It Began With a Kidnapping Chapter 15: The Original Best Friend, a naruto fanfic

The Original Best Friend

One would think that gallantry, courtesy, and heroic gestures would be more than enough to help a knight-who had recently saved his damsel-to give him enough confidence to easily admit his intentions towards the young lady. But like Cinderella's chariot and entourage, the magic of the knight in shining armor effect quickly tarnished with the ending of the ball's night. Then again, Sasuke was not sure why he thought things would suddenly fall into place so conveniently like a story book tale. It wasn't as if he even had a chariot, or fancy outfit tailored out of air, or even a fairy godmother for that matter. He had a police patrol car, a borrowed ill fitting suit, and a Shisui. None of which were exactly Disney™ magical kingdom inspiring.

So when school came back around after the weekend, Sasuke found himself sitting amongst his peers, dressed in the same old school uniform, at the same old desk, and with the same old cowardly anxiety each time he so much as thought about revealing the strange emotions he felt for the pink haired girl sitting next to him.

Sasuke wasn't exactly sure why he thought things would be different. Everything seemed to be exactly as it was. Except Mr. Hatake. Ever since the dance, every time Sasuke looked at their homeroom teacher, the grey haired educator was peeking out from over his very unscholastic reading material. And every time Sasuke caught his teacher peeking over his way, Mr. Hatake's eyes darted from him to Sakura before disappearing behind his book in a fit of giggles. He was not exactly sure what this new development was, but he was confident it had to do with the fact that Kakashi Hatake was more than aware of his secret. He didn't know how the teacher knew, but he did.

All during the dance he had been acutely aware of the grey haired man practically hovering over them as he chaperoned at the dance. Except instead of wedging a ruler between himself and Sakura to insure they stood a foot apart like the rest of the dance attendees, Kakashi had practically tried to glue them together every time he made his rounds. But Sasuke couldn't be bothered by his teacher's strange behaviors nor the inappropriate investment the older man had with teenage romances.

Sasuke needed to get a grip on his own behaviors and feelings. Because if he didn't, at the rate in which his hormones and feelings were growing exponentially anytime he so much as looked at anything pink, he was certain he would erupt like a volcano and profess an undying love for her in the middle of the school cafeteria as he had seen far too many failed confessions go. And Sasuke was not that. He was calm and collected. But his cool attitude was going under some intense pressure. He was only one too many accidental brushes of the arm away from his desk mate before the heat took over.

He had attempted to have a nonchalant discussion with his brother when Itachi had come home for a weekend, having hoped to gain a few tips on how to confess to a girl. It was a discussion which had been interrupted by an eavesdropping, and all too eager to help, Mikoto. Before Sasuke could so much as gleen a solid idea from the consistent spout of ideas flowing from his mother that involved far too many flowers, aerial messages, and the releasing of a flock of doves, the discussion was intercepted by a nosey and unwelcome Shisui. And of course he was absolutely no help. His only advice was to get down on one knee and propose. A suggestion that his mother unnervingly supported all too eagerly.

After that disastrous council of advice, Sasuke came up with his own plan. He would ask Sakura on a date. Then, when he found a quiet and private moment, he would tell her, making sure he had a quick escape should she reject him.

And thus he found himself, standing before her in an empty hallway near the front of the school during lunch, three long weeks following the dance and the start of the new term. She stood before him, wearing her neatly pressed uniform and her long hair pulled up in a ponytail, secured by a familiar red ribbon that she had for as long as he could remember. She looked up at him expectantly, waiting for him to speak as it was he who had texted her to meet him here so he could talk to her about something he refused to specify via message.

The moment her brightly lit eyes fell on him, his heart leapt. What was he doing? It was the middle of the day at the beginning of the week! If he asked her now it would mean that he would have to sit next to her for the rest of the day! And he just knew it would be awkward regardless of the acceptance of the invitation or not! Kami, what if she rejected him! He still had to sit next to her for the rest of the school year! Maybe he could transfer to some school on the other side of the world.

"Sasuke? Are you feeling alright?" Sakura asked worriedly, breaking him from his panicked frenzy of thoughts. "You look like you're about to have an aneurysm."

Sasuke tried to push his frantic worries aside so he could focus panicked eyes on Sakura. And when he did, he felt like he was about to go into full cardiac arrest with how quickly his heart was beating. Somehow he had failed to notice that she had stepped closer to him in concern and was now tilting her head worriedly up at him. Her eyes caught the sunlight coming in through the window they stood next to, causing the rare anomaly of gold flecks to appear around the edge of her otherwise green irises.

He cleared his throat and shifted a bit to put some space between them. "I'm fine," he said, his hand nervously going up to his spiky hair as he brushed his bangs down, as if to hide the faint blush that he was currently fighting off.

Clearing his throat again, he looked back up at her. A determination in his eyes as he realized that he could not wait for after school or the weekend. He needed to get this done and over with so he had enough time to plan what they would do on their date, as well as insure that no other Sasori's came waltzing into his teenage tortured life.

"Sakura, would you–"

"No way!"

Her words hit him like a cannonball to the gut. Sure he had envisioned getting rejected about a hundred different ways, but not like this. In his nightmares he had always managed to at least finish the question before she fully shot him down.

"...Gaara!"

The sore feeling of rejection was filled by confusion. But then he realized, Sakura was not even looking at him anymore. Instead her eyes were directed to the left of him, looking just past his shoulder. He turned his head and found a boy-who had just exited the headmasters office- paused and looking in their direction. For a moment Sasuke thought it was Sasori, with the mop of bright red hair and short stature, but then he remembered Sasori no longer went to this school.

After an anonymous tip of underage drinking at a college frat party got him arrested, Sasori's parents shipped him off to Suna to live with his grandmother. The elder woman was rumored to be a brash and strict lady who was less than pleased to hear of her grandson's behaviors.

Such knowledge caused Sasuke to look closer at the stranger and realize, while still significantly shorter than Sasuke, he was certainly taller than the shrimp of a man Sasori was.

The boy's darkly rimmed green eyes seemed to narrow for a second before suddenly widening with recognition. "Sakura!?" he exclaimed, immediately moving towards them and to Sasuke's horror, received a far too comfortable and unnecessarily lingering embrace from Sakura.

As the red haired boy wrapped his arms around Sakura, Sasuke noticed the tightness in which his arms and hands pressed into her back. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the offending grasp then flicked his eyes up to look at the other boy, only to find the boy was already looking back at him with his own narrowed expression.

A silent challenge.

Sasuke's upper lip twitched before he grasped Sakura's shoulder and pulled her back, all the while never looking away from the boy that was oblivious to what his sudden appearance had just interrupted. Then again, by the way he seemingly glanced at Sakura longingly as she was pulled from his arms, Sasuke's paranoid and jealous fueled mind could not help but think this was no such coincidence.

"Oh my gosh, sorry, introductions!" Sakura began, completely oblivious to the heated glares being exchanged from over the top of her head. She looked up to Sasuke, slightly confused by the dark look on his face. "Sasuke this is Gaara, my friend from my parents hometown, Gaara this is Sasuke, my friend who I've told you about."

If the presentation of each boy was meant to ease the tension that she was suddenly becoming aware of, it was a failed attempt. The introduction of Sasuke only caused Gaara to frown deeply as he looked back at Sasuke, his black rimmed eyes looking Sasuke up and down, measuring him up.

Gaara's lips moved up into a sneer that some could interpret as a smile. "Pleasure to finally meet you, I've heard all about you," Gaara said slowly, lifting a hand in offering.

Sasuke was tempted to ignore it, but he took advantage with a different approach and opportunity. Raising his own hand, he grasped Gaara's and applied enough pressure to be considered a bone crushing tight grip. "Can't say the same about you. I don't think she's ever even mentioned you," he responded, doing his best to not show any sign of discomfort as Gaara returned the gesture with a similar grasp of strength.

To be honest this statement was a slight lie. Sasuke knew he had heard the name Gaara before, but at this moment he could not place why it sounded so familiar. And it bothered him that he could not place it. He felt like it was attached to something of a very important fact.

Gaara. Gaara. Gaarー

And then it hit him and he was suddenly transported to a seventh grade birthday party in Ino's basement.

Who was your first kiss, he had asked Sakura.

...a boy from my family's hometown, she had replied. Gaara. His name was Gaara.

Of course, how could he have momentarily forgotten such a moment that had haunted him for years. As the memory flashed across his mind, Sasuke reevaluated the other boy with an all new loathing and contempt. This was Gaara, the Gaara with whom Sakura shared her first kiss.

