Sasuke walked with Sakura through the streets of the Village named Emeraudo located near The Land of Rivers that separated The Land of Wind and Land of Fire. It wasn't exceptionally large but it was famous for a series of gardens that were filled with rare plants. When Sakura had suggested it for their honeymoon destination he hadn't objected. It wasn't as though he had a preference on the matter. Besides, he found her knowledge of botany, particularly when it came to medicinal herbs, fascinating and helpful. Watching her eyes light up when she spotted a particularly rare plant was also exceptionally amusing.
"I can't believe they're able to cultivate such a wide variety of herbs here." She said as they walked towards the inn where they'd left their belongings at earlier in the day. "Maybe they'll let me in on their secrets if I ask them." She touched her chin. "It would really help Suna if I could find a way to improve their greenhouses. Their soil is so weak…"
He shook his head. "Thinking about work even while on your honeymoon?"
She blushed and then wrinkled her nose bumping against his shoulder with her own. "I don't want to hear that from you." She grumbled. "You checked our room from top to bottom three times when we first arrived."
He shrugged. Caution was the best way to stay alive. They were in an unknown village staying in an Inn that had harbored ninja from all nations frequently. He knew that most people liked Sakura but many still feared him. He didn't want to take a risk that she could be hurt by something meant to hurt him.
As they walked, a commotion exploded down the street and the two seasoned ninja instinctively turned to see what it was about. Without warning, a massive saber toothed cat launched itself from the nearby group of people and knocked Sakura to the ground pinning her in place with massive grey paws.
"Sakura!" Sasuke exclaimed drawing a kunai.
"Chamu?" Sakura said giggling when the cat purred and licked her face. "What are you doing here?" she asked rubbing the massive feline behind the ear.
"Chamu! What are you doing?" a voice shouted.
Sasuke helped Sakura to her feet. "You know this cat?" he asked eyeing the creature warily.
"I think so." She replied. "It looks like the saber toothed tiger that belongs to-"
"Sakura? Sakura Haruo?" a voice called out.
She turned and her eyes widened as she met the gaze of the young man standing just a couple of feet away, a pair of round glasses perched on his nose with a bow and quiver of arrows strapped to his back.
"Hikaru?" she questioned.
"It is you!" the young man exclaimed launching himself at her. "I'm so glad to see you!" he said wrapping his arms around her.
She smiled and hugged him back. "It's been a while Hikaru." She said. "How have you been?"
The young man took a step back from her and grinned. "I've been wonderful!" he said. "Father is still healthy, mother returned to the island and I even have a little sister now." He explained.
Sakura's eyes lit up. "A sister? No way!" she exclaimed.
Hikaru smiled. "Yeah, her name is Satsuki. She's on the island with mother right now. I'm here with father on a royal tour." He explained. "Why are you here?" his gaze flickered to Sasuke. "And who is this?"
Sakura blushed. "Sorry, I'm being rude. This is Sasuke Uchiha." She explained motioning to her husband. "Sasuke, this is Hikaru Tsuki. He's the crowned prince of The Land of The Moon." She explained.
"It's nice to meet you." Sasuke said extending his hand to the prince.
"Likewise." Hikaru replied taking his hand.
"We're here on our honeymoon." Sakura said patting Chamu's massive head when he bumped it against her hand.
The prince's eyes widened. "You're married?" he exclaimed. "I'm surprised. When I saw you at Naruto's wedding you said you weren't dating anyone."
The pink haired medic smiled and moved closer to Sasuke. "It might seem a little sudden but Sasuke and I have known each other for a long time." She explained with blush tinging her cheeks.
"Your majesty!" a guard called out rushing towards them. "How many times have I told you not to go running off on your own?"
"I'm sorry." The prince replied. "I ran into an old friend. You remember Sakura Haruno from The Hidden Leaf." He said motioning to her.
The soldier's eyes widened and brightened. "I do! I'm pleased to see you doing so well Miss Sakura." The soldier said with a bow. "Your highness, you need to return to the Inn to prepare for the party tonight."
Hikaru sighed. "I'd rather visit with Sakura longer." He groaned. His eyes suddenly lit up. "That's it! You two can come to the party as well as my personal guests."
Sakura's eyes widened. "We couldn't impose." She said lifting her hands. "We don't even have proper clothing to attend anything formal."
"I insist!" Hikaru said. "I'll even arrange for proper clothing to be delivered to you. My father would say the same if he were here."
Sakura glanced at Sasuke who nodded. It wasn't how he planned to spend the evening, but the boy was a prince. Refusing him wasn't exactly a tactful option. He could also tell that Sakura wanted to speak with the prince longer as well, clearly having some prior connection to him, having been away from her for years, he wanted to learn more about how she'd been while he was away. The prince would likely have answers to some of his questions.
"Alright." Sakura said scribbling the name of their inn on a piece of paper. "We'll see you tonight then."
