Note:
This chapter has not been edited/ proofread (1/31/24).
Sakura
It's weird.
One would think that waking up and seeing the man you swore to yourself you loathed still asleep right next to me, so peaceful and content, would be something to get used to. Years of arguing across a conference table about work can't be that easy to forget, but at this moment, all I feel is relaxed, at ease.
A part of me half-expected to wake up to some sort of discomfort, only because everything is so new, and he hasn't slept over in my apartment before. But I'd stayed over at his place the night before, and he didn't seem to mind it either.
As much as I'd hate to admit it, the office gossip was right all along. Though, not entirely. Obviously one romp wasn't enough because I had to go and catch feelings fast. Now, I've ended up being my work enemy's girlfriend.
Funny how things end up. Hilarious, really. I can only imagine how the office will react.
Dread creeps under my skin, causing goosebumps in its wake.
The office.
It's crazy as it is now because of this relationship project, and Sasuke and I can barely stand next to each other without crazy speculation, not regarding our actual relationship status but rather which one of us is "winning". What would happen once people find out we really are together?
There's a poke on my forehead, and I break out of my stupor to see Sasuke's wide awake, staring back at me.
"Morning," he says, his voice still a little raspy from sleep. His fingers drift from my forehead to cup my cheek.
I melt into his touch. "Good morning."
"What are you thinking so hard about?" His thumb rubs soft circles on my skin.
Oh, I can get used to this.
"Nothing," I say, almost breathless.
He isn't convinced. "Sakura."
"What?"
He sighs, arm snaking around my waist, pulling my closer until I'm flush against him.
And good morning to you too, Sasuke Jr. Nice to feel you again.
I look at him, the obvious silent question in the air. "I can barely feel my legs, mister, and we still have to get to work."
"I'm a man, and I just woke up. It happens."
I hum, teasing. "I don't know. Are you sure it's not because I'm so irresistible? Because I can totally understand why you can't keep your hands off me."
He sighs, making me grin. We may be together now, but talking with him like this is still fun. My enjoyment doesn't last too long though because of a pinch on my side that makes me yelp in surprise.
"Sakura."
A giggle escapes me. "Hm?"
"What's going on in that head of yours?"
Laughter fading, my grin falls to a diminutive smile. "Just… work."
"You're an editor, I'm sure you know more words than that," he says, lightheartedly prodding.
I pout, giving him a taste of his own medicine by pinching him. When he doesn't react, I resign myself to respond. "We get a lot of unwanted attention as it is. Just wondering how people are going to react when they find out about…" I trail off, motioning to the both of us.
"It's none of their business."
"It wasn't to begin with, and now that we're doing the articles, it's somehow gotten worse."
I watch as his expression shifts, his feature softening to understanding. "What do you want to do?"
I bite my bottom lip, thinking deep and hard about this.
It's not like I want to keep him a secret. In any other case, I'd be proudly showing the man off because what girl wouldn't? He's handsome, definitely, but there's more to him than that. There's a softness within him that he keeps away from those that don't care enough to look.
At first glance, he seems so unapproachable, and the air that surrounds him can be intimidating. But when I finally got past my own preconceived ideas about the man, I got to know how honest he is, though maybe that's to a fault because that honesty caused our riffs in meetings. I realized that he cares more than he lets on. I see how, despite having a way with words, he prefers to act than to speak.
Circumstances being as they are, once people know we're together, it'll be nonstop analyzing not just by people at work now, but by the city. I'm a private person, and I know Sasuke is the same. Despite the notoriety of his last name, he doesn't bring it up. He doesn't work for his family's company, either, further widening that distance.
The two of us, we're fresh, barely a day old in terms of being official. I'm thinking like this is a yearlong relationship. But I can't help it. My intuition is telling me that what we have, what we're doing, isn't short term.
Call it overconfidence, but I trust my intuition.
"Well," I start. "I only agreed to be your girlfriend last night. We have time to figure it out."
A nod. "Again, it's none of their business."
"It isn't." I move closer, our bare chests touching as I place a hand behind his neck. "And because it isn't, they don't deserve to know. At least not right now. Maybe after the last work-mandated date."
If he disagrees, it doesn't show. He only smirks, mischief dancing around in the gleam of his eyes. "Wanting to abuse company funds for dates, Haruno?"
I roll my eyes but smile. "Don't start."
I feel his free hand wander down my side, to my hip, then resting on the curve of my ass. I raise a curious brow at him.
"We have to make up for lost time."
"Do we? And how long have you been secretly pining for me, Uchiha?"
He gives me a chaste kiss. "I think that question is for you, Haruno."
With a retort at the tip of my tongue, he kisses me fully, plying my lips open, allowing me to savor the now familiar taste of him. It's as if he's branding me. The kiss is laden with hunger, and the desperation renders me dizzy. I wrap my arms around his neck, lifting my leg to wrap around his waist, his cock against my skin.
His fingers squeeze into my ass, giving it a light tap before his hand wanders again, fingers tracing a line from my hip to my front. The ghost of his touch on my inner thigh, then to where my body craves him most.
I moan into his mouth, urging him to touch me more. Wanting more.
