Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters.
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Chapter 12
Sakura's eyes scanned through the texts that Naruto and Ino had spammed her with overnight. The few voicemails that her mom had left her tore her heart from her chest, made tears brim her eyes and her fists clench.
She was angry with her mom, why should she care? Sakura shook the idea from her mind and went back to the next text that came in from Ino.
Are you with that guy that I saw you with on Halloween?
She bit her lip and frowned. Sasuke was still asleep next to her, but when she began to shuffle out from under his grip, his eyes stirred awake.
"What?" He moaned.
"I'll be back," Sakura whispered to him in a reassuring tone. He closed his eyes and settled back into the couch, his arms crossed and his eyebrows furrowed.
It was now seven-thirty in the morning when her phone started dialing Ino's number, the ring lasting longer each time, but when the blonde picked up, Sakura could hear the panic in her voice.
"Fucking kidding me?! Where are you?!" Her shrill shout was more than what Sakura needed this early in the morning, considering she didn't sleep much.
"Shut the hell up, Ino." Sakura's hissed into the phone. She closed the door behind her and sat on the counter of Sasuke's bathroom. Her fingers smoothed some of her wild pieces of hair down, while her viridian eyes flashed to the smeared mascara under her eyes. "I needed to get away for a night-"
"So you run off and don't tell anyone? And to make matters worse, turn your phone off?" Ino's tone was firm, but Sakura could hear the cracking of her voice behind it. "You idiot! Damn idiot."
Ino was crying now and Sakura felt horrible. She hadn't meant to hurt anyone like that; her emotions outweighed everything else, and she just didn't care.
"Ino?" She says softly into the phone, her own tears starting to fall lightly down her cheeks. The only sound that came back from Ino's side is a small sniffle, and finally a sob.
"We thought someone kidnapped you. I thought you were gone, Sakura! You didn't answer anyone, your mother is worried, Naruto is scared shitless. We all thought you were gone for good and there was nothing anyone could do."
Her words tore her down, ripped her spirit apart, demolished her soul. Sakura finally let out an uncontrolled sob and let the tears flow. How could she have been so selfish?
"I'm so sorry," she breathes and Ino quiets down instantly. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone."
Sakura waits a moment while Ino gains composure, and when she does, she heard the light hearted giggle from her best friend. "I miss you," she says, and Sakura feels her heart throb and her throat well up.
Sakura misses her best friend too, and she misses Naruto and her mother and her father, but she also has her sights on her goals.
"I miss you, too." Sakura responds, and she means it. She's no longer crying in Sasuke's bathroom, but dabbing the running makeup from her face and smiling softly while she rubs tears from her face.
As they talk over the phone for another hour, Ino finally popped the question. "Who is he?"
Sakura choked before thinking about how to answer her question honestly. She wasn't sure what to say, but she decided that something was better than her usual 'nothing.'
"You'll meet him someday," she says softly, and she can hear the promise in her voice and the hum of Ino on the other side.
"I'll hold you to it, Forehead." And it's just the way she says Sakura's endearing nickname that makes her smile, and she knows that their conversation is over now. She'll see Ino at school come Monday, and she'll text Naruto to apologize for disappearing too.
She thought about her mother, though, and what she was going to say to her. Sorry for disappearing and ignoring all your calls. It sounded cheesy, and she needed to apologize in person, cause a mother's worry is pure and raw.
"Sakura?"
She jumped at his voice and hung up the phone. With the remainder of her makeup wiped from her face and her hair smoothed down, she opened the door and found Sasuke perched in front of her with sleepy eyes and a pair of sweats that had wrinkles from sleeping.
"What're your plans today?" He inquires, his hand coming to run through his hair, revealing two eyes that shimmered with silver flecks and high hopes.
"Not sure," she answered. She felt breathless standing in front of this gorgeous human, and as he slouched down on one leg, he flashed her a smile that showed his perfect, white teeth.
"I need to get my Christmas shopping done before it's too hectic. Care to join?"
She feels her heart plummet to the pit of her stomach, her evergreen eyes widen with disbelief and her mouth drops open.
"Really?" She breathes out.
"Really, really." He replies with a sarcastic tone and a smirk. Sakura nods her head with as much happiness as she can muster up, and when they agree to leave after they eat and get ready, she's aware that she only has one set of clothing.
Sasuke's low hum catches her attention after stating the obvious, and he disappears down the hall. "One minute."
He's back with a shirt and a pair of jeans; black, washed out jeans and a maroon long sleeved shirt. She frowns slightly before eyeing him. He raises an eyebrow before chuckling.
