Rally – The act of keeping the ball in play. Generally, the longer the rally, the more intense the game is.
Written for ShiSaku weekend 2020 on Tumblr.
Rally
ShiSaku
"Just one night full of sin."
The sand was hot against Sakura's chilled feet. The air conditioning from Ino's car had frozen her toes solid, but they were quick to thaw out the instant she stepped onto the golden sand lining the southern coast of California.
Before her, the ocean stretched out as far as she could see with the beach running the entire coast in either direction. It was filled with people now. There were surfers and families with young kids coming in and out of the water. Girls in their teens and early twenties stretched out to tan on beach towels while guys of every shape and size threw footballs and Frisbees around.
"You brought sunscreen, right?" Sakura asked, lowering her hand from above her sunglasses where she had been blocking the harsh light of the afternoon sun.
"Of course," Ino told her as she grabbed her beach bag from her car. She locked the doors and dropped her keys inside the bag before she rummaged around until she found her sunscreen. "You New Yorkers burn so easily."
Sakura shot her best friend a half-hearted scathing look when the blonde poked her in the side but Sakura accepted the bottle of sunblock nonetheless. She trailed behind Ino through the sand as she squirted a handful of white lotion out onto her hand, ensuring she rubbed plenty of protection onto her shoulders and chest before using the remainder on her face. She then replaced the bottle back in Ino's bag before she dropped her sunglasses back over her eyes.
"You ready to play?" Ino asked as they strolled down the beach where half a dozen volleyball nets were erected in the sand.
Even from their distance, Sakura could see a few of the nets were already in use as players jumped and dove around the court after the ball. Excitement filled her veins at touching a ball again, but also a little bit of nervousness.
"It's been a few years, so don't expect much from me," Sakura muttered.
Ino snorted. "You were a star player at USC your Junior and Senior year. Those skills don't just go away."
"We'll see," Sakura shrugged.
As they drew closer, she was able to make out the games being played. There were four girls on the far court, two on either side volleying back and forth. The closer court was co-ed with one guy and girl on each side. The girl stood back to serve before running onto the court as the guy on the far side passed the ball. Sakura watched the pairs play, moving in sync as if they had done it a million times. An easy bump, set and spike before the girl slammed the ball down into the sand on the other side of the net between the two opposing players. A cheer rose from the winning couple, but Sakura turned away as Ino dropped her bag under a collapsible tent someone had put up for the day.
"Hey, Ino, you made it! I was wondering where you were at."
"I had to pick up this ice cube from the airport," Ino said, jerking her thumb towards Sakura.
The guy Ino was talking to looked up and Sakura could only blink in surprise when she recognized her old friend, Naruto. She hadn't seen him since college nearly five years ago. Back then, he had been kinda scrawny and small, but now his shoulders were broad and the muscles of his stomach were toned. His skin was sun-kissed and his blond locks were tousled and wild. His face was still the same, but he had lost the last of his boyishness, making him more…manly.
"Naruto?" Sakura asked in astonishment.
His bright blue eyes widened the instant they landed on her. She could only blink when he pushed himself to his feet. He utterly towered over her, easily over six-feet tall. When had he grown up?
"Sakura! What're you doing here?" he asked, his shock quickly shifting into a large grin as he embraced her in a bear hug. "You didn't tell me you were coming."
A squeal escaped her as he lifted her off her feet effortlessly and she clung to him until he settled her back down onto the soft sand. She could barely tear her eyes away from the change in him. "It was sort of last minute. It's so good to see you. How are you?"
"Good," he grinned. "Just been hanging out."
"He means he's being a beach bum this summer," Ino provided.
Sakura glanced at Ino in confusion before her gaze shifted back to Naruto. He chuckled a little awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck in a gesture she remembered only too fondly. He may look more mature now, but his mannerisms were still the same. "I took up a job with the Navy. I head off to basic training in September."
Sakura's eyes widened before a smile broke out across her face. "That's great! I'm so excited for you."
"Thanks," Naruto said, his smile becoming more comfortable. "Dad was a little against the idea, but he's warming up to it. Until then, I'm just playing volleyball."
"And drinking beer," Ino added, gesturing to the abandoned can in the sand beside the towel he had been sitting on.
Naruto laughed. "And drinking beer."
"Isn't it a little early to be drinking?" another voice asked.
The group glanced over as a newcomer approached their little tent. It was one of the guys that had been on the court. Naruto and Ino's expressions brightened in recognition, but Sakura had never met the man before. He looked early thirties, but it was hard to tell with the black sunglasses he wore over his eyes. Still, he was a good-looking man with his strong jawline and a straight nose. A blue baseball cap was keeping his brown hair out of his face, but the rest hung around his shoulders. He was about Naruto's height only a little leaner, his muscles less defined, but it didn't make him any less attractive by any means.
"Hey, Genma," Ino greeted as Naruto pointedly picked up his beer can and took a swig.
"It's never too early for beer."
"Someone has beer?" another asked as they slipped their arm around Ino's shoulders.
Ino's reaction was immediate. She jumped away from the male before she frantically wiped dirt off her shirt. "Get off me, Shisui. You're covered in sand!"
"Oh, don't be that way, Ino. You know you're happy to see me," the newcomer simply grinned before his eyes shifted to Sakura. She recognized him as the other guy that had been playing co-ed. And even if she hadn't, the sand covering the left side of his body made it obvious he had been. "And who is this?"
Ino glared half-heartedly at the man, Shisui, before she gestured towards Sakura. "This is my friend, Sakura. She's here visiting."
"Hi Sakura, I'm Shisui," he said, pushing his sunglasses up onto his head before he held his hand out.
Sakura took it, unbothered by the sand covering his palm. She had shared enough hugs and handshakes between teammates and other players after a dirty game in the past to be unfazed by it. Instead, she was far more distracted by how stunningly handsome he was.
Naruto and Genma were both good-looking guys but they had nothing on Shisui. With her sunglasses still over her eyes, she took a moment to drink him in. He looked about five or six years older than her and had high cheekbones and full lips with short, curly hair peeking out from under his shades. His eyes were a dark grey, almost black and framed by long lashes she was only mostly jealous of. He was taller than Naruto. Nearly three inches over him, and his shoulders were broader with defined muscles running across his chest and down to his sand-covered stomach.
Sakura's eyes threatened to follow the 'v' down his stomach to where his navy-colored swim shorts rode low on his narrow hips, but she forced them face up to his face as she smiled, "Nice to meet you."
"You remember Sasuke, right?" Ino asked. "Shisui is his cousin."
That was not something Sakura was expecting her friend to say and she glanced at the blonde sharply as all of her earlier attraction towards Shisui vanished in an instant. "What? You're Sasuke's cousin?"
"Is that a bad thing?" Shisui asked. His smile was still present, but it had lost some of its luster at her tone.
"It's definitely not a good thing," she murmured, causing Ino to elbow her.
"Oh, don't be like that. Shisui's nothing like Sasuke," Ino defended him. "God girl, we gotta thaw out that ice that froze around your New Yorker heart."
Sakura didn't say anything as she studied Shisui a moment longer. She knew it wasn't fair of her to judge him based on his family, but Sasuke had been the prick in high school that had caused so much drama between her and Ino when they were young. He had even encouraged it and his older brother, Itachi she thought his name had been, had done nothing but watch it happen. Sakura had never been so glad to graduate if it meant never seeing his face again.
"So, you guys gonna play a game?" Naruto asked when the silence had stretched on a moment too long.
"Yeah, Sakura wanted to jump on the court," Ino said.
Naruto and Genma glanced at each other. "You wanna play? I can sit out one," Genma said.
"Yeah," the blond nodded. "Me and Sakura verses Ino and Shisui?"
"No," Ino and Sakura said in unison without missing a beat, matching smirks upon their face.
