Chapter 8

Sakura woke up early, realizing that most everyone else was asleep. Looking outside, she noticed it had snowed overnight, leaving a white wonderland outside. The trees, bare from leaves during this time of year, looked white as a good inch of snow covered each branch. Snow continued to fall, though by the looks of the road right outside her window, the snow that had fallen overnight seemed to be lighting up. Turning on her television for a quick moment, she checked the weather to see that a heavy band was coming in within the next hour. This meant that they would be cooped up in the house during the weekend, yet she hoped that the roads would be better by Monday as she would be asked to work. As her new job involved driving to various towns within Konoha, she really hoped that things would lighten up and the roads would be clear for her upcoming workday.

Getting dressed, she made her way toward the garage to head up the stairs, excitement building in her chest as she knew just on the other side of the door, she faced was Sasuke. Taking a breath, she opened the door and entered the room, silence surrounding her. He had told her to come in when she woke up, not wanting to upset her parents by being the one to come to her. Looking through the doorway in the master bedroom, she saw his form under the purple blanket, no sound coming from him, but she could see his steady breathing. With a smile, she walked in and climbed up on the bed, watching him as she did so. Laying down to face him, she saw that he had the blanket up to his eyes, the only one visible closed. Sakura reached out, catching a few strands of his black hair with a finger, moving it away from his face.

This caused him to stir, his visible eye opening and blinking a few times before she noticed the warmth that seemed to showcase itself. He moved the blanket down slowly, his perfectly straight nose the first thing visible before his full lips appeared soon after, Sakura felt heat rise up in her cheeks. How could anyone be so perfect and look at her in the same way she felt she looked right at him. At the moment, only his eyes showcased his emotions, the rest of his face impassive as usual. She had learned during their talks that he didn't laugh much, but his eyes would show amusement. There were many times she'd pout at his lack of laughing only for him to say that he did find her amusing, but he just didn't laugh. Now, she was used to him looking unemotional and bored, her eyes would focus on his own to see what he really felt. And at this moment, she could see herself reflected in them and wondered what he saw when he looked at her. Did they see someone with a dark past, with the fears and worries she had? Or did he see someone who appeared strong and confident when she lacked both in many ways? Something told her he saw all of her and accepted her for it as they stared at each other.

At that moment, a pale hand grasped the blanket, holding it up and looking at her patiently waiting for her to take the hint. With a smile, she turned on her other side, her back towards him and scooted up against him just as his arm wrapped around her to pull her closer. His hard chest and stomach, just toned enough to keep him in shape without too much muscle, was against her backside which seemed to mold itself into him. She could feel him bury his face into the back of her neck, shifting slightly to what she assumed was to move her hair out of his way. Feeling his lips press against her skin, immediate goosebumps appeared on her skin. While she had dated plenty of boys during her school years, kissing wasn't something she was shy about. There had even been a few who would complement how well she kissed, so she had a feeling that she didn't disappoint the man behind her. As if he read her mind, he made a motion with his hand and she followed, rolling over to face him, their noses barely touching as he kissed her softly and slowly. Sakura responded instantly, bringing her hand up to cup his cheek as they tilted their heads in such a way to deepen the kiss.

Before things went any further, he pulled back, both catching their breath as he looked over her face. She could feel more heat radiating off her cheeks at how much he scrutinized her. He watched Sasuke stare at her forehead and felt immediate anxiety as her forehead had always been a more prominent feature on her face and why she had worn bangs growing up, yet now she had decided to let her hair grow out but wondered if bangs would be okay to go back to. Then he looked into her eyes, looking between both of them slowly and she wondered if he was merely taking in each feature and trying to memorize them just as his eyes moved to her nose. Her nose had always been a feature she didn't mind as it was neither too big nor too small. She felt that it fit her face perfectly when she knew so many who were bothered by their own. Then he looked at her cheeks and she saw the amusement pass through his eyes as his hair had fallen enough to show both of them. Then they moved to her lips, and she watched him curiously now, wondering what he was thinking.

He reached up and grasped her jaw lighting, moving it to the side slowly, and Sakura felt her brows furrow at this. Then he let her jaw go when he brought it back down and closed his eyes in amusement at her expression. Then she noticed how long his lashes were and realized that he had lashes that any woman would hope for. They feathered across his cheeks before lifting as he opened his eyes once again. He brought his hand up and cupped the side of her face, brushing his thumb over her cheekbone.

"I wanted to memorize everything about you. You're beyond perfect, Sakura."

His voice was soft, barely above a whisper, yet she could hear the confidence in his words. It was as if in that very statement he felt his words were that of a fact as opposed to an opinion and that alone brought tears to her eyes. She had never felt that way in her life or felt that someone felt that way about her. However, this man that faced her that she felt was the kind that any girl would chase after viewed her the same way she viewed him. Then he moved his head up a bit and pressed his lips against the middle of her forehead before he got up and left to head to the bathroom. Sakura sat up in bed, bringing her hand to her forehead as she could still feel the pressure of his lips against them. Biting down on her bottom lip, she felt excitement well up in her chest at the idea that he saw her in every way and loved everything about her. If she had questioned how he felt about her before, then she definitely knew he felt the same way about her that she felt about him.

