Hey guys! Here's another chapter. Thanks once again to my amazing BETA, HomeSkillitBiscuit.94 She's amazingggg! :D

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Enjoy the chapter!

A splitting headache wracked her body as she awoke, her whereabouts slowly coming to her. Sakura covered her head with the pillow, darkness welcoming her once more, bringing her peace she wished so desperately to obtain. The passing storm caused small droplets to hit the glass of her window gently, making small tapping sounds that echoed throughout her room. Sighing, she rubbed her eyes, her body making it fruitless to even attempt a feat such as sleeping.

Awaking in a home that was not her own was beginning to take its toll on her. As she looked around, her vision slowly clearing, she couldn't help but frown at the unfamiliar smells and sights. It wasn't like the room was unsightly; it was completely void of everything expected from a room. The love, emotions, hard work and memories that should be clinging to the walls is absent; the room was spotless.

Sitting upward, Sakura brushed thin strands that tickled her face from her view. Shifting her body, it screamed at her to return to the comfort of her bed as her bare feet touched the cold surface of the wood beneath her, causing her to hesitate. Sighing, she shook her head, attempting to rid herself of the migraine—to no avail. Grunting, she stood, her fingers brushing the bed as she tried to stand straight. Stretching, she shuffled to the hallway. Looking to the right, her body froze.

Sasuke's door remained wide open, something that only occurred when he left his dark domain. Forgetting her body's wish for sleep, Sakura broke into a sprint as she practically slid into his room, almost crashing into the doorframe. Looking about frantically, she noticed the cleanliness of it, not a wrinkle out of place. Determining he was no longer there, the girl cursed herself under her breath. Running from her room, her shoulders hit the doorframe, causing pain to run through her arm. Her mind ignored it as she grit her teeth, her deep emerald orbs looking every which way in search of the blind man.

"Sasuke!"

She could hear her voice echo throughout the house and fade away with no response. Her pounding headache was getting the better of her, and sore muscles were making everything she did much harder than it needed to be. Sprinting to the front door, she quickly placed on the nearest pair of shoes, running from the house in her simple attire.

"I see," Kakashi whispered under his breath, a thoughtful finger stroking his chin as he looked at the man's face for a reaction. "You are very careless, Sasuke. It's costing you your health now."

The said man grumbled under his breath, his obsidian hues avoiding the wise ones his sensei possessed. His chin rested in his palm as the sound of the rain flooded his ears, the severity of the storm picking up as the pattering of the rain hitting the window became faster and louder. With a quick click of his tongue, Sasuke's frown deepened.

His stomach was doing flips. His mind was enveloped with a pink blob and sobs—memories that haunted him through the night, as the woman disturbing his night slept soundly in the next room. He could no longer bear staying in the same house as the girl, thus his leaving without permission. She wouldn't understand his reasoning, so he didn't try to explain it to her. How was he to tell her that her presence bothered him to the point where he wanted to leave and never come back? The whole situation is something he dreaded and would do anything to avoid. Thus why he is sitting across from his old teacher, telling his dramatic night with the pinkette. Even now he wanted to punch someone. The anger was making his skin crawl.

Kakashi seemed to notice the man's distress as his mask crinkled into a crooked, hidden smile. His brows creased as he let out a soft chuckle, causing the Uchiha boy to glare harder at him, though his targeted glare was an inch or so off.

"Now Sasuke, don't be so angry. You're clearly bothered by what transpired between you and Sakura." He raised a brow as Sasuke quickly looked away, his troubled expression causing him to grow slightly curious. "I don't understand how Sakura's words bothered you, though. She was merely trying to he—."

A sudden fist hitting the table caused the man's lips to close, sound no longer coming from his throat. Sighing, he rubbed his temples. It was incredibly difficult dealing with a stubborn and angry man, much less your old student who refused to hear anything but his own voice.

"I don't consider calling me a 'monster'—and questioning me like it's any of her business—help. In fact, I see it more as being a nuisance. That's all she's ever been—now more than ever."

Sitting back in his chair, he crossed his arms over his chest, his frustration clearly evident. His knee bounced, hitting the table every so often and disturbing the tea in the glass before him. Sighing, Kakashi crossed his arms and placed them on the table, studying his student before speaking.

