-5-
Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.
Jane Austen (1775 - 1817), Northanger Abbey
The advice of friends must be received with a judicious reserve; we must not give ourselves up to it and follow it blindly, whether right or wrong.
Pierre Charron
Sasuke was sitting behind his desk, playing with a pen. Outside the window night was ruling the world and Uchiha was still waiting…waiting…and getting more annoyed by the minute.
"You seem more miserable than usual" a familiar voice distracted Sasuke from another trick with turning the pen in his fingers.
"And you're worried that this amount of misery could…what? Cause a long-term effect?" Sasuke tossed the pen across the table as Naruto closed in and sat in a chair in front of the desk.
"Actually, that would be one of my worries" Naruto watched his friend's reaction carefully "what's going on? It's not about the case, is it?"
"My, does living with a woman include receiving telepathy lessons?" Sasuke noted sarcastically.
"No, if it was the case, you'd be walking around the office non-stop" Naruto sniffed as if trying to pick up what's wrong with Sasuke by his scent "your masculine-sex inter-waves, critically similar to my own, indicate, or rather radiate that the problem consists of two things"
"Don't say it" Sasuke exhaled, already seeing where this would lead (Yeah, Naruto here will be giving me some boyadvice of how to approach a woman. Is that what they call A Boy Talk? Cause I DON'T think I wanna be a part of this. I clearly have no interest of how Sakura might be in bed. Ok, maybe a little…or a lot. But that's not THE POINT here, people!).
"It's either women OR woman" Naruto solemnly announced.
"And what is the exact difference between those two words?"
"If it was a lot of women, I'd say it in plural, which I did. But my bet is that's one and only woman: Sakura" Naruto shrewdly and with goofy smile leaned forward to Sasuke.
"Idiot. Why would I have a problem with her?"
"A-ha! So you no longer have a problem with her living with you" Naruto pointed at Sasuke, victorious smile playing on his face.
"Yes, I do! But I also WILL have a problem with Itachi coming to my house every week. Three guesses which is better"
"Oh" Naruto gapped at him "so, they're dating?"
"They went on a date tonight" Sasuke looked at his watch "it's ten o'clock. So they're probably getting laid right now" Uchiha sighed and leaned back on the chair.
"And what happened between you two? Something did happen, right? Otherwise you wouldn't be so messed up"
"We…kissed once…that is, for about five minutes or so"
"And you didn't…you know…move further"
"No. What do you expect?"
"Good-ass sex that you wouldn't be able to walk for a week?" Naruto shrugged, barely holding back the giggle "that Sakura chick really seemed like capable of doing that to you"
"Are we still in a high school to get these kinds of pain? When do you think you are living? It doesn't matter how much your brains are atrophied anyway."
"So you're just gonna watch a woman of your dreams…what? Walking away into the arms of your moron brother?"
"You seriously think I care about her THAT much?"
"Don't you?"
The door to the office suddenly opened and Temari marched in.
"Typhus fewer was negative and the MRI was completely clean. And the patient's state doesn't change"
"How bad is his headache?" Sasuke instantly asked.
"How bad do you think, when you're not giving him anything to kill the fewer!" Temari flamed up "the guy's in a torture"
"Yep, he sure is" Sasuke nodded and flashed her a shrewd smirk "better go and kill that fewer. Tell me if something happens"
"You're impossible, honestly" Temari sighed and stormed out.
"Where did that assumption come from?" Sasuke pretended to be shocked.
"Maybe because you ARE impossible?" Naruto sighed, deciding he doesn't really want to argue about this issue (It's TOO obvious, people!) "listen, you gotta make a move on Sakura"
"Why should I? She's an annoying little bitch"
"You like her!"
"No I don't" Sasuke scoffed "what makes your little imbecile brain think I do?"
"Ok, ok, let's do it this way: which thing about her imposes you the most"
"Body, I guess" Sasuke shrugged "don't all vagina-users kinda have that type of charm?"
"Ok, body, you like it. That's a good start"
"Why do I get a feeling like being talked out of being gay?" Sasuke slapped his forehead "if you're gonna start THAT, I'll kick you out"
"No, come on. I just wanna give you some advices of how to approach her" Naruto gave Sasuke a thumb up.
Here it comes! What the hell he wants me to do to her? Force her into my bed? I wouldn't mind it, but…come on! That's not something I would do…it's highly unethical. Goes against my morals…if I have any that is. Apparently I do, since I wouldn't be thinking this way. I so gonna regret this conversation! No, scratch that, I ALREADY regret taking The Bitch into my house! And Jules doesn't even hold my side. Traitor.
"Don't start" Sasuke cracked his knuckles "unless you want me to beat the shit out of you like I always do"
"Now who's living in a high school era?" Naruto teased.
