Author's Notes: Sooo... I've decided to turn this into a series of oneshots where Sasuke - who is, let's admit, not exactly a cassanova - blotches his confessions of 'undying love'. This one actually had an entirely different plot when I first wrote it - an angst one, in particular - but somehow that one didn't sit well with me. So I fixed it (somewhat) and now here it is- SasuSaku CRACK and fluff. Actually, no, I'll just make it a collection of oneshots of all genres because it's tiring to have to make a new story each time, but mostly fluff because it's the only thing I seem capable of writing these days. XD So yeah, here, i hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Let it Snow
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow.
Sasuke sighed – the third sound of discontent that managed to wedge its way from his usually tightly sealed lips for today. It was becoming impossible to concentrate on his mission scroll; and he found that the more he tried, the more difficult it seemed to become.
But he was not a fool and he was nothing if not observant; he knew exactly why he was distracted.
Sakura was listening to Christmas songs with Ino as they both made Christmas-themed flower arrangements by the crackling hearth.
And the happy sounds were turning him into a melancholic mess.
Normally, he would just walk up to her and tell her to turn the 'damn' radio off. But he was in a dilemma: he and Sakura weren't exactly on speaking terms.
He did not know why this was so, just that she stopped talking to him one day.
He remembered that he was waiting for her outside of the hospital, just as he had been doing for about three months. Normally, she would stop, smile, and they would walk together, talking – well, she talked anyway, while he made unintelligible grunts. They were comfortable with each other and well on their way to a relationship; or at least, he thought so (If he had to admit, though, he still wanted solid proof that she still felt the same way for him).
He was not stupid, he had liked her since he was a child - since that fateful day at Wave, actually - but he had dismissed the feeling as yet another frustration in his life, another source of pain, another tragedy, another thing stolen from him.
He hadn't believed that he would have a second chance.
And yet, here it was, his second chance. At nineteen years old, he found his way back into the village courtesy of Naruto and Sakura. In the end, they were still 'precious' to him, and he found himself unable to watch them die. It was a startling realization, one that shook him to the core. But as he charged at Madara and thwarted the megalomaniac's plan, he knew that, for once, what he was doing was right—
-so really, what happened?
He hadn't even done anything wrong… well, at least, not recently. But still, he thought she was over that! She couldn't still be angry because of that incident at the bridge after the Danzou fight, could she?
No, no, she couldn't. She said so herself.
So why did she just stop, frown, and brush past him without a single word?
It was mind-boggling, inexplicable – and he wanted to know the reason behind it.
It was frustrating, he thought bitterly, how Sakura had decided to act like an Ice Queen all of a sudden.
He even followed her for a few steps, called out her name, and asked her what was wrong. But she just looked back, glared at him like he was the repository of all sin, and promptly walked away.
Well, he thought bitterly, pride taking over, if that was how things were going to be, then he would gladly oblige her. He did, after all, have more experience in being the cold bastard.
So he walked away in the opposite direction, leaving a trail of words unsaid in his wake.
But now he would have none of it, silent feud or no, he would make her stop that infernal sound of merriment. There was no way that he was going to leave whenever she came along (never mind that it was what he was doing for the past few days). It was incredibly uncomfortable, or as Nara would have it, 'troublesome'. He was an Uchiha, he was a man, he was Sasuke, and he would have none of it.
Besides, there was a frightful snowstorm outside, and he had no desire to get his coat wet.
Resolute, he strode towards the two women and, looking straight at his target, he spoke.
"Sakura."
The girl in question did not answer, merely sent her friend a pleading look that melted into an accusatory one as the latter stood up to leave them be.
When they were alone, though, Sasuke found that he had little to say. In fact, the two of them lapsed into an awkward silence that neither seemed willing to break. Sasuke was just standing there, looking anywhere but on his teammate. And Sakura was just fiddling with the flower arrangement, pretending to be busy, but truly getting nothing done. She looked positively forlorn.
And he, well, all that righteous anger had seeped out of him, and now he simply felt… tired.
Finally, Sasuke sighed – the fourth sound of discontent.
"Look, if you no longer want to associate with me", he began, his voice sounding a bit too raspy for his liking, "at least say it to my face."
Sakura did not reply but at least she stopped what she was doing and finally looked up at him. Sasuke, however, closed his eyes and continued, thereby missing the confused look that crossed his teammate's face. He was, however, profoundly aware of the ache that had settled somewhere in his chest.
"I may have done some things that I am not proud of. And I may have acted foolishly at times. But here I am, I'm willing to make amends. I—"
"Sasuke-kun—"
"I understand that I may be undeserving of such forgiveness, but you, you and Naruto, have always been insistent on giving me a second chance. So, I do not understand why you have suddenly gone silent—"
"Sasuke-kun!"
