chapter 1: shalimar

title: shalimar

word count: 808

disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

note: All the stories in this anthology will be inspired by perfumes- some will be subtle and some not. There may be some AUs or include mature themes/material (they will have warnings). Shalimar is from the house of Guerlain and it's a masterpiece. Shalimar means 'abode to love' in Sanskrit.

'Sasuke-kun! What are you doing!'

Her hushed whispers comes out husky and her face lights up to match her hair as she notices where your hands grasp her. You find yourself raising an eyebrow at her, as obviously, you are picking her off the ladder twice her height at the library. Putting her down, you examine what your teammate is so intrigued by in her reading.

She is sitting with her hair tucked behind her right ear; both elbows lay flat in front of her, completely focused on her book. And your bemused- because- once again, you're reminded of the new Sakura. The one who would rather read a rusty old book smelling of bergamot and vanilla and incense instead of drooling at your face. The one who has gained your trust and friendship (or maybe more).

'Oi, Sakura,'

'Hm? Sasuke-kun?'

She glances up and you notice that her attention is barely on you and you resist the temptation to sigh.

'We have a mission.'

You expect her to close her book and follow you diligently as she always does, because she is Sakura and Sakura is always hardworking and sedulous and that's why you can always count on her. But instead, she looks up at you and pouts- you think- cutely. The one she does to Kakashi and Naruto and Yamato and - god forbid - even Sai, when she wants something. And suddenly you understand what Naruto means when he says that she's scary when she wants something.

'What?'

'Can't I finish this first?'

She says, jabbing the page she's on lightly. As if she's all innocent and not trying to get you both in trouble for not being punctual.

'Read it when you get back.'

You roll your eyes at her childishness and reach to snatch the rusty of pieces of paper away from her, before both her hands stretch to grab them out of your reach.

'But Sasuke-kun!'

'What?'

She looks at you with what you suppose Naruto calls puppy eyes, hoping that it'll work. Instead of pouting, she's biting her lip now and- and-

andit'snotworking

Closing your eyes, you took a deep breathe.

'Why do you even want to read it?'

'It's… very informative!'

You sigh and snatch the book away from her, settling your thumb between the papers as you do it so that you don't lose her page.

'Hey!'

'If it's useful, I might as well look at it with my sharingan and tell you about it.'

How does she even read the tiny writing?

And as you try to find the part her finger pointed at from before on the huge encyclopedia like book, the tiny girl you were talking to takes her book back.

'It- it won't be the same! I don't want to hear it out of your stupid, blank, monotonous voice!'

She almost shouts and you almost forgot that you were both in the library.

You raise an eyebrow at her. Sure, she's called you a few things before after you're return, but most of them regarded your actions towards her. So, she's called you a prude before when you asked her to change into a longer dress (because that shirt was not a dress), and she's called you an idiot when you threatened to chidori the chinese takeaway guy that puts his number in Sakura's fortune cookie, but none of the things that she said to you before were about your voice or your character.

She looks embarrassed at her outburst and hugs the book tightly against herself, a finger inserted to keep her page just as you did earlier.

'This is romantic- Sasuke-kun. More romantic than you could be (to me -you could almost hear-) and I want it to stay that way in my head.'

And when she sees your raised eyebrow disappear up your hairline this time, she giggles and continues.

'See, Sasuke-kun, Emperor Shah Jahan of Mughal- this guy-'

She points to the picture of a dark skinned man wearing an elaborate costume and crown for you to see, but you barely see anything, as the only thing you notice is that she has pressed herself against you, her back fitting perfectly in front of your torso, where you can rest your head on hers.

'-built her- Mumtaz Mahal-'

And she points to another photograph, this time of a woman.

'this garden and castle.'

Flips through a few pages. Pointing to the last photograph- a luxurious and exotic looking palace. And when she drops the book on the desk and places her hands together in a praying position in front of her chest, you wonder if that's what she wants-

'Isn't is romantic? The Garden of Shalimar and Taj Mahal- all for the woman he loved. I want that much love too.'

-because you'll give her everything.

'Tch-'

You glance back at Sakura who has that big daydream-y smile on her face before you turn to get to the mission.

'You can have the whole Uchiha compound if you want.'