Archive of Our Own ^beta

Sakura looked at the documents in her hands, brows furrowed. "So," she began. "I'm supposed to just deliver herbs?"

"Well, if you put it like that ," Kakashi replied. "It sounds like I'm making you do errands. Is there a problem?"

Sakura sighed. It was a B rank mission at most, considering the distance of Amegakure from Konoha. She was a Jounin now. Surely, she was no longer at a level to be doing mundane work. But she didn't want to sound haughty.

"No, Kakashi-sensei," she conceded. "Then, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

"Why is everyone always in a hurry?" Kakashi said.

"Aren't you just too laid back as always?" Sakura countered.

Kakashi laughed. "Maybe so. But we haven't seen each other for a while. Why don't you sit down and have a chat with me?"

Sakura decided to humor her former sensei and sat. "Is Naruto giving you a hard time, Sensei ?"

"No, no, not really. He just complains a lot and is always loud, that's all."

Knock, knock.

Sakura raised her eyebrows at Kakashi, wondering if he was expecting someone else this early in the morning.

"Come in."

The door creaked and footsteps made their way to where they were seated.

"I've come to make a report."

Sakura didn't have to turn to know whom the voice belonged to. It was deeper, somewhat huskier, probably from sleep or exhaustion. But it was his voice, there was no doubt about it.

"About time, Sasuke," Kakashi said.

Sakura heard him come closer, so close that she could see him in her peripheral vision. Was it because she was sitting or did he grow so much taller than she remembered? Her chest tightened. How he still had this effect on her after so many years was beyond her.

Sasuke laid several scrolls in front of Kakashi and proceeded to make his report.

Sakura gathered herself and stood up. "Then, I'll leave first."

"No, Sakura," Kakashi said. "You'd have to hear the rest. Sasuke has information on another aspect of your mission."

Their gazes met. If Sasuke was as surprised as she was, he didn't show any trace of it. The younger man turned his attention back to Kakashi as she reluctantly sat back down.

Kakashi opened one of the scrolls and skimmed through it, asking questions here and there. After Sasuke efficiently provided more information, Kakashi nodded and put the scroll aside. This exchange went on for the other three scrolls.

When Rokudaime picked up the last scroll, he gave Sakura a stern look. Pay attention now , was what it meant.

"I also looked into the matter of Amegakure," Sasuke began. "They haven't only requested supplies from Konoha but from other villages as well. I met up with their leader, Abe Tetsuya, and he claimed to have no knowledge about this beforehand. Before I left, they sent a small unit to investigate the matter. A few days ago, I received word that an epidemic has spread throughout the village."

"An epidemic?" Sakura gasped, earning a glance from Sasuke.

"Yes," he told her. "The symptoms include fever and chills, productive cough, wheezing. No deaths have been recorded but the sickness has been affecting young children and newborns, causing the concern of the villagers."

Sakura's eyes darted toward Kakashi, who readily handed her the scroll before she could ask for it.

"They also-" Sasuke continued but Kakashi held up a hand to silence him, nodding at Sakura, who was intently reading the scroll.

The silence in the room lasted several minutes before Sakura stood up and said, "I have to go, Kakashi- sensei ."

"You’re dismissed."

Sakura ran to the door, letting it close with a loud thud.

Kakashi chuckled. "Good work, Sasuke. You can go rest until she's ready to go."

Sasuke frowned. "What do you mean?"

"We don't know what we're dealing with and I'm not letting my beloved student go alone," he said. "Anyway, you just have to stay with her until you can be sure to send her back. You can go your own way from there."

His frown deepened. "Why me?"

"Actually, it doesn't have to be you ," Kakashi waved a hand in dismissal. "But Naruto and Shikamaru are on a diplomatic mission, Ino is not letting me borrow Sai, and well, I have boring Hokage duties. I can't send ANBU. Most of the Jounin are also on missions, if I send anymore then I'd end up dying protecting the village alone if things get awry. We have plenty of new Chuunins but Sakura will probably end up protecting them instead. So... yeah."

Sasuke could only sigh.

Sasuke could only sigh. Again . He was usually a patient person, except when it came to Naruto. But standing in the summer heat for almost an hour was taking its toll on him.

"Sasuke- kun !"

Sasuke turned his head to the voice. Sakura was running toward him, a bulging backpack almost half her size behind her. It looked heavy but she wasn’t breaking a sweat. For a moment, a younger, smaller, longer-haired Sakura flashed in his mind’s eye, visibly struggling to pull unconscious teammates out of harm’s way. But that was then and this was now.

"I'm sorry for making you wait, Sasuke- kun ," she said as she caught up.

"Hn."

"Shall we go?"

Sasuke started walking past the gate, trying to match Sakura’s pace.

"How are you doing? It's really been a while, huh?"

"I’m fine."

Sakura stretched her arms up and took a deep breath. "Ah, it feels nice to be out once in a while. It must be nice, going around, meeting new people, trying new stuff. You must have had a lot of fun, huh, Sasuke- kun ?"

"Hn."

She scoffed. That caught his attention. Sakura never scoffed at him. Well, the girl he knew never used to. He gave her a sideways glance.

"You still don't talk much, do you?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort but decided to let it go.

"Kakashi- sensei told me about the arrangement," she began, her tone somber. "You'll just take me to the village, ensure my safe return, then go."

Sasuke nodded.

"When do you plan to go home, Sasuke- kun ?"

