AN: I haven't written anything in years. Grammatical errors galore. Mood set by "Pan's Labyrinth Lullaby – Extended" version on Youtube. Listen to it while you read or don't; it's your choice. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
...
The sun had not gone down yet. Several children passed him by as he made his way along the sidewalk. With a high collared jacket and hunched shoulders, he weaved effortlessly as more kids ran through the crowded streets.
It was Halloween.
As far as he was concerned it was just another night. But still, Sasuke would say that the holiday made his life a bit easier to get around without seeming too suspicious. He was just a face in the crowd aiming to draw as little attention to himself as possible. Kids giggling in the streets with their bags of candy and their parents not far behind them were unwelcome distractions but he trudged along regardless.
Just as the sun finally dipped beneath the horizon he had finally made it to the cemetery.
There were candles and flowers and snacks lined up along each grave: for family, for friends, for loved ones remembered. The cemetery was busier than normal given the holiday but it was still much quieter than the street and for that Sasuke was grateful. He carefully walked around the grave markers and headstones getting further into the darker corner of the cemetery. Where he finally reached his destination, there were no candles flickering their light across the cold stone. Only the light given by the peeking moon shone here.
Sasuke took his hand out of his pocket and dutifully brushed off the leaves and dust from the three grave stones before him. He paused for a moment before turning his gaze towards the rest of the giant lot that housed his family's graves. The markers went without count. An entire clan was buried here; his family line gone from this world. All that was missing was… him. Sasuke took the time to carefully clean and up keep each and every one of his clan members' graves and saved his own immediate family for last.
It was almost soothing: wiping away the dirt and grime from their graves. Without feeling the need to rush or hurry Sasuke paid extra care and attention to his father's, mother's, and brother's markers. Just as he finished he reached his hand into his pocket to pull out a small bouquet of Asters and placed them on his mother's grave; she always loved flowers.
The moon was hanging high in the sky as Sasuke reflected on the past twelve months since he was last here to pay his respects to his family.
How many years had it been now?
He could no longer remember. Time went by in a dull and colorless blur. Sasuke could no longer feel its sway nor had he felt it for an immeasurable amount of time. He was as cold and lifeless as the graves before him.
Just as he felt a wave of anger and exhaustion, a chill ran down his spine and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
A white figure passed behind him silently without alerting him. The stark white amidst the dark cemetery now caught the corner of his eye and he turned his gaze on instinct to follow it.
Quite a ways away, a girl dressed in all white stood solemnly before another grave on the other side of the cemetery. The soft fabric of her simple white dress billowed in the gentle breeze and made her pale figure appear to glow amongst the tombs.
Sasuke took a minute to look around the now-empty cemetery before settling his gaze once more on the mysterious girl. There were still a few children walking on the streets finishing up the last of the festivities but other than that everything was quiet and still. He furrowed his brow at her state. She was completely alone, in the dark, in a cemetery, in the middle of the night. Sasuke shook his head as he recalled he was not all that different from her - him being alone in the oldest, darkest corner of the cemetery.
As if sensing his presence, even from so far away, the girl turned her head in his direction and met his gaze with her own. Eyes as bright and as pale as the moon itself penetrated the dark blackness of his own. He saw them widened with surprise for a second before quickly returning to the spot in front of her.
For some unknown reason, Sasuke felt himself rise and slowly make his way toward her. He could not understand why since he mostly avoided people whenever he could. He figured it must be because she did not seem real, more like she was a figment of his imagination. The closer he got the more confused he became. He could not hear the sound of her heartbeat nor feel the warmth of her skin – and he now stood beside her. Sasuke clearly knew he was making her uncomfortable by the way she nervously bit her lip and clenched her hands. But still, he could not feel anything from her.
Up close, Sasuke carefully studied the small creature before him. She was short in stature and clothed in a dress better suited for summer. Her hair was long and caught the shine of the moon just right to make out the blue and purple hues in each strand. It contrasted sharply with the milky white of her skin. He was beginning to feel the early twinges of hunger before extinguishing them in annoyance and curiosity over her.
Her shaky gaze once again met his before darting away again. It took a moment for him to remember he was blatantly staring at her while standing right next to her. He let out an annoyed sigh, more angry and embarrassed with himself than anything else, as he raked a hand through his hair and turned away. Decidedly, Sasuke looked at the grave in front of the two of them.
Hyuuga Hinata it read and several white roses were placed around the name.
