Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was not uncommon to see such parade during the three weeks between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next. Springtime was not inclement in Konoha, in fact the weather was mild. However, the students preferred to take advantage of those days off to seek out all kinds of entertainment. Precisely for this reason, the destination, which over the years had developed a certain reputation among university students, was Suna. The warm and sunny Suna, where during the day you could enjoy the white beaches and crystal clear waters, while at night the clubs offered the fun that students needed. Even those who were not very inclined to nightlife, between bars and discos, in those three weeks turned into a party animal, capable of swallowing gallons and gallons of alcohol, all to relieve the stress and pressure accumulated during the school year.

" I can't believe you asked her for her number. " Kiba, uncomfortably settled in one of the back seats, shook his head in disappointment.

" What's wrong with that? We befriended each other, I thought it was nice to maintain relations.... " The brown-haired boy snapped his tongue, in response to Choji's tepid defense, pressed into the middle of the back seats despite his size.

" Maintain relations? " Kiba was now outraged. " What happens in Suna stays in Suna, you idiot. You don't come here to make friends, you come here to fuck in a foreign land with girls you'll never see again in your life. That's why these vacations exist. "

" I'm pretty sure vacations exist to rest between sessions.... " Interjected the third and final occupant of the back seats. Shikamaru was pressed against the left door, his eyes looking out the window at the view. Certainly more interesting than that conversation. Not that there was much to look at now, considering they were stopped in traffic.

It had been Kiba's idea to rent a car for the duration of their stay in Suna, so they could explore areas not near their accommodation. The hotel was quite close to the nerve center of Suna's nightlife, but that was the last night for most of the outsider students and usually for that occasion one of the most exclusive clubs of the city organized a monumental party. Just for this reason now there was a transhumance of academics clogging the road, something the locals must have become sadly accustomed to.

" Wasn't it you who, on the first day, got it into your head to ask for every possible contact with one of the girls? " The blond boy asked, sitting on the passenger seat with his head partially out of the window. If he had also had his tongue hanging out he would have looked just like a dog.

" Did you burn your brain with all that weed you've been smoking? That's a special case. A SPOA: stunning piece of ass. " An irrefutable argument, at least according to Kiba.

" Too bad you then crapped yourself and didn't ask her anything at all. " Naruto mocked him, causing general giggles.

" I didn't crapped myself, asshole. I was waiting for the right moment. " The brown-haired young man's defense left his lips in a snarl, which to those who didn't know him well enough might have seemed even threatening. To those present, however, it was obvious that his tone was due to the still-burning wound in his pride.

" You should have expected someone else to move first, you idiot. " Now even Shikamaru seemed interested in the conversation, as his gaze was on his friend, seated at the opposite end of the vehicle.

" Look I'm the one who stepped aside. " Until that moment, the young man driving had kept silent, merely listening. At Kiba's last words, however, he couldn't hold back a mocking snort. That simple noise was enough to make the brown-haired boy lean over and grab the driver's seat in an intimidating way. Always according to him, of course. " I'm not a bastard who gets in the way of a friend. "

" I don't recall there being anything about that among those bullshit rules you made up. " In response to Sasuke's derisive and irreverent tone, the other shook the driver's seat with both hands, causing the vehicle, still stopped in traffic, to tremble.

" Why don't you just admit that you did it to keep what little bit of dignity you have left? " Naruto's intervention earned him a look with murderous undertones.

" Are you challenging me perhaps? " The rented car advanced a few meters before stopping again behind a white hatchback, also loaded with students, no doubt heading to the same party.

" Didn't you just say you didn't want to get in the way? " It was Choji who spoke this time, clearly confused by his friend's sudden change of mind.

" Sasuke is just a bastard anyway. " He repeated, hitting the driver's seat for the umpteenth time, this time with his closed fist.

" Kiba... In the name of the friendship that binds us, I advise you to let it go. " Among those present, Choji seemed to be the only one truly concerned that the brown-haired's pride would suffer a severe blow. And he was also the only one whose tone had no mocking undertone.

" Why? The bastard has been doing nothing but flirting with her for five days now, but does it seem like he's accomplished anything? She's probably not interested in arrogant assholes. " Four pairs of eyes were now all on the driver, who for his part kept his onyx irises turned on the road in front of him.

" If that were the case, you would have even less hope. " Sasuke merely said, his tone and expression neutral, impassive.

" Let's make a bet. The first one who fucks her will buy lunch for a month to the other. " The dark-haired boy wrinkled his nose at the total lack of elegance of the other, shaking his head in disapproval.

" Ah! Afraid of losing? " Kiba exclaimed, competitively, as if they were betting on the results of a horse race.

" See, that's why you haven't gotten anywhere in months. Even a girl in your league wouldn't fit in, and trust me, that's way beyond... " Although Shikamaru's tone was flat and bored, his statements only fueled Kiba's antagonism.

" Go ahead and try. " Sasuke granted him, stepping on the accelerator at the exact moment the queue of cars moved. " I don't need you to pay for my lunch. Your humiliation will be enough. "

Compared to the sweltering heat of Suna, the mild temperature of Konoha caused an unpleasant sensation on the skin, now accustomed to the scorching sun and torrid weather. Nevertheless, only two days after their return and three more to rest before the start of the new session, the group of boys had gathered as usual in the Uchiha mansion, crowded at the edge of the large pool.

Enjoying the warm rays of a spring sun, Sasuke was trying to ignore the cackling and insults surrounding him. He had already lost interest in the diatribe involving Kiba and Naruto for several minutes, preferring instead to close his eyes, hidden by his dark glasses, and fantasize about scenarios that did not involve the presence of noisy and intrusive friends.

He intended to enjoy those last hours of absolute peace. The start of the new school year was nothing compared to the commutation that awaited him and would bring a drastic decrease in his privacy.

He had had no complaints when a year and a half earlier Fugaku Uchiha had announced to him that he was in a new relationship. Sasuke was not a child, he realized that his father's life necessarily had to go on. After all, almost seven years had passed since his mother's sad departure.

Thinking about her still caused him melancholy, but he hadn't blamed the man of wanting to replace her or any such nonsense. He knew that this was not his father's wish, but he certainly could not spend the rest of his existence as a grieving widower. He had loved Mikoto deeply and no doubt that feeling was still burning and vivid, along with the memory of her. It would not be the intertwining of his own life with that of another woman that would change those feelings. It was something different, the human need for contact and affection, to belong to someone and to feel someone as his own.

Itachi had then pointed out to him that the man's mood had drastically improved since meeting his new partner, which meant he was also more well-disposed towards Sasuke himself. Well-disposed, certainly, but no less stern and demanding. As usual, he expected the best from both of his sons, but never granted even the semblance of appreciation, as if every effort was in vain and required, or at least this was the case when concerned to Sasuke. His older brother, the favorite son, did not have to deal with such worries. A pressure that was even more relieved by the simple fact that Itachi was now living on his own, without his father's constant hard, pretentious gaze following his every step.

An empty house was about to become suddenly crowded, however, as Fugaku and his partner's relationship had reached a new milestone. The two had decided that it was time for them to live together.

Sasuke didn't mind the woman. She was always nice to him, and even to his rowdy friends. He didn't consider her a total stranger and, in any case, he also knew that her job took up most of her day. So her moving wouldn't have changed things much if it was just her.

Sasuke knew that the woman had a daughter, considering that she talked about her frequently. He never got to know her, as the girl, apparently his age, lived with her father in Kumo. She was a top medical student and this did not allow her to travel much, even to visit her mother. She herself agreed, stating that it was much more important for the young girl to focus on her studies, on her future. It was just another way of saying that the girl had no life outside the university and her mother was fine with it, apparently, as if dedicating her entire existence to study and work was natural and not at all detrimental, especially for a young twenty-one year old.

He had always listened without too much interest to the woman's stories about her daughter, but the moment Fugaku had announced that there would be two new tenants in the Uchiha mansion, the dark-haired boy had had to focus his attention on the details.

Apparently the young woman's father was a diplomat, and therefore forced to constant conveyances. His next assignment would be in Kiri, and for his daughter to follow him would mean enrolling in a less prestigious university, lowering her chances of becoming a successful doctor, as the two parents hoped. It seemed that in terms of expectations they were not too different from Fugaku Uchiha.

As luck would have it, the medical school at Konoha University was just as renowned as Kumo's. So why not seize the opportunity and expand the family by acquiring unknown members from different parts of the world? Sasuke suspected that it was the girl's situation that had served as the input for that important new step, which perhaps his father would never have taken under different circumstances.

Moral of the story was that in a few days that house would fill up and it certainly wasn't something he was too happy about. By now he had his habits, his routine. He would have to change everything and adapt to the newcomers, although they would have to be the ones to do it, considering that he had been living there for much longer. A thought he hadn't voiced out loud though, especially not in the presence of his father.

" Oi, bastard. " He didn't flinch at Naruto's call, still deep in thought.

" Oiiiiiiiii!!!! I'm talking to you! " And there he could no longer ignore it, not after the jolt he received that almost threatened to knock him off the deckchair he was lying on.

" What the fuck do you want? " Having regained stability, the dark-haired lifted his sunglasses on his head, only to be able to do justice to the glare he was giving the other.

" We wanted to know when your new little sister is coming. " Sasuke rolled his eyes, inhaling deeply. Not that it helped increase his shaky patience.

" She's not my sister. You understand that, don't you? " He didn't have much faith in Naruto's intellect, but this was a simple enough concept within his grasp.

His so-called friends had not failed to tease him about it from the moment he had shared that news with them, which was the day before, shortly after he himself had been made aware of it. It was fortunate that his father had waited for him to return from Suna, otherwise Sasuke would have spent most of his restorative vacation sulking at the thought of what was to come. At least he had been able to enjoy those days of rest, before the start of his final year before graduation and before the arrival of his two new tenants. He could only imagine the stress he would accumulate over the next few months.

" So she’s not off-limits. " Naruto concluded thoughtfully, rubbing his chin with his hand. That was an unwritten rule, one that had obviously come from Kiba's genius. The only one among them to have a sister, therefore the only one to benefit from such an imposition. Not that he cared, of course. The girl was certainly not his type, but even so, the young Inuzuka had caught some suspicious glances from her to Sasuke. This had been enough to irritate and annoy him to the point of vetoing relationships with extremely close relatives.

" You don't even know what she looks like. " Shikamaru entered into the conversation, at the same time letting himself fall back wearily on one of the deckchairs, as if simply walking the few meters that separated the seat from the pool had required an immense effort.

"No... But I saw the mother. A nice piece of... person. " Naruto censured himself autonomously, but not before meeting the dark-haired's disapproval-laden gaze. It was disgusting that his friends would refer to his father's partner like that, who in his eyes appeared as a neutral entity that had nothing to do with women in general. Sure, he had noticed her good looks, but he had never allowed perverted thoughts, like those of his friends, to make their way into his mind. It just seemed too wrong to him.

" You might be disappointed. From what I know she's some kind of bookworm, always hunched over books. Certainly not your type. " And he wasn't simply alluding to Naruto's disarming stupidity, which would no doubt have nothing to share with a brilliant medical student, but also to the completely opposite lifestyle. The only times his brain seemed to work tirelessly was when he was looking for the most intense way to spend their evenings. "Beside she has a boyfriend. Her mother just keeps saying it. He's an Olympic athlete or something. " He shrugged his shoulders, before switching positions on the deckchair and lying comfortably prone so the sun could kiss his back as well.

" And why would that put us off? " It had seemed strange to him that Kiba had remained silent up until this point, considering the topic, which was one of his favorites. It seemed that the brown-haired boy had developed two obsessions: girls and revenge on Sasuke. The second matured in light of the events of the past few days and due only to his own arrogance. If there was anyone he should be angry with, it was himself, but it was known to all that Kiba was not able to see his faults and mistakes, let alone take responsibility for them. Far better to blame it on others.

" Suna didn't teach you anything, hmm? " Just hearing Shikamaru pronounce the destination of their last vacation, the young Inuzuka wrinkled his nose.

" Just how shitty some girls taste can be. " With his eyelids lowered and his head resting against his crossed arms, Sasuke let out a satisfied and mocking snort, a provocation that seemed to hit the spot, striking the other's pride like a blow. Kiba's small and dark eyes honed in on his friend's figure with contempt and anger, lingering especially on his back, more precisely on the marks on it, still in the process of healing. Souvenir from Suna, along with some lovebites scattered all over his body. All stains that were taking days to heal, testifying to the eagerness and intensity with which they had been left. Although he was simply lying down, at that moment the young brown-haired man had the impression that Sasuke was intentionally flaunting them, like a trophy. And this caused him further irritation, now impossible to contain.

" You'll laugh less when your little sister will do nothing but ask you about me. " The dark-haired sighed, propping himself up on his elbows slowly, not at all interested in taking up that umpteenth challenge. It seemed that Kiba deliberately sought out the humiliation and mocking of his own companions.

" To beg me to keep you away, probably. Just like the girl from Suna. " Unable to resist those taunts any longer, the young Inuzuka pounced on the other, flipping the deckchair he was lying on so that he fell backwards onto the cement surrounding the pool. Sasuke was quick to get back on his feet and slingshot on his friend, whom he hit on the chin with his closed fist. It was certainly not the first time that a fight broke out between the five of them, and as usual, the remaining members of the group quickly intervened to divide and placate them. Between gasps, the two continued to exchange insults and offenses, which normally they would forget and forgive in a few hours.

He had known those boys since middle school. In Naruto's case since kindergarten. He didn't know when exactly they had started orbiting each other, either. It had simply happened. They didn't get along often, hardly ever really, but eventually they continued to tolerate each other. Despite the taunts and arguments, each of them had the confidence that the other four would never back down if they needed to. Sasuke himself was aware of this, as he had experienced it firsthand, following the untimely death of his mother. He could therefore put up with Naruto's stupidity, Shkamaru's laziness, Choji's naivety, and even Kiba's insolence.

" Sasuke! " It was his father's third call. He had already heard the other two, so now he was in the process of leaving his room and going down to the ground floor, where Fugaku's voice was coming from.

He was not an early riser, Sasuke. When he was a kid, he used to love waking up at dawn to give himself time to do all the activities he wanted to do, but after his mother's death, that habit had gradually waned. It was no longer pleasant to wake up hours earlier than necessary without being able to meet her loving gaze or hear her voice humming in the kitchen. Then, of course, with age, his habits changed as well. It was hard to wake up to the sound of larks after a good night out with his friends. Besides, those were the last days of total freedom he had left. That's what they told themselves as justification, even though they knew that the beginning of the semester wouldn't prevent them from being late at night, even if less frequently.

" I told you we'd be back by lunch. You could have at least made yourself presentable. " Fugaku reserved a look for him that the dark-haired was now used to. Disapproval and disappointment. No matter what he did or said, it was never enough for the man, as he always seemed to expect more from the younger one, almost as if it was a given that Sasuke should read his mind and understand exactly what the he wanted from him, without him having to express it.

He hadn't really just woken up. He had at least had time to take a shower. Proof of that was his still damp hair. How should he have dressed? In a suit? He was in his own house, or rather in what from now on would also be the house of the young girl he had to introduce himself to. Wasn't it more advisable to behave naturally, so as to put her immediately at ease?

" Here we are! " His father's partner peeped out of the doorway, cheerful and smiling, dragging with her a baggage that reached her waist. " Fugaku, dear, there are still three suitcases in the car. "

" Mom, there's no need. I'll take care of it. " The figure that appeared behind the woman instantly froze him. Sasuke's eyes widened, his lips were parted, giving his face an expression of pure dismay. Though his mind seemed to have shut down, his obsidian irises swiftly traced the figure of the young woman before him.

He started at the bottom, at the white sneakers, without the shadow of a single stain, almost as if they had just been taken out of the box. He thought it was inhuman to have the ability to maintain that whiteness, that it was mathematical this kind of shoes would smudge the exact moment they were worn for the first time.

He continued along her legs, wrapped up to the knee by stockings just as white, just as unblemished, without even the slightest stretch mark.

He swallowed at the sight of her exposed skin, slightly darkened by her recent tan, but still maintaining pearly hues.

The pleated skirt was a bright green, with white and pale pink floral patterns. A garment that would normally have connected to a little girl more than an academic, because of the innocence it gave off.

Slipped into it at waist level was a simple, monochrome blouse, completely pastel pink except for the white collar, perfectly folded back on itself. She looked like cotton candy and he had not even looked at her face yet.

It was a face he knew. He followed the curve of her cheeks, which had now acquired an exquisite pinkish hue, to her small, straight, slightly upturned nose. Her lips were full, soft-looking, lacquered with a thin layer of pink. It seemed to be the dominant color.

Her head was topped with shiny pink locks that fell neatly down her shoulders and back. Adorning them was only a pastel green ribbon.

He had purposely saved her eyes for last. They stood out on her beautiful face, illuminating it like two precious gems set in an already breathtaking view. Bright and shining, the two jades reciprocated his dark and incredulous gaze.

"Oh Sasuke dear, you're here. Let me introduce you to my daughter Sakura. " Sakura. He knew her name, of course. His father's companion had often spoken of the girl. Yet, it hadn't flashed through his mind recently. He had only thought of her as Mebuki's daughter. In any case, even if he had remembered it, under no circumstances would he have been able to make that connection. It was only a name. He would have dismissed it as a mere coincidence, since would  have been impossible to him associate that young woman with the Sakura he had already met. The girl of Suna.

" Sakura, this is Sasuke, my youngest son. " It had only been a matter of moments, yet it seemed that the dark-haired boy had been lost in contemplation of her figure for hours.

She had seemed just as bewildered as Sasuke, but unlike him she had granted him a much more cursory and less invasive glance, before she began to look around nervously as long as she didn't cross his onyx eyes. Sakura tortured her soft lower lip with her teeth, while her hands had left their grip on the luggage she was carrying, joining behind her back instead.

" It's a... um... " She took the briefest of pauses, imperceptible to those present, but which for the dark-haired was charged with embarrassment. Then again, the others could not know. " It is a pleasure to meet you. " In the current situation, Sasuke could only nod his head in agreement.

It was hard to think straight, now that far too many explicit images were running through his mind, starring the very young woman in front of him. Nor was he simply fantasizing as if he were a depraved. It probably would have been better, compared to the reality of the situation.

The possibility of that scenario occurring was infinitesimal. Yet there she was, Sakura, the girl who with her friends had brightened their stay in Suna. They had met on the beach, the day of their arrival. It was not uncommon for groups of outsider students to interact and intertwine, even though they were aware that they would probably never see each other again.

Needless to say, it was Kiba who noticed them immediately, as he had scanned the beach for possible targets even before he could get into his swimsuit. Sakura was his exception, the kind of girl that not even after a student vacation would anyone want to lose sight of. And she was undoubtedly out of young Inuzuka's reach, as Shikamaru had pointed out.

Sasuke wasn't as obsessed as his friend on the subject, but it was normal that he had indulged in his own affairs when he had the desire to do so. With Sakura it had happened immediately, even before they could talk. So she had been his exception as well.

Interacting with her had only fueled his desire to get to know her better. His experience had led him to believe that it was extremely difficult for such a beautiful girl to also have an interesting personality or a lovable character, but of course he had to change his mind. In five days Sakura had been able to spark his interest in every way and it had all culminated on the last evening.

He had an extremely vivid memory of that night and not just because it had happened three days before, but also because of the marks still branded on his body. It was very likely that one or two at the level of his neck were visible even at that moment. That simple realization led him to frown and at the same time look for the same bruises he knew he had left on her.

That Sakura was extremely different from Suna's girl. Overcoming his initial shock, Sasuke had been able to see this. She exuded an innocence he didn't remember seeing in her, an uncertainty he hadn't encountered in her gaze, and a bashfulness that, had it been present that time, wouldn't have led them to have sex repeatedly on one of Suna's beaches.

Even the way she moved, the way she showed herself was different. At that moment, Sakura was exactly Mebuki's daughter, the one she had told him about full of pride, the top medical student, so focused on her studies that she had no time or interest in anything else. She matched that description, in her candor and orderly composure. If only the woman had known that this same innocent girl only three days before had clawed at his back, leaving marks that he could feel the slight burn even now.

If he hadn't been stunned by the turn of events, he probably would have laughed out loud, because the situation was so damn tragicomic.

" Sasuke. " His father's rough voice abruptly brought him back to reality, reminding him that while a sea of thoughts filled his mind, time was still ticking away and the others had continued to talk.

" Hmm? " He realized that he hadn't taken his eyes off Sakura for even a moment. Maybe that had been noticed. Maybe they had realized something was wrong, of the awkwardness that hovered over the two of them.

" The luggage. " But no, thankfully. " Take her luggage upstairs. " It was Fugaku's simple, concise order that allowed him to become completely aware of where he was and how necessary was to act with clearness. He would have time to consider the gravity of the situation once he was on his own.

" Oh, no! I mean... no, there's no need, really. I can handle it on my own. " Sakura smiled, immediately tightening her fingers around the handle of her trolley, almost as if she feared that someone, in this case him, might snatch it out of her hand. In that way she risked simply to arouse suspicion, even if it could only seem that the girl felt obviously bewildered by the commutation, by finding herself in what from then on would be her new home.

The dark-haired let out an imperceptible sigh, deciding that the best choice was to act naturally. Not that it was easy. He felt tense and numb at the same time, but somehow he managed to find the courage to go down the last step and approach the girl. Bad decision.

 It was a detail he had noticed before, but it had slipped his mind at that moment. Sakura didn't seem to be able to hold back some of her body's unbidden reactions, such as the redness of her cheeks. It had been an extremely pleasant discovery and, during the five days in Suna, Sasuke had done nothing but research that phenomenon on purpose, gaining a not inconsiderable satisfaction by the knowledge that he was the one causing it. In this case, instead, he would have preferred that the girl was able to control herself and not only because someone could have found that sudden embarrassment equivocal, but also because that simple but dangerous expression was able to evoke in him memories that certainly were not the case to bring to the surface in that instant.

He cleared his throat and, as if it had been a signal, the two looked away from each other simultaneously. Perhaps a little too abruptly he took the trolley out of her hands, walking towards the upper floor without another glance over his shoulder.

" What the fuck are you talking about? " Kiba was the first to assimilate his words, while the others simply stared at him in dismay. He himself in recounting how he had found on his doorstep the stranger he had had sex with on vacation, had realized how surreal it was. " Is that Sakura... your new little sister? " Sasuke winced, wrinkling both his nose and his mouth.

" God, don't call her that. " It made him feel extremely disgusting, though at the same time he was also innocent. How could he know that this very girl was Mebuki's daughter?

"Are you sure about that? " Naruto seemed to be the most shocked one. In fact, his tone of voice made him seem almost lost.

" I still have my sight. "He commented, irritated and exasperated at the same time. A part of him would have wanted to stay in the house that night, so he could brood over the situation. The other, the one that had then had the upper hand, had forced him to get out of that mansion and away from Sakura, who was fortunately doing her best to avoid any contact. Of course, he knew they couldn't continue like that forever, and he himself didn't want to. However, he was still too upset, especially by the violent and seemingly uncontrollable way his thoughts had intruded into his mind. Thoughts that were undoubtedly inappropriate.

" You are one lucky fucking bastard. " Anything would have been expected but those words. He was certain that Kiba of all people would not miss the opportunity to mock him. The reason why he was rather reluctant to share that story with his friends. Then the sad knowledge that in any case they would have found out everything had led him to resignation. Instead, the young Inuzuka had surprised him but not too pleasantly. He could not see the good fortune the other seemed to glimpse.

" Kiba...she's his sister. " He transfixed again, feeling the visceral desire to violently shut the mouth of the next person who would use that word.

" Step-sister. Not even, really. It's not like your parents are married, right? Technically, it's like you're roommates. " Sasuke frowned, but added nothing, as did the others. Maybe they were all thinking the same thing, which was that Kiba was a damn depraved man, but also that he actually had a point. There was nothing to be disgusted about. Until that morning, he didn't even know who Sakura was, or rather he didn't know what kind of relationship was about to be forced on them. They didn't have a blood relation, fortunately, but neither did they have a legal one. " And your roommate is one hot piece of ass. Lucky bastard. " Repeated the other, this time failing to conceal the hint of envy present in his tone.

"At least now we're sure she's not off-limits. If we apply that rule it would mean that Sasuke fucked his sister... Oi, bastard! Where are you going?" The dark-haired boy was already on his feet, heading towards the exit of the club. He wasn't in the mood at all to suffer and endure the taunts of his friends, much less to hear them talk that way about the girl who wasn't his sister, but was now part of his family anyway. Unfortunately.

He had already been in the car for ten minutes, his gaze focused on the window of one of the rooms in the Uchiha mansion. It’s two in the morning, why is she still awake? When he had returned, abandoning his friends without even giving them a ride home, he had thoughtfully checked that the light coming from Sakura's room was off. They'd managed to avoid each other all day, but the risk of colliding in the hallway had been high. He wanted to be careful, so he had turned off the engine, lit a cigarette and waited. Only Sasuke was not a patient person, so ten minutes had been enough to irritate him. Could she have fallen asleep with the light on? In that case it would have been a big problem, because he would have waited in vain, risking to stay in his car for the whole night.

Sasuke sighed loudly, running a hand through his raven locks and then over his face. He was an idiot. He certainly couldn't go on like that. Sooner or later he would have to face the issue head on and accept that Sakura was now living in his house. He couldn't ignore and avoid her forever.

For one crazy moment he had even wondered what could have happened if he confessed the incident to his father and he had laughed like a madman. He highly doubted that in that case Fugaku would have limited himself to a disapproving look. The idea of disappointing the man no longer caused him the same anger he had when he was a boy. Now mixed with it was resignation, the awareness that in any case he would never be able to make him proud, to satisfy his unattainable expectations. Maybe a part of him was unconsciously looking for ways to disappoint him, because at least in that case he would not have reserved him only cold detachment. Telling him about Sakura, however, went far beyond that threshold. It would have affected his life, his new relationship. Sasuke did not despise his father to that extent.

He decided he had waited too long, so got out of the car without even bothering to put it in the garage. Another failure that would have caused Fugaku's disappointment.

The house was obviously shrouded in silence, broken only by the tinkle of his keys, by the sound of his footsteps as he reached the upper floor. He looked around circumspectly, almost as if he feared that a wild animal might emerge from some corner. He relaxed only when he could see the door of his room from a distance; a few steps separated him from his destination, from his salvation. That's why he couldn't help mentally cursing when another door opened, revealing the tiny figure of Sakura. It was obvious that luck could not be on his side. It would have been too easy if the girl had decided to leave her room just two minutes later, giving him time to lock himself in his own.

They stared at each other in the semi-darkness of the corridor for several moments, both obviously undecided about what to do. The best choice would have been to ignore each other, but Sasuke's gaze had acted spontaneously as it traveled from bottom to top of her figure, wrapped only in a thin nightgown of a soft blue. It was as if the universe had it in for him and was punishing him, using that girl's body to do so.

Obviously, Sakura noticed his glance, which was too invasive and targeted to appear casual and disinterested, and shifted her weight from one foot to the other, in discomfort. After moments that seemed like days, she lowered her gaze, bringing her fingers to the hem of her garment, as if to cover as much as possible the strips of exposed skin. A completely useless gesture, since it was the fabric that was missing. It at least managed to rouse Sasuke, mentally cursing himself for his total lack of self-control. It wasn't like him, but it was also true that he had been caught unprepared and that he still had to assimilate the situation, before deciding how it was better to behave. She certainly wasn't helping him clear his head.

“ I was… " Clearly the girl was struggling to find the right words to express herself, so she continued to twist the hem of her nightgown, until she decided to retrace and step back into the room. " Good night. " She murmured almost imperceptibly. If the house hadn't been completely shrouded in silence he wouldn't have even been able to hear her. He didn't say anything, inhaling deeply the instant the door closed and blocked his view of Sakura.

" Fuck... " Yet she was still there, in his mind, starring in a decidedly different scenario. How could he act natural and pretend nothing had happened, when those same images were doing everything they could to reemerge?

He had to straighten things out. He had to forget about Suna. He had to consider Sakura as Mebuki's daughter and not the girl whose moans kept ringing in his ears. And above all, he had to urgently take a cold shower.

Chapter Text

Sakura had already considered the possibility that her last few days of vacation would prove to be quite tiring. She imagined that dealing with a move would not be easy, that settling into a new home would take time and effort. However, what she really couldn't have imagined even in her innermost thoughts was that her rest would be ruined by one of the tenants of the Uchiha mansion.

She had awakened in pieces, after a short and troubled sleep. Perhaps if she hadn't bumped into Sasuke in the hallway in the middle of the night, she would have been able to keep those unseemly, intrusive thoughts away. Or maybe not. Then again, hadn't she been forced by her own mind to replay what had happened to Suna from the moment she had been mirrored in those dark eyes again? Two onyx pools, reminiscent of the night waters in which they had their first intercourse. Two coal-oil wells into which she had willingly dived, only to sink completely.

What were the chances that Sasuke, that Sasuke, was the son of Fugaku Uchiha? She had heard of him, of course, but she had never had a chance to see him or meet him. Konoha and Kumo were not within each other's reach, so Sakura didn't travel often to join her mother. In the past two and a half years, it hadn't happened once. Her studies took up most of her time, and she hadn't been able to take many vacations since she started college. The few she had earned she had spent in the company of her friends or, occasionally, Lee.

Suna was one of them. It was the second year in a row that they had chosen that destination. After all, all the students went there during the few weeks of break that separated the end of one school year from the beginning of the next. It was a good way to relax, to get away, even if only for a few days, from the stress accumulated during the intense months of study. That was how Ino had described it to her, at least, convincing her rather easily.

That second year,  Lee should have been present too, but his coach had scheduled him an intense training session, in view of the next Olympics, from which he couldn't avoid. It was always like that in the last period, a lapse of time that lasted almost a year. She understood how important it was for Lee to be focused on his athletic training, that he couldn't afford any slip-ups or distractions, but by now they had reached the point where their agendas never seemed to mesh. Now then, with her move, it was all going to get worse.

And it was, it really was. It hadn't just gotten worse, it had plummeted to the bowels of the earth and was unlikely to see the light of day again. But how could she know that the boy she met in Suna was the son of his mother's partner? She believed that it would only be one meeting, that Sasuke would remain a pleasant memory of Suna and that therefore the weight on her conscience would fade with time.

She felt guilty, of course. No, that was reductive. She was consumed by guilt. She had never denied herself some light and innocent flirting. A few smiles, a flicker of eyelashes, a few giggles. Nothing more than that, nothing that went beyond getting a drink at some club when she indulged in nightlife with her friends. And it was in that chaste way that it had started with Sasuke. It had been his group that had approached them one morning on the beach, and from then on their path in Suna had been intertwined. They had gone to different activities together, reaching the same places, whether it was the dream beaches or the nightclubs. It had all been extremely fun and she was happy to have shared that vacation with those guys, but she was also certain that she would never see them again and she was fine with that.

On the last night everything had fallen apart. The worst part was that thinking back on that moment didn't cause her the amount of shame that it should have. She hadn't been able to put the blame on anything. The alcohol ingested hadn't been enough to make that choice induced by the numbness of her senses. Ino's proposal to indulge in a night bath in the sea had been enthusiastically accepted by Sakura, so she couldn't condemn the blonde.

Perhaps, however, she could blame Sasuke at least a little. It was his hand that had brushed a damp strand of hair behind her ear and caused her stomach to flip. It had been his smirk, clearly satisfied by the blush expanded on her cheeks, that had caused her lower belly to vibrate. And it was his lips that had collided with Sakura's, his fingers slowly tracing down her exposed back.

" Sakura, can you hear me? " Ino's voice on the other end of the phone immediately woke her up. She hadn't even realized that she had been dwelling too much on those vivid images again. And as usual, her body had reacted spontaneously. Her breathing had become heavier, her skin extremely sensitive in places she remembered someone else's hands had been. And she was hot, to the point that her cheeks had acquired the usual redness, the one that had accompanied her even during her days in Suna.

" Mmhh..." Was her only reply. She heard the other sigh, and it was rare that Ino had difficulty in immediately find the words to express herself.

" What do you want to do now? " Sakura brought a hand to her face, completely distraught at the turn of events. What was she supposed to do? She should ignore it and pretend nothing had happened. But how could she do that, when there was only a single door separating her from Sasuke?

Sakura sighed, while on the other end of the phone there was only a silence full of expectation. She got out of bed and began to nervously pace the room, which still seemed so foreign to her. She wondered if adjusting to this radical change would be easy. Given the dire situation she found herself in, the answer could only be one: no.

" I don't know... Damn it, Ino. " She sighed again, even more soundly, as she observed her own reflection in the mirror. It didn't look like the rested, serene face of someone fresh from a vacation. " Why you didn’t stop me? "

" Don't try to blame me now, Sakura! " Retorted the other, legitimately accusatory. The pink-haired young woman absent-mindedly looked at her reflection, at least until her attention was caught by an all-too-familiar blush at the base of her neck, followed by an identical one, only more purplish, near her collarbone. " How was I supposed to know you'd fuck with him? You've never gone that far. And to be completely honest not even if I had noticed before you were gone would I have stopped you. Damn it, did you see him? " Sakura let out a groan of protest, addressed both to her friend and to those all too obvious marks on her skin. Hell, it had been how many? Four, five days? Could it be that they were still visible?

" Yeah, thank you, Ino. I've seen him and I'll see him every day from now on. " Annoyed, the pink-haired girl rolled her eyes. Then she froze. Visible through the reflection of the mirror was the very figure of the boy they were talking about. He was motionless in the doorway, his onyx irises following the movements of her fingers, massaging the marks that stood out on her skin. Probably realizing his mistake, Sasuke met her stare through his reflection. " I ha...ve to go. "

" What? We're not done yet! You can't go now! Sakura! Sak... " But the blonde's voice was abruptly interrupted at the exact moment she ended the call. An awkward silence fell in the room as their gazes were still trapped by each other.

" I knocked. " His seemed like a defense to an accusation that had not come, as Sakura had not even had a chance to realize that his unexpected presence in the room was some sort of invasion of her privacy. They had gone to great lengths to avoid each other the previous day, only to inadvertently collide in the hallway, whereas now he had sought her out voluntarily. Why?

" Sorry...I was on the phone. " She recomposed herself only then, straightening her back and adjusting the fabric of her blouse so that it could cover the stains that, in any case, the other knew all too well. Part of her hoped that with time things would get better, that all that awkwardness was due to the intense initial impact. Maybe it really was, but something, such as her dry throat and the flip of her stomach, suggested that instead getting over that hiccup and starting to act natural would not be easy at all.

" Mebuki asked me to call you. " So it hadn't been his choice to go all the way to that room to interact with her. Furthermore, judging by his stiff posture, Sasuke also felt some discomfort in her presence. It couldn't have been any other way. No doubt he, too, had expected to never again run into that stranger he'd met in Suna, in what had been a one-night stand and should have remained that for the both of them. Instead, they were now an extended family.

"Ah yes... I'll be right down. " She even ventured a smile, as if that drawn-out grimace could be enough to ease the tension between the two. The dark-haired merely nodded his head, reserving only one last glance for her before turning his back and leaving the room. Ignoring the constant vibrating of her cell phone, proof of the myriad of messages she was receiving from her friends, Ino in particular, Sakura took a deep breath. As if the situation wasn't intricate enough, they also had to deal with family scenarios strongly desired by their parents, like that damn Sunday brunch.

Sakura had hoped to spend those hours in total silence, with her eyes on her own plate. She knew she would be addressed, considering that the event had been organized just for her, to allow her to get to know and adapt to her new family, but she thought she could give short and concise answers, so as not to show the discomfort she was feeling.

Instead, in the last ten minutes the attention of everyone present was focused on her, thanks to a simple and centered question from Itachi regarding her course of study at Kumo University. She had just met the eldest of the Uchiha brothers and he had given her the impression that he was a very nice young man, sensitive and therefore extremely attentive to details. In fact, his dark eyes didn't often move away from her and by now she was sure he had noticed her discomfort. However, she wondered if he had also noticed his brother's, seated on his right and right in front of Sakura.

" Kumo is really something else, isn't it? In winter, the mountain scenery is spectacular. " Itachi's tone had a calming quality to it. If she hadn't been in such a peculiar situation, she probably would have just listened to it and felt at ease. It did not surprise her, in fact, that he was exceptional at his job. The eldest son of the Uchihas was the flagship of the family law firm. Who would ever be able to question the words of a lawyer, when expressed with such serenity and such dialectic?

" Have you been there? " Sakura just tilted her head to the side, curious, without turning her teal irises away from his face, who nodded his head.

" Several times, actually. A friend of mine comes from there. For years it was our favorite vacation destination. " Troubled again, Sakura hid her face behind a glass filled with orange juice, from which she took conspicuous sips, like a castaway in the desert again in contact with water.

" Have you also been to the ski slopes? " Mebuki entered the conversation cheerfully, smiling warmly at the elder of the two Uchiha brothers. The other two men at the table, however, were in religious silence, engrossed in their meal.

" Unfortunately, no. I'm afraid I'm not cut out for skiing. " The woman's green eyes, a few shades darker than her daughter's, lit up.

" Nonsense! It's all about getting started. Sakura was terrible at first, then she became great! Almost one with the snow. She could teach you. " She had forgotten how invasive, sometimes even embarrassing her mother could be when it came to praising her daughter's abilities. Not so much for her, but more for herself, for personal pride.

" So you like the cold weather? You might not be comfortable in Konoha. " Itachi's attention was once again focused on her.

" Oh no, just the opposite. I hate the cold but I guess I had to adjust. It was either that or travel the world with mom. " A crystalline giggle left Sakura's lips. She had lived several years in Kumo but had never really adapted to the climate. She much preferred warm, sunny places.

" The second one doesn't look so bad. " The woman didn't even give Itachi time to finish his sentence before stepping in.

" It's definitely bad for the study. She would have too many distractions, too many changes that would not benefit her education. " And that was always the focus, at least for her mother. It was as if nothing mattered to the woman but success, excelling even at the cost of sanity. " She will have plenty of time to travel when she is an established medic. " That sentence sounded almost like a paradox, considering that once she embarked on that career, the free hours available to her would drastically lowered.

" I think you should take advantage of some of that right now. Didn't you just have three weeks? For someone who lives in the mountains and hates the cold, Suna should be ideal. " Immediately, her attention, and that of those present, was drawn to Sasuke. His presence had been unnoticeable until that moment. It seemed that a sip of juice had gone down his throat, in fact it took him several moments, and several coughs, to compose himself.

