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Uchiha Sasuke left the café when it started to rain. A lithe jingle of bells sounded in the air when he opened the door. He grabbed his black umbrella and continued down the road, alone, and cold.
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Haruno Sakura looked outside the window of her office. The sky was gray and the rain was pouring down the many skyscrapers in her view. She looked at the silver wall clock above the door. 'It's gonna start soon.'
She got up her leather chair and smoother her pencil skirt. Sakura left her room and continued down the quiet hallway. It was a weekend and no one was there, except for the janitor.
She hugged her jacket to herself. It seemed like someone turned the air conditioner to low.
The floors restroom was immaculate. A vision of whiteness, all marble swirled with glossy ceramic tiles. She looked at herself at the mirror. She took out a brush from her handbag and took off the elastic on her hair. She brushed her pink hair till it was a straight curtain below her back and above her green eyes.
Sakura exited the restroom and rode the elevator down 20 floors to the ground floor. There she hailed a taxi cab and ran towards it when it came. She was soaked wet because she had no umbrella. Someone had taken hers.
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Uchiha Sasuke arrived at the apartment complex. He had walked the distance from the café to… there. He was soaked well enough and the hems of his acid wash jeans were ruined. Mud had clung along its edges. His shoes were needless to say, soiled.
The old guard didn't look at him when he pushed the glass door open. He didn't even care that Sasuke had made a trail of mud when he walked to the elevator. Old age had worn him down.
Sasuke glanced at his reflection from the clear surface of the elevator doors. His hair was soaked down at some were clinging to the side of his face. His face was pale and gaunt. His black eyes were hauntingly beautiful.
His faced showed nothing and yet, at same time, everything about him.
The door opened before he got to the floor he was supposed to go.
His eyes widened.
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Haruno Sakura got off the floor of her apartment. She went inside and changed from her office clothes to a classic black number. On her neck, she put a string of pearls.
Sakura took one more glance at her apartment and closed the lights. She turned left and looked at her watch. She was half an hour late. Thank goodness the party was just a floor above her.
She turned towards the elevator and pushed the up button. She looked up to see where the elevator was when she heard a soft ping. The metal doors before her opened.
Her eyes grew wide.
"Sasuke…-kun"
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Uchiha Sasuke grimaced when he saw that it was her. "Sakura…" he nodded in ascent to her presence. She stepped inside the elevator and he pushed the close button.
His chest hurt, or at least the area underneath his chest. There was a time when she called at him with warmth, unlike now. She was cold, and hurting. Just the same as him when he heard her say his name, making him remember the old days, and when he noticed that the endearment to his name was added as a mere afterthought.
Sasuke choked. He choked at the memories. He choked at her nearness. He choked at the feel of her warmth beside him… He choked of the smell of her sweet perfume.
His hand twitched beside him. They closed, and then opened. They closed, and then they opened. They closed, and… he was aching to grab something!
He was aching to grab her. Grab her by the shoulders, just to run his hands down her soft skin.
He closed his eyes and stopped breathing for a moment. He waited for the doors to open and remove himself from her distraction. Thankfully, the doors slid away and the sight of life greeted them.
"Yo! Teme! Huh? Sakura-chan?!" Uzumaki Naruto bounded forward to greet them. He left behind the girl that he was talking to just moments before. She looked at them from afar. She had incredibly white eyes.
Sasuke grunted and lost himself amidst the crowd. Away from Naruto's hopeful eyes for it hurt him. Away from her, for she hurt him.
He had gone and lost himself among the crowd.
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Haruno Sakura was impressed. It was still raining outside, pouring cats and dogs actually, and yet Uzumaki Naruto had been able to command this number of people to his flat. The place was teeming with people, some she knew, some she didn't.
Sakura looked back at Naruto. He was giving her a hurt look. All she could do was give him another one in return.
"Sakura-chan…"
"Stop, Naruto. You know that nothing can be done."
Naruto nodded and smiled a sad smile. But inside he knew there was a way, if only they would stop playing this game and start acting properly, they'd both— they'd all stop hurting.
She walked towards the bar and Naruto went back to the maiden that had so enchanted him before. "Hey, Hinata-chan!"
Sakura ordered a tall glass of martini, the bartender gave it to her absent-mindedly, seemingly bored by everything. Sakura said her thanks and took the glass with her.
Walking away from the crowd of dancing people, she nursed her glass until she got to the terrace. The rain had lit up a bit and there she welcomed the cool air that only night could give. It smelled of fresh earth because of the rain.
As she looked towards the city view, her shadow created by the city lights, towered before her. She did not notice another shadow beside hers.
She took a sip from the martini before the man decided to talk.
"Is there really nothing I could do?"
The low baritone voice surprised her and she almost dropped the glass. It was just Sasuke. Her inebriated conscious failed to notice another person herself, much less one who was so close to her.
