Disclaimer: This is a work of a fan fiction using characters from Naruto. This story is for entertainment only and is not part of the official story line.

Chapter 12

Sakura sat at the edge of the dock with her legs hanging down, barely touching the water. She glanced around until her sight stopped at the tall figure sitting to her left side. Sasuke was gazing at the horizon, with a faraway expression.

She had taken a liking to the dock since the first time he brought her there. It was surprisingly quiet, considering that the busy street of Konoha were not that far behind.

If she closed her eyes, she could clearly hear the water rushing down the river.

It was a soothing sound.

She also loved the subtle smell of damp moss, wet rocks and mud. Last time she was there, she had said that it smelled like rain, but sweeter. When she turned to Sasuke, she glimpsed his lips curling up a bit.

She sometimes thinks about that smile. It's not like those weak smiles he sometimes gives her, mostly as an apology. That time she was reminded when they were young and they had fun in those D or C-rank missions. When he, for some time, forgot his revenge.

Sakura took a deep breath and then looked back at her feet.

He had told her a while ago that this was a place he came often as a child.

When she asked if it was an important place, he shrugged. He said that it was where he had learned the fireball jutsu.

"You should teach me then." She joked.

And he did.

Sasuke's cold hand reached for hers and she flinched by his sudden action, but he held her hand in place.

"Help me," he said.

He told her which hand seal to form and she simply followed his instructions.

When he finished with the tiger seal, he pulled his hand away. He instantly took a deep breath and turned his body to the end of the dock. A rush of hot air surrounded them and she looked at him in awe while he expelled fire from his mouth.

She had seen his technique so many times before, but that time it felt different and she didn't know how to describe that warm fuzz in her chest.

When she looked up at him, he was staring at where the fireball extinguished.

"My father—," he spoke, in an underwhelm tone, "he taught me this technique... Here." He added, almost in a whisper.

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise. In that moment she understood the reason why he kept coming back.

It was a place he had walked alongside his father. And from the look in his eyes, she knew what he was yearning.

That what the same look she had every time she looked at his back all those years ago.

"Sakura." A deep voice interrupted her thoughts and she hastily lifted her gaze.

Sasuke was watching her with a serious expression.

Her cheeks reddened a little with the proximity of their faces.

"You okay?" He asked, brows still furrowed.

"Yes," she mumbled.

He kept his eyes on her and she held his gaze. He was looking at her with such intensity that made her heart beat faster. But then she remembered why they were there.

"So, when was that?," she prompted.

Sasuke quirked his eyebrow at the sudden question.

"When did they ask you?" She went on.

He paused for a moment.

"The day I missed lunch."

"Oh..." she said.

She knew what day he meant and she quickly averted her eyes.

Sasuke also turned his gaze away.

That was the day she made a fool of herself by taking her clothes without noticing his presence.

She groaned just by remembering the exact moment. She shook her head expecting to forget that memory but then she stopped short. She remembered something else.

She remembered the look on his face when he told her to sleep.

"You were going to tell me that day." She stated, turning her head in his direction.

Sasuke glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. "I wanted to..."

"But?" She asked.

She waited for him to continue, but Sasuke didn't answered. And he didn't need to. Sakura understood from his silence why he wasn't able to tell her.

"You thought I would be disappointed of your choice," she said.

Sasuke didn't met her gaze.

Sakura felt a sharp pain in her chest. She instinctively pulled her legs closer to her and wrapped her arms around her knees.

"When I heard about it today, I got angry," she said. "And then sad. I didn't see any reason why you wouldn't tell me. I mean, I always thought you might take the job if given the chance because... Well, you kinda act like them — and I know at some point you wanted it but..." She let out a deep sigh and looked up at him. "I'm not disappointed, just so you know."

Sasuke slowly turned his head.

"But I am hurt," she went on. "I should have heard this from you and not other people."

Sasuke eyed her for a moment before dropping his gaze.

"I'm not fit for the job." He said murmured.

Sakura chuckled. "Funny. I want to say the contrary but," she shrugged, "you are right."

"Yet you still hope I would take It."

"Well, yeah..."

Sasuke hesitated before speaking again.

"I did consider it," he said, "I'm surprised Kakashi even offered it, but I guess he just wanted a confirmation that I wasn't after the job."

"I see." Sakura said.

She rested her head on top of her knees. She glanced at Sasuke and remembered him at the Academy. The first day actually, during the entrance ceremony. He kept looking back at a tall man with sharp features.

"Your dad," she continued, "he was the leader of the Military Police Force also, wasn't he?"

He nodded.

"Was he the reason you ever wanted to be part of it."