"They're my mother's."
And she feels silly for acting childish, but she reaches her hand out and grabs the clothing from his hands.
.
.
.
After a breakfast of eggs with toast and a splash of orange juice, Sasuke disappears to his room while Sakura pulls his mother's clothing over her body. They fit, surprisingly, and she twirls in front of the mirror. Her hair is braided down the side of her head, wraps around and comes to rest on her shoulder. The ends of her pink, wavy hair tickles, but she smiles at her reflection.
When she walks out of the bathroom, she waits at the door for Sasuke; her boots, hat, gloves and jacket all wrapped up on her and bundling her up.
"You look warm," he states softly before emerging from his bedroom. He had his own jacket on, a pair of gloves, but no hat. His hair splayed in every which direction, some pieces even hanging down in his face as he joined her by the door. He's wearing a pair of slim jeans along with the sweater that pokes out of his jacket, and slides his shoes on over his feet and takes a look at Sakura.
She can see his parted lips, shimmering dark eyes that hold interest, and when he bends down, she meets him halfway and their lips touch in unison. "Ready?" He breaks away before opening the door for her.
"Yep!" She chirps happily before walking out before him.
The elevator ride is short lived, and when she steps off, she sees that outside now holds a couple inches of snow and gray clouds.
It's beautiful.
The snow crunched under her boots and she smiles through the cold weather and falling flakes. Her core is a furnace, raging on due to Sasuke's thawing kiss and warm hand in her own. They walk together towards the parking lot, and he opens her door before she slides in and waits for him.
"Where are we going?" She asks.
Sasuke doesn't look at her, only smiles before flicking his windshield wipers on and removes the snow from the windshield. It moves with ease and he puts his car in reverse. "You'll see." His voice held promise as he shifted his car into first and drives smoothly out of the parking lot.
He leaves Konoha in his rearview mirrors. They're on the freeway, heading south and Sakura watches as he passes cars with ease, maneuvering over the ice covered freeway. Snow still fell from the sky - slowly but with grace - and Sakura's jade eyes watched as they came up and over the hood of his black car. It was always heartwarming when it snowed, and she lovedlovedloved winter.
"Do I get any hints?" Sakura finally piped up from her side of the car, amusement dancing on her face while she pursed her lips with hope.
"No," his response is short, but his eyes adore the way she looks at him.
His blinker turned on a second later and they exit the freeway, turning right after the stop light. Old Konoha was where he was taking her, and Sakura's smile lit up like the lights that decorated the many stores they began to encounter.
This part of the city had been changed into more of a tourist part of town, but either way, Sakura loved coming here during the holidays. The city always decorated the trees is different colored lights, while the buildings hung lights, reefs, garland and whatever Christmas stuff they could fit.
Along the main stretch through town, the buildings had no space between one another, the sidewalks were always packed with people, and the streets were filled with cars coming and going through town. The thing that Sakura favored the most about Old Konoha was the sight of the mountains that surrounded the western side. A ski resort sat at the base, holding one of the more popular areas to spend a day in the powder.
They were tall and jagged towards the middle, while the outsides rounded off and became mellow, but they always held snow and adventures; she promised herself that she'd go up there someday and either try her hand - or feet - at snowboarding or skiing.
Sasuke pulled into a parking lot after a few minutes of driving and paid the parking fee. His engine died down once he parked the car and turned it off, shoving the ticket up onto his dashboard and exiting the car.
"I love it here," Sakura yelled the moment she got out. She could hear Christmas music playing down the road, and when Sasuke glanced at her with those dark, mysterious eyes of his, she felt her cheeks paint over with red.
"Why don't you move here?"
"Too expensive." She waved his question off with a flick of her wrist and began to walk around towards his side of the car. "Where to first?!"
"Hn," he nodded before turning and taking a look down the street. "I guess we'll window shop until we find something."
Sakura nodded before meeting his long strides with her short legs. Sasuke kept his hands in his pockets as they walked, his eyes scanning the many windows that lined the streets. Sakura found everything cute and amusing - her younger side showing through the woman she strived to be when she was around Sasuke.
When she felt her face run into his shoulder blade, she let out a small 'umph' and felt her cheeks heat up the moment he glanced back at her.
"We'll go here first." Sasuke smirked before reaching back and wrapping his fingers around the palm of her hand and towing her in. She grinned, loving the way the lights looked against the hardwood floors, and how the inner walls were lined with brick and how old school the entire store looked.