Sasuke hadn't needed much of a reason to dislike the red haired boy in front of him. He looked too much like Sasori which had earned Sasuke's diproval automatically. He couldn't trust red heads since the dance fiasco. But as Sasuke took in the emo looking kid, Sasuke could not help but loathe entirely everything about him. From his flaming red hair, to his jade eyes that looked at Sakura too fondly, to his high top black Converse that had a kanji symbol decal on the sides. Sasuke didn't care if the word was love, this guy was no good. He wasn't Sakura's friend, he was Sasuke's rival.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura's high voice broke through the ringing sound in Sasuke's ears. Scooching closer to Gaara, she all too excitedly bounced on her toes.

"I am enrolling to the school," he explained, giving all of his attention to Sakura and disregarding Sasuke's very presence as the dark haired boy lurked over the girl between them, glaring over her pink head at Gaara.

As they spoke, Sasuke reached out to grab onto Sakura's blazer, his fingers catching onto the fabric to keep her from wandering too close to the red head.

"My father wants us children to study in the city, so Kankuro, Temari, and I are living with my grandmother through the next school year. I was going to call you later this week to meet up this weekend and surprise you, but I didn't realize we were going to be attending the same school."

Sasuke's stomach dropped as Sakura excitedly clapped her hands and leapt forward, tugging out of Sasuke's grip as she flung her arms around Gaara again. As she latched onto him, Gaara gave Sasuke a smug look from over her shoulder, his jade eyes gleaming with mirth.

Sakura pulled away about two seconds before Sasuke lost it.

She continued to hop up and down with glee. "This is so exciting! I can't wait! Do you know where your classes are? Have you been shown around the school." Gaara shook his head and to Sasuke's utmost horror, Sakura linked her arm with the red head and began tugging him down the hall. "Well let me show you around! Are Kankuro and Temari going to attend too?"

They were halfway down the hall before the abandoned Sasuke seemed to be remembered and Sakura quickly turned around. "Oh, Sasuke," she said quickly. "Do you mind if we can talk about whatever it was you wanted to talk about later?"

Sasuke was not even given a chance to answer before she was sending him a sweet smile and a carefree thanks before continuing on, leaving a defeated Sasuke to deflate and reevaluate his plan that was now in desperate need of altering and fast.

Sasuke sat at the usual table that the group occupied during the lunch hour. Next to him Naruto was impatiently drumming his fingers across the bowl of instant ramen he had just purchased as he waited for it to finish cooking. Aside from them and a slumbering Shikamaru, the rest of the group had yet to show up.

"Hey did you guys hear about the new kids?" Kiba asked as he set his food tray down and clambered into his seat.

Along with him Hinata and Shino had arrived. Shino quietly hunkered into an empty chair and Hinata bashfully slid into the empty chair next to Nartuo. Immediately Naruto put an arm around the back of Hinata's chair as he grabbed the seat to pull her closer to him, causing her face to become crimson as she let out a startled squeak as the chair shifted.

"Yeah!" Naruto exclaimed, once he was content with Hinata's close proximity. "Apparently their dad is like some high official back in their hometown. I am gonna ask my dad about them when I get home today."

"Whose dad is a high official?" An approaching Tenten asked as she and Neji walked up to the table, hand in hand.

"The new kids," Kiba supplied.

"OH! Yeah!" Tenten responded. "The sister, Temari, sits right in front of me in maths. She seemed cool enough, she sounds pretty athletic so I am going to try and recruit her for the track team when it starts up in a few weeks. I bet she runs like the wind with how long her legs are." She looked at Neji. "Don't you sit next to her brother?"

Neji nodded. "His name is Kankuro but that's about all I know. I didn't really talk to him."

Tenten frowned, unhappy with the lack of information her boy friend provided. She was not usually one for gossip, but as the co-captain of the track team with Lee, she was always on the lookout for potential recruits. She looked to the rest of the table. "What have you found out about the other one? Isn't he in your class?"

"I think so, but he hasn't been in any of our classes yet. I think they are still having him take some tests and doing some transferal paperwork for him," Kiba remarked. Then leaned forward, a conspiratorial spark of intrigue coming to his face. "They usually only do that for kids who have shady school records, what do you think he did?"

Kiba's remarks had the whole table leaning in curiously, each of them giving out their own theories. All that is, except for Sasuke who only frowned at the idea and of course Shikamaru who was still snoozing.

"You know Sakura knows them from back when she was little," Naruto said. "I bet she knows all about them."

"Really?"

"W-where is S-sakura?" Hinata asked, looking around the cafeteria. Her pale eyes fell onto Sasuke expectantly.

Sasuke did not even offer the girl an answer. Instead he glowered around at the cafeteria. He had not seen Sakura since she scampered off to give Gaara a tour of the school at the beginning of the lunch break.

"Oi, bastard!" Naruto shouted, kicking Sasuke in the shin. "My girlfriend asked you a question. Where is Sakura?"

Sasuke kicked Naruto back. "Why are you asking me?" The entire table gave him a unified pointed look. "Tch," he scoffed. "She's giving a tour to the new kid, whatever his name was."

Sasuke knew the name, he just chose to not acknowledge him fully. While the buzzing gossip about the new siblings was burning through the student body like a wildfire, Sasuke found himself unwilling to acknowledge it. Partially out of denial of what had happened earlier-Sakura abandoning him for someone else- and partially out of contempt. There were many names and references Sasuke was using for Gaara in his mind, and the complete disregard of it out loud was perhaps the most polite of his alternatives.

"Really!? The red headed one? You know Ino said that he was Sakura's first love."

Sasuke's head whipped around to scowl at Naruto. "Well Ino is a trouty mouth gossip, who doesn't know what she's talking about," Sasuke sneered. "Don't believe anything that comes out of her big mouth."

"I resent that remark Uchiha," said Ino as she appeared out of nowhere. "I will have you know that my 411 is highly reliable." She sat down next to Hinata. "Now, what am I being accused of not knowing anything about?"

"The new kids," Tenten answered.

"Oh my gosh," Ino gushed. "The new girl is a total knockout babe and I would hate her if she was not so cool. And the older one, did you know he has a car, and I heard he is really talented in thespian arts and has already done some internships over the summer for a drama that is coming out later this year. I guess he wants to go into directing and production. And normally I am not into shorter guys or red heads, but damn, that Gaara…" Ino began to fan herself expressively with her hand. "Total hunk with the perfect mixture of broody edginess. Gods! Sakura is such a brat for keeping him hidden away all these years. That selfish little一You know I have heard her talk about him for years but not once did she think to…"

Ino's flippant droning on and on about Gaara's features and attractiveness did little to settle or improve Sasuke's mood. As the rest of the group began to eat their lunches and talk about the excitement of the day, Sasuke sat beneath a dark cloud of his own contempt and misery while the table around him laughed and smiled.

Half way through the lunch hour Sakura finally showed up, but to his dismay, she was not alone. And as the whole table sifted and made room to allow three more to their innercircle, Sasuke found himself in even more of a grim and dreary mood when he found himself sandwiched between Naruto and Kankuro while Sakura sat at the far end between Gaara and Temari. Gaara, preoccupying all of her attention as Termari was too busy arguing with the sleepy looking Shikamaru whose midday nap had been interrupted with the shifting of seats.

Sasuke's dark eyes stayed focused on Sakura and Gaara throughout the rest of the lunch. He waited for her to look over at him, willing her to acknowledge him and remember that they still needed to talk. But not once did she so much as glance at him as she happily and animatedly talked with Gaara. Even when the bell sounded at the end of their break, Sasuke's eyes stayed locked on the rosette, only to watch her stand and start walking away with Gaara without so much of a pause or look to him that assured him she remembered he had even asked to talk to her.

Insignificant. That was how he felt. All his life he had gone about purposefully disregarding others without so much of a second thought of how it made others feel. Now he knew. And he hated it. But not as much as he hated a certain redhaired new arrival that, at the beginning of their next period, walked in a minute after the bell and was introduced to the entire class as the new addition to their home room and was assigned a seat right behind himself and Sakura.

That plan to talk later never happened. With the excitement of three new students now attending their school, Sasuke had not gotten the opportunity to speak with her during school as each time he so much as turned to speak with her, she was already turned around in her desk speaking with Gaara, who had been assigned the empty seat behind them in class. Sasuke could not help but curse Sato for moving at the end of last term.

And if Gaara was not enough to distract her, it was Gaara's sister showing up in between classes to pull her away, not to mention the third sibling who was old enough to drive and had so graciously offered to take Sakura home after school. Thus keeping Sasuke from catching her after class and speaking with her.

