Chapter 17 – Feel Something, Feel Nothing
The garden was absurdly busy, though Sakura knew it was only because of her mood's sudden nosedive that she felt such a way and instead of greeting people properly when they called out to her, she offered them mere smiles, eyes too busy searching for her boyfriend.
Momentarily, she spotted the incredulous stares of his parents and her supposed best friend, but paid them no mind. Their reactions to her statement no longer mattered and she inwardly rejoiced when she found Sasuke standing close to the buffet food, already making her way to the large white marquee.
"Wow, Sakura-chan," Naruto said with an appreciative whistle.
It warmed her heart when Sasuke took several moments to think of a comment for her appearance and she was pretty damn sure that he was fighting back a blush, especially when he ducked his head somewhat, forcing his bangs to come forward so that outsiders to their conversation wouldn't be able to see it.
"Finally," said the blond with a knowing grin, slapping him on the back, ignoring his deathly glare. "A normal human reaction!"
Only after snarling at him to leave them did Sasuke speak to her, admiring her dress with his back to the guests. "This is your statement."
Her cheeks felt like they were never going to cool down. "Yeah. Is it too much?"
"To them?" he asked rhetorically. "Perhaps."
Was it normal for her heart to feel like it was skipping beats? "And… to you?"
"To me?" A slow, lazy smirk pulled on the corner of his lips, dark eyes meeting hers and taking her breath away with the intensity of them. "You look-"
"Forehead!"
No, Sakura despaired, eyes desperately searching Sasuke's features, willing him – all but pleading with him – to continue with whatever he'd been about to say, but she knew he wouldn't. Not when Ino strutted her way over to them with Karin trailing alongside her, interrupting their conversation without a care. Sakura had a feeling it wouldn't be the last time it happened that day, either.
"What?" she asked irritably, coming to stand beside Sasuke, forcing them to remain opposite them. If Ino draped herself all over her boyfriend like she usually did… "We were talking."
"And now you're talking to us," stated Karin.
Gods, how was it possible to dislike someone so intensely? Karin had always rubbed her the wrong way since their first year of high school, when she and a handful of other girls had relentlessly picked on her. No matter how far out of her way she went to avoid them, they always found some way of tormenting her. It was why Ino had disliked them, too.
But now there they were, like they'd been friends all their lives.
And it hurt.
"Am I?" responded Sakura in a drawl. She glanced to her boyfriend, then over in the direction of Itachi's friends. "Oh, look, Sasuke-kun. Relevant people are calling our names."
Ignoring Karin's rage, she grabbed Sasuke's hand, dragging him behind her as she stomped her way over to Deidara and Kisame, thankful when they greeted her without pause. At least it didn't look like she'd barged in on their conversation and she grinned up at them, even giving a twirl when Deidara instructed her too.
"Kurotsuchi's going to be on your back again about another shoot," he told her, smirking.
Wait, she was coming? "Have you seen the pictures?"
He shook his head, looking around himself as he took in the party. She had to commend him on not looking overly impressed, because Sakura hadn't been able to stop staring while it was all being set up. Mikoto hadn't held anything back while planning the party. There was a wide variety of food – buffet tables under a humongous, white marquee, food stalls scattered throughout the garden and even a bar had been set up to the far side of the garden, easily taking up twenty or so feet. Then, there was the DJ's booth – he'd set up a freaking makeshift stage! Gods, so much was going on that it was almost overwhelming.
"She's holding onto them and wants to show all the models together."
She did? But that was the first Sakura heard about it. Frowning, she asked, "Since when?"
There was obvious surprise on his face when he met her eye. "Itachi didn't tell you?"
No. It seemed like he didn't tell her anything as of late. They'd gone from great communication and friendship, to awkward territory that she was quickly growing to despise.
"It's hardly an issue. They're here now, so just ask them," muttered Kisame with a roll of his eyes.
And her throat felt painfully dry when she looked over to the doorway, when she saw them walking in arm-in-arm.
Similar to all other times she'd seen the older woman, Kurotsuchi was flawless. Her short, black hair framed her features, styled to add more volume and the outfit she'd chosen was certainly working to add to her charm. The black velvet top was cut short and though plain, the short, high waisted skirt made up for it ten times over with the intricate beading design.
They looked well suited.
Apparently, Sakura was not the only one who thought so, as a genuine smile lit up Mikoto's face while she greeted them, something she said making Kurotsuchi blush.
"When did that happen?"
She looked to Sasuke, unable to shift the hurt in her heart as she repeated his question several times in her mind, because when the hell had that happened? When Itachi was almost kissing her? When he was holding her?
Deidara was watching her knowingly, she noticed, but didn't have the energy necessary to shoo him off or respond in some way.
"During the shoot, I guess," answered Deidara, shrugging. "Kurotsuchi's always liked pretty things, yeah. Once she has her eye set on something, she's relentless."
Itachi wouldn't even look her way, Sakura noted with a hint of anger. The least he could have done was admit to what he'd–
What had he done, exactly? Asked a woman his own age out as a single man? She was being ridiculous, wasn't she?
Ridiculous or not, it hurt. Seeing how good they looked together hurt. Seeing Mikoto warmly accepting Kurotsuchi hurt.
"Oi, Sasuke-chan," came a lilting voice from behind them, the sound of it making her sigh. If he was around for too long, Itachi would join them without a shadow of a doubt and she wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to him. "Your guests are feeling neglected."
There was no choice but to turn with her boyfriend, his arm fixed around her waist. She greeted Shisui with a smile, one as warm as she could possibly give, while mentally listing off reasons to excuse herself so she could sort the mess in her head out.
"Don't call me that," he muttered, scowling.
She shouldn't be so upset that Itachi had a date, but she was.
She shouldn't feel like a hole had been punched through her stomach seeing them together, arms linked, but she did.
She shouldn't want to demand answers from the older Uchiha brother, to demand, out of pure jealousy, what the hell he was doing with Kurotsuchi, but she ached to do so.
He'd gotten under her skin, hadn't he? Somewhere down the line, between all the kind smiles and wise words, between his genuine concern for her well being and annoyance at her own tendency to accept others hurting her, between the almost kisses and the longing to cross that line, she'd let him in.
Feeling sick with herself, sick with Itachi and sick with Uchiha family as a whole, Sakura ached to get away from them. To distance herself. But she couldn't, could she? She was, in a sense, trapped. It was like the arm around her waist would still be there long after Sasuke let her go, keeping her with him, refusing to let her leave his sight.
When her eyes started to trail back to the hurtful sight at the other end of the garden, she paused when she met blue eyes already looking her way, Ino's frown of concern damn near crumbling her hold on the emotions threatening to overwhelm her.
"Talk?" she mouthed to her.
Sakura's only answer was to excuse herself from the conversation between Sasuke and Shisui, meeting the blonde in the middle, grateful when Ino immediately covered their conversation by pretending to be busy admiring the cut of Sakura's dress, eyes wide with want.
"What happened?" she asked quietly, then smiled, adding in a louder voice, "That's all it cost? Do they still have them?"
"I…" Gods, her throat was tight. Unlike her best friend, she was unable to keep up with the lie, so kept her head forward, allowing her hair to hide her expression. "I'm so confused, Ino."
All pretences dropped momentarily, but Ino saved herself, playing with her hair, pretending to give it extra volume before seeing how it looked brushed back. "With Sasuke-kun?"
The question brought her guards back up, a voice in the back of her mind warning Sakura about Ino's tendencies to throw herself at Sasuke. Why in the hell was she about to give her more ammunition? By confessing they had problems, that she was conflicted about a variety of things, she was giving Ino an opening, wasn't she?
