Chapter 13

"Where are we going?"

Sasuke was exhausted—mentally exhausted. That was to be expected on a day like this, when he'd expressed more emotion than he had in the entire time he'd been traveling. Konoha brought the worst out of him. Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi did, too.

Naruto leads him into a narrow streetway. There are houses separated by only a few feet—inches, for some—and the farther they walked, the newer they looked. The scent of dinner wafted through the air. Every building they passed had a light on, reflecting the shadows of families who gathered around dinner tables.

"I'm taking you to apologize to Sakura." The blonde says. "It's just up ahead."

Sasuke stopped, scowling towards his feet. "I have nothing to apologize for."

Shrugging his shoulders with indifference, Naruto continued onward. "Off the top of my head I can name three billion things you need to apologize for. 'Sorry' doesn't wash them all away. Don't do it if you don't want to—I'll just make sure she winds up in Shikamaru's sector somehow."

He ignored Sasuke's glare and stopped at her small apartment.

She had a wreath hanging on her door. She had made it months ago out of craft supplies and glue. The decorations had started to fall because of the excess condensation spring weather brought—rain, heat, rain, heat—and the thing was looking hideously warped. Naruto had half a mind to ridicule the ugly object.

Instead, he flicked a fake bird off a protruding flower and tossed it into the bushes beside him.

Sasuke's surprised that he enters without knocking; throwing her unlocked door open wide enough for passerby's to see. "Honey, I'm home!" The man yells.

A small voice welcomes him in. "I'm in the living room!"

Sakura had taken a long shower. She'd soaked under layers of suds as she scraped her nails across her skin, cleaning away her fatigue. During that time, she thought of many things. She thought of Sasuke, most of all, and the guilt that raked her body couldn't be washed away even under the hottest water setting.

Sasuke was going to be leaving soon. He was going to pass these exams and head out on even more dangerous missions, protecting her village and her people. Their time was limited, and yet, Sakura's emotions swayed her to fight with him.

It's not as if he didn't deserve it…

Drying her hair and turning off the TV, she had only seconds to relax before Naruto's footfalls made their way into her porch. Sakura hadn't been expecting a visit from him.

When he walks in, she says, "Don't you have a dinner to go to?" But her words catch at the end, seeing the blackness of Sasuke Uchiha contrast with the pale blues of her hallway.

What. The. Hell.

"Sakura, I brought Sasuke! He has something to tell you—oh, hey, you're naked."

The towel that wrapped around her body was long enough to fall to her knees. After he'd seen her completely bare chest, Sakura knew she had no reason to backpedal into her laundry room and put on the same clothing she'd just thrown into the washing machine. She did so anyways, trying to hide her complete mortification.

"A shirt," she muttered. "Where's my goddamn shirt!"

Pillaging through layers of clothing she'd grown out of, and staring at the qipao she'd warn as a Genin, Sakura decided to face the situation and settle for jogging pants and the sports bra she'd had on earlier.

The woman cursed her previous self for finally putting away laundry.

As she changes, Sasuke examines her home. Sakura had a…incommodious residence. It seemed as though the living areas were below, while a studio/attic of sorts settled further up. It was obvious from the drop-down staircase at the end of the hall, that hadn't been moved back up.

The kitchen shared space with a dining room, showing off only a few chairs surrounded by an oval table. Though it was small, trendy items and updated amenities gave the apartment a homey feeling. Most of her decorations looked handmade, and not as cheap as the weird nest she hammered to her front door.

It smelled like flowers—like fake, perfume flowers.

"I don't have long ya know!" Naruto yells down the hallway. Crossing his arms, the man stomps into the sitting area and settles into a couch. "You can sit down if you want."

Standing firm, the Uchiha refuses.

"…or not,"

The door to the laundry room opened seconds later, and Sasuke watched as Sakura tripped over the threshold and slammed her forehead into the adjacent wall. Shaking her head and rubbing the sore spot, the woman sauntered down the passageway in black throwaway bottoms and a stretchy, revealing top that left nothing to be desired.

The tips of her wet hair cascaded over her shoulders.

Passing by Sasuke awkwardly, the girl enters the living room and immediately chides Naruto. There was no one more suited to giving him an earful, and for that reason, Sasuke's not so upset about being here.

"I've told you not once, not twice, but three hundred times: Do Not Come Into My House Without Knocking!"

Pouting his lip, the blond defends his reasoning. "If your house isn't unlocked, then how am I supposed to know that you don't want me in?"

Pointing to a broken chair beside a tightly sealed window, Sakura pulls him apart. "Do I need to cement my windows shut, too?"

