A/N: Just some silly idea I thought of randomly one evening ^^; I decided to upload this as its own fic rather than in my collection of one-shots, which I intend to delete later today, since most fics became stand alone and the reviews have gotten messy due to deleted chapters (probably not going to upload other fics again since they're old and not so good).
I think this is supposed to be set in a time period from a couple hundred years ago or so... I didn't think too much about it, just that it's a time when divorce is not socially accepted (unlike today).
Rating: M
Confession: Part I
. . .
"Sakura the pious," rolled coyly off feminine lips with a click of the tongue as two friends made their way up the church steps to Sunday service.
"I beg your pardon?" came Sakura's incredulous reply, eyebrow raised and mouth popped open; her expression hovered between disbelief and suspicion.
"I swear to you on the holy fath—
Sakura shot her blonde friend a cautionary look, which abruptly caused her to stop mid-sentence.
With a roll of the eyes, the young female amended herself, "I promise you Sakura, I wouldn't make up such a thing." Shrugging her shoulders, she decided to elaborate her point, "In my shop last week, I overheard two young girls bickering over how best to emulate your piety."
"That doesn't really mean anything, Ino…" Sakura attempted to downplay her friend's observation, though received a rebuttal the moment the last word had exited her mouth.
"Oh no! That's not the only example. The older women are also talking about how much you'd make the perfect daughter, and how they wish their daughters would be more like you." Lowering her voice, Ino repeated the words she had heard many times of late, "'Have more grace like Sakura', they say to their daughters. 'Find yourself a good Christian woman, like Sakura,' they say to their sons."
The blonde held up her index finger as she confidently reiterated, "Sakura the Pious, that is what everyone in town is saying."
The two stopped on the top step leading up to the church. Sakura quietly contemplated the revelation while she waited for those lined up in front of them to file inside the building for Sunday service. Without realizing it, a smile had crept its way onto her face and a peculiar surge of self-confidence rose in her chest.
"Does that please you?" Ino asked, tilting her head to the side in mild curiosity.
Quickly, the smile diminished and Sakrua's entire expression morphed into one of stern disapproval. "I admit that I felt a swell of pride when I should've been humbled." She shook her head and lamented, "I've sinned right outside the church doors, how pathetic am I!"
Again, Ino's eyes rolled, "It can't be a sin if you just think it. Besides, why shouldn't you feel proud that everyone wants to be just like you."
"Even you?" Sakura looked at her friend from the corner of her eye, interested in her answer.
"Ha! As if!" Ino bit out jovially, "Life as a good Christian would be terribly boring. All that praying and penance."
Silently agreeing, Sakura scanned the crowd of people. Her emerald eyes landed briefly on the pastor. His hair was as dark as the black robes he had on and, despite the seeming disinterest portrayed on his face, he took the time to shake hands with his congregation as they filed into the church. Something about seeing him caused a small pang in her chest. Looking away, she shoved aside whatever unconscious thought hovered on the edges of her mind and then muttered a low, delayed reply to her friend, "You have no idea."
"Hm?" Ino mused, already forgetting their conversation from moments ago.
Sakura dismissively shook her head and sighed, "Nothing." As if an afterthought, she quietly added, "And thinking something is as much a sin as acting it out, so you'd do best not to forget that." Though, who she was trying to convince with that statement was anyone's guess.
Silence passed between the two for several moments, each too preoccupied with their own thoughts to engage in conversation. Sakura had been distracted of late, thoughts plagued by concerns and desires she'd rather keep buried. A visit with the pastor would do well to clear her troubled mind… Returning her sights to him, and seeing his stoic indifference, she immediately started to second-guess herself.
Shaking free from her daydreaming, Sakura looked at Ino to see the reason for her protracted silence. It was unlike the blonde to have her mouth shut for quite so long. She discovered her friend's head turned in the opposite direction, and upon following her line of sight, it became apparent the female was staring at a vaguely familiar young man painting on a bench several meters away from the church grounds. There was a distinct and intimately recognizable look of longing on her friend's expression. A longing for something out of reach.
Nudging the blonde twice to gain her attention, Sakura remarked slyly, "Ino, I think you will have to visit the confessional after service for surely your thoughts are impure."
Shoulders stiffening, the blonde blurted out, "Oh, Sakura, you know I'd be one of the last people found in confession." However, leaning in closer with a hand over her grinning mouth, she nodded to the pastor and admitted, "Though I wouldn't mind confessing to that hot piece of ass."
"Ino!" Sakura gasped, biting her lip to stymy her protestations as she discovered several people now turned in their direction, one of them being the good pastor himself. His eyes were cool and lingered too briefly. Abruptly, he turned and retreated back into the church before the two females had the chance to greet him.
It could be a coincidence...
Sakura stared longingly at the pastor's back. It was undeniable that the man had the most unworldly features; more handsome and carved to perfection than any other person she had ever seen. It was as if God had spent extra time when creating the much beloved church leader.
Failing to read the atmosphere, Ino disparagingly groaned, "C'mon Sakura, before you got married, you were all over him!"
"I think you're remembering things falsely…" She trails off. There had certainly never been a time when she openly chased after a man.
"Well," Ino tsk'd, "You were definitely more fun back then."
They entered the church, slowly making their way toward the pews, which were already full of people. Mechanically, Sakura answered her friend with a rather mature, "Things change once you get married. You'll find that out some day." Green eyes scanned the room, still searching for someone in particular.
Reaching one of the pews at the back of the Church, Ino stepped in to take her seat amongst the other unmarried females who all politely bowed their heads seeing the pious Sakura. "If only your parents didn't arrange for you to marry so young, you could be sitting back here with me, having fun like we used to… Y'know," she winked, "talking about all the boys—"
"I'll see you after the service," Sakura moved to walk away but paused mid-step and gave an exasperated, "Try to pay attention for once Ino. You might learn a thing or two." Specifically, self-control, which was definitely found to be wanting in the blonde female. With that, she spun around and continued down the row of seats to the front of the church.
Reaching the second bench from the front, she politely shuffled past a few persons already seated. Toward the centre of the bench, she clutched her skirt which reached past her ankles and took a seat next to the man she sat next to every service.
