Sasuke's Weakness Ch. 17

Rain tapped on the glass as Sakura finished getting ready and went down stairs for breakfast. Their trip to the village was still on despite the weather. Everyone was willing to brave the rain to escape the small and quiet resort. They were all itching to do something other than lay about and relax. After all, they were ninja and ninja were never known to sit around and do nothing.

Luckily most of Sakura's clothes had dried during the night so she was able to change out of Sasuke's shirt. Sakura hadn't minded wearing his shirt, but she felt awkward wearing it in front of everyone else, especially since it had the Uchiha family symbol. Sakura thought back to the morning's events and couldn't help but laugh to herself. Now that she thought about it, she found it all pretty funny. However, she was disappointed in Kakashi Sensei and Sai actually believing Sasuke. Naruto, on the other hand, was just a plain idiot.

Sakura could hear people already in the dining room, so just before entering Sakura glanced at herself in the hallway mirror. Suddenly another reflection joined hers in the mirror as Sasuke appeared behind her. Sakura jumped a bit and Sasuke smirked. She hated how Sasuke kept sneaking up on her. Sakura gave Sasuke an annoyed look and turned away from the mirror.

"Sorry about this morning. I had no idea that Naruto was such a Dobe. I didn't think that they would actually believe me."

Sakura looked at Sasuke. She couldn't tell if he was serious that he really thought Naruto wouldn't believe him, or if Sasuke was just saying that so she wouldn't be mad at him. She hated how she couldn't read his expressions like she could other peoples. In fact she prided herself on being a good people reader, but with Sasuke she had never been able to guess what he was feeling or thinking, besides annoyance that is. Sakura was tired of always having no clue what Sasuke was thinking and decided to give him a taste of his own medicine.

"I don't blame Naruto. I mean you sounded pretty convincing Sasuke."

Sakura smiled at Sasuke as she walked up to him until she was inches away from him. Sasuke stared back at her with a confused expression on his face, but didn't move.

"If that is really how you feel Sasuke, then why don't you just tell me?"

Sakura wrapped her arms around Sasuke's neck and stood on her toes so her face was inches from his.

"…."

"I would, if you asked nicely Sasuke."

"What? Sakura…I…"

Sasuke didn't know what to do. He couldn't believe what Sakura was saying. Slowly, Sakura leaned forward and whispered in Sasuke's ear.

"What do you say Sasuke? ... I was pretty convincing wasn't I? Hm, I didn't think you would actually believe me. Ever hear of a thing called sarcasm?"

Sakura quickly unwound her arms from around Sasuke's neck and smirked. She couldn't help but laugh at the look on Sasuke's face. Sasuke's expression quickly changed to one of annoyance after Sakura started laughing. He couldn't believe that he had fallen for her trick. He was just as bad as Naruto.

"Hn. That wasn't funny."

"Depends on the point of view, Sasuke."

Sakura walked off into the dining room leaving Sasuke behind. Sasuke stood there for a few seconds recapping what had just happened. He had thought that Sakura was being serious, how pathetic. He wished that Sakura was being serious- but he couldn't tell her that. What Sasuke didn't know was that Sakura was being serious for the most part. She loved Sasuke and wanted to be with him, wanted to have a family with him, but she couldn't tell Sasuke that. Oh the irony.

When Sasuke did finally join everyone for breakfast they had already started eating. He sat in the last remaining seat across from Sakura. Sakura smiled teasingly at him as he sat down and then turned her attention towards Naruto.

Sai had been questioning Naruto with much concern because it seemed that Naruto was refusing to eat breakfast. Sai was worried that something was the matter with Naruto; he had never once refused a meal before. Naruto just sat there with an annoyed expression on his face as Sai probed him with questions about his well being. Trying to get Sai to stop, Naruto said that he just wasn't hungry, but this caused Sai to become even more concerned. Quickly Sai consulted his book, and after reading a passage, returned to Naruto.

So far Naruto had barely been tolerating all of Sai's questions, but now Sai had gone too far. Sai held his hand on Naruto's forehead as he checked his temperature. Naruto got red in the face and jumped up, nearly knocking over the table.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked bewildered.