"Was the entire family in love with her!?" Sasuke muttered to himself as he walked home alone from school.

Naruto had refused to walk with him, determined to not catch Sasuke's contagious aura of gloom. The sunny haired boy had claimed it would mess with his inner chakra for his big date with Hinata this weekend. Whatever that meant. It disturbed Sasuke to think that the idiot managed to gain himself a steady girlfriend before Sasuke could even successfully ask a girl out on a date.

The week had flown by and before he knew it, school had been let out for the weekend. Thus Sasuke found himself on a friday evening, walking down the familiar neighborhood that Sakura lived in. He was determined to talk to her and at least arrange a somewhat date with the limited time he had to plan. As he reached her house, he went through the small metal door of the gate before walking up the steps toward the front porch.

It felt like forever when he last walked up this stone path, palms sweating, and nerves wriggling in his stomach as he went to knock on her door and take her to the dance. That night he had not prepared himself for the vision that she would be when she answered the door. Her green eyes fierce with vengeance as her arm was pulled back ferociously, more than likely expecting Sasori at the door instead of himself. And he could never be more proud of her than in that moment. And then that warrioress beauty of hers softened into one of a more elegant charm. And for a moment, Sasuke was worried he would never be able to recover the breath she had taken away from him.

The memory of her was washed away when the front door of the house swung open in present time and he was greeted by Sakura's mother. The blonde woman gave Sasuke a surprised but warm smile as she looked at the surly teenager.

"Sasuke," she said, her green eyes similar to Sakura's but not quite as bright, then again he was perhaps biased. "Are you here to see Sakura?"

"Ah," Sasuke remarked.

Mebuki gave him a smile, used to the boys near muteness when it came to communicating and stepped aside. "Come on in. Sakura's upstairs in her room with her other friend."

Sasuke quickly stepped into the entryway, neatly placing his shoes in the line, next to a pair of black high top converse. Sasuke slightly frowned, the shoes were vaguely familiar and he wondered where exactly he had seen them. Recently Naruto had taken to throwing in some black with his outrageous orange color scheme for his clothes, but he was on a date tonight. As Sasuke began to walk up the stairs, the recollection of where he had seen those shoes before, hit him. And his suspicion was confirmed the moment he reached the end of the hall and peeked through the ajar door to see Sakura sitting on her bed with Gaara perched next to her as they dug through a box.

"Aw, it's Shukaku! I can't believe you still have this!" Sakura exclaimed with glee, pulling out a stuffed animal with blue lines scrawled across its otherwise sandy fur and fluffy tail. It was not exactly what some would consider a cuddly or cute stuffed animal with its beady black eyes and stitched mouth being a monstrous grin of sharp teeth. But it seemed Sakura found a lovability in unfriendly looking things.

Gaara took the stuffed animal and gave it a look over. "He was the last birthday present you gave me before you moved," he commented.

Sakura's response was cut short of even leaving her mouth when Sasuke pushed the door open, causing both of them to jump as it hit the wall harder than necessary. The moment Sakura's green eyes took him in he noticed her quickly give herself more room between herself and Gaara, shifting the box of stuff from their laps to rest between them instead. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, the action was an indication of guilt.

"Sasuke! Hey!" Sakura said, her voice pitched unusually higher. "What are you doing here? I didn't know you were coming over."

Sasuke stepped into the room, his strides purposeful as he came over to where she sat on the bed, his knees nearly grazing her own as he stood before her, hands shoved into his pockets.

"Didn't realize I needed to start making appointments to come over." He sent a dark gaze to where Gaara was sitting at the end of the bed. "I am not interrupting anything, am I? Do you want me to go?" he asked, slightly apprehensive that she would say yes. Judging by the glimpse of Gaara's face Sasuke caught from the corner of his eye, the redhead was hoping she would say exactly that.

"No not at all!" She replied, clearing the box of things away to allow him to join them on the bed. "We were just looking at some old stuff."

Sasuke could not help but give Gaara a smug glance as he moved between them, leaning his back against the wall to let his long legs stretch out and act as a physical divider for keeping a perfect spacing between the other two. As he settled, Sakura readjusted herself to sit cross legged at the head of her bed as she hugged a familiar slug plush against herself. Her happy warm smile wavering as she looked back and forth between them, catching the unwelcoming glare Gaara shot Sasuke as he settled down. And in return, the raven haired boy gave the redhead a smug challenging look.

As silence took over, Sakura began to feel the heavy awkwardness that set in the room as the two boys silently glared back and forth between each other. "So um...Sasuke, Gaara here plays Ninja's Unknown: Battleground," Sakura supplied, hoping to break the tension, it was important that these two liked each other.

Sasuke looked to Gaara. "What system do you use? PlayStation or Xbox?"

"PC," Gaara answered.

"Tch figures," Sasuke remarked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gaara challenged.

The answer in which Sasuke gave was not the one Sakura, bless her heart, had meant to bring out when she had tried to find a common denominator between her two friends. Immediately a heated discussion of PC versus console gaming erupted. And for the next two hours she tried and failed to bring them together, failing miserably as anything that was brought up, they were on opposite sides. Their opinions were so consistently opposing to the point that Sakura was convinced neither were even stating how they felt, and were just automatically taking the side of opposition, regardless of the topic. And when it became apparent that neither was leaving until the other was leaving, Sakura had to feign a headache so they would both leave her in peace.

And Sasuke, distracted from his original reason he had even come, did not even realize until he was half way home, that he had not even secured a time or even a day in which he and Sakura could do something together.

Frustrated, he pulled out his phone and texted her.

Sasuke: Tomorrow. Bus stop. Noon.

He was just entering his room when he received her response.

Sakura: Can't ToT. Gaara needs help picking out a b-day present for Temari tomorrow. Won't be back until late.

Sasuke's eye twitched as he read the message, a dozen curses flowing from his mouth, all of them dedicated to what he thought about Gaara. What, the guy can't buy something for his own sister, he thought sarcastically as he typed in a response.

Sasuke: Sunday.

He flopped onto his bed face down and phone in mattress springs had just stopped bouncing when his phone vibrated, causing him to quickly flip over and swipe at his phone, cursing again when the face recognition failed to accept his skewed face of agitation and he was forced to manually type in his passcode.

Sakura: Sunday is the party. Sorry.

"Damn it!" he screamed, tossing his phone across the room where it smacked against the wall and fell to the ground.

He fell back onto his bed after his fit of rage and let out a frustrated groan as he dug the heels of his hand into his eyes, confused as to why they felt like they were burning. After a moment of composing himself, he let his arms fall down to his side as he gazed up at the ceiling of his room. Why was this so hard? It was as if the universe was against him and kami was doing everything in their power to stop him. That, or they were just testing him, like some hero who had to accomplish so many feats before allowed to marry the princess. But it wasn't like he was asking for much, it was just a date, a singled out time with just himself and Sakura when he could address this massive yearning in his chest he was struggling to contain.

She needed to know. She needed to know how much she drove him crazy. How every other thought of his waking mind was about her. To the point that she was plaguing his dreams so often he could hardly sleep properly. She needed to know all of that was her fault! She needed to take responsibility for his palpitating heart, by taking it off his hands and tenderly seeing to it.

In the stillness of his dark room, he heard the muffled sound of his phone vibrate against the carpet as the screen lit up a corner of his room. With a heavy sigh he dragged himself off his bed and walked over to his phone.

"Damn it," he muttered when he noticed the fresh crack in his screen, but it was quickly forgotten when he noticed the name attached to the text alert.

Sakura: Monday?

Sasuke thought for a moment, it wasn't really necessary that they do it on the weekend. It wasn't ideal, there was not as much open and they would have to go later. However, at the rate in which Gaara was obviously trying to occupy Sakura's every free moment, he needed to move fast before yet another red headed vessel of a demon spawn made a move. That gave him the weekend to plan something, he was not sure what but at this point, he didn't care. They could sit on a park bench for two minutes for all he cared, he just needed a moment to finally talk to her without any interruptions. With that in his mind, Sasuke jabbed out a response, his fingers flying and missing the wrong letters and causing him to let out a curse as he had to backspace and retype.

Sasuke: Yes. After school.

He didn't care if they would still be in uniforms, Sakura looked perfect in everything and he could not risk going home separately and then showing up to her house, only to find Gaara sprawled out on her bed doing gods know what! Honestly! How could her mother allow a teenage boy to freely be in her room alone. Did she not know what went on in a teenage boys head? Because he did and if Gaara was in the least bit interested in Sakura, he knew exactly what kind of thoughts were running through his mind.

