Title: White Widow
Chapter: Seven
Author: Blue Rose
Rating: M (Hard R)
Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura
Summary: "Running away was easy; not knowing what to do next was the hard part." - Sakura needed to stop fantasizing about running away to some other life, and start figuring out the one she had. [Sasu/Saku, Modern AU]
Warnings: Adult Content
Disclaimer: I own nothing, and I damn sure don't make a single red cent for this either. So please, don't sue the Blue.
Huge shout out to my new beta - CherryBerry12. Thank you :) 💖💖💖
If you enjoyed please consider leaving a review. Even if it's just a word or two, I really appreciate any feedback. I welcome emoji's and Lenny Faces too 💙💙💙 (づ ͡° ³ ͡°)づ . Thank you for reading :)
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:✧･ ﾟ･*･ﾟ･✧ B R ✧･ﾟ･*･ﾟ ･✧:
Chapter Seven
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They hadn't been there for long, but he'd spent most of the night observing her.
It was hardly the first time he'd discreetly followed her movements across a crowded room, and no one noticed the way his piercing eyes were hooked to her every move, inconspicuous to all except the chosen target. But that was ok... he wanted her to know she was in his crosshairs. She was half the reason he had even bothered to make an appearance, truth be told.
Keeping a fairly low profile, Sasuke slunk through the lounge, sticking mostly to himself even before she breezed in. But his eyes focused on tracking her the moment she ascended from the stairs.
If he was more of a gambling man, he'd bet that she knew he'd been watching her too — ever since their eyes met briefly for the first time, as she climbed the last step.
Alas, Sakura made the choice to keep her distance and instead flitted around the venue, making a conscious effort to avoid him. It wasn't hard — she darted around different factions of people in her thinly veiled attempt to keep away.
Her eyes met his own for the second time when she slid by to give her regards to Kankurō, and Sasuke was stationed too close to be ignored.
She wished the already tipsy man a very happy birthday, giggling when he placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek. She then gave a nod to Crow, Kankurō's ever-present bodyguard and shadow, who was dressed in a suit and lurking nearby. The hired guard's hulking figure lingered just outside the VIP area, and he grinned in return.
The birthday boy's loud entreaty for her to start taking shots to catch up with his score could be heard over the music.
Pulling away from Kankurō, Sakura nodded in Sasuke's direction, giving him just enough acknowledgment to not appear impolite.
He answered with a lifted brow, leveling her with a challenging stare before nodding in turn.
She could have taken the time to properly greet him, even if he had been a little testy over the phone the last time they'd spoken.
Of course, this line of thinking should have been the first indication that he was inebriated, but Sasuke overlooked it. His mind continued on with its internal rant and misguided logic.
His hand tightened on his glass as Sakura passed him. Time slowed to a stop when she moved by, his unoccupied hand resting at his side as hers brushed against his. Sasuke's eyes remained forward and unseeing, yet his breath stopped on the next inhale. His pinky curled slightly at the phantom touch, but she had already moved away, making her way to a loud Ino who was calling her over.
He wasn't exactly sure what to expect when they met face to face, but this... wasn't it.
Downing the clear, odorless liquid, Sasuke felt the remaining ice brush his lips as he swallowed more of the strong alcohol.
But how would he react with an alternative?
What if she boldly invaded his personal space to—... hug him? Maybe a shy kiss on the cheek? He definitely was not one for massive amounts of PDA, but he still wouldn't have shunned her. He could not see himself passing up the opportunity or turning her away.
Hell... he at least deserved a smile.
She was giving those out freely tonight to everyone but him. She wouldn't even meet his eyes for long, the little wench. She knew he was watching her, waiting for some unspoken acknowledgment, or even a private moment alone — if only to speak a few quiet words to each other.
Yet Sasuke felt more sourness directed at himself for not having thought to escort her there that night. It would have been a great idea and allowed for some alone time, but he'd been tied up with deliveries late into the evening.
Including Kankurō's hefty order that he'd taken to the hotel suite. He'd waited while his bodyguard retrieved it from the car, with Sasuke going up later to confirm everything was straight.
'Though, after the way that last call ended, I would ignore you too.'
Glancing at the mistress of his thoughts, he bitterly agreed. And her teasing, in truth... had gotten underneath his skin.
Taking another sip, Sasuke watched the stiffening of her shoulders and realized he was still staring. Lines of tension ghosted along her form before her head tilted in his direction.
Beautiful, twinkling fireflies caught his own fascinated, dark stare before quickly turning away with a hint of a grin.
A silent game of cat and mouse.
And though reluctant, he unconsciously found himself a willing participant.
Grunting, he stood taller while glancing down at his now empty glass. Sensing himself getting worked up, Sasuke decided another round was in order.
Normally he wouldn't indulge in liquor this heavily…
But tonight?
He was going to need it, if the last hour was any indication of how the rest of the night was going to go.
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✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧ ✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧
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The fruity mixed drink Sakura held in her hand melted down into something that was more sugar than alcohol, but she nursed from it happily. The cool glass felt good in her warm palm under the napkin and gave her something to focus on, other than the heated glances she felt aimed her way.
She had no intention of making eye contact but couldn't help her peripheral vision as she moved around the night lounge. And while she greeted a few familiar faces under the dim blue lights, she kept her distance from the one that mattered most.
Of course, she would have loved to have given him a warm hug. She'd thought about it twice after having dared to encroach into his personal space.
Instead, she'd just given him a small nod and kept the gap wide between them. Except when she had to pass him — and when she did, she caught an intoxicating whiff of spice and leather.
And damn it, he really smelled good tonight...
But this was the safest option in her opinion. At least until she could crack just what was going on in that skull of his.
Having said that, it was very hard when all she wanted to do was kiss away the little pout he was sporting.
"May I have a water, please? With lemon?" Sakura asked as she approached the bar, setting down her empty glass. She didn't bother to sit on one of the high back stools, preferring to lean against the illuminated surface instead as she waited. A pair of dainty, diamond-encrusted bangles on her wrist clinked against the top as she rested her folded hands.
"You're tapping out already?" Ino chirped, saddling up next to her with a hip bump.
The martini glass she held was tipped back while she enjoyed a healthy sip. When the green-tinted liquid settled, over half of it had disappeared. The blonde didn't flinch at the double shot even though it should've burned going down.
"No, not really. Just pacing myself."
The bartender scooped up the used glass and replaced it with a taller one, filled with ice and cool water. Sakura used the straw to poke the lemon down into the water, smiling in thanks before turning to her friend who spoke up again.
"As opposed to making sure you don't get wasted and make some bad decisions tonight. Or rather... get under one."
Ino moved closer to make room for another person moving behind her while ordering a drink.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sakura said, keeping her voice level but still loud enough to hear. The water felt extra cool going down when she took a sip from the straw, trying not to get baited by her blonde friend.
"Sure you don't, Haruno," Ino trailed off as something else caught her eye, somewhere off in the distance.
"You know, I don't get you sometimes. I thought you wanted me to hook up with him. You even encouraged it."
Why were they talking about this here? Maybe she should have just feigned ignorance.
"Yes. Hook up... not date. And certainly not this weird, eye-fucking situation you two always seem to find yourselves in—...hey, isn't that Chōjūrō?"
