Without a Doubt by lilmisssushi
A/N: Hey everyone! I'd just like to say, thank you for all your support!
In this chapter, there may be quite a bit of er...profanity. Lots of it? Sorry bout that lol –sweatdrops-. Also…long chapter to make up for the wait. Forgive me? –authoress smiles nervously and creeps away-
Oh and all the angst in this chap is dedicated to our favourite Avenger's birthday! Hope you likee!
Summary: For Sakura, being in love with Sasuke is a given. She's loved him through rejection and betrayal and everything in between, so why should she stop now?
For Neji, blaming everything on fate is the most tried-and-true method around. But throw in Haruno Sakura, and his extremely versatile excuse just doesn't seem to cut it anymore. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. (NejiSaku)(SasuNaru)
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Naruto…but I DO own a Neji key-ring! And a Kakashi figurine/piggy bank to boot! -Shakes it and a couple coins rattle around miserably-
Chapter V - Confusion
Okay, so she'd given in.
The lure of seeing Sasuke socialize with normal people proved to be too hard to resist, which was the only reason (or so she insisted) why Sakura found herself standing on Genma's doorstep late into the night a few days later, the cold weather causing her to rub her hands together and curse her big-mouthed blonde friend for all she was worth.
She blamed Ino for the entire escapade. The blonde had shown up at the hospital that morning, perfectly coinciding with Sakura's usual three hour lunch break, and found an excuse to drag Sakura off shopping even as she fought back tooth and nail. She hadn't suspected a thing, because this was actually a pretty regular occurrence as far as Ino went. She'd always been a serious shopper and had blown all her savings on a single dress on more than one occasion.
Then the blonde had poked and prodded her all the way into the changing rooms, where Sakura had absolutely no say in any of what she tried on, because as soon as the blonde had seen her tentatively fingering at a nice, conservative, baby blue two-piece sweater (just her style, she mused), she'd whipped Sakura away and into the more…'daring' side of fashion.
She'd calmly threatened to make Sakura's life more miserable than it already was if she didn't oblige and then pulled a magazine out from nowhere before settling down on a stool with it. Sakura didn't even bother to argue because she knew she'd inevitably lose out - Ino's logic was on a whole other level, there was just no keeping up with her, sometimes.
The blonde continued to flick through the pages of her 'Haute Couture Fashion in Fire Country' magazine without a care in the world as Sakura struggled through outfit after outrageous outfit, pausing every now and then to step out and model in front of her friend and the full length mirror, only to have Ino 'hmm' and 'ahh', before sending her back in to change again.
After what felt like eternity, Sakura finally called out, "Okay, last one!"
"Uh huh," came the uninspired reply. Ino continued to pick her nail polish, bored, and inwardly noted that she'd need another manicure soon.
It was then that Sakura gracefully stepped out from behind the dressing room door once again, a pale light shining all around her and casting highlights in her hair and making her eyes glitter emerald like cats' eyes. Ino's jaw dropped straight to the ground, comically, in slow motion.
"You…t-that…it's…PERFECT!" she screamed, blinking madly at the sight before her.
It was as if her best friend had instantaneously turned into a babe. Sakura had shucked a pen through her hair and twisted it into a bun awhile ago as she was getting tired of it sticking to her neck as she changed. On her petite, yet curvy form, she wore a deep burgundy red V-neck dress that dipped quite low in the front and flowed prettily all the way to her knees, yet still drew attention to her longish, smooth-skinned legs. The waist was slightly cinched in, highlighting her narrow waist, and her delicate collarbones were on prominent display due to the not-so-modest open V-neck. It was also backless. Best of all, the dress was of a silky material which clung in all the right places like one of Sakura's kick-ass gloves.
It seemed like Ino's daring taste and Sakura's demure style had struck a happy medium in the form of that elegant red dress.
"Buy it NOOOOOW!" Ino ordered.
Sakura headed off towards the paying counter obediently, but then made the mistake of wondering when she'd have the chance to wear it, out loud. Ino took the opportunity to remind her about her promise to attend a certain party, and Sakura groaned. She then attempted to weasel her way out of it by calling on the ever-popular 'I'm busy at work' card. 'So many people to save, so little time', that sort of thing, she'd desperately pleaded, but Ino countered by informing her that she'd already asked Hokage-sama to let Sakura off for the rest of the day (to which Tsunade happily agreed.)
