Sasuke was being weird. He was acting... nice, to Sakura's astonishment. Naruto looked troubled whenever Sasuke said something kind to Sakura or opened a door for her. Sakura, meanwhile, was finding it difficult to get her mind off of the dark-haired pale teen.

Gaara hadn't made any tactical moves recently, just stared and stared, presumably waiting for her to crack. Well, he was going to be in for a long wait.

Hinata had been pathetically grateful to Sakura and Sasuke for saving her from Neji. Naruto had threatened to jump Neji after school for daring to hurt Hinata, but the shy girl protested. Sakura still felt uneasy that Hinata had to live with someone who obviously hated her enough to hurt her.

One day, Sakura was trudging home after school, her feet slipping on the icy pavement, her gloved hands gripping walls for purchase.

A car pulled up next to her, sleek and black, obviously expensive.

Sakura didn't spare it a glance, trying to avoid a frozen puddle in her path.

The window slid down.

"Haruno." Sasuke called from inside the car, "want a lift home?"

Sakura gave him an incredulous glare, her breath visible in the frigid air.

"I once gave a lecture on the dangers of getting into cars with strangers, you know." Sakura said haughtily, not trusting this nice version of Sasuke.

"I'm hardly a stranger, Haruno." Sasuke said, amused.

Sakura shook her head and struggled on, ignoring the look of growing amusement on Sasuke's face whenever she slipped.

The car drove slowly alongside her.

"Just get in, Haruno." Sasuke said, now annoyed.

Sakura stopped walking and put her hands on her hips. The car stopped driving the moment she halted, making her wonder uneasily how well the driver could see her through the tinted windows.

"Leave me alone, Uchiha. We are not friends. You were never interested in being friends before, why start now? What have I got that you want?"

Sasuke gave a frustrated sigh, "Naruto wanted me to be your friend. He likes that Hyuuga girl - he figured if I was your friend then he'd have an excuse to hang out with Hinata."

There was low chuckle from the driver's seat, "Smooth, little brother."

"Shut up." Sasuke said heatedly.

"What a brilliant plan. Did you forget the part where I would never be your friend? There's always an ulterior motive with you, Uchiha. Stop following me home or I'll tase you."

"You don't have a taser," Sasuke retorted automatically. Sakura raised her eyebrows and reached for her pocket, "Look, just get in the car. I also wanted to talk about what happened, four years ago, with you, me and Ino."

Sakura scoffed and started walking again. The car instantly began to roll down the road beside her.

Sakura's toes had gone numb from the cold and the icy wind was making her face sting.

"It's cold out there!" Sasuke finally said, "The car's warm."

Sakura knew she would have at least twenty minutes left of walking in the cold if she didn't take Sasuke up on his offer.

Pride be damned, her toes were freezing!

"Fine," She snapped. The car screeched to a halt and the door flew open. She gingerly climbed in; relishing the flush of warmth entering the car gave her.

Sasuke had his phone out, a ridiculously expensive new model, as sleek and impressive as the car they were riding in. He paused in his typing long enough to read a text, scowl at his phone and stab out a reply.

"I'm Itachi, Sasuke's older brother." The driver said, turning back to give Sakura a disarming smile.

Sakura's hormones took over momentarily and she gave him a vacuous smile. Her brain regained control swiftly and sent him a cold glare.

The mixed signals didn't seem to bother him, his dark eyes were quietly amused, his mouth a wide smirk.

Sasuke glared at his brother.

"So," Itachi said pleasantly, "You must be Sakura."

"So," Sakura affected a 'pleasant' tone mockingly, "You must be the older Uchiha."

She looked out of the window and experienced a slight twinge of fear, "This isn't the way to my house."

"I asked him to drive us about for a bit," Sasuke said seriously, "I wanted to be able to talk with you, without Naruto or Hinata hanging around."

"Logically, you could have done that at school. I suppose it depends on the length of the chat which, judging by the amount of fuel you've already burnt and the expensive phone in your hand is bound to be quite lengthy, as you have time to waste. I, however, intend not to fail this year and I want to get home to study quickly."

Itachi suppressed a smile.

"Just... just shut up and listen, OK?" Sasuke said wearily.

"No, you listen. I assume the reason why you hounded me all the way home and whined about wanting to be my friend is because you want to explain your side of what happened four years ago. I reserve the right to explain mine first."

"Sure, fine, whatever." Sasuke began to rub his forehead, attempting to smooth away a headache.

Sakura sat back against the leather seats, wanting to be comfortable - she was about to recite her worst memory. She knew it off by heart anyway, she'd been able to memorise it faster than any essay or play. Itachi's head half-turned as though he was curious to hear what she had to say.

