Chapter 21 – You're All I Need, You're All I Feel
It had been a week since the ANBU meeting they attended.
And they unfortunately saw more and more of Anko. Literally.
Every time the foul-mouthed woman happened to cross paths with them, it was like she lost an item of clothing. Every damn time. The man who was posing as her lover didn't care – then again, he looked like a scary biker who could snap her in half without even trying. Ibiki always stood by her side stoically, his appearance alone setting the older tenants of their building on edge.
Spreading out her weight, Sakura sighed and pressed her cheek to the back of Itachi's neck. It was uncomfortable laying on her stomach for the first time ever and she was warned in her last appointment that it wasn't recommended that she slept on her back, either, because the uterus would compress the veins running up the side of her spine, stopping the blood flowing from her legs to her heart.
Stupid pregnancy took something as simple as sleeping positions from her.
"How many is that?" Itachi panted as he straightened his arms.
She pressed a tender kiss to the back of his neck, smiling to herself when the skin there broke out in goosebumps. His neck had always been extra sensitive. "Two hundred and forty-six."
It was unbelievable. It astounded her. The supposedly short workout was something she expected of Maito Gai or Rock Lee, not her boyfriend. However, during the meeting, Asuma had told Itachi that he needed to start training more seriously again. Apparently, he was letting himself go and if Danzo was to find out that one of his best was losing focus, then he would be forced to act.
"Are you okay?" he asked, turning his head to the side to try and see her. His hair got in the way, obscuring his view and noticing that, Sakura gently pulled the hair tie from his hair. She ran her fingers through the soft, dark strands until his hair was in a high ponytail, one she deftly turned into a bun and tied up.
"I'm getting a little uncomfortable," she said truthfully, shifting to prove her point. "Looks like I can't sleep on my stomach anymore."
Itachi nodded. "We can continue another time-"
"Oh, no you don't." Sakura smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Keep going. We set the goal at two hundred and fifty, remember?"
He smirked and nodded again, arms bending as he lowered them, before straightening up and going back down once again. "You…" He took a deep breath as he continued the push up. "You didn't think I could do it."
"That's because I didn't think you were capable of giving Lee-san a run for his money," she retorted. As they went down and back up, Sakura told him encouragingly, "One more."
His arms were shaking for the last one, his breathing harsh and she could feel that his back was soaked with sweat. It didn't gross her out that she was covered in his sweat, instead Sakura made a mental note to keep a cloth and cold water near them next time. She knew how horrible it felt to almost be drowning in sweat during a workout.
"Two hundred and fifty," she told him proudly as Itachi lowered himself a final time, resting flat on the floor with his cheek on the cool wood. "You did so well, Itachi."
He nodded, still trying to catch his breath. Smiling, Sakura slid off his back, laying down beside him on her side. Gods, it felt good changing her position. After a moment, Itachi turned to lay on his back and she found that his skin was flushed. It shouldn't have, but… the sight gave her impure thoughts and so she quickly sat up.
"I'll go and get you some water," she offered cheerfully, doing just that. While she was at it, Sakura splashed her face with cool water, willing herself to somehow magically control the rampant hormones.
By the time she returned to the living room, Itachi had allowed Ken and Akako out of the bedroom. For some odd reason, they didn't like it when he worked out – or they did, but simply wanted in on the action. She couldn't really tell. All Sakura knew, was that it was annoying to him, as Ken would try to jump up at him and get involved and after a couple of minutes of nonstop attempts, Akako would join in. Now that they were free, they were much calmer.
"Here," Sakura said as she handed him the water. Itachi accepted it gratefully, though took careful sips instead of guzzling it like she knew his body wanted him to. "I take it that's not your record?"
Dark eyes met hers and he faintly shook his head, taking another sip. "I have never tried push ups with extra weight, but without, my record is seven hundred."
Jeez. And she'd thought Rock Lee was insane. "Well, we'll work at it bit by bit." Shrugging, she sat beside him on the sofa, smiling. "You never know, you might try this again once I've had the babies and think it's nothing, beating that record."
He smiled at that. A wide, happy smile that made her stomach flutter and her heart skip a beat. Would there ever be a time where she wouldn't react that way? Sakura hoped not. She hoped Itachi would always be capable of taking her breath away, of making her feel nervous and excited, with a single glance, with a simple smile.
"That shall be another goal," he said, smile widening.
After giving him the time to shower and change (and then taking one herself, as she'd been covered in his sweat), they decided to take the dogs for an extra walk that day, feeling more energetic than usual. She was determined not to become a lazy slob with the pregnancy. Maybe she would pig out, but she would keep in shape as much as possible. After all, before the pregnancy, she'd been attending weekly sessions at Maito Gai's dojo. His sessions were like survival training. Once, she'd even seen a student of his throw up because of the rigorous training.
The fresh air was welcomed with open arms and Sakura continuously took deep breaths, finding herself enjoying the park more than usual. She wasn't sure what it was. It wasn't any quieter or busier than usual – had the same amount of screaming kids and exhausted parents, and the same number of dogs and their walkers. It just… felt nice being outdoors.
