Sasuke eyes fluttered open as soft morning rays of sunlight slashed across the room where he and Sakura slept through the small window of the room. He turned his head and smiled as he was greeted by the sight of soft pink locks splayed partially across his chest, Sakura curled up against his side. He shifted onto his side and slipped his fingers through her hair as he studied her sleeping face. She looked so beautiful and peaceful as she slept. It was a sight he hadn't seen in a long time and pleased him greatly. It surprised him that she wasn't awake yet and he brushed his fingers over her forehead to check for a fever. Finding none, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Last night took more out of her than I anticipated." He murmured carefully slipping out from under her.
He pulled the blankets up and over her as she shifted in her sleep and walked to the window. He threw it open and looked out across the valley. He'd effectively just finished a family meeting with his family where they'd discussed his future wife. He wasn't sure, but he had a strong suspicion that with his rinnigan power, holding the ability to open doors to other dimensions, and the power The Sage of Six Paths had granted him, that the border between the world where he lived and where his family's souls resided was something he had easier access to than most.
He glanced back and looked at Sakura who sighed and rolled onto her back in her sleep. Speaking with her family was sure to be a difficult task. He'd rarely spoken to her parents but was more than aware of their negative feelings towards him. That part didn't surprise him, he'd be wary of himself too if he were in their position. Even so, he had to confront them. With both his intentions towards their daughter and his feelings for her.
He walked to the small fire pit and started a small blaze. It had been a little white since they'd eaten anything warm and since they'd likely reach the village around sundown if they moved at a slightly faster pace than normal, he figured he could made a warm breakfast while she slept. Using water, dried fish, herbs, and some edible roots they'd gathered along the way, he made a simple but savory soup. As it simmered, Sakura shifted and turned towards him her eyes fluttering open.
"Did I wake you?" Sasuke asked studying her from the fireside as he adjusted the coals. "You can sleep for a bit longer if you want."
She shook her head and sat up running her fingers through her disheveled pink locks. "No, it's fine." She assured him. "The dream I was in the middle of wasn't one of my favorites anyway." She admitted.
"What did you dream about?" he asked. He hoped it wasn't his family history that was bothering her though it was a large possibility.
"I started out dreaming about what you showed me and then ended up dreaming about the war." She admitted with a shake of her head. "That idiot Naruto, telling his dad that I was his girlfriend. Though I have to admit, Lord Fourth wasn't just a looker but a smooth operator. His entrance was even more dramatic and graceful than yours."
Sasuke blinked. "When was this?" he asked.
"Lord Fourth arrived on the battlefield shortly before you did remember?" her eyes widened and she giggled.
"What is it now?" he asked.
"I was just remembering when Lord First appeared on the battlefield and Madara came flying through the air all dramatic like. Then he struck this super imposing stance and yelled 'I've been waiting for you! Hashirama!' and Lord First got this super serious look on his face, pointed right at Madara and shouted 'I'll deal with you later!' The look on Madara's face was priceless!" she giggled. "He looked so offended and Lord First said 'I have to stop The Ten Tails first.' And Madara seriously walked over to a corner and pouted." She snickered. "The most powerful shinobi in history was reduced to a pouty little brat in ten seconds flat when his best friend didn't want to play with him right away." She laughed harder clutching her side. "It honestly reminded me of how you and Naruto used to be."
Sasuke's nose wrinkled at that. "I was never like that."
She shook her head. "You little liar. I remember, especially after Naruto first mastered his rasengan how you would show off with your chidori during training and get all moody if Naruto didn't see how much damage you had done especially since back then you were only limited to a couple shots a day."
Sasuke sighed and nodded before a little smirk touched his lips. "I guess I could see that happening." He snickered. "Lord First is an interesting guy. I remember how when he was first revived and Naruto's dad was asking Lord First and Second about the state of the village and Hashirama got this irritated look on his face and said 'Who the Hell are you?' when he found out that Lord Fourth was the Fourth Hokage it was like a switch flipped and he was suddenly super friendly and excited."
Sakura chuckled. "Yeah. Sounds like him. I wish I'd been able to talk to him more. Shizune said that he was impressed by my show of strength during the war." She slid out from under the blankets and stood stretching her arms above her head.
Feeling a little bolder since proposing to her the night before, Sasuke walked forward, slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest. "I was impressed too." He said breathing in the slightly floral scent that lingered in her hair. "Does your head hurt at all?" he asked nuzzling the side of her neck gently with the tip of his nose his heart racing when she shivered in response and tilted her head to the side giving him better access to the column of pale flesh. "You were in my genjutsu for several hours straight."
She sighed and tilted her head back, laying it against his shoulder. "I'm alright Sasuke." She assured him. "I slept quite a bit longer than I normally do. I feel just fine. Healing chakra can help with mental stress as well you know."
He nodded and pressed his lips just behind her ear. She looked so tempting in the morning light with the dust dancing in the rays of light shining on her pastel hair. If he were a man with less self-control, he would have pitched them both back onto the futon and ravished her. Instead, he settled for the taste of her neck, the scent of her hair and the way she gasped when he slid his hand up ever so slightly until his thumb just brushed the underside of her breast.
"Sasuke." She sighed turning in his arms and looking up at him.
Her emerald eyes half lidded with desire, and the dusting of pink across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose sent waves of electricity through his body and heat straight to his groin. She took his face between her palms, rose up on her toes and pressed her lips firmly to his before he had a chance to collect himself. His heart pounded almost painfully in his chest and his breathing hitched at the action. Her lips and tongue were demanding and a little rough eagerly nibbling in his lower lip and sucking it into her mouth before changing the angle so she could nip at his top lip with her teeth. A little irritated at the idea of being dominated by her, he walked her back until she was up against the wall and forced his knee between her legs, his hand gripping her hip. She gasped at the sudden show of aggression and made a sound he'd never heard before. It was low, rough, sexy, and he definitely wanted to hear it again. To his surprise though, she jerked her head away separating their lips and covered her mouth as her face blazed scarlet.
"I'm sorry Sasuke." She said quickly. "I don't know what that was just now."
He chuckled and leaned forward lettings his lips brush her ear. "Don't apologize. I liked that sound."
Her eyes widened and she shuddered. "W- What are you saying?" she demanded turning an even darker shade of red.
He smirked and took her earlobe between his teeth tugging lightly. Feeling a sense of satisfaction when she gasped. "Do I need to spell it out for you?" he whispered in her ear pressing his body more firmly against hers. "That was a moan Sakura. Should I make you moan for me again?"
Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to crane her neck away from him as he nibbled on it. "We should probably eat breakfast." She said her voice shaky and breathless.
