Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

The single, battered lamp in the living room splashed warm gold light across the scattered documents on the hardwood floor. Soft music thrummed through the quiet apartment, only interrupted by the scratching of a pen and the rifling of papers. Several textbooks flanked either side, depicting diagrams of the human eye. Highlighter had been taken directly to the sleek pages, hurried scribbles filling the margins.

On that particular night, however, her attention was completely absorbed by a Japanese folktale. At some point during dinner, she had recalled what at first seemed to be a meaningless trifle of a memory, but as she gave it more thought…

Sakura huffed lightly with annoyance, before grabbing fistfuls of hair and tying it back with more vigor than necessary. Without stray strands getting in the way, she continued reading the children's tale, familiar Japanese characters painting the discolored pages.

"What's this?" she inquired, studying the slim paperback that had emerged from the confines of navy blue wrapping paper. Discarded white ribbon strewn about.

Sasuke watched her lazily, one arm propped atop the low table, holding his chin up. "Open it."

Flipping back the aged cover, she found childish handwriting on the inside. A smile warmed her features, green eyes sparkling. "This was yours?" her voice was soft, endearing. Reading the title, she mumbled aloud, "Tale of the Heaven's Eye."

"Why did you want it?" he questioned.

"You mean, why didn't I want something else for my birthday?" she grinned, giggling quietly as she started skimming over the story.

"Sakura."

Looking up, she sighed at his sour expression. "I'm not up to anything, I promise," she assured, but his expression was far from believing. Setting the book down, her hand came up to take his, stroking his knuckles gently. "Red eyes," Sakura muttered, focusing her gaze on the smooth, nimble fingers between her own, "they're beautiful, yet terrifying. You told me before that Uchiha children were told the 'Tale of Heaven's Eye' when they asked about their eyes. I wanted to know the story too."

His expression remained the same, silently demanding for her to reveal everything.

Pressing her lips into a firm line, she returned his look. "Is that not enough reason?"

"For some it is," Sasuke conceded, before smirking, "but not you." He turned their hands over slowly, running his thumb across the back of her hand, obsidian orbs bleeding scarlet around the pupils.

"Maybe there's a hint as to why it happens," she finally confessed, watching their fingers move together, absently wondering if anyone else's hands fit as perfectly as their own. Smiling down at the way Sasuke continued soothing the delicate skin, she went on, "I know it's a children's story, but everything has its roots in truth. So what's the truth behind the Heaven's Eye?"

A crease formed between her brows, as she reached the final page of the rather short story. Perhaps it was a long shot to think there was something buried in between those pages, but for some reason, she couldn't let go of the possibility. Even after several thorough readings, it appeared to just be another meaningless story.

But if that was true, then why would the Uchiha adamantly keep it alive throughout successive generations? What would be the point aside from pride? Although she was quite aware of the stilting Uchiha name, it hardly seemed like enough reason to keep this particular story alive. In her reluctant opinion, it wasn't even a very creative tale.

In the beginning, there was a young man of noble birth who feared the consuming nature of war. His family was a proud clan of ninjas who would stop at nothing to gain the power and land they believed to be rightfully theirs. He loathed how his life was filled with bloodshed and death, and so determined to rewrite his bleak destiny by fostering peace and life, despite the protests of his corrupt clan.

By pleading to the heavens, he acquired the fabled Heaven's Eye which harnessed the powers of the sixth chakra – often deemed the "Third Eye" – and manifested in both orbs originally pure as the first snow fall. With each passing year though, they grew bloody and black from the darkness all around. The young man's wish to eliminate suffering had been accomplished by taking all of it upon himself, filling his mind and body to the brim with unquenched blood lust and fury.

Sakura traced the characters, shivering at the thought of Sasuke's family encouraging this sort of origin for their distinctive red eyes.

As the story goes, the young man soon lost his way, but in turn, gained a power capable of manipulating human energy itself, planting thoughts and ideals in others, and even changing illusion to reality. He had fulfilled his goal at a damning price. But to make matters worse, with his growing powers came a stunting blindness. Desperate, he addressed the gods once more, begging for his sight back.

However, they refused for he had failed to bring about the age of peace long-sought after. Although they could no longer strip him of his now evolved eyes, they could seal it. And thus, the Uchiha clan continues to bear the sin of their ancestor, doomed to face divine punishment for their cruel misuse of the Heaven's Eye.

