Blue Rose

✧💫|✨|🌟BLUE ROSE🌟|✨|💫✧

[blue---rose]

White Widow - Chapter Eleven

Fanfiction.net | FF.net (mobile) | AO3

Title: White Widow Chapter: Eleven Author: Blue Rose Rating: M (Hard R) Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura Summary: “Running away was easy; not knowing what to do next was the hard part.” - Sakura needed to stop fantasizing about running away to some other life, and start figuring out the one she had. [Sasu/Saku, Modern AU]

[blue---rose]

White Widow - Chapter Ten

Fanfiction.net | FF.net (mobile) | AO3

Title: White Widow Chapter: Ten Rating: M Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura

Summary: “Running away was easy; not knowing what to do next was the hard part.” - Sakura needed to stop fantasizing about running away to some other life, and start figuring out the one she had. [Sasu/Saku, Modern AU]

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✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : BR : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

Chapter Ten

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 .

Luckily, he was at home when the flurry of texts started to come in. Stepping out of the shower and preparing for his evening, he entertained the first three before the loose towel dropped to the floor at his feet, having fallen from the cut lines of his waist.

As he ran a shorter towel through his locks, his phone chirped again. Sasuke paused, reaching down to see what she was talking about now. He narrowed his eyes at the responses he received and decided to call her directly.

Ring.

Ring.

Rin-

"...Hello?" Sakura asked, as if she didn't know damn well it was him calling.

"Sakura."

"Oh, hi!" Sakura's voice faded while she spoke, pausing to pull the phone away and briefly speak to someone else. Pressing the device back against her face, she let out a giggle that echoed clearly through the earpiece.

"Hey, you."

"What are you doing?"

"I already told you, I'm having a few drinks… meeting new 'friends'…"

"I'm sure you are."

"At least the new ones aren't as boring as the rest of you guys."

Sasuke could make out the loud music playing in the background and while his phone vibrated with a new incoming message, he stayed on the line with her. Trying to gauge just how serious she was.

"You should come and hang out with me. I definitely need a ride home after the few I've had, but you could come out anyway. Maybe have one yourself while you keep me company…?" She sighed at the end of the sentence, not quite slurring, but the words sounded more breathless than they should have. Almost akin to the way she sounded when she whispered his name in his ear when they—

"Where are you?"

"Already sent you the address." The pleased smile on her face practically bled through the phone.

He moved to check his messages, eyes widening as his feet began to carry him down the hall while still looking at the screen. Stalking out of his bedroom naked, he made a beeline for the coat closet. Sasuke reached inside, grappling with the various hanging outerwear before finding the right one. Reaching, his fingers plucked out the small book of matches Suigetsu had given to him.

He glanced between the object in his hand…

And the photo taken of a small cocktail napkin, with the exact same logo printed on the small black square — sent via text by her.

"Sakura—"

He should have known she'd pull a stunt like this after discovering the small item while they'd been out on a little walk. And she'd been more bothered by the fact he hadn't shared this new crumb of information than if it had just been the digits of some random girl flirting with him.

"What? Don't tell me you've changed your mind already," Sakura continued, still acting innocent.

As if she wasn't somewhere she shouldn't be, doing something she probably shouldn't be doing. And her miserable little pout was evident in her voice, like she wasn't the one responsible for ticking a nerve. He returned the book of matches before padding back to his room, his feet leaving damp impressions on the hardwood floor.

"You were never supposed to—"

"So, does that mean you're coming? Or…"

'Or what?' he thought bitterly. Leave her there alone, possibly becoming a target herself? His frown was deepening with every step towards his wardrobe. Opening the wooden doors, he listened as she phrased it like he had a choice. She was liable to get herself into trouble and considering she had no business going there—

"Tch. Annoying."

"Yea! See you here in a bit. And no jeans... Ok, bye!"

He winced as the call ended, tossing his main phone towards the bed. It only took a few minutes to find something to put on before he was heading out the door. He was still wrapping his mind around how she had him wrapped around her little finger at times. He did have other shit to do, but it looked like some things would be pushed back.

'But you're allowing it. Didn't take much to get you here, did it Uchiha?' he thought, pulling closer to his destination. He chose a self-parking car-lot, instead of the valet offered out front. His short trek down the sidewalk slowed as he approached the red carpet, cordoned off from general foot traffic with velvet ropes.

"You're not here for amateur night, are you? That's happening tomorrow." The bouncer was checking the ID of two young ladies when Sasuke walked up and stood in line behind them.

He glanced at the sign the doorman was referring to affixed to the stanchion, proudly announcing the cash prize available for the upcoming competition as the girls giggled.

Sasuke was allowed inside after producing his own license next, a sudden eagerness overtaking his body. He could only hope that the annoying, little pain-in-the-ass he sought out hadn't gotten any wild ideas of her own. It hastened his steps through the metal detector and pat-down before he climbed the stairs.

Absolute, full nudity wasn't permitted, but this was still one of the most popular strip clubs in and around the city. By no means was he an expert, as Sasuke had only been to one other strip club before, up in New York. It wasn't the worst experience in the world but definitely not something he found himself jumping at the chance to do again. There was also that other time in North Carolina. Then again, that trip didn't count because the party he was with never made it inside. He recalled there being a fight in the parking lot, and everyone scattering after because the police had been called.

Now here he was, patronizing another location and adding it to his list while meeting up with a girl he liked. The only thing left in his favor was that despite Sakura's convincing act on the phone... they weren't exactly here for pleasure.

With that last thought in mind, he reached the landing, moving more to the right as a small group leaving passed by. The dark wallpaper led him right by coat check and further inside.

Soon the short hallway opened up into a dazzling pit of lights, mirrors, and scantily clad entertainers. The music was thumping from all directions, loud and energetic in his ears, matching the energy in the room. Hyped and charged with sexual undertones meant to draw you in from the moment you touched down.

The women were seductively attractive, even the ones behind the bar serving drinks. Dressed just as brazen as the lookers on stage, they attracted their fair share of attention, their flirtatious smiles on display while serving up the diverse crowd.

Some men were still dressed in suits with ties pulled loose around their necks as most had come straight from work. The week must have been shit for most to want to kick off the weekend on a Thursday. The sun had barely touched down for the evening, but it was hard to tell from the scene inside with the party looking to be in full swing.

But through all the smoke and mirrors, he spotted the recent bane of his existence, sitting at the corner of the main bar. Presumably staying out of the way, and on the sidelines of all the fun... but he knew better.

Sasuke made his way closer, effectively pulled in — as he was bound to be whenever they were in the same vicinity. It's something he rarely fought against anymore, but he would still heatedly deny if ever confronted.

Even without the gorgeous shock of pink hair, he caught her laugh in the air, recognizing the amused tinkle while she was looking elsewhere, unaware of the embodiment of sin pathing near her orbit.

Sasuke's hand came up to the back of her shoulder, sliding closer to the base of her neck as Sakura turned in her seat. She stiffened with indignation, calming like a tropical breeze as their gazes locked.

With her hair pulled high in a stylish bun, she leaned back, tilting to flash him a brilliant little smile under her loose bangs. Sectioned pieces fell around her face, and her darkly lined eyes squinted as she peeked up at him.

Her eyes were much brighter than what he'd expect, coming from someone supposedly too inebriated to drive.

Sakura reached up to kiss him on the cheek while remaining seated in her tall, high-backed bar stool, lips still slanted in pleasure at his arrival. She smelled more of her perfume than alcohol, the honeysuckle base filling his senses, taking the hard-edge lining the attitude he'd come in with.

If only just a little.

There was still irritation there, something he was sure she could feel as he leaned away to look at her again, maneuvering to the empty seat at her right. He rested an elbow on the lacquer glazed bar that was polished darker than molasses and went to order a beer.

Throughout it all, Sakura sat there looking pretty, dolled up and glowing like a literal paradox to the slumbering darkness he tended to cloak himself in.

Her elation at his arrival attempted to hold back his exasperation. Possibly, she was trying to buy some time before he snatched her up and dragged her away before she could cause any trouble.

"Glad you could make it." Sakura smiled, keeping to herself that Ino was the original choice. But it totally slipped her mind that the frosty blonde was out of town and couldn't be dragged along in her shenanigans.

Brushing away a few strands of blossom that tickled her cheek, she figured he didn't need to know that he was really the second call.

Sasuke glanced at Sakura out of the corner of his eyes, determined to get a promise from her that tonight was going to be the last time. From now on, the only thing she would be permitted snooping through were her books.

Sakura shifted her stare forward, away from his piercing stare to finish what little was left in her glass. Her pointed gaze became shrouded, requesting another round with a giggle. But Sasuke was confident now, more than ever... it was all an act, and she wasn't nearly as tipsy as she pretended to be.

"You missed it. We were just making a cheer... to life, happiness, and bad decisions!" Sakura offered, setting the empty glass down to push a finger against the long stem. "Well, I was. They just keep providing the spirits."

The accusation was made in jest, and one of the servers overheard and cracked a wide smile in their direction. "The little lass wants another?" Long, brightly painted nails plucked the used glass from the bar.

Sakura nodded her head eagerly, smiling. "Sure, another wouldn't hurt."

The pixie-cut bartender placed the used glass in a bin, turning as someone called her name.

"Sky, can you stay a few hours and cover me tonight? The sitter just called, my kid has a fever."

Sky's thick eyebrows creased beneath her short, jagged green locks, but it was Sasuke's eyes that widened just a hint. His face remained impassive as she agreed to cover the shift for her co-worker.

Sasuke's eyes finally met Sakura's while the green-haired woman adjusted the choker necklace she wore and returned to what she was doing before the interruption. Sakura gleamed back with an all-knowing smirk. Watching live and having a first-row seat as his mind flashed back to the name scribbled in the book of matches and putting two-and-two together.

It revealed just how fast she worked because unlike him, the pinkette wasn't surprised by the name at all.

"Does that mean you're going to grace us with your presence on stage tonight?" Sakura asked as the green-haired vixen came over to their side of the bar again. The pixie cut framed the bartender's face prettily as she raised a brow, reaching for the Triple Sec bottle. It should have been no surprise that the woman had an eccentric style to match the flamboyant way she had written her name and number for Suigetsu. Sakura perked up a bit, watching the ingredients being added to the shaker.

"Dancing? Oh no, no, no. I have very amazing and skillful hands," Sky said with a sly and flirtatious glance at Sasuke then looked back at Sakura with a smirk. "'fraid I was cursed with two left feet."

"You sure I haven't seen your face, twirling up there before?"

Sky looked at her in befuddlement, before laughing out loud although the pitch was a little dry. "Oh, you must have seen my sister." She finished pouring a shot into the mix, making it a double after a second thought. Lifting the shaker, the ingredients swished around the ice as she jutted her chin. "Star just finished a dance and should be heading out to the floor soon."

All three looked across to one of the satellite stages nestled in a corner. The blonde there was on all fours, collecting the cash from her previous dance. While the two artisans didn't look like twins, they certainly favored each other, except for the hair color and length.

Sky held the shaker over a martini glass, splashing a few cherries inside when finished, along with a little black cardboard straw.

"Thank you." Sakura smiled, accepting the drink and new information. It had been nice chatting it up at the bar, but the other sibling was who they were really there to see. Now was time for phase two, seeing as backup had arrived.

"How much is her tab?"

Sky answered him after Sasuke swiped Sakura's credit card clean out of the air, making her put it away. He grabbed the beer that was opened for him, settling up the debt and leaving a few extra notes. The spunky bartender snatched and folded the thin bills, slipping them under the thin straps of her tank and bralette near her cleavage.

The couple turned away after Sky gave him a parting wink.

"You sure don't waste any time, do you?" Sasuke's guiding hand found the inside of Sakura's elbow as they wandered further into the establishment.

"I came here for a drink and to unwind a little. If I happen to run into a 'friend' of a friend, well… that can't be helped, right?" she explained as they rounded a few overstuffed chairs and low tables. Sasuke realized what he thought was just a long-sleeved top was actually a bodysuit. The fabric curved high near her hips, flashing a peek of skin above the waistband of her dark pants when she turned.

"See something you like?" Sakura meant it in a teasing way, not seeing where his gaze landed as she led the way. She was referring to the women surrounding the place that was on stage or migrating around on the floor. She stopped short and turned, watching as he glanced back up.

"Maybe." But his eyes were only glued to her, and it struck her like lightning that even in a room full of temptation… he could still make her feel like the only one standing there. His eyes fluttered down to her lips playfully. "Problem?"

"No, not really the jealous type," was her sassy reply. Taking a slow sip, she licked her lips and moved closer to his side. "Unless… you want me to be?" she continued on, goading in her teasing.

Sasuke snorted, taking a sling of the beer he held. Her bright eyes widened as she remembered something, pulling away. "Oh! That reminds me… be right back." She unhooked her arm from his, turning around and slipping off somewhere.

Left alone, his eyes scanned the lowly lit room as a pounding beat started, the track an introduction to another act starting on the main stage. Sasuke took another sip as some lights focused on the newest showgirl.

She wore a small purple number that barely covered anything at all and glittery body lotion that attracted a small crowd to one side. Confident in her moves, the dancer started her routine, gyrating against the metal pole that stretched two stories high. Whistles accompanied every twirl of her hips, and her lips parted with a smile at the attention as money started to pool around her feet.

"Oh look, just in time," Sakura said, finishing off her drink with a grimace and placing it down on a nearby cocktail table. Her clutch was stored under her arm while she grabbed his wrist with the other hand and tugged him closer to the performance.

The blacklights were vaulted to the ceiling and lit up the draped walls, flashing an array of colors across the fleur-de-lis patterned floor as they stepped up closer. The dancer twirled around the LED-loaded stage, which pulsed in time with the playing track.

Both Sakura and Sasuke had to raise their heads higher as the woman climbed the pole to the mid-way point, stretching out a leg as she curled her body around in a twisting motion back down to the floor of the stage. Sakura produced a stack of money, siphoning a few bills from the stockpile and tossing them in the air while the music pumped louder.

The risqué scene was at odds with Sakura's giddy, almost childlike giggles. She was absolutely tickled by it, and Sasuke was pretty sure this wasn't her first time being in such a place. Her movements were too relaxed and the money glided from her hand too easily. A second dancer came on stage to occupy the other pole, but Sakura tipped the girl in purple dental floss again as she bent low, allowing the pinkette to fold a few more bills between the g-string and her caramel skin.

Not wanting to be outdone, a person on the other side tossed more money on the flashing stage. Sasuke looked over as the other man snapped his gaze away from Sakura towards the dancer that pranced over to his side.

A man's ego could be a dangerous thing, Sasuke thought, poking fun of the guy's hurt pride that a woman dared to show him up.

Sakura would have given two shits if she was paying attention but was too busy regarding their target, who had just made an appearance. The blonde sashayed around in her long pigtails, the tips of which were dyed a color just as vibrant as her sister's back at the bar.

The new arrival, 'Star' — was mainly focused on finding her next client, sweeping the floor with a scorching gaze. Their eyes met, and Sakura didn't break away from the stare, conveying her interest with a smile of encouragement while silently surveying her.

'So, there she is…', Sakura vetted their primary objective, appraising the vivacious Fatale that, at least once, had captured the attention of her missing, smart-mouthed friend. She did indeed look to be Kiba's type, although the scruffy buffoon had never been on the picky side. A cute smile, nice shape, and decent personality were more than enough for him. That didn't mean he'd hadn't found himself tangled in some messy situations back in the day when it came to the fairer sex, though.

Sakura leaned closer to Sasuke, showing off the packaged deal and the blonde moved faster through the crowd towards them, interested in the potential earnings. She approached with a dramatic rock in her hips, the long blond ponytails swishing to and fro on either side of her head. And where Sky the bartender had sported short, envious green locks, Star the stripper was dripped in shades of faraway galaxies. Blue fire licked the ends of her hair, the color blending well and forming into an ombre pattern with her natural golden strands.

Sakura went back to tipping the woman on stage a little more and smiled inwardly as the blonde's light brown eyes appraised the money left in her hand. Now that she had her attention, the next part should be a breeze.

Star introduced herself to the couple, unaware they already knew her name. Though she moved closer to Sakura, there was an appreciative eye directed towards Sasuke. She kept her hands to herself, feeling out boundaries and willing to wait a few minutes before she could touch. It was rare but quite the treat to have a little fun with a hot pair.

Star used her best lines and tactics, not realizing it was wasted material as she was playing right into their hands.

Or Sakura's hands.

Sasuke wasn't deaf to the fact that Sakura had taken the helm and was now in control of this little operation. Probably had been from the moment he walked inside. Maybe even a little sooner before that.

He narrowed his eyes but followed both women up the stairs to the more private areas. Passing a hostess, they put in another drink order before selecting a decently sized room, its shape that of a large horseshoe with blood-red booth-seating, piping along the walls.

"Ready to have some fun?" Star asked, unhooking the crystal-beaded curtain after nodding at the security guard posted nearby, giving them a semblance of privacy inside of the room.

"Oh, I'm sure you and I will," Sakura said, tossing down her clutch before making a move. She tugged on Sasuke's shirt, walking him backward before giving a shove. He landed on the crushed velvet with a grunt, just barely saving his beer from spilling. He looked up in question, swallowing back any words at the tinted look swirling in her jade hues.

Sakura had already made her way back to the other side to stand near Star, her eyes keeping him pinned in place while she finished responding to the dancer. "He, on the other hand, has to sit there... and watch."

Star's mouth rolled open as she looked between the two, smiling in glee.

The hostess returned to brush aside the long strands of beads, bringing them their drinks of choice. This time a glass of champagne for Sakura while another fresh beer replaced the one Sasuke was holding.

"Were you a naughty boy today?" Star flirted, flickering her eyes up and down his form as he finally relaxed against the cushions. She moved to the small control box and lowered the lights a little more, the music volume increasing from the amplifiers.

Sasuke slouched further in his seat waiting for the show to begin. He crossed a leg, ankle resting over his knee while secretly committing to Sakura's little plan of action. Besides, why bother answering? Clearly, he wasn't the one in charge at the moment. That had been made crystal clear. He was just here to keep an eye out, making sure she didn't stir up too much dust.

He could really be classified as a lowly bystander at this point, so Sasuke kept quiet and took a sip of his beer, the apple in his throat bobbing under a generous mouthful.

"Or maybe you were the naughty one, all along … and need to be punished." Star mirrored Sakura's actions from a moment ago with a touch less force, making Sakura sit down with a slight nudge. Deft fingers remained in contact with her body and traced the pretty lettering design etched into the thin material of her top, near her shoulder.

'Well, let the games begin.'

The performer leaned over her, placing a hand on the seat near Sakura's head before looking back over her shoulder at the guy sitting across from them as she began her dance. The look she provided was meant to be sultry, drawing him out to play with them, although he was under strict orders to stay still. Bent over as she was, she was giving him a good view, but his eyes remained somewhere near their faces.

Star couldn't tell which of them he was looking at, but Sakura had a pretty good idea. She could feel his eyes piercing into her own under the low lights as the dance really got underway.

The blonde's fingers combed through her long pigtails before gliding up and down her own body. Her hips began to swivel to the music, rocking from side to side. Slender fingers wandered over the expanse of her skirt, smoothing down the pleats of the schoolgirl uniform-inspired outfit. It hardly covered anything at all, and the button was uncapped, zipper sliding down her hip before the garment fell to the floor.

"You're really pretty. I can see why my friend liked you."

"Oh…?"

"Not him… someone else," Sakura corrected Star when those chocolate brown eyes mistakenly swiveled to Sasuke.

"Hmm… Well, I tend to have them coming back for more," Star answered, thinking over the vast list of clientele that frequented the club.

"He seemed to have enjoyed himself. You can always leave it to Kiba to find a good time."

Star's fingers froze in place, and several beats passed before she continued on, hoping her lapse wasn't noticed.

It had been. But Sakura continued on nonchalantly, willing her into a false sense of security. They were working on borrowed time, after all.

"Oh, I'm sure you remember him and the associate your sister was seeing—"

"Cousin."

Surprise kept Sakura silent, but it did make sense.

"We aren't really twins. It's lucrative to play it up at the club though since we favor one another."

"No harm in adding to the allure. I bet it drives the men wild."

"Sorry," Star said, lowering her bottom into Sakura's lap while undoing her top, still dancing along to the music as if the mention of Kiba's name hadn't struck a nerve. "Lots of pretty-faced boys that come through here." She pointedly glanced at Sasuke before rolling her neck and arching her back. "Hard to remember all of their names. Don't remember a Keto—"

"It's Kiba."

"Yeah, doesn't ring a bell."

Sakura grabbed more money, the crisp bills sliding along each other as they floated down in a waterfall down Star's chest and onto the floor between their heeled feet. The stripper's clear, platform shoes were higher than any pair Sakura ever owned, and she balanced on them expertly, rolling her body forward.

"Well, he remembered. You sure had 'em in a tailspin, that's for sure," Sakura playfully added, hoping to lift as much as possible without setting off warning bells. She raised her eyes, looking across to the other guest. She had almost forgotten about him while she was searching for morsels of info, but her train of thought scattered out of focus when she looked up.

Sasuke was still sitting exactly where she placed him. Leaning against the cushions, he was the picture of collectedness. Seemingly interested, but more composed than he should have been. At least, that's what he wanted to project. It wasn't until meeting his eyes that Sakura knew the truth.

She could see the growing heat even as he lifted the bottle calmly to his lips, taking a drink. His eyes were still on her, hidden thoughts flickering with light behind his dark grey eyes.

The tight, long-sleeved bodysuit and trousers she wore left most of her skin covered, but she felt just as unclothed as the dancer in the room beneath that piercing stare. Something thrilling was fenced in behind all of his control.

The heated eye contact was cut short as Star rose to her feet and turned around, full naked mounds thrust in the air as she continued gyrating. Sakura leaned back, glancing past her hips to lock eyes with Sasuke again. "Shame. We were hoping we would catch him here too."

"Look, I don't know who this Kibble—"

"Kiba," Sakura corrected while tucking a few more bills into her bottoms, the thong and heels the only thing left painting her body. The distraction of money would only get them so far. In-kind, Star probably didn't take too kindly to where all the small talk had led.

"There are a lot of guys that come through here. Are you sure you're not some nosey girlfriend? Because we get a lot of those, too." That would be comically unfair considering the man accompanying Sakura, Star mused while grinding against thin air and winding her hips.

"Hardly. Just looking for a little fun."

A small knock against the frame of the entryway alerted them to the guard standing just outside and leaning against the wall.

Time was up.

"Well…" Star ran her hand along Sakura's forearm, across her wrist to the leftover money in her hand, audaciously claiming the rest for herself. "If it's fun, then I hope you found what you were looking for."

"I think I did. Thank you for the dance."

"Anytime."

Star finished buttoning up her skirt and turned to the other person in the room. "That goes for you too." She left her top off and stood there for a moment, giving him an unabashed view of her chest with a smile.

Sasuke raised a brow, watching as Star walked backward and out the room, finally slipping on her top as the crystal beads fell back into place. His eyes swung back over to Sakura, who leaned back and crossed her legs, tipping back the champagne flute as a deep sigh was liberated from her chest.

"So… it could have been someone else, after all." The bubbles tickled so she licked her lips.

"Or, she was lying."

"You think so?"

He drained what little was left in the stained bottle, a light shrug moving his shoulders.

Sakura's eyes swiveled with his to pivot outside of the room once again, just as she finished off her own drink.

"We could try again…? I would need to withdraw more money, but we could ask someone else? We might be pressing our luck, though."

Sasuke agreed. Any more probing and they would likely be thrown out on their asses, as tossing money around would only get them so far. Establishments could be very protective of their staff, and the first sign of trouble for their girls would not be received well.

His hand went down to his lap in a quick, obscured movement before moving his leg to set both feet on the floor. He rose from the seat in a stretch, something popping near his shoulder while ignoring the brilliant green watching his every move.

For her part, it crossed Sakura's mind that maybe she should have eaten a little something before drinking so much. She wasn't nearly as tipsy as she should have been, credit to her alcohol tolerance, but the champagne buzz did fizzle to the forefront, hitting her unexpectedly.

A few stray, strawberry blonde curls floated near a forming smile as he came up to her. She wondered if he was a bit turned on from the entire performance. The dance was good, but her mind had been too preoccupied to really enjoy it herself. And even if the interest had been for the sake of the mission, she wondered what he thought of the girl-on-girl action he witnessed. She couldn't tell on account of the dark, loose-fitting clothing he wore.

Sakura released a giggle as he approached and quickly lifted her foot.

"I don't believe you were given permission to move yet."

His flinch was superficial because she knew for a fact that the only pressure applied had been to the ball of her foot, which was resting comfortably on the hard planes of his stomach. The dangerous, pointy end of her heel was hovering just above his clothing and safely away. The entire action halted him in place as he stood there with her foot raised, pressed against him while she wondered whether the tiny flecks of glitter would ever come out of her black pants.

Sasuke eyed her slender ankle, mutely keeping track of all the little infractions she was determined to rack up today. He ignored her foot and stretched out a hand to help her stand, dismissing her teasing while simultaneously calling her bluff. She shouldn't start games she had no intention of finishing.

Sakura's chin lifted, looking him in the eye, and when he focused on her small intake of breath, he understood. She wasn't hesitating because of shyness. There was a flicker of interest that fluttered behind her naturally thick lashes, and the fact that she even dared to think about it was telling enough.

His eyes narrowed, and the hand that was extended in support lowered between them to her vulnerable ankle.

She gasped and batted his hand away, jerking away from the deviant touch before lowering her extended limb. The sly smirk he cast was enough to make her ache for him, but she accepted the other hand he offered. Besides, there was no way they would be able to indulge for long before being discovered. The hulking bouncer had gone back to his post but was still nearby.

She glided to her feet with his assistance, pausing at the conviction in his voice.

"This is the last time… right?" It was time for her to find a new hobby. Something that didn't involve her doing things like this.

"Such a sour puss."

Sasuke didn't have to know that she'd already accepted a similar disposition before he'd ever said a word. She had no choice because she was quickly running out of free nights. Any more sleuthing would need to be put on hold. Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes and almost stuck out her tongue, but she accepted there was nothing left for them there, so they retrieved their coats before exiting, stepping out into the night.

Sasuke shrugged into the lightweight jacket he brought with him. Sakura folded her own raincoat across her arm, comfortable in her long sleeves as they walked back to his vehicle.

She still wondered what would have happened if she had pushed him further in that dark room. She doubted that he would have done something like taking her fully in the middle of the room, and she questioned her own reasons for daring to push him. But wasn't this a natural thing? To test boundaries? Not that he was the type to be played with.

Of course, that didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun…

Sasuke opened the passenger door for her to get inside, yet Sakura had other plans. She closed it shut, leaning against it while looking defiantly up at him.

"You act like you aren't happy to see me…"

He leaned back a little, mindful of the car that was now parked beside him in the lot, and released a huff. He raised a brow in her direction but she was already smirking and using her free hand to pull him down for a kiss. Sasuke was the one to break away after the first small peck, but Sakura's small noise of inconvenience pulled him back for more, locking them together in a delightful softness despite the urgent way her fingers looked for purchase in his clothing. His tongue boldly entered her mouth but still had a gentle way of confessing that yes, he did enjoy inhabiting her space when given the chance, as the full height of his frame crowded against her.

A car door slammed somewhere off to the right, further down before an unknown woman passed by near the front of his truck. The sound of footsteps stopped with a gasp — the spectator obviously surprised to see them there and kept moving along as they stayed wrapped up in each other. Sakura laughed to herself, barely witnessing the stranger's quick exit out of the corner of her eye.

Most of her attention was reserved for the bodily distraction in front of her, wandering fingers traveling under his jacket and up his strong back, while his grip found the slope of her waist, fingers splaying while hooking a thumb into her waistband.

And how she longed for a time when there were no rude interruptions— as his phone buzzed insidd his pocket, vibrating against her front that was wedged so close to his.

Sasuke separated them with a furrowed brow. One glance at the number and he sighed, answering the call.

Sakura just moved her slow kisses down his neck, burrowing her nose while waiting patiently. There was always an undertone of smoke to him. Not from weed or cigars, but something more natural and fierce, like the crackling of logs in a fire pit. Woodsy at its base, and when mixed with the scent of leather and danger, it became a fragrance she couldn't resist. Her nose pressed further into his shirt, frowning when the call lasted much longer than she assumed it would, although he did not speak much on his end. She thought he would yell out a brief 'fuck off', or better still, ignore it.

A frustrated sigh sounded in her ears… but it didn't come from her. Above her, his breath fluffed across her bangs, and she timidly backed away.

Sasuke lowered his chin, his steely eyes flashing from hers to somewhere lower. His warm palm came up between them, cupping along her jaw, and she leaned into his calloused touch. His words were at odds with his promising touches, though.

"Yeah… give me an hour, I'm on my way."

Sakura's frown became a full-on pout, and she lowered her head more, attempting to hide her disappointment. Sasuke didn't allow it. He tilted her head towards him instead after hanging up the phone, stealing a gentle kiss flowing with apologies.

I'm sorry.

"Come on, let me take you home," he said instead as he released her slowly. She nodded, allowing him to open the door and help her inside.

 .

 .

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

 .

 .

A sharp horn rang out as traffic slowed to a crawl, signaling the start of the evening commute. Watching the congestion swell from his vantage point, a man in heavy boots relaxed in his seat on the balcony and enjoyed a well-needed pull. The cigarette dangled from his thin lips as his folded hands relaxed behind his head. With his feet propped up on the metal railing, the space easily fit the small wooden chair.

Coming out here allowed the man some fresh air without having to leave out the front door. Although the views left much to be desired. The skinny alleyway, sidewalk, and main street were all he could see from here, but at least the setting sun wasn't shining directly in his face.

His solid weight balanced the chair on its back legs as he moved a hand forward, grabbing the cigarette to flick some of the ashes away. His ears perked up when a shadow approached from the other side of the sliding glass door.

Karashi gently moved the screen panel aside, stepping out onto the narrow patio. He pulled out his own cigarettes, sparking the tip of the tobacco while staying at the far end of the narrow space.

His employer didn't acknowledge him, instead, remaining fixated on the cars traveling across the small bridge half a block away. The sweet purring of an engine made the teen turn to look as well. The expensive sports car revved up again, before taking off when the light turned green.

"Sick car," Karashi commented, his eyes following it down the road until the sightline was cut. It made him excited to get one of his own. Probably not one as expensive but with the money he'd made recently he was definitely going to score something with a V8 engine.

A dry snort made him turn to look back at the older man.

"Tch. If you prefer plastic toys. Nothing like the muscle cars that used to be around. Great classics that were made from real metal and ingenuity."

Karashi was quiet and chose to keep his eyes forward, feeling the tension build inside of himself despite the little pep talk he'd given inside of his head before coming outdoors.

'Fuck my life,' the faltering consensus was making it hard, now that he's here.

Such a stupid, stupid, thing, because since the beginning he'd aimed to complete this project as quickly as possible.

Why then, when he finally accomplished his goals, did he find himself hesitant. Such a conflicting thing especially when he didn't know the internal reasons. He wasn't sure who or what he was protecting. It couldn't be himself, right? This was why he was sought out for.

So why were these thoughts of delaying appearing out of nowhere?

His employer went still as if he could hear the internal squabbling chatter, and it was then Karashi realized he was being watched.

The tall mercenary didn't have to turn his head to trap Karashi in that unnerving gaze. A look from the corner of his eye was all that was needed. Sitting down and relaxed — completely exposed while leaning back in a chair... and the man was still a central source of apprehension.

If he found out that Karashi had held onto this information longer than necessary...

Shaking out of his daze, Karashi's hand went into his pocket, holding out the folded piece of paper. It felt heavier than bricks between his fingers. In reality, it was nothing more than a flimsy sheet of paper that he'd ripped from the bottom of a notepad after he'd scribbled some important information down.

Sharp eyes followed the movement, the wooden chair falling down to all four legs with a dull thump. A large hand reached out towards the teen, long fingers snagging the piece of parchment from his slack grip. Curious, he opened it, his glimmering eyes running across every letter.

"You're sure…?" he asked with a dangerous smile.

The teen stiffened, but the man's eyes remained on the small piece of paper he held in his hand, his question dripping in excitement. There was a current of something dark there. Something willing and able to cause great amounts of pain, and Karashi knew without a doubt it was better for whatever that was to be directed towards someone else rather than himself.

"Yeah, I'm sure. That's the name on the account," Karashi confirmed, a testament that self-preservation made for very loose lips. "I checked it twice."

 .

 .

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

 .

 .

"I'm telling you, if Ben Cruz wasn't traded, there's no way you'd be talking shit right now." A few law enforcement officers of different ranks and stations were scattered about the area, roaming throughout the central squad room.

"What?! Are you going to blame your team's losing streak on 'wonder boy' being traded? He was injured at the start of the season."

Located on the first floor of the precinct and behind the main lobby reception, space well lit from the windows and translucent wall panels sectioning off the large area. Many individuals were utilizing the room, scuttling around and tending to business while four figures sat in the back near the northwest corner, desks close enough to speak freely to each other.

"Exactly! Which means he was well-rested and raring to go before he was yanked."

The group was largely ignored, and with the mounted televisions turned on and running the news, most of what they said translated to mere background noise for anyone bothering to listen in.

"Aburame, tell this clown I'm right, and that he doesn't know shit."

The two officers turned from their desks to look over at the detective seated at his own, feet propped up and leaning back in his chair. The newspaper he held crinkled as he folded a portion back to look at them. His black hair was mostly hidden beneath the flat cap he wore, while his eyes flickered behind his glasses over to the two seated men.

"Don't drag me into it," Torune Aburame's monotone voice replied, wanting nothing to do with the conversation. He quickly went back to reading, not bothered by the distant ringing of phones, and found where he left off.

The short, blonde patrol officer didn't give up, and he swung around to the aloof detectives' assigned partner, instead.

"What about you, Fū? Help me out here!"

"I'm going to have to agree with my partner on this one, sorry." Fū stood and approached the large bin by the coffee station, throwing away the cold black americano left in his styrofoam cup. It was his second one today but surely not his last.

While eyeing the self-serve brewing machine, a flicker of roseate caught his attention. Pulling his shoulders back, Fū's head turned to gaze past one of the open-access points that led across to the main lobby. It was bustling with activity for an otherwise mundane weekday. And as his eyes darted around, he hoped to catch sight of something he wasn't sure he'd really spotted, to begin with.

"Fū? Hey, Fū? Yo… Yamanaka!"

"Eh…?" The man snapped out of it, the sound of his name rousing him from his daze.

"You ok? I called your name like a hundred times," the blonde patrol officer said.

"Yeah…" he trailed off, turning to look at Torune. "I thought I saw that chick we had to interview a while back."

"The crazy bitch who sicced her dog on her ex-boyfriend?" Torune didn't bother to turn away from his newspaper, flipping a page while answering in a bored drawl.

"No, no… the other one, a few days before that. The hot one with pink hair." Fū referred to a different case, leaning into one of the hallways and looking down another corridor.

It was probably just his imagination.

There was no reason for her to be here unless she'd been summoned, and he certainly hadn't given her a call. Torune had shot down his plan to get her phone number after they met with her. The other officer had never interfered with Fū scoring dates while on the clock before, but this one was different, and Torune wouldn't give him many details but said once they'd finished, they were to keep clear.

Fū could have been mistaken about seeing her a few minutes ago. He never did get a good look and was probably just seeing things. There were many people around with oddly colored hair — and with his mop of apricot, he was hardly one to talk.

"You want to go pick up a few slices from Jerry's? My treat." The blonde patrol officer had given up arguing with the other seated cop and instead grabbed his jacket.

Fū agreed, aloofly waving the whole thing off when walking back to his desk for his belongings, never one to often turn down a free meal.

Torune declined to join them, suddenly less interested in the article he was reading, eyes sliding to the front of the precinct. He was tempted to go take a look around himself when he was stopped by the school resource cop who stayed behind as well.

"Hey… do you think you could score me a little…" The officer slid a hand into the pocket of his jeans, keeping his voice low as his eyes dashed around. Torune frowned, still a little distracted but grunted in answer.

He was a little annoyed that the other cop was coming to him again for 'candy', quickly realizing he'd need to put a stop to this soon before the other man mistook him for his personal corner boy. Considering the said man worked at a school, he should've been able to find his own connection for narcotics.

Oblivious to the mild hostility, the plain-clothes officer left the area soon after to start his moonlight gig, leaving the dark-haired detective in the empty corner of the squad room with his thoughts. Torune looked over across to the concourse again before picking up the paper in dismissal.

He would just have to believe that Fū was probably mistaken, as he said… and that the girl had not materialized. Since they were the ones who took the lead on the case she was associated with, she had no reason to be here.

As it were, the case had been assigned personally by Lieutenant Shimura... with the strict understanding to bury the investigation as quickly as possible.

The less information logged — the better.

And although they were kept in the dark as to why he was determined to follow any order given to him by his superior. Torune had no reason to question anything and kept even his own partner in the dark as to all that was going on. It was better that way, and Fū went along without any objections or hesitation because he trusted his partner. And as long as they were being handsomely compensated and their hides covered… he found no reason to doubt any orders either.

Torune's stomach let out a rumbling growl, and he sighed, admitting it was time that he go pick something up for lunch as well. Something a lot healthier than the greasy slop his partner was seeking out.

 .

 .

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

 .

 .

Sakura was escorted down several halls before she was led to a windowless room. Dull grey walls surrounded her completely, and she took a seat as the door was closed, willing herself to relax. There was a missed call from Tsunade she needed to respond to, but only when she finished up here, considering she didn't want anyone to know her whereabouts.

After a few minutes of privacy, the door opened once again and a new person stepped into the dull box of a room. He circled around the table to the other side before laying down his phone, a folder ledger, and the wire-bound memo book he carried.

His simple dark suit was tidy and neat, as was the pulled-back ponytail he wore, although the ends of his hair were jagged and spiked.

He slowly unbuttoned his jacket, revealing the smartly pressed shirt while glancing down at his materials. He was handsome enough in a classic sort of way, and though he wasn't her type, the onyx stud he sported was mildly intriguing and he softly cleared his throat.

"Ms. Haruno. I'm Detective Nara. I want to thank you again for agreeing to come down and meet with me."

"Sure…" Sakura trailed off, not really sure how to respond. She didn't necessarily want to come down here but was absolutely tired of authorities showing up on her doorstep. She'd just moved into that building too and was very concerned with how it all might look to any nosy neighbors. There really was no choice but to accommodate the police if she wanted to avoid a scene.

"I'm glad we picked a day with a little more sunshine. The rains this week have been a pain."

"I'm sure you wanted to speak to me about other things than just the weather."

Shikamaru stifled the sigh he'd almost slipped and released.

Well... at least he tried.

He was told by mentors in the department that when it came to speaking with others, he should maybe... take a more, personable approach. Well, turns out he wasn't the only one who preferred to get straight to the point and skip the small talk.

Of course, there was no way for him to know that her previous interactions with the police didn't go over so well. He pulled out a chair, holding his tie as he leaned in and took a seat. His notebook was opened, several pages flipping up before he uncapped his pen, writing on the page.

"You are a student, correct?"

Sakura frowned, before clearing her throat and sitting up straighter. "I was on hiatus, but will be returning soon."

"School can be a pain, but it's worth it in the end if you stick it out," Shikamaru said, scribbling down notes. "Your parents pay for your education?"

After a few silent seconds, he raised his head in the subsequent stillness, watching her... watch him.

"Yes," Sakura finally answered. The question was not weird on its own, but her confusion was growing. This wasn't going in the direction it ought to be.

Shikamaru's eyes lowered back to the notepad, flicking back to the previous page. "What about employment? Are you one of those brave souls that can work and go to school full time?"

Sakura's eyes broke away and cast off to the side, although the detective kept his head lowered.

"Full-time student until I took a small… hiatus. During that time I was involved in volunteer work overseas."

"Ah. Charitable work is very noble."

