I've recently read a comment given to me by pinkmz on aff . net and clicked on the link she provided. Let me just say that I had no idea that people were having problems accessing that site and therefore can't read A Full Circle there, which is more updated than the one here. Having been raised by liberal parents who never barred me from much, thus allowing me very early in life to know which lines I shouldn't cross and currently being over twenty-one, the idea never entered my mind, really. Plus, my stories are for a more mature audience, so I didn't see the issue.
However, I understand the situation. In fact, I'm honored that you guys are really interested with this story. A Full Circle for me, from the very beginning, has been a labor of love and I'd always thought that reviews or not, I will continue to write it even if I'm the only one reading it. I'm glad to see that this is clearly not the case and would like to thank you for spurring me on to write faster and better with your kind remarks.
Concerning the issue, I will try to update A Full Circle here a bit more quickly. There was also a remark that I should bring my other stories here, which, I'm sorry, but I can't. The sexual content in them is much too high for fanfiction . net and I don't want to risk being reprimanded by administrators. However, I've recently started a WordPress blog (url on my profile page), where all of my stories are posted. Due to the format changes that aff . net has made (which I'm not very comfortable with) and because of the restrictions here, I will soon start to focus more on my blog, where I will have more control. Hence, the content there will be more recent and any new stories (several of which are writing themselves in my head as we speak) will also be posted there. After A Full Circle is done, whatever I decide to publish on fanfiction . net will be short and not as risque. Thus, if you still interested in reading my stories, please visit my blog (yes, I know, shameless plug).
Whew. That was really long-winded. Let me just say again, thank you so very much for your interest and remarks concerning my writing. Really, they do encourage me greatly. And a special thanks to pinkmz for pointing out the issue.
So here's another chapter. As always, enjoy and let me know what you think!
Chapter 7: Chinook
Much to her pleasure, Sasuke's dark mood disappeared by the next morning and everything returned to normal—at least, as normal as it could be between the two of them. She was still half-asleep when Sasuke pushed her flat on her back and proceeded to, rather skillfully, show her the real meaning of the term "good morning."
It was raining just as hard as it had the previous night so the two of them were confined to the house for most of the day. She didn't mind; she found that the two of them co-existed quite well even with no buffer between them. They cooked and cleaned his house, which, while not filthy by any means, was actually not as neat as she had used to picture Sasuke's house to be. It was a habit of his to toss things in places they weren't meant to be and leaving them there until he wanted to use them again. She also rearranged his furniture and although he huffed and puffed, he didn't change it back.
"Stop pouting, Sasuke-chan," she mocked, making him scowl even worse at the dreaded nickname. "When I leave, you can return them to their boring positions."
He narrowed his eyes and looked away, but he didn't say anything. Her breath hitched in her throat but neither of them remarked on her comment about leaving.
She also continued to talk about her life away from this place. Having learnt her lesson from yesterday, she stayed away from any subject concerning Akatsuki and its members. She told him of her travels; because of her status as one of the most respected medics in the land, as well as Tsunade's former much-favored apprentice, she was often sent on diplomatic missions, negotiating with other countries for something Konoha needed in exchange for medical assistance and expertise.
"Snow Country was the prettiest," she said wistfully as she held a coffee table well above her head, disregarding the fact that it was solid oak and that Sasuke was staring at her as if she were a one-of-a-kind creature in the zoo. "I love the snow, don't you?"
"I've been there," he spoke after she set the table down. She grew still, her back to him. Really, it was rather pitiful at how happy she became when he offered these little anecdotes.
"There was a big blizzard," Sasuke went on, his eyes taking a faraway look. "It was so bad, I couldn't travel on, and so I had to stay at an inn indefinitely. On the third day there, it was quiet—really quiet."
Sakura wanted to make a smart remark on that, but she wisely held her tongue, fearing he would change his mind about telling the story. She nonchalantly pretended to adjust the coffee table this way and that, all the while listening intently.
"I looked out of the window and saw that the snow had been almost wiped clean. The weather was warm for that particular town and the sky was . . . colorful. It was a . . . unique sight. I thought the snow storm had stopped and it was safe to travel again."
"And did you?" Sakura asked softly.
He shook his head. "The innkeeper warned me when I was about to check out, told me it was just a Chinook wind, which basically blows away the snow for a few hours or at most, a day. True enough, by lunch time, the blizzard reappeared again." There was something akin to wonder on his face and Sakura's heart thumped, because it was the most unguarded expression she'd ever seen on his face. "I never knew such things happened," he added.