"You leave me with no choice" Sasuke shot back "now just take yourself out of here. I need to keep sinking in my misery"
"You're such an idiot" Naruto sighed while standing up "the woman literally wants you and you say no. I'll never get you"
"Then don't even try. There's a reason you're the Moron after all" Sasuke said after him. Naruto turned around in the mid-door.
"Go home, wait for her to return, then at least have a REAL conversation with her. That's all I wanted to say" and he left. Sasuke sighed in a relief.
No matter how I hate to admit it, the Moron has a point about the Bitch: I'm into her. And the fact that she might be sucking to Itachi right now is just making me sick. But I won't give her a pleasure of watching me sunk into jealousy…which is threatening to come out.
Temari ran in again, discontinuing Sasuke's life-centered thoughts.
"His headache just got worse"
"How worse?"
"Karin's putting him on morphine"
"Do the TB test" Sasuke ordered.
"What? The guy couldn't possibly be-"
"Shut the hell up, Temari. Yes, he does have TB. Meningitis Tuberculosis. Yeah, and you better forget the test, start the treatment"
"We can't do that! Tsunade will go crazy if you're wrong!"
"And does it look like I care? No, rather, does it look like I'm WRONG?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her "start the treatment, then do the test. If we're unlucky, the guy's disease is already too far ahead"
"I hope you're right. For OUR sake this time" Temari sighed and left the office again. Sasuke instantly stood up and by picking up his backpack, he left the office as well.
-x-
Ino walked into the restaurant 'Blue Palm' and chose a table in the further corner of the hall. She ordered some vine and leaned back onto comfortable chair. Her eyes immediately started scanning the hall, searching…searching…
"Bingo!" she whispered in a victorious voice. Her eyes now reflected two people, sitting in front of each other and talking.
So this is my rival, huh? Pink hair, lousy taste in dressing, big forehead, too shiny eyes…How could Itachi possibly fall for THIS ugly bitch? Did she give him drugs or something? How could she even compare to my long gold locks?! This is a nightmare! Where the hell is world going to? Oh, right. THE HELL!!
Ino angrily grasped the glass and drank all the vine in one gulp. Then asked for another one. She watched how Sakura and Itachi talk and smile at each other, watched how Itachi put his hand on Sakura's when it was lying on the white-covered table. Watched them leaving hand-in-hand.
He'd never take me by hand like that when we're in public. Why is she so special? What did I do wrong to deserve this? Wasn't I good enough for him? And why is this bitch making him smile so much? I need to find out more about her…to see what I should do better to get Itachi back…and to see what I should do worse to her for Itachi to see that's she's pathetic!
-x-
Sakura came back home (theoretically. It was Sasuke's home after all) and leaned upon the door in the darkness of the room. She stayed like that for a while, many thoughts running around in her head. After this stagnation, she turned the lights on and was about to walk towards the stairs, but noticed a bag and a pair of sneakers on the floor. He said he wouldn't be home…must be sleeping now. Sakura inhaled deeply and walked upstairs, but not to her room, but to another one…the one she knew belonged to the owner of the house.
The woman silently opened the door and carefully walked to the large bed, high-heeled shoes in her hand. She sat on the bed, beside the heaving figure, covered by darkness. The only light was radiated by the hallway. Sakura reached out her hand and was about to touch Sasuke's face, but…
"If you want something, just get it yourself" a voice came out of darkness and the figure under the covers moved, turning away from her.
"I just wanted to tell you that I'm back" Sakura whispered to Sasuke's back.
"Poor me. Not only do I have to endure you in the mornings, but in the nights as well. Maybe I should live in the hospital"
"Why are you so angry at me?"
"Because you woke me up, bitch" Sasuke shot back.
"No! You even weren't asleep! It's because I went on a date with Itachi! That's what it is! You're treating me like rubbish, because you hate anything that's associated with your brother!"
"Do you really have to make a scene in the middle of the night?" Sasuke said in a complaining tone, sitting up in his bed "let's fight like…in the life after the next!"
"You're just too arrogant to admit it" Sakura waved him aside and stood up, trying not to blush to his naked torso (Look at those muscles! I said this before, haven't I? He's a god's replica! Wait a second…is it me, or did the room just got hotter?! Turn the goddamn heater OFF! Maybe he was right, we should do this at daytime…it's kinda hard not to imagine myself rubbing into him when he's practically naked!).
"Admit that I'm pissed about being waken up this late? Oh, yeah, that just hurts my man's pride" Sasuke noted ironically "why don't you just kick yourself out of at least my room? I'm tired, angry and annoyed (and heated up…that dress is just a kicker!)"
"If I leave now, you'll just continue to pretend you're not jealous" Sakura stood her ground.
"Wait a sec!' Sasuke jumped out of his bed with only boxers on "whoever said anything about jealousy?!"
"If you weren't, you wouldn't just shout at me and defend yourself" Sakura rolled eyes in the darkness (With this phrase, I just felt like being back at the kindergarten. This is getting us nowhere…well, maybe somewhere…I get to look at him for a longer time!).
