Nice brand new chapter. Enjoy!
Naruto is not mine.
Chapter Two – Some Issues
Just walking along the street was actually quite soothing, Sakura decided. And that was what she was doing right now, walking. Only Sasuke was with her and there was an uncomfortable silence. Neither one of them had really said anything once Naruto'd ditched them after promising to shout them ramen, but the stupid baka had then said he was late for a very important meeting with Gaara, and had bailed, leaving them with the bill!
Back on topic, just what did you say to the guy who broke your heart, knocked you out, left you on a cold bench where anything could have happened to you, then spent the better part of ten years trying to kill you and someone that you cared for? Apparently nothing, unless there was a hyper blond there to get the conversation going. Naruto's presence had eased their conversation, but he was gone now, and they were on their own.
Mustering up… whatever she needed, Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but Sasuke beat her to it.
"I'm sorry."
…
"Excuse me?"
Sasuke sighed. "I'm sorry, Sakura," he repeated. "I've spent the last two and a half years or so wondering if I was going to get the chance to apologise, so there you go. I'm sorry."
She was surprised, that was for sure. Sasuke had never struck her as the sort of person to apologise, for anything, and especially not about something like this. And yet, he'd just uttered the words she'd always longed for over the years, but instead of punching him and doing all the other things she'd imagined, all she did was say, "Oh."
Not much of a reaction, that was for sure. Sasuke seemed to agree with that, because he said, "Hn. I expected you to blow up at me, or even just hit me at least."
"So did I," Sakura admitted. "What an anti-climatic let-down."
And then something amazing happened. The corners of Sasuke's mouth curved upwards and he… smiled? What? No smirk? Just by that one little thing, Sakura realised that Sasuke had definitely changed, and for the better, too, she felt.
"That was nice," she said.
"What was?"
"You smiled," she told him. "No smirk, just a nice, genuine smile."
"Hn."
She'd embarrassed him, she could tell. It was amazing how after all these years, she still knew how to translate his grunts. Naruto would be so proud. Still, at least they were talking now, another proud moment for Naruto. Smiling slightly Sakura continued to walk, Sasuke naturally keeping pace beside her.
After awhile they reached the training grounds, which were conspicuously empty at the moment. Maybe people hadn't finished with their lunches yet. Either way, there was no one around, and it seemed oddly eerie. The two of them sat down on a large log, silence reigning once again. So much for progress, Sakura thought.
At least, that was what she thought until Sasuke took hold of her hand. Her eyes shot to his, wide and startled, and she knew that he could see the question in her eyes.
"Sakura," he said. "You've been back for two days."
Well, duh. Two days ago it was that she'd arrived, and she'd been congratulating herself on avoiding the sand siblings. Well, two of them. Temari had come around yesterday with that judgemental look in her eyes, but Ino had quickly gotten Sakura out of there, much to the pinkette's relief. But what was Sasuke's point?
"I just wanted to…" He paused, and she squeezed his hand.
"Whatever it is, just say it," she encouraged, but he shook his head.
"I think I'll just show you," he said, and before she could react, he leaned in and kissed her.
It was actually a rather nice kiss, and Sakura could feel tingles all over her skin, but it didn't hold the magic that she'd felt the first time she'd ever kissed Neji, or the dynamite passion of that night when Gaara had ravaged her lips with his own. This was a definite sign that she was over Sasuke, even though she'd known it for years now. But she let him kiss her, that childhood dream of doing so being the reason she let it continue.
Eventually Sasuke pulled away, and she had a feeling that he'd figured out what she'd been thinking. "You don't feel that way anymore," he stated and she shook her head.
"I'm sorry," she told him.
"It's alright," he assured her. "I suppose it was stupid to think that you would really wait for me, especially after everything."
There was an awkward silence, and Sakura figured that soon her and Sasuke would have them down to an art form, if the Uchiha didn't already. There were a lot of things she wanted to ask him, about his time away, like was Orochimaru really a paedophile? …Maybe he wouldn't answer that one, though. But what about his 'replacement' team? Hebi or Hawk or whatever it was they were called. Had he decided to leave them behind when he returned? Were they dead? Did they leave him instead?
Wherever they were, they weren't in Konoha. Sakura knew she would have heard about it by now, especially while living under the same roof as Ino. So she decided to break the silence and ask him.
"Hey Sasuke?"
"Hn?" Was it just her, or did he 'hn' just a little bit too quickly?
"I was just wondering," she went on. "What happened to that team of yours? You know, the one you got in Sound?"
"Juugo is dead," Sasuke said. "Suigetsu went back to Mist and Karin took off in a huff when I wouldn't marry her."
Sakura's eyebrow rose. "Really?" she asked.
"Hn," was the expected reply. "She was a fan girl, right through to the end."
Sakura couldn't help feel sorry for the girl, especially since she knew what it was like to be one as well. Sighing, she stood, Sasuke following suit. The last Uchiha looked a little uncertain for a moment, like he was trying to figure out whether or not to do something, and in the end, he leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss.
"I have to go," he told her. "See you later."
He vanished in a swirl of leaves, leaving Sakura alone in the training grounds. At least, she wasn't alone for long. A few moments after Sasuke left, she felt another chakra signature approach her, one of the ones she'd been desperately trying to avoid. Turning around, she came face to face with Temari, and the Suna kunoichi looked like she wanted to murder someone.