"What took you?" He whispered, dropping his voice even lower as he told her, "You know I hate being in this place alone."
Grinning, she took her husband's hand in her own and leaned in closer. "Oh Naruto, relax. It's not as if you're going to burst into flames." Some of the church folk might think that however, if they knew the young male as well as she did.
"No," he muttered, "but please pinch me if I start falling asleep." Looking to the altar at the front of the church, he then grumbled out, "You know that bastard will say something to humiliate me if he gets the opportunity."
Sakura nodded, not needing to follow her husband's glare to know exactly who he was referring to.
When she spoke next, it was on an unrelated topic. "Will you go to Hinata's after the service?"
As she waited for an answer, the organ started playing and the congregation all rose to their feet. Her husband continued looking to the front of the church, seeming to think of his answer. Before the first hymn was versed, the blonde male leaned into her, his lips tickling the shell of her ear as he gave a definite, "Yes."
Her eyes shut, and she breathed in deeply, relaxing her shoulders as she began to sing with the rest of the congregation.
The two did not speak for the rest of the service. Instead, all her attention diverted to the front of the church with absolute devotion.
.
.
.
They had married quite young, Sakura reminisced. Only just sixteen when her parent's rushed to marry her with the governor's son. 'He will make you a fine husband,' they exclaimed. She put up little resistance to the whole ordeal. Both she and Naruto had known each other since they were children. They played together and attended lessons with the same tutor for a time (along with their favourite pastor). As far as matches went, it could have been far worse.
It could've been better, but she did not mention this to her parents. At least she loved her husband, and he cared deeply for her.
Unfortunately, they were better friends than husband and wife. He loved another. Hyuuga Hinata. If only the poor fool had realized his true feelings sooner, it could've made everything different. Hinata came from a good family; Naruto's parents probably wouldn't have objected to a proposal. If Hinata and Naruto had married instead, Sakura would have…
Ah. Too many 'could'ves' and 'should'ves'. Instead, she was married to Naruto and like good Catholics, they were married for life.
"Sakura-chan," there was a nudge against her shoulder. And, another, "hey, Sakura-chan."
"Hm?" She tilted her head to regard the blonde.
"The service is over now. Are you alright?" Concern swirled in his cerulean eyes. His eyes, she thinks, must make Hinata melt. It's the same for her and… It takes an immeasurable degree of self-control not to look up at the altar.
"I'm perfectly fine. Just thinking," She admitted without hesitation. She did not lie to her husband.
The twinkle in his eyes was unmistakable as he held a hand out for hers. Smiling, he wondered aloud, "About what?" The curl of his lip grew when she placed her hand in his and stood, "Or should I say, about who—"
"Naruto, please. That is not on my mind."
Her husband said nothing, but the look on his face informed her that he did not believe her. And, he was entirely right not to.
Deflecting attention from herself, Sakura asks, "Will you be home late?"
As Naruto ushered her to the end of the pew, he breathes a heavy, "Yes."
"I'll have the servants set aside a dinner plate for you." She was quite accommodating to her husband's transgressions. After all, it was the wife's duty to ensure her husband was happy and well taken care of.
Squeezing her hand, he thanked her and kissed her softly on the cheek. To all that were watching, they appeared as a young couple in love. The perfect marriage in many people's eyes. And, to some extent it was.
"Naruto," Sakura spoke kindly to her husband and slipped her hand out of his so than she could adjust the collar of his shirt. Her fingers delicately straightened out the fabric, working from the tip to the nape of her husband's neck. When she was pleased with the result, she wrapped her arms around his back in a tender show of affection. People liked to see such caring actions between a husband and wife; it was sign of a promising future.
As she gazed ahead to the back of the church, she discovered the watchful gaze of the pator. It caused a certain thrill in her heart whenever his head turned in her direction. Unfortunately, the thrill had amplified to an almost unbearable level, since it had not been the first time that day she found his sights on her. Several times during the service, she could feel his eyes burning holes into her, as if he could read right through her, and decided to punish her with his harsh scrutiny. It caused a stirring –want– within her. Something no man or woman should feel inside the sanctity of a house of prayer. He was driving her mad, testing her limits and self-control.
The stare lasted longer than it should, and Sakura was relieved when it ended, for her breath had started to shorten and heat swelled in her chest. Her mouth felt parched and mind temporarily blank. All from a glance, she chastised herself for being so weak. She blew out hot air and had to shake her head to recollect her thoughts.
"Please give Hinata my regards," taking a step back, she looked into her husband's eyes and earnestly remarked, "It's been too long since I last saw her. We should have her over for dinner some time."
Naruto eyed her briefly, but whatever thoughts he had remained hidden. Nodding, he pulled away and smiled, "I'll let her know. Thank you, Sakura-chan."
Sakura watched her husband's form retreat to the back of the Church where the pastor was busy bidding farewell to his flock. After jostling around several bodies, the blonde had managed to squeeze his way to the front of the exiting crowd where he took the pastor's hand and pulled him close to whisper something in his ear. She couldn't begin to guess what had been spoken, all she could make out was her husband's impish smile and the raven haired male's grimace. The exchange was brief, and Naruto left swiftly after.
As was expected of her, Sakura engaged in small talk with several important families. Smiling and nodding, showing interest in everything they had to say despite the true tedious nature of it all. Since her husband would undoubtedly follow his father into a political position, she had been well prepared on how to act the part of a governor's wife. It was a game of sorts, and she played her part exceptionally well. Fooling, sometimes, even herself.
By the time she had finished, the church crowd had diminished considerably, and so, Sakura started to move toward the exiting doors with slow and purposeful steps. Several times, her eyes returned to the pastor's for a hopeful encounter, only to be met with disappointment by his stubborn refusal to turn in her direction. He had to know she was looking, just as she knew there was something more to his lingering glances.
"Sakura," came the familiar sound of her friend's voice, only she ignored it because she was still attempting to will the pastor into looking at her. They were close to ten feet apart now, so surely he had to notice her.
