...


She could practically feel that he was hedging himself in, the way Sasuke always did when he felt important emotional bonds attempting to creep their way into his closely-guarded heart. Sakura tried not to look at him too much as they ate their breakfast, with little success. She always inevitably found herself looking at Sasuke; he had a sort of magnetism about him that constantly drew her gaze, and not just in the sense that he was almost unbearably handsome, but because she loved him and gravitated towards him like she was his own little moon; how happy she would be if she could spend her entire life in his orbit.

Sakura wished that she could know what was going on inside of that pretty little head of his, but that never stopped her from speculating. Though she would never claim it out loud, privately she liked to believe that she had gotten better at reading him and the subtleties of his oftentimes fantastically unvaried facial expressions. Eyebrows drawn ever so slightly together, corners of eyes and mouth tight: he was anxious. She wanted to press her fingers to that tiny line in between his brows and smooth it away—no, she wanted to press her lips there and kiss it. Well, to be completely frank she just wanted to kiss him all over, rip his clothes from his body and do unspeakable things to him right on Hinata and Naruto's kitchen table, but thank god for inhibitions and impulse control.

How did he feel about the fact that they'd been interrupted? Did he consider it a godsend or a curse? She hadn't yet gotten over the feeling that she'd really like to throw Naruto off her balcony ... it had taken so much courage for her to offer herself up to him, and she'd been completely floored that he'd taken the bait at last, so to speak. Sakura felt as though she'd been sitting for years in a little fishing boat with her lure dangling off the end, and at last she had gotten the smallest and shiest of nibbles—and she'd been prepared to reel him in carefully, oh so carefully so that he wouldn't struggle and break free ... until Naruto had gone splashing through the lake like the great, incurable oaf he was and frightened her catch away. (Although she felt moderately bad for thinking of a living person in terms of a fishing metaphor, it was accurate nonetheless.) Now she feared that opportunity was lost forever and she'd never be able to recreate it. She could see it in his eyes: Sasuke was contemplating. And that was a very dangerous thing indeed, as she knew that the man was an expert at contemplating his way out of darn near anything and everything. He brooded and brooded, until he had managed to convince himself that the best solution to all his problems was to withdraw deeply into his shell. She couldn't blame him, exactly. He had seen terrible things and it was a self-defense mechanism.

After breakfast they bid their goodbyes and exchanged hugs; or at least Sakura hugged Hinata and Naruto while Sasuke stood to the sidelines, avoiding contact until he was drawn into a crushing embrace by Naruto, who of course had never been shy about being physically affectionate with the people he considered to be important to him. Sakura saw Sasuke tense. She saw the look of intense discomfort on his steely features and then, for a split second she thought she saw him soften marginally, his hand twitching towards Naruto's back hesitantly, about to return the embrace—just the instant before Naruto let him go. His hand dropped back to his side.

"It's good to see you again, Sasuke." Naruto said, and Hinata nodded. "Don't be a stranger."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted and lifted one shoulder in the most noncommittal, Sasuke-like of answers.

"How long are you planning on staying in the village?" Naruto asked him then and Sakura looked up to hear the answer—the one question she'd been dreading to ask him herself.

"Not long," he replied, and her heart sunk. She knew that, of course—he never stayed for long. His presences were as rare and fleeting and beautiful as a blue moon. "I just need to update Kakashi, resupply, and then I'll be on my way again."

Her heart plummeted. She knew she should not have hoped for anything more, that it was foolish for her to think that he would return for good anytime soon, and yet she had kept that fragile desire nonetheless—wanting to cling to him, to grasp onto him tightly and tie them together so that she felt like they had a true connection. She did not need her love to be requited—she had never asked for it and never would ask that of him. She only wanted to see him from time to time; to hear the delicious, baritone rumble of his voice, to meet his gaze on occasion and feel her soul lit ablaze. There was something magic in his eyes, like a secret only she knew—something the two of them shared when they looked at each other, and no one else. She lived for those moments and she felt incomplete when he was gone. She missed him terribly.

"Well, keep in touch. Would it kill you to come back and visit every once and a while?" Naruto scolded him.

"I'm on an important mission." Sasuke sighed. Sakura knew this, but sometimes she wondered what could be more important than him being here, where he so clearly belonged, with the people who loved him: Naruto and Kakashi-sensei and her, always her.

They left shortly afterwards. The still-early sun had risen higher in the sky, painting Konoha soft yellow and people had begun to stir from their homes and spill into the streets. They walked side-by-side.

She was the first to break the silence, as usual: "...Can't you stay just a little? A few days? You deserve a break." she said quietly.

"No." he answered. "I can't stay."


Another short chapter! I just wanted to get you guys something. I'm still pretty busy with finals. Last one is tomorrow, and then I should have a little more free time to update this baby.