#ssm17d14

“T-Thank you, Sakura,” Tenten mumbles as I perform the finishing touches on healing the gash in her thigh. She’s still rather delirious after just awaking from the dreadful Infinite Tsukuyomi. And numb from the things she witnessed before it.

I heard about Neji and suspect she isn’t taking the news well.

“Make sure you get your hands on the ointment I described before,” I say. “Apply it twice each day to prevent infection.”

“Right.”

“And… Tenten,” I add as I move my hand from her leg and take her hands instead. I stare into her glistening, brown eyes and try my very best to smile. “You take care of yourself, okay? I’m here if you need anything.”

And then there are tears and Tenten’s arms are secured around my shoulders. No more words are exchanged but none need to be.

We’re in the middle of a devastating war aftermath. There is only so much medicine alone can heal here.

When I’m through with patching up the more severe injuries in the vicinity (and once I notice my chakra reserves dip to concerning levels) I straighten up and reorient myself. I’m feeling a little uncoordinated after healing an entire army (twice, mind you) and helping my teammates defeat the greatest enemy the world has ever seen, but there is a jubilant thrill bubbling beneath my skin that’s keeping me upright.

We survived. We won and we survived and the world isn’t about to perish.

Tears sting in my tear ducts as I watch heartfelt reunion after reunion – families, comrades, lovers reuniting and basking in the relief that they all indeed made it. There is some mourning, of course, but the fact that there are positive exchanges mixed in is enough. It has been quite a long time since I’ve felt or witnessed anything but grief, fear, or survival impulses.

I spot Kakashi-sensei a short distance away, sitting on his own. My heart flutters as I near him. There were countless occasions over the past several hours when I could have sworn the two of us were goners, and once Kaguya was defeated, when I could have sworn we would be the only two members of Team Seven to survive.

“Sensei,” I say when I’m in earshot and he turns to smile at me, plastering on his calm and collected mask. I wonder if he’s thinking about Obito.

He pats the space beside him and I join him in sitting on the protruding stone. “You’ve done it. You survived your first, and hopefully your last, war.”

I laugh a breathless laugh. “Let’s not push our luck. This past day has taught me to never get too comfortable.”

Kakashi-sensei shrugs. “I don’t know. If that war was a test, I’d give Team Seven a passing score. A passing score with flying colours, in fact.”

Now I laugh for real. “Somehow I wouldn’t put it past you to incorporate this into your teaching regimes,” I chuckle.

He chuckles too and ruffles my hair, a familiar, fond gesture. “In all seriousness though, you did well Sakura,” he says. I meet his gaze and my heart soars. There’s nothing quite like getting praise from a teacher. Especially when it’s Kakashi-sensei.

“Sakura-chan!”

I leap off the stone at the sound of the incoming voice.

“Naruto!” I answer as my dearest friend and the true hero of this war leaps into view and he’s a galloping blur of orange. And God knows how he still has the energy to move around at such a speed, but I’ve learned to stop questioning Naruto’s inhuman stamina long ago.

Then Sasuke appears and I think I actually stop breathing. I bet it’ll take awhile for me to adapt to him returning to us, assuming this isn’t just a cruel, teasing dream. And I can’t really blame myself when mere hours ago, this man cast me under the most frightening genjutsu I could have ever dreamed up – one where he stabbed me through the heart.

But I have faith in him now. Well, I want to more than anything.  When he apologized to me I do believe he meant it. I truly believe he has been saved.

Even if it’ll take some time for the rest of the world to understand that. I notice the apprehensive glances cast in the young Uchiha’s direction. He determinedly ignores them.

Naruto skids to a halt before me and it’s not until he’s close that I can tell how exhausted and worn down he is – missing limb aside – with how bloodshot his blue eyes are, at least, the one that isn’t swollen shut.

We just sort of stare each other for a moment, while a goofy grin sprouts on his face, and I find myself unable to contain my own when I throw my arms around his neck.

Naruto picks me right up off my feet, which catches me by surprise since he does it with just one arm. “You did it,” I gasp. And I’m not just referring to ending the war, but to saving our teammate, to becoming the hero he always aspired to be.

I feel Naruto shake his head. “We did it,” he corrects and I roll my eyes because he doesn’t need to be so humble at a time like this.

