Snow Glare [SasuSaku]

Chapter One

The light patter of the snow upon the hardened dirt that comprised the road before her was intriguing. It was sneaky, it was cold and quite frankly it was painful for all who lived in the village of the Konoha; much like her now deranged comrade, her complicated love...Uchiha Sasuke. Tightening her grip on the pastel yellow blanket hooded over her petite figure, Sakura let out a low grumble; I wish spring would come and wash away this harsh simile...I yearn for that day.

Stepping out onto the icy pebbled path she slowly made her way out onto the streets of the village she fought to protect. Being a full fledged shinobi had not satisfied her the way she believed it would; perhaps it's because of him.

A couple of children raced past her screaming in play as they pretended to be good and evil shinobis, their fake kunai's clashing wood against wood. "I'm gonna bring a new meaning to the word pain!" one of them screamed as he chased the other child around the corner.

Pain... Sakura sighed as she shook the snow from her blanket, they have no understanding of how pain can alter one's life so dramatically, I wish they never have to experience it for the same reasons also.

The chime of a bell rang clearly through the thick winter air as the chattery village fell completely silent; the warning chime...The sound of a horn silenced the bell's chime as screams of panic consumed the vicinity. Invasion.

Sakura's head snapped upright as she flung her blanket off, racing back towards her villa, kicking the door down as she quickly strapped her kunai's pouch to her thighs and slid her ANBU mask over her piercing green eyes; He's here...I can feel it, it's not just a normal invasion. Racing outside Sakura was taken back by the reality of the impending situation as she saw Akatsuki members and Konoha shinobis clashing in nearby streets.

"They're moving so fast! How? How could they get past the defence of the gate guards so quickly!" she whispered as she walked into the middle of the street; the snowflakes blanketing the top of her rose locks as she spun around coming face to face with the man who seemingly cared for little but himself. "Sasuke..." she snarled at the man whom she loved, "What have you done?"

Moving closer to her his face remained blank and stern as he unsheathed his katana; looping it around his head as he took up an opposing stance to her own. "Does it matter?" he replied coldly as his eyes remained calm as always.

Eyes narrowing defensively Sakura's legs slid outwards a fraction, holding her ground. "If there is a reason I'm sure I deserve to hear it," she replied with equal coldness.

Lunging at her in a direct frontal attack Sasuke glared at her before disappearing in a puff of smoke and reappearing above her; knocking her to the ground, her kunai bouncing loose from her grip as he fell heavily on her chest; her heart racing. She could attack, but she didn't. He could have killed her right then and there, but he didn't.

"Why are you trying to read my thoughts?" Sakura snapped flusteredly; breaking their prolonged eye contact.

Sasuke lowered his head to her ear, brushing her hair away from it. "Why are you always trying to read mine?" he replied silkily as he sat back, a smirk printed across his sharp features.

"You're a bastard, do you know that? The least you could do is answer me properly!" she growled as she screwed up her delicate features in utter disgust.

Grinning he taped her forehead, "You're not in any position to say something like that;" he replied coldly as he rested his blade against her throat, "You see?"

"You're full of crap..." she snapped as she elastically flicked her legs up under his arms, prying him off her as she jumped back to her feet; "I hate that in a person!"