Daydrinks in Paris

Book Two

Chapter One

She felt the bass against her heels as she danced with the music. Truthfully, this wasn't her normal style but the theme tonight was throwback, so here she stood. Sakura Haruno rolled her hips against a body behind her who didn't seem to notice. Who knew Madonna was easy to grind to? If I'm smart, then I'll run away. But I'm not, so I guess I'll stay Heaven forbid. Her long strands stuck against her sweat covered neck. She ran her arm behind her head, pulling them away in one swift spin. I'll take my chance on a beautiful stranger. The pinkette opened her eyes, watching as the laser lights moved around the ceiling. Her vision blurred, the room transforming with every color change. An arm crept its way around the pinkette slowly. Without even thinking she leaned back into the body it belonged to.

She wore a black bra beneath a thin oversize t-shirt that was cut into the shape of a skull against her back. Her skinny jeans were cut to expose her thighs and the inner pockets. They tightly gripped her legs, accentuating her behind. She danced perfectly in her black strappy stilettos. Her long pink hair fell loosely in curls over her shoulders. Falling against the man behind her, the woman leaned her head back. The motion left her feeling nauseated, forcing her to lean in tighter. Her dark rimmed emerald eyes turned toward the man with a wide smile.

"You good princess?" His breath was hot against her skin.

Beginning to lose touch, she closed her eyes and giggled. "Very much so." Feeling another wave of energy she turned quickly, holding onto his hand as she spun away from him. Again she let the beat take over, dancing with bigger movement now.

A purple haired woman to her left reached for her hand and pulled her in, reaching for the pinkette's hips. She smiled, placing her hands atop her shoulders. She toyed with the pink curls. Both of them smiled, leaning into each other as they jumped with the music. You're everywhere I go and everybody knows. To love you is to be part of you. Once again she turned away, this time backing into the woman. Her jeans were flat against her partner's pelvis as she rubbed. Her emerald orbs caught the eyes of tying strangers.

Slowly she stood back up, holding their gaze as she leaned back into her partner's shoulder. Her gaze darkened as she tilted her head, biting her lip at the touch of soft lips against her skin. Raising her hand, she reached toward the purple locks, tightening a fist within them. The pinkette turned toward her admirer, meeting her lips. She moaned slightly at the touch that clasped her back poster tightly. Pulling away slightly, she looked back toward the men who she'd been watching. Her partner's lips now flesh against her neck. Both men were staring back with hungry eyes.

She couldn't see them very well in this lightly, but she knew that look. She knew how to play this crowd and rile them up. Her purple beauty just made it that much easier. Men couldn't help but stare at two women together. It was a fetish. And she used it to her advantage for free booze. She was living the dream. The pinkette turned back toward her lover, looking into her onyx eyes. Even she was hungry.

Turning toward her once again, the pinkette wrapped her arms around the woman's shoulders. She squeezed tight, pulling her tighter. "Kiss me Yugao." Her voice was almost inaudible. But she'd heard.

Leaning in, Yugao pulled her into a passionate kiss. She groped the pinkette, offering a show for those around. Their cheers began to drown out the music.

Twisting her fist into the pinkette's hair, she pulled. The pinkette struggled against her grip, fighting for more. Yugao smirked, "God you are so fucking sexy." She planted another small kiss and leaned closer to her ear. "I want to do so many dirty things to you Sakura."

"Then take me to my room and do them." She leaned forward, just close enough to bite Yugao's lip. Within seconds the pinkette was being drug through the crowd of people. It was hot and the room around her spun. Not only was she horny, but very intoxicated and the lights were causing her to become disoriented.

The quite literal jog to the room was a haze of messy kisses, giggles and drunken stumbles. In each other's arms they struggled to open the hotel door. This caused them to giggle harder, which led to even more passion. Sakura was practically in the violette's pants by the time the door finally opened. Barely shutting the door behind them, the two were on the bed. Sakura straddled Yugao's hips and leaned into her wrists, holding them down.

In a split second the passion stopped, and Sakura began standing. "I'm g-" Was all she managed before running toward the bathroom to empty the contents of her stomach. She heaved over and over. Tears filled her eyes. It had been eight full rounds when the nausea subsided. "Fuck." She slapped the hard linoleum beside her.

Although she was moving quietly, Yuago's footsteps were loud in Sakura's ears. In small sections, Sakura felt her hair being pulled. She felt the familiar presence of a bun and took solace in the cool air that now fanned her neck. The onyx eyed woman sat on the bathtub side beside her. Yugao leaned forward, holding a cold bottle against the pinkette's forehead.

Sakura smiled, her head still over the toilet bowl. "Thank you." Her voice was quiet.

"I'm used to it now." She pulled the bottle away and opened it, holding it toward Sakura. "Drink."

