Konoha's Cherry Blossom {REWRITTEN}

Chapter 9

Sakura eyed the man infront of her with a sort of detached awe. In the soft morning light of early dawn she was able to take in the man in front her with a lot more clarity than the darkness. She was chewing on some of the best salted jerky she'd ever had-wasn't quite sure what meat it was, but it wasn't like she really cared; it was good-and taking everything in. The cafeteria was pretty much empty save for few medics from late night shifts. She was on the break as well, as Sasuke, Naruto and Itachi was talking in Itachi's room with Shikamaru guarding them. She had a long day as the whole apologies fiasco and was so not ready to deal with the hyperactive blonde. So, she excused herself out automatically as she sensed the chakra signature of Naruto coming closer. While she was sulking on the bench, she saw her captain approaching with a pissed off face.

"You guys not getting along?" Sakura asks which wouldn't surprise her given how insistent Naruti is to absolve Sasuke of all his sins as the traitor, against his own wishes.

"Used to it," is the Hyuga's reply then, "They're ungrateful to you."

"That's nothing new," Sakura dismisses easily.

The growl is harsher, his eyes stay cool, "It's wrong."

"I know," she says, going for soothing, and then she pats the space next to her on the plastic bench in invitation.

Though Neji looks considering, he doesn't appear suspicious and only seems to be weighing the chance of the cafeteria being stormed while he isn't standing. He seems to decide that he can make it if he needs to, and if nothing else, he angles his body in such a way that it's almost like he's shielding Sakura with his body and oh.

Clearing her throat at the sudden tightening of emotion she feels there, Sakura says, "I can't change them, only my reaction to them, and they're not worth it."

The Hyuga looks unhappy, but he nods his understanding.

"Did you...were you feeling this way for a while? Were we stressing you out with how everything's been between me and them?"

He doesn't reply immediately, parsing through the words and rolling them around in his mouth, before he nods. Adding, "They should be nicer to you."

Sakura squeezes his knee, and she doesn't miss the way the Neji's shoulder droop a little from his ears. With a grin, she tells him, "You're nice enough for all of them, Neji."

She can't decide what she liked more, the way the Hyuga's eyes get a little more softer or the way his cheeks flush red. Either way, Sakura thinks she's going to see it a lot more often. And just like that, her break was over.