Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Rise
Chapter 10
Sasuke has just come home from a long day of training nearly a week later. Kakashi was free for once, surprisingly, and challenged his former student to a spar. For an old man, the current Hokage lived up to his title, and after hours of brutal combat Sasuke is left exhausted, his limbs numb from hours of non-stop use. The feeling is liberating in a way and he looks forward to a long night of rest as a reward.
His stomach growls and he grimaces. He's barely eaten anything all day and was able to mostly ignore the hunger, but now his body protests loudly. He quickly showers, throws on a pair of sweatpants, and moves to the kitchen to open up his fridge.
It's sparse. Sasuke glares at the emptiness menacingly. He runs a hand through his hair, still damp from the shower, and shuts the fridge door, sulking.
There's a hard knock on his front door. He glances at it, curious as to who could be wanting his attention so late in the day. He makes his way over to it and a burst of knocks sounds again, impatient.
"Sasuke-kun! Are you there?" a voice shouts. It's Sakura. She sounds excited and he can almost see the wide smile curving her lips.
He's at the door in an instant, pulling it open to reveal the same smile he pictured. Her green eyes are bright as they meet his, and the sight makes him relax, his normally tense posture loosening in her presence.
She's clad in a black long-sleeved dress that hugs her body tightly, ending halfway down her thighs to expose toned legs. The dress shows off the supple curves he took note of when they went to the lake but that are usually hidden by her loose daily attire. A forest-green coat is thrown casually about her shoulders, and black high-heeled boots replace her ninja sandals. Short pink hair frames her face in its usual style and there's a simple black choker around her neck.
Sasuke suddenly finds his throat very dry, and he realizes after a few seconds that he's essentially been checking his teammate out, his eyes slowly perusing her body, analyzing every inch of her. His gaze flickers to hers but she's not looking at his face, instead running her eyes down his torso, to his casual sweatpants, and back up again. She does this languidly, unhurriedly, and he remembers that he's currently without a shirt, leaving his upper body exposed for her to see.
By the time she finally makes it back to his face, his ears are warm, and his throat even more parched than before. Her cheeks are now tinted with a light pink but there's no sign of embarrassment in the subtle smile she throws him. She's seen him half-naked before, and he further realizes that she's probably seen her fair share of naked male bodies as a medical nin. But even then it seems that her confidence in being around him has grown ever since their nearly-disastrous training session all those weeks ago. The fact that she was so wary around him before because she was afraid he would hate her still gnaws at him on a daily basis. How could he hate her after all she did for him? All that she continued to do?
This confidence, however, is something else entirely. It throws him off a little and he doesn't quite know what to make of it. The woman she's become over the years is making herself glaringly obvious to him in the curve of her hips, the playful light in her eyes.
"Already ready for bed, Sasuke-kun?" she asks, teasing.
He clears his throat and manages to respond, "Aa."
She laughs and her eyes form little half-moons, head tilting to the side. "Well, I was gonna see if you wanted to go out and eat with me—maybe even get some drinks with Naruto, Hinata, and the others after—but since you're a grandpa in a nineteen-year-old's body, I'll let you rest."
She grins once again and begins to turn away.
"Sakura."
She raises a slender eyebrow in question.
Sasuke merely steps aside in the doorway, allowing room for her to pass by into his apartment. "Wait inside. I'll be ready in five minutes."
Another smile, all for him. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Sakura tells him that she never really has the chance to dress up these days, and since Tsunade gave her the day off tomorrow and Kakashi has no missions for her, she wants to take full advantage of it. She also hasn't seen their other friends in a while—are they his friends too? Sasuke doesn't know—and wants to spend time with them.
They walk side by side through the streets of Konoha that are teeming with people eager to start their Friday night. People stare at them as they pass, but Sakura either doesn't seem to notice or she simply just doesn't care, moving with ease through the crowd, head high, eyes filled with mirth.
Sasuke notices the looks, different from the usual fear and trepidation. Those thrown their way tonight are, for the most part, full of awe and fascination.
He knows he and Sakura must make quite the pair. She, a world-class kunoichi, known across the villages as one of the most talented medical nin to ever exist—dressed in a manner that attracts a slew of hungry male gazes. Despite her black dress, she is radiant as always, with her vivid pink hair and green eyes. Then there is Sasuke himself, the last Uchiha—criminal, murderer, and deserter, likely to be feared for many years to come, no matter how much he repents for his sins. He's every bit as dark as she is colorful, clad in black slacks and a black t-shirt. He found a leather jacket in his closet that he doesn't remember buying, much less owning, but he threw it on anyway.
"Do you even own anything that's not black?" Sakura questioned earlier when he walked out of his room.
He merely frowned at her, though it wasn't serious, and replied, "You're annoying."
