A massive thank you to that awesome guest! I was off the computer for what, like 4 hours, and then I come back and have like ten reviews! Whoever you are, wherever you are, thank you xox
I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! :)
Chapter 21
It was the ringing, that startled Sakura. She looked up, as Shizuko hurried to the hallway under her and Sasuke's gazes. Once she disappeared from the living room, the raven haired guy turned to the rosette.
" All alone..." he whispered and kissed Sakura's earlobe, making her shiver.
" Yeah, all alone in the living room...Stop that, she might return just now!"
" So what?" he laughed and moved his lips from her ears, through her jawline, to her lips. Sakura twisted her limbs around him, unable to stop herself. It was just so right for her to do that. To get closer to him.
And finally, they were able to share one of those moments, that only the two of them had. Those intimate moments, when they'd be feeling like they're in a bubble, separated from the world. but, of course, someone HAD to poke the bubble and return them back into the reality.
" Sakura?! What the hell are you doing here?!"
A feminine, fuming, very common to the voice said and the rosette turned around. Before she could assimilate the sight, Sasuke growled under his breath.
Sakura saw the maid and next to her a tall figure of a slender redheaded woman and a tall man with spiky blonde hair, beside her. They both held such resemblance to Naruto, that it was almost unbelievable. And, of course, the certain knucklehead was standing next to them, looking disapprovingly at the way his cousin has spoken. And she, of course, was a few feet closer to them with fire burning in her eyes. Sakura really didn't know what her problem was. Sometimes she was telling her how happy she was for her being with Sasuke and there were these moments, when she'd threaten her life. She sighed and got off of Sasuke's leg.
" Karin. " she nodded. " Naruto, I'm glad to see you!"
She stood up from the couch and approached the cousins. She hugged Naruto and exchanged glances with karin, who twisted her arms in front of her chest, refusing to take Sakura's hand.
" Ne, Sakura-chan, getting pretty bold with Sasuke-teme, ne?"
The rosette immediately blushed, while the redheaded woman, who Sakura assumed to be naruto's mother, hit him on the head with all her might.
" That's not something you're supposed to say to a lady, dattebane! And I thought I've raised you properly!" she then turned her eyes to Sakura and Sasuke. " Oh my, Sasuke, you've grown to be such a handsome boy! Come here and stop pouting!"
She pulled the raven haired boy in an embrace, which he awkwardly answered. After she released him, the blonde man with the spiky hair patted him on the shoulder with a friendly smile.
" And I thought that only our Naruto's grown...how wrong we were!"
" And who might you be?" the redheaded woman turned to Sakura with a friendly smile, while Karin snorted, receiving an emotionless gawk from Naruto's father.
" I'm Sakura Haruno, nice to meet you!"
" Oh, you are THE Sakura Haruno, we've heard so much of!" the woman smiled and extended her arm. " I'm Kushina Uzumaki, Naruto's mother. "
The rosette accepted the arm, wondering what possibly Naruto could have told his parents about her. Or was it Karin? She frowned mentally at that idea.
" I am Minato..." the man next to Kushina shook hands with the rosette too. " Naruto's father."
" Yeah, I figured..."
Shizuko looked around uncomfortably.
" I'll go bring some drinks!" she said and in some weak attempt to get out of there, Sakura smiled.
" I'll help!"
" Oh, no!" Sasuke stopped her. " You're staying here. "
" Why? Let her help the poor girl!" Karin hissed and Sasuke glared at her with pure hatred.
" Why don't you help her?"
" I don't really need help.." Shizuko muttered and hurried to get out of the room. The parents of Naruto exchanged glances.
" Now, now, what's going on here?" Kushina asked, her hands on her hips, a threatening expression on her face. Minato was looking with raised in pity eyebrows, since he knew, that when it involved his wife, the outcome was clear. There would be a person with an ice pack on his head in ten minutes. Most. And Naruto was looking with some mixture from scare, awe and fun in his expression. He obviously knew what was about to happen, as well...
