Author: Amaya
Editor: Aiko
Characters/Pairings: [Shisui x Sakura]; Uchiha Itachi, Team Seven
Categories: Romance, Drama, Action
Rating: Mature [See Warnings Below]
Warning: This story contains strong language, depictions of violence and mature sexual content including, but not limited to: breath play, superior/subordinate kinks, rough body play, power kinks and so on. You have been warned.
Full Summary: As the most elite of the elite shinobi to ever grace the village, Anbu operatives were easily some of the most frightening and striking characters one could come across. The way they protected the village while cloaked in shadows, appearing like some God-appointed deities when they were needed most and forgoing honor in exchange for anonymity—was as seductive as one could get. But to Sakura, the real allure lied in the deceptive red smiles painted on their masks, and in figuring out who was behind them. ["Don't start things you can't finish, Haruno."]
Kamen
Chapter || Four
Sakura couldn't remember the last time she actually spent the night out. Most of her days off were spent at home doing chores or training of some sort, while the nights were spent with friends and a few bottles of wine at home. And very rarely did her day off fall on a weekend. She usually had a stray Tuesday or Thursday off, which unfortunately, didn't align with most of her friends' schedules, so Sakura knew she had to capitalize on this rare opportunity lest she wanted face the wrath of an offended Ino.
Speaking of, the blonde was actually staring at herself in the mirror, posing as she gathered her hair into her hands like some sort of model in a photo shoot, much to Sakura's amusement. Then again, her best friend very much looked the part; she wore a skin-tight romper in which the top was haltered with a deep neckline that plunged below her navel and revealed all of her cleavage, and paired with ridiculously long boots that left just a sliver of skin revealed near the top of her thighs. She had seen the rather modern outfit a few times, mostly when Ino was feeling particularly interested in herself and even on a few missions, not that Sakura could blame her. Ino knew what she looked good in
"So you're sure you're not working tomorrow?" Ino questioned, her tone a wary one.
"Yes, Pig, I'm sure," Sakura retorted whilst rolling her eyes. "I told Aki-san not to call me unless it's a level four emergency. We'll be fine."
"What about the guy you and Ibiki are working on? The Sharingan Thief?"
"Ibiki has him in isolation for the next," Sakura paused to glance at her clock on the nightstand. "One hundred or so hours. So they won't need me down in T&I for a little while."
Ino's face twisted into an expression of distaste at the statement, or rather, the image that came with it and nonchalance it was spoken with. "Alright, if you say so," She huffed, twirling a stray bit of hair around her fingers. "I just don't want you to blame me if you're hungover on a shift."
Shaking her head, Sakura combed her fingers through her tresses and allowed them to fall over her shoulder, marveling at the waves that bounced with the movement. She always loved her hair, but now that it had developed into it's true, matured color, it was her pride and joy. While her father's hair had lightened from burgundy to a pale pink with age, her hair had darkened into more of a rose pink with a charcoal undertone that she loved to flaunt. The shift in color made her feel more mature, and she felt as if people took her more seriously than they did when it was as vibrant as it once was. That, and it paired well with most of her outfits whenever she did have the time and energy to dress up.
Once Sakura was satisfied with her look, she faced Ino, hands gesturing towards her outfit. It wasn't quite as risque as Ino's, but made Sakura feel every bit as comfortable as she did sexy. She wore a form-fitting black long sleeved top with a high, oriental collar and cutouts on the shoulders and across her chest, revealing a tasteful amount of cleavage. Her pants hugged her legs, making them appear longer than they were, her knee-high boots adding to the illusion, and a pale pink obi-styled belt was fastened around her waist to accentuate the incurve of her torso. "How do I look?" She asked.
Ino glanced at her through her reflection, then quickly swiveled around to get a better look with a sly smile painted across her face. "And who are you trying to impress tonight, Forehead?" She teased, her hand coming up to bring some of Sakura's short locks towards the front. They may have been a little over dressed for some casual drinking, what with the dark lipstick and the dramatic eyeliner, but sometimes, Sakura needed the reminder that she wasn't just a kunoichi, but a woman. And sometimes, men needed to be reminded of that, too.
