Into the Wild
By Miasmic
Chapter III: Tequila Sunrise
Sakura shuffled to the patio chair she had previously occupied, turning her back to the allure of the party. She stared down at the MacBook hugged by her pale, thin arms— which appeared even paler in the dim light— allowing the gravity of her decision to fully set in.
I cannot believe you just agreed to this. A few shots couldn't hurt? Really? She immediately chastised herself, Yeah, right. One shot turns into two, two into three, three into four, and four into a bloody fucking shit show. Shots are to college kids as candy is to your fat cousin Al— they can't just have one. You've gotta be fucking kidding me right now. It's a Wednesday. A Wed-nes-day. Why the hell did you agree to this? I guess one look at real life McDreamy and all reason goes out the window. Great. Thanks, hormones.
Moving slowly, Sakura released the MacBook from her fingertips onto the seat. It wasn't too late to back out now and save herself— after all, these people were strangers, who knew what could happen. Hell, one of them almost killed her (an exaggeration, but still—). Backing out would be the smart thing to do.
Just tell Sasuke you changed your mind. "Maybe next time". Yeah. He'll understand.
Sakura inhaled deeply, whirling around with feigned assurance and a not-so-thought-out excuse, though as she did her pearly green eyes spotted that handsome face from earlier— she had hoped he would somehow become less attractive the second (or third?) time around; a fanciful plea to the gods for the benefit of her tenacity— still poised with his forearms against the terrace divide, expectantly watching her every movement. Instantly, Sakura's excuse melted in her throat like ice cream on a hot day.
Lord Almighty, it's a crime to say no to that face. She suppressed the urge to lick her lips like some crazed teenager.
"Ready?" Sasuke questioned, now standing upright with his hands buried in his Chinos. Sakura blinked before gazing down at her plain grey pajama shorts, loose navy V-neck, and Rainbow sandals. She wasn't exactly clad in the most party appropriate attire.
"Umm," She hummed, struck with a sudden sense of insecurity. She panned over to the booming party behind Sasuke, eying the make-upped girls in body-con dresses and heels, those in fancy blouses with high-waisted jeans and booties, and the plethora of attractive men in button-down shirts with slick hair.
"C'mon," Sasuke urged, "I don't have all day."
"You don't have all night," Sakura corrected, burying her concerns and gingerly crawling over the divide toward the festivities. She briefly contemplated—again— whether she should turn back, though before she could there was an iron grip around her wrist, her mysterious dark haired host leading her to the bar and offering her a full shot of tequila.
Oh my god, no. Do we really have to start off with… this? I absolutely hate tequila, Sakura cried, accepting the tiny glass and sniffing its contents, This shit gets me fucked up way too fast. I haven't 'partied' in forever so my tolerance is probably like that of a baby monkey. I'm in way over my head right now.
Sasuke watched his new pink-haired drinking buddy with amusement, acutely aware of her grimace and finding the way her tiny nose crunched up to be oddly adorable. Maybe it was the 8 or so ounces of liquor beginning to cloud his intellect, but he had to admit; Sakura was likely the cutest girl he had ever met, bar none. He didn't know what exactly made him feel that way— he had met many drop-dead gorgeous women in his life, though none ever prompted him to go out of his element. Sure, he had planned on stepping out of his box a bit that night, though not enough to blatantly invite a girl over— and in the most pathetic way to say the least. Perhaps it was a combination of that, the liquor, and that fact that he found Sakura so fascinating, that got him in this situation to begin with.
"Don't chicken out on me," He said, raising his shot towards her. A sliver of decency deep within him caused him to question— very briefly— whether it was right for him to be pressuring this stranger into consuming alcohol. Objectively he knew it wasn't right, however, Sasuke didn't feel so guilty when it came to Sakura— she seemed like the kind of girl who wouldn't do something if she didn't really want to. Then again, they weren't quite friends yet, so he could be completely off in his prediction. Of course, his ego was what gave him comfort in that respect— when was Sasuke ever wrong?
"Right back atcha," Sakura retorted fiercely, meeting his gesture. With a ceremonious clink, the two threw their heads back, a single shot of tequila marking the beginning of what was to be a long, long night. Sakura suppressed a gag as the poisonous liquid burned her throat and slipped leisurely into the pit of her stomach.
"You good?" Sasuke gauged, onyx eyes surveying her with something akin to worry. It was so easy to read her when her face was so goddamn expressive. Another reason he found her to be so, so amusing.
"Never better," Sakura croaked, wiping her lips on the back of her hand.
Lies. She shivered, That was awful.
Despite 'claiming' that she would go shot for shot with Sasuke— the fault of her impulsive competitive nature, and a bluff that neither of them actually believed— Sakura was thankful that Sasuke didn't offer her another drink, and instead lead her over to a tiny sitting area not unlike her own. This one was more spacious with nearly unused, matching furniture. His terrace was Eden-like in comparison— there was an ample amount of light emitted by tiny lanterns strung overhead, enough flora in the corners to complement the brownstone and red of the seat cushions, and not to mention the hipster-looking bar. The ambiance was authentic, daresay homey, even with the blaring mix of EDM and pop music playing from the portable speaker in the corner. All in all, it was not as try-hard as she initially thought.