"Me and Ino verses you and Shisui," Sakura answered, her eyes never once leaving Shisui behind her sunglasses.
There must have been a note of challenge in her tone for Shisui's brow arched curiously before he responded to her smirk with a boyish smile. He must have picked up on the fact she wanted to beat him – if only for his family ties – and Sakura planned to do it with her best friend and volleyball partner.
After stripping off her shirt and shorts, Sakura left her clothes in a pile on top of Ino's bag before she pulled her hair back into a ponytail as she stepped out onto the court in her rainbow-striped bikini. The sand was warm beneath her toes and the bright sun beat down on her New York chilled skin, but there was a cool breeze blowing off the ocean to keep the worst of the heat at bay.
Sakura threw her arms over her head in a wide stretch as she automatically headed towards the right side of the court – her usual position – before she bent down and grabbed a handful of sand. She let it fall between her fingers slowly, using the tiny grains to tell her which direction the wind was coming from. It was a light breeze, but it was coming from behind her. In other words, in their favor.
"Ball," Ino called as she stepped onto the same side of the court as Sakura, wearing nothing more than a light blue bikini and a pair of silver sunglasses.
Immediately Sakura turned, holding her arms out to pass the ball Ino tossed towards her. They warmed up for a minute, giving Sakura time to stretch her old muscles without strain. It felt good to have a ball in her hands again, the normal bump, set and spike rhythm all too familiar.
"You ready or you need another minute to warm-up?" Naruto asked, stepping onto the court on the other side of the net.
Sakura caught the ball Ino set to her before she tossed it to Naruto. "I'm ready if you guys are."
"Normal rules," Shisui said, coming to a stop beside Naruto, his Ray-ban style sunglasses reflecting the sun overhead. "Game to twenty-one, win by two points; switch sides every seven points."
Sakura nodded. It was a normal rule in sand volleyball to swap sides of the court every seven points. That way no team got stuck with the sun in their eyes or a wind disadvantage for an entire game.
"Spin to pick who serves," Sakura told Naruto.
The blond pressed the volleyball once between his palms before he spun it, letting it fall into the sand. When it came to a stop, Sakura bit back her smile when the hole to inflate the ball landed on her side. Both Naruto and Shisui looked at her.
"You can serve first," she said as Ino bent down and tossed the ball to Shisui.
Sakura slapped her hand against Ino's in their usual low-five before they settled into their spots on the court. With Shisui standing on the back line directly across from her, Sakura pointed to the space between them without looking away from the tall male.
"You have my seam?" Sakura confirmed, pointing to the space of court between them.
Automatically Ino nodded. "Yep."
"Zeros!" Shisui called the score before he served.
Unsurprisingly, he targeted her, using a strong topspin to make the ball land short on the court. With all her years of training, Sakura recognized the move immediately and she lunged forward to pass the ball towards Ino with her forearms. Her blonde teammate set her up perfectly, giving Sakura plenty of time to make her approach. She spiked the ball directly between Naruto and Shisui, forcing them to make a split-second decision whose ball it was. They must have not played together for it landed in the sand between them.
Sakura couldn't resist the smirk that tugged on the corner of her lips. She knew Shisui had been testing her skill as a newcomer and satisfaction crept into her stomach at having passed his test so brilliantly.
"Nice swing," Shisui told her through the net.
His compliment fed into her pride, but her smile turned a little more genuine as she caught the ball Naruto tossed her way. Okay, maybe she had been a little too judgmental of Shisui. "Nice serve," she replied.
This time, Sakura went back to serve. She targeted Shisui, paying back his little test. Unsurprisingly, he spiked the ball at her after Naruto set him up, but she dug it before it hit the sand. They rallied back and forth a half a dozen times before Naruto knocked the ball too deep for Sakura to reach.
Their game lasted well into the afternoon as they ran, jumped and dove in the court. Sand stuck to Sakura everywhere. Her legs, her arms, even her stomach from the half a dozen times she had landed in the sand. No one looked much better. Ino had a strip on her shoulder, while Naruto's entire back was covered from when he had jumped and missed a deep ball Ino had passed over his head. Sakura tried not to notice the sand and sweat that clung to Shisui's broad shoulders and well-defined abs, but the more she tried not to look, the more her eyes were drawn to the defined 'v' of his hips.
Diving forward, Sakura used her fist to bump up Naruto's short tip before she scrambled back onto her feet as Ino set up the ball. With her closeness to the net, Sakura wasn't able to do a full approach, but she did the best she could, using her angle to cut the ball across the front of the court. Naruto dove for it, but missed, drawing an exhausted cheer from Sakura.
"Nice up!" Ino said, jogging over to give her a quick high five.
Sakura flashed her friend a smile before she wiped at the sand that had stuck to the sweat on her stomach.
"That was a good cut. You've been waiting to use that one," Shisui teased.
That made Sakura grin. It seemed her preconceived notions about Shisui had been unfairly placed. So far, he had only been easy-going and encouraging. Not just to her, but to Naruto and Ino as well. He was even funny, making side remarks when he messed up, like his short height when he accidentally hit a ball into the net. A remark that had stirred Sakura's laughter given the fact he was well over six feet tall.
Against her will, Sakura felt drawn to him. And not just because he was tall, dark and handsome. She liked his humor and laidback personality. Plus, he was a skilled player at her favorite sport. Really skilled.
"Eighteen to eighteen. All tied up!" Ino called before she served the ball.
On the other side of the net, Naruto passed it to Shisui to set him up before the blond spiked the ball into the ground perfectly between the girls. Sakura frowned at herself, rolling the ball back to Naruto before she slapped her palm against Ino's hand good-naturedly.
"That was my fault," Sakura said. "I'll get the next one."
Ino merely smiled. "You always do."
And just as promised, the next hit towards Sakura was from Shisui. It was a hard down ball, the spike making her arms sting instantly upon contact. Still, she passed it up for Ino before Sakura spiked the ball directly back at Shisui. He dug her swing as well, but the pass was too close to the net, forcing Naruto to hit it over on the second touch.
"Watch the angle," Ino called.
But Sakura was already there. She passed the ball to her teammate before she made her approach to spike.
"Blocker," Ino warned.
Sure enough, Shisui jumped to block Sakura just as she swung. He lined up with her on the other side of the net, but she angled her spike just enough to make the ball hit the outside of his hand, breaking his block and sending the ball flying outside the court on his side.
Behind her, Ino cheered as Sakura smirked at Shisui through the net. "Was that too much for you?"
She wished she could see the look in his eyes behind his sunglasses, but his smirk was utterly devastating as he grinned at her through the net. "Not even close."
His tone sent a chill up her spine and they stood there a moment longer before Sakura finally turned around and headed to the back of the court to serve. She aimed for Naruto, knowing Shisui had a better swing. What she wasn't expecting was for Shisui to intentionally send it over on the second touch. Sakura dove for the ball, landing on her right side in the sand two inches too short.
"Nice try," Ino said, helping Sakura to her feet.
But she didn't look at her best friend. Instead, her gaze shifted to Shisui as she wiped the sand off her thigh. She knew that was retaliation for breaking his block the point before. "Oh, we're playing dirty, are we?"
He merely grinned behind his sunglasses. "Always."
She had to bite back her smile as Naruto picked up the ball. "Twenty-nineteen. Game point."
Instantly, Sakura's playfulness faded as her attention focused. Dropping down into a crouch, she held her hands out in front of her, ready to dive for the ball or step back if the serve was too deep. Beside her, Ino took up the same position. The instant Naruto's hand made contact with the ball, they were in motion.
"Yours," Sakura called, running forward to get in position to set the ball for Ino.
The blonde had a clean swing over the net, but Shisui passed it to Naruto for his own set. Sakura dug Shisui's spike before she made a sharp approach, hoping to hit the ball into the sand at Shisui's feet, but he read her move, diving to bump the ball before it hit the ground.
