Prompt from Renaerys: "SK Sasuke tries to convince Karin to get a haircut"

"Hn."

Karin lifted her head from its spot on Sasuke's shoulder. The two had spent the last half hour sitting on the edge of a small cliff overlooking Otogakure, watching nothing in particular. It had become a ritual for them to stop at this certain spot during their Sunday evening walks and quietly sit, breathing in each other's essences until dusk arrived.

Sasuke's hand did not leave Karin's shoulder as she turned to face him. His touch had always been rough, yet softly protective, and he was never the one to take his hand away first if he could help it. This had never changed over the years, and Karin loved him dearly for it.

"What is it, Sasuke?"

Sasuke closed his eyes. "Your… hair."

Karin looked down at her fiery locks. Never one to care very deeply about her appearance, she gave her mane a swipe of a kunai once a year a few inches below the shoulders and then left it to grow again. The last time she had cut her hair was some eight months ago, and it was now coming down below the arch of her back.

"Yes, what about it?"

"It's… long," Sasuke breathed.

Karin blinked, then giggled. It's just like him to point out the obvious, this idiot.

Sasuke turned to her now. Hand still on her shoulder, his grip had tightened. Sasuke had never been particularly good at hiding his emotions, and Karin didn't need her sensing skills to tell that he was at least mildly annoyed; it showed clearly in the way his brows furrowed.

"What?"

Karin ran a hand through the ends of her hair, which seemed even redder than usual as twilight approached. "Of course it's long, Sasuke. You know I like to let it grow out before I cut it again."

"I know you do. It's just… long."

Karin sighed. Cryptic as ever. It's a wonder I ever expect any different. "I've never heard you complain about my hair length in all these years. What makes you bring it up now?"

Sasuke's hold on her shoulder had tightened again, but Karin sensed it was not from annoyance this time. Is… is he nervous?

She wasn't positive, as Sasuke had turned his face away from her then, but Karin thought his cheeks seemed a tad more flush than usual. But if she couldn't tell accurately from his cheeks, his next words all but confirmed her suspicions.

"I just… I just thought, maybe, you would look…" Sasuke breathed out loudly.

Karin knew that Sasuke had always had trouble with adequately wording his feelings, and she had taken it upon herself to push him to be more verbal about expressing himself. He had gotten better over time, but not by much.

"That I would look what? Come on, Sasuke," Karin said, lightly shoving into him playfully.

Sasuke looked back at her before quickly turning away again. Inhaling and exhaling loudly, he managed, "Thatyouwouldlookcutewithshorterhair."

Karin shot straight up in her seat, eyes wide. Sasuke was rare with his compliments, and though Karin knew perfectly well that he found her beautiful, he had never used the word "cute" to describe her. Hell, this was the first time she had ever heard him utter the word out loud, and she herself was the absolute last thing she would expect for him to associate with the word.

Sasuke was staring straight at her now, his cheeks nearly matching the red of Karin's hair. But he never got a chance to address this, as before he could even say anything, Karin's arms were around his neck, her face nuzzling into his collarbone.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

"I—yes, what?"

"Yes, I will cut my hair!" Karin looked up at him, beaming.

"But I didn't ask you to cut—"

"Shut up, you idiot, you implied it," Karin huffed. "We're gonna go down to Konoha next weekend so I can ask Ino to give me a proper haircut lest I turn out looking like a madwoman. And under absolutely no circumstances will you see me before she's done with my hair, so go eat ramen with Naruto or something in the meantime, got it?" Sasuke rolled his eyes, but nodded.

"Okay. Now stop ruining the moment and hug me back, you jerk."

Karin settled her head on Sasuke's shoulder with eyes closed and smiled as she felt the warmth of Sasuke's arms caressing her back. Hugging him tighter, Karin muffled into his shirt, "You're an idiot."

She couldn't see it, but she knew from his chakra that he was smiling. Smiling that gentle smile of his, a smile so small and subtle you could barely detect it. But Karin knew it was the smile Sasuke only made when something had affected him positively and deeply, the one true, genuine smile he ever gave. It was the smile she had always longed to see from him again after so many years, and it was the smile she wanted to see last before she took her dying breath.

"I know."