Sakura folded her hands in her lap, eyes still gazing off to some unknown point on the brick wall covered in thick grey paint. The delicate arch of her brow furrowed, lowering as a small line appeared at the bridge of her nose.

"You would think that, but I know they helped me more than I did them," she confessed, a small smile edging the corner of her mouth as she recalled the many faces she'd been lucky enough to have met. A humbling experience indeed.

It was all done in hopes to ease the burden surrounding the unfortunate souls left behind in the aftermath of wars or famine. Counteracting the bad with offers of aid and compassion.

"Sounds like you're on the straight and narrow. You have basically stayed out of trouble, right? I didn't see anything on your record-"

"You looked me up?" Her eyes were like stained glass as she turned back to look at him again.

"Nothing too evasive. I like to know just whom I'm speaking with." Shikamaru's own brow rounded in subtle amusement, but Sakura was far from laughing.

"I thought we were here to speak about important things." Like maybe an update regarding her missing friend? She half wondered why she was speaking with him anyway, and not the other two assholes who seemed like they couldn't be bothered last time.

"We are, believe me. We've barely just begun." This time he reached for the folder, tilting it slightly to skim over the only open case he thought she was involved in. Clearing his throat, his voice took on a more heuristic tone. "Sometimes people get mixed up in things they had no intentions of. Wrong place, wrong time…? Trusting the wrong people…"

"What are you getting at?"

The detective chose that time to remain silent. It was the longest he'd gone without talking since arriving. He folded his long fingers together above the case folder and studied her. But Sakura was quick to spew her frustration.

"Look, I came here as a courtesy."

"And we appreciate—"

"So, I would like it if you would just ask whatever it is you want to ask." Sakura shifted forward in her seat, bracing her wrist against the table as she made a move to stand. "I think this was a mistake. I thought this had something to do with Kiba—"

"Mr. Inuzuka? Unfortunately, he is not accepting my calls. That would make things a little easier, if you'd asked me."

Was this some sort of sick joke? Sakura held her gaze steady as she removed her wrist from the cool surface, curling both of her hands into fists under the table. "What are you playing at? Why am I here?"

Shikamaru's aloof gaze sharpened into something far more calculating. His eyes skipped across her face, tracking the minute tics around her jawline as she wrestled between anger and confusion.

Sakura suddenly felt like she was in the hot seat and did not like the scrutiny.

Shikamaru leaned back in his seat, keeping his eyes trained on her. "You really don't have a clue, do you?"

Her face relaxed in confusion while taking a calming breath, a small crease extending along her brow, though her eyes remained defiant. Detective Nara spoke up once more, moving along to his next question.

"When was the last time you used 'Dollar App Mobile'?"

"...beg your pardon?"

"The mobile payment service, used for currency exchange-"

Sakura raised one hand, waving him off. "No, no… I know what it is-"

"Nice to hear you are very familiar with it-"

"No! What I mean is, why are you asking me about that?"

A telling light settled in his eyes and his head cocked to the side. His hypothesis was correct, it seemed.

"Ms. Haruno, when was the last time you used the service?"

"I don't know… a while now, I guess. I don't understand…"

His hand dropped the pen, laying it down on the padded paper gently before indicating with a smooth motion of his hand— "If you please, would you open the application on your phone now?"

She slowly shook her head, not in refusal but in blatant confusion. Shikamaru just nodded his head in encouragement so she reached for her backpack purse, dragging the designer wear closer and unzipping the main compartment. Sakura was prompted to download a new critical update, which restarted her phone.

Shikamaru waited patiently in the silence. His hands folded across the lower half of his face, slowly blinking in thought.

Sakura's eyes darted from the phone, up into his eyes, and back again. Licking her lips, she tasted the root beer chapstick she wore and typed in her log-in information and password, randomly accepting the notifications and warnings about changes and updates.

"Ok…?"

Shikamaru's dark brown eyes never left her face yet he gave a slight nod, gesturing to the device she still held in her grasp. "Have a look, tell me what you see?"

"Nothing much. Looks like the same interface. The annoying ads are still here." She said, rolling her eyes.

"Is that all? What about recent history?"

"There shouldn't be much there, I hardly use the thing. Look, are you going to tell me what—"

"Humor me, would you? Please take a look."

Sakura had half a mind to mouth off some more but her fingers were moving in reluctant curiosity. Really, anything that would speed up this process and get her out of here? She was all for at this point—

The surprised noise she suddenly made in the back of her throat sounded like the faint squeak of a dying bug. And Sakura clutched her phone tighter and brought the device closer to her face. Her eyes were going to be screaming with strain later, but she couldn't help glaring back and forth across the screen.

"That's what I partially wanted to speak to you about."

'Yeah?' she thought bitterly, "Well, that's not surprising at all."

Sakura wanted to calm the perplexing feelings starting to blind her. She swallowed thickly, her manicured thumb still hovering above the screen.

She really wished that out of all the calls Kiba had been ignoring lately, this detective's solicitations weren't one of them, and that he would have picked up to explain himself.

Because she had no idea why her friend had sent her payments with more zeros than what was stashed away in some of her trust fund accounts.

'Kiba… just what the fuck have you dragged me into?!'

 .

 .

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

 .

 .

There was an audible click at the end of the second ring, but black silence followed, and she wasn't so sure if anyone had really answered. She checked the screen before speaking up.

"...Hello?"

"I'm here. Just waiting to hear what trouble you've gotten yourself into now."

"Uncle," Star sighed in relief, swinging her tote bag into a seat and propping herself up on the bar while one of the bartenders gave her a stinky look. Did it really matter if she sat up here? The place wasn't opening for another half hour. She went back to her call. "I'm glad I've finally been able to reach you."

Her previous calls had gone ignored and unanswered, something by design if his disgruntled voice was anything to go by.

"I couldn't be bothered to deal with whatever bullshit you might have found yourself involved in. You know I'm a busy man."

Star flinched, crossing a leg and reaching down to tuck an untied shoelace into the side of her sneaker.

"Are you locked up? If you—"

"No, Uncle. I'm not in jail."

"Good, because I would have no problem letting you fester there a few days before having you released, after the stunt you pulled last time."

That had been a very unpleasant night. A bad drug trip on a wild night of partying mixed with alcohol had gotten her in a scuffle that almost trashed a local bar. Being hauled away in cuffs and forced to sober up overnight in the clink hadn't been the worst of it. The person who owned the place was good friends with her boss, and she was almost fired when she returned to work a few days later. It was one thing to embarrass herself off the clock, and it was another to get recognized while in someone else's establishment.

No formal complaints were filed thanks to her boss's relationship with the other owner, and she was released to her own recognizance in major part to the relative she was speaking with now.

"I'm not in any trouble, I promise." Star assurance didn't ease the tension. "I haven't seen you in a while, but I did try to reach out sooner to let you know. Something… odd, happened a few days ago."

Another dancer came in through the front and nodded in Star's direction, giving her a small wave. Star dipped her chin in acknowledgment, more concerned with her call even though her shift was starting soon.

There wasn't much of a response, and she felt like his attention was miles away.

"Uncle? Are you listening to me? Someone came by asking questions."

"What are you talking about? Who the hell would ask a silly girl like you anything at all?"

"Uncle, please-"

"And what exactly did you say?" The seriousness sounded dark in her ears, filled with untold hostility. She'd almost forgotten just whom she was dealing with, kinfolk or not.

"Nothing. I didn't say anything."

"Good. And it should always be that way. I shouldn't have to tell you that."

Her back stiffened, and she didn't take too kindly to his tone. It reminded her too much of the condescending ones she had to endure listening to every night.

But still, wasn't he the least bit curious as to what she was talking about? Granted, he rarely cared if it didn't directly involve money, power, or himself. Especially since she no longer pushed anything for him through the strip club anymore.

Still, she herself was intrigued to know a little bit more as to what may have happened. Had thought so little of it all up until now—

"Is that all…?"

Well, if he wasn't concerned then maybe…

"I guess so," she stumbled. "I just thought that, since I haven't seen him around-"

"Who…?"

Star stifled a sigh. She was right; he was barely paying attention to her.

"...No one."

"Good answer."

A sharp whistle caused her to look up, and an evening manager was looking at her through narrowed eyes. Star rolled her own eyes and slid off the high bar, her feet landing softly on the decorated carpet.

"Don't bother me again unless it's important. Just keep your mouth shut. And just be lucky I don't question why any of my siblings decided to procreate."

She was listening, but now it was her mind that was wandering.

She was an attractive woman, and it wasn't often she was ghosted, so when the shaggy-haired man with the cute puppy did just that, it had left a slight impression on her. But maybe she was reading too much into everything. There could be other reasons he stopped calling. Even though the last time had been after arranging—

"...Suiren?"

Star grimaced at the use of her real name, paying attention to her elder once again.

"I understand."

A strong wind picked up wherever he was, and Star heard the crackling noise through the earpiece.

"I need to go. And make sure you call your mother. You know she worries since you've moved from that swamp town to here, clear across the country."

She flinched this time, now anxious to end the call as quickly as he was.

"Ok, I'll talk to you—"

A resounding click ended the call.

"...later?" Sighing, the exotic dancer hung up the phone, grabbing her belongings and heading backstage to the locker rooms. She still had a face full of makeup to do in less than twenty minutes.

 .

 .

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

 .

 .

The hood of his car was still warm as he leaned against it, watching the coast guard boat float by on choppy waters. The winds had started to pick up and created interference with his call. He wasn't in the mood to compete with the sound, not when he was tired of the entire conversation anyway. He had too much on his mind to deal with the silly prattlings of his niece.

"...Suiren?"

"I understand." She quickly replied on the other end.

Approaching headlights on the service road made the lieutenant turn, glancing over his shoulder at the other vehicle parking behind his own.

"I need to go. And make sure you call your mother. You know she worries ever since you moved from that swamp town."

Not that he really cared. It just stopped the annoying messages from his siblings wanting to use him as a go-between.

"Ok, I'll talk to you—"

He straightened while blindly ending the call, moving the phone to his pocket as he waited for the dapper individual to get closer.

"I didn't expect you to make it on time. There was a huge accident in the tunnel," the officer remarked as he watched the other man circle around.

"I came across the bridge," was the curt answer. The gold timepiece he wore flashed from beneath the cuff of his suit as he reached up to remove his sunglasses. "Was it that awful? Shouldn't you be out there, helping?"

"Do I look like a traffic cop to you?" the disgruntled lawman asked, but he brightened at an idea. "Now if there was a fleeing suspect, then I'd lend a hand. Haven't performed a good pit maneuver since my highway patrol days."

The new arrival said nothing, gazing out at a slow-moving cruise boat tugging along in the canal running parallel to where they were.

Tasting the salt in the air, Detective Shimura spat at the ground and got down to business. "What's been the hold-up? The shipment was set to arrive in Miami no later than two days ago."

"It has."

"And?"

"It was short."

The scar slashing across his chin puckered as his mouth fixed into a deep frown.

"It was taken before the voyage set sail, courtesy of your new connections. 'For their troubles' is what the captain said. He certainly wasn't holding out on anything. My people ripped the cabin to shreds. There was nothing there."

The wind died down, and Danzo sighed, scratching the shadow of his mustache.

"I'll deal with it."

The taller of the two frowned. "Is this what we can expect in the future? Low life, piece of scummy shits who think they can steal? From us?"

Danzo grunted, running his tongue across his teeth in irritation.

"They called it... 'renegotiating,' chose to make a move after everything was already loaded and ready to go. Left the captain with no choice but to bring what they had."

"I said I would take care of it." And that would be the end of it. Despite this gross oversight on his part, he was still in charge of this operation, Danzo thought bitterly, wanting to check the man in the finely tailored suit that cost four times his own.

He cleaned up messes like he called the shots, and this slight setback would be no different. At least there was something on the way, despite the carelessness. There were just too many fires being put out lately and strings being plucked too thin.

Circumstances will be much easier with his upcoming promotion that was almost guaranteed, and with more power in the police force, it was only a matter of time for things to finally start paying off for him.

"Let me know when things finally make it past the Virginia border," Danzo ordered, finally standing and reaching for his phone. His companion hesitated, so he sneered. "What is it now?"

The other gentleman paused, dark eyes steering towards the water. "...Nothing. I'll give you a call when it's done."

"Excellent. Always a pleasure," Danzo jeered, before driving off and kicking up little pebbles in his wake, red lights fading from view.

The other man stood there for another minute, lighting a cigarette in the darkening twilight and considering whether he should've asked for assistance with this other… 'problem.' It was the officers' fault that they were all in this mess, to begin with. Maybe he should have to share in some of the wretchedness that had befallen himself and his operations.

Another inhale and the cigarette was flicked aside into the night.

No… they would handle this themselves. It would probably be quicker that way than if they waited for the crooked cop to follow through with anything.

His mind flickered back to the name his brethren had recently procured and passed along to him.

Besides, just how much trouble could a girl named Sakura Haruno be?

. 

.

End Chapter

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : BR : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

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🌟 Thank you for reading :) 🌟

[theredconversegirl]

can you recommend any fics where sasuke calls sakura “tsuma” (wife) or “yome” (bride)? tysm!! ❤️

Hi nonny,

No problem, thanks for stopping by! ❤️

I could only remember two fics, so I had to search a bit for this ask. I haven’t read most of the fics here, but their premises + average reviews look good. 😊

I’ll start with the ones I know, here you go:

My Wife (Tsuma & Yome) 🍅🌸

Fics where Sasuke calls Sakura tsuma, yome or my wife.

Love & Sexy Hips [Ch 1 of  Love & Roll] By: theClosetPoet7

You're stuck in my head. Stuck on my heart. And stuck on my body. So baby, take me to that feeling and I'll be your sinner in secret, when the lights go out. In which they express their connection in more ways than one. A series of one-shots. [Rated M, complete]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

marriage [Part 8 of the SSSnippetADay Drabbles series] By: thefangirlslair

anata and tsuma in action. not that kind of action though, but you know... [Rated T, complete]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Because She Just Had to Wear That [Ch 3 of Of Apples and Cinnamon] By: theClosetPoet7 

Their love was not built on rose-colored petals or romantic walks on the beach. If there was one thing Sasuke and Sakura has always had, it was most definitely chemistry. A series of one-shots and random drabbles. [Rated M, complete]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Valentine's Day By: SakuraAndSasukeLove00 

Sasuke is coming home in time for Valentine's Day...Sakura has a surprise in store. Quick one-shot of my favorite couple! [Rated M, complete]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Bitter Lounge of Disbelief By: theClosetPoet7 

She wishes him all the best and lets his hands go. Then, she walks out of his life. When he turns to face the crowd with his wife's hand in his, Uchiha Sasuke focuses only on Sakura. He doesn't know which one he prefers; her smile or her tears. AU. [Alternate Ending to White Wine, Bitter Sunlight]  [Rated M, complete]

⚠ Please make sure to read the author’s warnings at the beginning. 

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Four Years and Counting By: ooo Blue Rose ooo / @blue---rose​

He spent a lifetime doing it to others... so he knew when he was being ignored. And right now, she was doing just that. - 'Happy Anniversary, Tsuma.'  [Rated M, complete]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Easing Tension By: schmoogles 

Shameless SasuSaku smut. Sasuke comes home pissed and horny and decides something needs to be done about it. [Rated M, complete]

🍅🌸🍅🌸🍅🌸

Warmth of Home By: Ariel.611 

Following the events of Sasuke's return after Sakura's Story after the war. Sasuke came back to save his former teammate but with her out of immediate danger he's ready to wander again. When Kakashi orders Sakura to accompany him how will the last Uchiha's relationship with the Cherry Blossom of The Leaf change? SasuSaku. Ratings subject to change as the story progresses. [Rated M, on going]

It will take a while until you get to the scene, but it’s there. 😊

——————————————————————————

I hope this is what you were looking for. Enjoy! 😁 If anyone knows other fics that fit this list, please send them my way. Thanks 😘

~ Happy Reading & Stay Safe!

xoxo

[blue---rose]

White Widow - Chapter Nine

Fanfiction.net | AO3

Title: White Widow Chapter: Nine Rating: M Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura

Summary: “Running away was easy; not knowing what to do next was the hard part.” - Sakura needed to stop fantasizing about running away to some other life, and start figuring out the one she had. [Sasu/Saku, Modern AU]

:

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

Chapter Nine

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

:

A wave of darkness colored most of the apartment, down throughout the hallway and around the hidden corners. All of the lights were out, sleeping in the shadows, including the industrial-styled overhead light just above the entryway.

The silence was so piercing it nearly created a sound on its own. Double paned windows kept any outside racket at bay, while the drawn curtains tried to shield most of the space from the midday sun.

Everything was surrounded by stillness, disrupted only by the buoyant dust particles dancing through the air. A few, tiny specks floated around and revealed themselves only when sunlight from a nearby window caught their reflection through the crack in the blinds.

That changed with a disturbance at the front door. There was a muted jangle — a distinct sound of metal scraping on metal, before the deadbolt turned. Not a second later, the knob was turned and the inside foyer was flooded with light from the outside hall.

A pair of all black boots managed to step a foot inside before they were yanked back across the threshold.

The pair of retro Jordan's on much larger feet stepped through instead. Silent and cautious, the male figure looked around with his eyes, keeping an ear out for any voices. Deeming it safe, he stepped aside, finally allowing the woman through.

Sakura huffed as she passed him, a little put off at being stopped in the first place.

Sasuke shrugged off her attitude and closed the door behind them, locking it once more. The action was completed the proper way — with him turning the visible latch instead of using the lockpick set he had just stashed back into his pocket.

"Do you always go head first into situations?" Sasuke asked while she turned on a few lights. He still couldn't believe he'd let her talk him into accompanying him. Probably served him right for stupidity mentioning going to Kiba's apartment around her and thinking she wouldn't pester him about it.

Sakura realized her mistake and chided herself for not being a little more cautious as well. Considering where they were and why they were here, it only made sense to be vigilant. Slinking further inside, one of the first things she did was unburden her arms of the dog food she carried, placing it on the island counter. It was the leftover supply Sasuke forgot to give her during Akamaru's hand off. Since they were coming here anyway, it was best just to leave it here. Moving around, Sakura set out to see if anything was out of the ordinary, keeping an eye out for whatever didn't seem quite right.

Sasuke took a similar approach, heading for Kiba's bedroom.

After all this time, he was finally able to come check out the apartment for himself. He'd been here before, but he had only made it halfway inside. He was interrupted last time when a neighbor showed up to move into the building. The hiatus extended when the newly discovered Private Investigator began his stake out. One thing was certain—with this recent influx of activity, people would certainly go snooping, and there were a lot of things that needed to be cleared out first.

Nothing appeared tampered with as Sasuke moved several hanging shirts in the closet out of the way, checking the hidden safe. He searched his phone for the code, looking for the locked memo note that held the combination. The door swung open on silent hinges as he took stock of what was inside. Finding a lonesome burner, stacks of money and the remaining drug stash, Sasuke crossed robbery off of his conspiracy list.

"His passport is still here," Sasuke whispered to himself but left the document be, along with a few other miscellaneous items. Nevertheless, the fake IDs he found were added to the leather backpack he slid from his shoulders. Placing it on the floor, he started removing certain possessions from the steel box before stashing them inside the soft, silk lining interior of the bag.

The small Ruger LCP he picked up had been scrubbed of all identifying marks and shouldn't be traced back to them. Still, it would cause quite the alarm if anyone found it. The same could be said for the large amount of currency and narcotics, and he worked quickly to withdraw them.

"Find anything?" Sasuke asked, returning to the common area.

Sakura looked up and shook her head no.

"You?"

"Nothing."

Sakura resisted the urge to bite her lip in disappointment. Even so, she refused to think of this as a failed trip. She wasn't sure what her expectations were, but maybe this was a good sign? At least they didn't stumble upon a chaotic scene of broken things and blood everywhere… right?

A stiff, absolutely cold chill ran up her body and she crossed her arms at the funny feeling. Shaking it off she frowned, glancing at Sasuke before making one last sweep.

She missed the way his eyes had strayed down, tracing the all black ensemble she wore. The clothes contributed to the excitement of her first ever break-in. Sure, she took all of this seriously but couldn't pass up the chance to play dress-up. The tight fitting dark clothes added to the overall aesthetic of unlawfulness she was aiming for, he conceded, following her fingers as they adjusted the cotton beanie on her head, silk pressed hair falling straight down her back underneath.

Sasuke's eyes made one final move across her frame, flickering back to the contours of her face. Dark mascara outlined her doe-like eyes but otherwise she remained bare faced under the illuminated lights.

Sakura looked every bit the cat burglar, and Sasuke wouldn't have minded if she came along on a heist or two but quickly thought better of it. Too much of a distraction. Her ass looked way too good in just about anything, including the tight black pants she was wearing.

Clearing his throat, Sasuke adjusted the shoulder strap of the backpack he wore. Being the naive, little thing she could be sometimes, she had no idea he was checking her out.

Lost in her own world, her eyes darted around the apartment for anything she may have missed. She idly plucked a few fibers from the folded fleece blanket resting on the back of the recliner.

"I say, it's still a good thing we came, right? We could at least see with our own eyes-"

"Shhh!" He suddenly spoke up, raising up a hand before turning his eyes towards the entryway. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Sakura opened her ears to listen and soon heard muffled voices out in the hallway. She stepped forward but stopped dead in her tracks as her heart dropped all the way down to her ankles when the jingle of keys got louder and louder. There was no time to react.

Sakura froze in place as the voices drew closer, shadows playing underneath the door as someone approached. The door was unlocked a second time, and Sakura briefly panicked just as the door swung open.

"Sakura!" Hana exclaimed, clearly surprised at seeing the pink haired woman right after stepping through the doorway. The older Inuzuka sibling looked just like her maternal parent, but with softer features. Her long brown hair was secured in a low ponytail with twin strands of milk-chocolate framing the curve of her face while she broke out in a smile. The other, second brunette that entered stood slightly shorter than her counterpart — sporting a more petite frame, but her brown eyes held the same questioning stare.

"Hana… Tamaki. Hey, what a surprise," Sakura started nervously, smiling as the duo came closer, and further into the apartment.

"Well, my eyes don't deceive me." Hana chuckled as she came closer for a hug. Though not particularly close, Hana had definitely been a key figure in her early teenage years. Sakura could still recall the first bottle of liquor she'd bought Kiba, Ino, and herself for their freshman skip day in high-school. It certainly wasn't the last time she'd looked out for her little brother and his band of misfit friends.

"I hope you're not here to see Kiba," Hana said. Her younger sibling had skipped town from what she'd heard, but there wasn't too much concern because this was, well… 'Kiba'.

"Uh… well... actually, we had just-"

"'We'?" Tamaki echoed in confusion after locking the door and following Hana deeper inside the apartment. The puzzled look on Kiba's ex-girlfriends face had Sakura looking over her shoulder at the empty living room and dining area, finding no sign of the tall male that had accompanied her.

The three women were alone.

Hana stepped back and circled around the counter, sitting her tote bag on one of the kitchen island barstools.

Sakura cleared her throat. "I mean, yeah... I heard about Kiba." She turned to face Hana. "From your mother actually. I was just stopping by to drop off some keys and-"

'Shit' — she didn't think she'd have to act so quickly on her feet. Her nervous hand moved across the granite surface and brushed against the clear plastic storage tub containing the bag of puppy kibble, still resting there. Hana's eyes brightened as she reached for it.

"Oh! This is one of the reasons we're here. Akamaru is running low and I figured we could get a stash here. That, and Tamaki needed to grab something."

"Yeah, I left my snowboarding jacket here," the shorter woman stated.

"Wait, are you and Kiba back together?"

Tamaki's dark eyes became even cooler, and immediately Sakura felt like she shouldn't have said anything.

But...

Kiba had gotten the place all nice and pretty for dinner that one time… it occurred that it very well could have been for his ex. Only, it seems her presumption was incorrect.

And the following comment all but confirmed it.

"No. Not since last year. We've been talking lately, here and there. But—" Her mouth closed, and she swallowed, throat rippling. "I'm going to go get that coat now. I think I left it in the spare bedroom. Excuse me."

"Damn. Me and my big mouth…" Sakura said after she watched the other girl leave. But she was way more concerned as to who she may come across, and her worried gaze followed.

Hana just shook her head and pulled the plastic bin of dog food closer to her. "Not your fault. She's a little peeved he missed her birthday. And she's pretending not to care. My brother will have a lot of explaining to do when he finally shows up."

"Oh…" Sakura glanced nervously behind them, once again.

"So, what about you? How have you been? I feel like it's been years."

"I've been alright. And yeah, it's been a long time." Sakura toyed with her industrial piercing while folding her other arm across the counter beneath her, leaning more weight on the surface. "How is school going?"

"Aaah, one more year and a few board examinations and I'm home free!" Hana beamed, proud of the progress she'd made in the veterinary field.

"That's really great news." Sakura reached over and patted her forearm, returning her gentle smile.

"Found it! It doesn't have to be dropped off at the cleaners either." Tamaki returned carrying a garment bag. She didn't look any worse for wear and the lack of screaming suggested that she hadn't run into Sasuke.

Hana grinned, before nodding to Sakura.

"We are going to hit the slopes. I can picture it already… fresh mountain air, beautiful views, and of course there's the wine. Lots and lots of wine." Hana sighed dreamily, excited for the upcoming trip.

"Aspen?"

"France," Tamaki answered for them, holding the coat tighter and shifting slightly. She looked between Hana and the door, and Sakura couldn't help to think that the other girl was still upset with her.

The slight tension would have been annoying, but she knew the missing boy must have had some sort of effect on the brunette. She could read it in her eyes and decided not to take her cool demeanor so personally. In fact, Sakura gave Tamaki a kind hearted smile; meek and filled with a hint of apology if her question earlier had saddened her.

Sakura's father used to tell her that her smile could disarm the gods themselves. Something that seemed to be working when Tamaki reluctantly returned the gesture with one of her own while reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. The brunette still appeared a little down but not nearly as bothered as before.

"Well, that sounds wonderful. I'm sure you guys will have a great time," Sakura offered, looking between the two.

"Yeah. Um... Hana? Maybe we should go? We don't want to miss that place; they're closing soon."

"Right!" Hana pulled out her phone to check the time before gathering her belongings and the puppy chow. "Coming?"

"Yeah…" Sakura trailed off, following behind them while glancing nervously around the dark corners and hallway. She slowed to a stop after the front door was opened and the two brunettes crossed the threshold. The pinkette halted just inside the foyer as Tamaki headed down the stairs, while Hana gave her a questioning look over her shoulder.

"You know what? You guys go ahead. I'm going to use the bathroom before I go."

"Are you sure? We can wait for you."

"No! No, you guys go on, I'll just be a few minutes. Besides, you're running late, right? I wouldn't want to hold you guys up." The smile was a little fake but Sakura hopped from foot to foot, urging the other woman to believe the excuse. The universal 'I really have to pee' dance did the trick and they all exchanged one last goodbye before Sakura quickly shut the door. Locking it, she breathed out a sigh of relief as she heard their voices dim and exit the building.

Wide eyed, Sakura spun around, rushing back to the common area.

"Sasuke?" she whispered, craning her neck to peer down the hallway. Shadowed silence answered her call. Biting her lip, she tried again.

"Sasuke—"

"That was a little too close, don't you think?" His deep voice skirted past her ear and traveled down her spine. Much too close even if she had been expecting it.

She brought a hand to her pounding heart as he moved back and turned to look down the foyer.

What flabbergasted Sakura more than the mini heart attack was the black glock he was arranging into the back of his pants. Toned muscles flashed across the exposed strip of skin as he arranged the firearm back into its hiding spot.

"You brought a gun?" She couldn't contain the shock that laced her question as his shirt and jacket were pulled back down, hiding the weapon from view. Sasuke swung around enough to look at her, brazen eyes answering because stating the obvious was wasted breath.

'Ok, dum-dum. Did you forget who he was? And what he did for a living?' Sakura silently chastised herself.

Well, it should have been a no-brainer that the guy would be packing heat. It just so happened to be overkill, considering who had just left. Still, she wasn't too thrilled about the potential show of force around people she was familiar with. But how could they know who was coming into the apartment from the other side? It still made her feel better when it was hidden away from view.

"Did you hear what his ex said? Kiba wasn't fooling around with her after all."

Sasuke walked over to the living room window, reaching out a finger to gently move the gray curtain out of the way, lifting one of the blinds. He looked down towards the sidewalk, watching as the women loaded up and drove off.

Sakura turned around and brought a hand to her chin in thought. "He definitely was seeing someone, though. Now I wonder who that could be…"

Not particularly interested in Kiba's romantic life, Sasuke turned to lean against the large window sill, following Sakura's movements back and forth. Watching her mind work as she lost herself to inner thoughts was always an event — she had a tendency to mumble to herself and ignore everything around her. There was something kind of hot about her just then, but his thoughts stopped short when she paused mid stride.

Bright pink circled below Sakura's eyes and pooled into a dark tinted blush as their eyes met, and he suddenly realized he may have uttered a few of those words out loud.

Trying to compose herself and act like she wasn't that affected, Sakura reached behind to smooth out some of her hair, trying to take on a confident flare. She grabbed a few locks and brought them over her shoulder, now using both hands to play with the extended length. "Not used to a girl with brains and looks?"

Sasuke didn't want to laugh, but he could feel the pull of muscles stretching. Forcing his mouth to quirk. Managing to suppress any sounds of amusement, he raised a hand and beckoned her closer. Her smile grew as she sashayed closer, coming close to wrap her arms around his neck. Sasuke reached a hand out to curve low on her hip, the other hand gripping her elbow to pull her closer to him as he still leaned upon the wall. They shared a brief kiss after his nose bumped against hers, soft and sweet but firm. Of course with the luck he had lately, it was only fitting to be denied anything deeper because soon after, right when he leaned in for more, she pulled away.

Another full body shiver ran up Sakura's back but it had nothing to do with Sasuke's kisses. That strange feeling had returned all of a sudden and was very effective in killing the mood. Something was off, making her uncomfortable with the idea of staying around any longer. It wasn't a feeling she ever remembered experiencing at her friend's home, but it couldn't be ignored.

Pulling on Sasuke's jacket, she suggested they should head out.

And Sakura would have to remember to bring some sage with her the next time, and help Kiba cleanse the place. Or maybe a few of those little crystals her mother was fond of collecting.

  :

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

  :

The turbulence of activity running across the screen caused his brows to lower again and again, straining to follow the information flying by.

"This isn't good…" A few more clicks across the keyboard and his frustration grew thick in the air. "No… no, no—… come on…"

Karashi, aka 'Chef,' was becoming increasingly aggravated at the data flashing back at him and tried digging deeper into the code to figure out exactly what the damn problem was. This was supposed to be the easy part now that the firewall was breached again. Syncing up the correct keys should have been enough to complete what he had wanted to do. Instead, the system revealed another path. and decoding this second level was additional stress and did nothing but anger the teen. He had wanted to put his fist through the screen three times now but with the other person in the room… well, that would be a mistake. He'd already showed his hand but couldn't think about that now. He needed to figure out—

"Son of a bitch…"

"What is it? Did you find something?"

Karashi swallowed hard as the time for procrastinating was over.

"Yeah. The money… it's not there."

"That's why you were hired."

"No, I mean it's gone. The system reconfigured and it's treating it as if it never existed—"

A large hand gripped the wide backrest near Karashi's head and swung the computer chair around swiftly. The base rolled a little on the wheels as a loud creak was heard when it collided with the large computer desk now behind him.

"What the fuck are you going on about?" The tall man had his free hand gripping the fabric of the teen's shirt in absolute fury.

"Wait! Let me explain! It's there, it's just—" Karashi's teeth rattled as the man jerked him against the chair again.

"I'll give you one chance to clarify," the man threatened while loosening his grip.

Karashi tried to catch his breath as he swung back around to point at the screen.

"There! You see that?" He pointed to a line of code. "That's basically the transaction. It's reading it as a new code, so I can't reverse something that didn't exist in the first place. That's what the system is doing. BUT—!"

Karashi could feel the movement beyond his shoulder and tried to stream roll ahead to get his words out. "I can't wire it back. But I can trace it. It's not lost." He grabbed the mouse and clicked onto another open window. Placing the cursor in another black box, he typed out a few more things while rushing to explain. "It's not gone… just moved. With the unique ID attached, I can scan the other database and—"

"Simplify."

Karashi swallowed but looked behind his shoulder at the other man with determination.

"I can get you a name."

Luminous, piercing eyes glanced between the screen and the teen, the deadly intent slowly swirling into curiosity. Karashi pressed forward hurriedly, willing to offer up the nameless fool that was knowingly, or unknowingly roped into all of this now.

"I can get you the name of the person who has your money. I promise."

 : 

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

  :

"—concludes your weather and traffic report. Make sure to tune in-"

The large SUV pulled up in front of the warehouse and the driver cut the engine after he put it in park. The radio could have been kept on but he powered off everything, reaching for his phone. The windshield wipers had stopped mid-wipe, resting in the middle of the glass as the rain turned into mere sprinkles. As heavy as the rainfall had been it dwindled down to barely anything, the storm passing just as fast as it came. Already the pitter-patter against the glass had lightened significantly in the few minutes since he'd pulled up.

Pocketing his phone, Sasuke exited the truck, picking up the faint sounds in the surrounding industrial district. The area was booming with activity despite the lowering sun. Evening had just settled among the clouds in a beautiful pink hue as a figure exited the large warehouse in front of where he parked.

"Well, well, well. Look who's actually making an appearance around these parts. I almost didn't believe that silver wolf when he said to be expecting you. What's the matter? You never call… you never write. Don't you like us anymore?"

Suigetsu jeered while approaching Sasuke, grinning like a fool. A fang poked from below his upper lip as he got closer.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, wondering why the man had to be so loud. He turned to open the rear passenger door, allowing the other man to retrieve some large bags from his truck and transport them to a non descriptive sedan parked next to them.

"Oh, by the way. The old man wants to see you before you take off. He's inside." Suigetsu closed the trunk after the second trip, twirling his keyring on a finger before hopping in the driver's seat.

Sasuke finally headed inside as Suigetsu drove off, turning down a side street and carrying off the goods he'd brought over. Turning, he headed up the ramp, pulling open the creaky metal door. The front end looked every part of a distillery, but the back was locked away and served as a chop shop. Circling around a few crates, Sasuke approached the back office.

"Hey," Sasuke's knuckles drummed against the open door, eyeing the man ferreting through the double pedestal steel desk. Dark eyes rose in greeting.

"Yo," Kakashi greeted him before he found what he was looking for in one of the drawers. He raised the screwdriver-like tool in elation. "Ah hah! There you are."

Gripping the tool tightly, the white haired man shouldered past the younger male and went back towards the hanger like open space, circling around the expensive car stationed there.

Sasuke looked around a bit, before turning to the other man who had leaned most of his upper body beneath the hood of the car. "So what's up?"

"I don't know, you tell me…" Kakashi's voice was slightly muffled. There was a crack followed by metal scraping. He stood up in pride, beaming as he held a small electronic device in his hand triumphantly. "Ah! There we go… tricky little fucker, aren't you?"

He walked over to a small station, dropping his prize and tools on the surface. Grabbing a rag, he wiped his hands while turning back to Sasuke.

"It was just surprising, dealing with you directly. Usually business is handled through Kiba."

"There's no need to worry, everything is on schedule," Sasuke said, looking at a few hubcaps stacked against the wall.

"You've never disappointed me so far, so I didn't think I needed to." Kakashi raised a hand to snag the cigarette from behind his ear. The hanger-like door behind the car was open enough for some light and fresh air to pass through. Little clicking noises followed the arrival of a small pug that came trotting in from outside, his little nails tapping against the concrete. The little dog searched out the water bowl up against the wall near the office.

"Kiba is missing. That's why I'm handling things today." Sasuke thought briefly of not saying anything but that would lead to unnecessary suspicion. If the information was going to make it back to Kakashi anyway, it was best for it to come directly from him and not whispers in the streets.

Kakashi settled on a black folding chair near Sasuke, lighting up the cigarette. "Picked up?" Wasn't uncommon at all for people to go quiet, only for them to turn up when they were finally able to get a word out through family or friends from the clink.

"No. Highly unlikely." The dog came near their feet, sniffing around before scuttling back outside. Kakashi just exhaled smoke, watching as the remaining daylight slipped away. A silver brow dipped low.

"Is there something going on that I should be worried about? If there is another turf war brewing—"

"No, of course not."

"Hmm."

Sasuke shifted on the crates. "Sounds like I don't need to ask, but you haven't heard from him either?"

Kakashi shook his head. The headband-like scarf he wore kept his silver locks out of his face, while a portion of it cut low on his brow across one eye. "Last I saw him in the flesh was when he helped with that job in Atlanta. He did good work. I may have something else for him coming up soon."

Which would now need to go to another person, it seemed.

"Well, if you could do me a favor and let me know if you hear anything?"

"Sure."

"And… if it's not too much to ask. I would like to keep this between us." Sasuke turned his head to look at the older man, not comfortable asking anything of anyone but—

"I suppose there is nothing to say… especially if no one asks. I take it your higher ups don't know about this yet?"

Sasuke looked away, wondering if his silence was enough of an answer. Ultimately he needed to quell any doubt or unease before it arose when dealing with associates and clients.

"I'm handling it. He was under my brother and I so it's our responsibility. I just don't want gossip and loose talk. You understand how it is…" Of course, there was much more to it than that, but he just needed the other man to agree.

Kakashi stood, dropping the almost finished cigarette and scuffing it out beneath his shoe. "As long as our business is unaffected, I don't see why that would be a problem. I deal with shit directly through you, more than I do with them, lately anyway."

Sasuke nodded in appreciation, standing up to leave. Kakashi made it halfway to his work bench before turning around, stopping Sasuke before he left out the front. "Oi! Maybe check with Suigetsu. Heard a story about him and Kiba fucking some twins a while back."

Sasuke nodded and raised a hand without turning around, heading out of the building and towards his truck. Suigetsu came from around the side of the building, zipping up his thin coat as the temperature dropped.

"Hey," he beckoned over the man before he could escape through the door to the warehouse. "You haven't seen Kiba around, have you?"

Suigetsu got closer and frowned, shaking his head. "No. That fool still owes me from that bet too! His shitty team lost in the playoffs. Tell him to stop ducking and pay the fuck up."

"You two dated twins?"

A salacious grin spread across Suigetsu's face, showing a row of sharp teeth before he frowned. "They were kinda sexy, but a little too coo-coo for my tastes. Not worth the headache."

"What about Kiba. Was he still seeing the other one?"

Suigetsu patted down his pockets before producing a book of matches. The name of a strip joint was printed on the cover. "Don't know, but that's the club they worked at."

Sasuke flipped the matchbook in his palm a few times, murmuring his thanks as he stared at the number and name scribbled under the flap.

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✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

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"Yes… oh yes, pl-"

The desperate cry was cut short as a sweaty palm came up to muffle the irritating noise. A few more movements and the strenuous thrusting stopped as both parties reached completion.

With a muted grunt, the man slid off his relaxed partner, sliding an arm behind his head as he pressed back against the pillows. The petite woman slid close to his side after he disposed of the condom. She smiled but was ignored in favor of him reaching for his phone.

"Hmmm… that was amazing," she sighed dreamily, catching her breath as she cuddled under his bent arm.

The man closed out of his emails, opening up social media instead to check a few messages. A little put off at being forgotten, the woman rose from the sheets, taking the knit throw blanket at the end of the bed to wrap around her naked body. She left the room in search of water, leaving the redheaded man to sit alone against the headboard.

The simple timeline view on his screen changed to a variety of new posts before one image made him pause abruptly. Sitting up taller against the pillows, an unnatural intensity built in the man's form just as the woman reappeared.

"Would you like some?" the woman asked after taking a long gulp, teasingly running her fingers across the top of the wrapped blanket barely containing her generous bust.

