botched

it was late, simply put. the streets were devoid of any sort of life as everyone had retreated back home to rest before the sun rose once more and signified the start of a new day. or rather, mostly everyone.

lane had found himself in a favourable position - not sunken into the comfort of his sofa, duvet half haphazardly thrown over him with one leg poking out its warmth; instead, she was splayed out beneath him, inner thighs maintaining a vice-like grip on his hips and her heels digging into his lower back. his right arm had ended up snaked around her waist, hand pressed up between her lower back and the thin sheet atop the couch. the other maintained his weight, elbow propped upright beside the side of her head.

he’d established a slow, almost torturous pace; his pelvis making contact with the fat of her thighs every time he withdrew himself, only to draw himself back in with a soft plap. he’d felt her nails dig into the expanse of his back every time he managed to nudge that spot that sent an unexplainable warmth right to her lower stomach, eliciting a strained groan from her.

— “feels good?” he murmured against her skin, brushing his nose against her jaw - the cool metal of the hoop a stark contrast to the almost feverish heat of her skin, “want me to carry on? come on, tell me how much you like it.”

once he’d pulled back and allowed his eyes to roam the contours of her face, that trademark smirk of his appeared at her expression: brows furrowed, eyes partially narrowed and bottom lip caught between her teeth. if he hadn’t known any better, he would’ve deducted that she was simply deep in thought about something.

— “…lane,” she managed to croak out amidst a low moan, “don’t you fucking dare stop.”

lane’s lips parted, undoubtedly about to offer a cocky response, though the intention never came to fruition. instead, his head dropped down to the crook of her neck before he tilted his neck to press the side of his face against her collarbone.

she could feel the warmth of his breath fanning her skin as he uttered her name with breathy syllables.

he drew his hips back, then pushed back in with a filthy squelch. the moan that pushed past his lips was downright pornographic and she could have sworn it practically ricocheted off the walls. the hand which had been resting atop his lower trapezius shifted upwards, her fingers delving into the inky strands at the nape of his neck. when she'd tightened her grasp upon the damp hair she'd managed to grab ahold of, she tugged his head upright with more force than necessary, drawing a groan out of him.

blue eyes flicked downwards to meet her own, the heat smoldering within them practically palpable. with lane's neck craned back, brows knitted together and lips parted in an 'o', he looked awfully pretty. completely at her mercy, thrown so far into the throes of desire that he had no means of escape.

she snaked her free hand towards his jaw, the back of her fingers trailing across its sharp contour before cradling his flushed skin. in response, he withdrew his palm from below her back and brought it up to clasp over the back of her hand. he partially tilted his neck to the side, as far as his current predicament allowed him to, then placed a soft kiss against the warmth of her skin. the light smack of his lips sounded throughout the living room, though it remained mostly incoherent amidst the sounds of their coupling and skin against skin.

— “i will, don't worry.” he muttered against her palm.

her pinky finger caught on the corner of his lips. she gently tugged downwards against his lower lip, her fingertip trailing across the plush tissue. lane's hold on her palm loosened before faltering completely, dropping down to rest against the slope of her shoulder.

her elbow jutted upwards as her finger ended up on the opposite side of his mouth. she retracted her finger away, though in its place her thumb found purchase - gently pushing past his lips to delve into the damp cavern of his mouth. unsurprisingly, he had no qualms about it; offered no resistance. the firm hold she'd established earlier upon his hair loosened slightly, though she didn't let go. instead, she drew his face closer towards her own with a slight tug.

— “then do it.” she whispered.

loyalty was a trait every dog should harbour - something even more valued was obedience.

at her words, lane couldn't help the way his cheeks pulled taut, the corner of his lips straining against her thumb as he grinned. the hand residing atop her shoulder shifted to wrap around her wrist, gently uncurling her thumb out his mouth before letting go - her hand dropping down to rest near where he'd propped himself up on his elbow besides her head.

— “yes ma'am,” he drawled, “so demanding.”

obedient dogs didn't need to be told twice. his elbow dropped down near the opposite side of her head, mirroring his left arm as he evenly distributed his weight to both of his arms rather than one. his lips found her own, teeth gently grazing her bottom lip before prodding at the centre of her mouth with his tongue - a satisfied hum reverberating against the soft tissue once she'd permitted his advances.

though it didn't last long as abruptly, his hips stilled and he slipped his tongue out her mouth, much to her dismay. though he didn't pull back from her - his face remained a hairsbreadth away from her own as his breath came out in shaky gasps, her own not steadier by any means. with his hips drawn flush against her thighs, tip nuzzled deep within her, he closed the remaining distance between them with an uncharacteristically gentle kiss. then, his lips found the corner of her mouth.

— “just don't forget the fact you asked for it, sweet thing.”

and then, he resumed. in one swift movement he reeled his hips back so that only the very tip of him remained burrowed within, shaft glistening with her slick and remnants of pre cum.

her breath caught in her throat once he'd buried himself to the hilt once more with a single, sharp thrust, her hands instinctively shooting out to grasp at his shoulders. fingers dug into the pale complexion of his skin, raw crescents of red marring the flesh as a choked moan involuntarily slipped past her lips at the sudden sensation overwhelming her. lane simply continued his thrusts, the wet slap of skin on skin more prominent than before.

— “mm, fuck, like this?” he managed to blurt out, the smirk on his face faltering momentarily as the furrow of his brow deepened, “keep on mak-, shiittt-,” he half moaned half chuckled, “-making those noises for me. show me how much you're enjoying this, yeah?”

— “with the way you're huffing and puffing,” she managed to utter, words cut short by a breathless moan, “seems like... oh my god-” her eyes fluttered shut, eliciting a laugh out of the very man hovering above her.

— “seems...like, what?”

— “you're enjoying it more than me! fuck, lane, don't!-” she croaked out, her head craning back against the pillows supporting her neck.

she pressed her heel against his lower back with increased force, her other leg instinctively jerking upwards at a particularly precise roll of his hips - one that resulted in the ball of metal embedded in his tip to collide with that specific spongy piece of tissue that had her seeing stars. with her calf suspended in the air, her toes curled inwards - before her foot snapped back towards the dimple on the right side of his lower back. she drummed her heel against his skin with fevor, one hand shifting to push against the side of his face - a poor attempt at breaking them apart.

— “aah, wait wait, shit, stop-” he sputtered, “stop clenching so damn hard, i'm- fuuuckkkk,” lane whined, words half muffled with her palm smushed against his face, “i'm gonna fuckin' cum already!”

