#ssm17d12

After one last turn, he entered the private car park under the building and took the lift to reach the floor where his flat was. When the doors opened, he turned left and she followed as fast as she could. He seemed to be in a hurry. He stopped at one of the three apartments in the corridor and unlocked the door. Then, he motioned her to enter.

“Sorry for the intrusion...”

She stepped into the hall and stood there as he took out his shoes and entered the house.

“Come on” he urged her. “I'll get you to the bathroom.”

“But, I'm dripping.... if you could give me a towel first...” he frowned, not really understanding why she was so reluctant to go in. “And you'd need to have a shower too.”

“I can wait. You, on the other hand, with that drenched kimono are bound to catch pneumonia if you don't get warm soon.”

She still did not seem convinced and stayed where she was.

“Do you want your grandmother to kill me for not taking good care of you?” he asked her in an irritated voice, putting a hand on his hip. That seemed to make her react.

“L-Lets do something...” she said, her teeth starting to chatter. “While I-I change, you can shower. It'll take me at least ten minutes to take it off...” she looked at him with widened eyes. “Please...”

He sighed, annoyed, but in the end complied to her wishes, understanding that it was the only way to convince her to do as he said. He guided her to his bedroom, at the end of the long corridor that had been on their right when they went in, and took a bathrobe from his wardrobe, giving it to her. Then, he took a few clothes for himself and closed the sliding door.

“I'll knock when I finish. You can put this on after you undress.”

He went to the entrance and shut the door behind him. Sakura stood there for a moment feeling a bit shy, before a shiver run down her spine and she hurried to put the bathrobe in her hands on top of a nearby cupboard and started to take off her clothes which were not as damp as before since Sasuke had turned on the heating system of the car during the journey. She started taking all the garments of the obi as she removed the pads and cords needed to keep the complicated knot in place. Then, with utmost care, she took off the cords that closed the furisode and the garment itself. It was a family heirloom from the beginning of the previous century, and she hoped that the specialists that took care of her family kimono collection could return the old silk back to its previous state. Looking around and not seeing a place where she could put or hang it, she crouched and, touching the wooden floor lightly making sure that it was perfectly clean, she spread it slowly. After she had made sure every single part was perfectly smoothed out, she took the last pads and cords and took off her under kimono. Her undergarments were slightly damp but they were not uncomfortable, so she decided to keep them on. She downed the bathrobe, sighing with pleasure at the soft warmth it gave her.

After she finished extending everything on the floor, she looked around the bedroom, not being able to contain her curiosity. It was a big, scarcely furnished and full of contrast. The walls were painted in white but the furniture was black. There was a full-length mirror opposite the door and a  bed on her right with two bedside tables on each side. Opposite it, there was a low cupboard with a television on top and next to it, the built-in wardrobe from which he had taken the clothes. She wandered around, taking a look at the pictures on the wall, and then looked out of the window splattered with water drops. From there, she could see the grey landscape the city had turned in. She went back to her kimono and touched it again. Then, she put her hands behind her and rocked on her feet a few times, putting her arms behind her. Even though she was tired, she was feeling a bit wary of sitting on the bed. It seemed a very intimate gesture and she felt like an intruder who had broken into his most private world... She exhaled and walked slowly around the room again. If only he came soon...

.

The heat was soothing on his skin. Sasuke put his hands on the shower wall and let the water fall over his back, easing the tension in his shoulders. Sakura had been right, he needed that. He opened his eyes slowly. He was starting to question if bringing her there had been the correct decision. It had been a spur of the moment, seeing her in such pitiful state, but he had not stopped to consider that what he saw as an innocent gesture, others could read something else, like in the films that his sister-in-law liked so much. And that precisely was the last thing in his mind. Apart from her being someone from an important family that was not convenient to anger, their circumstances were not similar to those of a normal couple. Were they even one? For their families surely not, at least until an engagement was sealed. For him... it was more like a partnership. They enjoyed each other's company as they pleased those around them, and a the same time, gained some freedom from the expectations placed on them. Whatever her feelings toward that situation were, he had yet to know.

He sighed and closed his lids again, turning and combing his hair back under the water one last time. The best thing, maybe, was to face the situation as naturally as possible. He closed the tap and immediately, a faint chill made him tremble. Picking up the towel he had left in the hanger by the door, he put it around his waist and pressed a few buttons on a panel above the bath to start filling it with hot water for when Sakura entered. Then, he came out of the shower.