Sakura cursed herself and her body for the reactions it decided to have spontaneously. She distinctly sensed the heat flowing to her cheeks, no doubt now flushed with embarrassment. She knew what the dark-haired's reaction was due to, certainly not a simple distraction in eating. It had been Itachi's specific words.

" Sasuke dear, are you alright? " The boy merely nodded, keeping one hand pressed against his lips and his gaze downcast. The morning wasn't progressing in the worst way. Relieving the discomfort altogether had been impossible, seated across from each other, but the conversation had never been problematic, until now.

" By the way, Sasuke just got back from Suna. " Sakura moistened her lips, swallowing a mouthful of her French toast with difficulty. She was desperately looking for a way to change the subject, as she was not at all ready to pretend that absolutely nothing had happened, to show indifference.

" Too much noise and unruliness... Suna is not for Sakura. " Again Sasuke, this time seemingly unable to keep his grip on his fork, which fell back against the plate, causing a sharp clangor.

" Are you okay? " Now Itachi looked confused, even slightly apprehensive, as he turned his gaze to his younger brother.

" I just haven't had much sleep. " It was the first time she had heard his voice in hours since he had been forced to join her in her room that morning. And someone else who had been silent up to that point also decided it was time to speak.

" Perhaps if you came home earlier, you would not be in this condition by now. " Fugaku's tone was extremely harsh, but even more so was his gaze, which was completely directed at his youngest son. Sakura noticed the boy's features harden, his grip on the cutlery intensify.

" Come on, Dad... Sasuke is still on vacation. Why shouldn't he get some distraction? " Itachi rushed to his brother's rescue, perhaps sensing in turn the darkening atmosphere.

" Until tomorrow. " Sentenced the man, granting the dark-haired a last look full of disappointment, before returning to focus on his plate.

" Ah, speaking of tomorrow! Sasuke dear, you should accompany Sakura. " It was her turn to respond, widening her eyes as if she had been blinded by two headlights.

" Mom, there's no need...I'm not a child on the first day of school. " Mebuki waved her hand, as if to shush her daughter on the matter, having already made her decision.

" Why would you take the bus if you're going to the same part? Besides, Sasuke can show you around the campus and help you get your bearings. " She had tried to avoid the dark-haired's gaze in every way, but at that moment she was the one who sought him out, as if tacitly asking him for help. Too bad he seemed to be out of ideas too, as he merely returned her glance with an equally apprehensive one.

" I think that's a great idea. You've just moved in. It will help you to have someone to rely on. " She had to force a smile, Sakura, in response to Itachi's words, who, unaware of the dynamic between the two, appeared proactive and encouraging.

Insisting on a refusal would have seemed suspicious, as well as extremely rude. They had to act like a family, so they had to start interacting like one, or at least be able to hold each other's gaze for more than three seconds.

"I would also tell you to introduce her to the boys, but maybe it's still too early. " Itachi let slip a chuckle, while Sakura could feel a drop of cold sweat running down the back of her neck. She had gotten to know those rowdy boys during her days in Suna. " Kiba in particular, I would keep him as far away as possible..." Now the elder of the two brothers looked more thoughtful than joking, almost as if he was talking seriously. In fact, if memory serves, the young man he was referring to was the one who seemed to be the most disreputable and the most likely to be annoying. His approach to Sakura had been very explicit, even irritating. He was the only one of that group that she remembered with a negative connotation.

"Oh God, Sasuke dear...please keep that boy at bay. Don't get me wrong, I find all of your friends...unique, but I'm afraid that some of them might not be a good influence on Sakura. " The pink-haired girl frowned, giving the woman at her side a grim look.

" Mom, will you stop talking like I'm ten years old? " Mebuki returned her gaze, arching her eyebrows, probably surprised by her daughter's attitude. They had lived apart for years, and for a substantial period of time they had only been able to see each other via video call. The woman didn't know much about Sakura, being able to rely only on her memory of her as a young girl and the idea she had developed during their brief conversations. There were sides of her that she had never had to come to terms with, continuing to think of her as just the dutiful, serious, obedient, hard-working daughter she so desired her to be.

" Trust me. I'm your mother, I know what's best for you. " Sakura could not contain the urge to roll her eyes and sigh at the same time, in an attempt to hold her tongue.

" Mebuki, they're all good guys, really. You can count on Sakura's judgement, who will surely know for herself who deserves her time and who doesn't. " Itachi cut in with his usual calmness, the corners of his lips barely curved upward, a reassuring smile directed at the woman in front of him.

" I can trust to a point. Sakura is a bit naive about relationships with others... she trusts easily those who she shouldn't and is wary of those who don't deserve it. Do you remember how many years it took you to give Lee a chance? " There were countless causes for her current embarrassment, obviously all of which could be traced back to her mother's words. She felt anger, which fostered the redness in her cheeks, mixed with guilt, discomfort, tension, and disappointment. It seemed that in Mebuki's eyes, the girl with the pink hair was a kind of invertebrate capable only of getting good grades in school, but otherwise had the will and intellect of a six-year-old girl.

" Can we... talk about something else, please? " The woman smiled good-naturedly, misinterpreting the reason for her upset.

" Owh, I didn't mean to make you sad, honey. I guess you already miss him. " She had never felt the compelling need to silence someone using violence, while at that moment the thought that perhaps a punch would shush her mother flashed through her mind. It was all so wrong that it caused her to feel sick to her stomach, as well as a severe headache. " They haven't seen each other in weeks, poor dears. For young lovebirds it must be a lot, isn't it? "

" Mom... " She would have liked to appear threatening, but only managed to exhale those words in exasperation. Mebuki, in any case, seemed to have no mercy.

" But these are sacrifices that must be made. Lee is the epitome of willpower and commitment, and now he will be participating in his second Olympics! Success comes from hard work and Sakura knows that... doesn't she? " By now she had stopped even really listening to her. Her right hand held her head, partially covering her face, while the index finger of her left tapped nervously against the table. She could feel the stares of everyone present on her, but the eyes that she felt as if they were piercing her forehead belonged to the young man sitting in front of her.

She wondered what on earth Sasuke could be thinking of her. Her mother was describing a young woman of integrity, certainly not the girl he had met in Suna. Moreover, he must have come to the conclusion that she was also a damned bitch, a cheater, since she had sex with him while being with another man.

After the nightmarish brunch, Sakura had spent the rest of her last day of vacation locked up in her room, terrified of running into the dark-haired again. She knew she didn't have the strength, not after everything that had come to light that morning. She'd felt so embarrassed she'd felt dizzy. How had she hoped to sustain a solo road trip with Sasuke?

She had, in fact, hesitated for several moments before picking up her own bag and leaving the room. She couldn't procrastinate any further. It was pointless. No solution would fall from the sky, no miracle would happen. She had to get to the campus and she had to do it in the company of that boy.

He was already in the car waiting for her, looking out the driver's window, far from the front door of the Uchiha mansion. Sakura sighed, as if that simple gesture would be enough to give her a strength she knew she didn't have.

" Sorry I'm late..." She exclaimed, slipping into the passenger seat. In response, Sasuke granted her a single glance and a guttural snore of assent. He waited until she was settled before turning onto the road in complete silence.

She didn't know if she preferred the moments when they were alone or together with others. Now they were shrouded in awkwardness, which could be felt in the confined space in which they found themselves. However, the previous morning had been terrible, as they had also had to pretend to be comfortable when they clearly were not.

Sakura decided to concentrate on her cell phone, and the constant messages that Ino and the others were sending her non-stop, absentmindedly crossing her right leg over her left. Focused in typing an answer to the incessant questions of her friends, she didn't notice the fleeting glance that the dark-haired reserved for her, as if captured by that simple movement. She noticed, however, shortly afterwards, how his grip on the steering wheel had tightened.

She was overcome with doubt. She knew she had to say something but at the same time she only wished she could keep silent forever, maybe sinking right in that seat, in that moment. She felt like a goddamn coward, willing to run away in the face of the unexpected. A major setback, sure, but nothing insurmountable, right?

" You can...um...you can drop me off at the next bus-stop. We don't have to go together. " She didn't look at him as she spoke those words, preferring instead to dwell on the windshield and what was on the outside of it.

" Why should I? " Sakura frowned, barely tilting her head to the side, her jade irises glued to the traffic light they were stopped in front of.

" You seem uncomfortable. " She then said to him, without mentioning the embarrassment she herself was feeling. Besides, it was obvious. Sasuke had undoubtedly noticed it from the moment their eyes met on the doorstep of the Uchiha mansion, two days ago.

" It seems to me it's you who can't keep still. " It was only at that moment, when the dark-haired pointed at her with a lazy gesture of his hand, that Sakura realized the unconscious and nervous movement of her leg. She immediately stopped it.

" How could I not be. " She realized she could not deny it; it would be useless. They were alone now, there was no need to pretend. Better to conserve the strength to carry on that charade when their parents were present.

" Are you afraid that I might suddenly take advantage of you? " Only then did the pink-haired girl turn in the direction of the driver, slowly, her eyes wide with surprise and disbelief.

" Don't say such things. " What should have been an admonition seemed more like a plea.

" Why? Do you prefer to continue like this? The sooner you accept what happened, the sooner you can put it behind you. " He no longer looked like the same boy he had been for the past two days, unable to stare at her without short-circuiting. He was much more like the Sasuke she had gotten to know in Suna. Far too confident.

" Where does all this resolve come from? " She asked then, sharpening her gaze. That sudden change in attitude was rather suspicious. Ever since she had crossed the threshold of the Uchiha mansion, Sasuke had done his best to avoid her and only address her as little as possible, just when forced to.

" I've always had it. " He defended himself, frowning in turn.

" You didn't seem very assertive the other night in the hallway. " The last time they had had such a long conversation had been in Suna, although the tones there were distinctly different.

" Well, excuse me for being caught off guard as well. What were the chances of something like this happening? " The same question she had asked herself, over and over again. Sasuke's tone was sarcastic and almost mocking. He evidently didn't want to admit that he had, in turn, felt stunned. Perhaps it was because he feared Sakura might believe she had influence over him? That should have been the least of their problems.

"And yet it happened. " She turned on him, crossing her arms over her chest.

" Exactly, so accept it and move on. If you haven't noticed, we're going to be spending a lot of time together from now on. " That thought made her shudder and, she realized, not in the way she should have.

" Easier said than done. " At those words, Sasuke responded with a scorned snore. " What? " Sakura urged him, arching her eyebrows.

" Is it hard because you don't want to accept it or you don't want to move on? " As much as she was calling on all her strength to control her body's unconscious reactions, she couldn't help blushing, feeling indignant at the same time. She preferred it when he was more caught up in ignoring her than talking to her.

" Maybe it’s hard because now it's like we're brother and sister? " Finally, a human reaction from him, who twisted both his nose and his lips, unable to hide his disgust.

" Don't say such things. " Now his tone was different, much more serious and less assertive. " You are not my sister. "A clarification that appeared essential to the Uchiha, almost as if he himself needed to repeat it. Evidently the thought of associating her with such a close member of his family caused him revulsion, and he had a point, too.

"And what do you expect me to do? " She asked, without an ounce of sarcasm, but genuinely interested in receiving advice, of any kind. Anything that might help her control herself in that circumstance.

" What you planned to do before you knew who I was. " Said like that sounded extremely simple, but how could she really hope to stop her own mind from reminding her of what had happened between them? Or simply force her own body not to react? She had never been particularly good at mastering her emotions. She feared she might give in at any moment, perhaps right in front of their parents. What would she do in that case? She didn't even want to consider the possibility of that happening. It was a doomsday scenario.

" And that's what you're doing? Is that why you were choking at lunch yesterday? " Sakura pointed her index finger at him accusingly, receiving an extremely eloquent look in response.

" Listen, we couldn't have predicted what would happen, so there's no reason to feel embarrassed. There we were two strangers, here we are... roommates." She blinked several times, taking a few moments to assimilate Sasuke's words.

" Roommates? " She asked then, in amazement. She was surprised by the ease with which the dark-haired was downplaying a matter that appeared far too serious to her eyes. " Are you kiddin me? " In response, Sasuke shook his head with conviction.

" And aren't you afraid that our parents will find out? " The boy emitted a mocking hiss, while Sakura continued to observe him with disbelief and even a little fear. She was afraid that he was taking the situation lightly.

" No. " He said dryly, continuing as soon as he received no response from her. " How could they? If we act normal, they'll never understand anything, and certainly none of us are idiots enough to let it slip through our fingers. Besides... " He looked away from the road again, searching with his onyx eyes for Sakura's green ones. " Your mother doesn't even know you were in Suna. Do you think she could ever suspect that her perfect little girl could do something like this? "

" Stop it. " She hadn't appreciated the derisive undertone of his words at all, as evidenced by her frown-laden expression. She also didn't feel particularly surprised by that attitude. She'd only had a chance to interact with Sasuke for five days, but in that span of time had understood how much satisfaction he could get from provocation. That same smug expression and mischievous smile she had seen dozens of times. And each time the effect on her had been the same. The blush on her cheeks and a flip of the stomach.

It was paradoxical that he was advising her how to behave naturally, when he himself seemed to be doing everything to prevent her from succeeding.

" Too much noise and unruliness. " Yes, she much preferred it when Sasuke's energies were turned to ignoring her, rather than teasing her. " That's not for you. "

" Can you shut your mouth? God, I preferred you silent. " She exhaled, exasperated. The dark-haired boy gave her an amused look. His arched eyebrows suggested that her words had been interpreted differently.

" That’s not… " She blushed violently, cursing herself and the boy beside her. " That's not what I meant. " Sakura pointed her gaze in front of her, following the road they were about to take, no longer intending to cross Sasuke's onyx irises the rest of the way to the campus.

" So... where is she? " Naruto looked around, frantically searching for a distinguishable pink hair, without finding it. They hadn't had a chance to meet all morning, busy with their first classes of the semester, but the blond hadn't stopped texting him the entire time, being promptly ignored. He wished he could have done it right then, too, and he was trying. His eyes were closed, his head barely tilted back, his face turned toward the sky, his arms resting against the back of the steel bench he was sitting on. He would have liked to pretend Naruto wasn't there so he could enjoy that lunch break in peace, but the boy could be extremely loud, as well as incredibly intrusive.

" She said she was going to have lunch in the library. " He was forced to respond as a result of the pokes that the other kept inflicting on his shoulder, to get his attention.

He had dropped Sakura off that morning at the entrance to the university secretary so he could go to his first class. She had told him that she would spend her lunch break between books and they could meet directly in the afternoon, to go home. She still wanted to avoid him, despite their morning chat, and he could give her that. As long as her attitude wasn't so overt that she risked exposing their little secret, she might as well continue that way, for now.

" Hmm... top student. " The blond murmured to himself, frowning. It seemed that description of Sakura was strange even to him, not fitting for the girl they had met in Suna. If even Naruto had noticed it, who certainly didn't shine for perspicacity, it must have been really obvious, even though they'd only had a chance to interact with her for five days.

He hadn't even wondered what the real Sakura was, since it was obvious. Mebuki's perfect daughter was the role the girl had decided to take on, forced by her mother's pressures and expectations. At Suna she had behaved spontaneously and naturally, and Sasuke could still make out that same young woman behind the perfectly ironed collars and white stockings that acted as her second skin. Behind the composed attitude of a model girl was hidden the one who was Sakura, who that same morning had looked at him with a gaze full of ardor, in that case lit by anger as well as embarrassment.

It was at that moment that he had decided that total detachment was not the right choice, that they could at least act as acquaintances, using the information they had managed to acquire about each other to perhaps become friends, despite the singular situation.

" Look who I found! " He didn't even have to wait to open his eyes to understand who Kiba, who had just arrived, was referring to. His voice hid mischievous nuances, a provocation that the dark-haired was sure was addressed to him. He was not surprised, in fact, to see the familiar pink hair standing on the head of the young woman next to the Inuzuka. " You're fucking rude, Sasuke. Making her eat all alone in the library. "

" The question is why you were in the library. " Although the tone of Shikamaru, seated not far from them on one of the cement steps, was flat, it concealed a derisive undertone.

Sakura shifted her weight from one foot to the other, obviously uncomfortable, her hands behind her back with her fingers clasped around the handle of her bag. She appeared just as embarrassed as she had been the moment they had met again, in the doorway of the Uchiha mansion. Perhaps she hadn't considered the possibility of meeting these boys so soon, or maybe she hoped she'd never cross paths with them, no matter how impossible. These were his friends, she would run into them sooner or later, one way or another.

He didn't like the idea that that encounter had absolutely nothing random about it, though. Kiba had deliberately sought her out, obviously not caring how embarrassing it might be for her to find herself with four new pairs of eyes on her, curious and inquisitive.

" I was just looking for something to entertain myself when I saw Sakura! What a coincidence, hmm? " The brown-haired young man's mouth twisted into a sly grin. His small eyes met Sasuke's, then shifted to the girl. " You should have lunch with us. "

" Oh, no... Really, I'd rather go back to studying. " Sakura already seemed ready to retrace her steps and disappear towards the inside of the campus, when Kiba spoke again.

" I'll go with you, then. You shouldn't be alone on your first day here. " The girl stiffened at his insistence, not yet comfortable enough in his presence to refuse decisively.

" Stay. " Sasuke intercepted her gaze. He knew Kiba well enough to know that he wouldn't let go of her easily, so he could at least guarantee that other people would be present so that the Inuzuka couldn't go too far. " They will behave. " Assured the dark-haired, pointing with a wave of his hand to the vacant space on the bench between him and Naruto, moving to the right to make room for her. He wasn't sure she wanted to find herself so close to him, and the hesitant look she gave him was confirmation of that. Sasuke himself didn't think it was totally a good idea, but it was preferable to leaving her in Kiba's hands. The girl seemed to come to the same conclusion, as after a few more moments of uncertainty, she decided to accept his invitation and sit down.

" How is your first day going? " Naruto was the first to address her, cheerful and smiling as usual. At least neither of them seemed to want to refer to the circumstances under which they had met.

" Very well, thank you. " Was Sakura's simple and terse reply, whose posture was stiff, almost as if she feared that sitting too comfortably on that bench might bring her too close to the dark-haired at her side.

" I hate the early days...there never seems to be anything to do. " It was always extremely easy for the blond to make conversation, as if preventing an awkward silence from descending upon him was his life's mission. It was no wonder that, among them, he was the most likely to get into the good graces of anyone who came within his reach, thanks to his expansiveness.

" Where's the difference? You don't do anything the other days either. " Sasuke mocked him, earning an offended look from his friend.

" Don't listen to him, I'm always very busy! I'm on the soccer team! Last year we ended third, this year I want to win! " Confident and smiling, Naruto raised a closed fist upwards. Incredibly, his gesture, or perhaps his cheerful attitude in general, warranted a smile from Sakura. " But practice doesn't start until next week... Hey, why don't you come watch? " The sudden question seemed to catch her unprepared.

" No one would want to see twenty-two assholes running after a ball, idiot. " Kiba intervened, rolling his eyes.

" I'd like that instead! I played a few years of soccer in middle school and then switched to tennis. " As Naruto smiled triumphantly, the brown-haired young man let out a frustrated sigh inaudible to others, but which Sasuke didn't fail to notice.

" Really? You should sign up for tournaments, then! " Sakura shook her head, so that the ponytail in which her pink locks were styled swung down her back.

" I'm afraid I don't have the time. Besides... I haven't touched a racket in years. " That simple piece of news seemed to incur Naruto's displeasure, who was evidently all too thrilled to have found something in common with that girl.

" We could still book one of the courts for a game once in a while, couldn't we? Sasuke? " The blond's attention shifted to him, who barely curled his lips, taking on a thoughtful expression.

" Do you play? " Sakura's gaze was also on him now. She watched him with heated curiosity etched in her jade irises.

" For a while, in high school. " He merely said, shrugging his shoulders.

" He should have continued, a scout had noticed him, but the bastard backed out at the last minute. " While focused on Naruto's explanation, the pink-haired girl continued to observe him. She was frowning and curious, perhaps even intrigued by that revelation.

" Why don't we make it a double? " The blond seemed incredibly enraptured by his own proposal.

" Yeah, I'm in too. " Everyone present shifted their gaze to Kiba. If Sakura's was indifferent, suspicion oozed from the eyes of the other four.

" But you hate tennis. " Silent until that moment, Choji decided to speak only to expose his companion, innocently and without malice, but causing the Inuzuka's irritation all the same.

" Bullshit. Besides, there are three of you, right? You're missing a fourth. Shikamaru is too lazy to play while Choji is too uncompetitive. " It was clear that Kiba had also taken that as a challenge, as well as a way to spend time with Sakura and maybe show off in her eyes. Pathetic.

" Well, if we're talking about competition then we should bet something. " Of all the people present, it was the young woman with the pink hair who suggested it, causing the general astonishment. They had met her in Suna, but now they were all too caught up in the image Sakura wished to give of herself to realize what her nature was. Except for Sasuke, who couldn't hold back a half-smile.

" We should choose the teams first. " Proposed Kiba, with small dark eyes fixed on her face, who, for her part, merely shook her head.

" I want to know the stakes before I decide who to pair up with. " Now the girl seemed to be much more at ease. The smile painted on the beautiful face was spontaneous and not forced. Thinking about it... it was the first time he had a chance to see that grimace again. The last one had been in Suna, of course.

" Tsk, medical students. Too smart not to be cunning too. " In uttering those words, in a neutral tone, Shikamaru shook his head.

" Naruto should go two weeks without ramen. " The blond man widened his eyes at Choji's words, almost as if he had spoken the worst of insults.

" Two weeks without eating ramen...? You've got to be kidding! " Naruto exclaimed, now tremendously serious. "You want to see me dead..."

" Kiba two weeks without bothering a single girl. Present included. " Following Shikamaru's proposal, Sakura could barely hold back a giggle, while the dark-haired unmercifully emitted his own.

" Then the bastard will have to go two weeks without his fucking car and without driving any other.  " Sasuke frowned, not at all pleased. His passion for motors was known to his friends, as was his unhealthy need to always be the designated driver, unable to allow others to get behind the wheel in his presence.

" And Sakura, two weeks without... " Naruto hesitated, thoughtful. None of them knew her well enough to know what she absolutely could not do without. Maybe.

" Taking a bath. " The girl snapped her head sharply in his direction, narrowed her gaze. " You said you couldn't go more than a day without taking a bath, right? " A confession she had made to him in Suna, actually, and so perhaps it was not fair to bring it up now. It had been the first thing he'd thought of, as Sakura herself had told him how soaking in the tub for her was a ritual, meant to relax and energize her, rather than just a way to get clean.

" Are you kidding me? How am I supposed to wash myself? " Judging by her reaction, it seemed that Sasuke had hit the nail on the head.

" We have a shower at home, you know. At least for two weeks I won't have to wait for you for hours. " For the first time since he'd met her, her expression was indecipherable. She seemed to be evaluating and weighing her every word, confused perhaps by the affinity that exchange exuded.

" If you all agree to the pledges, you may decide on the couples. " Shikamaru then granted them, pointing at them with a lazy hand gesture.

" Sakura, y... " Kiba did not have time to finish, that the girl interrupted him.

" I want to be in team with Sasuke. " She asserted earnestly and resolutely, still without taking her eyes off his face. Her teal eyes were lit with a glimmer of competitiveness and...excitement. The latter was not new to him and caused his abdomen to twist.

" What? Why? " Only at that instant did the girl avert her gaze, pointing it at Kiba, who was obviously outraged by that decision.

" I just chose based on the information I have. I know that he was good enough to have caught the attention of a scout, that Naruto plays a different sport, and that you don't like tennis. That makes him the most suitable option, right? " Sakura explained analytically, arching her eyebrows, before continuing. " I'm not going to give up my baths for two weeks, and then his penalty would also be to my disadvantage, so we'd rather win together. "

" However, if you lose you will be two weeks without a bath and a ride, so forced to take the bus. " Shikamaru, who now seemed to be acting as a bookie for their little bet, pointed out to her.

" It will mean we won't lose. " Sasuke's tone flaunted a confidence that bordered on arrogance, as evidenced by the smug, cocky smile that took shape on his face.

Chapter Text

His forehead was beaded with sweat. His breathing was labored and so was Sakura's. He could hear her heavy moans, could see her ponytail dancing on her back. Every glance he gave her was enough to twist his stomach, while an extreme heat arose in his lower abdomen and spread throughout his body.

The whole thing was unsolicited and extremely unsuited to the circumstance. It was almost as if he had become unable to control his thoughts and impulses. Like an animal or like Kiba, which were actually synonyms. He let out a groan of frustration as he ran to his right, racket tightly gripped in his hand and ready to intercept the ball before it could hit the ground and score a point for his opponents.

That match was proving to be all too difficult. Given Kiba and Naruto's lack of experience, under normal circumstances they would have won with ease. The problem was those were not normal circumstances.

Sakura had proven herself to be very talented and experienced, another detail that should have favored their almost predictable victory. However, rather than an advantage, her presence was a downside, as even the movement of her pink hair was capable of claiming his attention and distracting him. If at first he had considered the choice of the teams right, or at least convenient for them, now he was bitterly regretting it.

With one set assigned to each pair, they were now almost at the end of the third, which would have determined the winner of that challenge. He hoped at least with the passing of the hours he would be able to get used to her moans and the movement of her white skirt, but instead it had only gotten worse, making that scenario increasingly equivocal and at the same time explicit in his mind.

Obviously, his so-called friends had taken the opportunity to give their best in that game, clearly not intending to lose. He didn't know if they had picked up on the reason for his poor performance or not, but they had certainly noticed something was off. And like leeches they had exploited that weakness to their advantage.

With yet another game won by their opponents, Sasuke walked away with fury, clearly aimed at himself, in the direction of the benches, which allowed the players to rest during the breaks. He took a hefty sip of water from his own bottle, when he discerned an all too familiar shade of pink through his peripheral vision.

" What's wrong with you? " Sakura seemed to be accusing him, which only made his already gloomy mood worse. The pink-haired girl was frowning, her arms crossed over her chest while still clutching her racket in her right hand. She looked displeased and couldn't even blame her. She had chosen him as her partner precisely because she was certain this would guarantee her victory. And he was sure of it, too. It wouldn't have pleased her to know she was the reason for such a poor performance.

Sasuke didn't answer her, just looked at her grimly for a few moments before taking another sip of water. He was exhausted, and the funny thing was it wasn't even his body that was making the most effort, but his mind, as it forcibly tried to push back inappropriate thoughts. The girl huffed in frustration and with little kindness took the bottle from his hands, clearly determined to claim his attention.

" I thought you were some kind of prodigy. Are you trying to make us lose on purpose? " He couldn't even try to pin the blame on her, considering it was obvious he was the problem. Sakura had been nearly flawless and probably without her that match would have ended much sooner, sealing the victory of their opponents and the loss of that damn bet.

He had felt so confident, certain winning would be a piece of cake. Was he regretting accepting? Yes. Not least because his pride was being hurt. Not to mention he didn't even want to contemplate the possibility of spending two weeks without his car, forced to get around by public transport. The definition of hell, for Sasuke.

" Shut up. " Was all he managed to say to her, earning a look filled with resentment. It was wrong to take out his frustration on her, but in a way, wasn't Sakura the cause of it all? She was unaware of it, of course, but she was still the culprit.

Her left hand was still clenched on his water-flask and for a moment it almost seemed as if she wanted to throw it at him. Not that he could blame her. In any case, she merely took a sip from it. It was an innocent gesture, meant to quench her thirst, but to Sasuke's dark eyes it seemed like the worst outrage. With his own lips half-closed in amazement, the dark-haired watched her full ones close around the spout. He watched her throat throb with each mouthful. He peered at a few drops of water that escaped her control as they ran down the corners of her mouth, down her chin, down her neck and disappeared beneath her white shirt. To make matters worse, the realization that until moments before, his own mouth had been there, just as it had been against hers as well, just as hers had wrapped around his...

" Let's resume! " The voice of Shikamaru, the designated referee, and the ensuing gesture of Sakura, handing him that damned bottle with a rude gesture, brought him back down to earth, at least in part. He was ashamed of himself as never happened before. He seemed to have become an agglomeration of testosterone as he hadn't been even when he was fourteen, in full puberty. It would have been understandable if it had been his first experience, but it was not. Before that moment, before that damned girl, he had always been able to control himself and very often he hadn't even had the need to, as certain unseemly thoughts had never spontaneously introduced themselves into his mind, dulling his senses and numbing his common sense. Was it a cruel twist of fate this should happen to him with Mebuki's daughter, his father's partner? Or maybe that was the reason, to find himself forced to have Sakura in front of him almost every moment, to run into her in her pajamas or her towel or that damn tight sports outfit she wore every morning during her yoga exercises.

His frustration had now reached unattainable peaks, always because of him, of his own thoughts, although he continued to believe much of the responsibility should be attributed to Sakura, now intent on moving away from him. Even that simple, natural movement seemed to catch his eye, hypnotizing him like an illusionist's pendulum.

He wearily ran a hand over his face and then through his raven locks, ruffling them, all while letting out a frustrated and irritated snort.

" Oi, bastard! We're waiting for you! " Naruto was far too cheerful for his liking, as well as impatient. Evidently he was already anticipating his victory. He couldn't allow that. It was an unacceptable thought, a disastrous scenario. He absolutely had to regain his sanity and come to his senses. It was not like him to allow instinctive impulses to control his character, his body. What kind of person was he becoming? Even better, what kind of person was she making him? Could a girl he had met little more than a week before, and whom he believed he would never meet again, really have such a firm grip on Sasuke Uchiha? No, of course not. It was time for him to get back in control.

Sakura was sitting on the cement floor, her arms stretched back, her weight placed against her open palms. Jade's irises were turned to the two young men on the other side of the net, intent on expressing all their enthusiasm, between shouts and brotherly hugs. She frowned, extremely disappointed. She was certain they would win, that it would be easy. Sasuke had seemed so confident. Instead, it had been a disaster and they had struggled to win just one set and at least stand up to their opponents. Towards the end she had even believed the situation was improving, that the dark-haired had decided to get in the game. They had come close to victory, only to have it brutally snatched away after Sasuke had been unable to intercept two easy balls.

Her gaze shifted away from the two winners, looking for and finding instead the figure of her teammate. He too was sitting on the floor, knees bent and still holding the racket in his left hand while his right covered his face. He looked annoyed, which was funny considering all the responsibility for that defeat should be attributed to him. There wouldn't have been anything wrong either if he hadn't flaunted confidence, even arrogance, certain of his abilities. He didn't even seem to be wrong, as he had had flashes of lucidity that had made his talent obvious. The real problem was he seemed to be extremely distracted, almost as if his mind wasn't even there.

The pink-haired girl sighed loudly, then decided to get back on her feet. By now the damage had been done, they had lost and now they were forced to pay their price. She already regretted having proposed the bet herself.

" You're not only a bastard, now you're also a loser! " She heard Kiba thundering from the distance, obviously aimed at the dark-haired, with a mocking and excessively complacent tone, almost as if his rivalry with Sasuke was not limited to that simple match.

Sakura approached the dark-haired boy, silently extending her hand to help him up. There was no reason to resent him anymore. They were a team and as such they had lost. She could at least grant him some sympathy, considering two terrible weeks lay ahead of them. Sasuke looked at her for several moments, letting the onyx irises flash from her face to her outstretched hand. Frowning and almost offended by her gesture, he rejected it, getting to his feet with his own strength. He really is a bastard, then.

" I hope you make the right choice next time, Sa-ku-ra. " Kiba again, satisfied and smug, to the point of giving her the impression that at any moment his head could swell to the point of exploding.

" Now you'll have to pay the price. " Shikamaru's constantly bored tone seemed to suit his new role as a bookie. Although it didn't look like it from his neutral, lazy expression, he probably felt comfortable in that capacity.

" Starting tomorrow. " No one seemed to expect an intervention from Sasuke, who hadn't uttered a word since their last break. Everyone turned in his direction, surprised.

" You don't get to make the rules, loser. As the winner I demand you start now. " Evidently already at the limit of his patience, the dark-haired advanced in the direction of his friend and he did the same. Now only the net divided them. They looked at each other in glare, neither of them willing to lower or look away first, probably waiting for the other to make the first move.

" We can't right now... We came here with his car, how are we supposed to get back? " Sakura decided to intervene both to ease the obvious tension and to be able to gain at least that afternoon. After the disastrous match she needed her bath.

" By bus. " Replied the young man with brown hair, without a mimic of pity and without looking away from Sasuke's face.

" And leave his car here for two weeks? " It seemed that just hearing those words was enough to stiffen the dark-haired boy's entire body. " Let's let our referee decide, shall we? Shikamaru? " The look she gave him was so pleading the young man could only sigh with resignation.

" Starting tomorrow will be fine, so it will be a full two weeks. " Sakura smiled, though there wasn't much to be cheerful about. She'd gotten a few more hours in which to sink into the tub and come right out the next day, but the next two weeks she'd not only have to settle for the shower, but she wouldn't even be able to take advantage of a ride to campus.

" This is all your fault. " The girl's tone was extremely accusatory, as he had never heard it before. Perhaps the lack of her restorative baths for a good four days was beginning to take effect. Her mood had clearly deteriorated during that time. Not that Sasuke’s was sunny and joyful. It never had been, of course, but on those particular days even less so.

" You have to release the clutch slowly, otherwise the car will keep turning off. " He didn't answer her, naturally, merely instructing her. " Didn't you say you had a license? "

" Of course I do, but I haven't driven in ages! I lost the hang of it... Kind of like you with tennis, which is why we're here. " Again that tone, sarcastic and harsh, which caused him to wrinkle his nose and lips. He was almost tempted to suggest she cheats and indulge in a damn bath, since no one would find out if neither of them confessed to it. She probably would have refused though.

He, on the other hand, had no way to even consider the possibility of cheating. Every time they pulled onto campus, his so-called friends were there, ready to make sure he wasn't driving his car. For the first few days they had dared to travel by public transport, but this had made Sakura, orphaned from her therapeutic baths, even more intractable.

" If you keep this pace we'll get there tomorrow. " He realized that attitude certainly didn't help her regain her composure or improve her mood, but Sasuke hated not being in the driver's seat, finding himself helpless in the passenger place. Luckily that wasn't his car, or he would have risked a mental breakdown. His pledge also required the precious vehicle not be touched, which wouldn't have happened anyway, as the dark-haired would certainly not have allowed someone else to get behind the wheel. " Thirty is the recommended speed, not the limit. Even strollers are passing you. " Sakura emitted a resounding frustrated snort, barely bending her head back and tightening her grip on the steering wheel. A quick turn, and against the rules of the road, and then she abruptly stopped the vehicle in a makeshift parking.

" You are intolerable. " She blurted out, now completely devoid of any semblance of patience. " You drive. We can stop just before the campus and change places for the last few meters. " Sasuke arched his eyebrows, looking at her rather dumbfounded. He believed between the two of them she was the least likely to cheat.

" That would mean cheating. " He pointed out to her, tilting his head slightly to the side. He couldn't deny there was something funny about the situation. He probably would have laughed if he hadn't been in the damn passenger seat.

" I don't care! Just as long as you stop complaining! " Sakura's gaze only crossed his at that moment, conveying all her exasperation to him with a simple glance. There he could no longer restrain himself, not entirely at least, emitting an amused snort, aimed at stifling the laughter that was about to arise. " What's so funny? "

" You're annoying. " Following that statement, Sakura's eyes widened in surprise as well as anger. " You really need a bath. " The dark-haired man concluded, then decided to get out of the car and walk around it so he was on the driver's side. Without waiting for the pink-haired girl to react or realize what his intentions were, Sasuke opened the door, inviting her to get out with a wave of his hand.

" Didn't you just say that would mean cheating? " She asked, more confused than ever. Her blatant exasperation, however, led her to not protest and unthinkingly leave the driver's seat. She didn't look away from his face, and Sasuke did the same. They were close enough for him to tower over her, advantaged by his greater stature.

" But I didn't say I didn't want to do it. " He smiled slyly at her, so spontaneously he found himself mentally cursing himself the instant he saw that damn familiar blush spread across her face. He wetted his lips, letting the onyx irises wander across her face, from her bright eyes, to her rosy cheeks, to her mouth, where her lower lip was tormented by her incisors. " It will be a secret. " Another one.

After a few moments of silence and tense closeness, Sakura nodded her head, allowing him one last look, devoid of irritation and frustration, but full of turmoil and distress, before pulling away and reaching the other end of her mother's car.

Just being able to sit in the driver's seat, even if it wasn't his car, was enough to make him feel better and breathe a sigh of relief. He waited until Sakura had settled in beside him before he started the car and pulled onto the road, which was now flowing much more smoothly than it had just been.

" I don't understand why you're so obsessed. " The pink-haired girl kept her gaze fixed outside the windshield, supporting her head with her left hand. If they had found a way to lift his mood, they had not yet been able to do so with hers.

" How is this any different than your fixation on baths? " Sakura sighed and he could only catch a glimpse of her rolling her eyes through his peripheral vision.

" Baths help me relax and rest. I use special oils and scents that help me clear my mind and get me pumped up for the day. Driving just stresses you out, with all the chaos, horns, signals... " The dark-haired shook his head, letting out an impertinent snort.

" I like to be in control. " The girl turned to him, arching an eyebrow. Perhaps she thought his statement was one of the many taunts he had made her a victim of, so she took moments to assimilate and weigh his words.

" It's not a bad thing to let others have it sometimes. Maybe it would help you relax a little and be less...annoying. " She quoted him deliberately, as evidenced by her smug, mocking expression.

" Shut up. " Sakura's expression changed abruptly. Her smile turned into a pout. Her eyebrows furrowed. Her eyes narrowed.

" You can't always leave conversations you don't like like this, you know." But Sasuke didn't answer her, just snorting through his nose, focused on the road ahead of him. The girl, for her part, crossed her arms over her chest, clearly displeased. " You know, I could tell your friends you forced me to let you drive. " The dark-haired turned sharply in her direction. Now it was his turn to frown, to look at her in amazement.

" I don't remember you being so vile. " In response, Sakura shrugged her shoulders.

" I'm not, but you're really getting on my nerves. " Sasuke snorted again, even more loudly. Was he the one getting on her nerves now? When all she'd done was torment him ever since she'd set foot in the Uchiha mansion?