"No… but you can lock the door on your way out," he replied, quickly scrolling back up on the page, irritation swelling when the page refreshed.

"What…?" The woman put the glass of water on the nightstand in haste, a few drops splashing her fingers. "You're throwing me out?!"

He disregarded her a second time as he searched the screen. There was a flash of unmistakable pink that he knew he'd seen moments ago… now, just where did it go—

"You can't be serious." The woman's affronted voice cut in the air between them before she stopped cold. His rustic eyes swung to her own under sweat kissed bangs dripped in the color of spilt blood. His calculated stare had her moving in part self preservation and part arousal as she quickly snatched up her clothes. He lowered his gaze back to the phone, but the woman kept her eyes on him while dressing.

"You… are completely... unbelievable Sasori," the scorned woman hissed as she slipped on her other heel. Out of spite, she left the bedroom door wide open. It allowed him to hear the front door slam, but his attention was elsewhere.

He finally stumbled onto the photo he was looking for, the thin sheet pooling in his lap over his naked body as he hunched over and clicked on it to bring it up full screen. Dull eyes began to glimmer with an untold light, darting over the photo until his eyes zeroed in on the pink haired woman turned away from the lens. She was standing behind a small group taking the selfie, unmistakable and familiar curves hovering behind the group, completely unaware. Taking a deep breath, he clicked on the profile, hoping to find more images of the elusive pale-haired sprite. The unknown person's page was filled with photos from that night, but no others contained the beautiful woman.

Grunting in frustration, Sasori looked up his cousin's profile, scanning it but not finding any hints of the pinkette either. He started a new search, this time looking into tags from the party. Digging through the results, he finally came upon another photo and spied her in the background once again. She'd been captured mid-laugh while leaning against a wall, her diamond stud earring catching the flash of the camera.

A pale finger traced the screen, locking in the sight of the woman whose presence ran potent through his blood, inescapable and plucking at him with more accuracy than he plucked the strings of his prized violin. He breathed out her name, feeling the stirring of heat beneath the sheet as his thoughts became consumed by her again.

"Sakura…"

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 ✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

End Chapter

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

Thank you for reading :) ✨✨✨

[blue---rose]

White Widow - Chapter Eight

Fanfiction.net | AO3

Title: White Widow Chapter: Eight Rating: M Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura

Summary: “Running away was easy; not knowing what to do next was the hard part.” - Sakura needed to stop fantasizing about running away to some other life, and start figuring out the one she had. [Sasu/Saku, Modern AU]

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✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

Chapter Eight

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

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When someone demands to know your current location, it usually meant the time for talking was over and meeting face to face was the only way things would get resolved — most likely through violence. He'd made similar threats himself before, daring a person to let him know where they physically were... if they were feeling brave.

Although, to be fair it could also be used as a precursor for a potential hookup or rendezvous. Especially if requested late at night, where no assumptions were made other than those of planned intimacy.

.

Message:

WRU?

Think maybe we can link up? LMK

.

But this was in the middle of the day, and he wasn't getting hookup vibes from her based on the messages that were being exchanged between them. Of course, brawling was out of the question too; unless she wanted to spar, because he might be down for that. Despite not wanting to reflect on why such a thought was exciting. Still, it was a mistake on his part to not feel out what mood she was in, or at least what this could be about. A clear testament to how unguarded he was becoming, when it came to all things 'her.'

Nevertheless, something was off.

Sasuke could sense something amiss from the lingo she used. Even though they were just words on a screen, he envisioned her saying them — breathless, with just a hint of urgency, and it made him curious.

.

Message:

OMW.

See you soon.

.

Besides, the moments they spent together were never really time wasted. So he made plans to meet with her at this little pub that had amazing french fries with spicy ketchup. Located in the lobby of a boutique hotel, it was conveniently close by to where he was when he first heard from her.

And if she had any reservations about meeting him in a bar so early in the afternoon, she didn't say anything to object.

When he arrived, Sasuke enjoyed having most of the space to himself, since it was still too early for happy hour. The few patrons who were there sat closer to the front of the establishment, while Sasuke idly played pool near the back. It gave him something to do while waiting for her to arrive.

When Sakura finally appeared before him, his naturally suspicious nature was called forth, knowing something was wrong and causing him to follow her movements closely. If she was trying to mask it she was doing an okay job, but not nearly good enough to escape his keen senses. He could read the tension coming from her like reading a book on ancient military strategies, and he wasn't the least bit fooled by the forced smile or half-assed greeting she gave.

Unaware, Sakura presumed she hadn't tipped her hand right away, taking a sip of Sprite she'd grabbed from the bartender. She even tried to start off with pleasantries and small talk, but Sasuke really doubted that she wanted to hear about how his day was going.

However if she wanted to drag this out... fine. He'd play her little game for now, though the clock was ticking as to how long he'd amuse her before his patience became strained. Be that as it may, Sasuke decided that he didn't like seeing her so restless, and her energy was affecting him sharper than it had any right to. He knew that it probably wasn't good, but curiosity made him stay to figure out why she wanted to talk.

Good thing that Sakura was so honest, because she couldn't hide her agitation for long before the strained conversation ventured off into what was really bothering her. The situation began to tumble out with every passing word.

Revealing how much the home visit spooked her initially. Except who wouldn't when the police showed up at your door?

And yes, his instincts were right on point, but luckily he'd missed the mark concerning the severity of it all. Sasuke was secretly pleased though, that she had the foresight to want to speak in person, rather than on the line, though he couldn't suppress the discomfort that knotted in his stomach at the mention of law enforcement.

Sakura kept her voice low — unleashing her tale and narrating what transpired that had made her so upset. Halfway through, agitation bled into her voice.

"I was only going to tell them what I had already told the P.I., but they didn't seem that interested..." Sakura continued, telling him everything that happened.

It seemed that a few detectives had shown up and were following up regarding Kiba's disappearance. With his family turning over all their findings, they now wanted police to take a closer look, to see if they could find anything.

Although, if you asked for Sakura's opinion, they seemed to be uninterested, like they didn't want to even be there in the first place. As if it were all a big waste of their time. She thought she would have to be careful with her words but it wasn't necessary. A few minutes into the meeting it became crystal clear — the police were there to just go through the motions, more than anything else. Their nonchalant attitude caused unsettling thoughts and feelings to rise up in her, even appearing now as she stood before him. A slumbering beast had been awakened, cloaked in protectiveness for her missing friend. Catapulting her ire into a fiery, resentful burn...

Needless to say, the encounter had turned sour.

"And then they had the nerve to bring up his juvenile record, and I swear I almost-"

"What? His juvie records? I thought those were sealed," Sasuke interrupted, musing over that piece of information.

"Huh...? Uh... I'm not sure." Sakura frowned but shook her head. That wasn't the important part... wasn't he listening to her? "The way they were talking... it was like they were more interested in putting down Kiba's character than doing anything useful about him vanishing."

Well, she thought at least one of the two officers did, but it still wasn't fair. Just because Kiba had a past—

And maybe a questionable present?

—didn't mean a thing, and it made his case no less important than anyone else's. That didn't mean they could treat it like some damn joke.

Sasuke gripped the pool cue tighter in the ensuing silence, taking account of her story. After a minute, he leaned forward to line up the next shot.

He could make it in the corner pocket if he hit the railing at just the right angle.

Sakura resisted the urge to stomp her foot and put down her glass on the edge of the pool table instead. "Did you hear me?"

The smack of the billiards echoed around them before the marked one landed in the desired hole. Sasuke straightened, pleased with the shot. "Aa."

And Sakura usually possessed greater, even-temperedness but-

"Really? That's all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say? That they sound like jerks? Fine. Now what?" He canted his head towards her, but his eyes remained on the fuzzy, dark green felt. "Let them handle it. Despite thinking you could do a better job." Sasuke returned the pool cue to the rack hanging on the wall.

A quiver of suspension made him turn to catch the far-away look in her eye. She was looking at him, but right through him and he imagined the squeaky gears churning away inside, under her beautiful crown of pink hair.

"Sakura..." He warned.

And exactly what did she expect to do? Maybe go order up a shiny, brand-new detective kit from online somewhere and go snooping around for clues herself?

She let out a humorless laugh. "Maybe I should. They obviously don't have any intentions of taking this seriously."

.

"You're delusional."

.

Sasuke couldn't have known how deeply hurtful those words sounded, coming from him. There was no way of knowing about the painful history attached to such a simple phrase. How it had once been used against her by someone else entirely, or how much it would cut her hearing them now, despite coming from a different person. However, they stung, even though she felt it wasn't said with hateful intent.

That didn't stop her from hissing through the pain, claws out and on the defensive.

.

"You don't know me."

.

And like her, he had triggers of his own.

Granted, there were so many things he could say in response to that. Dirty little things that would have her blushing. Maybe a sarcastic quip or even a well placed joke...

But whatever playful mood he would have potentially been in was swept away. Laying in its place was a cold and destitute trail of glaciers as his expression closed up. Something in her statement... or the way she said it, twisted something in his gut, bringing forth those same conflicting feelings of wanting to push away something that was getting much too close. A confirmation right to his face of how careless he'd become. And feeling the walls began to rise between them, he formed a half-smirk.

"Is that so?"

Her mouth puckered before turning into a thin line, silent in her bravado.

"I think I know plenty," Sasuke said while turning his whole body to look at her. There was slight apprehension in Sakura's form that surfaced, but it was too late now.

She had started this little game.

"I know enough about you to know that you weren't always around. At least in the last few years, anyway."

The stillness that locked her knees was telling. It was hardly a challenge to figure out; he'd struck a nerve. Anything dealing with her immediate past seemed to get that reaction from her.

"You are his friend, there is no denying that..." Dialing back to the original topic, Sasuke got back on track, choosing not to chew her out further. "But you are mistaken if you think he kept you up to speed with all aspects of his life... of this life," he hissed.

'You are in way over your head.'

Sasuke knew that Kiba's small circle of friends didn't know everything he got mixed in. Sure, they knew a little about the drugs, but beyond that… it remained a mystery to them all.

And Sasuke only knew this because Kiba had told him so.

His and Kiba's relationship should have been strictly business, but at some point in the four years he'd known him, they created some semblance of a friendship. They weren't best friends, but the shaggy-haired man had earned Sasuke's respect and trust and had proven his loyalty to Sasuke and his brother.

Over time Kiba shared that he kept up a barrier between his family and friends. And Sasuke had understood, though their situations were a little different. He at least had his brother with him in the trenches, so there wasn't a need to separate and compartmentalize aspects of his life.

All in all, it was probably for the best. What people like them tended to get into was not a good topic to share around the dinner table, but this life was exactly why Sakura needed to keep her distance. She didn't understand the kind of sinister people they surrounded themselves with. After all the leads in his small network had come up dead, there was still the possibility of foul play, and the last thing Sasuke wanted was for her to have a target on her back strictly through association.

But Sasuke would soon find out the same appreciation he'd once held for her resilient nature was now becoming annoying at best.

Sakura had regained her bearings — and there was a nuance of anger that strummed through her voice as she met his stare head-on.

"So where does that leave me then? I should just sit back and do nothing? You said so yourself, he's our friend. We can't just-"

'So she wasn't about to let this go, was she?' Sasuke thought, eyes redirecting towards her delicate throat. The tension in her shoulders had spread to her neck and a small, thin vein pulsed in her passion.

Sakura thought briefly the petulant expression he ricocheted back at her would have been devilishly handsome had it not been for the precarious — deep, curse that flowed from his lips.

"You can, and you will. Because you don't have a fucking choice." Grey eyes remained steadfast and hardened like granite, rippling in waves of dark colors while staring unblinkingly at her.

The hand resting by her drink curled into a fist and Sakura's eyes narrowed, mouth flying off the handle before taking a moment to think.

"Fuck you! You can't just go around an-"

Sasuke was before her in an instant, and her personal space became a thing of the past. Even in six-inch heels, she was forced to raise her chin slightly to meet his striking gaze. The heat coming from him caused her to take a step back, but he followed easily, crowding her against the wall.

Sasuke's presence was an intimidating thing, and she was forcefully reminded that she-

Sakura swallowed but kept her eyes on his.

'Ino was right.' The thought whispered across her mind.

'I don't know him. Not really.'

A fact that became more apparent the longer they stood there, and for the first time since she'd met Sasuke, she became uneasy in his presence. She didn't get the feeling that she was in immediate danger... but she was definitely walking a fine line.

It was new territory for her — for both of them. But she was a stubborn bitch when she put her mind to it, and she would not be bullied. Not by him and not by anyone else, especially when it came to something so important. She opened her mouth to say just that but was cut off.

He kept his voice shallow, not wanting to draw attention to them. The deep rumble of his voice was clearly meant for her and her ears only.

"Listen. And listen well, because I won't repeat myself," he started, not wavering from his earlier declaration. Sasuke leaned down, layers of silken black hair falling in his eyes as he peered down at her.

"We don't know what this is... who's involved or what the hell is going on. So yeah, you need to sit back... and do nothing."

"So tell me everything that you know!" Sakura insisted, her eyes narrowing. Her voice no longer wavered, and she rallied enough courage to press on. "I may not know everything... but I..." She really didn't want to come off sounding like some petulant child, yet she couldn't handle the feeling of being kept in the dark. If there was something he wasn't telling her...

Sasuke leaned back to give her some space, sighing under his breath when he noticed increased scrutiny from the bartender. Not wanting to appear threatening, he rocked back but her hand shot up, grabbing at his open jacket and hoodie to keep him there. His brows drew together, but Sakura finally spoke up barely in a whisper.

"Please... it won't go further than this room. I know you probably don't trust me yet, but-... I..." her fingers tightened and she lowered her gaze. Her thumb idly tugged the zipper near her hand as she waited for his response, feeling his strong heart beat beneath her palm.

'I do.'

A chink, appearing in well-fitted armor... and it was showing in the way Sasuke's eyes softened.

And therein lay the problem, because it didn't make any sense at all, and it went against all of his protective instincts and common sense. And worse still, he wasn't just thinking with his penis either. Because even in nameless moments like this, he felt that he could tell her his deepest, darkest secrets, trusting that she would take them all to the grave with defiant eyes and sealed lips. It went against logic as Sasuke knew it, so it must have been wrong. Alas, he stood there... looking down at her pink mane while resisting the urge to roll his eyes at both of their antics.

Did she know what she was asking?

And why was he standing there, even entertaining the idea?

His eyes flickered to the side, noticing the bartender eyeing them, but with less concern now that Sakura was the one clinging to him. Still, he moved a step back to lean on the pool table, his long legs stretching out in front. He held her forearm when she was about to let him go, pulling her gently with him. Sakura stood between his feet, keeping her sight on the floor — playing with the gold bangles around her wrist when he released her as she waited... anxiously listening.

Sasuke's tongue clicked against his teeth silently.

"There's nothing to tell, unfortunately. So far I'm coming up blank. Maybe it's a good thing and it means he's just AWOL. He kept a pretty low profile and I have a few more things to follow up on but... Sakura-"

He hesitated, trying to find the right words to say now that his earlier bout of anger had simmered down. His eyes glanced towards the front again, making sure they weren't being overheard.

"There are a lot of dangerous people who we know... people who you wouldn't want to meet on a busy street, even midday with witnesses around. So when I tell you to stay out of it..." He tried to find her eyes but she stubbornly kept them on the floor, looking at the size difference between her heels and the all-black sneakers he wore.

Fuck, he just needed her to understand. It wasn't so much that he was keeping secrets — he was just trying to keep her safe. Sasuke persisted, raising a knuckle to brush against her chin and Sakura finally gave in, allowing him to continue when her gorgeous eyes slowly rose to meet his. For a second he was sidetracked, hypnotized by the colors reflecting in those shallow Caribbean seas. The light from the wall lamps captured each glimmer in her eyes along with the cute little pout she wore. The power behind that gaze was arresting sometimes.

Breathing in the fragrance of her light perfume, his fingers pressed her chin higher. It wasn't the time to be distracted. She needed to hear this.

"I'm not saying that any of them have something to do with this, but if they do... you need to stay clear and keep away. I don't want you anywhere near this until I can figure out that 'this' part of his life had nothing to do with him going away, understood?"

And in the same way he couldn't explain where his faith in her had come from, he hoped she felt something for him too, because he needed her to listen and not be so defiant.

Sakura finally gave a nod and consented to his wishes, unclenching her fists.

Inwardly, Sasuke didn't like the dejected look on her face even though he'd just demanded her compliance. The marginal wave of defensiveness was surprising, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. His phone began to sing — the cosmos ringtone going off from one of his pockets.

He grumbled that she should have been a Taurus, with how bullheaded she could be at times while searching for the device.

Sakura's petulant expression remained, pressing a hand to her cheek before studying him for a second, her eyes not as shy now and lighting with something else entirely.

"How did you know when my birthday is?"

'Shit.'

There was no fucking way Sasuke would admit to seeing the old birthday post Ino made on social media last year, shouting out to her best friend. Something he'd just now seen; randomly, a few weeks back.

Ino wasn't able to tag Sakura in the photo-

A little snooping and he'd come to find that most of Sakura's own social media was deactivated.

-but it was definitely her, back turned to the lens as she and Ino stood on a pier dressed in bikinis. Their shadows played on the wooden planks beneath them as rays of light peered around their darkened silhouettes. The whimsical sunset was overshadowed by their captivating figures as they hugged and watched the sun go down.

He didn't bother liking the photo. There were already plenty of thirsty beasts in the comment section, proposing to the confident blonde and her mysterious friend.

Sakura appeared a few other times on her friend's timeline, but most snaps had her face strategically hidden or cropped. In spite of that, the post in question was definitely for her, and he couldn't help but save the date into his memory bank.

Choosing to avoid the inquiry, Sasuke flipped through his phone to check for the last incoming message. Glancing at his watch, he mentally calculated the distance in his mind, already opening the GPS app to plug in an address.

"What are you doing for the rest of the day?" Sasuke asked, throwing her off if her surprised expression was any indication.

"Uh..." Sakura hesitated, mind going over her day and realizing that the only thing she had left was grocery shopping. "I guess not too much... why?"

Replying to the last message, Sasuke put up his phone and grabbed the jacket that Sakura had left on a stool nearby.

"Come take a ride with me," he said as he helped her slip it back on.

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✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧ ✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

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"Should I have worn hiking boots for this…?"

Minutes after Sasuke pulled into the huge unmarked, dirt parking lot, Sakura still had no clue where they were. She knew it had taken them an hour to get there, driving down interstate 95. The trees and fresh country air were welcomed as she took a long, deep breath in. It smelled like pine and wet grass from all the rain that week, and the aroma quickly inspired a sense of tranquility.

Sakura lifted her arms to the sky in a long stretch after closing the door just as a squirrel came by to scavenge a few feet from where she stood. Hopping a few steps it quickly lost interest and darted up a nearby tree. Moving around closer to the front of the vehicle, she eyed the makeshift dirt path that led up two flights of wooden steps. Although she could appreciate being in the great outdoors, sneakers would have been the better choice, she thought after peering down.

Sasuke came from around the back of the SUV after closing the trunk — holding a black bag the size of a small duffle. He glanced down to where she was looking and shrugged, before grabbing her hand and helping her up the trail.

"It's just this section here, you'll be fine. There's concrete at the ledge."

She accepted the help, holding onto the railing with her other hand while making sure her heel didn't catch in between the worn planks. Sasuke didn't release her until they were safely at the top of the hill.

More trees awaited them, surrounding the winding trail on either side. Multiple 'No Trespassing' signs were clearly visible, but nothing else gave away exactly where they were. Walking up a slight incline, they traveled further up, coming across what looked to be a...

Visitor's center?

"I'm here," Sasuke spoke into his phone, before quickly pulling it away from his ear.

"REALLY?!" A voice screeched through the earpiece so loudly you would have thought the call had been placed on speakerphone instead. A slight commotion was heard, but it only became concerning when they could hear the same noise coming from somewhere in the building.

A side door whooshing open several meters away from them was the only warning Sakura had of the woman headed their way.

"Sasuke!"

A blur of red came at them with lightning speed and heavy footsteps. But Sakura finally got a good look at the fiery missile when everything seemed to slow down at the last minute. The whole scene turned into a slow-motion feature when the force of nature came within a few feet of where they were standing. It was like watching a video and suddenly changing the playback speed down to 0.25x. The woman's unbound strands floated behind her running figure as she approached them like a burning torch.

Sakura rocked back on her heels when it looked like she wasn't going to stop, and Sasuke pushed her away slightly before moving the other way — making a gap, wide enough between them, that the woman ran right through in her momentum. Sakura watched as she kicked up rocks and dirt, finally slowing down enough to come to a full stop before turning towards them. It reminded her of a charging bull, and now that the woman had halted, Sakura could see the woman's cinnamon-colored eyes focus on Sasuke. Much like the beast that came to mind, the flaming woman took in a deep breath before charging with wide-open arms while screaming his name again.

Sasuke's reaction time was flawless and instead of moving again to avoid her, he stiffly held his arm up when she was in reach. Not an ounce of guilt was felt when she collided with the black duffle bag he carried in his hand, hearing the grunt she released when it thumped against her chest. It safely kept the woman a good distance from the visiting couple and too far away to touch with his superior arm span.

"Karin."

The named woman's eyes fluttered away at him in silent longing, hands wrapping around the bag he still pressed to her chest until she held the weight on her own. He released it with a warning look, satisfied she wouldn't try to embrace him again for the time being.

"You should be more careful. Wouldn't want to hurt your pet, now would you?"

There was a hint of movement near Karin's wrist, although her hands remained unmoving around the bag — and that's when Sakura finally saw it.

A small, pale snake with dark as night pupils and yellow eyes.

It wound tighter on her wrist while the rosey, fork-like tongue slithered in and out of its mouth rhythmically, guiding the head as it moved about.

"Please, Mitsuki's used to being tossed around when he's riding with me," Karin rebutted.

Sakura just watched in fascination, taking in the shiny scales that gleamed like pearls, cutting away to rise slowly along the low cut sweater. Eyes followed along the sleeve before gliding to the cross necklaces lying above the woman's cleavage. At long last Sakura finally got a good look at her face — locking eyes with the other female. She blinked slowly, a little embarrassed for staring, and hoped she didn't look rude.

"Karin, this is Sakura. Sakura… Karin," Sasuke finally drawled out, bored with having to make introductions. He stepped a little closer to Sakura, indicating to Karin that she was 'okay' — and that any attitude given should be cut short before it even started.

Sakura didn't notice any tension or the unspoken conversation between the two, and only smiled brightly in salutations.

"Nice to meet you Karin. Sorry for staring, I just—"

"What? Are you afraid?" Karin moved a fraction closer, hiding a smirk while lifting her wrist up, and closer. Sasuke frowned, knowing perfectly well what she was up to. Sakura's actions halted anything he might have said. Turns out, it wasn't necessary at all.

"No! No, of course not—"

"You think it's weird I have an emotionally supportive snake? Is that it?"

"Actually, I think she's beautiful," Sakura said, still smiling as her eyes darted back to the serpent.

"He," Karin corrected, before wiggling her nose. "Wait…" She paused, looking down again with a shrug. "Actually, I take that back. I'm not even sure… never bothered to check."

She gave a small kissy face to the snake that just turned and winded further up her forearm while scenting the air.

'Bee-beeeeeeeep!'

A sharp horn rang through the air, and the trio looked down the hill towards the parking lot. Through the tree line, they could see a white box truck pulling up, not far from where Sasuke parked and the redheaded firecracker released a curse.

"Damnit, I forgot the meat delivery was on the way," Karin said, using her free hand to push her glasses up her nose.

"Maybe put that away first, before you forget and leave it lying around," Sasuke suggested, nodding towards the bundled cannabis. "In the meantime, I can show Sakura around for a bit. You don't mind, do you?"

Karin could never see herself spurning the raven-haired hunk, but that didn't mean she had to like the idea of him giving a tour to the pretty little pinkette he'd brought with him. Her displeasure was clear, but the horn blaring a second time made the decision for her.

"Fine! But don't touch anything. And you keep an eye on her," she grumbled and stomped away towards the side door. Yelling out to the driver down below, Karin disappeared back inside.

"Sasuke…?"

Sasuke turned his head towards Sakura, but she was still facing the direction where Karin had gone. She then turned towards him with a deceptively sweet smile, and he found himself lifting a brow while he drew up taller and on alert in response. Leaning over, she looped both arms around one of his, fingers pinching the back of his hand. He winced as her syrupy voice reached his ear, her lips brushing the pale skin when she leaned up to whisper while tugging him downward.

"Did you bring me to one of your drug deals?" Her voice sounded nice and melodic but he was no fool despite how many times he found himself fucking up around her. Sasuke grunted, choosing his words carefully.

"Do you want me to know the truth…?" Using her locked arms, he guided them off to the right, slowly walking down another trail and around the building.

"Sasuke‐" She had half the mind to pull away but he pulled his arm closer to his body, effectively caging in one of her own.

"Or-... would you rather me answer one of your… 'getting to know you' questions?"

Her brows lowered in confusion, before she caught on and shot him a glare.

"Oh, you mean when you accused me of interrogating you?"

He smirked as they came around the corner and proceeded on for a ways. The pathway widened and continued on, running parallel to a long black metal fence. On the other side was a massive grassy area, with a man dressed in dark cargo pants raking leaves and debris.

"You asked if I liked dogs or cats." Sasuke slowed them to a stop, nodding at the guy who waved and nodded in return.

Sakura glanced up at him in question, but his attention was now focused on speaking with the other man.

"Jugo."

"Hello, Mr. S! Haven't seen you here in awhile," he yelled back, pausing in his work with a smile.

"Are there any little ones around?"

"Aa... they were napping last time I checked. Let me go see," he said, leaning the rake against the small, shack-like building he was standing next to.

Sakura watched in confusion as he darted inside but turned to Sasuke when he spoke to her again.

"Well... to answer your question, I like cats. But, probably not the ones you were thinking of…" he trailed off, watching Jugo approach them on the other side of the fencing. Sasuke's hand moved to her hip, forcing Sakura to turn around…

And she almost melted at the precious sight.

The groundskeeper stood in front of them, holding two cheetah cubs in his large gloved hands. He crouched down, setting them down in front of the couple with the iron fence still separating them.

"Oh. My. God." Sakura coo'd and dropped to her knees in front of them, her fingers clutching the fence as her heart liquified. The cubs started sniffing around, before turning to play with each other, their stubby little legs barely holding them up as they play-fought with one another.

"They just turned four weeks old," the man explained.

"So precious," Sakura said while the cubs tumbled around. "Where is the mother?" She looked around, almost afraid an angry parent would come running out any second looking for her young.

"She died. They've been bottle-fed ever since but have been introduced to meat."

"Is this a petting zoo?" Sakura asked in curiosity, watching as the larger cub pinned the other on its back. The two men exchanged a look above her head.

"Not exactly…" Sasuke started, reaching down to help her stand. Jugo hunched over to scoop the little ones up, explaining that it was their feeding time and returning them to the indoor pen. Sakura thanked the imposing man, following Sasuke as they continued on the trail, passing another enclosure.

"It's a private exotic animal sanctuary. Karin's uncle owns the place, while she is responsible for the day to day business."

Another enclosure they passed held a juvenile tiger, stretched out along a fallen log, basking in the afternoon sun while taking a nap.

"Most are bought as pets, ones sold to people who thought they knew what they were getting into… until they didn't." He frowned. "They soon become overwhelmed with just how big they can get, the growing cost of food…"

Foolish people that had spent a small fortune to acquire what they thought was the ultimate status symbol of luxury, until they found out that they couldn't handle the mounting responsibilities.

"The lucky ones end up here, while the center figures out a permanent home for them."

He didn't go into further details of how Karin's uncle used to be an underground veterinarian for said people, spending years providing treatment under the table for the illegally brought animals. A lucrative business for sure, until his consciousness caught up with him.

Now, years later he spent his time providing good care for the exotics that were left behind and discarded. He had purchased several acres of land for this place and now worked to secure them permanent homes.

"Shame they can't be returned to the wild," Sakura said as they came upon another massive cage, this one with gorilla glass several feet high. Sasuke bent down to tie his shoe, his back facing what seemed to be an empty pen.

"Yeah, that would be the ideal thing, in a perfect world."

Sakura had wandered over to another cage across from him, looking in at a few tropical birds that were preening their gleaming feathers. She turned around to say something but hesitated, spying movement over Sasuke's shoulder inside the enclosure.

Her features washed in disbelief while taking a step back.

"Uh…"

Sasuke paused in his task, reacting to the apprehension in her voice. Lifting his head, he glanced at her just as her eyes widened. Narrowing his own, he twisted his neck slightly to see the shadowy darkness above him.

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Ka- PLUNCK !

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"HOLY FUC-!"

.

A large black mass had charged and collided with the reinforced glass, thumping against the barrier, hard. In utter surprise, Sasuke cursed loudly out while flailing backward, his mind needing a few spare moments to figure out what had happened.

Logically, he knew that there was no need to be scared. As he scrambled backward, his mind reminded him that even bullets would fail to penetrate the wall that separated himself and the beast on the other side. But in the heat of the moment, when a two hundred pound jaguar charges at you, your body reacts on pure instinct. Given that the large animal had him beat by a good ten pounds in his own weight class, no one in their right mind could fault him.

His heart was still pounding as the large feline stalked against the glass playfully, quite proud of the little pouncing game. Amused, it licked a wide strip along a section of glass, leaving a slimy trail behind before bringing a massive paw to prod at the obstruction. As it lost interest and stalked away, Sasuke turned his head, noticing Sakura's giggling while he remained flat on his ass.

When their eyes finally met, the woman could no longer hold it in. No amount of home training or etiquette could stop the guffaw that erupted from her belly. Sakura held her jean covered knees as she bent over in peels of laughter, finding the entire scene comical and damnit, why hadn't she recorded that?!

The frown was evident on Sasuke's face, but inside he traced every giggle that rattled her form. Her laughter was devastatingly charming although she raised a hand to her face to stifle the noise. Male pride should have forced anger to rise rather than the warmth beginning to plague him.

Instead he took pleasure in the melody of her laughter, watching as she was almost brought to tears while trying to rein in the body quaking mirth. She wiped an eye as he turned more towards her, eyes tapering under dark lashes.

Sasuke's hands were raw from catching his weight during the fall, but he didn't feel a thing as he straightened up, focusing on her laughs that were dying out.

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Sakura stood taller as the last giggle left her lips, finding the look aimed at her playfully ominous. Laced with something that had her soles scraping against the pavement in her shifting.

"Thought that was funny, did you?"

Sasuke's eyes raked up her figure, and she felt his sudden urge to shush her in ways that may or may not involve him getting his hands on her to pry another sound altogether from her lips. The beast that stalked him just moments before had rubbed off on his personality. His predatory movements towards her now, eerily similar to the forgotten jaguar.

That was just the cue Sakura needed to snap out of her daze. With a gasp, she propelled into action, turning with a snicker and running off, not giving him a chance to stop her head start.

Why must he always make her body feel a certain type of way when he looked at her like that? This probably wasn't the best setting for him to have his way, she thought. Those dark eyes promised things she wasn't sure she could rebuff.

Choosing to go left when the path split into two, Sakura came across another wooden building and walked past the open doors. Following the sound of the sudden cursing, she doubled back, this time drawing closer to the opening to peek inside.

More foul language sailed through the air as the redheaded woman struggled with a plastic storage tub. The shelf she was trying to slide it on wasn't that high, but the tub's weight prevented her from raising the handles past her chest. Sakura gripped the doorway, edging closer to lend some assistance.

"Need a hand?"

Cinnamon eyes centered on the extra pair of helping hands before both women grunted, hoisting the container upon the metal rack.

Sakura stepped back, brushing her hands together several times to remove the dust.

"Thanks…" Karin reluctantly offered, reaching over to cross something off on her list written in a notebook. The pet snake was missing, and Sakura was able to see the strip of skin its body had previously covered. Or rather… the ink that had been hidden.

"Is that a Violet-tailed sylph?"

The brightly painted hummingbird tattoo was skillfully done and, although small, was heavily detailed. Sakura was able to identify the animal despite standing a respectable distance away. Karin ran her fingertips across the pravana blue feathers, bewildered that she knew the species etched into her skin.

"Yeah, it is..."

"Have you seen one in person? I've only seen them in pictures. That's really pretty."

The overhead light above the workbench caught the reflection of her glasses as Karin adjusted them. The temple tips slid back behind her ears, highlighting the buzz cut design on the side of her head while a mild sound of disgust rang between them.

"Last parting gift from my ex. About one of the only things he was good for. Decent artist but a toxic douche. At least I got this as a consolation prize for going back for round number two."

The giggle that burst forth from Sakura was anything but mocking, filled with legitimate mirth and understanding. "What's that saying…? 'Sometimes God sends an ex back into your life to see if you're still stupid'."

Karin snorted but managed to swallow the laugh that was closing in right behind it. She instead watched as Sakura leaned against the workbench, observing as green eyes followed her fingers as she traced the tattoo again.

"It's really well done… he did amazing work." Sakura's eyes skipped up, intercepting the skeptical look etched into the corner of the other woman's eyes. Mentioning past loves was always a delicate topic for anyone, but there was another curiosity looming not far behind.

The black mascara couldn't hide the small wrinkles that appeared as Karin finally asked—

"How did you…?"

"Oh! I'm not an expert or a bird girl or anything," Sakura rambled. "They just so happen to pollinate a particular flower that I love—"

The stillness in the air was passed over as Sakura looked to the side lost in thought, oblivious to the way her words were being intently listened too with rapt attention. "—not so much the flower itself but the perfume it's used in."

Mild shock caused Karin's glasses to slip down her nose unchecked when her head lowered, eyebrows bunching.

"Don't tell me... you're talking about... 'Bella Luminosità'?"

Pink flecks of hair cut longer than bangs scratched the apple of her cheeks as Sakura cocked her head to the side in wonder. "You've heard of it? It's so hard to find now-"

"Shut. the. fuck. up!"

Karin had a plan, perhaps made up within the last hour, to continue to give the pinkette shit or maybe the cold shoulder… but in just a few words Karin's plans took a leaping dive out the window.

"Heard of it?!" Karin screeched in glee, her hand opening and closing in front of her as she made some unknown gesture, shoulders rising as she took deep breaths of excitement. She could easily visualize the glass bottle within her grasp. How the textured design felt, how the light would hit it if you held it up… hell, if she concentrated hard enough she could even imagine the weight of it. "It's one of the best scents of all time. Easily top three of my favorites! Subtle, but oh, so dreamy… that fragrance makes wings and creates halos and should only be inhaled by worthy olfactory—!"

Karin quickly straightened, a trace of redness appearing as she pushed her chocolate brown glasses back up in embarrassment. She was both equally impressed and offended by just how easily she was warming up to this girl, particularly now after she found herself rambling.

"Sorry. I'm an avid collector of any and everything Eau de Parfum."

"That's ok. The last time I ran out, it took me months to find a replacement. Finally tracked down a supply in this small boutique. I bought two and got a really good deal on something else too…" Sakura giggled, stuffing her hands in her jacket pockets.

"So this little shop you found… does it have a name?" Karin leaned in over the table, lenses reflecting her interest.

"Oh, no no-no. That is my little treasure trove, my dear good friend. Find your own connect."

"Is there a restroom in here? Or do I need to head back to the main building?" Sasuke was relaxing just outside the doorway, choosing now to interrupt whatever the whispering girls were talking about.

In the last few minutes, Sakura had completely forgotten about him and the little chase they had outside. Glancing at him, she found his eyes were still staring at Karin just beyond her shoulder.

Karin pointed somewhere across from them, off towards the right. "There's one down that hall."

Sasuke's dark eyes shifted to Sakura and the dry swallow made her realize just how parched she'd become. She presented her back to him once again as she twisted around to the autumn haired girl. "Could I bother you for some water?"

"I'll take her to the kitchens. Meet us down there when you're done?" Karin said to Sasuke after moving towards the exit. She grabbed Sakura's arm, pulling her along and picking up on their lost conversation.

"Have you ever tried the 'Bleu Collection' by Ravenhouse? It's no Bella, but the undertones are amazing and perfect to use, especially in the fall-"

Karin continued to pull her away, leaving Sakura to cast a little grin at a bemused Sasuke as the women left him behind.

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The greasy food bag was dropped in the spare computer chair with a crinkled plop.

Interested, Karashi removed his headset, swiveling in the seat next to the meal before reaching out. The oil stains had already seeped through in some areas while the appetizing aroma escaped when the bag was opened.

"Wait, burgers again? I said I 'liked' the food from this place; not that I was obsessed with it." He moved a few napkins out of the way to grab a few fries, still hot to the touch. The only thing he would admit to missing since running away from home months ago was the home-cooked meals his mother used to make.

"Really now? Well, I'll be sure to pick you up a nice t-bone steak dinner next time I'm out." The sarcastic quip was made before the man who delivered the food turned to leave.

"I can go pick up my own food, you know. I'm not a kid."

"Why? I don't mind," the standing figure said mockingly, but his playfulness dropped, and his next words came out razor sharp and just as cold. "Besides, your time is better suited here, figuring out how to complete the job we are paying you for."

Karashi winced under the scrutiny. "I know it's taking longer than I—"

"I care more about results than I would listening to your excuses."

"Look, I'm working as hard as I can. You won't let me bring in help-"

"You said that you could complete this on your own, 'Chef'. But now I'm beginning to wonder if we both made a mistake…"

"Just give me a little more time. I can do it."

The employer raised a hand to cover his face, pressing fingers over closed eyelids before releasing a sigh.

His molten eyes were now covered by a wide palm, but that was fine by Karashi. That man's eyes were hypnotic and dangerous, especially when they settled that unnerving gaze directly onto you for an extended amount of time. It was like he could see right through you… underneath your skin and could count each ligament one by one if a situation ever called for it.

Swallowing, the teen made a silent promise to hurry up and finish what he was supposed to do, and get the hell out of there. Making a last, desperate attempt to ease whatever dissension lingered, he tried calming the waters.

"Thanks for the food. I'll get back to work now," Karashi said while the man lowered his hand. Those deep eyes stared unblinking, causing a chill all the way down to the marrow. Spine remaining stiff, the teen stayed immobile under the harsh gaze, not wanting to press his luck with further confrontation.

Finally, the man grunted, leaving the room. His booted feet muted once the door was closed firmly behind his retreating figure.

Karashi finally released the breath he was holding, while a full-body shudder woke him up more than the energy drink he'd consumed an hour ago.

There was a tense moment before the teen reached for the food again, dropping a hand through the opening and filling his mouth with fries. Whatever appetite he had was now destroyed, but he forced himself to chew, glancing at the monitors in front of him. They were all filled with open windows and programs so it was impossible to see the distressed look reflected there. A blessing in itself because it was hard enough fighting away the panic without seeing the expressions reflected back at him.

He needed to hurry up and finish this shit.

And fast.

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End Chapter

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Thank you for reading :) ✨✨✨

[blue---rose]

White Widow - Chapter Seven

Fanfiction.net | AO3

Title: White Widow Chapter: Seven Rating: M Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura

Much love to my new beta - CherryBerry12. Thank you :) 💖

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Chapter Seven

They hadn't been there for long, but he'd spent most of the night observing her.

It was hardly the first time he'd discreetly followed her movements across a crowded room, and no one noticed the way his piercing eyes were hooked to her every move, inconspicuous to all except the chosen target. But that was ok... he wanted her to know she was in his crosshairs. She was half the reason he had even bothered to make an appearance, truth be told.

Keeping a fairly low profile, Sasuke slunk through the lounge, sticking mostly to himself even before she breezed in. But his eyes focused on tracking her the moment she ascended from the stairs.

If he was more of a gambling man, he'd bet that she knew he'd been watching her too — ever since their eyes met briefly for the first time, as she climbed the last step.

Alas, Sakura made the choice to keep her distance and instead flitted around the venue, making a conscious effort to avoid him. It wasn't hard — she darted around different factions of people in her thinly veiled attempt to keep away.

