Sasuke had mentally prepared himself for a plethora of things.

Naruto's loud voice that could shake mountains was one of them, so he brought earplugs that would protect him from Naruto's yapping .Sakura's lack of reaction to him was expected as well; after all, he had rejected her multiple times. Ino continued to squeal, but made no advances towards Sasuke, making him realise she had grown up more than he knew.

Chouji kept eating, and Sasuke respected the man's dedication.

Shikamaru's boredom and Shino's scrutinyㅡhe expected, but it was not something he had to worry himself with.  Kiba and Akamaru looked like they were going to jump at him, and Sasuke braced himself just in case those wild things acted on their carnal desires. And Hinataㅡwell, her reaction was not of his interest.

He prepared himself for everything that was expected, not the unexpected.

And the unexpected, was Kakashi pulling him into a hug.

For a second, Sasuke did not know what to think.

Then Shikamaru whispered the words that described his very emotion.

"Kakashi, what the actual fuck?"

Sasuke was worried. Why was Kakashi squeezing him like a 13 year old fangirl? Sasuke could not smell any alcohol on him, and Hokage were not allowed to take any sort of hard drugs.

Was the work load affecting his mental health? Had Kakashi finally lost it?

Then Kakashi decided to freak him out the more. "I've missed you, Sasuke kun."

Sasuke paled. 'He has finally lost it.'

The entire situation was so absurd that Sasuke just stood there, allowing the Hokage to squeeze him like a toy till he was satisfied and pulled back, but not before giving him one last rub on the back. A rub.

He kept his arms on Sasuke's shoulder, making the latter want to attack him. But then he saw the teasing yet evil glint in his one visible eye, and his reflexive need to beat the crap out of Kakashi disappeared into an annoyance he was very much used to.

He rolled his eyes, "Get off."

Behind him, squeals erupted, and a distant part of him wondered what girl best friends talked about that made them make such strange noises.

(Hearing Karin sound so happy made him feel satisfied. Strange, he would ask Kakashi about it later.)

"But I missed you so much!" Kakashi cooed, pissing off Sasuke the more. Next to Kakashi, Naruto was trying to hide his amused smirk and Sasuke wanted to beat up his best friend as well. "Have you been eating your vegetables? You seem pale. Do youㅡ"

"Kakashi." Sasuke warned. Kakashi laughed heartily; something Sasuke had actually never heard before.

At another corner of his mind, he noted that Kakashi had lightened up a little. Not in ways that many people would notice, but Sasuke knew the man. He didn't poke fun the same way he did now; his smile was not carrying as much weight; he laughed whole heartedly; he looked like he got regular hours of sleepㅡ

He was finding his peace.

Kakashi let go of Sasuke and the latter thanked his ancestors.

But of course, once one beast was slainㅡ like the fucking Fourth Great Warㅡ another beast had to pop up out of absolutely nowhere and fuck everything up.

In this case, the beast was his best friend that he had tried to kill on many occasions.

Grinning, Naruto pulled Sasuke into a side hug, squeezing his shoulder the way Kakashi had prior and making Sasuke want to commit murder again.

"I missed ya, bastard! How long are you staying huh? Your answer better be really really long, because I have a lot of shit I want to talk aboutㅡhey let's hang out at the ramen shop tomorrow! You, me, Sakura, and Kakashi! A team seven reunion! It can be like..."

As he continued rambling, he pulled Sasuke along with him, gesturing wildly, which shook the poor Uchiha in his grasp. Everyone else looked onward, not surprised that Naruto had whisked Sasuke away like a prince in a movie, and they watched both of them poof out of sight with no expression.

"I'm surprised those weirdos didn't get married." Kiba grumbled.

( Hinata; who had heard him, lightly frowned.)

"Well, that was eventful. Goodnight." Chouji yawned and disappeared in a cloud of white smoke as well. And soon after, everyone followed suit.

Left were Sakura, Kakashi, Shino and Shikamaru.

Shino observed the two girls who were still engaged in conversation. He found the interaction...strange. Sakura had no reaction to Sasuke's arrival, yet had skyrocketed to cloud nine once she saw an outsider.

