Disclaimer: Naruto copyright Masashi Kishimoto. No copyright infringement is intended. This story was created for entertainment purposes only and if requested to be removed, it will be done immediately and without complaint.
Note: This is my favorite out of the few I have written. Depending on how I'm feeling, this may or may not get expanded into a one-shot. Keyword: Cold/Warm.
Cold/Warm
There was only one word to describe what she was feeling at that exact moment. Freezing. Sakura shivered to herself and tugged on her jacket and scarf tighter in vain as the cold air hit her face, sending shivers down her spine. She hated the cold. Ever since she was little she'd always hope for summer to come and that it would never end. Summer had to end eventually, which had left her disappointed and scowling during the change of seasons until the next summer came around.
Sakura scurried down the streets faster, in dire need of shelter for the snow was soon to fall and she didn't want to get caught in the middle of it. A scowl covered her features as a few flakes entangled themselves in her hair and sprinkled across her nose. She wrinkled her nose in irritation and rounded the last corner, stopping at an apartment complex she knew too well.
This was the closest place to where she was staying and she didn't feel like running across the village in the middle of the snow just to go home. So, she settled for the next best thing. Sakura blew on her quickly numbing fingers and rubbed them together in hopes of heating them up even though her efforts were in vain. Knocking on the door, she waited for the familiar blonde hair of her teammate to enter her line of sight.
"Hey," she greeted with a small wave all the while trying her best to warm her hands up.
Naruto was clearly surprised to see his teammate and crush standing by his doorway, shivering half to death. After what seemed like an eternity of staring, Sakura ground out irritably, "Some people invite guests in instead of leaving them standing outside in the freezing cold."
Snapping to his senses, Naruto offered an embarrassed and apologetic smile before ushering her inside his cozy apartment. "So, what brings you around here this time of day?" questioned the blonde as he offered a hot cup of tea in her chilly hands.
"It's snowing," she commented and at his confused look, she elaborated, "I don't like the cold, snow, or winter." He chuckled at her response, knowing exactly what she was talking about since she always complained about the cold during missions.
Sakura asked if she could stay the night which he readily agreed by dashing to the linen closet, returning with pillows and blankets.
It was close to midnight when she and Naruto had sprawled out across the couch watching whatever pointless nonsense there was on TV. She felt exhausted and ready to drift off to sleep but was unable to since she never really slept well during winter or any cold weather at that. She felt a shiver run down her spine at the draft that swept through the small apartment and tugged the blanket draped across her shoulders even closer. She had no idea how chilly Naruto's apartment was since she rarely visited let alone step foot outside of the house unless necessary during the winter.
But when she felt a pair of warm arms embrace her, she couldn't help the small smile that crept along her lips or the blush across her cheeks. She felt sleep claim her a little later. That night, Sakura slept better than she had in weeks. She figured that she didn't mind the cold that much if Naruto was there to keep her warm.