.

She had finally given into her tiredness and had sat down on the edge at the feet of the bed when he knocked on the door and she sprang to her feet.

“You can go in now. It's the second door on the right. I'll leave some clothes for you in the changing room. Take your time, alright?”

And before she could thank him, she heard his footsteps move away along the corridor.

She opened the door a bit. The aisle was totally empty so, she went inside the bathroom hastily and closed the door. The room was still a bit warm from the shower he had taken and she blushed at the thought of him there. She shook her head quickly to dispel if from her mind and feel even more embarrassed than she was at being almost naked in a bathroom that was not her own, and started to take out the pins that held in place her hair. Soon, her locks fell down her back and shoulders. Then, she picked up the belt around her waist and pulled, untying the bathrobe. She could not help feeling nervous as she discarded the last pieces of clothing, being in a foreign house, and quickly entered the bathing area.

Then, she looked briefly at her reflection in the small mirror hanging on the wall in front of the stool as she sat down. She was a disaster. Her make up had almost disappeared, the only trace a long trail of mascara down her cheek, and though her hairstyle had withstood, the locks that went down her back now were lifeless and matted. What a sight to show to her prospective husband...

Husband... It was a word that she still did not like too much. Even though she had dreamt of it since she had been little, in that moment its meaning was not as dreamy as she had fantasised. In her current situation, it meant an obligation and expectatives, doing what was correct. Despite the fact that she had started to have deep feelings for Sasuke, she was still not sure if she wanted him as her husband. In their case, marriage was something too serious, it was a commitment for life, because, in their world, people did not divorce under any circumstance. How much gossip had she heard at events and parties about couples that seemed amiable but hated each other with a passion? Who kept lovers on each side? And definitely, that was not what she wanted for her life. Despite the bond that they seemed to have, Sasuke and she did not know each other at all yet, and she was afraid of making a decision based on feelings that could eventually fade and her sense of duty.

After finishing her washing and showering, she put her wet hair in a messy bun and entered the hot bath, feeling her cool skin prickle at the contact with the water. However, she started to relax soon.

Once at ease, her mind went back to the topic. It was also true, though, that she knew many married people who, after meeting at an omiai, had fallen madly in love with each other, like one of her cousins and her friend from the kickboxing lessons, Tenten, or had learnt to love their partner dearly, like her grandmother.

She pulled her knees to her chest and leant her chin on them.

Maybe being married to him was not so bad. If he returned her feelings at least a little, maybe they could be happy. However, she had to find what was in his heart first. And though she had overheard a snip of the conversation between Sasuke and Naruto related to their dating period and the limit of three months, she was willing to extend it the time they needed. The pace of their relationship was already forced because of the circumstances and the people who surrounded them. She was not going to pressure him or herself and end up making the wrong decision.

With a sigh, Sakura came back from her musings and she realised she had been there enough time to make her fingertips wrinkly. If she did not come out soon, Sasuke could start thinking that something had happened to her. She put her hands on the edges of the bath and stood up. He had left a big towel by the door and she dried herself with energetic and quick movements before coming out.

As he had said, she found some clothes on top of the wash basin cupboard, a clean dark blue T-shirt with a big uchiwa fan in the front, that made her laugh a little, grey sports trousers and a black sweatshirt with a zipper and a hood, and the logo of Waseda University on the back. Also, he had left another set of towels for her to use.

She dried her hair with one of them and dressed quickly. As she had expected, the clothes were too big for her, and the arms and legs were completely covered by fabric. With a huff, she folded the extra fabric, finding her feet and hands again. Turning to the mirror, she was pleasantly surprised when she found a comb, a toothbrush and a tube of tooth paste. She traced the comb with a finger, smiling softly. So, he was thoughtful regarding the little details too...

After combing her hair in a low ponytail that hung over her shoulder and checking her appearance once more, she went into the corridor and stopped when she reached the living room. Sasuke was in the kitchen with his back to her, preparing something on the cooker, and for a moment, hiding in the shadows of the corner, she observed him. His short hair that he usually combed back and stood at its ends at the back, was down and brushed his nape, still a bit damp. He had a towel around his neck to prevent the water from seeping into his clothes, which were very similar to what she was wearing. She felt a soft tingling of excitement at the back of her neck and could not help smiling for a moment before berating herself.