When he sets me down I turn my attention to Sasuke, who is now standing beside Naruto and is watching us uncertainly, like he doesn’t think he should be here.

But he should and he always will and the very idea that he doesn’t feel that way breaks my heart in and of itself.

“Oh, I’m not leaving you out,” I say, trying out a teasing tone (though I’m cautious because I’m not entirely sure how to interact with him after everything that just happened). But I approach him nonetheless and snake my arms around his torso, far more carefully than when I hugged Naruto because this is the first time we’ve touched in a way that isn’t aggressive since Obito and I rescued him from Kaguya’s dimension. And even then, that touch had only been fleeting.

Sasuke’s body stiffens against mine but I don’t loosen my hold. Instead I lean my face against his collarbone and close my eyes, relishing in the distantly familiar sensation of clinging onto him, like we’ve been transported back to our peaceful Genin days…

Then the unthinkable happens. Sasuke hugs me back.

My eyes actually shoot open as he wraps his arm around me and grips the black fabric between my shoulder blades. And I don’t dare move when he buries his face in the pit of my neck.

I begin to notice some changes in him – he’s much taller and larger than I was ready for, he smells like blood and fire, and his heart is beating faster than I ever recall it beating.

Maybe he’s afraid, I think. It’s no news that his acceptance back into Konoha will be anything but a smooth transition and by doing so, he’s admitting that he has made terrible mistakes, that we were right all along and that he was wrong…

Tears swim in my eyes and I hold on tighter.

“I don’t deserve your kindness,” Sasuke mumbles somewhere just below my jaw, and he confirms my inkling about the inner conflict he’s currently experiencing.

I let his words sit for a moment and choose my response carefully.

“You’re not getting it because you deserve it. You’re getting it because you need it. And I…”

But the rest of the words catch in my throat because Sasuke pulls back to look at my face.

I will always be here to give it to you, I think as I lose myself in his heavy stare.

Neither of us move our arms so I’m trapped against Sasuke’s body but that’s okay because I feel safe and reassured and exactly where I need to be and I think, maybe, he feels the same way.

As quickly as the moment begins, it comes spiralling to a halt when Ibiki and the other personnel from Konoha’s interrogation unit arrive on the scene. Sasuke doesn’t resist when they cuff his hands and lead him away.

“Here you are” Ino said entering the office carrying a small round tray with a cup on it and a stack of envelopes on the other.

He took the drink and the pill next to it and took it with a sip of the tea after thanking her. Then, he exhaled slowly.

“What time is my next appointment?”

Ino looked at him concerned.

“At one o'clock, with the manager of TS Industries. You have to depart at half past twelve, since there are some traffic problems around Shibuya.”

“Then, I only have ten minutes to review the information...”

“President, with due respect, I think you should spend those ten minutes resting” he looked at his secretary with a small frown. “You can take a look at it in the car.”

“Ino...”

“You're in terrible shape, even some workers from other departments have asked me about your health. And remember what you told me once. It would cause more problems to the company to have time off sick than resting a bit when one can. Now it's time that you follow your own advice.”

Sasuke did not know if smile or get angry at her lecture. Lately, Ino had taken as her responsibility not only the company work but also to take care of him and, though he was thankful, she sometimes got on his nerves. However, in that moment he did not feel like arguing with her.

He pointed at the mail.

“Is that for me?”

“Yes” she pressed her lips in a thin line at being blatantly ignored. “There are only two of them which are important. The rest are courtesy letters and two invitations to parties.”

One was a financial party that he left aside to check his schedule. The other one... Sasuke half closed his eyes, looking at the elegant card. It was quite unexpected. It was an invitation for an exclusive party to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the KM International Pre-School, the one he had attended after moving into the Uchiha main house. The place where he had met Sakura.

It was on a Saturday, so there were probabilities of having the day clear in the evening. If he was not mistaken, Sakura had just finished his exam, so maybe they could go together.

Picking up his smartphone, he typed a few words quickly and sent them.

.

“I swear it's the longest omiai anyone has ever seen. People normally make their decision within the three months of the dating period, and here you are, having gone out only three times in four months and not knowing what you're going to do.”

Sakura sighed a bit louder than she had wanted as she left the biscuit she had been eating on a paper napkin she had put on the table.

“We're very busy, grandmother” she smirked a little. “I told you before the omiai that it was not the right time.”

