The fault of the innocent

Despair

Two days later 

To say that Sasuke was disappointed was an understatement. I mean come on he was the one who was getting punished and he still thought that he should have gotten a lot worse.

Not that he was complaining. But two and a half years of treason and to join an S rank missing-nin at that. The council of this village was truly just liking his ass to keep the sharingan.

Half a year of being off duty and another year of not being allowed to get a promotion. Seriously It's like those people don't know what punishment is. True he had six weeks of house arrest but that didn't mean anything. They were treating him like a kid. He felt like he was grounded nothing more.

Tsunade has fought to get him in prison or to do something more punishable to him but the whole civilian council, as well as the old geezers that were part of the council, had said that it had been unnecessary for the last Uchiha to be punished in such a way, making excuses that he has been controlled by Orochimaru. Even he tried to object but to no use.

Right now he was staying at his old apartment in the Uchiha compound. To his surprise, the place was really clean. There wasn't even rust anywhere. 

And here he was getting ready to come to the dirtiest home he has ever seen next to naruto's. He had a filing that the former blonde had done this.

He heard a knock on the door and went to opening thinking it was the ANBU that was supposed to bring him some stuff. When he opened the door to his surprise before him was staying the one and only Sakura Haruno. Her hair was long again mid-back tied in a ponytail two stands of hair hugging her face.

she has grown a lot since he had last seen her. She was still half a head shorter than him but now he could see some muscle on her, not like her previous skinny self. The one thing that has changed the most was the way she was looking at him. There wasn't the ever-present blush she always had when she looked at him when they were genin. Now she was looking mostly neutral at him but he could still see the spark in her eyes when she looked at him. She stood with confidence that was saying she was strong now. She had a chunin vest over a long-sleeved red shirt, She was wearing a pink skirt with black mid-tight leggings and black shinobi sandals that reached below her knees.

"Sakura."

"Well, are you gonna let me in or are we gonna stay like that all day. I know you're on a house arrest. Sasuke -kun."

He nodded and moved aside so she could enter. She sat on the couch while he closed the door and sat opposite her.

"What are you doing here." 

"I heard that ANBU has brought you back to the village and about your punishment. I wanted to see how much things have changed with you. It's been a long time after all." 

"Hn."

She sighed. And suddenly found her nads more interesting.

"That wasn't exactly the reason you're here, is it? What are you waiting for?" He looked at her suspiciously.

"I-well. It's mostly about Naruto, a-and the whole team. After you left things went to hell, I said things to him that really got him mad at me and he still hasn't talked to me ever since. He barely talks to anyone. If it wasn't for Hinata he would have probably completely isolated himself." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that. Sensing the silent question Sakura continued. "I talked to Hinata that she would talk Naruto into coming here for something like a team reunion. I want to apologies to him and get the team together again like the old times."

Sasuke was about to ask her more questions but was cut by a light knocks on the door, leaving what he was about to ask Sakura for later, he went to open the door.

In front of him was a smiling Hinata. She had her hair in a messy bun, her bangs pushed to the side. She was wearing a skirt like lavender battle kimono with a dark purple long-sleeved turtle necked undershirt. She wore black shinobi pants and same colored shinobi sandals, a lavender katana was strapped to her right hip. Staying behind her to her side was naruto cross-armed with simular clothing only he wore a red kimono with a black undershirt. Strapped to his left hip a was a reddish-black katana. He was looking to the side with a glare. Before Sasuke could say anything Hinata spoke (geez people tent to interrupt Sasuke a lot here).

"Hello Sasuke-kun, may we come in?" She asked politely.

"Sure." Sasuke replied with a nod.

They entered the room sakura was in. Hinata sat on the other side of the couch as naruto sat in front of her on the floor intending to stay close to her. He still looked very annoyed and Sakura gave him an odd look while Hinata waved her hand. "I dragged him out of training." She answered the unspoken question. Sakura made an 'ah'noise and nodded while Naruto humped not even wanting to be there when he could be alone with Hinata and train. By the time Sasuke has already sat on the couch in front of them. He looked at the people In front of him.

"Why is Hinata here you said it would be only team seven?" Instead of sakura, Hinata replied.

"Because I had to drag him here or he wouldn't have come."

"Then why are you still here. He's here right?" Sasuke asked raising an eyebrow.

Naruto was glaring at him now and looked like he was about to say something. Hinata put her hand in his hair ruffling it gently, Naruto seemed to relax a little by that. Hinata spoke still petting his hair.

"Because he wouldn't stay. I'm the only one in the village that can keep him in one place. Right Naruto-kun?" By the time she stopped talking Naruto has closed his eyes enjoying the petting, he was receiving from his companion. Hinata chuckled and pulled her hand alway leading to him opening his eyes blinking a few times then when what she said couth up to him, he mumbled something under his breath looking away.

The air in the room became really awkward. Then Naruto stood and went to the wall and leaned on it, away from Hinata so she wouldn't have the effect on him she usually had when he was close to her. He cleared his throat and spoke in a quiet but firm voice.

"So? Why did you call me here? Surely if you wanted a team reunion or something like that you would have called Kakashi, Yamato, and Sai. You wanted to speak to me didn't you Sakura?" He said looking at her.

She looked nervous but still spoke. "I mostly wanted to apologize to you for everything I said in the hospital and how I treated you." She spoke in an unsure voice.

"Oh?" Naruto asked His voice taking a dangerously cold tone. "For what Sakura? For hitting me when I was only being nice to you? For making a fool out of me? For stabbing me or breaking my skull when I just returned from the retrieval mission?" His eyes grew angry red. "Or for calling me a monster and a demon." He said gritting his teeth. "I expected that kind of behavior from the villagers when I was little but never from my valued friends Sakura. So no I don't accept your apology. I grew up, you can't accept me to forgive as I did back in our genin days just by getting apologized." He said taking a step. Hinata stood up and went to him. He hugged her.

"Let's go, I've had enough." And then they were gone in a poof of smoke.

Sasuke stood stunned not knowing what happened. He looked at Sakura only to see her in tears. He stood up and went to her. He put a hand on her shoulder and knelt before her.

"I want to hear what happened." He said. She looked at him whipped her tears even if more came out and nodded.