"I'd like to see it one day," she declared, a dreamy smile on her face.
After that, their conversations continued. To her delight, he spoke more and more of himself. The stories were not detailed and he didn't divulge anything of his years spent under Orochimaru's rule, nor did he speak of anything of what she silently referred to as his "dark time" but what he did offer was good enough for her.
With each stilted word, Sakura's heart sang more and more and though she knew it was dangerous for her to feel that way, she didn't do anything to stop it.
She was free-falling and she thought it was the most wonderful thing in the world.
It continued to rain for the entire day and well into the next morning so for two days, they stayed indoors. She thought she would go stir-crazy if it were not for Sasuke and the things they did.
Of course, they engaged in their preferred pastime activity of having sex for most of the forty-eight hours. They christened every suitable spot in his house with a sexual activity (her favorite was on the dryer). Who knew Sasuke could be quite adventurous when it came to sex? Really—she was learning more and more about him every time.
They also played chess, with each of them winning and losing the game evenly. Their final match resulted in a table splintered into two and a nearly-roasted chair. The chess table was upended and the pieces were scattered as Sakura finished the issue on whether a move was allowed the best way she knew how—fucking Sasuke senseless. She straddled his waist, shoved her hand into the front of his pants and gave his cock a hard tug.
They both won, really.
Sakura quickly discovered that the two of them were as competitive as he and Naruto had been. Any game they decided to play, whether it was chess or an innocent round of "Go Fish" was turned into a heated battle which would result in several destroyed furniture. Their annoyance in each other, however, was settled easily with a round of an even fiery lovemaking. He didn't say it, but she suspected that he would purposely go out of his way to goad her just for this last part.
She didn't mind. After all, who was she to spoil his fun? Especially when she benefited greatly from it as well.
During the evening of the second day of their confinement, the rain thankfully stopped. They were again sitting on the porch overlooking his backyard, sharing a steaming pot of tea. The air was cold due to the weather, but was getting relatively less so. To her surprise, as she stared out into the night sky, it began to light up brilliantly.
"Fireflies!" she exclaimed joyfully. She stared in wonder at the dozens of tiny lightning bugs flying around the backyard. She turned to Sasuke, her green eyes wide with excitement.
"Does this happen often?"
"Mostly after the rain," he answered with a casual shrug, having seen such occurrence many times throughout the years since he built the house.
She let out a delighted squeal and returned her attention to the fireflies. She had to resist the urge to jump up and attempt to catch one of them, the way she had often done as a child. She did, however, squirm restlessly in her seated position, her face full of pleasure as she observed the wonderful sight.
Sasuke, sitting quietly beside her, found that he couldn't look away from her. The child-like amazement displayed on her lovely features—he wondered if he'd ever worn such an expression on his own face. The lights from the insects illuminated her face, making her appear more beautiful. Unbidden, the corners of his lips lifted slightly and he was shocked by this, because it never occurred to him that he could find delight—even the smallest amount of it—simply because of another's. And for a split second, he thought, if she were to stay—
He quickly squashed that treacherous thought, locking it into a part of him that the coldness of his makeup had not entirely encompassed. He wasn't blind to note that this small portion was now mostly filled with the memories of Sakura. He didn't bother attempting to erase them—they would keep him company on the solitary days ahead.
Still watching the insects, Sakura hugged her blanket tighter around her and moved so that she was lying on her side, her head resting on Sasuke's lap. He didn't push her away. She was an affectionate person by nature and such displays had become normal for him. He brushed several stray strands of hair from her face, seemingly unaware that he had done so. Sakura, however, was achingly conscious of the gesture. They were appearing a bit more frequently—these small, small touches that took place outside of sexual activities that probably went unnoticed by him. A brush against her arm, a caress on her cheek, a pat on her hip—she cherished each and every one of them like rare gifts.
"If I owned something like this," she said, pointing towards the fireflies, "I wouldn't leave it, too." It was the truth. Theirs was a life of hardship and danger. This life they had chosen, the vows they had made as shinobi—such peace seemed like an impossible dream most of the time. And even though Sasuke had gone about getting what little peace he had now the wrong way—at least in the eyes of his former village—Sakura wouldn't dream of taking it away from him. In fact, she envied him for it.
Sasuke grew still, knowing she had more to say.