Sakura swatted her friends away with a laugh, tucking her wallet into the pocket on the inside of her obi. "Who are you trying to impress, Ino?" She shot back, wiggling her eyebrows for good measure
The Yamanaka heiress waved a hand, a far away look taking over her expression for the briefest of moments before her sly grin returned. "Please. When you look as good as I do, who isn't impressed?" She scoffed. She linked her arm with Sakura's, reaching for the nearly empty bottle of sake that sat on the kitchen counter and drank half of what was left. Sakura downed the rest, cheeks already pink from their pre-gaming, and with one last check over their figures, the two girls left the apartment with a mischievous giggle.
Kamen
"Ah fuck."
Shisui snorted as he approached the dartboard, retrieving the darts that were embedded around the cork surface. He had struck the twenty twice as well as the eighteen, meaning he was close to closing out both numbers. He extended the darts to Genma, who took the projectiles and ambled towards the marker on the floor with a languid swagger. He struck the twenty-five twice, followed by the triple-fifteen.
"Show off," Shisui mumbled, watching as his squadmate tugged the darts from the board. He wasn't sure why he even bothered playing with the light-haired man; even though this was meant for fun and not for training, Genma had some sort of advantage, seeing as how he handled senbon more than he did kunai.
After their earlier training session had finished, Genma suggested they met with a few other shinobi and share a few drinks at Ippuku. Shisui was adamant about going, claiming it had been a while since they last had the chance to relax in a group, but Itachi decided against the outing despite the clear look of longing on his face. While Itachi wasn't particularly fond of drinking and really only did so sparingly during dinner, he did on occasion divulge in the activity if Shisui persuaded him well enough. Apparently he had matters with Fugaku-ojisan and the council to attend to, reminding Shisui of why he was never jealous of the younger man's position. But Itachi had promised he would try to join them later in the night if he could. Shisui clicked his tongue; there wasn't much time left for Itachi to enjoy being young.
Tipping his glass to his lips, Shisui surreptitiously regarded the crowd, taking in the many bodies that littered the establishment. It was a pretty decent sized izakaya with warm wood tones and dim lighting, and both high bar-tops and booths with shoji partitions at the back. Shinobi tended to frequent this bar, meaning he recognized a fair amount of the patrons that stood around, chatting away with their drinks in hand. Not to say that civilians were prohibited; it's just that many of them weren't comfortable being surrounded by so many ninja who easily spoke about their missions and weapons like they would about the weather. After a stint of searching, Shisui's sight hovered over an easily recognizable head of raven hair. Sasuke had ditched his side the moment they got their drinks, seeking out his friends on the farther end of the building and seemed to have a comfortable smirk that could have passed for a smile upon his face. Shisui grinned at the rare sight. The twenty-four year old had the likening of an old man but without the wisdom, his personality obviously inherited from his stern father, so it was refreshing to see him at ease for once.
The feeling of an arm brushing against his caught his attention, forcing Shisui to watch as a woman began walking away from him. She had pin-straight black hair pulled into a high ponytail, the lighting causing her silky hair to glow a shade of violet, and miles of light skin purposely revealed to him through her hardly-there outfit. She wasn't a kunoichi, that was for sure. She looked too clean, too unblemished; her waist was too small and she walked as if she didn't care about her surroundings. But that didn't really bother him. He didn't usually pay much attention to civilian girls as they had a tendency to be too clingy and a little boring in bed, but that didn't mean he ignored them completely. The woman glanced at him over her shoulder with a coy smile and a wink, daring him to join her and prompting the corners of his lips to tug into a pleased smirk. Genma snickered next to him jabbing at him with his elbow as if in encouragement while Hayate quietly turned away. Honestly, he contemplated following her and would have if not for Kotetsu's hand blindly clawing at the back of his shirt, tugging on it and his necklace until they choked him.