As she yells, Sasuke cannot help but watch.

Her stomach was not taught like a seasoned battler, he sees. It was fleshy—a healthy shape. With full view of her arms, he saw the stretch marks that striped her skin from rapid muscular growth, and the bruised, crescent indentations of his nails when he'd grabbed her weeks ago.

Something flickers inside the pit of his stomach.

"What did you need to tell me?"

Looking up, Sasuke sees that she's staring at him now. The paleness of her face sooths him, because it does not seem she's confused his observance with flattery. "I don't need to tell you anything."

Naruto begged to differ. "You're sure, Sasuke? You're really sure about that?"

"What's going on?" The pink-haired woman asks as the two men silently clash. As she steps forward, a chime goes off from the kitchen. It dings six times, indicating the hour.

The way his face falls, Sasuke presumes he was late for something important. Naruto stands tall, running towards the foyer to slip on the shoes he'd messily thrown only minutes ago. When Sasuke motions to slide on his own, Naruto swats the sandals with his hand and glares up at the man.

"Go apologize," he grounds between clenched teeth.

"I won't," Sasuke retorts.

Unable to dance back-and-forth any longer, Naruto stands and places his hand on the door. Although his mouth is grinning, his voice holds no humor. "Oh, by the way Sakura, there's this really cool thing I've got to show you in Shikamaru's office tomorrow! Do you mind—?"

Ripping open the door, Sasuke gathers the idiot by the fold of his jacket collar and tosses him down the steps of Sakura's porch. By the time Sakura pokes her head around the corner, there's no sign that the blond had ever been there in the first place.

"What did he say?"

"Nothing,"

Narrowing her eyes, the woman looked at Sasuke skeptically.

The silence of her home became increasingly obvious as discomfort rose between them. She scratched her head and looked into her kitchen, not sure how to offer him a seat—or whether to show that kind of kindness at all. Apparently he had something to say, and the frogs in her stomach suggested it had something to do with her place in the Jonin exams.

Let's hope not.

"I…have matcha tea. Would you like some?"

He sat down at her table seconds later and watched as she sifted green powder into a porcelain bowl. The hot water kettle she used was electric, so it heated rather quickly. When the water was boiling, Sakura served him and then sat across. Sasuke didn't ask why she didn't make herself a cup. He was just grateful for the opportunity to think.

The liquid heated his throat soothingly.

"What's going on?" The pinkette finally asks. There was no point in pussyfooting around.

He sat his tea down, and barked out a halfhearted, "I'm sorry."

"Okay?" She deadpanned.

"You accept, then."

"Nope," She sighs, letting her finger trace a groove in her table. "I don't even know what you're apologizing about. Are you sorry for what you're about to say, or are you sorry for something you've done? I can't accept without knowing."

He clenched his fist. "Don't accept it. I don't care."

He stood then, ready to make his exit. Naruto asked him to apologize, nothing more and nothing less. This whole thing was silly play at power that wouldn't last much longer. Sasuke was not a child, he had every right to make his own decisions and do whatever he pleased. Rounding the corner, he paused.

Naruto…would hear from her, wouldn't he?

If Sakura found out about the night he left, it would put an enormous strain on their relationship. Sasuke liked how things were, as impersonal as it was. He didn't know who her parents were, or what she did leisurely. Up until this point, Sasuke hadn't even known what side of town she lived on. They were comrades, heading in opposite directions in life.

The mistake he made as a foolish boy, who stole a kiss against his better judgement, shouldn't have to haunt him forever. Team 7 was whole again, why did Naruto wish to complicate things?

Really though…was it Naruto's fault?

"Aren't you leaving?" Sakura asks. He hears the scrape of her chair against the floor. The sticky sound her feet make on the linoleum sounds like glass in his ears.

"I'm sorry." He tried again, but this time he met her gaze.

Sakura raised her eyebrows, unconvinced. "Wow, I think that sounded worse than the other one." She sighed and stepped past him, walking to her door. "Just…go home."

His face was solemn. "You won't forgive me."

She shrugged. "I don't know what to forgive."

Their sturdy personalities clashed with one another so brilliantly, that neither would forfeit. This bickering is exactly how Sasuke Uchiha found his way into her living room, taking over the single couch nearest to the wall.

It wasn't this hard the last time. Sakura stood over him, stitching the cells of his flesh, weeping from their distressed conditions. He did not have to plead, he did not have to explain—Sasuke said, "I'm sorry," and Sakura said, "I know."

Then something about shutting up, and idiot, but he kept dipping in and out of consciousness.

