I'm so glad to see you guys still tuned in to this story! ^.^

Here's an early update!

Hope you enjoy it! :)

Winter of 2011

Sakura, Itachi, and the two boys from Sasuke's year follow the parent back to the main gym, faces flushed.

The gym is still packed but now the crowd is more scattered than before. Many students have taken up to the bleachers, rubbing the soles of their feet, sipping on the drinks, sweaty and grinning. Sakura spots Temari and Shikamaru engaged in a whispered conversation to her right. She nudges Itachi and points at them.

"Let them be," he says. "Let's go try the drinks."

Sakura picks up the red one, hoping it to be sweet, and Itachi picks up the blue.

"It's mint but something else, too," he comments. "You want to try?"

"It's a little sweet," Sakura informs him happily, handing over her red drink.

Itachi pulls a face but dutifully takes a sip. "Not bad. Say, Cherry – how about mixing them up?"

She hesitates for a moment and then shrugs. Itachi mixes the two and the colour becomes neither red nor blue. He holds it up in front of their faces like a scientist showcasing his latest discovery.

"After you," Sakura mumbles.

Itachi drinks. Sakura watches his face carefully – to study the effects of the taste and nothing else, but she rather likes the beauty spot near his jaw that she had somehow missed, it's miniscule and cute, his eyelashes are as dark as his eyes and for a moment Sakura thinks he looks quite exotic coupled with the tan, his bun is neat and he's wearing a matching hairband, rich brown like his shirt with the velvet collars – it's not a bad activity, she thinks, to be watching him.

"You have to try it," Itachi breaks her reverie, extending his hand casually.

Sakura takes a careful sip and almost spits it out. She hadn't tried the blue one separately but there is almost next to zero hint of sweetness left by the red. It's sour and disgusting and burns down her throat. "Itachi!"

He's doubled over in laughter. "Your face is priceless!"

"I'm going to murder you," Sakura glares. "This is disgusting!"

"I know," he agrees, wiping at his eyes a little. "It's probably one of the worst things I've had in a while."

"Worse than pineapple tea?" she reminds him dryly.

Itachi shudders suddenly. "Ugh – don't. We agreed to never talk about that disaster."

"You wanted us to never talk about it," Sakura corrects him. "I agreed to no such thing."

"It's probably spiked," Itachi says wisely. "The blue one – that is."

"Can't believe my first alcohol taste is an accident," she mumbles, still irritated by the revolting taste.

"Hey, come on," Itachi bumps their shoulders together. "This doesn't count. We'll have it properly when we're older."

"Wait," Sakura stares. "You never had alcohol before?"

He rolls his eyes. "When have you ever seen me drink?"

"That doesn't mean you didn't have it," Sakura points out. "What about Shikamaru?"

Itachi waves his hand dismissively. "Not interested, either."

They both have another look-around at the gym. The music has become mellow and slow, and Sakura is trying very hard not to focus on it. She's about to ask Itachi whether they should go look for Ino, when he speaks first.

"You want to go outside?"

Sakura laughs. "You do realise that we're barely attending the actual event, right?"

Itachi isn't fazed. "Who cares? And I meant – outside in the parking lot. I thought of another game for us."

"What game?"

"Bucket list. We'll list out the things we haven't done yet and would like to do sometime in life. Like drinking alcohol."

Sakura winces. "I can live without it. The drinking, I mean."

He chuckles, leading the way to the main entrance of the gym this time. No one stops them, mostly because there are many parents standing in groups, chattering, one eye trained on their surroundings. Itachi and Sakura lean against a wall in plain sight to assert they are not intending to do anything sexual.

The night is colder than she likes. The air nips at her exposed skin, making her shiver involuntarily. Itachi offers to bring his jacket from Shikamaru's car.

As Sakura is waiting alone, she notices a boy approaching her. She thinks he might be a senior, she isn't entirely sure, but he looks seen-in-hallways type of familiar. He's dressed nicely in a maroon shirt, dark grey slacks, hair styled carefully. He has nice features, she decides.

"Hey, I'm Takeshi."

Sakura smiles politely, trying not to appear too nervous. "Hi. Sakura."

Takeshi maintains a respectful distance the whole time, talking about mundane school things, classes, teachers, and when he's finished extending an invitation to sometime sit for lunch together, Itachi is back with the jacket.

"Uchiha, hey man," Takeshi greets cheerfully, extending a hand to shake. "How's it going?"

