Naruto 1. Naruto Uzumaki

**Here is my first story! ****Please enjoy reading and review!**_  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.**

**xoxox**

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_Cold._

Obsidian orbs hid beneath a dirtied bandage, a brutal pulsation wracking his brain and the back of his eyes. He wanted to yell. He wanted to scream and cry. He opened his mouth and a puff of air followed. He attempted to swallow, and only now realized how dehydrated he was.

He needed to get up. Fight the pain that screamed at him to rest. It took all his strength to sit up, only to be forced down in the middle of his escapade. He shifted his wrists and heard the booming sounds of chains being dragged across a stone floor. His body was going numb as his heart quickened, a panic growing in his stomach like nothing he had ever felt before.

He was vulnerable.

His eyes darted back and forth underneath his eyelids. He was fully aware now, even in this weakened state. He needed to get out. His heart pounded against his ribcage, a sudden heaviness in the air and on his chest made it impossible to breathe.

Sasuke searched his brain, hoping for some sort of recollection to occur. He couldn't remember how he got here or anything suspicious that could have led to this predicament. What had he been doing? How long has he been gone for? He knew he wasn't exactly missed and that no one would be looking for him. The thought made him cringe as his chances of escaping now diminished exponentially.

He had to run. To leave this unknown place as soon as possible. He lifted his arm with the little strength he managed to muster. The chain rattled, but in the end, his arm was back by his side, accompanied by his labored breaths. This couldn't be the end. This is too sad, too anticlimactic. This is the way the infamous Uchiha Sasuke leaves the world? How pitiful.

"_What are you doing?!" _

Thoughts started to gush and flood his conscious. This can't be happening, not in this place. He was to die alone and disturbed. Maybe if he thought hard enough, his heart and mind would give out in one false swoop. The final end, to go with minimal pain. But of course, this Uchiha just wasn't that lucky.

"_You're destroying your home!_

"_I have no home. This place is the cause of all my pain, all my suffering. How could a place like _this _be a home to me?!" _

"_People love you. We've been fighting for you! Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei, I…—Do we mean nothing to you?!"_

"_I told you; I broke those bonds long ago. You are _nothing. _You mean nothing!"_

_White, white, white. Pain in his side, in his chest, arms and legs. Green?_

Darkness.

Sasuke groaned as bright lights penetrated his eyelids, awaking him from his slumber. He was groggy and sore, as though he hasn't slept in years. His right arm was burning. Maybe he was burning alive in a fire somewhere. He'll be nothing but ash soon, so he just let the burning continue. It would be over soon anyway.

"Sir?"

Was the flame speaking to him? How did the fire talk and lick his skin all at once?

"Boy, wake up."

Sasuke's face scrunched. What's with the informalities? Slightly interested, he shook his head and struggled to open his crusted eyes. When they opened, he quickly shut them once more, the light too much for his resting hues. Trying again, he managed to keep them open, the world around him blurry and unclear. When his sight suddenly focused on a cabinet and sink with medical supplies, realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

He wasn't dead.

How could this be? He clearly remembered being in a cold damp cell of some sorts, chained to the wall like a wild animal. There is no way he got away on his own. Touching his face, he felt his sweaty and clammy skin against his fingertips. Pinching his cheeks, he was sure he was alive when he felt the pain of a pinch against his face. He looked to his arms only to see them bandaged neatly by his side. It was only then that he remembered the voice. Turning his head, he came upon a middle aged woman looking at him worriedly.

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He could remember, vaguely, the last time he had a conversation. It was when—how long has it been? The fight, the village, and the war?

"You're In Konoha hospital young man. Some ANBU found you by the gate. You were practically dead."

She spoke as though it were a casual thing to talk about, like they were in a café drinking tea and sharing stories of past loves—Konoha? She said Konoha.

"Konoha. The village, leaves?"

Sasuke wanted to slap himself. He sounded illiterate and foreign to his own ears. The woman's lips formed a gentle smile as she pulled the covers to his chest, forcing him to lay back against the pillows she had apparently fluffed.

"Yes. Konoha, the village of Hidden Leaves," she paused, her finger lingering on the blanket. "Do you remember where you're from, boy? Or rather, perhaps I should ask you your name first."

Sasuke was confused. Did she seriously not recognize him? He glared at the woman for being so naïve. He has met some moronic people but after all he has done she had the nerve to say she had no idea who he was. He opened his mouth to criticize her until she turned back around with a tray. He noticed a cup with two capsules of some unknown medication. A thought struck him and he shut his mouth.

Of course she knows him and is playing dumb so she can poison him. He should have known better. Whoever put this old woman in charge sure was a masochist, getting an innocent woman to play murderer. Then again, nothing is as it seems anymore.

"Here take this. It will help with the pain," she stated, placing the tray on the table beside his bed. Grabbing the cup and the pills, she held them out to him, the same smile on her face.

Sasuke wanted to punch her.

Instead he simply turned his head and shut his eyes. He could hear birds chirping outside the wide window. What season was it? Probably spring.

Ah, Spring.

The smell of antiseptic mixed with a cool breeze from the open window to his far left, burning his nostrils and easing his mind. Spring was a time of warmth and beauty, and yet all he felt was cold. Sasuke wouldn't know warmth if it smacked him in the face. His eyes slowly opened at the thought of blooming flowers and trees, things he hasn't appreciated or seen in a long time. Instead, he was staring into the eyes of an unknown man. His eyes widened with more shock and confusion that he has ever expressed in his life.

Because he was staring at a reflection.

With cherry blossoms flying carelessly in the background of the hospital window, he saw a reflection of a man he did not know; a face and a body he did not recognize. Touching his cheek and pulling his hair, he realized he was not Sasuke Uchiha anymore. This was not his dark brown hair clinging to an unknown face and these were not his dark ruby-colored eyes that shared the same shock and horror that he felt. No, because he did not know this body at all. Pulling the white covers off of himself, his eyes searched frantically on tanned legs for the scars from his countless bloody battles. He was never this shade of skin and his legs were somewhat frail, not the typically toned ones constructed by shinobi of his stature and lifestyle. Turning his head towards the woman who had stepped back, she looked at him as though he were crazy.

"What did you do to me?!" He yelled, his voice cracking from lack of use. It was only now that he noticed the foreign sound that is his voice. She shook but held her ground. Sasuke swung his legs from the bed, a loud creaking following his actions. Managing to stand on two unfamiliar feet, he wobbled, weakened and injured. Pulling up his sleeves, his muscles were defined but not what they used to be.

His strength and physique were gone, he is taller and tanned, like a farm boy or wanderer. Ruffling his greasy hair, it was slightly longer without the familiar spikes in the back that he was born with. He didn't understand…

His eyes grew menacing as a sickening grin grew on his face. Slowly lifting his head towards the woman, he saw her gasp as she dropped the glass and pills on the floor, a vulgar shatter following thereafter.

"This must be some kind of genjutsu," Sasuke scoffed as he took a step forward. "How could I have been fooled so easily?"

The woman shook her head, her uneasiness becoming more apparent as she took a step away from the man and towards the door.

"Boy, y-you're in Konoha Hospital. Genjutsu? It's impossible in here…" her voice trailed off as Sasuke took another step toward her, causing her to take another step in the opposite direction.

"Do I look like an idiot to you? Do you not know who I am?" He felt arrogant, but couldn't keep the smirk from forming on his face as he watched the woman cower in fear.

He felt powerful, he felt exhilarated. The power to make people fear him by a look or a few words sent chills down his spine. No one gets anywhere with kindness, he knows that all too well. His brother was a perfect example, his death proving that notion. People don't listen to the words of kind people, they listen to those they fear. People are as raw and weak as they will ever be when they are stripped of their power, of their identity.

Sasuke took another step towards the woman and she let out a scream as her back hit the wall. Sasuke threw his body towards her, ready to kill this imaginary person before him. However, he failed to notice the opening of the sliding door, and was too late to react to the flying fist towards his gut.

Groaning and lowering his body to the floor, he heard frantic footsteps as the woman he was just with managed to flee from the room. His blurred vision remained on the two black high heeled sandals that were in front of him.

"You're really pissing me off, kid."

Black.

* * *

Tsunade was not pleased. Not only was she a woman of little patience, but she was also an ill-mannered and short tempered person. She knows this very well and in most cases, uses it to get what she wants when she wants it.

Staring at the unconscious man chained to a hospital bed, she felt the familiar rush of anger course through her. A headache was forming, from stress and sake, a real "mood-killer" as some people say. It's a vicious cycle, really. When she gets stressed she drinks, only to wake up the next day hung over and in a bad mood, causing her to drink more. It's incredibly annoying.

The man before her groaned in pain as he tried to move his body into a comfortable position. Of course, he wasn't able to, resulting in a frustrated growl. He opened his eyes and noticed the constraints on his body and Tsunade watched as panic spread across his face.

"You tried to attack one of my nurses. That's why you're bound," she spoke. The man looked at her with anger and confusion.

"What do you think you're doing?" he shouted at her, his spit barely missing her leg that was resting on a table.

"I'm trying to find out what's wrong with you," she stated with a stern face. "Like I said, you attacked a nurse that was attempting to give you pain medication. I want to know why."

The man didn't say anything. His body relaxed minutely and his head gently hit the back of the gurney he was on. Tsunade took her legs off the long table and approached him, hovering over him with a look of apprehension etched on her features. The man looked at her tiredly but she could still see the fight in his eyes and tense facial muscles.

He was young, around twenty, she figured. His hair was dirty and matted, his face and body caked with dirt that would only come off if scrubbed. He looked tired and defeated with bags under his red eyes, an oddly beautiful shade, she thought. Everything about him looked weak and harmless, but Tsunade was wiser than that. The most unlikely people can be dangerous.

"After the war, the five shinobi nations decided to stay banded together as one united shinobi alliance," Tsunade began, crossing her arms over her large chest while looking down at the man. "Because of this, medical facilities no longer have the right to deny treatment to foreign villagers. However, if the patient is treated in this village, they give up their rights to medical confidentiality. Now, after looking through missing persons and through medical files, your face still hasn't shown up."

Tsunade sent him a harsh look, "and I'm here to find out why."

Sasuke looked at the woman with slight interest. He knew this woman and her expertise. Being the Hokage of Leaf made her more than qualified to decipher a transformation jutsu or a genjutsu. Not only that, but he is too tired and low on chakra to even produce such results. Therefore, not only was he confused, he was also intrigued.

