Author Note:
Disclaimer | I own this story. The title and backline story is from The Wedding Date with Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney. And as stated earlier I do not own the World of Naruto.
Original Cast | Ryuu Kino | Akio Takahashi | Akira Tanaka | James Tanaka | Leigh Tanaka | Mebuki Haruno
Twentieth Date | Whimsical Meetings
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She let out a breath and stared at the ticking clock on the nightstand beside her. Today was the day. She was supposed to be happy for her little sister. Happiness was supposed to be singing loudly in the entire house on a day like today. But everything was quiet. And not in a blissful way, a thickening silence that sat on your chest and weighed you down.
Sakura grimaced and turned onto her side, facing the clock head-on. It was almost time to get up and be an adult. She'd been plagued by the wake fairy all night. Between her last conversation with Akira . . . and that off-putting question from Hinata. . . Sleep was anywhere but on her side.
I will always love you and do my best to never lie and always protect you.
Sakura flinched.
Will you drive the getaway car?
The numb feeling in her chest dug deeper.
She was lying to Akira. The one that helped her through everything. The one who stood up for her no matter what was going on. Akira had loved, cared, and protected her when her own family had turned against her. Akira had stood beside her. She had made that same promise . . . and Sakura had broken in.
The cold weight wedged deeper into her chest.
She had judged Hinata, judged her wrong. She chewed at her lower lip. Was there a chance that in her own messed up way, Mebuki had made Hinata as much a prisoner as Mebuki had made her? And then all of this . . . All of the distance was all something that Mebuki had done.
Sakura flinched once more. That realization hurt even more. She grimaced. Nausea pooled in her stomach. Today wasn't going to be a good day.
"You ready to get up Blossom?"
Sakura shivered softly as his warm minty breath ghosted over her. Goosebumps rose as her skin tingled. Her waist burned as his arm pulled her closer. She'd felt very safe in those arms all night.
Wait! Minty?
"How long have you been up?" Sakura questioned as she burrowed closer. Had she slept? Or had she been so lost in her deprecating thoughts? A place she knew all too well would not help her.
"Not too long." He hummed in contentment and nuzzled against her neck. "Hinata knocked on the door."
Sakura's brows furrowed. "Why?" She whispered out. Drive the getaway car? Her skull pulsed as Hinata's words haunted her.
"Your dress."
Sakura breathed in. She had completely forgotten about the dress. Crap. She hadn't even gone with them to get the dress. Ugh! "I'm not going." Sakura shook her head. She was in sensory overload. And there was no way after everything that happened that she was going to wear that dress. "I think I'm sick." She whispered coyly.
Gaara chuckled. "Blossom . . ." He berated playfully. "Don't worry; the dress will look lovely with your hair. It's dark silver with a dark purple ribbon around the waist. Has a slight train in the back." He rubbed her stomach slowly. His slender fingers worked gently and ninja-like as he slid them under the tank top. Gaara's eyes closed on their own accord as his hand came in contact with her silky skin. Just as soft as I thought it would be.
Sakura shivered once more and pushed against his chest. She took more of his heat as she relaxed. You have to stop Gaara. Stop making me love you. This is just a business deal, right? Sakura breathed out slowly and relaxed. Her eyes shot up as she sat up. "What color did you say the dress was?"
His brows furrowed.
Both jumped as the door was flung open and an overly happy squealing Hinata bounced inside. "I'm getting married!"
Sakura laughed softly as she was pulled from her thoughts.
Hinata smiled brightly. "Have you looked at your dress? Do you like it? Have you tried it on? What did you think? Gaara did you like it? Oh! Itachi is looking for you. Something about men gathering together before the wedding." Hinata rambled on. With expressive eyes, she turned back to Sakura. "Will you help me with my dress? Oh! What are you doing for make-up? Is Akira coming with us to the salon? Wanna get your make-up down by the same person as me?"