— “lane, lane, lane, 'm gonna-”

lane's hips stilled once more - her eyes snapping open at the sudden loss of friction. the heat that had pooled in her lower stomach had seemed to have diminished completely, leaving behind an unbearable ache and a broken promise of the pleasure she'd hoped to be on the receiving end of.

— “you-”

though she didn't have time to berate him, as his hands slid below her arms - thumbs pressed up on either side of her collarbone. then, still buried to the hilt within her, he pulled her upright - eliciting a surprised huff of air on her part.

before she was even able to grasp the situation, their positions had already been switched.

he reclined against the cushions, neck craned back to allow his eyes to trail over her face and simply take in the sight of her - all pretty and perched in his lap, her palms resting on either side of his neck. he could make out the small amount of sweat that had gathered just above her upper brow and all he could think about was how it'd taste on his tongue.

lane tightened his hold on her hips.

— “come on shakira,” he huffed, “put them hips to work. wanna see my girl all hot and bothered on top.”

he was an obedient dog, though a filthy one at that.

though if it got her closer to the edge, she didn't particularly mind. with a grumble below her breath and a roll of her eyes, simply for show, she rolled her hips experimentally.

— “mmm, just like that,” he encouraged, rubbing the soft swell of her hip with his thumb, “look so pretty like this.”

with a shaky exhale, she lifted her hips upwards just enough to allow the web of slick that had accumulated to become visible - smeared across her inner thighs, trailing along his shaft. then, she slowly dropped herself back down with a squelch, warranting a groan from lane which had been far louder than necessary.

— “don't stop.”

— “don't tell me what to do,” she refuted, slowly beginning to establish a rhythm at which she manouvered up and down. though quickly, the pace increased as she brought her hips down with new found vigour.

— “sorry boss.”

it didn't take long for lane to completely submit himself to her, completely at her mercy as she took the reins and dictated every aspect of their heated encounter. the newfound combination of her fingers trailing across her jaw alongside the sporadic tugs she gave to his hair caused him to completely unravel, plunging him into a trance like state as all he could do was simply watch.

watch the way her lips parted, the occasional flutter of her eyelids. watch the way her eyebrows knitted together as she tried so hard to keep her composure yet failed miserably to do so. every so often he'd lazily guide her movements, fingers digging into the plush of her skin as he maintained eye contact, his focus trained on her and her only.

he was gone - completely checked out.

in such a state of bliss he hadn't even acknowledged the harsh thud that resounded on the opposite side of the wall, followed by incoherent shouts. and it seemed neither had she.

— “lane,” she drawled, “god, lane...”

he didn't respond, atleast not verbally. instead he let out a low groan.

and so her lips found his. a slobbery kiss that was the very definition of heat and passion, all tongue and spit. the strands of hair intertwined amidst her fingers recieved a sharp tug as she tightened her hold, resulting in a low groan resounding from within his chest right into the kiss.

her bounces grew more sloppy, uncoordinated and desperate.

the slap of sweat slick skin alongside whines and pants of pure, unadulterated want droned out the sound of the tv.

— “jesus, fuuuuck,” a slip of her name, “i'm gonna cum.”

— “gonna... give me everything?” she ranted against his mouth, retracting her palm from his jaw and planting her lips there instead. she sucked on the skin, hard, before licking a stripe up to his cheekbone, “lane, f'me... shit, cum in me.”

he nodded feverishly. he didn't have to be told twice.

— “well, are you surprised? you were screaming my name like some crazy sex vixen.”

she shot him an exasperated look, gently shaking her head back and forth as her eyes returned back towards the note on their front door. a noise complaint - though that wasn't what caught her attention, as the letter had been posted up there for weeks now. it was what had been scribbled on with black sharpie in big, bold lettering. right at the bottom where the transcript ended,

' +STOP FUCKING SO LOUD!!! '

— “you're the one that practically short circuited near the end,” she retorted, “and i wasn't the only one making noise. if anything, i bet they heard you more than anything.”

at that, he simply grinned. his arm landed on her shoulder, tugging her against his side as he began to lead her down the stairway.

— “yeah, well, i know you love it. so what if i'm a little loud? god strike me down.”

he spoke through movies, constantly adding unnecessary commentary and evaluation of the poorly scripted scene in front of them. whenever she asked him to do something, a grin would bloom across his features and then he’d then proceed to ask her an unnecessary amount of questions. purely for the sake of winding her up just so he could hear that click of her tongue he’d grown all too familiar of, alongside a reprimand and the occasional teasing jab sent back his way. intermittently, he’d even found himself absentmindedly murmuring quiet ‘i love yous’ against the warmth of her skin when he was traversing the threshold between consciousness and unconsciousness.

it was rare, though it happened. simply put, lane needed a gag to truly shut him up.

yet despite his jaw working overtime, she never seemed to genuinely mind the chatter that had become such an integral aspect of her life. she’d entertain it here and there, humour his shitty jokes with quips of her own. sure, he’d irritate her beyond belief more often than not - which usually warranted a sigh of frustration from her, a glare sent his way and silence.

lane would then poke, prod, continue his mindless chatter until her cheeks pulled taut with a poorly restrained grin, successfully tearing through the indifference she’d momentarily schooled herself into.

because she never truly grew angry with him. well, most of the time. there were a few times where she had been genuinely upset which resulted in lane grovelling at her feet, trailing around her with his tail tucked beneath his legs and ears droopy like a kicked puppy. albeit reluctantly, she’d eventually cave and accept his affections - though not without making sure to address her issues first.

naturally, he thought it’d work this time around too considering it was standard procedure at this point whenever she was upset with him. he wasn’t quite sure what he’d done to warrant such emotional withdrawal from her this time around, though it wasn’t as if he ever truly did anyways. and so he switched into ‘grovelling boyfriend’ mode: constantly pawing at her, hovering behind her with slumped shoulders and a pout whilst reeling off lane style apologies and questions as to why she was so upset with him.

and when things didn’t go according to plan and she hadn’t even glanced over at him, lane came to a stark realisation; he was in the doghouse. he had been for the past 2 days.

initially, he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. lane practically thrived off of his dear girlfriend’s attention, whether it be good or bad didn’t matter - he simply needed to feel seen and wanted. even irritated huffs, snarky comebacks and sharp nudges with her elbow were better than the deafening silence he was forced to navigate, as irritation and frustration meant she cared enough to convey some semblance of emotion. silence, indifference? bad - very bad.

