Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Plot elements borrow heavily for Amanda Quick's "Seduction".
Author's Notes: This took a bit longer than I wanted. I started my new work roughly two weeks ago and I'm still getting used to my schedule so it's difficult to find time to write. Hopefully I'll be able to settle down soon. This was actually not beta-ed yet, I will upload the beta-ed version once I get it back.
Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I will reply to you all over the coming days! Hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter. There's a bit of lime ahead.
Seduction
Chapter Ten
"You look a lot more chipper today," Sasuke said, a hint of nervousness in his tone. It was a strange feeling, being unsure how to speak to his wife the day after their fight.
He watched her as she entered the house from the kitchen door, a handful of files under her arm. It had been a habit of hers the past few weeks to take her work home, preferring to finish paper work in his home office (slowly transforming into their home office) or their bed. He didn't mind, he liked that she was becoming more comfortable in their house and imprinting parts of herself in every nook and cranny.
Sakura put down the files on the kitchen counter and looked up at him. She smiled and just said, "Yeah."
Sasuke walked up to her, carrying a plate of fried eggs. He was hungry and the kitchen staff was still out, probably in the market stocking up on food. It was the easiest thing to cook. He settled the plate beside her files and stood beside the stool she settled in.
"Are you still mad at me?"
Sakura sighed and shook her head. "It was unreasonable of me to demand you to do something that you obviously didn't want to."
"It wasn't that I didn't want to do it. It's that I believe this is what's best for us," he explained.
She nodded. He wasn't sure if she really understood his side but couldn't think of how much clearer he could explain himself to her. The only thing to do now, he figured, was to give her space to think. He sat on the stool beside her and placed the plate of fried eggs in front of him. He reached for the ketchup bottle that was sitting on the island in the middle of the kitchen counter.
Sakura grimaced as she watched her husband pour globs of ketchup on his eggs. "You really need to put tomato in everything you eat?"
Sasuke smirked at her. "Don't knock it 'til you've tried it." He scooped up a generous serving of his little egg and ketchup concoction, the yellow mixing in with the red messily. He brought it to her face and Sakura scrunched up her nose in disgust and shook her head. "Fine, more for me then," he said before bringing the fork inside his mouth.
Sakura watched as he chewed his food voraciously, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "My father ate his eggs the same way. My mum always found it gross."
Sasuke watched the play of emotions in her eyes, as she delved into memories that he could not reach. "You miss them," he said lowly.
"Terribly." She missed the times she did not spend with them the most.
Sasuke put down his fork, half-eaten fried eggs left lonely on his plate, and held her hand. He squeezed, gently. "You still have family here; your grandparents, Kakashi," he paused and licked his lips, "me."
He felt her tense and try to pry her hand away smoothly but failing.
"I think I'll turn in early tonight," she said.
Sasuke nodded. He turned his head to kiss her good night. She did not turn away and let him take what he had so thoroughly missed.
Sakura stretched her calves and stood on her tiptoes as she tried to reach the sealed box of gauze pads at the topmost shelf of her supplies cabinet. She was sure the supplies manager had it in for her. She had requested a hundred times for them to place all her supplies from the first to the third shelf. She wasn't a short woman, but she wasn't Amazonian either. Yet somehow her supplies still manage to find its way at the very top shelf.
Her fingers wrapped around a box's corner and tugged. She looked down at the purchase in her hand and groaned. She managed to pull out a box of gloves instead.
"Need some help with that?"
Sakura whipped her head around and was greeted with Suigetsu Hozuki's feral grin, although his shark-like teeth seemed less intimidating in the fluorescent light.
"Yes, actually. I'm having an ongoing battle with the top shelf and I seem to be on the losing side," she said in all seriousness.
Suigetsu chuckled. "You're cute."
The medic-nin frowned, creases forming atop her nose. "I don't think anyone's ever called me 'cute' since I was…eight."
"Your husband never calls you cute?" he asked as he walked up to the shelf, brushing his should against hers as he passed her by.
She shook her head slowly. "No, he likes to refer to me with more age-appropriate adjectives."
"Hmm, you know whenever I call a lady cute they just lap it up."
"Like Patrice?"
Suigetsu looked at her curiously. "You're really…interested in her, aren't you?"
Sakura looked down, fingers fiddling with the hem of her top. "Sasuke just doesn't seem to fond of talking about her."
"He wouldn't be, she's not a very honest woman."
Ino liked to call it a woman's intuition. Sakura called it 'paying attention to psychology classes Tsunade made her take' (the Sannin always stressed that a ninja can only be as strong as their mind). But in that moment, Sakura noticed a shift in Suigetsu's disposition. It was very minute, almost imperceptible and she would not have noticed had she not been paying very close attention. There was contempt in his tone; a contempt much greater than she had ever seen in Sasuke when referring to his former wife. She wondered what transgression Patrice could have committed against Suigetsu to cause such a reaction in the usually carefree man.
