Trigger warning: blood, scenes of torture, death and sex
What?
What?
Belatedly, just as the exasperation threatened to get the best of her, Sakura realised that the compulsion stopped at restricting her movements. He wasn't forcing her to leave, rather urging her to. He was hoping she would follow his words of warning.
"Shisui is currently keeping watch over Madara from a distance," he informed her in hushed tones, making her swallow hard when Itachi completely closed the distance between them to whisper in her ear, no doubt still concerned of someone overhearing his straying between sides. His scent was… familiar and almost homely, in a sense. Like returning home after being away for the longest time and only in that moment realising that she was homesick. Was she still in that depressive episode that Naruto warned her about? "He is searching for you and shows no signs in letting up."
Sakura had suspected as much. It was only to be expected given the fact she set the whole clan on fire, embarrassing them all. She would have been suspicious as hell if there wasn't some form of counterattack.
"He will stop at nothing to put you down," Itachi warned. Luckily for her, the urge to shift uneasily when he brushed the hair behind her ear was hidden due to the compulsion, but in her mind she was squirming endlessly at his soft exhale, unable to withstand the longing in his touch. "I cannot allow that."
Why?
For all his talk of still loving her, Itachi had seemingly found it easy to torment her. There was no hesitation in harming her or slaughtering her clan. He'd covered her parents' deaths and still, to that goddamn day, never offered a full explanation or even a fucking apology – not that either meant shit to her.
Despite his compulsion, Sakura knew her anger shone through as it scorched through her veins, powerful enough to activate her demon eyes. They locked on his. Accusing, hurt, furious, unforgiving. Telling him everything she wished she could say and Sakura could tell it was as good as her left hook, because Itachi's eyebrows twitched like he was resisting the urge to frown or scowl. He was unable to hold her furious stare for much longer, focusing on her forcibly relaxed body.
"Even if you are no longer mine, I cannot stand for a world where you don't exist."
The anger regrettably cracked, and she hated herself for letting other emotions into the spotlight.
That…
That damned depressive episode, she thought childishly, unwilling to face the facts that since the moment he'd lifted his original compulsion, she'd been trapped in a sickening spiral of emotions and memories.
"It would be too dark and cold."
Shit, why…
"I may as well be dead, too. Only, I could never be granted such a reprieve."
The tenderness that suddenly entered Itachi's gaze at her open emotions had her aching with frustration, hating herself for revealing a weakness before him, but there was no hiding how she crumbled under the comfort of his touch.
"I've missed you, my love," he confessed under his breath, shoulders dropping slightly when he brought her hand to his cheek similarly to how she used to cup it, expression briefly pained when it became obvious she wasn't the one doing the holding. "More deeply than you will ever know."
Stop it, she wanted to beg. Keep being a monster.
"Talk to me," Itachi pleaded, gradually relinquishing control of his compulsion. Still, her hand was limp in his own. She didn't have the strength to pull away. "Strike me. Do whatever you need."
Where would hitting him get her? What was the point in yelling? "You lied," was the first thing she thought of to accuse, voice just barely a whisper that shook under the unwavering grief and heartbreak he'd so carelessly brought back to the surface. "You've lied so much that I don't even know who I'm looking at right now."
She didn't even know what or who she was grieving for.
"You know me," he gently assured her. "I am the same person you fell in love with–"
"No, you're not."
Pulling her hand back to herself now that she could summon the strength, Sakura leaned further into the wall, head dipping to create more distance from his intoxicating self. The rampant emotions were heightened and taken advantage of by the predator within and already she was beginning to salivate, his blood like a siren to her as it rushed through his veins.
"The person I loved never would have hurt me or those I cared for."
Gods, she wished she had the strength to…
To what? Hold onto the hurt and anger? To keep living through the same vicious cycle of murdering to live and protecting a town simply because it was what her parents would want?
Stop it, she snarled at herself, upper lip curling. You're not weak.
No, she wasn't. But she was nearing eighty years old with absolutely nothing to show for her time on earth.
"I wish you never turned me," Sakura muttered unevenly.
"That is the aftermath of a ripper binge talking. Sasuke frequently suffers with bouts of depression that can last for months depending on how far he falls off the wagon."
Was that it? Or was that how she truly felt beneath the manipulation and compulsion? When anger and hatred was stripped away, leaving her a tired old woman? Was her life one of regrets or was she proud of all that she'd done? Would her parents be proud?
"I suspect it may be stronger for you." Her lips pitifully quivered when Itachi cupped her cheek, his gaze gentling. "Your mother often said you had a heart big enough for your entire family."
Her mother…
She had to shut her eyes to block out the saddening of his when the tears fell. Too fast to be stopped or hidden, too powerful to hold back thanks to those damned heightened emotions. It was taking everything not to voice the anguish wrapping around her heart as Sakura sadly realised that she couldn't remember her mother's voice. Her parents' voices were lost to time and her shoulders shook upon realising she couldn't pinpoint when she'd forgotten them.
They were just… gone. Both of them.
How could she have forgotten them?
"I couldn't protect them from Madara," Itachi murmured, and she looked to him wearily at the heaviness in his voice, chin dimpling at the painful regret staring back. "But I will do all that is in my power to protect you, my love. Please," he whispered, wiping her tears away. "Allow me to help."
His idea of helping was having her run from the problem, believing that she was too weak to survive a war with someone like Madara. Hell, maybe she was. Maybe she didn't stand a fucking chance in landing one single punch. But she would rather go out swinging than running like a coward. Even if she had to stand alone against him, Sakura would do so without hesitating.
She batted his hand away, glowering fiercely. "He murdered my parents."
"Sakura–"
"He dismembered them – dragged their body parts throughout the cabin," Sakura continued with a trembling voice, though neither could tell if it was down to anger or upset. "For no apparent reason."
What…?
What the hell was that look?
Before he could shut her out once more, she took him by surprise by yanking Itachi closer, her eyes narrowing on his. "You know why he did it." The silence was filled with reluctance and Sakura shook with the rage that dragged her through the past fifty years, clinging to it with everything she had. "Itachi."
"Sit still and silently," came his abrupt order, and Sakura cursed herself for falling victim to that bastard compulsion. "This conversation is a painful one, my love. I need you to be patient during it."
Although she didn't have much choice, she showed she was willing to listen by relaxing, only vaguely thankful when Itachi leaned her back against the wall and sat back on his haunches, granting her the much needed space for the dreaded conversation. His hands came to his thighs, fisting against the fabric of his long since ruined suit.
Then he stole her breath away by entering her mind and filling it with his memories. Starting from finding her parents' dismembered bodies following a check to make sure all was okay, needing reassurance after learning about Sasuke's binging reaching Konoha. Receiving her message about stumbling upon Sasuke at the fraternity house and desperately rushing to the scene, fearing the worst and allowing those heightened emotions to overcome him.
She could feel his anger and remorse and betrayal like it was her own, so intensely it stole all ability to breathe. Could tell from how fiercely he fought Sasuke (his beloved little brother who was barely even half as strong as he was) that it wasn't even totally for her – he'd fought for her parents and the countless other lives his brother stole. Itachi genuinely wanted nothing more than to end the suffering his clan inflicted on others, that his brother inflicted. Seeing Sasuke trying to kill her certainly added an extra viciousness to his unforgiving beating as he finally released a thousand years' worth of suffering on him, but it was mainly grief that fuelled him.
Even when lost in hate, she'd always known that Itachi cared deeply for humans and life in general.
But there was little time to admire his actions, for burning anger pulsed through her at Madara's cruel admission, and it only doubled finding out it was because of Itachi's drifting from the clan.
