Sakura meets a masked man at a masquerade. He knows who she is but can she see who the man is behind the mask?
It was Inoâs 20th birthday and she had spared absolutely no expense on her party. It had taken nearly three weeks to transform the empty warehouse into the extravagant space that Sakura walked nervously into. The corrugated metal walls were covered in thick, black material from floor the ceiling and purple string lights hung from every beam, making it look like rain falling on the party goers from above. Everyone was wearing suits or gowns with elaborate masks adorning their faces, hiding their true identity from one another.
Ino has chosen a masquerade theme just for that reason. She wanted to make a night no one would forget and she instructed everyone invited not to use their real names or anything that would give their identity away. Which was hard for Sakura, since her pink hair was like a beacon on top of her head. But, she played along and had made her own mask; black with gold, braided trim and a dark flower on the side. She didnât feel like her identity was very anonymous but she felt pretty, albeit a little shy. Not knowing who anyone was, she wouldnât be able to latch onto Ino for moral support the whole night.
Sakura stepped further inside the space, her eyes roving over the endlessly vibrant bouquets of flowers hung from the beams above that put a sweet fragrance in the air. There was a DJ booth in the back where a man in a very sleek, black mask stood controlling the music. Sakura figured it was Shino, but couldnât tell from the hood covering most of his head. The music he played was loud and she could feel the beat in her chest as she made her way through the crowd. Were there even this many people in Konoha? She wondered if Ino had sent invitations to other villages to ensure a packed out party. It seemed like something she would do.
Sakura tried to get to the crowded bar area set up in the corner of the warehouse. There was hardly any room to get through to order a drink and she frowned, raising herself up on her tiptoes to try to flag down a bartender. It seemed like her choice in black tonight only made her invisible against the dark interior. All the other girls were wearing vibrant strips of color across their face, peacock feathers and flowers making bright, easily seen crowns around their head. The long stem of a flower struck Sakura in the face as the girl next to her turned to leave the bar and she quietly fumed in anger. But, the girls absence left a small space that she could squeeze into.
Unfortunately, someone beat her to it, knocking her to the side with an elbow. The heels of her shoes made her stumble off guard, reaching out to clutch the nearest person to her to keep herself from falling. An arm looped around her waist before her knees could hit the floor and the figure she had grabbed onto lifted her back to her feet. Sakura blinked up into a crimson mask that covered the manâs eyes. It came to a point on his left cheek, nearly touching the corner of his lips as he smiled down at her.
âAre you alright?â He asked, ducking his head toward her ear so she could hear him over the music. There was something familiar about his voice but she couldnât quite place it to anyone she knew. She searched his eyes for anything she could recognize but came up empty. He had painted the skin around his eyes black and his hair was a shade of brown that was neither memorable or remarkable. It was possible he had come from another village but something in the way he smirked at her made her feel as if he knew her.
Sakura shook herself from the daze he had left her in and smoothed the skirt of her dress down, ducking her head to avoid his gaze. âIâm fine.â She breathed.
âDid you want a drink?â He nodded back to the bar but didnât wait for her answer. The stranger pushed his way easily to the bar and held up two fingers on his gloved hand to get the bartenderâs attention. Sakura stared at his fingers the split second they were in the air and frowned. Little gestures here and there piqued her memories, and she couldnât shake the feeling that she knew this guy from somewhere. He turned and looked back at her from over his shoulder, bringing the corner of his lips up in a smirk. He curled his finger, beckoning her toward him and she moved, her body tingling as he watched her.
âWhatâll it be?â The bartender said, leaning toward them to hear their orders.
âIâll take a hot sake.â
âSame.â Sakura answered, trying hard to ignore the way the masked man was looking at her. It didnât take long for their drinks to be made and he plucked her cup up from the bar, holding it out to her with a smile.
âCheers.â He said, clinking their glasses together with a wink before he turned and quickly ducked back into the crowd, leaving Sakura to stare after him. She looked down at her drink and dodged away from someone else trying to reach the bar. Drink in hand, she followed after the masked man. She wanted to ask him who he was, despite the strict instructions on her invitation not to reveal who they truly were. There wasnât many men who looked at her the way he had and she needed to know who he was before he left and she never got another chance.
But, as she made her way into the crowd mingling along the edges of the dance floor, she couldnât see him anymore. In a sea of colors, there wasnât a single brunette in sight. Frowning, Sakura gave up and turned to the tables that were pushed along the walls. Hardly anyone was sitting down. Most of the party goers were on the dance floor, twirling and gliding to the music. Sakura could see girls laughing beneath their masks as they were spun around and dipped and lifted into the air as if they were feather light.
