A/N: Honestly, I loved writing this chapter so much. I cannot wait for you all to read it, and the words kept flowing in my head demanding that I keep writing them all down. I hope you enjoy it just as much, as I really wanted to share it with you.

As always, thank you all for such kind words and reviews. Life has been so difficult for many of us, myself included, and I hope that this gives you all a sliver of reprieve from all the chaos happening out there. It means so much to see your reviews, your kind thoughts on twitter, and your excitement for this fiction. It keeps me motivated to know that you all enjoy it. So, without further ado, please enjoy this one, too!

Chapter 18

Sakura turned to her side to study herself in her body-length mirror, sighing as she felt her self-consciousness growing more by the second. Sasuke would be there to pick her up as promised within the next fifteen-or-so minutes, and she figured that this attire would be the best it was going to get. She hardly had time after work to think of a plan of action.

The previous day, during her final shift at the hospital for the week, she'd returned from her quick break with a bottle of green tea and a couple of umeboshi onigiri in hand. On her desk was a dainty to-go container filled with her favorite anmitsu and her usual request of two little cups of sweet dark syrup. Next to it was a plastic spoon and a small card with unmistakable script.

Tomorrow. 20:00. Semi-casual.

When the medic placed her fingers on the container, it was still chilly to the touch as though it was bought only a few minutes before she'd arrived. She looked around the room and out the glass panes that shed light from the outdoors hoping to catch a glimpse of the Uchiha, but the only evidence he'd left behind of his presence was the warm air filtering into the room from a slightly ajar window.

Of course, she'd told Ino right away that she didn't really know what semi-casual looked like, and the blond squealed loud enough to crumble stone. Recruiting her saved her considerable amounts of time compared to if she had gone shopping by herself. They'd spent the evening scouring for the right clothes. At the time, Sakura didn't mind what her best friend had picked out. But wearing it now, she wondered if she seemed too plain for the fabric that decorated her.

She wore a sage green, off-the-shoulder, slim-fit shirt that cut off just at her waist with sleeves that hugged her upper arms. Her shoulders and clavicle were bare and framed only by her petal pink tresses. Ino swore the color of the blouse brought out her eyes and wouldn't stand for her to pick a different one. The shirt's short length revealed a sliver of her midriff, something she wasn't quite used to exposing outside of necessity with mission attire. For pants, she wore comfortable, high-waisted, pastel blue capris that ran down the length of her legs, cutting off at neatly folded cuffs just above her ankles. Ino had let her borrow dainty white, flat sandals with a thick band over her foot and a thin strap secured around her ankles. It was an outfit worthy of her best blond girlfriend, but she questioned whether her own appearance did the ensemble any justice.

Having to map out her clothes for their second date was painfully stressful. The preparation for this one felt different, as did her nerves. She felt more high-strung, more self-critical, more…more anxious. Their first date was very Sasuke: training and a quick, sweet snack for her with minimal thought into what to wear because training was so straightforward. She hadn't given much thought to her outward appearance for such a long time since much of her mind was occupied with war, strategy, and survival.

Does Sasuke-kun even have semi-casual clothes?

She pulled her hair away from her shoulders to experiment with a ponytail before letting it fall once more, unsatisfied. She blew a gust of breath at her fringe that landed haphazardly against her forehead, her yin seal peeking out between the curtain of pink.

"I'll just leave it down," she muttered to herself, pivoting on her foot and making her way to the bathroom, grabbing a small makeup bag on her way out the door. She flipped on the lights and nearly grimaced at the products Ino had shoved into her hand the previous night. Vials and tubes of various shades of skin filled the pouch to the brim. Primer, concealer, foundation, serum, BB cream, CC cream…what?

"Oh, higher powers, help," Sakura despaired quietly, digging through the bag for something she recognized. She hardly had any use for makeup, even on her days off, and often let her friend's tutorials travel in one ear and out the other without resistance. "I should have paid more attention…"

Sakura opted for her usual look after giving up on figuring out which product went on her skin, the look that she'd opt to have on the rare occasions she used any product at all: she filled in her brows for a more shapely appearance, carefully curled her lashes (she hated, hated, hated that monstrous eyelash curler), and put a lightly tinted balm on her lips. When she looked back in the mirror, she almost laughed at the way her face had hardly changed, then wondered why it was again that Ino had such a fascination with the stuff.

She walked out to the living room and cleared the surface of the kotatsu that was stacked high with medical texts she was reading earlier in the day. She was pushing a tome back onto one of her tall shelves when she heard a few soft knocks on her door. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as she whirled her head around to the microwave and saw that it was eight o'clock sharp. Sakura swallowed hard and pressed her pants free of any visible wrinkles, hoping she looked presentable before tugging the hem of her shirt down slightly to lessen the amount of exposed skin.

Ino, you are so bold.

The medic padded to the door and peeked through the peep hole to see Sasuke's raven dark hair, his face angled away as if looking towards the final rays of the sleepy sunset. Sakura took a deep breath before strapping on the white sandals and grabbing her slim wallet and keys to slip into her back pocket.

Breathe, she chanted. Breathe, breathe, breathe.

She did one final scan of her apartment before working her fingers to unlock her door. She willed her heart to slow, but what she saw was enough silence it.

Before her was Sasuke, his torso clad in a crisp, casual white dress shirt that had its top button undone to reveal a hint of his clavicle. The sleeve around his arm was folded pristinely up his forearm, revealing the stretches of lean muscle beneath his exposed skin. He wore it untucked and with midnight blue pants that ran along the length of his legs, the fabric hinting at his toned physique. He wore what looked to be his usual black sandals, like a defiant model who refused to conform all the way to fashion. While she soaked in his appearance, the subtle scent of hinoki trees and spearmint wafted into her nose.