"Sasuke, don't do this…"
Sakura couldn't see Sasuke frown behind him. 'Coward,' she should at least have the decency to turn around and face him. No one said anymore, they let the silence rein them in again. Perhaps, they couldn't think of anything else to say. Perhaps not.
She felt him come closer and she tensed. She turned around immediately to push him off of her, and that was when his lips descended on hers hotly.
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Uchiha Sasuke was desperate, he knew. Pathetic, that's a little debatable. Still, instinct took control. He kissed her, and kissed her, and kissed her like he knew nothing else. His hand grasped a pale, smooth arm. Another twisted itself among her pink tresses. He wanted to stay out of the river but ended up jumping into the wide ocean. He was drowning, drowning, and he found that he didn't want to resurface.
'I'm sorry!'
'It's too late.'
If only his was the choice, he'd have never let her go. He'd have held her in his arms until… she'd forgiven him at least.
"Sasuke, let go of me."
"No."
"You used me, damn it! What else do you want from me?"
"--!"
He looked into her green eyes. Why was it, that when you've just asserted yourself, fought for your… emotions, the fight just leaves your eyes suddenly? He couldn't hurt her like this.
Slowly, her thin arms— the ones that used to hang on to him just to keep him from leaving, pushed him away from her. He let her. She ghosted away from him and entered the other room, where the people were, so she could get rid of his presence on her.
Sasuke hung back on the terrace. He fished something from his pocket. Something small but something important. It was something he could hold just with his thumb and forefinger. It glistened brighter than any star in the sky that night.
"Marry me."
"Oh, Sasuke-kun, it's beautiful! I will! I will! I will marry you!"
…
…
"I'm giving this back to you…"
"What are you talking about?"
"We can't— I can't go on like this Sasuke-kun."
"No!... I can— we can still make it work…"
"You know we can't."
…
…
It had been his fault. But it was her fault as well. If only she'd stayed like she was supposed to.
He inhaled deeply. Sasuke stared at the ring in his hand and smiled, albeit sadly and serenely. She said it was too late. She said that they couldn't make it work. But when he kissed her a little while ago, she had responded, and that's all the hope that he needed to P------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/PPUchiha Sasuke left the café when it started to rain. A lithe jingle of bells sounded in the air when he opened the door. He grabbed his black umbrella and continued down the road, alone, and cold./PP------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/PPHaruno Sakura looked outside the window of her office. The sky was gray and the rain was pouring down the many skyscrapers in her view. She looked at the silver wall clock above the door. 'It's gonna start soon.'/PPShe got up her leather chair and smoother her pencil skirt. Sakura left her room and continued down the quiet hallway. It was a weekend and no one was there, except for the janitor./PPShe hugged her jacket to herself. It seemed like someone turned the air conditioner to low./PPThe floors restroom was immaculate. A vision of whiteness, all marble swirled with glossy ceramic tiles. She looked at herself at the mirror. She took out a brush from her handbag and took off the elastic on her hair. She brushed her pink hair till it was a straight curtain below her back and above her green eyes./PPSakura exited the restroom and rode the elevator down 20 floors to the ground floor. There she hailed a taxi cab and ran towards it when it came. She was soaked wet because she had no umbrella. Someone had taken hers./PP------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/PPUchiha Sasuke arrived at the apartment complex. He had walked the distance from the café to… there. He was soaked well enough and the hems of his acid wash jeans were ruined. Mud had clung along its edges. His shoes were needless to say, soiled./PPThe old guard didn't look at him when he pushed the glass door open. He didn't even care that Sasuke had made a trail of mud when he walked to the elevator. Old age had worn him down./PPSasuke glanced at his reflection from the clear surface of the elevator doors. His hair was soaked down at some were clinging to the side of his face. His face was pale and gaunt. His black eyes were hauntingly beautiful./PPHis faced showed nothing and yet, at same time, everything about him./PPThe door opened before he got to the floor he was supposed to go./PPHis eyes widened./PP------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/PPHaruno Sakura got off the floor of her apartment. She went inside and changed from her office clothes to a classic black number. On her neck, she put a string of pearls./PPSakura took one more glance at her apartment and closed the lights. She turned left and looked at her watch. She was half an hour late. Thank goodness the party was just a floor above her./PPShe turned towards the elevator and pushed the up button. She looked up to see where the elevator was when she heard a soft ping. The metal doors before her opened./PPHer eyes grew wide./PP"Sasuke…-kun"/PP------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/PPUchiha Sasuke grimaced when he saw that it was her. "Sakura…" he nodded in ascent to her presence. She stepped inside the elevator and he pushed the close button./PPHis chest hurt, or at least the area underneath his chest. There was a time when she called at him with warmth, unlike now. She was cold, and hurting. Just the same as him when he heard her say his name, making him remember the old days, and when he noticed that the endearment to his name was added as a mere afterthought./PPSasuke choked. He choked at the memories. He choked at her nearness. He choked at the feel of her warmth beside him… He choked of the smell of her sweet perfume./PPHis hand twitched beside him. They closed, and then opened. They closed, and then they opened. They closed, and… he was aching to grab something!