Squinting in confusion, Sakura looked over her shoulder to the other end of the room, catching sight of their old classmate sitting on one of the plush ottomans. He threw a smile at the bottle service girl, who had brought over a mixture of juices and ice with tequila.
She heard Ino continue to speak about the man as she took him in, noticing the rugged look he now sported.
"Wow... I don't remember him being that hot in high-school... hmmm..."
Ino quickly did a once over after planting her glass down, fixing the bust portion of the pretty, pink party dress she wore.
And Sakura could only look on in mild disbelief while thinking 'Are you really surprised? '— as her friend ditched her, blonde hair flowing behind her retreating figure.
Their old classmate had no idea that a shark was headed his way.
'So rude,' she whined playfully as the pulsing music lowered in volume slightly, allowing a voice to crackle through the speakers.
"Yo, yo! I wanna give a shout out to the man of the hour, the birthday boy himself—... ya'll go ahead and make some noise for my man, Kankurō!"
The DJ hyped the small crowd that was bumping and grinding away on the dance floor. Their hands raised at the prompt along with the sound of cheering. Hoots and hollers rumbled across the space, and a few photos were snapped as flashing lights went off, reflecting in the mirrored ceiling. It wasn't hard to figure out where the celebrated man was in the sea of people.
"As if he needs more attention," Temari jabbed as she came to stand next to a surprised Sakura.
Sakura flashed her a brilliant smile, along with a small hug in greeting. It instantly dimmed when Temari set her clutch down on the candle lit bar, shrugging into a fitted leather jacket.
"Wait... you're leaving?"
"Yeah... I had to fight to use the sink in the bathroom. Some girls are in there taking bumps," she said while flipping her collar, folding it along the crease. "Besides, I've been here for a while already, and I have an early flight in the morning."
Now that Sakura thought about it, there were quite a few people here. And the longer the night went on, the denser it was becoming. Just how many people did Kankurō invite out tonight?
Not to mention, she knew from experience that this would not be the only celebration. Kankurō tended to celebrate his birthday throughout the entire month, and knew the one here in the city was going to be just one of many parties. There's no telling where he would frolic off to next.
Sakura was about to tell her how disappointed she was to see her leave, when she stopped abruptly, looking quizzically for a moment before her eyes widened. Lightly painted lips parted in wonder and—
"Oh, no..."
Temari glanced at her with a raised brow, quickly turning to whatever had caught her attention. Kankurō was now at the DJ booth, and some misguided soul had actually given him the mic. She flinched when the audio feedback briefly screeched through the air as he tested out the microphone.
"Hello? Hello, can you guys hear me?" Kankurō breathed into the mic.
"Oh, no..." Temari echoed Sakura, voice wavering with oncoming embarrassment because her brother was definitely drunk. Whatever came out of his mouth was going to be controversial and — dammit, people had already started recording him.
"Yo, aye! I want to thank all you guys for comin' out and celebrating with me. Drinks are on me all night, yeah? Extra good news—she took the test, and the results are in! She's not pregnant! Drink up, boys! I'm not gonna be a poppa—yet!"
There was an eclectic mix of laughter, clapping, and groans heard throughout.
Sakura was definitely one of the groaners and, not for the first time, questioned her choice in friends. Putting a hand over her eyes, she hoped to God the poor girl in question wasn't in attendance tonight.
Which was highly likely since Kankurō usually liked to take dates home...
Not show up with them.
"Yup... a-aaaaand that's my cue to leave. Hopefully we can catch up the next time I'm in the states," Temari grumbled, tucking her clutch under her arm.
They both exchanged a whispered goodbye as she slipped away, followed closely by her own personal guard.
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✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧ ✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧
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"—and I said no, I never got to try. How was it? Heh!"
The short party goer to Sasuke's right burst out laughing, finding amusement in the other man's joke.
Sasuke barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes, not finding that - or the previous joke - funny at all. Sliding off the ottoman, he made his way to one of the bars for another refill. One of the bottle service girls had already stopped by, and he'd figured it would be faster to retrieve it himself before she came back around.
After this one, he probably should consider cutting out soon.
The once-empty tables were now crammed with people as he passed by, the translucent drapes sectioning off each booth. People laughing and chattering were heard over the dim roar of the music. And when the beat changed to a popular new release, two people scampered from their seated positions and almost cut Sasuke off, dashing off to the dance floor and ignoring his frown.
It was definitely not his usual scene, and every additional minute he stayed hanging around made him question his sanity. Apparently the little amount of green he smoked beforehand and the chilled vibe at the start of the private event were enough to get him to linger.
At least when he wasn't being pulled into random conversations or brushed up against in a suggestive manner.
'Definitely more bodies than before,' Sasuke thought as another group of people came up the elevator, located in the corner.
"I don't think I can feel the bottom left side of my face... is that normal?" Kankurō asked, lumbering up beside Sasuke.
"How many did you take?" Sasuke turned, leaning his back against the bar. He kept his voice lowered, and, intoxicated or not, he hoped Kankurō would do the same.
"One..."
Sasuke was drunk... not stupid.
The narrowing of his eyes said as much, so Kankurō' quickly backtracked.
"Ok, maybe two... it's my birthday! I should be on a sick one, right?" he blurted, louder than necessary and with a punch drunk grin.
Sasuke just raised a contemplative brow.
'Oh... so he would be fine, then.'
The guy had ingested staggering amounts of more dangerous things before... two pills weren't going to do anything. And, as Kankurō liked to remind anyone in earshot, he had insides tougher than tardigrades.
"I have a score to settle anyway. You always have to party a little harder than you did the previous year. It's an unspoken rule, ok? If not, then... what's the point?" Kankurō explained, nodding for more drinks.
"Make it three, darlin' ... and cheers to that, bud!"
The bad joke teller had followed and was now approaching them. After winking at the bartender, the man turned towards them with a big smile. Sasuke was glad he kept a moderate distance because whatever the man had sprayed himself down with before leaving the house was giving him a headache.
Oblivious, the new arrival pulled at his collar a bit, already moving on from the cute girl preparing their drinks to resume prowling for the next interesting mark. It didn't take long at all and Sasuke watched as he looked across the room, pausing with a low, wolf-like whistle.
"Actually... I think I might need to buy her a drink," he trailed off, his deviant smile curling with interest.
Sasuke didn't need to look hard to confirm who the man was talking about. There were two women in a small group of five across the lounge near the other bar. And no offense to the seated woman knocking back a shot, but all three focused their eyes on the standing strawberry blonde who leaned against a curtained pillar, cheering on the other girl.
It was impossible to hear Sakura's laugh over the upbeat tempo, but Sasuke imagined it in all its glamour. Knew intimately what sort of pull she possessed and could only imagine the wheels turning in the other guy's smitten head.
He also knew she would find Mr. Suave's jokes as corny as he did.
'Hmmm...'
In fact, maybe he should gaslight him, then sit back and watch the show. Now that would be funny.
That alone should have been a warning sign of just how tipsy Sasuke had become, but it didn't matter. The other man was sent away before he got the chance to act.
Kankurō observed where the old track star's eyes landed as well and released a humorless laugh.
"W-aaaaaay out of your league, Zaji. Besides, I have an open bar tonight and the only one who looks thirsty here is you."
