[Warning: some sexual content in this chapter.]
Chapter Eight
Unlocked
Looking at herself in the mirror, Sakura said, "I won't even need lipstick tonight."
Her lips were slightly swollen and red from kissing Sasuke earlier, and her heart beat faster when she thought about it. There was too much to do before tonight, including asking Ino for a ride to Neji's. She pushed her hair behind her ears and looked at her face, and she felt like she'd matured over these last few weeks. So much had changed, and yet she still had so many questions that no one was in a hurry to answer. Naruto was happier and friendlier these days, and Sasuke had drawn her closer each time she saw him. The three of them felt like some weird team, but she knew each of them was hiding something. Despite Sasuke's best efforts, her gut told her that Naruto was in Sasuke's apartment last night. On the surface, it wasn't that strange, but the shape Sasuke was in when she saw him the first time, and the thud she heard the second time—along with the secrecy—was odd. Standing in an extra-large T-shirt and her most comfortable underwear, she didn't feel ready for a party, but something was telling her she should go, that she'd be missing out if she didn't.
Sakura texted Ino, "Can you drive me to Neji's tonight?"
INO: You're going!?
SAKURA: Sure am! With Sasuke…and Naruto.
INO: I'll pick you up before I get Sai. Naruto, too.
SAKURA: Should we get Sasuke?
INO: I've got room, so why not. You know where he lives?
SAKURA: I do!
INO: I feel like you've got a lot to fill me in on.
SAKURA: Get a few drinks in me and I might.
INO: I'm talking to Sakura, right?
Sakura stared at the phone for a moment and wondered about Ino's question. She certainly was changing, whether it was for the better or worse, she had yet to find out.
SAKURA: Pick me up at nine-thirty.
[break]
After lounging on the couch, Sasuke called his caseworker back. Shizune answered on the second ring as soon as Sasuke realized what he'd been doing the last time he was on his couch.
"Sasuke? How are you doing?" Shizune asked in her usual even voice.
"I'm fine," Sasuke said, wanting to get this over with.
"I've called your brother a few times this month, but he hasn't called me back."
Sasuke stiffened. "That's strange. I'll let him know, but everything's fine. We're good." He'd learned it was best to stay vague with caseworkers, especially after his old one Kurenai passed his case on to Shizune after a confrontation with Itachi over a year ago.
"I hear he's coming home soon, but he's still checking in regularly?" Shizune asked.
"Yeah, everything is straight."
"I heard from a coworker of mine you've befriended Naruto. Is that true?"
Naruto told Jiraiya about them? That idiot better have kept it light. Before getting too angry, he considered that this might be a good thing. If Jiraiya trusted him, he would be willing to tell Sasuke what he knew, so Sasuke decided to roll with it.
"I have. We're great friends," he said, though it sounded forced.
"Oh, good! That boy has been through so much. I'm glad you two have found each other."
Why did she have to say it like that? "Yeah, so like I said, everything is fine."
"I'm glad. I'll call you next week to see how everything is going, and to chat about your brother's return. He's coming back sooner than expected, isn't he?"
"What?"
"When I was able to get in touch with him before, he said he was coming home as soon as he could. Did I ruin the surprise?"
Sasuke was quiet, feeling frozen as he held the phone to his ear. He turned over and buried his face into the couch.
"Sasuke?" Shizune said.
"Happy to hear it, Miss Shizune. I look forward to him coming home too."
"I bet! I'll let you know if I can pull a date out of him next time we chat. How sweet of him to surprise you. He's probably just as excited as you."
Sasuke said his good-byes, hung up, and curled into the couch. Mouthing the word "soon" over and over, he was glad he was alone. Sasuke had been preparing the best he could, but he wasn't ready—not yet. The truth was still too far away.
[break]
"It's still early, you know?" Sai said, sitting at his desk and sketching.
"You just don't want to admit how good I look," Naruto said, running his fingers through his freshly washed, blond hair. He felt sleek in his black T-shirt (ironed by Sai) and orange chinos he got a killer deal on at a thrift shop, along with blacked-out Converse.
"I'm the one with the date," Sai said, still in sweatpants, and a tank top that Naruto thought was way too short for him.
Naruto was proud of himself for getting in touch with Ino that morning to tell her that Sai needed "school stuff" (a new favorite excuse) from her to connect them. It was a flimsy link, but it was enough to make Ino comfortable enough to reach out to Sai so Sai could finally ask her out. She'd known about the party before Naruto did, so Sai and she were already planning on going.
"You didn't even bother to invite me, so I'm hurt, Sai," Naruto said, sticking out his lower lip.
