disclaimer: Iz not has minez.
notes: owww, I just cracked my elbow. That hurt.
some assembly required
Suigetsu found Karin, at quarter to midnight ice skating on the frozen lake. He would never understand that woman. It was bloody freezing and she was out here ice skating in a thin sweater and a pair of tights.
"What are you doing?" he called from the dock. Karin looked around, sliding to a halt gracefully. Suigetsu hid his smirk in his scarf. He knew what she did for a job ( not that he watched her or anything. That would be weird and creepy) and he had to admit, she was damn sexy.
"I'm skating!" she shouted back. She pushed off again, toward the center of the lake, spiralling slowly across the smooth surface of the ice. She waved at his as she spun for the third time and then dug her toe into the ice.
Suigetsu stepped carefully off the frozen dock and tread slowly across the ice toward her. He stopped a few feet away from her, hands jammed in his pockets. He'd forgotten his gloves. "Well, I think that our little mission has been a success. When I left Sasuke looked ready to kill me." Suigetsu shrugged. "You know, you're crazy ass brother could actually kill me."
"No he couldn't." Karin said dismissively, spinning around in a circle.
"Yes he could. So as a wanted outlaw, I was curious."
"About what?" Karin stopped spinning and faced him.
"Well, since Sasuke is a raging asshole he won't give me a last request. And seeing as you're his nearest relation at the moment, I was curious to know if you would grant me a last request. You know, before I die valiantly, of course," he said.
"Of course," Karin rolled her eyes and skated over to him. "That all depends on what the request is."
"Well," Suigetsu pulled his hands out of his pockets and held them up, "It is pretty cold out here and I didn't bring any gloves."
"That's not really my fault." Karin pointed out.
"No," Suigetsu agreed. He took a step closer to her. "But my hands are very cold."
"Are they?" Karin slid a little closer to him. He felt his stomach drop as she met his eyes.
"Yeah," he said quietly. Karin slipped her gloves off and dropped them on the ice between them.
"Let me see if I can warm them up," she said. She took one of his hands in hers and brought it closer to her face. She flicked her eyes up to his and kissed the tips of his fingers lightly. "Is this your last request?" she asked.
"Can I have more than one?" he asked.
"Hmm," Karin hummed and checked her watch. "It's midnight. Happy New Year's."
"Can I have more than one?" Suigetsu asked again. Karin shrugged.
"Who are you going to kiss on New Year's?" she asked instead of answering.
"If I can't have more than one them I'm telling you my last request right now," Suigetsu said. She was still holding his hand in hers. "I want you as my last request."
"I'll tell you who I'm going to kiss on New Year's," Karin said like he hadn't spoken. She let go of his hand and put her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her level. "Or maybe I'll just show you. We can get to your last request in a minute."
Suigetsu's lips met hers. It was a minute before he realized what had happened, then his mind went blank.
This wasn't really the way Ino had picture New Year's. She had thought that she would be surrounded by friend, made up with Sakura and kissing her boyfriend as fireworks exploded gloriously overhead.
Right now only the fireworks had happened and she was feeling a little down. She stared out the window watching the explosions of colour overhead, wondering what the point of all this was. They had obviously succeeded in getting Hinata her man and somehow Tenten had managed to stumble into commitment with Neji but Sasuke and Sakura were not speaking to each other and she wasn't speaking to Sakura. It was weird and very lonely.
"Ino?" Kiba opened the door. "What are you doing in here in the dark by yourself?"
"Hmm? Oh, I'm watching the fireworks," Ino said, pointing out the window.
"Well you shouldn't watch them alone. It's a bit sad," Kiba put his hands in his pockets and came to stand next to her. She rested her head against his shoulder, breathing in the smell of smoke and soap that he always smelled like. It had come to be a comforting scent.
"So," he said, "what's your New Year's resolution?"
"I think I'm going to try to make up with Sakura. And give up meddling in her love life, or lack thereof," Ino had thought about it during the trip and it felt like there was nothing else she could do.
"That sounds like a good idea," Kiba said, putting his arm around her shoulder. "My resolution is to give up smoking."
"Didn't you resolve to give that up last year?" Ino asked.
"Yeah," Kiba sighed, "But this time I'll have Hana nagging me at work, Mom nagging me whenever she drops in and you nagging me at home so my chances are considerable higher."
Ino laughed. "I love you," she murmured. Kiba hugged her closer.
"I love you," he said against her hair.
Sasuke was pacing madly in his room, probably wearing right through the floor. He felt like he wanted to tear his hair out but he didn't think he would look good bald. Everything Kiba had said was still going through his mind with annoying regularity and he kept seeing visions of Suigetsu with his arm around Sakura. Then he would see red for a minute and pace faster until it went away. Frustrated and disgusted that he let himself get played by a little bitch like Suigetsu he flung himself on his bed.