He was sharp and refined, the epitome of a mysterious Adonis whose regality was barely concealed in semi-casual clothing.

Sakura's throat suddenly felt impossibly dry.

I look like a kid playing dress-up next to this.

The Uchiha turned in her direction, the sharp planes of his face barely illuminated by the sleepy sunset. She saw the way his eyes flickered across her form as though assessing her appearance with a quick scan of his mismatched eyes, though his face remained impassive. They stood there for a moment as though he was allowing her to continue to observe the sight before her with her mouth slightly agape.

Oh no. Is it too late to change?
"Ready?" he asked, pulling her out of her stupor.

"Uh," she croaked.

Oh, my fucking—

Sasuke raised an amused eyebrow. "Uh?" he echoed, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Sakura felt heat rise to her cheeks that threatened to melt her entire face. She cleared her throat and tucked a few locks of hair behind her ear as casually as she could.

"Yes," she responded, her voice a few notches louder than she would have liked. She cleared her throat once more before turning to her apartment door to lock it, her fingers fumbling with the small piece of metal.

Breathe, she urged herself. Just breathe.


Sasuke wasn't sure what to expect when he arrived at Sakura's apartment to pick her up, but there was probably very little the universe could do to prepare him for what he saw. Wide, emerald eyes, tinted lips, and hues of green and blue that added to her personification of spring, complete with the comforting smell of rosemary and mint. Her bare shoulders drew in his eyes just before the sage green cloth that wrapped around the gentle swell of her breasts.

Was he gawking?

Reel it in, he told himself, carefully ensuring his expression remained as impassive as possible. Judging by the stirred look in her eyes, he was able to hide his amazement well. He couldn't help but let his gaze travel across her form while a whisper of pleasant surprise made itself heard in the back of his mind. She'd never looked so…just so before. He paused at the line of bare skin separating her shirt from her pants, pants that hugged her legs and made them appear impossibly long.

Control yourself.

When their eyes met again, there was a brief second when his mind went blank. They looked brighter. Maybe it was because they were paired with her pinked lips that parted slightly as though a word was on the cusp of releasing, though no sound came out. Part of him wished to freeze her expression and commit it to memory, a memory he would selfishly refer to in secret.

He wasn't sure how long they'd stood there before he felt himself finally return to his senses and ask if she was ready. After she locked up her apartment, they departed into the night, both keeping a careful, yet comfortable, distance away from each other. With the incoming darkness, Sasuke felt more at ease walking around the village. Even without his usual midnight clothes, villagers glanced at him less than they would during the day when he was easily spotted, even with his head hidden within a hood.

"Where are we going?" Sakura asked to his right.

"A restaurant."

"Hmmm."

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Very."

Good.

"I'm glad you and I are finally having dinner together," Sakura piped up. "Without Naruto, like I promised."

He recalled her words from the night he'd walked her home after their cohort meal. "Mm," he hummed in reply. "Except it's not just two friends having dinner."

He knew her cheeks were turning poppy red, but before he could smugly congratulate himself, he felt her elbow dig lightly into his side. He looked down at her in challenge before nudging her gently with his shoulder, earning him a playful snort from the medic as she tried to push him back with her shoulder and more of her weight. The attempt did nothing, however, and he merely rolled his eyes playfully, trying his best to suppress an amused grin as he let more of his weight lean against her. Her laugh chimed in the warm night air, familiar and comforting.

Once her laughter calmed to a soft chuckle, they walked side by side once more, their hands brushing against each other tantalizingly. Sasuke had half a mind to graze it intentionally, just to see what she would do. It was reminiscent of when they walked around Hana Village, where he felt more free, where no one bothered to look twice at him with harsh judgment. He suppressed the urge, though, not wanting to overstep their budding…relationship? He wasn't sure what to call it. He didn't want to jump the gun, not until he was absolutely sure.

The pair made it to the village hub where throngs of civilians and shinobi alike were laughing, chattering, and bustling to get to the next bar or joint. He noticed Sakura lagging to avoid bumping into any of the revelers, causing her to walk slightly out of his periphery. Out of nearly pure instinct, he reached behind and placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her forward to walk beside him once more, taking note of how she seemed to startle at his gesture. He almost startled himself as what felt akin to electricity shot through the fingertips that contacted the medic. He knew she was gazing up at him, probably to silently gauge his own reaction as to what passed between them, but he didn't want to appear fazed and stared ahead as he gently steered her.

He released his hand when they came upon a dark wooden exterior of a building, the loss of her warmth more noticeable than usual. As they rounded its front, Sasuke heard a small gasp escape her lips. Bright blue noren hung across the awning's edge, its fabric bleached with the name of the restaurant: Grill Central. Dark wood-latticed shoji panels served as the entrance with a silver menu stand to its left. Despite being a short distance away, the scents of savory food wafted into their noses and made his own stomach yearn.

Sasuke glanced down at Sakura, searching in her expression to see if she was pleased. A wide smile had broken across her face, radiant. Needing nothing else as a cue to continue, he stepped forward, pushed the noren and shoji aside, and allowed her to walk into the restaurant first.

Square tables checkered across the space, each one suitable for two people. Patrons filled almost every table, their conversations spilling and mixing into lively noise with food readily served and scarfed by some while others seemed enraptured in conversation with their partners. Warm lighting bathed the area in a homey glow challenged only by a long stretch of countertop covered by more noren where chefs and staff bustled to make orders.

"Okonomiyaki!" Sakura clapped her hands together excitedly as one server exited the kitchen area with a large plate decorated with colorful vegetables, meats, and sauces piled high in an elaborate, savory rainbow. She turned to Sasuke, her beaming smile making the corners of his own mouth want to follow suit.

"Is this okay?" he asked carefully, though it was more to hear her girlish excitement than listen to her affirmative.

