Innocent, Sakura thought, seemed like an imperfect way to describe a self-proclaimed avenger whose lips more often scowled than smiled. But as Sasuke slept, he exuded an aura of serenity, bringing back a youthfulness in his face that was yet untouched by time. She studied the curves of his sculpted features, wondering briefly whether traces of the kind boy she knew still lived between the cracks of his hardened mask.

With gentle hands, she removed the damp cloth from his forehead, careful not to disturb his slumber. After discarding the rag on a nearby surface, she settled back in her chair beside the bed to monitor his breathing. As she watched the even rise-and-fall of his chest, her brows knitted with concern. Despite the tranquility in his sleeping expression, the sound his lungs emitted told a different story.

The sharpness in each inhale was evident of the arduous healing session he endured merely an hour earlier in the Hokage's office. Just remembering the way his features contorted in pain as she kneaded and prodded his chakra networks away from the seal was enough to cause her own chest to constrict.

She had seen Sasuke wounded in battle many times but seldom did he react, barely even flinching when he lost an arm three years ago. However, as she and Lady Tsunade worked their medical ninjutsu on him earlier, his body erupted in so much agony that he fainted within minutes. It terrified her to see and it was especially frightening to carry his limp, nearly lifeless, body from the Hokage's building and to her apartment.

Sakura sighed and shook the images from her head. It wouldn't benefit her now to dwell on that. What mattered was that Sasuke was okay and that she and Lady Tsunade had succeeded in significantly healing the effects of the seal. However, it would likely take several more sessions until he was back to normal and the thought of that brought a lump to her throat.

Watching him now, Sasuke looked so out of place with his dark locks splayed across the patterns of her pale, floral sheets. It was almost comical to witness. With hesitant fingers, Sakura dared to brush strands of his silky hair away from where they stuck to his forehead. When her knuckles grazed his hot skin, she shivered. It was a simple, fleeting touch and yet it felt like scorch marks were now permanently embedded in her hands.

The dim light of her bedside lamp bathed his features in a soft, golden glow. His breathing started to sound more comfortable now, his body finally healing itself as he slept. She watched him carefully, drinking in the sight of Sasuke's peaceful expression. How many years has she spent wondering what it would be like to wake up to this very image?

A part of her ached as she studied him and the other part of her was racked with guilt. It was selfish of her, she knew, to relish in the image of him sleeping in her bed like he belonged there. But she couldn't help but wish the moment could last longer, just enough for her to memorize the planes of his face and how it felt to have him so close. Just for a second, she wanted to pretend that the future she wanted was within her grasp.

Sighing, Sakura allowed her hand to fall limply to her side in defeat. He may be right in front of her, but she knew that the truth was he was miles away. Just like she always did when they were younger, it would only be a matter of time before she would have to watch his retreating back as his footsteps carried him further away. That future she so often pictured was an ephemeral thing, slipping from her fingers with each passing second.

It was clear in the way he reacted to her involvement with the upkeep of the Uchiha compound that he wanted nothing to do with her—that it was as if simply associating with her was defacing the clan's name. She was wrong to think that the farewell he left her with meant anything special. In the end, it seemed she was destined to love him from afar after all.

When the prick on oncoming tears snuck behind her eyes, she squeezed her lids shut. She loved Sasuke; it was the simple truth. She had known it for what felt like a lifetime, spoken the words aloud, and whispered them to him in her dreams. And yet something about this time felt different, as if the words were caught on her tongue.

Exasperated, Sakura rested her head on folded arms at the edge of the bed. This time, there was a voice asking her if she was certain she could love him as selflessly as she claimed. Could she love him and expect nothing in return? Would it be enough for her just to know that he was safe and happy, even if he found those things without her?

As she listened to his soft breathing and felt the warmth radiating from his body to where she laid her head, she knew the answer. Yes, she could love him unconditionally and yes, it would be enough just to know that he was happy. And even if time stripped her of all her wishes for the future, that answer would never change.

