Chapter 11: Fine by Me
"And then I thought she was going to faint or something but," Naruto paused to slurp up some broth, "Hinata just asked me out instead," letting out a belch, he paused to be thoughtful, "Mmm… I think that's about everything."
Sasuke shook his head, setting down his chopsticks, and he laughed quietly.
"Huh? Mm… why're you laughing?"
"I can't believe it took you so long to figure that out."
"Yeah, I guess so," Naruto reached for the bill and dug in his pockets, "It's not like you have any room to talk though, you and Sakura-chan are pretty much part of history around here."
Sasuke scoffed a bit, "I wasn't oblivious, Naruto. I knew how she felt. But she wanted things that I couldn't give her."
Standing up, the pair began walking.
"So, what are you going to do now that you're back?"
Leave it to Naruto to get to the heart of the matter.
"Well once I get used to being followed around by these fools," Sasuke gestured to the team scouting him discreetly, "I'll follow Tsunade's plan, I guess."
"So you're really going to stay?!" Naruto asked hopefully.
"Hn."
Naruto smiled, walking with his hands behind his head.
"Have you visited Sakura yet?"
"No."
"She's… different," Naruto said sadly. Sasuke sighed.
"She's just tired. Once her body regenerates, she'll be ok."
"I hope so."
"Didn't you say you were going to see Hinata tonight?"
"Oh gosh! I totally forgot! Thanks, Sasuke!" Naruto waved over his shoulder, running off.
He's still the same. Sasuke smiled to himself, going his own way.
As the months began to grow onward, Kakashi began teaching his new students plus one, and Sasuke found his place as a mentor to the young genin. His 90 day evaluation was fast approaching. Mentors and teachers took extra care to be sure he was prepared for the evaluation, not knowing exactly what it would entail.
As Sasuke and Kakashi walked towards the Hokage's office for review, they greeted those they passed, but conversation between the two was quiet.
"Here you are, Sasuke. I'll come back to check on you later," Kakashi waved before disappearing.
Typical Kakashi. Not one to get involved on one side of the fence or the other.
Sasuke entered the office alone.
"Hello, Sasuke," Tsunade greeted, making a few final comments to Shizune, "Close the door on your way out, please."
Shizune nodded, and the Hokage relaxed in her chair.
"How is everything going, Sasuke?"
"Well."
"Sasuke, you will need to give me more than one or two words to pass this," Tsunade assured him.
"Missions are easy. Shikamaru's lazy, but a good leader all the same. Naruto likes his ramen with barbeque pork and two eggs, 'believe it'" Sasuke quoted.
"Hm," she lifted up a folder on her desk," Yours. There's reviews from each of the leading shinobi you've been working with, as well as your ANBU squad members and anyone else I felt like asking," she sipped sake.
"Why don't we just say I passed, and I won't tell Shizune you've gotten ahold of sake," Sasuke mused.
"If you want to pass you'll make sure she hears no such thing. How are you getting along with making friends here?"
"Friends? Is this really necessary?"
She gave him a serious look.
"Fine, they're great. I spend a lot of time with Naruto and Hinata, Shikamaru has a thing for the sand girl, and the ramen guy has a daughter."
"And the ramen guy has a daughter," Tsunade repeated. "Sasuke you do realize how much rides on this meeting, or do I need to remind you?"
"I understand, Lady Hokage."
"All right, let's move to another question," clearing her throat, "What are your strengths and weaknesses?"
"Sharingan, genjutsu and chi-"
Tsunade chuckled low, "Not your shinobi strengths. Your strengths, Sasuke. You as a person, what are your strengths and weaknesses?"
"Uhm… I'm strong?"
"Good. Continue." She coaxed.
"I'm observant. I'm smart. I'm fast."
"Okay, now your weaknesses."
"Taijutsu."
"Sasuke," she warned.
"I'm kidding. Emotion, compassion, and forgiveness."
Very honest and self-aware. She thought to herself. I wonder…
"Very well, Sasuke," a knock on the door and Shizune poked her head in, "What is it, Shizune?"
"We need you in the hospital, I'm afraid."
Tsunade sighed, "Very well. Sasuke, will you accompany me, and we can finish up there."
The young man nodded.
Tsunade opened a door to a patient room and led Sasuke in, "I shouldn't be too long," she promised, closing the door behind her, leaving Sasuke alone. He sat down casually and watched the monitors do their work. The drip from the machines gave a steady rhythm. He pulled the curtain back and realized he was left in Sakura's room. Sasuke pulled his chair closer and sat at her bedside.
He listened to the machines and closed his eyes for several more minutes. The bending from all the weeding yesterday was taking a toll on his lower back, and he sunk lower into his chair, massaging his temples.
"If you could only see me now," he spoke absently to the unconscious girl, "this is what you've always wanted, isn't it? Well, I'm doing it, Sakura. I'm, 'living the dream'— dinners with Naruto and Hinata, all the training I could want and then some," he mentioned, thinking about the younger students in his group with Kakashi. When the girl didn't reply it sunk in. He hadn't visited her in the time that he'd been back. He couldn't bring himself to do it, and he'd been plenty busy with other plans, "I know you're going crazy just laying here. Ino misses you," Sasuke folded his arms and smirked, "for as much as you two used to argue, she really does care. She's been bugging me to come visit you. She asks me every time I run into her, in fact. So, naturally, I make an effort not to run into her."
…
"You should see me… I think these little jerks are actually starting to rub off on me. Kakashi always reminds me that we were the same way," Sasuke sighed and clenched part of her bedsheet in his hand. He inched his hand towards hers and gave it a squeeze before just holding it softly in his own, "I miss my best friend. I miss you, Sakura. When I lost my family, I never wanted to let you guys in. You and Kakashi and Naruto because all I knew were people that I cared about getting taken away. So I thought that if I didn't acknowledge you guys, I would have no trouble leaving… but I thought about you guys anyway. So, I'm here in this village and… if I'm going to stay I need you to be here. If you never look at me again or if you hate me that's ok, but I just need you to be here, even if it's just like this, because if I don't have anyone to talk to about dinner with Naruto, I might go crazy," he laughed halfheartedly and squeezed her hand again, "We all miss you, but I'm trying not to be selfish, so if you want to stay like this, I just wanted to say that it's fine by me."
Sasuke watched the clock tick and listened to the monitors, letting them lull him into a sleepy state. The creak of the door hinges opening cleared his mind,
"Sorry about the wait, Sasuke. Are you ready to finish?"