Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters.

Chapter 37

"I really wish my hair curled like yours," Ino commented as she took the curler away from Sakura's hair, letting the hot strands fall in place with the rest of her hair that waterfalled down her back.

The blonde admired her work, azure eyes complementing the completed look before catching Sakura's gaze in the mirror.

"You did a really good job," Sakura praised with a soft smile; her eyes continued to look at each curled piece, then to the way Ino also did her makeup.

It was such a true and natural look. It brought out the vivid shade of green in her eyes, accentuated her high cheekbones and shaped her face almost perfectly. Gold shades danced on the lids of her eyes while a gel eyeliner flared out in the smallest but the sharpest of cat eyes. The fake lashes looked natural enough to pass for her real lashes and the way she lined Sakura's thin lips made them look a little thicker, but like they were her own. She looked stunning, completely different but she felt a jolt of confidence boost her higher that day.

"Girls, are you done?"

The blonde turned towards the door first, beckoning at Sakura to follow. When she stood, she watched as her dress fell down her body, hanging by her shoulders and curving with the shape of her body. She loved the way it hugged against her muscles, showing her petite yet toned frame.

She couldn't wait to show Sasuke — though he was upset with her for not showing him right away, she promised to see him as soon as possible today, be it before prom or after, she swore up and down that he'd see her in that damn dress.

Ino was already soaking up the compliments from Mebuki downstairs, and by the time Sakura carefully stepped down each step, her mother's eyes nearly filled with tears while the palms of her hands clasped over her mouth.

"You look beautiful, darling!"

Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes, her arms coming to hug around her for a mere second as she felt the multiple pairs of eyes taking in the sight of the pinkette. It wasn't like her to get this dressed up, her makeup done to the high heavens and back and feel this good about it. While it was still an unfamiliar and odd feeling, she liked it.

"You look like a princess," her father noted as he walked into the room, his arms coming to wrap around her to pull her in for a hug.

"Her hair! Don't ruin her hair!" Ino's shrill voice made him pause, jumping slightly in his slippers before he gently patted Sakura on the back and then took a step or two away. Sakura couldn't help but laugh, her eyes finding Ino who stood proudly next to her mother. "And don't forget that she is a princess!" Ino corrected her father and the entire room echoed with laughter.

"Pictures! We need pictures!"

"Karin should be over soon," Sakura noted as they were ushered outside.

Ino frowned in Sakura's direction, her thin brow raising in question. "Why didn't she come over like planned?"

Sakura shrugged, unsure of the situation herself. "She just said she had other plans this morning and would get ready on her own."

The four of them walked outside, greeting Ino's parents as they pulled up into the driveway. It went by in a blur to Sakura, the flashing of the cameras, the posing, the laughter. Once Karin showed up, they cooed over how she looked in her own dress, Ino playing with the red locks that framed her pale face before another round of pictures ensued. By the time they finished, Sakura could already feel her feet slightly ache from the heels she had picked out.

It was fun nonetheless, more memories for Sakura to store in her heart and mind, remembering the smiling faces of her friends and the way their warm hands felt in hers; she truly loved and cherished these girls and she'd be damned if she let their relationships fall to pieces after moving on to the next chapter in her life.

As her mind wandered to that part of her life, she envisioned Sasuke's black eyes, glimmering with hope and life, love and adoration while his dark locks brushed against the pale skin of his face; he looked angelic, staring at her before an elbow to her ribs brought her racing mind back to reality. She was faced with Karin's scarlet eyes, staring at her with a fiery gaze until she grinned.

"We'll see you tomorrow!" Sakura's parents called from behind them, making her heart rush just a little faster from within the confines of her chest. She mirrored Karin's grin, her pearly whites showing completely.

"Ready to go, Pinky?" She asked and Sakura had never felt more ready in all of her life.

. . .

Throughout their day, Sakura laughed more than she ever had. Karin and Ino had taken her through the mall, little girls with their mother's running up to them to call them princesses, getting their picture taken before running off and pursuing the rest of their day; they went to the arcade, bowling, ate ice cream and walked the boardwalk at the lake. As much as her feet ached and begged her to stop, Sakura ignored the pain and marched on throughout the day.