He prepared to scold his friend, who seemed completely focused on something else, and made to swat his hand away when an orchestra of whistles and cheers broke out, prompting him and several others to curiously face the direction that he and Genma stared off to. A familiar pair of ladies seemed to be the center of their attention, having paused at the friendly catcalls and suggestive whistles; they smiled and posed playfully while their friends made a scene.
"God damn," He heard Genma breathe, and Shisui had to agree.
God damn was right.
Yamanaka Ino was always considered one of the most stunning women in Konoha, and Shisui would've had to have been blind to disagree. She had a particular allure that very few women could emulate, with a sway in her hips that demanded attention and a tilt to her chin that let others know she was one with power. Those sparkling, icy blue eyes of hers could tear apart a person's insecurities as well as praise them all in one glance. And she looked stunning in her all black outfit. However, as easy on the eyes as she may have been, Shisui found that his stare lingered over her rose-haired best friend longer than he intended. Her outfit covered her almost completely, unlike that of the gorgeous blonde's beside her, but worked to garner just as much attention. Her petal-like locks just barely brushed her exposed shoulders in messy waves, framing her face stylishly, and her heavy makeup drew attention to her pouty lips and her doe-like eyes. And Kami those boots. Dressed like that, she didn't look the part of the Hokage's prim and proper little apprentice.
Shisui released his lower lip from his teeth. She seemed to be surprising him with each meeting without meaning to.
The new arrivals joined their group of friends, quickly becoming engrossed in a series of conversations that overlapped each other. He watched on as Sakura joined her teammates, plucking the drink from his younger cousin's hand and claiming it as her own with a goading smirk while Naruto snickered something that made Sasuke lash out at the back of his head. Shisui snorted then shook his head, returning to his one beverage, clandestinely observing the young medic as she bounced along from one conversation to the next while laughing at jokes and downing her shots like water.
Idly, his fingers toyed with the collar of his black shirt, nails skimming the thin cord of his pendant as he recalled the last time he had seen the curious young woman.
Flashback
It was with a delighted sigh that Shisui allowed himself to relax, easing further into the uncomfortable bar stool and encasing the frosted glass with his fingers. The weather had taken quite the turn, going from a comfortable warmth to a dangerous heat that added ten pounds to his gear, so for precautionary measures, he and his team took up residence at a tavern with ties to Konoha. It was an averagely built space, not too fancy but not seedy, and had smart staff who kept their ears open and mouths closed. Owned by a retired Konoha-nin, they worked as the eyes and ears of the Leaf despite being a fair distance away, in exchange for stability, so it was a popular place for Konoha ninja to rest up while on assignments in the area.
So here he sat, surveying the crowd with halfhearted interest as the afternoon sun fell to darkness. He had volunteered for first watch, allowing his squad to settle in for the next few hours while he played the part of a weary traveler downstairs. While it wasn't completely necessary, seeing as how they were in a relatively safe place, it didn't mean they weren't completely out of danger. Plus, this gave him the ability to take note of any interesting characters that may have passed in and out of the bar downstairs.
His attention eventually hovered over a group of men that took over a booth near the back of the room. There were four of them, their weapons still holstered and openly displayed on the table. On their own, the men were hardly worth a double-take, but the signature white, single-strapped flak jackets they wore demanded otherwise. As one of the Hokage's closest guards, Shisui would have heard the very first whisper of a rumor regarding visiting envoys, especially ones from Kumogakure; so the fact that such a large amount of them were hanging out in a tavern in Leaf territory without his knowing put him on edge. If it had been just one he could have overlooked it. Four, he couldn't.