"I figured you'd weasel your way into it on your own."
"I was asked in person!" From the bed, Naruto tossed a pillow at Sai.
Sai's pencil slid across the page as the pillow hit him, but he didn't complain. "Is Sasuke going?"
Naruto crossed his arms. "He is."
"So serious now, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not."
"I'm so glad your bad-boy boyfriend is going. I can see him glare at you in person. Is he bringing sake?"
"Quit calling him that," Naruto said, tossing the other pillow at him. "And I don't know. I'll ask him."
"You're not serious." Sai stood up and started digging through his closet for something to wear.
"Ino's driving, Sai. We're free!"
"I'm not babysitting you."
"You really missed an opportunity to say my 'boyfriend' can take care of me."
"So you're admitting it now?" Sai said, pulling a white, long-sleeve shirt over his head, wrinkle-free from being hung up neatly.
"My friend has a hookup, so I'm going to use it."
Naruto pulled out his phone to show he wasn't kidding as Sai changed into some black skinny jeans.
Naruto texted Sasuke, "Sake?"
Sai slid on some socks and Vans, and then picked up the comb lying on his dresser. He'd finished styling when Sasuke replied.
SASUKE: You're joking.
NARUTO: Can you get more from that lady?
Sai said, "Someone looks giddy all of a sudden."
"Shut up," Naruto said as his phone vibrated.
SASUKE: Yeah
Three dots appeared on the screen like Sasuke was texting more, but they disappeared about thirty seconds later. What did he want to say?
"So do you have 'the hookup'?" Sai teased.
"I think so," Naruto said, still looking down at his phone. He decided to take a risk.
NARUTO: I can come over before and help if you need it.
Because clearly Sasuke needed help asking his neighbor for alcohol. Stupid. The three dots returned but then promptly disappeared.
"You okay?" Sai asked, spritzing some cheap cologne on his shirt.
"I'm fine." Naruto sniffed. "You smell like a department store."
"Thank you," Sai said, and then eyed his foster brother closely. "Don't double text."
"What?" Naruto asked, his fingertips hovering over the screen.
"Ino is picking him up after us, so don't worry about him."
Naruto didn't like how observant Sai was, but he was probably right.
Close to ten p.m., Ino texted Sai that she was outside waiting for them. Before heading out, Sai spritzed some of his cologne on Naruto. "So you don't smell like a sweaty, nervous mess."
Naruto coughed dramatically and shook his head.
Sai hurried Naruto out the door, where Ino was waiting with the car running parked on the street. Sai reached for the back-door handle, but Naruto noticed that Sakura was sitting in the back and the passenger seat was empty.
"Sit in the front with Ino," Naruto said.
Sai suddenly looked like the sweaty mess now. "Do you think that'd be okay with her?" Sai asked.
Naruto opened the back door and slid in. "Hurry up and get in," he said, and Sai sighed and did as he was told.
As Sai awkwardly said hi to Ino and told her she smelled like flowers, Naruto said, "Glad you decided to come, Sakura."
"You basically decided we all would, so I'm here," she said, crossing her legs and leaning against the window.
Naruto wanted to tell her she looked pretty in her form-fitting, spaghetti-strap, red dress and black Collette heels. Instead, he said, "Clearly you dressed up for the occasion, so don't act like I dragged you along."
Sakura twirled her hair with her index finger. "I didn't want us to embarrass ourselves." She turned to him. "You look nice, Naruto."
A compliment? Was she okay? "Have you started drinking already?" he asked.
"Way to ruin it," she said, and punched him in the arm, not hard but playfully.
"Um, where am I going?" Ino asked from the front seat.
"Turn left—" Naruto and Sakura said simultaneously.
Ino looked at them through the rearview mirror and smiled. "And then?"
Naruto shelled up, realizing his mistake, and stayed quiet as Sakura gave Ino directions. Whatever moment Sakura and Naruto had had faded as he felt her suspicion and curiosity heighten.
When they pulled up to Sasuke's apartment building, he was leaning against a wall and holding a plastic grocery bag. Naruto almost hated how good he looked, relaxed and unnerved by everything around him, knowing the impact his existence had on the world and the people in it. The deep-blue shirt he wore hugged his arms and shoulders in the right places, and his black jeans were worn in to the point they looked fitted, and his hair was the perfect amount of messy and wispy, so frustratingly handsome.
When Sasuke saw them, he walked toward the car, and Naruto scooted to the center so Sasuke could get in, and Sakura huffed like he'd done another thing wrong as Sasuke slipped in beside him, placing the bag on the floor. Naruto heard the bottles clink together as Ino pulled away. Sai chuckled in the passenger seat.