It was why he left her behind, why he let her assume the worst. He'd rather her hate him than know the truth and have her die at Madara's hand also.
"I spent the majority of the last fifty years desiccated," he admitted quietly after relinquishing his hold on her mind. "Originally, I was side by side with Sasuke and planned for us to stay desiccated until we were certain his thirst was under control once more."
"They do this to him often," was what Naruto told her. "Fifty years," came his cold reminder.
He'd completely lifted the compulsion, Sakura realised belatedly. No doubt he was weakened from thirst too and unable to sustain it, especially after baring his memories to her. "Your pet–"
"I needed to feed to be strong enough to face Sasuke during a binge. There is a reason as to why he was weakened by Hashirama-san," Itachi told her with a resigned sigh. "Shisui knows of a group who dedicate themselves to our kind with the hopes of one day becoming vampires too. They were all too willing to offer themselves up to me."
That was…
Shaking her head in amused disbelief at such a tragic group, knowing they were probably fanatics of those ridiculous vampire movies that recklessly romanticised what they truly were, Sakura looked back to Itachi. "This changes nothing," she informed him softly. "I stand by going after Madara."
"Even if it kills you?"
Green eyes narrowed, belying the harsh smirk that pulled at her lips. "Have more faith in me, love."
"Sakura…"
She refused to be affected as Itachi shifted to lean over her, but in all her attempts to remain emotionally detached from him, Sakura failed to keep the predator at bay.
"You cannot kill an original. Believe me, I have tried," he quietly reminded her, hand tender while cupping her cheek. "You are fighting a losing battle."
His scent was overwhelming and she grimaced as her fangs painfully cut through her gums, eyes squeezing shut as she fought against the powerful urges. But with him so close, being able to breathe him in, was…
Dark eyes gentled.
"You're thirsty again."
No, she wasn't going there. "I'll manage."
"Sakura," Itachi sighed wearily. "To avoid a repeat of the other day, it is best you don't fight your natural instincts."
But she shook her head stubbornly, gaze drifting to the stairway. "I'm not involving myself with Sasuke anymore than I already have. It was a mistake sharing…" She grimaced and shook her head. "Blood sharing is…"
"Intimate," he offered, and Gods, she hated how natural it felt sitting there with him. Even after everything – especially after everything. "Are your reservations due to your relationship with Gaara-kun?"
"Nobody compares to Gaara," she shot back fiercely, holding his eye to ensure the brutal hit landed.
"Nothing compares to what we had," came his equally heated response, unaffected.
No. She wouldn't be sucked in again. She would acknowledge that he'd genuinely grieved for her parents, that he'd agonised over their separation to the extent of forcing himself to desiccate, but Sakura would never forgive him for his choices following their deaths. If she'd meant half as much as he'd implied, then he would have stayed. Told her the truth. Stood by her through the whole shitty ordeal. Not taken the easy way out. Not left her to suffer and live a lie while he slept undisturbed in his coffin.
"Had," she repeated. "What we had."
"What we continue to feel now," Itachi replied without missing a beat and Sakura shivered as she bathed in his delicious scent. "If nothing else, then allow me to at least do this one thing for you, my love."
She clutched at his blazer, eyebrows mashing together with intense concentration, but even with all her fighting Sakura was still unable to control the activating of her demon eyes.
"We will never speak of this again," he encouraged. "I simply… I cannot sit here and watch you suffer."
Comforting, understanding hands hesitated before settling on her arms and Sakura frowned at the turning of her stomach screaming how all of this was wrong. She needed to hold onto her hatred.
"Once our time here is up, we will go back to being enemies. If that is what you wish."
Did she?
Green eyes fluttered shut at his mouth-watering scent, the one that sent her careening into the past and drowning in conflicting emotions. Reminding her of embraces and long, heated nights. Of comfort and love and unwavering loyalty. Itachi abandoned his clan for her. They'd planned to start their own family.
Stop being so weak.
"Stop fighting it," he urged. "You will only be causing yourself more pain." A loving hand threaded through her hair and guided her closer, and she barely held back the whimper as she drowned in him and their past. "Feed, my love."
She couldn't help it. Couldn't control it. Not when she instinctively nuzzled his throat, causing him to shiver when she was unable to resist teasing herself by running her tongue along his skin. And it was with a helpless groan that Sakura gave into the powerful urge to feed, eyes squeezing shut at the incredible rush that scorched through her.
Arms came around her like he was blocking her out from the world, the hold secure and guiding and accepting and shit–
She couldn't.
Yes, she could.
His blood really hit the spot and she sighed in relief as it warmed her entire body, stomach somersaulting before it exploded with the heat that often accompanied hunting. It was rare for her not to find such enjoyment during her feeds, though she found in that moment that an original's blood really was spectacular. And he stoked the fire by turning his head sideways, nuzzling Sakura's hair and soon placing a tender kiss there, causing their memories to explode demandingly.
No, she couldn't do this.
But even as she found the strength to resist and Sakura released Itachi's neck, she found her body frozen like all energy had been drained out of her.
"I can't," Sakura pleaded softly, unable and unwilling to look at the man who'd destroyed her. Fortunately for her sake, he didn't push, rather allowed her to keep her forehead pressed to his collarbone. "My head is a mess thanks to you. I can't do this."
"Your head or your heart?" came his gentle question.
Did it matter at that point? Between them and that damned depressive episode, Sakura was just about clinging to sanity – doing an awful job of it, too. What she desperately needed was distance and her righthand woman, who'd proven countless times in the past that she was the perfect woman for the job of straightening her out. Then once Ino set her back on track, she could go back to knowing what she wanted.
Focus on the anger.
"Does it matter?"
Destroying Madara, she reminded herself fiercely.
"Sakura–"
Making him pay for all he'd done and protecting what she had left.
Jolting back just as he tried to tighten his embrace, Sakura settled her former love with a warning glower. "Whether my heart's a mess or not doesn't matter," she muttered. "Not to you. Not anymore."
She wanted him to leave. Itched with the discomfort their conversation soaked her in. But it quickly became apparent he had no intentions of ending it any time soon. Sakura could tell from his deep inhale that Itachi still had plenty left on his chest and she despaired – already she was struggling to distance herself emotionally. She couldn't handle another loaded conversation.
But like he knew how easy it would be to get answers out of her in that moment, he continued pushing.
"Why Gaara-kun?" demanded Itachi quietly, eyebrows knitting together. "Why someone so monstrous–"
"Who are you to call anyone a monster after all you've done?"
The cold words had him frowning, but she refused to feel bad. Like hell.
"Gaara has never lied," she shot at him without restraint. "You call him monstrous but you haven't seen how far he's gone for me, or felt how powerful our connection is." Upper lip curling to reveal threatening fangs, she snapped, "You gave up on what we had because it was the easy way out. Gaara didn't even hesitate to stand by my side and go against your clan or Naruto and his pack."
"You believe his ease of going to war to be a sign of love? Do you even know the man you have involved yourself with? The atrocities he has committed?"
But of course he didn't get it. "No, I know that his dedication and willingness to stand by my side regardless of the consequences to be a sign of love."
It was only as she stood that Sakura caught sight of a candle on the top of the stairs, flickering determinedly and she knew the second she saw it that that was his dark object. However, she wasn't a fool. Rushing to extinguish the flame herself was asking to be struck with some kind of blowback – that or nothing would happen and she'd waste precious energy.
"You love him?"
Her gaze returned to Itachi's as he joined her in standing, and Sakura's lips thinned at the sincerity in his pained expression. It threatened to shake her seeing the side of him that was once all hers.