"Why do you say that?"
Just like that, Suigetsu's carefree façade returned.
He grinned at her and shrugged nonchalantly. "Just from things I heard."
Sakura arched her eyebrows but he simply turned to the shelf once more.
"So which one do you need?"
"Gauze pads, it's over on the right corner."
Suigetsu stretched a muscled arm and easily took out the box. He handed it back to her, his fingers purposely grazing the insides of her palm.
"Thanks," Sakura said, staring at the box in her hand. "If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here, Hozuki-san?"
He leaned back against the shelf, arms crossing in front of him. "For you of course. I wanted to see if I could get you to have another round of drinks with me."
Sakura's lips tightened, her senses on alert. "Oh, well, I'm afraid I'd have to decline. I still have some patients to see and Sasuke's expecting me home early," she said.
"That's too bad, I had a lot of fun last time…I was hoping for a repeat performance," he said with a leer.
"Maybe another time," she said, wondering if it was the right thing to say.
"I'll hold you to that, Mrs. Uchiha."
"Alright! I'm ready for some barbecue and ale!" Naruto shrieked, running down the street like a lunatic.
Sasuke walked a foot away from him, trying to pretend that they were strangers.
"Come on, teme! Let's go!"
Not that it worked.
"I'll have to pass. Sakura's coming home early today," Sasuke said.
Naruto began laughing manically. "Damn, man, whoever thought you'd be the desperate one?"
Sasuke scowled at him. "I am not desperate. I am merely being a thoughtful husband. Not that you would understand, your idea of a relationship is splitting ramen with a girl."
"Hey! You have no idea what kind of sacrifice it is for me to split ramen with anyone, okay?"
"Tch."
Sasuke shook his head, tamping down the grin forming in his mouth. Throughout the years he began to appreciate Naruto's entertainment value, not that he'd every come out and say it. As they turned a corner, something caught Sasuke's eye, a splash of pink followed by unmistakable silver.
Sasuke remembered one time that he had caught Patrice in bed with another man. He was supposed to be away on a mission but returned a day early. He went to check on her in her room, out of duty more than anything else, only to be greeted with the sight of his wife half naked and the carpenter she hired to fix her closet on top of her. Sasuke had grabbed the man by the neck and threw him out of his home. Patrice merely looked at him in disgust, as if Sasuke was at fault for daring to come home early.
It had hurt his ego, that his wife would prefer the company of a man who was less in station, less in looks and less in everything to him.
But now, seeing Sakura walking innocently beside another man, laughing softly at whatever that other man said, it hurt somewhere he forgot it could hurt.
"On second thought, Naruto, I think I need that drink."
Her husband was nowhere to be found when Sakura finally got home. She thought he might be just a little late, after all she knew that Naruto was coming home from a mission today and she didn't want to deprive them of their 'male time'. So she ate her dinner alone, had a long bath and read up on some scrolls to pass the time. After two hours had passed, she finally came to the conclusion Sasuke must've forgotten about their scheduled naked hot tea talk, which was fine she supposed. She wasn't feeling very truthful the past week. She tried not to miss him.
Sleep conquered her once her head hit the pillow. A half hour passed when she was awoken by scratching noises. Sakura opened her eyes in time to watch her husband stumble inside their bedroom.
"Sasuke?"
His head turned to her slowly; she could barely make out his drunken smile in the dark.
"Wife," he mumbled as he walked unsteadily towards their bed before collapsing on top of her.
Sasuke began placing wet kisses on her neck, his lips trailing downwards until he could reach the top of her breasts.
Sakura scrunched her nose at the smell of alcohol and stale cigarettes coming off Sasuke's skin. "You stink, husband, perhaps you should take a shower before bed?"
Sasuke drew away his attention from her chest and leaned up on his elbows so he could look at her face. "If I shower, will you let me have you?"
Sakura frowned at him. "What are you talking about?"
He ignored her question, opting to cradle her face with his hands before swooping down and fitting her mouth with his. "I need you, Sakura, please," he murmured against her mouth.
The smell and taste of alcohol was forgotten as Sasuke devoured her mouth, lips and teeth clashing with such urgency. His tongue snaked in between her parted lips, searching for that sweet and spicy flavor that was purely Sakura.
His hand slipped between them until he could touch the hem of her nightgown. He lifted it up to her waist before his hand quickly dipped inside her knickers, touching the warm, wet skin that had been denied to him for so long.