He chuckled. He'd made his point and received the extra reward of hearing her first moan of pleasure. It was more than enough for now. Besides, he wouldn't allow himself to go much further at the moment anyway. Not until he talked with her parents. "Good idea." He said moving away from her.
She breathed a sigh of relief and placed her hand over her heart and he felt his ego inflate even more. The indomitable Sakura Haruno, Slug Queen of the Legendary Sannin, wielder of monstrous strength and the only person in the world that the great Naruto Uzumaki feared was putty in his hand. That gave him a bigger sense of satisfaction than he'd ever dare admit. As they ate their breakfast she glanced over at him.
"Sasuke?" she asked.
"Yes?" he answered.
"I was wondering, when you arrived on the battlefield for the first time, why did you greet me?" she asked. "I've never quite understood why you even looked at me, not that I mind. I'm just curious."
The Uchiha blinked thinking back to that time and then nodded. "Ah. Well for starters, when I first heard there was a war I was little worried that something may have happened to you. You hadn't been able to so much as scratch me during our last encounter so I attributed that to a lack of ability." He met her eyes which were clouded with sorrow. "I know now that it was merely that you loved me too much to kill me. I also knew that you were a medical ninja and they're generally kept away from the front lines, seeing you in the thick of things was a surprise." He looked down at his bowl. "And I guess… I was confirming that it was really you, that you were alive and well."
Her eyes widened. "You mean, you cared about me?" she asked. The fact that she look so stunned by the revelation hurt and irritated him a little bit.
"Of course I cared about you." He said his eyes narrowing slightly. "I knew Naruto would be fine because even though he's an idiot he has good battle instincts, inhuman stamina, a demon fox, and the devil's luck." He sighed. "You were always the weakest of us when it came to combat. With Madara, Obito and Kabuto as your opponents, I was afraid you'd been injured or killed. I was relieved to see you unharmed." He admitted.
Her face lit up before falling a little "Did you really have that little faith in me and my abilities?" she asked.
"It wasn't that." He assured her. "It was the enemy's cruelty and strength I was worried about." He chuckled. "I guess I was still treating you like the clever but weak girl you'd been in the past. It wasn't until you sent that monster flying over my head that I realized that little girl was long gone." He smiled. "She had become a woman that was much harder to take down than I ever imagined."
She smiled and blushed. "I was just trying to keep up with you two reckless idiots."
"I'm not reckless." He argued.
"Says the boy who willingly walked into the snake's den because he offered him power in exchange for his body." She replied with a brow cocked.
He cringed at that but also felt a sense of happiness. In the past, she had praised or defended everything he said or did. However, since his return to the village and over the course of their travels she'd become more honest with him about her thoughts and feelings.
"Who charged at Madara at full speed without checking her surroundings properly and got herself impaled for her trouble?" he asked.
She glared at him. "Not all of us have magic eyes that allow them to see invisible shadow clones." She retorted. "Besides, if anyone was going to take a hit like that, better me than you or Naruto."
They stared at each other for a moment, both seeming to sense the change between them, the closeness that they'd both desired but never really knew how to achieve. Sakura smiled warmly at him her eyes clearly reflecting the feelings she had for him and he felt his own love for her grow even stronger. He shifted forward and laid his forehead against hers. His eyes drifting closed as he savored the emotional and physical closeness. He hadn't felt anything like it since his childhood and it was even closer than that, a bond that was created not by blood but by feelings that were connecting and fusing after so many years of slipping past one another.
"Shall we go to the village and tell everyone our news?" Sakura said breaking the warm silence.
He smiled. "Yes. Let's."
They cleaned up and prepared to move out. Sasuke watched as Sakura slipped on her cloak and adjusted her hair with a shake of her head. She lifted the pendant around her neck and kissed it before tucking it under her shirt and the gesture made his heart swell with affection for her. He leaned walked forward and gently touched her shoulder.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
She nodded. "Lead us home Sasuke." Sakura said with a smile.
He smirked and they pair of shinobi left the old hideout and headed towards The Village Hidden in the Leaves where their friends and family were waiting.
#*#
As the village walls appeared before them, Sasuke's stoic expression softened. Due to their late start, it was nearly twilight.
"How much do you want to bet that Naruto has been waiting by the gate since the moment he got off work?" Sakura asked as the main gate came into view.
"He could just use Sage Mode to sense our Chakra." Sasuke offered.
The medic smirked. "Yes but even if that knucklehead did think of that, I'm sure he'd still wait there. He's such a social butterfly now, he has to talk to everyone who passes through the main gates you know."
Sasuke smirked. "That's true." He admitted.
"Sasuke! Sakura!" a loud familiar voice called out. The pair of shinobi glanced at each other with knowing looks in their eyes as Naruto waved to them enthusiastically from just outside the gates. "You guys are late!" he exclaimed his fists resting in his hips.
"Sorry about that." Sakura said as they neared the Uzumaki. "I slept in a bit today so we got off to a late START!?" she exclaimed as Naruto launched himself at his two closest friends hooking an arm around each of their necks sending all three of them crashing to the ground.
"Naruto!" Sasuke hissed. "Get off you loser!"
"What are you doing!?" Sakura demanded.
"I'm so happy to see you guys!" Naruto exclaimed tightening his holds on their necks. "I missed you."
Sasuke and Sakura exchanged a glance before raising hands to pat their friend's back before kicking him off of them.
"Ouch!" he hissed as he got to his feet and touched his sore stomach. "Sakura, I can't believe you hit harder than Sasuke."
Sasuke stood up and extended a hand to Sakura helping her to stand. Naruto watched the exchange and then grinned like a child trying half-heartedly to cover it with his hand.
"So is what you said in your letter the truth?" Naruto asked the Uchiha as they walked inside the village.
"What letter?" Sakura asked but Sasuke ignored the question for the moment.
"Why would I lie about something like that?" he demanded. "Of course it's the truth."
Naruto grinned again, this time it was wide enough to do the Cheshire cat proud. "Did all of you hear that?" he asked in a loud voice.
Sasuke and Sakura both glanced at each other. Sasuke braced for impact, he should have known the Loser wouldn't be able to keep a secret.
"Sakura!" Hinata exclaimed dashing forward from where she'd been half hiding standing near the shelter where the gatekeepers kept watch. She reached for the medic's hands and gripped them tightly in hers. "I'm so happy for you!" she exclaimed with tears in her eyes. "I'm so very happy for you! Really! You helped me so much and I just…" she took a deep breath tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm really so happy!"
Sakura smiled at the Hyuga heiress. "Hinata." She breathed as moisture pooled in her eyes. "Thank you."
"So Sasuke Uchiha is officially off the market. Not bad billboard brow." Ino said with a smirk as she sauntered over. "I guess it's official. I lost that battle." She admitted.