Sakura shook her head slightly as Hinata prattled on, question after question. "Sis! HINA!" Sakura exclaimed. She made a small hand gesture and over-exaggerated slowly breathing in and out. "Breathe. . ." She cooed. A soft smile covered her lips. Maybe Hina was joking about the getaway car.
"Sorry," Hinata giggled softly. "I changed the dress." She spoke childishly. "There was no way you were going to wear that." Her eyes flew around the room as her head swam.
Sakura frowned as she tried to capture her sister's attention. "Hina?" Is she drunk? "The dress?" She swallowed. "Is that why you weren't at rehearsals?" Hinata was swaying on her feet.
"Silly billy," Hinata giggled. "I was at the park. Our park." A sigh fell from her lips as she twirled. "The dress is pretty right?" Her eyes got really big as she leaned in towards her older sister. "We can't tell mother."Hinata's eyes disappeared as she giggled once more and let Sakura hold her up for a few seconds. She placed her index finger to Sakura's lips "Vewy quiet." Hinata giggled once more and waved at Gaara before giggling her way out into the hallway and back to her room.
"Was she . . .?" Sakura frowned. Who gets this drunk on their wedding day? She heaved a soft sigh, shoulders dropping. Someone who doesn't want to marry the groom. She bit at her lower lip. Will you drive the getaway car?
Gaara closed the open door before turning back to Sakura. "She was drunk." His words were soft as he spoke. His brows furrowed. "Have you talked to her since you got here?"
"She asked me if I would drive the getaway car yesterday, before. . ." She let the rest of the sentence hang in the air. Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat. "I think I might have misjudged her." The lilt of her voice was as soft as a petal as she pulled the zipper on the dress bag. Her breath hitched, "it's beautiful." She pulled the dress from the bag and let the sheer material sway in the sunlight.
Gaara hummed in affirmation. "You need to talk to her Blossom."
"I will."
. . .
Sakura heaved a soft sigh as she stared in front of the mirror. The dress was beautiful. The dress was long and flowy. Dark silver silk that rushed across smooth skin, wispy and gentle, with a soft and shimmery silver and lavender sheer material over the silk. It flowed easily, swaying from any movement. A gentle sweetheart neckline with 2-inch thick dark silver silk straps that sat snugly over the shoulders. A dark silk purple band ran just under her breasts, giving it an empire waistline.
The dress was beautiful. And Hinata had picked it just for her. She stared at the detailing done to her makeup and hair. Thankfully, Mebuki hadn't had that much control. And neither had talked about the dress. Apparently, Hinata had spoken with the artist and had asked for a smoky-silvery eye shadow theme for her Maid of Honor.
Sakura heaved another sigh; her lungs were going to start to hurt from all this extra exercise if she didn't watch it. She had been dreading this day for far too long. The day that Itachi had shown up at the house with Hinata on his arm. She knew. Knew that this day was going to come. But that didn't mean that it didn't hurt. Yes, she was moving on from the first man she had ever loved. But that didn't mean she would ever forget all of the times they had been together. All of the shared passion. All of the love.
It hurt knowing she wasn't good enough for him. It hurt knowing that her little sister had taken him so easily. Did he even put up a fight? Did her love for him mean nothing? Was she just a replacement for the one he truly loved? Her brows furrowed. But was that true? Did Hinata really take him?
Saying this day meant nothing. Saying it was just a regular day. Saying that there was no small part of her that still loved the man who had hurt her more than anyone else could ever do. Would be like saying she wasn't falling for the red-haired man she was spending all of her time with. That she didn't question Mebuki's actions. That she didn't wonder about Hinata's feelings.
So no, she would not leave this day unscathed. There was far too much history. Far too much love. Far too many memories. And far too much hurt. Though, a small part of her wondered, if Hinata married Itachi . . . would she leave unscathed, or would that be the scathing?
And that was not good.
.
Gaara's jaw dropped as he stared up to the top of the winding stairs. She was beautiful. Such a beautiful creature and for a short while he was allowed to call her his. Gaara pulled in a deep breath and stared. Blatantly stared. Someone could reprimand him later. He was going to stare and no one was going to stop him.