"It's okay," the woman says, skipping through the channels. "You don't have to stare me into submission. You're sorry, I get it, leave already."

Sakura didn't think she'd ever have to say such a string of words to Sasuke. Her fingers play on the knitted holes of her grandmothers' blanket. The drone of a children's cartoon show fills in the lengthy gaps between their non-conversations. Sasuke made her…uncomfortable. Sasuke made her…nervous.

She knows that she needed to apologize too—not that she would take back her words, but their hashing shouldn't have happened the way it did. She bites her lip.

Making no move to exit, the Uchiha responds emotionlessly. "It's gone."

Confusion furrows her brow. Of course it was. The Uchiha compound had been destroyed in Pein's assault. The village had decided not to rebuild the police center or anything else reminiscent of his clan. The uchiwa's Sakura grew up seeing carved on various buildings and street corners disappeared like the entirety of his family—in the span of a single day. Miraculously, his old apartment had remained intact. Sakura knew this. She went to it often.

"You old apartment is where you're at, then?"

He shakes his head. "I don't want to go back there."

"I see. But, hotels are rather expensive this time of year—I bet you're hoping for the exams to finish timely."

"I'm not staying in a hotel."

"Oh no," Sakura says, absolutely jumbled now. "You're staying with Naruto? I'm so sorry!"

The absurdity of her question almost makes him laugh. By almost, I mean not at all—not in the slightest. "I'm not staying in the village."

"You're sleeping…outside?"

"I am."

Hearing the revelation almost sends Sakura into a coma.

Jumping up suddenly, the girl points her finger at Sasuke. Her cheeks are red, her skin becomes splotchy, and her mouth opens and closes like she's a koi fish fighting for air.

Fire country wasn't inhabitable, obviously. Sakura herself had spent many nights outdoors, peeking through stars from beyond tree canopies. Shinobi were trained in survival, taught to find abandoned caves and sleep in animal carcasses if the cold became too much.

Sasuke did not have to survive when he was in Konoha, though. There were plenty of places to crash for a few weeks. His apartment, his old apartment, why didn't he just go there?

"It's been raining," The woman bites out finally. "Please tell me you're going back to your old room when that storm rolls in this weekend."

Clearly he wasn't. He wasn't ready to be in there, and probably would never be. He was sure that it would have been sold by now. But, he never paid for it anyways. It was something the government had offered to him, and it was left vacant for frequent searching until it was forgotten about.

Besides, he quite enjoyed rain, tapping against the plastic sheet of his tent. Traveling had gotten him accustomed to all sorts of weather anomalies; a downpour wouldn't bother him in the least.

Something glowed in her eyes when he didn't bother to respond. Sasuke couldn't tell if it was ominous, like the shimmer of Naruto's, or thoughtful, like it used to be. Whatever the cogs in her brain suggested, it must have been rather brilliant.

Sakura smiles like a lunatic. "I'll accept you apology and ring Naruto immediately…but I have a few stipulations."

Sasuke's head lolled back. How was it that, every member of his former squad relished in holding him ransom? He runs his calloused hands across his face.

"What."

Crossing her arms, the kunoichi smirked. "Let me spar and teach me how to use my battleax."

What was difficult about that? If Sakura could go through one practice without arguing with anyone, while actually training, she'd certainly feel ready for the second round.

Sasuke didn't want anything to do with that slaying tool, though. It was outdated and only worked against inhuman things—demons, metals, buildings—it would never pierce flesh. "It's useless," he responds. "A weapon like that is obsolete."

"I didn't ask for opinions. I asked for help. Wouldn't humoring me be better than…whatever hold Naruto has on you?"

Frowning, Sasuke wonders just how much Sakura had deduced.

"Why else would Naruto be the one dragging you over here? If you had something to tell me, you'd do it."

The clock in her kitchen chimed. Already, an hour had passed and Sakura was no closer to caving in than when he'd first arrived. Teaching Naruto archery had been a relatively easy task—Sakura was gifted when it came to learning quickly.

"Alright,"

"…and I want you to stay here for the night."

Staring at one another silently, a thick tension bloomed forth.

What kind of woman would ask such a thing? It was evident that she had no perversions hidden in her words, but that was beside the point. Sasuke was a man—men did not simply sleep over at female homes.

Sasuke respected this cunning kunoichi before him. He also, for lack of a better word, feared her reaction to Shikamaru's footage.

"Do you really think what Naruto has on me is worth all of this?"

She called his bluff. "If it wasn't, you'd have left ages ago."

He could not argue with such sound logic.

The tour of her one-bedroom apartment lasted less than a minute. Everything was basic, from the shower/tub, to the closet-sized laundy area. Sasuke would be staying in the attic, where, apparently, others frequently stayed.