The sun soon lowered in the sky, blue fading to orange as the golden rays hid behind the skyline. Stars began to peek out, blossoming across the sky as their driver took them through the city. Many cars lined the streets while people dotted the walkways; street lights surrounded them, as did the sound of music at bustling popular joints. It was the perfect night for a night out, but the three of them couldn't wait to get to their senior prom.

When they arrived, Naruto's smiling face greeted them as they exited the vehicle. Ino's parents had taken it upon themselves to find a ride for them, promising safety and a night of fun.

"Finally!" His voice filtered through the crowd of dressed up people but Sakura can't help but admire her friend.

Her arms surrounded him, his around her as he pulled her in for a tight hug and she noticed the faint scent of his cologne and how different it was than the mixture of old ramen and sweat. When she released him, Naruto did the same and she casted a smile up at his perfectly tanned face.

He looked handsome in his tux, black and classy with it being fitted and the vivid orange of his tie complimenting his sapphire eyes. He had the jacket of his suit thrown over his shoulder while the sleeves of his long shirt had been rolled up; even the way he managed to tame his hair made him look much more mature than his usual goofy self. Sakura deemed it a good look for him in her mind.

"You look great! How'd you manage to tame that wild hair of yours?"

He smiled before lifting his chin slightly. "A lot of skill, a dash of patience and a bottle of hair gel."

Ino and Karin both laughed at him while Sakura shook her head playfully at the blond. He meant well, a natural joker and she was more than thankful to have him as one of her best friends. Before she could glance at her girlfriends though, Naruto had his arm hooked through hers, dragging her towards the building that they had arrived at mere minutes ago.

"Hey! That's our date, bonehead!" Ino grabbed Karin's hand and started after the two, making Naruto giggle until his facial features took on those of a fox.

The four of them continued their walk together down the path, hanging lights leading the way to the building. The scenery was beautiful; a river curled through the front yard while hedges had been shaped and neatly trimmed almost perfectly. A sweet aroma filled the yard as well, while music smoothly danced through the open air. As they closed in on the building, they could hear the students inside, cheering and talking, tons of moving and dancing but most importantly, they all sounded like they were having fun.

The moment they entered the building, they were greeted by dim lights, flashing in shades of purples, pinks and blues. The music was loud, upbeat and inviting and it already had Ino moving to the beat. Naruto pulled Sakura behind him still, leading their way through the crowds of students until they reached Kiba and another girl.

She had dark hair, long and straight and such a gorgeous face that it stunned Sakura; she looked almost like a doll, her eyes light like pearls and body slender. She stood as tall as Naruto's shoulder and the closed distance between them told Sakura that she was probably his date for the night.

The pinkette couldn't help the smile that pulled at the corners of her lips.

"I'm Hinata," she spoke with a soft voice and the smile on Sakura's face grew.

"Sakura!" She shouted over the music, her hand reaching outwards for the girl's until they grasped one another. Her skin was cold but her grip was tight; when they released, Sakura glanced in Kiba's direction and gave him a warm smile. "Fancy seeing you here," she teased and he shook his head before taking a step in her direction.

"Care to dance?"

Sakura shook her head, her eyes rolling to the side but when she noticed Ino and Karin weren't behind her, she struggled to fight the blush forming on her cheeks. "Where the hell—"

Kiba's hand turned her shoulder, making her head turn towards the crowd of bobbing students and she let out a short huff. Ino and Karin had already ditched out on her, moving to the beat and throwing their arms around. When she glanced back to Kiba, she found his hand extended and she couldn't help but take it, allowing him to lead her towards their friends. When they reached them, it was easy to move with the beat, blending with the crowd and allowing the music to take hold of them for hours on end.

When her feet finally gave in, she couldn't stand it anymore. Throughout the night, her friends had taken to sneaking shots of alcohol, courtesy of Naruto but Sakura politely declined every offer. She didn't want to let tonight fade into blurred memories, missing the important pieces; she wasn't going to come out tonight, but she was thankful that she did.

"Are you coming with us afterwards?" Ino's sudden appearance next to her ear startled Sakura, nearly making her slip from her chair.

"Where?"