When they returned to the apartment, the dogs were well and truly exhausted, flopping down onto their beds and panting happily. Ken's tongue was hanging out the side of his mouth, almost like he was grinning at them and it had her giggling every time she looked over at him.
Still smiling to herself and once the harnesses and leads were hung up near the door, Sakura entered the kitchen after boyfriend, not surprised to find that he was looking through the refrigerator. They'd been discussing what to have for dinner, and what was the healthier option. Just glancing through the gap between his side and the fridge's door told her they needed to go grocery shopping. There wasn't much in.
It was with a sigh that he shut the door, facing her with an apologetic expression. "Takeout?"
She nodded, watching as he went about gathering the leaflets they kept in one of the drawers. He disliked keeping them, but she always told him they would need them one day. She'd yet to be proven wrong.
"You know…" She bit her lip shyly when he placed the leaflets down and turned, glancing down at the space between them before she closed it. "It's our one year anniversary tomorrow."
"Our anniversary was in January," Itachi corrected. His hands came to her lower back, thumbs stroking the exposed skin there.
"Not that anniversary," she said and laughed. "I mean it's the anniversary of our first time. In a few hours, in fact."
A small smirk pulled at his lips, before widening into a genuine, warm smile. "Otherwise known as your birthday."
Sakura grinned up at him. "I prefer calling it our anniversary."
"Oh?" Gently, she was backed against the wall and the smouldering stare had her heating up dramatically. "Should we refer to it as such to our friends and family?"
A blush raged on her cheeks and once again, she bit her lip. Whether it was from the look in his eyes and the way he suddenly dropped his lips to her ear, teeth slightly grazing her earlobe, or the sudden realisation of what he was saying… She wasn't entirely sure. One thing she was sure on, however, was that she would never stop feeling weak in the knees whenever Itachi kissed her. It didn't matter if it was chaste kiss, or a searing one like the one he was giving her now. Every time he kissed her, it felt like the first time all over again, even though that sounded horribly cliché in her mind.
The screwed-up hormones that accompanied pregnancy were on her side for once and Sakura breathed out shakily, hand tangling in his hair to keep their lips together as the kiss grew needier, as he reached down and lifted her thighs until her legs wrapped around his waist.
Usually Ken intruded whenever they were intimate, as he didn't like the attention being away from him. Much to her gratefulness, he didn't. Either he was too exhausted after his walk to care, or didn't know what was happening.
She gasped, hold on Itachi's hair tightening, as he rolled his hips upwards. At the same time, he brought her hips down to meet his, causing the most wonderful friction she'd ever felt. Just as she was about to beg for him to continue creating that friction, he turned them and gently placed her down on the table. For a split second, she had the irrational fear that it wouldn't handle her weight, but he made her forget all about it as his kisses trailed down her throat and to her breasts, hands tugging on her vest top to give him better access.
Itachi didn't seem to have the patience to remove her vest or bra, however, because he instead pushed it up and over her breasts, holding it up as his mouth moved to her chest, his kisses making her restless beneath him. She willed herself to be quiet, lest she wished for the dogs to come and investigate, but it became impossible when Itachi impatiently yanked her joggers down, along with her underwear.
Inwardly, she felt proud of herself for something as simple as upgrading her clothing. Last year, she'd been embarrassed when she forgot all about the fact her underwear was childish, what with the pink bows and whatever. When Ino had first heard about it, she'd repeatedly come out with smart remarks whenever Sakura lost her temper, telling her that she needed to calm down, just because she was now wearing 'big girl' underwear, it didn't make her one.
All thoughts were completely blown from her mind at the feeling of Itachi's lips teasing her relentlessly, leaving slow, hot kisses along the tops of her thighs, getting closer and closer before returning to her thighs. It had her impatiently rolling her hips, grasping at him until she settled on pulling on his hair. It felt like a lifetime before he graced her with the feeling of his mouth on her most intimate area. Her head fell back against the table, hold on his hair growing weak for a second, but then it tightened, thighs trembling when he paid special attention to-
"O-Oh," she cried out, back arching off the table.
Itachi's hands came to her hips, firmly keeping her down while he found a rhythm that soon had her seeing stars, all ability to control her volume vanishing along with all other control. It no longer mattered to her whether or not Ken took it a step further and became a voyeur. All that mattered was that… Itachi couldn't stop.
He did. But not for long as he unbuttoned his pants, lowering them. Just as he was about to align their hips, however, Sakura smiled as she shuffled down the table, turning and leaning up on her elbows, sending a coy smile over her shoulder at him. Her response was a heated expression, followed by Itachi reaching around her, changing her position ever so slightly, so that she wasn't at risk of bumping her stomach or even being uncomfortable. It had her shivering at the mere thought of what that meant.
It was after pressing his hand to her back, curving her spine, that he finally entered her, taking a few moments as he breathed out shakily against the back of her neck, the feeling causing her to shiver again. Sakura was glad for the pause. Not because she wasn't ready, but because she needed a moment to prepare herself.
