Title: meant to be something
Summary: Fate brought them together again in the form of conjoined apartments.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Prompt: Something More
Rating: T or T+ (just for that little nsfwish smidge in there)
A/N: So some time ago my friend mika213 brought this sort of situation up for when Sasuke would come back from his road of redemption… and this prompt just immediately reminded me of it. Could you imagine?

"S-Sasuke-kun? What are you doing here?"

Blinking, Sasuke's hand fell from the doorknob he'd only just reached for, turning to his side to meet the unexpected sight of his long-time pink haired teammate—whom he hadn't really gotten the chance to see much of since she'd welcomed him back from his two-year journey a few days prior. His brows furrowed lightly.

"…I live here."

Sakura's mouth parted at this, eyes snapping wide open. "What, really?" she exclaimed, brows shooting up high. "Since when?"

"Four days ago," he replies without much delay, frowning all the while. Then, he blinked again, understanding finally dawning on him. "You live here too?"

A slight blush tainted her cheeks at that. "Yeah," Sakura replied, moving to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. She smiled at him, bright, though a little shy. "I've been here for the past three years. And I guess I'm… also your new neighbor, apparently."

Her smile grew wider at this, seemingly amused by this whole situation; Sasuke liked to think that if he hadn't still felt so caught off guard, he might have smiled, too.

"I'm surprised we haven't run into each other before now, then," he said, cocking his head a bit, curious. He'd been home most of the days, after all, unpacking new dishes and setting up new furniture, trying to make this place feel a little more like home.

(quietly, though, he wished the compound wouldn't have been blown to ashes and smithereens; wished it could have left him with something of his clan that he could have brought in this new life.)

Giggling lightly, Sakura merely clasped her hands into her lap and beamed, eyes crinkling. "The hospital's been kinda crazy lately," she explained, tone seeped with affectionate pride. "We're lacking staff, so I've been in and out at odd hours trying to fill in…"

Always rescuing everyone, he mused, gaze softening. Sasuke simply nodded in return. "Ah."

But then she surprised him again as she asked, "Do you want to come in for some tea?"

He paused. "I'm… still a little busy setting up right now," he answered eventually, slowly, a bit hesitant in his rejection. The last thing he wanted was for Sakura to think he wasn't interested in spending time with her—to think that they were falling back into old, hurtful habits.

Predictably, her smile faded at that, twinkling green eyes faltering with disappointment. Sasuke felt his jaw tighten at the sight; this was exactly what he was trying to avoid. So, before her mind could start leading her to any disheartening path, he tipped his head in the direction of his front door and asked, "Want to help out?"

Sakura stiffened, blush spreading to her cheeks. The grin that took to her lips in the seconds that followed was absolutely glowing.

"Sure!"

.

.

"You need color," she declared to him hours later, as they had just finished setting up the last of his furniture in the living room, and she lay splayed out on his couch.

Blinking, Sasuke turned away from the picture frame he had been adjusting on his wall, and looked over in her direction, raising his brow with mild amusement. "Do I?" he replied, cocking his head slightly. "And why is that?"

Smile quirking to her lips, Sakura pulled herself up in a sitting position, and crossed her legs together, hands gesturing to the whole of the room. "Why? Because it's your new home, Sasuke-kun! You're supposed to give it some personality. Do you really think you'll feel cozy here with all these white walls?"

"What's wrong with white?"

"It's plain, Sasuke-kun. It's boring."

He merely shrugged. "I don't mind it."

"But wouldn't you rather love it?"

That had him pausing.

At his silence, Sakura's gaze softened. "This isn't some temporary apartment—you said that earlier, remember? If you're planning to make this place your own, if you're planning on staying here for a long time—wouldn't you rather love how it looks? How it feels?"

There was some logic to that, he could admit. And yet, Sasuke still wasn't entirely convinced that such time and money invested in something so inane would be worth it. By the fading smile to her lips, and the way her eyes faltered with something like soft resignation, he knew Sakura understood this as well.

"You shouldn't… not mind your own home, Sasuke-kun. That's all I'm trying to say."

