Sasuke gazed deeply at himself in the mirror. Nothing really had changed about him, except for that annoying hair dye job Anko decided to throw in before he left the prison. Bright red. Nice.
The pretty boy scrunched up his nose at the light shining from it. Thinking back it has been a week living with Ino. A pretty quiet week... not adding today. Today Sasuke was an idiot and asked why she was bitter all the time and well the blonde told him... everything. It was just like when they were jounins, but worse. Sasuke couldn't get away from Ino or tell her she was annoying because he wasn't Uchiha Sasuke anymore. No, he was Haku.
Ino was still going on about how he ruined her life outside the door. She had been sitting against it for the past three and a half hours. Grumbling to himself, Sasuke reluctantly opened the door to the bathroom as Ino slid down it from where she was sitting. Now she was laying on the floor; both of them gazing up at each other as Sasuke stood above her.
They both quietly stared at each other. The pretty boy racked his brain to find a nicer way to tell her to 'shut- the- hell- up- for- forever,' but he still hadn't found the words.
"Wanna go get something to eat?" Ino bit her lip at him.
Sasuke raised his eyebrow. "Where?"
Ino smiled at him. It had been awhile since she had smiled out of happiness and she told Haku that, "Since I talked with you about Sasuke-kun I feel better. I think that's why I was angry all the time. You know?"
Sasuke nodded his head in silence. Once again angry that he picked the name Haku. Tsunade dug up the file on Team 7's first big mission and called him in for another secret meeting. Telling him that he'd have to behave how Haku would. Which was and still is annoying as hell to Sasuke.
Obviously he just wanted to tell her to go away, so he could train. Sasuke rolled his eyes on how he used to be. Now the pretty boy just wanted to be left alone. Alone period. He didn't have to train to do that. He had to be taught by even greater teachers to defeat Itachi. The pretty boy knew now he couldn't defeat Itachi on his own limitations.
Ino pulled Sasuke out of his thoughts. "I heard that Itachi is still alive though." Sasuke was surprised at this comment, wondering how she got this information.
"Can you stop talking about him now?" Sasuke asked the female. Ino smirked.
"Come on. Let's go get barbeque."
"...Okay."
XXX
Ino grabbed Sasuke's arm as they strolled along to the barbeque place her teammate loved so much. She waved to everyone she knew on the way there. Drawing attention to Sasuke himself, which worried him to no end that someone would recognize him.
Neji went by. Nothing.
Lee and Tenten stopped on their way to talk to Ino. Happy she was actually out of her mood. The two gave Sasuke a once over. Finally deciding he was an okay guy and asking his name.
"See you later Haku!" Tenten called as they left.
Lee replied as well, "See you in the circle of youth tonight! Both of you!!"
Shino, Kiba, and Hinata strolled by. Seeing Ino smile the group went up to Sasuke and her.
"Hey! Smiling finally, huh? Better save it in a picture for the next time your in a mood." Kiba teased, while Ino smacked him in the arm. He laughed.
"..." The Aburame just observed Sasuke. Making him uncomfortable.
Hinata embraced Ino gladly; talking to her about Neji, "He's so nice now! It's like I finally have a loving family. W-well..."
Ino nodded towards the shy girl turning around to see Naruto, "You should really ask him out, you know."
"Oh n-no! I couldn't!!"
The group smiled, minus Shino. Sasuke only smiled because he had to. Right at that point he wanted to kill himself for going through this.
Naruto ran up and nearly took Sasuke down. The pretty boy barely held back from growling. Wanting nothing more than a fight right now Sasuke took to keeping quiet. Suddenly noticing that the fox might recognize him. After all, they used to be on a team together. They used to be best friends.
"Hey! How's it going!?" The loud ninja greeted.
"..." Shino nodded towards Naruto.
"Cool. How are you?" Kiba greeted back.
"F-fine Naruto-kun!" Hinata smiled shyly.
Naruto turned to Ino, "Hey! You're finally smiling! Better tell Sakura-chan. She was worried about you."
"Thanks Naruto." Ino stated, "I'll tell her later."
The fox rubbed the back of his head, "Well you'll have to! She's out on a mission right now."
"Really when did that happen?" As Ino and Naruto conversed Hinata, Kiba, and Shino left. Sasuke just stayed where he was in the background. Paranoid of his old best friend.
He relaxed when Naruto left awhile later. Patting him on the back and saying that he once knew a cool guy with the same name of 'Haku.'
Sasuke tensed as Ino stated a fearful fact, "Huh. Sakura usually doesn't take missions away from Konoha... I wonder if Tsunade is trying to get her out of here..."
The Uchiha realized something. If Sakura ever saw him she'd know his identity. Then, he suddenly got scared. 'If Sakura would realize it's me, then the sensei's might too! They haven't been around either...'
Ino smiled at him as they entered the barbeque. "What's wrong with you? Don't like my friends?"
Sasuke attempted a weak smile back. Feeling the force it came with it, "They're all ninja's, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Then where are their teachers?"
Ino glared at him. Trying to see if she should tell him or not. "They're out of town... Why?"
"Just wondering."
The blonde forced him over to a seat. Soon after Sasuke couldn't keep a clear thought in his head with all of Ino's rambling about Konoha. After the meal the two set out to go back to their appartment.
"Haku?" Ino had gone quiet for a minute, but it seemed that she was going to start up again, much to Sasuke's dread.
"Yes?" He sighed.
"Thanks. Most guys just get sick of me talking all the time... That's why they say I'm useless. Wanna hear some advice?"
"Okay."
"I say that if you don't open up and talk about things to at least one person, then that is when you start to go insane. After all, if you're in S and A rank missions all the time all the... destruction... would kill you by keeping it inside."
A moment went by when they were silent. Sasuke figured he'd have to say something nice, but he strangely agreed with what the loudmouth girl said.
"Ino?"
"Yeah?" She turned to him.
"That's good advice."
The blonde smiled gracefully, "Thanks."
Sasuke cringed. Much more of this and he'd get attached. And detaching those attachements, Sasuke knew, would be even harder. He'd have to leave soon.
Suddenly the Uchiha thought back to the earlier realization. Everyone who could recognize him was gone... What the hell did that mean? Did Tsunade know, then, that he was already planning on not staying?
As Ino went into the appartment Sasuke stayed outside awhile longer. An ANBU dropped in front of him.
"You are requested for an audience with Tsunade."
'Great. Just Great.' Sasuke thought to himself. "What does she want now?"
"It's about your welcome back to Konoha as yourself." The ANBU seemed smug now and disapeared without a trace.
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