Oh my gosh, this was so brutal. I know you lovely people aren't my therapist but oh my god it's been crazy, plus I was on vacation and thought I would have time to write, but I really didn't have any time. But that's all fine, I finally got a breather so here we are! Also, just so we're clear, I fully intend on finishing this story, regardless of how far in between my updates are. If you ever feel like I'm MIA, I'm actually not, I greatly appreciate all of the reviews, they're so heartwarming and beautiful and I come back often to read them. Thank you, Merci beaucoup, and ENJOY!
"I do not know what to do," Kushina said quietly, "This is the fifth time this month."
Sasuke sat on the front porch of the Uzumaki's secluded cabin, hidden deep in the countryside at the foot of a mountain range. Beside him, Naruto was twirling a rock in his hand and babbling about the way it shined in the sunlight. But Sasuke's attention was drawn to the harsh whispers just on the other side of the front door.
"I know," Minato spoke softly, "Perhaps he should go with Naruto. They will keep each other safe."
"We promised them - ,"
"But things have changed! We are not living in the same world; no one is safe anymore," Minato snapped, finding that his patience had vanished as they came upon a familiar topic of recent days, "It is only a matter of time before we are forced into another hole to hide like rats!"
Kushina gave a broken sigh and Sasuke heard her footsteps as she paced restlessly.
"The Emperor is our only ally now - ,"
"And the Uchihas were his greatest enemy," she said sharply, "Greater than the Akatsuki have been. They may be attacking his lands, his people, but Itachi took something from him that was irreplaceable. If you think he will have mercy on the brother of his son's killer, you are a fool!"
"It is our only choice!" A deathly silence followed Minato's outburst, but he soon collected himself and continued on, "What would you have us do then?" his voice dropped low to a despondent whisper and his shoulders slumped, but he kept her in his gaze, "The Emperor will know him only as our second son; he will have safety in our name."
"Itachi begged us to keep him away - ,"
"Itachi is gone! Dead!" Minato growled, "And we are perhaps the better for it!"
"Minato!" Kushina hushed him, "How can you say that? The Uchihas were our friends, they were your greatest allegiance to Konoha."
"No," Minato shook his head, "The Emperor was, and he has been incredibly gracious to offer our son such an opportunity. The Uchihas may have been our friends, but Itachi forsook his clan, he destroyed every loyalty they ever built. That is not Sasuke's responsibility, and perhaps with time he may come to understand that. He may even come to understand what his brother has done, but for now, he will thrive better in anonymity."
"Minato, I - ," Kushina shook her head as she struggled for words.
"I am trying to keep us out of harm's way," he took a heavy step toward her, encircling her in his arms, "Naruto will be under the watchful eye of the Emperor; you and I will disappear. We cannot continue to live this way, in limbo, surviving day to day and never looking to the future, never knowing if each hour will be our last."
A thickening silence grew and Sasuke pressed closer to the door to hear them.
"I am sick to death of these wars," Kushina said sharply, "It is not fair to our children. They are born into it, trained for it, and if they do not die in that war, then they will live long enough to see another started," she fought to keep her composure as a powerful rage shook her. Minato tucked her head beneath his chin and wound his fingers tighter at her shoulders, "I thought we might finally see an era of peace after you were appointed, but I had underestimated the cruelty of this world and the vicious nature of the people within it - ,"
"Sasuke," Naruto said sternly, pulling him back from the door, "It is not kind to eavesdrop."
"They were talking about us," Sasuke protested.
"That is not our business," Naruto chastised him, causing Sasuke to scowl.
"They were talking about my brother," he snarled and stood, "That is my business."
Naruto frowned and watched his friend with a tentative gaze. He recalled when they had played together as kids, when they had accidentally destroyed Mikoto's tomato garden and also when they had discovered Fugaku's weaponry cabinet. The two had been known for their mischievous behavior and inseparable ties amongst their villages, but things were different now. While Naruto found himself still clinging to those memories that shimmered like the brilliant stone in his hand, Sasuke seemed all too eager to leave them behind, most especially with the approach of his twelfth birthday. He had grown restless and increasingly solitary the older he became. With each day that progressed, Sasuke seemed to grasp the fissures of his past with more and more clarity, and it only appeared to further his isolation.
Sasuke turned away from Naruto as the silence became unbearable for him. He started down the porch and rounded the edge of the house; Naruto did not stop him.