"Absolutely," she grinned.

A staff member approached them and bowed in welcome before ushering them to a table that sat against one of the walls. The server poured water into their glasses and offered them menus before bowing and hurrying back to other patrons calling for his attention.

"How did you find this place?" Sakura asked as she peeked above her menu.

Sasuke brought his glass of water to his lips for a sip before replying, "Hiroto. His wife owns it."

"Really? No wonder she's always so busy." The medic turned to peer into the kitchen as best as she could. "Is she here?"

"She might be. I let her know we were coming."

"You're really close to Hiroto's family now, huh?"

Sasuke shrugged, truly not knowing what to say. The officer's family had been open and welcome to him since the moment he stepped into the man's office. Sato had grown on him more than he anticipated, and Hiroto thought it only made sense to recommend and advertise his wife's restaurant. Why not meet the whole family? It appeared that Sakura was giving him an opportunity to formulate his answer (and knowing her, she wouldn't change the subject too easily without receiving one), so he replied, "I don't mind spending time with them. They've been kind."

"They really have been," she agreed before peering down at her menu again.

The pair agreed to share one large okonomiyaki stuffed with nagaimo, nearly all the vegetables on the menu, and squid. When the server chipperly came back to take their orders and hurry away to the kitchen, Sakura rested her cheek in her hand while propping her elbow on the table. She scanned the restaurant once more before her eyes fell on Sasuke, her expression contemplative.

"What?" she asked, as though in challenge.

"What?"

"You are staring at me."

"You are staring at me."

"Very mature, Sasuke-kun," she snorted, taking a drink from her glass. "You're going the more conventional route this time."

He frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the first time we went on a…date," she spoke the word carefully, "we sparred for twenty or thirty minutes. This feels different."

Sasuke felt himself grow sheepish, but he was determined not to let it show on his face. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is this better?"

She hummed playfully before a mischievous smile danced on her lips. "I can't tell yet."

He eased more into comfort upon hearing her teasing challenge. She must have sensed it, as well, for she asked him about his latest week of tutoring Naruto and visiting Hiroto for the usual weekly report. Sasuke didn't bother to hide his grimace at the former, his temples tensing with irritation at the recollection of the idiot blonde's inability to memorize key strategies Konoha employed in the second war. Sakura laughed at that, spurring her to recall memories of their academy and genin days aloud. With each recollection, each shared memory that he surprisingly could conjure as she spoke them, her tinkling laugh filled the air and seemed to purify the raucous din of the restaurant.

The server had brought in their massive okonomiyaki, thick and elegantly decorated and drizzled with all their requests. Sakura paused for a moment for the two of them to say, "Itadakimasu," in unison, the sound of her soprano dancing across his baritone making him subtly grin.

Her first bite caused her to hum excitedly, and it was as if her entire body wanted to dance as a result. He watched her with poorly suppressed amusement as she sighed happily. It was almost as entertaining as watching her eat anmitsu. The pair began eating from the large plate in front of them, silently agreeing on a system of turns.

They continued talking about their shared past. She smiled at him with enthusiasm, flashing her pearly white teeth framed by her soft, pink-stained lips. Her eyes beamed with excitement, and he knew it was because recollections had flitted across her mind, memories that she wanted to vocalize that he was surprised to share with her. He'd watch as she'd tuck her hair behind her ears with every new description, every new question, sometimes pushing her tresses away from her shoulders to reveal her creamy, bare skin as though it distracted her from her process. He could watch her all night, he realized, the usual voice in his head not even bothering to reprimand him to remain controlled.

"I have a question," she said, prefacing her fourth or fifth. When he nodded for her to continue, looked him directly in the eye daringly. She folded her arms on the table surface and leaned forward. It took extra energy to keep his gaze on her emerald irises and not on the sleek column of her throat. "How did you put up with me back then?"

Sasuke snorted, causing the medic to look at him as though he'd grown a second head. "You'll need to elaborate on that question," he teased, offering her a playfully bored expression.

Sakura pouted indignantly before she gave a snorted laugh of her own. "Okay, smarty. I mean, how in the world did you stand me fawning over you? I know I was in your face a lot, and looking back, I wish I could just...I don't know, tell myself to knock it off and give you space."

He pondered that question, genuinely tossing the words and pairing them with memories of the pastel pink girl that trailed after him each time Team Seven was called to action. She bounded after him at every chance she had, especially during their early missions of picking weeds, walking dogs, and finding stray pets. He remembered feeling indifferent towards her, consumed by determination to use Team Seven as a stepping-stone towards his goals as opposed to a mechanism for growth and companionship. There was also the dilemma of not knowing where she fit in the pseudo-family he'd assigned in his head, where Kakashi was the closest thing to a father and Naruto the closest he had to a brother.

Then the memory of finding her sobbing atop his senbon-littered form during their mission to the Land of Waves entered his mind. The memory of feeling the urge to lift her spirits during the first round of the chunin exam. The instinctual need to survive, with her and for her, in the Forest of Death. The raging desire to protect her from the Oto nin, from Gaara, from himself. Memory upon memory, up until the point where she'd tried tearfully to keep him from leaving the village. He had no idea how to articulate his thoughts in a way that would make sense to her, so he replied simply with, "It wasn't that bad."

She blinked at him a few times skeptically before sighing. "Well, I thought it was. And for that, I apologize."

His gut instinct was to tell her that she didn't have to, as a voice in the back of his mind thought that those memories contributed to a childhood he wanted to remember. Before he could get his words out, his indecision won and kept him silent. They continued to eat away at the okonomiyaki. Sakura seemed to be comfortable in their quiet and, sparking the rare occasion, Sasuke was not.

"You grew on me," he said suddenly, hardly realizing the words left his mouth.

Sakura looked up and blinked at him in confusion. "Huh?"