Now that he was no longer looking directly at her, Sasuke saw her shoulders relax out of the corner of his eye. They stood there in silence, neither of them moving or speaking. He pondered at her mysterious presence once again. Even though he was standing beside her and could clearly see her Sasuke felt something amiss. It was like standing next to air. He turned his head slightly to give the girl a sideways glance making sure she was still there.
"Did you know her?" he mumbled out. She jumped a little at the sound of his voice and he was just as surprised with his uncharacteristic behavior. They both turned their heads toward each other again and this time Sasuke was able to get a good look at her face.
Her round, pale eyes seemed to occupy most of her face lined with thick lashes. A slender nose led down to a small mouth with full, pink lips- lips that were now suddenly bitten by her white teeth in nervousness and anxiety.
"I, uh.. yes," she muttered back a response. Sasuke was surprised - he was not actually expecting her to answer him. He was, of course, a complete stranger and they were now totally alone in a graveyard in the dead of night. "I… I knew her."
"Hn," Sasuke replied back.
Silence.
"Uhm," she started. Sasuke turned to look at her and it made her shrink a little into herself. "Had you, uh… met her? From before, that is…"
Sasuke gave a shrug and grunted.
"No," he grumbled out.
"Oh," she replied back quietly.
Awkward tension grew thicker in their forced silence. After another tense moment, Sasuke was just about ready to walk away when he heard the girl mumble another question for him.
"What was that?" he asked. Even with his good hearing it was hard to make out what she had said.
"Did you come here for someone else then?" she squeaked.
Sasuke became quiet again before answering truthfully. "Yes."
"Someone important?" she asked politely.
"They were, yes," he replied.
The girl nodded her head and gently smiled. "I'm sure they are happy that you visited them."
"They're dead," he rebuffed, "What does it matter..."
"If they were important to you then you must have been important to them" she countered in a whisper. "And I'm sure that they would not have wanted you to be so lonely."
Sasuke could feel anger bubble inside his chest. "And what makes you think I'm lonely?" he snapped.
The girl jumped at the harsh tone and hunched her shoulders into herself. "Aren't you?" she murmured in a shaky voice. With more courage than expected, the girl bravely lifted her eyes to meet his angry gaze. "Isn't that why you're here too?"
All that could be heard was the sound of Sasuke's deep breaths mixed in with the passing breeze. He held her stare determined to break her under the tension. But while he looked down at her disdainfully she only matched his gaze with an equally cold stare. Her eyes, that were too wide, did little to hide the emptiness and misery within her. She stood up to his chilling fury with her unbridled loneliness. This girl was unashamed to admit that she craved for any sort of company- even one as prickly as his. With a grit of his teeth, Sasuke turned away from her with a deep sigh.
"Tch, whatever," he grumbled and began to walk away.
"Wait!" she called out in a tiny voice. "I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. Please…"
"Why?" he turned his head around giving her a long, sideways glance.
In that moment, her pleading gaze almost had him undone. The night seemed to get darker and her figure, in the moonlight, brighter. The cold wind swirled around her form and gusted through his. The girl's pale eyes glowed in desperation as though he were her only lifeline. Though silent, her full pink lips tried to find the right words to get him to stay. Sasuke could almost feel a physical pull beckoning him back to her side. The urge to draw her in, the longing in her gaze, made the hunger hit him in full force. He felt the muscles in his body tense in anticipation. Sasuke could feel the strain on his self-control but would not allow himself to be undone by such a simple gesture. He would never let someone hold such sway over him like this.
"Please," she whispered again. In his restrained state her sweet voice only served to hinder the iron-grip on his control. Against his better judgment Sasuke stomped back to her side in rigid silence. The girl released him from the weight of her gaze and gently smiled down at her feet. "Thank you," she spoke to him softly, "You're very kind."
"Hn," was his only reply.
The two continued to stand together for a few more minutes in quiet stillness. Neither of them felt the need to exchange words in fear of another tense confrontation but really neither was very good with words to begin with. So instead they chose to just be in the company of one another. They were just two lonely beings content with such simple comfort. Sasuke wondered if perhaps the girl had possibly been very close friends with this Hinata. He saw how she stared down at the grave with a mix of sorrow and longing. There was that same curiosity to find out more but Sasuke decided that the last thing either of them wanted were more probing questions into an obviously painful past.
Sasuke sighed and looked up into the sky to observe the moon hanging above the two of them. All signs of children's laughter had dissipated and were replaced with the distant bellows of numerous parties still in full swing. The hour was late and Sasuke felt it was now time to move along. He took another glance at the solemn girl next to him and pondered if she cared little about staying in the graveyard the entire night.