Sakura owned only one black jūnihitoe, reserved for the most rare of occasions like a death or, in the case of that day, when her father left on one of his journeys. Despite its layers, it was a very plain silk, made up of no discernible patterns, that dragged like an ominous shadow behind her. The long sleeves billowed with the wind, but Sakura braced herself like a mountain against it. She stood beside her mother in the snow at the gates to the palace, waving somberly as her father's convoy pulled away. She remembered how she would run after the carriage when she was little, right up to the edge of the trees, which happened to be the spot her mother would always catch up to her. For a moment, Sakura felt her heart leap, urging her to run after her father, just as she used to, but Mebuki was clinging to Sakura like an anchor and, as the Empress drew herself up, her chest swelled with the responsibility she now assumed.
"I had thought," Mebuki's voice wavered and she cleared her throat softly, tearing her gaze away from her husband's retreating fleet, "Perhaps it might be nice to enjoy a quiet dinner, just the two of us, tonight."
"That sounds lovely," Sakura smiled up at her mother and nodded, "I look forward to it."
"Wonderful," Mebuki kissed her daughter on the cheek and followed her husband's advisors to his sitting room. Rather than see her mother go, Sakura turned back to the gate, watching as it shut with a loud clang. Though the wind raged on, she continued to brace herself against it, enraptured by the ghost of her memories and the sorrow she felt gradually creeping in.
Sasuke watched the sky from the window nearest him as the day pressed on and realized, to his ardent dismay, that Sakura was not coming. He knew she would be occupied in the morning, seeing her father off, yet, even as the time to lunch came and went, he found himself still hoping. Perhaps he would see her, he thought, just outside through the glass, walking around her garden. Perhaps he would catch her, when she was smiling at something a courtier said. Just a glimpse - and then he realized he was more than thinking or hoping, he was praying for it. He needed it, just one moment with her.
But he knew, even that would never be enough. Frustrated, at himself, at his desires, and at her incessant hold on him, he shut his eyes, willing sleep to claim him.
Sakura wept quietly as she watched the fire, ceasing to clear away her tears. It was pointless to try. She and her father shared a great bond; she had always felt his absence quite heavily. Sakura rested her cheek against the warm hearthstone, heedless of the ash that might lose itself against the void of her black dress or muddle her fair complexion. Surrounding her crumpled frame were a myriad of books and journals, material things that could only occupy her thoughts temporarily. She had given up attempting to distract herself from the melancholy that polluted her mind. So, she watched the flames dance, twisting about one another, devouring each other with every sharp crackle.
How pitiful, she thought, to be so consumed by grief that she could only lay immobile on the floor. If Sasuke could see her, what would his impression be? Though she did not think him capable of humiliating her, she still felt a wave of shame wash over her at the state she was in. She could not allow herself to continue like that; it was improper for a woman of her stature.
Sakura shot to her feet, dusting off her gown and rubbing at the dirt on her cheek. With a sense of determination, she gathered her skirts and took off for the infirmary.
He was sleeping somewhat peacefully atop the sheets when she entered. They had taken the time to redress him in a cotton shirt and drawstring pants that Sakura could not help finding odd on him. To see him in anything other than his uniform was jarring - well, perhaps, she thought, not anything. She pulled the curtain closed and heard him stir at the sound of its rungs scraping against the steel overhang.
Sakura went to the side of his bed and seated herself as his lids blinked open. She laid her hands upon her lap and offered him a small smile.
"Good evening," she spoke softly.
"Is it evening?" Sasuke rubbed his eyes with his good hand and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"It is past twilight," she murmured and watched as his gaze finally settled on her. She caught his eyes widening ever so slightly as he took in her morose attire; she had not given herself the foresight to change. His orbs traced the dried tears that tracked over her cheeks.
"Do you not have a curfew?" his lips twitched as though the words uttered seemed not to be the ones he had meant to speak.
"You of all people should know I almost never do as I am told," her mouth quirked upwards. Sasuke shook his head, struggling with himself for a moment before reaching for her.
"I do not think I have ever seen you so solemn," his hand settled over hers, encasing her fingers that gripped the silk of her gown as though she meant the fabric harm.
"No?" she sighed and released her dress, turning her palm up to meet his, "Do you see it? How it hangs over me like a cloud? I fear my condition will only worsen; it always does."
Her eyes shimmered softly as she swallowed and he knew she had contained a sob. Sakura cursed herself silently; she had come here to distract herself, not to recount her sorrows.