Sakura wasn't sure when she fell asleep but when sun rays peeking through the blinds heated her cheeks, she knew it was morning. Eyes still shut, she stifled a yawn and stretched, allowing the stiff joints in her spine to pop as they bent. The tendons in her neck and shoulders ached from how she slept seated in the chair with her head resting on the mattress.

When her eyes finally opened to a sunlit room, they found a sight so startling that her heart almost stopped. Sasuke was seated on the bed, his back resting against the headboard as he absentmindedly flipped through the pages of the medical textbook she had left on the nightstand. Sakura fought every urge to rub her eyes raw, just to make sure that what she saw was real. But as the events of the night before finally came back to her, she knew that it was.

"Good morning." The corner of Sasuke's lip perked just slightly as his eyes traveled to meet hers. His voice was gruff, laced heavily with weariness.

Her eyes widened as she struggled to speak. It wasn't until her third try that her vocal chords finally complied and she responded. "G-good morning, Sasuke. How are you feeling?"

"Better," he answered.

They stayed like that for several beats, eyes watching each other until Sakura finally broke the silence to relay the status of the seal to him. It would still take at least another two or three sessions until his chakra systems could be fully restored and they needed to wait at least 24 hours between each session. However, the medical ninjutsu shouldn't hurt as much as the first time, especially because they would only need one medic to perform the procedure from now on.

"You can stay with me, if you'd like. It would make things easier for us to finish the healing sessions," She spoke her words hesitantly. Afraid that she would be overstepping once again, she quickly added, "But of course, I understand if you're uncomfortable with that and I can help find you another place to stay."

Sasuke seemed lost in thought as he contemplated her offer. But his expression remained ever unchanging and impossible to read. Each second that passed was like another dagger to her chest. When the silence was overbearing, Sakura continued to speak. However, the words leaving her lips left behind a bitter taste.

"If—" she gulped hesitantly, "If you want a different medic, I can arrange for that too."

He regarded her curiously, one eyebrow raised. Whatever he was thinking, Sakura could tell it was nothing short of a storm. Part of her felt hurt that it would take so much thought just for him to be around her but the other, more logical, part of her understood his turmoil.

Finally, he spoke with a shrug as if he didn't spend what felt like an eternity contemplating his answer. "That's fine."

"Fine?"

"You as my medic; that's fine." Sasuke elaborated, his words like a puzzle she could hardly solve.

"And staying here?" She asked, her voice growing quieter with each syllable.

"That's fine, too."

No force in the world could stop the grin from spreading across her face as she beamed at him. Of course, she knew he only agreed out of convenience, but she was happy anyways. As long as he felt comfortable around her, she would always be happy.

Wordlessly, Sasuke turned his attention back to the book in his hand as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. But Sakura knew the truth. Even if his mind was impossible to read, she knew his habits enough to surmise that he was once again lost in thought. Whatever it was he was thinking, she hoped it at least meant they were okay—that he had forgiven her for meddling in his clan's legacy.

She watched him for a little longer before finally breaking the silence that grew between them. "Are you hungry? I'll make breakfast."

"It's noon," he said, still flipping nonchalantly through the textbook.

"What?"

Looking up to meet her eyes, he gestured to the clock on her bedside table. Sure enough, the hands told her it was noon. Actually, far past it and almost onto the next hour.

"Oh my god, I told Lady Tsunade I would meet her at 1! I'm going to be late!" Sakura shot up in her seat so quickly that the chair slid back with an ear-piercing shriek. She clutched the clock in her hands, bringing it inches away from her face as if she could will time to turn back for her.

Thinking only of the scolding session that her hot-tempered shishou likely had prepared for her, Sakura rushed out of the room and down the hall. It was only when she was halfway out the front door of her apartment that she realized she had forgotten something extremely important.

Sakura raced back to her room to find Sasuke watching the doorway, having not moved an inch since she left. If she didn't know any better, she would think he looked amused, almost smiling even. But perhaps, it was simply a trick of the light.

"Sasuke, I'm so sorry!" She huffed, slightly out of breath. "I'll have one of the assistants drop off lunch for you when I get to the hospital."