"I am checking to see if you are ill. The book says that when someone is not acting like usual, then they are either sick, depressed, hiding something, or are having love problems."

"I'm not sick Sai! So get away from me."

"Are you having love problems then? I do not think I will be able to help you very much. But Sakura probably would, Ino says she has a lot of love problems, so she may know how you feel."

It took a few seconds for Sakura to comprehend what Sai had just said, but as soon as she did she too jumped up and glared at Sai.

"What did you say? .... You are going to have love problems if you keep it up Sai!!" –Sakura

Naruto started laughing and Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. Sai quickly dropped the subject of Sakura's love troubles and turned back to Naruto.

"Look Sai, I'm fine alright. I am just waiting to eat at the village. There is supposedly a really good ramen house there." Naruto assured Sai. "Besides, Sasuke is the one who looks sick. Man Sasuke why is your nose all red?"

Everyone turned their attention to Sasuke. Sakura noticed that he did look a little paler, if that was possible, which contrasted his nose which was pretty red. He didn't look that sick, but Naruto was looking for an excuse to change the subject from himself. Sakura noted to herself how Sasuke had advised her to change into dry clothes so that she wouldn't catch a cold. Hah!

"Hmmm, look who caught the cold Sasuke. Didn't you change into dry clothes last night?" Smirked Sakura.

"I don't have a cold, I am fine."

Just as Sasuke said that he sneezed, twice.

"Uhuh. Maybe Sai should check your temperature Sasuke." –Naruto

Sasuke glared at Sai before he was able to even think about checking his temperature. Just then Kakashi Sensei cleared his throat as he got up and stretched. Everyone jumped and turned to look at him as if they had forgotten he was there.

"Well, if everybody has had enough to eat, then I guess we should get going. I have a feeling Naruto's stomach isn't going to be able to go much longer without food."

"Alright!" –Naruto

Five minutes later Team 7 met outside of the resort by the road that led to the village. It had stopped raining, but the clouds threatened to release more water any minute. After making sure they had everything they would need, the group quickly set off down the trail with Naruto in the lead. He was determined to make it to the village before 9:30; that gave him exactly one hour. Sai and Kakashi fell in step behind Naruto, and Sakura and Sasuke brought up the rear. Neither of them spoke, and they just concentrated with keeping up with Naruto's fast pace. There were supposed to be enjoying their walk, but with Naruto in the lead they had to move at almost a slight jog so as not to be left behind.

Fifteen minutes later ran began to dampen the already moist ground for the fourth time that day. However, this time it was a silent rain without all the wind and lightening. The group continued on towards the village and hoped the rain would stop soon, or at least some of them hoped it would stop soon.

Sasuke had been walking deep in thought when he suddenly realized that even though it was still raining, he wasn't getting wet anymore. Confused, Sasuke looked up and saw that there was an umbrella now protecting him from the rain. After following the handle down he found that Sakura was the source of the new rain protection.

At first Sasuke was going to tell her that he didn't need an umbrella and that he could deal with the rain just like everyone else, but then he realized how closely Sakura walked by him. If Sakura had wanted to she could have just leaned her head on Sasuke's shoulder as they walked; that's how Sasuke would have preferred it anyways.

"Thanks." Sasuke murmered.

"You're welcome. I don't want you to catch a bigger cold, so you should stay out of the rain as much as possible."

"I don't have a cold Sakura."

As if on cue, Sasuke sneezed again. Sakura smiled knowingly at Sasuke and handed him a tissue. Sasuke grudgingly took it, he hated being sick.

After walking in silence for few more minutes, surprisingly it was Sasuke who finally spoke.

"You don't have to walk with me if you don't want to. If you wanted to go and talk with Naruto or Sai you could. I mean I'm not that much company."

This was a lie, but he wanted to know if Sakura was really walking with him because she wanted to, or because she thought she needed to keep him dry. Plus he didn't want to seem too eager for her company.

"Oh Sasuke if only you knew how much company you gave me by just walking next to me. You don't even have to say anything and I am filled with more comfort than I am when I spend time with the friendliest people. I wish you knew how much you meant to me. But I've already told you before. Now it is your turn." Sakura thought.