"Will you walk with me?" he asked quietly.
"Of course," she stood quickly, eager to be free of her own captivity, "Down the hall, yes?"
"No, outside," he nodded his head in the direction of the window hidden behind the curtain, "In your garden."
"You are not well enough for that," she clucked her tongue, but proceeded to help him sit up. He was silent as he swung his feet over the edge. She took his arm around her shoulders and, gingerly, he placed his weight on his feet. It was getting easier, he realized, but there was still the gnawing pain of battered muscles and limbs that plagued him. He slipped away from her, limping around to the other side of the gurney, and she hissed at him, "Sasuke-kun, let me help you."
He sat back on the bed and leaned over with a wince as he grappled for his boots with one arm, his other still in its sling, shaking his head at her all the while. He gave no care to lace the shoes, simply shoving his foot forward and coming to stand once more. When he turned to face her, he saw her hands stretched out towards him in anticipation. Her gaze wavered from his eyes to his feet as though she expected him to fall at any moment. Instead, he stepped forward and peeled back the thick curtain.
"Will you walk with me?" he asked again, "Outside."
She huffed and bit her lip to silence her smile. She stuck her chin up as she glared at him. Just beyond the threshold of the curtain, the hospital operated as if it never slept - recently it had not had the luxury - and so no one paid them any mind.
"If you insist," she gathered her skirt and walked forward, paving the path to the doors. Sasuke followed, watching her back and catching the way her concern betrayed her pride as she cast her eyes back every so often, ensuring he still stood tall. With the nurses continuing to bustle back and forth, attending to the weary, they were able to slip out without so much as a word. And as they stepped outside onto the snowy scape, the world around them quieted. The sun had already dipped below the mountain range and so they were bathed in darkness with only the moon to light them as it weaved in and out of the cloud's coverage. The wind stirred the snow at their feet and ruffled the edges of Sakura's skirt, but she seemed not to mind as she was transfixed by her frozen land.
"You have said you do not fare well in winter, but the cold does not seem to bother you," he had not taken his eyes off her as he extended his right arm. Her gaze dropped to his offering and she slid her hand into the crook of his elbow. The garden slept around them, not a soul in sight to witness their exchange. Without the Emperor's presence, the palace seemed far more deserted than usual.
"Perhaps it is because you are here," she mused softly as they began to walk at a measured pace, "To keep me warm, to entertain me and exercise my restless spirit."
"Is that all I am good for?" He hid his smirk, but she caught on quickly.
"You do have other purposes," she produced a cheshire grin as they came upon the icy lake. Though he found those urges for her never dormant, he felt them spring to life with new force as she called up all too familiar memories and his resistance was waining, though he knew it had never been particularly resilient in the first place. He thought she might goad him further, but instead, she spoke somberly, "I will admit, though, I get anxious the closer it comes to my birthday."
"Anxious?"
"Another year gone," she spoke plainly, a tired monotony claiming her voice, "Another year wasted behind gallery walls."
Sasuke felt the silence lay heavy and thick between them; he pulled her closer to his side.
"Have you ever thought of running away?" he had meant it as a joke, but Sakura did not laugh.
"I tried to, when I was younger. I did not get very far," she fixed him with her bright eyes, concealing something in her gaze.
"What possessed you?" he wondered aloud, shocked by her confession.
"I became betrothed," she said somberly.
An audible choke came from Sasuke and Sakura burst into a fit of laughter.
"I am only kidding," she giggled at the relief that flitted over his face for the briefest second, before he caught himself, "You should have seen your expression."
"I doubt very much that I would want to," he scowled at her, "Do you laugh at me?"
"No," she stifled herself and slowed their pace, "I only think it amusing that you are so composed most days and yet you seem to struggle around me."
"So you are laughing at my expense?" he smirked, but looked away from her piercing eyes.
"Only a little," she stopped them by the bench that sat beside their willow tree and looked up at him. Silently, she compelled his eyes toward her, "I have never tried to run away. I do not think I have ever sincerely felt the need to. And, truthfully, I do not know what I would do if I did."
Sasuke remained silent, only listening and thinking; he could conjure a million things to do if he only stepped outside of the palace's walls, though he knew them all to involve a life of solitude.
"But now I have had my fun," Sakura said with a hint of glee to her voice, "Tell me, Sasuke-kun, how are you faring this winter?"
