A/N: So since it's closer to Christmas, I'm finding a lot of inspiration. The problem is harnessing it. Inspiration doesn't make a very good horse. Just sayin'. Remember to review okay? PLEASE? *begs*
I tried to content myself with my "movie moment", but I couldn't help remembering that it would end…very soon. And besides, it wasn't like it was even real. (Universe, you are so not fair. Just thought you should know.) But perhaps I could make him fall for me before Christmas. I've at least got to give it a shot, right? Besides…he's holding hands with me- and it was his idea. Great guys go for "normal" girls all the time, I lied to myself. I knew it was really the other way around, but there was no way I was going to end up with Lee. I just couldn't. The universe couldn't be that unfair, could it? To throw Sasuke into my life and just take him away again-
"What's wrong now?" He asked in a slight monotone.
I felt like I'd been hit by a mortar; he really thinks I'm a weak wreck of an idiot. That was my greatest fear. I forced a smile anyway, I could fix this. I had too- I just hoped he didn't call my bluff. "I was just thinking. What about you?"
"Hn," was his only reply.
I looked away. Losing people had always been my flaw, I'd blamed it on Sui, but now- I'm not going to think like that, I decided. If I only had a month with Sasuke, I was going to make the best of it. It would be the highlight of my life. The one vivid memory I would carry through my life. So if I was going to be the Old Maid, I would at least have lived once.
"Why did you agree to this?" Sasuke asked suddenly.
I blinked, realizing now what Sasuke must have been thinking about, and why he hadn't answered before. "Well, you didn't leave me much choice but to agree," I pointed out, unsure of how I should answer such a direct question. I was beginning to learn that sometimes Sasuke was direct, even though he would never show you the reasons behind his boldness or his reaction to your response; you just had to trust him. And be honest.
"You still could have said no," he insisted.
"And what, have called the cops? Actually, that would probably have been a good idea- except you had already bailed me from jail and told them we were getting married. So, I trusted you I guess." And I needed the money.
He gave me that look he was so good at. "This is New York. You shouldn't trust anyone."
"Even you?"
"Do you know me?"
"No, but if you try to hurt me I'll kill you. How's that?" I realized too late that I probably shouldn't have said that, as I wanted him to fall for me and all.
Sasuke tilted his head and studied at me curiously. It's lovely feeling like the mouse that talked before the cat ate it, let me tell you. In the end, he settled for just shaking his head. "No wonder Suigetsu is so protective," he muttered.
I frowned. Honestly, he's my little brother, did nobody get that? I gritted my teeth. "I've lived in New York for seven years just fine thank you, without anyone's assistance." Of course, my loving uncle may have intervened behind the scenes a time or two, but Sasuke didn't need to know that.
He scoffed. "And that's why you have freaks in green spandex running after you screaming your name on national television?"
I glared at him. Did he have to bring that up? "Coming from the guy who needs a fake fiancé, is that supposed to be insulting? Who does that anyway? Are you, um…you know-" I blushed and stopped quickly. When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. Which is dumb because you should know enough not to dig the hole in the first place. Should. Me and my big mouth.
Sasuke suddenly stopped walking. Do I need to say he was glaring bullet holes in me? "You did not just ask me that," he hissed.
I turned toward him, slowly. Man, I'm such an idiot. Um, anybody have a huge rock I could hide under? 'Cause I could use one right about now…
"Hey Sakura!" I heard someone yell down the street. I barely registered that it was Tenten's voice. I managed to cough. Eeeping out "I'm sorry" and running away definitely wouldn't cover the insult I had just hurled at Sasuke. I was doomed.
The crowd was swirling around us like an angry ocean, pressing and jarring us on all sides, but still we stood there frozen. Sasuke was seething, while I was too petrified to move. To me, it was like the anime shows where the spot light is only on the one person and everything else is black. The only thing I could see was Sasuke.
Which is why I totally didn't notice the crazy greyhound running down the sidewalk was barreling strait toward me with a young girl behind it. "Stop, Grace!" The girl hanging onto the leash yelled frantically. There was no way the dog could stop in time. There was no way I could move in time either, so I tried to brace for impact. I spread my legs like I was at the beach wait for the next wave to break. Momentarily they would hit my left side and I would probably end up with a broken arm, and some ribs. But at the last minute the dog swerved and the owner side-swiped my back. "Sorry!" she yelled as she was dragged on. I had braced for a side on impact, so when the girl's momentum shoved me forward I toppled like a statue-
-right into Sasuke's chest. He wrapped his arms around me to catch me, again. I looked up in surprise- both that he was nice enough to go ahead and catch me despite the circumstance (though if he hadn't, we both probably would have ended up sprawled out on the concrete), and the fact that his face was so close. He stumbled back a step, his black bangs covering his eyes as his head curved forward: his body acting like a whip.
So that in that moment, we were kissing.
Totally by accident, but we were. He pulled away like I was on fire, but I felt like the one who got burnt.
"Sakura! Sasuke!" Tenten yelled, seemingly miles away. "Are you alright?"
No, no we weren't. In that moment, everything I had hoped for had just crashed and burned. We were not okay. Not okay at all.
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