The pair of shinobi continued back to their inn and nodded to the inn keepers, a middle aged couple and their teenaged daughter that stared at Sasuke far too much for Sakura's liking before walking into their room.
Sasuke walked in first and waited. Sakura followed after and closed the door locking it with a flick of her wrist. Their eyes met and when Sasuke saw the flames of desire reflected in Sakura's jade orbs a warm shiver of anticipation slithered through him. A little smirk touched his lips as he pulled the fingerless glove from his hand with his teeth.
"How do you know the Prince?" Sasuke asked as Sakura pulled her light green off the shoulder top off.
"Not long after you left the village and right before Naruto left to train with Master Jaraiya, Team Seven was assigned a B rank escort mission." She said walking over to him as he hung his cloak up. "We were protecting Hikaru and his father on a royal tour after their other body guards quit."
He sat down on a cushion and leaned against the wall as Sakura sat down in his lap straddling his legs.
"Team Seven?" he asked his arm snaking around her waist as fire ignited in his blood at her bold move. "Who was my replacement then?"
Sakura leaned down and kissed him deeply before moving her mouth to his ear. "Lee." She replied in a sultry whisper before tugging on his earlobe with her teeth.
He growled at the action and tightened his grip on her. "Sounds boring." He remarked before kissing his way down the length of her neck.
"It wasn't." she replied arching her head back to give him better access to her throat. "Hikaru bought a circus." She shivered when his teeth grazed her collar bone. "We had to save the animals during a sudden typhoon." Her fingers raked through his hair and she rolled her hips against his. "We had to deal with a sudden coup when we arrived in The Land of the Moon and fight against a bunch of shinobi mercenaries."
Sasuke smirked and launched forward pressing Sakura to the ground. "Naruto was with you. He brings trouble everywhere he goes."
She smirked and tugged his shirt off. "True." She admitted sliding her hands over his sculpted back. "I defeated a woman ten years older than me with my eyes closed." She said arching up when his fingers went to work on the clasp of her bra.
"Why did you close your eyes?" he asked pulling the flimsy confection of lace away from her body.
She rarely wore such things. It wasn't practical as a ninja and she bound her breasts just like all the others normally. Only on their honey moon had she opted to wear the undergarment and he appreciated the lift they offered as well as the provocative prints and fabrics even if he didn't appear to in his haste to get to the skin beneath.
"So I wouldn't be distracted by her hallucination inducing poison." She replied sliding her fingers down to his waist band and pushing his pants and underwear down.
"Smart thinking." He replied pulling Sakura's white pants off.
"She thought she was cleaver but she didn't realize that even her poison and camouflage jutsu couldn't cover up the sound of her footsteps on broken glass, or the scent of that nasty perfume she was wearing." She said raking her nails down the front of his chest as he tossed the last piece of her clothing away.
"She'd clearly never fought a ninja as resourceful as you." Sasuke said rubbing the head of his length teasingly along her slick folds.
"Sasuke." she whined her legs locking around his waist. "Please…"
He leaned lifted her hips and plunged inside her groaning when she arched into the hard thrust. "Sakura." He moaned rising up on his knees to start a hard, fast rhythm.
She cried out and rose up wrapping her arms around his neck grinding against him as he thrust into her. His arm wrapped around her waist and he buried his face in her neck kissing and sucking at her until several dark spots marked the creamy skin. Her head flew back and he watched her pink hair dance to the rhythm of their lovemaking.
"Sasuke!" she exclaimed. "I think I'm going to-" a passion filled shriek followed by a low moan flew from her mouth as she hit her climax.
Her fluttering walls were his undoing and he tumbled over the edge after her with a shout of his own. He collapsed onto his back dragging her with him so that she was sprawled over his chest.
"Let me guess. Naruto magically saved the day on that mission too?" Sasuke said running his fingers along her spine.
He had grown to love that part of her body over the past few days. It was so lean and strong. He could stroke it all day. He vowed that sometime in the near future he'd lay her down face first and worship the sleek length of it with his mouth.
Sakura chuckled breathlessly. "You got it." She said. "Poor Kakashi sensei overused his sharringan that day too."
"That's a surprise." Sasuke replied.
Sakura shook her head. "He actually did that quite a lot, after you left anyway." She smiled. "I remember finding him on the ground just outside the palace where his part of the operation took place. I asked him if he was ok and he said 'Sure, it's nothing a couple of weeks of intensive care won't cure'. So we spent two weeks on the island until he recovered. The sand and the surf were wonderful." She said with a little sigh.
"What happened to the mercenaries?" Sasuke asked.
"Naruto killed one, sort of. More like, his own jutsu was turned against him and he died. The one I defeated and the one Lee defeated were tried and convicted there before being send to a specialized prison in the Hidden Grass Village." She explained pressing a kiss to his chest over his beating heart.
"That's the prison where the Box of Paradise incident took place right?" he asked.