‘This village is not home,’ was at the tip of his tongue. ‘It hasn’t been for a long time.’ But he couldn't bring himself to tell her. He was fully aware of her hopeful gaze but he only said, "I don't know."

"I see."

"I think I see a cave up ahead," Sasuke’s voice was almost drowned out by the sound of heavy rain. "Follow me." Sakura nodded.

At full speed, they reached it in under five minutes. Sakura followed Sasuke to a cliff face with an opening that was only as tall as her. The interior, however, was spacious enough for two people. Their wet sandals made squishing sounds against the dirt. When Sakura's eyes adjusted well enough in the dimly lit space, she went to the far corner and put her backpack down.

"I'll get the fire going," Sasuke said, his deep voice reverberating throughout the cave. Or was it Sakura's imagination? She looked over her shoulder just as he disappeared into the downpour.

Once she was certain that his chakra signature was at an adequate distance, Sakura removed her cloak and laid it on top of one the stones jutting out from the wall. She was dripping wet from head to toe and quickly rummaged inside her pack for a change of clothes. As she removed her shirt, her imagination led her to the possibility of Sasuke walking in on her and-

Sakura closed her eyes in embarrassment and inwardly berated herself for having these kinds of thoughts. She quickly and methodically dried herself and changed. Several minutes later, she heard footsteps and the thud of wood against rock.

Finally finding a suitable dry patch of ground, Sasuke carefully arranged the pieces of firewood he gathered in the center of the cave. Satisfied, he breathed fire into the kindling and the cave was illuminated by an orange glow.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun.”

"Hn." Sasuke moved toward the opposite side of the cave where he removed his poncho and hung it close to the fire. He wrung the edges of his shirt and put his satchel and kusanagi close beside where he sat. 

Sasuke took a bite out of the onigiri Sakura gave him. It tasted different. Not bad, just… different. More like a soldier pill. He wondered if she made it. He heard stories about those things from Naruto but he was never able to try some.

He chanced a glance over to where she was laying down wet scrolls and parchments on the ground, her own onigiri forgotten behind her.

Sakura knelt down and performed a sequence of hand seals Sasuke was not familiar with. In an instant, ink from the scrolls slithered out of the paper and took the shape of little birds hovering around Sakura. Sakura gathered up the blank pages and hung them near the fire. Once done, she sat down and ate her onigiri.

"Neat, huh?"

It was so like her to fill the silence with chatter. Normally, Sasuke would prefer to rest quietly and wait for the rain to pass. Curiously, however, he welcomed her effort and responded. "What is it?"

"It was something Sai taught me. It's a variation of one of his techniques," she began. "One time, we had to jump into a river while carrying vital intel to erase our tracks from the enemy. I was frustrated when we got back and saw everything smudged. Then Sai, as smug as always, retrieved the written words using this technique. We were saved from Shisou 's wrath that day." She giggled and finally munched on her onigiri. "It's very useful."

"You should have kept them in a storage scroll, instead," Sasuke offered. "They would have been safe from outside forces and you wouldn't have to bring all those along." He flicked his head in the direction of the blank pages.

Sakura gave her a look. Was it irritation? "Well, to each his or her own, I guess," she quipped.

When Sasuke finished his third onigiri, he dusted himself off and said, "I'll take the first watch."

"No, I'll do it," Sakura volunteered. "I'd have to brew the other medicines anyway so you should rest first." Sasuke was about to reason out to her but she cut him off. "I'll be fine, Sasuke- kun . Go on and rest. I insist."

Sasuke looked on as she took out a huge scroll which had been taking up the bulk of the bag. She laid it out on the ground and performed another series of hand seals, this time, something he knew by heart. With a puff of smoke, differently sized vials containing liquids and herbs appeared on the scroll.

"See?" Sakura said, chuckling. "I am familiar with storage scrolls."

Within seconds, Sakura was opening and sniffing the vials, grouping them in different clusters. All her attention was consumed by the task at hand. Sasuke heard she was a workaholic all too often. Conceding defeat, he let his back rest against the cave wall, legs crossed beneath him. Falling into habit, he took his kusanagi and crossed his arm around it.

Sleep did not come, however, no matter how adamant he was to. Sasuke tentatively opened his eyes, angling himself just enough so his bangs covered them.

He watched Sakura mix the contents of one vial to another and scribble down a small piece of parchment. The fire made her skin glow, her shadow dancing behind her. Her brows were furrowed, forehead covered with a sheen of sweat.

Sakura crawled over to a small cauldron poised above the fire and stirred whatever was in it. She pouted. Sasuke tried to hide the smirk forming on his lips. ' Something must be wrong ,' he thought. Sakura crossed her arms in front of her and glared at the cauldron, green eyes drinking the light. She reached out for a small notebook among her myriad of things and flipped through the pages. She skimmed through a page and, with realization, dove inside her bag. She flung a stalk of some herb into the pot and stirred it again.

"Ha!" she exclaimed under her breath. Satisfied with whatever it was she was doing,  exhaustion took over her features. She stretched her arms up and yawned. "I wonder what time it is," he heard her muse.

She took the pot off the fire and resealed the vials into the scroll before she turned her head to him. He closed his eyes in an instant and hoped his bangs were long enough.

Sasuke could feel her coming closer. "Sasuke- kun ," she whispered.

Sasuke debated with himself how many times he should let Sakura call him before he feigned waking up. 'Two. No, three,' he thought. 'Three's good.'

