The air, despite being snuggle-worthy warm, had a crisp dryness that could only be brought on by winter. The fire was lit and the world outside was white and cold. Sakura sat on the old love seat that occupied her living room, in front of her was a large, low table made from fake, gaudy, yellow, wood.

She was snuggled in old worn sweatpants, fuzzy socks, and an overly large sweater that smelled of her lover. Her eyes were focused and her pink hair was pulled back out of her face by a delicate but practical hair clip that was gifted to her just last week, for Christmas.

Along with the hair clip she had also received a one thousand piece puzzle. Her hands had a quick and precise quality that could only be obtained by years of practice. The puzzle was spilled out onto the table and her fingers sorted the pieces into the top and bottom parts of the box that originally carried them; edge pieces in the top and non-edge pieces in the bottom.

Sakura was almost half way through the the large pile when she heard the slap of wet feet on hard wood. She glanced behind her to see her boyfriend emerge from a hallway. He wore low hanging sweats, the grey edge of his boxer-briefs just visible because he wasn't wearing a shirt. A towel in one hand that rubbed at his head to dry his long hair while the other gripped a softball sized lump of clay.

"Nice shower?" Sakura asked, her voice warm and almost playful.

He gave her a devilish smirk. "Would have been better if you'd join me." He had reached the couch and bent over the back to capture her lips with his own. She gave a heavenly sigh.

"Next time, Dei." It was a promise. "There's soup on the stove."

He tossed the ball of clay onto the the corner of the table where it wouldn't be in her way. "Thanks Babe." There was a pause as he walked to the kitchen, separated from the living room only by a large island. "Hmmm, chicken noodle. You spoil me."

She smiled to herself as she looked back at the puzzle and continued to separate the pieces.

Deidara brought a large bowl of soup to the couch so he could snuggle next to Sakura as he consumed it. When finished he set the bowl to the side on the floor and picked up the clay then stretched out behind sakura on the couch. She was already perched on the edge, green eyes focused on the pieces infront of her. When she finished sorting the pieces she placed the bottom part of the box on the floor, on the opposite side of the couch as Deidara's bowl. The top section followed quickly behind once the edge pieces were dumped back onto the table.

Deidara worked the clay into the shape of a bird before squishing it back into a ball, only to form it into a sleeping cat. He did this over and over as Sakura worked the few edge pieces into strait lines. They listened to the crackle of the fire and light, quiet music that had been put on before Deidara had gotten into the shower. When she was finished there were only two gaps in the border caused from pieces she must have missed in the original sorting, she would find the missing links eventually. As she reached over for the inside pieces she glanced at the clock hanging on a wall. It was a quarter till midnight, she had work in the morning because death waited for no one. She let out a sigh. It was time for bed.

"Hey, Dei-" he was asleep. She smiled to herself and leaned forward, over him. She kissed his collar bone, just at the edge of a tattoo that darkened his peck, then worked her way up his neck, along his jawline and to his mouth. Somewhere along the way he had woken with a moan and met her lips eagerly. When she pulled away to tell him it was time for bed his hands came up to bring she closer once more. One wrapped tightly around her waist squishing her to him, and the lump of clay that had been left on his chest as he slept. The other moved along her neck and into her hair, where is squeezed lightly, just the way she liked. She moaned into his mouth, ignoring the coldness seeping into her chest from the clay. Deidara held her there a long moment and when he released her, she was panting.

Sakura lifted herself off of his chest and scraped the clay off them both and placed it on the table. The sweater was quickly lifted over her head and fell to the floor half way between the couch and the hallway, where she left it. Feeling Deidara's eyes on her as she crossed into their bedroom she dropped her hair clip onto the dresser then dropped her pants, that took her socks with them, leaving her in nothing but her panties. As she climbed into the bed she heard his footsteps on the wood, she smiled and turned to him as he also dropped his pants just inside the door. It was time for bed, but sleep would have to wait.

Review please