"Are you studying again?"

Her head shot up in time to see Ino giving her a wry look from the entryway. "Why are you home so early?" Sakura prompted, setting the book aside to study her roommate's condition.

"Early?" she repeated, delicate brows raised. "Check a clock once in a while, Forehead. It's half-past four in the morning." Laughing at her friend's confused expression, she tossed her black stilettos by the shoe rack and flopped down on the couch. "In the time that you managed to bury yourself in work, I got myself a sweet lay for the night." She winked at Sakura's obvious disgust. "Aw, c'mon, don't be such a killjoy! We're young, beautiful, and available." Pinching one of the girl's cheeks, she chuckled, "You're also in America and that means plenty of hot boys who are just itching for a chance to—"

"—Enough." Sakura interrupted brusquely, glaring sideways at the blonde.

Ino pouted, before giving her own glare. "You know, you're the one who chose to come here. Don't act like you were forced."

"I chose to study here," she stated, "I didn't choose to be here."

"Why don't you just go back and visit him then?" she groaned, rolling onto her back. "Do you know how much Naruto bothers me about you guys? It's like he thinks we're partners-in-crime when it comes to matching you two up." Frowning, Ino shot the pink haired woman a sharp glower. "What's the point in pining after Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome when you could be doing him instead? And I don't mean just Sasuke. There are plenty of other ones out there. You're just not paying attention."

"I don't need to be lectured by you when it comes to my love life," Sakura responded dryly.

"Or rather your lack of a love life," she scoffed.

Wincing, Sakura let her shoulders fall. "There's still something I need to do before I can see him again." She chewed on her bottom lip, eyes narrowing in thought. "I can't return empty-handed after doing that to him."

"And what exactly are you planning on showing him?" Ino snorted. "You're thinking with your head, not your heart. If the coldest man alive thawed his frigid heart for you, it wasn't because he wanted something material from you." Her gaze softened slightly. "Really, Forehead. Whatever happened between you two all those years ago hasn't stopped you from loving him. That's enough."

"No it's not," Sakura shook her head harshly, "you don't…," she exhaled unsteadily, "you didn't see his face that day. I can't go running back begging for forgiveness just yet."

Sighing, Ino got to her feet, heading for the shower. "Well, you better hurry up and do whatever you need to do, because I hear his exploits are getting more infamous." She laughed bitterly, "Who would've thought that bastard would end up as such a lady's man? Then again, he is pretty damn hot, even if his personality sucks."

"His personality is fine," Sakura sighed, watching her friend's receding figure.

"Yeah, yeah," she dismissed, "well, anyway, I hear the douche-type is popular in college. Good for him. At least one of you," pale green eyes locked on Sakura disapprovingly, "is getting laid." With that, she shut the bathroom door.

Mouth twitching irritably, Sakura turned back to her papers, muttering absently about how Ino needed to reevaluate her priorities. From the corner of her eye, she spotted something strange. Turning properly toward the thin book, her fingers flipped the back cover open again, nail skimming along the material until it hooked on a curled edge. "What?" she whispered, tugging tentatively.

With a bit more prying, she managed to unstick the pages. Disappointment flooded her at the sight of "Further Readings". Somewhat embarrassed at her own hopefulness, she let her eyes run across the page absently, reading familiar folktale titles.

And then she halted, surprised to find an unfamiliar title. It was uncommon for her to be unaware of something like a piece of literature. Picking up her discarded laptop, she pulled up a search engine, typing in the name: Tale of the Mangekyo Sharingan.


"Wanna go out tonight?" Brown eyes and a sly smile met Sasuke. He didn't know her name nor her face, but it seemed as if she was well-aware of him. Long black tresses fell over her shoulders, a hint of spiced perfume wafting from her throat.

Sasuke backed up, lips down-turning reflexively at her proximity.

Undaunted, she leaned in, taking the seat beside him and pressing her full chest against his muscled arm. A light flush sprinkled across her cheeks. "Wow…how much do you work out?" she fawned, impressed as she ran experienced fingers along his twitching forearm.

Turning his head away, he checked his phone to see that Naruto had failed to respond to his message earlier. Sighing, Sasuke let his gaze fall back on the expectant girl.