Ino handed Sakura the AUX cord. "Play something good," she said, slyly brushing Sai's hand before returning it to the steering wheel.
Sakura put on a song that was just the right amount of generic and upbeat to get Naruto's foot to tap. Naruto was tempted to reach down and open a bottle of sake, for being this close to everyone was new. Sai started unabashedly singing in the front seat, making Ino giggle and sing along with him. When Ino reached over to turn up the volume, Sai touched her hand to do so with her. When did Sai get so smooth?
Sakura continued to stare out the window, and she ran her thumbs over each other in her lap. It was like she had something to say but her mind was elsewhere. Naruto was about to ask her what was wrong when Sasuke reached down, opened a bottle, and started casually drinking, like it wasn't the boldest thing in the world right now. Then Naruto remembered he was the only one who knew what Sasuke could be like drunk, so Sasuke starting early worried him. He'd seemed off since getting in the car, tense like Sakura, with so much he was clearly leaving unsaid.
The car was dark, and everyone was distracted, so for a quick moment, Naruto grabbed Sasuke's unoccupied hand and held it loosely. The passing streetlights illuminated Sasuke's face with flashes, and so Naruto saw Sasuke's brow unfurrow and his eyes close. Naruto lightly squeezed his hand.
Sai turned around in his seat, and before he could see their hands, Naruto released Sasuke and took the sake bottle.
"Thanks for sharing," Naruto said, and then sipped and tasted the familiar burn.
"You going to pass that around?" Sai said, glaring at Naruto.
Sasuke picked up the bag and handed it to Naruto without a word. Sakura was the first to take a bottle from the bag.
"Sakura, have you drank before?" Ino asked from the driver seat.
Sakura took in a breath and drank more than Naruto thought she was capable. "I have now," Sakura said after her fourth gulp.
Naruto and Sasuke stared at her for a moment, but then a new song started.
"Here's to a good night," Ino said, turning up the volume ear-piercingly loud.
[break]
Sasuke watched Ino and Sai effortlessly walk hand-in-hand to Neji's front door. Neji's house was impressive, large and extravagant with its wings and multiple stories. From what Sasuke knew of the upperclassman, the Hyuga family was close and had some influence over the town, having been there for so many generations. Neji had some pull in the family, obviously, or else a party like this wouldn't have been possible. Music pumped into the front yard and colorful lights flashed through the windows.
Surprising him, Sakura took his hand and pulled him toward the door. That dress highlighted her curves and the heels accentuated her legs, and he couldn't help but stare a little. Naruto grumbled and drank out of the sake bottle he'd claimed.
When Sakura opened the door, Sasuke was overtaken by the sheer number of people. Classmates he recognized, and most he didn't, packed the rooms and lined the walls. Kiba, a particularly annoying one, waved at them as they came in, and his friends Shino and Hinata shrunk against the wall, looking embarrassed, but he did notice Hinata's face light up when Naruto brought up the rear and crossed the threshold. Choji, coming out of the bathroom from down the hall, slapped his hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"Is there food in that bag?" Choji asked, reaching for the bag of sake bottles.
"Nope," Naruto said, taking another swig from his opened bottle.
"Who would have thought you'd be invited to this thing, Naruto," Kiba said, also reaching for the bag.
Naruto jerked the bag back. "Woah, hold up. Who said I was sharing?"
Sasuke snatched a bottle from the bag and gave it to Sakura. Kiba then started pointlessly arguing with Naruto about how the bag was for "everyone."
Sakura and Sasuke, already having their drinks, slinked away from the rowdy group and headed for the kitchen. Sasuke leaned against the sink and let out a breath, taking in all the calamity before him: Shikamaru (whom Sasuke sensed wasn't fond of him) talking to Sai and Ino, Tenten handing out Jello shots, and Lee trying to impress Neji with the number of pushups he could do.
"Not your thing, huh?" Sakura said, also leaning against the sink.
"Not really," Sasuke admitted.
Sakura leaned against his shoulder, and then drank some sake.
Tenten approached them and handed them some shots. "I'm glad you two made it!" she said.
Sasuke refused the shot at first, but then Sakura took one, so he followed suit.
"You look gorgeous, Sakura," Tenten said with a smile.
Instinctively, Sasuke wrapped his arm around Sakura's waist. Tenten noticed and raised her shot. "Cheers," she said, and Sasuke and Sakura both downed their shots.
Sasuke's grip on Sakura's waist tightened when Lee sauntered over.
