Disclaimer: For the record I do not own Naruto, and derive no profit from the writing of this story. There does that make everyone feel better.
Rating : This story is rated M for mature themes, language, and adult content. If your a kid or these things do not appeal to you leave now, you have been warned.
Summary: A startling discovery leads Sakura to night on the town she won't soon forget.
"Do I dare / Disturb the universe? / In a minute there is time / For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse."
The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufock
T.S. Eliot
It had only been an offhand remark, something said to her in passing, but it has sat in her thoughts like an elephant in the corner. She tried to ignore it, she really did, but it had touched a nerve, and as she went about her daily hospital routine it nagged at her. When she went home that evening she parked herself in front of the mirror and took a moment to study her reflection.
At first she saw nothing, but after a moment of careful consideration she found it. There was only one, but it was more than enough. She ran her fingers through the hair behind her ear separating each strand until she caught the offense piece between her fingertips, and yanked. The motion sent a twinge through her scalp and she winced slightly as she moved to look at the hair in the light.
It sat innocuously enough in her fingers, light glinting off it's surface. She felt her throat constrict a little as she stood transfixed. Logically she knew it wasn't a big deal, but logic carried no sway with her emotions and that one small strand carried with it the weight of fears and insecurities that had been building over time.
She was getting older, and soon she would no longer be able to think of herself as twenty something. She was single, she had spent so many years putting so much effort into her job that she had neglected the personal aspects of her life. She was proud of what she had accomplished, but the advancing years made her feel the pain of being alone more acutely.
She tried to berate herself for being vain and silly, but the cloud that had settled over her from the casual comment and the recent discovery was not so easily abated. She frowned at herself. Were those wrinkles developing at the corners of her eyes, and was it just her or did her skin seem a little duller than usual. With a huff of indignation she let the white hair fall from her fingers onto the tiled floor.
"Screw this, I'm going out," she thought. "She needed to break free from her apartment, and a night on the town was just what she need to break free from this funk." Thus decided wandered down the hall to call her friend Ino who was always up for a good time.
"Well," she amended, "almost always up for a night out. Tonight however had to be the exception. Ino and her boyfriend were having dinner at his parents place, otherwise she would have loved to join her." Sakura had a moment of indecision before she decided that she was perfectly capable of handling an evening out alone. "Maybe there were benefits to heading out solo. Who knows where the night would take her."
She indulged in a brief fantasy of romance (ok, passion, not romance) with someone completely inappropriate as she dressed. The black leather pants had been a present from Ino some years back. They were boot cut and fit low and tight around her hips. She had never been quite brave enough to wear them, but tonight was different. She topped them off with a pair of black boots, and a bright emerald green tank top that made her eyes sparkle, if she did say so herself.
She returned to the bathroom mirror long enough to makeup to make her eyes appear large and dark, her cheeks naturally pink, and her lips glossy. She finished with a quick splash of her favorite scent and she was ready for her adventure to begin.
Stopping only long enough to grab her keys and her wallet she ventured forth into the dark to see where the evening would take her.
Authors Note: Ok, I really should be working on my two other stories, but I've been trying for months without success, so I'm sorry to anyone who was waiting for an update, but I'm hoping that caving into my muse and writing this down will jump start the creative process once again. How much of this is autobiographical, I plead the fifth (and the sixth and seventh if that will do me any good). This is unbetaed so please feel free to point out any mistakes I may have missed fixing. I am trying to write at edit this at 10:50 (this is late for me) while pounding a large redbull into me on my friend's annoying "ergonomic" keyboard. If you have a chance, please drop a line and tell me what you think, I'd appreciate it.