Sasuke wasn't sure he knew the right response. He didn't want to deceive her should he choose the wrong words, but he also really wasn't sure what the truth was about why. He wasn't satisfied with any of his answers in his head. A few moments of silence passed between them, a light breeze billowed Sakura's hair. Sasuke caught himself mesmerized by the way it moved, by the way her clothes shifted against her curves, by the way her shoulders were positioned: firm yet somehow graceful.

Why do I care? He thought. He hadn't broken his gaze from her silhouette. Sakura…

Sakura felt frozen, she didn't think she could move even if she tried. Her breathing was shallow and her heart drummed against her ribs. She bit her bottom lip, drawing blood from the same spot she had earlier wounded. She flinched from the sting, an action that made her mentally curse herself.

You're a second generation sannin, you're Lady Hokage's apprentice, you're the lead medic in all of Leaf, you can take down Kaguya but you flinch at a little nibble?! There goes anything good Sasuke thought of you, baka. Sakura thought to herself. Whatever, I should've kept that question to myself. Move. Just… one foot. C'mon, Haruno!

Just as Sakura had begun to take a step forward, Sasuke grabbed her elbow causing her to swing around toward him.

"Wha!" Sakura gasped, wide eyed with a gapping mouth. She had been too consumed in her own thoughts for a proper reaction when he pulled her arm and lost her footing. She stumbled right into his chest and out of reflex, her free hand grabbed onto his poncho right below his shoulder.

OhdearKamiOhdearKami…. This is not happening! Sakura feverishly thought as she stared into his chest, eyes down but as big as saucers. Her left arm remained grasped in his right hand while her right arm still clung to his clothes.

Sasuke hadn't meant to yank her so hard, but then again any amount of force on Sakura was greater than most considering her petite size, especially in comparison to his muscular frame. His grip on her arm had become a bit more firm in order to stable her fall; he hadn't even thought to use his arm. He found it morbidly humorous that he hadn't yet regained consciousness of having two arms again.

Regardless, he loosened his grasp on her arm, not wanting to bruise or injure her. Yet, he did not release her; her skin was cool, creamy and smooth. His thumb ran across a scar and he frowned, wondering how she had been hurt and who did it. Sasuke locked his eyes on the top of her head.

She was named appropriately, that's for sure. He thought in concern to her hair color. He smirked, even in the darkest of times, whenever he had come across a cherry blossom or focused on a pink color in a crowd, he had always thought of her. His face grew stern. How had he not realized that before? He was so blood thirsty, so lost; he had been so sure that he had cut all ties but Sakura… she somehow had remained tucked away in the back of his mind. Why would someone he had once found so annoying and useless be so present in his twisted mind?

She's not annoying, though, or useless. Look at the effort she put in, just like Naruto and I. She's the third second-generation sannin that completes our team. She's surpassed Tsunade in medical ninjutsu, she healed everyone on the battlefield, her chakra control has literally always been better than mine and Naruto's but I was just too much of a stubborn ass to acknowledge her capabilities. She's… Sasuke thought before he was interrupted by Sakura.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura chirped.

She had gathered the courage to look up at Sasuke. His eyes were glazed over but they were firmly planted on her. He was so handsome. Her green orbs searched his face and sucked in every detail. From the chiseled features of his jawlines, to the tips of his hair, and the deep secrets of his eyes. He was more attractive in this moment than he ever had been before. He was looking at her but she could tell he was somewhere else. Despite that, though, Sakura blushed. She had never been so close to him for such an intimate amount of time. Her heart stung, though, when she realized that in his fashion and more mature age, he had begun to resemble Itachi. She grew anxious upon her thought, she couldn't tell him about his brother. Not yet…

Sasuke snapped out of his inner conversation. His eyes once again came into focus and he found her head was craned upwards and her eyes were searching his. Had her eyes always been so majestic and full of wonder? Sasuke questioned internally. He lowered their arms to their side but instead of letting her arm go, he slid his hand down and lightly held onto hers. She didn't look, but she couldn't hide her emotions, Sasuke saw the color rise to her face and her eyes became a little bigger.

"I care because you're an important friend. I don't want to see anything happen to people who are important to me again," he said in response to her question that seemed like it had been asked an eternity ago. Furthermore, though, his reply was honest and true. He felt like more could be said, but he knew after the words had escaped him that it was all laced with truth.

Her heart skipped and her lips opened a tiny bit in response. Sakura's hand that Sasuke held squeezed his response. She closed her mouth and smiled with a more relaxed facial expression.

His heart warmed at the look on her face, and to be honest, the smallest bit of color appeared on his cheeks. He was at a lost; he had never dealt with this before. Sakura could see his confusion at the situation and it made her giggle. She let go of his clothes and put her hand up to her mouth she laughed. Holding on to his hand she turned to the side and cranked her head in the direction of town.

"Maybe that conversation, about my parents," she looked a little sad when she spoke, "is better kept for another day. It's late; let's head back to town, Sasuke-kun." She started to step forward, leading him with her hand to follow suite.

He held her hand just as firmly as she did to his.

"Hn," was all he could respond, as he was still flustered about the rising heat to his face.

What is wrong with me?! He thought to himself.

As the two sannin made their way toward home, little did they know there were prying eyes among the trees who had long since lost interest in his itchi itchi book. He only smiled beneath his mask as he continued reading under the moonlight.

a/n: I do not own Naruto! As always, let me know what you think! -Tsu