she wanted space? fine, he’d give her it - he reasoned with himself. and for a record breaking 14 hours, of which 8 were spent sleeping, he withdrew himself from her space. lane didn’t linger behind her, try to initiate any form of physical contact and left her to her own devices. though his resolve quickly crumbled, as his need for validation and her touch for once in his life outweighed his ego.

he’d warrant a reaction out of her, he’d make sure of it.

her name slipped past his lips as he stepped into the kitchen, palms finding purchase atop the wooden doorframe as he situated himself in the doorway. as expected, no response.

he repeated her name once more. again, no reaction.

one socked foot landed against the kitchen tile, the other following suit. his arms which had been suspended in the air above him dropped down to his sides as he crossed the threshold of the space until he was stood right behind her frame; deft fingers rifling through a container of sorts - spices, maybe.

not that he cared. the only thing on his mind was eliciting some sort of emotion, reaction out of her - most favourably, a smile.

a finger prodded at her side. gentle enough to not cause any discomfort, yet with enough pressure to simply make itself known. then another, right between her shoulder blades.

he uttered her name once more.

one against her lower back, the other against the back of her shoulder. unbeknownst to him, her eyebrows furrowed in mild irritation though she didn’t react just yet - she knew exactly what his intentions were and she wasn’t about to give in so easily. after all, misbehaving dogs needed to be reprimanded.

— “come on, talk to me. don’t be such a bitch.”

the frequency of his jabs increased, alongside the pressure he applied.

— “babeeee,” he practically whined, “it’s been, like, 3 days. you won’t even look at me - you didn’t even cuddle up to me last night.”

his movements grew uncoordinated, sloppy and for a lack of a better term, desperate. he simply continued pressing his fingers into her arm, waist, hips - anywhere he could, a poor attempt at garnering her attention.

a ragged, chipped nail delved into the centre between her shoulder blades with such force it caused her to instinctively pull her shoulders back and clench her jaw tight.

— “can you fucking stop?”

before lane had even realised what he’d done, she’d already spun around on her heel to turn and face him. with her chin slightly tilted upwards to meet his gaze, eyebrows furrowed and lips quirked downwards into what could only be described as a look of utmost contempt; if looks could kill, she’d be a murderer.

though he simply grinned in response, he’d gotten exactly what he’d wanted.

— “turn that frown upside down. like seriously, what’s up with you? i’m sorry, what did i do this time?”

— “you’re apologising when you don’t even know what you’ve done?”

— “well, yeah.”

— “so how the hell are you apologising?”

— “…with words? and my good looks?”

the joke clearly didn’t land, as she simply stared at him with a look of exasperation. he cleared his throat, palm moving upwards to rest against the nape of his neck.

— “okay. why are you so upset with me, like, i know i should probably know what i’ve done and that but i don’t. can you… i don’t know, tell me?”

she crossed her arms.

— “why should i? shouldn’t you be able to figure it out yourself?”

of course she wouldn’t give in so easily.

he groaned, said her name once more. her expression didn’t even falter, not even a shroud of mercy sent his way. therefore he’d have to figure it out himself.

he’d folded the laundry like she’d asked. cleared the clutter off the coffee table and cleared the remnants of loose tobacco strewn across the surface. bathroom was clean, so was the hallway. he had been his usual irritating self, yes, though he made sure to make up for it through soft words and lingering touches. if the crinkle of her eyes and the usual grin that had bloomed across her face was anything to go by, he would’ve deemed the situation completely resolved. or was it not? no, it had to be something else causing such tension between them.

his face contorted into one of confusion, lips partially parted and eyes narrowed.

— “…yo-”

— “yo?”

— “-i don’t know what bullshit i got up to that’s got you ignoring me so bad.”

— “monday night,” she paused, “tuesday night, too.”

— “…okay.”

— “fuck you mean okay?”

— “what? bro, monday and tuesday night doesn’t mean shit. you’re not giving me much to work with.”

the hand lingering on his neck dropped down to his side as he felt himself grow increasingly more frustrated. lane shoved his palm into the pocket of his sweats, running the plush material between his fingertips to busy his hands in some way - a poor attempt at grounding himself.

she clicked her tongue, “what side of the couch did you fall asleep on? the side against the cushions or the outer part?”

— “…against?”

— “exactly! you know i hate sleeping on the outer part, i reminded you three damn times to make sure you don’t doze off on my side!”

the furrow of his eyebrows only seemed to deepen, jaw slackening as he processed her words.

— “that what’s got you throwing such a bitch fit!?”

— “you-”

lane shut his eyes for a moment, a huff of exasperation absentmindedly slipping past his lips. he pulled his hands from his pockets, arms hanging loosely at his sides.

— “okay, i didn’t even mean it like that. but seriously, that’s why? you couldn’t have like, told me?”

— “i reminded you.”

— “your cryptic messages aren’t enough. next time, just be straight with me. damn, had me thinking i actually did something.”

— “because you did!”

— “yeah yeah,” he retorted. large palms landed on either side of her shoulders, his eyes flickering to hers with his eyebrow raised in question. when she didn’t immediately slap his hands away nor deepen her scowl, he took it as a sign to continue his ministrations. he didn’t waste any time in pulling her towards the planes of his chest, a satisfied huff of air leaving him once he felt the familiar weight of her face pressed against him, “all men are evil and whatever. kill them all.”

he manoeuvred his arms to her back so that they tightly encased her against him. a smirk tugged at his lips, one he simply couldn’t prevent - she was finally allowing him to hold her once more, and although he’d never admit it, he was practically ecstatic.

— “i’m sorry, yeah? though for the record - if any monsters came at you with their filthy hands during the night, i’d make sure to hand their sorry asses to them babe.”

— “…who said anything about monsters?”

— “you didn’t need to, i already know. don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

she pressed her palms against his chest, a newfound flare of irritation bubbling within her at his demeanour - of course, everything was a joke with him. upon reflection, yes, she might have been petty and her anger directed towards him had been rather silly. though living with lane proved to be difficult at times, and with little things constantly being half assed or forgotten the frustration she’d caged for so long just flared to life. she was completely ready to push him away and send a sharp rebuttal his way, though the second he’d noticed a shift in her expression he’d tightened his grip on her.

— “hey, no- okay, i’m sorry. seriously, i didn’t mean to make you so upset,” one hand that had been snaked around her waist reached up to cradle the side of her jaw, “you told me, i was a dick and didn’t remember. it’s my fault and… yeah. sorry.”

her expression faltered, features softening.

— “it’s fine… i’m just being stupid and whatever, but lane, god, you make it hard not to wring your neck sometimes.”

this time around, it was him letting out an exasperated groan.

