unedited/ not proofread (11/9/20)

Sasuke

I'm discovering that being around Sakura Haruno for more than a brief ride down the elevator or a senior editor meeting is more unpredictable than I thought it would be. Truth be told, I was both relieved and guilty that I didn't see her this morning before taking the elevator down. I've always found it a strange coincidence how we both operate on a similar schedule despite the great difference in our personalities. Because of her eagerness to irritate me in the time I've known her, I never took into account the similarities between us despite our differences.

Disregarding the obvious, such as our positions in our publications, she goes to the gym religiously, follows her schedule to a tee, it would seem, and she's quite the workaholic. Things I would consider myself to be. Of course, there's the obvious discrepancies such as her overly bright demeanor, her penchant for bright colors (but I've come to realize she is quite partial to red), and her overall louder personality. However, as irritating as she can be, this project truly has made me witness new sides of her, that I must admit, are shifting my opinions of her quicker than I'd admit.

And it's caused me to act on impulse, which is unlike me. The kiss last night, an impulse, one I was prepared to apologize for since I was positive that was why she avoided going out of her apartment at her usual time. Seeing her in my gym was a surprise. There was an odd sense of pride in my chest when I watched her watching me during her work out, and a different, unfamiliar sense in my stomach as I watched how focused she was on her exercises, the way her lips pursed in concentration, and the way her toned stomach was in clear view for ever fucker in the room to see. I've never considered myself a jealous person, but perhaps, that's what the unknown sensation I felt in there was.

I am aware she's a reactionary person, but seeing the wide range of emotions pass through her face in the locker room as I attempted to give her a sincere apology was almost as laughable as it was offensive. For a second, it appeared as though she didn't think I was capable of such a thing, but I should have known by now that as easy as it is to read her emotions, everything the woman does is something I can't seem to predict. So when she pressed herself onto me tasting like sweet cherries and sunshine, her thighs unclenching to meet my center, I was both stunned and aroused.

Sakura Haruno, passionate, irritatingly ridiculous, and somehow the only woman who's wound me up so fast in such a short amount of time. I recall her sweet mouth, something I had a hint of last night though this time her taste was more upfront, not mixed in with the dark, richness of wine. I've had a strict distaste of anything sugary, but perhaps she may be an exception. It's the saccharine flavor of something inebriating, something taken in moderation. But moderation isn't on my mind at the moment, and it doesn't appear to be on hers either as she drinks her third glass of mimosa.

"It's only eleven," I say as she places the glass down, her face still a little flushed from our… activities at the gym.

"Shut up," she replies, her hands on her hair as she lowers her head. She's still embarrassed. Truthfully, I should feel at least a shred of shame after the blatant display of unabashed want in a public space, especially considering our career, but at the moment, I'm just amused.

"Is smirking and frowning the only thing your lips can do?" Sakura complains, her lips in a slight pout.

"You're well aware of what else my lips are capable of." I raise a brow, knowing it's only going to make her all the more flushed, which it does. She may be unpredictable to me, but there are a few things I know I can predict, and I know she's not the best at hiding her emotions. It's a wonder how she managed to trick me yesterday for that stupid video post.

Speaking of which, it's also a wonder, though to my relief, that no one but that worker caught us by the lockers. But at the moment, I can feel multiple eyes on us in the trendy café she dragged me to after taking a shower at the gym. Why she decided to ask me to come with her, I've no clue. Why I agreed, well, I have a few questions.

"If someone had ever told me I'd be having brunch with you of all people on a Saturday, I would have laughed at their face."

"Considering the project, the possibilit-"

"Yeah, yeah," she sighs. "I didn't think you'd actually say yes."

"And I didn't think that you would be gyrating yourself onto me this morning, but here we are, Sakura."

"Do you have to say it like that?" She whispers, her voice escaping in an almost hiss.

"How would you describe it?"

"Well," she stutters. "I mean, you kissed me first."

"And just an hour ago, you did the same."

"Yes, well, I didn't know what else to do."

"So you kissed me?"

"Isn't that why you kissed me?"

I scoff. "As I've mentioned earlier, I wanted to."

This silences her, her lips pursing as the waitress comes by with our food. She places a plate with a large breakfast croissant on top of it in front of Sakura and a Monte Cristo sandwich in front of me. I catch a smug glare from the woman before she leaves us. Sakura seems to have noticed it too.

"What was that about?"

"She's a young woman in Konoha City, which means she's likely a Kunoichi reader." I shake my head, sighing.

"Right. I almost forgot about that." Chuckling softly to herself, she cuts a small piece of the breakfast croissant and into her pink lips it goes.

"You forgot you work for a popular publication?"

She rolls her eyes. "No, I meant I forgot that this whole… thing is going on. Kind of hung up on the fact that I kissed the asshole who lives across from me."

"Asshole, huh?"

"You're not denying you can be."

"Am I still an asshole to you, then?"

"Yes," she says. "But, I don't know if this is the mimosa talking or the fact that I could probably be out of my mind, somehow, my body wants to betray me." Her last words came out in a mutter.

"What was that?"

"Oh, you heard me!"

I did, but it's still amusing to see the array of emotions that pass through her emerald irises. "Sometimes, you have to be an adult and admit things, Sakura."

"And you?" She huffs. "Why do I have to be the only one to admit it?"