He wasn't wrong. "As a kunoichi of Leaf," she continued, "I will have to report that I came across you. You're a missing-nin—a wanted man. It would be against my code of conduct not to officially declare our meeting."
Above her head, Sasuke's black eyes flashed red and for a brief, utterly dangerous moment, he calculated that it would be so easy to silence her—permanently. He could do it. With her lying so close and being so fucking trusting, it wouldn't take more than two moves.
That part of him, the one majorly occupied with Sakura's smiles, roared in protest. It screamed loud enough to penetrate the demons crawling in the inner darkness, pushing them back. And just like that, Sasuke's eyes returned to their normal state and the hand he hadn't realized he'd clenched slackened.
She would never, ever know how close he'd come to killing her—again.
Ignorant of her lover's inner turmoil, Sakura's hands cupped Sasuke's knee, running soothing fingers over it. "I will report it," she declared firmly, unable to lie to him. "But like every other good shinobi, I know that things can have gray areas, too. I'll report seeing you, but I won't tell them you're here. I won't disclose the location of this house, nor will I tell of the . . . moments we've shared."
She looked up them, studying the sharp features on his devastatingly handsome face. "Will you trust me enough to stay true to my words?" she questioned softly.
He didn't immediately answer her and it seemed as if she had to wait a long time, her heart in her throat. Give me this, Sasuke, she thought desperately. Please.
Finally, thankfully, he nodded.
She sighed, breaking her gaze away from his face. She pressed her cheek to his thigh and let out a contented sound.
They stayed like for a long while, enjoying the silence of the night.
After a while, Sakura spoke. "Sasuke," she began in that tone that told him she was going to say something emotional. He braced himself, hoping he wouldn't hurt her with his response.
"When I'm gone . . . when nights like these happen and I'm not here," she said hesitantly, her voice shaking, "will you think of me?"
His first instinct was to give her a resounding "no." To answer any differently would only serve to worsen a situation they both knew had already become something they had wanted to avoid from the very beginning.
But he couldn't lie to himself, not in this and not this time. And more importantly, he realized, he couldn't—wouldn't—lie to her.
"Yes," he replied quietly, but resolutely. "I'll remember."
Sakura valiantly pushed back her tears, turned to bury her face in his leg and whispered the two words that would forever be between them: "Thank you."
He didn't reply—not verbally, at least. He lifted a hand and ran his fingers through the long locks of her pink hair. The simple caress soon became something more and under the bright lights of the flickering fireflies, Sasuke and Sakura joined their bodies in a slow, sensual dance that was as old as time.
As she whimpered her pleasure, she dimly recognized the moment as the first time in which they weren't just having sex.
They were making love.
Kami help her.
The next morning dawned with a healthy dose of sunshine and chirping birds. Sakura, sleeping on the side of the bed that faced the window (that neither of them, alert shinobi that they were, realized was kept open), squinted as the light hit her eyes. She slowly opened bleary eyes, the sight of the glowing sun strange after two days of rain.
She released a jaw-popping yawn and turned her head to look at Sasuke. He was still asleep, his face partly hidden by the pillow as he rested on his stomach, one arm thrown across her chest. She wryly noted that even in slumber, his hand was cupping a warm, round breast.
Typical male.
It was rare for her to wake up before him, so she took advantage of the opportunity to study his face (or the parts of it she could see). He was annoyingly gorgeous even asleep. The harsh lines of his features were softer, though there was still a slight grove between his dark brows.
What is it that you dream of that makes you frown? Sakura wondered. She wanted to reach out and smooth out that area, but she didn't want to wake him up.
Not just yet.
She looked at him for a long time, memorizing every nuance of his face. She was smiling even as the ache inside of her intensified.
She was going back to Konoha tomorrow.
Today would be her last day here. Tomorrow—tomorrow she would leave this wonderful place and return to her home, to the family and friends she knew were anxiously wondering where she was, to the village she had sworn herself to.
The same village he had abandoned.
"Star-crossed, Sasuke," she whispered. "That's what we'll always be, you and I."
Predictably, he came awake at the sound of her voice, senses as sharp as ever even though there wasn't any need to be so vigilant, when there was only her and no apparent enemy.
Black eyes narrowed as he saw that she was staring at him.
"Good morning, Sasuke-kun!" she chirped, very much like she had during their Genin days.
His reply was a mere grunt.
She giggled and nuzzled his muscled shoulder, warm from sleep. "Sasuke," she breathed, "will you do me a favor today?"
