Sauske's Point of View
There was a cold chill in the air, as refreshing it felt; it caused my stump to ache. I found myself absent-mindedly reaching out to where my arm had been, only to clutch the air. I still wasn't quite used to life without it. But it was nothing I couldn't handle.
Nightfall had just begun over Konoha, in my opinion the village was most peaceful at night. All the houses were dark, few had some smoke rising from the chimneys, there was solace to be seen all around. These late strolls were a rare, but enjoyable guilty pleasure of mine. I had my space from the others to think clearly.
But as usual, without even trying, I found myself standing outside of a small apartment complex. On the second floor, there was a teal tainted wooden door with abundant wildflowers blooming just outside the entrance. I've been pulled to this very property each and every time.
An uncomfortable knot formed in my throat as I strained my eyes to the open window. I caught just the briefest glimpse of light pink hair. A chill rolled down over my shoulders.
Sakura Haruno.
"Hn,"
I was growing frustrated. Why was I even here? It was like there was some kind of invisible force pulling me here, to her. I wanted no part of it. I had enough problems to work through without complicating things even further. Sakura always had a habit of complicating things. It was something that was truly annoying about her.
I was about to turn around when a flash of gold darted past my field of vision. Unconsciously my sharingan activated as I locked my eyes on the figure that was now hovering right outside Sakura's window.
Acting on instincts alone, I charged forward- propelled by a sudden burst of fury. A single word rattled through my thoughts. Protect.
But just as my fist made contact, I realized who it was. The flames of my rage cooled down almost instantly as I watched Naruto get sent flying down to the ground. He landed in front of the apartment complex with a loud thud and an irritated groan.
"Hey, what's the big idea!" He gripped at me as he shifted himself into a seated position.
I let myself fall back down to where he sat, folding my arms across my chest. "Tch, what do you think you're doing, dobe?"
Naruto scrambled back to his feet with annoyance clear on his face, he held up his hand to present a single rose that was now completely destroyed. The rose petals scattered across the ground and the stem was bent to a ninety degree angle. "If you must know, I was just stopping by to give Sakura this…" A slight redness colored his pale cheeks.
A pinch of anger prickled at my chest, but I remained expressionless. Instead I turned away from him, staying quiet. It was pointless to argue with the idiot.
"Just great, now I'll have to go buy another, I'm not going to hear the end of it from Ino." He complained as he dusted his clothes off.
The one that works in the flower shop. If I remember correctly, Sakura and Ino are close friends… or enemies… something close to Naruto and I's friendship.
"Why bother," I muttered in indifference.
Naruto gave me an enthusiastic grin. "Obviously, you are hopeless when it comes to romance. You aren't going to get a girlfriend with that attitude."
His comment bothered me more than I'd like to admit.
"And what use would a girlfriend be anyway, it's just an unnecessary distraction. I thought you of all people would want to focus on getting stronger. A girlfriend isn't going to help you get any closer to becoming hokage." I snipped back.
Vibrant blue orbs locked on me, a fierce gaze on Naruto's expression. "Don't you worry about it, I will be the next hokage. And Sakura will be at my side. I've made up my mind. I'm not staying in your shadow any more." He raised his fist straight up in the air. Dramatic as usual.
For some reason I felt my teeth snap together and begin to grind back and forth. I couldn't stop the glare that came to my face. My anger was boiling hot inside of me, I was struggling to remain aloof.
"What makes you think I'm going to let you?" The words escaped my lips before I could stop myself.
Naruto paused, disbelief crossing his expression. He was caught off guard just as much as I was.
"Uhm, you're joking right? Since when are you interested in Sakura?" He narrowed his eyes at me slightly. "Why does everything have to be a competition with you?"
"Don't be an idiot, I'm not the least bit interested in Sakura." I snapped at him with a growl. "Do as you please."
The words that came from my mouth felt like a bold lie and the dull ache in my chest confirmed such. But I wouldn't allow myself to explore those feelings. It couldn't be true. It was a ridiculous notion.
Naruto exhaled noisily, his expression softened. "Good to hear teme. I'd hate for us to have any bad blood, now that you have finally returned home."