"It's fine; I can get something myself, " he replied.

"Are you sure?"

"Ah," Sasuke confirmed.

Nodding, Sakura added. "I left a spare key on the coffee table. Help yourself to whatever you need in my apartment. I'll be at the hospital until the evening if you need to find me."

He only hummed in reply. She stood there, unsure of what else to say and watching him for several more beats before finally taking her leave. As she turned away, she heard him call softly behind her.

"Sakura," he paused briefly. "Thank you."

Her chest lurched and feet froze in place. The words hung in the air like stale smoke, fleeting yet salient enough to sting her eyes. The sound of his voice speaking those words was so heartbreakingly familiar—so heavy that it left her choking. And yet, she still breathed it in like it was saccharine.

Sakura wasn't sure what to say, so she said nothing at all, turning to leave once again. She was out of the door in a flash, suddenly feeling suffocated and in desperate need of fresh air. The afternoon sun was warm when it touched her skin, igniting the knot of emotions that tightened as the distance between them grew. It was then that she realized another thing.

She loved him, that was an indisputable fact. But she didn't feel safe to love him, not when the sound of her name on his lips was enough to slice her to pieces. It was treacherous and she was breathless. His words burned like fire or ice. Maybe both. Maybe neither. Either way, it burned just the same.

Sasuke sighed in annoyance as the electricity formed in his palm and quickly sizzled out. Although he was glad he could perform the chidori at all after the damage Root's seal seemed to have done to his body, he only grew more and more frustrated and impatient the longer he remained in the village. It wasn't like him to sit still while enemies lurked. It wasn't like him at all.

But there was an undeniable fact that lingered at the back of his mind. As much as he wanted to chase after his assailants, he seemed to have found some sort of—dare he say—comfort in being back in Konoha. Was it the familiar scent or something else entirely that kept him sane even while he itched to leave? Sasuke wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer, not yet at least.

With as much chakra as he could summon, he closed his eyes and allowed his instincts to take over. In one swift motion, he launched seven shuriken into the air. The sound of metal buzzed around him and he counted the dull thuds as each piece landed against its target. Finally, he opened his eyes to find seven shuriken lodged in their intended mark.

But to his dismay, only six had managed to strike the direct center; the seventh off by a mere centimeter. For any other ninja, simply hitting the targets at all would be an amazing feat, but for someone like Sasuke, his shurikenjutsu should have been perfect. Six out of seven was not perfect.

He angrily yanked the weapon from each of the wooden targets, pulling on one a little too harshly. A droplet of blood formed on his finger where the blade sliced into his skin and he suppressed another frustrated sigh. It seemed like he just couldn't catch a break lately.

It was enough that he had to rely on Sakura's chakra to escape Root's clutches but now he also depended on her to even be able to use his own jutsu. Thoughts of Sakura brought back memories of their interaction hours ago at her apartment. The visual in his head was enough to make him freeze midstep as he strolled across the clearing to continue collecting stray weapons.

He could still see it clear as day, the way sunlight dappled on her skin like stars as she slept beside the bed. Waking up to the sight was enough to cause his heart to skip a beat, something he blamed on the fact that she was an unexpected presence.

When she asked if he wanted to stay with her, he had prepared himself to say no. He had spent the entire day prior making up his mind about keeping her at arm's length. But when she looked at him, eyes so sad yet so hopeful, the words were caught on his tongue and he found himself agreeing despite the protesting voice in his head.

And then, that smile she gave him, so bright it almost left him blind. He could never possibly understand how someone could wear their feelings so readily for the world to read. And he definitely could never understand what it was about him that could change her mood so quickly. Sakura, to him, was an enigma.

By the time Sasuke finished at the training grounds, the sun was beginning to set and the sky darkened to a burnt umber. He wandered aimlessly throughout the village streets, not quite ready yet to head back to Sakura's place to face her. To his surprise, he found his feet taking him to a place that had only left icicles in his heart and as he stood at its entrance, a heaviness settled in the air.