Chiyo only made a  sound of complaint, and Sakura's expression turned to a satisfied one. She had not told anyone what had happened in New Year, not even her mother or Ino. Apart from the kisses and the seeming attraction between them, there was nothing else: no clear feelings, no confessions... no talking.

She sighed, taking a sip of her green tea and turning another page of the magazine she had been reading.

Her phone chimed and she looked at it, smiling softly upon seeing his name on the screen. She had not had any news from him since that day, except for a very concise message wishing her good luck on the day of the exam. She read the short text and looked at her grandmother.

“Did any of the maids bring the mail?”

“Yes, there was one letter for you and I told Erina to leave it in your bedroom.”

She stood up and went to the back of the house, where the room was located. She read the card she found on the table and, smiling, and replied to him.

“I just received it too, and I'd love to go with you if you're free.”

.

She came out of the gate a few seconds after had parked the car in front of her house. She opened the door and smiled at him as she greeted him, sitting down and fastening her seatbelt. If he had been impressed by her outfits before, he could say now that he was stunned.

She was wearing a beautiful dark blue dress made of silk and tulle with a full skirt and matching high heels. She covered her shoulders with a cream coloured shawl embroidered with little flowers. Part of her hair was braided on top of her head and the rest flowed down her back and shoulders, the ends slightly curled.

Sasuke cleared his throat and was going to start the car when she stopped him.

“Um, Sasuke-kun... these are your clothes. They're clean and ironed” he nodded, picking up the bag and putting it on the space behind her seat. “Thank you very much again for lending them to me” she bowed her head. “And this... is for Valentine's Day” she handed him the other paper bag she had been carrying, smaller and more elegant. “I'm sorry I couldn't give them to you on that date... I know that you don't like sweets, so I looked for a chocolate brand which has pure cocoa to make them...” she knew she was rambling but could not stop her mind from it. “Will you accept them?”

He smiled at the unexpected gesture and took the bag from her.

“Thank you. I'm grateful.”

Every year, lots of women from work and other acquaintances, gave him homemade chocolates that day, and he always ended up handing them to his friends and colleagues. It was impossible for him to eat all that, and truthfully, he did not want to keep something that he did not feel like receiving. But it was a way to thank his female workers for their effort, and he could not anger his business partners, or their daughters. That was the first time he received a Valentine's gift and he was glad.

He, then, started the car and soon, when she felt more relaxed, the conversation turned to their work and studies. Sakura told him all about the exam and her feelings about the result, and he gave her some details about an important contract they had just landed and that would be an important step to gain the confidence of the market and other companies.

.

Sasuke parked in the spaces that had been specially set up that day and they got out of the car. The building was exactly the same as they remembered, low and light grey, with the name on a big plate over the main door. There was an extension of grass and trees in front of it, with a path with white gravel that led to the entrance. They occupied their place in the line where many people were waiting to go in and they recognised some people from the staff that were there to greet them, among them their teacher.

“Kakashi-sensei!”

The man turned and smiled upon seeing them. He was dressed in a black suit and, as always, he was wearing a white mask on his face.

“My, my, Sakura and Sasuke... You've grown really well.”

Sakura bowed with her hands folded on her skirt and Sasuke nodded respectfully.

“Are you two coming together? What a surprise...”

“Yes” Sakura threw a brief glance at Sasuke. “Our families concerted an oimai for us and we were really shocked when we recognised each other...”

“That's good... Shall I congratulate you, then?”

The young woman blushed a bit.

“No... Not for the moment” she smiled amused and changed the topic. “Did you catch yet another cold?”

The man scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

“What can I say... My defences have always been low...”

“You know you're welcome at my family's hospital whenever you want.”

There were people waiting behind them and they bowed again before making their way inside. But before going in, Sasuke put a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

“Can I speak to you later?” he murmured to the other man.

The teacher looked at him a bit puzzled, but nodded before Sasuke caught up with Sakura and he turned to the next guests.

The party, held in the enormous playground, was really crowded. After taking a glass of wine a waiter offered them, they greeted teachers and old classmates who recognised them or vice-versa.

A while later, as Sakura was talking to her first-year teacher, Anko, Sasuke excused himself and, as Sakura could see a few moments later, he went to look for Kakashi, who was by one of the tables with a buffet-like dinner that were arranged around the place. Even though she was a bit curious, she did not ask when he came back with a plate with different canapés, seafood and cold meat for her and himself, since Anko already had one in her hands.

