Eighteen pages yo! Haha =)
Thanks for reviewing!
Correction from last chapter: During Shunsuke and Sasuke's talk, it's supposed to read "there aren't many people like that left in this world," not "there are." Wow way to kill the moment huh? Sorry about that.
Read on to this hopefully error free chapter haha
As the growing sunlight began to pour through the glass pane, Sakura inhaled sleepily and slightly buried her face into the pillow. Half awake, the nerves of her body stimulated at the familiar feeling of Sasuke's arm draped around her body. She let out a small pleasant moan and blinked her eyes open against the sun. Suddenly, she felt Sasuke's nose parting through the lower portion of her pink hair as his lips planted a light kiss along the base of her hairline.
"Good morning," he murmured into her tousled locks.
"Hey," she smiled back sleepily and placed her hand on top of his, lacing their fingers together. Her smile deepened slightly when- to her surprise- he didn't pull away. They lay in intimate silence for a few moments longer before Sasuke nudged their lace hands into Sakura's stomach.
"I'm hungry," he yawned into the back of her head.
Sakura's smile fell lightly as she rolled her eyes and laughed. "Go back to sleep."
Sasuke chuckled lightly and squeezed his fingers within Sakura's, pressing his thumb repeatedly against the bone of her pointer. Realizing he was not stopping anytime soon, Sakura groaned and snatched her hand away.
"I coulda sworn my child was gone for the morning," she teased and rolled groggily to sit up on the side of the bed. Sasuke's eyes remained closed as he smirked triumphantly and rolled on his back.
"Oh-ho-ho you're helping me," Sakura scoffed and firmly patted his bare, defined abdomen. Sasuke opened his eyes to see his girlfriend exiting the bedroom- her pink hair swaying about a foot above her attractively spanned hips. His dark eyes trailed her until she disappeared and, satisfactorily, they fell closed again. Sakura's light footsteps grew faint then paused and within a few seconds her voice rang out impatiently for Sasuke. Said man's lips twitched in a smile and, opening his eyes, he slowly lifted himself up to help Sakura in the kitchen.
"Ramen?" He asked with a teasing look of disgust as he entered the kitchen and saw Sakura pulling out two cups of instant ramen.
"Would you like to cook?" She asked setting them down of the wooden countertop and placing her hands playfully on her hips.
"…I'll put the water on." Sasuke replied simply and headed for the pot. Sakura laughed and leaned with her back against the counter and watched. After setting the kettle on the stove, Sasuke turned around to find her staring at him absently.
"Damnit Sakura you know I could've stayed in bed for this," Sasuke sighed as he turned the gas stove on while Sakura watched him. She shrugged and her eyes glinted with a merry look that said 'I know.' In response, Sasuke's black eyes narrowed at her but, irrepressibly, his gaze softened as he began checking her body out. She had put on teal underwear and a tight, white tank top. She had not yet put on a bra, and through the thick cotton Sasuke way able to enjoy contouring the shape of her firm, taut breasts and her hardened nipples that poked through the material.
"What time exactly is Shunsuke coming back?" Sasuke asked looking towards the clock. Sakura followed his gaze aimlessly and shrugged.
"When they get out of class. Three thirty, why?" Sakura tilted her head slightly and one look at Sasuke answered her question. She noticed Sasuke's lascivious eyes upon her and saw the carnal, lopsided grin forming dangerously on his face. He took a slow step toward her. Sakura's head dropped to the other side and she began shaking it slowly and admonishingly. Sasuke's smirk deepened as he took another step. Her head straightened and cocked forward towards him as her eyes widened in reprimandation.
"Don't…." She began sternly, but Sasuke had already taken two more steps and was only a few more away. He stopped in front of her.
"Don't what?" he smirked.
"You know what," Sakura lifted a finger pointedly and in the background the kettle began whistling. Sasuke calmly turned and went to the stove and removed the singing kettle off of the heated eye. He spun slowly and leisurely headed back to Sakura.
"Don't," She stressed again, straightening up. Sasuke chuckled.
"Don't what?" he asked innocently as he pressed his body to hers. The palm of his large hand began caressing the soft skin of her bottom. "Do this?" he asked with a harsh squeeze. Sakura suppressed a sigh and Sasuke cocked a brow in amusement.
"If you wanted me to stop," he began in a low whisper beside her flushed ear, "you would have moved away before I started." He shifted his body so that his leg was between hers and he used his knee to slightly widen her stance and he felt a wonderful throbbing sensation as she let out a slight, quivering moan.
With his lips pressed to her neck he murmured lowly and seductively, "I won't stop, until you're hoarse from screaming."