"There's nothing to be jealous about. You're already spoiled anyway" Sasuke chuckled "like I don't know my brother"
"Apparently you don't! And what do you mean by spoiled?"
"So, where did you do it: alleyway, his car, or did he take you home without even going someplace? Just don't give the details, they're usually gross"
Slap!
Sasuke could feel his cheek itching.
"You're a jerk! Who do you think I am?"
"Bitch, obviously" Sasuke grunted, rubbing his cheek "did you forget your pet name?"
"I told you to take that back! And we didn't have sex!"
"Wow, that must be the first date Itachi has been to and didn't get laid in the end. That's anomaly, you know. Maybe he's sick"
"Oh, yeah, by your measures, being a gentleman is abnormal" Sakura turned her head and scoffed "you're just and arrogant asshole. What should I expect?"
"Then why do you expect?" Sasuke shrugged and tossed himself back to the bed "now, if you'll excuse me, I wanna get some good night sleep"
"Hey, we're not done yet!"
"Ah, yeah, we are" Sasuke pulled blankets onto himself "you didn't get raped or pregnant. My only pain in the ass is now you and Itachi in one. Get out!"
"Why is it so hard for you to actually admit that you like me? It's only obvious!"
"Then why are you asking?" Sasuke sighed.
I can no longer stand this! If she stays one more moment, I think I'm going to skip the nice-guy part Naruto suggested to me. The hottest bitch ever is actually begging me to take her! Naruto, you moron! You were right: I'm an IDIOT!
"I wanna know it from YOU!" Sakura yelled at him "AND I WANT YOU TO DROP THAT MASK OF YOURS!"
"Ok" Sasuke shrugged shoulders and took Sakura by waste, bringing her into his embrace, kissing her lips. Their kiss got deeper when Sasuke laid Sakura down on the bed and began sliding his hand up her leg and under the dress. The woman under him began to moan a little when he moved his hand more up and to the hip. Sasuke slid his other hand under Sakura's back and began unbuttoning a long line of buttons. And not for a second did he retreat his mouth from hers.
"Is that…what you call…taking off…the mask?" Sakura breathed out when Sasuke's lips moved down her neck, which was finally released out of the dress.
"What, don't like it?" he responded, liking down her neck.
"That could be questionab-Ah!" Sakura exhaled the moment Sasuke's hand moved down to her lower cleavage and put a little pressure on the panties.
"Now you're really something" Sasuke whispered to her ear and kissed her again. It wasn't long before Sakura wrapped her legs around his waist and made him flip over so she could sit on top. The woman moaned when Sasuke's hands moved all over her body. She leaned down and kissed him into lips, then bent to his ear and whispered:
"You're still an asshole. I've been on a date with your brother and you are not even likely to consider going with me on one. Sorry, but Itachi has more chances than you do" she lifted herself off him and climbed out of bed.
"Goodnight, Sasuke" she said and walked out of the room, holding her red dress on her. She then slammed the door close.
Sasuke sat in one place, dumbfound for a while. Then he fell back and pulled the blanket up.
This can't be happening!
-x-
Naruto walked out of the shower, only wearing a towel wrapped around his waist. He found a woman, with long dark blue hair and light purple night-gown sitting by the desk, only little table lamp illuminating her. Naruto silently walked to her and carefully leaned over her shoulder.
"You're at it again?" he silently asked, but the woman still was slightly startled.
"Yes, after you told me about Sasuke, I just thought I'd take a little peek" the woman flipped another tarot card and put it on the table next to the bunch.
"So" Naruto wrapped arms around her neck and carefully leaned onto her "what do they say, Hinata"
"Well, I can certainly say that something is about to change in Sasuke's life" she took one card, which showed the wheel. Under the image was written: The Wheel of Fortune.
"Is it good or bad?"
"Good. If he endures the bad" Hinata said in mysterious voice and drew another card "but the woman will help him. That's why she came into his life: to give him a hand"
"Well, that's good news" Naruto giggled and put a kiss on Hinata's cheek "he just needs a good push from a friend"
"Naruto, just be careful with that push" Hinata warned with a soft smile "you tend to push over"
"Eh?! No I don't!" Naruto crossed arms on his chest and made an insulted mimic "I only help"
"Sorry, sorry, my bad" Hinata giggled.
But he DOES tend to overdo it with advices…seen that before. I hope he didn't already say something bad…
--
A/N: Yeah, like the guy said above, be careful with advices from your friends! They can be fatal! Anyway, thanks for reviews, alerts and all other stuff…Oh, and somebody pointed out about similarities between House and Sasuke…well, just so you know, I didn't plan for this to be ANYTHING like that, but…I suppose House has just TOO MUCH influence on me and I just couldn't do it otherwise. It just so happened, pure coincidence (or not, whatever). Anyway, hope you will still like it.
Now you know what to do: little cute deliciously-looking button GO ;)))) Thankies!