Author Note: This is rated T!

Nightfall. It was always the one thing that made her feel the most at peace during even the most stressful of times. The scent of winter was still looming in the air over Konohagakure; however, the temperature was starting to let up a bit and tonight it was a bit more forgiving than the past few months of the village's winter slumber. The stars lit up the sky, and twinkled brightly high above the city, shedding light to the quiet and seemingly empty city.

"Perfect." Came a quiet whisper of the Inuzuka native. The ANBU Captain Inuzuka Taraka was sitting high above the village just above the stone carved hokage monument, cerulean gaze catching a better glimpse of the stars above her. The female was dressed head to toe in ANBU special ops gear, her brown hair messily tied up in a pony tail to escape her face; however, the female's mask remain off to the side tonight. Her pale features radiated with the help of the moon high above them and the face markings of the clan stood out. Besides her, a large grey wolfish looking dog sat poised upon his haunches looking up to the sky along with her in silence. Her companion since she was younger, Kouji.

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, she took a deep sigh, the cold air catching her breath in front of her recalling the past events of the war that took place several months back, "Finally, all is well once again." She spoke aloud. It was only several months ago this village had been in ruins; however, thanks to Naruto, the new Hokage of the village, peace had spread across many of the the nations. The large wolf dog soon abruptly jerked his head to the side with a slight defensive growl as he heard someone approach their position. Taraka's gaze narrowed and she too joined the dog's gaze to the direction of the sound; however, she soon relaxed when they fell upon a pair of obsidian eyes meeting in contact with her.

"What are you doing up here, Uchiha?" Came the curious tone of the Inuzuka female, to the approaching male. Uchiha Sasuke, the ex renegade of the Konohagakure soon made his way from the shadows to the open. The moon lighting over his pale features and giving view of his face toward the woman. The female studied him over, his raven locks fell lazily over his scratched leaf head band and upon his pale face. The male's attire was what he used to wear as a kid, a navy shirt fitting his chest; however, this was long sleeve rather than short, a pair of black pants and his blue tabi. He look exhausted, and in all reality, it was the truth. Sasuke let somewhat of an annoyed sigh out, "More of dobe's lousy tasks." Came the voice of the male. This in turn caused the Inuzuka woman to smile, "Naruto's really working you hard for your crime still after these past couple months, eh?" She gave somewhat of a chuckle. Sasuke after all was a village renegade and regarded as a criminal only months ago, it was Naruto who in turn decided that accept him back without immediately placing a death penalty on him like the Raikage had immediately suggested. Sasuke may not have admitted it personally; however, he was grateful for Naruto's blessing to allow him to live; however, he knew it would take a very long time before the village would accept him normally again. Naruto in turn made his friend the local errand boy for just about everything to pay for it all; the length of time for it was unknown. This is turn did nothing more then just anger the Uchiha.

Sasuke continued walking over to he meanwhile Kouji eyed the male before laying back down to the ground. His head laying back upon his paws and the amber eyes soon gazing back up at the stars. Sasuke stood near her, "I could be asking you the same thing of why you're here." He said in a gruff tone albeit he was curious as why the woman would be out so late. Taraka would soon smile a bit, "I couldn't sleep." Came the woman's honest response only pausing briefly, "I come up here every once in awhile. It's peaceful. Well that, and the stars tonight are beautiful." The male looked at her for a moment before giving a silent nod; however, pondering that thought for a moment he soon looked up to the sky, "Hn." Came a sound from his lips, the woman wasn't sure to take that as an agreement or not; however, she'd let it go. Taraka soon in silence glanced back up to the sky moments later opening her mouth to speak up to him again, "You can join me if you like." She said sounding somewhat hopeful. Sasuke looked at her and studied her features for a moment as if giving it thought though he gave in quickly as his muscles did not want to cooperate. He would sit his body down beside her, his hands stretched out behind him and holding his weight up.