She gripped at the table when he started moving, biting her lip. Already, it was intense and he'd only just begun. It made her wonder whether it was the hormones amplifying her arousal, or if he was just that good…
A sudden, rough thrust had her tightening her hold on the table, had her hips jerking out of time, but what really had her gasping in surprise, yet moaning with pleasure, was the hand that came down on her ass with a loud crack. It stunned Sakura for a moment, leaving her stuck between pleasure and pain until Itachi gently ran his hand over the surely reddening cheek, his thrusts slowing as it dawned on him what he'd done.
"Don't stop," she said, though couldn't keep the uncertainty from her voice.
Never had Itachi… Well, spanked her during sex. Granted, she was never in such a position during sex, but even she knew that spanking was possible while she was on top. Sakura wasn't entirely sure what to think about it. Her ass hurt, that was for sure and she was by no means a weakling when it came to pain – couldn't be, when a member of Gai's dojo. No, Itachi had struck her with some force.
Despite her weak order, Itachi stopped anyway, almost hesitantly placing his hands on her hips.
For a long moment, nothing was said and much to her (and her rampant hormones') horror, she could feel him softening inside her.
"Itachi-"
"I'm sorry." He pulled out of her, but didn't bother with fixing his clothing and when she turned to face him, she could see the horror written all over his face, could see his disbelief and pure shock. "I didn't…"
Realisation turned her stomach, made her heart sink. "Those in ANBU who… seek comfort-"
Itachi didn't even let her finish the sentence. "Sometimes."
She nodded and frowned, not able to look at him as she asked, "And you and Anko…?"
There was a weighty pause. "Yes."
Great. Her boyfriend was Christian fucking Grey.
"Sakura, I am truly sorry. I-" He cut himself off this time, scowling. She knew his anger was directed at himself, though. "I should not have-"
"It's fine," she murmured.
"No, it isn't," he disagreed seriously.
It upset her that he was keeping his distance, that he wouldn't touch her. Was she supposed to redress herself? "If being a 'dom' is your kind of thing, Itachi, then-"
"It isn't," he stressed. Sakura turned when he stepped around her and sat back against the table. In that moment, he looked troubled. Greatly troubled. "And I am not a submissive, either. However, many in ANBU come to agreements on how to release all that is weighing them down. I… never realised it would stick with me after all this time."
So… he wasn't like Christian Grey from the Fifty Shades books? Sakura frowned at him, but made no move to approach. It was obvious her boyfriend didn't want to be touched. "So, you… hurt one another during sex?"
Something flashed over his features before his eyes dropped from hers, far too quickly for her to be certain what emotion it was. If she was guessing, however, then Sakura was guessing it had been anguish, disappointment and anger – again, mostly directed at himself. As far as she could tell, he wasn't angry or upset with her. Just sorry.
"I didn't mean to hurt you," he whispered, his voice conveying to her how much pain he was in.
Tears filled her eyes and even though she warned herself not to, Sakura reached out to him anyway, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and head as she brought his head to her chest, embracing him tightly.
"You didn't hurt me," she only half-lied. "It just… It just took me by surprise, that's all."
But he shook his head, voice fierce as he vowed to her, "It will never happen again."
She frowned when he finally returned her embrace. "What if… I kind of liked being spanked?"
It wasn't like he'd beaten the hell out of her, or raised his hand against her offensively. It'd been an honest mistake during sex between two consenting adults. If it had been that kind of relationship, then none of what was happening now, would be happening. They wouldn't have batted an eyelash. But because of her inexperience and surprise, and his abrupt return from 'being in the moment'… Well, it left them a little unsure.
It hadn't been entirely unpleasant. Sure, her ass stung now and she could feel that it was red, more than likely showing his hand print, but at the time, she'd enjoyed it. Hell, Sakura could still feel the stab of pleasure that shot through her.
"It just took me by surprise, Itachi," she repeated more firmly, not allowing any of her uncertainty to be revealed. "It's just a bit of spanking. It only took me by surprise because… I'd never thought you'd be into that kind of thing – and it's okay if you are. If you-"
"You are rambling again," he murmured into her chest.
Sakura smiled in amusement. "That's because you're not saying much." Sighing as her smile vanished, she pulled back, forcing him to look at her. "Honestly, I think we've blown this way out of proportion."
Itachi shook his head, but then also sighed. "It is more to…" His embrace tightened when he found himself at a loss for words. Knowing him the way she did, Sakura waited patiently for him to find those words. Several moments later, he had them. "I raised my hand to you, Sakura – and yes, I know it is perfectly normal in others' eyes. However…"
Previously, Sakura would have interrupted by now. She would have demanded him to hurry the hell up and stop with the dramatic pauses. Now, however, she found herself feeling much more patient. She knew how much he struggled voicing his thoughts.
He frowned, clearly troubled and she resisted the urge to smooth out the lines it formed on his features. "However, in ANBU, we did not care for the pain it brought the other, Sakura. We knew the other person could handle it and there were safe words in case we overestimated their ability to handle pain. In… In Anko's case, it took…"
When he trailed off again, this time, she knew it was because he wasn't sure she wanted to hear what he had to say. "You can talk about her, Itachi. This is all in the past and I'm fine with that."
