Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters because Masashi Kishimoto does! I do not own the song being used either, it belongs to Olivia Lufkin.
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[Winter Sleep]
Will you hold me now? Hold me now,
My frozen heart
I'm lost in deep winter sleep
I can't seem to find my way out alone
Can you wake me?
[OLIVIA]
"Sasuke-kun?"
.
"What?"
..
"Why do people hate winter?"
...
"Because it's cold."
..
"Eh? That's so silly!"
.
". . . Hn."
.
..
.
Contrary to many people's belief, spring was never my preferred season. Though my hair, eyes, and even my name gave off the mood of spring, it just wasn't what I loved most.
Ever since I was young, winter had always been my favorite season. Despite the coldness and the ice and the wind, I'd always managed to see the true beauty behind it's frostiness.
Unfortunately, not everyone saw it like I could. Though people were excited for the holiday season, they constantly complained about how chilly it was. I've always felt bad for winter because it seemed like the most hated season and honestly, I never understood why.
Whenever I asked someone why they hated winter, the answer was always the same. It's just too cold. If there was a way to show them how great winter could be, I would definitely try to change their minds. But whenever I did get the opportunity, they would never think differently and I would feel defeated because they never gave winter a chance.
It was absolutely ridiculous. Even though at times I did get annoyed by the icy weather, it was never enough for me to resent it.
But it was so funny. The only people who did understand my love for winter were the children in my village. But how could they not?
Sometimes I would walk to the park, sit on a bench, and watch them play. Their laughter and screams of joy were always comforting after hearing relentless comments from others about winter. At times like these I would wish that I was a child once again. Just having fun and playing in the snow to my hearts content. Building snowmen, making snow angels, having snowball fights, but really, just enjoying what winter offered.
Honestly, I was always baffled when someone would tell me their favorite season was summer. Summer was blazing hot and yet so many adored the scorching season. Again, it was ridiculous.
If I wasn't so stubborn then I probably wouldn't have cared. But winter meant so much to me. If you just watched the winter sky, you would see one by one, snowflakes gracefully falling down from the heavens and you would know how I feel. If you just saw the village, you would see how beautiful it would look as holiday lights would adorn buildings, shining brightly during the night and you would know how I feel. If you just pressed yourself against a cold window and breathed, you would see a fog and after drawing a picture on it, you would know how I feel.
Really, it was the simple things. But no one could see it.
Whenever winter ended, I would always be disappointed because no one would see winter for what it really was.
And I would cry.
..
He was known as winter. She was known as spring.
But she loved winter, and wanted to be in it forever.
And he? He didn't know what he wanted anymore.
..
It was a cold winter day, the snow was falling heavily as it began to pile up on the ground. Children were seen playing happily, parents were seen grumpily shoveling away, and he was seen just passing by.
He always made it a habit to go the park whenever it snowed. He never understood why, but his legs would always lead him there without realization.
But soon after arriving, he would always regret it.
She was always there, sitting on the bench he would sit on whenever the snow came. It was annoying but he would sit there anyway despite her presence.
Though he would try his best to ignore her, his efforts were always proved useless.
"Hello Sasuke-kun!"
And he would never respond.
"It's snowing quite a bit isn't it? I wonder how many feet of snow it will be."
". . ."
He sat there quietly pretending he wasn't listening.
"Hm, I wonder what Naruto is doing. He's probably sleeping in bed," she laughed.
Her laughter echoed in his mind as they sat there in silence.
"Ne, Sasuke-kun?"
Though he was facing forward, his slight glance towards her made it clear he was listening.
"Did you know people call you winter?"
". . ."
"They say you're so cold and bitter and emotionless, just like winter."
He sat there closing his eyes. She was really getting on his nerves.
"But I do have to agree with them," His fists clenched in annoyance as he tried his best to calm himself down.
What an annoying girl.
"You are just like winter Sasuke-kun."
With that she got up and left him there sitting alone.
Somehow it seemed colder.
The next time it snowed he didn't go to the park. Instead he stayed at home sitting on the couch looking out the window as the snow came down.
Frost was forming on the window making it hard for him to see the outside world. But he continued to stare anyway.
For the past couple of days, the conversation he had with her wouldn't leave his mind. No matter how hard he wanted to forget their stupid conversation, her voice would always pop up when he least expected it.
Sighing in frustration, he put on a jacket and scarf and left the house.
He needed a walk to clear his mind.
Though it was getting dark, the snow still kept on falling though it wasn't as much as the previous time. He decided he would go to the park like always since he didn't really want to break his routine. He felt somewhat content though, thinking that she wouldn't be there since it was almost nightfall.
