his home, peaceful and inviting.

The soft scent of sandalwood drifted through the room and she spotted incense burning on the small table beside a futon couch.

" Sit where you like. I'll go get some tea."

He brushed past her and disappeared into what she assumed to be the kitchen. She removed her coat and slung it over her arm before taking a seat, her eyes still roaming the room. Numerous paintings of Sakura blossom trees lined the walls along with small frames of traditional koi fish.

If she were to sum up his home with one word, it would have to be beautiful. She never thought Sasuke to be the type to have such a neat and well-furnished home, but she knew she was dead wrong on that assumption.

Sasuke returned with two mugs filled with what smelled like green tea and she eagerly accepted it. He sat opposite her in a black leather chair and watched her carefully as her jade eyes danced about the apartment.

" Your home is very lovely, Sasuke. I would have never expected!"

She beamed at him from her mug before sipping its tepid contents, instantly feeling warmer. He shrugged and continued to drink his tea in silence. In the back of her mind, Sakura remembered her reason for visiting.

" Oh yes… I bet you're wondering why I'm here," she stated offhandedly, a blush creeping into her face. He grunted his usual " hn" and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

" I wanted to tell you…how, um, well," she started to stutter and knew this was going to be harder than she thought.

" W-what I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry for earlier."

She inwardly relaxed and wiped the invisible nervous bead of sweat from her forehead. Sasuke kept his eyes locked with hers, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He was enjoying every bit of this.

" I never should have said those awful things to you and just because I'm your trainer, it doesn't mean I have the right to treat you the way I did. I hope we can put this all behind us and be civil while I train you?"

Sakura nervously smiled as he seemed to calculate her words carefully.

" Sakura?"

" Yes Sasuke?"

" I guess… I suppose I'm sorry too."

He looked away, knowing a big dopey smile would spring to her face and he would have to endure looking at her lose it over his apology.

" Wow Sasuke, I don't think I've ever heard you sound so sincere. Thank you," she said beaming.

" Whatever," he said coolly, trying to look uncaring as she smiled over at him. " So when should we train next?"

" Oh, well, whenever you feel up to it," she said as she stood, pulling her coat back on.

Sasuke set his cup down and rose quickly.

" Are you going?"

" Uh, yeah?" Sakura raised an eyebrow at the Uchiha and watched as he seemed to be having a bit of an inner struggle to say something.

" Well, how about we train tomorrow, or something," Sasuke said calmly, trying to seem indifferent about her departure.

" Sure, that sounds great. I should be out at the fields tomorrow anyway, so stop by when you want to train okay?"

He shrugged and Sakura giggled. For the first time, they were actually getting along.

" Alright, I'll see you later."

Sakura made towards the door, Sasuke opening it for her. She nodded politely before walking back over to her apartment. Sasuke leaned against his doorframe, watching her enter her apartment. She waved before snapping the door shut behind her.

He sighed and walked back inside, sealing off the warm air's escape and locking it behind him.

' What was that, just then? Why did I react so strangely to her leaving. It's not like I wanted her to stay. She's bothersome,' he thought, confused at his earlier actions. Something strange was at work, he just knew it.

Waking Up…

Sasuke shuffled from underneath his duvet. He tossed over onto his side, wanting to fall back asleep, but finding he was too anxious about other things. He was somewhat curious about what Sakura would be teaching him today. He would never admit he was happy she was the one teaching him.

He pulled his covers over his head to block out the light from the window above his bed, the sun's rays spilled out over his body. He shut his eyes, trying to fall back into a light slumber, but flashes of last night kept running through his head.

" Are you going?"

" Uh, yeah?" Sakura raised her eyebrow and he could feel himself instantly regret even reacting to her departure.

" God, I probably sounded like and idiot…"

He shoved the covers off his body and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. She didn't seem so bad, now that they were trying to work things out. It wasn't as though she was unattractive, or dull as a rock. He just wondered how much more he would be thinking about her as the weeks drug on.

He shook his head and sat up. She wasn't that great, she was just some stupid girl that had to train him. That was it. End of story. He decided he needed a shower to clear his head before he started his day of training.

Training at the Fields…

Sakura sat quietly, her Jonin shirt itching her more than usual. She scratched at her side as she shifted position, her book in one hand, her other hand trying to reach a particularly itchy spot on her back.

" Ug, itchy," she groaned as she rubbed her back up against the tree she leaned against.

" Ah that's better," she sighed as she opened her book back up, picking up on the last line.

Michiyo rested her forehead against the shower wall, the water pouring over her exhausted body. She knew she was in love with him. She just didn't want to be.

