[AN: Seriously, this chapter almost took me down. It's long, it's angsty, it's cheesy, it's Sasuke. I hope you find it as much fun of a read as I did a write! The usual caveats apply... this content is rated M for reasonable reasons, and I do not own Naruto.]
Sasuke awoke to the late-May Konoha sunshine streaming into his childhood bedroom. To his libido's disappointment, he found himself alone. For last night had been Sakura's much-anticipated bachelorette outing, planned by the blonde menace otherwise known as Yamanaka Ino, and it was supposed to have ended in a kunoichis-only sleepover.
With a full-body stretch - okay, so maybe there were certain benefits to sleeping solo - Sasuke found his thoughts turning, as they so often did, to his presently absent bride-to-be. He was somewhat curious as to how her evening had gone, particularly given that Sakura had seemed to have had no idea what her best friend had been planning as recently as lunchtime yesterday.
What did four kunoichi who already knew everything that there was to know about one other even do for a bachelorette outing anyway? Given the baby, Sakura obviously wouldn't have been drinking. And, since it was an evening affair, a trip to a spa or onsen was presumably out. Dinner? Dancing? Talking? A show? Shopping? Something… else?
Sasuke frowned as a rather displeasing thought occurred to him. While his bachelor party had consisted primarily of drinking, they could get pretty raunchy, and he suspected that the same was liable to be true of bachelorette shindigs, particularly given Yamanaka's involvement. Hiring a stripper was a bachelor party stereotype. Male strippers existed. Surely, Ino wouldn't have subjected Sakura to anything like that? Given how flustered most things sex related tended to get her, he had a hard time envisioning his fiancee agreeing to that sort of thing. But if she didn't know… or under Yamanaka's strong-willed influence... it seemed like a possibility. A very disturbing, decidedly unwelcome possibility.
Now, it wasn't like Sasuke thought that Sakura would actually have been tempted to do anything more than look if Ino had, in fact, hired a stripper. But the thought of her looking... and of another man seeing those big, hungry emerald eyes that he'd gotten so used to having focused on him. Of her cheeks turning that delicate peachy-pink color that signaled her arousal under another's gaze. Of her licking those plush, pillowy lips out of a desire for someone else. Someone different…
Sasuke rolled over onto his back, all of a sudden feeling much too hot underneath his blanket. Sakura was trustworthy, loyal, and cared about him more than words could say. Other than a bit of anxiety here and there that presumably came from having to keep her pregnancy a secret and planning a wedding in a matter of weeks, she'd seemed in good-enough spirits since their engagement. All the same, he couldn't quite let go of an ugly, creeping suspicion that, happy as she seemed to be about the prospect of marrying him now, that sometime, someday, she'd find herself wondering what it would be like to be with someone else. Someone goofy and playful, like Naruto. Or suave and articulate, like Itachi. Or flirty and outgoing, like Shisui. Or a manipulative asshole, like his cousin, Ebisu. And if that day came… when it did… what would become of them? Would she resent him? Feel that she'd been trapped? Their relationship had progressed quite quickly. Why, just a few months ago they were little more than friends and team-
A soft knock on his bedroom door cut him off mid-brood. "Sasuke-kun? It's after eleven. Are you up?"
Kaa-san. Had he really slept that late? "Ah."
"Good. I don't mean to disturb you but… a couple of the Elders are out on the engawa. They were hoping to speak with you for just a few minutes. Something about plans for renovating that park on the far side of the compound?"
Great. Just what he needed. House guests. Rubbing his face to chase away any last vestiges of sleep, Sasuke let out a heavy sigh.
"Sasuke-kun?"
"Kaa-san… could you tell them I'll be there in five minutes?"
"Ah."
For a moment, Sasuke remained in bed, listening to his mother's soft footsteps turn back down the hall. Then, aware that the Elders never liked to be kept waiting, he willed himself up and over to his dresser, promising himself that he'd return to his concerns about Sakura.
Later.
The thing about "later," at least when one was Acting Uchiha Clan Head, had a wedding in less than a week, and was planning to leave town the day after the nuptial festivities for a three-week honeymoon in the Land of Tea, was that "later" sometimes meant days later. Or even never.
As feared, "the few minutes" that Sasuke's visitors had requested ended up turning into a five-hour marathon meeting. For Eiichi and Daiki had come prepared with blueprints, a detailed construction schedule that spanned the next eight months, and an understandably nervous young landscape architect named Kenji. Despite the temptation to send them all away with the stern observation that it was Sunday, Sasuke couldn't risk alienating two of his more prominent clansmen quite then. After all, he and Sakura would be appearing before their ranks for her largely ceremonial, but still extremely pivotal, Uchiha clan registration ceremony later that week, and he really didn't want the experience to be any more uncomfortable for her than it was already going to be. And, of course, there was also the baby issue to think about.
Eiichi and Daiki left in the early evening, after the usual bowing and "thank you for your time, Uchiha-sama" bullshit that no one actually ever meant. As the door shut behind their prestigious backs, Sasuke thought about stopping by Sakura's apartment for dinner, sex, and maybe a word or two about how her bachelorette party had gone. Then, he remembered that this was the last Sunday of the month, so she was currently at the hospital for an overnight shift.
Silently cursing his misfortune, he relented to his mother's insistence that he keep her company in the kitchen while she whipped up dinner. For the next hour-plus of his life, he'd sat at the table, idly playing with a shuriken and tuning in and out as she chatted at him about the centerpieces for the wedding reception, the menu for this coming Friday's rehearsal dinner (even though the Harunos were technically the ones hosting it), and whether he remembered what day the tailor had told him to pick up his kimono for the ceremony. Of course he did. It was this coming Wednesday. And, no, he did not need her to come with or do it for him. He was almost twenty-five for Kami's sake.
Monday and Tuesday were absolutely jammed full of clan crap. In addition to the usual disputes, budgeting sessions, and assorted commission reports that usually characterized his AUCH responsibilities, Yua-obaa-san noted right at the start of their Monday meeting that Konoha's midsummer festival was just under a month away and that they had yet to even begin discussing how the Uchiha clan would be contributing this year. Which, of course, in the eyes of seemingly everyone in attendance except Sasuke, was an utter travesty because festivals were the way to make a statement to the rest of the village about how fabulous and awesome and powerful the clan remained.
Ah. Clearly, splitting fireworks costs with the Hyuuga was an act of great power and influence. Sasuke thought about arguing, or at least suggesting that maybe, just maybe, there was something more useful they could be doing, but once again, the knowledge that the Uchiha Elders could very well make life a living nightmare for his soon-to-be wife and future child stopped him in his tracks. Instead, with a tired sigh, he approved Yua's motion to commence discussion and furtively sent a hawk off to Naruto and Sakura, informing them that they'd better move their Team 7 lunch plans to Thursday because there was no way in hell he'd be sneaking off to Ichiraku anytime sooner.
