a/n: Okay, okay. I know it's been a while. I've been busy not being completely mental because of some stuff, and then this corona virus comes up and just messes up with my head furthermore. Ugh! Well, I hope you're all safe and doing well. And of course, enjoy Sakura Day! It is our queen's birthday, and I know i'll never forgive myself if i don't participate on her special day. So i hope you appreciate this one because i took a break from angst and tried a light and fluffy one. I am sO NERVOUS OMG thanks so much to everyone who keeps on reading these fics i have. Thank u thank u! HAPPY BIRTHDAY UCHIHA SAKURA MY QUEEEEEEN I LOB U
Free At Last
Not even grainy resolutions of webcam cameras and shitty internet connections can ever hide her wide-blown grin. May it be over a monitor, your smartphone or in person, Haruno Sakura's smile will always be as beautiful as its owner. And it's even much brighter now that her team is singing her happy birthday through her computer screen.
Boisterous laughter followed after all the singing because was that Lee-san who croaked that last note?
"That was awful, Eyebrows!", laughed Naruto, some dramatic tears leaking from the corners of his happy blue eyes and his tongue slipping the familiar nickname outside work. "Was that you or you have a pet frog?" The addressed man cannot be seen beyond his webcam because he was busy lying under his desk because Sakura-san! I have failed to sing the best happy birthday song! Shame on me!
Almost choking on her drink, Tenten interrupted, "Hey Naruto, we're still technically at work even though we're working from home. Stop with the nicknames until later!"
"C'mon, buns! It's not as if Boss is here to murder us with his glare! And it's just another 10 minutes before our shift ends; we need to celebrate Sakura-chan's birthday at least!", the blond whined as an answer.
"Aww, thanks so much guys!", Sakura smiled. "Naruto, stop teasing Lee-san. And listen to Tenten, we still need to be professional while we're still at work. I wish we are together at the office though! I would've loved to celebrate with you all, too."
Another blue-eyed, blonde person answered. "Ugh, tell me about it. I'd rather be at the office right now and listen to Naruto's obnoxious voice than be with a lazy ass and be bored out of my mind like someone over here.." Ino's annoyed face and an even more annoyed voice rang through their earphones and speakers, noting the emphasis on some words about her boyfriend who rolled his eyes. In the background, you can hear Tenten's Language!
They can all see Shikamaru, the boyfriend, who simply smirked, looked sideways at his workmate/girlfriend and lazily drawled, "You love this lazy ass."
Series of 'OHHHHHH' can be heard from Kiba, Tenten and Naruto while Lee choked some more and laid again under his desk. Sakura just laughed at her best friend's face because Ino was trying so hard not to blush that she covered her almost-red face and slapped Shikamaru's arm at reach. Sakura even heard the man chuckled under his breath.
"Shika, you smooth fucker," Kiba teased. "Teach us your ways!"
Tenten growled, "Inuzuka, if you don't shut the fuck u-"
"Weren't you the one who said to remain professional and mind our language while at work, Tenten-san?", Lee's head came up to peek onto the camera and asked his innocent question. He ducked again when the brunette's eyes flashed for a second and escaped before she unleashes her rage on him.
Sakura's laughter was light and happy, her green eyes sparkling with mirth. These people's faces on her screen belong to not just her team at work but her friends. Her second family. Or maybe third?, she thought.
They spend more than 40 hours a week together whether it be stressing over clients at work, drinking coffee at the pantry, pizza parlor visits after shift, and ice creams every payday. And now that she realized that it has been two long months since they worked from home, now at their last day of quarantine, let alone on her birthday, she misses them. Terribly so.
"I miss you guys. Really," she said, her voice a bit lower than usual, which means she's serious. Her friends saw it and immediately stopped their bickering. "I didn't have anyone before until Naruto and Ino came along. Then came Tenten, then Shikamaru... until Kiba and then lastly, Lee-san. It's been 10 years since my first celebration with the blonds, but I feel like I've been celebrating it with all 7 of you ever since." She smiled again, "Thank you for always being with me on my day."
A few moments passed and finally, a chorus of incomprehensible words were heard through Sakura's speakers because they all reacted at the same time:
"Sakura-chaaan! Don't be sad! I'll be sad too!"
"Cut... hik... cut the drama f-forehead! I d-.. I don't want it!... hik..."
"Ah... now you want me to fall for you now, huh? Stop, damn it Sakura.."
"Girl, don't touch my fucking heart like that. You already know we got you always."
"SAKURA-SAAAAAAAAAN!"