" Nothing!" Karin hurried to say.
" Hn."
" Sasuke..." Kushina said in a lower voice and her gaze shifted to Karin and Sakura. " Do I sense a love triangle?"
" It's not like that!'' the redhead hurried to say, sweatdropping.
" Then what is it like?"
" I-I..."
" It's nothing, just like Karin said." Sasuke looked away, still holding Sakura's hand. " If you'll excuse us."
Sasuke dragged the rosette to the stairs and Kushina pursed her lips, unhappy with the outcome. She looked at Karin angrily.
" We didn't raise you like this!"
" Well, you don't know her!" the girl snapped back.
" She seems like a nice girl..." Minato added, wrapping his hand around Kushina's waist. Something made the redheaded girl with the glasses to think, that he did this to stop her from attacking her. And she was grateful.
" Look, Karin, it's obviously you who doesn't know Sakura, so shut the fuck up and let her be! What has she ever done to you?" Naruto interfered and looked at his cousin angrily.
" Why are you defending her?!" Karin whispered in a high-pitched voice.
The blonde, however, was unable to answer, since Nanami and Itachi entered the room.
" Shizuko told us that you've arrived!...Hey, has anything happened? Where are Sasuke and Sakura?"
" Ah, Itachi, my dear boy!" Kushina hurried over to him and embraced him the way she pulled Sasuke, as if they were her own sons. Minato hugged him, too. They also greeted Nanami.
" What's going on here?" Itachi asked once again, after seeing the faces of the young students.
" Nothing...just a catfight..." Minato laughed and patted Itachi's shoulder.
" Between who?''
" I guess it was between the two rivals for Sasuke's heart and then my wife...my lovely wife decided to jump in there, too..."
" Two rivals for Sasuke's heart?" Itachi repeated and his gaze shifted to the pouting Karin. " I'm sorry to break this to you, but I don't think that there are any rivals for his one girl is able to make him smile. Only one girl is able to make him laugh. Only one girl cares enough for him, that she'd even stay the whole night looking after him. There's only one girl, who already owns his heart. And I hate to say this, Karin, but it's not you...it's Sakura."
" It's Christmas, dattebayo!"
" And what right does that give you to sneak into my room at midnight?" Sasuke asked, looking at his blonde best friend with annoyance.
" Actually, I wanted to see if you had company...Quiete disappointing to find you here all alone...I was expecting something...spicier!"
" Spicier?! Yamanaka has some effect on you...Maybe because you're in the same complex? I don't know. I don't care. But for your own safety, better move out of there, before she brainwashed you completely."
" What are you implying to that?"
" That the only hing you lack is a skirt with your name on it."
" HEY!"
The boys engaged in something like a fight, that ended with Sasuke pushing Naruto off of his bed.
" Get out of here. It's weird!"
" Not before you tell me what you got for Sakura-chan! It better be something nice!"
" Hn. You can bet on it."
" Oh, come on, let me see it! What is it? Is it lingerie? Is it something sexy?"
Sasuke looked at the blonde annoyed. But the words were still clinging in his mind and he seemed, as if he really was considering to buy her something like that.
" Too late. The time for presents is tomorrow morning! No shop is working at this time."
" What made you think I'd really buy her underwear?"
" It must not necessarily be underwear..."
" Enough...I can't show you. The presents are already wrapped. You'll have to wait until tomorrow morning!...Now, out of my room! I want to sleep!"
Naruto pouted, rather disappointed. Sasuke rolled his eyes and before he could control his actions, the words escaped his mouth.
" What did you get for Hinata?"
The blonde looked him, as if he had slapped him.
" Eer, nothing...why would I? We're not even seeing each other tomorrow..."
" You're a lost cause."
The stupidity of this boy was on a whole new level, unknown to the humanity. Yes, that's what Sasuke was thinking of his best friend, when he sighed heavily.
" I bet, that she'd get something for you and when she meets you after the vacation she'll give it to you! you know, a Christmas present with a little delay. Don't you think that if you get her something too it would be nice?"