Again, he sighed. "In Anko's case, to release her emotions, she needed to experience extreme pain."
Did that mean he'd been comparing her to Anko? Was it as she previously feared, her boyfriend wishing it was…? A sharp pang made itself known deeply in her chest and all of a sudden, she felt uncomfortable being half undressed. Sakura felt the need to dress herself and leave the room to collect her thoughts, because despite her words spoken moments before, it hurt. The possibility of him…
Fear and shock took over his frown suddenly, his eyes going wide. "Why are you crying?"
She left his embrace to wipe at her eyes, angry to find wetness on her cheeks and under her eyes. "I-It's nothing. I just…" Sakura gave up with trying fight the tears. She'd learned long ago it was impossible. "Why…?" Gods, her throat felt tight. Like someone was squeezing it. "Were you thinking of-"
"No," he said firmly, almost fiercely. Itachi stood up straight and reached out for her, hands cupping her face when she tried to turn away. "I was trying to explain why I don't think we're blowing this out of proportion, Sakura. Anko is…" He waited until she reopened her eyes, her lips turning downwards no matter how badly she fought against it. "She was far from my mind. I promise you, Sakura."
"You were trying to explain…?"
Not for the first time, Itachi sighed. This one was a deep sigh, a mixture of exhaustion and shame. "I am not blowing this out of proportion because of how intense…" He frowned again, thumbs stroking under her cheeks to try and wipe away her tears. "I was trying to explain that, because of Anko needing to experience extreme pain, I… grew accustomed to that. What could be a mere tap to myself, can be unbearable to you, Sakura." His frown deepened and he swallowed hard, like he was sickened with himself. "I got lost in the moment and didn't even think about it. I forgot about your inexperience.
"If we were to explore that kind of intimacy, then we need safe words. We need to know each other's limits. But, in all honesty…" He suddenly looked exhausted, eyes lidded. "I don't want that anymore. Yes, it forms bonds between people, but it is not love – not in my case. I don't want to have to experience physical pain, or deal out physical pain, for us to open up to one another."
Her arms slowly wrapped around his waist and she smiled slightly, hesitantly. It made him breath out a deep, weighted sigh. "If you wish to explore it, then I will. But it isn't pleasant, Sakura. Relying on experiencing that pain to be able to release your emotions, because they're so deeply repressed, is…"
"Is it why you struggle so much with opening up to others?" she asked quietly, warily.
"Not because I rely on pain to be able to open up," he clarified. "It is because I have grown used to suppressing my emotions, both for the sake of my sanity and for the sake of completing missions."
"But… that helped."
It wasn't a question. Itachi still answered, anyway, telling her, "I can understand why people such as Anko rely on it so heavily. As for myself, I don't particularly care for it. Don't forget that I was fifteen years old when I began taking missions in ANBU, Sakura. That… That side of sex was all I really knew of it until I met you." It felt like it had been a lifetime since she last saw him smile, even though it had only been about half an hour. "There is no comparison. We have intimacy, Sakura. Love. In ANBU, you must change your partner to ensure neither of you grow too attached. It is an unspoken rule among the operatives."
Again, like well over a year ago, Sakura felt her heart break. A year ago, when Itachi first told her of his sexual past, she'd decided there and then that it sounded lonely. Now, she couldn't even begin to imagine, especially not for a boy who was having so much shit thrown his way.
"Our sex…" It amused her to see a faint blush rise on his cheeks. "I…" Was it wrong to think her boyfriend looked adorable as he struggled to find the right words, to think that he looked so cute as he grew flustered? "We have sex because we love each other. It's not because we need it to release the emotions we've suppressed for so long that it's the only way we can release them." The blush deepened and Sakura found herself biting her lip to fight against the urge to smile. "It is more pleasurable."
She couldn't stop herself from teasing him, asking, "Even if we rarely have it?"
"Rarely-" It took him a few moments to realise she was joking and noticing that, he relaxed considerably in her hold, forehead dropping to hers. "Then would you be willing to change that?"
There was no stopping her smirk, especially not as she was turned and lowered to the table once more. "Absolutely."
They found out why the dogs had been so silent. Somehow, after collapsing onto their beds in exhaustion, they'd been shut away in the bedroom (it wasn't too concerning, as on several occasions, Pakkun had accidentally been locked away). The damage to the door was minimal and Itachi assured her that it was fine. At least they knew they were protective of them. No doubt it had driven them mad trying to get out after hearing her being struck before it all fell silent.
The sound of the bedroom door creaking open had Sakura hesitantly opening her eyes, squinting against the harsh brightness of the morning sun. It was spring now and the weather was beginning to warm up, the sun shining brightly and stubbornly in an attempt to break through the harsh cold of winter.
It surprised her when her boyfriend shut the door behind himself, keeping the dogs out and noticing this, she opened her eyes more fully, though did not sit up. In his arms were two trays being expertly balanced, both filled with food. One of them had a delicate flower poking over the side.