'You're such a child...'

.

“Thank you for letting me use the bathroom.”

He turned to her and studied her for a moment before nodding and going back to what he was doing. She stepped into the room not knowing very well what to do. Sit? Go to the kitchen? Maybe that was the correct thing.

“Sit down” he said pointing to the dining table in the living room. “I'm just finishing.”

She nodded, even though he could not see her, and went there. The living room was big and scarcely furnished as well. There was a sofa in the middle of the room opposite the enormous television that was set on a low cupboard, and a low glass table between them over which there were some folded newspapers. In the background, there was a large window with purple curtains open through which she could see the rain still falling heavily and the blurry lights of the nearby buildings. The table that she was sitting at was just in front of the masonry bar which separated the living room from the kitchen. Sasuke finished whatever he was doing and circled the bar carrying two cups and two spoons in his hands. He put one of each in front of her as he took a sip from his drink.

“Here, this will warm you.”

The cup was filled to the brim with steamy hot chocolate whose sweet aroma filled her nostrils. She looked at him as he sat beside her, at the head of the table and set his on the wooden surface.

“You're drinking chocolate too?”

He looked at her puzzled.

“Yes, why wouldn't I? I prefer it to coffee in the afternoon when I'm not working”

“I don't know... Maybe because I don't see you as a person who likes sweets.”

“And I don't” he put his cup on the table in front of her. “Taste it.”

“It's not neces-” she started to say waving one of her hands in front of her nervously, a faint colour covering her cheeks, but he interrupted her. “Do it.”

Hesitant, she put the tip of her spoon in his drink and then in her mouth. Immediately, she made a face.

“So bitter...”

She immediately took a bit of her own to get rid of the taste in her mouth, and he smirked a bit.

“It's a special brand of powder made of pure cocoa.”

She made a sound of acknowledgement, still taking small sips of the hot beverage to avoid burning her tongue.

“This is good” she commented looking at her cup.

Sasuke was opening his mouth to answer when her smartphone, on top of the low table, started to ring and Sakura looked at it puzzled, standing up.

“I took the liberty of taking it out of the bag” he said. “You forgot to do it.”

She picked it up and looked at the screen, surprised to see an incoming video call.

“Grandmother?” she murmured softly, and Sasuke looked at her.

She pressed the button and Chiyo appeared on the screen, looking past the telephone, sitting formally at a low table in the dining room of the main house. Then, she looked at the screen.

“Ah, so this works after all” she commented.

Her father appeared behind her and made a small sign of apology before going out of the room.

“Grandmother, what...? Why are you calling me?”

Sakura returned to the table and sat down, looking at Sasuke, who was drinking from his chocolate, apparently uninterested.

“I wanted to know how my granddaughter was, is that inconvenient?”

“Of course not, I didn't mean that... But, a video call?”

“So?” Chiyo asked ignoring her question.

“I'm fine” she put both arms on the table and held her phone at a distance. “Mum probably told you that the storm caught us by surprise after having lunch and that there had been an accident, so Sasuke-kun decided to bring us here so we could dry ourselves” she bit her lip softly. “The furisode was drenched... Sorry, grandmother” she finished with a small bow.

“Don't worry about that” her voice was a bit warmer than before. “Masuko-san will probably be able to fix it and leave it as new. It's not the first time an old kimono gets wet”

Sakura nodded, a bit relieved and then, she saw her grandmother look to one side and then, the other.

“So, where's Sasuke-san?”

She looked at him, who left the spoon in the cup, and then tilted the phone so he could see her too.

He bowed politely.

“Good evening, Haruno-san. How are you?”

“I'm fine, thank you” the woman nodded her head. “Thank you for letting my granddaughter stay at your house.”

Sakura observed them as they had such formal conversation. He was explaining Chiyo about the car crash and the circumstances that made him decide to bring her to his house. And she noticed that there was a small crease between his brows and that his posture had become a bit stiffer than before. The air around him had changed too, as if he was not relaxed anymore. As if he was on the defensive. Something she did not like moved inside her.

“I'm planning to take her home as soon as the rain subsides, no matter the time, though...” he was saying as he bowed a bit. “I hope you don't mind that she spends the night here in case it doesn't happen.”

“Well,” her grandmother had pressed her lips and Sakura knew that she was not very happy with the suggestion. “I suppose that if it's necessary, I'll have to leave her in your care...”