" Oh, shoot! You're right! But what possibly could I get for her?...Hey, I know, probably lingerie!"
" Get out..." Sasuke sighed " Just disappear before I decide killing you off in your sleep."
The morning was bright and really, really quiet. Too quiet, in fact. It wasn't what Sakura really liked, but she couldn't do anything about it, so it didn't actually matter. She turned to the side and faced the pile with the presents for Naruto, Karin, Itachi, Nanami and the workers. Oh, right! It was Christmas! She quickly jumped out of her bed and hurried to the bathroom.
After she prepared herself for the day, all dressed up in jeans, a red sweater with reindeers and a cute christmas hat, she headed to the hallway and knocked on Sasuke's door.
" Who is it?'' his hoarse voice reached her through the door and she smiled.
" Me, Sakura. "
" Come in!"
She didn't ask for a second invitation and pushed the door. The sight was something every girl would admire for a Christmas morning. A shirtless Sasuke, who was just buttoning up his pants, a belt hanging between his sharp teeth. Sakura smiled and approached him.
" Merry Christmas!"
" Merry Christmas!" he answered and with a smile, pulled her to himself and kissed her. He was holding his belt around her and was using it to keep her closer to him, which Sakura thought was really hot. However, she pushed him a little.
" Prepare yourself! We must act like Santa now!"
" Actually..." he said after he finally finished with his belt. " Itachi's the one who usually dresses up like him. It's kind of unusual for me to be giving presents to so many people."
" That's because you haven't known me before! Now come and help me get the boxes downstairs, unless you want me to break half of the stuff and probably my back on the stairs. "
" Hn...I'm coming...mostly because I don't want you to die in my house. It would be troublesome..,too much reports to write afterwards..."
" Jerk..."
However, Sasuke didn't only 'help her' with the presents, that had to be carried downstairs. He refused to let her carry anything more than the present for Nanami, which was a tiny box, that Sakura could easily insert in her pocket and not think of it anymore.
However, it was quite surprising to see that everybody else was up. Naruto and Karin were chatting, and the adults...well, Naruto's parents and Itachi and his fiance were talking, too... When they saw Sasuke and Sakura coming down the stairs, most of them smiled. And Naruto jumped joyfully.
" Oh! A big pile! I like big piles!"
" Yeah, dobe, Merry Christmas to you, too!"
Sasuke carefully left the presents next to the other pile, which was quite huge and then turned to his family and friends. Not much was said, until Itachi stood up and clapped his hands together.
" It's time! Everybody, sit around! Time for presents!"
" FINALLY!" Naruto sang happily and received a ruffle on his hair by his dad. Sasuke smiled at the sight of the happy family in front of him. Kushina was embracing her son and Minato was laughing behind them, his hands hanging on their shoulders. Karin was a few inches away from them, until Naruto dragged her and Kushina hung her free hand around the girl's shoulders. And for the first time, Sasuke wasn't jealous of Naruto. Because when he looked around him, he saw pretty much a whole family, that loved him. Nanami was holding him the way Kushina was holding her son and Itachi was embracing both of them. And, of course, to complete the perfect image in his mind, Sasuke had to drag Sakura in his hands, to kiss her forehead and to smile at her. Which he did and probably that was the moment he wouldn't ever forget. Because that was the moment he realized he had opportunities with the people surrounding him. Or rather, with the pink-haired hurricane, that only he was able to tame...a bit.
He turned to the others and smiled.
" What are we waiting for?"
Itachi stood up from the couch and approached the pile. He took one of the closest presents and red out loud what it said.
" To Karin."
He handed her the present and she quickly got rid of the wrapping paper and opened the box. She took out a pair of heals, that Sakura assumed costed more than her and Sasuke's rent for three months. Or even more. Karin gasped and turned to Kushina, who was smiling.
" Only you could buy something that amazing, right? Besides, only you know that I...how did you find out that...Oh..."
" Merry Christmas, dear!"