Sakura smirked and chuckled as Sai smiled at them from where he stood between Shikamaru and Choji. "It doesn't look like you lost anything to me." She replied motioning to the amethyst ring on her best friend and rival's left ring finger.
Ino chuckled and then flung her arms around the medic. "After everything you two have gone through, the least I can do is bow out gracefully with a hot man of my own."
Temari who had happily married the Nara clan head just a few months before Hinata and Naruto tied to knot smiled at the gathering of girls. "On behalf of Suna I congratulate you on your engagement, Sakura. I also humbly request that you keep your Uchiha on a short leash. The last one we ran into made a huge mess of the world and bit the Kazekage."
"I don't think Madara would appreciate being talked about in that way." TenTen said as she walked forward with Lee, Shino and Kiba by her side.
The sand kunoichi shrugged. "Hey, I will forever be remembered as the first shinobi to land a solid hit on the guy during the war." Her nose wrinkled. "That smug prick, standing up and brushing off his armor like that…." She smiled. "Anyway, congrats again Sakura. Marriage is fantastic." She said with a wink.
"So it is true then? Sakura and Sasuke are engaged?" Lee asked moving forward.
Sakura nodded. Her eyes widened when the Taijutsu master reached out and wrapped his arms around her pulling her to his chest in a tight hug.
"Is this what you truly want Sakura?" he asked. She nodded and his grip tightened slightly. "Then I will support you both one hundred percent." He said. "I sincerely wish for your happiness Sakura."
Her eyes softened and she returned the hug holding one of her dearest friends tightly. "Thank you Lee, for everything. I mean it."
He released her and smiled. "No, thank you Sakura." He said. "Without you I wouldn't have been inspired to push beyond my boundaries. I have become a stronger man and ninja because of you. I will forever be indebted to you."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he watched the exchange. It wasn't a mystery to anyone how the star pupil of the Blue Beast of The Leaf felt about Sakura. He'd proclaimed on the first day of the chunin exams that he loved her and vowed to protect her with his life. He'd followed through too, on more than one occasion even. Though the Uchiha knew that Sakura's heart beat for him and him alone, the other man's presence still made him a little wary. To his surprise, the Taijutsu master left her side and walked towards where he stood next to Naruto. Just as the Sasuke was beginning to speculate about what the guy was up to, his bandaged fist flew forward with blinding speed and struck him in the face knocking him back several feet.
"What are you doing, Lee?!" Naruto demanded as he rushed to Sasuke's side and helped him up.
Sasuke accepted his friend's help and then wiped the blood from his mouth his brow wrinkled in irritation. "What's going on?" he demanded of the bushy browed man. "It's not like you to sucker punch someone randomly like that. If you wanted to challenge me to a fight, there are much better ways to do it." He said his eyes narrowing.
"Seriously. What's your problem?" Naruto asked.
"I am sorry. I just wanted to give you a taste of the pain you put Sakura through during all the time you were away." The Taijutsu master said bowing to the Uchiha. "I know that she has forgiven you for all of that and more but," his hands balled into fists. "As someone who loves her and vowed to protect her, watching her experience pain I could not shield her from was extremely frustrating."
"Lee." Naruto said softly his eyes wide.
The Taijutsu master raised his head. "Sakura loves you and because of that I will support you however," he stepped closer to the Uchiha his eyes blazing. "If you ever hurt her like you did before or I discover that this is all just some plan to use her to rebuild your clan, I will come after you again and at that time, I will not hold back." He declared his stance firm and his eyes darker than the Uchiha had ever seen them.
"Saskue!" Sakura called out but he raised his hand to quiet her.
"It's fine Sakura." He assured her. Had Lee punched him for any other reason, he might have let her say something, but knowing that it was out of the man's love, devotion and desire to protect the woman he loved, he couldn't help but let it slide. "I'll protect her. I promise."
The Taijutsu master nodded and then offered him a tiny smile. "Then you will have nothing to worry about. Thank you Sasuke. Please take care of her."
Sasuke nodded and glanced around as the other boys gathered around him. "What Lee said about sums up my feelings on the situation." Shikamaru said, "Except for the part about being in love with Sakura."
"Agreed." Sai said with a nod of his head.
"Pretty much." Choji said with a nod digging into the bag of chips he carried.
"Sakura in an invaluable asset to this village and the word." Shino said. "Why you ask? Because she has saved all of our lives at least once and has always been there for us. Hurting her would be an unwise decision."
Kiba nodded and slammed his fist against his palm. "As the saying goes, break her heart and we'll break your face." Akamaru barked and he snickered flashing a fanged grin. "You're right boy, I bet that goes double for the girls back there." He said glancing back at the girl's congregated around the Haruno woman who took turns giving the Uchiha dangerous looks. "I would not want to be on the receiving end of any of their tempers."
Naruto smiled as sweat trickled down his brow. "Ok guys, bring it down a little." he said.
Sasuke shook his head. It was incredible to see how loved Sakura was. It was clear to him that if he had to go somewhere and leave her behind that she would be protected by the best warriors The Village in the Leaves had to offer.
"Sasuke, you're back a little later than I anticipated." Kakashi said walking forward. "Would you mind walking with me for a minute?" he looked over at Sakura. "Sakura, your parents asked me to send you over as soon as I saw you."
"Oh ok." Sakura said stepping up to the Hokage. "What about Sasuke?"
"Don't worry. I'll send him over as soon as I'm done." He assured the pinkette.
"Alright then." She said turning towards the street where her parent's home was. "I'll see you later Sasuke."
He nodded and reached out to poke her gently in the middle of her forehead. "I'll see you when I'm finished with Kakashi."
The medic blushed and nodded before walking down the street with Ino, Hinata and TenTen flanking her.
"Come." Kakashi said to the Uchiha giving Naruto a knowing look.
"Hey guys! We have stuff to do!" The Uzumaki exclaimed jogging towards where most of the men were congregated leading them away from the two remaining ninja.
Sasuke followed his teacher down the familiar road that led to the monument that had been erected for shinobi who had fallen in battle.
"So, you and Sakura huh?" Kakashi said after several moments of silence.
The Uchiha glanced at his teacher and nodded. "Is there a problem?" he asked.
"Not at all." Kakashi replied as they neared the stone tablet with the names of fallen war hero's on its face. "I've watched over the three of you for many years now. I'm actually quite pleased to see all of you moving forward like this."
"Then why drag me out here?" Sasuke asked as they stopped in front of the monument.
