"Don't trust too much

Don't love too much

Don't hope too much

Because that 'too much' can hurt

So much"

Karin's Interlude

~Flashback~

"Sasuke-kunnn!"

He instantly recognized the high-pitched voice and lilting tone. He didn't have to look twice to know it was Karin. She had swept in from behind, her arms hugging his chest. As he guided her back around, her sparkling crimson eyes shone as she gazed at him. Sasuke couldn't quite catch the foreboding glint behind her eyes. Ignoring it, he offered Karin a coffee. The hot liquid pooled in his core, warming Sasuke to the bone. He savored the hot cloud of air that escaped his mouth as he breathed out. Little flakes of snow tumbled gently around them, causing Karin to snuggle in his shoulder. Despite the frosty winter weather, Sasuke felt warm and….happy.

Little did he notice the strange men she texted, or the times when she'd avert her eyes.

After this, Karin didn't show up the next day. Sasuke didn't think of it. Karin would normally disappear a few days a week, not telling him where she went. Fine. He put his trust in her.

But it became

Two days.

Three days.

Four.

Five.

Six.

She wasn't responding to his texts, either. Sasuke began worry.

Until the text arrived.

Sitting in his isolated bedroom, Sasuke was debating whether or not to try and track her down, when his grey iphone buzzed, the sound of it amplified by the wooden coffee night table.

It wasn't Karin.

~The text~

Yo…dude…I think you should know where she's been going these days. She's been out, clubbing, with other dudes, I don't think it's right…

Following the text, was a picture.

Several pictures, actually.

Karin was clearly drunk, as her normally pale face was flushed with red. She was with a guy with white-blue hair and purple eyes. Her hands clutched his face, and she was very very close. Too close. The photo was blurry, but Sasuke could still tell they were making out. He clutched his phone so tightly he thought it would snap. Forcing himself to stay clam, he swiped to the next picture.

Karin was grinning at the camera, a razor-sharp, mischievous grin. She was dressed in a revoltingly skimpy dress. If you could call it a dress. It was little more than bits of black cloth here and there to cover up more important parts. Next to her was a large, square-jawed man with flaming ginger hair and brown eyes. He too, was grinning, eye narrowed maliciously at the camera. His great hulk of an arm was slung over Karin's shoulder, and the pair both clutched drinks.

There was even a video, and despite the loud club music, he could still recognize Karin's voice

"He's nothing but a toy, Suigetsu," She assured the whitish-blue haired man.

"I'll throw him away soon enough."

Sasuke's red-hot anger transformed into something far more lethal as he heard the words. It froze him in an icy rage, with hatred so great he swore it came from the depths of hell.

He'd believed her. He'd been fooled all along. He had never noticed anything, never noticed the strange knowing look she'd give to strangers passing by. He had never noticed a single damn thing. He was too attached; he loved her too much. And now he had to pay the price.

Sasuke ran home, shielding his eyes from the blinding white snow.

Runrunrun.

Run away and don't look back.

Run like the coward you are.

He shredded up every drawing he'd created of her, every memory. He stood in the middle of ripped up paper, eyes wide. Bending down, Sasuke clutched a piece. Laughing hoarsely, he realized it was a drawing of a heart, now terribly maimed right in half. Sasuke sank to the floor, curling his long legs to his chest.

Finally, he let the tears flow, and bent his head.

A fallen angel.

H R