His fingertips trail across the silky texture of her pale skin.

Tracing small, lazy circles as he hears her soft appreciative murmur fill the room.

His lips twitched, a brief upturn on the corner of his mouth before it resumes its usual position of a scowl.

Tonight was a mistake.

This was supposed to be a simple mission by his standards. He had replayed how the whole procedure should unfold repeatedly in his mind during those long months spent planning.

Enter, eliminate, evade.

That was the plan.

But somehow along the way, the execution did not turn out the way he intended.

The bed shifts as he saw her toss in her sleep, her body searching for the position which suited it best. Her sleeping face was the mark of extreme vulnerability.

He could do it if he wanted to.

He could kill her in her sleep.

It would be as easy as breathing.

A swift slit to her throat.

Or maybe, a firm squeeze on her neck would do the trick.

Yes… to stop the air from filling into her lungs.

Her long,

slender,

and delicate neck.

His hands were now making its slow trail upwards, stroking the said part of her body.

I won't tell anybody…

Her voice echoed in his mind.

Just hold on to me…

Her hands snaking its way up his chest.

I will never let you fall…

His arms were now around her waist, betraying every single ounce of resolve in his body.

And that was what it all took.

A few spoken words,

A promise of hope,

A tone of finality.

That was all it needed to shake his will in its entirety.

Before, he thought his previous ties no longer meant anything.

He thought he could no longer feel.

Being numb, was the only sensation he could associate his heart with.

But tonight, he was no longer certain anymore.

"Sasuke…"

She sighed his name in her sleep.

Was this how a person who welcomes death in open arms felt?

To be greeted by the euphonic sound of an angel's breath?

Because that was how it felt like to him the moment he heard the syllables of his name escaped her lips while she was in stupor.

What was she dreaming about?

Surely not him, seeing that a pleasant slumber and the image of a condemned nukenin does not exactly go hand in hand.

He does not deserve this mercy, especially from her.

Most importantly he does not deserve her.

It was time to go.

Lifting himself slowly off the bed, careful not to rouse her from her peaceful sleep. He did not want to risk marring the beautiful expression of calm on her face.

No, it was something more…

It was a look of trust.

As much as he knew that what he was about to do next was going to crush her, he had no other choice.

In all of his selfishness, this would be the one selfless act he would do. For her.

He leaned over her sleeping frame for the final time, lowering his face near hers. With his lips inches away from her temple, he whispered his final words.

"I am always yours."

He closed the distance and the contact of her soft skin against his lips send a warm tremor through his system.

He was not sure if it was out of frustration, regret or even sorrow.

However, one thing was for sure, he could not bring her into his life.

It would taint her and destroy the very innocence that he had always loved her for.

But as he stepped out of the window and made his way through the trees in the stillness of the night, not even the shadows could conceal the single tear that had escaped a blood red pupil.


Author's Note:

This is my first ever contribution to celebrate the existence of one of my beloved ships in the Naruto fandom.

Thank you for reading.