"Thanks, Tenten," Lee said, snagging a shot from the tray.
"Neji told you to be careful," Tenten warned him.
"I promise I will. Can I get a green one?" Instead of putting back the one he'd already grabbed, he picked up a second.
"Sure you will," Tenten said, rolling her eyes and heading back into the party.
"Sakura, have you had one already?" Lee said, ignoring Sasuke completely. He handed her the red one. "To match your dress." He smiled, and Sasuke swore he could see a sparkle.
"Um, thank you," Sakura said, taking it.
Sasuke bit his lip, trying to maintain control. He was surprised when Sakura took the shot effortlessly, so quickly he'd barely noticed since he was focused on Lee.
Naruto came around the corner and slapped Lee on the back. "Ready for our rematch?" Naruto said. "Are those Jello shots?"
"Tenten has them," Sakura said, tucking herself in close against Sasuke's side.
Naruto must have taken notice, because he winced. "Weak stuff if you ask me." Naruto chugged the rest of the sake bottle.
This isn't good, Sasuke thought.
Naruto reached for another bottle out of the bag, but Sasuke grasped his hand. "You're in a hurry," Sasuke warned.
"Yeah, the party has barely started," Lee said, and Sasuke was grateful for the backup.
"Back off," Naruto snapped, looking hurt.
"Are you okay?" Sakura asked. She seemed genuinely concerned, and Sasuke let go of her waist for moment so they could both stop this pending disaster unfolding with Naruto.
"Calm down," Naruto said, backing away. "I can take care of myself."
"Sure you can," Sasuke said, still keeping a firm grip on Naruto's hand.
Naruto reversed his grip and fully held Sasuke's hand. "Bet I can handle more than you." He started pulling him toward Tenten, who was standing on the other side of the kitchen counter.
"We both know that's not true," Sasuke mumbled, making sure only Naruto heard.
Naruto chuckled. "We'll see about that."
[break]
Again, Naruto didn't have a plan, but he wanted to get Sasuke away from Sakura. He had no idea the two had gotten so close, beyond a friendship, anyway. He liked Sakura, considered her a friend even. And he always knew she had a crush on Sasuke, but until now, Naruto assumed it wasn't reciprocated.
"What are you doing, Naruto?" Sasuke said as he was dragged between party goers.
"Just some healthy competition," Naruto said,
"Save that for Lee," Sasuke snapped.
"Oh, come on. It'll be fun."
When Naruto found Tenten, he tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and looked surprised to see them, and only eight Jello shots remained on her tray.
"Looks like you have just enough for us," Naruto said with a smile.
Tenten sighed. "If this means Lee doesn't have them, then it's a win for me. I'm getting tired of passing these around anyway." She glanced toward Neji, who was talking to his cousin Hinata by the sliding glass door near the back. "Take it."
She handed them the tray and then joined the two Hyugas. Hinata gave Naruto a concerned look when he caught the tray, and she asked Tenten something as soon as she came over.
"Bet I finish four before you can," Naruto said, setting the tray down on a nearby table. He felt several people looking at them, waiting for something to happen.
"We don't have do this," Sasuke said.
"Well, something is obviously going on with you, so maybe you need to relax," Naruto said, handing him a blue-colored Jello shot.
"I don't think this is going to help," Sasuke said, but he took the shot from Naruto.
"So there is something going on?" Naruto held an orange shot near his lips.
Sasuke downed the shot, as if that were easier than admitting to whatever was going on.
"Not fair!" Naruto said, and then hurriedly drank his, spilling some Jello down his shirt.
Sasuke grabbed his second. "It doesn't count unless you actually finish it."
Sai appeared from behind him and wiped Naruto's shirt. "I can't take you anywhere," he said.
Naruto finished his second shot as Sasuke grabbed his third. Sakura came up behind Sasuke and touched his arm.
"Um, what's going on?" she asked, Lee right at her heels.
Naruto saw Sasuke wince and then run his finger along the inside of the plastic shot glass to prepare for the next one.
"Nothing," Sasuke said, now officially ahead by one.
Naruto finished his quickly and grabbed the last two and handed Sasuke one.
Lee counted down, "Three, two, one…"
It took Sasuke one gulp to finish and Naruto two, so Sasuke won by a single swallow, verified by Lee saying, "Barely! Didn't know you had it in you, Sasuke. I'm not going easy on you," Lee pointed at Naruto, "when it's our turn to battle."
Battle? Naruto's head felt cloudy, the alcohol from before and now hitting him. Hinata rushed over and placed the back of her hand on Naruto's forehead.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Naruto stepped back and pressed his palm against the wall to steady himself.