— “it’s not stupid, i get it. just… next time instead of being in such a mood with me, tell me. grab my collar, spit in my face and scream at me for fucking up or not doing what i’m supposed to if necessary. just don’t ignore me… yo.”

that warranted a small grin from her. an amused huff of air slipped past her lips, “okay, yo.”

— “so… all good?”

— “yes, lane. all good.”

— “go on, i’m waiting.”

she shot him a look.

— “why are you taking this so seriously?”

— “bro, don’t question me. i don’t want you to be angry with me again. i don’t like it,” he paused, almost as though he was contemplating something, “okay, maybe i do but that’s under different circumstances.”

he pointed a finger towards ‘her’ side of the couch.

— “i don’t have all night.”

albeit reluctantly, she did as he asked. once she’d eased herself into a comfortable position with her back pressed up against the cushions, lane followed suite behind her. this time around on ‘his’ respective side.

though it wasn’t long before he’d bundled her up in his arms once more, his chin resting atop her head.

— “see, isn’t everything so great? you, back in my arms… not kicking me away and practically shoving me off the damn couch. just my sexy girlfriend finally letting me hold her - i could die a happy man.”

— “i didn’t shove you off the couch, stop exaggerating.”

— “you kicked my legs back so hard they slammed against the coffee table and knocked everything down, then whined as to why everything was on the floor the next morning.”

— “…stop talking before you relive those moments.”

he let out a soft chuckle before planting a kiss atop her head, “forget i said anything.”

even when she’d moved in and complained about the black paint chipping off, how they didn’t even fulfill their purpose and seemed to be there simply for decoration rather than use he didn’t do anything. he’d initially waved her off, offered a teasing remark about how he’d do an adequate job at keeping her warm himself and there was no need for a slab of metal.

— “don’t make them too thin, they’re not supposed to look like flat stanley.”

she’d cut him slack at first and didn’t push the matter further. though after nearly two weeks straight of constantly being wrapped up in blankets and wearing four pairs of socks, she’d simply had enough and decided to resolve the predicament she’d found herself in. and naturally, what better way to counter the biting chill than blasting the oven on? it was so old it transferred most of the heat to the surroundings rather than actually use it for its intended purpose anyways.

— “what, like this? or thinner?”

blue eyes lazily drifted to the side, his movements with the rolling pill coming to a halt as he waited for her to saunter over and asses his work. soft padding of feet against tile sounded throughout the space as she neared, drying her hands off with a tea towel. her shoulder brushed against his as she leaned over to peer down at the floured countertop.

— “…too big, too thick. roll it out a bit more. and put your back into it.”

— “that’s what you said at first, though you grew to like it.”

silence. a click of her tongue.

— “roll the damn dough out, fostman.”

— “yes ma’am.” he murmured back in response, a shit eating grin blooming across his face as he caught sight of the exasperated look she’d sent his way.

the counters were a mess of cooling racks, icing sugar and tubes of food colouring. the cookie cutters had been tossed off to the side once they were no longer deemed necessary and attention had been brought elsewhere. namely, the sugar cookies and piping bags full of coloured icing.

— “you’re not gonna believe how sick this is gonna look. don’t you dare look, it’s gonna be a surprise.”

lane’s words came out half garbled as he spoke between mouthfuls of a luke warm cookie he’d shoved into his mouth. she gently nudged him with her elbow, focus never drifting away from the sugar cookie she’d busied herself with decorating.

— “you don’t have a single creative bone in your body.”

— “i have a very vivid imagination, thanks. how the hell did you think i got through highschool? my hand alone? no way babe.”

an exasperated sigh slipped past her lips at his rebuttal, what seemed to be the fifth one in the span of an hour, as she slowly manoeuvred the piping bag downwards atop the cookie’s ‘head’. she swirled the icing before loosening her grip on the silicone bag, easing the metal tip off the delicate surface of the cookie.

— “…what goes on in that head of yours besides sex and boobs?”

— “none of that actually. i have visions of your beautiful face, that gorgeous smile… and okay, maybe that sweet pair-”

— “don’t you dare finish that sentence. you were being so tolerable for a change.”

— “you know you love me.”

a comfortable silence settled between them as they became engrossed in the simple act of piping icing onto sugar cookies, something so domestic and tooth rottingly sweet lane almost couldn’t believe he’d allowed himself to get dragged into something so soft. and although he wouldn’t ever dare to voice it out loud, to allow such words to slip past the confines of his inner dialogue, he found himself enjoying it. stood besides her - just far enough to not allow him to peek at her work yet just close enough that he could feel that familiar warmth radiating off of her - engaging in something so ‘couple-y’ as baking together.

until the soft lilt of her voice cut through the silence, the piping bag she once held now residing atop the floured surface.

— “i’ve finished lane. you?”

— “…uh, yeah. hold on… yeah. ‘m finished.”

— “great, let me see yours first!” she grinned, turning on her heel and pressing her body up against his side. she tilted her head to the side, eyes landing upon the work top where a few cookies were strewn around.

her expression faltered.

— “…oh my god. is that supposed to be ludwig?”

— “how’d you know?” he grinned, looking far too pleased at himself, “told you i’m an artist at heart. you see how good the resemblance is?”

there lay a pale beige ‘man’, the edges slightly browned as it had the misfortune of residing on the side of the oven where it happened to work far more efficiently. though that wasn’t what caught her attention, no, it was… lane’s own input that truly grabbed her eye.

random streaks of yellow covered the top half of its head, with big green dots crookedly piped onto either side of its face. right in the middle a long L shaped line was situated between its ‘eyes’, practically covering the entire expanse of the small circle it had as its head. and right below that harsh L shape, a straight line with a tiny triangle beneath it; a small, toothy fang.

— “why’s his…” she pointed a finger towards the sugar cookie, circling its head in the air with a fingernail, “nose so damn big? it’s covering half the damn cookie.”

— “because his nose is fucking huge. i stay true to the source.”

— “he looks so sad.”