" I hate him. With all my soul I want to hate him, but some part of me says no. Why! Why do I have to love that fool," she sighed, her mind running rampant with their heated kiss the night they argued. His lips had been so warm, hers soo cold from the night air.

Sakura closed her eyes. Why did that remind her soo much of herself? She wasn't in love, she knew that. But something about the hate that Michiyo felt for this man, it was familiar.

" Sakura?"

She lifted her jade eyes from her book to look up into Sasuke's face, curiosity written on his features.

" Oh, sorry Sasuke, I was thinking," she confessed, closing her book and tucking it neatly in her satchel. Sasuke watched her store the book away quickly, its dark cover and bright writing catching his eye.

" What were you reading?"

Sakura flushed scarlet.

" Oh nothing, just some book I got from a friend," she said casually, although her face burned from embarrassment. Sasuke cocked his head at her weird reaction, but shrugged it off as a 'woman thing'.

" So what are you teaching me today?

Sakura cleared her throat and led him to the center of the field, away from distraction.

" We're going to meditate," she stated. Sasuke scratched his head.

" Um, you said meditate? Why would we do that? Why not jutsu training or stamina building?"

Sakura smiled and interlaced her fingers in front of her.

" Because you have to have the right balance of spirit and body to perform your jutsu at its best!"

Sasuke watched as she crossed her legs and sat down in the grass. Her eyes closed in deep concentration and her hands formed slow seals before her.

" When you use a jutsu, you want to make sure you don't expend too much of your chakra as compared to your stamina. In order to ensure you get the right mix, you have to have the perfect balance of spirit energy in your chakra."

Sakura cracked an eye open to glance up at him. " If you master this, no jutsu will be too difficult, and no amount of chakra usage should tire you too easily," she added, seeing his hesitation.

" Thus, if you want to generate more powerful jutsus, meditation with an even flow of chakra with hand seals will enable you to do so, understand?"

" Uh, yeah," Sasuke muttered as he sat down across from her. He tried hard not to look like an idiot while copying her hand signs.

" How much chakra do I use?"

Sakura giggled. " The key is to feel. You'll know how much to use if you're really paying attention to your body."

Sasuke frowned. So far he felt nothing. He opened his eyes to watch Sakura slowly generate a small orb of sea-green chakra. She did it soo easily. He began to feel the doubt and disappointment come back. His eyes watched his hands, waiting for something to happen.

" Sasuke… don't feel discouraged," Sakura's soft voice filled his ears and her hands came into sight and held his. " Try concentrating your chakra to your hands. Generate enough to keep mine connected to yours," she encouraged.

Sasuke obeyed and instantly fed chakra to his hands, the blue hue surrounding and capturing Sakura's hands in its grasp.

" Good. Now try forcing the chakra to form on it's own, without attachment to any part of you."

Sasuke shut his eyes tight in concentration as Sakura instructed him.

" Try to force your chakra carefully into my hands."

She watched carefully as he bit his lip, trying to focus on moving his chakra from his body to her hands. The blue hue stretched forward to her cupped hands, trying to make contact, but began inching away as Sasuke's strength was depleted.

His hands fell to the ground and he opened his eyes, his breath shallow. She smiled. He was catching on quicker than she thought he would.

" That was great Sasuke! You're doing much better than the others I've taught! I think you'll have the hang of this in a matter of weeks!"

He smiled weakly up at her before he tunneled out and everything went black. Sakura caught his muscular frame as he fell forward, passed out. ' He must have drained almost all of his chakra to do that.' She swiftly picked him up and carried him over her shoulder as she made her way back to their apartments.

She reached Sasuke's doorstep and carefully let him off her shoulder, supporting him with her free arm. Her eyes dropped to the locked door and she sighed. Her eyes instantly went to Sasuke's right pocket.

" Sorry about this," she apologized ahead of time before reaching into his pocket to remove a small silver key. She fit it into the lock and with a small click, she pushed the door open and carried Sasuke inside.

Laying him down on the futon, she set out around his apartment to familiarize herself with where everything was located. She reached a door at the end of a hall that opened into Sasuke's bedroom. She felt heat creep from her chest to her face as she stood at the foot of his unmade bed.

It was a bit awkward to be standing in his bedroom. She had never been in a man's bedroom before. She silently thank god Sasuke was passed out in the other room.

" Sorry again," she whispered as she tugged a top blanket from the bed and made to turn.

" Sorry for what?"

She screamed but instantly felt Sasuke's hand wrap around her, covering her mouth.

