Note: Written for the SasuSaku Month community at LiveJournal.
Theme: Post canon
Prompt: Warmth
Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

Early Morning Conversation
by white epitome

He woke up to the scent of vanilla. It was a foreign smell - one he didn't usually wake up to - yet he found that it was also very familiar. It permeated through his nose and hair and headrest. The sun has not risen yet. The place void of any kind of sound and movement and the air was cool. The air smelled of vanilla. She smelled of vanilla.

He cracked an eye open to look at the woman in his arms and was greeted by a mass of rose-pink hair. He smiled a small smile and noted that the sky outside was also painted rose-pink. He curled himself firmly to the source of the fragrance and enjoyed its warmth. Her warmth. Warmth that belonged only to him.

She draped an arm around him and pulled him closer and the warmth (that belonged only to him) seared through his skin. Her warmth, like the smell of vanilla, was both familiar and foreign to him. Yet, her warmth felt strangely like home.

Sakura began to stir and he closed his eyes, not wanting her to see that he was observing her. He watched her underneath his eyelids and saw that she was looking blearily at him.

"Morning, Sasuke-kun," came the usual groggy greeting.

"It's not morning yet. Go back to sleep."

"Why?"

The question was stupid. She liked asking stupid questions. He didn't like answering them. "Why what?"

"Nothing, " a small shrug. Next thing he knew, she was already wiping his hair out of his face, "Sasuke-kun, it would help if you relax more. You're so tense."

Feh, he muttered in annoyance. He disliked people who tell him what he should do. His scowl worsened when she tightened her embrace and he felt her warmth even more. Warmth that was familiar and foreign. Warmth that felt like home.

He gave up and buried his entire face against the pillow, all the while gritting his teeth and knitting his eyebrows.

Sakura glanced over the ebony head with concern. "Sasuke-kun," she placed one hand over his shoulders, "Are you alright?"

He didn't answer her question. He didn't want to show her that she affected him. (That he wanted her warmth to belong only to him, that her warmth felt like home). He didn't want to see her staring at him with those bleary eyes and sweet smile. He kept his eyes closed.

"Naruto's holding a small party tonight," she began, trying to fill in the silence between them. He didn't mind. He liked silence but he also liked her voice. "'It's in peaceful times like these when we should live it up,' he said. I don't understand him at all… And what's with this excuse about celebrating whenever we get the chance? Most of the ninjas involved during the last war had barely recuperated when he started holding those victory parties."

Sasuke didn't say anything. He continued pretending to be asleep. Sakura didn't mind. She continued rambling about a wide range of things - Naruto, Ino, her patients, the weather - he wasn't really certain but he let her continue. She rambled and played with his hair. He liked it when she played with his hair.

Then she stopped.

"Sasuke-kun, do you love me?" she suddenly asked in that innocent and sweet way she used every time she wanted something from him. Or Naruto. Or Sai. Or Kakashi. There was always something with Sakura and early mornings and touchy and stupid questions.

"Don't ask stupid questions," was his nonchalant reply. He kept his eyes closed.

She was quiet for a moment.

"But… you never really did say it to me directly."

"Hn." He peeked at her from beneath his eyelids. He noticed she was looking at him thoughtfully, expectantly. He sniffed audibly to express his annoyance at her continued line of questioning, "Do I have to?"

"Well, no… I mean… y-yes, of course you have to, you idio-" she caught herself before she could continue saying something that would embarrass her further and chose to remove her arms around him and crossed them in front of her chest instead. He suddenly missed her warmth.

Do I love her?

Sakura huffed from her corner of the bed, expressing mock displeasure. He watched her from the corner of his eyes and smiled a small smile that he dare not show anyone. Including her.

The sun has not fully risen yet and it was still early. Too early in the morning. Too early for her to know what he felt. Too early for him to think about what he felt.

"You don't really have to say it if you don't want to," she whispered after a few minutes of silence, the lilt of her voice unlike what she often used when berating her patients or scolding Naruto. "My feelings won't change. You know that, ne, Sasuke-kun?"