Christmas Day

"You've never placed this before?" Sho asked Sasuke, pulling up a very popular game that even Sakura enjoyed playing when she was Sho's age.

"No, I know about it, but it wasn't one that I really got into." Sasuke responded, sitting between both Sho and Sakura as the two discussed video games. Sho was shaking his head and pulled up the game, determined to play it and show Sasuke what he had been missing. "Let's see what you think of this one!"

Sakura giggled as she watched the two, Sho playing the game as Sasuke watched intently. She could see a bond forming between the two of them, which pleased her as Sho handed the controller and watched Sasuke concentrate as he managed to fight a difficult boss and win without an issue. The moment she had told Sho that Sasuke was a gamer, she had seen his eyes light up with excitement at having someone other than his older sister to play games with. She recalled hearing about Itachi, Sasuke's older brother, so had a feeling it was a new experience to be around a brother that was younger. She watched the two and found herself leaning into Sasuke, her head laying on his shoulder as the two of them played. While she felt she knew the man sitting beside her, she still felt nervous that he would eventually look at her and tell her he was no longer interested and that alone put her on edge.

A little while later, they heard shuffling from the living room, which meant that her mom had finally gotten up for the day. It wasn't abnormal for her to be up all night and sleep most of the morning away. The moment they did, Sho ran out of the room to head into the living room, excitement evident on his face. Sakura grinned and shifted away from Sasuke as they both stood up, following the direction that Sho had run. The Christmas tree that sat inside the living room was filled with various ornaments, lights, and other decor, which was normal for the Haruno household. Lights and other decor were on the fireplace, a fire going that brought heat and lighter into the room. The large window behind the tree was open, exposing the large yard and snow falling, giving a beautiful view on such a day. Sakura and Sasuke took a seat on the white loveseat that was against the wall to the left of the tree, her parents taking the one along the longest wall in the living room, adjacent to the tree. Sho sat on the floor, eyes wide as he looked over the presents that sat under the tree.

"Sho, go ahead and pass the gifts around." Sakura's mother, Mebuki, called out to him.

Sakura watched her brother give a nod and start looking through presents, placing his on the floor near where he was sitting and slowly making his way toward everyone else with one for each of them. When he stood in front of Sasuke, Sakura noted that he looked confused as he held out his hand to take the gift. It was then she realized that he had not planned on getting something as well and she felt a sense of pride. He was about to learn that Mebuki Haruno was the biggest gift giver, always spending too much and getting too much for those she held dear to her.

"I know I haven't met you, but I hope what we got you is something you'll enjoy. I made sure to keep it minimal, so your trip back home doesn't include a second bag." Mebuki grinned, watching as Sasuke looked from the gift to her in shock.

Sakura watched as he held the package up, noting that it was squishy before opening it to see that it was a black blanket that looked very soft to the touch. Definitely a normal gift her mom would get everyone as Sakura knew her own gift was the same, but a different color. Sure enough, when she opened it, a pink blanket with the same softness sat in her lap. She ran her hand over the fabric and enjoyed just how soft and plush it was, making it perfect for the winter. Glancing over, she saw Sasuke's thumb grazing the fabric, a content expression on his face that wasn't quite a smile, but also wasn't his usual unexpressive gaze. Sakura nudged him as he looked up at her and then back at her parents to thank them with a slight smile. Mebuki grinned, looking pleased with herself as they continued opening gifts, Sasuke looking more and more confused as he was handed more. Though, many were a gift card as Mebuki explained she didn't want to get expensive gifts for him to fly back.

Sasuke sat in Sakura's room, looking over it as she was helping her mom with dinner. Sho was focused on some things he had gotten for the holiday, leaving Sasuke to take a moment for himself. He had seen her room in video chats, always amused at how pink it was and seeing it in person didn't change his stance on it at all. If anything, having met her and gotten to know her quirky personality in person, he realized that it really suited her. Glancing down to his right, the blanket he had received sat beside him and he reached out to touch the fabric, feeling its soft texture underneath his palm. He had not expected to receive gifts but appreciated them all the same.

"What did you think of me when you first saw me?"

He turned to see Sakura standing in the doorway, wondering where the question came from, but had a feeling that she had thought about things to that point. He took a moment and knew she meant in person, not through pictures or video chat, but purely in person. Sasuke recalled how it seemed like she fell from a great height when getting out of her dad's truck, which had amused him at the time. Though, when he thought about it, he liked the green color of her eyes and full lips. He liked that she would bite her bottom lip when she was nervous, twirl her hair when she was lost in thought, or that whenever he was near or giving her attention, her cheeks would turn an interesting pink shade that seemed to match her hair.

