"You what?" She had to whisper it, because she couldn't quite believe what she had heard. All of the blood had drained from Sakura's face and, for a second, she really thought her heart had stopped beating because the pain in her chest was just so...big. "Don't make me say it again, please. This is...hard for me." But Sakura just sat and stared at her visitor, not comprehending the situation. All those years... It had to be a dream. Pushing her chair back, Sakura turned slowly to make her way back upstairs, back to the bed. She would see her body there and realize that this was all a dream. "Where are you going? Aren't you going to say anything?" She looked at the boy sitting there in her kitchen, his face unreadable. "This can't be happening, so I am going back to sleep." "Can't be happening? Didn't you hear what I said? I. Love. You." "You...you can't love me. Not now." "I thought this was what you wanted." Sakura blinked, and realized tears were streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't remember when she had started crying. She felt numb all over. "I did. I did want it. But I don't...I don't know if I do anymore." "Why, because of him?" Sasuke covered his eyes, his palms pressed into his forehead. "Oh, Sasuke...because..." Sakura sat back down, defeated. She never could say no to the Uchiha, never could walk away. Because I've dreamed of this moment most of my life, and now that it is here...I wish you had never said anything." Sasuke stood up, his face a blank mask. His eyes, dark and telling, betrayed him, his pain in rejection. "I'll be leaving, then." "No, wait." They locked eyes. She searched his, the cool depths, looking for something. But whatever she thought she might find, it wasn't there. Only a boy, questioning her, waiting for her response. He is waiting for you to answer. She knew she should say something. Hell, there were so many things she knew she should say. I'm with Shika now. You had your chance, you are too late. You are mean and cruel, I don't know if I believe you when you say you love me. So many things she should say, but the words were stuck in her throat, her eyes were glazed over with the enormity of the situation...he was waiting for her to answer, and she should, but she couldn't. He watched her, her eyes shining with tears, her hair unkempt from sleep. Her mouth was moving a little, as if she wanted to say something, but couldn't. Sasuke knew, somewhere in his heart, that this was wrong. She belonged to someone else. He was being unfair to her, possibly causing more damage than he could imagine. What am I doing here? He didn't like losing, not to anyone. And he had been careless, had taken her for granted, and he had lost her. I should go. He willed his body to move, to leave her, to leave this futile attempt at...at what? What did he want? Leave, do the right thing and leave her...you'll only break her heart. Finally, he moved. He moved over to her so quickly she didn't register it until he was there, right there, his body hovering over hers, his hands in her hair, his mouth smashed against hers. The kiss was hard and desperate—primal in its neediness. His lips claimed their prize and, against her will, she kissed him back. He yanked her out of her seat, pulling her against him, covering her body with his frame. Moving, he pushed her against the wall, all the while devouring her lips, her essence. He could feel her trying to resist, her muscles tense, her head slightly shaking, her body trembling. He knew he should stop. The decent thing to do would be to stop, to leave her alone, but something in him was driving...like every other quest in his life, the exhilaration of winning proved to be too intoxication, no matter the cost. And this kiss would cost dearly, he knew. Sakura moaned a little, trying to protest, her lips bruising under his controlling mouth. This was not the way it was ever supposed to be like. This Sasuke... it was not who she had imagined being with all those years. In her fantasies, he was soft, romantic, slow and tantalizing...like Ino had been. But this Sasuke was pure power, desire, and insatiable hunger and it frightened her. Isn't this what you've always wanted? It was, or she thought it had been. Finally, her instinct dissolved under his force. She had been so focused on him, on his power for so long that she gave into him. She didn't feel seduced, she felt violated, but her brain had stopped working long ago and years of yearning for him overrode the fact that something felt wrong. Sasuke had shoved his hand under her shirt. His hand was pawing at her, squeezing her breast hard, causing her to gasp. She started to protest, but only a moan came from her lips. Somewhere in her mind she realized that it was the first time anyone had ever held her bare breast, and she wanted to cry a little. But a shuffle in the kitchen made her aware that it wasn't her crying. A tiny yelp came, and Sasuke pulled back with a ninja's reflexes, focusing on the source of the sound. Sakura, reeling from the entire encounter, finally became focused enough to look over and see the grief-stricken look on her friend's face. Ino's eyes were filled with the pain of betrayal. That snapped Sakura to attention and realized what her closest friend had just witnessed. "Ino, it isn't what it looks like—" But Ino was already running out the front door. - - - - - - "Are you sure?" Ino sighed, irritated. "Of course I am sure, Shika, I was fucking standing right there. I saw it all." The blonde was full of