Summary: Sometimes there's a broken soul hidden behind that perfect face.

Standard disclaimer applies here

perfect imperfectness

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Take off that stone cold mask and show me who you are.

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She watches him from a distance.

He is cool, calm, collected, and reserved- everything she would expect him to be. He walks in perfect posture, back straight, head held high. His silky jet black hair glistens under the bright sun and his pale skin is as flawless and perfect as she remembers it to be.

He's beautiful. Flawless. Unaffected. Perfect.

But when he looks at her, with his dark, mysterious, onyx eyes, she's left breathless. She's lost in the deep, black pool that swallows her whole, and she doesn't know if she wants to escape or if she even can. Her heartbeat speeds up and she feels her face flush to an embarrassing shade of red.

Why? Why does he always, always, always do this to her? They barely talk. They barely even glance at each other anymore. It's been too long; things have changed between them.

A burning desperation fires through her chest, and she quickly breaks off the eye contact- the fleeting, sheering moment- and runs away, flying away from her past, her present, and maybe- just maybe- her future.

-x-

Despite his efforts, a squeezing pain grips his heart as he watches her retreating back. It's not unusual for her to trigger those feelings he thought he had buried under: happiness, pain… hope.

He watches her until her pretty pink hair disappears from his line of view. He lets out a loud breath- one he's been unconsciously holding.

She'd grown. Tall (though not quite as tall as himself), strong, and beautiful. Pale skin that he yearns to touch. Pouty pink lips and gorgeous sea green eyes that light up her flawless face. She'd grown out her short pink hair into long, luscious locks that cascaded down her back in elegant waves.

She's beautiful. Breathtaking. Perfect.

Things have changed so much between them. The past has changed the present, and the future was so far away in his mind… or better put, running away from his grasp.

The realization gripped his heart like an ice-cold vice. What if things stayed like this?

-x-

She's so immersed in her work that she doesn't even realize his presence- which is so damn familiar- approach her, until he's right there. Standing behind her, closer than she would have liked (or maybe not?) but he's there and he's blocking her escape route and she's not ready. She's not sure if she'll ever be ready.

His hand reaches out and grabs her wrist, and she can't help but gasp lightly at the tiny shock (and not by Chidori either) that shoots up her arm and spreads out in her body.

"You've been avoiding me." His voice, so deep and smooth, is like music to his ears. She turns away, tugging at her wrist, trying to free herself from his firm yet gentle grip. He doesn't seem to notice her struggle as he continues.

"I thought you said you loved me." Green eyes widen in absolute shock and her body freezes. She's no longer struggling against his grasp.

"I thought you said you'd do anything for me." Crystal tears fall from her eyes, and she squeezes her eyes shut, shaking her head.

"Why did you lie to me?" She wants to scream 'I didn't! I didn't!' but no words come out. He continues, each word piercing through her heart like a spear.

"Why did you stop caring?"

One simple phrase, that one simple phrase, makes her heart explode as she tears out of his iron grip, shaking her head fiercely.

"Stop," She whispers. "Stop, stop, stop!" Her choked sobs fill the empty room, bouncing off the walls, making a hollow sound.

"You tried to kill me, Sasuke."

She hears him inhale sharply, before narrowing his dark, dark eyes.

"And you didn't?" Sakura nearly laughed out loud. Leave it to Sasuke to start the accusations.

"Do you really think I could have killed you, Sasuke? Do you really think I would have killed you that day, on the bridge? If I had been able to kill you that day, without hesitation, do you really think you'd be alive right now?" She watches as he runs a pale hand through his black hair.

"No," she whispers, "you wouldn't be." She glances at her hands, skin still tingling from his touch. "But you… you didn't hesitate for a second. If Kakashi-sensei hadn't intervened…"

She didn't need to continue the sentence to see guilt light up, just barely, in Sasuke's deep onyx eyes.

-x-

It was only then until Sasuke realizes that maybe he wasn't the only one suffering. That maybe he wasn't the only one clawing at the raw desperation swelling up in his chest. That maybe, just maybe, his perfect, perfect Sakura was also suffering.

"I'm sorry." It's so easy to say, natural, like it was meant to be said a long time ago. Never in a million years would he think that he would apologize- to a girl, at much- but there was nobody who deserved an apology from him as the maybe-not-so-perfect girl standing before him.