Kakashi chuckled. "Why indeed." He mused scratching the back of his head. "To be honest, I feel a bit responsible for both you and Sakura. It might be a bit presumptuous of me to say, but ever since I accepted the three of you as my students so many years ago, I've thought of all of you almost as my own children." He turned to the Uchiha. "Especially you Sasuke. We were similar in so many ways and I knew from our first training exercise that you had the potential to become an exceptional ninja in spite of that selfish streak in you." He lowered his head. "I was determined to keep you from following the path I had but I failed and you ended up taking a road even rockier than my own. Thankfully, your comrades managed to pull you off of that path." Sasuke's eyes widened and then lowered. It wasn't like Kakashi to talk like this. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it. "Anyway, I wanted to confirm something with you." The Hokage said.
"What is it?" The Uchiha asked his impatience evident in his voice. He wanted to get back to Sakura and talk properly with her parents about their plans to marry.
"When we first met as team seven, you said that your goals were 'To kill a certain someone and restore your clan.'" He glanced over at his former student. "Is your marriage proposal to Sakura strictly a means to fulfill that second goal?"
Sasuke's jaw clenched and his body shook as he tried to control the rage boiling inside him. "It's not like that!" he snarled. "Do you honestly think I'd take advantage of her feelings like that?! I asked her to marry me because I love her!"
"I didn't actually think that." Kakashi said touching him gently on the shoulder. "Calm down, I just wanted to hear it from your own mouth what your feelings for her were." Sasuke felt his heartrate slowing as he turned to look at his teacher. "I also know just how much Sakura loves you, perhaps even more so than Naruto."
"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked.
Kakashi looked down at the monument. "Not long after you left the village, Naruto left as well to go train with Master Jariya." He explained. "Sakura had essentially been left behind by her two teammates."
Sasuke glanced over at his former teacher. "I didn't think about that." He admitted.
The Hokage nodded. "She was busy training with Lady Tsunade and seemed really enthusiastic about it, but I noticed something was a little off about her shortly after Naruto left. She seemed listless and dull. Curious and concerned, I shadowed her for a few days." He sighed. "She was surviving on food pills and coffee, she didn't spend time with her friends and instead poured herself into training and studying."
The Uchiha sighed. "That sounds just like her." He admitted.
Kakashi nodded. "The worst was when I found her one night attacking a tree with her fists." He shuddered. "I'll never forget the sight of her bloodied hands. I don't think I've even seen Lee's or Guy's fists in such a sorry state. It was getting to the point where I could honestly see glimpses of her bone and muscle as she pounded the blood stained trunk." Sasuke took a deep breath as he imagined Sakura's delicate hands in such a terrible state. He'd never pushed his body that far, not his hands at least. "I jumped in to stop her and she attacked me shrieking about how she was sick and tired of always being left behind and that it was her fault you left because she was too weak to stop you."
"It wasn't like that." Sasuke muttered.
"I know that." Kakashi said softly. "But I couldn't convince her otherwise." He sighed and bowed his head. "She had to be sedated, hospitalized and taken off active duty for more than a week. Even then, it was more than a month before she was even close to her old self again. To be perfectly honest, it wasn't until Naruto returned from his training that she really perked up again."
"I didn't know." The Uchiha admitted.
The Hokage chuckled once. "I didn't expect you to, I just thought you should know." He looked over at the Uchiha. "Sasuke, what is your goal now?"
Sasuke glanced over at his teacher and then returned his gaze to the monument that bore the names of great ninja who had gone before him. "I want to protect Naruto and this village. I also want to restore the Uchiha clan with Sakura by my side. That's all I want now."
Kakashi nodded. "Very good. Does that mean it's safe to assume that you're returning to the village to stay?" The Uchiha nodded. The Hokage smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. I'll be depending on you from now on as well."
The ink haired man nodded. "Thank you Lord Sixth Hokage."
Kakashi's nose wrinkled. "Don't call me that. It sounds wrong, especially coming from you." The copy ninja smiled. "Now then, I suppose you should hurry to the Haruno house. Sakura is waiting for you."
Sasuke nodded and turned away from the monument quickly taking to the trees and then the rooftops as he headed towards the Haruno household. He landed lithely in front of the stairs that led to the pinkette's childhood home and took a deep breath. This next confrontation was going to be more intense than any other he'd had before. Though their friends and teacher were formidable, no one was more protective of Sakura than the two people who waited at the top of those stairs. He climbed them slowly and then firmly knocked on the door. Moments later, it was pulled open and he found himself face to face with the fierce looking Mebuki Haruno.
"Good evening." He said softly. "Is Sakura here?" it was a stupid question, they all knew she was but he didn't know what else to say.
"Yes. Please come inside." She said motioning for him to enter the apartment.
He nodded and walked in closing the door behind him. He slipped off his sandals and laid them next to Sakura's before entering the main part of the house.
"Darling!" The blonde woman called out. "Sasuke Uchiha is here!"
"Alright. Send him in." the matriarch of the Haruno home answered.
"He's in the living room." Sakura's mother said motioning to a doorway.
"Thank you." He said catching a glimpse of Sakura moving around the kitchen as he went. She seemed to feel his gaze and offered him an encouraging smile. Drawing strength from that, he walked into the living room and stood near the entryway. Kizashi Haruno glanced up from where his nose was buried in a newspaper.
"Have a seat." He said with a little smile.
Sasuke nodded and sat down on a couch across from the man his posture a little rigid. He honestly didn't know what to expect so he waited for Kizashi to speak.
"I read your letter." The pink haired man said after a few moments. "I take it you've already asked her?"
Sasuke swallowed and then nodded. "Yes." He replied. "I asked her yesterday evening."
"I see." The man replied folding his arms over his chest. "I'm assuming she accepted your proposal." Sasuke nodded and the pinkette sighed before leaning towards the Uchiha his forearms braced on his knees. "I'll be perfectly honest with you Sasuke Uchiha. I don't like you and I don't trust you." He said with narrowed eyes. "I've heard my little girl cry herself to sleep and wake up screaming over you far too many times over the past few years for that." He took a deep breath. "However, I also know that she loves you very much and I even if I tried to oppose this, she'd just go ahead and do whatever she wanted anyway."
The Uchiha nodded. "It's almost impossible to stop her once she sets her mind to something." He agreed.
Sakura's father nodded and then looked the ink haired man in the eyes. "Tell me, what do you think of my daughter?"
Sasuke took a deep breath and lowered his eyes. He had to choose his replies carefully. "There aren't any words that do her justice." He admitted. "I'll never deserve her."
Kizashi nodded. "How do you feel about her?" he asked.
"I love her." Sasuke admitted simply. It wasn't the time to get awkward and beat around the bush. He needed to be straight with the man who would become his father in law. "I'm not marrying her because I want to revive my clan, I just want to make her happy."