"Seriously, even SHE said you need to go out more. And that I'm a good influence on you. And that you should be grateful that you have such an awesome best friend."
Sakura groaned again. It was so much like her damn shishou to plot with her best friend behind her back. She'd have to steal all the sake bottles (the ones Shizune had no idea about) from Tsunade-sama's many 'emergency' stashes around her office for revenge. Yes. That was the best course of action from this point.
Sakura considered making a run for it while Ino was looking the other way, but dismissed the thought after much comtemplation. Most likely, the blonde would hunt her down and then make her pay. It would be most beneficial to them both if she just put in a slight appearance, to get Ino off her back. Gosh, the things she did for her friends.
Sakura sighed as she blew on her hands again.
She could hear the music pounding from inside, and voices seeped into her ears as she stood outside waiting. Lights flickered every now and then, and Sakura drew her jacket tightly around her. Her feet, encased in sexy black kitten heels, were completely numb. Finally, the door opened, and Shiranui Genma himself came into view, his lips quirking around his senbon into a flirtatious smile as he recognized her. Grabbing her hand lightly, he pulled her in, and tugged at her jacket. "May I?"
Sakura smiled back gamely and shrugged it off. She looked around the hallway, which had archways on either side leading into separate rooms. The warmth of the place permeated her senses and she breathed it in deeply. It was the smell of alcohol mixed with sweat. Ahh, lovely.
She turned back towards Genma to find him eyeing her up and down her now exposed outfit. A slight pink hue tainted her cheeks at the way he stepped back and wolf-whistled appreciatively. She laughingly placed a quick kiss hello on his cheek.
"Happy birthday Genma! I hope you're having a good one," she said warmly.
He grinned back mischievously. "I am now that you're here, sweetheart."
She laughed and took his advances in stride, curtsying daintily in response. "Glad to be of service. You're looking good, Genma."
His senbon bounced as he chuckled engagingly. "Speak for yourself, blossom, you look damn fine."
She laughed again and did a little twirl. "Ya think so?" she asked flirtatiously.
"Hell yeah. Throw the birthday boy a bone, wouldya?" He winked and Sakura could instantly see the appeal Shiranui held for a lot of the slightly older kunoichi. Genma was one hell of a sexy guy, with his casual attitude and playboy ways, but at the same time, he didn't have a single bad bone in his body. They were really only playing around though, because absolutely everyone knew that Genma was a true womanizer and flirted as easily as he breathed. He apparently had natural talent with his tongue too, and it was a highly publicized rumour that he could make any woman melt into a pool of goo at his feet with a single kiss.
But Sakura was also privy to a secret that was seemingly as highly protected as national treasure. Her mentor's other apprentice and Sakura's sister-figure, Shizune, had had a secret crush on the playboy for years, but had never allowed herself to get close for fear of getting burnt. Sakura could see the looks Shizune sent Genma's way whenever she thought no one was looking though, and she was determined to nudge her along in the right direction. He seemed pretty partial towards her too. Sakura realized that tonight might just be the perfect time to set things in motion, so she decided she would fish for information first.
"Oooh, didn't think I was your type actually."
Genma smirked. "All beautiful, intelligent kunoichi are my type, hon, but I must say, you're the only one I know with pink hair."
He flicked one of the tendrils that had escaped her elegant chignon, held up with a chopstick emblazoned with diamantes. (Sakura stopped to think. She'd have to be ultra careful with the way she worded things, otherwise, the quick-witted shinobi in front of her would catch on immediately. )
Smiling evilly to herself, she started scheming.
"I've heard word that you have a thing for brunettes."
Genma grinned, but didn't take the route she expected him to.
"True, that. I'm a goner for the dark-haired and leggy ones. But I'll make an exception for you." He leaned in and tilted her head upwards. She smacked his hand away playfully and sighed dramatically.
"Oh, I'm so flattered that his majesty would deign to look at me, but it's a real shame that it seems I've already given my heart away."
He mock-pouted. "Ahh, and the man is shut dowwwnnn. I know a brush off when I see one." He smiled genially and Sakura couldn't help but be caught up in his enthusiasm. She punched him lightly on the arm and laughed.
"It's okay, I know when to back off, blossom, but I'm afraid you'll have to make it up to me."
"Hmm, and how may I go about doing that?" Genma made a lecherous face. "And no sexual favours, might I add."
