Same Soul • Sasunaru

11. Breathless.

Naruto's POV
Christmas Eve
Night of Lady Hyuga's Christmas Party.

We're not lovers.

We're just strangers.

•°•°•°•°•

I feel all the air in my lungs being forcefully pushed out of my airways as my back impacts itself onto the hard surface behind me. I scream once at the top of my lungs as it happens in the moment, unaware of what's occuring. I push my head onto the wall behind me and forefully squeeze my eyelids closed in fear of danger. I feel someone's forearm pressing onto the top of my rib cage to keep me from squirming. My heart pounds rapidly in an uneven beat as I hold my breath in pure terror.

"What the hell are you doing! Who are you?!" I whimper, as I struggle to escape between the wall of the mansion's hallway behind me and the muscular arm pinning me in place. I feel the person's warm breath tingle on my face on neck, causing me to close my eyes tighter and press myself harder against the wall to back away.

"Open your eyes, Naruto Uzumaki," a deep and smooth voice demands of me. In dominance, he presses his forearm across my chest harder to the point where it starts to hurt. I squeak helplessly and begin to pant in fear.

My eyelids flutter open hesitantly to reveal the love of my life.

But I don't know that yet.

"Y-you're that boy...but you're not a boy anymore," I choke, reminiscing over his light crean skin and eyes so dark they reflect the stars with clarity. I feel his arm release pressure off my ribs as he pulls it away. But just when I think I'm free, he pins both of his hands on the wall beside me instead. His face gets dangerously close to mine as he gazes into my eyes; almost like he's searching for something.

"Who are you?" He asks, tilting his face slightly with a confused expression plastered onto his heart shaped face. He leans his elbows against the wall where his hands were, allowing him to get closer to me. I can practically feel the heat radiating off of his chest as it's inches away from mine.

"Gah! You just said my name, idiot!" I growl, struggling to push his arms away so I can be set free from him. I whimper in helplessness as I can't find the strength to push him. "What do you want from me? I didn't do anything to you!"

He sucks air through his teeth and lowers his eyebrows. His dark eyes suddenly becoming piercing and hard to look at. "Just because I know your name doesn't mean I know who you are. I saw someone that looks like you in a dream of mine. Was it you?"

My eyes widen and my body becomes calm; I stop trying to push him away. "D-Dream? Is it really y-you?" My eyes begin to sting, and I can't seem to cry any more than I have already. The skin around my eyes burn red and feel puffy from wiping my eyes with the sleeve of my suit.

He nods slowly, and his eyelids drop together as he turns away in embarrassment. His right hand cups my cheek gingerly as his thumb rubs the skin on my face in smooth circles. "Do you remember this?" He asks, as I feel my body shake anxiously in response to his movements.

My mind flashes back to a boy's small hand with a black crescent symbol holding my face when I started to question everything in our dream. I grasp his wrist that holds my cheek gently and quiver. "Y-yes. I-I do remember this...very clearly."

"Hm," he says, looking down to the floor and smiling discreetly in accomplishment. "How about I do something that you don't remember, Naruto Uzumaki?" He leans his face forward so that our noses touch, and I feel his warm breath on my lips. His other hand releases from the wall beside me, and he places it on the small of my back.

The only escape I see is sliding onto the floor against the wall and sitting with my knees close to my chest. Both of his hands are gone from my touch, and my body feels cold without them. Sasuke pouts and towers over me as he stands; his dark shadow feeling like it's holding me hostage rather than his hands. "I was really looking forward to that, you know."

"Baka, I don't even know who you are! You could be some hot creep for all I know!" I bark, wrapping my arms around my knees to keep me feeling safe and secure. "Besides, I've never kissed anyone before," I grumble quietly in hopes that he doesn't hear me. But really, I do want him to hear.

He chuckles quietly, and sits down on the floor infront of me to appear less intimidating. "You've never kissed anyone? Even that little boyfriend of yours that looks so much like me? I don't believe that one bit."

I gasp and hold my breath. "S-Sai? Well, I don't know if he's really my b-boyfriend. I've never really been in a romantic relationship b-before." My cheeks burn red as I escape the glance from his eyes and look down at the hardwood floors, almost in shame.

"I haven't been in a serious relationship before either. I've just had girls swarm around me a lot is all," he replies to make me feel better. "I may seem like a natural, but it's all because of those girls telling me what they want." He winks at me and smiles deviously.

My body feels hot and shaky, and all I can do is yell at him in defense to ignore everything I'm feeling inside. "Whatever! Why am I telling you all this stuff, anyways! It's not like you own me!"

"Because you trust me, remember? And besides, I'm going to own you."

With that said, I stand up abruptly on my two feet and begin to stomp down the hallway away from him. I don't bother to turn around and look for his reaction. I know what he said is true. That he's gonna own me, and that somehow deep down I do trust him. But I'm gonna hide all of these feelings becuase what's happening isn't logical. I'm not supposed to love him so fast, and I'm not supposed to find his trust either. Just because we saw each other in a dream doesn't mean anything, right?

He's just a stranger.

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