Sasuke is pulling clean clothes from his bag when Sakura enters the room. He glances upward, meeting her gaze, and the nin can sense that Sakura is not pleased. She watches in silent annoyance as he goes back to what he is doing. He pays no heed to her stares.

"Sasuke." Sakura says. He can hear the impatience in her voice, and he latches up his satchel. Sasuke turns to find Sakura with her forearms crossed beneath her chest, and a sharp look in her eye.

"Why did you let her give us one room?" She asks. Sasuke hears it as a demand.

His brows draw together, for a second, and then he rolls his eyes.

"We don't need another room." He tells her. "We're trained shinobi, Sakura, not children. We're going to work, eat, and sleep – That's it." He realises that his tone is harsh, but it seems to do the trick.
Sakura stares at him like a gaping fish. He watches the words sink in, and slowly, her frown becomes less accusing.

Still, she replies with, "I'm not a child."

Sasuke can't help but smirk, as he pushes passed Sakura to grab a fresh towel off the end of the bed.

He mutters a derisive, "Hn." And shuts the bathroom door behind him, leaving her alone in their unintentionally shared room. It will be fine; there is a bed, and a couch. Sakura is just being melodramatic.

There is a pause, where he stands in the tiled room and listens to the silence. It only takes a second before he hears Sakura make a noise of frustration. She swears and curses his name, but it doesn't make him frown; he actually smiles in amusement.

It's surprising that her anger at him isn't annoying. There is another feeling where the annoyance usually sits, though, and it's something new, something that he cannot name yet.

Sasuke turns on the tap, and when the water is adjusted to just off scalding, he folds his clothes neatly on the counter, and slips beneath the spray…

When Sasuke emerges from the steamy room, he finds paperwork strewn all over the bed, and Sakura is sitting in the middle, legs crossed, and mind inside the text book that is open on her lap.

"I left you some hot water." Sasuke says, recalling a time when they were younger, and fought about his hot water usage.

Sakura looks up from the book with an almost dazed expression. Sasuke watches as she comes back to earth, and he observes her reading glasses; they are black rimmed, and dainty. He is getting used to seeing her wear them, especially when they are working at night; the sight is possibly growing on him.

Sasuke towels his hair absently, and a few droplets of water fall onto his clean shirt, which is slung over his shoulder. His skin is flushed, and despite it being rather cool in here, Sasuke is warm.

Sakura pushes her glasses upward to sit on the top of her head; the movement pushes some of her hair back, revealing more of her skin. His eyes are drawn to the diamond in the middle of her forehead and when he looks back to her eyes, Sakura is looking to the side, her cheeks red.

Is she blushing?

"Put some clothes on." She says gruffly, huffing as she moves to stand.

Sasuke falters, and he is taken aback by her words – Though he doesn't show it. He looks down at his exposed torso, and back to Sakura's face. He is used to being in different states of undress; he is a shinobi, after all.

He also knows that he is attractive, and that Sakura used to have feelings for him. Nevertheless, for some reason, he didn't think that Sakura would think of him in that way.

From the desire in her gaze, and the blush on her cheeks, Sasuke realises that she must see him like that.

Slowly, his ego rises, and a smirk reaches his lips.

It is surprising how quickly Sakura manages to gather her things and disappear into the washroom.

It takes twenty minutes for Sakura to be done, and another ten for their food to arrive. They eat in silence, as they sit on the couch, and when they are finished, Sakura pulls out her research mission scroll. There are words crossed out all over the parchment, and Sasuke notes that they are slowly getting through all of it. Soon enough, his clan's secrets will belong to Konoha.

Somehow that sits okay with him.

"We've been doing mostly theory on the rinnegan, and I don't think it would be safe to experiment too much with it." Sakura says, as she delves into the rinnegan file. He watches as she flips through pages full of notes, all in her scrawled handwriting, before she comes to an empty page.

"I'd like to record some information on the Six Paths technique." She says. "Obviously, the paths are too dangerous to perform, especially without precautions, and even then, some of your techniques are still fatal – from what I have gathered."

Sasuke listens silently as she lists out what they have, and what she requires. He can tell that she is curious about the rinnegan's ocular powers, and for some reason, he'd like to show her.

But she is right; none of his techniques are completely innocuous.

…

Except…

"I can show you one of the paths." He says suddenly, though his brows draw together. "I haven't done it before, but it should work." Sasuke is confident all the same, and she must be able to feel it, because she nods thoughtfully, gazing downward.

After a moment, she looks back up at him, and her expression is changed; her eyes are slightly larger than before, and there is a spark within the green. Sasuke thinks that she might be excited; it shouldn't surprise him, Sakura likes danger. He learnt long ago that she will run into stupid situations. Sakura is a civilian girl turned shinobi, so he supposes that she needs that guts –

Still, he is a little surprised at her reaction.

"You think so?" She asks animatedly, and he nods once.

Sasuke stands, then, and walks over to the empty patch of floor at the foot of the bed. "You said you trust me." He states; it feels more comfortable than posing it as a question.

"I do." Sakura replies, and she is already following him to the floor.

"Sit down." He instructs, and he does the same. He lowers himself to the carpet with ease, and sits with crossed legs.