His phone vibrated in his hand and he looked down to see Sakura had responded.

Sakura: Yay! Can't wait.

Sakura: BTW what exactly are we doing?

Sasuke smirked down at his phone, his heart beating within his chest with a jittering of excitement and nerves.

Sasuke: It's a surprise.

Sakura: :D

Sasuke: Go to bed now, it's late and not good for your headache.

Sakura responded with a gif of someone rolling their eyes. Followed by a cat giving a mock salute.

Sasuke: Night.

Sakura: Goodnight, Sasuke. Sleep well and have a good weekend!

Instinctively Sasuke wanted to wish her that same. But then he remembered with whom she was spending her weekend with. And while it went against everything he ever wanted to wish upon her, he secretly hoped that her weekend was terrible.

Monday came and with it, so did Sakura's presence. It soothed his soul and relaxed his mind to bask in her company as they sat at their shared desk and waited for the morning bell to sound the start of the day. Sasuke leaned forward, resting his head on his stacked arms as he faced her, watching her under his sooty eyelashes as she double checked her homework, occasionally giving him a questioning glance.

"Sasuke?"

"Hm," he hummed lazily, the familiarity of the start of a new week making him content and optimistic.

"What did you get on question thirteen?" she asked, a wrinkle of lines forming in the center of her brow as she looked down at her paper.

Sasuke slowly sat up, rolling his eyes as he let out an exhausted sigh. He always made a show of annoyance when she needed help, but he secretly loved it. She would lean over his arm as he worked out a problem, bringing the sweet smell of her into his personal space, which as far as he was concerned, could stay there forever. Then of course, once she easily and effortlessly showed her how to solve whatever equation, she would give his arm a squeeze and lay her head on his shoulder as she hugged him in gratitude.

Only recently, there was a newly introduced factor that had disrupted their homeostasis, an element that Sasuke had momentarily forgotten about that altered the course of outcome. Though he was quickly reminded when the flash of red hair leaned forward between their shoulders.

"I can help you with that one."

Sasuke gritted his teeth as his hands clenched. Gaara, his mind cursed. Ignoring Gaara's existence, Sasuke not so subtly pushed Gaara's head backwards as he leaned closer to Sakura.

"Sasuke!" Sakura slightly chastised from his roughness.

Sasuke cast an innocent look behind his shoulder. "Hn, didn't see you," he said, not an ounce of apology in his voice. He looked back to Sakura to find her frowning at him. "It was an accident," he emphasized, though the casual shrug did not convince her.

She gave him an incredulous look to which he rolled his eyes and leaned forward, grabbing her pencil from her hand to show her the problem. As Sakura's attention slowly drew back to him and only him, Sasuke felt a twinge of triumph as he intentionally boxed out the red haired boy sitting behind them. All the while, he relished the heavy glare he felt being directed to the back of his head. It was the first of many victories he planned to acquire today.

It was finally the end of the school day and with it, the highly anticipated moment in which Sasuke could finally have some solitude with Sakura. At the moment, the dark haired young man stood outside the classroom waiting impatiently for Sakura. Leaning against the door frame with his hands in his pockets, he tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for her to put away her art supplies and gather up her things.

When she finally managed to come to the door, Sasuke grabbed a hold of her back pack as she pulled it over her shoulders. With his hand grasping at the hand loop, he all but carried her down the hall as he guided them quickly through a side door and across the courtyard of the academy grounds.

He had managed to get three feet out the school gates when a familiar voice called out.

"SASUKEEEE!"

The sound of his name being hollared from across the courtyard had him grabbing Sakura's arm as he prepared to run. Unfortunately, Sakura was not as discompationate as he was. And when her friends called out to her, she acknowledged them.

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

The moment her name was called out, Sakura dug her heels into the ground as she turned back to look at the school.

"Naruto! What is wrong!?" Sakura asked, her green eyes alarmed as Naruto came to a running stop in front of them.

Naruto, who was breathing heavily from his sprint across the courtyard, gave them an expectant look. "Where are you guys going?"

"Just the park, nothing you would be inter-"

"Awesome!" Naruto interrupted. "On our way back can we get some ramen from Ichiraku? It's been forever since we have done anything, you know since I have a girlfriend and all?"

Naruto puffed out his chest at the declaration and gave Sasuke a smug look. Sasuke gave him a dark and foreboding look that was enough to douse even the brightest rays of the sun in shadow. But of course, Naruto had long since become unphased by such looks, having built up an immunity over the past seventeen years.

"You're not invited," Sasuke said quickly and firmly.

"Why not, it's not like this is a date and I am third wheeling!"

Sasuke opened his mouth to tell him just how close he was to the truth but then Sakura turned around to him and he suddenly felt the words lodge in his throat. He had not exactly been forward with his intentions and he was not about to inform her of this in such a public space as the school grounds entrance, and especially not in front of Naruto. He would never be able to live with himself if Naruto knew how cowardly he was going about this. He didn't like to think it was cowardly, it was just that Sasuke was just not one to openly talk about feelings and emotions. He was not like Sakura and Naruto who so easily expressed themselves and openly translated how they felt.

"Sasuke..." Sakura spoke his name sweetly, drawing out each syllable slowly as a tone of request rang out with it.

Sakura's plea caused him to refocus and he found her giving him that look that he knew too well. It was the look she got when she was about to advocate for something he had no desire to do but had no ability to deny her of such a thing.

"He can't come," he quickly said firmly before she could finish. Why could this not just be simple and smooth?

Sakura's brow hardened at the terse tone and folded her arms across her chest. "Well I am not very sure I want to go to the park if you're going to be all moody, broody, and snooty. Since when did we start excluding people? Especially our friends?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and let out a growl of frustration. Grabbing at his hair he turned away from her. He took a few paces before turning back to look at both Naruto and Sakura. Naruto was grinning at him, obviously pleased that Sakura was taking his side in the case. It made him want to throttle Naruto. He did not like the phrasing for a situation like this- he respected Sakura too much- but right now, Naruto was nothing but a raging cock blocker at the moment. But there was no way he was going to point that out. In retrospect, it was his own fault for not being completely divulging in the significance of today's activities.

He looked at Sakura, her green eyes fierce and promising that she would make good on her threat. If Naruto did not come, she would not come either. He looked up to the sky, as if asking kami why he was being punished and questioning the universe why it was so against him.

He let out a sigh, then looked back at them. "Fine," he said, not sounding fine at all. "The dobe can come."

"YES!" Naruto cried loudly as he jumped up and fist pumped the air.

"But no ramen," he intoned.

Naruto gave him a mischievous look as he put an arm around Sakura. "Are you sure about that teme?" Then he turned to Sakura. "Please, please, please, its tradition!"

Sakura stared into Naruto's wide puppy dog blue eyes. Sympathy immediately took over and she gave Naruto's head a sympathetic pat as if he really were a dog.

More like a sly fox than a loyal dog, Sasuke thought when Sakura turned her attention to Sasuke and Naruto shot him a machiavellian grin.

"It is tradition…" Sakura commented, tilting her head and giving Sasuke her own version of a puppy dog look.

But hers was more doe eyed and gentle. And unlike Naruto, Sasuke could not say no. He let out a sigh. The defeated sound had both of his companions happily grinning at him. Naruto jumped up again before taking off, slapping Sasuke on the back as he ran ahead.

As Sasuke watched him skip down the sidewalk, his skin prickled on his arm as Sakura sidled up to him, looping an arm though his in a casual gesture. He looked down to see Sakura loosely hugging his arm as she smiled sweetly at Naruto's happy dance.

"Aw look at him, he is so happy."

"Tch," Sasuke scoffed then moved his arm to wrap it around her shoulders and began guiding her towards their bright haired friend.

For Naruto, such a gesture would have been a companionable gesture, but for Sasuke, it was a bold move. Sasuke was not one to usually initiate or allow physical contact to last and he felt Sakura slightly stiffen at the shoulders. He tried not to look into what that could mean as he steered them forward and forced himself to continue the contact, unwilling to let insecurity cause him to pull away.

"Come on, before he gets too excited and ends up peeing on a fire hydrant or runs off chasing a squirrel," he said casually.

Sakura gave a laugh and began to walk along with him. Their date, in which only one of the participants knew it was a date, and now had a third wheel, was now just a friend hangout. Yet as they made their way down the street, making their way underneath the line of ginkgo trees, Sasuke could no longer care as Sakura made no move to free herself from his arm.

