Approaching Sun

Chapter 22: A Sunagakure Welcome

When they arrived at the cleft between the cliffs leading into Sunagakure, Sakura recalled the dream she had had when her and Ino had visited the Village Hidden in the Sand to discuss the Children's Clinic. The night before they had arrived, Sakura dreamt vividly about Sasuke waiting for her at the village gates. When she had approached him, he had patted her head and had said her name in a way that had suggested he was about to confess his feelings to her. Sakura remembered clinging desperately to the vision even after it faded, and how disappointed she had felt when she finally did make it to Suna and found that Sasuke was not waiting for her as she had dreamt.

Peering to her left, Sakura felt somewhat embarrassed at the memory, especially now as she caught Sasuke's emotionless expression as the Uchiha stared up at the towering cliffs. He stood slightly behind her now, having let go of her much earlier due to the fact that she couldn't keep up the excuse of exhaustion while simultaneously talking Kankuro's ear off about how Temari was managing in the Leaf Village. She had instantly regretted speaking so much when Sasuke ducked from under her arm and rubbed the back of his sweaty neck where her arm had been. Sakura supposed the rising heat had made it unbearable to support someone who didn't really need it.

Recalling the dream again, Sakura felt somewhat ridiculous to have hoped that her relationship with Sasuke could progress as quickly as seeing him, him realizing he loved her, and the two of them moving forward all in one day. In fact, it had been several weeks now since he had returned to the village and Sakura had felt like the only one who was even trying to move in that particular direction was her. Granted, Sasuke had agreed to a partnership between them, which was a step towards their former friendship. But friendship alone wasn't enough for her when it came to Sasuke and he had drawn a very clear line.

Sakura suddenly felt like her silly, genin self again. She should be grateful for what progress they had made towards friendship. Like she had told Sasuke back home: if he couldn't love her, then at least give her his friendship. He was trying, and she should not be wanting more.

"If it's okay with you," Kankuro shouted from up ahead, the party now moving into the shadows of the canyon entrance, "our first stop is to see the Kazekage. I do believe he expects an explanation for your visit."

"Of course," Sakura announced, moving along more quickly now as she realized the distracted pace of her walking. She glanced back at Sasuke who was coolly staring ahead. The Uchiha didn't even acknowledge her directed gaze as he placed his hand in his pocket and let his eyes fall to the ground. This passive Sasuke was a sharp contrast to the one who had just supported her moments ago, but he was the more familiar one.

.......................................

Sasuke was trying to focus on the goal of his mission; he really was. However, when Kankuro announced that they were on their way to see Gaara, Sasuke couldn't help but internally sigh. It wasn't that he was nervous, annoyed, or anything else so simple as that. His aerial message had been intended to reach Gaara and express Sasuke's desire to meet with him immediately. Sasuke just didn't exactly know how this meeting would go and it was this unpredictability that he hated. When the idea of coming here first formed in his thoughts, Sasuke also imagined a couple different scenarios about how the Kazekage would take to him. Sasuke hadn't exactly been in Gaara's presence since the war, and before that, Sasuke had tried to kill him at the Five Kage Summit after the sand-wielder approached him for a chat. That chatdidn't go so well.

Sasuke had complete respect for Gaara as a ninja and Kage, but they had never really been friends or even so much as acquaintances. The two of them had actually been enemies, and Sasuke had left the village before he saw the outcome of Naruto and Gaara's battle. It was something of a shock really when Gaara approached him at the summit as a new person.