She tipped her head back and laughed harder than he'd ever seen her laugh before. He was frozen watching her, eyes locked on the curve of her pale neck, the way she clutched at her sides, unable to help herself as she rolled with mirth.
After a minute she finally stopped. Cheeks flushed, she mused, "You said that months ago, but I realized just now how much I miss it." A pause. Then, quietly: "I missed you, Sasuke-kun. A lot. I'm glad you're back."
Without giving him room to reply—to which he was thankful for, because he didn't know what he would say in response—Sakura hopped up from her seat on his couch and headed for the door.
"C'mon, Sasuke-kun!" she called to him. "Let's go have some fun for once."
Warm fingers brush against his skin, and he snaps his gaze to the source, following the small hand resting over his up until he meets vibrant green eyes.
"This way," Sakura says, and tugs on his hand for the briefest moment before letting go and walking down a small street to their left.
Sasuke follows after her quietly, watching the sway of her long coat as she walks, the way her heeled feet move gracefully over the uneven ground. It's only when she stops in front of him that he tears his eyes away from her and focuses on the world around them.
They've stopped in front of a restaurant, small and quaint with bright lanterns hanging from the entrance. The interior is dim and intimate, candles lining the walls and quiet classical music playing throughout. They take a seat near the back of the restaurant, and Sakura immediately begins browsing the menu their waiter hands to her.
"I'm going to get udon," she declares not even five seconds later.
Sasuke glances down at the menu before him. Indifferent, he shrugs ever so slightly and says, "I'll have the same."
She gives him an odd look, then nods and calls to their waiter. Once she's ordered for them, she leans forward and smiles at him, resting her chin on her folded hands.
He gazes at her, slightly puzzled at the sudden attention, and she blushes lightly.
"Sorry," she says, leaning back, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly—a gesture he realizes she must've gotten from Naruto. "I'm just in a really good mood today."
He tilts his head to the side in question.
She gives him a small, delighted smile in return. "Tsunade-shishou and Kakashi-sensei gave me the permission to open up Konoha's first children's mental health clinic. It's been my dream ever since the War ended, and it's crazy to think that it's actually going to happen now."
He studies her thoughtfully. "What brought this about?"
"I've seen first hand the mental trauma the War had on this village," Sakura says quietly, somberly. "Especially the children. A lot of people lost those they cared about most and it's not always easy—or healthy, for that matter—to deal with grief alone. I want to provide a place where these children who have been through so much at such an early age can come and receive the support and care they need. No child should have to feel alone. They shouldn't feel like they have nowhere to go, no one to turn to for help—especially in the aftermath of a war."
She pauses, and he can see the passion flaring in her eyes. It awes him, for how is it possible for one person to have such a big heart, to care so much for others?
"I hope to provide a home for them that they can always come back to," she finishes, and in that moment he feels nothing but pride. Pride for the person she's become, the countless lives she's saved and the selfless nature in which she carries herself. He thinks that if he had Sakura as she is now—mature and incredibly empathetic, with an aura that makes anyone around her feel at home—in his life when his entire clan was ripped away from him, things would have turned out differently.
He is proud of her, incredibly so.
And so he tells her.
She's silent for a moment, gazing at him, but then she blushes and beams. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."
They fall into the comfortable silence he's able to find with her nowadays. Once their food arrives, they start to eat, and Sakura begins talking. She tells him stories of when he was gone, of the crazy things she and Naruto did together, of the blossoming friendship between her and Hinata. He listens, nodding every once in a while, watching her wide smile as she recalls a particularly funny moment. Her constant chattering soothes him, strangely enough, and he finishes his meal in peace.
Sakura pays the bill for the both of them, to which Sasuke frowns and opens his mouth to argue against her, but she simply reaches out to brush her hand against his forearm. "Don't worry about it, Sasuke-kun," she tells him. "Friends can treat out their friends here and there, can't they?"
He glances down at her hand that rests on his arm—surprised at the sudden warmth for the second time tonight but not at all opposed to it—then back at Sakura. She notices the look and, misunderstanding it, quickly pulls her hand away, wincing.
"Sorry, Sasuke-kun," she murmurs.
She stands from their small table and waits for him to do the same before heading toward the door. Once they're outside and walking away from the restaurant, the night air crisp and chilly around them, he turns to her and says, "I don't mind, Sakura."
"Huh?" She falters in her step a little at the sound of his voice, obviously having been lost in her own thoughts.
"You touching me," he clarifies. "I don't mind it."
She swallows and averts her gaze to the path ahead of them, confusion furrowing her brows and a light blush rising to her cheeks. "A-ah, I see," she replies without looking at him. "Thank you for telling me."