On Wednesday, Sasuke spent all day with the rest of the Konoha clan heads, the Hokage, and his positively ancient advisors at their biweekly Konoha Clan Council meeting. Unlike the Uchiha clan gatherings he'd been subjected to on Monday and Tuesday, this session was both interesting and meaningful, even if it did run until half-past nine in the evening. Sasuke wasn't usually the type to be star struck, but it was pretty cool to be sitting there, as the representative of two-hundred sixty-three fellow clansmen, alongside men including Hyuuga Hiashi, Nara Shikaku, and Akimichi Choza and directly across the table from Namikaze Minato himself, weighing in on issues and policies that truly had an impact on life in Konoha.
After the council adjourned and Minato-sama wished him well for his upcoming wedding, Sasuke strongly considered a trip over to Sakura's apartment. He hadn't seen her since midday Saturday, after all, and could really use a bit of physical relaxation that he suspected she'd be only too happy to provide. Then again… given that it was at least a twenty-minute walk to her place from the Hokage's tower and she'd had a twelve-hour shift at the hospital that day, maybe it would be better not to disturb her beauty rest. Besides, they'd rescheduled their Team 7 lunch for tomorrow, so it wasn't all that much longer to wait. And he still had to pick up his kimono from the tailor. Fuck!
Sasuke sprinted back to the Uchiha District, only to find that the old woman had closed up shop hours ago. Which was totally fair and reasonable given that it was quarter-past ten in the evening, but seriously kaa-san was going to murder him. Once again, he debated a trip over to Sakura's - this time, out of self-preservation - but he thought better of it, figuring that he might as well take his punishment like a shinobi. And so, he returned home to find that his mother had gone and collected his kimono earlier in the day for him, despite his earlier insistence that that really wouldn't be necessary. Because "I just happened to be down the street and figured that you'd be busy with all your Acting Head responsibilities, Sasuke-kun! Now why don't you go put it on and show your kaa-san how it looks."
Ever the dutiful son and rather grateful for her interference, he did as requested, more or less remembering how the tailor had instructed him to tie his obi. After a quick check in the mirror to make sure he didn't look totally ridiculous, he returned to the living room where his mother promptly burst into tears about "how grown up you look, Sasuke-kun! I can't believe this day has come!" and his father grunted something that sounded suspiciously like "Not bad, son." Which was pretty damn emotive for Uchiha Fugaku, actually.
Thursday was supposed to be his long-awaited lunch date with Naruto and Sakura, as well as his last official day of AUCH duties ahead of his wedding. While another Uchiha clan meeting was scheduled for the morning, Uchiha Daiki, the old geezer who ruled the agenda with an iron fist, had promised him that it would only be a half-day affair at most because, "We completely understand and respect how busy you must be right now, Uchiha-sama, what with your upcoming nuptial responsibilities."
Liars. Liars the lot of them. Contrary to everything Daiki had said, the session ran until six in the evening, and, once again, Sasuke found himself furtively sending out a hawk to Naruto and Sakura in the middle of the morning to inform them that they should get together for lunch without him. He felt bad… he really did. But what else was he supposed to do? Tell the Elders to shove it and bow out at noon? Maybe in his dreams… or in a year or two when more of them were in his corner. But now, with Sakura scheduled to appear before the committee late tomorrow morning and the knowledge that he needed to earn as much good will as possible if he wanted to have any shot of their baby's suspiciously early birthdate going unmentioned, his hands were utterly and completely tied. And so, he sucked it up and sat there for the six additional hours that his presence was apparently demanded, listening ever so patiently and broodily as some distant relation whose name he couldn't be bothered to remember went over an itemized list of anticipated expenses for the following year. On May 31. Because, apparently, the Uchiha clan was that far ahead of the curve.
Fortunately, things improved quite a bit when he returned home for dinner that night... Itachi was back from Takigakure a full fourteen hours early! He looked tired and a little sunburnt, but other than that was his usual calm, quietly supportive self, and Sasuke really couldn't be more grateful for his presence. Of course, Itachi's arrival meant that Shisui had also invited himself over for dinner, but Sasuke was feeling slightly less antagonistic towards him, so that wasn't even that big of a deal. For, while he'd never forget the fact that Sakura had not only kissed his cousin but actually considered going home with him the night of her twenty-fifth birthday, barring some sort of unmitigated disaster in the next thirty-six hours, he (Sasuke) had handily won the war for Haruno Sakura's heart. Not that Shisui had ever really had all that much of a chance to start.
Over the course of the evening, Shisui was his usual teasing self, doing his best to bait Sasuke with all sorts of positively eye roll-inducing questions/comments about wedding nerves, fake expectations for the ceremony and reception, crazy crap that he'd heard had happened at someone's wedding once, and, when his parents were safely out of earshot, sex tips for the wedding night. "I know you're probably going to be nervous - I mean, Sakura-chan's a total babe - but slow and steady, little cousin. Slow and steady does it."
Why, oh why, did his brother have to be best friends with Shisui, again?
The curly-haired menace ducked out sometime after eleven, and, while he attempted to cajole Itachi into going wherever the fuck he was headed, his nii-san very fortunately declined the invite. "Have fun, Shi-kun. I think I'm probably going to turn in early. Besides," he cast a small smile in Sasuke's direction, "I'd like to get some quiet time in with my otouto before his wedding weekend."
The older man responded with a gallant shrug, a jovial "suit yourself, Tachi!," and an absolutely enraging attempt to ruffle Sasuke's hair. Like he was freaking six or something. Sasuke dodged, because ninja, and then shot his cousin a positively bloodcurdling scowl at which he had the audacity to chuckle. No one except Sakura touched the hair.
Once Shisui had set off into the balmy Konoha night, Itachi let out a rather significant sigh, shaking his head slightly as his friend's antics. "So, Sasuke. Fancy some tea and a chat?"
Finally. Sasuke followed Itachi into the kitchen, quietly observing as his brother gently set the kettle on to boil and fished out some chai and a little bottle of honey from the cabinet to the right of the stove. He felt a bit nervous, actually, which maybe wasn't so strange. After all, he and Itachi had a lot of catching up to do, and some of the matters presently on his mind were… concerning. He had full confidence in his brother's ability to sort out his shit - the man was a tactical genius - but he wasn't necessarily relishing having to go over all the details. Not to mention that he probably had a thing or two to say about the fact that he'd knocked up his girlfriend. Thanks to how little time Itachi spent in the village, they hadn't really had a chance to discuss that particular development yet, and it wasn't his smoothest move ever.
A few minutes later, Itachi passed him a steaming mug of tea, careful to make sure that he kept the one containing the two tablespoons of honey for himself. Then, with a small incline of his head, they charted a course for Itachi's bedroom. Upon arriving, his brother flicked on the light, set his mug on the bedside table, and stretched his wiry frame out on the bed while Sasuke shut the door behind him and took his usual seat at his brother's desk.
After a long sip of tea and a vintage nii-san warning that the beverage was still quite hot, Itachi got down to business. "So, Sasuke-kun. First thing's first. How is Sakura?"
