Perfect. It was perfect.
The weather, a beautiful fall day, late in the season as well as the afternoon. Through golden crisp leaves, tinged red and orange by the rapidly approaching winter, flitted in the small gust of cooled autumn air, their shapes casting morphing shadows onto the forest floor, illuminating their fallen comrades as well as their companions who were currently struggling to resist both the unrelenting tug of gravity and fate, swaying back and forth before, ultimately, reaching the end.
The sun was setting, beginning to complete the final few phases of it's daily journey. The sole remaining three-legged bird that Houyi had failed to shoot down* glistened low in the western sky, it's bold, circular shape starting to waver in it's final descent, the color changing from bright, canary yellow, to gold, and then to an orange-ish red that is uniquely it's own. Gliding on it's unrelenting path far above the Earth, safe from the deadly touch of mankind and it's kin in it's celestial prison. Slowly, with unerring patience of a sage, it waned from East to West, the movement lengthening the shadows upon them. Them being himself and her. Sakura...
Nervously, the pink haired kunoichi shifted slightly, the sun tinting her locks from a pale salmon to a deep rose hue, as she folded her arms across her chest. Her uncharacteristically solemn face tinged a complimentary color from both the soft bite of the wind and her own secret emotions, those of which he could only guess at. He had thought by now that he had mastered the art, if one could call it that, of picking up on her subtle hints to read at her feelings that normally lurked beneath a cocky attitude that shielded her vulnerable side those last couple of years, as they both grew older and slightly wiser. Mostly older, at least that's what he thought of the situation. After all, they still managed to get into the same scrapes that they had a children. Same situations, but different outcomes.
In retrospect, she had grown the most, physically speaking--that was,--over the years, little by little, a progress that he hadn't noticed as he had been there by her side day by day, ever since he returned from his training with Jiraiya. He might have as well, he supposed, but to him that was a change that was even less noticeable then hers. She was still pretty, an opinion that he believed that was one he would always have when it came to Sakura's looks. It was just a different, more mature type of 'pretty'. Longer hair, which she kept trimmed at shoulder length, a bit taller as well. Not busty, still, but definitely a more womanly figure, complete with all the appropriate curves that came with, some just had a more.... subtle over tone to them then others. More confidence beneath the same sea-green eyes.
But at that moment, that very confidence that added a spark to her eyes was missing, replaced by a haunting uncertainty, anguish, and guilt, though over what, he was not sure. He couldn't think of any reason for her to being feeling those emotions.
After a moment, her mouth opening and closing without any words emerging, she finally let out a small defeated sight, looking at him with those remorseful eyes, her entire body seeming hesitant to do so. "Naruto..." She began, her voice surprisingly soft, especially when one considered the amount of yelling this girl did in her daily life, be it at her former team mates, or her life long rival, Ino, or who every else, with only a small endearing rasp to it's tone, though perhaps that was due to emotion more then anything else. "I... I just... I love you..."
It was perfect. It was so perfect. That one moment crystalizing in his mind forever, a giant grin spreading across his face the instant he comprehended what she had just said, happiness coursing through his body, reaching up to his blue eyes. Everything in that perfect moment just clicked. Someone loved him. No... She loved him. Sakura loved him!
It was too perfect.
"But... It's as a brother."
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Hey everyone! So... This was supposed to be a one shot, but this has kind of taken on a life of it's own.... And once inspiration strikes, what can you do but go with it? Anyways, the normal chapters are going to be much longer then this obviously. It's just the prologue, so it wasn't supposed to be all that grand, anyways. More of a teaser, I guess. And the Houyi and the three-legged birds is an asian myth about the sun. Look it up some time, it's pretty nifty.
Anyways, I already have all but a few paragraphs done for the next chapter, so it'll be up, if I see that anyone has an interest in this story. -_- I live on comments.
I'd love to hear from you all!