Or at least for a fraction of a second he did not mind.

For just as they managed to catch up to Naruto, a black car with purple accents pulled up alongside them. As the car came to a stop, it drew their attention just as the tinted window of the passengers' side rolled down to reveal Gaara sitting in the car with his brother paused at the wheel talking into his phone. Gaara's eyes went first to Sasuke, then to Sakura.

"Sakura," Gaara said in the irritatingly low voice that Sasuke found nasally. "Hop in, we will give you a ride home."

Sakura took a small step forward as she approached the car parked by the sidewalk. As Sasuke's arm fell from her shoulders, his hand instinctively latched onto the hem of Sakura's uniform jacket for fear that she would desert him.

"Oh, thanks for the offer, but I won't need a ride home today. Sasuke, Naruto, and I are all going to hang out at the city park, we usually rent bikes and then get ramen at the stand over by the east entrance, then walk around the-"

Before Sakura was even finished talking, Naruto let out a yelp of distress, causing Sakura to become distracted. They all turned around to find Naruto had somehow managed to catch his bright orange sweatshirt on the metal fencing that ran along the other side of the sidewalk. The blonde wildly began tugging and twisting around like a bird caught in a net, the sound of tearing fabric alerting them all that someone needed to interfere with his wild and fruitless attempt to free himself.

"Narutooooo..." Sakura sighed, drawing out his name with a tired defeat. She looked back to Gaara. "Hang on, I need to go help him," she excused, turning around and running off to help Naruto escape from the fence before he ended up ripping the garment clean from his body.

As Sakura attempted to calm Naruto down enough to gently start detangling his neon sweater from the fence, Sasuke's attention was drawn away from her when he heard Gaara behind him. He turned his head just in time to see Gaara unbuckling himself.

"I will catch the bus home later tonight," Sasuke heard Gaara mutter to his brother as he began to open the car door.

As Kankuro nodded and put the car into gear to drive off, Sasuke stepped forward and pushed his hand against the door, slamming it shut just when Gaara attempted to get out. Gaara looked up at him, his darkly lined eyes narrowed into slits.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"Tch," Sasuke scoffed. "I should ask the same. What do you think you're doing?"

"Coming with Sakura," Gaara said, moving to push the door of the car open again.

Sasuke put more force onto the car door as he glared down at the red head and shook his head. "I don't think so. I don't know how you do things in the desert, but around here, you can't just invite yourself."

Gaara glared up at him and for a moment, just a moment, Sasuke felt himself gain another victory. With his eyes remaining locked into the stare down with Sasuke, Gaara took a deep breath. "Hey Sakura, mind if I join you?" he called out, finally breaking his gaze from Sasuke to tilt his head to the side, looking past Sasuke to where Sakura had just successfully freed Naruto.

Sasuke stiffened, his fingers gripping tightly to the door frame of the car as his dark eyes heatedly glared down at Gaara as he heard Sakura give out her response.

"No, of course not," came Sakura's sweet reply from behind Sasuke. "We wouldn't mind at all."

It was an umbrella statement that Sasuke was not in full appreciation of. He would rather be standing in a monsoon downpour than be okay with Gaara coming along. Naruto was one thing but Gaara...

Gaara's eyes had a glint to them as he glanced up to Sasuke, tilting his head to the side in a smug expression. "I believe I just resolved my ill etiquette," Gaara said quietly up to Sasuke. "Now please remove your hands from the car, it's a classic."

Sasuke continued pushing forcefully against the door frame for a moment longer until he heard Sakura approaching and he quickly pushed off the car, his face failing to hide the dark glare that it had adopted as he turned around to face the pinkette.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked, taken aback by his dark demeanor. Her eyes darted between him and Gaara, who was now stepping out from the car.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke parroted, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Is that you keep letting every stray fox and hound that can't find anything else better to do, to join in something they were never invited to in the first place!"

Sasuke had never been one to control his temper. It was a flaw that he knew he possessed but oftentimes relied on people knowing this flaw and overlooking it. It was arrogant of him to assume people would overlook it because of who he was, but no one was without their faults. Sakura was usually the best at tolerating his sour mood swings. And she was always quick to forgive or always gave a wave off when he acted out. However, like even the strongest of rocks and alloys, there was only so much abrasive wear and tear that could be taken before erosion began to occur. Lately, Sakura had been on the undeserved receiving end of his mood, and her patience was being worn thin.

"Well excuse me," Sakura said in a terse tone, however beneath the hardened tone, Sasuke could see that she had been hurt by his words. "I am sorry I didn't realize this was an exclusive walk in the park. Maybe next time you should have been more specific in your invitation instead. But for future reference, don't bother inviting me to your elite events, I am not a fan of excluding others."

"Sakura," Sasuke sighed out as she walked past him and motioned for Gaara to join as she began leading their now party of four towards the park.

He grabbed onto her arm, causing her to pause and look up at him with an angry and hurt expression. He opened his mouth, then caught sight of Gaara listening in and pulled her aside. When he was a short distance away from Gaara and Naruto, he gave all his attention to Sakura, giving her a pleading look.

"Look, I am sorry. You are right. I should have made it more clear that I just wanted this to be you and me but that's usually what people mean when they only invite one person. Had I wanted Naruto to come along, I would have invited him. But I just wanted it to be you."

"What is so wrong with hanging out with Gaara and Naruto?"

"There is nothing wrong with hanging out with Naruto, I just wanted a moment to talk to you without people listening in," he emphasized. "Any other day Naruto is welcome to butt in."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "And what about Gaara?" Sakura questioned, catching on to the specific phrasing of Sasuke's words. "I can't help but notice you are excluding him."

Sasuke rolled his eyes in response.

"What do you have against him?" Sakura pressed, bending her head to catch his eye. "I know you aren't exactly one to roll out the red carpet but common Sasuke, it's like you've gone out of your way to make him feel unwelcome since he got here. You act as if he isn't in the room and when you do acknowledge him it's to say something sarcastic or disagree with anything he says."

Sasuke shoved his hands into his pocket and shrugged his shoulders, looking at her pointedly. "I just don't like him, okay," he defended. "Sometimes that happens in life, people just don't like each other."

Sakura gave him a dead panned look. "Really," she said wryly. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and Sakura rolled her eyes. "Sasuke, you didn't even give him a chance. Since day one you have been acting coldly to him when he never did anything to earn it."

"So," he said with an impassive tone. "I don't need more friends. Besides, why do you care so much?"

"Because he is my friend and you are my friend. You are both important to me and I want the two of you to be friends?"

Friend, friend, friend, friend! Did she know any other word to describe them! He didn't know what Gaara was to her, but he was certain the red head was not using that word to label her in his mind. As for Sasuke, he too did not use that word. He had long since stopped seeing her in that way and now he was tired of her seeing him as only that.

"Sakura, I don't think you understand how-"

"Can you at least try?" she interrupted, looking up at him with beseeching eyes. "Please? It's really important to me that you guys like each other."

Why? Was what Sasuke wanted to ask. Did she want some sort of approval from him that Gaara was okay? There was usually only one reason a person would want approval of someone from their friends and that was a candidate for more than just friends? Why else would she be so adamant?

Sasuke suddenly felt sick to his stomach as something scaled and green twisted in his stomach. If that was what she was seeking, she would never get it. At least not from him and if Naruto did, then the useless dobe would be a traitor. Because no one would ever be good enough for her...not even himself. But it was at least the one good thing about his selfish flaw, he let himself think he could be with her.

However, if she wanted him to try, then he would. Even if he already knew what the outcome of his decision would be. If anything, trying would only cement and confirm his dislike for Gaara.

"Fine," he conceded. Sakura gave him a look that said his tone was not convincing. "I promise, I will give him a chance," he assured, before quickly adding, "but only if we can have some time to talk today...alone."

"Yes, yes we can talk," she said too casually for Sasuke's liking and when she turned to join Naruto and Gaara.

He grabbed her arm gently and forced her to give him her full attention. "I am serious Sakura," Sasuke said firmly. "It is important, no more running off and saying we can talk later or inviting someone else to join in. I am tired of being put on the back burner. Just me and you, alone," he emphasized, forcing as much intensity into his stare and hoping she understood the importance of his request.

He could tell he was getting through to her by the sudden curiosity on her face. He could see the questions rise up and her mouth parted slightly as if to inquire. But as much he wanted her to give him the time now, she seemed to hesitate apprehensively.

"I promise," she said.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, his tone satisfied.

