The Springs of Winter
Author's Note: I wanted to try something new. I'm might make a story for each one for my favorite pairings under the anime/manga series, Naruto, for all the seasons. This one is for Sasuke and Sakura (of course), so enjoy.
RE-EDIT: I changed little bit parts I didn't like, hope you like it better
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
- - -
It was the spring season when they first met each other.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Sakura." The woman extended her hand out as a sign of greeting. "I will be your partner from here on out – let's make the best of it."
The man who was sitting down looked up to the woman who was standing. She had the most vibrant smile he had ever seen. He then looked at her and took it "Sasuke."
They agreed on making the best of their time together.
- - -
The agency was part of the world in its most secretive form. No common person knew of the darker side of the world underneath them – where intentional killings happened everyday. It was the world both Sakura and Sasuke grew up in.
The same day they met was the same day they first quarreled.
"Sakura! Jesus, don't you know how to aim?" Sasuke was tired and frustrated. Tired because the night before had been rough going solo, and frustrated because his new partner, and a new organization member, could not hold a gun properly nor shoot.
"Sasuke! I just told you, for the 100th time, I'm not a gunner! I'm a doctor! I save people! I don't kill them!" Sakura glared back at him. She was just as tired and frustrated. Tired because the night before, she was preparing for medications and on-going surgeries and performing them, and frustrated because she couldn't aim for her life.
Sasuke's head dropped before he stood up. "Okay, watch closely." Sasuke took the gun away from her while her eyes rolled. "The target is about 15 meters away. So you want to…"
Her eyes were droopy as she could hear him mumbling words. It was the sound of the gun that shook her. "Wow. Nice job. You just targeted it perfectly." She hoped her enthusiasm would help bring an end to the day, and a nice trip back home.
He glared at her even more. "Sakura, did you even hear what I just said?"
She sat down and curled on the floor. "Let me take a nap, and I'll possibly remember the first sentence or second."
Sasuke grumbled out loud. He never felt so flustered other than the times he spent with Naruto. "Sakura. If you're going to be my partner, you have to understand that my record is perfect – meaning, I've never failed a mission. I hate how they assigned you to me because I never had a permanent partner until now. You're a useless partner and you need to get off that lazy ass of yours and –" He kicked her lightly and realized that she already fell asleep.
He took a deep breath and thought 'exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale'. He squat down and looked over her face. He sighed again and sat down in front of her. He thought she looked more beautiful when she slept as well as peaceful. He noticed that some of her bangs fell onto her face. His immediate reaction was to brush it back to the side – he didn't notice that he did that until after.
He slapped himself in the face and stood up. "I need water." He left for a drink of cool liquid before grabbing a blanket and covering up the body still lying on the floor. He decided that if she could sleep, then he deserved it as well. With that, he lied on the floor slightly close to her body.
It was the first time she had been up close to a woman's body. He felt slightly disturbed when he had an urge to wrap his arms around with it knowing that it'll keep her warmer. To prevent that from happening, he distanced himself away from her. The flowers were beginning to bloom.
- - -
Sakura entered the bar with men looking at her in both directions. Wearing heels with tube dress would turn on most men. She searched for her target and when she did, she caught his eye. With a quick charmed smile, she turned to sit down at the bar.
Knowing she completed her part of the mission, she heard the man's footsteps walk over and sit down next to her. "Waiter. I'd like a dirty martini for me and this fine young lady next to me."
Sasuke cleaned the glass and nodded. Sakura gave him a brief glance before looking back at the man next to her. Ugly and as perverted as he was, he was a powerful man and she had to give him the best smile she could afford. "What's your name?"
He chuckled. "Lady's first."
She smiled. "Sakura. But I'm sure you won't remember it."
He stared at her weirdly, "and why is that?"
"Well there is plenty of girls back there waiting for you, sir."
"Call me, Zaku. And about the girl's back there, they're nothing compared to you."
She smiled at the compliment before being interrupted by Sasuke. "Here you go sir, and miss." He went back to clean glasses.
Zaku stared at him. "Are you new here?"
Sasuke looked up from the glass he was cleaning. "No sir. I've been working here for a long time. My shifts changed though."