She nodded and sighed. "Another nightmare of a mission I'd like to forget about." She muttered sitting up a hand touching her temple.
Confused and a little worried by her sudden mood shift, he sat up and cupped her bare shoulder with his hand.
"What happened to upset you?" he asked.
"I know it's unavoidable, but I always get a little upset when I think about the lives I wasn't able to save." She confessed lowering her head. "There was a woman there that I wasn't able to save. Her story also hit a little close to home."
Sasuke slid his hand down the length of her arm and then wrapped it around her just above her breasts tugging her back against his chest. "Do you want to talk about it?"
She sighed and reached up to clasp his forearm. "She was friends with a boy who was exceptionally talented and was assigned a mission to enter The Box of Paradise. It was rumored to grant any wish and The Village Hidden in the Grass voted to use it to get peace. The boy promised to return to her once the mission was over and then entered the box." Her grip on his arm tightened. "But it was all a lie. The box doesn't grant wishes. The boy was trapped inside, nothing they did could free him. When Naruto came along, they used the immense chakra of the nine tails to open the box but what came out wasn't her friend. He'd been possessed by the box and became a monster known as Satori. She tried so hard to stop his rampage but he was completely consumed by the darkness. He ended up dealing her a fatal wound before apologizing for not being able to keep his promise and used his own life force to seal the box away." Her wet tears dropped on his arm. "She used a forbidden jutsu to give her life force to Naruto in order to save him and died. I couldn't help but think of you. You were on the same path becoming completely consumed by darkness." She pulled her knees up to her chest. "I was afraid that you'd end up the same way. A monster who died alone because I was too weak to save you."
He laid his head on her shoulder and tightened his grip on her. He didn't know what to say. He'd apologized so many times for the pain she'd suffered while he was away that he was afraid it wouldn't sound sincere if he did it again. The fact that they'd nearly ended up like the pair of shinobi she mentioned surely wasn't helping things.
"I'm sorry. Crying and bringing up the past isn't how we should be spending out time." She said shifting in his grip.
"Don't apologize." He said kissing her cheek. "I truly am grateful to you for thinking about me so earnestly during the time I was away." He moved his hand up to stroke her cheek. "I want to know about the things you experienced while I was gone even if they're unpleasant or painful. They're what made you into the strong woman you are today."
She shivered in his embrace and turned to press a kiss to his cheek. "That was kind of you, thank you. You're not allowed to show this sweet side of yours to anyone else." She said smiling at him.
He shrugged and brushed her nose with his own before capturing her lips in a tender kiss. Of course if went without saying that no one else would see this side of him. He had no desire to treat anyone but Sakura with such tenderness and care.
"We should probably get dressed before the clothes that Hikaru ordered arrives." He said when they broke apart.
She sighed and nodded standing gracefully and collecting their clothes that had been scattered around the room. She tossed him to his clothes before pulling her own on and he sighed as her beautiful skin was covered once again.
Almost on que there was a knock at the door as the two ninja finished pulling their clothes into place.
"I have a delivery here for Sakura Haruno?" a voice called out.
'Sakura Uchiha' Sasuke mentally corrected the man as she opened the door.
"Thank you." She said holding out her arms for the clothing.
"Prince Hikaru instructed us to leave these with you. He says he thought these would suit you and your companion best." The man said. "This is the invitation and directions to the venue." He added laying an envelope on top of the boxes. "Have a nice day miss."
Sakura nodded to the man and shut the door with her foot before carrying her load over to the nearby table.
"Let's see what Hikaru picked for us." Sakura said opening the first box. "Ah, this is for you." She said sliding it over to Sasuke as he approached the table.
He looked inside and found it contained a classic black tuxedo with a white shirt, slate grey vest and crimson necktie. Sakura pushed another box towards him that contained shiny black leather shoes and he wrinkled his nose.
"There aren't practical." He muttered.
Especially the shoes. Shinobi sandals were specifically designed for combat. It was the only piece of equipment that was universally accepted and preferred by all ninja. Going anywhere without them felt like walking onto a battle field naked.
She chuckled and moved to the next set of boxes. The first contained a pair of black high heeled sandals with straps that were about an inch thick that crisscrossed over her foot twice before wrapping around her ankle.
"My shoes are clearly more impractical than yours." She remarked setting them off to the side.
Sasuke shrugged. It wasn't like they had much choice in the matter.
Sakura opened the next box and lifted the dress Hikaru had picked for her out of the box. The ink haired man's eyes widened before he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. This evening was going to be Hell.
%&%
Sasuke stood against a pillar near the edge of the grand garden where the party Price Hikaru had invited them to was being held. There was a drink in his hand that had been shoved there by an over enthusiastic waiter but he hadn't touched it. His gaze was focused on his wife standing several feet away next to the King from The Land of the Moon chatting animatedly with the man whom he'd been told was the master gardener over all of the gardens in Emerudo. She'd wanted to talk to him from the moment she'd laid eyes on the botanical wonders the village had to offer and he didn't blame her for it, but he wasn't sure how much longer his patience was going to hold up. All because of that dress that had come straight from the deepest pits of hell to torture him.
