title: strictly business
disclaimer: i own nothing
rating: m for later adult situations
pairings: sasori/sakura with a side of sasuke/sakura
note: yeah, I know I shouldn't be starting another sasosaku fic when I have two I haven't updated in a long time, but I couldn't get this out of my head. The idea for this originally came from the sasosaku one month word challenge I did a couple of months back, and I just took it and expanded on it. For the most part, this fic will have a lighter tone than my last two sasosaku fics, and if you read those, I promise those will be most likely updated in a week. I hope you like this one as well and please tell me if it is even worth continuing or not. Thanks for reading!
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strictlybusines
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Standing in the front of the full-length mirror that was positioned in the middle of the small room for convenience, Haruno Sakura gazed with hardened, bottle green eyes at her supposed flawless reflection. Absently, she chewed on her thumbnail - something that was considered a rather looked down upon habit that a strict upbringing, years of having etiquette stuffed down her throat, and constant pointed glares from her mother had yet to break.
To her side, Ino's cerulean orbs narrowed and a frown made its way to her painted lips as she found herself beyond irritated from watching how her best friend was behaving. "God, would you stop that already?" she snapped, reaching out to snatch Sakura's wrist before forcing her hand down to her side. "You know if you keep that up, you're going to ruin your nails!!"
A short humming noise sounded from Sakura as some sort of response, and the young woman glanced down to find that sure enough, she had already begun to wreck the light, cherry polish that had been chosen specifically because of how it had so perfectly matched her hair color, but she found she couldn't even muster up enough emotion to give a damn at the moment. In truth, a slightly damaged nail wasn't Ino's prime concern either, but really, she found that she had to take her anxiety out on something or she was sure that she would soon lose it.
"Well besides that," the blonde started, offering a smile that didn't exactly reach her eyes as she intertwined her fingers with Sakura's own. "You look absolutely beautiful."
The words lacked the enthusiasm one might actually expect when hearing the claim though the pink-haired woman still offered her best friend a grin of gratitude in return, but it vanished from her lips in a quick second as she faced forward again to study herself once more in the mirror. Blinking, she tilted her head this way and that in speculation before deciding that yes, she even had to admit to herself that she did look quite stunning.
The long, white dress she had chosen to adorn for the day was something that Ino and the rest of her friends had had a lot more fun in picking out than she had, but still, Sakura saw how it could be considered the perfect fit since it seemed to compliment her figure just right. The strapless gown gave a subtle hint of the small curves and cleavage that she possessed yet was still able to maintain a certain amount of modestly while doing it. All together, it was simple but pretty at the same time, and it matched the expensive heels on her feet.
Her cropped short locks had been styled for the day as well with several pins and a cute headband trying to hold it all together perfectly.
Despite the beauty of everything, Sakura knew these pieces of clothing weren't something that would be treasured any time soon. Most wedding dresses were stored in the back of a woman's closet throughout her life, serving as constant reminders of young, happy days and a memento to be taken out to simply reminisce with or play dress up in.
From the early start, Sakura had understood that it wouldn't be at all like that with her. If she were to actually keep the gown as a token for the day, it wouldn't hold the joyful, sentimental thoughts that most would expect from it, but more of something among the lines of a reminder of a long ago nightmare that had unfortunately taken place.
No.
The best her dress would probably be seeing was the plastic, trash bag she would eventually be shoving it into about a week from now right before throwing it right out to the curbside with the painful shoes and the headband that seemed on a mission to squeeze her head together so tightly until it gave her a migraine.
"Sakura…" Ino called softly, noticing how her friend's mind seemed to be drifting further and further away. Her grip tightened to a reassuring hold on her friend's hand as she asked, Are you okay…?"
There was a deeper meaning to the question, and Sakura could see that as soon as the sentence was out of the blonde's mouth. It wasn't just a simple inquiry on her health or mental state, but a much harder question to answer, and one that actually asked, 'do you really want to do this?'
The young woman sighed.
She could leave right now if she wanted to. Ino certainly wouldn't object to the idea, but most likely support the decision and would no doubt help by covering for her while she found a way to escape unnoticed from the building. Sneaking out a back door could be easily done or if she was really that desperate, crawling though an open window was always another option there. Regardless of the weird sight it would certainly make, she could find a way to hitch a ride or catch a bus in her wedding dress all the way back to Ino's apartment and wait till her friend got back.
Sakura knew that she would be welcome there for as long as she wished despite Ino's currently living situation that she shared with a certain Nara because that was simply what friends did for each other. They helped in hard times.
It was a great plan. An almost flawless one, and even though Ino or her hadn't spoken a word of it aloud, they both understood that the option was there, just waiting for Sakura to turn around and grasp it if she chose to do so, but really, where would that get her in the end?
A broken family and the Haruno name dragged through the mud. Jobless because the hospital would be forced to shut down that way. Homeless because she had just given up her lease on her own apartment a couple of days ago, and worse, a moocher who would have to borrow from her best friend for a while until she was able to get her two feet back on stable ground.
"Are you okay, Sakura?" Ino posed the question again, nerves causing creases in her forehead.