As if last night's events weren't proof enough. Still, I decide to give her what she wants. "I think it's easy to tell we're both attracted to each other, in a carnal sense."

"Do you have to be so archaic?" She takes another bite. It should come to no surprise that after the gym, she'd be so hungry. "So… what now? We do have to stay professional since we're partners for this big project."

"And we're also adults who are more than capable of separating work and our personal lives."

She furrows her brows. "Are you propositioning me?"

"Be serious, Sakura."

For some reason, every time I call out her name, she looks as though she needs to take a breath. I don't know what that could mean.

"Alright, yeah, you're incredibly attractive, and I may or may not be curious about how your tongue works in other parts of my body." That makes exhale a breath of mirth. She glares at me. "But our job wants us to basically date each other for this collaboration, and I don't know, this makes me feel… Weird."

"Weird, how?" I'm genuinely curious.

"You don't think it's weird? We've been at each other's throats for a while and suddenly, we want to jump each other like teenagers at prom."

"Perhaps our colleagues were right." I am well aware of the ' sexual tension' rumors that's been prevalent at work about us. It appears they weren't far off.

"Don't let them hear you say that. They'd have a field day and city gossip won't leave us alone."

"You really don't like the attention, do you?"

"I can handle it, to an extent. I mean, I have to be in this line of work, but I think anyone would much prefer not being on the cover of some tabloid just because people consider us 'socialites' of some sort. Like, how are we even socialites? We're senior editors of magazines."

"Believe me, I've asked myself that numerous times."

"It's stupid, isn't it?" She turns her head and sneakily points to the direction of women seated at a faraway table. They look vaguely familiar. "Like those women over there? They're socialites."

"You know them?"

She looks at me incredulously. "Ami Watanabe and her cronies? Yes, they're basically Page7 favorites."

I look at her like her hair's changed color because I have no clue what she's going on about. But I did notice their glances toward us, and, now that she's mentioned it, I may have met one of them at an event I had to attend due to my family. "You talk about them like they've offended you before."

"Yeah, well, Ami and I met once for an interview I had to conduct for one of my coworkers. She got sick and she was doing a story on well-known women in Konoha City, and I had the honor of speaking to her." Her voice is dripping with sarcasm. "Anyway, I'd rather avoid that crowd and the tabloids that come with it."

If I remember correctly, there was a big fuss surrounding her promotion a few years ago. She was quite young to be promoted senior editor, but the same could be said for most of the senior editors at Shinobi. I can't complete the thought, though, because I see a man with a big camera a few feet away from where we're seated at the veranda of the café. Speaking of tabloids.

"We should go."

"But you haven't finished your Monte Cristo."

I nod at the direction of the man, and she turns. A few seconds later, she calls for the waiter and for two to-go boxes.

Another thing I've learned about Sakura Haruno. She's adamant on paying for the bill. Luckily, I gave the waitress my card right before she could take her wallet out of her gym bag. That didn't stop her from complaining about it all the way back to the apartment building where we took the long way to make sure we weren't being followed. But since the man with the camera stayed by the cafe after seeing the table of socialites still inside, it would appear we're safe.

The elevator doors open, and we walk out. I realize here that even though we've had a conversation at the cafe, we were sidetracked and I didn't get a definitive answer from her. It wasn't like I asked her outright, but I know she was stalling.

The corner of my lip rises and I watch as she takes her keys out, her phone in her other hand, and puts it through the keyhole, stopping to turn to me before she opens the door. I watch curiously, hands on my pockets and my gym bag hangs from the sling on my shoulder.

"So…" She's biting that lower lip.

"Yes?"

"Uh, thanks for brunch. Even though I could have paid."

I take a step closer. "Anything else you want to say?"

"Um, and, uh, let's forget what happened in the gym?"

I raise a brow as I stop in front of her, lowering my body, so I can look at her straight in the eyes. There's trepidation in there, uncertainty by the way she tries to avoid my scrutiny. But somewhere in there, I see something trying to escape.

"Do you genuinely want to forget it?"

She clears her throat. "What if I already have?"

It really is a wonder how she fooled me yesterday morning. But perhaps I knew she was bluffing like I'm sure she is now. Maybe it was because I didn't like seeing her so unsure of herself, so unlike herself. I didn't like the thought of having to do this little charade for the magazines with someone I didn't know because as ridiculous as this woman is, I know, and this may be purely lust talking, that I want her in this with me.

"You have?"

"Yep."

"Really?"

"A blank."

"Then let me give you a reminder."

I lean in close until there's no longer space between our lips and her mouth opens in a gasp, allowing my tongue entrance into her mouth. I hear her bag drop to the floor, her eyes fluttering to a close as her back presses onto the door, her hands clenching my shirt as I pull her closer. My fingers grip her waist, her body leaning closer to me in response. There's that sweetness again, a taste I never imagined myself wanting more of. Her tongue dances with mine as one of her hands finds the back of my head, pressing me closer to her. Her head tilts, allowing me more access. In the process, I put a hand on the door knob, another on her back making sure she's steady on me when the door opens.

Forget? I assure you she won't.

Notes:

AND NEXT CHAPTER COMES THE SMUT!

but don't think it's the end of the rivalry. we got some more of that. let the temptation games begin!

btw next chapter's coming in a few hours lmao, just wanted to tease some more (but not too much though, that's why it's coming in like 3 hours)