"Seriously, Sakura," she noticed the pastor's shoulders stiffen a near imperceptible amount at the sound of her name, yet still he pretended to be too preoccupied with whoever's hand he was shaking to spare her a glace.
"Earth to Sakura," Ino waved her hand in front of her, causing the pink-haired female to blink and shake out of whatever trance she'd been in.
"Sorry, my thoughts had me elsewhere," She smiled sheepishly, while turning to her friend.
"No kidding, I had to call you like a hundred times," the blonde had her hands on her hips, as if to scold the pinkette.
Rolling her eyes, Sakura remarked, "Not quite." It was the blonde's tendency to embellish.
Together, the two females approached where the pastor stood. Sakura fought with everything she had to maintain absolute composure despite the thrumming of her heart. Heat threatened to rise to her cheeks in anticipation but she shoved it all down. Act your part, she demanded of herself.
"What were you thinking of?" Ino asked, her voice like that of a minx. "Was it Naruto?" Without waiting for a response, the blonde seemed to confirm her own suspicions, "I saw you two acting all lovey-dovey."
"Naruto?" Sakura reiterated, coming to a halt directly in front of the pastor and holding out her hand for him to take. Mustering up all her strength, she decides in that moment to best the pastor at his own game by showing complete disinterest in him. When he takes her hand in his, she feels the unmistakable tingle of electric charged nerves. There's the urge to drag him closer, to bury her face in his cloak and inhale his scent. Her fingers itch to peel back the layers of black cloth he wears, to feel flesh against flesh, taste the saltiness of his sweat-soaked skin.
She resisted acting on impulse and instead, keeps her attention on her friend.
"It would be completely natural to think of my husband, Ino. We do share a marital bed." The pastor's fingers unmistakably tighten, causing the pink haired female to inwardly smirk. She considers adding a timely, 'Isn't that so' for the pastor, but manages to withhold the urge since it would be far too uncharacteristic to do so. Instead, she decided upon more subtle tactics.
"Another riveting sermon, Uchiha-san." Sakura leans in slightly, causing the pastor to turn his head a small amount to the left, as if to maintain some invisible barrier between them, except he seemed to forget that he still had his hand latched onto hers. "The way that you talk about the immortal soul and temptations of the flesh, it's as if…" There's a pause in her speech as she laughs lightly into her hand. She always did find his sermons particularly moving, even though at times, she wished they would affect her less so.
There are still remnants of her laugh in the form of a smile when she managed to continue, "Is it silly to say, that it feels as if you are speaking directly to me?"
"Words have a way of reaching those who listen for them," his low voice reverberates off the channels of her eardrum, affecting her almost as much as his stares.
"And, what of the meaning behind them; should that reach me as well? Am I to fear temptations of the flesh?"
There is a moment in which he hesitates, seemingly opening his mouth to say one thing but stopping himself to give a more calculated response. The wait for his reply mounts her expectations, and she finds herself leaning in closer because she feared missing a word of whatever he had to say.
In the end, it is a disappointment since he gives a lackluster, "From what I hear, you have very little to worry about."
Bitterly, she wonders aloud, "Who all these people are that talk about me without my knowledge. Their esteemed views on my reputation are starting to weigh on me."
The pastor seemed unwilling to indulge her further and their conversation fizzles into an unsatisfying conclusion in which neither had anything to add. Something akin to bubbles in her gut.
Abruptly, Sakura takes a step back, now determined not to look up at him any further. It was entirely possible –likely– that he sensed her anger in the way she tugged her hand from his and gave nothing more than a curt nod to signal her departure.
Stubbon, infuriating man!
With every step she took, her anger morphed into desperation. Call my name, she chanted. Stop me, reach out for me, her silent pleas fell on deaf ears. Do something! She abandoned all hope by the time she stepped outside, feeling the sun beat down on her face, as if to tease her with its brilliant warmth. The disappointment she felt at his lack of action fills her with bitterness. With her hands bawled into fist at her sides, she embarked on catching up with Ino, who had quietly departed at some point in her preoccupation with the dark-hailed male.
She spotted Ino standing at the top of the stairs and gazing out at a familiar bench across the street. It was the painter, still perched where he had been seated earlier that day and attention still absorbed in whatever he was working on.
"You know, your parents would disapprove of a painter." It was, perhaps, remnants of her own failure that caused her to make such a blunt statement. As if she was saying 'give up now, it's not going to work.'
"I know," Ino piped up angrily. Then, mollified by her internal conflict, repeated more sorrowfully, "I know that."
Reality and fantasy rarely colluded, and so, Sakura rested a hand on her friend's back in commiseration and decided to partake in watching the painter work from a distance.
"I've never felt this way about someone before," the blonde spoke ruefully after a few minutes had passed. "When I think about marriage, I don't want it to be for power or prestige. I want it to be meaningful, I want to experience true passion and have someone look at me with the same adoration I give to them… Do you know what I mean?"
She wanted to say yes, to express that she fully understood her friend's feelings because to say anything else would be a lie, but instead she says nothing.
Sighing, Ino's shoulders slouch, "I guess you wouldn't understand." It isn't meant as an insult, which is particularly evident with the defeat polluting the blonde's tone. "Duty above feelings, right?"
The words tug at Sakura's conscience.
"I mean, just because you don't love someone when you marry them, doesn't mean it won't eventually happen?" Is the hopeful bargaining of her friend.
The tug amplifies.
Unaware of the effect her words had, Ino again tried hopefully, "You didn't love Naruto at first, but now you two are happy?"
Another tug.
"You should ask him to paint you," Sakura offered suddenly, as if she were informing the blonde of the weather.
Taken aback, Ino blurted out an unsure, "W-what?"
"I'm saying," green eyes met blue with a fierce conviction, "You should tell him you need your portrait painted." Certainly, staring longingly from a distance was not going to help her friend capture the painter's heart. Her hand, initially placed to comfort the blonde, now pushed her forward, urging her to take a step in the direction of the fair skinned male.
Stumbling down the first few steps, Ino turned back to question, "What if he says no?"
"Then tell him there's painting in your house that requires his services. It doesn't matter what!" She was close to yelling. Thrill and excitement for her friend coursed through her, "Don't let him say no," she insisted adamantly.