A bright, cheery, and almost believable smile crossed Sakura's lips. "I'm fine," she answered finally, even trying to add a light laugh to help make the blatant lie sound even more like the truth, and she pulled her hand free from the blonde's own. "Just a little restless, you know?"
Ino nodded mutely, hesitating for a couple of seconds. "…Well then," she said, trying to start up another round of playing the loyal, supporting friend as she walked to the door before opening it. "Ready to go out there and break a leg?"
Sakura's grin widened at her friend's words. "I wish," she chuckled sourly under breathe as she walked by. "If I did, then maybe this silly disaster could be postponed for a couple more days…"
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strictlybusines
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For some unknown reason, Sakura had always figured that pretty much throwing your life out the window would take a lot long than a mere half hour, but no, it turns out that the party that's held after the little mini catastrophe does and it disguises it's sneaky self as a wedding reception.
It's always funny how things work out like that…
Silent, she sat back on the hard, wooden chair in her dress that now seemed past the point of uncomfortable with a strained smile spread across her cherry-colored lips, and a tall glass of bubbly champagne in her right hand. Sakura had never really considered herself much of a drinker before, but this glass was already her third, and it had continually been sipped from for the last ten minutes or so, helping all of her surroundings blur into something that seemed slightly more bearable.
Laughing as well as words of congratulations rung out and echoed almost obnoxiously loud around the rather large party room that had been done up with pretty decorations for what should be considered a joyous day in any girl's life though Sakura found that she had yet to experience any actual joy or happiness on the horrid occasion that was taking place right before her eyes.
This was supposed to be her day and instead of giggling with the others, she already wanted to leave this entire event behind. She wanted to roll her eyes at every single one of the guests who had already come up to tell her how beautiful she looked and had given her well wishes for the future while holding back what they're true thoughts were of the whole wedding. Most of all though, she craved a couple of aspirin for the headache that had fully bloomed and a warm bed that she could pass out in until this mess was over.
"Something wrong?"
The question was posted to her by the silvery smooth voice that Sakura felt she had the misfortune of coming to know much more than she would have liked to in the last couple of months, and it came from the seat right next to her very own. Blinking, she fully understood that the inquiry had not been asked out of concern, but pure mockery instead before she glanced over to be met with a haughty grin and light, golden-brown orbs that in turn, stared directly back into her own.
Akasuna no Sasori.
Her newly beloved was what the majority of the people in the room would call him. Their business partner or boss was another thing that a good number of them would say if asked. Intelligent, charming, successful, and not bad in the looks department though to Haruno Sakura, he was an entirely different type of human being.
Breaking their eye contact, she faced forward in her seat once more to gaze out with narrowed eyes at their guests while preparing to give him a sort of snappish and witty reply. The right insulting words were on the tip of her tongue, but she was forced to stop from speaking her mind at the very last second when she spotted her father sending her a sharp, withering glare from where he stood across the floor.
"No," Sakura responded quickly with a sugary sweet voice instead of using the hardened tone she had been planning on, behaving like the proper young woman she was brought up to be. "Thank you for your concern, but at the moment, I'm fine."
The effort it took to answer like a good girl forced her to take another long and much needed swig of her drink, knowing that deep down, she'd just spoken a huge lie.
At the moment, absolutely everything was wrong.
She had just been married off by her family of all people for something as ridiculous as business purposes simply because her father couldn't keep a good hold of his money and didn't have what it took to run his own company. A bargaining chip was what Sakura felt like. A pretty item that had been pawned off or a piece on the chessboard that had been sacrificed for bigger, more important means.
It was all so pathetic.
"Ladies and gentlemen," a voice rang our through the room thanks to the aid of a microphone, and it was easily able to break through Sakura's current round of self-pitying. Looking up, she spied a man standing out in the middle of the dance floor with a huge, stupid-looking smile on his face that was directed at the whole crowed. "How about a dance from the happy couple?" he asked, waving his hand out dramatically like the idiot she figured he probably was.
Instantly, a frown formed on Sakura's lips at the suggestion while almost everyone else in the banquet hall broke out into words of encouragement or eager applause, and feeling the shift at her side, she was forced to peer up at Sasori as he stood to his full height before turning to offer his hand out to her. She stared at it wordlessly with hidden disgust, but knowing she had no choice here, she quickly downed the rest of her champagne in a single gulp before leaving the beloved glass behind on the table so she can do as everyone wished.
"Let's get this over with."
Refusing to take his polite, outstretched hand, Sakura stood on her own instead, and after wobbling precariously for a second, she rudely pushed past him to start out towards the floor. She left him to follow behind her which he did though she knew that her current uncouth behavior wasn't something that was surely pleasing him.
Coming to a stop out in the middle of the dance floor, she turned to him and immediately prepared to start up what would indisputably be an unpleasant dance with him, hoping that it would all be over soon. Her right hand slipped into his own with ease while her left hand reached up to rest lightly on his shoulder. With repulsion, she felt his own hand slip behind her, coming a stop right in the middle of her back before the DJ put on some sickening song that talked about undying love.
Without a word, they moved together; him leading her with perfect grace across the floor while onlookers fawned over how beautiful she looked for the day or how anyone would be more than happy to be standing next to his side.