"What's this?"
Placing the trays down onto the bed, Itachi smiled softly as he settled into bed beside her, careful of the two trays resting between them. "You are always cooking, so I thought that I would make you breakfast in bed for your birthday."
Sakura grinned when a soft kiss was pressed to her lips, though couldn't deny her eyes were focused on the trays. The smell was tantalising. Itachi must have noticed her attention was elsewhere, because he chuckled into the kiss and pulled away, allowing her to focus entirely on the plate.
"Pancakes," she gushed happily and finally sat up, grin returning as her boyfriend placed the tray down onto her lap. "And completely loaded with Nutella." Green eyes drifted to dark. "You know me so well."
He smirked at that, eyeing them in the same way he always had – with barely hidden distaste. "I suppose occasionally having them couldn't do too much harm," he replied teasingly.
In Ino's words: she and Naruto ate diabetes. Between the two of them, they used almost a full jar of Nutella, stuffing themselves silly with the overloaded pancakes. Not long after moving in with him and Kakashi, in an attempt to cheer her up, Naruto had made her pancakes. Her very first pancakes, in fact. She'd been in love with them ever since.
Noticing the extra fruit on the edge of his tray, Sakura bit her lip, wondering if he would be against her swiping one of the bananas. It seemed like a strange combination, Nutella and bananas, but her stomach was growling at just the thought of them together.
Itachi's smirk widened in obvious amusement and he grabbed the extra banana, handing it over along with a knife. She grinned in response, excitement making her stomach flutter and she was quick to cut it up, placing each piece down until it made a heart shape.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Itachi watching her closely, waiting to see her reaction as she tasted the combo. So, Sakura made sure to play it up as she moaned and shut her eyes, expression one of extreme pleasure. The different flavours were bursting to life on her tongue and her reaction wasn't entirely an exaggeration, as it truly was amazing and vaguely, she heard Itachi chuckling.
Why hadn't she thought of this sooner?
"You should shower and get dressed," Itachi told her once they had finished their breakfast. There was a pause as he watched her quickly finish her juice and she could tell as she finished it, gasping for breath, that he was impressed that she'd guzzled a full pint of juice in one go. "You have a busy day ahead of you."
"I do?" she asked, still somewhat breathless.
He smiled and took the two trays. Apparently, her boyfriend wasn't going to tell her what she was doing that day (even though Sakura was pretty certain she had a right to know such a thing). It irked her a little, but she decided to humour him anyway. Previously, Sakura had never really cared for her birthday. It was just another ordinary day to her – they'd never celebrated it, not once. Sure, she knew when her birthday was, should she get asked for it, but, other than that…
It was with a sigh that she dragged herself out of the warmth of her bed, going straight to the shower. She preferred baths as of late, as whenever she was in the shower, she was always overwhelmed with the fear of slipping, even if it seemed irrational. However, they had a non-slip mat that would obviously prevent her from falling. She simply had to keep reminding herself of that.
During her shower, and just before she got out, she noticed Itachi slip into the bathroom and place her dressing gown on her hook at the back of the door. When she was out, she realised it had been in the dryer, as it felt extra warm and cosy.
By the time Sakura was dressed and ready, with her makeup and hair done, it had just past nine. Part of her felt disgruntled with being woken up so early. If her birthday was such a precious occasion, weren't things supposed to go her way? Shouldn't she be granted a lie in?
Itachi stood as she left the bedroom, waiting until she was standing in front of him before presenting her with a small, square box. For a second, nervousness shot through her, taking her breath away, before Sakura forced herself to calm down and be rational. The box was much too big for that. It was too flat, too.
"Happy birthday," he told her with a smile.
She accepted the box with both hands, hesitant about tearing open the wrapping paper. Beneath the thick, pretty paper, was a brand name that had her heart skipping a beat, had her stomach flipping with a mixture of excitement and disbelief.
"Itachi…"
"Open it."
Weakly, she followed his order and for a split second, she almost wished that it had been an engagement ring. Much to her shock and… and she wasn't sure how to feel. Inside the box was…
"This is too much, Itachi," she said, almost breathless.
He smiled warmly. "It isn't just from me," he assured her. Lifting his hand, he gently touched one of the charms. "This one is from Sasuke and Naruto-kun."
The charm read 'sister', along with a pretty pink gem beneath the word, in the shape of a heart and next to it, was a charm of a dog. There was no doubt who that one was from and Sakura found herself grinning, her chest filling with warmth and happiness. The next charm she spotted out of them all was a charm that had her squinting a little to see more clearly, but there was no denying what it was. Engraved into the silver was a mother and a father and between them were two babies, all surrounding another gem that was shaped like a heart.
There was a theme with the Pandora bracelet and it was definitely about family and love. While she believed it was too much, considering they had children on the way, Sakura couldn't deny it was beautiful. It made her even happier to know that they all had a part in it.