She was twelve years old, and she had recently made a new friend. Ino was her platonic, little girl soul mate, they had the same interests, they were good at the same things and liked the same things. Her parents were arguing more than ever, and Sakura had taken to venting her frustrations to Ino, who was a very good listener.

But then, one day, a new boy came to school.

A pale, dark haired boy, with black eyes and a nasty scowl. Every girl in their year had fallen for him. Sakura was not exempt from this. She could not blame it on her hormones back then, as they hadn't emerged yet, so she blamed it on the following facts: he once gave her his umbrella when she had forgotten hers and it was pouring down with rain, he got an adorable crinkle in his forehead whenever he concentrated, and he appeared to appreciate studying as much as she did.

Ino found out that Sakura liked Sasuke too and didn't want to confront her about it. Instead, she decided to spread rumours about Sakura to put Sasuke off - that she only liked older boys, that she hated everyone and everything, that she cheated on her homework, silly, juvenile rumours.

When Sakura tracked the rumours back to the source and discovered that it was Ino who had spread them, she confronted her in the school's hallway.

Surrounded by students, Ino hadn't wanted to apologise, especially when Sasuke came along and started to watch them arguing.

So instead she began to insult Sakura.

Every insult she slung at her was the truth, which made it hurt so much more.

"You are too smart! No one can talk to you about anything because you turn it into a lecture! I can't understand what you say most of the time! I only made friends with you because I felt sorry for you, because no one else wanted to be your friend. You are ridiculously annoying and stuck up! You whine about your parents every day! You are so boring! I hate having to talk to you about school all the time, it's like you don't have a life outside of class! So, I'm sorry about Sasuke not liking you back, but stop trying to turn it on me, he just -" Sakura remembered Ino yelling at her in the hallway, her eyes narrowed with anger, the words flowing without any control.

Sakura remembered sliding down to the floor, shoulders shaking. She had not cried. She felt too numb with shock to cry. Her best friend hated her. She had always hated her.

The worst part of the memory was Sasuke walking up to them both, listening to Ino shout about Sakura's faults, taking in every awful word thanks to his fantastic memory.

Sakura had gone home that day in tears. Her mother didn't look up from the television, grunting, "How was school?" As she always did.

Sakura replied, "It was great." As she always did.

She had gone up to her room to decide what she do. For a moment she broke down in tears, sitting on the edge of her bed, just thinking about how all of the students hated her.

Ino had called her 'too smart.'

Now, she could make Ino feel important and as though her opinion mattered to Sakura - it did, it really did matter - if she dumbed herself down, talked in slang and did worse in exams because of what Ino had said.

Or, she could make her mother happy by consistently bringing home A grade essays and acing every exam, and show Ino that she wasn't going to change for some bitchy twelve year old who had had the gall to pretend to be her friend out of sympathy.

Well, Sakura didn't need pity friends, she decided.

She didn't need any friends.

When she'd finished talking and stared out of the car window, Sasuke and Itachi remained silent.

"I just remember you being upset in the hall one day and from then on you talked to me really politely, not like a friend, calling me 'Uchiha-san' instead of Sasuke." Sasuke admitted, dark eyes intent on her face.

"Well, now you know. Can you just drop me off here? I can walk." Sakura said shortly.

Sasuke shook his head at Itachi, who rolled his eyes and continued to drive the car in circles.

"How did Gaara find out about that day?"

"Ino told him. He paid her to give up my secrets." Sakura said dispassionately, trying not to think about it.

"Your school friends are very dramatic, Sasuke." Itachi said amusedly.

"Of course they are, their parents are rich." Sasuke muttered.

Sakura held back a snort of derision. She was not rich, nor were her parents. She had only gotten into the school through hard work.

She was starting to believe her hard work, all of the studying, all of the stress she suffered, were pointless. What had she achieved except losing her best friend? Her mother had stopped smiling whenever she inspected her daughter's grades. She had come to expect her to do well academically.

The car stopped outside her house.

"How much do I owe you?" Sakura asked dryly, opening the car door.

"A kiss?" Itachi said playfully.

Sasuke shot a murderous glare at his brother, "Itachi! I'll -"

"Can I tase you instead?" Sakura said rudely, patting her pocket and getting out of the car.

"Sakura," Sasuke called after her, sticking his head out of the window, "I'm sorry about everything that's happened. I really do want to be friends, you know."

Sakura paused and looked back at Sasuke. He seemed to be sincere. She breathed in deeply and nodded, "Fine. But being my friend means you have to hang out in the library now."

She could hear the amusement in his voice even as she walked away, "I'll try to manage that."

xxxxxxxx

The next day, Sasuke started to hang out with Sakura and Hinata, sitting with them at lunch, talking to them in corridors and sitting around in the library watching Sakura study. Naruto, of course, was thrilled that he got to see Hinata a lot more often.