Sasuke's lips twist up ever so subtly. He watches her from the corner of his eye as the emotions play out across her face: continuing perplexity, then a sort of joy, and finally contentment as she steals a quick glance at him. He wonders what she's thinking about to have so many emotions apparent in her expression, but he doesn't ask, deciding instead to remain silent as he walks by her side.
It's another five minutes before they reach the bar. People mill around outside, laughing and drinking, and the hum of music filters out into the street. Sasuke notices a number of familiar faces, but his attention is pulled from them as Sakura turns to him with a grin, eyes dancing. "So, how well can you hold your alcohol, Sasuke-kun?"
He ponders this for a moment. He's only had a few drinks here and there over the years, and definitely never went to a place such as this, teeming with bodies and loud, drunken voices. "Decently," he decides to respond.
Sakura hums thoughtfully. "We'll see about that," she says and beckons him to follow her to the bar's entrance.
Almost immediately a blur of orange and blond springs from the crowd with a deafening shout of "Sakura-chan!" before Naruto plows into their teammate and envelops her in a monstrous hug.
Sasuke is concerned for a moment that the blond might be crushing her, but then Sakura's laughter billows out from her place in Naruto's arms, and he relaxes.
"Naruto, you big dummy, let me go!" she cries, humor in her voice.
"Whoops, sorry there, Sakura-chan," the blond chuckles as he releases her. "I was just so excited to see you! You never come out with us anymore."
"That's because I work, you oaf," she shoots back. Then she leans forward to sniff at him, and her nose wrinkles. "Jesus, Naruto, how much did you drink? It's barely nine p.m.!"
"More than enough," a quiet voice replies, and a small-framed girl with long blue-black hair and large pale eyes—Hyuuga Hinata, if he remembers correctly—steps to Naruto's side. Naruto wraps an arm around her and she leans comfortably into him, albeit with a blush staining her cheeks red. "He needs you here to watch over him, Sakura-chan."
"Hinata-chan!" Sakura rushes forward and steals the girl away from Naruto in an affectionate hug. "Gosh, I've missed you! I feel like I never see you anymore."
The two girls laugh together, making plans to get tea sometime in the next week, and Naruto sulks besides them, muttering, "I'm here too, Sakura-chan."
Then the blond glances up at the shadowed place behind where Sakura originally stood, the space Sasuke currently occupies ever so silently, and he yells, "Ehhhhh? Sasuke-teme, you're here too?"
Sasuke grimaces at his friend's booming voice and snaps, "Shut up, dobe, you're too loud."
Naruto is before him in an instant, eyes wide. "I never thought I'd live to see the day you actually came out to socialize. Who drugged you? Did something happen? If someone threatened you so you had to come I'll—"
Sasuke glares at the blond and says through clenched teeth, "Sakura invited me, you idiot."
"—beat them up for you and—what did you just say?"
Sasuke narrows his eyes. "I'm not repeating myself."
A large grin gradually creeps over Naruto's face, one that Sasuke doesn't like at all. "Sakura-chan, eh? It's about damn time you two got together."
"Naruto!" Suddenly Sakura is there, her first coming down upon Naruto's head. The blond nearly smashes to the ground, but Sakura grabs a hold of his collar and pulls his face close to hers, growling, "Stop harassing Sasuke-kun. He's here to have a good time, not listen to your drunken ass."
Hinata giggles behind them, and walks forward to take Naruto from Sakura's grasp. "Sorry," she laughs, "you know how he gets when he drinks. I'll take care of him from now on. Oh, and it's nice to see you again, Sasuke-san!" She nods her head at him, smiling, and Sasuke nods in return. Naruto moans, clutching his bruised head as she leads him away, and Sasuke hears her murmur to him, "Let's get you some water, Naruto-kun."
Sasuke watches as they disappear into the bar. Beside him Sakura says, voice full of endearment, "They're so cute together."
He glances at her and sees warmth in her eyes as she follows their path into the bar. "Hinata makes him so happy," she continues. "He's lucky to have her." Then she turns to him, and he's momentarily frozen by the tenderness shining in her green eyes. "That kind of love is rare, ya know. It's not everyday you find someone who cares about you as much as they care about one another."
And with that, she claps her hands together happily, eyes gaining a mischievous gleam. "Let's go get you some drinks, Sasuke-kun."
She leads him into the bar packed with people and pulsing with some high-energy music he doesn't know. It's more like a club, he thinks. To the left there's a large dance floor with various tables scattered around it, and to the right a long bar with around twenty stools running parallel to it.
He follows her in slowly, cautiously, glaring at anyone who bumps into him and analyzing the room with hyper-awareness. He's not used to being around so many people at once, especially in such an enclosed space, and it puts him on edge, his body tensing as if preparing for battle.