"Tch. I couldn't tell you."

He could feel the death stare from the woman above him as she grabbed his hospital gown. Bearing her teeth, she was seething with anger.

"Pardon? I missed what you said. What do you mean by that, huh?"

Sasuke looked her in the eyes and spoke, "I don't know who I am."

Her grip relaxed as anger turned to confusion and aggravation.

"Amnesia?" She asked more to herself then the man.

"I know who I am. But my body is not my own. I don't know who this person is…" His voice trailed off. The woman was perplexed and she let go of him, his body falling back onto the bed where he groaned in pain from the forceful contact.

"I'm not following." Sasuke frowned and shifted into a more comfortable position. A headache was starting to form and he was starting to feel a gnawing hunger in his abdomen.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. But this is not my body."

There was a long pause before Tsunade began to erupt into laughter. Sasuke shot her a glare as she continued to laugh. She held her stomach as the obnoxious noise rang throughout the empty room.

"Yeah right, kid! Try again. That was the funniest thing I've heard all day!" She was still hollering with laughter, causing Sasuke's frown to deepen and anger to set into his stomach, replacing the hunger he was feeling.

"This isn't a laughing matter. Act more professional. You're worse than Naruto."

Tsunade stopped laughing and her smile was replaced with a thin line. At the mention of the boy's name, the Hokage narrowed her eyes.

"You're right. In fact, you gave me an idea."

The woman left the small, dank room the two were in, slamming the door behind her. He could hear her muffled yelling from his spot on the uncomfortable bed.

He was just so tired, so worn from facing obstacle after obstacle. Sasuke is stubborn but even he had a limit. Although he would never say it out loud, he was nearing his end. His muscles, his bones, his organs, his pride; everything was hurting.

The blonde woman returned a minute later, her face stoic, much like his own. She approached his bed and unclasped the restraints on his ankles and wrists. He looked at her cautiously as he slowly sat in an upright position, rubbing his sore wrists.

"Come on. We're going to my office."

She began to walk away, but Sasuke remained in his seat, eyeing her back.

"What for?"

She turned and smirked, "Because we are going to get the only person that knows Uchiha Sasuke inside and out." Sasuke hesitated and Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Uzumaki Naruto!"


	2. Sakura Haruno

**Second Chapter! Please Review! xox**

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"Oi, Baa-chan! I just got back from a year long mission _yesterday_ and you're already asking me for something else! I want a break, dammit!" Yelled a boisterous blonde from the doorway as he made a spectacle of his entrance into the polished office. Typical.

"Shut it, Naruto! I have a headache."

The said eighteen year-old crossed his arms over his chest and scoffed.

"That isn't my fault! You just drink too much."

Tsunade rubbed her temples in frustration. There are only certain days where Tsunade is particularly ready to handle such a bundle of energy. And those days are scarce and rarely come about when Naruto is around.

"Naruto, this is important."

The said blonde looked at the Hokage, eyeing her up and down before finally standing in front of her silently.

"Do you recognize this man?" Tsunade asked, pointing to the man in shackles at the far end of her desk. Naruto looked surprised, not at the man's disheveled appearance, but that he neglected to notice him at all. He squinted and after a few seconds of staring, threw arms behind his head and shrugged.

"Nah, why?"

Tsunade looked at the man and spoke, "state your name."

"My name," he began quietly, "is Uchiha Sasuke."

Naruto remained silent for a few seconds and Sasuke could see the wheels in his head slowly start to turn. Naruto's face then quickly became angry and Sasuke knew this wasn't any normal anger; he hit him where it hurt.

Naruto walked up to the man and grabbed his collar, forcing him against the wall. He was seething.

"That isn't funny! What kind of shit are you trying to pull? I may not be the brightest but I know the face of my best friend!"

Sasuke grunted out of pain and annoyance. Tsunade studied the two of them, but decided not to interfere. Naruto's heart was beating a mile a minute and all he wanted to do was punch this unknown man in the face.

"Let go of me, dobe."

Naruto's grip tightened as he slammed the man's back hard against the wall.

"I'll do whatever I—w-what did you say?"

Sasuke knew he hit a nerve in the boy. He was probably the only person in Naruto's life to call him that specific name and he knew that if wanted to get anywhere, he would need help. He wouldn't beg, hell he wasn't even going to ask. If Naruto knows the truth, Sasuke knows he would automatically feel inclined to help. It was just in the moron's nature.

"You heard me. I'm not repeating myself." He felt the grip on his shirt disappear as Naruto took a step back. His bright blue eyes showed confusion and pain. Sasuke looked over the boy's shoulder. He didn't wish to know the source of that look.

"This can't be right. I don't understand."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "what else is new."

Naruto didn't say a word, his mouth agape at the odd scene before him. He then turned to Tsunade.

"He isn't in some transformation jutsu or some super strong genjutsu, right?!"

The boys watched as the woman shook her head.

"No, I've already checked. The transformation jutsu wouldn't be able to take place with such a weak chakra source anyway. Whoevers body this is isn't a trained ninja. That is, if it's really Uchiha Sasuke. That's why I called you here, Naruto. I need to know that this man is telling the truth."

Naruto hesitated before looking at the man in front of him once more. Their eyes locked, and Sasuke could tell Naruto was doing what he did best: looking for the good in people. Whether he had any of the "good" the boy is looking for is debatable. However, if Naruto were to solidify his identity, then he was sure the Hokage would too. Although Sasuke considers the blonde ninja at the highest caliber of stupid, he will admit that he has a knack for judging character in that he never really judged anyone at all. It was a strange phenomenon that Sasuke accepted long ago.

Naruto was in deep thought and stared at him for what seemed like forever. After a few long seconds, he asked his question.

"What am I to you?"

Sasuke searched for the answer in the boy's eyes. He glared at the twinkle of hope in those cerulean hues.

"What kind of question is that? I'm not answering something so stupid."

Naruto remained straight-faced. Sasuke knew he was serious and finally caved to the ignorant man.

"I broke my bonds long ago," the Uchiha spoke with a stoic face. "So, nothing."

Naruto's eyes widened at the answer and then quickly looked at the ground. After a quick exchange of looks between the Hokage, Naruto's happy and smiling face appeared. He slapped Sasuke's back, causing the man to grumble a string of incoherent curses.

"Man, Sasuke-teme! What the hell happened to you?!"

Tsunade stood from her seat and undid the chakra-sealing shackles from the boy and motioned for the two of them to stand in front of her desk. After eyeing the two of them, she sighed.

"I trust your decision, Naruto, but are you absolutely positive this is Sasuke?"

Naruto nodded once and gave a thumbs up along with his signature cheeky grin.

"Yep! This is guy is definitely Sasuke! No doubt about it."

Tsunade could sense a tinge of sadness in the remark, although it was masked well with the blonde's usual exuberance and unintelligent answer. Sighing, the woman rubbed her temples in hopes of easing the increasing headache the situation before her caused. Not only did she have to deal with an angry and crazed Uchiha, she also had to figure out where his body was and how exactly he was removed from it in the first place. There was also the fact that the man before her was completely unrecognized. He has no paper trail at all. He's nonexistent.

"Ano, baa-chan, how did you find him in the first place?"

Tsunade looked up from her desk and at the two boys. They both seemed to be itching to hear the answer. Leaning back in her chair, she folded her hands in front of her.

"From what I heard, you were mangled by a tree about one hundred yards east of the gate. Some incoming chuunin spotted you and brought you to the hospital. They said you were practically dead."

Sasuke's breath hitched at the answer. He recalls being close to death, but still has no recollection of how he ended up that way in the first place. He frowned. It was more than frustrating trying to recall events that seem so far from your reach.

"So what do you suppose we do?" The Uchiha asked, clearly annoyed by it all. Tsunade ran her hand through her bangs in thought.

"You should just lay low for a while. Don't tell people who you are, keep a low profile while I gather a group of people to research this. I don't know how long this will take, but this is a process."

Sasuke clenched his fists and then slammed them on the table. Naruto was startled by the sudden outburst while Tsunade stared at him, unmoving.

"I don't give a damn about the stupid _process_. Why not just search for me! Obviously my body is out there _somewhere_. Let me go find it! I don't see what the big deal is!"

Standing from her spot, she pulled the man's collar and met eye-to-eye with him. He was shocked and annoyed all the same.

"Your name no longer holds meaning, your presence holds no substance, you are just another face in the crowd, Uchiha. Get that through your thick skull. I can't let you waltz around causing mayhem, especially after treating you and giving you all this freedom. Alliance aside, you represent my actions and I still have a reputation to uphold. Uchiha or not, you're under my ruling. Do something stupid, and I'll make you regret it."

Sasuke was furious. No, he was livid. Anger was seeping through his pores and all he wanted to do was break something. He wants his power back, the familiar surge of pent up chakra radiating through his body to prove he meant business. He trained too hard and too long for it to all be gone. The body he was in, _his_ body, was the one he spent countless days and nights training to be a machine. He is someone to be feared. The woman was right. He is a _nobody_ now. No Sharingan, no Uchiha name, no past and no future.

Tsunade shoved him backwards and watched as he stumbled. His matted and dirty bangs clouded his ruby eyes, eyes that are not his own. Sitting down, the woman shifted through some papers on her desk.

"Naruto, keep an eye on him. Let him stay at your place while I try to arrange some things."

Neither boys complained. Naruto sent a quick worried glance to the boy who kept his head down. He knew Sasuke was upset, but to what extent Naruto couldn't imagine. With a small bow of the head, he watched the unfamiliar man exit the room.

"Oh, and Naruto," Tsunade called. The boy partly turned, acknowledging her. "Don't tell Sakura."

Naruto bit his lower lip and nodded slowly before shutting the door quietly behind him.

* * *

"It's good to see you again, man! I mean, even though I'm not actually seeing _you _but you know what I mean! I mean you're here and everything which is super cool and all—'

"Naruto," Sasuke cut him off, "shut up."

Naruto laughed nervously while scratching the back of his spiked blonde hair, "yeah sorry."

Sasuke sighed inaudibly and scratched his head. The dirt and grime that managed to collect in his hair was starting to piss him off. Naruto noticed his frustration and pointed to an approaching apartment complex.

"This is my house. You can take a shower when we get inside. I can lend you a pair of clothes and everything!" His statement made Sasuke groan.

"I'm not wearing fucking orange."

