A/N: Thanks for sticking with this story! I truly appreciate the responses I've received. Some comments noted that Sasuke acts in tandem with how they'd imagine he would canonically, and that is something I see, as well. I hope you enjoy this chapter! If you ever remember your first playful flirting experience, maybe you can relate.

Chapter 5

By the time seven in the evening rolled around, Sakura came back as promised. The pink-haired medic did one last check on their blond comrade and then bid him a good night. When Sasuke and Sakura exited the hospital, the darkness inched further to engulf the sky, the last of the sun's rays radiating orange in the west. The air was chilly yet again but lacked the breeze that blew through the streets of the village the previous day. The two of them walked in a comfortable silence towards Sakura's apartment, side-by-side, though half an arm's length away from each other.

They walked up the steps of her building and stepped through the doorway. Delicate, sweet smells wafted into Sasuke's nose that mixed with the savory smells of dinner they had together. "Make yourself at home," Sakura said with a smile as the two of them slid off their sandals. "I'll change out of my work clothes. I'll be right back."

Sasuke nodded and made his way over to the kotatsu as she slipped into her bedroom. As he sat and settled on one of the cushions that framed the table, Sakura's soft humming could be heard through the door. As he adjusted his seating, he paused and realized that Sakura was in the room next door, stripping her clothes off and—

He lowered his forehead onto the cool wood and berated himself silently, urging the perverse thoughts to leave his mind. It was different, too different to see Sakura in that kind of light. Sasuke brought his hand up and held it to the back of his head as if to press the embarrassment out of his body. He couldn't stop a blush from forming on his face, however. Perhaps it was the moment that had a semblance of intimacy in the hospital room as she treated him that caused the shift. He dismissed off the thought. That wasn't intimacy. I'm probably just still tired, he reasoned.

"Sasuke-kun?"

His head shot up and he turned to Sakura's voice. She stood there in her black shorts and gray panda shirt, its wide head grinning cheekily on her chest, the same one as the night before. Her pink locks framed her face and brushed against her shoulders delicately. He wondered if it ever tickled. His face turned impossibly redder and he put his forehead back on the table. Good god, he thought. He heard her feet pad closer towards him and felt the cushion shift beneath him as she knelt by his side. Sakura had gotten close in a moment of concern.

"Sasuke-kun, are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with worry and poised to heal. She pressed the back of her hand to his cheek and he flinched away.

"I'm fine," he muttered, raising his head but not meeting her gaze. Instead he tapped his fingers on the kotatsu and watched each of them fall mutely to the wood. "Do you want to schedule appointments?"

Sakura straightened up and nodded her head, gathering her composure. "I suggest having daily sessions for the next week to get rid of the biggest clots. Each session doesn't even have to be too long, maybe twenty minutes, but then it allows at least sixteen or so hours to heal and let your chakra paths naturally realign until the next round. Does meeting here after my shifts sound okay with you?" Sasuke nodded silently in reply, still not meeting her gaze. "We can consider earlier today the first session. If it's alright with you, I'd like to check my work to make sure you'll heal properly?"

"Okay."

When a moment of silence fell before them yet again, he glanced up to see an unsure look on her face. "I'm going to need to have better access to your arm."

He raised his eyebrows inquisitively. Then, the moment he realized it, he turned away, face burning. His long sleeve was definitely in the way, and the only option to grant more access would mean taking it off. Oh, higher powers, help.

"If you're not comfortable, we can try to—"

She held her tongue when Sasuke gripped the hem of his shirt and pulled it up over his head, exposing the skin of his back. His muscles rippled as he shook the remaining sleeve off of his arm, a sight worthy enough to draw the attention of the greatest warriors. She scanned his body upon habit, eyeing the ridges of raised skin that scattered haphazardly on his back like small mountain ranges, each scar a physical count of battles he'd endured. For some reason, this surprised her, as she half-expected to see an untouched surface, a testament to how invincible she viewed him. She sat in awe for a few seconds, drinking the sight, before she straightened her body and began to gather chakra in her palms.

Sasuke adjusted his seating to ensure he was cross-legged on the cushion and waited quietly as a signal to say he was done preparing. He felt one of her cool hands rest on his left shoulder and the other one on the end of what was left of his arm to raise it closer for her to examine. He lifted it higher for her and anticipated an expression of disgust to appear on her face, knowing the grisly sight repulsed even him. If she refused to treat him after looking at it, he would understand. He would live. He would accept that as a sign of his penance and would continue to bear it.

The disgust never came, however, and he watched as she examined with pure curiosity, tilting her head to look at the canyons of angry red scars. Her lips were slightly parted, her green eyes wide yet confident, and her deft fingers traced the remnants of their blond teammate's damage. She glided her finger across one of the lightning bolts. "Do you feel it when I do this?" she asked quietly.

