Title: On a Cold Night
Pairing: SasuSaku, one-sided MorSaku
Disclaimer: Naruto, not mine since 1999.
Note: This was a request from tumblr, reposting here. :)

It's easily the coldest night of the year as Haruno Sakura exits the hospital. Wrapping her thick red coat around herself tightly, she shivers as she steps out into the night. Paperwork is a real bitch, she muses, having been given the dubious honor of being promoted to both head of surgery and Tsunade's administrative assistant.

Leaving the thought of work behind her, she hurries down the street, anxious to be home where it's warm and there's hot chocolate-

Oh damn. Stopping suddenly, Sakura pats herself down, feeling frantically through her pockets. No such luck. She's left her apartment key in her desk drawer at the hospital again. Sighing in exasperation, she turns around to go back the way she came.

Only to collide with a tall, lanky stranger. She lets out a tiny "eep" in shock and balls her fist, ready to take down any slimy bastard who think she's easy pickings for mugging or worse. But as she rocks back on her heel to start swinging her fist, the stranger holds up his hands in surrender.

"Woah, hey, Sakura-san, it's me! Remember me?" His smile is a bit crooked and goofy, and Sakura returns it hesitantly. She lowers her fist but doesn't unclench it. Studying his face, she thinks he does look a bit familiar, and something tickles at her memory…

"Oh, Morio-san! It's you," she laughs in relief. "It's been a couple of years, how have you been?"

Morio's smile widens in delight that she remembers. "Great! Well, maybe not great, what with the war clean-up you know, but good. I'm good. Everything's pretty much back to normal in Iwa now, and I thought I'd pay a visit to Konoha. And here you are, first person that I see? How have you been, Sakura-san?"

His eagerness to keep the conversation going is palpable, and Sakura sighs a little to herself. He reminds her a bit of Lee. Resigned to staying out in the cold a bit longer, she wraps her arms around herself as she answers.

"Good. Mostly busy. There's been a lot to do here with the rebuilding, and I've been promoted at the hospital."

Morio's eyes widen. "Promoted? That's great! You're such an amazing medic, I'm not at all surprised."

She thanks him, and he notices as she starts to shiver. Frowning, he apologizes profusely for keeping her outside and offers to walk her home.

Alarmed by the thought that she'll never get rid of him, Sakura refuses as politely as she can. "Really, it's okay, Morio-san. It's a long walk still and I don't want to bother you-"

But Morio shakes his head. "Really, Sakura-san, it's no bother at all. I'll even buy you some hot cocoa on the way there. Here, let me-"

"That will be unnecessary."

A deep voice colder than the freezing temperature echoes from the shadows of a nearby alley, and its owner soon emerges swarthed in a long cloak dyed the color of the night.

Sakura blinks in recognition. "Oh, Sasuke-kun, what are you doing here?"

The Uchiha's dark eyes narrow. "You were late. So I came to get you."

He turns to glare at the other man. "Your escort services are unneeded. You may leave."

Morio flushes in embarrasment. Beads of sweat break out on his forehead and his fists clench angrily. "I can't in good conscience leave Sakura-san alone with a man like you."

Sasuke subtly moves so that he's standing toe-to-toe with the Iwa nin, towering over him. His next words are low, velvety, and dangerous.

"And what kind of man am I?"

But infatuation can make even a coward brave, if not foolhardy, and Morio does not back down. "You're a traitor, that's what you are! One who does not deserve to be in the company of one as pure as Sakura-san! And I'll-"

"You'll what?" Sasuke growls, fingering the hilt of Kusanagi.

Morio swallows audibly, but moves his hands in the starting position of a hand sign. "I-I'll fight you for her honor!"

Crimson sharingan bleeds into Sasuke's eyes as he pulls the blade from it's scabbard. "Do it then."

"THAT'S ENOUGH." Sakura roars, stamping her foot and cracking the ground within a ten foot radius. Both men stop and stare at her. Morio is incredulous, Sasuke annoyed.

"Morio-san, I'm sorry, but I'm spoken for and I'm going home with Sasuke-kun. Sasuke-kun, put that damn sword away and let's go home."

Sakura huffs angrily and stomps down the street away from both of them.

Sasuke glares at Morio. "If you ever come near her again…" He leaves the threat unfinished, but his intent is clear. Morio nods bitterly in defeat and slinks away toward the inn.

Satisfied, Sasuke turns and catches up to Sakura in a few long strides. She is glaring straight ahead and not speaking to him as he continues to walk beside her. But it's after midnight now, and the temperature has dropped even more drastically. Sakura is shivering hard.

Sighing heavily, Sasuke pulls her in against him and wraps his cloak around the both of them. She doesn't push him away, but neither does her glare lessen.

As they approach the door to their apartment, she finally turns to him and speaks.

"That was rude, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke rolls his eyes. "He was bothering you. I was getting rid of the problem."

Sakura pokes him in the chest. "He wasn't a problem, and I could have handled him myself."

"And you were handling him so well." He pulls her flush up against his chest this time and rests his chin on top of her head. Sakura pouts. "I had it taken care of, Sasuke-kun."

Kissing the top of her head, Sasuke reaches over and opens the door.

"How about I take care of the hot chocolate while you go take a shower."

Still pouting, Sakura stands up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"Fine."