"Tch, whatever." I grumbled.
There was a barely audible gasp from behind us, causing the both of us to turn to face Sakura's window. The lump in my throat returned as I gazed up to her. She stood there, her cheeks flushed red, her jade eyes danced with happiness as she waved at us.
"Naruto, Sauske, what are you two doing here?" She called out to us.
The sound of her voice caused chills to rise at the back of my neck. I forced a bored expression to my face, but I couldn't bring myself to look away from her.
Naruto's face was now completely red as he stuttered. "S-sakura, we were just in the neighborhood and decided to stop by." He laughed in his usual pompous, over-the-top fashion.
Sakura raised a brow as a frown came to her face. "Naruto, you moron, you're going to wake everyone up." She hissed as she jumped from the window to land down next to the both of us.
"Oh, sorry about that," He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. It was a nervous tick that he always did, even when we were children.
Sakura's eyes darted between the two of us curiously, a touch of pink was still high-lighting her cheeks. In the moonlight, she really was… interesting… to look at.
"So what now, did you two want to go grab a bite to eat?" She asked shyly.
Quickly Naruto turned completely around, shuffling into his pocket to grab his wallet, he frantically began counting his money.
I wanted to turn away as well and get out of here. I wasn't interested in spending the rest of my evening with the two of them. But for some reason, I couldn't move. I just continued to watch Sakura. My thoughts escaped me.
"Uhm, y-yeah I probably have enough for the two of us." Naruto grinned widely as he turned back. He stuffed his wallet back into his pocket.
Sakura gave him a heavy sigh, shaking her head. "It's no problem at all, I have more than enough to treat you both. Come on." She waved as she began leading the way to the only place still open at this time of night.
Ichiraku Ramen.
The thought of that place brought back a wave of nostalgia.
Naruto met my gaze, narrowing his eyes at me. "I think Sauske mentioned that he was really busy tonight, so I guess it will just be the two of us, Sakura."
So, he was trying to give me the slip. I should have agreed, it was my ticket to a nice quiet remainder of my evening. But for some reason I didn't.
"I'll take you up on that offer." I spoke simply, following after the two of them. I was careful to keep a distance from Sakura, I didn't want to accidentally come into contact with her. Judging by my strange reaction towards her, it would be best to avoid any physical contact.
"Great," Naruto groaned, while shooting me with dark looks. I knew that he wasn't going to be happy about me tagging along. But at this point, I was starting to wonder if I was even in control of myself.
"I thought you two were back to getting along, what happened?" Sakura asked, raising a brow as she glanced more so at Naruto.
"We are perfectly fine, the best of friends. No need to worry." He pulled a big cheesy grin on his face. He wasn't fooling either one of us. "A-anyway, how is work at the hospital… Does grandma Tsunade keep you busy?"
"Of course, we are still treating so many people from the war, it's been particularly busy trying to keep up the patient load." She sighed.
I studied her face closely now that she was distracted in her thoughts. She truly has changed over the years. I wonder why I haven't noticed until now. I recalled being slightly impressed with her increased strength during the war. She truly got much stronger. She used to always have such an annoying look on her face when she stared at me. Her constant chattering was always getting on my nerves. But the Sakura that was walking right here in front of me was completely different.
When our eyes met, I saw calmness and acceptance. She walked with her chin up, she knew her abilities, she was confident and didn't bend to the whim of anyone. It was a much more appealing quality. To help matters, she talked much less.
"I heard that once everything calms down at the hospital, granny is considering retiring." Naruto smirked, wagging his brows. "You guys may be eating with the next hokage."
I rolled my eyes instant, letting out a low snort. "In your dreams."
"What was that?" Naruto grumbled, turning to nudge me hard with his elbow. "Speak up, why don't you."
"Tch, you heard me."
Sakura turned abruptly, holding up her fist with a glare on her face. "You two better knock it off, let's just have a nice peaceful meal." Her tone was threatening.
I flinched at exactly the same time as Naruto did at the sudden surge of chakra forming in her raised fist.