"I know, but then you wouldn't hold the umbrella and you would catch a worse cold. Besides, it's my fault you have a cold in the first place so it's the least I could do." –Sakura

"Fine."

Sasuke still couldn't tell if Sakura was just being nice, or if she really did want to walk with him. So much for that idea. He hated how he could never tell what Sakura was thinking. He also didn't like how, even though he knew how Sakura felt about him, she wouldn't truly admit it.

After a while Naruto became hungry and had given up the lead to Sai and Kakashi Sensei. Now Naruto began to lag back and noticed Sakura and Sasuke walking together under the umbrella.

"Hey, why does Sasuke get the umbrella? I'm soaking and he is all dry."

"Because Naruto, he is sick. But you can share the umbrella with Sasuke if you want. I mean it is a little small, but if you two walk really close together it should cover you both."

Naruto quickly lost interest in sharing an umbrella with Sasuke and decided to cope with the rain. Sakura giggled and Sasuke gave her a "that wasn't funny" smirk. Lucky for Naruto the rain stopped five minutes later and he began to dry. On the other hand, Sasuke was a little disappointed when Sakura brought down the umbrella and put it away. He was taking pleasure in having an excuse for walking so close to Sakura.

Sakura was unsure of what to do. She wanted to stay near Sasuke, but she didn't have a reason anymore. Sakura wondered if Sasuke would mind if she walked next to him, but she didn't want to seem like she cared too much. Sakura also didn't want to seem rude for walking away either. This was so confusing, but unfortunately it was up to her to move or stay put. After all, she was the one who came to walk next to Sasuke in the first place. Sakura just wished she could tell Sasuke how she felt without having to worry about him thinking she was still a love-struck fan girl. Sasuke didn't seem like he would, but Sakura didn't want to chance it. Things were going so well. Sakura let out a sigh of frustration.

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no. I was just enjoying the rain."

"Crap what did I just say? What if Sasuke figured out what I meant by it? Great Sakura! Think of a way out of this." –Sakura

"I mean it was a lot nicer than the rain last night. Plus we haven't had rain in Konoha in a while so it was refreshing."

Sakura looked away from Sasuke and hoped that he had fallen for her excuse, but she wasn't that fortunate.

"So, Sakura was enjoying walking next to me. Why won't she just admit that she still loves me? It would make things so much easier. I mean telling me over three years ago doesn't count now, does it? Why should it? So much has changed; she can't still expect me to assume that she still loves me. Besides, why does she think I jumped in front of her when Karin attacked? Possibly for the same reason she used her medical jutsu to bring me back. Does that make it my turn again to tell her how I feel? Is she just waiting for me? I hate how complicated this is! Oh well here goes nothing."

"Hn. It will probably start raining again soon, so I wouldn't worry too much. I wouldn't mind if it started raining again either. Especially since I have my own personal umbrella holder to keep me dry."

Sakura looked back up at Sasuke and saw that although he was smirking at her, his eyes were different. They didn't show any signs of him teasing her. Sakura was taken back by Sasuke's sudden change and she had a feeling of warmth go through her. Was Sasuke saying what she thought he was saying? Sakura had to resist the urge to fall into Sasuke's arms, and hold him tight. Sasuke really did care.

Sasuke just stared back down at Sakura. Her green eyes sparkled and he could see the love she held for him in them. Sasuke was tempted to lean down and kiss Sakura, she looked so perfect and filled him with feelings that he had never felt before. He might have even kissed Sakura, but fate intervened. Just then Sasuke sneezed again. When he opened his eyes again, instead of seeing Sakura looking up at him he had a tissue held in front of his face. Sasuke took the tissue a little begrudgingly and things turned back to normal as if nothing had happened.

Although their moment was over, Sasuke and Sakura remained right next to each other. The two were so content that they didn't even notice how close they had come, but everyone else did. Kakashi Sensei looked back and was slightly surprised to find Sasuke and Sakura practically walking arm in arm, but of course he was only slightly surprised. Kakashi faced forward again and smiled to himself. Maybe his job of watching over Sasuke wouldn't be as hard as he thought, especially with Sakura to keep Sasuke company.

There was no more rain the remainder of the trip to Morti Village, and the group finally arrived at the busy town, much to Naruto's pleasure.