"Well, the first thing I noticed was that you got out of the truck and shrunk." He demonstrated by having his hand at a solid height and then bringing it down quickly. "Just immediately went from I thought you were joking too suddenly you're super short!"

"I am not that short!" Sakura huffed, hands on her hips and cheeks warming up. "Is that really all you noticed about me?"

"Of course not, but it's the first thing I noticed." Sasuke teased, watching her face get darker. He stood up, walking towards her very slowly. "The very first thing I noticed in the pictures you sent was your lips and how much I wanted to kiss them. When we had a video chat, I noticed your smile and how you'd blush very easily. In person, I noticed your height first, but also quirks. You bite your lip when nervous, twirl your hair when lost in thought, and your eyes light up every time you look at me."

Sakura was now full-on blushing, her lips parted slightly as she took in his words, which he concluded was a lot. He wasn't one to talk very much, let alone about his feelings, which was proof to him that this woman before him was somehow special. He now stood a foot away from her, noting the light freckles that seemed to only be across her cheeks and nose. How the blush on her cheeks looked splotchy, but somehow making her even more adorable. He watched her hand slowly rise up to her hair, her finger just about to wrap itself around strands of hair before he reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling it towards him. He touched his lips to the back of her hand, watching her the entire time as she watched him.

"If you think you've run me off or that I'm going to go home and not be with you, you're crazy." Sasuke stated flatly, seeing her eyes twinkle slightly. "Here, I brought you an extra gift I wanted to give you when it was just us."

He walked over to her dresser, having slipped it in earlier in the day when he had been alone in her room for a moment. He turned back to her, holding the box behind his back. Taking a breath, he continued, "it can mean whatever you want it to mean, but I meant it more as a promise to be committed to you. I bought it a few months back because I already knew that meeting you wouldn't change anything, and it hasn't. If anything, it's confirmed everything I've felt when it came to you. When it comes to you, I've talked more than I ever have in my life, I can promise you that."

Sakura giggled, giving a nod in understanding before he continued on. "You never once pushed me to be anyone other than myself. I've never felt like I had to pretend to be someone else to win you over or to try too hard I lose myself in being with you. You've accepted me for me, even though I'm closed off and laugh a lot less than you do. You're perfect, Sakura, so I want you to have this as my promise to be yours for as long as you'll have me."

He held out the black box, watching her face as her eyes widened and her mouth fell even more than it had before. He opened it up and inside was a ring that he felt resembled her perfectly. The side of the large stone in the middle sat two diamonds, almost rectangular in shape but smaller than the main gem that sat in the middle. In the middle was an aquamarine stone, which he knew to be her birthstone, square and much larger in shape than the other two. Having recalled a few comments about her preference of silver over gold when she had purchased a few earrings, a simple silver band held them up.

"Again, this doesn't have to mean anything big, and I'd rather it didn't. I know it's hard with us being so far apart and our time together being far less than that of normal couples, so I wanted to get you something that you could look at that would remind you that I'm completely yours." Sasuke finished his speech, already hearing Itachi in his head laughing at just how emotional and utterly whipped he sounded right now.

"Sasuke…" Sakura breathed out, her eyes glued to the ring in the box. He reached for her hand, feeling just how small and delicate it was on his own, pulling the ring out and placing it on the finger he knew would one day hold an engagement ring. He knew he meant what he said as he watched her bring her hand to her face, studying it closely. She was completely it. Her green eyes lit up and she looked close to crying as she looked from it to him before throwing herself into his arms, their lips meeting for a moment before they parted.

"You can wait to wear it if you think your family will react weird." Sasuke cleared his throat, watching her as her face went red once more.

"Ah, yeah, they would." Sakura agreed, putting it back in the box, but holding the box close to her.

"My parents did as well when the mail came and they started seeing small advertisements of rings with my name on it." At this, Sasuke felt the tips of his ears warm up at the memory.

"O-oh. Yeah, I'm sure they knew what that meant." Sakura said, giving a soft smile.

"They did. Thought I was rushing things. However, it only proved that they don't really know me that well. I've never been one to do something unless I was entirely sure about it." Sasuke responded, giving her a smirk.

"And when did you know?" Sakura asked, leaning towards him slightly.

"When I told you I loved you the first time."

A/N: Yay! Now we have given them a bit more to deal with before the real world (at least for Sakura) sets in - work. Just to clarify the job I've given Sakura, it's a courier type of job. It is a real job that I've known many who have had and felt that it would be fun to toss her into this as I think giving her something other than medical type of situations would be fun and I think what I have planned will fit her very well!

Vero1092: They did and I'm glad you are enjoying it! I know Sasuke is a bit OOC, but I'm trying to maintain it the best I can given that he has his family, so he isn't as set on revenge as he would be normally.

Gabi2801: This makes me so happy! I love that you are really enjoying this story enough! And thank you for the compliment on the flow! I have been worried, but also developing it based on real life scenarios, so I hope I am doing them justice! And I hope you also enjoyed this chapter, too. :)