Itachi smiles back easily. "All good. You enjoying the dance?"

"I suppose," Takeshi laughs. "It's a little sad, isn't it?"

Itachi laughs. "I suppose. At least they did something, though."

"True. Anyway, I'll let you both be. See you guys after break, yeah?"

Sakura gratefully shrugs on the jacket, and Itachi leans back on the wall beside her. "How do you know Takeshi?"

"I just met him," Sakura says, zipping up the front, crossing her arms on her chest for more warmth.

"Oh, okay." Then he grins. "You go first."

Sakura takes a few moments to think. Honestly, the first thing that comes to her mind is escape home. She can't exactly say that, though. It'd be like opening a can of dirty worms.

"Live in a big city," she says, settling for a semi-truth.

"Watch snow," Itachi says dreamily.

"Own a pet."

"Oh, me too!" he claps his hands in excitement. "Visit the Grand Canyon."

"That's specific," Sakura tilts her head.

"Aren't we going for specifics?" he counters. "Grand Canyon seems well – grand. I'd like to stand there, feeling small."

Sakura laughs in surprise. "Excuse me?"

To her genuine curiosity, Itachi seems slightly flustered. "I mean – that came out wrong. I'd like to see how it feels. If I stand there – would I feel bigger or smaller?"

Sakura has no idea what that means. "Okay," she says uncertainly. "Take a cruise."

"Live in a house with a city view."

"Penthouse?"

"Not necessarily. An apartment on a high floor sounds cool."

Sakura pauses, racking her brain for more wishes. She watches her surroundings for inspiration, but there isn't much other than parked cars and mingling humans.

"To be a part of something," she admits softly in the relative quiet.

Itachi shuffles a little closer for warmth, their shoulders brushing. "For instance?"

Sakura shrugs, hoping to appear cool and casual. She thinks being a part of something shouldn't be all that difficult. You can be part of a group of friends, part of family, part of school, part of the world. But what is its importance if you don't truly feel a part of it?

Maybe that's why she's so easily attracted to Itachi's presence. He came with a group of friends, came with silly ideas, came with his smirks and smiles, his nicknames, made Sakura feel a part of his life.

"I suppose everyone wants that," Itachi breaks the silence. His voice is warm in the chill, comforting, understanding, easily accepting Sakura's semi-truths and vague wishes.

"Your turn."

"To never be alone."

Sakura gulps down the strange feeling at his words. "Isn't that just another way of saying what I said?"

Itachi's chuckle is more of an exhale, humming in agreement.

"I suppose we both want the same thing, then."

Winter of 2020 – Present Day

The view from the Ferris wheel is breathtaking.

Sakura can see the entire fair from up there and Konan's blue-dyed hair is recognizable near the popcorn stand. And she immediately spots Tobi, Deidara, and Kiba with her.

The river is dark, still, silent, reflecting the moonlit clouds on its surface. Pockets of people are sitting on the low wall alongside the river, legs dangling, eating a variety of food items, a laugh here and a shout there; the distant sound of Christmas jingles completing the backdrop of holiday season.

Itachi is quiet, too. After his blunt confession, they had been shuffled ahead in the line before Sakura can really give any form of response. Which was rather relieving. She has no idea what she could have said to it, anyway. What she can still say.

Temari's words are ringing in her ears.

"But Sakura – he gave you so many hints through school and you refused to believe any of them."

How oblivious was she, really? Or was it that she didn't want to believe that someone like Itachi could ever feel anything for someone like her. Maybe her own self-worth was heavily compromised.

What about now? It's easier to accept, she decides. Definitely. If Itachi tells her now that he likes her, has any kind of feelings for her, it'll be believable. Not that she knows why he would like her, but she must be doing something good for him. Her presence must be helping him in some or the other way, like his does for her.

Besides, he has already told her that he doesn't intend to stay friends.

And well, Itachi is the only person who can tell her how he feels. It wouldn't be right to assume his feelings for him or the reasons for their existence.

Sakura clears her throat unnecessarily. "I remember you dated Shiho after that."

Itachi is quiet for a few moments. "Yes, I did."

It's in the past, she tells herself. And it's nothing that he should be explaining, either, and Sakura really has no right to demand one. It doesn't even matter anymore, even if it had felt like the world at that time.

