{A/n;; A story that's been picking at my brain for a bit after hearing a certain song. This is seriously the longest chapter I have ever written o-o
Pairing; SakuxSasu with a slight hint of SakuIta.
Summary Fourteen days;
Miserably Sasuke glared at the offending date on Sakura's calendar. Fourteen days. He had a measly fourteen days to woo his longtime teammate, and steal her right from underneath his brother's nose. All in a day's work, he thought to himself. AU-Non-massacre.
Song to listen to; My world by SR-71.
"I've had enough of fears, you let them out,
Now I wrap myself around you,
Like a blanket full of doubt,
The darkness grows,
The sunlight stings,
He's your everything,
Does he make you high, make you real,
Does he make you cry,
Does he know the way you feel,
Love is all around you, your universe is full,
But in my world, there is only you,
You make me high! You make me real,
You make me cry! Now you know the way I feel,
Love is all around you, your universe is full,
But in my world, there is only you."
xxx
If anything Sasuke Uchiha was prideful. This very trait had cost him quite a bit in all his years. The most recent loss, his teammate one Haruno Sakura, who was currently engaged to his older brother. When it came to his brother, Sasuke had always been envious. Being the Uchiha heir had granted him everything in life.
The prodigy child had the perfect house far away from the overbearing Uchiha estate, was anbu captain at the age of 21, respected and revered wherever he went, and had the strongest, loyalist, and most beautiful Kunoichi in all of the leaf engaged to him. So yeah, Sasuke was fed up with the way the pieces of his life were falling.
Sasuke had been dragged into her wedding plans forcibly by his parents who were thrilled to have the Hokage's legendary apprentice as part of their family. After she had defeated Sasori of the red sand, his parents talked of nothing else but acquiring her. The whole village practically swooned by her very presence, and it seemed every clan wanted her to be part of their family.
So when Itachi began dating the pinkette, his family had been thrilled. Sasuke sulked for a whole week at their relationship. He remembered clearly, her conversation of their meeting. She always confided in him, even when he secretly wished she wouldn't.
"So it seemed like a regular shift at the hospital, you know fractures, concussions galore, when BAM!" The pinkette had looked to him for confirmation of how her story was and he uttered a noncommittal, "Hn," and so she continued.
"One of my trainees informed me of a torn ligament, which wasn't anything new to me. But anyways, so there he was, The Itachi Uchiha on a hospital gurney clutching his thigh like it might fall off at any moment." Sakura acted out what she thought he had looked like in such a manner that Sasuke was sure Itachi would have frowned upon.
"Really, he acted as if it was such a big deal; I laughed in his face and slapped him heartily right on the injury. It was like I had slapped his face not his thigh, he was so amazed someone might taunt him. Apparently after that I was interesting, so he kept coming around with the smallest of injuries just to see me. Can you imagine, a girl like me?" Sasuke looked away careful not to meet her eyes, because he could imagine.
Scoffing at the notion he took a better look at her while her gaze was occupied by the clouds floating overhead. Her pink hair had grown out to her mid back, the pink silken strands free flying on the slightly windy day. Her jade green eyes were so full of light, it was contagious the way they warmed his insides.
She had just returned from an A-class mission and was dressed in her anbu gear, her favored sword left behind at her apartment. Eighteen years had changed Sakura into an attractive kunoichi that left most shinobi panting, male and female alike. The most tantalizing thing about her was how she failed to notice herself truly. She was life personified.
After that day, he had accepted their relationship begrudgingly because he thought it would go nowhere. Itachi was about as much of a romantic as the rest of the Uchiha clan. Which meant, Sakura was better being wooed by a brick wall. So when Itachi announced their engagement, Sasuke was enraged.
She didn't belong in their world, he didn't deserve her. She was light amongst the darkened shadows of the Uchiha clan. She just didn't fit right. Maybe that's why he and rest of the male population of Konoha clung to her light, it was enticing.
He had almost lost hope of ever being with her, when Sakura shoved her planner under his nose. Sighing he looked at the calendar which she was constantly scribbling on, to peer at where he finger was jabbing accusingly.
"Can you believe Shishou? She sent Itachi on a two-week minimum S-class mission without informing me first. Our wedding is next month, how does she think I'm supposed to plan the stupid thing now?? You'll have to help me!" Sakura huffed, and slouched deeper into her chair while glaring at her brightly painted fingernails moodily.