"Kiba's."

"I'm not sure if I really want to—"

Ino's smirk cut her off before she could finish. The blonde was clearing baiting her and to Sakura's surprise, it worked.

"Shut it, Pig!"

Suddenly Ino's hand was in Sakura's, their bodies pressed to one another and Ino's head came to rest on Sakura's shoulder. A slower song played in the background now, caressing the two friends in a promising sway. She could smell the alcohol on her friend, cinnamon whiskey surrounding the two of them as they moved in a slow and rhythmic way.

"I'm really going to miss you after school," Ino said. She spoke in such a quiet tone that she wasn't sure if she imagined it, but the low hum over her cheek against Sakura's shoulder was enough verification that it was real. "We won't see each other every day anymore."

Sakura thought on it for a moment, tears pricking the backs of her eyes. She hated to think thoughts like that, hated to think of the incoming change, but it also excited her. As much as she wanted to move on with her life, she wasn't ready to leave other things behind.

"We'll always plan to visit and hang out with each other. You know that," she spoke in a promising tone and Ino nodded her head.

It was enough reassurance for the blonde that they continued their slow down together, side by side until the upbeat music slowly made its way back to the building, exploding and causing the students to jump back to the dance floor. It was almost broken up immediately when the microphone kicked on, their principal making an appearance on the stage next to where the DJ had set up.

"All right, it's the moment we've all been waiting for," he announced but Sakura didn't want to stick around. She already knew who the winners of this announcement would be— Naruto would be crowned prom king, while Ino took home the crown for queen.

She slowly made her way towards the table of beverages, grabbing a cup for water and finding another seat to perch on. She listened to the talking around her, Kakashi's voice speaking out over the speakers and then applaud from the students all around her. It was like she had predicted, Naruto being crowned king with Ino as his queen.

It was comedic almost, watching Naruto help her up on the stage since the two of them had been drinking but they waved, smiled and accepted their crowns. Sakura set her drink down and joined in on cheering her friends on before they had their dance together in the center of the dance floor.

When the music started up again, Sakura peeled her heels from her feet, clutched them in her fingers and slid through the doors. The nighttime air curled around her as she walked the path, following the smooth and winding river around the open yard, admiring the freshly cut grass and the way the sky hung overhead; it was beautiful, absolutely breathtaking.

She continued walking along the path she was on, finding more places to hang out on the backside of the building. There was a gazebo, decorated in string lights and garland and alongside that, different sizes of fountains that sprayed water up in different types of patterns. Hedges and bushes lined the path, keeping any wandering pedestrians from stampeding the wondrous green grass.

It was fancy here, something she had noticed since arriving but she wasn't exactly sure what this building was for. The room that their prom was being held in was massive, more than enough space for a bunch of jumping and dancing teenagers, but on the outside, there was a ton of walking and loitering space. She opted to walk towards the gazebo, noticing that it was empty and anyone that was here prior had already fled from the area.

Upon entering, she set her heels down on the bench and sat next to them. The air was more than welcoming, not too cold yet not too hot. She sat under the sparkling lights, her arms hugging around herself as she took in her surroundings.

It was when she glanced to her left and caught his black eyes on her that her heart stopped in her chest.

He looked majestic, almost imaginary as he stood in the open yard, his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans. She stood from her seat, seeing if he'd fade away but when he began walking towards her, she felt her lips pull into a huge smile.

"What are you doing here?!" She called out to him in a hushed voice, but it was more than enough to carry out to him. He moved in such a swift way that he was in front of her in no time, his hands coming to rest on her hips and his lips pressing against her forehead.

"I needed to see you."

She clicked her tongue, watching him pull away before he smirked that crooked smirk of his and oh, how it made her heart skip within her chest.

"Needed to or wanted to?"

"Needed to."

Her hands cupped his cheeks, pulling him to her for a chaste kiss but when their lips met, she couldn't help but slide her tongue through closed lips. Breathing him in was never enough for her, especially now that they were together, but when he touched her, she couldn't control herself.

His scent invaded her senses almost immediately, so she'd blame her selfish move on that. When he pulled away, she felt her teeth bite down on her bottom lip as her green eyes glanced around, ensuring no one was around.