Shisui swept his eyes across the room once more in feigned disinterest before swiveling back around to face the bar. Using the mirror behind the liquor bottles, he observed the suspicious group as they mumbled to one another over sake. From his seat, he couldn't hear what they were saying or read their lips, much to his annoyance. He prepared to move on to a different seat with a better view of them when an excited squeal stilled him. His gaze shot up to the mirror again where he found a young man with tanned skin and short hair so blond it was nearly white, entering the building with a woman slung over his shoulder. Slowly, Shisui's fingers began inching towards his left sleeve where a short bladed knife was hidden.
"We've got a live one over here!" The man jeered as he walked towards the table with the Kumo-nin. Shisui cursed in his head. Five now.
"Rikou-kun," The woman whined, wiggling atop his shoulder. "Put me down!"
The one addressed as Rikou dropped the girl into the lap of one of them, giving Shisui a better look at her. She was petite in stature, with hair cropped to her shoulders and colored a darker blonde than the man she had entered with. She was dressed in a burgundy kimono that was altered to have a wide neckline that revealed the slopes of her delicate shoulders and all of her neck, and slits up the sides of the skirt that went so high up her hips, it would've revealed all of her legs (and more) if not for the skintight black pants she wore under. But the thighs of her pants had a deep cut out that revealed milky skin, which is where the man who's lap she occupied let his fingers draw idle circles. There was something about the shape of her face that was vaguely familiar.
Shisui abandoned reaching for his weapon but continued warily observing the group from the mirror. They shared a few more words, laughing wholeheartedly between them, and then the young woman called out for someone across the room whilst waving a hand in hither. A second woman, tall with brown hair wrapped in a braid and dressed a short, blue and gold kimono, joined the group with a kittenish sway to her hips. She outstretched a hand, the movement dainty and elegant, to the youngest shinobi in the group, who excitedly used it to yank her roughly into his lap. She shrieked at the abrupt action but did little more than swat at the man's chest with a pout.
The melodic laugh of the first woman was a familiar one that Shisui couldn't quite pinpoint the owner to at first. It took him a few moments to realize just who giggled like that, and when he did, Shisui nearly groaned to himself in a mixture of annoyance and relief.
Haruno Sakura. That perky little blonde was the Hokage's apprentice.
How amusing it was, that he found her here of all places.
Figuring she was on a mission involving the Kumo-nin soothed nearly all the anxiety that had tumbled against his shoulders, although that did little to ease his frustration. The last time he had seen the rose haired medic, she had demolished a whole section of the forest and aided in the apprehension of a failed Sharingan thief. And he had been so fucking turned on that he pleasured himself to that memory almost immediately after. Kami he fucked another woman to that memory. Even now, nearly a week later, the blood beneath his navel began to boil to dangerous levels at the recollection.
Wetting his lips, Shisui watched with mild interest as she leaned her right shoulder outward, her head turned just slightly over that shoulder as she made some sort of comment to the man behind her. Her eyes were lined with feline-like liner and red eyeshadow, natural, and took on an intense glint that he recognized. She called out again, "Sake! For all of my new friends!" And then a third woman appeared, balancing a tray of glasses in her hand as she plopped down beside another man and handed him one of the cups. Her insanely long platinum hair was the only clue he needed to know who she was.
The natural blonde said something that made all the men laugh heartily, while Haruno huffed and seemed to beg the man to her right for something, turning her body in the other man's lap and setting her hand upon his chest. Shisui's flint eyes focused on the flirtatious gesture, or more specifically, on her hand as her manicured fingers unclasped the buckle to his flak jacket with a kittenish "oops!". Something in his chest sparked like a match, its hardly-there flames just barely a sensation as it swam through a coil in his stomach.
Shisui knew he should've looked away and left her to her mission. By watching her so intently and riling himself up, he could've jeopardized her assignment by compromising her position, but he found himself unable to look away.