Zaku looked to Sakura as she slowly sipped her drink. "Hey, babe. Why don't you drink this one?"
She looked at him thinking, "Oh shit, he's caught on. I knew it wouldn't be this easy." She laughed a little. "Is there something wrong with it?"
Zaku's eyes squinted a little. "Aren't you both funny? I come in here every night, and yet I've never seen both of you before. Suddenly, tonight, both of you show up here at the same time. Isn't this a coincident?" He snickered and pulled a gun from his pocket as screams went from throat to throat elsewhere.
"I think not." Sakura had her own gun right next to his brain. "I'll pull this trigger and you'll fall down like a helpless doll."
He smirked, "Aren't you a doll yourself? I should just shoot your partner first. What organization are you from? Both of you have guts to come to my place like this."
Sasuke stood there with crossed arms, completely unafraid of being shot. "That doesn't matter. Because in awhile you won't even remember who you are." He ducked when the first bullet came off at him. The glass shattered behind him.
Sakura quickly pulled the trigger, however, Zaku fell from his chair to avoid the blow. In retaliation, Zaku shot at her while she fled. Crowds of people screamed. She counted the number of people after her and him. "It's manageable."
Sakura quickly turned around to shoot the men who were running after her and Sasuke through the crowd. She did her best to avoid regular citizens while Sasuke ran after Zaku who went out through the back door. They both eventually caught up to each other on the rooftop. "The world will be better without you."
Zaku laughed out loud. "Who are you to say that? You just fired before innocent people. I can see the police racing within minutes."
"That's why you're going to die before then." He aimed at Zaku as Zaku aimed at him. Both seeing who's going to pull the trigger first. Both steadily and ready to fire, they both shot at the same time.
At the same time Sakura came running upstairs and through the door seeing Sasuke fall to his knees coughing blood out. "Sasuke!" She ran at full-speed to him and tried to hold him up. "Sasuke!"
"Stop shaking me. It hurts."
With streaming tears, she had the most sincere smile that made him wonder how she could smile like that. "I'm going to take you back to my home now. Stay with me, okay?"
His eyes became droopy while he nodded. Sasuke looked back at Zaku who was flat dead on the ground. Sakura brought him to the car with a towel wrapped around his wound. The siren of police rang in their eyes as the adrenaline built up.
Sakura stepped on the pedal – the car went racing on the streets so that she could reach back to her place in time to perform surgery if needed. She looked at him a couple time. Each time she looked, he looked a bit more drained but nonetheless quiet and peaceful.
She immediately brought him upstairs back to her place to work on his wound. She breathed as heavily as he did. He would occasionally swear when the pain was too much. She didn't have time to put him to sleep. Within a couple of hours, she was done. He had fallen asleep from all the pain.
And she was standing there looking at him while panting. "Was he not the most beautiful creature I'd had ever seen," she thought to herself. She rose from her chair to clean the blood on her hands. She returned to watch him. His chest rose up and down to circulate the air to his body.
She walked up closer to his body and examined his face. His body, before she even met him, was full of scars and body wounds that proved he fought hard in battle. His face was different from his body though. His face was light skinned and unscarred. She brushed her hand against his smooth face before slowly bending her head down to his face as their lips lightly brushed.
She quickly pulled back and stood up to walk over to couch. Exhausted from the day's work, she plopped down and went to sleep within minutes as she gazed back at him. She sighed happily and said out loud, "You're too beautiful." Outside, the snow started to fall.
- - -
In the morning, he woke up. He did his best to sit up as he gazed over the place. He was on a bed inside a room that had a sink and utensils for surgery. He walked over to a set of clothes in the corner and put them on. He slowly walked out, still in pain.
He looked out at the hallway, which was completely silent. He took steps out to the living room to find it empty. He was obviously supporting a broken clavicle when leaned against the wall. "Shit. Sakura!" He yelled out loud without an answer in return. "Sakura!" Obviously she was not there.
He stumbled to the window and looked outside of it. He made note that Sakura lived at probably one of the top floors. He looked down to see her sitting on the bench. She was looking up, but not at him. She was looking at the cherry blossoms amongst the snow. It was a rare sight to see cherry blossoms blooming during the spring with the snow.