"About university," she muttered instead. The dead pan she was rewarded with had her heart breaking as she realised that yes, part of Ino had been hoping to hear news of an impending break up or fight. "Seeing everyone here together makes me want to stay, but-"
"Are you for real, Sakura?"
The annoyance in her tone made Sakura frown. "Yeah, I-"
A thin, blonde eyebrow twitched. "You're telling me you looked like you were about to have a major breakdown because of university?"
Maybe if you were trustworthy you'd know the truth, she mentally sneered in return.
"Gods, Sakura, get a grip," snapped Ino and she turned away, saying over her shoulder, "There's bigger problems in life."
Like where to get your next drink from? Like plotting how to break up a relationship?
The harsh words stunned even Sakura, but she didn't focus on them for too long, hands restlessly fidgeting in front of herself.
It seemed everyone had arrived, the garden packed with well-wishers (some she recognised and greeted with warm smiles) and it took her several minutes to find her boyfriend as he reluctantly made his rounds, greeting and thanking his guests. Unlike when Itachi had to play the role of host, Sasuke didn't stick around for long unless he genuinely found the person interesting.
Whether it was because of her hurt or not, Sakura found herself preferring his honesty. Uninteresting? He was out of there. There were no false smiles or playing nice.
They seemed so close, she thought, discreetly looking to the new couple. Kurotsuchi seemed at total ease with his friends and family, managing to hold conversations and keep them going, occasionally making the group erupt with laughter at something she said. It was stupid, she told herself, that even Itachi laughed. How often had he laughed around her? Sakura couldn't recall ever making him laugh. There was always too much drama with them.
Why did it even bother her?
It didn't matter why. What mattered was that it hurt. If it hurt, it hurt. No explanations were necessary, in her eyes. Not when her stomach continued to churn like she'd accompanied Naruto on a night of binge eating ramen. Just looking at them together made the sickening feeling increase and while she felt petty and stupid for feeling that way, she couldn't stop it.
So lost in her own teenage drama and inner turmoil, she failed to notice the objects of her pain approaching her until it was too late, leaving her to force a smile and greet Kurotsuchi politely.
Gods, pretending like everything was fine, like her chest wasn't being mercilessly crushed was a killer.
"You're hard to get hold of," said Kurotsuchi, smiling. "The photos are ready – Itachi said you'd rather view them away from the other models, though?"
It was a question? "I wasn't even aware there was a second option."
Her blunt tone took them both by surprise, it seemed. "Oh."
"Sorry," Sakura quickly tried to dissipate the awkward atmosphere she'd created. It wasn't Kurotsuchi's fault, was it? Nervously, she scratched the back of her head, chuckling. "My head's kind of all over the place – I quit my job, you see and-"
"Oh, I saw the video," she informed her, the drama of her life obviously being a source of enjoyment to her. "Great work standing up for yourself. That woman seemed like a bitch."
"Understatement."
Briefly, she met Itachi's gaze, biting the inside of her cheek as she barely held back the urge to demand what the hell he was playing at. He was giving nothing away, appearing relaxed although she did notice the way their arms had unlinked when they came to stand in front of her – they hadn't for anyone else. What did that mean? Did it even mean anything?
Did he enjoy leading her on?
Was that what he was doing?
"Anyway," Kurotsuchi almost stressed the word, making Sakura focus on her once more. "Would you be willing to work with me in the future, Sakura? I have several photo shoots in mind and I think you'd be the perfect model for them."
Instinct told her to say no. She wanted to tell her she had no intention of ever working with her again. But Sakura once more tried to rationalise the situation, reminding herself that Kurotsuchi was merely caught in the middle of whatever game it was Itachi was playing. Why should her business suffer? Why should Sakura miss out on potentially life changing opportunities?
"I'd love to," she told her.
Another grin. "Great. I would say that I'll contact you, but like I said: difficult. Itachi can act as a mediator, okay?"
No, she wanted to argue. She didn't want that. But that would only arouse suspicion, so Sakura instead nodded. "Okay."
"Well, I'm gonna go annoy Deidara-nii," she informed Itachi, hand coming to rest on his bicep. "I'll try not to take too long."
She pretended not to notice, instead focusing on the buffet that many had gathered around, watching as Kiba and Choji scooped generous helpings onto their already full plates. Much to her surprise (and horror, as she only just realised how much she'd been focusing on her upset), she spotted her parents standing with Sasuke's, talking animatedly, a sore contrast to the reserved Uchiha, who politely replied.
"Sakura-"
"Do you really think it's wise to talk about it out here?" she asked, putting on a smile to make sure nobody caught on.
Worry ate away at her as Itachi took a moment to play along, though she was soon revisited by the Itachi of the welcome home party. The gracious host. The one who was capable of showing great interest and laughing along without meaning a single second of it.
"You're upset."
"Of course-" Cover nearly blown, she suddenly grinned, like Itachi was telling her something about his newfound love. Gods, just the act made her restless. "After," she said. "Okay?"
"Yes."
It was at that point that Sasuke made his return, having finally made it halfway through his guests and clearly needing a break. The sight of her boyfriend had her pouting minutely, sad that he couldn't enjoy his birthday party as he instead had to play nice with everyone. There was nothing worse than playing host.
"What's going on?"
Maybe it was sly of her, but Sakura didn't regret saying, "Itachi was just telling me how he started dating Kurotsuchi-san."
"Oh?" the younger brother hummed. "How?"
Much to her annoyance, there was no falter in his lie – or was it a lie? "The same way any other relationship starts – we spoke. I found her company enjoyable. I asked her to accompany me here today."
There was a sudden sigh of annoyance when Sasuke looked over her shoulder and when she followed his line of sight, taking half a step back, she saw Fugaku faintly tipping his head back, silently ordering his son to join him. Simultaneously (explaining his growing annoyance), a group of their friends from school began to approach him, forcing him to choose between the two.
"Sorry," Sasuke muttered, hand coming to her waist.
She smiled and shook her head. "I need to finish off my surprise for you, anyway," she told him. "Your mother has helped so much with it, but there's still loads to do."
While it was true that her surprise had taken a lot of hard work and organising, the truth was that it'd already been taken care of. There was nothing left to do other than present it to him. Understanding that because it involved his precious car, he could potentially react badly (although shouldn't, because she hadn't done anything bad), she was choosing to do it away from everyone else.
"Sounds like a big job," commented Itachi.
Sasuke was obviously curious, pausing in leaving, allowing their friends to grow closer and she spotted Fugaku watching them intently, perhaps waiting for his son to make eye contact again so that he could stress at him to hurry the hell up.
"Hopefully worth it," she replied, then smiled at her boyfriend. "You can have it when everyone leaves."
"Why not before?"
Oh, those dirty thoughts had better get the hell out of his head. "Because it involves leaving the party."
For a split second, there was clear disappointment, both making her skin tingle in some places, but crawl in others and in response to the feeling, her heart gave a horrible squeeze, because it shouldn't be like that. She shouldn't feel fear whenever her boyfriend thought of her sexually, but she did.
Completely out of character for him, he asked, "If it's finished sooner, can't I see it? You can give it to me and once the party's over, we'll leave."
It would be nice to see his reaction sooner rather than later, Sakura decided, smiling at his sudden enthusiasm. Part of her knew that it was because he was overwhelmed with being the centre of attention, but she didn't care.
At her nod, he then said, "Nii-san, Mother's too busy to help. Will you?"
Her heart sank.
But before either of them could disagree, said friends reached them, loudly wishing Sasuke a happy birthday, telling him where the gifts had been dropped off and what they thought of the party. Only momentarily did she have a part in the conversation and it soon became apparent that it no longer involved her or Itachi, making them eye each other, silently deciding to leave.
"I'm going to go sort your gift out," she told her boyfriend while the others talked amongst themselves, giving the hand on her waist a gentle squeeze before leaning up to kiss his cheek.