He grappled for an answer, but felt the words barrel past his lips before he could stall them.
"Not well."
"Why is that?" Sakura took his hand in hers, worry furrowing her brows, and led him beneath the frozen branches of the willow tree that swung softly with the quieting breeze. His heart raced as his mind called up the sordid memories of what once passed between them in that very spot.
"I face trials I never thought I might encounter," he spoke slowly, as if he could not comprehend what he was saying.
"Trials?" her brows furrowed in unbidden concern. Then, realization donned on her and she pulled away from him, "I suppose I am the cause, is that correct?"
"Almost entirely," he answered, the admission passing without judgement through his lips, "And yet, I do not think I would want it any other way. I have never felt so conflicted in my life," he frowned, words stinging his tongue as he spoke them, "Am I meant to feel this way for you if I am who I am? As a lowly soldier? As an Uchiha? Am I allowed to look upon you the way I do without consequence? Knowing who my brother is, are you allowed to feel such things for me?"
"I - I do not know. I know only that I want to continue to feel this way, forever, for always," she sighed and bit her lip, then asked softly, in awe of his turmoil, "Why do you not voice these questions to me? Why do you insist on suffering alone, in silence?"
"I have never known anything else. If I do not - ," his jaw went slack as he became lost in his own mind.
"If you do not?" she prompted, fingers clutching the hem of her sleeves, "What will happen then?"
"Then I may lose all self-control," he swallowed harshly, hesitating as he inched towards her, "And that is all I possess now."
"And if you lose control?" she pressed, stepping so that she stood before him and allowing her hands to rest on his chest, "What would happen then?"
His fist clenched, jaw tightening as he struggled to look away, but her gaze was too powerful; orbs of such a vibrant green that rivaled the essence of spring, hypnotic in their hold on him.
She was breathless as she asked, "Would you kiss me?"
His eyes fell to her lips, plump and rosy, as they parted for him. She looked voracious, as though she could devour him right there, and it caused a scorching blaze to rise within him, laying waste to his heart.
Then, her voice came softer than the snow that fell around them,
"Would you hold me?"
Sasuke's good hand shot up, winding around her fingers, nearly crushing them against his chest. He leaned forward, inhaling her intoxicating scent as his nose skimmed the line of her neck. His lips brushed her jaw as they trailed up to her ear and she shivered at the touch. Sakura suppressed a moan as her mind recalled how soft and urgent his mouth could feel on her. She felt his teeth tug at her flesh, a harsh nip, then the heat of his sharp breath fanned over her lobe and he whispered darkly,
"I would ravage you."
If he had not had such a tight hold on her, Sakura knew she would have dropped to her knees in the snow, weakened by the heady desire in his voice. His words echoed like a tune she could not shake, crescendoing to a pyre of pure, poignant need that razed her body.
"Would that be so bad?" the inquiry cracked as it slipped out of her lips, "To feel your touch, wholly, with immeasurable conviction - to know those moments so intimate and beautiful that even the greatest writers fail to capture their quintessence, to know those with you - Sasuke-kun, I - ," Sakura trailed off, head tilting against his. She ripped one of her hands free to twist her fingers in his hair, nails gripping to a point of pain, but he did not complain. She shut her eyes tight, brows scrunching in frustration, confusion, contention, and sighed heavily.
"Would it be so terrible to know what it is like to be wanted so completely?" she asked humbly.
He did not want to pretend in that moment, he did not want to play games with her and counter her inquiry with one of his own. He did not want to imply that she was naive if she thought she was not wanted, because he knew that was not what she meant. Lee wanted her, courtiers wanted her, men across the land wanted her, but Sasuke wanted her, too, and that was something else entirely; it was a passion that could never be rivaled. A growl rumbled in his chest as he clutched her ever closer,
"It must be," his lips caressed her neck before he pulled back, her fingers loosening from his hair. His hand released hers slowly, letting it fall back at her side. Sasuke appeared as though nothing had just transpired between them, only the depth in his eyes and frailty of his voice betraying him. He was hoarse as he spoke forlornly, "If it wasn't, then it would not feel so good."
Sakura watched him with barely concealed longing. She watched the way he bowed his head in shame and the way his chest swelled with each deep, shuddering breath. Then, he started to turn away, hand stretching out for the branches of the willow tree.
"Do you know I have dreamt of it?" she asked suddenly.
"Dreamt of what?"