" And you'd give up your baths just for that? " The pink-haired girl curled her lips, thoughtful. Was she really considering that possibility? That thought made him roll his eyes.

" If you want us to be accomplices, you should act like one. " She explained, critically.

" I didn't know that in order to share a secret one had to hand out every thought. " Sarcastic and mocking, Sasuke earned yet another disappointed look.

" I have to be able to trust you, don't I? " He didn't particularly like the turn that conversation was taking, perhaps precisely because he wasn't willing to share any more with Sakura than they already had. The thoughts crowding his mind were already too confusing in their being terribly explicit.

" A little late for that. " He then merely said, determined to quickly dismiss the matter. But Sakura didn't seem willing to let go.

" What do you mean? " From her tone it seemed that the pink-haired had understood what he meant, but wanted him to expose it. Annoying.

" I mean you've trusted me in Suna enough already. " Now she was the one who didn't want to hear him speak anymore, as happened every time he referred to the circumstances of their first meeting.

" That...was certainly not trust. I thought I would never see you again. " The pink-haired girl's tone of voice was now uncertain, less assertive than a short while before and certainly without a hint of derision.

" And now you're forced to do it, Sakura. " After moments of silence, she sighed audibly, sanctioning the end of that argument and his victory.

" I really need a bath. " Unable to contain himself this time, Sasuke let out a soft laugh, noting with surprise that Sakura, despite the situation, had decided to join him in that burst of hilarity, filling the cockpit with her crystal clear laughter.

As the weeks went by, the weather in Konoha was getting sunnier and sunnier. It wasn't too far to the beginning of summer, while the end of the first session, and therefore the arrival of new vacations, was still far away. That's why the pool of the Uchiha mansion was now a fixed stop for his friends, who at the very least would spend every afternoon for the remaining months stationed there. Now, then, they seemed to have all the more reason to do so.

" Are you coming to take a bath with us, Sakura-chan? " Although Naruto's tone was innocent and friendly, as it always was towards the pink-haired girl, Sasuke knew what he was really hiding. The blond wasn't as outspoken, vulgar, and harassing as the Inuzuka, but that didn't mean he didn't have his own ambitions. It had been a little over a month since Sakura's arrival, and it seemed the interest of some of his friends was becoming a little too focused. No longer were they merely commenting, admiring. Now they were bold, as if their interest didn't stop at physical appreciation, which, in any case, still remained very meaningful.

" I'm studying. I just came down for a snack. And because you are very loud. Could you please keep it down? " Kind but demanding, Sakura smiled, then walked through the kitchen, filled with a group of twenty-year olds, to the refrigerator.

" Come on... just a dip. Isn't it hot in your room? " Kiba stretched out along one of the kitchen counters, so that he could get a better view of Sakura's backside. That was enough to irritate him enough to approach the refrigerator in turn, behind her, taking from it the first thing that came his way. He always tried to avoid too much proximity as much as possible, but in some circumstances the damage having her so close caused him was necessary. He wasn't happy with the looks his friends gave the girl, nor the ones she got from others, on campus or wherever the hell they went.

That Sakura was extremely attractive he had been one of the first to notice, sadly. However, he didn't think that simple detail would ever be a problem for him at more than one point. He had to constantly battle with his own impulses, plus protect what was now part of his family from prying and decidedly disrespectful looks.

" Not really. I have air conditioning. " She even conceded an explanation to Kiba, though her attention was now on the dark-haired behind her and, more importantly, the lettuce clutched in his hands. " Are you hungry? "

" Hm. " One syllable was enough for the girl, who was beginning to develop some understanding of his gestures, his words, his expressions. She sighed, in fact, gently removing the vegetable from his hand, then slipping out from under his outstretched arm to approach one of the counters.

"Come on, Sakura-chan. Being on books too much is bad for you. You need a break. " Naruto proceeded to mask his blatant, at least to him, perversion with some false, again in his opinion, apprehension.

" You don't seem to have the experience to say whether it hurts or not. I haven't seen you study once since the session began. " As usual, Shikamaru's intrusion was brief but sharp.

" But the year has just begun! Exams are two months away! " The blond defended himself, with the whiny tone of a ten-year-old.

" I'm already taking a break, can't you see? I can also make you a snack, but I don't have time for the pool. I have to finish three chapters before seven. " Sasuke wrinkled his nose again, though this time that unconscious gesture was inexplicable.

" Can't you chat with your boyfriend any other time? It's not like he's already in the Olympics right? He's just training, can't he just call you whenever he wants? " Kiba looked rather dismissive, as if just talking about that topic would cost him a lot of effort.

" Look, it doesn't work like that. It's a very rigorous training, he can't do everything he wants when he wants to. He has a schedule. " Sakura was now moving confidently around the Uchiha kitchen. She seemed to be getting used to that change, beginning to consider that home her own.

" Maybe. To me it just seems like an excuse to talk to you the bare minimum. " A cruel insinuation, as usual. By now, the pink-haired girl must have become accustomed to Inuzuka's malicious innuendos about her relationship.

" Uh-huh. Luckily you're here to open my eyes. " Sakura mocked him, continuing to stuff an indefinite amount of sandwiches.

" Whatever. If you change your mind, we're out. " And with those words, as if he himself owned the house, Kiba took his leave, walking towards the back garden and then followed by the others. Sasuke lingered, continuing to observe the pink-haired girl, frowning. Hearing her humming to herself, he decided to approach her to make his presence known.

" Don't put too many pickles in that-" Sakura intercepted the movement of his hand with her own, grabbing his wrist.

" You don't like them, I know. This is mine. " She interrupted him, in a gentle and delicate tone. The weeks passed had allowed them to develop a certain tolerance for each other. By now accustomed to each other's presence, they had also acquired a undeniable knowledge of each other's habits. Some in particular had become a pleasant part of his day. It gave him a kind of peace to silently watch Sakura at the stove, her face serene, focused on her task. Sometimes she hummed absentmindedly, as she was at that moment. When it happened, Sasuke experienced a new and unexpected warmth at chest height. Nostalgia, the memory of his everyday life when his mother was still alive. " Can you get the ham in the fridge for me? " Without saying anything, enveloped in that feeling of familiarity, the dark-haired obeyed, then settling in beside her, leaning against the counter. Onyx irises followed the movements of her hands, until his own automatically decided to step in to help her. He despised the kitchen. He spent as little time as necessary warming up leftovers, and sometimes not even that, preferring take-out. Cooking was something Mikoto Uchiha loved to do, to the point of dragging Sasuke into that routine. It was not uncommon, therefore, he decided to help her, so as to spend that time with her. Then, in a natural way, he found himself involved in many of the activities his mother preferred, all actions he had deliberately stopped doing and that Sakura seemed to adore instead. Cooking, gardening, but also more unexpected similarities, such as solving puzzles and riddles or the particular tendency to favor thriller and mystery movies, compared to the more obvious romantic comedies one might foolishly expect from two women with such a delicate appearance and attitude, at least on the surface.

For several moments they found themselves in silence, a pleasant and not at all awkward silence. In fact, while their hands moved in unison, neither of them felt the pressing need to fill it. There was no trace of the discomfort they had felt several weeks ago, when they had been confronted with the fact that from now on they would have to share the same roof, after what had happened in Suna.

" Thank you. " It was Sakura who broke that moment, without taking her eyes off the sandwiches in her hands.

" Hm? " Confused, the dark-haired man looked at her, only partly able to see her profile, not entirely hidden by a few strands escaped from the bun in which her pink hair was styled.

" You're helping me. " Her explanation caused him to frown.

" I'm not helping you. Those are my friends and you don't have to make us a snack. " He was the one who probably had to thank her for those small but natural attentions she gave him, perhaps in an excess of kindness, perhaps out of a good heart.

" Well, I want to thank you anyway. You're never in the kitchen, so I assumed you hated cooking. " And that was the reason why, for the past two weeks, his lunches no longer consisted of packaged or take-out food, but were carefully prepared by Sakura's hands. The first time she had brought him a bag with his meal, telling him to take it because she couldn't bear to see him eating precooked onigiri, Sasuke had been speechless for almost a minute. From then on, it had become customary for her to keep a lunch for two in her bag and also for them to eat it together on campus when their breaks matched. It was what a family was supposed to do, as Mebuki was keen to point out and Sakura to playfully quote. However, he was fairly certain they didn't share those moments just to accommodate her desire to see them united as family members.

Focusing on studying had been not arduous, but practically impossible. The cackling coming from the garden was enough to distract her, though it wasn't her main source of disturbance. It was her own thoughts that were the cause of her neglect. She wasn't surprised, in fact, when seven o'clock arrived and she had completed only one of the three designated chapters.

" Is something bothering you? " Evidently her inattention was not going unnoticed, judging by Lee's apprehensive words and tone. For the past twenty minutes she had heard him talk about his trainings and how much he felt he had improved, how every drop of sweat was worth the effort. Yet she felt as if she wasn't really listening to him, troubled by totally different and decidedly inappropriate thoughts. Now, to distress her there was still the sense of guilt, which time became more and more pressing.

" No, no! Why do you ask? " She could see Lee's face darken through the computer screen. That look of concern was like a kick in the gut. He knew her well enough to pick up on her mood swings based on her expressions or tone of voice. He was always so attentive, Lee, so caring even when they were far apart. Yet that distance was so much and pressing, now more than ever. " I'm just scared about the exams, that's all. " A lie that seemed not to be caught, but she necessarily had to tell him something, as pretending there was nothing to upset her was not realistic.

" Do you think they will be harder because you are at a new university? " Not trusting in her own tone of voice to utter any more lies, Sakura merely nodded her head in agreement. " Sakura... you are the smartest, no the brightest girl I know! No one works as hard as you do and your efforts will surely pay off! " The boy granted her one of his usual wide, encouraging smiles and she couldn't help but return that grimace.

" I'm really terrible. I'm here complaining about exams when at the same time you'll be at the Olympics. " She really meant those words, though at that moment she was vilely using them to change the subject. Lee was under a lot of pressure and yet he still found time to try to hearten her. If only he had known how undeserving she was of his affection....

" A little later, actually. My category competes near the end, so after your exams. I was wondering if... " Lee took a pause, looking away from her face. His expression was uncertain, almost as if he feared rejection. " If you would like to join me in Iwa. I know you might prefer to spend your vacation in a warmer place with your friends, maybe back in Suna, but- "

" Alright! " She immediately interrupted him, driven by a burning sense of guilt and the need to not hear anything more about her last vacation in Suna, especially not from her boyfriend. The young man looked at her interdicted for a few moments, almost as if he did not believe he had received an affirmative answer. After a few moments of astonishment, he smiled at her again.

" You can tell them too! That way you won't be lonely while I'm in the competition. " If Kumo was to be considered cold, Iwa was even more so, but in the summer it shouldn't have been a problem.

" I'll talk to them about it. Ino might complain a bit but eventually she will accept. We haven't seen each other in almost two months. " A lack that had been felt during the time. She was constantly in touch with her friends, but she had the need to have them close by. After all, it was only with them she could feel free to vent all the frustrations that gripped her, or even just shut her mind off for a few hours and enjoy an evening of leisure.

" I'm really happy to be able to see you again, Sakura. I want to make it up to you for neglecting you. " And there was that nagging guilt again, threatening to explode in her chest and prevent her from breathing properly. She managed to flash a smile, trying desperately to change the subject again. For the next hour she had to live with that pressing and unpleasant weight on her sternum, wondering if meeting Lee in person would vanish or intensify it until she went mad.

" Sakura?! " It wasn't easy to catch him by surprise, but before such a scene there was more than one reason to be startled. For starters, he wasn't exactly sober. He didn't feel all that drunk, but sufficiently tipsy to amplify his perception of his surroundings and, more importantly, his reactions. It was past three in the morning, another reason that made the presence of the pink-haired girl in the kitchen of the Uchiha mansion unexpected, even more so standing on one of the counters. Then there was of course her attire. Although it had been two months now Sakura had been living in the house, two months passed since their meeting in Suna, there were inappropriate thoughts he still couldn't control and silence as they spontaneously took shape in his mind. The onyx irises slowly traveled her figure, from bottom to top, memorizing every corner and every curve as, despite himself, he had found himself doing dozens of times before. She was obviously no help, though unaware of what she was capable of causing him with her damned pajamas and nightgowns. The advent of summer had only made that look worse, as more and more patches of skin were left uncovered. He was almost resigning himself to having to live with the knowledge that he was a pervert incapable of not harboring impure thoughts towards a girl who was for all intents and purposes part of his family. When his impulses took over, Sasuke waited for them to disappear naturally, at least trying to suppress the reactions that were likely to be more obvious. He didn't want anyone to find out how warped his mind could be and then use it against him. And even less did he wish his improper thoughts could be caught by his father.

In turn surprised by his sudden intrusion, Sakura jolted, losing her balance as a result. As much as his current state allowed, the dark-haired reached her quickly enough to prevent her from falling, perhaps hitting her head against the island in the center of the room. Having escaped danger, the imminent proximity only worsened an already dire situation, a sum of all those factors leading him to feel a heat that had nothing to do with the temperatures outside.

His arms were wrapped around her petite figure. He could feel through the thin silk her abdomen and hips, almost as if with his phalanges he was touching her skin. That sensation though, he was sure, was from his memories, from when his fingers had actually been able to travel down her naked body.

" What the fuck were you doing? " He immediately regretted having spoken, and not only because his hoarse tone of voice betrayed his state of mind, but also because inevitably his breath went to break against Sakura's ear, who in any case seemed in turn rather comfortable with her back pressed against his chst and her head resting against his shoulder, almost as if she wanted to be there. At least at first, before the realization of what had happened, and what was happening, didn't envelop her as well. At that point, Sasuke could feel all of her muscles stiffen.

" I can’t... " Sakura's voice also didn't seem to really belong to her. Realizing this, she cleared it, before continuing. " I can't reach the top shelf. And there are... "

" There are my savory cookies there, Sakura. " He finished for her, frowning. It was the girl who first realized perhaps it was time to untangle, so the dark-haired necessarily had to loosen the grip of his own arms on her. Not that she was particularly happy about it, he noted.

" I know... I thought if I only took one or two you wouldn't notice. " His frown became even more of a scowl as his dark irises shifted from Sakura's figure to the top shelf of the kitchen.

" Did you want to break your neck for these? " It was extremely easy for him to reach that point. All he had to do was simply extend his arm. He turned the half-empty package in his hands, growing increasingly wrinkled as well as confused. He didn't know precisely from what, whether from the sensations he still felt, despite Sakura no longer being pressed against his body, or from the realization sharing those cookies with her didn't seem like such an unacceptable thought. And that was incredible of him.

Sasuke despised sweets, this was now well known. That was precisely why his mother often tried her hand at revisiting dessert recipes to make them savory, like those tomato-flavored cookies. It was by chance he had found a brand that made a different product, of course, but also extremely similar to allow him to at least evoke the flavor of the dish that brought him closer to Mikoto Uchiha and her memory. Because of this, he was not at all inclined to share it with others, preferring to keep it all for himself, to the point of placing it in a spot difficult for anyone but him to reach.

" There's nothing else in the pantry and I was starving. " She seemed to feel guilty, though perhaps it wasn't the reason that caused her to look away from him and join her hands behind her back. Sasuke sighed, hesitating a few moments, before taking a cookie for himself and extending the rest of the package to the girl in front of him, catching her off guard once again, judging by her expression.

" Are you drunk? " Though puzzled, Sakura welcomed his gesture.

" Do I have to be drunk to do you a favor? " He asked her, immediately taking a bite of the cookie. Istantly he could feel the feeling he usually sought, a familiarity that he could only replicate, being taken away from him years ago.

" Yes. " Sakura laughed, showing she had quickly regained her swagger. " And you smell of alcohol. Your breath... " And she interrupted herself, evidently intending to censor anything that might relate back to their previous and excessive closeness.

" I'm not drunk. " He cut it short, thus closing the matter for the good of both. " Why are you up so late? Don't tell me you were still studying. " The pink-haired girl winced under his inquisitive and accusing gaze, biting her lower lip. Her silence and expression sufficed as confirmation. Sasuke sighed. " Sakura. It's three in the morning. " His tone was harsh and stern, like that of a father intent on reprimanding a disobedient daughter.

" I know but the exams are less than three weeks away… " There were moments when the dark-haired man found himself forced to overcome his inability to touch or be near her without finding himself the victim of inappropriate thoughts and reactions. Moments when the need to preserve her, from herself or others, overcame the disgust he felt for himself every time he touched her skin or perceived her intoxicating scent. This was one of those moments. He grabbed her wrist, leading her with that grip out of the kitchen and in the direction of the living room. He allowed himself to let her fall back rudely against the sofa only because he knew the softness of the pillows would cushion the impact.

" You must sleep. " He ordered her, pointing to the seat on which the girl now found herself forced.

" On the couch? " He did not particularly like the tone she used, now devoid of any semblance of guilt.

" Would you rather be carried by weight upstairs to get into bed? " The answer was simple: no. None of them wanted it. That would have been too much. That would have meant crossing the line.

" I really need to study, Sasuke. At least tonight. " If she was pleading him at that moment, it was precisely because the same scenario, of her hunched over books until dawn, had played out many times over the past few days. He had realized the seriousness of the problem only after he found her asleep in one of her classes, long after her lecture had ended, looking for her after a suspect lateness to lunch. There he had begun intimidating her to sleep, to eat, to take breaks, as if he should be the one to remind her of the most basic needs.

" You don't have to. It's Saturday and you've spent all day locked in your room on books. Now you need to sleep. " Aware of the truth of those words, Sakura could not immediately retort, opening and closing her mouth several times, looking for an answer. Certain the dark-haired wouldn't let go, judging by the look on his face, she sighed with resignation.

" Can I at least finish eating? " Sakura looked up at him with those big, bright viridian eyes of hers, a stare that exuded a purity that seemed to challenge him to refuse her the simple request, or any other request her lips might have formulated. Of course he couldn't do that, he was physically incapable of it. So he merely nodded his head, receiving as a reward the brightest smile in the history of bright smiles. " Where are you going? " He had to stop even before he could turn his back on her, intent on retreating to his room.

" To sleep? " Seemed like the obvious answer to him. Then, Sakura arched her eyebrows, allowing him to understand what she meant even before she could put it into words. Which she did anyway.

" Are you going to leave me alone? " Already aware of where she was going with this, Sasuke sighed. " I might decide to rebel against your orders and go back to studying. To be sure, don't you think you should stay and check it out? " Even before Sakura had finished speaking, the dark-haired had already let himself fall back on the couch with a resigned snort. Blatantly smug, the pink-haired girl emitted an amused chuckle. " You must be really drunk. Not even a little resistance? "

" Didn't you want to eat? Fill your mouth with something else. " He was too exhausted, as well as overwhelmed and not entirely lucid, to entertain himself in that game made of mutual teasing. Sakura seemed to accept his exasperated proposal and for several moments only the sound of chewing cookies filled the room. The pink-haired girl was huddled in the middle of the couch, her legs raised and her knees bent, her back against the backrest, her head resting against one of the soft cushions, not too far from Sasuke's, sitting rather awkwardly and with his face turned towards the ceiling. They were close enough for him to feel the warmth emanating from her, as well as her now familiar scent. He closed his eyes for several moments, taking his time to savor those sensations. He didn't have the strength, at the moment, to repel the shiver that ran down his spine. He sighed again, turning his head tiredly towards her, only to notice Sakura was looking at him in turn. For a few moments they just watched and scrutinized each other, mirrored in each other's eyes. He had had the opportunity to look into her eyes several times since he had met her and in each of those circumstances he had seen something different. From embarrassment, to excitement, to desire, to pleasure, to discomfort, to anger, to fear, to amusement, to frustration, to tiredness, to worry, to serenity, to upset. Unconsciously he had stored each of those looks in his memory, but something suggested to him that in particular, which she was reserving for him at the moment, he would guard jealously.

" You shouldn't be driving like this. " Her voice was tired but not without apprehension. He didn't answer her immediately, still caught up in contemplating her face. " Are you sleeping with your eyes open? " Sakura frowned, and the slight change of expression was enough to bring him back to reality.

" I'm not drunk, I already told you that. " He repeated, ignoring her suspicious look.

" But you're not even sober. All it would take is the slightest distraction... " There was no warning in the girl's tone of voice, only sincere concern. The kind a mother would reserve for a child, able to convey warmth to him.

" Like the one you had without drinking a drop of alcohol? " He accused her in return, arching his eyebrows.

" Nothing would have happened if you hadn't come in. " In spite of their mutual scolding, Sakura smiled at him once again, holding out what was left of her cookie to him.

" I wouldn't have even caught you stealing. You really are a devil in angel's clothing, hmm? " He smiled at her too, in a spontaneous and natural way. A smile evidently with irreverent undertones, which earned him a slight tap on the shoulder. He hadn't even realized how close they were, or had approached each other unknowingly, until her hand slipped from his shoulder and fell back against his arm. He could feel her skin against his again, but what surprised him was not the shiver he was trying to suppress, which he was used to, but the simple fact that Sakura was not moving her hand away, deciding instead to linger with her fingers on his forearm.

" Technically what's yours is mine and vice versa. Isn't that how it works in families? " Now her green eyes were illuminated with a playful and amused light to which Sasuke replied with an impertinent snort.

" Too bad it doesn't count on your side. " The pink-haired girl pretended to be outraged by that statement, but without distancing herself, without stopping drawing imaginary figures with her index finger against his skin. And Sasuke didn't dare a movement, as if he was afraid that moving a single muscle might make her realize what she was doing and therefore stop doing it.

" Do you think I wouldn't be willing to give you something of mine? " Acting spontaneously, his mind answered that question in the most inappropriate way possible. Recondite corners of it suggested to him she would indeed be inclined to give and he more than happy to take. Sakura seemed to come to the same conclusion, suddenly becoming aware of where they were, what they were doing, what the situation was. As a matter of fact, she moved away a few centimeters, breaking the contact with his skin and even depriving him of the sight of her jade irises, now fixed on an unspecified point in front of her.

" I'd like something of yours, actually. " The pink-haired girl stiffened, evidently undecided whether to turn in his direction or not. She decided to do so, if only to give him a pleadingly nuanced look, as if begging him not to provoke her like that. " You know that thing you have in your room? What makes all those lights? " After a few moments of confusion, Sakura understood, opening up in a laugh she had to stifle with her hand to prevent it from waking the rest of the inhabitants of the Uchiha mansion.

" Do you like my lamp? " She managed to ask, amidst the seemingly uncontrollable laughter.

" Do you find it funny? It seems relaxing. " Amused in turn, more by her outburst of hilarity than by the subject itself, Sasuke shrugged.

" Oh it is. It really is. I can lend it to you. " Sakura's face relaxed again. No longer tense, her beautiful features had regained their usual softness.

" And then keep you unbearable for who knows how many days? No, thank you. " Falsely offended, the girl suddenly straightened her back, seating herself more composedly, only to reach out to one of the pillows and hit him with it.

" Look who's talking! You're impossible every day and yet I put up with you without complaint! " She continued to strike him repeatedly, mercilessly, until Sasuke stopped her movements by intercepting her wrists and clamping them between his own fingers.

" You can complain all you want. It just makes it more fun. " Sakura tried to wriggle out, probably intending to answer those words with yet another blow, but his grip, firmer than it had been just before, prevented her from doing so, instead bringing her a few inches closer.

" You're annoying, you know? And here I was thinking of giving you a lamp like mine for your birthday... " As had happened moments before, her gaze trapped his and Sakura did nothing to avoid it, nor did she decide to pull away. It seemed in the end, despite their best efforts, they were forced to orbit around each other.

" My birthday? You want to make me wait a whole month? " She frowned, barely tilting her head to the side.

" You have your birthday during exams? " Sasuke shook his head, and her expression changed again. She seemed to be tense once more, but despite that she did nothing to distance herself from him.

" Right after. On the twenty-third." It was his turn to frown, surprised and confused by Sakura's sudden change in posture, her lips slowly curving downward. " What? " But she didn't answer him, curving in on herself and finally looking away. " Sakura. "

" I'm going to Iwa after exams. For... the Olympics. " He was the one who broke the contact between them this time, letting go of his grip on her wrists. They didn't often talk about anything that was about her boyfriend. In fact, they had never talked about him themselves, but only when others had introduced the particular topic.

" Hm. " It was clearly a cause of discomfort for her, considering what had happened between them in Suna, so they had simply preferred never to open that particular discussion. He could discern the guilt on her face whenever that boy was even mentioned and it did not please him. It was as if the mere fact they were now close, forced by events of course, but now used to each other's presence, should trigger negative feelings in Sakura and it was an unpleasant thought for him.

The pink-haired girl just sighed, settling back against the couch, again at a distance from Sasuke. But he followed her movements with his eyes, as if he wanted to catch every little reaction, every change of expression.

" A nice place to spend the vacations, hmm? It's supposed to be brisk... " Now she wanted to talk about the weather? A rather bland attempt to relieve the tension, but he could at least appreciate her effort.

" Didn't you say you hated the cold? " But acknowledging her effort didn't mean he should also be amused by that turn of events. He wasn't at all, in fact. Sakura seemed surprised and for the umpteenth time allowed him to mirror himself in her viridian eyes.

" It's a new place, where I've never been before. Then there will surely be a lot of movement, many people, a lot to do... " Could it be that she wanted to convince herself more than him? Or was it just his impression, due to the unpleasant feeling he himself was feeling?

" So much noise, so much chaos, so much disorder. " Continued the dark-haired for her, cynic and catastrophic.

" Sasuke... " It seemed the pink-haired girl understood his intent, his unconscious attempt to make her upcoming trip less appealing. Why? Why ruin what would be a new experience for her, even though he was aware of how little she had been able to enjoy due to her parents' pressure? He decided to keep quiet, then, but not without frowning and sulking. This time it was he who looked away. " Do you want to come too? " Incredulous and stunned, he blinked several times. Had Sakura really said that, or had he imagined it as a projection of some hidden desire of his? He turned in her direction for the umpteenth time, unable to filter the amazement that oozed from his expression.

" Are you kidding? " This had to be the case, for under no circumstances would a serious and lucid Sakura ask him, the Suna’s boy, to accompany her on a journey that would take her to her boyfriend. So it had to be a tease, which he was not happy about at all.

" Not… not you and I. " Evidently his thoughts were easily readable on his face, given her clarification. " Lee will be caught up in the competitions and events, so my friends will be there with me. You guys could come too, so we could celebrate your birthday together. " He wasn't sure if Sakura really realized what she was asking him. Maybe she was delirious from exhaustion or maybe she wasn't really contemplating every possible scenario, such as when she would have to introduce Lee to him.

Sasuke fell silent, curving the corners of his lips downward more, taking his time to ponder. Everything about that proposal was wrong. Every possible circumstance that arose in his mind screamed danger. That Sakura's presence in his life was proving more enjoyable than he had imagined was true, but did he really believe he was capable of playing so recklessly with fire without getting burned? They could be acquaintances, they could be friends, they could even consider themselves family, but the truth was they couldn't hope to always act casual and indifferent, because in reality neither of them were so in each other's presence. Why cause issues for themselves? It was one thing to deal with the situation they had been forced into; it was quite another to jump in headlong in search of trouble.

Sakura was watching him with a look of expectation, waiting for his answer. Whether or not she regretted asking him was not clear from her expression. Was this really what she wanted? Maybe she hoped in this way she would finally establish a clear distance between them, leaving behind what had happened in Suna. He could understand her. He himself had told her to do it. He just wasn't sure if it was what he wanted anymore...

" Alright. " He had the impression the pink-haired girl had expected a rejection from him, but it also seemed to him that painted on her face was relief. And that shouldn't have pleased him in the way it was doing. He might have told himself it wasn't his problem, that she was the one who should take responsibility and worry about it, but the reality was he couldn't be selfish enough to not feel even a little apprehensive about the situation Sakura was putting herself in. Not so much as to stop him from acting on his own desires anyway. And what Sasuke wanted was to spend time with her.

Chapter Text

" Look! This says Iwa has the largest observatory in the world! " Sitting comfortably in her seat, Sakura had her head bowed over an illustrated brochure she had so insisted on picking up at the airport. Displayed there were all the sights and activities tourists could be entertained with once they reached their destination. It seemed the pink-haired girl was no longer as tense as she had been a few hours before. Maybe that had just been a brief moment of panic, where the realization of what was about to happen had suddenly hit her, or maybe now she was just concealing her nervousness.

" Hmm. " His response was bland, but despite how it might have sounded, his attention was all on Sakura, as it had been since the moment the plane had taken off, less than an hour before. He didn't know how to feel about that trip. Even at the moment when he had accepted, driven by the desire to spend that vacation and his birthday together with the pink-haired girl, he had not been particularly convinced it was a good idea. Now, weeks later, he considered that choice a huge mistake, as catastrophic as it was inevitable.

If he had been wise, he would have decided to call it off a week ago, when he had realized keeping his thoughts at bay was becoming more and more complicated. It had all happened quickly, without him being able to avoid it. Overwhelmed by the excitement that had followed the completion of her last exam, Sakura had wrapped her arms around him in a hug, and not a simple, chaste one either. She had literally thrown her arms around his neck, so fiercely she had lifted herself off the ground and forced him to support her figure with his hands. That of her had been an unconscious gesture and, realizing it, she had untied the inappropriate entanglement herself, then reserving for him the usual and additive blush that usually took shape on her face. But by then the damage had been done and Sasuke's mind had begun to wander towards dark and unacceptable shores. From that moment on, he was forcing himself to push back everything his subconscious was trying to bring to the surface, without even daring to dwell on what was actually maturing inside him.

" Whoa! It also says they've set up a theme park for the Olympics! " Naruto's squeaky, cheerful voice made his nose twitch. He couldn't understand how he could go from being a barely awake zombie to that active and sprightly attitude, while he still wasn't able to formulate coherent thoughts even though he had been awake for at least four solid hours. An early rise he had been forced to make, since the trip from Konoha to Iwa would have been quite long.

Under normal circumstances he would never have chosen that destination for a vacation. He didn't despise mountainous landscapes and didn't have a bad tolerance for colder temperatures, however with his group of friends they always tended to prefer slightly more mundane destinations. Not that it made much difference to Sasuke. Either way, he was able to carve out moments for himself, never feeling obligated to social life no matter where he was. Something, however, suggested he might like Iwa more than he had to, or dislike it to the extreme. And it would all depend on the girl seated to his left.

" It's not too far from our hotel either. " She noted, earning a wide smile from the blond, seated next to her. It was only at that point Sakura lifted her gaze from the brochure, instinctively searching for the dark-haired's, to whom she reserved her version of a splendid smile, to the point of giving him the idea Naruto's was only a pale imitation.

" Too bad we can't be where the athletes are, it would have been easier to get some signatures. "At the blond's words, Sasuke instinctively wrinkled his nose, finding himself forced to look away from the face of the pink-haired girl. The view outside the window wasn't great, there were only clouds surrounding them, but it was definitely preferable to the risk of making his thoughts too obvious to the eyes of Sakura, who always seemed terribly careful when it came to him.

" We were already lucky to find a hotel with so many free rooms... " Yes, because in addition to the five of them, Sakura's friends would also be joining them, the same girls they had gotten to know in Suna, a few months back. He didn't remember much about them. He was sure in the meanders of his memory there were some names, at least those the pink-haired girl had repeated several times, but being able to associate them with faces was a difficult task. He remembered vividly, however, it had seemed to him, at the time, a strangely assorted group, with different and distinct personalities. A bit like he and his friends were. He could have asserted that was the reason they had spent time together in Suna, but it would have been a lie. It was known to all that rapprochement had been caused by much less profound reasons. Then again, the main architect had been Kiba, and with him in involved, it couldn't be any other way.

" And we're all on the same floor, too. " Almost as if he had conjured him with his thoughts, the young Inuzuka, seated before them, intruded into the conversation. His brown hair peeped out above the headboard of his seat. He flashed a mischievous smile, accompanied by an eloquent movement of his eyebrows. "All close together. " He then continued, as if his allusion was not obvious enough.

" Could you please not bother my friends? " Sakura frowned, obviously annoyed. Irritation that increased upon seeing Kiba's even more smug face.

" Are you jealous, Sa-ku-ra? Don't worry, I can reserve all my attention for you. " Clearly in the mood for provocation, Inuzuka blew a couple of kisses in the direction of the pink-haired girl, who couldn't help but roll her eyes.

" That's some advice I'm giving you, Kiba. Not everyone is as patient as I am. "And Sakura really wasn't, he could see, so he could only guess what she meant. Maybe she just wanted to discourage the brown-haired boy, or maybe there really were some overly hot heads among her friends. In that case, he was just waiting for someone to put Kiba in his place once and for all. If by force even better.

" Why do you know for a fact none of them will be interested? If I remember correctly, a few had seemed quite willing to Suna. " Sasuke returned his gaze to the pink-haired girl, aware of how uncomfortable she felt whenever the vacation they had met on became the subject of conversation, especially when it was the Inuzuka who evoked it, since anything could be expected from his sharp tongue, almost as if he derived satisfaction from embarrassing others.

" Perhaps because I told them about you to warn them. " The dark-haired couldn't hold back an amused snort at her words, drawing Kiba's displeased gaze to himself. It was at that moment his small dark eyes lit up with a devious light.

" Until proven otherwise, I am not the one who has been indecent in Suna. Did you warn them about him too? " They never spoke of what had happened between them. No one had ever ventured to open that obviously uncomfortable topic in those last months. Everyone knew how sensitive it was, not only because of the relationship between their parents and their sudden becoming a family, but also and above all because Sakura was a taken girl and now they were undertaking that journey to reach her Olympic boyfriend.

Kiba was still pointing at him with his index finger, his face distorted in a malicious and wicked expression. If they hadn't been on a plane in flight, there was probably nothing that would have stopped him from bringing his hands to his throat.

" Shut your mouth. " Was all Sasuke said, in a tone that had very little playfulness to it, a demonstration of how much the awkward situation only amused the Inuzuka. His blatant annoyance only inflamed Kiba more.

" Why? Don't you want it to be known you're the worst among us? For all we know, you could even sneak into their ro... " The brown-haired boy had the decency to interrupt only the instant Sakura decided to stand, rather abruptly. She didn't say anything to him, merely observing him with a look so full of resentment it froze him. Which was amazing, considering how much Kiba enjoyed other people's reactions to his provocations, rather than resenting them.

" I'm going to the bathroom. " And she walked past Naruto's figure into the aisle and down it until she disappeared towards the back of the plane. The first to react was the blond, who hit Inuzuka in the forehead with his open palm.

" You're a fucking asshole, Kiba. Don't talk to her like that! " In the months that had passed, the blond and Sakura had established a not inconsiderable complicity, despite their differences. It seemed that, among her friends, he was the one she preferred to spend her time with the most, sometimes even when Sasuke was not present, which had not happened with the remaining members of the group. The dark-haired man was convinced Naruto's intentions were not innocent at all, but in any case he had never been excessively harassing or vulgar, preferring a friendly approach evidently appreciated by the pink-haired girl.

" Tsk, I was only joking... " Kiba found himself interrupted again, this time by Sasuke's icy and harsh intervention, unable to remain silent any longer.

" I swear, if you say one more word too many in the presence of Sakura, or her damn boyfriend, not even your fucking dog will recognize you for what I'll do to you. " He left his seat as well, not allowing the other a chance to retort. He was sure he heard a mutter behind him as he walked away, but he didn't give it too much thought. The Inuzuka was a pain in his neck, but even he could see he shouldn't cross certain lines and, more importantly, that his wasn't just an empty threat.

He couldn't hope those who knew him best wouldn't realize how his connection with the pink-haired girl was more than just an acquaintance, forced upon them by their parents. It was clear on the part of both there was mutual closeness, due to the fact that they were now for all intents and purposes a family. And not only that, actually, but it was preferable for his friends to see it that way. It was much easier to justify his attachment and care for Sakura with a simple bond with brotherly overtones, despite what had happened to Suna. Not that he supposed there was anything more on her part... though in truth he hadn't been able to discount that possibility. Perhaps it was his impression, of course, but he doubted it. He was sure neither of them could do much about the attraction they felt that had brought them to have sex in Suna before they could even imagine how their lives would intertwine. They just had to be good at concealing it and suppressing it, which Sasuke wasn't doing particularly well at, especially lately.

" Oh... " Sakura jolted as she was greeted by the dark-haired, as far away as the confined space would allow, his back resting against the opposite wall and his arms crossed over his chest. " Are you... alright? " She seemed uncertain as she ran her jade irises over the entire perimeter around her, except in the direction he was. It wasn't that often anymore she didn't cross his gaze. When it happened it was simply because the cause of her upset was him. Perhaps he should have stayed in his seat so she could have some time to recover from her discomfort, but he himself had no intention of staying a minute longer in Kiba's presence. He wasn't sure he could hold back, and he didn't know what the protocol was for an in-flight fight. What if they had made an emergency landing? Would they take down them at Iwa and then sent them back? It was not his intention to ruin that vacation, as he had agreed to be there solely and exclusively for Sakura.

" Hm. " He mumbled indistinctly, shrugging his shoulders. " I wanted to stretch my legs. " They both knew that wasn't the case, but the mere fact he continued to mask the care he had for the pink-haired girl with his usual attitude caused her to smile. And he was grateful for that. Beside, his intent was to alleviate her annoyance and it seemed he could succeed, even though he was the very cause of her embarrassment.

" We've been in the air not even two hours. If you already can't stand it, how are you going to make it through the next five? " The smile present on her face widened and, finally, Sakura looked into his eyes, now decidedly more at ease.

" That's what you're there for. " He said naturally, without really considering the weight of those words. He didn't want to do that, didn't want to start measuring every little statement with caution, making their interactions less natural, just because of what he couldn't help but do, which was fantasize in a decidedly inappropriate way about her.

" You mean to bail you out in case of arrest? I don't know how the law works in Iwa... " She took on a thoughtful expression, before opening up in a loud, contagious laugh. Without him realizing it, he laughed too, albeit less fervently, only carried away by the girl's hilarity. " Or perhaps as an accomplice to murder? "

" And tarnish your reputation? In that case the murder in question would be mine, and the assassin your mother. " Sakura put a hand in front of her lips to muffle her laughter, and the dark-haired man was completely satisfied, enjoying the familiar sound and the relaxed expression, proof of her newfound serenity.