Sasuke thought for a moment.

"No... Itachi was."

Sakura glanced at him. She was startled a bit when he spoke again.

"My father..." he paused. "He was always busy, either doing police work or dealing with his duties as the clan leader. I thought he didn't care for me because he seemed to prioritize Itachi, and the first time he actually looked at me — I thought I was a replacement. Mom had to reassure me that my father did care for me, that he talked about me, but it was hard for me to believe that."

"I was jealous of my brother because he had his attention, but even after all that... Itachi was the one who stepped in every time when my father didn't. He always tried to be there for me before he distanced himself from everyone." Sasuke closed his eyes briefly.

When he opened them, he stoke a sidelong glance at the pink medic. "I knew the importance of the police force to my clan because my brother told me. Not my father."

Sakura watched him but then she turned away when she didn't find any comfort words.

"You wanted to follow your brother..." Sakura said softly.

"Yeah."

"That was your dream, wasn't it?"

Sasuke stared at her. For a moment he looked surprised, but then he smiled weakly.

"Yeah..."

Sasuke's expression remained the same, but she could tell that it pained him to talk about his family, specially when his father and brother were not on good terms.

Sakura let go of her legs, and reached for his hand.

"I'm sorry."

Suske turned abruptly to her. "Why are you apologizing?"

"Well..." She looked down. "It's sad to let go of your dreams."

Sasuke didn't reply. Sakura knew his dreams had always changed. From joining the police force, to revenge. From revenge to revolution.

What started like a naive dream, tarnished into something dark.

That's why he left after the war, he needed to see the world from another perspective and find a new path.

They stayed in silence and Sasuke intertwined his fingers with hers. Sakura blushed slightly and started caressing the back of his palm with her thumb.

"I wouldn't have lasted to be honest." Sasuke said stubbornly.

Sakura snorted. "You think?"

"Hn. I'm not good at following orders."

"Ah. That's true." She said in a playful tone.

"And I'm more useful out there..." he added.

Sakura remembered what happened a few months ago. How he helped Konoha in locate the missing ninjas from different villages that were under an unusual genjutsu. He ended up fighting the person responsible, the leader of the Lighting Group, Chino. The girl was now working with the Mizukage for her wrongdoings. He also took part in freeing ninjas that were toyed with because of their kekkei genkai in the coliseum.

"Yeah. I guess you have a point there..."

Sakura looked up at the sky.

The night had finally settled in and she could see the stars shining a little bit brighter in this part of the village.

She smiled at this discovery and leaned on Sasuke's shoulder. She closed her eyes.

"That's another reason why you didn't took the job, isn't it?"

Sasuke didn't reply. She took his silence as a confirmation.

"You wandered soul." She laughed and opened her eyes to look up at him.

Sasuke was watching her with his browns drawn together, which only made her laugh more.

Sometimes he made it so easy for her to tease him.

She rested her head once again and seconds later, she felt his body leaning on her as well. Their hands were still clamped together and with her free hand she studied his calloused fingers.

"Now that I think about it, your clan mainly worked at the police force, didn't they? I don't remember seeing them in places that weren't the police headquarters... Or the Uchiha compound."

"I don't think they had an option." He replied. "Joining the police was the expected thing to do. I'm not completely sure. I know my father was proud if his job, his duty and his clan and that was a feeling shared by the rest of them... I was only a kid back then, there's not a lot I can remember and the few things I know are from the memories Itachi shared with me."

"So, the only institution Uchihas were able to join was the police force?" She asked.

He nodded.

"That sucks."

"Hn."

They stood still again, enjoying the warmth their bodies offered in the cold night.

"Itachi made it to ANBU." Sasuke then said.

Sakura straightened her back and turned to him.

"That's right!" She exclaimed. "Did he wanted that?"

"Not sure... He didn't want to join the police force." Sasuke said with a weak smile.

Sakura returned the gesture. She was struck with guilt after knowing Sasuke had wanted to join the police while his brother didn't.

"Joining the ANBU was definitely something he decided for himself. I think it was his way out of the clan beliefs," Sasuke went on, "but once he joined them, his relationship with my father became so estranged."

"Was it that bad?"

"Yeah. And I wasn't aware of that back then. I always assume my father was more interested in Itachi because he loved him more... But that wasn't the case. For my father the clan always came first. But Itachi... He was looking not only for the clan, he cared for the village as well."

Sasuke let go of her hand and lay down. He closed his eyes and pinched his nose bridge.

Sakura stared at him for a moment, before deciding to join him as well. She didn't closed her eyes, instead, she busied herself glancing around the sky.

"I'm sorry." She said after a while, shifting her gaze to him.