An odd nervousness seemed to take over Sakura. Her green eyes flickered back and forth across his face, unable to steadily hold his gaze as she fidgeted in front of him. She licked her lips and swallowed before quickly nodding as she turned her head, hiding the faint redness that was rising in her face as she turned to join the other two in their group.

Sasuke followed after her, hardly listening as Sakura began to plan out their agenda before taking the lead, Gaara following after her to take position next to her. Sasuke watched him with a cold blank stare as he passed by, his charcoal eyes following after the red head, watching him closely.

"Hey Sasuke," came a breathy whisper as Naruto came to stand by him. "Do you think Gaara likes Sakura? I mean like-like her?"

"..."

"What do you think about him?"

"He is a dick wad," Sasuke replied without a beat. "And does not know his place."

"Yeah, I mean who is he to just decide he can join in on plans that he was not even originally invited to."

Sasuke gave Naruto a pointed look and raised his brow. "Yes, the audacity of him," he said dryly.

Oblivious to his own guilt, Naruto went on. "I don't like it," Naruto said, shaking his head. "She just had that thing with Sasori last month and we don't know anything about him. He just showed up and now she hardly seems to have any time for us. We need to protect her, make sure he knows that Sakura-chan is ours!"

Sasuke could hardly ever agree with Naruto on anything, but in this moment, he was taking the words right out of his own mouth. It was certainly a cold day in hell type of occasion when Naruto was talking sense.

"Ah," Sasuke sounded in agreement, his dark eyes zeroing in on Gaara's back.

Yes, Gaara needed to know. Needed to know that Sakura was off limits. He would still try as he promised Sakura. But he would also make each of their standings in relation to Sakura very, very clear. Gaara would know his place. He was a friend to Sakura, and so long as he knew that and did not toe that line, they would not have any problems.

It turned out Gaara was more than a line toer, he was a squatter. Every unnecessary touch, every excuse to monopolize her attention, every casual remark of flattery. It was obvious as to what he was doing to everyone except for Sakura. Or at least Sakura was just very good at seeming oblivious, Sasuke thought.

It gave him hope, if Sakura was not acknowledging his subtle hints, perhaps it meant that she was not interested but was attempting to preserve a casual friendship. But it also worried him. For as the afternoon went on, and Sasuke "tried" to get to know Gaara, he realized something. He and Gaara were very similar in far too many ways than Sasuke wanted to admit.

The best tactic when facing an enemy is to learn their strengths and weaknesses. But when that enemy is just like you, it's difficult to pinpoint those. There are weaknesses people are afraid to admit are there, unable to accept their flaws. Then there are strengths people are too critical of themselves to see. And their flaws blind them from seeing potential within themselves. And as they went about their afternoon, riding bikes, walking through the botanical gardens, taking in the interactive sculptures, and exploring the small market of street vendors that the park offered, Sasuke had watched and studied Gaara. All the while, unconsciously performing a self reflection.

They were both broody and taciturn in nature. They were both competitive and proud. And they both had a deep infatuation with a certain cherry blossom in which neither could fully express themselves. Sasuke did not like Gaara, it was a plain and simple fact. And the more he learned of their similarities, the more he found himself disliking Gaara even more for being like himself.

Naruto had just accidentally dropped ice cream all over Sakura's front when he had gestured too wildly as he enthusiastically spoke. The three boys had been waiting outside of the bathrooms while Sakura attempted to salvage her uniform when Naruto had caught a whiff of ramen and scampered off to place an order of four bowls.

With Sakura still in the washroom, and Naruto scampering off, Sasuke and Gaara were left alone to stand on the paved path next to the bathroom facilities. Each of them slightly turned away from the other as they each brooded in their own way. Sasuke with his hands stuffed into his pockets and his tall body leaned against a lamp post, and Gaara standing with his feet set apart and his arms crossed. Every once in a while the other would send a judgmental glare at the other, looking the other up and down and comparing.

Finally, after a long moment, Sasuke did something entirely out of character. He struck up a conversation.

"So it seems you only ever spend your time with Sakura," he commented, doing his best to sound casual and mentally telling himself he was "trying" as Sakura asked him to do and not "prying" as he felt he needed to do. "Kind of seems weird that you only hang out with her and your siblings."

Gaara's head slowly turned and he looked at Sasuke beneath his hooded eyes. "I don't see a problem with that. Why wouldn't I spend time with people I enjoy being around and can tolerate."

Gaara muttered something else under his breath that Sasuke didn't quite catch. But given the tone of his voice and the look he shot Sasuke, the Uchiha could only assume it was something insulting on his behalf. Sasuke's aura darkened.

"No offense, but you come off as a bit clingy to Sakura, girls don't really like that. You may want to back off a bit otherwise people will assume you two are dating," he said.

"I don't really mind if people think Sakura and I are dating."

Gaara gave Sasuke a pointed look and Sasuke's face twitched in irritation. Pushing off from the wall he was leaning against, he took a step forward. To Gaara's credit, he did not let Sasuke's height advantage intimidate. Instead he stood just as proudly and determined despite the near half a foot difference in height.

"Maybe you should think about looking for someone else to spend your time with," Sasuke suggested, a tone of dark warning lining his offering of "friendly" advice.

"With who? I don't know anyone else here," Gaara pointed.

"Then make some new friends. Branch out, let more people into your inner circle," Sasuke suggested. "It's always good to reach out and be sociable."

Sasuke was the last person to be preaching such things but in his eyes, he at least had other friends. However, like Sasuke, it seemed Gaara too had noticed the similarities between them and he gave Sasuke a critical look, silently calling him out on his hypocrisy.

"Isn't that what I am doing today? You and Naruto seem good enough friends."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Someone other than us we don't need anymore."

"Naruto doesn't seem to have an issue with me being here."

And it was true, despite Naruto's earlier words and suspicion. As the afternoon went on, Naruto had become more and more enthusiastic with Gaara's presence, which had only served to make Sasuke even more irritated with the red headed infiltrator.

Sasuke leaned forward, his dark narrowing as his voice dropped an octave lower, "Make some new friends. Or don't. I don't really care, just stop butting in with us." Gone was any attempt of friendly advice or suggestion. Sasuke was done playing games and using subtle hints. Blunt and direct had always worked for him when it came to dealing with others. "I know what you are trying to do, and it is not going to work. It is obvious that you and I have very similar intentions when it comes to Sakura. And since we both know it would be a lie if I said I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I am just going to say it plainly. You don't stand a chance, not against me. Sakura have a long history."

Gaara let out a snide scoff. "You wanna talk about history?" Gaara interrupted, a challenge rising in his face as his voice dripped with sarcasm. "Sakura and I have been around each other since we were born. So if you want to judge the successors outcome on history-" He paused to give Sasuke a dark smirk. "I have you beat."

"Tch. I am not talking about the length of time history. I am talking about solid, tangible events and memories," Sasuke argued. "I have been with her all through all of our school years, watching over her, protecting her. I was there for all of the moments, her high and her lows. And where were you?" Sasuke cocked his head to the side in mock thinking, then snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah, that's right, not there for her. Which means you and Sakura, have nothing."

Gaara's forehead raised. "Not there for her?" He said in surprise before letting out a barked laugh and straightened up to Sasuke, standing nose to nose with him. "That just goes to show what you know about Sakura. I may have physically not been there, but I have always still been there for her. Who do you think she called when she first started getting bullied? Who do you think she called when she was feeling homesick because her parents were always gone? Who she talks to when she worries about not being able to medical school because she can't afford it? Who do you think she calls when..."

As Gaara's listing lengthened, Sasuke suddenly became slightly uncertain about how well he knew about Sakura. This was all news to him. And by the time Gaara finished, his tone was viciously accusing and his body was shaking with pent up anger.

He knew Sakura's parents' absence was not ideal, but she had always made it out so it never bothered her. That she was doing fine. His and Naruto's homes were practically her second home because of this. But all this time he had thought her comfortable and content. And the bullying, he had always thought she had tried to hide that from everyone. But it seemed it was just him who had been ignorant. Those had been awhile back but some of the others were more recent sounding issues.

"...Who do you think she called when the boy she liked told another girl he only cared about her because he felt sorry for her," Gaara continued to challenge.

Sasuke's brow wrinkled in confusion. Again, another unknown fact about her. Sakura had liked other boys? Sakura's short-lived crush on Sasori was not the scenario Gaara was painting. Which meant he was hinting at someone else. But who? Sasuke searched his mind for everyone they possibly knew, but no one Sasuke could imagine Sakura liking. Was Gaara lying? Or had there really been someone else in the past?

Gaara smiled, mirthful of his higher knowledge.