“You don't have to worry about anything.”

“I'll be fine” she cut in the conversation, feeling it was time for her to lift the tension between them. “I'll be home in no time, and I'll make sure that I don't fall ill” she showed her her cup. “I've taken a long bath, I'm wearing dry clothes and now I'm drinking something hot” she smiled. “And you know I have a robust health.”

“That's true... Well, I hope that you're right. Both of you are very busy people and cant' afford to get sick.”

“We know.”

Chiyo looked around for a moment, frowning, and then stared at them again.

“Your father has gone... As if I knew how to use one of this modern things...” she grumbled. “How do I end this?”

Sakura tried to suppress an amused smile.

“Just press the red button on the screen, like in your telephone.”

“Alright” they saw her stretch her hand toward them. “Sasuke-san, give my regards to your parents, please.”

He nodded and the call ended. Sakura sighed and left the device on the table, putting her hands around her cup.

“Don't mind her, Sasuke-kun” she looked at him. “She sometimes overreacts a bit in certain situations.”

His only response was a nod before taking another sip of his hot chocolate.

.

Soon after finishing their drinks and chatting about trivial matters for a while, Sasuke suggested starting making dinner, although it was still a bit early. He stood up and picked up both cups, carrying them to the sink, and Sakura decided to take a look at the state of her clothes and turn the kimono around, so it could dry properly.

When she came back, Sasuke had taken out some fish and prawns from the fridge. He had finished peeling the seafood and was starting with the fish. Also, he had put a fruit bowl with tomatoes near him. She could not help a quiet giggle as she saw he was wearing an apron with a print of little snakes. Trying to compose a neutral face, she entered the kitchen.

“Let me help you.”

“Sit down, you're a guest” he replied without taking his sight from his task.

“But I can't be sitting while you do all the work. Please, let me do something”

He stopped then, and looked at her with his brows knitted.

“Do you know how to cook?”

“I learnt in Home Economics at school, though nothing very complicated, I must confess...”

He sighed a bit annoyed.

“Fine” he opened a drawer on his left and took out an apron. “Put this on and start cutting the tomatoes for the salad.”

Sakura smiled, taking the orange apron and put it on, smiling a bit seeing the small picture of a fox with nine tails on the front.

“It was a present from the idiot.”

Sakura looked at him confused.

“Id-? Oh, you mean Hinata-san's husband...”

“Yes” he picked up the knife again and continued cutting the fish in fillets.

She giggled a bit, seeing his exaggerated scowl and then grabbed the first tomato and put it under the water in the sink.

Sasuke stole a glance at Sakura as he picked up another piece of fish from the plate. She had started humming and had a little content smile on her lips as she arranged the slices on a big dish. It was soothing having her around. He had always lived alone in that flat and though he occasionally received a visit, it was the first time he let someone take care of the housework. And he liked the experience.

“Is this the seasoning for the salad, Sasuke-kun?” she asked, pointing at the different glass jars filled with salt and soy sauce among other things that were near her on the counter.

“Yes.”

He finished cutting the fish and cleaned his hands in the sink. Then, he started to prepare the batter for it and the prawns.

When he finished, Sasuke washed his hands and went to the living room to turn on the television. The forecast programme appeared on the screen and he called Sakura. They watched together as bits of videos showed different places affected by the storm. They explained that though it had been expected that it rained in the afternoon, the violence of the discharge was not, and a series of graphics showing how cold air currents in the upper layers of the atmosphere had collided with warmer ascending ones forming the dark clouds that now covered the centre east of the island. They predicted that it would subside on the early hours of the morning and have completely stopped by sunrise.

“Your grandmother must be really happy now...” he said in a flat tone of voice, and Sakura nodded once, slowly, thinking exactly the same.

When the programme finished, they went back to the kitchen and, as Sasuke fried the fish and the prawns, she set the table and finished seasoning the salad before carrying the dish to the living room.

They sat down and watched the news as they ate, since Sasuke had turned the television toward them, giving their opinions from time to time about some of the topics that were mentioned by the news anchors.

Sakura insisted on doing the dishes after dinner, and in the end, Sasuke had to comply. While he was watching the sports, he heard the sound of plates and pans being washed and felt strangely comfortable with the homely atmosphere that had invaded his flat. The fleeting idea of having her there every day crossed his mind, but he shook his head, not really wanting to go deep into that topic yet. Probably what Naruto had said about considering the idea had something to do with that. And, as he had answered him, it was still soon. He breathed deeply before turning to her.

