[Does anybody want to see an installment from Sasuke's POV?]

7.

The next day at training was very uncomfortable. Sasuke was even more focused on Sakura, and Sakura could tell that Kakashi and Naruto had noticed that something was going on by now. Naruto she didn't care about even if he was heartbroken over losing 'his Sakura-chan', but she wasn't sure what Kakashi would do if he found out about the love potion.

Drugging your teammate into falling in love with you probably broke all sorts of rules…it might even be something she could go to prison for! She hadn't thought to ask about what could happen if anyone found out before buying the love potion, but now she wished she had.

Finally, Kakashi let them take a break for lunch. As Sakura had been expecting, Sasuke was at her side almost before Kakashi had finished speaking. "Would you like to sit together?" he asked softly.

"Of course," Sakura said, picking up the bag that held the two boxed lunches she had prepared the night before. Sasuke still wasn't bringing any lunches to their training sessions, and Sakura hoped now that the love potion was affecting him he'd be willing to eat what she brought. "Let's find someplace a bit more private to eat, okay?" Kakashi had been watching them too close for comfort ever since they arrived and she wanted to get out of sight for a little while.

Sasuke followed her willingly, and they spent the lunch break nestled in the roots of an old tree situated in a glade at the far side of the training field. To Sakura's relief Sasuke did accept the lunch she offered; going half the day on just coffee couldn't have been good for him, and she did feel a bit responsible for him now.

While she didn't like admitting it even to herself, Sakura was starting to get a little worried about this whole love potion business. Sure, she liked having Sasuke fawning over her (and the way he ran his hands through her hair after a leaf fell in it made her tingle all over), but some of the other ways he was changing were rather strange. She didn't see why he was neglecting his training, for one thing. And why was he so insistent on being close to her all the time? When they had been just across the market from each other, they might as well have been separated by the sea from the way Sasuke carried on when he found her. Having a boyfriend was nice, but having him practically glued to her side was really a little much.

And he said it hurt to be away from me, Sakura remembered as she watched Sasuke finish eating. I never meant for this to hurt him…I need to figure out what's happening to him.

…

The next week or so went by in what became a routine: Sasuke began meeting Sakura outside her house and walking to the training field with her, where he would put only the bare minimum of focus on their drills and spend most of the time watching Sakura. They spent all of lunchtime together and afterwards, if they didn't go out to dinner, Sasuke would walk her home.

It would have been quite a nice routine, if it weren't for Sasuke's standing in Kakashi's eyes dropping steadily and the fact that Sasuke was becoming more and more reluctant to leave her at the end of the day.

One morning, Sasuke's shirt was damp with dew when he met her outside the Haruno house. "Sasuke-kun, didn't you go home at all last night?" Sakura asked with a frown. It wasn't exactly warm out this time of year—what can he be thinking, sleeping in the street? she thought.

Sasuke looked guiltily down at the pavement. "I'm sorry, Sakura," he said. "Please don't be angry—I couldn't go home, I can't bear to be that far away from you anymore! It's just so cold…and it hurts…" Sasuke's voice trailed off and he winced a little, wrapping his arms around himself as he looked back in the direction of his house.

Sakura was beginning to feel very guilty herself, but she forced a broad smile onto her face. "Well, today's your lucky day then," she began with slightly strained cheer, "because Dad went on a business trip, and he took Mom with him, so I've got the house to myself for the week!"

"You mean—" Sasuke began hopefully, looking back to Sakura with a nearly pleading expression.

"I mean you can stay over!" Sakura announced. "There's not much time until training starts, but at least come inside and dry your hair before we go; we can get your things on the way back."

After following Sakura inside, Sasuke took the towel she gave him and headed for the bathroom to dry off as she packed up for the day's training. It's a good thing my parents left, she thought. If he got pneumonia sleeping outside, it would have been my fault!

There was another benefit to her being able to keep Sasuke at her house—she would finally have a chance to test out what exactly the side effects of the love potion were. She would just have to find a way to investigate without Sasuke knowing. While she wasn't sure what would happen if Sasuke found out that she had used a love potion on him, she had a feeling it would involve him hating her for a very long time.

"Are we going, Sakura?"

Sakura blinked, realizing she had been lost in thought. "Sure," she said, heading to the front door where Sasuke was waiting for her.

…

"I don't often get to say this," Kakashi called down from the tree branch he was perched on as Sakura entered the training field, Sasuke trailing behind her, "but you're late!"

"I know, Sensei, I'm sorry," Sakura said quickly. "My parents are gone for the week and—"

Kakashi gave her a Look, and Sakura silenced herself instantly. Oh no, what if he's guessed? Horrible images flashed through her mind: a trial…prison…Sasuke never, ever speaking to me again…

"Sasuke, you go train with Naruto for a few minutes," Kakashi ordered. "I need to talk to Sakura."

Sasuke's grip on Sakura's hand tightened. "But—"

"Let go," Sakura whispered firmly, tugging her hand away from him. Sasuke looked up at her miserably but she forced down any sympathy she felt. "Go on, I'll be with you in a few minutes."

Sasuke trudged off, but Kakashi remained silent until he was far enough away not to hear anything that was said by him or Sakura.

"So what's going on between you and Uchiha?" Kakashi asked finally, dropping from the tree to crouch in front of the root Sakura had seated herself on.

Sakura wondered if this was some kind of trap, and if so, what kind of answer their teacher was expecting. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on, your old Sensei's seen a thing or two, you know," Kakashi drawled. "I know something's in the offing when you kids start simpering at each other. Now, out with it," he ordered.

"We're…going out?" Sakura offered.

"And how long has that been going on?"

"Almost two weeks."

"He seems very attached to you."

"I guess so."

"A bit…distracted."

"Maybe?"

"Sakura, I don't want to be one to crush young love, as it were, but you have to dial it down a bit."

Kakashi's tone had abruptly become very serious, and Sakura fidgeted nervously, twisting her hands in her lap. "I…um, why is that?"

"Sakura, this could kill him."

Sakura blanched. Is he talking about the potion? "Kill him?" she gasped, her voice coming out in an embarrassing squeak. "What—w-why?"

"Look, it's all well and good that you're happy together, but if we start taking missions where we can end up in real combat situations and he's mooning after you instead of paying attention to the people trying to kill him…think about how it could turn out."

The images in Sakura's mind became even more horrible. Sasuke bleeding to death…some missing-nin slitting his throat…my fault. Even more my fault than Kakashi thinks. I could kill Sasuke like this. That was never what I wanted!

"I understand," she croaked. "Um, what should I do?"

Kakashi sighed. "I won't tell you to stop going out with him, but…at least try to keep him focused while you two are on Konoha time. Now, you go practice over there and tell Sasuke I want to talk to him for a minute."

Sakura didn't like the prospect of Kakashi interrogating Sasuke alone (Kakashi was even more clever than her mother) but there was nothing she could do about it without seeming any more suspicious, so she complied.

As she threw shuriken at targets and ignored Naruto's twittering at her, she stole a few looks at the conversation between Kakashi and Sasuke. Clearly, Kakashi was not satisfied with the answers he was getting from Sasuke, but other than that Sakura could tell nothing at this distance.

Her conversation with their teacher played over and over in her mind as Kakashi finally gave up and waved Sasuke off. Sasuke dashed back to her side instantly, barely ducking one of Naruto's ricochet shuriken on the way.

That settles it, Sakura decided. As soon as we get home tonight I'm going to see how far this love potion goes.