"You're lying," Sasuke snapped. "Sakura has never liked anyone."

"Oh yeah?" Gaara challenged. "Would you believe me if I said that boy was you."

Sasuke's eyes went wide with shock as Gaara's words hit him.

Sakura had liked him?

When?

Gaara caught the shock and let out a scoff. "Tsk-" his jade eyes ran up and down Sasuke with disgust- "See, you didn't even know. Well guess what Sasuke Uchiha-" He said the name with spiteful hatred that had obviously been slowly building and burning for years- "you had your chance and you blew it."

There was a long pause as Sasuke vacantly stared at the air between them, his mind racing to find answers to the hounding questions in his mind. When had she liked him? Did she still like him?

Who do you think she called when the boy she liked, told another girl he only cared about her because he felt sorry for her. As Gaara's words echoed over and over in his mind. Sasuke slowly pieced things together as a faint memory that at the time seemed so unremarkable he had completely forgotten about it.

It had been back in middle school. He had been getting an increasing amount of confessions and one in particular had dared to threaten Sakura because of his rejection.

We grew up together. If anything she's like a sister. I protect her because she is weak and I don't like cowards who pick on weaklings, that is what he had said.

After he had finished with the girl he had run into Sakura shortly after, who had acted peculiarly. Now he realized why, she must have overheard the conversation. He had said words that, at the time, were meant to protect Sakura. Now he realized perhaps they had hurt her more than protected her. For it was then that a strange distance began to form between them. Back then Sasuke had blamed his own feelings for the change of atmosphere between them, but now he was beginning to think it had been more purposeful. Had she been trying to distance herself? Now that she was comfortable around him again, did that mean she no longer had feelings for him?

Sasuke swallowed thickly, all their interactions over the course of the past three years coming into his mind as he analyzed them. But before he could fully come to a conclusion or full understanding, he was brought back to the present as Gaara shifted and Sasuke focused his attention on the other boy.

"You see, if you really were close, don't you think you would have known all this? You and her, will never be as close as us."

"That was just a misunderstanding," Sasuke quickly interjected.

Gaara shook his head. "Doesn't matter. If you really cared about her一"

It had been a long time since Sasuke found himself throwing a punch. In fact the last time he even took a swing at anyone other than Naruto- which was usually a not so gentle but still friendly slug to the arm- was back in middle school. Sasuke had been about a foot and a half shorter and hardly a hundred pounds soaking wet. But despite his lack of practice, Sasuke found it was as easy as relearning to ride a bike. His muscles had quickly remembered the action and motions so when his temper snapped, his arm moved with a knee jerk reflex. And the fluid movement was far more powerful than he had ever remembered. His fist connected with Gaara's face and the red head boy went straight to the ground.

Sasuke had been in a lot of fights growing up. He and Naruto had been in countless scuffles, sometimes against each other while other times back to back as they battled together against anyone who dared insult or cause harm to Sakura or any of their friends or family. Unfortunately there was one thing about this time versus the others.

In all his troubled and truant years in middle school, Sasuke had yet to lose a fight. He had some close ones back in sixth grade when he took on some eight graders, but between him and Naruto, they had managed to come out on top. Over the years, he had earned himself a reputation and usually it only took one hit before his opponent gave in. However Gaara was new. He did not know of Sasuke's reputation and if he had, he would not have cared. It took Gaara half a second to recover before he was springing up and barreling himself into Sasuke's stomach, taking him down in a solid tackle as they fell down to the ground.

Gaara managed two sharp jabs, one to Sauke's jaw and another that grazed his shoulder as Sasuke rolled and flipped him off. Once he had managed to push Gaara from him, Sasuke was leaping towards his opponent, not taking a moment to register the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. Just as Gaara was pushing himself off the ground, Sasuke tackled him, setting his knee against his chest he drew his hand back and hit him square in the nose. Gaara's head snapped back and Sasuke drew his hand back again, readying himself for another hit. But before he could send his fist forward again. A pair of small hands grabbed at his arm as a voice cried out.

"Stop! Sasuke, get off of him!"

He could feel one of Sakura's hands grasping onto his shirt collar. She tugged at him just as Gaara managed to push him back. With the combined push and pull, Sasuke found himself off balance and falling backwards, allowing Gaara to free himself from Sasuke's knee that had been pinning him down. Gaara moved forward as if to retaliate only to find himself restrained as Naruto latched himself around the redhead. Both foes locked eyes and each of them lurched forward, only for their captors to become more forceful in separating them.

"I said stop it!" Sakura bellowed, her voice straining as she managed to pull Sasuke back a few inches.

Gaara was the first to truly give in, allowing Naruto to let go as the redhead focused on wiping the trickle of blood that was seeping from his nose from Sasuke's last punch. With the help of Naruto, Sakura was able to drag Sasuke up to his feet. He fought them both off for a moment, twisting and jerking himself from their holds until Sakura managed to position herself directly in front of him and gave him a hard shove.

"SASUKE! What is the matter with you!?" she said, her voice pitched with a menagerie of emotions. "Calm down!"

Sasuke finally managed to wrench his eyes from Gaara who was still sitting on the ground and looked down to Sakura who stood in front of him. She was glaring up at him. Her small hands pressed against his torso as her fingers clenched at the white dress shirt of his school uniform. Her irises shined like a polished emerald as they glistened with unshed angry tears.

She held his gaze for a long moment before turning around without a word, giving him a short shove as she walked away from him. Instinctually Sasuke reached out to stop her as she moved towards Gaara, but Naruto was latching onto him again, keeping him from catching onto Sakura who moved too quickly out of his reach. He watched as she kneeled down in front of Gaara who was wiping at his gushing bloody nose with the sleeve of his torn uniform. Instantly she was digging in her backpack and pulling out a small pack of Kleenex. Pressing them into Gaara's nose, she looked back at Sasuke.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" she questioned, looking at Sasuke.

Sasuke gave no reply, only some heavy breaths as he struggled to keep his anger under control enough so he didn't turn on Naruto. She stood up again and moved towards him. She did not even look at him as she grabbed a hold of his arm. With a quick request to Naruto to take Gaara to the bathroom to clean up, Sakura began walking away, pulling at Sasuke's arm as she began to drag him in the opposite direction.

She did not stop or even look at him until they reached a secluded corner of the park where she finally released him. For a long moment she remained with her back to him, crossing her arms as she stared at the small fountain they were stopped at. When she did finally turn to face him, her face was hardened as she glared up at him. Her eyes filled with accusation, anger, and disappointment.

"What is wrong with you? Why were you attacking him?"

Immediately Sasuke was on the defense. "Why are you assuming I attacked him," Sasuke barked back bitterly. His earlier anger and frustration still brewing, as new frustrations of a new nature brewed within him. If Sakura saw them both equally as friends, then why was it that Gaara was getting coddled and sent off for first aid while he got dragged off and lectured. "How do you know I wasn't just defending myself."

"Were you?" she asked, and when Sasuke made no reply, she gave him a pointed look.

He was unsure of how to truly answer her question. In a way he was defending himself. Preserving his integrity that had been questioned by Gaara's accusation that he didn't care about her. But how was he supposed to make her understand that? She could not even trust him to tell him her deepest woes.

"Of course you're taking his side," he muttered, looking away from her, grabbing at his askew tie. He jerked at the accessory, loosening it enough to undo the top two buttons of his uniform.

"I'm not taking sides!" Sakura defended. "I am just disappointed."

It was worse than being mad at him, and Sasuke felt a churning in his stomach. For a moment his insides seemed to squirm with the discomfort before he pushed away the guilt. "Tch, whatever," Sasuke brushed off, going into his habitual ways when he did not know how to handle a situation. He pushed past her as he started to walk away, ignoring her as she called out to him.

He heard her feet hitting against the pavement as she ran to catch up to him. "Sasuke!" she said, grabbing onto his arm and stepping in front of him. "Don't just walk away from me, what the hell is going on with you? You've been acting weird for weeks now. Tell me, what is going on? What is bothering you?"

Sasuke came to a stop but did not look at her. He kept his eyes set straight ahead, looking over the top of her pink head down the shaded path beneath the trees that would soon be seeing its first budding of fresh leaves in the next month when things would start warming up.

"Look at me." He felt a tug on his arm and he finally looked down at her. Instead of anger, there was concern in her eyes. "Sasuke, talk to me. Why are being like this? Is something else going on? You have been on edge for weeks and you haven't been your usual self. Is it your dad again? Is he pressuring you about going into the family business? Is Itachi sick again?"