Sasuke silently berated himself, as he hadn't fully made a way to formulate his thoughts, and now he was on the spot. "You grew on me," he repeated slowly. "I didn't mind. You became…important."

Does that make sense? he wondered, hoping she wouldn't ask him to spell it out.

"Oh."

Oh?

Sakura shrugged, and Sasuke watched as some strands of hair grazed her bare shoulders. The smile she bore was radiant as she said, "You're important to me, too."

He didn't realize how much he enjoyed hearing that. Sasuke was important to her. Logically, that made sense, but there was something about having the verbal confirmation that this was her truth that made him feel a warmth grow in his chest.

As they ate, Sakura changed the subject to the strides she was making on the village's new children's mental health clinic. Since the budget had been approved, she'd been focusing on treatment methods for trauma survivors that didn't require expending chakra. It had taken her team over a year, since before the war, to consider a route beyond altering memories through different jutsu. Other villages had taken her lead and have agreed upon a method completely chakra-free. Sakura spoke animatedly of a "talking cure" that had made promising strides in recent literature headed by her and her team.

She grew more animated with this topic. He could nearly see the cogs turning in her head as terminology didn't recognize left her lips. He didn't fully understand what she was talking about, but he was too fascinated by her passion to interrupt her for an explanation. She used a finger to map basic diagrams and pathways of the brain on their table's surface, give examples of verbal interventions utilized in this "talking cure," and describe some of the kids at the hospital who were showing major improvements in their mental health.

The medic paused for a moment, using the opportunity to take a bite from their shared plate. She blinked at him and, with a slightly full mouth, she asked sheepishly, "Am I talking too much?"

The sight was so…so Sakura he wanted to chuckle.

"No," he assured her. "Not at all."

He missed this, he realized, as he split the last fraction of the okonomiyaki in half. He missed spending time with the medic without their silently appointed chaperones. He missed not needing to battle out his thoughts with physical blows and instead use his words. He missed her comforting presence, the way she could carry herself with confidence and grace in her expertise, the quirky things she'd do that would make something flutter spiritedly in his chest, the way she could effortlessly ease him into a relaxed state.

They'd just finished the last of their food, their shared plate peppered with the remnants of green onions and smears of kewpie mayo. She'd gone on to explain the intricacies of brain pathways and their correlations with her proposed talking cure, and he still didn't know what "the autonomous reconsolidation of memories for meaning-making" meant. He was about to bring his water glass to his lips when her next words made him freeze in place.

"Children in our village have been ravaged by war and trauma for generations," she explained, her voice growing more solemn. "I had the privilege of growing up with civilian parents and not needing to worry about whether they'd come home from work as a kid. I never had to think about never seeing my loved ones again. Not everyone had that, and the ripples of that kind of trauma last a long time." She lowered her gaze. "I want to do what I can to make life more bearable for them. We're heading into a time of peace…they deserve that much and more."

Something curled painfully in Sasuke's chest, something he'd actively hid away for years.

After a dazed moment, Sakura looked up and met his eyes. A look of surprise crossed her face before it was replaced with worry.

"Sasuke-kun," she murmured. He wasn't aware of where her concern was coming from until he listened to his body and felt the way his brows were furrowed, his lips taut in a near frown. "I'm sorry if I said something—"

"You didn't say anything wrong," he interrupted, consciously relaxing his features.

They sat in silence for a moment, and Sasuke used the opportunity to contemplate her words. Konoha had been scarred for generations by war, violence, and loss, and his generation—his side of Konoha—was directly impacted by it. He didn't have anyone as a child to help him heal. The events of his life threw him into chaos. These children now…they were lucky. They were lucky to have Sakura. They wouldn't have to traverse a path like his.

Although, she'd told him before that he deserved good things, that she'd forgiven him, that Team Seven had forgiven him. Sakura understood that he'd been hurt in his past, but she had no idea to what extent that was. Would she be willing to listen if he told her?

She bit her lip and hid her hands beneath the table. He didn't have to see to know she was thumbing her palm like a worry stone.

"You really didn't say anything wrong," he repeated, knowing he needed to ease her anxiety.

"I just…I didn't want to bring up anything that might be painful for you."

He scoffed before he could stop himself, though it wasn't out of spite. Seeing how the worry on her face turned into an expression of indignation, he softened his tone as best as he could. "It's fine, Sakura," he assured her, leaning back slightly into his seat. He paused for a moment, trying to conjure words that would best convey his thoughts. The best he could do, however, was say, "It's a good thing you are helping them."

A flash of recognition seemed to cross her eyes, and Sasuke realized perhaps he didn't have to explain his entire thought process after all. Mind reader, he internally mused.

He wasn't sure how long they'd been in the restaurant, taking their time in each other's company. It could have been hours, but it didn't feel long enough. He let his mind selfishly bask in her presence, quietly relieved that the reprimanding voice in his head wasn't derailing him from his contentment.

"Sasuke-san."

The pair turned in the direction of a petite older woman with shining, auburn hair pulled back into a bun atop her head. Her eyes wrinkled slightly at the edges as she smiled at them and wiped one hand on her on her black apron while the other held a white to-go container and a plastic-wrapped utensil. The woman had a polite smile spread across her face, a more subdued version of her young son's beaming grin. She was the grace to Hiroto's gruff, the complementary to his color.

"Yui," the Uchiha greeted, seeing Sakura raise her eyebrows in surprise in his periphery.

"I hope you both enjoyed your meal," Yui said, her eyes shifting to the medic. "This must be Haruno-san, am I right?"

"You can just call me Sakura," she chimed, bowing her head politely. "The food was amazing! And you must be Officer Hiroto's wife?"