Seconds passed but nothing came.

Instead, he felt his bangs being gently swept away from his face.

"Sasuke- kun ," Sakura said, almost inaudible, her tone laced with melancholy.

'That's two,' Sasuke thought. 'Maybe I should settle with two.' When he was about to open his eyes, Sakura's warm hand ghosted over his cheek, her thumb barely stroking it. Sasuke froze.

Silence stretched between them with only the sound of wood cracking in the heat of the flames resounding around them. Sasuke knew his whole body was rigid but he was hesitant to move even the slightest.

After what felt like an eternity, Sakura withdrew her hand and sighed. "Sasuke- kun ," she said, firmly now. She patted his shoulder. Hard. "Sasuke- kun ," now a little louder. Sasuke opened his eyes. "Are you awake now? It's your turn to stand watch."

Sasuke swallowed and realized how dry his throat was. "Hn."

"Sasuke- kun !" Sakura called, but he didn't show any sign of hearing her. "Sasuke- kun !" She tried again. Sasuke was going faster than usual and she was falling behind. On one hand, it was good. At the rate they were going, they'd reach Amegakure by midnight. But she was worried. Sasuke looked so tired this morning even when she let him rest for more than the agreed time.

Sakura concentrated chakra to her feet and timed its release to her jump, hoping she could catch up with him. In three bounds, she caught up to his heel.

"Sasuke- kun ," she called again. This time, Sasuke tilted his head in her direction. "Are you okay?"

Without meeting her eyes, he said, "Of course."

"What's the hurry, then? Did something happen?" Sakura wondered. "Did they send any status report last night? Is it getting worse?"

"No," Sasuke said. "But it's better if we get there quickly before it rains again."

Of course, it was for everyone’s best interest if they could get to Amegakure faster. Was it so wrong, though, to stretch out what little time she had with him? Once they get there and she finished the mission, he will be gone. Again. For who-knows-how-long. She shook her head. 'No,' she thought. 'He needs space and I will give it to him.' Wishing for more than that was only setting her up for heartbreak.

Once again, she fueled her feet with chakra and leapt.

Sakura was right. They arrived at the gates of the village past midnight. It was raining again, as is customary in Amegakure, but compared to the tempest the other day, this was a drizzle. Guards took time in inspecting them. 'Even in this time of peace, old habits die hard,' she thought. 'At least they were friendlier now.'

"Uchiha- dono ," a voice called. Sasuke nodded in acknowledgment. "We appreciate your quick correspondence. We-"

Sakura met the man's blue eyes. He was as tall as Sasuke, if not taller, with fair skin and messy brown hair. He was staring at her so she felt obliged to introduce herself.

"Hi," she began. "I'm Haruno Sakura, a medic-nin sent by Konoha to investigate and aid in this matter. Nice to meet you." She extended her hand to him.

The man shook it. "The pleasure is mine, Haruno- san . My name is Abe Tetsuya. I am the head medic-nin in-charge of this case." He smiled and all the rough edges made way to his boyish looks.

Sakura returned the warm gesture. "Then I guess we'd be seeing a lot of each other, Abe- san ."

He scratched the back of his head. "I look forward to it. Now, if you'll follow me..."

Amegakure's hospital was huge and spacious. It was filled with the same sterile smell, harried footsteps of both medics, nurses and relatives, and the beeping of numerous equipment. But the gray skies outside made it look gloomy.

"We have isolated all the patients in the topmost ward in hopes we could prevent further spread," Abe said while leading Sakura.

"Census?" Sakura inquired.

"An hour ago, we had 50 kids up there. But the rate of spread is erratic.”

"Labs?"

"Blood count, platelet count, serum chemistry, blood and sputum cultures were done."

"Can I access all of them?"

"Yes, they are all in the hospital database."

"Updated?"

"Real-time."

Sakura grinned. Amegakure technology was the most advanced, after all.

"If you need anything, you can push this button and we'll come up as soon as we can," said the owner of the lodge, pointing to a small green button on the left side of the room, near the head of one of the beds. "If there’s nothing else, I'll take my leave, Uchiha- dono ."

Sasuke nodded and the old man bowed before closing the door behind him. He set his bag on an empty chair near the door. The room was big and well furnished. The two beds took up most of the space but there was a bathroom on the right, a couch near the door and a small dining table for four.

The clock on the wall said 3:15 am. No wonder he was tired. That, and the fact that he wasn't able to sleep a blink last night because she... The memory was beginning to resurface and he decided to take a shower to clear it.

The water was warm and it relaxed his body. He stood under the shower, taking time to let the water flow all over him. After several minutes, he went back to the room and changed into spare clothes, leaving his used ones in a hamper.

He looked at the clock again. 3:45. Sakura wasn't back yet. Maybe he shouldn't have left her. No. He would only be a bother when she had work to do. He decided to kill time until he felt sleepy by reading the scrolls he bought from his travels.

4:15. He finished reading two scrolls already. Maybe he shouldn't have left her. Sasuke did push-ups in the middle of the room. Then sit-ups. Then handstands.

4:45. He really shouldn't have left her. Should he go back to the hospital? No, she can take care of herself. He laid down on the bed and closed his eyes. Maybe he should send a hawk summon? Then what?

'I should rest. She'll be back soon.’ He stared at the ceiling and let the steady ticking of the clock lull him to sleep.