He eyed the painted Uchiha fan, soaking in each detail and taking note of the sharp lines that indicated fresh paint. Just like Sakura had requested, the emblem had recently been touched up. It stood conspicuously against the crumbing architecture of the compound's entrance, seemingly out of place amongst the long-abandoned buildings.

Sasuke didn't dare to take a step further into the compound. Instead, he turned and traveled a short distance away from the Uchiha land's entrance until he found himself at a place that was conquered by silence and ghosts.

Rows of headstones—far too many headstones—lined the grassy fields as far as the eye could see. Each one was etched with a name and a familiar fan, all with the same date of death. But there were three in particular that Sasuke found with zero difficulty and as he knelt before the graves, his heart seized. There, at each headstone, laid a single bouquet of fresh daffodils.

The bouquets were small and modest, the bright yellow petals contrasting starkly with the solemn gray of the graveyard. Sasuke reached for the closest one, the one sitting on his mother's grave, and took a petal between his fingers. The flower was soft to the touch, almost like delicate silk. As he rubbed the material between a thumb and index finger, Sasuke wondered who could have possibly visited the Uchiha grave in his absence. Though, it didn't take long for him to find the answer.

Finally, his hand moved from the flowers to gently trace the name etched on the stone above it. The lines were clean, much too clean to have been evident of being abandoned for years. Even the grass that surrounded the cemetery suggested that it had been cut recently. And when he pulled his fingers away, the thin layer of dust told him that the headstone had been cleaned within the last couple months.

Sasuke continued to absentmindedly trace the name before him. Mikoto Uchiha. Even after all this time, her loss weighed heavy in his chest. He couldn't remember her face anymore, couldn't even recall the sound of her voice, and yet, his entire being still yearned for his mother. Without his family, there was an emptiness within him that felt neverending.

"Looks like she beat us here, huh?" spoke a familiar voice, causing Sasuke to jump in surprise.

Lost deeply in his grief and still chakra-deprived from the seal's effects, it took Sasuke another beat to identify the voice and respond. It wasn't until Kakashi knelt beside him and placed a bouquet of flowers before the grave that he finally found the words to speak.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know," Kakashi retorted as he gestured towards the daffodils.

There was an amused glint in the man's eyes that made Sasuke want to hit him. But deciding that it was rather inappropriate to do so in a cemetery, he suppressed the urge. In truth, Sasuke did know what—or rather, who—Kakashi was referring to. But the idea of Sakura painstakingly caring for his clan's grave while he was away from the village brought along an uncomfortable feeling, one he would do anything to avoid.

"She needs to learn to mind her own business," He said coldly.

Kakashi huffed and turned to eye the headstone before them, "Sure, if you say so."

Something about the Hokage's tone seemed to invite an argument, but Sasuke was too tired to engage. Instead, he simply stayed silent and stared straight ahead, reading the three names over and over until the syllables sounded strange in his mind.

When his former teacher made no move to leave, Sasuke gave an exasperated sighed, "What are you doing here, Kakashi?"

"Can't I visit an old friend?" Kakashi asked.

He followed Kakashi's line of sight until his eyes landed on the headstone of Obito Uchiha. There was a sort of tension in the air, like Kakashi was itching to say something more than that. But whatever it was, Sasuke wasn't interested, fully aware that whatever Kakashi had prepared would surely make him uncomfortable. Unsure of what to say next, Sasuke returned to his normal silence and settled on the ground with his legs crossed.

Finally, after several minutes, Kakashi broke the silence. "How are you? We didn't get a chance to catch up."

Sasuke shrugged, "I'm fine."

More silence.

Kakashi sighed, "You know, whenever she's in the village, Sakura comes here every month to leave flowers." When Sasuke didn't answer, he continued. "I would catch her here scrubbing each headstone and—"

"It's annoying," Sasuke interrupted, his tone heavy with irritation.

The gray-haired man chuckled, "You haven't changed."

Fighting the urge to tell Kakashi to leave him alone, Sasuke rested an elbow on his knee and put his chin on his hand. He had an inkling that Kakashi wouldn't leave until he said whatever it was he wanted to say anyways.

