He knew. He knew that they would come. They always did.
He found it annoying sometimes.
He remembered his earlier days spent with her on missions. He remembered her stepping out into the battle, in the midst of the danger.
He found it annoying then.
He never wanted to see her get hurt, so he would move to grab her, to pull her to safety. But, sometimes, he would be too late and someone else would have that honor.
He found that annoying then.
He remembered seeing her sitting by the window, peeling apples for him and not for him. He liked it, but at the same time hated it.
He found that annoying then.
He saw her running out after the both of them, stepping into the battle, in the midst of the danger.
He found that annoying then.
He saw him jump in and grab their hands in the nick of time, throwing her out of danger, into the comfortable realm of safety. He felt relieved and yet wholly unsettled.
He found that annoying then.
He remembered seeing her that night, crying, crying for him, holding him back. He saw her walking towards him, walking behind him. He was behind her then and caught her. He saved her from falling. He placed her on the bench. He walked away. He had his chance to save her from something and would never see her again.
He found that annoying then.
He saw her a few years later, fifty feet below him. He was angry, seeing her out like this in the battle, in the midst of danger. He wondered, for a moment, if anything had changed since. So, he lunged at her, fully intent on killing her. He knew, though, he knew that would never happen. He knew someone would come because they always did. He was right and she was saved.
He found that annoying.
He saw her in front of him again, her back facing him. She had stepped into the battle, in the midst of the danger. He wondered, for a moment, if anything had changed. He lunged at her, fully intent on killing her. He knew, though, he knew that would never happen. He knew someone would come because they always did. She was thrown aside, out of danger and into the comfortable realm of safety. He felt relieved and yet wholly unsettled.
He found that annoying.
And here he was again with her facing him. She looked frightened and he just looked at her the same way he always did. He stood there, wondering silently to himself if anything had changed. He could see her lips move, mouthing his name, the ever-present affection in her words was not lost on him. Nothing had changed and he felt relieved. He threw his head back and looked to the sky, closing his eyes, waiting. She did the same but kept her eyes open.
The sky was changing.
"What are you waiting for, Sasuke-Kun?"
Her eyes did not move. Neither did his mouth.
"It looks like rain."
His eyes remained shut; as did his mouth. Her eyes closed and she let the rain fall on her closed lids, reveling in the sensation of the falling water.
"Sakura…"
He finally spoke and her head snapped down to look at his neck, still extended towards the sky. Slowly, very slowly, he brought his head back down to earth and opened his eyes. They were a dark, cloudy gray, swirling like the stormy sky above them. They turned a murky brown for a moment before coloring into a pure, undiluted red.
His eyes had changed.
He lunged at her, weapon in hand. She did not move and it annoyed him. He had changed just like the rest of the world and yet she still treated him the same way. She had stepped into the battle, in the midst of danger and treated it as nothing.
Because, to her, he had not changed.
He found that annoying.
He had her pinned against the cold mountainside. The rain poured down on them both in its undiscerning manner. She began to shiver and he pressed himself closer, offering warmth and the point of his sword. He brought himself closer and closer and pierced her skin and her heart. She coughed and sputtered and his heart dropped. She caught it as she fell to the ground, looking up at him, smiling.
She was annoying, and that had never changed for Sasuke.
He joined her on the ground, pulling his sword out of her. He then pulled her close and let her red shirt stain his to the same color. The rain poured on them both in its undiscerning manner, washing away the red from him and her. His eyes reverted back to their darkly swirling gray and hers remained green. The rain continued to beat down on them, pulling the red completely away from him, his shirt once again its pure white. Hers remained red.
He loved her, and that had never changed for Sasuke.
"They'll come, I know they will. They always do."
She coughed and sputtering, squeezing his heart as she smiled. The rained poured on her, it poured on him, in its undiscerning manner. The brown dirt beneath them was slowly stained to an undiluted red and yet her shirt had not changed colors.
"Nothing every changes, not with you. They will come, I know they will. They always do."
The rain continued to pour and she continued to smile and his heart continued to beat. He did not want hers to stop because that would be a change that neither of them could handle.
"Don't change, don't ever change."
He clung to her as tightly as she clung to his heart.
The rain stopped, but her smile didn't.
She would never change.
He knew. He knew that they would come. They always did.
"S-Sakura-Chan?"
They saw him lying on the ground next to her, holding onto her hand. She was facing him, smiling.
"Sasuke-Kun."
She smiled, squeezing his heart as she did.
Nothing would ever change.