Along with the sister, family and dog charms, there was also a best friends charm, a crown, a birthday cake, a 'family forever', a pink cupcake (which was absolutely adorable), a charm that said 'you are so loved', separate dangling letters spaced between the other charms, which spelled out her name and finally, a happy birthday charm.
"I love it," she whispered. Smiling, even though she could feel a lump in her throat, Sakura asked, "Put it on me?"
"Actually, it would be best if you didn't wear it until tonight."
Wait, what? "Why?" It was pretty and she wanted to wear it. "What am I doing today, Itachi?"
"It is a surprise. All you have to know is that your day has already been planned," he said just as there was a specific knock on the door.
Frowning, Sakura glanced in the direction of the door, already fearing the worst. The only thing stopping her blonde best friend from barging in was the fact she was wary of the dogs. They'd yet to warm up to her. Any sudden movements, any unannounced visits and they were on edge, never taking their eyes off her. She hated it.
Itachi greeted Ino politely, allowing her entry and at the sight of her, the two dogs perked up, watching her closely. In response, Ino didn't come any closer than the part where the hallway changed into the living room. She had a bag slung over her shoulder and was dressed casually for once.
"Oh?" Sakura questioned and lowered the box holding her bracelet. Unlike her boyfriend, her best friend wouldn't hold back on the details. "What does my day consist of, then?"
"A spa day." Ino grinned widely. "Oh, and we're getting our hair done."
"Along with three beauty treatments of your choice," he added with a sigh.
What? Green eyes narrowed suspiciously. The bracelet was one thing – a ridiculously expensive, but so very beautiful bracelet that she almost felt too scared to even wear, for fear of losing it – but now a spa day for two? Being pampered all day long? Yes, it was a really thoughtful gift and yes, she was grateful. However, they were having twins and she was still contemplating quitting her job. They couldn't afford things such as this.
"Itachi-"
"Oh, no," Ino cut her off and placed her hands on her hips. "You're not allowed to argue. I don't care if you think this is way too much." Blonde eyebrows raised daringly and she said, "You're going to have to get used to being spoiled on your birthday, Sakura. There are too many people who love you to let it slide by unnoticed."
Stubbornly, she fought back the tears. Stupid hormones.
It didn't take much for them to get her out of the house. In all honesty, she was secretly looking forward to a pamper day with her best friend. How long had she been whining about needing a haircut? About the odd aches and pains? Glancing over her shoulder at Ino, she grinned brightly, to which she replied with a victory sign and sticking her tongue out.
And then, all of a sudden, Itachi slammed on the breaks, muttering a rare curse word and Sakura had to throw one hand to the dashboard, the other met with Ino's as she went to grab her shoulder, keeping her as still as possible. Still, she couldn't help but grimace as a crick in her neck immediately made itself known.
They just about caught sight of the flash sports car that sped by, mere millimetres from clipping their car.
"Nice reflexes," Ino said shakily, hand soon leaving Sakura's shoulder to go over her heart. Her blue eyes were wide, features paling somewhat.
And despite knowing exactly what and whose car that was, she couldn't stop herself from screaming out of the window with her middle finger thrown in the air for good measure, "Fucking asshole!"
There was a faint shake of Itachi's hands, his dark eyes narrowed on the car that was already out of sight, although they could still hear it. The hatred and anger in his eyes had Ino's eyes widening further, had her unknowingly shrinking back in her seat in shock and fear.
"Itachi…" she called out quietly, anger disappearing instantly. Frowning, she reached out to him, her frown deepening when he startled somewhat. "It's okay. Just an idiot who went through a red light."
With her eyes, she begged him to keep his cool, to recollect his composure, if only for Ino's sake. While she knew of a person who owned that car, Sakura believed it'd disappeared way too fast for her to take note of what car it was.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, hand coming to rest on her stomach.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ino smiling and tilting her head in the other direction, giving them a moment of privacy. It had her breathing out a quiet sigh of relief.
No matter what, she had to remain in the dark.
It was wonderful.
The spa looked more like a huge mansion and she was half expected Charles Xavier to come wheeling into the room, welcoming them to his school for gifted individuals. Everything about it was luxurious, to the point where Sakura was certain their presence alone was dirtying the place.
As soon as they'd entered the lobby, they had been given cushioned slippers which were brilliantly white, standing out in sharp contrast to the black marble floor. Fortunately for them, there would be no issues with slipping, as the slippers had a special grip on the soles, preventing such accidents. The walls were pristine white, the front desk made of an expensive wood she couldn't even pronounce and while Sakura felt sorely out of place, she also felt giddy about being there.
Itachi had waited until they were inside before driving off, apparently already having paid the bill and before they'd even made it to the desk, their shoes were swapped with slippers and the kind staff had asked if they would like any refreshments as they waited. She and Ino had shared a single, excited grin, eyes alight with awe, disbelief and anticipation.
To fully enjoy the day, Sakura had switched her phone off. It kept flashing with notifications of people wishing her a happy birthday and while she was incredibly grateful that those people wished her well, she wanted to make sure she didn't waste a single second of her pamper day glued to her phone. Even Ino had switched hers off – an extremely rare occurrence. To stop any sneaky glances, they'd left their phones with Itachi, who had made sure to have the spa's number, and they his, in case of emergency.