"Well," he huffed in awkwardness, "I have to get going now." Sasuke frowned at the feebleness of his excuse to leave.
"Mm," the girl nodded offhandedly. She did not say another word so Sasuke took that as her goodbye. Without hesitating he turned from her and made his way towards the exit. "Be safe," he heard her whisper. He felt the weight of those pleading eyes on his departing form and it made him pause. Another chill ran up his spine with a cold blast of wind. He slowly turned around to get one last look at the lonely girl.
Empty.
His eyes scanned the deserted cemetery back and forth in search of her white figure but she was gone. Rows and rows of stone were his only company. Sasuke furrowed his brow in confusion before quickening his pace to leave this graveyard and his strange encounter behind.
He eventually found himself wandering through a crowded block party. The music was loud enough to send rumbles of vibrations through his bones. The smell of sugar and alcohol wafted to his nose and Sasuke fought the urge to gag. Faceless bodies were pressing on him from all sides but he continued his steady walk through the street. His thoughts lingered elsewhere.
No matter how much he tried, his mind kept wandering back to the girl in the graveyard. Sasuke had never met anyone quite like her before. Even though he had seen her, spoken to her, the girl had no presence at all. He still could not wrap his mind around it. Sasuke could remember every detail of her face and the soft timbre of her voice and yet he still felt like he was completely alone in that cemetery. She was right there beside him. Why did he have that creeping sensation that he had been alone?
Maybe he was imagining things and had become more paranoid than usual. Sasuke never interacted with people unless absolutely necessary. Perhaps he was extra sensitive since he was around so many people tonight.
"Oh I'm so sorry!" he heard a voice squeak before feeling a warm body push into his arms, breaking his train of thought. Sasuke froze and tensed up in irritation. He glared at the girl pressed far too close to him when he felt the pang of hunger rise in him again. He could see the blood rush to her face as she took in the sharp, handsome lines of his face. He was not unaware of the affect he had on people and women were no exception.
Sasuke was one second from pushing her away when another shot of craving went through him again. He grit his teeth in frustration and glared harder at the blushing face. This time he was debating: if there was ever a time to indulge himself it would have to be tonight. No other time was fit for him than Halloween. It was this night that people were drawn to the darkness and the macabre; it helped people draw nearer to him. Sasuke took another moment to study the girl before him: wide eyes slightly glazed over from alcohol and adrenaline, a straight thin nose, lips as red as blood. He found himself looking for features that he could not find on this face. She had eyes that were not sweet enough and lips that were not full enough. Her countenance was different from what he was truly craving. Sasuke softened his glare a little bit.
"No harm done," he finally answered her in a smooth voice.
This girl would do. She was pretty enough. She was more than willing enough. Sasuke had little doubt she would give him any sort of trouble tonight. But still, Sasuke could not help but cringe inside.
He slowly wrapped an arm around the girl's waist to hold her to him.
"I hope I didn't hurt you," he said in a voice that intensified the color of her cheeks.
"Oh no," she replied back in a flirtatious tone, "To be honest, I've been trying to find a way to get your attention since you came around the corner."
The girl placed a suggestive, warm hand on his chest and pressed herself even closer to him. Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes at how readily she was throwing herself at him but he figured the sooner he got this over and done with the better.
"Well if we're being completely honest," he trailed off, bringing his lips to her ear, "Why don't you ditch whoever it is you came with and I'll give you my full and undivided attention." He felt her shiver delightfully in his arms before giving a small nod. He could practically taste the excitement rolling of her in waves. Sasuke wanted to shake his head in disbelief at how quickly she complied with him.
Be safe.
Sasuke could still hear the sincerity in that sweet voice. She had told him, of all people, to be safe on Halloween. Those words were lost on him - the girl ready and willing in his arms would have fared better at hearing them. He felt her hand slip into his and pull him along through the crowd towards a small dark alley not far from the party.
Be safe.
Once again all he could think about were those words as he was pushed against the wall and felt warm lips press hungrily into his. This girl was so eager and she had no idea of how dangerous the situation was. She did not care that he was a complete stranger or that no one would even notice if something were to happen to her in the shadows; not while the block party was in full swing. Sasuke felt a wave of disgust when the girl pawed at his chest and pressed into him. She held so little regard for her life.
With a growl he spun the girl around pinned her body to the wall and she gasped excitedly. He trailed kisses down her jaw to her throat and felt the blood rushing through her veins, her heart pounding. He bit back a deep groan at the sound. He was barely aware of her hands pulling his hair and running down his back. He took a deep breath in and Sasuke could almost taste the alcohol from the scent of her skin. He ran his tongue along the pulse of her neck and the girl cried out in pleasure.
