It was funny how some days seemed to fly by and some dragged on, seemingly to last for weeks on end especially if you were looking forward to something. Eventually Sakura's long awaited day off came and she had completed her morning routine and all her housework early. Sakura smiled to herself. Today seemed like it would be a good day, she was looking forward to seeing Sasuke again anyway.
She stretched her back out and pulled her boots and coat on, the weather was getting milder so at least she didn't look like an Eskimo with all her layers on. Sakura ran her fingers through her short hair, checking her appearance in the mirror. She frowned and decided to pull her hair up into a ponytail so it didn't get ruined by the wind and then, after picking up her bag, she left. It was still cold outside, and it was the time of year when most people stayed indoors with the heating on, the time of year when soups and casseroles were ever so appealing. However today there wasn't the bitterness in the wind that used to be there, it was a sure sign that spring was on its way and Sakura was looking forward to the arrival of the warmer weather.
She found had plenty of time before she usually went to the coffee shop, before she could meet up with Sasuke, as she had hurried through her list of things to do feeling eager to see him again. And for now Sakura walked through town enjoying the rush and watching people hurry, heads bent, about their business, darting in and out of shops. Blasts of music were heard as shop doors opened and closed, letting out waves of warm air as she past.
Strange really, Sakura found herself thinking of Sasuke a lot these days, but she had come to realise that despite all the time they spent in each other's company they really knew very little about each other. They never talked about things that were to personal. They never talked about their lives, jobs, where they lived and so on, but still Sakura was able to feel comfortable with him, and she always looked forward to seeing him again.
Temari had accused her of being obsessed.
Tsunade had said a little obsession never hurt anybody. Well, unless it ended in a restraining order something Sakura hadn't found as encouraging as Tsunade had hoped.
Sakura sighed, after years of being berated for leading an ordinary life and not taking any risks, suddenly everyone seemed to be trying to warn her off meeting someone she barely knew anything about. Even Ino who was a born risk taker and had been known to meet strangers in town and spend the whole day with them had warned her that she knew so very little about him and what did she mean she didn't even know what his surname was?
The best reaction was from Hinata who had congratulated her, and made a joke about now leaving her as the only one being single and reminded Ino and Tenten before they started their rants about the dangers of meeting strangers even if they were tall, dark and handsome, that as Neji knew him, Sasuke had to be alright, which was something that made Sakura extremely grateful to have someone on her side.
At least that had stopped Tenten. Ino had gone to being thrilled for Sakura for meeting someone to completely suspicious and still slightly convinced that Sasuke was investigating something dodgy like a smuggling ring and once it was solved would disappear from her life forever. She could always count on her best friend to be ever so supportive and Ino had been watching too many crime dramas recently for Sakura's liking.
Sakura scowled slightly, she was flattered that they were concerned about her but she didn't need it, she was all grown up and maybe now she was willing to make some risks in her life.
Besides, despite all her friends' arguments, if those risks let her to Sasuke then she didn't mind taking them.
"Hey." Sakura turned to see Sasuke leaning against the wall next to next, his dark coat was undone and she could see the white shirt and black trousers the he was wearing, she'd never seen him in anything other than jeans before. It was strange to see him that way but it also made her so very aware of what an attractive face he had, and body, and she really needed to stop staring at him now.
"You look all dressed up." Sakura said "I've never seen you look so smart."
"Yeah." He said straitening up "We had a very big meeting this morning, with people from outside the company coming in."
"Sounds like it was very important." Sakura said. Although she had no idea about any of these things working in a small doctor's surgery.
"It was." He said shortly and Sakura knew that it was time to let this subject drop. They walked in silence for a while, Sasuke was walking a bit ahead of Sakura so every so often she had to take a few extra steps to keep up with him.
"I've been warned off meeting you, you know." She informed him.
"Oh?" Sasuke raised his eyebrows.
"The dangers of meeting a strange man." She said to elaborate. Sasuke gave a slight smile.
"At least it's daylight and in a public place." He said and Sakura found herself smiling as well.
"So you better make sure I'm home and fine before dark." Sasuke gave a slight chuckle.
"And if I was really going to try and kidnap you do you think that you deter me?"
"Oh I don't know, if you kidnapped me then my friends would not stop until I've been found, and they can be very scary when their angry." Sasuke stopped walking and turned to face her, he gave her a cocky smile.
"And what if when they find you, you don't want to come back?"
"That would depend on where you take me I suppose, if it was somewhere hot with beaches then I think I'd be quite happy to stay." Sakura blew out a cloud of air, condensed and looked like smoke, or dragon's breath and it hovered between the two for a moment. "Somewhere in the Caribbean might be nice right now."
"I've always thought there was something beautiful about winter." Sasuke commented. Sakura gave him a quizzical look and he shrugged.
"It's just, the ways everything's so frozen and-"
"Grey." Sakura said sceptically. Sasuke pulled a face.
"No, look around Sakura, it's not like everything's dead at this time of the year."
"I don't know what you're talking about, all I know is that winter is cold and wet." Sakura said mournfully thinking of the warmer summer months ahead Sasuke sighed and turned round so his back was to her, he was looking up at the sky, Sakura gave him a thoughtful look
"Okay then," Sakura threaded her arm through his "Show me how beautiful winter is Sasuke."
"Come on then, let's go to the park." As usual Sakura was dragged through a labyrinth of streets by Sasuke, she giggled softly at the determined expression on his face as he pulled her toward the park.
