Dislcaimer: I huffed, and I puffed, but I could not blow Kishimoto's house down. :(
A/N: Gave myself a prompt; Her love for him was like a river: both shallow and deep.
Water Passages By: SunshineandDaisys
He was looking at her in that way - that way - that he did sometimes. When he was angry, his eyes would glow a deeper shade of bloodstained than usual, then his fists would clench, the skin over his knuckles stretched thin and white. This is how Sasuke was now, hovering over her like the tower he imagined himself to be.
Sakura had never believed he was a tower. His walls were, to her disappointment, not quite so high. And that strength, that strength that had bent so many to his supposedly raging will, was so easily sapped by his brother's hands that it was essentially worthless. At least, in his eyes. Sometimes in hers as well.
But he was beautiful, she could give him that. His skin was pale, yes, but it had a color to it, a certain shade of life that distinguished him from corpses. And it was smooth, Kami; flawless. The contrast of his hair, thick on his scalp and rather femininely framing his eyes, was a point of attraction to many. His body was the epitome of sculpted, and the many times she'd bandaged and healed those muscles had left a very precise image in her mind to fantasize with. But fantasies were all she had.
The Haruno girl with the vibrantly pink hair and the clear, green eyes could never own the heart of the Uchiha boy with his vivid crimes and his clear, unmistakable thirst for power. Yet he owned hers, and he knew it.
"Why, Sakura?" he snarled. "Why would you slip me that shit?"
Sakura wasn't afraid of him. Sasuke knew this as well. The power of fear held no sway over her, but since he had something much more persuasive - her unsinkable, unthinkably loving heart - he did not care so much. Well, he did. But dwelling on his lack of intimidation didn't breed much confidence, so he didn't.
"You needed rest," she answered simply, quietly, sitting on his bed and staring up into his eyes. So many would cower, had cowered, in the face of that animosity. But she was unfazed. "You never listen to me, I had to take matters--"
"The hell you did. Do you not think at all? We should have already left this place, we've been here too long. The risk you've placed us in is--"
"Sasuke."
His eyes flashed, furious, and even angrier for being cut-off. "What?"
Wordlessly, the pink-haired girl took his wrist and slid her thumb over his pulse. "Is it really so much to ask," she murmured, already finished with checking his vitals and trailing her fingers up his forearm to assess the damage of his chidori, "that you would at least consider me your equal in intelligence? We have moved, although not physically. My genjutsu is up. They won't find us."
"So they're here?" His frustrated exhale brought her eyes back to his. "And you think a genj--"
"Yes, Sasuke. They're weak." Like you.
His eyes grew colder, appraising her with a milder disgust than before. Sakura turned back to his arm, pausing at the crease of his elbow and pressing down lightly. He flinched, a tiny, hairline fracture of a flinch, but it was enough to tell her he was in pain.
Her pink lips brushed his wrist for a moment before he yanked it away. Those same lips quirked upwards: a brief, humorless smile.
"You will be the death of yourself, Sasuke Uchiha."
"Get out of my room."
He was no tower, but he was her only fort, so she did as he said. There was no resentment between them; they had both chosen this life. They both continued to choose this path, to walk it, mercilessly pursuing their goals. The Uchiha sought only vengeance and a burning of bridges. The Haruno searched for many things, but the greatest of them all was his love.
As she closed his door - such heavy, dark wood and brass - Sakura knew it would not be the last time he would ask her to leave him. It was also not the first, and therefore, it was not the hardest denial to swallow. But as she walked the three inches of muddy-red carpet it took to reach her own door, she knew that this was where she belonged.
If not truly with him, then always right at his side.
A/N: The plot of Naruto, deviated by my imagination. Just a little sumthin' to show you all I'm still writing, actually more so now since my last final was yesterday morning. Hallelujah!
Ohhh, a review would be loooooveeely. If thou shalt be so inclined. :D