Title: Tints
Summary: In which Sasuke uses creative methods to get out of picking a paint color for his new house.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Prompt: Our First Place
Rating: T
"No. Too bright."
For the umpteenth time that afternoon, Sakura placed a potential palette of various paint colors to the side in the discard pile that only seemed to be growing in the face of Sasuke's consistent denial. With a slight twitch, Sakura procured yet another slip of paper from her notebook to show to her obstinate husband. Although she detested the colored slip she held between her fingertips, Sakura didn't particularly care what color they came to an agreement on, as long as she could escape this torturous experience soon.
"No." Sasuke deadpanned, disinterest apparent in his eyes as he stared boredly out of the window of their bare kitchen. Trembling with irritation at having yet another palette cleanly rejected, Sakura slapped the offensive color on the table. Sasuke drew his gaze up to his easily irked wife, arching that infuriatingly smooth brow of his in a manner that only furthered Sakura's indignation.
"Why not?" She seethed, not actually caring that the color was rejected, but wanting him to provide a clear explanation other than "It's too bright" or his typical single-syllable response of "Hn."
"Do you really want to paint our house Naruto's signature color? That idiot already comes over here enough as is. We don't need to give him motivation to spend even more time here." Sasuke intoned, wincing at the thought of his brightly clad 'friend' blending in with the color of their walls. "Absolutely not."
Sakura scrunched her nose at the idea, pleased that he had provided an adequate explanation.
"Hm. Point taken. Next?" Sakura hopefully proffered another slide, this one colored in various shades of navy and sapphire. A smug smile worked its way onto her lips. Bingo.
"No."
Sakura blinked.
"What do you mean 'no'?! You're entire wardrobe is this color!" Sakura screeched, launching from her chair in sheer disbelief. Sasuke merely watched as her tightly clenched fingers compressed the paper into a crumpled ball. Better to choose his next words carefully.
"Exactly, Sakura. I wear it all the time, so why would I want to paint my house that color?" Sakura's jaw dropped at the absurdity of his reasoning. Clenching her jaw, Sakura settled a dark glower upon her husband. She mentally pulled up his mission schedule, ensuring they could spare the income that would be lost should she hospitalize him for a week or two. He would only miss one assignment, after all.
Sasuke paled at her devious expression.
"You are such a...a… a drama queen!" Sakura pointed her finger at the shell-shocked Uchiha, pleased to have stunned him into momentary silence. Instead of his usual sharp retort, Sasuke merely stared in obvious surprise at his spouse of a mere three weeks. It was rare, after all, to evoke such a reaction from the Uchiha.
After what seemed to be an eternity of tense silence, Sasuke cooly replied:
"What did you just call me?" Sure, the rather frigid boy had been called numerous nicknames in the past, but 'drama queen' was not a term that had been applied to him. Psychotic, sociopathic, emotionless, uncaring, sexy… All of these were commonplace monikers for him. However, this was a new phrase.
Sakura seemed to reevaluate the severity of her words, hesitating for a moment before she seemed to regain her resolve. Determination flashed in her eyes.
"Yes. First, you disapprove of the sheer drapes I picked out for the sunroom. Then, you complain about the firmness of the mattress I ordered-"
"Oi. You know exactly why I did that."
Sakura fought the urge to blush at his suggestive remark, refusing to be sidetracked by his subtle attempts at shifting the line of conversation to one more in his favor.
"Uchiha! Don't you dare try to change the subject! If you don't agree to one of these damn colors, I swear you will be waiting a long time to repopulate your clan!" Sakura threatened, watching what little color remained in her husband's alabaster skin drain away. She tapped her foot impatiently as Sasuke continued to gaze at her. She froze when a mischievous glint sparked in his eye.
Oh no.
Slowly, Sasuke rose from his wooden chair, his fingertips tracing the grooves of their dark cherrywood dining table as he approached the stiff pinkette from behind. His fingers met hers on the table, overlapping them for a brief moment before they trailed a scorching path up her arm, goosebumps marking the flawless skin they touched.
Oh crap. She could easily surmise where this was leading.
His hand gently caressed her flushed cheek, turning her head just enough for his lips to brush a teasing kiss across her own. His lips moved along her defined jawline before they met the shell of her ear, the sensation of his breath across her bare skin sending shivers down her spine.
"Are you positive you don't want me to show you why I requested a softer mattress?" Sasuke whispered gruffly, his hands, calloused from countless years of training, cupping her narrow shoulders.
Sakura's canines dug into the flesh of her lip, uncertainty briefly flitting through her mind before she decidedly turned within his embrace. With a shy nod, Sakura brought her lips to his own, allowing him to hoist her onto his hips as they backed across the smooth tile of their first kitchen. She pulled away only when she felt her back collide with the down of her bed, the cunning light in her eye causing Sasuke to pause in any further ministrations.
"Pink it is."