Sasuke felt the cool night breeze dry the sweat that was collecting around his cuffs. He found himself waiting once again for an old teammate. He smiled at the karmic irony of his situation and was surprised at how calm he felt, how calm the idea of seeing her made him. Sasuke used the falling of the leaves as a marker for how long it had been since he snuck away. Happy giggles warned of the couple's arrival before the expected shock of pink hair emerged followed by a BOWL CUT! Sasuke's jaw dropped. Sakura was returning home late with Rock Lee, and was that his arm around her waist? He walked her to her doorstep, took both of her hands into his. He murmured sweet words and then kissed her. No childish peck, no delicate chaste matter, but a full lip on lip kiss wrought with familiarity. Sasuke had been gone for far too long.
Lee departed looking happier than, in Sasuke's opinion, any man should. "It's a beautiful evening." Sakura almost dropped her key as she immediately identified the voice. "Konoha was always so pretty in autumn. I had almost forgotten."
She did not turn around. "I don't imagine that you broke out of a charka sealed room, avoided Anbu detection, and would risk execution for the infraction to shoot the shit about the pretty autumn night."
"You're right." He plopped down on her stoop and patted the spot next to him. "I need to talk to the dobe."
Pushing back her hair with her hands, Sakura finally faced him. "Well shit Sasuke, he isn't here."
"I know. But he won't talk to me. And I have to talk to him."
She turned from him. "What makes you think that I'll be able let alone willing, to help you?"
He stood up and snaked his arms around her waist, mimicking Lee's earlier gesture, and forced her to face him. "Because of a promise that was made to me years ago." His voice was soft.
Pink strands curled around her fingers. "I was 12 and I was stupid."
"Yes."
Her green eyes flashed but the rest of her froze. "Excuse me?"
"Yes." He repeated looking her square in the face. "You were 12 and you were stupid and you didn't know what kind of promise you were making, which is why I didn't take you up on your offer then." He sighed. "But really I wanted to. I need you, please."
"I'll talk to him." A finger to his face stopped his victorious smile. "But on one condition." His smile waited. "No more lies, no more secrets, and no more bullshit."
He cocked his head and considered her demands. The victory smile emerged. "Friends?"