unedited/ not proofread (1/15/21)

Sasuke

"Sakura."

"Yes?"

"Do you plan on getting off of my lap?"

She looks like she's considering it. "Depends."

"On what?"

"If you can handle that stiffy I feel under me right now."

"A 'stiffy' you caused."

"Only because you're attracted to me."

"And if I had to guess, your panties are wet."

"Well, if you want the answer, you'd have to forfeit."

"We still have a date we're supposed to write about tonight that isn't finished, and I very well can't write about almost defiling you in a dressing room."

"Defiling me?" She laughs. "Why do you always try to sound dated?"

After an agonizing few seconds, she finally removes herself from my lap and stands. I can see the amusement linger in her eyes, mixed with a hint of remorse at the state she knows she's left me in.

It was uncharacteristic of me to knowingly fall for such obvious ploys, but it's become a pattern when I'm with this woman. Every single time, I see it coming, and I allow it to happen. Because, if I'm being completely honest to myself, I want what she's alluding to. She, as she's mentioned earlier, seems to feel the same. But if there's something the two of us share in common, it's our pride. However, I'm beginning to think all of this needless chasing isn't benefiting either of us in the slightest. It's only delaying the obvious, and what just transpired between us is proof.

There's been a growing fire that's only being fueled by this game we both got ourselves into, the flames fanned by our reckless behavior. But this is neither the time nor the place. We have articles to write, and we so very much can't divulge this particular part of this outing to the public. So I will myself to think about anything else, anything that doesn't bring my thoughts back to her skin beneath my hands or her fervent responses to my mouth on hers.

She looks to be in a battle with her thoughts, standing a few steps away from me as I stand up.

"So, uh," her eyes avoid mine. "I'm going to go try some things on."

"You better wear something we bought today to work."

"Am I to expect you going to work in all black too?"

She mulls it over. "Maybe. Just admit it, Sasuke. I have good taste."

"Surprisingly."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." She sticks her tongue out at me.

"Very mature."

As much as I'd hate to admit it, Sakura has good taste. Not that she had questionable style, I was under the assumption that she'd use this as an opportunity to force me into clothes she'd know I'd dislike. But no. She took this seriously.

"See, I told you color isn't so bad."

The awkward tension from earlier had dissipated, and she's back to normal, all smiles and eager to egg me on. But there's something underneath her current behavior. It seems slightly forced.

"I never said it was bad." I sigh. "For someone always chastising me for my color palette, your new items look terribly familiar."

"Hey, if I was going to force you into color, I might as well wear something more your style to make it even, right?"

"Generous."

"Aren't I?" She laughs though it doesn't reach her eyes. She sucks in a breath, it's subtle but I manage to catch it. Closing the distance between us, she lifts her hands up to the collar of my coat, adjusting it until it's to her satisfaction. "And see what I mean when I said color didn't have to be canary yellow? I know you're not one for bright colors, but that doesn't mean you have to stick to monochrome, you know? Maybe nude."

I raise a brow, and she smiles at her own word choice.

"Neutral colors, then. But see? I wasn't going to be evil."

"You weren't?" My tone drips with incredulity.

"Was I evil? Would it be evil of me to tell you you're paying for everything?"

"No, I expected as much."

She grins. "You're being a good sport today."

"I've learned to just let you do as you please."

"Is that why you let me dry hump you again? It takes two to tango, you know."

I shrug. "I'm well aware, Sakura."

She's quiet again, taking a step back to put some distance between us. "Well, then. I'd say you look great in nude."

"Are you trying to get a reaction?"

"Hey, I'm being honest!"

"Of course."

"And?"

"What?"

"How about me?"

"What about you?"

"Do I look great naked?" She's fishing for a reaction. I debate on whether giving her what she expects or being honest. I go for the latter.

Closing the distance between us yet again, focusing my gaze solely on her, and I see her cheeks begin to tint. "Should I be honest, as well?"

"Yes." It comes out as a whisper.

I bring a hand up to her shoulder and trace it up the curve of her neck to under her chin as my thumb traces her lower lip. She shivers at the touch, not even attempting to push me away, her eyes expectant. "Yes."

We walk out of Racks with observant eyes and hushed whispers trailing our exit. It would seem more people are interested in the joint story than I had anticipated. Sakura doesn't seem to notice the attention, though, her thoughts seemingly preoccupied.

"Sakura?"

"Hm?"

"You said you wanted photos for the article."

"Oh. Right. I know just the spot for my photos."

We both have shopping bags in our hands, and we're both wearing items we, I, had just purchased for the sake of taking photos to add to the article.

We walk in silence as Sakura leads us to a wall painted hot pink, her new sunglasses covering her eyes from me. Either on purpose or not, she seems to be preoccupied with her thoughts and bought the sunglasses last minute for the sole reason to hide her eyes from me.

Perhaps she's noticed that I find it easy to read her mood just by her eyes alone, but she's never shied away from me this way before.

This behavior from her is unnerving. I'm so accustomed to her unabashedness that this apprehension is something I'm not sure how to respond to.

"Something on your mind?"

She doesn't shift her focus to me, still looking straight ahead. "Hm?"

"You're oddly quiet."

"Oh? Just wondering what to write for later."

"You're not as good a liar as you think you are. What's this about?"

She sighs. "Honestly? I'm beginning to realize why you keep calling me ridiculous."

"Just now?"

She rolls her eyes at the reply. "Yes."

"And? What's the issue?"

"I'm just trying to figure it out. How you always put up with it."

I shrug. "It's not as difficult as you think."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"It's not as bad as you think."

"Careful, I might actually think you enjoy my ridiculousness."

"Would it be so unbelievable if I did?"

She stops in her tracks and finally looks up at me, though I still can't see behind her sunglasses. "Really? You enjoyed me grinding against your hard on?"

"I wouldn't have had sex with you if I hadn't."

Her mouth drops. "Okay, I didn't expect you to be so open with that bit of info."

"I was under the impression we're supposed to be honest right now."

"Right, but usually you'd just ignore my question and call me some variation of annoying."

"I think I've mentioned this before, Sakura. I don't do anything I'm not willing to do."

"And you're willing to play this game?"

The corner of my lips rise in a smirk. "Yes."

"Why exactly?"

I'm not entirely sure myself, but one thing I'm certain of, it all has to do with her. As annoying as she tends to be, I can't help but be drawn to her. And the more time I spend with her, the more accustomed I become of her taste, of her touch, the more I realize that perhaps all this back and forth, all of the past animosity between us was just to cover something else, and neither of us could tell what it was at the time.

"Because one of us is bound to break, and when that happens," I lean close, my lips nearing her ear. "The release will be worth it, won't it?"

Note:

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) start of new developments, we're on the road to moving from lust to love laid ease

next update next week because I have to work on writing the new articles and i want to capture the feel right djfhsjkdfhsf