“Do you usually watch something at night?” she paused while drying her hands in a cloth and looked at him.

“Sometimes, why?”

“To change to that channel. At this time I'm always at the office or having dinner with clients, so I hardly ever follow any series or programmes.”

“I watch the Friday night drama with my mother and my grandmother, and some celebrities variety shows.”

“Is there any on today?”

“No, so we can watch whatever you find interesting.”

She went to the living room and nodded respectfully before sitting down near him. In the end, he found an old film about samurai and they watched it together. It was past eleven o'clock when it finished, and Sasuke turned to the window. It was still raining heavily, and inwardly, he sighed relieved. He was tired and sleepy, and he did not feel like driving her all the way to her house and back.

He stood up, turning off the television, and suppressed a yawn.

“We shouldn't have stayed so late” she gazed at him concerned. “You look exhausted.”

“The film was quite exciting” she half closed her lids and he felt the need continue the sentence. “Otherwise,  I'd have fallen asleep in the middle of it.”

She rose from her seat too and bent to pick up her smartphone from the low table.

“Alri-”

“Oh,” he said suddenly, interrupting her, his face showing a somewhat discontent expression. “I forgot to change the sheets” he sighed wearily. “Better do it now...”

She tilted her head, confused.

“Is it really necessary?”

“Of course” he eyed her as he circled the sofa. “You're not going to sleep under used covers.”

“No way!”

He looked at her, surprised at her outburst. She was looking at him with knitted brows and her arms crossed across her chest.

“I'm not going to throw you out of your bedroom, Sasuke-kun.”

“But-”

“No.”

He frowned.

“You're my guest.”

“I'm an intruder” her green eyes glinted. “Even though you were tired from the New Year ceremonies with your family, you went out with me and got drenched the same. I'm not going to make you sleep in a spare bedroom or the sofa just because I had to come here.”

She breathed deeply and after a few seconds of staring at each other, he sighed, annoyed.

“Fine” he conceded, and she smiled widely. “But don't get too used to win arguments” he looked at her with half closed lids. “I'm tired and this is pointless.”

Sakura kept her satisfied expression for one more moment and he huffed.

“Do you need anything?” he asked making his way to the kitchen.

“Just a glass of water, please” she followed him and stopped by his side as he picked up two from a cupboard and filled them.

In that moment, a specially loud thunder made them jolt and at the same time, the lights of the flat went out.

“Don't move” Sasuke instructed her, leaving the glasses on the sink.

Slowly, sliding his hand along the counter as he walked, he made his way to the kitchen door. He found the switch and pressed it a few times.

“I'm going to check other rooms but it seems like a power outage. It's dark outside too.”

Sakura moved restlessly in the darkness, hearing the rustle of his clothes and the noise of the switches in the back of the house. It was true that once a sense failed, the others heightened, and she had never liked the feeling of over awareness that came with that.

Then, his footsteps became louder and louder, signalling his return. Something touched her hand on the counter, and a gasp escaped her lips, realising at the same time that he was the one who had touched her. Suddenly, she was conscious of the warmth irradiating from somewhere by her, and could not help feeling flustered when she realised that it had to be his body.

“Sorry...” his low voice sounded near her head, and she shook hers, though he could not see her, feeling goosebumps in her arm.

His fingers suddenly left her and the heat disappeared too. He probably had taken a step backwards, and Sakura suddenly felt alone in the intense darkness.

“There must be a torch in one of the drawers on your right, could you get it?” the words reached her ears again a bit farther this time.

Putting her other hand on the counter to avoid losing her attachment to the physical world in the darkness, she slid her hand along the cupboard until she touched a handle.

“Try the second or the third. The first one has the cutlery and you can hurt yourself.”

She did as told and a few minutes later she touched what seemed a flashlight.

“I think I got it.”

She felt it and found a button. When she pressed it, a flash of light appeared.

“Good!”

“It's better if you keep it. I know the house and it's easier for me to move around. And I have my phone” he said pointing to the living room, where both devices were.

“Okay.”

They went out to the kitchen.

“Are you still sure that you don't want to use my bedroom?”

She shook her head.

“I am.”

