Prayers

Sakura let her breath out in a huff as she reached the top of the steps. Balancing her basket on her hip, she tugged at her sarong-style skirt and flicked some of the hair, that had fallen into her face over the course of the day, from her eyes. Ensuring the basket was securely in her grasp, she started forward once more.

She had grown up in a small village where everyone knew everyone. They had what they needed from one day to the next, but they had to travel to the nearest town when supplies were running low. From a young age, Sakura had been taught to respect the Gods and was regularly taken to the four temples that surrounded their village. Now that she was old enough to go to the town herself, she also visited the temples alone, usually going to one temple every evening where she would leave offerings to the Gods and send prayers to them to watch over her people.

On this day, Sakura had been in town to visit the doctor there. She was studying different herbs and medicines for there was no doctor in the village and her fellow villagers didn't always have the means of travelling to town. Over time, due to her interest in healing, the village people had looked to her whenever anyone was ill or injured. She had journeyed to town to consult with the doctor on an illness that she had heard talk of and how best to treat it before anyone she knew was taken ill. On her way home, she had decided to visit the Temple of the Elements which she would have to pass en route.

Sakura knelt first before the monument for the God of Lightning. She scooped a handful of berries from her basket and dropped them into this offerings bowl, bowing her head with eyes closed. She had no specific prayers today- she would only ask for the well-being of her people.

Next, she did the same for the God of Wind and then for the God of Fire. However, the berries had barely touched the Fire God's offerings bowl when a voice startled her.

"You know, I'd prefer tomatoes."

Sakura leapt up with a shriek, spinning to face the newcomer whose approach she had not heard. In front of her stood the most handsome man she had ever seen. He was tall with a broad chest, which his arms were currently folded across. His skin was pale, and he had dark hair, which spiked up at the back in a most unusual way, and dark eyes, which held a mischievous twinkle, matching the devilish smirk on his face.

Her eyes were level with his chest which she quickly realised was all too close to her. Instinctively, she stepped back, but her sandaled foot caught on the plinth behind her and she began to topple backwards. She prepared for an impact that never came because the attractive stranger had unfolded one arm and caught her wrist. With a gentle tug, he brought her upright. Once she was steady, he released his hold.

"Who are you?" she asked, her wide eyes not leaving his face.

His smirk grew wider. "You were just talking to me and you don't even know who I am?"

Sakura frowned, wondering if he was okay. She had been alone since she left town, not even speaking to anyone on the road, and had come straight here to offer her prayers. "I'm sorry," she began politely, "I think you're mistaken. I just came here to pray-!"

The stranger laughed. "I know. And I'm telling you, I prefer tomatoes. Berries are too sweet."

Sakura stared at him confusedly then glanced down at her basket, realising for the first time that she'd spilled half of her berries earlier when she had almost fallen. "No, these are for-!"

"The Gods," he finished, locking eyes with her and giving her a pointed look as he waited for the penny to drop.

Finally, it did. "You're a God?" she asked breathlessly.

The smirk reappeared. "Sasuke Uchiha," he answered, "God of Fire."

Sakura didn't even realise her jaw had dropped open until she felt a finger pushing under her chin to close her mouth. She blinked. The insanely good-looking God was making physical contact with her again. She shook her head marginally and he dropped his hand.

"You…," she started, then stopped, trying to organise her thoughts. "You want me to bring you tomatoes?" she asked carefully.

"If you could. And Naruto would prefer ramen," he replied, indicating the offering bowl for the Wind God.

She frowned. "Ramen?"

"Oh, it's not really a custom here," he murmured, almost to himself.

Sakura continued to stare at the stranger before her. 'He can't really be the God of Fire. Why would he be here?'

Her disbelief must have showed in her face, or he could read her thoughts. Sasuke opened his palm and a flame appeared there. Sakura stared at it, ignoring the sting in her eyes until he curled his fingers over the flame, and it disappeared.

Her gaze returned to his face. "What brings you to the realm of mortals?" she asked uncertainly. "You didn't come all this way to tell me about the tomatoes?"

Sasuke laughed. "No," he answered. "I came to collect you."

This time, she didn't fall. Her mouth didn't even drop open. There was just silence, her face blank before she managed, "Huh?"

"The God of Wisdom asked me to come for you Sakura Haruno. You are to return with me to the Land of the Gods."

Sakura was suddenly aware of how ordinary she was. How she was caked in dust from her travels, her hair escaping from the tie she had pulled it back in before she set off in the morning, and that she was standing next to a God who was more beautiful than anyone she had ever seen. Only one explanation seemed logical. "Am I dead?" she asked.

'What a strange little mortal,'he mused. "No," he drew the syllable out so that she knew that he was questioning her sanity.

Sakura was confused. A stranger appeared claiming to be a God, seemingly validated by the fire he could produce in his bare hands, and wanted to take her to the land of the Gods? It couldn't be real.

"Aren't you curious?" a voice interrupted her musings and her eyes snapped to him once more. "Don't you want to see what it's like? What immortals do to while away the time?" He leaned towards her, clasping her wrists and drawing her closer to him, his face hovering so close to hers. He could drag her to his world right then if he wanted. She was powerless to resist.

"I'm mortal," she squeaked.

There was a spark in his eyes. "You don't have to be." He looked at the fear and uncertainty in her eyes and that gorgeous smirk tugged at his lips once more. "Come on, it's only for eternity."