The pair sat, Sakura on one seat and Sasuke on the adjacent.
"So," Sakura chatted, "what do you do?"
Sasuke looked confused, or rather, that was how Sakura thought he looked. In truth, it was difficult to read the intensely blank stare he gave her, the only real indication of expression being the subtle movement of his lower eyelids.
"Do you work, or….?" She tried to clarify, trailing off though desperately trying to avoid awkwardness.
"I'm a student," he responded, and Sakura's face lit up like a kid in a candy shop.
"No way," She beamed, "me too! Where do you study?"
"Konoha University," Sasuke answered, watching the way Sakura's glee grew ten-fold. His glossy eyes— the only indication that he had any alcohol in his system whatsoever— looked over her in silent amusement, "Senior undergrad in Economics."
"I'm going to be studying at KU this fall, too! I'll be a senior transfer," Sakura gushed even further, her cheeks glowing at the news of other students. Being located in the heart of one of the most populous cities in the region, Sakura assumed she would never get to meet anyone before the semester began. The thought had bummed her out, since a good part of her first— and last— year at KU would mean trying to make new friends.
"Yeah?" Sasuke inquired, "That's unheard of. Studying?"
"Biology," She responded, a small grin in place, "Sadly, they don't accept senior transfers into the pre-med program."
"I see. You want to be a doctor," Sasuke stated.
"Yup!"
Sasuke nodded, his glossy eyes looking her over once again. Does he think I can't see this, or is he just drunk, Sakura mused. She felt as if she should feel uncomfortable under his stare, but in all honesty, she was flattered. He moved to rest his elbows on his knees.
"Seems like you skipped a few core classes, like middle school Health," He noted, pointing at her unattended cuts from earlier that day, blood dried and scabbing.
"These were your fault" Sakura accused hotly, "I just didn't get a chance to patch them up yet."
"Some doctor. I don't think I'd trust you to fix me up if you can't even fix yourself," Sasuke teased. Green eyes narrowed in on him like a white spotlight in a dark theatre— a really hot spotlight that wished to melt the smirk right off his face and have the stagehands mop it up afterward. How dare he insult her aspirations.
"I wouldn't fix you if your life depended on it," Sakura spat, turning her head away defiantly— away from that infuriatingly pervasive smugness. It drove her crazy, she'd be damned if she had to put up with it all night. Absently, Sakura wondered what time it was, and cursed herself when she realized that she had left her phone to charge in her apartment.
I have a feeling I'm going to be here way longer than I anticipated…
"Look at 'em," Naruto gushed from afar, "So cute. We need to sabotage them."
"I don't understand your obsession with torturing Sasuke," Shikamaru criticized, sipping from his red solo cup, "It's weird and unhealthy."
"Hey," The blonde defended, "I want the best for Sasuke— he knows that."
"Does he? I'm surprised the man hasn't strangled you yet," Kiba added, shaking his head, "Just for being you."
"I like having a little fun, that's all," Naruto continued, eying the pink and raven haired couple, who had made their way to the bar once again, "Okay, so here's the plan—"
"There's no plan, Naruto," Shikamaru interjected sternly, "Let them be."
"C'mon," The blonde whined, "Don't be a buzz kill, Shikamaru."
"Who even is that girl?" A newcomer, a fairly stout one by the name of Chouji, inquired, "Sasuke's new chick?"
"We ran into her earlier today, literally. And by we, I mean Sasuke," Naruto explained, breaking away from his stalking to address the group, "Sasuke always has a stick up his ass when it comes to women, but I think for once he actually kinda likes this girl."
"All the more reason not to intervene," Shikamaru stated. Why Naruto always had to be an idiot, he didn't know. They had been friends for long enough for him to know that yes, Naruto was habitually senseless, however, Shikamaru knew the blonde was nowhere near as idiotic as he made himself out to be. He just had a daft sense of humor that seemed to trump his sense of affability, and an innate aversion to peace.
"All the more reason to intervene!" Naruto hissed, and Shikamaru sighed, "Where is your sense of camaraderie?"
"Do you even know the meaning of camaraderie," Shikamaru deadpanned, though the blonde continued, ignoring his jab, per usual.
"She also happens to live right across from you guys," Naruto informed, wiggling his eyebrows.
"No way!" Kiba bubbled, excited at the idea of having a new neighbor. After a moment, however, his enthusiasm evaporated into confusion, "Wait… with that art-freak? In 4A?"
"Poor soul," Chouji sympathized.
"I dunno, maybe he moved out or something. But at least she's cooler than he is," Naruto said.
"Better be. I don't want to deal with another one of those crazy chicks you and Kiba always get involved with," Shikamaru yawned, scratching his face. His nonchalant, bored tone made the statement appear like less of an insult and more as a fact. At the moment, Shikamaru was bored out of his mind and absolutely done with this topic of conversation. To be honest, he could care less about this girl and didn't quite see all the hype.
"She's gotta be cool if she grabbed Uchiha's attention," Chouji added, and while that may have been true, it didn't convince Shikamaru to be any more or less enthused.
"Hey!" Naruto howled, the full sting of Shikamaru's 'statement' finally setting in, "Are you saying I have bad taste in women?!"