The dress was nice. But it was the one wearing the dress that truly made it shine. And by the small smile on her lips, she knew it.
The smile on her lips pulled a smile to his. He truly could not ask for anything greater than a smile from her. Gaara let out a slow breath as she came to a stop in front of him. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't seem to form words, nothing that came to his mind was good enough to describe her.
"So I look okay? Sakura looked up at him. Hope and a sort of child-like eager innocence filled her turbulent green orbs. A giggle bubbled in her throat before spilling over. She couldn't help it. The look on his face said so much without speaking. "Hmm, do I?"
Gaara smiled and pulled her close. His hands threaded together on her lower back as they swayed side to side. "No." Her lips pursed as he did his best to keep a straight face. "Not at all. There is a chance I would prefer the other dress - the one I never saw."
"Really?" Sakura's brows furrowed in unhappiness. "Well, Mebuki would be very happy to hear that." She giggled softly as she looped her arms around his shoulders. "I'm slightly offended though."
Gaara chuckled. "You are so much more than okay." He smiled down at her. "Beautiful comes to mind." His lips pursed in thought as a wicked gleam filled his mischievous orbs. "Alluring. Fine. Bewitching. Sexy. Radiant. Stunning. Irresistible. Ravishing." He watched amusedly as Sakura turned a deep shade of red. He softly placed a kiss on her high cheekbone.
"Gaara!" Sakura hissed slightly as she pushed on his firm chest. She looked up to glare at the man who wouldn't release her only to freeze. Her jaw slackened as her body melted against his.
His eyes.
They bore down at her. They were intense. An intensity she had never seen before. The dark forest green orbs were murky with an emotion she couldn't for the life of her define. Yet the emotion was so familiar that it seared her heart to the core. It warmed her bones and surrounded her in safety. She liked that emotion in his eyes – directed only at her.
Sakura gulped softly. "Gaara?" She whispered, trying not to break the spell they were under. Her hands gripped the material of his suit jacket she felt him shift closer. Sakura swallowed softly as her head tilted to the side. "Come back?" She whispered gently.
Gaara stared deep into her turbulent green orbs while shifting closer. "I haven't gone anywhere."
Her breathing hitched as anticipation filled her to the core. Oh. How she had waited for this. Waited for him to do this. Waited so long. Sakura's eyes slowly closed. A small sigh escaped her lips as Gaara's lips hovered over hers.
Gaara smiled softly before connecting their lips in a soft chaste kiss.
Both relaxed against each other.
Sakura's hands played with the dark red hair at the nape of his neck while tilting her head slightly. Her spine steeled as the emotion closed in around her. This was perfect. And so far from any form of a business transaction. This was more. Sakura let the emotion surround her and coddle her into a gentle safe cocoon.
Gaara slowly opened his mouth. His tongue ran over her bottom lip, tasting the strawberry-flavored lip gloss. The warm wet muscle slipped between her lips and ran along her teeth. It begged for entrance. Gaara needed more. Needed to consume her wholly. Needed to feel every inch of her and convey all the emotions that had been tumulting through him at torrid speeds.
She couldn't breathe. And she was completely okay with that. Dying in this state of euphoria was beyond anything she could have ever asked for. Sakura yanked on his hair while her knees trembled. Quickly she opened her mouth meeting him in the middle. She wanted nothing more.
Gaara groaned as he tasted her. Strawberries and peaches. Why hadn't they done this before? What had stopped him? Gaara's body released a physical sigh as it relaxed.
A giggle reluctantly broke them apart.
The couple shifted with blurry dazed eyes as they searched for the giggles origin.
"I do believe that type of kissing in the house of God is not exactly...appropriate," Akira smirked.
Sakura flushed even deeper while Gaara had the decency to blush softly.
Akira shook her head and grabbed Sakura's hand. "Come Hinata needs us, and we need to fix your make-up now."
Sakura followed. She blushed softly. Dazed and confused. Slowly she raised a hand to her tingling lips. I want more.
Gaara smirked.