Naruto raised his hands up with a shaky laugh. "Calm down Sakura, we were just joking, no need to get testy…" He shrank back away from her.
I stood my ground, meeting her challenge with a passive glance. I am Sauske Uchiha, I didn't fear anyone or anything. Even so, my heart began to race in my chest at her intent stare. I couldn't shake the feeling that was clawing inside of me.
Her eyes slid away from mine, appearing to calm down instantly as we approached Ichiraku. "Good to hear, now let's eat guys, get anything you want."
Naruto smiled widely, not pausing for a moment to take a seat and begin spouting off his order. Sakura sat down to his right side and neatly picked up a menu. Without much thought I sat down next to her and glanced at the menu. I didn't actually look at anything in particular, I would just order whatever she would get. I didn't have a picky taste. Ramen really wasn't something I'd go out of my way to eat. Not like that dobe. I don't think I've ever seen Naruto eat anything other than ramen.
We all ordered our meals and it was served in a timely manner. I took a moment to soak in every detail of my surroundings. The heat of the burners in the kitchen, the smell of savory meats and spices permeated the air and the soft sounds of my old teammates eating. Well, in Naruto's case, he sounded more like some kind of wild animal. It almost made me lose my appetite. Almost.
With some slight awkwardness I fumbled with my chopsticks. I wasn't completely used to only having one arm, it made splitting the chopsticks apart difficult. Glancing over just for a second, I noticed that Naruto was already half way done with his bowl. It didn't surprise me. He probably has had a lot of practice.
Sakura eyed me for a moment, it looked as though she was about to reach out and help. I saw her hand shift, but she restrained herself, moving her hand away. Our eyes met for a moment and like before, my heart began to race.
Does she understand? Even though it's in her nature to help, she knows her boundaries, she understands that I do not want help. I don't want to appear weak. I had to do these things on my own.
I wanted to say something, I felt like I had something to say to her, but my mind was blank. I couldn't think of anything. To my displeasure, Sakura now turned away from me and began talking to Naruto.
Just like that, I lost my chance. There was no doubt that Naruto would capture her full attention for the rest of the night. I stayed quiet and just tried to enjoy my meal. It was good enough. Like I had told Naruto, I wasn't interested in connecting with Sakura, or having any kind of romantic relationship.
So, why… why was I getting increasingly annoyed with their private conversations, or the way that Naruto's words brought a light chuckle from her. Why does she smile at him, in that way… And why does it bother me so much?
I didn't notice that I was losing control over my emotions until the chopsticks in my hand snapped into pieces.
Naruto and Sakura noticed instantly, they both looked in my direction with concern.
"Everything alright Sauske?" Sakura asked, scanning over my expression. Her emerald eyes ensnared me momentarily, but Naruto leaned over from her other side and smirked at me with a smug expression.
"Still getting used to eating with one hand. Don't feel bad, it took me nearly a week before I got the hang of it."
"Yeah," I muttered, casting my eyes down to my bowl. I'd barely eaten.
Sakura lightly slid over another pair of chopsticks, a kind smile on her face. "Here you go, with a little practice, I'm sure you will catch on."
I wasn't sure if her motivation was meant to be helpful, or to just annoy me. I decided that it would be best not to respond and just eat the meal, so I can get out of here. Tonight wasn't going the way I had expected, needless to say, I was uncomfortable.
We spent the rest of the time mostly in silence. Naruto and Sakura talked, conversation seemed so effortless for them. I almost envied Naruto, he had some kind of invisible gift that just attracted everyone around him. Everyone loved him. He even won me over. I consider him my closest friend. Although I would never admit that openly to him, or anyone.
I'm sure they wouldn't even notice me leaving. The thought crossed my mind when I finished eating, but when I stood from my seat, I felt a hard pull in my chest, causing me to freeze.
"Where are you heading off to?" Naruto asked standing up as well. He acted as though he was going to stop me from going. Funny. He was the one that didn't even want me to come along.
"Home," I muttered, avoiding eye contact with both of them.
"Aw, well thanks for coming out with us, it was nice seeing you." Sakura said with a light blanket of blush covering her cheeks.