How was Sakura. What a question. Given that Sasuke hadn't seen Sakura in five days, he couldn't actually give his brother the most current answer. And even if he did try to address the question, well, what exactly did Itachi mean by it? Physically, she was fine… a little nauseous here and there, but nothing an occasional dose of whatever medication she was taking for it couldn't solve. Mentally, she seemed to be hanging in there as well. Sure, she'd seem a bit touchier lately - quicker to anger, quicker to cry, needier when it came to physical displays of affection - but that was because of her hormones, right? That and the dual stressors of the wedding and the baby. And career wise… well, he didn't really think Itachi was asking how work at Konoha General was going.
"She's… fine."
"Fine, hn?" Itachi didn't look particularly convinced or impressed, although the cues were subtle, no more than a small downturn at the very edges of his lips. "And… your child?"
His child. The way Itachi said it was so… possessive. Which made sense. It was, after all, his and Sakura's child. He just hadn't really had all that much time to think about it in that way quite yet, what with everything else going on.
"Fine. It…" It probably wasn't great to call it an it, right? "He or she is fine."
Itachi nodded once, the emotion swirling in his dark eyes unfathomable. "And… how are you, otouto?"
Kami, how was he. His aniki was really starting off with the brainbusters tonight. Once again, his answer really depended on what exactly Itachi meant by his question. Sasuke realized this was probably supposed to be his big opportunity to open up and tell Itachi what exactly was troubling him… those pesky worries about whether he would truly be able to make Sakura happy in the long run, how the baby was going to work out, and where in life he was headed. But getting into all that when Itachi had merely asked him how he was… it required so much context.
And so, Sasuke stuck with what had worked so far. "Fine. I'm fine."
Itachi's left eyebrow slowly rose toward his hairline in a clear expression of disbelief. "Sakura is fine. The child is fine. You are fine. Then, Sasuke… if everyone, is in fact, fine, I fail to see what it is that we have to discuss."
Ouch. Okay, Itachi definitely had him there. Sasuke leaned back in the desk chair, arms crossing over his chest. Why did communication always have to be so awkward? It had been this way ever since he was a child, and, while his mother had assured him that expressing himself would get easier as he matured, that hadn't really been the case. With his brother, it was usually better, although he suspected that this had more to do with Itachi's willingness to forgive and infer than his own efforts. But tonight, it seemed that his aniki wasn't in the mood to be quite so charitable. Which totally sucked because he could really use some help about now.
And so, forcing himself to meet his brother's impassive gaze, Sasuke vowed to do better. For Sakura. For the baby. "Nii-san, can we start over?"
"Tch. Fine. How is Sakura?"
"She's… stressed."
"Hn. Why?"
"The wedding, probably. The baby."
"That sounds reasonable. While I don't have any direct experience with either matter, it is my understanding that weddings and babies are stressful. Speaking of the baby… how many in the village know? I assume from the good cheer at dinner tonight that you haven't told kaa-san or tou-san?"
"No. Just you. And Senju Tsunade. And… Naruto."
Itachi was usually an exceedingly patient brother. As such, the fact that he actually rolled his eyes at that admission was a damning statement of how big of a slip-up his drunken little outburst at the Twisted Kunai had been.
"You told Uzumaki Naruto," he repeated flatly. "So, half of Konoha is likely aware."
Sasuke bit his lip, somewhat peeved by how foolish Itachi always made him sound. Just because he never fucked anything up didn't mean that it was easy. "The dobe hasn't said anything… I have dirt on him too."
"Hn?"
"Hinata's pregnant as well. They don't want the Hyuuga clan to know yet. He agreed not to say anything about Sakura if I kept his secret."
Itachi smirked, dark eyes glittering. "And, yet, you just told me."
Sasuke sighed, raking a hand through his dark locks. "Ah. But… you're you, Tachi. I trust you."
His brother wasn't usually the type to succumb to ego stroking… he was too clever for it. Still, it was worth a try, right?
Itachi remained quiet for a moment, taking another small sip of his beverage. Then, his searching gaze returned to Sasuke's face. "Then, if Sakura is stressed and the baby remains a secret, how are you, little brother?"
"I'm…" In way over my head. Not sure where any of this is headed. Really, really wishing I hadn't assumed that Sakura had thought about protection back on her birthday night. Totally and completely fucked. "I'm not great, nii-san."
"Not great," Itachi repeated in that slow and measured older brother tone that was so goddamn infuriating. "Why? Are you not marrying the woman of your dreams in less than forty-eight hours? Will that not resolve all of your previously stated worries about the wedding and the baby?"
Once again, his brother made him sound like such an idiot. How did he do it? Every single time. "I… am. And yes, that… should. But, well, there's something else, Tachi." Because, when it came to Sakura, there always was.
Itachi sighed again, long and slow. If Sasuke didn't know better, he would have said that his ever-so-patient older brother actually seemed somewhat annoyed with him. "Sasuke. For once, I'm going to need to ask you to be more... specific."
More specific. He could do that. For Sakura. For the baby. "It's just… well, everything with Sakura has happened so quickly, nii-san."
"Indeed. And that comes as a surprise? Forgive me, Sasuke, but you have always been rather impulsive."
Okay, now, Itachi was just being obnoxious. Clenching his jaw in what was probably a foolhardy effort to disguise his annoyance, Sasuke barged ahead. "I worry… that she'll come to resent me, Tachi. That, with time, she'll come to loathe our marriage and everything it's taken from her."
This time, both of Itachi's brows arched upwards in an expression of frank surprise. Which, in turn, surprised Sasuke. Because Itachi, pretty much since his birth, had always seemed to have been able to predict exactly what he was thinking.
"And, what exactly do you believe that your marriage will take away from Sakura-chan, Sasuke-kun?"
His brother's tone had suddenly grown much softer and sweeter, and the gentleness behind it was music to Sasuke's ears. Itachi was listening now. Really listening. He would fix this just like he always did.
"Her freedom. Her autonomy. Marriage, the clan, motherhood... they all come with expectations. Sakura… she's told me that she knows this. That she's accepted it. But, well, nii-san, I worry all the same. What if… at some future date, she decides it was all a mistake?"
Silence. Itachi lay on his bed as if frozen, ebony eyes blown wide and thin lips slightly parted. In almost twenty-five years of existence, Sasuke had never before seen such an expression on his brother's face. Was this how the great Uchiha Itachi appeared when caught absolutely flat footed? Had he not been so worried, so emotionally drained by everything he had just managed to eke out, Sasuke very much suspected that he would have found himself somewhat tempted to laugh.
The moments ticked by, and, gradually, his brother came back to life. His long lashes flickered a few times in quick succession, and he wet his lips. Then, clearing his throat, Itachi spoke once more, his tone softer and silkier than Sasuke had ever before heard it.
"Sasuke. I… appreciate you coming to me with your concerns. And I hope you know that I will always be here for you, no matter what happens. But, in this case, I am afraid there is little I myself can do for you, other than proffer some advice. If you can find it in yourself to be as honest and open with Sakura as you've been tonight with me… then, otouto, I believe the future should leave you with little to fear."