They seemed to have their own room (and on the way to said room, they'd had a tour of the spa, which was amazing), complete with a magnificent view of a huge field. The spa was on the outskirts of Konoha, away from the busy city centre. Part of her wondered how peaceful it would be to live on the outskirts.
Once in their room, they changed down and into their white robes and began the health questionnaires they'd been presented with. The room had wooden flooring and walls and felt warmer than the lobby, although Sakura knew already that it wasn't the actual sauna. Due to her condition, she wasn't allowed in the sauna (not for longer than ten minutes, anyway).
Their treatments weren't booked for another half hour or so. To pass the time, she and Ino were sat in their room, marvelling at the view as they sipped on non-alcoholic champagne. Surprisingly, Ino hadn't said anything or pulled her face at the alcohol-free champagne. Even more surprisingly was the great taste.
"So, what do you want to do?" asked Ino as she sat back in her lounger.
It was a shame that the weather wasn't warm, as she was certain that would have upgraded the day from amazing to perfect. They could have sat out in the field and sunbathed, as it was slowly coming to life with different colours, instead of watching it from the warmth of a room.
"The pool looked pretty good," Sakura said thoughtfully. Tipping her glass to the side slightly, she watched the pink coloured liquid as it fizzed. It was an odd taste, but definitely a pleasant one. "It's supposed to be heated too, right?"
The blonde nodded and took another sip. "Mm."
Already, it seemed like her best friend was letting herself go and relaxing. They were both free of make-up, had tied their hair up so it was out of their faces and wrapped up in their robes.
She must have been expecting a reply, because when the silence dragged out for too long, blue eyes drifted to the side, watching her closely for a few moments. "You've got a serious case of resting bitch face there, Sakura," Ino told her. "What's up?"
Did she? Sakura frowned. It wasn't that she wasn't happy with her spa day, because she was. Ecstatic, even. She just… couldn't stop thinking about the night before, wondering if it had possibly been taken way too seriously. He only spanked her, for goodness sake.
"I'm just thinking," she lied and tried to smile.
"Oh? What about?"
"The surprise party last year." Damn it, had they blown everything way out of proportion last night? Was Itachi serious about being capable of really hurting her? "Kind of hoping it won't happen again this year. I'm not sure I'm in the partying mood."
"Please," Ino snorted and flicked her hair over her shoulder. "We did the whole surprise party thing last year." Then, a blonde eyebrow raised. "So, what's really bothering you?"
Sai was a member of ANBU, too. Would it be okay for her to ask her best friend about their sex life? Or was that too invasive? Saying that, Ino had always shared way too much information with her – the proof in that statement was the fact she had a good idea what size Sai's pe-
Get out. Get out. Get out!
"Ino…" Sakura bit her lip, unable to decide whether she could open up to her about what had happened the night before. "Has Sai-san ever…" Ino hummed when she trailed off, telling her with that sound alone to continue. "Has he ever… spanked you?"
"Spanked me?" When all that came as a response was a weak nod of her head, the blonde sighed. "Sakura, everyone likes a bit of spanking every now and then," she assured her with a knowing smile. She giggled then, covering her mouth. "Yes, Sai's spanked me before, but that's actually pretty vanilla for us now."
Wait, what? What did that mean? "Vanilla?"
"You know…" Ino pulled a face, almost like a thoughtful frown. "I know how prissy you can get-"
Her mouth fell open. "I am not prissy."
Blue eyes rolled and she reached out, fingertips tracing the bottle of non-alcoholic champagne, which was resting in a bucket filled with ice. "Fine, then you can't get mad at me when I explain what vanilla sex is."
Why did Sakura get the feeling she was going to get angry? "Go on."
"Technically, it means boring. You know, normal sex."
She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. It wasn't worth getting wound up about. Several times before, she and Itachi had discussed their relationship and how it was different from others'. Once certain she wouldn't lose her temper or patience, Sakura asked, somewhat cautiously, "Spanking is vanilla for you both?"
There was no smug smirk or sly smile like she'd thought there would be. Instead, Ino was silent for a few moments, like she was thinking carefully about how to word her sentences. It made her feel worried and hopeful, because for a second, she was certain her best friend knew of Sai's involvement in ANBU, but then Sakura reminded herself that Sai was vehemently against allowing Ino to know of ANBU's existence, let alone his involvement.
"Sai can be pretty into BDSM."
BDSM was the hardcore stuff, Sakura knew already. It shocked her to hear that her friend was into it – while she knew the blonde was kinky, she hadn't known how kinky.
"I think he needs it sometimes," Ino confided in her quietly after a few minutes, a soft frown on her pretty features. "He won't say the words, but… You know when someone you love is struggling, don't you?"
Sakura nodded. It was agonising (and that was without the feeling of being so fucking useless).