The gown Sakura wore was a rich shade of red, a couple of shades lighter than his crimson necktie. The straps were thin riding on the very edge of her shoulders looking as though they could slip off at any given moment. The neck line plunged wide and deep to just an inch above the bottom of her sternum offering a generous view of her cleavage. It was equally open in the back exposing the jut of her shoulder blades and the curve of her spine stopping just a few inches above the small of her back. The gown was floor length but had a slit running up the right side that stopped a mere four inches from her hip and exposed tantalizing glimpses of her creamy legs and the black strappy sandals when she moved. Sakura had used some fruity smelling product on her hair giving the usually stick straight locks a bit of curl and extra volume and she'd applied makeup as well painting her eyes with smoky grey shadow and her lips with a shade of red that matched the dress. The Uchiha crest hung around her neck and the cherry blossom hair pin he'd given her while on their journey together slipped into the bangs framing her face were her only other adornment.
Any other woman who had worn such an ensemble would look cheap and easy. Sakura however looked radiant and untouchable. It was almost maddening how beautiful and sexy she looked. All he wanted to do was whisk her away to someplace private, unzip that sinful gown and watch it slither to the ground before having his way with her. Instead, he was forced to watch inferior, drooling, males throw themselves at her feet. None of the male party goers could take their eyes off the blush haired beauty in the red dress, and he was no exception.
"Hey there handsome." A low sultry voice drawled. "Care for some company?"
His gaze flickered to the woman approaching him. She was tall, thin and blonde with royal blue eyes. Her dress matched her eyes and was similar to Sakura's with its thigh high slit and low neckline however, it was spattered with sections of elaborate silver beading. He could tell at a glance that she was privileged and pretty but her eyes had a glint to them that reminded him of Orochimaru and Madara that spoke of a deep seated greed, and arrogance. He had absolutely no patience for such a woman.
"No." he replied shortly his gaze turning back to his wife who was now speaking with Hikaru and King Michiru.
"Come on, there's no need to be so cold." She purred brushing against him. "You look tense. I can arrange for a private space where I can help you relax."
Sasuke's jaw clenched as he practiced the patience that had allowed him to survive in Orochimaru's disgusting snake den until the time to kill the serpent arrived. Sakura wasn't going to last much longer either, he could tell by the slowly deepening crease in her forehead and her frequent forced smiles. All he had to do was wait.
"At least give me your name." the woman whined.
"My name is none of your business." He said his patience thinning further as a rat like man approached his wife and kissed her hand lust clear in his eyes as he stared at her chest before looking at her face.
"I'm Alondra, Princess of The Land of Many Waters." The woman persisted. "I'll give you anything you like if you accompany me tonight." She said brushing her hand over elbow.
He jerked his arm away and straightened away from the pillar. The woman was getting on his last nerve. Even so, if she was royalty, he needed to show some semblance of respect for Kakashi's sake at least. He set the glass of alcohol untouched on a nearby table just in case the woman got too touchy for her own good.
"I came here with my wife." He said firmly.
The woman cocked a brow at that. "Is that so? I don't see a ring on your hand." She pointed out. "You can't fool me with such an easy to see through lie."
"A ring would interfere with my work." He replied. "I have no need or desire for your company." He said moving towards Sakura.
Shinobi rarely wore wedding rings. They were nothing but a hindrance when handling kunai and shuriken. Additionally as secretive soldiers who frequently entered the most dangerous of situations, wearing such adornment was an easy giveaway that you had at least one person out there that might be worth more than your life, more than the mission objective, or even more than the village you served. The Uchiha crest around her neck and on her clothes was more than enough proof to any shinobi worth their salt that she belonged to him. It was only ignorant civilians who didn't understand the significance of such an adornment.
He was done. If he didn't get away from this pushy woman, he was going to say something that would leave Kakashi seething at him for weeks. She was not worth the headache. With his gaze fixed on the stunning woman in red, he started towards his wife.
"Don't walk away from me!" The blonde woman snarled grabbing his arm.
Sakura seemed to notice the quiet commotion then and her eyes narrowed as she strode towards them as he yanked his arm from the princesses hold.
"Sasuke? Is everything alright?" Sakura asked reaching for his hand.
"Yes." He replied gripping her hand and then sliding his arm around her waist. "Princess Alondra, this is my wife, Sakura Uchiha."
"Is that so?" the princess replied her nose wrinkling a little. "She's pretty, I guess…"
Sakura glanced at Sasuke out of the corner of her eye, clearly noticing the nastiness of the woman's tone.
"I apologize if my husband gave you any trouble." Sakura said turning into her husband, laying one hand on his chest and another on his shoulder. "He has little patience for trivial conversations." She reached out and adjusted his tie. "Prince Hikaru and King Michiru are preparing to leave. If you're ready, we can go."