" Thank you. " In response, Sasuke pointed with a simple wave of his hand to the aisle, which would take them back to their designated places, in the hopes of not having to silence Kiba once again. Maybe in this case permanently.

" Here, put this on. " Sakura blinked several times in puzzlement, then let her jade irises flash from the dark gray fabric in front of her eyes to the face of the one who was holding it out to her. Two and a half days in Iwa had not been enough to allow her to get used to the climate, much more inclement than she would have imagined at that time of year. It was the middle of July, yet not even the hotel's heated pool was able to provide much relief.

She was sitting on the edge, only her legs partially submerged in the water that should have alleviated the unpleasant feeling of cold she was feeling. She had been tempted on several occasions to return to her own room, or any other area of the hotel that didn't require her to wear a bikini, but had decided to stay, as being alone would have meant her mind wandering too much.

That she was unhappy had been noticed by everyone, and everyone knew why. Nearly three days since their landing in Iwa and not a single sign of Lee. She knew he wouldn't have found the time to welcome her at the airport the moment she arrived, but she believed at least they could have seen each other that evening. Instead, nothing and not even the next morning and the morning after. The training sessions were very tight in view of the upcoming competition, as well as the interviews and the various events were too frequent to give him even the time to get into a damn cab to be able to say hello to his girlfriend, whom he had asked to join him and who had traveled hundreds of miles to do so with a flight of almost seven hours. All this just a few days after taking her exams. She figured that wffort was worth at least an hour's leave, right?

Initially hesitant, Sakura sighed, welcoming the other's gesture. Goosebumps certainly didn't improve her mood, and if she didn't want to retreat as long as she wasn't alone without her friends and start cursing Lee, she had to do something about the problem. Accepting Sasuke's shirt seemed like a good solution. It seemed, since it wasn't. All she had to do was tuck in just the garment to allow her to be enveloped in his now familiar scent.

She was angry with Lee, extremely, but not to the point where she had forgotten how between the two of them she was the one who was actually guilty of something serious. To dwell on the aroma of the dark-haired, to let it intoxicate her, was unfair and improper. As much as she might have felt sidelined and neglected, what she had done was unforgivable and what she continued to do even more so, as she was fully aware of what it meant not to set any boundaries with Sasuke.

That they were affectionate and close-knit was no longer a mystery and anyone had been able to notice, even her friends, after only three days of meticulous evaluation. It would have been strange otherwise, or so Sakura thought, considering they lived together and shared most of their time. Sasuke, however, didn't seem like the type to open up in advance to anyone he found himself forced to spend hours with, but the pink-haired girl found it more convenient to ignore that knowledge and pretend their relationship was a given, as members of the same family, and not at all inappropriate.

It was difficult, however, to take into account how far they could go, how spontaneous and natural acting could become problematic and disrespectful. They should not forget, no matter how hard they tried, how their acquaintance had begun. To pretend there wasn't a strong physical attraction would have been hypocritical, considering what had happened between them, but that same attraction wasn't so easy to keep at bay. Sometimes it happened they touched each other by chance, in an innocent way at first, but that instead turned into something forbidden because of the unseemly thoughts that took shape in her mind and she found hard to push back. Or at least for her it was like that and she was ashamed of it.

" Thank you. " The fabric felt warm against her skin. It gave her the feeling that garment had just been slipped off and that warmth belonged to the dark-haired. She felt better already. At least now she could relax her muscles. Sasuke replied with a barely audible grunt, then sat down beside her, at the edge of the pool. The others were all submerged, intent on cackling or chasing or splashing each other. It had been heartening how the two groups had merged, just as they had in Suna, as if being friends with each other, even though they were practically strangers, was spontaneous and innate on everyone's part.

" You should leave. " Sakura arched her eyebrows, turning in the dark-haired's direction.

" Am I bothering you? " She understood perfectly what he meant and was simply teasing him. Succeeding, even, considering Sasuke's responded to her by wrinkling his nose and rolling his eyes, before plunging into the pool with an all too graceful push. Not being mesmerized by his gestures was like asking an alcoholic not to drink, when in front of him was the finest quality of whiskey.

" If I say yes, would you leave? " He then asked her, after he re-emerged. The fact that only his head was visible did not make it any easier to concentrate on his words. She took some time to observe his features in detail, the raven hair falling on his handsome face, the drops of water that ran down his skin, his neck, until they merged with the rest of the pool, where his body vanished, becoming a shapeless spot. And she was grateful for that.

" No. I would stay just to disturb you more. " The dark-haired's lips curved just slightly upward, and Sakura returned the grimace with a smile. Even the yells of the others at that moment became indistinct, as if they were blurred and came from the other side of a wall.

" Then stay. " Sasuke took a brief pause. A few moments used to wet his lips. " And freeze. "

" It's not that cold actually. " She defended herself, though she was aware of appearing unconvincing. They would be in Iwa for a full three weeks. She was certain that, even though they were in the far north, the climate would be at least mild, so now she found herself with luggage full of spring and summer clothes and nothing to protect her from the cold. During the day it was still easy to resist, but in the evening she couldn't leave the hotel without shivering.

The dark-haired was well aware of this, in fact he arched his eyebrows, not to express doubt but simply because he was aware of her lie.

" Dive in if it isn't. " He challenged her, approaching the edge of the pool menacingly and placing both hands on either side of her legs, as if to leave her no escape.

" And wet the shirt you so kindly lent me? I could never. " Playful but cautious, sensing a certain suspicious malice in the tone and expression of other, the pink-haired girl used a gentle pressure of her right shin against his chest, in an attempt to push him away.

" Sakura. " His was a warning, as playful as it was threatening. In fact, he grabbed her ankle, gently but firmly, without taking his eyes off hers. She couldn't suppress a shiver, not at all due to the temperature. It was like an electric shock that came from the point where his fingers were clasped. However, when they began a dangerous upward path, along with those of his other hand on her other leg, Sakura began to wonder if he hadn't gone completely mad. Touching her like that, travelling her calves with the phalanges, with that exasperating slowness... What the hell was he thinking? Did he not realize? Or did he just not care? And she... why didn't she simply open her mouth to command him to stop? She was succumbing to that touch, to the heat gradually spread along her skin, to that fire that exploded in her lower abdomen, to the tingle of expectation that numbed her every sense, except for touch, now all too sensitive and acute.

In the meantime he kept looking at her, shameless, making it impossible for her to look away. Her jade irises were trapped by his onyx ones, almost as if he wanted to convey his thoughts to her, to tacitly ask her for consent she should never have even thought of giving him. Instead she let him touch her, unable to refuse him something she knew they both wanted but knew they shouldn't do. She barely parted her lips, being imitated shortly after by Sasuke himself, still studying each other with their eyes, looking for any reaction in the other's gaze, almost as if they were begging each other for one of them to change their expression to the point of transmitting discomfort and stopping that moment. But it didn't happen.

The moments seemed to last for hours. Her body was on alert, her muscles tense with anticipation, with what unconsciously her nervous system was already yearning for. The dark-haired was now so close his breath broke against her legs and, unable to sustain the intensity of his stare any longer, conflicted between shame for her own reactions and the need for that contact to be prolonged, Sakura closed her eyes. No small mistake. A huge one, because that was enough to allow all kinds of scenarios to run through her mind, all preludes to what she longed for.

" Sasuke, no..." The realization suddenly flooded her, like a bucket of cold water, at the precise moment his hands clasped on either side of her knees. She opened her eyes again, only to find his expression had changed. On his damnably gorgeous face was painted an exceedingly mischievous and cunning smile. " You really are a bastard if you d... " But he didn't allow her to finish.

Using his grip on her legs, the dark-haired yanked her forcefully toward him so that she was pulled away from the edge on which she was seated and plunged into the pool. His right hand promptly reached her back, so he could support her and prevent the rough gesture from causing her to bump her head. For her part, Sakura harpooned his neck to resurface, spraying an unspecified amount of water against his face with her mouth; a punishment too mild for what he had done.

" You're a fucking asshole! " She blurted, running her right hand over her face to wipe away the residue of too much water so she could open her eyes again. Not only had he forced her to dive in, but he'd deliberately distracted her that way, so as to make the impact even more traumatic.

" It's not that cold. " He repeated, mocking and sarcastic. He didn't let go of his grip on Sakura even then, pressing both hands to the base of her back, as if instinctively wanting to bring her closer to him. Though the pink-haired girl's gaze was upset, she remained harpooned to his figure in turn with her left arm, her fingers now able to feel his shoulders.

They had found themselves in that situation before, in that position. It seemed they had both only realized it at that moment, simultaneously, as their muscles stiffened at the exact same moment. Yet, neither seemed able to do the right thing. On the contrary, it seemed their bodies acted spontaneously, following the memories of gestures that had already been made. And so their chests found themselves pressed together, her legs wrapped around his sides, Sasuke's right hand running down her back while his left travelled up her thigh. Everything as it had already happened but at the same time everything even better than she could only remember.

" Sakura! " It was providential, perhaps intended actually, Ino's intervention. Her voice, even from a distance, managed to catapult her with her feet on the ground at the exact moment. With a shudder, the pink-haired girl stepped back, almost as if she had suddenly burned herself on contact with the dark-haired's skin. " Look who's here! " Again Ino, now closer. She had to force her to look away from Sasuke's face once she reached her, as if they were both now unable to undo the spell into which jade and obsidian had fallen, unable to part.

" Lee! " Sakura heard rather than really saw, as imprinted in her pupils was still the extremely close face of the dark-haired. Although the blonde was literally keeping her head pointed in the right direction, she needed Tenten's call to realize what was happening.

She blinked several times, trying desperately to focus on her surroundings, to regain even a semblance of lucidity, to get away from pools as dark as coal-oil, from marble skin and the intoxicating pungent, fresh scent of cedar and mint.

" See Sakura? Lee's here! " This time it was Temari who intervened and only then did the pink-haired girl understand. Her friends had realized everything. Perhaps even the others present had picked up on that inappropriate proximity.

Pressing her palms on her shoulders, Ino led her to the edge of the pool, as far away from Sasuke as possible. She didn't dare turn around to see what kind of condition he was in, if he could recover any faster than the pink-haired girl.

" Sakura, for heaven's sake, pull yourself together. " The blonde's whisper was so low it was difficult even for her, from that proximity, to perceive it. She merely nodded her head, showing a determination she knew she didn't have. Not at that moment, with her body still on fire and at the same time dissatisfied with what it had just been denied.

After a total black-out, Sasuke was able to return to earth only because of a blow, more or less painful, to the back of his head. The moment he seemed to recover his sight, replacing two bright and shining viridian eyes were Naruto's perplexed blue ones.

" You must be out of your mind... " But he wasn't really listening to him, as it only took him a very few moments to catch that familiar shade of pink again, now too far away from his figure, when only moments before she found herself in his arms, pressed to his body, so close to...

" Oi, Sasuke! Cut it off. " This time it was Shikamaru, who snapped his fingers several times in front of his face, as if he had suddenly dozed off and the other was trying to wake him up. Only then did he realize the excessive pulsation of his blood, the accelerated beat of his heart, the heat that enveloped him from head to toe and the unpleasant and unsatisfactory bulge inside his swimsuit, at the level of his pubes.

He blinked several times before bringing both hands to his face, rubbing it vigorously. Perhaps he should have even slapped himself in the face, if not to rouse himself at least to punish himself.

" Fuck... " He exhaled, an expletive muffled by the pressure of his palms against his face. " Fuck, fuck, fuck... " It had all started innocently, hadn't it? He had given his shirt to her because he knew she was cold. He had joked with her because he was aware of how gloomy her mood was. He wanted to help her either way, he wanted to hearten her and make her smile, as he had on dozens of other occasions. At what point, precisely, had the line been crossed? He couldn't realize it even then, now that his arms were empty and his mind awakened. Perhaps it had been finding themselves so close together in the water. That must have evoked what had happened in Suna, in a tremendously similar situation. But maybe it had happened before, when he had shamelessly teased her, in such a spontaneous way he had considered it, at the time, even an innocent gesture, a way to distract her and cheer her up. And in fact she had seemed quite cheerful, upbeat even. He hadn't caught an ounce of annoyance or regret in her gaze, otherwise he would have been the first to stop, right? For some strange reason he wasn't so sure.

" Guys! Come meet Lee! " He didn't even know which of Sakura's friends that voice belonged to, though by now in those last few days he had learned to tell them apart, even to know them.

" Fuck. " He repeated again, running a hand through his dark hair, brushing a few dampened strands off his forehead. Getting to know Lee. Knowing Lee. How the hell had he ever considered that shit feasible? What the hell had gone through his mind when he'd agreed to Sakura's mad proposal? If he hadn't been such a bloody idiot, he'd probably be somewhere else right now, well away from Iwa, well away from Lee. But far away from Sakura as well, and while he knew it would undoubtedly be better for both of them, it wasn't something he could consider more favorable than her presence.

" Fake a seizure. " Choji's advice sounded extremely serious. And indeed it was. It wouldn't have been too complicated either, considering he could still feel his body being raced by uncontrollable electrical discharges.

" We can carry you out on our shoulders to make it believable. " Naruto added, nodding his head smugly at his own idea. Was he really so cowardly as to even consider such a facade? He huffed loudly, filled with frustration, plunging fully into the water and surfacing several feet away, near the same edge Sakura had been sitting on only a short time before. He nimbly exited the pool, dripping with water and seemingly unconcerned, to the point he ignored his towel left on a nearby deck chair and continued straight ahead in the direction of the small group. All of his determination wobbled when he noticed the pink-haired girl was still wearing his gray, soggy t-shirt that adhered completely to every damn curve of her body. Fuck.

" This is Choji, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Naruto... " That was Sakura's voice. He could recognize it even then. " And this is... Sasuke. " It seemed to him a too unusual silence had enveloped them, then an elbow from an undefined girl to his right made him realize that if they were all silent it was because they were waiting for him to speak, to extend his hand in the direction of the young man before him.

Only in that moment did he take the liberty to really look at him. Finding him on Google had been easy. Kiba had been looking for him at the exact moment they had found out who Sakura's Olympiac boyfriend was. Having him in front of his eyes, though, was completely different. He hadn't even had a chance to focus on his face yet, or hear him say a word to him, but he was downright aware that he didn't deserve her. She was too much for him. Too bright, too cheerful, too shrewd, too funny, too kind, too sharp, too gifted, too too beautiful.

" It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Sakura has told me so much about you. She told me that without you she wouldn't have been able to fit in so well, so I owe you a debt of gratitude. " Ino, Sakura's blonde friend, gave Kiba, guilty of barely stifling a laugh, a shove so hard he fell back into the pool, his groan of surprise muffled by the spray of water. " I'm glad you're here to take care of her! " The boy then continued, after a brief pause.

Sasuke said nothing. It was already too much he could shake his hand without succumbing to the desire to crush it. Funny how until a few moments before he was ready to have sex with Lee's girlfriend and now he was the one feeling jealousy. Had it been someone else in the same situation as him he would have found it pathetic without a doubt. Was it troubling there wasn't even an ounce of guilt? That, on the contrary, all he wanted was to be able to snatch Sakura away from him and have her for himself? He didn't seem like a bad person either, he had to admit, but that wasn't important. Whatever character he had, whatever attitude, whatever caring, whatever tenderness wouldn't be enough. Even if he had been a saint, in love and devoted to the core, it wouldn't have been enough.

That thought became even more pressing the moment his arm encircled Sakura's shoulders and she smiled at him. And it was a smile he had never seen on her face, never directed at himself. He didn't know whether to feel relieved or not, how to interpret that simple realization. He could believe it was an exception of the moment or he was the one who had interpreted it in the way that was most convenient for him. But there was no way to justify what was happening in front of his eyes. Sakura was looking at her boyfriend, smiling at him, clinging to his figure. But in that gaze there was not that loving, bright shade she had with him. In that smile there was not the contagious, sunny cheerfulness she had with him. In that embrace there was not the warmth and desire she had with him.

It wasn't suggestion, it wasn't just the projection of his desires. It was all there, real and tangible before his incredulous eyes. How to react to that new discovery? How to interpret the bond they shared? And what about the one she had with Lee? How could he try to curb the impulses, the thoughts, the feelings, when he had the knowledge that Sakura was closer to him than she was to anyone else?

She had hoped a hot bath would be able to lift her up, clear her mind, loosen her muscles and automatically solve all her problems. Obviously it hadn't, and the simple fact it hadn't been enough had managed to make her even more frustrated. She had tried two baths in the space of three days, but the accumulated tension had not diminished one bit. In fact, if possible, it had even increased.

" Whose hoodie is that? " Ino tilted her head to the side, turning away from the screen of her cell phone. For a few moments she watched her with a frown, before realization overtook her. " Sakura... "

" What? " The pink-haired girl did not turn in the other's direction, being able to clearly make out her figure lying on the bed through the mirror in front of which she was finishing her makeup. She lowered her gaze to the dark blue garment, clearly not her size, but which went well with the red and white dress she was wearing. In response, Ino sighed, bringing a hand to her forehead.

" You really don't find anything problematic about it? You going to your boyfriend's competition with the jumper of the one who... " Sakura stopped her own movements, reserving her friend a grim look. " Sasuke's. You going to Lee's competition, one of the most important moments of his life, wearing Sasuke's jumper. "

" There's nothing problematic about it, Ino. The only problem is I didn't bring many clothes suitable for this weather and Sasuke knows that, so he lent me some of his. That's all, nothing thorny like you're implying. " She was even more annoyed now than she had been before. She didn't particularly like the other alluding and assuming about her relationships.

" Look I'm not implying anything. I just want to warn you. To me you can do whatever you want and I would support you either way. Do you think not? " The blonde got back on her feet so she could join her by the mirror, observing her in turn through the reflection. " If it were up to me, I'd tell you to roll around with Sasuke on every surface in this hotel, from the first floor to the top. But I know you, Sakura, and you don't act like that. You feel guilty and that's why you're so troublesome. And the funny thing is, you are so with everyone except the reason for your guilt. " Ino gently brushed a few strands of her hair, before gathering them all in her hands and beginning to braid them. " You have to decide what you want to do. You can keep playing perverted little siblings and break up with Lee. Your affair has been dragging on for years anyway, as I've told you many times before. " Harsh and lapidary as usual, the blonde managed to alternate those harsh words with a relaxed and natural expression. " Or keep deluding yourself things with your boyfriend will change but stop whatever you and Sasuke are doing. "

She knew perfectly well she was wrong, that she was unforgivable. As bad as they were sailing, Lee didn't deserve any of that. She could have chosen to stay with him, but wouldn't that have been a jest all the same? Not only because of what had happened in Suna and the unseemly thoughts she continued to have to this day, but also because Sakura knew their relationship was at an impasse and would probably never evolve, not for her. She was deeply attached to the boy, for whom she felt great affection. Lee respected her, supported her, listened to her, understood her. He was a perfect partner, although his ambition and dedication to sports sometimes took up a lot of his time. He always knew how to make up for those shortcomings and was attentive to her needs most of the time. What was wrong, then? Why couldn't she try harder? How could she remedy that problem? The answer was simple: she couldn't, as she certainly couldn't force feelings that hadn't been born in those years together. She kept telling herself her mother was right, that Lee was the best choice for her. He was a good boy, successful, kind and well-mannered, who understood her need to focus on her studies, spurring her on rather than distracting her. According to Mebuki, Lee was the right partner, with whom she would be able to fulfill her potential in the best way. So why hadn't there been that spark? Sakura had believed sooner or later it would have been born spontaneously, that she shouldn't expect fireworks and butterflies in her stomach, but true feelings are cultivated with time, so she had waited patiently and would have continued to do so, if those fireworks and butterflies hadn't arrived at least, but with a totally different person.

" We're...not doing anything. " She was trying to lie to herself more than to Ino, who gently but menacingly tugged at a pink lock of her hair.

" You're really trying to offend me now. We all saw you, Sakura. But even if I wanted to consider the one in the pool an incident that won't happen again, as I know you were about to say, it would have been noticed anyway. In fact... I actually don't know how your parents didn't notice it yet. " The pink haired girl widened her eyes, now terrified of something that went far beyond her relationship with Lee. If ino was right, if it was so obvious the two were not indifferent to each other, did that mean sooner or later her mother and Fugaku would perceive too? That was the worst-case scenario, because then it wouldn't just be her life that would suffer, but the lives of others as well.

She bit his lower lip, lowering her gaze to the too-long hem of the hoodie she was wearing and began to turn it over in her hands. Everything was wrong, everything was complicated. Or maybe she was making it so? The solution was to stop and do it with resolve and decision. She could continue to have a natural relationship with the dark-haired, they could be friends, accomplices, a family. Why did it have to be so difficult? Could it be she was so weak as to give in to her impulses? She had always considered herself a determined woman, with a lot of willpower. Where were those characteristics now? Was she really so fragile of soul she would rather lull herself into the feelings that this thing with Sasuke instilled in her than further her moral integrity? Not to mention the irreparable damage it would cause to their family... Had she really become that selfish?

" I'll put an end to it. " The blonde arched her eyebrows, observing her with little conviction. " I will, I really will. I'm going to put up stakes and we won't have to cross them. We'll be friends. " She nodded vigorously to herself. " Brother and sister. "

He had told himself all he needed to do was take a deep breath of air to clear his head, but obviously that hadn't been the case. He had believed, in fact, the myriad of inappropriate thoughts that had taken shape in his mind would vanish, once the feeling that still persisted in his body after having Sakura's tremendously close to him had disappeared. Instead, everything had remained the same. Even with his newfound lucidity, if it could be called such, the dark-haired had set himself a very specific goal. Whether it was immoral, whether it was wrong, whether it was disgusting, whether it was disastrous was all irrelevant. Sasuke desired Sakura and he wanted to have her. Whether they would have to hide didn't matter. If his father found out about them and then hated him he didn't care. Everything projected him towards the pink haired girl. Her body, her curves, her breath, but also her face, her eyes, her smile. He didn't want to simply replicate what had happened in Suna. He didn't want to ferociously satiate an urgent, pressing crave and then move on, as if it were an itch to be soothed, a whim to be satisfied. He wanted to consume Sakura in every way, over and over again, and stay to watch her afterwards, to enjoy the look that, he now knew, was meant only for him and no one else.

" Where the fuck are they? We've been waiting for them for ten minutes. " He didn't even hear Kiba's protest, preferring to focus his attentions on the entrance to their hotel, waiting to catch a glimpse of a now familiar pink hair.

He wasn't particularly thrilled about having to attend one of Lee's competitions, but that was the reason they had reached Iwa, as well as to celebrate his birthday together. He couldn't back out, as Sakura would surely be disappointed. At least it wasn't a discipline that was too boring to watch, like something like badminton or, even worse, equitation would have been. The boy was an expert in martial arts and his specialty was judo, in which he had already won a bronze medal in the previous Olympics, when he was only eighteen. Not that he was impressed by such achievements, much less intimidated by his success. He might have been the most talented and gold-winning man in the world, but there was one thing he didn't possess, and that was Sakura's heart. He was sure of it, he had seen it distinctly. He had been repeating that moment in his mind for all the following days and each time he had been able to catch in the face of the pink-haired a detail more, something that confirmed what he was already extremely sure of. He didn't know why she was still tied to Lee, but without a doubt it wasn't love, let alone desire.

" Maybe we should get going and take the seats..." Only at Choji's suggestion did the dark-haired look away from the revolving doors, watching the other with furrowed brows. That glance was enough to shut him up, evidently, to make him realize Sasuke was not willing to leave.

" We're going to miss the bus. " Kiba insisted, only furthering the increase in his irritation.

" We will take the cab. " As he spoke those words, the dark-haired sank his hands into the pockets of his jeans, approaching the wall to rest his back against it. They could have been two hours late, for all he cared. He wasn't interested in the competition, but he wanted to take advantage of every moment he could spend with Sakura. If they had missed the contest because of a delay, so much the better. In any case, he doubted such a scenario would arise. The girls would join them shortly and they will go watch the damn event.

" A little nervous, hmm? " Who could that provocation have come from if not the Inuzuka himself? Sasuke didn't look back, determined to ignore his friend with all his might. " You're always in time to fake an illness. " Clearly mocking, Kiba laughed in a malicious and devious manner, causing the others to sigh.

" Why don't you just stop? At least for one day? " As usual, Shikamaru sounded exasperated but in this case he couldn't even be said to be wrong. It was exhausting to have to fight with Kiba's taunts at all times, if only because the Inuzuka didn't even hold back in front of the pink-haired girl, causing her discomfort and embarrassment.

" I'm not doing anything. I'm just stating the obvious. Sasuke has been treating us like shit for days. " He accused him, pointing at him with his right hand. " More than usual. " In reply, the brunet simply snorted, shaking his head, without giving the other a glance. He had far more on his mind, things far more pregnant than the brown-haired boy's impudence. He couldn't worry about him and his idiocies, when he was making what was undoubtedly the worst decision of his life and he was doing it light-heartedly, heedless of the consequences. Or at least that was what he wanted to convince himself of, what he kept telling himself. He was the one who had initially asserted that accepting what had happened in Suna and moving on was the best choice. He had acted casually, almost as if it didn't particularly bother him. It was he who had argued that such thoughts about a member of his family disgusted him. He had changed his mind about everything, simply. Everything he had been convinced of months ago had collapsed under the weight of two brilliant jades set in a face with beautiful and delicate features, surrounded by soft pink locks.

" You could be a little more understanding... " Again Choji, this time addressing the Inuzuka, who theatrically rolled his eyes in response.

" Understanding? And why should I let him treat me like shit just because he wants to bang his little sister... " Kiba probably expected a reaction, as he managed to take in well the punch directed at his nose, deflecting it so it only hit his cheekbone.

He didn't really want to react. For a split second he had considered the possibility of not doing it, but then his body had moved on its own, driven by all the frustration accumulated in that period. The brown-haired boy's words had only served as a trigger, and like a spring, Sasuke had snapped.

In any case, Kiba wasn't the type who couldn't take a fight. After all, they had been in this situation a thousand times before. He knew where to strike and how to hit, but so did the dark-haired. No wonder the two of them kept on overpowering each other, rolling on the asphalt as if they were the Olympians, intent on fighting to the last blood to win a medal.

" What the hell are you doing! " Neither of them seemed to have realized they were no longer intertwined with each other, as their gazes continued to pour out resentment and rancor against each other. Choji was helping the brown-haired boy to get back on his feet, while Sasuke was held by the arms of the other two. But the third hands, belonging to the one whose call he had heard, the only voice that had managed to go beyond anger and reach his eardrums, were now pressed against his chest and only then did the dark-haired boy look away from his opponent, crossing familiar jade irises. " What happened? " Sakura peered at him filled with apprehension, her adorably furrowed brow giving her a wrinkled expression, as if she were a pouting child. He took several moments to look at her, now unmoving but still tight in his two friends' grasp, almost as if they feared he might snap in Kiba's direction at any moment. He would never do that, not now at least, as he sensed a calmness enveloping him in the form of warmth, emanating from the very tiny girl in front of him.

" Let's go. " He managed to free himself from Naruto and Shikamaru's grasp with a tug, bringing the back of his hand to his face and retracting it stained with blood.

" Sasuke... " Even more worried and frowning than before, Sakura extended a hand in his direction. Instinctively, the dark-haired boy took it with his own, gently tightening his fingers around her slender wrist.

" Come. " He granted her only that imposition, but waited for her to move, for her to accept, to decide to follow him without forcing her, but only driven by what she desired. She looked at him for a few moments, hesitant at first, then allowing the now familiar light to take over in her eyes. And, despite the situation, his face aching and bleeding, the corners of Sasuke's lips curved upward. Tightening his grip on Sakura, he turned his back to her to precede her, moving away from their astonished friends.

A cab, just as he had anticipated. If there was one thing he hated more than sitting in the passenger seat, it was finding himself in the back ones. He hadn't had it any other way, of course, but at least now his frustration was focused on something else, on something more pressing than just the seating arrangement in the car. Which, in any case, certainly didn't improve his mood.

Sakura, on the other hand, did. The mere fact she was next to him, upset and concerned, so close to allow him to enjoy her warmth and scent, was enough to keep him from exploding, as if her mere presence acted as a sedative for anything negative that might arise in his soul.

" Does it hurt? " All of her apprehension exuded from her tone, and perhaps that shouldn't have caused him the satisfaction instead grew within him. Sakura was pressed against his body, to his right, as she gently tapped his face with a water-soaked tissue. He didn't look away from her for a moment, enraptured by her expression, pleased by the care she continued to give him.

" No." But the rubbing against a particularly excoriated spot betrayed him, exposing his lie the instant his nose and mouth went spontaneously crooked. The pink-haired girl immediately halted her movements, and Sasuke mentally cursed himself for his inability to control his face.

'' Maybe we should go to the hospital. " Maybe. He didn't think he was in such bad shape, but reaching the hospital would allow him additional time in Sakura's company, just with her, away from a certain judo contest that, with the right delay, they might even miss. It was extremely cruel of him to think that way, but it wasn't the realization that put him off. He didn't mind the pink-haired girl might miss Lee's competition, whether or not she cared to attend. It did, however, cause him discomfort her well-accepted apprehension might escalate into something that would really upset her if she thought the damage done might be severe. He was fine with her worrying about him to be close enough to personally nurse him. He was less okay with the idea of her doing so to the point of anxiety or distress.

" There's no need. It's just a little blood. You study medicine, don't you? You'd know if I had any broken bones. " Sakura frowned, scrutinizing his face for several moments, as if with a single glance she could make sure he was sincere. Or perhaps she was trying to give him some sort of vague diagnosis, which evidently had to confirm to her none of his injuries or bruises were serious enough to require medical attention, or at least not an actual one. Her tend was more than sufficient, and in fact the dark-haired couldn't stop the corners of his lips from curving upward just a little as she began to gently tap his cheekbone again.

" Do you find it funny? You two could have been very hurt... " There was no real admonition in Sakura's tone, though the features of her face had hardened.

" Do you think this is the first time we've fought like this? " Now that the pink-haired girl was focused on his wounds again, Sasuke was able to dwell more on her features, without his gaze being considered intrusive. It was as if he wanted to record every detail with it, improving the memories he already had of her, of those last months but also of before.

" That wasn't a fight. You were having a brawl. That's not normal, Sasuke... You're friends. " He wrinkled his nose again, a gesture that was interpreted again as a show of pain on her part, causing her to slow down the movements of her hand, and then focus on another spot, between his chin and jaw.

" You don't argue with your friends? " He just tilted his head to the side, as if to more fully offer his face and move closer to her touch.

" We don't punch each other, that's for sure. " She said, arching her eyebrows.

" Maybe you should. If it was Ino I might even root for you. " Sakura seemed to melt, hinting at an amused giggle, but immediately going to shake her head. She didn't seem displeased though.

" Can I at least know what happened? What did he say to you? " By now, the pink-haired girl was familiar enough with the dynamics of their group to be certain Kiba was the instigator and that Sasuke tended to react badly to such teasing. Again, she was taking it for granted. The dark-haired, however, wasn't particularly keen on sharing that detail. He didn't want her to know how much just hearing someone mention her could alter his mood, positively or negatively. He didn't want her to realize how firm a hold she actually had on him. As he had told her before, he preferred to be able to have control over everything, and that was obviously referring to himself as well, to his person. It was unacceptable he couldn't decide on his reactions, but they were instantaneously triggered by someone external.

" Bullshits, as always. " He cut it short, receiving a resigned sigh in response. Perhaps she had understood what he was talking to and she herself preferred not to press that particular topic. It was the first time they had found themselves alone for so long after what had happened at the pool. On the other brief occasions they had obviously carefully avoided speaking about it. There wasn't much to say to each other anyway. They had both succumbed to a mutual desire, which they both knew was there but tried in vain to suppress. There would be no need for it anymore. It was no longer what Sasuke wanted.

He sighed, instinctively raising his right hand, which until then had been resting against the seat's headboard, going to place a pink lock behind her ear, which had escaped the tangle in which Sakura's hair was styled. That simple gesture allowed him to claim the full attention of the girl, whose jade eyes were now reflected in his own. Something was different, he noticed. He was used to seeing the turmoil Sakura caused herself when she was torn between what she wanted and what she felt she had to do. But now those same feelings seemed duplicated, as was the guilt the dark-haired knew was there and why, but had always tried to ignore. The pink-haired girl sighed, lowering her gaze and then closing her eyes. He couldn't stop himself from intervening, the moment that, after depriving him of the sight of her viridian eyes, she decided to do the same with the warmth of her body, moving away.

" What? " But Sakura didn't answer him, merely shaking her head and inhaling deeply. " Sakura. " His tone wasn't harsh, but urgent enough to sound insistent. He could imagine what ailed her, of course, but for what was probably the first time since they'd met, he wanted her to talk to him about it, to not push anything back.

" We're friends...right? " The question took him by surprise, but the dark-haired assumed a neutral expression that could conceal his astonishment. Friends. Of course, that was what they were supposed to be, what he had initially hoped they might become. But under no circumstances could he think of her as just a friend. Receiving no response, Sakura sought his gaze again and in her bright viridian eyes Sasuke could see something unusual, something he had never seen before, not in her but in anyone else. She was demanding and pleading. Resolute enough to inquire but at the same time so vulnerable to beg. All at the simultaneously, concentrated in a single breathtaking glance. And who would ever be able to deny her anything? Not him, surely.

He nodded, wetting his lips and still feeling the metallic taste of blood on his tongue, but this time mixed with the familiar scent of her, as if her sweet breath had settled on his skin, leaving its unmistakable aroma there.

" I'm glad you came too. " But her tone alarmed him, as there seemed to be no conviction in it. Her next words confirmed why. " So I... So I could introduce you to Lee. You are two people I care about. " Sasuke was in disbelief and now he wasn't even bothering to disguise it anymore. He knew exactly what the situation was, of course, but before that moment, the pink-haired girl had never explicitly pushed him away by talking to him like that. It seemed to be hard for her to put that distance too. " He's my boyfriend and you're... a brother. " No, that he couldn't accept. He couldn't let Sakura erase everything that had been between them and still persisted. He didn't want to go back to pretending he could move on like nothing was wrong. He didn't want to move on, at least not the way she was intending at that very moment. " I'm your sister, right? " It was the first time he sensed his own rising anger directed at her. He was outraged by her words, by the boorish way she hoped to end that matter. Was she perhaps mocking him? Did she think it was so simple they could pretend? Not to mention that he was no longer willing to do so, so if she hoped to push him away and make him give up so easily with those two words... she was sorely mistaken.

He parted his lips, but Sakura's attention was no longer on him, which allowed him to realize the car had stopped, that they had reached their destination and that the taxi driver was waiting for his payment. The pink-haired girl seemed rather anxious to get out of the vehicle, in fact she was the one who pulled out two bills from her purse, holding them out without even waiting for the little change she was due. She might have seemed eager to catch up with Lee's competition as soon as possible, but the truth was she was just trying to get away from him, from their conversation, fearing that leaving him even a chance to talk back might break her already feeble resolve. If she thought she could get out that way, she was making a big miscalculation. If she thought she could get away without even giving him a chance to talk to her, to act, by pushing him aside like that, he would necessarily have to prove her otherwise.

Chapter Text

The sky was clear and serene, enough for him to get a limpid view of the different constellations. Choosing that hotel had been a good idea. Of course, they had been almost forced to, since it was one of the few that had enough free rooms, but the panoramic terrace had made the almost forced choice a good one.

Sasuke sighed and his breath condensed into a little cloud. It was the end of July, yet the weather in Iwa was inclement and cold. Nothing unbearable for him, but the evenings felt like autumn nights in Konoha, as the city prepared for the arrival of winter. Leaning against the balcony, the dark- haired kept his onyx irises turned toward the starry sky. It was the first time he had spent his birthday wearing a sweatshirt rather than a bathing suit. He didn't hate the cold, but it was still an unusual feeling. It seemed to him as if he was living a life not his own and that circumstance belonged to a parallel world. In fact, Sasuke himself felt like a distinctly different person as of late, but this difference he also knew what it was due to, or rather, who.

A few months had been enough for him to completely reevaluate his way of doing and thinking. He was certain before a certain pink-haired girl came into his life, he would have never even considered sabotaging a relationship just on a whim. Yet, he couldn't even call it that. He cared about Sakura's wellbeing, didn't he? It was also for her he had decided to act in that way, after seeing with his own eyes there was no real feeling between the two, at least not on her part. Maybe she didn't realize it and needed her eyes opened. Maybe she was trapped and didn't know how to get out. Either way, he certainly couldn't stand by and watch.

The last two days had been strange. It felt to him like they were back to the first few weeks after she moved into the Uchiha mansion. The girl was working hard to keep her distance, to spend as little time alone with him as possible. Initially, Sasuke had felt offended and outraged, and the anger didn't allow him to understand if she was acting that way, it was only because it was becoming too complicated to restrain herself, to suppress the force that attracted her to him. Once lucid, he had understood this was the right moment, that now he could and should act. The question was when. Sakura was good at avoiding him, always keeping busy with something else, with activities often required everyone's presence and never just his. The rare occasions when they weren't all together came when she wasn't available, busy spending time, little time, with her boyfriend. Although they had reached Iwa for him, there weren't many hours he could dedicate to her, too busy with the Olympics, especially now he had won practically every match and was in the semifinals, which he would have played in two days. If he had won, he would have earned a medal anyway, gold or silver depending on the outcome of the final. On one hand, he hoped he would lose, so he wouldn't have to sit through one of his competitions again, in the stands next to what was now his lovely partner in the media. On the other hand, he knew the more time he spent on competitions, the less time he could spend with Sakura.

" There you are! " A voice as familiar as it was unexpected took him by surprise. His eyebrows arched, the dark-haired man turned just in time to see the pink-haired girl approach him, a wide smile painted on her face. She was radiant as usual, but at the same time seemed uncertain and hesitant. Perhaps she realized she was serving him on a silver platter the very opportunity Sasuke had been trying to carve out for days?

" Were you looking for me? " Sakura reached the balcony in turn, and only then pulled her hand out of her skirt pocket, throwing a handful of confetti at him.

" Happy Birthday! " She exclaimed enthusiastically, while from the dark-haired's lips came out only a grumbling, more for being taken by surprise than for the gesture itself. " Midnight has passed, didn't you notice? I've been looking for you for twenty minutes! " Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it in order to get rid of the colored pieces of paper trapped in his raven locks.