She raised her head, turning toward Yugao. She wouldn't meet her emeralds, and Sakura felt the guilt begin to rise. She grabbed the bottle before looking away, dropping her head. After a few small sips, she handed it back. Unable to hold back, she stared intently. Yugao's thoughts were plain as day on her face. "I'm sorry."

"You say that every time." But she was right. This was week I don't know of a binge that had meant to be a weekend long road trip. Sakura didn't even know this woman's last name. "Sakura I told you I wasn't going to do this anymore." She stood, stepping over Sakura back toward the bedroom.

"Yugao wait, ple-" She turned too quickly, causing her to begin heaving once again. Her throat burned as she fought back the urge. Breathing heavily she tried to force herself to stand. She failed, falling to her knees as the purple haired woman appeared in the doorway once again. Sakura met her gaze. Tears stung her eyes. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to make you happy." Her voice was loud and she was visibly upset. "It was never about your money or your fame. I just wanted you." Her voice cracked and Sakura's eyes fell. "I don't want to be a babysitter anymore. And no matter how much I care about you, I can't worry about someone who won't worry about themself. It's draining. And I refuse to go through that again." She waited. Silently begging Sakura to fight for her. But she didn't. She sat in a crying heap on the bathroom floor, unable to even stand. Yugao shook her head and blinked her tears away. She turned and exited the room without another word.

Sakura sobbed. Her heart hurt. She pulled her knees to her chest and cried into her legs. She'd messed up once again. Truthfully this one didn't hurt as bad as Kakashi had, but it still hurt nonetheless. She'd spent four happy months with Kakashi before she ruined it. They had been drunk and intimate, and in the moment of pleasure she gave into it and thought of him. Sasori. It caused her to be distant, but it didn't matter. In the middle of the night she'd dreamt of him again. A dream that sent her into such a panic that she woke up crying.

The words had left her mouth before she could process them. "How can I still be so hopelessly in love with someone who ripped my heart out." It was sheer panic. And she said it while in the arms of Kakashi. He'd been nice enough to calm her. She'd pretended to sleep while he packed his bag and left. She was so angry with herself. He'd treated her like nothing less than royalty. No matter how good he had been for her, she couldn't force herself to love him. That realization hit her hard and sent her crashing. Spiraling actually.

"I'm going out with Tem." That was the last thing she'd said to Tsunade face to face. That had been a lie. A weekend away to clear her head quickly turned into a drunken week in the city where she'd met some ravers who'd wanted her to tag along. She did. Two weeks she barely remembered before she decided to take a spontaneous flight to Paris. She didn't even leave the airport. She froze the moment Sasori entered her mind. After another flight back, she wound up in the northern part of the country. She'd spent the last few months making her way back south.

How long had it been? She wasn't sure. In the beginning she'd called Tsunade every day, keeping her updated. Like any mother would, she begged Sakura to come home. But she wouldn't. And after three weeks she stopped answering. Hearing her mother's pleas had drained her and she no longer wanted to feel. So she resorted to texting Tsunade once a day for a check-in. She had missed Kaito's sixth birthday. And with Tsunade so desperate to bring her daughter home, she had Kaito call and leave a voicemail. Her tearful pleas sent Sakura off another path which had led to another chunk of time she barely remembered.

The tip of the iceberg was the call from Temari. She'd never heard the blonde so angry. So unhappy. The phone call consisted of Temari screaming. She had been right though. "You cried because you wanted Sasori to get sober and here you are going on a bender yourself." That wasn't even the worst one. "I'm glad Kaito doesn't know about you yet because she'd be ashamed. You have no idea what the hell you've done to her." She couldn't take anymore so she hung up. She hadn't spoken with Temari since.

Truthfully Sakura wasn't sure what she was doing. Kakashi had been a good thing. She fell in love with herself again. But even as she grew, she felt the distance growing in her relationship. She couldn't save it with forced love, and she couldn't save it with sex. She tried. The thought of the pain she put him through cut her deep. He'd come to study under her. She was his idol. And she stepped on him.

Yugao had been an accident. One night while on a binge, Sakura had been cornered in the bathroom by a man nearly double her size. The woman had come to her rescue with a small switchblade. The pair grew close rather quickly and Sakura asked her to tag along for traveling. And she did. Yugao had been around for four weeks. Sakura couldn't even count the times this same scenario had played out before. It was always the same, even though Yugao had begged her to stop.

The pinkette tried so hard to blame Sasori. Part of her still did. He had broken her heart. Physically dug into her chest and ripped her heart out. Then proceeded to stomp on it. Although she'd been assured multiple times that her feelings were valid, she knew this was too much. She was punishing herself. Maybe it was because she felt guilty about Kureani. She had ruined their marriage. Or Itachi. He treated her with only kindness and love. Yet she could never see him that way. Add Kakashi, Tsunade, Temari, Yugao and Kaito to the mix and she felt royally screwed.