"Please, stay a little longer. I was so enjoying your husband's company." Alondra said moving closer.
"He clearly wasn't enjoying yours." Sakura replied her jade eye sharpening in a clear warning for the woman to back off.
"Let's go Sakura." Sasuke said turning towards the entrance of the garden.
As sexy as that glint in her eyes was, the last thing they needed was for her temper to snap. He was the only one capable of handling it and even then there was no guarantee that there would be no casualties. At the very least, the lovely stone courtyard with its mosaic of colorful stones would be completely decimated.
When the princess reached out to grab Sasuke's sleeve, Sakura whirled around her leg extended and stopped just inches from the woman's face. Sasuke turned as well his arm straight out, his hand straight as a blade, just a little push of electric chakra needed to turn it into a deadly weapon, inches from the woman's neck.
"What?" she exclaimed taking a wobbly step back.
"Attacking Leaf Village Shinobi when their backs are turned is a mistake most people don't live to repeat, Princess." Sakura said firmly.
The princess's eyes widened. "Leaf Village Shinobi? Who are you? What are you doing here? Are you body guards for someone?"
"I am Sakura Uchiha, formally Haruno. A leaf village Medical Ninja." Sakura replied lowering her foot.
"I am Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke said refusing to let his guard down as easily as his wife had.
"We were invited here by Prince Hikaru and King Michiru from The Land of the Moon. They're personal friends of mine." Sakura explained.
The young woman paled. "I… I didn't realize." She stammered her gaze flickering to Sasuke's hand still hovering near her throat.
"Tch!" Sasuke muttered lowering his hand. "Let's go Sakura."
She nodded and went to follow when a cry of distress sounded across the room.
"Somebody help us!" a woman exclaimed.
Alondra turned at the sound. "Mother?" she said rushing towards the small crowd gathered around a table.
"It's your father! He got drunk and tripped. He fell and hit his neck on a chair on the way down, now he's not breathing!" An older woman with blonde hair and brown eyes exclaimed looking at her daughter.
"Damn it." Sakura groaned striding over to the group.
"Damn." Sasuke echoed following her over. Would this hellish night ever end?
"Move out of the way!" Sakura demanded striding forward.
"Who are you?" the queen demanded.
"A Leaf Village Medical Ninja." Sakura replied kneeling down next to the man who was turning blue from lack of oxygen. "Did he have any food in his mouth when he fell?" she asked pressing her fingers to the thick man's swollen throat.
"No. Not that I know of." The woman replied.
Sakura's hands glowed green and her brow furrowed. "TBI? Damn." She hissed. "I don't have what I need to treat him with me." She glanced around and spotted a cup filled with straws sitting on the counter of the open bar. "Sasuke! Grab me one of those straws!" she barked reaching up the slit of her dress to draw a scalpel from a hidden sheath strapped to her leg.
"You carry something like that with you all the time?" Princess Alondra asked.
"I've been in situations and seen things you could never imagine." Sakura replied. "I do my best to always be prepared."
Sasuke leapt to the counter, grabbed a straw, startling the bartender and then leapt back to his wife's side.
"Here." He said handing her the slim black tube.
"I'm sorry sir, this is going to hurt." She looked at her husband. "Can you put him under genjustu so that he won't move?"
He nodded and his eye shifted from black to blood red. He looked the panicked man in the eye pulling him into an illusion where he was sitting with his wife and bratty daughter in a field of flowers. It wasn't terribly original but that wasn't important. He just needed to keep the man still.
"Go ahead." He said nodding to Sakura.
She nodded once and then slit open the man's throat plunging the straw into the opening. The man took a shaking breath and his color slowly returned as Sakura's hands glowed green.
"Listen up." She said to the people milling around. "I've done an exceptionally crude intubation and am doing my best to heal his damaged trachea but this man needs a hospital. I have neither the equipment, nor the time to treat him properly. He's not out of the woods yet, so move it!"
"Right!" Several exclaimed rushing about.
She watched over him until a medical team arrived and gave them a rundown of what she'd done and her assessment of the injuries the man had sustained.
"Who are you?" one of the medic's asked.
Sakura smiled. "Sakura Uchiha of the Hidden Leaf."
The man's eyes widened. "Seriously!? Lady Sakura! The Slug Queen! The woman who has surpassed even Lady Tsunade?!" he exclaimed hero worship gleaming in his eyes. "Can I shake your hand?"
Sauske's brow twitched. He was beyond ready to go back to their room. He was about ready to throw her over his shoulder and make a break for it.
Sakura chuckled and extended her clean hand. "Please take care of that man."
"Yes of course!" the man exclaimed directing the other medics.
"I… I'm sorry for all this." Alondra said bowing low. "Thank you for helping my father."
"Keep your hands off my husband and we'll call it even." Sakura replied.