" Sakura, calm down, it's just me," he whispered into her ear. Sakura stopped struggling against his hand and felt herself go limp from fright.

" Sasuke, you scared the shit out of me, for god's sake!" she sighed as she sat down on the corner of the bed, her heart racing. Her hand went to her chest, feeling her rampant pulse beneath her fingertips. Her jade gaze met Sasuke's dark eyes and she smiled faintly.

" Good to see you're okay," she said happily, rising off his bed. He watched her intently as she stood a mere foot from him.

' It's happening again, that feeling,' he thought, struggling not to break eye contact with her. Her deep emerald eyes sparkled with the low glow from lighting in the room, her lips gleaming with a shimmer of gloss.

" Sasuke? Are you sure you're well enough to be walking around?"

Sakura reached forward to feel his forehead with her soft hand. His temperature seemed normal, but just in case…

Sakura reached into her pocket to pull out two small blue pills. Sasuke looked at them apprehensively as she held them out to him.

" What? They're sleeping pills. They'll replenish your stamina and chakra levels and you'll have peaceful dreams! I made them myself," she urged. Sasuke hesitated, but took them from her anyway.

" And what about the side effects?" He didn't want to wake up with a bad rash or and extra arm.

" None, as far as I know. I used them when Tsunade was training me to make sure I was top notch everyday for training. They never failed me before!"

Sakura beamed at him, almost too malevolently. Sasuke smiled weakly before heading off to the kitchen, Sakura in toe. He filled a glass with water and with a moment of " this is probably poison she gave me" he set the pills in his mouth and downed them with the water.

Almost instantly, he felt the drowsiness overcome him and his vision started to blur. All he could see were Sakura's bright eyes a few inches from his face.

" Don't worry, by morning, you'll feel great," he could hear her say before all went dark and he drifted off to sleep.

Sakura caught Sasuke easily in her outstretched arms and his face fell to her chest. 'He looks so peaceful when he isn't glaring or scowling,' she thought, giggling aloud as she carried his unconscious body to his bed.

She lifted him gently onto the mattress, removing his sandals and satchel before pulling the covers snugly over his body. She smiled down at him as he tossed over onto his side, mumbling in his dreams.

" Goodnight, Sasuke. I'll be seeing you tomorrow," she whispered as she backed out the room.

" Sakura…"

Sakura paused to see him roll back onto his back, his eyes still closed. " He must be dreaming…"

' …about me.'

Sakura watched him smile, a smile she had never seen before. It made her both nervous and somewhere deep down happy and curious. " What could he be dreaming about?"

She silently left, slipping out the door, locking it carefully behind her. Meanwhile, Sasuke dream took the shape of a woman. Her radiant pink hair billowed on the spring breeze, her short-skirted summer dress hugging her curves closely. Her sea green eyes shimmered as she looked at him, her cherry lips calling his name.

" Sakura…"

Making Plans…

Sakura walked slowly through the deserted Konoha streets, a cinnamon roll in hand, her fingers sticky with frosting. She looked through the windows of the small boutiques lining the street while munching happily on her sugary breakfast.

' Sasuke should be waking up about now, maybe I should go stop in to see if he wants to train,' she wondered as she licked the frosting thoughtfully from her fingers. Sasuke on the brain, Sakura headed towards their adjoined apartment building.

She turned up a street leading back in the direction of her apartment and she hummed a little tune to herself. Strangely enough, the streets were bare today. Not that she minded. But Konoha was usually bustling with street merchants and people out for a day in the town.

" Hn, maybe they all went on vacation," she giggled as she made for a shortcut down an alley. Her footsteps echoed up along the walls, the sun peering at her through the cloth lines above. There was something about living in this village that put a joy in her heart. It was one in a million.

" Nice day for a walk, eh pretty lady?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow and turned on her heal to face a rough looking pair of men. One held a knife tightly in his large fist, the other, a thick chain in his scrawny paws. Sakura continued cleaning off her fingers with her tongue as they advanced.

" So what's a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone?" the bigger man with the knife coed as he circled her, his scummy fingers running through her hair as he walked around her. Sakura stifled a laugh and continued to eat her cinnamon roll as the two men sniffed around her.

" What's funny babe?" the second man queried, his mouth spreading in a toothless smile. Sakura cringed a bit at the man's appearance. The larger man brushed past her again, this time a bit closer, his hand brushing her hind side a bit too much for her liking.

" What can I do for you gentlemen today," she said with a smile, humoring the situation. Had she been dressed in her ANBU uniform, she doubted they would have even had the guts to approach her. But since she wasn't, it was time for her to have a little fun.