Was there something he had not picked up on? Perhaps Sakura was doing this "hard to get" scheme Ino always spoke of that could "reel any man in like a fish on a hook". ( As a side thought, he noted that it had not worked, for Sasuke did not seem to care if she said hello or not.)

Shino took a look at the redhead once more, then disappeared in smoke as well. 'Tomorrow'. He thought. 'I will draw a conclusion tomorrow'.

"You're wearing the hair tie I gave you!" Sakura noted, still reeling in excitement of having her best friend in Konoha. The title used to belong to Ino, but they had drifted apart after the war because of work and the fact that their lives just did not intertwine anymore.

Karin hadn't taken Ino's place in Sakura's heart though. Rather she had created her own spot, one that made her akin to being a sister.

"I can't thank you enough, girl. It compliments my top perfectly." Karin replied with a smile that beamed as bright as her friend before her. At the back of her mind she noted that Sasuke had disappeared with Naruto and she needed to know where she would be sleeping for the next... however long Sasuke wanted to stay.

"Uh, pardon please ㅡ I mean, pardon me, ladies." Shikamaru rather awkwardly interjected, inwardly smacking himself for his poor social skills. "But may I ask you, uh, Karin? That is your name, right?"

Karin nodded and he continued. "Okay, Karin. What brings you and Sasuke to Konoha?"

Karin's smile faltered.

It was the part she hated the most; the suspicion that came with her being an outsider. Villages did not accept outsiders easily for fear of invasion, assasination, espionage, or stealing intel and jutsu. It was understandable, but it was what had caused her and her mother to search far and wide for a place that would let them have a roof over their head. And even with that, they were used.

Was Konoha like Kuso? Would she have to give them something in exchange for her stay?

Even with all the fear circling her mind, her reply was smooth. "Sasuke wants to see you all again, and I have accompanied him to talk to Sakura, my best friend in the whole wide world. I also want to meet my fellow clansmen, Uzumaki Naruto." She paused, "Is that a problem?"

Shikamaru was about to open his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Sakura.

"Of course there's no problem!" She latched on to her friend's arm. "You're Sasuke's entourage and my friend! You can stay for as long as you like! "

Listening to Sakura's reassuring words reduced some of her anxiety, and Karin leaned some of her weight unto her friend.

Shikamaru and Kakashi exchanged looks for a brief second. The latter then clasped his hands together, "Alright then, Karin. You will reside with  Sasuke in the Uchiha manor , as per his request. Some advice : Do not get into squabbles with any noble clan member. If people try to attack or bully you, do not engage, rather diffuse the situation by replying blandly and shortly, but politely. If anyone asks, you are from the Uzumaki clanㅡthey have a good reputation here and telling anyone that will help. And lastly, stay inside on Saturdays. Saturdays are busy days."

Karin nodded, digesting every bit of information but keeping her scrutiny to herself. The noble clans were the Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka, Inuzuka, Aburame, Senju and Hyuuga. She'd ask Sasuke about their prime features later in order to avoid them at all costs (she did know the Hyuuga had byakugan and the Inuzuka always hae dogs around them, but that was about it).

Thinking of his other advice, she wondered why  the Uzumaki were loved by the village. Was it because Naruto was an Uzumaki?

But that couldn't be the only  reason. Kakashi had said the Uzumaki clan had a good reputation in Konoha. How so?

Karin made a mental note.

Research on Konoha's relationship with the Uzumaki clan.

"I will be taking my leave now. Sakura, take her to Sasuke's house, would you?" And with that, he disappeared in smoke with Shikamaru.

Sakura took a hold of Karin's hand and started walking. "It's not fair though. Why do you have to live with Sasuke? You can come and stay with me! I just bought my own house recently and it would be nice to have a sis like you warm up the place."

The love in Sakura's gaze warmed Karin's heart, and for a second she was almost swayed to say yes. Then she remembered her purpose for coming (and also the chance to see Sasuke shirtless again) so she shook her head.

"That's sweet and I'd love that, but I think it would be best if I lived with Sasuke." Karin shrugged. "He's the bastard who brought me here, therefore he should be the bastard who'll take care of me."

