Shakespeare

a SasuSaku oneshot

by tanikara kohitsuji

Sakura Haruno waited for her train from the dry safety of the platform. She huddled into her coat, grateful for the protection from the biting February rain falling. She shivered a little, hunkering down into her coat a little better. She moved closer to the edge, peering into the evening gloom for the headlights of the train. Why was it always late when it rained?

As she leaned out, she saw someone come onto the platform about three poles down. Grateful for the company, and maybe just insane from frustration, she shifted her purse on her shoulder before jogging down to join him. As she passed by the little ticket booth, she subtly checked her reflection in the windows. No need to look like an insane woman.

She turned her gaze back to the mystery person and felt her heart catch somewhere in her throat. He was gorgeous. Leaning up against a pole, his long, lean body was perfectly presented to the admiring female gaze. His dark bangs shadowed his eyes slightly and framed his pale face. In contrast though, the back stuck up in a mess of spikes that just begged for a hand to run through them. His eyes were fixed on the tracks, adding to that brooding image.

Sakura's green eyes skimmed down his broad shoulders, covered in a black trench coat (damn, that guy made them hot again…). Dark wash jeans that hung just low enough on his hips to be tempting, but tight enough that there was no danger of them hitting in the ground. One tight black muscle shirt (double damn, that boy had some abs!) finished his bad boy attire.

As she drooled over this fine, fine specimen of the male species, he turned his gaze away from the tracks and to her. He stared at her as well, eyes widened slightly. They stood there for several moments, sizing each other up.

"I'm Sakura Haruno," the pink-haired girl said before she even realized it. She wanted to clap her hands over her mouth to keep herself from doing anything else stupid, but at the same time, she wanted to just keep talking to this mysterious guy.

"Sasuke," he said after a minute or so. "Sasuke Uchiha."

Even his voice was to die for! Perfect for sending shivers cascading deliciously down Sakura's spine.

"So… what train are you waiting on?" she asked.

"Uptown," he responded flatly.

"What a coincidence!" she chirped. "So am I! Have you ever noticed this train is always late when there's any weather?"

Silence on his part. The part of Sakura that wanted to shut her up kept screaming about shutting up, but she couldn't stop this sick need, no, urge to fill the overwhelming silence. So she continued babbling.

"Because I have. It's really annoying. But it just proves that there're problems with our government and public services."

A smirk played over his lips. "Don't you know public transportation always sucks?"

She laughed, throwing back her head as her eyelashes kissed her porcelain cheeks. "You don't ride public transportation that much, do you?"

He chuckled a little. "Actually I do. The service isn't that bad usually. But the people…"

"Oh I know!" she exclaimed. "Like the ones who glare at you if you happen to have a big bag and it's crowded so you keep hitting them by accident?"

"Or the ghetto-wannabes who take up three seats when they slouch?" he suggested.

"And then the pregnant mothers have to stand because they don't have the decency to get up?"

"Completely unacceptable," he said.

They fell silent and Sakura failed to wipe the smile off her face, try as she might. The train pulled up a minute later and they both got on. The car was empty so they sat down together.

"So, what do you do exactly?" she asked.

"Like for work?" he clarified.

"Yeah."

"Confidential," he replied.

"Is it for the government or for a company?" she asked.

"Government."

"Oh, so that's why you didn't agree with my belief that the government has issues."

He laughed. "No, it does."

She looked over at him. "Like?"

"The fact that it's run by people. People are flawed therefore the government will always be flawed. And even if a computer ran the government, it would still be flawed—"

"Because flawed people created it," Sakura finished. "Very logical, Mr. Uchiha."

"I'm a very logical person," he responded with a smile. "Now, am I allowed to ask what you do for work or will you not answer because I didn't answer when you asked me?"

"You're allowed to ask. And I might feel inclined to answer."

"My lucky day," Sasuke said.

"I'm a pediatrician at Senju Clinic downtown."

"So you slugged through medical school."

"Yes. Top of my class as well."

"Pretty, funny, and smart. I think we have a trifecta," Sasuke joked dryly.

"You left out successful and friendly," Sakura teased.

"Ah, how tragic. You've broken it."

"I'm not that into perfection."

The next stop was announced and Sakura stood. "Well, fun as this has been, Sasuke Uchiha, I have to go home."

He stood as well. "I'll walk you home."

She raised a pink eyebrow at this. He adjusted his coat and headed toward the doors. "It's not the safest thing for a girl to be alone at this hour."

"Ah. Playing the gentleman. But how do I know I'm safe with you?"

"I work for the government."

"Which we both already know I don't entirely trust."

"I suppose, you'll just have to take the risk I could turn out to be some evil rapist."