/PPHe was aching to grab her. Grab her by the shoulders, just to run his hands down her soft skin./PPHe closed his eyes and stopped breathing for a moment. He waited for the doors to open and remove himself from her distraction. Thankfully, the doors slid away and the sight of life greeted them./PP"Yo! Teme! Huh? Sakura-chan?!" Uzumaki Naruto bounded forward to greet them. He left behind the girl that he was talking to just moments before. She looked at them from afar. She had incredibly white eyes./PPSasuke grunted and lost himself amidst the crowd. Away from Naruto's hopeful eyes for it hurt him. Away from her, for she hurt him./PPHe had gone and lost himself among the crowd./PP------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/PPHaruno Sakura was impressed. It was still raining outside, pouring cats and dogs actually, and yet Uzumaki Naruto had been able to command this number of people to his flat. The place was teeming with people, some she knew, some she didn't./PPSakura looked back at Naruto. He was giving her a hurt look. All she could do was give him another one in return./PP"Sakura-chan…"/PP"Stop, Naruto. You know that nothing can be done."/PPNaruto nodded and smiled a sad smile. But inside he knew there was a way, if only they would stop playing this game and start acting properly, they'd both— they'd all stop hurting./PPShe walked towards the bar and Naruto went back to the maiden that had so enchanted him before. "Hey, Hinata-chan!"/PPSakura ordered a tall glass of martini, the bartender gave it to her absent-mindedly, seemingly bored by everything. Sakura said her thanks and took the glass with her./PPWalking away from the crowd of dancing people, she nursed her glass until she got to the terrace. The rain had lit up a bit and there she welcomed the cool air that only night could give. It smelled of fresh earth because of the rain./PPAs she looked towards the city view, her shadow created by the city lights, towered before her. She did not notice another shadow beside hers./PPShe took a sip from the martini before the man decided to talk./PP"Is there really nothing I could do?"/PPThe low baritone voice surprised her and she almost dropped the glass. It was just Sasuke. Her inebriated conscious failed to notice another person herself, much less one who was so close to her./PP"Sasuke, don't do this…"/PPSakura couldn't see Sasuke frown behind him. I'Coward,' /Ishe should at least have the decency to turn around and face him. No one said anymore, they let the silence rein them in again. Perhaps, they couldn't think of anything else to say. Perhaps not./PPShe felt him come closer and she tensed. She turned around immediately to push him off of her, and that was when his lips descended on hers hotly./PP------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/PPUchiha Sasuke was desperate, he knew. Pathetic, that's a little debatable. Still, instinct took control. He kissed her, and kissed her, and kissed her like he knew nothing else. His hand grasped a pale, smooth arm. Another twisted itself among her pink tresses. He wanted to stay out of the river but ended up jumping into the wide ocean. He was drowning, drowning, and he found that he didn't want to resurface./PP'IBI'm sorry!'/B/I/PP'IIt's too late.'/I/PPIf only his was the choice, he'd have never let her go. He'd have held her in his arms until… she'd forgiven him at least./PP"Sasuke, let go of me."/PP"No."/PP"You used me, damn it! What else do you want from me?"/PP"--!"/PPHe looked into her green eyes. Why was it, that when you've just asserted yourself, fought for your… emotions, the fight just leaves your eyes suddenly? He couldn't hurt her like this./PPSlowly, her thin arms— the ones that used to hang on to Ihim/I just to keep Ihim /Ifrom leaving, pushed him away from her. He let her. She ghosted away from him and entered the other room, where the people were, so she could get rid of his presence on her./PPSasuke hung back on the terrace. He fished something from his pocket. Something small but something important. It was something he could hold just with his thumb and forefinger. It glistened brighter than any star in the sky that night./PP"IBMarry me."/B/I/PP"IOh, Sasuke-kun, it's beautiful! I will! I will! I will marry you!"/I/PP…/PP…/PP"II'm giving this back to you…"/I/PP"IBWhat are you talking about?"/B/I/PP"IWe can't— I can't go on like this Sasuke-kun."/I/PP"IBNo!... I can— we can still make it work…"/B/I/PP"IYou know we can't."/I/PP…/PP…/PPIt had been his fault. But it was her fault as well. If only she'd stayed like she was supposed to./PPHe inhaled deeply. Sasuke stared at the ring in his hand and smiled, albeit sadly and serenely. She said it was too late. She said that they couldn't make it work. But when he kissed her a little while ago, she had responded, and that's all the hope that he needed to try again./PP-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/PPBA/N: I can make the whole story. Just tell me and I will. School vacation is coming up, so I'll be having loads more time. Anyway, happy love month, fluff monsters!/B/P