"Aww, Sakura-chan, what do you take me for? All I wanted was-"
He cut himself off and looked around, checking to see if anybody was in hearing distance. Then, he lowered his voice conspiratorially, whispering in her ear.
"Well…er…could you just tell me…I was wondering if…if that Shizune chick is attached?"
Sakura's eyes widened and she tried unsuccessfully to repress her mirth at the sudden turn of situation. He slapped a hand over her mouth until her laughter died down.
"Heyy, it's not that funny! I swear, she hates me, she knocks me back every single time I try to make a move on her, but there's just something about her…" he sighed mournfully.
"Sakura-chan, please tell me I haven't somehow lost my charm. You can't resist this hot piece of ass, can you?"
"Haha, unfortunately, I can, but I can still help you…"
She grabbed his sleeve and proceeded to drag the senbon-chewing shinobi around in search of the medic-nin (while she took the opportunity to look around admiringly at the household furnishings. Damn, the place was huge and the decorations simple yet warm. She hadn't been aware that special jounins made so much money.) Finally, they came to a stop in one of the dancing areas, where Shizune, Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, Gai, Anko, Kotetsu, Izumo and a couple others were sitting at a table pushed to the side of the room. She said hello to everyone, making sure to poke her former sensei in the back of his gravity-defying hair before pushing Genma down at the table. Then, she made a beeline for Shizune, who had thankfully left Tonton at home. She grabbed her and forcibly led/pushed her away to a quieter area of the room. Genma and Kakashi were left bewildered at the table, and Genma made a face as he watched the two girls' retreating backs.
"Damn, has she always been that scary?" he asked the Sharingan-wielder, nodding in Sakura's direction.
Kakashi replied in the affirmative.
"Yup. Now you know what it's like. She used to threaten to burn my Icha Icha Paradise collection whenever she caught me reading one, and this was when she was fifteen." Kakashi's lone eye crinkled happily as he fondly remembered the days when he could do a thousand three-fingered push-ups with her sitting on his back, or hold her back with a single hand as she went on one of her rampages. Ah, he really was getting old.
-------
Meanwhile, Sakura was explaining Operation-Snatch-Genma to Shizune, who was blinking back at her rather dazedly.
"So you mean…I should go up to him, slap him, and then snog him silly?"
"Exactly!" Sakura snapped her fingers to exaggerate her point. Damn, she was good at this.
"But…why?"
"Coz he likes you, that's why, and it's the best way to show him you're interested."
"No, I mean, why the slapping part?"
Sakura sighed, and slowly explained herself again. Shizune was just so naive when it came to this type of thing.
"Oh, you know playboy guys like him. The only way to show him how you're different to all the other ladies he's pawed at is to show him who's boss. I have a feeling that he's a closet sadomasochist, so trust me, this is the best way to go about things."
Shizune gasped at Sakura's bluntness. "Oh, but I don't know if I could…"
"Shizune-san, look at me. Your stong, and he's in love with you. Do what you feel is right."
At this, Shizune straightened up, tilting her chin proudly.
"Yes," she said, "yes, I'll do it!"
"That's the spirit!" Sakura cheered.
And thus, she completed her self-appointed mission, and watched proudly from the sidelines as Shizune marched her way confidently back over to the table and to Genma, her sexy strut drawing eyes like magnets. She almost laughed at the expression on Genma's face as Shizune stopped right in front of him, posing and bringing her hand back to slap him right across the face, before draping herself across his lap with her arms around his neck and kissing him slowly, thoroughly, and sensually, as the others cheered and whooped wildly on all around them.
Sakura wiped a tear away from the corner of her eye at the happy sight, giving the couple a standing ovation. Many others followed suit across the crowded room. "You've done me proud, son," she sniffled.
She laughed as Genma managed to gasp to Kakashi during the bouts of kissing, "Whatever your student did, she's a genius, I tell you!" and smiled as Genma pumped a fist victoriously into the air, yelling, "Thank you, Sakura-chan!"
It had been a job well-done, indeed.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the party…
Sasuke was pissed.
He had no idea how he'd ended up sitting with the dobe and his girlfriend at the house of a jounin he hardly knew. They were seated at a bunch of tables pushed together, the lighting was seedy and hurt his eyes and the alcohol was too weak and tasteless to be of any use.
The rest of the Rookie 9, as they still fondly referred to themselves, were busy wreaking havoc all around him.