" Thank you!" Karin stood u and embraced Kushina and Minato, who smirked happily.
" NEXT ONE!" Naruto demanded and Itachi pulled a huge box.
" Wow, a heavy one! It is...eer, for Naruto."
The cheer of the boy was too loud as he tore off the paper and as he faced the surface of the box, his eyes widened.
" No way..."
" Yes way..." his father said with widened eyes behind him.
" What is it?" nanami asked curiously.
" It's the...the Numark iDJ Live II DJ Digital Media Player...Who was the masermind?!"
Naruto looked around and Sakura noticed his parents looking at each other with confused expressions.
" That would be two masterminds...me and Sakura." Sasuke said and Naruto jumped.
" I should have known! Only my best friend would know what to get for me!"
" Bullshit..." Sasuke snorted. " Actually...Sakura gave the idea. "
Naruto's eyes, as well as everybody else's turned to the rosette.
" Oh my God, Sakura, I declare you for my best pink-haired friend! Thank you so much!"
Naruto hugged her and she smiled.
" I am the only pink-haired person you know..."
" That might also be true..."
Naruto returned to his place, busy with reading the details on the box. Sakura and Sasuke looked at each other, smug smiles on their faces.
" Next one is for...eer, Sasuke..."
" Hn."
The boy unwrapped the little box and found a key. He lifted it and looked around with a raised eyebrow. Itachi grinned at him.
" What would that one be for?"
" Well, your Lamborghini is so last month, so I decided you could get a, you know...a newer model. "
The boy's eyes widened and he stared back at the key. Sakura stared too. What?! They got him even a cooler car than the one that he already had? And he intended to take his car back to Konoha with them? Oh boy?
" Don't tell me it's the..."
" Yup, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4."
Naruto's jaw dropped and he looked at his best friend, who was looking at the key without blinking.
" Oh, wow, I don't even know what that means, but it sounds too damn good..." Karin said and Sakura nodded.
" It's the...It's the best car! Like...it's...THE car!" Naruto tried to explain.
" You shouldn't have... I mean, thank you...!''
Sasuke turned to his brother and hugged him shortly, still being shocked with the key between his fingers.
" NEXT!" Naruto quickly said.
" It's for Nanami!"
Itachi smiled and handed the package to his fiance. She looked carefully at the bag and smiled. She turned to the rosette.
" It's from you, right?"
The girl grinned.
" From me and Sasuke. I hope you like it!"
" I love it!"
" What is it?!" Minato asked as impatiently as a child. Nanami took out a huge encyclopedia with more than 500 pages, hard covers and the image of a baby at the front.
Kushina and Minato exchanged surprised looks, while Naruto and karin seemed to have lost interest.
" It would be so useful, thank you!" she hurried to hug the couple and then faced the confused parents of Naruto. " We never had the chance to tell you, right? Well, it's pretty damn obvious now, but...I'm pregnant."
The reaction of the Uzumakis was even more unbelievable than what happened with the Uchihas. The only thing they didn't do was to start dancing around. Everybody congratulated Itachi and Nanami, Kushina seemed to be on the urge to cry.
" Oh, my, how I wish Mikoto and Fugaku could share this with us right now!"
Itachi frowned for a second and then embraced his fiance.
" I am sure they are!"
After a little while, they continued with the presents. Karin received a few dresses and a few more pairs of shoes. She was looking at her new belongings lovingly and for a few minutes, Sakura thought, that the worth of these pieces of cloth was probably more than Sasuke's car, which wouldn't be surprising, since the people that were giving those presents were from the two most important corporations in the country and Sakura was feeling so off place, that it was really hard for her to adjust. Naruto received a new console, headphones with some extras, that Sakura didn't understand at all and other stuff that an immature boy at his age would enjoy. Sasuke received the same console as Naruto, a sweater from Nanami and also a few papers from Itachi, that he quickly shoved in his pocket and refused to look at again. Sakura pursed her lips as he read the words on the first page. A contract. About the corporation being passed to Sasuke. And Itachi had signed. The only thing that was needed was Sasuke's sign, too. But he seemed to hate the idea, so he simply decided that getting the sheets out of his face would be for the best. The Uzumakis exchanged worried glances, but Itachi looked like he had expected that. Nanami got a few more books, that had nothing to do with babies, which made Sakura realize, that she was a smart woman, as well as a kindle and a pair of really expensive looking earrings from her future husband. He, himself, received a tablet from his brother and Sakura, since they knew, that he had trouble with his last one, a new GPS from Naruto's parents and a few ties, that he looked skeptically at, and knew that they were from Karin, who winked at him with an evil smirk.