Sakura barely had enough time to cover Naruto's soft, short hit and she scrambled back to her feet as she called at Ino, "Option!" It was Sakura's code that she wasn't ready to spike; Ino needed to send it over on the second touch. It gave the girls enough time to get back into position before the ball was back on their side of the net.
Three times Sakura and Ino worked in perfect sync, bumping, setting and spiking but the men on the other court kept the ball alive. Sakura's muscles were tired and screaming for a moment's rest, but she didn't slow down. Not until Shisui spiked the ball at her.
It hit her arm, but she didn't have enough time to get lined up as she lunged to the right and the ball spun the opposite way, away from Ino.
On her knees, Sakura watched the ball roll away. "Damnit..."
"It was a nice touch," Ino said, holding her hand out to help Sakura to her feet. Ever supportive.
With her breath still labored, Sakura accepted it before she wiped the sand off her arms. "I should have gotten that, sorry."
Ino merely rolled her shoulders in a shrug. "It was a good hit, what can you do?"
Sakura hummed noncommittally before she glanced towards Naruto and Shisui. They were standing at the net obviously waiting for them. It briefly annoyed Sakura she and Ino had lost the game, but she had been off the court for a few years and it certainly was a close match. Really close.
"Nice game," Naruto grinned as the girls approached, holding his hand out for the customary high five at the end of a match. "You haven't lost your skill yet, Sakura."
"Apparently I have," Sakura muttered. "I should have had that last swing."
"That was a good game. You have a killer short spike," Shisui praised, drawing Sakura's gaze. He held his hand out under the net and she slapped her palm against his.
"Thanks," she said, trying not to notice how large his hands were against her slimmer ones. Even with his sunglasses on, she could feel Shisui sizing her up. She knew the look. He was wondering her volleyball background. Still, she couldn't help but warm under his gaze.
"Your swings are mediocre," Sakura returned playfully, knowing they were all aware Shisui was the best player on the court. Her arms were still stinging from some of his spikes she had tried to dig.
"I'll do better next time," Shisui laughed, sensing her humor as he ran a sandy hand through his dark curls. "You down for another?"
"Of course," she said, her mouth shaping into a cocky grin. "I'm not done with you yet."
Sakura hadn't entirely meant the words to come out of her mouth that way, but the smirk Shisui sent her certainly didn't make her regret them either. "I sincerely hope not."
His innuendo wasn't lost on her and she merely flashed him a playful smile before she realized Ino was staring at her. Her blonde friend didn't say anything, but Sakura saw the way her brow was arched behind her sunglasses. She certainly hadn't missed that exchange. Fortunately, Ino was smooth enough not to press her in front of everyone and she slipped off the court, saying something about needing water. With a brief glance at Shisui, Sakura followed.
The four of them rested for a few minutes, taking time to rehydrate and catch their breath before they jumped back on the court. Sakura and Ino won the next game, this time against Genma and Shisui, only to lose by a mere two points in their third and final set.
The sun was beginning to sink towards the ocean when the last point was won. Sakura's shoulders and thighs ached and her body was tired, and even though she and Ino had lost two out of three games, she was still proud of how they played.
"Drinks at the usual place?" Genma asked as they gathered up their volleyballs for the night.
"That depends, you jet lagged?" Ino asked, her gaze turning to Sakura.
She shot her blonde friend a smile. "Not enough to miss out on a drink. Where's the usual place?"
"It's just up the beach," Naruto answered.
Genma helped Naruto break down their temporary shade as everyone else gathered their things. Sakura threw her shirt back on, but left her shorts folded up in Ino's bag. Once they were ready to go, they moved down the beach as a group. Sakura found her eyes kept drifting back to Shisui. He had pulled a light grey t-shirt over his head, but it didn't make him look any less attractive. If anything, it brought out the grey in his eyes and she moved to walk beside him when Naruto threw his arm around her shoulders.
"So, how long you in town for?" he asked.
"Not long," Sakura told him, keeping the disappointment out of her voice. "I fly out the day after tomorrow."
"What? Why so soon?"
Sakura couldn't help but smile at the whine in his tone. "I have to get back to work. I'm only here to 'thaw the ice around my New Yorker heart', as Ino so kindly put it."
The pair glanced towards Ino, but she was too lost in conversation with Genma to hear theirs, but her gaze caught Shisui's on Ino's other side and she couldn't help but flash him a small smile before Sakura returned her attention to Naruto.
"Aww, well what are you doing tomorrow?" he asked. "We should get breakfast or lunch or dinner or something."
"I'm glad you can fit me into your busy schedule," Sakura laughed, patting his hand where it rested on her shoulder. "I have a few errands I need to run tomorrow morning, but maybe we can meet up for lunch or dinner or even dessert."
Naruto chuckled at her jab as his arm briefly tightened around her shoulder. They chatted the entire way to the bar, their conversation pausing only when they finally reached the wooden steps that led up to a restaurant with a large, patio deck with dozens of tables and an unobstructed view of the ocean and coming sunset.
This time of night, it was fairly busy but a waitress greeted them with a smile. "Five of you? I have a table that just opened in the corner."
It was a perfect spot. A little way away from the other tables with plenty of room to set their gear down without overcrowding themselves. Ino sat on the opposite side of the table beside Genma, their conversation never once pausing while Naruto took a spot across from Ino. Shisui sat at the end of the table, leaving a chair open between him and Naruto. Sakura slipped into that seat, and she set her phone and sunglasses aside on the tabletop before she accepted a menu from the waitress.
She wasn't terribly hungry, but she was thirsty and she ordered a pale ale before her attention turned to Ino as she tuned into her best friend's conversation. She and Genma were gossiping about someone Sakura didn't know and she was only too relieved when Shisui asked her, "So, where did you learn to play volleyball, Sakura?"
Upon his question, she turned her head to look at him. With the sun low on the horizon, he had pushed his sunglasses on top of his curls, revealing his dark eyes. He was even more attractive without his shades on and she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, suddenly conscious now that she didn't have her own sunglasses to hide behind anymore.
"I used to live in Oceanside when I was growing up," she told him. "My mom used to bring me to the beach every weekend and I just started playing with a ball."
"Did you just play pickup games then?" he asked.
She could hear the genuine interest in his voice and she nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I mean that's where I started, but I didn't actually get any 'training' until high school. That's where I meant Ino. We were teammates our first two years. After I graduated, I went on to play at the University of Southern California."
That made Shisui's eyes widen. "You played at USC?"
"Four years."
"Wow, no wonder you have such good ball control."
His compliment was so sincere Sakura's cheeks warmed. She considered herself an above average player, but Shisui was clearly over her skill level and his praise did delicious things to her ego. She just hoped he didn't notice her flushed face.
Fortunately, she was saved from her own embarrassment when the waitress returned with their drinks. Sakura joined everyone around the table in cheering their glasses to a fun afternoon before her attention automatically fell back to Shisui.
"So, where did you learn to play?" she asked, parroting his question back to him.
He had ordered a pale ale as well and he sipped from his glass before he answered, "I lived in Florida until last year."
"I love Florida. They have a huge community there."
"They do," he agreed. "I was lucky enough to meet Temari there. We–"
"Temari?" Sakura interrupted, turning in her chair to better face him. "Like the Temari? The one heading to the Olympics this year?"
"That's the one."
She did her best not to gape. "Oh my god, I admire her so much. She's such an amazing player. She has some of the best handsets I've ever seen."
"I can't tell you how many days all we did was set," Shisui laughed, obviously remembering some memory. "She really struggled with it at first."
"Well, it seems to have paid off. What made you decide to come out here? Do you live here now?" she asked before she sipped her beer, enjoying the cool crispness after such a warm day.
He drank from his glass too before he nodded. "I came out here last year for family stuff and found I liked the feel of Southern California so I just never really left."