Neji had escorted Hinata to the party and was sitting on her other side, looking about as bored as Sasuke felt, while Lee and Tenten were directly opposite him.
They had recently gotten together and were currently engaged in a full-on lip lock, much to the Uchiha's disgust. It was so…weird seeing Fuzzy Eyebrows get some, especially as he was right in front of him. Apparently, Tenten wouldn't let Lee get his hands on any of the alcohol for obvious reasons, so Lee had adjusted to this by demanding that they make out. Tenten had never really been sober anyway, so she complied easily enough.
Kiba had set himself the task of getting them boozed up, and he'd made his way across the room to the bar awhile ago, to get drinks, and never made it back. He was most likely picking up random girls since the love of his life (Hinata), had pierced his heart and severely wounded his pride by finally going out with Naruto. He probably couldn't stand seeing them together, something that the Uchiha could secretly relate with, to his horror.
And Sai was off who-knows-where.
Sasuke took the chance to glare at the Hyuuga heiress while Naruto was looking the other way. She was intimidated by him, he could tell, and it brought him some form of sadistic pleasure to punish her for something she couldn't understand.
Shikamaru and Ino sat on Sasuke's other side, and he felt sorry for the lazy genius for being held up by Ino's relentless chattering. She kept going on and on about how she and Sakura had gone shopping that day, how much of a hottie Sakura was now thanks to her, and how oops, she might've maxed out another of Shikamaru's credit cards, but lucky he earnt so much from being the Hokage's main tactical advisor, ne?
Sasuke decided to tune her out, and not a moment too soon, because then, in his peripheral vision, he could see that she'd started tonguing Shikamaru's ear to repay him for some other night's activities.
Sickened, he turned away, wanting the whole night just to be over already. It was nauseating having to sit by as Naruto constantly pawed at the Hyuuga heiress and murmured sweet nothings in her ear.
Sasuke suddenly realized that he and Neji were the only two people at the table who weren't occupied with the fairer sex. He made the mistake of letting his eyes absently wander over to meet the Hyuuga's, who looked back at him challengingly, almost accusingly.
Sasuke glared back defiantly, almost hoping that the Hyuuga would just start a fight, so he'd have an excuse to do something. He was itching to get out of this fucking hellhole.
He could feel his irritation building up, burning hot against the back of his eyelids, as he felt, rather than saw, the dobe turning his back on him as he leant in to kiss Hinata's forehead, muttering something so softly that Sasuke couldn't quite catch it. The idiot was like a different person with Hinata, someone the Uchiha did not know quite as well as he thought he did.
Then, as Naruto pulled away, Sasuke was silent until, for what felt like the thousandth time that night, he felt Naruto elbow him accidentally in the side.
It was seriously the last fucking straw.
I don't need this shit.
He attempted to get up, but suddenly, Naruto's concerned blue eyes were upon him, his hands on the Uchiha's shoulders, warm fingers shocking him slightly and leaving a trail of heat through his thin shirt. Sasuke felt like he was drowning, getting pulled under by someone he thought he could trust.
"Sasuke…what's wrong with you lately?"
His hands were heavy, reassuring. Sasuke continued to ignore him, resentment tightening in his chest. He suddenly thought about how he used to vie for Itachi's attention, and unexpectedly became angry. He shoved Naruto's confining arms from around him and spat out a venomous response.
"It doesn't concern you. Go back to your bitch, she needs your attention more than I do."
Yes. What was wrong with him?
The situation had all the makings of a huge fight about to brew, so he was confused when Naruto decided to let it drop, and ran a hand through his hair, calming himself down.
"Look, Sasuke, I don't know what's wrong with you lately but I don't wanna fight. Truce?" He smiled, and held out a hand.
Naruto had inexplicably become more mature. Was it because of Hinata?
A pregnant pause ensued, and the tension between them was palpable.
No. Fuck this.
He'd had enough. He couldn't take it anymore.
Sasuke got up, pushed past the dobe, ignored the questioning glances from the rest of the group and subsequently the hard gaze that bored a hole into the back of his head.
"I've gotta go," he said.
Sakura made her way over to Shino, who she could faintly see the outline of, in the shadowy recesses of the corner of the room. He really did blend in, and with his dark shades and still frame, Sakura knew she would've passed him without a second thought if she hadn't been on the lookout for people she knew. She found the Aburame calming to talk to, and it was if she had all the time in the world when they were engaged in conversation. He was just that good a listener.