Sakura's eyes shot wide open as she felt Sasuke's fingers explore her untouched womanhood, sliding in and out of her with such expert ease. She couldn't help the wanton moan that slipped out of her mouth. Sasuke had always been a wonderful kisser; he always managed to make her forget about everything around her, leaving her with no doubt that he would be an amazing lover. But even with all the pleasurable sensations taking over her body, she couldn't knock down the feeling that this was…wrong. His touch, his kisses, it felt as if he wanted to possess her…brand her.
"Sasuke, stop," she whined out, hands pushing against his strong shoulders.
His hand froze mid-movement. He lifted his head up and stared at her in a daze.
"Not like this," she said, looking at him pleadingly.
He jumped away from her as if he had been burned with scalding water. He looked at her, shame in his eyes, apologies stuck in his throat. He made a move towards the door as if he couldn't stand to be around her but before he left he muttered words that perhaps she wasn't meant to hear. "Then how?"
He hadn't come back to bed. It was the first thought that entered her mind when she woke up the next morning and felt the cool wind instead of her husband's warmth beside her.
Sakura sighed, deeply saddened by the events the previous night. She would talk with Sasuke and fix things with him, after all, they promised an open communication, didn't they? But right now she had a duel to settle.
She took a quick shower, brushed her teeth, changed into her most worn out training gear and charged out of their home before anyone could see her. She doubted Sasuke would let her out of the house if he learned what she was planning.
"Sakura!"
Sakura looked to her right in time to see a horse-drawn carriage pull up being driven by an exceptionally pretty boy in laced up boots and a newsboy cap.
"Hinata?"
Hinata gracefully jumped to the ground from her driver's seat and walked to Sakura. "Well get in, we're going to be late," she said as she opened the passenger door on the side.
"I'm sorry, I'm a bit confused."
"Ino told us about your duel, and she figured you were probably planning on walking there. Duels are seventy-percent intimidation, how do you plan on intimidating someone if you walk in there like a peasant?"
"Are those your words?"
Hinata looked down at her palms where Sakura spied smudged black ink. "Ino gave me a script."
"Figures." Sakura walked up to the coach and put a foot on the footplate. "How'd she manage to convince you to do this?"
Hinata gave her a shy smile. "She didn't have to. I figured my father would get very mad if he found out what I was doing. My decision was made after that."
Sakura laughed and patted Hinata's shoulder. "Good for you!"
"Now, let's go!"
…
Sasuke watched from the window of the third floor guest room as his wife got inside an unfamiliar carriage. He barely noticed the splinters digging into his skin as his hand gripped the wooden windowpane.
He didn't want to doubt his wife but it was as if she was testing his resolve. First she lies to him, then he spots her with Suigetsu and now she was sneaking out in the early morning and riding off in unfamiliar carriages.
He heard the horses pull away, sand clouding in its wake. The Uchiha soon followed.
Sakura arrived at the clearing behind Tsunade's home just as the sun started rising in the east. Karin was already standing in the middle of the clearing, dressed in tight black shorts and a loose white top that bared her midriff. This was definitely the least put together Sakura had seen the woman look.
The carriage door was opened unceremoniously by a scowling Ino, garbed in a black trench coat, black leather boots and thick shades.
"Are you planning to rob someone?" Sakura asked as she looked up Ino's form.
"Shut up, you're late!"
"How'd you even know about the duel?"
"I read it in your planner, you idiot," Ino informed her casually.
"You read my planner!" Sakura squealed with horrified wide eyes.
"It's like you don't know me."
"But it was in code!"
Ino clucked her tongue. "Sakura, 'settle affairs with ginger' isn't code."
"Are you two going to stop talking anytime soon?" Karin intercepted.
Ino and Sakura turned their heads towards the woman who had a scowl on her face. It reminded Sakura of the woman's expression whenever her husband was around.
"Good morning, Karin-san," Sakura greeted amiably.
"Enough with the pleasantries, we should just get on with this," Karin answered as she side-eyed Ino.
The blonde merely raised an eyebrow, unmindful of the redhead's obvious dislike for her.
Sakura nodded, oblivious to the two women's silent exchange. "Very well then, I've set up some rules. I don't plan for either of us dying on this field today." She slipped her hand inside the pouch on her utility belt and brought two bells, much like the ones Kakashi had used on their first test as genin. "We get a bell each, the objective is to acquire the other person's bell. Whoever ends up with both bells is the winner. We will be using purely taijutsu. Genjutsu and ninjutsu are not allowed."
Karin nodded as she walked up to Sakura and grabbed one of the bells in the Konoha nin's hand.
"Let's do this," Sakura said before swiftly landing a punch on Karin's jaw.
Hinata put the horses to work as she hurried to bring the carriage back to the Hyuuga compound, before her father would discover them gone. She had barely travelled a few minutes from the clearing when her horses halted, neighing wildly at the dark chakra emitting from an obviously ticked off Uchiha heir.