Naruto paused in opening the door to look at him.

"What's wrong with orange?"

He wanted to wring the idiot's neck. Pushing past him and walking into the small apartment, he was appalled.

"Naruto, this place is disgusting."

Sasuke resisted the urge to hold his nose. Empty ramen containers were scattered across the table, kitchen, and floor. Dirty clothes and weapons were thrown carelessly about the apartment, each exhibiting the stench equivalent of a dead animal.

Naruto cringed, "I mean I got home yesterday from a pretty long mission. I guess I should have cleaned before I left."

Sasuke looked at the man beside him in disgust while shaking his head. Stepping over the garbage, he made his way to the only hallway in the apartment, one that managed to escape the train wreck of trash that littered the rest of the complex. Finding the bathroom, he slammed the door and locked himself inside.

Of all people, of course it was Naruto. He may have been his teammate, but that was a long time ago. His aggravation was hardly from the mess. He knew his anger stemmed from the terrible situation at hand. The place that caused him so many conflicted feelings made him uneasy. He didn't like not knowing what to feel or how to act. Even though he is no longer considered "Uchiha Sasuke," he is still that man at heart and it kills him knowing he is stuck in this suffocating place. There is nothing here for him anymore. This place isn't a home, it isn't a place he feels safe, he only feels alone and a growing hate for the ignorant people that destroyed his brother's life and his own. He has nothing but animosity for this village and its people. Ultimately, that is why his ties are broken. His bonds to this village will only make him weak. Once his body is found and he is somehow returned to it, he will go far, far away. That is his resolve and it is this idea that will keep him sane until that time comes.

Rummaging through the small bathroom, he picked up a clean towel and placed it on the counter near the shower. He stripped off his dirty and ripped clothing and frowned, slightly disturbed by the fact that he is looking down on a body that isn't his own. After turning on the shower and stepping inside, he let the hot water caress his tired muscles. Dirt slid off his body in waves of brown liquid, pooling by his feet and slowly swirling at the drain before disappearing. Sasuke sighed and rolled his shoulders. He scrubbed his body and his hair making sure to completely rid his body of the dried dirt and blood. He stayed in the shower until the water pressure dwindled and only ice cold liquid hit his body. After shutting off the shower and stepping out, he dried his body with the towel. It smelled musty and used, like it wasn't washed properly, but that was expected of the idiot.

His mind wandered to the blonde as he thought about the year-long mission he was sent on. He wondered what it pertained to, especially for it to be that long. He figured he could coax It out of Naruto, but that would require effort and engaging in conversation. Conversations with Naruto tended to run awry and escape the point at hand. Naruto was never a good conversationalist for someone that talked so much.

Wrapping the towel tightly around his waist, he looked at the mirror that was clouded with steam. Wiping away the dense liquid that restricted his reflection, he was then able to stare at this new face of his. He was slightly surprised that the body he was in also happened to be somewhat good looking. He wasn't going to admit it, but looking at a face that wasn't his is bad enough, but for it to look _horrendous _and _unsightly _would be another game altogether. He was glad that his appearance was tolerable, to be blunt. His dark brown hair fell across his forehead in a ragged fashion while the hair in the back tickled his neck. His red eyes were captivating, but that just brought more attention to him, something Sasuke didn't want to deal with.

He looked down at the damp bandages around his waist and took note of the way the body looked deprived of nutrition. He was on the lanky side and Sasuke could feel the effects of having a physically weak body. He could already feel exhaustion setting in. It was incredibly infuriating.

Leaving the bathroom, he entered the living room and watched as Naruto threw the trash into a large garbage bag while having rolled up napkins shoved up both his nostrils to keep the smell out. Sasuke just thought he looked like a giant buffoon. More than he was used to.

"Oi dobe, get me some clothes."

Naruto looked up and gaped, dropping his bag of rubbish to the ground, some of the contents spilling onto the floor once more. Sasuke felt uneasy and glared at him.

"What the hell are you staring at?"

Stomping on the floor, Naruto pointed angrily at him.

"No fair! Even when you're not in your body you manage to get one that's still better looking than me! When will I get to be the good-looking guy on the team?!"

Crossing his arms, his lower lip formed a pout as he turned away from Sasuke. Sasuke wanted to strangle the ignorant moron.

"Just get me clothes, idiot!"

Naruto scoffed and stomped passed him, clearly annoyed by Sasuke's new appearance. Sasuke rolled his eyes. He figured Naruto would get annoyed over something so stupid and insignificant such as the way he looked. It's not like he chose this body. Sasuke can't be blamed.

Coming back shortly after, Naruto threw an outfit at the man. A simple black t-shirt with loose black pants and boxers. He was content that none of it was orange. Nodding a thanks, he went back to the bathroom to change.

"Sasuke, let's get ramen after this! I'm starving and there's no food in the house," Naruto called from the kitchen as he continued cleaning the room. Sasuke let out an agitated sigh before putting on his shirt and walking into the kitchen. He nodded and Naruto smiled which, in turn, caused Sasuke to frown deeply. He hated that damn smile.

* * *

"Two large miso ramen, old man!" Naruto turned to Sasuke, "What do you want Sasuke?"

Sasuke sat with his eyes closed, his head resting on his folded hands. Clearly annoyed he said, "Pork ramen," opening one eye, he looked in Naruto's direction, "and your appetite for ramen is disgusting, dobe."

Naruto chuckled and settled into his chair, although Sasuke could tell he was hardly able to stay in his seat due to all his excitement. Just watching him was making him tired. Sipping from his glass of water, he tried to ignore the idiot that began babbling about his adventures while Sasuke was away. In Sasuke's mind, he thought of only particular things that interested him and all of it had nothing to do with his ex-blonde teammate. In fact, he trained his mind to completely avoid the subject of teammates. He was conditioned to frown and get angry at the mention of anything that remotely reminded him of them.

"—and then Sakura said that she would treat me to lunch and I was so excited! I wonder how she's doing. I haven't seen her or Kakashi-sensei in the longest time! Sakura-chan is super pre—"

"Naruto," Sasuke cut in, a bit louder than he intended, "stop talking about unnecessary things."

Naruto's voice dwindled and soon fell silent. He looked like a defeated puppy to Sasuke, which made him even angrier.

A minute later their ramen arrived and the two ate silently. The tension between the two was thick and Naruto could feel that he overstepped a boundary he didn't know existed. Whether Sakura was a sore spot or Team Seven as a whole irked Sasuke, he didn't know. But he decided that staying silent was in his best interest.

Naruto watched from the corner of his eye as Sasuke ate, almost timidly, as he picked at the ramen with his chopsticks. Naruto took note of his thin arms, too thin for Naruto's comfort. Ramen wasn't the most nourishing product, but it was probably more than Sasuke has had in a long time. And who knows what the actual owner of the body managed to eat.

During all of these thoughts, he neglected to notice a body beside him, one that stood rather close.

"Naruto?"

Naruto snapped out of his thoughts and turned around at the feminine voice alongside him. He dropped his chopsticks to the floor in surprise.

"Sakura-chan!"

Sasuke froze in his spot. With his head lowered to his food, he refused to acknowledge the said girl. His breathing quickened and he could feel his palms sweating. He wasn't ready to face all these familiar faces. Too many memories flooded his conscious, ones that were meant to be stored away, never to be reveal again.

"Who is that?" he heard her whisper. He heard Naruto pause and nervously laugh. Sasuke knew the moron would screw something up, so he forced his head to look upward toward the standing girl. His breath caught in his throat, and suddenly his confidence to save his identity dissipated.

Incredibly green eyes stared down at him, locking his gaze. Her pink hair is longer, to the middle of her back, from what he can see. Her face is gentle and more mature as she held a more womanly aura. Her nose is still upturned and small and her lips are a light shade of pink. A few hairs strayed from their place and framed her face, brushing against her pale skin. Everything about her glowed in the sunset behind her. Sasuke swallowed and snapped out of whatever the hell kind of trance he was in.

"Yakumo. My name is Yakumo."

He watched as her lips parted into a cheeky smile and Sasuke wanted to crawl into a hole.

"My name is Sakura."

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**I may have possibly posted a picture of Sasuke's new body on my profile. It's my guilty pleasure finding pictures to describe characters. teehee **

**Review Darlings! It is greatly appreciated!**


	3. Feelings

**Here's the third chapter! Enjoy and Review! I still have a picture of "Yakumo's" face on my profile.**

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Sasuke Uchiha isn't the nervous type.

He is calm, collected, and stoic, three things he's religiously been known for since he was young. So, after the abhorrent scene he just exhibited with his ex-pink haired teammate, he wanted to slap himself.

Sasuke watched Naruto and Sakura talk from the corner of his eye, each using exaggerated hand motions to describe their own stores. He scoffed, hidden from the view of the two blabbering people beside him. Staring at his ramen, his appetite suddenly diminished, but due to his body's poor state of health, he continued to shove food in his mouth, despite the lingering bad taste in his mouth. One he knew it wasn't from the ramen…

"Ne, Yakumo-san, what brings you to Konoha?" asked an airy feminine voice. Sasuke brought his attention to her and glanced at her gentle and friendly smile. He was becoming uncomfortable and it was obvious by Naruto's quiet behavior that he wasn't the only one feeling this way.

"I'm a traveler. I was ambushed outside the next village over and managed to bring myself here. Some of Konoha's chuunin found me and brought me to the hospital," he lied. If Sasuke could do anything right, it was putting up a front that masked his true feelings. "The Hokage is kind enough to let me stay here."

Sakura nodded knowingly, a hint of concern swirling in her deep pools of green. Sasuke looked away from her.

"So, Naruto, how do the two of you know one another?"

Sasuke froze and Naruto laughed anxiously while scratching the back of his head. Sasuke shot him a glare which the blonde managed to notice. Sasuke could sense his nervousness around Sakura. He was always a bad liar, especially when it came to the bubblegum-haired kunoichi.

"Well, Yakuda and I are buddies, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura sent him a confused look and Sasuke slammed his head on the table in utter disbelief.

"I thought his name was Yakumo," Sakura said, hesitantly, hoping not to offend the man but at the same time questioning Naruto's answer.

"It is, this guy is just an idiot." Sasuke chimed in, his frustration with the blonde increasing tenfold. If he is discovered, it will be Naruto's doing. The moron is not only a bad liar, but he's as dumb as a stump.