"SoCal be like that," she joked.
"Then why did you move to New York?"
That was a complicated answer. One Sakura didn't feel like getting too far into. She had thought after college she had made the right choice to move to the big city, but lately she was wondering if she had just really wasted the last five years of her life.
"Work, mostly," she answered vaguely.
Shisui seemed to sense she didn't really want to talk about it for he quickly moved on. "Well it's too bad you won't be sticking around this summer. There're some tournaments coming up. I bet we would make a good co-ed team."
That made her easy mood return. "I'm sure you can find someone less rusty than me."
"You play just fine," he told her, reaching out to lay his hand over her forearm.
Immediately her skin warmed where he touched and she unconsciously leaned towards him. "You're patronizing me," she teased.
"I would never," he winked, the corner of his mouth turning up into a boyish smile.
It warmed her more than the air or the alcohol, and she hid her smile behind her beer, knowing that she probably looked like a dork in that moment. If she did, Shisui didn't say anything and his hand lingered a moment longer before he sat back.
It was then that Sakura realized how close they were. At some point, they had shifted their chairs towards each other, practically ignoring the other people at the table as they engaged in their own conversation. She tried not to feel disappointed when Shisui pushed his chair back from the table and stood. "I'll be right back," he told her.
Sakura watched him head inside, but her attention turned to her phone when it pinged on the table beside her beer. Picking it up, she unlocked the screen to find a text from Ino.
He's a good guy, it read.
Without replying, Sakura glanced at her blonde friend across the table. Genma and Naruto were still talking, but Ino was looking right at Sakura, a small smile on her lips.
Sakura dropped her eyes back down to her phone to reply. I'm not looking for anything.
Didn't say you were.
Sakura darkened her screen again without replying before she picked up her beer. She drained the last of it, half-listening to Naruto and Genma's conversation as they playfully bantered back and forth about the best pizza place until she felt a hand fall on the back of her chair. She looked up as Shisui slid back into his seat. Unconsciously, her smile returned.
"What did I miss?" he asked.
"Some argument on who has the best pizza?" Sakura said, a little uncertainly. It seemed like an odd conversation to have.
However, Shisui only laughed. "You guys are arguing about that again?" he interjected. When Naruto and Genma moved to defend themselves, Shisui glanced at her. "They will forever fight over this because the girl Genma likes works at one place while the girl Naruto has been too shy to approach for over a year works at the other."
"Ooohh," Sakura said, suddenly understanding.
Their conversation briefly paused as the waitress returned to ask if they all wanted another round. After she left, Sakura listened to Genma and Naruto argue a bit longer until Ino cut in and told them if they didn't stop bickering, she was going to tell both women about their little crushes. That shut both of them up.
As the night wore on, Sakura felt herself relaxing more and more. And it wasn't just because of the beer. It had been so long since she had gone out with her friends. Her work had been taking up so much of her time in New York that she barely made time to grocery shop. Her closest relationship at this point was with the GrubHub lady that came to her door four times a week.
But that was exactly why Sakura had come out here on this trip. She needed to be reminded of what she was missing. What she was losing just for the sake of a couple thousand dollars more a year. For a job she didn't even particularly care for.
Sipping her beer, Sakura glanced at Shisui, only to catch his eye. He flashed her a handsome smile before his gaze returned to Naruto as the blond told them about the upcoming Pro tournament in a few months. They hadn't announced all the players yet, but Sakura listened as Naruto chatted about the athletes he was excited to see. At least until she felt Shisui's leg brush hers under the table.
It was nothing more than a soft caress, a passing contact that could have been by accident, but Sakura knew it was anything but. He was asking her something. And she responded by shifting in her seat until the back of her ankle rested on his calf.
She managed to keep her attention on Naruto for a grand total of ten seconds before she peeked at him. He wasn't looking at her, but she knew he felt her stare judging by the small smile curling in the corner of his mouth. Sakura sipped from her beer as she forced her gaze back to Naruto, only to catch Ino's eye. Her best friend was glancing between her and Shisui, an observant expression on her face. Instantly Sakura knew they were caught. Which meant as soon as they were alone, Sakura would be interrogated. In minute detail.
Even with that threat in her mind, in that moment, Sakura couldn't really bring herself to care. Maybe it was the alcohol that was making her normal worries fall away, but she couldn't remember the last time she had hit it off with someone so effortlessly. She wanted to touch him more than just a simple ankle caress, but she was content to just stay like that for now.
By the time, the group had finished their third round of drinks, the sun had dipped below the horizon. Naruto paid Sakura's bill, arguing when she began to protest that it was the only drinks he had bought for her in the last five years. The guilt was enough to make her cave and she hugged Naruto her thanks before the group walked around the patio to the street.
Sakura retrieved her pants from Ino's bag, slipping them on over her bikini bottoms as everyone said goodbye to each other with promises to play more volleyball soon.
"You'll text me tomorrow about lunch or dinner?" Naruto asked Sakura.
"Or dessert," she said, causing them both to laugh. Then she nodded. "Yeah, I'll let you know."
Beside her, Ino and Genma began discussing some upcoming event, but her attention was pulled away when someone touched her arm. She smiled up at Shisui.
"Hey, it was nice to meet you," he said, that adorable smile on his face.
"You too. Those were some really fun games today," she told him sincerely. "More fun than I can remember having in a longtime."
"Me too," Shisui agreed. It felt like their conversation might end there, but then some expression crossed his face. Something a little hesitant, but also hopeful. "You know…my flat is only a few blocks away. If you wanted to hang out a little longer."
Sakura wasn't dumb; she knew exactly what Shisui was offering. Her mind tried to come up with all the reasons why she should say no, but it was Ino's text that drifted through her mind: he's a good guy. Sakura knew she was attracted to Shisui and judging by the way he had been watching her all day – was watching her now – she knew he was drawn to her too. It would likely just be a one-night stand, but to be honest, Sakura had too many other things going on in her life to be able to handle any more than that right now.
Her mouth stretched into a soft smile even as her heart began to pump a little faster in excitement and anticipation. "Yeah, that sounds like fun."
Shisui matched her smile, but his attention shifted to Genma when he began asking Shisui about some of their equipment. Sakura turned back to Ino as they spoke, only to find a sly smirk on her best friend's face. Was there anything Ino didn't hear?
"Don't say it," Sakura half-demanded, half-pleaded.
Ino held up her hands. "I wasn't going to, but promise you'll text me in the morning."
"I will."
"And don't forget to practice safe sex."
"Ino," Sakura hissed.
Fortunately, Naruto had already left, and Shisui and Genma were too busy talking to hear the blonde. Ino merely grinned before she dug her wallet and keys out of her beach bag. "Here, take this," she said, holding the bag out to her. "There's a spare change of clothes in here in case you need it."
For all her pestering and nosiness, Ino was actually pretty awesome when she wanted to be. Sakura couldn't help but flash her friend a grateful look. "Thanks, Ino."
"I'll talk to you in the morning. Have fun," was her parting reply before she turned and made her way down the boardwalk back towards her car.
Sakura watched her go for a moment before she turned around to find Shisui was waiting for her, Genma nowhere in sight.
"You ready?" she asked.
Shisui merely grinned before he held out his hand. "Yeah, let's go before the crazies come out."
Without hesitation, Sakura slipped her hand into his before they fell into step together. They headed down the boardwalk in the opposite direction as Ino, maneuvering around street performers and vendors. Sakura eyed some of the open shops as they walked past, their pace neither hurried nor lingering as Shisui told her about some of the owners he had come to know.
Eventually they turned down another street away from the ocean and into a more residential area. Here, it was quieter, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable even as their conversation paused. Sakura liked the way Shisui's body felt beside her. He was a good six-inches taller and had at least fifty pounds of pure muscle over her, but he wasn't intimidating. He was just…comfortable.