It was silly, sometimes, how much Sakura could get attached to these trivial things that she wholeheartedly believed would only do him good. He almost wanted to shake his head at that.

"I'll think about it," he said, eventually. And he meant it.

Her sweet, pretty little smile instantly slipped to her mouth again, and Sakura giggled softly, reaching to hug one of the decorative cushions to her chest. She was radiating with girlish excitement, and it made him feel warm inside, all too-aware that he was the cause.

"Well that's good enough for me!" she chimed, grinning. Then, her eyes took a shade of mock-solemnity, and she said, "Now, Sasuke-kun, where is it that you keep your sake? Moving in somewhere new is serious business—it must be celebrated!"

The corner of his lip lifting, Sasuke merely hummed and waved in assent, head tipping towards the hall leading to his kitchen. "Sure. I think I've got a bottle or two hidden somewhere."

Before he'd even taken the first step, though, Sakura leapt to her feet, laughed, and made her way towards his kitchen in a swift jog, exclaiming, "I'll get the glasses!"

Shaking his head, Sasuke realized: he could get used to nights like this one.

.

.

Three hours and four bottles of sake later, they were both found stumbling out of his front door, their duo unbalanced by a drunken and clearly too-happy laughing Sakura as she clung to her companion's side and swayed on her feet. Delightfully inebriated himself, it took Sasuke a few moments more than the norm before he was able to recollect himself enough, lone arm tightening its grip around Sakura's waist as he started carefully guiding her to her door again. Thankfully, she seemed to have enough sense left to recognize the need for her keys once they reached the entrance of her home, saving him from any awkward fumbling of finding them himself.

(though, she did need a little help with trying to find the lock; cursing and muttering quite adorably under her breath, she couldn't seem to gather enough concentration to be able to unlock the door by herself. but sasuke didn't mind this.)

"You are the best," she said to him as they crossed the threshold of her bright, homey apartment, arm tightening around his neck, and cheeks flushed—out of her affections for him, or simply due to the alcohol?—in a charming shade of red. "Truly the very best, Sasuke-kun!"

"And you are drunk," he replied, shaking his head as she simply laughed in return. His lips twitched. It was only when they'd reached her dining room chair that he began to pull away, watching as she attempted to take off her shoes and still wobbled in her seat. "Will you be all right like this?"

Sakura giggled again, and threw him a look when she successfully managed to take off one shoe. "This isn't my first rodeo," she stated quite amusedly. "I'll be okay, really!"

Nodding mutely in return, Sasuke merely let himself linger for a moment, observing her quietly. But, as he turned to make his way back home, a small hand locked itself around his wrist to stop him. He shifted again to meet the sight of Sakura beaming at him, pretty green eyes glazed, yet happy.

"Thanks for walking me back, by the way," she said, fingers falling away from him.

His gaze softened. "Yeah," he said, reaching to ruffle her hair lightly. The corner of his mouth curved. "Anytime, neighbor."

.

.

In the next five days that followed, Sasuke couldn't help frowning every time he looked at his too-plain walls that were suddenly too-white.

Maybe Sakura was right, he mused. Maybe he needed some color.

.

.

He settled on a paint palette of olive greens, earthy browns and rustic reds a week later.

Pride swelled in his chest as Sakura responded to his choices with nothing but bright, enthusiastic approval.

.

.

"You're inviting me for dinner?"

A faint wave of amusement swept over him at the disbelief seeped into her tone, and Sasuke raised a brow, lip curling. "Yes."

Pretty green eyes widening all the more, a blush finally spread to her cheeks, hot and prominent. "B-but why?" she sputtered.

Did she really not know? Tch, annoying girl, he thought fondly. "To thank you, Sakura, why else? You've done a lot to help me this past month."

The tenseness to her shoulders eased, and her gaze softened, a warm smile slipping to her lips. "Oh, Sasuke-kun, that's nothing!" she replied, hands clasping in her lap. "I had fun helping you out. You don't need to worry about thanking me—there's no need for it, really."

"I know," he said, shrugging. "But I want to."