She hated the tight pinch of jealousy in the middle of her chest and she tilted her head back, drinking her sake in the same manner as her friend before; all in one gulp. She set the glass down on the table and tried to recognize anyone in the crowd. If she had to spend the whole night sitting on her ass, she would just leave now. The thought of dancing with strangers turned her off and she didnât like the thought of someone she didnât know putting their hands on her.
Then again, she didnât mind the thought of dancing with the man from before. In fact, her skin warmed at the thought and she pursed her lips as she eyed the glass of sake. Maybe she shouldnât have drank it all in one go. It clearly did little to help her judgment if she was already wanting to see him again. He had been nothing more than a stranger with a nice smile and an adorable beauty mark just below his lip on the left side. It had practically begged to be kissed and Sakura scoffed at herself for thinking such a thing. She didnât even know the man and here she was, thinking about kissing him.
She stood to her feet, suddenly not in the mood to watch a crowd of people dancing and flirting. She wasnât even sure why she came in the first place. Parties like these werenât her favorite thing to attend, especially when she had to come alone. It was different for Ino. She would have Sai by her side, his hands on her hips as he tried to figure out why in the world people would ever want to dance. He would do it anyway, because he knew Ino wanted to have someone dance with her and the realization that no one wanted to dance with Sakura made her feel silly for even showing up.
The mask on her face was pathetic in comparison to the others surrounding her and she cursed her best friend for even wanting a birthday party like this. It was nothing but stupidity and she didnât want to sit here for another moment.
Sakura wedged herself through the mass of people, her eyes stinging and the lump in her throat making her angry at herself for even caring. Before she could make it back to the bar where the exit was waiting only a few yards away, fingers curled around her wrist and stopped her in her tracks. She looked back at the gloved hand holding her, following it up the arm covered in black and finally to the sight of the familiar crimson mask from before. There was something in his eyes that made her stomach flutter inside her and she narrowed her gaze on him in confusion.
âDance with me.â He nodded toward the dance floor, the lights surrounding the DJ booth flashing from over his shoulder.
Sakura started to pull away, wanting to roll her eyes and tell him to leave her alone but she stopped herself. Every rational thought in her mind faded and what was left was only the need to be touched and twirled like the other girls. For just one night, she wanted to feel wanted. âJust one dance.â She said slowly, letting him pull her toward the crowd.
The music faded but only for a moment before something a bit slower, more sensual started to play over the speakers situated around the warehouse. It made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end and she shook her head, not sure she could let him hold her close without knowing who he even was. But, he didnât let her pull away. He stepped to her and curled his finger under her chin, lifting her head so she was staring up into his dark eyes. The corners creased as he smiled sweetly and Sakuraâs lips parted, knowing these eyes.
She ran through a list of all the men she knew and couldnât place them on anyone. It was bothering her, like his name was on the tip of her tongue and she just couldnât get it out. The stranger dropped his hand from her chin and slipped it around her waist, guiding her closer to him until her chest was against his. He felt warm next to her and she breathed in his scent that she preferred over the flowers.
It swirled through her senses, making her dizzy. She was thankful he had his arm around her to hold her up. Thankfully, he didnât hold her the way some of the others around them were pressed tightly against the girls, hips grinding together. No, he was very polite, like a gentleman. He held one hand in his while the other sat against her waist. She could feel the gentle press of his fingertips on the top of her hip bone making her eyelashes flutter.
It had been a long time since anyone had held her like this. Usually, they were running from her fists, dodging her attacks, or knocking her to the ground. In fact, she wasnât sure if any man had been this gentle with her and she ducked her head, suddenly shy. The man pointed them to the right and stepped to the side, whisking her along with him. In a sea of grinding bodies, they were the only ones properly dancing and she felt as if she were in a fairy tale.
He spun her slowly as the music played, filling her head and chest with the thump of the beat. She let him lead her, amazed that she wasnât stepping all over his feet or tripping on the skirt of her gown. The corner of her lips lifted and she let him pull her close to his body, pausing with her shoulder against his chest. His gaze flickered down to her lips and Sakura gasped as he rolled her away, spinning her in a complete circle until she was back in his arms.
This time, he hooked her hands behind his neck and slid his fingers down her sides, resting them a bit lower around the curve of her hips. The feel of his hands inches away from her backside made her blink, unsure of herself. He gave her no time to overcome her shyness, guiding her hips in a slow sway. She let him stay in control of her despite the rapid thump of her heartbeat and the voice in her head still urging her to leave.