"Hey Mama! Hey Papa!" Shunsuke waved as he ran over to where the two adults waited.
"Hey Shunsuke," Sakura smiled as she and Sasuke waved back to the eager child. "Where's Aito? Didn't he go on the trip?"
Shunsuke giggled. "Aito had to go home last night 'cause he got sick. Riku bet 'im that he wouldn't eat one 'a the berries we found an' Aito did it so he got sick and had t' go home."
"Is he ok?" Sakura asked with widened eyes. Shunsuke giggled again and nodded.
"Yeah he's just sick." Shunsuke winked and fanned his bottom. Sasuke caught on first and Sakura nodded as well, realizing what Shunsuke meant.
"I thought Aito was smarter than that," Sasuke muttered aside to Sakura and she gave him a pointed look to lower his voice but also one of agreement.
"Do you want to go by and see him?" Sakura offered, placing a hand on Sasuke's head. He nodded back enthusiastically. Seiichi emerged from the school building at that exact moment and seeing Sakura glance up in familiarity, Shunsuke turned around, spotted Seiichi, and called out to his friend's older brother.
"Seiichi!" Shunsuke called happily and waved his hand in the air before running towards the older child. Meeting each other halfway, the duo walked back to where Sasuke and Sakura stood and Seiichi spoke politely.
"Hi Seiichi," Sakura smiled. "I heard about Aito. How's he doing?"
Seiichi chuckled and rolled his eyes playfully at the thought of his little brother. "He's doing better- Father, Hisashi-sensei, and Iruka-sensei figured it would be best if he stayed home for the day just in case his symptoms came back unexpectedly."
"You want us to walk with you home?" Sakura offered, unsure of if Seiichi felt like making the journey by himself. He declined politely.
"I'm fine, thank you."
"You sure? We're gonna come by an' see Aito anyway!" Shunsuke beamed excitedly.
"Hopefully that's ok with your parents," Sakura interjected.
"It'll be fine, I'm sure," Seiichi smiled.
"Isn't that your mother there?" Sasuke asked nodding to the distance. Everyone looked towards the direction and saw Koemi- Seiichi and Aito's mother- walking towards them.
"Hello," she smiled as she approached and everyone greeted her back.
"Mother, what are you doing here? Where's Aito?"
"Your father is home watching him, I wanted to make sure you got home safely."
"I'm fine mother," Seiichi laughed at his mother's over caution. "It's not all gone yet," he added in reference to his vision. Not noticing Koemi's lips pursing in sympathy and embarrassment, Shunsuke tugged lightly at her dress sleeve.
"Koemi-san is it ok if we come by an' see Aito please?"
Koemi smiled back and placed a soft hand on Shunsuke's cheek. "That would be fine. I'm sure he'll love to see you."
"Yes! Can we stop by the store and get 'im a gift first?" Shunsuke asked to Sakura and Sasuke.
"Ok. What do you wanna get him?"
Shunsuke laughed to himself and wiggled his eyebrows. "Berries."
Sasuke began laughing followed by Seiichi and Koemi and Sakura waved her hands in mock exasperation as she amusedly shook her head.
"Shunsuke! Shuuuuunnnsukkeee!"
Everyone instinctively turned towards the direction of the voice. Five of Shunsuke's female classmates were running towards the trio.
"We'll head home now," Koemi smiled.
"See you guys later!" Seiichi waved as he and his mother headed off.
"Hey Shunsuke! Are you goin' to go see Aito?" A round faced girl with deep auburn hair ran up and asked.
Shunsuke nodded. "Hey Mari. Yeah, why?"
"Well we just wanted to ask you to tell him we hope he feels better," Mari giggled and her friends joined in.
Shunsuke's eyes narrowed and he nodded slowly. "Ok….see ya guys later." The young boy was about to turn around but Mari, called out again.
"Are you feeling ok?" She asked leaning forward slightly.
"Yeah why?" Shunsuke turned back to face her and shrugged.
"Well we know Aito's sick so we were worried about you," a dark skinned girl with long grey hair spoke up. Sakura recognized her as Natsuki, the youngest child of one of the nurses at the hospital.
Shunsuke scratched his head. "Aito's sick, not me."
"Yeah but he's your best friend and we just wanted to make sure," Mari smiled with her hands behind her back.
"You sure you're not upset?" Hikaru, a third girl with large glasses asked in a naturally husky voice. She held hands with her twin sister, Emiko, whose typically rosy complexion was presently deepened further.
"I'm fine guys," Shunsuke stressed in slight irritability. "Whaddyou care for?"