"Hey there Shino-san. How come you're standing here all on your lonesome?"
His voice sounded like it was gruff from inactive use when he replied.
"My bugs are scared by the vibrations of the room so I found a place where it was less crowded."
"Oh," Sakura said. She wasn't the least put off by his short reply though, she knew it was just his rather stoic and wary personality that kept him from relaxing in social situations. She launched into a series of questions regarding medicinal herbs. For some reason, Shino knew a LOT about gardening. He had a real green thumb, and Sakura supposed it made sense that he'd be so in tune with nature considering his family's unique traits.
Soon though, Sakura caught sight of Chouji, whom she'd been meaning to ask for a favour…
"Chouji! Wait up!"
He turned and smiled as she skidded to a stop in front of him.
"Hey Sakura, what's the rush?"
"I was meaning to ask if you could teach me how to cook…" and so Sakura relayed her case and begged Chouji to lend her some of the famous Akimichi cooking recipes…especially the one for their super-duper-ultra-chocolatey cake topped with cinnamon. After she secured his promise that he would hand over some of the recipes and personally tutor her food-preparation skills in the next week, Sakura left with a huge smile on her face.
'Better go see what Sasuke and Naruto are up to,' she thought to herself, and continued on her way, smiling at people she recognized from various stages in her life.
Sasuke headed towards the exit, ignoring the girls in clusters, peeking his way and giggling. One of the bolder ones intercepted him as he neared. She was one of the many who had been eyeing him all evening and looked less respectable than most. She looked him up and down from head to toe for the thousandth time that night and he was repulsed by the lascivious gleam that appeared in her eyes.
"Hey there handsome," she said throatily as he neared.
He walked right past her, trademark scowl adorning his features, wordlessly telling her to leave him alone, he wasn't in the mood to deal with lustful fangirls. But she still had the gall to tag along right behind him
He stopped, turned back to face her.
I don't need you Naruto, I never needed you.
His lips hardened unconsciously into a grim line and his eyes were slightly unsure but he steeled his resolve anyway.
What better way than to prove it?
He opened his mouth to say something, but it wasn't his normal voice that spoke out loud. It was lower, smoother, and infinitely more dangerous, almost sensual in the way his tongue glided over his teeth.
"Hey, babe." He forced himself to drag his eyes slowly, overtly, up her figure, and hid his disgust as she licked her lips.
It was all the encouragement she needed before she launched herself at him, arms in a strangle hold against his neck.
He descended on her lips, kissing her harshly. She gave in instantly, like he knew she would, reciprocating frantically as if she knew she'd never get another chance.
Behind them, Naruto looked away.
Sakura's senses were tingling in warning.
She couldn't fully explain it, but there was a sinking feeling in her stomach as she turned around the corner of the house, on the lookout for her friends.
She pressed a hand over her heart, wondering why there was such a leaden feeling, wondering if she should turn back.
'I'm being stupid,' she told herself, 'there's nothing to be afraid of, there's noth-'
Right at that moment, Sakura walked into Neji, who had just come out of the doorway that she was about to enter.
Unbeknownst to her, he had come to prevent her from seeing…something he knew she would rather not.
Sakura looked up to meet Neji's silver eyes, and swallowed back the lump in her throat when she realized that he had his Byakugan activated.
"Neji. What is it?" she croaked. "Tell me."
He looked down at her, the puffy veins disappearing. He put a large, calloused hand on her shoulder. It was inordinately warm. His voice was quiet when he replied.
"We should leave." Her collar bone tingled where his thumb brushed it. She slowly shook her head.
"If there's something I should know…" then so be it. His eyes were tender as he watched her calmly make her way past the doorway, only to stop dead, her hand flying to her mouth to cover her sharp intake of breath. Neji followed, but the image of what she'd just seen had already been burned into his mind.
There, the object of Sakura's life long affections stood, his hands entwined through a brunette girl's hair as he made out with her roughly, almost mauling her on the spot. Neji faintly remembered the girl from some exam or other. Sakura watched, almost entranced, as Sasuke, uncaring of all the attention he was drawing, slid an arm around the girl's mid-section, hand slowly traveling up the back of her shirt.
She snapped out of it a second later though, when she witnessed the girl's hands, in return, going down Sasuke's …
Crap.