"You know," Sakura began quietly after a few minutes of silence, "I should probably apologize for being so standoffish when Ino first introduced us."
Beside her, Shisui glanced down at her. There was a small smile on his lips as he shrugged indifferently. "It's okay. I know Sasuke can be a prick when he wants to be."
"Still. Sorry."
"Can I ask what he did?" he questioned.
This time, it was Sakura's turn to shrug. "He just caused a lot of grief between Ino and I for his own amusement."
"Yeah, that sounds like him. I promise he's not so bad now. Well, at least not totally," Shisui said, his tone lighthearted.
When Sakura didn't look convinced, he gave her hand a brief squeeze before he steered them up a small pathway to a gate. On the other side was a cute little dual-home flat. It was narrow but tall with white panels and dark trim. The exterior lights were on, lighting up the driveway and a path around the side where a staircase was. Shisui led her towards it and she followed him up the steps until they reached a front door.
"Hope you don't mind me tracking sand inside," Sakura said as Shisui dropped her hand to fish out his keys.
He grinned at her over his shoulder before he slid the deadbolt out of place. "You're not the only one all dirty."
Smiling, Sakura followed him inside, but she didn't go far, still conscious of the sand stuck to her. From her vantage point, she could see the kitchen and dining table. Beyond that, his home was dark. Only a dim, orange light from the streetlights on the road behind his filtered in from a window and casted a faint glow into what she guessed was the living room.
Behind her, she heard Shisui close and lock the front door before he kicked off his shoes and slipped past her. "Come on in," he welcomed her.
Sakura left her flipflops at the front door beside his before she followed him in. He turned on lights as he went, revealing more of his home. It was then that she realized the window she had seen wasn't a window at all, but rather a sliding glass door that led to a small balcony from the living room. She eyed it a moment before her gaze landed on a small hallway between the kitchen and living room. She suspected it led to the bedroom and bathroom, but she didn't think about it long as her eyes continued to wander.
Shisui's home wasn't messy by any means, but it was definitely lived in with that morning's coffee mug still sitting on the kitchen counter. A sweatshirt was thrown over the back of one of the dining room chairs, and there were photos of family and friends on the bookshelves. No, not bookshelves. Video game shelves? Sakura eyed them a little closer, finding that though there were a couple of books, the number of video games on the shelves massively outnumbered the amount of texts.
Boys, she thought fondly.
"You thirsty?" Shisui asked, hanging a left into the small kitchen. He placed the dirty coffee mug in the sink on his way to the fridge before he grabbed a cold bottle of water from the door.
Sakura dropped her bag onto the dining chair beside her before she accepted the bottle from Shisui. "Yeah, thanks," she said.
The cool water helped clear away some of the fogginess from her buzz and rehydrated her the way the beer couldn't after a full afternoon of intense volleyball. Once she had her fill, she passed it back to Shisui.
"I like your place," she told him honestly as he took a sip.
"Thanks. It has a nice view of the ocean. You know, when it's not pitch-black outside."
Sakura laughed as her eyes automatically sought the balcony again. She could just make out the roof of the building behind his, but beyond that the world was dark. "I'll take your word for it."
"You probably want to shower," Shisui said, screwing the lid back on the water. "Come on, I'll show you the bathroom."
Instantly, Sakura's heartrate picked up again. She left her phone and sunglasses on the table before she followed him into the hallway. She had come here fully aware of what would happen, but she couldn't deny the anticipation that flooded her. She couldn't remember the last time she had done anything like this.
At the first door on the left, Shisui flicked on a light. "Shower is in here. There're clean towels under the counter. Feel free to use whatever you want," he told her as she stepped inside.
It was a cute, little room; nothing too fancy. Just simple but clean white walls with grey countertops and a walk-in shower. There was a used towel hanging on the rack already and a toothbrush with toothpaste on the counter beside the sink.
Sakura took a moment to look around before she realized Shisui still hadn't entered the room. Curious, she turned around to face him, only to find he was hesitating in the doorway.
"Need anything else?" he asked.
He wasn't going to join her? Wasn't that why she was there?
It was then that it dawned on her. He was one of those types. The kind that acted all flirty and confident in public, but was a little too shy to make the first move in private. It was actually really adorable and Sakura found herself smiling.
"Your shower looks big enough for two," she told him.
Shisui paused. She saw him swallow as his eyes flickered towards the shower stall that was definitely big enough for two people before turning back to her.
Sakura didn't mind his hesitation or even the fact that he needed one more push. Instead, she simply grasped the hem of her shirt before she pulled it over her head slowly, an action that likely would have been far sexier had she not still been covered in sand, but Shisui didn't seem to mind. His dark eyes tracked the movement, his gaze lingering on her toned stomach and the swell of her breasts before finally finding her face again.
"Come join me."
To her delight, he did. He finally stepped into the bathroom, leaving the door open behind him, before he opened the shower door and turned on the water. "How warm do you like it?" he asked.
"Pretty warm," she replied as she stepped out of her shorts next. "I'm going to be sore tomorrow from all that playing."
That made Shisui chuckle, breaking the rest of the tension she could still feel coming from him. "Do you want some Tylenol?"
"No, I'll be fine. I'm just being a baby," she teased.
He flashed her a grin before he went under the counter to retrieve two towels. Sakura stripped out of her bikini as he did so. Normally, she would have been more self-conscious being naked in front of someone new, but all she could focus on was all the sand that fell out of her swimsuit and onto the floor. She made a mental note to clean it up later.
Already, steam was beginning to fill the room. An audible sigh of appreciation fell out of Sakura's lips when she stepped into the shower and let the hot water cascade down on her. She dunked her head under the spray, letting the water wash the dirt and sand from her skin. For a moment and then another, she just stood there before she finally cleaned the sand out of places sand should never be before she searched through the bottles on the shelf until she found Shisui's shampoo. It smelled like peppermint and eucalyptus, and she massaged some into her hair until she was certain she had scrubbed the dust out.
As she washed the suds from her locks, she heard the shower door open again and she peeked her eyes open to find Shisui deliciously naked and dusty from the beach. Her eyes traced the muscles she had been staring at all day before dropping lower to his strong thighs and the member that hung between them. He wasn't hard, but he was still big and she forced herself not to stare too long. Instead, she smiled as she washed the rest of the soap from her hair.
"This feels so good. I turned the temperature up a little. You might not want it as hot," she warned him as she stepped aside to let him under the showerhead.
Shisui tested the water with his hand before he fully stepped into the spray. "No, I like it hot."
He washed his own hair as Sakura rubbed conditioner into hers before they both reached for the body wash at the same instant.
Immediately Shisui snatched his hand back. "Sorry, go ahead."
"It's okay," she smiled. When he remained quiet, she stopped to look at him. "What happened to all that confidence from earlier?"
At her question, his eyes met hers but he didn't immediately reply. Instead, he let the rush of water fill the silence between them until he eventually said, "I just don't wanna do anything you don't want me to do."
Is that what it was? Sakura would have been annoyed if he wasn't so damn adorable. Over six-foot tall, he looked more like a puppy that was scared of being kicked than a hot, semi-pro volleyball player that had practically beaten her into the sand that afternoon.
She let out a soft laugh before she stepped towards him – not close enough to touch but almost – and smiled. "Do you really think I'd be standing here with you if I didn't want you to touch me or kiss me?"
Shisui was quiet for one long moment and then another as he processed the fact she was giving him her consent. Then he exhaled a shaky breath. "You're fucking gorgeous."
Sakura barely had time to brace herself before he cupped her face and kissed her. With their height difference, she had to stand on her toes to reach him, but she didn't mind. She simply wrapped her arms around his shoulders, using his solid strength to support herself as he pressed his mouth to hers over and over again.