— “yeah? for the record, he doesn’t. but look how happy we are.”

eyes darted upwards, landing on two more cookies above ‘ludwig’. she presumed the right one was lane himself - streaks of black icing as hair, two blue dots as eyes and a small, thin black curve serving as a smile. atop one of the blue dots of icing, two smaller dollops of white icing - a poor attempt an an eyebrow piercing.

it wasn’t anything special, though it was clear it was supposed to be lane. and then, her gaze shifted to the cookie besides ‘lane’.

it was her.

though almost immediately it was obvious he’d spent a good majority of his time and focus on her edible form. her ‘hair’ had been piped carefully and precisely, each strand clear as opposed to the smears of icing his other cookies had been on the receiving end of. two dots of coloured icing served as a representation of her eyes, and he’d even gone as far as to add 3 thin lines off each respective dot as eyelashes. the curve of her ‘mouth’ was almost perfect, the icing completely smooth as though he had been bestowed with the steadiest hands known to man.

he’d even gone as far as to give her a shirt - a luxury sugar cookie lane and ludwig hadn’t been able to afford. pink icing smeared across the body, other than her ‘hands’ and ‘legs’. ‘white boy’ messily piped atop the pink base, as though there wasn’t enough space for any further lettering. she caught on immediately - it was that god awful ‘white boy of the year’ shirt of his she sometimes threw on when lounging around the house.

he’d pushed their edible forms together as close as possible to make it seem as though they were holding hands. that alone was enough to cause her cheeks to pull taught, flashing him a toothy grin.

— “lane, that’s so adorable.”

he quirked an eyebrow upwards, eyes meeting hers as he stared back at her. chewing, as amidst her appreciation for his labour he’d taken it upon himself to taste test more of their bakes. his hand froze midway through the air, hovering over one of the sugar cookies that had remained un decorated. lane seemed almost confused, as though he’d completely forgot what the hell they had been doing for the past hour and the fact he himself had encouraged her to catch sight of ‘them’.

— “huh?”

he glanced down. paused, remembered.

— “oh, yeah. looks like us, doesn't it? edible version.”

she could’ve sworn she could make out a faint blush blooming across his cheeks. as despite the persona he fought so desperately to uphold, she was well aware he was just as capable of being flustered as any other person. the hand once hovering in the air now rose up to scratch at his neck, eyes averting away from her warm expression as he tried to calm his erratic heart and school his features back into their usual state.

she wasn’t having any of it.

she turned on her heels. warm, smaller palms clamped around his waist as a soft chuckle rumbled up from her chest. standing up on her tiptoes, she peered up at him with a smile tugging at her lips before landing a quick kiss to the side of his jaw.

— “you spent so much time on me. and you made us hold hands, and you gave me your shirt. lane, who the hell knew you were so soft at heart? have i told you i love you?”

— “…i’m not soft at heart,” he retorted, his voice uncharacteristically meek. though quickly he readjusted himself, cleared his throat before he quickly followed up, “it’s just you. you do this to me.”

total fail. he was supposed to play it off cool, she noticed his hiccup.

— “you’re so full of shit,” she giggled, “give me a kiss.”

— “yo, not infront of lub-”

— “shut up.”

with the side of her face pressed up against lane's chest, one arm lazily thrown around her accompanied by the low buzz of the xbox she found herself drifting off to sleep. the conditions were perfect; a human heater, a fluffy blanket bunched up to her chin and the occasional rumble of lane's voice as he muttered something below his breath.

— “a forks got more teeth than you. isn't it your bedtime? better hurry, before mommy comes barging in and swipes your shit right off you.”

her eyebrows furrowed at the sudden increase in volume, accompanied by the erratic movement of his chest which had disturbed her. yet initially, she chose to pay it no mind.

nimble fingers brushed against the worn cotton of the shirt he wore before she lightly grasped the fabric in her right palm. what should have come across as a warning, a reminder, for him to keep his voice tame. though it seemed the message came across unclear, or rather, had been totally dismissed.

— “keep talking shit kid, it won't change the fact i absolutely annihilated your sorry ass.”

— “…lane.”

— “keep whining n’ crying like a little bitch, sounds like your mom when-”

a frustrated groan slipped past her lips as she suddenly surged upright, her right hand letting go of the fabric of his shirt and instead now splayed out across his right rib to prop herself upright. with her free hand, she wasted little time in wrapping her fingers around the headset suspended around his neck and tugging harshly. the sudden movement caused his head to jerk forwards, eyes wide as his mind tried to process the sudden turn of events.

he could’ve sworn she was asleep a few moments ago; all warm and soft, cuddled up against… well, atop him. he’d seen himself the steady rise and fall of her chest, the indication that she’d been lulled into slumber - or what he’d deemed slumber atleast. though he didn’t have much time to dwell on detail and try recalling the past, as her arm suddenly jerked to the side.

a clatter sounded throughout the room as the headset made contact with the endless clutter strewn atop the wooden coffee table. a soft thud followed soon after, as an empty can of redbull had been tipped off the surface and unceremoniously landed on the floorboards.

— “yo, the fuck?-”

lane’s grip on the light blue controller loosened, causing the plastic to slip out his grasp and land atop her lower back as that was where his hands had resided. though that alone seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back, as the controller suffered the same fate not even a few seconds later. the impact had resulted in an input on the controller, the tv screen transitioning into the menu screen. she’d readjusted herself, thighs now bracketing his hips as she straddled his lap instead.

— “woman, you crazy? stop throwing my damn things around-”

warm palms pressed atop his lips, applying light pressure. his eyebrows furrowed, eyes flickering from her hands to her face as he awaited the inevitable reprimand. though he allowed himself to scan her features and analyse on a scale of one to ten, how pissed off she truly was on the ‘girlfriend meter’.

lips quirked downwards; okay, not too bad. eyebrows furrowed in what he could only presume as irritation… manageable. though her eyes - those deep pits of fury he’d grown to recognise. she’d only had such a look marring her face only a handful of times, though he’d quickly learned that out of all expressions she was able to hold, that one was the least desirable one.

— “are you stupid or high? can you be any louder when i’m trying to sleep and i’m literally pressed up against you so every sound is like, amplified 10 times?”

even if he had wanted to, he wasn’t quite in any position to offer a rebuttal with her hands pressed against his mouth and effectively muffling everything. an exasperated sigh slipped past her lips as she peered down at him, his features illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the window and tv display.

— “so can you please turn the game off and just get to sleep? you’ve been up far too long anyways.”

her gaze flickered towards the cable box, eyes narrowing to make out the time displayed in bright red led - 02:25. the one day the two of them have off and she can’t even catch up on much needed sleep, thanks to the absolute man child she had the honour of calling her boyfriend.

once she felt a sudden weight press gently against her lower back did she meet those icy eyes of his. large fingers splayed across the expanse of her lower back, slowly trailing up and down. and so, she withdrew her hands from the lower half of his face and dropped them back down to her sides.

after a brief silence, he spoke.

— “…damn, mommy’s swiping my shit instead. controller and headset. what’s next, the xbox or you unplugging the wifi fully?”