She was interrupted when her cell phone rung and she was yelled at, "Sakura! Get your ass up here," and with that, he hung up. She laughed to herself before walking back to her place.
"You should never leave a patient by himself."
"That's what cell phones are for. They're for contacting." She got all the supplies needed. "Besides, I didn't think you'd be awake this early. No one is weird enough to wake up hours within his surgery." She helped him sit on the table so she could clean the wound.
"You mean everyone else is weird. I'm the only sane one here." He stated. He looked out the window. "It's weirder to see the this amount of snow during the spring."
She cleaned his wound before looking out the window with him. "It is. Want to take a look at it after I clean your wound?" He made a small nod indicating he would like that. She smiled as she prepared to bandage him. "It'll be awhile before you can properly work again. You can use your right side to manage things. But try not to put a lot of pressure over your left."
He nodded and stopped staring at the snow. His and her initial reaction was to pull back a little. Neither realized they were too close to one another. He made a small cough. Silence filled the place as she continued to wrap his shoulder.
It was when she was finished wrapping that she began to draw back. He held her still by placing his hand on her neck. "Sasuke?" She said lightly before taking a small step back to him. Her heart beat loudly to the point where she thought it would pop out.
He slowly made his way to her lips as her eyes fluttered close. Their lips brushed against each other before Sasuke pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. He thought she tasted like candy – too sweet for his own good. For her, the world stood still the moment they kissed. Her arms slowly reacted by wrapping it around his neck.
He hissed when one of her arms accidentally touched his injured shoulder. He felt her smile a little when he did that. His arm came down to her waist in an attempt to pull her even closer. He started to trail kisses down to her neck where he kissed her intensely. She gave him better access when she tilted her head, savoring the moment she hoped would not be the last.
- - -
They slowly made it downstairs out to the snow. She supported him by holding him still with his working arm. He looked up at the sky where it was hazy gray and white with snow falling. Sakura pulled him out onto the streets where they sat down on the bench looking at the flowers with the snow.
Sakura leaned against him with his arm around her neck. "It's like winter during the spring season. How weird is that?"
Sasuke continued to look up at the flowers but chose to remain silent. A minute later he added, "The flowers look better with the snow. Especially the ones that just bloomed."
"It's a bit strange though, isn't it? Seeing little pink flowers on the ground with white powder. This is the first time I've seen all the flowers bloom and fall with the snow. But if the snow keeps falling, the flowers will die."
He nodded while the two of them continued to sit there and watch the snow continuously fall while the flowers slowly fall. "My head hurts. I'm tired of looking up from here." Sasuke stood up. "Do you think the snow is thick enough to lie on it?"
She nodded as she helped him lie down on the snow. After he laid down she laid down next to him. "It's colder though."
He turned his head and said, "I'll keep you warm then." He wrapped one of his arms around her while she crawled closer to him, so the both of them could be warm. "My head feels better now." He heard a small 'yes' coming from her.
It was the first spring that they spent with each other and the first spring of their many springs to come. Both still very young and adventurous – both wanting to remain like that forever.
- - -
Over the years, Sasuke and Sakura's relationship developed. After their first month of being together, Sakura moved into his gigantic place. On every mission, they would always complete it and return home with sex before bed. Every time they went out, he would always have an arm wrapped around her, while she would have an arm around his waist. The way they walked together in sync, made everyone look their way and admire them – thinking they were the perfect couple.
Sasuke and Sakura would race to the elevator and shove her to the wall as began nipping at her neck. She would smile and chuckle heartily before he placed his lips over her lips. He would hoist her up until she wrapped her legs around his waist. Both devilishly smiling because both wanted the same thing at the same time. He would bring her out of the elevator and into their home. Sometimes, the adrenaline caught onto them as they stripped each other of their clothing and did it on the floor. Other times, they would go slow pace while he brought her to their bed and made love there.
"Sakura. You're too beautiful." He said once he could breathe as he kissed her neck.
She smiled. "That's what I said the first time you came over to my place." She looked straight up at him when his face was inches above her. He kept thinking to himself how her smile could bring his heart to ache. He slowly came down on her as he kissed her soft lips.