He lifted one of the three shots to his now disgruntled ex-teammate and pushed him along with a pat on the shoulder. Turning around, he intercepted the way Sasuke's gray eyes still lingered across the room.
"What type of friend would I be if I set him up for failure, eh?" The impish smirk couldn't be missed. "Besides, word has it there's some, other... sly dog already sniffing around."
Sasuke had cracked people across the jaw for lesser words, but he accepted it for the irritating joke that it was meant to be. He'd been around Kankurō long enough to know there wasn't malicious intent or disrespect meant...
And when under the influence, the man became more shameless than a tabloid magazine.
More importantly, if he reacted, it would give him all the answers he needed.
The tip of Sasuke's tongue pushed against his teeth and he silently turned around to face the bar without a word.
Kankurō's laugh this time around was genuine for sure.
"So Ino wasn't just gossip-gossip after all. You and Haruno, huh?"
Why was it such an interesting topic for people? Couldn't they go mind some business that actually paid them and get off his back? Of course, the alcohol did wonders for his bullshit tolerance so there really was a lack of heat behind the thought.
Kankurō, sensing the sudden break in tension, stepped up to grab a seat, bouncing on the soft leather stool to get comfortable.
"You know... she used to date my cousin," Kankurō admitted, pulling a shot closer to himself.
In fact, he had been the one to introduce the two of them. Kankurō met Sakura after he transferred schools — right in the middle of high school, junior year. She was one of the few friends he'd met and connected with instantly.
Well...maybe after trying to slide, of course. But he had been shot down immediately. She never took his flirting seriously because he was already a blazing coomer at that age.
He would always have a soft spot for her, though.
Sasuke wasn't sure if he wanted Kankurō to continue or not. He was torn between listening in mild curiosity and indifference. Ultimately, he decided that whatever needed to be said could be told to him by Sakura herself.
"Happy birthday to me..."
Kankurō didn't go into details after all, instead choosing to grab one of the shots still waiting. Tipping back the small glass in one smooth motion, he figured his raven-haired connect would find out the rest eventually. Especially if it turned into something more serious, like the way Ino had hinted at.
Sasuke followed suit, taking the remaining shot off the surface before clinking his glass to the other man's drink in a brief cheers. Though he winced when the tinted liquor burned all the way down to his chest, he didn't cough. He slammed the glass back down, ignoring the couple that came upon his other side to place an order with the bartender.
"KANKURŌ!"
The voice was drowned out mostly by the reggae track, but both men heard it and turned around. One male was on alert because it was his name that was shouted. The other turned because even if he was bound, gagged, and blindfolded—he would recognize that voice anywhere.
Astilbe colors emerged from the group of bodies mixing on the dancefloor, fighting her way as politely as possible towards them.
Sakura was one more bump away from getting mean with someone and frowned before she finally escaped the masses. She looked up briefly, making sure she was still going the right direction but quickly looked back to her phone. Apprehension guided her trek towards them as the glare of the screen accentuated the worry lighting her face.
"Kankurō! You said this was going to be a small gathering." When she made it close enough, she rocked back on her heels, leaning more weight on her right leg.
"It is a small gathering—"
They would all be fools if they tried to ignore how he had to speak louder to be heard. And his eyes slowly took in the amount of people surrounding them.
"—small-ish..." Kankurō pinched together his thumb and pointer finger as if the gesture could diminish the actual number of people that were flooding in.
The couple that were next to Sasuke had started to vigorously make out, and Sakura prayed they didn't lean too far back and hit Sasuke in the shoulder or there would be another issue to deal with. Shifting her focus back to the task at hand, she sucked her teeth.
"Yeah? Then what did you think would happen if you posted something like this?"
Her phone was turned around and shoved in their faces with Kankurō immediately breaking out into a smile. It was a similar look to the one he had in the picture, except on the screen he was in dark shades and posing inside what she assumed was his hotel lobby.
"Hey, stop thru and come see your boy?"
Sakura read the caption out loud, throwing in a really good accent that sort of impressed them both.
"Hey, I do sound like that!" Kankurō cheesed harder, while Sasuke stifled a laugh.
Looking at them both harder, she confirmed — they were both shit-faced.
"Do you see how much attention this got? How many times it was shared?"
The swirling colors from the strobe lights flickered and whirled around them while Sakura scrolled further on her phone in dismay.
Her other hand went to her throat to run along the grooves of her necklace. The layered jewelry was veiled underneath the see-through-mesh portion of her dress, but a few lights caught and bounced off the little glossy gems.
Sasuke followed her restless fingers until two of the hanging trinkets blurred out of focus briefly. Blinking rapidly, he felt the last shot hit him unexpectedly, the dark blues and purples of the room swirling together. His focus returned after a few blinks, just as Ino shouldered her way next to the pinkette.
"Yooooooo, did you see this?"
The blonde flipped her phone and pulled up a live post. The feed showed a huge queue of people starting to make a fuss in front of three security guards. No words could be made out in the commotion, but the camera angle changed to a wider shot.
This was a live feed in front of the club.
"Oh, you mean hundreds of people showing up to a party already over capacity? Because someone decided to post the address to his loyal followers? You don't say."
Sakura's eyes went back to her own phone, shaking her head at the growing views and comments.
"Oh, come on. What's the worst that could happen? A few butthurt people turned away from the most epic party this year? Let them cry more. Aye, one more round beautiful." Kankurō leaned over the bar, flirting with the redheaded bartender as she giggled and started on the new order.
The forgotten couple next to Sasuke was still there… making out heavily without a care in the world.
"Uh oh..."
Ino turned her phone vertically again when the camera swirled around to view the street and a parade of approaching cars.
Both ladies looked up, and although there were no visible windows around them, there was a giant skylight along the north end of the building. And through the black lights and strobes… a quick peek revealed suspicious red and blue reflections along the visible bricks from the neighboring building.
"Shit," both women cursed at the same time, rushing around a few people to grasp the long railing to look down. The top floor was open in the center for the wide staircase with a view of the front lobby and entrance below.
More blue and red flickering lights reflected off the glass doors moments before the first four police officers walked through.
A fifth officer held tightly to a leash that was tethered to a shepherd-like dog. And when it kept its head low, sniffing close to the ground — Sakura reached over and squeezed Ino's hand that was resting beside her own on the cool metal and glass railing.
Drug dogs.
In unison, they turned back around.
This party was definitely over.
A few people could see what was going on and began to scatter. The panic hadn't reached the upstairs area yet, so they needed to act fast.
The slight alarm on their faces when they returned to the men's side was apparent, but the girls acted mostly on autopilot. This wasn't their fist rodeo, so they explained only what was necessary while quickly moving.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, knowing he didn't have much paraphernalia left on him, but he had sold grams to a few people in attendance.
He did not need to stick around and wait for fingers to start pointing about deals made.
People always saved their own ass and would turn on a random person they had just met to keep themselves from behind bars.
Meanwhile, Ino took the few things left on Kankurō before splitting up and heading towards the back stairwell.
Kankurō decided to stay; it was no use going anywhere when the establishment still had his black card.
Sakura quickly grabbed Sasuke's hand, pulling him towards the elevator without a word and pressing the recall button several times until the doors finally slid open.
He was a little unsteady on his feet when he followed, but they rushed inside.