Cheerful music played from the speakers overhead and when Sakura inhaled deeply, she felt a bombardment of different scents and flavors blast her in the face. From pine needles to sugar cookies, toasted marshmallows to cinnamon apples, she breathed in all the Christmas scents and eyed all the different colors of candles.
"My mom loves candles," he began to explain, his eyes flashing over the different shelves and arrangements that the little tables had to offer. "I get her one every year, kind of like our little thing, I guess."
Sakura looked at Sasuke with adoring eyes and a soft smile. She noticed the red in his cheeks when he looked away from her, and when he found something he liked, he walked away. Sakura let him browse while she picked up every other candle and held it to her nose, inhaling the many different mouth watering scents.
Almost five minutes later, he appeared by her side with a bag in hand and a smirk on his face. "You done yet?"
Sakura laughed under his gaze and nodded. She felt unbelievably happy - either from Sasuke's uplifting mood or from her cheerful surroundings, she felt amazing. Her feet carried her behind Sasuke and on to the next store. From outside, she could smell the sweets that resided at the end of the block, from one of her favorite stores.
"Have you ever been to Konan's?" Sakura asked from behind him and when he peers back at her, he nodded his head.
"Itachi loves it there," he stated with a monotone voice.
Sakura raised an eyebrow as she followed his footsteps through the snow. She didn't push the subject, taking note of his annoyed tone and sudden cold attitude. She shrugs it off as they approach Konan's, and to her surprise, Sasuke enters the lilac colored building and holds the door open for Sakura.
Sugar, spices, sweetness, mouthwatering food and everything else hits Sakura, and much like the candle store, her eyes travel everywhere. It's filled to the brim with people, and Sasuke is now right up on her.
It takes her awhile to find what she was looking for, but when she does, she grabs a couple of bags. "Mom loves these." Her eyes focus in on Sasuke, who has a look of annoyance on his face.
"You okay?" Sakura asks with a frown as she shoves the bags of cookies into one arm and began to make her way toward the counter.
Sasuke nods, keeping as close as possible to Sakura. "A lot of people."
A smile graced Sakura's lips when she noticed just how uncomfortable he was, and instead of staying and browsing for more sweets and baked goods, she made her way towards the counter and waited in line.
It took all of five minutes to pay and leave, and the moment they exited, she could see the tension and awkwardness melt from his face, and his body began to relax. Cheerful music flooded her ears as they walked down the street once more.
His hand brushed against Sakura's as she walked next to him, and instead of backing off, she stood her ground. When her eyes glanced up at him, she noticed that mesmerizing smile on his lips and desirable look in his eyes.
Slowly but surely, he intertwined his fingers with hers, lacing them together loosely, but enough for Sakura to hold onto him and follow through the crowd. Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest, her blood running crazy in her body - his touch always had such an affect on her, and the more they touched each other, the more she fell for him.
She was absolutely drawn to him.
When he pulled on her hand, her body came to meet his on the side of the street, and she followed him inside of a building that smelled of wood and leather. Guns lined the wall, while glass cases held knives and pistols.
"Hello." An older gentleman at the counter greeted, his white hair and facial hair mirroring the color of snow. Sasuke nodded his greeting before browsing through the store. His fingers still held onto Sakura's, and when he finally stopped, she peered into the glass case they stood in front of.
"That one is pretty," she pointed at knife that was colored in pink and Sasuke scoffed.
"I don't think my brother would be too fond of the colors," he joked with a husky voice and smoldering eyes. Sakura felt a magnetic pull in her stomach, her need to press her lips to his, run her fingers through his hair and feel his body pressed against hers.
When he looked away and back down at the case, Sakura felt her lips purse and her eyes wander. When Sasuke began to move to their left, she followed closely behind, but after a moment of letting her eyes wander, she felt a heart shattering pain in her chest and a lump appear in her throat.
"Sakura?"
Her eyes narrowed, her fingers detaching themselves from Sasuke's, and when he glanced at her, she felt nothing more than anger course through her body. Her breathing became hard, her chest rising and falling quickly while she felt her lips pull back into a sneer.
In front of her stood a man with unnatural colored hair, pushed and pulled back in a messy manner much like Sasuke's. His eyes reflected Sakura's; green as grass, light as emeralds, fresh like an evergreen.
"Sakura?" He asked again, but this time he approached her one step at a time.
Sakura stood her ground in the store, Sasuke on her right and when the man stopped just in front of her, she felt the tears push their way through and surround her eyes.
"Dad."