" I think you know what we want, lady," the scrawny man chuckled, coming close enough to sniff her long locks hang over her breast. Sakura leapt backwards, twirling neatly in the air before landing in a crouch.

" Sorry to spoil your plans men, but I have somewhere I need to be. And what you have in mind isn't exactly friendly with my schedule," she replied with a smile and turned to walk back in the direction of Sasuke's apartment. The two men grunted angrily, not about to let their chance to potentially have their way with her slip away.

" Hey bitch, did we say you could go somewhere?" The large man lunged for her, but she quickly ducked and swept her leg cleanly behind his knees. He crashed to the ground, his jaw shattering against the hard dirt. The smaller man took his chance as she stood and slung the chain over her head, pulling her against him by her throat.

" I'ma make this nice and painful for you, cunt," he growled into her ear, his breath reeking of sake. Sakura faked a gasp of air, his hands tightening the chain around her neck. Sakura built up her chakra in her hands, waiting for the right time to strike.

Suddenly, the man went stiff, the chain falling away from her throat and snaking up on the ground by her feet. She moved forward, turning on her toes to see Sasuke with his hand clenched around the man's neck from behind. His beady little eyes bugged as he was lifted off the ground.

" What were you doing to her?"

Sakura watched, clearly taken aback by Sasuke's defensiveness. His eyes gleamed with anger and his fingers tightened even further into the man's flesh. Sakura raised her hand to her face, a bit shaken by Sasuke's harshness. He growled and shook the man harshly.

" Talk you bastard! What were you doing to her!"

" W-we ain't done n-nothing," the man choked out, his hands clawing at Sasuke's fingers around his windpipe. Sasuke violently threw him to the ground, the man skidding to a stop at Sakura's feet. His eyes widened in terror as Sasuke advanced on him.

" If I EVER catch you two harassing her again, I will not hesitate to kill you," he hissed low. The man nodded fearfully, grabbing the chain from the ground and scurrying past his friend and out of the alleyway. Sasuke watched him go, his eyes cold and narrowed.

" Sasuke…"

" Come on, it's not safe around here," he said bluntly, grabbing her wrist and dragging her out into the open street. Sakura pulled her hand free from his grasp and he turned to face her. She knitted her eyebrows and stared at him, his calm eyes staring back.

" I could have handled myself back there, I don't need you to rescue me," she stated harshly. Sasuke's eye twitched in anger.

" Rescue? Fuck if I'm about to rescue your unthankful ass. I wanted to make a point to that scummy little bastard. But soo sorry if you want to play around while those men try to rape you."

Sakura turned away, her arms folded over her chest. " I didn't need your damn help."

Sasuke sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in annoyance. Sakura remained glued to the spot, her nose in the air. Normally he would bite the bait and add a few colorful words to piss her off, but for some reason, he just wanted her to understand him.

" I'm not going to argue with you Sakura. But try to be a little more grateful when people look out for you, why don't you," he sighed. Sakura tilted her head to the side, looking at him sideways. She could see the sincerity on his face and she turned, dropping her hands to her sides.

" You were trying to protect me?"

" It's not a big deal, don't go getting all mushy over it," he said coolly. Sakura smiled.

" Thank you Sasuke," she said softly, pulling him into her embrace. Sasuke felt his face light up about three shades of red before pulling away.

" H-hey, come on, stop that will you," he growled, trying his best to sound annoyed. Sakura laughed as he looked away.

" It's just a hug Sasuke, geeze. Before this turns into a moment, let's get you started with training again, " she exclaimed, pushing him around to march him off to the field, her spirits high.

" We have just enough daylight to try that jutsu over and over and over till you get it," Sakura chuckled, Sasuke groaning, already thinking of the " meditation" he would have to endure.

Author Notes:

Oh goodness this is getting hard to write. . I mean, DAMMIT… I wanna make Sakura glomp Sasuke and all that good stuff. But ALAS not yet. That's a bit of a way off! I'ma bring back Nira, the dood from the bar that Sakura was all over, cuz he seems like a good distraction. Here's what I'm thinking

Nira-sama: "Hey Sakura! Haven't seen you since the night at the bar! How bout we go out on a date?"

Saku-chan: " …" twitch

Sasu-kun: GROAR! on the inside of course, he's too cool to say anything

Awkward moment of Sakura looking at Sasuke, vice versa.

BUT! They aren't like, you know wink wink Ahaha so it works! She accepts, pisses Sasuke off and then… THE BIG KISS SCENE! But that's like chapter . Erm how bout chapter 8 YAY!

Got to build that sexual tension you know!

Black