Sasuke would prefer to kiss Ino while drinking raman through a straw then help his brother with anything. Miserably Sasuke glared at the offending date on Sakura's calendar. Fourteen days. He had a measly fourteen days to woo his longtime teammate, and steal her right from underneath his brother's nose. All in a day's work, he thought to himself.
After treating her to some flavored ice cream, they walked through the park, Sasuke was content to let her prattle while he formulated his own plans.
"And the thing is, I don't think he even loves me. In fact I think the only reason he's marrying me is because I'm strong and have wide hips. You know what they say about a girl who has both those attributes. Baby factory. Shannero! Just listen to me, I sound ridiculous criticizing him like that. We in love for kami's sake!" As if to confirm the last part her lightly slapped her cheeks, and plastered a wide smile on her lips. It looked so incredibly fake to him.
This part of her conversation stuck with him as he walked her home. Maybe their relationship wasn't as sturdy as it appeared on the outside. Itachi wasn't what she needed. He didn't even know what she felt. But then again, he wasn't grade A boyfriend material either. Pride be damned, he would make her happy. He only felt real when with her.
Day one was coming to a close, but as he went to bed that night, he knew day two would be monumental. Her universe was so full, but he knew he was a bigger part in then Itachi no matter the time elapsed. The problem would be voicing these thoughts when he had never held an two-sided conversation with her. For help with this, he knew a certain knuckleheaded dobe would make an excellent coach. The idiot never shut up. Sasuke supposed this was enduring to some people, Sakura included.
xxx
Sasuke sighed audibly; day two was hell so far if the raman in his hair was any indicator. Naruto upon Sasuke's odd request in the art of conversation had promptly spat the usual contents of his lunch all over Sasuke. Despite this he had managed to stay calm even with the nauseating smell that he clogged his senses as he waited for Naruto's answer.
"Seriously teme, you want my help so you can bang Sakura senseless?" Sasuke flinched at his use of words, and couldn't recall stating any part of him. Although the very idea seemed incredibly appealing to him. Sasuke knew to state said thoughts would be pointless so he simply nodded. This action seemed to aggravate Naruto as he spoke while stuffing more of the vile substance down his throat, "Lesson number one; no nodding. Girls like it when you say what you feel; nodding basically confirms that you don't care."
Sasuke was very tempted to nod, but settled for a grunted, "Hn."
Naruto nodded wisely continuing, "Oh yeah don't do that, that'll just piss em off. Girls speak another language, but understand ours enough to know that a one worded answer means their not worth your time."
Sasuke rolled his eyes, and opted for a practice of his newly acquired techniques, "Where do you read this crap? Of a bloody fortune cookie?"
"That's a good one, I should try that! But naw, Ino loves to speak about the female race to anyone who'll listen. It's helped me out quite a bit."
Sasuke rolled his eyes at the blonde's antics, when a idea struck him. Surely when it came to everything Sakura, her best friend would prove to be most useful? Although it hurt his pride to admit such things, he needed all the help he could get when where Sakura was concerned. He left the confused blonde to his ramen and set out in search of a very different blonde. Well, a female blonde.
Sasuke preempt-fully covering his ears as the female Yamanaka screeched her delight as Sasuke's inquiring about her best friend.
"Gaaaawd! This is too perfect. Two men both mad in love fight in a duel to the death in order to when the hand of the princess. How romantic!"
Sasuke wouldn't really classify himself madly in love with Sakura and Itachi sure of hell wasn't. Sasuke only though about her whenever she was far away and dreamed nightly of what her pink hair would feel like tousled after a very long night. But that wasn't mad in love was it?
Ino gushed on ignoring his inner thoughts, "Geeze forehead is so lucky. I wish Shika would woo me a little more; some genius he is, the guy doesn't even buy me roses every one in a while. Bet he doesn't even know my favorites are pink, even though I've totally mentioned it every other conversation. Moving forward I suppose with your forehead problem. Sakura's kind of oblivious when it comes to someone crushing on her, so you'll need to make your actions very clear. What your day plan like for today?"
Sasuke wondered how she managed to breathe properly after talking so long, but answered her anyways, "I was thinking I buy her some roses, and then we'd go for some lunch at the ramen shop, she and Naruto always eat at."