Sakura looked between the two men and then smiled, deciding to drop the subject at hand. For whatever reason, she was getting the notion that she wasn't exactly wanted by the stranger she was just introduced to. Ignoring it, she placed her hands on the table, waiting for her order of ramen. A bout of melancholy washed over the girl and the two men beside her noticed a shift in the mood. With a small smile, Sakura looked at her hands.

"How was your mission, Naruto?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Ah," Naruto's eyes darted toward Sasuke and then settled on the table in front of him. "I didn't find anything. Gomen, Sakura-chan."

Sakura nodded and sighed. She knew in her heart that Naruto wasn't going to be successful. Although she had the highest of hopes for him, there was a growing hole in heart that what she truly wants will never come true. Naruto eyed her and frowned, knowing she was not only upset but disappointed.

"I made a promise, Sakura-chan," Naruto spoke quietly while clenching his fists, his bowl of ramen forgotten. "I will bring him back."

The fire in Naruto's eyes ignited and from where Sasuke sat, it was obvious who they were talking about. A part of him knew he shouldn't be here listening to their vows of finding him, but in reality, he also knows that Naruto's words hold some truth. In a way, Sasuke thought Naruto was promising the both of them his success in finding Sasuke Uchiha. For Sakura it was his entire embodiment. For Sasuke it was, well, just his body.

Sasuke frowned. He didn't want to sit here and listen to the two of them, but in the same breath, he was curious. He looked at the woman sitting just two seats away and wondered what she felt for him. This person is not someone he is familiar with. This Sakura looks stronger and more feminine, but at the same time a force with an impeccable amount of strength. He can say that honestly because he has seen it.

From an appearance standpoint she was definitely different and from what he has seen so far she seems to be more patient with her blonde teammate. However, there was something missing. Sasuke could see a big gaping hole in the middle of Sakura Haruno, and he wasn't sure why.

Sakura noticed Yakumo looking at her and it was only now that she truly looked at him. He looked hungry and weak, in her eyes. Like he had faced the cruel world head-on and alone. He was beaten and broken on the outside.

Standing from her seat she walked toward the man and sat in the seat next to him, trapping him between Naruto and herself. Turning to him fully, Sakura flashed him a smile, and she could tell he was growing anxious. She knows she is intimidating, but the man acted as though she were some monster to be feared.

"You look really tired," noticing some wrappings on his forearms, she grabbed his arm in hopes of looking at it, but he quickly pulled away. Sakura sent him a concerned and slightly offended glance.

Sasuke wasn't sure what she was plotting, but he didn't like this closeness. He didn't want those incredibly bright eyes looking at him as though he were a victim; like he was a weakling. Sasuke knows he is anything but. Despite his body's poor state, he was able to get by and he didn't want any help, especially from Sakura.

"I only want to look at your dressings. I'm a doctor," Sakura said calmly, holding out her hand to show she was someone he could trust.

Sasuke turned his head. He didn't want to trust anyone, he didn't want to be helped by anyone either. He wanted to be left alone and he just wanted his damn body back.

When he didn't acknowledge her kindness, the girl frowned and again took his arm, this time keeping a firm grip on his forearm. When he tried to pull away from her, she shot him a deadly look, one that quieted his efforts.

Pulling up his sleeves, she noticed some of the dressings were coated in a dark red. Her concern grew when she looked at the state the actual bandages were in. She could tell that he didn't change them after they became wet.

Forgetting about the steaming pot of ramen on the table, she stood and began dragging the man toward her own home.

"Come on, I'm going to treat you. You'll feel much better when I'm done."

Sasuke wasn't sure what was going on, all he knew was that he was being dragged away from the ramen stand with a hollering blonde watching him leave. He was ready to protest to the crazed girl pulling him to some unknown place, but his voice died in his throat. He is incredibly tired. He is worn, drained, and drowsy. Everything in his brain is telling him to stop; to just sleep forever. It is hard carrying himself in a body that is not his. It is hard to keep going when the weight of the world seems to crush and suffocate you until you are barely conscious. Sasuke doesn't want to feel like this anymore. The world around him starts to buzz and spin and he realizes he has stopped walking. Mumbling, incoherent words enter his ears, but he doesn't have the energy to decipher them. All he wants to do is sleep, dammit.

"_I know you. You're the man with evil eyes. A demon, a demon!"_

_A dark room with no light, he can hear his own voice yelling at something, or someone._

_A terrible wave of heat hit his body, burning the skin on his face, arms, and torso. He shut his eyes, but it didn't stop him from feeling the burning. Everything hurts._

"_Why are you doing this?!" He yelled. A grim smile appeared in the darkened room._

"_This is my power!" He wanted to run, but he was stuck, he was stranded. His legs were beginning to burn as unshed tears pooled at the corners of his eyes._

"_Yakumo!"_

"Yakumo-san! Come on, wake up!"

Sasuke jolted upright and felt a searing pain in his abdomen. He bit his lower lip and groaned loudly. He felt a pair of cool hands touching his naked torso as it gently lowered him to a sleeping position. He didn't want to open his eyes, but his instincts urged him to do so. Ruby red met a bright emerald green, and he began to curse his instincts.

"You fainted, Yakumo-san. You're extremely dehydrated and your wounds opened," A familiar face told him. Sakura was hovering over him with a cool cloth, patting his forehead and cheeks in hopes of diminishing the fever that his infected wounds caused. Sasuke wanted to shoo her away, but that required energy, energy he didn't have. So, he simply ignored her wishing she'd take the hint. Of course, being Sakura, she didn't.

"I healed most of your wounds but because I have a shift at the hospital early tomorrow morning, I need to preserve some chakra," she said politely, as if he cared. "The wound on your stomach was deeper than I thought, but I managed to close the tissue to the point of it being just a scratch. Although, your abdomen and ribcage have some bruising, which is the source of the pain."

Sasuke didn't want to be diagnosed, especially when the pain he is feeling are from injuries he doesn't remember getting. He grunted in annoyance when Sakura dabbed his forehead with an ice cold towel. He wasn't going to admit that he liked the way it felt, either.

A silence enveloped the two people in the room. He took note of the sand-colored ceiling and realized he wasn't in the hospital. He moved his head to the right and noticed he was in an unfamiliar room where the only source of light was a small lamp on a desk that was covered in papers.

"Your house?" He asked more himself then Sakura, but she smiled and responded.

"Yes. The hospital is farther than my house and it was in the opposite direction of where we were walking. I figured the best idea would be to bring you here," Sakura said nonchalantly, as though healing a person in her home was a normal occurrence and something she didn't think twice about.

"Where's Naruto?" His voice cracked and he cringed. Sakura shifted her body into a more comfortable position beside him and then moved a few dampened strands from his forehead. His body tensed at the contact.

"He came by earlier asking if you were okay. I told him you were going to stay here for the night and that he can pick you up in the morning."

Sakura smiled down at him and Sasuke looked away. He didn't want this kindness. Not from Sakura Haruno. A world of confusion flooded him as he thought back to his dream, the reality of what he felt. Maybe that was how he was injured. He reminded himself to tell Naruto of the dream tomorrow, hoping that whatever it was would give a clue as to where his body is. Excitement filled his gut at the thought of returning to his body. If he can have these kinds of flashbacks in dreams, then maybe traveling will bring about the same thing. He was sure he was onto something and became lost in his own thought. He didn't notice the pair of eyes settling on his battered form.

"You know, Yakumo-san," the sound of his fake name interrupted his train of thought. "Naruto is a kind person as is willing to help anyone that needs it."

Sasuke wasn't sure where she was going with her statement, but he acknowledged her with his attention to her speaking. He didn't feel the need to converse with her, but the least he can do is pretend to care about what she says.

"He seems to have formed an attachment to you. Although he doesn't need much time to form bonds with people, you seem to be a different case." Sasuke began to sweat as his eyes darted from her face to the floor. He didn't want to look at her. He cursed her for being so smart.

"I think you may remind him of our old teammate," Sakura finally said after a long pause. Sasuke blinked from surprise. He wasn't expecting that response.

"What makes you think that?" He asked, curious to see where she was drawing her conclusions from. Although the two just met, he was incredibly inquisitive as to how Sakura picked up on such a thing. Even though she is more correct than she knows, Sasuke doesn't mind abusing his power as a third party looking in on the lives of Team Seven.

Sakura shuffled in her seat and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Sasuke noticed a small white scar on her pinky.

"You and our teammate have similar personalities and mannerisms. I can understand why Naruto would feel such a connection to you," Sakura said, fidgeting with her red shirt. "The mission Naruto was on was to find him."

Sasuke didn't speak. Instead he watched her as she tried to explain the mission, about Team Seven, and about himself. Sakura talked like she knew him and it bothered him. He wanted to tell her to shut up and that she didn't know a thing, but he restrained himself. He had to control his anger.

"Sasuke-kun is someone very dear to Naruto and I so it makes sense that we see a bit of him in you, is what I'm trying to say," she finally said. Sasuke didn't move from his spot. He only kept his half-lidded eyes trained on Sakura. A cold, numbing sensation swept through his chest, which caused him to frown.

"Did you ever think that maybe he doesn't want to come back?" Sasuke asked. He let his question slip without much thought but at this point, it seems that both Naruto and Sakura have only been thinking about themselves. Sasuke was never a factor in their decision-making. They didn't care if he wanted to return to the village or not. They believe that Konoha is his home, but he just sees it as a valley of escaped dreams, broken lives, and empty promises.

This place just causes him dread. Naruto and Sakura will never understand that.

Sakura was clearly taken aback by his words and settled in her spot, silent and thinking. Sasuke observed her with animosity and hate burning his insides. She was too naïve to understand him. He knows it so well it's almost painful.

"I have thought about that, actually," Sakura said, which caught Sasuke off guard. He wasn't expecting her to say something like that. His only reason for speaking was to prove her wrong. "I believe Sasuke-kun is lost. He doesn't feel he has a home and I understand why he feels that way."

Sakura recalls him talking about broken bonds and the pain Konoha caused him. She knows everything and it makes Sasuke sick.

"But, I believe that a home is a place where people love you. Sasuke-kun has always been loved," Sakura talked quietly, as though the mere thought of Sasuke physically hurt her. Perhaps to some extent it did.

"I want Sasuke-kun to see that the Konoha he hates is actually filled with people that love him and want him to come back," the girl sighed. "Of course there are people that don't like the Uchiha clan. It's an understandable argument. But, the people that love him never saw him as Uchiha Sasuke. He has always been just Sasuke."