"Yeah! What're you tryna say, Shikamaru?!" Kiba joined, crossing his arms indignantly.
"Nothing," Shikamaru exhaled, the combination of babysitting Naruto and jet-lag leaving him feeling utterly exhausted, "So she's our new neighbor. Cool. Are we going to introduce ourselves? If not, I'm going home."
In less than ten minutes, Shikamaru regretted ever suggesting that they throw a party that night. At some point, the idea had been appealing, like the idea of eating food when you're really hungry, but now he just wanted to go home and smoke.
"Ughh," Sakura coughed, the aftermath of having downed two shots in a row, "You guys are savages."
"What?" Sasuke questioned, leaning an elbow on the bar's wooden surface, turning to face Sakura. She looked up at him, ignoring how unsanitary it was for him to put his elbow there and instead noticing his closer-than-normal proximity. His eyes were glossier, cheeks pinker, yet still, his expression betrayed his body-language— remaining stern, "sober-like", and almost inquisitively focused on her.
"You. This," Sakura gestured to the shot glasses, slurring her words, "We are drinkin' straight Jose Cuervo. Where the limes at? And salt? Savage, I tell you— freshman year, puking in your dorm room, savage. As of-legal-drinking-age adults, we are above this."
Oh boy, Sakura thought, recalling the words that just left her mouth. She felt her body loosen and her conversational-filter diminish, I'm really starting to feel it now. RIP social skills.
"You're right," Sasuke smirked, "We should move on to something else. I can splurge our liquor cabinet inside and see what we can get."
"Wow, so generous. I thought I was just your shot-for-shot buddy," Sakura piped, innocently batting her lashes.
"You were, but," He said leaning toward her, his voice softening almost to a purr. He paused to let his eyes scan Sakura's face and neck for probably the tenth time that evening— it would have been twenty had he not practiced some sort of self-restraint— "I'll extend my invitation."
Sasuke himself was shocked at how blatantly he had flirted with the girl. Even while intoxicated he often kept his conversations controlled, closed-off but not offputtingly so, coy but not too coy. Granted, enough alcohol drastically lowers inhibitions in almost anyone. Still, the burning sexual desire within Sasuke's chest was overwhelming, even for him.
He locked eyes with Sakura, subconsciously biting the inside of his lip. It was a drunk habit he resorted to in times of serious restraint, "I used to bartend a bit, I'll make you a cocktail. What's your favorite?" He exhaled through his nose heavily, the air tickling Sakura's cheeks. She blushed, peering up at him through long lashes and taking note of the way he nibbled the corner of his mouth. It was turning her on and Sasuke wasn't even trying.
"Sex on the Beach?" Sasuke breathed.
Sakura scowled, somewhat rattled at the sudden change of mood.
Oh, my God. She inwardly eye rolled. Seriously, Sasuke? Men and their lame pick-up lines and desperate sweet talking. Where'd you learn that one from, a 90's sitcom? Great delivery, buy shitty content. If you weren't so goddamn good-looking I would teach you how to properly wingman yourself… Fuck, he's staring at me. Don't let him fluster you, Sakura. Damn it, what should I do? Flirt back?
Before Sakura could calm herself enough to deliberate a conclusion, she found herself staring her dark-haired companion dead in the eye, blurting the first words that came to mind, "Nice try, not my favorite though. Sex on the Beach isn't all that bad, but," she paused, assessing Sasuke with a grimace, "my expectations aren't very high so I would rather pass on that one."
Sasuke's onyx eyes froze and his lungs stopped working mid-breath.
Wait a second.
Did she just hint that… Sasuke was bad at…?
Sasuke's lower eyelid twitched. She definitely just said that, he mused, his lips slightly agape at her discreet affront. Objectively, sex on the beach kinda sucks— it's cold and sand gets into uncomfortable bodily crevices— but Sasuke was sure as hell that his sex on the beach trumped that of any average guy. No. Fucking. Doubt.
He could also make a mean drink, but that's irrelevant.
Sasuke let the insult sink but had nothing to say. He was caught off guard— a truly rare occurrence, it was a shame Sakura had no clue.
"Daiquiris are more up my alley," the pink-aired guest continued, oblivious to the stunned and now slightly insecure Sasuke, "What about yours? No, wait, lemme guess: Pussy Café?"
Sasuke blinked. As someone who had taken French in high school and was fairly knowledgeable in mixology, he was one hundred percent sure she had said that wrong. Pousse Café, not… Pussy Café. Like with her previous slander, she was so subtle he almost thought he missed it. Sasuke couldn't tell if it was intentional on her part or not, though felt inclined to believe the former.
"Pussy Café," He repeated slowly, cautiously watching her expression, "Never heard of that one before."
"Really?" Sakura responded, not seeming very surprised, "You strike me as the kind of guy who'd know a lot about it."
"Really?" He mocked.
"Really. You know, at first glance you kind of seem like the broody musician-type who has a closet-obsession with cats and likes to visit coffee shops a lot. You see? Cats and coffee? Pussy, café? Put two and two together and you get Pussy Café! Well, I guess it's technically Pousse Café, but I figured you would identify more with the former expression."