Much to her embarrassment, however, Sasuke turned his head to the side and Sakura felt her entire face rage with her blush, only just stopping short of kissing his hair. The arm around her waist flexed – whether it was him apologising or… She wasn't sure.
All she did know, was that he… he'd rejected her. In front of their friends and Itachi.
There was only so much humiliation she could withstand in one day, Sakura decided, pulling out of his hold. It felt like everyone was watching them (though probably weren't), like they were laughing at the rejection.
"See you," she said awkwardly and turned, hurrying the hell out of there, face burning.
Gods, could she handle anything else?
Heart thundering away in her chest, palms sweating and face feeling like it would forever be red, Sakura rushed back into the home, heading straight for her room.
Only seconds into reaching the upstairs hallway, she felt a hand circling around her wrist, all but yanking her into a different bedroom, the door shutting silently behind them. In that time, she feared the worst. She envisioned that she was in the gaming room and was about to be pinned to the sofa all over again, but then she was given the chance to take in her surroundings, mouth parting in surprise to find that it was Itachi's bedroom.
How embarrassed did a person have to be to fail to notice they were being followed?
She watched as he took several steps back, leaning on the desk situated to the right of the room, his computer on, but locked.
Everything about Itachi's bedroom screamed entitlement, but with the bare minimum to decorate it and make it personal, it seemed. His bed was way too big for one person, she thought to herself, however admired that he had one with four posters, since most people wanted mainstream beds nowadays – including herself. Then there was the matching furniture, all in the same deep shade of brown. She couldn't tell what wood it was and didn't care to know. The only item that really stood out to her was a picture on his bedside table, consisting of himself, Shisui and Sasuke, who was stuck between the two older men. They were all smiling genuinely, she noted with a small amount of warmth, her own soft smile taking the edge off her humiliation.
"You're upset," he repeated his earlier statement.
It was with a sigh that Sakura considered leaving the room, leaving him, but she knew it wouldn't solve anything. No, it was much better to say her piece, hear his side and air it all out, then leave.
She simply wished it didn't hurt.
"You're dating Kurotsuchi-san," was her only answer.
Like herself, he sighed, features seemingly troubled. "Why does it upset you?"
Why? Hadn't she been asking herself that for the past hour? Instead of enjoying the spectacular party that had been thrown for Sasuke, she was sulking because his older brother brought a date. Gods, she wasn't even supposed to care. Why did she care?
What happened between them was purely from the heat of the moment. It was from emotional upset and being so riled up. None of that meant they had feelings for one another, but then, that horrible, nauseating sensation in the pit of her stomach told her differently. It forced her to view all the gentle looks, the near kisses, the embraces, differently.
They weren't just the heat of the moment, were they?
She, Haruno Sakura, had feelings for her boyfriend's older brother.
"Sakura?"
She wished he'd stop looking at her like that. With that expression that told her of his conflicting emotions, that told her he was feeling the same things she was, that he understood so badly it hurt him, too.
When his head dipped slightly, trying to catch her eye, she frowned. "Do you like her?"
He seemed surprised by her less than subtle change, also frowning. "She's a good person-"
"That's not what I asked," said Sakura and she pulled on the ruffles of her dress. Warily, she met his eye from beneath her lashes, biting her lip for a second. "Do you have feelings for her?"
It took Itachi a moment to reply, eyes never leaving hers. "…No."
"Then why are you stringing her along like that?" she couldn't help but demand, glaring and dropping the fabric. "It's not fair on anyone."
"You didn't answer my question."
"You…" Fingers ran through her hair as Sakura turned on her heel, trying to find something else to focus on, but there was nothing. Nothing about Itachi's room stood out and it irked her, for some odd reason. "I wish you wouldn't look at me like that," she whispered, swallowing. "Like…"
She heard him moving, could sense him approaching and coming to stand in front of her, stopping her pacing before it'd even started. His hand circled around her wrist, eyes drawn to the contact and he breathed out a sigh, eyes shutting.
"This is wrong, Sakura," he murmured softly. "These feelings are wrong." Finally, he met her gaze and she felt her heart give a not-so-unwelcome pang when he said, "My want to pursue those feelings and see where we end up is wrong."
"You're not wholly at fault here, Itachi." Was it the tension around them that made it impossible to speak any louder? Was it the fear of someone overhearing them? "I'm the one in a relationship. I'm the one who keeps calling you."
"You needed assistance-"
Daringly, her fingertips came to his lips tenderly, silencing him. "Let me finish." He could only nod. "Things are…" The weight of her confession threatened to overwhelm her with emotion and she swallowed hard. "Things are going from bad to worse with Sasuke-kun and I…" She dropped her hand, biting her lip again. "I'm scared of him – or his mood swings."
The words pained him, it was clear to her from the look in his eyes. "You're realising how toxic your relationship is."
And she wanted more.
She wanted change.
Tears filled her eyes. "I-I'm so tired of being scared. We can't even… I can't even kiss him anymore without thinking of…"
Even though her sentence had trailed off, Itachi knew where it was going and thankfully didn't push her to elaborate. "What Sasuke did is inexcusable, and your strength and determination has been admirable, Sakura. But no-one is expecting you to be able to move forward from this. I believe part of Sasuke knows it, too."
But the words didn't comfort her like they were supposed to. "But he needs me. B-But how am I supposed to help him when I feel useless and worthless and awful and-"
Itachi stopped her tirade by copying her earlier movements, covering her lips with a single finger. "You feel obligated to stay."
Obligation. Was that what it was? Was that why she stayed? No, it couldn't be, her heart pleaded with her. Love and obligation where two completely different things – no correlation whatsoever. There was no way to mix them up.
They lost their spark, that was all.
They were finding themselves.
They were in a rough patch.
They would get through it.
They would. Together.
They had to.
"Do you recall the time when you fell at the beach house?" he questioned softly, hand trailing to her jaw, fingers lacing through her hair, thumb stroking just below her eye, catching the lone tear. "You had a graze covering a great deal of your thigh." She nodded silently, unable to look away. She'd been around thirteen at the time, she believed. "I took care of you, did I not?" Again, she nodded, the weight on her chest easing somewhat at his next words, as he told her, "Allow me to take care of you again. You are too in love with my brother to leave him, but please, if he upsets you, confide in me. Do not bottle it up."
Words failed her. There was nothing she could say to counter what he'd said, or pursue the conversation further. So, Sakura took a risk in closing the distance between them, her forehead coming to rest on his collarbone, the hand that had been holding her face slipping to the back of her head, surprising her by immediately holding her there, his other hand coming to her lower back.
His heart was beating so fast, Sakura noticed, eyes shutting, ears focusing entirely on the sound.
There was something about the way he held her, the way it made her feel, that made Sakura want to just… let go. Like in his arms, nothing mattered. The perfect comforting embrace after a difficult, stressful day.
Her head shifted slightly and like that was approval for him to move, he did so, thumb gently stroking her lower back, making her bite her lip, willing the rampant beating of her heart to calm down. The wish to calm down didn't change the fact that she wanted the flimsy fabric of her dress to disappear, her body aching to feel his fingers on her bare skin, caressing her–
Sakura's eyes widened.
But for once, she didn't step away. She didn't make any move that told Itachi she was uncomfortable.
Instead, she tilted her head back, her stomach warming at the closeness.
Slowly, cautiously, her arms came up, hands trailing up his chest, eyes focusing on his lips.
Wrong. It was all so wrong. But something in her heart begged of her to continue, to see what would happen if she was to lean just that little bit closer, if she was to stretch just that little bit further.
Seeing Itachi with Kurotsuchi, seeing how at ease they were in each other's company, had struck her. It'd hurt her deeper than she ever would've imagined. Asking why he'd decided on bringing her to his brother's party as his date would have to wait until later, however, as it would surely shatter the moment if she did.
