AN: Okay, sorry for the other cliffhanger. I hope that this story isn't as cliffy... or hanger-y. Ung. That was terrible. Sorry for the bad joke. Anywhoooo... thank you a million times over for the warm response! I appreciate that you guys have been so patient. I meant to have this up last night but my father, in his infinite wisdom decided that he was going to defrag the computer which took all night and most of this morning. I had this finished early yesterday.
And... I apologise if you are expecting a lemon. Please refer to my profile, where you can get a link that will take you to aff where you can get all of my lemon-y goodness. I will have all my lemon chapters posted there soon, if they are up by the end of this week. If not, then expect it at mediaminer. I'll have a link to my profile on that page too.
Oh yeah... I forgot to tell you all this. DON'T WORRY! This isn't a SasukeXSakura fic... :) Rest assured, all the Sakura-haters will be appeased by this little creation of mine. SasuSaku and NaruSasu fics are honestly the only two pairs that I don't like. And to anyone who read my Sakura-centric fic, I can tell you that I like Sakura. I didn't in the first few episodes because I thought she was a useless tit but after reading the manga, she's one cool chica. :)
Disclaimer: Don't own it! My abuse of these characters is entirely profit-free!
Warning: A bit of SasuNaru, NaruSasu hanky-panky. Sakura alert.
-
Sow
a thought and you reap an action;
sow
an act and you reap a habit;
sow
a habit and you reap a character;
sow
a character and you reap a destiny.
-Buddhist
Proverb
-
Chapter Three
So this is where it ended (or Started?). On my bed, pinned down by Sasuke. Did I like what he was doing to me? Maybe but I wasn't about to admit that to anyone besides Sasuke, who had me bound and gagged with the promise of finally having Sakura. I kept thinking of her as he touched me. I kept remembering the smell of her shampoo, the feel of her skin which I could only imagine was soft like the velvety texture of a rose petal. I closed my eyes and pretended as Sasuke's mouth covered mine, that it was actually Sakura's.
I don't know when he stopped but I opened my eyes and looked up to see his arms crossed over his chest, his facial expression unreadable. "Why did you stop?"
"Because, you're not giving me all that I want. I want you to enjoy it." He said softly, lifting himself off of my legs. His pants were tight, I could tell that he was fully aroused. He stood on my bed with feet planted on either side of me, keeping me from getting out of the bed.
"I've never done this with a guy before, you're going to have to excuse me." I grumbled, rubbing my mouth on the back of my hand. I felt the urge to throw him off and go brush my teeth, gargle with bleach- anything to get the taste of him out of my mouth. "I don't have the experience you have."
He reached down and grabbed the collar of my shirt. He was taller than me but he wasn't bigger. He had a delicate, aristocratic look about him and it hid the truth of his strength from anyone shallow enough to judge him only by his exterior. Deep inside, I knew that the Kyuubi stirred. The demon was always attracted to power. It always reacted to Sasuke's touch just as it did with anyone who had power. When I was a kid, I figured this was my nervous reaction to every time someone powerful was around me (I was usually instigating a fight with them, or vise versa) because it felt like butterflies in my stomach. Luckily I was old enough and strong enough to have some degree of control against him lashing out against that power. "What are you saying, Naruto?" His voice was soft but that was because he was wrestling with demons far larger than I cared to comprehend.
"Did I stutter?" I slapped his hands away and hooked a foot under the back of his knee, it buckled underneath him. My hand shot out, too fast for even my eye to see and it caught his throat. In one movement, I had him pinned underneath me. "Is this what you had in mind, Sasuke?" The words I uttered sounded alien to me. Dark and low like the trickling growl from a predator before it attacked.
I initiated the second kiss, knowing that because I was being so aggressive it was turning Sasuke on against his will. I could feel him beneath my, trying his hardest not to move his hips and find relief in his growing arousal. I raked my fingers through his hair, tangling it and yanking hard as he tried to pull away. "Do you want me to like it, Sasuke?" I asked between our kisses. My teeth nipped against his delicate earlobe and I let out a warm breath to tease his ear, wondering if he liked it just like I knew a hundred other faceless women liked. I wanted him to become just like them. Featureless and wholly unremarkable, but it was impossible and I knew it before the words formed in my brain. Sasuke never just went away. Whether he intended to or not, he always made an impression.
I ground my hips into his, the action and the friction was not alien to me but the reaction was. He didn't groan, he didn't writhe; he purred. I did it again just to confirm what my brain refused to see. I was getting excited, just watching his reaction.
