Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or ramen…. Though a bowl of that stuff isha soundin' mighty good right about now!
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Sakura's heartbeat sped up every time Sasuke would glance over to her with his expressionless face.
Damn it, she also wished she could have an expressionless face but like Tsunade she was a horrible poker player and couldn't bluff very well. The ninja medic blushed hotly, even in the cool autumn rain. At that moment if she had one wish it would be to know what that Uchiha is thinking.
It had been so long since they've seen each other and instead of anything else, things just seemed to go back to normal. Sakura felt as if his return to Konoha brought back a sense of normality. Almost as if he'd never left.
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Before he went in the bathroom to bathe, Sakura shoved dry clothes in Sasuke's arms as well as all the necessary toiletries. He rolled his eyes and accepted it gratefully, with a simple nod of acknowledgement.
Sakura changed into some dry clothes herself. As she heated up some food for him she noticed how long he was taking. Dawn would break soon.
Sasuke then came out of the bathroom wearing a yukata summer kimono worn by both men and women and his hair was shorter.
"You cut your hair!" Sakura exclaimed, a bit surprised.
"I was starting to look like Itachi…" He responded a bit coldly.
She fell silent, not knowing what to say. "Umm, I heated up some miso soup for you… I can make something else if you want."
"No." Sasuke looked up at her and his expression softened, "No…. thank you. Just the soup is fine…"
Nodding, Sakura handed him a bowl of hot soup. He sipped it quietly, staring out the window at Konoha village. She watched him for a moment before moving towards her linen closet, "I only have one room, and so we'll have to share it. But I have a nice futon you can sleep on." With that she laid out the bedding in the bedroom as he finished eating.
He soon came into the bedroom, "Sakura… thank you."
"Don't be silly! We're old friends!" She smiled.
He just responded with a small smile.
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Sasuke awoke to notice Sakura gone from her bed. They had slept in the same room, with no other intentions of course. Though he had thought of his friends a lot and he did miss their presence, he wasn't sure why he came back after abandoning his village.
He changed into his spare set of clothes before leaving the room and going into the kitchen/dining room/living room. Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura greeted him. So that presence he had sensed earlier was Kakashi's.
"Sasuke!" Naruto put his arm around Sasuke's neck and messed up his hair, "You missed me didn't ya? Admit it!"
Sasuke squirmed under Naruto's grasp, he had grown quite strong, "Let me go dead last!"
"Not until you admit you missed me!" The fox boy laughed in triumph.
Finally Sasuke managed to break free and instead caught Naruto in a grasp, "Never!"
"You two haven't changed…" Kakashi muttered, taking out his latest copy of Come Come Paradise. He pretended not to notice the fact Team Seven seemed to have go back in time. Sakura complaining about Naruto hogging Sasuke, Naruto joking around and Sasuke acting the part of the cool aloof genius ninja. Kakashi smiled to himself, maybe Sasuke hasn't changed. Or maybe coming back to Konoha simply brought out the old Sasuke.
Pretty soon the former Team Seven was walking around on the outskirts of Konoha, as Sasuke seemed to refuse to go into the village in broad daylight. Kakashi took this as a good sign, it meant that Sasuke felt guilty over abandoning the village and his shame stopped him from wanting to face the citizens in fear of their resentment towards him.
Sakura and Naruto held no grudge towards him, their friendship overcame that. Sasuke left believing he had to go after Orochimaru to get what he wanted. But after all this time he still wasn't sure if Itachi's life was what he wanted or needed.
Neither Kakashi, Sakura or Naruto questioned him about his motives or about Orochimaru's death. Today was a day to help their friend feel at home to try to prove the point they tried making for so long, that Sasuke was a member of the Leaf and he was wanted there.
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No interrogations yet! And no, nothing happened between Sasuke and Sakura. Except she might have just watched him sleep for awhile…. Then again who can blame her?
Thank ye to my reviewers, here have a cookie:)
Maiden of the Dark Light: clever lassie, we seem to think alike!
Sindy: quite right darling, I do involve Naruto a lot. I think he plays an important role in Sasuke and Sakura's life. Besides he's fun to write about, I love that fox kid.