Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

AN: Here's chapter three. Yes, I know, the beginning is awkward. And here is some (mild!) fluff between the two.

Why?

…because I said so.

Spoilers: until about manga chapter…um 180 something…the one where Sasuke goes bye bye.

Optimism

Chapter III

By: Poison Ivy

~

Naruto was never one to admit fear, at least not openly. But right now, he was _scared_.

His neck had stopped being sore for awhile now, but still…there was the memory of the pain. And Sasuke's eyes were still red.

And he was still alone.

Oh Kami-sama, _please_ let either Kakashi-sensei or Sakura-chan get here soon. _Please_. If you do, I won't ask for anything ever again, he thought with crossed fingers, _please_.

*

Ino had started giggling, and dully (through her blush) Sakura wondered if her friend took strange sadistic pleasure from her embarrassments.

"I…have to go." She announced suddenly and loudly. "Train!" she added stupidly, very much aware that Neji's eyes were still on her.

"I'll walk you." He offered suddenly, surprising everyone. It even startled Ino enough so that she stopped laughing.

Sakura looked around wildly. If I pretended to choke, she thought crazily, what're the odds that it'll scare everyone into running away and leaving me alone?

She saw Neji's serious face, and squeaked out a "Sure."

He yanked (not so subtly) his arm away from TenTen's, and they started to walk away.

Please don't say anything, she pleaded silently, please don't say anything, please don't—

"You're not off the hook yet!" Ino called out cheerfully, "I want to hear _all_ about it!"

Damn.
*

What was _wrong_ with him? TenTen thought angrily, glaring at the two retreating backs. What does a girl gotta do around here to get some attention? And after all this, he just _leaves_ without even a _goodbye_.

She stomped away from a bewildered (but still grinning wildly) Ino.

Just you wait Sakura Haruno. You'll _rue_ the day you came between TenTen and her man.
*

An awkward silence stretched between the two of them as they walked. Neji had thought that he would be trading in the greater evil for the lesser, (and to a point, he was right; Sakura hadn't _once_ asked him to go shopping) but now there was this _silence_.

For the first time in a _long_ while, (forever, whispered a small voice, because after father's death, all that is left is _forever_) he felt like he needed to fill up the silence with words. _Any_ words.

Because, right then, the silence was unbearable.

"Ino's an idiot." She said softly, playing with her hands nervously.

He looked down at her, not saying anything, because what was he supposed to _do_ with a statement like that? Agree?

She went on, speaking to her hands. "She had this _stupid_ idea."

Something inside Neji twitched and died, but he barely noticed. That had happened so many times before he no longer troubled himself with it. He was no longer worried that he would have to look _really_ deep to find something _alive_.

"The stupidest idea that because you were being nice to me last night, because you _humored_ her and kissed me, because of it, we're somehow, _together_"

She twisted her hands more acutely, very aware of the growing silence on Neji's part. "She probably thinks that we're off somewhere having sex, or taking care of our illegitimate baby. But nothing _happened_."

She said this last bit almost just to reassure herself, and then waited, obviously finished with her little speech, for him to reply.

Neji knew this, and knew that his silence was over.

"About…maybe…"

He tried again, trying to silence the little part of him that tried to speak, without even knowing what to say.

"Ino's just worried about you."

Better. Kinda.

*

When he said that, something inside Sakura twitched, and died as well. Small as it was, Sakura was aware of it. She had been hoping, (against hope and reason, really, with a good dose of logic thrown into the other side as well) _somehow_ for some _reason_ he would deny it, that he would ask her, "what if it wasn't 'nothing' to me?"

But that was really stupid. A stupid thing to hope for, a stupid thing to even _think_ about. Because things like that happened only in romance novels, and would _never_ happen in real life, not with Hyruga Neji as her hero.

Not like—not like this. But maybe. _Maybe_—

_Damn_. She tried to squish it, squish the little part of her mind that whined, that _insisted_ there was still a chance, that there was _always_ a chance, that things could turn around.

Because that part of her mind never stopped hoping.

Sakura was finding that switching from being an optimist to a realist was both _really_ hard, and impossible. Not that that made sense, but still.

And the worst part about this is that I don't even know how I _feel_. How I would _react_, if my little romance novel came to life.

She _really_ just wanted someone to _care_. About _her_. Because, goddamn, how long has it been since Naruto stopped chasing me? Two years? Three?

Suddenly, she drifted back into reality with a jolt, realizing that Neji was still waiting for an answer.