"Police!"
Another five people quickly pressed in behind them while Sakura hit the 'close doors' button twice, shutting out the noise and yelling that was quickly filling the air.
"Holy shit!"
"That was so crazy!"
She didn't recognize the faces of the other occupants that were trapped inside with them, their words bouncing back and forth as the clique started talking up a storm. But she and Sasuke remained quiet in the back.
Sakura was forced to press against him in the small confined space while they were facing each other. It didn't take long for whatever silly games they had been playing to evaporate. The feelings bubbling up between them must have been mutual because he pulled her closer still.
It could have been a reaction to all the chaos going on, an instinctual need to be close and to protect her, yet she'd like to think there was more to it than that. This was possibly the most steady eye contact they'd made all night, despite lasting a few seconds at best.
Sure, they could hear what was going on around them, but their deep breaths echoed in their ears and drowned out everything else. Paying more attention to each other rather than what was being said.
"Did you see what happened?"
"No, but Carly is going to be so, so pissed that she didn't come," another voice replied in excitement, somewhere in the back near them.
Sakura kept her eyes on Sasuke. He just blinked down at her with a look she couldn't decipher — eyes lazily trailing across her face before snapping to meet her eyes every now and again.
"Man, we just got here too... damn," groaned another.
The real world came clipping back to them with an acute ding. Doors opening, the sound of a commotion near the front entrance startled everyone stepping off.
The downstairs area was just as chaotic as the scene they'd just left, with troves of people still trying to get out.
It was known in situations like this that you wanted to get out first and ask questions later. Stragglers could be easy pickings for jail time or questioning.
Luckily for the small group, the elevator let out adjacent to the bar on the ground level and was conveniently near an emergency exit. Everyone went through and hoped the alarm didn't trigger while they made their escape. The heavy metal door slammed against the brick wall before the group took off down the alleyway, still talking about what had happened.
Sakura started walking the opposite direction towards a parallel street while trying to text Ino.
"Did you come here with Kankurō?" she asked after slipping her phone into one of the hidden pockets near her hip.
Sasuke's hand trailed to his own pocket, pulling out some keys while his eyes narrowed, noticing the slight shiver that tapped along her shoulders when she crossed her arms and looked at him. The see-thru mesh portion of her dress was long-sleeved but did nothing against the night breeze. Almost on autopilot, he walked forward, passing her as he left the alley and went onto the side street.
Her shivering bothered him, but he'd left his jacket in the car.
Sasuke turned to go down the block, walking fairly straight, but Sakura wasn't fooled. With a restrained sigh she trailed behind him, jogging to catch up even in the six-inch heels she wore.
"You are such an ass." Mistaking his intent, she maneuvered into his path, hands reaching out to grab the keys in his hand. He growled at her, stumbling unsteadily on his feet and trying to snatch them back, but she was quicker.
Sakura pressed the lock button twice, not remembering the make and model of his truck. Having no idea where he parked, she hoped it was on this side street and not out front somewhere. They both turned when the horn blared twice, yellow lights flashing in the distance, a mechanical response to her pressing something on the key fob.
Sakura really didn't feel like driving, but she knew he was too sloshed to do so safely. Once again, she questioned why she was such a nice person. Decision made, she grabbed Sasuke's wrist and started pulling him across the street, ultimately ignoring his choice of words as he made his displeasure known at being manhandled.
"SORRY!"
They both stopped abruptly to the sound of screeching brakes while their figures were engulfed by headlights. Sakura raised a hand while shouting out an apology. It was their fault for jaywalking in the barely lit street, and the car had every right to be angry. She hoped to calm any argument before it started by accepting responsibility immediately in a placating manner.
The short honking stopped and when she looked up, she saw Sasuke glaring menacingly at the guy behind the steering wheel.
She ushered him along with a grumble and, even though she'd put out one fire, another battle was waged when they reached the truck.
There was a wrestling match to put on his seatbelt, but she reacted with calm patience, the kind she would need with a child or a difficult patient.
This was definitely going to be brought up at a later time, she thought. Oh, the teasing she was going to dish out would almost be worth the headache he was being then.
"Just you wait until you're sober," Sakura mumbled as she closed the driver's side door, finally climbing in herself. She slipped on the jacket he kept slurring on and on about, keeping her promise to put it on despite not being that cold anymore after walking.
Unlatching the duo buckles around both ankles, she dumped her heels in his lap.
"Stop throwing shit at me..." Sasuke demanded, thankful when the bright interior lights faded to black after she closed the door.
Sakura turned a deaf ear, completely ignoring him while she adjusted the seat. The near-silent motor slid her forward until her stockinged covered feet could reach the pedals.
Turning on the vehicle, she grabbed her phone, startled when the incoming call registered on the dash screen. That was until she remembered that the device was still synced from the last time she rode with him. Accepting the call, she put her phone down in her lap while the Bluetooth did the rest.
"Hey, Ino. We made it out." Sakura reached for her seatbelt as her friend's clear voice rang through the surround sound speakers in the truck.
"Oh good. Holy shit that was wild, I can't believe that happened!"
It hadn't taken long for the little blonde gumshoe to find out more details of what went down, and she happily shared her newly acquired knowledge with Sakura.
Apparently while they were busy celebrating upstairs, the scene out front had turned into a circus with the number of people that showed up.
Kankurō had a huge social media following and should have known that such a blatant post inviting people would garner gobs of attention. With the establishment already being at capacity along with the dozens of impatient people loitering and with more showing up every passing hour, it had all the makings for a disaster.
But it was refreshing to know that it was shut down because of the disruption and nothing more.
"Management or the owners could have called themselves, too. With that amount of people, security probably got nervous."
"Yeah... maybe. Anyway, you'll never guess who's passenger seat I'm sitting in right now..." Ino purred.
"Hmmm... let me guess. Is it Chōjūrō?" Sakura asked while she turned down the volume slightly. It wasn't much of a surprise that her friend ended up leaving in someone's foreign car, tonight.
"Yup. He's just getting some gas. A few of us are going to that chicken and waffles place. You wanna come?"
Glancing to the side, Sakura briefly panicked when she noticed the constipated look on Sasuke's face. The street lights emphasized the way his nose was scrunched up and she was worried he would hurl. She released a breath when he only rubbed his eye and leaned on the window, sinking further in the seat.
"Uh—...no, that's ok. I'll text you in the morning."
She really should get him home and hoped that look was a false alarm. The last thing she wanted was for him to get sick, even though it wasn't her car and she certainly wasn't responsible for any mess he created.
"You ok?"
Sasuke grunted in response, closing his eyes.
Letting him be for the time being, Sakura returned to the task at hand.
It always felt weird whenever she drove something new. It took her a second to get comfortable, adjusting the mirrors and fiddling with a few buttons and knobs. She found the blinkers and high beams without any trouble.
She was a decent driver and had grown up learning how up and down the beltway, so Sasuke should have nothing to worry about.
"Not that you could argue about anything right now," she giggled.
Sasuke sighed from beside her, but otherwise remained quiet.
Pulling smoothly away from the curb, the Yukon Denali slowly accelerated down the dark narrow street. There was still a half-hour before the rest of the clubs and bars closed, but traffic had already begun to swell.
However, she made it three blocks without incident until it suddenly dawned on her.