Ino nodded her head in renewed confidence, earning the proud smile of the pink-haired female.
That's right. I can't give up so easily!
Midway down the steps, Ino again turned back to ask, "Will you wait for me here?"
"Of course," there was a momentary pause before, "However, I will be in confession for a bit, so take your time."
The way her friend smirked as she spun back around betrayed that she took the 'confession' to be a mere tactic used by the pinkette to afford her more time with the painter.
The truth was not nearly as noble.
"Good luck," Sakura whispered contently as she turned to re-enter the largely deserted church.
Sakura's fingers brushed the tops of the wooden pews as she traversed from the back of the Church to the front, eyes scanning every corner for the signs of life. The altar boys had finished cleaning up and since departed, or at least left for some other room in the spacious building. Small wisps of smoke lingered in the air, indicative of recently extinguished candles.
On the third or fourth pew from the front, a single bible lay abandoned on the bench. Reaching for it, she let her fingers sweep over the cross etched on the cover. To think, she wondered absentmindedly, that such a small symbol controlled the lives of so many.
A light clank snapped her attention to the altar, where her green eyes met steely obsidian. Her heart rate quickened in anticipation. Given his usual nature, she knew his clumsy handling of the chalice to be an intentional act to inform her of his sudden appearance. Surely, he had to be surprised to see her back so soon. This time, however, she was not leaving until she had what she wanted.
Sakura stood in muted silence, waiting until he approached to speak.
"Did you forget something, Haruno?" Came his gruff voice. As he spoke, he approached her slowly, stopping at a distance of several feet, still maintaining that unmarked barrier between them. She would have to break that.
Her lips twitched into a smirk, as she answered, "No. But you have forgotten that it is Uzumaki."
Had she not been looking for it closely, she would have missed the tightening of his jaw. Envy, she thought… Or was it Jealousy? Whichever it was, the smugness she felt at having affected him was causing her own body to react, sending a rush of nerves to her belly.
"Sakura." He spoke curtly, refusing to make any mention of her name change, though really, he should have been well used to hearing it by that point since she had been married to her husband for over a year. "You should be on your way—"
"I require confession," she interrupted, intent on successfully steering the conversation to the conclusion she wanted.
The pastor's eyes narrowed in suspicion and, as if anticipating her to leap toward him took a cautionary step back, "Some other time would be more suitable."
Following his lead, she matched him by taking a single step forward, "I insist." She implored willfully. "I have much weighing on my conscience and plenty to confess to." Appealing to his sense of duty, she added, "This is not a matter to be taken so lightly."
"I'll fetch Father Sa—"
"There is no time to wait, Father." Her voice rose in determination. Closing the gap between them in a series of several quick steps. Reaching down, she grabbed his hand in both of her own and, with her chin held high she confessed, "You're the only one I trust, so please." Finishing, her breath remained lodged in the back of her throat, hoping that she had moved him enough to bend his will in her favour.
Time seemed to hold still. His straight lined lips remained glued in place, expression unreadable and hand tense underneath her fingers. She strained herself trying to pick up on the quiet inhale and exhale of his breaths, though hearing nothing, she began to wonder if he too found it impossible to breathe.
Suddenly, he shifted, some strands of black hair falling in front of his eyes as he grudgingly ground out, "Make it a quick one."
The relief that rolled off her shoulders upon hearing his acquiescence to her demand was palpable. Particularly, in the way her eyes lit up, and mouth curled into an uncontainable grin.
Not sparing her time to celebrate her triumph, the pastor turned and began walking to the confessional, fully expecting her to follow suite, to which she did.
Entering their respective sections, Sakura seated herself and tried to stem the tide of excitement building within her. The room was small and dark. She could barely stretch out her legs without hitting the thin, wooden door that shielded her from outside eyes.
He clears his throat. A cue for her to begin.
This is it!
Closing her eyes, she starts rather mechanically, "Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been a fortnight since my last confession." Though you know that, she wants to say.
"Proceed," came the pastor's monotone reply.
Like any game, she begins with an insignificant move.
"Just today, Father, I committed the sin of pride. I felt a swell of mirth, touched with arrogance when I heard news of my reputation. Sakura the Pious is what they say my name in some circles is now."
"We all suffer from vanity on occasion. The important thing is that you let it not change your actions or allow yourself to think more highly of yourself than the servant beside you." After a protracted pause, he asks, "Is that all?"
"I'm afraid not, Father." There was slight exaggeration in her tone yet not so great as to be considered sarcastic or poorly placed. She was not close to being done with him yet.
"The other day, I exchanged words with my mother. I have also lied to my closest friend; out of guilt, I encouraged her to seek the favour of a man whom I know her parents would disapprove of as a suitor, yet she thinks of fondly."
"We are all responsible for our immortal soul, and cannot take the sins of others upon ourselves. Your friend makes her own decisions, though in the future, you should be mindful that advice offered in guilt is rarely beneficial. Guide her to make good decisions as best you can." On the other side of the screen, a small sigh could be heard passing the Father's lips before he almost dismissively adds, "As for your mother, be patient and apologize when next you see her."
In quick succession, he concludes, "Three Hail Mary's will absolve you of your sin."
There was a rustling of fabric, leading Sakura to believe the pastor assumed her to be finished and was preparing to leave. Quickly, she announced, "There is still more, Father." Her statement is underscored with a quiet, "Very much more."
"Continue then," the pastor's tone was growing increasingly impatient, though he seemed resigned to listen.
"I find myself often thinking of the future, and wondering what riches my husband will acquire once his political career is a success. If people hold us in such high regard presently, when we have yet to accomplish anything, how far will our influence reach when we are at the pinnacle of success?" To be honest, she thought little of the future. Most of her thoughts entertained short-term gains, yet she sought to extend this session and so, filled in the time with whatever she could think of. The lightheadedness she felt at the velvety smooth voice of the pastor was enough to make her want to extend this session well into the evening.
Regrettably, the pastor did not bite and clearly saw through her intentions. "Was there something with more sustenance that you wished to seek penance for? If not, I think this could wait." Again, the impatient male moved to exit the confessional, only to be stopped once more by the unrelenting female.
