"Sakura, are you sure this is going to be fun?" Sasuke asked, skepticism evident in his bored tone.

"Come on Sasuke," Sakura said as she stared pleadingly at the Uchiha. "I promise, you are going to love ice skating!"

Sasuke held the gaze, his stormy eyes connected with her bright ones. Beautiful, he thought.

Giving a mock sigh, Sasuke said, "Well, if you promise, then I guess I can't say no, right?"

Sakura giggled and poked Sasuke in the arm. "Sasuke-kun, you are so funny!"

Sasuke couldn't help but grin at her childish laughter. Anything to make you happy, Sakura, he thought.

It was a clear night, and the stars were brighter than ever. A slight chill had descended on Konoha, marking the start of a promising winter. Tiny snowflakes drifted down from the clouds, just enough to catch in Sakura's pink hair.

Sasuke leaned forward to count the number of people ahead of them and scowled. Four. Patience was never really his thing.

His frustrated breath came out in a harried puff of white air.

Sakura, noticing, immediately smiled. "Isn't somebody impatient?" Sakura teased lightly.

"Hn."

"Well, I have an idea," Sakura said. "We can play a game to pass the time."

"A game?" Sasuke said distractedly, his eyes roving around the park. Children and parents alike were skating on the frozen pond, echoes of laughter and chatter bouncing across the air. There was a couple helping their clumsy children get on their feet. Their faces were bright with happiness.

Someday Sakura, that'll be you and me, Sasuke thought. We'll come here again one day as a family.

"Sasuke, hello?" Sakura called out, suddenly snapping Sasuke out of his reverie.

"Hmm?" Sasuke said.

Now it was Sakura's turn to huff. "Man Sasuke, listen once in a while, okay?"

Sasuke smirked as he watched a flustered Sakura run her hands through her hair, damp with snowflakes. "Sure," he said lazily.

Soon enough, they were at the front of the line. Sakura received a pair of impossibly tiny skates. Sasuke was surprised to find that they fit her.

Sasuke swiftly pulled his on, tying the laces quickly.

Sakura took a bit longer, humming as she knotted her shoelaces into a bow.

"All right, Sasuke," Sakura said with a glint in her eye. "You ready to ice skate?"

Sasuke gave a half-smile. "Sure."

Sasuke knew exactly what would happen: Sakura would stumble out onto the ice, ending up with Sasuke having to help her skate. Sakura would then blush madly and try to do it by herself, only to nearly face plant across the hard ice once more.

True to his predictions, at the first step onto the ice Sakura teetered. Her slender arms were thrust out to keep her balance, and her eyes were trained on her feet.

Sasuke, on the other hand, slid smoothly out onto the ice, tauntingly tracing a figure eight around Sakura's body.

"Sasuke, you show-off!" Sakura said frustratedly.

Sasuke couldn't help but laugh as he took her arm and pulled her close to him. Her tiny frame slid perfectly into his body. The snowflakes found their way into Sasuke's scarf and shirt, but he didn't mind because Sakura was warmth enough.

A light pink dusted her cheeks, giving her a pretty glow. Sasuke smiled. I love her, he thought, his mind wandering to a few fantasies he had been entertaining lately that included him and Sakura alone...

"Sasuke, don't let me fall!" Sakura said, shrieking as her foot slid. Sasuke wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, steadying their balance.

Sasuke contentedly smiled. "I won't."