-Modern AU-

Warnings: N/A

Rating: T


"Sorry for the bad directions earlier!" She called from the kitchen as he walked in the front door. "I'm a little heavy-handed, but please make yourself at home!"

Sasuke set his bag down on the bench, sniffing curiously. Something weird hit his senses - almost burnt? - as he took off his shoes and set them neatly underneath it before hanging his coat on the hanger right beside the door.

This was only the second date, yet she felt comfortable enough to just let him make his way into the house? He almost sighed aloud. Sakura trusted him too much.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he followed the echoes of activity coming from the kitchen; a timer was beeping, and Sakura cursed as pots and pans clanked.

As he got to the doorway, he stood in surprise at the sight. Her kitchen was a mess: flour was haphazardly dusted along one countertop, a salt shaker was toppled next to a glass full of... something, and the sink was full to overflowing with dirty dishes. Pots and pans littered the stovetop, one of them still bubbling with some kind of soup, and as she bent down some straggly hairs fell from her bun into her face. She herself was incredibly disheveled, sweaty, her shirt smeared at the bottom hem with some kind of brown and as she bent over to pull a bread pan out of the oven her arm bumped the side, and she hissed with a jerk, nearly dropping the pan. "Shit!"

"Do you need some help?" He asked, making her jump up with a sharp gasp.

"Sasuke!" She squeaked, quickly setting the pan down on a wire rack and smoothing back the flyaway hairs that had fallen into her face. "Wha- uh, what are you doing? I thought you were gonna sit in the living room!"

He shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "You sounded like you needed another pair of hands."

Chuckling nervously, she shook her head and smoothed down her apron. "No, I- sorry, I didn't expect the loaf to take this long. You, uh, you don't mind veggie loaf, do you?"

He shook his head.

"Good!" She tried to smile, but it came out forced and awkward. "Because it's, uh, it's my mom's recipe and I figured it would be a good..." she swallowed, eyes darting back to the loaf pan. "... icebreaker."

So is this, he thought. He bit his tongue, however, and began rolling up his sleeve.

"What are you doing?" She questioned, turning to the loaf pan.

"Helping you clean," he answered, moving past her to the sink.

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"I want to," he interrupted quietly, his lips twitching upwards when she gave him a dumbfounded look. "The faster things get clean, the faster we can eat, right?"

Mutely, she nodded.

Once he began washing, things went quickly. Sakura helped him find where the soap was and dished up the soup and loaf, along with a hearty scoop of rice. By the time he'd finished placing the last dish in the washer, she'd already finished setting the table and filled two glasses with Merlot.

"Sorry again," she said, tugging her collar a bit as they both sat down at the table. The candle burning in the center of the wine-red tablecloth gave off a sweet, spicy scent. Cinnamon? "I didn't mean to make you help me out."

"Stop apologizing, it's fine." He shook his head, slicing into the loaf with a knife. "I don't mind helping. My mother would have had my head if I hadn't."

Sakura laughed, and his heart did a flip at the nice sound.

Clinking of silverware against ceramics filled in the easy, almost awkward silence, until she spoke up again. "How's the loaf? Not too burnt, is it?"

"No, it's perfect," Sasuke promised, wiping his lips with a napkin. "It's delicious. Is it a family recipe?"

"Yeah, it was originally my grandmother's." She seemed to be sitting straighter, proud of herself as she sipped her Merlot with a smile playing on her bubblegum lips.

He paused for a moment, eyes scanning her as she blew quietly on her soup and drank it down. Then he said, "On our next date, you should make it again."

Sakura abruptly choked on her soup, coughing into a napkin as her face bloomed red.

Sasuke frowned, about to get up, when she put up a hand as her coughing slowed. She panted for breath for several long seconds, and then she weakly questioned, "You... you want another date? Really?"

"You... don't?" He confusedly tilted his head. Did I read the situation wrong?

"No!" She blurted, raising her hands. "No, I do! I really do! It's just..." she trailed off, tugging at her ponytail. "You want another date? After you saw what a mess I am?"

He chuckled, and her lips parted as if to continue, but he replied, "I don't care about that. Remember when you spilled lasagna on your brand-new lab coat on the first day of hospital internships?"

Sakura's face went redder, and she shot him a dark look. "I thought we agreed to never speak of that again."

Sasuke shrugged, taking a sip of the drink.

Silence hung between them for another couple of seconds. Then, "Really?"

"Sakura," he began, giving her an exasperated look, "When have I ever pulled pranks on you?"

She prepared to rebut, raising a finger, but after a moment of thought, she slowly lowered it back down and shut her mouth.

"That's Naruto's thing," he continued. He hesitated before looking away and admitting, "I would like to have another date."

Sakura's head was bowed for several seconds, but finally, she looked up and gave him a smile that made his heart do another flip.

"I'd like that too," she answered, and lifted her glass. "To the most disastrous first date ever?"

"Less disastrous than Naruto's impromptu McDonalds date with Hinata," he chuckled, raising his so that the rim clanked against hers.