The nature of her mission was as clear as day to him, even if the details were not, and understanding that prodded at his curiosity. He would've never thought Haruno Sakura was qualified for seduction. Seduction assignments were dangerous for everyone involved, not just the intended target, and especially for women. He had heard of more than a few kunoichi leaving for such assignments, only to never return, or to come back home missing fingers and tongues and bearing invisible scars that would never heal. He even heard of men returning afraid of other men standing behind them, and of men who were so tortured, they could never have kids again. And while seduction missions were generally reserved for Anbu-leveled ninja, it wasn't uncommon for those in her rank to partake in them every now and then. Hell, he had been on more than a few such assignments himself at her rank, and he had even been the target of a few unsuccessful kunoichi. Of course, he'd indulge in their touches out of purely selfish entertainment, but those poor girls always left with a failure on their record and an ache between their thighs.
However, not just anyone with a pretty face and tight body could take these kinds of missions on. There were very specific requirements for "red scroll" assignments. Things like personality type and social abilities were considered. Friendlier shinobi attracted others more naturally than a shyer one who had to act interested. Not only that but the social status, and the mental state and sexual confidence of the assignee were major factors; because while not every red scroll demanded one to sleep with a target or targets, it was always a possibility, and not everyone could honestly handle the implications of that. And that was all just the start of a long list of criteria that needed to be met.
From what he knew, based off their few encounters and the gossip that surrounded her, Haruno didn't seem the type to enjoy a roll around in bed with random targets for fun. She had a no-nonsense sort of attitude, a professionalism that teetered on the edge of a bad-temper, and a very black and white perception of the world—or so he gathered. She had a reaction to everything, whether it be big or small, whether it be crying in the bushes or leveling a whole forest. She was an emotional mess that hid behind a mask of professionalism. That in itself should have disqualified her from these kinds of tasks.
But watching her now, as she shot back a glass of mid-shelf sake with that heated stare of hers, Shisui couldn't help but wonder just how true his conclusion of her was. The liquored-up Kumo-nin threw her around like a doll, lifting her onto their shoulders and twirling her as if they'd never seen a woman before, caressing the bare skin of her shoulders as she danced to the jukebox with the Yamanaka girl and the civilian, and she allowed it all with that charming little laugh of hers. He watched as she straddled the one she called Rikou's lap, as she ground her hips into his and raked her fingers down his chest; she was so close, whispering into the man's ear and curling her body against his like a cat in heat. It all seemed so natural for her, as if she had done it thousands of times, the complete opposite to the fidgeting near-naked girl from a few weeks ago, making him wonder if she often acted that way with men back home or if this side of her wasn't meant for anyone else's eyes.
End Flashback
The pendant clasped between Shisui's fingers fell back against his chest, cold despite the surrounding heat. Seeing the Hokage's pristine little pupil's performance that night stirred up a few more questions and theories he had about her, as his opinion of her had changed. Somewhat. Because there was something almost criminal in knowing someone like Sakura was qualified for seduction, in knowing that she knew what she was doing. And now that they were back home, and neither of them were currently bound by any duties, what better time to search for answers than now?
Shisui's feet moved before he realized it, pulling him away from his friends so he could approach the younger group across the room. He came to stand beside his baby cousin, one of his arms draping loosely around Sasuke's shoulders despite the shorter man's annoyed grunt. "Well, if it isn't Konoha's best," The elder Uchiha greeted, enthusiastically and with a simper. The group returned his greeting with smiles, clinking their glasses with his own and taking a collective sip. "It's not often we to see the entire Rookie class hanging around. What's the occasion?"
"We don't need a special occasion to have a good time," Naruto cheered, raising his glass once again. The pinkness of his cheeks told Shisui he had been around for a while, confirmed by way he leant almost completely against an increasingly irritated Sasuke, and therefore him. The blond redirected his attention towards the Akimichi heir before Shisui could say anything else to him.
Genma, Hayate and Kotetsu approached the group as well, waving their own drinks in the air in greeting. "Ha, can't argue with you there," Genma laughed, cheersing his glass with the lazy Nara and then with Hayate's.
"What about you guys?" Shisui glanced over at Sakura who was happily drinking whatever it was Sasuke had previously been holding, much to the younger man's chagrin. She had a little smile on her face, soft, relaxed. "I haven't seen you guys here in a long time."