"Do you love him as deeply you did me?" he asked, and she sucked in a sharp breath when Itachi once more closed the distance between them. Her back hit the wall with a light thud, gaze dropping to the trembling hands that snatched hers. "Can you confide in him as openly?" Sakura was forced to look at him when Itachi tipped her chin upwards and it took all she had not to show in her features how he affected her, especially when meeting his emotional demon side's eyes. "Does he cherish you?"
"Itachi–"
His hand slipped into her hair and Sakura shut her eyes as their foreheads were brought together. "Would you start a family with him as we once longed to?"
That…
That wasn't fair.
"Tell me, my love," he murmured, nose brushing against hers. "Tell me you no longer feel anything for me."
"I…"
The inability to answer damned her.
"I was trying to keep you safe." Itachi sighed wearily. "I just wanted you to live, even if it meant I was to be without you."
She glanced down at the hand that continued to hold hers, frowning lightly when he brushed his thumb across the daylight ring he'd gifted her with before entwining their fingers.
"Sakura…"
Painful memories and unresolved feelings encouraged her lips to part upon feeling the slightest brushes of his, the mixing of their breaths making her lightheaded.
"No matter who may currently be in possession of your heart, know that my own is yours."
She breathed out shakily, eyes shutting.
"It will always be yours, my love."
The demanding thumping of Naruto's hybrid heartbeat returning broke his spell just as Itachi moved to finally bring their lips together and Sakura's eyes flew open furiously. Her hands immediately moved to his chest, shoving him with everything she had, jaw clenching when Itachi stumbled back.
"Don't mess with me," she warned, voice trembling. "We are over, Itachi. We're done. Face it."
"Shit–"
"Stay out of it, Naruto."
"But they're–"
"Old enough to deal with their bullshit themselves."
Her chest was heaving with the intensity of her emotions but Sakura strengthened her stance when Itachi stood to his full height opposite her.
"You're defensive because it scares you," came his infuriating response and she clenched her fists tightly.
"No, I'm pissed because I don't want your heart," she snarled in return.
But he merely raised a challenging eyebrow and glanced down at her heaving chest, then to her trembling hands.
Sakura gritted her teeth when he daringly approached once more, whispering almost inaudibly to keep the words hidden from eavesdroppers, "Your words would be more convincing if you weren't so affected by my own, my love." Pressing his lips to her jaw and knowingly antagonising her, he added, "You're forgetting how intimately I know your body." The next kiss brought him closer to her lips and Sakura grabbed fistfuls of his blazer, willing herself to remain in control as her thirst returned. "Don't think I haven't noticed how closely your seduction techniques mirror my own." Itachi's smirk was maddening and he pulled back just enough to meet her eye with his own lidded gaze. "Everything you know has come from me. I can see through your act."
"You're pushing it."
It surprised her when he released an unsteady breath. "You're trying too hard to push me away."
"Then just stay away," she hissed.
"I wish I could."
He was fucking infuriating. Gods, she wished she had the strength to put him in his place once and for all, to prove to him that it was over. The fastest way was to land the cruellest blow but even that wasn't a guarantee. Itachi was persistent.
Eyes fluttering shut, she clutched him closer.
She had to.
"Sexual attraction isn't the same as having a place in my heart," Sakura whispered. "You gave it up when you betrayed me." She copied his earlier example of nuzzling into him, though took it one step further by lifting a leg over his hip and smirking at his telling falter before Itachi responded. He truly hadn't expected her to push it further. "So, continue this game, love," she goaded seductively, head tipping back as her other thigh was grabbed and prompted to wrap around his hips, back scraping against the stone wall when she was pressed against it. "Reacquaint yourself with my body."
Gasping at the sensation of his hot breath on her neck, Sakura encouraged him closer with a hand in his hair. Her eyes reopened to glance downwards at the feel of his satisfying lips and tongue, growing lidded at Itachi's bruising grip.
"But know that even if you have my body, you will never have my heart."
He stilled.
She smirked.
"It belongs to another now."
Coaxing her former lover to meet her eye with suspiciously gentle hands, Sakura ignored the discomforting pang in her chest when she was greeted with his heartache.
"It's been over fifty years, Itachi," she reminded him in a softer voice, eyes greedily soaking him in as his eyes slid shut, trying her best to ignore the two upstairs as Naruto vocally winced at Itachi's all too obvious response. "Maybe not for you due to your sleep, but it has for the rest of us."
The hands on her slackened.
But Sakura held on, sighing wearily when she brought Itachi to the ground with her and guided his head to her chest to grant him a moment of security to recover. He seemed so tired right there in her arms, the fight vanishing instantly and she was regrettably saddened by the impossible to ignore urge to hold him closer, heart aching as it responded to his just as it always had.
"We're over," she repeated, gentler this time.
Itachi's exhale was loaded with reluctant acceptance, though his actions spoke of a different story. Tender hands found her face as he leaned up, guiding Sakura down to him, and she was too weak to hold back while meeting him halfway in a searing kiss that somehow brought her more pain than the ripper urges, the finality cracking down on her heart. It was almost enough to reduce her to tears.
"I will respect that you have moved on," he mouthed to her, only pausing to savour the next brush of their lips that threatened all composure. "But I stand by what I said. My heart will always belong to you." Hand tangling in the back of her hair, Itachi had her releasing a shuddering breath by increasing the pressure of their heart shattering kiss, the desperation and longing making her throat ache. "Always, my love."
Weakly, all the while damning herself, Sakura placed a hand over his heart and gripped the fabric of his ruined shirt.
She…
She met his eye tiredly and offered a small, pitiful smile that had his expression softening. Somehow, Itachi found solace in whatever emotion he found there. Enough to bring their foreheads together tenderly and smile despite the great pain he was in.
"No matter what version of you it is."
"You okay?"
Where they left things was the best it was ever going to get between them. They'd finally reached an understanding – to her, it took well over fifty years. To him, perhaps a few years maximum. But Sakura found there wasn't enough malice leftover in her heart to despise him for taking the easy way out. Not anymore, anyway. Not towards him. She had bigger problems to deal with. Too many precious people who needed her undivided attention and protection.
"…Sakura-chan?"
"What?"
"Are you okay?" questioned Naruto innocently, frowning as he crouched before her. "That… sounded rough."
As far as breakups went (if that was what they were calling it), Sakura actually believed it was pretty easy.
Maybe too easy?
She shook the paranoid thoughts away and settled back comfortably. They were in a good place – one that actually worked well in her favour, if she was to move against Madara. Although not naïve enough to believe it meant Itachi was on her side (if he was to choose sides at all), it did make it easier to figure out where to apply pressure when the time came. If she picked her moments right, he would be eating out of the palm of her hand.
"Actually, I feel… relieved," Sakura confessed, knowing her former lover could hear every word. She put on a smile witnessing Naruto's happy expression, saying quietly like she was trying to keep from being overheard, "Sasuke said I'd never get any closure out of Itachi, but he was wrong. I knew he would be. The Itachi he knows and the Itachi I loved are two completely separate beings."
"…You really mean that, don't you?"
Only partly. She stood by seeing a different side to Itachi, one that nobody else could ever hope to glimpse at. However, it wasn't to such a dramatic extent. It wasn't closure per se, though it was a foot in the direction she was aching to go in and it certainly brought her a bout of comfort.
"Yeah," she whispered, smiling.
"This is great," he gushed suddenly and dropped himself to her side, grinning. "I always thought being locked up again would kill me, but it seems something good is finally coming out of it."