The woman cringed and then nodded. "Yes. He is a fine man."
"Yes. Yes he is." Sakura replied before lacing her fingers through Sasuke's. "Let's go. I'm tired." She waved to Hikaru. "We're leaving now."
"Right. Thank you for helping King Shin." He said with a smile. "See you later!"
She smiled before taking off with Sasuke into the night.
They didn't bother going through the door of the inn, and came in through the terrace doors, bypassing the main floor and stairs completely. Sasuke's jacket hit the floor before they even managed to close the door behind them and his tie quickly followed.
Their mouths were battling for dominance. Tongues dancing, lips plucking, and teeth tugging as their hands pulled at the formal clothing. Sasuke's hand found the hidden zipped in the side of the dress and pulled, a low groan of appreciation rattling in his chest when the garment that had tortured him all night slithered to the ground.
"Damn Sakura." He hissed pushing her towards the sleeping space.
She let out a yelp of surprise when her heel got caught on the pool of red fabric on the ground and tumbled to the floor sprawling out near the futon.
"Ouch!" she hissed as she sat up. "These stupid shoes."
Sasuke snickered and then laughed out loud. Her fall had been far from graceful.
"Shut up!" she growled reaching for the buckles of her shoes. "This is all your fault." She whined tossing one of the heeled menaces at him. He caught it easily and tossed it over his shoulder still grinning. "And that blonde slut was all over you!" she hissed throwing the other shoe with more force.
Again, he caught it and tossed it where its sister lay near the table. "We're you jealous, Sakura?" he drawled moving slowly towards her.
She blushed scarlet and turned away. "So what if I was?" she replied. "She was pretty, a princess, and those breasts of hers were twice as big as mine." Her arms crossed over her chest. "Even though I could tell they're fake." She muttered.
Cute. She was so damn cute. Flustered, mostly naked, and jealous to boot. He felt almost giddy as he approached her pulling his button down shirt from his body.
"Were they? I didn't even notice. They were practically falling out of her dress though." He said letting it fall to the floor.
Her eyes snapped to his, anger flashing in the emerald orbs. "You were looking?" she demanded jumping to her feet.
He smirked. "Once." He replied. When her face turned red and she moved away from him, he reached out and caught her by the waist pulling her back against his chest. "One look was all it took for me to see how inferior she was to you."
"Don't think you can sweet talk your way out of this." Sakura grumbled tugging at his arm.
He ignored her struggles and pressed his lips to her neck just behind her ear. "I don't need to sweet words to get you into bed Sakura." He murmured sliding his hand up to cup her breast. "We both know you can't resist me."
"Arrogant Uchiha." She snarled.
"But you love me that way." He whispered tugging on her earlobe with his teeth before pushing face first onto the futon. He quickly pulled his pants and underwear down before joining her in bed.
Sakura yelped in surprise as Sasuke trapped her in place straddling her waist. He slid his fingers down the length of her spine from the base of her neck to where her panties rode low on her hips smirking at the goosebumps that feathered over her skin at his touch. She'd forgone a bra for the evening because of the cut of the dress, another fact that had made the night a living hell for him. At least he was getting some compensation for his suffering now. He leaned over her and pressed open mouthed kisses to the sleek expanse of her back, paying special attention to several of the scars that marred the smooth skin, some new and some old.
She moaned and shifted beneath him making the fire in his blood spike. He hooked a finger under the waist band of her panties and tugged, shimmying them down her legs. When that last piece of red lace was gone, he slid his hand along her side until he reached her hips and then tugged.
"Sasuke?" she questioned.
"I want you on your knees Sakura." He commanded his voice husky and low with need.
She shuddered and whispered "Ok." So softly he could barely hear her.
He stepped away and watched with rapt attention as she arched her back and lifted her hips. Her movements were slow but smooth like a cat stretching its spine. It was beautiful, sexy and damn he needed to get inside her before he came undone just from the sight of her on her hands and knees for him.
He stepped forward and laid his hand on her hip, nudging her knees further apart as he positioned himself at her entrance. He took a deep breath before pushing inside her moaning at the sensation of her tight, wet walls around him and the whine of pleasure that left her lips.
"All night." He hissed as he started to move. "I've wanted to do this to you all night." He groaned slamming into her.
She moaned his name and he leaned forward kissing and nipping at the skin of her back leaving red marks in his wake. They were proof that she was his. Her hands fists in the sheets as he thrust into her and a high pitched cry left her lips as she shattered her walls squeezing him so tightly he had no choice but to follow after. They collapsed onto the futon and Sasuke quickly slid to the side, not wanting to burden her with his weight.
"Are you ok?" he asked trailing his fingers over her shoulder blade.
"I'll let you know when I can feel my legs again." She replied.
He smirked and slid closer to her wrapping an arm around her waist. "Did you enjoy yourself?" he murmured nuzzling her ear.