— “you!-”

the corners of his mouth quirked upwards, a grin blooming across his face as a soft chuckle rumbled up from his chest, “yo, chill! it’s just a joke, babe.”

a sigh of utmost resignation and exasperation slipped past her lips as she regarded him with a blank stare at his antics. lane rolled his eyes in mock irritation, letting out an exaggerated sigh as he shifted one hand from her lower back to rest just between her shoulder blades. he applied a small amount of pressure, pulling her flush against his chest. he peered down at her; the side of her face pressed up against his right pec once more, the corners of her mouth quirked downwards as she glared up at him with a small pout.

— “fine, fine,” he sighed, “since you’re whining so much and i guess you did ask me so nicely, i’ll allow you to cling onto me all night so you can sleep soundly knowing your perfect boyfriend is here. i’ll keep you all nice and toasty and i won’t make any more noise.”

she offered no response. instead, she settled against him more comfortably and readjusted the blanket atop the pair. and just when her eyes had fluttered shut once more, her breathing had began to even out and his arms were so warm and comforting-

— “uh, can i atleast turn it off? it takes like 10 minutes for it to-”

— “lane!”

she was bland, lackluster. predictable; didn’t have any sort of passion nor characteristics that would set her apart from the rest he deemed unworthy. to sasuke, she was simply there. an aspiring shinobi from the leaf, like all the rest.

perhaps if he thought she was worth the time, he would have payed attention.

yet despite his harsh perception of her, he found his fingertips skimming the warmth of her flesh far often than he’d liked to admit. with deft fingers splayed across the swell of her hip and the back of her head pressed up against the planes of his chest, he found his mind delving into territory he would have much rather left uncharted.

feelings were signs of weakness, hesitation translated to a sorry excuse of a man. to allow his thoughts, philosophies, to waver due to a woman’s touch was almost laughable - sasuke uchiha didn’t bend to anyone’s wills and he most certainly wasn’t going to let her change that.

she was vermin. vermin needed to be exterminated.

yet how do you get rid of something that had already wormed its way so deep into the walls? gnawed its way through plaster and brick, doing what was deemed impossible? because that’s exactly what had occurred - the walls of his heart were impenetrable.

atleast, that’s what he once thought.

— “hey, easy.”

his hands reached over to grasp at her wrists, effectively halting her wandering hands and resulting in a slight tilt of her head. those eyes of hers - they spoke so loudly yet so little at the same time.

— “why, what’s-”

— “this needs to end. i’m leaving. indefinitely.”

a brief beat of silence passed between them, before it was broken by a soft giggle slipping past her lips.

— “sasuke, where’s all this coming from? come here, what’s on your mind?”

— “you’re too invested. don’t you see this means nothing?”

he released her wrists, taking a step back away from her. the air around them seemed to grow almost colder, the wind sending stray strands of her hair towards the left. what was once a light hearted expression morphed into something more… displeased, confused; she knew sasuke was unpredictable, that he always had been. though she simply hadn’t expected to be dealing with his emotional turbulence that very night.

the forest clearing they usually met up in, every sunday 11pm sharp, no longer seemed like a place of comfort. her steps used to be light as she neared, a soft smile tugging at her lips as her mind ran through endless scenarios of what her and sasuke would get up to. would he finally give into her pleas and help her polish up on her chakra control? or perhaps they’d simply traverse through the expanse of the forest, recounting the day. usually, she did the talking - though she didn’t particularly mind.

yet today, she didn’t feel that flutter in her chest at the sight of sasuke. instead, something twisted. as though something had wrapped its hands around the delicate tissue of her heart and simply wrung it as hard as possible with malicious intent.

— “i never said it meant anything. though where is this all coming from? you’re saying i’m too invested - in what exactly? besides, i’m not the only one initiating everything. you pay attention-”

— “i’d pay attention if i thought you were worth the time.”

— “i’m sorry?”

he could feel her gaze on him. even with the forest shrouded in darkness, that flame in her eyes burned so brightly.

perhaps there was something that set her apart from the rest after all.

sasuke didn’t initially offer a response, which resulted in a scoff from her and words tumbling out faster than she’d like, “you have the audacity to seek me out every sunday for months, go as far as to see me in my most intimate and all of a sudden you claim i’m not worth the time?”

— “because you’re not. you confuse passion for the love i never gave. that’s exactly what i did - i met you on a schedule, never sought you out besides that. purely out of selfishness, don’t confuse it for adoration. you sound like a foolish girl in love.”

and that made her pause. whatever rebuttal she was about to offer died on her tongue and resulted in her simply staring at him; eyebrows furrowed, eyes narrowed. her lips fell into a tight line as she clenched her jaw, avoiding those dark eyes of his for a brief moment before meeting his gaze once more.

— “that’s what you deem of me? a young girl in love? what resulted in that analysis?”

her name slipped past his lips as though it physically pained him to utter those syllables. perhaps out of exasperation, perhaps out of disgust.

— “you're making it harder than this needs to be. though since you’re so adamant for any semblance of an explanation, i’ll humour you. you’ve never been subtle with your infatuation when we were younger. though i suppose you did blur into the background, alongside the others.”

blurred into the background like all the rest. something forgotten, something not quite noteworthy. to sasuke, she merely existed.

— “...very well then.”

she wasn't one to step down, curl her tail between her legs and scamper off to the side. and this time around, she most certainly didn't do so either. her response which should have consisted of pleas, teary eyes simply never came. instead, she addressed him with the same emotional resignation he'd shown her.

and that caused his eyebrow to rise in intrigue. the one emotion she'd never managed to wring out of him.

sasuke didn't say anything more, he didn't find it necessary. and so, she turned on her heel and retraced the steps she'd taken to reach him.

his eyes followed her retreating form, gaze flickering towards where her loosely tied kimono had slipped off her shoulder and revealed a meager amount of skin.

he stood there watching her bare shoulder; a memory from the past.

though the issue didnt lie in the complex affairs of his feelings, yet more so who they happened to be directed towards.

— “madara.”

the wind carried her whisper across the stream, the almost imperceptible call of his name enough to direct his attention away from his image mirrored in the depths of water.

her name slipped past his lips. they burned, punished him for even daring to utter her name. forbidden, condemning - one should not speak of their sworn enemy with such delicacy, an undeniable warmth laced within each syllable.

dark irises trailed across the silhouette on the other side of the river, attempting to make out her features despite the darkness they were shrouded in. the moon was high up in the sky, though it did little to illuminate the land hidden beneath the canopy of leaves which resulted in him having to rely solely on his vision.

though there was no need - her face was engrained into his memory. madara could have sworn that whenever his eyes fluttered shut, he was met with a vision of her. every pore, every imperfection he deemed perfection.