"I didn't mean it." Everything- every thought, every word- was coming out, uncontrolled, so out of character- but then again, he doesn't bother trying to stop himself. "I didn't think. I wasn't thinking. And I'm sorry. It was a mistake, what I did, and I was so out of control. But I'd never do that to you. You know I'd never hurt you like that."

"Never hurt me?" Sakura scoffs. "You've hurt me more than anyone has ever had, Sasuke. The day you left, I was beyond repair. You don't know what I went through, Sasuke, in those past three years you've been gone. You don't know how much training I went through to be stronger. You don't know me anymore, Sasuke. I'm not the same little pathetic girl you left behind."

You don't know me anymore, Sasuke. Those words hurt him the most. It replays over and over again in his mind, adding salt to his already opened wound.

"So that's it then? You just stop caring for me, just like that?" He wants to hit himself hard in the head. God, he sounded like a desperate, lovesick boy.

"No. I've just stopped trying." Sakura turns and walks around him, heading towards the door. "Why would you waste your life on something that might never happen?"

Panic rose up in Sasuke's throat. She's walking away. Again.

Without thinking, his hand shoots out and grabs her wrist, pulling her to his chest. She lands softly with an 'oof' and glares at him with angry eyes. His other arm reaches out and holds her close, pinning her to his body.

"What are you doing, Sasuke? Let me go!" She's struggling against his chest, trying so very hard to get away from him. But he knows it's not going to happen. He's not going to let her run away again from him, ever again.

"No."

Sakura stares at him, furious. "What do you mean, 'no'? Let go!"

"No."

"Sasuke. Let. Go. Now."

"No."

"Sasuke, I'm warning you, let-"

"No. I'm not letting you go. I'm not ever going to let you go. But if you want me to go, if you really want me to go, I'll go. I'll leave you alone. Just say the word, and I'll leave."

"Sasuke, I… I want…" And just like that, his lips were on hers. Hungry and wanting, yet gentle and soft at the same time. For once in his life, Sasuke felt like he was in pure bliss. Like he was the luckiest guy in the whole world. That if he could die, he would die in this moment, reliving it forever and ever.

He leans his forehead against hers. "Tell me to go, and I'll go."

"Sasuke." He feels her hand grip his t-shirt tightly, like he might disappear. "Sasuke. I-I hate you!"

Sasuke's eyes widen alarmingly as Sakura begin to sob, clutching his shirt like a lifeline.

"I hate you," she cries again, burying her face in his shirt. He stands there stiffly, not sure how to react or what to say. "I hate you for being so handsome and I hate you for always ruining my façade and I hate you for coming back and trying and I hate you for making me cry and look weak and I hate you because you stole my heart and never gave it back and I hate you because you just kissed me and what am I supposed to do now, and I hate you because no matter what you do you always, always make me fall in love with you over and over again and it's not fair."

"Sakura…"

"I HATE you!"

"I hate you too."

Her tearful jade eyes look up at him.

"I hate you for being so damn annoying all the time, invading my mind even when you're not around. I hate your irritating pink hair that stands out and always catches my eye. I hate your pretty green eyes that always see right through me. I hate how naïve you are, completely unaware of guys who are ogling at your body. I hate how you always light up whatever room you're standing, even if it's a dark prison cell. I hate how you keep ignoring me like I'm not there, because when you do that it makes me feel like nothing. Most of all, I hate how you're so smart but can't figure out a single thing that's been so obvious to everybody else. I hate you so much, you stupid girl!"

Sakura stands gaping like a fish at the Uchiha's indirect confession of love to her. "Did you just…"

"Yeah. I did."

"…speak more than one sentence?"

Sasuke feels a vein throb in his forehead as he glares at her tear-streaked but now-smiling face. She laughs, knowing there's no real poison behind his glare, and laces her fingers through his.

"It's okay," she murmurs, looping her arms around his neck and burying her face in the crook of his neck. "I hate you too, you silly boy."

He stiffens, before he feels his muscles relax and his arms lift up and wrap around Sakura's slim waist. Pressing a light kiss to her forehead (resulting in a furious blush and a soft giggle), he replies, "Aa."

(they're far from perfect, but this is their start.)

Fin.

Note: Oldie. :P

Also...a big shoutout to every single person here on fanfiction who's reviewed or favorited or followed my work. I'm deeply grateful, and I honestly love you all. You guys just make my day, yafeelme? :)

And I just found out about the Boston Marathon bombing last night. RIP to all the lives lost and a prayer for those who were injured or lost loved ones. :'( What is the world coming to?

-A