"I always do." She replied reaching back to cup his cheek. He tightened his grip on her and she turned in his embrace. "Is something bothering you?" she asked.
He sighed. "I didn't realize it would be like this." He said.
"I don't understand." Sakura replied her brow furrowing. "Have I done something wrong? Are you not happy about something?"
He sighed. "It's nothing that you've done." He assured her. "It's just that, you're mine and yet I still have to share you with everyone." He said releasing her to roll to his back.
Sakura moved closer to him and laid her head on his chest. "I'm yours." She assured him pressing a kiss to his jaw.
He stroked her hair and then looked at the ceiling. "I know. That's not what I meant. You see, when I was growing up it was traditional for a woman who married a member of the Uchiha clan to immediately retire from active duty. My mother was a jonin, a very good one too. However, when she married my father, she retired and focused on supporting my father who was serving as The Chief of Police as well as preparing for the role of Uchiha clan leader at the time."
"I see." Sakura replied sitting up and hovering over him so that she could look into his eyes. "Is that what you want from me Sasuke?"
He looked up at her and studied her face. She was willing to if he asked. He could see the willingness and understanding in her eyes. All it would take is a few words and she'd do what his mother had. Leave her career behind and focus on making a house and home for him. His gaze was drawn to the indigo diamond on her forehead and he immediately realized that he couldn't ask that of her. Even more than that, he realized that he didn't want to. She was a powerful warrior, the best medical ninja in the shinobi world and he was so proud of her for that. To ask her to leave all of that behind would be like stripping the flowers she was named for from its tree, putting them in a glass jar and expecting them to flourish. It simply wasn't possible. They'd wither and die the same way her soul would if he took away her opportunity to learn, and teach others her lifesaving art.
"No." he replied reaching up to lightly press two finger tips to her seal. "The life of a quiet, dutiful housewife wouldn't suit you."
"Some part of me feels like it should be offended by that." She said the corner of her mouth lifting and her brow cocking in that way that sometimes preceded a vicious punch with Naruto on the receiving end more often than not.
"You're a healer and a warrior. How could I ask you to walk away from the things that made me fall in love with you?" he murmured stroking her face.
Her eyes widened and then softened as that warm smile he adored crossed her lips. "Sasuke." She murmured pressing her lips to his. "I love you. So much."
He smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I know. That love has save me more than once." She smiled and yawned. "Go to sleep." He told her. "I'll see you in the morning."
She sighed and nuzzled his neck just below his ear. "That sounds nice." She breathed before she drifted off.
He chuckled. It never ceased to amaze him how easily she fell asleep. Then again, it was just a testament to how much she trusted him. It was nice to have that sort of trust with another. After all, there was no one he trusted more than her. He knew that she would risk her life to protect him, not that he wanted her to, but she would even if he objected. He supposed that's why his father had encouraged his mother to step away from her dangerous career as a shinobi. It was one less worry. However, he wasn't his father and he could not ask his wife to do the same. Instead he would do his best to protect her, then again, she was stronger than even the Fifth Hokage now. She was a strong woman who didn't need his protection. His thoughts drifted back to when he saw her fly through the battle field during their fight with the Ten Tails a smirk touching his lip. He fell asleep with the image of her standing on top of a pile of buckled earth that she'd broken when her bare hands, her eyes blazing, challenging him to keep up with her in the forefront of his mind.
The heat was stifling, draining; the sand hot where it brushed over his toes. That bitch had taken him from a lava Hell, to an ice night mare, and now he was stuck in this never ending pit of sand, sun and suffering. It was absolutely ridiculous. What was worse, is that he was separated from Naruto. If that idiot got himself killed, then there'd be no way to stop the Rabbit Goddess. What would become of him then? What about Kakashi, Obito, and Sakura? Would they be able to escape? Even if they did, being the only people left on earth would be a never ending nightmare.
No, failure was not an option. He needed to get out of this sand coated oven and back to Naruto's side. Then they could seal the witch and he could get back to his plans.
"Sasuke!"
He knew that voice. He'd know it anywhere. He turned towards it and spotted battered Sakura standing behind an even worse off Obito, her seal markings wrapped around them both.
"Sasuke! Hurry!" she shouted as the portal began to shrink.
He took off running cursing the sand beneath him as he went. They'd been with Naruto when he'd been pulled into this dimension and it was likely that even if they weren't with him, they knew a way back.
"Sasuke!" Sakura shouted as the portal shrunk further. "Cha!" she exclaimed forcing herself to her limits.
He could see it, see the waver in her chakra and knew he was almost out of time. He spotted her chunin vest and activated his rinnigan using the new power to switch places with the piece of clothing. He landed beside the pink haired woman as she swayed on the verge of losing consciousness. He caught her just as she was about to fall and wrapped an arm around her his hand noting the heat from what looked like a burn on her arm. Their eyes met and something passed between them. Something he could not name even now.