"I kept telling myself that what you do has nothing to do with me," she admits softly. "And when you think about it – there's nothing wrong with that. Of course, your actions are not always going to revolve around me. But I guess – some of them did. And I refused to believe them."

Itachi's swallow is loud in her ears. "There were times – times when I thought I had a shot with you. That if I keep close, you might eventually notice me."

"I always noticed you."

Her words are met with a stunned pause. Sakura keeps her breathing as steady as possible, trying to focus on the Christmas jingles of the fair than the silence of the world.

"It was just easier with you around," Itachi eventually tells her. His voice is warmer than the hot chocolate, and Sakura's chest expands to try and accommodate the sheer fondness for him.

"What was easier?"

Itachi shrugs, their shoulders brushing against each other lightly. "Everything."

The Ferris wheel is descending slowly. Sakura starts to feel the loss of the view already, mourning for the moment that was built between them, and then decides that she wants more of them, wants to make it obvious, spell it out, shout it from the top, because it's important that Itachi understands it, doesn't miss it, doesn't interpret it in any other way than she means it.

"The view is better with you in it."

Itachi's fingers find hers, intertwining them together, squeezing painfully. Sakura doesn't complain. She squeezes back just as painfully.

Sasuke and Naruto join them when they're buying candies dipped in warm chocolate. Naruto buys four for himself. Sasuke offers to hold on to two for his sake.

"Where are the others?" Sakura asks.

"Hinata was with Konan and Temari, last I saw. They were buying clothes out of the box – it's through there. Lee was with Hidan – they were talking about having some stupid athletic competition," Naruto rolls his eyes. "Really – men."

"Hey," Sasuke rebukes. "You're pretty athletic yourself!"

"Dude," Naruto stares in disbelief. "You're literally holding my candies in your hands – fuck, that came out wrong–"

Sasuke, Sakura, and Itachi burst out in peals of laughter.

Naruto flushes a deep, deep red, trying to speak over them. "I mean that a fair isn't exactly the sort of place you'd have a race at!"

"Oh, shut it," Sasuke says without any heat behind his words. "We both know that you'll run five laps around here if someone challenges you."

"Here's an idea," Itachi says loudly, interrupting them before Naruto can counter. "Why don't we have a game some time?"

"Oh, that's perfect," Naruto agrees happily.

And then Itachi turns to Sakura, looking her straight in the eye. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Sakura thinks of starry nights and long drives.

"What say, Haruno?" he asks with a smirk firmly in place. "Wanna join?"

Sakura smirks back. "You bet your ass."

Itachi laughs warmly.

Sakura, Itachi, and Sasuke eventually end up calling their respective friends over mobile, giving them a rendezvous point. Once they're all back together, Sasuke says they should head out for dinner. Suigetsu complains about Sasuke's apartment being too cramped, Hinata can't host since she's having a couple of renovations done, Konan pesters Hidan but he says his neighbours are having a party that he never wants to set a foot in, they're this really religious couple who will glare at you until you say your grace properly, and then Naruto takes personal offense on the subject of religion, and things begin to go out of hand –

"We're going to my place!" Itachi announces over the ruckus, or tries to, because half of them turn while the other half are debating on the topic of Indra and Buddha.

"GUYS!" Suigetsu screams, effectively shutting them all up in a single swoop. "Thank you. Itachi is generous enough to offer his apartment. Now – who's driving me there?"

Sakura sits in the backseat with Hinata and Naruto in Lee's car, while Sai takes the passenger seat, insisting he wants to play DJ for the ride. To everyone's annoyance, Sai plays cheesy, corny Christmas songs one after another, having a blast on his own.

"For fuck's sake, Sai!" Hinata yells over the loud and all the dreams of white Christmas are getting you wet.

Sai blissfully ignores her. By the end their journey, Naruto has succumbed to his fate, singing the lyrics along in a terrible tune. Sakura films them during a particularly dramatic performance as future blackmail material.

Sai's streak of mind-numbing songs continues at Itachi's apartment, too.

Itachi declares that he will not be responsible for ordering food since he's already done his part in providing shelter during these trying times. Sakura rolls his eyes at him and he smirks back cheekily. To be fair, the apartment is pretty packed. It hadn't been so obvious in the open fair, surrounded by a variety of existing crowd, but Sakura has a look-around, counting all the people –

Sasuke, Naruto, Hinata, Lee, Sai, Konan, Temari, Hidan, Sasori, Tobi, Deidara, Suigetsu, Kiba, Itachi, and Sakura, herself – fifteen. Shut inside a two-bedroom flat. Itachi has kept his personal bedroom firmly locked for the time being because Suigetsu has zero manners in the world about these things, but has offered the other bedroom in case anyone gets too drunk and passes out.