"You wouldn't believe how many ninja come to me for healing instead of the hospital. I even keep spare clothing and toiletries on hand."

"How much do I owe you?" Sasuke asks. He searches his pocket for change.

"If you had the money to pay me, you'd simply get a motel." The woman retorts. "Your spare pennies—"

Catching in her throat, her sentence fails to articulate. In his hand, he holds three gold coins.

"Don't worry about my finances."

"—don't interest me in the least. You're not asking me for a favor. Should we…set some ground rules? My mother and Naruto make random visits sometimes, and I'm on call 24/7. It would best if…we kept this between us."

Sasuke is pleasantly surprised by this. Konoha was not subjected to small-town gossip anymore, for it had grown far too large. It was a relief to find they were both on the same page, at least. After all, "It's just for the night."

The stairs to the attic are small and creaky, much too obnoxious for frequent use. It wasn't as dusty as he'd expected this place to be. There was a small, single-sized bed in the corner, with a matching dresser drawer adjacent.

The rest of the area was filled from top to bottom with books and filing cabinets of all sorts. Bashfully scratching the back of her head, Sakura explains. "I haven't done a deep cleaning here in a few weeks, so sorry if it smells. I'll bring up a candle if you'd like. I'll get to this when I'm off next."

"Have you read all of these?" Sasuke asks.

Medical textbooks were extremely difficult to understand. The newer novels sat on the bottom shelves—they'd not yet been fully perused. "In the corner, the blue ones are new. I've finished the rest of them, however. It looks like a lot, but it's only because every book I own is gathered here. My mother had all of this stuff in storage, and that's the only reason it survived Pein's attack. I had a complete collection in my old house."

A cloud passes by outside, covering the moon. Sasuke walks over to the sliding window and stares at the balcony, which is overfilled with all sorts of vegetable plants. The miniature garden had pictures of tomatoes, carrots and potatoes sticking out of neat rows.

"You can come and go as you please." Sakura says. "If the storm becomes too much, this window always stays opened in case someone needs refuge."

"That's a dangerous habit for a woman."

"I'm quite sure I can handle myself, Sasuke." The pinkette bites out. Changing the subject, she opens one of the drawers and pulls out a brown comforter. "This is a spare, and the sheets are fresh. Store your items here; there's beside the bathroom if you need extra space."

"I travel light."

Of course he did. Sakura had never had the urge to explore. During her normal ninja travels, she'd seen some amazing things, however. Konoha did not have snowcapped mountains or water so clear, you could see the fish and seashells below. Lugging along half of your belongings would defeat the point.

Leaving him, Sakura retired to her bedroom for the night.

It was earlier than she normally went to bed. There were dishes in her sink, clothes strewn about, and many unimportant tasks to complete. Truth be told, Sakura was a night owl, and spent the early morning hours catching up on household chores and TV programs.

Hauling out her vacuum would certainly bother her guest, though.

She exhales heavily, finally allowing herself to blush, if just for a moment. The fluffy nest atop her bed beckoned, so the woman fell into its warmth and let out a giddy squeal. Sasuke Uchiha was sleeping at her house! She'd just gotten into probably one of the worst arguments of her life with him, yes. And they weren't on good terms—probably would never be.

But there was something soothing her head, knowing that he wouldn't be out in the cold while he was home—in Konohagakure.

It sucked that she couldn't brag to anyone, but it was smart. Her mother did not have the best views of the Uchiha boy that sent her daughter into a brief state of depression, (Although Sakura had told her it had nothing to do with him, but rather, the chemicals within her own head.). Sakura already fought with Mebuki enough about the "escort" rumors.

Medical ninja healed, and people didn't only get hurt during daytime hours!

Kicking off her sweatpants, the woman strips and catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Oh, that wondrous mirror, which did not lie or try to deceive, reflected only what was truly shown.

It was a silly realization, but Sakura becomes fully aware that she'd never been nude with Sasuke in the same abode. Her skin flushes, glowing a peachy hue even with very little moonlight to see. She bites her lip, crossing her arms over the swells of her chest as she fought off repeat mortification.

How long would it take her to get over the fact that Naruto, Sasuke, Suigetsu, Jugo, Hinata and Karin had all seen her bare breasts?

Speaking of Jugo, Sakura walked to her desk and pulled out a cherry-leaf stationary set. He deserved a proper apology, and perhaps a lifetime of free hospital admissions and checkups. She curls her cursive letters and seals the envelope with wax, leaving it out on the desk to dry.