Sasuke pushed me down onto the mattress and straddled my legs, looming over me with his face shrouded in shadow. Sasuke brushed his lips against mine, in an action so sweet and simple it made me cringe. I knew what he was trying to do; he was trying to tease me and he was doing a good job of it. I was becoming so bothered by his gentle touch in stark contrast to all the anger and violence that he had shown me before, that I found myself shying away as if expecting to be hit.
"You think you are the only one who knows a thing or two?" He growled into my stomach, looking up at me as his lips slid back and revealed teeth that were poised over my stomach. I heaved a breath, ready to retaliate when he bit down– hard. I could see through the pale moonlight that soaked in through my window, his jaw muscles quivering as his teeth kept pressure. He didn't bite down harder, thankfully.
"Sweet mother of god!" I gushed stupidly, my hips jerking as the spasms of pain rode along with the pleasure that rippled through my body. He let go and in one long, wet lick of his tongue, laved away at the bite marks. Pain and pleasure. Pain and pleasure. The duality of it blurred together until I didn't know where one ended and the other began. I knew that Sasuke was fucked up but I didn't know he worked it to his advantage so well and so thoroughly. His ministrations left me weak and gasping for air. My scalp itched as I began to sweat from the growing sensations pooling at the base of my spine.
His mouth latched on to the bite mark and sucked. I curled in around his head, cupping his face as his jaws worked. I shuddered he let go and sat up, his fingers touched the mark that looked deep purple in the dark. His hands were cold and a shock to my flesh, which felt fevered and hypersensitive. "I'm calling the shots." Sasuke hissed softly before sliding his body up mine. It reminded me of a slithering snake but while my mind said that I should be absolutely terrified of this man, my body was only too happy to recieve him.
I surfaced slowly, my eyes opened at last and I peered around my room. I glanced at the clock. I had another fifteen minutes before I had to get up and get ready for work. I belatedly realized that I had someone else in my bed. The night's activities came rushing back in a euphoria of feelings that left me feeling somewhat dazed. I stared up at the ceiling and found myself unable to look into his eyes, which I knew were open and staring at me.
I got out of the bed, his gaze chased me out of the room. I felt dirty and took the chance on indulging myself in a short shower before donning my decoy uniform. Blue cargo-cut pants, An Orange and blue crop neck shirt, flak vest, and sandals. I avoided looking at myself in the mirror, especially without a shirt on. In the shower I had glanced at the bruises that littered my skin and had to keep myself from aggravating them by scrubbing. Dirt underneath my skin, a testament to the filth that I had forced myself to indulge in.
I went back into my room to retrieve my satchel and avoided looking at the bed where Sasuke lay. I paused at the door, "I want you out of here by the time I get home. And I want your end of the bargain fulfilled. Break-up with her and get the hell out of her house." I said, my voice strangely absent of any emotion, not even my much indulged anger.
His laughter mocked me as I walked down the hall and out the front door. The walk to the hidden ANBU headquarters was a short one and I was hastened by the time I had taken up in the shower. I slipped on my cape and mask before entering the front door. I entered the large lecture-style conference room and found my masked counterparts already seated. This was the only time that all teams met in one room. It was eerie because no one spoke or milled about, asking about wives or children. They sat still and sombre, waiting for duties and instructions, given to them under different aliases by a man no one knew. I was glad to don my mask, armour and cape for the day.
"You were late." The captain, Shikamaru, who was wearing the mask of a snarling badger, said calmly after the meeting. "And I suspect that you haven't got your armour or your weapon beneath that cape, do you?"
I shook my head and for the first time in a long time, felt thankful for the grinning fox mask I was wearing. "Sorry, I got held up."
"You mean you slept in." The lieutenant stepped up, her eyes glimmering beneath the mask of her crying wolf. Tenten had always enjoyed riding my back and I was sure she was going to dish out a pretty nasty chore for me. I could see all the little cogs spinning in that pretty head as she tried to think of something that she hadn't already subjected me to.
"I got held up." I persisted and turned to the changing rooms to get my armour and get my sword. When I came out, my teammates were waiting for me. I didn't bother to say anything more but fell into step as we left the building to execute the task the commandant had put towards us.
Another cull, another day. ANBU never got stars for originality but it was a job that was done with a deadly accuracy. As we sped through the city, heading towards the gate, I caught sight of Sasuke leaving my apartment. I paused on my perch and watched him leave, fully dressed. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and his head was bent down low, as if he was hiding something.
"You're job isn't to keep tabs on the Uchiha." Tenten said haughtily from beside me, "They do that." She pointed at the cloaked figure standing on the roof of my apartment.