Kaito. A child trapped in the crossfire of all her mother's mistakes. Between men and life decisions, the last two years she'd practically neglected the girl. She'd come back, made a plan and threw it away instantly. Kaito's time turned into Kakashi's, into alcohol and drugs. Mostly marijuana and acid. She'd done a good job of keeping away from anything other than hallucinogens. Yet after every high the same feeling of loneliness came back.

If she packed up and went home now, what would Tsunade say? Would Kaito hate her? She knew better than to even think of being able to mend her relationship with Temari. Her best friend who had stuck by thick and thin. She had no one. She'd burned her bridges.

For the first time this whole trip, Sakura wanted to go home. She wanted to be in her own bed with the people she loved most. She longed to be a normal person with a normal life. For herself and for Kaito. But it wouldn't be easy. She needed to make a change, to be better. And she would, tomorrow.

The pinkette opened her eyes and rolled onto her side. Her floor was cool against her cheek. She wondered how Sasori was. Had he gotten clean? Had he bettered himself? What would he think of her in this moment? That thought brought complete clarity. She could have been completely sober. He'd have been just as disappointed in her as she had been in him. The thought of putting him through that same pain broke her.

She smiled. How had they fallen in love? What had made it so easy? Even after all their time apart that first meeting, she could have sworn he wanted to kiss her. They had both felt that spark. And spending time together had solidified that. The way he kissed her. For the rest of her life she'd compare everyone to him. Sasori had been the one. The right one, both at wrong times. Even in her self pity, thinking of him made her smile. She hoped he was happy, and healthy. She hoped he wasn't thinking of her. If any of the thoughts of her brought him the same pain, she didn't want to be on his mind. Maybe he wasn't the one. They didn't work either time.

Her mind was in a constant state of war. This had become the new normal. This was her life now. And she hated it.

"Happy housewarming party!" Ino chuckled. The blonde woman entered through the front door with hands full. Sasori practically leapt from his couch to her aid.

"You could have told me you were here!" His red hair covered his eyes, causing him to nod his head. "I wasn't even ready."

"You're the host, you should be on top of these things." The blonde smirked, handing over her bags. Behind her Itachi cleared his throat. Sasori giggled, reaching for boxes.

Setting their piles on the counter, both men sighed. "How much did you get?" Sasori grimaced at the amount of food now sitting on his counter. "Jesus."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "It's a housewarming party." She emphasized the last word. "Knowing you, if I wasn't planning everything we'd be sitting here with a box of pizza and a bottle of cola." She shook her head. "Nope, not when this is the first get together in a while. And in your new house! It's so exciting!"

"It's just us, Dei, Hina and Naruto." Itachi signed.

Now wearing an apron, Ino pointed. "Six people calls for a six course meal."

"Are you joking?" Sasori's jaw dropped. "She's joking right?" He turned toward the raven haired man for help.

He shrugged. "Relax." His expression warmed. "She's got this. The gang's back together."

"Would it make you feel better to know that I made honeybun cake?" Ino smirked, eying Sasori flirtatiously.

He swallowed hard and cleared his throat. "So what can I do to help?"

Itachi smiled. "Let's get the porch set up."

Together the men made their way to the balcony door. Sasori's porch was a concrete slab accompanied by a thick glass railing to overlook the city. There was also a pool, complete with which decorative lights that lined to the corner of the porch and back. This housewarming party was to celebrate the move into his new penthouse suite atop Goldenrod. It was in the city, so it was much smaller than the house, but this felt more like home.

In the last few months, Sasori had recorded and released a new solo album which gained momentum quickly. He'd blown up all over again. Granted, the public view was positive as they saw this as a return from a nasty breakup. Both socially and romantically. After the controversy surrounding his last album, Sasori figured a new leaf was due.

He was clean. He was happy. He was himself again.

It wasn't hard to get the porch together. Sasori knew that was code for Itachi needing to smoke. With the lights on, both overhead and in the pool, Sasori met Itachi at the railing. He pulled his hair into a low ponytail. "She's over the top, but I wouldn't want her any other way."

Sasori smiled, leaning into the railing. "I'm glad you're happy. It's a nice change."

"And it's nice to see you happy again." He flicked his ashes. "Have you talked to her?" Itachi's voice was quiet.

The red head sighed and shook his head. "She's gone off all media, phone number doesn't work." His purple orbs watched the city below. "Maybe it's for the best."

"I thought so too. But we both know the truth." Itachi watched him intently. His expression was unreadable. "Don't let it go."

"Itachi I fucked up. Royally." He sounded so small. "I wouldn't even know where to begin. And Kaito." He stopped. "I wouldn't even know where to begin."

The raven haired man sighed. "Go to the source. What could hurt?"

"New Berry?" He turned toward his friend, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Itachi smiled. "Road trip."