Her cheeks felt hot when he ran his fingers through her hair again, Sakura noticed and ignoring her head, she shut her eyes, lips parting in anticipation.
Once that line was crossed, it was over. It would be impossible to forget. There would be no coming back from it.
But as his lips finally descended to hers, she found herself not caring.
It was… different. Like his kiss drowned out all the noise, silencing her thoughts. All she could focus on was Itachi. Itachi's hand cradling her face, bringing their lips back together when they parted for air. Itachi's lips and the way they moved with hers, insistent and passionate, making her insides clench in a way she had never experienced before. His breath fanning over her, hot as it mixed with hers. His smell, comforting and… and like home. The longing in his dark eyes before they shut again, kissing her deeply, their tongues slowly, teasingly coming into contact, kept her from catching her breath, heart clenching.
The kiss was intoxicating and she wanted more of it. More of him.
Could they, though?
When they parted once more, her eyes remained shut, head dipping and breath leaving her shakily as Itachi kissed her forehead tenderly.
At some point, her fingers had tangled in his shirt, but she paid the faint creases no mind. Everything felt way too warm, her shallow breaths somehow making that coil in her stomach tighten further, especially when paired with his hold on her.
"I should go back to the party," she whispered without conviction.
Weakly, she pulled away, stepping backwards and turning towards the door.
"Sakura."
Looking at him would break her, she knew it would, but she couldn't help it, glancing over her shoulder at Itachi, unable to deny the swell of want – of need – that rushed through her at the sight of him, his perfect composure nowhere to be seen.
At the same time as he reached out to her, he murmured, "Don't go."
Was it the tension that had her allowing him to pull her closer, to reclaim her lips? Was it total unadulterated passion that had her returning the kiss with equal need? That had her arching into him, aching to keep the distance non-existent between them?
Her breath caught as they stumbled backwards, her lower back coming into contact with his dresser before Itachi surprised Sakura by lifting her with ease, setting her down on it. It was naturally that her legs parted, dress hiking higher until it was barely touching her thighs at all, granting him unspoken permission to move closer to her. His hand fell flat to the wall behind her, other white knuckled next to her thigh, brow creasing.
"It's okay," she breathed between kisses, unable to connect the voice as her own, briefly meeting his eye. "You can touch me."
He didn't need telling twice, hands instantly seeking out her smooth thighs, her skin tingling at the feeling of them finally touching, the pressure of his grip eliciting a short-lived, breathy moan that only seemed to spur him on. The hold on her grew bolder, more confident, as they slid up her thighs, clutching at her ass and making her hiss with need when she was yanked forward, their hips pressing together deliciously.
Unlike with Sasuke, there was no fear. She didn't feel trapped. She had equal control over the kiss, her hands free to roam Itachi's body, soon settling on running through his hair, keeping their lips connected with their desperate kisses. Her back arched again at the same time as he leaned forward, forcing her back, her head touching his mirror, unable to stop her quiet moan when his hips rolled into hers, allowing her to feel his reaction to her.
More, she wanted to beg, leg instinctively wrapping around his waist, heel pressing to his ass, forcing him closer, toes curling once he was.
She needed more of him.
But the calling of Itachi's name – and not from her – had them freezing, their once passionate grips turning to fear of being caught. She'd almost missed it at first, too caught up in the way he nibbled her bottom lip, the way his tongue then darted across to soothe the area, soon coming into contact with hers, swallowing her moan.
"Itachi? You up here? Your date's looking for you."
Shisui.
Wide green eyes met Itachi's and she quickly reached up, wiping the lipstick from his lips while he gently placed her down from the dresser, guiding her backwards and to his closet. She didn't argue. Instead, she paused in shutting the slatted doors, daring to step closer for a final kiss before she hid away.
He took several moments to compose himself, her eyes worriedly watching the bedroom door through the slats, looking away shyly when he fixed himself in his pants. Gods, she felt like a peeping tom, but knew it was necessary. Their hanging out so much together wasn't that much of an issue. Neither was doing a photo shoot together. But spending time together in his bedroom? With the door shut? Looking as flustered at they did? That would be a problem.
There was a knock on his door, followed by Shisui calling through it, "Itachi?"
While he answered the door, she fixed her dress, cheeks deepening in their blush when she noticed the top half of her dress was askew, breast half hanging out, almost causing a nip-slip. Had Itachi noticed? She doubted it'd been that way the entire time. It would've happened as a result from their kissing.
"What is it, Shisui?"
Gods, what was she thinking kissing Itachi? Sakura refrained from moving, for her heels would surely give her position away, eyes glued to Itachi's back. He was too big for her to see around him, so she couldn't tell if Shisui was suspicious or alone or whatever.
Shit.
A shaking hand ran through her curls, ruffling her hair nervously since he'd been running his hands through it so much. Was it obvious? Would she have to go and restyle it?
"Kurotsuchi-san is looking for you."
Kurotsuchi.
The suffocating heat that she hadn't been able to get enough of extinguished, leaving her cold.
"Your date?"
"I know who she is, Shisui," Itachi replied, agitation making itself known.
"Then what are you doing up here?" he demanded and she saw the door budge, like he pushed against it. Her stomach twisted in response, eyes widening as they swept through the room, trying to see if any evidence had been left behind. "Get down there to the beautiful woman who's dying to hang off your arm."
Oh, there was the hurt that'd disappeared during their kiss, Sakura realised, unable to look as Itachi hesitated in the doorway. She knew it would be suspicious if he stayed – he'd have no plausible reason to – but it didn't stop her from wanting him to.
Gods, what was she even thinking?
All of it – every second in his presence, feeling the way she did – was wrong. Unforgivably, inexcusably wrong. How the hell was she supposed to look Sasuke in the eye now? It was hard enough wanting to kiss Itachi, or almost kissing him. Only seconds ago, she'd had him grinding against her, had her moaning in his ear and kissing him with more passion than she'd felt in her entire life.
"I will be down in a moment."
"Why?" asked Shisui suspiciously. "Is someone here?"
There was a sigh and Sakura held her breath when the door was opened further, Itachi stepping aside with a brief look of annoyance, murmuring, "Does it look like I have someone in here?"
Shisui stepped into the room, eyes narrowing and it took her a few moments to realise he was playing up being detective, teasing his cousin for a short while until he asked, somewhat worriedly, "What's up?"
"Nothing-"
"Itachi."
Another sigh. "A headache. That's all."
"I'm sure Sasuke-chan won't mind you resting for a while."
Faintly, Itachi smirked. "How many times has he asked you not to call him that?"
Shisui's smirk was almost devilish. "I've lost count. He'll have to start over again."
Bastards, she thought with an inward huff of amusement. They'd – Shisui, especially – had always enjoyed tormenting Sasuke growing up. It'd been an interesting change to her, seeing Sasuke taking on the role of the inferior one of the group. Usually, it was her or Naruto – no, not even Naruto, due to his father's standing in their town. Meaning it was always her.
"I cannot rest," said Itachi with another sigh and she saw him rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "Sasuke will never forgive me for missing his birthday."
Or for making out with his girlfriend.
She swallowed, biting down on her lip as she felt a surge of guilt washing over her, threatening to drown her under its weight.
"I'll send him up so you can explain-"
"No," Itachi responded, almost too quickly. "I will come down in a moment once I have taken some painkillers."
Apparently accepting the lie, she saw Shisui nodding in understanding, saying over his shoulder while leaving, "I'll keep Kurotsuchi-san company for you. Can't leave a woman like that alone."
"You will be doing me a favour."
Green eyes widened at his offhanded words, especially when Shisui paused, glancing up at his younger cousin in surprise. "You don't like her?"