Sakura realises that despite having spent quite some time with Itachi in the last couple of months, they have never made a drinking plan before this. Granted, she only starts with the beer and intends to stick with it, you never really know with Lee and Sai's tendency to get carried away.

She's in the middle of a mundane conversation with Temari and Konan when Deidara joins them, carrying a tray full of shots.

"Ladies, ladies, ladies," he giggles. Sakura exchanges an amused look with Temari. "Pick your poison."

"Hardly a choice when all drinks are the same," Konan scoffs, picking one up anyway.

Temari follows, knocking back the shot almost immediately, hissing at the taste. Deidara waits expectantly for Sakura.

"Er – no, thank you."

Temari sighs loudly as though Sakura has personally offended her. "Don't make me call Itachi."

"What is he going to do?"

Temari promptly disappears in the crowd. Konan knocks back another shot, making Deidara cheer happily. Itachi suddenly pops behind Sakura just as Deidara, once again, extends the tray towards Sakura.

"Great," Itachi comments. He does two shots in a row.

Sakura stares. Itachi notices her lack of activity, picks a shot in each hand. Unceremoniously, he shoves one in Sakura's fingers.

"Come on, Haruno," Itachi nudges her playfully. "We did decide to drink when we're older."

Temari returns. She perks up when she sees Itachi and then her eyes meaningfully stray down at Sakura's glass of vodka.

Sakura ignores her. She glances at Itachi once more – wanting to retort that the "bucket list" was not named "things to do together" – but then she takes in his happy smile, relaxed face, gives in. The alcohol burns down her throat and she manages not to cough. There's a good reason why she doesn't drink hard – it's just as revolting as it was the first time.

The others cheer her on, though, and she feels as though she has accomplished something monumental. The vodka doesn't feel too strong, there's a tiny kick, but that's nothing. It was expected when she's down two beers already.

Itachi disappears just as suddenly then. Deidara sways back to the kitchen table for more drinks to pass around. Konan gets a phone call from Yahiko. She gestures that she's going to the bedroom since the music is too loud to hear much. Temari and Sakura join Hidan and Tobi, who are drunkenly trying to stack deck cards in a pyramid near the television.

Halfway through, when Sakura is nibbling on her pizza, someone is banging on the door. Itachi opens it to reveal Shikamaru –

Temari squeals so loudly in Sakura's ears she thinks her eardrums might bleed. She jumps into Shikamaru's arms quite literally, making him stumble slightly and laugh at the same time.

In the corner of her eye, Sakura watches Sasuke sneak out to the balcony. Feeling suspicious, she wades across the room, stepping out in the cold.

Sasuke has a lit cigarette dangling from his lips.

"Sasuke!"

He jumps about a foot in the air, cursing loudly. "Shit, Haruno! What the fuck?"

Sakura rolls her eyes, crossing her arms across her chest. "You said you left smoking!"

"Yeah, well," Sasuke ignores looking at her, shrugging, taking another deep drag. "I'm stressed. You can hardly blame me."

"Actually, I can," Sakura says dryly. "Come on, that shit is not good for you."

"I know that," he snaps in irritation. "God, you sound like Aniki."

Sakura's lip become a thin line. "It's common fucking knowledge. Anyway. Why are you stressed?"

Sasuke takes his sweet little time. She tries not to lose her patience as he finishes half of the stick before he can form any sort of response.

"Have you thought about my job offer?"

Sakura blanks. "What? You're stressed over my employment?"

Sasuke groans. "No. I'm just following up with you like a decent HR would."

"What's causing you stress then?"

"Sakura."

Her first name shocks her. Sasuke never really uses it, rather enjoying calling her Haruno or Cherry, depending on whom he's trying to piss off at that time. Feeling entirely wrong-footed, Sakura takes a steady breath in.

"I was going to speak with you tomorrow," Sakura allows the distraction, joining him near the railing. Sasuke is generous enough to blow the smoke the other way. The stink is still palpable, but Sakura can live with it. For now. It's not every day Uchiha Sasuke calls you by your first name, after all.

"Yeah?"

"If it's still open, I'd like to take it–"

"Shit, seriously–"

"–after we iron out some details," she says firmly.