"You may not realize this, but take it from her perspective. You've attempted to kill her, you cause her trouble and not only that, you make it incredibly hard for her to do her job. On top of all that, caring about you is probably the hardest thing for her. By the way you make it sound, she cares about you a lot, Sasuke."

Sasuke bit his tongue, fearing if he retorted he would receive another guilt trip from the aging man. His cheek twitched in annoyance, refusing to wrap his head around what his old sensei had just told him. In all honesty, Sakura didn't have to care about him. It wasn't necessary and it wasn't a job requirement. She is naturally caring and that part of her irked him. She always makes everything much harder than necessary due to her emotional attachments. Didn't she know when to quit? She was as stubborn as him in some aspects, oddly enough. With no reaction from the man, he continued.

"You know, it's a nuisance for her to care about you. But she does it because that's the way she is. You may not like that she cares about you but that is a result of your dense personality. It would completely ruin your plan if she cared about you, wouldn't it?"

Sasuke froze, his head pointed towards the window as he bit his tongue, making sure he didn't acknowledge the statement. What did he mean by plan? He was too afraid and cautious to ask. Rubbing his head nervously, he shook it, playing it unusually casual.

"I don't understand what you're saying, but I don't want to know."

Kakashi's eye crinkled once more as he smiled through his mask.

"Of course you don't. You only have eyes for your own plans and desires, Sakura is merely a boundary you have to get over, right? Because once Sakura is gone, you will be fine and you will be able to move on with your life, no?"

Sasuke could sense the sarcasm laced in his voice, causing him to scowl. Leaning forward, he looked in his direction, as if he could actually see the pale face of his sensei.

"Was that sarcasm…?" Kakashi resisted the urge to laugh as he shook his head in astonishment.

"Sasuke. Sakura is the only thing keeping you here. She is your crutch. One day you will learn that when you have no one, you will begin to doubt your abilities and your actions. And on that day, you will regret the day you pushed her away. I'm not saying you have to love the girl, but at least respect her for what she's sacrificed to save your ass."

Sasuke stayed silent as Kakashi's words hit him hard, as if he was punched in the chest. His eyes moved towards the wooden table positioned between the two of the men. The small chatter and clatter of the tea house and the rain was drowned out by his own heartbeat, deafening him to the point where he wanted to hurt someone. He strained to hear everything else, his own thoughts sending him reeling. He hated this feeling. The feeling he could never place and that always seemed to cause him so much discomfort.

A firm hand touched his shoulder, causing him to look up. Not seeing the warm smile his sensei sent him, he frowned slightly, the fading image of Kakashi's face entering his mind.

"It's guilt. You're only human, Sasuke. It's okay to feel things once and a while."

Guilt?

The word was familiar and definitely one in the Uchiha's vocabulary, and he could define the emotion at any given moment, but it was never an emotion he had felt personally before. It was slightly troubling, the feeling in his chest and stomach causing him to frown. Who knew guilt caused so many physical ailments? He couldn't place where this "guilt" was coming from, but it couldn't be anything to do with Sakura. Maybe he was just stressed with everything that was going on. Living with an old teammate was far from easy. It couldn't be

With one last pat on the shoulder, the man's presence faded, loneliness creeping into the man as he stood, uncertain of what to do. With a sigh, he waited awkwardly, his hand reaching out as he tried to manoeuvre his way towards the door.

The sound of the door opening caught his ear. With a small step forward, he headed towards the noise. A sudden grip on his hand caused his eyes to go wide. Trying to quickly remove it from the grasp, he was met with a force to his stomach, causing him to double over in pain. The silence in the room, aside from his own groan, signified people were watching the obvious commotion.

"Get up." The feminine voice caught him off guard as his eyebrows scrunched in confusion as he blinked, trying to see thee face of the pinkette as he looked up towards her. A harsh grip on his forearm hoisted him from the ground ungracefully. He stumbled slightly, the aching in his stomach acting as a painful reminder of the temper his old teammate had. Rubbing the spot, he tried to rid the pain from his face, and replace it with annoyance, but failed. The same small hand gripped his wrist, dragging him with the same amount of crude force out of the small tea shop. After exiting, he glared at the girl, pulling his arm from her grasp.

