Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue

Title: Obsession

Pairing: Sakusasu, Sasunaru, NaruSaku (Tri-love)

Rating: Pg13 (Just in case)

Warnings: Some false info on original Naruto plot, grammatical errors, typos and a mean Sakura (not recommended for Sakura-lovers)

Chapter 1: All's Fair in Love and War

He knows that I know about him. The secrets that he tries to keep hidden. Of course, it wasn't like I was trying to be discreet about it. When he looked at me that day, I didn't try the useless tactic of turning away; of pretending that I wasn't spying on him. Because, by truth, I had; and I had been for the past two months. The two excruciating months of analysing every minor detail of him that would prove my suspicion false. Anything enough to feed my mind that Uchiha Sasuke wasn't the person I thought him to be. But, alas, things never go my way.

He stares at me as I approach our team's usual meeting post. As always, he is leaning against the bridge, arms crossed, looking as if he hadn't a care in the world. But I know that this isn't true. Because as I get closer and am able to see properly, I can see the tension in those eyebrows, the dark rings under those eyes. He stares at me unflinchingly as I stop a metre from where he's standing. I let my arms rest on the hard wood and look up at the sky above us. All is peaceful at this time of the day and I inhale once deeply, appreciating the fresh morning scent.

A few moments later, his gaze lowers and is turned away from me. In the corner of my eye I see that he has rested his lids. He has on an almost regretful expression even when his eyes are closed and I can tell that he still continues to suspect. Though, he has every right to.

Perhaps it's best if I begin from the day when all this happened. The day when I realised that the person whom I loved was not the person he was meant to be. And for any clarifications, yes, it is love. Because 12 years is a very long time; and unlike the other girls in the village I've continued to wait for him. Since the whole fiasco with Orochimaru; since the revenge of Itachi; and since the 6 years of war that tied up the two previous events, I had never once given up hope that he would one day acknowledge me the way I wanted him to. By all respects, this must be love.

The day had started out normally. So normally that I begin to wonder how long this thing has actually been going on for if I hadn't caught him in the first place. There was the usual D-class mission for our team and Naruto, like always, was complaining non-stop. He was 20 and we were 18, far too old for lousy missions like these. Although we had played an enormous part in winning the war (or rather, they played an enormous part), technically, we were still Genins. By all laws and regulations of the ninja academy, we had yet to pass the Chuunin exams to be promoted. Thus, the continued group and the continued missions that was to be completed prior to the exams.

It was a cleaning up mission. The three of us were to finish cleaning the outskirts of the village before dawn. It was terrible. We had never known that people polluted so much until we saw the place. It had taken us the entire time limit for it to be done; and Kakashi had laughed and cried at this, saying that we were a bunch of useless ninjas for having to take so long. This got on Naruto's nerves and soon they were in a heated fight.

Not surprisingly, the fight only ended when Kakashi had reluctantly decided to offer ramen to the angry Naruto. If there was one thing that came out of the war, it was the improvement of all our ninja skills and abilities. I'd say that Naruto, by far, has improved the most. Now, he surpasses even Kakashi –the great copy ninja.

We walked to the ever-famous Ichiraku, and sat down in the seats we would usually occupy whenever we visited. The usual orders came; the usual waiter served; and the usual bowls of steaming hot noodles arrived. But then something not so usual happened. And this was when the real thing began.

I was eating from my bowl and all was relatively calm. Other customers in the stall were busily absorbed in their own conversations. Our table had been surprisingly quiet until Kakashi decided to speak up. Apparently, by some 'special psychic transfusion', his grandmother was calling desperately for him to go home. The reason, he was fumbling to provide.

We all knew that it was just an excuse so that he wouldn't have to pay for the food. We've known the man for nearly half our lives, and his excuses had always been pathetic and nonsensical. Naruto started yelling at him, saying how he was "such a liar" and "so irresponsible". I decided to join in too since I didn't bring any money along and, well, no way was I going to pay for food that was supposed to be free. That went on for a while until Sasuke, who had been sitting quietly next to me spoke. His response nearly gave us all a heart attack.

It wasn't like Sasuke was cheap or stingy or anything. It was just that, unless someone asked, he would never offer. Take for example, if we were camping out for a mission and had to wake up early the following day. He'd do his part (in perfect timing too) and would wait for us. Waking us up so that he wouldn't have to wait at all never occurred to him, and he would only do it unless Kakashi told him too. So, you see, offering to pay the meal was just something entirely out of character for him. Thus, the reason why we had all paused and started blinking at him, dumbfounded.

He replied nonchalantly with a, "don't want it, then fine" typical response and this immediately snapped Kakashi out of his stupor. He dismissed his bizarre attitude as he began giving him the lecture that a man should never go back on his words. Basically, it meant: "you said you were paying, so now you must."

When we left, Kakashi said his brief thanks, but Sasuke shrugged it off. I was standing beside him and said my sincere thanks and he, too, just shrugged it off. I think I was in the daze of thinking just how much cooler he was when Naruto from behind tapped him on the shoulders, thanked him, and began walking in front with Kakashi.

And that was when I saw it.

The, not-really-there-but-if-you-look-closely-enough-you-can-see-it, darkening of his cheeks. I had initially thought that it was because of the noodles and his complexion had not yet recovered. You know, when you eat something hot and your face starts heating up from the steam? That was what I had thought, but then I realised that it couldn't be. Because the blush had been too abrupt and too quick. And I had never seen him blush or redden before besides the times when he had suffered from extreme embarrassment or extreme hot weather for that matter.