"Yes, I am," Yui beamed. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I brought some of our signature ujikintoki on the house," she said, handing Sakura the small to-go container with the sweet ice treat, the plastic-wrapped utensil on its lid. The woman winked mischievously at the medic. Then to Sasuke she said as an aside, "She's much prettier than either you or my husband described, Sasuke-san."

The Uchiha's jerk reaction was to scowl, but he sighed and glanced arbitrarily away from the two women instead, not wanting to disrespect Yui. Sakura cleared her throat sheepishly, and he knew she was tucking a strand of hair behind her ear without even looking. The officer's wife chimed a giggle and patted Sasuke on the shoulder reassuringly, a gesture that let him know she was only teasing.

"I just wanted to check in on you both," Yui went on, turning to Sakura once more. "I was dropping Sato off with my husband earlier this week when Sasuke-san let me know he'd be coming to dinner tonight with you. I wanted to be sure we gave you both a good first impression."

"It was wonderful, and it's wonderful to meet you," Sakura beamed. "Your family is so kind. Thank you for taking such good care of Sasuke-kun."

The Uchiha peered at her from the corner of his eye, not sure how to label the warmth that thawed his heart. The medic's emerald green eyes met his, and her grin widened even more.

Yui gushed for a few moments about how Hiroto had known Sasuke as a child when his own father had been the chief of military police, surprising the medic. He carefully watched Sakura's expression, wondering if the history of his family's demise was crossing her mind at any moment, waiting for the flash of pity or mourning to cross her face. When she was only humming in wonderment at Yui's words, he felt…relieved.

"In any case," Yui went on, "Sato always has fun when he gets to see you and Sasuke-san at the military police station. If anything, I should thank you both for being so patient with him. He's reaching that curious age."

"You've raised a sweet boy," Sakura smiled.

Sensing a quick pause, Sasuke took it as his opportunity to speak.

"We should be leaving now," he announced, standing from his seat and turning to Sakura for her to follow suit. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out several bills before putting them on the table. He found the pinkette gazing at the bills, her own hand in her back pocket as if she wanted to take her wallet out to contribute. "I covered it, Sakura."

She blinked at him before nodding once, a light blush staining her cheeks as she stood. As they exchanged a few more pleasantries with Yui about coming back to the restaurant when they could, Sasuke snaked his hand to the small of Sakura's back once more to guide her forward. The same electric current buzzed in his fingertips as they grazed against part of her bare skin. He released her again when they stepped out into the night, the want left behind causing him to ache.


Passersby began crowding the streets even more as revelers who'd long clocked out of their workdays strolled by the pair, clots of people waiting for friends and coworkers to celebrate the new weekend. None of them paid any attention to Sasuke or Sakura, to her relief.

It was likely ten at night at his point, and she surprised herself by how long the two of them had sat in Yui's restaurant simply talking and holding conversation. She'd missed that.

"I'll hold it," Sasuke offered, taking the ujikintoki container while Sakura unwrapped the spoon from its plastic sleeve as they walked.

She blinked down at the slender utensil, fingering at its handle to see if two of them were stuck together. Did Yui…do this on purpose? she asked herself, remembering the woman's mysterious wink. When Sasuke gave her a curious look, she cleared her throat. "Oh, she…she only gave us one spoon."

The Uchiha stared blankly at her for a moment, and rising panic grew in her chest.

"Wait here," she said, turning toward the restaurant slightly, "I'll go back and—"

"Don't bother."

Sakura froze and pivoted on her heel to face Sasuke, who maneuvered his finger to remove the ice dessert's lid deftly with his single hand. He then held out the deep green treat to her. She felt her eyes widen at the sight of the deep green shaved ice with a small, glistening scoop of anko and three little mounds of shiratama mochi.

The medic frowned slightly as she dipped the spoon into the ujikintoki to get a spoonful of the sweet snack with a small piece of everything. "I know you're not a big fan of sweets, but…you don't want to try it?"

Sasuke regarded her for a moment. Then he took a step toward her, leaned down slightly to meet her level, and opened his mouth. It took her a moment to understand what he was doing, and when realization hit, it shoved her heart into her throat. She nearly flung the ice treat into the sky in shock. His eyes were focused on the spoonful of sweetness before they glanced up at her expectantly, midnight and lavender holding her frozen for a length of time she couldn't discern. Almost hypnotically, she lifted the spoon to his lips for him to take in his mouth. Then he pulled away, taking the sweet ice with him, leaving her still in a state of disbelief.

That's so…, her mind stuttered. So…

"So cute."

Sasuke raised a single brow at her as he swallowed, his face otherwise impassive.

I said that out loud, she realized, horrified. Oh, my fu—I SAID THAT OUT LOUD!

"Uh."

The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched in amusement. "Uh?"

"Nothing," she said hastily, pleading with her facial features to mirror his unfettered expression. She withdrew the spoon and let it hover above the ujikintoki in his hand. "Does it…do you like it?" Oh, higher powers, help me make words.

Sasuke shrugged before turning slightly to gesture her to follow him in their walk. "It's sweet," he commented. "Try it."

She scooped out another spoonful of the sweet dessert and examined its delicious sheen in the streetlight. She saw the mixes of sugary syrup and condensed milk beckoning her, making her mouth water yet again as her tongue yearned for the delicacy. But then…it's like kissing again, she thought shyly, thinking that only couples could share a spoon (even though she'd picked clean Ino and even Hinata's desserts with their utensils without shame). She brought it to her lips slowly, and all her hesitation dissipated into the ether as an explosion of sugar caused her to sigh happily.

Sugary treats. My weakness. Gods, I'm too easy to please.

She didn't realize her eyes had closed with pleasure until she blinked at Sasuke, whose amusement still hadn't left the smirk on his face.

"It's good," she said sheepishly, shrugging her shoulders before burying the spoon into the dessert again. "Sue me."