The pinkette's face softened significantly. "Good answer." He replied he turned his head towards the door. "Alright dear! You can come in now!"
The blonde appeared at the door carrying a tray of cookies along with Sakura who held a tray of tea. She smiled at him as she laid it down and offered a cup to her father and then to him before sitting down next to him with her own cup.
"Sakura, we already know you've accepted his proposal." Her father said. "Is this what you truly want? Joining the Uchiha clan even just by marriage will put a target on your back."
Sakura smiled. "I already know dad. I'm not naïve or sheltered." She reached around her neck and pulled the Uchiha pendant from where it was safely tucked inside her shirt adjusting it so that it was displayed around her neck. Her fingertips gently brushed the clan crest as she smiled. "I've made my decision. I will stay by his side."
Sasuke glanced at her, a warm smile touching his face. He then turned to the Haruno couple. "I promise to make her as happy as I can." He assured them. "I know better than anyone that I don't deserve her." He moved off of the couch and knelt down lowering his head towards the ground. "Please, allow me to marry Sakura."
The Haruno couple glanced at one another clearly influenced by his show of respect and then nodded. "Very well then Sasuke Uchiha." Kizashi said. "I give you my permission. We can work out the details later. I'm sure you're both tired from your journey and need your rest."
"Thank you." Sasuke said rising to his feet. "We will come again soon."
Mebuki stepped forward and clasped her daughter's hands. "I'm happy for you Sakura. Really I am." She said before pulling her into a tight hug.
"Thanks mom." The pinkette replied as she hugged her back.
Her father then stepped forward and tugged the kunoichi into his arms. "I never imagined that my little girl would grow up so fast or so strong." He admitted squeezing her.
She hugged him back. "Dad, don't worry. I'll always be your little girl." She assured him.
He nodded and stepped away. Sasuke smiled at the exchange. He was truly thankful that she had what he didn't. Living, breathing parents. To his surprise, Mebuki stepped forward and pulled him into a hug as well.
"Please look after Sakura." She said softly. "She's loud, violent, reckless, and a bit too serious for her own good."
"Mother!" Sakura hissed turning pink.
"But she's really a good girl." The blonde finished releasing her.
"I know." Sasuke said glancing at the green eyed girl. "I'll do my best but she doesn't really listen to me either."
Kizashi laughed. "At least you know what you're getting in to."
Sakura sighed and covered her face with her hands. "You guys…" she muttered.
"Right, you should get home and into bed." Mebuki said ushering them towards the entryway. "We'll see you two later!" she said with a smile as the two Sannin slipped on their sandals.
"Bye mom! Bye dad! See you later!" Sakura said with a smile as she and Sasuke stepped out the door.
"Of course! We'll get together soon to discuss all the details. Goodnight and be safe you two!" Mebuki called out.
Sasuke's eyes widened at the farewell. An image of his mother flashed before his eyes as he remembered her calling out the same parting phrase when he and Itachi would left to go train together.
"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked as they walked towards her apartment building. "My dad didn't say anything weird did he?"
"No, it's nothing like that." He assured her as they made their way through the shopping center. "It's just that my mother used to say the same thing when Itachi and I would leave the house together."
The pink haired woman's eyes widened before they softened. She reached out and squeezed his fingers lightly. "I wish I'd been able to meet your mother properly." She admitted. "I remember catching a glimpse of her every once in a while when she came to pick you up from school and when she stopped by my house when it was my mom's turn to host the Village Mother's Association meetings. She was beautiful and elegant." She chuckled. "Nothing like me."
Sasuke smirked. "That's not a bad thing, besides she was a jounin. She was actually quite fierce and excellent at shuriken jutsu. When father and Itachi were too busy to help me, she'd always find time to train me."
Sakura smiled and nodded. "Not to change the subject, because I want to keep talking about your mother, but we should probably pick up something to eat for dinner. I'm positive there's nothing to eat at my house except for food pills."
Sasuke nodded and opened his mouth to respond when a group of girl's suddenly appeared before them.
"Sasuke!" the group squealed. "It's been so long since you were in the village! Come with us! Let us buy you dinner!"
A blonde girl reached for his arm and he shifted his hand lacing his fingers firmly through Sakura's. "No. I'm busy." He said in his usual curt manner.
"Please! You don't mind, do you Sakura Sensei?" the brunette in the group said glancing at the medic.
"We actually just returned from a long term mission." She replied. "Sasuke and I both need our rest."
"Why are you talking like that?" A redhead from the group demanded crossing her arms over her chest. "It's not like you two are together or anything. Everyone knows you've had a one sided crush on him forever."
Sasuke's brow twitched as Sakura smiled sweetly at the girl. "I'm sorry, but we really do need to get going." She turned to the Uchiha. "Does a bento box from the shop next to Ichiraku's sound good to you? You know Naruto is going to make us eat ramen tomorrow and we'll probably be dragged off for BBQ by the others as well."
He nodded. "Yeah. Let's go." He said as they both moved down the street.
"Wait!" the redhead exclaimed.
"Look!" the blonde hissed. "They're holding hands!"
"No way! Do you think she actually convinced him to go out with her?" the brunette asked.
"I bet he's just using her to get away from us. There's no way Sasuke would go for someone as average looking as her." The redhead reasoned.
"I don't know about that." The blonde replied. "He doesn't seem like the type to use a cheap trick like that."
Sasuke rolled his eyes and Sakura chuckled. "I'm afraid that there's going to be a massive flood when all of your fans find out that you're off the market." The pinkette said as they walked into the sushi and bento restaurant and quickly scribbled out her order.
"You have your fair share too." Sasuke reminded her as he released her hand to write down his own order and handed both to the woman behind the counter.
The medic chuckled. "Mine will get over it much faster than yours will." She assured him.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." He countered his eyes narrowing as he noticed a young ninja wearing a headband identifying him as a ninja from The Village Hidden in the Stones staring as Sakura with blush tinging his cheeks.
The soon woman presented their boxes to them and they quickly left the shop and made their way to Sakura's apartment. They walked inside and slipped off their shoes before heading to the kitchen to eat. A note from Ino was taped to the fridge.
I cleaned your house for you Forehead. You can thank me later.
Sakura smiled and pulled out chop sticks for both her and Sasuke before sitting down at the table.
"It's been so long since I've been here." She admitted.
"I'm sorry." Sasuke replied as he quickly picked the tomatoes out of his box and set them off to the side. He preferred saving his favorite foods for last.
Sakura shook her head. "Don't be. I was happy to travel with you." She said with a smile.
He nodded and they ate in companionable quiet for a few minutes. After a little while, Sakura spoke.