"Sakura," he spoke in a warning tone and it made her quit biting her lip. She knew what his next words would be. "How're you enjoying prom?"

"It's fun, but I'm getting tired. Everyone is going to a party tonight but I don't want to go…"

Her voice wandered off, almost pleading him to invite her to his condo with him, but the glint in his dark eyes was more than enough confirmation that he would take her there.

"You look beautiful," he spoke quietly, and if she hadn't been blushing herself, she would've caught the mere shade of red dusting his pale cheeks.

She wasn't looking at him but when he gently grabbed her wrists and placed her hands on his shoulders, he let his hands come back to rest on her hips, pulling her a little closer. She felt dumbfounded when he started swaying her back and forth, hiding his face from her line of sight by leaning in closer and allowing her head to rest against his chest. In their comfortable silence, she clasped her fingers behind his neck and let her body move with his, swaying to their imaginary song in the night's embrace under the twinkling lights.

Sakura hummed a song to herself, their bodies moving in unison to the beat she had created and it was one of the most comfortable times they had shared thus far. They didn't need the music of another, only themselves and the beat they created to move to. It was moments like this that she didn't want to forget, moments like the one she had shared with Ino earlier, and Naruto.

Her heart was more than content that night, beating happily and fluttering with warmth.

Finally, he came to a slow stop and then pressed his lips to her forehead once more.

"Ready to go?" He asked quietly to which she nodded.

"I'm going to grab my stuff and let Ino and Karin know I'm leaving, I'll meet you at your car."

. . .

She was pressed down in his lap, her dress pooling at her knees as she straddled him on the edge of his bed. The scarlet from her dress complimented the black flecks in his eyes, bringing the silver out in them as he eyed her after their shared kiss.

He tasted sweet tonight, almost like strawberries and she savored it. Once more, their lips connected in yet another kiss while his fingers trailed up the lace of her dress. Sakura felt his fingers trace over her shoulder blades, running softly over her back until he found the zipper and slowly pulled it down.

Her fingers brushed through the strands of his dark locks, knotting and pulling gently as she moved her hips against him, feeling him harden beneath her. As he pulled the zipper down, he unhooked the single clasp and pressed his lips to her clavicle, leaving a wet kiss there then one after another, leaving a trail to her chest.

Before she knew it, Sasuke has the shoulder straps of her dress slowly sliding down her arms, revealing her breasts and the skin of her tummy. Carefully, she stood from his lap, letting the remainder of her dress pool at her feet before stepping out of it completely and crawling back onto his lap.

His length was hard beneath her, riling her up even more as she rocked her hips against his, rubbing herself against him. It had been awhile since they were last intimate and the more they kissed and touched one another, the more she wanted him. Soon, her hands found the bottom of his shirt and she began to pull it up and over his head, revealing the taut skin of his stomach and with each breath of hair, his muscles tensed and flexed.

"How bad do you want me tonight, Sasuke?"

His name rolled off of her tongue and it was enough to drive him wild. Quickly but carefully, he rolled the two of them over, his arm around her back until she was underneath him; she was in his court now as he pressed his weight into her, his lips carefully tracing down the round of her breast. His tongue found her nipple, teeth carefully grazing it before he sucked on it lighty—a soft moan fell from her lips, rewarding his ears and earning herself one of his devilish smirks.

He ran his thumb over her other breast, playing with her nipple and causing her to squirm underneath his body. Her fingers found their way back to his silk hair, pulling and kneading as he worked his tongue around her bud; he was good at it, knew what spots made her squirm and move the most and knew what spots would make her moan but that only aroused the pinkette more.

"Lay on your back."

It was a whisper but it was enough to make Sasuke move, allowing her to straddle him once more. She had done this more than enough times by now, and once she undid the button of his jeans, she easily slid them down over his hips and off his legs until he kicked them off the bed.

"Relax," she winked before kissing underneath his belly button but he could hardly stay still. His fingers threaded through her pink strands as she pulled at the waistline of his boxers, excitement rushing through her veins.