She didn't know where he lived.
"Shit," she breathed, stopping at a light. The intersection was heavy with foot traffic and like most downtown areas, the nightlife was booming.
Sakura chanced a peek but already knew Sasuke was dead to the world before she ever got a good look. The glow of the traffic lights created red streaks in his hair as Sasuke's face remained relaxed in sleep. She bit her lip as the light turned green but had to wait for the stragglers to clear the crosswalk. It gave her enough time to decide to just head home. Surely her place was closer. And if it wasn't, well... tough shit. It's not like a certain someone was conscious right now to have an opinion.
After mapping out a route in her head, she made a left, squinting at the street sign. Pulling up the GPS was an option, but she was well acquainted with the area to make do for now.
She also made sure to watch out for speed cameras as she cracked her window. It wouldn't be hard to figure out she was the culprit if he received a ticket in the mail. The city usually attached a nice color photo of the driver during the infraction in some cases, although if she did trigger one, her attitude would lean more towards the side of 'sorry, not sorry.'
"It'd serve you right for being a mysterious cranky butt," Sakura quipped as she pulled on a familiar street. Parking near the loading dock was risky, but she didn't have her parking fob for the underground garage. They would have to take a gamble that it would be ok until the morning.
Available spots were nonexistent out front at this hour, and she wasn't going to park several blocks away and have to walk back while dealing with an uncooperative, inebriated Sasuke Uchiha. Lord help if anyone gave a second look at them or gave them any kind of trouble. Recalling the sneer he'd thrown at that driver earlier, Sasuke would have no problems finishing anything someone else started.
Successfully maneuvering near a retainer wall, she shifted the gear into park.
"'Why thank you Sakura, you're the best.' Oh, you are so welcome... no big deal."
She managed to deepen her voice enough to impersonate his, except he was still knocked out.
Sasuke looked so peaceful sleeping that Sakura almost didn't want to wake him. Black fringes of hair and his collar were hiding most of his face from that angle, while his head rested against the cool glass — but she saw his eyes were sealed shut.
"Hey..." Sakura ran her fingers gently through his locks, trying to wake him before she opened the passenger door. His seatbelt would secure him if she opened it with him still leaning against the door, but it would be awkward as hell.
"Rise and shine, we're here."
Sasuke blinked awake when she shook his shoulder, gradually rousing from a refreshing nap.
He slid out when she came around to his side without a fuss, accepting the assistance when she swung his arm over her petite but strong shoulders.
Sakura didn't question the change of mood as she walked them towards the loading dock entrance. Honestly, she was just glad that it was a much better situation this time around than it had been getting him inside.
Sasuke didn't lean much weight on her and only embraced the help because it brought them flush together at their sides. The quick snooze made the world stop tilting, but his feet still felt heavy. At any rate, the fresh air did feel good and he grinned a little now that they were outside again.
She didn't say anything to match the slightly puzzled look she was giving him. However, Sakura did spare him a small smirk in return, completely oblivious to what they were smiling about to begin with. The handsome lines near his cheeks were hard not to fall in love with now that he was a little more pleasant to be around.
And with a little more clarity, Sasuke realized his crummy attitude had stemmed from not seeing her for a while. It was the reason for his sour mood earlier, now that he was being honest with himself.
All from not seeing her smile.
And while it was a little confused, the grin she sported now was very genuine and the last of the dark aura seemed to fade away.
Did he mention that she looked damn good draped in his bomber jacket, too?
Walking up a small ramp, they both squinted under the bright lights of the service elevator when the doors opened.
"Umphf! Careful."
Almost tripping, they fell against the padded reinforced walls in a muddle of limbs. He was too busy flirting and trying to catch a whiff of her hair, not paying enough attention to where they were going.
Sakura laughed and detangled from him to scan her key fob and press the button for her floor. The silence was lengthy but oddly comfortable and stretched all the way to her door.
Sakura ushered him inside, barely taking a second to turn on a light before she was moving past him. Her heels clattered on the hardwood floor as she made a beeline for the bathroom — her bladder was killing her.
"Take a seat, I'll be right back."
A few minutes later, she made her way back to the living room after a detour to the kitchen. They were going to need the pizza bites she stuck in the toaster oven, because she was starting to get hungry. Also, the snack should help sober her house guest up a bit, along with the water she carried.
Sakura spotted him in the semi-darkness, the moonlight shading the room just enough to see where she was going. Sprawled on the sectional, Sasuke's dark eyes roamed the layout as he casually lit a backwood, looking up when she appeared before him.
The alcoholic hum he'd felt waned somewhere between his little nap and the trip up the elevator. It was reignited as his head tipped back, chest expanding as a different type of euphoria traveled through his body. His unreadable dark eyes blinked slowly as she approached.
"That's rude. You don't know if I allow smoking in here or not." Sakura slowly scooped the ashtray below the TV stand before turning on the recessed lighting near the patio doors.
"It helps with thinking."
"Thinking? And just what were you thinking about?"
"That kidnapping is unbecoming of you..."
The cheeky remark was a setup, she just knew it.
"The last time we were together, weren't you the one mentioning duck tape and rope?"
His reply to that was an arrogant smirk that made the green of her eyes shimmer as the city lights glinted behind her back. Though slightly cloudy, his focus shifted entirely to her and she liked being the center of his attention. With a little sway in her hips she allowed the ashtray to slide from her fingers onto the low table.
"Next time I'll just dump your drunk ass in a cab..." Sakura quipped while acquiring the lit joint and taking a pull, plopping down next to him.
The large resting place could lounge a small army, but that didn't stop her from saddling up close next to Sasuke. His now empty hand rested on her thigh, the little black dress pulling high on her skin from her seated position. She was suddenly glad she had removed the tights she wore during her bathroom trip.
"Hmph..."
The thought was cut short when a small chuckle escaped him, and Sakura raised a brow.
"And like how... this is the ugliest couch I've ever seen."
She rolled her eyes and jabbed the herb for him to take. Sasuke reached for it while smirking but used his other hand, keeping a light grip on her leg.
"Yeah? Well, you can sit on the floor. I'll have you know that I absolutely love this sofa, thank you very much." She pinched the back of the hand that squeezed her thigh before sliding to her feet, running to the buzzer that signaled their food was done.
"The nerve..." Sakura huffed, returning with the snacks while Sasuke snuffed out the joint. "It's really comfortable, you have to admit that!"
"Still hideous—" He almost burned his tongue on one of the hot little bites. Sakura took the better approach and blew lightly on hers before enjoying a taste.
"Yeah?" Curling a leg under her, she rolled her eyes.
"Monstrous." He took a long gulp of water then relaxed back further into the seat.
"Surely there must be other things on your mind."
Sakura leaned back too but was turned slightly facing him, an arm folding to support her head along the back of the sectional. She raised her other hand slowly and he turned his head with a curious look. Her fingers gently brushed away a crumb stuck below his mouth, thumb grazing his soft bottom lip as he moved closer.
With a sly grin, she leaned away before his eyebrows furrowed.
"Maybe thoughts as to why you were so..." She couldn't quite put his grumpy mood into words, getting sidetracked at the dark pools blinking up at her.
It was his turn to have inward thoughts, and thinking about the last few hours, had he shown out a little tonight?
