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Title: Teammate
Prompt: Something More (Winter Edition)

The sun is warm but not enough to shield them from winter chill and snow that sits upon the ground. She's his opposite in the cloak of cream with pale pink hair, and viridian eyes. He's always been one for deeper shades obsidian hair, and obsidian eyes. The clock of ebony upon his shoulders is deep within its shade not weathered or worn.

They're taking a scroll to Iwagakure's Tsuchikage. It's a simple task given by this old squad leader who now sits within the Hokage office. Who was he to tell him no especially when it was on the way? There had been some hesitance when he had asked this kunoichi to journey with him. She had traveled in an effort to stop the consistent rumors that dared to say he fallen back within the darkness, and allowed his eyes to once again be clouded. They had proclaimed he was planning to destroy Konohagakure and she had charged forward with her blonde best friend, and his once replacement to put an end to such rumors.

She had been taken, and he had moved well before the paper had fluttered upon the ground. That ungodly strength and that ungodly power behind her tiny hands had burst the building down before he could make his way to her. It had been enough though for him to decide it was time he took her with him—hesitant or not she would not be used as she walked beside him. She's capable of defending herself. He told himself as he worked towards this decision. She's able to handle anything that comes her way. He told himself as he worked through the pros and cons. It had just taken her standing at the gates to welcome him home to make him finally decide this was the best answer.

They come upon the gates of this allied village, and he doesn't have to utter a word as she moves forward explaining why they've come. There's the smallest shift of his head as he rests his eyes between these two. They know each others—this shinobi adores her. It's obvious within his eyes there's something more than adoration behind this look that's painted across his face.

A feeling deep within his stomach makes him feel as though he is not meant to witness this exchange. She's painted in surprise, and then there's the realization across her face. She knows him, and this shinobi knows her—it's not hard to believe. The war was only so long ago, and the villages had banned together. He can only assume she's met more than her fair share.

Did they share these same looks that held something more than adoration?

He clears his throat gaining their attention. Shifting his weight from one leg to another he's sure gives away how awkward he feels, "I'll deliver the scroll."

She's quick to lift her hand, "Ah, Sasuke-kun I'm coming."

"You look like you'd like to catch up." he's tilting his head to the shinobi he's yet to learn the name of, "I'll be fine."

He wonders if the feeling deep within his stomach is caused by the awkwardness or the realization that there was someone who looked upon his female teammate with something more. The village doesn't stop with his appearance. He wonders at what point he had managed to gain acceptance. They do not stop to gaze upon him as they once would. They would not assume he meant them harm.

The old man that resides over Iwagakure is out, but his cheeky granddaughter is there to take the scroll from him in her grandfather's absence. There's no missing the way her eyes fall upon him—she's digesting him, sizing him up, and taking him in.

"You've changed." she's crossing her hand's across her chest with the slightest curiosity within her tone, "You've softened up well."

He's not sure how to take what she's said. He's sure she's meaning it as a good thing, but then there's that feeling that's lingered within him since leaving his pink haired teammate. He wouldn't call it jealousy. He wouldn't call it envy. He wasn't sure what to call it. He just knew that it was something he shouldn't feel. Leaving her alone with someone who adored her should never be an issue. Could she really say he's changed with something unnameable residing within him?

"I don't think I have." he's honest with his response, and the look across her face shows she had not expected him to respond from the start.

She's shaking that head of obsidian hair with the most easy going smile across her face, "I think you've matured a lot. You're growing up. Sorry you had to come all the way here and he's not even here."

"It's fine it was on our way."

"Our?" this has her curious with her brows raising, "Is it a girl?"

It's the height of her voice that makes him suddenly uncomfortable with her gaze. He doesn't want to know what her response would be if he dared to admit his pink haired teammate is lingering at their gates.

She's shaking that head of obsidian hair with the most easy going smile across her face, "It is a girl. So you have grown up. It's not just with age—I think you've learned to accept people in your life." that playfulness still lingers but she's taken a softer approach than he would of expected of her, "Make sure you cherish them as much as they cherish you."

Obsidian shift from her and the swallow he takes is what finally grounds him enough to bring his eyes back to her. She's pressing forward with advice he hasn't asked for, "Take responsibility for people you hold close."

It's that cheeky grin that spreads across her face that tell him she's said what she felt was necessary. The nod of his head and a single look back come as he takes her advice that lingers within the air. He hasn't asked for it, but that did not mean that he could not take it.

The steps he takes bring him upon the quite conversation at the gates. They've sat down and were once adoring and happy smiles decorated these two's faces now sides the softest of smiles set within sad tones. There's the smallest curiosity of what has transpired between these two, and it's because of that that he steps before them. She's quick upon her feet in seeing him, but then she's turning her back to him those fingers of hers are laced behind her as her voice comes within the air.

"Morio-san." he's heard this tone from her before—it's that gentle and tender tone she always took with him, "Thank you, and I'm sorry."

He questions if he's heard what she's said. She thanking this shinobi, and she's apologizing. What had she done to make her apologize? Was she the cause of the heavy tone that sat between these two.

"Sakura-san, thank you for hearing me out once again." he's smiling earnestly as he's raising to meet her, "I knew I was right to believe that whoever you picked would be amazing." there's the flicker of his eyes to obsidian, and then his attention is back upon this woman of pale pink and viridian green.

He's beaming a smile at her as she's swaying her hands in front of her, "I'll find someone amazing to stand beside me too."

It doesn't take much effort to realize what had happened in his abscene. This man had indeed looked upon her with something more. This man, Morio, looked at her the way she had looked at him. Obsidian trail upon her form as she's giving her farewells and it's when her viridian land upon his face that there's now missing the way her eyes glow. She's giving him that look of something more just as she always has. That feeling that he could not describe has been lifted and in it's place there's the new beat his heart takes with such a look.

The only sound between them is the sound of snow crunching underneath their feet. The silence is calm. She only gives the smallest of hums at the most random times within their travels. He barely registers the shift of his obsidian upon her as she walks beside him—she's oblivious to it.

She was his teammate—but was she something more?

There's a hum far different from the usual that comes from her before he watches her lips open, "Ah, Rinne Matsuri is coming soon." it's not her attempting to create conversation but more of an outspoken thought.

She's looking upon this horizon of snow and it's here that he knows he is definitely looking to her. He's watching every hair that moves with her movements, and he's seeing the way she shifts her weight upon her feet.

"Sasuke-kun."

He doesn't answer her but there's something about the shyness within her tone that makes his heart flutter for just a second.

"I like you." she's whispered it but there's nothing that keeps him from hearing it.

Lips curve within the smallest of smirks. There's a certain level of pride that's washed over him at hearing her admit what he had know so long ago, "I know."

She's a contrast to him and even more so now as she turns to him with dusty pink cheeks and the most innocent expression upon her face. She's pale pink, and viridian green. He's obsidian, and more of the same.

She's his teammate—but she's something more.