After a speech of the first headmaster of the school, and another one from the current one, people scattered a bit, walking around. Sasuke and Sakura did the same. They walked along the playground, greeting people and enjoying the memories each corner brought them, like the sandbox or the enormous tree near the fence where there was a tree house. At the end of the playground, where nobody had got yet, they found the swings. Sakura turned to Sasuke with a wide smile and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Then, she walked faster towards the stairs that led to the first floor of the building.

Sasuke gazed at her incredulous as she ascended, now seeing her intention clearly.

“Don't you think it's a little childish?” Sasuke asked lifting a brow and looking at her with a small smirk on his lips.

“I don't care” she replied, having reached the top. “This was one of my favourite things when I was here, and I don't think it's bad to want to relieve it.”

She grabbed the bar over the seat to help herself sit, extending her legs and rearranging her dress.

“If you get hurt, don't start crying.”

“I won't” she replied, feeling tempted of sticking out her tongue, but refraining herself. “You will have to take me to see nurse Kurenai, though.”

Sasuke put his hands in his pockets and, smiled, seeing her push herself forward and start sliding down with a small cry of excitement, one hand on the edge, the other over her skirt to avoid it being lifted with the breeze. He breathed deeply and his chest felt light. He liked to see her so happy.

She arrived on the ground and put her feet down to stop the fall. However, the impulse was stronger than she thought and her high heels could not stop her properly, bringing her forward. She ended up giving two steps before colliding in Sasuke.

“Sorry...” she said a bit flustered, more embarrassed for almost falling in front of him than for her current position.

However, as she put a hand on his chest to pull herself from him, his arms came around her, his fingers lacing over her skirt and he rested his chin in her hair. She became very still, startled by his action, but also expectant, wondering why he was doing it and what would happen next. However, he stayed like that for a few minutes, and she found herself getting restless.

“Sasuke-kun...?” she asked in a very small voice. “Are you alright?”

She heard him exhale softly.

“Yes...”

She made a sound muffled by his black shirt and relaxed against him again. However, he realised, they could not stay like that the whole night. As comfortable as they were, there was an unresolved matter between them for weeks and it was time to solve it.

“Sakura...” she moved her head a bit. “We still have a pending conversation...”

She nodded and without another word, he broke their loose embrace, took her hand and started walking toward the building. They entered through one of the sliding doors that oddly enough was open and, once they left their shoes there, Sasuke guided them along a corridor that brought Sakura memories of a distant past, races and happy laughs. And she knew where they were going.

Sasuke opened the door of the Tsuru Class and both entered. Then, Sasuke closed the door behind him. The classroom had changed a bit. The furniture was new and more modern and some of the shelves and bookcases were in a different place, but the walls were full of crafts and drawings, as before, and the piano was still in the same place.

“Ah! How small!” she said bending forward to touch one of the tables for the students on the left of the class. “Do you remember, Sasuke-kun? You sat here, by the window.”

He was leaning on the door, watching her with his arms crossed and an amused expression on his face.

“On that day, I was here” she said, stepping to the side, taking out the chair next to the one she had pointed and sat carefully. “And you were there, next to Kakashi-sensei, so serious and clearly unhappy” she laughed a little.

“Well,” he said finally, separating himself from the door and putting his hands in his pockets, as he walked to the front of the classroom and put his hand on the teacher's desk. “My world had changed from one day to the next, and I had to go to live in an unknown house full of stern relatives I only saw once or twice a year, and leave my friends to start school in another place. I think I had my reasons...”

“And then, Kakashi-sensei told you to sit next to me” she said putting a hand fondly on the little blue chair, then she pouted, lifting her head to him. “At the beginning, you were really unpleasant with me.”

“And you were really annoying” he smirked slightly seeing her frown at him. “You were always wanting me to play with you and take my hand when we were on school trips.”

Sakura smiled widely and then stood up.

“But later on, you warmed up to me” she walked to the piano on the corner of the classroom, near the teacher's desk. “I remember that there was a time when I didn't look out for you and you searched for me. I was about to go to play with Lee-kun in the sandbox when you appeared and grabbed my hand, taking me with you to the swings. You were so cute.”

Sasuke cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable.