" With confetti in your pocket? " In response, the pink-haired girl nodded vigorously, clearly pleased with her little stunt. Although he wanted to still appear in disappointment, the dark-haired couldn't help but smile at her. " You really are annoying. " But it seemed by now Sakura understood the real meaning behind those words, considering she smiled back at him rather than sulking.

" Hey! I'm older than you anyway. Respect your elders. " Snorting in amusement, Sasuke settled back against the balcony, propping himself up on his elbows, but not taking his eyes off the girl at his side for even a moment. He should have guessed that, despite her attempts to keep her distance, Sakura would never ignore his birthday. Celebrating it together was the main reason she had asked him to follow her to Iwa.

" Maybe I didn't want to be found. " Supposed the dark-haired, naturally, earning this time an upset look as well as the pout he wished to get.

" Am I annoying you? " She asked him, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. As stubborn as she was about downsizing their relationship, it was unnatural to try to undo the complicity the two had achieved over time, in a short amount of time. It felt like that intimacy was spontaneous.

" And even if I say yes, would you leave? " They had already had that kind of conversation at least three other times, to the point where it had now become one of their favorite ways to tease each other. As usual, the pink-haired girl shook her head, smiling mischievously. " Then stay. "At that point he should have continued with his provocation, but he didn't, merely mirroring himself in her large, bright viridian eyes, enraptured by the glow the reflection of the stars gave them. A more genuine and radiant smile painted itself on her beautiful face, and she decided to lean against the balcony, not too far from him.

" Why were you here alone? " Sakura was no longer looking at him. Her jade irises were turned toward the sky, which she peered at in admiration and wonder like a child in a toy store. He, in return, contemplated her profile minutely, appreciating the way the moon's rays reflected on her pink locks or her pale skin.

" To smoke. " A half-truth, to which the girl responded by wrinkling her nose. He had indeed taken advantage of the open space to indulge in a cigarette, but the reality was this was one of those times when he longed to be alone, to be able to carve out some space to allow his thoughts to roam free, without any distractions, without noisy friends, without necessarily having to engage in sociality. He had a lot to mull over, Sakura included, and he wanted to allow himself moments in which to do so while recharging himself after those full days just passed. He didn't mind her presence though, it didn't disturb his private moment, it didn't cause him any discomfort that she was there to divert his thoughts.

" So a cigarette is more important than the affection of your friends, hmm? Naruto was desperate not to be able to wish you a happy birthday at exactly midnight. So much so I think he texted you to be first anyway. " He shook his head, not even bothering to check, since he knew the blond was perfectly capable of it. " And Kiba was looking for the right excuse to open a bottle or two and toast. " Sakura laughed, without taking her eyes off the sky. Now that they were there together and alone, it almost felt like he had been deprived of the sight of her true face for too long, like those breathtakingly radiant expressions didn't belong to her until she was with him again. That was probably what he wanted to believe. It was about the hope of actually occupying a space in her heart, though he kept telling himself it was a certainty.

" As if he needed an excuse. " The brown-haired boy was probably already pouring himself a drink now, ignoring the fact the birthday boy wasn't there to enjoy a toast in his honor. Not that he cared, clearly. He wasn't particularly thrilled with the idea of receiving rowdy greetings, so he preferred his friends to go wild in his absence.

" We should go back inside anyway. " Upon uttering those words, Sakura snuggled into herself, rubbing her arms with her palms. Right, the cold. It was unbearable for her, especially since she had brought clothes with her that were not suitable for Iwa's inclement weather. Sasuke scrutinized her carefully, lingering on the white skirt, too thin for the night temperature, and going up to the bright yellow blouse, not heavy enough despite having long sleeves. With an instinctive gesture he slipped off his black jacket, holding it out with a snort to show her how annoying she was.

" Didn't I give you clothes? " He admonished her, deciding to act spontaneously the moment Sakura's green eyes showed hesitation. Without further ado, he adjusted the black garment over her shoulders. He didn't want to go inside and he didn't want to renounce to the presence of the pink-haired girl. So the solution to adopt was necessarily that. It mattered little he had to deprive himself of his jacket. He was much more capable of withstanding the cold than she was, evidently.

Sakura remained motionless for a few moments, as if the gesture had stunned her. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen her wearing anything of his since their last argument in that cab. Could it be she felt that was a way to establish distance as well? That even using his clothes was causing her confusion or even guilt? To make sure, he watched her with meticulous attention, catching every slightest change in her expression. Now she was assimilating what had happened, but he could distinctly discern the moment when she realized what was happening, as her cheeks acquired that familiar and amusing blush. Hesitancy followed, almost as if she wanted to refuse and give back his jacket again. She was evaluating, he could see the gears moving to come to a decision, which was eventually to accept, tucking her arms into the sleeves.

" Thank you..." He was pleased, although he was trying to maintain a neutral expression. He merely muttered a reply, settling back against the balcony.

" It's not like Suna, hmm? " The pink-haired girl did not immediately answer him. Her muscles stiffened just at hearing the mention of the destination of their previous vacation, the one where they had met.

" Sasuke... " She seemed to want to beg him not to continue down that road. She probably thought he was trying to teasing her about it, and she wasn't wrong either. He didn't wish to provoke her entirely, but evoking the Sakura he had known in Suna was what he did when the one before him at the moment reminded him of her, when she was more her and less what others expected her to be.

" Not just the weather, I mean. " Ignoring her plea, the dark-haired nodded to the starry sky above them. The girl remained motionless, almost as if she feared even a shift of air would do her harm. " Even the stars. " It was only at the moment she too lifted her gaze, allowing herself a scrutinizing look to make sure his words were true.

" Do you remember it? " She seemed surprised by the realization, to the point of ignoring even the discomfort, the desire to close as quickly as possible a topic that was too uncomfortable for her. " I thought you were never quite lucid enough. " There was no amused, mocking tone in her words, a sign she was trying to relieve a tension she felt, but failing to do so.

" Do you really think I was so fucked up? That I spent five days drunk? " He asked, derisive and mocking.

" You didn't give me the impression of someone caught up in contemplating the sky. " The pink-haired girl also found the courage to move, if only by a step, resting a single hand on the balcony. Now her jade irises were fixed on him.

" The last night. After you fell asleep. " Sakura winced, pressing her incisors into her plump lower lip. " You weren't even a little cold there, apparently. " That was a deliberate provocation, which the dark-haired accompanied with a sly, mischievous smile.

" It was thirty degrees there at night. " A mild defense, hers, to which Sasuke responded by arching his eyebrows. They had never spoken of Suna, aware opening that conversation would make what had happened extremely real. And now that was what the dark-haired desired. Although he had been the one to say how necessary it was to accept and move on, he didn't think that way anymore. He didn't want to erase what had happened, didn't want to remember it as an unfortunate mistake.

" Then maybe it would be better if you were there, rather than here. It seems more suitable for you. In spite of too much noise and unruliness. " He purposely quoted the words Mebuki had spoken months ago, completely unaware of who her daughter really was, fooled by the role Sakura had decided to play so as not to disappoint her parents.

" I don't think I'll ever go back there. " Putting his playful intentions immediately aside, Sasuke frowned, straightening his back so he could turn to face her, to study her better.

" Why? " He could imagine it for himself, but if she really wanted to deny what had happened up to that point, she would have to find the courage to tell him. Sakura blinked, struggling to find the right words to express herself.

" For us. " She admitted, not without a certain amount of uncertainty. " It would be strange and-"

" Does it disgust you that much to think about it? " He knew it wasn't about that, in fact the exact opposite. The pink-haired girl didn't want anything to remind her of the closeness they had shared, lest it make it increasingly complicated to keep their distance.

" Sasuke... Why are you acting like this? " Defensively, the dark-haired crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn't going to let himself be accused when she was the one who wanted to make a mistake.

" I am not doing anything. " He snapped back at her, his tone harsh, holding her gaze. Sakura sighed, lowering her own a few moments later.

" Aren't you the one saying to move on? To get over it? And now that I'm trying- " He didn't give her time to finish her sentence, interrupting her.

" Don’t do that anymore. " He sentenced, as it was a demand and not at all a request. She looked confused, stupefied, as she watched him with her big viridian eyes widened.

" You can't be serious. " He was dead serious, instead, as evidenced by his expression, the resolve oozing from his face. Sakura brought a hand to her face, shaking her head at the same time. She looked exhausted, perhaps even exasperated. He was probably testing her self-control as well as her patience. " Our parents- "

" What do they have to do with it? " But it was the wrong question. " What do you care about them? " If possible, the expression that took shape on Sakura's face was even more astonished. Perhaps she thought he had lost his mind altogether, for she was looking at him as if before her eyes there was a madman.

" Should I not concern about my mother, who is your father's companion? " An unnecessary clarification, but evidently for the pink-haired girl, Sasuke was so disconnected he couldn't remember the detail.

" She doesn't seem to mind much about you, about what you want. " As if those words had physically affected her, Sakura stepped back, and in response, the dark-haired advanced towards her so she couldn't distance herself. " I care... " His tone of voice was lower now, almost a whisper. With an instinctive gesture, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and did not retract his hand, resting it instead on the side of her neck. "And certainly not as if you were my sister. " He clarified, as he hadn't had a chance to do days ago, during their last discussion. He felt her stiffen under his touch, as her soft skin tickled his phalanges. It was as if that simple contact had extinguished all of Iwa's coldness. All he needed was the warmth emanating from her. He slowly leaned in her direction, savoring every moment that separated him from the coveted union. And the moment his lips collided with Sakura's, a whole new sensation took hold of him, an electric shock that only confirmed how right his decision was, how wrong it would have been to deny himself that closeness. Sakura was motionless, frozen by the moment, stunned by what was happening. But the istant his left hand reached her back, under the fabric of his jacket, her whole body seemed to melt. It was useless to bring her close to him, because she had already let herself go against his figure, surrendering to that kiss and returning every movement slowly, as if she didn't want to miss a single moment, any drop of the sensations she was getting. He knew, because it was the same for him. A few seconds were enough, however, to tease the desire of both, the yearn they felt towards each other, and that kiss acquired passionate and eager nuances. The dark-haired's right hand sank into her hair, his fingers intertwined with the pink locks on the nape of her neck. In the meantime, their tongues joined wisely aware, caressing each other as if it were not the first time. And in fact, it wasn't. It was just the sensations they were getting from it that were completely unmatched.

" Sasuke..." A sigh that broke against his lips, still thirsty and ravenous, ready to silence her again, giving her and him only the time they needed to catch their breath. Even more eager and passionate than the previous one, the second kiss lasted less, interrupted by Sakura herself. The dark-haired sighed deeply, without really pulling away, leaving their mouths only enough space to intertwine their breaths.

" What? " He was resigned, as he could already imagine what she was about to say to him. It had been a momentary lapse, she wanted to distance herself again.

" Not now. " She surprised him to the point he believed he had spoken those words himself, in his own mind, as a manifestation of his own desires. He backed away just enough so he could observe her face, confused. " We are on the roof of the hotel. " Even more puzzled than before, Sasuke blinked several times. These were not the words of someone who was rejecting him. What confirmed it was her gaze, those bright eyes full of affection, passion, loving tenderness.

" Let's go to my room. Naruto can go fuck himself. " He took her hand without even waiting for an answer, but the pink-haired girl didn't move, just intertwining her fingers with his and using that grip to induce him to turn towards her again, with a questioning air. She was confusing him more than ever.

" Not here, Sasuke. " Of course not here. Did she really think he wanted to do it on the terrace? He had just proposed to her to go where they would have their intimacy. " After the trip, back in Konoha. I have something else to do first. " Ah. She meant not at the time, as there were still unresolved issues.

Sasuke was ready to protest, to remind her it didn't matter when or how it happened, considering it had already in Suna, but the pink-haired girl anticipated him, approaching him again. She didn't let go of his hand, rising up on her toes in search of his lips, and the dark-haired was more than happy to meet her head on, closing the distance their height difference imposed.

" I don't want this to happen like Suna. I don't want thinking about it to make me feel guilty. Let me talk to Lee first. " He huffed in frustration, aware he couldn't object in any way. " And I don't think it's fair to ruin the Olympics for him... Let's just wait a bit. " He sighed resignedly this time, and as if to show him she had no intention of holding back any longer, Sakura brushed her lips over his again, softly, a final foretaste of all they could have, just with a little patience. " Can you do that? " He could only nod his head, unable to deny her at least the chance to ease her guilt. He could wait, now aware he had finally gotten what he wanted.

" Give me your phone! " With his mouth still full with a mouthful of his toast, Sasuke frowned, confused. He wasn't extremely bright in the mornings, so his reaction and thinking times were markedly reduced. To top it all off, the pink haired girl had suddenly appeared behind him.

" Good morning to you too, Sakura. " It was the sarcastic comment of Kiba, sitting not far from him, to the right of Choji, too focused on his breakfast to give them his attention. The others were still in their rooms, evidently exhausted from the few hours of sleep that had followed his birthday celebrations.

Despite his plans to allow himself hours of quiet, the group had gathered at the hotel bar and spent an indefinite amount of time there, then moved to one of the rooms and continued until the sun rose. He was in no mood to complain after what had happened on the rooftop with Sakura. His priorities had changed and he'd preferred to engage his mind with that commotion, rather than focus on what he'd had to give up for the night. Then at least the pink-haired girl was with him, though not in the way he would have liked. Enhancing his mood was the knowledge he would just have to be patient. Once the trip was over and they were back in Konoha, that wait would be more than worth it.

" Good morning! "All too smiling and cheerful for someone who had only been able to sleep for a handful of hours, Sakura extended a hand towards him, urging him to carry out her request. The dark-haired sighed, still too sluggish and groggy to ask questions about it, and obeyed, reaching into his pocket and holding out his cell phone.

" Damn, she's really got you on leash. " He was sleepy and deprived of far too many hours of sleep, but that wasn't enough to stop him from turning sharply in Kiba's direction, so as to grant him a warning glare. Of course, maybe that look wasn't too believable, with Sakura meanwhile freely taking his hand to press his thumb against the phone so it would detect his fingerprint and unlock the screen.

" Are we at the invasion of privacy yet? " Ino, the pink-haired girl's blonde friend, appeared right behind her, fresh as a daisy, almost as if she'd had the luxury of at least eight hours of sleep and not the three they'd barely managed to indulge in. For her part, Sakura ignored her, continuing to fiddle with his phone, while the other one took a seat next to Choji, pouring herself some juice.

" What are you doing? " He only asked her at that point, fixing his onyx irises on her. He noted with pleasure she had decided to wear his clothes again, to protect herself from Iwa's weather. It was quite satisfying to catch a glimpse of her wearing his garments. There was really something intriguing about seeing her wrapped up in his sweatshirts or sweaters, definitely over-sized for her petite figure.

" If you're looking for the hot photos he keeps, they're in an encrypted folder. " Kiba again and who else but him.

" Ah yes, I've already seen those. ” Even before he could respond to the provocation of the brown-haired man, Sakura intervened, sarcastic and natural, without even deigning to lift her eyes from the screen of his phone. " I'm giving you your present. " Her attentions now focused on the dark-haired, to whom she granted a wide and radiant smile. Before he could realize it, Sasuke found himself curving the corners of his lips upward in turn. All of this was evidently under the gaze of the others, who were focused more on their exchange than on their own breakfasts, judging by Kiba's scornful snort and Ino's eloquent look.

It seemed that, despite the secrecy, everyone or almost everyone was pretty aware of what was going on between the two. Of course, after the incident at the pool it would have been hard not to notice, but it was as if the previous evening, although nothing had explicitly happened in front of their friends, every slight doubt had been confirmed. Perhaps it had been the involuntary attitudes, the glances, the occasional spontaneous contact, as brief as they was significant. They must have understood something had changed, there was no longer the inner conflict that led them to force an unnatural distance.

" What is it? " It was only after his appetite was satisfied, in part, that Choji decided to join the conversation, his mouth still full of his scrambled eggs with bacon.

" It's a secret. " Announced the pink-haired girl, evidently pleased. He had no idea what it could be. Or rather, he had imagined she had actually decided to give him her lamp, but then the previous night he hadn't thought of any more gifts. It was as if he already had one and another was about to arrive, ready to unwrap.

" It's going to be sibling stuff, you know. " A venomous comment like that could have only come from Kiba, who as usual seemed eager to try his patience.

"Why don't you shut your mouth, at least in the morning? "A tone far too harsh to come from Sakura, in fact it took everyone quite by surprise. She, for her part, seemed unbothered by the stares. To sit beside him, she pushed him to the right with the weight of her body and, without saying a word, Sasuke made room for her.

" You spend way too much time with this asshole. Now you start talking like him too. " The dark-haired rolled his eyes, irritated.

" I can tell you don't know Sakura then. She talks dirty more than you know. " Ino reserved her friend a knowing and amused look.

" Oh really? And under what circumstances? " By now at the limit of his patience, Sasuke kicked his friend from under the table, straight in the knee, without any hesitation. " Fuck you! " Kiba ranted at him, also attracting the gaze of some hotel guests, intent on eating their breakfasts.

" What part of shut your mouth is not clear to you? " He looked at him sourly, before twisting his lips into a sly smile. " Or do you want me to actually break your nose this time? "

" Can you guys stop that? We still have more than a week to spend here. Do you want to get us kicked out of the hotel? " And that would be the least of it, since after the fight in the middle of the street they had even risked being charged. Sasuke shifted his onyx eyes to the pink-haired girl at his side. It wasn't long before the end of that vacation and he certainly didn't want to ruin her last days. That thought was enough to welcome Ino's words, but not before he let his tongue flick against his palate, contemptuously.

" Done! " He leaned over to Sakura so he could glance at the cell phone screen, searching for something different. She welcomed his gesture, reaching over in turn and clicking on a new app. It was a remote control, with several functions. It was connected to what looked like a projector, something that would make the ceiling of his room light up like a starry sky. It seemed so advanced it even allowed him to choose different constellations to alternate between. The dark-haired arched his eyebrows, speechless. If that projector was already in his room, in Konoha, it meant Sakura had been thinking about the gift even before the previous night, and therefore, she had also noticed his tendency to contemplate the night sky, while letting his thoughts run free, despite the mocking words spoken the day before. " Do you like it? " The pink-haired girl just tilted her head to the side, watching him filled with hope and expectation. What was he supposed to say to her? It was obvious he liked it and not simply because it was something that came from her. That simple gift was proof it had taken less than four months to allow whatever was between them to blossom. Without them realizing it, they had grown closer, studied, understood, accepted. And Sakura... was like a ray of spring sunshine. Whatever she did she managed to infuse him with a warmth he felt he had been missing for a long time, so much so he had even forgotten how pleasant it was. Hers was not only warm, loving, tender, but it burned at the same time with fiery, passionate flames that made it addictive, intoxicating.

" Mh. " He accompanied that simple mumbling with a nod, finding himself forced to look away from her face. It wasn't often he was the first to do so, but in this case holding those eyes, so bright, affectionate, ardent, was impossible.

" What is it, then? " This time it was Ino who appeared insistent, which surprised him. He thought the pink-haired girl was confessing everything to her. Apparently he was wrong.

" It's a secret. " He repeated, unable to stop his lips from curving upward. Handing him the phone, Sakura brushed her fingers with his, perhaps unintentionally, perhaps intentionally. He decided to ignore his breakfast and focus his attention on the gift, without taking his eyes off the phone screen.

" Can we at least know what the plans are for today? " Ino tilted her head to the side, letting her cerulean irises flash from Sakura's figure to Sasuke's, as if her eyes were able to see beyond mere appearance. Again, not that it was too complicated.

" I thought we could go to the observatory, have lunch there, and come back to get ready for the evening. " Although the pink-haired girl's was a proposal, she seemed to have already considered every detail, as if she didn't expect a rejection. And she wasn't going to get it, at least not from him. And it was his birthday, so his will had to be worth double.

" What about tonight? " Still caught up in the gift he'd just received, the dark-haired was paying little attention to the conversation, at least so far. Sakura's next words claimed his whole.

" I found out there is this club where you can only get in by invitation. It's exclusive and private and obviously everyone are mad for it. Anyone wishes to go there. " She leaned towards the table, as if she was telling them something extremely confidential.

" And how do you think we can get in? Usually these niche places are not well disposed towards tourists. " Ino had a point. If they started accepting anyone, it wouldn't be so exclusive anymore, losing all its halo.

" I happen to know someone in this hotel could get us invited. " Sakura turned to him, pleased.

" Who? " The dark-haired asked her, questioningly. " And how do you know that? "

" The manager of the hotel gym, where I go to do yoga. Yesterday I heard him talking about it with one of his staff. It's pretty much just me at that time of the day, so maybe he thought he'd go unnoticed. " Or maybe it wasn't something so secret and mysterious after all.

" Or maybe he wanted you to hear it? " Suggested the blonde, eloquently. A look, and an insinuation, that he did not like.

" That's what I thought too. If that were the case, getting an invitation would be even easier. " He couldn't blame her, as he of all people knew how dangerous Sakura's sportswear could be when she was doing yoga.

" Is this what you do on vacation? Looking for poor fools to snare? " Kiba's question led both girls to turn to him. " You did it with us too, hmm? "

" There was no need, silly. " Ino mocked him, performing a wide, falsely innocent smile. " We had barely set foot on the beach and you were already like little dogs wagging your tails. And look at you now! " In exclaiming the last words, the blonde pointed right at Sasuke, causing him to frown. He turned to Sakura, simply to make sure the conversation wasn't causing her discomfort, as it did every time their trip to Suna was brought up. She didn't seem upset, in fact she still appeared untroubled. Maybe what she needed was to simply choose, make a decision and pursue it so she could feel at peace with herself.

" This time you're going to do it. " The pink-haired girl pointed at her friend with her index finger.

" But it's your turn! And you're the one going to the gym. " He felt the need to intervene in the conversation, really hard to hold back.

" What exactly are you two talking about? " Choji did so instead, though not in the words he would have used.

" They're deciding who has to let the poor idiot sniff the cunt so we can get invited to that place. " Kiba's inelegant explanation outraged the two girls. And so did to him, though for different reasons.

" Why? " Sasuke couldn't hold back any longer. " Can't we go somewhere else? " Ino let her head fall back dramatically, huffing with resignation.

" Alright, I'll do it. " She conceded to the other, though her gaze was now on the dark-haired boy. " But you owe me a favor. " At that not at all veiled accusation, Sasuke wrinkled his nose. " Because it's your birthday, of course. " But her expression suggested something else entirely.

" Where is Sakura? " A question everyone was asking themselves by now, but no one had had the courage to express except Naruto in his naive stupidity. " Didn't you say she would only be twenty minutes late? " Heedless of the eloquent stares, the blond looked at his watch. " It's been over an hour. " Every word he uttered furthered the darkening of his mood, which was already gloomy enough.

When Sakura had gone to tell him she wouldn't be reaching the club with them, since Lee had requested her company in the afternoon, what seemed to him to be his best birthday had gotten drastically worse. He could wait sure, he could flaunt a patience he knew he didn't have, but would find for her. Still, now that he was so close to Sakura, the thought she was still a taken girl, and with someone else, annoyed him greatly. But he couldn't help but accept it, clinging to the knowledge things would soon change. And she'd been good at feeding him that bitter pill, with her radiant smile, her loving gaze, the chaste kiss she'd pressed to his cheek before disappearing back to her hotel room. Now, however, she wasn't there to ease his frustration and anger, and she didn't even seem to be on her way.

Everyone present had been cautious about it, sensing his negative, tenebrous aura. Everyone except Naruto, who although he was his best friend, was proving so stupid he was wondering in a moment of madness if he wasn't doing it on purpose. But that was impossible. The blond was a fool, but he would never tease him like that. He wasn't Kiba.

" She said she would let me know when she arrived. " Ino glanced at her cell phone, frowning to see there was no message from the pink-haired girl.

" You had to spend all afternoon with that creepy guy to get us invited and now she doesn't show up. " There he is, Kiba, with the usual delicacy of an elephant and the tact of a tank.

" Do you really think she won't show up? " Ino was outraged by the cruel innuendo of the brown-haired boy. " She must have had a setback. "

" Yes, that's what it's called now. Setback. " Also intolerant of Inuzuka's constant bullshit, she wrinkled her nose conspicuously, manifesting her disgust.

" Athletes are forbidden any sexual activity during the Olympics. Even more so the day before a competition. " He didn't know if Tenten had intervened for the sake of it or if she had noticed the dark-haired's grip tightening dangerously around the glass in his hand.

" As if they cared. Who really follows such a stupid rule? " Annoyed by the words of the Inuzuka, Ino flicked her tongue against her palate.

" Lee, of course. I can tell you don't know him. I think he's the most upstanding 22-year-old I've ever met. I haven't seen him give in to a single slip in six years of knowing him. " This time it was Temari, another of the pink-haired girl's friends, who stepped in.

" A boring guy. Six years with the same person then? How can one stand it? " Now totally at loose ends, Kiba didn't even bother to censor himself.

" You can if it's Sakura. " And it seemed that, unaware of his tremendous mistake, Naruto wanted to cut him some slack.

" They haven't been together for six years. We've known each other for six years. " Ino clarified, without masking her obviously rancorous tone. A resentment all aimed at Inuzuka. " He was the first one from our school to welcome Sakura when she moved to Kumo. Love at first sight, I'd say. But on his part. " Sasuke frowned, conflicted between the discomfort hearing that story caused him and his curiosity to know more details about it. " They were always just friends, until a couple of years ago. It surprised me too, you know. He's not what you'd call her type. "

" Because she is too hot for him? " Kiba interjected, mockingly, immediately being glared at by the blonde.

" Because he's the classic good guy. Kind, respectful, hard worker. Just what parents would go crazy for. And she's always tended to prefer... the opposite. Before Lee, there wasn't a single guy who wasn't a total asshole. No offense... " And she turned to Temari, who sighed and shook her head, resignedly. " Her brother was Sakura's first boyfriend. " Explained the blonde, in response to the questioning looks took shape on almost everyone's faces. " But I think the worst was the one before Lee. Sasori wasn't an asshole, he was just shit. " And it was a truly heartfelt statement, judging by Ino's rancorous tone. " I think I almost put my hands on him every time I met him. "

" And one you even did. " Tenten added, chuckling.

" He deserved a lot worse than a few of my slaps, that's for sure. I would have declared the day they broke up a national holiday if Sakura hadn't been so devastated. " As a reflex triggered by simply saying her name, Ino took another look at her phone. " I believe Lee's presence was essential to her recovery, and she’s greatly obliged to him for that. "

" But love is not a debt, right? " It was the conclusion, as sharp as it was obvious, of Shikamaru, silent until that moment.

There was so much he still didn't know about Sakura, about her life before she reached Konoha. Yet knowing the details simply confirmed for him what he had understood about her over those months. The pink-haired girl was trapped in the image she wanted to give of herself, in a desperate attempt to please those around her, those who were dearest to her. And in doing so, she was not only sabotaging herself, but risking disappointing them as well, for a facade, no matter how well played, is still a facade.

" I guess she has to figure that out for herself. " Temari shrugged her shoulders, but Sasuke could sense the gazes of many of those present on him. He didn't know if they were tacitly accusing him of interfering too much, of trying to force upon her a realization she should have achieved on her own, or if they were alluding to the fact Sakura might realize it because of his presence. It could have been neither, and those thought  could only have taken shape in his head, as two projections of what he feared and hoped for respectively.

" She's here! I'll go get her outside. " Ino announced enthusiastically, immediately getting to her feet. The weight oppressing his chest vanished as well. That dark and gloomy feeling caused by not having her there was dissipating. He was already able to feel the light and warmth he would perceive once Sakura was there with him.

She would have expected anything, but not to get that kind of call. At first, when she had glimpsed Lee's instructor's number on her own cell phone screen, Sakura had been overcome with guilt. She was sure he had wanted to ask her where she was, what the delay was about, and that perhaps Lee had asked for her. The moment she had answered, intent on running from the bus stop to the arena where the boy's competition would be held, those feelings had multiplied.

Not only had she not arrived in time to see Lee compete in the semifinals, but she hadn't even been there at the time when he had suffered a nasty injury, caused by some too hard blows from his opponent. Harmed, Lee was immediately transported to the hospital. According to the words of Gai, his trainer, he was unconscious while being carried away, due to excessive pain. She didn't know if the man's disappointed tone was directed at her or the situation itself.

She wasn't there in his time of need. The Olympics were everything Lee had worked so hard for over the past year, and she hadn't been able to support him even from the stands. And the reason for the delay only caused her unbearable disgust for herself. She had stayed with Sasuke the night before. Even after the celebrations for his birthday were over, after everyone had holed up in their rooms to enjoy some rest, Sakura had stayed with him. When the dark-haired had playfully suggested it to her as a way to make up for the time they'd lost earlier in the evening, she'd been more than happy to accept. Not trusting herself, or him, in an overly intimate place, they had decided to make their way to the hotel's rooftop terrace. They had spent hours there, heedless of the passing minutes, caught up in their conversations, their stories, their playful banter. When the sun had risen, the two of them had just dozed off, lying on a single deckchair, so close as to be lulled by each other's breathing, by the warmth a simple embrace allowed them to exchange, by the synchronized rhythm of their beats. And they had slept like that for hours, much longer than they should have. The only thing that woke them up was the continuous calls from their friends, obviously worried by their absence and their exponential retard.

As in Suna, the two of them had slept together under the stars, and as in Suna, this was causing disastrous repercussions, guilt so pronounced it seemed unbearable. She had barely managed to hold back the tears on the way to the hospital, bursting into a desperate weep at the exact moment when her jade irises had caught sight of Gai Maito, former Olympic champion and now Lee’s instructor.

Two hours had passed since that moment and the tears hadn't stopped streaming down her face even for a minute, as if now they had managed to find a glimpse they were no longer able to stop, as if everything she had accumulated in those last months had decided to give vent at the very moment.

" It's my fault..." Was all she could say between sobs. A whisper inaudible to anyone but the boy who was now sitting by her side, having offered her what looked like hot tea.

" It isn't. " He cut it short, his tone neutral and almost indifferent. Why should it have been otherwise? It wasn't his fault. He had no responsibility. She was the one who had made a mistake; she should have been careful.

" If we hadn't been late-" A particularly invasive gasp cut off her sentence, forcing her to bring a hand to the lips to try to muffle her sobs.

" What? Would you have stopped the fight? Or would things have magically turned out differently with you there? " Sakura shook her head, unable to accept the dark-haired's words.

" Maybe Lee was distracted. He was worried I wasn't there... " A copious burst of tears streaked down her face, to the point it forced Sasuke to take the paper-cup he had held out to her earlier, so her gasps wouldn't spill its contents.

" You know it's not like that. You're just trying to blame yourself. " Unable to respond due to crying, the pink-haired girl merely shook her head. " Sakura. " He admonished her, though there was now a tinge of apprehension in his tone. She didn't deserve that either, not even his concern. She had only been able to cause harm and trouble to everyone around her.

" Go away, Sasuke. " She did not turn toward him, unable to keep his gaze, unable to meet his dark eyes. But he forced her to do so, firmly grasping her face with his right hand. She could see there was not only apprehension in his onyx irises, as fiery as they were intense. There was guilt there, too, mixed with something that looked like fear and a sorrow she did not think possible could take shape on his face. And she felt horrible, the worst of monsters, when her mind spontaneously formulated the desire to alleviate what were his strains, when her body quivered with the longing to melt against his, to lull herself in his touch. She mirrored in his mesmerizing eyes for what seemed like hours, consumed by the need to drown in those dark pools, to sink into them and alienate herself from all that lay beyond.

Disgusted with herself, Sakura withdrew from his grasp, bringing both hands to her face, not only to contain her tears but also to mask all the shame and self-loathing she felt. " Leave me alone, please... " Hers was a plea so desperate the dark-haired's hesitancy didn't last too long, not as long as she would have expected. He seemed at first to want to approach her again, perhaps in an attempt to ease the agony she was deservedly suffering. Then he sighed, without adding anything more, and stood back to walk away.

He was returning from what was probably his fifth cigarette break in the space of an hour. He didn't even know precisely what this nervousness was due to, whether just the sight of Sakura like that or if there was more to it. It seemed some hidden part of him, which the dark-haired refused to even listen to, feared the event would upset the pink-haired girl so much she would take a step back. After what he'd heard about her and Lee the night before, his mind had spontaneously considered the possibility, and selfishly, Sasuke could never accept that.

He wasn't a total bastard, he certainly wasn't happy about that boy's injuries, in fact he even felt some compassion. He didn't think he deserved that twist of fate, especially since he’s opponent hadn't even been fair. He probably could have won, and without any injuries, if his rival hadn't lost his mind. The fact he wanted Sakura for himself and hated seeing her like that certainly didn't mean he wished Lee physically harm.

The operation had been over for just under an hour, and the pink-haired girl had disappeared into his room from that moment. They were all still gathered there, some exasperated by the long wait, others in apprehension. Whatever the outcome, they were still unaware of it. Sakura had only needed to hear that Lee was conscious to rush to him, and they hadn't heard from her since.

" I can't take it anymore... " The first one to show signs of breaking down was Ino. Not that he felt any less tense, but he was definitely more capable of not giving it away, at least not too explicitly. " Can't they at least tell us how he is? "

" How do you think him to be after all those hours of surgery? " Kiba retorted sourly, standing and leaning against one of the walls. " Certainly not like he was out on a spa. "

" Can you stop being an asshole for five fucking seconds? " The nervousness clearly made them as taut as violin cords, like strings ready to snap at any moment. And the Inuzuka's attitude wasn't helping. Sasuke knew him well enough, though, to know those words weren't meant simply to provoke, as was usually the case. He must have been apprehensive about Sakura as well, displeased by seeing her so devastated, and that was his way of venting his frustration.

" Did you hear what the doctors were saying to his instructor earlier? " Tenten's voice was low and somber, filled with sorrow. " He may never be able to compete again... Ever. " Sasuke clenched his jaw, closing his eyes for a few moments. It must have been brutal to realize he could no longer dedicate himself to what he had worked so hard for practically all his life. Sweat, blood, sacrifices, hard work and all for what? To end up in a hospital bed, with the possibility of seeing his sporting career cut short at only twenty-two years.

" At least I think they will sue his opponent. He'll owe them a nice indemnity. " Were the practical and pithy words of Shikamaru.

" No amount of compensation will be enough if he should never be able to compete again. " At Temari's words, the dark-haired ran a hand through his hair. He wondered what Sakura was thinking now, how intense was the guilt still pressing inside her. Knowing her, it must have undoubtedly intensified. He sighed loudly, turning his back on the people present to walk towards the exit.

" Where are you going? " Naruto asked him, only then lifting his gaze from the floor.

" To smoke. " He continued to walk down the hallway, without giving his friend a single glance.

" But you've just been- " The sound of a door opening interrupted them both, the blond in his warning, Sasuke in his departure. Both of them, as well as everyone else, turned toward the source of the sound. A few moments later, Sakura came out of that same door, still trembling and distraught, her eyes red and swollen, huddled in herself to the point of appearing even smaller than she was. And he had to summon all his strength not to go towards her at a fast pace to wrap his arms around her.

Ino was the first to do so, fortunately, so as to completely eradicate that unhealthy thought from his mind. The pink-haired girl was no longer crying, which he interpreted as a good sign. Still, her face was gloomy and shadowy.

" How is Lee? " The blonde asked her, obviously impatient. Sakura seemed to wince at first, as her jade irises traveled across everyone's faces, as if searching for someone. And she found him only the moment her sad and sorrowful eyes met those of Sasuke. And in that instant, he understood.

" He has several fractures and... a damaged leg muscle. " She took a pause, biting down hard on her lower lip, clearly struggling to hold back tears. " He could... he could never be able do his job anymore. " Many gasped, others shook their heads in amazement and disappointment. Sasuke's gaze, however, was trapped by Sakura's viridian eyes. Now aware and resigned, he was only waiting for the moment of the final blow. " But there's a chance he'll heal and recover. There's this medical luminary who could fix him up completely, and of course he wants to try. " The girl pulled up with her nose, straining a grimace that should have been a smile, but gave the idea of someone torn apart by pain. " Dr. Tsunade Senju. She's the head physician at Konoha Hospital. So I suggested him to come, so at least we'll be together. " She nodded her head, as if to give more conviction to her words. " He needs me right now, doesn't he? I can't... I can't leave him... " She couldn't hold back from the umpteenth explosion and Ino was quick to hold her in the arms again to allow her to sink the head against her shoulder, so as to muffle yet another desperate weep.

It seemed as if those last words were addressed to him. In fact, they probably were. The dark-haired sighed, bringing a hand to his face and then to his hair. It was what he had unconsciously feared, what his mind and soul had been able to predict. Thoughts and feelings he had desperately suppressed and were now overwhelming him like a tsunami.

Whether it was bad luck, whether it was adverse fate, whether it was karma. It was certain something had decided to get in his and Sakura's way, as if to constantly remind them of the wrongness of what they so desperately wanted. Perhaps they should never have met in Suna, and the universe was now trying to make up for it. Why should they be forced apart, if what they craved was to be able to be together?

Chapter Text

She should have taken the car. She had thought so, for a moment, before deciding the bus would be better. She wouldn't have any problems with parking, although the hospital had a private one, and she wouldn't get too nervous driving. She hated driving; it was the thing that gave her the most anxiety. In this case, she should have put her agitation aside and taken the damn car. If she had, she wouldn't have found herself at the bus stop now, well past the time of it last ride. She always stayed at the hospital, to keep Lee company whenever she had a free moment, but she usually always managed to catch the last bus in time. This time, however, the elderly nurse at the front desk had decided to converse more than necessary, about what a model girlfriend Sakura was, so devoted she spent every spare moment with the recovering boy and other praise she undoubtedly didn't deserve and that also wasted her time. Maybe it was karma that had punished her, because of the undeserved compliments. Probably the look the chubby and tender woman would have given her if she had known who she really was would not have been so kind, but full of disgust and contempt. And she would have been right, too. Besides, it was the look Sakura gave herself every morning in the mirror, when a new day full of lies and masquerades began.

She breathed a sigh of relief when an extremely familiar car pulled into the road. Only twenty minutes. A record time considering how far away the hospital was. She certainly couldn't have expected less from him, always so friendly and helpful.

"Thank you... You saved me." She exclaimed, settling into the passenger seat. It was now September, so the evenings were getting cooler even in Konoha, and it was well known how much the pink-haired girl hated the cold.

