SasuKarin Month, 2014
o.o.o.o.o
Neither of them ever really figured out why he'd smiled at her that day.
So long ago, Sasuke's attitude towards smiles had been to think they were annoying on other people and unnecessary on himself. He'd smirked and sneered and occasionally quirked one side of his lip up in a sad attempt at hiding his grin after someone did something to embarrass themselves…
But he hadn't ever smiled. Not since the massacre.
Karin had never figured it out either. She hadn't known him back then, but it wasn't hard to imagine, to gather information and guess at what he'd been like before they'd really gotten to know each other. She could build up a profile, an estimated personality, and none of it fit with the one interaction with him that she had somehow managed to survive.
Sasuke didn't know what he could have been thinking to smile at a random kunoichi in the forest.
(Though he didn't regret doing so.)
Karin didn't know what she could have done to have deserved the one and only real smile that Sasuke gave anyone between the massacre and the end of the war.
(Though she thanked her lucky stars she'd done it.)
Orochimaru seemed to know.
Not that he ever said anything, of course.