A soft moan sounded low in Sakura's throat only to be replaced with a sharp gasp a moment later when her back made contact with the cold tiles. She ripped her mouth away to breathe, but Shisui merely trailed his lips down her throat, his fingers gripping the swell of her hips as she arched into him and away from the cool wall.
A soft chuckle sounded low in his throat when he nipped at the skin where her shoulder met her neck. "You're still sandy."
"You are too," she teased, running her hands down his chest as she felt the grit under her fingers.
Grabbing the body wash, Shisui squirted some gel into Sakura's hand before he put some in his own. She lathered it together in her hands before she pressed her palms to his chest, scrubbing the dust and grit from his skin. Beneath her fingertips, she could feel his muscles relaxing and he released an appreciative groan when her fingers found a sore spot on his lower back.
"You're good at that," Shisui murmured, his eyes slipping closed as he braced his weight against the wall on either side of her head.
Sakura smiled as she pushed herself up onto her toes to press a kiss to the underside of his chin. She massaged the spot a moment longer before she ran her palms up and down his back until her hands rested on his narrow hips. Between his legs, his member was beginning to stir, but she merely rested her head back against the wall as Shisui ran his warm hands over her skin.
He massaged her neck before he smoothed his palms down her chest, her breath hitching as his fingers skimmed her nipples before he moved down her stomach. His lips peppered her chin and jaw as he pressed her body against his. His hands found her waist again before he steered her around until she stood under the spray. Sakura let the water wash the soap away before they switched places, their mouths meeting over and over again in a slow kiss.
Against her stomach, Shisui's length hardened and she ground herself against it, drawing a groan from him. She did it again if only to hear that noise come out of his mouth once more, but it only made him growl low in his throat before he spun her around and pressed her chest against the wall. Her nipples tightened at the sudden temperature change, but she wasn't given time to recover before Shisui was behind her.
Heat pooled heavily in her lower stomach and her sex pulsed sharply at feeling him utterly cage her in. She could feel how much larger his body was compared to hers as he pressed his chest to her back, his muscular arm wrapping around her petite waist to pull her backside against his hardness. Sakura braced her hands against the wall, but there was nowhere to go. Especially when he pinned one of her hands in place while his teeth nipped at the skin just below her ear.
"You're so damn sexy," he practically growled. "You made it hard to concentrate today while you ran around in that little bikini. Every time you bent down to get the ball, all I could look at was your perfect ass."
His words sent a thrill through her and she couldn't resist grinding herself against him again. "You kept spiking the ball at me on purpose, didn't you? You just wanted to see me on my knees."
"I'll have you on more than just your knees," he promised her.
He nipped at her skin again before he released her wrist to cup her breast. Her knees threatened to give out on her as he pinched her nipple, but the arm around her waist kept her steady as he teased her. She buried one hand into his wet curls as the heat between her legs began to become unbearable. She was hot, so hot, and not just from the water that continued to pour down on them.
"Fuck, Shi," Sakura gasped, her hands finding the wall again as she rested her forehead against the tiles.
He tangled his fingers into her hair and angled her face towards his as he pinched her nipple again. "Does that feel good, baby?"
She released a shaky moan. "You turn me on so much. Please touch me," she begged.
He sealed his lips to hers as he finally released her breast to slip his hand down her stomach to the space between her legs. Sakura was happy she had shaved just that morning, it made everything so much more sensitive, and she gasped into his mouth when he traced her seam, teasing her and testing her wetness before he spread her folds.
"You're so wet for me, sweetheart," he murmured against her mouth.
With one hand braced against the wall, Sakura reached down with the other to grasp his forearm when he found her bundle of nerves. "Oh fuck, right there," she cried, her nails skinning into his skin.
"Right there?" he echoed. "Are you sure you don't prefer here?"
He slipped his fingers through her folds until he sunk his two middle fingers into her core. A cry escaped her at the sudden intrusion, but it didn't hurt by any means. The stretch was delicious and she spread her legs wider to give him room to pump his thick fingers inside her.
"You're so tight," Shisui said, his voice heavy with lust. "It's going to feel so good when I finally bury myself inside you."
"I want you. Please fuck me," Sakura whimpered.
He chuckled against her temple. "Well, when you ask so nicely…"
She expected Shisui to fuck her. To enter her from behind or spin her around and hoist her against the wall. What she didn't expect was for him to withdraw from her completely. He shut off the shower and opened the door before he stepped out, leaving her standing there alone.
Confused, Sakura turned around only for him to hold out a towel towards her. Her bewilderment must have shown on her face for he unfolded the towel and wrapped it around her before he used the material to pull her towards him. "I can't fuck you the way I want to in here," he told her with dark, hungry eyes and a promising smile.
Sakura opened her mouth to complain, but Shisui silenced her with another toe-curling kiss. Her blood was still on fire, her desires still making her mind a little fuzzy. She didn't let him pull away from her. Instead, she used the towel he had wrapped around her to dry him most of the way off before she pulled him out of the bathroom and into the hall.
She had no idea where she was going, but fortunately Shisui took over, steering her backwards further down the hall until they reached another door. They lost their towel somewhere along the way, but she didn't give it a second thought as he pressed her against the doorframe, his thigh pressing against her throbbing sex.
That pressure was enough to make Sakura throw her head back with a moan, giving Shisui plenty of room to attack her neck with his teeth. He nipped at the delicate tendon in her throat as he pressed his hard member into her hip. That was all the encouragement Sakura needed.
This time, she took over. She pushed Shisui backwards into his room until the back of his knees hit the edge of his mattress. He fell back onto it, but stayed sitting as she brushed her hair out of her face before she dropped to her knees between his legs.
Now that she was face-to-face with his length, she realized just how big he was. He was far larger than any of her previous partners and deliciously thick. It was going to take some relaxing to take him down her throat, not to mention her pussy. It made her mouth water.
Peering up at him, Sakura smiled coyly. "Is this what you were thinking of today?"
The look of utter lust on Shisui's face made her breath catch. "One of the things. Are you going to suck my cock, pretty girl?"
"Yes," she nodded eagerly.
He reached down to cup her face, his thumb brushing along her lower lip as an utterly smoldering smirk crossed his lips. "Good girl."
Sitting back, Shisui spread his legs a little wider to give her room. She couldn't turn her eyes away from his member as she gripped the base and gave it a few experimental strokes. His length was so hot and heavy in her hand and she licked her lips before she glanced up at him again. His gaze bore into her and she didn't look away from him as she opened her mouth and slid the head of his cock between her lips.
A soft groan escaped him as she swirled her tongue around the head, her eyes finally falling downcast as she worked the rest of his thick member into her mouth. His hand landed in her hair, but he merely stroked her damp locks encouragingly as she bobbed her head up and down.
"Just like that. You feel so good, Sakura," he groaned. "You know just how to swallow my cock."
The pleasure in his voice urged her on and she relaxed her throat until he was fully seated inside her mouth. She paused there a moment before she withdrew only to swallow him again. His hands tightened in her hair as she worked on his cock, his grip becoming a little firmer as his breath became more labored.
Sakura would have pleasured him until he came, but he stopped her, using the grip he had on her hair to pull her off his cock. He bent down to press his mouth to hers before he pulled her on top of him onto the bed. "You're so good at that, but I don't want the night to end too early," he grinned at her.
Then he kissed her again before he rolled them over until she was below him. He wrapped a strong arm around her waist and helped maneuver her into the center of the mattress before he grasped the back of her knee and hoisted her leg up onto his hip. A moan escaped her when his member pressed against her inner thigh, so close to where she wanted it but not close enough. Her sex was utterly throbbing between her legs and she couldn't resist canting her hips, trying to get any friction to help relieve the heat between her legs.
"Please…" Sakura begged against his mouth. "I need you."
"And I've got you," he soothed her.
And true to his words, he slipped his hand down to her center, his fingers pressing inside her and helping calm her desperation. She ground against him, her back arching when his thumb found her clit. He took her criticism openly, going a little softer and a little higher until he pleasured her exactly how she liked it.