'Maybe...' he reasoned, but it was definitely the liquor that unlatched the filter from his more deviant thoughts.
But she had already changed his whole vibe once and could improve things even more by giving him something he'd thought about for most of the night.
And he would definitely succeed if the batting of her eyelashes and inviting looks were any indication.
The slight curl of his mouth was her only warning before his left hand reached over to her hip. He grabbed her tighter and her fingers clenched in his shirt, fisting the fabric above his chest after being pulled into his lap.
Sakura settled her weight, enjoying the way his large hands gripped her thighs. She slowly exhaled as he breathed her in, face hidden in her neck as his hands traveled up to frame her hips.
His mood swings tonight were amusing so she entertained him, looping an arm around his neck to run her fingers through his soft hair. Coarse strands glided between her fingers before she formed a half hearted fist.
"Are you sure this is a good time? I'm not bothering you, am I...?" she whispered playfully against his temple, teasing him about their last phone call.
Dragging her closer, he mumbled something against her skin as his lips brushed higher along her jaw and chin. And she sat up fully, leaning into the kiss when they fell together heartedly, one hand grasping the wood and fabric behind his resting head and held on.
It's exactly what he wanted, and the only thing that seemed to appease the relentless hunger. Initiating something far deeper, his tongue eagerly pressed forward for a taste. Slow and careful, slipping across her lips for access while his palms were at odds, firmly caressing her curves.
Sasuke knew he would get lost in her arms the moment they came together. The alcohol, the weed, and the annoying amount of time they'd spent apart leading up to that night made it feel all too real as he went in for another kiss. They broke apart long enough for air before smashing together again, testing boundaries and throwing caution to the wind.
She did her part and leaned into him more, causing his fingers to trace up her back and into her hair. The messy updo didn't stand a chance, and he released a small moan into her mouth.
Sakura hummed in agreement, though she was a little worried for the integrity of her dress. The delicate part near her shoulders wouldn't stand up long against Sasuke's grasping hands, but she didn't care. It felt too good to be in his clutches to stop now.
There was a tingle in her spine that originated from where his fingers touched and Sakura ground against him, hands slipping beneath Sasuke's collar for heated skin. Were they really going to do this? Was she ready to go the physical route again, before defining what was going on between them? Did she even need to define it?
Maybe she was overthinking this again.
Maybe...
Sasuke's teeth nicked her earlobe, the tip of his tongue flicking the diamond stud — and she gasped.
Maybe she should just shut up and feel.
But all that thinking had wasted precious seconds, and she was ripped away before she could savor what they were doing.
Sasuke broke away from her neck, abruptly pulling away with a grunt. Strong hands moved around her and lifted, guiding her to stand so he could do the same.
Was this it? Was this the part where he swept her in his arms and continued to lead them down the path of heat and longing and-
"Bathroom," he grunted, standing to his full height. Sakura barely had time to steady herself, yet alone process the sudden statement.
"W-...what?"
Sasuke sucked his teeth, repeating himself. "Need to piss. Bathroom. Where?"
Deflating, she pointed down the hall and watched him leave, sinking back down into the sofa with a plop. There were minor touch-ups being done in the guest bath, so she directed him towards the one in her room instead.
Sighing into the throw pillow she'd dragged over her face, Sakura released a breath of frustration, before getting up to clean.
By the time she finished and grabbed her heels from the entrance, she realized that Sasuke had yet to return. Curious, she went to make sure everything was ok.
What she found was a passed out Sasuke laying face down on her bed. The light from her bathroom was left on with the cracked door leaving enough light for her to see. Shaking her head, Sakura moved to change out of her dress before nearing his side to pull off his shoes.
Well, it was technically her side of the bed, but that was neither here nor there.
At least the brute let his feet dangle off the side and not on her white comforter.
His phone began to ring after she untied the first shoe. This was the second time. It also rang while she was changing in her closet a minute ago.
Sasuke's leg moved, but he didn't wake up, and she presumed the call went to voice-mail.
Completing her task, Sakura climbed up on the bed only to hear it go off again. This time he shifted and his hand reached underneath his prone body before tossing the phone between them.
Sasuke grumbled something, but Sakura's focus was on the phone, and the figure that appeared on the screen.
He had answered the call.
And it wasn't just a regular call; it was a video call.
The embedded picture in the corner of the screen revealed the person only had a view of her barely lit ceiling and not their bodies laying on either side of the device.
Sakura's wild eyes swung to Sasuke's face, but his head was bent low, locks of hair shielding his closed eyes.
"Sasuke?" a deep male voice called out over the speaker.
'Shit!'
Chancing another glance at the prone figure next to her, Sakura sat up a little straighter while grabbing the phone.
"Um... hello? Hi. Sasuke's here but..."
She paused when the screen moved. The shadowy silhouette had grabbed his own phone — presumably off a table or flat surface, bringing it closer to his face. The screen blurred with the motion and then settled, giving her a good look at the speaker.
Sakura swallowed as she traced familiar lines across a much different face and made the connection before he spoke again.
"Where is my brother?"
Her eyes widened again before glancing to her side, panning the phone to Sasuke's sleeping form. She cleared her throat to explain.
"He's dead to the world right now. Just too much to drink. It's ok, he can sleep it off here... I don't mind. I'm Sakura, by the way."
It was embarrassing to meet someone - especially his brother - under such circumstances, but she did not let it show. Something in the siblings' eyes softened and Sakura stopped holding the phone as tightly as she had been.
"My name is Itachi. When my wayward little brother becomes conscious, please have him give me a call."
Glancing between the man in question and the phone, she nodded. "Of course."
"And Sakura?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for taking care of him."
Sakura smiled while rubbing a hand across her neck, trying not to blush. "Oh! No problem at all. Good night!"
Pressing the red button, Sakura ended the call and released a breath. Lowering the phone to the bed, she almost jumped out of her skin when she met Sasuke's half-lidded stare.
"You answered it in your sleep, when you pulled it out of your pocket—" The last thing she needed was for him to think she was some crazy chick going through his things.
"I wasn't asleep."
"—and it already connected when—wait, what do you mean you weren't asleep?"
"I tried to stop the noise," he said while taking the phone to look at the screen, squinting but otherwise not moving from his sprawled position.
Sakura's free hands were now covering her face, warm palms cradling even warmer cheeks. She could just die right now.
"Why did you let me answer it, then?"
"You spoke before I could say anything." The harsh light went away when he turned off the screen. "No big deal."
Splayed fingers revealed her shock before she dropped her hands completely and turned her wide gaze to him. "No big deal?! I just met your brother for the first time, half-dressed, in bed with his unconscious sibling."
Oh God, it sounded even worse when she said it out loud.
What will he think of her?
Sasuke's eyes gave her a once over. Noticing the change of clothes, he didn't see anything wrong with the tank and satin sleep shorts as he twisted his body to toss the phone on the side table, placing the second one there as well after powering it off.
In fact, it was giving him other ideas, but all this talk and silly notions were killing his high. Settling back down into the soft mattress, Sasuke snaked out a hand and pulled her down with him.
Sakura offered no resistance, still whining about being set up, and how could people be so mean?
He nuzzled against her when she laid down, spooning her back and wrapping an arm around her middle.
Cuddling was much more appealing.