He was immediately suspicious of her tone. "What is it?" he demanded warily.
"I'd like you to take me into town," she told him. "I need to do a bit of shopping."
He mentally snorted. Her definition of "a bit of shopping" differed greatly from his. Where he would return with merely a bag of basic necessities, she could clean out several shops.
"Fuck no," he said bluntly. Women, he decided, were problematic when placed in an area that held saleable goods.
Unbothered by his sharp tone and words, Sakura smiled, which instantly made his hackles rise. He attempted to move—and maybe it was because he was still sleepy or maybe it was because his subconscious mind didn't really want him to get away—but he wasn't fast enough. She straddled his thighs and placed her hands on his shoulders, effectively pinning him down. Chakra began to glow around her hands and his eyes widened slightly when he realized he couldn't push her off.
She smirked at the same time. "And that's just a bit of my chakra," she boasted gleefully.
It was a powerful weapon, he thought, her ability to control her chakra. Vaguely, he recalled how the footnote of her details in the Bingo Book had warned would-be opponents to not let her get too close to touch them.
His attention was pulled back when she lowered herself on him. But instead of the kiss on the mouth he expected, she placed her lips on his throat, trailing moist kisses along the taut line.
As she nibbled on his clavicle, her hand slipped down his chest, past his stomach and towards the anatomy that had stiffened the moment she climbed on top of him. Her fingers closed firmly around his erection, giving it a little tug. Automatically, his hips jerked in response and he let out a little grunt.
"I shall enjoy changing your mind then," she whispered wickedly as her lips drifted lower and lower down his body.
By the time her mouth drew in his rock-hard shaft, Sasuke thought he would have promised her anything.
The town was bustling even more when Sasuke and Sakura arrived there nearly close to lunchtime. To her delight, she discovered it was the day where the town had its weekly street market. Stalls, selling everything from food to trinkets to antique furniture and even pets were lined on both sides of the road. It seemed endless and she gasped with joy.
Sasuke gave an inaudible groan.
Since it was so close to lunchtime and they had skipped breakfast for more . . . delectable activities, they decided that a meal was first priority—or at least Sasuke, in his caustic way, stated, "We're eating. Stop staring at the damn dress shop or I'm leaving you here."
They were fortunate to get a table at a more secluded section in one of the most popular restaurants in the area, which was famous for its tempura—her favorite. As they gorged—she did (he ate at a more dignified pace, in his opinion)—on the fried delicacies, Sakura looked across the table at him. He was so handsome, it wasn't surprising how the waitresses had literally bent over backwards for them when they entered the restaurant. Even with the hustle and bustle of the other patrons, they—mostly him—had been given special attention. Really, Sakura thought wryly, it was a wonder that they hadn't been able to locate him all these years. He drew so much attention—how in the world had they managed to miss him? Even now, many of the people in the restaurant were blatantly staring at him. He, of course, appeared utterly nonchalant about the entire thing.
"What is it?" he asked when she continued to look at him.
"You know I'm leaving tomorrow, right?" she returned breezily.
He paused for a nanosecond before he returned to picking up his fried prawn. "Yes."
"Okay then," she said with a nod.
They went on with their meal.
After paying for their food—she forced him to leave a generous tip—they left the restaurant. He took in the way she eagerly looked around at the stalls, trying to decide which one she wanted to visit first, and attempted to warn her, "You have a limited amount of money."
She shot him a sly glance. "But you don't."
This time, he didn't even try to cover his groan.
They visited stalls after stalls and Sasuke was glad that their stamina was so high because she didn't seem to be tired at all. She didn't buy much, but she wanted to see everything.
As she was standing in front of a cage that held, of all things, a porcupine and loudly wondered how someone would keep the animal as a pet, they were approached by a very pretty brunette. The way she was looking at Sasuke told Sakura that the other woman was familiar with him.
And when she spoke to him, her voice soft and her eyes full of warmth as she said her hellos, Sakura realized how familiar.
"Ayaka," Sasuke returned her greeting with a nod. Sakura wanted to kick him. Truly, did he have to be that insensitive?
She stepped away from the porcupine, a large, genuine smile on her face as she brushed past Sasuke. "Ayaka-san?" she said cheerfully. "Ah, it's so good to finally meet you. Sasuke's spoken of you!"
The brunette stared back at her, clearly disconcerted. Sasuke was too, Sakura could tell—he only hid it very well.