"Well 'cause if you're upset we just wanna be here for you," Natsuki grinned sweetly, mimicking Mari's pose.
Shunsuke looked at the quintet strangely. "Well I'm fine guys. Thanks?"
"You sure?" the bespectacled girl asked with a hint of dejection to her voice.
"Yeah guys, I'm sure."
The smile slowly fell from all of the girls' faces. Suddenly, Mari's face reanimated. "We can walk you home to be sure!"
"Yeah!" Hikaru nodded happily.
"Nah my parents are here to walk me home. 'Sides I said I'm fine."
"Oh, good afternoon!" Natsuki bowed slightly, remembering the presence of the adults. The other girls followed suit and both Sakura and Sasuke waved back.
"Hey girls," Sakura smiled.
"Sakura-san you look so beautiful today!" Mari interjected the ingratiatory complimented. Sakura smiled kindly with a slight laugh.
"Thank you Mari." The girl child nodded in satisfaction.
"Shunsukeeee izzat your father?" Emiko asked.
Shunsuke nodded. "Yeah he is."
The fifth girl giggled in juvenile flirtation, "You look just like 'im. An' that's a good thing."
"A really good thing," Natsuki nodded deeply with closed eyes. Sakura scratched her lips to hide her smile and Sasuke scratched his jaw in discomfort.
"Uh huh," Shunsuke nodded. "Look you guys, we gotta go."
"Mm," Emiko groaned in disappointment. "Ok."
"Well what's your favorite snack?" Natsuki asked, refusing to be deterred.
"Yeah!" Mari snapped enthusiastically. "We can bring you a snack just in case you still aren't feelin' any better. Hopef'ly it'll help, hm?" The girls nodded behind her.
Shunsuke shrugged. "I don't wanna snack-"
"But we wanna!" Hikaru objected.
Shunsuke sighed through his nostrils. "Okay, I don't care. Just…whatever."
"Well we'll all bring you somethin' different," Natsuki suggested.
"Yeah an' you can tell us which one you like best." Mari sang.
"Ok, yeah sure," Shunsuke shrugged. "See you guys tomorrow."
The girls waved and sang in unison. "Byeeee Shunsukeeee!" Shunsuke held up his hand in a wave and took his parents' hands before pulling them off.
Before they stopped by Aito's home, Sakura stopped by the market to pick up a few things. Sasuke and Shunsuke trailed disinterestedly behind Sakura while she picked out vegetables. While the two males followed, Sasuke began playfully teasing his son.
"They liked you," he joked with a provoking smirk.
"Who?"
"Those girls from earlier." Sakura looked back in amusement as she continued shopping. Shunsuke's face scrunched up.
"Nu uhn."
"Yeah they do," Sasuke nodded assuredly.
"They like Aito not me, they asked about him."
"So why'd they offer to bring you snacks?" Sasuke prodded jokingly.
Shunsuke's brow furrowed deeply. "Huh? I dunno…they just…did."
Sakura closed her lips between her teeth in a failed attempt to hide her laughter.
"Leave me alone!" Shunsuke scoffed to his parents and turned around.
"Do you like one of them?" Sasuke prodded with his brow quirked in amusement and Sakura stopped shopping and amusedly turned her attention to the conversation. Shunsuke's face fell in seriousness and he shook his head slowly and spoke clearly.
"No."
"It was just a thought," Sasuke shrugged.
"I don't like any of 'em. They just never leave me alone."
"That's because they like you..." Sasuke muttered provokingly under his breath. Sakura erupted in laughter.
Shunsuke exhaled heavily and scratched his hair. "Are we leavin' now?"
"I'm almost finished ," Sakura laughed and took the items up to the storeowner. Shunsuke exhaled loudly once more and waited by the shop entrance while in the background his parents laughed with one another.
"Mari and Natsuki again?" Aito laughed loudly and wrapped his arms around his stomach.
"Okay Aito, 'tsnot funny." Shunsuke sighed as he sat next to Aito on the floor in the sitting room of the Ashihara household. Seiichi-who had told his brother and father the beginning of the story while Sakura told the rest- sat beside the two boys. Sakura, Sasuke, and the boys' father sat in the chairs. Koemi returned from the kitchen with a tray of tea. She was a tall, soft spoken woman with extremely long, extremely rich black hair. She had gentle, brown eyes and a wide, seemingly always smiling mouth which possessed one of the greatest singing voices in the village and- according to her sons- possibly the nation.
As she handed out the cups, she laughed. "I think it's sweet that the girls care about you so much."
"Yeah Shunsuke," Aito teased and pinched Shunsuke's cheek, "it's sweet."
