note.

Didn't want to post anything on April Fools, so I waited a bit to post this.

We've recently got past the 20K word mark as well as 100 story alerts (which is phenomenal for an unknown author like me)! Thank-you so much to all of you! (I LOVE YOU!)

I've also opened a fanfiction instagram: 'bubblegumshavedice' ... and Tumblr: 'fille-etrangere' (but I must warn you that there will be a load of reblogs on other fandom-related things)

As always, reviews/alerts/favourites make me write and I absolutely love hearing feedback from you guys! How did the chapter make you feel? What did you like/not like about the writing? Can you successfully guess what happens next?

track 32.

A mop of pink hair tickling his nose woke him.

It was a mild day, nothing special about the weather, but the sun hadn't completely risen. Normally, this was the type of morning he would have slept in on.

"Did you sleep well?" Sakura asked, facing the wall instead of him. He didn't expect her to be awake already. Sasuke had thought that she would be to type to get out of bed straight away after waking up. He stretched out bent knees as Sakura mirrored the action.

"You didn't let me sleep."

And it was true. After venting, Sakura had calmed down, and she easily fell asleep by his side as he sung her to sleep when she asked for a lullaby. Covered under the same blanket. She had been too tired after her tears. If his parents found it strange that he was singing without his guitar last night, neither commented on it; inwardly, he thought they were probably happy for a more relaxed tune for once.

Problem was, he had been left in the position of having to decide whether it was alright to actually fall asleep next to her, or if he should have fetched a spare blanket to sleep on the wooden floor. In the end, he hadn't risked waking Sakura (who by then, was used to the warmth), or making his mother suspicious as to why he needed another blanket. His family may be fond of Sakura, but he isn't sure how they will react to her sleeping over.

As much as it flattered him to know that he was the person she first thought to see when hurt; it annoyed Sasuke how trusting she was. To fall asleep so soundly on a guy's bed. Rolling herself in a fetal position, and even being comfortable enough to release light snores, while he was forced to sleep with his body straight and rigid (though this posture had relaxed overnight) in fear of touching her.

Sakura either had no idea how a boy's mind worked, how attractive she was, or no longer thought about him as a person of the opposite gender. What was most worrying was that there was a high chance of all three being true.

"Don't go around telling people that. They'll think we had hot, wild sex and ask me for details." She joked, a habit she developed when nervous. Though she had no qualms over sleeping in the same bed, she felt just as awkward waking up as he did. A small relief to Sasuke.

Sakura had woke up only a little earlier, and had froze when she felt herself bump into Sasuke. Her pulse beating by her ears like flapping wings, echoing against the pillow whilst she waited for him to wake. Only to find him still asleep.

She had craved the warmth he was radiating behind her in the brisk morning, however, she didn't know how he would react to her burrowing herself against him. Sasuke was such a private person, and she had already intruded so much upon his personal space. Controlling her own reflexes, she had tried to force herself to lean as much into the wall as possible, digging her head within his pillow and burrowing into blankets for warmth until he woke.

"Sakura, for a girl that just spent the night at a guys place; you're surprisingly calm."

In the awkwardness, neither looked at each other in fear that they were blushing.

"You haven't given me a reason not to be."

"Right." He pushed himself up, his arms alongside his sunken body, muscles still unready to be used.

She was still in her school uniform. Albeit, the fabric rumpled. And her hair bed ridden. But apart from her shoes abandoned at the window sill, the knee highs slumped at their side; Sakura was fully dressed. However, he could also see the marks of his presence on her. The pillow's imprint on her cheek matched the embossing of his pillowcase, she smelt (gods, help him) like his own shampoo, and the creasing on her skirt had more than likely been caused by his own weight.

"I know you act all tough and macho, but you're actually really kind, Sasuke-kun. At least, You've always been gentle towards me."

"I guess I am." He looked away.

Kind. Gentle. Those were the words she had used to describe him without knowing anything.

She didn't know how much it scared him to see her plague his dreams. How many nights has he taken advantage of her feelings in his fantasies? To make her look like this next to him in the mornings? For her to be so trusting towards him. To call him kind and gentle. As much self control as he had. He was a man.

Sakura laughed at his response, not having seen the expression on his face. "Be a little more modest."

Last night, Sasuke had been so focused on simply keeping her company, adamant on making her happier - that he hadn't taken into account how difficult it would be to see her like this once they woke.

How could Sakura make him feel powerless in front of her even when she had sleep in her eyes? Within months, she has made him a yes-man out of him with only a few words. Stolen whatever pride he had in his self control, and broken through his disinterest in girls with lunch breaks, study sessions and band practices.

He wanted her.

Sasuke knew that he had been attracted to her back at the karaoke. Under the dim lights. But how did it not occur to him how he wanted to see her on weekends? Seeing her in his room on a Saturday morning. Waking up next to her. It ignited a new greed in him.

He wanted everything.