“I don't remember that.”

She laughed and opened the lid of the piano. They became silent and her fingers slid on the keys, randomly at the beginning, then, they started to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. As she had supposed, it was difficult to start a conversation about something that had happened more than a month ago. She was sure that Sasuke was not going to be the first one to speak and she did not know very well how to begin. It did not sound well to ask him suddenly why he had kissed her.

After a few more seconds, she inhaled deeply.

“To tell you the truth...” she started, not looking at him. “I really hated the idea at the beginning.”

Sasuke turned his head to her, his face serious.

“I... didn't want to get married... not yet” she breathed deeply. “I wanted to finish my trainee period and my specialisation before starting to think about settling down, because I knew all the responsibilities it would bring and I didn't know if I'd be capable of taking so many things at once.”

She turned and sat down on the piano bench, her hands folded in her lap over her handbag.

“However, my grandmother insisted once and again despite my protests, and finally, she told me that I wasn't like a normal woman, that the best for me was to be married when I turned twenty-five, that I was bound by my duty as the heiress of the clan” she lifted her head and found his gaze. “And then, she gave me your photograph, saying that you were such a good match that I wouldn't have an opportunity like that again” she smiled a bit troubled. “That made me hate you even more.”

He was listening to her, completely still, and she felt more confident about where she was going.

“However, once I saw your photo, I had the impression that you were a person worthy of having a conversation with” she looked to the side and blushed slightly. “And definitely, you weren't a middle-aged pervert.”

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow, looking at her with a disconcerted expression.

“A... middle-aged pervert?” he repeated her words and she moved uncomfortably.

“You know, the second sons that I've met in my life were nothing to shout about...”

He moved his head.

“I... think I don't want to know what kind of people you were introduced to...”

She laughed softly and then, paused, looking at her bare feet covered in tights. She put her hands on the piano bench and stretched her legs. Then, she flexed her knees and moved her feet rolling her heels to the sides. Seeing that he kept on being silent, as if he was not going to speak until she finished, she decided to continue.

“I... After our meeting, I... didn't know what to do. A part of me wanted to reject you and be done with it for a few weeks, when my grandmother found another candidate, but the other refused. We had some things in common and I had the impression that we could get along” she looked up at him. “And then, my grandmother was admitted to hospital.”

She breathed deeply. It still hurt to remember the long day filled with uncertainty and anxiety. She still wondered what she would have done if he had not been there with her.

“I didn't expect you to do what you did” she inhaled again, pausing for a moment as if thinking of her next words. “When I told the doctors that you were my fiancé, I think I had already made my decision. To give my grandmother some peace of mind, as you said, and also, because later I realised that you were a person worth the try.

Having her head down as she talked, she did not see that Sasuke's expression had changed, and that he had started walking silently towards her.

“And then, the crisis of your company happened. And by the time everything got back on track, I realised that-”

When she lifted her head, he was in front of her. Her heart thundered in her chest and overflowed with warmth and butterflies that made her shiver slightly. In the dim light, his dark clothes made him more intimidating, like a shadow. However, some of the brightness from the floodlights at the party outside fell on his face, revealing an unreadable expression. He was looking at her with ink-black eyes that attracted her inevitably, and she swallowed hard.

“That I love you...”

The silence in the classroom was deafening as she waited for his reaction. Finally, after some seconds, he blinked slowly and when his lids opened again, his pupils had a spark of tenderness that made her feel like crying.

Slowly, he took a lock of her hair and slid it on his hand, marvelling at its softness. Before reaching the end and let it drop, he caught it between his fingers and brought it to his lips, kissing it reverently. Then, he looked at her, who was watching his gesture with an awed expression.

“I didn't like it either, being forced into something that would be a bother and manipulated by my family to get the rich heiress that they wanted. But now I'm glad I complied.”

His eyes watched her as her green pupils filled with tears. One of them run down her cheek and he wiped it gently with his fingertips with a small smile, but Sakura realised that its meaning was completely different. He had let his guard down and what was showing her was completely sincere for the first time. Then, Sasuke leant forward, resting a hand on top of the piano and stared at her.

“May I?”