His brother had always enjoyed speaking in riddles. This one had a straightforward enough solution, although it filled Sasuke with a decidedly uncomfortable sense of dread all the same. Somehow, despite a schedule packed to the gills with pre-wedding activities, he needed to talk to Sakura. Tomorrow. Alone.
The next morning, the day before his wedding, Sasuke woke early, a nervous pit having formed in his stomach overnight. Checking the alarm clock to the right of his bed, he verified the time. Seven nineteen. In three hours and forty-one minutes, he and Sakura were due to appear before the Uchiha Elders, and her name would be added to the clan register for posterity. And before that… he needed to speak with her. Urgently.
Painfully aware that time was of the essence, Sasuke clambered out of bed and threw on a pair of standard-issue jounin pants and a clan shirt, in navy this time, because Sakura told him once that that particular hue brought out the midnight in his eyes, and anything he could do to make the upcoming confrontation less uncomfortable was well worth it in his book. Once dressed, he ran a hand distractedly through his dark locks, aware that his hair probably looked like utter and complete shit but not really having the time or desire to deal with it. For getting it into any sort manageable state took at least a good five minutes, which he definitely did not have.
After a brief stop-off in the bathroom, Sasuke barreled down the hall that led to his and Itachi's bedrooms and into the main living space. He had intended to forego breakfast, but the dulcet tone of his mother's "Good morning, Sasuke-kun! Why don't you come in and have some eggs!" could not be denied.
Joining her in the kitchen, Sasuke was exceedingly displeased to discover that Mikoto was not alone. Itachi and Shisui were both there, sitting at the table in their jounin duds with plates of her famous tamagoyaki in front of them. A smudge of dirt on Itachi's left cheek and the dampness of Shisui's springy curls told him that they'd likely just come in from a bit of early morning sparring.
Sasuke took his usual place directly across from Itachi, and his brother gave him a small smile, the hint of soft encouragement behind it warming him down to his toes. "Good morning, otouto. How did you sleep?"
"Fine." It was a lie. He had tossed and turned for hours, wondering how he was going to say to Sakura what he had barely managed to communicate to his brother. But in mixed company, he obviously couldn't express any of that. Which Itachi seemed to recognize, judging from his knowing little half-nod.
His mother placed a plate in front of him, and Sasuke dove in, scarcely tasting his food as he sought to consume it as fast as was humanly possible. He'd probably burned a good half-hour of the morning already. His mother had given him such a big portion of tamagoyaki too… would she be offended if he didn't eat it all? Probably. Okay, five more minutes, and then he'd be on his way. It would take at least fifteen minutes to get to Sakura's. And, of course, he wouldn't be able to just bare his soul the minute he walked through the door. No, there'd need to be at least a few minutes of set up…
Glancing up from his breakfast, Sasuke discovered that Shisui was staring at him, his full lips curved upwards in a rather bemused smile. "What?" he managed to ask through a mouth chock-full of egg.
"In a hurry are we, little cousin? I'm sure you have lots to do, it being the eve of your wedding and all. But do remember to chew your food. Mikoto-obasan's tamagoyaki is to be savored!"
From someplace over by the stove, Mikoto let out a flattered little laugh. "Oh, Shisui-kun, it's nothing fancy! Just wholesome, simple fare! I can give you the recipe if you'd like." Then, crossing over to the table, she rested a warm hand on Sasuke's left shoulder. "Remember that the Elders are expecting you and Sakura-chan at eleven, Sasuke-kun. Best be a few minutes early if you can manage it… they appreciate punctuality. Afterwards, why don't you bring Sakura over for lunch. There are a couple of final points for the reception tomorrow I was hoping to discuss. And then, of course, there's your meeting with Yua-obaasan at four to go over the ceremony, which should last an hour or two, I expect. After that, it will be time for dinner!"
All of a sudden, Sasuke was feeling distinctly nauseous. Forcing himself to swallow his monster mouthful of tamagoyaki, he pushed the plate back on the table. Three-quarters down. That was quite enough of that. Shooting his far-too-jolly cousin one more withering glare, he rose to his feet. "Shisui. Have the rest of my breakfast. I need to get going."
The older man reached for his plate as his mother frowned in concern. "Is everything all right, Sasuke-kun? You seem a little tense."
"Ah, kaa-san, I'm fine. It's just… I haven't seen Sakura since Saturday afternoon, and I wanted... to check in on her."
Shisu snickered, which earned him a much-deserved elbowing from Itachi. Meanwhile, Mikoto let out a little "Oh!," her cheeks turning pink. Usually, Sasuke would have immediately denied whatever licentiousness the two of them were thinking - for once, it wasn't even true - but with the minutes ticking away, he found himself less than caring. Instead, with a vague nod in his brother's direction, he exited the kitchen, darted to the front door, slipped on his shinobi sandals, and dashed off to Sakura's, praying to all of the shinobi gods at once that she was home and alone.
Ten minutes later, somewhat breathless and decidedly sweaty but rather pleased with his record-breaking performance all the same, Sasuke let himself into Sakura's apartment through her living room window after confirming that no tittering Yamanakas and/or frenetic Haruno parents were lurking. He didn't actually see any sign of his fiancee, but a half-empty schooner of coffee on her kitchen table and the sound of running water confirmed that she was definitely around. And showering. Hn.
Sasuke removed his sandals and made his way over to Sakura's black couch, carefully stepping around the multitude of moving boxes covering the floor, the coffee table, and pretty much every other visible surface in the apartment. He cleared off places for he and Sakura to sit and then settled in, idly surveying the room. While he wasn't a big fan of the coffee table and loathed that old lamp with the bright-orange shade she'd inherited from her grandmother with a fiery passion, her sofa was going to look so nice in the living room of their new home in the Uchiha District. Much better than the dove-gray monstrosity he'd bled all over back in March.
A couple of minutes passed, the water stopped, and Sasuke heard the jangle of metal curtain rungs sliding against a shower pole. Tch. No. Now was not the time for an erection. After all, they had extremely serious business to discuss and just over two hours before they were due to appear before the Elders. Sasuke shifted slightly on the sofa to help address his annoyance, ears pricking at the sound of the bathroom door creaking open. He wet his lips to announce his presence, but Sakura beat him to it. "Sasuke-kun… is that you?"
After almost a week's absence, her voice sounded so soft and sweet. "Ah," he confirmed, turning his head at the sound of her soft footsteps coming down the hall. And what he saw caused his mouth to go dry.
Sakura stood at the precipice of her living room, the yellowy light from the bathroom silhouetting her slender figure. Her hair was down, wet from the shower, and somewhat pinker than usual, a perfect complement to her flushed cheeks and dewy lips. Today, she had dispensed with the terry cloth bathrobe she usually favored. Instead, a cream-colored towel was wrapped around her torso, showing off her toned legs to glorious effect. And if that wasn't tempting enough, an errant droplet of water suddenly decided to tease him further, trailing its way along her delicate jawline, down her long neck, and across her left collarbone before running into her cleavage. His lips had never been so envious.
If Sakura noticed him leering, she chose not to comment. Instead, shifting slightly back-and-forth on her bare feet in what he recognized as one of her nervous tics, she gave him a small, somewhat muted smile. "It's been awhile, Sasuke-kun. If I didn't know better, I would have worried that you'd forgotten where I lived."