"So…what do you say?" she licked her lips casually, soft pink tongue leaving behind a glimmering trail. "I've heard amazing stories about you…," her eyelashes fluttered at his unmoved expression. Uncertainty managed to make its way into her eyes, but it vanished in an instant. "My roommates are gone tonight. So how about we go get something to eat, maybe have a few drinks at my place…," she smiled, suggestively.

His lack of a response set her on edge, the situation quickly becoming awkward. Embarrassment bubbled up inside of her as she began to question her technique. Everyone knew Uchiha Sasuke never turned down any offers. He was the best free fuck on campus. As long as you could deal with his cool attitude, then the pay-off was well worth it. However, as she studied him, it became harder and harder to imagine the dull man being anything near passionate.

Slowly, she disentangled her arms from around his, beginning to move away. In the next second, he was on his feet, backpack slung over one strong shoulder. Onyx eyes peered down at her. "Dinner, right?" he mumbled, beginning to walk off.

Heart racing, she clumsily stood, hurrying after him. As she attempted to reach for his arm though, he pulled away. The silent refusal was loud and clear. A smirk curved her mouth. Oh, so this is the infamous arrogance, huh? Accepting the challenge like most other women had before her, she idled along beside him, chattering about anything and everything in hopes of drawing some sort of reaction from him.

Based on his actions throughout dinner, she had come to some conclusions concerning him. One, he definitely was not a talker. There was no particular malice or feeling that radiated from his demeanor, which had led her to believe that he really was just a quiet person.

Two, someone that looked like him definitely needed to invest in some tighter clothes or just lose the clothes altogether. It was such a shame that those long, toned legs were hidden behind unflattering sweats.

And third, for someone who seemed to loathe physical contact, he certainly made himself a reputation for the exact opposite. Every time she attempted to casually brush a hand across his arm or otherwise touch him, he smoothly pulled away without missing a beat.

That was why she could hardly hide her surprise when the bill came and he swiftly took, pulling out several bills with practiced ease. At her shocked expression, he glanced up and gave her a heart-stopping smirk that both taunted her and promised an unforgettable evening. Flustered, she looked away, gathering her things and following him out the door.

Okay, maybe there was a fourth observation. If some people had a way with words, Uchiha Sasuke had a way with silence.

The moon had risen high into the sky by the time cheap sake had warmed their bodies and fingers were finally allowed to explore underneath teasing clothes. She snickered softly as she pushed up Sasuke's shirt, fingers massaging his abdomen and chest in the way nearly every other girl had done. He idly wondered if such things were as attractive as they made it seem.

Sweet laughter brushed against his ear. Bleary eyes opened to find those expressive greens watching him with barely contained happiness. Messy, very distinctive pink hair tickled his cheek as she giggled more against his jaw. "Sasuke-kun…," she cooed, pressing gossamer kisses along his throat.

He mumbled something incoherent, turning his head away from her incessant kisses. "Sleep," he grunted, grabbing the blanket to pull over his head.

"You promised we'd do something for your birthday today!" Sakura grouched, tugging the blanket back and wrapping her arms around his stomach. Sasuke watched her study his naked torso for a moment before she lifted her eyes back up to him. "You know, you should gain some weight. With your height and fitness level, it wouldn't hurt to get a little more cushioning on these muscles." She poked his steely abdomen. "I swear I've gotten bruises from hugging you for too long." Her laughter was teasing and jovial, warm palm patting his tummy chidingly. "Don't worry, I would still love you even if you became all round."

Sasuke scowled at the image. "I wouldn't." Lazily, his hand came up, coaxing underneath her loose shirt to close around soft, bare flesh. She jumped slightly, shooting him a half-hearted glare. "Hn. You're soft enough for both of us," he muttered, earning an outraged cry. He jerked her down, pressing his face against her shoulder to hide his forming grin.

Wet lips trailed kisses over his skin as he lifted his arms, tossing the shirt aside. A grateful moan tumbled from her lips as she scanned his body again, brown eyes whipping back and forth as if attempting to memorize every muscled curve. Sasuke leaned back on the firm couch, allowing her to lave over him with her skilled tongue.

Letting his head fall back, he stared at the ceiling, familiar thoughts and questions of why he was doing this roiling around in his mind. Each time he found himself in some stranger's apartment, the same concerns arose, but each time he would crush them with images of her receding back.

The way she refused to hear him.

The way she refused to give him what he wanted.

The icy bite of a broken vow.

The soft rippling of her fragrant rose locks as they faded away.