"Sasuke-kun." Sakura's voice draws his attention and he whips his head around to find her standing before him with two full shot glasses in her hand, an amused quirk to her brow. "Calm down. This isn't a battleground." She holds one of the shots out to him and he carefully takes it, the nerves making him hesitant. Then, with her now free hand, she reaches out to squeeze his bicep gently. "Don't worry. If anything happens, I'll be here to protect you."
Relaxing at her touch, he scowls at her, although he can't find it in him to make the look seem threatening. "Hn. I can take care of myself."
"I know," Sakura replies cheerily, clearly having expected his answer. She raises her shot in the air and smiles. "Cheers, Sasuke-kun."
Eyes never leaving her, he taps his glass against hers and tosses the shot down his throat. It tastes horrid and burns the whole way down, and he can't help but wince ever so slightly. Sakura, on the other hand, finishes hers as if it were water and releases a sound of satisfaction as she places her empty glass on a nearby table.
"Let's see how well you can really hold your alcohol," she teases and grasps his fingers in hers as she leads him toward the bar.
When they finally reach it, a slew of bodies suddenly surround them, and Sasuke fights the urge to grab Sakura's arm and tug her to his side. He's put at ease when he realizes they're all familiar faces. There's a few in particular that stand out to him: Rock Lee, his brows impossibly bushier than the last time Sasuke saw him, who attaches himself to Sakura's side almost immediately; Nara Shikamaru, casually standing off to the side, brown eyes flashing with amusement at Sasuke's obvious discomfort; Yamanaka Ino, the loudmouthed blonde who claims to be Sakura's best friend, laughing at something Sakura tells the group; and finally Sai, apparently his replacement in Team 7, smiling faintly at him in a way that furrows Sasuke's brows in confusion.
"I can't believe you actually convinced Sasuke-kun to join us, Ugly," Sai remarks, eyes closing in half-moons as he smiles.
Sasuke's confusion heightens. He narrows his gaze at the ex-Root member, calculating his words. Ugly?
Then Sakura speaks up, her tone playful as she growls, "Nice to know that me fixing up your arm last week didn't change your opinion of me, Sai."
The rest of the group chuckles at this, and they go on talking over the pulsing music, but Sasuke finds himself continuing to glare at Sai, mouth a flat, unamused line. Sakura...ugly? Is the man blind? Or simply stupid?
He remains frowning shallowly for the next five minutes as Sakura and the others chat around him. A body eventually moves closer to him, and he watches as Nara Shikamaru comes to stand beside him, a single hand clapping down on his shoulder.
"Nice to have you back, Uchiha," Shikamaru says, sincere. Sensing the way Sasuke stiffens under his touch, he pulls his hand away, undeterred. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Sasuke nods. "Shikamaru."
"Naruto tells me you'll be able to go on missions soon," Shikamaru continues, posture lax as he taps the drink in his right hand with his index finger. "I look forward to seeing you on the field."
Shikamaru always was one of the ones that annoyed him the least. The Nara was calm and intelligent, someone Sasuke respected from a distance in the past.
Sasuke nods once again, appreciating the kind words, and, seemingly satisfied, Shikamaru returns to his place at the bar next to a tall woman with spiky blonde hair and teal eyes who he vaguely remembers as Gaara's sister.
"Hey, Sasuke-kun!" a loud voice calls, and Ino runs up to him alongside Inuzuka Kiba. Long blonde hair swinging at the motion, she smiles and declares, "Your next shot is on me! I'm so glad you joined us. I don't see you around these days so I never got the chance to thank you for all that you did during the War."
Kiba holds out one of two shots in his hands to him. Sharp canines flashing, he grins, raising his glass in the air. "Cheers to having you back, Uchiha."
For a few moments, Sasuke is left at a loss as to how to respond. He opens his mouth, then closes it again—looks from Kiba's expectant gaze to Ino's cheerful expression, and finally, as if drawn unconsciously, he finds himself locking eyes with Sakura from where she stands ten feet away from him.
She's watching their exchange with a soft smile curving her lips. Meeting his gaze, she nods, happier than he's seen her in a long time, and raises her glass to him.
When his focus turns back to the two shinobi before him, he inclines his head to them, takes the shot from Kiba's hand, and responds quietly, "Aa. Thank you."
This shot burns just as much as the one before, and Ino chuckles at the sour look on his face. "C'mon, Sasuke-kun, I'll get you something else that tastes way better than that nasty shit."
"But tequila is good for the soul, Ino," a woman he recognizes as Tenten insists as she joins them. Quirking a brow at Sasuke, she tells Ino, "Get him something that'll loosen him up. It's obvious he's not comfortable around us yet."
A sly glint flickers to life in Ino's one visible eye at the idea. "Sounds like a plan to me. Oi!" she shouts at the shinobi around them. The group of them shut up immediately, and a moment of silence passes before Ino yells, "Next round's on me, everyone! It's been too many years since we were all together. Let's welcome Sasuke-kun home properly!"