It came as a shock when I first learned that ANBU was keeping close eye on Sasuke. He had his own thick file filled with all sorts of confidential information. The majority of that file I had submitted myself but there were a few interesting notes from Kakashi and Tsunade as well. The ANBU had expressed interested in keeping a very close eye on Sasuke. I'm sure he knew that there were at least a half a dozen knives trained on him at all times. He had deflected, shown a flaw in his loyalty to Konoha and that was something that was inexcusable. No one liked or wanted to trust a traitor.
I continued on my way, but Sasuke still hadn't left my thoughts. But like pulling out the cork in the dam, the hole just crumbled away until I was washed away in a flood of memories. Flashes of last night left me breathless and struggling to keep up.
Shikamaru stopped and finally I caught up. "You're distracted." He accused, glaring at me.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't say sorry if you don't mean it. Go home. We don't need you here today if you are going to have your head in the clouds."
Feeling chastened by his words, I turned and made to leave when another voice stopped me, "If you are so intent on the Uchiha, tell the ANBU on duty that you're taking over for the day. Have them report here to fill in your position. I guess we can start your punishment by a simple babysitting job, right?" Tenten's voice taunted.
I stilled only because of the overwhelming urge to object to the order. I nodded but still didn't look at my teammates, who I suddenly felt like I was betraying. I left without saying a word and quickly found the other member, who was wearing a apathetic rabbit mask. I curtly instructed them like Tenten had told me and resumed position babysitting Sasuke.
I was standing in the abandoned Uchiha sect. It was early morning and the sun was just above the horizon, shedding a warm golden glow over everything. I crossed my arms beneath my cloak and settled myself for a long wait.
The ANBU watched only a few people within the village. Usually things like this lasted months but in Sasuke's case, it had lasted years. He was forced to stay within the walls of Konoha, he was restricted from joining ANBU, although most would say we had no right to do that since it was the Uchihas themselves that used to run our organization. He wasn't allowed to take missions because he was confined to Konoha. He couldn't teach because parents wouldn't allow their children to be taught by a ninja whose loyalty was questionable. The only thing he was able to do was become mentor to a trio of gennin and skilfully, Old Lady Tsunade had given him a team of orphans as not to incur the wrath of outraged parents. They were trouble children, really. Mouthy and completely undisciplined. They reminded me of someone.
I watched as he met them at the bridge and dismissed them. He said he had other places to be. I followed him off the bridge and down to the house he and Sakura shared. I dropped onto the patio and slipped inside the open french doors, into a spacious bedroom on the second floor. She made a lot on a medic-nin salary, since they were specialty jounin but being one of the best in her field had its obvious perks. But then, she was sleeping with the only member to the richest clan in the country.
Downstairs, I could hear voices. I slipped further into the house, out of the bedroom and into a hallway. My feet made no sound as I stepped through and leaned over the bannister slightly to listen in on the conversation that drifted up the stairs.
"I thought you'd be earlier to clean out your things." Sakura's voice said softly, wearily.
"I was busy." Sasuke sneered, "doing other things. Why? Were you and your fiancee planning on where to put the crib?"
Fiancee? Crib? My stomach began to sink as the conversation unfolded. "No, and that's not fair, Sasuke! You drove me to this!" She said, her voice rising as her anger grew.
"I didn't drive you to become a whore." A slap echoed through the spacious hallway. It didn't take a genius to know that Sakura had just hit Sasuke.
I drifted down the stairs, intent on the conversation. Flattening myself up against the wall, I only had to think of the jutsu words and I blended in effortlessly, just in case they felt compelled to take their argument out into the hallway where I would be in plan view. I just hoped, during their argument that Sasuke didn't turn on his Sharingan otherwise he'd see right through my jutsu. Here's for chances.
"You have the audacity to accuse me of perfidy?" Sakura hissed, her voice low and radiating a danger that made my toes curl up in my sandals. "I have found someone that I love and want to spend my life with. That's something that I don't feel ashamed of. Did it ever occur to you that in the end, the only reason I kept you around was because I felt sorry for you? The only thing that you have going for you is your family name, what a fine end to an illustrious family you are–"
"Shut up." Sasuke interrupted, his voice harsh with emotion. "Did it ever occur to you that the only reason why I kept you around was to get to Naruto? God, he wanted you so bad." His laugh made the bile rise in my throat. "He's going to hate you just as much as I do."
"What do you mean?"
I had to put a stop to this, was all that went through my mind as I broke the jutsu and layed down the barrier that kept my chakra from being sensed. It came crashing down in all its glory, the red and blue chakra mixing, clashing with my wrath as I stepped into the room. They knew who I was without me bothering to take off the mask.