"That's right, let's say you and I meet up at the training grounds tomorrow for one-on-one training." Naruto smiled widely.
Training might be the only thing that Naruto and I can truly bond over. It was a form of conversation that we both understood. It's how we truly learned about ourselves.
I nodded my head silently. "1pm,"
"You got it."
With that, I took my leave. My heart twisted painfully in my chest. What was my problem? I was growing frustrated with myself.
Sakura's image lingered in my thoughts as I walked towards my apartment. Her jade eyes, her soft pink hair, the lean curves of her body.
No. Let's not focus on her looks.
Chills rolled down my spine and a flash of heat shot down between my thighs. I flinched at the sudden pressure pushing against the material of my shorts. I quickened my pace. Of course now my troublesome hormones have decided to creep up on me.
I tried to refocus myself, but as I arrived at the old musky apartment building it was too late. In my head, Sakura's form was in view, with much less clothing. Delicate curves, and a look on her face that now mirrored my own. Hunger.
My apartment sat at the highest point of the complex, I didn't bother taking the stairs, I just leaped to the balcony at the top. The door creaked upon entering, the smell of dust hit my senses and the darkness of the room engulfed me. I slammed the door shut behind me and I leaned against the wall as I steadied my breathing.
I would overcome this. I would remain in control. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to think of something else. Anything else. I had to get Sakura out of my head.
My hand twitched down towards my growing hardness, but I held back. I can't give in. But the image of Sakura was staring me in the eyes, her lips parted and in a soft voice, she spoke. Sauske. Her voice sent me over the edge. Hesitantly I reached down, shifting my pants to the side to take hold of my erection. The action wasn't familiar to me. This was something I very rarely did. I had thought these feelings were deeply buried within me. They rarely surfaced. Why did this have to happen now?
I slowed my breathing as I lightly rolled the length of me between my fingers. The feeling was exquisite. My head tilted back as I continued the motions, I could feel the steady building up deep within me. My body responded, trembling. I walked myself through the dark room and into the bathroom. I moved to turn the shower on. It only took me seconds to disrobe and enter the scorching water. The heat bouncing against my bare skin only relaxed me further.
I allowed my imagination to run wild. I pictured Sakura here with me, her naked body pressed up against mine. I wonder what she felt like, her breasts. I gripped myself tighter as I quickened my pace. Her nipples firmly pressed into the palm of my hand.
Grunting, I felt my back arch. I thought about the sounds she would make. Her voice breathless and gentle as she called my name. I struggled to catch my breath. I desperately had the need to release, but I held back. I wanted to explore further. I wanted the real thing.
"Sakura," I muttered quietly as I pictured myself pinning her to the wall of the shower and thrusting inside of her. I felt my legs trembling as I tried to imagine what the inside of her would feel like. My hips met my clenched fist, again and again. The sound was like thunder, I drove myself over the edge. The force of my release that shot out from me left me almost dizzy. White ropes hitting against the wall of the shower. My teeth snapped shut as I let out one hard groan. The pleasure was overwhelming. I've never experienced something like this. Sure, I've done this before, in the past. With some immature reading material, or crude photos in a magazine… but this was completely different. The intensity caused me to slowly slide down to the floor of the shower. I let the water sprinkle down over me, further relaxing my tensed muscles. I caught my breath.
I wasn't sure how long I sat there. My head was still spinning. Perhaps now I had a better understanding of what was going on with my emotions. I was concerned that my behavior involving Sakura was turning into something… troublesome. But if this was just simple lust… I could handle that. I couldn't afford to get distracted. But lust was something I at least understood. I am a man and she is a woman. That's all it was.
If that is the case, why do I wish she was here? Why am I craving her company? My chest twisted uncomfortably as I thought of Sakura and Naruto together.
"Tch," I pulled myself up from the floor and started getting cleaned up. I'm just going to go to bed. Forget about the two of them.
Naruto's Point of View
Things were going pretty well, if I do say so myself. Spending alone time with Sakura, there was nothing better. I thought Sauske was going to try to put his big fat nose in between us. Like he always did. But now that he is gone… I have a real chance.