The two of them had been friends when they were kids; however, since the clan being murdered and his disappearance the two of them had grown apart and they had only been able to exchange fists and weapons with each other in the past. Sasuke and her had their own language when they fought. She too, could easily be read when they fought although, since he came back to the village they were on speaking terms and trained together every now and then. Taraka had always admired him, he was handsome for certain and beyond that, he had a personality buried beneath that cold outside demeanor. Her admiration for the male over time has only grown a deeper though didn't dare say it to him.

Sasuke was silent, his eyes looking toward the sky with the Inuzuka woman. She too was silent, something the two of them could comfortably do without needing a conversation. Shimmering high above the two of them, a twinkling star danced across the sky. "Sasuke look!" Came the excited voice of the woman pointing to it, "Make a wish, quick!" She closed her eyes for a moment and from beside her the Uchiha gave a quick grunt at the childlike behavior of the woman, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Hiis tired obsidian eyes soon glanced at her face noting her expression. He didn't dare say otherwise, or stop her.
"Okay." He would say without a further word; however, the sudden change of behavior from the male seemed to surprise her.
"You have a wish?" The female said a bit surprised at him, and he in turn simply nodded. "What is your wish?" Came the voice of the woman curiously insisting on knowing the secrets of the male. The male would meet her gaze, and it simply made Taraka melt as a small shade of crimson fell across her features. "My wish is for no more of these stupid chores Naruto is giving me and for the Uchiha to be the strongest in the Leaf once again."

Taraka only smiled after hearing the words of Sasuke and chuckled a bit at this, "Tch, typical Sasuke." She teased looking back at him.. Sasuke frowned a bit at her response and he sounded a bit defensive looking toward her. "What did you wish for?" This only made Taraka's face a bit redder; however, in the night like this it would be hardly noticeable. She clicked her tongue for a moment before looking at him, "Close your eyes." She would say with a sly smile. Sasuke frowned a bit more, "Are you changing the subject?" He asked, looking toward her. Taraka would only laugh, "No! I'm not this time. Just close your eyes." Taraka would smile wider. Sasuke sighed, "Fine, fine." He said not in any mood to argue, "This is stupid." He said for a moment; as darkness surrounded his vision. Taraka smiled, and moved closer to him closing the distance between the two of them hesitantly before her lips pressed gently against his own. Sasuke's eyes soon shot open, to glance at the woman in shock; however, he did not break contact with her lips. Warmth surged through his body and he would push his own head forward as the exhausted male would kiss her back. The first kiss he's had. Well, honestly, the first kiss he's had since the horrible ones with the dobe and it was something he wanted from her, or perhaps it was the fact he was so damned tired.

The woman pulled away from him after a few moments, with a blush across her face. Sasuke studied her in silence with a bit of an arrogant smirk raising a brow, "What? Lose your nerve?" He teased. Taraka would simply blush further and it was her turn to become a bit defensive, "No!" She called out, her arms reaching out to push the male away from her at this point, and Sasuke would grasp both of her arms and pull her back to the ground with him, so she lay atop of his chest, on the fall the Inuzuka would give a bit of a yelp on the way down. Sasuke beamed at her a bit and lay down upon his back, obsidian eyes gazing back at the woman in his arms and upon his chest. Taraka's face was red as a cherry at this point, "O-okay, I may have lost my nerve now."

Sasuke gazed up at her eyes, pulling her back down so their lips were barely touching, and she would hold her breath it seemed taking in the scent of the male and the moment lingering right now, his voice was husky. "You're going to pay for trying to push me." She smirked "Shouldn't you be getting sleep? Doesn't Naruto have work for you in the morning?" Sasuke looked her in the eyes, and he smirked, "Dobe can wait." His grip tightened around her and he pulled her down onto the ground again and hard against his chest. His eyes closed and she pressed his lips back upon hers roughly against hers. The two of them seeking solace in one another.

Not too far away from the two and concealed on one one the trees near the village site, there was chuckling. The young, blonde, male Hokage of Konohagakure, Uzumaki Naruto watched the two of them from afar. His blue eyes soon looked down to the paper that was sitting on his lap and he began scribbling down a few things on it, "This will be a great book." The male said with a beaming grin, "Jiraiya would be proud of this one..."

-End-