"I fear my marriage is lie," She blurts out. It came to her rather easily, though not feeling her words captured the true meaning of what she meant, she shook her head and corrected, "Well, it's not so much a fear as it is reality."
Another sigh slipped through the pastor's lips, as he sat back in the uncomfortable wooden seat. The action at once caused Sakura's lips to curl up in a slight smile. The excitement she had been trying to contain resurged immediately with a pleasant tingling in her fingers and toes.
"Try to find love in your heart for your husband. If you show him love and attention, he will surely reciprocate." The advice is blank and lacking in conviction.
She gets too far ahead of herself by allowing her thoughts to skip ahead to what she knows is about to come, if she has any say in the matter. The tingling starts to spread. A naughty thing that travelled her bloodstream through her veins and directly to her chest. It didn't stop there however. No. She actually conjured up images in her mind that encouraged body's positive reaction to the sound of the pastor's deep exhales and the way that the seat creaked beneath him every time he shifted positions. Her stomach performs flips, each one more powerful than the last. Like a disease, the tingling spreads further. Down, past her navel, up her knees and between her thighs. It all converges in her core, which starts to throb in the least respectful of ways.
"Oh no, Father!" She adamantly denies, voice more shrill than intended. In an effort to allay the effects of her affliction, she swallowed hard and pressed her legs together tightly, "It is not that we do not love one another; I love and respect my husband deeply. Though, our love is not as a husband's and wife's." Unabashedly, she admits, "I receive no pleasure from his touches, nor he from mine."
At the sound of her voice, the pastor's ear tilts more in her direction. As perceptive as ever, his hearing picks up the slight tension in her voice, but he ignores it and instead presses, "You must find a way to overcome issues of…" The word he settles on is, "attraction."
"It is not only that, Father." She temporarily bites the bottom of her lip, prepared now to share all of her secrets.
Testily, he argues, "What more is there—"
She continues over him. "My husband's eye has wondered, and he now performs his husbandly duties with another," her breath hitches minutely as he knees and ankles whither against each other.
"Perhaps, it is he who should be at confession," comes the terse reply.
Sakura cannot help but snicker, "I assure you, Father, confession is the least of his concerns. Especially at this very moment." There was not a doubt in her mind that her dear husband was about to get underway with more carnal desires; that is, if he had not already started. Her implication could not be missed.
Not giving the dark haired man time to respond, Sakura ran her tongue over her lips and picked up where she left off. "I must confess, Father, I too have been led astray. I think there is no saving my marriage."
"The Church does not allow divorce except under the gravest of matters." Something more than impatience enters the pastor's tone now.
Green eyes looked to the screen divider to witness the pastor stubbornly facing straight ahead. For reasons beyond her control, Sakura's cheeks puffed out and she gave a haughty, "So I've been told many times before."
A small 'tsk' and an equally charged "Remember that," was to follow.
This man never ceased affecting her in the most ungodly of ways. It had something to do with his holier-than-thou rhetoric and downright demonically handsome features.
"Ha," She lets the small syllable leave her lips full of sarcasm. "You're advice is always such an eye opener, Father." Trying to relieve the discomfort in her core, she starts rubbing her legs together and moving her hips in circles over the wooden ledge she sits on. She had a good idea that the pastor could hear the incessant rustle of her clothes, only she didn't care because he couldn't see much beyond the outline of her face, and therefore, would have no choice but to keep his imagination to himself.
Let his imagination run wild, is her more mischievous thought.
"Then, your confession is complete?" He presses, eager to escape.
Was that a hiss in his voice, she heard?
"I only wish it were so, Father. The worst has yet to come." Her hands fist in her lap as she fights off the urge to go further than simple rubbing. Small breaths come out sharper and closer together. The small quarters of the confessional were beginning to feel cramped and stuffy. Almost too hot for quite so many layers of clothes.
"You see, earlier in the week my parent's visited," her hands begin massaging the area around her thighs. Back and forth, side-to-side. Periodically her hips lift in a plea for greater friction and her fingers itch to grab between her legs and relieve the mounting pressure. Unconsciously, her slim legs drift further apart and she allows a whimper to bubble up in her throat.
"This is the same visit where you spoke out of terms with your mother?" The pastor prods, intent to push past her antics.
"What?" At first, Sakura is confused since she was preoccupied with her body's torment, though remembering her train of thought, she passively replies, "Oh yes. It was the same visit."
She swallowed, then wiped the perspiration from her forehead, feeling as though she had been dropped inside a furnace. Had the tiny chamber always been so suffocating? Nevermind. Repent she must.
"My husband and I had no choice but to lay with one another. My parent's expect it, you see," Again, she eyed the screen and spots him with his head tilted back, gazing at the ceiling in a manner of contemplation. That, or pleading with the Lord to free him from the stifling nature of her confession.
"Neither of us wished to perform our marital duties, but," She smirked, "As good Christians we did what was expected—"
"Is this a confession to sin?" He snaps, voice dripping with annoyance and glaring at the partition. At his sides, his nails bite into the wood slab he sits on.
Her words, having the desired effect, allow her to give in further to her carnal desires. It was, after all, his fault she was in this condition to begin with. It was time he rued what he sowed, so to speak. Or, in simpler terms, it was time he felt the same degree of suffering she had been through these past couple weeks.
Breathlessly, she informs him, "It is the greatest sin, Father." There is no reason to hide the want in her voice anymore. She has him where she wants.
Recalling the event that had transpired between her and Naruto sends whatever self-control she possessed far beyond her reach. Immediately, she bunches up her skirt and opens her legs. Her fingers reach for her clothed core with too much eagerness for a pious woman. It is no surprise when she discovers the material of her undergarments already soaked through.
An audible gasp escaped her as she began running two fingers over her clit. The immense pleasure it caused singed with the nagging ache for more. Screwing her eyes shut, she tried to concentrate on speaking through the ever-mounting pressure.