"Here. I brought you this." And the other was fully aware of it too, considering he didn't even give her time to close the door, before handing her a definitely oversized jacket. She put it on without much thought. The smell was familiar and pungent, but it didn't cause her any melancholy, desire or anxiety. It was just warm and enveloping, pleasant, brotherly.

"Sorry to bother you at this hour..." The Uchiha shook his hand in her direction, determined to hastily close the matter.

"Nonsense. What kind of brother would I be if I made you walk all over town at this hour and in this weather?" His calm, reassuring tone, coupled with his soft but heartening smile, brought her peace of mind. She smiled back at him, sighing happily as she rested her head against the headboard of the leather seat. "I wonder why you called me right away and not Sasuke, though." Sakura opened her eyes wide again, fixing her jade irises to an unspecified spot outside the windshield. Should she have expected such a question? She probably had. There was no doubt she and the dark-haired had formed a bond over the past few months, even in the eyes of others, who fortunately didn't seem to fully understand the nature of it. In any case, they spent a lot of their time together, they had a certain closeness and this had been obvious. So it was natural for Itachi to believe the most logical choice would be for the pink-haired girl to address the minor of the two Uchihas, rather than the older one.

"I didn't know if he was sleeping, and you know how it is when someone disturbs his beauty naps." She even hinted a giggle, so as to give her own tone and face casual, relaxed undertones. It probably wasn't very successful, as Itachi frowned, watching her in puzzlement.

They had never really spoken, she and Sasuke, following their return from Iwa. What were they supposed to say to each other? The situation was painfully clear to both of them, and discussing it would only make things worse. Undoubtedly, though, something had changed. They could no longer be too natural when they were together. They could no longer behave spontaneously without discomfort and displeasure. Trying to avoid each other had been instinctive on both sides, and the time they spent together had drastically decreased in that last month and a half. And even if that hadn't happened, how vile and cruel would it have been for her to seek his help in that situation, asking him to pick her up after her daily visit to Lee?

"Is everything okay? Between you two, I mean..." The eldest of the Uchiha brothers was far too alert and observant not to realize something had indeed changed between them. Although Itachi lived on his own, his visits and the usual Sunday brunches had been enough to allow him to understand at least part of the dynamics.

"Of course... Why do you ask?" It was obvious why, and the other blurted it out with a single eloquent glance before returning his attention to the road. He didn't want to allow her to feign naivety, to act as if it wasn't obvious there were problems between the two of them. Sakura sighed, bringing a hand to her forehead.

"I've been really busy lately. Studying and classes at the university fill my day, and I spend the few free moments I have with Lee at the hospital." She certainly wasn't lying. Sakura was merely recounting how her days really unfolded. That Itachi could then come to his own conclusions was certainly not the same as telling a lie.

"Are you saying Sasuke feels neglected? Hm..." And that was exactly the assumption she had expected to receive, which led her to sigh, a gesture that could be construed as resignation, but was actually one of relief, as the prey had taken the bait. "That's actually like him. He always pretends he doesn't care about anyone, but he's in constant need of attention. At least from the people he cares about." And he turned to her again, reserving for her a look so knowing for a few moments it chilled the blood in her veins. Does he know? No, it was impossible. How could he have known? Certainly seeing them wasn't the first conclusion to reach, was it? Theirs was a friendly relationship, at least in the eyes of others. "Why don't you have him come with you to the hospital?" Sakura risked choking on her own saliva, and to disguise it she shifted in her seat, as if to make it look like she was looking for the most comfortable position. "Sure, you'll definitely want time alone with Lee, but I think even once in a while is enough to get him involved."

"He'd be bored." She cut it short, as soon as she was able to rearrange her thoughts enough to utter a few words without looking overtly uncomfortable.

"I don't think Sasuke could ever be bored with you. In the past few months I've seen him cooking, gardening, and even attending study groups to be with you. Your presence is good for him, no matter how or when." Those simple words affected her more than she ever wanted. The guilt she felt towards Lee wasn't enough, she also had to feel sorry for the way she had pulled away from the dark-haired. They'd both done it, sure, but it had been her initial choice, hadn't it? How did she expect him to react? Pretending everything was okay?

"I miss doing things with him." She admitted instinctively, unable to control the flow of her words. She regretted it immediately, not only because she wasn't sure how they could be interpreted, but also because she was perfectly aware of what they meant and it only confirmed what a horrible she was. Thinking like that about Sasuke, while Lee was in the hospital, close to a risky operation with an uncertain outcome. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't completely repress what she felt, to pretend it didn't exist and go on with her existence as if nothing happened. She believed it was a matter of time, that those feelings not yet fully budded could be severed with the passing of weeks. Instead, even though she kept her distance from the dark-haired, they were still there, even more urgent, fed by the desire to talk to him, to enjoy his company, even if only for a few hours, minutes in which they could be close and light-hearted again. They seemed to be back where they started, where they did everything they could to distance themselves, the difference being now it wasn't the discomfort they were desperately trying to avoid.

"Then do them. It's not that complicated, is it?" It sure as hell was, but he couldn't know that. Or at least that was what she hoped. "If it's what you both want, there's no stopping it." Sakura turned to him, frowning. What was he actually talking about? For his part, the Uchiha kept his gaze on the road, seemingly naive and heedless of the girl's inquiring gaze. Maybe it was just her paranoia, the fear she could be unmasked at any moment. But now there was nothing more to reveal, was there? Whatever there was between her and Sasuke had been interrupted by Sakura herself and could never take shape again. How could she hope to recover some of their relationship, without there being awkwardness and melancholy, that sense of unresolved? The truth was they could not go back to being friends, for they had never really been so.

Silence fell for several moments in the cockpit, where the pink-haired was caught up in the whirlwind of her thoughts. It seemed at the same time Itachi wanted to give her space to think, continuing to drive silently by her side. At least for a while.

"You should come over for dinner." Distracted from her moment of meditation, Sakura arched her eyebrows, turning her attention back to the man at her side.

"I don't want to disturb you. I already made you come all the way here." She actually wouldn't have minded accepting, if only to give herself a few moments to unplug a bit. Besides, she didn't feel particularly inclined to cook herself a meal for that evening, and consume it all by herself.

"Sakura." Though they were different in many ways, at the very moment that tone of reproach and admonition was extremely similar to the one Sasuke used with her, whenever she acted against what he felt was right to dictate, or simply when she was in the mood to playfully tease him and he feigned annoyance.

"All right." She relented, stretching her lips into a smile, reciprocated with a more restrained but equally genuine one from the other.

"Let's stop and get something sweet." The two shared an inordinate fondness for sweets and treats, in fact both of their gazes literally lit up like those of two children headed to a candy store.

"Why are you here?" It wasn't a curious question of his. He didn't really want the other to relieve him of a doubt, he simply wanted to express all his disappointment caused by the intruder in his house, in his kitchen. The unwelcome presence turned in his direction, displaying a wide, mischievous smile, before continuing to rummage through the refrigerator, almost as if he were in his own home.

"Today is Thursday, isn't it? Doesn't Sakura usually make gyoza or katsudon for you on Thursdays?" A question to which the other knew the answer perfectly and which managed to irritate him terribly.

"That doesn't explain why you're here. Again." He crossed his arms over his chest, maintaining an irritated expression, his brows furrowed and his lips curved downward.

"For the leftovers. You don't eat the same thing twice anyway, right?" Triumphant, Shisui pulled out a plate from the refrigerator, where inside towered a handful of meat dumplings, carefully prepared by the pink-haired girl for his lunch. There had not been a single occasion when Sakura had left him without a nice meal prepared by her, despite the situation. He didn't know if it was an apology or simply force of habit. It was no longer her hands that delivered it to him, though. She would simply leave it packed on one of the kitchen counters, along with a skimpy note. It was annoying. Why act like that? Why continue with such care? She had been clear, she had made her decision and he had been defeated. Why torture him like that anymore? A clean break would have been impossible as they unfortunately found themselves sharing the same house, but why shouldn't she fuel with her gestures something that should have been, but wasn't?

"Don't you have a home of your own? Doesn't Itachi feed you?" The elder shrugged, bringing a completely cold dumpling to his lips, not even bothering to warm it up.

"This is a snack." At the second bite, Shisui emitted a groan of approval. All the while, Sasuke's mood was only getting worse. "Besides, Sakura's gyoza drives me crazy. Damn, that girl really spoils you too much." He was now at the edge of his patience. Another single word and his cousin would find himself kicked out of that house, perhaps even accompanied by some insult. "Oh, sorry..." He must have noticed his obvious disappointment, obviously misinterpreting it. "They were your dinner?" Despite his falsely mortified words, the elder of the two Uchiha brought a third dumpling to his lips with satisfaction. "I expected to find you two already preparing something for tonight." Shisui looked around, as if he had only then noticed the lack of something essential. "Where's Sakura?" Sasuke huffed in frustration, sidling up to the counter to snatch the half-empty plate from the other Uchiha's clutches.

"Go home." He growled, in a tone that had absolutely nothing friendly about it. He was in no mood to put up with his cousin's taunts, even less so if the topic at hand was the pink-haired girl herself. He wondered if he wasn't doing it on purpose, after noticing the stark detachment the two of them had had over the past few weeks since their return from Iwa.

"Fuck, you're more insufferable than usual when she's not with you. Now I'm calling to tell her your tummy is rumbling and you're having a tantrum." He was quick to sidle up to the other the moment he pulled out his phone. He was probably just teasing him, judging by his amused and derisive smile, but he didn't want there to be even the possibility of him calling the pink-haired girl.

"She's at the hospital." He clarified with rancor, only letting go of his wrist when the other seemed satisfied enough with his tone to pocket his cell phone again.

"Ah bad story indeed. It happened to me, you know?" Sasuke frowned, again not out of curiosity, aware Shisui had never had an incident similar to Lee's, but simply because he couldn't even imagine where the other was going with this. "There was this super cute girl, not even close to Sakura but still a little gem. She was always writing me, showering me with attention, and then she suddenly stopped. I felt lost, even though I was the one who had ended it." Following Shisui's pathetic tale, the dark-haired twisted his nose and lips so as to show his contempt for him. "It's always bad when you get replaced."

"You're talking a load of crap. Are you leaving or not?" He'd even lost his appetite. Not that he had much. He wasn't thrilled with the idea of dining alone in that kitchen, but he wasn't in the mood to contact Naruto and the others either. It seemed like everyone's favorite topic now was Sakura, and although his friends were the only ones more aware of the reality of things, sometimes they couldn't help but mention her or simply ask him how she was doing. What the fuck do I know, she's always in that fucking hospital. He'd blurted out the last time, leaving even before the others could retort.

"Although you're actually not the replaced but the replacement." The elder of the two Uchiha brought a hand to his chin, taking on a thoughtful expression.

"Shisui, just say one more word." Threateningly, Sasuke raised his index finger, not taking his eyes off his cousin's face. Would it make him feel better to teach him a lesson? Absolutely. It was also true, however, that Sakura could come home at any moment. Did he want to be found with his hands around Shisui's neck by her? Absolutely not.

"Come on, I'm just teasing you a little." The other defended himself, immediately raising his palms in a surrendering manner, sensing the increasing darkening of his mood. He hated that it was so easy to upset him, that it was so obvious something was wrong, that his attitude was changing so drastically, all because of a single person. Did he resent Sakura for her influence over him? Maybe. Or maybe he just couldn't accept she had cast him aside so easily. He could understand, he wasn't stupid or even totally insensitive. However, there was the most irrational part of him that couldn't stand the situation, the detachment. Not that there was any alternative. They had established in the past months they couldn't simply be friends, but they didn't even have the possibility to be something more. So the only solution was a clean break, so they couldn't do anything stupid. Sooner or later they would move on, and maybe then even the interactions between them would be less complicated. They had to be, because despite everything they were still doomed to live together.

And as if that wasn't enough... Sasuke wanted damn well to have Sakura back. He wanted to talk to her, he wanted to have lunch with her, he wanted to cook with her, to watch those awful movies with her that she was so passionate about. He wanted to be able to watch her while she was focused on studying or reading, unaware of his gaze. And if in order to do that he would have to push back whatever was sprouting inside him... Who was he kidding? He'd already tried and the result had been disastrous, to the point where he'd gone out of his way to destroy a relationship. Not that he considered it something to be preserved, considering it was now clear there was no love from the pink-haired girl. Did he feel guilty? Not particularly. Now, however, if he continued down that path, with Lee recovering and at risk of his life undergoing a radical change, he would appear as a monster. Sakura had made her decision. She had chosen you, though. That was what the irritating voice in his head kept repeating to him. It was damn annoying since it was true and only circumstances had led her to change her mind.

"I know what you should do." He hadn't even noticed Shisui was still there. That realization led him to wrinkle his nose. "You need to pay her back with the same coin. Find someone to cook you delicacies and look at you with those adoring eyes and Sakura will be back to spoiling her baby. That shouldn't be hard for you." Probably not even Kiba would have been able to come up with such a thought, but it was also true the Inuzuka was definitely much more raw, even more so when it came to girls. Despite this, he could not understand how his cousin could be so successful.

"You're delusional, you idiot." He couldn't believe it was really so blatant the nature of what had sprung up between him and Sakura. Or were Shisui's insinuations just meant to provoke him, not realizing he had hit the nail on the head? If he was really aware of it, how could he talk about it so lightly?

"You feel good with her, right?" Sasuke was surprised. Not for the question itself, but for the unexpected seriousness with which it had been expressed. It wasn't like him to speak like that, without sarcasm or veiled, but sometimes not, provocation.

"I don't know what you're saying." But the dark-haired, by now at the limit of his tolerance, of himself and the other, ran a hand over his face and then through his raven hair, clearly exasperated.

"I'm saying you're making too much trouble for yourselves. I don't know what happened between you two, but it's obvious you're not at your best in this condition. Why stop talking to each other?" So he had known from the beginning what kind of relationship he and Sakura were in now, yet he had equally feigned ignorance. Perhaps he should have guessed. Just as their closeness had been clear, so too must have been the stark separation.

"It's complicated." Realizing he was risking falling into the other's trap and revealing too much, he continued. "Besides, it's none of your concern. Mind your own fucking business." Shisui laughed, but didn't seem to want to taunt him.

"Well, I did warn you. If you're okay with that..." The elder of the two Uchiha shrugged, and Sasuke hoped he had decided to finally drop the topic. He lowered his gaze to his plate, where two of the dumplings Sakura had prepared expressly for him still stood out. He knew it wasn't about guilt. He knew she wasn't trying to make amends for rejecting him. It was just her natural, spontaneous way of reminding him she was still there, despite everything, that distance was necessary but it hadn't changed how she felt.

He sighed again, placing the dish on the counter and pushing it closer to Shisui. The other looked at him puzzled, tilting his head to the side.

"Finish them." He conceded, giving him one last look, before walking towards the kitchen exit.

"You should come over for dinner." He stopped just below the archway that overlooked the living room, not turning in his cousin's direction. "Since I just ate yours and your bourgeois hands are too delicate to make you a decent meal without real adult supervision." Of course, he didn't fail to mock him.

"And put up with you all evening? Rather starve." He walked upstairs, but his cousin didn't seem intent on giving up and followed him to the base of the stairs, his mouth still full of the last dumpling.

"If you don't come I'll be forced to tell Sakura how miserable you are without her. Do you want her to come back to you out of pity?" Sasuke sighed, stopping in the middle of the staircase. Shisui really was capable of doing something like that. "I might even ask Itachi to make some onigiri just for you. We'll treat you like our special baby." A new sigh, even more exasperated than the previous one, left the dark-haired's lips. There was no point in continuing to refuse, his cousin would have risked driving him crazy to get him to accept. Besides, he had previously thought he didn't feel like dining alone. It wasn't Sakura, but at least he would be able to spend hours with his older brother. Shisui was collateral damage.

"Fine." He finally conceded to him, resigned. "But only for dinner. Then I'll come home."

"Don't you think it’s too much?" Sakura frowned, though her lips were stretched into a smile. It seemed to her there was way too much food on the table for three of them, and yet, Itachi continued to prepare the most disparate dishes.

"I always get carried away when I cook..." Admitted the Uchiha, without a shadow of regret on his face. "Oh well, it'll mean Shisui will be eating leftovers for a while. You could bring something along too, so for a couple of days you won't have to worry about lunch." Sakura followed the other towards the living room, placing yet another meal on the table. Preparing those onigiri together with Itachi had inevitably made her think back to Sasuke. They were one of his favorite dishes and the ones he asked her to cook for him most often.

"Well, I had miso soup and fish planned tomorrow anyway, so..." She hinted a giggle, pointing with a gesture of her head to the very dish just described. The other smiled at her, arching his eyebrows. Indeed, that was one of the dishes the youngest Uchiha favored. It was no secret Sakura was careful not to let the dark-haired lunch on processed food and such, but instead it was quite suspicious most of the dishes on that table were Sasuke's favorites.

"Itachi-" She didn't have time to finish her own sentence, her own realization, that the front door opened. Peeping in was Shisui, cheerful and perky as usual, in this case even more so than usual. And she understood why as soon as she caught sight of the taller figure behind him. She couldn't help but reserve a disapproving glance in Itachi's direction.

"Oh, look who it is!" Totally ignoring her, the elder of the two brothers smiled amiably. "Sasuke, I didn't expect you to come!" It was only at that point the dark-haired realized her presence. Evidently surprised, he stopped in the doorway, almost as if he was considering whether or not to enter the house. It wasn't like Sunday brunches, where there wasn't the intimacy necessary to make them uncomfortable and often the conversation had nothing too focused. Now it was just the two of them, in the company of a couple of obvious devils. There was no way they hadn't consciously planned this.

"Really?" Sasuke retorted, not looking away from her figure. "Yet I was certain Shisui had texed to you while we were in the car." He looked at her for several moments, perhaps to consider whether or not she was an accomplice, perhaps to ponder what was the best course of action. He evidently decided on indifference. By now he was there and they certainly couldn't let any more transpire than was already obvious to the eyes of those two.

"Oh really? I guess I didn't get the message!" He was indeed shameless and as soon as they found themselves alone again she would point it out to him, no doubt.

"Sakura! You look even more beautiful than usual today!" And he would tell her so every chance they got to meet. Shisui smilingly approached her, pulling her into a hug. That way he allowed her to peek more accurately at the figure of the dark-haired behind him, who was obviously displeased. She didn't know if it was because of her presence or if it was because of the trick he had been the victim of. "What are you doing here?"

"I picked her up. She had missed the bus and texted me, so I invited her to dinner." He didn't seem to be telling Shisui, who was probably already aware of the whole story.

"Well, I just need to get the meat out of the oven and we can eat. Will you help me?" Itachi was blatantly addressing his cousin. It was so obvious what he wanted to do that it was an insult to her intelligence.

"I'll come." Before she could walk in the direction of the kitchen, however, Shisui gently grabbed her arm, stopping her. This was absurd. Those two had really teamed up for...what? What was their goal? To get her and Sasuke to make peace? It wasn't like they had actually argued...

"You're a guest, Sakura." He admonished her good-naturedly, blatantly mocking her. She was on the verge of exposing their whole evident charade as the two of them walked away satisfied and victorious in the direction of the kitchen, but then she realized she was alone with Sasuke, after weeks of avoiding each other. She turned to him, only to find he was in turn watching her, hesitant and frowning.

"I'm sorry... I realized too late what they had planned." She felt the need to justify herself, aware if finding themselves together caused them that discomfort, it was only her fault. It was unpleasant, the situation. Now that she had the chance to observe him, to see him so close, she felt a strong feeling of uneasiness, together with the need to undo the distance, not only the physical one, that separated them in that moment. She wished she could talk to him in a natural and spontaneous way, like before. She wished she could have teasing him until she earned one of those smiles that could make her blush.

"It's not your fault." He cut short, letting himself fall back on the couch. His cold tone was hard to swallow. She couldn't have expected a different attitude, but it was equally painful. And the pain caused her irritation, as it shouldn't have been there. She was mad at herself, unable to put clarity in her mind and heart, so disgusted with those reactions and emotions that she couldn't control but were affecting not only her but everyone around her.

Sakura sighed, deciding to sit down in her turn, in her case on one of the cushions placed near the table. Silence fell in the room, the tension seemed to be through the roof. There were dozens of things she wanted to say to him and at the same time none that she could really express. She simply had to resign herself to the idea all that had been could no longer be, that intimacy and closeness had no place anymore, as they were unable to handle it without wanting more.

"Why didn't you call me?" Sasuke's voice surprised her even more than the words spoken. She hadn't expected him to be the one to choose to fill that silence, when he was usually the first to seek it out. "Itachi said you missed the bus but you looked for him." The dark-haired turned to her, flaunting an impassive expression. His intense onyx eyes, however, did not seem to be able to conceal all what he was feeling. Was that what was causing his displeasure? Not her presence?

"I thought...Well, I thought you wouldn't be pleased, that is." Sasuke wrinkled his nose, as if he had just heard the worst kind of nonsense.

"Bullshit." She scowled, just at the moment the dark-haired decided to look away. He was mad at her, that much was obvious, though not for the reasons she'd imagined.

"I didn't want to bother you, Sasuke." She explained more clearly to him, as if there was any need to. He knew why she had decided not to seek his help, preferring his brother's instead.

"Bullshit." He repeated, deliberately punctuating each syllable. "As if you ever cared before." Sakura parted her lips, but at first no sound came out of them. It seemed her brain was still assimilating the words of the other.

"Sorry for causing you so much trouble in the past then. Rest assured it won't happen again." She was annoyed now, as she was aware Sasuke had decided to take out his frustration on her. Not that she didn't deserve it, but even the pink-haired girl had her share of dissatisfaction to upset her.

"That's not what I said." He defended himself, frowning more and more.

"That's exactly what you said, Sasuke." She was almost certain they were eavesdropping on every word from the kitchen. For a moment she even had the feeling she heard a sigh, probably from Itachi. No doubt his plan was not to get them to argue.

"That's not what I meant. Is this better?" The dark-haired shifted nervously on the couch, changing positions. She knew how complicated it was for him to remain still when he was annoyed.

"And are you going to tell me what you meant, or perhaps you expect me to read your mind?" Sakura arched an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. For a few moments, they merely exchanged a fiery, burning look, a glare that alone was capable of conveying anger, frustration, sadness, melancholy, longing, sorrow.

"Never mind." He no longer sounded particularly bitter, just resigned. If possible, that realization managed to make her mood worse. She wasn't happy to catch sight of him like that, aware she was the cause of it. She said nothing, merely lowering her gaze to the empty plate before her.

"I guess I really overdid it, hmm?" Itachi stroked his belly contentedly, while Shisui had completely given up, lying with his back on the floor.

"You think so? You cooked for an army." His cousin good-naturedly accused him, closing his eyes and bringing a hand behind his head, clearly relaxed.

"You'll eat the leftovers." Sasuke merely observed the exchange of banter between the two in silence, frowning. Though he had spent much of the evening with his attentions turned towards Sakura, seated across from him, he hadn't even been able to avoid noticing the obvious, drawn to the unique interactions of his brother and cousin.

"Ah, right! About the leftovers..." Shisui began, immediately lifting his back so he could address the pink-haired girl. "I ate your gyoza. They're the best ever." And he turned in the direction of Itachi, who had already arched his eyebrows in the meantime. "No offense." Those simple words weren't enough to keep the Uchiha from sulking, causing the other to smile. All the while, Sasuke continued to frown.

"You want the recipe?" Sakura was turning to Itachi, well aware the other was completely incapable at the stove.

"Can't you just spoil us a bit too and bring them to us from time to time?" Shisui interjected again, a toothy smile plastered on his face.

"I don't make them all the time. I have a varied menu." She giggled in amusement, immediately drawing the dark-haired's gaze, as if her mere laughter and the expression her face acquired in those moments were a magnet.

"I like them better than the katsudon. Can't you just do those on Thursdays?" Without changing his frown, Sasuke turned in the direction of his cousin, sitting at his side. "Ah right... The big kid here prefers that. Heaven forbid the priority isn't your favorite Uchiha, hmm?" Sakura bit her lower lip, instinctively crossing his gaze for a few moments. It certainly wasn't something either of them could deny, so they kept quiet about it.

"I can make them for you sometime." She granted him, receiving a wide smile in response from the eldest of the three Uchiha.

"Even for tomorrow?" He sounded rather hopeful. How he could think of food when they had spent the last few hours stuffing themselves was a mystery.

"Shisui there are leftovers for the next three days at least." Itachi pointed out to him, who still seemed annoyed by his cousin's words. "Besides, you can't expect Sakura to indulge your every whim. She has her own things to do, her own schedule."

"His whims she always indulges." And with his right hand he pointed right at Sasuke. He had been trying to tease them all evening, even succeeding quite often. Every time Sakura's cheeks had turned pink, the dark-haired had felt his insides twist. Every time a cheerful, crystalline giggle had escaped her lips, Sasuke had come out stunned. And every time her jade irises had met his, he'd been mesmerized.

"Not always." The youngest of the three Uchiha added, unable to contain himself. Not that he wanted to, as it seemed an extremely necessary clarification at the moment.

"Not always?" Sakura frowned, tilting her head to the side. She probably wouldn't have spoken to him so naturally if she hadn't allowed herself more than a glass of sake. "I only learned to cook katsudon because you told me you liked it, and by now there isn't a single salad or sandwich in the house that doesn't have tomato in it!" Hers wasn't really a complaint, he could tell by her playful tone. And the others noticed it too, judging by their giggles. At that point he couldn't stop his lips from curving upward.

"Domestic disputes. Always about the kitchen." Falsely annoyed, Shisui shook his head, before bursting into laughter again. "It doesn't happen to us, hmm?" And he turned to Itachi, flickering his eyelashes theatrically. The other, however, continued to pout at him, at least until he decided to ignore him more blatantly, getting back on his feet to carry some dirty dishes to the kitchen. "Are you really mad at me, though? Come on, Ita-chan! Those are really delicious gyoza!" In defending himself, the eldest of the three Uchiha followed him to the other room, continuing with his whiny justifications.

He was alone with Sakura again, but he no longer sensed a single ounce of anger towards her. In the hours that had just passed, everything had been simple and natural, as usual. He had almost had the impression nothing had changed.

"Have you noticed that-" He began, but the pink-haired girl interrupted him before he could even finish his sentence.

"I know! It's obvious, isn't it? I thought I was going insane." So it wasn't just him who had realized this. For a moment he had thought he was completely delusional and had truly become a deviant pervert, unable to interpret relationships innocently. "It would be rude to ask... wouldn't it?" It almost seemed as if Sakura wished he would prod her to do so, so as to satisfy her curiosity. And his own, in fact he was tempted to do so. Just as soon as he parted his lips to invite her to investigate the matter, however, the two returned.

"There's a storm outside!" Shisui exclaimed, pointing at the ceiling with both hands, melodramatically. "You can't go home in this condition."

"It's just a little rain." Minimized the dark-haired, frowning. The Uchiha mansion wasn't even that far from Itachi's home. About ten minutes by car.

"A little rain? The sky is coming down, my dear!" Increasingly catastrophic, the eldest of the three Uchihas pulled up next to Sakura, bringing his hands to her shoulders.

"He's right, Sasuke. It's too dangerous for you to be driving in this condition, not to mention the sake you've been drinking. You can stay here tonight." He couldn't believe they really wanted to go that far, but Itachi's words were clear.

"What! No, we certainly can't bother you like this..." Even the pink-haired girl must have understood what they were trying to do, judging by her tone.

"Sakura... I already told you not to talk like that. We're family, aren't we? How could you ever bother us." As much as the Uchiha's words were certainly true, in that case they concealed double and vile intentions.

"What do you want from us?" Asked the dark-haired then, bringing a hand to his face in exasperation. It was useless to keep pretending everything was not already juggled by the two of them. If it hadn’t been insane, he would have even considered that storm as their subterfuge. But even the universe itself, as usual, seemed to be against him. In fact, it actually seemed to actually enjoy torturing him, as it did everything it could to prevent him from being with Sakura, but at the same time kept forcing them to orbit around each other, then putting them in those situations where there was no escape.

"I told you. We want you to stay and sleep because getting into the car now is dangerous and we care about your health." Sasuke couldn't hold back a derisive snort, making it known how little he believed their total good intentions.

"We have the guest room." The pink-haired girl crossed his gaze, as if expecting him to rush to her rescue. He might have, if he'd been able to find a loophole, but he wasn't. He couldn't formulate an alternative solution.

"We have classes tomorrow and I get up early in the morning to do yoga, then lunch..." All sketchy excuses from Sakura, not enough to put the two Uchiha off.

"It's no big deal to miss classes for a half day, you can do yoga here in the living room, and there are plenty of leftovers for lunch!" Itachi didn't even have to work hard to dismantle each of those reasons. They were cornered, continuing to look for excuses to refuse was pointless.

"All right." Sakura turned sharply toward him, reserving for him a look that was part incredulous and part pleading, as if she wanted to beg him to take back the statement. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"The bed is so big you could sleep on it together without even touching each other..." Exasperated by both of them, the dark-haired reserved Shisui a look with murderous overtones. "But if you prefer the couch, that's fine!" Concluded the elder, equally satisfied by having obtained what he wanted. Itachi seemed to be pleased as well.

She tossed and turned in the bed again and again. The mattress was comfortable, the blankets warm, the pillow soft. The room smelled good, the sheets clean. There was nothing that was out of place or annoying. Still, she couldn't get to sleep at all. Sakura was intent on staring at the screen of her cell phone, which now served as the only illumination in the otherwise dark room. She listlessly alternated between social media, reloading pages as if expecting the feed to change in a matter of seconds. After yet another advertisement of a stupid game she didn't care about at all, she very unkindly placed the phone on the nightstand to her right, turning to a supine position. Shisui was right, that bed was really huge. They could have slept comfortably in three, four of them if huddled together. In fact, space was certainly not a problem for her and Sasuke. They could have been on a ten-poster mattress, but they would still have risked getting dangerously close.

She sighed loudly, rubbing her eyes with her palms, as if that would force sleep to take over. Instead, it had the opposite effect, deciding in a burst of frustration to get to her feet. Eating was a good way to pass the time and she also knew the kitchen was full of leftovers from dinner. There was only one hurdle to overcome, and it was a big one, too. Around six feet tall to be exact.

Sasuke hated being woken up, which was a problem since he was also a damn light sleeper. The slightest noise would be enough to disturb him, and at that point he would undoubtedly be intractable for the rest of the day. More so than usual. But that certainly wasn't what was bothering her. She simply didn't want to be alone with him. Or rather, she wanted it too much, to the point of making it absolutely forbidden, to be avoided at all costs.

She silently opened the door, peering outside. No light came from the hallway, so she took courage and left the room. She looked around as if she were in a horror movie, one of those with the killer ready to emerge from every corner, except that in her story the enemy's weapon was not a gun or a chainsaw, but some soft raven locks and two piercing onyx eyes.

The first thing she did as soon as she reached the living room was to look at the couch. And it was empty. She was at the climax scene, when the protagonist was looking around in confusion, wondering where the murderer was going to emerge from. And there he was, her terrible assassin, intent on leaving the kitchen with two plates in his hands and his cheeks full of food, to the point where he looked like a squirrel and his acorn rather than a cold-blooded killer. Instead feeling uncomfortable or retracing her steps, in crossing the gaze of the other, who seemed more surprised than she, Sakura could not hold back her laughter.

"What?" His expression only amused her more, forcing her to muffle her hilarity by pressing her hand against the mouth. The puzzled frown combined with his puffy cheeks gave him an expression that was impossible to resist. All her anxiety had slipped away in the blink of an eye.

"I don't know whether or not to tell you what you look like." She advanced towards him, aiming to get away from the hallway and not risk waking up the other two tenants of that house. For his part, Sasuke arched an eyebrow, inquisitively. "A squirrel eating a walnut." She laughed again, not resisting the urge to gently squeeze his cheeks between the index finger and thumb of her right hand. A few moments, then the dark-haired drew back.

"I was hungry." He stated the obvious, still frowning. He didn't seem to be displeased though. In fact, there was an amused light in his gaze.

"Me too." She admitted, crossing his gaze for a few more moments before lowering hers onto the plates the dark-haired held with his hands. "Did you left anything?"

"There's enough to feed us for days." Without adding more, he handed her one of the two plates, then turned away in the direction of the couch. It had been a natural gesture, as usual. Perhaps he hadn't even thought about it. Sakura, on the other hand, pondered what she was about to do, but did it anyway. With consequences that could have been disastrous, she joined him on the sofa, taking a seat next to him. There was nothing wrong with sharing a late-night snack, she told herself.

"Can't sleep on the couch?" Sasuke shook his head, his attention focused on his plate. She should have let him have the bed. Of the two of them, he was undoubtedly the one most in need of proper rest, considering his mood was the one most prone to lows. "You want to switch?"

"And have you sleep on the couch?" Frowning, the dark-haired turned in her direction, looking at her as if she had uttered a heresy.

"Would that be a first?" Falsely thoughtful, he tilted his head to the side before answering her.

"No, but those were extreme situations." Rather than eat, the pink-haired girl remained observing the other for several moments. Being able to do so with that intimacy was perhaps what she had missed most. They didn't have to pretend, now, or demand to tame everything they felt. It was all there, in plain sight, and that was exactly what made it most painful but at the same time pleasurable, like a sore tooth constantly teased by her tongue, unable to keep its distance despite being aware of the suffering.

"Are you mad at me?" That newfound closeness had allowed those words to slip unchecked. It was damned complicated to hold back when they were alone and so intimate, with every defense lowered. The dark-haired was silent for several moments, taking the time to properly chew his cud.

"Yeah." Sakura sighed, lowering her gaze to her plate, now without a shred of appetite. It was as if her stomach had twisted in on itself. "You should have called me." Was that really all he was angry at her for?

"I'm serious, Sasuke." If there was anything to say to each other, they needed to do it now. Whatever kind of grudge he held against her, he needed to pour it out on her. It was what she deserved.

"I'm serious too." He turned to face her again, allowing her to mirror his eyes, almost as if he was aware she could tell from a look whether or not he was lying to her about it.

"You're not mad at me for...for what happened?" It wasn't a pleasant topic, for either of them. However, she didn't want there to be any further unresolved issues between them, as if the situation itself wasn't problematic enough.

"I'm not mad at you for the decision you made, Sakura." He was sincere, judging by his expression. "I wish I did, I really do. And I even tried to. But I know why you did it. I can only accept it at this point." She bit down hard on her bottom lip, forcing herself to push back every tear that threatened to line her face. It was so distressing to hear his tone of voice, resigned and dull.

"Then why?" Her voice threatened to betray a vulnerability that, in any case, she was certain Sasuke had already picked up on. Pretending there wasn't was pointless with him, as those moments when they were alone were really the only ones where she could break down any barriers and simply be herself, through and through.

"Because you wanted to shut me out completely, as if nothing had happened." She turned back to him, confused by his words.

"I thought that's what you wanted. Isn't that the only thing to do? Ignore us and pretend nothing is going on..." The dark-haired wrinkled his nose, shaking his head in dissent.

"It's not what I want. How could it?" He seemed to fail to see the gravity of the situation, which in Sakura's eyes was without escape.

"Sasuke... There's no other way. What happened to Iwa..." She didn't finish her sentence, letting silence envelop them. At least until the dark-haired decided to intervene.

"It was my fault." Dumbfounded, the pink-haired girl blinked several times. How could he even think such a thing, when she was the one who had created that situation?

"What...?" Her tone of voice betrayed her disbelief.

"While we were in Iwa, I did everything I could to get you to give in, to get you to choose me. I thought about what I wanted. I convinced myself I was doing it for you, to free you from who knows what invisible chains." Disheartened by his own words, Sasuke smiled bitterly. "I can't force you to do this, no matter how wrong I really think you are. You need to figure it out for yourself and do what you think is right in the meantime. But I don't think it's right for you to want to cut me out of your life. That's why I'm mad at you, because you should call me when you are in need, not try to cut me off like everything was a mistake." Those last words hit her with the force of a punch to the stomach, to the point of causing her nausea and discomfort. In trying to do what she thought was most appropriate, she had hurt Sasuke, the last person she would want to harm.

"I'm sorry..." In that instance, she was unable to hold back a few tears, which she promptly went to wipe away with the back of her right hand. "I just thought it would be easier for both of us but as usual I only considered what would help me... I only considered the possibility of falling into temptation and not how you might perceive it. I'm sorry..." She finally repeated, pulling up with her nose and bringing a hand to her face at the same time.

She had made a mistake by convincing herself there was no real need for clarification, that there was nothing more to add, that they could simply stop caring about each other at any moment. She had been foolish, perhaps even selfish, for her fear was even the slightest closeness might make her regret her choice and corrode with guilt, even more so than was happening now.

The dark-haired sighed hesitantly, as he had when they was in the hospital, in Iwa. On that occasion Sakura had pushed him away, though she wished she could have him close. Probably now he was considering her possible reaction, if she had accepted his comfort rather than pushing him away again, despite her words, her apologies. He finally decided to take a chance, bringing a hand to her head. For a few moments he just stood still, his fingers sinking into her pink locks, then used that grip to bring her closer, to allow her to rest her head against his shoulder, to hide her face in the crook of his neck.

His scent hit her with such familiarity her heart ached. His warmth enveloped her to the point of knotting her stomach. There was no guilt that held, as every muscle in her seemed to melt from the closeness. It was as if everything that had overwhelmed her over the past few weeks was slowly dissipating, like snow in the sun. What she had forced herself to do, the way she had obliged herself to appear, counted nothing in that moment, in Sasuke's arms.

"I'm sorry..." She said for the third time, causing the other to sigh. His breath tickled her temple pleasantly.

"Stop saying that." He admonished her, in a tone that was serious but conveyed warmth just the same. They remained in that position even after her sobs had ceased. Her eyes were closed, her plate abandoned on the arm of the couch. She no longer had even a semblance of an appetite, just the need to stay there.

"It wasn't everything a mistake. Nothing was, really." Sakura broke the silence after a few moments, and for a while she feared the dark-haired had dozed off, as only his breathing and the beating of his heart came from him.

"I know." He circled her shoulders with his arm so he could hold her tighter to him. Trying to keep their distance from each other was now unfeasible. Not only because it was physically impossible due to their tendency to orbit each other even involuntarily, but because they were now aware that trying to do so would hurt them. But how much healthier would it have been to stay close but not in the way they really wanted? Was it a pain they were willing to endure if it meant not having to live without each other?