Ino rolled her eyes at the ceiling as if it were the sole reason; Sasuke was absolutely clueless when it came to the opposite sex, "Beeeeep. Wrong-o stud muffin. First off Forehead loathes typical romantic clichés. Roses may be my thing but not hers, she likes wildflowers, or sunflowers. I'll help you with that part. As for the raman thing, you do know why Naruto and Forehead eat there riiiiight? Because their friends durr. If you take her there it's practically screaming all you want to be is friends. You gotta at least one up Naruto if you plan to win forehead over."
After picking out a bouquet of sunflowers which were genetically colored red, Ino reserved at table at a fancy restaurant for dessert. Dinner was to be made by him, Ino told him explicitly. Sakura hated cooking with a passion, the only thing she liked to make was rice balls, so therefore a man who's not afraid to cook was supposedly a major turn-on for her. After that she waved him of, saying she had a date with her boyfriend. A meet the parents type of date.
On his way out, he saw Shikamaru slink towards the flower shop, slouching as if he had all the time in the world. Realizing he owed the female blonde a favor, he muttered to the pineapple headed boy quietly, "Get her pink roses, just do it, it'll be worth your while." Shikamaru stopped dead in his racks eyes wide as he turned to face the Uchiha whom he had never spoken more than a syllable with before, only to find him gone.
A barely audible "What a drag," was heard before said lazy shinobi turned around and broke off a few pink roses from some old lady's yard to present to his girlfriend. "Girls are so troublesome," he thought while running from a elderly citizen who was shaking her cane in a menacing sort of way.
Meanwhile Sasuke gingerly held the flower bouquet, as he rang the doorbell to Sakura's apartment. He took in her groggy face, wrinkled slightly due to sleep, her tight tee-shirt, baggy pants that hung low on her lips, and messy hair falling out of it's braid. He thought he'd never seen anything so beautiful. And then the door hit his face as opened his mouth to speak. Blinking stupidly for few seconds, he posed a questionable, "Sakura?"
Her response was non to thrilling but predictable from the other side of the door, "The hell you doing here? It's like five o clock. You know my shift just ended…"
His tongue felt dry from all the use it was getting today, but never the less he replied silkily, "I want you to have dinner with me. You look unusually beautiful by the way." He said the last part as an after thought but it did the trick, as Sakura opened the door a crack to peak at him. She shot him a suspicious glare before replying, "Your full of shit, are you drunk again?"
He pushed down the spark of anger he felt rise in his chest, and said, "What makes you think that."
"Well, for starters you called me beautiful and you only do that when you are unbelievably un-sober. Cause I look like a train wreck for sure, I had the worst dream."
"Care to talk about it over dinner at my place."
"Er..are you parents home?"
"No. Is that a yes?"
Sakura nodded, and searched for her shoes, while Sasuke fidgeted in her doorway. The flowers after much heartfelt thanks were now in a crystalline vase. He heard her mumble, and then cuss in a very unladylike manner. He liked it. A dark chuckle escaped his lips, and Sakura heard it and grumpily said, "Pakkun buried all my shoes again, the little shit. No more biscuits for him. Sorry Sasuke but can I have a rain check?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes imploringly at the sky and asked for patience as he leaned down and motioned Sakura over.
"Your going to carry me, seriously?" She didn't wait for his answer but simply leapt at his back, squealing in a few unusual display of childishness. Not a few minutes on the road, Sakura began to speak, "Everyone's staring at us, and doesn't it bother you."
"Not really, I'm with you, that is a good enough reason to stare."
"Oh yeah, cause I'm just a walking freakload. Pink hair and a giant forehead with huge hips and billboard chest."
"I think what they really see is a courageous kunoichi with soft colored hair and fiercely loyal eyes. Who also has a very cute forehead and a perfect body."
Sakura gasped mockingly, and pretended to scribble something on her hand. Curiosity piqued Sasuke asked what she was doing.
"I'm writing in my diary about how Sasuke Uchiha has spoken more to me today then in my entire life and how he complimented me. Twice. Wait till I tell Naruto."
He let her comment slide as they reached the Uchiha estate which was empty for once. His parents were out visiting family in the sand, which left Sasuke alone in the giant manor. The quiet was more oppressive than he would have thought. Sakura seemed to think so to, because she spoke rather rapidly as if to wave away the silence, "So what's for dinner Sasuke?"