"Hello Sakura," she greeted coldly. "I see you're already moving in on the Uchiha."
…
What? "What the hell are you talking about?" Sakura demanded, and the older woman snorted.
"I saw the way you two kissed!" she told her. "Both times! You really didn't wait long, did you? Two days! I expected you to jump him sooner, really."
Snap! Sakura was mad now! "Who the hell do you think you are to speak to me like that?" she demanded in a dangerously controlled voice. "After the way you were five years ago, nothing you say has any weight with me anymore!"
Temari flushed red in embarrassment, then snapped, "That was different! And none of your damned business!"
"This is none of your business!" Sakura yelled. "You have absolutely no say in anything I do or don't do with Sasuke! Or with anyone else for that matter!"
"Then you have no say about me and Shikamaru!" the wind mistress yelled back.
"Exactly my point!" Sakura was still yelling. "You have no say about what I do with Sasuke, just like I have no say about what you do with Shikamaru!"
"What about Gaara!?"
Sakura froze. Gaara?
"What about that night, Sakura?" Temari asked. "I know where the two of you went after that, and I know the way he was the next morning. He was going crazy looking for you! You just left him there!"
Temari was practically screaming at her now. "You left him alone, after all he's been through in his life! Don't you get it, Sakura? Gaara's not the sort of person to just sleep with anyone! He cares about you, he has for some time now!"
Sakura froze and Temari's eyes widened as her hands flew to her mouth in an almost childish attempt to stop her words, even though it was too late for that. "What?"
"Oh shit!" the wind mistress cursed. "I did not say that! You didn't hear that, ok?"
"He… cares about me?" Sakura asked, a little dazed from the revelation. "Wait, do you mean cares as in cares, or cares as in loves?"
She was almost afraid of the answer. The last time someone had told her they loved her, it had been Neji. But then their relationship had basically fizzled out because of the war. Admittedly, she had been thinking about trying to rekindle that spark they'd had, but now, with what Temari had told her…
Temari groaned and buried her face in her hands. "I shouldn't have told you," she muttered. "Gaara doesn't even know that I know about this! Only Kankurou is supposed to know, and Gaara had sworn him to secrecy!"
"Temari!" Sakura snapped. "What did you mean by he cares!?"
The older woman sighed and relented by saying, "From what Kankurou told me, Gaara has been in love with you since the Akatsuki took Shukaku from him."
Sakura was rocked to her core. He'd been in love with her for that long? How could this have happened? They hadn't really interacted back then. Was it a 'from afar' thing, then? She was so confused. What the hell was she going to do? It wasn't like she returned those feelings, because she didn't, right?
"Why didn't he say anything, or try to do anything?" she asked.
"Because," Temari told her, "the next time we saw you guys, you were with Neji, and Gaara is too honourable to come between two people."
There was a slight note of guilt in the other woman's voice, and Sakura realised that she must be thinking about what had happened between her, Shikamaru and Ino five years ago. But Sakura wasn't here to provide absolution for her, she was far too distraught for that. There was only one question on her mind now. What the hell was she going to do about Gaara?
"I have to go," Sakura mumbled vaguely, leaving Temari just standing there in the training grounds.
Wandering through the streets of Konoha, Sakura thought back to a month ago, when she'd been in Suna. Trying to remember how Gaara had been, if he had acted in a way that would have shown what he was feeling. Well, he'd taken her back to his place and blown her away with his touch. What else? Oh, the way he'd acted when she'd told him she wasn't a shinobi anymore. He'd seemed a little angry, though she hadn't really thought about why.
Suddenly she stopped in the middle of the street. Gaara had whispered something, and she'd completely missed it. Even now, Sakura had no idea what he'd said, but back then, she hadn't noticed. What the hell had he said?
It could have just been her name. That was the most logical conclusion. Yeah, that was probably it. What else could it have been? It's not like he would have declared his love to her, that was very un-Gaara-ish. Then again, anything could come out of a person's mouth in the throes of passion.
This was so annoying! Sakura really felt like pulling her hair out in frustration. But even as she stood there, in the middle of the street, a strange sensation washed over her and she got the feeling that she was being watched. Looking around, she finally found the source in the form of black rimmed, jade eyes. Gaara. Oh shit!
Sakura was frozen in abject terror as the powerful red head made his way towards her. Wait… Why was she afraid? She was a mature adult, she could handle this! Gaara stopped an arms length in front of her, and for a moment, the two of them simply stared at one another. The minutes ticked by until finally he spoke.
"Sakura," he greeted, and his voice sent chills along her spine.
"Gaara," Sakura replied.
Silence returned, and it was extremely awkward. Sasuke no longer held the award for the most awkward silence with her; that title now belonged to Gaara. Finally, said red head reached out and brushed lightly at a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes.
"Why did you just leave?" he asked. "I looked for you, but you were already gone."
"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered. "I've been in a very difficult place for the last few years. I didn't think you expected me to stay."
She couldn't do it. With the revelation of Gaara's feelings, she just couldn't stay there. Mumbling an apology, Sakura turned and fled, grateful when she realised that Gaara was not following her.
So, that was weird to write, don't ask my why. I've got a bit of writers block right now, but I'm working on it. Plus, I wrote a Christmas story that's got no pairings that I'll be putting up either Christmas Day or the day before. Look out for it, and make sure you review it, ok? Oh, and definitely review this too! See ya!