"You looked good in that dress tonight," he whispered against her pulse while appreciating her change of attire. More skin was now accessible, and Sakura's reluctant giggle vibrated from her back into his chest.
Sasuke was still a little sluggish but became more and more interested, extending his kisses to the soft slope of her shoulder. His dormant fingers moved against the fabric of her tank top, inching the white cotton up her torso slowly in the darkness of the room.
"I did…?" Sakura whispered, tangling her legs with his.
Sasuke only hummed against her neck again, hand brushing its way over her chest above her top. She bit her lip when the heat sunk through, making her shiver in want while tipping her head to the side.
He enjoyed the early stages of her surrender, touching her above the thin layer, but he knew it wouldn't last for long. The longing he felt for her returned with jagged precision. The games they played tonight were all a waste of time when this was what they both wanted.
Sakura turned her head, making it easier to accept his kisses, relaxing against the soft mattress and his hard build.
A person like him should come with a warning label. He intoxicated her more than any drinks that night did with his capable hands and rugged aura, caressing her figure in a way she hadn't been touched in a long time. It stripped away her hesitation as he weighed a much too sensitive breast, cupping her in the sweltering heat of his bare palm.
She steered away from his mouth to release a heady moan, arching against him while they lay on their sides. Although she was fairly occupied, she couldn't help the other hushed thoughts that went through her mind. At the risk of breaking the spell they were under, she whispered to him, holding the hand still covering a globe.
"Tell me what you want Sasuke…"
"I want to touch you."
The answer came too quickly to be anything but honest.
"I want to be inside of you," he murmured against the back of her neck, the alcohol from that night morphing into the ultimate truth serum.
And if she wasn't wet before, her muscles clenching down below would ensure that she would be. Nerve endings flaring alive in anticipation of his touch… she'd always be ready for him.
The final whisper was enough to break her resistance into a thousand unusable pieces, and she hoped he remembered the confession when the sun rose in the morning.
"I want—"
'To be with you... around you... all the damn time.' He wasn't exactly sober, but they were still his words to tell. Thoughts that were laid open, flayed and bare, even though they rang through the privacy of his mind.
But she understood it all... like he knew she would and even then, it wasn't enough. It would never be enough.
"I want that too…" As much as that piece of reality was a scary thought.
But she was glad he was taking ownership of his feelings. She refused to play a guessing game with him; filled with cryptic messages and hidden meanings. No, if he wanted her... wanted this? He was going to have to spell it out loud as plain as day. She was a natural scholar and always considered herself intelligent, but even with schooling, she was not a mind reader.
She had gone down that road before of mixed signals and uncertainty. She was not in the mood or the headspace for a repeat. She'd worked too damn hard to reclaim a sense of self over the past year and a half to go back.
Sasuke had other plans regarding thoughts of reclaiming, and continued to cup her supple flesh. His other hand skimmed down her toned stomach and slipped into the waistband of her shorts, barely grazing the soft skin of her lower stomach. His eyes closed as he took another deep breath in.
"I want that too," she repeated on a moan, pressing back against him as her nails dug into the hand still clutching her breast.
She couldn't think of anything she'd ever wanted more. His enthusiasm was pushing away the rest of the white noise inside of her head. How could she not want this? When it felt so right?
Her hand closed around his hand more above her shirt, feeling his grip tighten before slacking in her hold. This was not the time to start teasing her, she thought, listening to his deep breaths.
Sasuke's fingers below were so, so close to where she needed him to be.
Not a second later, she realized that all of his movements had ceased. Blood still rushing past her ears she craned her neck, turning her head to look at his profile from the corner of her eyes.
"Sasuke…?"
Sakura's eyes widened when she finally got a good look to figure out why he'd stopped moving.
He passed out again.
With his nose pressed to the back of her shoulders, he breathed in and out at a steady pace, fingers slack against her body although still holding her in his arms.
And she would have whined in dismay, if it wasn't so undignified.
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✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧ ✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧
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It shouldn't have been as relaxed an atmosphere as it was. Though, it might have had something to do with the calming scent from the fabric softener, but he couldn't be sure.
When Sasuke woke the first time, it was because of the running water in her bathroom. The sound was muted behind the closed door, but his consciousness kept nudging him awake. His hands smoothed across the soft sheets in the semi-darkness, finding his cell phone, but his gun wasn't under the pillow where it should have been. His body grew taunt for all of two seconds before relaxing. When he realized where he was, the tension left his body with a jaw cracking yawn.
One eye pried open as he revisited last night and tried to put the memories in some sort of order. Taking a quick inventory of his current state, he concluded that he didn't feel sick, but he was extremely tired and was likely to raise holy hell if the small throbbing behind his brow turned into a full-blown hangover.
He chose to blame his fatigue on the early morning hours and not the amount of alcohol and other shit he may - or may not - have taken last night. And if his memories were accurate, he also knew that he needed to call his brother back — and lastly, he had to pee.
One could wait until later, but the other... not so much.
He pulled himself up from the down comforter and headed for the bathroom, allowing the early morning dawn to help him navigate the shadows in the room. He passed his discarded shirt on the way, and before he could think to knock or just barge in, the door was pulled open.
Sakura offered him a tired smile, whispering that she'd left some stuff out for him. Thankfully she wasn't startled to see him standing there, because any piercing screams would have split his brain into two.
She dimmed the light further when she noticed his grimace and brushed past him, shutting the door behind her. He would appreciate the new toothbrush sitting on the vanity later, along with the washcloth.
Draining his bladder made him feel a little better, but he knew he was still fucked up. He squinted in the low light, eyeing his reflection as he brushed away the whiskey he'd barely remembered drinking from his gums.
Finishing up, he wanted to kiss her for attempting to take care of him, accepting the Tylenol and water she offered when he returned to the bedside. There was also some tea she offered to share, or—
"I could make you some coffee, if you'd like." Her voice was near silent as he climbed back into the bed.
It was a tempting offer... but he wanted nothing more than a few more minutes of sleep and dragged her with him, her soft giggles accompanied by a drawl of, 'lazy ass.'
The second time he woke, it was an hour or two later. The sun was definitely up now, but in that moment he was in no rush to move. He must have scooted down to the middle of the bed during his nap, and at some point thought the rounded curve of her bum made for a comfortable pillow. Brain still in a misty daze, he found no reason to move just yet.
Sakura was preoccupied with a massive hard covered book anyway... laying down on her stomach while highlighting a few passages. Something gave him away and she moved to give a sympathetic glance over her shoulder.
Twisting an arm slightly to reach behind, Sakura ran a hand through his soft locks without displacing him from his comfortable position. He answered her questions about headaches and nausea, grumbling that he wasn't a child while secretly basking in the attention.
Sasuke really should not be there wasting the morning away, but he was content to stay a little while longer, so lax he'd almost missed the question she threw his way. In his defense, he assumed she was mumbling to herself, unaware if it was something she did frequently while studying.
"Is your favorite color blue?"
He blinked slowly, cracking an eye open but not moving.
In the silence, Sakura thought he may have fallen asleep on her again, his cheek still resting on her tush, but then she heard him answer after a while.
"Is my favorite color blue?" He usually wasn't this slow in the morning, but the question was out of the blue... no pun intended.