He sighed again, annoying her by saying, "I don't want to-"
Talk about it? Was it because she was present? Had he lied to her about his feelings for Kurotsuchi? Were there feelings?
Why was she letting it annoy her?
"I better get going," Shisui said, frowning for a moment. "I need to find Sakura-chan, too. Your brother appears to have upset her again – or so Naruto-kun says."
Hesitancy. Hidden by the door, she noticed one of Itachi's hands clench. "Or so he says?" he repeated.
"Hn?"
"Why do you seem sceptical?"
"Naruto-kun made it seem like it happens often," stated Shisui, his face once more hidden from her view and it had Sakura looking away, his next words hurting more than she ever could have imagined. "If it was so bad, surely she'd leave?"
There was a pause in Itachi's response and she noticed the tension in his muscles. "For once, you are clueless, Shisui."
"Oh?" he questioned, sounding vaguely suspicious. "Why is that?"
Don't tell him, Sakura begged with quickly escalating horror. Please, please, please, Oh Gods, Itachi, please don't tell him.
What would she do if it got out there? If everyone suddenly found out about what had happened between her and Sasuke? Would they look at her differently? Would they assume she brought it on herself? Had she? She'd stripped for him in the car, after all. And her current outfit was hardly reserved, all but demanding all attention be on her.
Had she asked for it?
No, she was being ridiculous.
Nobody asked to be violated in such a way.
"It doesn't involve either of us," Itachi replied at length, unknowingly making her sag with relief, tears threatening to fill her eyes. "I only know of it due to witnessing it for myself."
Yet another pause. She wondered what expression was on Shisui's features. What was he thinking? It had to be something bad, because his next words were slow, somewhat uncertain, definitely wary. "Is it anything like…?"
Her hand came to her mouth, a single tear slipping down her cheek.
How many knew of Mikoto's suffering, yet remained silent about it? Speaking of it like it was taboo? Why did nobody try to help her?
"Escalating."
"Got it."
What did that mean? Got it? Got what? That Sasuke was becoming more and more like his father every day? That he bullied her and intimidated her? That he had to be pushed in the right direction on more than one occasion? That he hurt her? That it destroyed him internally knowing that he was hurting her? That he struggled to control himself? That he was a product of his environment? A victim following the only real example he had?
"Anyway, try not to take too long," Shisui then told him. "Naruto-kun says the DJ is setting up a karaoke – another reason why I need to find Sakura-chan urgently, apparently."
That idiot, she thought fondly, dabbing at her eyes to try and keep from ruining her makeup.
It seemed the words eased some of Itachi's tension too, for she could hear a smile in his voice. "He is a good friend."
Yes, he was.
"Maybe too good?"
Don't make it weird, she inwardly snarled. There was nothing like that between her and Naruto – anything that seemed that way, was playful. Even Sasuke knew that. It was why he never gave Naruto a reaction. To do so would make him do it more, not less. Unless it emotionally hurt Sasuke, he would always do whatever possible to wind the Uchiha up.
"I doubt it."
A sound of amusement. "True. Sasuke-chan hates to share, right?"
The words made her stiffen.
"Try not to take too long, Itachi," warned Shisui. "Otherwise it won't only be Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan on the karaoke."
A pause. "Don't-"
"Stop me."
Was Itachi going to sing? All tension left her body and she bit her lip, smothering her building excitement. Gods, she hoped he was going to take part. Sasuke would rather die than sing in front of people – even in front of her. He hated it. Hated making a fool of himself.
"Remember not to take too long," Shisui warned teasingly, voice already distant.
Once the bedroom door shut, she left the closet, unable to describe the awkward tension when Itachi met her gaze. There was no specific emotion on his face, but that look was back. The torn look of so many different emotions.
Her biggest concern wasn't the guilt. Wasn't how she was going to face Sasuke. Startling her, Sakura realised her biggest concern was the want to continue kissing Itachi. To get lost in his embrace again.
She was so aware of the bed to the left of her, swallowing when she found herself having to focus hard on not looking in its direction. Nervously, no doubt awkwardly, she shifted from one foot to the other, averting her gaze.
How was she supposed to act normally around Itachi now? Now that she knew what it was like to kiss him? Now that she was hyperaware of him, her body aching to be in his arms again? Gods, she'd never felt such an intense need before and it made her insides clench rhythmically, made her breathing uneven. He wasn't unaffected either, Sakura noticed when she stole a glance at him. Unlike Sasuke, he didn't shy away from the emotions he was experiencing. He allowed her to witness them, to know what he was feeling.
What did she even say after a kiss like that? The classic and cliché line 'what have we done'? Did she mention how guilty she felt? How angry she felt towards herself? Did she mention that, despite how bad it made her feel, she wanted to kiss him again?
"I…" The words died on her tongue.
"There is no way to go back from this," he admitted, appearing reluctant to do so. "We cannot move on from this either, can we?"
The pain was back. Deeper than before, though. It felt like it went straight to her bones rather than targeting a single organ, a dull ache throughout her entire body, one that made her nauseous.
"I don't think we should be friends anymore," she told him, tongue feeling thick. "Not after this."
Reluctance. Maybe even pained reluctance, she thought to herself, frowning. "I agree. Going back to being friends at this point is impossible."
Too much had happened. There were too many complicated feelings involved.
A relationship was supposed to only be between two people, but…
Sakura kept her head down as she walked passed Itachi, unable to look at him as she reached for the handle.
Why was her heart telling her there was room for more?
"Sakura-chan?"
She paused in throwing away her leftovers, looking to Naruto with a minute frown. "What's up?"
Hesitancy showed in each of Naruto's movements as he approached her, coming to stand beside her with their backs to the rest of the party. The actions had her holding back a sigh. Did she have the energy to deal with Naruto's concern in that moment? Could she deal with conflict with anyone else? No, she couldn't, but Sakura knew she had to refrain from making a scene, no matter how annoyed she got.
A frown etched itself into his features, his voice seemingly unable to work and taking advantage of that, she asked, "Can we not talk about it? Just for now? Please?"
"He keeps doing it." The frown deepened. "He keeps hurting you."
Oh, if only Naruto knew. What he'd seen was nothing compared to the things Sasuke was capable of when he lost his temper. He'd seen petty jealousy and possessiveness. He'd heard sneers and harsh, offhanded comments. But he didn't know how badly she could be hurt. He didn't know how much she could withstand.
"Please, Naruto. Not here."
"Then where? When?" he demanded, frustrated. "When will we ever have five minutes just to talk? You're always glued to his side, Sakura-chan."
Was she? Sakura was certain she'd been spending minimal time with Sasuke since getting back together – they were starting to live separate lives.
It didn't upset her as much as it used to.
The party was growing livelier, with people beginning to dance to the music Naruto demanded be played, exclaiming that it was enough of the boring, snobby shit. It seemed he'd even gotten his own way with the karaoke too, as it was in the process of being set up. Fugaku didn't seem overly pleased and it was that single look of disgust that had Sakura ready and willing to sing again, like she was back in the bar.
There was a platform, though it certainly was no stage and trying to stage dive would be an impossible feat. She found herself vaguely disappointed.
Noticing a waiter heading by them, Sakura turned, smiling sweetly while taking a glass of champagne from his tray. As per his instructions set by Mikoto, he didn't linger, barely giving her the chance to thank him before he disappeared.
"Sakura-chan."
She groaned. "Look, Naruto. I said I don't want to talk about it here, okay? Just…" She struggled to find the right words. The ones that would get her point across without hurting her best friend. "Stop trying to force some kind of confession from me."
His frown was back. "Is this about the other night?" he questioned with obvious confusion. "I said I was sorry for that, Sakura-chan. I know I shouldn't have doubted you like that. It was just, y'know… Seeing you and Itachi like that was weird. You guys seemed to have weird tension."