Between the stimulation on her pearl and the smooth glide of his fingers against her upper wall, it didn't take her long to come apart. Her back arched and her thighs squeezed around his hips as she tried to close her legs against his onslaught, but he kept going, pushing her pleasure higher until her voice was hoarse and her body was weak.
It wasn't until she collapsed back against the bed that he stopped. His hand stilled, but his fingers remained buried inside her as her walls continued to pulse around him in the aftermath of her orgasm. When she opened her eyes, he was still watching her, a small smirk on his face.
"What?" she asked.
He grinned. "I hope you're not too tired. I'm not done with you yet," he said, echoing her words from earlier that afternoon.
Sakura let out a soft laugh that changed to a quiet groan as he finally withdrew his fingers. "I sincerely hope not," she murmured before she lifted her head to place a brief kiss to his lips.
In the nightstand beside the bed, Shisui withdrew a condom. He ripped the foil open and rolled the latex down onto his member before he wetted himself with her essence. Then he lined up his head and pushed himself inside her.
With her orgasm so fresh, she was still sensitive and she moaned as his thick girth stretched her walls. Above her, Shisui released his own appreciative groan as her inner muscles rippled around him and he dropped down onto his elbows to seal his mouth to hers as he filled her to the hilt. She threaded her fingers into his damp curls, pulling him closer as she angled her hips to better accept him.
"You're so big," Sakura whimpered when he finally stilled inside her.
He smirked at her compliment but his expression was lined with pleasure. "You like that, baby?"
She nodded with a moan when he shifted, only to draw a louder gasp from her when he finally separated his hips from hers. There was no build up; Shisui started with a hard and fast pace, his own arousal still a raging fire. He nipped at her collarbone as his fingers dug into the soft skin of her thighs. It was all Sakura could do to hold on as her tender walls clamped down on him, sending little sparks of pleasure deep into her core and drawing gasping moans from her with every thrust. Her voice pitched higher when he hiked her legs further up his arms, splitting her open even wider and allowing the head of his member to hit her upper wall where she was most sensitive.
Sakura came again before she knew what hit her and Shisui fucked her through it.
He kept thrusting, kept hilting himself inside her as her world shattered around her. Her fingers dug into his forearms, grasping for anything to keep her grounded as pleasure spiked through her like lightning.
It was a hard fall back to reality. Sakura collapsed back against the bed as Shisui slowed his pace. He released his grip on her thighs, letting her legs come to rest on his hips as he bent down to press his lips to hers again. She met his kiss lazily.
"Fuck, you're good at that," she groaned.
He chuckled as he pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth and her chin before he buried his face into her neck. "I like seeing you come. You're so damn sexy."
She ran her hands up his shoulders until she could tangle her fingers into his hair. She urged his face back to hers before she pressed her mouth against his in a slow but deep kiss as she met the easy roll of his hips. He felt so good inside her. Even with two orgasms already, she liked the way her sex pulsed around him.
"Are you going to come for me?" she asked playfully.
Shisui released a soft laugh. "You feel so good. I kinda don't want it to end yet."
That drew a sound of amusement from Sakura and she pulled him back down for another kiss before Shisui finally sat up again to pick up his pace.
In the dim lighting, she could see how the muscles of his abs and chest flexed as he moved. His body was utterly sexy, as if it were carved from the gods themselves. She couldn't resist running her hand down his stomach before smoothing her palm over his hard chest.
"Come on, baby. Fuck me," she encouraged him.
And it worked. Shisui ground against her harder, his large hands gripping her thighs as he pounded into her. Pleasure erupted between her legs again, but it wasn't enough to make her come a third time and she watched with rapt attention as he fell apart above her.
The muscles in his body grew taut and his eyes pinched closed as he shuddered and came with a broken groan. His hips slowed to a stop as he came down from his high. The room grew quiet with the exception of their labored breathing and it was a full moment before Shisui finally opened his eyes and looked down at her.
A smile crossed her lips and she welcomed him into her arms as he laid down on top of her, his forearms on the bed on either side of her head. His eyes slipped closed again as he fought for breath, but she merely pressed a kiss to his chin, content to just lay there a moment.
Eventually he turned his face towards hers. "What do you need?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Nothing. I'm good."
His eyes searched her face. "Are you sure? I can keep going if you want."
His consideration warmed her, but she simply shook her head. "No, two orgasms are plenty. Besides, I'm tired," she told him. As if to prove her point, a yawn slipped out of her mouth and she rubbed a hand over her eyes.
With a soft chuckle, Shisui pressed his lips to her shoulder before he slipped out of her. Sakura watched him stand from the bed and pull off his condom before he disappeared into the hall. The moment he was gone, her eyes flickered towards the clock on the nightstand only to find it was already past midnight, which meant it was three in the morning for her. Besides her nap on the airplane that morning, she had been awake for nearly twenty-four hours. And it felt like it.
Between the jetlag, an entire afternoon of intense volleyball and some of the best sex Sakura could remember having in a long time, she was utterly exhausted. She hadn't even realized her eyes had slipped closed until Shisui nudged her.
"Here, drink some water," he murmured.
Blinking her eyes open, Sakura looked up to find a glass of water in his hand. With his help, she sat up and accepted the cup from him. She swallowed a couple of mouthfuls before she handed it back and he set it on the nightstand before he helped her crawl under the sheets. She was out the moment her head hit the pillow.
xx
It was still dark when Sakura awoke. It wasn't the utter blackness she had fallen asleep in, but more of a deep indigo when the sun was only an hour or so off the horizon.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she glanced around the room, taking in her unfamiliar surroundings. Immediately, she remembered Shisui and all that had happened the night before. As if on cue, an arm tightened around her waist and she glanced over her shoulder to find said man still asleep behind her.
His hair was mussed and his face was half-buried into his pillow, but he still looked utterly adorable. She didn't know how someone so big and broad could be so cute, but it made her smile nevertheless.
Sneaking out of his grasp, Sakura slipped off the bed. Just as she had predicted her calves and thighs were sore from running and jumping in the sand yesterday afternoon, but she didn't regret. Glancing around, she stole the first shirt she saw off the ground and pulled it down over her head before she made her way into the hall towards the bathroom only to glare at the reflection that greeted her in the mirror. The makeup that hadn't washed off in the shower was smeared under her eyes and her hair was kinked in weird places after having gone to bed with it wet. Fortunately, her hair tie was still on the counter and she piled her locks up into a messy bun before she scrubbed at her face.
Once she was mostly refreshed, Sakura moved to leave only to feel the crunch of sand beneath her feet. She looked down to find her and Shisui's clothes were gone, but the floor was still coated in a light dusting of sand. She looked around for her bikini for a moment, but when she didn't see it, she grabbed a wash cloth and swept up as much sand as she could.
As soon as that was done, she headed to the kitchen. The clock on the stove read 6:07 in green numbers, which explained why she was awake. It was a few hours past her normal wake up time. She jokingly blamed Shisui for that one, which only made her smile as she recalled the night before.
It had been fun, but it was only a one-night thing. It was all Sakura could give with everything going on in her life and the fact she lived on the other side of the country three thousand miles away. She was certain Shisui understood that it wasn't anything more than fun.
For a moment, that made Sakura pause in the kitchen as she considered collecting her things and slipping out, but that seemed kinda cold. It wasn't like Sakura had anywhere to be for a few hours and she doubted Ino was awake to pick her up. There wasn't any harm in lingering a little longer. And besides, she still didn't know where her clothes from yesterday had gone.
With that decided, Sakura dug out the coffee and started the machine to brew. She found a mug in the cabinet and creamer in the fridge. With a steaming cup, she wandered into the living room.