"I told you I'm not your babysitter," Sai said, wrapping his hand around Naruto's bicep. He started pulling him toward the bathroom. "Why are you antagonizing him?" Sai whispered.
"I'm not. I thought it would lighten the mood," Naruto said.
"I think he'll be fine. You, on the other hand—"
Naruto hiccupped. "I need the bathroom."
Sai sighed and steadied Naruto by pulling one arm over his shoulder and guiding him through the crowd.
[break]
Sakura grabbed hold of Sasuke's hand when she noticed him start to sway. He didn't look sloppy like Naruto did, just a little uneasy. Lee was yammering on about his impending arm-wrestling rematch with Naruto; Ino was complaining to Hinata about how Sai had abandoned her to help out "that idiot Naruto," and Kiba was asking where Naruto hid the bag that they'd brought in.
Now it was Sasuke pulling Sakura away. "I need to get away for a minute," he said, pulling her past the kitchen, down a hallway, and through an open bedroom door.
Apparently, this was the room where Neji had put all the family heirlooms he didn't want broken. Though the bed was clear, artifacts and paintings were leaned against the walls or atop the dresser. The room looked plain for a bedroom, so Sakura guessed it was a guest room, with plain bed-makings and generic wood dressers and nightstands. She had to admit that the framed picture of an eye with thick veins that looked like wormy crow's feet far too pronounced.
Sakura followed Sasuke to the bed without turning on the light, with only the light bleeding in from hallway making its way into the room through the door open just a few inches. She sat on the bed beside him as he held his face in his hands. Sasuke, usually the calm and collected one, looked like he was bursting at the seams.
Instead of barraging him with questions like she wanted to, she placed her hand on his back and rubbed, trying to comfort him as best she could.
He peeked between his fingers at her and said, "Thank you."
Sakura felt her cheeks warm and leaned her head on his shoulder, enjoying feeling close to him again.
"I've been a mess lately," he said. "It's unlike me, I know."
"I'm worried about you."
"Don't be—please."
"It freaks you out to be taken care of, doesn't it?" she asked.
He was quiet for a moment, and then hid behind his fingers again. "Maybe," he said.
"It doesn't have to be like that. You can let people in once in a while."
"The last time I did, I lost everything."
Sakura had heard about the incident, the one where Sasuke lost his parents when he was young. She knew he had an older brother, but he wasn't around much from what she'd heard. She'd seen them together when they were kids, and Sasuke looked much happier then, usually smiling, but he was always smooth and had this ferocity that was hard to describe. His brother was different, though, still cool and calm like Sasuke, but he'd always looked like his mind was elsewhere, stressed and unfocused—at least not focused on what was in front of him. Sakura regretted not talking to either of them much back then, because after Sasuke's parents' deaths, Sasuke changed, and until now, she'd been too nervous to do much about it. But, finally, in this room, she felt that she could be useful.
"Maybe this time will be different," Sakura said.
She pulled his hands away from his face and kissed him, and he kissed her back—soft at first, but then he kissed her like she would disappear at any moment, leave him alone again like others had. He gripped each of her arms like he was scared to lose her, and maybe he was. She wrapped her arms around him and pushed his back against the bed, being the one to take control this time. She wanted him to know that she wasn't going anywhere. She straddled and kissed him as his head rested against the pillow. His hands reached under her dress and pushed it up towards her neck, and she reluctantly stopped kissing him for a moment to sit up, and he sat up to help her pull it over her head and toss it to the side. Then she promptly pulled his shirt off before he could lie back down. Though there was little light, she was still able to see the glow of his chest from the moon outside. Being here in the dark with him, the rest of the world didn't exist. It certainly faded into the back of her mind as Sasuke unclipped her bra, unzipped his pants, and tugged at her panties.
This time will be different, Sakura promised herself. Nothing existed beyond the two of them once he was inside her, not even Sakura's convictions to remain in control and try to grasp what exactly this all meant to the boy beneath her. Convictions or not, they faded as he grabbed her hips and encouraged her to ride him faster. The music from the party sounded far away as she moaned, feeling him thrust up into her as far as he could. Then he reached up and gently wrapped his hand around her throat, daring to remind her that they should still be quiet. After a squeeze, he let go, and she bit her lip to keep her steady.
Once she got a hold of herself, she heard Sasuke's quick breathing, her own deep sigh—and a hiccup right outside the door.
[I did some updating and condensed this story a bit, going for less chapters with more content within each one. As always, appreciate any support! I'll get back to writing. I'm curious what your predictions are.]