Sakura snorted at that, believing it to be a gross exaggeration until she met his eye and saw the genuine happiness there. It left her momentarily stunned, maybe even a little slack jawed before Sakura allowed the familiar warmth to reach her.
So much like Ino, she thought with a strong sense of peace.
They fell into a comfortable silence and going along with the heightened mood she was supposed to be in, she didn't argue when Naruto shuffled closer with a cheeky smile, his head coming to her shoulder without a shred of shame. What surprised her was the lack of disgust on her part, for while Sakura was playing up finding closure and peace, she'd believed that disgust would continue to linger. But he'd grown on her, she realised with a derisive snort.
Gaara, I truly am losing it, she thought amusedly, trying one last time to push her thoughts out to her lover. I must be to be finding this mutt to almost be friendship material.
Gods, she needed help.
"How's the thirst?" he asked after a few hours of silence.
She was certain they'd dozed off at some point or another, mind so certain there was snoring, but there was no true way of knowing. There was nothing to tell them the time down there, or any forms of entertainment to comfort them during the continuous lapses into silence. And with her muscle aches and twinges growing worse by the day once again, general stiffness from lack of movement didn't really register.
Sighing, Sakura rolled her head against the wall to look at the concerned hybrid. "If you're offering…"
It took him a moment to realise it was a joke. Even still, Naruto chuckled sheepishly and warned, "You know I don't taste as good as the others. Werewolf, remember?"
"An original hybrid," she teased and grinned at the widening eyes that looked so delightfully similar to a deer caught in the headlights. "You have original blood mixed in there."
"Maybe it's time to go cold turkey. You're addicted," he tried to laugh.
To the originals' blood? Oh, it was definitely a possibility. Sakura naturally craved a human's fresh blood and strayed towards them over everything else, but an original's was… They were like a fine wine aged to perfection, possessing the delicate, addictive taste that demanded to be savoured. Other vampires tasted like shit unless they'd recently fed on a human, and even then it was only bearable. But originals boasted that raw magic that remained within them, alongside tinges of human blood.
If she had to liken it to anything human related, then she would say ordinary vampires were mostly unseasoned, undercooked meat. Humans were seasoned wonderfully and kept them craving more. Originals were matured with their age and seasoned with all the best spices – if they were presented on a menu, they would be under chef's specialty.
"Have you tried it?"
"Don't need to," he shot back, grinning cockily. "I'm strong enough without it."
"I don't know," she taunted. "So far everyone's been so impressed with the fact you're a hybrid, but the only useful part of you that I've witnessed is your ability to heal vampires of werewolf venom. Where's all this strength?" Smirking impishly at his playful pout, Sakura tipped her chin towards the stairs, adding, "You haven't been all that impressive against an original – weakened originals, too."
Her back was hitting the ground before she'd even registered him moving, but even as her wrists were pinned and Naruto hovered over her with his pitiful attempt of intimidation, Sakura met his glowing hybrid eyes without a flicker of fear. She was completely vulnerable under him and his fangs should have worried her, but they didn't. He couldn't. He'd been way too open with her.
"Is that it?" Sakura goaded, quirking an eyebrow. "You have met Gaara, right?"
Green eyes rolled at his harsh growls and she laughed arrogantly in his face when Naruto snapped his teeth at her.
"Terrifying," she continued to taunt, laughing freely.
Pouting suddenly as he dropped the act, he demanded, "You do it if you're so good at intimidating others."
Although it wasn't guaranteed to work on someone who was supposed to be a hundred times stronger than her (especially when growing considerably weaker by the day), Sakura rose to the challenge with a damning smirk.
"Fine," she murmured seductively, luring him in effortlessly as she targeted his libido. Only once he was admiring her eyes did Sakura set the plan into action, warning him, "Better hope one of you can turn it back on."
She got a delightful kick out of the fearful dropping of his expression.
Shutting her eyes with a calming, deep breath, Sakura set to playing her part with ease, having recalled from Itachi's memories how she'd looked with her humanity off. And once her eyes reopened, she knew she had the expression pinned because Naruto was suddenly concerned and attempting to pin her.
Features contorting with deranged hunger, Sakura summoned the power of Itachi's blood and her ripper urges and reversed their positions with ease. However, unlike the gentle hybrid and following all her lover's wise teachings, she didn't hesitate to go that one unnecessary step further to prove a point and rammed a hand into his chest, fangs bared and demon eyes furious on his straining, reddening features.
And then she relaxed, throwing him off.
"Gotcha," she whispered, grinning.
"Fuck," Naruto stuttered. He glanced to the already healing wound as she carefully released his heart, swallowing as Sakura wiped the blood on his shirt before patting his chest fondly. "B-But you turned your humanity off!"
"No, she didn't, you fucking moron," groaned Sasuke in disappointment. "Do you really think we'd still be up here if that was the case?"
Suspicion had the blond breaking out of her hold with a pout, demanding, "What else have you faked, Sakura-chan?"
"Oh, I can't tell you that," she teased while helping him sit up. "Your pride wouldn't be able to handle it."
His whine was one of heartbreak and had Sakura bursting into heartfelt laughter.
It was impossible to miss even the smallest of changes when imprisoned with nothing to do, although Sakura had to admit that she'd merely assumed Naruto was losing it when he began sniffing the air curiously later that same afternoon. After all, his pacing and irritability wasn't exactly unusual – one could view them as the first signs of madness, perhaps.
However, she was suspicious when he dashed up the stairs and began muttering to himself and Sakura's eyebrows knitted together in response. Paranoia whispered that it was Madara or some other kind of enemy getting too close, and she was forced to remind herself that even if they did, the prison was cloaked. They all were. Finding them would be difficult, if not downright impossible.
But the mutt had definitely sensed something.
He proved as much when returning to the basement.
"Sakura-chan," called Naruto with a cheery lilt to his tone. "Gaara is coming."
What?
He'd heard her?
Excitement had her accepting the hybrid's hand, only half listening as he explained he could pick up on his scent scattering around the forest. More than likely creating diversions in case he was followed, she thought numbly. But all possible reasoning left her mind when said redhead came to an abrupt stop outside the prison with enough force to blow her mussed hair back, hands on the stone wall and expression briefly telling her his trip to them was a tedious one.
"You came," she murmured, lips twitching with the urge to smile.
"You called out to me," came his simple but serious response. His eyes were drawn to Naruto as the hybrid backed off, taking an extra interest of the knowing expression he sported. Seemingly dismissing him, Gaara's attention returned to her and he added like it was obvious, "Of course I came."
"You heard me." Sakura knew she probably looked ridiculous, but she found herself grinning happily. "I thought I'd gotten too weak."
"I hadn't intended to take so long to come. Unfortunately without blood, as they're closely monitoring the blood banks. Temari and Kankuro are keeping the others distracted, but they're persistent."
That didn't matter. Not with him there with her.
"You're here now."
Unable to continue fighting the exhaustion and wanting to sit before her legs gave out and embarrassed the hell out of her, Sakura leaned back against the wall and slowly lowered herself to the ground, smiling as the redhead copied her positioning and sat against what little of the wall was on his side of the barrier. If she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend like there was nothing separating them, that they really were side by side once more.
"Thank you."
For all the rumours about the atrocities Gaara had committed and his general brutal nature, Sakura had to admit that having him by her side was one of the greatest comforts. Maybe it was said nature that brought her the comfort, for it was rare that she ever felt scared with Gaara by her side and she drew strength from his domineering presence. Whatever it was, Sakura couldn't have felt more grateful that he was there.
"How's everyone?" she asked. "Ino? Mitsuki-kun?" The redhead's icy glare darted to the trio behind her and she could sense the disbelief in the air, so was quick to explain with a weary, "They know about him."