Sakura watched it all with glowing eyes and a full heart. She looked one by one on their blurry little faces and she felt love just seep through her pores. She's finally seeing them next week since the quarantine is finally over and there will be no need to hide from the pandemic that affected the rest of the world.
They're still busy reeling over Sakura's mini birthday speech and the rosette is overwhelmed with emotions when they heard Shikamaru asked, "Seven?"
"Huh?", Sakura confusedly asked back.
"We're only six here, excluding you, but you said 'all 7 of you' earlier."
All eyes turned to her and she felt nervous. Crap, I slipped!
"Oh," she started, nervously added an awkward laugh. "I meant six! I might be more tired than usual then. We had to talk to a lot of clients today anyway, right?"
She knew she didn't convince Shikamaru and the rest of her friends, so she thanked all the deities she knew when her phone rang and Kakashi's name flashed on her screen. She took it as an opportunity to escape more questions from them and so she said, "I gotta take this call, it's my old high school teacher."
She muted their audio of their conference call and opened the window of her emails instead to hide her screen and chat box. Sakura went to the balcony to answer the call.
Little did she know that she forgot to turn off her camera.
"Did you notice she was acting weird?"
"She absolutely did, right? She looked nervous earlier. Do you know something about this, Naruto?"
"No! She tells us everything but for the past few months, she's been a little secretive, I think. It also doesn't help that we've been in quarantine for 2 months! Is she still my best friend, Ino-chan?"
"First of all, I am her best friend and not you. And second, I agree. Ugh, this Forehead is making my head hurt!"
"Don't judge Sakura-san! She's a good friend! If she wants to tell us something, she will!"
"I don't care about her secret or whatever, all I want to know where her house is because look at her room. So fucking huge!"
"That's not her house, Kiba. Forehead said she's staying at her mom's friend because she's alone at her apartment."
"Yeah, Sakura-chan's room is much brighter and full of flowers! The room they gave her now is so boring, look! It's either black or gray!"
"I wouldn't mind. The size of that room is almost as big as my entire apartment. That bed looks something I want to break with Neji."
"Tenten-san! Control yourself!"
"Y'all are so noisy even in chat."
"Shut up, ponytail!"
A movement from Sakura's camera caught everyone's attention. Her computer is located at the corner of the room so they could see a part of the queen size bed and has a direct view of the bedroom door. The knob turned and someone entered the room.
"WHO'S THAT?!"
"SOMEONE ENTERED SAKURA-SAN'S ROOM!"
"Is that her mom's friend?"
"Stop panicking idiots!"
"THEY BETTER LEAVE SAKURA-CHAN ALONE!"
"Wait..."
"Is that...?"
"OHMYFGOFDD"
"IS THAT BOSS TEME?!"
"Holy shit..."
"Damn he's so fucking hot in sweatpants..."
"Why is he there?"
"UCHIHA-SAN IS IN SAKURA-SAN'S ROOM!"
"I see... this could be why Sakura said 7."
"NOOOO! THIS CAN'T BE! SAKURA-CHAN WON'T DATE THAT ASSHOLE! SHE CAN'T!"
Stood inside the room is no other than their young CEO, Uchiha Sasuke, dressed in casual gray sweatpants and thin white t-shirt. If not because of his wild black hair and intimidating aura, they wouldn't even know it's him. They have always seen him in crisp suits and perfect posture, maybe once in a bomber jacket and ripped jeans, but this is the first time they've seen him in comfortable clothes with his usual stiff shoulders a bit relaxed and his hands casually tucked in his pockets.
Another movement from the other corner of the room, and Sakura came into view. They didn't know she was only wearing a big shirt that barely covered her thighs, and the chat room exploded again.
"Sakura's so hot, damn.."
"HOY DOG-BREATH, LOOK AWAY! STOP HOUNDING SAKURA-CHAN!"
"YAAAS GET THAT ASS GIRL!"
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! FOREHEAD IS BANGING OUR BOSS! THAT'S SO HOT"
They watched in awe when the two met in the middle of the room and Sakura tiptoed and wrapped her arms around Sasuke's neck. Their boss leaned down and held her hips, his face hidden within her pink locks.
The scene didn't have any audio for their mini audience but even without it, they know the two are speaking in whispers, with Sakura's head nodding and Sasuke's hands running over her waist and back as indications. They felt like intruders and most of them almost blushed because of the affection and intimacy, excluding one who definitely passed out under his desk, so they decided to leave the two.
"Let's leave them alone now, things might get pretty hot. I don't wanna see my best friend shagging my boss, no matter how proud I am of her."