Sakura laughed, despite the obvious disappointment in her eyes. "Okay, I understand...it's a bit strange though."

"Huh?"

"I mean, I personally find it strange that he dragged you along with him. That man has done everything alone since the day I met him and you tagging along with him just seems weird, I guess."

'Ah, it's no wonder everyone stared at me like I'm an anomaly.'

"Ah, I guess it looks like that... For a while now, Sasuke's been..." Karin trailed off and her smile dropped.

How could she discuss such a subject with Sakura without it hurting her feelings?

"Sasuke's been what?" Something flashed in Sakura's eyes, but she shook it away. "Oh, nevermind that! I won't hold you up anymore. I'll escort you to Sasuke's home. Sleep well."

Karin tried to hide her frown. No matter what Juugo said, she would always feel guilt for taking Sasuke away from Sakura.

And how could she be happy, if her best friend were miserable?

: :

Sasuke came to his old home to find Karin sitting on the engawa outer corridor, idly staring at her feet. A frown brought the corners of his lips down when he realised she had probably been waiting there for an hour.

"I thought you would want to live with Sakura." Sasuke's voice caught her attention, and she raised her head. Although his tone was blank, his eyes had a hint of apology in them.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I wasn't waiting long anyways. And no, I'd prefer to stay with you." I love you, she wanted to say, but kept it all inside. "How was your reunion with Naruto?"

"Fine." He almost smiled. "He wouldn't shut up."

Sasuke slid the shoji door open, ushering Karin into the main room and asking her to take off her shoes. Karin complied. Her gaze roamed the living room, trying to make out shapes in the dark.

"This place oddly smells nice." Karin remarked. "They had it cleaned?"

"Yes, they did. Kakashi brought cleaners in today, according to him."

Karin nodded, placing her hand flat on the wall beside her and feeling around for a switch. When she found one she whispered a "ah hah" and was about to flip it when Sasuke's hand suddenly landed on hers.

If she had turned on the lights, he would have seen how red her face was.

"Leave it. We're going to bed, aren't we?"

Without any lights on, Karin was really just relying on Sasuke's hands that stayed on hers, and led her to wherever he wanted them to go. The heat on Karin's face never subsided, and she found herself absentmindedly tracing the callouses on his hands.

If Sasuke noticed, he didn't do anything to stop her.

Karin, after getting accustomed to the darkness, could see the shoji at the end of the halllway, which Sasuke slid open once he got there.

The room was simple. A futon with a wardrobe to the left, and a shoji window in the opposite corner with a desk below it. She didn't see any indication that someone once lived here before, and it made her think that Sasuke had gotten rid of all that or it was stored somewhere.

Which bummed her out, because she wanted to know more about his childhood.

Sasuke slipped his hand away from hers.
"Do you want a bath?" Sasuke asked her. She replied 'yes' softly, slipping off her lilac jacket and untying the ribbon on her hair. That left her in her crop top and shorts, and if she were with any other guy, they would surely be aware of her bare skin.

But this was Sasuke, and he only glanced at her for a mere second before turning away.

"First door to your right." Sasuke dropped his duffel bag next to the futon bed, leaning his back against the wall and closing his eyes. Karin took a moment to gaze at the contours of his face and neck, then left the room.

Once she had left the room, Sasuke reopened his eyes.

He stared at the same spot Karin stood in mere seconds ago with no emotion on his face.

Kakashi would have to explain why, though he had taken off his coat, he felt a rush of heat through his entire body. And he would have to explain why it happened in the dark while watching Karin slip off her clothes and letting her red hair cascade down her shoulders.

Then Sasuke heard the familiar sound of water rushing, and an image he had never expected in his life popped to mind.

Karin running a hand up and down her naked thigh with foam and water drippingㅡ

Sasuke almost flinched.

'What the fuck?'

::

Author's note

Oof over 2000 words sorry. I always liked my romance books to have below 2000 but i guess things change lol.

And yes, Uchiha have sexual feelings too Karen.

If you're looking for them Naruto fanfics with twists to the actual show and sasuke centric (also akatsuki, karin and oc centric) then check out Masters of Deception by me.

(Yes it's shameless advertising leave me alone Karen)