It was early still and no one else was really around, being at work or at school, there were only a few people struggling through the park trying to keep warm. And as they stood in the field the sun was just starting to make its way out from behind the wall of clouds that trapped it. Sakura shivered as she took in the leafless trees, the dull sky and the damp grass.
"There is no way you can convince me that this is beautiful Sasuke." She stated looking around her.
"Well what is it you see here?" He asked her.
"Mud, dog walkers that would rather be inside, trees with nothing on them, it's all dull and grey." She muttered "See, spring is so much better as everything's in bloom, blossoms, plants, fresh new growth." She insisted.
"Lambs, and whatever else clichéd things they put on Easter cards these days." Sasuke said and Sakura laughed delighted.
"Yes!" She said and Sasuke came up close to Sakura, they were standing a foot apart, the wind blew softly around them as they looked at each other.
"Now think about this." Sasuke said softly. "Close your eyes."
"Is this the part where you kidnap me?" Sakura asked as she did so, she heard Sasuke's laugh again.
"I'm afraid not." Sakura pouted. There was a rustle of clothing as Sasuke shifted slightly, and then he spoke again; his voice seemed much closer this time.
"Think about it." he whispered "Everything's dormant, waiting to grow, waiting to be released. The trees and plants stay strong during too cold. The air is crisp and clear." Sakura felt herself breathing in sampling the cold air "in the morning dew settles on the grass and spiders webs, or when it's even colder there's a layer of frost on the leaves."
"It's still cold and dark in winter Sasuke." Sakura protested.
"So? I bet at least once you've looked up at the nights sky and appreciated it." Sakura shook her head slightly.
"It always seems so distant and remote the stars." She opened her eyes "So cold."
"Eternal." Sasuke paused slightly. "Did you ever hear that story, of the Snow Woman?" Sasuke asked and Sakura shook her head "There's a story that in blizzards and snow storms a beautiful woman would appear in it who kills people trapped in the snow, either from over exposure of she freezes them herself." Sakura frowned slightly wondering where he was going with this. "The story goes that some wood cutters were out in the woods and they got caught in a storm. They found shelter for the night in a hut or something. That night the door blew open in the snow and the Snow Women entered the younger of the two wood cutters woke up to find her freezing the other one and was terrified. When the Snow Woman moved over to the younger one she felt compelled to save him and let him live on the condition that her never told anyone about what had happened."
Sasuke walked forward so he was facing into the sun now looking out with Sakura across the park. He took a deep breath before continuing.
"The years past and the wood cutter ended up married to a beautiful woman with children and a snow storm came in. His wife noticed that he wasn't himself that night and pressed him to tell him what was on his mind. When he finally told her his story of the Snow Woman, his wife revealed herself to be the Snow Woman and said that if it wasn't for their children she would kill him. She then turned into snow and vanished." Sasuke turned his face to look at Sakura "That is winter to me."
Sakura stared at him, a stray breeze ruffled his hair that looked almost blue in the dull light, there was a hint of pink across his checks and his eyes shone as he smiled at her. In her moment of hyper awareness Sakura took a moment to look around the park, the trees with the energy coiled up inside them waiting for spring when it would burst forth and give life, the frosted air as people breathed, the flutter of wings as birds took off from the bare branches of the trees. In that moment Sakura was ready to believe that winter was truly beautiful.
She smiled at Sasuke.
"You know you really do have a twisted mind, how can a story about a woman freezing people to death make you see beauty in the world." She walked slowly towards him until that were only a few steps apart.
"But," She continued, "I think I can almost see what you mean." Sasuke took another step towards her, they were only to moments apart now.
"Can you?" He asked, and Sakura nodded and stepped towards him. One step apart.
"Good." Sasuke muttered, and they both moved closer to each other, Sasuke rested his forehead against hers, their breath was mingling together. Sakura closed her eyes.
"I would have been disappointed in you if you hadn't." Sasuke continued softly, as he reached up and brushed a few stray strands of hair off Sakura's face.
Suddenly there was a ringing noise and Sasuke jerked backwards, and dug in his pocket for his phone. There was a muttered 'fuck' when he was who it was.
"What is it?" He said and Sakura watched at a look of annoyance crossed his face. "Right, fine, yes I'll come back." He sounded exasperated.
"Arse." He muttered as he rang off. He turned to Sakura and gave a slight smile.
"Is everything okay?" Sakura asked cautiously, Sasuke sighed.
"I have to get back to work." he said quietly, "there's been some sort of crisis, so I'm afraid I'll have to kidnap you at a later date."
"As long as you take me somewhere warm." Sakura joked, she looked at Sasuke's dejected expression. "Don't worry about it Sasuke. I understand it's not your fault you have to go back to work, you have stuff to do unlike me who gets to do nothing all day." Sakura gave him a kind smile "I'll see you next Wednesday though?"
Sasuke nodded and with a quiet goodbye, he turned and left, a figure slowly diminishing as he got further away. Sakura sighed, what to do for the rest of the day she had wanted to stay with Sasuke for at least a little while longer especially after that moment, so full of promise, before his phone had rang. She took a deep breath in, people kept walking past her with their heads bent down low, hurrying along through the park, eager to get home. She tilted her head back appreciating the potential this place had, that in a few weeks this place would be flourishing with life.
Sakura smiled.
Maybe Sasuke was right.
Maybe now winter would be beautiful to her too.