Her blush seemed to take a darker shade at that. "W-Well, in that case… I mean—are you sure, Sasuke-kun?" she persisted, brows furrowing with something like confusion—or doubt, even. "Kakashi and Naruto didn't put you up to this, did they?" Her lips tightened, nose wrinkling with clear frustration. "Those two," she growled, "they always meddle too much in things that don't concern them!"

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke took hold of her wrist, and gave a proper tug, starting towards his door a dozen feet down the hall. "You're still annoying, as always," he chided, soft with affection. When he looked over his shoulder to gauge her reaction, there was a faint, bashful smile to her lips.

Silly girl, he mused. She really didn't understand where his heart stood with her yet, did she?

Shaking his head, Sasuke shifted his attention to his path again, a light smirk tipping to his lips. "Years ago, you wouldn't have hesitated a second if I asked you to have dinner with me."

Sakura gasped at this. "Sasuke-kun! That was different! This isn't you asking me on a date!"

(that was true—maybe. but, sasuke also knew, it was likely the closest thing to a date that he would ever be able to give her.)

.

.

Months passed by slowly; peacefully. And with each of them coming to its end, the bond they'd built once more escalated in closeness in ways that it never had before, intensifying the connection their two hearts shared since they'd first rooted into each other so many years ago. Separated only by a thin, joint wall and a number of steps too meaningless to count, the two of them all but spent their time together on a near daily basis—unexpectedly weaving into each other's lives until no choice was made without consideration of the other.

Sasuke would look at an empty fridge, sigh and note to himself that he would need to add groceries to his list of errands today; and then he would pause, and blink, wondering to himself if maybe Sakura needed her own share of groceries, too. The thought would bring him to her door minutes later, question ready to his lips.

And even if she wouldn't need to, even if she still had a week's worth of food in her own kitchen—Sakura would always smile, always cheerfully agree to tag along, going out of her way to pick up a few items at the store if only to make him believe that she wasn't purely just here to spend time with him.

(but sasuke knew better, and it made his stomach flutter.)

Sharing lunch and dinner every other day, they dropped by in unexpected visits for simple chats over tea, assisted each other with their chores, running tedious errands they despised together. And, on some nights when they felt like it, they brought out sake bottles and too-strong shochu, daring to delve into each other's personal lives as they drank their fill in pleasantly burning liquids and exchanged touches and longing looks they would otherwise always try to fight against.

("would you tell me about your mother, sasuke-kun?" she'd ask, a gentle hand sliding over the firmness of his forearm, her cheeks flushed all too charmingly. "would it be okay to ask you what she was like?"

so warm, he'd think, gaze lingering on her touch dazedly, before meeting her own with quietly burning desire. "all right," he'd answer, eyes flickering briefly to her tempting lips. "what do you want to know?")

Sasuke wondered to himself if maybe they were starting to become something more.

.

.

It was only out of pure luck that the two of them found themselves walking out of their building at the same time, one day, braving the harshness of a cold, pouring rain.

Judging by the makeshift poncho Sakura had tried to make from a garbage bag—one which unfortunately didn't seem to be giving her much cover in this harsh deluge, Sasuke mused—she evidently wasn't quite prepared for this kind of weather.

"Heading out too?" Sasuke asked, as he approached her and offered shelter under his blue umbrella.

A little startled by his presence, Sakura merely jumped at first, before a wide, beaming smile slipped to her lips at the sight of him. "Sasuke-kun, hi!" she chimed, shaking water from her already dripping hair. She smiled wider. "Thanks for the cover. And ah, yes, I'm heading out to work—I've got just a twelve hour shift today!"

He snorted to that. Hadn't she already worked a twenty-seven hour shift yesterday? "You work too much," he said, shaking his head. "And where's your umbrella?"

Smile turning a little sheepish, Sakura moved to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "Well, it kind of broke in the last storm we had," she explained, giggling a little. "It was old and cheap, though, and I just haven't gotten the time to buy a new one—but it's fine, really!" She smiled wider, evidently trying to reassure him. "The hospital's not far from here."

That was true enough, but the thought of her walking alone and getting soaked from this relentless downpour still didn't sit well with him. He frowned. "I can walk you."

