One Year Ago
Parties weren't his thing. He didn't even know why he allowed Sakura to drag him to the rambunctious bar for Shikamaru's 23rd birthday. Blue, pink, and yellow strobe lights swirled around the place, flashing brightly in his eyes off their liquor glasses. A horrendous mixture of smells assaulted his nose: spring blossoms, musk, vanilla, metal, cinnamon, sweat, sandalwood, tobacco; all blending from too many bodies packed too close together. Joining the stench was a cacophony of screams, shouts, broken glass, music with the bass unbearably loud. How did anyone find this amusing?
How it didn't overwhelm all of their heightened shinobi senses, he couldn't understand, but Sasuke could feel a headache coming from the music, or was it the smells, or was it the scowl that he'd kept on his face nearly since entering Shuriken, an almost exclusively shinobi bar in the center of Konoha's nightlife district?
Glancing up passed his grinning idiot of a best friend, he took in Sakura walking back from the dance floor arm and arm with Ino, the arranger of the whole affair. No doubt she'd dragged Shikamaru here under threat of bodily injury for just another excuse to party, but everyone else did seem to be having fun at least. The lights shimmered off of Sakura's nude dress, accentuating the long line of her sculpted legs in her heels. He took a drink of sake to clear his throat, completely ignoring Naruto's smug grin.
"While you've had your eyes on Sakura-chan the whole night, someone else has been checking you out," Naruto whisper-shouted over the loud music.
"What are you two talking about instead of dancing?" Sakura shouted, leaning over Sasuke's arm to grab his drink. The brush of her dress' sequins on his wrist sent an oddly pleasant tingle to his nerves. She downed the entire drink, handing him back the empty glass and smiling, immune to the glare he tossed her. She lightly pushed Naruto further into the booth and sat where he'd vacated on the end of the bench seat. Naruto tossed his arm around her shoulder and grabbed her a shot of some clear liquid that Lee had ordered but left when Tenten called him away, likely saving the entire bar patrons from Lee's drunken foolery.
"Teme's got an admire," Naruto rub his nose with a stupid grin. Sakura turned and sent him a smug look.
"Oh really. Where?"
"At the bar. Bright purple hair. Her chest is almost as big as Hinata's!" Naruto motioned towards the woman. Sakura punched his arm and pulled her compact out of her purse, then set it on the table behind a clear shot glass. She angled the compact to get a better look through the cup without having to turn her head to be so obvious. Sasuke glanced down at the mirror. The woman seemingly sat alone at the bar, nursing some dark colored drink. From the way her shoulders hunched close to her ears, it was easy to tell that she wasn't a shinobi or one of the civilians regularly frequenting bars that catered more towards shinobi clientele. She didn't seem as inhibitionless as her half-filled drink would imply she'd feel. She seemed more… alert than enjoying herself. She wore a short black dress that left little to the imagination, and as Naruto had pointed out, her chest was nothing to scoff at.
"She is curvy…" Sakura admitted but paused. Sasuke raised his eyebrow at her, waiting for the rest of her response. She moved the compact to a different angle then studied the woman up and down. "She has a great pair of legs. And probably a civilian," she concluded with a smirk. He smirked back at her.
"Why are you two smiling like that?" Naruto narrowed his eyes to a suspicious look. Sakura nearly spilled her drink to contain the burst of laughter, and Sasuke just shook his head.
"Honestly, how can you be Sasuke's best friend and so clueless." She gasped her stomach clenching in pain from her humor. "Sasuke's a leg man, Naruto." She calmed just enough to run her foot seductively up the inside of Sasuke's leg but lost her composure again when he gave her his trademark smoldering eyes and smirked at her. Sasuke grabbed her heel and slipped his thumb to the sole of her foot, rubbing at the pressure point that had to be killing her in those heels. He of course wouldn't complain about them; he was a leg man, and they did make any woman's legs look good, especially Sakura's. He set her foot down and grabbed Naruto's drink, tossing it back while ignoring the blonde's complaint. He stood from the booth and walked past the woman at the bar and towards the dance floor, disappearing in the thrush of sweaty bodies grinding on each other.