Her eyes met his own for the second time when she slid by to give her regards to Kankurō, and Sasuke was stationed too close to be ignored.

She wished the already tipsy man a very happy birthday, giggling when he placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek. She then gave a nod to Crow, Kankurō's ever-present bodyguard and shadow, who was dressed in a suit and lurking nearby. The hired guard's hulking figure lingered just outside the VIP area, and he grinned in return.

The birthday boy's loud entreaty for her to start taking shots to catch up with his score could be heard over the music.

Pulling away from Kankurō, Sakura nodded in Sasuke's direction, giving him just enough acknowledgment to not appear impolite.

He answered with a lifted brow, leveling her with a challenging stare before nodding in turn.

She could have taken the time to properly greet him, even if he had been a little testy over the phone the last time they'd spoken.

Of course, this line of thinking should have been the first indication that he was inebriated, but Sasuke overlooked it. His mind continued on with its internal rant and misguided logic.

His hand tightened on his glass as Sakura passed him. Time slowed to a stop when she moved by, his unoccupied hand resting at his side as hers brushed against his. Sasuke's eyes remained forward and unseeing, yet his breath stopped on the next inhale. His pinky curled slightly at the phantom touch, but she had already moved away, making her way to a loud Ino who was calling her over.

He wasn't exactly sure what to expect when they met face to face, but this... wasn't it.

Downing the clear, odorless liquid, Sasuke felt the remaining ice brush his lips as he swallowed more of the strong alcohol.

But how would he react with an alternative?

What if she boldly invaded his personal space to—... hug him? Maybe a shy kiss on the cheek? He definitely was not one for massive amounts of PDA, but he still wouldn't have shunned her. He could not see himself passing up the opportunity or turning her away.

Hell... he at least deserved a smile.

She was giving those out freely tonight to everyone but him. She wouldn't even meet his eyes for long, the little wench. She knew he was watching her, waiting for some unspoken acknowledgment, or even a private moment alone — if only to speak a few quiet words to each other.

Yet Sasuke felt more sourness directed at himself for not having thought to escort her there that night. It would have been a great idea and allowed for some alone time, but he'd been tied up with deliveries late into the evening.

Including Kankurō's hefty order that he'd taken to the hotel suite. He'd waited while his bodyguard retrieved it from the car, with Sasuke going up later to confirm everything was straight.

'Though, after the way that last call ended, I would ignore you too.'

Glancing at the mistress of his thoughts, he bitterly agreed. And her teasing, in truth... had gotten underneath his skin.

Taking another sip, Sasuke watched the stiffening of her shoulders and realized he was still staring. Lines of tension ghosted along her form before her head tilted in his direction.

Beautiful, twinkling fireflies caught his own fascinated, dark stare before quickly turning away with a hint of a grin.

A silent game of cat and mouse.

And though reluctant, he unconsciously found himself a willing participant.

Grunting, he stood taller while glancing down at his now empty glass. Sensing himself getting worked up, Sasuke decided another round was in order.

Normally he wouldn't indulge in liquor this heavily…

But tonight?

He was going to need it, if the last hour was any indication of how the rest of the night was going to go.

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The fruity mixed drink Sakura held in her hand melted down into something that was more sugar than alcohol, but she nursed from it happily. The cool glass felt good in her warm palm under the napkin and gave her something to focus on, other than the heated glances she felt aimed her way.

She had no intention of making eye contact but couldn't help her peripheral vision as she moved around the night lounge. And while she greeted a few familiar faces under the dim blue lights, she kept her distance from the one that mattered most.

Of course, she would have loved to have given him a warm hug. She'd thought about it twice after having dared to encroach into his personal space.

Instead, she'd just given him a small nod and kept the gap wide between them. Except when she had to pass him — and when she did, she caught an intoxicating whiff of spice and leather.

And damn it, he really smelled good tonight...

But this was the safest option in her opinion. At least until she could crack just what was going on in that skull of his.

Having said that, it was very hard when all she wanted to do was kiss away the little pout he was sporting.

"May I have a water, please? With lemon?" Sakura asked as she approached the bar, setting down her empty glass. She didn't bother to sit on one of the high back stools, preferring to lean against the illuminated surface instead as she waited. A pair of dainty, diamond-encrusted bangles on her wrist clinked against the top as she rested her folded hands.

"You're tapping out already?" Ino chirped, saddling up next to her with a hip bump.

The martini glass she held was tipped back while she enjoyed a healthy sip. When the green-tinted liquid settled, over half of it had disappeared. The blonde didn't flinch at the double shot even though it should've burned going down.

"No, not really. Just pacing myself."

The bartender scooped up the used glass and replaced it with a taller one, filled with ice and cool water. Sakura used the straw to poke the lemon down into the water, smiling in thanks before turning to her friend who spoke up again.

"As opposed to making sure you don't get wasted and make some bad decisions tonight. Or rather... get under one."

Ino moved closer to make room for another person moving behind her while ordering a drink.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sakura said, keeping her voice level but still loud enough to hear. The water felt extra cool going down when she took a sip from the straw, trying not to get baited by her blonde friend.

"Sure you don't, Haruno," Ino trailed off as something else caught her eye, somewhere off in the distance.

"You know, I don't get you sometimes. I thought you wanted me to hook up with him. You even encouraged it."

Why were they talking about this here? Maybe she should have just feigned ignorance.

"Yes. Hook up... not date. And certainly not this weird, eye-fucking situation you two always seem to find yourselves in—...hey, isn't that Chōjūrō?"

Squinting in confusion, Sakura looked over her shoulder to the other end of the room, catching sight of their old classmate sitting on one of the plush ottomans. He threw a smile at the bottle service girl, who had brought over a mixture of juices and ice with tequila.

She heard Ino continue to speak about the man as she took him in, noticing the rugged look he now sported.

"Wow... I don't remember him being that hot in high-school... hmmm..."

Ino quickly did a once over after planting her glass down, fixing the bust portion of the pretty, pink party dress she wore.

And Sakura could only look on in mild disbelief while thinking 'Are you really surprised? '— as her friend ditched her, blonde hair flowing behind her retreating figure.

Their old classmate had no idea that a shark was headed his way.

'So rude,' she whined playfully as the pulsing music lowered in volume slightly, allowing a voice to crackle through the speakers.

"Yo, yo! I wanna give a shout out to the man of the hour, the birthday boy himself—... ya'll go ahead and make some noise for my man, Kankurō!"

The DJ hyped the small crowd that was bumping and grinding away on the dance floor. Their hands raised at the prompt along with the sound of cheering. Hoots and hollers rumbled across the space, and a few photos were snapped as flashing lights went off, reflecting in the mirrored ceiling. It wasn't hard to figure out where the celebrated man was in the sea of people.

"As if he needs more attention," Temari jabbed as she came to stand next to a surprised Sakura.

Sakura flashed her a brilliant smile, along with a small hug in greeting. It instantly dimmed when Temari set her clutch down on the candle lit bar, shrugging into a fitted leather jacket.

"Wait... you're leaving?"

"Yeah... I had to fight to use the sink in the bathroom. Some girls are in there taking bumps," she said while flipping her collar, folding it along the crease. "Besides, I've been here for a while already, and I have an early flight in the morning."

Now that Sakura thought about it, there were quite a few people here. And the longer the night went on, the denser it was becoming. Just how many people did Kankurō invite out tonight?

Not to mention, she knew from experience that this would not be the only celebration. Kankurō tended to celebrate his birthday throughout the entire month, and knew the one here in the city was going to be just one of many parties. There's no telling where he would frolic off to next.

Sakura was about to tell her how disappointed she was to see her leave, when she stopped abruptly, looking quizzically for a moment before her eyes widened. Lightly painted lips parted in wonder and—

"Oh, no..."

Temari glanced at her with a raised brow, quickly turning to whatever had caught her attention. Kankurō was now at the DJ booth, and some misguided soul had actually given him the mic. She flinched when the audio feedback briefly screeched through the air as he tested out the microphone.

"Hello? Hello, can you guys hear me?" Kankurō breathed into the mic.

"Oh, no..." Temari echoed Sakura, voice wavering with oncoming embarrassment because her brother was definitely drunk. Whatever came out of his mouth was going to be controversial and — dammit, people had already started recording him.

"Yo, aye! I want to thank all you guys for comin' out and celebrating with me. Drinks are on me all night, yeah? Extra good news—she took the test, and the results are in! She's not pregnant! Drink up, boys! I'm not gonna be a poppa—yet!"

There was an eclectic mix of laughter, clapping, and groans heard throughout.

Sakura was definitely one of the groaners and, not for the first time, questioned her choice in friends. Putting a hand over her eyes, she hoped to God the poor girl in question wasn't in attendance tonight.

Which was highly likely since Kankurō usually liked to take dates home...

Not show up with them.

"Yup... a-aaaaand that's my cue to leave. Hopefully we can catch up the next time I'm in the states," Temari grumbled, tucking her clutch under her arm.

They both exchanged a whispered goodbye as she slipped away, followed closely by her own personal guard.

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"—and I said no, I never got to try. How was it? Heh!"

The short party goer to Sasuke's right burst out laughing, finding amusement in the other man's joke.

Sasuke barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes, not finding that - or the previous joke - funny at all. Sliding off the ottoman, he made his way to one of the bars for another refill. One of the bottle service girls had already stopped by, and he'd figured it would be faster to retrieve it himself before she came back around.

After this one, he probably should consider cutting out soon.

The once-empty tables were now crammed with people as he passed by, the translucent drapes sectioning off each booth. People laughing and chattering were heard over the dim roar of the music. And when the beat changed to a popular new release, two people scampered from their seated positions and almost cut Sasuke off, dashing off to the dance floor and ignoring his frown.

It was definitely not his usual scene, and every additional minute he stayed hanging around made him question his sanity. Apparently the little amount of green he smoked beforehand and the chilled vibe at the start of the private event were enough to get him to linger.

At least when he wasn't being pulled into random conversations or brushed up against in a suggestive manner.

'Definitely more bodies than before,' Sasuke thought as another group of people came up the elevator, located in the corner.

"I don't think I can feel the bottom left side of my face... is that normal?" Kankurō asked, lumbering up beside Sasuke.

"How many did you take?" Sasuke turned, leaning his back against the bar. He kept his voice lowered, and, intoxicated or not, he hoped Kankurō would do the same.

"One..."

Sasuke was drunk... not stupid.

The narrowing of his eyes said as much, so Kankurō' quickly backtracked.

"Ok, maybe two... it's my birthday! I should be on a sick one, right?" he blurted, louder than necessary and with a punch drunk grin.

Sasuke just raised a contemplative brow.

'Oh... so he would be fine, then.'

The guy had ingested staggering amounts of more dangerous things before... two pills weren't going to do anything. And, as Kankurō liked to remind anyone in earshot, he had insides tougher than tardigrades.

"I have a score to settle anyway. You always have to party a little harder than you did the previous year. It's an unspoken rule, ok? If not, then... what's the point?" Kankurō explained, nodding for more drinks.

"Make it three, darlin' ... and cheers to that, bud!"

The bad joke teller had followed and was now approaching them. After winking at the bartender, the man turned towards them with a big smile. Sasuke was glad he kept a moderate distance because whatever the man had sprayed himself down with before leaving the house was giving him a headache.

Oblivious, the new arrival pulled at his collar a bit, already moving on from the cute girl preparing their drinks to resume prowling for the next interesting mark. It didn't take long at all and Sasuke watched as he looked across the room, pausing with a low, wolf-like whistle.

"Actually... I think I might need to buy her a drink," he trailed off, his deviant smile curling with interest.

Sasuke didn't need to look hard to confirm who the man was talking about. There were two women in a small group of five across the lounge near the other bar. And no offense to the seated woman knocking back a shot, but all three focused their eyes on the standing strawberry blonde who leaned against a curtained pillar, cheering on the other girl.

It was impossible to hear Sakura's laugh over the upbeat tempo, but Sasuke imagined it in all its glamour. Knew intimately what sort of pull she possessed and could only imagine the wheels turning in the other guy's smitten head.

He also knew she would find Mr. Suave's jokes as corny as he did.

'Hmmm...'

In fact, maybe he should gaslight him, then sit back and watch the show. Now that would be funny.

That alone should have been a warning sign of just how tipsy Sasuke had become, but it didn't matter. The other man was sent away before he got the chance to act.

Kankurō observed where the old track star's eyes landed as well and released a humorless laugh.

"W-aaaaaay out of your league, Zaji. Besides, I have an open bar tonight and the only one who looks thirsty here is you."

He lifted one of the three shots to his now disgruntled ex-teammate and pushed him along with a pat on the shoulder. Turning around, he intercepted the way Sasuke's gray eyes still lingered across the room.

"What type of friend would I be if I set him up for failure, eh?" The impish smirk couldn't be missed. "Besides, word has it there's some, other... sly dog already sniffing around."

Sasuke had cracked people across the jaw for lesser words, but he accepted it for the irritating joke that it was meant to be. He'd been around Kankurō long enough to know there wasn't malicious intent or disrespect meant...

And when under the influence, the man became more shameless than a tabloid magazine.

More importantly, if he reacted, it would give him all the answers he needed.

The tip of Sasuke's tongue pushed against his teeth and he silently turned around to face the bar without a word.

Kankurō's laugh this time around was genuine for sure.

"So Ino wasn't just gossip-gossip after all. You and Haruno, huh?"

Why was it such an interesting topic for people? Couldn't they go mind some business that actually paid them and get off his back? Of course, the alcohol did wonders for his bullshit tolerance so there really was a lack of heat behind the thought.

Kankurō, sensing the sudden break in tension, stepped up to grab a seat, bouncing on the soft leather stool to get comfortable.

"You know... she used to date my cousin," Kankurō admitted, pulling a shot closer to himself.

In fact, he had been the one to introduce the two of them. Kankurō met Sakura after he transferred schools — right in the middle of high school, junior year. She was one of the few friends he'd met and connected with instantly.

Well...maybe after trying to slide, of course. But he had been shot down immediately. She never took his flirting seriously because he was already a blazing coomer at that age.

He would always have a soft spot for her, though.

Sasuke wasn't sure if he wanted Kankurō to continue or not. He was torn between listening in mild curiosity and indifference. Ultimately, he decided that whatever needed to be said could be told to him by Sakura herself.

"Happy birthday to me..."

Kankurō didn't go into details after all, instead choosing to grab one of the shots still waiting. Tipping back the small glass in one smooth motion, he figured his raven-haired connect would find out the rest eventually. Especially if it turned into something more serious, like the way Ino had hinted at.

Sasuke followed suit, taking the remaining shot off the surface before clinking his glass to the other man's drink in a brief cheers. Though he winced when the tinted liquor burned all the way down to his chest, he didn't cough. He slammed the glass back down, ignoring the couple that came upon his other side to place an order with the bartender.

"KANKURŌ!"

The voice was drowned out mostly by the reggae track, but both men heard it and turned around. One male was on alert because it was his name that was shouted. The other turned because even if he was bound, gagged, and blindfolded—he would recognize that voice anywhere.

Astilbe colors emerged from the group of bodies mixing on the dancefloor, fighting her way as politely as possible towards them.

Sakura was one more bump away from getting mean with someone and frowned before she finally escaped the masses. She looked up briefly, making sure she was still going the right direction but quickly looked back to her phone. Apprehension guided her trek towards them as the glare of the screen accentuated the worry lighting her face.

"Kankurō! You said this was going to be a small gathering." When she made it close enough, she rocked back on her heels, leaning more weight on her right leg.

"It is a small gathering—"

They would all be fools if they tried to ignore how he had to speak louder to be heard. And his eyes slowly took in the amount of people surrounding them.

"—small-ish..." Kankurō pinched together his thumb and pointer finger as if the gesture could diminish the actual number of people that were flooding in.

The couple that were next to Sasuke had started to vigorously make out, and Sakura prayed they didn't lean too far back and hit Sasuke in the shoulder or there would be another issue to deal with. Shifting her focus back to the task at hand, she sucked her teeth.

"Yeah? Then what did you think would happen if you posted something like this?"

Her phone was turned around and shoved in their faces with Kankurō immediately breaking out into a smile. It was a similar look to the one he had in the picture, except on the screen he was in dark shades and posing inside what she assumed was his hotel lobby.

"Hey, stop thru and come see your boy?"

Sakura read the caption out loud, throwing in a really good accent that sort of impressed them both.

"Hey, I do sound like that!" Kankurō cheesed harder, while Sasuke stifled a laugh.

Looking at them both harder, she confirmed — they were both shit-faced.

"Do you see how much attention this got? How many times it was shared?"

The swirling colors from the strobe lights flickered and whirled around them while Sakura scrolled further on her phone in dismay.

Her other hand went to her throat to run along the grooves of her necklace. The layered jewelry was veiled underneath the see-through-mesh portion of her dress, but a few lights caught and bounced off the little glossy gems.

Sasuke followed her restless fingers until two of the hanging trinkets blurred out of focus briefly. Blinking rapidly, he felt the last shot hit him unexpectedly, the dark blues and purples of the room swirling together. His focus returned after a few blinks, just as Ino shouldered her way next to the pinkette.

"Yooooooo, did you see this?"

The blonde flipped her phone and pulled up a live post. The feed showed a huge queue of people starting to make a fuss in front of three security guards. No words could be made out in the commotion, but the camera angle changed to a wider shot.

This was a live feed in front of the club.

"Oh, you mean hundreds of people showing up to a party already over capacity? Because someone decided to post the address to his loyal followers? You don't say."

Sakura's eyes went back to her own phone, shaking her head at the growing views and comments.

"Oh, come on. What's the worst that could happen? A few butthurt people turned away from the most epic party this year? Let them cry more. Aye, one more round beautiful." Kankurō leaned over the bar, flirting with the redheaded bartender as she giggled and started on the new order.

The forgotten couple next to Sasuke was still there… making out heavily without a care in the world.

"Uh oh..."

Ino turned her phone vertically again when the camera swirled around to view the street and a parade of approaching cars.

Both ladies looked up, and although there were no visible windows around them, there was a giant skylight along the north end of the building. And through the black lights and strobes… a quick peek revealed suspicious red and blue reflections along the visible bricks from the neighboring building.

"Shit," both women cursed at the same time, rushing around a few people to grasp the long railing to look down. The top floor was open in the center for the wide staircase with a view of the front lobby and entrance below.

More blue and red flickering lights reflected off the glass doors moments before the first four police officers walked through.

A fifth officer held tightly to a leash that was tethered to a shepherd-like dog. And when it kept its head low, sniffing close to the ground — Sakura reached over and squeezed Ino's hand that was resting beside her own on the cool metal and glass railing.

Drug dogs.

In unison, they turned back around.

This party was definitely over.

A few people could see what was going on and began to scatter. The panic hadn't reached the upstairs area yet, so they needed to act fast.

The slight alarm on their faces when they returned to the men's side was apparent, but the girls acted mostly on autopilot. This wasn't their fist rodeo, so they explained only what was necessary while quickly moving.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, knowing he didn't have much paraphernalia left on him, but he had sold grams to a few people in attendance.

He did not need to stick around and wait for fingers to start pointing about deals made.

People always saved their own ass and would turn on a random person they had just met to keep themselves from behind bars.

Meanwhile, Ino took the few things left on Kankurō before splitting up and heading towards the back stairwell.

Kankurō decided to stay; it was no use going anywhere when the establishment still had his black card.

Sakura quickly grabbed Sasuke's hand, pulling him towards the elevator without a word and pressing the recall button several times until the doors finally slid open.

He was a little unsteady on his feet when he followed, but they rushed inside.

"Police!"

Another five people quickly pressed in behind them while Sakura hit the 'close doors' button twice, shutting out the noise and yelling that was quickly filling the air.

"Holy shit!"

"That was so crazy!"

She didn't recognize the faces of the other occupants that were trapped inside with them, their words bouncing back and forth as the clique started talking up a storm. But she and Sasuke remained quiet in the back.

Sakura was forced to press against him in the small confined space while they were facing each other. It didn't take long for whatever silly games they had been playing to evaporate. The feelings bubbling up between them must have been mutual because he pulled her closer still.

It could have been a reaction to all the chaos going on, an instinctual need to be close and to protect her, yet she'd like to think there was more to it than that. This was possibly the most steady eye contact they'd made all night, despite lasting a few seconds at best.

Sure, they could hear what was going on around them, but their deep breaths echoed in their ears and drowned out everything else. Paying more attention to each other rather than what was being said.

"Did you see what happened?"

"No, but Carly is going to be so, so pissed that she didn't come," another voice replied in excitement, somewhere in the back near them.

Sakura kept her eyes on Sasuke. He just blinked down at her with a look she couldn't decipher — eyes lazily trailing across her face before snapping to meet her eyes every now and again.

"Man, we just got here too... damn," groaned another.

The real world came clipping back to them with an acute ding. Doors opening, the sound of a commotion near the front entrance startled everyone stepping off.

The downstairs area was just as chaotic as the scene they'd just left, with troves of people still trying to get out.

It was known in situations like this that you wanted to get out first and ask questions later. Stragglers could be easy pickings for jail time or questioning.

Luckily for the small group, the elevator let out adjacent to the bar on the ground level and was conveniently near an emergency exit. Everyone went through and hoped the alarm didn't trigger while they made their escape. The heavy metal door slammed against the brick wall before the group took off down the alleyway, still talking about what had happened.

Sakura started walking the opposite direction towards a parallel street while trying to text Ino.

"Did you come here with Kankurō?" she asked after slipping her phone into one of the hidden pockets near her hip.

Sasuke's hand trailed to his own pocket, pulling out some keys while his eyes narrowed, noticing the slight shiver that tapped along her shoulders when she crossed her arms and looked at him. The see-thru mesh portion of her dress was long-sleeved but did nothing against the night breeze. Almost on autopilot, he walked forward, passing her as he left the alley and went onto the side street.

Her shivering bothered him, but he'd left his jacket in the car.

Sasuke turned to go down the block, walking fairly straight, but Sakura wasn't fooled. With a restrained sigh she trailed behind him, jogging to catch up even in the six-inch heels she wore.

"You are such an ass." Mistaking his intent, she maneuvered into his path, hands reaching out to grab the keys in his hand. He growled at her, stumbling unsteadily on his feet and trying to snatch them back, but she was quicker.

Sakura pressed the lock button twice, not remembering the make and model of his truck. Having no idea where he parked, she hoped it was on this side street and not out front somewhere. They both turned when the horn blared twice, yellow lights flashing in the distance, a mechanical response to her pressing something on the key fob.

Sakura really didn't feel like driving, but she knew he was too sloshed to do so safely. Once again, she questioned why she was such a nice person. Decision made, she grabbed Sasuke's wrist and started pulling him across the street, ultimately ignoring his choice of words as he made his displeasure known at being manhandled.

"SORRY!"

They both stopped abruptly to the sound of screeching brakes while their figures were engulfed by headlights. Sakura raised a hand while shouting out an apology. It was their fault for jaywalking in the barely lit street, and the car had every right to be angry. She hoped to calm any argument before it started by accepting responsibility immediately in a placating manner.

The short honking stopped and when she looked up, she saw Sasuke glaring menacingly at the guy behind the steering wheel.

She ushered him along with a grumble and, even though she'd put out one fire, another battle was waged when they reached the truck.

There was a wrestling match to put on his seatbelt, but she reacted with calm patience, the kind she would need with a child or a difficult patient.

This was definitely going to be brought up at a later time, she thought. Oh, the teasing she was going to dish out would almost be worth the headache he was being then.

"Just you wait until you're sober," Sakura mumbled as she closed the driver's side door, finally climbing in herself. She slipped on the jacket he kept slurring on and on about, keeping her promise to put it on despite not being that cold anymore after walking.

Unlatching the duo buckles around both ankles, she dumped her heels in his lap.

"Stop throwing shit at me..." Sasuke demanded, thankful when the bright interior lights faded to black after she closed the door.

Sakura turned a deaf ear, completely ignoring him while she adjusted the seat. The near-silent motor slid her forward until her stockinged covered feet could reach the pedals.

Turning on the vehicle, she grabbed her phone, startled when the incoming call registered on the dash screen. That was until she remembered that the device was still synced from the last time she rode with him. Accepting the call, she put her phone down in her lap while the Bluetooth did the rest.

"Hey, Ino. We made it out." Sakura reached for her seatbelt as her friend's clear voice rang through the surround sound speakers in the truck.

"Oh good. Holy shit that was wild, I can't believe that happened!"

It hadn't taken long for the little blonde gumshoe to find out more details of what went down, and she happily shared her newly acquired knowledge with Sakura.

Apparently while they were busy celebrating upstairs, the scene out front had turned into a circus with the number of people that showed up.

Kankurō had a huge social media following and should have known that such a blatant post inviting people would garner gobs of attention. With the establishment already being at capacity along with the dozens of impatient people loitering and with more showing up every passing hour, it had all the makings for a disaster.

But it was refreshing to know that it was shut down because of the disruption and nothing more.

"Management or the owners could have called themselves, too. With that amount of people, security probably got nervous."

"Yeah... maybe. Anyway, you'll never guess who's passenger seat I'm sitting in right now..." Ino purred.

"Hmmm... let me guess. Is it Chōjūrō?" Sakura asked while she turned down the volume slightly. It wasn't much of a surprise that her friend ended up leaving in someone's foreign car, tonight.

"Yup. He's just getting some gas. A few of us are going to that chicken and waffles place. You wanna come?"

Glancing to the side, Sakura briefly panicked when she noticed the constipated look on Sasuke's face. The street lights emphasized the way his nose was scrunched up and she was worried he would hurl. She released a breath when he only rubbed his eye and leaned on the window, sinking further in the seat.

"Uh—...no, that's ok. I'll text you in the morning."

She really should get him home and hoped that look was a false alarm. The last thing she wanted was for him to get sick, even though it wasn't her car and she certainly wasn't responsible for any mess he created.

"You ok?"

Sasuke grunted in response, closing his eyes.

Letting him be for the time being, Sakura returned to the task at hand.

It always felt weird whenever she drove something new. It took her a second to get comfortable, adjusting the mirrors and fiddling with a few buttons and knobs. She found the blinkers and high beams without any trouble.

She was a decent driver and had grown up learning how up and down the beltway, so Sasuke should have nothing to worry about.

"Not that you could argue about anything right now," she giggled.

Sasuke sighed from beside her, but otherwise remained quiet.

Pulling smoothly away from the curb, the Yukon Denali slowly accelerated down the dark narrow street. There was still a half-hour before the rest of the clubs and bars closed, but traffic had already begun to swell.

However, she made it three blocks without incident until it suddenly dawned on her.

She didn't know where he lived.

"Shit," she breathed, stopping at a light. The intersection was heavy with foot traffic and like most downtown areas, the nightlife was booming.

Sakura chanced a peek but already knew Sasuke was dead to the world before she ever got a good look. The glow of the traffic lights created red streaks in his hair as Sasuke's face remained relaxed in sleep. She bit her lip as the light turned green but had to wait for the stragglers to clear the crosswalk. It gave her enough time to decide to just head home. Surely her place was closer. And if it wasn't, well... tough shit. It's not like a certain someone was conscious right now to have an opinion.

After mapping out a route in her head, she made a left, squinting at the street sign. Pulling up the GPS was an option, but she was well acquainted with the area to make do for now.

She also made sure to watch out for speed cameras as she cracked her window. It wouldn't be hard to figure out she was the culprit if he received a ticket in the mail. The city usually attached a nice color photo of the driver during the infraction in some cases, although if she did trigger one, her attitude would lean more towards the side of 'sorry, not sorry.'

"It'd serve you right for being a mysterious cranky butt," Sakura quipped as she pulled on a familiar street. Parking near the loading dock was risky, but she didn't have her parking fob for the underground garage. They would have to take a gamble that it would be ok until the morning.

Available spots were nonexistent out front at this hour, and she wasn't going to park several blocks away and have to walk back while dealing with an uncooperative, inebriated Sasuke Uchiha. Lord help if anyone gave a second look at them or gave them any kind of trouble. Recalling the sneer he'd thrown at that driver earlier, Sasuke would have no problems finishing anything someone else started.

Successfully maneuvering near a retainer wall, she shifted the gear into park.

"'Why thank you Sakura, you're the best.' Oh, you are so welcome... no big deal."

She managed to deepen her voice enough to impersonate his, except he was still knocked out.

Sasuke looked so peaceful sleeping that Sakura almost didn't want to wake him. Black fringes of hair and his collar were hiding most of his face from that angle, while his head rested against the cool glass — but she saw his eyes were sealed shut.

"Hey..." Sakura ran her fingers gently through his locks, trying to wake him before she opened the passenger door. His seatbelt would secure him if she opened it with him still leaning against the door, but it would be awkward as hell.

"Rise and shine, we're here."

Sasuke blinked awake when she shook his shoulder, gradually rousing from a refreshing nap.

He slid out when she came around to his side without a fuss, accepting the assistance when she swung his arm over her petite but strong shoulders.

Sakura didn't question the change of mood as she walked them towards the loading dock entrance. Honestly, she was just glad that it was a much better situation this time around than it had been getting him inside.

Sasuke didn't lean much weight on her and only embraced the help because it brought them flush together at their sides. The quick snooze made the world stop tilting, but his feet still felt heavy. At any rate, the fresh air did feel good and he grinned a little now that they were outside again.

She didn't say anything to match the slightly puzzled look she was giving him. However, Sakura did spare him a small smirk in return, completely oblivious to what they were smiling about to begin with. The handsome lines near his cheeks were hard not to fall in love with now that he was a little more pleasant to be around.

And with a little more clarity, Sasuke realized his crummy attitude had stemmed from not seeing her for a while. It was the reason for his sour mood earlier, now that he was being honest with himself.

All from not seeing her smile.

And while it was a little confused, the grin she sported now was very genuine and the last of the dark aura seemed to fade away.

Did he mention that she looked damn good draped in his bomber jacket, too?

Walking up a small ramp, they both squinted under the bright lights of the service elevator when the doors opened.

"Umphf! Careful."

Almost tripping, they fell against the padded reinforced walls in a muddle of limbs. He was too busy flirting and trying to catch a whiff of her hair, not paying enough attention to where they were going.

Sakura laughed and detangled from him to scan her key fob and press the button for her floor. The silence was lengthy but oddly comfortable and stretched all the way to her door.

Sakura ushered him inside, barely taking a second to turn on a light before she was moving past him. Her heels clattered on the hardwood floor as she made a beeline for the bathroom — her bladder was killing her.

"Take a seat, I'll be right back."

A few minutes later, she made her way back to the living room after a detour to the kitchen. They were going to need the pizza bites she stuck in the toaster oven, because she was starting to get hungry. Also, the snack should help sober her house guest up a bit, along with the water she carried.

Sakura spotted him in the semi-darkness, the moonlight shading the room just enough to see where she was going. Sprawled on the sectional, Sasuke's dark eyes roamed the layout as he casually lit a backwood, looking up when she appeared before him.

The alcoholic hum he'd felt waned somewhere between his little nap and the trip up the elevator. It was reignited as his head tipped back, chest expanding as a different type of euphoria traveled through his body. His unreadable dark eyes blinked slowly as she approached.

"That's rude. You don't know if I allow smoking in here or not." Sakura slowly scooped the ashtray below the TV stand before turning on the recessed lighting near the patio doors.

"It helps with thinking."

"Thinking? And just what were you thinking about?"

"That kidnapping is unbecoming of you..."

The cheeky remark was a setup, she just knew it.

"The last time we were together, weren't you the one mentioning duck tape and rope?"

His reply to that was an arrogant smirk that made the green of her eyes shimmer as the city lights glinted behind her back. Though slightly cloudy, his focus shifted entirely to her and she liked being the center of his attention. With a little sway in her hips she allowed the ashtray to slide from her fingers onto the low table.

"Next time I'll just dump your drunk ass in a cab..." Sakura quipped while acquiring the lit joint and taking a pull, plopping down next to him.

The large resting place could lounge a small army, but that didn't stop her from saddling up close next to Sasuke. His now empty hand rested on her thigh, the little black dress pulling high on her skin from her seated position. She was suddenly glad she had removed the tights she wore during her bathroom trip.

"Hmph..."

The thought was cut short when a small chuckle escaped him, and Sakura raised a brow.

"And like how... this is the ugliest couch I've ever seen."

She rolled her eyes and jabbed the herb for him to take. Sasuke reached for it while smirking but used his other hand, keeping a light grip on her leg.

"Yeah? Well, you can sit on the floor. I'll have you know that I absolutely love this sofa, thank you very much." She pinched the back of the hand that squeezed her thigh before sliding to her feet, running to the buzzer that signaled their food was done.

"The nerve..." Sakura huffed, returning with the snacks while Sasuke snuffed out the joint. "It's really comfortable, you have to admit that!"

"Still hideous—" He almost burned his tongue on one of the hot little bites. Sakura took the better approach and blew lightly on hers before enjoying a taste.

"Yeah?" Curling a leg under her, she rolled her eyes.

"Monstrous." He took a long gulp of water then relaxed back further into the seat.

"Surely there must be other things on your mind."

Sakura leaned back too but was turned slightly facing him, an arm folding to support her head along the back of the sectional. She raised her other hand slowly and he turned his head with a curious look. Her fingers gently brushed away a crumb stuck below his mouth, thumb grazing his soft bottom lip as he moved closer.

With a sly grin, she leaned away before his eyebrows furrowed.

"Maybe thoughts as to why you were so..." She couldn't quite put his grumpy mood into words, getting sidetracked at the dark pools blinking up at her.

It was his turn to have inward thoughts, and thinking about the last few hours, had he shown out a little tonight?

'Maybe...' he reasoned, but it was definitely the liquor that unlatched the filter from his more deviant thoughts.

But she had already changed his whole vibe once and could improve things even more by giving him something he'd thought about for most of the night.

And he would definitely succeed if the batting of her eyelashes and inviting looks were any indication.

The slight curl of his mouth was her only warning before his left hand reached over to her hip. He grabbed her tighter and her fingers clenched in his shirt, fisting the fabric above his chest after being pulled into his lap.

Sakura settled her weight, enjoying the way his large hands gripped her thighs. She slowly exhaled as he breathed her in, face hidden in her neck as his hands traveled up to frame her hips.

His mood swings tonight were amusing so she entertained him, looping an arm around his neck to run her fingers through his soft hair. Coarse strands glided between her fingers before she formed a half hearted fist.

"Are you sure this is a good time? I'm not bothering you, am I...?" she whispered playfully against his temple, teasing him about their last phone call.

Dragging her closer, he mumbled something against her skin as his lips brushed higher along her jaw and chin. And she sat up fully, leaning into the kiss when they fell together heartedly, one hand grasping the wood and fabric behind his resting head and held on.

It's exactly what he wanted, and the only thing that seemed to appease the relentless hunger. Initiating something far deeper, his tongue eagerly pressed forward for a taste. Slow and careful, slipping across her lips for access while his palms were at odds, firmly caressing her curves.

Sasuke knew he would get lost in her arms the moment they came together. The alcohol, the weed, and the annoying amount of time they'd spent apart leading up to that night made it feel all too real as he went in for another kiss. They broke apart long enough for air before smashing together again, testing boundaries and throwing caution to the wind.

She did her part and leaned into him more, causing his fingers to trace up her back and into her hair. The messy updo didn't stand a chance, and he released a small moan into her mouth.

Sakura hummed in agreement, though she was a little worried for the integrity of her dress. The delicate part near her shoulders wouldn't stand up long against Sasuke's grasping hands, but she didn't care. It felt too good to be in his clutches to stop now.

There was a tingle in her spine that originated from where his fingers touched and Sakura ground against him, hands slipping beneath Sasuke's collar for heated skin. Were they really going to do this? Was she ready to go the physical route again, before defining what was going on between them? Did she even need to define it?

Maybe she was overthinking this again.

Maybe...

Sasuke's teeth nicked her earlobe, the tip of his tongue flicking the diamond stud — and she gasped.

Maybe she should just shut up and feel.

But all that thinking had wasted precious seconds, and she was ripped away before she could savor what they were doing.

Sasuke broke away from her neck, abruptly pulling away with a grunt. Strong hands moved around her and lifted, guiding her to stand so he could do the same.

Was this it? Was this the part where he swept her in his arms and continued to lead them down the path of heat and longing and-

"Bathroom," he grunted, standing to his full height. Sakura barely had time to steady herself, yet alone process the sudden statement.

"W-...what?"

Sasuke sucked his teeth, repeating himself. "Need to piss. Bathroom. Where?"

Deflating, she pointed down the hall and watched him leave, sinking back down into the sofa with a plop. There were minor touch-ups being done in the guest bath, so she directed him towards the one in her room instead.

Sighing into the throw pillow she'd dragged over her face, Sakura released a breath of frustration, before getting up to clean.

By the time she finished and grabbed her heels from the entrance, she realized that Sasuke had yet to return. Curious, she went to make sure everything was ok.

What she found was a passed out Sasuke laying face down on her bed. The light from her bathroom was left on with the cracked door leaving enough light for her to see. Shaking her head, Sakura moved to change out of her dress before nearing his side to pull off his shoes.

Well, it was technically her side of the bed, but that was neither here nor there.

At least the brute let his feet dangle off the side and not on her white comforter.

His phone began to ring after she untied the first shoe. This was the second time. It also rang while she was changing in her closet a minute ago.

Sasuke's leg moved, but he didn't wake up, and she presumed the call went to voice-mail.

Completing her task, Sakura climbed up on the bed only to hear it go off again. This time he shifted and his hand reached underneath his prone body before tossing the phone between them.

Sasuke grumbled something, but Sakura's focus was on the phone, and the figure that appeared on the screen.

He had answered the call.

And it wasn't just a regular call; it was a video call.

The embedded picture in the corner of the screen revealed the person only had a view of her barely lit ceiling and not their bodies laying on either side of the device.

Sakura's wild eyes swung to Sasuke's face, but his head was bent low, locks of hair shielding his closed eyes.

"Sasuke?" a deep male voice called out over the speaker.

'Shit!'

Chancing another glance at the prone figure next to her, Sakura sat up a little straighter while grabbing the phone.

"Um... hello? Hi. Sasuke's here but..."

She paused when the screen moved. The shadowy silhouette had grabbed his own phone — presumably off a table or flat surface, bringing it closer to his face. The screen blurred with the motion and then settled, giving her a good look at the speaker.

Sakura swallowed as she traced familiar lines across a much different face and made the connection before he spoke again.

"Where is my brother?"

Her eyes widened again before glancing to her side, panning the phone to Sasuke's sleeping form. She cleared her throat to explain.

"He's dead to the world right now. Just too much to drink. It's ok, he can sleep it off here... I don't mind. I'm Sakura, by the way."

It was embarrassing to meet someone - especially his brother - under such circumstances, but she did not let it show. Something in the siblings' eyes softened and Sakura stopped holding the phone as tightly as she had been.

"My name is Itachi. When my wayward little brother becomes conscious, please have him give me a call."

Glancing between the man in question and the phone, she nodded. "Of course."

"And Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for taking care of him."

Sakura smiled while rubbing a hand across her neck, trying not to blush. "Oh! No problem at all. Good night!"

Pressing the red button, Sakura ended the call and released a breath. Lowering the phone to the bed, she almost jumped out of her skin when she met Sasuke's half-lidded stare.

"You answered it in your sleep, when you pulled it out of your pocket—" The last thing she needed was for him to think she was some crazy chick going through his things.

"I wasn't asleep."

"—and it already connected when—wait, what do you mean you weren't asleep?"

"I tried to stop the noise," he said while taking the phone to look at the screen, squinting but otherwise not moving from his sprawled position.

Sakura's free hands were now covering her face, warm palms cradling even warmer cheeks. She could just die right now.

"Why did you let me answer it, then?"

"You spoke before I could say anything." The harsh light went away when he turned off the screen. "No big deal."

