Stillness Comforts Silence

Naruto smiled at Sasuke for a while now. Everyone was taking turns changing in the many bathrooms in the house, and Naruto and Sasuke had been lucky enough to get in first.

"What the fuck are you smiling about, dobe?" Naruto's smile widened.

"You like Sakamei," he stated this instead of asking. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him.

"I never said I liked her. You're obsessed with her," he replied. Naruto continued to smile, styling his hair. Sasuke had always thought he just rolled out of bed with his hair that way.

"Whatever, Sasuke, believe that and it'll come true eventually." Sasuke rolled his eyes and began to remark.

"Sasuke-kun." Sasuke and Naruto turned to see Sakura. She wore a yellow knee length sun dress with white sandals.

"I'm gonna leave now," Naruto quickly left the room, leaving the ex-couple alone.

Sasuke waited for Sakura to say something, but she was taking too long. "Did you need something, Sakura?" She looked up at him abruptly.

"Right, I just wanted to know how you were doing?" she said, fidgeting with the hem of her dress.

"I'm fine. How are you, Sakura?" Sasuke was becoming impatient. Even though she had acted as if she still wanted to be friends she hadn't spoken one word to him.

"Look, Sasuke. I wanted to let you know that I still think about you, and I really do care about you. I just think we needed a little break from each other, y'know?" Sasuke sighed.

"Sakura, you told me the day we broke up that you didn't know if this "break" would last forever or for a short while. So now you want it to be a short break? Make up your mind, sweetheart. I can only take in so much," Sakura frowned at this.

"I meant that we should take a break from dating, Sasuke," she said, confusing him even more.

"I'm pretty sure you meant a break from dating each other. You've spent a lot of time with that grad Sasori haven't you?" Sakura gasped. "Did you think I wouldn't notice? I'm considered a genius, Sakura." Sakura was trying to collect her thoughts.

"So you're dating Sakamei now aren't you?" she spat at him. He smirked at her.

"Sakamei and I are friends. She helps when I can't stop thinking about you. Does that answer your question?" Sakura was silent. Sasuke grabbed his bag. "I'm gonna go now." He was nearly out of the room when he stopped. "I hope Sasori makes you happy, Sakura." With that he left her to her own thoughts.

Sasuke joined Naruto, Gaara, Kiba, and Shikamaru in the kitchen with Sakamei and her siblings. The one he thought was named Mato was serving fruit salads and omelets. Each time Shikamaru looked at the smiling person he seemed to be drained of the little energy he always had. He was so happy.

"Look, its Itachi's brother Sasuke," Krix said smiling also. Sasuke tried not to show the fact that he hated being compared to his older brother.

"Ohayou! I'm Toph, Sakamei's sister." Sasuke bowed to her, and then sat next to Naruto. Toph smiled once more. "Jux-nii-san, did you notice how quiet he is? All of these boys are so nice. Do you like any of them, Sakamei?" Sakamei frowned as Mika sat next to her, directly across from the boys.

"DO any of you like my Sakamei?" Mika seriously freaked out a lot of people, including Sasuke.

"Mika-nii-chan, are you trying to ruin my life?" He nodded once and she glared at him, and then turned to the doorway as more people joined them in the large dining room. Toph made sure she met everyone, and Mika made sure he made sure none of the boys admitted their feelings for their youngest sister.

Sakamei sat silently on the patio as one by one friends waited for their rides. Some decided to ride home with each other, but Sasuke's brother insisted he come and get him so he could talk to Jux for a while.

He was the last one here. Sakamei held her knees to her chest as she waited with him in silence. Sasuke looked bothered by something. His face wasn't blank as usual, but quite complex.

"Sasuke-kun." Sasuke looked up suddenly, as if surprised that she was there.

"I guess your presence was so comforting that I forgot that you were here." He snickered at himself. "It's strange how I can forget myself so easily." Sakamei knew there was a lot on his mind. She moved next to him on the porch swing, even though she hated swings because she was afraid she might hit the pole or another person, but that wasn't important now.

"What's wrong, Sasuke?" she asked. The boy shook his head and sighed.

"When Sakura was watching us last night, why did you pull away from me?" Sakamei wasn't expecting this, but in some way, she was.

"I don't know. You guys just broke up and everything-"

"It's not like she cared at all. She's dating another guy." Sakamei's eye's widened a bit. He sighed once more.

"Sakamei, I cared about Sakura. I made sure I did all I could to make her happy. I wasn't using her or anything like most people think I was. How could I? She had given me her…her innocence after all." Sakamei was surprised that he told her this. It was the most that he had ever spoken to her about.

"I wanted to make sure that if we ever did break up she wasn't hurt, but she ended things with me instead. I never thought that I would be so shocked over someone. I actually felt…hurt." Sakamei without knowing placed her hand on his arm, making him look up at her.

"I've haven't expressed my feelings to anyone but her…and now you," he said, his eyes darkening slightly.

Sakamei inhaled sharply as he moved closer, his lips inches from hers. It was happening. Sasuke would be the first person she had ever-

Sasuke and Sakamei pulled away from each other abruptly as the front door opened and Jux came out. "There you two are. Itachi is here." Sasuke and Sakamei looked at the black sports car that they hadn't noticed stop in front of the house. Sasuke watched as his older brother got out of the car. He walked up the drive and greeted Jux, who smiled for the first time since Sasuke had been there.

"Itachi-san, it is nice to see you again," Jux said as both men greeted each other as if they were long time best friends.

"You too, Jux-san. It seems as if it's been years." The two eldest sons of the family continued to talk as Sasuke loaded his bags into the car. He stood next to Sakamei once he finished. She was blushing slightly, and he found it extremely cute and innocent. He would hate to ruin that.

"Sakamei," he said quietly. Sakamei looked at him warily. "You comfort me more than you know. Thank you." Sakamei nodded. She didn't think she could find her voice right now.

"We should leave now. Let's get in touch more often, Jux-san. Sakamei-chan, it was nice meeting you. You're a very beautiful girl." Sakamei thanked Itachi for his compliment, and Sasuke was obviously irritated. "Let's go, Sasuke-kun." Sasuke followed his brother to the car, his hand slightly brushing against Sakamei's as he did.

Jux and Sakamei watched their car pull away, and then Jux turned to her. "What were you two talking about out here?" Sakamei blushed, looking away.

"Nothing nii-san. We were just talking.

Sakamei's cheeks reddened once more when she thought of how close Sasuke had been to kissing her. She had comforted him though. That was enough for now.

But just for now.