It was hard not picturing their kiss, the feeling of bliss nearly outshined by the sadness of losing a friend.
Yes, they definitely had tension.
She stared down at her glass, taking a generous sip. "But?"
He grinned suddenly. "But I guess I read it all wrong. Y'know, since he brought a date."
Oh.
Oh.
Why had it only just clicked? Gods, was that the reason why Itachi invited her? Had he heard the argument last week? Damn it, she should have known somebody would overhear – they were hardly being discreet, were they?
Discreetly, her eyes swept across the garden, but with everyone walking around, dancing and laughing and bumping into one another, it was difficult picking out specific people. And for some reason, she kept finding Fugaku out of everyone, unable to describe the deep disliking that continued to grow each time she spotted him.
When she finally found Itachi, Sakura couldn't control the pang of guilt and sadness that shot through her when she saw him talking with Sasuke, Kurotsuchi and Shisui, the latter almost as much of a spectator in the conversation as she was. His eyes were glued to Sasuke, watching him closely, ignoring Itachi's occasional warning glances.
Would the ache in her bones ever let up, Sakura wondered. What was it that caused her so much pain? Betraying Sasuke so badly? Destroying her friendship with Itachi?
"She's hot."
"Naruto," she snapped, grip tightening on her glass. "Don't be so rude."
There was a wicked grin, one that made her groan with annoyance, as she recognised it instantly as one his godfather, Jiraiya, often wore when he saw her.
"Naruto," growled Sakura warningly.
"Introduce me," he begged.
What? Was he stupid? "You've already been introduced," she said in clear disbelief. "That's the photographer from the photo shoot."
Blue eyes widened comically. "Kurotsuchi?"
Oh Gods, he was going to drive her insane. "Yes."
Disbelief made way for anger when he grabbed at her arm, nearly making her spill her drink over herself. If he ruined her dress, there would be hell to pay.
"Introduce me anyway," he begged again.
"You want me to introduce you to Itachi's date?"
"Yeah!"
"His date?" Sakura stressed the word, hoping it would hit him.
It didn't. "Yeah!"
Hand coming to her face, she despaired. Not only because she didn't want to approach the supposed couple, but because Naruto wanted to steal Itachi's date. Oh, she knew from the look in his eye that he didn't want to be introduced as a potential friend – no, the expression was too perverted. He wanted, at the very least, Kurotsuchi to notice him as a man.
"She's older than you, you know."
"So?"
There was no way to put him off, was there? Not without character defamation. "Fine," she sighed. "Let's go."
As expected of Naruto, he escorted her all the way there, leading the way with her hand clasped tightly in his sweaty one. Knowing she would be unable to escape from the many years of being friends, she didn't fight him, pretending to approach everyone happily, willingly, smiling up at them all like she hadn't been devastated about Kurotsuchi being Itachi's date, like she hadn't been making out with him only an hour ago.
"Where have you been?" questioned Sasuke in a grumble, shooting an annoyed, sideways glare at Shisui.
She gestured towards the buffet tablet with a tip of her chin. "I was hungry."
It was awkward between them, she noticed when he said no more, merely nodding at her explanation. No doubt he'd been replaying her embarrassment in his head, trying to figure out what went wrong, how and why. Gods, she wished he would give her those answers, too.
"You look stunning, Sakura-chan," Shisui complimented with a smirk. "My cousin is a lucky boy."
Boy?
Oh, he was teasing him again.
"Does he flirt with everyone?" asked Kurotsuchi.
Had he already tried it on with her like he'd told Itachi he would? She would forever deny the pettiness swelling within her, the one that made her reply with a smirk, saying, "Always. I learned to stop feeling special for the attention."
Sasuke smirked at the jab.
"That's cruel, Sakura-chan," muttered Shisui playfully. With ease that no longer surprised her, he stole her from Naruto, ignoring his indignant yell, attempting to steal her back. Shisui merely spun her out of reach, causing her dress to rise ever so slightly. Discreetly, when lowering their hands, he allowed her to fix it. "You know you're very special to me."
As always, the words made her smile knowingly. "If only I was older, right?"
He smirked. "You're legal now, aren't you?"
Growling under his breath, Sasuke all but snatched her from him, uncaring of the way she almost stumbled in her heels, yanking her to his side. The arm around her waist was secure – no, it was more than that. It sent a clear message to those around them: she was his.
Apparently, Sasuke didn't notice the way Shisui looked at Itachi, but she did, and she willed the pair of them with her eyes to drop it.
The pleading look in her eyes dropped when Itachi met her gaze. Unsure how she was supposed to appear while conversing with him, she offered a small, friendly smile, her throat feeling tight as she reminded herself they were no longer friends. Did he feel the same way? Was that why he barely returned the smile?
"Relax, Sasuke-chan," said Shisui, only half-playful now. "I won't step in just yet."
That was a warning, Sakura instantly noted, breath catching and she felt the arm around her waist tighten, fingers digging in, silently demanding what the hell she'd been telling him. It was hard fighting instincts as they told her to shy away from what was causing her pain, but she had to if she didn't want to cause a scene.
When she saw a brief flash in Itachi's eyes, she had to look away, her head tilting in another direction, eyes desperate to find something that would act as an escape. For a few seconds, she debated seeking out Ino, having spotted the blonde already staring at them, her earlier frown in place the moment their eyes connected, but Sakura was quick to avert her gaze, deciding to go with a different escape. Preferably one that wouldn't end with her boyfriend being preyed upon by her supposed best friend.
C'mon, she thought, frustrated. There had to be something at the party that–
"The karaoke is now open," the DJ informed them all. "And first on the list is Naruto and his beloved Sakura-chan."
She couldn't help but blush at the attention they gained.
"Stop calling her that," snapped Sasuke. "She's not yours."
"Sakura-chan," pushed Naruto, eyes pointedly looking over at Kurotsuchi.
Oh for the love of–
"Kurotsuchi-san, this is my friend, Naruto," Sakura introduced with a sigh, gesturing between them both. "Naruto, like I already told you, you've met Kurotsuchi-san before."
He pretended not to hear her, grinning at Kurotsuchi as he told her, "I know you're here with Itachi and all, but if you get bored, come find me. I'm experienced in–"
Horror had her lunging forward, attempting to slap a hand over his mouth to stop the blatant lie, cheeks furious with their blush, but with Sasuke's hand still firmly in place, she couldn't move too far, allowing Naruto to dodge effortlessly.
"–pleasing the women stuck with the Uchiha family."
The horror doubled when Kurotsuchi dissolved into fits of laughter. How the hell did she fall for such a lame pick up line?
"I'll keep that in mind," she replied, grinning impishly. "For now, however," she the went on to saying, arm linking with Itachi's, other hand daringly settling on his chest, so very close to where her own had been tangled in the material only an hour ago. "I'm finding exploring Itachi extremely interesting."
Breathe, Sakura warned herself. He's not yours, anyway.
No, he wasn't. And that was why she felt so undeniably jealous.
"On that note," Sakura spoke up, sparing her boyfriend a not-so-apologetic smile as she pulled away from him, "we'd better head to the DJ, Naruto."
He was on her in a heartbeat, arm coming around her waist, similar to the way Sasuke handled her. His voice deepened and he slowed his speech, ordering of her, "Fine. First, we're doing shots."
Sasuke's upper lip curled, his cheeks colouring with embarrassment. "Oi, idiot. I don't sound like that."
"Shut up, idiot," Naruto continued to mock, chin raising haughtily when he heard Shisui chuckling. "Sakura-chan and I shall be taking our leave now." The act dropped, the smirk that stretched across his lips making her heart stop out of a mixture of fear, disbelief and horror when Naruto said, "She's used to small things, so we're gonna go do shots."