Sakura didn't know what to make of Sasuke's reaction, especially when he realized that she could, in fact, pronounce Pousse Café correctly and knew it didn't involve cats – confusion, offense, anger? Whatever it was, he didn't look pleased. The flirty, witty air had begun to dissipate, and with it came Sasuke's dangerously narrowing eyes.
Given his previous experience in the dating scene, Sasuke was reasonably peeved— he just wasn't used to being insulted by a presumed-bachelorette that he had so ardently flirted with. Sasuke rarely ever had to try to win over a girl, that is, on the rare occasions that Sasuke did flirt. A simple word or two sent most girls swooning. It was the shock of Sakura not being like other girls that made him so disconcertingly irritated.
Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed.
"I told you I used to bartend, so yes, I do know a lot about Pussy—" He replied calmly yet visibly annoyed, "I mean, Pousse— Café. It's another common drink. But contrary to what you believe, I don't like cats, and I only tolerate coffee shops."
It was silent for a moment. Sakura suppressed a grin as she held his intense gaze. He seemed uncomfortable, daresay vulnerable— he had shared something about himself and that made her happy, even if it was something as insignificant as not liking cats.
Noted, Sakura thought, grin widening, Time for me to get a cat.
"And it's not my favorite," He said after a minute, his face finally easing back to its typical haughtiness, "Whiskey sour is."
"Damn, I was so close!" Sakura teased, "Whiskey sour is kinda ballsy, not gonna lie I'm impressed. It's definitely an acquired taste I do not have yet," she grimaced at the thought, "My next guess would've been Tequila Sunrise. Only because it seems like you really enjoy tequila."
Sakura would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy this little Game of Insults she had going on with Sasuke. It was refreshing to be able to talk like this with a guy, to be witty and then to be out-wit. Of course, not everything they said to each other was grounds for offense, and in fact, the alternation between seduction, wit, and honesty was part of the reason she found it so invigorating.
She wondered if he felt the same way…
"By the way, my Sex on the Beach is better than you think," Sasuke added quietly, turning his head to avoid eye contact, "Just so you know."
"Don't sulk, I was only joking before," Sakura laughed. She loved how he kept referring to the drink as 'his' Sex on the Beach, undoubtedly emphasizing the innuendo. It was hilarious how easily bruised his ego could be, "Well, half-joking. You sound confident though so I guess it couldn't be that bad. My expectations were already low, remember? That gives you an advantage."
"I don't need an advantage."
"Ok then, Sir Brag A Lot. Don't disappoint."
"I won't," He smirked, the metal onyx of his eyes softening.
"If you do, I get to make your next drink," Sakura wagered, simpering, "One solo cup of whatever concoction I want."
"If I don't, you have to drink Whiskey sours for the rest of the night."
"Ugh," Sakura blurted, sticking out her tongue in disgust. Her nose crunched cutely, green eyes blinking in deep thought. Whiskey sours are so gross! Do you really wanna put yourself through that? You know his Sex on the Beach is probably bomb as hell. But then again, just look at that smug face. You can't let him win.
Sasuke looked at her expectantly. Over the course of their conversation – the flirting, the arguing, and all— he had shifted to and fro, retracting himself a bit. However, he was now back to where he had settled at the beginning of their bickering, a foot away and inching in dangerously close.
"Fine," Sakura surrendered, "Shake on it?"
Sasuke offered his hand and Sakura reached for it, the tips of her fingers grazing his palm and the pad of her thumb brushing the top of his hand before circling around —
"LOOK WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE!"
Sakura jumped, pulling her arm back instinctively. She turned to spot Naruto, disheveled blonde tresses and drunken, cheeky grin, approaching the bar from the crowd with arms open in feigned disbelief. Three foreign faces trailed behind him.
"I see you decided to come to the dark side. What made you change your mind? Was it something the bastard said?" Naruto spoke, before attempting a whisper, "Not that I'm complaining but sometimes he says evil things when he's drunk. I'd be careful with him, you might become possessed, or even worse, infatuated. Not to mention he just looks evil and has tiny hands. Didn't your parents ever tell you not to trust people with tiny hands?"
Sasuke wanted to face palm himself. No, he wanted to face palm Naruto. Scratch that, he wanted to punch Naruto. Right in the mouth.
"Well, I wasn't able to go to my AA meeting this week, so I gave into temptation pretty quick," Sakura chuckled, saving Naruto from a trip to the dentist.
"I don't know what that means, but glad you made it here anyway!" The blonde bellowed, a drunken happiness in his blushed face that was both endearing and contagious, "Sorry to interrupt,"— Sasuke knew that was a lie— "but I have some friend's that I'd like to introduce you to."
Naruto stepped to the side, motioning to the three unfamiliar faces that had followed him, "These dudes live right across from you!"
"Hi. I'm Kiba," A boy with choppy brown hair said with a wink, "Nice to meet ya."
"I'm Chouji," said the shortest of the three, a stout man with a thick build and a cheeky grin.
"Shikamaru," said the last— a straight-faced looking one with black hair pulled into a bun, "Welcome to the neighborhood."
For what felt like the umpteenth time, Sakura's face lit up in glee. The thought of having more friends in such a vast city, and to have them in close proximity, was a dream come true. Perhaps amplified by the liquor in her system, she was excited beyond belief.
Quickly, she attempted to commit each name and face to memory. She was never really good with names and doing so while intoxicated made it all the more difficult.
