Title: under the stars
Characters: Sasuke-centric; SasuSaku
Summary: Sasuke and Sakura, together. The first of many moments. Set post-Chuunin Exams.
AN: One of the things I like about the whole nonmassacre universe (well, technically the Minato-lives-universe, seeing as if he hadn't died everything that ended up going down would have probably turned out better for all involved) is that what changes is really relative, and a lot of stuff still definitely could have happened.

And because I'm lame, this is a nonmassacre!version of the night Sasuke leaves. Here, instead, he's on a date with Sakura. :'D

Sakura's sleeping now.

You watch her out of the corner of your eye. She's looks happy even while asleep, the corners of her mouth curling up, one hand loosely gripping the blades besides her head. Her breaths are even and slow and you are positive that you wouldn't be able to wake her for another one thousand years. The two of you are lying atop a grassy hill a small distance from the main section of town. The stars are shining high above her head, the meteor shower over, the last streaks of light fading to nothing.

It's nice, just being the two of you. The last time it was just the two of you, it really wasn't, because Naruto was still there, just unconscious, and you were going blind with the pain from the curse seal planted on your shoulder. Sakura held your hand and tried to comfort you, but even when it helped, the pain and malice seeping into your blood lingered. Kakashi expelled most of it, but until then Sakura was all you had. Naruto, as much of a friend you grudgingly admit he is, had problems of his own to worry about.

Naruto's with his father's old teacher, the Sennin Jiraiya, up training in the mountains. The man may be a degenerate and a peeping tom, but he is powerful, and can teach Naruto well. At the very least, a powerful Naruto is less of a weakness for enemies like Sound to exploit.

Sakura shifts in her sleep, and presses up against your side, her head resting on your arm. You mentally excuse your lack of action as due to the cooler temperatures and awkwardly maneuver your arm so that she is resting her head on the crook of your arm, and not cutting off your circulation.

Until Orochimaru is no longer a threat, you are stuck in the village, at the insistence of the clan. You find the whole thing rather annoying—do they seriously think you're so weak that some snake bastard can drag you away?

But you don't protest too much. Because your mother is worried about you: she peeks into your room at night to check up on you like she hasn't since you were six, and your father isn't much better. You may have proved yourself to him the way you have always wanted to, but it came at a steep price. Itachi is the same. You had never feared him before. Now, sometimes, you do. He hates Orochimaru, probably even more than you do, and his quiet rage is something you never want to see again.

So, you're stuck here for now. It's not so bad. Kakashi has been teaching you, promising to help you perfect your Chidori and maybe learn to transfer your lightning into weapons.

Sakura's also training, or she will soon. Tsunade, another one of the Legendary Sannin, is here in Konoha, working the hospitals and reforming medical training.

And Sakura asked, and was accepted, to be her pupil.

You smile a little. Sakura has changed a lot in the last few months. You can actually talk to her now, and the two of you talk more frequently. It's probably the only reason she was able to ask you to watch the meteor shower with her. It is certainly the main reason you accepted. Sakura is an interesting person. And as much as you miss the idiot at times, you're secretly glad the two of you can be together without the inclusion of a third party.

Not exceptionally glad, of course. Just glad. In a general way.

The crescent moon gleams from behind a few wisps of cloud. You should probably be getting home. Your mother might be lenient enough to allow you out so late with Sakura, but you don't feel like worrying anyone more than necessary.

Besides, you need to walk Sakura home. Different and stronger, she may be. But still.

Gingerly, you use your free arm to shake her awake. It takes a few seconds for her to blink slowly awake. Once she is mostly awake, her eyes widen and she shoots upright. But she is a little too fast, and yelps, clutching her head, as blood rushes to her skull.

"Sorry, Sasuke-kun," she says, mortified. You are vaguely bemused by her behavior, then remember your past actions towards her, and have to fight hard not to wince. You mumble something about the cooler temperatures as you had planned, but it's half-formed and sounds kind of ridiculous.

But she accepts it with a smile.

"Thanks for coming with me, Sasuke-kun," she stands, and offers a hand. You take it, and stand, looking out over the lake. It really is a pretty sight.

"It was interesting," you say. "Besides, we are teammates. Just because the dobe is missing, doesn't mean we have to stop talking."

Internally, you cringe at the banality and absurdity of that statement.

But Sakura is still smiling, and somehow, you said something right.

"That's good. I'm…glad you think so," she ducks her head a little, peering through pink strands. Once, it would have seemed coquettish; now it's just a manifestation of her uncertainty. "It would be nice."

You nod. Expressing even remotely affectionate sentiments is not one of your stronger points.

"I'll walk you home," you say. Sakura blinks in surprise.

"Oh," she smiles fully. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

Side by side, you walk with her to her home.

It was supposed to be a drabble.

…

Didn't quite happen.

What did you think? I missed young SasuSaku a lot.