"It's annoyin' 's what it is." Shunsuke grumbled, jerking his face from Aito's hold.
"You won't think that someday," Seiichi chuckled and Shunsuke winced away in disgust.
"I didn't know you were so popular with the girls in your class," Ashihara Hiro smiled warmly at Shunsuke. He was an imposing, interesting man who served the Hokage as part of the village's intelligence staff. To most he seemed genial yet oddly distant and cold, so to his family he tried his hardest to be as open and fatherly as possible-a sentiment he extended to the friends of his family as well.
"Oh yeah, all the girls in class like Shunsuke," Aito sang and playfully pinched Shunsuke's cheek again before his friend slapped his hand away.
"Whatever Aito," he grumbled, reaching for the Dorayaki that Koemi had prepared.
"If you want, I can tell Mari that you like Dorayaki. Or is it Natsuki you like?" Aito joked.
"Go eat berries Aito," Shunsuke grumbled rolling his eyes to the side. Everyone laughed and Aito threw a playful punch at Shunsuke's arm.
"When it comes to girls, you act just like your father." Koemi laughed as she shook her head at Shunsuke. Koemi was about ten years older than Sakura and Sasuke. Her younger brother, a Leaf ninja, had studied at the Academy when Sakura and Sasuke were students. Though Sakura didn't remember her, the older woman recognized the distinctively pink haired beauty from the days when she would walk her brother home from school. She also remembered Sasuke- the once happy young boy whose smile was stolen in one night- and the way all of his female peers would flock to him. Hiro, studied at the Academy and graduated at an unimpressive rank (ironic for an top intelligence agent) with the young prodigy Itachi. For this reason mainly, Hiro unfortunately only managed to remember the negative things about the troubled Uchihas. He sat rigidly beside Sakura who sat next to Sasuke and all three listened as, at Shunsuke's request, Koemi expounded a little upon her previous statement. Once the gentle woman was done, Aito began mocking Shunsuke-imitating a female voice and showering his friend with compliments of professions of love.
Glaring at the ground distantly, Hiro muttered. "Thank goodness he didn't take anything else after his father or his family." Although he warmly accepted Sakura and Shunsuke, unlike Koemi, Hiro was still inwardly unforgiving towards Sasuke. Preoccupied by each other, Shunsuke nor Aito heard Hiro's insult, but everyone else did. Sakura-who had never heard Hiro's blatant disdain for Sasuke- straightened rigidly and beside her, Sasuke's jaw tightened and his nostrils flared dangerously.
"Hiro!" Koemi hissed in disappointment. The air in the room turned thick.
"Actually Hiro, Shunsuke takes after me more than you think." Sasuke smirked in elicitation at the older gentleman. Sakura immediately placed a hand on Sasuke's strong forearm in an attempt to calm him down.
"Really? I never thought of Shunsuke as a sorry, egotistical traitor!" Hiro glared, raising his voice dangerously. Koemi immediately locked eyes with Seiichi and jerked her head towards the front door. Seiichi nodded back.
"Let's go play outside you two," Seiichi suggested calmly. Without waiting for their responses, he grabbed their hands and led them outside before either boy could catch whiff of the tension blanketing the room. Hearing the front door shut closed Sasuke, whose gaze never broke from Hiro's, spoke.
"Seiichi and Aito don't strike me as self righteous, incompetent asses but I guess we all learn something knew everyday."
Hiro's face flared up and he stormed across the room and wheeled to face Sasuke. "You damned Uchiha! You're one word away from me kicking your ass!"
Sasuke smirked calmly and quirked his brow. "Then I suppose that'd make you one action away from signing your death sentence."
"Sasuke, stop…" Sakura warned urgently as her grip on his arm tightened.
"That enough out of you too, Hiro!" Koemi commanded in her soft, yet firm voice. "Now Shunsuke and Aito are best friends and Shunsuke and Sakura have been nothing but kind and generous to our family since the day we've known them and they should expect no less from us! Shunsuke is Sasuke's twin; you knew yourself he was the child's father for years-and we told you ourselves a while back. Don't act as if you haven't had time to prepare for this-"
"I never expected that son of a bitch to come back and take responsibility for anything," Hiro seethed. Sasuke snarled and Sakura quickly turned to him with a soft, strong hand on each of his upper arms. She locked eyes with him and with a soft gaze, pleaded for him to calm down.
"I don't care what your personal feelings for Sasuke are, out of love for Shunsuke and Sakura-out of love for your son- leave them in the past along with his actions."
"Hiro, I understand you're upset with what Sasuke did, but I can assure you, he's changed." Sakura tried gently as she faced the older gentleman.
"Tch," he scoffed with an up-curled lip.