"Wait, you guys live in 4B?" Sakura smiled, "I had been meaning to go introduce myself but never got the chance. I didn't think anyone was home."
"Don't worry about it," Kiba responded, "We were out of town until today, anyway."
Kiba— Mmm, he's kinda cute. Very confident, but not as bad as Sasuke. Has a hairstyle like Naruto's, and whoa look at those canines. Not sure if that turns me on or not. Oh. He just winked again. Hello, wolf-boy.
"We'll it's nice to finally meet you all. I'm Sakura," She waved, giving a small smile to each one before panning over to look for Naruto and Sasuke, the latter of which appeared frozen in the same position, simply watching the exchange, "How do you guys know each other?"
"We went to Konoha Academy together," Chouji answered. Sakura recognized the name as one of the most selective private schools in the area and a haven for rich kids of the city.
Chouji— He seems very friendly and has an immaculate smile. Also, he's the shortest one, and short guys are always the nicest. Really light auburn hair, longer than Kiba's and slicked back. Baby faced, could do with some facial hair. The era of beards hasn't left us yet!
"We pretty much wouldn't be friends if we didn't join the football team, though," Naruto added, and then again attempted at a whisper toward Sakura, "You know, forced team bonding and all. I don't actually like any of them. Fuckin' benchwarmers."
"Says the freshman year water boy," Kiba taunted.
"Okay, so you were a hydrated benchwarmer, big whoop," Naruto spat, "Water is essential for optimal performance, I was basically the reason we won that season."
"Bitch, please," Kiba clucked, "You're not that special."
"Water boy, to Division I, real quick. Bow down to blonde Drake, peasant," Naruto boasted, brushing Kiba aside and basking in his own glory. Sakura suppressed a laugh at the exchange, while everyone else appeared significantly less amused.
"Impressive," Sakura said, fueling Naruto's ego, much to the other males chagrin, "You play Division I for KU?"
"Yes, ma'am," Naruto beamed, thumbing toward Sasuke, "Only the bastard and I continued into college."
Hmm, Sasuke hadn't mentioned this yet…
"Which football exactly? American or European?" She asked.
"Football, you know, the one where you run," Naruto elucidated— though didn't quite clarify anything at all, leaving a bewildered Sakura.
"American football," Sasuke corrected, muttering, "You run in both, idiot."
"Isn't there only one kind of football, though?" Naruto inquired as he scanned the group with drunken, lost eyes, looking for some sort of affirmation.
"No," Kiba grumbled, face palming, "This is why people think Americans are dumb."
"What's the difference?"
"They're two different sports. You play American football, I play the other football," Kiba explained.
"Ultimate Frisbee is the other football?!" Naruto exclaimed, melodramatically feigning shock.
Kiba turned red.
"For the last time, I don't play Ultimate Frisbee!" He snarled, grabbing Naruto by the collar, "And stop telling girls that I do, or I'll make sure you won't be able to run for either sport."
Naruto chuckled evilly, and Sakura couldn't tell if he was actually dumb, or just playing dumb to fuck with his friends. Either way, it was pretty entertaining.
"Fine, fine," Naruto gave in, and Kiba released his grip, "So soccer is the other football. I got it. Next, you're going to tell me soccer is the other Ultimate Frisbee."
Kiba's face ignited again, and for a moment it looked as if he was going to strangle Naruto.
"There's nothing wrong with playing Ultimate Frisbee," Sakura offered, struggling to stem her giggle. The statement didn't seem to placate Kiba, in fact, it only appeared to make things worse, so she added, "Though soccer is pretty cool, too."
That seemed to help a bit.
"So you're all KU athletes I'm assuming?" She continued, moving forward with the conversation in hopes of preventing them from stepping on each other's toes any further.
"Hah," The boy named Chouji chimed, "Far from it."
"Yeah," Shikamaru drawled, alternating his thumb to gesture between himself and his chubby companion, "We're not."
Shikamaru— … I can't tell if he's ridiculously arrogant, or just bored. Confusing... He's been quiet this whole time. Too cool for school, maybe? Resting asshole face? I dunno. He has a very monotone voice, kinda makes me sleepy. Like c'mon bro you're at a party, have fun! He's probably upset because the man-bun phase is over and he hasn't moved on yet. I feel you dude, I get attached to my hair too.
"Cool. I'm not really much of one either," Sakura admitted.
"But hey, we caught you on that run earlier today," Naruto jumped in, teasing, "You closet-athlete."
"Nahh," She confided, "I'm just trying to hop on that fitness craze this summer. I just started so I'm pretty bad."
"Well, if you ever want a workout buddy, Sas-cunt and I work out daily," Naruto said, extending his thumb and pinky in a "call-me" gesture, adding a wink for good measure, "We can, or I can, show you the ropes, jafeel?"
"Go crawl back into your man-cave, douche-Magee," Kiba groaned, rolling his eyes. He turned to Sakura, "And if you ever get tired of hearing shit like that, just come over to 4B, where the normal people are."
"Yeah," Choji added, "We won't make you feel bad about not meeting your macros for the day."
