A/N: This will be a place of numerous one-shots that just happen to dance around in my noggin.
Enjoy reading!
Geisha are not courtesans.
And we are not wives. We sell our skills, not our bodies.
We create another secret world, a place only of beauty.
The very word "geisha" means artist and to be a geisha
is to be judged as a moving work of art.
- Memoirs of a Geisha
"You don't have to do this."
The words were ignored as the female sat in front of the vanity table and analyzed her face in the large oval mirror. She had a purple bruise forming under her left eye. With a 'tsk' she placed her glowing fingers on her swollen skin and began to softly caress it. In a matter of minutes the skin was once again back to its original color. With a sigh, Sakura placed her hands on top of her lap as her eyes scanned over the items placed on the table before her. She reached for the comb and began to run it through her pink locks, shaking out any excess water left from her hot shower moments ago. Once her hair was rid of any tangles she began to work on her face.
Pale face.
Charcoal eyebrows and lined eyes.
Ruby red lips.
"Can you get my hair from the bag? It's on the other side of the bed," the kunoichi asked as she used a tissue to wipe off the red paint from the small brush.
Sasuke paused for a second before reluctantly pushing away from the wall where he was previously leaning and went to fetch the bag. Sakura heard the crinkling of plastic seconds before she felt the fake hair brush against her arm.
"Thank you, Sasuke-kun."
She ran her red painted nails through her hair once more and expertly tied it into a tight bun at the base of her head. Taking the hair from the quiet man's hand, she placed it on top of her head and began to adjust it until it looked just right. Sakura was clipping it in place when her room's door opened then shut just at quickly.
"Teme! You said there was steaming ramen downstairs and all Kakashi-sensei and me found in this stinkin' fancy hotel were fish eggs and crackers! You lying son of a- Ow! What the hell, old man?"
"It's 'Kakashi-sensei and I', Naruto."
"Yeah, yeah. Didn't know you were a grammer teacher now, too. You know when I become Hoka- Whoa! Sakura, you look crazy different!"
Said girl giggled as she continued to twist the long, black hair to sit on the crown of her head. "Are you saying I look crazy, or I look different?"
Naruto's jaw dropped and began to sputter like a fish out of water, "I-I mean, you always look- uhh. You l-look great, but.. Different? Aghh, n-no. What I meant is that-"
"How about we just stick to saying that you look beautiful, Sakura." Kakashi interrupted with a smile.
"Thank you, Sensei."
Sakura placed the last clip into her hair and let her arms fall to her side with a sigh. Her arms tingled from having to hold them above her head while she did her hair. She scanned the items on the table once more and noticed that something was missing. Before she could ask if anyone knew where the missing objects were, a large hand flashed into her vision.
"Looking for these?" Her sensei opened his large hand to reveal the beads and small pink flowers she seeked. "Now, you see, I would offer to help you, but I don't think an old man like me would be very good at these type of things."
"Hush, you're not that old."
"When you kids call me sensei, I feel that way."
"Would you rather have us call you, 'old man who reads porn twenty-four seven with a stupid mask to hide his giant buck teeth and is probably best friends with his fist?'"
"Naruto!"
"Dobe."
"Well aren't you just a comedian, Naruto. When we get back maybe you will find running the track seventy times just as comedic."
"You would choose seventy, you old pervert, cause it's one digit away from your favorite number!"
"Very observant of you, kid. Didn't know you knew how to count," stated the older man with a crinkle of his eyes.
"Alright you two," interrupted Sakura as she placed a wooden stick that had a large white flower and hanging blossoms attached to it near the front of her face to the side. "I'm all done with my hair and make-up now, so can you guys, you know- leave?"
"What do you mean, Sakura-chan? We can't stay and wa-"
"I dare you to finish that sentence."
"Heh, kidding. Kidding."
Kakashi stepped behind Sakura and surprised the entire room when he bent to place a small kiss by her temple. He didn't fail to notice the young Uchiha's quick glare. "Though you may not be able to see us tonight, remember that we will always be watching you. That is, until you reach the next point of the mission. From there on all we can do is listen and wait for your cue to go. So when it comes to that time, be careful. None of us want our little blossom to be hurt." He didn't even have to question the other men in the room because he knew his concerned thoughts were the same as theirs.
"What that creeper is trying to say Sakura-chan, is that we got your back! So, don't you worry!"
"Thanks, guys. But I really need to start getting dressed."
Kakashi nodded then quickly grasped the back of Naruto's ANBU jacket as he made his way towards the door. "What the hell? How come teme gets to stay here? He has to come with us too!"
"Be down in fifteen, Sasuke. No later." The Uchiha nodded at his sensei's words with acknowledgment as he watched the two men leave and close the door behind them. He heard Naruto's whining voice get smaller as they went down the hall, "That's totally unfair that he gets to stay with her!"
His attention was diverted when he heard the sound of clothing rustling before it landed on the floor. He turned to see Sakura in just her undergarments as she placed her large duffel bag on the bed and began to search for the items of her attire for the night. She used a kunai to slice open the clear plastic surrounding each of the pieces and layers of the kimono Tsunade assigned her. Carefully, Sakura attached the kunai back to her thigh where the white bandages concealed it. She held the kimono up in the dim light and watched as the design of golden threads sparkled. Both individuals traced the outer layer of the kimono with their eyes. It was cream with an undertone of a pale yellow. Starting from under her left breast were pink sakura tree petals that cascaded downwards towards the end of the material. Golden trimmings and thread danced all over the kimono that gave it a certain alluring shine.
Sakura placed the layer onto the bed as she reached to put on the under layer. This one was entirely red and silk. The color of it was such a blood red that Sakura swore she could smell a metallic scent emitting from it. She went to grab the heavier outer layer next when another pair of hands beat her to it.
"Sasuke?" She craned her neck to look at him over her shoulder. He didn't reply and held the layer as he helped her place each arm into the large sleeves. He then took the large red silk ribbons and tied it around her waist, trying his best to make an appealing large bow.
As much as he didn't want to, he had to make her look as alluring as possible. For the sake of the mission.
"You know, it seems like you might be just a little too good at this," teased the woman with a smirk. Hoping to find a smirk of his own, Sakura frowned when she noticed that he still had an irritated expression. After he was done fixing her bow and was about to retract his hands, the kunoichi was quick to grasp one of them. She interlaced their fingers as she placed her other hand on his cheek, brushing away his dark hair.
"You've been quite silent since we were assigned this mission, Sasu-kun. Is something occupying your thoughts other than your wonderful girlfriend? You're quite lucky she isn't the jealous type." She was earned an eyebrow raise from that comment. "Okay, I can get jealous sometimes. But how do you expect me to react if floosies are throwing themselves at you all the time?"
Some seconds passed by as Sakura continued to brush her warm hand across his cheek and Sasuke leaning into her touch. "Sasuke-kun, please. Please stop acting this way. I need you to be alright with this because you're my rock. I need your confidence and support."
Sasuke suddenly scoffed at the end of her sentence. "How am I supposed to support you in this?" he spat.
"He speaks."
"Sakura-"
"Sasuke!" She emphasized her exclamation with a pinch to his cheek. Before he could yell at her, Sakura began to speak. "Alright, I get it! You're not the happiest with this mission, but neither am I. But I'm still going to go and do it with the intention of getting the needed information back to Tsunade. You know just how long her and I have been trying to find a cure to that poison, and we are so close! This man tonight is that poison-making bastard's partner. He has to know the ins and outs of this deathly poison which means he has to know how to reverse the process and get it out of the body's system. This mission, a-and the lives of the men that were affected by the poison in an attack- relies all on tonight. And on me. So, please all I am asking of you is to be with me on this. I know what's going to happen tonight, and- and I have it under control," Sakura ended with confidence as best as she could.
She took this moment to stop speaking as she tried to keep the tears at bay. She couldn't afford to waste anymore time having to fix her ruined make-up. Sakura sniffled and began to inhale deeply, holding her breath for a second, before exhaling.
The taller ninja placed his hand on top of the smaller one on his cheek and squeezed. "I know the purpose of the mission, Sakura."
"Then why can't you be confident as usual?"
Sasuke let out an angry sigh through his nose. Not that he was angry at the woman before him, but more at the situation that has been placed upon her shoulders. Deep within, he knew she could handle the mission, but what plagued him were the consequences of if she couldn't. No matter how small the mistake, anything could happen for the worst. And with the haunting fact that there would be a period in the mission where he couldn't even see her, only hear, it ate away at him.
"If anything happens to you-"
"Nothing is going to."
"If the damned bastard touches you-"
"I'm going to have to let him."
"You can't get hurt."
"I'll try not to."
"That's the fucking problem, Sakura! Anything can happen. If our mission is blown the team will be fine, except for you. Do you understand that?"
"I already acknowledged that, Sasuke."
"Did you acknowledged the fact that you could die tonight?" he seethed. "You'll be in a room alone with a man that had some part in creating one of the deadliest poisons to exist. Just you and him, and you're going to let him fucking touch you."
Sakura let out a sigh as she caught on what he was trying to get across. "We might not even have to go as far as sex if I can just get the information quick enough."
"Damnit, Sakura! You don't get it!"
"Because you won't let me! J-just tell me what's, wrong Sasuke. I know that you're not comfortable with me having to seduce another man, but every kunoichi has to do this type of mission at some point. I'm just glad that I'm doing this with Team Seven watching my back."
"'Not comfortable' is an understatement," Sasuke mumbled. "You won't die tonight.. I want you to say it."
"You know I can't guarantee that, no ninja can!"
"I want to hear you say it."
Deciding not to argue with him, Sakura moved her hand to have it rest on his neck. She could feel how fast his heart beat was, which surprised her. Why was he so worked up? On their way to the hotel she had come to terms with it, so why couldn't Sasuke? It's not like he was the one having to seduce some old poison-making man.
"Sakura."
".. I won't die tonight.. Feel better, now?"
"This isn't humorous to me."
"Oh Sasuke-kun. When is anything funny to you?" She stuck out her tongue as he glared at her. Sakura so badly just wanted to hold him close and nuzzle his warm neck with her face, but she realized she couldn't. She couldn't even kiss him because of risking messing up her make-up. Damn, this sucked.
The most contact she could have with him were with just her hands. Well, then. She would take advantage of that. So she kept one hand on his neck and the other on his pale cheek.
"I wish I could kiss you."
Sasuke searched her emerald orbs and saw how much she really wanted to. He smirked. Though the rest of her body was completely changed, at least her eyes remained the same and he didn't know whether or not this was a good thing. He loved her eyes, but it did allow for the risk of people remembering or recognizing her. She was a well-known medic, after all.
"Good thing we had last night, huh?" Her eyes now held a mischievous glint.
"Aa."
Sakura smiled and turned to check the clock hanging on the wall. It was almost time.
"Sai will be notifying you guys of the bastard's arrival in two minutes," she stated in a professional tone.
The Uchiha smirked at her choice of words. Maybe the dobe was right and he was influencing her. They both knew it was almost time and he felt like he had to try at least once more.
"You don't have to do this. It is possible for someone else like Ino to handle it. She does have more experience in this type of mission."
"Yes, but that pig has never had to seduce a man this vital to saving people's lives. Even though he is the one poisoning them." Sakura knew they couldn't speak for much longer because time wasn't waiting. It broke her heart a little knowing that she wouldn't be able to see her team- her boyfriend, lover, teammate- until later. Or maybe not at all. What if she does get hurt tonight and no one was quick enough? What if she died tonight? Then this would be the last time she would ever see the Uchiha man that she trusted enough to fully give her damaged heart to.
No. No.
She could not afford to think that way. Tonight will not be the night. Too many things were resting upon her shoulders. Plus, she had friends, and a lover, that she needed to see again. Especially that man of hers so she could properly give him the kiss she desired. She told him she would live tonight.
And Sakura wasn't one to go back on her words.
"It's almost time."
".. Aa."
"I love you. Only you."
"I know."
"I'll see you later tonight?"
Sasuke reached for her hands resting on his face and took them between his. He took one hand and angled it so that her wrist was revealed. He brought her wrist to his lips and placed a lingering kiss on her pulse point. Sasuke started into her eyes- her soul- with his dark orbs.
"Of course you will."
A/N: Good morning, starshine! The earth says hello :)
I've been craving to watch Memoirs of a Geisha recently, and somehow from that this story was born.
If I receive enough reviews, then I will most likely continue this plot. So in that case; review, review, review.
Because I would love to let you lovely readers know what happens next :)
This WILL be a place of one-shots, but some may have continuing parts to it (like this one!).