Sasuke nodded, forcing his eyes back up to her face. Serious business. T-minus two hours before the Elders. "Ah," he agreed shortly. "I'm… sorry. I've been busy."
She pursed her lips, expression unreadable. "I figured. Did our appointment with the Elders get moved up? I wasn't expecting you for another hour, at least."
"No. I wanted to see you. There's something we should discuss. Before the meeting."
A flicker of concern shadowed her emerald eyes. "Oh. Of course. As it happens, there's something I wanted to talk to you about as well. Let me just go put on some clothes."
She pivoted on her heel, and Sasuke swallowed hard at the memory of how very nice that pert little ass of hers had looked this time a week ago, when he'd taken her from behind on the very same couch on which he presently sat. Her on her knees, bucking against him as she wailed into an accent pillow. His hips pistoning into her glistening...
Tch. Focus. Since when he had been such a goddamn pervert? He sounded like Jiraiya, for fuck's sake.
Sasuke shut his eyes and worked his way through a few of the old shinobi breathing exercises he'd long ago learned at the Academy. The routine had originally been intended to help keep one's nerves cool and calm ahead of battle, but he had found quite a few novel applications for it over the years. It worked quite well... so much so that, when Sakura strolled back into her living room five minutes later, clad in a pair of extremely short pajama shorts decorated with little kunai and one of his old clan T-shirts, his eyelids barely twitched.
"Do you want anything to drink?" she asked, fetching her coffee mug from the table. Sasuke declined, and she nodded, weaving her way through the maze of boxes to join him on the sofa, the slight scent of honeysuckle that clung to her candy-colored tresses washing over him.
She curled up at his side, legs tucking up underneath her body, and let out a surprisingly heavy sigh. "So, what was it you wanted to discuss, Sasuke?"
He frowned, the implications of what he intended to say hitting him all at once. Fuck. He couldn't do it. "You first." It wasn't that he was stalling for time, exactly. He was just... being a gentleman by letting her go first. That was it.
Another sigh. It was a bit of an unusual experience, having Sakura this moody. Usually he was the broody one.
"Sasuke-kun. I'm sorry for bringing this up now. So close to the wedding."
She was sorry. Close to the wedding. All of a sudden, he knew exactly where this conversation was headed. Just as he'd predicted to Itachi last night, she'd seen the light and realized that Uchiha Sakura was exactly whom she did not want to be. While he hadn't expected this day to arrive nearly so soon, he couldn't really blame her. What with all of his AUCH responsibilities, he'd been a by-and-large MIA fiance, after all. Was that what had triggered it? Or, perhaps, her bachelorette party? Had another man, be he stripper or shinobi, clued her in to the fact that there was a whole, wide world of options beyond himself out there? And what of their baby? As a medic, Sakura obviously knew her choices. Clan custom said that it was a crime to give up a child with Uchiha blood. But, if that was what she wanted…
So lost in his own head, Sasuke missed the fact that Sakura had started speaking again. That was, until a surprising name from his past escaped her lips.
"... know I shouldn't listen to people like Akira, but it's just so hard when there's so much I don't know. I mean, I understand that there's plenty you can't tell me, and that's okay. That's ANBU. And, I'm aware that you're a private person, and I want to respect that. But, well, I just wish we could be a little more open with each other, Sasuke-kun. When we can be."
For a moment, Sasuke actually found himself somewhat relieved. Sakura wasn't breaking things off. They were still "we." Then, his exceedingly frazzled mind fully processed everything else that had surrounded that blessed pronoun, and a different sort of anxiety shot up his spine.
Akira. Sakura had spoken with Nakamura Akira. About him. Sweet Kami, the dobe was right.
Sasuke's first impetus was to not say anything. But he'd learned a thing or two from Sakura's birthday weekend. While it might feel like it sometimes, life was not the same thing as ANBU torture training, and silence had an alarming tendency to escalate seemingly petty issues. Besides, given that Sakura had just told him that she wanted him to open up to her, shrugging off her concerns would pretty much be a slap in the face.
On the other hand, Sakura hadn't actually said what exactly she and Nakamura had discussed, and Sasuke saw no point in oversharing. There was, after all, quite a bit that the woman could have said, much of which his wife-to-be simply did not need to know. And so, like any good shinobi cornered on a scouting mission, before giving himself up, he decided to do a bit of cautious probing. "Sakura… what exactly have you heard?"
The kunoichi bit her lip, a surefire sign of nervousness. "Well, one of the more… common rumors is that you've, uh… been with over two-hundred women."
In fairness, Sasuke hadn't kept track of exactly how many women there had been pre-Sakura. That being said, the number was nowhere close to that. Aware that an eye roll was liable to be misread, he contented himself with a simple "tch" of disbelief. "What else?"
"That you lost your virginity on an espionage mission in Kiri. To the Mizukage."
Kami help him. Truly, honestly, he wanted to take Sakura's concerns seriously, but, this time, there was no avoiding the eye roll. "Sakura, the last time I set foot in Water Country was with you, Naruto, and Kakashi. I was twelve."
His companion nodded fervently. "That's what I told Ami! Don't get me wrong… I didn't believe that bit for a heartbeat. It's just... there's so much gossip out there. After a while, it becomes difficult to know what to think."
"Hn. Next time, when someone says something... annoying. Just ask me about it."
Sakura blinked with what appeared to be sheer amazement. "You won't mind?"
"No." Not if it meant never having to go through this mess again. "Now, what did Nakamura Akira tell you?" In Sasuke's mind, that was really the million ryo question. For utterly ridiculous prattle spread by gossipy hospital colleagues whom he had never even met was a simple enough matter to dismiss. But ex-partners who did have certain insights into his ANBU-era proclivities seemed potentially more… problematic.
Sure enough, emerald eyes darted downwards, suddenly avoiding his gaze. "Akira said… well... that the two of you used to be together."
Together. While it was true that he and Akira had slept together on a few occasions, they had never been together in the manner that Sakura was quite clearly thinking. Perhaps, his fiancee had misunderstood? Or, had Akira intentionally made it seem like they had shared some sort of emotional attachment? Probably. For what purpose, he couldn't really say, although he suspected that Sakura's status as Senju Tsunade's apprentice might have something to do with it. For, while he knew and respected how hard Sakura worked, there were plenty of operatives who looked down upon less combat-oriented shinobi like her.
Sasuke wet his lips, not entirely sure how to best proceed but also painfully aware that the longer the silence stretched, the more damning it seemed. "Sakura. Nakamura and I were never anything serious. We had sex four times; the last almost a year ago. On all occasions, it was a simple arrangement. Nothing more."
"Right."
Sakura's gaze remained locked on her balled-up fists, leaving him with the distinct impression that she wasn't entirely convinced by his explanation. Probably because describing a former fling as "nothing serious" was exactly the sort of thing that someone who was trying to hide more would say. Much as he would prefer not to dig any deeper into the mess that was his Black Ops mindset, a bit more context was apparently warranted.