"Eh, I . . . well . . ." Ayaka stammered.
"Oh, how rude of me!" Sakura exclaimed, waving her hand. "I'm Sakura, an old friend of Sasuke's. Obviously, he hasn't spoken of me. How very typical of you, Sasuke!" she teasingly chided, poking him in the stomach and ignoring—as well as being sadistically pleased by—the glare he immediately shot her way.
"Oh . . . you're a friend of Sasuke-san's?" Ayaka asked. Woman-to-woman, Sakura knew she was being asked something else.
"Yes." Her own voice was gentle. "We've known each other for a long time, but we haven't been able to keep in touch for years. We only bumped into each other just recently."
"I see."
They continued to exchange polite pleasantries for a few minutes, with the brunette offering Sakura information on which was the best bargain stalls. All the while, Sasuke remained quiet, merely grunting when Sakura subtly poked him again in order to force him to participate in the conversation. Finally, Ayaka excused herself, giving Sasuke one last longing look before she made her way further down the row of shops.
Sakura studied the brunette's back for a moment before she turned her attention to Sasuke, who looked as aloof as always, as if it didn't even occur to him to feel bothered that two of his bed partners—past and present—had just met. He was perturbed, though; she could tell by the slight spike in his chakra.
"She's very pretty," she declared honestly.
He narrowed his eyes. "Don't start, Sakura."
"Were you with her long?"
"Sakura."
"Sasuke," she returned in the same biting tone as he had used. Hadn't he realized that she had long ceased to be intimidated by his cold tone and trademark scowl? "I never pegged you to be with a civilian," she added, almost goadingly.
He let out a sigh that nearly blew her away. He knew she wouldn't stop pestering him until he told her something.
"It was brief and casual," he told her curtly. "It ended mutually. Now, can you stop cooing over that stupid porcupine so we can move on?"
She snorted as he whipped around and all but stalked towards the opposite direction. He was delusional if he believed that the affair between him and Ayaka-san ended mutually. But then again, Sasuke had always been denser than the average male when it came to the female sex.
As she followed him, it was on the tip of her tongue to ask him if what they had between them was also brief and casual. Would he, in a few years down the road, say the same thing about their affair? She was tempted to ask, but she bit back her words. Truth be told, she was afraid to hear his answer.
They continued with their shopping—or at least, she did while he slouched behind her, holding several bags and brimming with barely-concealed impatience. It was as she was pondering on a selection of mochi cakes at one of the stalls that she turned around to smile at him. He stood several paces away in his signature pose, one hand shoved deep within his pocket, his eyes narrowed as he clearly resisted the urge to tap his foot. Her smile widened because he simply looked adorable.
"Hey, Sasuke," she called out to him, turning her attention away from the sweet dessert.
"What?" he said bitingly. He never did like crowds.
"I love you."
It was the first time she'd ever seen him looking so flabbergasted, his eyes larger than they'd ever been. He actually choked.
Ignoring the wide-eyed stare the lady selling the cakes was giving her and taking advantage of Sasuke's shock, Sakura went on casually, "I just wanted you to know that. Ayaka-san never told you her true feelings and I guess I didn't want to be like that, too. And I don't want to tell you tomorrow, so you can blame it on me being emotional while saying goodbye. Nor did I want to tell you while we were naked so you can chalk it off to the awesome sex."
"Oh, my!" the mochi lady exclaimed.
Sakura resisted the urge to laugh. "I won't lie and say that I've always loved you," she continued, "because I haven't. In fact, for a while, I hated you for what you did to me—to us. It's mind-boggling to think how I quickly I've managed to fall in love with you again in such a short time, but I do—so there you go."
"Sakura . . . I . . ."
She shook her head. "You don't have to say anything, Sasuke," she said gently. "From your blowfish impression, you're either struggling to find a way to reject me or to say that you actually do feel something for me. Either way, you're going to hurt the both of us, me especially. So it's fine. I don't need to know how you feel—just as long as you know how I feel."
And with that, she turned to the bug-eyed mochi seller and said, "I'd like three packets of the green tea ones and two of the red bean, please. Oh, look, Sasuke, tea sets!"
As expected, they didn't speak much after her declaration, but Sakura was in a cheerful disposition as they went back to Sasuke's house. She'd always been awful at hiding her feelings—especially when it came to him—so she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She practically skipped into the house, a small paper bag in her hand while Sasuke carried the rest of her purchases.