Just as he suspected, Kakashi began to speak, "Sasuke, don't you think it's time to forgive yourself?"

The question hung in the air, unanswered even as minutes passed. Sasuke didn't want to answer, but truthfully, he didn't even know how to answer. How could he possibly say that every second he spent in the village racked him with guilt? How could he even voice the fact that every spiteful stare thrown his way seemed to leave a bitter taste in his mouth despite his best efforts to ignore them?

But even in his silence, it was as if Kakashi understood all the words he left unspoken. Perhaps it was in the way Sasuke's muscles tensed at the question or how his teeth grinded with frustration that gave away his true feelings. Either way, Sasuke knew that he didn't need to speak aloud to tell Kakashi all he wanted to know.

"Look, Sasuke, I'm not going to lie to you and say that the mistakes you made in the past are going to be completely forgotten, or even forgiven, for that matter. But I think you've more than made up for them. It's time to stop punishing yourself."

Sasuke made no move to respond so Kakashi continued.

"When you punish yourself, you're also punishing everyone who loves you. Your friends are suffering along with you the more you deny yourself happiness, Sakura especially."

"This has nothing to do with her," Sasuke snapped.

Kakashi only smiled sadly through his mask, "So you've said."

"Then what are you getting at?" The raven-haired man demanded, impatience growing.

"What I'm getting at is that despite what you tell yourself, you're not alone. You never have been. It's time you think about those who love you, and let yourself be happy." Kakashi regarded him seriously and Sasuke averted his gaze.

Sighing, Kakashi continued. "I know it's easier said than done and you never liked listening to me anyways, but give it a try. Besides, now that you're staying with Sakura, I think it's the perfect time to open up."

"Mind your own business, Kakashi." Sasuke shot him a deadly glare.

With a knowing smile, Kakashi gently squeezed Sasuke's shoulder before pushing himself off the ground. He stretched his legs as he stood, ignoring the look of daggers that his former student was throwing his way.

As he turned to leave, he left Sasuke with a final message. "It's your decision, Sasuke, but you and I both know that you get very few chances to be with the people you love. Let it slip through your fingers, and you'll regret it the rest of your life."

With his words hanging heavily in the tense air, Kakashi disappeared down the path out of the cemetery. Sasuke was frozen in place, still mulling over what his former sensei said. He couldn't fathom why what he did to himself could possibly affect his friends. They had nothing to do with his sins, so why was his punishment hurting them, too? He simply couldn't understand.

Unable to handle his racing thoughts any longer, Sasuke pulled himself to his feet and trudged back to Sakura's apartment. As he walked, he absentmindedly thumbed the key in his pocket, finding that a lump began to form in his throat. Kakashi's voice echoed in his head no matter how much he tried to drown it out.

You and I both know that you get very few chances to be with the people you love, Kakashi had said. That sentence haunted Sasuke and ate at his very core. So many people he had loved and lost. Not a day went by where he didn't regret making the most of the short time he had with his parents and brother. Would life be so cruel as to take something else away from him?

The thought knocked all the air from his lungs just as he climbed the steps of Sakura's porch. He paused at the door, inhaling deeply to catch his breath. When his breathing finally returned to normal, Sasuke reached for the key in his pocket, but hesitated. After several moments, he decided to knock instead.

As the door swung open, a weary-looking Sakura came into view. Her pink locks were pulled into a tight bun, revealing the defined collarbones that peeked out above the collar of her t-shirt. Sasuke swallowed nervously at the sight.

Despite how tired she seemed, Sakura beamed at him. "Sasuke! Did you forget the key?"

"No," he answered simply as he brushed past her and into the apartment.

As soon as he moved through the entryway, the aroma of freshly cooked food met his nostrils, making his mouth water. When he looked back at Sakura, he found that she was still holding a wooden spoon in her hands.

"Go ahead and take a seat at the table. I'm almost done cooking dinner," she announced happily.