"Sakura, ANBU operatives… they see a lot. To manage, they sometimes develop certain habits..."
He broke off, for, all of a sudden, his companion was nodding sagely, the hurt that he'd previously seen in her eyes replaced by an almost clinical intensity. "I see. Your ANBU coping strategy - that is, to say, the way you dealt with all the crap they put you through - was casual sex."
Sasuke blinked, surprised by the matter-of-fact attitude. "How did you -"
"I'm a medic-nin with clearance to treat Black Ops. Work in clinical psychiatry was a required piece of that training."
That all appeared to check out. But if she understood, how had Nakamura so fully managed to get under her skin?
Sakura seemed to sense his confusion. Taking his left hand between her own, much smaller, pair, she smiled somewhat sadly. "Sasuke-kun, it's not really the fact that you have a past that upsets me. Even if hearing about it from Akira as opposed to you was a little… unpleasant. It's more that I can't help but think - silly as this probably sounds right now - that, someday, you'll miss parts of ANBU."
Miss ANBU? The steady stream of assassinations, seduction missions, and espionage assignments? The depravities committed by so many of his targets? The memories that kept him up at night? The ever-present knowledge that death was one misstep, one false move away? Was Sakura insane?
At his utterly flummoxed scoff, she hummed in acknowledgment. "I don't mean all of it! But, what about… the adrenaline rush of giving your all for the village? The mystique, the camaraderie. I mean, being AUCH can get lonely, neh? And, well…" she trailed off, her cheeks turning rosy. "The variety. As your wife, I intend to do my best to be... a good companion. But, there are certain things, certain experiences that you may have had..."
She trailed off, the wariness in her big green eyes startling in its intensity, and Sasuke found himself even more off balance than before.
Couldn't she see that ANBU was his past? That this, their life together, was his present and future? And that, despite all the shit they'd had to deal with in the past two months - the Uchiha Elders, the stress of the wedding and the baby, the meddling of idiots like Shisui and Yamanaka Ino - he had honestly never been happier?
Probably not. It wasn't like he'd actually told her any of that. Yet. And, as he'd seen on her birthday night, just because Sakura could interpret his repertoire of "hns," "ahs," and "tchs" an impressive percentage of the time, that didn't mean she always knew exactly what he was thinking. Which was why he was there now. To talk to her. He could do this. He had to.
"They don't matter. None of that matters, Sakura."
"But what if -"
"There is no 'if.' This. You. This life we have together… it's everything I want. But only…"
While appearances were infinitely deceiving, Sakura looked so fragile sitting there beside him, tendrils of pink framing her flushed face. Oh, but it was tempting to ignore his concerns, to forget about the conversation that he and Itachi had shared last night, to kiss those glorious lips senseless and selfishly lose himself in her. But he couldn't do it. Sakura deserved better than that… more than that.
"... only if you are of the same mind. I never intended to... force you into this, Sakura."
"Force me…?" She repeated slowly, as if the words were foreign on her tongue. "Sasuke-kun… you could never force me. This… you… I chose -"
"Ah. You chose. You feel that you chose. But what if, one day, you decide that you don't like what you chose? If you conclude… that you didn't really choose any of it yourself?"
Honestly, Sasuke hadn't been sure how Sakura would react to what he had to say. A decade ago, he would have guessed tears, and, a half-decade back, anger. But this Sakura, the woman she had become… well, she certainly kept him on his toes. Never, not even if he lived to be a hundred, would he have predicted the silvery tinkle of laughter that suddenly spilled from her full lips. "Sasuke… oh, Sasuke-kun. To think, I almost let Ino send me off on another one of her crazy escapades instead of talking to you!"
Yamanaka? Not again. Sasuke grimaced at the name of the loud-mouthed blonde who was apparently the bane of his relationship's existence. But then Sakura continued, and all thoughts of Ino immediately went out the window.
"You just told me, that there was never any if in your mind when it came to me. That this - our relationship - is something you believe in… that it's what you know, with certainty, that you want. And I… I feel the same way. I know everything has happened so quickly for us, and, yes, that has led to stress and some growing pains. But never, not for one instant, has that changed how I feel. There are no ifs for me either, and nothing forcing me to comply. I want you… I love you, Sasuke-kun. And if, at some future date, I do have doubts or concerns or fears about what we are or where we are heading… I think... that we'll be able to work through it. Like we have this morning. Without any foreign interference, well meaning though our friends generally are."
Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at that - "generally well meaning," was a very charitable descriptor for the crap that certain Yamanaka heiresses and Uchiha cousins had pulled - and Sakura giggled rather pleasingly. "Ino's really not as bad as you think, you know. I mean, she's known about the baby for almost a week now, and she hasn't… oh!"
She broke off mid-sentence, clasping her hands over her mouth, her emerald eyes almost comically wide.
It was strange how stress worked. Barely twenty minutes ago, Sasuke would have erupted at the idea that Konoha's #1 Most Gossipy Kunoichi knew their little secret. Now? Well, Sakura's confession just made his smirk broaden into a full-on smile. And do a little coming clean of his own. "It's fine. The dobe knows too. I may have said something at my bachelor party."
"Sasuke-kun! You do realize that Naruto-kun's mouth is arguably even bigger than Pig's, right?"
"It wasn't intentional. We'd been drinking, he told me about himself and Hinata, and it came up."
Green eyes rolled, although it was clear from the upwards curl of her lower lip that she was more bemused than irritated. "I bet it did. The two of you and your dick-measuring contests. Really. The things I put up with."
Hn. Sakura was kind of cute when she was pretending to be pissed off. Maybe the dobe was onto something with his insufferable antics all those years. Also, was it just his hormones talking, or was that a total come on?
"Dick measuring? Rest assured that there's no contest there, Sakura," he replied, voice dropping slightly in tenor. "Or, were you angling for a reminder?"
At his admittedly cheesy proposition, Sakura's cheeks went positively crimson, and she nibbled on her lower lip. She was even cuter when flustered.
"I... wouldn't mind," she admitted rather breathily. "It has been… awhile."
It had. Almost exactly a week to the hour given that the kitchen clock proclaimed it a quarter past ten. And, while Sasuke hadn't intended to indulge that morning, given that Sakura was apparently in the mood and that he himself was riding the high of having finally worked through their relationship woes, a little pre-wedding celebration seemed to be in order.
With a wolfish smirk, he welcomed her into his lap. As she moved to straddle him, creamy thighs to either side of his waist, her clothed core rubbed over his erection, and she let out a little gasp that had him hungry for more. To touch her, to taste her, to please her, to sate her. Lust was nothing new to him, but the want - no, the need - to satisfy her, to see her fall apart and know that he had been the one to bring her to such a state, was still a novelty, a seemingly unique part of Sakura's appeal.
His hands found the small of her back, tucking under the clan shirt that had once been his. For an instant, he traced around to the slight swell of her belly, goosebumps traveling up his arms at the thought of what lurked unseen. Then, ceding to his desire, he pushed the cotton fabric up her torso and over her unbound chest. His lips claimed her left bud, tongue teasing the sensitive skin, and Sakura let out a little wail. As he suckled and nibbled, her hips ground down with increased insistency, and he followed her lead, rocking his pelvis upwards to create a delicious friction.