"So when do you want to get married?" she asked. Sasuke's eyes widened and he glanced up at the medic who was pink to the tips of her ears. "I'm not trying to rush or anything." She assured him turning even darker. "I just figured it was one of the first things we should decide on together."
He smiled at her nervousness. To be honest, he didn't really care but she probably would. It was late spring and summer was quickly approaching. Frankly speaking, summer was the best time for weddings anyway.
"It doesn't matter much to me." He admitted. "There's no reason to rush or wait. Whenever you want to do is fine."
The pink haired woman nodded. "I was thinking the same thing." She admitted looking up at him. "Just knowing that you love me, is more than enough to make me happy."
"Sakura." He said softly reaching over to gently touch her face.
She covered his hand with her own and closed her eyes. "This is like a dream to me." She admitted. "I've always wanted to be close to you like this." She said softly shifting his hand to press a kiss to his gloved palm.
Sasuke's breath caught at the action that was so simple, yet so intimate. She was kissing the very hand that had nearly taken her life on more than one occasion with reverence that shook the very core of his being. His eyes misted as his emotions overcame him and he quickly bowed his head to hide them.
"One of us should shower." He said quietly.
Sakura nodded and released his hand. "I'll go first since I'm already finished eating." She said standing from her spot.
"So fast." He said quickly wiping his eyes and watching her throw the portable box in the garbage can.
Sakura chuckled before walking to her bedroom and grabbing a pair of pajamas. "It's a habit from having to work and eat at the same time. See you in a few minutes." She called out before vanishing behind the bathroom door.
The Uchiha quickly finished his food and took care of his trash and dishes before moving in to sit on the couch and await Sakura's return. A book on her shelf caught his eye and he walked over to pick it up. He smirked as he read the title. "Makeout Tactics" a glance at the bottom confirmed his suspicions that it was written by Naruto's deceased master. He opened the cover and was surprised to see a hand written message there.
To Sakura, thanks for always looking after Naruto so well. He's an idiot but try not to hold it against him so much. This is just my way of saying thanks.
Master Jariya
P.S. One of the characters in this book was based off of you. Can you guess which one it is?
"Since when are you interested in books like that?" Sakura asked as she walked into the room.
Sasuke turned at the sound of her voice and his breath caught in his throat at the sight of her wearing a lacy off white camisole and matching shorts. To be honest, he'd never seen her dressed that way since beginning their romantic relationship. While traveling, neither of them liked the idea of being venerable for attack so she'd never worn such revealing sleeping clothes. He very much liked the cream color against her pale skin and cherry blossom colored hair. A strong desire to run his fingers along the lace trimmed neckline had him swallowing noisily. Remembering she'd asked a question, he cleared his throat.
"I was surprised to see it on your shelf is all." He said quickly.
"It was a gift." She said with a little smile. "It's not my favorite book but it's a nice change of pace from all the medical reports I usually read."
"I see." He replied. "I guess I'll hurry and take a shower now."
"Alright." She said as he walked past her. "Take as long as you want."
He nodded and quickly dashed into the bathroom with his bag and a towel. Nearly half an hour later, he emerged again and walked out into the living room. His brow furrowed when he realized the futon hadn't been laid out and that Sakura was nowhere in sight.
"Sakura?" he called out cautiously.
"I'm in here." She replied her voice coming from her bedroom.
He gently pushed the partially open door wider. "Where's the futon?" he asked as his eyes scanned the room. It was larger than he'd anticipated with a large vanity complete with a mirror and chair against one wall next to a generously sized closet. Her bed was queen sized and set up near the large window at the end of the room. Several framed paintings and pictures hung on the wall and on the bedside table was the familiar photo of team seven. Sasuke's eyes were drawn to Sakura who sat on the edge of the bed her eyes fixated on the moon, the open window letting a pleasant breeze into the room that ruffled her hair.
"Sakura?" he said moving further into the room.
"The moon is lovely tonight." She said softly.
He nodded and walked forward to study the half lit up orb himself. "It is." He replied.
"Sasuke, would you sleep with me tonight?" she asked softly.
His eyes widened and he was about to refuse the request out of consideration for her and her family when he noticed moisture glistening in her eyes.
"What's wrong?" he asked reaching out to touch her face gently.
"I think I'm afraid." She admitted. "The past few months have been like a dream to me. Now that I'm back home, I'm starting to doubt again."
He lowered his head. It was to be expected he supposed. She'd spent most of her life waiting for him to return to her. It wasn't unnatural for her to be afraid that everything was just a happy dream or cruel illusion.
"Sakura." He said moving closer to her. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." He assured her.
She reached out and touched his face her fingers gently tracing his jaw line. "Prove it to me." She whispered her eyes glistening with tears.
Moved by the look in her eyes and the brokenness of her tone, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Gently, he changed the angle of the kiss and their mouths and tongues began a familiar, intimate, dance. His lips left hers to trail down her throat and latched onto the place where her neck and shoulder met. He sucked and nipped at the skin drinking in her gasps and quiet moans reveling in the sensation of her fingers threading through his hair. His hand slid down to her waist and pulled her flush against him as his lips left the now darkened patch of skin and returned to her mouth.
She sighed and slid her fingers over his back and sides igniting flames in his belly and sending delicious shivers to his groin.
"Sakura." He breathed pushing her down onto the bed.
He hovered over her taking in her flushed cheeks, her pastel hair splayed out like a halo around her head, her wide jade eyes and her arms laid out on either side of her. She looked so innocent yet so alluring. He wasn't sure if he'd ever wanted her more than he did right then. He straddled her hips and reached out finally allowing himself to trace the lace trim of her neckline shuddering as he felt the gentle swell of the tops of her breasts under his fingertips.
"You are so beautiful." He murmured letting his lips follow the trail his fingers had just taken.
His lone hand slipped under the hem of her shirt and slid up her flat abdomen to her rounded breasts. She shuddered as the tips of his fingers brushed her nipple and he stopped pulling back slightly to look at her face.
She was flushed, red to her hairline and her eyes were hazy with passion but also dark with something he didn't quite understand. It looked a lot like embarrassment or shame though he couldn't fathom the reason for it. Was she purer than he'd thought?
"I'm sorry. I know I'm flat as a board." She murmured hiding her face behind her hands.
He shook his head understanding at once the reason for the look in her eye and in one quick movement pulled the lacy top up to her neck. Sasuke took a deep breath as he studied the heavenly sight in front of him. She was beautiful, a unique mix of hard muscle and soft feminine curves. Her breasts were round with rose colored nipples and to his pleasant surprise, a little bigger than he'd imagined. He shifted to straddle her hips again and reached out gently covering her breast with his hand. She gasped but didn't complain at the action spurring him forward.