Sasuke swallowed hard and shook his head.

She tapped the end where his arm should have continued. "This?"

He shook his head again. He watched her carefully, feeling her cool chakra every now and then probe his muscles. He could hardly feel any sensation there, though found himself wanting to.

Sakura lowered his arm and shuffled on her knees to position herself behind him. "It seems like your buildup might have caused you some pain on your back and neck," she said, making sure to verbalize her thoughts. Sasuke nodded, suddenly hyper aware of where her fingers lightly tapped his bare skin. He closed his eyes and let his shoulders drop in relaxation when he felt her chakra flow into his muscles. It was as though she was spreading cool aloe where she touched, soothing what he didn't realize was sore and tense. It was enough to make shivers trickle down his spine with pleasure. "How are you feeling?" she asked, her voice still quiet.

"Good."

He could practically hear a small smile form on her face.

They sat like this for a while: Sakura hovering over his back and shoulder while he sat patiently. Every now and then, he would glance up at her face and see her brows furrowed slightly in concentration, lips pursed, and jade eyes bright. And every now and then, Sakura would catch his glances with her own and share a reassuring grin with him. Something stirred in his chest each time she did that, and he'd hold her gaze until she was the one to break it.

After about fifteen minutes, the medic withdrew her hands and settled herself next to him with her hands in her lap. "All done," she grinned.

Sasuke silently wished that she could continue the treatment, though not for the sake of preventing the pain from shooting him in the shoulders again. Something about being in her company was far different than when they were children, something that he wanted to explore more. "Thanks."

They sat together in silence and Sasuke suddenly became hyper aware that he was half-bare in her living room with her eyes trained steadily upon him. "I'll just…," he began, his voice trailing off as he motioned his meaning by glancing over at his shirt tossed lazily to the floor.

"Oh!" Sakura's face turned shades darker than her hair and she turned away as she motioned him to continue. "Please, um…yeah, go ahead and…"

"Put my shirt…"

"Yeah, put that on…"

Sasuke observed her carefully as her eyes lowered and focused on the hem of her black shorts. He found himself trailing his own gaze down towards the long, exposed skin of her legs that were visibly smooth and, he wondered, physically smooth? He forced his eyes away from the sight and shook off his thoughts to pull his shirt back over his head. Hold yourself together, he chanted silently.

As quickly, though as calmly, as he could, he shrugged into the article of clothing and was slipping his arm through the long sleeve when he felt her cold fingers on his left side. The sensation caused him to shiver. He turned to look in Sakura's direction and saw that she had tugged on the end of the shirt to pull it down all the way, her hand brushing slightly against his warm skin. "Sorry," she said, withdrawing her hand at his startled glance.

They sat in silence for beat before Sakura asked, "Are you hungry?"

Before Sasuke could answer, the pinkette hopped out of her seated position and rounded her counter to step into the kitchen. She busied herself with pulling leftover miso soup and stew out from the fridge. She popped the contents into the microwave, turning her back to the living room as she punched numbers to set the timer. The cheeky panda's behind, complete with the little pink heart, billowed as she moved.

At this, Sasuke stood up and walked the same short path to the kitchen. He didn't know what made him do it, just that he did: he placed his right hand on her waist, a signal that he was going to pass though, and slipped behind her to get to the other end of the kitchen. He felt her tense beneath his touch as her back brushed against his front. When he released his light hold, he murmured, "I'll set the table."

A small squeak escaped from Sakura and she raised her shoulders to her ears, causing a small smile form on his face.

Sasuke grabbed bowls and spoons from her kitchen cabinets and balanced them in his hand. He slid behind her again, intentionally letting their bodies graze each other briefly. As he passed, he saw the back of her neck growing red. Something in Sasuke stirred that he couldn't quite identify. But, if he were to be honest with himself, he felt a sense of satisfaction knowing the effect he was causing.

When he placed the utensils on the kotatsu, he stood up to make his way one more time towards the kitchen to grab the food when the microwave screeched its completion. He stopped at the sight of Sakura's hand motioning him to halt. "I've got the rest," she said, focusing on the microwave buttons. "Sit."

He wanted to chuckle, but he held his tongue and did as she said. Strange to be on the other side of it, he thought, amused.

Moments later, Sakura held warm bowls of soup and stew in either hand, each with a metal ladle. She placed them on the wooden surface and settled herself across from Sasuke. He felt his amusement grow more at the sight of her: Sakura sat straight as though a thread pulled her spine all the way to the ceiling. Her eyes looked dazzlingly green with confidence, with challenge. She might as well have puffed out her chest and claimed none of his touches fazed her. A smirk played on his lips. Game on.