He was brooding more than usual and that did dampen her mood a bit. She didn't regret telling him she loved him—but perhaps she shouldn't have done it when she'd done it. It was her last day here, after all, and she had planned to spend it by having—in her earlier words—awesome sex. Her proclamation may have stunted his libido. Damn.
Yet her words might have affected him differently, because the moment the bags were placed on the floor, Sasuke grabbed her shoulders, whirled her around until her back hit the wall, and proceeded to give her one hell of a kiss.
"Sasuke," she gasped when he finally allowed her to breathe. "What . . . ?"
"Just," he rasped, "shut up, Sakura. Shut up."
Okay then.
He kissed her again, his mouth aggressive, his tongue thrusting deep to battle with hers. His hands moved from her shoulders to roam over her body, pausing to pay special attention to her breasts. She felt the heat searing her even through the barrier of her dress.
There was no prolonged foreplay. Her skirt was shoved up and bunched around her hips unceremoniously. He made a quick work out of the buttons of his pants and after briefly touching her clit to make sure she was wet enough to enjoy this—as if there were any doubts on that—he pushed his hardened staff deep into the hot, damp well of her vagina.
She cried out as he thrust all the way into the hilt without pause, her voice drowning out his pleased grunt. Her fingers dug into his broad shoulders, her hips tilted upwards and her legs wrapped themselves tightly around his slim waist. After that, all she had to do was hold on and enjoy the ride.
And what a ride it was. He took her fast and furiously, her back slamming against the wall with each plunge of his rock-hard cock. He lifted her higher, making sure to go deep every time he shoved into her. The angles of his handsome face seemed as if they were carved from stone and he gritted his teeth as he quite literally fucked her with all his might. The sex was as untamed as their wild encounter in the forest and she enjoyed every minute of it. Her cries echoed throughout the living room, accompanied by his low, guttural groans.
He came first, his hot seed filling her to the brim. Frustrated—and a little bit panicked—she wrapped her arms tighter around his shoulders and used her legs to move and down, crying out when her orgasm felt out of reach. Seeing this, he slipped his hand underneath her dress, pinched her swollen clit and took great pleasure in her scream as her walls constricted around his penis.
She slumped forward, her lungs fighting for air, her gaze blurry. He turned his head, sank his teeth into the side of her neck and in that deep, oh-so-sexy voice, stated, "Again."
She certainly wasn't going to deny him. Like she said—awesome sex.
They procreated like bunnies for the rest of the afternoon, only not really because hello—birth control jutsus. But they did have sex.
Lots of it.
After she made him shout—yes, Sasuke, shouting—with her mouth, she looked out of the window of his bedroom (they had somehow managed to take their activities there), and saw that the sun had set. Naked, sweaty and a feeling a bit too dirty, she declared that they should take a shower and then have dinner.
He frowned at first, but eventually the corners of his mouth lifted slightly when she invited him into the bathroom with her. Who knew he could be such a sex fiend?
Fortunately, they didn't have to prepare dinner because they had had the foresight to take away food when they were in town. They had to wait several minutes for the food to be reheated—in which the ever-productive Uchiha managed to make her cry out using his fingers—and then filled their stomachs with enough sustenance to support the activities both knew they would be continuing for the rest of the night.
After they cleared up the table, Sakura went into the bedroom. Sasuke followed suit but instead of taking off her clothes like he thought she would, she pulled out the plain navy yukata she had found buried in his closet and shoved it into his hands.
"The fuck?" he said in his usual blunt way.
"For tea," she answered simply.
As Sasuke redressed into the apparel, Sakura—who had already donned her simple flower-patterned yukata—set out the tea set she had forced him to buy "because every house should have a traditional tea set, Sasuke—even yours. Shame on you—aren't you supposed to be nobility?"
Ten minutes later, he was sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of her as she, with her legs neatly folded underneath her, performed the less formal ceremony of chakai, which had been taught to her by her mother ever since she was old enough to speak. Even kunoichis needed to know how to be a lady, her mother had always said.
He watched as she moved in precise motions, her hands elegantly stirring the tea. When she was finally done, she lifted the delicate tea bowl and served it to him with a proper bow. He accepted the tea, using long-buried memories as he returned the bow. His movements also precise, he lifted the bowl to the mouth and took a sip of the thin tea. It was perfect.