It was nights like these where outside their window, the seasons would constantly be changing. Unlike their first year, every time the spring came, there would be no snow. But, it was nights like these where both of them wished that the night would be long and the sun would not come.
- - -
During the spring of their fourth year together, Sasuke and Sakura was approached by the head of the organization. "Sasuke. Sakura. Both of you has made this organization proud and working. For that, I am grateful. This mission I'm about to give you will surely prove that both of you are invincible."
Sasuke stiffened whereas Sakura answered, "Yes, Sarutobi. We will surely complete this mission like every other mission no matter how difficult it may be." Sasuke turned to look at her thinking to himself on the inside.
"I'm glad. Inside this packet is all the information you need. Take care."
Both of them bowed at the same time before exiting the room. That night Sasuke paced around their room while Sakura watched. "Sasuke. Aren't you overreacting? It's just another mission given to us. We've done these high-ranking missions before. It's nothing new."
Sasuke continued to pace back and forth. "But he's never made it seem like we would be killed." He looked back at the information. "Orochimaru. He's one of the most powerful opponents ever. We've never gotten a mission like this before."
Sakura stood up and pulled the packet away from him and forced him to sit on the bed. "Calm down. We'll make it through this mission like every other mission we've been on." She smiled at him and kissed his lips. "We'll be alright." Inside her heart, he wanted to truly believe her. Yet, at the same time, his own conscious made him doubt her.
- - -
With bullets flying and bodies crashing onto the ground, the two moved swiftly and as quietly as they could. The guns keep firing while the feet keep running. Sakura makes a pit stop to rest, and Sasuke on the other side of the area kneels in a resting position, but still alert.
Sasuke hears her voice through the earpiece – to him, it sounds like the voice of an angel. Her hears her gulp and breathe before speaking. "Sasuke. I think we'll need to call backup. We've covered 40 of the building and still haven't found anything. My bullet supplies are thinning by the minute."
Sasuke chuckles. "You mean your bullet supplies. If you just listened to me during targeting practice, you would have as much as I have."
She made a 'tsk' noise before replying. "You're bluffing again. I've done everything you've told me to do. I make accurate shots, and I'm still running out."
It was true. Sasuke was bluffing, but his pride kept him from calling for aid. He smirked. "Wasn't it you who thought I was worrying too much? Looks who's worried now. We've never needed back up, so we don't need it now." His insides still had doubts, but he wanted to reassure her, so she could calm down and both could make it through. "We'll make it back 100 guarantee."
She grumbled before shifting. It was time for the feet to move, and for the guns to shoot.
- - -
They covered the entire building with the bodies scattered on each floor. As they reached the top floor, there stood one man remaining– Orochimaru. Both more than out of breath with five bullets remaining to be shot out.
The man stared at the both of them. "What a strange pairing. A girl who's in stiletto heels wearing a short skirt, and a man with a bloody tuxedo standing side by side. How amusing is this? Unfortunately for the both of you, I don't have time to play with you." He pulled out his own gun and aimed it at Sakura.
At the same time, Sasuke reacted by pointing the gun towards him. "Put the damn gun down."
It was like deja vu.
"Wow. Really, you should know by now, that I am in a better position than both of you combined. That girl is soaked not only in other people's blood, but her own blood as well. If I were to pull the trigger, she would lose the amount of blood needed to die whereas if you pull that trigger over me, I won't necessarily die. I haven't lost any blood whatsoever. So, why don't you put your gun down, first?"
Sasuke's eyes glared at him. His eyes shifted to Sakura's position for a moment before glancing back. His breaths grew more heavily as he decided to weigh the decision with pros and cons.
"Sasuke, shoot him."
"Really missy, I don't think you're in the position to talk either."
"Sasuke!"
"Shut up!"
The sound of shots echoed throughout the small room. An arm with a gun was shot while a body fell down to the ground. Sasuke heard a thud coming from a Sakura and a scream of agony from Orochimaru. Orochimaru raced towards the dropped gun while Sasuke fired at him.
The impact of force from the remaining bullets threw Orochimaru to the wall. Both panting even more than before. Sasuke immediately raced towards Sakura's body. "Sakura!" He shook her until she opened her eyes.