Wrenching her eyes away, Sakura almost tripped as she fell back against Neji's broad chest. He placed an arm around her to keep her steady and she gazed up at him pleadingly. Understanding what she needed, he grabbed her hand and led her away.
Sasuke pushed the girl up against the wall, ignoring the dirty glances from the people around them.
"...Come home with me tonight," he whispered in her ear, his lip curling up in derision.
He made sure Naruto could hear, although he convinced himself he didn't care anymore.
She smiled, sickeningly sweet, and wrapped an arm around his waist in response. He resisted the urge to push it off.
She upturned her face, pulling on his shirt a little, and he obliged her request by meeting her half way.
"I would love to," she replied, breath hot and sticky against his neck. She grabbed his chin none-too-gently and proceeded to flick her tongue against the shell of his ear, leaving a wet trail of saliva and promises to come.
Sasuke let his eyes flicker shut, but not before seeing Naruto half-rise from his position on the couch, in his peripheral vision.
He smiled grimly and waited.
The first punch came half a second later.
-------
He could easily havedodged had he wanted to… but Sasuke had never been the type to back down first.
He swayed from the strength of the blow which had landed square to his jaw, and it was only his determination to get some sort of reaction from Naruto that kept him on his feet. His eyes slitting dangerously, he spat the swirling of blood from his tongue onto the ground. He was slightly disoriented, yet he still managed to smirk spitefully, wiping and smearing the crimson droplets away from the corner of his mouth, his head tilted proudly.
He slowly raised his eyes, fully expecting to see messy blonde hair and enraged azure eyes.
Sasuke growled, "What the hell do you want, Naru-"before he was forced to cut himself off.
It wasn't the dobe...
Instead, it was a merefucking jounin-in-training, a muscle-bound meathead who went by the name Zieko, who had dared to get in Uchiha Sasuke's, the Avenger's, face.
An all-encompassing, sinking feeling of disappointment momentarily clouded his vision.
What the hell had he been thinking? Why the fuck would Naruto care if he allowed some slut to grace his sheets, his bed? Screw that, he could get off with every single bitch in Konoha and the dobe probably wouldn't bat a single eyelash, he'd still be entirely oblivious, so painfully oblivious…
Sasuke was rudely awakened when Zieko, the bastard, grabbed the front of his shirt, bunching it up in his meaty hands. Sasuke had to restrain himself from breaking the asshole's neck in half, he was already pissed enough as it was, he didn't need this shit right now.
"What the fuck d'ya think you were doin' with my 'ho, you son-of-a-bitch?" a gruff, rasping voice escaped the meathead's throat, further provoking him.
Naruto was the only one who could affect him like this, but the dobe had no clue, heck, he probably didn't even care.
He tried not to laugh as he shoved the jounin away. The idiot was asking for it, but Sasuke could see the blonde in his line of sight, beyond Zieko's shoulder. He'd made a fool of himself as it was, and it didn't help that the girl he'd kissed was scrambling pathetically between him and the meathead, begging for them to stop. Sasuke realized cynically that she was probably thrilled to be getting so much attention; he could just hear it now. "Uchiha Sasuke-kun was fighting over me with my ex at Genma's party. He wanted to spend some 'quality time' with me, but Zieko stepped in just as we were getting to the good part…"
"Get out of here before I make you," he replied evenly. He thought about turning on the Sharingan just to scare the bastard off, but knew it'd be a waste of chakra and the thug wasn't worthy of even a glimpse of his family bloodline. (He didn't even know how someone like that could even make Chuunin, let alone be good enough to attempt the jounin exam.) He settled for narrowing his eyes and brushing non-existent dirt off his shoulder where the meathead and touched him, to get the point across.
The asshole didn't heed the warning, and came charging at the Uchiha instead. "'Sif you could, you arrogant piece of shi-"
Sasuke calmly sidestepped and Zieko's eyes widened when he found himself pinned to the wall with a barrage of kunai and an assortment of shuriken within point-five of a second, the deadly aim precise enough to just graze his skin in twenty-seven different places.
"Holy crap," he breathed shallowly. He hadn't even seen the Uchiha's hands move.
Sasuke turned away and headed off towards the door just in time to see Naruto walking towards him from across the room, Hinata by his side. While he watched, the blonde intertwined his fingers with the Hyuuga heiress and leaned down to whisper something in her ear.