Just as he was about to speak, the image changed and he was trapped by the force of the gravity dimension watching as the Goddess re-armed herself with spears of ash he knew would kill him.
'Move!' he screamed at himself even as his muscles and bones screamed in protest. 'You have to move!'
She fired her deadly projectiles and he stared in horror at his own death coming straight for his face.
Then the image became warped and he was chasing down a samurai in the land of iron dealing him a killing blow with ease.
"I'm so sorry, Sakura..." he heard the man rasp and he stopped in his tracks turning to look back at the Samurai who lay bleeding out on the floor.
His gaze turned to his hand and he was shocked by the blood there, his heart pounding in his chest.
'No… No! This isn't what I wanted!' he screamed in his head falling to his knees staring at his blood soaked hands. 'This isn't what I wanted!'
He bolted upright in bed his skin tinged with a sweat, his breath coming out in short pants. He glanced around the room desperately trying to get his bearings. When a warm body shifted beside him, he stiffened terrified for a moment that he was back in his rouge ninja days and Karin had snuck into his bed again.
The body groaned lifting slowly and his eyes widened at the sight of his sleep mused wife rising up on her elbows to look at him, a hand rubbing at her bleary eyes.
"Sasuke?" she asked her jade eyes focusing on his face. "What's wrong?"
He was suddenly overwhelmed with a desperate need for her. She was proof that he wasn't just a murderer. Proof that there was something about him worth saving, worth loving. Proof that he wasn't alone in the world. She was his future and he needed to hold her, drown in her, use her warmth to chase away the demons that were clawing at his heart and soul.
He rose up over her and pinned her down lightly looking down at her soft features and green eyes full of love and concern for a moment before he leaned down and kissed her with a hard desperation taking everything she could offer him. She squeaked in surprise but twined her arms around his neck giving him more, giving him everything. His mouth left hers to kiss and bite at her neck drinking in her gasps as his hand traveled south along her rib cage to her hip. He gripped it tightly before slipping it between their bodies to the patch of cotton candy curls between her legs. A high pitched mew left her lips and he rubbed her until he could feel she was wet enough to receive him.
He rose up over her positioning himself at her entrance and looked into her jade eyes that were so full of love and sheathed himself in her with one firm thrust. He watched with rapt attention as her eyes rolled back in her head and his name tumbled from her lips in a breathy sigh. It was gorgeous, sexy, and real. He set a hard fast pace pounding into her in an almost animalistic way. Her arms wrapped around him holding him tight, her fingernails digging into his back as cries of pleasure echoed through the sleeping space. Her legs locked around his waist allowing him to push deeper and he relished the feeling. This closeness with her that he'd never shared with another and never would.
"Sasuke!" she gasped her brow tinged with sweat as she pressed kisses to the nape of his neck. "Sasuke! I love you!"
Her words were his undoing and he spilled himself inside her gripping her hip so hard he was sure it would leave bruises. He collapsed on top of her, panting and felt a wave of calm sweep over him. This was reality and it was sweet. He had a wife that loved him. He had a family. He was not a lonely boy caught up in a vicious cycle of violence and hate anymore.
Her slender fingers swept through his sweat dampened spikes and then part way down his back before repeating the same journey in reverse. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"I'm fine." He replied listening to the thrumming of her heart beneath his ear. "What about you?"
"I'm good." She said her fingers continuing to draw lazy circles across his back. "It's nearly dawn. You can go back to sleep though. It's not as though we have any pressing plans for today."
He sighed and shifted his arm reaching out to lace his fingers with her free hand. "You're not going to ask me what happened?" he asked
"You had a nightmare." Sakura replied brushing the bangs out of his eye. "That's what I think at least. If you want to talk to me, you know I'm here, if not that's fine. I understand."
He closed his eyes and nuzzled her skin and knew that what she'd said weren't just empty words. She truly did understand because just like him, she had horrible, terrible memories that she didn't want to share with anyone else. It was also because she had such memories that she was willing to listen to them if that's what he wanted to do.
"You're too good for me." He murmured softly.
She chuckled. "Hearing that from the man of my dreams makes me extremely happy." She said sliding her fingers over his shoulder and down his arm. "Go ahead and sleep a little longer. I can tell you're tired."
He didn't object and simply closed his eyes letting the beating of her heart ease him back into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Author's Note: I'm so sorry I'm late! I got lost on the path of life and all that… Thanks for reading, following, and such! I appreciate it. If you have questions about why I write things the way I do, please inbox me or log in so that I can explain my thinking. Or you can just flame and never get your answers I guess…. I'm doing my best to make it realistic. I will say this though. The reason it seems like there's so much 'Naruto praising' in this story is because for the first time Sasuke is able to look at, and think about Naruto without the curse of hatred hanging over him. He can look at his best friend and admire his strength without being consumed with jealousy and hatred over it. It's my way of showing how Sasuke has grown over the past few years.