"As my husband rode atop me –more like a boar than a man– I found no pleasure in the act…" She pauses to pop her fingers in her mouth, sucking lightly and coating them in her saliva before continuing. "Still, I endeavored to please him, so as not to erode his sense of a…" another shaky breath as her wet fingers pushed aside her panties, "a man."
Sinking back on the wood ledge, Sakura propped her foot at a ninety-degree angle against the doorframe and inserted a finger with a quiet 'mm'.
Licking her dry lips, her mouth popped open and she continued to tell her tale between the thrust of her finger. "To commit to… the act… I shut my eyes and like so many times before… Imagined myself being taken by a man who is not my husband."
Despite the shakiness in her voice and slight panting, Sakura found herself talking remarkably well, all things considered.
The man on the other side said nothing as he listened.
"T-the man I saw had eyes like midnight…" Again, she imagined him inside her clear as day, "And hair like a- ah, a raven." Her finger was wet with sticky fluids, making it easy to insert another. "Suddenly, the man inside me was not my husband but a god… Or a devil?! I do not know."
"Sakura, you—" Abruptly, the man's speech ended with a deep swallow. He could not speak without giving away too much, though those two words alone were already too much. The raspy edge to his tone betrayed his weakened state and, in turn, heightened the female's senses further.
With her euphoria soaring ever higher, she continued, "I am a fool, Father. That man truly is a devil… How could it not be so?"
Her perceptive ears picked up the pastor's notably heavier breathing. The reaction spurred her on. "He teases me and touches me," she unhooked the buttons of her blouse, delighted at the small 'popping' sound they made because they could only indicate one thing to the man beside her. To accentuate her point, Sakura provided more detail than necessary, "He touches me on my neck and breast." As she spoke, she began kneading her exposed breast, her head tilted back and she gaped at the wood ceiling of the confessional. "Oh, how well his fingers work!"
"After all this, he tells me to be with my husband… He speaks to me like a stranger but in secret –and quite openly– his eyes follow, mm…" She doesn't hide her moan, "me everywhere. On the streets in passing… In the market. Even in church."
In exasperation, she asks, "What am I to think? He pushes me away yet he reels me in."
On the other side, she hears the pastor's head thumping back against the wall, keen to pick up reaction he has to her words.
Knowing she cannot continue this much longer, she delves into the heart of her insecurities. "I-I know I will never be happy, unless I am with him. This man… He has touched my very soul but," there is a slight waiver in her voice, "Have I not touched his?"
At last, she gives up on drawing out their session, fully letting loose her desires with a gasped out, "Oh Father! F-forgive me… Ah! I have," The ability to formulate words is an immense task, so she endeavors to conclude immediately, "I have sinned… And… I am still sinning."
Too near to the edge, Sakura barely registers the creak of the pastor's seat, the latch to his door unclicking and the subsequent sound of the door shoved open.
Did he leave? Oh, she was too deep into it to even care.
Abruptly, the door to her own booth is whipped open. From between her spread legs, her half-lidded eyes drink in the sight of the riled, panting Uchiha. His dark eyes locked on hers with unbridled desire. The tousled look of his hair gave him the appearance of a wild animal; a look that suited him best, Sakura surmised.
"Sasuke-kun…" Green orbs travel from his face to his neck, down his chest, which expands and contracts as though he had been out for a heavy run. They only stop when her attention lands on the protruding bulge between his legs.
Ha! She was already feeling lifted from her penance.
Forcing himself inside the cramped quarters, the latch locks shut behind him and he instantly drops to his knees.
"Sakura," He admonishes, though the smirk he sends her as he pushes her thighs further apart is truer sign of his mood. His lips brush the inside of her thigh in a soft kiss while his fingers rotate teasing circles. "You have sinned," there is another kiss, closer to the place she really wants him. "But you have," Still, more kisses, "Touched my soul, so I will give you redemption."
Shamelessly, she pulls out her wet fingers and tangles them in his hair, attempting to pull him closer. "Sasuke-kun," she rasps, "You know I… Love it when you talk all sanctimonious but, p-please. I've waited long enou—"
Her speech morphs into inaudible mewls of pleasure as he greedily eats up her juices with long laps of his tongue. Her fingers twist in his hair, desperately wanting more of him, "More, Sasuke-kun!" She couldn't take his teases.
At her request, fingers join his tongue, scissoring inside her and plunging deeper into her tight cavern. Her fluids soak his hand despite his efforts to lap up everything she has like a man starved. With each plunge, he brings her closer to completion, expertly moving his fingers in the way she liked best. His other hand rubs her thigh, maximizing her sensitivity and driving her further over the brink.
She can hardly breathe, her shaky inhales coming at uneven intervals, "Sasuke-kun, I'm going to—!"
Abruptly, and too soon, he pulls back, his fingers still buried inside her but frozen in place.
At first, she doesn't realize that he's stopped and so, her fingers twist tightly in his hair, somehow trying force him deeper inside her. When he hisses lowly at her abuse, she manages to wince her eyelids open to meet his heated gaze and; the mere sight of him instantly causes her cheeks to turn a darker shade of red. She cannot help but moan as his tongue intentionally runs over his moist lips.
"You intended for this to happen," He murmurs lowly, resting his head against one of her legs and resuming a tortuously slow pace with his fingers, bring them all the way out before twisting their way back up her heated walls.
She doesn't answer verbally, but the impatient look in her eyes screams out 'of course!' Again, she tries pulling him forward.
"Hn." His eyes linger on her bare chest. "You should have come to me sooner."
In a childlike tantrum, she gives a small stomp with her foot against the doorframe, arguing, "It's your fault I didn't." It was because of him that they were in this position. Stupid, stubborn man.
"I suppose so…" Lips curling upward, he leans into her, apparently content to end her torture for sure this time since he adds a third finger and repeatedly hits the spot that causes her vision to turn blank. One of his arms loops under her leg to raise her hips off the bench and afford him unparalleled access.
"Sasuke-kun!" She calls out, hips moving in tandem with the pace of his fingers. His mess of black locks between her legs and the slurped sounds that seemed to echo out every time his fingers and tongue slid in and out overrode her senses. "I-it's too much," came her struggled admission.