"Of you ravaging me," she said hastily, as if it were a sin to keep those words to herself. He stilled, "Every night, Sasuke-kun. Every endless, damned night you are always there."
"I know," he agreed, but closed his eyes as if he could shut her out of his senses.
"Every night I hope you will be there," her voice wavered with the honesty of her words.
"I am sorry I have disappointed you."
"No," she shook her head and reached for his back, smoothing her hand up the length of his spine, "I am not disappointed, only lonely. Now, more than ever, I need you."
"Please," Sasuke whispered, muscles tensing to coil, and Sakura pulled her hand back, "You must not allow me such hope."
"If I am not able to give you anything else, then I wish you to have that," she spoke stubbornly. Sasuke turned, regarding her briefly, and extended his arm.
"Come, I will escort you back to your rooms."
Without hesitation, she took his hand, but the walk back was paved with trepidation and silence.
"Are you all right, dear?" Mebuki's knife scraped unpleasantly against her plate and on any other night it might not have bothered Sakura so much, but the discordant sound caused her to drop her silverware with a huff and close her eyes.
"Not entirely," she said quietly, lids fluttering back open only to stare at her half-eaten meal.
"You have always taken it so hard when he leaves," Mebuki said forlornly, reaching across the table to squeeze Sakura's hand, "Perhaps it would do you some good to be in better company."
"Better company?" Sakura laughed, putting a finger to her temple, "You belittle yourself, Mother."
"No, no," the Empress shook her head, "Not me. I am talking about your visits to the infirmary."
Sakura stiffened in her chair, gaze shooting to her mother's.
"It is a dismal place, don't you think?" Mebuki asked innocuously, "Your time would be better spent around your friends, wouldn't you agree?"
"I suppose," Sakura's throat felt thick, guilt congealing in her blood, "But I do find it fascinating, you know, to be in such an environment."
Her mother shrugged and waved her hand as though she could brush away Sakura's statement.
"Lee-San was asking for you today," Mebuki said, diverting the conversation.
"It seems he is always asking for me these days."
"He has always held a genuine concern for you," Mebuki beamed, "Such a lovely gentleman he has grown into."
"I suppose," Sakura mused, eyes straying to the window beside them, though she could not see much in the dark night.
"You suppose? Don't you fancy him? Even a little?"
"Oh, Mother," Sakura shook her head and placed her palms on her cheeks. She sighed heavily, "I do not know. He is very sweet, but I just think - Well, would it not be more exciting to experience a more passionate romance?"
"Passionate? Are his letters not enough?" Mebuki quirked a brow, "Did you know your father wrote me every day for two years while he was at war? He had enough passion to fill a chest in my bedroom."
"But it was made more special because of the distance, yes?"
"If you asked Lee-san to go to war for you, I am very certain he would acquiesce."
"I would not ask that of anyone," Sakura tutted, "But the very fact that he would comply is precisely my point. I do not want a man who will cross oceans for me because I say so, I want a man who will cross oceans for me because he wants to and because he knows that I would do the same for him."
"Such a fierce proclamation from a woman barely courted," Mebuki teased with a smile.
"Perhaps it is my lack of experience all these years that has allowed me to mold my desires so acutely," Sakura countered.
"Well said," Mebuki took up her glass, raising it to Sakura in commendation, "In these moments, I am reminded how much of your father's daughter you truly are."
Sakura smiled, breaking through a contemplative frown and said,
"But thankfully, I inherited your sense of humor."
Mebuki laughed with her daughter, relishing in their shared loneliness and the unearthing of a long since unvisited bond that still tethered them through the years.
Sasuke turned the key in his palm, running his thumb over the notches and cuts. It was all at once a delicate symbol of trust and a fierce forging of loyalty; something that he hoped he would be the only one to possess. His eyes raked over the key gratuitously until the nurse reentered, and Sasuke closed his fist tightly, the teeth of the metal digging into his flesh.
"It would be my recommendation that you stay a few more nights, but I understand you must be tiring of this scenery," she said in a banal tone, looking up from the sheets of paperwork in her hand, "If you would like to leave, you may. I just ask that you visit us daily and that the sling stays on until we say so."