"Thanks," Sakura chuckled. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she felt herself becoming peculiarly attached to this group of miscreants— the way they interacted with each other was endearing, even the bickering had its own level of hilarity that she couldn't get enough of. Although she hadn't quite befriended them yet, she was suddenly looking forward to whatever adventures (or misadventures) lay ahead for them this summer.
Shots, cocktails, socialize, flirt with Sasuke, laugh at Kiba and Naruto, shots, chaser, socialize, slap the bag, search for food, flirt with Sasuke, insult Sasuke, socialize, laugh at Kiba and Naruto, placate Kiba, placate Naruto, propose to drink more, proceed to drink more, sit down.
Such was the rough order of events of Sakura's blurry night, the chronology of which was becoming increasingly difficult to remember. Each passing hour resulted in lowered inhibitions, and that only seemed to make room for more alcohol to be consumed — that was where the vicious cycle began and ended. Sakura vaguely remembered meeting various different people. Naruto and her neighbors from 4B were in and out of the conversation, here and there. Two of them went home some time ago— what were their names again?— while Naruto and Kiba the wolf-boy seemed to hop from one circle to the next, while Sasuke and Sakura never quite left each other's presence. Soon enough everyone was leaving to go to some bar or club.
"Ayyye," Naruto sang as he wobbled over to Sasuke and Sakura, who had taken refuge from the crowd on the patio chairs, "you guys down to head out?"
Sakura, wishing she had counted the number of alcoholic beverages she had consumed, strained to gauge her level of drunkenness.
Fuuuuck, Her mind whirled, I'm usually not this bad at holding my liquor. I usually know when to stop. Wait, I did stop. Yeah, I remember, I did. But I'm still so fucking drunk it's embarrassing… Surprised I haven't blacked out yet…
"Umm," Sakura slurred, "'m good, actu'lly."
"Same," Sasuke said, though not nearly as slurred, it was quite clear he intoxicated.
"Aiight, suit yourselves," Naruto hummed, shooting Sasuke an impeccably blatant eyebrow wiggle, causing Sakura's cheeks to burn, before disappearing with the crowd. In minutes the two were completely alone, surrounded only by the late night calls of the city and a refreshing summer breeze. Sakura leaned against the back of her chair and gazed dreamily at the sky.
"Ya know," She droned, "The one thing I don' like 'bout the city is that you can never see the stars."
Sasuke was silent for a moment.
"I've never seen the stars," He divulged, and Sakura's head whipped down, her mouth agape.
"Never?!" She gasped. Sasuke shook his head.
"Born and raised as a city kid," He uttered, sounding almost… bitter, "The family was never that into nature or anything."
"Not even on like, a vacation or somethin'?"
He shook his head again.
Sakura was baffled— how could anyone live without seeing the stars? It was a sad existence indeed, though an existence that he somehow endured.
"'m sorry," She offered, a soft smile in place, "That sucks. You'll see 'em one day, and when you do your mind will be blown. Seriously, 's totally worth it."
The two sat in silence for a few more minutes, studying the sky. Suddenly, Sakura stood, steadying herself before moving toward the terrace divide, with Sasuke quickly following.
"I should get going. 's getting late," She announced, swinging a leg over the edge of the roof, "Or… at least I think 's getting late?"
"Woah, what the hell are you doing?" Sasuke blurted, latching onto Sakura's upper arm. The electric-like contact prompted Sakura to slowly meet his gaze, green hazy eyes meeting his glossy onyx ones. She stared at him curiously, biting the corner of her lip.
"Goin' home?" She murmured.
"Over the ledge?" Sasuke gave a haughty chuckle, "Not while drunk you won't. I'll walk you home."
"What? No, 's fine," Sakura protested, feeling herself grow irritated at his unrivaled self-assurance, "'s literally a slab of flat cement, what could possibly happen?"
"I'll walk you home," He repeated sternly, leading her away from the ledge and towards the terrace entrance. Sakura would've put up resistance had she greater control of her limbs— though, on the plus side, the resentment that bubbled within her from his forcefulness was a good agent in sobering her up, instead allowing her to gradually regain some control over her words.
"Sasukeee," She whined, trailing behind him, "What the fuck, man? I can take care of myself. I've been way drunker than this and have done way more dangerous shit than climbing over a flat surface."
"Stop talking," He ordered. Now he was the one getting annoyed.
"Ya know, you should come with a warning label," She continued, in spite. Sasuke raised a brow, though remained silent, leading her down the helix staircase inside. If Sakura had been in a clearer state of mind, she might have been able to appreciate its pristine interior and marvel at how lavish he was living. Alas, she was consumed not only by alcohol but also by exasperation.
"Warning: Do not go shot for shot with. Comes with huge ego, will get you drunk and then boss you around. Too haughty for his own good,"
"Too hot for his own good?" Sasuke smirked.
"'Haughty'," She groused, "I said 'haughty'."
Sasuke led her through the kitchen and halted at the refrigerator, momentarily leaving Sakura's side to retrieve two glasses of water. As he handed her a cup Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle at her expression— face, sunken in defeat, she looked like a child on the verge of a temper tantrum. She quietly sipped her water, glaring daggers at her capturer.
"By the way," Sasuke uttered between sips, "You did not go shot for shot with me."