Sasuke wanted to retort, he wanted yell at how wrong she was, that she was being selfish by smothering him with her ideals and forcing him to see a world filled with love. Sasuke knows there is no such thing. Sakura is ignorant and will never understand him. However, he just shuts his mouth and closes his eyes, because the world is always quiet in the dark.

* * *

"Sasuke! Wake up, you turd!"

Sasuke shut his eyes tighter. He wasn't about to be woken up by that blonde fool, especially after being called a turd. He turned on his side and grunted in pain from his sore bones. Soon, his body relaxed once more and his comfort returned. He could hear Naruto grumbling in the background about something unimportant.

"Hey bastard, it's already eleven and you're still sleeping in Sakura-chan's bed."

It took a moment for Sasuke to register what the man said and when he did, his eyes widened as he shot up from his spot, ignoring the pain, and clumsily stumbling from the bed he was on. By the time the whole ordeal was over, Sasuke was bent over, out of breath, and in pain.

Glaring up at the blonde, who was cackling to himself, he managed to ram his leg into Naruto's shin. Naruto doubled over in pain, cradling his leg while cursing at his companion. Sasuke scoffed. Serves him right.

His eyes travelled to the bed and the moron was right, he was actually sleeping in Sakura's bed. The red comforter was strewn across the bed and floor, tangling with the white sheets. He hadn't realized where he was sleeping last night, and probably would have protested if he knew. He was annoyed that not only was he in her bed, but that she gave up her bed to a complete stranger. Sakura's kindness is verging on impractical.

Sitting on the floor, his thoughts on the night before resurfaced. The way she took care of him and made sure he was okay bothered him to no end. An odd, indescribable feeling settled at the bottom of the Uchiha's stomach, a feeling he didn't consent to. But hell, this body made him feel and think things he never has in his life. That was the most frustrating part of this whole ordeal. He didn't like feeling and he did want to be here. A hand appeared on the side of his face which peaked Sasuke's interest. Looking up, Sasuke's eyes met with his idiotic teammate who managed to bring out his goofy grin. Sasuke let out a tired sigh. It was difficult being angry all the time. Looking away, he grabbed the man's hand and was pulled to his feet. After a quick slap on the back, the two were off once again.

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**Please Review! :D**


	4. The Boy Without A Name

**Sorry this took so long! College has been crazy and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with this chapter. Sorry if it sucks! :[ Please review!**

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Sasuke didn't care that his shuffling caused a small cloud of dust to pool around his feet. Everything seemed to hurt and ache, his body still suffering from the exhaustion he felt yesterday. Despite his many hours of sleep, he still isn't accustomed to the body's limits. His weak stature doesn't match Sasuke's strong mind. He needs to learn his boundaries and fast, before he gets himself killed.

Naruto's pace slowed, allowing the Uchiha to casually walk beside him. Sasuke was inwardly grateful for his courtesy, although he refused to show any sort of gratitude. Uchihas don't do gratitude.

"Where are we going, moron?" Sasuke finally asked, unsure of where the blonde was taking him. Naruto's ears perked at the sound of his companion's voice and he turned his head to address him.

"To the hospital, of course," he said as he continued to walk. Sasuke halted to an abrupt stop and stared at the orange jumpsuit in front of him.

"Why?" All Sasuke needed to do was glare for Naruto to shake his hands in front of his face, dismissing what he previously said.

"I usually meet up with Sakura-chan for lunch! Don't get your panties in a bunch, bastard."

Sasuke's body relaxed only minutely. Although he was happy he wasn't being admitted into the hospital, the idea of seeing the pink haired girl made his stomach churn. After the scene from earlier, he isn't sure he knows how to face her properly. Regardless of his personality and lineage, anyone caught in that predicament would be confused and embarrassed.

Sasuke groaned and frowned, but said nothing to his old teammate. He didn't have the energy to argue why they shouldn't bother wasting time with the girl. That would require an explanation, an explanation he didn't want to give.

There was a long pause between the two men, the sound of their feet hitting the dirt road echoed in the silence. Naruto looked ahead, his shoulders back and his head high, the way he always held himself. Sasuke, on the other hand, had his head down, his eyes partly lidded with fatigue. He glanced at the blonde beside him and held his scoff. He knew Naruto had a reason to feel proud. He would never preach about his former best friend's skills, but they both know Naruto's power.

A bitter taste flooded Sasuke's pallet as his tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth. He glared at nothing in particular. Sasuke is angry at the world. He is angry that he is in this situation. Sasuke can hardly remember a time where the world didn't try to fuck with his life. And that's putting it lightly.

"Sasuke."

The said man looked up and noticed Naruto looking at him with a straight face. It was only then that he realized they had both stopped in front of the hospital steps, each looking at one another with an indescribable intensity. Old feelings arose in Sasuke, ones he hasn't felt in years. Animosity, jealousy, anger, and disgust all hit him consecutively. He clenched his fists and bit the insides of his cheeks. He hated the man in front of him with every fiber of his being. This man made him hesitate. In a world of shinobi, hesitation kills.

"I know that you know about the mission I was on for a year," Sasuke held his breath as the blonde spoke. "And I want you to know that a topic involving you is still a sore spot for Sakura-chan." Sasuke rolled his eyes. Of course it came back to Sakura's feelings about him. Naruto always had a roundabout way of involving the two with one another. Even though he feels no connection toward the girl, Naruto seems to always insinuate that the two had a past together. If it wasn't blatantly obvious to the world at the time that Uchiha Sasuke wasn't interested in women, then he didn't do a good job in ignoring the opposite sex. Sure, they were friends and teammates, they had known one another for years. But his connection with her is irrelevant now. In fact, Sasuke knows it doesn't exist.

Naruto frowned at Sasuke's lack of interest. His eyebrows came together and lines formed on his forehead. He was pissed. Not only was Sasuke mocking him, but the Uchiha was completely disregarding his feelings and authority.

"Sasuke I'm serious! You leaving wasn't some kind of joke and it still isn't!"

Sasuke could see the man was fuming. He smirked. He always enjoyed getting a reaction from the idiot. He was easy to tease.

"Whatever. I have no ties with you or Sakura anymore. Just leave it be, dobe."

Sasuke began to walk toward the hospital, when air quickly fled his lungs. He was pulled backward, the collar of his shirt choking him as he was forced to turn around before he could figure out what was going on. When his feet no longer touched the ground, he grunted and looked into the bright blue eyes of his former teammate. He could see the tears brimming Naruto's eyes and Sasuke wanted to punch him. An emotional beating will have to do this round, considering it would be impractical for him to even try and fight Naruto.

"Put me down, moron," Sasuke choked with as little emotion as possible. He wasn't going to dwindle because of lack of air. He didn't care if it made him pass out, he refused to give into Naruto's words. Sasuke noticed the lack of people around, and silently cursed his bad timing.

"When will you stop being stubborn and start looking at all the pain you've caused?" Naruto yelled in his face. Sasuke simply stared at him. He stopped struggling against Naruto's grip and quietly listened, each time scorning the man in his head. He wasn't being stubborn. Naruto and Sakura have yet to realize that this is simply how he thinks. He doesn't care about anyone else, and that's the way he chooses to be. Sasuke has suffered enough from caring for others.

"Let go, Naruto." Sasuke commanded, preventing his anger from flaring like the man in front of him. Sasuke knows the less he reacts, the more Naruto will start to hate him. That's his goal, after all. He just wants his teammates to hate him as much as he hates them. It will be easier for everyone that way.

Naruto hesitated, and Sasuke could see the hurt lingering in his eyes. When Sasuke's feet touched the floor, Naruto wiped the tears from his eyes, silently hurting in front of his one true friend. Sasuke turned his back to him, and walked up the stairs. It was only when his face went hurtling toward the staircase that he knew how much God hated him.

* * *

"_Sasuke-kun, do you know why Uchihas master the fire element?" asked an elegant voice from the kitchen sink. A pouting Sasuke sat with his knees folded, his head resting against the cold wooden table. He was tired from his constant training and his equally constant failure. When he didn't answer his mother, she turned around and smiled at him._

"_Fire is the symbol energy and life; it's drive and passion. That is the basis of our clan," Mikoto said to her son. Sasuke frowned and looked away from the one woman who could always make him feel better. _

"_Yeah and Itachi mastered it already. Itachi was better than me when he was my age. I'll never be as good as him, Kaa-san!" Sasuke pouted. His brother was the highlight of the Uchiha clan. Itachi is the one his father loves the most. Compared to him, he is nothing. _

"_Sasuke-kun, you can never be Itachi," the woman said as she kneeled to meet her son's gaze. Sasuke looked shocked at her words. "I don't want my Sasuke-kun to be like Itachi. That is why you are Sasuke. Work on being the best Sasuke you can be, and don't worry about Itachi. You are both loved equally."_

_Her smile was radiating and Sasuke could only look at his feet. He felt foolish for thinking such a thing. His mother always knew what to say. _

"_Now son," she stood and ran her hands through his spiked hair. He looked at her face, ready to listen to her once more. "It's time to wake up."_

"Sasuke! You gotta wake up, man. Sakura-chan is coming back soon and she's pissed. You gotta show her you're okay so she won't kill me!"

The warmth that once flooded Sasuke's body was gone as he slowly opened his eyes to look at the white ceiling above him. He felt cold and numb all at once, like everything in this world, everything that has happened to him in the past has been for nothing. In this body he knows he is not Sasuke Uchiha and he's not sure how he feels about it anymore. What would it be like to be someone else? Sasuke pondered the thought; to have no cruel past with a cursed bloodline, a dead family, and a loneliness that strangles him in his sleep. This man named Yakumo is a nobody.

Sasuke sat in his bed, his ruby eyes heavy from his deep sleep.

Sasuke was given a second chance.

Looking at Naruto, he couldn't hear the voice that came from the blonde's moving lips. He couldn't hear anything, really. Even his brain was quiet. In this world, Sasuke Uchiha is a part of everyone's past, but there is no telling if he will be there in the future. So, is it wrong that Yakumo takes his place?

"Ah! You're awake. I'm glad this blonde idiot didn't hurt you too bad."

Sasuke turned to a woman that entered the room. Sakura's hair looked lighter, pinker than it had been the day before. Her smile was bigger and her teeth looked whiter. Everything about her glowed as she stepped into the hospital room.