"Thank you," Sasuke nodded and heaved himself up from the bed as she left. He dressed himself quietly, slipping the key into his pocket, anticipation pooling in his stomach for what he was about to do. And when he stepped outside he found the biting cold did nothing for the heat boiling under his skin. He trudged the familiar path to Sakura's rooms and halted before her doors. He knew a guard stood attentive in her sitting area and so he rapped his knuckles against the wood and waited. He saw the trepidation of the door and the man behind it, for who could be knocking at such a late hour?
"Uzumaki-san?"
"I am to take over your shift," Sasuke assumed all the authority he could in his voice, "The Emperor has requested it personally."
"Oh, I was not aware," the guard pulled the door open fully and stepped aside to let Sasuke in. When he walked into the light, the man's eyes fell to Sasuke's arm still in its bandaging. Sasuke fidgeted and straightened his stance; too many days spent in the hospital had caused him to slouch, "Have you recovered well?"
"Well enough," Sasuke's tone was clipped. He was far too anxious to put on pretenses and niceties.
"Should I stand watch outside?"
"No, you may go," Sasuke said, somewhat forcefully. The soldier nodded and took his leave. There were benefits, he thought, to carrying the title of Uzumaki. His surname had purported a hierarchy with his fellow guards and Naruto's position as a general had certainly garnered an amount of respect he had never known before.
Sasuke shut the doors behind him and turned the locks. He walked to the other end of the room and hesitated as he came upon the entry to her chambers. He fished the key out of his pocket and held it to the keyhole, but was rendered immobile. His heart hammered in his chest and a sickening mixture of fear and desire brewed in his stomach. He bowed his head against the door, his breath labored, and heard the faintest sounds coming from her room. Was she crying? He knew she had been earlier, and the thought was enough to spur him to action. He pushed the key forward and turned it sharply, yanking the door open.
For only a brief moment he saw her splayed across the bed, limbs shaking as her fingers dipped to that most sacred place between her thighs and saw her lips parted as they moaned his name, then she was scrambling for the sheets to cover herself. He wished he could rip the sheet away and leave her bare to his ravenous eyes.
"You call for me," a sense of marvel had wound itself about his words.
Sakura tried to steady the beat of her heart and the rapidity of her breath as she nodded.
"Every night," she admitted softly, a timid smile brightening her features.
"My apologies," a slight smirk turned up the corners of his lips, "I think I have been out of earshot for some time."
Sakura's smile faltered; she attempted to think of some witty remark to continue their repertoire, but she fell short, shaking her head. He inched forward slowly, coming to sit beside her on the bed. She reached out to touch him, following the stubble along the sharp line of his jaw and he closed his eyes, seeming to bask in her touch as he angled his chin toward her.
"You came," was all that made it past the thickness in her throat; she had never known elation to be such a heavy burden. He nodded, but did not mention to her that no one could have stopped him. Sasuke brought his hand to her neck and pulled her forward, taking her lips with his. She was careful not to lean her weight into him too much as she maneuvered herself closer on the bed. With his arm still in its sling, it prevented him from indulging in his desire completely, "Will you stay with me tonight?"
"Yes," his thumb stroked her cheek; how could he deny her when she looked at him in such a way? Her half-lidded eyes were trained to him, fearful that she might miss something if she dared to look away. Her smile was gone, but only so that her lips could part and lay in wait for his. Her bare chest swelled with deep, anticipating breaths. She was waiting and wanting, caught in the clutches of her desire, but bound by apprehension.
Sasuke kicked off his boots and pulled his legs up onto the bed. She took hold of his shirt, unbuttoning it carefully and slipping his good arm out of the sleeve. She tossed it aside and he seemed to have no care until her hand fell to the zipper of his pants. He caught her wrist, a sharp intake of breath through his teeth.
"I cannot," he did not want to add the word, though he certainly thought it, 'yet.'
"Then we will not," she answered simply and smirked, "I promise you will not have to fend me off in the middle of the night."
"You think my willpower to be stronger than it truly is."
"I know it," she said softly, slipping out of his grasp to lay back on her bed. He leveraged his weight on his good arm and did the same, moving beside her, "I know you are strong. If you were not, you would not have come tonight."
"I could think of no reason not to."
Sakura beamed, her hand coming to caress his cheek. He leaned in to kiss her, winding his arm about her waist to pull her flush against him. Despite the ache she had aroused in his trousers, he felt contentment seeping in at the proximity of her body to his. With lips fused, they coaxed desire from one another, pushing and pulling, allowing it to ebb and flow between them. And as her fingers intertwined at the base of his neck, they fell into a languid, blissful state all their own.