" I'll use those to choke you in your sleep..." he said and she laughed along with him, because everybody knew, that he hated ties and official clothing. Mostly, because he sometimes hated his job.
The parents of Naruto received only little stuff, which they were extremely happy about. They were adults after all, they wanted presents not because of the worth, but because of the sentimentality.
And then there was Sakura. She never expected to receive that much stuff! First, from Naruto, she got a big box, where she found a little stuffed animal, which had the shape of a really cute fox and it was holding a cup full with something, that suspiciously reminded her of ramen. However, in the bowl that the stuffed animal was holding, a piece of paper was lying. Sakura took it out and looked at it. It was a coupon for one-year at Ichiraku's. Wow, that was to be expected from Naruto, who made sure she knew, that she could always invite him, which she agreed to.
Then there was the parent from his parents, which she was really uncomfortable to be even looking at, since she didn't even know these people until they came here the previous day, but still, they were bringing her a present, that she didn't expect. It was a very lovely dress, a red one with a white pattern at the waist. she didn't want to think of the price for that dress, that she immediately fell in love with. As she blushed, kushina thought that she didn't like it and was really disappointed, so Sakura had to spent half an hour to reassure her, that the present was unbelievably amazing. She somehow managed to calm the woman with the help of her husband and the pout of Naruto. And then, Itachi and nanami stood up. They've obviously talked about it with the parents of naruto, who also stood up. itachi turned to the rosette.
" So, we remember you saying that you didn't have a license, right?"
Sakura's eyes widened.
" son't tell me you've got some illegal document for me!"
" It would have been easy,but no..." Itachi laughed. " We thought, that to start off with your lessons, which by the way, Sasuke shall help you out with, we thought that you need a car for that. So...Merry Christmas."
They handed her a tiny box, that Sakura didn't have the guts to open. She feared that. It was really uncomfortable. She barely knew these people and they were giving her...a car?! Sasuke took it instead of her and opened it, then he shoved the key in her fingers gracefully.
" Cool, we'll get to drive together... What's the car, Itachi?"
Nanami smiled and answered instead of his brother.
" Well, since we didn't think, that Sakura would enjoy something as sparkly as your car, Sasuke, we stopped on a McLaren MP4-12C. And it's pink! you said you liked pink, right?"
" A McLaren...that's nice, those cars are safe." Sasuke smiled at the stunned rosette. " It's really not my type of a car, but you'll like it."
She didn't even know what that meant, what that car was, but she trembled and raised her hand with the key.
" I can't accept something that expensive! i am sorry! I really appreciate it, but I just can't..."
" Don't be silly!" Itachi frowned. " You're part of the family now, right? And we, in our family, don't care what the others have to say. Me and nanami decided that it would be for best if we got you that car, so we did. The end. If you continue with this, I'll be offended. Really offended."
" Oh, Sakura-chaaan, simply accept it! You can't refuse after his speech!" Naruto said. " But why is everybody getting a car? That's sort of unfair! besides, mum, dad, I still didn't get anything from you...don't tell me you have forgotten about me!"
Kushina and Minato laughed.
" Cars, cars..that's what we thought when Itachi told us about Sakura and Sasuke's presents...and we thought that it really was unfair! So, there you go kiddos! Enjoy your new rides!"
Minato threw a box to the both stunned Uzumakis. Karin and Naruto quickly opened them and looked at the identical keys.