"In which case, you've just blown your cover."

"How careless of me," he said as they stepped off the train platform.

The rain from earlier had turned into a light, gentle snow, wafting down to cover the ground. Flakes spiraled past them as they continued on in silence, as if both were averse to the thought of shattering the spell cast by the snowfall. Sakura slowed slightly to take it in, tilting her face skyward.

She was so absorbed watching the snowfall that she didn't notice how her companion had turned to study her profile. His gaze lingered on her bright bottle green eyes, then traced the gentle slope of her nose down to her temptingly full cherry lips. He took in the smooth ivory curve of her neck before it disappeared into her coat. And finally, Sasuke admired her petal pink hair, cropped in a practical chin length style. All in all, he had to admit she was a very attractive young woman.

Finally sensing his gaze, Sakura tore her eyes from the sky. "Beautiful, isn't it?" she asked with a smile that let him know she knew what he had been doing, but didn't entirely mind.

He smirked a little. "You or the snow?"

"Oh, so I'm suddenly an 'it'?" she asked.

"You were the one smirking," he said.

"I was not!" She shook her head. "I meant the snow. I think that's the one thing I like about winter rainstorms. There's always the chance, it'll become cold enough that it will become snow instead."

"So you like snow?" Sasuke guessed. He barely even realized he was reaching for her hand until their fingers brushed slightly.

Her shocked jade eyes met his, her mouth slightly agape at the contact. Sakura recovered though and responded. "I do. It remakes the world. It's so pure, so perfect after a snowfall."

"But it's only hiding the ugly dead grass," he pointed out. "When it melts, all the stuff it hides will be visible again."

"Maybe. But, for a little while, it lets us pretend. And besides it reminds us of our innocent childhoods."

"If you had one, it does." His expression seemed almost bitter for a moment.

"Well… let me ask you this, then." She ran a little ahead, before turning to face him. "What does the snow become when it melts?"

He stopped, looking into her eyes as he considered the question. This was a trick, right? It couldn't be the most obvious answer. This was a sort of riddle… maybe a test she was giving him. He focused back in on her expectant face and decided he had nothing to lose really. She was just a random stranger.

"Water," he said flatly. "Then it evaporates."

Her laugh rang out clearly in the crisp winter air. "No, silly." She turned around to continue walking down the street. "It becomes spring."

Sasuke stared after her for a moment, dumbfounded. He mulled it over, before realizing, that in a way, she was right. In a more hopeful, innocent way of seeing things, snow melted to become spring, a time of renewal and rebirth. With her outlook and coloring, he was beginning to wonder if he hadn't met the personification of spring itself. If she was spring, maybe she could bring him back to life as well.

"I never thought of it that way, Sakura," he said as he caught up to her. "But… I kind of like your way better than mine."

She smiled before coming to a stop. "Well, I do hope you look it like that more often now."

He stopped as well. "I will."

"I'm sorry to say this, but this is my house. So I'm afraid, we part ways here, Sasuke Uchiha."

He couldn't stop looking at her. Slowly, he leaned in, hypnotized. Sakura noticed, but somehow felt perfectly safe with him. Her long lashes fluttered closed as their breaths began to mingle. Then, after what seemed like an eternity to both of them, their lips finally brushed in a hesitant kiss.

Sakura pulled away, her eyes wide at the spark she had felt over the briefest, lightest kiss. That and the inexplicable knowledge that she was meant to be with this complete stranger. No reason, just a bone-deep certainty that she had kissed the only man for her.

Sasuke saw her dumbfounded expression and silently cursed himself. He had just blown it. "Sorry. I'll just be going." As he turned to go though, her hand caught his sleeve.

"Wait!" she said, a smile starting as he turned to face her again. "Before you go… I have to know. What do you like?"

He barely even considered his answer before speaking. "Isn't it obvious, Sakura Haruno? I like you."

She laughed as she put her arms around his shoulders. "Well, you're a very lucky man, Mr. Uchiha. I happen to like you too."

Then they kissed again as the snow fell around them. The night was silent around them as the world was coated in white. They were oblivious to the cold, somehow beginning to realize that this was the start of a very long, very wonderful relationship.

The End

A/N: Okay for those of you who didn't catch on from the title, this story was inspired/based off the song "Shakespeare" by Miranda Cosgrove. More the lyric plot than anything else. This took months of writing to finish, but I really do like the way it turned out. I focused on descriptions for a lot of this as well as witty dialogue.

I don't own Naruto or "Shakespeare." All right for those go to their respective owners.

And as a reminder, I do not do sequels to oneshots like this. So please, don't ask for one. Either write it yourself and let me know (credit in the piece and a note letting me know) or just live with the lack of continuance.