A charming blush reddened her cheeks. "That's really sweet, Sasuke-kun, but you don't need to go out of your way to do that—"

Absent rudeness, Sasuke cut in, "I'm not going out of my way, I'm heading out to the Hokage tower." Then, he shrugged, and went on, "The hospital is on the same path."

(it was a small lie, something he didn't often do when it came to sakura—especially when it came to sakura—but necessary, if she was going to let him shelter her.)

A tender smile creeping to her lips, her eyes crinkled, in that way they always did when she was particularly happy.

(when she felt particularly in love with him.)

"All right, then," she acquiesced, voice as warm as ever.

Sasuke only shifted closer to her form before he jerked his head softly at the road, prompting her to lead the way. Grinning cheerfully at him, Sakura complied with ease, nudging him playfully.

Together, they walked in comfortable silence, arms and shoulders touching, sharing warmth; bearing in mind the small size of Sasuke's umbrella, they huddled close to make the most of the refuge it offered them, basking in the gentle intimacy they unintentionally created.

(unintentional, but still so very, very welcome.)

To Sasuke's dismay, the hospital arrived into view too soon.

"Well, I'll be off, then," Sakura said as they neared the entrance, turning to face him with a shy, still-glowing smile. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke merely nodded in return, gaze warm. "Don't overwork yourself."

Touching his arm briefly, Sakura gave him a wink, stuck out her tongue, and then swiftly leaned in to peck his cheek—an instinctive move, he realized, as she stiffened suddenly in the next breath. Impossibly tense, and still trying to take in what happened, Sasuke watched her cheeks bloom deeply, eyes equally as wide as hers, before she promptly took off running into the rain and towards the hospital doors, exclaiming with a nervous laugh, "No promises!"

Throat tight, and heart racing, Sasuke merely rubbed the back of his burning neck and turned around to make his way to Konoha's cemetery grounds.

.

.

("you would have liked her, niisan," sasuke told the famous memorial tombstone, tracing the newest addition to its name list. for years, he'd waited for his brother's name to be inscribed here; for his sacrifices to be recognized. "and i think kaasan and tousan would have, too." pausing, he leaned back on his knees, and finally offered his brother's favorite flowers. his eyes softened. "…i know sakura would have liked all of you.")

.

.

Home was quiet, that evening. Too quiet, in the way it often was when Sakura was off saving lives, and he was left by his lonesome company—something he never would have minded only a few months ago. Eating his dinner in dragging silence, and stuck in an apartment of colored walls that never would have taken life without the girl on his mind, Sasuke glanced to the empty seat on the other side of the table and wondered to himself when it was exactly that Sakura ingrained herself in his life so intricately.

(and when it was that he started craving her presence this much in the moments he found himself alone.)

The memory of her kiss fluttered to his mind. Heart jumping, gaze softening, Sasuke reached to carefully touch the place where her lips had pressed, and tried to remember what they had felt like. His lips twitched, ever so slightly, warmth rushing to his chest.

The thought was interrupted, though, when a heated moan resounded from the other side of his wall, followed by a steadily growing beat of cracking thumps. Vaguely annoyed, Sasuke merely went ahead and took both his matcha tea and Katsudon to the living room, intent on getting away from the noise of his lately always sex-hungry neighbors so he could finish his meal in peace. He wondered if Sakura heard them, too, sometimes, considering how loud they could get.

("maybe they don't know it," sakura had said to him once, when he'd come to her apartment for the third time seeking sanctuary from the rowdiness next-door. her smile took quite the teasing edge. "or, hey, sasuke-kun, maybe you should just get back at them—you know, pretend you're having equally hot, hot, dirty sex."

scowling, sasuke remembered replying, "you're not funny.")

Hot, hot, dirty sex, Sasuke amusedly recalled, mouth curving lightly as he ran a hand through his hair. Then, an image came to mind, of green bliss-glazed eyes and damp pink hair haloed over his pillows, one kiss-swollen mouth breathlessly moaning his name; of long legs thrown over his shoulder and delicate hands braced against the banging headboard, pretty sweat-glistening breasts jolting with every hard pound of his hips into her—

Stiffening, Sasuke groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as his eyes clenched shut against the fantasy; heat pooled within his belly. What was wrong with him? Thinking about Sakura like that—it was disrespectful. He… hadn't even kissed her yet.