Kanami looked after him, then subconsciously glanced towards his table. She made eye contact with the green eyes of the woman sitting there and cursed herself for being so obvious with her attention. Uchiha Sasuke hadn't spared her a single glance all night, but the woman had so easily figured out her motive. The woman gave her a knowing smile and a wink and tilted her head in the direction Sasuke had walked off to. Kanami took a deep breath and stood off the stool, shifting her dress to show off her best asset. 'Now or never,' she guessed.
She walked through the dance floor, careful to avoid grabbing hands and moving hips that would have thrown her off her path. She walked down a hallway to a quieter part of the bar, presumably where the bathrooms were and saw THE Uchiha Sasuke leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. He was waiting for her. He tilted his head, studying her with his piercing dark eyes, and Kanami felt her heart thumping solidly. For a moment, she thought her heartbeat had replaced the bass of the music and that everyone in the bar could hear it pounding away in her chest.
This just had to be the universe telling her she was on the right path. She and her friends had been talking about coming to Shuriken for weeks, building up the courage to step into a bar meant for shinobi. Shinobi rarely frequented civilian bars, so if the girls wanted to meet one, they'd have to step onto their turf. Tonight had been the night that they were going to finally party with attractive men with well-sculpted bodies, strong hands moving over their curves as they danced, tease the men until they'd beg them to come back the next weekend. But her friends had dropped out one by one with an excuse or reservation. She'd thought of not coming, of waiting, not sure she wanted to go to a new place by herself. But she'd been looking forward to the night all week, and she wouldn't be deterred. Kanami had put on her best outfit, done her makeup just right, and walked into Shuriken, faking a confidence she didn't necessarily feel. She'd imagined that some shinobi, handsome and good-natured would come up to her, buy her a drink, and ask her to dance. She'd never imagined that she would be in a dark secluded part of the bar with Uchiha Sasuke; she'd hit the jackpot of expectations, a scenario women only fantasized about. She almost felt sorry for her friends for missing it. But that might have just been more competition for his attention. They would just have to wait for her to regale the story.
"Uchiha Sasuke?" She spoke in a starstruck voice that was only slightly faked. She knew how to play up a man's ego, and surely Sasuke would be just as swayed with a girl fawning over him. He stared at her with his eyes still piercing in the dimmed lighting. A stray beam from the dance floor would occasionally slash through their hiding spot and illuminate his sculpted face, revealing his eyes with even more clarity. They were like ebony orbs that saw straight through her; nothing could be hidden from his eyes. Uchiha Sasuke was beautiful, but his eyes—his eyes were captivating.
He nodded to her. Which didn't give her much to work with.
'Fine, the dark, stoic type,' Kanami huffed, but didn't let that discourage her. She kept the amazed tone and look, and continued: "I remember watching your jōnin exams. You were amazing. I knew you'd succeed. So strong."
"Hn, comes with the clan name." His voice was deep with a mixture of smooth seduction and graveled roughness. He smirked at her. Immediately, Kanami's inner muscles clenched, and she fought the urge to shift her thighs together to relieve the throbbing. What she wouldn't do for a night with that voice grunting in her ear.
"Yes, but I'm sure you're especially talented, even for an Uchiha." She twirled a lock of her hair near her breast, being sure to catch the light with her strands to make them even more luminous. His eyes shifted briefly to where she'd directed him, then to her eyes. 'Got him.' She dropped the strand and began to walk towards him. Sasuke shifted off the wall, standing to his full towering height. She'd always loved tall men. Uchiha Sasuke was a girl's wet dream, and she was going to make her dreams a reality.
Kanami strutted closer, letting her hips sway to attract his attention to her bountiful curves. Her dress hugged her body skintight and moved perfectly with every step. She could see Sasuke's eyes tracing down the roundness of her chest to the funnel of her waist and to her hips, then finally making their way back up. She stopped in front of him with a sly smile she'd practiced since she'd learned her feminine power. Sasuke's responding smirk encouraged her to trace her finger lightly over his shirt, just enough pressure for him to feel it, but not enough to leave him satisfied. She started at his collarbone, a whisper of a touch, and moved her hand down his sculpted chest and towards his chiseled abs. Before she could get any lower, Sasuke grabbed her wrist gently, but she could feel the hidden power in his grasp. She shivered inwardly at the strength of shinobi and how controlling he'd be in the bedroom. Clearly, he would be in charge of their pleasure; she liked that. Sasuke easily pulled her in against his solid chest and kissed her. He graced his tongue against her lower lips, and she gave him access immediately. His tongue slipped into her mouth, brushing against her own tongue. She moaned into his mouth as their tongues danced together. Sasuke wrapped his arm around her back to support her against him and splayed his hand between her shoulder blades. Her dress was thin enough that he could feel her body heat easily. He allowed his other hand to roam over her curves. First, he skimmed his fingers over her chest, smirking against her lips when her eager nipples hardened through the delicate fabric of her dress. He circled them lightly, giving just enough and yet not nearly enough. He cupped one of her breasts in his hand and massaged it: rhythmically squeezing and lifting in an inward circle.