Everyone cheers uproariously, and Sasuke sweat-drops at the chaos that ensues.
The next hour turns into a hazy blur. Every time he finishes a drink it seems like not even a second later another is being pressed into his hand. People he vaguely recognizes as well as people he's never seen before approach him, thanking him for his duty to the village, some going so far as to tear up as they tell him that he helped save their loved ones.
One civilian man easily twice his age, out on a date night with his wife, tells him that his two young sons nearly perished during the War but survived because Sasuke and Naruto fought almost until they died to protect the village. Just when Sasuke is about to deny the claim and inform the man that it was really mostly Naruto who helped protect his sons, that he had all the wrong intentions back then, the man grasps Sasuke's hand in his own and insists that he join his family for dinner one day. Sasuke can do nothing but nod, unspoken words dying in his throat, and the man thanks him once more before returning to his wife.
"It's kinda strange, isn't it, Sasuke-teme?"
Sasuke glances to the left and finds Naruto—looking onsiderably less inebriated than he did before—standing beside him, gazing into the crowd with a gentle smile.
Sasuke remains silent, and as always Naruto senses the question his friend asks as he continues, "Being a so-called hero. Having people thank you for saving their lives. It's weird, right? Especially since we were both so ostracized as kids." Naruto shakes his head. "I would've never imagined life to turn out like this."
Laughter fills the air, audible even over the music, and Sasuke can't help but agree.
"I know that some people are still afraid of you," Naruto tells him, confirming what Sasuke is already keenly aware of, "and some still view you as a criminal. But the village is changing. I see it everyday with my own eyes. The War...it forced a lot of people to grow up, in a way. And I think that they learned something from us, the two outcasts they ignored for so long." Naruto turns to grin at him, smile lines crinkling the edges of his eyes. "I don't think it'll be long until everyone learns to love you as much as we do."
Sasuke meets his best friend's clear blue gaze. "It's because of you, Naruto," he replies matter-of-factly. "I wouldn't be where am I now without you."
Tears rush into Naruto's eyes, and Sasuke finds himself enveloped in the dobe's arms as he hugs him, sobbing obnoxiously into his ear, "Dawwww, Sasuke-teme, you turned into such a softie!"
Sasuke allows this to continue for another two whole seconds before he shoves the blond off him and glowers menacingly. "I take it back," he snaps.
But Naruto just laughs. He knows Sasuke cares about him, and he knows just how to handle the Uchiha's blunt personality. It's why they work so well together—they understand each other in a way no one else does, and Sasuke wouldn't trade his bond with Naruto for the world.
"So, where's Sakura-chan?" Naruto suddenly questions, waggling his eyebrows.
Sasuke frowns and replies flatly, "How the hell should I know?"
Naruto gives him a knowing look that has Sasuke glaring at him. "Uh-huh. As if you haven't been watching her everywhere she goes for the last hour."
He hates how Naruto can be so frustratingly perceptive sometimes. For an idiot, he can be observant when he wants to be.
And he's right. Sasuke hasn't been able to help himself from keeping a careful eye on Sakura, especially with so many people around. His nerves haven't quite died down yet and he wants to be prepared just in case something goes wrong.
Subconsciously, however, he knows his logic is flawed. Sakura, who has become his sort of unofficial training partner these last few months and whose skills he's witnessed first hand, can take care of herself without a doubt.
As if on cue, Sakura's laugh carries over the music, and his gaze is drawn to her place in the middle of the dance floor. Kiba has her lifted in his arms, twirling her around mid air as he grins up at her. Sakura's head is thrown back as she rolls with laughter, playfully slapping at Kiba's arms and telling him to let her down.
Naruto snickers from beside him, but Sasuke doesn't look at him. His eyes remain focused on the joy on Sakura's face, on the smile curving her lips and the delight shining in her eyes.
Finally, Kiba puts her back down on her own two feet but continues to draw her close to him, one arm wrapping around her torso, and she leans into him as he ducks his head to whisper something in her ear. Even from this distance Sasuke can see the bright blush that stains her cheeks immediately at whatever Kiba has told her. Her eyes flicker up, searching the crowd, and she meets Sasuke's gaze for a fraction of a second before her eyes widen and she turns her head away, disappearing into the crowd of people with Kiba chuckling at her side.
Sasuke then becomes acutely aware of the severe frown on his face and the annoyed tilt of his brows. Naruto must have noticed this as well, because he comments lightly, "I know you're jealous, teme, but now is not the time to start chidori-ing our friends."
"Hn." Sasuke tears his eyes away from where Sakura and Kiba disappeared into the crowd. Naruto's looking at him with an amused expression, and Sasuke says blandly, "I'm going to get another drink."