Sakura glanced nervously around at the others, eyeing the groping hands and drunken laughter as they bumped into one another. They looked ridiculous and she was afraid she looked just as stupid. Self consciousness crept up her spine, making her steps falter and she stumbled into the man holding her. He shook his head and brought her face back up toward him, keeping her gaze held with his own.
âDonât look at them. Look at me.â She could barely hear him over the music but had seen the words on his pale lips. He took her fingers in his hand and spun her in a slow half circle, stopping her so that her back pressed into his chest. She could feel his hips against her backside, the muscles of his thighs down the back of hers and a little tremor rolled through her body. His hand lifted from her hip to her neck, fingers spreading slowly over her jaw before pulling her head to the side.
She brought her gaze up to his as he dipped his head toward hers, their faces so close that she could feel his breath across her chin. Her lips parted, eyes half-lidded as she let him sway her body against his.
The feel of his fingers falling from her throat, dipping down to the plunging neckline of her gown and over her hip made her shiver, her eyes closing as she let her head fall back against his shoulder. A little part of her knew this was wrong. She didnât even know his name and she was letting him touch parts of her that no one else ever had. The thrill of a strangers hands on her body was new but she liked it. Her skin buzzed from the heady, sensual music and it coursed through her, swirling through her bloodstream and fueling her desire. It had been a long time since she felt a craving for a touch like his, always ignoring it when it came back.
And now, her craving was being satisfied, leaving her nearly breathless as he moved around her, opening her arms to put them back around his neck. His hand at the small of her back supported her as he dipped her back, her hair grazing across the floor before he lifted her. She felt him run his fingers up her spine, palm flat against her back between her shoulder blades as he brought her back up. Her head swam, the smell of him among the flowers, the music, and lights swirled through her and she felt as if she were in a trance.
He held her tight as if she were nothing but a doll, powerless against whatever hold he had over her. And for just a brief moment, Sakura could forget the dull ache of loneliness that had sat on her chest the past year. It wasnât a crushing force, weighing her down more and more every day as he held her in his arms.
Sakura stared up at him, searching his eyes for any sign of who he was. She didnât care as much anymore and she pushed herself up on her tiptoes, glancing down to his lips. âKiss meâŚâ She whispered, unable to find any volume to her voice.
She noticed him hesitate, his eyes going a bit wide at her request. Before she could pull away at his resistance, he tightened his hold around her back, keeping her crushed against him. He dipped his head toward her, the point of his mask brushing against her cheek and Sakura sucked in a breath, letting her eyes slide shut. His lips were cool against hers, soft but firm and the kiss was sweet and tender. She appreciated him being gentle with her but she was craving something a bit more.
Sakura parted her lips over his, opening his mouth so she could slip her tongue inside. He gripped her gown at the small of her back in his fists and she could hear a small moan from the back of his throat. Tilting her head to the side, she let him deepen the kiss and his tongue met hers. She could taste the sake he had drank and the same hunger she had on her lips. It made her pull at his suit, desperately needing him closer though there was no space left between them. A hand slid around the back of her neck, tangling his fingers into the curls she had spent nearly an hour working on. She felt light headed, as if she had forgotten to breath and she held onto him as her knees trembled.
But, all too soon, the air met her heated lips once more and she shivered at the sudden cold that surrounded her. His hands slipped from her hair and she opened her eyes to see him turning away from her completely. He was moving too fast for her to catch up and she gathered the fabric of her skirt as she tried to push through the mass of grinding bodies. A flash of crimson was the last she saw as he pulled the mask from his face and hurried away without a glance back.
Sakura burst through the crowd, nearly knocking a man in a lionâs mask over. He straightened his jacket, glaring at her through the golden eye holes of his mask and she ignored him, searching each passing figure. There wasnât a bit of crimson to be seen, no dark painted eyes catching hersâŚHe was gone.
She hugged her arms around herself, feeling colder than she had before. A few girls laughed to her left and she ducked her head, knowing more than likely they werenât laughing at her but she couldnât shake the sudden insecurity that gripped her. Had he not wanted her? There was no way he hadnât tasted the desire between them from their kiss.
Sakura pulled her mask from her face, dropping it onto a table as she walked toward the door, wishing she had left when she had decided to earlier. Staying had only brought her more heartache and now she would have to go home, haunted by those dark eyes and that kiss that was still making her feel dizzy.