Sasuke jerked awake. He looked over to the other bed. Empty. He looked at the clock. 11:00 am. He bolted up and surveyed the room, then the bathroom. No sign of Sakura ever being here.

He knew he was being stupid but he still took his poncho and his kusanagi and locked the door behind him.

He reached the hospital in no time and went straight to the ward on the top floor. He knocked on a door labeled Medic Lounge. No answer. It took a few more before the door finally opened.

"Sasuke- kun ," Sakura said. "Good morning."

"You didn't go to the inn," Sasuke replied.

"Oh, yeah," Sakura chuckled. "Sorry about that. I got caught up with work and I didn't keep track of time. Come in." She opened the door wider to let him through.

Sasuke looked around. The space was quaint in comparison to the room he spent the night in. The aroma of coffee filled the room. On the far end, he saw a figure slumped on the table.

"Tetsuya- senpai kept me company almost all night."

'Tetsuya... senpai?' Sasuke thought.

"Oh?" a gruff voice said. "What time is it?"

"Are you up?" Sakura said, handing the man a cup of coffee. "It's 11:30, I think."

"11:30?!" He exclaimed, taking the cup and offering Sakura a small nod in thanks. "Are you serious?!"

Sakura giggled. "I didn't have the heart to wake you up."

Tetsuya gulped the coffee down and put it on the table. "I'm sorry but I have to go. I'll see you later, okay?" He mussed Sakura's hair and nodded in Sasuke's direction in greeting before he ran out the door.

"Results of the lab results point to a bacterial infection," Sakura told Sasuke, laying down the documents in front of him. "However, the rate of spread was too fast and it can only be attributed to a virus. Next, I reviewed the patients' histories and profiles.

"Patient zero is the daughter of a merchant. The family came home after a week-long vacation on a newly acquired island in the north."

"This island has been uninhabited before the family bought it," Tetsuya supplied. "We're thinking the girl was infected there and brought the virus here."

"Then, we studied the pattern of spread. True enough, her friends were the ones who got it first, then their siblings and friends and so on," Sakura said. "The incubation period is around 7-10 days."

Tetsuya nodded. "The virus replicates during that time and by the time symptoms appear, we're talking massive viral load in the bloodstream. Blood samples also showed positive results to a multi-drug resistant bacteria. Fortunately, Sakura here is currently developing a new medicine."

Even after hearing it multiple times, Sasuke still didn't like hearing him say her name. It was too casual, too... familiar.

"Yes. The antibiotic I'm developing will be ready in 2 days, then we can try them on one or two kids. But not the infants. We still need to titrate the dose depending on the results from the trial. Hopefully, all goes according to plan."

"I hope so, too, Sakura," Tetsuya said. He looked around. "Are there any more questions?"

Gathered around them were Amegakure's premier medical team, headed by Abe Tetsuya. The table was quiet and Sasuke saw awe on their faces. Others were more skeptical but still hopeful.

"If there are no more questions, I declare this meeting adjourned," Tetsuya said. Just then, a young woman with brown hair and bright blue eyes raised her hand. "What is it, Hikari?"

"I would like to assist Sakura- san in any way possible," she said, eyes darting toward Sakura. "I'm just an intern but..."

Sakura regarded her with a smile. "I would gladly accept your help, Hikari- san . Thank you." She bowed to the young girl, who returned it earnestly.

"We are all at your disposal, Sakura," Tetsuya said with an easy smile.

After the last person, including Abe, went out of the room, Sakura said, "That went better than expected. I was sure they'd have reservations, with us being outsiders and all."

"They know you're here to help. They can't dismiss you easily," Sasuke replied.

Sakura smiled at him. Once again, he was reminded of a little girl who used to reserve a smile like that just for him. "Then, Sasuke-kun, are you hungry? I know I am."

"Hn."

Sakura was yawning when she heard tapping on one of the glass windows of the laboratory. She turned to find Abe Tetsuya waving at her. She waved back and raised her eyebrows in question. He mouthed 'come here.'

Sakura wondered why he couldn't just come inside. He practically owns the facility. She looked at the clock. 1 am.

' Wow, ' she thought. ' Time flew by real quick .' She wondered what Tetsuya was doing here at this hour. Not that she had any right to question him as they established early on that they were both workaholics.

"What is it?" she asked him once she was out the door. He put a finger on his lips and pointed at the far corner of the lounge.

Sakura looked in the direction he was pointing. Sitting there with his back flat against the wall was Sasuke.

"I checked up on you in the morning and he was already here. Looks like he never left," Tetsuya whispered in her ear. "He's stubborn, isn't he? Well, shouldn't be a surprise taking into account what he's done in the past."

Sakura opened her mouth to retort but Tetsuya patted the top of her head. "You should go rest. Both of you. Go back to the inn. I'm locking up in an hour." With that, he went away.

Sakura knelt beside Sasuke, his chest rising and falling in rhythmic breaths. She wanted to touch him but last time she did, his chakra spiked and his whole body went rigid, muscles taut as if ready for a fight. Sasuke had always been a light sleeper. She smiled ruefully.

All he's done in the past. Sakura's heart ached for him. Will he ever be able to escape from that dark chapter in his life? She knew it would always be something that lived in the recesses of his mind, a monster waiting to pull him back again. Even with Naruto and Kakashi- sensei and her around. Always . There were times when she wanted to lash out at the people who didn't understand, those who didn't know any better. But Sasuke endured them all in silence. 