She immediately understood why he was asking for her permission, and nodded lightly, lifting her face to meet his. The kiss was even sweeter than the first time, aware as she was now of their feelings. He cupped her face as he pressed a bit more urgently, and delicately, he coaxed her lips open. She tasted of wine and flowers, her scent becoming intoxicating and enticing. They parted for a moment to breathe, immediately searching for each other again. Her arms went around his neck to pull him to her and she moaned softly when he deepened the kiss.

A few seconds later, he pulled back, watching her clouded green eyes, darker than he had ever seen them since they knew each other and her flushed cheeks, hot to his touch. He was astonished as he realised how much he loved her.

After some time that felt too short, he straightened and inhaled deeply. Then, he extended his hand to her, who took it fast.

“Kakashi-sensei only gave me ten minutes... I hope he had not locked us up here” he murmured as they went out of the classroom and into the corridor.

Sakura looked at him a bit mortified.

“He... knew?”

“Well, someone had to open the door to the classrooms. What did you think, that they forgot?”

If Sasuke could have seen the redness in her face, he would have smirked satisfied.

“I told him that I had to talk with you in private and that it was an urgent matter.”

“You lied to him?”

“I don't think so... It was urgent for me, at least” she made a soft sound of assertion. “I wouldn't have felt comfortable talking in the car, or in front of your house, and if we become busy again, we'd be delaying it once and again.”

“You're right...”

They arrived at the entrance just in time to see their former teacher poke his head round the door.

“Finished with your business?”

Sasuke nodded and Sakura became ever redder.

“Good. And fortunately, nobody has realised that there was someone inside. It would have been a mess...” he locked the door and put the keys in his pocket. “But some people asked me about you... Lee, and also Kiba.”

“Really, they're here?” Sakura's voice became chipper and curious. “I'd love to see them. Let's go, Sasuke-kun?”

He did not seem very convinced, especially after Sakura had reminded him of the episode of the sandbox, but he complied nevertheless. As they walked back to the party, he spared a glance at the window of the classroom where they had been just a few moments ago. First, he had met her and later, she had confessed her love to him there. It seemed that there would not be a more special place for them than that.

“Promise me, you’ll come back.”  

Tenderly, Sasuke laced his fingers through hers.  Sakura shifted closer to his body, nestling her body into the curves of his. Enveloped by the dark, they sat together on the couch, savoring the moment.   

Sasuke closed his eyes and rested his head on top of hers when she leaned against his shoulder.  Her blush locks felt silky against his face and he inhaled deeply her cherry blossom scent.  

She stared at their woven fingers for a long while before her eyes shifted to the uncovered window.  Outside, the village was asleep and the stars were awake.  “Sasuke..” She whispered as though she was afraid that any louder and their peace would shatter, “You haven’t promised me yet.”  

Slowly opening his eyes, his gaze shifted to the dim stars, high and low in the dark sky. A long sigh fluttered past as Sasuke gauged his time based on the colors dyeing the horizon.   

“Don’t doubt.”  

His words were crisp, resolute in their message.  Sakura sat up straighter and lifted her head to look at Sasuke.  Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as they stared into his, full of questions and longing.   

‘Don’t go,’ her eyes pleaded.  

‘I must…,’ his eyes sadly answered.  

A tear slowly trailed down her cheek as she bit her lip in failing restraint. Softly, Sasuke pulled his hand free from hers to cup her delicate face.  His thumb tenderly brushed the tear away.   

Sakura quivered under his affectionate hold, already feeling the pain of a loss that had yet to occur.  With eyes too sad for the desire they held, Sasuke carefully pulled Sakura’s face closer before he crushed her lips with his in reckless, needy abandon.   

A hand crawled up to his chest, fisting itself in his shirt.  Her other hand unsteadily reached up to hold onto his wrist, her thumb rubbing gently across the veins on the back of his hand.  His hand pressed against her face a little harder, a little needier, in response.   

Too soon, Sasuke pulled away.  His lips lingered briefly on her bottom lip before he ended the kiss.  Their hands stayed, reluctance prevented their grasps from letting go.  Another tear was quickly brushed from her face by his touch but it was in vain as another easily replaced it.   

“I have to go now,” Sasuke murmured, as though if it were soft enough, quiet enough, that it wouldn’t be true.   

Sakura’s grip on him tightened, refusal pulsing in her limbs.   

“Stay,” she commanded, “Just a moment longer.”  

“The sun is rising soon,” he reasoned, “I’ve already stolen a moment too long.”