He nodded and, picking up his phone, he disappeared in the corridor, her voice reminding him of her clothes extended on the floor of his bedroom, and came back a few minutes later with a blanket and a pillow, which he put on the sofa.

“Then...”

“Sasuke-kun” she interrupted him, her expression a bit embarrassed. “Would you mind if I move the sofa?” he looked at her puzzled. “I'm used to falling asleep looking at the window, and I feel restless if I don't.”

“I don't” then, he went to the seat and positioned himself on one side. Sakura left the torch on the table and moved to the other, and in a few seconds, they had put it facing the window.

“Is it fine like this?”

“Yes, thank you.”

He nodded and then, closed the curtains.

“Then, good night” he turned to her and nodded politely before starting his way back to his bedroom.

“Goodnight...”

.

Two hours later, Sasuke opened his eyes slowly. He turned his head and looked at the time in his smartphone, sighing tiredly. He had managed to get some sleep, but it had been restless, mainly because of the noise outside. He turned on his right side and in that moment, the flash of lightning reflected in the ceiling, slipping through the upper part of the thick curtains. A thunder sounded outside and he turned to look at the window over his shoulder.

He sat up and switched on the lamp on his bedside table, but it did not work, and he remembered that there had been a power outage. Sighing again, he touched the screen of his phone and realised that, with the sudden blackout, he had forgotten his glass of water in the kitchen. Throwing the covers back, he stood up and picked up his robe from the foot of the bed. He went to the kitchen with the help of the light of the screen, not wanting to turn on the torch to avoid waking Sakura up. Picking up his glass from the sink, he drank a few sips before filling it again. He turned briefly to the living room at the same time lightning flashed outside, surprisingly filling the room with brightness, and he saw her lithe figure outlined in the light. She was sitting on the sofa, watching the city through the portion of the window she had uncovered. So, she was awake too...

“You can't sleep?”

She startled and looked at him, who had approached the sofa quietly.

“Oh, sorry, I didn't hear you, Sasuke-kun...”

“And I didn't realise you hadn't noticed me. I apologise...”

She shook her head with a soft smile.

“I was just... not thinking...”

He looked at her, surprised for a moment. Then, he smiled briefly, tiredly, as he took a seat next to her.

“I'd need some of that.”

She smiled for a moment and then, turned again to the window. He propped an elbow on the back of the sofa and rested his head on his hand, watching the elements outside. There were some buildings in the background where the light had been reestablished, and in that moment, the street lamps near the building flickered for a few seconds and lit.

It was easy to think about what had been in his mind for the last weeks in the darkness of that silent room, everything that he had been delaying because his company was failing and he could not distract from his objectives. And he knew that the ones who had triggered that had been his brother and Naruto with their questions and their prying in his business.

He had known that there had been something special between Sakura and him since the moment he had seen the photo. That little feeling of familiarity, the memory of happy childhood moments had been what had compelled her to meet her. However, a part of him had hated everything that that encounter had implied because it meant letting himself be manipulated by his family and remember the power that they had over his life and decisions. He was ready to reject her, to make her reject him. But he had found himself unexpectedly drawn to her, to her manners and her attitude, to her little gestures... And he had not been able to choose his freedom.

He looked at her serene profile and though he tried to be subtle, she seemed to perceive his glance, because she turned and regarded him with her big clear eyes. They were like two pools of dark silver in the semi-darkness, filled with questions and, deep inside a longing that called him.

He lifted his hand and brushed softly her cheek. It was like the touch of a butterfly and she leant imperceptibly against it. Her lips parted slightly and his pupils, completely black and unreadable, flew to them in a brief glance.

To hell with arranged marriages, dating periods and expectations of the family. In that moment, there were only her and him in that dark room and nothing outside that world existed anymore. And he realised in that precise moment, when he discarded all the labels that they all had given to their relationship, that he loved her, the woman of strong convictions and lovely smiles who thought of others before herself and had a streak of stubbornness hidden under her gentleness. The woman who now was before him.

“Sakura...”

It was the first time he had said her name since they had met, and that single word, uttered in a soft murmur, had resounded deep inside him, making his heart beat stronger against his chest. She had realised too, since she suddenly held her breath, her eyes widening and her cheeks becoming dark in the faint light. The sight was too much to resist, and he leant forward.