There were so many questions racing through his mind and Sakura could sense his burning need to demand answers. Thankfully, he didn't.
While Gaara wasn't the type to allow others to rile him up, that didn't mean he didn't feel concern in his own twisted way. She didn't want him worrying about Sasuke and Itachi's abilities to get into her mind until after she was freed. Only then would she stress about it.
"Mitsuki won't be harmed," promised Naruto.
"Do you speak for the others?"
Sakura glanced over her shoulder at that, immediately noting Sasuke's displeased glower that Naruto wasn't concerned about in the least.
"I can handle these guys," the blond assured them. "I told Sakura-chan already that I won't let any kids die."
"Including Orochimaru's direct descendant."
He rolled his eyes at the disgruntled response, foot nudging Sasuke's leg. "Stop trying to get a reaction, Sasuke. For all we know that kid wants nothing to do with his ancestor."
Well, at least she knew to keep his ability to channel Orochimaru without being possessed to herself – all their abilities to channel him. Successful, unsuccessful – didn't matter. Orochimaru had to stay out of the picture if she wanted the hybrid he'd traumatised on her side.
"I see you worked your charms on him," Gaara praised with a knowing smirk. "Though I can't say that I'm surprised."
"What's that supposed to mean?" came his insulted response, features twisting. "I'm not easy–"
"Nobody is suggesting you are," sighed Itachi.
"Then what the hell are they trying to say?"
"I have yet to come across anyone who can say no to her once Sakura sets her mind to the task," he replied blandly, finally looking over to them with an air of disinclination. Up until that point, Itachi had kept his eyes forward, fixed on the jagged stone wall opposite him. She suspected it would remain that way for a while. "Sexually or otherwise."
Briefly in a thought that lasted no more than a handful of seconds, she wondered where his head was at, for Itachi was composed almost expertly. No traces of their conversation or how emotional it'd gotten lingered on his expression, although she could tell her former love was putting up a front around them. Just as it always had, her heart connected effortlessly with his.
Smirking impishly and banishing the troubling thoughts, Sakura murmured, "Though mostly sexually."
Vampires were essentially perfected beings and everything about them lured their prey in – it wasn't her fault that her prey strayed outside of the ordinary humans barriers and like hell she was going to complain about it or give any of it up. It worked to her advantage and quickly catching on how to survive in their twisted world, Sakura ensured to really work on her skills of seduction and manipulation by learning from all her experiences with Itachi, as he'd accused earlier.
Returning her attention to Gaara with a displeased hum, she dared to shift in her position until the barrier intercepted all movements. "I can't wait to be out of this place."
He snorted, catching on easily to what was irritating her the most. "Your hair?"
"Look at it," she whined. Her fingers were anything but gentle while reaching up to the mess that was now her hair, the feeling of building up dirt and dust from sleeping rough so many nights making Sakura pout. "I look feral."
All was quiet while she ranted about her physical state and although Sakura could feel the disbelieving stares boring into them, she chose to ignore the trio as Gaara allowed her to unleash the terror that was imprisonment. Superficially, she told him, her nails were fine. They were passable thanks to the nail care set Ino provided to keep her distracted. But she desperately needed to stop by her favourite salon once free.
"And if Madara interrupts your pamper session?" Sasuke drawled once there was enough room for someone else to speak, eyes rolling. "Itachi said you need to limit your movements."
The mere notion of having her ideal form of therapy interrupted irritated Sakura, but Gods if that man laid one hand on the talented beautician who owned her favourite salon, there would be hell to pay. It'd taken thirty years for Konoha to produce someone with such an eye for detail and after over twenty years of providing Sakura with all her needs, their skills had grown even greater. She was half tempted to turn the beautician just so she never had to deal with incompetent morons when she inevitably died, though the woman's ever-growing family prevented her from doing so.
Rather than share all of that (since this was Sasuke and he was just as petty as herself and would probably strike just to piss her off), Sakura shared a wicked grin with her lover, replying offhandedly, "You're forgetting my deal with old man Sarutobi and his hunters. One wrong move in Konoha, especially if it's against the humans, and they'll descend."
It wasn't like they could simply kill hunters, either. Although not all of them possessed the wicked curse that was triggered following their deaths at the hands of a supernatural being, a select few did. Her killing Danzo out of pure brattishness after being told no could have seriously fucked her over, but in her defence, she'd always assumed he was one of the ordinary hunters who signed up rather than one who was chosen by fate. The fact the mantle was handed over to Konohamaru was a major giveaway. Why choose a newbie over a seasoned hunter?
"They are all chosen ones?"
Sakura's calculating stare drifted over her shoulder after noting Gaara's suspicions of Sasuke's interest, and she assessed him for several long moments before saying at length, "Most are. They're craftier at hiding it now."
"The markings–"
"They're an evolving species," she snorted. "Only chosen ones can see them now."
"How convenient," noted Itachi.
"By all means, try your luck," Sakura suggested and leaned into the wall once more, dismissing them. "But don't come crying to me when you're being haunted by their spirits and driven to madness and suicide."
The curse was a major pain in the ass and was entirely why she hadn't made a move against them when they tried resisting in the beginning. Fortunately for her sake, Itachi actually warned Sakura about it when they approached him following his return to Konoha (when they first met, she meant), though regrettably, she'd failed to inform her clan when she started increasing her numbers and the hunters grew antsy in response. But at least they'd proven to her it wasn't a pitiful myth as she watched them descend into spectacular madness, each pushed into killing themselves in gruesome ways.
It was a much needed anchor back down to reality, because while Sakura was without her humanity back then and wasn't necessarily afraid of the curse, she'd strayed into reckless territory and needed to be reminded she wasn't invincible.
"Wouldn't really be dignified for an original, though," she goaded, adding extra sarcasm to the title that had once left her in awe.
Gaara huffed at the callous words, drawing her attention back to him. "There's that lack of respect again."
"Do something about it."
The look he settled her with was nothing short of promising and Sakura bit her lip in anticipation when the fire within was effortlessly brought to life. His lidded gaze alone was enough to remind her of all the times he'd fucked her into submission and for all she swiped at him and taunted him, Sakura eventually happily relinquished control and loved every moment of his dominating her.
"Fifty years and you still haven't learned your place," came his dark chuckle.
Reclining back on his hands, Gaara's attention drifted to her body and she knew she was giving him all the indications of loving the attention, because his gaze soon darkened with lust when trailing languidly back to hers. Even in her sorry state, appreciation had him smirking.
"Like you wouldn't have gotten bored if I let you walk all over me."
"Where's the fun in prey that doesn't fight back?"
Holy shit, she wanted him. As a human (before becoming involved in her first serious relationship, that was), Sakura had always wondered how some couples managed to reach impressive milestones with their marriages. Attraction surely faded somewhere down the line and where would they be without that spark? They were married for the relationship not a friendship. While human, the thought of losing that intimacy after years of marriage worried her. Terrified her, even.
How the hell did her body continue to crave Gaara's after fifty years? Were they an exception? Was it because of what they were? Or did some couples actually manage to withstand the test of time and continue lusting for one another?
"So that's how it works?" challenged Naruto, once more curious about the bond they shared. He was completely uncaring while intruding on the conversation – not even their warning glowers kept him from approaching or helping himself to the seat opposite Sakura, foot determined in nudging hers aside to make himself more comfortable. "You're his prey, Sakura-chan? Does that mean you feed on her?"
"Why the fascination?" Gaara questioned arrogantly, his assessing of the hybrid cool and unconcerned. "Are you interested in switching sides?"