She blushed prettily and looked up at Naruto with wide eyes, and the Uchiha could see the words that were forming on her glistening lips as she stuttered appealingly.
"B-but Naruto-kun, are you s-sure?"
Everything suddenly came into sharp focus as the Sharingan activated against Sasuke's will. It was an unconscious reaction to the emotional turmoil he was feeling inside. Through his eyes, the room was painted myriad shades of red, the movements of others along with vibrations magnified ten-fold, broken down and seemingly slowed to the point of obscurity.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, Sasuke paused, looked up as Naruto neared him, opened his mouth to say something, anything, he didn't know what. He was just in time to see the affectionate expression that was displayed across Naruto's face whenever he was with Hinata, completely disappear as he flicked an indifferent, unfeeling gaze at him.
Then, they were side-by-side, and the moment felt like it was frozen in time, a frame capturing the both of them as they were shoulder-to-shoulder, yet facing in opposite directions, splitting at a fork in the road.
Naruto had brushed past his shoulder without a single word.
Stunned, Sasuke faltered and involuntarily came to a stop.
The noise level in the room dropped to zero and all that Sasuke could hear was the pounding of his heart, and the aloof footsteps of his best friend, fading as they led further and further away from him.
His eyes had been colder and more distant than he'd ever remembered seeing them.
"C'mon, Hinata, I'll walk you home," the gentle cadences of Naruto's inexplicably warm voice, rose and fell softly, agonizingly, at entire odds with the cold way he'd looked at Sasuke.
Sasuke turned back just in time to catch a glimpse of Naruto putting an arm protectively around the Hyuuga heiress' shoulders before they headed off, the slight drizzle of rain softening the edges of his jagged heart.
A chill coursed through the room, and Sasuke felt it move over him, within him, before he dragged his eyes away from the exit where he'd watched as Naruto walked out of his life.
He went back inside. If he'd ever had a time when he needed alcohol to drown his sorrows in most, it was then.
Sasuke stumbled blindly back into the oppressive warmth of the room. He blinked once, twice, as the girl who'd served as the bait before, to taunt Naruto, yes, he could admit it now, suddenly grasped one of his hands with one of hers. Huh. He'd forgotten about her. She looked up at him, acting coy, trailing the fingers of her other hand down his chest, tracing the grooves of his stomach through his shirt. Her voice fuzzed in and out like the transmission of a faulty radio.
"I've dealt with…already…I can't believe…punched you. We can go now if you like…I'll show you a good time."
He looked down at her, breathing heavily. This time, he did not hesitate to shove her away, "Keep the fuck away from me, you slut-" ignoring the gasps of the people around him as she hit the wall hard, tears of mortification springing to her eyes.
She gasped, "What the hell, you bastard! You came on to me! I felt sorry for you!"
He ignored her, walked away, black motes staining his vision, making him dizzy, so dizzy.
"I fucking hate you, Uchiha Sasuke!" she screamed at him.
He wiped her remaining lipstick imprints off his face, chuckled mirthlessly under his breath. "Join the club."
Neji watched as Sakura downed shot after shot of some strong-smelling alcohol. He grabbed her hand as she lifted it again to signal to the bartender for another round.
"You've had enough," he said, his voice solid. He couldn't say he knew what she was going through - love was a strange thing – but he knew she'd have a massive hangover the next morning if she continued at this rate, which wouldn't help her mood any. He kept his hand on hers as she tried to push him away, drunkenly calling for another drink.
"Stop it, Sakura," he said, quietly. She did not cry, but as it was, Neji would've been gladder if she had. Then he'd have an indication as to how she was feeling, and what to do with her. Now though, she just avoided his gaze, and her wobbly voice as she demanded him to let her go tugged at his heartstrings.
For awhile, she mumbled to herself in the way that drunk people did, and Neji was silent as he watched her heart break slowly before his eyes.
"I don't understand," she kept whispering, over and over, eyes slowly closing as she rested her forehead against the countertop. "Was I never good enough for him? Did all those years mean nothing? Has he ever…has he ever...would her ever…I- I d-don't…"
He placed his fingers against her temple, massaged lightly. "Sakura, stop."
At the sound of his voice, she turned towards him slowly, her eyes unfocused and slightly moist. "Neji…" she breathed, and he wasn't sure what how to respond when she placed both hands on his shoulders, bringing him closer so she could examine him properly. She gazed at him, locking one arm around his neck while she brought her other hand up to lightly trace his jawline. He did not push her away, but instead kept his hands steady at her waist.