Just as she was about to get another spoonful out, Sasuke lowered his head again, his mouth slightly open. She knew what to do, though her heart still fluttered noisily in her chest, and let his lips encase around the little plastic before pulling away. Her cheeks nearly hurt from smiling, but she didn't know if it was from his lax of boundary or from the sugar that danced on her tongue.

They walked side-by-side, his hand holding the dessert between them while she took carefully measured turns sharing the ujikintoki, diligently measuring out parts of the anko, mochi, and ice to be sure each bite they took had a bit of each. Her heart hummed with happiness until the final scoop. She peered into the little cup in Sasuke's hand and pouted, noting how the ice had melted into a chilly soup and that she'd improperly measured the dango pieces, leaving her with only a sliver of anko left.

"Boo," Sakura sighed sadly. She looked up at the Uchiha and, reminding herself not to be selfish, said, "You can finish it, Sasuke-kun."

He shrugged and lifted the cup's edge to his lips. Sasuke paused, however, just before he contacted the rim and glanced down at Sakura, her brows pulled together, framing her sad, doe-like eyes. A small smirk, and he lowered the cup to her. "Too sweet for me," he conceded, and the medic lit up once again before taking it in her hands and slurping up what was left. The Uchiha plucked it and the spoon from her hands when she was done before tossing it in a nearby trash bin, nodding ahead for them to continue walking.

Sasuke seemed to be taking intentionally less-crowded routes, she noticed now that her their dessert was finished, though it was unsurprising for Sakura to see. She also couldn't help but notice what felt like a buzzing connection between them, one that made her cautiously curious. It was a strange push and pull within her, as though she wanted to remain as careful as possible around the Uchiha while also be playful with him. So far, she hadn't been brushed aside or scolded. If anything, he seemed entertained by her.

A week ago, he'd said he wanted to speak to her about her brazen kiss as well as her apology for it at all. She figured this was the part of the date where they'd discuss it. Her fingers grew clammy at the thought. Sasuke had never gone out of his way to guide her so openly, had never been one to take the lead in initiating spending time together. Maybe with Naruto, but certainly not with her.

Maybe she should have talked to the blond to get a sense of what to expect?

Because right now, she thought, I have no idea.

Sasuke appeared to be leading them to the perimeter of the village, away from the bustling night life and toward the quieter walkways that rimmed Konoha. The gravel paths turned into cobblestone, and cement ledges lined the broad walkway. Resting atop them were Konoha fir trees and early summer blooms, all of which carried a sleepy blue hue in the moon and streetlights that illuminated their trail. It was peaceful.

She turned her head slightly to the left to steal a glance at the Uchiha, awed by the way his features seemed to thrive in the night. The planes of his aristocratic features seemed sharper, particularly the angle of his jawline and the long, straight line of his nose. Sasuke's skin looked tanner than before she left, she realized, noticing how his complexion seemed a few shades closer to Naruto's. His signature scowl was absent from his face, instead replaced with eyes that looked casually ahead in thought. Midnight and lavender, a sight that could send the most courageous shinobi into panic, had no such effect on her. The pair of eyes only served to mesmerize her, and not in a medical sense. She wanted to look for the sake of looking, for the sake of seeing, for the sake of getting willingly lost. Some of his fringe brushed across his forehead, and her fingers twitched with want to gently push them away, if only to get a better look.

She struggled to pull her eyes away for her gaze to slip toward his lips, a blush threatening to form at the memory of how surprisingly soft they were when pressed against her own. She blinked a few times to scatter the thought away, letting her eyes trail over the column of his neck and clavicle, exposed to the night air between his crisp white collar. She stared at this part of him, as each step they took seemed to give her little peeks at the muscles his shirt shielded from view.

Training has certainly given him his physique back, she thought absently, unable to stop the idea from entering her mind.

Sasuke's eyes shifted in her direction, meeting her gaze. Sakura's breath caught in her throat and she stared up at him, wide-eyed and guilty.

"You're staring at me. Again."

"No, I'm not," she fibbed, feeling unbearable heat rise to her cheeks. Her poor judgment didn't tear her eyes away from him.

"Hn." He nudged at her with his elbow gently, causing her to let out a whine of embarrassment. She saw the corner of his mouth upturn in his own amusement and felt her nerves quell enough to keep their conversation going.

"I've had so many sweets in the last twenty-four hours," she commented, clasping her hands behind her back while they strolled. "Thanks for the anmitsu yesterday. And dinner today."

"It is the more conventional route," he retorted, using her words from the restaurant.

She smiled at that before looking down at her sandal-clad feet and examining the cobblestone path beneath her soles. It was then that the familiarity of the route dawned on her. She looked up, a hesitating in her step. Beyond them were the Konoha's massive olive-green gates, and she recognized this road as the one anyone needed to pass in order to leave the village.

"Sasuke-kun."

The Uchiha glanced at her, marginally slowing his pace.

"Where are we going?"

"Up ahead."

She felt her heart clench in her chest as a painfully familiar concrete bench came into view. With each mission she took since that fateful night, she was always sure to hurry past this spot without looking, forcing herself to avoid dwelling on the memory of his final night in the village as a child. It became a ritual for her, to rush by the site and abate the torture in her heart, until it almost became a game to see how quickly her powerwalks could be. The memory didn't hurt as badly when she did that. Now, though, being here with the boy she loved forced the ache to rise in her chest, coax her sadness back into her consciousness, make her thoughts run wild with "what if."

Sasuke slowed in front of the bench and sat on its left, nodding for her to take her own seat on his right. She did so cautiously, keeping half and arm's length of distance away from him. Silence filled the space between them, almost as though the Uchiha was letting her soak in their surroundings. Sakura placed her hands on her lap, almost as though she was afraid to touch the concrete with her bare skin. Why did he bring us here? Did he not remember?