"I don't do sides," the blond snorted. "At least, my body doesn't."
Narrowing her eyes playfully, Sakura kicked back at Naruto to return to her previous comfortable position, though soon found she lacked the energy to continue fighting with him over the seating when he once more nudged her out of the way. So, with a growl and a roll of her eyes, she gave in (but was totally tempted to resume battle out of sheer stubbornness when he smirked victoriously).
"We have no hopes in squeezing ourselves a place in his heart," she playfully warned her lover, lips curving at Naruto's all too telling expression that told them he was indeed intrigued. "He's too in love with Sasuke."
"Wait, you guys are open like that?"
Gaara huffed, something behind her amusing him greatly as he uttered, "Mainly with humans."
She could only assume it was Itachi's caring of humans that prompted such a reaction but didn't check to see for herself. She'd already warned him that she wasn't the same woman she'd been fifty years ago. Humans were a source of food to their kind, although she could admit some had other uses.
"Aren't they too fragile?" Naruto frowned, making her scoff at how shockingly naïve he was.
"That's the best part," came Gaara's wicked reply, fangs protruding enticingly and filling Sakura's mind with their messier encounters.
She stood by some of her best kisses involving Gaara and their shared prey. There was nothing that could compare to the chaos that he created and perfected while sharing blood with her, leaving her lost in a whirlwind of hunger, desperation and unparalleled passion that created an intense high.
Blue eyes darted to hers, narrowing fractionally as the itch returned and he seemingly sensed it without any real effort.
"Get me out of here," she groaned, swallowing hard against the reawakening thirst that threatened to dissolve her control all over again.
"The rate she's going, Sakura-chan will turn on that coven," Naruto warned Gaara suddenly, all playfulness disappearing and prompting the redhead to straighten up, gaze immediately drinking in her pained expression. "You guys are gonna need to find a way to lower the barrier without bringing them anywhere near her."
"My blood–"
"Pouches don't work," he informed him with a tinge of worry to his tone. Glancing over his shoulder, Naruto added, "It's ripper urges. She needs to hunt. Fresh, preferably human blood."
"Eleven days until the full moon," promised her lover, and Sakura's heart ached noticing the flash of concern as he took in the shifting veins around her eyes. "Then we will hunt to your heart's content."
The promise had her mouth watering and muscles cramping. "I think…" Sakura shook her head and weakly gestured to the man behind her. "The issue is whether they'll continue to starve Sasuke. When he feeds, I feel fine."
"I will personally see that doesn't happen," Gaara muttered, looking to the three men coldly. "Even if I must force feed you myself."
"Gaara, we have to go," she just barely picked up on Temari's warning. "Mitsuki has sensed a shift in Madara's movements."
There was notable reluctance as Gaara rose soundlessly to his feet, attention fixed on her until he sighed and looked over his shoulder at his siblings' arrival at opposite ends of the clearing. Stances poised, expressions determined, they silently informed him they were set to return to the task of creating diversions at his say so.
A single nod and they were disappearing in blurs.
When he looked back to her, Gaara allowed the others to see what she always saw, the fierceness in his expression granting her the strength to stand too. Although she had to lean against the wall, Sakura offered a small, weary smile that only seemed sinister thanks to the uncontrollable physical effects of her demon side.
"Eleven days," Gaara repeated heatedly.
"Eleven days," she whispered.
They were the toughest eleven days she'd ever suffered through.
Sasuke's thirst was otherworldly as he descended further into his cravings, to the extent Sakura was tempted to share blood again. If only to free herself of the agony that literally immobilised her, leaving her slumped and vulnerable in the basement until Naruto used the last of his strength to drag both their sorry asses upstairs. But it was pointless. He needed human blood.
As much as she'd rather stay away from the Uchiha brothers, Sakura was too far gone to really care at that point. Desiccation really was about to start any day now and it crippled them all, leaving them too weakened to continue fighting or even converse on the final day of consciousness.
Those who'd gone the longest without feeding (Naruto and Itachi) were the ones to fade first and too soon, Sakura found she missed the hybrid's tendency to fill the silence with his invasive questions. She looked to him tiredly as he collapsed with Sasuke just barely managing to guide his head to his lap, hand tenderly lacing through his hair but too fatigued to move afterwards.
It left her to face the uncomfortable fact that the sight of Itachi slipping into a seemingly peaceful slumber saddened her for the simple fact that until that point, he wasn't as relaxed as he'd appeared. As unaffected as he'd appeared originally, she was left astounded by the true relaxing of his features.
Being more or less opposite him, Sakura couldn't resist the urge to glance up at his peaceful expression, heart seizing in her chest at the familiarity that struck her powerfully. The sight coaxed her mind into their shared memories and without her permission, Sakura imagined they were fifty-five years into the past. Back in their home and lost amongst sheets and one another's embrace, back when all was well in the world and they had their hopeful plans for the future.
Refusing to meet Sasuke's accusing stare as unconsciousness finally swept her away, Sakura shut her teary eyes with Itachi being the last image she saw, unable to feel the lone tear of heartache and homesickness slipping down her cheek.
"Feed, my love."
Opening her bleary eyes at the sound of his distant voice, she quickly became aware of the gradual return of strength as she subconsciously drained the pouch Itachi held close to her. Pale, distressed features only registered once she eventually started to focus, and she couldn't control her gaze zeroing in on the blood that stained his chapped lips. It silently told her that he'd only had enough to wake himself up, to grant him the strength to aid her in feeding and she damned herself for melting into his comforting hold.
One of his hands cradled the back of her head, other insistently keeping the blood pouch against her cracked lips until Sakura managed to sustain a lock that had him sighing with relief. Too lost in easing the vicious burning of her reawakening muscles, she didn't fight the tender kiss Itachi pressed to her forehead and merely shut her eyes in thanks before allowing her instincts to take over, moving away silently to continue feeding himself.
Sakura groaned at the horrendous pains that threatened to take her out again, voice a broken rasp as she distractedly thanked whoever passed her another pouch. It took an unforgivable length of time for her to notice Sasuke tearing through pouches ravenously to try and quench his ripper thirst, vision soon clear enough to spot Shisui standing on the other side of the barrier with an apologetic expression.
Pouting, she barely managed to accuse playfully after her second pouch, "You took your time in making a drop for these guys."
"Ah, but there is no denying you're more grateful to see me now than you would have been in the first week," he shot back with a small smirk. Looking to his cousins and Naruto, Shisui raised an eyebrow and told them, "We need to watch our step."
"You mean I need to," grunted Sasuke, not particularly caring for expressing his annoyance as he gratefully accepted another pouch from Naruto.
Shisui shrugged at that and took a half-step back to assess the rest of the clearing, attention soon drifting to the darkening sky. It allowed her to finally notice the full moon with a sharp pang of excitement and relief and uncaring for how weakened she still was, Sakura wiped the blood away with the back of her pale hand and dragged herself to the front of the group.
And then she heard her lover's voice in her mind, heart skipping a beat.
Soon, came his fierce promise. Be ready.
Grinning wickedly at the thought of their reunion, Sakura shut her eyes and leaned back into the wall.
"Hurry up, Gaara," she croaked in response, head rolling so that she could admire the clearing that had only served to annoy her the longer they were imprisoned.
However, the later into the night it became, the more apprehensive Sakura grew. While the pouches of blood had managed to wake them up, she could feel the threat of Sasuke's ripper urges reawakening. Being in the state she was in, Sakura knew she couldn't protect the coven from him – possibly from herself, too. Just thinking of their human blood had her salivating and she desperately hoped that they found a way to lower the barrier without being there.