Everything in Yakumo's world is brighter and better because Yakumo is not Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke with no last name is Yakumo. The Uchiha are dead.

He felt a cool palm on his forehead and he rested his weight into her hand. Sakura seemed to notice as she grabbed his shoulders and held him upright and looked him in the eyes. For the first time in Sasuke's life, he didn't want to leave the support she provided.

"You still have a fever, but I gave you some medicine that will cause it to break. You might suffer from some discomfort, but you should be better by tomorrow." Sakura said in her professional yet kind voice.

She gently pushed him onto the bed and pulled the blankets over him. Sasuke was reminded of his mother and the way she used to care for him. She would always show Sasuke her tender side the most. Sometimes he liked to think that his mother liked him more than Itachi, but it would be foolish to make such an assumption. His thoughts regarding his mother always brought a wave of conflicting emotions. Anger, mourning, happiness—she made him feel it all. Sasuke thought back to his dream and frowned. He knew this is not _her_ Sasuke. No, he was a monster lost in a giant world he has no control over. And that is what scares him the most.

He watched as Sakura began to leave his side and he shot his hand out without thinking. She stumbled and turned her attention to him once more, her hand in his weak grasp. She seemed concerned, but it wasn't the same concern she has shown for Sasuke Uchiha. He had forgotten that he is no longer that man. Sakura Haruno doesn't love him.

"What's wrong? Does something hurt?" She asked him. He opened his mouth to respond, but his throat was dry and all the came out was air. He shut his mouth when he knew he would have no success. He let her go.

Sakura sent Naruto a look, but the blonde man simply stared at the dark-haired civilian lying in the bed. A tense air filled the room, one Sakura wasn't sure how to handle. She didn't know the relationship Naruto had with the man, but she knew that there was a connection she would never understand. When it came to Naruto, she didn't question his relationships with people without a good reason. His ability to attract people to him and form inseparable bonds is one she admires more than anything. Standing and straightening her skirt, she bowed and left.

After the door closed, Sasuke shut his eyes. He wasn't sure what he just did. Sakura must think he's insane. Even he was clueless as to what was going on. This body had him feeling and thinking crazy things. He hates confusion. Sasuke Uchiha always has a direction, even If it seems like he's going nowhere at all.

"Sasuke, you…"

The said man opened his eyes and looked into the blue hues of the man beside him. The two made no movement to speak, they only stared. After a minute, Naruto broke the gaze by shaking his head and standing.

"Forget it."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at the man, curious as to what the blonde was about to say. As Naruto approached the door, he sent Sasuke a sideways smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow, bastard!"

* * *

A loud banging on his door woke Sasuke up that morning. Jolting from his spot, his heart raced as he held his chest and glared at the cause of his surprise.

"Oi! Time to get up you lazy bum!"

Naruto walked through the open door, his usual boisterous personality filling the small space of the hospital room. Sasuke turned and put his head back on his pillow, blocking out the annoyance that just forced itself into his room. He wasn't sure why the damn moron kept bothering him, but his persistence was worse than usual. He liked it better when they didn't want anything to do with each other.

His white cotton blanket was pulled from his body, exposing his legs to the cool air and removing the comforting warmth. Sasuke growled, ready to pounce on him, when the scent of spring filled his nostrils.

"Yakumo-san! Are you feeling any better?"

Sasuke was met, much to his surprise and disdain, a pair of bright and electrifying green eyes. She was a mere six inches from his face, her hands on each of his cheeks.

"Your fever has gone down!"

Sasuke was confused and wasn't expecting a bombardment of load annoyances filing into his room like a herd of lions. He also wasn't sure what to do when an irritating girl stuck her face in front of his own. His first reaction was to push her away, but after a quick, hard glance from the blonde man in the room, he begrudgingly allowed the close contact. She touched his forehead, moving the sweaty locks that stuck to his forehead. Ruby met viridian and Sasuke frowned deeply. He didn't like this one bit.

"Well it looks like the medicine worked, Yakumo-san! You're free to leave." Sakura said, her smile bright and full of life. The mere purity of her cheeky grin made him uncomfortable.

"Sakura-chan, we're gonna grab some lunch. You should come with us!" Naruto said, motioning toward the man that started getting out of bed. Sasuke grumbled, not wanting a repeat of the previous day at Ichiraku.

Sakura put her pointer finger to her chin and gave a look of thought. After a short while, she nodded and smiled.

"Sure, why not. I can take an early break, I guess."

"Yes!" Naruto cheered and ran out of the hospital room. Sasuke shook his head as he slowly lifted his body from the bed. His muscles ached and his head was spinning from sitting up too quickly. His body stiffened when his cold skin touched a warm hand. His ruby eyes looked into the eyes of his former female teammate and his breath left his body.

"Are you sure you're okay to go to lunch?"

Her voice was softer than it was before, like Naruto's absence brought about her quiet side. It's hard to be soft spoken around a man that is too loud and obnoxious to hear the people around him, so it's natural to raise one's voice. Sasuke didn't like the undivided attention he was receiving from her, so he stood and walked slowly past her.

"I'm fine. Stop being annoying."

Sasuke didn't realize how long she stood there staring at the open door after he left the room, mouth agape.

The walk to Ichiraku consisted of Sakura and Naruto talking idly, casually discussing their week and upcoming events. Sasuke, on the contrary, watched from the back his feet dragging him along the road several feet behind the two friends.

Sasuke wasn't sure if he should be happy they weren't talking to him or annoyed that he was forgotten. Although he wishes to be the latter, he knows that the pestering uneasiness in his gut wasn't a feeling associated with happiness. As the small ramen stand came into view, Sasuke couldn't stop the sigh that escaped his lips. Although he hated the village and everyone in it, he could never remember a bad memory at this particular eatery. Although it was dingy and small, the place glowed and was filled with light. It always radiated happiness and welcoming, although now Sasuke wonders if maybe that was just Naruto's presence.

The three entered the small shack, their hands pushing aside the small curtain that hung overhead. Each sat at a stool, Naruto in the middle and Sakura and Sasuke on either side of him.

"Naruto you just got back from a mission, I doubt she'll make you do another one any time soon."

Naruto paused and Sasuke yawned, his head resting in his propped hand.

"I know! She usually likes getting me out of the village, but I really don't mind the missions. Although, I have my own personal goals to take care of."

Sakura shot him a confused gaze and Sasuke was suddenly interested in what the blonde idiot had to say. A sudden slap on the back surprised him as he coughed from the force. Naruto knew how to piss him off, in fact, he practically mastered it.

"I'm going to help this guy, uh—" Naruto looked at him for help. Of course he didn't think of an excuse in advance to successfully lie to Sakura. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"I'm looking for someone. A close relative."

Sakura nodded in understanding and smiled. Sasuke frowned in response to her happy reaction. She was oblivious to his antics, she always has been.

"I see. Well, I wish you luck." She said as three large bowls of ramen were placed in front of each of them. Pulling apart her chopsticks, she and Naruto began to eat. Sasuke just stared at her.

He was baffled. How did she coolly play off his negativity? He called her annoying, he tried pushing her away, he was rude and didn't want anything to do with her and yet she still came back with that stupid cheeky grin. Sasuke grumbled in his seat and stared at the hot ramen, steam hitting his face in waves and burning his pale cheeks. Perhaps Sasuke Uchiha wasn't as special as he thought. Did she do this to everybody?

Sasuke's stomach was churning and he felt nauseous. The salty aroma before him wasn't helping him either. He watched as Naruto and Sakura casually talked and for the first time he felt like an outsider to his own team. Well, his _ex-team._ Still, wasn't it their job to include him? The old Sasuke wouldn't have cared, but the fact that he isn't even that man anymore made him feel odd; like he didn't belong there with them like Sasuke Uchiha did. Yakumo didn't deserve to be a part of Team Seven.

Sasuke shook off the feeling as a familiar voice addressed him.

"Oi, we were all called to the Hokage's office." Sasuke stared at Naruto and then at Sakura, who was paying the bill and rising from her seat, her ramen only half eaten while Naruto's bowl was licked clean. Standing from his spot on the stool, he left the stall, travelling behind orange and pink on the seemingly long road to the center of the village.

* * *

The amount of energy the two blondes in the room had was beyond annoying. Sasuke rubbed his temples as Naruto and Tsunade argued, the back-and-forth name calling increasing in ridiculousness and loudness. Sakura watched in slight amusement, her eyes travelling back and forth between the two, like it was something she dealt with on a daily basis. Sasuke on the other hand was growing angry and incredibly impatient. This was a waste of his time.

The only reason for him to ever be called to the Hokage's office in this form would mean she had something important to say. His palms were sweating and his foot tapped in anticipation. The thought that she might have some information as to where his body is was making him anxious and excited all at once. The thought of his power returning sent shivers up his spine. He wants to be normal again. He _needs_ to feel that power coursing through his veins once more.

Tsunade cleared her throat and with a serious expression pulled out a long scroll and laid it on her desk for the three of them to see. The map of the Shinobi Nations appeared, each colored coded by alliances, danger areas, small villages, large companies and anything else deemed worthy of noting was neatly drawn before them. Three pairs of eyes locked with large hazel hues.

"Sasuke Uchiha has been spotted," she pointed towards Kirigakure. "Here."

Sakura and Naruto gasped, while Sasuke's eyes widened. He couldn't believe they found him. He couldn't prevent the small smirk from slipping onto his face. His fingers were twitching with anticipation.

"So, what do you want us to do?" Naruto asked. Sakura and Sasuke listened intently, everyone desperate to hear what the woman had to say. Rolling the scroll back up, she sat back in her chair and sighed.

"Well, actually, Naruto it's what you need to do. I'm putting you in charge of gathering a team to track Sasuke down and bring him back to Konoha."

Naruto smiled and threw a fist in the air. Sasuke wasn't sure he heard correctly.

"So what do you want the two of us to do then?" By the two of them, he meant him and Sakura. He was more than annoyed.

"Since Naruto is gone, Sakura, you're in charge of taking care of this ball of fun over here."

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock while Sakura nodded knowingly. She hesitantly looked toward the red-eyed man. She knew he was angry, but just how angry she would never know.

Sasuke was seething. He was being mocked by the people in this room. They didn't respect him or care that it was entire life was hanging in the balance of a few idiotic Konoha shinobi.

"I want to go with Naruto."