Her comment made Shisui wonder if perhaps she had always been prominent in the background and he had never noticed, only just now being hyper aware. But it also told him that she had noticed him there before, when he hadn't noticed her. Genma settled his hand at the neckline of his shirt tugging it down slightly with the weight of his hand. "You know how it is. Hokage-sama is running us ragged, ne Shisui?" She turned those vivid jade eyes on him, her laugh just as sweet as it was during her mission.
"Oh no, I get it," She agreed, waving her hand once. "She used to send me on all kinds of ridiculous assignments. The worse her mood, the worse the task. I don't get how Shizune-senpai does it. The poor woman is always exhausted even before she starts a shift." Then there was a tilt to her head and a slyness to her little grin as she looked directly at Genma. "But I suppose that's not all Tsunade-shishou's fault now, is it?" Shisui shot a look at his teammate, brow quirked and mouth parted slightly with the beginnings of a laugh on his tongue. He pointed at the blushing man with the hand that held his beer, silently asking him if the implication Sakura made was true. The pink twinge to the senbon user's nose acted as his answer. She stood on her toes now, searching the crowd before quirking a brow at Kotetsu with a hint of a frown marring her features. "No Izumo-kun tonight?"
Kotetsu snickered behind his glass. "He's stuck on guard duty."
"I don't think I've ever seen you without him."
"Now you know that's not true, Sakura. You've seen me alone more than a few times."
"Hmm, I guess it's just been that long then, that I must've forgot."
Amusement flittered within Shisui at the teasing comment, especially at the underlying tone the rosette used. Her nose had crinkled when she spoke, head turned slightly to the side and her right shoulder tilted forward, nearly mimicking a gesture she had made on that seduction mission. So she was in a good mood—a flirty mood. Pouncing on the opportunity, Shisui casually addressed Sakura again, hand nonchalantly swirling his drink when Sasuke detangled himself and disappeared. "So what brings you out tonight, Sakura-san? I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised to see you outside of the hospital for once. I almost didn't recognize you without your coat."
Sakura sipped at her commandeered drink, eyes wandering down and towards the right as she did so. Her free hand folded a lock of hair behind her ear. She really liked to fidget around him apparently. "I don't get to go out often," She admitted. "I'm always so busy. I'd actually probably still be at home if not for Ino-pig needing her daily dose of attention."
He caught the mirthful undertone to her statement, ebbing his fascination further. So she did have a sense of humor. He leant against the wall directly across from her. "Well it's nice to see you outside of work. You look good." He openly drug his gaze appreciatively up and down her body, mentally noting the blush that colored the bridge of her nose.
"Thanks," She beamed, the edge of her teeth just barely sinking into her lower lip coyly. "I don't normally get so dressed up, but it's nice to every once in a while. Sometimes I forget that I'm not just a kunoichi."
That I'm a woman.
The words hung heavily in the air, accentuated by the playful tilt of her head. Was she flirting with him? So openly? Well that was quite an unexpected development. He leaned forward with the beginnings of a smirk stretching against his lips, meaning to continue the conversation but was interrupted before he could even open his mouth. The weapons mistress from the Hyuuga's team dragged Sakura off, giddy with laughter as she roped the rosette into a round of shots with the girls, leaving him to scrape up his disappointment by initiating a chat with Sasuke and Hayate.
Kamen
"So anyway," Ino began again, taking a long, deliberate sip of her drink. "It actually wasn't that bad."
Taking in the uncharacteristically stiff posture of her best friend, Sakura quirked a brow. "Sai?" She stressed her teammate's name out, as if disbelieving what she had just heard come out of Ino's mouth.
Ino rolled her pretty blue eyes with a little more exasperation than necessary, before settling them knowingly on the rosette.
"Oh come on, Forehead. He's socially inept, not asexual." Nonchalantly, she swirled her glass with an expert wrist.