Having nothing else to do, the woman makes her way back to her bed and falls into a book about mental imbalances in adolescents.

She awoke before the sun. Sakura entered her kitchen at around five in the morning and immediately filled a cup with faucet water. She was already dressed for work, though her shift wouldn't begin for two more hours. Her restlessness took the reins on her body.

Tying her pin straight hair into a long ponytail, the woman eyed the contents of her fridge. Only an expired gallon of milk and a few eggs met her eyes.

She filled her rice cooker dutifully. As a girl, she was expected to make breakfast for her entire family. She used to be in the habit of soaking her grains overnight, but the woman rarely had time for a home-cooked meal anymore.

Ah, the stereotypical doctor who chided others health, but disregarded her own.

Breakfast went by swiftly. She was not sure if she should leave a note for Sasuke, or act as if he was never there in the first place. If Naruto or her mother came by and saw it, because he opted to use the attic balcony, she'd be breaking her own rule. Sakura decides to leave a bowl of hot rice on the table, securing it firmly in saran wrap.

That should be a good, goodbye.

The hospital was a familiar scene. Nurse aides transported food trays to the bedridden patients and reported to their superiors obediently. Sakura made herself known by greeting residents in the cafeteria, and picking up some trays. An active and kind leader always helped with productivity.

By the time she made it to her office, Ino had already arrived. "You're a bit earlier than usual." The blonde-haired woman said. "I've already filled out most of these forms. Your signature is needed on all of the red X's."

Ino had grown beautifully. She was taller than Sakura now, dressed in a purple suit that showed off the faint lines of her abdominal muscles. Flipping her bangs off her forehead, the woman glanced up. "You look…good. Did you visit the hot springs without me or something?"

Blushing, Sakura vehemently denies. "I wouldn't do such a heartless thing to my best friend. I actually got shit-whipped by an abnormally shaped fist, and had a mental breakdown on Sasuke Uchiha."

"My second guess was coconut oil. But I'm curious about this, "mental breakdown" business."

They chat for only a moment, long enough for basic details to be thrown. Sakura does not shy away from her breast-flash, even when Ino reddens from second-hand embarrassment. "Busy day,"

"Busy day, indeed,"

Friendship was a strange thing. It was not bound by rules and stipulations—it did not even involve flattery and constant encouragement. Sometimes, the only thing you needed to do to keep up with your comrade was offer a brief summary of what all they'd missed, and part ways until next time.

"I have a skin graft to do today."

"Is it the man from the emergency room a few nights ago?" Sakura asks.

Nodding, Ino waved goodbye and stepped out into the hall, preparing to complete her various duties. It was going to be a hectic workweek, undoubtedly.

Naruto greeted Sasuke eagerly. He was earlier than usual to their planned session, which was both offbeat and good change of pace. Sasuke assumed the blonde wanted to know the details of his apology.

"Well, how'd it go?"

"Ask Sakura,"

They both look at the woman simultaneously.

Sakura was dressed in her normal ninja outfit today. On her thigh sat a standard weapons pouch, which was undoubtedly filled with all sorts of shuriken and kunai.

"What's she giving to Jugo?"

The letter in her hand had nothing to do with Sasuke. Sakura had nothing to do with Sasuke.

By the time he'd woken up, the house was completely deserted. He could sense that Sakura had been gone for hours, and the chiming from her kitchen told him, shockingly, that he'd slept past noon.

Letting ones guard down was dangerous. In the months Sasuke spent traveling, he couldn't remember a time he'd slept so soundly. In fact, as far back as his time in Oto, there was never a memory of lazing away in slumber to midday.

He was drained, however, in many ways. It had also been a while since he'd slept on such a comfortable surface, in a room that was not too cold and not too hot.

"Yo,"

Both men look at Suigetsu as he approached. He was in a considerably better mood, stretching out a toothy smile.

"Say, say," Naruto begins, covering his mouth. "Is Sakura giving that guy a love letter or something?"

Smirking, Suigetsu shrugs. "Probably—she's into the abusive types."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" The Jinchuriki retorts, but the argument cannot progress beyond that. Sakura approaches, looking around the empty training grounds. "Where's Karin?"

Coming up behind her, Jugo answers with a soft response. "She does not want to be in the exams any longer. She got a job at the Hokage tower yesterday."

Sasuke narrows his eyes at this. What that why Karin had been in the surveillance sector yesterday? He does not feign interest and, instead, unsheathes his sword.

"Free for all?" Naruto asks.

Grinning from ear to ear, Sakura pulls on her gloves. Finally, she'll be able to practice without restraint. "I'll go get Hinata—last man standing?"