But she was there like always.
"I was wondering when you were going to show up."
He mentally slapped himself. Of course she would be there despite the fact that he wasn't there earlier. Really, what an annoying girl.
"But I knew you would, you always come here when it snows."
He wanted to walk back home, he really did, but instead he just stood in place a few feet behind the bench she was sitting at.
The girl turned around, a small smile appearing on her thin delicate face. It was very evident that she had been waiting there for a long time. Her soft pink hair was filled with hundreds of snowflakes, her cheeks were very bright and flushed, and her tiny body was shivering intensely from the cold.
He sighed in defeat as he reluctantly walked to the bench and sat on it.
Maybe then she will leave.
"I love it when it snows. It's so peaceful and pretty, I could watch the sky for hours."
He laughed in his mind. That's what she probably did the whole day as she waited for him.
"Don't you think?"
He turned his head towards her. Their eyes meeting for a brief second before she turned her head back, looking up at the sky.
"It's been getting busier recently at the hospital; there are a lot of people coming in since it is that time of the year."
". . ."
"I hope you stay well though, I wouldn't want you to get sick or else we wouldn't be able to meet up like this."
Did she really think he came here just to see her? He wanted to object to her statement but thought otherwise. Let her live off her fantasies.
They remained silent as they continued to watch the snow fall.
However, her shivering became more apparent the longer they sat there. He couldn't concentrate with her moving so much. It was beginning to annoy him.
He was never one for physical contact and he wasn't planning to start right there. Instead, he took off his scarf and placed it around her neck. Hopefully it would make her warmer so that she would stop trembling so much.
She smiled in appreciation as she snuggled into his scarf, enjoying its warmness.
After a few more minutes she got up still smiling that bright annoying smile.
"Thank you Winter-kun."
After she left, he stayed there a while longer before leaving.
Winter-kun? What a stupid name he thought.
He realized after, she took his scarf.
When he saw her surprisingly, it wasn't at the park. It wasn't snowing that day but it was still really cold out.
She was wearing his scarf.
"Well if it isn't Winter-kun? What a surprise to run into you here!" she smiled up at him.
He grimaced. It wasn't really that much of a shock since it was just a grocery store. He only wanted to stock up on his tomatoes.
She on the other hand had lots of sweets in her basket.
He ignored her as he continued to pick out the juiciest tomatoes he could find. It was hard though with her stares and all.
"Eh? Why are you getting so many tomatoes?"
". . ."
"Hehe I didn't know you liked tomatoes so much."
Really, he wasn't in the mood to deal with her. He randomly picked out a bunch more before he proceeded to head to the check-out line.
She followed behind still grinning.
He paid and then left, hoping to get away from her as quickly as he could. Somehow, though it really shouldn't have been a surprise, she caught up to him.
"So, what are you planning to do with all those tomatoes?"
He didn't answer just continued walking to his house. They continued walking a bit more before the sound of her footsteps suddenly stopped.
Pausing for a moment, he turned around to see if she left but there she was, casting her sights at the ground.
"Won't you prove them wrong Winter-kun?" she whispered out.
Honestly, he had no idea what she was talking about. He didn't want to waste his time so he turned around and began to walk again.
She shouted, "Why won't you do it?"
Though he should've felt guilty, he didn't. He didn't do anything. Who cares if she was crying? He had no idea why she was so upset; she was so confusing at times.
But most importantly, she was annoying.
If he were some other guy he probably would've stayed, but he wasn't some other guy. He left her there continuing on to his house.
She wasn't at the park the next time it snowed. He was somewhat relieved. But then again, he was somewhat disappointed as well.
He couldn't understand it though, why was he thinking this way. It just made no sense, no sense whatsoever.
He sat there contemplating to himself if it was because of their last encounter. Sure he did feel really bad for leaving her there once he got home, but it wasn't his problem to deal with.
She was just being plain weird as usual; saying things that didn't make sense and making him listen to all of it.
Won't you prove them wrong Winter-kun?
What in the fucking world did she mean by that? She was too annoying for words. If she decided to come there now he would leave immediately. He really didn't need anymore confusions; she already gave him so much of it.
Though the park was supposed to help calm him down, it seemed it only made things worse. He decided to leave hoping it would prevent him from thinking so much of his frustrations.
It was really pathetic of him to get so worked up about a stupid thing an annoying girl had said.
He hoped he wouldn't see her for a while. Maybe then he would stop thinking about what she had said.
And she could keep his damn scarf for all he cared.
Lucky for him, his wish came true. He didn't see her at all after that. Not at the grocery store, not at the hospital, not even at the park when it snowed.
