[A/N: Hey look, I updated something! I'm not a complete flake!...in all seriousness though, I should be able to write more during the summer, so don't write me off just yet!]
V:
After returning to where Kakashi was, Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto found seats on a protruding tree root. Sakura managed to get the spot next to Sasuke this time, making her very happy.
"Okay, team, here's your fun D-rank mission for the day!" Kakashi announced once all three members of Team 7 were paying at least some attention to him.
Naruto grumbled, but Sakura ignored him. Sasuke didn't really seem to care very much about what Kakashi was saying, and whenever he wasn't looking would gently reach up to fluff the ends of Sakura's new hairstyle. This made Sakura tingle with pleasure and was therefore very distracting, but she managed to listen to Kakashi's explanation of their mission all the same.
"I have here some shopping lists from elderly people who want us—by which I mean you three—to do their grocery shopping for them," Kakashi began. "They also have limited budgets, so be careful you don't go over because it will come out of your mission pay. You won't be able to get everything in the same place, but I'm sure you can find your way around the market district well enough to find whatever you need. After you're done shopping, go deliver the things to the address on your shopping list. That's all you need to know, I guess. I'll hand the lists out so you don't fight over them…"
With that, Kakashi handed them each a piece of paper and an envelope full of money before making a vague shooing motion and heading off somewhere to read his ever-present book.
"Oh come on, I have to find vegetables?" Naruto wailed as soon as Kakashi was out of earshot. "I don't even know what a Brussels sprout looks like!"
"Try reading the labels on the shelves," Sakura retorted unsympathetically, not looking up from her own list. "They have those, you know. It's what they're for."
Naruto continued complaining for another minute or two, but lost interest when neither Sakura or Sasuke showed any inclination to respond and finally headed back towards the main part of the village.
"Do you need any help with yours, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked once Naruto was gone.
"Maybe…" Sasuke replied tentatively. Even though he was much more open while under the effects of the love potion, he clearly still didn't like asking for help. "I don't really do very much shopping, not for things like this. Where would I get tinned crab?"
Sakura took the shopping list as Sasuke held it out to her. "Let's see…you should be able to get all these fruits in the market, and the sugar and rice and such are cheapest at the big warehouse store. I think you can get the tinned crab and mint jelly and such from the Takeuchi store. It's really little, but they have a lot of more exotic stuff. It's right next to the Maneki Neko, and to get there you turn at—" Sasuke continued to look confused, and Sakura paused. Her directions were obviously not very helpful to someone who didn't already know all the landmarks in the shopping district. "Have you got a pencil? I'll draw you a map."
Once Sasuke had handed her a pencil, Sakura quickly sketched a map on the back of the envelope containing his grocery budget. Sakura wasn't the best at drawing, but she was pretty sure it would be understandable. "There you go!" she said when she had finished. "I'll walk back with you, but most of my things are in different stores."
…
The two of them walked hand-in-hand back into the main part of the village, but split up when they reached the shopping district. Sakura headed off to buy her customer's vegetables from the market, after pointing Sasuke in the general direction of the specialty store, explaining that he should buy the most expensive things first to make sure he would be able to allow for everything else.
After purchasing a large bag of cabbage and several bunches of fresh herbs, Sakura left the market for the massive warehouse store, which had the best prices on cooking staples as well as selling a variety of ninja ration meals. Despite the nigh-eternal shelf life these had (back in the Academy, Naruto had been dared to eat one dated from ten years earlier, and did so with no apparent ill effects) they were healthy and at least somewhat tasty.
Even though Team 7's clients on this shopping mission were retired, Sakura had a few ninja meals on her list of things to buy, probably because of how convenient they were. She picked up the listed curry rice and meatball meals before wending her way towards the rice aisle.
Unluckily for her, the client had specified a variety of rice that only came in large, very large, and ridiculously large bags. Sakura had taken a shopping basket instead of a cart, and there was no way a thirty-five pound bag of rice was going to fit in it. With some difficulty, she was finally able to balance the cumbersome bag on her shoulder and started back towards the front of the store to check out.
As she made her way carefully around a protruding endcap, Sakura heard footsteps approaching quickly behind her.
"There you are!" Sasuke exclaimed as he came up beside her. He had several bulky shopping bags slung over his shoulder. They had the logos of some of the other stores on them so apparently he had accomplished a good deal of his shopping. "Don't go so far away—I've been looking all over for you."
Sakura frowned. "Sasuke-kun, the shops we've been at are two blocks apart at the very most."
"I know," Sasuke said earnestly, taking Sakura's basket so he could grab her now-free hand. "Don't go so far away."
This was a little disconcerting, despite how pleased Sakura still felt that Sasuke enjoyed her company. He had never been 'clingy' before, in any sense of the word. While Sakura didn't mind the attention, she couldn't help feeling a little strange…guilty, maybe, at having changed him this much.
Sakura quickly shoved that sensation down. This wasn't any time to be having second thoughts. "How has your shopping been going, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, with a smile that was only slightly forced.
"Okay, I suppose," Sasuke replied. "This place is really crowded, though," he added with a frown as they had to dodge between several other shoppers with carts. "All I have left to get is the sugar, where is that?"
"It's…" Sakura paused to look around briefly and get her bearings in the huge store. "Over one aisle and back a bit, here, I'll show you." Since Sasuke obviously didn't like being on his own in the crowds and did like being with her, it would hardly be fair to make him go by himself.
Luckily, someone had abandoned a cart in the aisle they passed through, and Sakura gladly transferred the huge bag of rice and her previous purchases into it.
"I'll push," Sasuke said, taking the handle of the cart before she could. "Lead on."
…
The last of the shopping went very quickly, and Sakura knew they should split up after that since their delivery destinations were in different directions. However, Sasuke didn't seem at all inclined to part with her and Sakura decided that it wouldn't slow them down too much considering they had made good time during the shopping.
Sasuke's destination was a cozy little traditional-style house near the edge of the village. There was no-one home when he rang the bell, but the door was unlocked and a note had been fastened near the latch. "It says we can just leave the things inside," he announced, turning to Sakura.
After the two of them carried all of Sasuke's groceries inside and made sure all the perishables had been properly put away, Sasuke left the rest of the money from the shopping trip on the table where it would be easily seen.
As they left the house, Sakura began to pick up her bags, but Sasuke had taken all but one before she could get there. Sakura could tell as soon as she picked it up that it was the lightest one. This was really very sweet and chivalrous of Sasuke, but it was just a little bothersome to have him doing everything for her; she was a ninja and quite capable of heavy objects. Still, without the love potion Sasuke wouldn't deign to lift a finger to help her, so Sakura decided this was nothing to complain about.
"Where would you like to go tonight?" Sasuke asked as they walked towards the address where Sakura's groceries were to be delivered.
Sakura took a deep breath and turned to face Sasuke. "I'm sorry, I can't go out with you tonight."
"Oh," Sasuke said in a small voice, his eyes downcast. "I see."
Sakura felt like she had slapped him.