She looked briefly at him and grinned. She continued talking when he made no attempt to reply. "I was so happy when you asked me if I would like to go with you… I'm still not sure why you chose me but I am glad that it's me, so…" He watched her pull in a lungful of air, "I immediately said yes."

Her eyes remained glued to the ceiling. She was still grinning to herself.

"I told myself that it's going to be okay even if you don't feel the same; it's enough that you chose me… but…" she squeezed his hand before she continued, "but even if I don't hear it from you…" (Even if you don't love me back), "It's okay…" (I love you), "because I'll still be here for you no matter what…" (I'll love you no matter what), "Always." (Always).

She gave him another one of her cheeky smiles.

He ignored her and turned away, leaving her to stare at his back. Silence. Avoidance. Disregard. Those were what he was good at. Those were what he wanted and needed to convey. He was not someone who talked openly about his emotions. Why start talking about it now?

Do I love her?

Would he dare say he love her? Could he say he love her? Did he love her?

He settled for the silence. He looked out the window and noticed that the sky was no longer painted with the color of her hair. He could not feel her warmth that was familiar and foreign and his because she was no longer pressed against him. He frowned, thinking about her question and her declaration of her feelings. She always liked making bold declarations. He disliked making bold declarations. He disliked bold declarations as much as he disliked stupid questions.

Do I love her?

Wasn't asking for help for the restoration of his clan meant that he...? Well, he chose her, didn't he? She said it herself. Why would he choose her if he… if he didn't…?

He stole a glance from her direction and saw that she already had her back turned to him. She hummed a tune that he could not recognize. He resisted the urge to pull her into an embrace.

Her warmth. Her scent. Her everything. It all felt strangely like home. He needed her.

But... Do I love her?

"Sakura," he croaked, voice heavy from sleepiness and denial and something else he could not get rid of, "Would it matter if I say it or not?"

She tilted her head slightly but didn't give an answer. She continued humming instead.

He shifted his body so that he would completely face her. It was him who was asking stupid questions now. He started tracing his name against the soft pale skin of her back. Her softness. Her scent. Her everything. She was his.

Sasuke saw Sakura inhale sharply when he began his soft ministrations. Her reaction pleased him. She pleased him. They stayed like that for a while. He continued writing different characters on her back - her name, his name, her name with his family name (You. All of you. Stay. Always). Sakura stopped humming. He thought she had fallen asleep.

"Sakura…?"

She turned around with a pensive gaze and for a second, he thought she would say something that would annoy him again. She smiled up at him. "No, Sasuke-kun. I suppose it wouldn't matter."

It took him a few seconds to comprehend what she just said. "You… 'suppose'?"

She was silent again for a moment. Then she reached out to him and began tracing her name on his chest. After a while, her strokes varied and he had to pay attention to what she was writing. (I love you. Sasuke-kun, I love you. Forever. I love you).

Before he could stop himself, he was already holding her. He tucked her head under his chin and bound her in a tight embrace. He began to relax when she continued to trace patterns against his chest. He wanted to comfort her, to whisper words that would reciprocate the bold declarations she was so keen on making, to run his hands through her rose-pink hair, to smell her skin that smelled of vanilla. But he didn't. He couldn't. He disliked showing concern to anyone. Holding her was enough.

After a while, she pulled away and looked shyly up at him. He returned her gaze, and was surprised to see that her eyes were slightly wet from unshed tears.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Tch, why the hell are you crying?"

She giggled and played with his bangs, "Nothing. It's just… I love you Sasuke-kun, you don't have to say you love me too." (I know you love me too).

He rolled his eyes and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Her warmth. Her scent. Her laughter. Her touch. All of her.

She was his home.

"Sakura," he choked her name out.

"Hmm?"

"Stay with me for a long time."

(I love you too.)

Notes: Thanks for reading! Reviews and concrit are very much welcomed and appreciated.