" The cars are the same. Only different colors. I think they were some Ferraris..."
Itachi and Minato gawked at the ignorant woman. however, the blonde man smiled.
" Yup, Ferrari 458 Italia. Karin's is red and Naruto's is orange. How do you like that,huh?"
" I've got the best parents ever..." Naruto said before rushing over to his happy family. Karin did't stop thanking her aunt and uncle, who had taken care of her since she was little.
" That's been really lovely!" Nanami clapped her hands, looking at the four teens, that were looking with amazement at the keys at their hands. Especially Naruto and Sasuke. Karin was still thanking and Sakura was looking around nervously with pursed lips.
She, on the other side of the room was still looking at the shining key in her shaky hand.
" No, I will totally beat you in a race!" Naruto yelled and Sasuke snorted.
" yeah, fine, if you want to break it, then go!"
" Oi, Sasuke..." Itachi approached them and embraced him and Sakura. "Since the Pinky here doesn't have a license, I got those passes for you...the airport. Like, I reserved the place, so that you could help her get the hang of it, OK?"
" The airport?" Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "Now that I think of it, that's a good idea...there won't be anybody that she'd be able to hurt there...'
" Except for you..." the rosette said at him jokingly and the younger Uchiha faked a frown.
" OK, maybe we'll need a few ambulance squads around just in case..."
" Itachi, i really..." Sakura started, but the older Uchiha turned around and got away from her with a raised hand.
" I don't want to listen!"
" Sasuke, please, I can't accept this!" she turned to her boyfriend and he hugged her.
" Think about it that way...maybe Itachi is thankful that you're with me and that you're making me happy. that's the least he could do...speaking of which, I haven't given my present to you, yet..."
" It better don't be a house!" the rosette said mockingly and Sasuke smiled as he got a little,flat box out of his pocket.
" I was thinking about it, but I thought that I'd really want you to stay with me at Konoha Leaf, instead of moving out. It may be a bit selfish, but that's who I am..." he answered sarcastically and gave her the box, that she opened.
The bracelet was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It was not silver, nor gold, which made her think that it was white gold. The design was really stunning, but it wasn't that that caught her attention. it was the pendants. There was a little rectangle with a tiny 'B-5' carved on it. There was also a little football with a date carved on it and finally, a little christmas tree.
" Oh my god, Sasuke..."
" And every time something important happens, we will add new pendants, until there is no space left. And then we will start filling a new bracelet and so on, until...until..."
" Until the end.."Sakura nodded. " I love it..I just..."
" B-5, represents the way we met. If it wasn't for that silly apartment situation, I wouldn't have met you in the first place. The ball and the date..."
" I know...they day of the festival. When we...when we confessed to each other. I'll never forget that day, you know?"
" Me either...and, of course...a Christmas tree. Because I doubt this vacation will be only what it has been until now...Because whatever happens, I will remember the time when I brought a girl to my home for holidays!"
" You should have added the sandwiches.." she said, while biting her lower lip and still looking at the bracelet lovingly.
" I was thinking about it, but the jeweler dissuaded me. " he said tauntingly and pulled her in a deep kiss. " Hey, what about my present?"
She smirked.
" Not now, later..."
And with that, the rosette turned around and although she still didn't know how to feel about naruto's cousin, she hurried over to her to show her her new belonging, because, after all, Karin was the only girl in here, and although she didn't want to admit this, she knew that she was her friend.
And Sasuke stayed in the corner, looking at his girlfriend with love in his eyes and was thinking only about one thing...How someday he's add a pendant in the shape of a ring to that bracelet.
Well, OBVIOUSLY, Christmas is my favourite day of the year, and it kinda reflected on this chapter. It's twice longer than the usual ones, which should mean something, right :D
OK, in this story, Itachi's a rich person, as well as Kushina and Minato, so I didn't think that these presents were too much. Like, it's OK for heads of companies, right?
Please, let me know what you thought of this chapter! I'd appreciate it :)
Have a nice day/night! xox