"Sai can really get lost in that head of his," she added and her frown deepened, lips turning down at the corners and for a second, just a split second, her voice shook. "I didn't enjoy it in the beginning – it felt like I was beating him. But…" Ino shrugged helplessly, stunning Sakura when her blue eyes became glassy. "But I've noticed the effect it has on him. For some reason, Sai really struggles with opening up. Like, really struggles. Sakura… he doesn't cry. Like, at all. It's like he can't open up at all if we don't use BDSM."
Shit. She was going to cry and if Ino was going to cry, then she was, too. Why had she forgotten… Shit! Sai had been taken from an orphanage – had told her that he was trained to kill as soon as he could walk. Like Itachi, that form of… that outlet was all he knew. He didn't know how to release his emotions at all, whereas Itachi had grown up with Sasuke around, the pair of them leaning on one another for comfort and support.
Sai hadn't had that.
Much to her gratefulness, the therapists interrupted their conversation with a gentle knock on the door, entering at their okay.
And throughout the duration of the day, Sakura repeatedly thanked the Gods that her boyfriend was slowly getting used to opening up to her the way he was. She simply hoped Sai would learn to open up in the same way.
A/N - Happy birthday to one of my fave characters of all time, Sakura! I don't think I've ever dedicated a whole chapter to a character's birthday before. Ha.
As some of you are probably already aware, I had a cryptic message from someone a few days ago that's left me more than a little uncomfortable, as they said that they don't have much time left and that everything they have done is pathetic. It's clearly someone who knows me well, because that person specifically said that they know what it means to message me on here. It's not exactly rocket science that I keep fanfiction separate from my life and receiving that message feels like a huge invasion of my privacy.
Some of the things I post, some of the stories, are of things that I, or a family member, have gone through or I feel strongly about. Writing has always been an outlet to me. To have someone (who went on to wish me luck with my aspirations and stuff) I know in real life message me on here... Well, if it's who I think it is, then that person originally laughed in my face at how stupid my writing is, shitting all over my hard work. To have someone I thought I was in love with do that to me was heartbreaking and for a while, it put me off writing. You guys have no idea how close I came to completely scrapping all of my stories, including WSAAL and the still on-going Saviour.
But, I guess the joke is on them, because look at how well I'm doing now. My writing has improved so much since I first started posting and it's thanks to all of you. There are so many shitty parts of this fandom, but the support for one another isn't one of them.
It probably would have been best ignoring the message (as the person has deactivated their private messaging feature, not allowing me to reply), but I couldn't do it. Writing is when I'm at my happiest, it's how I get all the bad stuff out. I'm not about to let some coward take that away from me or worm their way into my life again, like their known to do so.
Also, please, if any of you happen to know me in real life, please don't try mixing the two.
REVIEWS:
FlowSoreto: Thank you for your review. You're right there - anyone who comes between them is to be treated like an enemy ;-)
Nana: Could you give me examples on what was too dramatic? Just want to get in there that some of the characters are being dramatic - like Ino or Naruto, for example. If you mean Itachi's pauses in speech, I've already said that it's because he struggles to voice his thoughts and repeatedly trails off.
Also, the part about people adding Sakura is something that happens in real life (I'm forever deleting requests from strange, random men all around the world wanting to become friends with me), but that's not why I put it there. I put it there because it's what happens when somebody is talked about in the way Itachi and Sakura are talked about (magazines, gossip websites, etc.) and if you take a look at anyone who's even remotely famous, you'll see what I mean. It's a repercussion, I guess. Itachi's fans, now that Sakura has been named in the gossip columns, will want to see who she is, what she looks like and her connection with him. Any way to get closer to him, they will take, even if it means adding his partner.
Guest: Hey, I'm not saying anything about it ;-)
I'll admit: I'm usually so awful at replying to reviews. I often get all muddled up about who I've already responded to, or forget all about them. It wasn't until recently that I decided to take a leap out of other authors' books and do it this way. As for your request of a companion story for Naruto and Sasuke... Hmmm, that could be interesting.
Thank you so much! I'm trying to not make it so it's like everything revolves around Sakura, you know? I made that mistake in T.N.K and U.I.W.T.L so now I know better. Like shown in this chapter: everyone has their own problems to deal with, even someone who seems so happy and carefree (or in Ino's case, so in love and like her relationship is perfect).
I love writing Temari. She's such a tough, sarcastic character with a secretly caring nature beneath the hard surface. And when I thought what this story could possibly be lacking, I immediately thought: TEMARI. Throw a bit of hard love in there.
SanctuaryFive: Thank you for the kind review! It's nice knowing that I'm making someone's day with my work.
DarkSecretKeeper: How did you feel about the rude driver? ;-)
I know, right? I knew Japan was pretty strict on a lot of things (need I remind anyone on the law about obesity?), but I never would have guessed that the maternity leave was so short. I thought that I'd better double check, as it only dawned on me at the last second that they'd have a different system to us.
AliceCambio: Hopefully this chapter has given more insight to the Itachi/Anko relationship. And yeah, Sakura's realising that she's got some serious growing up to do if she's going to be a mother. Though, not to give too much of a spoiler, she does have some pretty badass moments later on in the story ;-)