A slow, frustrated sigh escaped his mouth. Letting his hand fall away, Sasuke allowed his eyes to open again, fixing them stubbornly upon his ceiling. He'd need to take a cold shower, he decided, sensing the obvious strain against his slacks. Another sigh left him, but more quiet and resigned, this time.

(sex or not, he really did want something more with her.)

Maybe it was time.

.

.

It was outside of their building that he waited for her to come home; back leaning against the old wall and eyes set towards the blanket of stars above, hiding his one hand in his pocket. She was late already, as she often was when it came to her shifts at the hospital, but this wasn't exactly surprising to him given the profession she'd chosen to make a life of. Saving lives never came without impromptu emergencies, after all.

"Sasuke-kun?" he heard her too-familiar voice call, then, prompting a quickening rhythm inside his chest.

Shifting towards her, Sasuke nodded and merely said, "Hey." He tried not to swallow past the tightness in his throat when he took in the sight of her, pretty as ever and work-worn, beckoning the memory of their last parting to mind. His fingers twitched against the urge to touch his cheek again.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked as she neared him, bemusement furrowing her brows. "It's late."

She was worried, he realized, as a slight frown fought to her lips. That almost made him want to smile; it was just like Sakura to jump to the worst conclusions at this time of night, instead of considering the possibilities of something sweeter.

(to think that he was trying to run away from his sometimes still-recurring nightmares, from the ghosts of his past—instead of simply being here, trying to make things right and following the long-denied yearnings of his heart.)

The urge to smile came even stronger. Sasuke merely shrugged in return, brushing it off. "Waiting for you," he said. "Do you want tea?"

A sweet, stunning little blush bloomed across her face to that. "I… Sasuke-kun, it's…three in the morning."

"It is," he replied, like it wasn't unusual for any friend to offer tea in the early hours of the morning, when the rest of the world lay in the grasp of sleep.

(like he wasn't inviting her in during the famous hours of the lovers.)

Something tender swept over her tired features, softening her eyes and curling the most affectionate smile to her lips, sending barrels of warmth crashing into his soul. "All right," she murmured, too-clearly charmed by this invitation offered by the man she loved. She smiled wider. "Why not, then?"

Sasuke didn't try to keep his own smile at bay, this time; faint, barely even there, but fond as it had ever been in years.

(only for her.)

Head tipping encouragingly towards the entrance door, Sasuke watched her giggle lightly in return, seemingly amused by his gallantry (present for the second time today), sending his heartbeat stuttering inside his chest, before she finally started ahead, reaching to make her way inside.

Before her hand could ever touch the handle, however, his hand snatched out to her wrist in a firm hold, overtaken with a thought. "Sakura, wait," he whispered.

A noise of question barely had the chance to fall from her mouth before he moved again, pulling her into him, sliding his fingers swiftly up the length of her arm and over to the back of her neck, his hold gentle as he swept down and caught his lips to her own in a slow, sweet kiss. She was warm, he couldn't help thinking, so warm—warmer than he remembered her being earlier, and softer than his mind could have ever imagined, furrowing his brow with emotion.

A sound of surprise left her, then. Tiny hands sliding over his shirt, Sakura clutched tentatively at his chest, leaning into him, pressing herself close; starting to finally respond to his kiss as she shyly moved her mouth against his, her body a pleasant weight against his own. Better, he thought, sighing softly. Much better.

(kissing her, he found, felt a little like coming home.)

She was a blushing, bashful mess when he finally pulled back, resting his forehead to her own.

"Um…"

"Tomorrow," he murmured, "if I wanted to come take you to where my parents were buried… would you come with me?"

Her eyes widened. "S-Sasuke-kun…" she stuttered, evidently not knowing what to say.

Sasuke swallowed tightly. "…I'd like you to meet them," he mumbled, thumb stroking at her skin.

Instantly, her gaze softened. A sweet, faint smile curled to her lips. "Of course I'll come with you," she whispered.

It was all that he could do to kiss her again, just as slowly and sweetly as he had moments before.