"Please, stop!"
Sasuke froze.
For a moment he felt as though the heartbeat resounding in his ears was his own. The girl he was pinning down was still panting in excitement. Surely those words did not come from her. He knew this voice.
"What?" the girl in his arms sighed as he pulled away from her. "What's wrong?"
"Excuse me, please! ... I have somewhere I need to be." He heard that voice speak again.
Without a second glance Sasuke walked out of the alley leaving the confused girl behind. He went right back into the crowd trying to pinpoint the source of that voice. He turned his head left and right straining to hear that soft timbre above the noise.
A splash of white peeked through an opening in the crowd so he pushed his way towards it. A couple people barked at him for pushing them aside without warning but their complaints fell on deaf ears. Sasuke continued to hastily move his way through the masses uncaring of everything around him.
Where did she go?
When he finally reached the spot where he had seen the white of her dress Sasuke stopped to look around again more earnestly than he would like to admit. When did he become so anxious? Back and forth, his eyes darted from one person to another in hopes to find her. A wave of dark hair over there, the white costume of an angel over here, the petite figure of a girl dressed as a cat beside him; Sasuke would almost admit to the cold sense of panic that was beginning to rise in him. That one over there was wearing white contacts to match their ghoulish outfit, pink hair that matched the shade of her lips, soft and milky white skin – there!
How he did not automatically spot her in the crowd was a mystery. Perhaps it was because she wore no costume? Or maybe it was because she looked like terribly uncomfortable standing in the crowd? Sasuke could have cared less as he wasted no time making his way to her.
As he drew closer Sasuke could see a few men pestering her. They circled around her like hawks and Sasuke quickened his pace as much as he could without drawing unnecessary attention to himself.
"What's the rush sweetie?" one of them asked.
"We just wanna have a little fun," said another.
Without warning or hesitation, Sasuke grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her along behind him. Her hand was ice cold and so small in his grasp. The simple touch sent electricity across his skin. Sasuke fought to keep his excitement under control as he led her out of the crowded street party. Vaguely, he could hear the men following behind them.
"Damn idiots don't know when to stop," he snarled under his breath.
"What the hell man!" one of them called after the pair. "We were having a conversation!"
Stopping abruptly, Sasuke spun around and pulled the girl to stand behind him to shield her from their sight. He said nothing but sent them such an intense glare that they immediately stopped in their tracks. The stare-down continued for a few moments before one of them argued to leave the pair alone.
"Let's just get out of here," he whispered to his friends.
Sasuke did not wait for them to leave and instead pulled the girl again out of the street. They darted around dancing bodies and over hundreds of empty red cups.
"Thank you," the girl finally squeaked to break the silence between them.
When they finally reached the end of the block, they stopped walking and stood quietly. He knew he should let go of her hand and walk away but Sasuke could not make his body listen to him. His veins were still humming from all the adrenaline the past few minutes provided. If Sasuke had struggled with his hunger then, the craving he felt now would be a Herculean task to overcome. A real man would keep up with the restraint. But Sasuke was no man; he was a monster.
"Where?" he grunted.
"Hm?" she responded.
"Where were you headed?" he tried again.
"Oh," she mumbled, "Home. It's over there," she gestured down one of the street.
Once again, he pulled her along in the direction she pointed. The walk was silent. Neither one of them could think about what to say. Before he knew it, she was leading him past a gate into the front yard of a dark house.
"This is me," she awkwardly blurted.
She pulled her hand from his grasp to open the front door. Sasuke found it odd that it was unlocked but let the thought pass. As she entered through the threshold Sasuke paused, hesitant to go inside. When the girl finally turned around to look at him, half expectant to follow her in, he saw the puzzled look on her face.
"You can come in," she assured shyly. "I'll go and… make some tea."
Sasuke looked down at his feet just inches from the door. He could go inside and accept her invitation. But he found himself unsure. He knew that one more step and there would be no going back. He would have this girl, this sweet and naïve girl. Another glance around the dark and deserted neighborhood assured that no one could stop him. Sasuke did not think he would be able to keep himself from her. He was second-guessing as he continued to wait at the door.
The girl peeked her head from around the corner. "Is everything alright?" she asked, failing to mask the mixture of worry and anxiousness in her voice. "If there's some place you need to be soon…"
"No…" he answered almost too quickly and took that decisive step through the door. A small smile graced her lips as she disappeared around the corner and down the hallway without bothering for the lights. Just then the door closed behind him and Sasuke turned around to look at it suspiciously. A flicker of light from the next room then beckoned for his attention so he followed after her in silence. The girl had managed to light a few candles around the cold living room. The dim lights made her eyes glow faintly despite the dark shadows casted on her face.