He heard Tsunade laugh and his harsh gaze clashed with her amused one.

"Sorry, kid. Can't do that. You're too weak to leave the village much less go on a mission with top ranked ninja. Sakura needs to stay and take care of business at the hospital. You can accompany her in Naruto's absence."

Sasuke didn't want to hear it any longer. He simply turned and left.


	5. Housemates

**Here you go guys, chapter 5! I hope you enjoy this as I am in the process of the next chapter. I greatly appreciate any criticism/ reviews so send them my way! I also want to recognize my fabulous friend _Miss Pibbles_ who not only helps me think of ideas for my stories but is also an amazing friend and a lovely person to talk to. She makes me so happy and is honestly one of the main reasons I continue to write. Love you girl :]**

* * *

Sasuke didn't know where he was running to; he was blind to the blur of people on his sides. He was angry, no, enraged. His sight faltered every few seconds from the pure disgust and fury that erupted in his body. He wanted to kill, to destroy something meaningful, like this village was doing to him. Konoha mocked him and his family, they laughed in his face and trampled his pride and self-worth. Sasuke wanted to destroy this village and everyone in it for causing his pain and then he wanted to crawl in a hole and die.

He slowed to a halt, his chest heaving as his lungs hungrily took in oxygen. Beads of sweat fell from his forehead, down his cheek and off his chin, a salty aroma entering his nose as small sweat droplets pooled at the corners of his lips. His ruby eyes locked onto an uchiwa fan, one that hung dangerously high over his head. The fan was worn with age and neglect, cracks littering the tattered and broken symbol as it hung on proudly over the abandoned compound's gates.

Sasuke took a step forward and paused. Did he have any right stepping into the Uchiha compound as a stranger? He is no longer Sasuke of the Uchiha clan, he is a mere traveler with a scrawny body with eyes that resembled the piercing red of the Sharingan. That did not make him an Uchiha, it made him an outsider that lacked the Uchiha blood.

For the first time in Sasuke's life, he is lost. He has no home, no family, no friends, no enemies, _nothing._ He is unable to associate with the one thing he's been fighting for since he was seven: a clan. More specifically, the clan whose symbol now taunted him with a weary and cocky grin.

His mouth formed a grim line as he stood underneath the tall entrance that once symbolized home and warmth and then remorse and anger. Now he felt nothing. There is a gaping hole in his heart that revenge had once tried to fill and then failed and the same hole grew after Itachi's death. Even after the war, he was never truly able to satiate this gaping black of nothingness that plagued him day after day. At least as Sasuke, he had a pastime, like training, or doing odd jobs and missions that lesser ninjas couldn't accomplish. But now, who is he? What purpose does he serve?

Sasuke glared at the ground, his fists clenched and his knuckles colored white. He punched the wooden frame that stood two feet beside him. Over and over his weakened body clashed with the thick wooden structure, the only damage being the ones on his now bleeding knuckles. His brain hurt, his knuckles hurt, his body hurt and his heart was numb.

"_I'm so in love with you I can't even stand it!" _

_There was nothing but black before him; in his heart. He can't make her happy, he can't do anything for her. They are too different from one another. She will find someone else._

"_I won't let you break our bonds that easily! I will protect this special bond we share, believe it!" _

_This fool would never understand my pain. How can a boy with no family know what it's like to lose it? _

_This whole team is worthless. _

"You're hurting yourself, Yakumo-san."

A small, steady hand stopped his right fist from going further. He couldn't look at the person whose sweet and gentle voice saved him from drowning in painful memories; the same person he wished to eliminate from his life forever.

"Let me heal you."

Sasuke flinched and forcefully pulled his hand away, his red eyes glaring at the pretty face of his pink-haired teammate. Why couldn't she understand that he didn't want to see her? He didn't want anything to do with Team Seven—this disease—that only tormented him in his nightmares away from home. Why couldn't they see his pain?

"Don't touch me!"

Sasuke was furious. He was stuck between two pasts, his clan and his team, each time crossing a boundary that was meant to be left unscathed. He lost his family because of this village, a village filled with people like his ignorant teammates. How dare they question his hate for Konoha. How dare they try to _change _him.

She reached for his hand once more and he slapped it away, only to receive a hard look from stern emerald hues.

"I'm trying to help you! We have to deal with one another until Naruto comes back, the least you can do is let me heal your damn hand." She was growing angry and impatient with him. Sasuke took a step back and ignored her, his eyes travelling to the entrance of the Uchiha compound once more. All he wanted was to forget, and yet he brought himself to the one place that pained him the most. Maybe he is a sadist.

Sakura eyed the compound and sighed, touching the partially chipped wood that lay before her.

"This place has been vacant for quite a while. It's odd that you managed to stumble upon it."

Sasuke froze, his body tense as he watched the girl from the corner of his eye, unable to form words to satisfy her curiosity. For once, he couldn't come up with a lie that quenched the intelligent pinkette's inquisitiveness.

So, Sasuke did what he did best, he crossed his arms over his chest and let a small "hn" pass his lips. Sakura looked at him and smiled softly, shaking her head in the process.

Ignoring her presence, Sasuke took a step toward the compound, ready to enter and explore the past that he had left forgotten in this rotten village. Ever since killing Itachi, the Uchiha compound was a recurring thought in Sasuke's mind. He was finally able to face the past that brought him pain. A hand stopped him from moving further.

"What do you think you're doing?" Her smile was gone and she looked shocked and offended. Sasuke was confused, his eyebrows knitting together in questioning look. Shrugging her hand off his shoulder, he pointed toward the compound.

"Going inside," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Sakura frowned and took a long step toward him, closing the space between them.

"I don't think so," she poked his chest with her pointer finger, catching Sasuke off-guard. "I'm not about to let some random person walk into the Uchiha compound! That's disrespectful."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Of all people, he didn't expect Sakura to be the one defending his home. She was the nosiest of the team, she might even surpass Naruto on certain occasions.

"Leave me alone," he corrected her before shooing her hand away. "I can do what I please."

He turned his back on her and began walking again. He shoved his hands in his pockets and blew a stray strand of dark hair from his view. Of course she wouldn't bother him after that.

"You asshole!" A tug at his shirt forced him to fall to the ground and near the feet of the pinkette. She hovered over him with a dangerous glare.

"I don't care who you think you are. I said to leave!"

Sasuke paused and let out a long sigh. He had almost forgotten who he was trying to be as opposed to who he really is. Of course he isn't the Sasuke that can casually walk into his family's compound, one he hasn't stepped foot in in years. And of course the girl felt defensive. At least she had the decency to defend his diseased family, regardless of what she knew or thought of him.

He stayed on the ground for a few more seconds, eyeing the blaring sun that rained powerful rays onto his body. The warmth he felt on his skin was nothing compared to the cold he felt in his chest. This emptiness would be the death of him.

A powerful force grabbed his forearm and hoisted him to his feet. Sasuke frowned and looked at the girl. He didn't appreciate being thrown around like a rag doll. Brushing some dirt off his shirt, Sakura looked at his still bleeding hand. Some was beginning to dry around the wound while the rest dripped down the front of his hands and onto the dirt road. Sasuke winced as it started to sting and throb.

Without another word, she took his hands as her own glowed a pale green. Hovering over them, they both watched as his skin stitched together and the bleeding stopped, the pain slowly leaving Sasuke's body. His gaze faltered, however, as his eyes travelled to her face. Illuminated by the glow of her chakra, he noticed her concentration. She was putting her time and effort into him, even after everything. Sasuke grumbled and looked away. He didn't want to be indebted to her, especially like this.

"There you go!"

Flexing and relaxing his hand, he looked at his perfectly healed hand, his eyes examining the skin closely to see if she missed anything. After finding nothing, he looked at her, only to be faced with her sparkling smile. Sasuke grumbled a "thank you" and walked away with Sakura in tow.

* * *

"Alright! This is where you will be staying until Naruto gets back."

Sakura unlocked the door and opened it, revealing her small apartment building. It was tidy, for the most part, as Sasuke removed his shoes carefully and placed them neatly to the side. Sakura proceeded to toss them after taking them off. Frowning, he walked further into the house, noticing an accumulating pile of dishes in the sink. His eyes travelled to the walls, which had several pictures hanging in small wooden frames. One, Sasuke noticed, was a picture of Sakura with the Hokage, both in lab coats. Aside from a few scattered pictures and pieces of furniture, the walls were a pastel yellow with paneled wood floors. It was homey and cheap.

"You live alone?" Sasuke was slightly intrigued by the whole ordeal. He never pictured Sakura moving out of her parent's house so soon. Then again, she always did complain about them, much to his annoyance.

"Yep! I've had this apartment for about a year now. I hope to move into a house soon, but I doubt that will happen" the girl said casually, initiating a conversation. Although Sasuke didn't ask for the extra information, he went along with it as he shoved his hands into his pockets and observed the rest of the home.

"Why?" He would admit, he was slightly curious as to her train of thought. Whether he cared about the response was a different matter. He wanted to make this experience as easy and simple as possible. If that meant getting along with Sakura, well, he would be willing to make some sacrifices. It's not like she _knows _he's Sasuke. That would just make things too complicated.

Sakura paused before speaking, carefully thinking out her response as she made her way to the kitchen. She told herself she would clean before she allowed him to come over, but her plans were altered from the drama that seemed to ensue whenever Yakumo was around.

"When I think of a home, I think of family," she finally said, running the water from the sink and picking up a dirtied plate from the basin. "And as you can see, I'm lacking in that area." She turned her head over her shoulder and giggled at her claim. Sasuke wasn't sure how to react to what she said as he struggled to define even his own feelings toward the idea. He understood her thoughts, more than she knew, and perhaps that is why he didn't know what to say to her. Instead, he slowly nodded, his fingers fidgeting in his pockets. Something about this situation made him uneasy.

"Oh! You can sit on the couch and relax while I do the dishes," she called from the kitchen. Looking to his left, Sasuke spotted the couch and slowly sat on it, feeling slightly awkward as he settled between the cushions. The running of the water in the background was pleasant as the distant clatter of ceramic filled his ears. A light hum echoed from the small kitchen and Sasuke scoffed as she hit a note that was clearly off. He couldn't picture Sakura being tone deaf, but she managed to surprise him more in the past few days than he imagined. Although, with his long absence, it was inevitable that Sakura wouldn't remain the same as her thirteen year old counter-part.