He ignored the image of his mother performing a similar ceremony for his father flashed through his mind and simply enjoyed the tea. They sipped in silence, allowing the tranquility of this particular tradition to overtake them.
When they were finished with the tea and Sakura executed the final steps of the ceremony, he watched as she put away the set. Ridiculously, he couldn't help but note how utterly feminine she seemed at this moment.
She would make a good wife.
He pushed away the thought. Besides, Sakura would probably knock him through the walls if he spoke that chauvinistic remark out loud.
Truth be told, he was still flounced by her proclamation of love at the market place. Emotions he refused to acknowledge coiled within him. He wished she hadn't said what she had. But then again . . .
He wouldn't deny that some part of him—again, the bastard Naruto said he was—felt triumphant by her words.
Unable to deny himself, he disregarded her earlier order to not say anything. Reaching out, he placed his hand on hers, halting her actions of cleaning up the tea set. She looked up, surprised. "Sasuke?"
"I do feel something, alright?" he said quietly because he had hurt her enough.
She was quiet for a long time and part of him feared that he had gone too far and that she was going to do something emotionally drastic (the image of a twelve-year-old girl crying flashed through his mind). However, she only nodded, a bright smile on her lovely face.
"Alright," she replied just as quietly.
In the relative darkness and quietness of his bedroom, the two former teammates undressed each other between kisses and climbed onto the bed. Sasuke pulled her on top of him to straddle his waist, his hard chest brushing the tips of her round breasts. For a second, Sakura averted her eyes and for the life of her, she couldn't pinpoint why she suddenly felt so shy.
Her hands moved over the chiseled planes of his chest, touching the small flat nipples and smiling when he let out a barely audible gasp. Her fingers trailed the scars that covered his torsos, from the tiny, almost-invisible ones to the long one on his rib. All the while, they continued to exchange soft, purposeful kisses, turning their heads to this side and that, tasting each other to the fullest. She shifted so that her breasts were crushed against his chest and felt the way his erection rose underneath her buttocks.
Her fingers circled around his navel, playing with the faint whorl of hair that trailed downwards. His response was to tighten his grip on her hips as he deepened their kiss. His hand then lowered and massaged the soft skin of her bum, cupping and squeezing, while his other hand gave her breasts the same treatment. His touch was hot and arousing, increasing the fire already burning through her veins. She could tell that he was highly aroused, eager to carry on with their lovemaking, but sensing her mood (and perhaps the enormity of this moment), he made himself slow down. She was doing the same because she truly wanted to savor this.
"Sasuke," she managed to gasp before she tilted her head back and pressed her tongue against his. She stopped teasing his navel and slowly, but surely, her hand moved until it stopped between their lower bodies. She delicately encircled his rigid shaft and felt the echo of his groan rumble through his chest.
She made a pleased sound of her own as she began to move her fingers up and down his throbbing erection. He was hard and hot in her hand, his hips jerking with each upward jerk. She gently pressed her palm on the throbbing head and then used the moisture there to add to the fluidity of her movements. She explored him thoroughly, pausing to squeeze his balls (this prompted another deep groan).
They broke off the kiss, both of them breathless. She pulled back a bit to watch her hand fondle his cock, memorizing every inch of him.
His lips landed on her shoulder, nibbling at the silky-smooth flesh there. Soon, he too began to explore her, mimicking the path she had taken on his body on her own. A throaty cry escaped her throat when his hand appeared between their bodies, bumping against her fingers as he massaged her distended clit. They started to echo one another. Whenever her grip hardened, his touch did, whenever she was gentle, he was too. He slid a long finger deep into her pussy and while she was still gasping, he added another digit. The walls of her pussy clenched around him and a gush of hot liquid flowed, making her even wetter.
His head lowered to her breasts and her back arched as he drew one of the creamy globes into his mouth. He suckled her hard, using the edges of his teeth to play with her sensitive nipple. He then ran the flat of his tongue over the swollen bud, soothing the slight bite.
"Mmmpph," she whimpered as he gave the other breast equal attention.
Several moments later, in which they both saw an increase in breathing, he lifted his head and she was shocked to see that his eyes were completely red, those dangerous tomoes swirling about. She wanted to cry then because she knew what it meant.
He wanted to memorize this, just as she wanted to as well. She might not have a special bloodline, but she knew she would always remember this.
Remember him.
He withdrew his fingers then and softly pushed hers away from him. He shifted them both and placed the knob of his erection at the opening of her pussy. "Okay?" he asked, looking straight into her eyes.