Releasing her left nipple with a pop, he kissed his way to its mate. He latched on, only to let out a groan of his own moments later as a hot little hand snaked its way down his waistband to wrap rather snugly around his erection. His gaze trailed his way up Sakura's body to discover the boner-enhancing fact that she was doing a rather credible rendition of an Uchiha smirk, luminous emerald eyes narrowed in a steamy combination of amusement and pleasure. "Does that feel nice, Sasuke-kun?" she purred, somehow managing to stroke his shaft despite the limited space. Why did jounin-issue pants have to be cut so tight in the crotch?
"Ah," he confirmed, his own fingers returning the favor to confirm that she was already tantalizingly slick for him. "But this would feel even better."
His index and middle fingers found her clit, gently applying that come hither motion that never failed to drive her wild. True to form, Sakura writhed in his lap, her grip on his cock tightening slightly, sending a rush of pleasure up his spine. With a smirk of satisfaction, his lips returned to her chest, but a soft coo soon informed him that their presence was desired elsewhere. "Mm… kiss me. Please."
Much as he enjoyed hearing it, she didn't need to beg; he was more than happy to claim her pillowy lips for himself. Which he did, repeatedly and ardently, matching her kiss for kiss as her mouth moved against his own, tongue darting out to tease his lower lip in a shy, almost elusive way that was nothing short of intoxicating. Meanwhile, her hand had picked up speed, jerking him more authoritatively than before. And, while a part of him was tempted to allow her to continue, he was not too far gone to realize that it would really be for the best if he didn't come inside his pants.
Instead, with more effort than he cared to admit, Sasuke's left hand found her wrist, stilling her mid-pump with a gentle squeeze as his right fingertips withdrew from her core, teasing the waistband of her pajama shorts before coming to rest on the small of her back.
Orgasm temporarily denied, Sakura let out a whine. "I was so close. Why did you stop?" she breathed, undulating her torso against his own in an attempt at seduction that almost worked.
"Because," he replied, "I think this will be far more pleasurable with less clothing."
Taking his message immediately to heart and presumably wishing to even the score, Sakura's hands danced their way up and under his shirt to quickly and efficiently relieve him of the garment, blunt nails raking across his heated skin. Now bare chested, he tightened his hold upon the kunoichi's slender waist and shifted towards the right, angling them downwards until Sakura's back was flat against the sofa cushions. For a heartbeat, he admired her candy-pink tresses splayed across the black fabric, the unfettered want setting her emerald eyes aglow, and the flush of arousal that warmed the top of her chest. Then, he proceeded to kiss his way down her torso, holding her firmly in place as she whined and wiggled - for, to his delight, his fiancee had turned out be exceedingly ticklish - to finally divest her of those dangerously short pajama shorts that had been taunting him for the past hour.
With Sakura fully bare to his gaze, he surveyed her lithe form once more, Sharingan flickering reflexively to life as he rememorized every delectable dip and curve. Impatience growing, the woman's full lips formed a pout. "Please, Sasuke. Enough teasing…"
"Hn. What do you want, Sakura?"
Her fingers wound their way back through his wild locks, tugging him towards her center, the sting of his scalp sending a tendril of pleasure up his spine. "You… I need you here," she mumbled, cheeks rosy with what he recognized as embarrassment.
With a smirk, he shifted on the sofa so that his face was positioned directly over her neatly trimmed mound. "And… what now?"
Sakura's flush darkened. "I want… your tongue. I need it."
Kami, how he adored this woman. Maybe it was a sign that he'd grown just as perverted as Kakashi in his old age, but hearing sweet, innocent Sakura put her desires to words was a turn on in and of itself.
His hands traced their way down her midriff, and she let out a breathy laugh, sensitive as ever. Settling into place, he situated her legs over his shoulders and took a firm hold of her quivering thighs, exquisitely aware from past experiences that a hot and bothered Sakura was also a somewhat dangerous Sakura, at least when matters of breath and breathing were involved. Then, with a final smirk at her flushed face, he moved in to tease her folds, slowly and carefully tracing her slit before dipping deeper.
As he worked his magic, Sakura's head fell backwards, and she released a wail that the neighbors would definitely be hearing. Good thing she'd be moving out after tomorrow. While he started her off slow, he soon quickened the pace, and the response was dramatic. Her grip on his dark locks tightened, and her hips rose up to meet each swipe of his tongue, thighs straining in his grasp, a steady stream of moans erupting from her full lips.
She was so hot, so wet, so carnal as she ground into his face, all inhibitions forgotten, that it stoked his own lust to new heights. Rock hard inside his too-tight pants, Sasuke shifted around on the sofa, seeking some modicum of relief from what was developing into a rather nasty case of blue balls. Which, of course, resulted in his right foot catching a box that had been somewhat precariously placed on the side table behind him. So much for ninja reflexes. Not to mention the mood.
Internally cursing, he paused in his ministrations as a hodgepodge of belongs toppled to the floor. Meanwhile, Sakura let out a frustrated sigh, rising onto her elbows to see what all the commotion was about. "I suppose that's what I deserve for leaving it there," she observed somewhat breathlessly as her emerald eyes surveyed the wreckage.
"Tch. I was the idiot who knocked it over."
Figuring that he might as well make himself useful, Sasuke shifted off of the sofa to collect the assortment of pens, pencils, hair ties, shuriken, kunai, coins, tubes of chapstick, spare bits of paper, and mini bottles of hand lotion that used to reside in Sakura's writing desk drawer. After cleaning up the mess in his immediate proximity, he reached under the coffee table to gather more knick knacks. But what he ended up unearthing - a pink, silicone little something, shaped like an egg - was far more interesting than anticipated.
Now, Sasuke was obviously aware that Sakura owned a vibrator. It had, after all, been the catalyst that had broken through their decade-plus of sexual tension that infamous night they'd first gotten together two-and-a-half months ago. That being said, between the immediate fallout of that evening and the hustle and bustle of the spring, he hadn't actually given the sex toy much thought. Until now.
That night, Sakura had told him that she'd never used it. That it was a new acquisition... some sort of early birthday present from Yamanaka. Because gifting a sex toy to one's best friend was apparently a thing. She'd had the toy in her possession for months now. Surely, she had thought to test it out at least once?
He supposed that it wasn't really any of his business, although he rather wished it to be. As Sakura's partner, he took a certain degree of interest in anything that could add to her pleasure, and he was well aware from past experiments that a vibrator definitely did that. And, more selfishly, the idea of seeing her splayed out on her bed, going to town on herself, was a pretty attractive visual...
A soft intonation from the sofa pulled Sasuke's mind off of its decidedly X-rated track. Toy in hand, he turned to face his fiancee, observing with some disappointment that she had fished a throw out of another nearby box and swaddled her bare body in it. "Sakura. I don't suppose that you've found any use for this?"