They raised their hands. "Itadakimasu," they said in unison, her soprano overpowering his base.

They ate in silence for a few moments, each of them catching glances of each other as they reached for different servings of the food before them. Then, he felt her gently kick out her leg and touch his own. The touch prolonged, however, as she glided her foot down to meet his and rested it there. Her toes were cold and left a chilly trail in their wake. He hardened his form and froze just before he could scoop a spoonful of the stew into his mouth and looked up at her. Sakura pretended to look up and feigned innocence. "Everything okay, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, the ends of her mouth twitching to form a mischievous grin.

"Peachy."

"Good."

They ate quietly again.

The Uchiha put his spoon down in his bowl that was still full of stew, knowing it would catch Sakura's attention. Sure enough, she glanced up and he held her gaze there. She stared back at him, bright green eyes and impish smile twitching yet again in a mix of amusement and frustration. He knew that his expressions tended to be "intense," and he decided to use it to his advantage. As children, Sakura would melt. As of now? Well, she'd proven to be a tougher cookie. Perhaps more of a brick.

"How's the food?" he asked, pretending to use a casual tone.

"Delightful."

Sasuke wanted to let a guffaw at her answer, for her voice sounded wispy and pretentious. Instead, he snorted and accepted defeat. He shook his head and stifled a grin to resume eating.

Quiet resumed for a few moments.

The pink-haired medic cleared her throat and Sasuke glanced up, welcoming the challenge. She ran her fingers through her hair before letting the strands fall to the side of her head. Sakura then gently rested her right cheek in her hand and gave him a coy smile. Her green eyes were half-lidded, lazy, but just as dazzling. Stirring, stirring, stirring in his chest, but he resisted. He saw extra effort in this pose of hers, and it was reminiscent of their childhood they shared where she had the same, exaggerated look on her face.

He stared back at her, deliberately deadpanned in his expression.

Sakura pouted and straightened herself back up to spoon another bite of stew into her mouth. She glanced up and tested him smoothly, "Not too aware, are we?"

"Not when I don't want to be."

The two of them kept their eyes down but shared small, amused smiles.

Moments of quiet passed one more time as Sasuke glanced around the table and saw an opening as she reached for the ladle to the stew. Something a bit bolder was needed. He darted his hand out and, before she could hold the handle, he pressed their palms together and fit his fingers between hers, clamping them down to interlock them. She raised her eyebrows, clearly startled, and kept her fingers splayed out and straight.

Something shifted in the room, something he couldn't quite place. Their eyes met, hers large like a doe in the headlights, and warmth radiated in his body when he watched her lips part ever so slightly. She moved cautiously and curled her fingers to match his, her uncertainty radiating through the room. Despite this, it was as though he was seeing the sunrise for the first time, profound, astounding, yet frightening all at once. He felt the same stirring in his chest that he didn't realize, until now, was for her. The gentleness of her, her playfulness, her presence. She was familiar, yet so new.

Perhaps he wasn't tired after all.

Onyx and violet held emerald green. Then, as if in slow motion, she broke their gaze in an act to concede defeat. At the same time, she withdrew her foot beneath the table pulled gently away from his grasp, signaling him to let go. I don't want to, he thought, surprising himself. But he did, and he ached.

Sakura used the same fingers he held to push her hair behind her ear shyly. She looked up and gave him a weak smile. "You win."

Game over.

The two of them sat for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Sasuke's appetite dissipated into the air, and he yearned to apologize. He watched how she placed her hands in her lap and held rubbed her palm with her thumb like a worry stone. He'd crossed the line in the childish challenge, probably repelled her away. I really am just tired, he thought. Nothing is there, nothing is here. Sasuke opened his mouth to speak his apology, but Sakura beat him to breaking the silence.

"How do you feel about your new place?" she asked, pushing her bowl away from her. It seemed as though her appetite dissipated, too.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows at the abrupt change in topic. I guess…we act like none of it ever happened.

The Uchiha lowered his head and followed suit with her movements, pushing his bowl aside and slouching slightly. Sasuke shuffled in his seat a bit and stared at his fingers that rested on the table, silently wishing he could shrink a few sizes into the woodwork. Disappointment spread in his chest, but he decided to brush it away. "It's too fancy," he replied, thinking back to what Naruto had said earlier in the day regarding Sakura's concern with his new apartment.

"I thought it might be."

A pause.