"INO-CHAN! WE GOTTA HELP SAKURA-CHAN ESCAPE! WHAT IF HE'S HOLDING HER HOSTAGE?"
"Idiot.."
"Sakura can take me hostage any time though.."
"Wait, I just want to see Boss Uchiha topless before we go!"
Sasuke pulled away for a bit to look at Sakura, his birthday girl, and poked her forehead with his two fingers. His two arms wrapped around her waist again after the gesture, "Are you done for today?"
She nodded in affirmative as her hands roam around his shoulders and looped around his neck, "I almost slipped earlier though. They almost knew I have a b-..boyf-"
He smirked. They have been secretly dating for almost 4 months now but she still blushes more than usual when she tries to address him as her boyfriend. He remembered the time he introduced her to his parents as his girlfriend and she was redder than his favorite fruit the entire dinner. That was fun.
She's his employee, he knows. Sakura's been working for his company for more than a year now and ever since he laid his eyes on her and saw her potential, wit and charm—he knows she's his endgame.
It's been a long pursuit for him, being her boss and all, and her righteous perspective about everything. So when she finally gave in to her own feelings and decided to say yes to being his, he decided to never let Haruno Sakura go. Even if she decides to fight tooth and nail for her freedom from him, he will do the same to keep her. Maybe not as an employee, because that would mean he will be free to take her on lunch dates, but as his lover.
I like that, he thought. Lover.
Sasuke peered at her blushing face, her emerald eyes downcast because of embarassment, her enticing full pink lips on display that she keeps on licking and biting. Sasuke's eyes twitched because of the sight.
"Annoying," he almost growled under his breath. Is she aware of her effect on him?
Before she could even ask, Sasuke ducked his head down to press his mouth on hers. His hand went to the back of her head to tilt it a little upwards so he could taste deeper and he was rewarded by the opening of her mouth and the quiet moan that he drank greedily from her.
As much as he wants to call it a night and just bury himself with her and in her, she hasn't eaten yet because his hard-headed and annoying employee still worked at home on her birthday. He baked a strawberry cake downstairs while she thought he's busy working with investors on his office. He spent the entire day in his kitchen Facetiming with his mother to guide his baking. He's never seen his mother so ecstatic because of him.
He came back to his senses when he felt slightly cold hands under his shirt and he fought the urge to throw her onto the bed they have been occupying for the past 2 months of quarantine and just ravish her all night. Sasuke moved both his hands and held her face as he savored more of her lips by a few flicks of his tongue before he gently pulled away.
This might be her second birthday since he knew her, first as her boyfriend, but he feels like he's known her for a long time. He wants to be there on her birthday every year, forever, as long as she'll have him. "Happy birthday," he simply said, tenderly looking at her gorgeous face.
Her smile was blinding and her green irises glimmer against the setting sun. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun," Sakura softly answered. "I love you so much."
He pecked her lips again, lingering a bit more, and murmured against her mouth. "Love you." He felt her smile, and he smiled back.
A small blink from the corner of his eyes got his attention and he noticed the tops of her laptop's screen with a little light, indicating that the camera is on. Sasuke turned to Sakura, "Go downstairs and wait for me. Let's eat dinner. I'll just take a shower."
Sakura nodded and happily skipped across the room and slipped outside the bedroom to wait for him downstairs. Sasuke stood for a moment looking at the door and slowly walked toward his, their, dresser. He took off his t-shirt and tossed it carelessly on the floor. He took a deep breath and finally approached Sakura's computer on the side.
He clicked the program that runs the conference call and was greeted by her team's shocked faces. He saw one window where Rock Lee was supposed to be but he didn't see anyone aside from the crooked angle of the camera and are those his feet under the table? He scoffed inwardly. Guess you'll give up pursuing her now. She's mine.
He did a lazy sweep of his dark eyes one by one on their faces and remembered them in the future if they decide to blame Sakura for not telling this secret. Of course, they both wanted to show the world that they're together but they still need to be a little cautious. Yes, they're her friends and her team, but he's not gonna be lenient especially when it comes to Sakura.
Sasuke thought the look in his eyes were effective because they all sat a little straighter. His job is now done, and now it's time to shower so he could celebrate the entire night with Sakura. His spine tingled in anticipation.
He looked directly at the little camera above and gave his signature smirk before he logged out her account and closed Sakura's laptop. He stretched like a feline and his grin went wider as he stripped for his shower.
Let's just say it was an interesting first day back at the office the following Monday.
~fin~