He opened his mouth to respond, but his words caught in his throat. He wanted to provide and answer, but it was as if he was incapable of expressing his true concerns when he could not even muster a description of them. Eventually, he shut his mouth and shook his head. "There is nothing going on."

Her face hardened. "That is bull shit!" she rebuffed. "Then why did I just have to pull you off of Gaara?"

"Because I don't like him!" he finally snapped.

Here eyes grew wide, taken aback by his outburst but she quickly recovered. "What do you mean you don't like him? You don't even know him because you have never even given him a chance!"

"I didn't need to give him a chance!"

"But you said you would try!" she exclaimed. "Gaara has been having a hard time since the move. He is not a people person and does not make friends easily. I was hoping to count on you to help him."

"And why would I do that?" he seethed, almost offended by her words. "He is your friend not mine! Why should I care?"

"Because it's a nice thing to do and I asked you to help," she stated, as if it should be obvious. "You're supposed to be my friend, Sasuke! That is what friends do, they help each other out no matter what."

There was that word again. The once cherished and no repulsive word. And it was the straw that broke the camel's back. Sasuke snapped. He grabbed onto her shoulders and slightly shook her as his arms failed to contain his frustration.

"Gods Sakura, what do you not understand! Did you ever think that I no longer wanted to be your friend!" She seemed to physically flinch when his words fell from his lips. Then as a hurt expression took over her face, Sasuke's hand came to his face as he realized how that sounded. He let out a curse for the failure he was having to express himself. "No, that's not what I meant I just-gahh."

His head fell back as he looked up through the tree branches they stood under. Through them, fluffy white clouds passed over silently and uselessly as they gave him no inspiration. "So annoying," he bit out, shaking his head as he looked back down at her.

He caught a pained look on Sakura's face as the whisper of frustration escaped him. Instantly she pushed the remaining hand he had on her shoulder off of her as she took a step back.

Shit.

"Well I'm sorry I annoy you so much!" Sakura said, large tears welling up in her eyes and threatening to cascade down her reddened cheeks.

"No! No! Sakura that is not what I meant. I'm not annoyed with you. I am annoyed with myself! I'm-I'm just nervous."

Sakura brushed away the few tears that had dropped onto her cheeks as her brow slowly creased, looking at him in utter bewilderment. "Nervous? What would you have to be nervous abouー"

He grasped her face and pulled her to him, bringing her lips to his as he breathed her in deeply, savoring the smell of her and the feeling of her warm lips against his. He pulled away, taking in her shocked face as he felt his own burning heatedly. He licked his lips, tasting the cherry lip gloss and finding himself liking cherry flavor a lot more than he had ever before.

"Because I like you," he blurted out breathlessly. "I like you Sakura and I don't want to be your friend because I want to be more than that." She stared back at him in shock. "And I am sorry I kissed you without telling you but I-I just didn't know how else to say it."

Sakura continued to stare at him, shocked and lagging from the rushed stream of words that he had just rambled out at her. She had heard what he said, felt what he had done. All of it fully comprehensible as to what it all meant...and yet... Her brain had short circuited and she was having a problem wrapping her mind around it. She could easily calculate advanced calculus yet at this moment she was straining to just put two and two together.

"Sakura?"

Dazedly her hand went up to her lips and she traced the lingering warmth his breath and skin had left across her mouth.

"Sakura can you please say something?" Sasuke asked, sounding dangerously vulnerable. His chest was rising and falling quickly as he breached on hyperventing. "Because you are usually the one who does the talking and we both know I am not good with words and I feel like…"

He was rambling. Sasuke Uchiha had just kissed her, told her he liked her, and now he was rambling. Surely this was a dream. A most wonderful dream that she had admittedly had numerous times in various settings, but she had always woken up from those moments. And despite the realism of it all, Sakura was expecting to wake up in her bed as this moment quickly faded away from her mind.

Yet here he was before her, still rambling.

"...just say so." Sasuke finally managed to cease his babbling and continued to stare at the shocked Sakura. Shit, he thought to himself. This is exactly why he was supposed to suppress this. She didn't like him, things were now awkward, he had just ruined their entire friendship. "For-forget it." He shook his head. "Sorry, I just…" He let out a sigh, shaking his head again as he ran a hand across his face and turned to leave.

He was not even allowed a step before a small hand grasped into the torn fabric of his uniform near the elbow. He felt a gentle tug and followed the wordless request to turn back towards Sakura.

"I-I like you too, Sasuke-kun," she replied quietly. Demourly she looked down at where her hand rested on his arm. She let it slide down and grabbed his hand. "I've liked you for a very long time."

Slowly, Sakura managed the courage to look back up at him. And for what seemed like an impossibility again, she was finding it difficult to believe what she was seeing.

Sasuke was smiling.

Not smirking, not just a curl to the corner of his lips, but a real genuine smile. Bright white teeth beaming at her as his dark eyes looked at her with not just relief, but adoration. And she could not help but smile back up at him, her green eyes full of tenderness and joy.

Bonus:

Sasuke had just finished dropping Sakura off at her house and was just about to go home when he noticed Shisui's car parked out front of his house. In no mood to spoil what was possibly the best day of his life, Sasuke quickly turned sharply to walk up the neighboring driveway to Naruto's house. He supposed Naruto deserved to know first of the change of status between his two best friends. They had always made a pact to inform the other immediately if they ever caught wind of Sakura dating someone.

Well some one was...and that someone was him, Sasuke grinned to himself.

He let himself into the house, the intrusive behavior not an unfamiliar one when it came to Sasuke coming over or Naruto going over to his house. It was a habit and custom that was accepted from the time they were old enough to walk over to the others house and let themselves in.

Automatically Sasuke made his way up to Naruto's room, knowing he would find the blonde boy plugged into some gaming console as was his usual habit on a school night instead of doing homework as he was supposed to. And as he approached the door and heard the rapid gun fire of video games blasting, and the sounds of buttons clicking away frantically, Sasuke knew he was home and moved to enter the room. Only the moment he pushed the door open, he paused on the threshold when he found not just Naruto sitting in front of the large entertainment system, but also Gaara.

The moment the door swung open Gaara turned around. Sasuke did not even look at Naruto, his eyes falling instantly onto Gaara who was looking back at him. Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Despite the fact that he knew he had just won, the dislike for the other boy did not just disappear.

"What are you doing here?"

Gaara gave him a smug grin. "Just taking some advice and making new friends."

As if on cue, Naruto turned around and pulled the large pair of headphones off his head. "Oh hey Sasuke, there you are. Where did you and Sakura run off to? We looked for you for nearly an hour but neither of you were answering your phone."

"Ah," Sasuke acknowledged. "We had a talk then I walked her home."

"Oh, well then I guess it was good we decided to give up and come here," Naruto shrugged off, already no longer invested in the topic as a look of excitement came to his face. "Guess what! Did you know that Gaara is ranked as a Kage in Ninja Royale? He even has a special edition weapon called the urn of..."

As Naruto went on and on about Gaara's feats and skills within the gaming world, Sasuke caught Gaara's eye and the boy smirked at him. Instinctively Sasuke's eyes narrowed, he knew what Gaara was doing. If he was as close with Sakura as he claimed, then Sakura most likely already texted him the news.

Which meant Gaara knew he had lost, and now he was looking for revenge by becoming Naruto's best friend. And while Sasuke hated to admit that such an idiot was his best friend, Naruto was his best friend. And no one was going to take him away.

Immediately Sasuke dropped his bag down by the door and was crossing over to wedge himself between them, taking one of the controllers and logging himself in. As the next round began, Sasuke focused himself. The moment the countdown of the game sounded, Sasuke moved his avatar with precision, hunting and focusing, not bothering to take out any of the other logged in players as he sought out for only one specific.

User demonofsand3, was going down.

Wow I cannot believe how long it has been I have just been crazy busy the past couple of months and have not been able to dedicate as much time to writing as I would like and bad case of writers block for literally each of my stories ToT. But here we finally are with a final product that I am not sure about but hope you all still enjoyed! As always thanks for everyone who checked in and continued to give support during the wait. I am hoping to do better now that things are starting to settle down in life a little bit.

Next up: The First Date

Originally I did not have it planned in my chapter outlines to have a date/dating chapter, but as I wrote this and read your comments, I fell like it is a chapter we all deserve. With that said...I have absolutly no idea what do do. I have a few ideas for the chapter that I hope will be some sugary goodness, but as far as an actual date I have no idea...so I am open to ideas! Not sure if it will just be a single date or a montage of dates/dating moments of our adorable couple that just became official in this chapter :D