"Do you realise how risky this plan is?" Sasuke asks, brows furrowed. He has heard stories of the Naras' excellent skills in strategizing, and after four weeks of endless meetings and planning, this was not the battle plan he had expected. The idea for a small team led by Hinata to infiltrate Konoha through secret cave and tunnel systems while Sakura and Shikamaru distract Kabuto with Iwa's army is smart – Kabuto and his army's sole focus would be facing tangible opponents, and they would have the upper hand with the element of surprise. Providing that Kabuto doesn't notice Hinata's absence on the battlefield, and the infiltrating team is strong enough, it would make the battle short and quick. But taking more than half of Iwa's defences is foolish – suicidal if an enemy were to find out. "You would be leaving your own people vulnerable. If anyone catches wind of this – "

"I know. But there's no other way."

"Tsk."

"Have you grown soft on us elves, human? I never would've pegged for you to be concerned over Iwa's safety," Neji cuts in, taking pleasure in the way Sasuke's ears tint the palest of pinks. He is reluctant to admit it, but Sasuke has somewhat grown on him. The change in Sakura ever since Sasuke and Naruto joined them is immense. She has always been happy and confident, always been strong – but she practically glows when Sasuke is with her. He doesn't miss the way her gaze lingers on him longer than socially acceptable when she thinks no one is watching – doesn't miss the way she smiles for him – doesn't miss how her cheeks flush when Sasuke says something that pleases her – doesn't miss the subtle longing in her eyes. Sasuke is the first man with a strong enough personality to hold his own against Sakura, and he is the first man who pushes Sakura to be better and stronger for herself. Neji surprises himself when he finds himself hoping for something more between the two of them.

I suppose she could do a lot worse, Neji muses, thoughts quickly moving on to Naruto, and he frowns. While he knows Sasuke will be good for Sakura, he isn't so sure about the blonde – his presence turns his cousin into a stuttering, blushing mess, and his overwhelmingly loud personality pushes all the wrong buttons.

"We all know teme's a big softie on the inside," Naruto says cheekily, earning a glare from Sasuke.

"I am not. Shut up, dobe."

"Humans…so immature," Neji mutters.

Shikamaru clears his throat, then tries to steer the conversation back to the issue at hand. How troublesome, he thinks – Naruto and Sasuke's presence affects everyone at the table, and he is glad they weren't part of the meetings prior. "My father will stay in Iwa, and we'll leave a group of elites with him, so Iwa won't be completely defenceless. We'll still have a third of our forces here, and as long as everyone stays tight lipped on the plan, Iwa will be fine."

"Thank you, Shika. It's risky for Iwa," Sakura admits. "But you have no idea how much this means to me."

Shikamaru reaches out and ruffles her hair. "It's troublesome, but – anything for you, Sakura."

"Can we get back to the fine details?" Sasuke interrupts, irritated. He tries to ignore the burning rage of jealousy that is coursing through his veins and envy seeping through his pores at their interaction. The way Sakura's cheeks are adorned with the prettiest shade of red and the way she quickly, guiltily averts her gaze when he speaks makes him resent Shikamaru.

Annoying.

…

"You should tell him."

"What?"

She glances up from the scrolls laid out in front of her, eyes wide. Neji's abrupt statement makes her cheeks flush, because she knows he knows. She watches as he takes a seat across from her, elbows resting on the desk as he studies her quietly.

After a beat, he says it again. "I said, you should tell him. We leave for Konoha tomorrow, and as prepared as we are, we don't know what awaits us."

"I…you know I can't."

"And why not, Sakura?"

She sighs, nibbling on her lower lip thoughtfully. "Sasuke-kun…he doesn't feel the same as I do." Neji is quick to roll his eyes, earning a glare from her.

"And he's told you this?"

"No…but…I can tell." She thinks of all the time they've spent together – and feels her face fall and her shoulders hunch a little with rejection. Sasuke has always been nice, pleasant. Has always had her back and always looked out for her. But he is also quiet and reserved, and she can't read him like Naruto can – doesn't have the same quiet understanding he shares with Neji. He treats her with the same respect he gives Hinata, and has never given her any indication that he might feel something more.