Between her thighs throbbed harder and she couldn't help herself; she moaned at the pure sensation of his touch. Flames of desire burned her skin everywhere his strong hands skimmed over her breasts and down her sides. His hands inched up the hem of her dress, exposing more skin than was decent in the back room of a dance bar. Her body felt on fire, until his hands brushed under her ass cheeks. She didn't want to have sex…yet. She couldn't make it too easy; she couldn't make herself too available. If she wanted to keep Uchiha Sasuke after her, she needed to leave him wanting more.
She pulled away and Sasuke released her without a sound or hesitation. He stepped back and righted his clothing.
"I'm not that forward," Kanami looked down, playing up the shyness angle of a respectable woman who had gotten a little too caught up in the moment; luckily, she didn't have to fake the heated blush on her cheeks. Here would be the test. If he was a gentleman about it, he was worth her time. If he was a jerk who pressed her further, she'd have to avoid him like a disease. She truly hoped he would be a gentleman; it would spoil the fantasy if he turned out to be a sex-entitled asshole. She didn't know which she honestly expected, but she was happy when Sasuke simply nodded and fixed the hem of her dress. He gave her one last glance, then walked to the hallway entrance back towards the dance bar.
"Wait!" She called out before he could exit the dim walkway. He turned to her and arched his brow in what she assumed was a question.
"Will you be here next weekend?"
Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and put his hands in his pockets. "Dance bars aren't my style. And I never know when I have a mission. Have a good night." He walked out of the shadows and into the glowing lights of the dance floor section. Kanami waited for a bit, not wanting to be too brazen as to let a whole room of people see her walk out of a secluded area with Uchiha Sasuke. Even if no one was really paying attention, she didn't want to get a reputation; that would make it harder if she didn't run into him again and had to try someone new. While she waited, she prayed that she hadn't messed up her only opportunity with Uchiha Sasuke. 'No,' she thought. 'The gods wouldn't be so cruel.' The gods had to have put a plan in motion. It was the only thing to explain their against-all-odds meeting. She'd be able to brag to her friends about the encounter and when she showed up at the bar again, she would have another story of a sensual meeting with Sasuke to tell them of. She wouldn't need to change plans to some other shinobi and hope he hadn't seen her with Sasuke.
When she felt like enough time had passed, Kanami walked out of the dark hallway and back towards the bar counter. Thankfully, there was still a seat open near where she'd been originally sitting. But when she sat down and glanced around as discretely as she could, she didn't see Sasuke anywhere. She waited a few moments, ordered another drink, but he didn't appear. She glanced over to his table and caught eyes with the pink-haired woman again who only shrugged. Kanami turned back to the bartender, chewing her lip. Maybe she'd gotten him so hot and bothered that he'd needed to leave to take care of things. Of course, that was it. Taking a deep breath, she drank her drink in two gulps then left enough money on the table to settle her tab. All in all, she'd call it a successful night.
Sasuke exited the hot shower, steam billowing behind him like a long cape throughout his bathroom. He was relieved to finally have his body released from the stench of smells and returned to his natural scent; the special issue ANBU wash had disposed of the various different perfumes and colognes easily. He dried off his body and wrapped the towel securely around his waist before grabbing a smaller towel for his hair. The water and shampoo did little to weigh down his gravity-rebellious strands.
A chakra flare came from his front door and he groaned. He'd had more than enough social interaction for one night, staying long past the hour he'd negotiated to. Not bothering to put on clothes—his guest wouldn't be there long enough—he walked to his front door and tossed it open. His door opened to reveal Sakura standing on his porch with a devilish smirk. Sasuke's eyes scanned her form; she still wore the shimmering nude dress with the neckline that veered down to show the tops of her breasts and the matching heels that showed off her green painted toes. Her hair was a tussled mess of fallen curls from her hands running through them and beads of sweat that had yet to be cooled by the night air. Her makeup for the most part had stayed intact, only suffering light smudging of the black kohl under her eyes and patchiness of her lipstick from the drinks she had.