When she released his cock, her fingers curled around the length. He was already hard for her but she knew he could be harder. Carefully, she sucked the tip of his head in her mouth, running her tongue along the slit before taking more of him in; she loved the feeling of his dick rubbing against the roof of her mouth as she moved her head back and forth, taking more of him the next time around. Sasuke's hips started to move with her slow rhythm, his fingers still knotting in her curled hair.

"Ah—" he breathed out and it was music to her ears. When she started to speed up the pace, she grasped her hand around the base of his dick, stroking and rubbing him along with the movement of her head.

Spit covered his dick, making it easy to take him in her mouth before pulling him back out and starting over again. Sakura sucked as hard as she could at times, earning her another loud, drawn out moan before slowing down and letting him catch his breath. She loved this game, loved the feeling of him, loved pleasuring him and hearing his little grunts and moans.

"Slower," he breathed out slower but Sakura had other plans. Carefully, she pulled her panties off completely and took her seat on him once more. His eyes shimmered with question but his face showed that he understood what she was going to do. Before she could start though, he was already reaching for the drawer of his nightstand and ripping open the foil packet.

When he finally had the condom rolled on over his dick, Sakura held him in her hand and slowly guided him into her entrance. The way he started to fill her sent butterflies soaring through her chest, clogging in her throat and constricting her breath. It was something she would never grow tired of, the feeling of Sasuke being inside of her after going days without it at a time and when she sat down on him completely, she could hardly breathe.

"Slow," he warned once more and she could hear the venom in his words and see the lust in his irises. She grabbed his hands, rocking her hips back and forth as she slid up and down on his length.

Her back arched each time she moved back down on him, feeling him fill her completely before sliding off and continuing this movement. In a heartbeat, she started to swirl her hips in a circle, letting his dick rub against her walls as she tightened around him with each movement. He moaned into her neck as she bent over to kiss but he had another idea.

His arms wrapped around her, holding her to him as he brought his hips up, pushing himself in farther. She moaned out as he pulled out and pushed himself back in, increasing the pace until he was thrusting inside of her faster. Sakura held her position as Sasuke panted, feeling how tight she was around him. She continued to let moans fall through loose lips as he kept thrusting into her at an even pace.

With his hands on her hips, Sasuke started to slow down, reaching his limit before pulling her down once more and letting himself come undone. Their breathing came out in unison, each panting hard and completely breathless. When he lowered himself back down on the bed, Sakura eased herself off of his dick and laid her head on his chest. Sasuke was careful to remove the condom, moving ever so slightly as to not disturb the woman on his chest; when he disposed of it, he grabbed at the comforter on his bed and pulled it up and over their limp bodies.

"Are you going to sleep now?" He asked quietly to which she opened her eyes. She slowly shook her head, letting her mind gather her thoughts before she pushed herself up and looked at him.

His hair splayed out around him, his bangs slightly brushed over his dark eyes until she moved each strand with the padding of her thumb. "Relaxing," she breathed out carefully and he smirked at her.

"Then what?"

"We go another round."

The playful glint in his eyes melted to lust and she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. He had his hand on the small of her back while she continued to lay on him but when he rolled over, she found he was on top of her once more, the weight of his body pressing her into the soft mattress of his bed.

"You think you can withstand another round, huh?" He mocked with a low voice and it sent shivers down her spine.

"I know I can," she fired back and it earned her a hard kiss. When he pulled away, she found a different type of look in his eyes, a look he only gave when he was about to say something serious and without another second wasted, three words she yearned for him to say finally filled the empty space between them.

"I love you."

It was nothing more than a mumble but Sakura took it to heart; she could hardly settle the spastic muscle in her chest before kissing him gently.

This would definitely be a night she would never forget.

"I love you, too."

and i oop—

hey guys, just want to say thank you for reading and being patient with me as i tend to take long periods of breaks from writing. i'm getting close to the end of this but i've had so much fun writing this. i've got a couple of ideas for other fics that i would like to write in the future, and some i've already outlined but sometimes it's exhausting to bust out chapters and get stuff posted on time. so for now, i'm just enjoying writing when i feel like it! again though, thank you for all the patience, kind messages, comments, for liking and favoriting this story and most of all, spending the time to read what i write. i greatly appreciate it so much!

see ya guys next time!