Splayed fingers revealed her shock before she dropped her hands completely and turned her wide gaze to him. "No big deal?! I just met your brother for the first time, half-dressed, in bed with his unconscious sibling."

Oh God, it sounded even worse when she said it out loud.

What will he think of her?

Sasuke's eyes gave her a once over. Noticing the change of clothes, he didn't see anything wrong with the tank and satin sleep shorts as he twisted his body to toss the phone on the side table, placing the second one there as well after powering it off.

In fact, it was giving him other ideas, but all this talk and silly notions were killing his high. Settling back down into the soft mattress, Sasuke snaked out a hand and pulled her down with him.

Sakura offered no resistance, still whining about being set up, and how could people be so mean?

He nuzzled against her when she laid down, spooning her back and wrapping an arm around her middle.

Cuddling was much more appealing.

"You looked good in that dress tonight," he whispered against her pulse while appreciating her change of attire. More skin was now accessible, and Sakura's reluctant giggle vibrated from her back into his chest.

Sasuke was still a little sluggish but became more and more interested, extending his kisses to the soft slope of her shoulder. His dormant fingers moved against the fabric of her tank top, inching the white cotton up her torso slowly in the darkness of the room.

"I did…?" Sakura whispered, tangling her legs with his.

Sasuke only hummed against her neck again, hand brushing its way over her chest above her top. She bit her lip when the heat sunk through, making her shiver in want while tipping her head to the side.

He enjoyed the early stages of her surrender, touching her above the thin layer, but he knew it wouldn't last for long. The longing he felt for her returned with jagged precision. The games they played tonight were all a waste of time when this was what they both wanted.

Sakura turned her head, making it easier to accept his kisses, relaxing against the soft mattress and his hard build.

A person like him should come with a warning label. He intoxicated her more than any drinks that night did with his capable hands and rugged aura, caressing her figure in a way she hadn't been touched in a long time. It stripped away her hesitation as he weighed a much too sensitive breast, cupping her in the sweltering heat of his bare palm.

She steered away from his mouth to release a heady moan, arching against him while they lay on their sides. Although she was fairly occupied, she couldn't help the other hushed thoughts that went through her mind. At the risk of breaking the spell they were under, she whispered to him, holding the hand still covering a globe.

"Tell me what you want Sasuke…"

"I want to touch you."

The answer came too quickly to be anything but honest.

"I want to be inside of you," he murmured against the back of her neck, the alcohol from that night morphing into the ultimate truth serum.

And if she wasn't wet before, her muscles clenching down below would ensure that she would be. Nerve endings flaring alive in anticipation of his touch… she'd always be ready for him.

The final whisper was enough to break her resistance into a thousand unusable pieces, and she hoped he remembered the confession when the sun rose in the morning.

"I want—"

'To be with you... around you... all the damn time.' He wasn't exactly sober, but they were still his words to tell. Thoughts that were laid open, flayed and bare, even though they rang through the privacy of his mind.

But she understood it all... like he knew she would and even then, it wasn't enough. It would never be enough.

"I want that too…" As much as that piece of reality was a scary thought.

But she was glad he was taking ownership of his feelings. She refused to play a guessing game with him; filled with cryptic messages and hidden meanings. No, if he wanted her... wanted this? He was going to have to spell it out loud as plain as day. She was a natural scholar and always considered herself intelligent, but even with schooling, she was not a mind reader.

She had gone down that road before of mixed signals and uncertainty. She was not in the mood or the headspace for a repeat. She'd worked too damn hard to reclaim a sense of self over the past year and a half to go back.

Sasuke had other plans regarding thoughts of reclaiming, and continued to cup her supple flesh. His other hand skimmed down her toned stomach and slipped into the waistband of her shorts, barely grazing the soft skin of her lower stomach. His eyes closed as he took another deep breath in.

"I want that too," she repeated on a moan, pressing back against him as her nails dug into the hand still clutching her breast.

She couldn't think of anything she'd ever wanted more. His enthusiasm was pushing away the rest of the white noise inside of her head. How could she not want this? When it felt so right?

Her hand closed around his hand more above her shirt, feeling his grip tighten before slacking in her hold. This was not the time to start teasing her, she thought, listening to his deep breaths.

Sasuke's fingers below were so, so close to where she needed him to be.

Not a second later, she realized that all of his movements had ceased. Blood still rushing past her ears she craned her neck, turning her head to look at his profile from the corner of her eyes.

"Sasuke…?"

Sakura's eyes widened when she finally got a good look to figure out why he'd stopped moving.

He passed out again.

With his nose pressed to the back of her shoulders, he breathed in and out at a steady pace, fingers slack against her body although still holding her in his arms.

And she would have whined in dismay, if it wasn't so undignified.

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It shouldn't have been as relaxed an atmosphere as it was. Though, it might have had something to do with the calming scent from the fabric softener, but he couldn't be sure.

When Sasuke woke the first time, it was because of the running water in her bathroom. The sound was muted behind the closed door, but his consciousness kept nudging him awake. His hands smoothed across the soft sheets in the semi-darkness, finding his cell phone, but his gun wasn't under the pillow where it should have been. His body grew taunt for all of two seconds before relaxing. When he realized where he was, the tension left his body with a jaw cracking yawn.

One eye pried open as he revisited last night and tried to put the memories in some sort of order. Taking a quick inventory of his current state, he concluded that he didn't feel sick, but he was extremely tired and was likely to raise holy hell if the small throbbing behind his brow turned into a full-blown hangover.

He chose to blame his fatigue on the early morning hours and not the amount of alcohol and other shit he may - or may not - have taken last night. And if his memories were accurate, he also knew that he needed to call his brother back — and lastly, he had to pee.

One could wait until later, but the other... not so much.

He pulled himself up from the down comforter and headed for the bathroom, allowing the early morning dawn to help him navigate the shadows in the room. He passed his discarded shirt on the way, and before he could think to knock or just barge in, the door was pulled open.

Sakura offered him a tired smile, whispering that she'd left some stuff out for him. Thankfully she wasn't startled to see him standing there, because any piercing screams would have split his brain into two.

She dimmed the light further when she noticed his grimace and brushed past him, shutting the door behind her. He would appreciate the new toothbrush sitting on the vanity later, along with the washcloth.

Draining his bladder made him feel a little better, but he knew he was still fucked up. He squinted in the low light, eyeing his reflection as he brushed away the whiskey he'd barely remembered drinking from his gums.

Finishing up, he wanted to kiss her for attempting to take care of him, accepting the Tylenol and water she offered when he returned to the bedside. There was also some tea she offered to share, or—

"I could make you some coffee, if you'd like." Her voice was near silent as he climbed back into the bed.

It was a tempting offer... but he wanted nothing more than a few more minutes of sleep and dragged her with him, her soft giggles accompanied by a drawl of, 'lazy ass.'

The second time he woke, it was an hour or two later. The sun was definitely up now, but in that moment he was in no rush to move. He must have scooted down to the middle of the bed during his nap, and at some point thought the rounded curve of her bum made for a comfortable pillow. Brain still in a misty daze, he found no reason to move just yet.

Sakura was preoccupied with a massive hard covered book anyway... laying down on her stomach while highlighting a few passages. Something gave him away and she moved to give a sympathetic glance over her shoulder.

Twisting an arm slightly to reach behind, Sakura ran a hand through his soft locks without displacing him from his comfortable position. He answered her questions about headaches and nausea, grumbling that he wasn't a child while secretly basking in the attention.

Sasuke really should not be there wasting the morning away, but he was content to stay a little while longer, so lax he'd almost missed the question she threw his way. In his defense, he assumed she was mumbling to herself, unaware if it was something she did frequently while studying.

"Is your favorite color blue?"

He blinked slowly, cracking an eye open but not moving.

In the silence, Sakura thought he may have fallen asleep on her again, his cheek still resting on her tush, but then she heard him answer after a while.

"Is my favorite color blue?" He usually wasn't this slow in the morning, but the question was out of the blue... no pun intended.

"Yeah..." She turned again to look down at his profile. "I don't know... you just seemed like a 'blue' kinda person to me."

There was more quietness between them, and she got nervous.

"Uh-huh..." he finally spoke up, angling his head slightly to look up at her. "Why don't you ask me a real question instead?"

"That was a real question," she whined, but she elaborated and hoped she didn't sound silly. "It's how people get to know each other. You know... I ask a question, you ask a question-"

"Like an interrogation?"

Now he was just being cheeky. She returned to her book, not wanting to rise to the bait. He was cutting into her studying time anyway. She felt his arm move, his warm palm enveloping the curve of her hip as he shifted his weight.

"Ask questions, huh..." Sasuke trailed off, raising his hand past the waistband of her shorts up her bare side, the fitted cotton tank rolled against her ribs, exposing her skin. His fingers dipped below the top, grazing the hint of black ink that was peeking from underneath before skimming his fingers up further, across the still half-hidden tattoo. "What does this mean?"

Ino had an identical one on her ankle that he'd never really paid attention to until he'd seen the slightly larger version emblazoned on the pinkette's skin. He thought it was some sort of... 'best friend tattoo.'

There was evident humor in Sasuke's voice, but he had no idea how close to the mark he was.

"Yeah, you can say that..."

The ink on her side meant more than Sakura could put into words. A meaning that was sharper than the pain she'd felt against her skin when she'd gotten it. The needles turned ink - and what felt like a lifetime of memories - into wearable art.

As selfish as Sakura was being, it was not a desirable topic for the type of conversation she wanted to have.

They were supposed to stick to light-hearted and fluffy. There was even the hope of getting an embarrassing story out of him. And really, considering the circumstances in which she met his brother the first time... he lowkey owed her.

Trying to keep things light, she veered off into something else instead.

"Do you like cats or dogs? What about food? I'll go first. I love frozen yogurt, but I am obsessed with anko dumplings. My grandmother made them for me when I was a kid. Best thing you've ever had in your life." She turned another page, rereading the last sentence in her mind because the theory she read had been confusing to her the first time around.

Sasuke made a face... one she could not see but it didn't matter; she could hear his disgust in how he talked. Rubbing his eye, he settled down again to curl an arm across the back of her thighs.

"I hate sweets," he mumbled, closing his eyes again. The headache was mostly gone and he wasn't sleepy, but she was right; he was being a lazy ass. Most of what he needed to take care of today could be done later this evening, so drifting off again was easy…

And happened on the third blink.

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When her phone rang, she was tempted to ignore it. It was on vibrate and was probably just Ino wanting to disclose how fabulous her night went.

Except, it wasn't.

She was glad she reached over at the last second to answer. Well, she would be later, once the panic and ensuing madness was over.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Haruno? Good morning, this is Brian at the concierge desk. There are two gentlemen here in the lobby who are requesting to see you. They said-"

Sakura's back arched as she stiffly rose on her elbows in panic, listening intensely. Her gasp was heard over the line, and the wonderful man on the other end picked up on her unease.

"I'm calling you from the office behind the desk. They can't hear me. If you want me to turn them away…"

"Um, no. I mean… shit. Uh, could you do me a huge favor? Pretend you couldn't reach me and then call back? I just need a few minutes-"

"Absolutely, Ms. Haruno. Whatever you need."

"Thank you so much," she whispered into the receiver before hanging up. There were several long seconds of utter stillness before she let out a resounding-

"FUCK!"

She shouldn't have moved so quickly, considering her derriere still held a resting passenger. It was too late, however, and her curse startled him something fierce.

And that's when Sasuke found himself roused from slumber for the third and final time.

With a jolt.

The combination of her moving and his wakeful surprise almost caused him to go flying off of the side of the bed. He caught himself with a last-minute grip on the blanket. It was so tightly tucked into the corner that it was able to hold his weight as he sat up.

Sakura ignored him in favor of finding his shirt and tossing it to him.

"You have to leave. Like… right now. No time to explain."

He grabbed it out of mid-air, bed hair still sticking every which way. His eyes followed her as she disappeared into her closet.

When Sakura came back out, she was dressed in sweats and a baggy hoodie ‐ something a little more modest than the sleepwear she had sported throughout the night.

"Come on, come on. Hurry!" she urged, slipping down on all fours to find his shoes. The confused, dejected look did not disappear from his face as he pulled his shirt over his head.

"You're kicking me out?"

Sakura stood up, pulling him from the bed and shoving his shoes into his arms. She couldn't stop to feel bad right now, no matter how adorable the 'sulking' look plastered on his handsome mug was.

"I'm really, really sorry," she said while pushing him down the hall and towards the door. He took a moment to put on his shoes while she answered a call and was still confused as to what was going on when she hung up.

Unlocking the door, Sakura reminded him where they had parked the night before and gave him his keys. Pointing down the hall towards the right, she said he should have no problem taking the freight elevator down and out the way they came.

They stood just inside the doorway, and Sasuke turned to look at her while slipping on his jacket, pocketing the keys and both phones.

Her voice was soft in the quiet hallway, tilting her head in question as she pulled the door wider.

"What?"

"..."

The look he gave her was a peculiar one, but they couldn't afford to play 'Decipher the Uchiha.' Normally she'd give him the space to figure it out, but there wasn't much time left.

"Use your words," Sakura teased while still prodding him further out the door.

"I want to see you again."

"Then make it happen. Preferably sometime soon."

The snarky remark made him fall for her even more, so he acted in kind.

Sasuke pulled her close, bringing their lips together while he kept his piercing dark eyes open until the last moment, locking his gaze with her firmly before their lips pressed against each other.

Shock lanced through her as her right hand came to his shoulder. Maybe there was a stray thought of pushing him away, but her fingers curled around the wrinkled material of his shirt under his jacket with an instinctual grasp.

He was trying to tell her something.

Sakura could be wrong... but she felt something deep within her, that he was trying to communicate with her the best way he knew how. By using the curve of his lips to carry forward a message and she finally closed her eyes, leaning into the softness of his embrace. This was not what she had in mind, when she had told him to start using his words.

And was pretty sure she'd said words... not mouth.

But he was determined to put those sensual lips to good use, it seemed.

Sasuke broke away, just a moment for them to take a much-needed breath... stealing her own away a second later as he pressed them together again, just a bit slower this time. He closed his eyes after she succumbed again, her fingers clawing up into his dark strands. His own long-fingered grip cupped her rear to pull her up just a bit more because, damn, she was so much smaller than him but he didn't care.

With a struggling moan she finally broke away, tipping her head back to meet his eyes.

"Ok, go—" She said pushing him in the direction of the freight elevator and where they'd come from last night. He walked backward until he reached the corner, finally turning away with a smirk and disappearing.

Sakura leaned against her closed door, holding a hand to her chest after closing it as her heart beat in awe. The dreamy smile she sported was wiped away when not a minute later, there was a strong knock against her door. She felt the slight thump against her back and straightened, tugging on her pants because the prick almost gave her a wedgie with how hard he grabbed her ass.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Sakura counted to three before opening the door.

"Sakura? Sakura Haruno?"

"Yes?"

"We are detectives from the Third District precinct. We were wondering if we could ask you a few questions…"

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[blue---rose]

White Widow - Chapter Six

Fanfiction.net | AO3

Title: White Widow Chapter: Six Author: Blue Rose

Huge shout out to my new beta - CherryBerry12. Thank you :) 💖

“Jesus, what did you eat today? Where did it all come from?!”

If Sakura could, she would have pinched her nose closed, but she needed both hands for the task of bagging up the dog poop while keeping the leash out of it. She didn’t understand why dogs never watched where they were going and tried to keep Akumaru from stepping in his droppings before she could clean up.

Finishing, she tossed the mess in a waste bin they passed before crossing the street.

“That crap was almost as big as your head.” Sakura laughed.

The pair had just come from a small park at the end of the block and were now heading to their intended destination. On the surface, it was just a smart thing to do — letting the dog relieve himself before they needed to go inside. In reality, it was her just procrastinating. And she used every second of it.

However, the growing puppy didn't care much about taking a stroll today. Especially when they approached the towering highrise. This was his other home, and his panting and excitement signaled he knew exactly where they were.

"Ok! Ok! We're going."

Approaching the entrance, Sakura was careful to watch her step while she admired the way the evening sun reflected off the smoked glass and steel. There was a dark, eerie beauty she found in the looming structure before them.

 The last time she'd been here, a thin layer of snow had covered all of the asphalt. Frigid temperatures caused the flurries to stick to the ground like falling powder — perfect for making snow angels.

 She remembered that the exterior had been decorated with strings of twinkling blue lights as well with poinsettias arranged beneath the windows in a festive holiday display.

 Thank goodness the weather was not below freezing as it was prior, months ago. Though, that didn't stop a wave of nerves from washing over her, wondering again how she managed to get herself into another weird situation.

 Oh, yeah... that's right.

 It started with a favor.

 It always started with a favor.

 Because she had a difficult time saying no and was consistently willing to lend a hand to anyone in need.

 Which is why she was opening the glass doors to walk through the vestibule, speaking to the concierge in the lobby to give her name.

 Well, it was much too late to change her mind and Sakura sighed, releasing Akamaru from her arms after the elevator doors closed. Making a steady ascent to the top floor, she mulled over the reasons she was there in the first place.

 Sasuke had asked if she could return the dog to Kiba's family.

 He'd never met any of them, and correctly presumed she would know how to reach someone. It wasn’t much of a stretch. She and Kiba had been friends since freshman year in high-school.

 Sakura conceded to do his bidding, but followed up with some questions of her own — like, why was he watching over the dog to begin with?

 Despite being guarded, Sasuke answered all of her questions. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling things were being left unsaid.

 What quickly followed however, were thoughts of the canine’s owner. And soon she felt the dormant bud of concern blooming within her, once again.

   Kiba .

  Gently nudging away the worry she'd felt, Sakura went along with it. Especially after Sasuke revealed that it was against his lease to have a dog — up until now he'd been taking a risk.

 Feeling a little sorry that he’d been keeping him, she agreed to return the pup. Which is how she'd ended up here.

 The elevator came to a smooth stop at its designated floor, the thick doors sliding open. Akamaru pulled her down the hall, towards the other home he knew by scent and memory.

 Sakura only knew they were at the correct place because of the ' PH3 ' plaque beside the red door.

 Reaching out, she pulled down on the lever-like knob, entering once a voice beckoned her inside.

 "Hello?"

 She unhooked the leash from the studded collar just to watch the ball of fur run deeper into the suite, his tiny paws gaining traction against the mahogany planks of wood. Following seconds later, she rounded the corner to catch sight of a figure standing near an alcove.

 Sakura looked on as Akamaru whined near the person's feet, pawing at their immaculately pressed pants. He then proceeded to roll onto his back, completely exposing his belly.

 Sakura brought her eyes up to greet a woman whose tips of brown hair curled around her sharp jaw. Defined lips were painted a deep violet with a peremptory tone to match. Her voice was smooth and rich, whisking past her ears.

 "Sakura."

 Tsume Inuzuka stood as statuesque as royalty. Her commanding aura matched the intensity in her swirling, chocolate brown eyes. The attitude alone was worthy of any crown, but she was far too brutish for something as dainty as a tiara. Her brassknuckles nature had served her well in business...

 And, maybe in her personal life as well?

 The matriarch was already married to husband number three if she remembered correctly. Despite being rather intimidating, there was another side to her... a more gentle side. Something that was softer around the edges and reserved only for a select few.

 Sakura hoped she could tap into that side now. Maybe it would help, especially when a certain topic was brought up.

 "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

 Reaching down, the brunette picked up the squirming pooch to move him under her arm, briefly inspecting his form with a keen eye.

 "Hello, Mrs. Inuzuka...Er! I mean, ' Shimazu ' now... isn't it?" Sakura ran a hand across her neck, smiling to cover the wince she so desperately tried to hide.

 "Tsume is fine. Come here, let me get a good look at you. You've finally got some meat on those bones, I see."

 Almond-shaped nails dipped in black lifted the young girl's chin, fingers tilting her face and Sakura felt a blush warming her cheeks under the scrutiny.

 "Ah... yes, it has been a while. Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice."

 The dark-haired woman moved to sit on a loveseat, reaching for her glass of wine.

 "Lucky it's not the weekend, or I would have been in California by now," she asserted, swirling the Merlot around in the wine glass.

 Sakura politely declined the offer to join her with a glass of her own. She did accept a seat, however, sitting across from the older woman as she continued.

 "I thought he would've lasted a lot longer before dumping his responsibilities on someone else. Speaking of which..."

 Tsume raised her eyes to meet Sakura's, the tips of her nails clicking against the glass before she pressed on.

 "You mentioned that you haven't heard from that son of mine. He's decided to stop responding to me too, which has been very irritating."

 The layered ends of Sakura's high ponytail swung across the top of her shoulders as she shook her head. Her bangs rested partially in her face but their eyes remained locked as she confirmed what she’d said earlier over the phone.

 "No, I have not."

 The hand that was twirling the glass stopped, digits gripping the stem while the ambrosia settled within.

 Shadows from the lowering sun tilted across the walls signaling the oncoming sunset. Quiet and sobering — as something stirred in the air and the mood changed. 

 Sakura sat immobile and tried not to fidget under the weight.

 The tension was broken when Tsume released a hum, cutting off eye contact to look down. Reaching over, she grabbed a piece of prosciutto arranged on a platter from the coffee table.

 Sakura slowly released the breath she had no idea she was holding until then. 

 Hesitating, she felt the need to tread lightly but knew it was necessary to shed some light on the situation. Be that as it may, it didn't look like she was going to be discovering anything new with the way things were going.

 "That's actually why I wanted to speak with you. He hasn't responded to my messages either. At first, I wasn't worried, because of... well-."

 Kiba's history of disappearing was left unspoken, but Tsume grunted in understanding, taking a long sip from her glass.

 His mother was instantly reminded of his past rebellious acts. Although there usually would be some sort of... warning that preceded any dark turn.

 Her remarrying or becoming bi-coastal were just a few examples. She could remember the fights and fallouts that followed. Especially regarding his choice of outlets.

 The reckless behavior, the unsavory habits, the disagreements... she remembered them all.

 But...

 Tsume thought they'd long moved past that. He seemed to finally settle down... as much as someone like him could. He'd been taking care of his apartment, had stayed out of jail-

  As far as she knew ...

 -and out of most forms of trouble for quite some time now. It was hard to recall the last time she'd received a phone call that ended with screams, threats, or sour disappointment. She'd hate to think he'd regressed.

 "Is there anyone he's been hanging around? A new group of friends, maybe? Other than Ino and yourself—"

 Tsume was in the dark to whom he was associating with these days. "...he rarely tells me anything and I can barely keep up with him."

 Sakura was not the type to be dishonest but she found herself in an uncomfortable position. Choosing her words carefully and hoping her deception wouldn't come back to bite her in the ass, she gave what she thought would be just enough.

 "No one I've talked to has seen or heard from him either. I'm sorry."

 She was here to get as much information as she could, without giving too much away.

 All because...

 Sasuke had also asked that she keep his name out of everything. As far as Kiba's folks were concerned, he didn't exist. And he'd like to keep it that way.

 He had his reasonings; he’d murmured some explanation and Sakura relented because it made sense at the time. Maybe not giving names was the safest route.

 But now that she was here, it was uncomfortable as hell, and her stomach felt like bats were fluttering away in it. The calm expression she presented on the surface, however, was flawless.

 Moments ticked, ticked, ticked away... before Tsume finally waved her fingers dismissively. She'd heard everything she needed to hear. Crossing one leg over the other, the perfect cuff in her pants rested against her heel.

 "No matter. Someone is already looking into it. If that boy thinks he can get away with ignoring me, he has another thing coming. I'm just wondering what foreign jail cell or backwater whore house I'll need to rescue him from this time ," she sneered, gulping down the last of her wine.

 Sakura adjusted slightly, not saying a word but giving her a small nod. But her fingers curled into fists hidden within her pockets, the rings she wore digging into her skin.

 It's not like she wanted him to be caught behind bars. Or needing to be dragged to a health clinic the next day, for thorough testing.

 It's just...

 At least he would be found, and all this fuss would have been all over nothing. But until that happened...

 Sakura gave Tsume a small smile, hoping to ease away any concern this conversation may have brought.

 Hidden away on the inside, she wished someone was there for her right now — who could return the favor. Someone who would gift her the same comfort she'd just offered Tsume to maybe put her mind at ease. Because even after speaking with his mother and listening to her confident answer...

 Sakura could not shake the feeling that just wouldn't go away.

 Something was amiss.

 But she hoped that she was off track... and just being paranoid. And that his mother was right.

 This was just one of those... 'Kiba times'.

 It's exactly what a large part of her was wishing for... and what she needed to believe.

    ✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

 He hated that damn bow.

 Sure... on its own, it was harmless.

 That was all an illusion, though. Being an inanimate object did not stop it from being a vexation.

 And just how could something so insignificant, be so... troublesome? After all, it was merely a decorative accessory, attached to a pair of heels. Looking so innocent, affixed to the leather band caging her slender ankle.

 But looks could be deceiving.

 It became problematic when his eyes traveled north. And for the life of him, Sasuke couldn't fathom how a few inches on a shoe could be so devastating. The manner in which they elongated her legs as his focus strayed upward. Following an invisible path along smooth, pale skin.

 Limbs that seemed to go on and on for days — filling out to thighs that were soon hidden from view beneath sparkle.

 The dress she wore did nothing but accentuate her curves; dips and valleys that filled out an enticing figure.

 Sakura's slender neck supported her head as it cocked to the side, smiling at whatever some teen girl in front of her said. And her green eyes crinkled in mirth as she let out a laugh, bringing the clear plastic cup to her lips for a drink.

 Speculating if she always smiled that brightly for everyone.

 Sasuke tore his gaze away, eyes landing on the DJ booth in the corner — the LED lights around the display throbbed to the beat of the track, playing across the speakers.

 Like hell he’d be caught staring.

 It wasn’t like they hadn’t just spent... what? The last two hours together? Getting everything ready for the party. He'd seen her then...

 Same outfit…

 Same smile…

  Same god damn heels.

 So what had changed? Could he not keep himself from finding her?

 His eyes constantly tracking her, flickering to trace her migration around the open space.

 Even when he caught himself it wasn't enough to stop the cycle from repeating. His eyes would be lowered, idly scanning the party, not focused on anything in particular.

 Then...

 A flash of sequins before his eyes would settle on that little black bow.

 Wasn't that the textbook definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?

 Sasuke's mind didn't pass along that bit of information to the rest of his body. Instead, his eyes would start the trek all over again, his avaricious gaze taking her in before cutting away.

 Seeking out a distraction, he leaned against the expansive window behind him.

 The tempered glass usually flooded the suite with natural light during the day. Now, it hummed against his back, miniature vibrations warbling along the surface from the tracks deep base.  And it felt cool against him as he sighed.

 Taking another swing of beer, Sasuke hoped the warm sensation he felt didn't spread to his face. But at least he could make it appear the fault of alcohol and not the salacious thoughts starting to run rampant in his mind.

 Like...

 If the rest of her was as soft as the skin on her inner wrist was. The pad of his thumb had brushed against it when he had passed something to her earlier. And watching now, at the exposed skin her dress didn’t cover...

 Damn him if it certainly didn't look the part. He would only need a few seconds to graze his hands across the perceived silkiness to know the answer.

 Lowering the amber bottle, he swallowed thickly, sighing after. A quick look at his watch had him quickly releasing another one, wondering again why he was still there. Glancing over his shoulder at the snow-covered streets below, a minute passed — before a prickling behind his ear caught his attention.

 He was being watched.

 Everything around them started to fade away when his eyes suddenly met hers. Twinkling stars locked onto his own, piercing through the smoky haze around them, her focus solely on him. And suddenly, Sasuke's mouth was no longer satisfied with the bitter taste of alcohol.

 No...

 He was craving something else entirely.

 And as he moved closer—

   .

  His vision completely went white. 

  .

 And like coming up for air after treading murky waters, he broke through the surface and was brought back to the present… somewhat painfully .

 Surely, the sound of flesh meeting leather must have been heard during the impact. But his brain only registered the sound after as it echoed in his mind.

 Then there was the ringing.

 Lots and lots of ringing.

 .

  Ka-KLUMP-PAK!

  whoooo-sh...

  THUD.

 .

 ...

 "........... -ke? "

 He could have sworn that the saying went: you were supposed to see stars.

 Not feel them.

 ' Oh shit that hurt .'

 "...... -uke ? Sasuke ?! Are you alright?"

 ' Fucking stars. '

 "Sasuke...?"

 And fuck him and his own negligence for not seeing that coming.

 The ringing in his left ear dimmed low enough that he was finally able to hear the question. Blinking back the few spots that danced behind his eyelids, Sasuke grunted, pushing away the hands waving in front of his face. When there were no longer four eyes blinking down at him, he rose to sit up.

 The boxing gloves that had been strapped to Itachi's hands were now lying between them, his profile relaxing though remaining in its hunched form.

 "You were supposed to dodge the second hook. I pulled back but it was too late." He fussed over him again, but Sasuke batted away the concern, sitting up fully when the ringing in his ear finally disappeared.

 He felt a trail of moisture slide down his temple but breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that it was only sweat. He still counted his blessings though, thankful it wasn't his brother's leg that flew at him instead. If it was, his head would have been knocked clean from his shoulders.

 Sasuke removed the padded mitts he wore, tearing at the velcro with his perfect white teeth — more embarrassed than hurt. His brother had dangerously quick hands, and he should have known better than to allow his mind to wander when they were in the middle of sparring.

 "Where were you?" the elder asked, mirroring his unspoken thoughts while moving away to grab them water from the kitchen.

  'So he's going to call me out after all...'

 Sasuke huffed, choosing to stay seated on the mat below the hanging punching bag. He slowly worked his jaw open and closed a few times, rotating the Temporomandibular Joint.

 Good... nothing was broken.

 "Nowhere." Sasuke deadpanned, feeling along the curve for swelling.

 Itachi raised a brow at him as he passed him the chilled bottle. Knowing where further questioning would lead to, he pivoted to another topic.

 "I see your temporary house guest is no longer here..."

 Taking a much-needed sip, Sasuke began to explain what had transpired. Of how he had gotten Sakura to facilitate Akamaru’s return, along with agreeing to a few terms.

 Terms that were presented more as a... suggestion, of course. Maybe gather a little information while she was there if she could?

 He took full advantage of her gentle disposition, to coax her a little. Anything to help seal the deal.

 And when it was all said and done, they parted ways with an agreement in place.

 Sasuke didn't realize the amount of silence that stretched between them until he looked up, catching his brother’s stare. Keen orbs continued to study him, inky depths watching...

 Causing his own brows to snap together.

 "What?"

 "........"

 The corner of his brother's mouth twitched, deep lines appearing across his face before smoothing again.

 " What? "

 Sasuke didn't want to repeat himself, but the silence had struck a nerve. It brought back memories of when they were younger and how he felt whenever he was overlooked, ignored, or even excluded from certain things.

 Being an adult now, he could understand why things were handled the way they were and he harbored no resentment. However, that didn't stop the feelings from returning every now and again and bringing him back to the times when he used to be shooed away.

 Itachi never bothered to take the time to explain anything, because Sasuke was too young at the time. No one around had felt the need to, back then.

 And then there were the other occurrences, where he'd be left with nothing more than a whisper of— "Next time, Sasuke."

 As fleeting as it came, the memories all disappeared when Itachi finally caved.

 Learning lessons from the past, Itachi saw no reason to get Sasuke unnecessarily riled up.

 "Nothing."

 It would have been convincing, too... if they hadn't known each other so well.

 Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Sasuke leaned back on his elbows, his damp shirt stretching across his torso. He dragged his water bottle with him as a fresh breeze stirred across the loft from an open window.

 "Just spit it out already. You can either say it now and get it over with. Or later..." His nose twisted as if he was going to sneeze.

 "...no doubt in some cryptic way. Do us both a favor and spare me the hassle," Sasuke ended boldly, taking another swig and draining the bottle below the halfway mark.

 It took some time, but pointing out the obvious had its desired effect and Itachi finally asked what had been on his mind.

 What came was an inquiry about the woman — whose name, he'd noticed; was always spoken with a certain... tone . 

 Was there something going on that he should know about?

 And since Itachi had avoided using a condescending tone when asking the question, the prodding managed to disarm him.

 "Nothing..." Sasuke answered; slate-colored eyes drifting as his brother moved to sit near him. Breaking eye contact, a few of his fingers pressed into the padded mat underneath them.

 "... at least, not yet?"

 He always did find it difficult to keep things from his brother.

 Itachi could have easily sprained his wrist while sitting; his weight careening with a jolt at the quiet admission. He recovered well enough, sitting down fully and eyeing his younger brother with veiled surprise.

 And for a while, the only sound in the room came from the jingling chains holding up the punching bag, as it drifted in small circles near them.

 Sasuke finally gathered the courage to glance up, but his brother's eyes were peering outside, deep in thought.

 The sunlight kissed Itachi's low ponytail, gathered across one shoulder and his umber touched gaze looked far away.

 The question surprised him when his lips suddenly moved.

 "You like this girl, Sasuke?"

 He wasn't sure why, but he flinched.

 What was he supposed to say, Sasuke thought as his teeth pinched the inside of his bottom lip. The tip of his tongue could almost feel the impression left by Sakura's teeth from their last kiss. The ghost of the intimate touch came to mind at the most inopportune time.

 Did they really have to get into this when he still couldn't find the right words to describe what was happening between him and Sakura? It was all just one big ball of complication as far as Sasuke was concerned.

 An intricate web, twisting with many threads of complexity...

 With the label of 'friends ,' not quite fitting...

 And it was far too soon to be thinking about ‘love’ ...

 But 'just fucking' was too crude, and there was an interest there beyond the physical — as nice as that was.

 A string of fate that seemed to constantly pluck at his attention whenever she was near, while driving him to distraction when she wasn't.

 And it was comical and annoying at the same damn time. And, well...

  Ah fuck , he'd asked for this, didn't he? Him and his big mouth.

 "I-..." Sasuke hesitated, blinking in contemplation before trying again. "What I mean is-"

 Long fingers wrapped in protective white tape lifted. Two digits extended to brush against Sasuke's forehead, effectively cutting him off.

 "I just want you to be mindful." A sharp gaze fixated onto his own, and even though he took a breath to respond — his brother's gentle smile gave him pause.

 "I also want you to be happy," he continued, lips curving into a knowing grin. 

 Rising from the mat with a stretch, Itachi made his way down the hall towards the bathroom, leaving his younger sibling alone with his thoughts. He also ignored the small frown zeroing in on his retreating back.

 Sasuke slowly shook his head, following the figure of his brother until he disappeared around the corner.

 Whatever surprise that lingered was quickly overshadowed with something else as he gulped down another drink of water.

 An unexpected flare of delight engulfed him as he slowly returned his brother's grin...

 And there was only the empty room left to witness the handsome sight of Sasuke's dimple — a rare, but genuine smile pursing his lips at the unclouded approval he'd just received.

 ✧ ･ﾟ * : * ﾟ･ ✧

 "Is that the last of it? What about that other set in the back?" one mover asked the other as they stood near the rear of the box truck.

 "The dresser with the mirror? Nah, that's going to a couple in Bethesda. That's our next stop. Here, take this when you go up and drop that off. She already tipped us... just get them to sign," the driver told him, closing the rolling door when he jumped down from the back of the vehicle.

 The clipboard was placed on top of the sealed, brown box the taller mover was already carrying in his arms.

 Making sure it was perfectly balanced in his hands, he turned to go up the freight elevator... making one last and final trip.

 The front doors to the newly leased space were still propped open, and he placed the box down, just inside the sizable foyer.

 "This is the last one," he called out, his russet eyes scanning the invoice, looking for the client’s name. "We just need an autograph from Ms.-... ah-."

 "I'll do it!"

 There was a conscious effort not to look down at the exposed legs of the young blonde as she came bounding towards him, hips swaying in a pair of forest green cotton shorts.

 He also did his best not to stare at the: 'I love cock' written in graffiti font on her shirt — and the word 'tails' stamped right below it in smaller print. 

 Though slightly crude, the tongue-in-cheek message had made him chuckle most of the afternoon while he was working.

 Ino smiled brightly, nibbling on the capped pen while her eyes took their time to locate the signature line.

 Tugging on the brim of his hat, the helper began to calculate his chance of success in scoring her number. And in turn go completely against company policy.

 His opportunity to risk it all was interrupted when the owner of the suite appeared from around a corner.

 Sakura shooed the golden femme away, signing the papers instead. She thrust the paperwork back in his hands after thanking him.

 Mouthing a quick 'sorry,' Sakura apologized for the actions of her all-too-flirtatious friend.

 The company had done an amazing job and had earned the positive review she'd leave.

 Ino twirled away to retrieve a stash — hidden earlier on the built-in shelf, snagging a lighter as well. Turning, she climbed over the back of the sofa.

 The hand holding the bright red plastic waved in their general direction.

 "We really can't thank you enough. Did you guys have to train to be so amazing?" Ino climbed down with a purr and a wink, still flirting as she settled on the floor.

 Sakura let out a nervous giggle, ushering the smitten guy out the front doors.

 "Is there anyone who is spared from your relentless-... philandering ?" She huffed, unlatching the mechanism holding both doors open, closing them tightly.

 Really, her friend could be so embarrassing sometimes.

 "What can I say? I love a man in uniform. Besides, I left them alone for most of the afternoon… you should be thanking me." Ino twisted the grinder in her hands, her spine resting against the front of the large sectional.

 Sakura slowly came over to stretch out behind her, laying down on her stomach. Sinking into the cushions, she felt the tension slowly release from her overworked muscles.

 Despite any possible... sexual harassment lawsuits, she was glad her bestie was there lending a helping hand. Moving was always a grueling task, so any help was appreciated. She'd even done some manual labor when she helped Sakura paint a room back at her old apartment.

 Leaving the place in immaculate condition scored her most of the security deposit back. Her comrade teased that it was unfair and that the only reason she did was that the place was barely lived in.

  "I'm just glad it's all done." Sakura mumbled from her sprawled position, her sweat pants resting dangerously low on her hips. They were already rolled down twice at the waist, and now a bit of blue cotton peeked from underneath.

 Ino paused, oceanic eyes spanning the layout. One eyebrow pinched inward after taking in the bare dwelling.

 "I wouldn't exactly call this... 'done,' Forehead. You have your bed and this monstrous couch. Other than that, you really need to get this place decorated."

  'Let the nit-picking begin.'

 "Yeah, yeah..." Sakura mumbled around a throw pillow, her face still buried in softness. "I'll order a bunch of stuff later."

 There were three different flavors of frozen yogurt chilling in the freezer. And her books and medical journals were unpacked and stored away. As far as she was concerned, everything else could wait.

 Ino wasn't convinced but instead concentrated on rolling the canappa before her, grunting at the stickiness.

 They still had to officially 'bless the house,' after all.

 Sakura turned towards her, raising a hand to cradle her head, cheeks still pink from burrowing into the pillow. It was only when she was spaced out that a particular thought drifted back to the forefront of her mind.

 And with all the bustle from today, there hadn't been a quiet moment up until now, to bring it up.

 "Did that guy ever call back again?"

 As it turned out, Tsume wasn't kidding when she said someone was looking into Kiba's disappearance.

 A private investigator reached out to her, asking a series of questions. Sakura told him exactly what she'd already shared, her story and timelines never changing. Not that there was much to tell.

 Afterward, she'd given her best friend a heads up, instincts warning that she'd be next.

 Much later he did get ahold of Ino, though, she had very little to say. Her answers were similar to Sakura's, as they'd both lost contact with Kiba around the same time.

 And she made it clear that she didn't know anything beyond that.

 Licking her lips, Ino brought a knee up to her chest, her sock covered foot dragging across the throw rug while she remained mindful of the low table in front of her.

 "After the first time? No."

 She then extended her tongue to wet the ends of paper as she expertly rolled the joint. Humming in affirmation, she eyed her handy work.

 "He was a pushy bastard though. When you talked to him, did you tell him anything? Maybe let something slip you shouldn't have?"

 Sakura sat up in surprise.

 "What? No..." She shook her head although the blonde was still facing forward, away from her.