Sasuke sighed ins exasperation and met her gaze.

"I was upset because you didn't tell me, but I shouldn't have." She interjected.

"I was going to tell you anyway." He said softly.

"Yeah. And I should have waited."

"It's fine." He paused. "I just didn't want to disappoint you."

"Stop that! You didn't. Okay?" She replied, she couldn't hide the irritation of her voice.

Sasuke held her gaze and his hand cupped her cheek.

"Okay."

Sakura stared at him. Her features softened when he brushed a strand of her hair aside. She couldn't help but fall for him more.

"You are like your brother." She added with a smile.

Sasuke drew his hand back.

"I'm not like him." He scuffed.

"Yes you are. You are also doing your best for the village as well."

"Ah... Well the idiot drag me," Sasuke said nonchalantly. He let out a snort right after. "Something about collaboration."

"Oh, that sounds like Naruto." She chipped in.

"Hn."

Sakura laughed and Sasuke shook his head. He then straightened himself up.

"It's late, we should go."

"Past your bedtime?"

"Tsk. You have an early shift tomorrow." He said while extending his hand to Sakura.

"You're not fun!" She pouted, but grabbed his hand nonetheless.

"But you're right." She added with a smile and Sasuke helped her up.

.

.

.

It didn't take long to reach her place.

Sakura opened the door of her apartment and crossed the threshold.

"Want some tea?"

"Sure." He answered.

Sakura walked to the kitchen and put the kettle on the stove. She looked over her shoulder and saw Sasuke leaning on the opposite wall. She then moved and looked for the dry leaves and deposited them into a teapot. When the kettle whistled, she poured the boiling water and waited for the tea to steep.

She didn't notice when Sasuke got close and she gasped when he rested his head in the crook of her neck.

"Give it a few minutes." She said quietly.

He didn't answered, but nodded.

When the tea was ready, they stayed in the kitchen.

They drank in silence and when he was done, he stared at the empty mug. There were some tiny pieces of damp leaves.

"I should go," he said, setting his mug in the sink.

When he moved towards the door, Sakura called for him, her voice trembled.

He halted his movements and looked back at her.

"What's wrong?"

Sakura stared at him. "Stay," she said firmly.

Sasuke eyes widened for an instant.

"I shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"Sakura..."

"You pervert," she said.

It was a bold move. She knew her invitation would be mistaken for something else, but she still decided to say the words. Her flustered face was giving her away, but she didn't care, at least it confirmed something. Sasuke was aware of her the same way she was of him.

"It's just sleeping." She said with her cheeks still red. No lie there, she wasn't ready for more.

Sasuke looked away. She heard choke sound.

"Okay." He replied.

Sakura grabbed his hand and led him to her room.

Once inside her room, Sakura looked through her drawers for something big enough for him to wear.

"Here," she said while extending an old oversized shirt and some pants.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Don't look at me like that, these are Naruto's," she added, pointing at the Uzumaki clan at the back. "Sometimes after missions, the lazy idiot would throw his dirty laundry in my bag because he had no washing machine in his old place." A vein popped in her forehead. "My ninja bag smelled like stall ramen for weeks and I had to throw it out... Twice."

She picked her sleeping shirt and pants, and run to the bathroom to change.

When she came back, Sasuke was sitting on the edge of her bed, with a tired look. The sparring was now taking effect after the amount of chakra he must have used.

"I'll take the right side," she said and climbed into her bed.

Sakura lay down on her side and Sasuke on his back.

He watched her drew the bed sheets closer to her neck while curling her body. When Sakura was comfortable enough, she met his eyes.

They looked into each other without speaking.

Sasuke then picked up a smell and wrinkled his nose. "I think I smell of sweat and ramen." He said.

Sakura took a deep breath, but she only got his scent. "It's fine," she said with a smile followed by a yawn.

He closed his eyes and she watched him breath.

Sakura didn't know where the confidence was coming from, but she drew closer to him, laying her hand and head on his chest.

She fall asleep within seconds, listening to his steady heartbeat.

She didn't see him open his eyes and watching her sleep soundly.

Author's notes:

Hi!

I'm still here :P

Sorry it took longer now to post. I didn't have a lot of time to correct the chapter. Work has been intense and I ended up avoiding writing.

Anyway a few months ago I read Itachi's story and a lot of ideas came from that novel. I also got a copy of Sasuke's story this month and it was nice to read it. :)

Hopefully the wait was worth it, if not u.u, well I tried.

I hope all of you are doing well!

(note: sorry if you have been getting non stop updates, i was updating from the phone and the app wasn't working properly.)

Oct 30th, 2020.