"Would you stop touching me? You're being so ann—"

"If you call me annoying one more time, I will seriously hurt you!" Her remark cut him off and resulted in a silent response. Kakashi's words echoed in the back of his mind. He bit his tongue in annoyance, knowing if he said anything else, she would follow through with her promise. She could already prove she had no qualms about hitting him on her own whim.

"How dare you leave without my permission! You could've gotten me in serious trouble, Sasuke!" She scoffed shortly after her statement, turning around as she shook her head. "I know you don't care, but at least notify me of when you're leaving so I don't have to knock down every building in town to search for you." Turning to face him, she sent him a hard look that even Sasuke felt in his blind state. Her intensity was making it hard to ignore her scolding.

The rain fell onto their heads, water drenching their clothes as the rain clouds darkened everything around them, giving the village a dreary, depressing look. Sakura's hair hung tangled against her back, some of the strands clinging to her moist skin, causing tiny droplets to fall down her cheeks. The anger flaring in her emerald eyes would send many running, while others would stare dumbly into the fiery pit, unaware they could be easily burned by the green and ferocious flame.

Shaking her head, she looked at Sasuke in awe. She could understand the want to get out of the house, especially after their unfortunate encounter last night. Hell, she understands that he is most likely trying to avoid her after everything that happened between the two. Yet, his immaturity still left her speechless. He was too ignorant for his own good.

Shaking her head, she eyed him shortly before sighing loudly. Sasuke turned his head towards her in slight curiosity, his lips forming a small frown in response to the gesture.

"Alright. I'll see if I can get someone else to look after you. I see that me being here only bothers you. So, by tomorrow, you'll have someone else tending to you."

Sasuke blinked in surprise, although he made sure to keep his stoic expression about him. Replace her with someone else? A screaming fangirl that will either swoon over him or cower before him? A meaningless girl with a name worth dirt to him poisoning his house with her feminine inferiority? Has she gone mad?

On the other hand, gaining information on the hospital and its daily routines would make this the perfect opportunity; the one thing he needed to give him the upper hand in his revenge.

The hesitant steps of his pink haired teammate echoed in his ear. He could tell she wasn't sure of what she just said herself, but she wasn't the kind to go back on her word. Grabbing her arm, he pulled at it, causing her to look at him in surprise. He could almost picture the confused look sporting her childish face, her big green eyes staring up at him as though he were some hero from a comic. It was oddly nostalgic.

"I refuse to be stuck with some second class caregiver, Sakura."

Her eyes widened considerably as she stared at Sasuke, unsure of what to make of the situation. Standing up straight, she nodded, though quickly remembered his loss of sight.

"If you say so. But if you leave or break another rule again, I will kill you. Do you understand?"

The man scoffed in response, producing a small frown from the pink haired female. With a shake of the head, she shouldn't be surprised by his cocky and over confident response. It was typical when it came to the pride-filled Uchiha.

"You can be such an ass."

Rolling her eyes, she walked ahead of him. She looked over her shoulder, only to see the smirk of her old teammate, the old Sasuke she once knew shining through him like a hopeful light in a dark room. Her heart fluttered at the reaction as she forced herself to keep her mouth shut and her feelings at bay.

The low, growling sound of thunder caused Sakura to jolt from her light sleep on the couch. Sitting up, she yawned, rubbing the sleep from her large, green eyes. Across from her, Sasuke's eyes remained shut, his new dry pair of sweatpants and black shirt pulling as he shifted on the couch. Sighing, Sakura eyed the window, her thoughts drifting to what seemed to be so long ago.

Seeing a small smile grace Sasuke's lips was like a prayer answered from Heaven. Maybe she was actually breaking down that defiant wall he had built up over the years since his clan's slaughter, and was finally getting through to him. Although unlikely, knowing that she could at least make him smirk was a boundary she'd never dreamed of crossing. Eying the man as he slept, Sakura smiled to herself, her eyes taking in his peaceful features.

"It's not good to stare."