Sakura's glare widened dangerously, the green in it so glistening sharply and the sudden buildup of rage so hot that he thought she might be turning into the Incredible Hulk.
"Excuse me, Señor Fuck Face, but are you questioning my ability to carry alcohol?"
"Those cocktails weren't as strong as you think they were," He enlightened, smirking into his cup, "Lightweight."
It was true; Sasuke had intentionally given her less alcohol in nearly eighty percent of her drinks— shots, cocktails, wine, you name it. He had even made a few of her drinks virgin, to which she would follow up with a compliment about his mixology skills, saying things like, 'you can't even taste the alcohol!', and 'you've gotta teach me how to make this'. Sasuke's grin widened at the memory.
"You little punk, messing with my drinks," She frowned, "I knew you couldn't be trusted."
He hadn't done so out of spite. After witnessing her first two shots, he had made the decision to cut her some slack— or a lot of slack. After all, he didn't want her to end up in the ER, and too much alcohol wasn't fun, anyways.
"Well, if you remember correctly, I never explicitly said that I would go shot or shot with you," Sakura countered, finishing her water and placing the glass on the counter.
"You implied it, many times."
"Go ahead, rub more salt into the wound," She pressed, rolling her eyes.
"As if you don't have enough salt already," He sneered, the corner of his lip twitching up at her, again, priceless reaction.
Sakura crossed her arms in a huff, shaking her head. Who is this little fucker, and why does he think he can rile me up like this, without any consequences? Oh, you better watch your back, Sasuke, I'll get you when I'm sober.
Ire aside, Sakura was genuinely surprised at how fluid their conversation had become. It seemed the two were sobering up quite quickly— still drunk— though a 'happy-medium' drunk, as Sakura termed it, where you still have the missing inhibitions but aren't a complete hot mess. Their slurs were faint, virtually undetectable.
"I'm getting tired," Sakura yawned, "Can we go?"
"Yeah," Sasuke acknowledged, "One sec."
Without another word, he disappeared down a long hallway. A white light flickered on, flooding the corridor momentarily before being turned off. Sasuke emerged from the darkness with a tiny box in hand— a pack of Band-Aids.
"Sit up here," He motioned to the kitchen counter.
Sakura froze, eyes confusedly shooting between the Band-Aids in hand, to Sasuke's face, and then slowly down to her injured knees. When Sakura realized what the Band-Aids were for, she was at a loss of words; hell, she was at a loss of thoughts. Was he trying to... apologize for earlier that day? Or create an intimate moment? A kiss and makeup, with an emphasis on the kiss? She couldn't comprehend his motivations, nor decipher his expression or body-language. He seemed hesitant, but Sakura couldn't be sure. Sasuke was an enigma to her. One second she thought he wanted to be just friends, and another it seemed he wanted to be something more. Which was it?
Or perhaps he was just entirely interested in sex. Sakura wasn't the type to sleep around with just anyone, and the notion that he could be toying with her emotions simply to get her in bed was hurtful— and he wouldn't be the first boy to deceive her this way. Is that why he had been stalling her from going home? In her college career, there are been several to deceive her similarly— which was why she steered clear of intimate relations with college buffoons. They typically didn't seek meaningful connections, and when she did, it only left her heartbroken.
This was different than the harmless flirting, the banter, the slinging wit. Sakura had seen enough romcoms to know that, regardless of how insignificant putting a Band-Aid on someone may seem, that, unless you are a medical practitioner or a friend, it is usually an incredibly intimate gesture. It was sweet of Sasuke, definitely. But why?
While her mind was circling around the possibilities of Sasuke's intentions, Sakura's heart was pounding so fast she felt it may jump out of her chest.
"I can't walk straight, and you except me to hop up there?" She joked, hoping to mask her panic. As if sensing her distress and spiting her, Sasuke's fingers encircled her waist and in one swift, effortless motion he lifted her into place. The warmth of his hands around her torso— a feeling which she undeniably enjoyed— disappeared to work on the abrasions on her knees, most of which had begun to scab over.
Though, as Sasuke began to place a Band-Aid on one wound, he was stopped by hands much smaller than his.
"We should clean it first," Sakura whispered, though she already knew neither of them had the intention to do so, "So it doesn't get infected..."
Sasuke peered at her from beneath his ebony bangs, and for the first time, Sakura truly got to appreciate his beauty; the cheek bones, the jaw, the striking brows, smooth pale skin, and of course the lava-like eyes. Her stomach erupted into a storm of butterflies at the way his gaze shifted slowly from her lips to her dilated pupils. He was truly a work of God's art, and it made being in Sakura's position all the more difficult.
While Sakura's eyes were occupied wandering his face, Sasuke had relocated his body in between her legs, placing his hands on either side of her. He moved gently, cautious to keep minimum contact with her, if any at all. The only skin to skin contact came as he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers. Sakura felt his hot breath on her face, a delicious mix of lime and mint, their lips inches apart— but he stopped there.
He was waiting.
Why was he waiting?
He's waiting for you to do something.
Sakura froze. Was this really happening? Was she about to kiss this guy, this stranger, who she had known for less than a day? Sure, she was attracted to him, and he to her, but could she really do it?