The kunoichi's jaw literally dropped, wide eyes fixated on his outstretched palm. "Oh! Oh, nooo. I… I've been keeping it in my desk since that time back in March when… well, I'm sure you remember. When I was packing last night, I just threw everything into that box. Other than that, I haven't touched it. I swear!"
Lovely as she was with those earnest green eyes and hint of cleavage peeking out from the top of the blanket, he couldn't help but frown at her apologetic tone. It was clear that her "confession" was the truth, but did Sakura really think he'd be angry if the opposite had been the case? When it came to understanding one another, it appeared that they had a bit more work to do, after all.
"It's up to you, but… I wouldn't mind if you had," he replied, rising back up to the sofa. "You might like it."
The woman's face turned pinker than he had possibly ever seen it. "You wouldn't? I mean, I was a little… curious," she noted, hands twisting in her lap. "I've heard it can feel kind of good…"
Kind of good. She really had no idea, did she?
Sasuke pressed the indentation on the left side of the vibrator, and it came to life in his hand with a cheery little buzzing that sent Sakura's left eyebrow quirking towards her hairline. He pressed the button a second time, and the toy picked up speed. At that, Sakura shifted slightly in her seat, and he felt a distinct tightening as his erection found new life. "Would you… care to try it?"
For several moments, a surprisingly tense silence hung over the living room, broken only by the vibrator's steady hum. Then, with a heavy swallow and a lick of her plush lips, Sakura nodded, slowly drawing the bright-red fabric of the throw away from her body.
He held out the toy, but she demurred with a shake of her pink head. "Maybe... you could use it on me?"
Hn. He could definitely get on board with that.
Sasuke quickly cycled through the toy's remaining settings, observing with some interest that there were a whopping eight options. Yamanaka had apparently been feeling splurgy. He stopped once it looped back to the first, most gentle mode. For, much as he looked forward to seeing Sakura fall apart at the seams, starting her off nice and slow seemed like the gentlemanly thing to do.
With the vibrator ready to hopefully rock his fiancee's world, he shifted towards her on the sofa. "If it's too intense, I'll stop…" he murmured, nestling into her slender neck to elicit a full-body shiver and a sharp intake of breath that was music to his ears. Through each lingering kiss, he willed her to relax and enjoy, to forget all but the sensation of his lips along her collarbone and his hands wandering their way down her torso, teasing her curls, and then, finally, trailing the tip of the vibrator along her slit.
Other than an occasional "shannaro!" on the training field, Sakura had never really been one for swearing. As such, the hissed "oh, fuck!" that escaped her lips as he teased her entrance was exceedingly telling. Her legs shifted, as if about to clamp shut, but he prevented her escape, taking hold of her left thigh and swinging it over his lap with his left hand while continuing to pleasure her with his right.
As he traced her folds, Sakura shivered and panted, immediately falling under the toy's spell. He slipped the vibrator past her threshold to give her an even better taste of the toy's abilities, and a full-throated moan escaped her parted lips. "Kind of good?" he asked with a smirk, recalling her hesitancy from earlier.
"Uh huh."'
"Should we try the next setting?"
"Uhmmm…"
Sasuke decided to take that as a yes. His right index finger tapped the vibrator, and the tenor of its hum increased together with Sakura's own volume. She squirmed and arched beside him, legs shaking, hips gyrating, and emerald eyes rolling back into her head in pleasure. By his reckoning, they'd only been at it for a few minutes, but she already seemed mere moments away from reaching her peak. Which meant, of course, that it was time for setting #3.
Angling the toy slightly upwards, Sasuke's finger trailed over the control once more. At that, the woman's full lips fell open, and she let out what could only be described as a shriek. The leg that Sasuke had draped over his lap jerked wildly, but he held her firmly in place, greedy eyes feasting on the tantalizing vision of her bare, toned body riding out what seemed like one hell of a release. She was so hot, so responsive, chest heaving with each shaky breath she took, her whimpers and moans driving him half-mad with lust. Patient as he was trying to be... he couldn't wait any longer.
Relinquishing his grasp on Sakura's thigh, Sasuke's free hand came to the waistband of his pants, at long last shoving the constricting fabric down his hips. The cool apartment air hit his erection, sending a shiver up his spine. Or, perhaps, that was simply a reaction to the sight of his fiancee's little pink tongue darting out to wet her full lips, seemingly ready for round two.
Sakura spread her legs, welcoming his larger form. Her lips claimed his own, fingers winding their way through his dark locks as her torso undulated against his, seductively warm and soft in all the right places. He aligned himself, desire coursing through his veins, ringing in his ears, stealing the breath from his lungs. Yet, while the oh-so-welcome sensation of her heat urged him to claim her quickly, to drive her to that hazy state where all she knew was his name as rapidly as he could, Sasuke eased into her slowly. For enjoyable though an animalistic fuck could be, he had discovered over the course of his time with Sakura that softer, gentler sex - the sort he supposed romantics referred to as "lovemaking" - was not without merit.
And so, he set a languid, almost lazy pace, savoring each shiver, gasp, and whine that he coaxed from Sakura's needy body. He could feel her beneath him, wiggling and writhing, doing her damnedest to make him take her faster, harder, deeper. Which he would… eventually. When it suited him. So he told her, promised her, whispered in her ear as her moans increased in tenor and her nails racked across his back, leaving indentations in his flesh that she'd bashfully heal later, once they were through, once their bodies were sated.
Slow… steady. There was no need to rush. For they had time. All the time in the world.
He repeated it to himself, over and over, like some sort of mantra or prayer. But soon, much too soon, he could feel his control slipping, lust winning the battle once again. His Sharingan activated, heightening his senses further as he devoured the sight of his fiancee's full, pink lips; perfectly flushed cheeks; and blazing emerald eyes, returning his gaze with a fierceness to which he'd grown addicted. Unbidden, his hips picked up speed, filling the living room with a lewd squelching that, combined with Sakura's wails, was absolute music to his ears. He could feel his release coiling inside him, but he fought it off, clenching his teeth hard in a valiant attempt to buy them a few more second.
For several heartbeats, they rocked together, matching one another thrust for thrust in a rhythm they'd been perfecting for months now. Then, Sakura's teeth grazed the left side of his neck in what was presumably an attempt to drown out her ecstasy, and it was all over. Unable to deny the heady combination of pleasure and pain, Sasuke released a feral cry of his own as wave after wave of release cascaded over him. He shut his eyes, overwhelmed by the electricity pounding through his veins, making him feel alive in a way that nothing else could. For, at that moment, nothing else mattered. Nothing but the small, soothing hands caressing his skin; the soft, plush lips pressing kiss after loving kiss to his sweat-soaked brow; the luscious little body entwined with his, holding him, consuming him, grounding him.
Kami, if only he could lie here, like this, forever.
But forever was not to be. Because, just as he was drifting off into what promised to be one glorious catnap, the wonderful, talented, remarkable kunoichi at his side sharply inhaled.
"Sasuke-kun? I hate to ruin the mood like this, but... what time were we supposed to meet with the Elders?"
Fuck!