— “you're late.”

— “no i'm not - i'm right on time. you were just eager to arrive and came early. did you miss me that much?”

he shut his eyes, an exasperated sigh followed soon after. she was lucky he held a patience towards her that no one else was on the recieving end of, otherwise her teasing remark wouldn't have been recieved as well as it had been.

— “if telling yourself that brings you a sense of comfort, then continue to do so.”

silence. she stared into the distance ahead of her, so did he.

— “...are you going to cross the stream or simply stand there so broodingly?”

— “i don't think i missed you enough to do so.”

that managed to pull a reaction out of her. he saw that brief flicker of white as she pulled her cheeks taut, flashing that toothy grin he'd grown so accustomed to.

— “liar,” she countered, “you wouldn't have turned up otherwise.”

— “why don't you cross then? how about you remind me of precisely the reason why i should have missed you, little senju.”

she didn't need to be told twice. madara watched as her foot hovered above the water, before finally placing the sole of her sandal atop the stream. the other followed soon after and in a few quick strides, she'd successfully crossed the stream and crossed the threshold onto uchiha territory. the weight of her name carried no meaning upon territory that wasn't her own and wouldn't save her from the cruelty that could very well be inflicted upon her. the laws that protected her on senju land didn't apply the moment she had decided to cross.

though despite that knowledge, she found herself seeking out the one that could very well be the one to cause her grave harm.

madara pulled her into his arms the moment she stepped foot onto land once more.

one arm wrapped loosely around her hips, pulling her towards the hard planes of his chest. calloused fingers brushed against her jaw before settling on her chin, tilting her head backwards as his eyes took in her appearance with scrutiny. his eyes narrowed, lips tugging into a frown as he caught sight of something he didn't particularly approve of.

his thumb drifted away from her chin and towards her cheekbone, tracing the slight discolouration present.

— “and what's this?”

— “a kunai skimmed my face.”

— “...i see.” he responded, “dont let it happen again.”

amusement flickered in the depths of her eyes.

— “i didn't intend on it happening.”

— “you dont intend on a lot of things, yet for some unexplainable reason they all occur. perhaps there's some greater force at play, or you simply need to become more tactical in your ways.”

— “alright, alright. i won't let it happen again.”

he didn't vocalise his satisfaction, though the way his eyes softened slightly conveyed more than words ever could.

he took a moment to simply take in the sight of her in his arms, willingly yielding herself to him. despite his name, the actions that seemed to define his being and cause others to immediately shut down a conversation upon the mere whisper of his lineage.

madara could still make out that infuriating, annoying little girl he'd first met all those years ago. when him and hashirama were children, oblivious to the friendship they'd be forced to relinquish as a consequence of the clans they were tied to. the girl that scampered behind hashirama, who had been forced to supervise his younger sister, and insisted on tagging along with him and being involved in anything and everything. he still remembered the pout that had crossed her face when hashirama politely suggested she sat on the sidelines, alongside that flare of defiance in her eyes as she simply dismissed her brother's words and forced her way into things that didnt involve her.

then, her defiance resulted in nothing more than childish annoyance and reluctant agreement. now, the stakes were much higher; her clan. her duty, her obligation. an obligation bestowed upon her without any input from her, one that dictated her free will and separated her from the man she'd grown to love but could never have. not freely, not the way she wanted to.

then, he'd looked at her in exasperation and confusion. now he looked at her with an uncharacteristic softness and undeniable passion. as a lover, not his friend's spiteful little sister.

— “how much longer are you going to stare at me for? time's ticking. the moon is inching closer towards the horizon as we speak.”

— “must you be any more difficult, woman?” madara shot back, that softness in his eyes now hardening into something bordering on irritation. as defiant and impatient as always, it seemed.

the little smirk she gave him didn't soothe his annoyance.

— “what? i want to make use of all the time we have - we can't let a single second slip away.”

— “am i not currently with you?”

— “you know what i mean - come on, lets move out the clearing before someone sees us.”

she’d wrung herself out his hold, instead settling on intertwining their fingers together as she regarded him with a small smile.

madara did not yield to anyone. though he found his resolve crumbling almost instantaneously once she’d gave his arm a small tug, abiding by her silent wish to follow her footsteps.

an uchiha following a senju's command - how insulting. with no resistance, at that.

emotions other than hatred and fury were a weakness, an integral component of humanity he’d long since deemed unnecessary.

he was a man carved from solitude, polished by hatred first; a hypocrite second.

a frown tugged at his lips upon the sight before him. the the sun had long since set, the moonlight illuminating the streets of the village he once called home all those years ago - could call home. he’d sworn to himself he’d never come back here again and if so, only to burn the place to ashes. konoha lay in the past, and he was dead set on eradicating any and every trace of the unfortunate events he’d endured in his younger years. funnily enough, he’d ended up right back there. and not to follow through with his promise.

he’d returned not as a vengeful, rogue shinobi. yet as a man clinging onto the last shred of humanity within him - the memories of a woman he’d long since abandoned. she’d wormed his way into his heart all those years ago without him even realising it and he’d rather endure the barbaric genjutsu his older brother had forced upon him as a child than admit it. admitting it would be acknowledging the fact that despite all, the vendetta, he was simply a man. nothing more, nothing less.

sasuke’s eyes darted towards the hill on the outskirts of the village - a place all too familiar to him. though it wasn’t the scenery he was interested in, more so the silhouette of a person stood right at the very edge. in their grasp something his eyes couldn’t quite make out. though he didn’t need to lay his eyes upon the object to know what it was, as he was already fully aware of fact.

a paper lantern - a fragile, delicate thing.

he knew what day it was, the festivity the village celebrated on this very date as he’d done so himself many times as a child. when he was naive, oblivious to the cruelties of the world and could allow himself such simple pleasures. after all, that was the sole reason he had decided upon gracing the village with his presence - he knew she’d be there. atop that hill, dressed in a white kimono with intricate patterns embroided into the soft fabric, her crimson obi wrapped tightly around her waist.

a golden pin amidst her hair; the very same one she’d worn since they were children, gifted by her mother. the very same pin he’d teasingly called ‘ugly’ when she’d asked him for his opinion all that time ago. it seemed a lifetime ago when he’d last laid his eyes upon her.

a fool; that’s who he was.

silently, he’d lowered himself from the branch he’d hoisted himself upon. his hand, calloused from wielding his chokuto, maintained a firm grip on the bark which kept him suspended in the air. until he loosened his hold, his feet hitting the grass below without a sound. she stood a mere couple of feet away from him, completely oblivious to his presence - a figure of her past, her bestfriend turned rogue ninja.