She studied him for awhile, and Neji almost felt like for once, it was she who was reading him like an open book, and not the other way around.
"Neji…" she whispered. "Neji…"
"You're drunk," he said, stating the obvious.
Really, she was intoxicated off her ass. He sighed, grabbing her hands from around his neck and placing them in her lap. She whimpered, gaze sliding down, then up again, and her eyes suddenly brightened with clarity. She leaned closer, and Neji could see what she wanted.
She's drunk, he had to tell himself again. Push her away.
She moved in for a kiss, eyes slipping shut, hands tightening on the material of his shirt.
You're so beautiful. Her skin was flushed and she was breathing hard. He could almost taste her on his lips, she was so close. But too easily, he saw what this could lead to…
She's drunk, he reminded himself. This isn't right; this isn't how it should be…
He turned away.
"Let's get you home."
Later, Neji would wonder how in the hell he had managed ending up having to take the Uchiha home, instead of Sakura. It was really beyond him. Damn Sai.
The aforementioned ninja had suddenly appeared with a passed out Sasuke leaning against him as Neji had been about to leave with Sakura's small form draped within his arms. He'd demanded that Neji unhand Sakura, because he 'couldn't trust the Hyuuga not to take advantage of the pink-haired kunoichi while she was out of it,' to which Neji snorted at. But the dark-haired shinobi had insisted, and Neji had reluctantly obliged after witnessing the knowing looks that more than half the ANBU were giving him and the girl in his arms.
He trudged along, with the Uchiha on his back and they were near the Uchiha district when Sasuke started thrashing about. Neji subdued him easily, but was troubled by the way the Uchiha was acting. He decided to hit some of the Uchiha's pressure points to see if it would help him calm any, and was gratified to see the Uchiha slump again, his breathing relaxed and his arms now hanging loosely about the Hyuuga's shoulders.
He kept walking, and thought about how Sakura must be doing…he was not good at comforting people, he'd never associated himself with others unnecessarily before meeting her, but now…
He sighed.
It was then that he heard Sasuke start mumbling something, under his breath. He didn't really pay attention to what the Uchiha was actually saying until he felt a strange sensation against his neck, as if…as if the Uchiha was pressing his lips against him.
What the fuck?
Sprinting the rest of the way to the Uchiha manor and avoiding about ten million shuriken traps in the place as he broke through a window, he then dumped Sasuke on a nearby couch, staring disbelievingly at the Uchiha as his chest rose and fell evenly.
He turned to walk away, trying to shake the sudden connection that his mind had made with his subconscious. Those looks that the Uchiha kept sending him…the way he acted whenever Neji was around Hinata…it didn't make sense, how the hell could it all be connected?
"You have no idea…how you make me feel."
He froze as the Uchiha spoke behind him, still lying on the couch. The darkness of the room encroached on them, and Neji was suddenly glad that it was really too dark to see anything.
"When you're with her, it makes me…it makes me want to katon everything in sight."
Hell no. Did this mean…no, the Uchiha couldn't be in love with him! Sakura would kill them both!
Neji decided to leave the premises before he would be forced to hear anymore. Crap, crap, CRAP! What the hell is this world coming to?
He quickly jumped out of the window he broke in through, uncaring of the sleeve he tore on the broken window shard, and was well on his way home before Sasuke could finish his drunken rambling.
…So he didn't hear the last words that fell softly from Sasuke's lips, unheeded, into the dead of the night.
"Don't leave me…Naruto."
A/N: And so it ends. Holy crap that was a monster of a chap. -breathes deeply- I hope you got the last part, it's pretty important to the plot, see. And I sure hope you could bear to sit through all that, but I can assure you, I'll never do such a long chap again! NEVER! Thanks for getting this far! XD. Next time, even more confusion! Oh, wait, -insert shameless plug here- Well...the Cashew Nuts and I just started a C2 together called .:NejiSaku : Destined to Be:. and it's entirely dedicated to quality fics of just that couple! Check it out if you have some time on your hands, kay? I assure you, it's good for the NejiSaku lovers' soul :P. Please clicky on the C2 link of my profile and if you'd like to join or anything, let either of us know and we'll hook you up! XD Thanks for your time!