Then, without warning, his warmth is gone.
Opening my eyes, I see his backside retreating to the bathroom.
"Sasuke?" I say dumbly.
He looks back, that damn smirk on his lips again. "Didn't you say we had to get ready for work?"
I throw a pillow at him.
Another thing I've learned about my new boyfriend? He's a goddamn tease.
And he's an ass man.
We go to work separately, with him arriving earlier than I do. Before I left my apartment, I briefly checked my emails to see that Tsunade wanted an impromptu meeting before lunch with everyone involved in the date projects, so it looks like it's a good idea we talked about it briefly this morning before we left.
There's a skip in my step as I make my way to the elevator, and my happiness doesn't go unnoticed by a certain blonde hair, blue-eyed woman that also has to be in the aforementioned meeting.
"What are you so happy about?" She leans in, studying my face for a crumb of information. "It can't be dick because you haven't been getting any of that at all."
A question remains in the air as she looks at me quizzically. "Or have you?"
"Does it always have to be about dick with you?"
She shrugs. "It's part of my job."
"You're not a urologist, pig. You write and manage relationship advice columns."
"Again, it's part of my job." She waves me off. "And you didn't answer me. Any reason why you're so chipper this morning?"
"I can't wake up happy?"
Her lips purse. "So you got dream dick?"
I groan. "Shut up, pig. We're at work."
The conversation shifts and thank fuck for that because any more questions from Ino, I might have broken out into a sweat. She's too good at her job, and when it comes to relationships, it's like she has a sixth sense.
Everyone else is already in Tsunade's office, with the CEO herself standing behind her desk, eyes trained on the documents on the table.
"And I thought we were early," Ino mutters. "Is everyone excited for the status report?"
"Not our fault you're late," Kiba says, leaning back onto his seat, his arms behind his head.
"You're on time once, and suddenly you think you're Mr. Punctual," Ino fires back.
"I expected the first argument in this meeting to be from Uchiha and Haruno." Tsunade sighs, and the battle ends before it even truly begins.
Sasuke notices the small smile on my lips, a poor attempt to quell my amusement at Tsunade's comment. He merely shakes his head, seemingly pleased.
Ino and I sit on the couch with Kurenai, and the men sit opposite of us. Walking around her desk, Tsunade stands in front, between the table that separates us. "The magazine collaboration project is going better than any of us could have thought," she starts. "Our website traffic is at an all-time high, and our company social media pages are also looking at a spike in interest."
She continues listing off everything this project has managed to achieve, and the more she speaks, the gravity of just how big this has gotten weighs heavier.
"And while we're almost done, I want ideas to keep the momentum. And there is a popular reader suggestion that I think we can take into consideration."
Keep the momentum? Popular reader suggestion?
I know I've been otherwise occupied, but why is this the first I've heard of this?
I might really be dickmatized.
I glance at Sasuke, and he doesn't seem that surprise about this. Though I can tell, he's a little thrown off, so maybe I'm not the only one in the dark.
Or he's pussy-tized.
Oh my God, I'm turning into Ino.
"Reader suggestion?" I repeat, mainly to stop my train of thoughts but also to get some clarity.
"This project has been very successful and gained a lot of reader interest, and the readers started caring less about which publications win and more about the two editors involved."
My stomach drops. I have a bad feeling about this.
Sasuke and I share a very brief look.
"So while that is still our objective, there is now a second question to be answered by the end."
Okay. I'll be fine.
This can't be what I think it is, can it?
"You recommended Samehada as a date idea before, didn't you, Uchiha?"
"I did."
"Well, there's an upcoming recognition dinner for partners and the people in the board. I call it an ass-kissing event, but I have to be there regardless." Tsunade shakes her head. "And with the amount of attention on you all, you are now required to come."
Before Kiba can ask something, Tsunade adds, "Yes, required."
Okay. Yeah, I'm fine. It's just a dinner. A fancy dinner, but a dinner.
"And this is where we'll plan to announce the event to close out Uchiha and Haruno's run on the project where we'll get the answers to our two final questions."."
Wait, what?
"Our run?"
"Catching lightning in a bottle twice is improbable," Sasuke says.
"Maybe, but it's a popular enough concept to try and see with a different couple."
Kakashi looks thoughtful. "It won't hurt to try."
And that means, whoever's next can get people's eyes off Sasuke and I.
Relief is close, but there's still something that keeps it from coming.
Taking in a deep breath, I finally ask, "What's the additional final question?"
Tsunade grins, and relief evades me.
"Will they/ won't they?"
Of fucking course.
Notes:
These two can't catch a break, can they? dsjfhsjkdfh
This chapter is being released earlier than I planned because I had to switch around my update schedule. Fade In will be updated, I think, within the week. Unprofessional and eternal: iterum will update on the weekend.
I also am collaborating with pomeyasha in writing a SasuSaku poster x football player short multi chap titled, "out here in plain sight" on Ao3 only! (Yes, it's v Tayvis vibes and v much two Swifties tayvis nationing on sasusaku main lmao)
Y'all have a good week! There won't be a new update until the 17th week of February because I'm traveling. :)
Comments are appreciated!