No. She couldn't. As much as she wanted to close the distance, whether, for lack of self-confidence or lack of confidence in him, she could not bring herself any further. Not when she had been deceived so many times before, and by guys that were half of what Sasuke was— Sakura reasoned it'd only hurt twice as much.
A few moments had passed before Sasuke pulled back, his usually smirking face looking uncharacteristically tired, disappointed even. Shit, Sakura frowned, the sight making her regret her hesitancy. Despite not being what he had hope, he had honored her decision— she appreciated that, but still, Sakura had to remind herself that the decision was nothing to feel guilty about. He respected your boundaries. Just because he did that and most guys don't doesn't mean you owe him anything.
"We should go," Sasuke muttered, and with a nod, the two ambled out the door. True to his word, Sasuke walked her back to her apartment, leaning against the frame as she wrested the door open. Presumably, Sai had left it open for her, and Sakura thanked the Art gods and prayed they bless him on his next project because her situation would've become unbearably awkward otherwise.
"Don't be a stranger," Sasuke offered, although rather aloofly.
"Yeah yeah," Sakura quipped, "See ya around, asshole."
Sasuke began making his way to the staircase, raising his hand beside him— it reminded Sakura of their encounter earlier that day, except this time he wasn't flipping her off.
"Hey," She called after him, smiling shyly. The broody man glanced over his shoulder curiously, "I just realized, of all the cocktails we drank not one was a Sex on the Beach. We forgot about our bet."
"We never shook on it," Sasuke admitted, recalling their interruption.
"Oh," Sakura trailed off, glancing at the hardwood floor. Sasuke stood patiently, expectantly, focusing on the way she pressed her lips to the corner of her mouth uneasily, "Right. Well then, let's shake on it now before we forget again. For next time."
Before she could even peek up at him Sasuke appeared merely feet away, one hand extended and the other coolly resting in his pocket. Sakura took it in her own firmly, the warmth of his palm traveling up her arm and into the pit of her stomach.
"I had fun tonight," She smiled, her pearly green eyes so inviting and pure Sasuke couldn't help by smile back.
"Obviously. You were with me," He smirked, squeezing her hand. Sakura rolled her eyes, backing into her apartment.
"Goodnight," she said sternly, hiding her smile.
As the door closed, Sakura could see the corner of Sasuke's mouth twitch ever so slightly— and she thought perhaps maybe, amid the awkwardness, that the two of them had hope.
You're not half bad, Sasuke. Not bad at all.
A/N: Heya! Thanks for reading! Damn this took me forever to write… I know its super long, but I hope you enjoyed it!
Please review if you can and let me know what you think! I have the next chapter planned out, so hopefully, I can get that out soon.
Best
- Mia
PS: Sorry for grammar/spelling errors.
PPS: Below is a little rant I have concerning college relationship, ect. Feel free to skip it, especially if it does not / will not apply to you. Cheers!
***Cue little side rant on college relationships***
** This is in response to the Band-Aid scene, and Sakura's thought process for deciding AGAINST kissing Sasuke (aka the reason I didn't want them to hook up so soon)**
I put myself in Sakura's shoes in this situation— As a current college senior, I feel for Sakura when it comes to all this crazy boy stuff, and I largely model her opinions on it after my own (guilty!). In my experience at college, a lot of guys were little shits that would only be friendly to me so they could (try to, and sometimes successfully) get in my pants. I naturally tend to befriend more guys than girls, so when it turned out that more than half of those friendships were falsely created on the assumption that they could get some ass from it, it was really hurtful, not only to my self-esteem, but also my own value as a woman. The strategy they use is: they befriend (months of hanging out), get you drunk, attempt to hook up, and then make you feel bad for stopping the hook up or not hooking up with them at all. Thinking back on it, I wondered how exactly boys could make you "feel bad" for not doing something you never wanted to do. After some reflection, I concluded that it stemmed from this stupid social construct that both men and women believe while in college (and out of college), that if a guy/girl is nice to you, you owe him/her something. You would be surprised at how many people believe(d) this, myself included. There was a subconscious guilt I felt upon refusing to hook up with said guy/friend, simply because he had always been nothing but nice to me. Sounds stupid when you write it out, no? I'm being one hundred percent transparent about this, though— this sick delusion that young men and women have about the so called "sexual obligation" is real, damaging, and needs to stop.
Be careful out there ladies (and guys! Because this can also go the other way around). I'm not saying Sasuke is a bad guy here at all, (I think I've made it clear that he's a pretty good guy), just giving some life advice and some defense as to why I didn't want Sakura to jump the gun with Sasuke. College guys are dicks. Not all of them, but a good majority. I had the impression going into college that if you were friends and ended up hooking up with each other, then that meant there was a mutual desire to be something more than friends. NOPE doesn't always work like that apparently. It was me being caught up in the college "hook up culture", while not actually wanting to participate in it. If you want to participate, power to you! But don't be like me, seeking a "dating culture" within the "hook up culture".
Ironically enough, my boyfriend and I started dating because we hooked up one drunken night. I'd been friends with him for three years before. So I guess you just need to judge people for yourself haha anyways that's the end of my rant. I figured if any high school senior or rising college freshman read this then it may enlighten (or warn) them. Then again, I'm not sure if the content of my story is really appropriate for that age group… Oh well haha
Live long and prosper peeps