note.

Typed this on the new Fanfiction app. Not sure how this will upload in terms of layout. Enjoy the extra long chap and please do leave a review with more than just 'please update' because I may take my time just to spite you *bisous*

Ps. Start of the final mini-arc (I'm estimating around 10 chapters?), then comes the finale before I turn my attention to Somedays Lover!

track 59.

Sasuke kept his face straight as he let his eyes drop to peek at the book in his hands.

Icha Icha Paradise.

The usratonkachi had stuffed a copy in his bag after jokingly taunting him by saying that it made perfect reference material in case he 'couldn't make it good for Sakura-chan.' He really wanted to snort. Reply with 'as if'. But in the end, he didn't even have enough time to be embarrassed before Naruto had left.

And now the temptation to read the bright orange book - an early copy, if the state it was in was anything to go by - was killing him.

Just a look. He promised himself. Just a glance.

Having finished the first few chapters in no time, Sasuke found that despite its reputation, it was surprisingly light reading. A comedic romance really. Not really something he would go for, per se, but the supposedly pornographic excerpts weren't even close to what he had expected. All in all, they weren't nearly as explicit as-

Well.

He felt his ears gradually begin to burn.

Flipping the page back, he forced himself to re-read the last paragraph to make sure he didn't skip anything. Perhaps, flipped a few too many pages.

But no. He hadn't.

The main character had really just dropped himself right on top of the female lead after walking her home from dinner and kissing her goodnight.

Right on her doorstep after she unlocked her door.

Now sprawled over the single step leading to her hallway, Junko urged him to shut the door behind him. Apparently incredibly aroused by the sudden turn of events as her hands reached to pull off his shirt.

The youngest Uchiha proceeded to tug at the collar of his shirt as the two of them partook in what he could only describe as an incredible show of flexibility and stamina by the front door.

Closing his eyes, he dropped down on his bed. Book laying over his stomach. Why did he even think that it wouldn't be scandalous?

He really wanted to go to bed. Really, he did. But he was still a young male. One with an attractive and loving girlfriend at that. And when he thought of the description of Junko in the books-

Glowing. Happy. Satisfied.

Could anyone blame him for inserting Sakura into his fantasies? Sasuke wanted to be able to make her feel that way.

He could feel it in the pit of his stomach. A mixture of dread and lust. Could he though? Conjuring up an image of the pink haired girl in his mind, devoid of her normal blazer, strangely reminiscent of the time she visited at night with her messy uniform, when she looked like that, Sasuke was sure he could.

Eyes closed, he could see it. Sakura writhing under him in pleasure, over him as she blissfully cried out his name, arms and legs around him as she told him how good they were together. As the clear image of her face scrunched in ecstasy came into his mind, it was difficult to hold back the urge to touch himself.

Flipping over, he let his face hit the pillow harder than necessary when he mumbled her name into the bed, as if it would help remove the images from his head, calm down the hard on that was growing. He'd need a cold shower if he kept going.

Sasuke hadn't even noticed her presence until she asked, "Are you reading Icha Icha, Sasuke-kun?" from his window sill.

A single hand supporting her head, she looked as if she just climbed up. If he wasn't an Uchiha, if he didn't have his composure - he would be scrambling to hide the offending article under his sheets.

"It's okay, we all have needs." Waving her hand dismissively in front of her. "I was just surprised that you'd be a reader. I always thought that you'd be a visual kinda guy."

Sasuke was about to bite back by saying that everybody had their own preferences, but it reminded him a little too clearly of a certain clothing fetish conversation from way back. Since he couldn't figure whether Sakura was being serious in her offhanded remark either, he wasn't about to risk making the current situation worse when she'd already caught him in such a comprimising state.

Digging his head deeper into the pillow and folding the soft plush material over his ears, he despaired at her cheerful tones. "Can we not talk about this please?" He hoped the 'please' would do the trick.

Climbing in, she dug her hand inside his blanket to fish out the book. "Icha Icha Paradise? This one is the first in the series, right?" She'd never actually read- or even touched- a copy of the famous Icha Icha books before, but she's hung around the boys long enough to pick up such things. Naruto in particular wasn't exactly known to be subtle about his interests.

"I mean, I prefer audio - but I'm kind of interested. You don't mind if I read too, right?"

Many thoughts ran through his mind- should I say yes? Should I say no? Are the pages I just read ruffled? Will she think that I kept reading the same passages? What if she does? What actually happened in that chapter? Did Naruto leave dog ears on the ones that are partially racy?

But what came out was a single syllabic 'hn' as he forced himself to think of anything that would help him calm down.

Ready to get comfortable in her normal position on his lap - only for the move to be cruelly rejected, the girl opened the book above her face as she retired over his back instead, effectively covering her wandering eyes from Sasuke.

And Sasuke could only close his eyes as he prayed to whichever god was listening that Sakura hadn't heard him call out her name, nor did he want to suffer her wrath if after reading the book she decided she'd changed her mind and wanted to murder him.

What she said next wasn't what he expected to say the least.

An angry Sakura he could still bargain with and a timid Sakura - although slightly annoying - was still idiotically adorable.

But a - what should he call it - overly forward? Unabashedly sexual Sakura?

Why was she doing this to him again?

This was out of his control.

"Do you want to try?"