Sakura's jade eyes sharpened as she took in his delectable appearance. Rivets of water ran down the trails of his sculpted muscles to the towel slung low on his hips. A tuff of dark hair peaked from beneath the line of his towel. She licked her lips and pressed her hand to his chest. She was sure he could feel her warm chakra as she pressed him back into his house and sent an added burst to push him onto the couch.
"How drunk are you?" He asked as she climbed on top of him. Muscle memory saw his hands cupping the back of her thighs to stabilize her. She settled on his lap, shifting gracefully to make herself comfortable and trap him beneath the towel.
"Enough." She leaned down to his ear. He could smell only the faint trace of alcohol, confirming that she'd been burning off the intoxication during her walk over from the bar. Sakura latched onto the thick cord of muscle at his throat. She suckled the skin while trailing her tongue around the area to encourage a possessive calling card of their exploits. In tandem with her mouth, she rolled her hips slowly, pressing down into his manhood. Sasuke groaned and shot his hand through her hair, gripping the shorn locks. His other hand shifted to the back of her dress and grabbed the shoulder, revealing inch by glorious inch of her creamy skin. She shifted back to allow him to strip her but gave a wicked smirk as she pressed her ass more firmly into his lap, teasing him more than helping him undress her. Her nipples puckered immediately once he revealed her breasts to the air. Sasuke moved down to take the hardened nubs into his mouth, but Sakura used her enhanced strength to keep him against the back of the couch. She gave him a smug look and snaked her body against his, pressing their chest together and bringing her mouth to his ear. She traced her tongue over the shell of his ear, breathing seductively.
"Still upset about your strike out?" Sakura taunted. She rolled her body against him but held her body weight to prevent her core from fulling pressing down on him through the towel. He growled; Sakura only smiled.
"Hn, wouldn't say it's a strike out if I've still got you in bed," Sasuke smirked at her. Her dress pooled around her middle, having rolled up her legs from her straddling position. He ran his hands over her curves until he settled them firmly at her bare ass cheeks to pull them apart with each roll of her body. He pushed his hips up, pressing their centers together to illicit a filthy moan from his partner.
"Kiba has a mission first thing in the morning; you're a good enough substitute." She pressed them further together. Sasuke let his head fall back against the couch, trying to keep track of the conversation without being distracted by her husky siren's voice.
"Don't know why you'd have your substitute be the better option than your first choice." Sasuke shifted them quickly with his shinobi speed. He was almost trapped in the damp grasp of his towel but tossed the offending piece to the floor to maneuver her better. Sakura laughed loudly as he rolled her over and dropped her onto the couch cushions. He smirked and held her rolled up dress bunched at her waist. Sakura lifted her legs up together and rolled her body as he pulled the fabric over her hips and up the long expanse of her legs before tossing the useless garment aside with his towel. She was about to lower her legs when he held onto her ankles with one hand.
Sakura shrugged nonchalantly. "Guess I have to settle; music and drinks make me horny. Now, let's use that mouth for something more productive Uchiha." Sakura's tinkling laugh rang through his home. He'd blame the drinks from earlier for how the sound warmed him and the atmosphere.
"Bossy." He traced the long line of muscle from her calf up to her ankle. Sakura bit back a moan as her nerves sparked in response to his heated touch. Her core clenched to send her sticky essence oozing out of her center, but Sasuke kept his attention on her legs. He brushed his finger over the delicate strap of her shoe but didn't undo the buckle keeping the heels on her feet.
Sakura playfully rolled her eyes at his clear focus on her long legs. "Kinky," she teased, only to be met with a nip of his teeth to her calves and a tantalizingly smug look. Finished with foreplay, he wrapped his arm around her legs and lifted her lower body off the couch. Using his free hand, he lined his manhood up with her entrance and thrusted, entering her in one smooth movement. Her inner muscles widened deliciously. Sakura closed her eyes and gripped his thigh as her body quivered with his sure movements. Her breasts bounced with each roll of his talented hips and her toes curled from the sheer pleasure of it all. Sasuke set her legs on his shoulder and leaned down to add the tingling stretch of her hamstrings to the pleasure of his manhood stretching her slick core. He grabbed one of her breasts with his hand and squeezed, closing his eyes to focus on bringing them both towards their precipice.