"This place leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

Sakura turned to see the Uchiha staring thoughtfully ahead, the meaning of his words pained but his expression and tone carefully impassive. So, he's just as affected by it, she thought, knowing his strict façade of strength. She hummed in sullen agreement, keeping her eyes trained on him. He wouldn't meet her gaze, but she knew Sasuke was aware of her looking.

"I contributed to that," she said quietly, trying to lace her voice with humor. "But I'm not sorry for it. I mean, I'm sorry it's…I don't know what I'm saying." She felt her eyes trail into her lap where her hands rested, her fingers bathed in serene blue moonlight. Then, with a silent inhale and exhale, she admitted, "I pass this spot many times when I come and go. Sometimes I walk by really, really fast or I just take to the trees to avoid it."

There was a lull in their conversation as her mind drifted to the night he'd left. She wanted to cringe at the memory, but she remained composed.

Sasuke turned to her then, and she could feel his gaze burning into her almost viscerally. She met his eyes and was almost taken aback by how intense midnight and lavender were, his brow furrowed slightly in what looked like agitation, or perhaps effort.

"If I could take it back…"

Something flashed across Sasuke's face that held her captive. It looked…pained. Not quite as pained as the night he'd emotionally unraveled, not by any means, but it flashed nonetheless before hiding in seriousness. She understood. No more words were needed.

"It's okay, Sasuke-kun," she assured him. "What happened, happened. And now that you are home, I mean, maybe I won't need to avoid it anymore. And maybe it won't leave such a bitter taste in your mouth." She smiled, genuine hope swelling in her chest. This place didn't have to be a symbol of what was lost, but what returned.

There was another pause. Sakura watched as his gaze softened just before he turned away to face ahead of them.

"About last week," he broke the silence, and Sakura's heart sprung into a hammering pace in her chest.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.

Sakura swallowed hard. "Yes?" she croaked, failing miserably in sounding casually curious.

"Why did you do it?"

The medic felt her entire face burn. "I was happy," she echoed what she'd said the previous week. "I was relieved. And…and because…"

Because I still love you.

She fumbled in her mind, not wanting to spur another confession that would only lead to further humiliation. "That's how I show my happiness and relief."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her, and the two of them turned to face each other. "Have you been happy or relieved with Naruto?"

"Yeah."

"And you've kissed him?"

"No."

Oh. My. God.

The Uchiha stared at her, expecting an explanation.

"Okay, so…I don't know, you're different. I just…I think about this spot and the war before your fight with Naruto, and I just…" She thumbed her palm like a worry stone and looked up at the sky. Tears began to sting in her eyes, but she didn't know why. Why, why, why am I crying at a time like this? She managed to keep the tears at bay, but just barely.

"Why did you apologize to me afterwards?"

She swallowed thickly and cleared her throat. Looking down at her hands, she found her voice calm. "You were vulnerable and hurting," she explained. "I didn't want you to think I just saw an opening to take advantage of you."

Sasuke didn't respond to that right away. From the corner of her eye, she could see his head tilt slightly, as though he were pondering her words. Then, almost like a scoff, "You didn't take advantage of me."

Sakura straightened at that, relieved yet confused. "We agreed on friendship while you figure things out."

Sasuke shrugged. "We're on a date right now."

She blinked dumbly. "A friend date?"

He audibly scoffed at that, and Sakura couldn't help but openly pout. "I said earlier that it wasn't just two friends having dinner. How much do we need to spell out, Sakura," he more said than asked, his tone teasingly condescending.

"I think I have a right to be a little confused about this, Sasuke-kun," she sniffed. "But if this is a date date, then what are you saying?"

Silence.

His face was a careful shield, an expression impenetrable to her usual ability to read his intentions and thoughts. What is he thinking? she wondered desperately, trying to grasp at straws to prepare herself for his words, his reactions, anything that could give her a clue as to how to prepare her heart.

"Have you figured things out?" she tried.

"No."

Sakura deflated. Her brows furrowed together in confusion. "Then…then what are you saying, Sasuke-kun?"

She watched the minute movements of his eyes, saw the way they trailed down her face before meeting her grass-green irises again. She felt exposed to him, a doe in the headlights.

"I'm saying," he began slowly, "I'm willing to…try."

It was her turn to stare at him, baffled. Her mouth parted slightly as if to let out a gasp, but her lungs were too floored to move air. His eyes were trained carefully on her expression, and no doubt the lavender and midnight irises picked up on her floundering. He was stunning in the moonlight. Perhaps his eyes wouldn't cause her to wither from fear, but they definitely caused her to freeze with awe. Was she hearing that right? Was she too distracted?

"Um…Sasuke-kun, I think…I think I need you to spell that out for me."

His composure slipped as he ran his hand through his hair, almost exasperatedly, before letting his hand fall atop his thigh. His eyes were now facing forward, and Sakura wondered if the darkening of his cheeks was a trick of the light. "We can try dating. Regularly. If…you want."

She stared at the profile of his face, soaking in the sharp planes of his cheekbones and angle of his jawline. She noted the way his lips parted slightly to quietly exhale, perhaps it was a breath of relief for having gotten the words out of his mouth. Her pounding heart began to slow into a rhythm of calm, a rhythm of assuredness.

"Is it something that you want?" she asked quietly.

He turned towards her, and she marveled again at how damned beautiful he looked in the night, how it seemed to envelop him like a friend. His eyes were on the hands that rested in her lap and she watched, fascinated, as they dragged across her torso, her neck, her mouth, then her eyes. He nodded once.

"Okay," Sakura whispered, not fully registering the level of her volume. A smile stretched across her face. As it did, she caught sight of the way his brows relaxed and the subtle fall of his shoulders. She felt a blush bloom across her face.

"I wouldn't be hurting you?"