"—I thought you to be above such cruelty, that I could at least count on you to—"
"Sasuke!"
"—What?"
Sasuke opened his eyes and looked at her in annoyance, irked that his heartfelt apology (accusation) was disrupted, but he was surprised to see her shaking her head vigorously.
"This isn't about your past 'sins'", she spat the word out like it was venom before continuing, "well, maybe it is, but certainly not what you're thinking about."
"Then—for God's sake, Sakura, what?"
But the girl had gone silent, a red tinge occupying her cheeks.
"Never mind, Sasuke, I forgive you now. In fact, there's nothing to forgive. I was foolish to—"
But she hadn't, if the lack of the usual honorific was any indication.
"Sakura—"
"It doesn't matter, okay, I forgive you. We're going back to normal."
There was an air of finality in her tone, but he would have none of it.
"Sakura, tell me."
The girl seemed to mull it over her head before finally looking up at him and glaring – quite fiercely. If he was anyone else, he would most likely have moved back a step.
"Fine. Do you really want to know?"
Before he could give his assent, she continued in an angry torrent, seemingly unstoppable now that she had gained the impetus.
"It's because you're a manwhore!"
"A what?"
"A manwhore, Sasuke!"
"What the hell are you talking about, Sakura?"
"I'm talking about Karin, you shameless slut!"
"Slut—what?"
Never, never in his life had he imagined that 'slut' would be a term used to describe him. Devil, traitor, bastard – sure – but never 'slut'.
"Karin, Sasuke, Karin! You know, that red head that you ran through with your sword!"
"Oh."
"Well, apparently, your sword wasn't the only thing that you run through her!"
"B-but that was a long time ago!"
He stuttered! Oh God, he stuttered. But Sakura's anger was overwhelming and her fist was raised threateningly and – really, how could Naruto stand to be at the receiving end of it all the time?
Sasuke braced himself for the forthcoming blow, but there wasn't any. He opened first one eye, surprised that he had closed them in the first place, then the other.
"You're right. It was a long time ago. And it's not like I have any right to be angry—so, really, Sasuke, there's nothing to forgive. Just go away. Now. Please."
"Sakura—"
"Besides, Karin said that it wasn't much anyway—"
"What?"
"—that you were too concerned with your own pleasure that you didn't realize she wasn't getting any."
"…"
"She even asked for a douche to clean herself of your 'dirt', even though I told her that said 'dirt' was already four years old and therefore immaterial."
"…"
"But really—Sasuke—really. Fifteen years old? You're sluttier than Naruto! Than Sai!"
"Sakura—"
"I would never have expected it from you."
"—is that really why you're bothered?"
"No—yes, yes it is. You're a disgusting manwhore!", she spat venomously.
Sasuke knew that he was possibly facing decapitation with his next question and it was a very risky gamble, but if he played his cards right – and if he got lucky – he would find what he had been searching for these past several months.
"Sakura—"
"…"
"Sakura."
"What?"
"Are you jealous?"
"No!" – was what she said, but the flush that crept up on her cheeks and on her neck said otherwise.
At that, Sasuke smirked – but it was more of a smile, really, and to Sakura's surprise, she found that it was oddly contagious. Soon enough, she found herself suppressing her own mirth. Did she really call him a slut? And as angry as she was at the boy, she found that she couldn't stay that way for long, not when he finallyfinally sounded happy.
As such, she settled for punching him, softly, almost playfully.
"You jerk."
Sasuke caught one of her fists in his hand, then knotted their fingers together. She was looking at him with such an expression of surprise, and he found himself melting at the sight of all the love hidden in those green eyes of hers.
Unable to stop himself, he said that words that would be his own undoing—
"If it's any consolation, I only thought of you while I was doing it—"
"YOU JERK!"
-that he found himself sprawled on the ground the next second, sporting a major headache and a possibly broken nose – well, that was nobody's fault but his own.
"You're possibly more stupid than Naruto, Sasuke-kun. And would that count as your confession of undying love? I can't believe you just said—"
He was dizzy, and her words were lost on him, but then she was already healing him, and he knew he would be okay pretty soon, and it felt nice, really, her hands—
But as long as you love me so…
It struck him suddenly that the radio was still spouting silly songs of Christmas cheer.
But he didn't mind, not anymore.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
End.
"You'd better watch out, though, Sasuke-kun. Karin's already spreading rumors about how bad you are in bed all over Konoha."
"…"
"In fact, she told me to tell you that she's an avenger too."
Sasuke sighed – the fifth sound of discontent that managed to wedge its way from his usually tightly sealed lips for today.