"So, what's on your mind, you have been unusually quiet." Sakura wondered, taking a sip of her water.
Our bowls sat empty in front of the both of us. We had been finished eating for a while now. It brought a wave of happiness to me, knowing that she was alright, just sitting here with me. We have come a long way. In the past, she would have left the second that Sauske left.
"O-oh, nothing really. I was just thinking about how much we have all changed." I admitted with a grin.
"You really think so? If you ask me, both you and Sauske are the same as you always were. Bickering like an old married couple." Sakura laughed freely, before a knowing smile came to her face. It looked like she was lost in her thoughts for a moment.
Maybe she was right. When it came to Sauske and I. We were best friends, but that didn't change the fact that neither one of us wanted the other to get too far ahead. We would always be rivals. It's the very foundation of our friendship. We became something closer to brothers. Even after spending all those years on opposite sides. I never gave up on him returning home.
"I guess that much hasn't changed. But our relationships as a team have changed a lot." I said with a nod. "You're not obsessing over winning Sauske's affections… and well… I've stopped hopelessly flirting with you… as much as I had done in the past."
Her delicate laugh brought a rush of heat to my cheeks. My heart began to race as she turned her green eyes in my direction.
"It's a little thing called growing up." She shrugged her shoulders, before she turned serious. "But I must say, I do owe you an apology… several actually."
I frowned slightly. "What for, you didn't do anything?"
"Of course I did. At first I didn't pay you any attention. I took your kindness for granted. You have always done so much for me. And I never had the chance to do anything for you."
I shook my head, stopping her before she continued. "Don't think anything of it. You know, you weren't the only one that treated me that way… everyone doubted me. But you and Sauske were the first to believe in me. We are teammates. We depend on each other."
"Yes, but I knew your feelings… I knew how you felt about me. I used your feelings to my own benefit. I was immature, cruel in fact. But I want you to know… I learned from my mistakes. I'm a better woman for it. I only hope that you can forgive me." Her hand moved out to touch mine.
I swallowed hard, glancing down at her hand. My face was burning all the way up to my ears. I cleared my throat shakily. "There is no need to say all that Sakura, really… I forgive you… we are different people now."
I didn't dare move, this was a rare situation. Sakura was willingly touching me. This moment would be branded in my thoughts for the rest of my life.
Her smile distracted me for a moment. "You're right, I think the future of our team and the village is looking bright."
In the past, I would have tried flirting with her, or making a move to get closer. I would use restraint. I knew full well, if I did, Sakura would destroy me, with one good punch. We would return to the same cycle. But we aren't kids anymore. I didn't want to mess this up. I wanted a relationship with her. From day one, I knew that I had feelings for her. Those feelings are stronger today than they have ever been in the past. We had an extensive history. We have been so close. I couldn't imagine losing all that progress.
Lightly I withdrew my hand, reluctantly. "It's getting pretty late isn't it. Would you like for me to walk you home?"
Sakura looked at me with slight surprise, but smiled in response. "I'd appreciate that."
I attempted to at least pay for my own meal, but Sakura wouldn't have it. She firmly laid down what the three of us owed. She made good money from the hospital, but I felt a bit… less than manly, having a girl pay for the meal. We walked side by side, mostly in silence. I wished that I knew what was on her mind. But she looked so content, I didn't want to disrupt her thoughts. It was good enough just to be next to her.
Sneakily, I peaked at her sideways. Admiring her body, she has changed a lot since we were kids. Her breasts filled out some, not too big, just perfect. Her hips were a bit wider, giving her a mature figure. Her backside was toned, but had just enough to catch the attention of any guy. She was beautiful. She always has been. Her hair, that she usually kept short now, had grown down past her shoulders. There hasn't been enough time for her next haircut, not with the load of work at the hospital. She would be cutting it soon, she never lets it get much longer.
I swallowed nervously as I felt my body responding. It wasn't something new to me. I've been physically attracted to Sakura for a long time. I couldn't count the times I tried sneaking a better look. As usual I pulled my jacket down a bit, hiding the bulge growing in my pants. I remained calm. She wouldn't notice, she never has before.