Contrary to what some liked to believe, he had absolutely no experience when it came to physical intimacy. That didn't mean that he was ignorant of the female form. Being in the den of a snake who liked to play with the bodies of both the living and the dead, exposed him to it rather early. Karin had also pulled more than her fair share of stunts over the many months she was on his team trying to tempt him with her body every chance she had. He'd never felt so much as a flicker of desire for the redhead much to her dismay.
Sakura was a different story. When he'd begun having the sort of dreams that seemed to plague all men during their teens, it was always her who was splayed out beneath him with nothing but moonlight on her skin. It was her who would dig who would dig her nails into his back and call out his name. His fingers fisted in her pink locks, their bodies slicked with sweat as he gave himself over to his most primal desires. Of course he'd always woken from such dreams rather quickly and would immediately proceed to the nearest source of water dousing himself with the cold liquid before using his lightning chakra to shock himself back to his senses since the images were a distraction to his goals and training.
Now, the only woman he'd ever fantasized about lay beneath him sighing as he fondled her breasts. He felt himself hardening further as he brushed his thumb over her nipple and the peak stiffened under his touch. Sakura let out a little squeak of surprise and pleasure at the motion and he leaned forward and dragged his tongue over the rosy nub. A mew of pleasure he'd never heard from her before reached his ears and he shuddered in delight and groaned himself at the sensation. He sucked the peak into his mouth and his hand rested on her hip before sliding up towards her other breast. His fingers ran over a rough patch of skin and he stopped and turned to look at the spot. A little frown touched his lips as he noted the scar the flames of his desire dampened by the evidence an injury he didn't know about.
"Where did this come from?" he asked.
Sakura blinked a few times coming out of her lust induced haze and then looked down at the place where his fingers rested. "Oh that." She said touching the mark herself. "Another parting gift from Sasori." She said chuckling before she blushed. "I'm sorry. It's a pretty ugly one isn't it?"
His eyes widened at the brokenness of her tone and the tears gathering in her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked as her hands moved to the hem of her shirt intent on pulling it down. He caught them in his own to stop her movements. "Sakura?"
She looked away. "I… I wasn't as good at healing myself back then." She said quickly. "The poison he coated everything with also made it almost impossible to prevent scaring. I'm sorry."
His eyes narrowed before he sighed. He closed his eyes and activated his sharringan before opening it again. "Take it off." He said softly.
"What?" she demanded blushing dark red.
"Take your top off." He clarified moving off of her.
She blinked and then shakily complied laying the cream colored negligée on her pillow. His amplified vision quickly logged every nick and scar on her torso and arms. With a light push from his hand she laid back on the bed and his lips immediately took to the spots he'd noted with his sharringan as he kissed each and every glorious imperfection.
"Sasuke! What are you doing?" Sakura asked her eyes widening when he caressed the place where acid from one of Kaguya's dimensions had scarred her arm with his mouth.
"These are nothing to be ashamed of." He said as he brushed his lips over a discolored part of her shoulder that he knew had been caused by Gaara's sand when he'd held her hostage when they were genin. "They are proof that you are an honorable kunoichi who has fought many battles." His lips caressed the mark on her stomach where Sasori's blade had run her through. "Beautiful marks of honor that set you apart as more than just a pretty face." His lips touched the place where he knew Madara had impaled her but no mark existed due to the fact that her seal had been released at the time immediately sealing the wound and leaving no trace behind.
"Sasuke." She breathed softly.
"I'll tell you over and over again until you believe me." He said shifting up to kiss a mark on her neck who's origin he didn't know but intended to find out about at another time. "I love you. In my eyes, there has only ever been you." He kissed her mouth lightly. "To me, you are the most beautiful woman in the world." He whispered before sealing his mouth over hers in a passionate kiss.
Her hands wrapped around his neck and she pulled him on top of her and for several minutes they battled for dominance with tongue, lips and teeth. Finally they broke apart gasping and he lifted himself up and looked down at her kiss reddened lips and disheveled hair. He moved to brush it out of her face only to realize he only had one arm and sighed. Instead, he brushed her bangs out of her face with his nose before laying his lips on her forehead.
"Shall we sleep now?" he suggested his rinnigan picking up the slight waver in her chakra indicating exhaustion.
"Will you stay with me?" she asked softly.
"Yes. I'll stay with you." He replied sitting up and handing her, her top.
She smiled and pulled it over her head before pulling the blankets on her bed down and slipped in. Sasuke turned towards the window and pulled on the cord to secure her curtains in place. A flash of movement on the opposite rooftop caught his eye and he frowned as he immediately activated his shiarringan and amplified his rinnigan catching a glimpse of an unfamiliar chakra signature as it ducked out of sight.
"Sasuke? Is something wrong?" Sakura asked.
"No. It's nothing." He replied quickly finishing the task of closing the blinds and padding over to the bedside.
He slipped into bed next to his teammate, turned lover, now fiancé and smirked at the sound of Sakura's already slowing breathing. He'd been traveling almost non-stop for five years. He was used to the strain it put on both the mind and body. Sakura was different and it showed. She was clearly much more comfortable home in her own bed and within minutes, she was sound asleep. He turned to face her and found her back to him and studied the open space between her shoulder blades. With a feather light touch, he gently traced the Uchiha family crest where it would someday soon rest on her back. A gentle smile touched his face as he caught a glimpse of the necklace he'd given her lying on her bedside table. Soon, he wouldn't be the last Uchiha. With that thought in mind, he drifted asleep. He was awoken hours later just as the sky was turning pink early in the morning.
"Sasuke. Over here." Sakura moaned in her sleep turning from the edge of the bed to face upwards her fingers outstretched as though she was trying to hold onto something. "Hurry! Sasuke!" she groaned her brow knitting together.
"Sakura." Sasuke said reaching over to shake the pink haired girl. "Wake up!"
"Sasuke." She whimpered a tear sliding down her cheek.
He sighed and wiped it from her eye. "I'm right here." He said. "Open your eyes."
Her eyes flew open and found his face a sigh of relief slipping from her lips as she turned towards him. "That's right." She said softly. "You made it. We all did."
"What did you dream about?" he asked as she touched his face gently.
"When Obito and I were looking for you in Kaguya's time space." She explained. She shuddered a little at the memory. "That was the fourth one we'd looked in. We were both so tired. I was terrified when that hole closed that we'd lost you forever."
He smiled gently and pulled her close to him pressing his lips to the top of her head. "I'm sorry." He said.
"For what?" she asked. "I mean it was just a dream."