"I know you're right," she grumbled, still not meeting (still not _able_ to meet) his eyes. "But part of me wonders. If she was that worried about me, would she have laughed quite so _hard_?"

And then promptly blushed.

They walked on in silence.

"You should just talk to her." Neji suggested emotionlessly.

Sakura, suddenly surprised, glanced into Neji's eyes. She had just realized that Neji had become her confidant.

He was actually _listening_ to her ramble, and he had better suggestions than her friends did.

"Uh…thanks. I'll do that."

She peered into the distance warily.

"I hope Naruto and Sasuke aren't too worried about me."

*

A twig snapping to Naruto's right made him whip his head around just in time to see Sasuke do the same.

They both peered into the foliage; both of them tense; though neither said a word to the other.

A bush shook slightly, and a squirrel ran out of it.

Naruto relaxed slightly.

He didn't have a chance to relax any more, because a shuriken flew towards the forest critter, barely missing it.

He had a suspicion that it had shaved some hair off its back.

It squeaked, and scampered away.

Naruto looked over at Sasuke, who returned his glance passively,

On second thought, it might be better if Kakashi-sensei arrived first.

*

Silence had settled over them again, and Neji hated every second of it. every _damn_ second.

Even her rambling was preferable to this.

"Uhm…Sakura…"

"Hmm?"

"About last night…"

*

Sakura immediately perked up. Maybe Neji was about to have a change of heart. It had been _so_ long since a guy had shown interest in her…and…

"What about it?" she asked, trying not to sound too eager.

"No hard feelings right?"

Damn. Damn damn damn _damn_.

She forced a smile. "Of course not. Why?"

"You sounded like you were mad. Or…something."

He sounded uncertain, and Sakura blinked, not even sure if the confidant ninja could _be_ uncertain.

"Nope. I'm fine."

The only reason I care is because you're my first kiss in a _long_ time. not since Lee had a guy asked me on a date. Not since that time Naruto was drunk and—but he didn't even remember the next day, and he only kissed me _once_

The only reason I care is because I'm lonely.

So…why am I so disappointed?

*

They walked into the clearing, and Neji was about to bid Sakura goodbye when a pair of eyes looked up. A pair of red eyes.

Sharingan. He immediately went into battle mode.

"You're late" Sasuke hissed, looking angry, his eyes flicking from Neji to Sakura and back.

He thought that the pink haired kunochi would be able to sense the danger, but instead, she beamed brightly, and said, "Ohayou Sasuke-kun!"

Neji stepped slightly in front of her protectively, switching on his Byakugan.

"Hello Uchiha." He said neutrally.

Sasuke's eyes flickered back to him. "What are you doing here Neji?" he sneered, "You aren't in this team."

"Don't worry Sasuke-kun!" Sakura chirped brightly, "Neji was just walking me over!"

"Sakura-chan—" Naruto began apprehensively.

Sasuke rose from his seat. "Don't—" he snarled at the same time.

A small 'poof' in the middle of what could have been a bad fight interrupted them both. Swirling leaves surrounded a figure.

"Yo." Said Kakashi.

Naruto and Neji instinctively relaxed. Kakashi might not have been the most punctual ninja, but he was strong enough to handle anything that Sasuke decided to pull.

The ninja in question blinked slowly and sank back down, red eyes swirling back into onyx.

"You're late." Sakura chided lightly.

"Yeah well, there was this little kitten and I had to take care of it so—"

"You know Kakashi sensei," Naruto piped up, back to his cheerful self, "When you lie, you're setting a bad example for the rest of us."

Sakura shuddered, suddenly having a mental image of all four of them in two years, hunched over a copy of Come Come Paradise volume whatever the hell it is.

Kakashi appeared to blink. (his visible eye at least) Then said eye crinkled up into an innocent smile.

"I'm sure you guys are old enough to know which habits of mine to copy."

Then he turned around and regarded Neji as if he had just seen him, though the shinobi was sure that the jounin had been aware of his prescience all the while.

"Hello, who's this?" Kakashi asked cheerfully, "Hyruga Neji, isn't it?"

Neji nodded slightly.

"You're one of Gai's kids aren't you? Did he send you to spy on me?"

Kakashi sounded like he didn't really care either way, and Neji found himself remembering the end to a very strange game of Jaken.

"No. I ah…I'll see you later Sakura."

She nodded, and Neji leapt into the treetops, disappearing from view quickly.

So…two rival's teammates… Kakashi thought ponderously, sometimes I see more with one eye that all those kids put together.