Chapter Text

"I can't believe you actually did that!" Sakura was irritated, as well as offended. Demonstrating this was her annoyed pout and rancorous look. She wasn't really angry, of course, but the dark-haired's behavior still managed to get on her nerves in a way she didn't think was possible. And also there was the fact that Sasuke wasn't showing even the slightest bit of regret or guilt, in fact he seemed to be more than pleased, even by her annoyed reaction.

"Believe it, because I did." His irreverent statement caused her to huff audibly, looking away from his face. She let her jade irises slide over her surroundings. There were very few occupied tables, which gave them some privacy. Maybe it was the time of day or maybe that place was really out of the way. It was Sasuke who had decided to take her there, after picking her up from the hospital as he did every night. The time was rather late, since the pink-haired girl had to stay a little longer to know the result of some particularly important examination, focal for the correct outcome of the operation Lee would undergo in a few weeks.

Following their reconciliation, the dark-haired man no longer allowed her to take the bus home, preferring instead to act as her driver. Her protests about this had been inconclusive, as stubborn as usual Sasuke had always acted on his own initiative. She didn't think it was right he should lend himself to that situation, which undoubtedly had to be unpleasant. After all that had happened, to expect him to even pick her up after her visits to her boyfriend was really cruel. Evidently he didn't feel that way. He had firmly asserted several times he didn't care as long as he was sure she didn't have to take the bus home or ask someone other than him for a ride. Considering Sakura's time had drastically decreased over the past few months, they could take advantage of those moments to hang out, as friends clearly.

"You're impossible, Sasuke." Exasperated, the pink-haired girl rolled her eyes, before returning her gaze to him, seated right in front of her. Being later than usual, Sasuke had suggested they dine out, rather than set out to cook something and risk a weight on the stomach before sleeping. Initially, she didn't know whether to accept or not. She enjoyed those everyday moments they shared, the few her busy schedule allowed her to indulge in. Then, after he had revealed to her his brilliant idea, already implemented and therefore irreversible, that feeling had turned into resentment and thus the desire to prepare food for him with her own hands had vanished in the blink of an eye.

"Why are you so upset?" A question that only furthered her irritation, as the dark-haired knew perfectly well what was causing her such anger and frustration. "You need to relax a little." As heartfelt as his statement was, it equally exuded irreverent and derisive undertones, to which Sakura replied with a glare.

"You could have at least asked before you did that, right?" Of course not. Sasuke didn't need to ask, preferring to just act, especially when he was certain he was in the right. Which of course happened all too often, if not always. Moreover, in this case the dark-haired was also certain her answer would be negative, so to avoid rejection he had thoughtfully proceeded behind her back.

"No. There was no need." As if purposely feeding her frustration, Sasuke curved his lips into a sly, mischievous smile. If they hadn't been in public she probably would have thrown something at him, which might have been why the dark-haired had decided to take her out to dinner. Maybe he was afraid having that discussion in the kitchen, surrounded by blunt objects, would put his safety at risk.

Sakura didn't add anything, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning roughly against the back of the sofa she was sitting on. She was getting more and more sullen, looking again at an undefined point of the room. She must have looked extremely comical in the eyes of other, considering his smug and amused expression, when in reality she would much rather have looked intimidating and offended.

"Sakura." He tried to draw her attention, in a tone that exuded both firmness and tenderness. Despite having to expend most of her strength, the pink-haired girl did not give in, fixing her irises on two teenagers, no more than sixteen years old, seated three tables away from theirs. They seemed to be a young couple, so tender in their awkwardness in each other's presence. A blush had spread across her face that was extremely familiar to Sakura. She remembered what it must have been like to feel that kind of sensation, those butterflies in her stomach, that sense of anticipation and excitement. She also remembered feeling it on a few occasions. And she remembered that the instant when they had been most intense had happened with the boy in front of her at the very moment.

Sasuke was impatient, as well as tremendously stubborn. To demand her attention, he lightly brushed her knee with his own, repeating that gentle nudge several times, so petulant he succeeded in his endeavor, claiming the pink-haired girl's gaze again.

"Sakura." He repeated then, without the ability, and probably without even the desire, to hide his satisfaction. He could always find a way to get what he wanted. Almost always. She thought, immediately repressing that unhealthy and dangerous intrusion into her mind. "Don't pout at me." His was an imposition, not a request or a plea. From his gaze exuded resolve, not guilt.

"Well, sorry I'm not in a smiling mood since I'm mad at you." She mentally cursed herself, for those words were not imbued with the rancor she would have wished to convey. It was his fault. His gaze kept her from focusing on the resentment. His demeanor tamed her anger. The way he demanded attention, the ability to trap her with a single glance. It was unnerving, at times.

"You don't have to. I did this for you and we're going to have fun, so you can take off that pout. Unless you want to hold it over me until the first match." The smile he granted her soon after was the final blow. A barely perceptible grimace, but clear enough for her to make her stomach knot and her throat throb.

"What if I told you there was no match? I might back out." The dark-haired arched his eyebrows, as if to express doubt about that statement. Perhaps he thought she didn't have the courage? Or perhaps he believed that, one way or another, he would be able to convince her anyway?

"You won't. You'd make me carry you by force." The smile on his face widened, becoming again sly and mischievous. "Unless that's what you want."

"Sasuke!" Exasperated, the pink-haired girl tilted her head back, inhaling deeply and pointing her jade irises at the ceiling. Since they had made peace with each other, with the extremely intrusive help of Itachi and Shisui, they had obviously established the same complicity they had previously had. In fact, it had even become more pronounced, and behaving naturally with each other meant they had to put up with that kind of provocation, even though it was completely inappropriate given their situation.

They knew they couldn't push themselves any further, couldn't give themselves the chance they both had longed for and perhaps still craved. They could call themselves friends, they could deprive themselves of something more intimate, but they couldn't hold back the spontaneity of their interactions, much less when they were alone. Having resigned themselves to not being able to be more, however, had not dulled all that was maturing in their souls. Now they just had to make sure it stayed that way, rooted there but not growing and sprouting. And maybe in time it would fade away.

"It's just a few games, Sakura. Why bother?" She was surprised to hear no sarcastic or mocking undertones in his words. Perhaps now he was beginning to take the conversation seriously.

"You know damn well why." She scowled, again forced to mirror herself in the dark-haired's onyx irises. Not that it was a sacrifice, but it was sometimes frustrating the ability they had to claim her gaze and capture her attention. "I don't have time. The exams are in a month and a half and I'm behind on my studying, I have to fill out the form for next year's internships and I have no idea what to choose, plus..." She took a pause, certain what she was about to say was something Sasuke had no intention of hearing. "All the free time I have is spent in the hospital." She could distinctly make out the dark-haired's sharp features hardening. She could have omitted the last part, but she certainly couldn't erase the reality of things. That was the way her days unfolded. There was no time for anything else, and the moments she managed to carve out with Sasuke were already an exception.

"Do you think you can keep this up?" She wasn't sure she knew exactly what he was referring to. As much as he had already in his own way expressed doubts about her relationship with Lee, he had never been so outspoken in words. So perhaps he was talking about the overall situation. "Ever since we got back from Iwa you haven't taken a break, Sakura. Always on the books or always there. You wake up before the sun rises and at night you're wiped out and fall asleep on the couch, sometimes even at the table while we eat dinner."

"I have so much to do." She reminded him again, sighing. She really was exhausted, Sasuke was right about that, but certainly acting that way not helped her.

"You need to stop doing them." Puzzled, Sakura frowned more. "Study less, skip a few classes, take a few days. I don't care how, but you have to stop doing this." There was no longer an ounce of playfulness or mockery on his face. Now the dark-haired was extremely serious, as if he had taken the matter to heart.

"And how enrolling us in the college tennis tournament is supposed to help me? Doesn't that go against what you're saying now?" The pink-haired girl leaned toward the table, resting her elbows on it. Now that they could talk seriously about the matter she wanted to focus on it.

"I want you to entertain yourself a little, Sakura. When was the last time you did something you enjoyed?" She sighed dejectedly, lowering her gaze to the table and shaking her head in resignation. In this case, she couldn't even blame him. She hadn't been able to indulge in time exclusively for herself for months, probably since before their trip to Iwa.

"It won't always be like this. This is a temporary situation." The look the dark-haired gave her was harsh. His dark eyes conveyed sternness, to the point that for a few moments he reminded her of his father.

"Don't lie to me like that. You know it's not true." He was admonishing and scolding her, in a tone that seemed even intimidating. "You have to stop trying to please others all the time in every way. Are you so terrified you might disappoint someone?" Yes. It was an unacceptable thought. There were so many expectations they had placed on her, to the point she had begun to accrue the need to meet them without even realizing it. She was terrified they would consider her a failure, that her existence would end up worth nothing in the eyes of those she was close to, those she cared about most. She had to prove she was capable, even if this would require inhuman efforts.

"I just want to do things the right way." She defended herself, in a very unconvincing tone. Besides, those were words she herself didn't believe in.

"And this would be the right way?" Now between the two of them it seemed the dark-haired was the more angry one, judging by his hard and upset expression.

"If I'd known you were going to take me out to dinner to scold me-" But Sasuke interrupted her, leaning toward the table in turn.

"What? Would you have taken away that one hour a day we have, too?" She knew on top of everything else they were discussing, one of the dark-haired's problems was also that. It was his brother who had confirmed to her Sasuke's need for attention from those he felt closest to. The thought he might be pushed aside irritated him terribly, for at the same time it caused him fear, the fear of being left behind.

"No." She granted him, running both hands over her exhausted and exasperated face. She sighed audibly, before seeking the gaze of other again. She could make time to meet her parents' expectations. She could do it to take care of Lee and support him, to reciprocate the help he had given her in the past. Sasuke was someone she cared about equally and now he was the one she was letting down. "You could have told me about this before though..."

"You would have done anything to change my mind." And he said it almost as if he thought really Sakura was capable of doing that, of inducing him to do or not do something despite his stubbornness and determination.

"And when would be the first match?" The dark-haired looked at her warily, as if he still didn't want to believe the pink-haired girl was actually giving in.

"In two weeks." She curled her lips, thoughtful. Participating in a tournament would also mean having to train, no matter how non-competitive it was. Plus she had to find time to rest, as Sasuke was forcing her to do. "Tomorrow you can skip class, rest in the morning, and for the afternoon I've already booked one of the courts. Then I'll take you to the hospital and pick you up at the usual time."

"You really have it all planned out already? You're scary..." Although he wasn't smiling this time, it was obvious from his expression he was amused. Furthermore, he had as usual gotten what he wanted.

"And we're skipping the family brunch on Sunday." That wasn't a proposal either. He was just informing her, not asking her.

"Why?" Frowning, the pink-haired girl barely tilted her head to the side. What did that have to do with anything else? It wasn't really taking up her time, it was just a family meal....

"We're spending the weekend away. Wait..." Seeing her already ready to protest, the dark-haired lifted a hand to shush her. "I know you spend Saturday in the hospital. We'll leave in the evening and come back Sunday night.." Sakura arched her eyebrows, as if to ask permission to intervene, which the dark-haired granted her with a wave of his hand.

"I can't spend a whole day away from Konoha, Sasuke. Lee..." And she decided to censor herself spontaneously, as she was aware neither of them wanted to touch that button at the moment.

"It's only one day, Sakura. Twenty-four hours. We won't even be far away, but camping just outside the city. If your presence was urgently required I would bring you back." Usually the dark-haired wouldn't take no for an answer, but his manner of insistence had never been so blatant and so willing. He tended to demand, as he had done until just now, while now he was actually making a request of her, hoping she would accept.

"I didn't think you liked camping." Sasuke wrinkled his nose, interpreting her words as an attempt to change the subject and avoid giving him a concrete answer.

"Don't change the topic." He admonished her, curving the corners of his lips downward. She sighed again, before nodding her head in agreement.

"All right." Satisfied with yet another victory, the dark-haired seemed to relax, leaning back against the back of the small sofa and settling his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans.

"Bring some warm clothes." Her low tolerance for the cold was well known by now, but the pink-haired girl stretched her lips into a smile all the same at the care of other.

"Why don't you pack my suitcase too? You organize my days, you can do that with luggage too, right?" The sarcasm in her tone of voice was obvious, as was her mocking smile on her face.

"I would have, too, before the maid incident." It took a split second for her cheeks to become violently tinged with red. Now nothing differentiated her from the little girl three tables away, who unlike her was struggling with childish and certainly more innocent love.

"These things can happen..." But she would have preferred not to. It was complicated enough sharing a home with Sasuke without letting inappropriate thoughts sneak into her mind. No matter how hard they tried to suppress them, no matter how much they wanted to help each other do it, it was sometimes impossible. All it took was a yoga session, bumping into each other in the hallway wearing only a towel, and other little things that in a normal situation wouldn't have caused any problems. In fact, when the dark-haired had found among his clean clothes some lingerie of Sakura's, it had been impossible not to let certain forbidden thoughts intruding by force in their minds.

"Hm." Sakura tilted her head to the side, puzzled by the unconvinced expression that took shape on the dark-haired's face.

"What?" Sasuke curled his lips just slightly, as if considering whether or not to express the doubt that was clearly running through his mind.

"My guess is they did it." By now there was no need to even mention them openly. After the infamous night when they had been practically forced to reconcile, it seemed the other two Uchihas had made it their self-imposed life mission to torment the two of them.

"No way...Do you think they would go that far? Itachi doesn't seem like the type..." The dark-haired raised his eyebrows eloquently.

"But Shisui is." And she certainly couldn't blame him on that. Hadn't he been the one to accidentally send her an old photograph of Sasuke in swimsuit, asserting it was an honest mistake and that he simply wanted to share a meme with her?

"I can't understand why...What do they want? Haven't we already made up?" Clearly their goal was not just reconciliation. It was now certain they understood that the two did not simply see each other as family, but why the attempts to embarrass them? What was in it for them?

"They're together. That's for sure." They'd begun to suspect it the very night they'd been ambushed, and their assumptions had been increasingly confirmed as the weeks passed.

"And of course they're keeping it under wraps..." And the reasons were more than obvious. Their degree of kinship wasn't excessive, but problematic enough since the reputation of a prominent surname, associated with the most prestigious law firm in town, was at stake. Besides, she was fairly certain the first one who might get a bad reaction was Fugaku Uchiha himself.

"So maybe they think it's the same for us." Claimed Sasuke and actually he wasn't wrong there either, although things between them were distinctly different, more complicated than a secret relationship.

"Should we tell them we know? Then maybe they'll tell us openly what they want." Not that they had made any particular effort to hide it, but Sakura could understand very well what it meant to behave with complicity without realizing it, risking making that intimacy blatant even to outside eyes.

"Let's wait for the right moment. When we can take better advantage of it." The pink-haired girl laughed, and in return Sasuke let a giggle escape from his mouth.

"Oh, look who's here!" Although the place was quite empty, Sakura was certain that statement was not directed at them. She was too caught up with the young man in front of her, trapped by his gaze and smile to focus on her surroundings. That is until an all too familiar figure, accompanied by a girl, approached their table. "Two lovebirds on the outskirts."

"What the fuck are you doing here?" The dark-haired's expression had already changed drastically. He clearly hadn't expected to run into someone he knew in that diner. Perhaps that was why he had chosen to bring her there? To be assured he could act spontaneously without prying eyes watching and judging them?

"The same as you." Said the brown-haired boy, embracing the young woman's shoulders with his arm. His lips were stretched into a mischievous smile as his eyes darted from Sasuke's figure to Sakura's. "Why don't we have dinner together?"

"No." The dark-haired didn't even give him time to finish his sentence, before retorting roughly. However, Kiba deliberately ignored him, sitting down on the small sofa right next to the pink-haired girl, forcing his date to sit across from him, to Sasuke's left.

"These two are my friends. Sasuke and Sakura. This is Tamaki." The girl didn't seem to be particularly comfortable, perhaps because she was expecting a normal date. Too bad that with the Inuzuka in the way nothing could ever be considered normal. To ease her embarrassment, Sakura smiled at her encouragingly. Sasuke's eyes, however, were fixed on his friend's figure, almost as if he wanted him to disappear with a single glance. "You've been gone for days, but I should have known you were filling us with excuses. The study, hmm?" And he turned to her, looking at her eloquently.

"I'm actually studying, Kiba. We're here because we didn't feel like cooking for one night." Not that she had to justify herself to him, considering it was obvious he was just looking for an excuse to provoke them, as usual. "It's nice to meet you, by the way." She turned to the girl, smiling at her again. Expecting a cordial formality from Sasuke as well, she lifted her brown eyes to him, yet not receiving the slightest attention.

"It is for me as well." She resigned herself, aware she wouldn't receive the minimal interaction from the dark-haired, who was too focused on his friend, to whom he only directed sour looks. "Kiba has told me a lot about you, actually."

"Really?" She looked right toward the brown-haired young man, her eyebrows arched. She could only imagine what he'd ever been able to tell her about them, or about that rowdy group of friends in general.

"Take it easy, Sakura. Nothing too knotty." And as if to add tone to his words, Kiba winked at her. "I just told her about all the fun things we always do together. And that you're the only girl in our group." She had to admit feeling like being called part of that group caused a pleasant sensation in her chest. She had really learned to consider all of those guys as her friends and the knowledge she was one for them was comfortable.

"I must say, he also downplayed your appearance." Sasuke emitted a derisive snort, obviously directed at his friend. There was something to be said for the fact that if Inuzuka was trying not to make the girl jealous he must have had serious intentions.

"Now you know I'm only the second most attractive in the group." With a toothy grin, Kiba turned his gaze to the dark-haired, who for his part merely rolled his eyes. It was obvious that such provocation would not strike a chord with Sasuke. "But Sakura's unavailable so I'm your best bet."

"And I would never hit on a taken girl. Not in front of her boyfriend at least." Tamaki laughed, turning a glance first to her and then to the dark-haired. Could it be that was really the obvious assumption?

"Oh no..." She didn't even know what to say, whether to deny it or not, whether to drop the subject without really intervening. Pointing out the reality of things certainly wouldn't have helped their mood, but not saying anything would only fuel the rumor. "We don't...We're not together."

"Oh! Oh my God, I'm sorry. I assumed that because of...well, you were here, Kiba called you lovebirds." She could catch sight of Sasuke stiffening in his seat, then seeking her gaze. He was uncomfortable and his frustration was growing dangerously.

"I was just teasing them. They're actually siblings." If possible, the dark-haired's expression became even more sour and dark. She could already imagine where that conversation threatened to take them. It was still vivid in her mind the memory of what had happened in Iwa between the two of them, and as much as they kept asserting fights like that were commonplace in the group, Sakura still didn't think it was right they were putting their hands on each other like that, to the point of bleeding.

"No, that's not true either. Don't listen to him." The pink-haired girl immediately intervened, receiving a confused and puzzled expression from Tamaki in response. She could understand her. The situation was intricate for them living it, let alone outsiders who were unaware of the dynamics.

"And what are you then...?" The girl asked, obviously driven by curiosity. Her question made Sasuke's mood completely worse, and he crossed his arms over his chest, his dark eyes fixed on Sakura. A way of relaying to her he wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"Ah don't ask them. They don't know either." She knew she had to act before the two of them started fighting as usual. Besides, she didn't want those few hours she could indulge with the dark-haired to turn into something uncomfortable and unbearable.

"Oh look..." She began, peering at the screen of her own cell phone, as if a very important message had just reached her. "It's my mom. We really need to get home."

"But didn't you say your mother was in Ame for a report?" When had it ever occurred to Kiba to remember something that had been told to him?

"Yes. In fact, she needs me to send her an important file from her computer." Though imperceptibly, Sasuke smiled at her, deciding to get to his feet without even adding a word.

"Whatever. I'll see you tomorrow then." She could have nodded her head and waved. She could have limited herself to a smile, or even a word of assent. Instead, in a natural way she pointed out the reality of the facts, without thinking about the reaction that would have triggered.

"We're not coming tomorrow. We're taking a day off." The Inuzuka blinked several times in amazement, almost as if she had not been the one to utter those words.

"You're taking a day off? Did he convince you to take it? You rest together?" The pink-haired girl rolled her eyes, deciding to escape the conversation she should just leave, without adding anything else.

"I'll see you on Saturday." And she got back to her feet, not realizing she had made another mistake. This was why she found it complicated to have to interact with Sasuke in the presence of others. It was far too stressful to have to ponder every little word, when together they were used to acting naturally.

"Saturday? Are you coming too? Shit, Sasuke, what did you do to this girl?" The brown-haired young man's exclamation did not conceal derisive overtones, as well as malicious ones. At the limit of his patience, the dark-haired rudely took her hand, dragging her away from Kiba.

"Good night and have fun!" Sakura conceded, waving her free hand in the direction of the two, letting Sasuke lead her out of the diner. At least they would have a chance to find themselves alone again, without risking appearing inappropriate and explicit in the presence of others.

It was easy to ignore the low temperature when there was such a breathtaking view before her eyes. The lake stretching out before her was illuminated in the center by the full moon. The sky was clear, filled with stars, clearly distinguishable thanks to the lack of artificial light. The vegetation surrounding the scene was dense and lush, as she had never seen it before. She could have stayed and contemplated that scene for hours, almost as if it were a precious painting, but real and even more wonderful.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's cheerful voice brought her back to reality. As soon as he reached her, she smiled at him, then sank her cold hands into the pockets of the sweatshirt she was wearing. They had only just arrived, the others still intent on unloading the cars and setting up camp for the night. "The fire is almost lit." He informed her jovially, settling down on the ground beside her.

"How did you find this place?" During the car ride, she had discovered this outing was something of a tradition and they went there around the same time every year to indulge in a few days of camping. She didn't know how to feel about that. Partly she thought she was out of place. She considered those guys friends, but she didn't share the same bond they surely had with each other after all those years of knowing one another. If she had known it was something so private, she would have thought twice before agreeing.

"Sasuke didn't tell you?" The blond blinked several times, puzzled. She had actually been the one who hadn't asked him, considering the dark-ahired had been rather evasive about the matter ever since he'd first suggested she go on that trip. She thought it was because he didn't want to give her a chance to refuse, preferring not to talk about it more than necessary. Instead, apparently there was something more going on, something she hadn't been informed of.

"What?" Naruto looked hesitant now. Was it a secret then? Something not to be shared so lightly? If Sasuke hadn't wanted to tell her... well, he must have had his reasons, no doubt. Sure, it caused her some displease, certain that their bond had reached a certain intensity, but it was also true they had known each other for a few months. As close as they could call themselves, maybe in the eyes of the dark-haired they weren't really that intimate to share everything about them.

Evidently the blond wasn't inclined to tell her anything private about Sasuke, aware it was something the dark-haired hadn't wanted to share with her yet. He scratched the back of his head, before turning a new smile to her.

"Well...It's not something to be said lightly." He began, probably to justify his next words, where he would assert he couldn't confess anything to her. "But you're Sakura! Of course he wants you to know...Maybe he doesn't know how to tell you." She frowned, from surprise and curiosity. This was something important, but Naruto had not declined her invitation to tell her about it. "When he was a kid, Sasuke often came here to camp with Itachi and their mom. After she died they scattered her ashes in the lake and every year we come here for the anniversary." The blond man recounted it all with a warm and reassuring smile on his lips, aware a tale of that magnitude could have a decidedly intense impact on her. Which it had anyway, considering her eyes filled with tears and she had to fight with them to prevent them from sliding down her cheeks. "It was obvious he wanted you to be here this year. We usually come a day early, but he preferred to delay this year in order to make sure you came."

Sakura looked away from the blond's face, fixing her jade irises on the lake that stretched out before her, which now had a whole different meaning in her eyes. Sasuke hardly ever spoke of his mother, and of course she could understand why. Despite the years that had passed, no doubt recalling the loss of a parent had to be something extremely painful.

Still, he had wanted to share that moment with her, even though he hadn't made her aware of the importance of that trip. He'd insisted on having her there, had asked her as if it was really something he needed and not a demand he made on her, like when he wanted to force her to do what he thought was right, when he thought Sakura was causing herself harm.

She sighed, allowing herself a slight sagging, inducing a single tear to line her face. Naruto blinked several times in confusion, as if he hadn't just told her something so pregnant. In fact, he'd been a part of the dark-haired's life practically forever; he was used to every situation that involved him. Not that he didn't suffer for him, of course, but they'd been through it all together, healing together. The pink-haired girl was external to those dynamics, which was why all the pain she was feeling was there, vivid and burning, mixed with her fiery desire to ease whatever grief was afflicting Sasuke.

"Sakura-chan...don't cry! If the bastard see you he'd chase me all over the mountain..." At least he managed to make her laugh and that was probably his intent. She had bonded with all those boys, but she felt especially close to Naruto, always so sunny, always so positive, able to cheer and hearten anyone even with just a smile. She was always happy and smiling when she was with him.

"Thank you." She granted him a smile of her own, then rested her head against her bent knees. The blond lifted a thumb victoriously.

"I'm glad you're here too, this time! I shouldn't tell you this, but Sasuke really seems like a different person since you're here!" She wished she hadn't heard that. Though the corners of her lips were still curved upward, something in the pink-haired girl's expression changed and Naruto must have noticed, as he sighed resignedly, evidently realizing what his words really implied. As much as they could find serenity and relief with each other, they could never allow themselves what they really wanted, which was to fully explore those sensations in order to fully tap into them, to be enveloped by them. Everything remained unresolved, like a jar only half-filled, untapped in its entirety.

"The fire is ready." She jolted upon hearing Sasuke's familiar voice, able to reach behind them in total silence even though they were in the forest, among twigs and leaves that could have caused all kinds of noise. The pink-haired girl lifted her gaze to his, as soon as he was close enough to tower over her. Evidently she had not yet been able to push back all her anguish, for his dark eyes lit up with a glimmer of apprehension. He tacitly sought explanations first from her and then from Naruto, letting onyx irises flash from her face to his.

"I'd better go heat up some water for my ramen!" The blond man scrambled back to his feet, causing Sasuke to scowl and return his gaze to her.

"What's going on?" He asked her at the exact moment they were alone, frowning. She felt she didn't deserve to get a look like that from him, to be able to stare into those deep obsidian irises and catch a glimpse of what she was seeing there now.

"Sit with me for a bit." She extended a hand in his direction, waiting for the dark-haired to welcome that gesture, settling down beside her on the ground.

"It's cold, Sakura. At least let me get a bl-" But even before he could finish, Sakura stepped in.

"Just sit down, Sasuke." It wasn't often that she was the one to interrupt him or use an overly imperative tone with him. When it did happen, however, the dark-haired would simply frown and sulk, then obey, probably curious to find out what on earth could have sparked such a reaction in her. In fact, he took a seat at her side, not before letting out a deep sigh.

"Now can you tell me what's wrong?" Obviously he wasn't going to give up on that question. He continued to scan her with confusion and apprehension, frowning more and more. She didn't want to open the subject. If he had chosen not to talk to her about it she had to respect his choice. Besides, she didn't wish to distress him any more than he certainly was, even if he was adept at not giving it away.

"It's beautiful here." Her jade irises sought out the breathtaking view again, assimilating more and more details, now that she was aware of how important the place was to boy by her side. He didn't say anything, just scrutinized her for a few moments before following her gaze.

They stayed that way for several moments, still and silent, admiring that view, enjoying each other's closeness. Not the one they would have wished for, but the only one they could allow themselves. It was equally pleasurable to be lulled by his breath, to catch a glimpse of his frame from the corner of her eyes, to feel his warmth.

"Thank you for inviting me." She decided to turn in his direction again, granting him a wide, genuine smile. "It's not even as cold as I thought it would be." And she laughed, receiving only puzzled looks in response, as if Sasuke was studying her, trying to carp what the problem was, assuming there was one.

"Sakura." He called her attention back, scowling more and more. And she couldn't help thinking with that expression, that pout somewhere between confusion and apprehension, he looked pretty damn adorable.

"You were right, you know. I act a certain way for fear of disappointing others, I show myself a certain way to meet their expectations." The dark-haired listened to her intently. In a different circumstance he would have smirked at her, asserting there was no need to point it out, that it was obvious he was right. In this case he kept silent, pondering her words, aware of the seriousness of the conversation, surprised by the simple fact that Sakura had decided to speak to him so openly about it. "With you, it's not like that. I'm not here out of fear you might be hurt by my rejection. It's not for me, it's for you. It's not because of my need to please others, but because I want to make you happy." She wetted her lips, flaunting a new smile in order to conceal what only confessing those words was capable of making her feel, melancholy and sorrow.

Sasuke continued to remain silent, watching her, forcing her to reflect herself in his onyx irises, filled with the desire to sink into them completely. His thoughts were indecipherable. He seemed to be in turmoil, in conflict with himself, with what he himself was feeling at the moment. Holding back or letting go? Acknowledge those feelings or stifle them? Maybe a part of him was even hating her for expressing those words, for giving voice to those thoughts, making it all so damn real it hurt.

He sighed, still lingering in her viridian eyes, as if he didn't want to leave her any escape, as if he didn't want in any way to make her free herself from those two obsidian irises. Then he looked away, staring at an unspecified spot on the lake that stretched before them.

"I'm happy you're here." After those moments of silence and contemplation, she hadn't expected him to speak to her, much less like that. She thought he had decided to ignore her words, proving himself wiser than Sakura was, unable to do what would have been more right. Instead, he had chosen to continue nurturing that sprout, rather than uprooting it.

"Did you sign up for the tennis tournament?" Although it had been Naruto who had spoken, his incredulous expression had been mimicked by everyone present. Their group was set up around the fire so they could draw warmth from it and protect themselves from the cold, which was becoming more and more inclement as night fell.

"Sasuke signed us up." At Sakura's clarification, which was followed by a teasing smile, the dark-haired arched his eyebrows. Seated side by side, they shared a blanket, and occasionally Sakura couldn't resist the temptation to rest her head against his shoulder, only to retreat in moments of clarity. It was obviously not one of them now. And of course Sasuke had no objection, comforted in turn by that closeness.

If he had had even an ounce of sense, he would have moved away. What they had just said to each other should have acted as a deterrent, a warning of what they should avoid at all costs, not search like desperate. It wasn't often that he was incapable of thinking clearly, of acting rationally. Everything was wrong and the dark-haired was perfectly aware of it. Despite this, he could not help but rest on what he felt even just having her close, with the head pressed against his shoulder.

"What happened to you?" Kiba feigned indignation, bringing a hand to his chest in addressing the pink-haired girl. "The Sakura I know would never have agreed to that." He then shook his head, taking on a falsely disappointed expression.

"It won't take much of my time away from the study. It's a way for me to unplug a bit." He didn't know if she was trying to convince herself with those words, but in any case, she had now accepted his proposal and certainly he wouldn't let her back out. She needed those moments of leisure, to distance herself from everything that pressed and oppressed her. She had confirmed this to him herself only moments before. If she wasn't able to do it herself, then he would necessarily have to take care of it.

"Did you see what you did to a diligent girl like her?" The Inuzuka continued with his derisive tone, but at least his taunts in this case had nothing vile and overly malicious about them. At least for the moment. "Not only are you distracting her from studying, but you want to lead her to make a complete fool of herself again, this time in front of the entire university." Sasuke wrinkled his nose, not at all happy to reminisce about their first game and the reasons why it had been a rout. "Do you really want to play on his team again?"

"With nothing at stake, it won't be a problem to lose. So no bets this time." Sakura laughed, a laugh that the dark-haired could hear as well as feel thanks to the close distance of their bodies. She must have been exhausted, considering it was as if she had melted against his figure.

"First skipping classes, now this. What's the next step? Making you smoke weed?" He rolled his eyes, determined not to retort to the others' taunts.

"What makes you think I haven't tried it before?" At those words, Sasuke lowered his gaze, only being able to get a partial glimpse of the pink-haired girl's face from that position. "From what you know, I could be the bad influence." She laughed again, and this time the dark-haired couldn't help but join in, letting a smug, amused snort escape.

"That's something I'd like to see." Shikamaru brought his attention, until then directed to the starry sky, to them.

"Maybe the next trip." Naruto sounded serious in his statement. "In fact, we should already decide where to go!" He mentally cursed his friend, as his words were enough to instill in Sakura the lucidity she needed to lift her head away from his shoulder. It was obvious that such a topic made her uncomfortable, as since their return to Iwa, her life had been closely tied to Lee's. Her schedule revolved around the boy's needs and she certainly wouldn't choose to leave him for who knows how many days, indulging in a vacation. Of course, there were months to go before the end of the second session and in that time things could have improved. In that moment, however, the reality of things was enough to darken her and with her, Sasuke's mood.

"We're going to spend Christmas here." He didn't even think for a second before he spoke. It was as if his tongue had acted spontaneously. Sakura sought his gaze, looking at him with a puzzled look.

"Hmm... You're right. It's Sakura's first in Konoha. She should enjoy it at least once!" Choji seemed to agree with him, though he wasn't sure if he really understood the reason behind his decision. He was not as perceptive as Shikamaru, nor as prone to innuendo as Kiba.

"And invite the girls here?" The pink-haired girl smiled broadly at him. She, on the other hand, had undoubtedly understood his intentions. His suggestion, which sounded more like an imposition, had been enough to cheer her up again. Her jade irises conveyed enthusiasm, shining with a renewed light, the kind that Sasuke constantly sought, one that led him to act according to the wants and needs of someone other than himself.

"That's a good idea. Though I'd prefer you make some new friends, you know?" Sakura arched her eyebrows and the dark-haired mimicked her, though he was aware of where Kiba was going with this, knowing him.

"Are you tired of the constant rejections already?" It was Naruto who answered him in the same breath, receiving a glare from the brown-haired young man in response.

"Tch, I just want to have more choice." Inuzuka defended himself, causing everyone present to roll their eyes in unison.

"What about the girl from the other night? Tamaki?" Evidently relaxed and at ease again, Sakura leaned back against his shoulder, a gesture that was enough to make him completely disinterested in the discussion to lower his gaze to her. "You seemed to like her..."

"I certainly can't give the privilege of having me to a single girl, can I, Sa-ku-ra?" A more than predictable answer, but one that equally caused the pink-haired girl to wrinkled her nose at it.

"I don't think there's more than one girl in the world who wants you." Everyone present, except Kiba of course, opened up in laughter at Shikamaru's words, always as concise as they were sharp.

"So you shouldn't let her slip away before someone else takes her from you." As usual, Choji managed to deal the final blow, while still driven by a desire to comfort. The only one who didn't want to mock, and the only one who could naturally and naively twist the knife back.

"Lucky for you, Sasuke is caught up in something else entirely." The dark-haired blinked several times, as if just hearing his name brought him back to reality, turning his gaze away from Sakura and toward the others.

"Hm?" He wasn't really listening to a word and didn't even bother to hide it.

"That's exactly what I meant." He frowned, not understanding what the blond was referring to. But actually, he didn't even care too much, not now that he could catch a glimpse of Sakura's eyelids slowly closing.

"We're going to bed." The dark-haired announced, gently pulling her head away from his own shoulder so he could help her to her feet and lead her in the direction of the tent.

They were enveloped in silence, surrounded by darkness. Only the moon lit up the forest and its rays were the only source of light that allowed him to recognize Sakura's features. She was lying asleep by his side, her body relaxed, her face serene. She was facing him. All she had needed to do was settle into her sleeping bag and she had collapsed asleep, and Sasuke had stood there watching her. He was doing it even now, hours later.

He could never get to sleep immediately when fell that day. They would go there as a tradition and that place no longer conveyed anguish to him, as it had years ago, right after his mother's death. Still, it was impossible not to let, at least in part, nostalgia and melancholy take possession of him. It happened daily, with the smallest things, how could it not happen there, where everything reminded him of the woman?

This time he felt lighter, as if an oppressive weight was being slowly lifted, removed from his chest. It happened to him when he was able to link his mother's thoughts back to the girl who was now before him. If before he tended to distance himself from everything he had shared with his mother, so as not to feed his sadness, now he sought it out when Sakura was with him. He felt the same nostalgia, but combined with a pleasant warmth that expanded at the chest, which overcame the pain and brought him back to what he had been, as if to show him those feelings were not lost. And this happened not only when together they enjoyed the activities that his mother had favored in life, but also when Sakura poured on him all her care, all her affection. And he, for his part, let himself be enveloped and cradled by what he thought impossible to receive anymore, clinging to the need to let himself be radiated by the warmth she emanated.

It was a twist of fate that he needed so much someone he shouldn't have wanted, from who he should have kept his distance from for more than a single reason. He had never experienced that kind of involvement before and it was tragicomic it had happened with Sakura. It had been unexpected how their destinies had intertwined and even more surprising was how that thread seemed unable to untangle itself. He couldn't wake up one morning and stop wanting her by his side, stop basking in her affection, in her attentions. It was unnatural to even think about such a possibility, let alone be able to force it.

He sighed, closing his eyes for a few moments, hoping that sleep had finally decided to overpower him and give him a break, if only for a few hours, until the sun came up.

"Sasuke..." A whisper so faint as to be almost inaudible, to the point where he thought he had imagined that word through the rustle of the wind. It sounded like Sakura's voice, so he opened his eyes again, searching for her face. "Sasuke..." A sigh, even lower than the previous one. He saw it more than heard it, through the movement of her lips. She was still sleeping and therefore talking in her sleep. He could not help but smile at the realization that she was dreaming of him.

Acting instinctively, the dark-haired extended a hand toward her. The short distance that separated them allowed him to reach her face easily. Being careful not to wake her up, he gently touched her cheek with his fingers, enjoying the contact with her soft skin, but craving for more. Eager for that contact, he began to slowly trace her features with his index finger. He caressed her temple, moving down her cheek and following the line of her jaw. Then he followed the curve of her nose, lingering at last on her lips, which barely parted on contact with his phalanx, letting her breath caress it.

"I love you." Suddenly it felt as if his heart wanted to stop beating while simultaneously exploding in his chest. He could feel the palpitations in every corner of his body, rapid and uncontrollable. His dark eyes were wide as never before. His hand, still close to Sakura's face, trembled as if he were in the middle of a blizzard. He felt his body numb and at the same time his soul filled with a wholeness that poured in every fiber of his being.