It was average-looking but comfortable with a couch against one wall and a television mounted on the opposite one. Beneath it was a video game console with a couple of games stacked beside it. In the corner, Shisui had a desk with a desktop computer and a large, comfortable chair. It was probably the messiest part of his flat with papers and documents scattered around it.
No, not documents, but sketches she realized.
Curious, Sakura set her coffee on the low table in front of the couch before she bent over the desk and looked at the art. Some of it looked like actual work – designs for company logos and advertisements – but most of it seemed like it was more for fun. There were pictures of a female pirate, a merman and merwoman beneath the water, and battle-weary ninjas. Shisui had quite the imagination and quite the skill. They all looked stunning.
Glancing at the walls, she wondered if some of the digital artwork hanging in frames were his.
Sakura appreciated the art for a little while until the sky began to lighten more. With her coffee in hand, she stood at the sliding door and watched as the horizon went from a dark blue to a pink and orange as the sun rose. It was somewhere behind her, but it still bathed the ocean in a mix of warm colors. Shisui was right, it was a nice view.
That's where he found her when he woke up some time later. Sakura turned around as he paused at the mouth of the hall, a pair of basketball shorts riding low on his hips and his chest bare. He yawned as he ran a hand through his messy locks. "I was worried you had left."
That made her smile. "Not yet. I'm still here."
He stifled another yawn before his dark eyes flickered towards the clock. "It's early. Why are you awake?"
"I'm still on East Coast time," she reminded him. "It's nearly eleven for me."
"Oh yeah. Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah, thanks," Sakura said. Then she laughed softly. "I actually don't remember falling asleep. Sorry for crashing out on you."
"It's all good," he shrugged. "You passed out like thirty seconds after we finished."
"Guess that means you did your job well."
Shisui grinned cockily at that before his eyes dropped to the mug in her hands. "You made coffee?"
"Hope you don't mind. Do you want some?" she asked, offering her mug towards him.
That stirred him into moving and he closed the distance between them to accept her coffee. "Thanks," he sighed appreciatively before he looked her up and down once, his brow arching. "Is that my shirt?"
Automatically Sakura looked down at herself only to remember she had grabbed it off his floor. It was a simple navy t-shirt, but it was massive on her, falling to her mid-thigh and concealing the fact she wasn't wearing anything underneath.
"Yeah, sorry. I don't know what happened to mine," she said.
"I threw them into the wash last night," Shisui told her between sips of coffee. "They're in the dryer now."
That wasn't what she had been expecting to hear, but his consideration warmed her and in a moment of impulse, she reached up to place a kiss to his cheek. "You didn't have to. Thanks for doing that."
Shisui merely smiled at her with what looked like a soft blush on his cheeks before he sipped the coffee again.
For a moment, they stood in silence as the sun continued to rise before Sakura's gaze landed on his desk again. "Can I ask, how long have you been drawing for?"
A look of surprise crossed his face before he followed her gaze to his workspace. "Uh…since I was like four."
"Your work is amazing. You must practice a lot."
He nodded. "Pretty much daily."
"Wow. Well it shows. It really is stunning."
"Thanks," he said, rubbing the back of his neck shyly.
It made her grin that he could be so cocky and confident in one minute and then so bashful the next. She didn't want to tease him though and so she bit back her smile as she turned her attention back out the balcony.
"Hey, I know you said you had something going on today. Do you need a ride?" Shisui asked after a moment. "I could drive you."
His offer surprised her but she quickly shook her head. She didn't want anyone with her at her appointments today lest they fell through. "No, that's okay. I have a couple of errands to run and I don't want to drag you all around town."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded. "Yeah, but thanks."
He still didn't look convinced and she couldn't help but smile at how cute he looked. It was such a different expression from the one he had worn last night while she was swallowing his cock. He had been so dominant then. A good boy gone bad. Just the thought was enough to draw arousal to her lower stomach.
"You know…" Sakura began slowly. "I don't have to leave for a few hours…"
Shisui stared at her for one moment and then another as he processed her words. Then he nearly pounced on her. He set the coffee mug aside before he bent his head and sealed his mouth to hers. His hands immediately slipped under the hem of his shirt before a low groan rumbled in his chest when he realized she wasn't wearing anything underneath.
"You little tease," he practically growled, causing her to laugh.
They made it as far as the couch.
xx
As soon as Sakura's plane landed, she stripped off her sweatshirt. It was just as warm out as the last time she had landed in Los Angeles only three weeks ago and she couldn't help but bask in the heat.
Checking her phone, Sakura saw she didn't have any new text messages, but she wasn't surprised. She had lied to Ino and told her best friend that she was going to be in meetings all day and be unreachable. It was going to be too easy to surprise her.
Glancing at her watch, Sakura saw it was only a little past noon, but she knew by the time she checked out her rental car and got through traffic to the south beach where Ino lived and played, her best friend would be on the volleyball court playing like she did every Thursday afternoon.
Sure enough, Sakura saw Ino's car parked amongst the others along the boardwalk by the time she arrived over an hour later. The sun was high in the sky and the sand was warm beneath Sakura's feet, but in the distance, she could see over half a dozen people running and diving around the courts. A smile lit up her face when she recognized Ino and Naruto among them before her eyes landed on a tall, broad male with dark, curly hair and an impressive vertical jump.
Shisui.
Sakura hadn't exactly been looking for him, but now that she knew he was here, she felt her excitement grow. This was going to be fun.
Standing off to one side, Sakura made a point not to draw any attention to herself until they had finished their game. All of them were sweaty and sandy as they panted for breath, but Naruto still asked, "Do you guys wanna play another game?"
"Yeah, I'm in," Ino nodded as Shisui and Genma shared a glance.
"Should we switch up teams though?" the brunette asked.
That's when Sakura chose to interject. "I'm available, if anyone needs a partner."
Just as she had hoped, they all turned to her with varying looks of surprise. Naruto and Shisui were openly shocked behind their sunglasses while Ino's mouth fell open. It made Sakura's smile stretch into a wide grin.
"Sakura, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked, the first to recover.
She accepted his giant bear hug before telling him, "I just moved back."
"You did what?" Ino questioned, her tone openly incredulous.
"My job was able to transfer me to another office here and I sign my year-long lease for my apartment tomorrow morning," she told them.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Naruto demanded.
It only made Sakura smile again. "Because I wanted to see the look on your faces when I showed up. And they were worth it."
"Oh, you dirty liar," Ino said good-naturedly. "You told me you were in meetings all day!"
"I know," she laughed.
"When did you even have time to find an apartment?" the blonde snapped.
Sakura smirked. "When I was here three weeks ago. What did you think I was doing all day?"
"I don't know. Clothes shopping or something?"
"Yeah, like you would let me go clothes shopping without you," Sakura teased.
There was a pout on Ino's face, but she was too excited to keep it for very long and she drew Sakura into a tight, sandy embrace before she began asking her a million questions at rapid fire.
For a few minutes, the girls chatted back and forth before Genma finally stepped in, "So, did you guys want to play another game?"
"That's why I'm here," Sakura grinned.
She stepped out of her shorts and pulled her shirt over her head to reveal the cute but sporty, maroon bikini she was wearing underneath. Then she glanced at Shisui. He hadn't said a word since she arrived, but his eyes had barely left her and she smiled warmly at him.
"Wanna be my partner?" she asked.
Without missing a beat, that boyish grin she remembered so well crossed his face before he nodded. "Definitely."
end
a/n: Thank you for reading my self-indulgent trash. Before you guys ask, yes, Shisui and Sakura hook up again and start dating. This was just a feel-good fic I felt like writing. Everyone needs some fluff and smut sometimes.
Please ignore any errors. I wrote and edited this entire monster in 4 days and my brain has turned to mush. So, if you enjoyed it, please let me know! Thanks!
Also, thank you to the lovely ladies on discord for keeping me motivated and helping with a few suggestions. Much love!