Sakura turned back to Sasuke. "Don't worry Sasuke-kun! I won't be late again!"

The Uchiha humphed, and the aura of tension around the clearing lightened.

It disappeared altogether when Kakashi clapped his hands together and said brightly, "OK! Let's get to work!"

*

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto called out, bounding after her.

She waited for him to catch up impatiently. "What's wrong Naruto?"

He huffed, out of breath after weeding the 5th's garden with the rest of his team. "I need to talk to you!"

They started to walk home together in silence, Sakura patiently waiting, Naruto, thinking of how to say it.

"Did you…notice anything…different…about Sasuke after he came back?"

Sakura started. This was not something sure expected to talk about. After all, Naruto reminiscing about anything but ramen was new.

"He was quieter…" she said carefully, not meeting Naruto's eyes.

He sighed deeply. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what _do_ you mean?"

Naruto put his arms behind his head and tilted it back, surveying the sunset sky.

"I wonder sometimes _what_ exactly happened before—"

"Stop it." she interrupted harshly. "I expected more from you Naruto! We're supposed to be friends! We're supposed to be a team! what's past is past, and It's private to Sasuke-kun! We decided to respect that! Together! As a team!"

"I know." Naruto's voice was quiet, serious, and it cut through Sakura's angry rant like a hot knife through butter. "Something's different about him Sakura-chan."

"Just because you two aren't rivals anymore means nothing! Sasuke-kun has just grown—"

"No. that's not it."

"…"

"Sometimes, I look at him and I see—"

"It's been three years Naruto! Can't we put it behind us for just _one_ day?"

"We're in the middle of war Sakura-chan! We can't afford to do that!"

Now Naruto's voice was angry.

"I look at him and I see…his brother."

Sakura's breath came in ragged gasps. "Are you saying that he'll kill—"

"No. Itachi didn't have friends like us. But still, Sasuke…"

"No! we can't—"

"_Listen_ Sakura-chan!" Naruto had lost his infamous temper. "We just have to be more careful around him! he's—"

"No. you listen Naruto. Sasuke-kun is Sasuke-kun. Nothing's changed. The only thing that has is your trust in him."

she ran off towards her house, leaving Naruto behind.

She tried to ignore the voice in her head saying that maybe Naruto was right, that the shinobi had come a long way from the village's hyperactive number one, but he _had_ to be wrong. About Sasuke. He just _had_ to be.

Naruto watched her run without saying a thing. He sighed deeply. He had tried, after all.

Oh I hope you're right Sakura-chan. You don't know how much I'm hoping that. *

Three years ago, Konoha had the most memorable chuunin selection exam in its history.

It was not most remembered for the wide selection of talented genin that participated, but for the events that took place in the middle and near the end of it.

In the middle of the second task, Uchiha Sasuke was given the curse seal by Orochimaru, and S-class criminal. It was later sealed by his sensei, Hatake Kakashi.

Near the end, (coincidentally—or so it was thought—) in the middle of a match involving Sasuke and a very talented sand nin named Gaara, the village was attacked.

After the attack was repelled, (with great losses, those including the beloved 3rd Hokage) a certain Uchiha Itachi appeared, causing Sasuke to doubt his own strength and worth.

It was that doubt that broke through the seal that Kakashi had placed, and it was that doubt that made Sasuke leave the village with 4 Sound nins.

However, before they had gone far, a team of Shikamaru, Chouji, Neji, Kiba, and Naruto found and stopped them, successfully bringing Sasuke back.

A trial followed, but Uchiha was found not guilty due to the fact that the ninja had come back _of his own free will_.

However, no one was sure what had happened during those few short hours Sasuke had been alone with the sound nins.

Three years had passed since then, and team 7 developed differently, each becoming a chuunin in their own way (Sakura barely beat Ino in their rematch, cementing their friendship, and ending their rivalry for good, and Naruto and Sasuke's match—surprisingly!—ended in a tie, both of the participants too tired to continue)but the threat of war loomed ever closer.

There had been random attacks from both sides of the board, and the countries had been forced to choose sides, finally revealing where their loyalties laid.

And still no end lay in sight.

~

And that's chapter three. The last bit was just a bit of background history to let you understand a little.

And also, many reviewers had said that my story was cute (thankies!) but I'm not sure if that is a direction I want my story to take.

All I know is that Sakura and Neji wont have an easy romance.

And a side note ~ Friday is my birthday, and as a treat to myself (I guess) I will be posting the next chapter of "Careful"

Hopefully…