Kanami was there next week in one of her best outfits: a deep purple shirt and pants combo that contrasted beautifully with the violet of her hair. She waited nervously, trying not to be so obvious that she was waiting on him, but her eyes flickered back to the door what felt like every 5 minutes. Multiple men came up to her; they asked her if she wanted a drink, if she wanted to dance, if she wanted to get out of the crowded bar and go home with them, but she shook her head. Each time they asked, she replied that she was only here for some time with herself, which was utterly stupid since she needed to have a backup plan in case he didn't show. And of course, that night he didn't show. Against the sinking feeling of her heart, Kanami tried to tell herself that it was alright. As she cleared her tab with the bartender, she reminded herself that all good things were worth the wait. Walking home from Shuriken, she had refused to lament the waste of such a stunning outfit. Undoing the pins in her hair, she'd tried not to feel so discouraged; he had told her after all that he probably wouldn't be there. But after telling her friends about her heated make-out session with Uchiha Sasuke in the darkened alcove of the bar, she'd spent the whole week waiting for their next encounter. She crawled into bed, shaking off the worry and doubt; foreplay was just as key as the main event. This foreplay of waiting for him would make it that much sweeter when he told her he wanted her for his own. And he would want her; she'd make sure of it.
He was there the week after, celebrating one of his shinobi friends' birthdays. The birthday boy seemed to be the loud obnoxious blonde… Naruto, if she remembered correctly. He looked like the boy that every adult had warned her to stay away from when they were children, but the only off-putting thing about him was how loudly he yelled, even with the already ear-piercing volume of the music. Sasuke seemed a cross between miserable and amused: scowling deeply when the blonde spilled some drink or another but giving a fonder expression when the blonde turned to another member of their party.
Kanami had tried to be discreet with her staring. It had been hard to take her eyes off of Sasuke when he'd walked through the door with the rosette draped over his arm. Kanami had studied her much more than the night she'd first met Sasuke, sizing her up. She was pretty, not beautiful, but her coloring was a point in her favor for its unusualness. Her curves were nothing at all that could compare to her own. Her toned arms and legs gave away her profession as a shinobi, and Kanami could bet her almost flat stomach could be attributed to that as well. 'Is that the kind of girl he likes?' Kanami had wondered but chided herself when she remembered how Sasuke's hands had roamed all over her body in the backroom. It had been she who stopped their interaction, so Sasuke had definitely liked her figure; the pinkette didn't seem like someone she needed to worry about so much. Her mom's adage about scowls giving wrinkles played in her head and she had eased her face.
Besides, for whatever odd reason, the woman had untangled herself from Sasuke almost immediately after entering the club and walked towards a man with scruffy brown hair and purple triangle marks on his cheeks. She'd twirled her hair and swayed her hips in an indiscrete manner that had nearly made Kanami roll her eyes; the woman was so obvious. She had then sat on the table in front of him with her legs crossed to reveal the skin of her upper thigh. Kanami had blanched at the slit in the pinkette's dress, so high the garment could barely qualify as a dress to begin with. What the pink-haired woman even saw in the brown-haired man over Sasuke, Kanami would never know. Sasuke was absolutely perfect. Still watching them, she reminded herself that she had to be careful about being so obvious with her own distain; from the way Sasuke had held onto the woman, it seemed like his friend had a lot of clout and could easily sway his opinion.
The pink-haired woman had grabbed the man's hand and pulled him out of the booth. She walked over towards the dance floor but before disappearing, she had glanced over to where Kanami sat and smiled, turning back to Sasuke. He had looked over to her too, but she couldn't see his reaction because she had shifted her gaze to the other side of the room, hoping that he hadn't seen her staring at him like a love-struck puppy. She would strike out immediately if he thought she was already all over him… which she was, but he couldn't know that.
Now, Kanami turned her gaze back to his table, pretending that she had just been scanning her surroundings and happened to notice him. She gave him the perfect smile, not too wide, but not too shy either: seductive, come hither, clear that she was interested, but that he would have to make the move. Kanami knew that a guy like him loved being in charge. He wanted to hunt, and she could play along.
