“Sasuke ... it- it’s so cold.”
Fingers intertwined, the two lovers floated amongst the wreckage that was once the RMS Titanic, once hailed the ship of dreams, the unsinkable beast, and Sakura’s one ticket to the states.
For Sasuke, of course, it was nothing but a nuisance. Yet another lion's den of pompous plutocrats with nothing else filling their empty lives but the talk of money and heritage, clans and inheritance. Wine tastings and ballroom dancing was all that filled his meaningless life, for being the son of a duke meant mindlessly strolling through life, everything being handed to you on a silver platter. Each day was the same, having to endure several aristocratic flaunts of wealth. That ship was a culmination, a showcase of everything he hated about his life, of course, until he met Sakura.
Maintaining his grip on her hands, he moved his head just a bit closer to try and blow some air onto her hands to generate warmth. She certainly looked cold, cheeks dusting the same shade of pink as her hair. Of course, on any other normal day, Sasuke might think she looked beautiful, but given the circumstances and context, he was more worried for her safety than anything. Being stranded in the middle of the Atlantic during the coldest of seasons certainly did nothing to help the onset of hyperthermia the two began to experience, chills rustling their bones and numbness creeping into their vital spots.
Despite Sakura's initial resistance, Sasuke had made sure that she would be the one resting on top of the broken door frame that was floating upon the ocean’s freezing waves. It’s not like Sasuke enjoyed having half his body plunged into the frigid sea, but it was all the more worth it when he remembered that he was experiencing this pain instead of her.
“Sa-Sasuke, do you remember when w-we first met?” Sakura ushered out. “You were about to jump into h-here. See? I-I told you it woul-would be cold.”
How could Sasuke ever forget? The wind was fierce that day, partially because he was dangling off the edge of the ship. He’d had only one hand on the railing, and he was prepared to let go. Ready to be free from the purgatory that was his life; to finally escape all that troubled him and be reunited with his brother.
But then she showed up. Concerned, scared, but most of all, stubborn. That was the first time Sasuke laid eyes on her, the first time her jade orbs pierced his soul and opened his eyes. She’d saved him that day, in more ways than one.
“Sakura....” Sasuke uttered. The numbing sensation was becoming ever more prevalent throughout his body, his vessels and organs forgetting their basic functions and succumbing to the frost of the merciless Atlantic. He made sure to keep them going, though, since he needed to ensure Sakura's survival no matter what.
“Whe-when are they gonna come? H-how are they gonna come?” Sakura asked, fear shadowing her face. “I’m scared, Sasuke, I-I’m—“
His determined glare was enough to silence the next thought that was to slip from her mouth. The bright red flash of his eyes was illuminating, even in the pitch black darkness they were surrounded in, almost hypnotizing Sakura and helping her come back from her mind.
Understanding perfectly without a single word being uttered, Sakura gently rested her head on the wooden door frame and tried to conserve her energy. She tried thinking about anything but the stabbing pain that ran through her like a plague, tried thinking of anything that resembled warmth, so she thought about her first kiss with Sasuke.
He was inexperienced, that was for sure. Teeth clashed and noses collided during their reunion on deck when Sasuke finally accepted his love for her, but Sakura didn’t mind. For someone as attractive as him, she would’ve expected him to have much more experience, and her heart thumped acknowledging the fact that she was his first. She saw a boy that was sheltered and stripped of his emotions for years, and was glad to be the one who reopened that box of love that resided inside of him.
The kisses that followed the rest of the night were hurried, rash, and cut off too soon. They were supposed to land in the states, hand in hand, prepared for whatever the world would bring because they had each other and that’s all that fucking mattered. They’d leave their previous lives behind and only look ahead, their paths being drawn side by side. They were supposed to have a happily ever after.
Sakura felt a sob gather in her throat, despite her previous attempts to conserve energy. Why did things end up this way? Will she ever see Sasuke again? Why should she even continue to live?
“S-sasuke, I-I love y-you.” Sakura rambled, hot tears providing a shocking contrast to the ice that had begun to gather on her cheeks. She didn’t wanna let him go, she couldn’t, she could never, ever let go—
She was once again cut off by the crimson glare that never left her eyes. Sasuke was upset now, she could tell. His grip on her hands tightened. “Don’t you dare start that. Don’t even t-think about saying your goodbyes right now. Listen to me.” Sasuke inched closer to her weeping face. “You won’t give up. You won’t let it all end here. Do you understand, Sakura?”
She only sniffled. “I'm cold.”
“I know, okay? I know. but you’re gonna get out of this. You’re gonna leave this stupid ocean and go on and publish your findings in the latest medical technology and become renowned as the greatest doctor to ever live.” He rambled. “You’re gonna grow and die a senile old lady, warm in your bed. You’re not gonna die here, you understand? Not here. Not tonight.”
“I-I can’t feel my body.” she squeaked.
“Sakura, listen to me. Boarding that ship was the best thing to ever happen to me... it-it brought me to you, Sakura. I couldn't ask for anything more.”
The cold had worked its way to his heart, and he felt the beat on his chest get slower and slower with every passing second. But his eyes were unwavering. His grip remained strong. He would make sure Sakura was getting out alive, no matter what it took.
He swallowed. “Sakura, I... I need you to promise me. Promise me you’ll survive this. Promise me that... that you’ll never give up... no matter how hopeless... Sakura, please promise me. Promise me you won’t let go of that.”
Sakura sniffled. “I promise.”
“Never let go.”