He gently sat her down on the sofa in front of the kitchen, before answering, "It's a surprise. Make yourself at home."
He had been very careful with his meal choice, cooking her favorites with the help of Ino's preparations. He poked his head of the kitchen to see Sakura fast asleep, her legs thrown hazardly across the sofa, one hand over her eyes, the other on the floor. He noticed her shirt had hiked up several inches to give him quite the eyeful of perfectly toned abs.
Sighing, he brushed a few stray strands from her face only for her to grab his shirt and pull him down onto her. The sofa barely big enough for one, fell backwards at the weight of two persona spilling Sakura onto the floor with Sasuke straddling her hips. Her eyes were suddenly open and she had the decency to blush at their position before saying cockily, "Guess you had your way with me then?"
Sasuke as much as the thought of doing just that was interesting, stood up offering her a hand. After serving dinner, he noticed she was unusually quiet, and asked her about it. "This is delicious. Did you make it for me?"
"Hn. Of course, it's your favorite right?"
"What a surprise you're turning out to be today Sasuke, first flowers then dinner. And my favorite too, I bet Itachi-kun doesn't know my favorite things." She mumbled the last part sadly, but Sasuke still caught it. She was unhappy with his brother but how far would that unhappiness drive her? Away from Itachi and into his arms, he liked to think so.
After dinner, he carried her to the restraint where they ordered flavored ice. Sasuke grinned as he remembered the outraged look on the waiter face, when Sakura ordered such a plain normal food at a high class eatery. It made him proud. After a brief dessert, he carried her to the training grounds they had used as genin.
A blanket was already there, laid out in the middle of the clearing for the perfect view of the full harvest moon. One thing he knew about Sakura that Ino surely didn't was her love of anything celestial.
It was ironic how much she loved the moon, his mother often compared him to the moon. Sasuke compared Sakura to the sun, bright, burning and beautiful. It was strange how he'd fallen for a girl only after she was about to be given away. In his whole life he never wanted anything more than to be with her.
But more importantly for to be happy. If Itachi could make her happy, Sasuke would back off. But he knew deep down inside, that Itachi didn't make her feel the way he did. If only she would realize that. It would make things so much easier for him, but if anything nothing with Sakura was easy.
It was getting late, he noted as he watched her eyelashes flutter tiredly, her head resting on his should as they gazed at the moon. Her mouth was so near he wondered what they tasted like, but knew better. To kiss her would certainly scare her off. As to avoid further temptation, he carried her blanket and all back to her apartment carefully tucking her into bed.
Eyes close, her fingers gently laced with him as she whispered a breathy, "What a fairy tale day this has been, Sasuke. Who knew princes wore black?" When he was sure she was completely asleep, he turned to leave and glanced at his reflection in one of Sakura's mirrors. He remembered a younger Sakura saying that he was the only one could pull of wearing black in summer. She loved the color on him. Day two was success in his eyes he thought as he returned to the silence of the Uchiha estate.
xxx
Day three woke Sasuke with sunlight pouring through his opened window, and a certain blonde teammate's face too close to his own for his liking. Lazily he took a swing at said face only for Naruto to leap back and chuckle, "Good morning to you too teme. Guess what? Well you never will get it right so…I heard Sakura talk about you to Ino. It was pretty extensive."
Sasuke doubted Naruto knew the actual meaning of extensive, but felt light hearted at his words despite this. After a quick shower, and dressing in his training clothes, he and Naruto walking to the training grounds with Naruto giving him pointers all along the way.
"Girls love to dance, so you should take her to the festival tonight. Nothing says I love you like sparklers, goldfish catching, and dangos."
Sasuke would have responded but his gaze was drawn to the destruction in the training grounds. Sakura fist were flying with deadly accuracy at the boulders in the training area. Her hair whipped about her face in high ponytail, her eyes covered by a strap of cloth. Even without Sharingan activated, he knew just one of those chakra laden punches would send any shinobi flying. He was amazed that even without sight she blew up each boulder till only one remained.
Naruto noticed his line of sight before whispering cheekily in his ear, "I'll take her left side with my shadow clones. You can shuriken her right, okay teme?"
Not bothering tot reply he came at her right side throwing giant shurikens mixed with various kunai towards her moving form. Naruto summoned several shadow clones and attacked her left. A feral grin could be seen cross Sakura face as she punched the ground, shattering earth with one fist.