The pink-haired woman and the guy with triangles on his cheek walked off to the dance floor, disappearing in the sea of sweaty bodies.
Kanami looked back to Sasuke's beautiful dark eyes, caught in their illustrious depth. It felt like the entire bar disappeared, leaving only them and the rhythmic beat of the music. Would this be what it was like when he made love to her? Would the only thing she see be him moving above her? Sasuke gestured to the backroom, and she nodded. Two weeks had to have been enough time for him to think about her, right? She'd certainly been thinking about him.
Kanami stood, making sure that her body was at the perfect angle for him to see all that she had denied him weeks ago. She dropped enough ryo on the counter to cover her drinks for the night, then walked towards the backroom. Sasuke waited a moment, careful not to make it too obvious because he had no desire to hear Naruto's mouth tonight, then followed her.
"Thought this place wasn't your style," She gave him a flirty wink as soon as he appeared in the dark hallway. He shrugged and glanced back towards the dance floor.
"They wouldn't let me miss it apparently." He turned back towards her. Holding to his promise to Sakura when he informed her he had a mission, he'd finished in time to make it back for Naruto's birthday. He would have preferred to miss the bar scene again, but to drag the mission out longer than the predicted week would have been an insult to his abilities, and Naruto would have mocked him for days; Sakura's threat of bodily harm had also played a significant role in the mission's swift completion. Sasuke had felt this girl's eyes on him since he'd walked in, and Sakura had quickly alerted him that "his admirer" was back. He and Sakura had already had their usual post-mission meet up, so with the edge taken off, he was more inclined to play whatever game this girl had in her head.
Seemingly over her previous reservation, she stalked over to him with the sway of hips every girl seemed to master early on in their pursuit of a partner; it was simple but effective. He let his eyes travel appreciatively down her figure and the dark blue dress she'd chosen to wear. She wrapped her arms around his neck and purred: "Well I'm glad you came."
He slipped his arms around her waist to support her, then leaned down to kiss her. Her lips were warm and smooth, plump in a way that had him imagining them wrapped around his cock. He walked her backwards, pressing her lightly into the wall; his first instinct was to put his hands on the wall, but conscious of her previous hesitancy, he didn't want to cage her in or make her feel trapped. Instead, his hands skimmed over her breasts and down to the hem of her dress, waiting for her to give him any signal that she didn't want to continue. She pressed her lips firmer into his and ran her tongue over his bottom lip. He opened his mouth to her, but focused more on reading her body language: her back was arched towards him, her breathing was relatively even given the restriction of oxygen from their kiss, her muscles were loose rather than tensing for confrontation. All were signs that, for now at least, she was willing.
Kissing Sasuke was amazing. She'd nearly fainted when he backed her against the wall, pressing his solid body into her. She prayed he didn't feel the trembling between her thighs, or maybe she wanted him to know his effect on her? She ran her hands down his back, feeling how each muscle moved and jerked under her touch. Kanami had almost lost herself completely in the warm touch of his fingers lifting the hem of her dress, until he pulled back from her.
"What's your name?" He asked her in a husky voice, clear that she'd had the same effect on him as he'd had on her. What did it matter what her name was? They could get to that in the morning when she woke up in his bed.
"Kanami," She opted for a breathless whisper to conceal her frustration at the pause.
"Kanami," her name rolled off his tongue like honeyed wine; she was certain she never wanted to hear anyone say her name again to preserve the sound. "If you want to do this, I need to make two things very clear." He stopped. It took her a second to realize that he was pausing for a response that she wanted to hear the conditions. She nodded, almost dumbfounded.
"One: Sakura and I have a sexual arrangement until I'm engaged; that's business."
'Sakura?" she thought puzzled, then realized that he must have been talking about the rose-haired woman from earlier.
"Two: my clan expects me to marry a suitable woman from the clan. Sakura and I have talked about both of these things. Can you accept them as well?"
Kanami kept the shock from her face. This wasn't at all how she expected this to go. He was supposed to be all over her, thinking only of her. Maybe she needed to leave and let him want her more. But, she inwardly groaned, she'd spent so many nights pleasuring herself to the thought of him; it would almost be cruel to deny herself this. She worried her lip, partially an act to string his anticipation, and partially because she was thinking of how she'd maneuver with the added trouble. Vaguely, she thought she remembered the heir to the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Itachi, making some declaration of love for a woman and refusing to marry anyone else. That could work as a precedent later down the line when she had Sasuke in her grasp. If she said 'no' now, she risked losing her only chance to him. She would have to start over with another shinobi. Kanami mentally took a deep breath and relaxed her thoughts. She'd need to take things one step at a time. 'Suitable, huh? I can work with that.' She would just need to make sure that he found her suitable in time.