She wished he would speak up more. That selfish voice in her pointed out that she wanted him to open up, not to just anyone, but to her specifically. If only she would feel like she meant something to him. Just like Naruto. But that was the problem, wasn’t it? She didn’t want him to feel obligated to do anything for her. Not after everything he had been through.

Still…

' Sasuke-kun, are you really asleep? ' Sakura thought. "Sasuke- kun ," she whispered.

Sasuke opened his eyes instantly and met hers. Sakura realized how close they were and backed away. But Sasuke held her wrist and said, "What is it?"

Trying to suppress the blush creeping up her neck to her face, Sakura smiled and said, "It's late. Should we head back?"

"It worked," Sakura told him, her whole being exuding an almost tangible mix of elation, relief and triumph. "It worked, Sasuke- kun ! The medicine worked!" The corners of Sasuke's lips curled up.

"You did well," he said.

A week ago, they started administering the prototype drugs to the children, one in each specific age group. Today marked the end of the trial and blood samples were taken from the children again. The results showed a significant decrease in the viral and bacterial load.

"Sakura- san ," a small voice called from behind them. Sasuke vaguely recognized her as the girl from the meeting. "We will start mass production of the antibiotic later today, with modifications on the doses and dosing schedule."

"Yes, the sooner, the better," Abe said behind her. "This is all thanks to you, Sakura. We owe you a lot."

"We all did our part," she said. "You and your team helped a lot, too. You should take credit."

The three of them were soon ushered away by one of the medics in Abe's team, discussing what they should do next. Sasuke was left in one corner, eyes trained on only one face in the crowd in front of him.

She looked small and fragile amidst the tall men and slender women of Amegakure. But she stood out. She always did. Not because of her hair or her clothes, though they were too bright and too... short , in his opinion.

She stood out because she was Haruno Sakura.

He thought about how much she changed. Her hair was kept short, more often than not. She once told him she thought he liked girls with long hair. It was true. He liked it because his mother had long hair. Itachi, too. It didn't matter to him now.

She was more confident now as well. She spoke her mind all the time, even to him. That took a lot of getting used to. Her habits and gestures were more... womanly now too. Once, Naruto remarked Tsunade must have taught her seduction tactics on the side and she replied with a curt, ' What about it? ' She didn’t deny it but Naruto shut up after that. And no, Sasuke wasn’t curious about that at all.

"Didn't anybody ever tell you it's rude to stare?" Abe Tetsuya only chuckled as he received Sasuke’s glare. "It was a joke. You don't need to be defensive about it."

Sasuke looked away. "What do you want?" 

"Nothing, just hanging out.”

They stood there for several uncomfortable seconds until Abe said, "She is beautiful ." Sasuke gave him a sidelong glance. "Don't you think so?"

"Hn."

"You are a very lucky guy, you know that, right?" he said. Sasuke didn't reply. "In case you didn't know, I'm saying it now."

"What are you talking about?"

Abe scoffed. "I'm saying pick up your pace, kid."

Sasuke stepped out of the shower, hair dripping wet, still half-naked. The moment he realized he was only clad in a towel, his eyes darted toward Sakura. Thankfully, Sakura sat on her bed, back facing him. Sasuke snatched the neatly folded robe on the lower edge of his bed and hastily put it on.

"Sasuke- kun ," Sakura said, making her way to him.

"What?"

"Let me see your arm," she said. Sasuke's brows furrowed but raised his right arm. "The other one," she said, rolling her eyes.

Sasuke briefly wondered if she was aware of these faces she was making at him. "Why?"

"Because I need to examine it.”

Again with that tone of voice. Sasuke thought he would never get used to this way of speaking. Not from Sakura. Especially when she was addressing him. He was going to say he was fine when Sakura plopped down on his bed, gently pulling his stump to make him sit beside her.

"No, you're not fine," she said. In an instant, green chakra lit up Sakura's hands and he felt warm. "I see it, you know? I see when you try to reach something with your left hand, only to realize it's too short or the angle is all wrong. I see you grimace from time to time when you move it so suddenly."

Sasuke's frown deepened. When exactly did she see him do all those things?

"It's been so long, Sasuke- kun . Why don't you go to Tsunade- shishou to get your prosthetic arm?"

"Because I don't need it," he said stubbornly. "I can manage with only my right arm just fine. Besides, it... it is a reminder of what I did."

"Why do you always try to take on the burden on your own?" The sadness in her voice was palpable. "That was all in the past. It's time to move on, Sasuke-kun. Go forward."

"I can't just forget the past, Sakura."

"I'm not telling you to forget it. I'm asking you to focus on the present and plan the future," she said, wrapping his arm in a fresh set of bandages. "We can't erase the past, Sasuke- kun . But if you dwell on it too much, it will haunt you." She shook her head. " You will haunt yourself."

Sasuke knew that. He knew that but he still lingered in regret and repentance. How he abandoned them and hurt them. How he tried to kill them when he went deeper into the darkness. And how they never gave up on him. He wished he could make it all up to them, Naruto and Sakura and Kakashi. Team Seven. His second family. His new family.

But any thought of this new family connected by bonds would automatically loop him back to the fact that he had one once, connected by blood. And whatever amends he would like to extend to them will immediately be snatched up by the hatred to the same village they were all loyal to. The whiplash was nauseating and suffocating and-

Warm, soft hands cupped the left side of his face. Black and purple eyes met green. Beautiful, vibrant, rueful green. She searched his face for a while before nodding."And how about your eyes? Do they still hurt?" 