He waves his free hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. We'll meet up at the office. Have a proper chat. Make it official."

They stand in companionable silence for a while. Sasuke puts out the cigarette on the floor of the balcony, then stowing the butt back in his pack. He doesn't leave, though. Sakura is grateful when he doesn't light another.

"What changed your mind?" Sasuke asks seriously.

Sakura places her hands on the metal bars, hisses at the cold, then shoves them in her jean pockets. "My low account balance."

Sasuke huffs out a short laugh. "Yeah, that's a great motivator."

"Sasuke," Sakura begins nervously.

Sasuke throws a curious side-glance, straightening up a little. "Yeah?"

"Do you think some people never find their passion?"

The thought has been plaguing Sakura for a few weeks now. Almost all her friends have jobs that they truly enjoy, are passionate about, and are doing them for the sole purpose of serving their interests. Maybe except Sai – he grudgingly works at the paper firm, disliking his boss, but doing his job nonetheless. He hasn't left the company even after two years of hating it. Maybe his passion is hating it, she jokes wryly with herself.

Sasuke hums thoughtfully at her question. Sakura feels rather glad that he's taking her seriously. She had genuinely wondered if it's a stupid thing to ask anyone.

"Passion can be overrated," Sasuke answers eventually. "Even if you love your job, you don't love every single aspect of it. Even if you find your passion," he makes air-quotes around the word, "it's not always so dramatic or drastic. And well, there are all kinds of passion.

"Look at Naruto – he's passionate about his job, definitely, but he isn't really enjoying the current school setting. He can easily find another school, and seriously, as an HR, I can guarantee it'll be easy for him to do that. Still, he's sticking to it. That's one sort of passion.

Then there's Aniki who went to try his hand at something he believed himself to be half-decent at, made a career out of it, and it's nearly impossible to unglue him from his drafting desk at times. Then there's Konan, designer, but no one needs to unglue her from anywhere – except from maybe her phone."

"Okay," Sakura says uncertainly. "What you're saying is – passion comes in different forms, right?"

"Yes," Sasuke replies. "But it's also overrated at times. I know for a fact that all the employees at my company don't love their jobs. Denchi from Marketing spends his weekends in his basement doing taxidermy. Ameno at the front office wanted to be a fashion designer; I hitched her up with Marketing on freelance basis to design company-clothing merchandise. My job is to make sure they're happy by the returns of their service – salary, activities, culture, etc. If you find your passion, it's a bonus, Sakura. Not a pre-requisite to have a career."

Sakura lets his words sink in, feeling her insides stich themselves back. Feeling something settle in her gut. She thinks she can live this way – having a job, having a social life, having someone to love. And really, when she thinks about it, that's more than a blessing already.

Winter of 2011

Shikamaru offers to drop off everyone.

Sakura sits behind the passenger seat, catching glances at Itachi through the side-mirror. He's looked back a few times, to her pleasant surprise.

The evening went better than expected, she decides. Sure, she didn't get to spend more time with Temari or Ino, but they enjoyed themselves, and Sakura wouldn't trade off her personal time with Itachi, anyway.

She feels solidified in her understanding of their friendship. She knows that things might still be confusing at times, still grate on her nerves, still make her wonder what his actions mean. It's alright, though. Because even if nothing romantic happens between them, Itachi is undeniably her closest friend.

They drop off Ino first. Sakura hugs her goodbye, thanking her for her help in make-up. Ino waves it away, insisting it's no big deal, and promises to have Sakura over more times over the winter break.

Sakura's next to reach home. She thanks Shikamaru for the ride, pushing the door open. Itachi steps out, too, and they walk to the kissing gate again.

"I had a good time," Sakura tells him truthfully. "Thank you for sticking with me."

Itachi smiles. "Of course. I had a good time, too."

"Let's hope we finish the bucket list someday."

He chuckles, spending tingles down her spine. "Yeah. Even if we don't, we'll just make a new one."

Sakura giggles. "That's cheating. Why have a bucket list in the first place?"

There's a brief pause. "Because it's fun."

He's clearly changed his original response. Sakura lets it go, feeling too happy and relaxed to bother herself or him with more cryptic words.

"Drive safe," she teases.

He rolls his eyes. "Yes, ma'am."