— “i know you’re there.”

perceptive. he’d always given her less credit than she was due.

she didn’t turn around to face him. her posture remained upright, poised. she wasn’t at all intimidated by his presence which caused a quirk of his brow. sasuke was intrigued by her seeming lack of reaction - where was that naive, expressive girl that had imprinted herself into his mind? marred his body and soul?

her name slipped past his lips; firm, confident. intentional.

— “you’re a fool. returning to the village despite your status, the bounty hung above your head.” only then did she turn her head to the side, her eyes meeting his, “what brings you here? make it quick, before i make your presence known.”

she wasn’t looking at the face of her bestfriend. the years apart had hardened him, mentally and physically. the soft curves of his face were no more, wide curious eyes a memory of the past; now replaced by rigid, sharp features. he was no longer the boy she used to play tag with, he was a man carved by the cruel reality of their world. no longer peering through rose tinted glasses, though now viewing the world through hatred and vengeance. someone she didn’t know and would never have the opportunity of meeting.

sasuke didn’t answer her question, instead he dissected her cool reception and words in a matter of mere seconds.

— “you wouldn’t. don’t insult me - i know you.”

— “you delude yourself into believing that?”

though perhaps, she was no longer the girl that used to plead with him to pick flowers from the fields. the silly, foolish little girl he’d remembered her as. after all, time didn’t stop upon his departure. the days continued to pass, seasons came and went.

sasuke became a shell of his former self. though perhaps she did too.

a small smirk tugged at his lips, an amused scoff followed her sharp rebuttal.

— “delusion is a weak man’s attempt at coping with the circumstances he was dealt.”

her eyes narrowed though she didn’t argue any further. her lips settled into a straight line, eyes flickering from his eyes to his feet, before meeting his gaze once more. deep down, she knew he was right. she’d sooner take the man on herself than alert the village of the man they were seeking.

— “come here.” came her demand, sharp and clipped.

wordlessly, sasuke abided by her wishes. his sandals sunk into the grass with each step he took, until he came to a halt right besides her. his bicep brushed briefly against her shoulder, though no comment was made.

he peered down at her, waiting for her to speak once more. his eyes flickered towards the lantern in her hold, before returning to trace over the matured features of her face.

her arms shifted to the side, manoeuvring the lantern closer towards him. she waited in silence, a silent message for him to grasp the side of the lantern closest to him. dark irises fell upon her hand resting on the left side of the lantern until slowly, he lifted his own arm and brought his hand towards the fragile material. his palm brushed against her knuckles, and had she not withdrawn her hand, would have clasped over her own. the hand she’d now freed dipped into the space between the material of her kimono and obi, revealing a box of matchsticks that had been tucked securely between the garnments.

he took the box from her hold without even being asked. with one hand, he slid the box open and placed it between his index and middle finger resting against the lantern. he withdrew a matchstick.

her eyebrows furrowed, a look of displeasure crossing across her features.

— “fire next to paper? you’ll set the damn thing aflame.”

— “i don’t recall you complaining this much.”

— “time changes people.”

with a firm flick of his wrist, the head was set aflame - a small, flickering fire.

he didn’t offer a witty response. he merely glanced over at her, then returned his attention back to the lantern. his hand moved towards the bottom, towards the fuel cell.

the lantern was lit.

years of accompanying her to the festival, setting the lanterns aflame and sending them off together caused the act to be nothing more than muscle memory, rehearsed so frequently it came as second nature to him. and as a consequence of knowing the ritual so well, he knew exactly what she’d say.

— “make a wish.”

sasuke's attention was diverted to her, eyes fluttering to her frame. her gaze stayed fixed on the scenery infront of her, lips pursed into a tight line. she hadn't even spared him a glance other than when she'd adressed him initially, as though he wasn't even worthy of her eyes being laid upon a sight so nauseating. it was almost enough to soften the scowl he'd been sporting - key word being almost.

he used to wish for new toys. for itachi to show him a new trick with a shuriken, or finally take him to that lake burrowed deep in the woods. for his mother to never lose her smile and for his father to finally acknowledge that he too could be like his elder brother, that he had the strength and determination to be just as good as him.

they were dead now; what was there to wish for?

silence. his brows drew together, a muscle in his jaw twitched; such a simple task he could not fufill.

— “i have nothing to wish for.”

only then did she finally cast her eyes to the side and lay them upon him. her face contorted into one of confusion and amusement all at once.

— “make one up, then. it's not difficult - you always had one at the tip of your tongue.”

— “had. those were simpler times, wishful thinking came to me with ease.”

— “then let it come to you with ease once more.”

an irritated sigh slipped past his lips followed by a click of his tongue, “we were kids, you're asking of the impossible.”

— “i deemed you leaving my side impossible. look where we are now.”

a flicker of something he thought he'd long since buried flashed across his features - taunting the girl, no, woman. digging up old relics of the past, a boy that was once capable of feeling anything other than hatred and utmost fury that now consumed his being. a boy that was once capable of easy laughter, playful remarks and tears shed through anything other than grief. that was the sasuke uchiha she knew; a memory of a boy now buried deep under layers of deception, bloodshed and the cruel reality of the world they inhabited.

taunting her with the image of the person he no longer was.

— “whatever, i suppose you don't have to wish - it's fine.” came her curt reply, deciding to simply continue along with the ritual.

— “it's tradition.”

— “it's tradition,” she mocked, “i don't think you're in any position to be following tradition or any set of established rules.”

he spoke her name between gritted teeth, his eyes darting to the side before he regained his composure once more.

— “i'll wish for the same thing as you.”

— “the point?”

— “higher success rate.”

— “you can't speak your wish aloud - those are the rules.”

— “am i in any position to be following a set of established rules?”

his response elicited a small smirk from her, though she quickly schooled her features back into ones of feigned indifference.

— “you won't like it.”

— “i don't particularly like anything.”

her attention returned to the lantern between them, eyes briefly darting across his hand. pale, calloused and marred with a particularly gnarly scar - the same hand that used to clumsily bestow her hair with crooked daisies on warm summer nights.

and then she spoke. her words no longer a soft, meek murmur of the girl sasuke remembered, though the definitive words of the woman he'd left to fend for herself.

— “for my bestfriend, the man dearest to my heart, to return back to me.”