His head rested on the large cushion to his right as his scarlet eyes travelled about the room, taking in the plain nature that surrounded him. It wasn't nearly as big as his old apartment and even the furnishing seemed outdated. Exhaustion settled on his now partially lidded eyes as he looked at a frame that sat on the coffee table two feet from the couch. Sitting idly in the middle was a picture of Sakura with her parents, each proudly looking at their daughter while she seemed frustrated. She was younger, her hair short and her face resembling a girl rather than a woman. He vaguely remembered her this way, the girl in the picture. Sasuke wasn't around much in this part of her life, but Sasuke could tell she was fragile that put on a strong front. The girl in between the wooden frame was a teenager that didn't want to hear her parents' opinion. The girl in the picture was madly in love with Sasuke Uchiha and would do everything in her power to bring back the ties he broke with Team Seven. Listening to the happy tune from the kitchen, he smirked.

Perhaps that Sakura wasn't gone after all.

Sakura finished drying off the last of the plates as she took the time to arrange them by size and place them neatly in the cupboard above her. She hadn't heard from the man in her living room since she started washing her belongings in the sink. He was quiet and didn't seem to mind being alone. She smiled to herself. His resemblance to Sasuke's personality was strikingly similar, it almost scared her. However, his appearance was beyond different and from what she heard from Tsunade and Naruto, he seemed deranged.

She dried her hands with a towel and sighed as she looked around her now clean kitchen. She couldn't shake the fact that both Tsunade and Naruto were hiding something from her. How did they both know this man so well and yet disclosed hardly any information about him to her? She frowned but decided she wouldn't question either of them, she knew that if she was meant to know, she would be told.

Her thoughts drifted to the missing Uchiha and Naruto. Her chest welled with hope at the thought that Sasuke was close to returning home. However, she refused to show her excitement, knowing that the possibility of failure was almost guaranteed. Any mission that involved Sasuke seemed to go terribly wrong and Naruto returns even more broken and upset than the time before. She wishes she could help, to go and fight with him in order to bring back their precious friend, but she can't. Rubbing her temples, she tried to rid the thoughts of the days where she couldn't do anything; of the days when she was weak. Even now, as she stood in her kitchen cleaning and babysitting a delusional man, she couldn't help but feel that there was nothing she could do to help her teammates. Not in the slightest.

Throwing the dish rag onto the granite counter, her bare feet made muffled noises against the cold floor. Flicking a long strand of pink from her face, she peered over the back of the couch. Blinking a few times, she made her way around the couch and kneeled in front of the man that sat slumped between two large cushions on her sofa. She hid her smile behind her hand as she listened to the man's slow breathing, his body sprawled messily across the piece of furniture. His face is at peace as the lines on his forehead disappeared and his frown ceased to exist. Sakura tilted her head in thought.

She couldn't deny he was attractive and since he wasn't opening his mouth criticizing everything that moved, she thought he could actually be pleasant. She favored the sleeping Yakumo the most. She noticed a strand of hair that caused him to twitch as it tickled his nose. She raised her hand, slowly and hesitantly, unsure if what she was doing was crossing some unknown boundary he had established with people. She grew up with a boy that felt the same way, so invading his personal space was something he wouldn't tolerate. She was going to retract her hand, but she remembered that this isn't the same person. The man on her couch and the man that lay dormant in her heart and mind were two different people. Biting her lower lip, she carefully tucked the dark hair behind his ear. His body relaxed once more as he drifted into a deep slumber before her eyes.

Placing her chin in her palm she watched him sleep, his position awkward and uncomfortable. She couldn't help but wonder about his life, where he came from and who he is as a person. She didn't know much about him, but from her first impressions he seemed rude and arrogant and impatient. He wanted things his way and if he is denied, he throws a tantrum. It was almost childish when she thought about it. She pondered if he ever loved someone before—what they looked, sounded, and acted like—and how he interacted with that person. She wonders if he thinks of the one he loves the way she does and if he knows what it feels like to be heart broken in a way that seems almost impossible to recover from. As she observes his calm features, she thinks that maybe, just maybe, they could have something in common.

The boy before her stirs and Sakura's back stiffens. Standing, she adjusts her skirt and clears her throat, knowing that if she were caught, it would create an awkward situation for the both of them. She walked to a linen closet near the bathroom and grabbed a spare blanket. She placed the blue cotton covering on his sleeping form and giggled as he sighed with content from the comfortable object. Stretching her own tired limbs, she looked out the window at the now setting sun. It was a long day full of unnecessary hype, mostly from the man sleeping peacefully in her living room.

Walking to the kitchen, she smiled. She hadn't had a guest in months. With her hectic shifts at the hospital along with missions and training, the idea of having anyone keeping her company in her own home was a distant idea. Tying her hair back, she clapped her hands together in delight, ready to put her rusty cooking finesse to the test.

Sasuke awoke to the smell of burning. He jolted awake, his eyes wide with confusion and panic as he looked about the room frantically. He was met with a yelp in the kitchen as a clattering of metal pots hit the floor with a loud bang. Sasuke looked at the blue blanket and blinked, turning his head as he watched Sakura try to cook with difficulty. Standing, he let the blanket slide off of him and onto the couch. He walked to her, an eyebrow raised as he entered the kitchen and noticed the mess of food and dirtied pans. She was the farthest from a neat cook.

"What are you doing?" he asked, clearly curious as to why she was trying so hard. Sasuke wasn't particularly picky about the things he ate. Although he didn't like certain things, like sweets, he was tolerant of many foods. He had to be. A rogue doesn't have time to be picky about meals.

The pink haired girl turned to him in surprise as she almost dropped the bowl she was holding.

"Oh! You're awake, Yakumo-san. You can wait at the kitchen table. Everything is almost ready!" She said, trying to reassure herself more than Sasuke. He wanted to scoff, but he knew better than to mock a woman and her cooking. He could remember how long and hard his mother would work to make meals for their family, especially his father, and would receive silence as a response to her hard work. As a child, he never knew how much it must have hurt his mother to never be acknowledged by her own husband.

Sasuke hesitated as he eyed the bubbly pink head bounce about the kitchen, trying to make sense of the things around her. He kneeled at the traditional kitchen table that bordered the kitchen and living room. Sitting cross-legged, he waited patiently for the girl to come with food. The table was already set with plates and chopsticks and cups. He couldn't tell if she was excited to have him here or she was trying to impress him. Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and felt his stomach clench and grumble. He was hungry and tired. This body was annoying in more ways than one. Every day he was in it, he added another hindrance to his accumulating list of burdens.

"Here you go!" Sakura placed a large bowl of rice in the middle of the table followed by a plate of tempura and onigiri. For the most part, it looked edible, aside from the partially crisped tempura and messy onigiri, he was overall impressed with the food in front of him. From the other side of the table, Sakura watched him, nervous, as he analyzed the food with a calculating gaze. She bit her lower lip as she rubbed her sweaty palms against her skirt. She wanted him to enjoy the food she worked so hard to make. She wasn't one for criticism and he wasn't like Naruto. One punch to this boy's gut and she'd have to revive him.

The man eyed her and then the food and proceeded to silently take several pieces of tempura, a large scoop of white rice into his own smaller bowl, and then an onigiri. She smiled toward him and he looked away. She wasn't sure why he did that to her, but maybe he didn't like the attention she gave him. Lowering her head, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and assembled her own plate.

The two ate in silence. To Sakura, the air was thick with unspoken tension while Sasuke didn't mind the quiet atmosphere. It wasn't the best food Sasuke had ever tasted, but it was far from the worst. His eyes travelled across the table to the girl sitting and eating quietly, her head downcast as she stared at her plate. Swallowing his food, he wasn't sure what to say. She looked upset and Sasuke didn't understand why. He didn't say anything negative toward her food, so her poor mood had nothing to do with him. Still, he cleared his throat, causing the pink haired woman to lift her head and look at him.

"This food," he began. "Is good. I like it."

She looked taken aback from what Sasuke could see. A smile spread across her face and he looked away. The smallest things pleased the girl.

"Thank you, Yakumo-san."

He didn't say anything in return, instead he continued to eat, his focus directed from his plate to the individual across from him every so often as she spoke about her life. Of course, most of this Sasuke was aware of, considering he was a large part of her discussion.

"My teammates are definitely," she trailed off, trying to think of the right words to describe the three men she spent her teenage years with. "Different."

She giggled after her statement and Sasuke's eyebrow quirked in interest.

"What's so funny?"

She laughed, an exuberant and lovely noise that Sasuke was unprepared for. He hadn't heard something so happy and innocent in a long time.

"Well, Naruto and Sasuke-kun have this weird relationship. They are best friends and yet hate each other at the same time, although I think that was a front they put up; a tough brotherly love at its best."

Sakura smiled as she thought of the missions and training they would do as children. Team Seven is a distant remembrance that she cherished in her deepest memories.

Sighing, she glanced at her plate.

"Sasuke-kun may not be here now, but that doesn't make him any less a part of our team. He will always be special to Naruto and I."

Sasuke looked at his own dish and suddenly lost his appetite. The food before him made him frown as he pushed it away. The bitter taste in his mouth irritated him as he said nothing in response to the girl. He wants her to shut up so he can leave.

"Do you have any precious people?"

Sasuke's eyes locked with the girl across from him, his look solid and unmoving. He didn't want to discuss such trivial matters.

"No. No one."

Sakura tilted her head and Sasuke could see the wheels in her head turning. Sasuke knew the face of concern that grew on her face and knew it would lead to further questions. Sakura has a reputation of prying.

"Really? No friends or family that you love? Not even a lover?"

Sasuke cringed and crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't like where this conversation was going.

"No. I don't have time for that nonsense."

Sakura frowned and Sasuke can tell he said something offensive. He didn't have time to think of unnecessary things, however. She should stop being so damn sensitive.

"How is any of that nonsense?"

Sasuke wasn't going to answer her. He stood from his spot and grabbed his plate and made his way to the kitchen, where he proceeded to clean the dirty dish and stow it away.

Sakura glared at her own plate that was littered with cold and uneaten food. She was fuming. She couldn't bring herself to send the man a nasty look as he passed her. Instead, she clenched her fists, knowing that the man in her home had no heart. He was an empty shell that could never be filled. She shook her head, knowing no one could love a man as cold and terrible as the dark-haired, red eyed Yakumo.

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**Review Please!**


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Naruto, Romance, Suspense