"Sasuke-kun," she began again, and he looked up. When their eyes met, Sakura shifted her gaze and looked everywhere but at him. "If you ever want another…I mean, if you don't, um…If you don't feel like sleeping there sometimes, you're welcome to stay here." She reached up to scratch behind her ear and strands of pink fell against her face again. "You never struck me as the type to like something so shiny, but Naruto insisted. Maybe I should have listened to my gut, but…but anyway, I have an extra futon that you can use out here in the living room. You can even sleep in my bed when I have night shifts."

Sasuke stared at her, face blank.

"If you want," she added hastily. "Only…only if you want."

Unsure how to proceed, he cleared his throat to buy some thinking time. So it seems that holding her hand didn't repel her after all, but they were both incredibly tense. Tread carefully, he thought. Although, she wouldn't have offered her home if she didn't sincerely mean to share the space when she's comfortable…would she? Sakura didn't seem like the type to lend things out without some amount of vetting process. Did she see him as someone who could be trusted? Even after all this time? Even after—

"Sorry," she said, turning away and picking up her empty dish. She prepared to push off of her cushion to stand. "F-forget I asked, Sasuke-kun, that wasn't appropriate of—"

"Okay."

She froze, her legs slightly bent, a green-eyed doe in the headlights once more. "Okay?" she echoed, her voice soft.

"Okay," he repeated, "as in, I'll take your offer on that."

A shy smile danced on her lips and she chuckled, her voice shaking a bit. "Oh, right, of course." She stood all the way up and extended her hand towards him, motioning for Sasuke to give her his empty dish. He obliged and watched as she had a new bounce in her step as she strolled into the kitchen. He couldn't help but form his mouth into a grin at the sight.

They cleaned everything up within minutes. The two of them made their way back to the kotatsu with cups of hot tea, courtesy of Sakura, to relax. She shuffled to the window and propped it open slightly to let the chilly air pour into the small space. They sat quietly for a few moments before Sasuke broke the silence. "What do you want for your birthday?"

Sakura looked at him with those wide emerald eyes again, midway through sipping her tea. She placed the small cup down, holding it with both hands, and thought for a moment. "I'm not really sure," she admitted. "I don't really give my birthday much thought."

"Hm."

She grinned playfully. "Why do you ask, Sasuke-kun?"

He shrugged as he took a sip from his own cup. "It's supposed to be a big deal for some people. Like that blond girl."

"Blond girl. You mean Ino? She has a name."

Sasuke looked away, slightly embarrassed that he'd forgotten their classmate's name. He honestly never referred to the girl as Ino in his head, but it seemed clear that Sakura and the blond gi—Ino—had a special bond. "Right. Ino. She enjoyed parties."

Sakura's giggle chimed in the air and he turned his attention back to her. "More like enjoys. Present tense," she corrected. "Ino's always been big into celebrations, but really, she dragged me to many of those growing up. If I'm honest, it isn't my style." She placed rested her chin lazily on her the heel of her left hand. Sasuke swallowed hard and held her gaze as she said, "I value spending time with someone over gifts and glamor."

Sasuke nodded slowly, taking a long sip of tea and a mental note.

For the rest of the night, he asked more questions about her, his curiosity genuine and pure. He found it easier to fight with Naruto to get his point across, but with Sakura, it was different. They didn't need to butt heads or challenge thoughts to understand each other. No need to spar, no need to bicker. She answered with thought, intention, and sincerity that he hadn't experienced in a long while.

He watched her eyes sparkle with excitement when she spoke about patients who have moved her. He watched them brim with tears as she spoke of an older woman named Chiyo whose strength brought Sakura to her knees. He watched her bristle as she spoke of the endless hours with her master, the headstrong hokage, spent fine-tuning her chakra control even further. He watched her laugh as she spoke of antics their blond teammate would attempt to cheer her up after a hard day at work. With each word that left her lips, he was entranced.

Before they realized it, it was already ten at night.

Sakura stretched her hands to the ceiling and breathed a deep yawn. Part of her abdomen was exposed again, revealing the soft skin beneath her gray panda shirt. His eyes gazed at the smooth skin of her belly, and thoughts of how different she must feel compared to him flittered through his head. Catching himself, he ripped his stare away. Control.

"I should probably go," he said, preparing to stand.

Sakura blinked slowly, her own exhaustion peaking. "You don't want to stay?"

He looked back at her and noticed how her half-lidded eyes and lazy grin made his chest stir yet again. "Another day."

The pinkette nodded tiredly and stood up to walk him to the doorway. "Sasuke-kun," she said, holding her hands behind her back as he slipped his shoes on, "next time you have to answer questions I have for you."

He raised an eyebrow curiously as he straightened himself up. "Maybe."

Sakura gave a small chuckle at that and opened the door for him. "See you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun." With that, he exited, the door shut, and she retired to her bedroom for the night.