Unexpected Hearts / SasuSaku

Uncomfortable Truths

"Nope," Sakura thought to herself. "I can't do this."

Once she returned to the apartment, everything started to catch up with her. Luckily, Sasuke wasn't there to witness her breakdown.

Sakura couldn't help but let the tears fall freely. She found herself in a difficult position. It was her last year of university, she didn't have her own place, her "roommate" despised her, and her Sasori was keeping tabs on her.

Unable to make it to the bedroom, Sakura sat on one of the kitchen counter chairs and began sobbing. She had thought Sasuke wasn't home, but he emerged from the bedroom.

As he walked out, she couldn't help but notice the subtle change in his appearance. His hair was noticeably shorter, and it took her a moment to process the difference. Quickly, she averted her gaze, hiding her tear stained cheeks.

"Uh... I can leave if you want," Sasuke said awkwardly.

Seeing girls cry or display any kind of emotion made him uncomfortable. He didn't know how to handle the situation or how to comfort someone on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"N... no... it's okay," Sakura hiccuped as she wiped her tears.

Sasuke approached her silently and took a seat on the empty stool beside her. Hesitantly, he raised his hand and began rubbing her back, attempting to console her. He wasn't sure if he was doing it right, but it seemed to calm her down.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked awkwardly. Sakura was right about one thing: he had never had a girlfriend, so he had no idea what to do.

"Yeah, I'm just going through a lot right now."

"What happened?" Sasuke hoped Sakura wouldn't say anything more, but she began to open up.

"It's just the move and everything that comes with it. And my ex is keeping tabs on me, also thinking I'm dating you. If rumors reached all the way to Suna, I can't imagine what people are saying now."

Sasuke scowled at the realization. He knew that people would talk, but he didn't expect them to make such a big deal out of it. He wondered if the reason for all the gossip was because it was unusual for him to be around a girl, let alone live with one.

However, a tinge of guilt began to wash over Sasuke. He had to admit to himself that he could have been kinder to Sakura, and it wasn't entirely her fault that she ended up stuck living with him. He felt remorseful for making Sakura feel like a burden. She wasn't, but he was fearful that she would disrupt his studies.

"Look, I'm sorry if I've been a bit of a jerk lately," Sasuke said, still rubbing Sakura's back. He hadn't realized how long he had been doing it, and Sakura had stopped crying a while ago.

"A bit?" Sakura teased.

"Okay, what I'm trying to say is, let's try to be civil. I'll do my best not to be rude, and I also hope you can work things out with the situation between your ex. I'm sure it's not easy. Also, I meant what I said a few weeks ago. I hope you find what you're looking for," Sasuke was taken aback by his own words. He never would have imagined himself having a conversation like this.

Not in a million years.

Sakura looked up at Sasuke, surprise flickering in her eyes. The warmth of his hand on her back and the sincerity in his voice caught her off guard. She could sense his genuine concern despite his discomfort.

"Thank you," she whispered, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I appreciate that, Sasuke. And I'm sorry too. I know we didn't start off on the right foot, and I probably didn't make things easy either."