The white clouds floated languidly in the cerulean sky, the air was vacant of sounds save for the clip-clop of Sakura's sandals on the granite pavement and the sun's beams beat down comfortably on her skin in the midday heat. Turning the corner into the entrance of the Gare de l'Est train station a group of pigeons fluttered their wings noisily and flew above the golden pillars, startled at her haste.
Making her way down the marble platform past fur-clad ladies smoking in kitten heels and polished men laughing leisurely she hoisted herself up onto the third carriage of the Orient Express by the golden handrail just as the train conductor sounded the whistle. She was happy to stop to catch her breath and the cold metal was a welcome change to the blaring sun.
The eight carriages of the luxury train slid silkily through the looming glass windows of Paris's east terminal on its iron tracks and began it's 18 hour journey to Vienna. Sakura made her way to the middle of the carriage and went to open the door to her cabin but, as was her nature, something distracted her. Looking out of the widow at the passing scenery she mused about how beautiful the French countryside was, especially in the midday sun where the leaves danced in the subtle breeze and the butterflies fluttered around the foliage.
As she leaned her elbow against the wooden windowsill she became more and more lost daydreaming about the photographs she would take once the train had reached Vienna, so much so that she almost didn't notice the tall man coming to make his way past her in the narrow carriage. Glancing at him before returning to look at the passing houses, she pressed her body against the window so that he would have space to pass. He left a lingering hand on the side of the windowsill and for a handful of heartbeats the tall man hovered behind her, his face quite close to her neck, to join her in admiring the view. For a moment the cabin plunged into darkness as the train passed through a tunnel save for the low yellow lamplight. Inhaling, a deep manly scent pervaded her nostrils. A seductive combination of woodsy scent and clean perspiration. It was intoxicating. Despite the midday sun his hot breath on her neck sent a small wave of shivers down her spine and perhaps she would have turned to face him if she wasn't frozen, mesmerised in the moment.
"Beautiful." His low, baritone voice hung in the dry air. She thought he was talking about the scenery, she hoped he was talking about her. As the man went to walk towards the other end of the carriage Sakura finally let out the breath she had been holding in before catching it again as he turned to steal another glance. Even though she could not see his face before she could tell now her suspicions were correct, he was incredibly handsome. His silver hair was styled in a tousled side part and the yellow lamplight of carriage number three gave his skin a heavenly glow. What felt like hours of staring into his slate eyes as they locked eye contact was but mere seconds and as the cabin flooded with light again he was gone as quickly as he came.
Picking up her small suitcase Sakura entered the cabin and closed the door. It was a small room, but she didn't expect any more. Besides, what more could you expect on a train and what more did you really need on an overnight trip? The single bed was plush and the silky blue sheets were folded neatly with hawk-eye precision. The wall beside the door sported an incredible lalique panel that bathed the room in a honey glow. Removing her chiffon shift dress Sakura slipped on a lacy nightdress and fastened her pearly silk robe at the waist. Slipping into the sheets she imagined the azure blanket was the ocean and that she slow bumps of the carriage were the liquid waves of the sea, hypnotizing her with the chuku chuku of the tracks.
Sakura drifted in and out of sleep for while but all she could think of was the mysterious man from the corridor. She could still smell his cologne and she imagined his touch was delicate and his hair was soft so when she heard a light knock on her door her heart raced with excitement. As the door swung open behind her she waited for the scent again but instead was greeted by a smiley middle aged man in a cobalt blue uniform. "Passeport, s'il vous plait madame?"
After showing her documents to the inspector she returned to the silky cocoon and lay still for some time watching the window cast a brilliant light show on the mahogany wall, bathing the room in an almost supernatural moonlight. The man crossed her mind many times and, of course, Sakura had had these moments before. Catching a strangers eye, locking eyesight for a few seconds, spending the evening daydreaming about being in his arms. This time felt different somehow. This was not a teenager's romantic dream, this was something entirely different. She was twenty-one and this time it was more than romance. It was lust, it was longing. It was desire.
Little did Sakura know as she sunk into the sheets and played with her pastel pink hair the silver-haired man approached her door and went to knock. Hesitating, he instead let out a sigh and sank to the floor and for a few minutes the two were back to back with only a piece of wood to separate them. The train's horn sounded and as the man returned to his cabin next door Sakura stepped out of hers and opened the carriage window. Leaning on her arms she felt the cool breeze run though her hair and empty her mind.
Maybe she had hoped to see him in the morning, maybe she had fancied fate too much and how that when she awoke she would meet him again and they would passionately lock lips with not one single care. But, alas, she lowered herself from the train using the golden handrail and left the station. The Vienna sun was much like the one in Paris except there were far more pigeons and far less clouds.
For about an hour she walked down the cobbled streets and found herself passing through a busy market. There was not much you couldn't buy in Vienna, oh how one could ensnare the senses. She felt she could have at any other time spent all day wondering what there was in frankincense that made one mystical, and in ambergris that stirred one's passions, and in violets that woke the memory of dead romances and in must that troubled the brain. But for all the scents and sights the wonderful beauty that had fascinated Sakura so much would not leave her mind.
After browsing trinkets and jewels and books and tapestries Sakura neared the end of the market and the start of the docks. After talking sweetly with an old man she handed over some cash and he agreed to drive her down the wide canal in his steam boat.
Sakura stood on the top deck admiring the view and photographing the landscape, the smell of smoke wafted up her nostrils and the caw of the seagulls rang in the distance. The boat's horn sounded and echoed in the distance as a passenger boat passed in the other direction. Taking a picture Sakura noticed a figure on the top deck of the opposing boat. She zoomed in on the picture she had taken and looked at the familiar silver hair tousled in the wind. He wore a half-open shirt and his skin radiated a healthy glow in the sun. Sakura turned around to look but by then it was too late and the boat was already gaining distance.
She spent the rest of that evening drinking gin and coming back to the same picture. Forget the pictures she'd taken of the floating gondolas, the singing fruit merchant, the dancing children, the jumping fish. This man she had briefly encountered had captivated her. Looking at the picture she felt the familiar shiver down her spine. She sat and daydreamed into the late evening until the sun died and the moon lived once more, drinking gin to the low hum of the saxophone in the background until she retired to her hotel.
In the morning Sakura quickly showered and dressed in a simple black dress with thin spaghetti straps and black sandals, packing her suitcase she made her way towards the station to catch the train back to Paris and upon arriving shocked herself by actually being early. There were a few people here and there sitting on the benches and chatting quietly and as Sakura paused for a moment a woodsy, earthly scent wafted into her nostrils. Breathing in deeply, she trembled. She did not turn round but she could sense he was behind her.
"Nice to see you again" it was barely more than a whisper but she knew the words were only for her.
As placed his fingertips delicately on her arms the man leaned into her neck. She felt the familiar hot breath on her skin and as if waiting for a moment of permission the man hesitated then lightly placed his lips on her delicate neck. It wasn't deep and passionate as she had imagined but more delicate and tender, it was the kind of kiss that sent tingles of desire all around her body. He kissed her again and snaked his manly arms around her petite waist, spinning round to face him she wrought her arms round his neck and he placed his muscular hand on the small of her back. His skin was soft but his hands were rough and they stood like that for a few seconds. "My name is Hatake Kakashi" he spoke low and purposefully, again just loud enough for her to hear. Her heart was pounding in her chest. " Haruno Sakura" she breathed and he pulled her into a deep kiss.
Somewhere in the distance a whistle blew.
Thanks for reading, my inspiration for this story was the Chanel No5 film and also the picture of Dorain Grey. Please review and let me know what you think :)