 An eerie feeling ricocheted in her tummy.

 "D-... did you?"

 Ino snorted, flicking bits of grass from her nail bed. "I should have," she murmured.

 "Ino!"

 She was just being a bitch, but it's what she did when she felt annoyed... agitated .

 "To be honest, I'm not getting a good feeling about any of it. Not to mention... a P.I. coming around? Asking questions? This is getting to be a bit much."

 What's next?

 The police?

 It was not a good look to have a bunch of authorities hanging about, despite the reason for their presence.

 "I know..." Sakura began, the cushions shifting under her movements.  "I don't like any of this either... but even Sasuke-"

 The blonde spun around so fast she feared whiplash. Sparks of contention lit the glare Ino threw her way.

 "We don't know him, Sakura!"

 When she yelled, it surprised them both, their eyes wide and staring. It hadn’t been on purpose. Of course it hadn’t been, and Ino couldn't remember the last time she'd been so quick to snap.

 So, after taking a much-needed breath, the apology floated in the air between them.

 But not for what she said .

 No...

 She'd meant that.

 But… for the way she said it? Maybe she was a bit too harsh. She regretted it the moment it left her lips, so she made another attempt to apologize, keeping her voice even and much calmer.

 "We don't know him. Now, I'm not saying he's a bad guy or anything, but he's Kiba's friend..." Ino stressed, "not ours . I think he's cool and all, but we need to think with our heads here, and not with..."

 Her eyes lowered to Sakura's lap, hearing the sharp intake of breath when the seated girl immediately stiffened with indignation.

 "I'm not!" Sakura tried to defend herself. And if her leg wasn't twisted beneath her body she would have snapped her legs shut.

  'Guilty, much?'

 "Then we need to think smart. I don’t know about you, but I can't be seen mixed up with anything shady. Having some private eye sniffing around is a no-go for me."

 Ino turned back to the low table in front of her, her thumb rolling over the spark wheel twice, before the lighter flickered to life.

 Sakura sighed, shoulders dropping as she just let it go. She looked instead to the beautiful vase of flowers sitting close by.

 The arrangement of orange roses, honeysuckle — and a few other things she couldn't name were sorted together.

 It was a beautiful house warming gift from Ino, and she appreciated the floral scent as it drifted through the air. But she knew even its sweet smell wouldn't stand a chance against the thick haze that was sure to come.

 Sakura rolled to her feet, moving around her friend to approach the veranda door to crack it open. Nudging it slightly, she felt the crisp breeze charming its way past the small opening and into the room.

 Ino continued her musings on an exhale, swirls of grey, blueish smoke wafting towards the darkened recessed lighting above.

 "Sasuke was right about one thing, though..."

 She stood up, approaching her friend from behind and passing along the lit herb. "We should stay out of it. Besides, someone is looking for him... his family has it covered."

 Darting off to find an ashtray, she left the pink-haired woman to lean against the glass with her private thoughts, gazing at the skyline beyond the metal railings of her patio.

 Taking a long drag, Sakura hoped the calming effects would kick in soon and burn away her lingering restlessness.

 Everyone, it seemed, was just shying the Kiba issue away or even brushing it all aside. And it made her feel so damn torn inside.

 Reaching around, she patted herself down, feeling around for her phone.

 Oh, she knew what was going to happen... but she went for it anyway.

 There wasn't a choice, was there? Besides, she was nothing if not steadfast.

 And while fully aware of what was going to happen once she pressed 'SEND', Sakura didn't hesitate. 

 Her rather nimble fingers typed away, making another attempt to at least... try to do something.

 .

  Message:

   Just let me know you're ok...

  Please?

 .

 Sakura's hand reached up to remove the joint from her lips, holding her breath with a deep inhale as she re-read the note again.

 Sending out the text, she slowly blew out a trail of smoke.

 A familiar notification sound cackled in the air as the last cloud left her peach-stained lips. And her eyes caught sight of what showed up on the screen.

 The message was undeliverable.

 Just like the previous dozen she'd sent before that.

 Some of the messages she sent were laced with concern, others spewing threats of sterilization. She quickly discovered that anything sent out was shortly returned after bouncing through mobile data and Wifi signals.

 All of her messages went unanswered.

 But whatever disappointment or irritation she felt was quickly tempered down as conflict echoed in her mind.

   "'...-e.'"

  Because wasn't this the same thing she'd done in the past? Completely ghosting everyone close to her?

 Absconding without a care in the world, regardless of who it might hurt, or what it could affect?

 Sakura had exhibited the same pattern of behavior herself a while ago. And at her worst, she had gone days without responding, keeping her distance.

   "'...-ite.'"

  The memories surfaced like the smoke drifting past her face as she took another hit, contemplating just how much it sucked... being on the other side now.

   "'...-rite.'"

  Ino returned, handing Sakura the found ashtray while quickly plucking the weed from her aloof grip. Humming a tune, she went over to go see about playing some music.

 But Sakura stayed put, unable to shake the word that haunted her mind.

 One that felt weighted like the heavy crystal she held in her grasp. Looking down, she caught the way a few rainbows appeared with every deviation of the ashtray, and every time a flash of color reflected she imagined a voice whispering in cool, mocking tones inside of her head.

"'...-crite.'"

Taunting all the emotions echoing through her, even as she accepted the bitter truth in the word, repeating over and over again...

    "'Hypocrite.'"

  ✧ ･ﾟ * : * ﾟ･ ✧

 " The sky is clear and you can see for miles across the grasslands. But as easy as she could look beyond the Serengeti, she could just as easily be spotted.

  Shoulders hunched low, the lioness hugs her body close to the ground. Blending in among the straw-colored grass... she inches her way closer. She must eliminate as much distance between her and the intended prey before launching her attack. Her sisters are in tune with her, circling the herd on either side, bellies low to the ground as they stalk closer.

  The pack has not eaten for days, and this may be their last chance before the grazing animals migrate north and out of their territory. There are plenty of mouths to feed back at the den and a few hungry cubs who will not survive the rest of the season without a steady supply of food."

 The prone figure nibbled on the last of his fish cake sandwich, his heavy boots hanging off the edge of the loveseat. His large frame laid sideways on the furniture, leaning against the armrest as he watched the clip on his screen.

 He always was a fan of a good old-fashioned hunt. There were just some things in life, that only Mother Nature could do with such... finesse .

 You could learn a lot if you sat back and watched her work.

  "The wildebeests were on alert, taking turns to raise their heads to keep on the lookout."

 He listened to the thick, South African accent as it narrated the encounter playing on the phone. The screen zoomed in as long blades of grass hung from the wildebeests’ chewing mouths while they kept an eye on the young calves. Soon, the camera panned out to show how close the hunters had gotten.

  "It is far too late to be overly cautious now. The lioness and her sisters were in striking range and had only to pick their target.

  Digging their long claws into the heated dirt below, they sprint across the plain. 

  The chase was on..."

 His phone suddenly chirped, and a notification for a new message appeared at the top.

 The man’s narrowing squint flickered up but quickly went back to the action.

 The screen flashed to the pounding of hooves kicking up clouds of dry dirt. And he focused, excited to watch what happened next.

  "The ground vibrates as the herd stampede away, now catching sight of the fawn and black death machines barreling towards them. The chaos is enough for one to lose its footing, one back leg twisting beneath its lumbering body."

 The front hooves clambered against the ground while the frightened animal tried to gain leverage, but it was too late.

  "The seasoned lioness is there in a blink, ready to capitalize on the last mistake the prey would ever make in its life."

 Slow-motion captured the way the lioness’s claws hooked into the large antelope, trying to gain purchase as her jaws opened wide across the prey’s neck.

 The beast finally got to all four hooves just in time to feel the weight of another lioness as she bit at its spine, her body hanging from its rear.

 Losing strength and blood, the scared animal let out a long moan as the lions worked together to bring it down. A third lioness bit at its heels and soon the pressure was enough. A billow of dirt rose in the air as all of their combined weight crashed to the dusty, hot earth below.

 The narrator's voice decreased in volume once again, as another message notification came through — the rhythmic beeping much louder than the nature video, still playing on the screen in full-screen mode.

 Sighing, the man sat up straighter, swinging his legs to the floor to check.

   Message:

  Any updates?

  Message:

  Or has this been a waste of time?

   'Damn.'

 And the documentary special was starting to get to the good parts too. Locking the screen, he stood tall in a stretch, straightening the henley shirt he wore and trudged to the adjoining room.

 The small apartment was oftentimes used as a temporary working space. Although rarely used for the more... messy parts of their job, it was quite convenient for quick meetups. And with the newest development, it made for a well suited temporary office.

 Located just behind a deli, but with a hidden entrance and secured parking, it had only made the best sense to set up shop here, for now.

 The next room was much darker with the blinds drawn the way they were, but multiple computer monitors glared with artificial light as the man came to stand behind the seated teen. A pretty penny had gone into the elaborate setup — more than a few parts couldn’t be bought in just any store.

 There were a few programs open that he was familiar with while scanning the screens, but most he was not.

 And as intelligent as the man thought himself to be, he would never presume to understand what any of the letter and number combinations meant, trailing across the monitor on the left.

 "Looks like you are up and running. What's the status?"

 "I think I've found a way in," Chef replied, his eyes never leaving the screens as he typed away. His favorite song had just begun to play in his ear, and he was seconds away from turning it up before the guy showed up behind him.

 " Think ?" The man's arms folded and his lips melted into a frown.

 "Yeah. What? I can't go back and get in the same way I did before, my dude. They've already patched that shit. I also don't want to set off any alarms. Gotta be sneaky," Chef offered in a huff.

 Besides, he'd already tried the old route and got locked out. But when inside before, he had discovered some other cracks — and hoped to take advantage of one of them now.

 "But you can do it?"

 "Yeah. I can do it."

 The teen went back to work when he felt the figure move away, turning up the volume to catch the tail end of his song. This was exactly why he never took up private offers before. But... the money should be worth having to deal with someone breathing down his neck, in the end.

 The man turned away, sheathing the hidden knife back into its pouch in silence, leaving the room just as quietly as he entered. Hopefully, the teens’ confidence would produce some good results... and soon.

 A real shame too, that he didn't know...

  His very life depended on it.

   ✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

  He was counting stacks of collected funds in his living room when one of his phones went off.

 With their associate still missing, Itachi gave Sasuke the task of fulfilling a few orders and handling some assignments. He'd been on the run for the last few days, completing  transactions that were left to be done in Kiba's absence. Just because he was missing didn't mean the business stopped and even grunt work needed to be seen to.

 He'd used the opportunity to do a little digging on said person's disappearance, but not finding satisfactory answers left him feeling a little perturbed.

 He had been in a sour mood as of late and could think of nothing that might turn things around.

 So seeing her initials flash across his chirping phone's screen was bittersweet — he couldn’t tell whether Sakura calling him at this very moment was a good thing or not.

 There hadn't been a chance for him to reach out to her. Though, no matter how busy he was, he knew he should have found the time.

 And maybe a part of him was feeling guilty for only texting a few things in the last few days...

 But she had his number too, damnit. He had made sure of it when he physically saved it on her phone the last time they were together.

 It was a personal number that not too many people had access to, at that.

 She could have easily called sooner too, but that was neither here nor there.

 Maybe her voice would be the ray of sunshine needed in the otherwise shithole-pit-of-darkness his mood had been sinking into.

 "Hello?"

 Sasuke's voice was unhurried and a little scratchy — coming out husky after not being used for the last two hours since he'd gotten home and showered. He thought he might be coming down with something and made a mental note to drink some hot tea later.

 In the future, Sakura will share with him just how much his voice alone could make her feel sometimes — even when heard over the phone. No way she could tell him that right now, though. There was too much power in that bit of information and she resisted the urge to clear her own throat, hoping the whimsical flutters would go away soon.

 " Sasuke... "

 Maybe one day — around the same time, Sasuke would finally admit how fond he was of hearing her say his name, regardless of its nature or the mood.

 Nonetheless, an eyebrow hitched as he wrapped a thick wad of bills with a beige rubber band.

 "What? Did you misdial or something...?"

 If the answer was yes he wasn't sure he could handle it — not with how this week was going.

 But she said no, and he could just see the smile on her face when she released a small laugh.  He imagined the soft, cupids bow he could still remember the feel of... if he tried.

 Maybe it was a good thing she called, after all. Even after a bit of chatter, he could already feel some of the day's tension releasing from his moody form.

 " Actually, the reason I'm calling was... "

   Why haven't you called?

  Why haven't you taken me out on a proper date yet?

 Already he could hear that — and the other half-dozen questions, all in his mind before she finished.

 He could almost feel his answers forming, and hoped they wouldn't sound like excuses when he said them out loud. Because... damnit, he'd been meaning to see a bit more of her. But with everything going on-

 " -I... well, actually, Kankurō wanted to know if you were coming to his birthday party? He said you already received his invitation. And his order, which — by the way, I won't even ask what's on that list ."

 She trailed off but picked back up with a giggle. 

 " Anyway, he wanted to make sure you didn't forget, and were going to be there. "

   Wait.

    What?

  Having the question ring inside of his mind was not enough, and his mouth opened to express the dumbfounded stutter his brain felt.

 "What?"

 She'd called him only... for that ?

 It's all anyone was talking about, she said; oblivious with his disappointment. Sasuke listened as his hands slowed down to a full stop, trying to keep the frown at bay.

 After the last few — irritating days he's had...

 That's the reason they were finally speaking?

  Kankurō ?

 Maybe talking when he was in low spirits wasn't the best idea after all. Something in his clipped tone must have given him away because after a bit of silence she hesitantly asked.

 " Is everything ok? You sound a bit... distracted? "

 "Yes."

  'No.'

 Bloody hell, that's not what he'd meant. No... it is what he meant, but he didn't mean to say it like that-

 "Just finishing up something."

 " Oh ..."

  'Fuck.'

 Things were quickly spinning out of control and he needed to figure out a way to salvage it.

 Or just end it... before he said something completely Sasuke like, and ruined it for everybody. 

  "Oh... well, it sounds like this is a bad time. I'm sorry-"

 "Don't be-"

  ' Gentle ... you idiot, nicer!? ' 

 "-I mean, it's fine." Sasuke continued after the slight pause.

 Ok, so that wasn't much better and he winced when a rubber band popped, stinging his hand before reaching for another one.

 Sakura waited a beat but wasn't convinced. " Ok... well, I guess I'll see you there? Sorry to disturb you."

 Sasuke fumbled with the phone for a second yet wasn't quick enough to stop her from ending the call, and he sat there after feeling like he just dropped the ball in a major way.

 He groaned, dropping everything in his hands and grabbing at his locks while sinking further into the sofa. It was no use trying to text her back because even he knew when to cut his losses.

 At least no one was there to witness the embarrassment... but he could hear the guffaw his cousin Shisui would have released if he could see him now.

  'Real smooth, Uchiha... real smooth.'

  End Chapter

✧ ･ﾟ * : * ﾟ･ ✧

[southsidestory]

My SasuSaku Oneshots

BACK TO THE BEGINNING

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 10,988

Summary: Sasuke looks so peaceful, sleeping. Watching him now, with those vigilant eyes closed, it’s hard to believe the things this boy has done. The havoc he can wreak on an enemy, a friend. Or a young girl’s tender heart.

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BLOOD FOR BLOOD

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 2605

Summary: It’s vengeance that drove Sasuke away from Konoha, and vengeance that brings him back. Staying, though, is a different matter entirely, and it’s only Sakura that could give him a home.

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FEVER

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 797

Summary: Today he is thirty-five, and this is the first birthday Sasuke has spent in Konoha in over ten years. He doesn’t intend to waste it.

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HOMECOMING

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 1453

Summary: Their first kiss was on Homecoming night. The briefest touch, his lips to hers, before Sakura pulled away, blushing. Then again, a kiss not so fleeting, followed by one after another until the sun rose above them.

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HUSH

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 537

Summary: They have to be quiet. Sasuke’s parents are only one floor down, and they sleep lightly, like most shinobi. It’s difficult, though, when he’s touching her like this and whispering loving words in her ear.

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ON THE ROAD TO SNOW

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 4399

Summary: Sakura knows Sasuke is planning to leave the village. She knows with the sort of certainty that creeps under your skin and settles in the marrow of your bones. Like there’s a thread connecting his heart to hers, and when he wants to wander, she feels the tug of it.

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OVERDUE

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 1504

Summary: Sakura wished that Sasuke would kiss her, that he’d touch more than her belly—but that was against their ground rules. No intimacy. They were co-parenting, not getting married. And so far they’d managed to stick to their rules—for the most part.

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PHANTOM PAIN

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 1053

Summary: Sometimes he’ll think, “Okaasan will be so proud,” or “I wonder if Itachi will have time for me today.” Before he remembers that his mother is dead (slaughtered) and his brother is a murderer. That the best parts of his life have already been cut away.

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PROMISE

Rating: General

Word Count: 455

Summary: It’s a lazy Sunday morning in the Uchiha household, and the children are still asleep. Sasuke lies with his wife and enjoys a moment of peace.

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SECOND SON

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 7400

Summary: There was no reconciliation between the Senju and the Uchiha, and a place called Konoha was never founded. But there is a chance for peace for the first time in a hundred years, and it will be sealed with a marriage.

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SET THE NEW YEAR ON FIRE

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 856

Summary: Sasuke is leaving the village in a week, and Sakura hasn’t spoken to him since he shared this news. She wants him to stay, but she’s too selfless to say as much. So now they’re dancing around one another, not-talking their way through their last days together.

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STAY

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 1656

Summary: Sakura begs him not to go, so Sasuke stays. And year by year he falls a little more in love with the girl he couldn’t leave behind. (AU in which Sasuke never abandons Konoha.)

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THE COLORS OF MIDNIGHT

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 8596

Summary: Their village isn’t the place it once was. This is what everyone says, and maybe it’s true, but it doesn’t matter to Sasuke. This is the only Konoha he’s ever known, so what does it matter how things used to be? That’s what he thinks, until the summer he turns sixteen, when a committee of strangers decides that it’s time for him to marry the girl of their selection.

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THE SILENCE OF THE STARS

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 5018

Summary: Uchiha Sasuke isn’t what Sakura expected out of a captor, and she’s far from what he pictured in a hostage. The weight of his clan’s expectations sits heavily on his shoulders, but with Sakura he learns how to put need before honor.

Read on fanfiction.net | AO3 | tumblr

.

Bonus:

ABSOLUTION

Ships: SSS family & BoruSara with background SasuSaku

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 3464

Summary: Sarada and her father are seeking an absolution so far out of reach that she wonders why they even bother.

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POEMS I DO NOT WRITE

Ships: NaruSasuSaku, SasuSaku, NaruSaku

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 3,750

Summary: Somewhere along the way, Naruto and Sasuke have lured her heart into their hands, and now Sakura doesn’t know how to get it back.

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[blue---rose]

He spent a lifetime doing it to others... so he knew when he was being ignored. And right now, she was doing just that.

'Happy Anniversary, Tsuma.' [Sasu/Saku, (Blank Period?), Rated M]

Tumblr

AO3

[blue---rose]

Four Years and Counting

Title: Four Years and Counting Rating: M Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura

Warnings: Adult Content 

Summary: He spent a lifetime doing it to others... so he knew when he was being ignored. And right now, she was doing just that.

'Happy Anniversary, Tsuma.'

(8/27/20 Update): Slight re-write and also beta-read

He mumbled something to her, his voice low despite the intimate seclusion they found themselves in. She wasn't listening to reason and he began to doubt himself; maybe he wasn't using his words properly. Maybe his comment had been murmured too low, and she'd missed it and didn't catch it at all. But he had spent a lifetime ignoring others... so he knew when he was being ignored himself. And right now, she was doing just that.

They were veiled in the canopy of a giant tree... one of many that made up the forest surrounding Minzutia Village.

This particular one was hidden deep in the lush umbrage, with stocky branches spanning meters in some areas, and far away from the main footpaths and trails. Thick enough that you became invisible to unsuspecting people below... if they bothered to look up that high at all. Sasuke performed chakra sweeps multiple times, but the only company thus far had been a bear and her cubs passing the broad root below.

The idea had been to visit the forest where they'd shared their very first kiss.

Traveling home ahead of schedule afforded them a rare opportunity for leisure and found them returning by a different route. The selected path was more scenic, a trail breaking away from the mountains before winding through a valley of wildflowers.

It really was an awe-inspiring scene that should have been captured in a painting. Rainbow colored petals trembled in the breeze as a sea of emerald dyed stems held strong in the dirt. A lovely sight, even though the blooms weren't native to the land.

He remembered the stories that were first told to them years ago when they first passed by. Rumors regarding the flower's existence generally circled around a fabled Warlord from the East. The townsfolk spoke the tale of how he'd planted a large cluster of them in an empty field, all for the affections of a village maiden. The blooms were from his home and marked the spot for their secret rendezvous.

The original seeded crop spread beyond its marked placement in the field and soon stretched as far as the eye could see. It was an invasive species by definition but it only replaced the straw-colored grass that had been there before.

The story was probably nothing more than a fairytale told to little girls and tourists. However, its beauty could not be contested. And Sasuke was fortunate enough to now have a clear mind and appreciate such wonders with a valued partner by his side.

Sakura's hand rose to her tinted lips, an angelic grin peeking through her slender fingers. Her reaction was pure when taking in the lovely sight. Its beauty was undeniably real... even the second time around.

Trekking to the neighboring village, they stopped to find lodging, checking in and leaving a few belongings. Barely an hour later they were off again, setting off back towards the valley in the fading light. Her hand clutched his bicep tight as he led her down a steep incline and detoured off the old, wearied footpath. A few giggles escaped her as they approached the treeline. Sasuke linked his fingers with hers, ignoring the prancing deer that scattered away as they drew near.

It all made her so very happy, and the fact he remembered the location brought a smile to her face. They couldn't find the exact tree, but neither of them cared and together they'd picked a colossal sized one that towered over an open gorge.

The timbers' massive height offered spectacular views of the valley off to the west and the clear sky above. It was more than enough for them and provided a mellow space to bask in.

And they did. At least in the beginning.

What they were involved in now… well…

This wasn't in the original plan when he'd come up with the idea to share a light snack of rice balls and tea.

Everything started off innocently enough. Both leaf shinobi nibbled on the treats they'd brought, enjoying each other's company. Sasuke reclined against the trunk, one leg stretched in front while the other bent at the knee. Completely relaxed, despite being several stories high in the foliage — as if they'd always belonged there.

Sakura sat perched near his feet on the wide branch. Her legs curled beneath her as she kept her eyes to the sky, taking in the natural wonders around them with a child-like sincerity.

And with a mindset much clearer than in years past, Sasuke thought it was near impossible to blame her. Simple pleasures could be so fleeting, for individuals like them.

Swallowing a piece of morsel Sasuke watched a familiar constellation fade into view while admiring the beautiful pink, purple and orange colors that swirled in the sky above their heads. Stars began to twinkle through the sunset when a slight movement in his peripheral vision caused him to tilt his head.

Just in time to lock eyes with her.

Sakura turned away, cutting off the hooded look and biting the corner of her smile. She returned to observing the shimmer of stars, ignoring his raised brow.

He was curious, wondering just what she could be up to, although it didn't take long before a few more were cast his way. Sasuke could feel the warmth as each one traced his profile under the painted, twinkling sky.

Drawing closer, the charged atmosphere simmered to new heights when Sakura decided to move. The confident nymph invaded his personal space but he didn't hold her at fault. In fact, he stayed put and allowed her to press against his side.

Heated glances turned into knowing touches as her hand reached for his own.

The other cupped his wrist and forearm, trailing roughened fingertips back and forth — pushing the black sleeve of his thermal higher with each pass. He followed the motion from the corner of his eyes, feeling the tip of her cool nose nuzzle into his neck.

She was one of the only beings in existence who'd ever get the chance to be that close, to such a vulnerable place.

Face softening at the tender enthusiasm, the warrior felt the first stirring of warmth spreading low. Soft pink trees rubbed his chin when she cuddled closer. Sakura's breath ghosted across his neck and his heart ticked strongly against her wandering hand.

Soon, those touches grew bolder and became melting kisses. Sultry ones that shattered his brain and dissolved his sensibilities. And aware of her petite stature compared to his own, Sasuke craned his neck to meet the first kiss, the pair slipping their eyes closed.

And Sakura was so happy that he'd do anything to continue that feeling for her. Pressed together as intimately as they were, he was drawn to her and savored the closeness... although somewhat confused. How or why did the flames spark so quickly between them? But even that faded away.

The innocent kiss they had first shared years ago was nothing like the delectable one that entwined them now.

Perceptive little thing that she was, she must have felt something in the air.

Maybe it was an expression on his face. Or the crease in his brow that had her climbing into his lap. His eyes lowered the same as his knee; movements sluggish under her brazen notice as she settled in his embrace. The thick cloak she wore was discarded behind her in the midst of their kisses. Sasuke couldn't remember whether he'd helped her out of the heavy cape or not, closing his eyes when the heated lip lock deepened.

Sakura's gloves were next after she huffed in disappointment, wanting to cradle his face without any barriers. They slipped off easily, his thumb hooking into the soft leather of its twin once she removed the first one.

Relaxing against him, her first, leaning grind above his lap made them break away with moans. The slight rutting movement stoked the flames higher in their budding passion. But it wasn't enough, and she reached to bring them closer, smooth lips parting over his own as their bodies twisted together. And the sly nip she gave to his bottom lip was forgiven when her tongue caressed the roof of his mouth.

Sasuke's bated breath was a soundtrack to her tugging on his clothing. Swallowing against the caress, her kisses moved to press against his throat. Each kiss wetter than the first and his body alerted his mind to where this was heading.

That this was tumbling into something more than just a hot makeout session.

And his beautiful accomplice had no reservations about stripping them bare while suspended high in the air — with dusk witnessing their display of romance. The sound of her name slipped past his lips, but she ignored him completely.

Which was how they ended there.

This… this night was supposed to be special, he thought. This whole week was, despite it being on an official mission. It was nothing more than light work. Really a gift — masked as an order from the nosey, but good-natured Hokage. It also happened to be their anniversary of four years. Naruto hadn't known, but his little plan of a mini-vacation for his two best friends just happened to coincide with the date.

And there was a comfortable inn, back in the village where they had already checked-in and should be heading back, right about now. Where they were supposed to spend the night and with a well made cushy bed…

However, she had other plans.

It rekindled a particular need just under the surface. A practiced fixation he always seemed to get. To slow them down... and take their time. Nevertheless, she was making it utterly impossible. And what little strength he had left was fading fast.

Sakura's bangs and the long strands of hair that framed his face rustled with a slight gust of wind. The cool bit of air couldn't break the humid connection and she licked her lips, running a thumb across the back of his — their hands linked.

He was tempted to say something more but couldn't tear his eyes away. She seized the unspoken words away, along with any pride because he was beholden to return every kiss of hers until the end of his days.

They were lured to each other, gazes strong and pointed, and absolute lightning underneath the dark blue sky. Hesitation was replaced with vibrant greed as the air stirred between them. It was heightened, every harsh breath increasing the fire in their bellies. All three syllables of her name rolled off his tongue when they broke apart.

"Sakura-"

"I'm ready Sasuke-kun, I promise. See?"

In the approaching dimness, she guided his hand to the shadows between them.

Their breathing patterns changed, one speeding up in fragile anticipation, the other slowing down in a pulsating attempt to gain control.

Interweaved digits lowered together. Down her parted tunic, skimming over the clingy fabric of her shorts. Still, it was by his will alone that his long fingers slipped beneath. Her much smaller ones held onto his wrist, feeling the tendons move under the pads of her fingers when he ventured further. He welcomed the smooth silkiness as he touched her bare folds, aching slow as he nudged a finger inside her heated depths. She was so wet for him and felt like heaven against his adventurous hand. A pulse from his nether regions answered the moan that came from her throat.

Night languidly crept upon their oasis as he worked another finger inside of her. Even through the glistening excitement, she was still so tight against the seeking digits. Sasuke's kisses became devouring as he tried to prepare her, thick fingers gentle but adamant in their quest to pull her down into a hazy abyss.

One he frequently visited himself, whenever they were like this.

It reminded him that his original approach involved the heated bath in their suite. But even with the change of location, this encounter would be no less special, no different.

Sasuke made to remove his fingers but her own curled tighter around his wrist to pressure him into giving her more. Sakura's hips moved as she moaned, tilting her face towards the sky. Mixed eyes peered at her silhouette, watching the sexiest lip bite he'd ever seen as her other hand curled around his neck. There was no hiding the blush that spread across her face, clear in the dimming natural light. A demure shade that colored her cheeks with every triumphant rock of her derrière.

Rarely, and only in the protection of moments like this, did Sasuke experience the dull ache of missing his other limb. He wanted nothing more than to continue to play below, while simultaneously running his fingers through her grown-out locks, clinging to hold her close. Maybe then he'd be able to halt her from breaking away from their heated lip lock when he wasn't finished tasting her.

Sakura was out of breath, yet urged him on with a rocking motion, feeling the deliberate bulge hardening more under her backside.

Sasuke smiled except Sakura missed it completely, her beautiful lashes framing her closing eyes as her body tensed and shivered. It was such a little thing, barely a smirk on his lips as he nuzzled the tip of her ear in wordless affection. Moving down, he ran his tongue across her damp skin, scorching heat blazing an invisible trail across her neck, tasting the patch of freckles he'd long since discovered throughout the intimate times they spent together.

He felt every gulp of air she took as her hands began to fumble with his belt and the hidden latch in his pants. His hand reluctantly leaves her warmth, tracing eager, slick fingers to curl into the waistband of her shorts to aid with the newest progression. Quickly understanding where this was headed, he gave in with languorous, movements of his own and lent a helping hand.

Sakura abandoned her quest in stripping him, instead bending and twisting to remove her clothes as his lone hand lent assistance. The soft rustling of fabric reached his ears as more of her was bared to him.

"If you drop my panties, I'll be really upset, Sasuke-kun."

She'd undressed from the waist down and placed her shorts safely beside her pack, sitting near his outstretched feet before also putting away the flimsy, violet fabric he'd managed to confiscate when helping her with the other article of clothing. He may only have one hand... but he was quicker than a master thief when prompted. So much so, she often questioned his chosen profession in life.

But the only thing Sakura could think to steal herself was his undivided attention. She settled on his lap again, returning to her paused task of undressing him. The guards wrapped around her knees protected her from the rough bark as she rested across his strong thighs and wrestled with the dark clothing.

The silver metal in her headband caught the last glimmer of light as Sakura fumbled. Pulling and tugging she unzipped the coarse material and pulled his pants open as wide as they would go.

He conceded to her seeking digits, her small but raspy palm pulling his tunic and shirt beneath, up and over the clenching muscles of his abdomen exposing him to the appearing crescent moon above.

Sasuke's neck heated under her watchful hunger, ribs expanding as she took in the hard lines of her life mate. There was some shared embarrassment on his choice of going commando, but he faltered with the need to touch the soft skin so close to his own. His hand rose to cup her cheek, eyes as unveiled as his flesh and he could only hope that she saw the raw emotions bared to her in that gaze.

There would never be the right words to express how much she meant to him. How their little family and the life they created together would always bring him peace. He'd become so accustomed to her sheltered affection, something that could soothe away any anxiety. He was constantly humbled by her chosen role as wife and mother.

His heart thundered as her hands trailed down, and his moan rasped past his ears with the first curling touch. Back hunched, he seized her lips again with his hot mouth. His hand tangled in her luminous mane, muscles clenching when he felt the bangles on her wrist strike his skin on every downward stroke. There was no point in asking or dictating how she handled him in her sure grip. Sasuke had no say in the matter so he sought to sip from her lips instead, careful of teeth with his burning kisses.

There were reasons why this should have been a bad recommendation, but none came to mind as easy as they had before. Their tasks were complete and they'd been nothing but professional and productive in the quest. They were technically on their way home. And the emerging feeling that maybe this was ok had taken root in his brain.

And... just, what was he mulling over, anyways?

Sasuke's hips jumped when Sakura pinched the tip, her fingers slippery with his own lust. Her practiced thumb made him jerk in her grasp yet it was her voice that sighed out his name.

They were known to always be in tune with each other and he could feel her desire in waves as she moved closer, aligning him to where he needed to be most in this world.

He was frustratingly hard, and another patch of skin flushed on his abdomen. Broad thickness jumped against her slit, eager to revisit that saturated heat he knew so well.

Sakura stood high on her knees, her calves flexing with her shifting weight and his hand reached down to support with the task. The spongy tip was enclosed by her damp folds with the insistent pressing, and their moans echoed around them softly. His kisses became consuming and he refused to release her mouth until he was at least halfway inside.

Sakura took as much of him in one pass as she could, fingers sticking to his shoulder. He still had on most of his clothes but it wasn't so bad when her hand found a good grasp. She felt the tantalizing stretch down to her core and she grappled for a pleasing angle. He wanted to navigate the depth but she adjusted with a tremor, her other hand canvassing over his dark trail. She couldn't have him as she wanted, fully on his back... but this was just fine and she pushed him to recline against the trunk a little more when she bottomed out.

The tight fit pulled a hiss through his teeth, her soft backside grinding against the rugged material of his pants. His tomoes' lazy circulation captured her expressions when his blood limit sparked to life. It cast a crimson-like haze over her, granting him improved vision in the low light. And she was a sight to see. With the soft halo of her hair spilled around her headband, Sakura practically glowed in the moonlight.

Sasuke took hold of as much of her curves as he could in a feverish grapple. Landing somewhere near her hip they were finally able to reach a fair rhythm while his fingers molded to her rear.

A crisp gust of wind tickled the fine hairs on Sakura's forearm, but the beads of sweat on her brow stubbornly clung to the outer arch. There was an afterthought of shrugging off the rest of her top but that meant giving up the stride that made her husband jockey his hips into her own.

Selfish... mindless moments could not be taken for granted and she hurried them along, purring with every pulsing drag. The brisk rhythm was getting to them both and she knew the end was drawing near.

Sakura genuinely appreciated his wanting something a tad softer, but she couldn't go another night without having him in her arms. It had only been a few weeks, but her inner cried out that it felt like a lifetime since they'd been together like this, and she missed her Anata with a pulsing quiver between her thighs. It wasn't shameful because they were married and had a family together, and he was hers... and she was his. And was this not the pleasant side of commitment and matrimony?

She could barely see anything past the contour of their bodies, but she trusted Sasuke as he helped guide their movements far above the ground. His perceptive leer drifted from their connection below to her eyes, and she was ushered faster to her limit.

Increasing the force of his thrusts, he climbed right behind her. The insistent swaying was trapping them both and her sweet voice coached them along. There never was much to say in times like this but she felt determined to tell him how close she was now. He would take it personally, make it his prideful mission to see her over that threshold. Even if she wanted to pull him over before her. He persisted with assertive jabs.

"Sasuke!"

The suffix was missing, and she didn't bother to cry out her other endearment either. Her mind was frozen in the whims of her completion, caught up in a complex swirl of trembles and lights. A few delicate presses of her fingers got her there in record time. Though even at the peak of her high, she wanted to experience his own, too. So she selfishly picked up her tempo and ignored the heightened sensations as her eyes slanted, catching his flashing orbs.

His mouth watered to taste her skin again but was distracted by the heavy bounce and quaking grip circling him. His head snapped back against the bark and he winced when the throbbing down below signaled just how close he was. He'd survived the rippling waves of her orgasm but had reached his own limit, his hand clinging to the back of her top.

Whatever unassuming pace they'd hoped to reestablish was lost in his forceful hold.

Sasuke's legs repositioned for better leverage using his heels, pushing towards something greater. Hard and rigid in her suckling cove, his lips parted slightly as he chased his own finale. His emotions were slipping through and he embraced the freedom of letting go. Knowing the foundation of their love would always allow him to be his most vulnerable around her.

And he could tease himself and hold off but the approaching crest had his nudging head striking her deep inside.

He came undone in three quick thrusts, his roguish good looks twisting in pleasure before he pulled her against him. His moans slurred against her neck as he continued to come.

She held onto his hair, arching her back as much as he would allow, her other hand trying to steady them. She braced herself against the teeth jittering springs, leaning back to clutch his leg.

Languid pulsing, furrowed deep with each upward move... Sasuke bit his lip as his groans tapered off. Face still hidden against her skin, his hearing returned properly to the sound of crickets and a few distant owls. Slumping in the aftermath, he gently rearranged them so her face was against his throat now. Deactivating the Sharingan swallowed them in darkness but his arm cradled her with ease, their hearts drumming. He would command them again to assist when they departed. In the meantime, there were a few minutes to spare before they had to move.

Sakura used the time to kiss I love you's against a hint of stubble below his jaw, giggling when his palm came down in a sudden vise against her backside. It restricted her sneaky movements while he was still clasped inside, conscious of every touch.

Leave it up to her, and they wouldn't leave the tree until the first morning light. His palm moved to cup her hip, giving a small teasing pinch but decided against anything further when she gave him a wet kiss on his neck.

She would look at that as an open invitation.

They must have looked absolutely wrecked. He thought there was no way they could walk through the front doors to the inn when they returned. And... was it still considered breaking and entering if you snuck through the window? The room was paid for, after all…

With a smirk, Sasuke's lips found the diamond seal behind her bangs with a small kiss, feeling her relax fully in his protective embrace.

Happy Anniversary, Tsuma.

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

💙💙💙 (づ ͡° ³ ͡°)づ . Thank you for reading :)  And a huge thanks to my beta CherryBerry12.

A03

FF.net

[blue---rose]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Rating: M (Hard R) Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura Summary: "Running away was easy; not knowing what to do next was the hard part." - Sakura needed to stop fantasizing about running away to some other life, and start figuring out the one she had. [Sasu/Saku, Modern AU]

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[blue---rose]

White Widow - Chapter Five

White Widow - Chapter Five

Fanfiction.net | AO3

Title: White Widow Chapter: Five Author: Blue Rose Rating: M (Hard R) Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura Summary: “Running away was easy; not knowing what to do next was the hard part.” - Sakura needed to stop fantasizing about running away to some other life, and start figuring out the one she had. [Sasu/Saku, Modern AU]

Warnings: Adult Content Disclaimer: I own nothing, and I damn sure don’t make a single red cent for this either. So please, don’t sue the Blue

Author Notes: (8/11/20 UPDATE): Chapter has been beta'd and a few edits/changes. Huge shout out to my new beta - CherryBerry12. Thank you so much for your assistance :)

Even if it's just a word or two, I really appreciate any feedback. I welcome emoji's and Lenny Faces too 💙💙💙 (づ ͡° ³ ͡°)づ . Thank you so for reading :)

Chapter Five 

Sakura's heels clicked loudly towards the elevator bank, the sound echoing against the marble flooring. As nice as they looked, she was trying her best to ignore the slight pinch the black shoes caused near her smallest toe.  

Pushing a button to recall one of the elevators, she felt a teeny bit of regret with her footwear choice today. Having spent the last few months in sneakers and hiking boots her feet didn’t appreciate being thrust constantly in heels that had been previously collecting dust in closets. But fashion was pain, as they'd like to say. And she couldn't allow the small pang to stop her strut. Most of her shoes needed to be broken into anyway. They had sat on shelves looking pretty long enough, and if she wasn’t going to wear them, then what’s the point?

When a loud ding signaled the arrival of an available lift, her mind drifted to another choice she had made today. One that she didn’t regret, she thought slyly.

Discreetly texting Sasuke during her meeting with her mentor.

She thought she'd done a good job of being sneaky. Tsunade not verbally calling her out for being distracted made for a successful mission, in her book. At least, that was until the device went off twice; back-to-back. There wouldn't be a chance for a third.

 "Do you need to get that?"

 Ok... so, maybe she hadn’t been as covert as she’d thought she’d been. It only took a few seconds to see what was written while the apology was flying out of her mouth. Maybe a few more to type out a reply before she finally switched the phone to silent mode out of respect. She tucked the plastic under her thigh and sat up straight. The last thing she wanted to be was rude.