"Business and settling down. I got it; I didn't come here tonight for a marriage proposal," Kanami gave him a saucy, playful look. 'We'll get to the marriage proposal part later.'
Sasuke scanned her eyes, wondering if she truly understood the arrangement. He had no problems spending time with her, but at the end of everything, he had to follow his clan's edict; Itachi and Izumi depended on him. He thought of saying more, but mentally shook his head, deciding against it. Kanami was a grown woman; she could make her own decisions.
"Your place or an inn?" He asked her. Even if he'd wanted to bring her back to the compound, he knew nothing about her; clans didn't bring outsiders into their compounds without a very good reason. The Uchiha were no exception to this.
Inwardly, Kanami scowled. Was he going to insult her by not bringing her to his house? Fire heated her skin that had nothing to do with his hands. She was about to demand he bring her to his house then stopped. If he brought her to his house, she would have to travel back through the compound in the morning wearing her clubbing attire, definitely not something she would want his family to see. She didn't know much beyond the superficial of the shinobi world, but she did know that the Uchiha were traditional, and seeing her do the walk of shame like a red-light harlot was not going to convince them that she would be an appropriate choice as Sasuke's wife down the line. They needed to believe she was pure, refined: a lady. This might just work to her advantage. She could ensnare Sasuke with her body while also keeping a sparkling reputation for his clan.
"My place," she grinned, more from her plan than actual joy at the choice. Sasuke nodded and arranged the hem of her dress to modest length. He grabbed her hand and walked back through the colored lights of the dance floor. Kanami would admit that she was rather shocked he didn't seem to be averse to someone seeing them.
Sasuke glanced over to the Konoha 12's table, making sure that they hadn't managed to destroy anything in the time he'd been gone. He caught Sakura's eye, who only gave him a salute with her sake glass and turned back to Kiba, who he knew didn't have a mission in the morning. She flashed the Inuzuka a bright, hungry smile and shifted her foot against his leg. Sasuke knew that look well, and Kiba seemed to know she was ready to get out of the club too since he pulled out his wallet. He tossed a few ryo on the table and slipped his finger up the muscle of Sakura's leg with a smirk. Kiba was only spared from death when Hinata caught the direction of Naruto's glare and turned him around gracefully, striking up a conversation with Shikamaru.
'Good luck, dog,' Sasuke shook his head and walked towards the exit with Kanami in tow.
Kanami pounded her fist into her pillow and flung it to the floor. The fabric had grown uncomfortably sticky with all of the tears she'd spilled. She rolled over and tried again to sleep, praying to whatever god that would listen to let her fall into a deep, Sasuke-less, black void of slumber. This time they granted her wish.
Growling at his lack of concentration, Sasuke got up from the lake and continued his walk home. He'd made the rest of the journey on autopilot, more irritated with himself than when he'd left Kanami's house and wound up at the lake in the first place. Upon entering his home, he went straight to his bedroom and scrounged up his training gear; Itachi was better company than his own thoughts, and a quick spar was bound to put him in better mood as he could exorcise the irritation from his body. He slammed the drawer a bit to forcefully and knocked the scroll to the ground, sending it rolling across the floor until it finally landed with the bright red wax pointing up to the ceiling. Sasuke walked over to the paper and picked it up. If he could have used Amaterasu, he would have incinerated the devious piece of paper pretending to be an innocent message. He traced his thumb over the wax seal, registering every dip and ridge from the imprint of his father's and the elders' stamps. Part of the wax at the top had flaked off; he ran his thumbnail over the area and flecked off a bit more.
Shaking his head, he set the scroll back on his dresser, grabbed Kusanagi, and walked off to find his elder brother.
End of Month 1
Author's Note: To everyone who reads, gives Kudos, leaves favorites, leaves reviews, follows/subscribes, bookmarks, or any other way you show your interest, a huge thank you. I'm glad that you are receiving something from me telling the story I want to tell.