A loud gasp and an inhale of sharp air broke the peaceful silence that had enveloped the moonlit room only seconds ago.

Huffing and puffing's erupted from his lungs immediately after he had whipped his body upward, his bones crackling without warning from the extreme movement. His exhalations were like gusts of air, strong enough to billow a ships sails, followed by sucking in air so fast he was hardly breathing.

Sasuke's body spasmed violently as his body went into a full-on panic attack. His body splayed unnaturally with the sudden start of waking from the drip-drip-drip of blood that had been so vivid in his dream. He clutched at his head, tore at his hair, and dug his nails into his scalp just to know, just to feel that he was alive, that it had only been a dream…

But the visions wouldn't stop. His eyes widened with fright. He let out an inaudible scream that rocked his core. His scream didn't need to be heard for Sakura to wake though.

As soon as Sasuke had awoken, she had too. It was hard not for them to wake up at the same time. However, this wasn't their usual good-morning smiles, and cuddles, and kisses…

Sasuke had had another nightmare.

Sakura instantly knew what had happened the second her eyes had snapped open. Another Uchiha clan massacre related dream – they had been recurring more often, or perhaps sharing the same bed with him let her see first-hand how often his nightmares were actually occurring. Regardless, they happened often enough that she had her routine perfected to a T when it came to calming his tortured soul.

Sasuke wasn't looking at her; she knew he couldn't. He was paralyzed by the nightmare that still haunted his mind. She hurriedly turned a lamp on so that he could see his surroundings clearly.

"S-S-Sakura…"

"I know angel…"

Sakura tenderly grabbed his shaking hands, comforting his trembling fingers within her own. Moving slowly, and tenderly shushing his quivering's, she placed one hand on his temple and began channelling chakra into it, banishing all bad spirits and energies that plagued his mind.

Sasuke made small noises in anguish, begging Saukra to make the dreaming stop. His whimpering's made her heart sink, and pushed her to quicken her pace. She placed her other hand on his other temple to speed up the healing process.

Moments later, the panic had subsided. Sasuke was now flopped over onto Sakura's lap, sobbing apologies into her night gown. Sakura hushed him, and gently stroked his raven black hair, watching each tendril glint in the moonlight with every brush. Her hushing's were soothing, but Sasuke felt like a burden, and guiltily clutched the folds of her clothing tighter and tighter, hoping she wouldn't float away into the night like dust.

Sakura laid Sasuke down to bed once again, finally turning the lamp off. He breathed a sigh of relief, and shuddered at the faint memory of oozing red that had frozen him stiff half an hour ago. Panic had finally been replaced with tranquility.

He rolled to his right to see bright green orbs peeking up at him. Sakura had already rolled around to meet him before he had even made a decision to.

He allowed himself to offer her a small smile before grasping at her smooth shoulders, imploring her to come near to him. She happily obliged, but was startled when something blocked her movement as she attempted to inch closer to Sasuke.

She looked up and blinked, met by Sasuke's index finger placed on the middle of her forehead.

Tap.

Sakura's heart skipped a beat.

And then it skipped a few more, as the world seemed to fall into oblivion around her, where there was nothing left but her, and him.

A poke was nothing, but from him… it was everything.

The gesture was so intimate, and Sakura couldn't help but feel as though she were melting – her body flushing so hot from emotion that it felt as though she were on fire, with Sasuke being her kindling that kept it aflame. A fire that burned brightly and never wavered, keeping her warm even through cold. Because Sasuke…he was fire beneath ice, his passion hidden beneath his cool exterior. A passion that he reserved only for her.

"Thank you…" He breathed.

Sakura was speechless.

Sasuke momentarily released Sakura, and began taking his now sweat-drenched robe off, letting it fall onto the floor. He kicked the blankets off of himself and turned towards her once again. He looked into her eyes, and with a firm nod and a smile from his beloved, he began taking Sakura's robe off as well to join his on the floor.

Sasuke wrapped his naked body around Sakura's, pressing his hips against hers and pressing their chests together.

Even though it was dark, Sasuke could tell Sakura was blushing. He chuckled and tenderly kissed the place where he had poked moments ago. They sighed together in content and began breathing in sync, but with the night's warmth keeping them awake their breaths soon quickened as they lost themselves to each other in the heat of the night.

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, and replaced the soft white light of the moon with a haze of purple through Sasuke and Sakura's bedroom window. Sakura grumpily rolled to the other side of the bed, moaning and pouting until Sasuke had bravely let down the curtain.

Once returned to bed, Sasuke wrapped a strong, muscled arm around Sakura's still bare waist, and pulled her backside into his hips, wrapping a thigh in between hers. He breathed into her neck and nuzzled it softly, mumbling about being ready for sleep again.

Sakura smiled, and turned her head to meet his lips. A mess of pink and black hair tangled together with the movement. Sasuke gently brushed a strand out of her face, and caressed her soft cheek as they grinned at each other.

They both knew that he never expressed his love conventionally… a glare, a push out of the way of danger, a whisper, sometimes complete silence, sometimes a poke…

Nothing was ever conventional with him.

But that's what Sakura loved about Sasuke the most. And it was moments like these that made her love him even more.

After sleepily yawning, the pair began drifting off to sleep together – Sasuke knowing that with Sakura right next to him the nightmares would stay away for now.

But, with Sakura flailing wildly as she talked in her now deep sleep, Sasuke smiled and thought to himself as his eyelids drooped heavily for the last time,

Nothing was ever conventional with her either.