Sakura had sat in the library that day, stubbornly ignoring Naruto's attempts to goad her into conversation, obeying the no talking policy. She had looked up from her annotated text book and met Gaara's eyes.

He was just standing there, leaning against the wall facing her, just staring as he always did.
Sasuke turned to look at what she was staring at and scowled darkly at the sight of Gaara, who glared back just as malevolently. He pushed himself off of the wall and headed to Sakura's table.

"Sakura." He said loudly. She shushed him with an accompanying hand gesture, "I'd choose my friends more carefully in the future if I were you."

Sakura slammed her textbook shut and squinted up at Gaara, "I do choose my friends carefully, and that's why you aren't one of them."

"Interesting," Gaara said, "I thought you wanted us to be friends? You asked me to break the war, remember?"

Sasuke looked surprised.

"That was then, this is now." Sakura growled, "Now stop talking to me. You may be exempt from every school rule but I am not."

Gaara gave a little irritating smirk.

"The sash really doesn't come with many advantages, does it?" He mused.

"I put you in detention once, I can do it again. I'd consider that an advantage." Sakura snapped.

Now Sasuke was the one smirking.

"I'm disappointed with your war efforts so far. It has been growing dull lately." Gaara said, eyeing her thoughtfully.

Sakura, flushed with anger, said, "What do you want from me? Do you want me to encase you cement and tip you into a lake? I can do that, you know. With pleasure."

"Never reveal your secrets to the enemy." Gaara tutted.

Sakura snorted with laughter despite herself. Gaara just sounded so serious and disapproving.

Sasuke stared at her as though she had grown a second head. He looked from her to Gaara. They were both smiling in shared mirth, though Sakura did so reluctantly, "What happened between you two?" Sasuke said incredulously, sounding almost put out. He put his arm around Sakura's chair, meeting Gaara's eyes defiantly.

Gaara's smile disappeared. Sakura realised she had been imagining the warmth in his pale eyes, because they were cold and hard the next time she looked into them.

"Nothing!" Sakura said hurriedly, unsure why she sounded so defensive.

Gaara turned his cold look on her, "Why would anything happen?"

Then he turned to walk away.

Sakura's face burned, "I'll just go get some cement, shall I?" She hissed at his back, half-hoping he wouldn't hear.

He obviously did, because he turned on his heel and bent down to look at her, putting his hands on either side of her chair.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," He said slowly, gazing at Naruto and Sasuke, "You should choose your friends more carefully."

He left the library without borrowing a book or using a computer. He had come all the way down to the school's library, seemingly just to cryptically warn her about her choice of friends.

"Why do you keep talking to that guy?" Naruto whined, face scrunched up in confusion.

"He d-doesn't seem very nice, Sakura-chan." Hinata said earnestly.

"He warned me about Neji going after you." Sakura said, hoping she wasn't defending him. She feared she was judging by the scowl on Sasuke's face.

"He warned me about you going after Neji." Sasuke admitted.

"What?" Sakura said, startled.

"He came back to class and muttered something about you having a fight with Neji."

Sakura was too surprised to comment. Gaara had done something nice for her. As though concerned for her safety. She felt oddly warm and happy.

Sasuke clearly did not share her happiness (or her warmth), as he looked livid. "I keep telling you to stay away from that guy. He's dangerous." He said angrily.

Sakura rubbed the fabric of her sash between her fingers thoughtfully. Gaara was one big contradiction. He did very nice things rarely but did awful things more often. Paying Ino to reveal her secrets. Publicising them to the entire school. But, under the guise of simply not wanting Neji to get his way, he had warned Sakura about him. Then he secretly told Sasuke to go help her. What was his deal? Was he a nice guy? Or a bad guy? Maybe it wasn't that simple. Maybe he was a bit of both.

Whichever he was, Sasuke seemed utterly convinced that he was dangerous. Common sense pointed out that all of the students were terrified of him; the teachers did whatever he said and ignored his indiscretions. Sakura was the only figure of authority that had ever punished him for breaking the rules. None of the teachers ever gave him detention or even a telling off.

Could it be that he was just a thug, violent and intimidating?

Sakura remembered Shikamaru's cryptic words.

"He's afraid of something he inspires." He had said grimly.

What would Gaara inspire?

Sakura was stumped. Cruel as it sounded, she couldn't imagine Gaara inspiring anything.

Except her anger-fuelled war campaigns, naturally.

xxxxxxxx

Exam season was here. Students were holed up in the library, anxious faces scanning textbooks and writing furious notes.

Sakura was in the middle of typing up a particularly long practice essay when something occurred to her. Why had she never searched Gaara online? If his father was that rich, he would be somewhere on the net. She just had to find him.

She typed, 'Sabaku no Gaara,' into a search engine.

