She is pomegranate lips, fishnet stockings, rock and roll, and her voice is the sound of every beautiful song he had ever heard.

Sometimes Rukia visits and sometimes she stays. Sometimes she comes but she always goes.

"Her heart gallops at his touch and she wants to tell him that it's ok. That she wants him, more of him, all of him, in all of his shades, in all of his colors."

For the first time she realizes that they are both cowards; too afraid to put feelings into words. But it is Christmas and if she had one wish, then it was the right to be cowardly with him for one day.

"There are many things she wants – she wants this new quick set to be mastered as soon as possible and for Hinata and Kageyama's relationship to be mended but perhaps someone like her – a townsperson B – just wasn't cut out for that sort of task."

The truth was Ichigo Kurosaki knew despair, and he knew hope, and he knew these two things weren't so different. They both shattered him.

Sakura forgives Sasuke but struggles with the fear and pain that remains from his past betrayal – "She had run towards him all these years, ripped her chest wide open and poured out her bleeding heart for him with every confession – I love you, I love you, more than anything, so please stay with me – but each time she had failed."/ Post-Ch.699 and Pre-Ch.700

They say wisdom comes with age. Sakura is older, perhaps wiser, but unfortunately, also lonelier. "Time continues to flow – relentlessly and almost cruelly. She feels the breath rush out of her lungs and the sting of the cold night air is sharp against her skin." "I want to see you smile again, Sakura." [post-699/pre-700] [sasusaku] [oneshot]

As they stand on the precipice of a new life together, both Sakura and Sasuke battle with the anxieties and fears they feel in the face of an unknown future together. "He was afraid – but for her, he would feel." post-699/pre-700 [sasusaku, implied naruhina] [oneshot]