"Thanks for walking me home," Sakura turned to me as we paused outside of her apartment.
"Oh, u-um no problem. Have a good night, Sakura." I smiled.
Sakura's cheeks warmed, her eyes went down to her feet for a second, before meeting my gaze. Wordlessly she took a few steps closer to me and leaned in, pecking my cheek, before turning around and making her way into the building.
My hand slid up to the spot she had kissed. My arms went weak as my face ignited. I watched her leave, enjoying the sight of her. My heart was pounding so hard that it rattled my head. Sweat trickled down my neck. I was fully erect. It was going to be an uncomfortable walk home.
Until she was completely out of sight - I began to walk. I couldn't believe she did that. Sakura's lips. On me. Ugh. I wasn't sure if I could let this just pass. I had to take care of this… little issue she created.
This didn't happen often, but in the past few days… Sakura has been on my mind more and more. I knew that I was ready to pursue her, for real. My hormones didn't make things easy. I wanted to skip to the good part. The shameless flirting and brief dating… I just wanted her to be mine.
Rounding the last corner, I made it back home. I sprinted up the stairs of my building, not pausing to throw the door open and make my way inside. All the lights were still on, I never bothered turning them off, unless I was going away on a mission. It just felt natural. As if someone was here, waiting for me to return. But that wasn't the case. Once I was here, my loneliness returned. I've learned to get used to having space away from others. I didn't enjoy it. But even I needed privacy.
I removed all my clothing, letting it fall to the ground at my feet. I made a fist around myself, taking note that it was already pulsating. A few strokes brought on a feeling of euphoria. I didn't bother standing still. I walked around the house, lost in my vision of Sakura. I went to the usual fantasy. Sakura was lying in my bed in this thought, naked and asleep. I entered silently and lightly slid myself into her soft entrance. I could imagine the sounds she would make. A soft moan, or even a gasp. She wouldn't fight me, she would welcome me. Her fingers would dig into my back, not painfully, but firmly.
My head tilted back with a breathless groan. I made my way to my bedroom. It only took a second to find the secret picture that I had of Sakura. It was taken a few months after the war. The old lady wanted a picture of team seven, together. I folded the part of the picture that had Sauske, Sai and myself. Only Sakura's image was in sight now.
I laid the picture down on the bed and climbed up to hover myself over it. I didn't have the best imagination, so the picture helped. I focused on her smile face and perfect body. Shivers rolled down my spine at the pleasure. I gripped myself tighter and picked up the pace.
"Sakura," I panted quietly.
The fantasy continued, her hips bucked up to meet mine, her lips traveled down my neck. I could almost hear her moaning in my ear. Naruto. She would whisper my name. In a desperate way. She would make her needs known. She wanted me. All of me. And I wanted her. I wanted to fill her with my seed.
I groaned, feeling myself getting close to the edge. But as another thought came into my head, I felt my body start to jerk. The thought of Sakura begging for me to release inside of her. I couldn't hold back. I feverishly pounded myself and just as I was about to let loose, I pointed it in the direction of the picture. Fluid shot out in an eruption, powerful and intense. It landed all over the image of her. My breathing was labored as I stared down at her picture. My heart was racing in my chest. It lasted nearly a full minute before I could compose myself.
My body ached with yearning. I wanted the real thing. I wanted the real Sakura. Tiredly I laid down, not having the energy to clean myself up yet. It wasn't a big deal. This was almost becoming a daily chore. My thoughts continued on Sakura. I wondered what she was doing now. I wished that I could have spent more time with her.
Patience. I have to take this slowly and smartly. At least I wouldn't have to worry about Sauske. He really was the only one in the way. I wasn't sure how Sakura felt about him now. So I should stay one step ahead.
Glancing towards the window, I watched the moon, feeling my eyes getting heavy. Taking care of business always makes me tired… after it was over. I didn't bother fighting my exhaustion. After a short while, I fell asleep, with Sakura still in my thoughts.
