Sasuke gave the string a gentle tug. He was glad for the freedom of movement and was slightly surprised when he found himself in front of the monument. Hearing flatness in the tone he tightened the peg and gave an experimental strum before he began moving his fingers. A melancholy sound wove with the wind through the trees.

"You play very well." Sasuke finished the song before he acknowledged the boy with a nod of his head. "Is it hard to learn?"

"Not really." Sasuke smirked. "I learned by watching other people play."

"Would you teach me?" Puck moved closer, eyes wide with hope. Sasuke patted his knee and an impish grin exploded across Puck's face. He plopped down, and the older man positioned the guitar across his small lap. Sasuke placed his callused hand over the boy's fingers and with a slight pressure moved them along the strings. At first Puck squirmed, the hum of the strings tickling his tender hands, but soon he was focusing on the dulcet tones.

A short applause brought the duo out of their reverie. Sakura leaned against the black stone. "I didn't know that you could play guitar."

"Hnn," was the annoyed response.

Sakura ignored him and turned to Puck, "Naruto's looking for you."

"Oh!" Puck bolted. "I forgot about Naru-otou-san!" He called as his form shrank into the foliage.

Sasuke stood and made a lazy sweep over his backside. He ambled in the direction the boy had taken but was stopped by a cool hand on his arm. His raised eyebrows met her smile. "I still need to speak with the dobe."

"I believe that he is avoiding you." Sasuke jerked out of her grasp and began putting his instrument away. "I listen to Tsunade complain about the same thing. If it makes you feel any better."

"Hnnn," was the only reply she received.

Sakura pushed a strand of pink hair behind her ear. "At least he was kind enough not to have you executed." Her bluntness caused his head to snap up, dark eyes piercing her. "I am surprised that you're allowed out and about though."

"Kakashi agreed to keep an eye on me." He closed his guitar case and popped the closures shut. It's a lot like having a perverted roommate."

"In the way that Kakashi is a pervert and is now your roommate?" Sakura asked, her head tilted, lips curled at the ends.

"Yes, in that way." Sasuke looked longingly in the direction Puck had taken.

"I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to talk to him for you."

"I thought that was why I was released." Sasuke mumbled.

Head bowed, she stared at her hands as her fingers twiddled. "I've been busy." She looked up. "Lee and I are moving in together." Sasuke looked as if he had eaten something rotten. "He's been very good to me." There was an air of defiance in her tone. "Just because you didn't want to stay with me doesn't make me a leper to the whole male population."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I never treated you like a leper. It's just that I still need to talk to him." Sakura gave him a sympathetic look. "I didn't think he'd stay angry this long."

Moving in front of the monument, Sakura began tracing the characters carved into the stone. "When Naruto first came back with your will, Tsunade refused to have your name engraved." Sasuke walked up, stopping just behind her, his head inches from her hair. Her fingers moved to a name that looked as if a child had scratched it into the stone. "But Naruto didn't care. He came and chiseled your name in himself."

Sasuke moved closer, placing and arm around her waist. He was shocked to see that the oddly shaped name was indeed his own. "He's such a dobe."