Sakura gasped my name. The two of them had been standing in the kitchen with the island between them. I must have looked frightening with the mask and cloak on and katana still in my hand which I had taken off when my back was up against their wall to keep from knocking down picture frames. My hand shook as I slid the mask on top of my head and pushed the cloak's hood off. "How long have you been standing there?" Sakura asked, tears spilling from her Vermillion eyes.
"Long enough." My voice sounded hollow to me, void of emotion but inside I shook to the very core with it. The emptiness inside of me was being filled to overflowing with anger, sadness and disgust. We used to be a team. Now all we could do was hate each other and we had no one to blame but ourselves. "What did you do, Sakura?" I asked softly.
She dropped her head, letting her hair slide off of her shoulder to cover her face. "I found someone else, Naruto. I'm pregnant and we are getting married."
"Are you sure that it's not his?" I asked, pointing my chin at Sasuke.
"It's not. I haven't slept with him for months."
"How far along are you?"
"Three weeks."
"Who?"
Sasuke spoke, "Rock Lee."
"Good, at least its someone who will be able to treat you better than he could." Again, I nodded in Sasuke's general direction. I ignored the triumphant look on his face and trained my eyes on Sakura's.
"What did Sasuke mean by what he said, Naruto? Why would you hate me, too?" She sounded like she was twelve again.
The words stuck to the back of my throat, tasting sour and sickly. I didn't want to tell her, I was too ashamed. "Nothing." I said shortly, dropping my gaze to the floor at Sakura's feet. "Absolutely nothing."
"What did you do, Sasuke?" She whispered.
He spoke the truth and I stood quietly by as the look of horror and guilt distorted Sakura's features. That look alone made all the anger, and jealousy pour out of me until nothing was left but the disgust and an overwhelming sense of sadness. I was so tired. So tired of all the tragedy and loss in my life that I felt physically sick with it.
"Is it true, Naruto? Did... did you... with Sasuke...?"
"It doesn't matter, Sakura. It's in the past. I can't take back what has happened anymore than you could." I pulled my hood back on and rearranged my mask. "Now get your shit, Sasuke and get the fuck out. If I see you near her again, I'll kill you." I said gently. Sasuke brushed passed me and picked up the suitcase that sat at the front door, waiting for him. Obviously, Sakura had packed for him.
"I'm sorry, Naruto! Please forgive me!" Sakura sobbed raggedly. "If I had known..."
"You would have what? You would have picked me? Instead of betraying Sasuke, you would have betrayed me. That's all we've ever done to one another, isn't it? We've kept secrets from each other, we've betrayed one another. We've hurt each other over and over again. I'm sick of it Sakura. Sick and tired of it." I slung my weapon over my back and gave her one last glance before leaving the same way I had come in. Silently through the upstairs patio doors.
I wished that I could have screamed and cried because that's what I felt like doing. It would have been a lot easier if I wasn't in my ANBU uniform and had to keep a low profile. The walls that held back my chakra and shielded it from the senses slammed back into place. The familiar feel of isolation washed over me and this time, I felt it hard to ignore. I shuddered as I fought back the loneliness.
When I had finally gotten my nerves under control, I found Sasuke at my apartment. I entered in through the patio doors and tore off the mask and cloak. I watched as he threw the suitcase onto my couch and sat down beside it, raking his hands through his hair. "You knew and you still made me do it. You still made me go through with it." I said as I yanked on the straps that kept my chest plate together.
"Am I that repulsive?" He asked softly, not meeting my eyes.
I succeeded in getting my chest protection off, the plates dropped onto the hard wood floor. I yanked off the rest of it in angry, jerky movements as I thought of the answer to the question. An answer I already knew. "Yes, you are." I growled and scooped up the equipment, depositing it on my kitchen table. I leaned heavily against the back of a chair, staring at the kit that littered the surface. "You are so good at destroying, Sasuke. It's frightening how well you do it. You can't stand seeing other people happy, you just have to go out of your way to make people miserable. Does it get you off, the sight of tears? Does it make you all warm inside to know that the few people in this goddamn world that love you, now hate you with all their might? God, I hate you so much right now I could strangle you." I felt like a nagging fishwife, but it felt good to get those words out. I stared down at the sword that lay close to my hand and I genuinely wanted to run it through Sasuke.
Strong arms wrapped around my body, pinning my hands to my sides. He rested his head against my back. I could feel the warmth of his body as he stood flush against my back. I was in too much shock to fight back. Sasuke was touching me out of tenderness and he had invoked it. "I'm not a good person, Naruto."
"You are right, you aren't." I agreed, feeling tired. I didn't really care if he touched me or not. I was just too damn emotionally exhausted to care. Finally, I pushed away from him and walked into the bathroom, taking a long shower. To hell with watching Sasuke. If he disappeared, he'd be doing a lot of people a favour.
TBC