But even so…

She thinks of all the times their fingers brushed, thinks of all the times he's made her giddy with joy, thinks of all the times he's respected and accepted her for who she is and not what she is. She thinks of all the times they've trained and sparred together, and relishes in the realisation that he has never gone easy on her because he knows she is strong – thinks of all the times he makes sure she doesn't forget to eat, albeit subtle in his ways, thinks of all the times he's promised to be there for her. But what touches her heart the most is when she thinks of their first encounter, and how he had so easily captivated her with his eyes, and how they sat side by side by the crackling heat of the fire – and the corners of her lips lift into a wistful smile and her heart fills with warmth and a fondness she can't comprehend.

"I think you'll agree with me when I say he cares."

A soft sigh escapes her lips. "I suppose so," she says slowly, deliberating. "But not in the way I want him to."

"I will never know what you see in him. Sasuke is rude and cocky – always so self-absorbed. He is stubborn and he sneers too much. And he is human," Neji says, uttering the word with such distaste he looks as if he's poisoned himself.

For some reason, reiterating the fact that he is not an elf makes her heart sink even lower. "And I'm an elf," she says, groaning. "He's probably used to curvy women. I'm…like a child compared to a woman. He could never find me attractive."

"Fen'Harel ma ghilana," Neji says, tongue clicking with disapproval. "Never doubt your worth, Sakura. It is unlike you. Don't start now for a man."

She smiles. "You remind me of Tenten," she says then, and they sit in silence, both thinking of Neji's lost wife. Neji feels turmoil coil in the pit of his stomach, and guilt and raw emptiness threaten to overwhelm him. He couldn't find her when he rushed into Konoha – their home was in flames, leaving no traces of his heavily pregnant wife. He still remembers the thick, black smoke and the blazing heat from the fire – still remembers the numbing fear and growing desperation as he forced his way through the flames, yelling out for her – still remembers the burn in his eyes and the hatred he felt for his cousin when she pulled him out of his own home and the tears streaming down his face. But Neji had let Hinata persuade him to leave Konoha, heart heavy with pain and regret, knowing that ultimately, his duty was to Sakura.

She'd have had the baby by now, he muses. A son. His lips curl downwards as he frowns and imagines her – hurt and cold and scared, having the baby on her own. He ignores the voice at the back of his mind telling him that she might not even be alive, stubbornly holding onto the hope that his stubborn, pig-headed wife would have found a way to survive because for the first time in his life, Neji wants to believe that he can change his fate. A lump forms in his throat, growing more painful by the second. I'm a dad.

At night, he is haunted by dreams of her chocolate-coloured eyes and warm smile. He dreams of the way her whole face lights up when she laughs, and if he tries hard enough, he can still feel her soft sighs against his skin. Often, he wakes in the middle of the night, memories of her so crippling he can't breathe. The heaviness in his soul since he left Konoha hasn't lessened, and thoughts of Tenten and their unborn child all but consumes him. Neji thinks of all the trials and tribulations they went through before they got married – he, the second in line to the Hyuuga, and she, the daughter to a blacksmith – he cannot remember what his life was like before Tenten, cannot imagine a life without her – and he looks at Sakura, the girl he has vowed to protect with his life, the princess who will someday become his queen, who somehow, over the years became his sister – and he knows that he wants her to be happy before anything else.

Even if it lies with a human.

"What does your heart tell you?"

…

It is late – well past midnight, when a soft knock on his door wakes him. He drapes an arm across his face, and counts to ten, trying to reign in his anger. Uchiha Sasuke may be a light sleeper, but he has made it known that he is unforgiving when it comes to interrupted sleep. Naruto has been on the receiving end enough times, so it can't be him because he should know better, but Sasuke can think of no one else. The gentle knocking doesn't cease, and he grits his teeth as he throws back the covers, cursing endlessly as he stalks to the door. He yanks the door open harshly and the insult that was ready to fly from his lips die. Sakura, he faintly realises, presses her palm against his mouth in an attempt to silence him as she pushes him back, slipping into the confinements of his room before quietly closing the door behind her.

"Sakura? What are you doing? Is everything okay?" His voice is hoarse, still laced with sleep, but his concern seeps through. Sakura's room is on the other end of the wing, and he can't think of any reason for her late night stroll.

"Sorry, Sasuke-kun. I…were you sleeping?" Her voice is anxious, and Sasuke feels the peals of anger and irritation wash away. She laughs nervously when she realises how stupid her question is, and starts to nibble on her lower lip, causing him to groan inwardly.