"Listen to Sakura, Hiro," Koemi said sternly. "Even I can tell that Sasuke's different than what he used to be."
"And that same sympathy you guys are showing him is just what's gonna give him the opportunity to leave again!" Hiro spat.
"What? Hiro, Sakura's and my sympathy have nothing to do with whether or not Sasuke will stay or leave! He's your comrade, leave his actions in the pas-"
"Damnit Koemi open your eyes! We tried to forgive him once, we offered him amnesty! He turned his back on us. He's no comrade of mine…Sakura I thought you were smarter than to get yourself mixed up with the likes of him."
"Enough Hiro," Koemi huffed again.
"You and Shunsuke will forever be welcome in my home. But as for you Uchiha-"
Sasuke rose quietly from the chair and Sakura mimicked in panic and kept both hands in a tight grip on his left arm. He locked eyes with Hiro and spoke evenly but with obvious contempt.
"If I planned on leaving the village, I would have by now…just like if I planned on killing you I would have already. But I have no intentions of doing either. My only intent is being there for Sakura and for my son and, despite the satisfaction the latter may give me, either action will only put me back in the correctional facility. Away from them. We'll never like each other Hiro, but the 'welcome' you extend to me I extend to you: Koemi, Aito, and Seiichi will always be embraced. Thank you for the tea Koemi." Sasuke bowed slightly in thanks and headed for the door.
Sakura let out a heavy, relieved sigh and cupped her hands in a praying gesture around her nose and mouth. She grabbed Koemi's hand, squeezed it in thanks, and followed Sasuke outside.
"Hey Mama, hey Papa. We goin'?" Shunsuke asked. He and Aito were playing a game of Gomoku in the dirt outside. Seiichi straightened up and looked at the adults nervously and behind Sakura and Sasuke, Koemi appeared.
"Yes, you boys have school tomorrow." Sakura smiled. She made her way to Seiichi and placed a kind hand on his arm in a reassuring goodbye. He smiled back in mild relief.
"Goodbye Sakura-sama, goodbye Sasuke-sama."
"Goodbye Seiichi," both adults responded.
"You can take some Dorayaki home," Koemi smiled as she handed Shunsuke a tied cloth filled with the dessert.
"Aww boy! Thanks Koemi-san!" Shunsuke beamed.
"Thanks Koemi," Sakura whispered gratefully and hugged her friend in a tight embrace.
"I'm sorry about Hiro," Koemi apologized to both adults. "I hope to see you again."
Sasuke held up a hand and gave a slight nod-an action Koemi couldn't decipher as being one of declination or a simple goodbye. The three visitors turned and walked off.
"See ya guys later!" Shunsuke called as they walked away; meanwhile, he and Aito waved at one another in excited, blissful naivety.
"You handled that well," Sakura sighed and walked to the couch were Sasuke sat with his arm resting along the top. She had changed into a large, pale blue, long sleeved shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants. She sat close to Sasuke, drew her feet into the cushion, and leaned into his open chest. Sasuke walked home with Sakura and Shunsuke as typical and stayed through dinner. The young boy had just fallen asleep and Sakura was just retuning from checking in on him.
"Is that sarcasm?" Sasuke laughed shortly a dropped his arm so that it rested lightly along her back. Sakura smiled and shook her head.
"I mean I was worried for a second, and you coulda done better, buuut all in all you handled it well."
"Hn." Sasuke shrugged off the compliment and began rubbing his hand absently up and down along her body in a tender, calming motion.
"And what you said about being there for me and Shunsuke…it meant a lot." Sakura added as her eyes subconsciously fell closed at the soothingness of Sasuke's touch.
"I told you I wasn't leaving this time." Sasuke reminded her and she let out a small, pleased moan in remembrance.
"Mm. Yeah I remember, I just thought I'd let you know." She yawned.
"Should I leave?" Sasuke asked, noting her somnolence.
"Mm mm," Sakura objected, shaking her head into his chest.
"What about Shunsuke?"
"Hmm?" Sakura asked, already half asleep.
"Is he going to be ok if I spend the night?"
"Yeah," Sakura murmured tiredly. "Yeah he won't mind."
"Are you sure?"
"Shhh, Sasuke," Sakura moaned irritably. "Just go to sleep."
Sasuke chuckled lightly and kissed her head. "Alright. Goodnight Sakura." But the woman didn't respond, for she was already in a peaceful sleep.
As you can see I didn't finish the lemon in this chapter, I haven't decided if I want to include lemons or not.
Anyhoo, please review and let me know what you think! Toodles
See ya soon! xoxoxoxoxo