"Sorry about the lights," she murmured embarrassedly. "They haven't worked in… a very long time."
As if to busy herself, she turned around and headed to where the kitchen was. In mid-stride, she stopped and decided to head towards the glass doors that opened to the backyard.
"It's such a nice night," she flushed as she tried to defend her actions. "It'd be a waste… not to… enjoy it…" she huffed as she struggled to open the doors. They did not even budge. Sasuke walked up and effortlessly opened them. She murmured her gratitude and apologized again for the state of the house. "So," she began, "you can sit and wait out here on the porch while I get the tea or you can walk around anywhere you like. Just ask me if you need anything," and she shuffled back to the kitchen.
He stood on the back porch awkwardly not knowing what to do with himself. There was a soft breeze and the moon lazily hung in the sky. Rather than wait, Sasuke began to meander around the living room. Amidst the glow of the candles, Sasuke studied the various pictures that lined the countertops along the walls. He recognized the girl in the photos and could only assume the other people were her family and friends. He found himself wondering if her friend, Hinata, was among any of the girls shown in the pictures. There was one frame in particular that caught his eye. Thick layers of dust coated every surface of the house but there was a single picture that stood clean. Sasuke carefully picked it up and tilted it towards the light to get a better look. It looked like the picture was taken as a candid since not a single person was posed stiffly.
Chaos. That was how Sasuke would describe the scene. There were people hanging from a banister, cake coated the walls from being thrown about by some boys, a dog had found its way on top of the food table making a mess, and the rest of the people seemed to be occupied in a silly string fight. Right away, Sasuke was able to spot the girl in the photo. She had a bright smile plastered on her cake-covered face. In the background a large banner read "Happy Birthday Hinata!"
"That's one of my favorite memories," he heard a whisper in his ear. Sasuke sharply turned his head to find the girl standing next to him. He furrowed his brow in confusion since he did not hear her approach. She gently took the picture from his grasp and gazed at it with a sad smile.
"It was a surprise birthday party," she quietly explained. "Nobody was sure if we would be able to celebrate it."
"Must have made your friend happy then," Sasuke found himself replying. She had the strangest look of confusion on her face and Sasuke hardly caught it before she found her composure a split second later.
"Ah, yes," she answered shakily, "The party made her very happy. Her family always had very formal ceremonies for her birthday. But that year she got pretty sick so all plans were cancelled... But everyone thought it would be nice to throw her a party regardless. The look on her face when everyone snatched her from her room was priceless... She passed away not long after that party."
The whistling chime of the kettle came as a welcome to break the tense moment between them.
"That's the tea," she mumbled.
"Let me help you," he offered.
"Uh no!" she burst out suddenly. "It's okay. I still need to prepare the rest," and she left to the kitchen leaving Sasuke to his thoughts.
He was so unsure about how the night would unfold. There was something off about her. Sasuke did not know what it was but it made him worried. She was hiding something from him. He could tell that much. But he was not so sure he cared. He was here and so was she. The moment he walked through the door he knew what he would do.
With that mindset, he went to find her. All of Sasuke's senses focused in on her as he came into the kitchen. With her back to him, he could feel himself being pulled towards her. Silently, he crept up behind her with only inches separating them. It was almost comical how easily he could take advantage of her at any moment now, this naïve girl. As he towered over her, Sasuke felt a rush of power and excitement course through him. She seemed so fragile and delicate that he was sure he could break her if he grasped too firmly. Slowly, he leaned in to whisper in her ear.
"How did you know green tea was my favorite?" his voice came out soft and sweet as honey. He got the reaction he was expecting when she whirled around in surprise. She did not get very far since Sasuke was standing pressed behind her and she squeaked from his sudden close proximity. The tip of her nose brushed his collarbone and the soft touch sent shivers down his back.
"Uhm," she stuttered and kept her eyes firmly fixed to his shoulder in embarrassment, "I didn't... actually. It's the only one I have."
He gave her a smooth grin and leaned in more. He watched in delight as her cheeks flushed a wonderful pink color when he wrapped an arm around her. As his face was just a breath away from hers, he suddenly took a step back with a cup of tea in hand.
"Thank you for the tea," he smirked further and brought the drink to his lips.
"Sure…" she spurted and grabbed the tray with the rest of the tea. She cleared her throat and motioned back towards the porch. "Shall we?"