He can't look away. "From time to time, yes." He could see himself reflected in them, could see his own expression relax. "But I've learned to minimize using the Sharingan . Like you said."

A sigh of relief. "That's good. And the Rinnegan ?"

"Still the same. It doesn’t bother me as much."

She smiled faintly. "That's good." Tips of her fingers trailed to both sides of his temple. "I'll just take a look, okay? Close your eyes, Sasuke- kun ."

He did and there was that warmth again. Her fingers started a tender massage. For some reason, Sasuke thought of how the Sakura of old would never have had the courage to hold him as intimately as this without blushing. Was she, he wondered? Blushing right now? He slowly opened his eyes to satisfy his curiosity. The first thing he saw was her slightly parted, rosy - had they always been that plump? - lips before training his eyes upward. Her eyes were closed in concentration and there was no hint of pink on her cheeks or ears or the curve of her neck. His eyes soon centered back on her lips.

She was so close. A traitorous voice inside him countered, ‘Not close enough.’

He swallowed thickly and closed his eyes. Damn it.

"For you, Sakura- nee-chan ," a little girl said.

Sakura took the bouquet of flowers from her little hands - a mix of pink carnations and peonies. She could almost hear Ino's voice explaining what they meant - Gratitude and Beauty, respectively. "Thank you, Eri- chan ." The small girl tugged the side of her skirt and beckoned Sakura to come closer.

"Thank you for making the bad spirits go away," she whispered in her ear. "My mom said they won't come back again because of you."

Sakura smiled and nodded. "You're welcome." The girl cheerfully skipped back to where her mother was.

A man was next in line, cradling an infant in his arms. "You must be tired hearing it but thank you. I was out of my mind, not knowing what was happening, not knowing what to do."

"You're welcome, but I didn't do it alone."

The man nodded. "But you found the solution." The man offered his hand and she shook it.

Sakura was told that the people of Amegakure organized this small gathering in order to thank her even when she told them she was only doing her job and this was unnecessary. She was touched by the sentiment, of course, and relented in the end.

There were kids running around and yelling at each other and none of the adults was telling them to behave. It must have been tough on the parents to see their kids suffering like that. Some kids would go to her, talk to her, thank her, give her something, and would run away to their friends and resume playing.

All morning, Sakura had been receiving words and tokens of gratitude, as well as heartfelt compliments. She was feeling tired but it would have been rude to leave when everyone gathered here for her. When the commotion died down, she found a seat and slumped on it. She involuntarily scanned the crowd.

There he was.

Sasuke stood in a corner of the hall, stoic as always. He looked well rested but uncomfortable, as he had always been around strangers. Probably sensing her gaze, he turned to her and raised his eyebrows in question.

Sakura smiled and waved at him. He responded by raising his right hand briefly. Just then, Tetsuya tapped Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke spared him a disinterested glance before looking away. Tetsuya leaned on the wall beside him which seemed to make Sasuke scowl. She wondered what they were talking about. They seemed civil enough in all the interactions between them she had observed. But there, in that corner, it seemed Sasuke was losing patience.

The conversation lasted for a while and they ended it with nods and a handshake. That was when Sakura remembered.

The mission was over.

What date was it? It must have been around three weeks since they traveled from Konoha. Three weeks worth of being together after a couple of years apart. And three weeks passed by without her even realizing it. She hoped they spent it in another circumstance, that they had spent it together . Not a mission, at least.

She looked down. But would he have come back if not for a mission? Would there have been any reason for them to be together outside of a mission? Outside of Konoha? She wanted to go with him wherever he went, but he always declined her offers.

She hugged the flowers closer to her. There was still the development of the vaccine. She would have to oversee that, right? She could offer to stay and lead the research. She was sure the medical team would welcome her.

She took a deep breath. No, developing it would take forever. Sasuke never liked being idle. And she wasn't going to delay going home for selfish reasons. Besides, she also had to go back to her responsibilities at the hospital.

Her eyes followed Sasuke as he exited the venue, probably off to find a place with less people. Three weeks of him stuck in a place like this must be tough for him. 

It was time to go.

Sasuke looked out the window, it was late afternoon and the sky was growing darker by the minute. He looked up to see gray clouds swarming overhead. Rain was sure to follow.

People were greeting Sakura again when he came back. He wondered how long the socializing would last. He would rather be scouting a good place to train if the weather permitted it or hole himself up at the inn. But he couldn't just leave her here alone, surrounded by all these strangers. It wasn't like he was suspicious but he thought she might wonder where he was. Maybe. Besides, he was told this was in honor of her and it would be rude to not show support for a former teammate.

"Hey, Sasuke- kun ." Sakura was jogging toward him with several bouquets in her arms.

"Sakura."

"Sorry for making you wait.” She looked up at the gloomy sky. "It looks like it's going to rain again, doesn't it? I didn't bring an umbrella. Did you?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Do you need help with those?" He jerked his head at the flowers.

"Oh, no, thanks," she said. "Anyway, let's go before it rains, Sasuke- kun ." Sasuke nodded. "Race you there?"

Sasuke was taken aback at the sudden challenge and blinked as Sakura ran as fast as she could, several petals fluttering in her wake. He snorted. She was fast - not nearly as fast as him but he would humor her. Sasuke took off with just enough speed to catch up to her. "You have to do better than this, Sakura. I'll wait for you there." With that, he sped forward leaving her behind. He heard her yelling something unintelligible.