Did he really have to ask? "Yes, Sasuke, yes—now," she pleaded breathlessly.
He entered her in one swift thrust all the way to the hilt and they both let out exultant moans. He felt so perfect inside of her—as if he'd belonged there all along—and she wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders, her nails digging into the rounded muscles there as she met each of his thrusts.
He went in deep every time, withdrawing almost all the way out before plunging back in, filling her to the brink. Her hips matched his, pulling when he pushed, pushing when he pulled. She moved up and down his shaft seamlessly as they danced to the sensuous act that was as old as time.
All the while, they stared into each other's eyes, committing to memory the flickers of emotions apparent in both green and red.
Because they were Sasuke and Sakura and the Will of Fire burned brightly in both of their veins—no matter how much he would have wanted to deny it—they couldn't take it slow for long. Soon, their pace became faster, their hips jerking more harshly. He grasped her hips to the point of pain as he lunged upward aggressively and she was crying out louder and louder between each breath, her head thrown back as they finally broke eye contact. Seeing how her throat was displayed so invitingly, Sasuke leaned forward and placed his lips on her neck, alternating between licking and sucking. He felt the hard knot in the pit of his belly and his movements quickened even more. She was so tight and hot around him and he finally understood why so many men would fight over women. If he could—
"Sasuke!" Sakura shouted as she came in an explosion that shattered body and mind. "Ah, ah, ah, ahhhh!"
Sasuke let out a loud growl and pushed her backwards until she landed on the mattress, still caught up in the throes of an orgasm. He hunched over her, his hips jerking fast and furiously, his teeth sharp on her throat. His cock pounded into her once, twice and then a third time as he finally came in a rush, shooting his seed deep into her womb with a raw, unbridled groan of her name on his lips.
"Oh, Sasuke," she panted, gripping his sweaty shoulders, bliss like she'd only ever known with him flowing through her body. "I do love you, so very much."
He didn't respond in words. He merely tightened his arms around her, his breath hot on her damp neck.
He never noticed the small needle that appeared between her fingers.
In the faint light of the dawn, the bedroom was almost eerily quiet. Sakura stood at one side of the room, an opened scroll on the dresser in front of her. Softly, she chanted the jutsu that would place all of her belongings there, including the ones she had recently purchased.
Once this was done, she skillfully rolled the scroll and shoved it into the pouch already strapped to her waist. She was fully-dressed, her clothes non-descriptive to ease her on-coming journey and her hair pulled back in a neat bun at the nape of her neck. She double-checked to make sure everything was in order and was satisfied to see that it was.
Finally, she turned around, her eyes instantly drawn to the sleeping, naked figure on the bed. She had pulled the covers over him to protect him from the morning chill and for once, the frowns that followed him even in his sleep were gone. His incredibly handsome features were smooth, his breathing fluid as he rested deep in slumber.
She checked the time. By her estimation, he had another two hours before he would wake up. The sleeping drug she had injected into him wouldn't leave any lingering effects; he would awaken well-rested.
And most possibly very, very angry.
She knew he would be furious when he realized that she had drugged him, more so because she had done it when he'd been in such a vulnerable position. His naturally distrustful nature would rage at her even as he cursed himself for being so unaware.
She didn't care. She would rather have his anger than have to say goodbye. She didn't think she could handle it—she knew she couldn't. As changed as the both of them were, there were some things that would always remain, and his ability to hold her heart in his hand, to handle it however he wanted to, was one of them. She was deathly afraid that if he were to be conscious when she was leaving then he wouldn't have to say goodbye at all—because she wouldn't want to leave.
Her footsteps were quiet as she padded over to the bed to stand next to him. Her green eyes hungrily took every inch of him, locking his image deep into that part of her memory that would always be filled by Uchiha Sasuke. He had touched her so much, had always been a huge part of her life, even when all she wanted to do was to be rid of him. These last week and a half had given her some sort of closure. She had finally accepted the fact that he would always be a part of her, his face one of those that she would see before she closed her eyes at nights.
"Star-crossed," she murmured softly. She bent down, pressing a warm, fond kiss on his lips.
And then she was gone, taking any evidence that she was once in his house with her. She had even rearranged the furniture, tucking the tea set she had bought with him into the storage room. The only thing left of her was the faint, lingering scent of her perfume—and even that would eventually disappear once he woke up.
Just like her.
To be continued