Her jaw dropped.
Sasuke's eyebrow twitched.
Shisui was lost to his laughter.
She noticed Itachi smirking, pretending to be interested in his glass.
"You-" he seethed.
They were already leaving, Naruto's laughter a complete opposite of the panic settling itself deep into her chest. Gods, she couldn't have been more thankful for the shots she took in a numbed blur, downing them gratefully, one after another, uncaring as to whether it was proper or not.
Why the hell would he say that?
Spluttering after the fifth shot, she fought back the urge to retch, instead looking to the waiting DJ and sighing. While there was a buzz, she wasn't drunk like she'd wanted to be.
If Naruto noticed the difference in her demeanour, he didn't say anything and instead basked in the happiness of having a friend willing to do shots and karaoke with him. Once more, he dragged her around, pulling her towards the DJ with a wild grin almost splitting his face apart. She could hear her parents – maybe Kushina, too – cheering behind them and she glanced over her shoulder, fighting back her grin at the intense disapproval on Fugaku's features.
Like hell she would ever become a trophy wife. Or a Stepford Wife. Or any kind of freaking doormat!
Oh, were Karin and Ino bitching about her? Sakura narrowed her eyes on the pair as she stepped onto the platform, accepting the microphone that was handed to her. Moments later and she was returning Naruto's bright grin, though faltered at the music that began playing, recognising it instantly.
Was he trying to send a message too?
Whatever the hell Naruto was playing at, it had her smiling at him, grateful that he was doing his best to help her. How was he supposed to know how bad it truly was? She didn't open up to him about it anymore.
Knowing how the song started off, they were quick to jump into the angry voices, laughing as they sang together, "I, I keep a record of the wreckage of my life. I gotta recognise the weapon in my mind! They talk shit, but I love it every time. And I realise…"
Her eyes sought out Sasuke, knowing exactly how he would be reacting and as Sakura had predicted: he was in a state of shock. He immediately looked to his parents, paling at the anger being directed at her from Fugaku.
Naruto's soft voice was something that never failed to make her laugh, his expression one of intense concentration as he worked hard on his English. He was too loud to really hit the soft notes, but he seemed to have fun nonetheless. "I've tasted blood and it is sweet. I've had the rug pulled beneath my feet."
Only sparing a quick glance at the lyrics, she looked back to Naruto. He was watching her proudly, no doubt noticing that she wasn't half as fearful as she had been the first time they sang on karaoke. Was it the shots? Was it because she was finally growing tired of being pushed around? "I've trusted lies and trusted men. Broke down and put myself back together again-"
Was that her mother cheering in the crowd? Sakura's cheeks burned, but she couldn't help but grin.
"Stared in the mirror and punched it to shatters, collected the pieces and picked out a dagger," they sang together, her grin widening when he pretended to jab at her with his invisible knife. To get him back, for the next part, she aimed her fingers that were acting as scissors towards his groin area. "I've pinched my skin in between my two fingers and wished I could cut some parts off with some scissors."
"C'mon little lady, give us a smile," he sang to her directly, holding out his hand like he wanted her to take it.
She narrowed her eyes, playfully batting it away. "No I ain't got nothing to smile about."
The next part was the both of them, she noticed, looking to the crowd again. They'd certainly attracted the attention of others, their friends approaching the platform, watching with their phones in their hands, nudging each other.
"I got no one to smile for, I waited a while for a moment to say." She sucked in a sharp breath, shouting just as loudly as Naruto, "I don't owe you a goddamn thing!"
When she next glanced in the direction of their parents, she saw her mother on her feet, accompanied by Kushina, the pair of them dancing along to the music. It saddened her to notice Mikoto standing off to the side, next to her silently fuming bastard of a husband.
That would not be her future.
Refusing to let the anger show (and hoping it truly didn't), she sang by herself, trying to control the shaking of her hands. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea? What would the repercussions be? Would it go back to Mikoto? Gods, what had she done?
"Breathe, Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered to her when he'd pulled his microphone away. "It's just for fun."
No. It wasn't. She was trying to make a point. It was purely coincidental that Naruto had chosen the perfect song.
"No, I won't smile, but I'll show you my teeth," she half-sang, half-snapped. Gods, she was shaking and it had to be noticeable, because Ino's watchful eyes stole a glance at Fugaku when Sakura did, narrowing at the visible anger. "And I'ma let you speak if you just let me breathe. I've been polite, but won't be caught dead lettin' a man tell me what I should do in my bed."
Thankfully, Naruto took over, allowing her a breather as he spun on his heel, taking all attention from her by dancing manically. "Keep my exes in check in my basement 'cause kindness is weakness, or worse, you're complacent. I could play nice or I could be a bully."
Ino knew.
Oh, Gods. She knew. It was clear in the way she looked back to her, gaze questioning, worried.
"I'm tired and angry, but somebody should be," she sang, forcing herself back into the singing, forcing out the negativity as she allowed Naruto to join their hands, spinning her.
Only briefly did concern flash through his eyes when he felt the trembling of her hands, singing, "C'mon little lady, give us a smile."
"No I ain't got nothing to smile about."
"I got no one to smile for, I waited a while for a moment to say-"
It was therapeutic shouting into the microphone, Sakura realised, joining Naruto in bouncing around the platform. "I don't owe you a goddamn thing!"
"I, I keep a record of the wreckage of my life," they yelled together and she felt herself stiffen when Naruto spun her, hand coming to her ass with a loud smack, in time with the beat and loud enough for everyone to hear. It stung like hell, her cheek no doubt redder than her blush.
He sang the rest of the chorus by himself, wisely keeping his distance as he bounced to the other side of the stage.
"Someone like me can be a real nightmare, completely aware," she sang quietly, her tone making her idiotic best friend pale, sticking to the other side of the DJ booth.
"But I'd rather be a real nightmare, than die unaware, yeah. Someone like me can be a real nightmare, completely aware."
Looking away from him, she looked out of the crowd, hearing their laughter. Both at the situation and Naruto's fear.
And while she was fairly certain she imagined it, she could have sworn she noticed the narrowing of Itachi's eyes.
"But I'm glad to be a real nightmare, so save me your prayers," she sang.
For the final chorus, she reined in her anger, instead dancing on the stage, allowing the music to take hold as the buzz steadily grew, allowing her a momentary freedom that she took complete advantage of. Naruto also took advantage of her maturity, approaching with an apologetic smile, before dancing beside her, carefree and happy and everything she hoped she was being, too.
Briefly, throughout the crowd at the party, she spotted disapproval, she saw surprise, appreciation, lust, disbelief and anger. But none of that mattered, not when she saw the pride in his eyes when he caught onto what she was doing, on the message she was sending out from her outfit down to the real emotion she put into the song, his lips lifting at the corner.
Itachi's smirk had her own growing.
"I'm no sweet dream, but I'm a hell of a night," she half-whispered, half-sang.
Naruto was more dramatic, falling to his knees, acting like the singers in music videos as he grabbed at his hair, making his parents laugh freely when he muttered, "That I'm no sweet dream, but I'm a hell of a night."
"My little star," Kizashi sang, arm coming around her shoulders.
"It's only karaoke, Dad," she growled in warning, trying to shove him away. "Get off. You're embarrassing me."
Opposite them stood Sasuke's parents, along with Naruto's. They'd been hanging around each other for the duration of the party, which was no surprise considering they were the oldest guests there. Everyone else was either Itachi's age or younger – or so she believed. How old was Kisame? He seemed pretty old.