A low groan is his apparent answer to her, too preoccupied sucking up whatever she has for him to verbalize anything further.
Too soon, her back arches and the leg draped over Sasuke's back snaps down, as if to lock him in place for eternity. At the same time, she clamps her hand over her mouth to muffle the sound of her strangled scream as a torrent of pleasure bursts with such colossal force that her entire body shakes.
For an instant, the world is black and all she can hear are her own labored breaths. "Sasuke-kun," She breathes his name like a silent prayer.
He doesn't spare her much time for recovery however. Before her view of the ceiling can return with clarity, his hands are on her hips, pulling her off the bench and dragging her atop his lap on the cramped floor.
"We're not done yet," he growls, one hand guiding her hips to rub against his clothed arousal and the other hand fondling her soft breast with some hints of fury. Though her mind is still muddled, it becomes increasingly apparent to her that he is fighting with his own desperation to be satisfied.
"Kiss me," she murmurs, as her hands fumble with the buttons of his shirt.
Conceding to her demand, he pulls her face to his in a sloppy yet aggressive kiss. It's wet and messy, filled with more need than she knows what to do with.
By the time they break apart, he is practically gaping for air, still clutching her hips in his tight grip and trying to grind her against him until he's reached completion. Still, her fingers struggle to free him of his clothes, only managing to undo the top two buttons of his shirt. The task, apparently, requiring more attention then she has in her.
Impatiently, he swats her hands away, looking at her dangerously as he practically tears the shirt open. It was as though he were saying, 'it's a simple task, quit messing around!' Before she can make a comment in her defense, however, he grabs her hand and brings it to the bulge in his pants, wordlessly imploring her to take accountability for sending him into such a state.
At first, her hand moves tentatively, testing how sensitive he was to her touch with his pants on. The gasp he bites down informs her that he was quite responsive.
"Sakura," he warns lowly.
Her hand cups him firmly, pausing briefly so that she can lean in and blow gently on the shell of his ear, "Sorry, Sasuke-kun." An empty promise, really, because his pleas are what she wants more of. His hand snakes up to clutch the back of her head as she drags out light kisses down his neckline, periodically sucking to exchange pleasure with pain.
A straggled gasp sounds out when she rotates her hand to wrap around him, giving him a sudden and firm tug. With several more tugs, his head tilts back to bump against the door. She feels him attempt to buck up, into her hand but his legs have limited mobility due to the tiny space their cramped into. It doesn't help much that she literally has no over place to sit other than his lap.
With greater ease than she had with his shirt, she manages to swiftly unbutton his pants and reaches in to free his length from it's confines. It's big and hard, protruding proudly for her touch. "Is this good, Sasuke-kun?" She asked, running her fingers along the underside of his heated flesh and brushing her thumb over the tip to collect some of his precum.
"More." Is all she gets from him. He was never one to beg, though his not-so-subtle thrashing is indicative of how he feels about her teasing.
"Like what?" She questions innocently, followed up with a tighter tug, "Like this?"
"You know what I want," He growls impatiently, and in an effort to slip past her defenses connects their lips in a punishing kiss. His tongue slides against hers, forcing her to taste the remnants of herself and clouding her already muddled mind in a new bout of heated passion. Two fingers brush over her pert nipple, eliciting a pained gasp that he swallows fully. His other hand positions her opening atop his stiff arousal, easing his tip between her folds and pressing down on her until he's entirely sheathed within.
Pulling back from the kiss, she finds her dark haired demon staring smugly at her, proud to think he's craftily gotten her exactly where he wants without having had to ask for it. Sakura indulges him, riding him at the pace he wants; feeding him small mewls as her arousal builds at pace with his.
Not until his eyes were shut and mouth hung open to feed his greedy lungs did she extort every ounce of self-control she possessed to come to an abrupt stop in her movements.
With his length still impaled in her tights walls, his response was immediate. Nails dug into her unblemished skin and waist tried to buck up off the ground, further into her. When that failed, he attempts to lift her off him, intent to slam back into her.
'Tsking' him for his impertinence, she manages to persist in clamping her legs tight around his waist. It helped that they were in such tight quarters that the frustrated young male could hardly move without hitting one of the four walls.
"Move," he gritted out, glaring at her through narrowed eyes.
"You ignored me," she blurted out, oddly serious and accusatory.
Again, he tried to reposition them so that he could meet his needs but all he managed was to bang his elbow on the door and jam his foot further into the wood panel. He was beginning to look more and more like a caged animal.
Her fingers twist into his shirt, as she almost-angrily remarks, "For two weeks, you hardly spoke to me at all."
"Sakura," his sexual frustration and desire not to have this conversation cause his voice to come out more strangled than normal. Thinking a kiss will appease her, he leaned into her face.
Her response is to turn away and glare out the corner of her eye, "That's not going to work."
"You know why," is his exasperated justification. Again, he tries to silence her with a kiss so she punishes him with a tortuous shift of her hips, in which he has to bite his tongue to hold back a wanton moan.
"Because your father lectured you about your duties to the church?!" She pressed, not backing down despite the burn between her legs.
Grimacing, he provides an off-handed and sarcastic, "It was an inspiring speech." His hands grab at the floor, her calves, the crack beneath the doorframe –anywhere he could think to try and flip the female straddling him in such a way that would allow him to relentlessly pound into her.
"Was it so easy for you to imagine life without me?"
At that, his expression darkened and his mouth turned down into a frown. "You don't really believe that."
"I don't know what to think," is her honest reply.
His hands grab either side of her face and his focus falls intently on her. The strain of his unsatisfied arousal is still evident in the beads of sweat that cling to his skin, yet he ignores all of it for the time being. "Know that every time I look at you, it's because I want you and that…" As if embarrassed by his own words, he mutters under his breath, "And that you would be Uchiha right now if my father didn't push me into this line of work."
There is silence as she digests his words and then…
"We can pretend," she smiles brightly. Inside her head, she repeated religiously the name Uchiha Sakura.
He tapped her forehead with his fingers, wincing slightly when the unexpected display of intimacy causes her to jump slightly in his lap. "For now," he murmurs, with a promise for something more before tilting her head to run his tongue along her jaw line.
