A/N: IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE TRAILERS, THIS FIC IS A TINY SPOILER. If you have watched the trailers, then nothing has been spoiled.
I pray this 'fic is not repetitive. I'm totally stoked for Road to Ninja so this 'fic was born. April 2013– come faster! (I so did not have "Call Me Maybe" on repeat while writing this. Nooo, no way, not me. *brick'd*)
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi. Cover Art also belongs to Kishimoto Masashi.
Sakura was completely and rightfully shocked to see Sasuke offering her a rose. He had never even smiled at her, yet she found him standing before her, flashing her a scarlet token of his affection. She felt her cheeks grow hot, and she could almost feel her eyes burning.
"S-Sasuke... What are you doing here?"
"What's so strange about me being in my own village?"
He extended the rose a bit further to her, inky eyes staring straight into her. Sakura felt her heart freeze up, her mind reeling with all the possibilities. This was all so strange– she seemed to be in some kind of alternate place, some kind of alternate world– maybe it was that attack, the white, blinding light from that member of Akatsuki. Yes, that had to be it.
But even so, even if this was a dream, even if this didn't seem like true reality, it was reality still. Her current reality.
Her emerald eyes twinkled as she took in the sight of Sasuke, wearing an outfit she had never seen him wearing before. Long, even baggy, pants, a purple jacket, even a necklace with the Uchiha crest. He was so different, so very different from the Sasuke she knew.
And he was staring at her, staring straight through her now. He blinked before tilting his head to the side. "Sakura... are you all right?"
"I-I just can't believe this. Sasuke, you and I... we used to..."
"Hmm?" He advanced, and she recoiled.
"You never did this sort of thing with me," she replied, blinking whilst she took a step back. But she paused, a surge of pang thudding in her chest. "You never really... liked me."
"Never liked you?" the Uchiha looked genuinely surprised. But a gentle smile dispersed onto his face. A smile that Sakura had never seen directed at her. "I've always loved you, Sakura. Always."
The words made her heart shiver intensely. What a lie that was in reality, but how sweet it sounded on Sasuke's tongue. 'I've always loved you. I've always loved you. Sakura.' She never thought she would ever hear such words coming from her childhood crush, Sasuke Uchiha, and even know, she couldn't believe. The words were as sweet as chocolate, except, they delighted her inner being. Like some kind of nougat only for the soul.
She couldn't believe it.
"Sasuke, I can't believe it."
The male took short, quick steps towards her, wrapping an arm around her, his smile never ceasing to make her heart warm and glow like a lightbulb. To her surprise, the rich, spicy scent of cologne emanated from him. And this was a surprise because she had never know Sasuke to wear cologne. She could feel her cheeks burning, blush spreading across them, as she averted her eyes, turning her head to the ground.
This couldn't be possible. This fantasy was too cruel.
Her eyes landed on anything but Sasuke's arms, Sasuke's face, Sasuke's eyes.
But her ploy to not look at him was thwarted as she felt his hand (soft, warm, and loaded with his strong cologne) lifted her chin upwards, forcing her to look at him.
"What can I do to make you believe me?"
His eyes were torture– sparkly so, glistening with an onyx charm that held emotions she couldn't place. His gaze held her, even though she wanted so badly to look away. She could feel herself trembling beneath his strong arms, her knees weakening. And here she was, on a balcony, dressed in her white bed-robe. And then there was Sasuke, dressed in clothes she never imagined him wearing, holding her, saying these crazy things to her.
He slipped the rose between her delicate fingers, pulling her body closer to his.
"What can you do...?" Sakura echoed, trying to keep her voice from lilting.
"Should I do this?" He placed a hand over her cheek, caressing the heated flesh so delicately his fingers felt as light as a breath. She could feel herself blushing even more from the affectionate touch.
"Or this?" He bent over, lips hovered over her cheek before they made contact, pecking her. She felt she was going to drown, and at that very moment, her knees buckled and she dropped. But she found that her knees never met the concrete. Instead, Sasuke caught her arms, bringing her back up. His touch, his hold on her was so strong, yet so fragile, she felt like putty in his hands. She felt her heart melting like wax.
She was enjoying this, so much. But it was almost torture; it wasn't really, it just couldn't have been. It wasn't. His lips ghosting over her face, his fingers roving across her flesh– it wasn't real. She couldn't fall victim to this ploy by the enemy. It was only to weaken her, only to cause her to drop her guard. She couldn't let Naruto down. She had to remain strong. But–
She gasped as she felt his hands tangling in her pink hair, his fingers sliding down the strands ever-so-lightly. Her head jerked around to look at him, but she was stopped, stopped when she saw his face so close. So close to hers just then.
"I know," he paused, his breath hitting her face like a mist. "I should do this."
And his lips met hers.
At least, they almost did. The girl blocked their lips with the rose. But it wasn't a big enough block, instead of moving the rose, the male moved in closer, keeping the rose petal between his lips as he captured her own.
There were sparks– bright, erratic sparks that exploded through Sakura's body. Her stomach flip-flopped, soaring, tumbling, reeling. She felt so weak, yet his hands kept her from falling. She couldn't give in, she could fall victim to the enemy's plot, but it was impossible now. Fireworks shot through her.
He tasted so sweet– an unidentifiable taste upon his lips. A taste immersed in sugar.
And at that moment, he parted, pulling away from her. With a smirk.
"Do you believe me now?"
Sakura watched his whole face– watched his smile, watched the twinkling in his eyes. The petal of the rose fell to the concrete. The girl reached up with one finger, trembling, quivering, quaking, like a leaf in the breeze. She roved the finger over her lips, still slightly moist from the saccharine kiss.
And then she fainted, her last conscious thought being, "a dream...it has to be."
Reality was cruel, but fantasy was torture. However, this fantasy and reality, this unbelievable reverie was real and happening to her. It was happening, she was sure of it. And there was nothing sweeter than her dreams coming true. She'd accept this daydream because she loved him just that much.