And it...disturbed me.

It continued for a couple of nights until I finally decided to act upon it. I didn't want to think too much because I was beginning to have paranoid thoughts. For instance, that maybe Sasuke was gay and that he actually liked Naruto. In a way that I would never understand nor would want to understand.

And thus, the two excruciating months that occurred. For every opportunity, every chance given to observe him without him knowing, I went to look for the hints, the subtle actions that were ignored so long ago. And to my dismal, I found many. Like when he'd stare at the back of Naruto for a moment too long when he thought no one was watching. Or, when small, miniscule smiles would grace his lips whenever Naruto would do something stupid. It was all so rare and so brief that if one hadn't been looking, they would've missed it all together.

Every moment and everyday; if I looked hard enough I would see it. There were so many times when my breath got caught after witnessing it that it'd be a while before I realised I had yet to start breathing again. Sasuke, my love, was in love with someone else. And that person was none other than Naruto –a stupid, idiotic 20 year-old who still manages to keep his childish tendencies.

And a man no less!

I decided that I couldn't let this go on. I couldn't let Sasuke be corrupted by him. And when I saw him that day –the same day that he saw me –I knew what I had to do.

It was a brief tear that he shed. A tear, I assume, of frustration. Frustration that Naruto had insulted him badly for no apparent reason that morning. Frustration that he knew that Naruto would never see him the way he wanted him to because he still holds his silly infatuation with me. He remains the same, asking me out every morning before Kakashi shows up for the missions. I don't understand where this comes from, but I really don't care anymore. It may be true that over the years I have come to respect him greater, but after this incident, I can't help but feel disgusted by his presence. He has taken from me, my most precious person. And the thing that annoys me most is the fact that he's oblivious to this whole thing.

I hate him.

I truly do.

That was why I had to come up with a plan.

I cough a little to clear my throat. He opens his eyes abruptly and stares at me. Some time later, Naruto would show up so I have to hurry. This business cannot wait any longer so I decide to go straight to the point.

"You like Naruto, don't you?"

A brief shock flashes through his eyes before he catches himself and controls it. An action that took no more than a second.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do," I say. "I've seen you and I wouldn't say the looks you've been giving him were...healthy."

He remains silent.

"You know what you're feeling isn't right, don't you? The great Uchiha, sole survivor of the most esteemed clan, falling in love with a male. Your parents would be disgusted."

Again, he says nothing.

"What would happen if the village finds out, you think? What would happen if Naruto finds out?" I look at him. "How do you think they'll react?"

After a while, he opens his mouth and asks slowly. "What do you want?" I smile at this.

"You know what I want, Sasuke. It's the only thing I've ever wanted of you." He looks ahead as I near him slowly. After so many years, his opinion of me is still the same. He still thinks me annoying and rarely talks to me. In short, I think he hates me.

But this will soon change.

I kiss him briefly on the cheek but he remains still. "So how about it?" I ask. I wait patiently for him to reply. A moment later, he turns and faces me, a smirk on his lips.

"What makes you think that they'll believe you? They all know that I hate him. Your idea would sound preposterous."

I give him another one of my smiles. I know what he's trying to do. He thinks that I don't know everything. He thinks that he still has his secret.

"You're right. And anyway, you don't even care about the people in the village. And of course, you can always deny." He narrows his eyes dangerously at this, expecting something else to come. "But, it's not the others that's most important in this. It's Naruto. He wouldn't care if it were true or not. If he heard this, especially from me, all he'd do is avoid. And I know you won't want this." I look up, as if speaking to the clouds.

"You won't be able to see him as often as you do now; you won't be able to talk to him; and you wont be able to involve yourselves in the usual sparring. And wouldn't that be painful? You keep all this inside, hoping that no one would find out, hoping that he won't find out. And the reason? Just so you can continue seeing him everyday, so you can continue having the occasional arguments. I guess that keeps you content, doesn't it?"

I pause, and he speaks up. "Why are you doing this?"

"Haven't I told you already?" I turn to face him. "I want you, Sasuke. And think of it this way, you can finally carry on your advanced bloodline like you've promised. You can continue staring or looking or whatever you call it, at Naruto, but you just belong to me now. I need it to be official."

I can hear the cheery voice of Naruto's in the background and I look at Sasuke for the final time, needing a response. However, he isn't looking at me, he is staring right past me and I know that he is contemplating my suggestion as he focuses on the nearing Naruto. All has gone according to plan; I know I won't fail.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!" Naruto screams exaggeratedly. I turn to look at him, putting on a fake smile.

"Good morning, Naruto."

"So, Sakura-chan. How 'bout a date after today's mission? Ichiraku has a special going on. Five bowls for the price of four!"

"Nah, that's fine, Naruto," I say. "But there's something I have to tell you."

"What is it?"

"How should I say this," I begin, feigning dilemma. "I..." My ears concentrate on the noise expected from behind.

In a split second, Sasuke is next to me and his fingers clumsily try to envelop mine. Even as I see Naruto's confused expression, I can't help but rejoice inside. I've finally succeeded.

"I'm going out with Sasuke."

I close my hands and give him a toothy smile.

TBC...