All the silly conversation and the dizzying motions made Sakura's head spin, only fueling her throbbing headache and causing her to lose a bit of the control she usually maintained so perfectly over herself. Before she had a chance to make sense of anything, she felt the heel of her shoe catch on the end of her stupid dress, sending her stumbling slightly as she tried to keep up with him while regaining her composure.
"It would seem that all of the alcohol you've consumed today has finally caught up with you…"
She glanced up into the face of the man who was teasing her with a hard glare marring her normally soft features. "Shut it," she commanded of him simply in a harsh whisper.
"It seems to have given you quite a sharp tongue as well," he acknowledged with a smirk as he only continued to taunt her further. "I don't think this is a side of you I've seen before dear."
Irritation caused by Sasori bubbled inside of Sakura before spilling over. Using her foot as the new dangerous weapon, she slammed her high-heeled shoe down onto his own foot, and with a satisfied look, watched a short grimace of a pain flash across his face, disrupting his usual smug expression.
"Whoops," Sakura breathed out through clenched teeth. "My bad. I just seem to be so damn clumsy today…"
Suddenly, the hand that was holding her own gripped hers tighter in an unrelenting hold that could be considered almost painful and though she tried to hide how much it hurt from him, a small hiss still escaped out from behind her lips.
"Quite a spirit you got there," she heard him commend in a low voice, and meeting his gaze, she saw that most of his front had dissipated only to be replaced with a slight malice. "Watch it. I might have to break it one of these days…"
Her olive eyes widened because of the small threat he'd placed on the table, and she almost came to a stop in her steps because of it.
The song that still floated from the speakers started to reach it's closing as he continued, "I really don't care how you act towards others, but I do expect you to show me the proper respect." He extended his hand to elegantly send her into a pretty spin that she tried her best not to stumble through. Succeeding, she found herself right back in his arms so they could carry on. "I have no doubt that you've known from the start that you're pretty much just a lucky card that was traded to me for certain reasons concerning your father so you should really know your place…"
Finished with his little speech, the song finally came to an end as did the couple, and the crowd that surrounded them broke out into polite applause while the DJ prattled on about how beautiful they looked.
Immediately, Sakura tried to pull herself free from his grasp, expecting to be allowed to return to her chair where she figured she could sulk further, but found that he refused to let her get away just yet. Instead, she flinched as he swiftly leaned in closer to her until his mouth was right next to her ear.
"Just remember that you are nothing more than something among the lines of a puppet to me whose strings I now own," he whispered the nasty sentence sweetly to her, and to the average person watching, the words probably only looked like he was telling her something that was full of love. "Remember that."
Instantly he felt how she stiffened in his hold which caused one of his signature smirks to cross his lips as he moved back to meet her shocked gaze. "Thank you for the dance," he told her softly before letting her go to take his leave.
She swayed slightly without his support, watching him the whole time as he walked away to go mingle with the rest of their guests before she breathed out under her breath, "Arrogant ass."
Turning, she stomped in the opposite direction of him and most of the party, but decided against returning to her seat after all. Instead, she looked for a quiet corner of the large room where she could find a moment to herself which she found after managing to dodge a few people who wanted to give her even more words of congratulations and a drunk couple that almost mowed her down. Silently, she leaned up against a wall between a small table that was filled with all of the place cards that had yet to be claimed and a large plant that was easily able to block out her small form from most wandering eyes.
Peering through several fake, shiny leaves, she could make out most of the people out on the floor who were still acting like they were having the time of their lives, and wondered how they did it. How they were still able to put on a happy face every damn day and ignore all of the ugly secrets that surrounded them. Most of the woman out there on the dance floor where nothing but unhappy housewives during their daily lives while half of their husbands were either hardcore alcoholics or cheating on them with several mistresses and the worst part was that Sakura knew in no time at all, she would have to rejoin them.
Lies of a life.
Absently, her hip bumped up against the table at her side, sending several of the little, white cards fluttering to the ground like large snowflakes, causing an exasperated sigh to escape from her mouth. Awkwardly, she bent down in her dress, trying to make quick work of picking them all back up before dropping them carelessly back on the white cloth of the table, studying all of the names of the people who were too busy or hadn't cared enough to show up.
Among them, there were several names she didn't recognize and some that sounded somewhat familiar though one stuck out like a sore thumb to her, and reaching out, she picked it up to read the elegant bold red writing of the card that was imprinted on it.
Uchiha Sasuke
Several emotions fluttered rapidly though Sakura's form at the name as she continued to glare down at the innocent, white card, leaving a foul taste in her mouth and a newfound ache in her chest.
Had she really believed that he would show up today? That just maybe the bastard would actually care enough to come and see her or maybe even try to stop her...
She mercilessly crushed the card in her hand, the edges of the thick paper biting into the skin of her palm though she did her best to ignore it.
Yes, she had. Because she was always an absolute idiot when it came to him.
Stopping, she dropped the now crumpled paper into a small trash bin, leaving it there to rot with some cake that had been dropped on the floor earlier and a couple of shards from a broken champagne glass before she glanced up, looking around for a waiter.
She needed another drink.