 Another opportunity presented itself when Tsunade received a call from her desk phone. Excusing herself to answer it, her office chair spun away from the pinkette. Sakura didn't mind at all, using the time to bring her phone closer, eyes glinting as she responded to the last message she received from him.

 He was going to bring her coffee.

 She felt a flare of anticipation blossom inside at the thought of seeing him again, in the flesh. Her tongue peeked out to wet her lips before they simpered into a smile.

She had briefly mentioned yearning for the hot beverage during their exchanged texts. Usually tea would be her preferred choice, but not today. Even the Keurig machine she passed in the hall was ignored. No, she was craving something hot and fresh. A roasted brew of delight that was sure to perk her up nice and good.

 His response to the passing comment?

 Message:

"How do you take it?"

 She didn't put much thought into it at the time. It was easy to write it off as small talk or just plain curiosity. It never occurred to her where typing out a simple order could lead. And when he replied with an ETA, it became all too real that yes...

 He was in fact, on his way to see her.

 It was hard not to feel excited, but even that didn't stop her from trying to refuse him. She was more than capable of scoring her own liquid gold and tried to politely decline. Making sure to emphasize that, really... she was fine. There was no need for him to go out of his way for such a trivial thing.

 Not to mention, the last thing she wanted to be was a burden.

 What if he wasn't in the area? Was he really going to brave mid-day traffic just to bring her some coffee? Granted, the city wasn't too vast. But depending on the time of day and where you wanted to go... you could find yourself stuck behind the wheel much longer than anticipated. Sasuke’s curt reply a moment later stated that it wasn't a big deal... and that he would call when he was a few minutes away. She had no choice but to let him have it his way. If he really was this insisting, who was she to turn him down? It was such a small gesture. Really, it was only coffee...

 But…

 Contentment warmed her from within and she took a defiant joy in it all. So maybe she was crushing hard. Probably a lot harder than she originally thought.

 Tsunade chose that time to place her call on hold, warning Sakura that she was going to be tied up longer than planned. It didn't come as a surprise to either of them. A woman of her stature had a very demanding schedule, and being pregnant was not going to slow her down anytime soon. It was something she had loudly vocalized during the weeks after announcing that she and Dr. Dan were expecting.

 They would need to catch up another time it seemed.

 Completely understanding, Sakura excused herself from the office, making plans to connect later as she waved goodbye.

 Now, as she found herself inside the descending lift it was damn near impossible to suppress the giddiness she felt. Her silly little grin only broadened when she caught her reflection against the gold plated doors.

 But as she stepped outside the building and into a blooming courtyard, her mind cautioned against such distractions. Because… really, her attention should be elsewhere.

 Like concentrating on her impending schedule. Many things to worry about there. All the forms and paperwork, exams... just to name a few things. All of which would be added to her calendar, very soon.

 The pinkette sighed, bringing a hand up after wincing. It was easy to recognize the signs of an incoming stressed-related headache. Making an attempt to rub away the tingle she felt behind her eye, she willed herself to calm down.

 Sure, there was much to be done between now and the start of classes. There was plenty of studying to catch up on... not to mention moving into a new place. She could easily become overwhelmed, if she wasn’t careful.

 Luckily, Sakura considered herself to be a fairly organized person. All she needed to do was use her time wisely from there on out. And there was no time like the present to start planning, she supposed. At least, that was a phrase her mother used often.

 Part of a good work ethic is planning ahead, she would say. Don't wait until the last minute to do something, if it can be taken care of now.

 She just needed to have a little more faith in herself, she thought, feeling her confidence return as quickly as it left. Maybe start trusting that everything would work out? There was no need to start fussing so soon.

 Besides, what was a little coffee and meetup going to hurt? Surely she could handle academics and boys at the same time just fine. It's not like she hadn't before...

 Sakura brushed away the stray thought.  There really wasn't a need to go traveling down memory lane. It was probably best to stay concentrated on the task at hand. Her steps quickened on the pathway, finally making it through the garden maze and out to the main street. It was definitely noisier than the courtyard she'd just come from. Pausing to look around Sakura hoped to catch sight of the tall, dark, and handsome distraction. A distraction who should be arriving soon, actually. She almost jumped when her phone buzzed loudly in her pocket. A new message had come through.

 He was here.

 She raised her chin, watching a large SUV pull to the curb further down the block. Weaving forward when the lights flashed briefly, she forgot about the small pain on her foot. Trying her best to plaster on her best poker face, the pinch in her feet had all but disappeared when she strolled towards the waiting vehicle. She would do herself no favors if she appeared as giddy as she felt at that moment.

 The phone was raised to her ear, and cracks of a small smile kept slipping through with each step she took.

 "Is that you?"

 "No... it's a serial killer with duct tape and rope." Sasuke's rich voice answered her smoothly, dripping with sarcasm. 

Ok, so maybe that was not the best choice of words to say to her… but it did spark an amusement in him like nothing else. The look on her face changed in the span of a heartbeat, and he chuckled when she got closer. Was she always this easy to rile up?

 Sasuke ended the call while pressing the unlock button, his eyes following her through the window. She reached up to open the door, and he couldn’t help but take her in.

 Idling on the curb, their eyes met while she still grasped the door handle. Hesitant, she leaned in... eyes darting between him and the seat, calculating the distance.

 Holding his tongue, he pointed to a handlebar with a nod.

 Sakura rolled her eyes, yet her slender hand reached for it anyways. Balancing one heel on the step bar below the door, she swung the other inside.

 His eyes caught the way her curves finally settled, her opaque tights matching the black leather of the cars' seats. Sasuke adjusted the temperature on the console dash, catching a glimpse of pink on her rounded cheeks.

 "Are you sure you should be in the front seat? I could pop the trunk open… that's usually where victims are kept, right?" he continued as she shut the heavy door.

 She huffed, eyes challenging as she met his.

 "As if… I could gut you in four different ways before you ever got the chance," Sakura confidently fired back, but she did greet him with a smile. So innocent and sweet despite the threats of bodily harm just a few moments ago.

 Damn did she have a pretty smile.

 And, he had no doubt she could make good on her promise.

 Akamaru decided that now was a good time to make his presence known. Nothing but fur and wet snout as his head popped up between them. Sasuke watch her turn, instantly greeting him with a larger smile than the one she had gifted him.

 So now the mutt was going to receive more attention than him?

 'Wonderful.' Sasuke thought mockingly, observing them over the soft sounds of her coo'ing.

 Sakura busied herself by petting Akumaru's head a bit more, only her thoughts were elsewhere. The puppy sensed it was time to settle down and retreated, and Sasuke’s voice trailed behind him. The threat lingered in the air; if he pissed on anything back there, there would be hell to pay.

 Scoping him from the corner of her eyes, Sakura wanted to know what else pissed him off. Sure, it might sound a little weird, but her fascination got the best of her.

 What were his other ticks and dislikes? What made him smile? Things that he did for fun....or what was his favorite show?

 These weren't bad questions, right? Just... random, completely harmless inquiries about his favorite color or the meaning of those intricately placed tattoos.

 Maybe, a little audaciously, how he liked his eggs cooked in the morning?

 It was partially his fault, she concluded, just as Akumaru barked. She turned slightly towards Sasuke, but his focus was on eyeing the puppy through the rear-view mirror.

 That dark appeal he exuded just begged to be peeled back. Her analytical mind wondering about all the layers that made him who he was as she traced his sharp jawline. Unfocused and lost in her thoughts, her eyes lowered.

There was this urge to analyze the feelings that seemed to linger between them, and it grew the longer she found herself in his presence.

 Maybe she could shed some light on their magnetic chemistry. And why the attraction was more intense now than it had ever been before. To Sakura, it didn't make sense because it should have already peaked, especially after their rumble between the sheets. Honestly, how could either of them forget the passion from that fateful night...?

 But even now, here in the present, there was this... yearning.

 It manifested physically when her hands became itchy and needy. Her fingers tingled with the urge to reach out and touch him and she couldn't help but notice their proximity. How he was sitting close... but yet, much too far away.

 Sakura made a silent promise to not be greedy... a few touches would placate her for the time being. Hell, even holding his hand; as simple that was, would do just fine. Hands that were so much larger than her own, she noticed. And not for the first time, either. Strong fingers stemming from a large palm that was hotter than most.

 Sasuke's blood burned through his skin and seeped into your own pores when you were pressed against him. Not too blistering to be uncomfortable, but definitely noticeable. A thermogenic effect she had ignored when their bodies were cooling on the sheets months ago. She wondered briefly if it would be awkward sleeping next to him in the warmer summer months. When the nights could get humid and sticky.

 Would she try to move away?

 Or seize the opportunity to bask in the balmy heat no matter how torrid it was, because-

 Sakura mentally hit the breaks… swallowing thickly as her eyes fluttered up to catch his gaze before turning away.

 Eyes that dark, should not shine that bright.

 "Hi."

 His deep salutation sounded closer than she was prepared for and her averted eyes widened a fraction. Bonus points to her for not jumping out of her skin. Biting back nerves, she responded in turn.

 "Hi."

 And both of their delayed greetings sounded soft, even to her own ears. Damnit... she was too grown to be daydreaming about a guy, specifically if said guy was sitting right there next to her.

 Sakura could still feel his eyes on her and shifted in the seat. Her toes curled slightly as she became nervous at her own inability to keep her more... deviant thoughts in check. Trying to taper them down was becoming harder and harder these days. And that was a very dangerous thing for someone like herself who was too expressive for their own good. Besides, she still had to solidify exactly what she was looking for with wanting to spend time with him.

 Was she even looking for anything at all?

 And what about him and his intentions? She could think of one or two things he might be interested in, but...

 In the end, it left her with more questions than answers. It really drove home how careful she should be around him. At least until she figured some things out. Undoubtedly, it  did not stop her heart from picking up a beat or two in her chest. Focusing, the cadency continued with strong beats but continued on for a different reason...

 He was still looking at her.

 Sakura could feel his dark eyes lingering on her form as she kept her own averted, gazing out the windshield before looking down. She was running out of time to compose herself and a small hand came up to brush against her industrial piercing, hoping her hair was covering her ears. The cartilage must be painted with color by now with how hot she was feeling.

 'Dah fuck? Pull yourself together and at least try to act normal. And stop fidgeting!'

 Her eyes finally rose from her lap as Sasuke reached down and grabbed something from the cup holder, raising it between them.

 'Oh.'

 She was so preoccupied that she completely spaced as to why he was here in the first place. Sakura's eyes brightened in pure excitement as her own hand extended.

 It was at that moment, she realized just how quiet it was around them, in their little bubble. There currently was no music playing, and Akumaru had settled down in the back for a quick nap. So in the silence, as she reached for the coffee that was much appreciated...

 Her stomach took the opportunity to let out an angry growl.

 She winced.

 And he gave her a dirty look.

 "Have you eaten?"

 She winced again, shying from eye contact for the second time. Avoiding it, of course. The decoration on the cup looked really, really interesting all of a sudden.

 "...What?"

 "Food. Have you had anything to eat today?"

 It was supposed to be a question, but she easily picked up the accusation in his tone. Her eyes narrowed, not wanting a fight, but sure as hell ready to give one. There wasn’t a need to be so defensive, she’d think later. For now, she was not one to easily back down. Even if he was hot as fuck.

 "Yes-"

 She extended an arm to reach for the hot brew but really, she should have known better. Nothing regarding Sasuke Uchiha would ever be that easy.

 "When?"

 The beautiful dark grey iris she was always charmed by, trapped her for a second. However, she was quick to move again on principle alone...

 "This morning..." She bit out, ignoring how she managed to sway to his will and answer. It didn't matter, she thought, moving to try again.

 "......"

 He held it just out of reach without a word, and if she wasn't afraid he'd accidentally spill it everywhere, she'd deck him good.

 Or... at least nudge him in the arm for being so cruel. She could smell the sweet scent drifting towards her and he was being a big, fat jerk right now.

 "I had a smoothie for breakfast earlier, ok? Now can I please have my coffee?"

 "You mean your crack?" A smirk had spread across his face, mistaking the deep craving she had today for a caffeine addiction.

 Sakura's fist clenched, a knuckle popping.

 He brought the drink in front of her, and she would never know if it was because of mercy... or self-preservation. Taking a deep breath, she allowed the vanilla to seep into her pores as her fingers gripped the warm cup. She didn't bother to turn and sit properly before she took her first sip, still facing him when her eyes closed, and letting out a soft moan of contentment.

 Sasuke's eyes followed one swallow, then another… before finally cutting his eyes away. He grabbed his own drink from the cup holder, grateful to have something for his suddenly parched mouth. She smiled and ultimately settled back, giddy, and happy now that she'd gotten her prize.

 "So... what are you in the mood for?"

 Sakura opened her eyes and tilted her head in his direction.

 "Hmmm?"

 While he did not enjoy repeating himself, there was a lack of annoyance in his tone.

 "Where do you want to go for lunch? Pick something, or I will. And make sure it's something good too because you will eat every bite... especially if I'm paying." The smirk had returned on his face... softer this time. Hiding it behind his own cup, he took another sip.

The corner of Sakura's mouth quirked and she mirrored his expression... before reaching for her seatbelt.

 ✧･ﾟ* : * ﾟ･✧

"-and if they were going to change their minds, surely you would have shared that information by now."

 The wallpaper that stretched across the back western panel never failed to catch his attention whenever he visited. Arriving at the door to the spacious office, the man couldn't help but glance to the left at the piece he'd considered more art than décor. It was a replica of the world map with a solid black background. Slate grey lines outlined every continent and body of ocean.

 "Well, maybe you should speak with Mr. Andrew Williamson at the downtown branch. The little shit would sell his elderly mother to gutter stock if it meant getting-"

 Leaning against the door frame, he tuned out the call. Instead, his eyes followed along the surface... tracing the names of the continents and countries etched along the surface. The calligraphy was uniquely outlined in silver glittery ink, causing the reflection to sparkle like faded diamonds. Numbers lined the borders, mapping coordinates to places he'd never been…

 Places he'd probably never see.

 "-how the hell should I know? That's YOUR job. A career that should be reconsidered, if things progress the way they have-"

 Every moment spent admiring the craftsmanship reminded him that he really should take a vacation, while simultaneously mocking him for even bringing up such a thought.

 "-don't call me until it's done, understood?"

 The phone slamming down into the plastic cradle dispersed any musings or pipe dreams.

 Seems like that unfortunate phone call had wrapped up.

 The figure leaning just inside the doorway straightened slowly. He adjusted his pose, folding his arms as his booted feet shifted. Opening his mouth, he was stopped by a cutting gesture from across the room.

 Seated behind the large oak desk, the other man present raised an eccentric hand in the air, halting any dialogue. The other hand was directed towards his face to pinch the bridge of his nose. Sunlight beaming from the window glinted against the gold band of his watch when his pressed cuff pulled higher on his wrist. Grunting, he voiced the displeasure that his deep frown lines could not hide.

 "If this is more bad news, I'm afraid I have very little patience for it, at the moment."

 "Hmph. Quite the opposite, in fact."

 The dark-haired man behind the desk lowered his hands to peer at the doorway. Standing, he removed his reading glasses when the figure at the door flicked his wrist in a come hither motion.

Moving to stand at the entrance they both looked down the hall to another figure waiting at the far end. The dark-haired man turned back to his business partner with raised brows.

 "Karashi-… something or another." He answered easily, inclining his head. "But he goes by the name 'Chef'."

 "And why would I care about some kid named Chef?"

 The youth in question was unaware of the pair of eyes on him as he stood waiting at the end of the hall. His phone kept changing color as the screen flashed while loud music could be heard humming from his earpods.

 "Because he's the answer to that little problem we had. Remember the group that hacked the app? Well, Karashi here was a part of that group. Wasn't hard to find… little shits these days can't help bragging. Will tell anyone who wants to listen. So, I thought… what better person to track down exactly what happened than someone responsible for the mess in the first place?"

 The dark-haired man squared his shoulders, nostrils flaring with his disgruntlement. Pondering over the statement, hard onyx eyes looked away to regard the unsuspecting topic of conversation.

 "If what you say is true… then why shouldn't I put a bullet through his meddling skull now, and be done with it? Since he's the reason my money is missing." Their voices were kept low, but the teen was none the wiser.

 "Weren't you the one who just cautioned against more killing?" The visitor contended.

 "Yes, I did. And if I remember correctly, I'm sure that was mentioned before you… took care of Hidan." The dark-haired man deadpanned.

 "And what exactly would you have me do? Seal him in some deep hole, in the middle of a magical hidden forest? Imprisoned?"

 Sometimes the best option was to give someone a... permanent, good night’s sleep. Sometimes it was the only option. And he would swear by that, as long as it rang true. Albeit, he was willing to take into consideration the other's wisdom and refrained from rolling his eyes.

 "I would warn for more caution, regarding our future moves. That includes taking care of problems, that took care of other problems. The last thing we need is to leave any trails behind. One mess is enough to deal with."

 An eerie pause floated as a shadow cast, turning the steel gaze into something more ominous. Eyes focusing on the teen, he continued.

 "After this one... of course. But only if needed."

 Both men nodded, their gazes meeting briefly in understanding.

 The tall, dark-haired figure glanced down the hall a final time, before returning to his office.

 He needed a fucking Advil... and a shot of something strong.

 ✧･ﾟ* : * ﾟ･✧

 She could not remember the last time she'd eaten ramen.

 Funny thing was, she had not had a craving for it in ages... but something about today made her palate crave something steamy…

 Salty…

 Familiar.

 Maybe it was in the way Sasuke had fussed over her eating… or lack thereof. The concern, quickly followed by trying to shove something edible down her hatch, well... it was something that reminded her of another person...

 Of a different place and another time…

 And before she knew it, a shadowy figure came to mind, in the midst of it all. That beaming smile… so full of concern and care. Bright enough to ease the sting as he'd often berated her wacky eating habits.

 "You need to eat… Sakura-chan-"

 Sakura mentally shook herself from thoughts that made her want to cry and laugh at the same time.

 She tried clearing away the memories along with the accompanying voices as fast as they manifested. Trying to save herself from the impending heartache that line of thinking would surely bring. Now was not the time to be getting sentimental and teary-eyed.

 Especially in the presence of her current company.

 It was easy to pivot, matching the grin Sasuke threw her way. He continued on with the conversation without interruption, and she perked up to tune in and listen once again. There wasn't a valid reason she should be distracted, not when he was here. The corner of her eyes crinkled as her smile widened and she found herself lost in his eyes.

 So piercing...

 Mesmerizing... stealing away her attention and she actively gave in, wanting to lean forward just a bit, if only to get closer.

 This was nice.

 Just being here at that moment with him. So carefree and chill... it was everything she needed right now. Like a balm on a wound she wasn't aware of.

 So...

 Soothing... and peaceful.

 Like a warm blanket you wanted to snuggle under during a chilly night. A feeling she had not felt in a very long time, and she wished this moment would last just a bit longer. But she needed to come back down to earth at some point.

 "Thank you for the food, I haven't had ramen in forever."

 She drew a palm across her full tummy, her fingers running across her wool houndstooth mini skirt.

 Sasuke's chest rose and fell with a snicker, recounting that this was the cheapest date he'd ever been on. Admittedly, the ramen food truck was the most delicious either had in a while, though.

 Wait… this was a date?

 The question slipped out and he turned towards her… his mouth twitching in amusement.

 "I don't know, is it?"

 Sakura released an unladylike snort, folding her arms.

 "You never asked me out… so no." She could be very stubborn when she wanted to be. A certified brat, if left unchecked.

 The hand resting on the steering wheel moved so he could rest his forearm on the midrest between them. Several glossy strands of ink fell into one eye as he turned towards her. “… ’s that so…?” He trailed off.

 Sakura felt compelled to lick her lips and his greedy eyes followed the movement. Her forearm brushed closer to his when she slackened her folded arms, tilting her head. Meeting his gaze she felt an amorous heat underneath her that had nothing to do with the heated seats.

 Dark lashes broke eye contact as he moved forward, but her own eyes stayed stubbornly open in surprise as his nose bumped against hers, her pupils dilating with the soft brush.

 He inhaled her sharp gasp when their lips finally touched. A small sweep of sweltering heat that was barely anything crept between their lips. Shallow but still so real. Lascivious need prompted her to deepen it, but he leaned away to open his eyes. Sending her a teasing glance, draped in want… he licked his lips. Tasting the 'hardly-a-kiss' around an imp of a smile.

 It made her feel daring, knowing her earlier thoughts were not so crazy after all. Daring enough to lock gazes with him before she took his bottom lip between her teeth, taking advantage of the reduced distance to scrape the soft flesh between ivory. A hint of tongue was meant to dampen the sting after the fact… but, oh... it just made things worse.

 It was her turn to swallow his gasp as her onslaught brought them closer together. The intimate press was everything she'd been craving since at least this morning…

 And she wasn't talking about the coffee.

 He appeased her, tilting his head in just the right angle to take over. Her hand came to touch his angular jaw as he pressed his tongue to her lips, sighing when she let him in.

 His kisses were as sweet as she remembered them, with just the right amount of recklessness to make her fingers curl up into his hair, moaning into every savory caress. Receiving another taste she wondered what his reaction would be if she slid into the seat with him to remove all distance and smiled. Her inner self was always more daring than she'd ever cared to be in reality. It didn’t often make an appearance but seemed to be completely on board with the impromptu makeout session. And dammit... she knew she promised not to be greedy but he was the one pushing closer to her now, completely dominating the heated lip lock. She followed his lead, softening against him at every point of contact.

 A small whine curled up between them and Sasuke broke away first, eyes peeking open to study her. Their sharp breaths sounded around them as they gasped for air, heat slowly clearing. It took awhile for her to gather her wits, breathing harshly along with him. She shook her head as her voice spoke up, scratchy and low but-

 "That wasn't me."

 Another second went by long enough for their minds to clear from the sensual fog and to mutually place the sound as they drifted further apart, eyes darting to the back seat of the warm interior.

 "DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!"

 The driver's door was opened and closed faster then she could fully process just what the hell was going on.

 Sasuke circled around the back, before coming beside the rear passenger door. The heavy metal was whipped open so rapidly her hair stirred around her head, even though she was sitting in the front seat. A jingle of chains and another curse before the door was closed firmly.

 Sakura turned in her seat to look out the dark tinted window as Sasuke stood a short distance away, Akamaru squatting next to a tree to do his business.

 A tinkering laugh sprung free before her hand could cover her mouth. She hoped he was too far away to hear anything... the windows were up after all.

 But the sharp glare Sasuke threw over his shoulder let her know that she'd failed.

End Chapter ✧･ﾟ* : * ﾟ･✧

 PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

- ﾟ･*･ﾟ-  Chap 1 - ﾟ･*･ﾟ-  Chap 2 - ﾟ･*･ﾟ- Chap 3 - ﾟ･*･ﾟ- Chap 4 - ﾟ･*･ﾟ-

[blue---rose]

White Widow - Chapter Four

Fanfiction.net | AO3

Title: White Widow Chapter: Four Author: Blue Rose Rating: M (Hard R) Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura Summary: "Running away was easy; not knowing what to do next was the hard part." - Sakura needed to stop fantasizing about running away to some other life, and start figuring out the one she had. [Sasu/Saku, Modern AU]

Warnings: Adult Content Disclaimer: I own nothing, and I damn sure don't make a single red cent for this either. So please, don't sue the Blue

Author Notes: If you like please don't forget to review/comment/like. Thank you to my beta: MySoberThoughts

PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

-  ﾟ･*･ﾟ -  Chap 1 -  ﾟ･*･ﾟ -  Chap 2 -  ﾟ･*･ﾟ - Chap 3 -  ﾟ･*･ﾟ -

:✧･ ♡ ﾟ･*･ﾟ･✧ B ⚘ R ✧･ﾟ･*･ﾟ ♡ ･✧:

Chapter Four

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

December – A few months ago…

Sakura made her way back to the spacious living room from upstairs. Even with frigid temperatures, the sun made an appearance, a few rays slipping down below, past the gray clouds. A few beams collided with the floor to ceiling windows; making colorful patterns on the wood flooring as she slipped into the main common area.

The place was a reader's digest wet dream, and Sakura considered herself very lucky to be able to stay here for a few days.

She slid on the lounge with a sigh; the fur throw draped across the leather was warm against her back as she sank into the softness. She had just gotten comfortable when a voice spoke up, seafoam eyes turning to look at the other occupant in the room.

"So… I kind of need your help." Kiba started, resting against the white pool table near the bar, slightly in the corner.

She raised a slender brow, slipping into deep thought. She knew… she just knew she should have said no.

Without hearing what the question was.

Sure, it was rude… but that was the knee jerk reaction she had, when he said that.

Some sort of instinct was trying to warn her, but her curiosity won out.

"Really, now?" There was a brief pause as suspicion crept through her gaze.

Currently, Sakura was not supposed to be in the city. Why, just yesterday, she was almost to her final destination, when there was an abrupt change of plans.

Her humanitarian group was on their way to the Philippines when the Embassy put a temporary hold on their entry into the country. Sakura and her group were told that it could take days; or even weeks before the paperwork went through, and everyone was finally cleared. There really was no other choice, then to return home during the down time.

What did slip her mind was that Ino and most of their friends were vacationing in Miami for New Year's…

A vacation she previously declined to join because she was supposed to be across the world on a trip that had been planned for weeks now.

Despite all of that, the bigger problem she was facing?

Her own apartment was currently under construction, due to a water leak. Gods… she could not wait for her lease to be up soon; in just a few short months.

That is why she all but pounced on Kiba's invitation to stay at his mother's penthouse downtown, which was currently vacant. She'd been here before, and knew just how amazing the space was. There was a party or two that was hosted here by Kiba back in the day, when they were in high school.

It was barely lived in; used more like a permanent hotel suite for overnight trips to the city, than anything else. A real shame too… the architecture of this place deserved to be admired and enjoyed.

"This isn't payback for me staying here… is it?" She trailed off, tilting her head to the side as her hair slid from one shoulder.

His eyes grew round, slits of sable turning to look at her.

"What? No! I already told you it was cool... you staying here. I wouldn't do that." He looked off to the side, a frown marring his lips as he looked out the windows to the snow flurries beginning to come down.

"Though… it would be kind of fucked up, if you didn't help me out with this. You know… being as how much of a good friend I am and all-" He began to stroke the stubble on his chin, appearing deep in thought.

Sakura began to roll her eyes, head lolling against the back of the sofa with a sigh. She'd better brace herself for whatever bullshit Kiba was about to start spewing. Though, he always did tell the most interesting stories.  Damn, she wondered if there was any popcorn in the pantry…

"So, I kind of forgot about this thing." He started again. "And it's… too late NOT to do this thing. So now I need help… doing this thing."

"You know I can't clean money for you anymore. Which was supposed to be a one-time thing mind you-"

"No! No, nothing like that…" He trailed off, reaching for a smoke.

His mother would tan his hide if she knew he was sparking up in her million dollar suite. Cannabis or nicotine; she would chase him down if she could see him now. He continued on, a few puffs of smoke trailing past his face to disappear in the fur trim of the hoodie still pulled up over his head.

"So, I was dropping off this big order at one of the campuses a few days ago. It was for some under grad senior. His little brother happens to be there, visiting him. We started smoking and soon after the little brother started rambling on and on…" he grossed, playing with his lighter in one hand as he continued on with his story.

"He started talking about this New Year's party that got canceled because some parents found out, and how everyone is bummed. And since it's so last minute, there's not much they can do. So I chimed in and… kind of…"

"You kind of… what?"

"Kind of… said… I-would-host-a-NewYearsEve-Party-for-the-little-shits."

Sakura blinked.

"You…-"

"Yes." He took another drag. "And now, I need your help."

"Why would you…" She trailed off.

"They're releasing it!" Kiba tried to explain, turning to face her. His eyes brightened and he became increasingly animated.

"They are finally releasing… 'THE' motorcycle that I've been having a hard-on for…oh… I don't know… forever; since the prototype leak!"

Was his voice getting higher?

"They moved the release date up and were taking pre-orders. And I… I sort of was… cash poor, and his little brother and friends practically throw money away… so I figured… you know, why not?"

Sakura shook her head; still not fully understanding what any of this… had to do with her. He continued on.

"Anyway, something has come up… I have something I need to take care of, that weekend. And I do not trust those little shits here; completely unsupervised."

Her eyes widened in understanding.

He stood up straighter and gave her a lopsided grin.

"Look, all you have to do is help me roll a few joints, maybe pass out a few cartridges, and check down here every once in a while to make sure the place isn't on fire. Everything else will be taken care of; DJ, food, security..." He made his way to her, passing her the lit herb.

"You remember the prom after party we had, few years back, yeah? Well… this is the same shit...sort of."

"She'll kill you…" Sakura breathed out, eyes darting over the very expensive décor in the penthouse; some pieces should be in a museum with how invaluable they looked. Pieces that were not here when they had ragers years past. "Your mother will absolutely kill you-"

"Pft! She doesn't know about the party, or any of it. I'm going to have the place professionally cleaned the next day. They will scrub from top to bottom."

The brief pause made a feeling of unease come over her, before he continued.

"She knows about you though. She knows that you'll be staying here…"

She gave him a dirty look, a fire lit in her eyes and her gaze settled on him.

His meaning was clear…

He would blame the entire thing on her.

"You wouldn't…" She breathed.

"No… of course I wouldn't."

Another pause had her scrunching up her face, her button nose crinkling.

"I mean… I won't have to; because… you're going to help me out… right?"

"Even if I say no, AND pack my shit… and not stay here… if you got caught you'd still blame it on me, wouldn't you? Have her think that I-?" Sakura gaped at him, astonished.

"Come on Sakura." Kiba whined, sticking out his bottom lip. "Just one night. Most of the turds will be gone way before daybreak; already sneaking off to beat the sun home. The cleaning service comes in to save the day, you tip them when they're done, and boom! The rest is history. No harm, no foul. Easy peasy." He smirked, the tattoos on his face shifting with the movement. Nothing good ever followed when Kiba Inuzuka smiled like that.

No… you just knew you were up shit's creek whenever that grin stretched across his face; one canine glinting in the light as he smiled down at her.

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

Present Day…

Sakura laughed at the memory, rubbing a towel through her damp locks as she blindly raised a hand to turn off the bathroom light. She still couldn't believe she went along with it. The crazy fool wouldn't stop pestering her until she said yes.

What choice did she have? It seemed annoying to deal with, but in all the realms of possibilities; the favor he asked of her was nothing major. She felt as if she'd owed a debt, and ultimately caved. She couldn’t help but think of how better suited Ino would have been, for such a task.

Stepping into her bedroom, she eyed the few boxes lined up against the wall. She had managed to accomplish a lot, but still had a ways to go with packing. Right now though, she really hoped she didn't packed her favorite lotion. Spotting it on the vanity, she'd just grabbed it when her phone began to sing out in the dim room. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she reached down to pick up.

Glancing at the screen, she read the unknown number before answering.

"Hello?"

"...S-...Sakura?"

It wasn't until several seconds later that it finally registered that she'd stopped breathing momentarily.

Her body tensed up from the sound of that deceptively soft voice.

A cold, numbing feeling started in the pit of her stomach, deep within... trepidation spreading quickly as she swallowed, her tongue feeling thick in her mouth. It was a struggle to find herself... needing to gather her wits before she could answer.

But it was a difficult task when all the memories of heartbreak, loss and pain came flooding down as if a chasm had opened up; to set free all of these emotions that her conscious mind was not prepared to face.

"How did you... get this number?" She breathed out, and the phone felt so heavy in her hand just then, the plastic and glass feeling hotter to the touch then it normally felt.

More silence stretched between them, and she couldn't stop the shaking from her voice even if she tried. Another shuddering breath escaped and her other hand curled into a fist, resting in her lap.

"Why are you calling me?"

Did she really care for a response?

A deep breath carried through the speaker and she wished she’d just rushed ahead, not wanting to hear a word he had to say… regardless of the questions she asked. It didn't matter. Nothing he had to say to her mattered, and she didn't want to listen. But something did slip through, his deep tenor ghosting across her ear so clearly that he could have been there… now, sitting right next to her.

"Little bird-"

"Don't call me that..." She managed to get some semblance of control. "-And don't call this number again."

She hung up, abruptly ending the call before her throat could close around the words before they were spoken. Her thumb pressed the block option, accepting the changes as her breathing tried to level out.

Wiping a hand angrily across her face, her fingers came away damp. She didn't realize the tears continued as she stared down at the device in her hand.

Fear...

Confusion...

...

Anger…?

...

Anger.

Sakura could deal with anger. It was the easiest of all the emotions she was feeling right now, to handle. Anger…she could do. Sniffing, she used the speed dial function to initiate a call. She watched her own shadow against the wall, in the low lighting of the room. She continued to pace briefly, stopping only when a familiar voice answered.

"Hey girlie. I was just thinking ab-"

"Did you give him my number?"

"...Huh? Wh-"

"SAORI!" Fuck… she promised herself she wouldn't yell. But she was so pissed right now, and needed to make sense of what was going on.

"Did he call you first? Did you give him my fucking number?"

"What!? No! Why would-"

"He just called me! He just called my fucking phone!"

"Sakura-"

She ended the call abruptly, throwing it to the bed as she tried to keep the sob in check. She closed her eyes for a moment, counting backward from one hundred, to bring a moment of clarity to her panic addled mind. The breathing exercise worked, helping her to calm as her phone lit up for the third time in a row. Glancing down as she just counted past sixty, she reached out to pick up the phone again, hearing her friend over the line.

"Just tell me you are ok! That nothing is happening and you are safe!" Ino rushed, needing a confirmation that her friend was not in immediate danger.

"I'm safe… nothing like that, it was just a phone call…" Sakura whispered, lowering herself to the mattress to keep from pacing once again. Though several paces slower than what it had been, her heart continued to flutter wildly in her chest. Catching her reflection in the vanity across the room, she felt all fight leave her, the loss of adrenaline leaving her feeling drained.

"I don't want to talk right now, I can't-…" she confessed, not wanting to break the fragile hold her emotions were being held together with.

"Ok-… ok… just-" A brief pause, "…I love you. And I'm here, if you need anything…"

"I know… I'll call you tomorrow." Sakura hung up the call, quickly shutting down the device right after. She couldn't deal with talking anymore. The gadget vibrated twice, before the screen turned black.

She sat there for a while, silk robe still tightly secured around her body. It remained firmly in place as she finally reclined, back resting against the soft blankets beneath her.  Staring at the buttercream ceiling she allowed the pounding in her ears dim. Her mind was still unsettled, her hand tugging through her damp strands and she quietly accepted reality.

Trying to take a deep breath, the inhale caught several times in her throat.

There would be no sleep for Sakura Haruno tonight.

:✧･ ♡ ﾟ･*･ﾟ･✧ B ⚘ R ✧･ﾟ･*･ﾟ ♡ ･✧:

The invited guest sat in the overstuffed chair, relaxing against the cushions as he folded his hands across his lap. His feet sat propped up on the low table in front of him. No doubt, the owner of the office would be upset at the rude gesture, but he couldn't bring himself to care right now.

' Speaking of the devil. '

A tall imposing figure moved through the entryway, making his way behind his large oak desk. "We have a problem." He sat heavily in the chair, the wheels creaking under the sudden weight.

"We have a problem?" The guest echoed, flicking dirt from his nails as he half listened.

"No… let me rephrase that. You-…have a problem." The serious tone caused him to look up, his eyes flickering to pay attention. "That last transaction didn't go through."

"What do you mean… it didn't go through?"

"Exactly as I just said. There was a major hack that went down system-wide. A lot of transactions were flagged, some even reversed. Most accounts have been frozen for the time being. But from what I learned…" He paused, deep in thought.

"Where is his phone?"

Silence filled the room.

The large clock that hung on the wall continued to click, the rhythmic sound becoming louder as the silence stretched on.

The old leather armchair squeaked as he lowered his booted feet to the floor, removing them from the table.

"It's gone."

The reply was an honest one, but an unwelcomed response all the same.

The deep sigh that came from the man sitting behind the desk sounded fairly like one of disappointment. But he would not be fooled. There was an anger building there, one that would scorch everything surrounding him like magma if given the chance to fester. He stood, heavy boots turning to leave.

It seemed there was more work to be done, after all.

"I'll take care of it."

:✧･ ♡ ﾟ･*･ﾟ･✧ B ⚘ R ✧･ﾟ･*･ﾟ ♡ ･✧:

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

New Year's Eve - A few months ago...

She still couldn't believe she'd been duped into chaperoning a New Year's Eve party for eighteen-year-olds. What has her existence become?

All because Kiba had spent the thousands of dollars he received as a deposit, for an epic party filled with alcohol and all the weed they could smoke at a sweet, luxurious pad.

And her job?

Make sure no one got alcohol poisoning, keep the headcount as low as possible, and stop anyone from going upstairs to the master bedroom suite where a few of his mother's prized Birkin handbags were.

Sakura sighed; reaching for the grinder for what she hoped was for the last time.

"So… how did you get dragged into this? Threats of sabotage too?" She breathed, a dimple appearing in her cheek when her mouth quirked up.

Sasuke shook his head, his fingers flexing as he loaded another cartridge into a vape pen.

"He did a favor for me a while back… now he's calling it in." He rose from his seat to arrange the ones he just completed, to the main pile. Sakura’s eyes followed him, lowering again soon after, not wanting to be caught in the midst of staring.

Returning to his seat, he leaned back into the sofa as Sakura finished rolling her last backwood. Snapping off the gloves she wore, she turned to look at their handy work.

"There… all done... finally." She whispered as she accepted a lighted smoke passed to her by Sasuke, glad to have a break to actually smoke the shit, instead of rolling it.

"Well, at least it's only this. It could have been worst, right?" She continued as she passed it back to him, relaxing in the loveseat chair she was in soon after.

"Yeah… I guess." He wasn't sure how much Kiba told her about their business dealings. He certainly wasn't going to give any unnecessary details, but she was right. There were other, more troublesome things, he could have asked of him… in return for the runs he covered last weekend, with Itachi being sick.

Sakura had just settled in her seat before shooting straight up, wide eyes locked onto him. "Wait, you are staying… aren't you? Please tell me you're staying. Ino isn't in town to back me up, and if I'm stuck here alone with these brats…" she trailed off, looking at him with so much hope his breath hitched for a moment.

Why would she look at someone like that?

Huge, wide eyes suddenly trapping him in their reflective gaze… he almost forgot the question she asked.

Staying?

No.

That was not the plan. He already did his fucking part.

Taking the time to roll up shit he wasn't going to smoke…

Picking up ungodly amounts of extra alcohol that had him driving with care so all that shit didn't go crashing to one side of his trunk if he took a corner to tightly…

Hell, he was even nice enough to give the DJ a hand… helping him get his shit set up by the balcony, taping a few cords flush against the baseboards for safety.

Kiba did mention having a few extra bodies around, he remembered; watching Chōji sample some of the catered food. As far as he was concerned, having the off duty bouncer here was overkill as it was, for a bunch of kids.

So, no… long story short; he had not planned to stay one single, moment longer than necessary.

So why was he contemplating it now? Was he so much of a sucker to fall for mesmerizing eyes and pouty lips?

Fuck her; if she truly knew and was aware of what she was doing to him right now.

So…

So why did he find himself considering…?

"Kiba did mention he needed the house to be intact tomorrow." He replied smoothly, after clearing his throat.

' Liar. ' He whispered to himself, taking a long drag. It was a nice cover to hide the way his lips started to quirk, suppressing a smirk.

Her eyes narrowed at the dig, but thought better of responding exactly how she normally would. She couldn't very well scare off the other poor soul who was going to stay, and be miserable with her, could she? And considering the way she couldn’t quite stop herself from taking a peak at him every chance she got, him sticking around could probably make this night a little more interesting…

Sitting back, she wondered if she would have time to make a stiff drink. Such candid thoughts were making her feel a bit parched.

Her phone lit up on the table, the vibration rattling the glass beneath, before being scooped up. She read the text and stood, typing a response. It looks like she would have to put a hold on that drink she wanted, after all.

With her fusing over the device in her hand, she completely missed the heated look her bare legs attracted from the dark-haired male near her, the dress showing off the smooth skin.

"Looks like the first ones are here. You good?" She asked the DJ, receiving a nod and thumbs up in response before he replaced his headphones, cranking the music louder. Glancing at the bartender, she spun around to look at Sasuke once again.

"Ready?" She asked, flashing him pretty smile.

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

Present Day…

Sakura rolled over, hugging the warm pillow tightly as the last of the dream left her consciousness. She could hear the birds chirping loudly in the twilight hours of the morning. It was still too fucking early, but after blinking into the darkness, her mind began to swim to wakefulness… so much so that falling asleep again was no longer an option.

It took some time, but she managed to catch a few hours of sleep late into the night. Her body tried to fight it, but after smoking and indulging in two hearty glasses of wine, she finally managed to quiet her mind enough to drift off. Surprisingly, nightmares didn't await her after she closed her eyes, at least from what she could remember.

The dreams that met her were instead memories from New Year's; a memory that seemed to dominate a lot of her thoughts lately… and now, those thoughts seemed to make the transitions to her dreams as well.

She welcomed them though.

Anything was better than the thoughts of her ex.

Slipping her arm from the nest of blankets, her hand blindly went to her nightstand, looking for the powered off phone. Dragging it back to her cocoon, she cranked it up, quickly discovering a missed call and voice mail from Ino, as well as a message from Sasuke.

Groaning, she rolled out of bed, shivering at the loss of warmth as she stood. She had a craving for a large cup of coffee. She had been more of a tea drinker lately… but the other caffeinated liquid was desperately needed, especially if anyone expected her to function anytime soon.

:✧･ ♡ ﾟ･*･ﾟ･✧ B ⚘ R ✧･ﾟ･*･ﾟ ♡ ･✧:

"You are such an idiot, how did you get your car taken again?" Moegi asked, sipping on the cold can of Mountain Dew, as they hung out near the strip mall. It was only a few blocks away from the high school they should have been at right now, in class.

"Stupid grades. Why the fuck do people act as if 'D's are the end of the world? I still have time to make up some work."

"Dude… it's already April." Udon offered, trying to be a slight voice of reason. Did the other boy really expect to make gains this late in the year?

Konohamaru just folded his arms and raised his nose in the air while continuing to complain.

"I've come back from worse. It's not even that important of a class. That teacher is a dick anyway, always up my ass-" He dragged on and on, not noticing the dark SUV pulling up near them.

Moegi detected it first, seeing the tall driver exit the truck, approaching them. Konohamaru continued to talk on, completely unaware of the dark shadow drawing closer.

Udon and Moegi both had been around long enough to know exactly who was approaching… and they wanted nothing to do with whatever brought the imposing figure here.

"Oh shit…" Udon breathed, taking a step back.

Konohamaru finally stopped talking; cocking his head to the side at the peculiar looks on his friends' faces. He looked over his shoulder just in time to catch sight of him… and reeled back in panic.

He was far too late.

"Oh shit!" He echoed Udon, almost tripping over his laces as he moved to run, but was swiftly grabbed by the collar of his uniform, and pushed against the building behind them. His friends were lucky in their bid to escape, running down the street to turn the corner, making a beeline back to school. Konohamaru groaned, grabbing the forearm in front of him, and whined in defeat.

"You know… it would have been much worse if you made me chase you…"

Sasuke breathed, loosening his grip on the high school student. He made him stay put against the brick building with his presence alone, no longer needing the physical contact.

"I couldn't help it, you’re scary as fuck. It's like an instinct to run from you." The youngster complained, thankful to be released. He finally calmed, looking up at the domineering man in front of him with apprehension. "Whatever it was… I didn't do it."

Sasuke looked at him for a moment, moving to rest his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Have you seen Kiba?"

Konohamaru shook his head with a frown, tugging his hoodie's string idly. "No. Not for a few weeks. Why?" He trailed off, looking up at him.

Sasuke remained quiet, eyeing him for several beats before turning around… making his way back to his truck.

"Let me know if you do. And take your ass to school. If I catch you skipping again…" The tail end of his threat wasn't heard, as the kid made his escape the first chance he could.

Sasuke sighed as he climbed in the driver's seat. To say he was disappointed was an understatement. He just knew their old runner would have heard something.

Even though the young student was forced into retirement; by Sasuke himself, he knew Kiba still watched out for the kid from time to time, giving him extras to sell at his school for quick money, even though he was supposed to be out of the game completely, after getting shot a while back.

One thing he knew for sure… the longer Kiba went missing…

He stopped the thought before it could fully manifest.

:✧･ ♡ ﾟ･*･ﾟ･✧ B ⚘ R ✧･ﾟ･*･ﾟ ♡ ･✧:

The two sprinters dashed across the footbridge, finally coming to a stop at the stone retainer wall that marked the entryway to the park beyond. Moments ago, they had been in the midst of cooling down, moving side by side in tandem, before childish competition increased their speed, both making a mad dash for the end.

Laughing in her victory, the petal haired woman sat on the heated rocks, stretching out her legs as she caught her breath. Her blonde comrade remained standing, folding a leg to stand on one foot, willing the muscles to relax after their vigorous workout. She could almost feel a cramp coming on, and would prefer to relax it out, before she ended up withering on the ground in pain.

"Why do we do this again?" Sakura huffed, leaning back on her hands as she eyed her friend.

"Because some of us can't have toned bodies and abs on demand. There are those of us who require exercise to maintain our gorgeous figures." Ino stated, releasing her hair from its ponytail. She really didn't want to take it down, but the high bun she replaced it with kept the strands completely off her neck and back. Securing it in place, she went back to stretching.

Sakura sucked her teeth and looked down. "Please... I haven't had abs since freshman year in college."

The flat expanse of her stomach was exposed in the leggings and slash back crop top she wore. Though the sharp lines and cut she use to sport senior year in high school were gone, there was certainly definition shown there... whether she chooses to acknowledge it or not.

A few people passed by, making their way across the bridge towards the direction they had just came. The foot and bike trails was attracting many locals and visitors alike today. Many families were out, enjoying the break in the weather, and soaking up the sun as much as possible.

Turning back, she started awkwardly onto a subject she was sure her friend would like for her to get to.

Ino was surprisingly patient this morning, however. She appreciated the consideration of her feelings, and giving her the much needed time to approach the subject in her own way… and on her own terms.

One of the many reasons Sakura loved her, and appreciated having her in her life.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you… last night". She was told by her therapist she needed to confront her issues from now on... and that every small step mattered.

Well… this was her… trying.

"I never should have even assumed-"

"It's alright…"

"No-… it's not." The pinkette glanced up at her, before turning to gaze out at the water some distance away. "I know you'd never do something like that. I was just so angry and confused…"

Ino took a seat next to her. "What happened?"

Sakura scared the shit out of her last night with those phone calls.

"Nothing… I told him not to call. That was it. I damn sure wasn't about to have a full-fledged conversation with him."

"Isn't he still in L.A.?"

"Last I heard." Sakura sighed, wincing as a group of kids with their parents walked by, one of the children screeching over a toy.

"I'll find out, don't worry. In the meantime-"

"There's nothing to be done." She interrupted.

Ino frowned.

Sakura met her stare head-on.

"It was just a phone call. He hasn't reached out in forever, and after telling him, in no uncertain terms that I want nothing to with him now, there shouldn't be an issue going forward."

Her friend was not pleased… but this was not her decision to make.

"Look, things are just starting to get back on track, ok? I won't allow… this, to spoil it. After all this time… I'm going to deal with things how I feel I should handle them. I won't let this become bigger than it already is. It's been dealt with. Now… time to move on." She said standing up, hands raised in the air for a final stretch.

Ino looked at her from the corner of her eyes, mouth still fixed in a frown. She would accept her wishes… it didn't mean she had to like it.

Or agree.

"Let's go get some grub. All that running has left me famished."

Ino stood as well, turning to walk towards the parking area. A bump against her shoulder was her only warning… and soon, she was sprinting to catch up to the little pink haired trollop.

"Last one to the car is buying!"

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She eyed the green mixture through narrowed eyes. The cold drink looked innocent enough, sitting there on the edge of her glass desk, just out of reach. But, she knew better…

Knew just how deceptively refreshing it looked in the clear plastic cup, the red straw disappearing in the murky depths.

Hazel eyes broke away from the one-way staring contest, a soft knock reaching her ears.

"What?!"

A tumble of soft pink curls appeared through the cracked door, a brilliant smile lighting the room as a tinkering voice rang out.

"Shishou! Hi! Is this a bad time?"

"Don't call me that. And get your ass in here and close my door! You're letting out all of my air!"

Sakura did as she was told, shutting the door firmly. Turning to approach her old mentor and professor of many years, a shiver ran up her spine and she regretted leaving her jacket in her vehicle.

"A bit chilly in here, isn't it-"

"I'm hot…" Tsunade's voice warned her in no uncertain terms to drop the subject.

Pausing in the middle of sitting down was no easy feat, but Sakura pulled it off for five whole seconds; mouth slightly agape in shock. Lowering herself the rest of the way, she settled and blinked up at her.

"Oooooooo-kay…uh… well… how are you doing?" She ventured, not going to be put off too long with the slight attitude moments ago. She was far too excited to see her, and would not be put off with her grumpy attitude.

Huffing, Tsunade leaned back in her chair, eyes swinging back to the green concoction on her desk.

"I'm doing just great, actually. Nice of you to finally pay a visit. I was wondering when you would stop by. Dan just left, a few minutes ago.”

"Oh, yeah! I passed him on the way up. Said he was kind of sad he wasn't going to make the South America trip, but there was nowhere in the world he'd rather be than here-"

"Keh! He'd better damn well be!"

"-And that getting you to eat healthier has been a battle, but he feels like he's made some gains in that department." Sakura finished, watching Tsunade, watch the smoothie, on the table in front of her. She lifted a manicured finger, pushing the drink across the desk slightly in the blondes' direction, and in reach.

Sucking her teeth, she snatched up the cup that she could finally grasp, red painted nails bringing it close for a sip.

"Ugh! That tastes like old man's ass… and don't ask me how I know what that taste like." Tsunade ground out, putting it down bitterly while the other hand palmed her slightly protruding belly.

Sakura bit her lip, trying not to laugh.

"So, I heard you turned down said South American trip. Does that mean you will be home for a while?"

"Actually… that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I know there were some summer programs coming up, and I was hoping that there were maybe some vacant seats? If all goes well, I may even stay into the fall?" Sakura asked hopefully, her bright green eyes meeting one of the biggest influencers of her young life.

Tsunade eyed her in silence, making the pinkette squirm in her seat under the scrutiny. Breaking the silence with a sigh, she began.

"And you are sure about this?"

A nod.

"This isn't the type of thing for you to be fickle over."

Another nod, pink strands falling about her face as a gleam of determination passed over green eyes.

Another, pregnant pause… a sigh filled with concede before-

"Fine. I'll look into it first thing. And I don't want to hear any complaints about courses and long hours either! You have a lot of making up to do and a lot to catch up on. If you've turned into some sort of slacker this past year or two-"

"Thank you so much Shishou! I promise! I'll do my best, whatever is required. Thank you so, so much! I'd hug you right now, but you'd probably punch me." Sakura joked, hands clasped together in front of her in excitement, heels bouncing.

"Hmph!" Tsunade raised a brow, eyes laser focused once again. "So… what brought this on, hmmm?"

Finally settling down from acting like a jittery toddler that had too much candy, Sakura tilted her head, giving the question some thought. But it was simple enough, wasn't it?

"I guess… it was just time." She answered honestly.

"Are you extending your lease? You still smoke that… stuff, don't you? They will not allow that if you stay in the campus dorms."

"Ha…Ha." She replied dryly.

"Yes I do, but that will not be a problem. I actually found another place. Already signed… I'm moving pretty soon. It has a penthouse terrace…" Sakura trailed off dreamily.

Tsunade knew her former student fairly well, and knew the statement was not coming from a place of bragging; but rather from the breathtaking views she was sure the space had to offer. Make no mistake, Sakura had dreams of becoming a doctor, but there would always be a place in her heart for photography.

"Yeah… well, I still don't know why you do the stuff."

"Please. And it's different than your love of sake, how?"

Tsunande's hand slammed on the table, and Sakura wondered if glass was the best option for people with fiery tempers.

"You KNOW it is forbidden to say the ' S ' word while I am in this 'condition'!"

Leave it to her mentor to classify the wonderful experience of being with child, a 'condition'.

But more to the point… being pregnant meant: no drinking.

Which was fine… unless sake was mentioned; the beloved liquid sent by the gods themselves if Tsunade was to be believed.

Any mention of the drink was taken as an offense; meant to punish her by mentioning what she couldn't have… pushing what she was missing right in her face.

This would then send her in a foul mood, in less than three seconds flat.

Sakura just sighed again, perking slightly when her phone vibrated against her thigh. Checking the screen, she dropped the subject.

Tsunade squinted, eyes tracking the slight pull at the side of Sakura's mouth, her mouth relaxing a moment after. "Are you sure, there aren't… other… reasons for this change of heart?"

Eyes widening, Sakura lips pulled in a pout. "Really? I would have thought you of all people would be happy? As long as you've been on my-"

"I am." She cut her off. Then, in a much softer tone...

"I am. I'm just surprised, is all. You caught me off guard, which is not an easy feat. I'm pleased with this new development, however. Hell, if you stick around long enough, I may recruit you to help me deliver this sprout!"

Looking up from her phone again, Sakura just shook her head, smiling as she watched the blonde throw her head back and laugh, large bosom shaking in her mirth.

The amusement was infectious, and the pleasant feelings of warmth that filled her made her smile even wider.

Yeah…

Maybe staying home for a while was the right decision.

End Chapter

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[blue---rose]

White Widow - Chapter Three

Fanfiction.net | AO3

Title: White Widow Chapter: Three Author: Blue Rose Rating: M (Hard R) Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura Summary: "Running away was easy; not knowing what to do next was the hard part." - Sakura needed to stop fantasizing about running away to some other life, and start figuring out the one she had. [Sasu/Saku, Modern AU]

Warnings: Adult Content Disclaimer: I own nothing, and I damn sure don't make a single red cent for this either. So please, don't sue the Blue

Author Notes: If you like please don't forget to review/comment/like. Kudo's to my amazing beta: MySoberThoughts.

PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

-  ﾟ･*･ﾟ -   Chap 1 -  ﾟ･*･ﾟ -  Chap 2 -  ﾟ･*･ﾟ -  

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Chapter Three

The front windows of the SUV were rolled down slightly, letting in a cool breeze. Parked on a quiet street, it sat next to a large maple tree that provided a protective shade from the bright sun. The glass was tinted, partially concealing the driver as his head leaned back against the headrest. A finger ideally tapped the steering wheel while dark eyes peered down the street, watching passing cars and pedestrians alike.

The area was pretty calm during this time of day. Nothing looked out of the ordinary… at least, not to the untrained eye. His eyes were focused on his target when his phone started to vibrate, immediately turning his attention away. Pale fingers reached out, retrieving it from the dashboard mount. His steady gaze shifted over the words, reading the incoming message notification before opening it.

Message:

"Hey, are you in the city? And before you yell at me; yes. I asked 'scruff lord' first."

Sasuke frowned, a stray lock falling to his brow as he wrote back. Had she heard from him? He straightened in his seat, ignoring the small bark from beside him as his phone vibrated in his hand. His eyes read the reply.

Message:

"Nope."

Making an impatient noise, his finger swiped across the screen. Bringing the device to his ear, he listened as it rang once, before a breathily voice picked up.

"Oh!? A phone call? Now this is a special occasion… to what do I owe the honor?" Ino sassed into his ear, in lieu of a proper greeting.

"You really haven't heard from him? Calls or texts?" Sasuke ignored her teasing.

"No, not for a while actually..."

He continued to listen as he leaned back against the headrest, glancing down the street to Kiba's duplex. His eyes scrutinized the dark sedan parked near the entrance, a few houses away. Sasuke had the perfect view from where he sat just around the corner, near the intersection. He was fairly confident he had not been spotted by its driver.

"-Well, he never responded so I'm reaching out to you. I just need some bud, and another friend of mines wants vike. I have cash, because the DollarApp phone thingy isn't working right now. Kiba's not picking up so-…"

"Yeah, whatever… just let me know how much-" A flash of pink from the corner of his eye had him turning his head, to look out the window. Dark eyes narrowing below furrowed brows as he saw-

"…Sakura?"

"Huh? What was that?"

His gazed volleyed back and forth between the pink haired woman standing across the street, waiting for the cross signal to turn; to the sedan parked further down the block, sitting near the duplex.

A few seconds passed before he perked up, moving into action.

He had just enough time to roll up the windows before making a grab for his keys in the console.

"-Gotta go." He ended the call abruptly, opening the truck's heavy door.

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Sakura ideally played with the lightweight scarf around her neck, a pale shade of green that brought out her eyes. The digits trailed to her pocket, running them across the cold metal of the keys resting inside before she pulled her hand out, zipping the pocket for safe keeping.

She welcomed the brief distraction the visit would provide from the work she was putting off. Her last few days were spent packing, preparing for her upcoming move. Going through drawers and other spaces turned up a lot of lost or forgotten things at her place.

She had been meaning to return the found items to Kiba, for quite some time now. A few calls and texts were sent, but there was no reply… just radio silence. She wasn't too concerned about it; there were many times in the past where he went missing for a few days, or even weeks. It didn't happen often, but she was still a bit miffed with the non-responses.

Alas, here she was… dropping by un-announced to come bug her sometimes-reclusive friend. She definitely could use the break. Her quest for a distraction manifested however, in the literal sense when she collided unexpectedly with someone.

"Whoa! Excuse me-"

She had just crossed the street; one heeled bootie just making it up on the curb, before the sudden impact. It wasn't hard enough for her to lose her footing, but it did catch her by surprise. She looked up mid-apology, only to be swept up in a hypnotic swirl of ink.

"Wh-…Sasuke?"

He only deposited a squirming Akamaru in her arms before taking her elbow, directing her to the left. They walked in the opposite direction of their friend's apartment, moving briskly down the sidewalk. She stumbled briefly, quickening her steps so she could match his longer stride. She could feel the warmth of his hand, even beneath the layers of clothing.

"Keep walking."

That was the only directive given for a time, until they were a block or so away. She finally turned, sitting down the puppy. Akamaru bounced around their feet, but she ignored him in favor of his human counterpart. Looking up in bemusement, she waited for an explanation.

"Have you spoken to Kiba?" Sasuke asked, fingers brushing the nylon leash wrapped around his wrist.

She shook her head, soft swept bangs framing her face as he peered down at her.

"No. I've been looking for him, though." She blinked up at him, eyes squinting in contemplation. "Why? What's going on?"

His strange behavior was setting her on edge.

Sasuke shifted, eyes darting up as a jogger ran past. Akamaru gave a brief chase after the unsuspecting runner, but the leash pulled, making him give up.

"He's been gone, and…" Sasuke started, meeting her eyes once again. When there was another pause, she began to realize that getting direct answers from this man was akin to pulling teeth.

He clearly wanted to say more, but hesitated. She made an effort to remove any impatience from her tone as she prodded gently, "…-And?"

"…And now, there's a car staking out the place."

She frowned, glancing behind him down the street. "Police?" she whispered.

"Not sure yet." He turned to look in the same direction, before turning to meet her eyes.

"Don't go near there. I don't want whoever has eyes on the place, to see you hanging around."

Sakura's brows drew together in a frown, perturbed at what this could all mean.

He just continued on, voice still carrying as he turned to leave.

"I'll meet up with you and Ino, later. We'll talk more, then."

With that, Sasuke walked back towards the direction they came… Akamaru trailing along behind him.

She blinked, belatedly realizing she never asked him why he had Kiba's dog in the first place.

Just what the hell was going on?

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The office's decor housed some very unique pieces of antique furniture. They were placed strategically around the spacious area, mixing abnormally well among the otherwise, modern layout. A hand carved, large oak desk the man currently sat behind, was one of them.

Eyes skimmed the documents placed in front of him hours ago; pouring over everything while taking notes in the margins. The reading glasses perched low on his nose allowed him to scan the words, without everything blurring together as they tended to do, in recent years. The door opening to the room did not entice him to raise his head, but he did pause in his work… head inclining slightly.

"I take it, you took care of things?" He asked. The muted sound of the pen moving across the paper was drowned by a heavy grunt soon after.

The newcomer sat down in a cozy overstuffed chair, sinking down in the worn leather. "It's been handled."

Another pause, before the man behind the desk finally glanced up. "And you are sure this was the right course of action?"

Their eyes met above the computer monitor, before the guest broke the stare with a smirk. "A little too late, to ask such a thing, is it not?"

The pen hovered above another document, his gaze falling to pay attention to his work, once again. "I suppose it is…"

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The heavy door swung open, allowing the puppy to walk through and enter. Akamaru made a beeline for the water dish, anxious to take a few refreshing laps.

Sasuke sighed, moving to hang the leash on the coat rack. Shrugging out of his jacket, he walked further into the loft.

"Did you know, I really made that key for you to use in emergencies?" He asked his brother, making his way to the fridge for a drink. He felt the other man's presence when he walked in, before he ever caught sight of him in his peripheral. The older Uchiha stood from the sofa, coming to stand next to the kitchen island.

"Noted. Now on to more important things… did you find out anything? I see you still have the dog."

"I think someone put eyes on Kiba's. I don't know who… but I should know something soon."

"You should be more careful. You shouldn't have driven your own car over there until you know who that is. Don't be sloppy."

"I'm not. They were amateurs… had no idea they were being watched, themselves." Sasuke grumbled, pouring the filtered water into a glass, before taking a sip.

Narrowing his eyes, his older brother cut right to the chase.

"Are you sure about this? Is he hiding from someone? Maybe some trouble you've kept from me?"

"No… he's been dependable since we've known him, so why start some shit now, by pulling this?"

Itachi just sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know why. I'm not a babysitter Sasuke."

Sasuke wanted to say something else that would have had his brother reaching out to take a swipe at him. And if his memory was as sharp as he knew it to be, Itachi would have connected the blow. Instead, he took a deep breath… trying to make sense of the situation.

"I just… I think something is up, but I don't want to cause a full-blown panic either."

"And his friends? What are they saying?"

"Nothing so far. l'll see what I can find out tonight, and if she knows anything."

"…-She?"

His face immediately went blank, eyes fluttering to glance at his older brother briefly… before returning to the countertop.

"I'll let you know if I learn anything."

' Please don't talk. '

Sasuke raised the glass to his lips again.

' Please… just… don't say a fucking word… '

His brother's eyes had not left him, dark stare holding his own over the glass.

' For once, in your miserable life, don't you  fucking  dare make fun of me or- '

Itachi's mouth twitched, the corner turning up in a hint of a smile. Sasuke caught sight of it before the elder turned his back, moving away from the kitchen to leave.

"Ok… keep me posted." Itachi said retreating to the front door, slipping on his shoes.

Sasuke grunted, in disbelief he was being spared a round of relentless teasing… this time. Rolling his eyes he headed for the fridge again, looking for something to eat. Why did his brother even bother coming over, when he could have just called?

Itachi paused, looking back at him. "And Sasuke? Watch yourself. Until we know more…"

"…Yeah." he replied, already on the same page.

Their eyes met before he closed the door, leaving the younger siblings' home.

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✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

Everything began to tighten as she squirmed against the sheets, her soft belly curving in as her breath was stolen. Pleasure hummed throughout her body as her lips parted. She had to lick them, catching the bottom one in-between her teeth, as another moan vibrated against her throat.

Her hair clouded some of her vision, the thick strands falling around her in a pretty mess as they continued to move. His large hands clasped her hips so perfectly, pulling and guiding, as she rolled with his momentum.

Her breath caught as she chased the rhythm he'd set for them both.

His magisterial pace was satisfying, moving her with him through every slick glide. His hair hung wildly in his face, casting his eyes in shadow as he flexed against her, grunting on a particularly deep thrust.

She reached back, her hand wrapping around his straining forearm. She felt the protruding veins beneath her sensitive finger pads, and her fingers tensed… nails biting gently into his damp skin. Looking behind, she met his gaze as she pushed back, their skin slapping together in one of the most sexiest sounds she'd ever heard in her life.

Her feet braced in the plush carpet, between his own.

Sakura's knees locked, trying to hitch her hips as high as they could go, while keeping her upper half flush against the bed beneath her. A soft pillow had been shoved beneath her hips ages ago, to help keep the angle that was driving them both insane.

He growled and moved one of his hands to grasp her ass, palming and pulling, eager to fuck her as hard as she was begging him to. The air was heated between them; the atmosphere becoming so heavily charged… crawling over them both as the excitement grew.

She whined underneath him, starting to ache in the best, and worst ways…

Something was approaching, making her clench deep inside and she pushed back against him.

Bottomless pools of green kept on him… through it all.

The look she gave over her shoulder ensnared him completely. She needed to see if he was going to finish what he started. He promised to make her fall apart, and stop the ache that was building...

…A heat that kept rising from the place he was currently penetrating, over and over and over again.

"Please-!" She could not help the cry that escaped in that moment. The plea was so honest, so desperate…

It was  so close , damnit.

All he needed to do was shift… just a little.

But… shit … maybe she could do it all on her own… just raise a knee to the bed to contort her body in just the right angle and…

"God…!"

Oh… it was so close…

And she finally closed her eyes as he-

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

"Sakura!"

A whimper escaped as she flinched, blinking rapidly as her tired mind tried to catch up with reality.

"W-…What?"

"I said 'We're here'. It's barely nine, you can't be that sleepy. Come on." The blonde exited the car, making sure to tug down the hem to her ridiculously short dress.

Sakura sighed, pulling out her compact to check for drool marks. She couldn't believe she had such a vivid dream like that. Hadn't she just closed her eyes for a moment? Her head rested against the glass but she didn't mean to fall asleep after Ino picked her up.

Although, now that she remembered… she was going out under protest. She thought it was going to be another lazy night of packing and ice-cream, but her best friend had other plans. Just one drink, she said.

And Ino being Ino… was not taking no for an answer.

'Besides', she had tried to reason, 'You get to see your booty-call again.'

It was a tempting thought, then, when it was first mentioned… but now they were here? Her stomach was doing flips. Why the hell was she so nervous all of a sudden? The butterfly faze should end once you've seen each other naked, right? Wasn't that how it should work?

Sighing, she closed the compact with a snap and stashed it in her bag. There were no lines on her face… but there was a redness that did not come from the blush makeup used earlier.

"You said a bar, this looks more like a night club… am I underdressed?" Sakura asked as they approached the entryway. Ino turned; giving her ripped black jeans and red-bottomed heels a once over.

"It's a hookah lounge-bar, with a nightclub in the upper level. And you look gorgeous; no one is turning you away from any door, ever. Besides, you're with me… duh."

Grabbing her hand, she marched them to the front, winking at the doorman who lifted the velvet rope. Another bouncer held open the door as the two ducked inside.

Sakura somberly hoped this would not be an all-night excursion.

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There were two things that stuck out to him, after meeting her for the very first time.

The first?

She had breathtakingly, beautiful eyes.

If you were in close proximity to her… you definitely took notice.

Even the most reserved or poised individual found themselves looking a bit longer than deemed appropriate sometimes. It always traveled into uncomfortable scrutiny if they weren't careful. Many people were given a pass though.

He even heard Ino tell her on one occasion that; 'staring came with being as pretty as she was', and that at least people chose to ogle her eyes, and not something else.

In a weird way, what she said made sense.

Besides… they were pretty.

An unusual shade of green that had to be seen, up close, to really get the full effect.

The second thing he could remember?

She wasn't irritating.

Granted, she had her quirks.

The obnoxious shade of hair that made spotting her entirely too easy…

The animated way she talked sometimes, hands waving and gesturing; hoping to help you keep up with the conversation…

There was a bit more to it, than just tolerating her, too. She was one of the only people he'd met, whose rambling didn't grate on his nerves, like nails on a chalkboard. Conversations; though short between them in the past, were usually pleasant enough. It never felt forced, and even the silence was comfortable.

She was into fashion and jewelry, but was not obnoxious with it all. She was smart and confident, but genuinely humble and kind. She cared for those close to her and took little, to no shit from everyone else. She'd proven herself to be loyal and true from what he could see, with those who knew her and called her a friend.

It was always easy to be in her presence since they'd first been introduced.

Well…

At least it had been, up until this past New Years.

And that… he would place squarely on her shoulders.

Shifting on the barstool, he glanced up at the endless liquor bottles and giant mirrors lining the wall behind the bar, finding his own reflection easily.

And why was thinking about such things to begin with?

He liked her.

It was a thought that flashed across his mind more than once since their fateful encounter.

He didn't chase… and he damn sure wasn't the clingy type. He usually was not the first to reach out. He was the one who shied away from repeated encounters. He was the one who avoided phone calls and dodged texts.

So to be put in such a position… was foreign to him.

He lost the opportunity to dwell on such thoughts as the quiet moment was interrupted; they had arrived. He caught sight of them as they entered, as did a few other men sitting at the bar around him. He watched through the mirror as they made their way to a cozy booth in the back, quickly ordering drinks. Taking a minute to finish his own, he made his way towards them.

Sasuke slipped inside the booth, causing the blonde to look up, setting her drink down to acknowledge him. "Well hello there, handsome." Ino greeted, pearly whites smiling at him.

His eyes flashed to Sakura, who was sitting on the other side of Ino, and gave a general greeting to them both. She'd barely kept his gaze, eyes shifting to the table after muttering a quick 'Hey'.

He could feel her unease, even from here. That made no difference. His mood was on the darker side tonight, so he really didn't care. He would embrace any temporary distraction, even if it was a mild confrontation.

Besides… they hadn't even started.

Ino reached up, slipping her clutch from the table to sit it against her thigh.

Turning his attention elsewhere for the time being, he retrieved a few zipped pouched bags from his inner pocket, sliding them easily into Ino's waiting hands. Moments later, folded bills were handed back.

Once that business settled, he moved on to another topic.

"Kiba's gone missing." He started. Sakura perked up, eyes lifting to meet his.

"He's pulled this before." Ino wasn't the least bit worried. "It just means he needs a few days to himself. He takes these breaks to deal with anxiety and other shit. Just give him some space."

"How long before? Without any of you knowing where he went?"

Ino paused, thinking hard.

Sakura's brow furrowed, shaking her head slightly.

"I think he's always told at least one person when he did. Besides, he hasn't done that since high school, right?" She asked glancing to her side at her blonde friend, who nodded in response.

"I have his mutt. I was supposed to meet up with him to drop him off, but..." he trailed off, but was soon interrupted.

"He'll turn up. He's probably just laying low for a while."

Sasuke knew he sounded like a broken record, but he needed to be sure…

"And neither of you have seen him, you're sure?"

"Yes, we are sure." Ino felt like they were being interrogated, and was becoming agitated. Everyone just needed to chill, and give the boy some space. If he needed a little time for himself, then they should let him have it. Besides, knowing Kiba he's liable to show up a week from now; with a tan and smelling like cheap perfume and coconut oil.

Sasuke relented, letting it go. "Just let me know if you hear anything."

His eyes met both of their own, and the girls gave slight nods in agreement.

Sasuke's eyes traveled past the blonde to the quiet girl on her other side. He silently dared her to look his way, but to no avail. She shifted discreetly, but the movement was caught by the other two parties.

Ino's eyes narrowed between the two of them, eyes darting back and forth before sucking her teeth.

Really, now… why the hell was there so much... tension? Didn't they already do the sex thing?

"So lame..."

Dark eyes blinked before darting to her much lighter ones, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Hn?" He leaned away when her lip curled.

Drowning the rest of her martini, Ino grabbed her clutch, feeling the slight, added weight to the purse, and nudged Sasuke's side. They were boring her with all this pussyfooting.

"Nothing... now let me up, I'm going to take this to my friends upstairs. Thanks for coming through with this." Standing to her feet, she accepted the polite hand he held out to help.

"A gentleman too? Hmmm…" Ino smirked as she passed him, ignoring a random cat-call from a group of guys near the front. She climbed the stairs to the upper level, leaving her best friend to the dark wolf.

Sakura was oblivious to her new predicament, slowly moving to exit from the other side of the booth, but paused then Sasuke moved in the way. Sitting down, he slid across the dark leather, to settle flush against her side.

Now to handle the third reason he was here.

"Have a drink with me." He nodded to the cocktail waitress, who made her way over to them.

"I already had one-" she started, watching Ino's back as she disappeared from view.

"Then have another." He cut her off, body rigid next to her, despite the smoothness of his voice.

She could feel the hum of energy his body seemed to exude.

She shifted as their arms brushed against each other, still nothing but a bottle of nerves… eyes darting from Ino's abandoned drink to her own; refusing to meet his eyes.

There was silence as neither said a word, and even their drinks being placed in front of them did not break the heavy tension surrounding them. Biting her lip, she finally spoke up.

"Well… this isn't awkward at all."

There, she broke the ice.

At least… she hoped it would have that effect.

"More awkward than leaving the next day, to another country?"

"You really think that that; was the only reason I left?"

He had some nerve, and was a lot more arrogant than she gave him credit for.

"I didn't know you'd left, until a few days later." He took a long sip from his beer, his thumb wiping a bit of moisture from the corner of his lip. Her eyes followed the movement, drifting away before she got caught. He shifted beside her, before turning metal dark eyes to her.

"I didn't… have your number, so I got it from Ino."

' I had yours. '

She thanked any god who was listening that she did not say that out loud. Sinking underneath the table would not be low enough to erase her mortification. She could not recall exactly how, or when she came into possession of it, but she did have it saved in her phone, long before their tyst.

"I called you." He admitted, taking another drink.

' I know. '

She saw the call when it came through, along with the second one; the next day after that.

"It must have shown as a blocked number so I didn't pick up… sorry."

"I texted you." Something shifted in his gaze while he looked at her, and she was hard-pressed to look away. She became aware of the heat, radiating from his body and they… they were sitting way too close.

"I may be a lot of things, but I'm no one's fucking regret."

That snapped her back to the present, and she blinked rapidly, her brow lowered.

"Me? I thought you did…"

She thought he regretted it all, or at the very least… didn't really care.

He said nothing as his gaze remained locked on hers, not moving as he waited to see if she was joking or not. When she still sat there his eyes narrowed, his body turning slightly towards her and she leaned back; wide, pretty green eyes sparkling.

Successfully intimidated, she sputtered over her words as she finally began telling her story, explaining why she felt the way she felt, and had taken such a stance in the first place…

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

Sakura half listened to what he was saying as he sat on the edge of the bed, phone to his ear as he drags his discarded jeans from the floor. His voice is scuffed when he answers his phone; hardened from use over the last few hours no doubt … and even she can tell he is peeved. There was a brief pause, his eyes shifting behind to glance at her, before speaking into the device.

"…-Nothing important."

Coldness… seeming to come from nowhere, crept through her body at his words, the feeling of something very close to rejection and humiliation… made her fingers numb. He did not see her reaction as he stood, wandering over to the tall windows. He spoke in a raspy tone, the hushed words too low for her to now overhear.

Sakura swung her legs down, wincing at the slight throb between her thighs. She would definitely need to soak in the tub, after all of the rough play, no doubt.

But first, she needed to make a timely escape.

This would be easier, if this was not her temporary domain. If it weren't, she could just grab her shoes and make her way to the front door. Alas, that was not an option at this point. The bathroom would have to suffice… either that, or go down in the elevator.

She was halfway to the door when his voice stopped her. Finished with his call, he was now trying to explain his upcoming, hasty departure. She turned with a smile that didn't meet her eyes, watching as his chest disappeared behind the shirt he just found. She cheerily replied not to worry, and she would catch up with him later...

All without breaking her stride until she was hidden behind the safety of the bathroom door.

✧･ﾟ* : *ﾟ･✧

He continued to stare at her, even as her voice trailed off.

She didn't dare move, watching closely to see what his reaction would be. He broke their gaze and reached for his beer, taking another swig.

Placing it on the table, he looked at her, opening his mouth to say something…

…Only to change his mind instead, picking up the bottle to chug the rest of the alcohol.

Sakura sat in silence as he flagged down the waitress to order another round.

They sat there for a good minute, long enough for the eager waitress to return with his refreshment and clearing the used glasses. Two fingers and his thumb held the long neck of the bottle, resting it on the table before he finally spoke up.

"You are fucking annoying."

Before, when she got halfway through her story, he barely suppressed the urge to wipe his hand across his face in frustration.

He could instantly see where her mind was headed… could easily see how the tale was going to play out from her perspective. Combine that, with his sudden need to leave at the time… he could understand her side and how it all looked.

Still…

It didn't change the fact that she was annoying the shit out of him right now.

"I wasn't talking about you, about us, nor about what we did… when I said that."

She paled, and then… all at once, color blossomed in her cheeks. Why was she so quick to jump to conclusions sometimes?

Because that's the Haruno way.

Well… technically it was more the 'Ishikawa' way (her mother's maiden name, and definitely the correct side of the family to blame for such impulses).

Either way, it was in her blood to act foolishly, and definitely was something she was known for, in her early years. Well, she hadn't quite grown out of it, had she? It certainly was coming to bite her on the ass, in this situation.

"Oh…" She breathed, realization fully dawning on her.

He grasped the bottle and brought it to his lips again.

He wanted to spank her.

Sasuke didn't know where the wayward thought came from, but he couldn't help the overwhelming urge to drag her across his knee and swat her behind, at the incredulous response.

'Oh'? That's all she could say… was 'Oh'?

He drank his beer before he said something stupid.

All this time she had kept her distance because she thought he wasn't interested? He all but screamed (in his own way)… that he was interested, by reaching out… and she…

Finishing the beer, he stood… leaving a few bills on the table. There were some other things he had to take care of tonight, and should go. Even though he was reluctant, he needed to cut this meeting short.

Sakura looked up as he moved; missing the heat she felt when his leg was pressed against her own beneath the table.

Turning to leave he paused, looking at her over his shoulder. She could only freeze, swallowing thickly as she got caught up in his amorous stare.

"Haruno?"

"…Y-yes?"

"You make sure I'm not still… 'blocked', on your fucking phone, got it?"

A few minutes later, Ino found her… in the same spot. The poor pinkette looked as if she'd just seen a ghost or something, and despite the blondes prodding, she didn't say a word.

END CHAPTER

:✧･ ﾟ･*･ﾟ･✧ B R ✧･ﾟ･*･ﾟ ･✧:

Next: Chapter Four

[imagineleonkennedy]

I made one with Leon and Ada so here is Leon and Claire

[sloshi]

Sasusaku fanfic recommendation

>> Telanadas << by KuriQuinn

“It’s no secret Sasuke hates the cold almost as much as he hates humans or magic. And yet, here he is, struggling through knee-high snowdrifts in a mountain pass, side by side with two humans—one of them a mage—seeking the ashes of a long dead shemlen madwoman, in a party led by a dwarf with the most offensive coloured hair and puzzling good cheer he’s ever encountered. [Dragon Age/Naruto Fusion Fic]” ~COMPLETE. Also includes smut! Censored version on FF.net

Based on

GUYS this fanfic is something I never knew I needed omfg Elf!Sasuke is fucking hilarious and everyone and their mother needs to read this fic right now. It’s a Dragon age fic, but even if you’ve never played the game it’s not confusing because the author puts the footnotes/terms at the end. You will not be disappointed.

[mrm64]

Bro…

I hope we break the Internet in August and make Boruto trend again man. Then if the novel is animated, make ALL the gifs, write ALL the fics, draw ALL the art, reblog and like the SH*T out of your content creators and original posters, bruh let SasuSaku freedom REIGN!!