He smoothly grabbed the tray from her hands and continued to walk to the backyard before placing it on the floor. To his delight, she sat close beside him and quietly sipped her tea. He did not want to push her anymore than he already had so he simply drank his tea and watched her from the corner of his eye. She seemed deep in thought as she gazed up at the moon. Her lilac eyes were distant and contemplative. Sasuke felt as if she were far away; she must have been thinking of the past. Clouds slowly crept in front of the moon and again he had that feeling that she was air. For a second, she seemed to disappear from his sight entirely. Sasuke blinked again and she was there, cup in hand. His eyes must have been playing tricks on him.
"Why did you come for me? Back then, I mean," she prodded gently. "You left. How did you know where to find me? And why did you even help?"
Wordlessly, Sasuke pressed closer to her on the porch. She leaned away cautiously as he neared.
"Do you always ask so many questions?" he replied.
"Only when I want honest answers," she squeaked in embarrassment.
Sasuke could not help but smirk at her frankness. Most women were only genuine in their desire for him. He did not meet many people that seemed more interested in him as a person. Sasuke stayed away from such people; he had to.
"What if I said I was hoping to see you again?" he replied smoothly. She pursed her lips and frowned slightly at his answer.
"Then you'd be lying," she grimaced in clear disappointment at his response. "'Honest', remember? The days are too short to pretend like everything is okay when it's not."
He did not have a response for that. He remained silent as he just continued to stare at her. Like he anticipated, she began to squirm from the awkward air between them.
"If it's too uncomfortable to say, I'm sorry," she rambled. "I... I don't get out often. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I want to at least try to get to know someone new." In remorse and apology, she placed her small hand on his shoulder to assure him she was being sincere. He flinched at her touch and she immediately pulled her hand away. "Sorry!" she said hurriedly.
"No, its…" he trailed, "I'm fine. Sorry if I scared you," and he grimaced at his choice of words. He took another gulp of tea and shrugged. "I don't really talk to people much either. And you're right: it was a lie," Sasuke admitted.
"Okay," she acknowledged understandingly. "So if you weren't looking for me, then how did you find me?"
Sasuke paused before answering. He was not the kind of person to just open up and talk about his feelings or his life story. But here he was: drinking tea and chatting away with a girl for whom he had less-than-pure intentions. And yet he found himself honestly opening up to her. It was dangerous.
"I just did," he lied with a bitter taste in his mouth. "I saw you and it seemed to me like the situation was going from bad to worse. So I stepped in…" he mumbled off. He was suddenly so tired of lying all the time. He hoped that she would just take his excuse and leave it be. He glanced in her direction and it seemed like she was not buying his story. But thankfully, she remained silent and just nodded. "Why did you bring me here?" he questioned aloud.
This time, it was her turn to grimace. She began chewing on her bottom lip while looking for an answer. Sasuke was not angry at her but he could not fight the frustration he felt for allowing himself to be tempted in such an agonizing way. For a second he wished she could sense the tension that was suffocating the very air around them. Surely, she could feel the dangerous predicament she was in. He wanted her to run far from him. He wanted to drown himself in her naivety. There were so many warring conflicts raging inside of him that Sasuke grit his teeth in frustration. It took everything he had to keep from exploding in anger, in fear, in lust, in confusion. He figured this girl was sent straight from his nightmares to torment him. He questioned why tonight, of all nights, he had to run into her.
"I guess I just..." she trailed off and refused to meet his gaze.
A sudden breeze began to pick up on the moonlit porch and the candle lights flickered ominously. They cast long, dark shadows across the torn look on her face. For a split second, Sasuke felt a chill run deep in his bones and his gut dropped in unease. He glanced around as the leaves started swirling in the yard and the night suddenly felt darker.
"It's been so long..." she murmured, "since I've had someone to really talk to."
He watched her as she put her cup of tea down.
"I was hoping I would see you again," she spoke. "I see you every year. You always look so sad and lonely. I've wanted to talk to you before but…" she immediately brought her hands up to cover her red face. "I can't believe I just said that!"
He chuckled at her antics and pried her hands away so he could look at her. Maybe it was the glow of the candles or the warmth from the tea but Sasuke felt captivated by her doe-like eyes. He almost felt as if she had intended to capture his very soul with those lavender eyes. His face was so close to hers now. Unable to stop himself, he leaned in to find out just how soft those pink lips looked.
With a gasp, she pulled away at the last second and the moment was broken. He saw her flutter her eyes and scoot farther from him in fear.
"Sorry," he dejectedly apologized. He was not used to be refused so strongly.