With a nod, Sasuke did as he was told. He took the seat facing the kitchen directly and watched as she returned to the stove. Her back facing him, she began to stir a large pot as she hummed softly under her breath. He studied her movements carefully, taking note of how her ears were tinged red.

"I invited Souta, but…" Sakura trailed off, and it didn't take a genius to finish her sentence.

Sasuke knew that Souta wasn't fond of him. It was clear from the way Souta avoided his gaze that he actually despised Sasuke and Sasuke couldn't blame him. After all, he was the reason that Root chased after them. Sasuke was the reason his sister died right in front of his eyes.

"But never mind that!" Sakura finished the sentence and quickly changed the subject. "I hope you're hungry, because I made a lot."

Sasuke hummed in reply and reached for the newspaper that was folded on her dining table. He pretended to busy himself with it but in reality, he continued to watch her, mesmerized by the way she so effortlessly maneuvered throughout the kitchen. The counter was a mess of spilled ingredients and tipped over bowls and yet she made it seem like an exact science.

It was about fifteen minutes later that she placed a steaming plate of rice and curry in front of Sasuke before scuttling back to the kitchen to grab utensils. Finally, she took a seat across from him and settled down with a smile.

"It's a Haruno family recipe; I hope you like it."

"Ah. Thank you," Sasuke responded.

As Sasuke took a bite, he could feel Sakura's anticipating gaze watching him. He chewed slowly, allowing the flavors to meld in his mouth before finally meeting her eyes.

"It's good."

She clasped her hands together, grinning. "Wonderful! I'm glad!"

As they ate in silence, he continued to steal glances at her. When he noticed something strange, he paused. Sasuke regarded her for several beats, brow furrowing. He hadn't noticed it before but with her now sitting so close, it was clear to see. Her eyes were rimmed red and swollen. The smile she gave him was forced and it wavered as soon as she thought he wasn't looking.

Before he could stop himself, he asked, "Why were you crying?"

Startled, Sakura dropped her spoon and froze. After what felt like minutes, she finally picked up her utensil with trembling fingers and placed it neatly against her plate before responding.

"Who said I was crying?" She laughed nervously.

Sasuke's stare on her was unwavering, his eyes narrowing.

With a gulp, she finally admitted. "It's nothing, Sasuke. You don't need to worry about it."

"Tell me," he demanded, fighting against every instinct in his body that told him to drop the subject.

Sakura's mouth parted in surprise and she watched him for a long while, eyes flickering across his face as if in search of something. Finally, she acquiesced. "It's Ino. I saw her earlier today at her family's shop and she was still upset with me because of Sai."

Before Sasuke could respond, she threw her hands up and added. "But it's fine! Really."

Something inside him stirred at how quickly she wanted to dismiss her feelings, as if they were somehow a burden for him to listen to. Sasuke knew her well enough to know when something was truly upsetting her and despite how much she wanted to tell him otherwise, he wasn't convinced. While he never quite understood Sakura's friendship with Ino, he knew enough to deduce that conflict between them deeply hurt her.

"It's not fine if it makes you cry," he stated, averting his gaze. For some reason, he suddenly found it difficult to meet her eyes. Something about the way those green irises darkened when she was upset brought an uncomfortable feeling to his chest.

"I mean, it's understandable that she's upset and she's my best friend so I don't want to see her that way. Plus, I don't want Sai and Captain Yamato to be caught by the ANBU forces either. Although, that sounds pretty bad coming from a shinobi."

"It's not like it's your fault they betrayed the village."

"No, but I can't help but feel responsible for reporting them. I know it was the right thing to do but sometimes I wish I didn't have to do the right thing."

"I see," Sasuke said when he no longer knew how to respond.

Sensing this, she smiled at him knowingly. "But enough about that, let's just eat."

Nodding, he continued with his meal. They finished quickly and soon, he gathered their dirty dishes and brought them to the kitchen sink. With an instruction to Sakura to rest, he scrubbed the dishes clean. When the job was done, he joined her on the couch, sitting at the far end to leave a respectable distance between them.

