Naruto's friend comes into town with his sister and his sister's boyfriend. Sakura's met Gaara before, seen Temari around, and knows Shikamaru through Naruto. Sakura suggests going to a Christmas bar near the markets that just opened up in the center of town.
There's a pop-up party none of them expects but no one wants to leave once the drinks get going.
Gaara doesn't dance. No matter how many times she asks he just politely redirects her elsewhere. Naruto's on the phone with Hinata trying to see if she's off work. So Sakura joins Temari on the dancefloor, to which Shikamaru gratefully allows her to take over his place. While she and Temari aren't exactly close, alcohol is one heck of a vibe.
When Temari throws an arm around her neck, Sakura grabs her waist. They laugh. They hug. They kiss each other on the cheek more times than she can count. For a few minutes, the two of them dance together, laughing as they're bumped and pushed about. The smell of alcohol and sweat hangs in the air. It's a good time that turns into a great time when a guy from across the party decides to join.
Shikamaru makes sure he knows Temari's off-limits but Sakura's free to dance all she likes. Dance she does, taking in stride the sudden hands that settle on her hips, pulling them gently back against him. Sakura can't see with her back to him. So she reaches an arm up and brings fingers around his neck. He pivots just enough to allow her leg to slip between his so her ass grinds directly against the man's crotch.
A pleased huff of air skirts over her skin when he leans his head down and they sway through never-ending remixes of popular songs. With little resistance, she lets him guide the tempo. She gasps when his lips wander over her shoulder and up her neck, teeth, and tongue caressing the lobe of her ear.
Well then.
A tingle starts inside the pit of her stomach and spreads all over the more they move. Or, when fingers trail up her ribcage or when he whispers in her ear. Sakura's eyes are half-closed so she doesn't see when Naruto tells the group to wait while he goes outside.
She misses the part when he returns with Sasuke and Itachi in tow. She's too busy dancing, grinding on a stranger to notice being watched. As they pivot, she gets a glimpse of blond hair. Naruto moves just slightly. There, near the area they carved for themselves, Itachi stands. Watching.
Sakura's heart skips a beat and she misses a step in her dance. Her partner keeps her steady, laughing and teasing that she might be drunk.
She kind of is but not so drunk that she can't dance. But drunk enough to be impulsive. Because the last time Itachi looked at her so dispassionately was in his kitchen. When he told her to lower her voice. When she accused him of trying to put her in her place. When he denied it and left her there wondering what the hell just happened. Before all of that, Itachi looked at her the same way when he kissed her. Or she kissed him and he just sort of…took over.
She has no idea what she's expecting to happen. But Itachi's staring at her so intently that she wants to do something. Just to see if anything would happen.
Before her mind can really make sense of itself, she dances more. Pulls closer. Grinds harder. Puts on a show for her audience of one. Her dance partner is all for her newfound interest, taking it as a hint to go a step further. Sakura circles her arms around his neck. When he tries to kiss her, Sakura smoothly evades it, offering her jaw instead. He takes it greedily.
From across the room, Itachi gazes on with raised brows. Sakura responds in kind, daring him to say something. To do something. Itachi leans to the right, nudging Naruto then whispering something to him. Green eyes watch the exchange in earnest, Naruto nods. Itachi glances her way, turns, and then disappears into the crowd.
Really? That's it?
Not exactly the reaction she's going for. What does she expect? Smacking her teeth, Sakura's already over this dance and her grabby hands' partner. She seizes the hand palming her thigh, forcing it away so she can stand on two feet.
"I have to pee," she shouts over rhythm and beat.
The man wrinkles his brow and leans down. "What?"
"I said I have to pee. I'll be right back."
She pushes back, doing a little shimmy to show she desperately needs to go. Without waiting for his approval or caring what happens after that, she lets the crowd take her. Turning away and looking for signs to the restroom, she ventures past dancing bodies, wiping saliva off her neck in the process.
"Gross," she mutters, cleaning her hands on the side of her pants.
Sakura's nearly there when a hand grabs her by the arm and pulls her into a corner.
She struggles for the seconds it takes her to realize her assailant is one she's known for a while.
"Where the fuck were you?" Sasuke hisses, frowning at her. "Naruto said you were dancing then you disappeared in the crowd."
She blinks, slightly disoriented, eyes adjusting to the face in front of her. It's not that she's not happy to see Sasuke, scowl and all. But her heart sinks upon realizing that it is not the Uchiha she was hoping for.
"Sorry," Sakura apologizes, "I needed to pee."
"Yeah, that's what Itachi said. C'mon, we're about to go," he informs her.
Sakura blinks twice, confused. "Huh?"
"I said we're leaving," he says louder, probably assuming she doesn't hear him.
But she does hear him, loud and clear and utterly lost. Because moments ago she's dry humping some guy in the middle of the dance floor. What about that sends signals to her friend's brother that she needs the ladies' room goes over Sakura's head.
She's still trying to process when Naruto shouts and waves. Temari's hanging onto Shikamaru. Hinata lingers near Gaara. And a step behind all of them, Itachi watches the crowd. When his eyes slide her way, Sakura makes her confusion known with furrowed brows.
Itachi eases his hands into his pocket, confident and sure. Just like the last time.
Then it clicks.
Itachi remembers.
Sakura laughs.
Because this is the second time he's interrupted her bathroom scheme.
Jerk.
A/N: :D
-CeCe^^