The first kiss was a soft brush of his lips on hers, probing, giving her the opportunity to reject him, but she did not do it. Opening his eyes slightly, he looked at her for a brief second, imprinting in his mind her closed lids and her soft expression, and then closed them, kissing her again, this time more firmly. The arm resting on the back of the sofa went around her shoulders, bringing her to him, and she leant forward, putting her hands on the seat for support. His thumb traced her cheek, setting on her jaw as his lips moved over hers slowly, coaxing an answer from her but never trespassing the limit of a chaste seduction. Not until she told him her true feelings.

With a soft sound, they separated gently, and Sasuke basked in her red cheeks and how her eyes opened slowly to look at him for a moment, clouded and filled with a warm light that not even the shadows of the room could hide. Then, he kissed her forehead, feeling her hide her face in the curve of his neck, and breathed deeply enjoying the fragrance of his shampoo in her hair, something that awoke a warm feeling in his chest that spread to every corner of his body.

It was something sweet that he did not dislike.

Instincts never rest and even in the haze of deep sleep, Sakura felt the sheets around her shift.  

Moonlight framed by the night flooded her vision.  The first thing that splintered the fog of sleep was how the luminous moonlight highlighted the ripples on the bedsheets beside her, casting harsh shadows in the depressions left behind.  The seemingly unending illusion of lights and shadows weaving together in the space beside her sent a shock through her veins.  Her heartbeat pounded inside her head, reverberating through her limbs.  

Sasuke was gone.

Numbs hands stretched and tangled themselves in the creases of used bedsheets.  They didn’t feel warm against her skin but they didn’t feel cold either.  Sakura tenderly ran her hands along the entire expanse of her reach.  A part of her knew that no matter how far she stretched or how tenderly she caressed, an empty bed was an empty bed.  But a part of her heart hummed beneath the harsh palpitations that if she kept going, maybe she’d be able to feel him again.  

A noise in the distance shook her free from her thoughts.  Her kunoichi instincts flared, making her immediately and incredibly aware of the stillness around her.  Eyes now cleared, scanned her perimeter, lingering on the opened bedroom door.  The glowing edges of golden artificial light lay splayed on the floorboards of her hallway.

Her mind sighed, ‘Sasuke-kun..,’ as it eased to a relaxed state, no longer hyperaware. Her body, slowly following, sagged out of its previous rigidity.  Sakura stared at the subtly faded edges of light stretching towards her, catching itself on the spaces between floorboards.  

She knew that Sasuke was just down the hallway, most likely relieving himself in the bathroom.  But she laid awake, carefully listening for any further disturbances.  Even knowing that if she fell back asleep, everything would be fine, Sakura couldn’t bring herself to close her eyes again.  She laid there, staring, waiting.  

The soft click of an opening door was followed by a rush of bright light, intensifying the previously barely tangible glow.  Just as quickly as it flooded her hallway, the shockingly vivid burst of light disappeared with another quiet click.  

Knowing that Sasuke was done, Sakura glanced at her outstretched moonlit limbs before silently retracting them back into her warm embrace, freeing up the space beside her. She closed her eyes and took slow, steady breaths in the hopes of successfully feigning sleep before Sasuke came back to bed.  Having mostly lulled herself to sleep once more by the time she feels the bed shift again, Sakura barely had enough energy to crack her eyes open to watch him slide into bed.  

Sasuke silently slips back under their sheets but remained facing the filtered moonlight. With blurry eyes, Sakura watches his illuminated silhouette, her eyes unsteadily tracing the curve of his neck to his shoulder and down the slope of his back.  

Lying sideways, he slightly leaned towards the uncovered window, letting the moonlight wash over him.  Sakura’s gaze lingered on the highlighted sections of his side and back, the bright moonlight seemed to glow on Sasuke’s white shirt.  She breathes a slow breath and then another.  Then the light suddenly became too compelling to resist and her body shifts closer to his until her face rests gently against his shoulder blade.  Her pale arm reaches over again.  

This time, it finds purchase against Sasuke’s still form.  The moonlight blending her pale skin into his white shirt as Sakura draped her arm on his body, her limb notching itself in the dip of his waist. Feeling his warmth against her skin, she exhales the easiest breath she’s taken since she woke up and settles into the lull of sleep.  She swiftly fell asleep, the fatigue of the day pulling her away.  Sakura wasn’t even awake long enough to feel Sasuke tenderly grasp her draped hand.