He doesn't leave immediately. Sakura waits with bated breath, not knowing what to do, what he wants to do, what she wants him to do. The silence is not awkward but tense this time. She feels her palms sweating, reaching out to any coherent thought possible, just to break this stifling stillness.

"Uchiha!" Shikamaru calls out suddenly.

Sakura nearly jumps out of her skin. Itachi startles a bit, too, craning his neck around to show a middle finger to Shikamaru. It makes her laugh.

"Good night," she says firmly.

"Good night," Itachi replies, shaking his head a little, now smiling.

Winter of 2020 – Present Day

Shikamaru sits with Sakura, catching up after years. She obliges happily. Shikamaru is still in his residency years at a psychiatric ward in a hospital up north. From what Temari had told her, she takes trips to his city between her freelance projects.

When Ino arrives after midnight, she looks exhausted but cheerful. Sakura hasn't seen her in months, either. Ino grabs as much food as possible on her plate, a tall glass of the mixed drink Sasori had proudly declared, and takes a seat on the couch, shoving a few people around.

Itachi comes from the behind and tugs at her ponytail.

"What the fuck?" Ino shrieks. "Itachi, you fucker."

Itachi chortles without remorse. "You deserve it. I don't see your stupid face for months! What's gotten you so tied up that you can't even make a single drive?"

"Look who's talking," Ino shoots back. "You haven't been home in months, either!"

"I have a job."

"I have a business."

"Touché," Itachi smirks. "Thank you for gracing us with your presence."

"You're welcome," Ino smiles sweetly. "By the way, you're a terrible friend."

"Why now?" Itachi tugs at her hair again.

Ino gestures for him to lean down so she can whisper in his ear. Whatever she says makes him laugh so loudly that Sakura almost misses Ino's next words.

"Come on. You can do that for a friend, can't you?"

Itachi shakes his head, highly amused. "He's Sakura's friend. From what I know, he's single, though."

"Who?" Sakura raises her eyebrows.

"Sai," Itachi tells her. "Apparently, Ino thinks I've been hiding him from her all this time."

Sakura is thankful that she isn't eating or drinking anything at the moment. "You want me to introduce you?"

Ino nods in excitement. "He's single?"

"Yeah," Sakura says.

Sai is currently sabotaging Suigetsu and Hinata's conversation. Sakura pulls him aside.

"Which one?" Sai asks.

Sakura nods her head in Ino's direction. "The blonde beside Itachi."

"Say no more," Sai smiles like the devil.

Sakura removes the disturbing image from her mind. Sai doesn't waste any time. He approaches Ino, offers a hand, taking her to the side to have a more private conversation. Itachi catches her gaze.

Sakura joins him the couch. Temari and Shikamaru have retreated to the hallway to make-out in peace. Itachi looks a little bleary eyed by now.

"Hey."

He grins. "Hi. Enjoying yourself?"

"Very much so," Sakura nods. "You?"

"Very much so."

She pokes him in the shoulder playfully.

"I've never seen my house so full," he remarks cheerfully. "It's nice, isn't it?"

"To never be alone? Yeah. Pretty nice."

Itachi throws his head back and laughs freely. "Time for a new bucket list."

Sakura hums. "You haven't been to Grand Canyon, yet, have you?"

"Nah," he says, slinging his arm on the back of the couch, highly reminiscent of how they used to sit during lunches at the cafeteria. "I do have a city view, though."

"It can be better," Sakura teases. "Eighth floor is hardly ambitious."

Itachi leans down unexpectedly, putting his face inches away from hers. He waits to see if she moves away.

Sakura doesn't. She holds it, even as her heart is thumping louder than Barry Gordon lamenting I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas.

"Don't test my ambitions, Cherry," he says lowly, his breath fanning over her lips.

"Why not?" she manages to choke out.

Itachi's snowy-night eyes move to her pink hair, studying it as though it's a fascinating colour that he's suddenly come across in his life, before catching her startled gaze.

"I'm feeling pretty ambitious right now."

At his words, Sakura closes the gap between their lips, tasting alcohol more than anything else, doesn't mind it, and Itachi responds instantly, his arm falling down from the back of the couch to tangle in her hair.

It's a slow kiss, sweet, filled with promises. Sakura wraps her arms at the nape of his neck, their tongues tangling almost lazily, as though they've done this countless of times before.

When they finally pull apart, Itachi doesn't move away.

"Merry Christmas, Cherry."

Sakura huffs out a soft giggle. "Merry Christmas."

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