Sakura sits – watching him curiously, with anticipation in her gaze.

"Gakidō." He says the technique name, closing his eyes; when he opens them again, one eye is black, while the other swirls purple.

"The preta path…" Sakura remembers aloud, reaching for her notebook. She finds the preliminary definition quickly, and looks up at him. "Chakra absorption?" She asks, and Sasuke tilts his head affirmatively.

"Will it hurt?" Sakura wonders, but she is already sitting up straighter – preparing herself for what is to come.

"Not if we do it right." Sasuke replies. He tacks on, "Tell me if it does, and I'll stop."

Sakura nods, and he instructs her to form chakra in her hands. The familiar glow appears and she rests her hands - palms up - on her legs.

Sasuke watches with his mismatched eyes, and he focuses his intent. His rinnegan swirls slowly, growing more rapid, and if he weren't focussing, he would see Sakura watching his face intently.

A blue energy forms in Sasuke's palms and fingertips, similar to Sakura's chakra. The purple ring stops, and Sasuke orders,

"Relax and stay still, Sakura."

Her shoulders sag a little, and Sasuke can actually feel that she trusts him; it's in the air, and it is almost intoxicating.

His glowing blue palms touch hers, which are still turned face up on her crossed legs. Sakura gasps, and looks down at the touch, but she doesn't move.

Sasuke can feel it - the energy is ripe for the taking. His ocular power wants him to take it all, and it calls for him to do so – but he won't.

Instead, Sasuke focuses on the warmth between their just touching palms. The chakra sizzles as he draws some of it into his system.

"Oh!" Sakura yelps. True to her word, she doesn't move. "It tingles."

Sasuke's eyes narrow in concentration.

"It doesn't usually." He replies, and his palms press harder against hers. "Your chakra is amazing." He admits in an almost whisper.

Her signature is unforgettable, and he wonders how such a small girl managed to gain so much energy with sheer will. He knows the stories of Sakura's strength, and her medical skill. He can feel that chakra running through him, and it feels exhilarating, even though he has only taken a little.

"Imagine if I was Naruto. There'd be a lot more of it." She smiles, a little bitter, referring to her chakra reserves. He misses the sight, however, as he is focussed on the bright blue encasing their fingers.

Sasuke isn't sure why it happens, but Sakura pulls more chakra forward, offering it to him. He takes it, without a word. It's a slow process, where Sakura's chakra warms him inwardly, starting at his palms, and running through his entire system.

"That's enough." He mutters to himself, and Sakura makes a sound of protest. This shouldn't feel good, but it does.

He isn't ready for it to stop yet, and he wonders what Sakura is feeling.

"What does it feel like?" He asks, and it's clear that the moment has him thinking funny.

Sakura's dazed expression zones in on him, and their eyes meet. She watches, unafraid, as she replies,

"Strange, but not bad."

He nods in understanding, and his eyes close. Sasuke visualises Sakura's chakra inside of him, along with his own. Then, when his eyes open, a blue energy seeps out of his palm. His own chakra begins to feed into her system, and Sasuke breathes in sharply. It isn't easy to reverse this, and it feels unnatural to pull his chakra from its source.

"Sasuke-kun." Sakura whispers, sounding almost worried, when she realises what is happening. She exhales, and Sasuke watches her face openly, while her eyes are closed.

The colour comes back to her cheeks, and her fingertips become warm again. His own temperature evens out, and Sasuke lids droop closed, as he allows the technique to end.

Neither speaks for a moment, leaving the room silent, aside from their slightly laboured breathing.

"That was crazy." Sakura murmurs, and when she squeezes his hands in hers, his eyes open. She doesn't let go straight away, which makes Sasuke feel strangely – Though, he already feels off; like he has revealed too much of himself, which is strange, considering the technique isn't supposed to be personal.

So what makes it that way?

"Yeah." He says, and he dislikes the tone of his voice; he sounds hoarse.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." Sakura smiles, but he looks to the side – He doesn't know how to handle her like this. It's been a long time since Sasuke has seen that expression directed at him.

He thinks about what they just did – What he just showed her.

It is all in the name of research, but Sasuke feels like there is more to it.

Sakura trusts him…

He doesn't want to, but he knows that he will probably break that trust down the line.

He frowns, and gently tugs his hands away.

Standing, Sasuke rakes his fingers through his hair, trying to dispel the oddness inside of him; it doesn't work.

"You should have enough information." He says softly.

Sakura looks up at him, finally noticing that something is off. She reaches out to tug on the edge of his shirt.

"Are you okay?" She asks, and he nods.

"Yeah." He replies. "Just need some air."

With no further explanation, Sasuke slips on his shinobi sandals, and exits the room. For a moment, he stands in the hall. His head thuds softly against the cream coloured wall, as his back presses against the surface, and he exhales shakily.

What the fuck is he doing?

This study isn't supposed to be personal.

Sasuke ignores the feeling in his chest, and the frown on his face, as he makes his next decision.
It's time for some distance.

It's better for everyone this way.

xxxx

Hope you enjoyed the chapter :) Reviews aren't required, but they are cool. xD. You can come chat to me at my blog, or ask Sasuke a question at - merinxd dot tumblr dot com

See you next time :)