Sakura had her back against the arm rest and knees pulled up to her chest as her feet rested on the middle cushion of the couch. In one hand, she propped open a medical textbook while her other hand furiously scribbled on a nearby notepad. He watched curiously as she seemed not to notice that he had sat down beside her, too preoccupied by whatever it was she was studying.

"Sakura," he started softly.

She paused, seeming a little startled that he spoke. She met his gaze and wordlessly put away her reading materials, signaling him to continue.

"Why do you keep cleaning the Uchiha cemetery?"

Her mouth parted as if surprised that he knew it was her. "I just thought it would be nice for you to come back and see that your clan hasn't been forgotten. I'm sorry if I overstepped." Her voice trembled, suddenly sounding so small as she refused to meet his eyes.

"I appreciate it," Sasuke paused. "And I'm sorry."

"Sorry? For what?"

"I shouldn't have gotten angry with you for touching up the paint at the compound. I know you were just trying to help."

"Oh, that, don't worry about it! I know I should have asked you before doing anything. It was my fault for meddling in your clan's belongings."

"Still, I'm sorry." He responded, voice soft.

She finally looked up to meet his gaze and their eyes held each other there for a while. Sasuke simply couldn't bring himself to look away. It was after some time that Sakura finally looked away as she began to fiddle with a loose thread on the hem of her shirt. When she did so, Sasuke also diverted his gaze, focusing his attention instead on the picture of Team 7 as children where it sat on her bookshelf.

It was Sakura who broke the silence this time. "Sasuke, how did you know it was me?"

"Hmm?"

"Back at Root. You said my name even though I had a disguise on and you couldn't use your chakra to detect my signature. How did you know it was me?" She elaborated.

He hesitated, unsure of how to answer. His memories of being in Root were fuzzy, but he could recall one thing. As soon as her chakra touched his skin, he knew. He would recognize it anywhere. The way it was cooling yet warm at the same time, how she gently prodded at each broken bone and healed it with a feather-like touch, every inch of him just knew it was Sakura. He settled on just telling her the truth, or at least a part of it.

"Your chakra. I knew as soon as I felt your chakra."

Sakura's eyes widened as her head shot up to face him. A visible scarlet hue filled her cheeks, running up to meet her ears..

Seeing her react this way unsettled him and he quickly searched for a way to subdue the hidden meaning behind his answer. "It's rare for anyone to be able to transfer chakra like that, it only made sense that it was you."

"Oh, I see." Her face fell, noticeable disappointment overtaking her features.

The sight brought a lump to Sasuke's throat that he quickly swallowed. A little disappointment was nothing compared to what she would feel if he got her hopes up just to let her down again in the future. He might as well extinguish whatever she thought they were, or could be, right here and now.

After a prolonged silence, Sakura finally stood and stretched before stifling a yawn. "I'm going to head to bed. Do you need anything before I do?"

Sasuke shook his head wordlessly.

"Alright, I left this blanket and pillow for you and I have some extra towels and toiletries in the bathroom cabinet. Feel free to knock if you need anything, okay?"

"Thanks."

She gave him a soft smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. Still standing in place, she watched him for a while as if there was more she wanted to say. But the words were never spoken and she silently turned and headed down the hall.

When she was finally at the bedroom door, she called back to him. "Goodnight, Sasuke."

He hesitated before responding, mind turning endlessly with thoughts of her sleeping in the next room. Knowing that felt impossibly suffocating, like he was an animal trapped in a cage that was much too small. The only thing he could tell himself to suppress the turmoil in his gut was that this was a temporary thing. As soon as he was healed, he would leave to track down Root's leader. But why, after all the time he spent away, did the thought of leaving suddenly make it feel even more difficult to breathe?

Shaking the thoughts away, he finally returned. "Ah. Goodnight, Sakura."

A/N

Hi again! I hope you all have been well. I know my chapters have had a lot less action that usual lately but I hope you still enjoyed them! (Don't worry, things will pick up soon!).

Take care and you all can look forward to the next chapter within two weeks (but hopefully earlier)!