"No," she countered, "Its… It's not your fault. I never should have brought you here."
Sasuke felt a sharp pain in chest from her comment.
"But I am here," he replied firmly.
"I know but," she paused to find the right words, "You shouldn't be here. So many things could go wrong."
"Like what?" he argued. "I'm here. If you're having second thoughts about bringing me here then I can just leave. If that's what you want."
"No!" she squeaked. "Please don't leave. That's not what I mean."
Sasuke was getting tired of their game of cat and mouse.
"Well," he started, "what do you want?"
She bit her lip again and darted her eyes back and forth across the ground. Sasuke slumped back and leaned against a post waiting for her answer. After putting up with her silence, Sasuke sighed and sat up to leave.
"You want me, don't you?" she barely whispered. She kept her head down low and her eyes from his sight. If Sasuke had not been dying to hear those words spoken from her sweet lips he might not have heard her actually say them. But he did. And it set his skin ablaze. The rest of the world seemed to blur and all his attention and focus zeroed in on her. Slower than he would have liked, she inched her way towards him. Every subtle, careful movement she did made him twitch in eager anticipation. Her cold hand enclosed around his on the porch and suddenly her face was mere centimeters from his.
"If I let you have me," she murmured suggestively, "would you stay here? Will you stay by my side?"
Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat as his mouth ran dry. He almost forgot how to breathe. With a strength he did not know he possessed, Sasuke kept absolutely still once he felt her soft lips upon his. Her lips quivered as she gently kissed him but they were cold as ice. At first that confused him but all thoughts were pushed aside as her fingers tangled themselves in his hair.
"Stay with me, please," she begged against his lips.
He stifled a groan and fought to keep from wrapping his arms around her. That feat was getting more difficult and she was not making it easy on him either; he soon felt her climb onto his lap. Every one of his senses was attuned to her. The only thing he could feel was her: the weight, the lips, her soft pleas. Sasuke did not notice when the candles flickered out or when clouds began to cover the light from the moon. The house grew darker and still he was unaware.
"I've been so lonely," she confessed and he shivered from her cool breath brushing his ear, "I just want to feel again."
He could not fight it anymore; Sasuke snaked his arms around her and deepened their kiss. He did not protest as she pushed him against the floor and ran her hands down his chest. His hands latched to her waist as he let her have control. Lost in passion, he did not hear the walls of the house begin to creak ominously or notice when the floorboards started to rot beneath them. Glass shattered from one of the windows but he still paid no attention. All he wanted in that moment was to feel her.
Sasuke rolled over to hover above her and pressed her lips to the skin of the neck. Her purr was lost amongst the wind that had begun to pick up and suddenly the walls were closing in on couple. The clouds rolled back to let the moonlight shine once again and he glanced to get a good look at her expression. Her eyes were dull and gray and sunken in the hollows of her face. Her lips were devoid of color and her skin went from a milky white to a ghastly pale. The hair that haloed around her head was the color of ash and clung to her skull in thin patches. He was holding a corpse in his arms.
Sasuke jumped off of her in shock and the candles instantly relit.
"What?" she questioned, her lips full and her eyes bright. Sasuke studied her face in suspicion and fear and made every effort to not miss a single detail. Lavender eyes, midnight hair, glowing skin. Everything was there. But what had he just seen? Carefully, as if approaching an injured animal, she reached for him but Sasuke backed further away from her. His reaction seemed to sting her and she flinched at his response. In understanding, her eyes began to tear.
"I'm so sorry," she said as the first tear spilled down her cheek. "Please don't be scared."
"What was that?" he hissed in caution. More tears ran down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry," she apologized again. "I thought that's what you wanted to do."
"I'm not talking about that," he argued, "I saw…"
"You saw what?" she asked.
"I saw," he repeated to himself. She seemed so alive as she darted her eyes across him to wait for his answer. For the first time in a long time, Sasuke was afraid. But her innocence was real; he tasted it. The person he held and the girl before him seemed like two completely different people. Sasuke did not know what to think anymore.
In defeat, her face sagged, "You can go if you want now. I won't ask you to stay."
Despite her word, and his better judgment, Sasuke stayed rooted to the spot. She seemed so harmless now. The tears flowing down her face were real and sincere. A part of him wanted to leave but another part of him wanted to stay. Instead of rising he sat up straighter and forced his nerves to calm down.
"Do you want me to go?" he questioned purposefully.
She did not lift her head up to answer him, "Only if that's what you want."
"What do you want?" he repeated more straightforwardly.