Then he realized that that was too much like sulking so he forced himself up. He didn't want to start pacing but he didn't want to go anywhere else either. Everywhere he went there was a happy couple. Naruto and Hinata had taken up residence in front of the outdoor fire place, holding hands and being disgustingly in love. Kiba and Ino had locked themselves in their bed room and Sasuke had no doubt about what was happening behind that closed door. And Neji and Tenten were somewhere with each other getting used to the fact that they were in love. He had no idea what Karin was doing and didn't give a fuck about Suigetsu. The only person left down stairs was Sakura, sitting on the couch, by herself.
"Fuck," Sasuke hurtled out his door and practically fell down the stairs. He managed to pull his momentum to a halt outside the living room door and pull himself together. Almost.
He felt a tightening in his chest when he saw her, sitting with her hands on her knees, staring at the rung. He cleared his throat. She flicked her green eyes and glared at him. He sat down next to her, looking at her sidelong. She turned slightly away from him and tucked her feet up on the couch under her. It was five minutes to midnight by his watch and he knew Kiba was right. If he didn't apologize then he would probably never speak to her again. And he quiet honestly found that idea horrifying.
"Sakura," he said. She jerked her head slightly but didn't look at him. "I'm – I'm," he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."
Her head whipped around so fast he thought she might have snapped her neck for a moment.
"What did you just say?" she sounded really astonished, which was a blow to his deeply buried emotional self. He wasn't that much of an asshole was he?
"I'm sorry for what I said before," he paused, hoping she would just forgive him and spare him the embarrassment. She arched her eyebrow and pursed her lips. No dice. "About your, uh, situation with Ino."
"Are you really?" she asked like she didn't believe him.
"Yes!" he snapped, losing it for a second. "I am," he forced his temper down at the affronted look in her eyes. "I shouldn't have pushed it when you told me not too."
Sakura looked like she was ready to forgive him because she had a softened look on her face when she opened her mouth to speak but he suddenly keep the words back.
"I should have had more respect for your feelings and the boundaries around your personal life that you don't want crossed. I shouldn't have –"
"Sasuke!" she put her hand on his. She had turned her body to face his fully now. "It's my personal life but you're allowed to push the boundaries now and again. Thank you for apologizing to me, it means a lot that you would do that," she squeezed his hand and started to pull it away.
Instead of a sense of relief he felt an irrational moment of panic at the sudden loss of contact. He grabbed her hand with his. She looked around at him, frowning slightly, like he was a little bit more that bizarre. He couldn't think of a reason to explain his actions but he didn't want to let go of her hand either. He pulled it closer to him, gently guiding her along with it until she was inched from him. She was kneeling on the sofa and he was leaning forward. Their noses almost touched.
"Karin told me about this stupid tradition," she mumbled distractedly. "Something about kissing someone at midnight on New Year's."
Sasuke didn't know if it was an invitation or not but he leaned forward, just enough for their lips to brush lightly.
It was like getting an electric shock but a thousand times better. His whole body felt like it was burning with some sort of intense but pleasant internal fire. He lifted his free hand and slid it around the back of her neck, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. And she let him.
He was kissing her. And she was kissing him back.
Sakura was almost certain that her heat would beat out of her chest, even though that sort of thing was medically impossible. But that's what it felt like when she kissed him. It felt like she was on fire, short of breath, lightheaded and dizzy all at once. But instead of being afraid that she would pass out she felt like she was being pulled up, out of some sort of suffocating darkness.
When had Sasuke become like this? When had she suddenly needed him next to her like she needed to breath or eat? When had she started thinking of them as a single unit instead of two separate people? She had gotten so used to having him around, constantly orienting herself around him that she hadn't even noticed when he started to orient himself around her as well.
Her heart was beating in her chest and blood was pounding in her ears. She knew her face was probably red by now but didn't care. She wanted to feel the intense fire, the burning sensation that started at the pit of her stomach and moved out to her extremities.
He pulled back, his eyes bright with an emotion she couldn't quite name, breathing hard.
"Sakura," he gasped. "I didn't mean to –"
"Don't," she whispered and pushed him back. He fell back against the cushions on the sofa, obeying her touch so easily. She felt giddy. She could smell the unique scent of soap, and some odd, unnamed spice that always seemed to linger around him. It was a heady, intoxicating scent. She slid closer leaning down. His hands slid around her waist. It was such an innocent gesture but it was so intimate that she let out a small gasp before kissing him hard.
He pulled her down against him and held her against his body. She could feel him pressed up against her. All of him. His skin was hot to the touch, his hands pushing the back of her t-shirt up, skimming over her bared skin. She tangled her fingers in his hair holding him to her fast.
Someone gasped from the doorway. Sakura, too startled to be reluctant, pulled herself away. Tenten was standing there opened mouthed, staring at them. She had a look on her face somewhere between laughter and embarrassed shock.
"Oh, so you guys made up then?" she asked. "Good for you two. Well," she cleared her throat awkwardly. "Carry on," then she tore out of the room, hair whipping behind her.
"Um," Sakura looked down at Sasuke (a rare occurrence).