Jumping in surprise, Sakura looked at Sasuke as one eye opened. He sat up, tussling his hair, leaving many strands out of place. Trying to stop a laugh from coming forth, the girl sat up while motioning towards the kitchen.

"I'll go make us some tea."

Nodding in response, Sasuke rubbed his head, Kakashi's words haunting him. His sensei was wise and sneaky, something that, as a kid, would make him seem like the perfect ninja, worthy of admiration. He hardly ever gave you a straightforward answer. Instead, he planted a seed of knowledge into you that seemed to sprout roots and wind their way around your mind, thus what made him so unbelievably intolerable. He was the only person that could make Sasuke think of things that normally wouldn't matter to him.

Turning his head towards the kitchen, he listened to the clattering of dishes as Sakura started the stove, busily moving about the place. It was peculiar having a woman in the house, serving you as though she didn't mind. A caring person that cooks for you, heals you, and tries to strike up a conversation. It wasn't just a job to her, Sasuke realized; it's just the way she is.

Sitting back in his chair, a small frown graced his lips. He wasn't receiving any special treatment. He may be a special case, but in all actuality, he was just another patient to her that once was healed, would be sent on his merry way with no more than a goodbye and a small wave. To make matters worse, they weren't on the best of terms, either. Would she not bother seeing him if she didn't have to? Despite his years away from Konoha, knowing he could always go back to someone somewhere was always pushed into the back of his mind. At the time, he didn't care much. Now, he couldn't help but wonder if he really had anyone at all.

"Sasuke, the tea is ready."

He could sense her smile towards him as she came to him with a cup. The steamy smell drifted throughout the house, and a warm feeling tickled his cheeks as he lifted the cup to his lips, blowing on it before taking a sip. Letting out a sigh of relief, he could feel his tense muscles relax.

"I used to love the rain."

Looking up, Sasuke remained stoic and silent, waiting for her to continue. Smiling to herself, she shrugged.

"Rain helps things grow. It gives life to dead things. I never understood how people found it so dreary and depressing. But, things have changed." Sasuke blinked, shifting in his spot to become more comfortable. He wasn't sure what she was getting at, but listening to her speak was making him too comfortable.

"Its just weather. It shouldn't effect how you feel," Sasuke stated before taking another sip of his green tea. The smell of it lingered on his moist lips as he looked in Sakura's direction. If only he could read her expressions. A small chuckle on her part caught him off guard.

"Don't be so bland, Sasuke. Everything has potential to effect someone. It's the way humans work. You mean to tell me nothing in this world effects you at all?"

Sasuke grunted in response to her seemingly naïve reasoning. He just couldn't see the way she did. For someone so smart, sometimes she made no sense. "Not in that context, no."

Shaking her head, she placed her tea on the coffee table separating the two. Despite being in the same room, it was still hard to get over the fact that the distance between the two of them was awkward. Tapping her nails on her cheek, she stared at him before shortly answering him.

"You're not a walking stone, Sasuke. No one is."

So she didn't look at him as though he was made of stone? The thought was somewhat uplifting to the unusually dreary house. He was more to her than he knew and despite his curiosity, he kept his thoughts to himself. It still surprised him that she thought of him as something other than a monster. Her anger had gotten the better of her. Maybe she didn't think so poorly of him after all.

Her tone threw him off guard. In a quiet yet strong voice, she wasn't trying to be sarcastic or rude, she was talking as though it were a fact. Staying silent for a short while, he simply gave her a grunt in response.

"I want you to know," she paused shortly, attempting to find a way to phrase her words. "I'm going to heal you. I will make sure you see again, Sasuke."

Sasuke sat still, his eyes looking for a place to settle on. Knowing he wouldn't find her in the darkness, he gave up and looked towards his hands. He didn't know how to react to that, nor what to think. A churning in his gut made him want to punch something. Kakashi called the feeling 'guilt' and yet he didn't know—for the life of him—what there was to be guilty about. The pain associated with this emotion was annoying and nearly intolerable. With a short sigh, he nodded towards her.

"I'll hold you to it, then." Sakura blinked in surprise, not knowing he would actually respond to her. Smiling softly, she stood, walking towards him and ruffling his hair. Receiving a frown, he pulled away, only causing the girl to laugh in return.

"It's a deal."