Sakura bit back a sigh of exhaustion as she stopped in front of her house, shoving her hand impatiently into her pocket to fish for her keys.

She had been working night shifts at the hospital since last week, and the late hours had been taking their toll on Sakura. She constantly had to hide the bags under her eyes with concealer, and she could never get enough sleep.

She didn't have time to brush her hair decently, nor do her makeup. Not to mention having to cook for Sasuke and keep the house in order.

Sakura gritted her teeth. She was incredibly tired, and if Sasuke so much as criticized his breakfast, Sakura was sure she'd explode.

Sakura gripped the handle of the door. It felt irritably hot beneath her small hands as she turned it and pushed.

The house was quiet and cool as always, matching Sasuke's demeanor ironically.

"I'm home," Sakura said tersely, dumping her workbag and uniform coat on a nearby chair. Silence answered her response.

Sakura huffed, forcing her aching feet forward to make breakfast.

As she turned into the kitchen, she found Sasuke seated at the island, shuffling through the newspaper.

"Hello," Sasuke greeted in a voice hoarse from sleep, not even sparing a glance at Sakura and her ruffled hair. He seemed stiff, which was very unlike him, but Sakura's anger overwhelmed her curiosity.

Sakura clenched her fists. How conceited can you get, Uchiha? Sakura thought angrily before taking a breath.

All right Sakura, let's calm down. You're just tired from working so hard, she thought soothingly.

"Good morning, Sasuke," Sakura replied. "Did you have a good night?"

Sasuke didn't reply to that. The only sound was the rustling of the newspaper.

The familiar, worn feeling of blistering anger surged up inside Sakura at his indifference. Sasuke must have sensed the change in her attitude because he folded the newspaper and set it aside.

"It was good," he said nonchalantly. "How was yours?"

"Good," Sakura replied, mocking him in the same tone. Her patience was thinning out quickly and dangerously fast.

"Are you making anything for breakfast?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura bit her lip to keep her snide remarks from slipping out. What was wrong with her today? I just need rest, Sakura reassured herself.

"I'll make pancakes," Sakura offered.

It was so soft Sakura almost didn't hear it: Sasuke's scoff.

That was the last straw.

Sakura, her heart thrashing wildly, swept her arm across the counter in a fit of fury.

Spices and jars crashed to the ground, spilling everywhere. Sasuke didn't even flinch.

"Damn it, Sasuke!" Sakura shouted, her skin on fire at her boldness. "Why don't you make your own breakfast for once?"

Sasuke scowled. "All you had to do was ask, not make a mess of the kitchen like a child."

"Oh!" Sakura said, throwing her arms up in the air. "All I had to do was ask?! A good husband knows when his wife is tired. And don't compare me to a child, because-"

Sasuke stood up abruptly, the sudden sound of the chair scraping the floor startling Sakura. "Are you calling me a bad husband, Sakura?" he said, his voice dangerously dark and calm.

Sakura scowled, her teeth clenched. She hated when the two of them got like this. What was happening to their relationship?

"I'm going to sleep," Sakura snapped, ignoring Sasuke's question and turning her back.

As soon as the door slammed close behind her, Sasuke sighed and slid to the floor, the scents of cinnamon and vanilla mixing together to create a strange and addicting odor similar to Sakura's scent.

He buried his face in his hands. What was he doing? Why did he scoff?

I don't know, I don't know, he thought miserably.

The very day Sakura had started working night shifts, Sasuke couldn't sleep the same without having her in his arms.

He missed holding her, waking up to find her figure curled into his chest.

His heart ached with loneliness.

Sasuke hadn't wanted to force Sakura to change her schedule just for him, though.

He wanted to wait until she had mentioned how tired she was; then he would beg her to stop working night shifts so she could rest.

However, Sakura was more stubborn than a rock. Every morning, Sasuke waited for her in the kitchen, passing the minutes by reading the newspaper. Sakura would open the door at 8:00 and say, "I'm home."

The first few days, Sasuke eagerly took her bag from her, setting it down as she slowly made her way to the kitchen.

But after that, Sasuke couldn't bear hearing her tired voice and seeing her face that longed for sleep.

Sasuke wanted to do something, anything to ease her pain...but he couldn't think of anything.

Now, Sakura was mad at him and it was too late.

Sasuke rubbed his eyes before standing up and grabbing the phone, pressing the speed dial button for Sakura's workplace. This was for the sake of both Sakura and Sasuke.

Sakura stripped, tossing her clothes on the floor until she was in her bindings and her panties only.

She climbed underneath the covers, which was still warm from Sasuke's body.

Though her body was beyond the point of exhaustion and her mind was clouded with the fogginess of exhaustion, Sakura couldn't go to sleep. She felt horrible for yelling at Sasuke.

Burrowing her nose into the pillow, Sakura inhaled Sasuke's scent.

She almost cried at the nostalgic feeling it gave her of when she and Sasuke were happier.

Nights spent with their limbs tangled and their hair mixing to a violent clash of pink and black...

A draft in the room tickling Sakura's shoulders, but instantly being chased away by Sasuke's arm...

Then a tear really did escape Sakura's eyes, followed by another, and another, and suddenly Sakura found herself quietly sobbing.

What happened between the two of them? Didn't Sasuke love her anymore?

...Didn't she love him anymore?

Sakura clutched the pillow, completely burying her face in it before letting a choked, pained sob escape her lips.

She hated herself for treating him like that. She never should have snapped at him.

Sakura didn't hear the door sliding open, Sasuke's feet slowly padding across the carpet as he came to a complete halt at the sight of Sakura's crying figure.

"I've made you cry again," he murmurs painfully, his eyebrows drawn together.

Sakura immediately stops crying and wipes her eyes with one hand before pulling the covers up to her nose to hide her bare figure.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," Sakura says, another fat tear sliding down her streaked face. She sniffles loudly, the blanket quickly becoming wet.

Sasuke's insides churned with so many emotions he wanted to throw up.

Regret, love, sorrow, pain: all for Sakura. No more, Sasuke decided.

In two strides, he slid underneath the covers, his arms are around Sakura's bare form, pulling her into his lap.

Sasuke rests his head of top of hers, and her crying almost ceases save for a few sniffles.

A light blush tinges her cheeks as she leans back into him.

"Sakura, I've cancelled your night shifts at the hospital. I'm worried for you, and I hate seeing you so sick and tired. I..." Sasuke swallowed. "I miss holding you at night, and I can't go to sleep for hours when you're not there. Please, please forgive me for not doing this sooner."

Sakura leans back, her figure flushed against Sasuke's.

This position reminded her of so many other nights after she and Sasuke made love. They would hold each other, almost cradling, until they fell asleep with their arms securely wrapped around the other person.

"You're sorry?" Sakura said incredulously. "It's me you should be forgiving. I made a mess in the kitchen, too."

Sasuke laughed, a little puff of air that ghosted over Sakura's shoulders and sent little chills up her spine. "Don't worry about that."

Sakura turned around and stared into Sasuke's dark eyes. Handsome, mysterious...loving.

"I love you, Sasuke," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you too, Sakura."

Within mere seconds, the two of them were happily settled into the pillows, snoozing away, their hair mixing to a violent clash of pink and black.