"I can't sleep." While she is obviously concerned over their upcoming journey, all Sasuke can think about is how close she is. Her chest is grazing his in the softest of touches. Sakura's scent is invasive and intoxicating and enticing, and he can feel the heat radiating off her body like the flames of his Katon, basking his entire body in a comfortable warmth. He feels his cheeks warm when she looks at him apologetically, emerald eyes taking an ethereal glow under the sliver of moonlight that streams in through the window. They stand in front of each other for a while – Sasuke doesn't know how long – and he inwardly scowls at how nervous he is, all traces of sleep now completely gone. The way she is staring at him makes his heart thunder in his chest – her eyes are softer now, filled with hope and expectation and…something eerily like love and desire.

He forces himself to ask her something, anything – before he loses his mind. "Did you want to…talk?" Then he kicks himself over how stupid he sounds.

She nods, moving away from him to make herself comfortable in his bed, and he tells himself he isn't disappointed by the sudden loss of her warmth. His mind supplies helpfully that she is in his bed, under his covers, and it is enough to drive him insane. She pats the spot next to her, a silent request for him to join her, and he clenches his fists and tells himself to get a grip before he joins her.

It's logical, he reasons. The bed is comfortable and warm, and we'd only catch a cold otherwise.

He slips into the covers next to her, hyperaware of her presence, and keeps himself a respectable distance away from her.

They are quiet for a long moment before she breaks the silence, her voice timid and hesitant.

"Do you think we'll be okay, Sasuke-kun?"

He goes over their plans for what must be the millionth time, and thinks that yes, they will be. Shikamaru and his father are excellent strategists, and while he doesn't know much about Iwa's strength, the people who will be leading them are strong enough. And whatever happens, Sasuke knows he will risk his life for her.

"Aa. We've gone over the plans, ironed out the wrinkles. We're more than ready."

"Hmm."

"Don't worry. You're strong. And…we…I've got your back."

She giggles then, and it perplexes him. He wonders if she is laughing at him – because he has never been one to express himself verbally, let alone comfort another – and the idea that she is mocking him for what must be an awkward, failed attempt irks him.

"What's so funny?" He grinds out, unable to contain his irritation.

"I wasn't talking about the battle, Sasuke-kun." Whatever doubt she had previously is gone, with only remnants remaining, because he cares, she thinks. Steeling her nerves and whatever vulnerability she feels, she rolls over on her side to look at him. Biting down on her lip, she studies him for a long while, until she thinks she's found what she's been looking for.

Sakura's green eyes are sparkling with mirth and a confidence he wishes he has right now. His heart is pounding in his chest, his stomach is fluttering with nerves, and he hates himself for it. How ridiculous – Uchiha Sasuke, one of the deadliest assassins – reduced to a quivering heap of nerves, all because of an elf. He can already hear Naruto's boisterous laugh and Neji's condescending scoff. Perhaps a flick on his forehead after Itachi says "Foolish little brother."

"Then what – "

"Ma'arlath, Sasuke-kun," she says, cutting him off.

And then she leans over him, soft pink hair falling in a curtain around his face, tickling his cheeks, and her lips are a hair's width apart from his only for the slightest second. She's giving him a chance to pull away, he realises, and he isn't sure he's still breathing at this stage, brain short-circuiting when she presses her lips to his delicately. Sakura's lips are soft and warm against his, and Sasuke suddenly feels dizzy. She kisses him, and it is painfully, heartbreakingly slow, and sweet, and he feels the world fall away – the anxiousness of the upcoming battle, the weight of his past, his apprehension towards his feelings for her – everything falls away, and all he can feel is the warmth of her body and the softness of her lips as he brings his hands up to curl into the sides of her waist.

When she pulls away, Sasuke finds that it is the way she is looking at him that unravels him more than their first kiss. So shy, so gentle, filled with a tender affection that makes his heart lurch with longing.

…

"Fen'Harel ma ghilana," – when someone is being misled

"Ma'arlath, Sasuke-kun," – I love you, Sasuke-kun

Hi guys, sorry this chapter is short, it didn't quite turn out like how I wanted it to but after hours of reading and re-reading I decided to post it. Let me know what you think! Xoxo

Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Naruto, and the Elven language I looked up in google The ones in this chapter are from Dragon Age.