"I…" she hesitated, "I want your company… That's all. I don't want you to be scared."
"Okay," he replied. "Give me a reason not to be."
Her ears perked up at his challenge and she pursed her lips in thought. She twiddled with her fingers nervously and decided to scoot away from him to give him some room.
"It's just for tonight," she came up with. "I won't bother you anymore after tonight, I promise."
"That's not exactly convincing," he deadpanned. His answer brought a small, amused smile on her face.
"Well," she tried to lighten the mood, "What answer do you want to hear?"
"How about that you're as dangerous as a butterfly and that you would sooner burst into flames than harm something," he suggested, playing off her tone. A light giggle escaped from her lips.
"Fine," she agreed, "I would sooner burst into flames than harm something."
"What about the butterfly?" he glared.
"I don't think there's a single person that's as harmless as a butterfly," she countered. "I'm no exception. And neither are you."
He smirked at her wit and shook his head at how easy it was to redirect the situation they were in. The next few hours ticked by in a flurry of questions and answers, stories and secrets. They stayed away from discussing the heated moment they shared together and the fear that followed. But Sasuke felt as if a weight had lifted from his shoulders after so many years of deceit and isolation just by talking to her. She related to his tales of walking alone on this earth without anyone to open up to out of pure necessity. He was grateful she never asked why he needed to be alone all the time; he returned the favor by not asking her the same thing. Sasuke wondered how he had failed to notice her until tonight if she had always been watching him for years now.
"I normally try not draw attention to myself," she answered him. "I don't like to stick out."
"You don't do a very good job," he teased and she hit him lightly on the arm. He chuckled at her feeble attempt and glanced at the dark sky above. "It's pretty late. Aren't you tired?"
"No," she admitted softly, "I'd rather stay up talking with you."
"What if I'm tired?" he sarcastically joked. Instead of the quip he was expecting, she brought her gaze solemnly down and smiled to herself.
"Then I wouldn't stop you from leaving," she promised gently. He frowned at her grim answer and cautiously moved closer to her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," she automatically replied. Not satisfied, he leaned in closer and was completely serious now.
"Tell me," he tried to get her to open up to him, "What's wrong?"
"I don't… I don't want to sleep," she answered simply.
"Why?"
"I just," she bit back the words, "I'm just scared for what comes next."
"What are you scared of?" he asked softly and tried to understand her.
"I don't want to go to sleep," she whispered fearfully again. Her eyes welled up with tears and Sasuke wiped away each one that fell.
"Why?" he found himself whispering back and cradled her face in his hand.
"Because I know you won't be here when I wake up," she sorrowfully closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.
He did not say anything for a long time; he continued to stroke the soft skin of her face. When she finally opened her eyes again, Sasuke could see his reflection in her glossy, wet gaze. He almost did not recognize the man in her eyes. This man was gentle. This man was peaceful. Sasuke had not been any of those things for years.
"I could stay," he murmured in a voice so small he was sure she did not hear it.
"But you won't," she wept and buried her face in the crook of his neck. He leaned back against the post behind him to support both of their weight and cradled her in his arms. Sasuke comfortingly stroked her back as she continued to cry. It was sad; the despair in her voice was so certain. All he could do was hold her.
"Sasuke," he suddenly spoke.
"What?" she hiccupped and lifted her head to look at him.
"My name is Sasuke," he repeated.
"Sasuke," she sounded out.
"Yeah," he answered with a subtle smile. It felt so good to hear her say it. "You can tell me yours when you wake up in the morning. I'll stick around to find out then."
The look on her face was priceless. Who would have thought such a simple promise could bring so much hope in her eyes? And yet, the sadness still lingered.
"Okay," she agreed and laid her head back on his shoulder.
For hours they just clung to each other until they finally succumbed to the emotional exhaustion of the night. Before losing consciousness Sasuke took one last glance at the girl in his arms. Her breathing was light and her tear-stained cheeks were still red. He took the moment to memorize the soft features of her face before sighing contently and held her closer to him. The last thing he remembered before closing his eyes was the steady sound of her heartbeat.
…
The brightening of dawn made Sasuke stir and then had him opening his eyes to the mauve sky. The sun was coming up. The tea had gone cold from the chilly, autumn air. He stretched from his stiff position on the porch and suddenly realized the girl was no longer beside him. He bolted to his feet and immediately searched every corner of every room.
But she was gone. The house was empty.
...
R&R but please – no flames. I'm not a marshmallow. Look forward to the epilogue. It will tie up some loose ends. Hope you had a Happy Halloween!
-SweetVenom16