The blond whoops and the two of them make their way back to the bar, Naruto taunting Sasuke that there's no way the Uchiha will be able to hold his alcohol as well as him. Sasuke simply grunts and begs to differ.
The next twenty minutes or so turn into a sort of drinking match. Sasuke tosses down whatever shot Naruto places before him, and with each one it becomes easier to drink the next. His head begins to feel light, limbs growing heavy, and his confidence rises as his mind hazes over every so slowly.
Naruto has returned to his previous drunken state, laughing hysterically at something Sasuke said but doesn't quite remember. He punches the Uchiha in the shoulder and Sasuke actually tilts on his stool with the force of the blow.
"Watch it, dobe," he warns, but can't help the slight upward pull of his lips as Naruto wipes tears away from his eyes.
"Y'know, teme," the blond slurs, and hiccups before continuing, "it sure is nice to have you back."
Sasuke raises a brow. "After all that you did to drag me back, I'd hope you'd be happy having me here."
Naruto grins broadly, and bumps Sasuke once again on the shoulder, albeit milder this time. "How 'bout another shot?"
They throw back yet another one, and several minutes later pink hair fills his vision. His gaze follows Sakura as she comes to stand between them, her hands resting affectionately on the bases of their necks through the fabric of their jackets, squeezing gently. With the haze in his mind, the touch feels like a drug, and he leans into it.
"S'kura-chan!" Naruto cries, ecstatic to see their pink-haired teammate. He wraps his arms around her and presses his face into her stomach. "I'm s' happy to see you!"
Sakura groans, and Sasuke watches as an amused smile grows on her face, her hand moving from the blond's shoulder to pat his head. "Again, Naruto?" she sighs theatrically. "I thought Hinata had sobered you up."
Naruto cackles but the sound is muffled by the fabric of her black dress. Sasuke blinks, and notices then that the green jacket she wore before is nowhere to be seen, leaving her body fully open for perusal. His eyes drift down, seemingly without his permission, and he takes in the gentle swell of her hip, the way the fabric hugs her thighs and the curve of her butt. She may as well be naked before him with all the dress allows him to see. His ears flare with heat at the thought, and he quickly averts his gaze back to her face.
It's perfect timing, because she turns to look at him not even a second later. Her eyes alight with humor and she laughs, "Oh gosh, not you too, Sasuke-kun!"
He frowns just as her hand lifts from its place on his neck and she presses her palm against the curve of his cheek. Her palm feels cool on his skin, and he realizes then just how warm he is.
"I don't think I've ever seen you blush before, Sasuke-kun," Sakura comments, shaking her head. "I can't leave the two of you out of my sight ever again. Just how much did you drink?"
"Not enough," Naruto responds. He finally raises his head and declares, "Let's all take a shot together, S'kura-chan! For Team 7!"
Sakura sighs again, her hand dropping from Sasuke's cheek. Her palm felt good against him, cooling his heated skin, and he fights the urge to ask her to touch him again. "Fine," she obliges. "But no more after this, you hear me?"
Naruto shouts his agreement, nearly bouncing in his seat, and Sasuke merely nods when she turns to look at him.
The shot Sakura orders them is huge, and although Sasuke acknowledges he's quite drunk and probably shouldn't have anymore, he can't let his two teammates show him up, and so he clinks his glass with theirs—"For Team 7!" Naruto yells, splashing alcohol everywhere—and downs it as quickly as possible.
"How much did you drink t'night, S'kura-chan?" Naruto asks after, swaying in his seat, blue eyes blurry in his drunkenness. "You look like you're sober!"
"Probably as much as you two," she admits, taking a seat next to Sasuke—there's an open one to Naruto's left as well, and he's quietly pleased she chose to be beside him—and then grinning arrogantly. "If there's one thing I can do that Tsunade-shishou can't, it's hold my alcohol."
Sasuke examines her, squinting as he tries to focus. While there is a soft blush on her cheeks and a minor glassiness to her eyes, she seems otherwise fine.
"You shoulda seen her las' year, teme," Naruto says, voice full of awe. "She joined us on a boys' night out one night and out-drank all of us!"
Sakura smiles faintly, recalling the memory, and she tells Sasuke, "I was fine, but I had to carry Naruto back to his apartment." She rolls her eyes. "He could barely make it two steps out of the bar before he fell flat on his face."
Sasuke raises a brow. "The dobe can barely perform basic ninjutsu," he comments nonchalantly, but the words feel heavy on his tongue, making them run into each other. "I'm not surprised he can't hold his alcohol."
Naruto growls, having overheard their conversation. "I'll show you, teme!" He wags a fist in Sasuke's face and then stands, trying to get the bartender's attention to order another drink.
