꧁✬◦°⋆⋆°◦. 𝓗𝓸𝓽 𝓒𝓸𝓬𝓸𝓪 ◦°⋆⋆°◦✬꧂

꧁✬◦°⋆⋆°◦. 𝓗𝓸𝓽 𝓒𝓸𝓬𝓸𝓪 ◦°⋆⋆°◦✬꧂

꧁✬◦°⋆⋆°◦. 𝓢𝓪𝓴𝓾𝓻𝓪 𝔁 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻 ◦°⋆⋆°◦✬꧂

Winter had settled in rather quickly, the air still and cold. It had yet to snow, but the painful chill in the air made you think it would start sooner than later. You pulled your coat tighter, gloved fingers still warming up slowly. The wind nipped at your cheeks, at your nose, and you held the thermos in your hands, balancing it with the bag of snacks. You had someone waiting for you— you couldn’t let the weather make you late. 

The sidewalks were nearly empty, save for a few people tidying their store fronts, and the park was completely empty; save for one person sitting on one of the swings. Sakura was bundled up, clad in proper winter gear that his friends had given him, claiming them as hand-me-downs. Snowflakes clung to his hair, as he still refused to wear any hats. You understood, but you still worried about him catching a cold.

“Hey,” You called out, the frozen ground crunching under your feet.

He looked up, squinted eyes softening when he saw you. “Took you long enough,” His voice was gruff, though it lacked bite.

You rolled your eyes, holding the thermos forward like a trophy, “Hush, I come bringing gifts,” You shook the plastic bag for emphasis. 

He frowned, eyeing the items in your hands, and you could have sworn you saw his cheeks grow more pink, “I didn’t ask you to bring anything.”

“You didn’t need to,” You said, sitting in the swing next to him, “I wanted to get you something to keep you warm before you went back on patrol.”

He turned away, making a noise of disbelief, “You’re impossible…”

“And you love it,” You teased, unscrewing the top of the thermos.

He made a face, but made no move to argue with your statement. 

He took it, his fingers brushing against your glove clad ones, and even through the fabric you could feel the little tingles from where you touched. He took the lid, staring at the cocoa like it was some alien object, before bringing it up to his face, taking a small sip.

He looked almost surprised, “It’s good.” 

You smiled, feeling a little smug, “I know, it’s my specialty.”

He scoffed, no bite in the sound as the two of you sat in silence, him sipping the cocoa and you watching him. You were glad you two had gotten to a point in your relationship where silence like this wasn’t unnerving or uncomfortable, and you knew part of that showed you how far he’d come since first arriving to town. 

When you two had started dating he’d been closed off, as expected, his walls so high that you worried you’d never be able to see what was on the other side. Bit by bit, though, you climbed them, his defenses and hackles lowering as he grew to trust you more and more. Now you felt you saw parts of him no one else ever had the chance to see, and you loved every part of him, even if you loved to tease him on occassion. 

“Why’d you bring me this?” His voice was quiet, breaking through the silence as he stared down at the cocoa. 

“It’s cold,” You shrugged, thinking that was enough of an explanation.

“But… why? I mean, yeah it’s cold but,” He paused, as if trying to understand why he was even asking you this, “But you should be at home, not out here giving me hot chocolate. It’s not worth it.”

I’m not worth it, he didn’t need to say that part for you to hear it, and your heart clenched at the question. No matter how much you and his friends worked to gain his trust, to show him you all loved him, he still had such an overwhelming feeling of lonlieness attached to him.

“Because I wanted to,” You turned to him, still seated on the swing, “Because you’re my boyfriend, and you’re out patrolling when it’s below freezing, and I wanted to give you something, to show you that I was thinking of you, that I care about you.”

Because you’re worth it, to me, and always will be. 

He scoffed, but refused to turn, and you knew he was trying to hide how easily his emotions could be seen on his face, “You’re… way too good at saying crap like that.” He flailed one of his hands around, as if trying to wave away the flustered feeling, “Saying crap that…”

“What?” You kicked one leg out, nudging his foot softly, “Makes you feel all soft inside?”

“Oh shut up,” You laughed, mentally imaging a cute little cat, hackles raised as it grew flustered.

“You’re cute when you’re all flustered.”

“I’m not cute!”

“Alright, alright,” You raised your hands, fake surrender, “Whatever you say.”

He huffed, bringing the lid back up, taking another little sip, trying to hide his embarrassment behind the cocoa. His shoulders relaxed, though, the edges of his lips turning up with the faintest of smiles on his face. 

“Thank you,” He muttered, quiet, as if worried his thanks would ruin the mood, “For this. And… everything else.”

You smiled, kicking yourself on the swing a little bit, swaying gently, “Anytime, Sakura.”

You meant it too, and you didn’t have to say it, not anymore. He knew, he grew to know, that you truly adored him, that you’d brave freezing weather to bring him hot cocoa and snacks. Hell, you’d do almost anything for him.