It didn’t take long before Sakura caught up to him. "You were saying?" Before he could retort, Sasuke felt the first drops of rain before it quickly started pouring. "Should we find shelter first?" Sakura asked beside him.

"I think we should go straight to the inn," he told her. "This doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon."

Sakura nodded. "You're right."

Several minutes later, they entered their room drenched from head to toe. "Whew. And here I thought we will finally spend our last day here dry and warm." Sakura strode to the bedside table where an empty vase sat. She put the flowers down and grabbed the vase, filling it with tap water.

While waiting for the vase to fill, she removed her forehead protector, gathered her hair and twisted it over the sink. She tied the damp strands in a bun above her head, effectively showing the alabaster skin of her nape. That was when Sasuke realized that Sakura's clothes clung to her. The fabric was thin enough that he could see pale white beneath them. She pulled her gloves and shoulder pads off, hanging them on the edge of the counter. She took her sandals off and tipped them over the sink. Next came the knee protectors, her kunai holster and the bandage behind it.

"Of all the days I went out without my cloak on," Sasuke vaguely heard her murmur as she proceeded to remove her obi, showing the fabric behind it hugging Sakura's small waist. 

Sasuke blinked. Twice. And gulped. And turned to the door.

"Where are you going, Sasuke- kun ?" he heard Sakura call before he closed the door behind him.

Sasuke was inexperienced but he wasn’t innocent. He was aware of the sensation he was feeling, more frequently in the recent days. With her. He recognized it but didn’t want to acknowledge it. Sakura was his friend. It was disrespectful.

She deserved better.

He decided the rain should be able to cool him off.

Sakura hugged the thick blanket around her. She can tell behind her closed lids that the sun had already risen. So even though she wanted to sleep in, she opened her eyes slowly. The first thing she saw was Sasuke's face turned to her, still fast asleep on his own bed. She wondered where he went last night. She fell asleep waiting for him to come back. 

She was maybe a bit disappointed. She thought they could've at least spent their last night together sharing a meal. Or maybe a late night stroll? It was unlikely because the rain didn't let up until after midnight. The wall clock read seven in the morning. The better side of her told her she should probably wake him up. The honest side, however, wanted to look at his sleeping face a little more and to memorize all the changes time etched in his features. His hair was longer - that was a given, she supposed. His jaw was sharper and there were lines between his eyebrows - inconspicuous ones if not for her keen eyes as a medic-nin. His nose - high and regal - and lips - thin but defined - were still the same. She could see the beginnings of a stubble around the side of his chin too.

The good-looking boy with the perpetual scowl and quiet demeanor left and came back as this gorgeous man with the far-away gaze and melancholic aura. He who was once a barely contained fire was now a deep, dark well.

Sakura touched her forehead, not unlike the last time he did. 'My Sasuke-kun.’ She sighed. 'No. Just Sasuke-kun. Just... Sasuke-kun.'

Maybe it was way over her head. Did she put meaning behind a common gesture? Was there not an unspoken promise between them? Would he not have known that his fingertips not only touched skin but her heart and soul and everything she was willing to give?

Back at the village, Hinata will bring Naruto his lunch and that idiot will smile from ear to ear even when he didn't sleep a blink the night before. Sai will be happily dragged around town by Ino. She wondered if-

Sasuke took a deep breath and stretched his neck against his pillow. He opened his eyes and they met hers.

"Good morning, Sasuke- kun ," she said with a smile. She would not spoil the day.

"Mornin'," Sasuke replied, voice thick with sleep. They stared at each other for a while making Sakura wonder if he was still half-asleep. Just as she was beginning to wonder what he could be seeing on her face, he rushed out of bed and went straight to the bathroom.

"I guess I should get out of bed, too," Sakura told herself.

They ate breakfast together, making light conversation, mostly initiated by Sakura. They talked about the rest of Team Seven, including Sai, of course. They talked about the rest of the rookie nine. Well, none of them were rookies anymore. Sasuke talked about his travels, not as animated but Sakura appreciated his effort.

And Sakura noticed little things about him. He blew on each spoonful of soup thrice before sipping it. He preferred eating his whole meal first before drinking anything. His bangs were longer now and he would occasionally blow on it to get it out of his face. He looked really annoyed by it. It was cute.

An hour later, they met up with Tetsuya at the village gate, along with some of his team members. "We couldn't possibly put into words our gratitude," Tetsuya said. "But once again, thank you."

"It was a group effort," Sakura said. "But you're welcome." To Sakura's surprise, Tetsuya stepped closer to her and put his arms around her. Sakura returned the gesture and she heard him chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," he said, tightening his embrace. "Take care." When he let go, he looked unabashedly amused. Sakura shot him a questioning look, to which he just said, "I would tell you what I find funny but then some people would not like it."

"Wha-"

"See you, then." He bowed to her and the rest of his entourage following suit. Sakura and Sasuke bowed back to them and walked out of the village.

The journey back to Konoha had a lighter atmosphere. Sasuke didn't seem as guarded anymore, frequently smirking at something. Not a smile. Nevertheless, Sakura felt privileged. She would start a conversation and he would try to participate. This was nice, she thought, and tried to forget about their impending separation.

On their way back, Sakura saw the cave they stayed at and suggested they spend the night there but Sasuke adamantly refused, saying they should wait until sunset to cover more ground. He had a point, of course, but his reaction was too strong. In the end, they spent the night in a clearing where Sasuke kept the fire going and volunteered to make dinner.

