Finding shelter during a thunderstorm leads to an unexpected encounter.
Sasusaku snippet. Angsty. Longing. Modern AU. It is another one I could see turning into a full story...
.
.
.
The elements were not on her side tonight.
Sakura found herself completely exhausted as an unexpected downpour pelted her skin, like tiny little bullets penetrating an already drenched target; as if they had a chance of making any difference to her already soaking wet clothes and sulking locks. She let out a heavy sigh when another taxi man ignored her desperate waving and sped on past her... as if she was a mere apparition of a woman rather than a solid, soaking wet, non-transparent being.
A large, violent bolt of lightning landed followed by a clap of thunder that was much too close to comfort; the sound resonating in her eardrums and causing her teeth to rattle in her skull. Sakura wrapped her arms around her midriff more securely and squinted her eyes in contemplation.
She could run back to the office, it was only a block away, but then she'd run the risk of running into her boss... and that was unacceptable. Madara Uchiha was a tyrant at the best of times; working his teams to the ground and feeling absolutely no remorse for it. She was desperate to find another company who would accept both her and her skillset, but for now, she was trapped working for the most ruthless CEO in the entirety of Konoha.
Before she could dwell on her self pity, headlights in the distance neared, grabbed her attention, and she frantically waved without thinking as yet another bolt of bright-white lightning lit up the horizon again; the sudden, unexpected thunderstorm nearing to its full strength as it bared down on her tiny frame.
The sleek, sports car came to a rolling stop beside her and the passenger window slowly rolled. Sakura stepped up and was about to beg this stranger for a ride home when she met the man's eyes. The smile quickly fell from her lips. She swallowed, and fought the urge to take a step back. Sasuke Uchiha, only a step down from Madara Uchiha himself— the man's youngest nephew and future CEO whose reputation almost rivaled that of his uncle's.
Maybe she'd take her chances with the storm...
"Get in," he grumbled after giving her a quick once over; his dark gaze returning to the street ahead as his expression remained void of any and all forms of emotion. She let out a slow breath before tucking a soaked strand of hair behind her left ear; a nervous habit she'd had since middle school.
"Sas—"
"I don't like repeating myself."
Her heart began to pound while she considered her options. She could tell that his patience was waning by the way he shifted in his seat and she tried once more, a weak attempt, at sending him on his way. "I don't mind catching a bus or a taxi. I'm soaking wet and your seats—"
"Sakura," he growled, his eyes shifting to hers. "Get in." She could feel her pulse in her ears, thundering almost as loudly as the storm brewing and with only slight hesitation, she finally relented to his demand. With a timid and slow nod, the pinkette opened the passenger door and slid onto the seat next to him; grateful for the warmth that greeted her, even if she felt terrible about dripping water all over his nice car.
He immediately took off in the direction of her home and she settled into the seat more comfortably after buckling her seatbelt. The ride was silent apart from a low humming from the engine and a soft, calming melody coming from the radio... barely detectable to her ears. Sakura didn't question Sasuke on how he knew where she lived. She could have guessed that his family would have done extensive research on her before hiring her.
When he pulled up to her home a few minutes later, he didn't turn off the car and she knew that was cue to leave. "I'm sorry about the seat." Silence greeted her, causing her cheeks to flame a brighter shade of pink from embarrassment. "Anyways, thanks for the ride, Sasuke-kun. I-I appreciate it." Still nothing, and so she quickly pulled her keys from the inside of her purse before stepping out into the storm once more. She turned to him before closing it and whispered a soft thanks again.
He may have seemed cold towards her, but it didn't go unnoticed by her that he waited until after she'd stepped through the threshold of her front door and locked it before he drove away.