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"Hey Sasuke," Sakura said nervously.

"Hn." Sasuke pointedly looked at the sky. Sure enough, the moon was at its peak. "You missed training, Annoyance."

"Aha," Sakura thought up an excuse on the spot. "I was lost on the road of life!" Technically I really was, I had to think about what to do with my life and Obi...to...kun.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at the sudden cloud of gloom hanging over her head. Strange, but not unusual for the annoying Sakura. "Come in."

Sakura brightened up and sprinted inside. Then, she froze.

"...Umm, why don't we head to Naruto's instead?" Sakura requested with a tilt of her head to look back at the Uchiha, her anxiety coming back.

Sasuke blinked, wondering what sparked this reaction. Was there something wrong with his home? I'd understand if this place was too rowdy or exuberant like the dobe's, but it's silent. There's nothing distracting at all... "Why do you look so scared?" He asked, blunt as always.

"Eh?" Sakura was taken aback, before she realized her face was an open book. "I'm not scared!" Her cheeks reddened, embarrassed. She grabbed his hand and tugged.

Sasuke sighed, deciding to force it out of her. Tightening his grip, he flipped her around and pinned her to the wall in a restraining motion he often used on Naruto. "Stop denying it and answer my question."

Violent as always. Inner Sakura thought, remembering this was not the first time he tried to terrify an answer out of her through aggression. Back in the early days of the Academy, Sasuke was known not to be a violent outside of official spars unless it was 'self-defense' against Naruto...that was...until Sakura had dragged them together (she had no idea what was going on in her head back then, but seeing how unexpectedly awesome everything turned out, she has no regrets.) From then on, they'd fought constantly, for the hell of it. Right now, however, Sasuke had a motive; to find out the reason for something so obvious it's infuriating!

"Because this is the Uchiha Compound, for fucking hell!" Sakura snapped, elbowing Sasuke in a rib as she stomped onto his exposed toe.

"Tgnch," Sasuke grunted, releasing her. "Since when did you grow scared? Don't say this is your first time here." More than once you've visited my clan's cemetery with...flowers. He bristled at the reminder of his older brother's merciless slaughter of his entire family.

"I can't stand this place," Sakura insisted, squeezing his hand with more strength than a person would naturally have, "They're all watching me."She still remembered gouging out every Sharingan Obito-kun pointed out. She would have been scared of defiling the dead and getting cursed, but the ghosts of the Uchiha clearly wanted her to do what she was told to do. Ever since that night, however, she never saw them again. What if it was all a genjutsu?

Nah, can't be. If those ghosts weren't the real thing, and I really did violate the dead without their real permission, I'd be cursed to a life of misfortune. Besides, Obito-kun would never coerce you like that! What would he gain from it anyway? Her thoughts flickered to the many missing jars of Sharingan she'd collected. Did Obito-kun take them?

Impossible.

...

"Ah," Sasuke smiled smugly. "You're afraid of ghosts."

Sakura gawked. "Eh?"

"You're hopeless." He concluded, taking her hand and leading her out. "I only see them in my thoughts, but you happen to believe it to be the real thing."

Sakura sweatdropped. It was logical for Sasuke to have mini-controlled-hallucinations- AH! That's not good! Forget about me- This is his family, I'm so stupid! "Come on, Sasuke!" She pulled ahead, taking the lead, and burst into a run. Just when Sasuke was about to adjust, her free hand formed a seal and they vanished with her Body Flicker Technique. Obito trained her well.


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"From now on, Sasuke will live here with you, Naruto." Sakura stated bluntly at a sleepy Naruto, who was still yawning and rubbing his eyes.

Sasuke gasped, about to drop to the floor by the unexpected transportation technique, had Sakura not been holding onto the scruff of his shirt. He shot the Annoyance a warning glare before looking at the Loser in pajamas and a stupid looking animal hat.

"Sure- Sakura-chan," Naruto answered by reflex, before the meaning of her statement dawned. "WAIT WHAT?! TEME?!"

"When did I agree to this?" Sasuke asked sarcastically.

Uhhh...I can't pull the ghost-card since that only happens to me. Ugh, what should I say? What reasons are there, besides my stupid whim? Sakura crossed her arms thoughtfully. "It's convenient. One of you can do the cooking for both, do the grocery shopping for both, there's less cleaning to be done on your ends, and...there's more time for training! Because...you're both right here. And when I come get you guys, I don't have to head in both directions. I can just arrive here!" Sakura grinned at her genius logic.

Naruto was conflicted. He didn't quite like the teme but he related to him in so many ways. He was hesitant about this idea but it made him feel all bubbly inside. Eventually, he grinned brightly. "That's an awesome idea! Sakura-chan's so smart!"

"Hn." Sasuke closed his eyes. "I'm not living with the dobe."

"But the chuunin exams are coming up, and I have herbal and medical textbooks hidden under Naruto's bathroom's floorboards." Sakura said.

"EH?!" Naruto gaped. Since when?! ...He didn't know how he should feel about Sakura using his home as her personal textbook bank; the bathroom of all places! Then again, it made sense; he was never allowed ten feet near the toilet when Sakura was using it, so that must have been how she hid stuff in his own home without his notice! Then Naruto backtracked- Sakura said something about Chuunin Exams?

"We should make food pills to increase the overall success of our missions, especially for the Chuunin exams! I can teach you two, you know. And with you both together, it'll be a breeze!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. The idea did sound...convenient. Perhaps it would strengthen his body with the right nutrition, and support him on his life-goal. "Heh." Sasuke smirked despite himself. "Keep in mind, my stay is only temporary."

Naruto harrumphed. "It's not like I want you waiting at home everyday for me, teme!"

That earned him a punch from said teme.


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