"You heard her," he growled. He sat up, picking her up like she weighed nothing and kissed her fiercely. "She said to carry on," and he carried her out of the room. Sakura would have laughed but she was busy making out with her roommate. Laughing could wait until later. She had more important things to do. Literally. Like, right now.
"So," Tenten looked at Neji who was looking away to suppress his laughter. "That was awkward."
"Oh really?" Neji asked. If anyone else had been sarcastic with her Tenten would have punched them in the face. But she liked Neji's face so she settled with digging her elbow into his ribcage.
"Shut up," she growled. "You didn't just see one of your best friend practically having sex on the couch that you've sat on with her roommate."
"At least now Sasuke knows how to solve any future problems," Neji said. Tenten looked at him.
"What do you mean?"She asked, not really wanting to hear his answer because she knew he was a sarcastic bastard.
"Well, all he has to do is apologize and then he gets make-up sex," Neji shrugged. Tenten actually did punch him. But on the arm. She still liked his face.
"Ouch," Neji rubbed his arm and glared at her.
"Oh no! did I hurt you, sweetie?" she asked archly. She grinned and stood up on tip toe to whisper in his ear. "Do you want me to kiss it better?" she licked her lips right next to his ear. Neji made a low growling noise in the back of his throat and pushed her up against the wall. He kissed her hard, pulling her zip up hoodie off frantically.
"Whoa, slow down there big boy," Tenten chided him. "It can wait until the bedroom, can't it?"
Karin rolled onto her back, thankful that Suigetsu had the foresight to lay down a tarp from the shed nearby.
"So," she said.
"Yeah," Suigetsu nodded next to her. He had already pulled his jeans and sweater back on. Karin had claimed his shirt for her own and put on her jacket and tights. It was cold outside.
"I've never had sex outside in the middle of winter before," Karin observed unromantically. "I thought I'd be cold but you're actually quite similar to a space heater. Only much more pleasurable."
"I can't believe you just compared me to a space heater," Suigetsu grumbled. He would have gotten up to stalk off except Karin had wrapped her arms around his neck and was resting her head on his chest. He didn't mind though. It was nice to have someone to do this kind of thing with.
"I never figure you for the cuddling type," Karin said. She rubbed her nose into his sweater. Suigetsu groaned and grabbed her arm.
"Karin, stop that," he begged. She looked at him pouting. "You really have no idea what you do to me, do you?" he asked, exasperated. Karin grinned wickedly.
"We have all night to find out," she suggested.
"Oh no," Suigetsu surprised himself. "I am not doing outdoor winter sex again. Even if it was incredible."
"Of course it was. This is me we're talking about," Karin nodded. "But I know what you mean. I could lay here all night with you," she snuggled closer, his warmth seeping into her skin.
She felt Suigetsu tighten his grip around her shoulders and smiled. She was never a softie but she could be romantic if she felt like it. And she was feeling the romantic vibe right now. She liked it a lot.
Hinata would never tell anyone this, but she wasn't as innocent as they all thought she was. Naruto had found that out the night before and he almost found out again in the hot tub. They had gotten out of the hot tub once Neji and Tenten vacated the balcony, getting dressed quickly and booking it up to the outdoor fire place, laughing to each other. Kiba wasn't occupying his usual spot so Hinata felt free to stretch her body out on the lawn chair there and let the electric fire heat her. She didn't miss the look in Naruto's eyes as he watched her, but she just smiled and shook her head. She didn't want to ruin what they had with too much sex. She always felt like that would cheapen it somehow.
And Naruto understood that. He lifted her legs and sat with her, draping her limbs over his lap, rubbing his hands over his shins to warm them.
"Hey," he said like he had just realized something. There were fireworks exploding overhead. "Happy New Year, Hinata-chan."
Hinata couldn't hold back the grin that spread across her face. She sat up on her elbows, and he leaned closer, placing a chaste kiss on her lips.
"Happy New Year," she whispered against his mouth. She had never felt so completely happy in her life as she did now, with him simply holding her. She felt like if she died she wouldn't mind, so long as she could always remember this moment forever.
extras: okay, so I lied. I did post my New Year's chapter on time…ish. I GOT IT DONE! Which is what's important. There is so much love going on in this chapter. And yes, Hinata and Naruto are the only couple that don't go off to have sex. But I have to have someone be sane here. And I think they are just too cute for that. AHHH, buut I kinda love Sasuke in this chapter. He's so cute when he's flustered and awkward. I'm going to stop complimenting myself now because that's seriously arrogant. Haha, i wrote this while listening to a bunch of covers of songs by Alex Goot and Chad Sugg on youtube. And omg, I think I love them both. Well…there goes my New Year's resolution to stop obsessing over guys with guitars…wow, only 35 minutes in. that's got to be a record.
P.S. THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO HOW SAD MY LIFE IS! I DIDN'T EVEN GO OUT WITH FRIEND FOR NEW YEARS BECAUSE WE'RE ALL SO LAZY. Pity is appreciated.