At his urging, she began rolling her hips up and down. Gradually at first, but quickly they fall into a more desperate pace. Their breaths mingle and fingers grab at any exposed skin they can reach.
"Sasuke-kun," she says breathlessly, her body overheating and cheeks flaring a deeper shade of pink than her hair. The overwhelming heat was making it hard to keep the pace he wanted and she very surely considered that what she was experiencing could be the prequel to bursting into flames through divine intervention. Though she tried to leverage herself by placing her hands on his shoulders, lack of space hampered her movements.
"Keep… Going," he ground out, urging her to keep trying no matter how difficult it was to do so with four walls seemingly shrinking the closer they came to the brink.
A curse slipped out when his elbow banged into the wall after another attempt to jostle their position failed. In fact, that curse was followed by several more since every direction he turned had him pinned against a solid object.
In her peripheral vision, she vaguely takes note of his hand fumbling with something above his head.
There's a click, soon followed by their bodies tumbling back and landing them half outside the confessional. Freed from the confines of closed quarters, Sasuke rolls her onto her back, hissing and grunting like a wild animal in the process. He breaks connection with her for only a moment to reposition himself before plunging back in.
"Sa-Sasuke," she mewls, meeting his every thrust and yanking him closer with her arms and legs. The consequences of getting caught are a distant thought in their minds. All she wanted was to immortalize the feeling of being connected to him. If things had been different, they would not have to keep their actions a secret. She could be a proper wife and Naruto an upstanding husband; though not to each other.
There is still some rationality left in her. Enough to remember, "Not inside…" She breaks off when he gives a particularly hard push. "You can't… cum inside. Not today—"
Sakura cannot help but wonder if he didn't hear what she said amidst their labored breathing or if he simply ignored her command in favour of an end to 'for now' much sooner than she had anticipated, because he continued to press on with an unrelenting pace. Panic swells in her chest as her climax rushes nearer. She could tell he was close as well, by the way his movements were erratic and unevenly paced.
"You have to— Ah!" Her head threw back and mouth popped open. "It's too close!" Again, she implored him as her entire body tensed and the bundle of nerves charged between her legs explodes in brutal waves that send her senses into overdrive. Not a moment later Sasuke pulls out, grapping her spent hand and wrapping it around his length to pump himself to climax in the matter of a few seconds.
He collapses on top of her, breathing hard into the nape of her neck and still clutching her hand, which is sticky with his cum. It could have been her imagination, but she was certain her name passed breathlessly out his lips just prior to his form going rigid and his seed spurting into her awaiting hand.
For a while, Sakura is content to stare up at the stained glass window overhead, simply admiring its array of colours while she recovers her senses.
All too soon, her companion sits, still straddling her hips as he proceeds to straighten out his attire.
Still panting slightly, she props up on her elbows and scolds, "You cut it pretty close Sasuke-kun. If you came inside me, I would surely end up pregnant. My cycle ends next week."
"I knew what I was doing," he defends. Nevertheless, he takes her spoiled hand and wipes it off on the inside of his robes. There is a slight scowl for the mess it makes, and she's sure that in his head he was cursing her monthly cycle for it.
Unabashedly, he watches her in silence as she proceeds to button up the front of her dress. Seemingly, as an afterthought, he relays under his breath that, "It wouldn't be so bad seeing your belly swollen with my child."
Halting her redress, Sakura blinks in disbelief and then scoffs, "My husband and I are good at pretending, but I hardly think we could pull off a black-haired child as our own. Though," As consolation, she leans in and leaves a lingering kiss on his lips, "by next week, we should be in the clear for a couple weeks."
Before she can withdraw, a hand winds its way into her hair and his hot mouth brushes over her ear to whisper, "Then I shall fuck you without mercy." With a single sentence, she feels her temperature rise and body stir with the prickling of desire. Her hand fists against her chest and she sucks the bottom of her lip.
Seeing her reaction, he smirks, the glint in his eyes dangerous, "Maybe I'll take you on the altar next time."
"Oh Sasuke-kun! You seek to condemn our souls to Hell," she laments, hitting his shoulder and doing up the remaining buttons of her blouse.
"That would be a concern," He rolls off her slowly, still teasing her body with purposeful movements, "If we actually believed in that sort of thing."
Giggling lightly, Sakura stands and sets about straightening out her long skirt. She watches as he does the same with his pants. While attempting to flatten out her sexed hair, she nostalgically questions, "Do you remember our first time?"
"How could I forget." It had occurred only hours before she walked down the aisle with Naruto on their wedding day.
"Do you ever regret the way it happened?" She took a step toward him and proceeded to adjust his raven locks.
"Mm," He thinks about it briefly, then replies, "I sometimes think if we did it in a normal place, the sight of churches might not make me so damn horny."
Her laughter fills the empty church, and brings about tears in her eyes. "Sasuke-kun, I think the same!" Perhaps it was his fond memory of their first time, or simply seeing her laugh that brought a soft smile to the Uchiha's face.
"Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?" She asked, her emerald eyes glancing hopefully at him.
Sasuke nodded, catching her wrist as it left his hair and leaning in for one last fleeting kiss.
Withdrawing, he began walking away to return to his duties but did not make it far when she called out to ask him one more nagging question, "What did Naruto say to you on his way out earlier?"
The raven-haired male turned slightly, his head tilted as he casually informed her, "He told me you needed some." The emphasis on the last word was enough to make his point and her cheeks swelled a dark shade of red.
"T-that's not—"
She breaks off when she sees him smirk like the devil and listens as he smugly asserts, "You called out my name when he had sex with you last week."
"Ehh!" She screeches, somehow terribly embarrassed by the revelation. Did she really do such a thing… The feeling quickly morphs into something else entirely and she loudly calls out, "Father, I have another confession!"
Not turning back, he waves her off with a promise, "I'll give you penitence after dinner tonight."
Sakura the pious, she thinks, eyes trained on the retreating back of the pastor. She certainly had good reason to spend so much time in church.
A/N: W-well that was a lot... Maybe in a past life I was a porn writer gahaha.