"No, Sasuke-kun."

"You're sure?"

The message behind his words were clear: I don't want to hurt you again.

"Yes," she replied emphatically.

Something settled in Sakura's chest. Happiness? Relief? Was this the feeling of completion? She wasn't sure. If she were five or six years younger, she would have flung herself at the Uchiha and showered him with every ounce of affection she knew how to give. She would have screamed into the universe and wanted the whole village to know, the whole Five Nations to know, that she and Sasuke Uchiha were dating. No official labels just yet, but still dating. Dating.

Now, she realized, something more meaningful than those gestures had made its home in her heart. She scooted closer to him until a finger's width of space was between them. She rested her left hand atop his, curling her fingers around the width until her fingertips found purchase on his palm. It was as though electricity shot through her skin, igniting all parts of her, even her soul. He didn't push her away.

"Just…be patient with me."

Sakura nodded in understanding, her smile softening. "Honestly, Sasuke-kun, this is new for me, too. I think we'll have to be patient with each other. And…that's okay."

They sat like that for a while, her heart beating to a tempo of peace, a tempo of happiness. The song seemed to reverberate throughout her body. A selfish thought entered her mind, one that carried implications of her family. The thought tried to dampen her mood, tried to take her happiness away and inject her with harsh reality, but she wasn't having it. Not now. She gazed up at him to find his eyes were already searching for hers.

"Sasuke-kun," she began, "do we have to tell anyone else?"

He shrugged. "You can if you want."

She shook her head, feeling a tinge of sadness. "I don't feel like sharing."

"Then I won't, either."

She grinned. "Okay."


Holding hands suddenly seemed too intimate. It took on a new meaning for Sakura, and their first patient step was walking side by side with their fingers brushing gently during their stroll back to her apartment. They were careful to take the roads less traveled. It was a silent agreement that they wanted to keep their bubble from being popped by passersby or noisy weekend revelers.

She resorted to stealing glances at him, and quickly turning when he'd try to catch her gaze. They took turns, playing quietly with their game of visual tag until she conceded defeat when being caught by him a handful of times. She'd let out an exasperated whine, and he'd roll his eyes. She'd mumble how it wasn't fair, and he'd retort back that she needs more practice.

And she would get to practice.

He'd lean playfully on her, using his weight to make her walking path swerve slightly to the right. Her laugh rang out in the air, the cadence and the pitch filled with bliss, filled with a swell of recovery, of shy, whispered love. She'd lamely push him back with her arm, both knowing full well she could pummel him into the ground if she tried, but she enjoyed the way he'd be virtually unfazed by her attempts to rattle him.

She liked the way he played. She liked him. All of it. All of him.

He walked her all the way to her apartment door, each step closer to her abode feeling like the precursors of a sad goodbye-for-now. She pulled her little brass key out of her back pocket and worked sadly to unlock the door. With the little muffled click of the doorknob, she knew it was time to finally end the night. Sakura turned slowly, offering him a sad smile as her emerald eyes looked up to meet his.

"Don't look like that," he admonished gently, raising his hand to capture her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

The moment he touched her, Sakura's entire body froze in place. The electric current was back, but now it warmed her entire body. Heat bloomed on her cheeks as she looked back at him, entranced by lavender and midnight looking back at her with the fascination of a botanist laying eyes on a new species of flower, more spellbound than the way other men dared look at her. She felt bare. She wondered in the back of her mind if he could hear the way her heart thundered in her chest, see the way he captivated her with a single touch.

He stepped closer to her, watching every slight move of her face, careful to prepare himself to pull away if she declined in any way. But her wide, verdant eyes beckoned him, whether she meant for them to or not. The voice in the back of his head silenced long ago, conceding to letting his thoughts of the girl before him wander so long as they didn't leave his lips. Did she know how intoxicating she was? Gods, if he could be drunk forever.

Her head threatened to spin, reeling in anticipation for what she knew was coming next. Sakura's fingers reached out instinctively to find something to anchor her, grasping at the hem of his crisp white shirt, grounding her, using every ounce of effort to keep her heart from flying away. She licked her lips and watched as his eyes darted to them for the briefest of moments before looking back into her grass-green irises.

It was an act of permission. He watched her once more, their breath mingling in the space between them, their foreheads nearly pressed together. He lowered his head and she lifted hers without the need for his fingers to guide them. Willing, willing eyes, half-lidded, looked just as drunken with yearning as his must have appeared. It was new. It was so, so new.

It was as much an act of permission for Sasuke as it was Sakura, as she hoped the message got across to him as she angled her head upward towards him. It was permission to let her in, to care and be cared for, to really try as he'd said, to be patient with each other, to be gentle with each other.

The last thing she saw was midnight and lavender drifting, drifting, drifting closed beneath dark lashes.

And then, it happened.

When their lips met, her heart burst into flames, a sweet burning filling her up and threatening to reduce her to ashes were it not for the boy she loved so deeply, holding her steady with a gentle hand on her chin. She moved against him, their lips dancing in slow, easy synchrony. Her soul nearly wept with how careful he was with her, how tender he was, how much it contrasted with the shield he gave the rest of the world. The scent of hinoki and spearmint wafted into her nose, enveloping her in new, tentative affection.

So soft, he thought, just as he'd remembered her. She sighed against his lips, a sound so gentle it made him want to melt into her. A man of few words, he hoped every ounce of his riotous feelings could be felt by her, could be untangled by her graceful fingers that grasped desperately at the hem of his shirt. He trailed his fingers until his hand curved to her jawline, feeling the silken skin beneath his fingertips and palm, the heat that radiated from her smooth cheeks.

Exquisite, comforting warmth surrounded them both, cutting them off from the rest of Konoha, creating their own transient, fledgling world.

So new.

So warm.

So, so soft.