Slowly and Steady

A few days passed and everybody knew that Sakura and Akira was no more. Of course Naruto and Kakashi and all of her friends were furious but she manage to calm them down, Sasuke on the other hand was still on his aloof and stoic behaviour, sometimes he was tempting to do some small talks with Sakura but she always ran away as if he's still the same person who tried to kill her in the past, a couple of times he actually tried to do some small talks with her by using mission details, medical advices and any possible topic that can make her comfortable.

The first one was when team seven were eating out to catch up, it had gotten pretty late so they decided to go home, as soon as the rest of team seven went home leaving Sakura and Sasuke alone. Sasuke started with a "I need medical advices for my next mission to Suna" and she ended it with "Just take soldier pills od visit the Konoha Pharmacy and grab some antibiotics- it's getting late now I need to go, bye!" with that she left him standing alone in fron of Ichiraku's.

The second time this happened, it was after his first ever mission after his probation. He gets home with the blond, his former teacher and surprisingly his pink-haired... teammate, turns out that Naruto was the one who decided to celebrate after his first mission and invited Konoha 11, he hated it, he was not used to this types of celerations but having her there, seeing her so comfortable with people makes it all worth it.

After the party everyone left leaving them both alone again, he pulled her in an alleyway and started with a "You've been avaoiding me throughout the party" and she continued with a "I-I was not- I need to go I'm ti-" but he cuts her off "There you go again, just tell me what's wrong so I can fix it... for both of us" then she ended it with a "Please Sasuke, not now... I'm tired- so tired" with that she pulled her hand as he lets go of it then she left leaving him.

The third time this happened was a training session with the blond, their former teacher and her. With one hand it's aways hard to perform Taijutsu especially when his opponent is a the strongest Kunoichi and has a monstrous strength, which results to him laying in a hospital bed by dawn. She was there with him, she was taking care of him, but that's only be cause she's responsible for his huge bruise on his right hip.

"Sasuke I am so so sorry! I didn't mean to I-I was not having a good day and I took it all out in training! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to I swear!" She panics as she walks back and forth i the middle of the room which amazed him. He knew clearly that he was the reason why she was angry "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!-" She was hut off by his nonchalantly reply "It's fine... It's not your fault... you were angry" She looks at him then sighs "O-okay... I'll be going now since you're fine" she said but he stops her "It hurt Sakura" he said but his tone does not cooperate with his sentence "I-I'll send a new medic... my shift just ended" with that she hurried to the door closing it.

He is now currently having lunch with team seven, with her, soon they all left but Sakura surprisingly stayed behind. He knew she'll eventually run away from him so he decided to just go home but he was stopped by a tiny voice from her "S-Sasuke... mind it you stay a bit?" She asked looking at her finished ramen bowl trying to hide her blush. He was amused so he decided to sit on the stool beside her. "What is it?" He asked her, "I-I want to say sorry for my recent behaviour... I was being immature for avoiding you" She said.

he stayed silent for a while trying to process everything, she's apologizing he thought, "I understand why you did that... it was clearly not your fault" He said "I understand well why you would not approach me" she looks at him for the first time, their eyes met and it felt like one of those romance-between-mr.-grumpy-and-ms.-sunshine. but then like typical scenes someone has to interrupt "We're closing kids, time to go home"

Sasuke made an achievment as he finally walks Sakura to her apartment, as soon as they reached to her doorstep she turn to him and smiles which made his heart flutter and made him feel the butterflies. "Thanks for walking me home Sasuke" she smiled at him, with his stoic face he said "I'm sorry"

She was taken back from his words as she looks at him "S-Sasuke..." He looks at her with eyes filled with guilt and regret "I'm sorry... for everything up until now" with out a second thought she hugged him "Don't say that... you're already forgiven eversince you came back... I was just too... stubborn" she said through his chest. He then wrapped his lone arm around her and buried his mouth to to her hair "I hurt you Sakura if anyone has to say sorry it's me... it's aways me" She looks up to him and pressed her heated palm to his cheek "You're forgiven Sasuke" with that she smiled at him.

And of the first time in a while he felt happy and relieved.