She tried to distract herself from the thirst with thoughts of her lover and Ino and that wonderful beautician who was going to find her whole day swamped with fulfilling her needs, but it only worked for so long. The anxiety that shot through her with powerful bursts was unignorable as she imagined Mitsuki releasing them, mind returning to the vicious images Sasuke previously filled it with.
What if he turned up? What if she couldn't control herself? What if she hurt him? What if she killed him?
Unable to hide the fear as more time passed and it turned into a solid lump in her chest, Sakura locked eyes with the one who would best understand her. She used what little psychic ability she had to shove her thoughts out to him, pitifully resorting to begging.
Don't let me hurt him, Sakura begged of Itachi, imploring him to take note of not only hers, but Sasuke's fraying nerves. If you truly care for me, don't let anything happen to that boy. Please.
Not a muscle twitched in his features and to outsiders, it merely looked as though they caught one another's eye for a second.
But then his voice filtered through the mess that was her mind, repeating the words that had once been her greatest comfort.
In my eyes, they will be, Itachi reminded her softly, his eyes shutting.
Sakura's lips parted in surprise and she asked, "You mean… find a surrogate?"
"Eventually. Until the day you are ready to have a child, you could have your eggs frozen."
She could…
"But they won't be yours," she argued weakly.
A gentle, loving hand found its way into her hair, guiding Sakura closer. "In my eyes, they will be."
I won't allow anything to happen to Mitsuki-kun, he promised.
There were no words to describe the comfort that blanketed over her fearful heart, finally allowing Sakura to relax back into the wall and breathe a huge sigh of relief.
She needn't have worried, she soon came to discover.
With the full moon reaching its apex, Gaara finally broke through the cover of trees and had her salivating within moments of his arrival, and behind him was not one or two but eight compelled humans. He met Sasuke's eye with a challenging smirk before leaving cuts that were deep enough to fill the clearing with the scent of tantalisingly fresh human blood, ordering the humans to remain behind him.
"You are to offer yourselves up to that man," he instructed them dispassionately, alerting them to the fact he'd compelled them. "If anybody attempts to intervene with his feed…" Sparing the other Uchiha clansmen a cold warning glare, Gaara then looked to the humans behind him from over his shoulder, ordering callously, "You are to cut yourselves repeatedly until Uchiha Sasuke is driven insane with his thirst."
"Are you forgetting that Sakura-chan is–"
"I've missed you," she interjected heatedly, warming at his impish smirk and coming to stand at the very front of the prison. "Get us out of here already."
Grunting under some kind of strain that she couldn't care less about, Sasuke warned, "Y-You need to stay out of my way, Sakura."
But she merely offered the youngest Uchiha a feral smirk from over her shoulder while her fingers dug into what was left of the doorframe, promising, "Trust me, those humans are all yours."
A flickering image appearing in the clearing had Shisui cautiously stepping back from the prison, and Sakura knew long before the image solidified who they were as Gaara shifted in his stance.
"We're here by astral projection," Anko informed her, hand on Mitsuki's right shoulder, Kabuto's on his left. The sight of the coven all joining together had her damn near trembling with excitement and she appreciated Naruto's shared enthusiasm as he came to stand by her, patting her shoulder in understanding. "Once you are under control, find us. We have been searching through Orochimaru's grimoires extensively to tweak the spell."
All she could do was nod distractedly before Sakura returned her sharpening attention to her intoxicating lover, swallowing hard at the fire he so effortlessly brought to life within her. All he did was step closer once the chanting started, arms soon spreading wide in invitation when they each sensed the magical energy distorting the air around them.
"Fuck," Sasuke growled, falling back into the wall and scratching at his throat, threatening to bring her down with him as shallow cuts ran up her neck and the muscle cramping increased tenfold. "Hurry up already."
"Naruto-kun, I will need your assistance in subduing him until Sakura is out."
"On it," he muttered and she heard the sounds of a scuffle before the feeling of pain appeared on random parts of her body.
Still, Sakura didn't care enough to look away from Gaara, not even when Sasuke's insatiable thirst had her demon eyes awakening and fangs cutting through. It was obvious to any idiot that they'd restrained him to keep them from clashing on the off chance she couldn't resist going after the humans, but shit, if they knew how intensely her body was aching for her lover, they would have known that Sasuke was the problem, not her. They didn't have to worry about her.
At the pause in chanting and Mitsuki's insistent eyes telling her to move, Sakura cautiously reached out of the prison, breath catching when she found no resistance.
Her eyes snapped to Gaara's stare that was full of dark promises.
And the second she locked eyes on her lover as a free woman, Sakura was in his arms, barely given a second to admire the awakening of his demon eyes before their lips were clashing hungrily and her world became a blur.
By the time he had her well out of Sasuke's hunting zone with her back harshly connecting with a thick tree, bloodcurdling screams filled the forest and Sakura was already feeling the overwhelming relief that told her Sasuke was unleashed on the humans. Kiss interrupted by the wonderful sensation, she gripped at him desperately and sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth, eyes rolling at the warmth that flooded through her veins as Sasuke fed himself.
It really was euphoric.
"Finally," she breathed, head thudding backwards and relishing in Gaara's bruising grip on her as he kept her pinned to the tree until the screams started to fade away.
Heat exploded everywhere he touched and now that she could finally appreciate him with no distractions, Sakura intended to do so without holding herself back. She showed how much she missed him with scorching kisses that started at his lips then travelled to the length of his throat. The attention had Gaara groaning almost inaudibly and seemingly experiencing the same crushing need to have her, he moved his hands to her ass and pressed himself against her insistently.
"Careful," Sakura teased while shifting her thighs to bring him closer, delighting in the darkening of Gaara's gaze. "I might think you missed me."
"So what if I did?" he growled lowly. The air from her lungs was stolen at the delicious rolling of their hips. "Does that bother you?"
"Not even a little," Sakura promised, though contradicted herself by grabbing a fistful of his hair to prevent Gaara from kissing her neck. He looked to her demandingly, upper lip curling when he was denied, and Sakura couldn't help but smile. She was finally back in his arms. "At least let me bathe first. I haven't had a real wash in a month."
But she should have known that even while Gaara allowed her to return to the mansion first to bathe, they wouldn't be able to keep their hands off one another. And within moments of being under the hot spray of water that felt so heavenly after such a tortuous month of nothing but wipes, limited water and simple soap, Sakura's back was pressing to the tiles. She hadn't even had the chance to wash away the body wash.
That was fine though, because she was the one dragging him impossibly closer, thigh shifting over his hip and foot demanding for him to hurry up and fill her. Desire coursed through her in unmanageable waves now that she was temporarily spared from the ripper urges and Sakura clutched at her lover, moaning into the humid air as he immediately reacquainted their bodies with a demanding snap of his hips. Bruises marred her skin for mere seconds, just as cuts littered his from her intense grip, the water that swirled the drain carrying a mixture of dirt, suds and blood.
But even as they lost themselves to the passion that always threatened to consume them, Sakura's teeth were still questioning while grazing his throat. She still knew to wait for the permission that came in the form of Gaara's hand to the back of her head, urging her to feed.
And as she'd thought from that very first pouch of blood Ino brought to her, it was nothing in comparison to drinking from the source. Sakura couldn't help but groan wantonly from a mixture of his powerful blood and the relentless pounding of his hips, her thighs trembling in his delicious grip at the spike in pleasure that promised a devastating orgasm.
Shit, she…
Her muscles were cramping in warning, jaw aching to close down harder.
She was losing control.