All that mixture of sensations turned violently into an intense pang in the center of his chest, the moment the cheek of the pink-haired girl was streaked with a single tear. He thought for a moment she had woken up, that she had pronounced those words with conscience, but it was not so. It was only her subconscious that needed to express what Sakura could not do when she was awake, forced to suppress whatever struggled to come to the surface. And he wasn't supposed to hear it. It was as if he had invaded a private space and as if he had uncovered a forbidden vessel, letting out something he risked not knowing how to handle. He shouldn't have heard it, because now that whisper would have remained imprinted in his mind and in his heart, impossible to erase. And he was forced to take notice, to recognize they had gone too far.

He collected her tear with his thumb, lingering on her cheek longer than necessary. There was a part of him, crazy and pressing, that would have wanted to wake her up, physically and metaphorically, demanding everything she was hatching to be expressed, that there would be no more obstacles and limitations. But Sakura was too precious to put his own visceral needs before her. There was no selfishness that held with her. So he drew his hand away, conceding her and himself one last tender caress. Those words would remain only a secret he would keep, branded in his soul like deep wounds, and he could only hope that sooner or later they would stop bleeding for both of them.

Chapter Text

In recent months, that hospital room had sadly become a second home. Lee had to undergo two preventive surgeries, as well as a period of convalescence between operations, before they could be sure of being able to proceed with the main one, the one that would determine whether the boy could continue with his career or if he would have to stop forever.

She could at least assert spending so much time in the hospital had its upsides, such as being able to interact and watch in action what for years had been her inspiration, what she aspired to become. Tsunade Senju was an excellence at her job, a medical luminary. Every time her mouth opened to speak, Sakura looked her with respect, reverence, adoration. The woman seemed to have taken Lee's case to heart and this was because she had considered it a challenge against herself, a way to overcome her limits, to reach heights never touched by anyone. In those months, her admiration for her had only increased, also thanks to the conversations the two of them had been able to have. She knew by now she was a brilliant medical student, and they had even talked about the possibility of Konoha University offering to apply the woman as a possible internship choice. They had done this every year for the past decade but she had always declined. If, on the other hand, by the end of that school year things would turn out differently...Sure, she could only imagine how tough the competition would be for a spot under Tsunade Senju but even that wouldn't be enough to deter her.

"I'm sorry to be studying while I should be keeping you company..." Lee was obviously sprawled out on his bed, his gaze up to that point on his cell phone. He never bothered her when she had her head bowed over her books, locking himself in a religious silence.

"Don't be sorry! You're already too kind to spend all this time here with me!" A violent wave of guilt surged through her conscience, as was now happening all too often. Whenever he showed himself as the kind and lovely boy he was, that unpleasant feeling took over, reminding her at the same time how terrible she was and how she deserved none of his gentle words. "I would never forgive myself if you had to be distracted from studying because of me!" And there it was again, the guilt, which Sakura masked with a smile she had sadly learned to use all too often, to the point where she could even appear believable in her pathetic facade.

"I don't mind being here, quite the contrary. Besides, you never distract me!" In fact, it was totally other thoughts that distracted her from her duties, completely another person. And as if they had some sort of telepathic connection and he sensed what was going through her mind, her cell phone trilled and his very name appeared on the screen.

"Is it Sasuke?" She risked losing her grip on her phone, completely amazed at the spontaneity with which Lee had pronounced the name. Not that it was the first time, of course. By now, the two could at least call themselves acquaintances, considering the pink-haired girl certainly couldn't avoid talking to her boyfriend about someone whose presence in her life was so invasive. Besides, the dark-haired was the one who drove her to and from the hospital every day. Or at least that had been the case until last week.

"How do you know?" She asked him, shifting her gaze only for a few moments to the face of the young man lying in bed, immediately returning it to the message that towered over her cell phone.

"Lately you almost always make that face when he writes you. Isn't he picking you up today neither?" It was sickening to hear him talk like that, about the subject. All the disgust she felt, that made her stomach flip, was directed at herself of course. That he was able to notice her changes in mood, in expression, due to another boy, indeed that very boy, made the situation even more devious than it already was. All because of her, obviously.

"No." She simply said hastily, setting the phone down on the nightstand without even deigning to answer the message. She guessed the expression Lee was referring to must have conveyed disappointment, so the pink-haired girl flashed a new, wide smile, so as to appear natural and reassuring.

"Is something wrong between you two?" She would have liked to scream at the very moment. She wanted to open the window and let out a scream that would fill the streets of Konoha with all her frustration. She didn't want to talk to her boyfriend about her current relationship with the very young man she had cheated on him with months ago. And it wasn't even just that. Perhaps she would have felt less repulsed if it had really been a one-night stand, something driven only by lust and a few too many drinks, rather than what it had become over time.

"No, no! Of course not!" She wanted to end the unpleasant conversation as quickly as possible and was even tempted to use the study as an excuse. If she had told him she necessarily had to continue reading her notes, no doubt Lee would have chosen to keep quiet, leaving her time. It would have been cowardly and petty, of course, but undoubtedly much less so than confessing her boyfriend the concerns that plagued her about Sasuke.

"Are you sure? Every time he writes you he's not coming you always make that disappointed face. And he used to be so present too, now he hasn't shown up for days!" It was as if Lee was holding a dagger, striking her in the center of the chest and continuing to press and twist the blade into her flesh. "I know you, Sakura! You can talk to me about it if something's wrong...I don't have any siblings but I can still try to give you some advice!" Unable to remain still, Sakura closed her notebook again, getting to her feet with a quick gesture, using the fact that she wanted to open the window as an excuse, but not giving in to the temptation of the scream that kept vibrating in her uvula, ready to come out.

"There's no problem, really! He's into studying too. Sasuke is a senior in law school and will have to choose what to major in for the next three years. It's normal for him to have less time..." This was an excuse she had repeated to herself many times over the past few days.

The dark-haired's change had happened right after their camping trip to the lake, but she hadn't realized it at the time. She believed those small differences in attitude were momentary coincidences. Then, in the last few days, he had begun to behave even stranger and also much more frequently. It seemed he was deliberately eluding her and not like it had happened months ago, when it was the embarrassment about what had happened between them that spaced them out. It wasn't anything explicit, as Sasuke was there anyway. He didn't avoid her gaze, didn't change his path when they passed each other in the hallway. Everything was as usual but different at the same time. He would talk to her, when possible they would have dinner together, they would text each other throughout the day to ask each other even the slightest nonsense. However, he was distant, cold even. His smiles were more meager and less frequent, the contacts between them null and void, the conversations lacking any depth.

"But you're still going to continue with the tennis tournament, right?" It caused her anger to think about it again. Sasuke had signed them up without even questioning her, with the purpose of making her relax, of allowing her to take a few hours for herself, to do something she would enjoy, but not only that. He had also done it for himself, so he could carve out time in her company. Wasn't that what he had demanded after their return from Iwa? Hadn't Itachi pointed out how important it was for the dark-haired not to be left behind by those he cared about? And yet, now he was the one doing it. So maybe it wasn't so much a deep affection but the whim of a moment. Once that fixation had passed, Sasuke had also stopped desiring her company, just as if their relationship was disposable. It caused her anger, yes, but not only because for her it was something important, essential even. Not the game it seemed to have been for him.

"I guess so. The next match is in a week, then we'll have a break until the start of the last term." Unless Sasuke decided to back out of course, which she almost took for granted by now. There were already two training sessions they had missed in those last few days. She imagined sooner or later he would withdraw from that commitment as well.

"Maybe I'll be able to come see you in the finals!" And he smiled broadly at her, lifting the thumb of his right hand. She had to summon all her strength to reciprocate, even trying to appear credible in doing so.

"You don't have to come every time, even if he asks you to!" Sakura settled into the passenger seat of a car that was extremely flashy in its being a nice, garish orange. A vehicle that was just as cheerful and sunny as its owner, who to prove it exhibited a bright smile.

"Hello, Sakura." Instead, the tone of the young man seated in the back seats was less friendly and decidedly more mischievous. She would have been able to recognize him even without turning towards him.

"Ah, you're here too!" The blond at the wheel laughed at the total lack of enthusiasm shown by her. She had been tolerating Kiba's presence for months now. She had obviously grown accustomed to his ways, to his sometimes unbearable being, to the point where she could even consider him a friend, after learning to understand what lay behind the sly smiles and taunts.

He particularly cared for his friends, in his own way, and despite the sometimes violent quarrels, he was always ready to take the front row for them, to open their minds as much as necessary, in a brutal but sincere way. After what had happened in Iwa, Lee's accident during the Olympics, the pink-haired girl had been able to see this side of him. He had been there for her tacitly, understanding without needing to ask about every aspect of that disastrous situation. And despite the fight he'd had with the dark-haired, he'd done the same with Sasuke as well, as if absolutely nothing had happened between the two.

"Sorry...We were together when the bastard wrote me." Naruto justified himself, stepping into the flowing traffic of Konoha. It was evening, a couple of hours past dinner time, so there weren't many cars. She wasn't thrilled with the idea that someone else should bother and change plans just because of her, or rather because of someone incapable of keeping their promises.

"I'm the one who should apologize. I'm ruining your evening." Kiba emitted an irreverent snort, tucking his head between the two front seats so he could get closer to them.

"The idiot here isn't a suitable sidekick anyway. He just makes people laugh with his stupidity." And Sakura laughed, more at the tone he used than at his words. It was obvious as usual he was trying to put his responsibility on someone else, to blame those around him for not being able to pick up girls, when the cause was really him and his temper.

"You're your envious as usual. You’re butthurt because I'm more fun and girls prefer me." She witnessed that kind of discussion on a daily basis now, but despite that she couldn't help but roll her eyes. It wasn't a fixed topic but undoubtedly the one that was brought up most often, precisely because of Inuzuka's obsession with the female sex. "Would you prefer Sasuke?" That was a clear provocation from Naruto, which he accompanied with an eloquent expression and a sly smile.

"The bastard is the worst sidekick ever. Even when he's not being a sidekick. I can't wait for him to get a girlfriend and get the fuck out of my way." Sakura scowled, masking her expression by resting her head against her closed fist. It was certainly not a conversation she wished to engage in, and not just because she had some recent grudge against the dark-haired. "Which should happen soon."

"Kiba." It was rare for the blond to take a serious, even reproachful tone. It was this that troubled her the most, rather than the brown-haired's provocation. She would have considered it as such if Naruto had laughed at it. In that way he was confirming to her that was the reality of the situation.

"What? She should have known sooner or later or not? It's not my fault the bastard doesn't have the guts to tell her." At the moment she felt herself on stand-by, suspended in a place far removed from that car. It was all so obvious it made her feel like a fool. Why else would Sasuke change his attitude with her? Why would he distance himself? He had simply found another leisure, someone else to focus his attentions on, losing all interest in her and not simply about the more carnal side of their relationship, but in practically the entire bond that Sakura naively believed they had formed over time.

"You talk about it like you're certain but you're not and you know it. It's your assumptions." Naruto cast a glance at the young woman at his side out of the corner of his eye, but her gaze was fixed in front of her. She felt jealousy, this was undeniable, but that was her least concern at the moment. She knew she couldn't make any demands, that she and Sasuke were nothing more than friends and that he had the freedom to date any girl he wanted. However, what caused her anger was the thought the dark-haired had focused all his attentions on her and at the same time had demanded them from her, only to put her aside when he no longer felt the need, without even having the courage to tell her openly why.

She could claim to have known Sasuke during those months, but maybe she was wrong and what she had seen of him was only a part. Maybe his fixation with Sakura had only stemmed from the impossibility of having her, an easily replaceable infatuation and nothing more than that, not even the affection that seemed to be a certainty now, regardless of the impossibility of indulging in anything romantic.

"I see no other reason to spend so much time with a girl." Kiba concluded, shrugging casually, as if he wasn't revealing something incredibly dramatic. How much time had passed since the conversation they had on Itachi's couch? Had everything really changed so quickly?

"Sasuke can do whatever he wants. I don't see why he has to hide it from me." He probably didn't think she was important enough to make her aware of something like that. Once the momentary crush had passed, it had been natural for him to leave her behind, so without even bothering to take into account what she thought, what she wanted.

"He's not necessarily hiding anything from you, Sakura. He's busy with his study group who also happens to have a girl. That doesn't mean anything." She found it irritating Naruto wanted to hearten her almost as if she was some poor girlfriend with the doubt she had been cheated on. She hated it was so obvious in his eyes how she felt, as it meant it wasn't clear just to him but to everyone else's as well. How long would it take everyone to understand? Lee, her mother? Well...at least now Sasuke was certainly making her job easier by limiting their interactions. Yet...she was certainly not grateful to him for that.

She pulled her phone out of her bag, rereading the last message she had received from the dark-haired, which she had decided not to respond to, in an attempt to convey her disappointment to him. I can't come, I'll send Naruto. I'll see you at dinner. She bit her lower lip, confused as never before. Why end the message like that, if his intent was to avoid her and not spend time with her? Maybe it really was just a momentary hindrance from studying and she was creating drama for nothing, prompted by Kiba's venomous words as well.

Okay. And finally she answered him, giving in to the desire and the need to cling to that hope, to the possibility that everything would soon be back to normal, as normal as their relationship could be called. Whatever they had, whatever they were now, most of all she simply missed Sasuke.

He ran a hand through his raven hair, exhaling a cloud of smoke that dissipated into the cool air of that autumn night. He wasn't allowed to smoke in the house, not even outside on the terrace or by the pool, so he told himself he could have those five minutes before going inside. Five that became ten, then fifteen and finally thirty.

He wanted to procrastinate his return, he wanted to keep as much distance as possible and to do that he had to be physically far away, otherwise he knew he wouldn't be able to hold back. Extremely difficult days clouded by a thousand thoughts had followed the trip to the lake. He had changed his mind at least ten times about what would be the best course of action, what he should and would do with Sakura. He had considered the possibility of getting her to give in again, of demanding that what they felt be expressed, no longer repressed. He had ruled the idea out, just as he had after their return from Iwa, because he couldn't accept the thought of being selfish, knowing such a thing would only fill her with guilt. He had then decided to pretend nothing had happened, that he hadn't heard or felt anything, but that had turned out to be a bad choice as well. As much as he had tried rationally to do so, everything about him and her reminded him of how hard it was getting to be around her but not in the way they both wanted and how much it was causing her pain.

Harming her was the last thing he wanted to do, so he had come up with the ultimate solution, which was a gradual estrangement, which would perhaps allow them both to get used to missing each other and perhaps what had come to the surface with time would subside, until it faded away. He didn't seem to be succeeding here either, as each attempt rather than mitigating those feelings fueled them. Every thought he had was of Sakura when they weren't together. He thought about things he wished he could share with her, whether it was even nonsense like some picture he found on the internet or a particularly exciting event happened in class. He would have loved to spend time with her, those few hours of spontaneity they could indulge in. He missed her, which only increased rather than decreased.

Half an hour and three cigarettes after his arrival, Sasuke had decided to walk through the door and go home. The only light on in the entire house came from the kitchen, along with the clangor of dishes and crockery. Judging by the scent that wafted through the house, the pink-haired girl must have prepared takoyaki and miso soup. Had he returned earlier, he might have watched her concentrate on the recipe, then spontaneously started helping her. That was his favorite part, rather than the dinner itself.

When he reached the kitchen, he couldn't help but frown. Sakura's back was turned. She was arranging pots and dirty containers in the sink and doing so with very little kindness, to the point where the clangor resounded annoyingly.

"Sakura." She didn't answer his call or turn toward him, continuing with her task. The dark-haired looked around, noting that dinner had already been eaten, at least by her, and that the leftovers were piled in a plate on the kitchen counter. "You've already eaten." He observed, more addressed to himself than to her. Silence again and along with it grew his frustration.

He didn't need to try too hard to understand something was wrong, it was obvious. Sakura was angry and most likely at him.

"I thought you were going to wait for me." He didn't know whether to feel grateful or not for having at least managed to trigger a reaction that wasn't total indifference.

"I have waited for you." Judging by her tone, she was totally out of her mind and proved it by putting a plate back in the sink with so much force he was sure it had at least chipped. "For an hour and a quarter." Fuck. No, he couldn't blame her even trying. He'd deliberately wasted time delaying the moment of their meeting, and like the idiot he was now certain he had become, he hadn't thought that Sakura was waiting for him in the meantime, not knowing what had been holding him back.

"Sakura, I'm sorry. I got held-" But again she didn't allow him to finish, this time deciding to turn towards him, reserving for him a look so full of anger and resentment it startled him. She had never looked at him like that.

"And you were so busy you couldn't even warn me." He met her viridian eyes for several moments, unable to pull his own away. Then, it was she herself who deprived him of that view, after picking up a glass to place in the sink.

"You're right. I should have written to you." That was all he could say to her. He knew he had made a mistake in this case. It would have been enough for him to send her a message but he had, as usual, allowed himself to be swept away by the raging river that were his thoughts in those last days.

"You must be in a good mood to be so condescending." The dark-haired frowned again, not understanding where that statement was jumping from, so rancorous and irritated. As much as he knew he was in the wrong, he didn't think for a delay he deserved so much resentment.

"Sakura." She still gave the back to him, her palms pressed against the steel edge of the sink. He had to summon all his strength to stop himself from zeroing in on the distance between them, real and figurative, and embracing her in his arms. "Sakura..."

"But I don't care, you know? I don't care what you do, who you do it with..." He didn't miss the tremor in her voice, which gave him the impression the pink-haired girl was holding back tears. Something had happened. There necessarily had to be something else, something else she felt he was guilty of.

"Talk to me clearly, Sakura. What's the problem?" He allowed himself a few steps forward, stopping near one of the counters so it could act as a barrier to keep him from doing anything stupid.

"What's the problem? What's-" She interrupted herself, her voice now sounding more like a snarl. Then, she turned again. There were no tears in her viridian eyes. The jade irises gave off an anger of overwhelming flames. "Are you fucking kidding me, Sasuke?" She also approached the kitchen island at the opposite end, resting her clenched fists on it. "Who's Karin?" What? Of all the questions he would have expected to be asked, that wouldn't even be the last one. Not least because he was pretty sure he'd never mentioned her specifically. Why bring her up out of the blue?

"What? Why?" It was all he could articulate in that moment, in order to stall for time and try to get the pieces to fit together, to look for something that might allow him to understand the correlation between his classmate and Sakura's anger.

"Ah, you want to play dumb then? The guys told me everything. I know why you started avoiding me suddenly, why all you do is make excuses not to be with me or cancel our plans." The gears in his brain were starting to move. He was lucky he wasn't Naruto and could call himself a boy at least brilliant in intellect, otherwise he would still be navigating dark waters now.

"And may I know what they told you?" He crossed his arms over his chest, maintaining a seething frown. There was only one assignment he had given the blond, and was to pick Sakura up from the hospital and bring her home. Could it be he had managed to do damage even with something so simple?

"The truth, evidently. The one you don't have the guts to tell me." The truth. He couldn't hold back an annoyed snort. "What are you afraid of? Why don't you talk straight? You found a new toy and threw away the old one." He couldn't help but wrinkle his nose at those words, those silly things that at least made sense of the girl's behavior in front of him.

"Are you throwing me a jealousy scene, Sakura? Because if I remember correctly, you're the one who has a boyfriend." She widened her eyes, obviously outraged by his statement. That was the truth and no other. Sakura was taken, not him. Sakura had chosen to pursue Lee, whatever the reasons behind that decision, which he respected but didn't change the reality of things.

"I'm not jealous. I already told you I don't care what you do." This, on the other hand, was a lie and he was certain of it. He could read it on her face, in her words and it was a terrible realization, one that only led him to want even more to get closer to her and clear up any doubts. But he couldn't do that, because she wasn't his.

"Yet here you are smashing dishes and yelling at me. Just say it. You're okay with me picking you up and taking you to your boyfriend but not with me doing whatever I want." Sakura inhaled and exhaled deeply, her chest rising and falling in irregular rhythms. There his onyx irises lingered on a little too long.

"You're a fucking asshole, Sasuke!" Unceremoniously, the pink-haired girl retrieved a takoyaki from the plate placed on the countertop, throwing it at him hard. He barely managed to avoid it, in fact a few splashes of sauce stained his cheek. "You're the one who demanded to wheel me around and now that you don't give a shit about spending time with me anymore, you hold it against me."

"I'm not holding anything against you. I am the one telling the truth, the way things really are. You have no right to be mad at me." Especially since he really hadn't done anything wrong. Not that there would really be any problem, but he didn't have the slightest interest in Karin or any other girl than the one before him at that instant, and as much as she reciprocated that desire, he couldn't have.

"No, you're right. I should stay here and let you use me as you most prefer. First you demand I find time for you, then when you no longer need me you leave me behind. You had every right to be mad at me and I jumped through hoops to be able to be with you, even if it was just an hour a day, because you wanted it and I wanted it. And now that you've found something else to keep you busy you completely don't give a shit about me." So the problem was much more extended than he thought. The dark-haired blinked several times, mentally contemplating the situation he had created. It was true he had demanded Sakura be able to carve out time for him, because he needed it, because it was what he wanted, and he didn't accept losing every facet of their relationship after what had happened in Iwa. He had felt neglected by her, cast aside and in fact...Sasuke had just done the same thing. He hadn't thought about how the pink-haired girl might interpret that behavior, assuming it was the best thing for both of them and she would understand it. "But it's true, yeah. I have no right to be mad at you."

"Sakura, I don't know what's going on in your head. Do you think I've cast you aside for Karin?" It was absurd to even utter those words, to the point the dark-haired couldn't help but wrinkle his nose.

"I don't think you’ve done it. You did it. So I guess I don't know you at all. Who knows how many other times this had happened before me." Now she was deliberately accusing him, so she could take all her anger and frustration out on him.

"This is ridiculous. Of course I want to be with you. You're studying medicine, you're the best in the university, I didn't think you were so stupid not to realize this!" In response, rather than taming herself, Sakura threw a second takoyaki at him, which this time hit him squarely in the shoulder, staining his turtleneck sweater.

"Fuck you, Sasuke!" He was extremely quick to move, approaching the pink-haired girl quickly enough to grab her wrist before she could leave the kitchen and sanctioning the end of their conversation.

"You don't have to talk to me like this, Sakura." His tone was lower now, considering the closeness. He wetted his lips, finding himself now towering over her thanks to his greater stature. From that distance, the angry glow irradiated from her jade irises was even more distinguishable. Wrath and irritation, mixed with frustration and longing, the burning desire that gripped him too whenever they were together, so close, intent on mirroring each other's gazes.

"What? Now you also want to decide how I should speak? Don't you think you've meddled in my life more than you should have?" A violent pain flared up in his chest, mixed with anger and annoyance. He knew he couldn't blame her but he was also sure those words were due to the completely wrong idea Sakura had developed. He pulled her towards himself the instant the pink-haired girl tried to wriggle out of his grip, pressing her with the weight of his own body against the counter to her left.

"You let me. It's what you want. Otherwise you wouldn't be jealous now." Having her so close only dulled his mind, even more so after he'd held back and repressed his need for her for days, not to mention the months they'd forced themselves into a friendly relationship.

"I'm not jealous." She growled, hitting him in the center of the chest with the closed fist of her free hand. "You're the one who's too full of yourself and more. You're overbearing, annoying, and selfish." He could feel her body move spontaneously, as if her muscles were voluntarily giving in to the urge to find themselves near. And he could only reciprocate, pulling himself closer to her without letting go of his grip on her wrist.

"Don't make me angry, Sakura." He would have liked to give his own words a more resolute and decisive tone, but her warmth, her scent, the curves of her body, prevented him from having full control over himself.

"If you can't handle the truth don't talk to me, then. It should be easy for you." It might have been a mistake on his part, a misjudgment, but it was also true Sakura should have been the first to understand the reasons behind his behavior, rather than immediately coming to the conclusion he had grown tired of her, as if all that had been between them had been just his momentary whim.

"If you think it's easy for me not to talk to you, not to look for you, not to be around you, it means then you're really a stupid. Sakura..." He took advantage of the firm grip on her wrist to bring her hand behind her back, against the kitchen counter. His was pressed against hers, his fingers intertwined with hers in an inextricable grasp. "It's precisely because it's not easy that I acted as I did." The anger in her eyes hadn't faded, but awareness had been added to it. Perhaps she was realizing.

"And it didn't occur to you maybe you could have talk to me about it? You've made up your own mind for both of us. First you seek me out, then you ignore me. Everything always at your discretion, hmm? I never have any say in the matter." Rather than try to push him away from her, to again enshrine the distance they had tried every which way over those months but seemed unable to maintain, Sakura turned her hand over so she could definitely intertwine her fingers with his. It was a firm clutch, as if through it she wanted to convey to him all her rage, her frustration.

"If I don't think of the good of both of us, who will? You? You can't even do it with yourself." The pink-haired girl inhaled deeply, flaring her nostrils in irritation. They were so close that not letting his gaze fall to her full lips was impossible. It was as if annoyance, anger, disappointment ignited flames within him that went hand in hand with the fire fueled by desire, accentuating it.

"The good of both of us which happens to always be what you decide, what you want." He didn't turn his onyx irises away from her face, which for her part tightened the fingers of her free hand around a flap of his turtleneck at chest level. Eventually, their bodies found themselves inevitably pressed together as the dark-haired sought yet another contact, bringing his hand to her small back.

"You have no idea what I want." As if magnetically drawn to her, he leaned his head forward slowly until he touched her nose with his own. Her breath brushed against his skin, his lips, and he closed his eyes, his back thrilled with violent shivers of anticipation. They were so near he could feel the accelerated beat of her heart, synchronizing with his own.

"You can have it..." A brief pause, just to wet her lips, but it allowed him to lull himself for a few moments into the illusion this was true. "From the one you spend all your time with." He let out a snort in tones both frustrated and amused at the same time, not hinting at moving an inch away from her.

"So you really are jealous." A mewl of dissent and criticism broke against his lips and it was enough to provide the final push to give in completely and press them against hers. Everything he had vainly held back and suppressed violently took over, flaring up in every corner of his body. Every semblance of rationality vanished the moment the pink-haired girl let herself go in turn, returning that kiss with the same eagerness, with the same ardor. Selfish. A faint voice coming from the depths of his conscience. He really was, aching to satisfy what he wanted, unable to deprive himself of what he should not have yearned for.

He invaded her mouth with his tongue, tasting her as if for the first time, craving and ravenous. Kissing her as if she was his, he felt an unusual and filling sense of wholeness and belonging. That taste, that softness he had been able to test on a few occasions, was etched in his memory, as familiar as if he had been able to enjoy it on a daily basis and at the same time so coveted it led him to wonder how he had not gone insane without it.

"Sasuke..." I don't care. He couldn't accept she wanted to stop him, but in fact her breathy whisper seemed to be more of an incitement than a rebuke. His lips moved to her neck, urged on by her light, inebriating moans. Instead, his hand left his grip on hers, joining the other so he could lift and rest her none too gently on the counter behind her. "Sasuke...we're in the kitchen." I don't care. It was a risk he was all too willing to take. Besides, her mother was in Yuki for a report and when that happened his father always came home later from the office, sometimes even late at night. Despite her words, Sakura clasped his figure between her legs, surrounding his hips with them. His hands slipped beneath her burgundy sweater and the sensation of her burning skin under his fingertips, combined with the urgent way their bodies rubbed against each other, seeking a taste of the pleasure they craved, prevented him from holding back a groan, which the dark-haired suppressed by seeking her lips again. He parted shortly after, only to slip off her sweater, rushing his face to every inch of skin her white tank top allowed him to reach. "We were still talking..." I don't care. There was nothing else to say, the situation was clear enough for both of them. Talking wasn't going to change things, it would only fuel guilt and rationality, and that wasn't the time for them. Sakura herself didn't seem at all inclined to continue the conversation, her hips moving spontaneously against his body, their sexes seeking and teasing each other, pulsing and waiting for their growing desire to finally be satisfied. "I’m still mad at you."

"I don't think so." He mumbled, not even deigning to pull away from her chest, where he ran his lips along her collarbone to her shoulder, against which he pressed his teeth, earning a higher-pitched moan. Contradicting herself, Sakura insinuated her hands underneath his turtleneck, depriving him of the contact with her skin long enough to slip the garment off. She then kissed him again, sinking her fingers into his raven hair, while her other hand slowly traveled down his chest, to his abdomen, finally reaching for his belt. Sasuke moaned against her lips, bringing both hands to her buttocks to led her arousing movements. "Fuck, Sakura..." He grunted then, his eyes closed, his senses dulled. "You wear nothing but skirts everyday, why pants just today?" A complaint expressed the instant his fingers tightened around her thigh, wrapped in the fabric of her jeans.

"Sasuke!" Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. "Sakura?!" He didn't loosen his grip on her, instead using it to immediately put her back on the floor, so vigorously she lost her balance and forced her to hold herself against the sink to keep from falling. His heart had never beaten so frantically, threatening to explode at any moment. "Are you in the kitchen?" His cousin's voice reached him moments before his face peeped through the door. Upon seeing them he widened his eyes, then blinked several times. "Caught in the act. Wait, I have to take a picture for Itach-"

"We were eating." Very believable. The scene was all too telling, although they were no longer clinging to each other, so Sakura's words were not at all convincing, especially when spoken in that labored tone, her cheeks flushed, her face unsatisfied. He imagined he was wearing the same expression of disappointment.

"Of course, you were definitely eating something." The pink-haired girl was quicker than he was to put on the sweater, covering the blush that was beginning to spread along the path his lips had traveled along her skin. "I didn't know the new Uchiha-usance was eating half-naked. I'll have to tell Itachi." And Shisui smiled slyly, letting his dark irises slide from the dark-haired's figure to Sakura's.

"We smudged ourselves with the takoyaki." She was the one who kept making excuses to deny what was now obvious. Sasuke merely fell silent, sighing and then running a hand through his shaggy raven hair. "Look!" And she showed him the stain she herself had caused on the dark-haired's gray sweater, freshly picked up from the floor.

"And so you undressed because it was too embarrassing to eat with a stain, I guess." Shisui nodded thoughtfully, taking on a false thoughtful expression, as if he was really pondering whether or not to believe that nonsense. "Did you get your belt dirty too? Or did it undo itself? Did too many takoyaki fill your tummy to that point? And what is the excuse for the boner? Too excited about dinner?" Both he and Sakura brought their gaze to the hem of his pants, where both the unfastened buckle and the obvious bulge in the fabric left no more room for interpretation, to the point where even the pink-haired girl had to resign herself. In fact, she sighed deeply, tossing him the turtleneck, and then leaned back against the counter on which only moments before she had been seated, sinking her face into her hands.

"What the fuck are you doing in my house at ten-thirty in the evening?" He decided to speak in turn, wearing his top garment at the same time. He didn't bother to assume a neutral tone. He wanted Shisui to sense all of his current resentment.

"I was coming home from work and you know your house is on the way to mine. I thought why not stop by and say hello to my little cousins! I thought I'd give you a welcome surprise." His smile suggested instead he was fully aware his presence at the moment was not at all pleasant, for either of them. "Maybe I had bad timing though...if only I had arrived a little later I would have had something to think about tonight!"

"Why don't you leave? You came, you said hello, you busted my balls, now leave." He crossed his arms over his chest, resting against the refrigerator behind him. His onyx irises sought out Sakura's now tremendously silent figure. He could imagine why. With the bath of lucidity she had just received, she was regretting, being consumed by guilt. In addition, there was the embarrassment of being caught, though aware Shisui would certainly not expose them with their parents.

"Maybe I should stay a while. I'd do it for you, neh. Someone will have to keep you from going on and being caught in the act this time by Uncle Fugaku." It was only at that point the pink-haired girl moved her hands away from her face, solely to reserve a murderous glare for the eldest of the Uchiha.

"What do you want?" It was rare for Sakura to use that exasperated and frustrated tone, but no circumstance was more fitting than the one they found themselves in at that moment. Shisui sidled up to the kitchen island, widening the smile already on his face as he noticed the takoyaki littering the floor.

"I told you, my sweet Sakura. In fact you should thank me because I think I saved your cute little asses. I can tell you're really inexperienced about clandestine relationships." The eldest of the Uchiha reached out a hand to the plate still on the counter, taking a takoyaki for himself and bringing it to his lips.

"And you're the expert instead?" Snapped back the dark-haired, venomous and not at all inclined to be provoked by his cousin, not now that his level of resentment towards the other had reached exorbitant peaks. On the one hand he could agree with him. If he hadn't come along, they would have risked being caught in the act by his father. However, he couldn't stop thinking about the pleasurable sensation of Sakura's body pressed against his own, her sensual moans, her soft lips...and it was Shisui who had deprived him of it.

"Modestly." Sasuke rolled his eyes, huffing with irritation. At the same time, the pink-haired girl was trying to make up for her embarrassment by keeping busy, picking up food from the floor she herself had thrown only moments before.

"If you were that good we wouldn't have noticed anything, would we?" They were unexpected words from her. He didn't believe between the two of them she was the one most willing to expose Shisui and Itachi, or at least the one quickest to do so.

"Why? What would you have noticed?" The eldest of the Uchiha asked, arching his eyebrows. He didn't seem the least bit upset by it. Perhaps that meant they didn't really intend to hide it, not from them at least. Also because in their presence the behavior of the two had been quite explicit. Maybe they trusted them enough to uncover themselves.

"We know about you and Itachi. We know you're not just roommates." The dark-haired interjected, not budging from his position. Shisui's expression did not change one bit. He seemed neither surprised nor concerned. So truly their intent was to come out, but without verbally expressing themselves about it.

"All the more reason to trust me, right? We're in the same boat. Can you imagine? Fugaku Uchiha, renowned lawyer, patriarch of one of the most respectable families in Konoha, and his two brilliant scions. One sleeps with his cousin, the other fucks his step-sister." Both Sasuke and the pink-haired girl wrinkled their noses, a reaction that only seemed to fuel Shisui's senseless and misplaced hilarity.

"This is no laughing matter." He glowered at him, then searched his onyx irises for Sakura's figure, this time busy with the dirty dishes in the sink. Anything to try and ease the embarrassment.

"Our parents aren't even married." An essential clarification came from her. "So we're nothing more than roommates." If he hadn't been filled with frustration he would have smiled. He had been the one to call them that during the first few weeks of forced cohabitation, when they had found themselves catapulted into that uncomfortable situation. Back then he could not have imagined it would even get worse as the months went by.

"Oh sure, you're right. That really changes everything. There's absolutely nothing problematic about it, no no." Sakura replied with a frustrated sigh at Shisui's sarcasm. "Can I at least know how long this has been going on? I have a bet with Itachi to win."

"Now I'm going to kick you out." The elder of the two Uchiha raised his hands in surrender, not abandoning that irreverent, irritating smirk.

"There’s nothing going on. Nothing ever happened." Sakura's was a lie, but in reality it could really be said not much had happened since they had found out about the relationship between their respective parents. Nothing physical and carnal at least, with the exception of that single kiss in Iwa.

"Don't play with me, sweet Sakura. I'm almost ten years older than you. According to Itachi you've been weird since the first few weeks even, but I supposed you had at least a couple of qualms initially, right?" The pink-haired girl turned to him, reserving a pleading look, begging him to somehow bring that awkward discussion to an end.

"Shisui." He called his attention, moving closer to Sakura just enough to attempt to alleviate her obvious discomfort. He knew that to worsening an already problematic affair, as his cousin had called it, was a pressing and unbearable sense of guilt on her part. Now it must have even intensified. "Stop it." He concluded, returning his gaze to the other.

"All right, all right!" He conceded, perhaps realizing he was making himself inappropriate with his insistence. "We'll talk again when you're less frustrated." But he did not spare them yet another provocation. Rather than give them a break and walk away though, he decided to approach, even bringing a hand to Sakura's shoulder, demanding her attention. Now his face was strangely serious. "I know how you feel. So if you need anything, anything at all, you can count on me and Itachi." He expected yet another mocking, sarcastic comment, but it did not come. Shisui merely gently squeezed her shoulder. As he walked away, he began to search his pockets, pulling out what looked like his house keys. "I'm not telling you to use them. I'm just leaving them here. In case you want some privacy without the fear of being discovered. You know our schedule so…" Following an eloquent wink, the eldest of the two Uchiha took his leave, leaving them alone and wrapped in an oppressive silence, broken only by the pelt of water from the faucet.

He looked at Sakura, whose jade irises were fixed on the pile of dishes piled up in the sink, completely absorbed in her own thoughts. She no longer even bothered to pretend to want to keep herself busy. After a few moments of unspoken contemplation, Sasuke sighed, leaning over her to press his lips against her head, lingering several moments to allow a few pink locks to tickle his face as well as her scent to inebriate him. It was impossible to stop the ardor he had felt just before from flaring up again, not least because even his cousin's intrusion hadn't really calmed him down. However now the priority was another, judging by the expression painted on her face.

"I'm sorry." For what, exactly? Not for kissing her, not for touching her, not for desiring her and craving her still. He was, however, increasingly sorry for the dire situation they found themselves in, unable to come out of it, no matter what solution they tried. He was sorry for making her think he wanted to put her aside, that their bond was worthless in his eyes, when in fact it was quite the opposite and that was precisely why he felt sorry. He cared about her to the point he found himself unable to let her go, even when staying meant causing her the suffering he wished he could have avoided. "Are you okay with me driving you tomorrow?" Sakura kept her gaze down for several moments, as if she hadn't heard him or as if she didn't know what answer to give him. Or rather, she was aware of what she should have said to him as well as of what she wanted to say to him and so she was in conflict with herself, as usual. Then she lifted her gaze, allowing him to be mirrored in her bright jade irises. The only thing that wasn't in doubt was what she yearned, what she could convey to him with that simple look, taken him back with ease to that night at the lake, when the inexpressible had been expressed.

"Yes." And she smiled at him, nodding her head to emphasize her statement. It was she who undone the distance between them, so she could encircle him with her arms and rest her head against his chest. It was a spontaneous and natural gesture, like all the ones they exchanged, but at the same time it seemed tremendously different, tinged with a sort of unexpected determination. "I'll talk to Lee after the operation." With his arm embracing her shoulders, Sasuke blinked several times, stunned by the unexpected words, by the meaning they held.

It was something he had felt before in Iwa, but extremely amplified. A hope mixed with the fear he might be deceived again and that once again he would be deprived of what he desired and needed. He lowered his gaze to hers, all the while bringing a hand to her chin to meet her viridian eyes. The guilt was vivid and burning but in no way affected her resolve. In fact, it fueled it.

"I'll wait then."