Sakura snorted, her nose scrunching in response while Tenten snickered behind her own glass. "They go hand-in-hand," She retorted, pausing to throw back the contents of her glass then refilled it. "And it's Sai, Ino."
"And Sai's in Anbu," Ino reminded, smirking roguishly at the way Sakura's brows began to knit. "He's very knowledgeable about the many intimate parts of the female body, and knows how to handle himself, if you know what I mean." At the mildly disturbed expression that Sakura made, complete with a slightly unhinged jaw and worried brows, Ino cackled along with Tenten while Hinata hid her face with a hand. She playfully slapped at Sakura's shoulder. "Oh don't look at me like that! I didn't judge you when you hooked up with Genma."
This time, it was Sakura's turn to roll her eyes. "You slept with Genma too."
"And I have zero regrets."
At the same time that Ino dryly expressed her indifference towards the ordeal, Tenten sputtered, nearly choking on her sake. "Wait, both of you guys hooked up with Genma?"
"Not like, at the same time," Ino quickly dismissed, whilst femininely, innocently, sipping her drink. Then she sniggered competitively at the rose haired medic who rolled her eyes once again. "I was with him first."
A blush bloomed across the apples of the weapons mistress's cheeks at that, and curiosity urged her to search the crowd for the Jonin in question. Finding him pitching darts with some other Jonin across the room, Tenten leant closer to the other ladies at the table, eyes alight with mischief and interest flickering between the two of them. "Are the rumors true?" She asked, almost in a whisper.
"Which one? That he really knows how to use his mouth or that he's—"
The girls jumped when Hinata, who was so discomfited over their conversation, accidentally jostled the table during her attempt at shifting her legs. Sakura immediately set her hands down on the bartop to prevent it from knocking over, biting back a grin while the Hyuuga heiress squawked, "I-Ino!"
"Sorry Hinata," The rosette chuckled, wiping away a drop that had spilled from Tenten's drink with a napkin. She sent a teasing but pointed look to her childhood friend, who shrugged and pursed her lips in return. "You know how Ino gets when it comes to her sex life. We all have to know."
Ino harrumphed at that and crossed her arm indignantly, dropping back against her bar stool. "Forgive me for having an interesting sex life. Someone here has to have one." Then an impish smile stretched ominously across her face, making the girls shift in their seats. They knew that anytime Ino had that particular look, no one was safe from her interrogations, not even Hinata. The girls waited with baited breath to see who Ibiki's newest pupil would be focusing on, letting out a collective sigh of relief when she finally rounded back to Sakura. "Speaking of interesting sex lives, what's going on with you and Kotetsu, Sakura?"
Jade eyes dropped to the drink encircled by Sakura's hands. Part of her had hoped Ino wouldn't have noticed the little heated glances the Chunin had gifted her from across the bar, but she should have known better. Ino knew everything, and saw everything. She considered playing it off with an ignorant, "what are you talking about?" but quickly abandoned the thought. Then she thought about redirecting the T&I prospect's attention to the tension developing between Tenten and Neji, but she decided against that as well out of the kindness of her heart. Feigning disinterest, Sakura propped her elbow against the table and rested her chin upon her palm. "Nothing."
"Nothing-nothing, or Genma-nothing," Ino asked, her smirk morphing into a shit-eating grin. "Because that nothing ain't nothing. He's been checking you out since we got here!"
Tenten waved a hand to wave off Ino's hungry leer. "Oh ease off Ino. You know Sakura only goes for men in uniform," The weapons mistress teased, her tongue drawing across her teeth. "She likes them polished."
"I mean, t-technically Kotetsu-san is a man in uniform..." Hinata quietly piped in, squeaking guiltily when Sakura whipped around to throw the woman a disbelieving, betrayed look.
"Please, we all know Sakura and Kiba have been all over each other ever since he got promoted," Ino teased, winking. Four pairs of eyes wandered towards the dog handler who was in the midst of a chat with Shikamaru at the bar. Ino whistled, "I bet he looks good in armor." Sakura threw back another shot with the hope that it would somehow save her from her growing embarrassment, but mumbled her affirmation under her breath.