A news article flashed up immediately.

Violent Teen Escapes Prison Sentence

Sakura's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Gaara nearly went to prison? She continued reading.

The son of the most powerful and influential businessman in Suna was up in court yesterday, on charges of assault. The victim is said to be a fellow pupil at his attacker's school. Gaara was not charged and was out of court in less than an hour. Rumours persist that the young, troubled teen (also known by the more fearsome title, Sabaku no Gaara)'s father had paid off the jury in order to ensure his son's freedom. A statement was taken from the offender's older brother, Kankuro, shortly before the family entered court to support Gaara. He was quoted as saying, "Get out of my face – Gaara didn't do anything."

The victim of the brutal beating was out of hospital before the trial began, but declined any interviews.

Sakura's hand slipped from the mouse. Gaara had badly beaten someone? So badly they'd been hospitalised?

She scrolled down the search results.

A web page title caught her eye.

The 'Kazekage' of business has beaten out the famed Uchiha Corp.

Sakura read further. It seemed that Sasuke's family, the Uchiha's, had been Gaara's family's rivals for years, but last year something had changed. Gaara's father, the man known as the 'Kazekage of the business world,' had beaten the Uchiha family's record of sales for the first time.

Hmm… Sakura thought to herself. So, Sasuke and Gaara were rivals, in a way. She had vaguely heard that neither of them got on well with their fathers, so maybe they didn't care about the warring businesses.

But then again… Sasuke's repeated attempts to convince her that Gaara was dangerous, his anger whenever they interacted, the way he'd suddenly started being friendly with her after Gaara came to the school…

Sakura felt her suspicion grow.

Never mind what was Gaara's deal, what on earth was Sasuke's?

xxxxxxxx

Sasuke was sitting alone in the courtyard, typing on an expensive cherry-red laptop. His face was very pale, though his cheeks and nose were sweetly painted pink by the cold. He was wearing reading glasses, for once.

Sakura flicked his laptop to get his attention when he didn't notice her loom over him.

He jumped, the laptop sliding sideways, "Harun – Er, Sakura?" He said, dark eyes wide.

"What's your game, Uchiha?" Sakura asked, glaring down at him.

He looked confused, "What are you talking about?"

"Why do you keep warning me off Gaara but never give me any concrete evidence that I should be afraid of him?" Sakura raised her eyebrows.

"I just don't want you to get –"

"Hurt. Huh. Interesting. Cause a couple of months ago I could have sworn you didn't give a damn. Why didn't you tell me Gaara got arrested for beating up a student?"

Sasuke paled even more, "How did you –"

"I know people," Sakura shrugged modestly, "He wasn't charged, Sasuke. There is no real proof that he's violent, or dangerous. So why do you keep telling me to stay away from him?"

Sasuke looked frustrated. He sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead in silence for a couple of seconds. Finally, he spoke up, eyes bright and defiant, "I like you, OK?" He snapped.

Sakura gaped at him, "What? But you –"

"I like you!" He insisted again, teeth gritted, "And I don't want you to get hurt!"

Sakura sat down next to him with an audible thump, mouth still wide open in shock. She sat there, playing with her scarf, trying to compute the bizarre new knowledge Sasuke had sprung upon her.

"You like me." Sakura said flatly.

Sasuke nodded, looking away, his jaw clenched.

There were grey clouds hanging over above them and as Sakura struggled to grasp the concept of Sasuke liking her, it began to snow softly, big white clumps drifting down amongst them.

It was the most exciting romantic moment of her life. Not that she'd had many. At all.

Sasuke still looked a little angry, but his dark, narrowed eyes caught on Sakura's wide, apple-green ones and stayed there.

He began to lean in.

Sakura, panicked and mentally reciting the school rules to see if there were any against kissing on school grounds, pulled away. The rule was probably in the 'Inappropriate Behaviour' section.

Sasuke's eyes opened and he registered the new distance between them that Sakura had created. Then something spooked him and he stood up quickly, staring at the opposite side of the courtyard.

In amongst the falling snow, Sakura's sharp eyes caught sight of a flash of dark red and pale green. Gaara.

He was standing opposite them, staring and smirking.

Sakura's stomach dropped as though she had just swooped down suddenly on a rollercoaster.

She didn't know why, but she knew it was important that Gaara had seen that Sakura had not kissed Sasuke.

Sasuke and Gaara stood opposite each other, Sasuke with clenched fists and Gaara with his trademark supercilious smirk.

The snow continued to fall, blanketing the ground with soft white.

Right! First update in a while, might be the last for a while too. Starting university tomorrow! Absolutely terrified.

Quick poll for fun: Is Sasuke's affection for Sakura genuine?

A) Yes, he seems to truly care about her.

B) I don't know.

C) No!

D) Other! Let me know!