Hinata stared wide-eyed as Sasuke walked up to her with intimidating steps.
"You, boy, tell me where my wife is?" he demanded.
"I will do no such thing!" she squeaked.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her. She tried to hide her face behind her bangs but it was for naught, the light of recognition had already settled in his eyes.
"You're the Hyuuga girl! Why are you dressed like that and where did you take Sakura?"
She took off the wool newsboy cap on her head, letting her ink black locks fall down her back. "I don't have to answer to you!"
Sasuke glared at her.
"Alright, fine, you're very convincing," Hinata chirped. "I took her to the clearing behind Tsunade's home."
"Tell me what she's doing there."
"You can't boss me around."
Sasuke sent another glare her way.
"But since you're very persistent, she has a duel with Karin-san of the Sound party."
Hinata had barely finished her sentence before Sasuke went flying down the path towards Tsunade's home.
Karin was struck by surprise when Sakura landed a kick in her stomach shortly after the punch she threw. It was apparent that the Uchiha mistress was desperate to win this battle, why, Karin simply did not care. She would not lose; it was a matter of pride.
When Sakura prepared to land another kick, this time on her face, Karin caught her foot. She wrapped her arms around the woman's leg and pulled. Sakura landed on her back, hitting the dry soil with an angry thud.
Karin's hand shot out and reached for the back of Sakura's belt where the bell hung. Sakura immediately blocked her attempt, a fisted hand knocking her wrist out of the way. The pinkhead twisted her legs and placed both feet on Karin's chest and kicked. Karin landed a few feet away from her, her head hitting the ground painfully.
Before she could recover her breath, Sakura was straddling her, her calves pressing onto Karin's thighs to limit her movement. Sakura's eyes were set on the prize, the bell hanging around Karin's neck.
The redhead butted Sakura's head and used her upper body to reverse their positions so that Sakura was underneath her.
Karin was about to reach for Sakura's bell when she caught a glimpse of the Konoha medic's face, twisted in pain and determination.
Sakura stared back up at Karin who seemed to have lost her focus. The silver bell glinted between Karin's bosom and Sakura wrapped her hand around it, ready to pull and then…
"You're even more gorgeous this up close…"
"What?"
Before Sakura knew what was happening, Karin's red-tinted lips had landed on hers.
Meanwhile…
"You! Blondie, you must've put her up to this!"
Ino turned around to see a very livid Sasuke Uchiha with a cowering Hinata trailing behind him.
"I tried to stop him!" Hinata cried apologetically.
"I have a name you know," Ino said, completely unafraid of the temperamental Uchiha heir. "And this was all her idea. Frankly, I applaud her for taking the initiative to stand up for her marriage when her husband can't even be bothered!"
"Do not speak of things you don't know anything about," he said snootily. Sasuke looked up to see his wife seemingly struggling against Karin's hold. "We have to put a stop to this."
Ino grabbed onto his arm with both hands, stopping his movement. She was freakishly strong. "No, this is her battle! You can't just meddle with this, it's a matter of honor!"
Sasuke rounded on the blond, eyes blazing with hostility. "Do you have any idea what kind of danger Sakura put herself in? Unlike her, Karin has no sense of conscience. She wouldn't think twice about killing someone she thinks is in her way."
"I don't think that's going to be a problem," Hinata squeaked suddenly, earning Sasuke and Ino's attention.
Ino rolled her eyes. "What are you talking ab—oh, well I certainly didn't expect that."
Sasuke was absolutely speechless, his mouth gaping like a fish out of water.
Hinata's pale eyes would've paled even more if it were possible. "Is this real life?"
Karin was kissing her. Karin was kissing her. Holy Kami, Karin was kissing her.
Sakura had absolutely no idea what to do. Her eyes were unblinking and her arms were locked to her sides as the redhead moaned and writhed on top of her, seemingly enjoying herself despite the fact that the object of her affection behaved very much like a wooden floorboard.
"I wanted to be more subtle in my approach," Karin said sweetly, "but I couldn't help myself anymore, your chakra was just calling to me, inviting me." Her breasts heaved as she breathed heavily before placing her lips once more on Sakura's gaping ones.
Sakura really wished the academy had a course on what to do with amorous lesbian kunoichis.
Karin was definitely enjoying herself, Sakura was sweeter and softer than she had imagined. And then that dastardly husband of hers decided to ruin her fun.
"Karin, get the fuck off my wife."
To be continued...
Next Chapter: Sasuke and Sakura talk. And yell. A lot.
Author's Notes: So that answers the questions about Karin. She's not going to disappear after this chapter. I do hope you caught some of the clues about Sakura's true emotions in the chapter.
Please don't forget to review!