Ino and Tenten bellowed with laughter at their friend's expression, doubling over and grasping their bellies while Hinata smiled behind her hand. Tenten set a placating hand on the back of Sakura's shoulders, squeezing gently. "Don't be shy! You know we're just teasing, Sakura."
A smile managed to spread across Sakura's lips despite her fluster. "Yeah, yeah. So what's going on with you and Neji, huh Ten?"
Tenten's back tensed obviously, her teasing expression melted completely and now replaced with mortification. "Wha—I don't—I mean—Nothing!"
The girls, even Hinata, shared another knowing smile. "Nothing-nothing, or Genma-nothing?"
Kamen
Shisui tried to reign in his curiosity as the night went on, forcing himself to pay attention to everything and everyone else but the pinkette that seemed to be appearing more and more frequently in his life, but it was growing increasingly difficult with each passing hour. Without meaning (or wanting) to, he had watched her pound back shots and chat with seemingly everyone in the room, sliding her hand down Kotetsu's arm. Curling strands of hair around her finger as she laughed at whatever Sasuke just said to her. Playfully shoving the heir to the Inuzuka clan.
The last time he had seen her, she was settled against the wall near their table, leaning against it as the tall ninken user leaned over her. Kiba at first seemed to be at an experimental distance, but gradually began closing that gap the longer the two talked until it seemed as if his body relied on the support of hers.
He felt Genma brush up against his knee, but didn't say anything about it. "Haruno's looking good tonight," The older man commented, an appraising lilt to his voice. Shisui hummed in agreement, but again decided against speaking. Genma grunted. "She's such a tease, playing all hard to get like that."
At that, Shisui's ears perked up. The senbon-user leant tiredly against the bar, the weapon in his mouth bobbing from one side to the other, the sound of it clinking against his teeth reaching through the drawl of the room. "Yamanaka?"
A short bark of a laugh rumbled in Genma's throat. "Yamanaka likes to act bad, but that girl's all sugar in bed. You wouldn't have ever thought that, just looking at them."
Shisui snorted softly, "Haruno? A tease?" He shook his head, hiding his smirk behind his drink.
"Haruno knows what she's doing," Genma continued, inclining his chin towards her but leaning closer to him. Something impish glistered in his eye when he smirked, and together, the look piqued Shisui's interest almost hungrily. Genma hummed, the sound closer to a grunt than anything, "Trust me. She likes playing all sweet and innocent."
"And I suppose you know that, firsthand?"
Whether it was meant as a question or a statement, Shisui didn't care to elaborate.
A knowing chuckle spurt around the senbon in Genma's mouth, but that was all Shisui needed to hear to figure out his answer. They didn't say anything else; Genma remained beside him a while longer, observing the pink haired Jonin between sips of his drink and comments with Raido while Shisui studied the scene unfolding before him with renewed intrigue. Assuming Haruno Sakura was a flirt was one thing. Hearing it from another person's mouth and witnessing it was another.
He memorized the way Kiba braced his left arm just above her shoulder, how the back of his hand brushed against the inside of her elbow. Sakura hardly seemed displeased by the Inuzuka heir's proximity; in fact, her eyes had taken on a puckish slant while her lower lip was taken by her teeth. There was a darkness in her eyes, a recognizable one that he had seen on many different women's faces. He turned away when Sakura lifted a hand to Kiba's chest and pushed away from the wall with that deceptively innocent smile on her face. No one else seemed to notice that the two of them had disappeared together.
Author's Note
Alright, there we go. Some more ShiSaku interaction, and some more of Shisui's perspective! I really struggled with this chapter even though I had already written it all out a while ago, so I hope you guys enjoyed it. I put a lot of blood, sweat and frustrated tears into it. Starting next chapter, things will be getting a little more steamy.