Pretending not to notice the dark waves of anger coming from the man, Sakura smiled up at Fugaku sweetly, undoubtedly feeling safe with her father's arm around her shoulders. If he weren't there, would she so fearlessly look Fugaku in the eye? Probably not – no, definitely not, actually. Did that make her a daddy's girl? Feeling safe when he was around? Feeling like nothing and no-one could ever harm her, whether it be psychically, emotionally or mentally? Or did it simply make her naïve?
"Naruto," scolded Kushina, hand instantly finding his ear, yanking him down to her height. The other hand was on her hip, fisted tightly. "We saw what you did to poor Sakura-chan up there."
His cheeks raged. "Mom-"
"Don't mom me," she snapped warningly. "Your father and I raised you better than that."
"Kushina-san," Sakura tried to defend him, smiling sheepishly. "He was only playing around, he does it all the time-"
The words were clearly the wrong ones to use, as Naruto paled considerably, blue eyes wide with betrayal and he flinched when she rounded on him, features dark and angry.
"No ramen for a week."
Minato grimaced from beside them, unable to meet his heartbroken son in the eye.
Sakura also despaired for him, Naruto's brows puckering.
"Anything but that, Mom-"
"Don't make it two weeks!"
"What's happening?"
Stop it, she inwardly snapped at her stupid, stupid heart, which had squeezed with excitement at the sound of his voice. You're not supposed to want him, she growled towards herself.
"This knucklehead objectifying his friend," snapped Kushina and like merely looking at her own son renewed her anger, she rounded on him again, easily pulling him into a headlock, despite Naruto being so much taller than her now. "You've been spending too much time with Jiraiya!"
"Obviously," he rasped. "He's my godfather."
Idiot, Sakura thought with a shake of her head, watching as he goaded his mother.
Instead of coming to his defence as the two struggled, she looked around, frowning. "Where's Sasuke-kun?"
Her question had been directed more at Itachi than anyone else, but he seemed against answering it, surprising her for a moment until she realised he was probably the last person she should ask. After their kiss and the obvious emotions behind it, she suspected he would rather stay out of their relationship entirely now.
They weren't even friends anymore.
"Itachi?" Mikoto questioned. "You were just with Sasuke, were you not?"
"I believe his friends have taken him hostage, now that he is of age."
"What?" demanded Naruto, fighting with his mother to look up at them. His face was red, but his laughter had been obvious to them all, as had Kushina's, despite the fact she tried to remain firm. "Shots? Without me?"
"And your date?" questioned Fugaku. Could anyone else notice how foul his mood was?
Apparently, Itachi noticed. "She is enjoying the party, Father. Kurotsuchi-san is an independent woman – she does not need to hang off my arm."
Was that a dig at her?
No, Sakura realised. It was a dig at his father, regarding his controlling ways and how Mikoto only conversed with those who approached the couple.
It stung, regardless.
"What about you, Sakura?" Mebuki asked and she reached out, fixing the hair that her father had mercilessly messed up. She smiled, feeling the soft curls, her green eyes gentle. "Ino-chan came to say hello to us earlier, but I don't think I've seen you both together."
Oh, they'd spoken. But it seemed her best friend (or was she an ex-best friend again?) was in a bad mood – or still pissed with her. Like it really mattered. Honestly, Ino was the last thing on her mind and that realisation was confirmed when she fleetingly caught Itachi's eye. Fleetingly because he was the first to look away, his cold front impenetrable.
"I think Ino-chan is a bit busy, Mebuki," came her father's response, answering for her and he tipped his chin towards the platform. "Looks like she's singing next."
"Oh, dear," Mebuki gasped, hand coming to her mouth.
Growing up, she and Ino had – obviously – spent a lot of time together, meaning they were close with each other's parents. The kind of close where they called the other's mother 'aunt' and the other's father 'uncle'. It was due to such closeness that her parents knew so painfully well that her best friend could not hold a single note.
That wasn't what had her sighing, however. No, it was the state the blonde was in as she got on stage, winking her thanks to the DJ when the microphone was handed over. Why Sakura was surprised that Ino was almost completely wasted, she'd never know. What she wasn't surprised about, was the fact that Karin was encouraging Ino, letting her go on the stage and make a fool of herself.
"If you'll excuse me," Sakura said politely, offering a quick, forced smile, ignoring Itachi's sudden interest in her, his disbelief palpable. "I have a best friend to go and save from an epic breakdown."
It irked her when Itachi followed, seemingly uncaring of creating a scene as he reached out to her, forcing her to come a stop. They were far enough from their families that they wouldn't hear anything, though she was grateful for Ino's voice suddenly booming over the speakers just in case.
Clear annoyance showed in his frown as Itachi asked, "Why?"
Why? Maybe it was because, despite it all, Ino was still there. Throughout the duration of the party, she'd picked up on so much – stuff others missed, even while being so close to it all – and had immediately tried to talk with her about it, her concern obvious and genuine. Gods, what if she hadn't been mad about the blatant lie earlier? What if it was because she knew it was something major, and was pissed that she wouldn't open up to her about it? That she felt the need to lie about it?
"We're friends-"
"How many times does a person have to hurt you for you to realise you're better off without them?"
She tugged her arm free, glaring up at him angrily. "You tell me."
It hadn't meant to come out that way, but she was glad it was out there. It needed to be said, because honestly, she was hurting. Deeply. And Itachi's preachy attitude and his never ending lectures were really beginning to piss her the hell off.
"Say what you want about them," Sakura told him, lowering her voice, eyes narrowing. "But at least they're honest about it."
His frown returned. "Meaning?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she snapped without meaning to, quickly offering Shisui an apologetic second glance. "I really need to go and save Ino from further embarrassing herself. Your concern is touching, Itachi, but unnecessary. I can take care of myself."
"Can you?"
She bristled. "You-"
"C'mon, Sakura-chan," Shisui cajoled, linking their arms and guiding her away from Itachi. "Don't take it personally – he has a headache."
No, he didn't. He was an asshole.
"Thanks, but I really need-"
"Need to save you friend, I get it," he said, smiling. "I'm simply escorting you there."
"Escorting me?" she repeated with a laugh. "Do you think I'm accident prone?" His silence had her peering up at him with a frown. "Shisui?"
"I've been here all night, I've been here all day!" she wailed into the microphone, hips dipping enticingly in time with the beat. "And boy got me walkin' side to side!"
They were at the stage now, Ino's caterwauling grating on her nerves, but only because she knew she would have a fight on her hands getting the blonde off stage. Really, Ino's voice wasn't half as bad as her parents had made it seem. No, she didn't have a good voice, but her energy on the makeshift stage had those in the crowd dancing with her instead of laughing. She didn't try to be a good singer – she made fun of herself and laughed throughout the song.
Should she hold off on the intervention?
"Take care of yourself, Sakura-chan," he said seriously, taking her by surprise. Sparing a glance at the blonde on stage, he blushed somewhat, telling her, "Ah, it seems Ino-chan is gifting everyone with-"
She didn't wait around to hear the rest of the sentence, instead rushing the stage, following Kushina's example by manhandling her best friend off the stage. When Ino struggled, she threatened her with a headlock, ignoring the boos from the males in the crowd, uncaringly catching that luscious blonde hair between their bodies.
"What the hell are you playing at?" demanded Sakura shrilly once they were inside the house, horrified. Gods, her parents had been out there. Ino was like a second child to them. "Ino!"
But she seemed to sober up instantaneously when they entered the guest room that was really Sakura's bedroom, her blue eyes taking in the personal touches with a huff of something Sakura couldn't quite understand.
Turning, she settled her with a no nonsense expression, arms folding beneath her breasts.
"I think a heart-to-heart is long overdue, don't you, bestie?" she said bitingly.
A/N - The response to the past few chapters has been amazing, so I thought I'd post earlier than planned.
What did you all think about it finally happening? Anti-climatic or how you pictured it?