anger. She was angry at Sakura for betraying Shikamaru. She was angry at Shikamaru because, well, he seemed to be taking the news of his girlfriend's cheating well. She was angry at Sasuke for actually choosing a girl that wasn't her. She was angry at Sakura for kissing Sasuke, because although Ino had put him behind her, the basis of her new friendship with Sakura was that neither girl had gotten Sasuke. Sakura had broken that unspoken tenant that night. Ino was angry at herself for being so angry, for feeling so hurt...and for feeling jealous. Ino felt such jealousy when she replayed the kiss in her mind. All she could see was Sasuke's passion, his hand, groping...it was clumsy and harsh and Sakura had just let it happen. Shikamaru was lying next to her. After she ran out, she needed to talk to someone. Although it was essentially tattle-taleing, Shikamaru being Sakura's boyfriend and all, he was also her teammate and one of her closest friends, and Chouji was miles and miles away.. And since her best friend was the betrayer, he was the only one she could turn to. His arms were resting behind his head and she lay on her side, watching his face. She had expected him to be angry, or hurt, or both at the news. But Nara Shikamaru just lay, his face relaxed, staring at the ceiling. "Damnit, Shika, aren't you upset?" "Not really." His words stunned her like a blow to the face. "W-what do you mean?" With a heavy sigh, Shika rolled over to face Ino. He sure did hate having to explain his emotions, but he knew she would never leave him alone unless he did. "I'm not upset. I mean, a little over the way that we are over, but not the end of the relationship." "But I thought you two were happy. You spent all your time together, forgetting about everyone...forgetting about me." Ino began to cry again, furious at herself for showing so much weakness in one evening. Shikamaru pulled her close and began to stroke her hair. "Ino...we didn't forget about you. Sakura and I did spend a lot of time together...perhaps too much time. She was caught up in the thrill of a new relationship and I...well, it had been a long time since I had been with a girl." Ino sniffled into his shoulder, pulling back a little to look her long-time friend in the eye. "She said you two had not had sex." This made Shika laugh. "You are always so direct, Ino. No, we didn't have sex, and that was the problem—" at that, Ino's face stormed over and she cut him off. "If you are mad because she wouldn't have sex with you, then you are even more of a pig than I thought, you assho—" But Shika just kept laughing and shaking his head. "Ino, god, you are the most troublesome woman I've ever met. Let me finish. Sex was the problem because I knew eventually Sakura was going to want to do it and...I couldn't picture myself being with her. Knowing I would be her first didn't feel right to me. I've been considering how to break it off with her for a week or two now, but I didn't know how to do it without crushing her." Ino was dumbfounded. Shikamaru never talked much. When he did, it was never about his feelings. But there was one thing he was: honorable. His reasoning made perfect sense—of course he would feel strange about taking Sakura's virginity! He had been with his fair share of girls, but Ino remembered then how tentative he had been as a lover. He always wanted to make sure the girl was absolutely sure. Sakura was anything but sure. Shikamaru didn't feel right, being with her with the prospect of being intimate with her. "Why didn't you tell me you were thinking about breaking up with her?" "Are you kidding me? You are the one who set us up, and you are her best friend. You would have torn me a new asshole and it was too troublesome to deal with your anger." Ino punched him in the shoulder, hard. "So what now?" "I guess I let Sakura go to Sasuke. It is what she's wanted all along, right? We should be happy for her." With that, Shikamaru rolled over to sleep, signaling the end of the conversation. It is what she's wanted all along, right? Ino knew it was. After all, Sasuke had torn them apart for years. Sakura had sacrificed herself over and over for the boy. She had thrown herself at him and left herself open for him, enduring his coldness and insults with a quiet grace. Sasuke had turned Sakura into an obedient puppy. But now...it seemed he really did like her, like Sakura, after all those years. We should be happy for her. But Ino couldn't be happy for Sakura at all. - - - - - - - - A/N: Ok, so now that this chapter is done, let me say a few things. First, this story has been super difficult for me because (this may surprise you), I hate Sakura. She makes me cringe in the show and manga. In this story, three people are/were interested in her, which just seems so very unlikely because of her suckage. For that matter, I don't really like Ino, either. And, thought I've tried to fight it, I have a secret affection for Sasuke. So this fiction has been hard for me because I have to write (hopefully) believable AND likable girls. And, try as I might, Sasuke is going to end up being a jerkface, I think. I hope this can help you appreciate why I am making certain character and events the way they are now. It is fun challenging myself to write a story about characters I dislike. The fun part is working very hard to find likable qualities. I may be falling in love with my Ino, just a little.
Back to Practice Makes Perfect Index - Back to Naruto Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction