title: It Was Always You
prompt: SASUSAKU MONTH 2014
rating: T-M

summary: oo2: Sakura's always been suspicious of Sasuke and Karin out together so late at night...

dedicated to: my girls reviee, DeepPoeticGirl, and SR :)

.oo2.
Late

Sakura paced the room worriedly as she waited for a call back from Sasuke. It was nearly midnight and he hadn't come home yet. Usually he was back by eight or nine, at the latest, but recently his "shifts" had gotten later and later, and he would come back with mussed hair and the faint smell of women's perfume on him.

Suddenly, her phone rang, and she hurried to pick it up, almost dropping it in her fast fingers. "Hello?" she asked quickly.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Oh," Sakura said, her voice dropping in disappointment. "Hi, Naruto."

"Hey, sorry to bother you at this time, but did teme get home yet? We left work at the same time, and he said he'd meet me at the bar with the rest of the guys, but he hasn't come and he's not picking up his phone. I was wondering if you saw him, because I'm getting a little pissed off."

"I am too," Sakura said.

"I mean, I saw him leave with Karin. They looked pretty happy together and laughing. Just a good time between the two. Anyway, neither of them came, so I was thinking they would have gone their separate ways."

Sakura felt a growl rising in her throat. Her husband—her most trusted confidante, with her best friend? Un-freaking-believable.

"Did you call Karin?" Sakura said, trying her best not to show anger in her voice.

"Nah. I don't have her number. Anyway, it's late. I'm sure they're fine. I'll catch you later, Sakura-chan."

"Bye." She hung up violently and tossed her phone onto the couch, letting out a groan. The very idea of Sasuke and Karin being together hurt her in ways she never felt before; just imagining them together made her want to vomit.

"They wouldn't do that to me," Sakura murmured, trying her best to block out any lewd images of her two friends going behind her back. "They wouldn't dare."

.

.

.

Sakura woke up to find herself in her bed, with Sasuke sleeping next to her. His arm draped around her waist, and he snored softly, murmuring words in his sleep.

Sakura leaned over and inhaled his scent. He did smell faintly feminine; but she considered that maybe it was because he worked with many women throughout the day. His hair was mussed, but perhaps it was due to bedhead. Sakura smiled to herself, relieved, and gently pried Sasuke off, only to find something sticking out of his pocket.

Sasuke

Don't forget. 10 tonight. As usual.

xoxo K

Sakura glanced at the note, at her friend's familiar script, and then back at Sasuke. He still slept peacefully like nothing was wrong, as if cheating on his lifelong partner was no big deal. Sakura crumpled up the note angrily and stormed out, slamming the door on her way. She was glad when she heard Sasuke yelp awake in shock.

.

.

.

"Little bastard," Sakura muttered. She dialed Naruto's number to let him know that yes, Sasuke did come home that night. Thankfully, alone.

"Naruto's not here right now," Sai said, answering Naruto's phone for him. She heard Naruto yelling in the background, wanting his phone back, but Sai answered for him instead. "Is there anything I can help you with, Sakura?"

"Nothing, Sai. I was just wondering…well, you're friends with Sasuke. Has there been anything suspicious with him and…Karin lately?"

Immediately, Sai shut up. He stuttered over his words, and then said, "I have to go," and hung up. That only confirmed her suspicions, and she did her best to hide the tears behind her eyes.

"I will not cry," she told herself. "Absolutely not."

One tear fell.

"Okay, just for a bit."

And she let herself break apart.

.

.

.

"Sakura-chan!" Karin said, jumping into her arms after ringing the doorbell nonstop. She took her friend in with open arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You look like hell. Have you not been sleeping?"

Sakura didn't want Karin's arms anywhere around her. She wanted to sock Karin in the gut and break her glasses, but she thought better.

"I'm fine," she said.

"Good, because boy, do I have something to tell you!" Karin took her by the hand and dragged her off someplace.

"What? Where are you taking me?"

"I know you've been wondering where your husband has been and what he's been doing, but trust me, it's nothing bad."

Oh, I bet it is, Sakura growled to herself.

"He and I have got something for you!"

What, that you're both rotten liars and you can go celebrate your new love life in hell?

"Surprise!" Karin said, pushing her friend into her apartment. Immediately, friends of all kind—hers, Sasuke's, even just Sasuke's colleagues appeared from all over the room, giving Sakura big hugs and congratulations and "Do you know what you'll name it yet?"

"What is this," Sakura said. "Wait. What exactly is going on?"

"I hope you didn't mind," Sasuke said, walking up to her and giving her a formal kiss on the cheek. "I know you wanted to keep quiet, but as a proud father-to-be, it was pretty hard."

"Congratulations, Sakura-chan!" Naruto screamed from the other side of the room.

"I still don't understand!" Sakura said. "Why are you all here?"

"I saw the positive test in the trash. Sakura, you can't hide anything from me. You know I'd find it," he smirked. But Sakura didn't want to be touched by him, and drew herself away.

"Why were you with Karin?" Sakura shouted, loud enough to make the room uncomfortable. Everyone looked at the couple and Karin with confusion. "Were you cheating on me with her?"

"Sakura, that's not it," Karin assured her. "We were together because—"

"Bullshit! Sasuke, come with me." She took Sasuke by the wrist and led him out into the hallway, away from the hundreds of eyes looking at them warily.

"What the hell is going on?" Sakura said. "You come home late every day for the past couple of weeks, and you smell like her. You smell like my best friend. I even saw the note in your pocket. Now, what do you think I'm going to think?"

"I was not cheating," Sasuke said. "I was only with Karin because we were planning your party."

"Yeah, and what else? There were so many hours you took off to spend with her rather than me. Were you fooling around?"

"Sakura, no."

"How do you think I feel? I'm sitting here with a baby, worrying that the reason my husband isn't coming home because he's with my best friend. Of course I'm thinking the worst possible scenario. How could I not? I don't ever want to share you. You're mine, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke took Sakura into his arms and stroked her hair. "You're right, baby. I'm sorry. I should have called, or at least let you know where I was. I promise, we did nothing but set up your party. I was just so excited that I was going to be a father and a little upset that you didn't tell me straight up, and once I told Karin, she planned the idea out for you. Sakura, we both love you so much."

"It's true," Karin said, interrupting their conversation. She had snuck up quietly, pulling Sakura away from Sasuke's arms and kissing her cheek. "You know I love you. I'd do nothing to hurt you. I just wanted to make this fun, and instead it turned out to be a disaster. Can you forgive us?"

Sakura took a step back and sighed. She placed her hands on her stomach, feeling suddenly motherly and overprotective.

"You," she said, pointing at Karin. "Are not to do this ever again without asking me first. And you." She pointed at Sasuke. "Need to repay me all the time you missed being with me."

"Of course," they agreed.

Ignoring Karin purposely, but sending her a smirk, Sakura threw herself into Sasuke's arms.

"Come here, you asshole."

.

.

.

Sakura skipped out on the champagne and drank nearly a litre of sparkling apple cider instead. She danced wildly with Naruto and Sai, despite Sasuke's glares, and even let drunk Karin grind on her for a couple minutes.

Now, it was almost one in the morning, and Sasuke and Sakura walked out of the party, holding hands.

"Don't ever be late again," Sakura said. "You call me when you're getting home, you hear?"

"You can trust me," Sasuke said, dazzling her in the dark with his trademark smirk. She felt herself melt under his gaze.

Kami, how could she stay mad at him?

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