That wasn't what he was apologizing for. The more time he'd spent with her, the more nightmares he'd woken her from, the more he realized just how stressful it was for her to wait for everyone to return. He was beginning to understand how frustrated she'd felt during the entire battle with Kaguya. Not being able to help her teammates physically in battle had broken her heart and though both she and her heart were stronger now, the lingering tendrils of those feelings still lingered and tormented her. He wished that he'd been around more directly following the war to help her. She'd saved his life several times over and he'd hardly done anything for her.
"I know." He replied smoothing his hand over her hair. "Do you want to sleep more or go ahead and get up?" he asked.
She sighed and sat up. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep now." She admitted. "I might as well get up. I'm sure I have a mountain of paperwork waiting for me at the hospital."
He nodded and watched as she slipped out of bed and padded across the room to her closet and threw it open. She popped her hip out to the side her chin resting on her fist as she studied the contents and he couldn't help but smile at the sight. She looked cute as she quickly selected a green shirt and a pair of white pants. She laid the outfit out on her vanity and then sat down pulling a brush through the pastel locks and began to hum a little song as she pulled out her stash of makeup. Suddenly, it seemed to occur to her that he was still in the room and she blushed.
"Ummm…." She said nervously. "You don't have to watch this."
He smirked and slid out of bed himself and picked up the pendant on her bedside table and laid it on top of her clothes. "Any requests for breakfast?" he asked.
"There isn't much here." She reminded him.
"I know. I'll go out and get something." He replied.
She blushed and looked down. "As long as you bring coffee I'll be fine with anything."
"Understood." He said leaning down to gently kiss her temple. When she turned towards him, he reached out and poked her in the middle of her forehead. "I'll see you in a little while." He assured her before he slipped out of the room and into the living room. He quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes and walked to the entrance where his shoes lay next to Sakura's. Just as he was about to pull his on, he noticed several envelopes that had been slid under the door. With a sigh he picked them up and tossed them onto the table for Sakura to read when she came out before proceeding with his original plan to buy breakfast for them.
He returned less than thirty minutes later with pastries and coffee neatly balance in hand. The sound of wood crunching startled him and he kicked off his sandals as quickly as possible his rinnigan quickly scanning for any foreign chakra signatures as he rushed towards the kitchen.
"Sakura?" He called out. "What's wrong?" he demanded.
He found her standing at the kitchen table, a wooden chair in pieces beside her as she glared at two folded pieces of paper in front of her. Blue light surrounded her fist indicating that it was loaded, so to speak, with chakra and ready to go. Anxious about what could have put her in such a state, he laid their breakfast down on the table and hesitantly reached out to touch her shoulder.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Ignorant bastards and slimy creeps." She hissed gesturing to the paper on the table.
He picked it up and scanned over the first letter. It was a threatening letter telling the medic to kick out the 'psychotic murderer' she was keeping in her apartment claiming they were afraid for their life due to his presence in the building. The things the writer had to say about him were cruel and mean spirited but it wasn't anything he hadn't heard before so it didn't bother him. What did bother him, was the writer's insults towards Sakura telling her that she was a weak willed woman who had been tricked by his demonic Uchiha eyes.
With a sigh, he put the note down and moved on to the next one. What he read there, made his skin crawl. A man from the looks of the handwriting and as well as the tone of the letter had blatantly attacked Sakura. He accused her of betrayal and expressed his disgust and anger at the knowledge that she was engaged to him. The writer of the letter ended with a threat telling the medic to meet him near the outskirts of the village at midnight or else he'd distribute copies of a photograph of her in a compromising position.
"Sakura, did he include the photo?" he asked using nearly all of his willpower not to turn of paper to ash in his hands.
She nodded and pointed to a print that lay on the floor near the splintered remains of one of her chairs. He picked up the photo and then immediately dropped it again just as his fingers burst into flames. The photo was an image from their intimate moments together the night before. The voyeur had caught a picture of the medic in the act of pulling off her top as he watched with his back to the camera, the Uchiha crest clearly visible on the back of his shirt.
"You're not going." He said firmly.
"What do you mean I'm not going?" she replied. "Of course I'm going! This in invasion of my privacy and my reputation is at stake."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Exactly! He was able to take this picture without either of us knowing. He's clearly at least moderately skilled. Let me handle him. I'll even take Naruto with me if you want."
She snorted. "Yeah right. We don't need a Pain sized crater near the edge of the village. I'll take care of this. I'm not some weak woman who can't handle herself or a creepy stalker."
The Uchiha's jaw clenched. He knew that better than anyone but it things weren't the same as before. She was his lover. His fiancé. It was his duty and responsibility to take on anyone who wanted to challenge him for those positions. He reached out and grabbed her firmly by the shoulder.
"Sakura! That has nothing to do with this." He ground out. "This is an issue between men."
"How?" Sakura asked her brow cocking.
He reached out and lifted the Uchiha crest around her neck. "You know what this means right?" he said moving closer to her. He leaned forward and captured her lips with his own. "What this means." He whispered forcing her back further until she was pinned between his body and the counter. His hand slid up her side under her shirt as he breathed down her neck his lips ghosting over the dark mark on he'd left at the nape. "What this means." He said softly. His teeth latched onto her ear and tugged drawing a gasp from her. "You are mine. Any man that tries to take you from me by force especially using such underhanded methods should be dealt with by me." He wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed her to his body. "Do you understand?"
Sakura took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. I get it." She said cupping the side of his face with her hands. "I'll let you go but only if you bring Kakashi or Shikamaru with you."
He leaned back and his brow furrowed as he studied her face. "Why? Don't you trust me?"
"You know I do." She said brushing her lips against his cheek. "It's the sender of the letter I don't trust. If he's the type to threaten a woman in such a terrible way, I'm worried he might do something to try to set you up." She touched her chin. "Actually, this might be a trap to lure you out for some reason."
"Why do you think that?" he asked.
"You take things very seriously, especially when it comes to the Uchiha clan. Since our engagement has been made official, you've basically made it clear that I'm in Uchiha in all but name and that's just until our wedding ceremony." She said.
"Your point?" he replied.
"There's no way a man like you would take an insult to me, the woman who is set to become a member of Uchiha family lying down. Of course you'd step in and take action." She said walking over to the table and picking up one of the warm cups of coffee.
Sasuke nodded and picked up the second cup. "You have a point." He admitted. "It could also be the other way around. You might be their real target and they're using this to separate us so that you'll be easier to grab knowing I'll probably take Naruto with me." He took a swig of the bitter beverage. "How annoying. It looks like my first stop is going to be to Kakashi's office today."
Sakura sighed and picked up the pastries he'd bought in down and nibbled on one. "You know, when I was younger I always wondered what it'd be like to be famous." She glanced over at Sasuke. "After becoming rather famous, I've decided it's more annoying than anything else."
"I totally agree." The Uchiha remarked picking at his own food.