However at the tell-tale signs of the hunger taking over, a firm hand reached for her throat and shoved her head back against the tiles, Gaara's smirk infuriating and devilish when their demon eyes clashed.
"I'm not that pushover Uchiha. You're not ripping me to pieces," he chuckled darkly.
His hips stilled long enough for him ease one of her legs upwards and over his shoulder, the other forced to stabilise herself somehow, though the promising hand gripping her ass allowed Sakura to somewhat relax into the tricky position.
With a warning pressure being applied to her aching throat that had her flexing her needy hips forward, Gaara reminded her arrogantly, "You know better than that."
"G-Gaara…" she begged, eyebrows pinching together with a grimace and causing him to nip at her.
"I know," he promised in a low groan, hips resuming their previous brutal pace that left her a quivering mess against him. "Fuck, I know."
I missed you too.
There was no time to savour the softness of her bed or to express how badly she'd missed having somewhere comfortable to sleep. Not when Gaara followed the instant her back hit the mattress and claimed her lips, knee easily wedging between hers to grant himself access to her once more. They'd already covered every other surface of her bedroom and bathroom, yet their bodies continued to ache for the other's and somehow found the energy needed for another round. It was maddening and absolutely everything she'd been craving.
"I need to get out there," Sakura murmured unconvincingly hours later, prompting her lover to chuckle when she switched up their positions and lowered herself onto him. "I'm surprised Ino hasn't broken the door down already."
"I'm tempted," came her annoyed, distant whine. "C'mon, Sakura. He's had you all night!"
She smirked impishly at the overall quietness of the mansion that told her the others had made themselves scarce for her return. The clan was huge with the majority unable to walk in the sun until they proved themselves to her, so Sakura knew to expect their return within the next hour. With the sun due to rise they had no choice but to return lest they wished to burn to ashes.
Continuing to distract her from her duties, Gaara sat up with a tight grip that demanded they remained as one, and Sakura was unable to resist smiling into his equally insistent kiss as it scorched through her powerfully. How could she possibly part from him? While they were used to distance, it was always voluntary and never under such dire circumstances. The past month had been torture for them both.
"There's so much we need to talk about," Sakura sighed, finally parting from him but her eyes slid shut once more as he lowered his heated kisses to her neck. Tilting her head back to grant him better access, she groaned quietly, hand encouraging in the way it tangled itself in his hair. "How much did you manage to see?"
It was with a reluctant sigh that Gaara pulled back enough to meet her eye, telling her, "Enough."
Considering he'd been aware of her literally ripping Itachi to pieces, Sakura could safely assume that she was too lost in those ripper urges to notice the responding presence in her mind. Looking back, it was all a sickening blur of blood, delirium and horror, so she couldn't say whether or not she'd be able to belatedly note his presence now that she was of sound mind. All Sakura did know was that she'd continuously cried out for him in her thoughts, granting him that opening he needed to communicate with her. Regrettably, she'd been unable to hear him.
Was that down to the ripper madness? Was that why the Uchiha clan went to such extreme methods to try and control Sasuke?
"I can't believe I almost feel sorry for him," she shared in hushed tones, frowning. "That pain is…"
"The existence of a ripper is torture," Gaara unknowingly mirrored her previous helpless thoughts.
"What if I lose control again?" Holding his gaze meaningfully, Sakura shifted impossibly closer, barely making a sound while asking, "What if I hurt…?"
"I have already alerted Temari and Kankuro to my decision of sticking around." The words had her smiling hopefully and she relaxed comfortably as Gaara's hands skimmed along her waist before settling on her hips. "They have also decided to remain in Konoha until this feud is over."
If it was ever over.
Finger tucking beneath her chin, Gaara coaxed Sakura to raise her head for him, his gaze dark and serious as he mouthed, "I will stop at nothing to keep that boy safe for you."
She thanked him by resuming their activities with a personal mission of bringing him the most intense pleasure. Smiling seductively while pinning him to the bed and rendering him boneless in minutes with her mouth, Sakura glanced up at her addicting lover with a lidded gaze, greedily admiring the flush on his slick skin and the trembling of his hands as they reached for her hair to guide her sinful mouth over his length. It was rare he ever allowed her to take control and she loved every moment of breaking down his composure, knowing that it wouldn't remain that way for long.
And like he heard her thoughts, Gaara became a blur of movement before she was aware of her cheek pressing harshly into the pillows, ass forced to remain up in the air.
"You know better than to tease me," he growled in quiet warning.
"Do I?" Sakura purred and awkwardly angled her head against the restraining hand tangled in her hair to meet his eye, running her tongue along her lips to savour his tantalising taste. "Maybe I'm just a masochist?"
All she could do to try and provoke him was push her hips back and Sakura's brow puckered with impatience when Gaara continued to deny her, to tease her with harsh grinding and spanking that left her breathless and needy.
"There is not enough time in the day for all the things I want to do to you," came his seductive whisper and she shivered wantonly at the dark promises. But then he shattered their reunion by uttering the cruel reminder of, "The others are returning."
Although they were certainly aching to continue, they reluctantly parted and set to preparing themselves for war. A few hours were all they could spare when facing someone like Madara, especially when said Uchiha was loitering around her town and stinking the place up. There was so much she had to do to prepare, so many difficult and potentially humiliating conversations that needed to be had in order to fix certain weaknesses.
First, however…
Sakura groaned happily while greeting her beloved walk in wardrobe and all its treasures, taking a moment to appreciate the rows of beautiful outfits and devastating heels she'd missed deeply. She refused to pay any mind to Gaara's amused snort as she perused the endless rails and shelves, indecisive for which one would be her comeback outfit.
"Save it for after your spa day," murmured her lover as he appeared behind her, hands greedy in their admiration of her bare hips. Of course he already knew what had her stumped. "It will create a greater impact."
He had a point, she thought with a depressed sigh. Hopefully that spa day came before the inevitable discussion with Itachi and the others, because going head to head with her former love while so disgustingly plain was an unpleasant thought. They'd all seen Sakura at her worst, meaning now, she had to look her absolute best. Had to wipe away all traces of the wreck she'd become in the prison.
The runner up then, Sakura decided and quietly thanked Gaara for his assistance as he zipped her up, hands lingering and threatening to unravel them both.
Smirking, she turned in his hold. "Business first, then I'm all yours."
"No, you're not," he replied with an annoyed tinge to his tone. "It seems your righthand has taken the liberty of inviting a human."
Ino had invited a human…?
When Sakura caught on, the realisation had her grinning with excitement and pressing just a single, parting kiss to Gaara's lips before happily ditching him.
Her beautician.
A/N - Sorry for the delay! Just a quick A/N because I'm in a bit of a rush but really wanted to update while I had the chance haha. I'm doing better in the pregnancy - not great, but definitely better than a few months ago. There was a mention of potentially needing a c-section before the due date but so far I don't think that's set in stone.
Also, for those asking about Flappy! He's doing amazing and now has his 1:1 support for nursery, so was able to move up to the toddler unit. Physically, it's so much better suited for his age although the nursery warned us that if his 1:1 support is ever absent for whatever reason and they can't find anyone to cover her shift, they'd recommend he stays home because they can't guarantee his safety due to the level of his needs. But other than that, he's thriving in the change and even said pink the other day! After hearing the diagnosis of nonverbal, I honestly thought I'd never hear him speaking, so safe to say I was emotional as hell and can't stop replaying the video of him saying it haha. Like with everything else, it's all on Flappy's terms so we have to wait for him to say it again in his own time, but it's still a massive step in the right direction and I couldn't be more proud!
Thank you to those who asked about us both! I appreciate it so much!