Sakura rises in her seat and reaches over Sasuke to grab ahold of Naruto's collar and yank him back down to his stool. "No more!" she barks at him. "I'm not carrying your ass back home again!"
For a split second her upper body is directly in his line of vision, only a few inches away from his face, with the side of her left breast nearly coming into contact with the tip of his nose. His entire body grows warm and he swallows, frozen in place.
Then, just like that, the moment is over as she takes her seat again, satisfied that Naruto won't try to order another drink. He catches a whiff of her perfume as she moves—a sensual, tropical scent that reminds him of strawberries and coconuts. He breathes in deeply through his nostrils, trying to calm himself.
They remain at the bar for another hour. Naruto and Sakura reminisce about the "old days", as Naruto calls it, occasionally teasing Sasuke (to which he glares and snaps back half-hearted retorts), and Sakura tells them about the new interns under her care at the hospital that, according to her, are showing "incredible potential." Naruto complains about the Hokage training Kakashi is putting him through, but then lights up when Sakura asks how he and Hinata are doing (at this, he flushes red and leans forward, attempting to be secretive as he stage-whispers, "I think I'mma marry her one day"; in response Sakura gives him a look that screams "You're an idiot" and says, "Well, duh, of course you two are gonna get married, you big dummy").
At one point Sakura turns to Sasuke, excited, and tells him that Kakashi plans to have his first mission since his return scheduled sometime in the next few weeks, and that she will be his partner for it. He nods, knowing that he and Sakura will make quite the pair out on the field. As if sensing his thoughts, she smiles at him and brushes her hand on his forearm, voicing confidently, "We're gonna kick ass."
Another nod, and this time he finds his mouth curling upward slightly. "Aa."
They leave the bar shortly after. Hinata comes to collect Naruto, with the Hyuuga promising to get him home safe. Sakura winks at them and Hinata blushes fiercely, but the smile on her face is wide.
"I'll see you next week for tea, Hinata-chan!" Sakura calls after them.
Hinata turns back for a moment—her hands wrapped around Naruto's torso, helping him stand as he leans heavily against her—and nods. "Hai, Sakura-chan!" Then she smiles, and it's teasing. "Get Sasuke-san home safe as well."
Sakura laughs at this and waves them off. Sasuke frowns, about to tell Sakura that he doesn't need any help, but then he attempts to step to her side and his balance isn't as stable as he would like it to be. He stumbles a little, then rights himself and glares heavily at the ground, vision swirling at the motion.
"Come on, Sasuke-kun." Sakura's gentle voice sounds next to him, and he jerks his head up to meet her soft green eyes. Her hand is extended to him. "I'll walk you home."
Uchiha Sasuke is prideful, and if it were anyone else he would still attempt to declare his sobriety—no matter how drunk he might be—and go home on his own. But this is Sakura, and she's offering for him to touch her, to lean on her, and he thinks that truthfully, even if he were sober, he wouldn't turn this opportunity down.
So Sasuke allows her to grasp his hand and pull him carefully to her side. She links her arm around his, letting him know that she's there if he needs stability. They head off into the night like this and the cool air does wonders for his overheated body and muddled brain.
They walk in comfortable silence for several minutes. Then, with him standing beside her so closely, he suddenly realizes how small she is in comparison to him. Even with her heels he's easily several inches taller than her, with the top of her head barely reaching past his chin.
"You're short," he mutters before he can stop himself.
An incredulous laugh bursts from her lips. She tilts her face up to look at him, a playfully hurt expression falling over her features. "Geez, Sasuke-kun," she groans. "I offer to walk you home and all you do is insult my height." Shaking her head and to his horror, she begins to extract her arm from his. Instinctively he frowns and draws her back to him, pressing her close to his side.
She glances at him, surprised.
"It was a joke," he says, unamused.
Her expression grows tender and she laughs as they continue down the street. "It's fun to tease you, Sasuke-kun."
He half-glares at her, but he knows she can see the lack of menace in his eyes. "Che. Annoying."
She merely smiles. They fall back into the same comfortable silence, and all too soon they are in front of his apartment, which is on the way to hers from the direction of the bar.
This time when she twists out of his arm, he lets her, dropping his arm back to his side.
Sakura takes a step away from him and clasps her hands together behind her back. "I had a lot of fun tonight, Sasuke-kun. Thank you for coming out with me."
"Hn." He tilts his head to the side as he looks at her. "You don't have to thank me, Sakura," he replies, words slipping out easily with the alcohol in his system. There's a stern edge to his tone. "It's not a burden for me to spend time with you."
Her eyes widen almost comically and her lips part in surprise. Visibly flustered, Sakura gestures to his door and blurts, "I'll see you inside! T-to make sure you're all settled before I head home."