The motion sent Sasuke's weapons flying into Naruto's clones who poofed upon impact. Then she swung her fist and clipped the real Naruto in the jaw and turned to Sasuke. She swing her legs around him midsection and brought his body to the ground while managing to sit on his chest. Smirking with her triumph, she removed her blindfold to look down at Sasuke who wore a amused expression. Naruto on the other hand was not quite as happy.
"Aww, Sakura-chan you cheated, teme's not even bleeding!"
Sakura looked down toards Sasuke, before flipping out a kunai and nicking his check with a small scratch. "You were saying Naruto?"
Naruto grumbled at her actions before stomping off to train by himself. Sasuke looked up to Sakura's smiling face and asked, "You heard us, way before we arrived right?" Sakura shook her head softly, closing her eyes in thought, "No, I smelt you first."
At her words Sasuke took a unconscious sniff, he had showered that morning. Sakura saw this and laughed lightly saying, "You smell of burnt wood and pine trees. It smells wonderful, really!"
Sasuke grinned at her before flipping her over so that he was on top and burrowed his face into her neck, inhaling her scent before replying, "And you smell of rainstorms and wild strawberries." Sakura blinked twice at his words, shock written on her face, "S-sasuke?"
She was adorably flustered and so he drawled a throaty, "Yeeees, Sakura?"
Her gaze darkened before she pushed him off of her, and stormed out of the clearing leaving him thoroughly bewildered by her actions. Day three had officially gone downhill, perhaps he had overdone it. He was to woo her, not scare her off. Sometimes it was so hard to hold back.
For the reminder of the day he spent talking to Ino who chided him for his hasty actions, "Geeze, guys are such pigdogs sometimes. Forehead engaged you insensitive dolt, which means you can't just act on your impulses. Take it slow and easy you still have eleven days to pursue Forehead. The best way to go about it is to ease her into your constant presence. Just show up wherever she is, by coincidence, and simply spend time with her."
Sasuke was slightly repelled by the idea of following Sakura round all day, it was kind of creepy.
"Won't she notice if I'm suddenly stalking her?"
"Nope, cause you'll always show up with someone else but leave with her. It's foolproof really."
Sasuke was very tempted to disagree but let her continue, "So every other day you'll take her out somewhere, and the days in between you'll train with her. This way it won't seem as if your courting her, but rather keeping her company in her fiancé's absence. And when day fourteen rolls around BAM! She'll be head over heels in love with you. Again."
Sasuke only halfway listened to her as he left and missed the last part and Ino ending murmuring, "Poor Forehead she just fell out of love with him and now to be pushed back to those bitter days. I'm such a great friend, really."
Xxx
On day four Sasuke was called on a mission, which despite his decline, he was forced to take. Tsuande would not hear his excuses, the sake bottle in her hand shaking warningly, "All you Uchiha men, your so arrogant, no wonder your woman are so stony-faced…hic…it's gonna suck for Sakura." Her words slurred together as she instructed him to be by the gate in hour.
He packed his things in twenty minutes; he knew this mission would last six days which totally screwed up his plans. He would need to fast-forward today if he hoped to win Sakura before Itachi returned. Knocking on Sakura's door, Sasuke was greeted with a scantily clan Sakura. Her hair fell about her head in casual disarray, water droplets clinging to the silken strands, a towel just barely wrapped around her damp form. His mouth went dry and his brain fuzzy, as he racked it trying to remember the words to say.
This task proved to be far to difficult, so Sasuke let his actions speak, as he pressed her body up against the door, and swept her up into a searing kiss, that made her toes curl. At her soft moan, he let his fingers tangle in her hair desperately. The kiss was broken by a responding slap, and the slamming of her door in his face.
This side of the door was getting old, he thought as he rubbed his sore cheek. He grinned because she had acted violently against him, something she would only do if she enjoyed it thoroughly. He whistled as he walked towards the gate, smiling in a very un-Uchiha like way.
He missed the choked sobs that came from the other side of the door, as Sakura fell to the floor clutching her stomach, and whispered brokenly , "Dear kami, not this again…"
{A/n;; So ends day four the next chapter will end this story and will start with a fast forward to day ten. Hope you enjoyed it. :3 Reviews bring good karma~