"Stop shaking me. It hurts."
He chuckled. "You're going to be fine. I'll bring you to the organization where Shizune can take care of you." He carried her out of the room with Orochimaru laughing.
He made a small glimpse back at him. "That girl is going to die. I soaked the bullets into my own hand-made poison. It's impossible to find a cure for something so deadly. She'll suffer tremendously before dying."
Sasuke placed her body down. "I'll finish this. Wait for me, Sakura." Sasuke rushed over to Orochimaru's side to stab him in the heart. "You're going to die as well." Orochimaru continued to laugh in pain while he grabbed the knife and stuck it into Sasuke. "I'll make sure the both of you die."
Sasuke choked on his blood as he made his way over to the gun. He grabbed the gun and shot all the remaining bullets within it. He knew for sure Orochimaru would be dead. Sasuke ran as fast as he could back to Sakura and carried her out of the building, falling half the time.
Sakura would whimper and scream at time while tears flowed out of her eyes. When he finally walked out of the building, he collapsed falling forward while dropping Sakura on her back. He panted heavily while his hand searched for her hand.
"Sasuke… look up, will you?" Sakura was too weak to even grip to his hand.
Sasuke got onto his knees. The wound in his stomach took a lot of his blood as he looked onto the ground. There was a bright spot of red over the white snow. Sasuke slowly lifted his head to see the snow falling. "Strange… isn't it spring?" He glanced back at her.
"Yeah… it is…" She stared at the sky that kept pouring snow. "The flowers… they're dying…" She turned her head to face Sasuke. "I think I'm one of them."
Sasuke still panting said, "Shut up… Don't talk nonsense. I won't let you die…" He used all his strength to stand up and wobbled to Sakura's body. He carefully took her arms and placed it over his shoulders. His knees burned in pain as he attempted to carry her. "We're going to make it."
Her eyes were becoming more heavy and harder to open. She decided to take a rest and close her eyes while burrowing her head onto his shoulder. "Sasuke… I'm going to take a short nap… okay?"
Little did she know, Sasuke was had tears streaming from his eyes. "Sure. Take a rest. It's been a long night." He was afraid. Afraid that she'd close her eyes and never wake again. With each step he took, he grew more drained and tired wondering when they'd reach home. It took even more strength to control the tears coming out of his eyes.
Within a couple steps, he collapsed against the snow – knowing for sure it'd be the last time he'd ever stand again. His face buried into the snow, so he tilt it so he could look at Sakura.
Sakura looked as if she was already asleep, but she spoke a little. "Sasuke… are you there? I can't… see." Wet tears came out of her eyes. "It's cold…"
He got onto his forearms and slowly crawled over to her. "Yeah… I'm right here…" He dragged his body over to her freezing body. Each time he moved, more blood spilled onto the snow and flowers. "Don't cry… I'll keep you warm." Sasuke eventually made his way over to her and placed one arm over her and one arm under her, hugging her with all the strength he had.
He heard her breath become lighter and shorter by the second. He felt more tears coming out of her eyes while she tried to breathe. He thought that she had died when he couldn't hear any more breaths, but was surprised when she said, "I… love… you… Sa…suk…e."
Sasuke choked on his tears as he said, "I… love you… too." Her breaths stopped ultimately as he kissed her cheek and looked at her. She looked as if it was the first day they met each other – with the bright smile that could melt anyone's heart. His heart ached to the point where he choked on his tears even more. She was indeed a flower that had fallen from wounds and the snow.
Within a couple of minutes, to him it seemed like hours, his breaths were becoming shallower. His arm was numb from the coldness and the pain. His body was freezing to the point where he thought he would die from the coldness and not the blood loss. He pushed to bring her body closer to his. He kissed her cheek once again before closing his eyes. "I think… I'll take… a little nap…"
The wind blew long and hard as it caused more and more flowers to wilt and fall. The endless snow kept falling. The sound of breaths disappeared while only the wind blowing, the snow falling, and the flowers wilting, could be heard. Two lovers remain still and quiet as the snow and flowers fall around them.
- - -
Author's Note: Comments, suggestions for improvements, whatever it is you would like to say to me, are always welcomed. Thank you!