Amused at her outburst and fully aware that he could get himself inside just fine but not wanting her to leave just yet, he pulls out his keys and opens the door for them. She ducks her head, cheeks blazing pink, and moves past him into his apartment.
Sasuke emerges into the kitchen to find her perched on a stool, hands folded in her lap and eyes downcast, as if she's too shy to look at him.
"Can I get you something to drink?" he asks as he comes to stand before her.
She shakes her head, pink hair flying at the motion. "I'm okay!" she replies, voice pitched high. Suddenly she jumps from the stool and, taking extra care not to touch him, edges past him to start toward the door. "I should probably get going, actually. You seem like you're doing just fine and—"
"Stay here for the night."
She gapes, and he blinks in surprise at his own declaration.
"It's cold," he continues firmly, but his heart pounds against his rib cage and the realization that he craves—has been craving—as much of her time as she'll allow crashes into him with sudden finality, "and you shouldn't be walking home by yourself so late at night."
She stares at him in disbelief and seems to regain her senses. "You know I can get home fine on my own though, right? My apartment's only five minutes away. And it's not that cold outside."
Sasuke stares back at her for a few seconds, knowing his reasoning is unjustified and that there's really nothing he can say to prove her wrong, and then he spins on his heel to disappear into his bedroom, returning ten seconds later carrying a bundle of blankets and a pillow. She watches warily as he deposits them on the large couch in the living room and then turns to face her again.
Sakura purses her lips together. "Just how drunk are you, Sasuke-kun?"
"I know what I'm doing, Sakura," he snaps, impatient and now slightly flustered. He might still be tipsy—walking in the cold helped sober him up quite a bit—but he's aware of his actions nonetheless.
She hums thoughtfully. "And you want me to stay here for the night? On your couch?"
He senses that she's teasing him again. Not willing to back down, he merely clenches his jaw and nods curtly.
She smiles at him with a mixture of warmth and confusion. "All right," she finally replies, shaking her head. "If you insist."
He relaxes from his tense position at her words.
"Mind if I wash my face?" she asks, gazing at him curiously.
He shakes his head, and she quietly thanks him as she moves to head to the bathroom.
By the time she finishes a few minutes later, he's arranged the blankets and pillow neatly on the couch. He makes his way to his room once more, almost forgetting that she probably doesn't want to sleep in her dress, and grabs one of his old t-shirts and a pair of cotton sweatpants.
When Sakura opens the bathroom door, face freshly cleansed and hair tied back in a short ponytail, she nearly jumps back as she takes in Sasuke's close proximity. Before she can open her mouth to question him, he pushes the folded stack of clothes into her hands. Startled, she accepts them and frowns down at them in perplexity.
"They're mine," he grunts. "You can borrow them for the night."
Her mouth opens, closes, then opens once more. "Thanks," she murmurs. She meets his eyes, a tender smile curving her lips. "Good night, Sasuke-kun." Then she disappears into the bathroom to change.
Satisfied with his work, Sasuke lies awake in bed until he hears the bathroom door open and her soft footsteps heading toward the living room. His keen ears pick up on her sigh as she collapses, exhausted, onto the couch that rustles quietly under her weight.
He falls asleep soon after, and that night—whether from the lingering alcohol or her close proximity, he doesn't know—no nightmares disturb him.
The next morning Sasuke wakes up leisurely at first, blinking his eyes at the sunlight filtering in through the blinds on his window. He feels well-rested despite the slight alcohol-induced headache flaring from his temples and, unlike most other days, actually dreads having to get out of bed.
Then he remembers the previous night, and his hooded eyes snap open as he realizes he doesn't sense Sakura in the apartment. He's making his way down the hallway instantly, heart pounding, mind coming to the conclusion that something's happened because nothing good in his life ever stays for long, but then he bursts into the living room and finds a note lying innocently on the coffee table.
Breathing to calm the irrational pounding of his heart, he picks up the piece of paper.
Dear Sasuke-kun, it reads in handwriting that is surprisingly messy. Sorry for leaving without saying goodbye. I thought I would have the day off today, but Kakashi-sensei needs me for an urgent mission, and I didn't want to wake you. Thank you for letting me stay here for the night—I slept better than I have in months, strangely enough. I'll be gone for a few days, but let's train together when I get back, ne?
Love,
Sakura
Sasuke stares at the note until his heart rate returns to normal. Sighing to himself, half out of relief and half out of frustration at his own idiocy, he folds the paper and slips it into his pocket. Glancing at the couch, he finds that she folded his blankets and clothes and placed the pillow neatly on top of them.
His lips curving upward of their own accord, he returns to his bedroom to get ready for the day ahead.
A/N: This chapter was a blast to write. :) I hope you all enjoyed it as well!
With love,
Shannon