"Yeah..." She turned again to look down at his profile. "I don't know... you just seemed like a 'blue' kinda person to me."
There was more quietness between them, and she got nervous.
"Uh-huh..." he finally spoke up, angling his head slightly to look up at her. "Why don't you ask me a real question instead?"
"That was a real question," she whined, but she elaborated and hoped she didn't sound silly. "It's how people get to know each other. You know... I ask a question, you ask a question-"
"Like an interrogation?"
Now he was just being cheeky. She returned to her book, not wanting to rise to the bait. He was cutting into her studying time anyway. She felt his arm move, his warm palm enveloping the curve of her hip as he shifted his weight.
"Ask questions, huh..." Sasuke trailed off, raising his hand past the waistband of her shorts up her bare side, the fitted cotton tank rolled against her ribs, exposing her skin. His fingers dipped below the top, grazing the hint of black ink that was peeking from underneath before skimming his fingers up further, across the still half-hidden tattoo. "What does this mean?"
Ino had an identical one on her ankle that he'd never really paid attention to until he'd seen the slightly larger version emblazoned on the pinkette's skin. He thought it was some sort of... 'best friend tattoo.'
There was evident humor in Sasuke's voice, but he had no idea how close to the mark he was.
"Yeah, you can say that..."
The ink on her side meant more than Sakura could put into words. A meaning that was sharper than the pain she'd felt against her skin when she'd gotten it. The needles turned ink - and what felt like a lifetime of memories - into wearable art.
As selfish as Sakura was being, it was not a desirable topic for the type of conversation she wanted to have.
They were supposed to stick to light-hearted and fluffy. There was even the hope of getting an embarrassing story out of him. And really, considering the circumstances in which she met his brother the first time... he lowkey owed her.
Trying to keep things light, she veered off into something else instead.
"Do you like cats or dogs? What about food? I'll go first. I love frozen yogurt, but I am obsessed with anko dumplings. My grandmother made them for me when I was a kid. Best thing you've ever had in your life." She turned another page, rereading the last sentence in her mind because the theory she read had been confusing to her the first time around.
Sasuke made a face... one she could not see but it didn't matter; she could hear his disgust in how he talked. Rubbing his eye, he settled down again to curl an arm across the back of her thighs.
"I hate sweets," he mumbled, closing his eyes again. The headache was mostly gone and he wasn't sleepy, but she was right; he was being a lazy ass. Most of what he needed to take care of today could be done later this evening, so drifting off again was easy…
And happened on the third blink.
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✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧
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When her phone rang, she was tempted to ignore it. It was on vibrate and was probably just Ino wanting to disclose how fabulous her night went.
Except, it wasn't.
She was glad she reached over at the last second to answer. Well, she would be later, once the panic and ensuing madness was over.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Haruno? Good morning, this is Brian at the concierge desk. There are two gentlemen here in the lobby who are requesting to see you. They said-"
Sakura's back arched as she stiffly rose on her elbows in panic, listening intensely. Her gasp was heard over the line, and the wonderful man on the other end picked up on her unease.
"I'm calling you from the office behind the desk. They can't hear me. If you want me to turn them away…"
"Um, no. I mean… shit. Uh, could you do me a huge favor? Pretend you couldn't reach me and then call back? I just need a few minutes-"
"Absolutely, Ms. Haruno. Whatever you need."
"Thank you so much," she whispered into the receiver before hanging up. There were several long seconds of utter stillness before she let out a resounding-
"FUCK!"
She shouldn't have moved so quickly, considering her derriere still held a resting passenger. It was too late, however, and her curse startled him something fierce.
And that's when Sasuke found himself roused from slumber for the third and final time.
With a jolt.
The combination of her moving and his wakeful surprise almost caused him to go flying off of the side of the bed. He caught himself with a last-minute grip on the blanket. It was so tightly tucked into the corner that it was able to hold his weight as he sat up.
Sakura ignored him in favor of finding his shirt and tossing it to him.
"You have to leave. Like… right now. No time to explain."
He grabbed it out of mid-air, bed hair still sticking every which way. His eyes followed her as she disappeared into her closet.
When Sakura came back out, she was dressed in sweats and a baggy hoodie ‐ something a little more modest than the sleepwear she had sported throughout the night.
"Come on, come on. Hurry!" she urged, slipping down on all fours to find his shoes. The confused, dejected look did not disappear from his face as he pulled his shirt over his head.
"You're kicking me out?"
Sakura stood up, pulling him from the bed and shoving his shoes into his arms. She couldn't stop to feel bad right now, no matter how adorable the 'sulking' look plastered on his handsome mug was.
"I'm really, really sorry," she said while pushing him down the hall and towards the door. He took a moment to put on his shoes while she answered a call and was still confused as to what was going on when she hung up.
Unlocking the door, Sakura reminded him where they had parked the night before and gave him his keys. Pointing down the hall towards the right, she said he should have no problem taking the freight elevator down and out the way they came.
They stood just inside the doorway, and Sasuke turned to look at her while slipping on his jacket, pocketing the keys and both phones.
Her voice was soft in the quiet hallway, tilting her head in question as she pulled the door wider.
"What?"
"..."
The look he gave her was a peculiar one, but they couldn't afford to play 'Decipher the Uchiha.' Normally she'd give him the space to figure it out, but there wasn't much time left.
"Use your words," Sakura teased while still prodding him further out the door.
"I want to see you again."
"Then make it happen. Preferably sometime soon."
The snarky remark made him fall for her even more, so he acted in kind.
Sasuke pulled her close, bringing their lips together while he kept his piercing dark eyes open until the last moment, locking his gaze with her firmly before their lips pressed against each other.
Shock lanced through her as her right hand came to his shoulder. Maybe there was a stray thought of pushing him away, but her fingers curled around the wrinkled material of his shirt under his jacket with an instinctual grasp.
He was trying to tell her something.
Sakura could be wrong... but she felt something deep within her, that he was trying to communicate with her the best way he knew how. By using the curve of his lips to carry forward a message and she finally closed her eyes, leaning into the softness of his embrace. This was not what she had in mind, when she had told him to start using his words.
And was pretty sure she'd said words... not mouth.
But he was determined to put those sensual lips to good use, it seemed.
Sasuke broke away, just a moment for them to take a much-needed breath... stealing her own away a second later as he pressed them together again, just a bit slower this time. He closed his eyes after she succumbed again, her fingers clawing up into his dark strands. His own long-fingered grip cupped her rear to pull her up just a bit more because, damn, she was so much smaller than him but he didn't care.
With a struggling moan she finally broke away, tipping her head back to meet his eyes.
"Ok, go—" She said pushing him in the direction of the freight elevator and where they'd come from last night. He walked backward until he reached the corner, finally turning away with a smirk and disappearing.
Sakura leaned against her closed door, holding a hand to her chest after closing it as her heart beat in awe. The dreamy smile she sported was wiped away when not a minute later, there was a strong knock against her door. She felt the slight thump against her back and straightened, tugging on her pants because the prick almost gave her a wedgie with how hard he grabbed her ass.
Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Sakura counted to three before opening the door.
"Sakura? Sakura Haruno?"
"Yes?"
"We are detectives from the Third District precinct. We were wondering if we could ask you a few questions…"
:
:
✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧
End Chapter
Thank you for reading ✨