Icy heartstrings (Sasuke fanfic) COMPLETED

Ice softening

Another week as passed.

It has been officially a month since Sasuke and Mikiko's meeting in the nightclub and sad to say, their relationship with each other is still treading on thin ice. Mikiko's fingers deftly wrapped the daises in a thin layer of translucent paper and another layer of blue wrapping before tying the bouquet together with lace.

"Arigatou," Mikiko said as she handed the bouquet to her customer and placed the money in the register. She looked at the time. Four twenty nine. Anytime now, before Ino takes over.

"Konnichiwa!" Ino waltzed into the shop. "Give me a sec to change."

After a while minutes, Ino came out wearing a purple sleeveless turtle neck and a pair of white shorts, tying a white apron around her waist. "Being an ANBU and managing the shop is so tiring," Ino smiled. "Thanks, Mizuyaki, for relieving my burden."

Mikiko nodded and placed her apron back on the hook, grabbing her bag. "I shall leave down, Yamanaka-san."

"Wait!" Ino delved into the register, rummaging before producing a sealed envelope. "Here's your monthly paycheck. See you the day after tomorrow!"

"Thanks," Mikiko said, stuffing the envelope in her bag and slinging her biwa before walking out. She squinted at the bright sun. The sun... Okaa-san used to love the sun. It was raining, that day, when she last saw the world.

Mikiko snapped out of her thoughts when Sasuke stood in front of her. She groaned then scowled. "You. Again."

Sasuke was wearing his ANBU uniform and had his mask, that was painted like a hawk, at the side of his head. Mikiko's eyes swept over him, taking in the scratches and wounds.

"Take a picture; it'll last longer," Sasuke sneered.

Mikiko scoffed, crossing her arms and turning her head to hide the glowing heat to her face. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths before slipping her emotionless mask on, turning back to Sasuke. "Why are you here?"

"I saw you and decided to come over," Sasuke simply said. 

"You are wounded."

Sasuke pretended to be surprise. "And you care?"

"Of course not, Uchiha. I just-"

"Oh Mikiko! The ice queen of iciness and youth!"

Mikiko winced as Lee appeared, on one of his jog. Lee flashed them a grin. "On a date I see. This summer of july shows the season of youthfulness and love."

Mikiko was enraged. "We are not-" 

"Oh yes!" Lee declared, jogging on the spot. "Such blossoming love! Mikiko, I am happy to see you are accepting Sasuke and Sasuke, I'm glad the mission of which is a success!"

Too late. Sasuke shot Lee a glare and Lee shut up. Mikiko suspiciously looked at the two. "Mission?"

"The one I just came back from," Sasuke muttered, dragging Mikiko away from Lee's blabbering mouth.

Mikiko, when a safe distance from Lee, shuddered. "I hate people like that?"

Sasuke gave her a questioning look.

"I mean, they're so chirpy!" Mikiko said, probably showing emotion for the first time in a long while. "And they, just don't get upset so easily and always like, 'Next time I'll be better'. Makes me...." She shuddered. "I have told Rock to stop calling me by my first name but he chirps about youth."

Sasuke smirked. Mikiko stopped her blabbering and glared at him. "What?"

"So you've finally broken the ice down, huh?"

Mikiko stopped, as if realizing her mistakes. She paused before saying, "Don't tell me how to control my feelings." Then she walked off.

Sasuke smirked, catching up with her and falling in pace. How to make her go out with me? "Mikiko," Sasuke abruptly said.

Mikiko shot him a glare. "I did not give you permission to address me informally, Uchiha."

Sasuke tried his hardest not to murder anybody, ignoring Mikiko's statement. "Go out with me?"

Mikiko frozed and suddenly stopped in her tracks, staring at Sasuke. "Absolutely not."

Unbelieveable. Uchiha Sasuke, the heartthrob, shot down by a woman. "Why not?"

"One, I don't know you that well," Mikiko said, raising her index finger.

"We've known each other for a month. "

"Like that is so long," Mikiko raised another finger. "Two, I don't have feelings for you."

Ouch, that hurt Sasuke's pride. "Feelings come after attraction. You can't deny you are not attracted to me."

"I won't lie," Mikiko said. "You are very attractive. But, that's not how relationships work."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Do you know how relationship works? Have you been in one?"

He leaned in close and Mikiko, on instinct, backed into a wall. Sasuke smirked, leaning in until their foreheads touched. "I'd bet that your pure.... Maybe you hadn't had your first kiss?"

Mikiko kept her eyes downcasted. "Stay away from me, Uchiha."

Sasuke's smirk grew wider as their noses touched. "So I'm right?"

Mikiko scowled and was ready to glare at Sasuke when she looked into her eyes.

Onyx.

Onyx black.

Mikiko's scowl was wiped out as her eyes met his. She felt something that she never felt before. Those eyes... They were not as intimidating without the sharingan. They seemed to stare into you, breaking apart your walls and seeing the real you.

Mikiko shivered uncontrollably and shut her eyes. "Uchiha. Go away. Please."

Sasuke wanted to torment her a little more, tease her a little but he was struck by how little and vulnerable she sounded. Sasuke stepped aside and let Mikiko flee without a word.

As Mikiko ran, she darted into her house, locking the door. Once the door was locked, she went to her room, sitting on the window ledge. Mikiko bent her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself.

Uchiha Sasuke... It was as if he could see into her soul. It was bad enough that their past was similiar, with them losing their loved ones and having their closest person betraying them.

Itachi betrayed Sasuke.

Kabuto betrayed Mikiko.

Kabuto... Yes, Kabuto. He was a good boy, always stopping by to pay them a visit and teach Mikiko how to heal wounds with herbs. Kabuto made her parents smile. Kabuto made Mikiko feel like person, not some nuisance that could not be taught to be a shinobi.

But he killed Mikiko's parents.

Sasuke. It was as if he could almost understand what Mikiko had been through. As if he could reach into her heart and find those feelings hidden.

For the first time since her parents death, Mikiko let the tears fall.