As Sakura spread her sleeping mat on the grassy ground, Sasuke was quick to leap over branches to the tallest tree to be the lookout before Sakura could say anything. For some reason, she knew he wouldn’t be waking her up to change shifts. And she was right.

They arrived in Konoha in only over half the time it took them to reach Amegakure.

"Aaah," Sakura breathed in the familiar air of her village. "We're home."

"Sakura."

Sakura turned to Sasuke. "Hm?"

"I'll get going now," he said.

Sakura realized he was standing a few meters away from the gates. Of course, she remembered. He only needed to take her back safely. "Aren't you going to say hi to Kakashi- sensei ? Or Naruto? I think he should be off-duty today."

"There's no need," he said. "I'll get going now."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but closed it again. She knew what he would say if she asked. So instead, she settled with, "I had fun, Sasuke- kun . Thank you. Have a safe trip."

"Hn." Sasuke turned and started walking away.

As he steadily got farther, Sakura whispered, “Take me with you.”

"The vaccines are still currently being developed.” Sakura finally finished her report.

"Well done, Sakura," Kakashi said. "I knew you'd bring good news."

"Thank you, Kakashi- sensei . It was my job."

"And you did it well," he said, his tone filled with pride. "I'm sure you're tired so I won't keep you."

"Then, I'll take my leave." She bowed.

"Oh, just so you know, I am hereby approving one month’s worth of paid leave for you.”

Sakura raised her eyebrows at that. "I appreciate it, Kakashi- sensei , but isn't one month too long?"

"Don't make me extend it to two," he retorted. "You need the rest, Sakura. Especially after all that time you spent establishing your clinic. Take it as my daily dose of good deeds."

Sakura scoffed. "Alright. One month, it is."

When she was finally dismissed, the sun was already setting and the exhaustion had caught up to her. Her body might really need the rest. With a deep breath, she adjusted her backpack and started walking, musing about dinner. She was too tired to cook so maybe a take-out? Ichiraku’s with Naruto? No, he would definitely be with Hinata today. Maybe Ino would - Her thoughts were disrupted by a figure standing at the Hokage Tower entrance.

"Sakura."

"Sa-Sasuke- kun ? W-What are you doing here?"

What was he doing here? He didn’t really know.

What he did know was when he let himself look back at Sakura by the gates earlier and saw her walking away from him, he was rooted to the spot.

He wondered if that was how he looked to her every time he left.

‘Pick up your pace, kid.’

‘You'd be a fool to let her go.’

"Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke cleared his throat. He seemed really uncomfortable. Did he get sick? He couldn't have gotten infected, could he?

She was walking toward him. Sasuke held her gaze until she stopped right in front of him, her hand caressing his cheek.

He was really warm. She cupped his other cheek. Yup, very warm. She slid her hands down the sides of his neck. It was hot.

"Sasuke- kun , I think you're coming down with a fever. Are you okay? How is your breathing? Does your throat hurt? Do you -?" Sasuke held her left hand.

She was worried. 

While he stood there stupidly debating how to say what he wanted to say and coming up short because communication was never his strong suit, she was worried about him getting sick. 

"I'm fine, Sakura," he assured her. Her eyes told him she didn't believe him. "Really."

She lowered both hands but Sasuke only tightened his grip on her hand. Whereas his hand was large and coarse and bathed in blood, hers was slender and warm and a source of life.

She felt his thumb run over the back of her hand, then her knuckles. She was getting nervous. "Sasuke- kun ? What is it?"

The corners of his lips started to lift. "When I was in Oto, I learned of this festival called Dance of the Reeds ." Albeit confused, Sakura listened quietly. "Every year during the middle of summer, strong winds pass through the reed banks and they make sounds."

"The reeds were making sounds?" Sakura asked.

"No," he patiently explained. "The ground they were planted on had small burrows connected to each other made by the small animals. The wind swept through the hollow ground and out another hole making sounds. But only a few know this so they all think the reeds make the sound."

"O...kay."

Such a random thing for Sasuke to do, telling a story. But Sakura would love to hear more about it, would love to hear his voice as he told it. All the while having her hand in his. "And then?"

Sasuke was looking at their joined hands. "And then what?"

"What happened next?"

"Nothing," he said.

Sakura tilted her head to the side and chuckled. "You really have to work on your storytelling, Sasuke-kun."

The chime of her laugh made him finally look up at her. He realized he would like to hear her laugh more often. "Do you want to go?"

"What?"

"If we leave now, we'll arrive just in time for the festival."

"Sasuke- kun , I don't think-" All the confusion went away in a second. His mismatched eyes were imploring her and Sakura’s heart thudded in her chest. He could probably hear it. "Sasuke- kun . A-are you-?"

She was gazing at him like she had seen him for the first time. Her eyes smiled. Then, her lips smiled. Then, her whole face just lit up. The amber glow of the afternoon sky paled in comparison.

Sasuke’s chest swelled with something warm and light. The word beautiful was not enough.

Sakura threw her arms around his neck and his wrapped around her waist instantly.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

He tugged her closer. For the first time, he wished he had his left arm back. Maybe he would get that prosthesis after all. He rested his cheek on the side of her head and she hugged him tighter.

So this was what it felt like, Sasuke realized. This was what it felt like to be home. A home to call his own.