He should've felt happy.
He should've felt relieved.
He should've felt so many things.
But nothing would come.
Though her voice was harder to remember, he could still picture her sitting there next to him on the bench.
However, her presence was not there.
It was not the same.
And he liked things the same, unchanging. She was breaking his routine and it annoyed him.
It wasn't until winter was almost over did he see her again. He continued going to the park despite the fact if she wasn't there.
Maybe it was so that he could see if she showed up or not.
She was slouched on the bench, legs brought up to her chest as she laid her head down on her knees.
She wasn't wearing his scarf.
It was supposed to be one of the last days it snowed. Maybe this will be the last time he will see her.
He walked up to the bench and saw his scarf on the place he usually sat.
Was she finally returning it to him?
She started to talk.
"Why hello there Winter-kun?"
Why would she call him that?
"I just wanted to return your scarf back to you." Her voice was somewhat muffled since her face was buried between her knees.
"You know winter is almost over?"
He said nothing, but started getting annoyed.
"Isn't that sad? It won't snow anymore. . ."
". . ."
"It won't snow anymore Winter-kun."
He glared at her, why was she saying all these things?
"And it's really upsetting. You didn't prove them wrong, not at all Winter-kun."
Anger started building up and he didn't even know why.
For the first time he said something back.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"You know exactly what I'm talk—
"No I don't Sakura. I don't know what the fuck you're talking about!" He was confused and hurt and just enraged.
"But you're Winter-k—
"My name is not Winter, Sakura."
They stayed silent before she started talking again.
"Did you know people call you winter?"
". . ."
"They say you're so cold and bitter and emotionless, just like winter."
She finally looked up him, tears flowing down her face.
He would have felt bad if he was emotionally stable, but his frustration just couldn't be tamed.
"Yes I fucking know Sakura! I know I'm just like winter! What did you expect?"
"I just wanted you to prove them wrong."
". . ."
She wanted him to prove them wrong. But how could he? He was cold, he was bitter, he was emotionless.
He was winter.
"I can't be someone I'm not. That's who I am."
"But you're so much more than that Sasuke-kun."
Sasuke-kun. It's been a while since she said his name. It sounded nice.
"Though you may be cold, bitter, and emotionless, you are other things too." He stared at her.
"You are kind, you are thoughtful, and you do care."
He didn't know how to answer, so he didn't.
"I just wanted to let you know you are so much more. More than anything anyone could say about you. I just wanted you to see that and prove everyone wrong."
". . ."
"I see you Sasuke-kun, I do."
She picked up his scarf, wrapped it around his neck, and left.
Seasons passed by and before he realized it, it was winter again.
He hadn't seen her since the day she returned his scarf back. It upset him though, it really did.
Though he refused to show it in front of others, whenever he passed by the park and saw the bench, he would think of her and his heart would clench.
He was hoping it would snow soon so that maybe he could see her again.
They said it was going to be another snow-less winter. No winter wonderland, yet again. How ironic he thought it was.
It seemed he finally figured out what he wanted, but fate just wouldn't give it to him.
He was hoping this time he could finally prove them wrong. But now, he thought otherwise.
Where was she?
Why wasn't she here?
He sat on the bench at the park even if it wasn't snowing.
He continued to wait just as she did that time long ago.
It finally snowed. And like he promised himself, he was there at the park, sitting on the bench waiting for her.
It had been awhile since he wore the scarf he let her borrow. But he did since it was snowing.
He heard someone approaching the bench.
"It's been a while hasn't it Sasuke-kun?"
He didn't turn around though; he didn't want it to be his mind playing tricks on him again. But he responded.
"Am I not Winter-kun anymore?" He could almost picture her smiling.
"Of course you'll always be Winter-kun."
He heard the sound of someone sitting on the bench and decided to look.
There she was, still with that bright annoying smile.
He wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to hold her close to, to feel her just to make sure she was real. But he was scared. He didn't want it to be a dream.
They continued to look at each other before he broke off the gaze.
Hesitantly, he untied part of the scarf around his neck and wound it around hers.
They sat there at the park, on the bench, sharing a scarf as it continued to snow.
"Do you think winter is really cold?"
.
"Eh?"
..
". . ."
...
"No, I don't."
..
". . . Why?"
.
"Because I have Winter-kun to keep me warm."
[Winter Sleep]
Will you hold me now? Hold me now,
My frozen heart
Please make it all go away
Am I ever gonna feel myself again?
I hope I will
[OLIVIA]
Sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes. If you find any please tell me so I could fix it.
Leave a review and tell me what you think please. Thanks for reading!
~七転八起